Keeping It Fresh

Today I have some music for you that falls on the sad and melancholy side of things. Today's song is by one of my favorite vocalists, Andrew Belle. As a solo artist, Andrew Belle has a style that is completely his own and falls into the group of lesser known, more underground artists. It is a shame that artists like this are not more prominent because songs like this are some of the most beautiful. Andrew Belle has a simplicity in his music which makes it even more powerful and moving. He sings with so much passion and soul, but has a slightly gravelly voice which is to die for. It gives this song a more vulnerable sound to it. I got chills listening to this song because it has an ethereal background while also having something that is so grounding. The lyrics of the song are so beautiful and sad and even romantic. The chorus line, the question he asks, it is emotional and meaningful. The vocals Andrew Belle provides adds so much to the meaning of this song because he does sound so...

Today I have some music for you which comes from the world of a Capella. I haven't posted much about a Capella in general, and today I wasn't able to get enough of one of my favorite a Capella groups. Chai Town is based in Urbana-Champagne, and is a fusion a Capella group. What I love about this group is that their a Capella isn't limited to just English and Hindi. There are other Indian languages which are thrown in, and other styles of music as well from famous Disney songs to some club bangers. But somehow Chai Town seems to make these all work, and sweetly and deftly creates mashups which are irresistible. Chai Town also does an awesome job of incorporating songs that aren't necessarily recent or current. A lot of the mashups and renditions we hear, are of songs that have been out for a while and even a bit classic. For example, with today's mashup, the English song is one that is reminiscent of my childhood. This was such a classic while growing up, and is stil...

Today I have some music for you by a solo artist who goes by Big Black Delta. There are so many things to enjoy about this song, from the melody to the lyrics to the music video. This song oozes classy jazz and creativity in all aspects. I like to classify this song as something that is like indie jazz. There are so many elements of this song that make it a jazzy piece. The assortment of brass and woodwind instruments kind of gives that one away. What I think is kind of cool though is that we can hear elements of a group that he used to be a part of shine through the song a bit. Big Black Delta's Jonathan Bates was a former touring member of the band M83. Now seeing how M83 likes to make sounds that are both instrument heavy and electronic heavy, I think it is safe to compare the two artists a bit. Big Black Delta likes to expand the horizons of his instrumental usage. He looks beyond the conventional band instruments like drums and guitars, and opts for more synth, keyboard, and i...

Today I have some new music for you by an artist by the name SOHN. This song is such a great example of how to blend alternative sounds with synth work. The subtleties for how the two styles intricately work together is just amazing. SOHN does an amazing job of creating a sound that is oddly 80's but with a modern twist. SOHN takes us down a nice and groovy path with his music. There is a smooth flow to the way the soundscape is presented to us. Even the percussion and rhythms are malleable, fitting into whatever beat is needed for the moment. This gives the song a strangely good dance vibe as well. Not your typical kind of dance song, but one that will definitely keep your head bopping. What is really cool about this song, is that the heavy and knocking drum sound is what carries this song ahead. Settling on top comes our synth lines which are more simplistic. This adds quite a bit to the song though because it serves as this really nice and powerful bass line. In this case, ...

Today I have some music for you that hails from South Korea. This song is by a duo which goes by the name Akdong Musician. Both members are actually siblings, and very young at that. The eldest of the two is only eighteen years old, so talk about talent! This is one the most hauntingly beautiful songs I have heard in a long time. I mean we do hear a lot of slower and more melancholy songs nowadays, but this is one that really stands out to me. And there are so many different elements that make this song the beautiful masterpiece that it is. For starters, the vocals in this song are incredible. I had no idea that people so young could posses this kind of power and emotional content. There is this back and forth between the male and female vocals during the main verses of the song, and harmonies featuring the vocal anguish and sweetness of being helpless and hopeful at the same time. Akdong Musician really makes you feel the song and what they are trying to convey. I don't speak or u...

Today I have some suave and funky music for you by Saje. This Parisian duo amassed their fans and millions of listens through a little website called SoundCloud. I mean Saje is an online music group that is a force to be reckoned with. Now I know a lot of you have heard of SoundCloud, but for those of you who have not, this is possibly one of the greatest music sites ever. Because it allows people to put up their original work, their versions of songs that exist, and it opens you up to so many more sounds and styles of music. I heard this song for the first time through SoundCloud actually. So that is my helpful little music tip for the day! But Saje is a wonderfully suave duo, producing music that is dance floor oriented R&B. This is honestly the most accurate description of the genre! I mean it is absolutely spot on. Why? Because this song employs the use of synthesizers and keyboards of the dance music scene, while also having the beat and vocals of ...

Today I have some new music for you which is a collaboration between two wonderful artists. This song is a completely new avenue for Linkin Park, and features the beautiful vocals of Kiiara. This song is very different from what we have heard from Linkin Park. The band has gone through a lot of musical evolution, but this is something completely different for the band. Now I know that because Linkin Park is trying something completely new, it won't be met with a lot of love from people. There are some who like it and some who don't, so I am throwing that disclaimer out there right now. What I find to be very interesting about this song is that the lyrics are very much Linkin Park's style. The lyrics in this song start out with the stereotypical Linkin Park cadence and length. The band tends to be very expressive and illustrative with their words, which is something we get to hear a lot of in their music. Now when we get to the chorus, we also get that Linkin Park kind of ...