As Iration draws closer to the release of their yet-to-be-titled 5th studio record that is due out late spring, they have released a new single titled, “Hit List.”
As mentioned in our 2018 Most Anticipated Albums, Iration is said to take a direction of sound that is to be channeled through their influences. The album will have 15+ songs and include three 
stylistically different guest vocalists that all apparently smashed their respective parts. The album was produced with David “King David” Manzoor who has been co-writing and collaborating with the group since 2015’s Hotting Up.
The first single from the new record is “Hit List” that saw its premiere with San Diego’s 91x radio station at the start of the New Year.
The group shared a statement regarding the new single: “‘Hit List’ is a song that at first listen, might not sound like what you would expect an Iration song to sound like. It draws from our wide range of influences to create something unique. Rock, reggae, hip hop, and R&B are all there alongside the melodic hooks we are known for. We always strive to create something new and we think we’ve done it with this song.”
The song does take a more alternative approach than the group is known for. After a piano heavy intro, front-man Micah Pueschel adds his signature soulful vocals that rain heavy on the hook. Singer/guitarist Micah Brown’s melodic rhythm & flow at the 1:05 mark stands well in contrast to Pueschel’s chorus in addition to the subtle reggae undertones with hip hop drums marching behind the R&B style vocals. It’s a progressive approach for a group that helped create a reggae-pop genre of music using their coastal and island influences as a key ingredient to their original sound.
When discussing the new album, Pueschel tells The Pier: “We were really striving to get our fans and listeners as much new material as possible with this record, especially considering how much time we’ve been spending in the studio recently… We basically tried to make an album that paid homage to all of our influences. Obviously there are many, from multiple genres of music. Reggae, rock, pop, hip hop, R&B, motown etc. People will be able to listen and try to pick up which of our influences are coming through. It’s going to be very eclectic in that way. We have always said, ‘we don’t really care what genre of music we are making, we just want to make good songs.’ I think this album is a direct result of letting the songs guide us.”
You can stream “Hit List” or own it via iTunes by clicking HERE!
As of this writing, Iration is out on their HeatSeekers winter tour with The Movement & Tyrone’s Jacket. Find their upcoming dates below.
Related Links:
Iration Website
Iration Facebook
Article By: Mike Patti