Float Point’s “Until the Noise Stops”: Sharp, Seething Electronic Music
When you first push play on “Until the Noise Stops” by Float Point (Paolo Pace), it’s unclear what journey you’ll go on. At first, the energetic synth sound hits you with a wave of tumbling arpeggios (when notes come one after the other in quick skipping succession). From there, the layers build – distorted leaf […]
“Til It’s Gone” by The Duke of Randwick: Soulful, Grim, Familiar
Harsh, dark, and vulnerable, “Til It’s Gone,” by The Duke of Randwick sweeps the listener into a story about holding on. It’s a song about clinging to the things you know even when you know they will hurt you – about holding on, and on, and on, until it finally runs out. Surrounded by rusty […]
“Box” by redbook Takes Off Your Rose Glasses
redbook’s song “Box” is a soulful break up anthem that boasts high energy, power-house vocals, and no shortage of righteous rage. It’s a song about anger, but more about regret – the pit you get in your stomach when you’ve escaped a relationship and you’re forced to acknowledge the crap you put up with from […]
Moths in the Attic – The Story of “Chase Away the Ghost”
For many artists, songwriting is a healing, therapeutic experience. This rings very true for Zack Fletcher, lead singer/songwriter and guitarist of Moths in the Attic. Based out of Northwest Ohio, this progressive folk meets classical guitar meets rock band released their self-titled debut album in October 2019. After meeting saxophonist Mike Williams through a mutual […]
Brad Peterson’s “Keepsakes in the Garbage” Is a Memorable Ode to Moving On
In the woods near Lake Michigan, Brad Peterson writes and records some incredible tunes from a garden shed he built. That setting is pretty ideal if you ask me. No wonder his music is so good. All of Peterson’s music feels so real. With five albums, an EP, and many singles out everywhere, you can […]
Ryan Cassata’s “California Woman”: Old School Cool with a Modern Twist
Ryan Cassata is proof that trans people can do anything. In fact, he might be proof that trans people can do everything, all at once. He is a singer-songwriter, an actor, a writer, an LGBT activist, a motivational speaker, and even a model. To make it even more impressive, he’s only 26 years old; for […]
“Rose Gold” by Emily Merrell: A Luxurious Breath of Fresh Air
The following is an incomplete list of things that “Rose Gold”, the wonderful new song by the English jazz-pop artist Emily Merrell, sounds like. It sounds like a sunny spring day with just a hint of winter in the cool breeze; it sounds like a pink-and-white dessert so artfully presented that you’re not sure if […]
Julian Taylor’s “The Ridge”: Some Things Last Forever
Julian Taylor, a Canadian singer-songwriter who’s been performing in some capacity for two decades, has the kind of voice that lends gravitas to any occasion. His voice is a rich, oaken baritone that evinces a quiet sort of masculinity; listening to it, you get the inexplicable feeling that its owner knows a lot about woodworking. […]
Notelle on “Alive”, Her Influences, and Nashville
Because she’s a woman who makes goth-adjacent electronic music, Notelle is going to get compared to Billie Eilish more than a few times. It’s natural for listeners and critics to draw easy comparisons to what’s currently en vogue. But the Nashville-based songwriter’s eerie, uncompromising new song, “Alive”, illustrates exactly what makes her so different, and […]
“Nowhere/No One” by Bella Human: A Haunting Take on Humanity’s Unknowable Origins
Bella Human’s song “Nowhere/No One” is a deliciously unsettling exploration of inheritance, disappearance, and vision: a song about bleeding, but more about what blood is – how it got into our veins in the first place. Why that secret haunts us. It’s a tense song, resting atop repeating guitar plucks and ghostly vocals. It opens […]
