Browsing Tag

john mayer

Orlando Indie Pop/Soul band G.W. Souther bust out new track ‘’We Don’t Wanna Talk About It’’

Posted on 17 May 2020

Known for their breakout reggae infused debut song ‘’”Freedom on the Line” from 2016, G.W Souther are back with ’We Don’t Wanna Talk About It’’. It’s a solid song, with all the right moves and top musicianship. This is the final song on their new ‘’F I S H’’ album from 2020.

After working with Christina Milian, G Eazy, Jeremih, and Snoop Dogg lately, this band is growing each day and are making quite a name for themselves with festival appearances in the US. 

I do feel like they should go back to their reggae roots but totally understand the change of direction on new album ‘’F I S H’’. Each band must evolve but I do prefer the earlier releases from ‘’Freedom On The Line’’. They had a special groove going that I miss.

Look out for more quality music from G.W. Souther, a band who seem like good guys that just want to make good music and entertain. They have soul and make people happy, the whole point of music in the first place.

Listen here on Spotify

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Makayi has dropped Diamond in the Rough

Posted on 21 April 2020

Artist Makayi has dropped his latest single ‘Diamond in the Rough’ mixing a variety of different sounds together to achieve this Hip-Hop yet RnB/Soul piece.

It’s always a lot more intriguing when diverse sounds combine together and create a piece of music, in this one the start is laid back, swaying more to the slow-pace melody that flows in and out of the vocals, adding in that high energy beat that pulses through, giving it it’s Hip-Hop style.

But then switching back to that more calming and smooth sound, especially with the vocal tone, it has this soft texture and tends to be more on the flat side until stretching out to hit the high notes.

The beat flows in and out of the vocals, whilst the melody stays more on that super upbeat style the lyrics take the volume down a notch, it’s a great way of combining to different paces rather than just sticking with the same one and it still creates an interesting track.

Check out Makayi Diamond in the Rough by heading over here now.

Review by Karley Myall

Sean Miller releases EP Everywhere I Roam

Posted on 19 April 2020

Northern Michigan, singer-songwriter Sean Miller has dropped his seven-track collection ‘Everywhere I Roam’.

An anthology filled with excitement and pure energy flowing through each piece, having this really uplifting way about them, infusing the sound of Pop-Folk with the super upbeat instrumentation and the high-pitched energetic vocals.

Some are a lot more laid back, making you feel a sense of relaxation as you listen, some a lot quicker and louder, the strums on the guitar are harsher and the vocals take a more fast pace approach seeming a little rougher. Having that mixture between the two different styles of song and really making it his own in such an incredible way, not to mention the incredible duet with Lara Fullford on track four ‘Phone Call Smiles’ a love song sang in such a mesmerising way as each vocal bounces off one another perfectly.

Listen to Sean Miller’s EP Everywhere I Roam by heading on over to Spotify now.

Review by Karley Myall

Nia J – Bad Faith: Sweetly Soul-Appeasing Choral Alt Soul Pop

Posted on 20 March 2020

The soul-appeasing melodies in Nia J’s third Alt Pop single “Bad Faith” will have you captivated with just the first few notes.

While many Pop artists fail to find new avenues to take their sound, Nia J experimented with rich choral tones and succinctly layered harmonies to create a track which is so accordant it is practically celestial.

Any fans of John Mayer, Bruno Mars, Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. are sure to appreciate this unique combination of Neo-Soul, Acoustic Folk Pop, and RnB. The sweet colourfully popping notes are the perfect platform for Nia J’s resounding flawlessly pitched vocals. With Bad Faith coming together under a polished production, it’s a radio-ready hit which won’t be out of place on your Alt Pop playlists.

You can check out Nia J’s single Bad Faith for yourselves via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Paul Vinson – Last Summer: Unflinchingly Enigmatic Soul Pop

Posted on 1 October 2018

Now that we’re safely in the bitter grips of Autumn its time to reminisce about the summers gone by. Luckily Singer Songwriter Paul Vinson has recently released his latest single “Last Summer” to get us through the equinox blues.

At the age of 19 years old the vocalist and guitarist has already got a staggering amount of soul and maturity in his vocals and lyrics thanks to his childhood spent as a gospel singer which helped him develop his unflinchingly enigmatic vocal talent. Yet, Paul saw the light and put his faith into his music career, with his accessibly warm and expressive style it’s safe to say he made the right choice in opening his sound up to a non-pious audience.

Fans of John Mayer, 21 Pilots, James Bay and Allen Stone will definitely appreciate the viscerally alive soundscape he’s cooked up with fellow bandmates. With the jazz style piano’s stabbing notes and bluesy guitar and bass rhythm guiding you through the track, it’s hard not to get caught up within the momentum of the sentimentally sweet single.

You can check out Paul Vinson’s latest single Last Summer for yourself by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Salvatore Manalo – Rain: Winters Antidote

Posted on 17 December 2017

Through the impossibly competitive music scene of Portland, Oregon emerges Salvatore Manalo with his debut track Rain.

It’s a mixed bag of genres, but when you get to the bridge, putting a label on his majestic sound quickly floats to the back of your mind as you find yourself fully attuned to his sound. With riffs more fitting in Rock tracks this R&B Funk Pop enigma allows the track to flow with sweet unpredictability.

