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(03/28/18 1:34pm)
If you haven’t heard of the newest and hottest Philadelphia-raised band, Mt. Joy, stop reading this article so you can fully understand the joy that is Mt. Joy.
Releasing several singles throughout the past year like “Astrovan,” and “Silver Lining,” the band finally released their album after a teasingly-long wait period of over a year. The album covers a range of sounds and tones, but the emotionally-charged voice of Matt Quinn (lead singer and guitarist) ties the whole album together beautifully with themes of purpose, love, religion, and unity.
This is what makes the now LA-based band stand out; in a sea of noisy ramblings and musical normalities, there is something about Mt. Joy’s lyrics and musical pairings that resonate with audiences. Yet, the folk rock and subtle Americana moods is something listeners haven’t heard of yet, especially as Mt. Joy has the push behind them to fall into the mainstream (proven by their inclusion at Bonnaroo’s lineup last summer and their current U.S. tour). With the band only falling more and more into focus of the everyday listener rather that the music-seeking indie-loving hipster, it’s clear that audiences are craving for the clean, powerful, and eclectic sound that Mt. Joy provides with their self-dubbed indie-folk sound.
If you’re looking for a song that really speaks a lot of Mt. Joy’s abilities, “Sheep” is one of their earliest songs that debuted that wraps a powerful, potent message within beautiful, fresh guitar accompaniment. Focusing on how the younger generation of Americans are viewing violence in their own country, Mt. Joy hits listeners with lines like “You cut it up, you cut it up, but it’s still the red white and the blue” and “She said a change is gonna come, but it’s all on us,” hitting home with the idea of unity within the younger generation.
I’d say this is their best song on the album; but if you want to truly believe me, you’ll have to listen to it yourself.
Mark Maddaloni / Mark
(03/27/18 10:13pm)
Juli Ronderos and Nico Losada are Salt Cathedral, a musical group with 3 EPs out already and a debut album set for summer release. Although the group is currently based in New York, their global pop has deep roots in Colombia (not to be mistaken with WUSC’s Columbia), and their sound features a collage of cultural influences. They recently released a new single, “No Love,” and performed at this year’s SXSW. Read my full interview with them here, in which we talked about the origin of their band name, their experience at SXSW, what’s to come, and much more.
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is a Roman Catholic church in Colombia, where you guys are from. How did this play a role in inspiring your band name, and does religion influence your sound in any way?
When we chose a name we wanted something that you could always trace back to our home country because it is such a big part of our identity. The Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá is a grand and strange and beautiful place and the concept itself is very mystical. It started out as a salt mine where workers would create shrines to the virgin before going in to perform this dangerous mining job. We think the relationship between struggle and religion is very representative of music. Most religious music is so beautiful - and it's always our own struggles that inform our music.
Do you guys have a favorite place you’ve visited, or a place that’s given you the most inspiration?
Recently I would say that place was Lima, Peru. The community of artists we met there were incredibly inspiring to us as was the ancient culture and their gastronomy. It's just a very lively and unique place and it filled our souls with the best feelings.
Why do you release your music in English?
We release our music in English because after we went to jazz school in Boston, we moved to New York. We made some songs in Spanish with our first project but felt that our songs in English communicated better with the people we were playing for. We are actually working on a record in Spanish now!
Since your band gathers inspiration from global sounds, and since you have toured at various places across the globe, what audience in particular do you create your music for?
We don't have one specific citizenship or race that we create music for. We create music for anyone who is open to understanding and loving other cultures and to accept a sort of new globalized culture we inhabit - like us, being Latinos in the US. Music is a pretty universal expression so we hope that people from every corner of the world feel like our music is for them if they can connect through dance, lyrics, sound or emotionality.
Since you have global inspiration for creating your music, how does this global perspective make you view the music industry?
I guess it just makes it that much harder because we have to find people to work with in many different territories. But it also breaks barriers, you realize how much of a common language music is. Also, the industry varies a lot form region to region - the US is a different animal than Latin America or Europe, even geographically.
The cover art for your singles/EPs are some of the most colorful and artistic I’ve seen-- how do you guys decide upon these?
We work with our absolute favorite artist in the world, we’re so lucky. Her name is Micci Cohan, check her stuff out! We usually choose from artwork pieces she's already made. We think it's the best representation of our music because it's vibrant and collage based - and since our music draws from so many influences, it feels like collage sometimes.
Always There When I Need You Single Cover Oom Velt EP Cover
Where does your lyrical inspiration come from?
Life! It's usually either about our common social/political/human experience or very personal things - like pain and conflict and love - but then again, aren't those also part of our common human experience? I really like to portray images!
How do you think your sound has changed throughout the band’s history?
Oh it's changed so so much. We are such music lovers that it's been hard to stick to one thing and also it's a constant process in search of our identity. We both grew up with music from rock to merengue, salsa, reguetton in Colombia. Nico used to play hardcore/metal, we went to school for jazz, and later moved to a neighborhood in Brooklyn where hip hop is predominant. We're inspired by so many different styles that the sound has changed a lot. I would say the main change from last EP to this new record was taking the sound a bit out of our heads to make music that is more accessible to more people.
How was SXSW?
SXSW was amazing! It was a really brief trip, we were only there for two days playing two shows. We played the Pandora stage alongside incredible artists like Kelela and Tinashe and just got to see some of our friends and enjoy the Austin weather - could not have asked for a better SXSW experience.
“No Love” came out right before SXSW, and was played live there. How was it received?
When we play that song live, people get really dancey so we love playing it. The music video is out tomorrow!!
What was it like to collaborate with Assassin for “Run For The Money”?
We collaborated from afar but honestly it was surreal because we admire him so much!
Last fall, you toured with Coast Modern. What was that experience like?
The Coast Modern tour was an incredible experience. Their fans were super receptive of our music and it was fascinating to drive across the entire US playing our music.
What’s to come from Salt Cathedral?
We have a music video coming out, then we have some more singles and our album in late July. We will also be touring in the second half of the year in support of the record - probably through the US and Europe! We're excited to take our music on the road.
For more information on Salt Cathedral and to track their progress in the music world, you can follow their Spotify or follow their Facebook page.
For more information on artist Micci Cohan, you can go to her website.
By Emme Ostrander
(03/26/18 9:40pm)
Appearing on festival lineups such as Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo as well as having tracks dominate the HypeMachine charts, Taska Black is a name everyone should know. The 21-year-old producer from Antwerp, Belgium, is challenging the very word “genre." Unveiling all types of new approaches to future music, Joachim Gorrebeeck’s creative techniques are grabbing the attention of ravers all over the world. Taska has just come out with a brand-new collaboration with San Holo called, “Right Here, Right Now," and is also coming out with an acoustic version of his latest Monstercat single, “We Would Never Do."
Listen to my full interview with Taska Black, discussing dropping out of school, music video production, and his new song here:
Taska Black’s new collaboration with San Holo:
(03/22/18 1:51pm)
Isn’t it just grand when an artist you appreciate releases a surprise album? It’s a wonderful gift that can instantly brighten an otherwise gloomy day. When Radiohead dropped their most recent LP, A Moon Shaped Pool, it was only announced three days before release. Every Radiohead fan including myself lost their minds with excitement. That’s precisely what happens with A. A. L. (Against All Logic)’s 2012-2017. Nicolas Jaar, as he’s known by many, quietly released this record over his Other People label on February 17… And wow, is it great.
From the opening industrial, distorted synth tones of “This Old House Is All I Have,” the record immediately demands your attention. However, a minute later, the track transitions into this driving, funk-inspired warped house dance-a-thon.
This album is Jaar’s most house-driven record. While his previous records like Space Is Only Noise delved into the microhouse sound, 2012-2017 puts the cheerful, house beats on blast, especially on the second track, “I Never Dream.” Not only is this one of the most inspiring house tracks of the decade, put possibly of all time. Fans of Daft Punk’s irresistible early material will jump with everlasting euphoria on their imaginary (or real) trampolines like youthful middle schoolers in the summertime. The drum programming on this track is jaw-dropping with prominent drum and bass influences spiraled throughout. It’s amazing how Jaar can take an abstract, glitchy beat, throw it over that 4/4 house stomp, AND ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORK! “Some Kind of Game” starts out with a lo-fi dance-y heartbeat and transitions into something else entirely about a minute and a half in. It’s just pure joy to listen to. The vocal sample is also insanely catchy, as a matter of fact, the vocal samples all over this record are irresistibly infectious. Jaar concretely understands how to integrate samples well within his music, and 2012-2017 is the best example of that yet. Speaking of great samples, “Hopeless” features the best table tennis sample since Flying Lotus’ “Table Tennis” off 2010’s Cosmogramma.
Jaar also brings a distinct, lo-fi outsider house influence to this record giving it a “garage dancefloor” feel. On “Cityfade” in particular, the deep, low-end is reduced in favor of a more punchy, grainy backbeat. “Flash In the Pan” reverts slightly back to Jaar’s microhouse sound reminiscent of some of Jon Hopkins’ latest output. Occasional blasts of noise propulse the track into the night sky and amongst the constellations. Maybe a new constellation was formed from this track?
This is an all-around phenomenal release from Nicolas Jaar. Not only is the production crisp yet raw, but detailed and layered with profound precision. It’s part of the reason I find Nicolas Jaar such an immersing artist. His unique blend of funk and soul samples on here make it the best house record in recent memory. IF YA LIKE TO DANCE, THEN PUT THIS RECORD ON!
By Luke Rola // Purple Dragon
(03/22/18 1:37pm)
Last week I had the opportunity to talk to Dutch future bass duo, DROELOE. Having records with millions of plays on Spotify and more than 50,000 followers on SoundCloud, Vincent Rooijers & Hein Hamers are a force to be reckoned with. Their innovative sounds have been catching people by surprise ever since their hit SoundCloud record, “zZz.” Their unique style has been noticed by many EDM fans, earning them spots on some of the biggest festivals in the U.S.! With many releases on Monstercat and bitbird, they continue to impress with their brand-new single “Many Words.”
Listen to DROELOE talk about their new track, EDC Las Vegas, and plans for the future here:
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/user-977557773/droeloe-interview[/embed]
DROELOE’s new single, “Many Words”:
https://soundcloud.com/bitbirdofficial/manywords
By Nick Gerace
(03/21/18 4:00pm)
CHAI is a 4-piece Japanese pop group going against the conventions set up for them.. Often referred to as J-Pop, the Japanese pop scene often centers around idols, or girls with harsh beauty standards and plastic pop all around the cultural standard of being cute, or kawaii in Japanese. Playing with the formula of the commercialized, infamous scene of Japanese girl groups comes Chai’s band philosophy of Neo Kawaii, or new cute, as they stand up to Japanese (and subsequently global) beauty standards and asks what “kawaii” even means in an industry and society so set on marketing women & music as a product. The group released their first album “Pink” in 2017 to largely positive reactions. With a message of positivity, happiness, and self-love, CHAI sing about what they find more important in life like eating, playing, and just having fun.
The group played the 2018 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and we had a chance to talk with them after the festival wrapped up.
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You just finished a string of shows in the US including a few for SXSW. I understand this was your second time playing the festival, what’s been your favorite part about being in Austin?
Last year we only performed at the Japan Nite showcase but this year we joined the lineup for the Burger Records’ showcase which had nothing to do with being Japanese so we were happy to be able to perform simply as just “musicians”. It was so exciting!
Have you found that your music and live shows are perceived differently in the US than in Japan?
American audiences give more of a direct reaction! It makes us happy to see the audience dancing and enjoying themselves!
How did you all come together to form CHAI? What musical background did each of the members have before coming together?
When we were little, we loved Jpop (Japanese Pop Music) and Mana and Kana always wanted to be singers since they were young.
Before forming CHAI, we were all friends!
What have been some of the major influences for you four musical or otherwise?
We have sooo many!!! The XX, Basement Jaxx, Tom Tom Club, CSS, Passion Pit, Justice…too many to count!
When CHAI was formed, what vision did you have for the group, and how has that changed?
At first we were doing music as a “fun” thing and just playing around but 2 years ago is when we officially decided to do it on a full-scale professionally. It was during that time that our message of “NEOKawaii” and “Complexes Are Art” were born.
How did the dynamic of twins Mana and Kana affect the course of the group?
Our personalities are totally different so we never really thought about that~
However, the harmony between the twins is precise and amazing!
Japan has historically had a large gap between mainstream and underground artists. How do you view your place in the middle of this scene?
Actually, we’ve never really thought about that~
CHAI wants to be the 3rd most invincible band in the world!
In 2017 you released Pink, your first full-length release. How did you come to get involved with Burger Records, and how was it working with an American label?
Burger Records found us on YouTube and FB-messaged us asking if we’d like to join their Burger World Japan compilation.
Burger Records founders, Sean and Lee, are full of love and kept telling us that we were #1. We really love them! Once it was time for our US tour to come to an end, it was so hard to say goodbye, and we cried a lot!
How was your approach to this record different for you four from the previous two EPs?
Usually when we create music, we are influenced by music that is stimulating us the most at that particular moment.
