Friday Feelz: “Make Daddy Proud” – Blackbear

 

Image via Instagram.com/iamblackbear

Through a haze of crooked finger peace signs, crisp white shoes, and squinty stoned eyes, Blackbear promotes himself; on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and he does it well. Remaining unsigned to any record label, he has no strings attached to anyone but himself. He releases his songs on Soundcloud before they even hit Spotify or iTunes. Fans go nuts and practically beg him to let them buy it. That’s how you know you’re onto something special.

 

After recently announcing his musical collaboration with Mike Posner titled, “Mansionz”, Blackbear ( born Matthew Tyler Musto) is back with a brand new solo single and plans for an album release on,  you guessed it, 4/20.

The song, “Make Daddy Proud” appeared on Soundcloud Monday night, making fans squeal with joy at the sounds of some new Bear. “Proud” lets electronic tid-bits take the front seat as we’ve heard on his previous tracks like 2016’s”Wanderlust” and “Flirt Right Back.” Mixing hip-hop beats with electronic synths and chords seem to be his niche making him an easy crossover into the pop genre. A surprisingly charming falsetto sings, “Tell me how do you cope with it? how do you sleep with yourself at night?” The money-littered chorus praises a woman for spending Daddy’s money. His lyrics preach a subtle mix of encouragement and sexism, but the beat is too dominant to ignore.

As usual, along with the new release, came corresponding merch; orange hats (matching what seems to be the artwork for his new album) that read, “Let’s Make Daddy Proud Again.” I’m sure they’ll sell out more than coffee on Monday morning. The Pennsylvania native has a brand and sure knows how to sell it. Fans in the Beartrap support him every step of the way, selling out shows, merch, and his music.


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Friday Feelz: “Electric (feat. Khalid)” – Alina Baraz

If you’re an Alina fan, you know everything she creates is pure magic. A voice that mimics Earth’s peaceful elements. The music that follows serves as your dream escape. Put Alina on and zone out.

Her new single, “Electric” is just that. She sings with ease, “Kiss me, we’re a fire, babe, love me, take me to outer space.” As usual, the beat is slow and rhythmic, taking cues from her debut joint album with Galimatias, titled Urban Flora. R&B newcomer, Khalid chimes in on the second verse. The Texas native and Tinkerbell vixen are the equivalent of eachother. Both confident in their wavey sound and relaxed vocals. Verses hosting a boy-girl back and forth further illustrates the chemistry in the song.

Baraz is the future of soul/R&B, making each song its own masterpiece. She just announced her tour “Let’s Get Lost” starting in March. A full length album is on the horizon, so get ready.


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MIEARS: “Directional”

MIEARS is Michelle Miears, former frontwoman of the electronica band BLSHS. Her first solo efforts are captivating in a new way. The Houston native’s vocal prowess is mesmerizing as ticking electronics flood every second of “Directional.” Harmonies take the lead and pull you in even further. An 80’s-esque beat keeps her voice on the right track reminiscent of other electro-pop bands like, Broods and Oh Wonder. The chorus rings, “Ooo, I’ll be your directional” a phrase guaranteed to echo in your brain for days.

Her EP, Who Will Save You will encompass the new solo woman MIEARS has quickly become. Look for the release on Feb. 17 on Loose Narrative.


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5 New Albums to Look For This Year

 

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Image via thisisrnb.com

Kehlani: SweetSexySavage, Jan. 27

My prediction? She will become a leader on the R&B charts, dominating every spot. Her raw honesty and sense of self made her a frontrunner in music this past year. Keeping simple R&B sounds with spicy lyrics that fit the bill (listen to “Distraction”).  SweetSexySavage, will be what you’re bumping going into 2017.

 

 

 

Big Sean: I Decided, Feb. 3

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image via hbr.co.ke

It’s been a minute since his last album, Dark Sky Paradise (2015) which was flooded with all-star cameo’s like Ariana Grande and Kanye West. The rapper has slowly been releasing singles throughout 2016 with, “Living Single,” “Bounce Back,” “Moves,” and “No More Interviews.” Big Sean told Entertainment Weekly the album is focused on rebirth, saying “Sometimes I feel like I was an old man and didn’t succeed in life and asked for a second chance, and this is my second chance.” 

 

 

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image via factmag.com

The XX: I See You, Jan 13.

Mumbled rhyme schemes and pulsating guitar riffs litter every XX track. After their hit, “On Hold,” fans became once again addicted to the distinct XX sound. “There was so much pressure from ourselves about: What do people like about us? What makes us sound like us? What do we need to hang onto?” member Oliver Sim told Pitchfork. The trio remains out of the limelight as much as possible holding onto their privacy as much as they can. I See You could be their best yet.

 

Katy Perry: ??

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image via celebmafia.com

It is rumored that Ms. Perry is back in the studio again working on new music. We haven’t heard much from the singer since her laid back 2013 album, Prism; garnering hits like, “Birthday,” “Dark Horse,” and “This Is How We Do.” Will she continue her pop-happy radio domination in 2017? Only time will tell…

 

 

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image via edsheeran2016.com

Ed Sheeran: ??

Sheeran has been MIA for quite some time, perhaps perfecting his acoustic/pop sound? The crooner shared an Instagram with fans hinting that new music would be released this Friday (1/6). An album? single? music video? We just have to wait and see. In the past, he’s mentioned his progress on his third album (reportedly titled “÷”- following the numeric theme he’s titled past albums) calling it, “The best thing I have made thus far.”

 

 

 


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Addicted to: Blackbear

Lyrics like, “sniffin vicodin in Paris never felt so euphoric, baby,” “get another bottle, maybe get another bag,” and “I heard that you’re addicted to them Xans now, girl,” shouldn’t make you bop your head and swing your hips, but if there’s one thing Blackbear conveys, it’s that the lyrics don’t make the song (although his can be quite witty and modern-day erotic), the music makes the song. He’s a rhythmic rapper who can actually hold a note over a ravishing electropop/hip-hop beat. The contrast between the sweetness in his voice and the brash lyrics makes him standout in his own genre; branching out from what other rappers are doing.

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Image: spotify.com

Yanking at the obvious cliches in our society, it’s easy to make fun of the people we’ve become in 2016. In the pop-esque “Wanderlust” Bear sings, “All her friends are verified, wow, man that’s so cool, wow, girl can we hang out? let’s take a thousand pictures…people sayin’ that we’re goals.” Social media and the California lifestyle are common themes in all of Blackbear’s music, but his disgust for our culture is also evident throughout this EP (listen to “sniffing vicodin in paris” – second verse.)

There are times when you worry about Blackbear, as he openly admits to being a drug user and wanting to die as he explicitly mentions on “Sometimes I Want 2 Die.” You almost feel guilty for liking his music for fear of encouraging such damaging behavior. But the charts don’t lie, Cashmere Noose shot up the iTunes Top Albums charts, even crowning it the #1 R&B album the day it was released. Fans have been stalking this set of tracks ever since the rapper released them on his Soundcloud back in the heat of August. It’s no surprise his fame is impressively rising due to his own team of devoted friends. He remains proudly unsigned as he mentioned on Twitter October 19th saying, “blackbear remains unsigned :)” The overwhelming success of Noose sent fans in a frenzy to buy the EP. Bear even tweeted out that if you can’t afford the new music or are struggling, to text him your email and he’ll gift it to you. He understands the importance of having a strong fan base which has kept him relevant in the music scene without needing to be backed by a label. That’s a true artist, all drugs aside.


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