This edition of LITM Rock Picks brings to you instrumental rock, heavy rock tracks, and more. The list features DownTown Mystic, The Nagual Effect, Hylur, and more.
DownTown Mystic - Superstar
With an old school charm that will bring a smile on your face right away, ‘Superstar’ by DownTown Mystic has got everything in it to make it an instant crowd favourite. Guided with that honest, wholesome, unrestrained energy that characterised the rock and roll sound of the 80s, this song is a complete sonic journey from start to finish. The song is a perfect tribute to Sir Elton John, with its shimmering piano brushes, the energetic, dynamic guitars, and the super groovy drum patterns. The vocals in the song are also so very magnetic, as it draws you in and keeps you in the world of the song.
The Nagual Effect - Dive Away
Bringing to you a blurry, hypnotic, and dream-like soundscape, ‘Dive Away’ by The Nagual Effect is distinct in its approach and is for all of you that are looking for something new, something fresh. The song has an eerie, haunting quality to its sound, with its slow-drawn out rhythms. The guitars have a calculated build, which brings about the tension in the song, while the drums maintain a steady sound which furthers the eerie feeling in the song. What you absolutely do not see coming is the harmonica in the instrumental section of the song towards the end. It adds an unexpected but totally amazing texture to the song. You absolutely ought to give this song a listen.
Hylur - Desperate
Embodying the modern rock sound that blends the alt and punk-grunge sound, ‘Desperate’ by Hylur is something you should absolutely have on your rock playlist. The chorus in the song, with its guitars, its drums, its vocals, is absolutely addictive and will leave its tune embedded in your head for days and weeks to come. The vocals in the song carry that earnestness, that vulnerability, that defines and should continue defining rock music. The song will remind you of Dexter and the Moonrocks, as both approach rock music through a similar emotive cathartic sound. This song will remind you that modern rock is very much alive and us very much doing well.
Mick J Clark - This Life Is Unforgiving
Driven by a sound that characterised the old school rock scene, ‘This Life Is Unforgiving’ by Mick J Clark meets life with a hopeful honesty. The song’s instrumentation is driven by a shimmering, optimistic, vibrant sound, which disguises the thematics of the song which are not all that shimmery. The guitars, the drums, alongside the whistling, gives the song a very complete sound that takes over your mind and makes you want to drive long distances with the windows down. Lyrically, the song captures the truth of life’s circumstances in the current day, and emphasises on the importance of love and kindness if we wish to make it through the same.
Razor Burn - Ready or Not
Bringing back punk rock and metal into the modern rock scene, ‘Ready or Not’ by Razor Burn is the kind of song that demands every bit of your attention, and something that you simply cannot skip. There is something hypnotic, demanding about the soundscape that the song employs, with its rugged, distorted guitars, the pounding, dynamic drum patterns, the grounding bass. The vocals are equally rugged and gritty and commanding and bring so much power to the song, as they embody what you expect the vocals in a punk and metal song to do. A complete sonic masterpiece, this song deserves many, many listens.
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