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Fine dine with Elephant Castle after living in isolation for a year

Genre: Indie rock

Elephant Castle is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Phil Danyew, former member of Foster the people. He left the band in 2020 to pursue a solo career and released the first single “Cool To Be Unhappy” to a very pleased audience. His latest song “French Food” is a reflection filled with relief due to the loosening of restrictions during lockdown and coming back to normality.

Vast rhythmic guitars over a funky drum sound topped by luscious airy vocals support his daydreaming about post-lockdown activities and fine dining. Psych-rock and pop merge in this refreshing 3 minute 8 seconds long tune and contrary to what you might think, it is not about french food…. Or at least not exactly. The past year and a half has changed the entire world, our habits, our routines, our priorities, everything. This summer, however, with the arrival of the vaccine, the road back to the old “normal” has begun, and our daydreams about finally being able to have dinner with someone other than ourselves in an actual restaurant. 

I can see it when I close my eyes
Long overdue
A table for two
I’m honestly about to lose my mind
I miss the views I miss the French food… cuisine française

I have a feeling that a lot of people will relate to this song as the lyrics are far from being cryptic, the melody is catchy and the theme… well the theme can apply to the vast majority of earthlings…and the bass line is cool. I definitely miss pretending to be fancy from time to time, especially after being in my pyjamas for a year and a half.

Listen to the song here:

 

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Composition
3.4/5
Production
4.5/5
Lyrics
3.7/5
Performance
3.5/5
Album cover
4.7/5
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Mar Malade will make you want to travel to Mexico

Genre: Indie/Pop/Folk

Woke up early this morning. Went directly to the bathroom and got into the shower, but not without starting my Discover Weekly playlist. Some decent songs were recommended to me but one particularly caught my attention. It had unusual lyrics like “spice my love/ I wanna chop you into bites” and “make a sandwich outta you/ put some ham on, make me chew”. I am a sucker for compelling lyrics so as soon as I got out of the shower I had to save and revisit the song.

The lyrics wasn’t the only thing that got me interested. “Mexico” is just the perfect feel-good song, I wanted to grab my guitar and sing along. I imagined this tune playing on a road trip and everybody in the car shouting the lyrics, I saw it being played at a bonfire.

The production sounds very simple but incredibly refreshing and unique. From the description in their Instagram bio, Mar Malade are very conscious about the fact that their music makes you want to travel:

“Music that makes you travel – even from your window to the carpet!”

Their entire brand is built around “heartwarming and handmade” postcards, the ones your grandma sends you along with home-made marmalade. And if you were thinking what I was thinking… asking yourself if they’ve wrote about marmalade before, let me tell you that they have. “Marmalade” is another single that came out this year and is part of their “Postcards” EP that includes 5 tracks.

Mar Malade is not completely unknown, they have quite a good following on Spotify and are part of really influential editorial playlists, but I still wanted to write about “Mexico” because I believe they deserve even more. Their consistent and appealing style makes me really excited about their music and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for them.

Listen to “Mexico” here:

Follow Mar Malae on Instagram:

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Composition
4.5/5
Production
3.6/5
Lyrics
4.5/5
Performance
4.2/5
Album cover
5/5
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flwrs. & Girl in the mirror release Backpack EP

Genre: Soft Pop

Girl in the mirror introduces herself as a self-releasing Budapest-based track-maker, vocalist, coffee lover & firm believer in broken clocks that are right twice a day. She began with producing happy EDM but experimented with many genres over time. Nowadays she makes softer tunes. “Backpack” was produced in collaboration with her boyfriend flwrs., while some other vocalists jumped on a couple of songs as well. flwrs. is an indigenous producer from South Dakota, currently based in Oklahoma. He blends hip-hop, pop and orchestral elements in his songs and has released four albums and many singles since 2012 when he first discovered music producing. He is a self-taught producer, learning from the internet and from friends. He loves cats and wants to bring home every cat he meets.

Let’s listen to the EP and see what they offer:

The first track is “I don’t want to go” and it features Two:22 and leorinda, a Chinese/Vietnamese vocalist-songwriter based in Toronto, Canada. A love-hate relationship is described with smooth pop vocals and sad lyrics. The lyrics and melodies are complete opposites, the production sounds happy and bubbly but the words are talking about people who misunderstand each other and are suffering in a not so happy relationship. It is always interesting when songwriters approach their writing with this contradiction in mind which gives the songs a unique sad-happy atmosphere.

