Category: Blog

Categories
Miscellaneous

Instagram Artists Worth Taking A Look At

Instagram can be a truly soul-sucking place, but there is one reason why I’m still on it: the artists. There are so many incredible illustrators, designers, and painters that constantly give me inspiration. Here’s a list of some of my absolute favorites to hopefully inspire you too!

1. @kid_kura

Source: @kid_kura on Instagram.

Kid Kura does these amazing psychedelic illustrations that I can never get enough of. Most of their work is digital, but they also do a lot of zines too! The artwork shown above was from their campaign for Vice’s astrology signs instagram higlight.

2. @flesh_png

Source: @flesh.png on Instagram.

@Flesh.png is an anonymous artist that I’ve been following for a while. Though their work is mostly done on Procreate, I love the texture and collage-like quality they add. It’s been awesome to see them grow as an artist over the past few years!

3. @a.creature

Source: @a.creature on Instagram.

Ines J., the artist behind @a.creature, has created an entire cult following with her woozy and surreal illustrations. Her style is so unique, yet her skills are obviously very diverse. She is probably one of my biggest artistic inspirations. The way that she manages to breathe life into even the simplest doodles is amazing.

4. @mariamedem

Source: @mariamedem on Instagram

You can’t help but feel relaxed when viewing María Medem’s work. Using muted yet vibrant colors and images of nature, her illustrations seem to speak directly to your soul. Based in Spain, María specializes in “silent comics” and has published several books.

5. @birdofclaydesigns

Source: @birdofclaydesigns on Instagram.

Who knew that Sculpey could be so breathtaking? Luna Fae, the sculptor who runs @birdofclaydesigns, uses oven-bake clay to make incredibly intricate jewelry, knick-knacks, and other oddities. Her attention to detail is astounding, especially when it comes to all those little mushrooms!

6. @alisonzai

Source: @alisonzai on Instagram.

You could spend hours going through Alison Zai’s drawings and never get bored. Her hand-drawn comics are humorous and honest, perfectly depicting the pitfalls of human nature and relationships. Though they look simple, her style and way with words is incredibly endearing.

7. @pantspants

Source: @pantspants on Instagram.

I would be a fool if I didn’t mention Josh Mecouch, more commonly referred to as just “pants.” His simple cartoons are both creepy and hilarious. He somehow manages to create these charming little drawings with simple, messy lines and one main character, a silly balding fella with a mustache and glasses.

– DJ Butter

Categories
Playlists

Heartbreaker Playlist

Broken heart with knife slashed through it

Written by Miranda

For everyone out there celebrating Valentine’s Day alone this year, this one’s for you.

  • Build – Justine Skye
  • I Wish I Missed My Ex – Mahalia
  • Get Money – The Notorious B.I.G.
  • Single Again – Big Sean
  • Run Me Dry – Bryson Tiller
  • Hardest To Love – The Weeknd
  • Needed Me – Rihanna
  • Beware – Big Sean
  • Undying Love – Nas
  • I’m Out (ft. Nicki Minaj) – Ciara
  • Same Ol’ Mistakes – Rihanna
  • Too Good (ft. Rihanna) – Drake
  • On My Mind (acoustic) – Jorja Smith
  • Damage (ft. Halsey) – PARTYNEXTDOOR
  • Just Sayin/I Tried – The Internet
  • Insecure (ft. Bryson Tiller) – Jazmine Sullivan
  • Normal Girl – SZA
  • Motivation – Normani
  • Sorry – Beyoncé

Listen to the Heartbreaker playlist on Spotify here.

Categories
Classic Album Review

Album of the Week: System of a Down – Toxicity (2001)

System of a Down - Toxicity

Toxicity, the second studio album from the Nu-Metal band System of a Down, was released on September 4, 2001 by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Retaining the aggressive, heavy sound and feel of their debut, System of a Down (1998), their sophomore record blended smooth melodies with various instruments (sitar, banjo, keyboards, piano, and etc) in varying styles of music (folk, progressive rock, jazz, Armenian and Greek influences, and etc). This blend accentuated the vocal abilities of the band while the crushing riffs, on the other hand, expressed pure power and aggression. 

