:::THE MATCHUPS:::
“Just A Girl” – Grace Davies vs. “Black Cat” – Creature Comfort
“Roll The Dice” – glue70 x KinKai vs. “Mirage” – Waynewood x JavyDade
“Sad Girl Summer” – Maisie Peters vs. “Bored” – Rayne
“Feel Good” – 123 Mixtape vs. “Not Used to Hope” – Hartley
“Feel The Same” – Gianna Isabella vs. “Lemonade” – Alexia
“MadHappySad” – BabyJake vs “Love Me Now” – Floatinurboat
“81” – Rich Caviar vs. “Walk It Off” – Hugh x Bonjay
“We Are One” – YOLO vs. “Really Wanna” – Karen Hardy
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“Just A Girl” – Grace Davies vs. “Black Cat” – Creature Comfort
Grace Davies‘ “Just A Girl” is catchy from the first lyric, with a sky-high chorus and massive synth-heavy pop production. The feminist anthem is the first track from her debut EP “Friends with the Tragic,” which released in June. For Creature Comfort, “Black Cat” is the third track from their EP “Big, Buff, and Handsome (Sounds Like a Good Time).” The Tullahoma, Tennessee-based indie-rock band has described themselves as “Fleet Foxes for people who grew up bailing hay.” The band’s sound is reminiscent of contemporaries like The Weeks or Illiterate Light.
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“Roll The Dice” – glue70 x KinKai vs. “Mirage” – Waynewood x JavyDade
“Roll The Dice” is the sixth selection from glue70‘s album 2070. You might expect to find this song in Spotify’s Butter playlist; its jazzy piano, backbeat drums, echoey vocals, and smooth rap verses are effortless and smooth. Meanwhile, Waynewood‘s “Mirage” is a downtempo, chill single from the Alexandria, Louisiana rapper.
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“Sad Girl Summer” – Maisie Peters vs. “Bored” – Rayne
British singer-songwriter Maisie Peters‘ most recent single “Sad Girl Summer” is a pop anthem for letting go and letting loose. It has jazzy acoustic guitar chords, catchy rhythms, and a slight dose of modern production. Vancouver artist Rayne shows some of the pop sensibilities that landed her an opening slot for Billie Eilish with her single “Bored.” More upbeat than the majority of the Bad Guy’s music, it almost sounds like it could be a Skylar Grey song.
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“Feel Good” – 123 Mixtape vs. “Not Used to Hope” – Hartley
This matchup is a battle of Track 3’s. “Feel Good” is the third selection from 123 Mixtape‘s “For A Friend” album. It has a light, bubbly energy that does, in fact, make the listener feel good. Meanwhile, “Not Used To Hope” comes off Hartley‘s debut EP “No One.” It’s a hazy, mellow, and relaxing lo-fi indie song.
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“Feel The Same” – Gianna Isabella vs. “Lemonade” – Alexia
Gianna Isabella‘s “Feel The Same” is a groovy, explosive new pop single from the New Jersey artist. The American Idol Top 10 finalist from Season 15 showcases the skill you would expect from someone who advanced so far, yet sounds far less generic than the stereotypical Idol contestant. “Lemonade” is the debut single for New York City’s Alexia. The funky pop song features dreamy production and a relentless bass line.
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“MadHappySad” – BabyJake vs “Love Me Now” – Floatinurboat
“MadHappySad” is the second track from BabyJake‘s July album “Don’t Give Me Problems, Give Me Wine.” It reminds me of a more mellow Chromeo and makes for a light, bouncy addition to the Florida artist’s collection of songs. “Love Me Now” became Floatinurboat’s first single of 2020 in May. The instrumental electronic piece is chill, ambient, and features some massive synth sounds.
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“81” – Rich Caviar vs. “Walk It Off” – Hugh x Bonjay
An 8:24 rap epic released on 8/24, this heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant‘s impact on Rich Caviar‘s life is the kind of storytelling that separates run-of-the-mill rappers from true artists. Hugh and Bonjay‘s dark, glitchy electro-pop collaboration “Walk It Off” features a brooding, pulsing synth-bass and an attention-grabbing build.
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“We Are One” – YOLO vs. “Really Wanna” – Karen Hardy
“We Are One” is the debut single for pop band YOLO, a new band that just formed in June. The song is a “protest against human segregation and discrimination,” and calls for a more united humankind in such a divided era. On “Really Wanna,” Nashville’s Karen Hardy delivers a brand of pop that gathers inspiration from the likes of Beyonce, Ariana Grande, and Tori Kelly. The single is her first of 2020.
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