Category Archives: Jazz

Exclusive Artist Review: Sweet Limb – “Vibes” EP

Posted in Album, Blues, Careers, EP, Hip Hop, Indie, Jazz, Music Review, Press Release, R&B, Rap by

Emerging from the prominent Austin music scene in Texas, Sweet Limb, the official artist project of artist/songwriter Chris Robinson, has been building his craft since 2015 and is well known for his soulful flows and instrumentals. His dynamic signature sound has flavors of old school Hip Hop and R&B but still implements several facets of today’s more modern sensibility, delivering a coherent and cohesive sound that is eclectic, heartfelt and innovative.

Robinson’s breathy and sensually vibrant vocals are what makes his songs truly a standout of their calibre. He has especially taken on the DIY angle to new heights you don’t see with most independent artists, he’s truly passionate about his work and it directly parallels his work ethics as well; and it is especially apparent with his newest upcoming three-track EP Vibes. It’s easily his best work to date and the tracks really showcase Sweet Limb at his pinnacle when it comes to his production and performance value. His songs are written strictly from his personal experiences and his ability to tell a story within his songs are uncanny, unique and multifaceted.

Vibes is definitely a title that lives up to its name. Sweet Limb’s coherently ambient and soulfully subtle style is a tasty concoction that sets the bar high for every track when you listen from start to finish. His track “Kickstart” is direct evidence of this and the song really draws you in as soon as the beat immediately drops. Implementing a chord progression of jazzy guitars as the beat’s anchor instrument, this soulful song has distinctive and notable vocal melody choices as well as lyrical content. “It’s a slippery slope, but we can thicken the road” is a perfect example of the cleverness behind the man that holds the pen to these songs and truly offers a strong message every listener can resonate with.

Follow up track “Ketamine” has a smooth acoustic bass line with atmospheric synth leads that is both bluesy and spacey. The single coil Strat guitar leads add textures to the song as it plays out as well. The instrumental detail in this track is easily the best on the record. Once again, Robinson’s passionate breathy vocals will easily soothe the soul for any listener. His ability to tell a story while utilizing this vocal style is something any listener will not only appreciate, but completely admire as well. Overall, this song’s soulful cohesiveness once again perfectly parallels the production value and is executed in the most effective way.

Final track “Dip” has a dynamic Hip Hop approach but never waivers from the soulful R&B flavors that Robinson is known for. It’s the opening track on the EP and the bossa-nova guitar chords and swells are very crisp and really give this song character. This upbeat anthem has a versatile flow and an arena of clever hooks and bars. Robinson’s showcasing of both his rap and singing skills are vibrant and masterful, trading measures of each to offer up several vibes on this track to really garner the listener’s attention.

This EP delivers several distinctive flavors and colorful instrumentals that piece together a coherently original signature ambient style that is completely authentic and raw. Sweet Limb has been grinding away for about seven years now, and this EP is easily some of his most notable work to date. It’ll easily draw in new fans if this is the first time they are discovering him, which will also entice any listener to do a deep dive into his history as an artist as well as his past and future discography. Vibes drops on December 1st and will be available on all digital music platforms. We can’t recommend this record highly enough.

Connect with Sweet Limb:

•Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/SWEETLIMBCHRIS

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Polyphonic Exophilia – “Volume 1” EP

Posted in Album, Alternative, Blues, Careers, EP, Experimental, Funk, Fusion, Indie, Instrumental, Jazz, Music Review, Press Release by

Hailing from the musical landscapes of Hadeland in Norway, Progressive/Alternative collective Polyphonic Exophilia (abbreviated as PPXP) are comprised of several elite musicians with years of collective experience under their belts. On top of being a band, they also run a fully functional recording studio as well as an independent label, operating as a unit that is 100% authentic and DIY – doing just about everything themselves. Known for their very progressive Alt-Indie signature sound, the PPXP collective has put together a dynamic EP series that is comprised of three releases that will take place throughout 2021, and their debut effort from this series is their debut EP ‘Volume 1’.

