In The Spotlight

JTOTHEC – “Stop The Time”

Born as Jonas Casier, this Belgian funk soul brother started dipping himself in all-emcompassing music at a young age. He started out as a hiphop DJ, which taught him his scratching skills. Always experimenting in his home-studio filled with vintage gear, he’s created a sublime fusion of retro soul, funky beats and a smidgen of his hiphop heritage, which shines on his debut album.

The second single from the album is an intense smooth soul song, which sounds like it was recently discovered in the crevices of the Motown vaults. The laid-back percussion, soft Hammond tones and the suave horns of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra set the scene for his silky, soulful vocal chops to create a gorgeously nostalgic soul trip with an impressive Marvin Gaye-like vibe.

From his album “Somebody Had To Make This Record” (2018):

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In The Spotlight

Cantaloop – “Slip It Back”

Based in Worcester, this British funk outfit has been making sweet hiphop-infused funk and soul since 2001, which saw the release of their debut album “Groove Operators”. They tirelessly tour the UK and Europe with an exhilarating live show, impressing audiences with their volcanic funk/soul sound and have shared the stage with the likes of Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Roy Ayers and De La Soul.

Their new single is a funkalicious fusion of a swanky smooth groove with extravagant horns, a hiphop-style chorus and Dannie Dee’s soul-dripping vocals, creating an auditory tapestry of both retro and modern sounding funkiness. With an added hallelujah from Reverend Cleve’s funky preachings and the blazing brass of The Haggis Horns, it’s a vibrant nu-funk jam with all the swagger.

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In The Spotlight

Megan Vice – “Nobody Freakin'”

This New York born and raised songstress grew up dipped in the music of her heroes, like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Prince. With an urge to sing and perform ingrained in her DNA, she was soon writing her own unique material. Her fusion signature sound of disco, rock, R&B and contemporary pop first saw the light on her aptly named debut EP “Step On The Scene” from 2013.

Take a lyrical narrative about a bad boyfriend and a love affair gone sour, immerse it in a magical mixture of pop, R&B and disco, lace it with some pure 80s flavors and you have the recipe for the lustrous and sassy groove that is her latest single. A funky bass, sweet harmonies and sultry, euphonic vocals, make this glittery musical gem both funkaliciously vintage and infectiously modern.

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In The Spotlight

Nuela Charles – “Do It Right”

Born in Kenya and raised in Canada, this Edmonton-based singer/songwriter debuted with her album “Aware” in 2012 and impressed with her natural, soul-filled vocals and mesmerizing live performances, like at the Edmonton Jazz Festival and supporting Ziggy Marley. Her 2016 single “Crumbling Down” from her Juno award nominated album “The Grand Hustle” has been used in various TV-series.

Her new single is a sumptuous slice of her spirited signature cinematic soul sound. Instantly captivating with a buoyant bass line and lively finger snaps, it bursts into an invigorating soul-dripping pop song with a bit of a bite. The perky percussion, bubbly brass and her dazzling, vivacious vocals give it a seductively energetic bounce, which will have your head bopping along in no time.

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In The Spotlight

Animal Feelings – “Pain Au Chocolat”

Don’t worry, no animals were harmed in the creation of this musical experiment. The man behind the music is New York-based artist Oli Chang, who is known for pushing the boundaries of everything the musical world has to offer, ranging from the ambient dream-pop of High Highs and the electronic tones of Theatre Of Disco to the mixed bag of disco, rock and soul of his latest incarnation.

This seductively bouncy groove is as sweet as chocolate, as a sexy, sugary stew of pop and disco sounds saturate his latest single. With a sprightly, funky beat and plucky guitar chords creating a delicious retro sounding snack, the crisp contemporary production and vibrant electronic keys rejuvenate the addictive dance-floor tones, giving it both vintage discotheque glitz as current club glamour.

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In The Spotlight

Next To Neon – “Looking At You”

Rasmus Viberg is a Swedish singer and songwriter who has been present on the music scene for many years, both as a member of several bands and as a solo-artist. Currently he’s still a member of the band MOMENT, which plays an electro-pop blend of contemporary indie shrouded in 80s inspired pop/rock. He has now taken on the moniker Next To Neon to explore the diverse synth-pop side of the 80s.

The first single of his new solo-project is an obviously synth-heavy pop song, but with added glitterball glam from a late 80s disco vibe. The scintillating synths build up in a cinematic crescendo of pastel colored chords and erupts into a high-octane chorus in which his incredible falsetto vocals take pride of place. Paying tribute to the neon decade, this dazzling debut oozes retro-pop appeal.

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