KayvanmdVerified curator

Nina Del Río is an artist I became a fan of early this year, we had her on the At Home With interview series on our Kayvan's House page on IG (which you should go check out - @kayvanshouse.) I've become even more of a fan since then, and "Mis Amigas" is a perfect example of why. There's a level of whimsy to the song that makes you feel like life is easy. My Spanish is admittedly not very strong, but the vibe she creates between her vocal and the production transcends language.

wydjett is a new find from our music feedback streams on Twitch/Youtube/Tiktok on Mondays and Fridays. I heard him for the first time last Friday and was immediately impressed by the polished nature of the songwriting, melodies, and vocal performance. Citing inspirations like Bryson Tiller, wydjett is one to watch. The unreleased songs we hears on stream have me extremely excited about this rising R&B star in the making. I've been an R&B fan a long time and I know when I hear something special.

Devin Donnell is another "At Home With" interview Alumni and an artist I've been a fan of for a while. He makes the kind of music I go and seek out from my library. The kind of music you can sing along with, vibe out to while you're driving, or have on while you hit a flow state at your day job. If you're a fan of Leon Thomas, or Lucky Daye, then run, don't walk, to listen to Devin Donnell.

Blondshell is one of my favorite rock/alternative artists out right now. I feel like it's been every song that makes it into my top 10 on this playlist. It's so emo-coded. The guitar and vocal tones on this one scream angst, and the arrangement builds into a perfect climax in the chorus. I'll be blaring, and belting this one in the kitchen without a doubt. It's perfect.

skuzland's "GiRL AMERiCA" was too good to not include this week, it's so punk and I loved it from the jump. This is exactly what it feels like to be young, and angry at the world. You'll probably end up hearing this in a movie or TV show at some point, but regardless you should add to your playlists. I'll definitely be supporting more of skuzland songs in the future.

Lola Blue is a new find for me, but "Vegas" feels like songs I've been listening to since I was 14 years old. There's a nostalgia in the mix of the entire song, and the tone of the vocal that makes it feel like the 2010's indie scene. I need to dive further into Lola Blue's discography because if this is any indication of what I'm going to find,  then I'm in for a massive import of new songs to my library.

Mk.gee, Andrew Aged, and Derby coded. Junior Mesa has such a beautiful vocal, but similarly to the aforementioned artists the guitar tone and nostalgic, 80's sounding production push what is already a great song into the realm of an experience. I've been really enjoying Junior Mesa's music this year, and I think he'll probably make some of my end of year lists.

I don't know anything about James Ivy, I went in blind, and what I found made me listen over and over again this weekend. James Ivy's music kind of feels like The Fray felt the first time I heard them. His vocals bleed emotion, while the driving drums, and slightly dissonant acoustic guitar moments provide an interesting twist on a style of music that tends to be more emotional than it is complex. I really liked this song, and I'm excited to hear more from James Ivy.

CARI is so fire. She's UK based, and extremely talented as both a musician and an artist. If you're looking for R&B/Soul that pushes boundaries and takes you on a journey while you listen, then this is it. I have a whole list of compliments as to why I love this song - from the string arrangement, automation in the production, vocal performance, etc - but you really need to go and listen to CARI for yourself. It's dynamic and that needs to be heard to be understood fully.

I think Ash is a really really really talented producer and this project proves it to me. Not only from an A&Ring standpoint - the pairings and features on the project are picked out perfectly - but from a musical standpoint as well. The songs are beautifully written, they literally move, and they aren't boxed in by genre or feature. This is a producer who not only understands but makes great music. I'm excited to see what Ash does in his career, I foresee great things.