Welcome to the Track Report, where I showcase three fresh St Louis cuts for your information and enjoyment.
“itsnotyou, itsme” (feat. Akeda Keyz) by Teacup Dragun
St Louis based R&B and trap singer is back with a new single produced by and featuring Akeda Keyz. The production on this one is sleek and clean, starting with a western guitar riff backed by crisp synthetic drums, and subtly layering new textures and instruments that manage to share space and work together comfortably throughout the track. Teacup Dragun’s hook feels right at home with these quiet sounds, as they sing a simple yet infectious melody that develops towards the end and propels the tune forward as it builds up. Akeda’s feature starkly contrasts with the smooth and sweet vocals put forth by Teacup Dragun– it busts in raspy and proud to offer a little more punch in the middle leg of the tune by recreating the hook and performing a new melody clad with an almost nü metal flavor. Teacup Dragun closes up this soft slapper with a final hook while the beat loses elements as subtly as it got them.
Give “itsnotyou, itsme” a listen below:
“100 Companies” by Dancer Prancer Vixen
Jordan Paine has been steadily dropping singles this year for his two projects Big Step and Dancer Prancer Vixen, but “100 Companies” is the one that really got me. The instrumentation on this tune remains steady, with a pounding acoustic guitar that helps the drums keep the beat, subtle saloon-esque pianos that help fill out the harmony, and strange electronic noises characteristic of DPV’s texture. Atop the instrumental bedding is Jordan’s voice aimlessly rambling and traveling through ideas as quickly as his mind allows. His voice always seems to me like a disperse journal, and I often find myself closing my eyes and listening for syllables rather than words. When the choruses finally come in on this short track they’re humble and endearing, with melodies and vibratos that close the tension of the rapid fire verse vocals. The song feels good for straightforward reasons, but it still feels quite good.
Give “100 Companies” a listen down below:
“Little Crisis” by Jacques Limón
Jacques Limón is the solo project of John Hamms, a St Louis songwriter and instrumentalist currently playing drums in Ronnie Rogers’ band and guitar in Fragile Farm. Little Crisis is a collection of three songs that to me feel like a six minute long movie. The credits roll in with the sleek and cool cowboy jam “Parachute”, which sets the tone perfectly through a dream of freedom via parachute hats. This opener is followed by the feature presentation “Tick”, a power pop odyssey that’s as catchy as it is confusing. Jacques ends his phrases in all the wrong places, which makes for an exciting ride through his back and forth emotional or subdued vocals, and his gargantuan, harmonized guitar leads. There’s two different guitar melodies, and we get to hear each one at both anthem highs and cruising lows, which helps momentum while keeping the arrangement pulsating and unpredictable. The last track “Little Crisis” works as credits rolling out, helping closure with understated vocals and references to the earlier guitar leads over a much more humble texture. I found the three tracks to be inseparable, and the project quite engaging.
Give “Little Crisis” a listen down below:
Thank you for reading! Give these songs a listen and I will see you on the next Track Report.
The St Louis Music Report 