Browsing Tag

New York Pop

Lauren Kidd highlighted the obscurity of modern romanticism in her infectious pop hit, Conversations with Strangers

If any up-and-coming pop artist has what it takes to become the voice of her generation, it is the self-taught Queens, NY-hailing luminary Lauren Kidd with her Conversations with Strangers EP.

The title track begins with a raw, bedroom indie pop prelude before blossoming into an infectious electro-pop earworm with a backbeat that rhythmically compels you to lean in and surrender to the tempo of the anthem. The transition is seamless, showcasing Kidd’s knack for blending intimate storytelling with a broader, more universal pop appeal.

The song’s upbeat tempo belies its deeper exploration of the risks we take in our interactions with strangers, trusting them with our most vulnerable selves. Kidd navigates this paradox with a deft touch, maintaining an energy reminiscent of a Taylor Swift hit, yet layered with a complexity that is uniquely her own.

Whether or not she intended the track to radically transform the way you perceive the danger-fraught trappings of romanticism, she achieved it. It is no surprise that so many pop fans are glued to her playlist staples.

With melodies that inch their way into your psyche and refuse to leave, her personality-infused harmonies and the clear songwriting stripes stretched through the progressions, Lauren Kidd is a triple threat in the music industry.

The Conversations with Strangers EP was officially released on February 23; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Noah Tuesday melodised moving on paralysis in his pop-rock single, ‘Leave a Light On’

If candour and inclination to expose their souls got artists to the top of the charts, there would be few sitting above the Michigan-born, New York-residing alternative artist, Noah Tuesday.

His seminal pop-rock single, Leave a Light On, puts his training as a concert and church pianist to melodically immersive use as he allows the lyrics to outpour of all the guilt that amasses around inaction, introversion and moving on paralysis. Everyone has been there, leaving lashes on their own backs for their need to take time; Noah Tuesday universalised those alienating sensations.

Even if Leave a Light On was an instrumental piece, the piano-led sonic piece of panache would have been as upliftingly luminary. Between the evocative magnetism in his vocal lines, his songwriting chops and his lyrics that transcend most artists’ expressive capacities, he’s one to watch.

Leave a Light On is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Contemporary Indie Pop Chanteuse EASAE Soulfully Summons Satan in ‘Pretty Little Devil Song’

Buffalo, NY-hailing indie-pop singer-songwriter, EASAE, exhibited the extent of the bewitching dynamism in her vocal range in the standout single, Pretty Little Devil Song, taken from her intimately powerful debut album, Not Sure I Love It Here Yet.

With the grace and finesse of a 50s pop chanteuse, the spellbinding soul of Stevie Nicks and the contemporary kick of Maggie Rogers, EASAE effortlessly carves a niche with her strident approach to indie pop. With the dirty bluesy guitars around her glassy vocal timbre, it is impossible not to be enraptured by this progressively fascinating release, which walks you through confessional introspection that gives her the girl-next-door-edge while her talent sets her so far apart, she’s metaphorically on another plateau from us mere mortals.

Pretty Little Devil Song was released on December 16th; hear it on Spotify with the LP, which navigates loss while stoking the fires of lust for life.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find the difference between night and day in the US indie-pop artist Hyde Park’s standout single, The Insomniac’s Lament

Few new 2022 releases have resonated with us quite as much as Hyde Park’s composition, The Insomniac’s Lament. After an evocatively loaded neo-classic prelude, the cutting minor-key piano melodies flourish into blossoming progressions and the poetically-titled single transitions into an orchestrally-scored power-pop single that glistens with optimism.

The evolutionary nature of The Insomniac’s Lament marks just how significant the shifts in our psyches can be. It brings brand-new meaning to the expression “it’s like night and day”.

The Insomniac’s Lament is just one of the singles on the indie-pop singer-songwriter’s debut EP This is Just a Simple Song. Even the US-based artist’s humility leaves us excited about his potential for success.

The Insomniac’s Lament is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Madeline Jaina – Counting Sheep: an indie noir pop track that goes out to the insomniacs

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and performer, Madeline Jaina carries the sandman’s essence in her latest single, Counting Sheep, which goes out to her fellow insomniacs.

The dark flamenco vibes from the guitars feed into dreamy, reverby, echo delay creating a wavy ambient platform for the Ohio-born, New York-based artist’s soulfully old school vocals to harmonise with. Even the non-lexical-vocals between the poetically composed lyricism draw you deeper into the soul of the indie noir pop track that delivers mesmerising escapism. For the entire duration of the transfixing single you are granted a rumination reprieve.

Counting Sheep will be available to stream from November 5th. You can check it out via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kalteaux – Could Have Been an Email: Anti-Capitalist Folk-Pop

‘Could Have been an Email’ is the latest upbeat folk-pop single from NYC and songwriter Kalteaux which spills the lockdown blues while enamouring you through the unifying sentiment. If Karl Marx existed in this era and released folk-pop tracks, we’re fairly certain that they’d sound a little like Could Have Been an Email.

Kalteaux may have pushed himself into a niche market branding himself as a musical comedian but his talent as a songwriter and as a radio-ready artist easily parrels his all too relatable wit that brings his psych pop-tinged colourful melodies to life.

Check out the quarantine music video that premiered on June 3rd via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast