Tag: EDM

N Pa – Album Review: “The Ghost Within: The Tale of Turmoil”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

N Pa (the music moniker of songwriter, composer and producer Nicholas Pavoni) is a creative and talented electronic artist based in New Jersey. He began writing and recording music as N Pa Productions when he was only 17 years old, and in 2007 he self-released his first albums Reality | a dream and Reality | a dream: The B-Side (neither of which are now available). Over the next couple of years, he collaborated with numerous vocalists and producers from different genres of music for the recording of his debut album Sight & Sound, as well as producing tracks for several artists. He was later signed to a couple of different London-based independent labels from 2010 to 2014, but in the years since has worked as a solo independent artist.

In September 2013, he independently released his second studio album The Ghost Within: The Tale of Turmoil, as well as a separate EP Unorthodox. Another collaborative effort involving at least 20 other songwriters, musicians, vocalists and producers, The Ghost Within: The Tale of Turmoil is an ambitious concept work built around the main character and protagonist Turmoil, who N Pa states represents “the fight and uncertainty that is in all of us when we’re trying to move on when something tragic happens such as the loss of a loved one.” The story explores the realms of the reality and lucid dreams/nightmares that Turmoil experiences. The antagonists are The Ghost Within (and his minions), and Turmoil’s lost love Melinda (whose name is never mentioned in any of the album tracks).

A summary written by Josh Wright further explains the album’s concept: “Devastated by the love of his life leaving him, Turmoil finds himself drowning in a cesspool of depression and wanting out of his emotional roller coaster ride. The ghost within haunts his thoughts as he feels his grip on sanity slipping away. The listener gets taken on his journey through madness and back again. Join Turmoil in his process musically and evolve as he does, and as the music progresses, so will he.“

N Pa conceived of the overall concept theme, then composed the instrumentals for each track, knowing in advance what part of the story he wanted to tell. He then gave his musical compositions, along with their desired themes, to various songwriters so that they could write the lyrics for each particular track. His goal was to ensure that no two songs would sound the same, and that together, they would tell a fluid story. The songs draw from a wide spectrum of electronic music elements, including EDM, trance, orchestral, dubstep, breakbeat and glitch. The album was a passion project for him, however, he was never able to fully promote it. After reading some of my reviews of other artists, he reached out to me about reviewing the album, even though it was released eight years ago.

The album opens with “Prologue (The Beginning)“, a darkly beautiful and mysterious track introducing us to Turmoil, and setting a perfect tone for the story about to unfold. N Pa wrote the lyrics, which are narrated by Michael Leonard: “Her betrayal turned love to poison. His heart, now tainted with the thought of madness. It burns, like a brush fire in the field of lust. His sanity escapes with every breath. His mind, the only safe haven for him to hide. This, is the tale of turmoil.” The song quickly segues into “Turmoil“, an ominous track which sees Turmoil slowly losing his sanity: “Turmoil, she creeps into your veins. Another world overtaking all the sane.” The lyrics for this track were written and sung by Xenoc, aka Aaron Zafran, a DJ, musician and electronic music producer. I really like the orchestral touches N Pa uses on this track, especially the dramatic strings that give the track a bold cinematic feel.

Continuing with the theme of Turmoil’s mental anguish, “Memories” delves more deeply into his PTSD resulting from his obsession over the loss of Melinda; “I’ll never be the same, cause now I’m lost in you. My memories still haunting me. Running after you. You saw the best in me when I couldn’t see. But now you’re gone, I’m all alone.” Musically, the song is a seven-minute-long EDM track with haunting dubstep undertones. The lyrics were written by Dvir André Tzanua and Meital Patash-Cohen, members of Israeli electro-dance pop act Knob, with Patash-Cohen singing vocals.

“Blistered” sees Turmoil coming to terms with reality, and realizing he must metaphorically walk through fire to get to a better place of rebirth and healing: “It’s all around you, Engulfing, it’s everywhere. It feels like choking, but still you can find me there. I know an answer to clear up this smoky air. Just walk right through it. The fastest way to get you there.” The song delivers more pulsating EDM goodness, with lyrics written by Christopher Volz, lead singer of nu-metal band Flaw, and sung by Volz and Anthony Grisko.

One of my favorite tracks is “Sea of Darkness“, a darkly beautiful and musically complex feast for the senses. I love the mix of psychedelic and spacy industrial synths and hypnotic thumping EDM beat, punctuated here and there by bass drops, trap breakdowns, enchanting keyboards and loads of gnarly distortion. The lyrics, which speak of sinking further into despair – “This sea of darkness Is taking me down, down, down. The depths of the sea are my only escape. Darkness my only light” – were written by N Pa and sung by Richard Bush of the Philadelphia rock band Peace Creeps, whose vocals remind me in spots of Calvin Harris. Additional vocals were sung by Bobby Jasso, and electric guitar was played by multi-instrumentalist and music producer Taylor Barefoot.

Escaping from darkness and moving into the light is addressed on the brief “Interlude (The Battle)“, a haunting orchestral track with gorgeous electric violin played by David Wong. The lyrics were written by N Pa and narrated by Michael Leonard: “The once was is now no more. His fate sealed in this entrapment. He must now seek out the light. Encased in the darkness, the battle for the mind has commenced, and each side is eager to win. But Who will turn out the victor?” The next track “On the Inside” opens with a sample from The Mars Volta song “Ilyena”, featuring heavily distorted and otherworldly vocals, then settles into an exuberant EDM groove with thumping dance beats and spacy synths. The extensive lyrics were written and sung by Frank Pino, Jr. of Massachusetts rock band Waltham, who has a beautiful, emphatic vocal style. The song seems to be a tug of war between Turmoil and The Ghost Within, who gives him an ultimatum to either save himself or be forever lost: “Follow me no compromise, or you’ll be left alone. Come with me to save your mind, or fall forever.” It’s a great track.

Next up is “Release Me“, a beautiful seven-minute long EDM track in which Turmoil pleads with both The Ghost Within and Melinda to free him from his emotional hell: “Release me from all I’m feeling. Release me, and start the healing.” The lyrics were written and sung by Pete Murray of L.A. rock band Lo-Pro (who to my ears sounds a bit like Jared Leto) and Luke Jackson, with guitars and cello played by Jeremy Berghorst. The synths and beats on this track are fantastic, and I really love the guys’ passionate vocals.

Finishing the saga is the dramatic and hopeful “Not Today“, with lyrics written by Michael Leonard and Joshua Spradlin, and sung by FloatstoneHeart, Esper Fiction, and Kate Wild. The lyrics for this track are quite extensive too, and speak to Turmoil’s wanting his life to be better, but still feeling intense self-doubt and uncertainty as to whether he’ll be successful: “All I can show is I am buried under all this debt, but I have not given up just yet. Still all I know is, if you give me just one more shot I will surely fuck it up.” Nevertheless he feels resolved to make it, ending things on an optimistic note: “Oh, time, can’t lay me down to bed cause I’ve got too long left to run. I won’t be floating there with the fishes til I’m done.” Musically, the song reminds me in places of songs by Everything But the Girl and Thirty Seconds to Mars, obviously a very good thing!

Making a concept album can be a tricky undertaking, but with The Ghost Within: The Tale of Turmoil, N Pa has succeeded quite nicely. This expertly-crafted album is a fascinating and engrossing listen, sounding as fresh and current today as it was in 2013. N Pa released a remixed version of the album in 2015 entitled The Ghost Within: Remixed (Part 1), then went on a brief hiatus. In December 2020 he released a single “Nothing In Your Eyes” (feat. Marcie Joy, GloomIsOkay, & Android Invasion), and is working on his next EP Euphoric Absence set to to released in later this year. I look forward to hearing it!

Connect with N Pa:  Twitter / Instagram

Stream/Purchase his music:  Bandcamp / Soundcloud

ALAIN DORRA – EP Review: “Pelican Spirit”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews9 Comments

Alain Dorra is a French musician and composer who creates a unique brand of electronic music, featuring his terrific guitar work in a starring role. His influences include such acts as Tangerine dream, Ashra, Ronny Jordan, Morcheeba, Mahavishnu and Soft Machine, as well as early Pink Floyd and Scandinavian jazz. He’s released quite a bit of music over the past three years or so, and his songs have been played on radio stations across Europe and the UK, including Deep Kulture, WIM radio, PRYSM radio, Décibel radio, Sword UK radio, Radio Three D. and Groover, as well as in London and Paris clubs.

