The sound of Brazilian Bossa Nova which evolved back in the late fifties has been having a resurgence in recent decades, turning out as a backbone of numerous songs (and albums) not only within jazz that popularized it elsewhere but in many other popular music genres.
Yet, often the key names of the Bossa originators like Antonio Carlos ‘Tom’ Jobim remain somewhere in the background, particularly within the more popular genres. Whether it is the fact that Bossa Nova and Jobim didn’t originate in what are usually considered the world’s music centers, or is it simply the passage of time, makes no difference.
It is just that the listeners need to be reminded that the sound of Bossa Nova is still around decades after it was created and that artists like Tom Jobim have had such a great influence on what is now the essence of modern popular music.
The Messthetics - Emergence
Jazz trio The Messthetics join forces with one of the best current saxophonists James Brandon Lewis for their new album and this introductory single from it. Hopefully, it will draw the attention of a wider audience to what is going on in modern jazz at the moment.
Quarters of Change - Tightrope
New York’s Quarters of Change are not going for anything revolutionary in their sound, but their guitar-driven sound and nifty vocal harmonies create a good sound that deserves the attention they have been getting lately.
Glixen - foreversoon
Shoegaze is back in vogue (did it ever go out of it?), and Phoenix quartet Glixen seems to have assimilated all the best elements of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and all the originals of the sound.
Pouty - TV on TV
Rachel Gagliardi, aka Pouty, seems to be on a creative streak, not only as a member of Slutever and Upset but even more so under her solo moniker with her no-holds-barred, ‘free-range’ pop/rock.
Tucker Woods - Are You Glass?
Tucker Woods is a duo of Chris Hurd and Brian Motel who like their Americana-tinged rock with a bit of Ennio Morricone-like guitar touches, well, at least on this track from their upcoming album.
Nan Macmillan - Emerge
Very often, with a quiet, slow-burning ballad the key lies in the way the artist performs the song and the quality of the song itself, and here Mcmillan excels in both aspects, adding quite a tasty arrangement.
Onceweresixty - Don’t Get Stuck
This Italian band seems to have been away for a decade, and this track from their upcoming new album signifies not only that they are back, but also that they have something substantial to present this time around.
Klaus Johan Grobe - Highway High
Another singular name, another duo. This time around it is Switzerland’s Klaus John Grobe, whom it took six years to come up with a new album of slow-evolving, late-night electro-grooves, from where this single is from.
Blu DeTiger - Dangerous Game
It is not just the looks that Blu DeTiger should be known for but this New York artist knows how to come up with a hook-filled song. Maybe the fact that she has played a bass guitar since she was six has something to do with it. From her upcoming debut album.
Josh Fortenbery - Heirlooms
Fortenbery is from Juneau, Alaska, but seems to be quite tuned in at what is going on with the current state of Americana music, coming up with quite an intriguing string arrangement that complements his weathered vocals.
Luke Middleton - Dead To Me
Middleton reminisces here about his stint within the U.S. Army infantry, combining effectively some quiet with quite some louder moments that exemplify the state of post-punk/emo at the moment.
Blair Lee - Grow
Toronto’s Lee seems to give quite an accent to the lyrics that she combines with her music, often an element that separates a good singer-songwriter from a not-so-good one. She is certainly in the first category.
Faux Real - Rent Free
Duos seem to like their electro these days, and so does this French-American one. They seem to have studied their moves quite carefully, as they, ahem, don’t miss a single beat here
The Body & Dis Fig - To Walk The Higher Path
Some heavy, post-rock sounds here from the trio with some intriguing vocals that displace the whole sound from any particular genre and within quite a few of them at the same time. Expect an intriguing album from them.
Jon Muq - Shake Shake
You don’t just get out of Kampala, Uganda, and end up being produced by Dan Auerbach of Black Keys just for novelty reasons. Muq seems to combine his Afrobeat background with some cool soul and folk moves.
Deena Abdelwahed - Violence for Free
Abdelwahed has created some serious ripples in the modern ambient/elector music scene with her latest album ‘Jbal Rrsas.’ Now she presents remixes from the album, this pulsating one by DJ Plead.
CIRCOLO VIZIOSO - Walls
This Berlin duo combines their love of Krautrock and punk in this, very lo-fi cry against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. You really have to turn this one up loud, real loud.
Jon McKiel - Hex
Some interesting sounds from Jon McKiel and New Brunswick Canada where he is from. An intriguing arrangement for a singer-songwriter, harking back to the ones legendary John Martyn used to come up with.
Kiran Leonard - Treat Me A Stranger
This one is dubbed as ‘utilitarian pop’ but whatever that is supposed to mean, probably the brevity of the song or the ‘musical snippet,’ if you will, it still sounds great.
The Hanging Stars - Sweet Light
If you are wondering why this London quintet was recently invited to Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville for the 2023 Americana Music Association Festival, this single from their upcoming album gives ample reasons.