This edition of LITM Rock Picks brings to you crackling guitars and whistle-y clean notes wrapped in a myriad of genres! Featuring artists JC Cutter, Kwolek, Daniel Nicolini, Crimson City, and Criminal Hero.
1. JC Cutter – Vegas
Alt-Rock artist JC Cutter just dropped a pumped-up track, sprucing up the indie scene with a bright, epic soundscape. The retro-infused instrumentation gives a kick with the guitars with each verse and chorus, creating headbang-worthy beats and delicious licks all throughout the track. The vocals, reminiscent of Smashmouth, seem to have a crunchy overdrive of their own, electrifying the mix while singing about how Vegas never sleeps, even by joining the arrangement by musically conveying how “Vegas nights are Vegas Days”. Overall, a fun adrenaline-inducing track to listen to whether you're headed to the gym or even off to spend some sleepless nights in Vegas itself!
2. Kwolek – Atmosphere
Combining progressive metal with a distinct ambient soundscape, Kwolek creates vividly hypnotic patterns with a crunchy sound with soft overtones. The drums carry an infectious rhythm, fast-paced, like a running engine, while the simmering synths and guitars in front create a flowy set of chord progression going from stable to dissonant, often in unpredictable ways, one that feels exciting and stimulating. The echoing vocal layers entangle and interconnect in long chains of sonic giddiness, all building up to an intense climactic and emotional moment, ascending to the heavens with its atmospheric layering. This and it works in breaking the tempo mid song, evoking a soft release of tension.
3. Daniel Nicolini – Leave Me and Stay Away
Hard rock artist Daniel Nicolini releases a heartfelt piece about parting ways, crafting a smooth sonic blend of glassy tones and pristine soundscapes. The song’s tone drifts from reflective to sombre, something that’s carried by the instruments underneath the vocals. The mix deliberately avoids overstimulation and grainy textures, keeping the track undisturbed and serene like still waters, while atop, Nicolini’s vocals deliver the smoothest voice breaks effortlessly gliding to a piercingly glassy high note, clean as a whistle. This is one of those songs you take with you on a long drive or spend some time with at a scenic view.
4. Crimson City - Laika
Drenched in vintage flavor, Crimson City’s Laika oozes charm with its buzzy overdrives and slow-burning dissonance, pulling the listener into a hypnotic daze. From the antique timbre of the bass to the slight pinch to the vocals, the track digs into its crunchy layers until the electric fog rises towards the end, evolving into a darker sound. The passionate repetition of “I know this will be over soon” while the atmospheric fog loops and swirls, building on its fuzzy textures, submerges the listener further into a melancholic fever dream. The song ends almost poetically with a few guitar notes and a slight crackle.
5. Criminal Hero – Bring it On
Nu Metal project Criminal Here just released ‘Bring It On’ with shredding guitars, passionate overdrives, and classic rap-rock style verses. The track launches straight to the point with a fast pace, and the arrangement blurs the line between rock and metal with the high-octane instrumentation striking a strong balance of dark and bright sounds. The energy is similar to that of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’, with each musician pumped up by the drummer’s energetic rhythm. As the singers also rev each other up in the front, each musician works to build the track into an electrifying rock anthemic release. This is definitely a song you’d want to catch at a rock or metal concert.
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