Over 30 songs were recorded at Cello Studios in Hollywood, CA for Toxicity. The band narrowed that number down to 14 for this record. Many of the others were re-recorded later for the band’s next record, Steal This Album! (2002). The band covers a lot of ground in the lyrical content of this record, too. For example, “Chop Suey” is about drug addiction; “Prison Song” explores the policy of Mass Incarceration, mandatory minimum sentences, and the lack of rehabilitation. And many of the songs are metaphors for the politics of the modern economy (this theme would go on to dominate later albums).

System of a Down are Armenian-American musicians: Serj Tankian – vocals, keyboards, stringed instruments including guitar on “Aerials” ; Daron Malakian – guitars, sitar, and vocals ; Shavo Odadjian – bass ; John Dolmayan – drums. 

Toxicity sold 220,000 copies in its first week, and peaked at #1 on Billboard 200 and the Canadian Albums Chart. It was certified triple-platinum by the RIAA in November of 2002, and has sold over 2.7 million copies in the US to date. All the singles released for Toxicity reached the Billboard 100, and “Aerials” hit #1 on both the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and Modern Rock chart. The record received perfect ratings from AllMusic, Kerrang!, and Blabbermouth.net; praised for its groundbreaking sound and innovation. 

Rating: 10/10!! This is an incredible record, both vocally and musically!

Favorite Songs: Needles ; Deer Dance ; Chop Suey ; Toxicity 

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
New Album Review

Sound Ancestors Album Review

Madlib - Sound Ancestors

Written by Miranda

The new Madlib album is something entirely new. Sound Ancestors has more than creative depth; it breaks the boundaries of what a traditional album is. Madlib is a DJ, producer, and occasional rapper most known for his production for albums with MF DOOM, J Dilla, and Freddie Gibbs. Madlib also worked with Kanye West, producing West’s 2016 single “No More Parties in L.A..” His former solo albums have typically been released as the instrumental version of his collaboration projects, but this album the creative project of Madlib. No rapper collaborations or narratives are present, though Madlib received help arranging and editing the album into its final product bu producer Four Tet. 

The album maintains a dynamic between elements of simple production and nostalgic samples. The track “Two for 2 – For Dilla” is a tribute song created for Madlib’s former collaboration partner, J Dilla who passed away in 2006. Throughout the different tracks, this one is the most serious. It also gives an homage to J Dilla through its similar style, bringing nostalgia to any fan of his work. The rest of the album has similar nature but is a bit more playful. It calls attention to the best parts of the songs it samples and breathes new life into them through fantastic drum beats, bass, and a mix of piano and guitar. My current favorite and greatest recommendation to listeners is “Road Of The Lonely Ones” – which I featured on this week’s Friday Favorites as one of the best new songs. I definitely recommend listening to this album while relaxing, doing homework, or any creative activities. This instrumental-laden album is sure to capture your attention and get your brainwaves and creativity flowing.  

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band Highlight: Pond

Pond Performing

A lot of people think of Pond as Tame Impala’s cousin, which is an easy assumption to make considering Jay Watson is a core member of both touring bands. However, Pond has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye.

Based in Perth, Australia, Pond is a psychedelic garage-rock band made up of Jamie Terry, Shiny Joe Ryan, Jay Watson, Nick Allbrook, and James Ireland. Pond actually began as a collaborative project that existed in order for Allbrook and Watson to make music with as many guest artists as they pleased. Though they’ve traded members with Tame Impala several times, they’ve managed to release eight albums since 2008.

