This edition of LITM Pop Picks brings to you multiple branches under the pop genre, ranging from dark electro pop to 80s synth pop. The list features artists Mia Delamar, Taylor Lally, Joely Engelbert, and more.
Mia Delamar - Into You
Quintessential pop elements from the 2020s weaved together, ‘Into You’ by Mia Delamar is fun, it is groovy, and it is everything you need to shrug off your gloom. The song lies within a blend of indie pop and R&B. Lyrically, it’s a fun exploration of the whole falling for someone new and all the little moments of intricacies it holds. Delamar does an amazing job with the vocals, and the skill is impossible to miss. Musically, the song can be compared with Ariana Grande’s music because of the themes and the production choices. Be prepared to find yourself humming the track long after the last second of it plays out.
Taylor Lally - Yabadabadooda
Muffled guitars starting off the song, ‘Yabadabadooda’ by Taylor Lally will pleasantly surprise you with its playful lyricism and catchy melodies. The production overall is both airy and bouncy, both shimmering and light. The song has shifts in pace, and they come in when you least expect them and move out so naturally, without causing a break in the sound. Lyrically, the song has a dreamy, fantastical air to it, with humour and wordplay incorporated in it. Despite being fun and playful, the song also has substantial emotional weight to it. Infectious, groovy, and fun, this song is absolutely worth a listen, and then many, many more.
Joely Engelbert - Until She Smiles
Starting off with bright, hopeful piano notes, ‘Until She Smiles’ by Joely Engelbert is the epitome of hope in the face of all adversaries that might come. The song has a bit of the contemporary gospel music quality to it. The instrumentation majorly makes use of acoustic guitars, steady drums, and grounding electric guitars. Engelbert’s vocals carry the song with its emotiveness, its warmth, its hope. The chord progression at the end, elevates the song, giving it an angelic touch. The song is authentic, it is honest, and you can’t help but find a smile forming on your face on listening to it.
Aldo Volt - Disco Berlin
Bringing to you French synth-pop and the idea of the Berlin nightlife together, ‘Disco Berlin’ by Aldo Volt takes you back to days where disco was synonymous with synthpop, while remaining contemporarily relevant. There is a retrospective quality to the song with the soundscape it occupies. The track is upbeat with bouncy rhythms, while also maintaining a floatiness. The song has a very specific melancholy woven into its sound, a melancholy that people of the current world will relate to, where everything feels increasingly fleeting and unstable. With its interesting blend of theme and production choices, this song deserves a sure listen.
Shane Rennison - Lonely Days
Encapsulating the not so talked about complexities in connections, ‘Lonely Days’ by Shane Rennison will have you hooked to its unique soundscapes from the very first note. The song blends dark electro pop and ambient music elements. The layered vocals in the song appear fragmentary, which align with the overall theme of the song, the theme centering on the tensions within a connection when it is heading towards its end and after it has ended. The soundscape also very effectively captures this confusing tension. The song might remind you of 070 Shake’s music. Truly unique in its productional approaches and also its thematic choices, this one will have you coming back to it time and time again.
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