PLAN-A RADIO

SONG REVIEW CRITERIA

"Seeing" is believing...

Plan-A Radio
Jul 9, 2022
3 min read

There is something in the waters of Oakland, California, and it has a way of making some really talented independent artists. FastwayE is a bay area native with a soulful hip-hop sound. He is creative and smooth with this record, "Seeing." The production of this song is strong and gives the listener something to look forward to.

Bop: We love a subtle groove over here. "Seeing" is a bop that is reminiscent of a Lil Baby type song. It is dreamy and a bit spooky, which gives for a very sexy song. FastwayE is promising to pick her up and fly her out (he sounds proactive, ladies!) but it isn't cheesy. It is a seductive invitation; a love song with a lot of room for ass shaking. And who doesn't love shaking ass to a love song?

Airpods Quality: The song plays very well out of the airpods. FastwayE's vocals feel almost acoustical; they are raw, which adds to the dreaminess of the song. The mixing of this song are also really amazing. His ad-libs make you forget that he's singing (the Drake effect, if you will). Not to mention, the final production of the song plays with the swing throughout the speakers. Overall, very solid production quality on this track.

Knock Value: The only way to shake ass to a love song is if it is KNOCKIN'. This song has great knock that isn't too overpowering for a trap-n-b song like, "Seein." FastwayE also gives the beat a chance by pulling back his main vocals, and allowing the adlibs and production to shine. To be quite honest, this is the perfect song for the strip clubs.

Misogyny Meter: He says he'll pick you up and fly you out... I think the ladies gon' love it 😂. With influences like Drake, it is hard to miss out on the possibility of an artist promising a lady the world, much like with FastwayE. He is really going for it with the love lyrics.

A great song to review from an artist with a lot to offer, and clearly so much more to come. This is a recently released song, and we are honored to be apart of FastwayE's journey of an independent artist. Where there is room for improvement, FastwayE sounds determined in his music. So much so, we want to review a second song. Keep reading...

FastwayE has a really solid catalogue of music available on Spotify for you all to check out. There is a great variety of music to choose from within the trap-n-b genre. Of them all, "On the road" may be one of my favorites. I really like to hear an indie artist be conversational in a song. It shows their personality and gives the listeners an idea of who the artist is.

Bop: On the road is a lowkey bop. The hook ("fuck it, ima throw some money tonight,") is such a catchy line, it instantly makes the song addictive.

Airpods Quality: The beat is dope on this song. It is simple, but the keys in the background make for a watery vibe; the swing is also really appeasing to the ear. It is also a quick listen for times when you just need a quick and easy vibe to ride along to.

Knock Value: This beat is almost boom-bappy. So there's not to much to the 808s in this song, if any at all. But that's not a bad thing. This song is still really solid. I think the mysterious vibe to the song is intentional. It feels like a freestyle, but the atmosphere still feels planned.

Misogyny Meter: A lot of FastwayE's songs are pretty straight-forward and inclusive. None are too aggressive and always give space for the listener to enjoy the song with their friends of all genders. Which, nowadays, is kind of hard to do given that mainstream music is almost demanding that artists violate women. It is refreshing that so many independent artists are able to produce music that doesn't feed into that narrative.

FastwayE gives a lot to every track, but you can tell he doesn't want to do too much on the song. He knows what works for a hook or in the pocket of a song and sticks to it.

Make sure you follow FastwayE on all platforms listed below. You won't regret becoming a fan.

Ink, 2022

Skweez gon give it to ya

Plan-A Radio
Jul 5, 2022
2 min read

Immediately, this beat will catch your attention. The beat flipped Janet Jackson's classic "Anytime, Anyplace" and sprinkled in some Kendrick Lamar influence as well. This song is not bad at all, and gives some space to improve. Skweez is an independent artist who is working to find his way much like his musical influence, the late Nipsey Hussle. We honor the space Skweez has created for us to enjoy his music and the story he has to tell.

