Slow Magic‘s newest 13-track EP, Float, is exactly what I need to get through a long day of work where I’m staring at my computer aimlessly.  If you are not familiar with Slow Magic, he is known for staying hidden beneath a neon zebra mask, where he makes instrumental electronic music that can be quite mesmerizing and packed with unique forms of percussions, rhythms, and synths.

According to Slow Magic, work on Float began during a trip to Iceland. Slow Magic cites the surreal change in light that far north as an inspiration for this album.

The album begins with “Valhalla” and ends with “Relent,” perfect ways to begin and end an EP, slowly taking you in and slowly fading you out.

“Mind” features Kate Boy, a Swedish synth duo from Stockholm. They add a lot of depth to the synth beats in the song and make it a happy dance track with a lot of levels of complexity as well as peacefulness. This was also the first time that Slow Magic introduced vocals onto a track.

“Skelton Pink” comes in with a drum beat, as if a marching band should be expected behind you, but then the electric melody comes along and creates something completely different and unexpected.

“Belong to Me” has the most to offer on the album, the vocals fit in well with the drum beats and synth. Everything melts together in a harmonic melody that reminds me of being above everything, literally floating.  “Light ft. tropics” is also very ethereal and keeps the album fresh and from getting monotonous so deep into the track list.

The album is a short 42 minutes, yet you are guaranteed to find a song that speaks to you within that short time. In a way, it is hard to describe electronic music because it feels different to everyone. That is the challenge alone in making good electronic music and something that I believe Slow Magic has captured.

This album encompasses the difference in many people’s personalities and leaves a track for each person, whether you are a fan of electronic music or not.

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Cotton Tornado may be my new favorite name for an album, ever. It is the newest creative venture from Jason Butler and the founder of Thee Conductor. The album is a self-professed art project of this debut group of musicians. Butler is well-known for his writing for other albums including the likes of Sonic Youth.

The album is a mix and range of sounds from small chimes like you would hear on your neighbor’s porch to an impressive use of the trumpet. The album is instrument-forward which leads it to be a more interesting group of songs. Butler’s voice comes through strong and solid on all the tracks.

For me, the best track would be “Tiny Tin Man.” It is catchy and the bass in the background along with the plucking of the guitar makes his voice, which is already a little crackly, meld in the most imperfect way. The trumpet comes in and brings in the complexity of the song and creates a jazz, late-night feel.

All the tracks have such different beginnings and ends, which makes sense since there are so many artists collaborating, but the whole album melds together properly. I also enjoy that each song is less than four minutes. It gives you a chance to enjoy each completely different song and the differences in them.

“Ditty” reminds me a lot more of a jam band song of my teen years with a little ‘90s rock thrown in. There is a guitar solo a minute in that is alone worth the listen.

Every song has its own personality on this album – and if for no other reason, you need to give this album a listen.

Keep an eye on what Butler continues to produce, because if nothing else it will be different, interesting and fun.

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Dutch artist Larry de Kat put together an interesting six-track album, Un Olandese a Milano. The album has so many different genres of music in one place that I am not sure if it is confusing or memorizing. De Kat is the main producer on the record; in the past he released hip-hop and jazz-influenced house music, as well as a live set featuring rising Dutch singer Juno on Vocals, Thomas van Dijk on keys, and N Mabjaia on bass.

Despite the previous expereince, however, it feels like this album falls a little flat in terms of cohesiveness. Not to say all albums have that requirement, but it’s hard to tell if I am listening to a house or R&B album, and as a listener, I am not quite sure how I feel about that. Each song separately could be an amazing addition to any album, but it is confusing when they are all together as they don’t flow seamlessly from one to the other.

“Do it for love” is without a doubt the best track on the album. I could listen to this song on repeat in a dank, dark, smoky night club. It is reminiscent of Erykah Badu’s first album, vocally and musically. It is soulful, rich and everything hip-hop and R&B did for the ‘90s. After the vocals end four minutes in, the listener is still treated to a seductive synth beat through to the last minute.

The album grows on you with every listen. It is worth giving it a listen a few times before developing an opinion, which is a lot to ask these days. It is a bit confused, but maybe that’s the magic of it, because where it wins it really wins with some solid beats and incredible vocals. If you like funky, jazzy music, and something to sink your teeth into that isn’t just straight up house, listen to this album, you won’t regret a thing.

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I have been a hip-hop fan for years and would like to consider myself well-versed in new styles of not only hip-hop but indie music in general. This was my first experience with Tattoo Money, a Brooklyn-based, alternative hip-hop artist and songwriter who is releasing his first EP, Untitled. In general, this is an artist with incredible potential, who unfortunately displayed a lack of creativity on this release.

The first track, “Caffeine on a empty stomach” lends homage to the Outkast song “Elevators” with its first line, “One for the money, yes sir, two for the show / A couple of years ago on Orchard and Monroe.” The song plays on his frustrations of being labeled not “black enough” and not “white enough,” and although the song’s lyrics may hold importance, the beat itself is poorly produced with too many layers. The lyrics get lost, which is unfortunate because it’s clear he has a lot to say.

The second track, “Barrington Levy,” is so different from the first song that it is almost unrecognizable as the same artist. It begins with an acoustic guitar which quickly fades into a heavy reggae tone, and once again displays confused melodies. “l,” on the other hand, is the epitome of every Spoon or Arctic Monkeys song that I have ever heard.

“Black girl magic,”featuring a slowed-down guitar and very little synth, is the best song on the EP. It showcases his voice and tells a good story. It’s what I wanted the rest of the EP to sound like: smooth, and simple with a true narrative. “Liars” is another distinct shift. If you are familiar with B.O.B., I would compare this to him, with more of an indie/R&B side. As with previous tracks, the lyrics have substance, but the music/beat are lacking.

He writes in his bio on Soundcloud, “My story is our story, my songs are our songs,” and I do appreciate that sentiment, but there is a lot of work to be done before this artist really shows the world what this means.

Tattoo Money has great potential if he finds his own voice. He has a lot to say and should be heard, but it’s hard to listen when all I can hear are the other artists that he emulates. I will continue to look out for this artist and hope to see him continue to grow.

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Capital Cities fans should be happy to hear from the duo comprising the group, Sebu Simonian and Ryan Merchant, as the last time we heard from them was back in 2013 with A Tidal Wave of Mystery. There may be a little bit of disappointment in that Swimming Pool Summer is only a four-song EP (five if you count the remix), as opposed to a brand new second album. I don’t think fans should be too sad, though, as this EP has a lot of Capital Cities’ old style (at least the opening track) and some catchy summer tunes.

“Swimming Pool Summer” starts off this EP – it is repetitive in nature, but in the best possible way. With the harmonized vocals and a wide array of synth, trumpet, and string instruments bringing many different levels to the mix, this is easily the best track on the album.

“Drop everything” is the second song on this album and amidst the other three songs, it’s less memorable and lacks the summer sultriness that “Swimming Pool Summer” possesses. “Drop everything” has a bit more of a house music vibe and couldn’t hold its own in comparison to a catchy summer track that it followed.

“Girl Friday” is a little off from the duo’s normal style, as not only does this song feature the rapper Rick Ross (unlike their first album that featured a sublimely better artist in Andre 3000), but it is confused by a chill vibe, poppy repetitiveness and an awkward rap by Ross – who is normally a lot smoother in nature. Merchant and Simonian repeat ‘She’s my Girl Friday’ over and over in the chorus until it becomes obnoxious.

“Drifting” is actually my favorite track on the EP. It veers away from the other styles of the album and feels a little more electronic, but somehow more complex and musical. It brings the EP to “a drifting close” in a manner that is not only fitting of the album, but in a literal way – it fades you out properly.

I am excited to see what this duo comes up with next. Until then, enjoy these tracks at the beach, during the dog days of summer.

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I’ve always had a soft spot for cover songs. Not the kind done by old ‘80s rockers trying to reinvent their glory days – that kind that are reinvented by talented artists. The artists who find twists and new ways to rediscover classics and make them their own, which is exactly what Jono McCleery, a London-based artist, has done with his newest release, Seeds of Dandelion.

The covers date from 1941 to 2013, showcasing works by artists ranging from Billie Holiday all the way to Beyoncé. Can McCleery’s version of “Halo” compare to the Beyoncé version? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good or brave, to say the least. It just isn’t the same, and that was the point here, to create something of his own while using and honoring the original song.

The string quartet usage, as well as the vocals on many of the songs, are haunting and almost separated from their originals. My favorite song on the album is “God Bless the Child,” a song that is unrecognizably Billie Holiday. The song comes in with a heavy guitar leading you into a more upbeat folk version with a quiet quartet closing out the background.

This is an album that, I feel like, will be hit or miss with most people. It is hard to touch well-known tracks without much criticism, but McCleery shows respect for the originals, has a subtle restraint in his voice, and illustrates care for with the melodies. This isn’t just someone’s garage karaoke party.

McCleery released his first album, Darkest Light, in 2008 entirely through the use of funds from fans. Since then he has been signed to Ninja Tune and became a known name throughout the London indie scene. I intend to keep an eye on Jono, his voice brings a familiarity and a difference at the same time, which is hard in a music industry saturated with sameness.

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