by Eliana Fermi Ravyn Lenae’s Blue Island has a recognizable way of organizing different sounds. Across her third album, R&B, electro-pop, new wave, pop-rock, and rap move through changing production environments as Lenae repeatedly brings them into focus through melodic precision, harmonic color, vocal layering, and arrangements. The genres change; the underlying musical behavior does … Read more
Steph Cosme FLO understand that a vocal group does not have to choose between individuality and unity. On Therapy at the Club, Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer continually shift roles: one voice leads, another harmonizes, two move in counterpoint, and all three can suddenly collapse into a unified melodic and rhythmic statement. That … Read more
by Steph Cosme The emotional climax of “The Time of My Life” is already being prepared in its opening measures. Benson Boone and producer Jason Evigan spend the next three and a half minutes revealing an emotional idea that progressively grows with musical perspectives. The song develops familiar melodic and harmonic gestures, allowing each repetition … Read more
by Eliana Fermi For a song called “Hit The Wall,” Gracie Abrams’ single spends surprisingly little time sounding defeated. That contrast is what makes the lead single from Daughter From Hell so compelling. While the lyrics explore emotional exhaustion and reaching a personal limit, the music itself remains remarkably poised. Abrams and Aaron Dessner build … Read more
by Eliana Fermi Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers has dropped a single called “Changing,” in which he moves from support to center stage. Kevin, Nick, and Joe have carried the spotlight and cultural mythology of the Jonas Brothers. With “Changing,” Kevin finally steps forward alone, and the moment feels less like a new direction … Read more
by Eliana Fermi From the first quiet inhale of “Little Left Hope,” Blizzard makes one thing abundantly clear: Dove Ellis isn’t here to impress; instead, he’s here to express. Blizzard is his debut LP, a musical expression, like a whispered invocation. Ellis’ singing and songwriting unfold as a hushed spell cast in lowercase letters, where … Read more
By Eliana Fermi There’s a soulfulness in Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, a quiet, soulful confidence that comes from knowing one’s emotional topography. The record unfolds through twelve tracks of contemporary R&B and modern soul pop, its atmosphere tactile, every vocal line putting soul in the air. “The Art of Loving (Intro)” is an … Read more
by Eliana Fermi Lael Neale’s single “Some Bright Morning” moves with a weary yet upbeat cadence. This is the kind of tune written when headlights feel like a metronome and the miles dissolve into questions about faith, work, and belonging. Neale sings with a direct, unvarnished tone that is clear enough to carry meaning and … Read more
by Eliana Fermi Perimenopop is Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s most self-possessed dance record in years. The twelve hi-gloss and unabashedly ’80s-coded ‘ tracks are carried by a voice that knows exactly how to cut through shimmer. What’s striking is the hooks and how live drums, orchestral strings, and muscular bass parts keep the record feeling human inside … Read more
by Eliana Fermi From supporting Lewis Capaldi on tour to amassing millions of TikTok views before her debut single even dropped, Elle Coves has stepped into the pop landscape with unusual confidence for a 19-year-old still in the early stages of her career. Born in Germany, raised in Ireland, and now releasing music under Outlier … Read more