Single Reviews: 31 August 2024: Antoine Loemba, Kris Vango, Stefan Kristinkov, Michael Kentoff, Mellowpunk

Posted by Jay Honeycomb on
Photo by Sasha Matveeva 


Antoine Loemba - Montparnasse

jazz

Montparnasse is a neighborhood in Paris known for its rich cultural history. It is also the title of the first track from French jazz drummer Antoine Loemba's upcoming EP, Quartet. Like that area of the City of Lights, "Montparnasse" has an amorous flair, its swaying orchestration led by Loemba's driving fills and unpredictable intensity. While the performances are noteworthy, it’s the melody that leaves the most lasting impression; its cinematic melancholy makes it ideal for the silver screen and equally fitting for moments of personal introspection.






Kris Vango - Sirius Me

experimental 


Diaphonous elements combine across "Sirius Me," a recent single from UK truth-seeker Kris Vango. With a steel drum base, Vango incorporates electronic beats, wavering orchestral touches, sharp sound design, and haunting vocals into this track, creating a dense and uplifting listening experience. Self-described as "music for the planets," Vango's hippie intentions aren't entirely hidden behind his sophisticated technique. This track from the album 7th Sun sounds like it was written on a beach but recorded in space.






Stefan Kristinkov - Eagle's Solitude

neoclassical

NY-based neoclassical composer Stefan Kristinkov creates expansive soundscapes on "Eagle's Solitude," an ambient-leaning track that weaves patient musicality into its overtly textural ambitions. Kristinkov plays his clarinet with graceful sweetness, gently exploring simple structures with sustained breaths. His synth work complements these romantic tones, occasionally distorting but always returning to a serene state. "Eagle's Solitude" is taken from the album Notes Of The Observer, which is out now.






Michael Kentoff - A Tour of Washington’s Jewish Homes

alternative

I get a lot of submissions at No Transmission, so it's normal that some music falls through the cracks. When I first heard "A Tour of Washington's Jewish Homes" by DC-based writer and producer Michael Kentoff, I dismissed it as a goofy and inconsequential affair. Fast forward a week later. I'm waiting in line at a convenience store, and this little ditty pops up out of nowhere, like a musical stowaway that somehow burrowed into my ears. It's an odd song. Kentoff breathes out a descriptive but obscure story of Washington's Jewish homes with jarring intensity. The trippy key refrain ensures the groove stays intact even when things get weird, and Kentoff falls back on this ostinato repeatedly, with a surprisingly effective result. To be honest, I'm still not sure if I love this song, but I am sure that I'll never forget it.






Mellowpunk - Kar Sych

indie pop

Formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 2019, Mellowpunk is made up of vocalist and bass player Madeline McClure and multi-instrumentalists/backing vocalists Devin Noth and Jacob Paulson. The group has since moved on from their Mountain West origins and migrated to Rhode Island. Their recent single, "Kar Sych," is a snappy and bright serving of radio-ready guitar pop layered with colorful synths. McClure laments the pains of a complicated relationship, metamorphosing the turbulence of interpersonal dynamics into scenes of motion sickness. The interplay of vocals complements the rhythmic dexterity, and production flourishes, like attention-grabbing samples, keep this track enticing throughout.