Category: Miscellaneous

Random sh*t we don’t know where else to put

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Miscellaneous

Get Psyched Podcast Episode Highlight: DIY Series ft. PME

 

PME is an independent creator from Fayetteville, NC. He’s self taught and specializes in music production and beat making. He released his first official Single on Spotify in mid 2019 titled ‘Peanut Butter’ and, at the start of this year, he released his first Album titled ‘20/20/20’. 

We’ve known each other since highschool and in this episode we talked about everything from what it means to ‘make it’, how he got started, advice for others, his goals and plans for the future, and how crucial support is for any independent creator.

His biggest goal at the moment is to focus on the business aspects of being an independent producer. He talks about how beat making comes naturally to him and that the hard part comes from getting your work out and being heard. He runs an instagram, twitter, Spotify and other accounts to share his music and beats. One of his big plans for the year is to drop more singles (which he has been recently) and get them on more platforms. 

We also discuss how investing in yourself is crucial when you’re doing things on your own, and he gives advice as to where he puts his money and energy in building his brand. ‘The only thing I’ve really bought for my music has been my launch key and macbook … if you want to get into music and you have a laptop, and you can find some free program that you can use to make music, that’s honestly all you need. If you want to get started, invest your money and just save for a minute’ 

We also talk about how he believes school is not a must for up-and-coming creators and he gives his view on other ways creators can learn. His take on learning is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on it these days. If you have access to a device with youtube, you’re good to go. ‘Youtube is your best friend’.

Most importantly, what PME thinks is critical for any independent creator, is support. We discuss how important it is to support small creators and how simple that can be. Even something like sharing a friends post can be incredibly instrumental to getting their work out there, and this kind of support is what gets small artists off the ground. It always starts locally, so we encourage everyone to support their creative friends and community. ‘Support means more to us than you think it does, we need that to make a living, without support we’d just be weirdos in our rooms or studios making music for no reason. Without yalls support, we would have nothing’.

Thank you PME for being on the podcast! You can checkout our episode at the link below and checkout the artist himself as well! 

https://getpsyched.transistor.fm/episodes/diy-artist-series-with-pme-part-1

PME is also the creator of the beat I use for my podcast. The track used is ‘300k’ off of his first album.

– DJ Psyched from the Get Psyched Podcast

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Miscellaneous

Earth Day 2020

To be quite honest, I woke up and didn’t know that today was Earth Day. Of course my Instagram timeline was saturated with Earth Day appreciation, so I’m hopping on that train too. Check out my best Earth Day Recommendations below!

Listen to Earth Crisis

One of my forever favorite hardcore bands and a true legend in the scene. This group has been together since 1989, minus a six-year separation from 2001-2007, and have released eight studio albums in that time. My personal favorite is their first full-length album from 1995, Destroy the Machines. This album, a torrential downpour of rage and revolution, focuses on calls to direct action against environmental destruction and animal consumption. The band both supports and embodies the vegan straight edge mentality and has inspired future generations of hardcore fans for the last two decades. So give this record a spin and read the lyrics if you’re not pre-disposed to metal music. See if anything resonates with you on this beloved Earth Day.

I recommend tracks 1(Forced March), 5 (The Discipline) and 7 (Inherit the Wasteland).

Other good nature-based songs (but perhaps not environmentally focused) are below:

  • Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris by Hayley Williams
  • Houseplants by Squid
  • Leaf by Title Fight
  • honestly the entire album A Healthy Earth by Peaer
  • Cities Under Water by Short Fictions

Repot Your Plants

We’ve all done it. After winter’s depressive spiral everyone flocks to Home Depot and other gardening stores to buy bucketfuls of succulents, ivies and other plant babies. For the first month or two you’ll love those things like your own children and feel really good about it but as the semester ramps up, the plants wither (much like your desire to look after them). If they haven’t completely shriveled, give those plants some TLC. You’re stuck at home with them so give those big leafy babies the space and nutrients they deserve. ProFlowers has some guidance.

