Baltimore, MD metal band Play God guides us into dark and heavy territory with “Awake In Dreams” to start off this week’s New Music Friday. Then, we shuffle things up with Washington D.C. rock and roll band, Wanted Man and their brand new single, “Voodoo Shoes”. There’s a little something for everyone, as this weekend’s vibe is certainly one of scattered genres, moods, and influences. If we were fortune tellers then this might be an omen of what this weekend may bring. You can find these and more multigenre masterpieces on our Spotify or YouTube playlists.
The metal community in Baltimore and the surrounding region is an impressive one, so we knew were in for a treat when we came across our first pick this week. We were introduced to Play God with their 2021 self-titled EP and lead single, “Chasing A Ghost”. Now, the latest video and single for “Awake In a Dream” do not disappoint. With downtuned guitars and aggressive vocals, the track is everything you’d hope it would be if you’re into all things heavy. The music video does a really good job of visually representing that feeling of helplessness central to the song’s theme.
“Voodoo Shoes” is a wild rock and roll ride for your senses by Washington D.C. rock band Wanted Man. The song has a vintage vibe giving off a live raw energy that feels comparable to Marty McFly performing “Johnny B. Goode” in Back To The Future. The guitar solos are explosive, but the song is just too damn danceable not to. “Voodoo Shoes” is the title track from Wanted Man’s brand new EP of the same name. The EP also contains the bluesy “Another Day, Another Dime” as well as “Gettin’ Robbed”, another modern rock and roll track oozing with swing vibes.
Harry Taylor pulls something of a fast one on us. It seems like we’re going to be celebrating a wild ride of young party culture, but “my youth” is really a love song. “When I fall in love I always end up falling so hard. I love the idea of a hardcore relationship just like the ones from the movies,” says Taylor. “A young love where they make mistakes along the way, love and hate each other at the same time. The paradox of building up something important just to destroy everything 2 seconds later because you know that you both would be back and start it all over again.” This willingness to be young together and to accept one another, mistakes and all, is a really mature concept that “my youth” explores quite well.
“Wild” by DEVN is actually a lot more reflective in nature than the title might suggest. The song has a slow steady drum beat accentuated by a warm bass line and chiming guitar chords. “The song is about being wildly in love, and romantically obsessed with someone”, says DEVN, later saying, “I was inspired by patterns that I observed in relationships, whether that be my own or some else’s.” The song stands on its own, and we love when a music video adds that little extra something special in backstory or personality.
“Sway”, the latest single by Irish hip hop artist Harriis contains incredible summer vibes exuding a youthful and carefree nature. Fans of Kota the Friend, Smino, and Amine will appreciate the chill and sexy sounds of “Sway” which Harriis says “came about during the early stages of a crush and attempts to capture the feeling one gets when you want to drop everything and fall in love with someone.” The song is something of a celebration for the artist who is transitioning out of more moody music into songs that make him happy. We think fans are going to enjoy the next phase of Harriss’ creative journey.
Fans of Chance The Rapper, and Smino, will really appreciate what a magically produced track this is while admiring the transparently honest lyrics of Schama Noel. While the song has a whimsical and happy tone, the words explore how hard it is to win people over earlier in your music career but how everyone wants to be your friend once you ‘blow up.’ “I guess fake love is better than no love,” where the song derives its title, explores the feelings that many successful individuals have to discover who their true friends are. If you like this track you will love the other nine tracks found on Schama Noel’s brand new album, Two Can Play That Game.
Filmed at Hotel Café Hollywood during her L.A. Premiere, Extra TV called the performance captured in the official music video for “Greatest Time” by Meresha “mesmerizing.” The song is filled with personality that simply bursts with optimistic energy. Meresha truly transports us to a positive space we want to return to, cutting through the tension with a smile and maintaining empathy for those we share the journey with, and finding joy in every step. Meresha is an artist who creatively explores the edges of every box and she won’t be confined to one genre, so we can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Fans of Bumpin’ Uglies, Joey Harkum, and Ballyhoo! will appreciate the horn-filled skateboard infused pop-punk and ska sounds of Southern California’s Codename: Rocky and their latest single “Silos”. Justin Picon of Codename: Rocky says “‘Silos’ is a song about inclusivity & acceptance inspired by the social unrest of the BLM movement.” “Silos” appears on Blueprint, the band’s latest EP and first new music in six years.
Daniel Warren Hill is an American musician, writer, and motivational speaker. He is best known as the frontman for Washington DC area Alternative Rock band YellowTieGuy, as co-founder of Capitol Groove Collective, and increasing the exposure of artists on a global scale through his work with Alchemical Records.
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After AFI DOCS’s departure, the capital city once again has a documentary festival.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
