As I have stated many times on this blog, I really love covering and sharing with people new up-and-coming Indie artists that I find. With TikTok, I come across so many great Indie artists all of the time, and I try to use this platform to spread the word about as many as I can. A cool Indie artist I came across last year who I have covered a couple of times on Eastside Vibes so far is MICHELLE. They are a 6-member Indie Pop collective(made up of Sofia D’Angelo, Julian Kaufman, Charlie Kilgore, Layla Ku, Emma Lee, and Jamee Lockard) from New York City that met online and came together to write one album in 2018 called HEATWAVE which is about their love of being from and living in New York. After HEATWAVE received a bunch of praise from critics and Indie music fans online, MICHELLE decided to continue making music as a group. After releasing several stand-alone singles(and subsequent remixes) between 2020 and 2021 which received praise from publications such as NME and continued to cement them as one to watch, MICHELLE released their second album, AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS, in March of 2022. Following this record, MICHELLE put out several singles in 2023, leading to the release of their EP GLOW at the beginning of this year. This is easily one of my favorite EPs of the year, as I really dug its sunny, retro sound(go read my review of GLOW after you are done reading here if you have not done so yet). After dropping GLOW, MICHELLE started the rollout of their third album, Songs About You Specifically. This began with the lead single ‘Oontz,’ which is one of my favorite singles of the year. With all of that being said, here is how I feel about MICHELLE’s new album Songs About You Specifically. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole!
The record gets started with its second leading single, ‘Mentos and Coke.’ I will admit, this single did not get me nearly as excited as ‘Oontz’ did. When I first listened to it, I just was not grabbed as much. I have come to appreciate this track more and more as time has gone on, though. The melody for ‘Mentos and Coke’ is very balmy and fuzzy; it has a shoegazey feeling that feels very 1990s. The beat for this one does not exactly have the same feeling as the shoegaze melody, taking on more of a funk tempo. The vocals on ‘Mentos and Coke’ are steady and soothing, but they do not do a ton to pull the song in any which way for me. ‘Mentos and Coke’ is not the most exciting opener, but it does get things going on a light and airy note. ‘Blissing’ has a significantly more intricate sound than the opener. This song seems to take elements from multiple eras of music, such as 1980s Yacht Rock and 1990s R&B. The melody has a groovy yet off-kilter synth-driven tone that is so reminiscent of Jazz fusion artists like Chicago or Toto. ‘Blissing’ is a pretty spot-on name for this track, as the melody is very floaty and blissful. The beat has a pacing that makes me think of the Neo-Soul that was made popular by artists like The Fugees or Erykah Badu. The mix on this track is pretty modern, however, making it stand out. There is a bit of distortion throughout this track that makes it stand out among other music in this style. The vocals on ‘Blissing’ are not the most riveting, but they are very nice. There are moments where a good amount of emphasis is put on the vocals, making them stand out. ‘Blissing’ definitely draws me in considerably more than the opener, and it makes me excited to go on the ride that is the rest of this record. ‘Akira’ has a significantly different tone than the first two tracks. This track feels a lot darker and more melancholy than the first few tracks. The tone of the melody ‘Akira’ is pretty gritty. This melody is driven by a groovy bassline that is complemented by an equally as groovy guitar riff and various synths that give it so much depth. The pitch on some of these synths is so distorted that it gives the track a 1990s Funk element that I dig a lot. When I hear this track, I think of the Groovy R&B music of artists like Ginuwine or the Funky Rock music of artists like Lenny Kravitz. ‘Akira’ has my favorite vocals on the record to this point. I really like how well the harmonies mesh on this track. There is a bit of emphasis on the vocals for this track that makes it stand out and hit extra hard. The vocals fit the attitude of the melody and beat so well. ‘Akira’ is a gritty, Funk-laden track that stands out majorly when compared to the first two songs and shows a more melancholy tone to MICHELLE, which I appreciate. The darker tone that we got on ‘Akira’ definitely continues on ‘Cathy.’ This track was the third single from this album, having been released a few weeks ago. I do not quite hold this one on the same level as ‘Oontz,’ but I did dig it more than ‘Mentos and Coke’ when it came out. ‘Cathy’ is definitely the most low-key song instrumentally so far on this record. The song has a smooth Pop-Rock feeling with a Latin flair that honestly makes me think of the early 2000s. When I hear this one, I think of the Jazzy Latin Pop-Rock hits that Santana had in that era with artists like Rob Thomas and Michelle Branch. The instrumental for this track is very soothing, as the piano riff and guitar riff that drive this one have a calming element to them which is very nice. The thing that stands out about ‘Cathy,’ however, is the vocals. This is actually the first song of theirs I have heard personally that has prominent male vocals. I enjoy the male vocals on this track a lot, as they provide a nice buffer and a raspiness in the vocal performance that stands out. ‘Cathy’ is an easy-going, silky Pop-Rock track that feels like the perfect song to play in a classy cocktail or coffee bar, as it is very engaging but also could be great background music.