“You and I” continues with another relationship, this time a happy one that has different struggles, more specifically the issue of distance. Long-distance couples don’t see each other as often as they would like to, and being so far away for so long is hard on relationships sometimes. This song, however, is from the perspective of two characters who still love each other very much, and no matter the spatial difference, they keep waiting for each other. The words that pop into my mind when trying to describe the production are: cute, soft, video-game-like and heartwarming.  

Girl in the mirror and flwrs.

“Staring to the Sea of Wishes” is the third track, and according to the artists, it was born on the border of lockdown and freedom. We all can agree that the first few weeks of lockdowns were quite disheartening and demotivating. Reading and seeing bad news one after the other, experiencing people’s indifference to others’ sufferings and not knowing what is coming next took a toll on a lot of people’s mental health. In a time where half the world is burning, half flooding with water, half flooding with plastic and so on, there is a need for songs that help you stay motivated and hopeful. What is the thing that keeps us going forward through hard times and what would you ask for if you would find the Sea of Wishes? – these are just some of the questions the song arises. kim saesol features on this one. 

Track 4 and 5 are the same, but in different languages: “Butterfly Light” and “Lepkefeny” . As someone who understands both I have to admit that I like the Hungarian version better, and after I first heard both, I was sure that it was the one written first. Later when I received the press release, this feeling was proven to be correct. Right off the bat I have to say that the vocal melodies of this song are my favourite out of all and I also believe it has the most complex lyrics filled with a lot of subtlety and vulnerability. The words were written by poet Fanni Sütő and are about a blossoming summer romance when nothing is certain yet but the other person seems perfect in every way and you are wondering if whatever this is can have a future. The English version features leorinda.

The last track, “Neighbourhood puppy”, was released a year prior, when they did not know that there is going to be a finished EP. This is what the artists said about the song: “A cute song about how Sam met a puppy on the streets of New York City. Well, he had to sing about it because the puppy was so cute.” And what can I say to that? It is a cute song and who doesn’t like a happy neighbourhood puppy?

Overall, “Backpack EP is a sweet pop romance made of cute bubbly synths and soft sine waves, guitars and smooth vocals”. If you like soft pop and cute songs, do check it out:

 

Follow them on social media:

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Composition
2.9/5
Production
4/5
Lyrics
2.6/5
Performance
3.4/5
Album Cover
5/5
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Step by step to reach the door that leads to the ultimate goal

Genre: Bedroom Pop/ Alternative R&B

I don’t know where I read this or who told it to me, but someone somewhere said that if you are just starting out and can’t secure blog reviews and interviews, just write about your own songs. Plain and simple. Write down your own take on things and have an article out there that people can easily access, after which they can make up their own mind. So here I am, after launching a blog to support other up-and-coming musicians, I am writing about my debut EP titled “Steps” because it came out today.

I have decided to release 4 songs as singles as well, because releasing more often is better for the Spotify algorithm, however today I will write about them in the order they are on the EP and not the order in which they were released. 

“Will you let me in?” is the first song, a tiny 1min15sec long intro tune that encompasses some of the main themes of all six tracks. It talks about the passing of time and the inability to stop it, leaving toxic people behind, walking away and working towards what is important, step by step until you get to the door that leads to your dreams. In my head, me beginning to release music and taking it more seriously during this past year and a half was a huge step for my career, and every single song got me closer and closer to this moment. While releasing this EP I am symbolically knocking on the door of the industry so to speak, because these are my most polished and important songs so far. I am knocking on the door and waiting to see when they will let me in. 

1 step 2 step 3 step 4


I'm standing right here, knocking on the door


Will you let me in?


I said


Will you let me in?

The next song is “Better on your worst nights” and it is about a relationship at its breaking point. The two parties don’t understand each other anymore but still don’t have the courage to take the first step in letting go. It has been going on for so long, how can it just end like that? The question is heartbreaking, but the only healthy choice is to walk away. After all, lately they only feel good when the other one doesn’t. This is my go to explanation when someone asks what is it about. I tend to write songs very visually, I already see a movie or a music video in my head in the writing session (I really hope I can film them sometime in the near future because I already have elaborate shot lists and everything lol) so it is sometimes hard for me to explain the entire world behind my songs in a couple of words, but I also believe that every track is up to the listener to interpret and a lot of the times I don’t even want to explain in too much detail what I was thinking about, just so each individual can project their own experiences onto them. 