At the end of May, Alain released his latest EP Pelican Spirit, featuring four relatively short instrumental tracks with a total run time of just under eight minutes. But what the tracks might lack in length, his deft guitar playing and the variety of sounds and moods of each track more than make up for it, resulting in a wonderfully engaging little collection of songs. “Mystical Teapot” kicks things off with a thumping EDM beat that immediately has our hips in motion, making it a perfect tune for those sweaty nights at the club. Alain’s shimmery guitar work is fantastic, finding a sweet spot between jangle and funk.

“Blue Desert” has a hypnotic deep house groove, with fascinating funky guitar notes that almost sound at times like horns. As it’s title would suggest, “Galactic Heart” has a darker, more spacy vibe, thanks to it’s strong pulsating beat and funky, psychedelia-tinged guitars. Alain’s guitar prowess really shines on the contradictorily-named “Short Eternity”. His guitar work here is truly exquisite – all jangly and bluesy, and soaked in reverb. The track’s languid, jazzy vibe and otherworldly synths are the perfect accompaniment to the amazing guitars, making this a standout track for me. But truth be told, all four tracks are great, so give this a listen!

Here’s the EP on YouTube:

And Spotify:

Connect with Alain:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

DAVID OAKES – Album Review: “The Anomaly”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews14 Comments

David Oakes is an imaginative and prolific musician and composer of electronic alternative rock music, ranging from gentle synth-driven compositions to aggressive guitar-driven hard rock, and everything in between. I really like his music, and have written about quite a lot of it on this blog (you can read some of those reviews by clicking on the links under “Related” at the end of this post).

Based in the coastal town of Aberporth, Wales, David’s been actively involved in making music since his late teens, when he started playing in various bands. From 2001-06, he and his younger brother were members of the rock band KOTOW, in which he played drums. He went on to study guitar and music theory at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildord, England from 2009-12, after which he started composing and recording music as a solo artist. He released his first album The Juggernaut in 2014, and in the years since, has recorded and released an astonishing nine more albums, the latest of which is The Anomaly, which he released on Bandcamp on April 2nd.

The new album features many of David’s signature electronic and guitar-heavy elements we’ve come to expect, but has more of a cinematic feel than his previous albums, with a sound he describes as “Nine Inch Nails meets Rammstein and Depeche Mode with a Danny Elfman Aperitif!” In fact, The Anomaly would make a great soundtrack to any number of films by Christopher Nolan or Tim Burton. Things kick off with “Intronomaly”, a darkly wonderful piece with an ominous droning sound sort of like an engine, over which David layers a captivating warbling synth riff. It all works beautifully in creating a portentous mood, setting the stage for what’s about to unfold.

Next up is “Enter the Anomaly”, a brief composition highlighted by a brooding piano riff and pounding drumbeats that seem to convey the sense of an invading force, in this case ‘the anomaly’. David hasn’t used piano very often on his previous works, so its addition here is a nice touch. His outstanding guitar work makes a return on “The Anomaly (Part 1)”, accompanied by gnarly industrial synths and chugging rhythms, keeping things firmly planted on a dark path going forward. On “The Anomaly (Part 2)”, he uses unusual guitar chords, pummeling drumbeats, and an almost spooky carnival-type melody, then bathes everything in a fuzzy texture to create a discordant, otherworldly vibe.

“The Anomaly (Part 3)” has a definite film noir feel, thanks to those wonderfully moody piano keys, while “The Anomaly (Part 4)” immediately made me think of Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman, which was scored by Danny Elfman. I could imagine hearing this piece, as well as “The Anomaly (Part 6)”, while watching Jack Nicholson as The Joker wrecking havoc on Gotham City. The dark, cinematic vibes and driving rhythms continue on the next several tracks. David told me his guitar riff for “Part 6” was partly inspired by the Primus song “Welcome to this World”.

One of my favorite tracks is “The Anomaly (Part 7)”, with its rousing, hard-charging beat, grungy guitars and exuberant swirling synths. Though the instrumentals are still pretty intense, the synths and lively melody give the track a somewhat lighter tone. The album goes full circle as those enchanting droning and warbling sounds we first heard on “Intronomaly” make a return engagement on “Exit the Anomaly”. The brief but gorgeous final track “Set a Course…For Home” provides not only closure, but a sense of hopeful optimism, expressed through hauntingly beautiful piano keys, glittery synths and soaring strings. It’s a stunning end to another stellar album by David.

