AGT finalist and singer Brian Justin Crum premiered the video for his new single, ” I & U “, via PRIDE. The video was a follow-up to the single release which was released last week via Huff Post . “I & U” was co-written by #1 Billboard writers Melanie Fontana, Lindgren and Ferras, produced by Lindgren is, and a follow-up single to ” Circles “, which was released in February.
Crum garnered millions of views from his performances of Queen, Michael Jackson, Radiohead and Phil Collins – which went viral and generated some of the highest online stats seen by show’s emerging talent. He blew away the judges on America’s Got Talent with his performance of Elton John’s “Your Song” (Season 11, placing 4th), earning the respect of Simon Cowell and team.
Now he’s back with a brand new single titled “Bright”. The song is essential about “What would that mean to you?” – An invitation to people to rediscover their inner light, especially in the darkness that’s in our world today. Also noteworthy: AGT’s phenomenal violinist Brian King Joseph recorded the single with Brian.
Gorran is a London based vocalist and songwriter whose music fuses elements of dance, pop, R&B and hip-hop. Bursting with intricate, polished production, the young musician produces contemporary pop with dark undertones, which has been resonating with audiences across the globe. Gorran’s passion and flair for music was evident from a young age, where during his time at the prestigious BRIT School (alumni including Adele, Amy Winehouse, and Rex Orange County), he developed his distinctive sound and dynamic live show. Since graduating, Gorran has been writing and recording with industry professionals to produce original, bold and gritty pop tracks. Influenced by the likes of Post Malone, Lauv and Billie Eilish, Gorran strives to create music that oozes with real and authentic emotions. He shares, “Whether it’s sadness, joy, anger, nostalgia, fear – I just want them to feel something. I think that is what makes a great song and so that is what I will always aim to achieve”.
Following the release of ‘Easy For You’ and ‘Hush’ which both garnered commercial acclaim, accumulating over 100 thousand Spotify streams in only a few short weeks, Gorran is now unveiling the highly anticipated ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’. The powerful, emotive ballad, supported by effortlessly classy melodies and rich compelling vocals, delivers an emotional and heartfelt anthem. Though truly poignant and agonising at its core, the song also evokes a deep sense of subconscious relief. With such a profoundly personal yet universal message, the track will resonate with everyone who has experienced the pain of heartache.
The self-produced track, which was mixed by Gavin Goldberg (Chrissie Hynde, Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne) reminisces the story of a love lost. Gorran admits how the song helped him heal, acting as a form of therapy. “I was finding it incredibly difficult to express exactly what I was trying to say lyrically in those last few weeks of being with her – it was only once we ended the relationship that I found I was able to completely let go and properly finish the song. It really helped me come to terms with how I was feeling, and how I had been feeling for quite a while. It became clear that the verses were a poetic summary of the fundamental weaknesses in the relationship. The middle 8 was the last section I wrote, and were some of the most painful lyrics I’ve ever had to write, as I realised whilst writing it that it was one final parting note to the person I thought I loved. The song honestly means more to me than almost anything”.
Then there is ‘Roses’. Thematically the stunning single narrates the suppression of dreams and aspirations, particularly in young girls. Inspired by the likes of Greta Thunberg, the song is a message to the suppressors that we need to be listening to these young people, as they are the ones who are shaping our future. Gorran confides, “Young women such as Thunberg are paving the way for a whole generation of people to make positive changes in our society and so it’s time we listen to them and take them seriously. I think having a little sister myself, who at the time of the writing of the song was only 12 years old, made the subject matter even more poignant for me”.
Gorran has seen success opening for KT Tunstall on her UK tour, performing to sold-out audiences across the nation, as well as having graced the stage at the legendary London Roundhouse. With the hope that his music will encourage listeners to be honest with themselves about what makes them happy and to put their mental health first, Gorran continues to produce thought-provoking and powerful music.
Edgy rock musician Troi Irons premieres the music video for her single, “Hold On To Your Heart” exclusively on Billboard. “Hold On To Your Heart” is out now via Veni Vidi Vici Sounds / Platoon.
