The end of the month is drawing near which means it’s time for one thing – the newest iteration of our Monthly Favourites series! Keen readers will know that every month I collate a list of my favourite tracks of the month, coming from a range of different genres and styles. Whatever you’re into, there should be something here for you!
Review by Jane Howkins
Picture by SIXXX
SIXXX – LIKE THAT
Starting this list of is LIKE THAT, a track that melds together the hip-hop, trap and pop genres into one ultimate package. The backing synths are simple yet effective, doing their job perfectly. The beat has a typical hip-hop vibe, working well with the synths, adding a nice rhythmic quality to this tune. The vocals are quite deep, seeing SIXXX rap along to this tune in a cool fashion. It’s quite different to a lot of the other rap music out there, which is a plus for me!
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Lettie and David Baron – Escape
Woodstock composer David Baron has teamed up with singer Lettie on a new tune, titled Escape. It’s an indie rock song with an electronic backbone, featuring a pulsating bass that winds its way through the music in an addictive fashion. Lettie’s vocals are a little distant in the mix, but this gives them an ethereal quality, as the synths swirl in the background. It’s catchy yet never sounds too mainstream pop, adding new life into the indie genre. This is one of my favourite songs on the list!
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Tyler Brooker – Knuclebuster
If you like EDM music, Knuclebuster should suit you right down to the ground! The energy is kept high throughout on Tyler Brooker’s amazing tune, with many different synth layers mixing together in an anthemic way. The lead vocals have a lot of effects, but they’re perfectly suited to the EDM/dance genre. The music ramps up again when the vocals end, sounding like the perfect song for a midnight rave. It’s absolutely impossible to listen to this song without wanting to dance along!
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Local Bylaws – Benton
I’m a big fan of the punk genre, so I was very excited when I heard Local Bylaws’ latest release, Benton. It’s a short song in typical punk style, coming in at just over two minutes. However, there’s enough here to make the track stand out – the lyrics have a biting class about them, with the female vocals sounding perfect. The music is very tight and the production sounds really clear, showing a band with a skilled team behind them. Keep your eyes peeled for Local Bylaws in the future!
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Carter Fox – Space Island
Trip-hop is a genre that hasn’t had much stature in the musical world of later, but Philadelphia-based act Carter Fox are sure to change things! Space Island is also rather jazzy, particularly with the way the piano is used on this tune. The electronic beat adds a different flavour to the track, mixing a whole host of genres together to make something truly wonderful. There are no vocals on this song, as the piano takes the place of the usual vocal melody you’d expect.
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!HATEJON – Wake Up
The curiously titled !HATEJON has produced a lovely little bedroom pop ditty in his song, Wake Up. The melodies playing in the background have a nice vibe, sounding very fresh. The vocals are largely rapped, although there is some occasional singing at times. The piano is really lush sounding on this positive tune, drawing you in as the song progresses. It’s certainly a lot different to most of the pop music out there at the moment, but that’s one of the main reasons that I liked this track so much!
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Hannyta – Fluctuating
Scottish-based artist Hannyta has created a really catchy pop song in the form of Fluctuating – the main melody is so infectious that it should get stuck in your head straight away! Her vocals are really stunning – I’m not normally a massive fan of vocal effects, but they’re used well here. The beat is persistent, throbbing away alongside the bass in the background, pushing the song on until its satisfying conclusion. The verses take things down a little with a pretty piano melody, before the chorus explodes with a great big burst of energy all over again.
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Sïan Able – The Ones Who Don’t Sleep
Sïan Able is Brussels artist Anaïs Elba’s solo project, with The Ones Who Don’t Sleep coming from her new album, Veni Vidi Sensi. It’s a pretty piano-based song, although an expansive sounding percussion beat does arrive later on. The vocals follow the piano in lovely style, drifting through the music against this wonderful collage of sounds. It’s a pop song of sorts, although it’s very different from anything in the mainstream charts right now, filled with an extra folky goodness!
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Ariel Rose – Tonight Contigo
Ariel Rose is a Miami-based singer and songwriter who has created a fantastic track in the form of Tonight Contigo. It’s a Latin-infused pop song with a mainstream sound, although the steel drums give the music an amazing sense of personality. Ariel’s vocals are perfectly sung, going through several different pitches here, showing a great depth to her voice and songwriting skills. it’s an infectiously catchy song – just try and listen to this without wanting to dance along!
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Tilda Allie – Say No
Say No is a pop song with a twist, seeing Tilda Allie venturing down a more alt-pop route. The lyrics are really interesting, so make sure you pay attention to them! The thing that really struck me about this track is the way in which the drums are used. Several different electronic drum patterns cross over each other, working really well despite the slight clashes. Tilda’s vocals are full of emotion as she sings along to this gorgeous piece of music – you really need to check it out!
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Allie Jason – Best Thing That I Ever Did
Allie Jason has quite an interesting vocal style, but it suits this song well. It’s quite hard to characterise Best Thing That I Ever Did by genre, but I’d probably say it’s an alt-pop/r&b track. The music sounds quite minimalist at times, with a hip-hop beat combining with a pretty synth melody in the background, as some programmed strings appear occasionally. The main focus is on Allie’s vocals though, which pull you into the song straight away – the backing vocals have a particularly impressive sound!
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The Wanton String Band – Deb’s
Taking things in a slightly different direction are The Wanton String Band with their song Deb’s. I’m a big fan of folk music, so this is easily my favourite song of the entire list. Deb’s has a traditional folk sound, seeing banjos perform alongside kickdrums and violins, with an entire string quartet playing along to the tune. It’s got a fantastic atmosphere, having a very evocative quality throughout. I can just imagine dancing along to this track in a traditional Irish pub – I implore you to check this track out, as it’s just that good!
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