introvertthe road i didn't plan on – neil valmonte
The verdict
“neil valmonte trades anthemic guitars for tender violas and finds a gorgeous americana gem in life's unexpected turns”
'the road i didn't plan on' opens with a question most of us carry around but rarely ask out loud: what if the detours were the point? i love the concept, and valmonte's sophomore single does it justice by swapping the distorted, stadium-ready guitars of his debut for melodic violas and semi-acoustic arrangements, and the shift works like a warm hand on the shoulder. lyrically it's about recognising that perceived hardships often become the defining chapters, and that calling anything good or bad assumes we know what's coming. there's alt-country warmth threaded through the americana bones here, and the whole thing works wonderfully.
neil valmonte is a solo producer, songwriter and musician working out of his basement studio in westport, connecticut. he's exploring the intersection between human-written lyrics and ai-assisted production, channelling the participatory spirit of those massive arena rock moments from the 80s and 90s. queen at live aid, metallica filling stadiums. what makes him interesting is his openness: he treats releases as starting points rather than finished products, actively inviting covers and remixes that let other artists reshape his work. definitely an artist to keep an eye on this year.
thank u for making this neil valmonte 🛤️
hit me – fake perfection
The verdict
“fake perfection deliver a stunning blend of pop rock hooks and dark electronic grit with the irresistible 'hit me'”
'hit me' opens with a dynamic punch that grabs you before you've had time to settle. gritty guitars sit right up against electronic production, and the melodic female vocal cuts through with real intensity. it's alternative rock at heart, but the pop instincts are sharp: the hooks land clean, the chorus lifts exactly when it should. the track feels like the result of years of searching for the right balance, and finding it. there's weight here, but nothing drags; it moves with dark pop purpose and lands the emotion beautifully. and this chorus really lifts off, it's fantastic.
fake perfection is the songwriting project of s and a, collaborators for over twenty years. based in jelgava, latvia, they've committed to releasing twelve songs in twelve months this year, giving tracks that had lived on hard drives a proper shot at the world. the songwriting is human: lyrics, melodies, arrangements, creative decisions, with ai currently providing the finished vocal performance. some songs may always belong to fake perfection; others may one day find the human singers they were written for. hot milk and pvris are useful reference points. this one should do really well.
thank u for making this fake perfection 🎸