Album Review: The Dean And I – Dean Friedman

Sampled from Darko The Super’s 2021 album, ‘Great White Buffalo’, DEAN FRIEDMAN’s mammoth album, ‘The Dean And I’ is a compilation that can be enjoyed across generations – from the futuristic sounds of intro single, ‘You’re Such A Flirt’, to pop soulful ballads inspired from the seventies and eighties (such as Lucky Stars, Little Green Lady and Buy My Baby A Car) and also chirpy pieces (Nookie In The Mail, McDonald’s Girl and The Deli Song) that puts you in the mind of the Grease Musical, particularly ‘McDonald’s Girl’.

Covering array of topics relating to love young and adolescence, the album features coming-of-age tales ‘Don’t You Ever Dare’ and ‘Are You Ready Yet,’ which focus on the responsibilities of adulthood and the decisions we make, while ‘Rocking Chair (It’s Gonna Be Alright)’ is a positive reaffirmation that when times are bad, they’ll always get better.

‘The Dean And I’ may be 20-track long, but by no means will you not lose attention as Friedman’s high-spirited take on the aforementioned topics on the collection just displays him as one of America’s greatest songwriters around.

Released through Darko The Super’s indie label, U Don’t Deserve This Beautiful Art, ‘The Dean And I’ is now available for your pleasure.

Must Listen: Lucky Stars; Little Green Lady; Buy My Baby A Car; Let Down Your Hair

Watch Boslen’s Video For Track, ‘Nightfall’

Genre-obliterating artist BOSLEN shares a cinematic, visceral music video for ‘Nightfall’. The trap-infused track, which sports a stunning feature from rising South Carolina artist Dro Kenji, is the final song to get the video treatment from his debut album, ‘DUSK to DAWN’, which came out in August via Chaos Club Digital/Capitol Records.

The moody visual, directed by Mike Tate and executive produced by Natasha Dion, was filmed in Los Angeles, but feels as if it takes place in a hazy, red-tinged underworld. It’s an appropriate energy for the loneliness in the lyrics, which find Boslen enduring quiet nights as he works to expose lies, and encourages someone to reveal their scars to him. The clip finds Boslen and Kenji wandering around an empty, lavish mansion—a perfect setting for a song about the cost of investing your time and energy into someone who can’t, or won’t, reciprocate.

‘Nightfall’ serves as the midpoint—and one of the emotional centrepieces—of the immersive 12-track project ‘DUSK to DAWN’, which has resonated deeply with both fans and critics alike. The album has already eclipsed over 16.4 million streams globally and has also garnered acclaim from tastemaking websites across the globe.

But for Boslen himself, the point doesn’t seem to be the success—he just wants his art to connect with people: “I really want people to notice the true feeling that this project cohesively can convey. I’m trying to make generational music that lasts after I’m dead.”

With videos as cinematic as ‘Nightfall’ and projects as moving as DUSK to DAWN, he’s well on his way. ‘Nightfall’ closes out the DUSK to DAWN chapter as Boslen gears up for an even bigger 2022. Check out the video below…

Song of the Day: Amapiano – Juice Cannon

JUICE CANNON’s single ‘Amapiano’, depicts a tale when love is not replicated, over a smooth afterhours blend of Afrobeats, Hip-Hop and R&B. For anyone who has been in a relationship that’s going nowhere, Juice Cannon drives home the message that rings throughout the track – don’t get played like a piano.

Born in Nigeria, Juice Cannon, who currently resides in New York, has a solid music career, stretching back to 2010, making his mark in New York’s underground Hip-Hop scene. Seven years into the game, he decided to change direction and experiment with various sounds through his mixtape, ‘Sugarwater’, which garnered over 100K streams, thanks to his breakthrough single from the set, ‘Naija Girls’.

Armed with an impressive discography which earned him over 500k to date, Juice Cannon is aiming to create the same buzz on the international stage – just as he did in the Big Apple and across the USA.

Lifted from his EP, ‘Live My Life 4′, which explores the themes of love, betrayal and redemption, ‘Amapiano’ is now out on various digital music platforms. Have a listen below…

Follow Juice Cannon via:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/JuiceCannon1
IG: https://www.instagram.com/juicecannontm/



Song of the Day: Leg Or Arm – GirlzluhDev

Inland Empire rapper GIRLZLUHDEV‘s sensual single ‘Leg or Arm’ brings a bit of summer warmth to the depths of winter. The track, which is out now on Capitol Records, is built around soft keyboards and West Coast bounce that provide a canvas for Dev’s mischievous and fun vocals.

The dizzy, intimate production of ‘Leg or Arm’ feels like a dreamy afternoon in the California sun. It’s pure warmth, an escape from the troubles of the world. Dev flows like a breeze, sipping Shirley Temples, messing around with a girl, and playfully wondering if he’ll end up being talked about in her groupchat. When he croons about “riding round with blicky and designer clothes,” it sounds less like a threat than a positive affirmation. Dev places gangsta tropes in new contexts, making every bar feel like a celebration. He’s the fun-loving ball of energy and melody that rap needs, next in a lineage of West Coast rap-singers.

‘Leg or Arm’ follows a hot streak of memorable singles from Dev, including the pounding ‘Gas Me Up’ and the sombre ‘Dead Bro.’ This track kicks off a new year for the 18-year-old rising star as he continues to build on the success that began with 2020’s ‘Tooka,’ which launched him to the national stage and earned him a deal with Capitol. The game needs rappers as charismatic as Dev, and with each passing track, he’s proving that he’s rare indeed. Dev has amassed over 34 million streams in the U.S. alone.

Check out the video for single below…

Song of the Day: La La La – Rayne Storm (ft. Sticky Fingaz)

RAYNE STORM is back with a trail of singles (‘La La La’, ‘Old School, New School’ and ‘All Along’) coming off his upcoming album ‘AudioCity’. The project is described as a triple threat of collabs with Sticky Fingaz of Onyx, Swifty Mcvay of D12 & DMC of the iconic Hip-Hop group Run DMC.

Making it to today’s top spot, ‘La La La’ speaks on the effects of growing up around guns and gun violence with Sticky Fingaz doing double duty with a featured verse and chorus. With straight forward and honest lyrics, the track doesn’t glorify nor run from its truths and descriptive nature.

‘La La La’ makes a great introduction into Rayne’s album slated for release 21st February…but for now, get tuck in on the track below…