Keeping It Fresh

Today I thought we could go back in time, relive some of the glorious 80s and get some old school music back on the map. And to start off, I thought it would be cool to take a look at different artists across various genres in the 80s. Think of it like a series dedicated to the age when big hair, punk rock, disco, and new wave all had a spot in the spotlight. The 80s were a time where bands were starting to embrace instruments like synthesizers and keyboards, where rock music was starting to evolve and change to include these “unconventional” instruments. New wave band, Modern English, was no exception.  It’s interesting to note that Modern English is actually an English band – as were many popular bands during the 80s. I think a little background might add some context on why that is a cool tidbit. Let’s start with the genre – new wave. This is a genre which encompasses some pop music styles and punk rock to create a deliciously catchy dossier of sound. New wave was a shift a...

Today I have some suave and dark music for you out of England. Everything is Recorded, is an artist pseudonym and project. The man behind Everything is Recorded goes by the name of Richard Russell, a producer, and owner of XL Recordings. His label was meant to produce and release original dance tracks. But somewhere along the way, the focus of XL Recordings changed and so did its artists. And as a result, we get amazing music and side projects, such as Everything Is Recorded. This song definitely has darker undertones.The invisible touch that Richard Russell provides is so noticeable in those darker moments and motifs of the song. As the composer and producer of the track, Richard Russell brings to life the song's heartbeat. He makes the song ebb and flows, crescendo and decrescendo into the seductively dark tones of the song. He makes this song tell a story through the music alone, a story filled with suspense and drama, maybe even tragedy. It's a story which involves pain ...

After a few days of travelling, I have finally reached my destination! Hong Kong is so incredible, and I've only seen a very small portion of the region. But that is why my postings have been a bit slow and, well, absent the past few days. But to kick things off, I have some music for you by an artist known as Lapsley. Lapsley is a newer player in the music field, this song being one of the singles off her debut album. I was completely entranced by the song the first time I heard it. Instrumentally, there are so many wonderful things happening, so many beautiful sounds and harmonies that all weave together to create this magical sound. This song is like an emotional autobiography, one that really gets us inside the heart and head of Lapsley. She purposefully draws us in, so that we may share in those same emotions whether it be joy and ecstasy or pain and sadness. This ballad is a fantastically chilled out and mixed track. There are so many instruments being used in this song, ...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who goes by the stage name BYRAM. This is an aritist who isn't a huge spotlight artist, but that is what makes me love him so much. BYRAM has such a fresh and lovely style, the kind of sound you get from an artist who is only concerned about making music. From what I can tell, every aspect of this song was produced and created by BYRAM. That means he writes the songs, performs them, and produces them. This is such a rare skill set, and that already puts him quite ahead in my book. BYRAM has a very interesting and unique sound. While some of the genre characteristics we hear in this song are not necessarily new and edgy, the way they are blended together is extremely creative and fun. This song is a really nice chilled out one with a very R&B twist to it. What I like about this song is that instead of sticking with something that is just a chill electronic beat and melody, we get something that is more chillhop. This means we get ...

Today I have music for you by the British rapper known as Professor Green. In a way, he is kind of like the British version of Eminem. But the ability to rap is pretty much where this comparison ends. Professor Green is a rapper who has an incredibly dark and hard past, something that he has turned into the music he produces today. This is a song that has the ability to leave you so speechless because of the depth of the song and the meaning of the lyrics. Recently we have seen a surge in more meaningful rap lyrics, about life and humanity and society. Previously though, this wasn't common. There weren't many popular rappers out there who rapped about the struggles of everyday living. The struggles that aren't necessarily always about race or gender, which are hot button topics, but more about the human condition. Professor Green takes a very hushed up topic, and expands on its impact on his own life with this song. The lyrical content of this song is personal and so clos...

Guess who's back, back again? What's up everyone, I know it has been a while since I last posted any music. I've been doing a bit of traveling and didn't get a chance to write for a few days. But back again and definitely still trying to make sure I get a post in everyday or at least every other day. So today we are kicking it off with some electrifying music. I have some amazing dance music for you by an artist known as Paolo Ortelli. I hadn't heard of him till last year, and honestly it was a happy accident which brought me to his music. But I am so glad that I did because this song is absolutely amazing! This is such a vibrant and lively song, one that definitely belongs in clubs and underground dance scenes. This is definitely one of your normal sounding house and EDM songs. The way the song is put together is pretty standard, I won't lie. But the song itself is pretty freaking great! There is this carefree and light heartedness to the song, a kind of fe...

Today I have some music for you by a band that did experience some fame within the past couple of years with one of their singles. And of course, they happen to be a boy band, but not your standard or stereotypical boy band. Rixton is an extremely underrated band in my opinion. And while they had one single out that got big, I definitely feel like there is so much more of their music which the world hasn't been able to appreciate. They normally have this generally pop centric tone. Now I have to say I think that their lead single was specifically geared towards the pop culture sound that people craved on the Top 40 list. But, Rixton is a band that is a lot deeper than that and way more talented than what we heard about a guy and his broken heart. This song by Rixton is simply incredible. This is a real showcase of how talented this band is, and especially the vocalist. The thing about Rixton is that a lot of times they create this opposing sound in comparison to the lyrics. If ...

Today I have some new music for you by the London-based electronic group that is filling the music-scape with amazing tracks. Rudimental has made its way into the European music scene and is slowly making their way to the US. But before they make it big here, I am happy that I get to talk about them because of how much their music is very different. Rudimental has not made a song that sounds like another. Each and every song has a completely different melody, tone, mood, and genre. From tropical sounds to electronic club music, to even some melancholy and soothing jams, Rudimental is not afraid to try things out and really explore. What makes it even better, is that they do an incredible job of it. Rudimental is one of the few artists who has managed to master every genre they decide to tackle, and each song that expresses a different genre has been one that I really enjoy. Now I know I have done a little bit of writing about them in the past so some of this may not be new to you...

Finally back today, after a couple of days of being out and about. I want to go ahead and say right now I apologize for not keeping up with posting every day, but just a heads up, I may not be able to consistently keep up with posting every day. But I will definitely try my best! But today I have some music for you that comes from a famous singer, both because of his work with a boy band, but also because his debut album dropped earlier this year. And despite the fame and fortune, I have to admit I really do like this singer and how he has evolved his personal sound over time. Harry Styles is most notable for his involvement with One Direction, a group who supposedly is hitting the studio again (more on this later). I had found this song by him a while ago, however, I stumbled upon it again while I was shuffling through some of my old music. This song is with just him and no other band members. And it is absolutely lovely. This song showcases a completely different side of Harry Styl...

Today I have some really new music for you. In fact, over the course of the next few days, I want to bring a lot of new music to the blog, so stay tuned! But for now, I want to start with a recent release by one of my favorite folk and blues singers, George Ezra. I haven't spent as much time talking about him, which is just bad on my part. But I absolutely had to share this song going into this wave of new music. One of the things that make George Ezra such a special artist, is how simple and heartfelt his songs are. Each song is filled with incredible amounts of soul. And when I soul in this particular context, I don't mean "soul" as a genre of music. There is genuinely so much life and so much of George Ezra's personality that goes into each and every song. Every word that he sings is filled with meaning and belief. We hear that a lot in this song especially because it's all about facing personal battles. This particular topic has lead to some of the great...

Today I have a little bit of a shorter post, but I can promise you that it's a good one. Today I wanted to focus on ethnic music, particularly, Indian music. And I have music for you by an artist out of England by the name Zack Knight. Now this is a guy who has a really great thing going on in terms of musicality. In fact, this is something I have seen a lot more of, a nice resurgence of a style of music that definitely went underground for a few years before resurfacing. This hip-hop oriented music is a great style because it is a smooth fusion of Indian and Western music. I mean it is a straight flow between the two, switching between them and making sure the song gets some Hindi in there as well as English. Now this song, in particular, is definitely geared more towards English, with only a few verses done in Hindi and Punjabi, but I seriously haven't been able to get the song out of my head. I mean it has everything- a sick beat, a catchy chorus, and a really good vibe....

Today I have music for you from a musical that was adapted from a movie. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is an extremely fantastic movie, one that talks about a lot of things without us even realizing it. Now last week helped bring in a new wave of Broadway shows, so I thought it might be interesting to write about the music from one of these shows. I am completely spellbound and speechless with this soundtrack. There is a special kind of beauty that comes with a choir and orchestra. Now what is cool about this song and the album as a whole, is that each vocalist is a character. They still have the lines of their original characters, and their collective voice is what makes the choir. This is the first song that appears in the movie and in the musical, and it is still my favorite. Even the narrator has a singing version of the narrator lines. And each person has something fantastic to offer. Whether it is the character line they are providing or a part of the choir, each voice is so beau...

Today I have some music for you that comes from the 1980s. Specifically, this song is by one of the greatest British bands of all time, and this song is hands down one of the most remarkable romantic songs we will ever hear. The Smiths will forever and always hold an incredibly special place in my heart because of this song. Now for those of you who don't know, The Smiths was a band of England during the mid and late 80s. They were a group that spearheaded so much within the music world, including individualism and artistic creativity. The Smiths have always been a phenomenal band, which is why I have been giving them a good and thorough listen over the course of the past few days. This song stands out not only as one of the greatest songs by The Smiths, but as one of the greatest romantic songs of all time. The balance between the composition itself and the lyricism is absolutely beautiful and perfect. There is an odd kind of hope that we get with this song. Those warmer feeling...

Today I have music for you by an artist that has some absolutely incredible and moving music. Aquilo is a musical duo out of London, and they are kind of new to the larger music scene. While they have been making music together for a few years now, they didn't drop a debut album till recently, and I am so proud to see how far they have come from their first released single. Aquilo is one of the music industry's best-kept secrets. Their underground nature and lesser known status keep them open to creating the kind of music that they do create. Finding artists who are good at created this kind of emotional and haunting and soulful music is so difficult. The heart-wrenching nature of the music is somehow eerie and moving at the same time, and the rarity of that sound makes the music even more bewitching. Aquilo pulls it off with ease and grace, giving us something that sounds like magic. If there were an award given out for the most moving and melancholy songs of the year, this ...

Today we are continuing on this "new music" tend, so I have some fresh melodies for you from a man who has really taken a leap forward in the entertainment game. For those of you who don't know, Harry Styles has just spent a good amount of time on filming the newest Christopher Nolan film, Dunkirk. However, just this past week, the One Direction singer turned actor released a solo track and I have to say it is quite interesting. This song is vastly different than what we are used to hearing from Harry Styles' work with One Direction. While the boy band seemed to focus more on young love and youthful shenanigans, this song is an odd ode to maturity and age. This song has a bittersweet kind of melancholy to it. I will say, I really like the way he has embraced the rock side of things, and almost takes a David Bowie or Oasis kind of approach to the song. There is a classic rock kind of vibe to this which I really enjoy. That mix of modern and classic works very well for ...

Today I have music for you by one of my favorite music projects out of London by the name Graffiti6. I have posted quite a bit of music by them in the past, and I think for good reason. Graffiti6 is one of those  low key  bands that a few people know about, and even fewer know how far their influence really goes. Graffiti6 is comprised of two musicians, Jamie Scott and Tommy Danvers. What many people don't know about these two is that they are  unofficially  members of the boy band One Direction. Jamie Scott is the guy responsible for writing a lot of One Direction's big hits and romantic ballads. He really is the sixth member of One Direction, or should I say  fifth  member now? Either way, we already have a taste of Jamie Scott's lyrical talent, and see even more of it with his work with Graffiti6. The thing about Graffiti6 that I love so much is how soulful the band sounds. A lot of the musicality of the song has this offbeat pop sound, with some funk th...

Today I have some seriously fresh music for you by an artist that I am absolutely in love with. Aquilo is an artist that I can never really get enough of because of how deep and moving the music is. This is a band that has taken the idea of chilled out synthpop and has turned it into an emotional masterpiece. Aquilo does tend to be a bit more melancholy, but there is something so wholesome about the way they present that to us. Aquilo has such a depth and poignancy to their music. It is a sound that cuts to the soul and pulls out those bluer emotions that we either repress or ignore or don't feel often. But what is so lovely about Aquilo, is that there is such a softness that is almost a bit hopeful as well. We feel this journey of falling and then picking ourselves up again. This string and piano track is one that is endearingly beautiful and wonderful. There is a captivating nature to the vocals and a raw sincerity that we cannot seem to shake. The song culminates in this epic ex...

Today I have some music for you by an incredible solo artist out of the UK. James Arthur was the winner of the X Factor a few years ago, and he has seen quite a bit of success! His second album was released in October of last year, and my oh my is it a beautiful piece of work. This album reminds me of Eminem's Recovery. This is an album about starting again and learning from the past. This is an album about making changes and becoming whole again. James Arthur is definitely a man who can understand what hardship is. His music reflects the raw emotion associated with the hardships he has been through. I have always found James Arthur's work to be wonderful and very powerful, but this album as a whole is a heart wrenching and empowering masterpiece. This stadium sized anthem is a redemptive record. It highlights the darker parts of winning one of the biggest talent shows in the world. James Arthur really does bare it all and asks us to let the music tell his story. Despite the re...

Today I have some darker and more melancholy music for you by the band The 1975. Now when I think of these guys, everything I imagine is on this grey scale. There is something about their music that ranges between black and white, with the blurred lines of grey in between. Maybe it's because of their debut album, maybe it's because of their musical content. Either way, this is a band that lives for those grey lines. This is a band that is not afraid to talk about what happens in those blurred lines, what it feels like to be a shade of grey rather than black or white. I appreciate that so much. A lot of popular music today lacks depth and emotional capacity. But The 1975 purposefully and thoroughly explores emotions and sensations and desires and guilty pleasures. The 1975 is a band that relishes in writing lyrics about things that are considered taboo, things that people don't really want to address. That is what makes this band so great. Musically, they are phenomenal as w...

Today I have some music for you that comes all the way from the X Factor in England. Now this has to be one of my favorite covers I have heard from that show, and in general. This song is originally by the artist Robyn, whose dance hit is one that has swept across the world. I actually love this song by Robyn, and I still remember hearing her perform this song live. Now with Robyn's version, we get something that does still have a bit more of a dance vibe to it. However, this cover by Calum Scott is completely different. He takes this song and makes it a beautiful masterpiece. He takes this song and shows us the fragile vulnerability behind the lyrics. Calum Scott turns this into a heart-wrenchingly beautiful song, a song that makes you feel that pain of watching someone you care about fall for someone else from afar. Calum Scott has a lovely and strong voice. There isn't ferocity or grit to his voice, but there is a belting kind of powerhouse hidden inside. Calum Scott turned ...