This edition of LITM Pop Picks lands hard with these anthemic and cinematic home runs– featuring artists Soundtrackk, George Collins Band, MavAngelo, DataSoul, and Veronica Largiu.
1. Soundtrackk- Whip
‘Whip’ is an enticing entanglement of hypnotic ambiance with a foot-tapping pulsation. This track draws you in slowly until you realise you’re actually falling fast into the swirling, echoing soundscape. The arrangement layers the melodies to create soulful reverberations, giving you a mild, euphoric buzz. The vocal layer drops the melody line, causing ripples within the instrumentation that make the track feel like you’re sitting in a chamber, surrounded by a feverish swirl, while the rhythmic hi-hat grounds you within the chaos. If EDM is your go-to and you enjoy it with a slight grungy flavour, this would be right up your alley.
2. George Collins Band- What Living Is For
If you’re an optimist and hungry for some positive music, George Collins Band has a great summery, Americana-flavoured track with anthemic rock energy. ‘What Living is For’ is as jovial and energetic as its name suggests, and is unabashedly celebratory. The guitars’ riffs maintain an infectious momentum throughout, as the lead guitar unleashes a killer solo. This pairs well with the horns, which are spirited, and add a great flow between the instrumental arpeggiations. The lead vocals and harmonies tie the song together, with a lively and enthusiastic delivery, overall making this a great song to listen to!
3. MavAngelo- Aftertouch
‘Aftertouch’ is the song you would turn to when you crave a buzz or a lull when you need space with your own thoughts. The track is a soulful wave that washes over you and drifts you away from the chaotic and overstimulating toward calm, scented-candle territory. It has an intensely satisfying bassline that’s slightly wobbly, and above it, the other layers form a chain of interspersing instrumentation from wispy to fluffy. The vocal layers dangle notes in the topmost layer, adding a bit more weight to the track and balancing out the track's weightless feel from the undercurrent. Listen here-
4. DataSoul – Cigarettes After Dark
‘Cigarettes After Dark’, as its name suggests, is an airy, breathy, and smoky concoction; an experimental soundscape that releases a gush of emotions as you get deeper into the song. The Indie-pop track isn’t afraid to break from the norm of a typical pop song; it sets its own flow, giving cadence to the riffs, and plenty of room for emotional beats. It’s a strong structural base with which the slow tidal release of music picks up pace, while atop this layer, the misty vocals glide. The track is a unique mix of gentle and intense. This is a song that you’d see in an epic cinematic moment in a film.
5. Veronica Largiu- Survival Instinct
An absolute burst of colours, ‘Survival Instinct’ captures the theme of resilience with its lyrics and a power ballad-esque intensity. It starts with a few digital hums of notes and vocals, progressively building up energy, and delivers a clean, powerful chorus. The song also features a rare bass-vocals duet in the second verse that’s quite gripping, while the bridge brings in a surge of instrumentation, propelling the lead vocals into a fiery finish. The vocals have a velvety texture against the glassy instrumental underbed, elevating the overall composition.
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