Future Picks #021
5 Tracks From Artists Under 50,000 Monthly Listeners
By Mike Romero
Hello from tmrw.
We’re back with another group of great artists you need to be aware of. We’re laser focused on finding what’s next, and this lineup proves it: five incredible tracks from five incredible artists.
Yoni - "Mean It"
R&B
Our first pick comes to us by way of Eritrea. Featuring one of the most interesting keyboard parts I've encountered as of late, it's harmonically complex and keeps you guessing while still feeling simple and breezy. The song is subdued, but clocks in at a brisk 1:51. This keyboard part is integral to the success of the song. It keeps the momentum going while Yoni's velvet vocals play in the gaps, slowly stacking gorgeous harmonies and ad libs. This track is a beautiful R&B achievement.
Koose – "Attitude"
Hip Hop/Rock
Many people claim to be genre-bending, but Koose is one of the few that actually are. "Genre-blending pop music" is such a great descriptor here. The flow feels as effortless as breathing. The delivery is so gritty and full of – forgive me – attitude (lol), and the production is top notch. From the intro, I wasn't expecting any guitar work, and when it hit it absolutely SENT ME. The song just kept getting better and better as it went on. Really, really smart arranging.
Connor Douglas Ferguson - "Forever Blue"
Indie/Acoustic
This song is really, really solid. The treatment on Connor's voice helps set it apart from other standard acoustic singer/songwriter songs. It's so swirly and full of ambiance. We also love the subtle electronic percussion elements that kick in half way through. The song functions as a deep meditation on self-sabotaging and depressive tendencies. Producers Alec Zeilon and Boy Bennet really help elevate an already great song. Such a vibe.
NYLEW - "The Story Of"
Hip Hop
This track goes hard. We love the unconventional post-modern jazz piano sample, and the flow is FIRE. It feels like a more avant garde Lupe Fiasco. A metaphorical peak behind the curtain, NYLEW says this documents his time growing up in East Elmhurst, New York. Raised by a single mother of 3 and hailing from a Colombian immigrant family, he was deeply affected by the poverty of his people. This is the kind of song that comes from the heart, and you can feel it.
Komanii - "254 (Alt Version)"
Hip Hop
Kenyan rapper, songwriter, and producer Komanii isn't afraid of imbuing his music with jubilant African energy, fusing Afrobeats, House, and Hip-Hop together into music that's at once jubilant and reflective. Nowhere is this more true than on the alt version of 254 from his EP Last Days of Summer. This track feels like a summer night just after the sun has dipped below the horizon, with gorgeous e-pianos and a stirring pitch shifted vocal hook filling the airwaves with nocturnal mystery.