For a musician to effectively communicate a sense of mental strain and anguish – even if those feelings are not as present in their lives as their music would like to say it is – is wholly impressive and admirable. But when an artist can seemingly effortlessly encapsulate their real-life struggles into a musical medium and have those feelings resonate at such a vivid and almost all-too-real level is something entirely different, and arguably far more impressive than the former concept described. Numerous external factors have delayed the inevitable rise to stardom that noted underground pop act Ways was on track for throughout this year, and since those circumstances made themselves apparent and stifled the once-consistent stream of releases coming from this incredible talent, a great deal of emotional weight has certainly set in on their end without question.  But instead of simply wallowing in this dreadful state and nothing else, Ways has taken it upon themselves to muster up all of these feelings into one powerfully chilling offering in their newest single “Well I’m Back…”  This track lives up to its name in the most vivid of manners considering the last release from this Novagang mainstay was an entire …

The concept of simply “playing it by the books” is something of a prevailing attitude that the grander underground music scene holds true from a spectacle. Because this landscape is so young, so fresh, and so appealing at its core, acts have the ability to consistently go about their careers in an effectively consistent manner — one that does not stray too far away from challenging any conventions that their scene already hasn’t challenged on its own.   But when artists go above and beyond and dare to pave new lanes and execute a concept never before accomplished before or since in their respective scene, that is when pure and utter magic is created, and magic that will stand the test of time much longer than any run-of-the-mill offering could ever even dream of doing.   As it currently stands this year, perhaps no other project has worked to put this notion in its fullest and most heightened effect than the newest full-length offering from Zee! and Stef entitled #USNOTTHEM.    This 6-track project is an anomaly in only the absolute best ways imaginable. These two are certainly large figures in the rising new wave of hip-hop and pop bursting …

As this upcoming wave of prolific, creative, and simply one-in-a-lifetime crop of pop acts grows larger and larger by each day’s end, it can become extremely difficult to truly stand out as a singular entity. Some artists subvert this fact by joining collectives that may feature higher-profile acts, but it still remains almost as challenging to make yourself known on a solo level nonetheless.   With that being said, it is that much more remarkable when an artist bursts onto the scene with enough force to not only make themselves known as a mainstay in the scene already, but one that is can realistically be placed among the best that their original launching pad – their own collective – has to offer all the same.   Not a single individual has been able to accomplish this rare feat in recent times as vividly and almost so effortlessly as Roxas has. Though their collective Graveem1nd has arguably one of the most full and talented rosters that the underground has to offer, Roxas has put together a string of singles as of late that has placed them among even the best that this collective has in store, which is truly saying a …

When so much music is being released in a particular scene, and at such an incredibly high level of quality across the board at that, it can be extremely easy as a singular artist to feel as though lacking behind as far as quantity is concerned will also lower the quality of your songs as well. This is certainly an issue that numerous artists are being forced to face in regards to the rising next era of hip-hop and pop music, but no one has seen both sides of the fray more so that Chach has over the past year or so.   Chach has gone from releasing track after track on his own and/or with any number of his close contemporaries to slowing down his release schedule in recent times, but in considering the aforementioned notion that this in any way would sacrifice the sheer quality of his output as it stands now, the opposite has actually revealed itself as being the case — as his new single “Trying” is genuinely among the absolute best songs he has ever released or even been a part of whatsoever.    It seems as though Chach has pulled out all the stops …

Though the underground pop scene is progressing forward at a convincingly rapid rate, that does not mean there isn’t room for the artists who make up this landscape to constantly try new and off the cuff things with their sound, style, or a little bit of both at the same time.    To say that one of this genre’s most premiere and ever-rising stars in Funeral has practically made a career out of doing exactly this – and only this – is a complete and utter understatement. It is tellingly difficult to pinpoint an exact signature style that he has hampered on for a given amount of time simply due to how divergent of an artist he really is with each successive song, project, or other item he drops.   And as if this trend had any reason to break in the first place, he has just followed up his previous single – the excitingly manic and resounding “Crash Tonight” – with a guitar-tinged alt-pop ballad in “Tooslow.”   Though this track certainly marks yet another new sonic direction for Funeral, what with its focus on that aforementioned main guitar riff along with its more upfront and vivid percussion choices, …

In a music world dominated by name value, sincerity, and sheer market appeal, it is always refreshing to see even the most well-known and highly enamoured acts take the time to create content that isn’t attempting to live up to any set norms or trends, and still have incredibly outstanding results come about in the process.   That sentiment has been expertly accomplished within the rising next wave of pop music by countless amounts of artists, mostly due to the fact that rules within this landscape have ceased to exist from practically day one, and most, if not all acts within this scene have taken it upon themselves to exercise their creative indulgences in a number of manners.    Taylor Morgan – one of the most in-demand producers and artists alike within this scene – has taken this aforementioned notion to its highest levels on numerous occasions; knowing the sheer talent that they exude in every project that they take up can tell you how remarkable each and every one of these occasions ends up turning out as.    The latest of these songs is entitled “Things Used To Be Fun,” and it is truly anything but the norm as …

In a landscape dominated by close connections dating as far back as 2018, no one has climbed up the ladder in regards to the next era of pop music quite as far as Aldn has this year. Bursting onto the scene with a tellingly dynamic status about himself – what with his subdued and laid back delivery no matter how intense or otherwise his instrumentals come off – he’s taken all that defines this genre’s nuanced place and has carved out his own niche in the process.  In his short time in the spotlight, he has released single after single that adds something new to his ever-growing arsenal of styles — regardless of how little or the least bit noticeable these things are from the outset. “Precious” is his latest in this string of releases, and not only does it stand on its own as yet another fantastic offering in his nearly spotless catalog, but it’s also a perfect culmination of what each of his past singles have led up to in the place he stands currently. Wasting no time whatsoever, the relatively short track jumps right into things with Aldn’s soft inflection leading into a grooving instrumental that keeps …

As pop music progresses further and further into this still-undefined world that it is working to create – artist by artists and style by style – it is important to consider each and every factor that these aforementioned artists have contributed toward its very rise in the first place. With so many different lanes all leading towards the same stable concept that the genre of pop represents, it’s integral to examine even the most subtle of influences when looking towards the future of this genre in particular. And as far as pop music’s tendencies towards jovial, futuristic, and almost-transcendental facets are concerned, practically no one has made themselves more of an influential force in this light than Senses has over recent times. The status that Senses holds is one of mystique, yet familiarity all the same — with their characteristic vocals that are equally cutesy as they are impressive, along with their anonymous aesthetic that only works towards building the character that they so effortlessly portray within each and every one of their songs.  Their most recent track “Just Wanna Have Fun” is yet another outstanding addition to a discography that simply needs no introduction to those in the know. …