Troi says, I’m really inspired by boundaries. My visual signature lies in pushing images that are familiar enough but still break the rules a little bit. I hope that this helps the message resonate even more with viewers. And that message is for those working on achieving their dreams and for those who are already living their dreams – don’t forget the here and now because it’s all we have. Hold on to your heart.
Keep a look out for more music throughout the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCVfWrCpO5E
Hunting is barely recognizable as the same band that released a debut album five years ago: it’s gone from a solo project to a trio, from folk to catchy electro-rock, and from wistful melancholy to buoyant exuberance. All this can be heard on the group’s sophomore album, Whatever You Need, due out in summer 2019 via Nevado Music.
Songwriter-producer Bradley Ferguson initially intended the album as a quick follow-up to 2014’s rootsy Hunting LP, but the initial sessions stalled. Instead, Bradley put Hunting on the back burner: he produced an electro-pop LP for Vancouver vocalist Jessicka, and acted as a bassist-for-hire in an array of projects.
Hunting eventually got back on track with the addition of two new members: Jessicka came on board as a full-time backing vocalist, while songwriter Dustin Bentall joined as a co-frontman. “We went back and started the album from scratch,” Bradley remembers. “We decided to approach it in a more organic way. I had been editing it to pop perfection — but then we breathed new life into it and it came together really quickly.”
Dustin Bentall is a well-travelled troubadour in his own right, and he contributed five of his own songs to the recording sessions at Afterlife Studios. Dustin says, “I had this batch of songs that weren’t really going to fit my next record, and I realized they worked seamlessly with Hunting.”
Bradley and Dustin’s songs mesh perfectly on Whatever You Need, tied together by pillowy vintage synth pads and surging rock rhythms. Returning collaborator John Raham (Destroyer) acted as engineer as well as drummer, Paul Rigby (Neko Case) added additional guitars, and Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond co-wrote a handful of tracks.
Opener “Scenes from TV Screens” begins the album with muted ‘80s guitars and sly, slinky pop hooks, while “Black Shirt” cranks the distortion with heavy rock riffs, and “Better With Time” is streaked with twinkling synth orchestrations — the result of Bradley’s fondness for spending hours perfecting a single sound. A swooning cover of Sparklehorse’s “Gold Day” is the lone holdover from Hunting’s scrapped prior sessions, acting as a link between Hunting’s early days and their current iteration.
The album’s tone is one of joyful, sonic exploration, marking a big departure from the lonesome folk Hunting used to be known for. “I loved making that first album, but I’m not quite as melancholy as I was back then,” Bradley acknowledges. “I’m a lot more content and life is a lot more solid. I’m not constantly wandering around by myself after some terrible heartbreak.”
That contentment shines on Whatever You Need. With electrifying collaborative chemistry between friends and an anything-goes approach to catchy synth-rock, Hunting has been reborn.
Los Angeles, electronic duo, Elephant Heart new remix package of their single, “The Digital” is out now. The remix package includes Steve Aoki, The Funk Hunters + DeFunk, DJDS and Storyboards. The Steve Aoki remix is currently featured in EDM.com.
Call it musical serendipity. Call it spiritual harmony. Call it human oneness. However you label it, there’s a certain aura to Elephant Heart, Los Angeles’s duo who are on a mission to spread universal love and positivity through their genre-bending music and uplifting message.
Officially formed in 2016, Elephant Heart is a world electronic collective started by married couple Jason and Victoria Evigan. Rooted in their shared passion for international travels, world beats and global cultures, as well as their nonprofit organization Picture This, founded in 2014, Elephant Heart creates genre-bending music that pulls multicultural influences from far and wide. A collaborative creative unit, Elephant Heart combines the studio prowess of Jason, an award-winning singer/songwriter/producer who’s worked with Madonna, Maroon 5, David Guetta, RÜFÜS DU SOL, ZHU and Ellie Goulding, and Victoria, who serves as the group’s vocalist, songwriter, lyricist and producer.
