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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

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Samsara Blues Experiment’s latest album is a bittersweet end

Genre: Stoner rock/Psychedelic blues/Indian raga

The German trio announced that they are putting their music career on hold in order to take a break or even stop working together. Before doing so, however, Samsara Blues Experiment came out with an EP that will launch you into another galaxy and take that ride with you. 

When I came across End Of Forever the first thing that caught my eye was the artwork on the cover done by Jessica Rassi. Let’s take a look inside too!

The first song, Second Birth, is the longest track on the whole EP. Right from the start you could imagine travelling by a spaceship or looking at the galaxy form a whole new point of view. The guitars and drums create a nice atmosphere, which is deepened by the keyboards. In the fifth minute and part of the sixth minute of this masterpiece, you can notice some Pink Floyd vibes, which aren’t at all surprising since Pink Floyd was and will always be one of the biggest influences on the neo-psychedelic genre. The second half of this song becomes much more definite, it’s like the track is slowly forming and taking a more solid form. It is not as atmospheric anymore, it travels through air and fills your head. The bass is absolutely worth paying attention to.

The second track, Massive Passive is a much faster one and the vocals play a bigger part in it. It starts off small and soft and with time this too grows to be an absolute masterpiece. The lyrics suggest that this is nothing less than a love song of some sort. The main idea is this: our world became a cruel, one you cannot change, in the past you had security and people to turn to despite the fact that everybody around you seemed crazy, but now technology came between people and healthy relationships, even with yourself. Depressing, isn’t it? If not else, this song will absolutely remind you to do a social media detox if possible.

“And when I was scared I knew I still had you, I had you to turn to while everyone around us had gone insane.”

Well let’s cheer up a bit, in the EP’s middle you can find a track that will bring hope to the melancholy of the last song. Southern Sunset is -no doubt- a love song. Featuring elements of nature, the lyrics paints a moving picture of a woman and a relationship. Not letting the previous song sadden you, it states that you can disconnect from reality and create your own world without insecurities and worries, so let’s do just that while listening to Peter’s vocals!

The next song is also the title of the EP. This track is a less positive one, discussing the popular psychedelic rock topic of realities and dreams. At about the three and a half minute mark, a very interesting lineup of instruments starts building on each other. The guitar solo is nothing less than immaculate.

Orchid Annie on the other hand, is a slower and somewhat more positive track. When reading the lyrics, a feeling of bittersweetness rises and stays till the end of the song. At about 3 minutes nearly every instrument used plays a different melody creating an outstanding composition. At 4:35 there is a change of pace and melody out of nowhere, which makes you think and slowly makes its way to your soul. It becomes faster and more desperate by the minute. There are solos in this song but my descriptions really could not do justice to them, please listen to the whole thing as this is, in my opinion, one of the more intricate songs of Samsara Blues Experiment.

Orchid Annie is technically the last song on the EP but there is one more bonus track, Jumbo Mumbo Jumbo. A cathartic instrumental jamming which will indeed be stuck in your head for the rest of the week. It is less of a wishful goodbye, like Orchid Annie, but it is undoubtedly a worthy end. The melody of End Of Forever comes back for another appearance.

Samsara Blues Experiment most likely knew that this was going to be their last album for a while so personally I take this track as a goodbye they played with full force.

In conclusion, End Of Forever is an emotional roller-coaster that is absolutely worth taking. Samsara Blues Experiment will be missed but the music they have given to us will make up for their absence.

Listen to End Of Forever here:

 

 

Composition
4.5/5
Production
4.2/5
Lyrics
3.8/5
Performance
4/5
Album cover
4.8/5
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Introducing Azahriah

From trap and pop to alternative, Azahriah is someone you can’t fit into only one specific genre. The young self-taught artist already earned a solid fanbase in Hungary, but he has all the odds in favor to be known on an even wider spectrum as he mainly writes songs in English, having a few Hungarian lyrics as well. The 19-year-old boy is on the right path to success and with a variety of songs about love, depression, or anything he comes face to face within his personal life, he certainly brings something new and refreshing to the musical palette, as he is growing as a performer and a lyricist during the whole process of self-discovery and learning about the perks and setbacks of how the music industry works. You don’t wanna miss out on this rising talent!

Listen to Azahriah here:

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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:

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Introducing Izabel

I came across the 19 years old Izabel last year on Instagram. Her voice and vulnerability blew me away from the first moment I heard her singing on “Space Lullaby”, the debut single she released at the end of 2019. Since then she has been a busy bee working on amazing indie-pop tunes and has amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify alone. That is something remarkable for such a young musician working out of her bedroom. With soft vocals and enchanting lyrics, she is able to capture deep emotions that teleport you into her own magical world. She is hard working, she is extremely talented and there is only a matter of time until the whole world recognises this fact. Until then, consider yourself lucky to be among the first people who can listen to her art.

Listen to Izabel here:

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Colds’ latest single “Run” will be stuck in your head

Genre: Electronic Indie Pop

Colds likes to make it known that he goes far for his idols. He travelled 8 hours on a bus from Groningen to Berlin just to see Kim Petras perform one of her earliest shows in Europe. This is something we have in common, or almost, my transportation of choice was the train and I had to travel almost 14 hours to get to Budapest for the Twenty One Pilots concert. I had no accommodation and I was on the first train back after the concert was over. Fun times!

But this is not about our passion for our favourite artists. This is about “Run”, a song that can keep you company if you ever decide to take such a trip… Or even when you don’t, nowadays it is a bit hard to do such a thing. Just take a break from your daily tasks and take yourself IN (see what I did there?) for a solo bedroom party. Put on your headphones or blast it through your speakers. Play “Run” by Colds. This electronic indie pop tune has the perfect melodies with which you can turn into the main character and live a little at your solo dance. Wait… why am I focusing so much on solo? You have flatmates, family members around? Good, invite them too, and enjoy this bop which according to Colds is: “a heartbreak song on which you can dance and cry at the same time.“

I would definitely agree. There is something about a song in which the lyrics and the melodies are dissimilar, making you dance to your sorrows. It is a completely unique way of experiencing fully and letting go. Dreamy synths and fun beats will make you bop your head to your pain. And if not your own pain, the one from your imaginary life in your head, I know it lives in your head, don’t even try to convince me otherwise.

Listen to “Run” here:

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Composition
3.3/5
Production
4/5
Lyrics
2.7/5
Performance
4.3/5
Album cover
3.5/5
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“Life is free” or is it? Slum Sociable’s single will make you wonder…

Genre: Alternative, Electronica, Dance

I probably have been living under a rock. That is my only explanation for not hearing about this duo from Melbourne sooner. And they have been around for a while, since 2015. Sometimes I’m mad at the Spotify algorithm, but I forgive each miss for this recommendation.

If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for Arctic Monkeys. And something about the vocals in this song made me think of Alex Turner. I had to take a break and look up what I’m listening to. And now… I have it on repeat.

’Life Is Free’ was called that because, it isn’t. The second line of the song points that out; “how can I say that knowingly”. It’s about noticing how valuable a resource like time is, how you use it with the people in your life, how other people who might not have it as good as you use it, and ultimately trying to use it for good. – Miller from Slum Sociable

The sound is incredibly fresh and unique. They captured my attention from the first second. And this is not their only good song. The new EP titled “The Street of Dire News” came out this year, the only thing is… it looks like it’s their last project. I feel weird introducing something that is already over, but at least their songs will still be there for us to enjoy. And I urge you to listen because there is something special here.

Look how the time flies overhead
Don’t you think we could be better?
Oh timelessly
I keep the same things close to me

Listen to “Life is free” here:

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Introducing Nick Jacobs

When he was 6 years old, Nick started to learn the drums and since then, he discovered and deepened his love for music of all kinds, especially acoustic pop. When he joined his first band Moonclub at age 15, he was sure he wanted to become a rock star. After the high school band split up a few months later, he started to pick up the guitar to write original songs. That is how he fell in love with this instrument and the guitar has since remained his go-to instrument.

He made our lockdown better with his ukulele gem “Quarantine Alone” and surprised us with an amazingly high quality music video for “Brainwashed”. What is coming next? Only exciting stuff… a little birdie told me he is working on chill pop music to enchant your ears and mend your soul!

Listen to Nick here:

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Introducing Colds

Indie pop magician with tinnitus in his right ear, Colds is another undiscovered gem that you might be interested in… And a little birdie told me that he is preparing his EP this summer! Working out of his home studio in The Netherlands, the young DIY bop maker will take you on carefree summer days and unforgettable late night drives. Definitely be on the look-out for this one!

Listen to Colds here:

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