Browsing Tag

Funk Pop

J. Jeaux wore his heart on his polyphonic sleeve in his alt-RnB single, Overflow

Posted on 10 December 2023

J. Jeaux’s sophomore single Overflow exhibits his unique approach to music, combining lo-fi RnB elements with touches of pop, blues, and funk, creating a sound that is both innovative and nostalgically resonant.

The track’s gravitational pull is undeniable, drawing listeners into a world of eclecticism. The polyphonic synth lines are a highlight, weaving a complex yet harmonious tapestry of sound that feels timelessly modern. This, coupled with minimalist percussion, sets a backdrop that allows J. Jeaux’s vocal talents to shine. The vocal effects are far from typical, adding an intriguing layer to the track and solidifying his distinct style.

J. Jeaux’s ability to channel his emotions into his music is evident. The song discusses the turmoil of overthinking during heartbreak against an energetic backdrop. This juxtaposition is not just a creative choice; it’s a representation of healing, layering sadness with boogie vibes to create a therapeutic musical experience.

As a multi-instrumentalist and composer, J. Jeaux’s expertise extends beyond traditional singer-songwriter boundaries. His experience in composing for video games and media adds a unique dimension to his music that you will want to get lost in time after time.

This track is a clear indication of his potential to leave a lasting impact on the music industry, especially for those who appreciate the blending of traditional soulful rhythms with innovative experimental sounds.

Overflow poured onto the airwaves on November 24. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Hofman unveiled an enrapturing self-deprecating indie electro-pop earworm with I Can’t Sing

Posted on 14 September 2023

Thankfully, the title of Jay Hofman’s latest single, I Can’t Sing, isn’t a disclaimer for the dire vocal performance that will defile your ears as soon as you hit play. Instead, the self-deprecatingly sweet funked-up indie electro-pop hit shares a dilemma that every non-muso diehard romantic will have been stung by, the compulsion to write and sing a love song despite a discernible lack of musical talent.

Maybe ironically, maybe entirely purposefully, the Polish singer-songwriter who is currently residing in the UK crafted the kind of love song that everyone who is lucky enough to be head over heels will want to put on a playlist for the objects of their desire. By switching between rap-style spoken word verses and auto-tuned harmonies in the chorus, even if there was weight to the claim that Hofman can’t sing, it would never have soured the soundscape that is as electrifying as a Daft Punk hit.

I Can’t Sing debuted on September 8th; fall in love with it via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lyra unleashed Medusa in their latest funk-pop-RnB alchemic amalgam.

Posted on 1 September 2023

With powerfully alluring vocals slipping into an amalgam of funk, pop and 90s RnB, the latest single, Medusa, from the London-hailing prodigal children of soulful experimentalism, Lyra, is a boundary-breaking triumph.

With vocal lines that are as resonant and sonorous as the timbres you would expect from Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus and intellectually enlivening lyricism bolstering the track that is rich with lush reverb, disco grooves, and rhythmic alchemy, Medusa is a track that could easily help Lyra make an even bigger mark on the RnB map. I mean, have you ever heard a stronger opening lyrical line than “I slept with my demons, they never called me back”?

Since forming in 2016, the outfit has brought its live sound to many of the most prestigious venues, including The Bedford, The Camden Assembly, and 99 Feet East; they have also received the Track of the Week accolade from BBC Introducing. We’re sure that even greater things await after Medusa is unleashed.

Medusa will be available to stream from the 1st of September; hear it via this link. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leah Nawy is the ultimate contender for originator of the year after releasing her debut single, NUISANCE

Posted on 22 August 2023

By combining the soul of Sade with the tongue-in-cheek charm of Kate Nash and leaving plenty of room for her own striking rock-licked sonic signature stylings that open the floodgates to a rush of 90s pop nostalgia, Leah Nawy hit the ground running with her feisty and fresh debut single, NUISANCE.

If you’ve still got the attention span to appreciate a perfect three-minute pop hit, lose yourself in the vibrant tones, groove-driven and funk-dripping instrumentals, and some of the sweetest sugared-with-attitude vocal lines you will hear this year.

With a polyphonically jazzy rock n roll outro that enabled Nawy to dig her heels into her authenticity, NUISANCE is a debut that no one will be quick to forget. Even with the industry more saturated than it has ever been, there’s no denying Leah Nawy is a promising triple threat with her charisma, talent, and ear for earwormy melodies.

After she finishes her Masters degree in songwriting and production at Berklee NYC, she will be an unstoppable force.

NUISANCE hit the airwaves on the 28th of July; stream it for yourselves on Spotify.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kat Caroline’s funk-disco-pop amalgam, Sugar Lips, is the perfect sonic summer cocktail

Posted on 31 July 2023

If you haven’t had the honey from Kat Caroline’s sophomore single, Sugar Lips, oozing from your speakers yet, you can’t say you’ve heard the hottest pop hit of the summer.

With creatively modernised vintage disco grooves oscillating through the funk-bolstered hit and the sensuously sweet energy that emanates from the lyrics, vocals and sun-soaked melodies, Kat Caroline is the ultimate alt-pop siren in Sugar Lips, which is more than reflected by the attention the single has garnered since its official debut in May 2023.

The Nile Rodgers-esque guitar chops against the retro pop beats and Kat’s ethereally glassy vocal lines that easily command all of the conceivable senses fused together to create the perfect sonic summer cocktail.

Stream Sugar Lips on Spotify & YouTube and keep up to date with the latest earworms from the US-based one-woman pop powerhouse.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Karan Karma has unveiled his scorcher of a sophomore disco-funk RnB pop hit, Dangerous

Posted on 18 June 2023

The Essex, UK singer-songwriter, Karan Karma, turned up the heat enough to trigger another heatwave with his disco & funk-infused RnB pop sophomore single, Dangerous.

His infectiously salacious soprano vocal lines will make him an instant hit with any fans of the King of Pop, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars and Charlie Puth; he comes into his innovative own through the disco grooves, which are as slick and stylish as the ones found in Red Rum Club’s chart-topping hits.

Reminiscences aside, Karan Karma established himself as one to watch through the precision in the balance between commercial appeal and creative autonomy. Using his own voice instead of assimilating another’s, he’s easily one of the most authentic artists in the UK pop circuit. For more slices of soul, slap him on your radar.

Dangerous is now available to stream on Spotify and YouTube via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ipe defied the laws of gravity in his funk-grooved feat of disco-pop, Stratosphere

Posted on 7 June 2023

If you could imagine what the output would be if Nile Rodgers, Nic Hanson, and Daft Punk stepped into the studio together, you will get an idea of the electrifying funk-grooved euphoria which organically spills from the latest single from the Chicago-based singer-songwriter and producer, Ipe.

Stratosphere is the ultimate euphonic aphrodisiac for the way the cosmic lyricality lifts you higher than the upbeat instrumentals, which pay an ode to the heritage of disco while bringing in an electrifying new wave of pop.

The infectiously enlivened vocal lines from Ipe, who has been racking up tens of thousands of Spotify streams since making his debut in 2019, are the ultimate aural pick-me-up. His hedonistically honeyed vocal lines are all you need to get in the groove.

Stream Ipe’s latest single, Stratosphere, on all major platforms via this link

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Harri Larkin mainlined affectionate adrenaline into their pop-punk-hooked summer anthem, Dopamine

Posted on 26 May 2023

After discovering the immense talent that lingers in the larynx (it is a powerhouse in itself) of Harri Larkin through her Christmas collaboration with Sam Scherdel, we couldn’t wait to get stuck into her three-piece band’s latest single, Dopamine.

Drunk on affection-derived highs and vexed by the subsequent aftermath of anxious uncertainty, Sheffield’s hottest DIY alternative outfit pierced the funk-grooved rhythms with catchy enough to be cosmic pop-punk hooks. The summer staple that achieves elevated status through the infusion of indie guitars and demurely jazzy vocal lines that sultrily lead you into the choruses would be paralysing if they weren’t so galvanising.

After John Kennedy (Radio X) chose Harri Larkin out of 1578 other applicants to headline the BBC Introducing Library Stage at Tramlines, recording their single, Bonfire Toffee, for BBC Introducing Live in 2022 and the track was included in BBC Introducing Sheffield’s Top 50 Tracks of the Year countdown, there is no doubt in our minds that Harri Larkin will be moving on to even greater things.

Stream Dopamine, which hit the airwaves on May 26 on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Dance-pop rock star Max Matthew went in heavy on the 90s nostalgia in ‘Want 2B Wanted’

Posted on 21 February 2023

What Peter Andre was to the 90s, Max Matthew is to 2023 in his oceanic funk-popped debut hit, Want 2B Wanted. Rather than just getting you in the mood, the bluesy guitars will flood your soul as the salacious serenade effortlessly establishes Max Matthew as one to watch, hit the dance floor to, and fall in love to.

With his nostalgic for the 90s debut on the airwaves, they’re smoother than ever and primed to accommodate more hits from the future rock star of dance-pop. Keep him on your radar.

Want 2B Wanted hit the airwaves on February 13th, soak in the euphoria by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chloë Lupton is set to lift the collective mood with her intoxicating amalgam of RnB, Funk, Disco and Pop in ‘Midnight Radio;

Posted on 20 January 2023
Chloë Lupton

RnB Funk Pop fusionist, Chloë Lupton, has transmitted the ultimate soundtrack to intoxicated euphoria with her latest single, Midnight Radio.

The catchy disco grooves that pulsate through old-skool-inspired production are seductively efficacious in their ability to reflect the heat when sparks fly from a chance encounter on the dancefloor as you connect through music.

The 22-year-old Suffolk-based artist is a creative powerhouse after spending the last seven years studying and working in music, acting and dance, including training in performing arts and musical theatre.

After realising she has an ear for soul, jazz and RnB, which also happens to be where her stylish signature vocals lie best, she worked on adding her own individualistically amalgamated sonic style to the airwaves. Now signed with Radical Lounge Studios, there is no telling where the soulful prodigy will be a year from now. She’s definitively one to watch.

Midnight Radio will officially release on January 20th across all major streaming platforms. Check it out via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast