"move!" by NIKI

The song is generally trying to convey a positive change by following the theme of meeting someone who has that extra special something. The artist did a good job in conveying the way she has been affected by this general theme. The vocals have an airy and soulful quality that adds the feeling of being completely light. You can also notice how the steady beat in the verse gives more focus on the vocals and as the song progresses up to the chorus, the melody gets faster and we get a sense of movement that you can't really explain through words - hence the spotlight given to the chorus music.

"I Am Not a Robot" by MARINA

Despite the fact that the song mixes bubblegum pop and electric vocal effects with classical elements, it has a somewhat child-like quality to it. This provides a perfect base for the songs main emotion of vulnerability in the midst of acting tough and coping with life's rough spots. Marina has a grounded lower register that makes for good vocal depth, while also having unique ease with high notes that almost make me feel like I'm tip-toeing on bubbles. It's even expressed in a way that makes the music feel electric, without making it feel cold and mechanic. The vocals mimic a robot towards the bridge, but that is effectively used to musically veer away from what is expected from a robot. As a bonus detail, you can hear a heartbeat towards the end which cleverly wraps up the humanness of the song.

"Human Right" by The Strike

The music is heavy on distorted bass and starts out strong and slapping in terms of energy. I felt like they were trying to convey a lot of high energy, spunk, and rebellion in this song, and all the music choices worked really well for me. The vocals work blend in well with the music, with a harsh but effective quality of persuasion - playful during the verses, smooth on the pre-chorus, and powerful during the hook. The belting fits the powerful nature of the song as well. I especially like the way they inserted some flair into the song by inserting a trumpet instrument towards the bridge, because it created further flavor and really added some well-matched funk to the angst that it initially started with.

"So Simple" by Thea

This song for me was conveying a tragedy that one had already accepted, just based on what I was hearing. I initially thought it was faithful to the title (because it started with only a few simple instruments, but then more instruments were gradually layered on top of one another, which gave it more depth). With the raspy quality of the vocals, the music seemed like it was mixing the emotion of hope with a bit of bitterness. Interestingly though, when I looked up the lyrics (because I couldn't fully make out what was being sung), I discovered that there was a mismatch between the general vibe and tone of the music and what it was trying to convey through the words. Apart from that, the middle part also gave me a false sense of anticipation, because I had initially thought the music would soar or shift further; I was left slightly hanging when it stayed at relatively the same energy towards the end.

"One, Two, Three" by Bohan Phoenix, LOFiMAKER

This piece nicely wrapped up R&B, live jazz, and a rap style vocal all in one song. It has an improvised quality that I associate with jazz scatting, which gives the modern use of rap a classic quality to it. Furthermore, I feel like this aspect gives it the feeling of freedom from the perspective of someone who really knows their way around life. The part where the vocalist also speaks a different language further enunciates that feeling of freedom and unpredictability established all throughout the song. It definitely doesn't have a fixed structure, so it doesn't have strong recall afterwards, but it definitely sticks to its "in the moment" improv vibe.

"Brightly Above" by Brittain Ashford

There is a strong general emotion of grounded calmness and community. It definitely feels like I'm at an open field, huddled with family and friends around a bonfire. The song conveys that warm feeling very well, because of the choice of instruments that give off a pop-modern vibe of country music, which to me is heavy on the feeling of home. The vocals feel very close and intimate because of the airy quality the singer chose, but it also sounds like it soars across a field because of the reverb. However, it isn't too overdone to the point where it feels distant - its used to a good amount that makes you feel like you're transported far away, while still feeling grounded at a place you can call home.

"Psycho" by Lauren Aquilina

Right off the bat, I thought the song would be taking a minimalistic route. This is because the vocal melody sounded like it would be on a high energy pop track, but was paired with a sole bass guitar. Fortunately, the deep tones contrasted with the bright quality of the vocals made for a good introduction. I was still hopeful for a shift in mood though, and Psycho did not disappoint on that aspect. The song doesn't stay stagnant and leads the listener through energy shifts that were well thought-out but still catchy, and it works really well with the vocal style (which is on the alto side of vocal color, but still manages to hit the high notes to give off that vibe of "losing control"). The message of expressing mental instability and unpredictability is quite straightforward and the music holds onto that motif quite well while still playing it relatively safe on song recall.

"Rose" by Jereema Montemayor

Rose is all about giving off a romantic vibe with the music but I can sense the subtlety of bittersweet emotions in the lyrics (especially as it further progresses). The beat and the bass line with the smooth warm female vocal (which has just the right amount of airy quality) fits the message well; it gives off a "let's make the most out of this" motif that's common in most modern love pop songs I've heard recently, and this one feels more genuine and personal. The slow tempo also allows for a more effective communication of openness in the song. It feels like a song you'd play at your last romantic slow dance with someone special, also because of how the lyrics repeat loss towards the end.

"Babe" by Sugarland ft. Taylor Swift

Initially, it feels like a positive song based on the music but based on the words I'm hearing, I was expecting a post-breakup empowerment theme, which wasn't exactly the case. The good delivery is in the country vocals which have a sharp and clear quality that provide the song some power. The belting style is apt for the confrontational intention of the lyrics but I'm ultimately feeling some disconnection with the music. Surely, not every set of sad or angry lyrics has to be accompanied with a certain cookie-cutter style of accompaniment, but the song fell flat because there was an extreme lack of adrenaline and tempo. The tone also leaned more on a positive melody and I didn't feel a strong justification on this facet, which didn't really solidify the experience for me on this song.

"I Made This For You" by Chris Thile

This one started out very minimalistic and veered towards a personal feeling of intimacy through the vocals. I can sense that the song is trying to tell you something deeply emotional; something you'd only talk about in a heart-to-heart conversation. Initially when I heard the intro, I thought it was going to be a bit heavy and suspenseful, but the ukelele helped me ease up to it - which is perfect for the personal but comforting and approachable atmosphere it's trying to create. The piano parts contribute a delicate quality that grows more complex with the string instruments. The song also gets deeper as it shifts to different pitches that make an interesting journey for the song. The way the tones were chosen gives the listener a personal musical story, and even goes back to an introspective feeling at the end with a heartwarming touch.