Follow David:  Twitter / Instagram

Stream his music on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud

Purchase on Bandcamp

SOFIA KATSAROS – Single Review: “Aphrodite”

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Sofia Katsaros Aphrodite2

Sofia Katsaros is a lovely and engaging singer-songwriter based in Athens, Greece. This past April I featured her sultry dance single “Perfect”, a collaboration she did with Italian composer and producer Chris Keya. Now she returns with a new single “Aphrodite,” an infectious dance pop song that’s both entertaining and life-affirming, with a positive message of female empowerment. For this song, she teamed up with the renowned New York-based producer Alvin Anthony, who produced her 2019 single “With You Here Tonight”. Together, they co-wrote the music and lyrics, and Anthony produced, arranged, mixed and mastered the track.

Acknowledging the myriad difficult times we’re all currently going through in this world, Katasaros and Anthony wanted the song to convey the following message:

“Aphrodite, goddess of erotic love and beauty, was one of the ancient Greek gods of Olympus. Love and desire were her powers, and she had a special belt that could enchant anyone to fall in love with the person wearing it. Like Aphrodite, all women are also powerful and should not settle for less than what they deserve, or become victims to abusive relationships. Our goal is to help all women understand they have an inner goddess Aphrodite that they carry inside them. It’s time to unleash your special powers and say NO to a partner that does not respect or treasure you, and say YES to a partner that knows your extraordinary worth and value, and who will treat you like the goddess you really are. Know your own worth and own your inner goddess of beauty, desire and love. Love yourself and let your inner goddess Aphrodite give you the relationship that you deserve.”

Starting with a sensual house-style dance beat that aims straight for the hips, Anthony layers sparkling techno synths, creating an exotic vibe that’s the ideal backdrop for Katsaros’ vibrant vocals as she channels Aphrodite. With an air of cool defiance in her voice, she gives a man who disrespected and tried to control her the kiss off.

Listen up carefully; Show you just how I feel,
You tried to capture me, And tried my heart to steal.
Don’t try and tie me down, And don’t lock me in a cage!
I am a lioness… And I will roar in rage.
‘Cause I’m no match for you I’m wild and mighty
I’m Aphrodite

Loving, the likes of you ain’t worth it no more,
Living, a lie I just can’t bear it no more
I’m fire, I’m much too hot for you to feel
I’m gone, I won’t be there for you babe.

Need someone passionate to show me just how they feel
Need him to capture me and try my heart to steal
Can’t wait to light his fire and be with him all day
I’ll be the spark that ignites his most eternal flame
‘Cause I’m no match for you I’m wild and mighty,
I’m Aphrodite

Katsaros is an active member of the charity LA FAMIGLIA RADIO – CHARITY WEB RADIO LA FAMIGLIA PAIDI. The charity buys food with donations and money they receive from sponsors, and distribute the food to families in need. All proceeds from sales of “Aphrodite” will be donated to the charity in order to help them continue their wonderful work of supporting those less fortunate, in their time of need.

Follow Sofia:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase:  Google Play / Amazon

New Song of the Week – US3R: “Oasis”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews2 Comments

Us3r pic

US3R (pronounced ‘user’, and the artistic moniker of a very nice guy named Kristian Alexander) has been making a name for himself over the past year through his prolific output of great synthwave-inspired electronic pop music and dazzling live performances. Last year the Seattle-based singer-songwriter and composer dropped two albums, beginning in May 2019 with his debut 1985 (named for the year of his birth), then followed in December with INFLUENCE, a brilliant work addressing modern influencer culture and the loss of intimacy in the digital age. Both are outstanding, and I urge my readers to check them out on one of the music streaming platforms listed at the end of this review. So far this year, he’s released several new singles, some of them collaborations with other artists. In March, I featured his beautiful song “Forever Blue”, a collaboration with Minneapolis composer Jasper Mitchell (you can read that review here). Now US3R returns with a sunny new single “Oasis“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week.

A highly creative and talented guy, Kristian came up with the name US3R for his music project through his work in the IT industry. “In computer terminology/operating systems, there are references to “user” in a million different forms. It felt like an archetypal term that represented computer culture… and also in hacker culture, we have a tendency to talk in “leet speak” (where you swap numbers for letters), so, ‘US3R’ is a reference to the hacky nature of my music.“ There are a lot of artists and producers out there making various kinds of electronic music, and US3R seeks to fill a gap by creating his own style of what he calls “electronic grunge that borders on R&B”.

