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Blog Music News and Interviews

Some New, Magical Tracks by DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ

What is it about DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ that gets me excited to pour through her entire discography? Is it the hypnotic dance tracks that fill my body with an overwhelming electric buzz, or is it the insane premise that the soundbytes used to create this music is from the TV show “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”?

While I am still trying to figure those questions out, I can enjoy these three new tracks DJ Sabrina released this year:

“Under Your Spell”

While I didn’t find this track to be the most glamorous or explorative track that DJ Sabrina released this year, it does have the consistency of her previous work. DJ Sabrina mixes beautiful beats that get me hyped to dance and the cold hitting lines from “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”.

“Call You”

This song is one of the longer mixes where DJ Sabrina captures the entirety of my attention. It has a playtime of 8 minutes and 35 seconds, and starts out muted and slow. Then, the beats start bumping. I am still bopping my head up and down writing this because that is how intoxicating this track is. 

“Daddy Didn’t Want Me To Sing (DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ Remixes)”

This remix of Sandy Hawkins’ song “Daddy Didn’t Want Me To Sing” is pretty fun. I like when DJ Sabrina is able to branch out from taking audio clips from TV and apply her skills to remix other artists’ work. I think this is a prime example of how powerful DJ Sabrina’s beats are. 

There is definitely something witchy happening behind the scenes of DJ Sabrina’s music production. I am enchanted by the beats and feel-good tunes that appear magically when I need them most. I cannot wait to stuff myself with whatever DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ serves up next.

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Miscellaneous Music News and Interviews

The Resurgence of a 1980s Classic

“Stranger Things” is one of Netflix’s biggest shows and is set during the 1980s.

This show is no stranger to dropping 80s movie references and including tons of iconic and classic songs from the 1980s to add to that effect. Not to mention, the show is about a group of teenagers that live off pop culture.

Music was as big a part of 80s culture as it is today, and due to the popularity of the show, songs from the 80s are on the charts once again. To be more specific, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush. 

The song has more significance in the show than just being a part of the soundtrack.

*Spoilers Ahead about Stranger Things Season 4*

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” was an influential part of saving the life of a character named Max, portrayed by actress Sadie Sink.

If you’ve seen the season, you know how important finding the right song was to save the lives of characters that were targeted by Vecna. Max had a strong connection to the song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush which led to her life being saved.

It was this concept that your comfort music can reach parts of your brain that a human’s voice isn’t able to. 

Not only was this her favorite song but the lyrics were highly significant to Max’s history, knowing her trauma. Her brother, Billy, had been possessed by a creature called the Mindflayer and was eventually killed at the end of season 3.

After Billy’s passing, Max blamed herself and had this overwhelming guilt and trauma from witnessing his death. This is reflected throughout the song as seen with the lyrics “And if only I could | I’d make a deal with God| And I’d get him to swap our places” 

Max spends day after day thinking about Billy’s death and if she could have saved him. If she could have taken his place. She’s seen wearing headphones connected to a Walkman, constantly listening to music as an escape from her reality.

The resurfacing of this song led to a lot of fans discussing what their favorite songs are and essentially what songs would “save them from Vecna.” It’s cool to see how a TV show can cause a music trend to arise.

The scientific aspect of how music activates all parts of your brain is so fascinating to me. The fact that there can be one or two songs that you have an emotional connection to can literally save your life.

I might not make it out alive if I was ever in that situation. I am too indecisive when it comes to choosing a favorite song. One day I like one song and the next I’m religiously listening to another song.

What I love about the power of the internet when it comes to popular shows is that fans do not hesitate to make edits. The song has been used in over 1.5 million edits and videos and has finally hit #1 on multiple charts after 20-ish years.

Plus, what makes that all the better is that Kate Bush wrote, sang, and produced the entire song all on her own. 

Check out “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” if you haven’t already, you won’t regret it.

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Music News and Interviews

Dhruv “Blur” Song Review

Dhruv must be on whatever Harry Styles has been lately.

