Teenage Priest, or Taylor Van Ginkel as he is formally named, is a musical dream.
I know this firsthand because I saw him play live last weekend. He strummed his guitar, smashed his keyboard, and slayed backup vocals for Bishop Briggs in Austin, Texas. When I followed his Instagram account and saw he was slowly releasing a solo project, I was ecstatic.
His latest release “Distant Crush,” which hit streaming services Friday at midnight, is an electro-pop dream. I am very much looking looking forward to new releases from my new musical crush.
Major side notes this week was the reunion and tour announcements of Rage Against the Machine and My Chemical Romance, leaving hard rock and emo fans all over the world ready to sport their black apparel and whip out their outdated eyeliner.
We also got new sounds from several R&B artists, a disco-pop dream track from a female superstar, a more modest sound from a dark pop British musician, and a momentous emotional ballad from a country singer.
It’s time for…
THE BREAKDOWN
“Distant Crush” by Teenage Priest
- It’s dreamy, electric, and totally crushable. Ginkel, an LA-based artist currently on tour with British artist Bishop Briggs, has a strong, deep voice that is perfect for this ’80s style pop beat. His simple, yet catchy, lyrics capture the emotions that everyone has felt when it comes to a new crush. I can’t even imagine how incredible this song will sound live.
“Funeral” by Miguel
- The American R&B singer is giving me full-on Prince vibes three seconds in on this latest release. We get the typical R&B vibe, with the right touch of edgy rock. If Lenny Kravitz and Prince came together to collab on a song, this is a close resemblance of what it would sound like. Miguel’s vocal versatility is spot on here. I would like a whole album full of this vibe, please and thank you.
“Morning” by Teyana Taylor & Kehlani
- I was excited for this duo release all week, so I hate to admit how disappointed I am. Both R&B singers have strong vocals, neither of which are showcased in this song. Taylor’s high-pitched vocals throughout are annoying and there isn’t nearly enough of Kehlani. I appreciate the sexy sounds from the female perspective, but the two missed the mark on this one.
“Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa
- The English singer-songwriter has gone disco and wow is it working for her. “Don’t Start Now” is a future club smash and if you disagree, you have no sense of rhythm. I can’t stop dancing in my seat as I write this. The electro-pop sound was made for her vocals and the producers working on her beats know exactly what they are doing. If the music video for this isn’t set in a 1970s disco, I will riot.
“SOMEONE ELSE” by Bishop Briggs
- This woman is all I’ve been playing since I saw her live in Austin last weekend. While her music sounds astounding through my headphones, it sounds even better live. She announced at that show she has a new album coming out on Nov. 9, and “SOMEONE ELSE” is the most slowed down of the four tracks she has already released in anticipation of it. Her lyrics are hauntingly beautiful and, accompanied with her powerhouse vocals, it’s a song to get lost in. After every bad breakup, we’ve all envisioned being someone else to get away from our own painful thoughts. That is exactly what the British dark pop artist describes here.
Bella diGrazia can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BelladiGrazia.
