I really like the summertime 90’s kind of sound the opening piano and electro-sax gives this track. The melody line that follows is equally summery and quite joyful and hopeful sounding. The lyrics follow the same sort of method, it’s effective having so many vocals involved, it gives off that good times and togetherness sort of vibe, so the music can really make you feel motivated to go out and have fun. At times there were maybe a few too many vocals performing but there is also a really, really nice instrumental break in this track – where you see the instrumentation and the production properly shine. This kind of makes up for the huge vocal crowd and presence earlier on in the track.
It’s a really interesting mix actually, you don’t often get such a consistent instrumental break in a song that was so full of personality and voices at the start. The latter half of the track has a brilliant vibe to it, all the good parts of electronica, summer time grooves, triphop, dance. There’s a huge amount of musical creativity that suddenly steps forward into the spotlight, and you really notice the greatness within the music behind the whole concept of the song. It’s unusual, as mentioned, but unusual is definitely a good thing. The music leaves you feeling like you want to and will have a good night, so everything’s as effective and relevant as it needs to be. A job well done in most cases.
There is the slight risk that if you caught only the beginning or end of the track you would assume it was one thing or another, and miss the remainder or alternative section, but the production is cleverly done so that even with the vocals playing among the music you can still pick out that good vibes backing track at all times.
By Rebecca Cullen
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
J BLAZE: “I GROW UP IN DIFFERENT PARTS IN MIAMI,FL FROM 8TH STREET TO LITTLE HAVANNA TO HIALEAH,I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI. MY MOTIVATION TO BECOME AN ARTIS WAS THREW SITUATIONS I ENCOUNTER IN MY LIFE THAT CAUSE ME TO WANNA BECOME AN ARTIST TO GET MUSIC OUT THERE FOR THOSE WHO HAS BEEN TO THE SOMETHING AND CAN ADAPT TO THE MUSIC.I JOIN A GANG WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD GOT INTO DRUGS,SEX,VIOLENCE GOT MY FIRST ARREST WHEN I WAS 16 I WAS IN AND OUT OF TROUBLE WAS WITH A VERY BAD GROUP OF PEOPLE I NEW I WAS EITHER GONNA END UP DEAD OR DOING LIFE IN JAIL IF I CONTINUE MY PATH.GOD IS MY OUTCOME TO CHANGING MY LIFE AND PUTTING MY SORROW AND PAIN AND WORDS ON PAPPER.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
J BLAZE: J BLAZE IS SOMETHING MY FRIENDS USE TO CALL ME IN HIGH SCHOOL WE WOULD RAP ON ARE LUNCH PERIOD AND AT THAT AGE I BLAZED ALOT AND MY NAME IS JONATHAN FOR PEOPLE STARTED CALLING J AND ONE DAY AFTER A FREESTYLE SESSION MY HOMEBOY WAS LIKE YO YOU GONNA BE J BLAZE NOW HOMIE AND IT STUCK WITH ME.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
J BLAZE: I’M ALL FOR MUSIC SHARING,AND I HAVE SHARE MY MUSIC FOR FREE CAUSE ITS ABOUT TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN SOMETIMES MUSIC SPEAKS ON ITS OWN AND YOU JUST WANNA HERD .
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
J BLAZE: I WOULD SAY TO KEEP WORKING HARD DO ALOT OF NETWORKING AND MARKETING LIKE MAKE FLYERS DO WHAT YOU CAN TO GET HERD.I LIKE TO CALL BECOMING A SOCIAL MEDIA JUNKIE ADVERTISING YOURSELF IS NUMBER ONE AND KEY.TO GRAB THAT SUCCESS YOUR LOOKING FOR.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
J BLAZE:MY SONG INSPIRATIONS COMES FROM LIFE SITUATIONS,COULD BE MINES OR OTHERS OR WHAT I SEE AROUND THE WORLD,GOD ASWELL CAN BE MY INSPIRATION I USUALLY COULD BE SOMEWHERE SEE SOMETHING LIKE A HOMELESS GUY WALKING AND START THINKING AND I WOULD COME UP WITH LYRICS RIGHT THERE.I CARRY MY PEN AND PAPER EVERYWHERE I GO ALWAYS WRITING.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
J BLAZE: I DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A WEBSITE ITS IN THE WORKS,I USE SOUNDCLOUD-MYSPACE TO PROMOTE MY MUSIC.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
J BLAZE: I WOULD BE SMART MAKE SURE TO SAVE IT AND BE WISE WITH IT,I WOULD LIKE TO HELP SOME PEOPLE I HAVE A BIG GIVERS HEART FOR PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE.SO HOMELESS PEOPLE HAS A BIG PLACE IN MY HEART AND FOSTER KIDS SO DONATE TO CHARITIES AND GOOD STUFF LIKE THAT. ASWELL AS SOME CLOTHES AND STUFF FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
J BLAZE: SOUNDCLOUD HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT WITH PROMOTING IT ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
J BLAZE:I AM WORKING ON SEVERAL EP’S I AM LATIN SO I WILL BE THROWING SOME LATIN MUSIC I WILL HAVE MUSIC FOR ALL DIFFRENT TYPES OF PEOPLE. I HAVE SOME BIG ARTIST I AM COLABING WITH AND IT WILL BE GREAT.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
J BLAZE: I ACTUALLY AND A AUDIO ENGINEER FOR LIVE SHOWS I AM A FOH ENGINEER AND MONITORS ENGINEER I HAVE MIXED PEOPLE SUCH AS CHRIS BROWN PITBULL ARIANNA GRANDE LATIN BILLBOARD AWARDS,SO I WOULD PROBABLY BE DOING THAT OR PLAYING DRUMS I AM ALSO A MUSICIAN THAT PLAYS 10 INTRUMENTS AND COMPOSE MUSIC SO ALSO DOING THAT ASWELL SO EITHER WAY I WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING IN MUSIC OR PRODUCTION IN MUSIC.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
J BLAZE: I MAKE SURE I SCHEDULE MY CALENDER AS PROFICIENT AS I CAN SO THAT I HAVE A BALANCE.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
J BLAZE:J BLAZE IS GONNA BRING SOME HOT MUSIC FROM DUBSTEP TO RA/HIPHOP TO REGGAETON SO ITS GONNA BE COMING LIKE A TIDAL WAVE.AND THERE GONNA ENJOY IT ALOT!!!!!