Dhruv’s newest single “Blur” which was released, June 22, came totally out of the left field. 

It’s more of a 70s and 80s-inspired pop track compared to Dhruv’s traditional R&B style. Not that I’m complaining.

I know I say this almost every other post, but I genuinely think this song could be the song of the summer– no– easily the song of the year.

Typically, Dhruv writes songs that hit you right in the feels and are more on the wistful unrequited love side. However, I think Dhruv has finally done it, he has made a song that makes you want to start dancing.

Right from the intro of the synthesizer, it hooks you in.

It’s always refreshing to see an artist step outside of their comfort zone and Dhruv has done just that with “Blur.” 

I had mentioned in Dhruv’s Artist Spotlight article I wrote a while back, that he grew up listening to Western Pop artists like The Beatles, so it’s really cool to see him draw inspiration from the music that inspired him to become an artist in the first place. 

He still stays true to hits roots by writing a classic love song but adds a little twist to it. It focuses on the high of crushing on someone new and almost how surreal and dream-like it begins to feel. He captures that feeling to a tee.

It’s fast-paced and the lyrics are quite intense. 

His vocals hit high notes that are so satisfying all throughout the song. Especially in the chorus when he sings “Don’t stop with your beautiful mess| Spin my world on your axis | Hold onto the madness | When does dreaming end and waking begin? | It’s all in a blur again | Soft shock, put a spring in my step | We touch and it’s static | This love’s cinematic | Where does dreaming end and waking begin? | It’s all in a blur again.”

The chorus is longer than in most songs but it’s one of the best choruses I have heard this year.

In an odd way, some parts of the song almost sound like the same melody from “Don’t You Forget About Me” but in a slighter higher pitch. That’s what really evokes that retro aspect to it.

Towards the end of the song, the last verse brings back his traditional music style in the lyrics “Sense scattered | Nothing matters | Don’t wake me up | If it shatters | Don’t wake me up | Don’t wake me up”

The background music for that verse sounds interstellar and adds a unique palate cleanser so-to-speak before hitting you with the chorus you grow accustomed to.

The more I listen to the song the more I’m getting obsessed with it.

I’m not sure how much longer I can go on without recommending a listen to this song. It might be something out of your comfort zone to listen to but I promise it won’t disappoint. 

If Dhruv can step out of his comfort zone and create a masterpiece like this, I’m sure you’ll be able to listen to a masterpiece as well.

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Music News and Interviews

Wallows “Pleaser” Song Review

“Pleaser” is not a new song, nor is it underground. 

Yet, there is something so perfect about this song that has resonated with me ever since I first heard it. 

This song was one that marked Wallows’ debut and made the band who they are today. Who would have thought back in 2017 that their debut single would be such a revolutionary moment for them in the years to follow? 

The track is relatable in its entirety. About a guy who always finds himself biting his tongue and avoiding saying what’s on his mind to make sure other people are happy. Might sound familiar to those of us that are people-pleasers. 

The upbeat percussion and the head-bopping chords of the electric guitar bring the whole piece together. It’s a simple song on its own with no embellishments with the drumming, guitar, or vocals, yet the way these instruments harmonize with one another creates a satisfying tune. 

What makes this song scratch my brain is the slow intro that goes from talk-singing into full-fledged singing along with the drums and chord progression. It’s that unexpected increase in tempo that adds the cherry on top.

Not only are the instrumentals satisfying, but the lyrics are also quite impactful as well.

The lines that I love the most are from an early verse and then the chorus. The second verse of the song is where the tempo picks up and immediately gets you to start jamming along to the music. With the lines “Does it come as a surprise? | Language of averted eyes | Silence is what I do best | Still, I hear it all |  Wasting time around my head | So I talk to myself instead” 

The impact of the lines is just inexplicable. That feeling of that awkward interaction where you’d rather hold your breath and keep your opinions to yourself only to later regret it and let it rack your brain.

Out of the entire song, the one line that I always come back to is “Quite the people pleaser | If only I could please her”

Something about the lyricism of that line is truly genius to me. Being a people pleaser, albeit not knowing how to please the one person you really want to make happy.  

Another Easter egg of sorts I like is the line “I don’t want to talk to you right now”. Although the song, “I Don’t Want to Talk” from their latest album wasn’t written till 5 years after “Pleaser”, I like to think that there is some connection between that line in “Pleaser” and the title track of their sophomore album.

People-pleaser or not, this song is one that is guaranteed to tickle the brains of you all that like listening to indie rock. 

It’s a classic that captures such deep realities in a catchy melody. 

Check out the lyric video which is supposedly directed by Wallows themselves on an iPhone 7, how archaic. 

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Band/Artist Profile Music News and Interviews

Her’s – A Band That Could Have Been

The UK indie-rock band, Her’s, was made up of two musicians Audun Laading and Stephen Fitzpatrick. Stephen was the lead singer and guitarist while Audun played the bass and sang background vocals. 

They debuted with their first single “Dorothy” in 2016 and eventually in 2018 they released their debut album, “Invitation to Her’s”

You may have heard their song “What Once Was”.

It’s a song that I get emotional listening to know the tragedy that hit the band. The song is about the passing of a family member with the lyrics. “My friends put on their bravest faces | Their tails between their legs, something is out of place”

The fact that these lyrics apply to the band themselves and were written by them without knowing what was coming in the future is what hurts me, as a fan, the most.  

With the releases of their singles and eventually a compilation album titled “Songs of Her’s”, the band grew a strong following and decided It was time to tour the States with their debut album. 

It was during their U.S tour that disaster struck. 

They had finished playing in Phoenix, Arizona – the third to last stop on the tour – and were on the highway driving up to California when their car got hit by a drunk driver.

The drunk truck driver was in the wrong lane and drove straight into them, causing both cars to go up in flames. Both members of Her’s along with their manager who was driving their car passed away. March 27, 2019.

Though it’s a little past the three-year anniversary of their passing, I thought it was important to highlight their work as artists and continue sharing their music with a new audience. 

While their discography is short, you can hear their passion in each song. 

The three songs I would recommend as an introduction to the band are “What Once Was”, “Speed Racer” and “Cool With You”. 

All three of these songs are dream-pop and indie rock. “Speed Racer” sounds like it’s straight out of the 50s with the rock and roll sound but still maintains that distinct indie sound. “Cool With You” is more lo-fi and has a heavier bass to it that’s perfect for daydreaming. “What Once Was” is a bittersweet bedroom-pop track that balances the syncopation of the bass with electric guitar chords and drums.

They have a total of 23 songs, so if you want to become a Her’s fan it’s not difficult to get consumed. 

If they had made it to 2022, I have no doubt they would have been one of the most popular indie bands of the decade.

You can check out Her’s discography on Spotify or YouTube.

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Music News and Interviews

Hojean “Pose For Me” Song Review

We’re back with another banger by Hojean.

When it comes to Hojean’s music I never know what to expect. The beat is always fresh and comes out of the left-field while still keeping that same R&B traditional Hojean flair to it.

I have to say it, “Pose For Me” might be one of my new favorite songs of Hojean’s. It starts off with this retro 80s-funk groove and has disco-pop undertones to it combined with Hojean’s soft vocals.

The best part of the song has to be its chorus, it’s a vibe unlike any other with an infectious, almost beach-y, tune from a synth that makes you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. Levitating.

After hearing this song at least ten times while writing this post, it’s hard to tell what music component of this track I enjoy the best. Whether it’s the verses, the chorus, or the bridge each part is innovative and adds a new element to the song that catches the listener by surprise.

“Pose For Me” is a song you can enjoy without the obligation to pay attention to the song. It’s one you can simply listen to for the vibes.

For this track, Hojean keeps the lyrics simple. There’s a lot of rhyming that’s almost poetic yet it has that satisfying bounce to it. The harmonizing of the background vocals allows this song to be danceable and utterly relaxing at the same time. I can’t say it’s revolutionary, however, I’ve never heard a musician try to combine such different genres of music into one strong song as Hojean has with “Pose For Me.”

The lyrics of this song are a lot different compared to Hojean’s past singles. While he primarily writes about love, this song is very introspective. He writes about the joy of dressing up for no reason and posing in a mirror just for fun.

With the lyrics, “Runnin’ out of my mind | In and out of my head | These thoughts won’t leave and | I don’t wanna stay here | In another party with no one near so | Maybe I should go home | And dance with my reflection alone,” he writes about feeling out of place and anxious thoughts that he might never be able to change.

Seeing this side of Hojean is quite interesting and is a refreshing perspective from his past music. I love when artists show different aspects of their personalities and add depth to their work.

I personally would love to see more songs like Pose For Me from Hojean in the future. Bringing more of himself into his music and showing a new side of himself.

Just in time for the summer, Hojean might have written the best song to listen to while lazing around in the pool.

Perhaps the song of the summer, dare I say?

Check out the lyric video for “Pose For Me” on YouTube.

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Music News and Interviews Playlists

The girl in red Phenomenon

If you’re anything like me you’ve spent hours scrolling on your phone aimlessly, especially during the pandemic. Being stuck in quarantine caused a lot of introspection and for many people, it led to self-discovery.

The ‘girl in red’ Phenomenon, like most things I encounter lately, was something I noticed arise on TikTok in the early days of the pandemic. Hundreds of comments under videos asking the video creators if they listen to girl in red.

Essentially this was a covert of asking the original posters if they were “wlw” or women-loving-women. TikTok like all social media has its own language developed by users on the app and this was just another addition to the dictionary of Gen Z slang. 

Marie Ulven, or girl in red, is a Norwegian queer indie-pop artist who more often than not writes music about falling in love with girls. Some of her most popular songs are titled “I wanna be your girlfriend”, “we fell in love in October” and “girls.” The internet took to using Girl in Red’s name to develop a way of identifying each other, and in turn, building a community. 

Like most discourse on the internet, this use of the phrase “Do you listen to girl in red?” was sort of led astray with users of TikTok flooding the comments under any video of a person who might appear sapphic, even if they had never openly discussed their sexuality. But of course, that was unavoidable with the lack of boundaries TikTok has created.

Regardless, the girl in red phenomenon isn’t really a new phenomenon as coded language has been used in the LGBTQ+ community since the 1900s and possibly even earlier. Phrases like “friend of Dorothy” or “friend Mrs. King” and even a slang language called Polari, created by gay men in the 1700s UK when being homosexual was Illegal, were used up till the 1960s.

It must have been a surreal moment for girl in red to become such an iconic figure for the Gen Z sapphic community just from writing music about her own experiences.

Music is a huge part of Gen Z culture and because music can play a role in defining your identity as well, what music you listen to might give more insight into your identity without having to be explicit about it. The artists you listen to often let other people know what type of people you surround yourself with or what kind of subcultures you take part in and that’s pretty cool if you think about it.

The real question is…do you listen to girl in red?

Well if you don’t there’s a playlist with music from Girl in Red and other queer artists in honor of Pride month.

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Music News and Interviews

Wet Leg “Chaise Longue” Song Review 

I just recently discovered the band Wet Leg a week ago and the concept behind them is still a bit confusing to me. Not only their song’s names but their identity as a band and their music.

The name of their band itself is actually British slang that means a self-pitying person, though I’m not sure if that has any connection to the duo.

Wet Leg really epitomizes what an indie band is. Their song “Chaise Longue” like most of their music is indie-rock and post-punk and it’s far from mainstream. 

A chaise longue is apparently a type of lounge chair and takes a central part of this song. It was a chair given to one of the band members by her grandpa and she wrote the song while sitting on it.

While typically I write about artists I am a huge fan of,  I wanted to try something new out for a change and listen to something more outside my comfort zone. 

The song itself is honestly pretty good and I might have misjudged how odd their live performance of this song compares to their pre-recorded version. The instrumental intro of “Chaise Longue” is catchy and sounds like a typical drum and electric guitar composure found in most indie-rock songs and the instrumentals of this entire song are fairly upbeat and infectious. Instrumental-wise I can most certainly see the appeal of their style of music.

An aspect of this song that makes me feel conflicted is the verses of their music. It is a lot more of speak-singing than actual singing and the smoothness of speak-singing is more difficult to reflect in a live performance than it is in a recording. I enjoy the recording more than the live version of this song and that is something I rarely say about most music. 

The lyrics are full of innuendos and underlying jokes that are amusing at times and tie in well with the fresh melody of the song.

A few lines that I found quite unique were from the first verse “Mommy, daddy, look at me | I went to school and I got a degree | All my friends call it “the big D” | I went to school and I got the big D | I got the big D”. Of course, these lyrics are clearly not talking about a grade. The duo often uses what we call tongue-in-cheek lyrics that they write in an ironic manner and it does come off that way. 

Another set of lyrics that follow this mocking serious manner of songwriting is seen later in their song. “Is your muffin buttered? | Would you like us to assign someone to butter your muffin?” I find this line amusing because it is a dialogue said by a character from the 2004 hit movie “Mean Girls”. 

Followed by the repetitive chorus of “On the chaise longue, on the chaise longue, on the chaise longue | All day long, on the chaise longue.” The repetitiveness of the chorus causes this song to inadvertently be likable and is meant to be listened to in a chill, playful way. 

A similar setup to these lyrics makes a tie in with this movie quote after the chorus sings “Is your mother worried? | Would you like us to assign someone to worry your mother?” This was my favorite line of the entire song.

Personally, I wouldn’t listen to this song or other Wet Leg songs if I was actively listening to music. I would prefer to have it on in the background if I’m doing homework or lost in thought.

Suppose it’s good to step outside of your comfort zone sometimes, I might leave this song review as a fan after all. 

If you’re interested, check out the “Chaise Longue” music video.

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Music News and Interviews

Conan Gray “Yours”: Song Review

Conan Gray’s latest single titled “Yours” was released just last week and I could not write about this song sooner. Between his previous single released this year titled “Memories” and this new song, it’s evident how Conan’s songwriting and music production skills have matured in contrast to his older work. 

Not only his appearance is maturing as he is finding his personal style in fashion but it seems as though he has finally found his personal style in music as well.

What I love about music in general as a musician is the ability to hear distinct instruments in a song and be able to pick them out or the ability to hear a song and be able to tell which artist is playing that instrument based on the style of chords and composition.

The aspect of Conan’s music I have enjoyed time and time again is his piano playing and that is really the highlight of this single. The song starts with a soft piano intro that is joined by Conan’s soft vocals and the feeling of longing is something that is easily identifiable. Conan is not one to flex his vocals in his music, but this song does a wonderful job of encompassing his talent as a strong vocalist. It’s another track that undoubtedly highlights his passion as a singer-songwriter.

The song is a ballad about unrequited love for a friend. About never fully belonging with his friend in a way that he wants to even though he has put his entire self into that relationship. There is almost this running theme that has become part of Conan Gray’s identity as a musician, that he’s been hurt time and time again and honestly just wants to feel the degree of love that he has been a witness to his entire life. 

What makes “Yours” stand out from Conan’s typical Indie-Pop style of music is the melancholic and simple instrumentation behind the song. There are no embellishments or anything flashy besides a continuous piano melody and drums, that are introduced in the bridge.

The catchy pre-chorus “Oh, all I really wanted was that look in your eyes | Like you already know that I’m the love of your life | Like you already know you’re nеver saying goodbye” builds up this feeling and is almost reminiscent of a tune that from a musical. This catchy aspect of the song ties in well with the repetitive chorus and is quick to get stuck in your head.

It’s a pre-chorus that pulls you into this angsty chorus of Conan addressing this conflicting issue “But I’m not yours | I’m not yours, I’m not yours| I want more | I want more, but I’m not yours | And I can’t change your mind” This chorus of this song is what pushes this theme of unrequited love. That no matter what he does he won’t ever be able to convince his friend.  The way he says the line “And I can’t change your mind” is so satisfying and cuts so perfectly. 

Finally, the entire song snowballs into the bridge where he lays out his feelings and his truth in the lines and swells to embrace this perpetual ache.

In contrast to most songs where the bridge is used to connect the verses to the chorus, Conan makes the creative choice to end the song on the bridge. Allowing the listener to sit there and recollect. He sings “ I should’ve known that it was dumb love | Fifteen dozen roses | All the things that I’ve done | For you not to notice | Can’t believe I chose you | Over all my best friends | What the f*ck did I do | In the end? | Just not be yours”. Ending the song off on its climax forces the audience to feel this rise of emotion that Conan experiences himself.

Like most of Conan Gray’s music, this song is a perfect song to listen to while walking in the rain or whenever you feel down about your own misfortunes in life. What Conan has done a good job of coining is his relatability and the skill of capturing a feeling that a lot of people experience but aren’t able to identify. 

Yours is the second single that has been released for Conan Gray’s upcoming sophomore album “Superache” out on June 24th.

You can check out the â€śYours” music video on Youtube.

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Music News and Interviews

mxmtoon “Mona Lisa” Song Review

This song has been on my mind ever since I first listened to it.

Oftentimes, when I listen to a song for the first time, I focus on the instrumentation of it, like the harmony and melody or how the instruments work together. But when I listen to Mona Lisa by mxmtoon, an up-and-coming indie-pop artist, the lyrics had my full attention. 

In “Mona Lisa”, mxmtoon writes about how she often takes the place of Shakespeare by creating characters in a narrative instead of living as the main character in her life. As a songwriter, she often hides behind her lyrics and in this song, she highlights how she doesn’t want to just be another story but wants to feel like she is the central aspect of her own story instead of being just the author.

What really hit close to home for me while I was listening to this song was the environment I listened to it in. It was a rainy day and I was walking back from class alone observing everyone around me. The lyrics felt so relatable at that moment because it felt like I could apply them to my life at that very moment. I am a writer too and similarly, I often feel like I spent too much living through my characters instead of trying to make an impact in my own community.

The lyrics “I’m so tired of being a book on the shelf | Tired of stories for somebody else | Think that I’m ready to start a new chapter | I’ve been looking for some way |to turn it around | Looking for someone to give me the crown | I wanna feel like I finally matter | I wanna be a Mona Lisa, ah-ah | The kind of girl that you can dream of, ah-ah” resonated with me.

In a world where we are constantly feeling like other people are living better lives than we are due to all the exposure we get to people’s handcrafted posts on social media, this song really encompasses that feeling of wanting to be an inspiration for someone.

The lines “Who could change my point of view? | The way that Van Gogh uses yellow or the self in Frida Kahlo | I could be that for you” drive home this point.

mxmtoon writes that she wants to be a muse and be known for having a specific purpose in life and she compares that to how yellow is such a distinct feature in Van Gogh’s paintings. The entire premise of the song centers around Mona Lisa who was the muse, a woman, behind the painting of the famous Mona Lisa painting done by DaVinci.

I just love the relatability of this song and especially when you realize that everyone has the same thoughts or feelings and you aren’t alone in feeling a particular way.

In contrast to the rather sad lyrics, the song itself is very upbeat and starts off with a strong ukulele intro that launches the listener of the song into a dream world. It makes you feel like you are inside someone’s daydream. The guitar chord combined with mxmtoon’s wispy dreamlike voice in the chorus really hooks you into the majestic environment that the song creates. In addition to this fantastical world that the song puts you in, the music video has a similar enchantment to it that makes you feel like you are in the fantasy mxmtoon has created of being a muse for an artist.

Sometimes we all have this feeling that there might not be anyone we truly inspire or play a huge role in their lives but, maybe we just might be the Mona Lisa to someone out there after all.

Be sure to check out the music video for “Mona Lisa”.