Artist Name: Matik
Track Name: Mantra
Label: Independent
Genre: R&B, rap, chill trap
For fans of: Kodie Shane, Lil Uzi Vert, Darci
ISRC: QZDA51852514

A rapper who’s essence is individualism— Matik, short for Music is All That I Know, debuts into midsummer with his hot new EP ‘Mantra’. A beach toned, soul/r&b set written specifically for his female audience, to capture those low-beat summer vibes.

Yet ‘Mantra’s’ ambient tones are just a taste of Matik’s signature sound. Much like the meaning behind Matik’s name connotes, the Compton based artist thrives on musical diversity and freedom of creation.

Each of his EP’s are meant to display a different facet of his musical style. From the liquid soul influences in ‘Mantra’, to the harder street tones and trap sounds he plans to utilize in his next EP. Matik is an artist who strives for complete individualism, both in his brand as an artist, as well as in his sound.

“A lot of artists sign deals, a lot of 360 contracts, and they end up blowing their investment within a year or two, and they’re not able to create the way they want to, because they’re trapped.” The rapper says. “So the goal, at least for me, is to have freedom of creation. I want to be able to have free will; I like being able to dabble in different sounds, and being able to explore.”

Yet in addition to writing his own music, Matik also mixed and engineered all of the songs on ‘Mantra’. He cites Dr. Dre as a major influence in leading him to stretch his musical talents; to see if he had the ability to not only write his own lyrics, but mix and master his own sound.

He also cites Tupac’s writing style as a deep rooted influence going back years into his childhood, when he would listen to old school hip-hop and soul artists like ‘Temptations’ and ‘The Message’, with his father on the way to school.

Matik has opened for the likes of Too Short, Lil Boosie and 2 Chainz, among others.

He is distinctive in the constant testing of his limits, making music with as many genres as he can craft with. ‘Mantra’s’ softer, rhythmic vibes mark the beginning of his stylistic exploration; simply the first step on his journey to becoming a truly multifaceted artist.

Artist Name: Randy Steele
Track Name: Mabbit Strings
Label: Independent
Genre: Bluegrass/Americana
For fans of: Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Mipso, Jason Isbell
ISRC: QZDUM18000001

Renegade bluegrass artist Randy Steele is back again, with new experimental roots single ‘Mabbitt Springs’, off his upcoming EP ‘Moccasin Bender’.

The Tennessee based artist first debuted in 2017, where his album, ‘Songs From The Suck’, was nominated for Bluegrass Album of the Year at the 16th Independent Music Awards.

Randy Steele layers a traditional soundtrack of banjo and fiddle, with more contemporary sounds— like the drums— that give the track a distinctly Americana feel. Steele then adds in elements of slide guitar, lacing the music with a hint of blues. True to the experimentation that is signature to Randy Steele’s musical style, ‘Mabbitt Springs’ builds upon a firm groundwork of traditional bluegrass, yet unravels its edges so as to mix in with other genres.

Yet the singer’s most compelling aspect remains the stories he creates within the music. He uses his words like another instrument, almost as if the music is a soundtrack for the characters within his songs. Indeed his new single, ‘Mabbitt Springs’, depicts the story of a father making a deal with God at the springs, to spare his sick son’s life if he buys up the land. And much like the instrumental solos within a traditional bluegrass medley, Randy Steele tones his music, even his voice, to be secondary to the storytelling; pausing only once to give a soloed riff to the slide guitar.

Randy Steele has opened for artists like Steep Canyon Rangers, IIIrd Time Out, and The Infamous Stringdusters, making him one to watch as he experiments with bluegrass’s traditional sound. Catch his single ‘Mabbitt Springs’ off his upcoming EP ‘Moccasin Bender’, as he continues to paint the edges of bluegrass with a completely new medley of sound.

Artist Name: Vadrok
Track Name: Polvo De Ángel
Label: Independent
Genre: Rock
For fans of: Say Ocean, Bengala, Finger Guns
ISRC: USDY41874977

Shaded with an array of rock sub-genres, Vadrok returns with their newest paranormal track ‘Polvo de Angel’. A song that delves into tragic loss, death and the undercurrents of the world beyond the living. The group rose to prominence after the release of their 2015 hit single ‘Cuentos de Hadas’, which played through radio stations in Mexico City, as well as featured on TV stations like MVS Television, Televisa Torreon and EXA TV.

In 2017, Vadrok then released their track ‘El Mismo Mundo’, which solidified the experimental rock tone in their music, mixing softer alternative sounds with heavier sub-genres like hard rock.
Their newest single, ‘Polvo de Angel’, artfully mastered by the multiple Grammy nominated Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins), continues their love of rock fusion, as they play with darker punk and hard rock sounds to highlight the inky, unearthly quality of their lyrics.

Vadrok uses a blend of metaphor and real life experience to connect with their audience. They feature universal themes within their music, such as love, friendship and death, through a medium of concept and motif; so that listeners can empathize with the rawness of their verses, yet ascribe their own stories to the music.

With so many accomplishments under their belt, Vadrok is smashing into summer with a multifaceted style and confidence, that is sure to spiral them into a Latin household name.

