Drea Marilyn returns with her new single, the ethereal “Everything To Me.” Marilyn, a Seattle-based musician, has experienced much success as a performer, songwriter, and artist. She began her career touring with her band, Drea & the Marilyns, before finally stepping out on her own in 2019. Her solo music encapsulates an emotional, unique nature, influenced by artists like Norah Jones and Fiona Apple, as well as the rock and electro-synth genres. The music that makes up her solo debut takes bits and pieces of the artists and styles that have inspired her most, crafting beautifully written songs with a soulful, electronic vibe. Her new release was originally written and performed by Lips, a New Zealand-based band that released the song in 2012.
On “Everything To Me,” Marilyn sinks into an atmospheric, melody-forward world with effortless ease. Caught up in a whirl of stunning instrumentation, including a breathless piano and fluid synths, Marilyn captures that sense of emotional release. On a track about the speed of life and the chaotic way it swirls around us, she sinks into the idea of letting it all go to find personal peace. “Some days I would give anything just to leave it all behind, there are times I can’t find any light to get me through the daily grind…” her soulful voice melts over the verse. Drea Marilyn finds herself on this dark track about finding your inner light. Be sure to check out Drea Marilyn’s “Everything To Me” produced by John True of Unveiled Studio in San Diego.
https://soundcloud.com/dreamarilyn/everything-to-me-lips-cover/s-E5bp1
Pink Leather Jackets is a four-piece hard hitting dance party and rock show rolled into one. They’re sweaty, sexy, sleazy, and easy. Like the Ninja Turtles, each member has their own special strengths and attitudes, and they love pizza. Their live show is fierce, captivating audiences instantly; they know how to control a room. Lead singer/ front-man Chris Woolley has an easy grip on the steering wheel, driving the party to its peak with the Pink Leather Jackets experience. Taking inspiration from songs that the band consider “millennial classics”, their songwriting shows both a reflection of themselves as well as a reflection of the audience they have been entertaining in Southern Ontario, Canada for the last three years. The video for their latest single “Wasting Time”, off of their debut EP “Good Love”, shows footage of them entertaining this audience (and sometimes a comedic lack of audience) over the past year.
John Traboulsi is Frank Mighty’s Hotline. A solo project that started in his bedroom 5 years ago, John will tell you ‘It’s about time I released these songs’. With a classical guitar upbringing and a love for classic and indie rock, John strings together catchy, neo-psychedelic tones with a glimpse of the soulful classic rock on which he was raised.
When offered the opening slot for Said the Whale on their ‘As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide Open’ tour, John contemplated the idea of a music career. When life brought him to the UK, his love for Brit Pop allowed him to shine as a solo artist playing intimate venues around the U.K. Upon a move to Toronto, John adopted the moniker Frank Mighty’s Hotline, and, quickly, the commercial potential drew comparisons to Bon Iver, The War on Drugs, and Glass Animals.
With poignant songwriting, catchy hooks, his gritty, soulful vocals will be available for all ears come the release of his first single, Intertwined, on November 15, 2019, followed by the release of What am I to Do, December 6th, 2019.
Pink Roses consists of Dave and Nate, two long-time friends and former Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs turned dream pop-duo. They originally met 6 years ago in San Francisco, where they lived together in a hacker house working on their tech startups. They both had a vision of changing the world through music and technology. After writing music together every night for fun for years, they decided in 2018 to move to LA and start Pink Roses.
The band’s first EP titled “bedroom” consists of 3 songs that have the ethos of young love in California. The 3 songs were chosen out of 100+ songs they wrote together in their bedroom in Hollywood last year. Producer, Cameron Hale (Khalid, Kailee Morgue, Kiana Lede) was originally friends with the prolific duo and became the band’s producer.
Pink Roses released their first single, “hollywood”, on Valentine’s Day 2019 and were met with immediate organic growth and a positive reaction from fans of LANY and The 1975. Only fitting that their band name, “pink roses”, was inspired by a LANY song. Everything the band does is intentional.
