Tarek Kasmi

"Tarek is one of the best new up-and-coming pop/rock artists from none other than The Sunshine State’s Orlando, Florida. With 2010 showing his sheer determination and passion for music, we are presented with his first release, The New Century. Tarek explains, “’The New Century’ is my way of showing people that there is more to life than money and big media and consumerism. I think everyone intuitively understands that something isn’t right in this world, and I wanted to bring light to that fact.”

Opening the EP is “We’re Not Sorry” and it is exactly how it is described on the tin, a pop rock track that will have no trouble making you get up and dance. A strong song musically and lyrically, I can’t seem to pick a fault with it. I’m positive it will be a definite crowd pleaser and it’s likely to be a hit single too. With high energy throughout, slowing it down for the bridge, it’s certainly a positive, memorable track that will leave you with a smile on your face.

“Unchained” follows with a prominent rock-like guitar riff that is visible throughout the whole song, providing a strong foundation for the rest of the track to build upon. The drums and vocals soon kick in simultaneously and before I knew it I found myself tapping my foot along to the beats. As the chorus began I felt a faint sense of déjà-vu, but a good déjà-vu. As the chorus continued to flow I found it had a similar feel to the ending of Panic! at the Disco’s song, “Build God, Then We’ll Talk.” It is a well-rounded track, which I enjoy a lot, making it my favourite off the record.

“The Quiet of Morning” slows us right down, stripping the track down to meaningful lyrics sung by a soothing voice, accompanied by an acoustic guitar and occasionally some strings. I actually enjoy this song more than I thought I would. I was nervous to see how Tarek’s voice would cope with an acoustic track, but it actually sounds beautiful. It is a really easy-listening song, and even though I enjoy the upbeat tracks on this album, it is nice to have this simple song to break up all the energy.

I am little disappointed with the next track,“The Sky Is Falling!” To me, this it sounds like a knock-off of something from My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade album. It isn’t a bad track but I feel like it has all been done before and compared to what Tarek has already produced I was expecting something a little different and exciting. However, it isn’t unbearable, as changing the pace throughout makes it that little bit more interesting to listen to.

“The New Century” brings back Tarek’s normal style and energy that I certainly love. Although it is not as upbeat as some of his tracks, it portrays a darker element to it. This is easy to identify due to the power and force coming from the drums and riffs, especially during the bridge. This is another catchy track, bound to be a crowd pleaser, and again, it is another one of my favourites. The EP ends in a great way, with a big burst of energy, leaving the EP on a high note.

Overall, I love this EP and can easily see it becoming one of my favourite releases this year. All of the tracks are mastered to a superb level and the hard work and dedication really shines through. I can guarantee Tarek is soon going to become a household name, so be sure to watch out for him!" - The Sound Alarm

"If you need some new good punk rock music, Tarek Kasmi released his new EP The New Century. He called it like this for one reason. “’The New Century’ is my way of showing people that there is more to life than money and big media and consumerism,” he explains. “I think everyone intuitively understands that something isn’t right in this world, and I wanted to bring light to that fact. In fact, Spanning just under twenty minutes, its five tracks constitute an anthemic call to arms, encouraging listeners to reject corporate-sponsored defeatism and live, as he says, “like real human beings.” Be sure to grab your copy on iTunes. Who is he ? He comes from Florida. He is only 20 years old and is already an excellent musician.

In this EP, they offer us awesome guitar solos.If you aren’t familiar with his music, check out his myspace. The New Century has amazing roaring punk rock songs with a catchy beat. There is one song that first grabbed my attention when I heard the EP. It is The Quiet of morning, a sweet ballad that gives us a big indication of the extent of his talent. This acoustic guitar playing is just awesome. Beautiful melody. Tarek shows us another side of his vocal talent. His voice gonna wreak havoc on radio and in people’s heart.

He is unsigned. Help him to spread his music. He deserves success and has definitely a brilliant future ahead. For girls, I can add he is cute.

Like him on his facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Tarek will perform an acoustic show at Hot Topic, in Orlando on December 2th. He will give another concert at The SOCIAL with Dang We’re On Fire on December 23. Make Sure to check out him live if you are in Florida." - Evigshed.com

"Punk rock is one genre that has constantly changed and evolved since the genre first burst onto the music scene over thirty years ago. Even though not every punk band sounds like they are channelling their inner Sex Pistols, it doesn’t necessarily make them any less punk rock. Take Tarek Kasmi as an example: he uses more than three chords in his songs, but has much of the same insolent attitude that made punk rock stand aside from other genres. On his first EP, The New Century, Kasmi takes a scathing look at the world of corporations and rampant consumerism, and hopes to spark some change in the world.