Artist Name: Jack Be
Track Name: Beauty Hurts
Label: Independent
Genre: Hip-hop, Soul, Electronic
For fans of: Joji, Spooky Black, Lykke Li, Childish Gambino
ISRC: GBKPL1814111

In a stitched up collage of musical genre, new hiphop artist Jack Be, has just debuted his first single ‘Beauty Hurts’, off his brand new EP ‘Cool New Trash’. The rich and varied layers within the single, feature sounds as distinct as freestyle rap, an slow ambient beat, and even hints of vibrato— all merged together into one ultimately unique track.

It is a renegade hiphop with softened edges, as Jack Be experiments with breaking the rhythmic frames of traditional rap; melding the genre with the vulnerability and languidness often found in soul, and R&B. In addition, Jack Be’s extensive opera history further lends a rich undertone to the sung verses within the music, not usually found within the Hiphop genre.

The California singer has opened for the likes of 2 Chainz, Lil Pump, Juicy J and Ty Dolla Sign, making Jack Be one to look out for, as he carves himself his own distinct niche within the rap world. Indeed ‘Beauty Hurts’ features an erosion of sound; the crumbling of musical genres as they melt and layer into each other within the track. Further hinting at the experimentation that will likely be a strong focus throughout ‘Cool New Trash.’

Jack Be is a new face on the hiphop scene who is not afraid to redefine what it means to be a rapper. Catch his debut single ‘Beauty Hurts’ this summer, as he plays around with the edges of hiphop to craft something revolutionary.

Artist Name: The Division Red
Track Name: Texas
Label: Orbital Entertainment
Genre: Rock & Roll
For fans of: Incubus, Led Zeppelin, Coheed & Cambria
ISRC: QZDA71802573

The Division Red embodies the classic heart of rock & roll, and nowhere is that more evident than in their new single ‘Texas’ off of their brand new EP ‘Crossfire’

With heavy driven guitars interlaced with synth ambiences and a healthy dose of pop, The Division Red strives to create a completely different genre— a ‘new’ rock and roll— where the essence of classic rock anthems can mix with the fresher genres and structures of the 21st century to create a sound unique unto itself. 

Yet the band believes in the power of lyrics; strip away the other elements and they are at heart traditionalists, with their first aim being to kick start a renewed interest in a half buried genre.
In fact their debut single ‘Texas’, artfully mastered by Mazen Murad ( Iggy Azalea, M.I.A, Monuments), features such an attentiveness to a purist rock and roll, with an 80’s synth rock base that slowly builds into heavier vibrations of guitar and drum, abating only slightly to allow a huge guitar solo to shine through.

The Division Red cites artists like Coheed & Cambria’s range of styles as an influence, as well as artists like Beck and Prince for their song craftsmanship.

Indeed, the release of ‘Texas’, off their EP Crossfire, launches The Division Red onto their journey of repainting rock and roll back into relevancy. But painted with the musical tools of the modern era, they do more than just revitalize the genre. The Division Red is gearing up to create a sound that can ultimately transcend genre itself.

Artist Name: Kap Kallous
Track Name: Lonely Heart
Label: Independent
Genre: Rap/Hip-hop
For fans of: Machine Gun Kelly, Kid Cudi, Twenty One Pilots, Yelawolf, Post Malone
ISRC:

Dipped in darkness and woven with a heavy rock influence, rap artist Kap Kallous delves into the twisted mechanism of love and relationships through the release of his new album, ‘Lonely Heart’.

The California rapper gained traction in the hip-hop scene with his 2014 debut album, ‘Grandeur’, which followed his North American ‘Mursday’ tour with artists Mursday and Mayday!. He then went on to release his experimental rap album ‘December’, as well as his most recent 2016 project, ‘That Juice’. Kap Kallous has also previously collaborated with the likes of Freeway, TechN9ne and Caskey of YMCMB, proving him to be a name that is on the rise in the rap world.

The idea behind ‘Lonely Heart’ was born out of Kap Kallous’s recent shove back into the murky waters of the dating pool, and his realization that the people he had met were all similarly struggling with loneliness, and a sense of confusion.

“You know, a lot of people are looking for things that they don’t have in themselves, and they’re trying to fill it with attributes that they’re finding in other people. and no one’s really happy with it, at least in my experiences in dating in LA.” He says. “The opening line of the title track, ‘Lonely Heart’ is ‘I love you, I hate you, I know that’ and it’s just like – people are confused. I’m sure you’ve been in a relationship before and if you’ve really cared about someone you’ve also really hated that person. And to be really really angry is lonely.”

The solo artist is distinct is his usage of vernacular, as a medium to craft sketches of life. Rather than using the genre merely as a surfaced platform to showcase his rapping prowess, a move which Kap Kallous has experimented with in his past work, the rapper has chosen ‘Lonely Heart’ as a way to delve into the meaning behind his words; utilizing the poetry in the lyrics to display his messages.

Furthermore, his use of instruments not usually associated with hip-hop, such as electric guitar over rich classic piano, allow Kap Kallous the freedom to experiment with his sound, and with the borders of traditional rap. Following suit the album’s title track, ‘Lonely Heart’, features a heavy hitting production with a foundation in heavy rock— wrapping his verses in a guitar-filled, metal-tinged musical.

The artist’s reshaping of genre allows him to be more than a rapper, but in essence a musician, melding the various strands of sound at his disposal to create the music he wants to convey. In a merging of The Black Keys meets Post Malone, Kap Kallous’ ‘Lonely Heart’ is bound to break barriers in 2018.