I remember you were funnier


Back when the days were sunnier


These days all I do is sending warnings


Wind blew away our house of cards


And you didn't leave any marks


Don't be shocked when you won't find me in the morning

 “Always drunk” is based on a Charles Baudelaire writing titled Be Drunk. It tackles existential questions while suggesting that in order to get through the hardships of life, you have to be always drunk. The inability to cope in a healthy way with things that are out of our control is at the centre of this production. It’s sad, it’s desperate, the character can’t accept things even if they know that they can’t change the facts. (By the way, when I talk about characters, I mean the main characters who the songs are about or from whose perspective they are written). Anxiety is bad, especially when it is because of things that I can’t change. I know that it’s no use, but still, I can’t deal with it in a healthy way sometimes. Always drunk was written while some tears were shed, it initially wasn’t meant to be on this EP, wasn’t even written for this instrumental, but after hearing it I knew that they we’re meant to be together, so the melodies and lyrics were altered to fit the whole.

Everyone's talking but no one knows what about


The ones who are silent  at times tend to act out


The burden of time bends you down to the ground


Kneeling and screaming but I don't make a sound

The first song that I released as a single was Pills. Obviously the main single is the title song and I knew that from the start, but the first song I wrote for Jorge was Pills so naturally I decided to release it first as well. I loved it so much and it felt so current that I thought it would be the most successful one out of all. That didn’t happen (yet?), this shows that our perception of what people would like more is very different from reality. It tackles the attempt to take life day by day and live in the present, experiencing  every moment before they are gone, but restricted by pills that cloud the mind. Want to know what I was really thinking about with the lyrics? Okay I will tell you but you might be a bit surprised. I know that everyone else is thinking about more serious drugs, but I was writing it with lavender pills in mind. Yes, lavender pills. The first lockdown was a bit stressful next to the overall stress of having no idea what to do with my life (not going back to uni, no job, lockdown making it even harder to get a job etc…) so I was taking lavender pills to help me relax and even fall asleep. Because I couldn’t, no matter how much I worked during the day and how tired I was. 

So it was a small play on words, taking pills to fall asleep but adding the existential layer with “but I don’t want to go to sleep”, you know? Anyways, if it is about other drugs for you, it is fine.

Snippets of a life go by


We are so scared to say goodbye


Always running against time

“Are we?” is the most successful song so far. I released it as the third single and I am happy that people love it as much as I do. It is finally a happy song, haha! I don’t know if you noticed but I tried to order them in a way that suggests progress, an emotional one, so they go from angry and sad to happy by the end of the EP. This track captures the moment of a relationship coming to life, when the two parties become “official”. It is often because of the curiosity of a friend or family member that the question arises. Are we together or not? Not putting labels on the relationship is good enough for the couple, but the outside world’s curiosity leads them to confront the idea and clear it up.

I know that you know


You had me 'round your finger from the get go


And you know that I know


I'm somebody that you can not let go

And finally, we arrived to the title track that has an extra (1, 2, 3, 4) in the title.  The main characters live in the outskirts, every day just peeking in to get a glimpse of what might be waiting for them on the other side. Step by step they are working towards reaching the door that leads to their dreams, while helping each other in the process. It is a love song, it is a statement of the current place in my life, it is a personal manifesto. I love Steps. It was probably the most fun song to write. I was dancing and jumping around to the first demo that I recorded in only a couple of hours. I wrote it in one afternoon just the way it is and never changed anything after. An animated music video was made for it by the amazing Ben Balaton and it perfectly captures the story of the song. I loved working with Ben because he understood my ideas from the get go, even if some of my initial drawings were horrible, he could make it just the way I imagined it, and I thank him for the perfect final product that I will cherish forever. It is my first animated music video, are you kidding me?!?!?!

Hold me closer than before


I'm cold, you see stay forevermore


If only I knew what to ask for


Why am I feeling like I'm running out of time

Overall, I don’t know what to write in the ending paragraph because this was not a review, just some thoughts from behind the scenes. I don’t want to leave you with a conclusion. I hope you will listen and will draw your own. Million thanks to Jorge Arenas who is one of the most talented musicians I know for producing, mixing and mastering these songs.

