Winter’s an emotional time for many, and this round-up has something for those looking to explore those emotions or get out of them with energy and confidence. Here are 7 tracks to get you through winter.
Hailey Rae – Where’d You Go?
‘Where’d You Go?’ has a beautiful plucky string section that sounds like the intersection between a guitar and a synth. That pluckiness works well with the smoothness and beauty of the vocals as they contrast well. This track has a deep-cut sound with power in the chorus and softness in the voice. It’s a song about growing up that’s explored in a poignant way with chilling emotion. It’s asking a former self where they went as self-doubt takes hold of the brain. The chorus is catchy, and it generally captures relatable feelings.
Jeff Edwards – Wonder
‘Wonder’ is another deep cut track but it has a bit of hope intertwined in it. This track is dynamic and captures the feeling of being in a theatrical epic, but it does so with a lot of emotion. It has a sound that’s both orchestral and electronic, and its emotion resounds through the buzziness of the vocals. The guitars and piano build an instrumental basis that’s built off of to add life and wonder. This track explores brokenness, wondering what went wrong, and overwhelming emotions pulling one to falling apart. But it ends with a hopeful note where the voice of the song finds someone, or something, to save them and pull them from the darkness.
Althéa – Rise Up
‘Rise Up’ is a girl power pop anthem with the twist that it is trilingual. The vocals are smooth but delivered with a punch of power, and the instrumentation has an exciting electronic sound with an energetic pacing that isn’t too rushed. Additionally, there are slower sections that add a lot of beauty and dynamics. Overall, it has a catchiness to it that offers up a lot of replayability. The lyrics are written in Korean, French, and English and offer an exploration of strength, self-confidence, and community. Using three languages to share this story means that it can resonate with a large pool of audiences.
TiMMY ONYSiM – 50ml
‘50ml’ is intriguing and experimental, in a way that can bring a different sound to more general audiences. It jumps between some noise portions and more electronic hip-hop aspects. The vocals are filtered in a way that hits a higher tone, and the instrumentation jumps between buzzes and sections of abrasion and smoothness. It hits the ears in a way that’s strange but captivating. This track was written about the want to escape from using alcohol to feel better, as the voice feels like they’re losing themself. The instrumentation is perfect for capturing this erratic feeling of working toward this better space but not quite being there.
Dj Remo Ft. CERES – Forever
‘Forever’ abounds with fun. The bass synth drone drives things forward well, and the production allows different aspects of the music to show up well at different portions. This one has such a powerful bounce that doesn’t fail to give the feeling that whoever is listening should get on the dance floor. CERES’ vocals fit into the sound super well with their electric filtering and smooth flow. It has a sound reminiscent of dance music in the 2000s, and the lyrics are about falling into good feelings and having an exciting night full of dance and passion.
Calvin and The Lucky Draw – The only way
‘The only way’ has an indie soft rock basis that works with funky tones to give a lifelike bounce to things. The baritone vocals bring a fullness to the track, and the instrumentation evolves over time to add more energy and more rock elements as things move forward. Also, the chorus is catchy and builds a sense of introspection, and there’s a guitar solo that hits with a punch of energy and intricacy. The lyrics are about finding one’s own path rather than following the general flow of things. It exudes a message of relying on one’s own intuition and using that to find the right direction in life.
Jake Marshall – wasted
‘Wasted’ has such a smooth sound with lo-fi instrumental undertones that build atmosphere. The synths seem to resound in space in a way that builds a dreamy sound. It’s soft and slow-paced instrumentally, and that allows the vocals to stand out. Said vocals overall take a lower tone, but it also hits higher tones that have a bit of a brassy funky twang. The lyrics delve into the loss of others when they walk away and what it’s like wondering where they go after. This is done in a way that feels like it comes straight from the brain in contemplative feeling.
Written by Sage Plapp
