Another week, another round-up.
This week’s round-up features five tracks that grabbed my attention with their storytelling and lyrics. Despite being mostly pop, each song is influenced by other genres and creates a fusion of unique sounds.
Be sure to check out the full MusicGrapes playlist on Spotify and feel free to leave any music suggestions in the comments!
Happy listening!
Drama | Victoria Canal
Genre: Pop
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Victoria Canal’s sweet, light voice perfectly suits the theme of this track, “Drama.”
Centered around the idea of wanting to “do without the drama,” the beat and vocal inflections ease in and out alongside the lyrics in effortless harmony.
Oxygen | Rafael Casal
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Release Date: March 8, 2019
Slow, yet vivid storytelling is not just limited to the lyrics on Rafael Casal’s “Oxygen.” It’s mirrored in the single artwork and the weighted, vaguely tropical production.
“Oxygen” stands starkly different from the rest of Rafael Casal’s body of work, yet the uniqueness of the song adds to the reality of his multi-faceted musical talent.
Confetti | Freak Daddy
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Release Date: August 6, 2019
The haunting industrial beats on Freak Daddy’s “Confetti” meld mainstream pop and hip-hop in an explosive way.
Best experienced with headphones, the circling alarm and sporadic dings create a sense of ‘club anxiety’- a term I just coined and define as the moment you almost miss the confetti canon blasting because you were too distracted by your own dance moves.
Sex with Benefits | Neo Noir
Genre: Indie Pop
Release Date: July 6, 2018
With a synth beat and a techno vibe, Neo Noir’s “Sex with Benefits” oozes coolness.
The distant vocals add a retro touch to the pop-R&B fusion.
Despite being five minutes in length, the track has a way of suspending time through gradual transitions and almost underwater-like extended echos.
Like You Say You Do | Gabrielle Aplin
Genre: Pop
Release Date: January 17, 2020
Gabrielle Aplin is an established artist in the industry, but I’ve only just come across her pop-EDM body of work.
“Like You Say You Do” is an upbeat, danceable track paired with lyrics detailing a love interest not expressing how they feel. The nervous uncertainty is reflected in quick-paced verses and sharp vocals.
The single manages to be light and intense at the same time, culminating to a sudden, bass-heavy ending.