Stream Steps here:

 

Puzzls on social media:

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I will only review the album covers because they were made by the one and only Rue Atelier and they are literally perfect, nothing else to add here:

Album cover
5/5
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Billie Eilish is happier than ever

Genre: Pop/ Electro pop

Billie Eilish needs no introduction but in case you’ve been living under a rock the past couple of years, she managed to win the hearts of millions of people all around the world as well as 10 Grammys next to other awards. Other people are just starting to figure out what to do with their lives and here she is, at 19 releasing her second studio album which contains 16 tracks.

Track 4 and 14 have been out for a while now, but style and theme wise it makes sense that they are on the album. Three other songs, respectively “Your Power”, “Lost Cause” and “NDA” have also been released prior to the album, giving people a little sneak peak about what to expect. They all have music videos that correspond to the by now well known Billie aesthetic. “Not My Responsibility”, the spoken words from the  2020 short film also made it on the album.

For some reason she has been getting some hate lately in the online sphere both because of the sound of the songs and accusation of queerbaiting… and other things, but this is a review about the album and not about what cancel culture has a problem with currently, so the discussion will not take these outside accusations into consideration, mainly because there is no way of choosing a side from the outside. 

Soft, dreamy vocals overtake the entire 56 minutes and 15 seconds, while the journey begins with “Getting Older”. The production is very simple, offering space for the vocals to overtake the whole… and I have a feeling that this will be a general occurrence over the course of the entire album. The song is written from a very vulnerable place by a young artist who in the eyes of the outside world has a perfect life but has gone through trauma in secret and is dealing with it on her own, promising that everything will be fine. Growing up while the entire world is watching  is a peculiar thing. The song has a bittersweet feel to it, confessing a certain sadness but is also very hopeful.

"I've had some trauma, did things I didn't wanna
Was too afraid to tell ya, but now, I think it's time"

Finneas, her producer brother, is known for constantly recording random sounds and using them in his productions, so “I Didn’t Change My Number” is no different. It begins with what sounds like a dog growl, suggesting a switch from the vulnerable to something more aggressive. A past relationship takes the center stage in this production where the beat mirrors the lyrics perfectly and creates an unnerving atmosphere. Distancing herself from a person who seems to not be over her is the plot here, it is passively angry and sometimes even threatening. Why did I say passively? Because it is from the perspective of a person who is angry and deserves to be, but can reflect on the situation with maturity. 

"Maybe you should leave
Before I get too mean
And take it out on you
And your best friend too"

“Billie Bossa Nova” is the third track and again changes the mood. Bossa nova is a Brazilian popular music that evolved from merging samba with jazz and blues. It is smooth and rhythmic, maybe even nostalgic, and the dance requires subtle body movements. The title already suggests the genre of the song and the content is lighthearted, about a love story while on tour and being constantly followed by paparazzi. Finneas declared in an interview with Rolling Stones that there are a lot of things they have to do to avoid getting followed to their rooms by the photographers so they wanted to write about these experiences but spiced it up with a mystery love affair. 

"It might be more of an obsession
You really make a strong impression 
Nobody saw me in the lobby
Nobody saw me in your arms"

“my future” has been out for a while and discussed already, so we are going to jump right into track 5. Oxytocin is a hormone and a neurotransmitter that is involved in childbirth and breast-feeding. It is also associated with empathy, trust, sexual activity, and relationship-building. It is sometimes referred to as the “love hormone,” because levels of oxytocin increase during hugging and orgasm, according to Medical news today. It is also the title of the song that begins with a faster beat. This one is definitely on the crazier side, both the beat and the composition are peculiar but make you want to jump up and sing along to it. A dependent relationship is what drives this tune, with very clear sexual associations and suggestions. Someone on Genius wrote that this one will be very fun live, and I can not help but agree. 

"If you only pray on Sunday
Could you come my way on Monday?
'Cause I like to do things God doesn't approve of if she saw us"

“GOLDWING” is the shortest song on the album and the beginning sounds like a church choir singing a religious hymn or gospel. Perfectly soft vocals layered on top of each other lift you up and make you feel like you are in heaven. It is kind of ironic that this song comes right after “Oxytocin”, in which she performs actions that “God doesn’t approve of”, maybe like a form of atonement or purification. I got to admit, I think this my favourite off the album so far, the way the introduction makes you feel, the way the entire atmosphere changes after the first minute and the beat comes in, the lyrics… “GOLDWING” is definitely something else. 

