Browsing Tag

Urban Pop

Valiancy gives us our ‘Good Vibes’ fix in his latest alt-pop sonic sanctum.

Posted on 10 November 2021

With the sweet harmonic Beach Boys-style soul against the Saul Williams-Esque heavy beats, Valiancy’s latest alt-indie pop fix, Good Vibes, delivers what it says on the tin. Not through condescending euphoria peddling tropes, but through exuding nothing but transcendent soul that remains sympathetic to the reasons we need good vibes tracks in the first place.

The songwriter and producer orchestrated a soundscape unique enough to pique your interest and pull you in, yet experimentalism was notably secondary to ensuring that the infusion of harmonic pop vocals and ensnaring alt electro beats became a sure-fire hit of catharsis.

Get your Good Vibes hit by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The dynamic collective of emcees, High Frequency, have released their seminally sweet RnB pop track, Part Ways.

Posted on 6 November 2021

High Frequency’s latest single, ‘Part Ways’, is potentially the sweetest RnB pop breakup track to have ever hit the airwaves. Between the melodic sticky sweet indie instrumentals, the sentimental lyrics which run through the inner turmoil that transpired in spite of the affection and the velvety smooth vocals, you’d need to be dead from the soul down not to feel the weight in this frankly genius hit.

High Frequency is a music collective featuring five true-to-their-own-style emcees who respectively bring their hometown influence to the table, resulting in a mash of Memphis rap, NYC grooves, 90s hip hop flows, modern trap styles and modern gospel roots. We can’t wait to hear more infatuation-worthy tracks from this powerhouse of a collective.

Part Ways is due for official release on November 6th. You can check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Zeke Smyth – Secrets, featuring Lando Strand; tropic urban pop perfection.

Posted on 29 October 2021

Cleveland, Ohio aural experimentalist, Zeke Smyth, pulls his inspiration from a diverse pool of pop, rock, hip hop and soul; he doesn’t break boundaries; he refuses to acknowledge their existence when orchestrating his pop-rap hits.

His latest single, Secrets, featuring Lando Strand, is tropic pop perfection. The catchy vocal melodies never allow your attention to falter while the sticky with soul track unfolds. Vibes don’t get much higher than Secrets which explores verbal intimacy through sentimental lyrics and up-vibe tranquil 808s that will leave you hooked on Zeke’s sound.

Secrets is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michelle Nyce’s high vibes go interstellar in her indie urban pop hit ‘Eh Baby’.

Posted on 19 October 2021

Since a young age, the spotlight has fallen onto the multifaceted talent of the Toronto-based rapper, dancer and singer Michelle Nyce. For her latest indie urban pop earworm, she collaborated with StraightOuttaThe6ix to create a high vibe drunk on love single and music video that successfully epitomises the intoxicating feeling of getting hooked on someone’s vibe.

The sun-kissed radio-ready single, Eh Baby, is a stunning extension of the sentiments offered in Crazy in Love. Even though she has the style and gravitas of a multi-platinum-selling artist, she hasn’t lost her instantly infatuating girl next door vibe that we can’t wait to hear plenty more of.

Stream and download Eh Baby via apple music. Watch the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

XANDE breaks barriers with his mental health alt-pop stormer, DOWNFALL.

Posted on 8 October 2021

Alt-pop singer-songwriter and producer, XANDE, is set to release his rawest single to date with DOWNFALL, which doesn’t just open up the MH conversation; it drops an atomic bomb to break down barriers and advocate for mental health awareness.

By mixing with contemporary pop elements with trap textures and alt-rock stylings, DOWNFALL could easily be  universally adored. If you thought that Wrecking Ball was evocative, brace yourselves for the emotional firestorm that blazes throughout this massive melodic hit.

The Portugal-born artist penned the single to reflect the emotions that transpired through being a caregiver for his father, who suffered from schizophrenia and PTSD. It finds a nuanced way of portraying the very real truth that the symptoms of someone’s mental health conditions can cause another’s trauma.

