Essential Songs — New Tracks You Need to Hear
1. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Shrimp recently released the new single “fear of failure / scared of success.” The song follows the path of cult hit “this body means nothing to me,” departing from the coldwave-inspired “emo trap” embracing his roots in gritty, post-punk inspired indie rock. From the first second, the listener is hit with a barrage of distorted guitars, later bringing in distant, distorted vocals with an intentionally low fidelity approach to their mix. This style continues, properly channeling the guitar tone and vocals of both indie rock and post-punk, combining them into a sound that would not sound out of place on a contemporary cult post-punk album. “Fear of failure / scared of success” is yet another example of those in the so-called emo rap “scene” coming full circle and opting for their respective rock roots as the genre continues to grow and change with the times.
2. Hyperpop artist Polearm is back with his emotional-yet-high energy new single “acceptance.” Toning up the bubblegum bass even more, Polearm heavily edits the vocals and compliments them with plastic synths and intense beat drops, yet also allows the lyrics to be heard and come through. “I feel like I can never feel right again,” he sings intensely as the rhythm continues to warp intensely. Somehow, the song feels fun, sad and angry all at the same time, with the tone, lyrics and instrumental adding different levels to make for a track more complex than much of the material in the genre. While the lyrics and vocals are integral to the song, the instrumental stands on its own, with extremely wonky, intense slides and bursts of synthesized madness. It’s one of Polearm’s most complete and complex efforts to date, and a promising direction for the LA genre blender.
3. Ashton Traitor has proven to craft some of the most infectious hooks in the modern alternative rap scene, blending synth-based beats with catchy pop vocals, accentuated by his trademark vocal style. In his new song “Help!” Traitor continues his path of quality songwriting, yet also turns to a more confessional style with fewer moments of braggadocious than usual. The primary choral line “asking God for help” shows Traitor accepting his struggles and turning to God for an escape from the pains of daily life. Perhaps making a better case for his inclusion with seemingly unrelated, more emo-inspired artists, the introspection and confession is a positive development, with lines like “I try to maintain but it’s so challenging, any racks coming in then they vanishing” showing the hard truths behind the artist’s lifestyle. As long as his caliber of songwriting and interesting vocal delivery is retained, there is a very good chance of Traitor finally getting the mainstream attention he deserves.
4. King Theta, known for his blend of traditional pop punk and alternative hip hop returns with his new single “Critical Mass.” While the instrumental is somewhat of a departure from past beats built around infectious pop punk guitar riffs and features a more electronic direction initially, the classic King Theta energy is retained within the vocals and melodies. A more emotional song as well, comparisons to the emo of years past would not be undue, with the catchy verses and chorus being a bit more melancholic and introspective than the energy of typical pop punk. The song doesn’t feature a sole genre, though. The pop punk vocals and electronic instrumental duality changes later into the track, with a distorted beat lying beneath harsh, shouted vocals in staunch contrast to the previous styles and proceeding to calm down and transition into a bittersweet, almost acoustic ballad to close the track. King Theta’s experimentation is welcome, and by maintaining his classic songwriting style, he’s on the path to pop punk greatness.
5. Among the Soundcloud-era artists who cite emo bands as influence, Fantasy Camp remains one of the most true to those roots, adept at the synthesis of modern hip hop with the tender-yet-energetic emo of yesteryear. “Wanted 2 Say” proves this yet again, with a guitar-style beat and semi-sweet, melancholic vocals delivered above. Even the more “rapped” moments of the track channel a variety of musical influence, adding emotional depth and melodicism to the otherwise classic cadence. The instrumental, a mix of modern instrumental stylings and true-to-the-genre sounds shows early production efforts by Lil Aaron, the pop punk inspired, neon green rapper whose musical background is not unlike that of Fantasy Camp. Overall, the song is sweet, sad and catchy, perfect to cry to or just to sing along. “Wanted 2 Say” is yet another example of Fantasy Camp’s vocal talent and songwriting ability.
6. Cloud rap producer turned vocalist Despair is back with another live-vocals song titled “Mystery.” Rather than opting for his classic icy, cloudy instrumentals, Despair instead sings atop a sparkly, synth-based beat, delivering a more pop-centric flow. While the energy of the song increases, make no mistake, the cutting emotion of Despair’s song remains,a testament to pain and mental health struggles. Regardless, the flow feels even more authentic than past efforts by Despair and seems to be a fitting sound for the underground producer turned vocalist. Hopefully experimentation continues in the more pop instrumental area to add variation to an already solid discography.
7. Electronic artist fusq is back after a 2 year hiatus with the new single “Yeah!” Instantly bursting with cutesy, fuzzy synths and electronic “pops” the song leaves behind the past of future funk and nu-disco with a solidly future bass track that brings the mind back to when snail’s house and wave racer were all over pastel anime girl-covered youtube compilations. The detuned instrumental bounces intensely, with glitches and shimmering synth parts that split the vibe between carefree and cutesy, the essence of such a song. The instrumental is complex and exciting, with brief vocal samples amping up the impact of the “kawaii” track. The synthesizers are vibrant, with heavy influence from Japanese pop music and the pops in the instrumental are fun and engaging, overall proving the newest effort from fusq to be a standout among the modern incarnation of future bass.