"Goldwing angel
Go home, don't tell
Anyone what you are
You're sacred and they're starved
And their art is gettin' dark
And there you are to tear apart"

Another interesting placement is “Lost cause”, which already came out prior to the album so there not much more to say about it, but vocally it is definitely one of her most captivating creations. 

By now it is becoming clear that in the shaping of this album, alternating upbeat and downtempo songs was also taken into consideration, and as expected “Halley’s Comet” is another mellow production. This beautifully crafted love song is filled with vulnerability and strong emotions. As suggested earlier, I am a sucker for good instrumental breaks and changes inside one track so this one is also on my list of favourites.

Halley's Comet
Comes around more than I do
But you're all it takes for me to break a promise
Silly me to fall in love with you

“Not My Responsibility” is the spoken word video interlude Billie released in early 2020 and discusses the objectification of women in the entertainment industry based on their body image. But not just the entertainment industry, really, women all around the world are objectified every single day and their worth is decided by strangers solely based on looks. 

“OverHeated” is the first song after the interlude, and mind you, the transition is perfect. It seems to further go into the theme of “Not My Responsibility”.  It was probably inspired by some paparazzi pictures that went viral because they showed her wearing clothes that were not baggy, “finally” letting the world know how her body looks like, giving it up for discussion, as if that was the most important thing about a young talented woman. 

And everybody said it was a let down
I was only built like everybody else now
But I didn't get a surgery to help out
'Cause I'm not about to redesign myself now, am I?

“Everybody Dies” tackles an existential question that I’m sure everyone has struggled with in their lives. Fear of death and the unknown is what drives this song, but even if the theme is sad, Billie is comforting and tells people that they are not alone no matter what.

"You oughta know
That even when it's time, you might not wanna go
But it's okay to cry and it's alright to fall
But you are not alone"

The next three songs have been out and discussed multiple times to I will not spend too much time on them, but I did want to mention “NDA” which was peculiar at first listen and did get some nasty comments online, however I think it is the type of song that you get used to only after  hearing it several times and then you get obsessed. I have to admit I did not like it at the beginning but now I love it. And the video as well, Billie has a great sense of artistic mastery.

And now… number 15, we got to the title track.  The vocal melody has an old air to it at the beginning and only becomes contemporary with Verse 2. I believe this will make the song timeless.  Now that I listened to this one, I have to say that it overtakes “GOLDWING” on the favourites list. It is obvious why they chose it as the title track and in my opinion it is the best track on the album. The most complex production, composition, build-up, style change… it is really really good. A very problematic relationship is described that makes her angry, in the first part we don’t get to know the underlying problems but after the style changes the song becomes angry and describes many things that he did wrong.

You ruined everything good
Always said you were misunderstood
Made all my moments your own
Just fuckin' leave me alone

“Male Fantasy” is a beautiful way to end the album. A recent heartbreak and the line between fantasy love and real life is what drives this song. Incredibly beautiful harmonies and melodies describe the situation.

Home alone, tryin’ not to eat
Distract myself with pornography
I hate the way she looks at me
I can’t stand the dialogue, she would never be
That satisfied, it’s a male fantasy
I’m goin’ back to therapy

A YouTube comment I read under the lyrics video really encompasses the general feeling of this album: “We saw Billie as a teenager with her previous album and now we get to see her as a woman”. No song feels like it’s just there to fill up the space, each and every track has it’s special place for the narrative, each and every track is necessary. Overall this album did not disappoint, on the contrary, it showed a different, evolved side of Billie and it really makes you wonder what other things the future holds for this talented soul.

 

Composition
3.7/5
Production
3.6/5
Lyrics
4.8/5
Performance
5/5
Album cover
3.4/5
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ROLE MODEL wants her forever&more

Genre: Pop

The 24 year old Tucker Pillsbury, also known as ROLE MODEL, just released his first single of the year. His discography begins in 2017 with a 4 track EP titled “ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER” and by now he has established quite a fanbase that enjoys genre bending pop. As a bonus, he released a music video as well:

The song starts with a simple guitar riff which urges you to anticipate the beat that makes your head bop as soon as it begins. This guitar-drum instrumental continues throughout the verses, while the production starts to build up more only in the pre-chorus. The use of a lap steel guitar adds something unique to the whole and a synth melody is woven into the track to bring the last chorus to the most intense level of the production. Simple yet effective.

