Cary Balsano is a talented young singer/songwriter originally from Italy who’s now based in Liverpool, England. He’s written and recorded scores of songs both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others, and recently released a beautiful new single “Horizon,” accompanied by a stunning video.
The song and video convey a sense of powerful connection with the world and, to my mind, the title “Horizon” symbolizes the brief but meaningful time we spend on this earth. Cary’s deeply personal and moving lyrics speak of life, love and loss, most notably of his father:
Living by the day, dealing with your grace All I want is a kid to name Hoping for some fun, looked in a grave where I saw my father’s face We got a love and I made my mistakes And I’ve got nothing to prove to you We’ve got a lot to learn ’round this fire place It’s called life and I have lost
Musically, the track has a quiet intensity, with soothing acoustic guitar and gentle percussion that keeps the track grounded but never overpowers. Cary’s beguiling vocals are filled with emotion, yet comforting at the same time. Take a listen:
Australian-American indie electro-psych pop duo Vox Eagle exploded onto the music scene in 2017 with some of the most enjoyable tunes of the year. Since joining forces in 2015, Andy Crosby and Luke Hamel, who make up Vox Eagle, spent time traveling throughout the U.S., writing and recording songs for their debut EP Flamingo Paradiso Pt. 1., which drops on July 24. They’ve released three of the tracks as singles thus far, the first of which, “No Sleep” I reviewed in May.
They humorously refer to their style of music as ‘jungle disco,’ but other descriptors could well include tropical pop, dance pop or dream pop – or a melding of all of them. But whatever you call it, their catchy sound is deliriously upbeat, and just makes you feel good. It washes over you in a gorgeous soundscape, like being under a waterfall on a tropical island.
The lead single “No Sleep” offers up bouncy grooves, with swirling synths floating over an irresistible bass-heavy dance beat. Jangly guitar and drums round out the instrumentals, while Andy’s smooth vocals occasionally rise to a stirring falsetto as he croons: “Is it any wonder? The current pulls us under. No sleep no sleep for the wicked no./ I keep on counting sheep. Days into nights, nights into weeks. Out of sight, out of mind, never mind.”
The guys seem to channel Tame Impala on the atmospheric dream pop gem “Come Over.” Otherworldly synths and a powerful thumping bass kick things off, then a seductive dance beat takes over, compelling you to get those hips swaying. Echoed, reverb-heavy synths and Andy’s wonderful vocals add an exotic vibe to the track that really does sound like ‘jungle disco.’
“Summer Now” is a breezy, upbeat track about longing for a return of those sun-kissed days on the beach, and that romantic summer fling you had. Andy sings “Take us back down to the summertime by the seaside. Where the city girls got the wildflowers in their hair. Never told you it was gonna last forever anyhow. So we keep waiting, we keep waiting for these clocks to start winding down.” The warm synths and guitars, along with soaring harmonic choruses that remind me of early Beach Boys, are perfectly appropriate for the song’s theme.
The guys get a little funky on “Sweet Temptations” while maintaining their signature infectious beats, heavy bass and sweeping choruses. There’s a terrific bass-heavy break down in the bridge, and the guitar riffs are incredibly satisfying. Fun, eerie synths abound on the quirky joyful romp “Jungle Song,” It’s the most experimental track on the EP, with dynamic African beats, electronically altered echoed vocals and lots of interesting synthesized animal sounds.
The EP closes with “Plastic People,” a somewhat mellower track with a languid beat and dreamy synths. There’s a hint of a Calypso vibe that immediately conjures up images of a tropical island. The mix of instrumentals are perfect, and the guys’ harmonic choruses are sublime as always. In fact, their gorgeous vocals are one of the primary components of their incredible sound. The song lyrics speak to getting in touch with nature and avoiding fake people.
Though I don’t usually grade albums or EPs, I have to give Flamingo Paradiso Pt. 1 a solid 10. There isn’t a standout track, as every one of them is outstanding and meticulously crafted. Vox Eagle’s attention to detail is strongly evident on every level, yet the tracks never feel overproduced. I love their music, and can’t wait to hear what they have in store for Part 2!
Vinitsky is a Ukrainian electro pop/rock singer, songwriter, producer, DJ and social activist. Now based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, her dynamic music is a raw mix of electronic sound, heavy guitars and powerful vocals. Her style fuses pop, rock and electronic influences, and draws inspiration from Ukrainian vocal melodies and 80’s sounds of bands like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk. And she’s a busy woman. Besides recording and producing her own music, for the past several years she’s been performing as an artist or DJ throughout Central and Eastern Europe. She also sings and writes songs for several nu-metal bands in Ukraine – including OnesteP, whose EP I recently reviewed.
Vinitsky released her first electronic album Stereo Radio under the name ‘Kate Orange.’ The similarly-named single from the album garnered more than 52 000 views on YouTube, and was supported by David Guetta on the Spanish TV show El Hermigueiro. In 2016, wanting a fresh approach to her music, she released an excellent self-titled album under the new name ‘Vinitsky.’ The Spanish single “Hola” is taken from that album. A fun feature of Vinitsky is that every track is illustrated, with each picture telling a story about the song and it’s mood. Vinitsky states that the pictures are also meant to relieve stress: “You can color them by yourselves, so sharpen your pencils and create your own work of art!”
The song “Hola” has a somewhat raw sound, infectious Latin dance beat and simple, understandable Spanish lyrics, even for those who don’t speak the language. Vinitsky explains that her inspiration for the song comes from the Dutch obsession with Spanish traditions, holidays and recreation.
The track starts off with her singing a capella, with a crackling noise in the background, as if the song was being played on an old Victrola. It then bursts open with an irresistible Latin dance beat, as buzzing electronic synths, exuberant horns and heavy bass all conspire to get your hips moving. Even sitting at the computer, my head was bobbing and hips were swaying like I was giving my chair a lap dance! She handles the Spanish lyrics quite nicely, her commanding vocals soaring with the intensity of the music, making for quite an exciting track. Take a listen:
Australian indie electro-psych pop duo Vox Eagle have been busy guys since forming in 2015. Andy Crosby and Luke Hamel, who make up Vox Eagle, spent time traveling throughout the U.S., writing and recording songs for their upcoming EP, scheduled to drop this summer (which I’ll be reviewing just prior to its release). They’ve released two amazing songs thus far, “No Sleep” and “Come Over,” along with a video for “No Sleep” that I’m featuring now.
The infectiously catchy song is steeped in lush atmospheric dream-pop grooves, with swirling synths floating over an irresistible bass-heavy dance beat. Andy’s smooth vocals occasionally rise to a stirring falsetto as he croons: “Is it any wonder? The current pulls us under. No sleep no sleep for the wicked no./ I keep on counting sheep. Days into nights, nights into weeks. Out of sight, out of mind, never mind.”
Brazilian born and London-based indie singer/songwriter PUZZLE is on a roll. Handsome and charismatic, he’s also an exceptionally talented artist. Following up on his three excellent singles “Godlike,” “Trial By Fire” and “Comedown,” PUZZLE recently dropped a new four-track EP Babylon, and it’s stunning. With his sublime melodies, infectious electronic beats, and sultry, captivating vocals, he creates luxurious soundscapes that pull you into mysterious and darkly beautiful spaces.
Drawing inspiration for his unique music style from an eclectic mix of artists such as the Pet Shop Boys (who I love), Lauryn Hill and Years & Years, PUZZLE also incorporates high-concept art and fantasy into his music videos and live performances. In an interview with Fault Magazine, he explained “I play a lot of video games … like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid and I feel like that’s where I tapped into a different world. The same can be said for the fantasy books I read too. It’s all about escapism and opening worlds to people. The world is in constant flux … and I want people to take on those ideas when I make music. Nothing is set in stone and it’s all open to interpretation. It’s not reality, I’m trying to take people to a world of imagination.”
The opening track “Kamikazi” immediately sets a sultry tone for the EP. Beginning with a lovely piano solo, a mesmerizing drumbeat takes over, accompanied by seductive EDM-infused synths. With his sensuous vocals, PUZZLE sings of surrendering to someone who holds control over him, and for whom he feels burning passion: “OhI refuse to run away, oh run away. Oh I want to feel the flames, let me feel the flames. Kamikazi, in a heartbeat you can take me down.” This is a sexy tune, as is the next track “Eyes Wide Shut.” Slower in tempo and darker in feel, but with even more sensuality, PUZZLE again sings of his passions: “Sweat pours, my heart rate soars as we kiss once more.”
Since I wrote this review, PUZZLE released a video for “Kamikazi” that’s as mesmerizing as the song:
“Little Black Book” is a catchy, emotionally-charged song about having strong feelings for someone, but fearing you may be nothing more than another number to them. Throbbing bass and swirling, otherworldly synths make this an incredibly compelling track. PUZZLE fervently sings: “I’m so caught up in this race. I’ll never be the first name. ‘Cause your list is too long, oh in your little black book.” The track has also been released as a single.
The creative and highly artistic video for the song is a positively breathtaking feast for the senses. In addition to the fantastic song, everything about it is gorgeous: the videography, computer-generated imagery, editing and – not least of all – PUZZLE himself. Take a look:
The final track “Realign” is so beautiful it raises goosebumps. Lush, sweeping synth chords, anchored by heavy bass, create a powerful instrumental over which PUZZLE’s enchanting vocals smolder and soar with great emotional intensity. This is my favorite track on the EP though, quite frankly, all of them are outstanding. I strongly recommend Babylon to fans of electronic music or, for that matter anyone who simply likes great music!
To learn more about PUZZLE, check out his website, and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to his YouTube channel, and stream his music on Soundcloud and Spotify. Babylon and his other music can be purchased on iTunes and other sites offering music for download.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 