Respect the Bees!

This is been common knowledge for several years now, but bees are dying at an alarming rate. We need these bees. This semester I took Horticulture Science 201: The World of Horticulture and was truly amazed by the vast impact that horticultural practices have on a long list of industries and daily functions. What you eat, the clothes on your back, the landscape you live in, the fields our athletes play on and even the materials we use to build our world all come back to horticulture. Do you know what comes before all of that? BEES! Pollination is a key component of plant propagation and without pollinators, that can’t happen naturally! Respect the bees today. If you see one fly by, blow it a kiss and thank it for its service. 

Here is a  bee-autiful fun fact for you. 

As reported by LiveScience.com, “The honeybees’ stingers can’t penetrate a hornet’s thick outer skin, so the bees swarm around an attacker instead, forming a spherical bee ball, and use their vibrating flight muscles to create heat. The mass of bees will heat the area up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius), enough to kill the hornet.”

Bees are amazzzzzzing.

Support a Local Farmer 

My roommates and I have recently reoriented our shopping cycles to match those of the NC Farmers’ Market. We happen to source meat, eggs, and dairy from a local farmer outside of that list of vendors, but are currently trying to get produce from the Farmers’ Market. Supporting a local farmer is not only more ethical, as it is likely that you could speak directly to the farmer and inquire about their environmental practices– but you may even be able to tour the farm with their permission! Eating local also contributes funds directly to the surrounding community, instead of grocery corporations. This practice makes my roommates and I feel better about our consumption, and I encourage others to explore this resource themselves.

How are you celebrating Earth Day? Reach out to WKNC on twitter (@wknc881) to tell us about your day.

Much love and healthy greens,

– Laura Mooney

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Miscellaneous

The Best Video Game Soundtracks: Part 2

Video game soundtracks are one of the most underrated culturally significant forms of music. In my last post, I introduced some of my favorite video game soundtracks, but wanted to continue the series with a few more soundtracks that I really like and that still have an impact on me. 

Doki Doki Literature Club 

If you’re unfamiliar with this game, I will go ahead and say that you should check the trigger warnings associated with it that may affect you. This part RPG, part horror game has such a bubbly soundtrack, created by game producer Dan Salvato. The song Your Reality and its instrumental version has stuck with me through the years and I find myself singing it still to this day. 

Fire Emblem: Three Houses 

I love all the piano instrumentals that come out of my favorite Nintendo games, especially Fire Emblem: Three Houses which came out last year. The entire soundtrack is a great complement to the game, with tracks that vary in intensity and are perfect for me to study to. I especially love the detailed piano composition the game provides, and how warm and home-like the main tracks are. 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 

I love Skyrim and think it truly set the tone for open-world video game soundtracks. It was the first of its time to experiment heavily with deep orchestral notes and choir vocals (yes, they used an actual 30-person choir to create parts of the soundtrack). Listening to this over again reminds me of all the great times I had playing the game, and gets me immersed right back into that world. 

Grand Theft Auto V 

GTA V has one of the longest and most diverse soundtracks. I love that the game includes so many genres and a variety of artists. I thoroughly enjoy at least 90% of the songs and artists featured, with some of my favorites included like Phantogram, Little Dragon, and Wavves. The game also helped me discover some new music from different genres, which increased exponentially how much I enjoyed playing the game. Definitely recommend playing it or giving the soundtrack a listen. 

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! 

– Miranda 

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Miscellaneous

A Listener’s Approach to Problematic Artists

Disclaimer: everything stated in this blog post reflects my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect WKNC’s views. 

Often, I come across “problematic” artists. Today, the spread of news media is nearly instantaneous and thus as music listeners we have virtually unlimited access to information about our favorite artists. Because of this availability we are easily able to judge and analyze the actions of artists. There are so many “problematic” artists today, from misogynistic lyrics, artists who are known abusers, to musicians who are supportive of causes the general public is not, and more. 

My favorite example of an artist whose views I disagree with is Kanye West. After years of political activism I aligned with, he publicly announced his support of President Trump, who has done significant damage to the country and whose political stances I am personally opposed to. Despite the unwavering support through his other allegedly problematic actions (Taylor Swift incident, anyone?), this definitely soured my opinion of West and his music. To this day, I can’t enjoy it to the same degree as before. 

In addition, there are a ridiculous amount of artists I have completely abandoned all support of when I heard the physical or sexual assault allegations against them. Especially in my own local DIY scene, so many allegations have come out against band members that I no longer feel comfortable in those spaces. 

The reason I’m writing this blog is as a discussion of how we, as music listeners, approach this conundrum. Are we allowed to like music done by bad people? Am I okay with supporting an artist whose values are extremely skewed from my own? I have reflected on these questions for years, since I was old enough to do research about the musicians I listen to. For me, it boils down to my gut reaction. When the evidence seems sufficient and the action is unforgivable (to me, personally) I feel the need to completely let go of the artist and renounce any support I once had for them. When it’s a lesser issue, like a political difference or distasteful comment it is easier for me to separate the music from the person who created it, and thus I can still enjoy the music. 

Let me know if any of you feel similarly, or different. I am always interested in different perspectives. 

– Miranda 

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Miscellaneous

Music and Sound in Film

You’re heading to the movie theater, the newest movie with your favorite actor is playing. You get to your seats just as the (hour long!!) credits end and the theater grows dark. Suddenly you can hear low music swelling up. Film company logos flash across the screen and the music only gets louder till the opening shot of the movie begins. The music is important. It signifies the genre and style of the movie you are about to watch. If there are loud droning tones it might convey the film is suspenseful or horror. If you hear a pop song, you should expect a rom-com or some kind of happy kids movie. Music sets the tone before we even lay our eyes on the set or characters. 

That sound, during the credits and not the cinematic universe, is called non-diegetic. The music and sound the characters within the film can hear and can interact with are called, you guessed it, diegetic sound. Sometimes music can change from diegetic to non-diegetic and the other way around. For example, we can hear a song as a part of the soundtrack (non-diegetic) while the movie shows us the setting of the film. Then, the film shows the character turn off the radio causing the music, which we now realize is diegetic, to stop. Directors can play with our expectations of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, which draws interest in the film. 

Horror is an easy genre to hear, how directors can put us in the shoes of the character for an effect. A classic example is heartbeats. If you hear slow heartbeats in a movie while a character is walking, the character is probably calm and the viewer feels the same way. If the heartbeats are speeding up while the character is also speeding up, viewers understand that the character is scared, and running away from something. For my Introduction to Film Class, we watched A Quiet Place and discussed how both diegetic and non-diegetic sound makes meaning throughout the film. In A Quiet Place because one of the main characters is deaf the film plays around with periods of silence as the audience is immersed in her point of view. This movie creates suspense so well when it uses sound to condition the viewer into hair-raising reactions from the dramatic score and sound effects. 

What are your experiences with sound in film?  

 -DJ lil witch xoxo

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Miscellaneous

Would You Rather…WKNC / Music Edition

Do you ever sit around with your friends and realize no one has said anything to each other for the past hour? Do you find it hard to start conversations? Do you wish you had some sort of fun activity to do to encourage communication?

Well now you do! Play this version of the classic game, “Would you rather…?”, and talk to your friends about WKNC and music in general! 🙂

1. Would you rather listen to Daytime or Afterhours WKNC? 

2. Would you rather host a Local Lunch or a Chainsaw Rock show on WKNC?

3. Would you rather only be able to listen to your favorite DJ on WKNC, or be able to listen to everything on WKNC except your favorite DJ’s show?

