2016 was an interesting year to say the least. From a personal level it has been pretty eye-opening. Somethings weren’t fun and other things were fantastic. One thing that stayed constant was how music and its influence stayed enjoyable. Throughout the year I was continually surprised with all the talented artists I found over time.
So this is part 1 of 3 of my feature dedicated to what artists I think you should follow. This multi-part feature is a listing of singers, producers, DJs, rappers, bands, and etc. Hopefully you’ll find that I cover everything and keep things diverse. Again, I just wanted to share what you’d normally heard behind my headphones at any given time. I think that the world at large should know about these special individuals as well.
Clicking on each artists name will open a new tab to the song listed. Thus you can enjoy the songs I’ve chosen to represent them.
The songs listed aren’t necessarily their best but one of my favorites to give you sample of their impressive talents. So grab a drink and take a seat. This list is a I created from a year’s worth of countless hours looking and listening.
When I think of producers of some of my favorite songs, I immediately think of Prism’s works. This crafter of music from Syndey, Australia is a young person with musical foresight beyond her years. With Change, an old jazzy classic is reborn a new and made modern. Lite’s tunes can sometimes be lofi-hiphop, jazz, and funk. I always look forward to new stuff from her as she pushes those boundaries. There’s no times for complacency.
A lot can be said for experience with a talent. I’ve been a fan of Marcus D for years and I know he’s probably been active much longer than that. His latest album is dedicated to Jazz and its notable transformations over the years. This track is a head nod to Jazz and it’s on going influence to hip hop’s evolution. Much like the song parepare, he’s on the move and never stopping. Makes sense considering he travels between Seattle, Japan and wherever else his talents are summoned.
Another producer whose music I eagerly await is from Seoul, South Korea. This talented and busy producer is a master of future funk and house music. He incorporates Sailor Moon aesthetics to create tunes no one else can. Love You is his latest track where he expresses his gratitude to his fans. His songs are always smooth and mood changers. I always wonder do how this youngman finds the time to create new songs, considering he’s also performs in Japan and Seoul often.
Here’s another interesting producer I’ve across. ’92 focuses breathing new life and rejuvenating music from the past. His genres mainly lie between futurefunk and house music.One of my favorite tracks is Nimbus, an impressive take on music from Dragonball. Like the name implies; it’s airy, uplifting, and a relaxing ride. 92’s music is a must listen.
He often refers to himself as an average anime influenced producer. As evidenced with this song, there’s more to him than just that. He’s able to create contemporary pieces from existing ones. He also makes beats from scratch regularly. It takes some considerable amount of skill to make music for particularly any genre well. Mittens is very talented but when you’re from California I guess that’s to be expected.
I’ve mentioned few producers familiar with future funk before. Now if you’re looking for someone whom can show you the genre’s range that’s Yumi Rose. With the track Battle he takes a piano piece and composes it into thumping bass high tempo song. The Chicago native does this on the regular though, which is why I became a fan.
So imagine any song you like; now imagine it transformed into something pop like and fun. That’s some of the things Marcross can do. He also has an impeccable skill to create futuristic bass heavy tunes. One of my favorite composition is also just a sample of what he can do. He could also drop tunes that would fit a 1990s rap album. He’s also an active live performer and it makes sense that all his songs sound like party starters.
Fighting the good fight for music this musician lives in Olympia Washington. She’s something of an electronica artisan. Of course with her knowledge and professional background with music overall she could do it all. Here she samples a tune from Sonic CD and works magic. Speedy, rhythmic, and experimental you couldn’t ask more from a good tune. Lee is my go to person for everything electronica.
Is another musician that specializes in well everything. This professional’s multi-genre music has graced a number of videogames and she still finds the time to create albums. With Initiate Thought, I get drawn into her prowess with creating haunting ambient electronica. Her unique experience allows her to create music that’s free of mainstream influences. Don’t take my word for look at her works, she’s a pro with all kinds of music. It feels very refreshing to hear her music. It’s like…getting a breath of fresh air after leaving a smoggy city.
You know I had a hard time of how to introduce this Californian musician. He can sing, produce, and is rather proficient beyond his years. He keeps himself busy with multiple projects to grow his career. Your Bed is melodic, personal, unique and feels like it took hours to get right. I believe all his compositions feel like they took countless hours to perfect. I think Kevin is something special that everyone should hear.
Single-handedly responsible for keeping disco, jazz, and funk relevant in these modern times. This Jersey resident is part performer, producer, and an eternal practitioner of groovy. Years in the lab as allowed him to craft tunes like Flight of the Flamingo. This jam is smooth and so cool even my mom bumps this (no really). Although he often works with others he still regularly releases his own albums.
A great singer is someone whom can invoke multiple emotions with their voice. So with that in mind, Raiche is quite the exceptional singer. This up and coming artist has a voice that seemingly came from nowhere in time and space. With Gravity she displays her range damning the feeling of being kept down emotionally. You’ll notice I didn’t mention any genres. Well that’s because she doesn’t sing conforming to only one style in general.
If the future of R&B needed its forerunner it would be the talented Mr. Ehiorobo. He produces, sings, and may even rap his own music. I’ll be frank, no one has the unique take he does for the genre. Maple Leaves for example, is soulful, contemporary, and possess an air of quirkiness to it. This kind of music is Ehirobo’s signature of style. Did I mention this Jersey resident regularly performs live too? I’m waiting until heads out to Florida.
Ok, I’m going to sound really cheesy here. So when I listen to aivi & surasshu my mood gets a lot better, I feel warm & fuzzy on the inside, and I feel more relaxed. This duo crafts some of the most beautiful pieces of music I know. They also happen to make music for a little show called Steven Universe. Andy’s Flight as the name implies is an uplighting and airy composition accompanied with some pulsating bass. This highly professional duo makes beautiful music together and I’m glad to be a fan.
I hope you did enjoy this list and all the music. However this is just a sample of what each person does. They all have a special place in music that anyone can appreciate. Hey, this is done yet. This is just part 1 of my feature like I mentioned. Click here to follow part 2. You can click here for part 3. Moving on, I explore more genres as I share more of my favorite artists with you.
*I don’t own nor claim the right to the track artwork used in this post*
BetterRhymes 