WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Radio
Artist Record Label
1 VARIALS In Darkness Fearless
2 CATTLE DECAPITATION “Bring Back The Plague” [Single] Metal Blade
3 KUBLAI KHAN Absolute Rise
4 KNOCKED LOOSE A Different Shade Of Blue Pure Noise
5 VALLEYS Fearless Tragic Hero
6 INVOKE Invoking Chaos [EP] Arduous Path
7 GIDEON Out of Control Equal Vision
8 OBITUARY “A Dying World” [Single] Relapse
9 FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY “Shepherd” [Single] Human Warfare
10 AFTER THE BURIAL Evergreen Sumerian
Ugh. How refreshing is it to have high hopes for a local band and then have them be awesome? Thank you, Case Sensitive, for being freaking good. I’m thoroughly impressed and I’ll tell you why.
Let’s appreciate the simplicity of Twins, starting with first impressions. Perfect album cover. It’s representative of the album in that it depicts two human beings could maybe be twins. We see two figures, we know the album is called Twins, and it all makes sense. The art is well done and not too flashy. The cover looks great and does what it needs to do without trying too hard – it’s perfect!
Now, if we’re talking simplicity and local bands we usually can’t talk about their sound. There is something about the local scene that just makes (mostly) everyone produce a pile of sound that gets pushed into set of mics and trying to make a loud entrance. Sometimes this works out and we get our yelled at in a beautiful way (Pie Face Girls for example, duh) but sometimes local bands need to relax. Take a beat, please. I’m tired. I want something smooth that sounds organic – enter Twins. Wowie! Sierra? Mary? Those vocals? Is that you I’m bopping to in the car? I guess it is. Kelnan? On guitar? Please and thank you.
The thing about this killer trio is that they work well together. The flow is seamless and they just seem to exist together in the most organic way. Making music is hard, but the best tunes come from groups who make it seem easy, like Case Sensitive in Twins.
xoxo
your trusty music librarian
You know that feeling when you hear a song you relate to and you’re just like YES. Well, I’ve had a lot of those moments with songs that remind me of college. I’ve talked about my playlists that I make every semester, but my favorite thing about them is that I now have a few anthems that really define my college experience. You can judge them for yourself from the playlist linked below, but this is my college experience explained through music…
Sober by FIDLAR
Art School Wannabe by Sorority Noise
Hollow Life by Coast Modern
I’m Just A Kid by Simple Plan
Fine, Great by Modern Baseball
Laugh Til I Cry by The Front Bottoms
Sweet Disaster by DREAMERS
Life’s To Short by Wild Party
Something Good Can Work by Two Doors Cinema Club
My Good Grades by Cecil Frena
This Is Home by Cavetown
What would your list look like?
https://open.spotify.com/user/1218329188/playlist/7eg26Brb82AVtKnsDkn2bH?si=kTLT55seRpaDNMBwRpt0ng
– DJ Psyched
Rap music is littered with lyrics about death, violence and bloodshed. A lot of people think this is one of the worst things about rap music. I think those people lack perspective. Whether you’re rapping about carrying the weight of death in your own community or if you’re rapping about perpetuating violence yourself; rap music’s subject matter is sometimes scary, especially because it is often sourced from real life experiences. Here are some creepy sounding songs that talk about some terrifying aspects of the black experience.
Casket Pretty – Noname
Pet Cemetery – Tierra Whack
Thieves in the Night – Black Star
The Devil’s Shoestring – MF DOOM
Rage – Rico Nasty
Heaven’s Little Bastard – Bbymutha
Suicidal Thoughts – Notorious B.I.G.
Flowers and Rope – Princess Nokia
The Art of Peer Pressure – Kendrick Lamar
Goth Kid – Princess Nokia
Sandwitches – Tyler The Creator
Freestyle 4 – Kanye West
Deathwish – Comethazine
Dark Night Dummo – Trippie Redd
Elm Street – Jimmy Wopo
Bad Guy – 21 Savage
Faucet – Earl Sweatshirt
Bobby Bitch – Bobby Shmurda
Nuketown – SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD
FlatBed Freestyle – Playboi Carti
Paranoia – Chance The Rapper
-cellardoor xx
Before I start this discussion I want to make it clear that I’m not biased and have both headphones and earbuds, three of each actually, and I’m not much of an audiophile either, just someone who likes talking music. The argument I have today is simple, both have pros and cons, but which one is better?
Let’s talk headphones. Headphones (like the ones above) are good for a more immersive experience and tend to drown out background noise better. I mean there’s definitely no shortage of noise canceling headphones. For making music and DJing they are definitely preferred because they tend to have a more full sounds and are more comfortable for long periods of use. Cons? Well they tend to be more expensive, I mean the price range is all over for both but, when you really get into things, headphones are more worth spending the extra buck. But they also are less portable. If you’re not planning to wear them the whole time you’re out they do take up more space in bags and they aren’t the best for hot weather because sweat really builds up, especially with larger headphones.
What about earbuds? Well… they definitely are preferred for working out and being portable. It is easier to find less expensive more quality ones too, they are good for hot weather and take up very little space in bags. But they also have a couple drawbacks. They don’t have the same immersive experience and it’s harder to drown out background noise. And they also can get pretty uncomfortable after a while of wearing.
So where does this leave my point? Well, I use both for different things and I would have to say that headphones win with DJing, making music, studying in a loud place and sound experience. Earphones are my go to in the gym, on hot days, in quieter places, and when I need to travel with a lot of things. Which wins for you?
– DJ Psyched
Leikeli47 (pronounced La-kay-lay) is a both Virginia and Brookyln raised rapper, singer and producer. Leikeli47 has never released her real name and wears a mask made of bandana, denim or other cloth material for all public appearances. Her “tom-boy” style of baggy pants, denim, hoodies, chains and butter colored Timbs mesh well with her waist length braids, eyelashes that are highlighted by her mask’s concealment of her other features and her lyrics about acrylic nails, men and braids (tuh’da flo). Leikeli47, when performing and in her music, effectively brings out the bad bitch in all of her listeners. Her lyrics exude confidence and attitude while simultaneously allowing her listeners into her life and black life which makes up for her concealed image. Her sophomore album, “Wash & Set” (2017) is the first in an upcoming trilogy, with “Acrylic” (2018) being the second in her “Beauty Series.” In this series she draws on black spaces such as nail salons and barbershops to relate to her listeners and to normalize these spaces. She is definitely a quickly up and coming rapper with an amazing flow, great lyrics and a mysterious image. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
My favorite tracks by her: Top Down, Don’t do it, Girl Blunt, CIAA, No Reload, Miss Me and Ho
-cellar door xxx
BEST TRACKS: Maps to the Stars, River’s Edge, Opera
FCC violations: Hour of the Wolf, Opera
A year after Nick Rattigan released A Different Age on his solo project under the moniker Current Joys, Nevada-based alternative duo Nick Rattigan and Jacob Rubeck returned to the front of the scene with a magical new release Heaven Surrounds You.
My first thought when I picked up this album and read the name was “wow, what a beautiful thought”’. Heaven surrounds you. I appreciated the assertive delivery of this message. The title of this album isn’t asking and it isn’t suggesting- it’s straight up telling you that the world is a beautiful place and you don’t have to wait until you die to find happiness. At least, that’s what I thought before listening to the album. As it turns out, this album is as self-deprecating and anguished as ever. I should have known. Surf Curse: feeling like a freak since 2013. But if it counts for anything, the last track, Jamie, closes out the album with this hopeful message: I love the people in my life. All my friends keep me alive.
Though I’m a big fan of the band’s traditional rough and visceral sound, I admit that Surf Curse cleaned up nicely with this Album. Heaven Surrounds You is Surf Curse’s most mature and polished album to date, more cinematic and sounding less like it was recorded in the basement and put together on Garageband 2.2. Saccharine violin on tracks on several tracks give the album a coming of age movie-like feel.
This is the perfect album for a road trip out west, with its sunny, lively guitar and dreamy vocals. The drums are modest yet toe-tapping, taking a back seat to the more melodic instruments on the album. Even the darker sounding tracks on this album, like Opera and Trust, have sweet, cinematic breakdowns and one-two rhythms that maintain the energy throughout.
I recommend giving this album a listen if you like Beach Fossils, the Frights, or Arcade Fire.
-Safia Rizwan