This edition of LITM Rock Picks is all about genre-bending and playing with rhythm, featuring artists - Gee Wizz, Highroad.24, MERTDER, Nick Neumann and Defined By!
1.Gee Wizz - Mr Dinosaur
A funky mix of pop and rock, Gee Wizz’s ‘Mr Dinosaur’ is enjoyable in all its eccentricities. The track is highly experimental and uses different sounds and synths to evoke fun imagery of one’s childhood adventures. The lyrics are light and humorous and are sung in equal measure by the two vocalists, who use breezy legatos and cleverly timed accidentals that perfectly fit the theme of the song. The instrumentation starts of minimal with the drums and synths backing the vocals bringing in a charming, easy-going vibe, but changes mid-way with a more upbeat pacing, almost as if you’re inner child is taking off. All in all, a great choice of song to start off your Sunday mornings.
2. Highroad No.28- Ache
Highroad No.28 brings the ‘heavy’ to ‘heavy rock’ with their latest single ‘, Ache’. A hard-hitting track about life’s trials and tribulations, the vocals and lyrics offer a cathartic yet introspective outlook, while the music swerves between vulnerability and melancholy. The drums gear you up for a melodious synth hook followed by dense, resonant instrumental layering as an underbed. The distortions and overdrives add to the cathartic element while the synths bring in an ‘uplifting’ element in equal measure. The rawness of the vocals brings in the element of ‘ache’ while the atmospheric nature of the arrangement leaves the music feeling like a thick blanket that one can wrap themselves around.
3.MERTDER- Glass
If you’re looking for built-up angst released in song format, Glass is the song for you. Its upbeat yet edgy energy will deliver a thrilling, foot-tapping experience with its buzzy synths and pumped-up rhythm. The English-Turkish brings in an interesting east-meets-west approach by bringing in hints of vocal and melodic flourishes in the double harmonic minor scale- aka what we associate with Arabic music. In contrast, the chorus brings in a more rap and hip-hop style of delivery, turning “I can see through that glass” into a hook itself. The synth arrangements are layered as the song approaches the climax, pumping up the listener, until it finishes at a halt, leaving the listener wanting more.
4. Nick Neumann- Our Time Starts Now
Another spirited +angsty one for this list is Nick Neumann’s Our Time Starts Now, a high-octane grungy ball of energy that’ll have your blood pumping. The instrumentation jumps into the song with a fast pace, yet sombre tone, while the vocals maintain a nonchalant delivery in the verses. The instruments shift between highlighting the vocals to playing alongside the vocals, creating an interesting dynamic. What’s more unique about this track’s arrangement is the shift in pacing and rhythm patterns in the second ‘act’ of the song, creating this ‘sandwich’ like effect of fast, pulsating to slower and pensive, and then back to fast again. The other highlight is the guitar solo that takes off between the two paces, channelling back that spirited angst from before, and ending the song with a big finish.
5. Defined By- Gratitude
With its soulful premise and resonant and uplifting vibe, this is the perfect song to end your day with. Gratitude is a charming blend of rock, a hint of pop, and even some neo-soul, especially with its use of instrumentation and echo-y effects. The guitars and synths unfold hand-in-hand as though they are the same entity, and atop that lies the vocals whose texture is rustic and soothing, which suits the track’s mellow nature. The lyrics evoke scenic images and memories, as the singer describes the feeling that he’s won. A track that’ll stir up your soul and imagination, it’s definitely worth visiting!
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