Written by Natasha Santana and Grace Franklin
Phoenix Laoutaris
A slow night with silk pajamas and wine is an experience but also a feeling. A peaceful sensation that is akin to Phoenix Laoutaris’s sound. A British singer-songwriter whose music blends contemporary R&B, neo-soul, jazz, and hip hop with an emotion that you can hear in her voice. From Flowers to Here We Go, Phoenix tells a honey-drenched story of cycles we stay in long after we’ve outgrown them.
Beginning her journey at 14 through songwriting as a tool to wade through difficult emotions. As music was something of an entity that lit her passion to understand the toughest situations; we can tell the work Phoenix put in through her work.
Flowers, released in 2021, introduced listeners to the contrast between Laoutaris’s soft, fluid vocals and a sharper drill-influenced instrumental. The distorted introduction in the song instantly grabs your attention with the drums of the drill that makes this slow song feel like something you can genuinely jam out to. Instead of it solely having an emotional intensity of someone neglecting and throwing the love you gave them away, the song has a beat that makes it uniquely Phoenix's. Instead of keeping it a ballad, it has a resemblance to the early 2016 EDM of a catchy sound with heart-wrenching lyrics. Personally a favorite vibe of mine because you can get two experiences while listening whether you are healed from a heartbreak or going through one.
One of my personal favorites from Laoutaris’s discography this past week has been Midnight Blues. It reminds me once again of the coastal, R&B ambiance one gets when listening to 2016 Solange with a slight production of Kygo or even Flume. This song is a favorite for another special reason, and that being: it’s appeal lies outside of her other songs. An artist can stay within the same confines of a genre, but what matters is the chances they take on their talent. Phoenix made this not only a beautiful song but a nostalgic song.
In a more recent release, Here We Go targets the roughest part of toxicity. The recognition and the acceptance of the current control that grips you in a toxic relationship. The erosion of self-confidence, and the difficulty of leaving a situation that has become damaging. The contrast between the melodic, honey-esque tones of Phoenix’s singing and a funk-laced cadence of growing out of cycles is gorgeous. This is definitely next to Midnight Blues in terms of her more compelling songwriting directions. You can feel that Phoenix is truly owning up to her name, rising and growing into her style. It just sounds delectably more confident. The vocal performance with the strong funked out guitar reinforces the narrative while highlighting the musical identity of Phoenix Laoutaris. 100% worth the listen if you want to sway your head as you heal.
JIG LeFrost
On the complete other side of things….
When you’re all healed and ready to pop out… JIG LeFrost is right there for you.
This one is for my Ghetto House lovers, and for those that adore a distorted bass. You get all of the goods with JIG. I came about JIG’s music on one of my late night radio scrolls, and thank you for the radio because I was ready to hit a hot step to the 135 BPM tempo. A rapper from Richmond, California, has brought the scenes of Chicago house to our ears. Although I can not let it remain there. JIG’s sound is a blend of hip hop, jersey club, and house that makes it the more perfect concoction than a Vodka soda. Which, after listening you might be having some because your body legitimately won’t be able to stop dancing.
LeFrost, also known as Jordan Garrett, grew up starting as a self-taught drummer before moving into rap after a high school talent show performance. Currently based in Los Angeles, California, his songs “MHM”, “PUSH AND SHOVE”, and “Touch the Sky” fuse Chicago ghetto house and Detroit ghettotech. A heavenly combination that, impressively, LeFrost taught himself. There isn’t much on him yet, but I promise you his works are platinum in my head.
Even in his oldest works from 2021-2022, tracks like “Isolation” are stand alones’ for their unique combinations of different sounds. With the humble rap that keeps you, in layman's terms, locked in. You simply just can’t help it. As I write this portion and listen to JIG, there has been zero stillness. Not only is there a sound evolution, but many people think that when you make electronic-based music, there isn’t much to work with. You use the same musical equations to get a similar sum every time, but in LeFrost’s mini album “TONGUE,” you hear the more intense synths of a distorted zipper that is similar to early 2000s club music and EDM.
Just a good damn time, and such a fresh breath to the house and EDM scene.
G Luné
Have you guys ever wanted to know what it’s like to be the pinterest girl with the glitter tears and ripped stockings under high wasted shorts? G Luné will get you there. The musical project of Gabriela Goddard is an emerging artist known for blending catchy pop melodies, alternative production, and expressive vocals. Again, not much is known about her, but isn’t that exciting? To be there from the start? For her, I definitely think so.
One of her oldest works, ‘Colors,” a smooth, soulful track built around G Luné’s warm vocal, and pop-girl tones, gives a relaxed feel without losing it’s pop. The beginning of the song instantly transports you back to the vaporwave R&B vibes of the pandemic that had Gen-Z in a chokehold. Rightfully so, it makes you feel so warm. It comes with the yellow saturation you remember when listening to the songs of 2020, and this song carries that sound of her warped beats and smooth lyrics of rising tensions.