Kasmi’s biography is short and sweet. He hopes to spark revolution and to turn the tide against the powers that be through one of the most powerful tools available in this world- music. He’s not far off. The power of music has opened the eyes and ears of many, and while one song might not change the entire world in one shot, it might wake some people out of their consumerist comas and decide to do something more valuable with their lives.

Channeling his inner New Found Glory, Kasmi crafts an album that sounds like it should be about ex-girlfriends and parties, but in reality has nothing to do with either. The first track, “We’re Not Sorry” sounds like the perfect punk rock anthem, but is deceptive. Lurking beneath the catchy choruses and solid guitar work is the sentiment that is best explained in Kasmi’s own words: “I won’t be run by corporations.”

The second track, “Unchained” has a much darker feel to it, which stops the album from sounding repetitive and stops it from being another throwaway pop album. The track is about fighting back- and Kasmi has appropriately moved away from bubblegum punk to convey this.

From there, the EP moves on to a sentimental acoustic track, followed by more pop punk, and ends with another darker track. There appears to be a pattern here- the album can’t be too poppy, but can’t be too downbeat either. Kasmi appears to be attempting to blend in pop punk and post-hardcore, and coming off with odd results. While the louder tracks do convey their intended anger perfectly, the poppier tracks sound slightly out of place. After all, New Found Glory and Blink 182 never tried to incite a revolution with pop punk. Over the years, pop has become a genre so devoid of seriousness that instilling such a message doesn’t quite fit.

Kasmi does succeed in crafting lyrics to make the listener think. Lines such as “No longer will we stand for your organized disorder” feel more profound than what is found in most pop punk now. In all, The New Century is a good effort on Kasmi’s part to incite a revolution, but choosing pop punk to convey this message makes for a very odd combination that simply does not quite get the message across. The message comes across much better on the tracks “Unchained” and “The New Century,” where the idea of fighting globalization and consumerism aren’t hidden behind a genre so suited to dissecting relationships." - Examiner.com

"With a voice and style similar to a mixture of Bayside and Anberlin, Tarek Kasmi is immediately engaging and entertaining. Despite being the release of a solo artist, The New Century sounds like it was written by a full band. It’s encouraging to hear a young dude come up with all this himself. Right from the start with “We’re Not Sorry”, this EP is catchy and keeps the listener hooked. “The Quiet Of Morning” is the only all acoustic track, and gives you an idea of how Tarek sounds without help from other musicians. Every track of The New Century is well worth your time, as is this artist in general. Check out Tarek Kasmi as soon as you can. We look forward to hearing more from him soon, as should you. (NL)" - LMP Magazine

"Tarek Kasmi is a 20 year old singer and musician coming straight out of Orlando, Florida bringing us his new rebellion fueled, anthemic EP “ The New Century”. It’s clear from the beginning of the album that Kasmi wants to bring us a hard-hitting message of freedom and not conforming. This is fed to our ears through catchy, free-flowing pop punk.

The first track on the EP sets the stage for a whirlwind of rebellion punk. The track, titled “We’re Not Sorry” brings us a message of living free of regret and moving on from the past. It states, “My life will not be bought by some corporation.” This track has major anthem potential. I could see a group of teens blasting this song while driving down the highway to their next punk show. It’s what this entire EP is about, being free and being who you want to be, not being stuck in what others think you should be, or what you perceive normality to be. Let yourself go, and be whom you are.

The second track, “Unchained” is yet another song that could easily become the go-to track to blast during a road trip. It speaks of rising against the ones in power that hold you down. Fighting back against what keeps you stuck. “We are more than desperate silence.” Stand up and fight for what you believe in, is what this track is about. It’s a song that can be applied to many things depending on the person listening to it. Music is personal and this can be one track that can be perceived in many different ways. It’s a great song that gives a strong message and that’s what the industry needs more of these days.

By the third track you’re already in kind of “f*ck the world” mood but “The Quiet of Morning” slows everything down and gives you a new view on the whole thing. It’s all acoustic and very stripped. It kind of sounds like a love song, which is very different from anything else on the EP, and it’s a nice change. The last track, which is the title track “The New Century” wraps it all up in a nice little bow with another blaring pop-punk sound with more anthem-like lyrics and more positivity.

All in all, this is a great album if you’re into pop punk. You need to get it and it needs to live happily on your iPod. It’s a must have. You can download the EP on iTunes and check out Tarek on MySpace. Shoot him a message and let him know we sent you!" - For The Sound