The entire ensemble is flawless, from the vocals to the instrumentals, the lyrics to the Jazz vibes that taint the track with poignantly upbeat symphonies. I’m really not sure how Manalo remains on the underground with such an array of talent. There’s a true narrative to his emotions which he explores through his command of rhythm.

Sadly, Rain falls under the category of the type of track that you’re likely to hear whilst dining at an upmarket restaurant or wandering round the supermarket. It’s not a sound that you’d hear in trendy cocktail bars or being spoken about fondly by teenagers. Never the less, if you’re looking for a sound to dispel the winter blues look no further! (Despite what your friends may think)

https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-manalo/5-rain/s-FPEy3?in=salvatore-manalo/sets/salvatore-ep/s-GfAbd

Nikhil Swaroop – The Light: The Acoustic Zeitgeist

Posted on 15 November 2017

I’ve only just had the pleasure of being acquainted with Nikhil Swaroop. It took me approximately 10 seconds to fall completely in love with him from when I hit play on his new track The Light (The Original). The video of the light takes place within Nikhil’s inner sanctum, allowing you a personal view into his life, past and pain, with no holds barred.

He’s a stunning singer song writer currently living in India, I have to say it was my first experience listening to Indian acoustic, but one things for sure, it won’t be the last. He has the same pensive delectableness of the quaint sonorous likes of Ray LaMontagne, Keith Urban and Glen Hansard. The light is charged with upliftingly harrow emotion that flows with inexplicable ease.

Aside from his original work, Nikhil has become the master at breathing a little soul into British and American songs, from Lady Gaga to Ed Sheeran, each sound is as staggering as the last. The whole production for the video to The Light only took 50 minutes. He’s kindly left the track as raw as it gets for his fans. If only more artists were that honest with their work.

Unwind with Vautier’s latest track ‘Maybe Tomorrow’

Posted on 28 October 2017

Every once in a while, a visionary appears amongst us, despite the decades of music production, it’s refreshing to know that not quite everything has been done before. Vautier has appeared to us as the saviour from the monotony of tired old beats.

New Zealand based artist Vautier orchestrates an interesting mix of R&B, Electronica and Soul that is immersive, hypnotic, lucidly tranquil. The arrangement of the song is riddled with complexities that are an absolute pleasure to get lost in. Ambience flows through the soft arrangements that follow a crawlingly melodic pace. The guitar solos that seem to stretch endlessly are so poignantly raw they almost feel out of place within the entire production. There’s no amplification, just a nostalgic Shoegaze sound.

The production on the vocals was unique over the lounge music infused electronica, they appear over the music as whispers that don’t demand to be heard, which gives it a certain quintessence that most electronica acts could only dream of.

There is so much potential for this track, despite all of its influences you can’t really pin it under any traditional genre. Vautier is a truly conceptual artist who is constantly gracing us with his sound due to the success of his earlier glitchy, yet lucid music.

A&R Factory Present: Sam Johnson

Posted on 11 April 2017

According to Reverbnation.com (January 2017) Sam Johnson is the #1 ranked Singer-Songwriter in all of San Francisco. Sam recently joined ANDY GRAMMER for the West Coast portion of his “Honey I’m Good Tour” performing live in front of thousands each night as Andy’s only opening act.

Sam’s original music is often heard in TV shows on FOX, BRAVO, MTV, SPIKE and more. In 2015 He was commissioned by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) to write several songs which are still being used by the mixed martial arts promotion company to this day.  His rendition of “In The Midnight Hour” was chosen two years in a row for the MACY’S Black Friday sales campaign. Interscope Records recording artists “FLIP SYDE” did a rendition of Sam’s song “Tower Of Hollywood” and it became the title track of their most recent album “Tower Of Hollywood.”

Sam maintains a busy performance schedule at over 200 shows per year, playing dozens of college events, corporate events (Oakley Sunglasses, Oracle, Red Bull, Casamigos Tequila, and more), as well as festivals, tour dates, and residencies with The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, The Palace Hotel, The Grand Hyatt San Francisco, and Cavallo Point.

He inked his first distribution deal, with Ineffable Music Group (Same distribution and management company as popular Reggae band Stick Figure), which catapulted him into sharing stages with Andy Grammer,Shwayze, Collie Buddz, Anuhea, The Holdup and many more.

Sam’s journey hasn’t always been so glamorous though. He “paid dues” for years as a street performer in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, performing 5 days a week year round. It was through this rigorous performance schedule that Sam gained a loyal enough fan base to launch a Kickstarter campaign that funded the entire production of his 2014 release “The City,” produced by Alex Elena and Topher Mohr (Lily Allen, Citizen Cope, Mayer Hawthorne).

Sam’s is known for his soulful voice and lyrical whit. It is not uncommon to hear laughter come from a crowd at his performances.

He is often compared to artists like John Mayer and Dave Matthews.

http://samjohnsonlive.com

 

A&R Factory Present: Mali

Posted on 3 February 2017

Mali is the alias of Maalavika Manoj, independent folk and country singer/songwriter.

Having recently shifted from Chennai to Bay city, Mali is currently collaborating with some of the independent scene’s biggest artists, all while trying to find her own sound and inspiration for her new material.

Mali has gone on to perform with some of the biggest artists from the independent scene in India, including Sapta, Dharavi Rocks, Tejas and has collaborated with Dualist Inquiry.

She has performed at the biggest venues across India and is now looking to put down her debut effort in Bombay this year.

Find out more on Mali here