By Shannon Smith
Rebecca Black’s latest project, SALVATION, offers qualities that make it a compelling listen for pop music fans. Three things caught my ear: bold productions, relatable themes, and a successful artistic reinvention.
SALVATION is a feast for pop and dance-pop fans who thrive on genre-blending and adventurous production. While fundamentally a dance-pop record, it refuses to settle into a singular style. Instead, Black and her team draw on a wide range of influences, with each track having a distinct sonic identity.
She embraces club and rave elements fearlessly: “Sugar Water Cyanide” pulses with techno beats and [...]
by Shannon Smith
In the still hours of the early morning, when the world softens and streetlights shimmer like distant memories, Biig Piig’s debut 11:11 arrives as a conflicted confession and celebration. The album’s title, a nod to the mystical “angel number,” suggests that every moment, every stray heartbeat, is part of a larger, unscripted narrative. Here, Jess Smyth unfolds a story of restless nights and fleeting clarity.
The record opens with “4AM,” where her signature whisper‑sung vocals float over a beat that mimics the slow pulse of a city in transition. It’s as if she’s confessing in the [...]
by Shannon Smith
In her debut album, Louder, Please, Rose Gray presents a vibrant homage to the world of club culture and dance-pop to create a space where nostalgia and modernity intertwine. Gray’s roots in East London nightlife, with its primal pulse of heavy dance drums, the deliverance of crowded dance floors—infuse her music with a sense of the raw energy swirling in the crowd of gyrations. Clocking in at a sleek 41 minutes, the album is an exploration of Europop, acid house, and nu-disco, drawing inspiration from icons like Kylie Minogue and Robyn while carving out Gray’s distinct voice in a crowded dance-pop [...]
by Shannon Smith
Paul Kelly is one of those songwriters who moved beyond writing catchy songs. Instead, he paints vignettes of the human experience with his lyrics. With Fever Longing Still, the iconic singer-songwriter embraces a timeless rock ethos, blending poetic lyrics with melodies that strike the heart like a well-aimed arrow. The result is a record that is alive with unflinchingly honest, a testament to Kelly’s mastery of his craft.
The album opens with “Houndstooth Dress,” a vibrant and emotionally charged track that sets the tone for the entire record. It’s a bittersweet love song wrapped in [...]