US3R was inspired to write “Oasis” while visiting his mom in Palm Springs earlier this summer. He grew up in the Coachella Valley, where I now live. He explains “I grew up in Palm Springs. Swimming pools, sand everywhere, burning hot sun, a thriving diverse community, and teenage romance. I’ve wanted to write a song that felt this way. During quarantine I flew home and wrote this. This song was FUN to record. I layered my voice like old 90s house tracks. I played my us3r-style vocoders, I threw down some brass synths. Its all of the stuff I love about writing synth music.”

And what a great job he does on “Oasis”. Starting with an infectious dance beat that aims straight for the hips, he layers sparkling keyboards, thumping synth bass and those smooth brass synths that give the track a sultry, summery vibe. US3R has a silky-smooth vocal style that’s both pleasing and seductive, and he turns up the heat when he croons “You got me walking through the desert. You got my heart and soul. And I can’t go. Move through the desert, got me craving your oasis.” It’s the perfect song for summer romance and hot pool parties. Makes me wish I was 29 again!

Connect with Us3r:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify / Apple Music /  Soundcloud  / YouTube
Purchase:  Google Play / Bandcamp

SOFIA KATSAROS & CHRIS KEYA – Single Review: “Perfect”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

A growing trend in music today is the collaboration between artists located hundreds or thousands of miles apart, made possible by the internet and technological advances in music production. I’ve recently featured a few such collaborations, and my latest is the new dance single “Perfect” by the lovely Greek singer-songwriter Sofia Katsaros and Italian musician and producer Chris Keya. Sofia recorded her vocals along with studio instruments in Athens, and Chris produced, mixed and mastered the track at his studio in Rome. He also created an alternative Tech House remix, which I’ve included below.

Sofia Katsaros

Born in New York to Greek and Colombian parents, Sofia discovered her love for music at an early age. She relocated with her family to Corinth, Greece at the age of ten, then moved to Athens when she turned 18, and earned a degree at the American College of Greece. She speaks six languages: Greek, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic! She also studied classical and modern song, dance and theater, and started her career in Athens as a professional singer and show woman. She’s collaborated and performed with many famous artists all over the world. In 2016, she returned to New York to further pursue some of her career goals, and while there, she recorded the sultry EDM single “With You Here Tonight” with American producer Alvin Anthony, which was released in July 2018.

She returned to Athens in the summer of 2018, and has written the music and lyrics for six new songs that are being recorded with four different producers from four different countries. The first of these is her collaboration “Perfect” with Italian producer Chris Keya (aka Christian Caruso), which dropped April 9th. Based in Rome, Chris started out as a rock and metal guitarist, but later became fascinated by electronic music and turned to producing music as both a solo artist and for other artists. His sound is a mix of various genres including Techno & House with some Electro touches. He’s a prolific artist, putting out a great deal of music over the past couple of years. A lot of it’s really good, so check it out on one of the music links at the bottom of this review.

Chris Keya

About “Perfect”, Sofia explains “It’s a fun dance song that speaks about the concept of true love, and how when love is pure, it protects us from all evil.” She wanted to write a song to cheer people up during these troubling times of killer viruses and widespread political and economic unrest. The track has a sexy Deep House beat, with glossy atmospheric synths and warm keyboards that are quite marvelous. Sofia has a vibrant and soulful vocal style that’s slightly reminiscent of Taylor Dayne, a singer I really love. The single’s aptly-titled, cause it’s perfect.

In the Tech Edit version, Sofia’s vocals are more sultry and smoky, and remind me of Christina Aguilera. Chris employs strong Deep House beats, but this time uses more industrial tech-sounding synths, and adds electronically altered vocals along with Sofia’s that create great dramatic tension that’s sure to make it a big hit in the dance clubs – if and when we’ll be able to return to them!

