All featured music came from our submission process or my DM's sometime throughout February. They can also be found in our official playlists for Lo-fi, Hip Hop, and Jazz. Don't forget to vote on your favorite track at the end of the page!
1) Grand Rising: The Soulute by The JazzSoulMetal Experience and Eric Ramey is one of the most virtuosic tracks I've heard lately. Nothing repeats itself exactly the same in this song; it constantly evolves and takes unexpected detours for a fresh and stimulating listen. This one is for lovers of slightly gritty Hip Hop mixed with Jazz and stanky basslines. It's 7 minutes long but entirely worth every second.
2) Kazuki Isogai is an emerging talent within the Japanese scene alongside GORO KUMAI. Their tune, "Promise," starts strong on some 90's Hip Hop vibes and has a dramatic switch up around half-way. Excellent instrumentation graces this track from the keys to the guitars. The ending sounds almost like a completely different song than it was in the beginning, but the track is married by an unbreakable groove and keeps its freshness the whole way through.
3) Coleslaw Records never misses their shots. I've come to greatly respect their attention to quality, since In all the years they've been submitting music to me, most are featured, and a majority are even highlights. Cartoon Animals by Søren Søstrom, Soul Food Horns, and Slug is no exception to this trend. "Cartoon Animals" is incredible. The melodic motif the horns take on is quite uplifting, and I'm in love with the skillful, Jazzy piano that runs around the track. Percussion and flutework is always on point with this group too. An overall rock-solid song here, worthy of all the accolades.
4) I.na.gi by Chiais takes us to an easygoing, coastal city, away from the chaos of the energetic tunes before it. The song starts with a beautiful guitar melody accented by minimal Rhodes. You might know by now, but I love a song with a good, dynamic progression. This one has an ever-evolving feel to it and takes the form of a story for me–one that is bittersweet–and keeps you wrapped in its embrace.
5) o k t o b u by Benny Bronco is a whole vibe. The groove alone is contagious, the synth work is gorgeous, and the sax dances around the chords and bassline with the grace of a bird. It's an elegant track laced with a bit of pimp juice.
6) Metic is a good homie of mine, and I love hearing his elegant style evolve into something more beautiful by the year. Recenter with Metic and Houis is a track that demonstrates his liking for embedding warm memories and emotions in his music. The songs feel like they're always trying to tell me something. His guitar-driven melodies are semi-serious yet retain a slight airy vibe to it all. Recenter is a solid tune to use as a tool for reflection, or as a canvas for thought.
7) Newforms by Remulak, Fthmlss is one for the night owls. My favorite thing about this one is the massive atmosphere they crafted. The subdued but punchy drums are also a favorite flavor of mine in beats. The progression is more static than previous tracks but that's intentional here–to lure you deeper in its cold, mysterious grip. It fits the backdrop of a mind with much on it, offering to be not a distraction but an accomplice.
8) The Mirror Inside by Eric Hilton is dark, sophisticated, serious, yet smooth. The song starts with an obscure backdrop before the steady bassline leads us in. Eric happens to be the co-founder of Thievery Corporation and I can hear the underlying apprehensive motif in his music, Almost feels like a 007 kind of vibe. What's my mission?
This month was amazing with music and I'm happy you read this selction. Let me know what tracks were your favorite among the featured here:
Favorite track?
1: Grand Rising- The Soulute
2: Promise
3: Cartoon Animals
4: I.na.gi
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Thanks for taking the time to get deeper into our curation. I'll continue to drop new "top five" issues and reviews monthly. Submit your music here!