WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Radio
Artist Record Label
1 DESPISED ICON “Purgatory” [Single] Nuclear Blast
2 BRAND OF SACRIFICE God Hand Unique Leader
3 SHADOW OF INTENT Melancholy Self-Released
4 KNOCKED LOOSE A Different Shade Of Blue Pure Noise
5 WORMWITCH Heaven That Dwells Within Prosthetic
6 VALLEYS “Opiate” [Single] Tragic Hero
7 DAMN YOUR EYES Kill The Outside Self-Released
8 AWAKE FOR DAYS “Break Your Chains” [Single] Self-Released
9 VISIONS OF ATLANTIS Wanderers Napalm
10 VEIL OF MAYA “Members Only” [Single] Sumerian
The historic Golden Record sent into space is finally found by Intelligent life. Aliens say “We’re disappointed. We wish NASA would keep their mixes more relevant.”
-Andrew Evans
I’m feeling nostalgic this week. I’m remembering the days of Limewire and burning CDs and if we lived in a world where CD players weren’t almost obsolete and streaming platforms weren’t the most convenient way to access music then we would have to bring back burning playlists onto CDs. Here’s why:
Cheap and easy to make: It takes like 30 minutes to burn if you have all of the CDs in your computer library already, if not YouTube to mp3 was your best friend. You could buy a stack of like 100 blank CDs for $5.
Customizable: Just like a normal Spotify playlist, you can put whatever you want on a CD. You can also doodle all over the front of them and make them super unique looking.
Good gifts: You can make anyone a burned CD: your mom, your crush, your archenemy and tell them how you really feel. This goes back to the customizable aspect and it beats sending someone a playlist link in my opinion.
Accessible: back in the days of abundant CD players, it was easy to pass around a really good CD playlist with faded Sharpie on the front. Passing around a tangible thing is something that can’t really be matched. I think it brings people together.
While I love a good ol’ digital playlist, it’d be nice to be able to physically hold onto something sentimental in this digital day in age because when I’m 30, I probably won’t have my playlist that I made on Spotify about my ex boyfriend on Spotify in 2017, but I’ll definitely have that CD (scratched with years of wear) my best friend burned for my birthday when we were 14.
-cellar door xx
During my formative years, I’ve definitely skimmed through albums or never listened to them altogether. Back then I only chose to listen to singles I heard in the mall that cost $1.29 on iTunes or I just listened to the same rotation of songs on my iPod. Fourth grade was a long time ago and it definitely took a lot of growing up and an increased appreciation for music to figure out that albums are full on works of art and they gift you with many more, lesser known songs. Here’s some of my tips on how to better appreciate albums for what they truly are:
Eliminate distractions: sit in bed, go to the park, push your worries to the side, put your headphones on and just listen.
Focus on and consider different elements: some things you can focus on while listening is the track order, album cover, lyrics, the length of the songs, the tempo of the songs, influences you hear, etc. This helps in appreciate the smaller aspects that make albums unique and cohesive.
Research the album and artist: After I’ve formed a pretty loose opinion on the album, I like to just google it and read other reviews to form a more well-rounded view of the work. And while you’re at it, research the artist if you don’t already know enough about them to give the album perspective.
Consider concept: take a step inside the artist’s head; what do you think they were trying to convey with the album and all of its components? Is there an overarching theme, mood or message? Take those thoughts into perspective as you listen.
Re-listen: there has been a TON of albums that I didn’t care for upon first listen. Before you write it off, give it another listen, another chance. And if you loved it the first time, listen again anyway.
Remember that albums are a lot like people, they aren’t perfect, but instead a deliberate culmination of different ideas and influences chosen by the artist. The final product is a holistic work that can be experienced by a listener like yourself, but only if you allow yourself to receive it properly.
-cellar door Xx
BEST TRACKS: Feel it now, Is This Real?, So Alone
FCC Clean
Grab your swimsuit because this album seriously drips.
The Pinheads first gained some traction in the surf punk scene back in 2015 with their single I Wanna Be A Girl, which is still their most popular song to date, though their sound was still very course and scratching. Since then, the pinheads have continuously re-calibrated and tightened up their sound, moving in a more guitar-heavy direction and leaning away from thin, clattery percussion in favor of fuller drums. Is This Real, released in May of this year, is their smoothest album yet.
Is This Real has a very independent feel to it, which makes sense considering that this album was entirely created and recorded in a shed (lovingly called the Pin-shed Laboratory) belonging to the mother of one of the band members.
This album has a lot variation that will keep you on your toes, ranging from bluesy tracks like Is this real? to full out surf punk like track number two Feel it Now. Despite the mosaic of styles, the entire album is drawn together beautifully with familiar drawled vocals and fuzzy guitar. Similar sounding artists are Wax Witches and Shannon and the Clams.
As you listen, you might be wondering, with a guitar sound this drippin, what large body of water were The Pinheads adjacent to when they recorded this album? Answer: the Indian Ocean. Growing up in the suburbs of Wollongong, Australia, on the Leisure Coast, The Pinheads were always surrounded by surf rock, the influence of which shines through on this album in its wet, energetic riffs.
My favorite song on the album is definitely the title track Is This Real?. One of the slower songs on this album, Is This Real? sounds like the end of a perfect summer day. Especially when that harmonica comes in, you’ll remember one of those days where you hung out with your friends all day doing dumb shenanigans and now that the sun is setting you’re tired but happy and satisfied.
Happy and satisfied is also something you’ll feel after listening to this album.
-Safia Rizwan
Artist Record Label
1 TORO Y MOI Outer Peace Carpark
2 LONE “Abraxas” [Single] Ancient Astronauts
3 KAYTRANADA Nothin Like U/Chances [EP] RCA
4 TOURIST Everyday Monday
5 GEORGE CLANTON Slide 100% Electronica
6 DORIAN CONCEPT The Nature Of Imitation Brainfeeder
7 KEDR LIVANSKIY Your Need 2MR
8 CHANNEL TRES Black Moses [EP] Godmode
9 LAURENCE GUY Making Music Is Bad For Your Self Esteeem [EP] Studio Barnhus
10 HOUSE OF FEELINGS New Lows Joyful Noise
Artist Record Label
1 DENZEL CURRY Zuu Loma Vista/Concord
2 EARL SWEATSHIRT Some Rap Songs Tan Cressida
3 LITTLE SIMZ GREY Area AGE 101/AWAL
4 BONES LivingSucks Self-Released
5 MIKE War in my Pen Self-Released
6 TIERRA WHACK “Wasteland” [Single] Self-Released
7 BROCKHAMPTON Ginger Question Everything/RCA
8 SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD Stokeley Republic
9 C. SHREVE THE PROFESSOR Daddy Love to Rap FTO
10 NONAME Room 25 Self-Released
Ever curious about what goes on with WKNC and wish you were more in the loop with our activities?
Follow us on all social media @wknc881 and as always, reach out to gm@wknc.org with any questions, comments, or concerns!