By the end of the summer, she was a lover
I saw her ex and he's dressing like me
Hair kinda messy like me
Nobody gets it like me

“forever&more” is undoubtedly a love song. Love is maybe the most used theme in any form of art, and humans have written, sang, painted, performed etc. about it for hundreds of thousands of years, therefore nowadays it is very hard to create something that is fully unique…and I don’t even know if we must to be honest. Even though Tucker’s release has some overused ideas like: “she don’t pay rent but she stay in my mind”, referring to her as an angel,  mentioning that they have a special song, and of course, the wanting to be together “forever & more” – there is something about the way everything was crafted together that these (which normally would) don’t bother me. His angel is wearing plaid so I guess these little updates make it sound current without being too familiar. The atmosphere of the whole is very lighthearted, playful and it overall makes for a very pleasant summer love song. 

Tucker’s voice is also very unique and it is interesting to find out that he began singing…by accident? He rapped and wanted to be part of the film industry before realising that he can sing as well! What a lucky accident, the world would have been much emptier without such a voice.

Ooh, I've never felt like this before
Can't pick myself up off the floor
That's something new, I'm stuck with you

The music video premiered a few hours ago and it is just as lively as the song, giving me a sense of nostalgia and I don’t know about you, but it reminds me of old teen movies in a way. It is from the present but at the same time from the past. Maybe that means it is from the future as well, as this theme of young love is so cyclic. 

And last but not least… let’s give a little extra credit to the cover art photograph, I mean… we gotta love a man who is confident enough to wear a bridal headpiece and veil.

Listen to the song here:

 

Follow ROLE MODEL on social media:

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Composition
3.4/5
Production
4/5
Lyrics
3.5/5
Perfomrance
4.9/5
Album cover
5/5
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Be prepared to be mesmerised by fil ricchardi’s latest single “Hourglass”

Genre: Indie-Pop-Folk

My favourite rising star in the indie-pop-folk genre, fil ricchardi managed to blow me away with this song. I knew he was something special the moment I heard the first few words he sang on this single. He has one of the most unique voices I know. He also has a special ability to transmit emotions almost effortlessly. The melodies travel through his vocals and individual chord progressions right into your soul, but on the way in, your ears and mind will be delighted to decipher the work of a smart lyricist who uses simplicity to his advantage.

I always say that good lyrics writing is either finding very unique and smart ways of saying something that has been said many times before (all themes in art have been used and re-used millions of times so there is a need for this) or being incredibly simple but particular. People will relate more to something specific even if those specifics don’t apply to them directly. They will project their own experiences and emotions onto the lyrics, the song, on what the artist was trying to convey.

fil manages to find a perfect balance between the two and enhances the effect with beautifully describing the physical feeling of someone’s hands slipping out of his. Reflecting on past decisions and the the difference between expectations during the last few moments of a relationship, he chooses to live in denial and prefers to enjoy the final hours before she walks out the door.

Listen to “Hourglass” here:

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Composition
4.5/5
Production
4.3/5
Lyrics
4/5
Performance
4.7/5
Album cover
3.7/5
Posted on

Matheus Who and the struggles of a 21st century artist in the online sphere

Genre: Alternative / Indie. Photograph by João  Martins.

Matheus Who is an incredible Brazilian talent who will blow you away with his perfectly crafted indie songs… And not just, because with every tune comes the ideal conception of visual imagery and aesthetic photographic artistry. His latest song “Inconsequente” takes a step back from previous themes and tackles a profoundly relatable subject matter about the negative aspects of social media where the expectations are too high and sometimes difficult to upkeep.

Being an artist, especially in a country like Brazil, where arts are not taken seriously and have no value at all, feelings of anxiety and pressure can arise. Arts are being looked at with critical eyes in general. A lot of people don’t understand how much time, drive and dedication it takes to finish a piece, and they also don’t comprehend how much art is around them 24/7. An artist designed the logo of their company, artists made the music they are listening to daily on the way to work, school, in the gym, artists made their favourite movies and TV shows they are watching every night, someone also had to write the books they are reading… art is all around yet still criminally underrated and artists get judged for not working for free and struggling. 

