TRACK REVIEW: Blinders “Hero”

blinders

Need a bit of a midweek pick-me-up? “Hero” by Blinders is exactly what you need to make the week feel like it’s halfway over rather than just beginning.

The track kicks off with a burst of energy and vocals that practically beg you to get up and start dancing. Its entrancing synth beats and mix of surreal vocals will transport you directly to the weekend, where you can spend your time dancing to your heart’s content. While traveling Asia and Europe, Binders mixed this unique single. It ended up taking almost a year and experimentation with five different vocals to find exactly what he was looking for with this piece. And we think he got it just right.

This is Binders’ fourth release off Protocol Recordings, and he’ll be performing in Amsterdam in mid-October.

TRACK REVIEW: Gunslinger “All of Your Life”

gunslinger

Light up your day with the electrifying new single, “All of Your Life,” from Gunslinger.

This anthemic house track has everything you look for in an electronic piece: tons of synths, bass drops that get your heart racing, and upbeat jams that make you feel like you’re on a musical journey. In addition to personal inspiration, Gunslinger also utilized the Infected Mushroom “I Wish” plugin as an aid in producing this single. If you’re bummed about missing them at Burning Man last year, keep an eye out because you might be able to catch them at an upcoming show.

TRACK PREMIERE: Yaysh “Wild One” (Madame Gandhi Percussion Edit)

yaysh-gandhii

L.A. based pop paragon Yaysh made a lasting impression when she recently dropped the R8DIO-produced “Wild One” via Young Hollywood. The initial single off of her upcoming record, it is a sweetly melodic track with glittering chart potential. The vulnerable pop song takes a dirty turn as Yaysh raps through the bridge. “Wild One” inspires listeners to dance, as the Shangri-Las would say, “close, very, very close.”

If the original cut is perfect for languidly swaying with a date, then Madame Gandhi’s percussion edit might make you break out in “Pon De Floor”-style daggering. Filled-out with dancehall inspired beats, Gandhi used a Caribbean soca beat as her foundation, making a feast of rhythm with staccato bongos and everyone’s favorite percussion instrument: the cowbell.

The percussion edit texturizes the track to the point that movement becomes involuntary while listening to it, hitting a node so primal within, that it’s no wonder the drum is the oldest instrument in human history. Yaysh commented in a press release: “‘Wild One’ is about passion, justice and just straight-up courage-” a fact that becomes all the more evident with the spicy new drum track supplied by Gandhi, whose approach to music is always unconventional.

Check out the Madame Gandhi Percussion Edit of “Wild One” below. I dare you to sit still.

 

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Your Friend “Radio Silence”

blake

On Tuesday, Your Friend released a cover of James Blake’s “Radio Silence,” a haunting, dreamy rendition of the song. “I can’t believe that you don’t want to see me,” Taryn Miller repeats over and over. She leaves space for another to answer, but gets only echoes of her own thoughts that can barely be heard through a layer of thick fog. Taryn stays true to the original version’s melody, but ditches the piano for subtle sound effects that make it seem as if she recorded the song from the middle of some enchanted forest. Also credited on the song are Chase Horseman, who contributed bass, backing vocals and wurlitzer, and Teri Quinn, who played clarinet.

Your Friend released her impressive debut album, Gumption, earlier this year and is currently on tour with Kurt Vile. Check out “Radio Silence” below:

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Black Marble “Iron Lung”

black_2

Black Marble is music for outsiders,” Chris Stewart, the project’s creator said in a recent Facebook post expressing mixed feelings about releasing a new song in such a tumultuous time. “Iron Lung” is the first track Black Marble has released since the 2012 EP A Different Arrangement; The Brooklyn synth-wave artist’s upcoming album, It’s Immaterial, is coming out September 30 via Ghostly International.

