Vocalists & Wordsmiths - Hot & New 7/31

7/31/2023

9 min

While instrumentals and beats convey deep emotions all on their own, vocalists add their own brand of power to a track. Singers inspire listeners to sing along, rappers create flowing poetry, and both allow listeners to connect directly with their message. Audius celebrates the talents of vocalists on this week's Hot & New playlist update!

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TERROR REID, the hip-hop project from the same producer known as Getter, unveiled a collaborative EP with Pouya titled CHROME CASKETZ. This body of work contains 5 tracks, all featuring both TERROR REID and Pouya’s flows in addition to the masterful production from TERROR REID himself. Not only that, but CHROME CASKETZ spotlights fellow rappers SXMPRA and Yvncc on separate songs. The beats throughout this EP capture the essence of dark trap rap: haunting filters, lurching rhythms, and demonic moods. “Black Mass” caught the attention of Audius listeners up front, but the entirety of CHROME CASKETZ deserves a thorough listen-through.

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STRANJAH enhances the fusion jersey club with drum and bass in their remix of “Super Shy” by K-pop girl group NewJeans. The STRANJAH remix of “Super Shy” is a bit more sped up while maintaining the angelic quality of the NewJeans vocalists. Meanwhile, STRANJAH adds dashes of growling frequencies and the classic jersey club squeaky chair sample to the first verse. Then, during the choruses, STRANJAH highlights the stark yet seamless switch to drum and bass. They chop up the original rhythm in “Super Shy” just a bit and add a quavering melancholic tone in the background. STRANJAH takes the emotions being conveyed by the NewJeans vocalists and deepens them with their remix of “Super Shy.”

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AKTHESAVIOR, one-half of the famed rap duo The Underachievers, drops his latest album titled Tracing Patterns. Although the album was released on July 28th across platforms, Audius listeners had the opportunity to catch six tracks from Tracing Patterns a day early. “Do Wrong” quickly became popular with fans on the platform, a track characterized by a soulful but sad beat. While the instrumental rolls on, AKTHESAVIOR flows smoothly. The legendary wordsmith waxes poetically about his past emotional complacency contrasting with the inner peace he feels in the present. AKTHESAVIOR once again shows off the talents that landed him among America’s most notorious rappers.

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Taking a turn down a more introspective road, Morris the Friend enters a reflective mood in “Night Dancer.” The minimal, mournful production immerses the atmosphere in sensual sadness. Morris the Friend’s deep yet dulcet voice sings about a dancer he longed for, but couldn’t have for himself. “Night Dancer” twinkles sorrowfully in shifting shades of blue and purple; the strong metaphors in color being very typical of Morris the Friend’s style. In “Night Dancer,” he sings despondently of conflicting feelings of desire, loyalty, and opportunities lost - relatable feelings that require deep vulnerability to admit.

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Rome in Silver reignites joy in his bouncy new single, “Keep The Lights On (feat. Beach Season).” This track comes as the fourth and final single from Rome in Silver’s upcoming album. “Keep The Lights On” uses a house beat to carry the dreamy and carefree elements of Rome in Silver’s production. Meanwhile, the vocalist of the duo Beach Season is sampled throughout, giving the track its name. As always, Rome in Silver’s production sounds like sunshine warming your skin, giving you the energy to tackle the day with a smile. “Keep The Lights On” absolutely has Audius excited to hear the rest of the album, as well!

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A vocalist’s timbre and words have great capacity; they can magnify or alter the original meaning behind an instrumental. Their words can empower people or empathize with strong emotions. Explore the endless, moving talent of our favorite vocalists and wordsmiths on this week’s Hot & New playlist update!