This was our first time making an album, however, like a lead actor or lead part is to a movie, we really put all the songs that we felt were the best together in the record.
Pink focuses on female empowerment, through the philosophy of “neo kawaii”. How would you describe this message?
Society often defines “cute” as having lighter skin, larger eyes, or being slim…but we thought how narrow-minded this is…we wanted everyone to know that, “Not that! But that everyone is cute as they are!
Why is this issue important to you as a group?
In the past, we’ve also had many negative experiences but thinking to yourself, “I am cute!” makes you more confident in yourself.
Do you view this as an especially Japanese problem, or something more global?
Yes!!!!! A global issue!
Looking back a now few months after the release of “Pink”, how have you seen this message and the album as a whole received?
When we were on tour, we really felt like a lot of the people had already listened to our album and were waiting for us!
When we would say, “NEOKawaii” during our MC portion of the shows, everyone got really excited and we thought, “They get it! Transmitted!”
I understand that Yuuki designed all of the merch associated with “Pink”, how was it translating CHAI’s unique sound into visuals?
The cover for our PINK album is our theme, exactly, “woman”…we are the Goddesses’ of complexes.
Once you change your complexes into confidence, you become flexible or open enough to even pick your nose!
CHAI have a new EP coming soon which they’ve promised to be filled with “Today’s CHAI” In the meantime, check out their 2017 record “Pink”video for their latest single “Future” below, filled with all things Pink and neo-kawaii.
https://youtu.be/psHh6OsA-mU
by Jackson Tucker
Photos by Christian Senf
(03/09/18 2:18am)
Movements in the experimental and avant-garde sects of music--as with most artistic movements--are historically written with a focus on Western male artists. Female artists have existed en masse and seen critical acclaim (evidenced by artists such as Björk, Yoko Ono, and FKA Twigs’ clear mainstream success). Yet, the eruption of experimental artists during the 21st century has been largely male-focused in media. And while resources and individuals seek to remedy this, the discovery of said artists seems tied down to those actively seeking them out.
This year, a great deal of artists breaking the boundaries and borders of music around the world can be found at SXSW. Here are eight to keep your eye on through the festival and beyond.
Francine Thirteen
From out of this world, straight to the heart of Texas we get Francine Thirteen. The ritual pop of this Dallas native musician builds her cosmic sound from the experiences from her Baptist childhood, centering her persona on the biblical figure Lilith. “Lily”, as Francine often calls her, has gone through polarizing interpretations from demonic to pure femininity. As women around the world continue to suffer from patriarchal interpretations of religion, Francine Thirteen’s music is ultimately about freeing women from past interpretations, and owning oneself in entirety.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNpikBeNYrc
Joan Thiele
If there’s one positive thing the last decade has brought with it, it’s the explosion of experimental female pop artists. Artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Charli XCX have been pushing boundaries in every direction, and Joan Thiele is another to watch. The Italian pop star is relatively new to the scene even in her home country. With disco inspired hits like “Tonight” she revives some of the sounds that gave the country a genre unto themselves just a few decades ago. But to lump her form of pop into Italo Disco is a disservice. With the songs she’s already released ranging from a dark soul fusion to full on disco revival, she escapes categorization and continues to surprise and excite with each song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYSIDRDzei8
Mary Ocher
Born in Moscow, raised in Tel Aviv, and based in Berlin, there’s little that Mariya Ocher has yet to try. With multiple musical pursuits such as Mary and The Baby Cheeses and Mary Ocher + Your Government, she continually changes and subverts norms and expectations. Along with her work in poetry, directing documentaries, and visual art, she continues to show what she is capable of, all in an effort of empowering the people through her often blatant, explicit methods. She doesn’t choose to wrap her voice in the subtext artists so often hide their ideals within, but uses a blatant and covert form of illustration, pushing from all angles, emphasizing the importance of her messages so that all can hear them. Per example, her 2017 release, The West Against the People, fused influences ranging from African rhythms to cold wave, and featured an accompanying essay focusing on the issues of intersectionality and immigration. Her experiences continue to form her creatively and personally, as she pushes for a populace that works for their best interest through blended media productions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umkUUrq0mHs
SARASARA
French singer and coder SARASARA has developed a sound of her own, with dark, mutated electronic sounds ranging from whispy, ambient soundscapes to an electronic tracks akin only to gothic blues. Taking massive inspiration from Björk, this app developer began moonlighting as a musician after her childhood fascination, and has found a way to bridge her knowledge of technology and humanity in both pursuits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOUP4tidrss
machìna
Tokyo based Electronic artist machìna combines textured, modular electronic sounds with melodically sweet, rhythmic vocals as she pulls on the influence of her life in Korea and her Jazz background. Starting in 2010 as Apple Girl, she has focused on the aspect of texture seeking continual development in her style, with an adversity to sitting still in any one sound. Illustrative ambiance of birdcalls turn into layered folk soundscapes she sings over, with visuals in performance and music videos echoing her obsession with texture, as shape and light build upon one another in beautiful ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STTID7mlmhI
ELSZ
Spending most of her life between Sydney and Sri Lanka, ELSZ has grown an evocative, raw sound through her array of skills as a harpist, producer, and singer. Currently working out of New York, ELSZ applies a great deal of her efforts to addressing and displaying the violence against women around the world. The normalization of this has been all too real with the harshest realities and extremities experienced in Sri Lanka, to the echoed, daily aggression women experience nations that claim to be more developed. Her intersection of acoustic and electronic sound provide a soulful backdrop to the scars and pain she shows through her music, a process she described as cathartic, hoping she can give other women the courage to come forward about their own abuse and fight to put an end to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67sl-atqyfA
Ruby Fatale
From Taipei, Taiwan, the self-described stoner/doom/glitch concepts of Ruby Fatale bring harsh, geometric sound that breaks down around the literary, anxiety fueling narration. The seemingly random dance beats break apart around industrial musings and reconstructions in a strangely calming fashion in a dark, glitch take on beat tapes. She focuses on ideas and memories essential to her, simultaneously ripping them up and replacing them , just as in her songwriting. Sometimes soothing, sometimes horrifying, never concrete, Ruby Fatale’s audio is as dynamic as her themes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70k6_b0jBNE
Descartes A Kant
The explosive sextet from Guadalajara, Mexico has developed a truly indescribably sound. A cocktail of surf, noise, shoegazey punk that touches everywhere from Rockabilly to new wave to give it a name would only be a disservice. The three front women of the group continually push back against sexism and preconceptions stacked against them in an already difficult industry. And even with three backing male members, the in-your-face female front of a trio has pit them against their own image, constantly forcing them to prove that not only are they equal to men in the industry, but that they’re in fact, better. It’s the idea of the “…for a girl” suffix being tacked onto any accomplishment that makes them fight for femininity and female empowerment in the musical industry. As they continue to evade categorization for their music, they pursue their own sound and their own image: one without boundaries in style or society.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er9PC3L2w1w
By Jackson Tucker
(03/08/18 5:18pm)
(03/06/18 7:21pm)
Last Saturday, Soft Focus, Boo Hag, and Danger Boy performed at one of the more well-known DIY venues in Columbia, “The Videodome.” Once called “The Hyperbolic Grime Chamber” and “Brolympus,” this rickety house in the Olympia-Granby neighborhood has been a home for local and touring artists for a few years.
Columbia’s own Soft Focus started the night off with a heavy and somewhat experimental cover of the popular indie hit “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John. Heads were banging to the song that was once in every TV commercial and teen drama in 2010 – a promising start to their noisy, shoegaze filled set.
Next up was Boo Hag, the gothic rock two-piece based in Columbia. With a new release just days prior to the show, their set featured many songs from “Testify” – the 7 track EP all recorded in one home session. Boo Hag’s songs range from southern gothic to electric blues to swamp punk, meaning that there was never a predictable moment throughout the set. The guitarist was very interactive with the crowd, however that’s to be expected with the intimate nature of the space.
Finally, Danger Boy takes the stage as the last band of the night. Before starting the set, the band, per the homeowner’s request, made an announcement: “Dance all you want, but no jumping, please." Fearful of meeting the same fate as “The Capitol,” another house in Columbia where the floor caved in mid-show, and of the subsequent 6-foot drop, this request was taken rather seriously (for the most part). Nonetheless, Danger Boy pumped out high energy doomy post punk as per usual. The surreal sound of this band, combined with the enigmatic performance of Danger Boy's front man, created the illusion of an 80’s gothic rave.
With rumors circulating, it’s hard to say what the future holds for The Videodome. One of the tenants of the house, and a member of Soft Focus, said that their house is very well built, but with the shows getting bigger and bigger, he thinks the Videodome is “on its last leg.” We can only hope that rockstar shows like this one appears in Columbia more frequently, and hopefully, one of them will take place in our beloved Videodome (while it’s still standing).
DJ Corduroy // Maquel Parks
(03/01/18 9:23pm)
Excision’s show took place at the Fillmore in Charlotte, a music venue created out of a renovated textile mill. The Fillmore is located on a strip of other clubs called the North Carolina Music Factory, that’s always buzzing with nightlife. These buildings are home to World, AvidXchange Music Factory, and the Fillmore’s second stage, The Underground. The Fillmore itself hosts many concerts from an array of artists such as Papa Roach, K. Flay, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Baby Metal, and TECH N9NE. On top of Excision, the venue has featured a great number of amazing electronic artists like RL Grime, Slushii, Above & Beyond, San Holo, and Clean Bandit. The show started out with some amazing opening acts, each a dubstep artist with their own unique style. First up
was MONXX, a Riddim producer best known for his track “The Wonky Song” with Walter Wilde. His style was completely out of the ordinary with hard hitting drums and ridiculous chops that kept the audience on their toes the entire set. Everyone just arriving at the show rushed to the dancefloor to get in on the action. Although the show had only just started, MONXX brought energy and established the tone for the rest of the show from the first song he played. Dion Timmer came out towards the last five minutes of his set and debuted their brand-new collaboration for the second time live, whose title is yet to be announced.
Dion Timmer was next up, and did not hold back at all. He has been nothing short of impressive in the last year with his release of his “Textacy EP” and his recent collaboration with Modestep, “Going Nowhere”. His mix of different genres both in his records and at his live shows is very refreshing, always keeping the crowd wondering what’s coming next. Dion’s set consisted of riddim, future bass, and traditional brostep and more, constantly changing the tempo but keeping a steady flow for the audience. He also engaged the audience physically and vocally, which is something other DJ’s and producers struggle to balance. But his connection with the crowd was just enough, keeping everyone involved but also leaving enough time for people to enjoy the music.
The final opener was Liquid Stranger, someone no one expected to see on the Paradox Tour. But I have to say, I don’t think anyone was disappointed. The downtempo approach of his set surprised everyone, delivering deep basslines and unique mixes that provided all kinds of psychedelic and heavy vibes. He also addressed the crowd, sort of comically, describing how he had structured his set to change throughout his 45 minutes on stage. With each song played the tone got harder, ramping up the energy once again in preparation for the main performance. He also brought out Dion Timmer at the end of his set to preview a new single they had been working on together while on tour, which combined both of their styles in a very interesting way.
Finally, the time had come for Excision. The openers had only a small stage with few lights and screens to display visuals or their handle, but Excision was very different. The Paradox Stage is a massive LED screen, equipped with an ungodly number of lasers and smoke machines. And if this is not enough to get your attention, the stage is also outfitted with pk Sound. pk Sound, for this stage, ended up outputting an earth-shattering sum of 150,000 watts of bass. At previous shows, this speaker system had drywall falling from the ceilings and buildings blocks away feeling the vibrations. The stage alone is a spectacle, however, Excision’s performance made it even more incredible.
Excision’s style consisted of brostep, hardstyle trap, riddim, and even some bass house. The hype of his performance never died, keeping his audience headbanging the entire time. Each song had a different visual, each synced up with the music to create a very immersive experience. Songs like Sullivan King’s remix of “With You” had brand new visuals, never before seen on the Paradox Tour. On the other hand, classics like “Robo Kitty” had the same visuals seen on tour before, with added laser lights and smoke from the recently improved stage. The set had so many absolute bangers, including many ID’s that all Excision fans are anxiously waiting a release date. All in all, the Paradox is a force to be reckoned with and should be on every bass-head’s concert bucket list.
(02/22/18 9:15pm)
Spice Boys are back after their 2016 “Spice City” EP with their high octane debut album, “Glade”. The Swedish garage-rock band recorded 16 tracks over a hectic weekend in their hometown of Umeå, Sweden, and perfected them over the course of the next year. The time taken to perfectly craft this album was well worth the wait, as “Glade” is a force to be reckoned with, encapsulating the sound and feeling of urban frustration.
Heavily influenced by the San Francisco garage scene, it opens up with “Spice City Boys” - a surf rock/psychedelic chaotic romp. It’s a fantastic opener, as it sets the sound for the rest of the LP. They carry this energy almost all the way through the album, deviating only on their track “Citrus Blossom”, for a perfectly placed, serene, and melodic intermission that refreshes you for the rest of the mayhem that ensues. The highlights of this album include the aggressive jam in “I Don’t Get Around”, the brief emotional headbanger that is “Fuk Luv”, and the raucous riot of “Vessel”.
