Weekly Roundup
Roundup by Carson Huffer
2022 has been a meteoric year for Vancouver’s young friend, and his final single of the year “little pieces” hammers home the need to pay attention to his innovative and immersive sound. The song reflects on a failed relationship, utilizing honest lyricism and expansive instrumentation to bare his soul in the wreckage his partner left behind. I’ve been a young friend fan since 2019’s yours kindly, and if “little pieces” has anything to say about Tarves’ prospects coming into the new year — I can confidently bet money on the explosive success coming for young friend in 2023.
With welcoming synths and a pulsing guitar line, New York based Crosslegged’s newest single “Only in The” surges forward with an entrancing energy. The lyrics rotate between self love and obsessive need for companionship, warring with their own wants and desires to juxtapose the soft and dreamy instrumentation. “Only in The” proceeds Crosslegged’s upcoming album Another Blue, and I cannot wait to hear what comes next for this producer and writer on the rise.
Finding coherent awareness of one’s own toxic and failing relationship is a battle like no other, and new single “Honey” finds Emily Guitar clawing her way through the desire to leave and the need to stay. Emily’s production and instrumentation creates the false security of a comforting and upbeat track, masking the true undercurrent of pain and realizations in her lyricism. If you’re a fan of artists like Holly Humberstone, you’ll find a familiar sound and engaging new voice in Emily Guitar.
Not Taking Me Back by Laken Lambson
Laken Lambson has been a favorite genre-bender of mine in 2022, and her newest single “Not Taking Me Back” showcases Lambson at her best. The poignant lyricism finds her moving on from the pain of the past, highlighted by the vibrant and building harmonic synths featured throughout the track. I cannot get this one out of my head as we close out the year!
Her Skin’s newest album I started a garden, released September 30th, looks upon the artist’s life in the most earnest of lenses. While the entire nine track album is a powerful and introspective journey, I found track two “confident” clutching my heart in its grasp with its relatability. The chorus sweeps through “These days I feel like I do nothing right” on repeat, speaking the inner critic of many in a loud and unmistakable fervor that I will not soon forget.
Bold and brash, Statues of Men’s newest release “Choke” evokes deep emotions over riotous guitar lines. Retro and modern rock collide in “Choke” to make the track a multi-generational dreamscape of explosive guitar lines and punchy drums. What’s a better way than to enter the new year with energetic rock n roll? I can’t think of one!
