5 Songs I Love w/ Daniel Leckerman

Following the release of his latest single, "Karma", Flex caught up with Daniel Leckerman to find out what inspires his emotionally charged electro-pop sound. Blending atmospheric production, honest lyricism and themes of identity, belonging and personal growth, the Scottish singer-songwriter creates music that explores the connections that shape who we are. If you enjoy Daniel's picks, be sure to check out "Karma" at the end of the article.

Icona Pop - Fall In Love

Icona Pop are such a talented duo. There voices blend so well together. This song instantly kicks in with the hook, and I love the way they use a syncopated distant synth to build momentum. They always know how to use a beat the slaps, and simple patterns that blend beautifully. The pace feels consistent throughout and the outro repeats the hook with the vocoder, which leaves me wanting to play this song on repeat. 

Bruno Mars - Locked Out Of Heaven

Bruno mars is such a classic, and his voice is just so on-point. This is one of my favorite songs from him. The bass build the groove throughout and the ‘yeahs’ build another lovely layer. 

The vocoder synth in the chorus that ascends in scale brings so much fuel. The snare and kick going at the same time, whilst the synth bass is playing, sets a memorable tone. I don’t think many songs could pull off the way that this last chorus does when it slows down a bit with the drums.

Faouzia - UNETHICAL

I’ve been a fan of Faouzia for a while, her voice is super angelic. From the moment she starts singing, it completely captures my heart. I love her phrasing and lyrics, it’s crazy how an unusual word like ‘unethical’ is used so fittingly into the chorus. ‘If you love me, let me go’ as the chorus comes to the end, feels such a beautiful release, especially transitioning into the bridge where the stunning strings pave the way. The last chorus vocal lead doubling with the ‘let me go’ phrase creates a wonderful dynamic.

Sia - Fire Meet Gasoline

Sia is one of my most favorite songwriters. Her voice always stands out and her range is insane. The lyrics are so emotional, and it’s s great example of repetition in pop music. Her backing vocals and ‘oooh’s’ add so much depth, and I like how they aren’t super subtle. The ‘da da dams’ create a sense of vulnreablity and softness in a song with so much power. The piano playing trills and unusual notes bring in some curiosity which balances out perfectly within the arrangement.

Julia Michaels - All Your Exes

Julia Michaels is so talented. I love the gentle guitar picking to set the tone, then the synth in the pre-chorus with the sped-up melody, really builds momentum. Then you’re just not expecting the chorus with that electric guitar and opening line, which is unexpected but really cool, definitely some fierce lyrics in there. The guitar parts in the verse 2 add a pop rock feel and it works well with the vocal tone and punchy drums. 

Listen to "Karma"