If you haven’t listened to Spice Boys yet, you definitely will be in the future, as this band definitely here to stay and is making their mark on the garage rock scene.
I was able to talk with Sebastian Holmlund and Adam Forsberg from the band about “Glade”, the process of making the album, as well as what the band looks towards going into the future.
“What was it like for you guys making this album?”
Adam: “It was trying and fun but i think that when we recorded the album but I think when we recorded the album the process was we recorded the songs over a weekend in two days”.
Sebastian: “Yeah everything 16 songs in two days.”
Adam: “There were a lot of unfortunate incidents like we had to borrow a lot of equipment and that took some time and then we worked on overdubs, mixing, and producing.”
Sebastian: “We wanted it to sound more expensive than a classic garage album, like Brian Wilson. So we took a long time to do the overdubbing and finding the right sound. It sounds so wildly different than the eight tracks we started out with, it’s like night and day...I think it’s a process before it starts, and then during you’re making it, then after it’s still a process like you’re never really finished.”
“How do you guys think your sound will change going forward and what do you look towards in the future?”
Sebastian: “It’s always ambitious to say that. Me and Adam write songs separately as a songwriting team but not related. So we come up with a song and see what we do with it and i think that’s great because it makes for a lot of diversity in songwriting. We listen to a lot of different music so it’s always exciting and a little competing to have that kind of talent. We will see. It’s hard to say at this point. We are probably going to record a new album this spring”
“I know that it’s forward thinking to start talking about all of that but I think it’s important to think about what’s coming next.”
Sebastian: “Focusing on the next thing is the most important think you know? This album took a year and a half to record and produce so it’s very old songs for us. It feels very good to start with something else.”
“How do you guys feel about the album? Do you like it the way it is? Are there any things you wish you could change about it? Or a combination of the two?”
Adam: “We’re very proud of it! I think it’s really good and of course when I listen to it I still hear things i want to add and change maybe but in the whole I like it.”
Sebastian: “Yeah i think we did the most with the songs we had and it’s like that’s the period that has gone from my life and it feels better now when its out and you don’t work with it so now i can feel glad about it but for a long time i didn’t feel so good about it but now when it’s released and it’s something that’s out there.”
Adam: “Yeah and I think always it’s like that during creative processes. Feeling bad, feeling like what what you’re doing sounds like shit you know haha but that’s what pushes you to make it good and reaching.”
Interview by Luis Rodriguez // Speaker of the House
(02/20/18 10:00pm)
Ought’s third album Room Inside the World is represented by a cover of indeterminate brush strokes, where colors blend into one another without a clear beginning or ending. Deep blue to gray to a sliver of pink, this is an album to immerse yourself in, losing track of beginnings and endings. Marking new territory with sophisticated contemplation and blurred genre lines, shimmery chaos and sorrow make Room Inside the World a seamless, sensory sound-bath that you’ll want to dive into again and again.
It’s an alarming departure from their earlier work. Their previous two albums are classified by a somehow cohesive dissonance, where instruments don’t necessarily combat each other but coexist in the same environment. Now the band seems to be embracing fluidity, moving from chaotic post-punk to art-rock full of rich synth and sticky hooks. It is not forced or ill-fitting, but rather a natural evolution and smoothing out of their previous sound.
Even thematically, Ought has turned a corner. While Sun Coming Down (2015) is a commentary on postmodern, apathetic culture, full of revelation and epiphany, Room Inside the World is less referential and less combatant of the world around us. It doesn’t point out a lack of feeling, but rather feels everything in a more intimate way. First and foremost a poet, Tim Darcy’s lyrics unfold stories and visuals as we listen. “It’s a feeling like falling / It’s lonely / and I can’t see floor through my feet again” he admits on the opening track, “Into the Sea” beneath a crescendo wave of reverb saturated vocals, gritty keys and fluid arpeggios. On “Disaffectation” he points towards discontent with “These city streets keep me holed up in my mind / Well here's some liberation, you can order it online.”
Ought’s risks certainly pay off to create what is their most sophisticated work yet. However, where some tracks shine, others fall short. “Into the Sea” and “Alice” open and close the album with perfected restraint, whereas the timidity of “Brief Shield” and “Take Everything” seems more like a lack of passion and conviction. The single “These 3 Things” stands out among the others, preserving their post-punk roots and evoking heavy influences of 80’s new wave that were subtly available on their previous works. Over bubbling synth and constant drum machine, Darcy shifts his vocals back and forth from his characteristic sardonic twang to passionate pleading as repeats “Will I hear my soul?”
Above every track, however, looms the impassioned “Desire.” Reminiscent of “Habit,” an intimate account of slipping into addiction from their debut album, “Desire” burns slow with sorrow. The story of loss unfolds with tangible images of leaving a “petty little town,” but what is most striking about this track is the very concrete portrayal of the gut-wrenching nostalgia you feel after you’ve lost someone. He looks back fondly as he remembers what was, singing “The feel of your honey in the corner of my mouth, / Like a loop around the block /Like a shadow in your notebook.” Opening with romantically ethereal synthesizer, the song is soon grounded by modest instrumentation - only to be opened up again with a 70-piece choir as Darcy repeatedly calls out “Desire, desire / It was never gonna stay,” reaching new heights of despair.
Despite it’s shortcomings, Room Inside the World solidifies Ought as a force to be reckoned with. Where there was once cacophony there is now harmony, as the band polishes their sound and tries to find their voice. A long way from the tongue-in-cheek chanting of “How’s the church? / How’s the job?” on the iconic “Beautiful Blue Sky,” Ought has taken a step back. Observing the world with modest wisdom, Room Inside the World allows us to bask in all of our inexplicable emotions with chrysalism and marvel.
Room Inside the World is out now on Merge Records.
By Jordan Smith
(02/19/18 1:55pm)
Aaron Maine, the New York synth pop musician known as “Porches”, released his third full length album in January. “The House” features many music collaborations such as Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), Brydon Cook (Starchild), Okay Kaya, Sandy (Alex G), and even Aaron’s own father, Peter Maine.
However, Porches, a staple in the “sadboy” music genre, wasn’t always recognized for his depressing music that makes you want to dance. Maine began making music under that name in 2010, after his first band “Space Ghosts Cowboys”, disbanded after doing a regional tour. Like most artists, he began making music from his home, located in Pleasantville, NY, after buying a Casio CA-110 keyboard. After a year of making songs with his keyboard from four track recordings, he released 3 EPs in 2011. The following year, he was able to release a full-length record, “Slow Dance in The Cosmos”, on the label Exploding in Sound in 2012. After playing shows in the NYC area for a few years, he signed to Domino Records in 2015, with a sophomore album, “Pool” following in 2016. This album began as a home project for Maine, but was developed into a well produced album with mixing done by Chris Coady (Beach House), and featured guest vocals from Greta Kline (Frankie Cosmos).