“Iron Lung” does have an outsider quality to it- Stewart’s vocals sound like they come from the shadows, obscured by darkness. I can’t help being reminded of New Order’s “Ceremony” while listening to the track, as they share similar qualities that draw me in: A driving dance beat with repetitive, stair-step guitar riffs, and the bittersweet feeling of hope mixed with inevitability. “Iron Lung” inverses the formula, though, creating something that leans slightly more to the positive side, with just a hint of darkness. Toward the end of the song Stewart breaks the form altogether with a classical-tinged organ bridge. It adds a “light at the end of the tunnel” quality to the song that works perfectly.

Preorder It’s Immaterial here, and listen to “Iron Lung” below.

TRACK REVIEW: Lié “Failed Visions”

1014057_584488161704557_3317970332772060998_n

The world isn’t feeling too positive lately, so a grungy garage rock song feels like just the thing we need to get these emotions out. It’s the sort of track where you can choose to head bang and shout your heart out, or just sit and soak in it, letting it fill you up and expand inside. We have just the right song for these types of moods and circumstances: Lié’s “Failed Visions.”

This trio of Vancouver badasses are cooking up some deliciously grungy post-punk music. Their debut album, Consent, provided social commentary about rape culture as told from the perspective of these three rockin’ ladies. It’s pretty damn relevant to some recent events, and great to hear the voices of strong women speaking their truth and not backing down from some of the more infuriating parts of our system.

“Failed Visions” is a single from their upcoming sophomore album Truth or Consequences, out August 12. Check out their single and let these tunes fill you up rather than rage, disappointment, and the slew of other negative feelings many of us are holding onto lately.

TRACK REVIEW: BRAEVES “Bitter Sea”

 

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

13418941_882022655242852_7841540131292389669_n
Photo by Ty Watkins

Following the release of last year’s energetic single “Silver Streets”,  Thomas Killian McPhillips VII, Derek Tramont, and Ryan Colt Levy of BRAEVES zealously uprooted themselves from the familiarity of New York to explore how the band could flourish with a little change in scenery.

“When the prospect of moving to LA came up,” said Tramont, “It was a lightning bolt that hit us so hard, we just picked up and drove across the country together, practically no questions asked.”

And “Bitter Sea” makes it clear: California sun sure suits them well.

Equal parts love letter and break-up song, the track illustrates a bittersweet goodbye to a personified New York City.

“We were kind of at odds with the New York music scene, partly because we have been living and playing in New York all our lives,” recounts Tramont. “It could have been Chicago, London, or Portland.  I’m sure you would grow tired of your hometown; that’s just natural.  But we felt a bit of a disconnect. Whether it was some of the bands we played with, the venues, or the real lack of a music ‘scene,’ something just felt like it was holding us back from truly expressing ourselves.”

It’s a new kind of relationship they’re developing with LA, as the band “really needed something that would make us feel like we were growing and not just stagnating…something drastic needed to change to get us to the place we want to be.” But while BRAEVES may be based on the West Coast now, lyrics such as, “And the more my body tells me I’m entranced/The deeper in your quicksand I’ll descend” show that even if you leave New York, it never quite leaves you.

Recorded at Red Rockets Glare with Raymond Richards (known for his work with Local Natives, whom the band often cite as a key influence), “Bitter Sea” illustrates a fresh vivacity and prowess that were never lacking in older songs, but rather, have been elegantly refined. It has BRAEVES sounding refreshed without straying from the soulful and shimmering echoes that define their ethereal sound, and it has us eager for their forthcoming sophomore EP.

Stream the track below, and if you’re on the West Coast, catch them live, where you certainly won’t be disappointed.  Plus, you might just be lucky enough to hear even more new songs:

July 16 – Chinatown Summer Nights – LA
July 21 – Molly Malone’s – LA

https://soundcloud.com/braeves/bitter-sea[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK PREMIERE: The By Gods “Good Lie”

BY

If you’ve ever logged onto Facebook only to be sickened by that one friend that insists on documenting every single thing that happens to them in order to prove how #happy and #blessed they are, “Good Lie” by The By Gods is the song for you.

Whereas January’s album, Get On Feelings, was a solid, sincere throwback to 90’s rock, the Nashville trio take a confrontational turn with their latest track. Singer George Pauley demands, “Tell me ’bout your friends and your wedding day/ Tell me how you’re blessed in every way,” before pulling back the curtain on all the positivity, practically sneering the words: “Tell me ’bout the good life, yeah it’s such a good lie.” The By Gods have figured out the perfect formula for catchy songs: repetitive riffs and rhythms that build on tone and texture, making the track memorable and immediately recognizable.

Speaking of repetition that isn’t so catchy, how annoying is that friend we were talking about? They’re probably instagraming their lunch right now. Ugh. Get ready to vent by listening to “Good Lie” below, and order The By God’s upcoming Phone Calls EP ahead of its July 8 release date here.

TRACK REVIEW: Slow Club “Ancient Rolling Sea”

Slow Club

Slow Club

English duo Slow Club are back with a new folksy single, and it’s exactly the sort of song you needed to improve your week.

Slow Club are experts at creating music that helps you slow down and get a little introspective, offering the pause that we tend to be oh-so hesitant to take. And “Ancient Rolling Sea” is no different in that sense. It starts off with a rustic, twangy feel and advances into a classic chilled out Slow Club tune. It primarily sees entrancing vocals from frontman Charles Watson alongside a heavy bassline that’ll reverberate within your core.

They’re currently touring through the UK, and we’re hopeful for an upcoming U.S. tour. For now, get your sway on to “Ancient Rolling Sea” below.

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Savoir Adore “Giants”

Savoir Adore

You know what the world has been seriously lacking? New music from Savoir Adore. Well luckily, the dry spell seems to be broken with the latest release of their new single, “Giants.”

In the time since we last saw a lot of activity from the group, there have been some changes, which includes the departure of cofounder Deidre Muro. Fortunately, their music is as electrifying as ever, and you’ll be instantly hooked on this new version of Savoir Adore.

Unsurprisingly, “Giants” lives up to its name and makes a huge impression. The track is full of colossal drums and perky vocals from frontman Paul Hammer. It’s an anthemic jam that’ll have you amped up from start to finish, without any wavering in between. The overall feeling of the song encompasses optimism and embodies an eagerness for the future—or maybe that’s just how we feel waiting for more teasers from their upcoming full-length, The Love That Remains.

Currently the group is planning a brief tour for August with hopefully more dates to be announced. The album drops on August 12, so try to contain your patience for just a few more months!

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/248696454″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING DETROIT: FAWNN “Galaxies”

FAWNN-album-cover

Dreamy Detroit indie rock foursome FAWNN premiered their first single off of their anticipated forthcoming sophomore album Ultimate Oceans on Stereogum last week. An iridescent pop track reminiscent of Washed Out meets a sedated The New Pornographers,”Galaxies” is familiar and satisfying yet feels defeated. “Galaxies” is prom night for mid to late twenty-somethings who sway in misguided unison to the shared disenchantment of young love turned static: the death of the honeymoon phase. Listless imagery painting spacial comparisons between intimacy and celestial phenomena is nothing new, and FAWNN struggles to breathe sincerity into this very evocation. What “Galaxies” DOES provide, however, is the aural equivalent to the ambivalence of drinking overly spiked punch, texting your ex a sad version of “hey” and half-heartedly hoping you don’t end up going home alone. The bass line is lulling and instinctual and when paired with the droll delicacies of the vocal harmonies, “Galaxies” creates more distance than it fills. This is likely an intentional sensation as the stand out lyric “Now that we’re allowed to touch/it’s over/Galaxies inside” encapsulates simply the boredom and painful loss of fascination when a love/like has run its respective course. Maybe that’s what makes “Galaxies” a frustrating listen. Maybe it yanks on that dark inner mess that we have been meaning to clean up but just haven’t made time for. It’s a song about passionate indifference and although successful in its glittery tones and thoughtful production, it is almost too literal in its heartbroken lethargy to feel anything more than “meh.”