The lyrics speak to the strength of enduring love, that no matter what problems may come or mistakes her loved one makes, she will always continue to love and support them:

The stars might fall, but when you call
I’ll be there ‘cause you’re perfect to me
The clouds may cry, turn black at night
I’ll keep you dry cause you’re perfect to me
The sun up high will shine its light
I’ll keep you warm ‘cause your perfect to me
The sky holds all the stars above
I’ll show you love ‘cause you’re perfect to me

Follow Sofia:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase:  Google Play / Amazon

Follow Chris:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / Apple Music
Purchase: Bandcamp / Google PlayGoogle Play

BARREN GATES & HARLEY BIRD – Single Review: “Last”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews1 Comment

It’s not every day that I get the opportunity to meet a real-life music artist up close and personal, but that was the case this past November, when I had the pleasure of meeting Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and musician Harley Bird. He and his girlfriend are good friends with my nephew, and came along with him to my home for Thanksgiving dinner. Harley’s as gracious and kind as he is talented and handsome, and we had a great time discussing and sharing music. He’s just released a dark and powerful new single “Last“, in collaboration with L.A.-based music producer Barren Gates, which I’m thrilled to feature today.

Harley Bird
Harley Bird

A native of L.A., Harley has been involved with music for many years. He has a beautiful voice and undeniable charisma that make him a successful artist who’s very much in demand. He started out honing his craft by busking on the streets, and was the front man for alt-rock band The Shadow Heist from 2014-16. But his career really took off after he posted his cover of a song he recorded on Instagram. An electronica music producer who saw the post reached out to him about working together on his song that needed lyrics and vocals. Once they released that song, some of the music producer’s peers reached out to Harley about doing collaborations with them, and things spread like wild fire from there. Over the past four years, Harley’s worked with other musicians and producers both in the L.A. area and across the globe on scores of songs that have collectively racked up over 45 million streams on Spotify.

Barren Gates
Barren Gates

Barren Gates (aka Brandon Lutowsky) is a highly accomplished and prolific electronic music producer and composer who’s also collaborated with numerous other artists on more than 40 songs and remixes. He and Harley previously worked together on their songs “Tomorrow” and “S.O.S.”, and “Last” is their latest collaboration. Barren arranged and produced the song, while Harley wrote the lyrics and melodies, played piano and sang vocals. The song has been released through the indie label Valiant Records.

The song opens with the sounds of Harley’s haunting piano chords, then quickly expands into an ominous and captivating soundscape of dark, spooky synths. Eventually, Barren injects a deep, grinding trap beat into the mix, taking the track into even darker territory. At about 1:17, the beats stop and the music calms back down to an interlude of the dark, reverby synths and bewitching piano keys we heard earlier. The music gradually swells, once again exploding into a repeat of the heavy, crushing trap beats that continue through to the end of the song.

With a vulnerable urgency in his breathy vocals, Harley lays bare his soul to a woman he’s strongly attracted to, fearing she may be toying with his emotions in order to use him, but hoping that perhaps her intentions are sincere: “Draw us in and kick us out. Girl you look so fuckin’ proud. Should I stay or should I go? I’ve gotta chase, I’ve gotta know. / I know I’m not the first guy to try tonight. But maybe I’ll be your last.” It’s a brilliant and stunning track.

Connect with Harley Bird: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / YouTube

Connect with Barren Gates: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music

MANDALAN ft. CADENCE XYZ – Single Review: “How We Live”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews2 Comments

Every so often, I hear a song for the first time that instantly takes my breath away, which for a jaded old music lover like me is a very big deal. That’s the feeling I got when I heard the stunning new single “How We Live” by Mandalan, featuring enchanting vocals by young singer Cadence XYZ. I hit the replay button numerous times, as I couldn’t get enough of it!

Mandalan

Mandalan is the music project of Los Angeles-based musician, composer and producer James Brennan. He’s been recording and producing electronic and EDM music for the past several years, and teamed up with vocalist Cadence XYZ for his latest single, which I think is his best work yet.

Drawing from a colorful kaleidoscope of shimmery synths, Mandalan adds a mesmerizing percussive beat to craft a dreamy, almost exotic soundscape that evokes a sun-kissed faraway place. Then there’s Cadence XYZ exquisite vocals that so beautifully complement the sultry vibe of the instrumentals. Wow, what a gorgeous voice she has, at once sweet yet seductive as she croons of escaping to a paradise where life can be better: “It’s a new day in paradise, an island sure in sight.  The sun is warm as it starts to rise, shining so bright. Silent storms in your eyes, wildfire in your veins, and I’m drowning in love… Come fly with me. Soar across the sea. There’s no turning back, just signs for us to pass. Let it go, let it go, letting it all slip away.”