Most importantly, and I fear it is a theme in this review, the evolution of sound for G Luné is so interesting because we have ‘Colors,’ but then today we have ‘TAKE ME OUT,’ and it’s so different than her older works. The intro has the intentional repeated lyrics effect, with a lucid 2013 synth of a coming-of-age story. In the song she is begging to be taken out of this place that she needs to get over, and this stage of her life that makes the sound of the song so intentional. It's a trip, just like being somewhere you know you can’t be. I think I am pretty excited to see what else G Luné drops, and to see if she continues to make the fun, pop-princess changes to her sound as she did before.
Emma Ogier
The Houston-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter has a sound that feels familiar in the best way, blending the rough edges of alternative rock with country-tinged guitars and a songwriting style that refuses to sit comfortably in one box. There’s something a little messy, a little nostalgic, and entirely human about her music. And honestly, that’s what makes it so good.
With songs like “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” and “Keep You,” Emma has already shown that she knows how to turn complicated feelings into something you want to listen to on repeat. There’s a rawness to the instrumentation that lets the songwriting breathe, and her vocals give the songs a sense of intimacy without taking away from the grit of the production.
Her more recent single, “Hands Tied,” brings that restless energy to the forefront. Built around a rough-edged guitar riff and a hook that sticks with you, the song perfectly captures the dizzying excitement of falling in love. It’s catchy without feeling manufactured, which is becoming an increasingly rare combination. Then there’s “Rocksteady/HeavyMetal,” her collaboration with Eden Joel, which further proves that she isn’t interested in staying in one musical lane. There’s an unpredictability to her catalog that makes every new release feel like another little clue to where she might go next.
What makes Emma particularly exciting, though, is that she’s still at the beginning of figuring all of this out in real time. After writing songs in relative isolation as a teenager during the pandemic, she’s now stepping into a much bigger chapter of her career. Her debut album, Fly 1111, arrives November 11 via Lost Highway Records, and the 12-track project explores the sacrifices that come with pursuing a creative life, learning to trust yourself, and figuring out who you are when the path ahead isn’t exactly clear.
And if the music isn’t enough to convince you to start paying attention, her live trajectory certainly should. Between festival appearances, dates supporting Hovvdy, and upcoming shows alongside other established artists, Emma Ogier is already moving into rooms that will introduce her to entirely new audiences. There’s something exciting about discovering an artist before their name starts showing up everywhere, and Emma feels like someone worth keeping on your radar.
Reiyo The Giant
Reiyo The Giant has a sound that feels like being awake way too late with a million thoughts running through your head, and somehow every single one of them feels important. Blending soul, ambient sounds, and electronic production, Reiyo makes music that feels a little dreamy, otherworldly, and completely her own.
Her new single, “Trick of the Night,” is a perfect introduction to that world. The song starts with sparse piano and electronic textures that pull you in without giving too much away. Her vocals feel almost conversational at first, but as the song progresses, there's a growing urgency that makes you want to know what happens next. It's not necessarily the kind of song you throw on when you're getting ready to go out. It's the kind you listen to alone at night and suddenly find yourself staring at the ceiling, thinking about a conversation you had three years ago. We've all been there.
What makes Reiyo so interesting is that she doesn't seem particularly concerned with making her music easy to explain. Her songs pull from different genres and influences, but they never feel like she's trying to fit into a specific category. On tracks like “Can't Call Me,” “Get It Together,” and “Nu World,” you get little glimpses of the different directions she's willing to explore. There's a theatrical quality to her work, too, like each song is its own little universe and you're being let in just long enough to figure out what's going on. And then, of course, the song ends and you're left wanting more.
Now, Reiyo is getting ready to give us the full picture with her debut album, Trick Of The Night, arriving November 6 via Safari Riot. The album explores grief, fear, and the ways our own thoughts can make familiar things feel completely different. She describes it like moving through a house where something always seems slightly off, with each song occupying a different room. Which, honestly, is such a good way to describe that feeling when something is technically fine but your brain refuses to believe it. I love when artists have a clear vision for their projects beyond just putting a collection of songs together, and I'm curious to hear how this concept unfolds across the full record.
And if you need another reason to pay attention, Reiyo describes herself as a “ten-foot lesbian genie from the Bronx,” which is objectively a pretty incredible introduction. She's been building her own musical world since her self-produced 2021 EP, Romeo, and now she's stepping into this next chapter with a debut album that promises to be just as imaginative as it is personal. If you're into music that makes you feel something before you can quite put your finger on what that feeling is, Reiyo The Giant is definitely one to keep on your radar. Just maybe don't listen to her entire discography at 2 a.m. if you have things to do the next morning.