Space out with the first taste from FAWNN’s latest “Galaxies” below:

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/222442988″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW: Kikagaku Moyo “Kogarashi”

Kikaguru Moyo

Japanese ensemble Kikagaku Moyo have released a new single “Kogarashi” leading up up to their record House In The Tall Grass.

In the new track, the band takes a more idyllic approach in production without straying far from their psychotropic sound.  Swirling harmonies soften up the disciplined rhythm.   “Kogarashi” showcases the band’s ability to blend the natural wo rld with celestial, surreal elements to make for an outcome that is spectral and eerie, yet stays true to their self-described “feeling good music.”

On the song’s inception, vocalist Tomo Katsurada says, “It was a nice warm day in the Autumn to get stoned and pass out in the park.  I remember I was surrounded by the multi-coloured dead leaves and felt warm when I woke up.  But all of the sudden, Kogarashi (the Autumn wind) blew all of the leaves away.  It was a beautiful and psychedelic Autumn moment.”

House In The Tall Grass will be released on May 13 under Tokyo-based record label Guruguru Brain, and the band will be touring the UK later in May.

Listen to “Kogarashi” below!

NEWS ROUNDUP: New Tracks, New Kendrick, & SWSW

a0571397198_16

  • New Tracks By New York Artists 

    First up is “Your Best American Girl” by Brooklyn’s Mitski. The song is from Puberty 2, which will be released via Dead Oceans in June. It’s a sorrowful track about living up to expectations, full of soaring highs and the squeal of feedback amongst quieter moments.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

  • Monday was Leap Day, which is special day for Leaplings, the kids who were born on February 29th and finally get to celebrate their real birthday. Dan Arnes, the frontman of Leapling, is one of these people, and to take the “holiday” an extra step further, announced the band’s upcoming album Suspended Animation and debuted “Alabaster Snow.” Check it out below:

  • Parquet Courts are releasing their upcoming album Human Performance on April 8th. On Wednesday, they performed another new song, the cowboy-tinged punk “Berlin Got Blurry,” on Conan. Check out the official video below, which features the band exploring a foreign land.

  • Yeasayer are also releasing a new album (Amen & Goodbye, due out on April 1st) and shared a new track this week, “Silly Me.” I miss the “kind of folky in an apocalyptic” sound of their first album, but this song has a pretty good groove.

https://youtu.be/5rQxrZn8-A0

  • The Cost of SXSW

    Many bands view Austin’s SXSW festival as essential for gaining any notoriety in the music industry, but schlepping bandmates and gear to Texas can also be stressful and expensive. Is it worth it? You may have read some thinkpieces that may you want to hide your wallet, but you should read Ed Rodriguez’s take on the matter on The Talkhouse. Rodriguez, who plays in Deerhoof, argues that there’s a cheaper way to do the showcase, or any tour. Read his article here.

  • Kendrick Lamar Drops New Album

    After what appeared to be a Spotify mishap that gave away the track list, Untitled Unmastered was released as a follow-up of sorts to To Pimp A Butterfly. Buy it here.

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING DETROIT: Stef Chura “Slow Motion”

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

a4060787023_10
video still for “Slow Motion” filmed by Molly Soda

There’s something unidentifiably exciting about Stef Chura. It would be an easy out to say her warbled, playful vocal contortions are the key to her aforementioned excitability, which are undoubtedly fearless and perfectly flawed. Last month, I referred to her vocal playground as one crafted by Karen O meets Johnathon Richman, but with the recent release of “Slow Motion” off of her up and coming album Messes, I can see how I quickly generalized her aesthetic. Chura creates space and fills it with confessionary uncertainty. What Chura is doing is entirely all her own.

