by Jane Lambert

A Is for Atom’s “Enola” Turns Atomic Age Fallout into a Modern Indie Anthem

A is For Atom’s latest single “Enola” starts with a strong electronic pulse that is modern in quality without trying too hard. It’s the kind of groove you can imagine in an indie club or on a late night drive.

But this track quickly reveals itself as more than a beat. It’s built on a concept that feels both personal and bigger than one person. It’s a reflection on what we inherit, what we carry and what we can’t leave behind.

The Atomic Age imagery isn’t just a stylistic choice. It’s a metaphor for the way past decisions continue to echo. The title nods to the Enola Gay, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber that became infamous for dropping the first atomic bomb, “Little Boy,” on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. The aircraft played a decisive role in bringing World War II to an end. But this song is more interested in the fallout, in the emotional residue of growing up in a world that keeps shifting beneath your feet.

Mike Cykoski, the man behind A is For Atom, has vocals that very much sit in the center of the track like a witness to the story. There’s a sense of tension in them as if he is telling you something that he hasn’t fully processed. The lyrics move through scenes that are lived in – cruising through Fort Collins, the guilty of Catholic school upbringing, the adrenaline of rock and roll, and then reframing them inside a country that feels very volatile and unstable right now.

What’s striking about “Enola” is how it balances contrast. It’s nostalgic, but also anxious. It’s loud, but it’s not careless. It’s a song that wants to move you but it also wants you to think. It’s a critique of America, but it’s wrapped in autobiography which makes it that bit more human.

In the end, “Enola” is a strong new release from A Is for Atom because it’s not trying to be anything other than what it is. A thoughtful and bold song that sounds familiar but still manages to carve out its own space.

Keep up with A is For Atom on the Website

Stream music on Spotify and Apple Music

01.15.26

by Jane Lambert

When Loyalty Runs Out – Matt Alter’s Latest Release “Tossed Away”

“Tossed Away”, the latest release from Matt Alter, is quiet, steady and yet painfully relatable. The song is about that moment when you realize that someone has been taking from you without giving back, and finally being able to put that feeling into words.

The music matches the honesty. Both the guitar and instrumentation do not attempt to steal the spotlight but rather allow Matt’s lyrics to really shine:

What really sticks is the writing. The lyrics aren’t complicated, but they are real. You can sense the frustration, the disappointment, the clarity that comes after.

“I was just your stepping stone.

You used me. Tossed away.”

In these striking lyrics you can feel the frustration, the disappointment, and the clarity that comes afterwards. It’s the kind of song that makes you nod and say, “Yeah… I’ve been there.”

Part of what makes “Tossed Away” work so well is the way it was created. Released as part of a single by single rollout, each track got its own space to grow. And you can hear this in the way it is deliberate, punchy, thoughtful but also unafraid to leave some thing unsaid.

About Matt Alter

A lifetime of music has shaped Matt Alter’s journey. From early school bands to picking up his first guitar after high school, music has always been a constant. Even when life and a demanding career as a surgeon took him away from it temporarily.

Returning to the guitar reignited his passion, leading to performances with cover and original bands in Richmond, Virginia, and opening for nationally touring acts.

Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Matt Alter has released four solo albums, including The Bitter Pill (2020), Race to the Finish (2021), Did I Offend You? (2023), and an upcoming 2026 release, all reflecting a thoughtful and deliberate approach to songwriting.

Connect with Matt Alter on his Website

Stream music on Spotify and Apple Music

12.16.25

by Jane Lambert

Ending the Year on a High Note: Amana Melomé’s “Con C.ALMA”

Amana Melomé closes out the year on a bright, soul lifting note with “Con C.ALMA,” a track that feels like both a celebration and a gentle exhale.

It’s the kind of song that fits perfectly into that reflective space between years. It’s upbeat without being frantic, warm without trying too hard and grounded in a sense of gratitude.

Listen here:

After several years away from releasing music, Melomé returns with a sound that’s joyful, relaxed and quietly confident. The groove carries an easy bounce, while her vocals glide with a calm assurance that suggests she’s exactly where she needs to be. Rather than pushing for attention, she lets the song’s energy speak for itself.

The title translates from Spanish as “with calm,” hints at the song’s deeper intention. By highlighting alma, the soul, Melomé frames the song as a reminder to move through life at your own pace, especially as the year winds down and reflection sets in. It’s an upbeat message delivered with softness – stay present, trust the timing and don’t let the noise rush you.

Jazz pianist Deron Johnson adds an elegant sparkle to the track, his playing light and responsive, giving the song lift without overwhelming its relaxed mood. The collaboration between Melomé and Johnson feels effortless, even more impressive knowing it was recorded across continents. Together they create a sound that is open, sun-touched and quietly celebratory.

“Con C.ALMA” works beautifully as a year end release. It’s a track that invites dancing and introspection in equal measure. It’s hopeful without being naive, joyful without being loud. As the first single from Melomé’s upcoming album Recalibration to be released in the new year, it sets the tone for what feels like a new chapter rooted in balance, ease and intention.

Follow Amana Melome’ on Instagram

Stream music on Spotify and Apple Music

12.12.25

by Jane Lambert

ИΞOlicious Bends Time and Temperature on “Entropic Cycle”

“Entropic Cycle” swirls into the room like a cold draft from a door you didn’t realize was open, bringing with it the uncanny feeling that something in the atmosphere just shifted.

ИΞOlicious, the 18 year old avant-pop experimenter from Glendale is already known for making music that feels like emotional weather, but this new single pushes that instinct into a sharper, stranger and much more focused form. This is the sound of someone willingly stepping into the mess and discovering something almost comforting inside the chaos.

Built on stacked panned violin recordings that bloom into something cosmic, the production moves like a breathing organism.

The track rises with star lit synths and falls into verses that feel raw enough to bruise, while airplane like textures buzz underneath as if the whole thing is in motion even when you’re still.

If there is a thesis to “Entropic Cycle,” it’s hidden in the contrast. In the push and pull, the optimism and dread, the night and the thin glow of the approaching morning. ИΞOlicious has created a pop track that behaves more like a dream or maybe a recurring thought you can’t shake.

What makes the song though, is its sincerity. For all the glitchy shimmer and lunar strangeness, there’s a core belief running through it: that everything matters. Even the parts that feel like static. Even the parts we wish we could fast forward through.

You can hear this philosophy in the way the track lifts, breaks and reforms itself – in the entropy and rebirth stitched together not as a contradiction but as the natural order of things. It’s the kind of music that feels like it was made at 3 a.m. not because the artist had to but because the night is the only time when these thoughts feel safe enough to surface.

“Entropic Cycle” is the opening chapter of the upcoming album LΞT IT BΞ ИIGHT, and ИΞOlicious is quietly setting the stage for something bigger – something conceptual, personal and defiantly experimental.

This isn’t just another debut single trying to get your attention. It’s a signal flare from a new, weird and wonderful corner of the underground.

Keep up with everything ИΞOlicious here

11.12.25

by Jane Lambert

George Collins’s Latest Single “Houston” Captures the Fragile Art of Holding On

Sometimes, the quietest songs say the most. George Collins’s new single “Houston” is one of those rare songs that sneaks up on you. It’s a slow, steady pulse of emotion. It’s a song about distance, but not just the kind that separates planets, but the kind that grows between two people who can’t quite find the same orbit anymore.

Written during a songwriting retreat in Spain, “Houston” takes its cue from an unexpected place – the Apollo 13 mission. Collins and his co-writers were challenged to write a song about “space,” and instead of leaning into the literal, they turned much more inwards.

The final track is one that uses the language of exploration and crisis – “Houston, we have a problem” – to reflect on something deeply human. Namely, how communication can break down when love starts to drift.

The opening lines “You don’t seem to notice, maybe you don’t really care, I’m lost and lonely, floating around you somewhere”, Collins sets the emotional tone with honesty. There is a kind of accpetance that makes the pain more poignant. He is not blaming, but describing what it feels like to lose a connection one quiet moment at a time.

The production which is arranged and produced by Grammy nominated composer Jeff Franzel, suits the theme perfectly.

Collins originally wrote the song on acoustic guitar, but here it’s transformed into a delicate piano and cello arrangement. The piano moves patiently beneath the vocals, while the cello drifts in subtly and full of texture. Each note echoes the theme of communication across distance.

Collins’s vocals are what truly carries the song. When he reaches the chorus “If we’re ever gonna cross a chasm this wide / We’re gonna have to pass through our dark side” is a quiet revelation. He does not need to raise his voice to make the point.

Overall though, “Houston” feels real. You can see the dim light of the room, two people not talking, and the sense of something beautiful slipping away. Collins turns that small, human moment into something much bigger. His writing shows craftsmanship for language and melody.

By the end, when Collins sings “And time is running out,” it’s recognition – the kind that comes when you finally see how fragile connection really is.

Listen to “Houston” on Spotify now.

Follow George Collins Band on the Website

11.07.25

by Jane Lambert

Theatre Meets Pop Perfection in Ian Ward’s “Ocean Eyes”

With “Ocean Eyes,” Ian Ward delivers a solid cinematic slice of pop. The track develops like a memory which is soft at first, reflective and tender, before swelling into a chorus that hits with grandeur. It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you and reveals its depth in layers.

Built on shimmering synths, echoing guitars and Ward’s commanding voice, “Ocean Eyes” captures the bittersweet space between heartbreak and healing.

Each lyric feels lived in as if he is narrating a scene from real life. When his falsetto breaks through in the chorus, it is fragile and soaring and is a rare balance of polish and authenticity that wants you to listen on repeat.

Ward has described the song as “the bridge between my Broadway theatricality and the pop stage,” and thats exactly how it feels. It’s intimate storytelling told on a wide screen. This is in the way that “Ocean Eyes explores the pull of memory which is the quiet moment when someone’s face suddenly drifts into focus long after you thought you had moved on.

“Theatre trained me to tell stories through other people’s words … my original music lets me tell my own.”

“Ocean Eyes” is a moment of emotional honesty captured in motion. It reminds us that love does not always end cleanly. Sometimes, it lingers soft and shimmering, like light reflecting on water.

About Ian Ward

Ian Ward is a Brooklyn based singer songwriter, actor and creative entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry.

He made his professional theatre debut at just eight years old and has since performed on Broadway, toured internationally, appeared on television and film and even earned a Golden Ticket on American Idol.

As a songwriter, Ward layers pop melodies with a rock edge and the depth of a Broadway vocalist. His debut EP One Shot displays his soulful voice and fearless storytelling, echoing his belief in taking chances and living boldly.

Ward is the founder of Mutual Street Entertainment and Hitmaker Collective, where he mentors emerging songwriters and helps artists to develop their creative vision. Having collaborated with icons like Idina Menzel, Pat Benatar, Kristen Bell, Sir Tim Rice and Ryan Murphy, Ward is creating and inspiring one song, one story and one unforgettable performance at a time.

Keep up with Ian Ward on his Website