Keeping It Fresh

Today we are continuing with the African themed music. But today's artist is a British-born Nigerian artist by the name of Maleek Berry. One of the reasons I find his music so intriguing is because despite growing up in England, Maleek Berry has been able to grab hold of that contagious Afro-pop energy, and has harnessed it to create music which is so rooted in his Nigerian roots. There are a lot of artists out there who are able to do that, but for some reason, it really struck me with Maleek Berry's work. Not only is the instrumentation and soundscape reminiscent of African pop, but he even sings in that pidgin style of speaking which is found in Nigeria. The first thing you tend to notice with Maleek Berry's music is the beat. He takes it straight from the world of Afrobeats, giving way to more traditional and African leaning percussion to set the tone of the song. He gets us prepared for the style and sound he is trying to accomplish, from those initial beats. And it...

Wow, it has been some time since my last post. It feels odd to not write for so long! But I'm back again today and have some really fun and interesting music for you. I know I have spent ample time discussing music from around the world, especially focusing on Indian, Korean, and Latin music. And a travesty for us all, I haven't spent a lot of time discussing music from Africa. Now, this seems such a shame since there is so much music today which has taken influence from African music. But this week, I wanted to talk specifically about artists who are from Africa and have gained their popularity there. And so, today I am starting with an artist out of Nigeria who goes by the name Mr. Eazi. Now I really wanted to talk about African artists, because this group represents up and coming artist. African music has been the source of inspiration for so many musical movements, and most notably, the Afrobeat movement. The profile of African artists has started to skyrocket within the...

Today I a bit of a sadder and commemorative post. This past weekend, we lost a music legend. Avicii was one of the most venerable DJ's and artists of our time. Many DJs have cited him as their muse. Many others have expressed their love and awe at his skills and artistry. And as listeners, we have Avicii to thank for spearheading a shift in what we consider EDM. He completely changed what it meant to be and EDM artist. He redefined dance music and paved a pathway for the rise of the DJ. To be honest, it is hard to wrap the mind around what Avicii has done for musicians and artists because he was a trailblazer and innovator. Above all though, Avicii was an artist who did what he loved- making music. Despite the health issues he experienced within the past few years of his life, Avicii never stopped making music. He never gave up his passion, the one thing that made him happiest. For many, Avicii created a transcendent connection which spread love and support to all music liste...

Today I have some music for you by an artist all the way from Spain. And this is a bit of a nice detour, especially since much of the Spanish music I talk about is from Latin or South America. But I would like to introduce you to an artist who has brought the vibrancy and playfulness of Spain to the music world. Alvaro Soler is a wonderful singer-songwriter who really knows how to make the music feel free and alive. This song is his most famous song, but Alvaro Soler still remains a rather underground artist, especially here in the States. So there are two versions of this song- one in Spanish and one in Spanglish. But today, I want to talk just about the Spanish version of the song. There is this incredible richness to the way Alvaro Soler sings in Spanish, something that cannot be fully expressed in English words and verses. There is a specific energy and atmosphere which can only be captured by singing this song in the native language of Alvaro Soler, and that is what makes this ...

Today I have a really sunny and lovely song for you by an artists known as Spencer Kane. Now this song is actually a cover of a Pentatonix original. Normally it is the a capella group that does the covers, but now we have the opposite happening which is a weirdly nice plot twist. From the moment the song starts. we are swept away into the adorably romantic and sweet sound, something that is happy and bubbly. The whole song has that really feel-good vibe to it, something which effortlessly shines with a warm brightness. Spencer Kane has a really smooth voice, but there is this nice underlying gravel to it, which kind of makes the whole thing sound complete. He also has quite a mature voice for his age, resonating with deeper octaves compared to the original. But that depth is so suitable for this song and adds envelops us in a sunny and light-hearted mood. He has a smooth falsetto that he transitions into at the end of some lines. Those nice little lilts are simple...

Today I have some music for you which comes from the world of Vine. Now, I have to admit, this was one of my favorite platforms for a little while. You can't go wrong with funny! But it is so cool to see how we have seen many artists and singer come about because of vine. In fact, today's artist comes from the world of vine. And you may know him from his popular cleaning + WOP videos. Trey Kennedy has been a very low key singer since the inception of vine. Recently, there have been some singing videos which have popped up with him in it, and that eventually led to him creating and releasing his own music. This track is an absolute bop. The energy is level headed and has a fantastic vibe associated with it. Overall, this track is a great one to just relax and lounge around to, just soaking in the atmosphere and sounds. It's cool to hear this song and how influenced by the early 00's it is. The grooviness that we hear in the track, is partially attributed to the use ...

Today we're heading towards the EDM and electronic side of music. I recently went to a show where Mat Zo was the headlining artists, and my goodness was I blown away. As an artist, Mat Zo has been known to dabble in genres that are kind of all over the place. Specifically though, he started out with trance music, and that is exactly the kind of show we got. Electronic music has taken on this interesting evolution, growing and shaping into different styles all the time. And there are definitely some things I love about the electronic music scene now, and there are definitely some things I am not a huge fan of as well. Now Mat Zo takes us back more old school. His set list was full of the progressive house and trance style we had around 2008. The pronounced beats, runway style sounds, and smooth synths to polish it off. I mean this show had everything! And I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed jamming out to the kind of electronic music which made me fall in love with the genre in...