You’ve probably heard Pond’s “Paint Me Silver,” but the rest of their discography, especially their early work, is a treasure trove of grooviness. Their first album, “Psychedelic Mango,” is psychedelic indeed. It echoes the strangeness of 60s underground psychedelia bands like Ultimate Spinach and 13th Floor Elevators. Pond’s 2012 release, “Beard, Wives, Denim,” adds a bit more grunge, especially with songs like “Moth Wings” and “Sorry I Was Under the Sky.” Things for Pond only got better from there. Their popularity skyrocketed as Tame Impala’s success grew. Their fourth studio album, “Man It Feels Like Space Again,” added a playful, poppier element to the psychedelia they already mastered. “The Weather” followed the same trend, but also produced their hit song “Paint Me Silver.”

Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of Pond’s early work. Either way, I appreciate the growth they’ve experienced as a band. They’ve made huge strides after coming from being viewed as Tame Impala’s spin-off to having their own unique identity.

Discography:

  • Psychedelic Mango – 2009
  • Corridors of Blissterday – 2009
  • Frond – 2019
  • Beard, Wives, Denim – 2012
  • Hobo Rocket – 2013
  • Man It Feels Like Space Again – 2015
  • The Weather – 2017
  • Tasmania – 2019

Best Songs:

  • Moth Wings – Beard, Wives, Denim
  • Medicine Hat – Man It Feels Like Space Again
  • Don’t Look At the Sun or You’ll Go Blind (Live) – Psychedelic Mango

Happy listening!

– DJ Butter

Categories
DJ Highlights

Ordering the Multiple Personalities: E. and The Saw

So, I have two differing dominant personalities – The Saw and Erika. When I was little the two were less pronounced or identifiable, but upon reflection of my thoughts and actions of the time, they were formulating and strengthening. I loved “girl” things, but also things that weren’t usually associated as “girly.” 

Later, in grade school, unless I was around a select group of friends, what became known as The Saw had to be quieted and hidden from view. In college this all changed. WKNC offered me the opportunity to fully identify and develop The Saw, while clearly recognizing the vast difference it is from Erika. This is me! These are who I am!

Usually band members have alter-egos when they’re on stage, kind of like actors in a movie or play. I often describe The Saw as an alter-ego, a persona cultivated for the radio airwaves, or the show I’m at in an official capacity; but the personality is more real, more concrete than that. There are two parts to me that make me whole – Erika AND The Saw. 

Erika likes hippy esthetics, incense, and plants. The Saw likes skulls, the color black, and corpse paint. Erika watches The Jersey Shore and The Bachelor franchises. The Saw likes Sons of Anarchy and any horror movie. Erika, all kinds of music and genres; The Saw, the heaviest Metal on the planet. I could go on and on! The two live fully side-by-side. When you listen to The Saw’s Butcher Shop you’ll even hear Erika from time to time. 

But for all their differences they are united in their fierce love of friends and family, honesty, integrity, and character. This is me! This is who I am! Embrace you; those personalities, traits, and quirks that make you who you are. Self-reflect. Self-examine. Work on those things that make you a better version of you. And love you. You know that I love me! 

Stay Metal, 

THE SAW 

Categories
Miscellaneous

Best Rom-Coms for February

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you know what that means! It’s time to buy a box of chocolates, get comfy in bed, and shamelessly watch romantic comedies until your stomach hurts. Whether you’re doing it alone, with a special someone, or with a whole group of friends, here’s ten of my all-time favorite rom-com’s to get you through V-Day!

1. Bridget Jones’s Diary

Number one on the list is always and forever going to be “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” This movie never fails to make me laugh, especially since Bridget and I share so many of the same qualities. Loosely based off of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary” follows a clumsy “spinster” as she stumbles through boyfriends. It’s also a great Christmas movie too!

2. The Photograph

LaKeith Stanfield and Issa Rae are fantastic in “The Photograph.” After Mae finds a photograph from her estranged mother’s life following her death, she falls for a journalist, Michael, who is investigating it. It’s deeply heartfelt and is a must-watch for Valentine’s Day.

3. 10 Things I Hate About You

This movie is a cinematic masterpiece and an absolute classic. Similar to “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” the plot roughly follows Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) pays borderline-criminal Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date abrasive, terrifying Kat Stratford so he can go out with her sister, Bianca. This movie is filled with lots of drama, bad jokes, and the best Y2K wardrobe.

