by Shannon Smith
There are songs we play to fill a room. Others feel like they fill us. Gush begins in that second, sacred space as each performance but as presence. Even with only two tracks released, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has offered a doorway to somewhere creative and engaging.
“Gush” arrives with its building of analog sounds, elements of electronica, and a touch of ethereal. The layers grow, gathering in the hollows of the mind, dance beats leaking over the body, not to announce the need to dance, but to remind us it is truly a necessity. The intertwining textures feel aquatic, like a tide rising from within, full of mystery and [...]
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 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
Bristol-based DJ and producer X-Ray Ted has long been revered for his seamless blending of classic funk, soul, and breakbeat influences with a modern, infectious sound. With his debut album Moving On, he solidifies his ability to craft organic sounds, delivering a vibrant and dynamic collection of twelve tracks that bridges decades of musical styles and traditions. Moving On plays like a well-versed conversation between vintage soul and contemporary electronic music, a lively, playful, and highly danceable dialogue.
Opening with the track “I Been Good,” featuring the unmistakable voice of Fullee Love from [...]
