Tag: dream pop

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Ginesse – LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die

In terms of acting, Cait Fairbanks got a successful career with Daytime Emmy-nominated roles and stints in Broadway. In 2018, she launched her music career under the moniker Ginesse, but it wasn’t until last November when she released her debut EP, Somewhere To Die. This EP consists of five tracks of hazy, melancholic indie pop that aim to transmit emotional pictures to the listener. Its lead single, LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die, is a testament to that.

Cait wrote this lead single as an ode to her friends who supported her after a tough breakup. The track got a haunting cinematic vibe that is also reflected by its music video (see below). Like any good movie, LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die does not lose its luster after you play it on repeat. I have no idea of whether Ginesse enjoys acting more than making music, but I seriously hope she doesn’t stop doing the latter as she got real talent for it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Natalie Shay – Naked

Naked is the eponymous single of London-based indie pop artist Natalie Shay‘s debut EP. The song and even the whole EP were heavily influenced by 80s music but still sound modern enough to make it undeniable that they were released recently (last November). Naked, in particular, got a Cyndi Lauper vibe and despite the track’s subject revolving around the breakdown of a relationship, it is one of those songs that puts you in a good mood automatically. Its music video, which you can find below, it’s also worth a watch.

Regarding Natalie Shay, she’s just 21 and received classical training at the prestigious BRIT School. Even though this is her debut EP, she’s won multiple music awards at different competitions, which has generated some buzz for her already. Today’s pop music is sadly dominated by R&B and hip hop. There is a need for more pop music like Natalie’s.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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We Meet As Strangers – Everyone betrayed me, I’m fed up with this world

If you visit the instagram page of We Meet As Strangers, you will see that they’re now a four-piece act. It all started, however, when two school friends from Stuttgart, Germany, decided to start a band in 2015. Since then, they have released and produced themselves an album, an EP and two singles, always trying to merge different musical styles and instruments, including those typical of traditional German music like brass and strings. With influences that go from Neck Deep to Sufjan Stevens, you can see they have trouble getting defined by a single genre.

Their latest single, which for simplicity I’ll refer to as Everyone betrayed me (the full name is in the title of this entry), is the most 1980s song composed by someone who wasn’t even alive in the same century. Filled with analog synths and lush sounds, the track is about not being the one for the person you love and being OK with that. Something nice about We Meet as Strangers and this song is that they will donate all earnings from it to Doctors Without Borders in order to help those in the Moria camp on Lesbos. Listening to a good track is always nice but, if on top of that, you are going to contribute to such a good cause, it becomes a no-brainer. Check it out below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Tyson Kelly – Am I Ever Gonna See You Again

The son of a renowned songwriter, L.A. born but London based artist Tyson Kelly has been fascinated by music all his life. For the past ten years, he’s been touring the world as a sought-after John Lennon impersonator, performing in shows such as Broadway’s Let It Be, and even as a member of The Beatles Bootleg; but now it is time for Tyson to stay true to himself and focus on the music he wants to make. Hence, last month he released his debut EP, Plastic Rockstar, in which he blends modern pop with soundscapes from the 1980s. The EP got 4 tracks, including the upbeat Am I Ever Gonna See You Again.

This infectious tune is full of dazzling synths and hooks. Lyrically, it tells a story of a music star who connects with a fan after a gig but after leaving town for the next gig the following day, the fan wonders if they ever going to see each other again. Despite the melancholic theme, the catchy melody lifts your spirit in a nice way. The song’s production is also spot on, which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. Listen to Am I Ever Gonna See You Again below. It’ll be fun.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Chloe Lilac – Douchebag

A metaphor is a great figure of speech, but sometimes, a direct approach can be just as good. Brooklyn-native Chloe Lilac didn’t have room for subtlety when she wrote “Douchebag,” her latest single and the title track from her sophomore EP. It’s not hard to guess what the track is about, but I bet Chloe felt cathartic relief when she wrote it. Melodically, it is a fun alt-pop track with a catchy chorus and a nice melody. If I had to summarize this tune in a few words, I’d simply say that it is a pop song with an attitude.

At just 18 years old, Chloe is barely getting started, yet it is obvious that she has a knack for writing hook-ridden songs. After growing up listening to the likes of Bowie and Joan Jett, she has the right influences for creating interesting music. If you like radio-friendly songs, then you’re in for a treat. Enjoy “Douchebag” below and have fun this weekend!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Maro – Carsick

Today’s song lies in the gray area between alternative/bedroom pop and groovy, mainstream music, the kind you can find in any popular radio station. In this case, that is not a bad thing. Carsick is so catchy and Maro‘s vocals are so good, that you simply won’t be able to help enjoy this tune. The impressive thing is that this talented Lebanese artist is just 19 years old.