‘Dropout’ feels a lot more modern and Hip Hop-tinted than the first four songs of the record. Even though the beat for this track is not particularly fast or super hard-hitting, this track certainly punches more than the songs that precede it. The melody for this track is so sweet and inviting; the tone of the guitar riff and the twinkling synths that complement it have this quality to them that scratches the brain in the best way. I will say that ‘Dropout’ is the first song from the record that truly makes me want to move. In fact, as I sit here writing this, I am having a tough time not getting up and dancing around my apartment. The vocals on ‘Dropout’ are very sugary and very tranquil. The easy-going nature of the vocals actually sort of contrasts the energy of the instrumental, which makes the track pop even more. ‘Dropout’ is an extremely catchy track that feels modern and retro at the same time, which I appreciate a ton. The more lively tone we got on ‘Dropout’ is majorly amplified on ‘Noah.’ This is definitely the most upbeat song of the project to this point. To be honest, ‘Noah’ has a sound and overall energy that reminds me of ‘Oontz’ a lot. Considering how big a fan I am of that song, you can imagine how I feel about this one. If I had to pick one artist who I think sounds pretty damn inspirational to this one, I would say ABBA. So much about ‘Noah’ makes me think of ABBA. From the bright, charming piano riff and synths that complement it to the Disco-tinted, pretty rapid drum pattern that drives the pacing of this track, ‘Noah’ has a joyous feeling to it that brings it back that music that got dance floors jumping in the late 1970s. The vocals on ‘Noah’ are not necessarily the most poignant, but that is okay. The vocals are soft and gratifying, putting more of a focus on this fun instrumental which makes it pop. ‘Noah’ is a sunny, entertaining banger that I could see ending up becoming a sleeper hit online from this record. Like ‘Dropout,’ ‘Missing On One’ has a bit more of a Hip Hop feel to it than the other tracks on the record. This one almost feels like it is MICHELLE’s take on Pop-Trap music. The beat for this one does have a bit of a Trap tempo. Although it does not hit as hard as most songs in this style, the elements of modern Pop-Trap are still there. There is a slight Emo tint to the melody on ‘Missing On One’ as well. The melody that drives this one is very warm but has a bit of a melancholy tone to its guitar riff that gives the song an Emo Trap tint. I enjoy the vocals on ‘Missing On One’ a bunch. Even though these vocals are not as prominent as they are on other tracks, the lower pitch and lighter tone make this song hit even harder. I would not say that ‘Missing On One’ is exactly Emo Pop-Trap music, but it is certainly somewhat adjacent. ‘I’m Not Trying’ feels like a faster and more spritely version of the song that precedes it. The melody for ‘I’m Not Trying’ is certainly not far off from the one in ‘Missing On One.’ The melody on ‘I’m Not Trying’ does have a bit of a Latin shade to it that makes it stand out, though. It kind of feels like a crossover between the Pop-Rock sound we got on the last track and the more South-of-the-Border thing we got on ‘Cathy.’ Like ‘Noah,’ this is the kind of song that makes me want to get up and dance. I am having a hard time sitting here typing this, as I just want to move around to the melody and beat. Though ‘I’m Not Trying’ does not have the strongest or most pushy vocal performances on the record, the fluctuations in tones and styles of singing make this track all the more captivating. ‘I’m Not Trying’ has such a warm and spritely sound that just puts me in a good mood and makes me dance the night away when it comes on.
Speaking of wanting to dance the night away, the aforementioned single ‘Oontz’ comes next. As I have stated many times so far in this review, I love this song. I actually wrote about it in detail in a piece I did earlier this year about some of the best songs of 2024 so far(you should go check that out when you are done here if you have not done so yet), so I am going to keep it short here. Frankly I think everything about ‘Oontz’ is great. From the bubbly melody to the Disco-tinted beat to the very strong vocals, ‘Oontz’ is just a hit. This will go down as one of my favorite songs of the year, and it is one I still can not get enough of. MICHELLE slows things down and switches things up a considerable amount on ‘Painkiller.’ This song does keep some of the funkiness we have been getting throughout this project, but really slows it down and smooths things out. There is a distinctly 1990s R&B feeling to this track. The melody and beat make me think of the music I would expect to hear from artists like Bobby Brown or Boyz II Men. The more low-key nature of this instrumental puts the focus on the vocals, which is a great thing. ‘Painkiller’ has some of the best vocals on the record. The high notes hit throughout this one give it so much emotion, and the variety of tones sung with on this one give it so much texture. ‘Painkiller’ is a song where MICHELLE’ shows a slightly different side to them that I did not expect, and it hits in the best way. MICHELLE saves the quirkiest song of the project for last in ‘Trackstar.’ To be honest, it is not easy to compare this one to anything that precedes it. ‘Trackstar’ does have a similar sort of warm synth-driven tone to some of the other songs on this record, but the way it is mixed is pretty different. For one, there is quite a bit more distortion than most of what is before it; also, this melody is very full and luscious, which makes it stick out as well. The beat for ‘Trackstar’ is pretty off-kilter and tough to pinpoint. Its timing feels a bit left of center from the timing of the melody, which gives the song a pretty cool texture. The vocals on ‘Trackstar’ are not exhilarating, but they are very silky and add to the all-encompassing nature of this song. MICHELLE closes out Songs About You Specifically on a zany and bold note with ‘Trackstar.’
Ever since discovering MICHELLE late last year, there is a group I have been very intrigued by. So much about who they are and the way they came to be is so interesting to me. Their composition, style, and overall presence are unique and make them fun to follow. When I first heard ‘Oontz,’ I was so excited to hear Songs About You Specifically as a whole. Even if the other two singles did not grab me as much(although I still do enjoy ‘Cathy’ quite a bit), this is a record I have been looking forward to. The best way to describe this album in my opinion is that it is very consistent and pretty diverse. There is not a bad song on here, and nothing feels like filler. MICHELLE shows quite a bit of range on Songs About You Specifically, and I feel like there is something to love for so many kinds of music listeners. The writing on this album is to the point and relatable, and there are so many nice vocal performances that make these tracks very entertaining. Overall, Songs About You Specifically is a high-quality and diverse collection of tracks that proves MICHELLE is one of the best Indie Pop artists on the rise right now.
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