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

Connect with Mandalan:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream “How We Live” on Soundcloud / Apple Music / Spotify
Purchase on  Google Play / Amazon

New Song of the Week – CARL THORNTON: “Let Me Fly”

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Carl Thornton

Carl Thornton is a multi-faceted singer, songwriter, actor and dancer based in Brooklyn, New York.  From the very first moment he stood up on stage as a member of his elementary school chorus at the age of seven, Carl knew he wanted to be a singer. He later studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, H.B. Studios, and the Broadway Dance Center, and went on to star in the national tour of RENT, where he played the role of Benny. He also performed in the musical 5 Guys Named Moe, as well as From My Hometown, and You Shouldn’t Have Told.

He’s had a successful music career over the past five years, beginning with his 2015 debut dance single “Get Up!” The Carlos Sanchez and Sami Dee remix of the song has garnered over 154,000 views on Spotify. Carl followed up with a number of excellent EDM and pop singles, which culminated in his 2016 EP Destined. He released a wonderful, inspirational dance single “I Depend on Me” in 2018, and now returns with another joyously uplifting new dance track “Let Me Fly“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. The lyrics speak to not wallowing in negativity and defeatism, instead choosing a more positive outlook to help guide our way forward. And we can all certainly use a great song with a positive message right about now!

The single, released through Casa Rossa Records, features a lush soundscape of shimmery orchestral synths and percussion, set to an exuberant and hypnotic deep house EDM beat. Carl has a beautiful, resonant singing voice, and his powerful soaring vocals have a commanding, almost gospel-like quality that give the inspiring lyrics even greater impact. It’s a terrific song.

There were times, moments in my life when I felt shattered
My mind is weary, so completely battered
Not willing to go on, I felt defeated
All alone with the voices in my head
I couldn’t shake them
Much negativity, I was surrounded
Kept thinking to myself I might not make it
But then I heard a voice, and let me fly, yeah
Let me fly, yeah

Connect with Carl:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music
Purchase:  iTunes / Google Play / Beatport

TED KENNEDY – Single Review: “Not Enough”

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Ted Kennedy is a producer/composer of electronic music based in Toronto, Canada. He’s been producing and recording music for several years, and released his first EP Late in 2014, and followed two years later with a second EP Lost, both of which contain some very solid tracks. He also curates a weekly live show called Frequencies, featuring live sets from forward-thinking electronic artists, producers, and MC’s. The shows take place on the third Thursday of every month at Handlebar in Toronto.

After a bit of a hiatus, Ted is once again recording more songs, and released a new single “Forty” earlier this year. Now he returns with another single “Not Enough“, which dropped on April 12. About his latest single, Ted told me “Like a lot of music I have been writing recently, ‘Not Enough’ is inspired by the sounds of Toronto’s underground electronic music scene. Curating Frequencies, I’m constantly blown away by the amount of talent here. It’s tough to be an artist in this city; rents are high, venues are closing, and platforms big enough to give artists any meaningful exposure are nearly non-existent. Everyone has day jobs, roommates, and bedroom studios. Despite the challenges, artists put in the work and create great things. This song is inspired by those artists, their sounds, their creativity, their energy. I just hope I did them justice.”

On “Not Enough”, Ted employs a strong thumping EDM beat and moody, pulsating synths that give the track a bit of a Depeche Mode vibe. In fact, his deep, sultry vocals even sound a bit like Dave Gahan’s here. The driving dance beat is hypnotic and seductive, compelling us to move as it carries us away to a dark, yet dreamy place. Throughout, Ted uses deep bass and fuzzy, otherworldly synths to give the track added texture and depth. I found myself getting lost in the music, not wanting the song to end.

The lyrics speak of a love affair in tatters, in which the love they had is no longer enough to sustain the relationship:

Damn taste of love is all I know
It’s always on, not enough
Your love is my own ruin
A quiet knot undone

Our love is all in cinders
Our love is not enough
I’m always in the windows
I’m always on the run

Ted will be performing “Not Enough” at Handlebar on Thursday, April 18 as part of his Frequencies series.

Connect with Ted on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music on Spotify / Soundcloud