Welcome to “Underrated Artists,” an entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering unpopular and unknown artists. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role of a writer, reviewing single releases and albums from four underrated artists.
Atlanta-raised singer-songwriter Berhana initially caught my attention when his most recent album, “Amen (The Missing Tapes),” was released in 2019. His music style is very unique, with eclectic beats to accompany diverse lyrics. When listening to the album, I listened to the albumit in order of the discography, and so the first song, “Amen” really caught my attention. It consists of a woman knocking on a door and repeatedly saying “I’m in.” There was a background beat but for the majority of the song it was just the woman speaking. I didn’t love this as a song due to the lack of actual music, but it did a fantastic job at grabbing attention and getting me to listen to the rest of the song. One song that really stood out to me was “Honeycomb.” This song did a great job at showcasing Berhana’s voice and his true musical talent. There was a stunning melody and beat that kept me intrigued and curious. “Honeycomb” was just one of many songs that I enjoyed on his initial album, but there are tons of songs across his EPs and albums that are all filled with unique beats and did a fantastic job at keeping me engaged. Berhana’s music is like none other.
After his most recent single of “Thank You for Leaving,” I have been an avid listener of Gus Dapperton. If you are looking for a new artist for summer, I could not recommend Dapperton more. His music is filled with bright, exciting beats and has both meaningful and lighthearted lyrics. Dapperton has a wide discography with over 20 singles, EPs, and three albums. As a 28 year-old, this is a very impressive feat. A standout song across his discography is “I’m On Fire,” a single released in 2020. The song starts with bright, almost ethereal music and transitions to Dapperton singing. He sings of love and turmoil, while the music persists in the background. It can feel repetitive at times but overall is a great song. His music is perfect for background music for warm summer nights or long days at the beach. Any Gus Dapperton song is a great addition to any summer playlist.
With only 310.7k monthly listeners, Deb Never surprised me in the best way. With low-fi beats and a calm voice, her music is calming and a nice change of pace from many of my playlists. After being raised in the Pacific Northwest, she has a plethora of singles and anone album titled “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” The first thing I do when I listen to a new artist is listen to their most popular song, as it usually never disappoints, but it did in this case. Her most popular song is a collaboration with slowthai, a verified artist on Spotify with over 1.3 million monthly listeners. The “push” starts with Never singing in her peaceful, slow tone, but gets interrupted with Slowthai’s aggressive rapping. Slowthai’s music style heavily clashes with Nevers’ style and the song felt like a result of an awkward pairing. Contrasting “push,” “Someone Else” was a pleasant surprise. This song shows more of Never’s range and talent, with peaceful instrumentals in the background and meaningful lyrics. Never’s entire album, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” was a fantastic showcase of her talent and was immediately added to some of my playlists.
Based in Sunshine Coast, Australia, Geowulf brings the warm sunny vibes. This duo generates unique beach bum lyrics that match your stereotypical “Aussies.” Their music consists of dreamy beats and heartfelt lyrics that are perfect for those who are fans of mellow pop. One song that stands out to me on their discography is “Saltwater” on their hit album, Great Big Blue. The background music to “Saltwater” really made it stand out, with airy guitar riffs, unexpected reverb, and subtle build-ups. The lyrics also paired really well with the instrumentals as they used really soft and gentle vocals. One common theme I observed throughout all of their albums is the way they build up each song. It’s almost as if you’re sitting on the edge of your seat and you don’t even realize it. However, one critique I have is that the music can start to feel very repetitive. The beats can feel overused and the lyrics start to repeat the same messages. Overall, Geowulf is a great addition to any chill playlist.