“Slow Motion” encapsulates personal frustration and manages to make a lo-fi cry for clarity anthemic for anyone who has ever wanted to control the speed of their own reality. The lyrics “you bottle/me in your pocket and explode/give me something/and I don’t know what it’s for/and right when it starts/ to feel like home/it’s time to go” paints an universal exploration of impermanence in feeling comfortable with ourselves as individuals, as well as our comfortability as a piece of our respective social quilt. With Ryan Clancy on drums and producer Fred Thomas on bass, Chura’s vocals are practically framed by the jumpy, hazy rhythms allowing her to use her beautifully tortured voice to maim and repair parts of the song at her leisure.

The video, which is a desaturated Microsoft Paint snack party in Detroit’s UFO Factory bathroom (inarguably the most popular bar bathroom for selfies) poses Chura as an unenthused guest of honor surrounded by balloons, toilet snacks, and a listless oversized stuffed bear. Shot by internationally acclaimed digital artist and Detroit implant Molly Soda, “Slow Motion” is a vivid collaboration between wanting to feel part of a whole and wanting to fall apart, whisked together with whimsy and an old screensaver from the 90’s. The party gets tripped out and psychedelically rambunctious as the guests go crazy with silly string and happy face balloons that seem melancholic in context. The video is a play on party culture and for Detroiters, gives a voice to an iconic space while touching base with those deep-rooted sad girl vibes, that need someone like Chura to portray with sincerity and unapologetic malaise.

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK PREMIERE: RYAL “Wish”

ryal_rachel-brennecke_highres

RYAL is Jacque Ryal, an alt-pop artist from San Diego, CA who moved to New York when she was 18. Although her earlier work was considerably darker and drew comparisons to groups such as Portishead, RYAL has challenged herself to write songs that were both optimistic and timeless on her upcoming release.

Though her new music aspires to be happier, I sense the same longing in the song “Wish” as I feel everyday from November to April: What happened to summer? Why did summer have to go away? It helps that the track invokes a trip to the beach; along with producer Aaron Nevezie, she’s created a bouncy, but focused beat with splashes of tropical guitar and synths that will have you missing the good days when the sun didn’t set before 6pm: “We had a good love/ Not just a summer fling…I miss you bad when the sun falls on to its knees.” Her words capture the bittersweetness of a fleeting romance, while the music reflects the brightness and happiness she experienced before she knew it was gone. 

The RYAL EP will be available on February 19, but we have the exclusive stream below.

https://soundcloud.com/jacqueryal/wish-1/s-U1C9G

 

TRACK PREMIERE: Gold Child “Tides”

gold child press photo

Gold Child is the shimmering, effervescent and wholly unexpected “Mermaid Country” project headed by Berklee trained vocalist and songwriter Emily Fehler, who, accompanied by a very dapper backing band including one of the best damn slide guitarists we’ve heard in a long while, has quietly gone from obscurity to buzz worthy in a matter of months. Their debut track, “Tides”, is premiering today and we couldn’t love it more. While erring heavily on the side of classic country in its form, it begins with a twinkling guitar intro and a peppy snare line. Soon Fehler’s ethereal vocals come floating into the mix, hooking the listener in for the remaining three minutes. What shines throughout is her deft songwriting skills, which show off a rare ability to craft music that’s understated without being aimless. The track’s structure and form in and of itself is something to be envied, simple yet persistently interesting, with musical turns of phrases that continuously surprise the listener until the last chord is strummed. If you’ve had any past misgivings about country music, do yourself a favor: throw them in the trash and take a first listen below to “Tides”, by Gold Child. It will surely change your mind.

Gold Child is comprised of Fehler on vocals and guitar, David Von Bader on slide, Jake Beal on drums and Jason Weiss on bass.

TRACK REVIEW: BRAEVES “Silver Streets”

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

BRAEVES_Silver_Streets_Single_Cover
Cover art by Danielle Guelbart

This summer, New York’s own BRAEVES released a new single called “Silver Streets” as a follow up to 2014’s Drifting by Design EP.

