Keeping with their overall vibes of old school soul Summer Lee Carlson and producer Mute Speaker are back. This takes a drop in tempo but maintains the same temperature, there are snare drum rolls with ghost notes as well as some sneaky percussion to keep the groove going – there are some synth pads in …
Single Review: “Kitty Paw” – Shook
This track is full of 80s goodness! What do I mean? Well, this track has what I reckon is a LinnDrum machine – very much that synth pop vibe, combined with synth chords with a touch of vibrato, and that bass line is part of the Yamaha DX7 playbook – Lately Bass at least? This …
Single Review: “Dream On” – Aerosmith
I’m gutted to hear about Steven Tyler’s decision to retire. It’s epic. The vocals at the point that I’ve picked where he goes full on banshee wail gives me goosebumps! Admittedly the first time I heard this song was when Eminem sampled it for “Sing” but when I went back and listened to the original …
Single Review: “Love Love Love” – The Gulls
This is a fun acoustic number combining a bit of folk, and old fashioned rock n roll lyric wise! This track is about being in love with someone and it’s expressed in such a fun way, the chorus is catchy as hell, because they’re declaring that they’re in love love love love love. Love. My …
Single Review: “Evergreen Time” – Erica Jean
This one starts off with a warped electric piano playing a progression that sounds like it’s been passed through old tape.. great effect! Add to it finger snaps that have a ping pong delay on it.. it gives it a real blues/soul vibe! Add strings to it then you’re away. This has such a summery …
Song Review: “It’s Only You” – Mutual Blue
Mutual Blue are back with a bit of a summer banger of a song, and this has a bit of an indie rock party atmosphere to it, you could just imagine this going down a storm on the radio. For me it’s the count off at the beginning if I put my DJ head on …
Song Review: “Aseda” – MOGMusic X Edem Evangelist
This one is fresh and hot out of the kitchen, and it is so good! This is a Ghanaian worship song which translates to giving God thanks. Minister MOGMusic brings the heat with this half time track, which has a tight arrangement rhythm and vocal wise, there’s a choir on there and the drums and …
Single Review: “All Your Life” – Nick Ward
I’m not sure what it is about this song, but lyrically it caught me off guard. Why? Well, the main part of the song says I hope you’re really happy all your life. The first line talks about his birth and how he took a deep breath and started to cry. He then starts to …
Single Review: “Hard Down Low” – Loa
This track is slow and based around piano and vocals, but very atmospheric. It’s very moody with no harmonies, as Rick Leigh’s piano playing and Genevieve Dawson’s vocals blend together effortlessly over a music arrangement that’s kept really simple. It’s a beauty of a track calling on folk influences, especially Celtic undertones. This song encourages …
Single Review: “Sunlight To My Soul” – Angelique Kidjo
An extraordinary thing happened yesterday. I met a couple from South Africa and we talked about music. Complete strangers. But the thing that connected us was that I love Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and the late great singers Miriam Makeba and Lionel Petersen. We talked about their impact and for just a brief moment we sang …