Welcome, welcome one and all to another cheeky installment of our Mini Melon Mix Ups, where we share all our top tunes and perfect playlist additions to kick start your weekend. Here’s what we’ve been plugged in and diggin’ over the past fortnight…
Top of the list this week is a new one from Atlanta’s Ci Majr who has been absolutely killing it this year. ‘Ultraviolet’ is one of the tracks taken from her debut EP, Side Effects which was released last month. Produced by UK talent Féz, ‘Ultraviolet’ is a slight change from Ci Majr’s upbeat, sparkling pop tunes proving herself to be an extremely versatile artist and songwriter.
“We’ve all heard the phrase that “love is a drug” and I personally feel that phrase is just so accurate because no matter how much it damages us, we’ll eventually try to make our way back to it. Not only is it addictive, but there are so many other side effects of romantic love: the good, the bad, the ugly.
That’s what this EP is about. Navigating everything that comes along with giving your heart to someone. ‘After Midnight’ is about getting over a breakup and thinking you’re over it until you’re drunk, ‘Summer Drug’ is about having your heartbroken and not wanting to let someone in again, ‘Softer’ is when you lose yourself in an argument and you feel like you’re becoming a person you don’t recognize, ‘Ultraviolet’ is about those wonderful early days of falling for someone and just hoping that it becomes something, and we close it out with ‘Guillotine’ which is about being in what could potentially be the final days of a relationship if your partner doesn’t get their act together...“
Follow Ci Majr on: Instagram
Next up is a brand new track from singer-songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Chaz Cardigan. The Louisville-born musician is back with a new single entitled ‘Feels Like I Know You’ that once again shows off his incredible skillset and songwriting ability.
“Social media really nurtures this desire we all have to be seen, and to find intimacy with strangers. You see someone’s life in pieces every day on your feed, and your brain puts them all together, like, ‘yes, I know them, we’re close! Just yesterday they went for a drive to their parents’ place.’ We’re all guilty of becoming friends with people who have no clue we exist. “Feels Like I Know You” is about that disconnect between following someone at a distance everyday, and the easy, honest jump in logic to considering them a friend — or more. The weird consequence of everyone being a brand is that everyone, famous or not, we’ve all got these parasocial bonds with total strangers now; I really wanted to follow that idea to its extremity. Everybody’s a stranger, so no one’s a stranger; “1’s and 0’s, it’s just as real as skin”.”
Follow Chaz Cardigan on: Instagram
It’s attack of the ‘Cs’ this week with our third artist Casual T, as he unveils his latest beat-driven, house-inspired, single ‘Still Thinking of You’. A bouncy poptastic dance track ‘Still Thinking of You’ delivers themes of heartbreak, love and romance. A classic heart throbbing anthem to shout/scream/cry and ultimately dance to. Don’t sleep on this expertly produced little number.
“We have all been there. It’s a song about heartbreak. I did my best to capture a feeling of longing in the simple drop melody and sad counter melody. I put a child’s laughter sound right before the second drop in order to show how crazy one can feel after a bad breakup. Loving someone can make you question your sanity sometimes.”
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Fourth in the mix is an LP from Morgin Madison ‘Living The Phantasm’. Join him as he plunges you into an introspective, sonic journey conjured during the depths of 2020. All stemming from an initial question, brought on by the uncertainty of the pandemic Morgin found himself asking, “if this is it, what do I want to say before I go?” what transpired next triggered a creative streak uninhibited by concern for the future, giving him room for expression in its purest form. Thus Living the Phantasm was born. A world in itself, prepare to journey with this gorgeous project.
“In many ways, this album wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the struggles of the year 2020. I had wanted to do a proper full-length album for my entire adult life, but it always felt forced. When the pandemic hit, it became clear to me that not only were my aspirations volatile, but so was the music industry at large. I found myself looking inward asking who I truly was artistically and whether I had accomplished what I originally set out to do. With total uncertainty of the future, I found I had one thing left in me, and that was this album. One of the definitions of a phantasm is the illusory likeness of something… and that is what the last year has been for many of us. We’ve lived through something strange and unparalleled, and I created this album right in the middle of that.”
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Hotel Decor is back again this week with his brand new single ‘Could it Take Me Any Longer’. Dreamy, psychedelic shoegaze vibes emanate from this newest offering which is partnered with shiny synths and effortlessly cool vocals. A gritty guitar section then comes through mid song, bringing all the elements together. ‘Could it Take Me Any Longer’ marks for the title track for his upcoming EP out in June, so look out for this cool cat and new tunes on the horizon!
“This was the first song I wrote after myself and my studio partner had to move all of our gear out of the shared studio space we were using just over a year ago. I basically had all my studio gear crammed into my bedroom, trying to figure out what I wanted to make. I ended up watching a lot of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on my second monitor while tracking this.That’s kind of how it came to be. It was also the first song I ended up properly attempting to do vocals for. I didn’t want to go for anything super crisp or studio-quality sounding, and I was really happy with how they turned out.”
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Aussie producer Skarma is our next pick with brand new single ‘Touch’. Soft, subtle yet packed full of expertly embedded synths and a hypnotic beat that is sure to keep you bouncing. This newest tune oozes a warmth and positive vibe throughout. The airy synths, twinkling pianos and scattered angelic vocal samples make it the perfect soundtrack for winding down on those sunny afternoons.
“I produced this song during a rough time in the summer break but working from my home studio in Bungendore (NSW)amongst the nature and wildlife is always an inspiring environment for me. ‘Touch’ is much more of an emotional journey than my previous songs, moving from melancholy and complex emotions of sadness to hope and appreciation for life. I want people to be able to listen to this no matter what mood they are in and to feel that no matter where they are, life has purpose and joy.”
Follow Skarma on Instagram
Purple Melon regular flyckt is back with new pop banger ‘Wake Up’ from his newly released One Day EP. It’s a slow-builder that begins with intimate piano and the Swede’s distinctively radio-ready vocal, but it quickly bursts into life as an alternative party tune. This upbeat number is one for the lone wolves, whether you’re dancing alone in your room or awkwardly standing at the edge of a raucous party. flyckyt’s melodic indie-pop message is to embrace all those emotions.
“I love art in all forms and when art amplifies an emotion. Could be a happy emotion or even a sad one.”
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Next up is a worthy weekend listen from Manchester DJ and producer MACIOUS. As the weather slowly warms up and the lockdown here in the UK eases, we’re all craving a little bit of danceable EDM to soundtrack our now busier and more sociable weekends. ‘Stay’ is a soulful house banger is reminiscent of Gorgon City and AlunaGeorge, largely thanks to the impassioned vocal performance from Maisie Johnson. Speaking about the evolution of his style and subsequent creation of ‘Stay’, MACIOUS says:
“I had this moment when I really wanted to change my production style last year, so I started experimenting a lot with new sounds. When I came up with the instrumental, It took me out of my head and body for a moment, generating that feeling of wanting to stay somewhere. A few months later I met Maisie: she immediately jumped on the project and delivered an amazing vocal performance. Her touch elevated the song to a whole new level, making it timeless.”
Follow MACIOUS on Instagram.
PURPLE MELON 