The House starts off on an upbeat note which is the beginning of the misleading mood that this album sets. “Leave The House” and “Find Me” are great intros to the album. They tell us a little about Maine’s uncertainty in life through a combination of synthy melodies and ambiguous lyrics. In “Find me” the lyrics are “Think I'll go /Somewhere else /Where I can sink/ Into myself” along with “I can’t let it find me” repeated throughout the song, and are rumored to be about anxiety attacks that Maine have experienced. The imagery in the music video for “Find Me” shows Maine exploring what seems to be his hometown, surrounded by children playing outside in old clothes with skinned knees. The video seems to be an introspective lens into his life growing up in Pleasantville NY.
“Understanding” a song written and recorded by the father of Porches, Peter Maine, acts as a interlude. Essentially a stripped down poem, Aaron took a recording of his father singing and arranged chords to compliment his voice. It’s a great juxtaposition to the synth heavy tracks that precede and follow it.
“Country”, is the first single, and the last song Maine wrote for the album. He says he felt extreme amounts of optimism when writing this song, and in the context of the album, it’s a song about rebirth while he thinks of the other songs as concluding chapters of a book. The song is pretty short and the lyrics are hard to make sense of. The music video was filmed in the lush Upstate NY, where the bombastic aerial shots display Maine in the “country” where he secluded himself before moving into the big city.
“By My Side” is a pretty R&B song that serves as a pleasant shift in sound, and also as a halfway point in the album. With pretty straightforward lyrics, and more bass than synths, this track manages to stand out on this indie electronic album. “Åkeren” is a poem sang over a shimmery electronic backing accompanied by obscure background vocals. It’s recited in Norwegian by Okay Kaya. One of the stronger tracks on the album is “Anymore”. We don’t get much from its vague lyrics, but this song is about letting things go. This is one of my favorite Porches songs, and the instrumentation of it is reminiscent of Tears for Fears and other New Wave artists.
Sadly, it seems the album takes a downward spiral in the final few tracks. Please take note of the image below, --a disgruntled Aaron Maine in jury duty. This photo from 2015 accurately sums up how I feel about the rest of the album. Many of the songs aren’t memorable and can, in fact, become a nuisance. “Wobble” is a sad song about someone that is missing. When I hear the song “Goodbye” I imagine myself crying In a club dancing alone, surrounded by strangers. “Swimmer” is another song on the album with overly auto tuned vocals that don’t quite harmonize well with the instrumentation. “W Longing” seems to be a song about nearly drowning. “Ono” sounds like 3 minutes and 40 seconds of whining because the chorus is just Maine saying “oh no” over and over again, hence the title. The final track “Anything U want” mentions the characters from the Norwegian poem, Julie and Ricky, but they seem to be separated for some reason. As a narrative I appreciate this song, and in a cinematic way, they say “I love you” to each other, but then the album just ends.
The House is definitely an album worth giving a listen to. It’s not my favorite Porches album, but it’s an artistic follow up to his last album, and I think the collaborations on this album add a personal touch to the electronic music that we’re used to. I will say that I’m sad that mundane songs like “Car”, a poppy single from his previous album, are what attracted me to Porches’ music, however personal growth in art is always a good thing, and I support his creative decisions in that regard wholeheartedly.
By Maquel Parks // DJ Corduroy
(02/14/18 12:44am)
Shopping is all about dancing out their frustrations. Catchy and direct, they make punk music that’s never heavy-handed or overly political. Exploring themes of consumerism, queer relationships and body image over bright riffs and visuals of pool parties and pink flamingos, the London trio has always favored subtlety over didacticism.
Their third full-length album, The Official Body, is no different. Ten danceable tracks feature angular bass lines and surf-rock-like guitar riffs, daring the listener not to dance along. For 31 minutes, they can be free from trivial stress and just have fun listening to the confident, buoyant dance-punk. The first track, “The Hype,” features primitive drums and restless guitars behind the energetic chanting “Last chance! / Don’t believe! / Ask questions!” Songs like “Discover” and “Wild Child” dip into newer territory for the band, incorporating synth and drum pad. Across sounds new and old, Shopping maintains a humorous ethos, refusing to take themselves too seriously.
Refraining from politics may not seem characteristic of a punk or post-punk band – in fact it's pretty unusual. Underneath shadows of particularly turbulent politics both in the US and the UK, bands like IDLES and Protomartyr have steered into it instead of distancing themselves from it. In a press release, vocalist and guitarist Rachel Aggs said “It just felt like making ‘political’ music was a bit like putting a tiny band aid on an enormous wound.” Instead of trying to fix the world’s problems in a 30-minute album, Shopping focuses on making fun, danceable music, and The Official Body does exactly that.
By Jordan Smith
(02/08/18 9:56pm)
This past week I had the incredible opportunity to interview Guard, a meme maker and anti-pop artist whose single “Pineapple Crush” has been featured on Spotify’s ‘Young & Free’ playlist. With five original songs released under his belt and an EP scheduled for soon release, we talked about his relationship with the music world, how it relates to his online presence, and what he’s got in store for 2018.
Why did you decide to get involved with the music industry?
Music has always been my passion. I have been writing songs for as long as I can remember and started making demos to shop around a few years ago. It became more of an artist project quite early on and I just knew that this is what I was meant to do!
What encompasses the anti-pop genre? How would you define/describe it to someone unfamiliar with it?
For me, anti-pop isn't really a genre, it's more of a concept that I am working towards. I guess it's about blurring the lines between genres as well as focusing on concepts rather than commerciality. I love what the guys over at PC Music are doing... They take elements of mainstream music & just completely mess with them to create something totally new.
What does your song creation process look like? What’s your favorite step in creating a song?
Every song is different, but usually I'll start with melodies and just freestyle on voice notes. I get really inspired when I am driving or at like 4am when I should be asleep. I'll often take a fully written song to a producer and work on it or else we'll just start from scratch in a studio session. I love being in the studio. I feel complete there.
Who are your major music influences, and what contemporary artists do you find yourself inspired from?
My main influence is The xx - I also love Banks a lot. I listen to a lot of indie rock stuff like Tame Impala and Foster The People as well. l gravitate towards artists with cool concepts in their music. All of my songs stem from the concept of duality, more specifically the dichotomy of technology & humanity - this will be explored more in my new releases lol.
How does your online presence relate to your music career?
Basically, I'm a professional meme maker. I have been making memes on Instagram for a few years and have managed to gain quite a big audience. My biggest pages are @tindervsreality & @mycringe and I have used them as a platform to promote my music. Memes are so prevalent in current society… Rappers like Lil Pump, 6ix9ine etc are blowing up almost overnight because of memes & internet culture. I guess people that know me online understand my warped sense of humour. It has been great to see people that follow me for memes appreciate and engage with my music. I'm trying to tap into a new market here haha meme pop music.
You’ve mentioned on your Twitter account that your 2018 goals include an EP and an album. Is there anything that you can reveal so far about that progress, or the content to be included?
Yes! My first EP is 99% finished. I experimented a lot with guitars but there are also elements of electropop. Looking forward to putting this out very soon! It's very conceptual but also really personal to me. It will feature all previously unreleased music yay!
Is there any song that you’re looking forward to release the most?
I have a down tempo guitar driven song that I wrote with TYSM who is an amazing singer/writer based in Nashville. It was such a chilled session and I'm really proud of what we made. Hoping to put this one out asap!
Do you plan on going on tour?
Yes 100%, I am organising a live show as we speak! Going to be a lot of fun.
“Pineapple Crush” recently hit 1 million plays on Spotify. How did/does that feel?
So dope!! It was really unexpected...I wrote it myself & had one of my friends in Melbourne (sb90) produce it. It's quite an unusual pop song and I am so surprised and excited that it has found an audience. I put out a weird music video for it as well which was amazing to create. My meme followers roasted me pretty hard for my dancing in the video but I am so glad that people are digging the song. We made a follow up for “Pineapple Crush” called “Distorted” which will be on the EP!
Do you have a favorite song that you’ve released?
“Die Online” is definitely my favourite. That song saw so many different versions before the final release. Felix Snow really killed the production on it and I can't wait to perform it live.
What would you want to do for a living if you weren’t in the music industry?
I dropped out of film school but I am trained in graphic design.... definitely something creative!
For more information on Guard and to track his progress in the music world, you can follow his twitter (@guardsounds) or his Spotify.
By Emme Ostrander
(02/08/18 5:00pm)
Excess is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about Ty Segall’s Freedom’s Goblin. Backed by the Freedom Band, that formed while recording his last release, Segall has produced an ambitious double album with a sprawling track-list of 19 songs recorded at five different recording studios over six sessions. Threads of psychedelic, punk, garage, surf, glam, and classic rock can be found throughout Segall’s discography. This is no different in his tenth solo studio album.
The album kicks off with “Fanny Dog,” an ode to Segall’s pet with rowdy riffs and burly brass section that could bring the dogs home all night. While continuing to navigate the track-list there are exploratory pockets from the fuzzy cover of Hot Chocolate’s disco-funk single “Every 1’s a Winner” to cowbell laden “Meaning” featuring howling vocals from Denée Segall, Ty’s frequent collaborator and wife. The album continues to delve into Segall's past genre explorations with the murmuring vocals of laid back folk song “You Say All The Nice Things” to the 6 minute hyperbolic metal track “She.” Though the tracks on Freedom’s Goblin may not have a cohesive sound, they are distinctly linked by freedom - the freedom Segall has to create an album due to the years he has put in as a musician with an expansive discography, and the trust he has of his listeners who eagerly wobble through the album. Those listeners are rewarded, ending with what appears on the surface as a 12-minute jam in homage of the band Crazy Horse. A quarter of the way into “And, Goodnight,” Segall’s vocals pierce through the jam, becoming an expanded version of the title track off his 2013 album Sleeper.
Freedom’s Goblin is out now on Drag Records and is streaming on Apple Music.
By Leslie Leonard
(02/08/18 5:00am)
There’s arguably no better set of events that can occur than walking into a local coffee shop on a cloudy day, ordering your usual that costs more money than it reasonably should, and sitting down to crank out some likely-procrastinated work. But of course, none of it can even start before you tune out the world with some music to get you in the mood. So here are 10 songs to listen to while drinking coffee, from start to finish.
1. “Mistakes” - Lake Street Dive
The camera pans slowly on to our protagonist, and Lake Street Dive plays us into this wonderful indie-film of your life with a soulful alternative jazz number. “Mistakes” comes straight from LSD’s fifth studio album Side Pony, a treat to both the ears and soul. Anything on this album is enough to accompany those warm sips of your coffee, but “Mistakes” does a particularly good job, especially while accompanying that walk into the shop.
2. “Waking Up Again” - Emily Hearn
So you’ve placed your order and have your beverage of choice, but those first few sips are wearing off and you realize - you’ve yet to actually put in any work and can’t waste another $7.10 again on coffee used for nothing. It’s time to get your fingers moving with Emily Hearn’s cherry folk-backing and uplifting voice as she urges you to wake up again, and get started with whatever’s on your plate.
3. “Mind Is a Mountain” - The Get Ahead
OK - you’ve found your groove now. It’s zen time. No breaks. “Mind Is a Mountain” is the song to power you through that hardest part of getting started. Motivational and acoustic, it’s a song that hits even deeper with vocals that make you feel energized with every note (as if your coffee wasn’t already giving you enough of a boost, though).
4. “Stronger Than That” - Bahamas
You probably know the Bahamas from their hit commercial song “All The Time,” but what you probably don’t know is that their sound is a lot more diverse and rich than what you would associate with a cell phone car. “Stronger Than That” is exactly the type of song that you won’t even realize is playing until it’s ended, and it’s just what you need to soothe yourself into latte heaven (or hot drink heaven, but that’s not as catchy).
5. “Burning Rome” - St. Paul & The Broken Bones
“Burning Rome” delivers a delightfully bluesy sound to your ears - perfect for coffee days. Coming of their most recent album, “Sea of Noise,” this song is a strong reflect of what the band is capable of: honest lyrics, strong vocals, and instrumentals filled with smooth, fluttering jazz that somehow make you feel like you’re being wrapped in a blanket of soft brass.
6. “Silver Lining” - Mt. Joy
An upcoming indie-rock band, Mt. Joy is a fruitful mix of acoustic charm and sultry voices that creates a really warm sound, perfect as an accompaniment for coffee drinking. And “Silver Lining” is of course the best recommendation there is for such a time, with intense lyrics and a strong bassline, it’s hard for your stress not to melt away at such a time, which is exactly what you’ll be needing at this time while trying to get that last bit of your assignment done.
7. “Better” - The Suffers
The Suffers is pretty much just what you’d want to hear at this moment in your life, but you probably never knew it. “Better,” like a lot of songs on this list, is a slow, moving, and soul song about trust and dependency. Sort of like how you depend on coffee shops to be your shelter, The Suffers sing about depending on friends for shelter, and if their lines don’t move you, then I really hope your coffee will because this is only song number seven, friend.
