This edition of LITM Pop Picks brings to you a whole range, from quintessential pop tracks to dream pop tracks, and something for everyone. The list features artists Yeija, Ryan Smith, Snorkeler, and more.
Yeija - Chasing Devils
Bringing in themes that are the current generation’s reality more often than not, ‘Chasing Devils’ by Yeija is as groovy as a pop track can get while perhaps holding up a mirror to you. The soundscape is lush, making use of fast paced beats that move between a thicket of layers to stripped down sections. Lyrically, the song captures a lot of people now who chase after someone who seems exciting and then realise that the connection is devoid of any real depth or substance. The hooks of the track are infectious to say the least, and will have you humming to the song in your mind after the first listen alone.
Ryan Smith - Stranger
Opening with sparse instrumentation, ‘Stranger’ by Ryan Smith, quickly transcends and takes on rhythms you cannot get out of your mind. The instrumentation of the song is smooth, making use of layered guitars and subtle percussions that don’t overwhelm the track. The use of both male and female vocals in the song allow you to perceive the song from both points of views. The song feels like a rom-com novel in a song format. Lyrically, the song takes on a storytelling form, as it captures the experience of falling under the spell of someone you barely know – a stranger – something that we might have felt at some point in our lives, or are yet to feel.
Alex Ergas - Get Me Far
Dreamy soundscapes opening the track that make you feel like you are floating through the skies, ‘Get Me Far’ by Alex Ergas will capture your heart with its rawness and its vulnerability. The instrumentation is very interesting, for it does not stay monotonous, and takes on different paces and goes through shifts that reflect the intensity that the lyrics try to convey. For example, at 2:08 minutes the song takes on a fast paced rock sound that only grows intense as it moves ahead. Despite incorporating the rock sound, the track does not lose out on its dreaminess entirely. Besides the audio, the visualizer for the track is a beautiful collage of memories from Ergas’ time abroad, and something that you should definitely watch.
Snorkeler - Broken People
Blending both pop and rock elements, ‘Broken People’ by Snorkeler is a deeply vulnerable track in the guise of rhythmic infectiousness. The guitars in the song are a show stealer, with the riffs, their layering, which bring in tension as the song builds up in its intensity in sections. Lyrically, the song captures the experience of the people who think of themselves as ‘broken’ as they interact with the world around them. In under 3 minutes, the song comes in, offers an emotional and musical punch, and leaves, leaving you with a whole lot to process about the track. And inevitably you will find yourself returning to the track again, and again.
Julie July Band - Smoke and Mirrors
Pulling you into a retro theatrical sound coloured with darkness and mystery, ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ by Julie July Band has every potential to be a stark commentary on the current political climate of the world. The instrumentation incorporates folk rock elements and gives it a good dash of 1960s-70s goth energy, and these instrumental choices complement the themes of the song perfectly. Thematically, the song alludes to power and all that power is capable of hiding in a negative sense, urging listeners to not fall prey to facades. Along with being a solid dark pop track, if you’re one who likes their music to explore deep themes, then this track is the one for you.
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