Solidified as chapter one of the EP series, ‘Volume 1’ is comprised of four anthemic tracks and sequences that really showcase PPXP’s musicianship factors, production value and artistic merit. Each song offers up several flavorful soundscapes that put effective spotlights on each member’s ability as well as the band’s collective style. Opening track “Crocodile Tears” is a perfect example of their progressive formula with several genre textures which includes their Alt-Indie flavor alongside diligently crafted Jazz, Fusion, and Funk elements. This track has an insatiable groovy rhythm section and utilizes dynamic tempos and time signatures that really add crucial elements of their writing style. The lead instruments contain crafty guitar melodies, atmospheric keyboard leads and smooth solid bass lines that tie it all together. The song has a jammy feel with several measures of buildup that eventually lead to a powerful climax, giving the listener a sense of anticipation that is very engaging as well as exciting as the grooves play out. The unique skat-like vocals are cleverly written alongside a melodic duel female vocal, really adding to the flavorful components that are heard throughout the track’s duration. Overall, this track starts the EP out very strongly and also sets the tone for the rest of the record as well.

Second track is “Omoi”, another dynamically rhythmic track with a more uptempo groove. Once again we have a heavy presence of keyboard and guitar leads that really lead the way in terms of melody and progression. This track also has atmospheric and spacey textures, giving the song significantly more ambience in the overall aura. This track is a little more subtle, but is just as effective and well-written. Third track “Post-Traumatic Growth” is another jazzy and atmospheric track that highlights more of the band’s dynamic vocal leads and melodies. Their charismatic approach on this track is cleverly executed and really adds several multi layers to the mix. It’s another brilliant chapter to the EP that highlights PPXP’s signature sound. Closing track “Even Monkeys Fall Out Of Trees” is a groovy number that effectively ties the EP together into one solid anthem. This song combines almost every element from the previous three and still offers up touches of new flavors. The simple yet groovy bass line really carries a lot of weight on this track alongside an ambient piano melody that highlights the song’s key signature. This is also another jammy tune that plays out with solid buildups and climaxes, keeping you engaged with every instrument from start to finish. It’s a brilliant closing track that will easily entice you to start the EP over again for another round of each song.

This debut EP really puts PPXP on the musical map and is a record that is completely ahead of its time. Their craft is very multifaceted and versatile throughout each track’s duration and really highlights each members’ ability in several crucial ways. This EP will definitely have you anticipating what the other two subsequent EPs have in store – but regardless, it has insatiable staying power and will easily become one of your favorites of 2021 so far. ‘Volume 1’ released in June and is currently available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms.

Connect/Listen:

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Natalis – “But God” & “Sin Duda” Singles

Posted in Album, Careers, Christian, Electronic, Gospel, Indie, Jazz, Music Review, Pop, Press Release, R&B, Single, Soul by

Bronx, NY’s Natalis is no stranger to the musical world. The crafty and versatile singer has appeared on albums with J. Cole, Kanye West and a slew of other industry heavyweights over the years, is a 2-time Grammy nominee and has multi-platinum status. She has built an insatiable name for herself and continues to thrive in the game with her hypnotic vocals and multifaceted image; raising the bar with every project she gives herself to. But on top of everything she has appeared on with other prominent artists, Natalis herself also has her own solo releases that truly give every listener a full visceral listening experience, allowing the world of music to get to know her much more exclusively. One of those releases is her most current album ‘Good Fridays’, a Christian, high spirited record with a brilliantly crafted R&B signature sound with a futuristically modern approach.

Released last month on April 2nd, ‘Good Fridays’ is a 7-song record that shines a spotlight on faith and spirituality in a way that truly encompasses the concept of a higher power and love for the Lord as something greater than ourselves. Produced by Mr. Foster and Davis Chris, the album’s opening track and first anchor single is “Sin Duda”, a hypnotically ambient track that plays out kind of like a dream sequence. This anthemic and atmospheric song really showcases Natalis’ visceral vocals and parallels the lyrical concept beautifully with the diligently-placed harmonies and spiritually crafty melodies. The song structure has a very modern aura with tastefully blended layers, ambient swells and brilliant touches of atmosphere; delivering a powerful track that captures a true essence of spirituality. Second single is “But God”, a much more rhythmic track with a dynamic beat structure that tastefully blends a classic R&B approach with textures of electronic and EDM sensibilities. Once again, we have another beautifully performed track with several crucial vocal harmonies and key melodies that really showcases Natalis’ range. It’s definitely a single that’ll entice any listener to dive deeper into her discography and definitely sets the tone for the rest of what this album offers. Her breed of R&B is very next-level and both of these tracks are direct evidence.

