Berlin based duo FJAAK is back with their new EP “SYS03”, the third installment in the “SYS” series. It’s no secret that clubs all over the world have struggled to stay financially afloat amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. Seeing an opportunity to give back, FJAAK created the “SYS” series, a charity project where four club-titled tracks are released with all revenue generated going directly to the four clubs. The clubs featured in “SYS03” are London based Fabric, Munich based Blitz, Brussels based Fuse, and Cologne based Gewölbe.
The idea behind the whole project makes each individual track and EP installment a unique listening experience. Before playing the opening track “Fabric”, I decided to search for a couple images of the dancefloor. Hearing the heavy and slightly reverberated bassline as the track played, I envisioned the bass vibrating and reverbing off the brick walls, the subtle melody kick-in drawing oohs and ahs from the crowd. For a club that looks like a residential brick house, it perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere. I followed my same process for the second track “Blitz”. While maintaining the similar heavy bassline form “Fabric”, the melody is much more pronounced with vocal echoes and hi-hats alongside an almost euphoric synth breakdown. Located in a former museum hall with two dancefloors, two bars, and a vegetarian restaurant, Blitz is a world away from the underground basement setting of Fabric and FJAAK’s ability to portray this juxtaposition throughout the EP is why I gave “SYS03” an 8.5 out of 10.
I have proudly done my part in supporting these clubs and many others by purchasing all three installments, and I hope you will all do the same.
It’s Hopscotch season in the Triangle! Hopscotch is returning to downtown Raleigh for its eleventh year on Sept. 9-11.
WKNC has partnered with NC State University Libraries to present our 2021 official Hopscotch Day Party, on Sept. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. Occurring outside of DH Hill Jr Library facing Hillsborough Street, this event is free and open to the public; you don’t need a ticket to Hopscotch to attend.
The party is not only a showcase of North Carolina electronic musicians but also of WKNC alumni talent; every performer has been involved with WKNC in the past. We’re excited to welcome back former DJs and staff to the campus.
The event will be live-streamed via NC State University Libraries’ Twitch channel.
Check out the official flyer below, and read on to get a short bio of each of the musicians, written by WKNC General Manager Maddie.
WKNC and NC State University Libraries Hopscotch Day Party with midcentury modular, en-decay, JOB and Sand Pact. Design by Maddie.
The lineup is designed in a way to start on the more chill and ambient side of electronic, and slowly turn heavier by the end of the showcase.
Starting off the showcase is midcentury modular. midcentury modular was a WKNC DJ for 3 years between 2011 and 2014, as well as working with our Daytime music block. As the name might suggest, midcentury modular makes modular synth music, exploring the various environments that can be created. Some of his work, like the release “snow,” is more sparse and desolate, while others, like the release “a weekend,” play around with beeps and boops to create a fun, uplifting atmosphere. I’ve always wanted to see a modular synth performance and I’m excited to watch his set.
Changing paces next is en-decay. Cyrus has been producing electronic music and DJing under the name en-decay since 2012, making glitchy, IDM-like music that also takes inspiration from various other electronic genres, such as industrial or ambient. They started working as a freelance DJ for events in high school then as an Afterhours DJ for WKNC for 2 years. They’ve collaborated with a variety of artistic groups such as Windhover, Sinetology, and Maison Fauna, planning and playing events and festivals around North Carolina. They’ve been uploading releases since 2017 to their Bandcamp page, so have fun browsing for a bit.
Next is JOB. JOB started DJing at WKNC in the spring of 2019. In the summer of 2019 he hosted a Sunday underground show called Clocking Out. He also helped record a few live sessions in The Lounge. JOB’s music consists of super fun and fast-paced mixes, consisting of artists like Toro y Moi, Azealia Banks and Ariana Grande. His bio on mixcloud simply says “girls + gays only”, if you can’t already tell what his musical vibe is based on the aforementioned artists. I am very much ready to dance to this set.