On top of that, social media adds another layer to this pressure, because in that sphere, everyone is a critic and considers themselves experts in other stranger’s lives. In Matheus’ words “I felt like 24/7 we have to post that we are improving and getting better in our artistry or people judge that you are not working at all”. So apparently if you don’t post about working every day, you are living the high life and do not make enough effort for your career. “Inconsequente” is about this tension and dealing with the stress of trying to be enough in an overly demanding world. 

“E eu nem sei mais                                                                           E eu nem sei mais por que                                                           Eu passo pela porta de quem não quer nem me ver”

“And I don’t even know anymore
And I don’t even know why anymore
I walk through the door of those who don’t even want to see me”

The song is written from the perspective of a lonely soul that wanders and wonders and lately finds themselves in their own company often, feeling comfortable. His old friends already live a life without him (“Meus antigos amigos já vivem uma vida sem mim”) but the lyrics are hopeful, stating  that they’ll be there soon: “Que daqui a pouco eu chego lá”.

The entire production feels like a hug, with the dreamy synths embracing you and telling you that it is okay to feel this pressure but do have a coffee to de-stress (“Tomar un café pra desestressar”).

I also advise you to take a look at the lyrics video, which is an absolute fit to the song and the editing is right up my experimental-loving alley. Split screens, overlays, funky movements, handwritten lyrics and hand drawn illustrations, the video has it all, but it goes together perfectly.

Listen to “Inconsequente” here and while you’re at it, check out his other songs as well (my personal favourite is “A Gente Vai Dançar”:

 

 

Composition
4.3/5
Production
4.7/5
Lyrics
4.4/5
Performance
4/5
Album cover
4.1/5
Lyrics video
4.7/5
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Go and listen to Izabel’s song right now, I’m counting 1, 2, 3…

Genre: Indie pop

What can I say, it’s a bop. This 19 year old singer-songwriter from Montreal keeps releasing indie pop bangers one after the other. 123 followed the highly anticipated 19, that was a follow up to last year’s 18… will there be 20 next year…maybe?

The song jumps right into the lyrics from the first second, presenting the mental state of the character from whose point of view it is written. Izabel states that the song is about her experience with BPD, specifically doing and saying things without thinking. Her thoughts keep outrunning her and before she knows it, her secrets are already gone. I would say it is also a love song of sorts, because she keeps referring to someone who in a way does not hold the way she is against her:

“Let’s get some shitty tattoos/ I think I really like you/ Tell me what is it you wanna see

Swear you never met someone like me/ Funny how I feel the same”

The production is very current with dreamy synths and a catchy beat, while the melodies will crawl inside your brain, forcing you to bop your head and sing along. It came out just in time for your summer drives and late night adventures. Izabel also took the time to share some exciting news next to this release: she is working on her debut EP “WAVES”! The date is yet to be announced but make sure to stay tuned!

Listen to 123 here:

Composition
3.1/5
Production
4/5
Lyrics
4.1/5
Performance
4.5/5
Album cover
4.3/5

Follow Izabel on social media:

Instagram Tiktok Youtube
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Introducing PUZZLS

“Singer-songwriter with a Film degree” – this is in all my bios. Yes, I am PUZZLS and since I started this blog and I have to write the initial posts, I will have to introduce myself as well. It would feel weird to do it in the 3rd person, so here I am.

I only started writing and recording in 2019 even if music was part of my life since forever and I’ve been performing since I was a child. Finishing university and realising that I had no idea what to do with my life pushed me towards fulfilling my greatest passion. I still love film and directing and editing, don’t get me wrong, I believe my passions co-exist, there is always need for music videos, you know what I mean?

Anyways, getting back to the bio, I believe I have a pretty versatile style, I have collaborated on Pop, Alternative R&B, Alternative Rock, Indie and EDM songs, but I believe the genre I want to go towards with my own stuff is definitely indie, alternative pop, rock and r&b, and my debut EP “Steps” is closer to that than anything I’ve released before. It is a process, but slowly I’m getting there.

Listen to my music here:

Here are my socials: