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New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Distant Minds by Prismo

ALBUM: Distant Minds by Prismo

BEST TRACKS: Coexist, Shame, Dreams (Eliminate Remix)

FCC Clean

Zach Burgett, aka Prismo, is a music producer, DJ and songwriter from Houston, TX who decided to produce his own music after he was unsuccessful in creating his own band. After reading a short biography about Prismo, I have to say I admire his tenacity to create his own career after being unable to find a group to produce with. At 19, he has already made a name for himself and earned the reputation as a versatile artist with tracks ranging from EDM bangers to more melodic, slower songs.

Distant Minds is Prismo’s second album release from November 2016 and contains seven tracks, four of which are remixes of the first three tracks in the collection. Prismo’s style is very unique because he delivers a big, glitchy sound with added hip-hop elements which adds variety. The distorted vocal effect that Prismo uses also adds a unique element to Distant Minds. It sounds like the quality of a phone call almost, but also much higher quality so the vocals still sound crisp. Tracks such as Coexist and Dreams (Eliminate Remix) have a good mix between higher energy EDM and melodic breakdowns which contrast nicely. My personal favorite track in this album is Shame because it is one of the first electronic songs I listened to that I really enjoyed. What is even crazier to think is that Prismo released this track at a young age, only three years older than me at the time I listened. Now, at the same age, I still appreciate his music.

I recommend Prismo for anyone who is a fan of San Holo, Monstercat, and Taska Black.

-Tegan

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 6/1

Artist Record Label
1 SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL”Demolisher” [Single] Sumerian
2 FIT FOR A KING”Breaking The Mirror” [Single] Solid State
3 AS I LAY DYING “Destruction or Strength” [Single] Nuclear Blast
4 UPON A BURNING BODY”Built from War” [Single] Seek & Strike
5 BENIGHTED Obscene Repressed Season of Mist
6 SUICIDE SILENCE “Overlord” [Single] Nuclear Blast
7 NEVER ENDING GAME Just Another Day Triple B
8 KUBLAI KHAN Absolute Rise
9 WHITECHAPEL The Valley Metal Blade
10 CURRENTS Monsters [EP] Sharptone

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Jeff Rosenstock – No Dream

Jeff Rosenstock's "No Dream" album cover

ALBUM REVIEW: Jeff Rosenstock – No Dream

BEST TRACKS: State Line, ***BNB, Ohio Tpke

FCC dirty except for: State Line, Leave It In The Sun, Monday at the Beach

Jeff Rosenstock is the punk icon that can do it all. Most notably, he is the past lead singer of Bomb the Music Industry! and a solo artist, but he is also a producer, founder of independent record label Quote Unquote records, and has been a part of many other bands and collaborations. No Dream is Jeff’s fourth full-length album as a solo artist, which he dropped last week with absolutely no promotional buildup. This Summer-y, cathartic album came just in time for June. In accordance with Jeff Rosenstock’s strict DIY ethics, the album has been released for free online via Quote Unquote Records, with all donations going to vegan anti-hunger organization Food Not Bombs.

Jeff Rosenstock is a household name amongst fans of catchy basement punk. Each song on No Dream has potent DIY energy, due to the fact that the album was taped with analog outboard equipment rather than being mixed completely with a digital audio workstation. This album feeds nostalgia with its boisterous, scratchy, half-yelling, half-singing vocals and frantic drums that are starkly reminiscent of late 80s skate punk. In classic early Jeff Rosenstock style, the riffs are hard and fast and the lyrics are even faster.

Jeff’s previous two albums, WORRY and POST, were characterized by bleak sadness and anxiety. In NO DREAM, the anxiety hasn’t vanished, but exists in a more rambunctious, self-assured, let loose light that has been missing since the days of Bomb The Music Industry!. As a result, NO DREAM is heart-wrenching, yet still somewhat optimistic. NO DREAM is about embracing helplessness. Jeff Rosenstock’s songs have always expressed the rawest human emotions of anger, love, and heartbreak in the simplest, most straightforward, most hard hitting way. No Dream is another album for the DIY punk wall of fame. One thing’s for sure, Jeff never misses.

I recommend this album if you’re into bands like Joyce Manor, Deafheaven, PUP, or Antarctigo Vespucci.

-Safia

Categories
Playlists

2k Indie Online

 

‘You’re on the WKNC blog, I’m DJ Psyched and this is 2k Indie Online’. I really miss doing that on air, anyhow, here’s some new indie music for this week:

  • Rain by J.P. Plains: This artist has a very unique sound that is difficult to describe. He blends themes of electronic music, maybe slight folk(?), and indie. The artists’ vocals have always been a big standout for me, it’s easy to tell J.P. Plains voice from any other. This track’s lyrics are a reflection of the artist contemplating why they exist and why life is as it is. It’s served as a perfect late night ‘laying in bed and staring at the sky’ track. It’s relaxing and has those perfect subtle sad boy hour vibes.

  • Dream Boy by Beach Bunny: This song is such a bop, the chorus is incredibly catchy and the pre-chorus is hard not to scream along with. I love the electric guitars in this track, and the drums are also pretty standout here. It’s a wonderful indie rock track and the whole album ‘Honeymoon’ is worth a listen. The vocals are smooth, and the power in the vocals during the pre-chorus and chorus really make this track one that sticks in my mind long after a listen. A power love-track demanding proper love, gotta love it.

  • Double Dare by Momma: Another wonderful female-vocal track. This track is also led by electric guitar and has a very Indie-rock sound. However, this song has more relaxed vocals and a much more chill sound overall. I find myself humming along to the ‘double dare double dare’ one liner. The outro to this track definitely took me by surprise, it’s an interesting contrast from the rest of the track. The guitars fade gradually into what sounds like carnival music, quickly taking me out of the music and making me feel like I’m in some kind of story book. I’m pretty excited for the full album, as this is one of three tracks that’s been released for the upcoming record coming June 6th.

‘Those were the top tracks of 2k Indie Online for the week, if you have any requests for next week please do let me know. Keep it locked because there’s sure more to come’

Until Next Time,

Let’s Stay Psyched about Music

DJ Psyched

Categories
New Album Review

Arrested Youth & the Quarentiners

 

‘Arrested Youth & the Quarantiners’ is the second EP from the artist Arrested Youth. This collection of tracks is incredibly unique since the artist let his fans help with the writing process, even providing some of the backing vocals. He also stated that this was his first time producing his own music. The five track collection will also be followed with music videos for each track and will also feature fans that helped with its creative process. Arrested Youth will also be donating the money from the album’s streams to a charity, and once again the choice of which will be up to his fans.

In an Instagram post the musician talks about how being an artist can sometimes be too centered on who’s the most relevant and ‘who’s got more hype’. He actively speaks against this ‘fame’ mindset in all of his music, and this creative way of making the album was his way of getting his fans more involved in the process, allowing them to feel an even more personal connection to the message. ‘as i continue this project, my mindset continues to shift away from all that. i enjoy building this creative community that cares about quality over quantity.’ he says. He also gave credit to each and every person who helped create the album. 

He ends his message by adding’ i’m proud to be an artist today, and i’m proud of our fan base for coming together to write this great album. congratulations my friends.’I’ve been a fan of the artist for a while because of his ‘nonconformity’ mindset and his views on valuing art over clout, and this EP lives up to that message fully.

The EP has a very upbeat and sing-a-long type sound. As always the artist hooks us in with incredibly catchy and chant-able choruses, while also dropping relatable and thought provoking versus along the way.

The first track ‘Castaway’ focuses on the uncertainty in life right, a common theme in the EP, and not letting those feelings stop your dreams and living the way you want (even if it’s not the life we were taught to live). ‘Jumping Ship’ is a track that uses a metaphor to symbolize changing your mind a lot, and again, being uncertain. He also talks about the highs and lows of life, how one day we can be doing amazing and the next not so well. ‘Corone’ is all about the state of the world right now, making direct references to toilet paper hoarding and staying home. It expresses how faith is important right now and explains how people are coping. He also spins things to a bright side saying ‘if a change could ever happen, this is perfect timing’. The track becomes a power anthem, telling us that through all the hard and weird times we can still spin this around to make us better after the fact. 

On another note, ‘Hanging Posters’ is about losing friends, and how indifferent it feels to move on from those who are insincere. ‘Coraline’ serves as a summary of all of this, leaving the collection in a state that keeps us thinking and curious.

When he announced the release of this EP he almost mentioned that Sobville Part II will be out later this summer, and I couldn’t be more excited for it. Oh, and there’s also a full length album coming in the fall.

Until next time,

Let’s Stay Psyched about Music

– DJ Psyched

Categories
Podcasts

Let’s Get Psyched about Reading: 2019 Book Recap


Check out the Goodreads Book Club.
Get Psyched intro music was created by PME, used by permission. Find PME on Spotify. 

Categories
Podcasts

EOT310 Gaming During a Pandemic 5/31/20

Categories
Podcasts

The Local Beat: Through the Tallwoods


You can connect with Through the Tallwoods via their bandcamp (http://throughthetallwoods.bandcamp.com) & on social media (Instagram: @throughthetallwoodsnc). Their facebook link is https://www.facebook.com/throughthetallwoods/

Check out their EP Growth, now on all streaming services.

You can find WKNC on all social media via @wknc881 & online at Wknc.org.

Categories
Podcasts

Let’s Talk Music: Petals For Armor Album Review Ft. Laura Mooney


Laura’s also the host of The Local Beat on WKNC. Find them on Instagram.
Get Psyched intro music was created by PME, used by permission. Find PME on Spotify. 

Categories
Playlists

Música De Indie

 

Learning a new language can be hard and frustrating sometimes, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. I’ve found a hack to get the best of both worlds, not frustrating and rewarding: listening to music in the language. Music is a universal language and this method of learning is both enjoyable and effective. I’m learning spanish right now and I recently started listening to the language more for practice. At first I stuck to the music I knew and grew up on, but then I decided to checkout Indie music in spanish, since I love indie and spanish, and I absolutely love it. Música De Indie will serve the same purpose as 2k Indie, just with Spanish music. I’ll be giving you some of the new spanish indie of the week starting with:

  • Secuestro Al Corazón by Katzu Oso : Roughly translating to ‘A Kidnapping to the heart’. This track uses crime to describe what love feels like. The singer is conflicted as to whether their love is a mistake or not, but doesn’t want to admit it, they feel as if the love they feel is out of their control and they’re being held in this love unwillingly. The synths provide a very smooth and groovy vibe, and the mix of electronic noises, and other unique sounds used in the instrumentation, really make the music stand out in this one.

  • Epitafio by Caloncho : Epitafio translates to Epitaph, something similar to a eulogy. This song is about a man who wishes not to hurt those he loves when he passes. He wants them to know that he will move on to better things and leave the world happy. This song also instrumentally sounds as cute as its lyrics are. The soft vocals are accompanied by beautifully simplistic music full of acoustic guitar, some soft steady drums, and a slow but sweet electric guitar solo.

  • Todo tiene un precio by Niños Mutantes : This song has been incredibly helpful for practicing pronunciation. Being able to pull up the lyrics and sing along is really nice because I absolutely love this track and it’s repetitive enough not to be too difficult. The title translates to ‘Everything has a price’  and just as its title implies it’s a warning that everything comes with a price, and it’s not always money. The catchy and repetitive nature has made this my absolute favorite recently, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone wanting to practice some singing in Spanish.

Vamos a emocionarnos con la música

DJ Psyched