CD Reviews

Kinda funny is the debut single from Sydney based outfit Envee. The track is a smooth modernistic take on hip hop’s already multi faceted genre boasting rich contemporary hooks while indulging in a layered ambience that sweeps in and out of it’s forefront. Nickrod Vatandoust the frontman of Envee is …

Kenyan born UK transplant Vonj begins his new EP release Unity is Power with the cutting funk bite of “Skin Deep” but the musical pyrotechnics never mask the deeper message his lyrics contain. One of the abiding characteristics of Vonj’s songs on this release and earlier efforts alike is his willingness to …

Listening to Alicia Blue’s soon-to-be-released album Bravebird I recalled the first time I saw her at a Sofar concert in Venice CA almost three years ago.  I was sitting on the floor of a dress shop where the concert was being held; I don’t remember who else was on the …

There’s a pleasant gallop to the first few bars of Irene Kelley’s “The Hills Of Home” that is vaguely familiar and yet totally unrecycled in the modern country lexicon. It’s a hesitant tempo that we find in a few different songs on her new record Benny’s TV Repair, which is out …

A vibrant electric guitar comes bursting to life with the intensity of a lightning bolt as Ben Cesare lays into the stunning new single “Rebound Baby,” one of three tracks that the country crooner has released in 2019 as a solo artist. Having established his sound with the eponymous Ben …

In his latest record, the minimalistic The Hardest Part, Oliver James dabbles in postmodernity on multiple fronts while staying true to the alternative singer/songwriter style he set forth at the onset of his career some time ago. James’ warm vocal leads the way through four of the most decadently-stylized tracks he …

Ever since I first saw Irene Diaz sing in a Venice California church almost 5 years ago, I have been smitten by her ability to blend power, love, joy and pain into songs in a way that few in modern musical history have ever accomplished.  Her voice transcends any words …

Tahiti Pehrson brings Hunting Memories to the table with an album of the same title, and a lot of twists and turns to talk about, because it comes with twenty songs that tell a lifetime of interesting stories to an eclectic backdrop of music with a rare unpolished sound for …

As the song opens, a sense of something magical, something soul-searching is about to happen. Much like the soundtrack to Edward Scissorhands, the opening track of Telemonster’s 13-track album Introspecter Part 1, “Incision” breathe life into a stirring music bed. This low-bearing hush, along with deep-vocals make for an impressive …

Samskara Radio is the musical project of Melbourne based musician/yoga teacher Simon Marrocco. This remixed version of the synth-wave pop alt-rock styled act’s song I Can’t Wait is a deep house interpretation with a fiery rap performed by Gold Coast rapper MC Mooks. Austin Leeds (who has worked with Avicii …