As someone that has also had to constantly creep around depression and anxiety during childhood, I couldn’t help finding myself in the lyrics; that hollowing feeling of knowing that your emotions will always be secondary and the people that should have your back just let you fall or push you even further. It’s a stunning single, in every conceivable way. We can’t wait to hear more.

The official video to DOWNFALL will premiere on October 8th; you can check it out for yourselves on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK urban pop duo Rara Loud have made an anthemic comeback with Forever Love.

Posted on 5 October 2021

The trailblazing urban pop duo monikered Rara Loud have made an anthemic comeback with their bass-dubbed, orchestrally infused hit, Forever Love.

The British duo consistently strives for authenticity; through Forever Love, they discernibly delivered. Their floor-filler consistently twists and turns around the progressive bass lines while their contrastingly magnetic personalities flood the mix with high vibes that are nothing short of infectious. Do your serotonin levels a favour and hit play.

The official music video for Forever Love launched on September 24th; you can check it out for yourselves on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Celeste Scott has released her urban pop-punk anthem, Hate My Friends.

Posted on 2 August 2021

Celeste Scott has made a phenomenal comeback with her entrancing track, Hate My Friends; it is charged with pop-punk attitude, filled with infectious dance-pop hooks and carries all of the hallmarks of a perennial pop earworm.

With three years between the release of Hate My Friends and her sophomore single, we’re stoked to see the return of the pop-punk icon. With her heavy guitars, urban influence and hooky melodies, she has practically done all of the heavy lifting in the diversification of the pop-punk scene that she is sure to reign supreme with more euphorically sniping releases in the same vein as Hate My Friends.

Check out Hate My Friends on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stormin’⚡️Norman gives us a shot of ‘Novacane’ in his latest single

Posted on 9 June 2021

RnB pop takes a dark turn in Boston, New York-born rap artist Stormin’⚡️Norman’s single, Novacane, taken from his debut EP Before I Go. The single poignantly shines a light on the despair that the loss of love can bring broiling to the surface as the cold chilling tones mimic the emptiness of a noted absence.

Starting with a delicate yet cavernous intro, Novacane hooks you in from the atmospheric prelude; when Stormin’⚡️Norman starts to lay down his authentic RnB pop vocals around the hip hop beats, you’ll already be hooked, allowing everything that follows to hit with bruising impact.

Since making his debut in 2020, he has garnered over 11k monthly listeners on Spotify alone. His ability to connect with his fans through candid lyrics and evocative mixes is sure to see him go even further in 2021 and beyond.

Novacane is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

REMY QUINN – Make U Happy featuring Haley Warner

Posted on 21 April 2021

‘Make U Happy’ is the fourth single released by the up and coming Chicago-residing pop artist and producer REMY QUINN in collaboration with vocalist Haley Warner. If your summer pop playlists need shaking up, they will get a seismic shift in cool with Make U Happy.

The urban dance-pop track comes with polished production, but there is still enough room for the intimate indie vibes to breathe through the short and sweet mix that finds the perfect balance of energy. Make U Happy delivers plenty of affectionate passion. Yet, Haley Warner delivers the lyrics with a touch of realist reservation, accentuating the organic feel of the stylish release. Make U Happy is the kind of authentic pop that the airwaves has been crying out for. It is the antithesis of plastic pop music.

Make U Happy is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stockdale exhibits their in-Vogue urban pop style with ‘Countdown’.

Posted on 1 April 2021

Berlin-based artist Stockdale has captured the air of 80s East Coast hip hop while adding a melodic soul-pop twist with the standout track, ‘Countdown’, from their 2021 album, ‘BUDDY’.

Their versatile discography cruises between smooth pop and hip hop anthems; with Countdown, you get the best of both worlds. By starting as a fiery feat of lo-fi jazzy indie hip hop, you’ll get pulled into the progressive mix that exhibits four vocalists and a potent dose of collaborative chemistry. With D’Fish, Nomé, Pilgrim and Luce bringing their authentic personality to the track, you’re almost welcomed into the collective creative experience. The harmonic layering in the dream-pop style production towards the outro seriously puts every 90s boyband to shame.

Countdown is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast