A fresh mix of electronic rock with a few drops of synth pop are the secret ingredients of the Vancouver-based band, OURGLASSZOO. In 2022, they released their album, ‘Aftermath’, which included the single ‘Free’ in collaboration with JUNO-award winning hip-hop artist Prevail (Swollen Members). The track was remixed by producer KutMasta Kurt (Linkin Park, Beastie Boys) and features hip-hop legend Moka Only.
This all-star team has come together again for ‘Free Remix’ with a catchy hook, a retro vibe and a powerful message about equality that encourages freeing yourself from stereotypes and moving forward as one.
Sing and dance along to “Free Remix” feat. (KutMasta Kurt, Moka Only & Prevail) below:
A dynamic Nashville based guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer, McMILLIN is a jack of all trades and an artist in every sense of the word. Gaining inspiration from pop, rock, and funk genres, McMillin cannot be put into a box, but rather mends genres seamlessly, becoming what he calls a “fusion artist.”
His new single ‘What It Was’ off starts strong, with four ear-piercing distorted guitar notes quickly followed by a much more mellow beat under a groovy bass riff. McMillins’ smooth voice comes in with “Maybe it’s just better off this way / Some say you begin to die when you refuse to change.” The guitar music stays mellow throughout the chorus with lots of variation in the drum set, a steady beat along with the occasional closed hi-hat and loud crash of a ride cymbal. The song builds throughout each verse adding more and more riffs from the lead guitar and bass guitar giving it that rock-pop sound. McMillin sings “And then it hits you all at once / It never will be what it was.” McMillin accepts that with time comes change but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss what used to be.
Hailing from the music capital of the world, Nashville TN, McMillin has been playing in clubs and bars in the heart of music city and beyond. Combining the elements of poetic dark pop with funk and rock components, McMillin creates a truly immersive, revolutionary musical adventure.
Currently, McMillin is representing Rolling Stone as the frontman for the Rolling Stone Rock Room featured on Holland America Cruise Lines. McMillin describes the guitar as “his one true love” and this is clear as his talents of lead guitar playing, as well as his impressive rock vocals, are on full display in this electrifying show. Their itineraries include the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, as well as most of the Caribbean.
‘What It Was’ is out today (1st September). Have a listen below…
PSYKHI‘s new EP, Forest People, was born out of the dichotomy of observing the patterns of human thought and behaviour while also musing on the musician’s own approach to life. The Ghanaian creative is profoundly introspective and that pensiveness is evident through every strain of his punk, indie, rock, and rap laced EP, which features five tracks of pure expression. Now London-based, he has already introduce the EP with tracks ‘Sitting On Ice’, ‘Don’t Disappear’ and ‘Dry’, the last of which was picked up by CMU Daily, Ones To Watch, FAULT Magazine, EARMILK, Notion, Elevator and more. Joining this triad of punk-infused tracks is title-track ‘Forest People’, an anthem for all of those who’ve “gone astray”, and lead single ‘Dyed In Wool’.
Speaking about the new EP, psykhi shares: “Forest people for me felt like the harnessing of spirit. To find love for oneself and to be able to stand up for what you believe in.”
Introduced by an 80s-esque keyboard melody, the focus track takes after the idiom ‘dyed in the wool’, often used to describe someone who is steadfast in their opinions and stubborn to change them; and it’s such a person that psykhi directs his poetic lyrics towards. In his distinct breathy tone, the artist rhythmically delivers uncompromising lines like, “Think you’re flawless since you feel this way/ Tell me what’s expected/ Tell me what’s addictive/ You usually shake your head like a disappointed friend/ I hope you don’t pretend/ You can be more than specific.” Backed by elastic bass and upbeat drums, these cadenced verses ramp up into cathartic choruses in which the instrumentation and psykhi’s usually brooding voice lets loose. The whole track functions on the push-and-pull mechanism in which moments of restrained lyrical potency are exchanged for fiery punk-rock riffs, and vice versa.
The official music video for ‘Dyed In Wool’ was directed by No Format (@no___format). It’s a greyscale performance video that’s reminiscent of the late 70s and 80s punk aesthetic. While the collage effect reflects the disparate parts of psykhi’s creative mind coming together to produce his affecting and unforgettable songs.
‘Forest People EP is undoubtedly a collection for the outsiders; for anyone who has been lost, for anyone who has receded into the overgrown jungle of their mind and come out the other side to tell the tale…Have a listen below…
A rock and trap-indebted singer-songwriter with the charm and bearing of a modern pop star, AUSTIN JAY is in many ways Los Angeles’s best-kept secret. Building on the success of previous singles, ‘Loving on You’ and ‘Things You’ll Never Know,’ he returns with his highly-anticipated self-titled debut EP, Austin Jay, out now across platforms.
Crafted with renowned producers Caleb Hulin (Avril Lavigne, Demi Lovato) and T Black (Hip Hop Atlanta, Marques Houston, and Pitbull), the EP fuses alternative pop/punk soundscapes with cutting-edge trap elements, showcasing the next evolution of Austin’s sound. He adds, “The EP is about not conforming to what society says you have to be and creating your own lane in life.”
The EP’s focus track, ‘Demented,’ blends captivating guitar stabs with Austin’s powerful vocals to provide a commentary on the heartlessness of modern relationships.
“‘Demented’ set the tone for the entire EP,” shares Austin. “It was the first song I worked on with my incredibly talented producer Caleb Hulin, and we connected right away, making the song in our very first session. It’s the song that really established and cemented my sound moving forward, with its mix of alternative pop/punk and modern trap music. I wrote it coming from a place of angst. I think modern-day romantic relationships are too casual, you know? I’m not a casual person. I’m a romantic at heart, and I miss the old-fashioned, dramatic, infatuated romance from old books and movies I love. Demented is about my problems with casual relationships and how so many people today are afraid or unwilling to truly commit and call it love.”
LA-based/Manhattan-born singer/rapper Austin Jay unapologetically combines 2000s Pop/Punk with modern Trap music. After going viral with covers of Khalid’s “Location” and Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes,” Austin Jay has developed an 80k+ following on Instagram with his first original three single releases amassing over 350,000 streams on Spotify. He is also a dynamic live presence, earning a fanbase as the lead singer of the widely acclaimed band ‘Earth to Mars’ and touring nationally with his own band.
Austin Jay’s self-titled EP was released last Friday (9th June) across various music platforms. Have a listen below…
Must Listens: Fuck Ur Apology, Things You’ll Never Know, Hands Up.
After setting Ireland’s underground alight with their eclectic fusion of hip-hop and rock, Cork’s REX ARCUM and SYANO release their joint effort EP ‘COMPOUND’ on June 2nd. Having been featured on Spotify’s Misfits 2.0, RTÉ and Nialler 9 with the EP’s lead single ‘LOTTO BOY’, the pair of rising artists are certainly ones to watch from the Emerald Isle.
The EP mirrors Rex Arcum and Syano’s live shows, driven by creative hip-hop samples and monstrous 808’s which are seamlessly blended with distorted guitar, gritty drums and powerful vocals. With tracks featuring Nashville’s MNERVA, Brampton’s Spitty, Cork’s LG4 Ness and mixed/mastered by Brody (Nothing, Nowhere., Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Freddie Dredd), this genre defiant EP expels unfiltered frustration and emotion as it tackles a host of negative aspects seen in society in Ireland.
Having kicked off 2023 with a sold-out headline gig in Fred Zeppelin’s Cork, as well as performing at a packed out Cork Rising in Cyprus Avenue and Absent Hip-Hop Night in Galway, Rex Arcum is touring Ireland in September with major support acts to be announced, it will be an explosive tour that’s not to be missed.
‘COMPOUND’ was released on 2nd June…have a listen to the explosive EP below…
New Lease Music 