Nate said, “We wrote “hollywood” the day we moved to LA. Dave lived in a van and we would write songs in my bedroom every night. Now we literally live overlooking the Hollywood sign. We believe in manifesting our dreams.”
The EP includes a new emotional song, that the band considers their best yet, called “don’t give up on me” along with the band’s first music video. “don’t give up one me” is a personal story for Dave. He says, “the song is about an ex who was the woman of my dreams, but I wasn’t the man of hers. Every time I sing it, I bring back those feelings of losing her and it brings me to tears.”
The band says they believe in a new type of masculinity, where it’s ok for men to cry and have feelings. You can hear the emotional vulnerability in Dave’s voice and lyrics. Dave and Nate are building an entire world around this and plan to turn Pink Roses into a global brand. They plan to branch out into film, fashion, food, and more. They have already launched their first line of Pink Roses Clothing which includes their signature pink roses necklaces and shoes.
The music video, which has the aesthetic of a Calvin Klein ad, is the directorial debut of acclaimed NYC music and fashion photographer Ryan Jay. Bringing his vision to life for Pink Roses California pop fueled, young love, dream. From years of collaborations with some of the world’s most exciting artists such as Logic, Rihanna, The Weeknd’s brand XO, and recently Perry Ellis America’s newest campaign, his transition to music videos is a natural evolution.
The band has already written 30 new songs and are going into the studio to record their second EP, again with friend and producer Cameron Hale, in December 2019. Their second EP is set to release in mid 2020. Pink Roses are scheduled to play their first-ever NYC show on 11/19 at the Rockwood Music Hall and will have multiple showcases at SXSW next year. Pink Roses says they want to stay independent for the first half of next year and continue to grow their fanbase, then they will start to look at potential label deals.
Photo Credit : Rafael Avcioglu
Marco DeLiso is a Cambridge, Massachusetts based multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer who uses his music as a tool for expressing a common language. Stylistically, DeLiso’s music is groovy, flush with vocal harmony and presented with levity, bringing people together where they can be themselves and laugh at his silly presentation.
Urged into music by his parents at the age of five years old, Marco DeLiso took to piano, giving him his first taste of music. At school he sung in choirs where he learned to improvise vocal harmonies and improvisation which serve him to his day. Later he started Congratulatinos and after releasing a couple albums, the duo finally departed ways. It was time for a new chapter.
In his latest work, Marco DeLiso presents Balance, a four-track EP which he believes contains insight that will benefit others. He has pulled threads from his experience over the many different groups and periods to deliver a sound that is truly unique to him. Thematically, Balance focuses on introspection and the ideology of finding a balanced lifestyle. “For me, it’s such a valuable tool for processing my life and maintaining self-awareness” the songwriter confides, “The music is inspired by my personal belief that a balanced life is the happiest, most fulfilling, healthiest life. This balance is my personal solution to the problem of being a creative individual in a society that makes it difficult for someone to live off of their art”.
Balance showcases Marco’s DeLiso’s love for overdubbing vocals to create sections of cloudy lush harmony and experimental live looping, emitting whimsical melodies. ‘Harmonious Resistance’ features candid lyrics juxtaposing the soft, sweet guitar melodies. Ethereal vocals and subtle, simplistic instrumentation allow the lyrics tell the story. ‘And We Fall’ highlights Marco’s hip hop influences, with quirky pop soundscapes and playful piano melodies. The infectious track emits Marco DeLiso’s diversity and sheer uniqueness. Then there is ‘Round & Round’, with jazz infused guitars, the track is reminiscent of Jack Johnson meets D’Angelo.
Inspired by a wide range of artists over many different eras and genres, Marco DeLiso’s music emanates the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, John Lennon, Eminem, and Radiohead. In addition to these recognizable names, the singer-songwriter also seeks influence from his friends and their music. “On Balance, I feel like I have pulled from all of these threads to make a style that is truly my own”.
Hoping to bring excitement, escapism, empathy and inspiration to listeners around the world, Marco DeLiso unveils the highly anticipated Balance due early 2020.
LeRiche is a troubadour, a true nomad compelled to hit the road with his guitar, singing his intimate folk-pop songs to a broader audience than his home in Port aux Basques, a tourist town of 4000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador, on Canada’s east coast. A young indie alternative singer-songwriter, LeRiche’s second EP ‘X-Dreamer’ — released in the UK and Europe on Fierce Panda, Australia and New Zealand on Indica, and Big Story in the rest of the world — has enabled him to do just that, tour Canada and overseas, including The Great Escape in the U.K., and a recent, very successful tour of Germany. His debut EP, Quiet Steady, kicked off his career, quietly but steadily.
LeRiche — first name Brad — now lives in Mount Pearl, the province’s second biggest city. He loves to stay home, cook and hang out with his young daughter, but he wants a comfortable living making music which means tour, tour, tour — he wrote a song about his restlessness, “Nomadic Heart.” “I can’t stay, I’m built to fly,” he sings.
He returns with his latest single ‘Connected’. Co-written with Dahmnait Doyle and Hill Kourkoutis, the song is arguably one of LeRiche’s most inventive and unique songs to date. LeRiche will tour Germany in January, 2020.
Crywolf once again invites us into his WIDOW universe with the release of the ‘Adah [FAWN]‘ video. Crywolf kicked off the visual rollout earlier this year with ‘Mabúl [CEPHALOTUS Official Video] and the new visual, ‘Adah [FAWN]‘ is the second installment to be released but is actually Part I of the WIDOW short film. The WIDOW series is purposefully being released out of order, perhaps as a means to reflect the chaotic, turbulent nature of the WIDOW world. The videos stand alone as beautiful visual compliments to tracks from Crywolf’s ‘widow [OBLIVIØN Pt. I]‘ album while also performing as part of a larger emotional narrative unfolding throughout the film.
Known for pushing boundaries in all aspects of his art, Crywolf’s visuals have become an essential element in all of his releases. Explaining the concept of the short film, Crywolf writes that “the series tells the story of a man’s descent into madness. He loses his mind and, thinking he is being directed by an angelic force, ends up killing the very thing he loves most. When he realizes what he has done, he’s devastated and jumps off a pier to escape. It turns out [in the third video that has yet to be released] that he can’t die, and he is still haunted by the memory of his lover.”
“It’s a metaphor for my own struggle with mental illness, and the tumultuous realities of life as an artist,” Crywolf writes. “Pursuing these ethereal and magnificent concepts is so captivating, but can sometimes drive you to the edge of your sanity, and can cause you to hurt the things you love most… whether that is people around you, or parts of yourself. But, as the third act shows, those things are never really gone. They live on and won’t leave until they are accepted and integrated.”
Crywolf is the project of producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Justin Taylor Phillips. His 16-track album widow [OBLIVIØN Pt. I] was released earlier this year to high praise from the likes of The FADER, Alternative Press, and idobi Radio. The album was followed by a US tour and remix album, and last month Crywolf returned to releasing originals with his new stripped-back single, “your joy is your sorrow unmasked.” Crywolf also recently announced an intimate night of acoustic music, aptly named Crywolf Unplugged, at Los Angeles’ Moroccan Lounge on January 16th. Tickets are available here.
Mattie Leon is a singer/songwriter hailing from the western reaches of Toronto. A craftsman with a guitar, Mattie refuses to leave the past behind. His sensibilities are informed by the songwriting of the sixties and seventies. His voice, whether soaring or soulful, is his own. The result is a fresh take on a classic form; familiar but unmistakably new.
Mattie is no stranger to the road. He’s brought his music to stages across Canada, from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts. At his side is Mike Leon, Mattie’s drummer and longtime collaborator. Together, they’ve become a captivating example of the unique thing that happens when siblings perform together. Mattie’s momentum has seen him become a promising new face in the landscape of Canadian music. Recently signed by Inside Pocket Music, Mattie is working on a new EP with JUNO-award winning producer, Gavin Brown, with the first single set for a November 15th release.
