Look, we know we throw a lot of new music at you. We also know that not everyone who comes to this site has the time to be as involved with or informed about the local scene as maybe they’d like to be. So for those casual readers who either can’t or have no interest in keeping up with the parade of artists we try to cover, who may not know the difference between Bitter and Biters, we have created our TRIPLE THREAT feature. The premise is simple: Every Friday our writers will put their heads together and come up with three tracks that grabbed our attention over that week. Then we tell you why the songs are great and worth listening to. That’s it. Maybe some weeks we’ll have a guest commentator come in and share their favorites, but the format will always remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.
BIG DED – “Joybender”
From the upcoming LP, Joybender
The new single “Joybender” from avant-techno (a term used only by the most discerning minds) duo BIG DED is a bouncy trip to the stars and back. Since 2016, Alessandra Hoshor (Pamela_and her sons) and Valentina Tapia (Pallas) have collaborated on some of Atlanta’s most spontaneous and hyperactive electronica, but the new track finds the duo focusing their chops towards a more linear end. On “Joybender,” the sparse synth lines still vibrate with the same lavish energy as previous efforts, but here the duo refine their ecstatic take on melody into something more tactile. The single also serves to announce the band’s debut LP of the same name, which will be released on Feb. 28 via Embalming Lately Records. – Russell Rockwell
Joybender is out Feb. 28. Pre-orders are available here.
More Info
Facebook: @BigDedOfficial
SoundCloud: @big_ded
Tulani – “Love Again”
From the standalone single
Classical harp and R&B are two sounds pretty much nobody would think of associating together, but emerging Atlanta sensation Tulani is making waves by merging the two into vintage pop and soul songs with a modern edge. Having toured internationally with Lady Gaga and shared the stage with the likes of Chaka Khan, Angie Stone, and George Clinton, the singer-songwriter is already well on her way to making a name for herself in the industry. Her latest single “Love Again,” released on Valentine’s Day, is a striking, Motown-inspired ode to resiliency and love that showcases her powerful voice and knack for taking well-established sounds and making them her own. – Guillermo Castro
More Info
Web: tulanionline.com
Facebook: @iamtulani
Instagram: @iamtulani
SoundCloud: @iamtulani
Twitter: @iamtulani
Sonny Digital – “AFTT”
From the standalone single
It’s only been a few weeks since Sonny Digital dropped “Keep It Real,” but the rapper and producer returned this week with another heater to keep our heads bopping into the spring. Produced by Ham Squad, “AFFT” floats on a cloud of bubbly synths and crisp snares while Sonny muses on family, loyalty, and respect. With a running time of just 1:44, the track virtually flies by, but the posi vibes it leaves behind are palpable. “Plug niggas and they never plug me back / Showed love and they never showed it back,” he gripes midway through the verse before shrugging it off and declaring his true priorities: “All you know I’m real and I ain’t gotta prove a thing / Everything I do, I do it all for the team.” – Avery Shepherd
More Info
Facebook: @SonnyDigital
Instagram: @sonnydigital
SoundCloud: @sonnydigital
Twitter: @SonnyDigital