Bop: As mentioned before, this song does have some space to improve. The beginning of the song starts off a bit rough but the song in itself is written really well. Skweez is a talented rapper with an amazing voice. It is raspy and youthful; it is fresh and intentional. This gives Skweez an amazing foundation off which to build. Proper mixing of the vocals to help them align with the beat would elevate this song well on its way to being a certified bop.

Airpods Quality: The beat is really well produced but the track needs work on to address the rawness of Skweez's vocals. As independent artists continue to grow, it is essential that they begin to locate engineers who can mix their songs to radio quality. If you want to fully enjoy this song, turn down the volume a few notches to be able to hear all of the elements of the song; the Janet Jackson sample, the drums, the evolution of this beat to decipher from Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice" to this independently existing record. "Can Get It" would still get some play in my airpods, for sure, though.

Knock Value: Given that this track derived from an R&B single, this song is a nostalgic groove. It has some knock to it, but it isn't distracting. The producer did a great job of flipping this beat from the two former iterations by Ms. Jackson and Mr. Lamar. Coincidentally, "Can Get It," reminds me of Payroll Giovanni in that it is nostalgic bounce to the flow. It won't have your speakers rattling in your car, but you'll find yourself snapping along midway through the record.

Misogyny Meter: There isn't a direct attack on women in the song at all. One of Skweez's influences is Curren$y and you can hear the influence in music. Skweez's flow is skraight hip-hop. There is confidence, introspection, and an invitation to acknowledge Skweez's style. Definitely something we can all enjoy.

Decidedly, this song is pretty good. It could use some work to develop the vocals and to remain steadfast in the identity of the song. However, you can tell that Skweez is a dedicated artist, a talented rapper, and a favorable songwriter. There is a charm about this song that you can appreciate as a fan of independent artists. Click the links below to follow Skweez on social media and to support this artist!

Dream big with Apollo King 47

Plan-A Radio
Jun 30, 2022
2 min read

Apollo King 47 has created a solid acoustic tune with "Patron;" accompanied by a Richie Picasso visual, Apollo King 47 croons over his own acoustic production. A humble artist from Tenosique De Pino Suarez, Tabasco, Mexico, Apollo King 47 gives us an international song to vibe along to that is sanguine, vulnerable, and hopeful about building a life for yourself.

Bop: This is an acoustic mellow vibe, and Apollo King 47 is a crooner, for sure. Most of the songs in his catalogue are romantic, yet they are genuine, much like "Patron." It is clear that his songwriting concentrates on a heavy Baby Bash influence (whose first album was also released independently 😉). We love authenticity, especially from our international artists who often experience discrimination from predominantly English-speaking platforms. The joy comes in being able to experience a Spanish-speaking artist, digest their lyrics, and honor the space in-between. Love is a universal language, and Apollo King 47 has given us something to bop to with "Patron".

Airpods Quality: As can be expected with an Indie Artist, the mix on the song is a bit raw. However, this adds a lot of character to this acoustic song in its entirety. It feels like being invited to an intimate concert; like MTV's Unplugged. If you love a good acoustic song to add to your playlist, give Apollo King 47 a listen.

Knock Value: I wouldn't consider this a song that will have the speakers knocking screws loose. It is acoustic and inspirational. The knock comes with the feeling put into the song. As mentioned earlier, love is a universal language-- it is felt. Speaking of dreams for yourself and the life you want is empathetic, because who doesn't have dreams? Try not to expect your speakers to be JOMPIN; this is a ballad; a love letter to the self; it begs to question: how big can you dream?

Misogyny Meter: There are a few instances that could make one wince, but we can let this one slide. I'll give it a 6/10.

Overall, "Patron" is a very solid song from international artist, Apollo King 47. The song has been well-received and has even been reviewed by Plan-A Radio co-founder, DJ Show (linked here).

Make sure to check out Apollo King 47 on all platforms linked below.

Ink, 2022