Both singles, as well as the rest of the ‘Good Fridays’ album, are available now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms. Natalis is definitely not a singer to sleep on by any means and you’ll be more than happy you gave her a listen. It may be your first, but definitely won’t be your last.

Connect/Listen:

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Lorenzo Carulli – “Present Past” Album/EP

Posted in Album, Careers, Classical, EP, Fusion, Indie, Instrumental, Jazz, Music Review, Press Release by

Italian Pianist and Composer Lorenzo Carulli began his journey into the music world during his younger years and quickly began hitting the ground running with both his writing and performance abilities. Over the years, his original compositions have successfully garnered him a vast array of achievements including scholarships and awards from national and international music contests like Fondazione Estro Musicale, FM Contest, and Call for Concert Musicopaideia. Now, with the recent release of his debut album ‘Present Past’ on April 16th, Carulli’s signature writing/playing style comes to the forefront in 8 anthemic and dynamic tracks that diligently showcase his versatile realm of musicianship factors, production value and artistic merit.

‘Present Past’ is a dynamically crafty album with melodically visceral piano compositions that are atmospheric, versatile and multifaceted. Throughout the album’s duration, Carulli brilliantly parallels both performance and production value in a way that showcases his skill set as a solo artist most effectively. It explores several angles of his artistic merit and truly brings his signature sound to the surface in a way that balances originality and familiarity; encapsulating melodic measures and rhythmic tempos throughout all 8 tracks and offering several tasteful elements as they all play out.

This debut record is beyond impressive and will undoubtedly build anticipation for any listener wondering what Lorenzo Carulli will have up his sleeve with subsequent releases. It’s a strong and solid first impression that will caress the eardrums of any musician with a music theory background, as well as fans of piano-oriented compositions altogether. ‘Present Past’ is a triumphant album that fully deserves your undivided attention. It officially released on April 16th and is currently available on Spotify and several other digital music streaming platforms.

Connect/Listen:

•Official Website: https://www.lorenzocarulli.com
•Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lozcarulli
•Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lozcarulli
•YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/lorenzocarulli
•Twitter: https://twitter.com/lozcarulli
•Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3s9uwG3wdpLbzlOaNaTFVR?si=7asXd50HQfG4juy9IdmB9g&nd=1

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Dru – “Declamation of Useless Genius” Album/LP

Posted in Album, Alternative, Blues, Careers, Experimental, Indie, Jazz, Music Review, Press Release, Rock, Soul by

NYC-based recording artist Dru (full name Dru Hepkins) is well renowned in the voice acting realm and has built an insatiably reputable career out of it. However, before discovering his love of that field, Dru would embark on a path of musicianship and eventually wrote an arsenal of songs with his own signature sound and stylization. And even though there were trials and tribulations throughout some of his earlier years, the overall result would ultimately showcase its unsurpassed worth with his anthology album ‘Declamation of Useless Genius’ – a nine track LP that delves deep into Dru‘s musicianship factors and artistic merit.

This record showcases several crucial angles of Dru‘s career and features tracks he wrote from the last decade – giving the listener the opportunity to hear him evolve and develop a sound that is authentic, cleverly structured and diligently produced. Opening track “Sit and Wait to Die” is an exceptional piece of music that truly casts a spotlight on Dru‘s songwriting structures and clever lyrical outbursts. Featuring a hauntingly ominous atmosphere comprised with dynamic piano measures, silky smooth bass lines and hypnotic female backup vocals, this song in particular really grabs hold of the listener and demands undivided and uninterrupted attention. Dru‘s subtle yet effective vocal melody choices give us a visceral listening experience with his authentic approach and story-telling narratives that really put his multifaceted nature right out to the forefront. It’s a transparently powerful first impression that sets the tone for the rest of the album’s duration without any borders or boundaries. Another anchor highlight from this record is the acoustic-based “Jackie’s Song”. An anthemic tune with dynamically crafty guitar riffs that add a sense of multi-layers to the overall song structure that really paves the way to an atmospheric musical landscape in its execution. It has undisputed wholesomeness and defining factors that make this a truly solid entry on this album without reservation – adding to the journey into Dru‘s musical direction as the record plays out.

The attentiveness to detail that this album encompasses is heavily apparent from the very beginning and really highlights Dru‘s many angles of talent. It’s the perfect record for anyone just discovering him and will definitely entice you to dive deeper into his career and discography. You can get your copy of this release on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms. We can’t recommend this one highly enough.

Connect/Listen:

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved