Hey, everyone! I'm a little late on the Fresh Likes posts but as you can tell from my last post, I was a little busy enjoying the East coast. This was originally intended for the week of June 10th so there might be some disparities and disputes on the timing of providing my input. I still have these on repeat, and I won't let my research go to waste.
Slushii - Dreaming of You
Porter - Pajaros
bülow - Get Stupid
Lunay - Soltera (Remix) feat. Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny
Goldlink - Zulu Screams
Slushii - Dreaming of You
First one up is "Dreaming of You" by 22-year-old DJ from New Jersey, Slushii. Similar to many DJ's on the scene right now, he is known for his use of helium vocals. At one point, those vocals get to be too much, and they all start sounding like the same damn song. With Slushii it's different, though. He uses a synth-dubstep formula and makes the music pure electric fun. No need to break down the lyrics on this song, it's clearly about whoever is the listener is. Slushii is known for showing emphatic appreciation to his fanbase and this song is to them. The song was released under the label, Monstercat. If you don't know who Monstercat is, they're an independent EDC music record label based in Vancouver. Doesn't sound familiar? You might recognize them from their music pack featured on the popular VR game, Beat Saber. Be sure to check out more Slushii tracks like "Twinbo" featuring Marshmellow.
Porter - Pajaros
Next on the list is "Pajaros" by one of my favorite Mexican bands right now, Porter. The quartet hails from Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEX and consists of David Velasco, Fernando de la Huerta, Victor Valverde, and Diego Rangel. "Pajaros" is a song about a dying love via technology. It speaks of a person no longer existing as their gaze is turned off and like a memory, they started to erase. In my opinion, they could very well be speaking of a person they met online. Among the lyrics, the guys refer to two myths: Time heals all and the moon is made of cheese. The song was released as a single for their full-length album, Las Batallas, which was just released a month ago. Video is pretty straightforward. Not much effort was placed in the storytelling department. It kicks off in some time of dystopian church, partially lit up by fluorescent bulbs. Diego Rangel aka Bacter removes his hoodie and walks out toward the other members. For the remainder of the video, the band speeds down an empty desert in a sweet Tron-like vehicle, sans doors, and the dash turned into a synth piano played by Victor Valverde aka Villor. When the band first formed, there were five members until band member Juan Son departed. Many speculated this was the beginning of the end for Porter, yet they continue coming back with attractive futuristic moody rock melodies. Critics and other listeners call this Porter's resurgence, but instead, I like to think of this as their metamorphosis.
***WRITERS NOTE: Make sure you check out their album art. I can only describe it as kaleidoscopic treasures.
bülow - Get Stupid
Whether you like her or not, the world has Billie Eilish fever. Can you really blame ‘em? The way her hypnotic voice blends with the composition, whether it be acoustic, dreamy, or funky as fuck, it just absorbs you. You’re confused because this isn’t a Billie Eilish song, I know. The reason I mention Billie is because there’s a similar young voice on the horizon and she deserves our attention. Megan Bülow, or bülow, is a 19-year-old pop star on the rise. Back in March, she took home the Juno Breakthrough Artist of the Year, which if you didn’t know she is German-Canadian. Gut, eh? "Get Stupid" is an upbeat song and it's had me grooving since I heard it on Spotify and Apple Music Beats Radio a few weeks ago. It's different than some of her other singles (Not a Love Song) but I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I checked on her YouTube channel and there isn't an official music video for the song, it's only the audio and lyrics. I'm excited to see if we're gifted with a video soon. If it is, let me know by hitting the comment section below. Seriously, don't sleep on bülow guys. I'm anticipating 2019 to be her year.
Lunay - Soltera (Remix) feat. Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny
Another young artist is ready to break out and cause a scene comes from down South… no, further! I mean the tropical South. Born and raised in Corozal, Puerto Rico (SW of Bayamon), Lunay is an 18-year-old trap singer. Managed by Chris Jeday and Gaby Music, Lunay went from freestyling on Facebook to making a hit song with none other than osito ojos claros, Ozuna. I highly recommend giving a listen to this kid freestyle. With his new single, "Soltera" is a remix of the original song featuring Daddy Yankee and the hottest artist on the planet right now, Bad Bunny. You have to respect the journey. From rapping into the camera in his tiny bedroom to wearing Dior and making one of the hottest tracks of the summer. Lunay doesn't even have an album and doesn't plan to release one any time soon, taking a page from Bad Bunny's book and straight up just dropping single after single. Just like bülow, I fully expect Lunay to have a huge year. Here are two more of the freestyles that helped him gain the attention of the reggaeton community.
Goldlink - Zulu Screams feat. Maleek Berry, Bibi Bourelly
2016’s hottest track was “Crew” by Mr. D’Anthony Carlos who also goes by the stage name Goldlink. First Goldlink song I heard was “Palm Trees” while watching HBO’s Insecure. Major shout out to the great, Raphael Saadiq (Season 1) and the ever so eloquent, Solange Knowles (Season 2) for the fantastic job they did with the music on that show. Goldlink’s music has been my favorite artist in the last couple of years solely for the fact his songs are so danceable. In the car, cleaning the house, writing, at work, it doesn’t matter, his voice and the rhythms make me want to jerk around like a mad man. His description of the track is much better than mine in an interview he did with Wonderland Magazine. Reminds me of “Kwele” by James BKS come to mind (which I played at my wedding). Make sure you listen to both of his mixtapes: And After That, We Didn’t Talk. My favorite track is “Palm Trees”. And At What Cost, where the heat comes from the song, “Have You Seen That Girl”.
Hopefully you come back next week and check out an all new list. I add music to my Fresh Likes playlist on Spotify every day so don't hesitate to come check that out. Link is located at the bottom of each page. Because I like you so much, though, you can also click here. There I saved you some time, now you owe me.