These 5 tracks capture tales of past struggles, heartbreak, and moving forward in life. This is a concept that’s resonant to many, so hopefully you can find some solace in these tracks, especially if you’re going through changes in your own life.
North Ravi – Barry Bonds freestyle
‘Barry Bonds freestyle’ is the second track in a new EP by North Ravi called “fragments.”. It opens up with some atmospheric “oohs” that deliver an ominous ethereal tone. Then, they’re edited to the background with a lo-fi trap-influenced beat with chimey instrumentation. This all provides the backdrop for introspective bars that find a balance between spoken word and rap with a moderate pace. The dreamy sound that it builds entrances, so that the vocals can steal the stage. Then, it starkly changes at the end to provide a jazzy sound that sounds like it’s from an old-timey radio. Lyrically, it gets into a self-reflection including personal struggles, the want to come up, and psychedelic journeys.
Heron – Dead To It
‘Dead To It’ is the third single released from an album on the way called “Underground Sky”. This track gives a raw and natural atmosphere with its strings and guitar. The rasp of the vocals is complemented well with a reverberated space instrumentally, and it does so in a way that is meant to capture listeners in its beauty. But then, things start to pick up. At around 03:29, a hectic punch brings more instrumentation and louder vocals in. This switch is surprising, and the stark transition adds so much life to the overall piece, especially as the vocals become more electronic before the music fades back into softness. This track seems to introspectively dig into past struggles that change life completely and require processing. But it also gets into a narrative built on the title, it’s about that other side when one is “dead to it,” or pushed past to the other side.
Wolter – Old confetti
‘Old confetti’ keeps the folk sound but pulls back the tempo. The smooth and sweet guitar work plays beautifully over some atmospheric tones, and a piano is added as things pick up to fill out deeper tones. Vocally, there’s a sweet, somber tone to things, but there’s also a bit of a rasp that dashes in some extra emotion. Though the vocals are soft overall, there’s a brassy undertone that gives a bit more of a punchiness to things. Lyrically, it tells a story from the voice of someone who’s yearning for another, and though they feel they will be left behind, they want to foster this connection. They get into the thoughts that someone will leave them behind and make them feel like they’re “On the floor like I’m old confetti.” There’s something so raw about the lyricism, as it’s a fear many have when getting to know another.
Johan Huumo – Hear Me Out
‘Hear Me Out’ is a pop bop with deep lyricism that shows the art of a talented new creative on the scene. The vocals of this track take the forefront with their heartfelt tone that powerfully controlled transitions between notes. The chorus of this track is infectious, and the production of the vocals is crisp, allowing the delivery to hit well. Then, there’s a synthy backdrop with a moderately paced bass drum and brighter tones flowing around it well. This track explores what it’s like to be hurt by another and not be ready to reconnect and make things better. That being said, it also has a bit of a yearning to be heard about the hurt experienced.
Rëa – Living Without You
‘Living Without You’ uses deeper synths to build atmosphere with an array of brighter synth sounds that cut in as a percussive drive slowly builds. This track has a laid-back tempo at first with dynamic percussion that sways the energy up and down to deliver excitement. But then, a deep, growly bass cuts in, followed by intricate guitar riffs in the chorus. The guitar takes on a bit of an arpeggiation, and the energy then flows down a bit more to make the next chorus punch just as hard. The lyrics have powerful belts and have a bit more of a raw production to help them pop out more. This is another heartbreak track, getting into how it’s hard to survive and move forward while living with the pain of a toxic former love.
Written by Sage Plapp
Cover Image by Nicholas Derio Palacios