8. “Punks and Poets” - Elliot Root
So you’re almost at the end of your assignment (and I might even dare to say you’ve already finished it), but you need something to get your hands working fast enough to finish before you finish your coffee. With a beautiful piano introduction, Elliot Root’s “Punks and Poets” is the uplifting track this playlist needs to get you through that last stretch. A mellow rock sock with a cool piano sound? There might not be much better in such a moment (except not having to do work, of course).
9. “Motion Sickness” - Phoebe Bridges
In somewhat of a sad resolution, we have Phoebe Bridges powerful song about loss and emotional… well, resolutions. If her words aren’t the same as the words running through your mind while finishing your coffee, then frankly I’m not quite sure what you’re doing listening to this playlist while drinking coffee. So just sit back, cry, and let Phoebe (and those last few blissful sips of liquid crack) move you to the end of your assignment.
10. “Wait for the Moment” - Vulfpeck
If the beginning of this list was a moody motown track, then Vulfpeck’s Wait for the Moment conveys just the same mood - and there’s not many other types of music to make you feel like a badder badass than walking out of a coffee shop, shades on, headphones in, and walking in sync with the beat of something as mellow and moody as this. Go take a nap, my friend. You deserve it.
So that’s it; now you’re ready to go get your daily cup of joe and do whatever assignment it is you hate. Just remember, if you don’t listen to these exact 10 songs than you’ll probably have horrible coffee for the rest of your life. Or something like that, I don’t know.
Post and photo by Mark Maddaloni
(02/07/18 1:15am)
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2017 was a big year for Columbia post-punk group Danger Boy. The four piece group formed, toured all over the east coast, and recorded their first EP, Lavender Realm. The album, released in January, is an epic of the hero Danger Boy, telling the first chapter in his journey through dark vocals and groovy bass hooks. The album digs through gothic, noisy spaces eliciting influences from The Smiths and Modern English, while expanding them with their own influences ranging from comic books to 90s anime.
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[separator top="40"] WUSC caught up with the group and showed them around our library. Digging through, they found everything from early 2000's rap singles to reviews of the member's past projects. where they talked about influences, anime, why their music isn't shoegaze. Hear the full interview below, and be sure to check out Lavender Realm out now on Bandcamp and Spotify.
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Interview by Jackson Tucker
Library and Studio pictures by Maquel Parks
Live photo by Leslie Leonard
(02/06/18 7:06pm)
Thundercat (Stephen Bruner) is a virtuoso bass player and singer/songwriter. He is a part of the Bruner family, which includes his older brother Ronald Bruner Jr., (a Grammy-winning jazz drummer and producer) and his father, Ronald Bruner Sr., drummer for Diana Ross, The Temptations and more. He rose to fame performing with acts like Suicidal Tendencies, meanwhile gaining attention for his session work with artists such as Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Mac Miller, Erykah Badu, Childish Gambino, and Kendrick Lamar. Bruner was instrumental in giving Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly it’s characteristic funk revival sound, and can be heard playing bass and singing on tracks such as “Wesley’s Theory”, “Alright”, and “These Walls”. He also helped produce Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy winning album DAMN. in 2017. Needless to say, Thundercat has accrued plenty of collaborative mainstream success and critical acclaim.
As a solo artist, Thundercat has released three full length albums and an EP. He is a part of the Brainfeeder label, which was founded by experimental hip hop producer Flying Lotus. His solo work has a characteristic “yacht rock” style, with smooth bass lines, slick production and his iconic falsetto singing. While Thundercat is a talented singer and songwriter, where he really shines is on the bass guitar, with his virtuosic talent. Songs "Uh Uh” and “Fleer Ultra” showcase his immense technical abilities.
His most recent album was released in February 2017. The album, entitled Drunk, was #1 on the WUSC charts for over a month, including songs “Show You The Way” featuring Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, and “Walk On By” featuring Kendrick Lamar. Other features include Wiz Khalifa, Pharell, and Flying Lotus. Drunk was one of the most popular albums at WUSC in the past year.
Thundercat performed at Music Farm Columbia in October 2017. He is just as good live as he is in the studio, and maybe even better - his musicianship is unparalleled when it comes to live performance. He has a cool, laid-back persona (he performed in silk boxing shorts and a kimono), paired with fierce raw musical talent. He would play a laid back song such as “Lava Lamp”, and then go into a blistering technical song like “Fleer Ultra”. Sometimes the only thing the audience could do was stand and stare with your jaw dropped at his fingers flying around the bass. The mix of hip hop, jazz, funk, and rock made for an unforgettable experience. If he’s ever in your area, do yourself a favor and see him live! And if you haven’t listened to Thundercat yet, give his records some spins!
By Jonathan Furnell / DJ Pooh
(02/06/18 3:00pm)
When Kendrick Lamar released the credits for his 2017 album DAMN., there was one name amongst the long roster of producers and features that stood out. Amid the star-studded list of U2, Rihanna, James Blake, BADBADNOTGOOD and more, the anonymous “Bekon” credited on eight different tracks left everybody guessing. A google search for his name lead to a myriad of results questioning the identity of the “mysterious DAMN. producer.” Some speculated he was Thundercat, some said it was another alias for Kendrick himself. Shortly after the credits were released, Pitchfork confirmed that the mysterious Bekon was Daniel Tannenbaum, a producer who had worked with many other artists under the name Danny Keyz. Ten months after the release of DAMN., Bekon has released his debut album, Get with The Times, and it’s as brilliant as it is unexpected.[separator top="40"]There’s a wide range of sounds on Get with The Times, from cinematic to psychedelic pop/rock. It begins with the familiar line “America / God bless you if it’s good to ya,” on the track “America”, with deepened vocals over an array of strings and wiggly guitar riffs. Then there’s tracks like “17,” a less political reflection on the many hardships of being 17, sounding more like a Simon and Garfunkel song than a Kendrick feature. The title track opens with a guitar riff evocative of Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” moving into a rap verse, and then a chorus sounding like a pop ballad. [separator top="40"]Throughout the 16-song album there are repeating motifs of “I just wanna be famous,” and “God bless America,” hinting at some overarching political undertones. However, these themes fail to develop fully. They have the potential to be explored further, making for a really wonderful concept album, instead they recur intermittently throughout the album after 3-4 song digressions. Concept aside, Get with The Times is a successful venture, demonstrating a mastery of genre and just how talented of a producer Bekon really is.[separator top="40"]After accruing a long list of top-notch producer credits, Bekon is finally able to share with us his own voice - and we can’t wait to see what he does next.
By Jordan Smith