Girl Fire, Pop, Videos | Melanie Martinez — Carousel [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on October 15, 2014
After ending her run on The Voice in the show’s third season, semi-finalist and now 19-year-old singer/songwriter Melanie Martinez said that her primary objective was to express who she was and touch people’s hearts. Just a year later, she’s set to reach many more; her Dollhouse EP from earlier this year was critically-acclaimed, its lead single garnered over eight million views, and now her second single, “Carousel”, has both been listed as one of Spotify’s most viral tracks and was recently featured in the promos for American Horror Story: Freak Show. As of this afternoon, “Carousel” has gotten a visual treatment as well, and for an artist who cares as deeply about her aesthetic and brand as Melanie does, you know this is a must watch. The song was written and produced with the help of the NYC-based duo Kinetics & One Love—who have been her closest collaborators while recording her new album—and features the same kind of stirring, hip-hop-inspired production and breathy, commanding vocals that we’ve come to expect from Melanie of late. Do yourself a favor and check this video out now, and keep yourself updated with the links below.
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Girl Fire, Pop | King Deco — Ocean [Lyric Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on October 15, 2014
I’ve said this before, but King Deco is an incredibly special talent. Too rarely do I come across a pop songstress who has all the vocal power and polish of a radio heavyweight, yet with a thoughtful aesthetic and resonant lyrics. Building off the success of her last EP, Tigris, Deco released a lyric video for “Ocean”, my favorite song from the project. It’s a heartfelt and thoughtful song that addresses her choice to leave her family in Jordan, where she was raised: “Am I really wrong now?/My family condemns me/But it’s empty in that city of sand.” As a writer, aided by the assistance of NYC writing/production team Kinetics & One Love, she has that essential skill of turning her personal stories into something accessible for others, and extremely poignant. The song was produced by Cobra Starship guitarist Ryland Blackinton and One Love, and is equally mesmeric and cinematically produced as anything we’ve seen come from her camp thus far. Take the time today to watch this compelling new visual from one of pop music’s brightest newcomers.
Videos | Kinetics & One Love — Time Machine (Feat. Neon Hitch) [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on May 2, 2014
It’s been a year-and-a-half since we last heard from Kinetics & One Love, who have been steadily building a reputation as one of the most talented and promising duos in the genre on any scale. Always conceptual in their artistry, 2012’s terrific album You Are Not Alone solidified elements of their philosophical identity and developed an iconic sense of self, one that many artists are unable to conjure throughout the span of a career. Now, after a brief hiatus writing and producing for other artists (Neon Hitch, Melanie Martinez), they’ve returned with an even deeper and more fully-developed vision and aesthetic, continuing their streak of new music releases where a sense of progression is invoked. It’s expected at this point, and in a genre where progression isn’t commonplace and often first albums are a rapper’s most heralded, it bears a lot of weight that this group simply can’t make new music without “development” being a part of the dialogue.
“Time Machine” features the powerful vocals of Neon Hitch, and ups-the-ante for up-and-comers with its video by Hourglass Films, setting the bar for depth and quality at a level that may have never been surpassed before by independent artists. The track features Kinetics as innovative and visionary as he’s ever been on the mic, invoking the sentiments of Nikola Tesla, using the second verse to detail elements of his poignant death, from the hotel room to the “do not disturb” sign on the door that he left prior to his passing. One Love, too, shows his maturity as a producer here, not just inviting the listener to enter this world, but keeping them there. While his production here isn’t as much in the forefront as it has been on songs like “Vecina Del Mar” and “You Could Save Us All”, he’s become so adept at using the intricacies of his production to complement his vocalists, and its often the subtleties of his work that are the most resonant.
Hip-Hop, Videos | Mike Stud – Bad Habits (feat. Kinetics) (Prod. One Love)
Posted by LoffyG on October 8, 2013
Cover | Neon Hitch — We Can’t Stop (Miley Cover) [Prod. Kinetics & One Love]
Posted by jeffwbaird on September 16, 2013
After a few number one dance hits and a notable feature on Gym Class Heroes’ “Ass Back Home”, British singer/songwriter Neon Hitch’s stock is at an all-time high. After spending some time in Kinetics & One Love’s NYC studio, they created this smooth reinterpretation of Miley’s hit “We Can’t Stop” (in addition to some other material to be released soon), complete with improved lyrics and a downtempo, horn-driven beat from One Love that shows off the budding beatmaker’s tremendous versatility. Check it out, and be sure to connect with all three artists below.
Neon Hitch | Kinetics | One Love
Hip-Hop | Accent — Careless (feat. Hunter Stout & Lyric Lincoln) [Prod. DJ Grumble]
Posted by jeffwbaird on August 24, 2013
Accent is back and as lyrically sharp as he’s ever been, teaming up here with vocalists Hunter Stout and Lyric Lincoln (who we previously heard on Dylan Owen’s “The Window Seat”) for this upbeat breakup jam. Armed with an uptempo, sample-laden beat from DJ Grumble and a catchy hook, Accent takes the track the extra mile rhyming three 8-bar verses with more rhyme-schemes at work then most artists can muster in twice the space. His new mixtape, With A Little Help From My Friends II (see Kinetics’ part one here), is due out this fall, and is guaranteed to continue to merge his advanced lyricism with some more aesthetically-pleasing soundscapes.
Hip-Hop | Hi-Rez — Never Enough (feat. Kinetics) [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on March 28, 2013
I’ve been aware of Hi-Rez’s growing stardom for awhile now, but it wasn’t until I really delved into his work that I realized how deserving he is. Rez is a talented rapper in his own right, who cares about the kind of hip-hop he represents, and thus works diligently on his lyricism. Joining him on this gripping, melodic Cherne beat is Kinetics, an absolute lyrical warrior, who is becoming one of the blog-world’s most consistent songwriters and emcees. Neither disappoints here, and Kinetics’ enthralling hook is what gives it its true lasting appeal. Be sure to stay updated on these two as their popularity continues to grow — we can only imagine that they are destined for long careers given their talent.