As is commonplace nowadays, Maro started with a Youtube channel, uploading covers of popular tracks. Before long, he started to get noticed to the point that last year alone, he got over 28 million views. Carsick is his first original track and I wouldn’t be even remotely surprised if it became a big hit. It depends on a bit of luck as well, but I like his chances.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Henry And The Waiter – Don’t Wanna Die Alone

This upbeat, extremely radio-friendly tune could be the perfect song for the end of summer and the start of this weekend (which is a long one in some countries). With a catchy chorus and a sticky rhythm that camouflages very well the deep lyrics the song has, Don’t Wanna Die Alone is an indie pop song that allows you to forget about everyday problems and simply have fun.

This German artist, Henrik Steigerwald, goes by the moniker of Henry And The Waiter because it represents two different sides of his personality: the waiter, who is more impulsive and gets ideas for new songs all the time, and Henry, more introspective and the one who finishes the songs by adding his voice to the mix. Henry and his alter ego have achieved considerable success in his home country with over 12 million streams on Spotify, but it is time now to reach a wider audience. With his knack for hook-ridden songs, the odds are clearly in his favour.

Listen to this enjoyable tune below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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London Grammar – Baby It’s You

Out of the blue and without any indication of a new album coming out soon, London Grammar simply dropped a new single yesterday, Baby It’s You, after posting a tease on Instagram on Monday. The young band from Nottingham, UK, had last released an album, their sophomore record, in 2017. Both of the band’s studio albums were massive successes in the UK and if this new track is an indication of what’s coming next, their third full-length will hit the jackpot too, and deservedly so.

As it was the case with all of London Grammar‘s previous songs, Baby It’s You is driven by the stunning and powerful vocals of Hannah Reid. In a way, it’s fitting that this entry comes right after the one about Mazzy Star, because not unlike Hope Sandoval, Hannah is an introvert who suffers from stage fright. And just like Hope. she got an angelic voice capable of leaving any audience absolutely mesmerised.

On this new track, the ethereal vocals are surrounded by the band’s trademark atmospheric sounds. What is new this time around is a certain balearic vibe: just the right amount to make things interesting without overpowering the tune. All in all, Baby It’s You is a nice new song from London Grammar and you can enjoy it in the mixtapes below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie
  • Pop

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Teen Idle – In The Morning

Teen Idle

Sara Abdelbarry is a 23 year-old music artist of Egyptian heritage who greg up in the suburbs of New Jersey. The boredom of suburban life and everything she went through growing up led her to start writing songs in 2018 as a mean to emotional catharsis, giving birth eventually to Teen Idle, her musical project.

Back in June, Teen Idle released her first EP, Insomniac Dreams, which consists of 6 tracks of what could be categorised as indie/dream-pop, with my favourite one being In The Morning. What I like about this song is that Sara’s ethereal vocals and pop flavour get infused with hints of alternative rock from the 90’s. I think Sara will inevitably get compared to Hope Sandoval/Mazzy Star and I can certainly see why, but I also think that she injects enough of her own identity to Teen Idle’s music to be able to stand on her own.

Listen to this rising star below and let me know if you disagree.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Shy Martin – Are You Happy?

Sara Hjellström, aka Shy Martin, is a young artist who looks even younger. That could mislead you into thinking she’s new to the music industry when, in fact, she’s an established songwriter. She’s written or co-written successful tracks for the likes of Kygo (featuring Ellie Goulding), Bebe Rexha and Jess Glynne. And if all that wasn’t enough, she can sing too. This Swedish singer/songwriter even signed a record deal with EMI when she was 17 but ultimately decided to go the independent route, which eventually brought her here, to the release of her sophomore EP, Sad Songs, which consists of five very nice indie pop tracks, including today’s entry to The Alternative Mixtapes.

Are You Happy? is a delicate but catchy song with a melancholic theme: appreciating failed past relationships. The gorgeous melody goes hand in hand with Shy’s vocals, resulting in this nice tune that got all the elements to get a lot of airplay and streams. Pairing it with a lovely music video, which you can watch below, helps too. Could this song become your next musical crush?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop