New Series: Moonlxte Melodies is back with a new series- Song of the Day. Every day we’ll be recommending a new song on our social media, and every week we’ll drop a quick article about the 7 songs for the week. You can also find all the songs on our playlist here, and add them to your own playlists!
J Cole has many standout tracks on his purported final album, but this one shines especially due to immaculate soul sampling in the production, and of course, the excellent rapping. Flowing over a Marvin Sapp sample, Cole weaves a story of the violence around him as he rose to success, flexing top tier lyricism in the process.
High Road- Charlotte Day Wilson
Toronto RnB singer Charlotte Day Wilson has one of the best voices in the genre, and has the production chops to create the perfect atmosphere for her vocals to shine. She simply doesn’t sound like anyone else, and this song is the perfect example of the way her style draws you in.
Hotel California- Joji
Joji has somewhat quietly been one of the best pop stars of a generation, rising from internet comedian to household name. This song has a bit less sparse production than some of the other tracks on his new album Piss in the Wind, and the haunting chorus melody will play on repeat in your head.
Heaven- Arlo Parks
Another Arlo Parks single dropped, and another one makes our list. On this track, Parks gets you lost in a drum groove before capturing you with her vocals. The direction for her next project is clearly more dancey and energetic while maintaining her signature vocal tone and melancholy lyricism, making for an exciting display of versatility that doesn’t stray from what made her music special in the first place.
The Let Out- J Cole
The Let Out has all the makings of a classic J Cole track, an extremely unique production melody, a thoughtful concept, a layered sung chorus, and elite rapping. Cole tells a story about the danger of the moment the club closes and a massive crowd floods into the street or parking lot, setting the stage for potential violence.
Over Now- Hurricane Wisdom
We highlighted Hurricane Wisdom as a rapper to watch back in 2022 because his sound and presence on the mic were unmistakeable even at a young age. Now, he’s becoming a star in the industry with multiple bubbling hits, and this one is definitely the next one. His emotional, sing-rapping style, melding a beautiful vocal tone with an edge of confidence and legitimate lyricism are displayed on this song.
Flood- Dua Saleh feat. Bon Iver
Dua Saleh is making a name for herself, and working with Bon Iver is really going to help her exposure. This song feels wholly unique in its sonic experience, putting together two extremely distinctive voices over soulful, jazzy grooves. It feels like this song is innovating what modern pop music sounds like, and it’s a recipe for success.
Follow Moonlxte Melodies on Instagram here to see the daily drop of our song of the day. Also, click here to see our Spotify playlist of every song of the day. Thanks for you support!
New Series: Moonlxte Melodies is back with a new series- Song of the Day. Every day we’ll be recommending a new song on our social media, and every week we’ll drop a quick article about the 7 songs for the week. You can also find all the songs on our playlist here, and add them to your own playlists!
Reminders- Deante’ Hitchock feat. Childish Major, 6lack, Anna Field
Deante’ Hitchock is one of the best storytellers in modern rap music. On this track, he works with two of his best Atlanta contemporaries, Childish Major and 6lack. All 3 artists deliver reflective, emotional verses about the meaning of close family relationships and the concept that “there ain’t no shame in being afraid and still trying”, with soulful, dancing vocals from Anna Field giving shape to the track through the choruses and backing vocals.
Fake Friends- 42 Dugg
Detroit rapper 42 Dugg has been one of the hardest, most consistent rappers in the game since he exploded onto the scene in 2020. On “Fake Friends” he’s at his best, flowing over heavy, Detroit style drums, his voice echoing as he drops a number of memorable punchlines.
Good Girl- Paris Paloma
British singer Paris Paloma’s “Good Girl” is multilayered, a raw expression of pain and self-judgment grounded in a defiant feminine resolution to celebrate and affirm herself, with lyrics that are worthy of standalone praise, but in sonic context, where Paloma sounds something like Florence Welch in a more electronic production environment, the words come to life.
The Great Divide- Noah Kahan
“The Great Divide”, the debut single for Kahan’s upcoming album of the same name, in many ways is a continuation of his Stick Season era, mostly in terms of sound, bringing back the kind of instrumentation that broke him into the mainstream, and maintaining the sublime vocals and intricate songwriting that made him such an important artist to begin with. It is a new moment though, and it feels like Kahan is ready to take off and create a new world for his fans to get lost in.
Cutting Board- Anna Justen
Rising indie artist Anna Justen’s “Cutting Board” shows off strong songwriting chops and catchy production full of subtle ear candy. The song is built on guitar chords that get you in a groove and lyrics that make you visualize the way Justen’s experience, like the image of a “cutting board turned to driftwood in my sink”. Overall, this is a thoughtful, well-crafted song concept executed to deliver replay value.
Anesthesia- Aries
Aries is always remarkably consistent, and he delivered a cohesive vision on his new album GLASS JAW. “Anesthesia” is an example of his best work, melding influences from emo rap to pop punk. He displays growth as an immensely talented producer, creating suspense and an immense sonic payoff when the beat drops, his vocals are on point, and his songwriting feels less shrouded in metaphors and more open than ever before.
Milk & Honey .- fakemink
21-year-old London rapper fakemink is one of THE names to know in underground hip hop right now. He’s been breaking into the mainstream in a major way, and his new self-produced seven track project The Boy who cried Terrified . is taking him to the next level. “Milk & Honey” is a great example of his ear for production that stands out in the modern scene, taking influences from Cloud Rap and mid-2010s Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti and Future production.
Follow Moonlxte Melodies on Instagram here to see the daily drop of our song of the day. Also, click here to see our Spotify playlist of every song of the day. Thanks for you support!
New Series: Moonlxte Melodies is back with a new series- Song of the Day. Every day we’ll be recommending a new song on our social media, and every week we’ll drop a quick article about the 7 songs for the week. You can also find all the songs on our playlist here, and add them to your own playlists!
Snail Mail is back! The lead single for her upcoming album Ricochet is built on a phenomenal guitar riff and evocative lyricism. The song structure is easy to re-listen to over and over again, and is full of moments that will make it excellent to experience live.
STOLE YA FLOW- A$AP Rocky
After 8 years without releasing an album A$AP Rocky is back with a vengeance on his new record Don’t Be Dumb, especially on “STOLE YA FLOW”, where he sends shots at Drake, and anyone else who has switched up on him, over a grimy beat. An artist known for his flows, Rocky is back doing what made him a star on this track, riding the beat with ease and dropping plenty of memorable punchlines.
When the War is Over- Nourished By Time
Baltimore artist Nourished By Time has one of the most special, unique sounds out at the moment. This feels like a sound that can change popular music over the next few years. This song is a fantastic example of his meticulous instrumentation, soulful vocals, and displays a strong combination of emotional expression and artists experimentation.
Dog at your Doorstep- Connall Caffety
Young singer-songwriter Connall Cafferty perfectly captured yearning desperately for a relationship that isn’t meant to be on this track. The production lets his vocals shine, and you can feel every word in your core. The structure has a fantastic build-up and a memorable chorus. This song is ready to help Cafferty break out in a big way.
A Cold Play- The Kid Laroi
The instrumental on this song includes programmed trap drums over spacy cords, creating a perfect environment for the Kid Laroi’s vocals to shine. This is so melodically pleasing, with Laroi finding the pocket and making every moment of the track easy to listen to.
2SIDED- Arlo Parks
British singer Arlo Parks is quietly one of the best voices in the game right now, and this track is probably the best uptempo, dancey record she has ever released (with most of her catalogue being softer tracks with beautifully gut-wrenching lyricism). This song feels like a club dance scene in a movie, cinematic and full of movement.
Oh Wide World- Mon Rovîa
New folk artist Mon Rovîa is bringing back old school political folk to the mainstream, with a sound that evokes legends like Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel at times. On “Oh Wide World”, you get to really hear his vocal chops on an earworm chorus. He’s fantastic at creating replay value for music that makes you think and feel his American experience.
Follow Moonlxte Melodies on Instagram here to see the daily drop of our song of the day. Also, click here to see our Spotify playlist of every song of the day. Thanks for you support!
12 up-and-coming artists you need to know for the new year, and the best tracks to introduce you to their catalogs. 12 more coming soon in the next edition!
By Ben Leshan
We did this series last year, focusing on multiple artists who had big years including Aries, Arlo Parks, Morray, and Clinton Kane (Find last year’s article HERE). We’re back with another installment this year, and you better believe we’re putting you on to more future stars!
Where to Start: i walk this earth all by myself, in love
Ekkstacy, an 18-year-old artist based out of Vancouver, carries an instantly intriguing aura with him. He is mysterious, often pictured in black and white with his face obscured, and his sound is dark, yet shrouded in beauty. Ekkstacy’s music is so powerful because it feels polished and crafted with attention-to-detail, but the emotions behind the music are so human and raw. His lyrics are evocative and concise, always reading like a poem. His sound features a clear and unique tone that sits behind vocal filters, and production that melds indie, punk, and a little bit of electronic music. The result is innovative and exciting and not quite like anything you have ever heard before. Ekkstacy is lonely and he is sad and he is in love throughout his catalog and you cannot help but feel all of it. He has so much potential to build on the release of his project Negative (featured on part 2 of our Best Album’s of 2021 list) and a year of major growth with a true breakout into the mainstream.
Moriondo, a 19-year-old singer from Michigan, has been making music at a high level since her early teen years, but last year she started to really find her sound and develop her lyrical themes. She is kind of a mix of Hayley Williams (who she cites as a favorite) and bedroom pop (she may remind you of Clairo), with a soft and gentle vocal tone but also a lot of pop punk and ferocity in her sound. Her 2021 album Blood Bunny, which leans more pop punk with heavier drums and guitars to match angsty lyrics, was featured on part 1 of our Albums of the Year list, and we also featured multiple of the tracks off that very strong record. She has an ability to sing incredibly catchy hooks, but for someone with such an infectious pop voice she also has an incredible ability to dive into messy feelings and deep thoughts in her lyrics. More big things should be coming in 2022 for this talented young artist.
WizTheMC’s name sounds like a boombap rapper, but he is actually a gen-z genre bender with amazing potential. Born in South Africa, Wiz moved to Germany as a child and then to Toronto a few years ago to try to get his music career going. Wiz’s lyrics are romantic and can be poignant, often touching on sadness and the reasons why relationships didn’t work. He has a soulful gravel in his vocal tone, and his voice is consistently produced well, with great layering and space for his unique tone to shine. His sound is hard to pinpoint, with strong elements of indie pop mixed with the occasional rap verse. He ended 2021 with a string of singles that got better and better, culminating with the release of “Stoned Nights”, which made part 2 our Songs of 2021 list. The young artist is poised to have a big 2022, with his EP Where Silence Feels Good just being released on February 4th.
Austin George seemingly came out of nowhere with two growing hits at the end of 2021, blowing up from TikTok like many new artists. The Dallas singer has a great pop voice that lands somewhere in between Post Malone and Dominic Fike, and he has an ability to make songs that sound like hits but still feel authentic. His two songs currently on streaming services, “bluebonnets” and “Hands on You” both touch on aspects of relationships, something we’ll likely hear more as he releases new music, but he certainly has the ability to make great records about a variety of topics. He already has showed range with the somber lyrics of “bluebonnets” and the upbeat and exciting nature of “Hands on You”, and he shows that he can sell both without being obnoxiously commercial like other artists in his lane. George’s versatility, sense of humor (which is evident on his TikTok account), and vocal tone could catapult him to being a big name in 2022.
Joy Oladokun is Nashville-based singer with a passion for folk and evocative lyrics, but she breaks free from the typical mold of that kind of artist. Oladokun’s identity as a child of Nigerian immigrants with a background in the Church, but also a queer woman shaped her relationship with music. She has an incredibly vulnerable and vivid songwriting style, and a soulful sound that is not quite like anyone else’s. Her tracks are usually soft and gentle, but carry a lot of power behind them. Her album In Defense of My Own Happiness shows off her best qualities, and the track “Sunday” is especially powerful, featuring soulful sounds that evoke images of church, but lyrics about Joy existing in church while being a queer woman. Throughout her catalog she is so vulnerable, and her voice is the star, taking control of the open space in her production and carrying the listener to new emotions. One of the most polished artists on this list, the 30-year-old Oladokun has already found her sound, we’re just excited to see what new things she can do with it.
Where to Start: Call U Tomorrow, Fall in Love with You.
Montell Fish’s music is soulful and spiritual and calls you to feel something in an incredible way. He makes use of space in production and his beautiful falsetto tone to craft magical moods. The Pittsburgh-based artist has an interesting background, a drug-user and rapper in his early teens, he became deeply Christian as he got older and started to make more Christian and rnb-leaning music. His current sound feels deeply spiritual, but it doesn’t sound like typical Christian music at all. His production is often minimalistic, but for short moments it is lush and grand, a parallel of the way ordinary life comes to climaxes and fades back into its normal repeated cycles. His voice is so beautiful and pure, and his lyrics are poetic, as Fish’s songwriting is careful and concise. His songs feel like they have the power to carry a person through dark moments, and his commercial rise is coming strong even though he is clearly in the industry simply for the love of the art.
Tom The Mail Man is able to bend genres with a lot of skill, bouncing between hip hop, emo, alt rock, and rnb. The 23-year-old Atlanta native has a soulful voice that lends itself really well to the melodic rap-influenced kind of records he loves. Reminiscent of an artist like XXXTentacion with his love for rock sounds and emo lyrics while still flexing a great background in hip hop, Tom has all the pure musical ingredients to be a huge star. His best work often comes when he gets on a track with live drums and a punk aesthetic that gives his voice space to shine (like “Last Night” which made part 1 of our Best Songs of 2021 list), but he can produce many different kinds of great tracks, and he also has proven to be an excellent guest verse artist. His 2021 Sometimes Sorry Isn’t Enough made our albums list as a versatile and energetic record, and Tom has even more room to grow into a big name in the music industry. Releasing 2 singles in the last few months, it seems Tom is looking to build on that record’s success with another project in the works.