4. Would you rather be in a talented but underrated band, or in a bad but famous band?

5. Would you rather be interviewed on WKNC or conduct an interview on WKNC?

6. Would you rather have a silly DJ name or a serious DJ name?

7. Would you rather listen to music from the 60’s or music from today?

8. Would you rather have a 3-hour dinner with your worst enemy, or attend a 3-hour concert for a music group you hate?

9. Would you rather listen to WKNC HD-1 or HD-2?

10. Would you rather be fluent in every language or be able to play every musical instrument?

-miss monet

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Miscellaneous

Does Metal Make People Violent?

There has been a lot of debates and conversations about whether or not metal music makes people violent, and/or makes individuals angry or sad. Now, I have been in the metal scene for about 6 years now and have been going to multiple shows every month and from my personal experience, people do not seem to be angry or violent.

Now, do some people tend to get angry? Yes, it is a part of human nature to get angry and I have seen it happen at shows (actual fist fights have broken out) but not because of the music. There were other factors involve such as alcohol and miscommunication. Mosh pits (and especially at hardcore shows) look like the people in the pit are fighting one another, but that is part of the culture and moshing etiquette.

There has been statistical data and research that has been done to prove that metal music doesn’t make people violent but, in fact, the exact opposite; happy. I wrote a research paper on this topic for my English class but I won’t go into much detail about the statistical data. The outcomes, however, showed that listening to metal and going to metal shows help individuals cope with things going on in their lives and is used as a stress reliever or decompressor.

Although the shows appear to be nothing but chaos, the feelings and emotions one feels is serenity. Listening to extreme music releases hormones in the brain which make that individual feel good. I know this from personal experience. The music does not make me angry, but it helps calm me down and relax. I think this can go for any type of music that you like because it is something that you can identify with.

For me, and the majority of my friends, metal is what we identify with and it speaks to us in a way that gives us the sense that we are not alone. The shows are welcoming and, for the most part, the people are friendly. There are exceptions, of course, but the community as a whole gives us the feeling of solidarity.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Miscellaneous

WKNC’s FAKING NEWS

 -Andrew Evans 

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Miscellaneous

Let’s Talk Music: Genres

 

Music genres have gone from helping categorize music to confusing the life out of most people, including myself. Sub genres seem to be bigger than ever these days and I find it’s sometimes hard to keep up. What I find most interesting about genres is that they are meant to help you understand what something will sound like before you listen, but with so much variety in music these days it really isn’t that straight forward anymore. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely think this is a good thing, but it makes me question the necessity and accuracy of the role that genres play in music today. Indie isn’t the only genre that’s become hard to define and has A LOT of variety within the genre, every genre has aspects of that now. I don’t think any genre is really that straight forward anymore. 

I just think this is worth thinking about a little when listening to new music or when creating. It seems there are no limits anymore so artists are free to do as they please, even within a specific genre, and I think that’s a great thing. 

I see a lot of similarities between this and the way music changed in the twentieth century. Not to get all nerdy-music on anyone, but there was that whole ‘freedom of the dissonance’ movement that was meant to change people’s concept on music and challenge what was the norm, and I think that idea never really went away and is making a huge comeback these days. No one let’s genre hold them back and bands sometimes even experiment with multiple genres at once, whether it be in a song, album or through their career. 

So I guess I’m just posing a few questions for thought, what is the role that genres should play (if any)? Are they really that necessary, and if so why? Should we have so many sub genres? And does it matter to define music when it stops fitting into these genres? Do you think people should be more conscious of the genre they are in?

Definitely let me know if you have any thoughts, or if you think this really doesn’t matter.

– DJ Psyched

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Miscellaneous

Rap Songs as Colors!

RED – Netflix & Dusse by Smino

ORANGE – The Suite for Beaver Pt. 1 by People Under the Stairs

YELLOW – GO! by Common

GREEN – Champion by Kanye West

BLUE – Holyfield by Levi Carter

PURPLE – Purple by Nas

BLACK – Faucet by Earl Sweatshirt

PINK – Fuck Up The Fun by Azealia Banks

-cellar door xx