– blkcory & e
Pass the Aux, a series dedicated to amplifying new and upcoming musicians. We will get you up-to-date in discovering new music monthly to the point where your friends will ask you to “pass the aux!” Going forward the first drop to every month will consist of some of the dayfour team ‘s choices in musicians to highlight. We will give you our thoughts, our feelings and our theories on those musicians (strictly from a consumer standpoint).
*Have you got new music you want people to hear? Or perhaps you know someone that you think makes great music and just hasn’t had their big break? Make sure to follow us on IG and email links/information on new music to: hellodayfour@gmail.com. We’ll be reviewing all submissions and deciding to focus on someone new each month.
blkcory’s Pick: MAR1ASOL
This month, I wanted to focus my attention on Argentinian-born R&B artist MAR1ASOL. She’s an artist I was recently put onto and she’s already well on her way to establishing a solid catalogue of music. I wanted to focus on three specific records that showcase her vocal range and her writing in spotlighting her music.
What I Want
Personally, I think this is her best sung record. The way she used her background vocals to harmonize her main vocals was great. Throughout the song they happened all at all the right times. It almost felt like a 90s R&B record but with 2021 synths. If you’ve ever had that gut wrenching feeling when you can’t tell if you’re very sick or just in love with someone then this is the song for you.
Ass On My Face
“All that I can think about is ass on my face”…this is a wild record, but hear me out people. After the year and a half we’ve all had globally, how far a stretch is this hook really? You might not want to eat it but if you’ve ever rested your face on a blessed backside at some point in your life, then you can probably understand where MAR1ASOL was taking us.
This record is a much more uptempo record in comparison to some of the other songs in her catalogue and you can hear that, “I’m trying to go to the strip club energy” throughout the song. The change in lyrics from English to Spanish also makes for a more engaging listening experience.
Waterfalls
This is her latest single which I believe is her best-produced song to date. It’s heavy on its use of synths and makes you feel like you’re floating on water. I can imagine this record playing poolside somewhere on a hot summer evening. You’re laying across one of those inflatable tubes, sun’s starting to get lower, you got your shades on and it’s a vibe fam!
Another thing I appreciated about this record is that with English not being her first language, you can really hear the progression in her ability to write lyrics in a second language from 2018 to the present day. All in all, she’s arguably created her best love ballad to date.
If there’s one critique I will make about her music, it’s that at times the inflections in her voice during difficult notes or octaves could be improved from a production standpoint. I think with the right audio engineer mixing her vocals, she can take her music to another level. MAR1ASOL is definitely an R&B that you can tell has some soul and funk influences. If that’s your vibe, she’s someone to look out for. Her catalogue of music can be found on all major digital streaming platforms and you can stay up to date on her releases on IG: @Mar1asol
e’s Pick: Courtney Govan
Courtney Govan is a queer indie-pop singer residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a very poppin’ Tik Tok account. Courtney has a voice that feels like warm champagne, smoothly going down your throat and sending tingles throughout your body. With a rising social media account and a fresh take on pop music, Courtney has a long and fun career ahead of her as a singer/songwriter.
Serotonin
I will understand if you listen to this song and only this song because it’s a banger. I discovered Courtney on my For You Page on TikTok when she sent her music to a local radio station, and filmed her reaction when they played it. The best I can sum up Serotonin is that it has the feels of early 2000’s pop songs with a dash of synth and some rumblings of indie inspiration. It is a dope song and gives you exactly what it’s called… serotonin.
Feelings
This next track (which is also the name of the EP it’s on) is the song you listen to after a breakup where you shout about how that person didn’t really know you. It has all the feelings with emotion growing more and more with each verse. I feel like I was in the break up too. Her tracks have electric/synth elements, pop sounds, and soulful tones that result in her songs having ridges, bumps, and textures—all types of feeling.
Mistake
I want to know who hurt her, and I want to have a conversation with them. This track has more EDM elements as she collaborated with EDM musician Laut (read her first interview about it here.) The song is another emotional one where Courtney describes a partner who gaslit her (did we all experience this?) This song, probably being one of her first collaborations, does not take away from her gift of storytelling and unique voice.
If you love synthetic pop, gender bending , women empowering and emotionally fun (and not fun) songs I urge you to add Courtney Govan to your playlists. Follow Courtney on IG: @courtneygovan
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