Out of all the great musicians on the rise in Milwaukee right now, not many of them have had the success and momentum that Johnny Franchino has had over the last year. Ever since he debuted his AESTHETIX music series at the beginning of 2023, Johnny Franchino has been on a hell of a run. He has become one of the top artists in Milwaukee and Wisconsin; last year, Johnny Franchino accumulated a ton of year-end awards given to some of the best musicians in Wisconsin(I also included him on my own Eastside Vibes list of the best music from Milwaukee artists in 2023. Go check out that list after reading this for more local artists I think you will love. If you have followed this blog over the last year or so, you have probably noticed my appreciation of Johnny Franchino’s AESTHETIX music. Quite simply, there is no one in the city who is making anything like this. In fact, I do not think there are many music artists making music currently that is like this, period. AESTHETIX is a combination of sounds and genres that is so captivating and distinct. In AESTHETIX, Johnny Franchino combines various forms of classic and contemporary Electronic music with R&B and Hip Hop. Not only are his instrumentals striking, but his vocal performances stand out as well. Johnny Franchino has kicked off 2024 on a strong note with AESTHETIX, having dropped five singles already this year(I have already written about his first three singles of the year, so please read my posts on those songs after finishing here if you have not done so yet). Below, I wanted to briefly highlight Johnny Franchino’s two newest AESTHETIX singles, ‘Nike Slide’ and ‘900 North.’ Please let me know in the comments below what you think of these new tracks from Johnny Franchino, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists you think I should check out!

‘Nike Slide,’ Johnny Franchino’s fourth AESTHETIX single of the year, came out a little more than a month ago on March 8. ‘Nike Slide’ is a bit more low-key and laid-back than a lot of Johny Franchino’s other AESTHETIX music. Compared to what I would expect from him, this one is honestly pretty chill. ‘Nike Slide’ is driven by a somber, funky keyboard-driven melody that is riddled with sound effects and synths to make it feel full and broad. The beat for ‘Nike Slide’ is zany and off-kilter. This beat kind of feels like a fusion of downtempo House music and Afrobeat music. The tempo, bassline, and overall feeling of the beat do have an underground House tone, but the tone of the drums makes me think of African Electronic and Pop music. Johnny Franchino’s rap performance on ‘Nike Slide’ is punctual and forward. He does not show off the vocals like he does on some other tracks, but that is okay. His rapping fits this style of song super well, contributing to the luscious feeling of the track. ‘Nike Slide’ is a kinky and off-center track that shows a new side to Johnny Franchino’s artistry that I can appreciate. Johnny Franchino’s newest single, ‘900 North,’ came out a couple of weeks ago on April 5. This song is also a bit softer and lighter compared to a lot of his other music. The melody for this song is somehow pleasant and gloomy at the same time. This synth-driven melody has an overall tone that is sunny and bright, but there is an underlying funky element to it that is a bit dark and almost anxious sounding. The beat for ‘900 North’ has an ambient techno tempo that I dig a ton. This is the kind of beat that makes me want to dance, but also calms me down. Somehow it toes the line between energetic and easy-going, making it super fresh. I really like the vocals on ‘900 North.’ Johnny Franchino’s rap flow on this song is so smooth and addicting, and the way his vocals are mixed is so interesting and fun. ‘900 North’ is a cool track with a sound that feels retro, but still has elements that make it super original. With these two latest releases, Johnny Franchino once again shows how unique his music is. There is no one doing it like him right now, and I can not wait to see what he does next!