And lastly, we have Sand Pact. Hema of Sand Pact was involved with WKNC from 2014-2018, in which she worked as a DJ (first as DJ iCloud, and later as Gudiya), graphic designer, and promotions director, as well as began the WKNC zine. Hema invited Alex onto her DJ sets and the two began their love for playing electronic music together. I discovered Sand Pact a few years ago when I was trying to discover more Triangle-based artists, and I really dug their sound and entire aesthetic. They have a pretty harsh sound, consisting of various strange noises layered over industrial beats. I’m super happy to have them play this set, as I’ve been wanting to see how their live show looks ever since I first discovered them.
I hope you discovered your new favorite North Carolinian electronic musician, and are able to come out to our showcase.
Parties. There’s nothing else like them. After a long week of classes, work, and stress, dancing and talking without having to put in much effort is a welcomed experience. Beyond the space, people, drinks, and lighting, one of the most important aspects of a party is the music.
I don’t claim to know how to make the perfect party playlist, but I do have a few ideas. First, make it collaborative. When there’s multiple people contributing to the playlist, you’re almost guaranteed that there’s going to be enough variety to satisfy everyone at the party at some point or another. Second, a good mix of electronic, grunge, throwback, and joke songs (that aren’t really joke songs because everyone loves them) makes for a great time. Finally, I’d recommend keeping the music loud enough that you can’t make out anyone’s conversation but your own, but quiet enough that you don’t get a noise complaint.
For some party playlist ideas, check out my playlist below (inspired by a real collaborative party playlist I recently made with some friends):
Lorde is notorious for the story-like nature of her albums, often starting and ending an album with similar or juxtaposed themes. On her debut record, “Pure Heroine,” she begins the first track with “Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk?” and ends the final track with the line “But people are talking, people are talking / Let ’em talk.” And on her sophomore album “Melodrama,” she tells the tale of a house party. The concept for her brand new album, “Solar Power”? Nature. In 2019, Lorde visited Antarctica and that trip bore her memoir/photo-book “Going South.” The book was released in June 2021 as a “precursor” to “Solar Power.”
It seems to me that Lorde’s proven superb ability to procure cohesiveness has leaned more into sonic repetitiveness this time around. The production, done by Lorde, Jack Antonoff and in part by James Ryan Ho (better known as Malay) leaves something to be desired. I understand that not every album is going to be as blatantly over-the-top pop as fan favorite “Melodrama,” but the whole album falls one step short of whole, and is almost too understated.
However, songwriting is one area in which I’m convinced Lorde will never fall short. “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All),” “The Man with the Axe” and “Big Star” are the three lyrically strongest tracks on the record. The following is a collection of my favorite lyrics from the album:
“I should’ve known when your favorite record / Was the same as my father’s you’d take me down” — “The Man with the Axe”
“Couldn’t wait to turn fifteen / Then you blink and it’s been ten years / Growing up a little at a time, then all at once / Everybody wants the best for you / But you gotta want it for yourself, my love” — “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All)”
“I used to love the party, now I’m not alright / Hope the honeybees make it home tonight” — “Big Star”
“In the future / If I have a daughter / Will she have my waist / Or my widow’s peak? / My dreamer’s disposition or my wicked streak?” — “Oceanic Feeling”
And it does possess the aforementioned circularity that her previous albums boast. The first track, “The Path” begs the audience to understand that she is not a savior nor a messiah (despite her stage name). “Oceanic Feeling,” the closing song, ends with the lyric “… I’ll know when it’s time / To take off my robes and step into the choir.”
Aside from the previously mentioned production collaboration, the album also contains much collaboration with other artists. Clairo, Phoebe Bridgers, Lawrence Arabia and Marlon Williams provide backing vocals on numerous tracks. Swedish musician Robyn, co-wrote and did the spoken outro on “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All).” Jack Antonoff also has songwriting credits on eight of the twelve tracks.
Fan and critical reception has been decent but far below par for a Lorde album. In my opinion, she had a vision and executed it, which is all you can ask for in art. She wasn’t trying to make another “Melodrama,” she was trying to make “Solar Power,” and she did just that.
Do you like alternative neo-pagan psychedelic folk punk rock? Well your about to, because today we have one of the weirdest and most wonderful artists I’ve ever been cursed to discover: Julian Cope. Get ready for some label drama, norse myth, and polemics against cars.
If that name sounds familiar, and you’re really into post-punk, it might be because Cope was a founding member of post-punk and neo-psychedelia outfit The Teardrop Explodes, who had a few minor radio hits in Britain. Julian Cope would later say of this band “Would you go back to having your mother change your diapers?” indicating both his sense of artistic evolution and his…. the most diplomatic way I can put it is ‘unique personal character.’
Julian Cope dresses like a BDSM Viking pirate, swears like a Viking pirate, and more or less acts like a Viking pirate would. It’s a very niche and well established brand. Ordinarily I wouldn’t call this obvious attention-seeking from celebrities’ “campy” but in Cope’s case I feel confident this isn’t a publicity stunt. His music is trying to be serious and failing; Cope is camp in its purist form. I say this because his personal eccentricities are reflected in his music in a way that feels genuine, rather than gimmicky. His primary musical touchstone is European folk music, which he blends with trippy effects and heavy guitar tunings into a unique, but not altogether unapproachable style. His music, despite his look, is pretty accessible and mainstream, if you ignore the personality pervading it. A good comparison point would be legendary hippie group, the 13th Floor Elevators, or the less prominent but no less influential Legendary Pink Dots, both of whom share his slightly manic, but focused creative energy.
Beyond the rather mainstream, but immaculately constructed outsider folk, Cope’s most identifiable feature is his lyrics. The topical choices are strange, as you’ve no doubt guessed, but what makes his lyrics unique is the fact they’re somehow grounded and emotionally compelling. I know I said earlier that Cope failed to be serious, and that is true, but in his ridiculous access, he writes some heartfelt music about well-worn topics.
His take on the classic bad romance banger with “Pristine,” is a good example. Usually, these songs emphasize big emotional swings, Hot and Cold relationships where you’re either in pure bliss or pure agony. Cope takes a novel approach by blending the two in one anecdote, asking “How much does it take to go down on someone that you hate?” which is a question that will haunt me to my grave. Cope is very good at these kinds of lyrics, one liners that make you look at a situation in a new light, usually from a very off-putting or alienating perspective. His masterpiece album, “Jehovakill,” opens with the line “Living in the middle of your soul desert,” which is both fantastical and grounded in real emotion. It’s a unique trick, and one that makes Cope an engaging artist.
Usually when I review music this niche or unusual, I add a caveat to the effect of “This won’t be for everyone,” but with Julian Cope I actually feel confident in recommending him to a general audience. Even if this isn’t your genre (lord knows it’s not mine), Cope is worth your time. His major label work from the early 90s is where I’d start, they’ll also be the easiest albums to find on streaming. Happy listening!
Coming back to campus has been an absolutely insane experience. For me, after living at home for over a year, just seeing so many people in one place feels so surreal. I know I’m not the only one that’s going to have to adjust to this transition, so what better way to cope than with music? In times of great change, I often find that music is really the only constant that I can depend on. Having my set at WKNC is especially helpful for finding a sense of grounding during all this back-to-school craziness. Our studio feels almost like a weird little sticker-filled haven amidst a chaotic campus atmosphere. If you haven’t been by, make sure to come check us out on the third floor at Witherspoon Student Center.
Here’s a playlist of the songs I’ve been blasting through my headphones on the bus, while walking to class and just otherwise hanging out around campus:
1. I Wanna Know If It’s Good To You – Funkadelic
2. New Zealand Spinach – Babe Rainbow
3. Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
4. SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE – Tyler, The Creator
5. Stay All Night – The Black Keys
6. Spoonful – Howlin’ Wolf
7. When I – Steve Lacy
8. An Idea – IAMNOBODI
9. Honey Moon – Mac Demarco
10. Jenny – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
11. Corcovado (Quiet Night of Quiet Stars) – Stan Getz & João Gilberto