The band bid their farewell to New York last weekend at The Studio at Webster Hall, rounding out a busy year of stellar shows at other venues in the city, including Baby’s All Right, where I first got to meet the guys, Glasslands, and (Le) Poisson Rouge.  All of their hard work has led to a major next step, as they’ll be moving to Los Angeles later this month to work on their first full-length record.

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

braeves recording session
Derek Tramont, Thomas Mcphillips, Austin Mendenhall, and Ryan Levy at a recording session. Photo by Tim Toda.

At Webster, Snowmine’s Austin Mendenhall stepped in for former member Nick LaFalce, who performs lead guitar on the track.

The song shines, quite literally, with metallic imagery such as, “Silver streets, golden bodies” and “copper in our bones.”  Coupled with sleek, otherworldy guitar and bass work, that blend seamlessly, “Silver Streets” is a perfectly warm track for speeding down a country road this fall.  With lyrics like, “Take me back to days when I was fearless in your arms/I’ll follow your way home, I’ll follow your way home,” Levy’s dulcet vocals will make you nostalgic for a time that you weren’t even there for.

See the full lyrics on their Bandcamp page, and be on the lookout for a video coming soon. Listen to the track below:

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/209549231″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING DETROIT: Flint Eastwood’s “Find What You’re Looking For”

Playing Detroit

Even without knowing the emotionally turbulent backstory behind Flint Eastwood’s latest EP Small Victories, the first single “Find What You’re Looking For” paints a cathartic landscape that evokes the sensation of conserving breath and energy before climbing a mountain. The song resonates as whispered, yet resilient, triumph. Jax Anderson is no stranger to small victories, nor large ones, respectively. A statement released with the single informs that the song is an interpretation of the last words spoken to Anderson by her mother before she passed: “Don’t let this break you.” As the listener or compassionate voyeur we may not know what the “this” is and we may not know what we’re looking for, but it is with this haunting ambiguity that makes the track accessible and effective in its ability to sound both confident and cautious. In the wake of such loss, Anderson sounds as if she’s begging the sky, crooning, “I don’t want to lose you/this moment next to you/you tell me what to do.” What is most strangely refreshing about “Find What You’re Looking For” is that it shines as a great contrast to the gritty, danceable electro-indie-rock vibe of Eastwood’s 2013 release, Late Nights in Bolo Ties. If this track is any indication to the journey ahead both for Anderson and the audience, Small Victories (to release on October 9th, 2015) will likely encourage the defiant act of letting the light into the dark places.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]https://soundcloud.com/flinteastwoodmusic/find-what-youre-looking-for[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW: River Tiber “Let You Go”

River Tiber

There’s an over-used quote on Tumblr that goes something like: “She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.” With River Tiber‘s (aka Tommy Paxton-Beesley) latest track “Let You Go,” the Canadian producer created a piece of art that defies this statement. It’s a beautiful song filled with tried and true R&B sensibilities, yet manages to still make you think with unexpected beats popping like bubbles. The way he bluntly sings, “I only love you when I let you go” will resonate with anyone who has been that asshole in a breakup, which is, all of us.

His EP When The Time Is Right comes out September 16. Listen to “Let You Go” below.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/221721072″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW – Gallant “Weight in Gold”

Gallant

Art lives on heartbreak. I was first introduced to Gallant, the young soaring R&B star when I saw him perform at the Westway earlier this summer. I can be socially anxious, and the tight-packed, beer-drenched  crowd wasn’t helping. Until he began performing, and then everything was okay. His music is like Xanax. We’re on the comedown from an Era of Frills, when artists’ teams put a lot of attention on “everything else,” choreography, costumes, perhaps a fashion line. Gallant hints that as a community we’re ready to get back to the soul of music. As a performer a sincerity burst through, an honesty to his vocals and organic dancing that melded the passion in the music.