Where to Start: Find Your Way, Don’t Text Me When You’re Drunk
Zai1k doesn’t have a lot of music out yet, but it is evident that he has a ton of room to grow in hip hop. With a sound that is reminscent of a Lil TJay, but perhaps more closely Toosii (who he has received a cosign from), Zai1k is able to rap at a high level but has an incredibly soulful singing voice and a great command of his vocals. The Broward County rapper has a had a fast rise to prominence, which stemmed from the verse he put on Sadie Jean’s “WYD Now?” in December of 2021 on TikTok. Since then he has had another big success with an “open verse challenge”, this time with his verse on Jazz/pop artist Stacey Ryan’s “Don’t Text Me When You’re Drunk”, going viral and landing on the released version. With a melodic rap style in the lane of TJay, Toosii, Polo G, Rod Wave and more, Zai1k can tap into established fan bases as he earns credibility outside of TikTok. He has a great way of putting his emotions into bars and a unique enough voice to stand out, so we should see big things from him going forward.
A teenage rising star from California, Lexi Jayde has an incredible vocal tone and the kind of vulnerable lyrics that have the potential to attract huge audiences. Her style leans into the more acoustic/singer-songwriter side of pop, reminiscent of parts of fellow Gen-Z singer Olivia Rodrigo’s catalog. At her best Jayde is vulnerable and thoughtful in her lyrics, using her clean vocal tone and strong voice to communicate pain and passion over pop production. “newbury park” is a great example of her skill, featuring upbeat guitars and drums, but lyrics about a relationship-gone-bad. It’s catchy, it has a lot of imagery and memorable lines, and a lot of angsty emotion that young people will especially flock to. A new project with more singles of this nature could mean huge things for Lexi in 2022.
Where to Start: Love Yourself, Rose Gold St****** Pole
Houston’s KenTheMan raps with a rare hunger, bringing a directed aggression to spit precisely crafted bars over heavy-hitting beats. Ken has clearly been rapping for many years, but she is finally getting recognition for it commercially. She has the charisma, the energy, and the skill to become a big name in the rap game and the only thing in between her and stardom is time. She has the voice, the flow, and the lyrics down and it is only a matter of time before she catches a massive club hit with her ability to select excellent beats and find a pocket. She is the kind of southern rapper who is always going to be respected for her bars but not lose sight of the commercial, in a manner that mirrors many big stars like Houston’s Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Latto, or 2 Chainz. Ken is an artist who has leveled up with each new release, and you can expect any new singles or projects she comes with this year to surpass what she has already achieved.
Where to Start: 1984, i wanna slam my head against the wall
17-year-old Florida artist Glaive is taking music to new places with a pop sound that you’ve never heard before (he doesn’t like to describe his music as hyperpop, but his work leans into that subgenre). For such a young artist, he has a lot of poise and command of a complex sound, and also a lot of great released music. He has the kind of higher register male pop voice that is very easy to market, but he strays very far from boyband style songs, instead making cuts with emo lyrics and a lot of edgy energy. He is able to take some aspects of pop punk or emo music and translate them into the electronic age, with a lot of distortion and complex prominent synth melodies that build up a lot of energy. His newly released project Old Dog New Tricks shows all of his best skills and is an early favorite to land on a 2022 Moonlxte album list, with unprecedented song structures, extraordinarily catchy melodies, and a good balance of teen angst and maturity. Glaive is already having a great start to 2022, and he’s bound to only get bigger from here.
Tyler Braden is coming out of Alabama with a country voice that will be sure to please a wide age range of fans and an ability to write songs that will please a modern commercial audience. Influenced by an interesting range of artists including Eric Church, Keith Urban, and John Mayer, Braden has his own unique style that should make him an exciting listen whether or not you are a country fan. Braden’s 2021 EP What Do They Know shows all of his abilities nicely, featuring everything from love songs to breakup songs, slow-paced country ballads and high energy cuts. He shows off his fantastic strong voice and unique accent on the project, and also flashes an ability to tell excellent stories and really tap into relatable emotions. With more music reportedly coming later this year, Braden has the potential to catch a big hit and establish himself as a major presence in the country scene.
Enjoyed the post? Check out our playlist of songs to introduce you to these emerging artists!
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