Elephant Heart first broke out with their debut double-single “HIYA” and “WARFARE,” released in June 2018 on their independent imprint, Chumba Music. An inspiring love song about truth, “HIYA” is an uplifting “worship chant” featuring hypnotizing vocals, bright melodies and an empowering chorus. A dark yet bouncy East-meets-West fusion, “WARFARE” blends electronic components with world bass elements and exotic percussions, while addressing the issues of mental illness and the global suicide epidemic in its context.
Love is at the core of everything to do with Elephant Heart. It’s what’s driven Jason and Victoria to create an ever-evolving project aimed at promoting global awareness and enacting positive change in the world we all share. What once started as a dream between two partners today stands as a global community of like-minded individuals creating music, visual art, global collaborations and impact projects that celebrate creativity for the sake of creativity. And with new music in tow, the couple now enters the next chapter in the ongoing Elephant Heart story with full hearts and open minds.
“Following “Lenguas,” their first release in 2019, “The Digital” is another taste of what to expect on the forthcoming Elephant Heart debut album.”
Longtime Vancouver garage punk rock favourites, The Vicious Cycles, are hitting the road for a string of U.S. West Coast tour dates in October and will kick things off in true Vicious Cycles style – at the Ship and Anchor in Calgary, AB! And premiering today at Exclaim.ca is the video for ‘High Noon Scramble’, the 2nd single from The Vicious Cycles’ latest album Motorcycho. Watch video here and see below for complete tour schedule.
Since the summer of 2007, The Vicious Cycles have been rumbling through venues across Western Canada, the USA and beyond. This surly mob of rockers have built a rep for their motorbike-obsessed rock ‘n roll and a wild fear-inducing live show. The Vicious Cycles already have three 7-inches and two full-length records under their belts, and they recently released their 3rd full-length album Motorcycho through Pirate Press Records in June 2019.
Produced by Jesse Gander (White Lung, Japandroids), Motorcycho stays true to The Vicious Cycles’ classic 70’s punk/garage rock sound and is chock full of the raw gritty anthems that the band is known for. The video for the album’s 1st single ‘Hot Dogs In The City’ (released in May 2019) features the guys riding their bikes in search of hot dogs (of course), and includes cameos from Nardwuar the Human Serviette and Isaac Rother (Isaac Rother & the Phantoms).
With the video for their 2nd single, The Vicious Cycles wanted to pay homage to the annual ‘High Noon Scramble’ event, organized by local dirt bike fiends Filth Mode Motorcycle Friends. The ‘High Noon Scramble’ video was filmed at this year’s event and features a rowdy group of misfit dirt bikers, their friends, and community.
“This crew has been getting high on a 2-stroke engine exhaust and adrenaline for over 10 years now, meeting at a *cough* undisclosed location to race dirt bikes and have a laugh,” says bassist/vocalist Beardo. “Wild costumes, questionably ‘engineered’ ramps to jump off of, and motorcycles racing in every direction make the High Noon Scramble a giant party on two wheels.”
Keyboardist Norman McFuzzybutt adds, “There’s good times, bad people, chaos, fire, beer, and maybe the cops… actually that sounds like a Vicious Cycles show! All of this action inspired us to dedicate a song and video to the ‘High Noon Scramble.’”
Look for The Vicious Cycles on tour starting on October 3rd. Motorcycho is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services. For more information and the most up-to-date tour listings, please visit their Facebook page.
THE VICIOUS CYCLES >> UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Oct 3 – Calgary, AB – Ship and Anchor Pub
Oct 17 – Eugene, OR – Sam Bond’s Garage
Oct 19 – Oakland, CA – Rock The Ship Festival, Eli’s Mile High Club
Oct 20 – Oakland, CA – Shop Show
Oct 21 – Pasadena, CA – Old Towne Pub
Oct 22 – Las Vegas, NV – Evel Pie
Oct 24 – Reno, NV – Shea’s
Oct 25 – Portland, OR – TBD
Oct 26 – Seattle, WA – Cretin’s Clubhouse
Nov 10 – Vancouver, BC – The Cambie
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