Em & The Fates
NYC’s Em & The Fates go for an old school soul sound on their new single “Beautiful Life”. Grrrl group vocal harmonies lock down that vintage vibe with a nod to Motown. Add to that the radiantly positive message and you have the making a Nu Gospel number that will bring a shoulder shimmy to the dreariest of Mondays. Give “Beautiful Life” by Em & The Fates a listen below…
Memoir
Let’s jump coasts from NYC to Los Angeles for another soulful sound. The indie-soul band known as Memoir has a sound that is as powerful as it is slinky. “We Used to Make Music” incorporates some real dramatic flair in its <5 minutes. I could easily see this number playing out on the big screen as Character 1 learns Character 2 been involved in an affair with Character 7 since that week she went to Boston on business so it wasn’t surprising to learn that Memoir’s music has been featured on shows like Vanderpump Rules, Empire, and a whole lot more. Check out “We Used to Make Music” by Memoir below…
PhaRii
“No Makeup”
First of all, I’m actually getting pretty sick about dudes talking about makeup. Fellas, unless you’re asking to borrow my highlighter, you really shouldn’t bring it up. Now, I get it. You want your grrrl to know she looks good whether she’s donning glitter for a night on the town or rocking a scrunchie and period zits. That’s cool. But, if you plan on bringing it up around me, you better come with some bounce. Thankfully, PhaRii does just that. “No Makeup” has a kickback contemporary R&B vibe that will make you want to throw on an oversized t-shirt, and probably wash your makeup off, before you Netflix and chill. Give the single a spin below…
Fat Night
There are some jazzy tendrils that swirl around in the music of Fat Night. “Honest Man” has a nightclub feel that I can really get behind. And, not a shitty nightclub either, I’m talking classy: red leather seats and drinks in the right glass and no gimmicky cocktails named after celebrities. Maybe that’s why Fat Night matriculated from their Florida hometown to Chicago. I could definitely see their jazz-tinged soul sound being a perfect pair with the Chi-Town club circuit. Check out “Honest Man” by Fat Night below or head here to add the track to your dinner party playlist.
Emily McCormick
The most spellbinding element of “Spellbinding” [I couldn’t stop myself] is undoubtedly the smokey vocals of Emily McCormick. This Irish-born, London-based singer-songwriter could easily enchant an audience with that voice of hers: deep enough to be mysterious, vibrant enough to be engaging. “Spellbinding” marks the first official single from McCormick. Let’s hope more are soon to follow. Listen below…
Ruth Koléva
Bulgarian-born songbird Ruth Koléva has a stellar set of pipes that earned her accolades well beyond her country’s borders. Koléva’s sinuous voice moves from ethereal heights to sultry depths on her new single. “Basil” lays out a smooth sound that will have you bobbing your head before you hit the reprise. Koléva offers listeners Contemporary R&B with some retro flair. Give “Basil” a listen below or head here for that digi-download.
Liquid Monk
Detroit’s Liquid Monk approaches soul from an acid jazz perspective and, I must say, I dig it. Their new single, “On the Rocks”, fuses chill vocals with some squishy keys for a sound that will leave you feeling relaxed, if maybe a little hazy, and there are even some HipHop permutations thrown into the mix to keep the flavor fresh. Let the soulful sound of Liquid Monk soothe your weary spirit. Give “On the Rocks” a listen below…