Kingston-based alt-rock outfit Kasador spent their first 3 years cutting their teeth on the road, garnering attention from their engaging and high-energy live performances. Duelling vocals and dynamic guitars delivered by Will Hunter and Cam Wyatt offer depth and versatility, while Boris Baker and Stephen Adubofuor provide a strong base for the band, rooted in rock and funk.
Kasador wrote and self-produced their debut 2016 EP ‘KASADOR’, which they toured extensively through Canada and the USA. Since, the band released a follow up 2-track single titled ‘Come Get Yer Money’ in 2017. Both tracks are featured on their upcoming full length, titled ‘Brood & Bloom’ – an album written through tough times and trying to find something more positive from those experiences. Produced in part by Graham Walsh (Sam Roberts, Lights, Wintersleep) and by Rob Baker & Gord Sinclair of The Tragically Hip, ‘Brood & Bloom’ is set to release in the fall of 2019.
Pop powerhouses Kyan Palmer & nicopop. release their highly-anticipated collaborative album, It’s Called Branding, Sweetie. The past year has seen the producer-songwriter duo release an array of colorful pop singles, most notably their two streaming hits “Antisocial Socialites” (3M+ streams) and “Ms. Last Night” (1M+ streams). The new album features a number of previously released singles, as well as three brand new tracks: “Usually I’m Not Like This,” “Intentions,” and “Come4U.”
It’s Called Branding, Sweetie demonstrates the vast and dynamic range of pop music today. Palmer & nicopop. push the boundaries of the pop genre, moving from groove-filled party anthems (“Ms. Last Night”), to pop ballads (“Come4U”), all the way through to fun-loving electro-pop tracks (“Antisocial Socialites”). It’s a pop aficionado’s dream album.
nicopop.’s future-thinking production and Palmer’s slick pop melodies and R&B vocal stylings have made the duo a popular songwriting team outside of their own project(s). This year alone they’ve written with the likes of Monsta X, Chain Gang of 1984, The Ready Set, Wingtip, and Win & Woo, just to name a few. With more exciting announcements, songwriting cuts, and new records slated for 2020, it’s clear that nicopop. and Kyan Palmer are two young artists ready to define the future of pop sounds.
How does one get caught in a loop? ‘Familiar Ways’ depicts the surreal state of being a spectator of your own life – detached from your actions, feeling a constant pull between clarity and confusion, unable to break the cycle. You want change but fear the future, your past mistakes make you doubt yourself, and old habits are kept alive as a means of comfort. Familiar Ways plays out like a pop song with its straightforward lyrics and bouncing backbeat but its dense layers reflect the dizzying psychology underneath. A robotic mess of voices sing “did I overreact? was it all in my head?”, setting the scene for an anxious mind suspicious of its own motives.
It is in response to a similar identity crisis that producer/songwriter Sam Arion founded Mute Choir. He is joined by fellow musical polymaths Milan Sarkadi and Iris Waters, a team brought together by their thirst for experimentation and a long-established songwriting bond between Arion and Waters. The trio is involved in almost every aspect of their work, from production and mixing to artwork, delivering a vision that is distinctly their own. Loosely defining their style as “Organized Chaos”, Mute Choir is as much the sound of a cluttered downtown as it is the lonesome ambience of insomnia. The group seeks to make sense of the noise around them, searching for a middle ground between conflicting forces.
https://soundcloud.com/mutechoir/familiar-ways/
Canadian pop recording artist Kyle Richardson is pleased to share the new music video for the acoustic version of his current holiday single, “Christmas Time This Year”. The video is directed by Meaghan Gipps.
“Christmas Time This Year” is the first single release for Richardson following a creative hiatus to reset his artistic ambitions. The smooth-voiced singer is celebrating his newfound inspiration with a song that simultaneously taps into his own nostalgia for the holiday season while also setting the tone for his new musical direction.
Richardson says, “Growing up, I always loved the Christmas season, and the holiday songs and movies that came along with it. I wanted to write and record a really warm, nostalgic Christmas tune that could evoke the memories of Christmas seasons past while also being an optimistic and hopeful tune for Christmas times to come.”
Drawing on influences ranging from Michael Bublé to Ed Sheeran and Coldplay, “Christmas Time This Year” is a pop ballad infused with an uplifting, soulful, and emotional flavour. It’s also the latest collaboration between Richardson and acclaimed writer-producer Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powter, Eleven Past One, State of Shock).
“Christmas Time This Year” – co-written by Richardson and Dawson – is one of a dozen new songs that the two have teamed up on. The final selections from their recent creative synergy – including Richardson’s next single, “Anything” – will be part of the artist’s first full-length album, “Louder Than Words”, due in 2020.
The music video for the acoustic version of “Christmas Time This Year” is now available on YouTube. The original single is available for streaming on all digital platforms.
Credit: Deana Nastic
““Still Good” is a song about self-preservation and the things we tell ourselves in order to move past difficulty and sadness. it’s about trying to hurt someone worse than they hurt you, and then telling yourself that you’re still good.
written while living in Montreal after moving back to Canada from Amsterdam.
stream “Still Good” – my debut single – on YOUTUBE or SPOTIFY now.
let “Still Good” take you on a journey. see and feel the chaos and anger in the music. relate through the story to some similar moment in your life. you know that feeling of exhilaration after you see a great revenge drama or action movie? that’s what I wanted to give you in less than four minutes – a little trip to the cinema.”–Tyra Jutai
Earlier in November, South Korean artist Elli K took on the classic, award-winning, song, “The Shadow of Your Smile.” Now she brings it to life in her new music video. Encapsulating beautiful landscapes and effortless performance, Elli K’s new music video breathes new life into an American classic. The music video was filmed in Jeju Island and created by the renowned Seoul film production company Segaji Video, the masterminds behind Taeyeon’s “Spark”, TVXQ’s “Hot Sauce”, and Chen’s “Shall We?”.
Originally performed by the acclaimed Tony Bennett, Elli K brings a new delicacy to the 1966 Grammy Awarded “Song of the Year,” as it earns a modern simplicity through her signature sweet vocals. Elli K also moves away from her trademark orchestral pop sound for a crisp and smooth jazz instrumental.
Elli K revealed what inspired her to attempt a beautiful record stating, “I wanted to find the beauty in parting. The poetic lyrics of ‘The Shadow of Your Smile’ was a perfect match for what I was envisioning, and the rhythm of the music made the breakup feel not so sad. This song is ‘the acceptance of breakup,’ ‘freedom of soul,’ and ‘the reverberation of love.’”
The current release of “The Shadow of Your Smile”, furthers to depict Elli K’s artistic vision for her upcoming EP Love Collage, which will be out in March 2020. Be sure to follow Elli K on social media for all music exclusives and updates.
Alt-pop band RØYLS are thrilled to release their Christmas song, “Last Christmas” that is out now and featured on Alt Press.
The band says, – We grew up on wham and it’s always been my favorite Christmas song of all time. We talked about how it would be cool to put our own spin on a Christmas song and I knew instantly last Christmas was the one.”
This past year RØYLS released their lasts EP I Think Too Much and have toured in the UK including, Reading & Leeds that got some massive radio traction (for “Choose to Believe”) in the US with a Sirius Venus add, Music Choice add, Sirius BPM Beta, Radio 1 Best New Pop, just to name a few.
The alternative-minded pop band RØYLS, with modern influences of Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots and The Weeknd to name a few, comprises of Liverpool born 21 year old Sean Killeen, Drew Dirksen and Liam Ross. Under the direction of Big Noise partner John Feldmann, RØYLS have cultivated a sound that’s completely their own and is sure to turn heads.
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