His new single “Weight in Gold” is an exemplary introduction to the artist if he hasn’t crossed your radar. The overflowing ballad pairs crunchy hip hop beats with an R&B soul we’ve been craving. “I’m pulling my weight in gold/but I can’t lift this on my own.” Lyrics translate the agonizing frustration of realizing sometimes a partner can only meet you as far as they’re willing to meet themselves. That being said, his voice is beautiful enough to make you believe that love is actually enough.

He has the right look, at the right time, with more than enough talent; keep an eye on Gallant and listen to “Weight in Gold” below.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/212522306″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Vacationer “Go Anywhere (TAPES Remix)”

vacationer4

Where are you going for summer vacation? Well, Vacationer wants to take you on a trip via a new remix of “Go Anywhere,” a track from last year’s release Relief. TAPES, an experimental electronic artist, transformed the track  into a sultry song for the summer by slowing down the original’s bongo beat and adding tribal elements to the rhythm (and, of course, more reverb). The original “Go Anywhere” is a poppy, hopeful anthem, while the new version has the perfect touch of danceable playfulness: the sound of waves crashing on the shore, a pulsing beat, and squealing, squawking synths.

Check out both the original and TAPES remix of “Go Anywhere” below! (And, you can soften the blow of the end of summer by catching Vacationer on their Fall tour with Great Good Fine OK).

 

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

TRACK REVIEW: Xan Young “Passion”

xan

“We had affection, but you couldn’t handle passion,” Xan Young sings on “Passion.” While I feel for anyone stuck in the friend zone, I’m kind of glad his heartbreak inspired this track.

Xan Young is new to the electronic music scene, and “Passion” is the first song ever released from the Brooklyn musician. It’s an impressive debut, with a sound that fills the whole room: a heavy bass, fluttering synths, and Xan’s whispery, soulful vocals. The siren-like squeal of synths and street drumming percussion during the bridge lightens the mood as he laments that, at least, “There’s pleasure in the pain” of his unreturned affection.

Check out “Passion” below, and stay tuned for Xan Young’s debut album The Flood in August.

 

TRACK REVIEW: Jojee “I Don’t Give A”

Jojee_1
Breathe in and exhale a new track from Jojee produced by Mickey Valen. The song was inspired by forbidden love, an unfiltered reaction so magnetic sometimes you just have to let go of social constructs and allow it to swallow you up. According to an inside source, the song “…is the declaration of not giving a f*ck anymore and following your heart.”  A lot of people often mistake love for joy, but the definition that resonates with me, is an acceptance. Acceptance of passion, acceptance of flaws, acceptance of situation, and learning to just go with the flow – an emotion, perhaps both the most basic yet difficult for humans, that Jojee perfectly pins down musically. The New Yorker has been described as “future pop,” but this sounds more like modern day soul to me. The intersection of dream pop and R&B (Wet, Banks, FKA Twigs) has created an exciting new corner of music. Like, what you’d make love to post-abduction on an UFO.
Listen below.

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Girlpool “Cherry Picking”

girlpool

When you combine two best friends on a new adventure, a guitar and bass, and raw natural emotion, you hear the sound that is Girlpool. Newly relocated to Philly from Los Angeles, Cleo Tucker and Harmony Divided’s new sound projects this location change. The newly released track, “Cherry Picking,” follows their new trend of mellower and more emotional tracks; a vast difference from their EP released last year. Their self-titled seven track EP has a bit more of an angst-fueled rhythm to it, filled with songs about what it’s like to be a girl (including fun things like being eaten out while watching American Beauty). “Cherry Picking,” on the other hand, opens with a whispered, “I was cherry picking, I was cherry picking dreams.” The three and a half minute song continues on like a nostalgic daydream with their hazy harmonies sprinkled throughout. As the tempo picks up, the sound still stays minimal. I always found the rawness of Cleo and Harmony’s voices one of the major appeals to their genuine and relatable sound. The song closes with a harmonized yelp of “Yes I am picking cherries, I have a hard time staying clean.” You can listen to “Cherry Picking” below, or on their debut full length, Before The World Was Big, to be released this Tuesday, June 2 on Wichita Recordings.