If you haven’t heard the original Shades of Grey by Oliver Heldens & Shaun Frank, we’ll let you know that it is also an electronic/house song fashioned into a sing-along type fare. What’s different about the Yaro J remix of the song is that there are (exectionally) louder general sounds, louder synths and distinct classic dubstep-ish/dance drums are applied along with some other drums sprinkled in for good measure. Instead of allowing Shades of Grey to remain a cute lil’ pop sing-along with an slightly electric feel, Yaro J takes it all the way there.  There will likely be more distinct, forceful movements than the “sing-a-long bunny hop” (you know that dance) when Yaro J’s remix comes appears at a nightclub, rave or festival, which is a good thing, because, that was his point. According to Yaro J:

I almost never work on remixes as I prefer to write and produce my own material. So when it comes to remixing a song I treat it a like its my own material and produce it accordingly.

Dubstep is here, alive and BOOMING. And we all know that Hip-hop is never going anywhere; it is here to stay. Tristan Hendy came our way with an offering of both, Dub-Hop, and we knew it could either be a beautiful thing or terribly awkward. Thankfully, this carefully executed gem of a song, Eyes Frozen Cold was in the beautiful category.

Nick Tzios shot us a track described as “hybrid electronic rock epic drama music,” and I had to say, that I was interested in what all of those adjectives would sound like in one song. It turns out that Tzios creates music for films, video games and trailers, and this song sounds exactly like it. As in all genres, there are formulas that every creator goes by to create a common effect, and after listening to Trios’ MechanizeD, I’m pretty sure that he nails it. I’m no expert in this genre, but what I did do was imagine hearing MechanizeD in a movie theater with rumbling explosions, thunder, motorcycle engines etc.— and it was perfect. Kudos to Tzios for this latest, and I’ll be the one a little too excited during the movie previews if I happen to hear this again. I don’t see why I wouldn’t! 

Check it out:

Newest EP sent our way comes from Danielle Taylor, with the title of Chase. The 1st Track, Fearless, subtly instructs us to pay close attention to her lyrics. Okay, will do. The harmonies are adequate, but lack a bit. Staying along with the theme comes the danceable Jump Into The Unknown next.

It’s time for me to interject that I’m not a giant fan of pop songs, and something beyond the general things that happen in an average pop song have to happen for me to be enthralled with one.

Traveling along to I Wanna Get Naked- which despite the title is not as seductive as I thought- but THEN…wait. Towards the end of the song, I realize that the song is more about having the courage to be vulnerable and open than having sexy time…so, cool.

The Chase title track sounds a bit more country-pop than the others…one thing I can say, (in my humble opinion) that if Danielle Taylor wants her pop music to *pop, she may need to put a bit more oomph in the high-spirited lyrics.

We were given the word about Northern LA’s BulletMadeStatues’ campaign of releasing a new single on every month of 2015 just this month, but I feel pretty positive about their output so far. Today, I’ll focus on the most recent track, Postcards, and roam about their Soundcloud when I’m done. I was a little worried for these BulletMadeStatues folks; I didn’t know how receptive I would be of them being that I ended a long and random Al Jarreau binge to check them out. But Postcards instantly soothed my withdrawal-from-the-doopdeedee symptoms with mellow drums and violins preceding some very pleasant vocals. The song’s effect was definitely calming, but not of an electro-ambient vibe that some either love or detest— When you listen, you’re just sure that you’re listening to a great and groovy song. Check it out below and be sure to follow the band on their twitter and facebook to keep up with their monthly releases and upcoming LP.

Durham, North Carolina has a gem! The High Cell comes with a punch with songs that brings to mind girls dancing with a self-satisfied smile even if none of the band members are their boyfriends and guys clutching a beer while intensely nodding to the tempo. The lyrics are well-written, and the instrumentation strikes with precision.

From A Fine Mess you can already tell that this band is here to jam. Devil in a Tricycle continues with the jam that reminds me of a Jimi Hendrix mid-tempo blues song, and the lead vocalist, Mike, has a voice that you just want to listen to. Not really sure how fast the devil can go on a tricycle, but the bell he’s ringing makes this song a definite groove.

Tread is another heavy track with an even heavier blues-y feel while still staying modern, Small Town Bird is a sing-a-long hit with super effective guitar licks with a perfect use of the tambourine and Rise gives us the epitome’ of the git down. The five songs sent our way could be a definite full set that would leave the crowd satisfied. The band is tight, the lead vocals fit perfectly, which makes us pretty sure that The High Cell is here to stay. The High Cell has a lot in store for the upcoming future; keep up with them via their website, FaceBook and Twitter

Until Next Time,