On this edition of LITM Rock Picks , we have on the table MOSS, Positive Chaos, Frequenzy77, Sunset Rebellion and SANSOM.
1. Frequecy77-A Sleepless Dream
This post-punk neo-pop band with a flair for the 90s style of music brings us their recent single, ‘A Sleepless Dream,’ an ambient and introspective track. The Australian band uses a gentle instrumentation using synths and a bass track, while the forefront is a back and forth between the vocals and the guitar. The guitar hooks maintain a mellow pacing throughout and make for an additional cohesive layer alongside the lead singer, whose vocals are raw and not too processed. The introspective lyrics further add to that pensive mood with lines such as “visions seek a lonely place to hide.” The backing vocals, along with the mellowness of the guitar, offer a well-balanced arrangement, tying all the elements together.
2. Sunset Rebellion- Secret Game
The Floridian-hailing band, Sunset Rebellion, offers rock anthem vibes with their new track ‘Secret Game’. With themes of rebellion and kinship, the hard rock band could potentially set the stage on fire with their vocal and instrumental arrangements. The lyrics feature lines such as “we risk it all for feeling that feel so right” which are uplifting and power-packed, and the guitars’ overdrives are well timed, and as a listener, you really feel the punch of the song. The vocals and lyrics are packed with feeling that is later echoed by the lead guitar in the interlude, making the overall experience a perfect ode to the rock genre.
3. MOSS – Angst
Quite in contrast to the previous track, we get a mellow, slow-paced foot-tapper with a unique blend of pop beats and grunge instrumentation a la MOSS’s new single- ‘Angst’. The electronic music- slides and bends make for an overall great ambient track. It features a talented vocalist who drifts seamlessly between each line with a natural sense of lyrical pacing. The guitar’s overdrive appears intermittently, and this leaves room for an interesting arrangement within the song where there’s only a rhythm section continuing the beat. The track overall feels like an arrangement of vibes, nods, and feelings, and is coupled with the lyrics themed around angst and regret.
4. Positive Chaos- Bowl Me Over
Another band hailing from Florida on the list is Positive Chaos, a 5-piece act in the rock genre scene. Their new single ‘Bowl Me Over’ uses a mix of synths, guitar overdrives, and violins, bringing us an unusual instrumental layering, especially noticeable in the interlude section, where we get an interesting mix of major and minor chord segments that somehow work very well together. Adding to this are the lyrics, which are themed around obsoleteness in the ever-changing creative scene. The arrangement has each instrument pick up where the other left off, crafting a smooth, energetic track. The drums bring in a lot of variation and versatility, adding to the track’s energy and pulse.
5. SANSOM- White Swan
Brighton artist SANSOM crafts a unique, moody vibe with his latest single ‘White Swan’. A unique blend of pop and alternative, the track crafts a vivid and dissonant experience by breaking the rules of music theory. The verses and the chorus maintain a brooding vibe, which is suddenly contrasted to the bridge’s sudden scale change - bringing in a whiplash of moods. With lyrics themed around the fever dream that was the COVID pandemic, it talks about that 2020 bubble of isolation, pointing out the absurdities of that time, with all its strange social distancing rules and regulations. A haunting callback of a strange timeline, co-piloted with a musical arrangement that takes you through 2 contrasting landscapes.
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