Beat The System – “Chasing The High”
New York City-based Pop band Beat The System is exploding onto the scene with their feel-good single, “Chasing The High.” Consisting of Adrian (songwriter), lead-singer Shannon, and Malaysian brothers Gerald (drummer) and Stewart (guitarist), the group has a retro vibe that fits within today’s pop sound perfectly. Shannon’s vocals have a gritty element that is dynamic and intriguing. In “Chasing The High,” the group inspires listeners to lean into their passions in life.
Listen to “Chasing The High” below.
Tomi Saario – “I Wanna Be Your James Dean”
Tomi Saario has done it again. On “I Wanna Be Your James Dean,” Saario combines his clever songwriting skills with his uncanny ability to deliver pop hits. The Finnish artist’s new single is from his forthcoming debut EP, I Think We Need To Talk, due out later this month. Saario’s vocals are intoxicating and dynamic. The upbeat bop should be on every pop playlist.
Listen to “I Wanna Be Your James Dean” below.
Ashe – “I’m Fine”
We all pretend we’re OK. When times are tough, we shrug and simply say, “I’m fine.” Pop songwriter Ashe employs this notion for a new song, aptly called “I’m Fine,” in which she also frames that one person who sees right through the facade.
“And even when you ask if I’m ok, I try to say ‘I’m fine’ / You don’t believe me when I say I’m alright,” she puckers her lips on the hook. Such truth is never easy to swallow, even if we really do know we’re not being honest. Sometimes, you just have to really go through it to find the clarity you so desperately need.
Listen to “I’m Fine” below.
Paola Bennet – “My Mother Says”
Paola Bennet tricks you into a soothing state. “My Mother Says” begins as a plaintive examination of mental health, but it musically erupts with volcanic fire with reedy rhythms and scratching string work. “Something holds me quick,” she sings. “Molasses stuck between my ribs.”
Bennet’s voice is equally deceiving, first as smooth as syrup and then switching into a reedier tone. “I want to hit the walls until they break,” she lashes out, the song building into a soft rock song. It’s jarring, but that’s the point.
Listen to “My Mother Says.”
Peter Wise – “Window Dressing”
Peter Wise first hooked our attention with last year’s “Fruits.” With a reedy, almost of-the-earth, kind of vocal tone, he sculpts melodies that stick like darts into corkboard. Now, with “Window Dressing,” a funky, finger-picked mid-tempo, Wise continues to deliver and navigate some of the most striking pop music of 2021.
“If you’re gonna read my sentence / Make sure you read every line,” he snaps. “You booked me on breaking and entering / Had no place up in here tonight.” But don’t get too comfortable; by the end, he seems to heave a farewell sigh right into the stars.
Listen to “Window Dressing” below.
Bryce Bowyn – “Ruthless”
There’s always that lover that you can’t let go. Their attention is like a drug, and no matter how many times they break it off, you fall right back into their arms. But Bryce Bowyn has had enough. With his new song “Ruthless,” he takes back the reins and breaks off the romance before he can get pummeled again.
“I show no mercy / Or else you’ll hurt me,” he sings. Bubbly dance-pop production backdrops the emotional heft, directly tying to his new-found liberation and sense of self. It’s exhilarating.
Listen to “Ruthless” below.