4. Always Be My Maybe

“Always Be My Maybe” is one of those delicious Netflix Originals that you just can’t stay away from. Ali Wong plays Sasha Tran, a successful restaurant owner who moves back to San Francisco and reconnects with her childhood best friend, Marcus Kim (Randall Park). Even though she’s engaged, her feelings for Marcus still linger.

5. The Big Sick

Based on actual events, comedian Kumail Nanjiani tells the story of how he met his wife, Emily, and how their relationship was upended by Kumail’s parents and a mysterious illness that puts Emily in a coma. Though the plotline sounds a bit on the serious side, it’s ridiculously funny and definitely worth a watch.

6. The Princess Bride

“The Princess Bride” was one of my favorites growing up. Just like the kid from the beginning, it was my go-to sick day movie. This epic follows Buttercup and Westley on their journey to be together amidst evil kings, pirates, giants, and Rats of Unusual Sizes.

7. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days

This movie is guaranteed to give you some laughs. Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) is a writer for a women’s beauty magazine, unfulfilled with her shallow work. In order to get a promotion, she comes up with an article about “what not to do when dating.” To have content to write about, she starts “dating” Benjamin Barry and intentionally acts completely insane.

8. Love, Simon

“Love, Simon” is more of a tearjerker than a comedy, but it’s so good I just had to include it. Sure, it might be a little cheesy, but you can’t help being touched by Simon’s story. As he’s trying to find the anonymous online boy he’s crushin’ on, Simon finds himself being blackmailed by someone at school who threatens to out him.

9. Twilight

Last but not least, I present to you the best movie ever made, the first “Twilight.” It’s so bad that it’s objectively good. While it’s meant to be a drama, you know that if you’ve seen “Twilight” it leans much more towards comedy. Always worth re-watching if you’re feeling lonely or sad on Valentine’s Day.

– DJ Butter

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites

Written By Miranda

Road Of The Lonely Ones – Madlib

Madlib is known for his production work on major albums with MF DOOM, Freddie Gibbs, and more. His newest project with fellow producer Four Set, “Sound Ancestors,” just released and so far this is my favorite track from the new album.

2hrs – Tobi Lou

This phenomenal and emotional single from Tobi Lou encapsulates a lot of the loneliness, frustration, and exhaustion we can all relate to.

MLK Dr – Smino

A gorgeous, colorful music video pairs so well with this smooth new track from Smino in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Good Vibes (Za) – Wale

A groovy track perfect to relax you or get you dancing, with realness in the lyrics that adds a great depth.

Pomegranate – Kota the Friend

My favorite track from Kota the Friend’s newest release, “Lyrics to GO, Vol. 2.” A simple and short song with beautiful vocals and visual descriptions.

To listen to this week’s Friday Favorites and every song from the past weeks, check out my playlist on WKNC’s Spotify.

Categories
New Album Review

Gatecreeper – An Unexpected Reality (2021)

Gatecreeper An Unexpected Reality

Gatecreeper is a Death Metal band out of Arizona that quickly became one of my favorites. They formed in 2013, so they have done a lot of work in a relatively short amount of time. I would categorize the band as Death/Doom Metal, for the most part, with hook-riffs and some vocal components of Grindcore/Hardcore.  

They are signed with Relapse Records, on which they’ve released two full length records: Sonoran Depravation(2016) and Deserted (2019). This year (2021) they surprised us with an EP release, An Unexpected Reality, on Closed Casket Activities. 

Gatecreeper is:

Chase “Hellahammer” Mason – vocals

Eric “The Dark Cowboy” Wagner – guitars 

Sean “Hell Mammoth” Mears – bass

Matt “Thunder Rage” Arrebollo – drums

Israel Garza – guitars 

An Unexpected Reality is a banger, where the first seven songs are heavily influenced by the Grindcore and Hardcore genres, connected together by feedback, to seem as though they’re one song; and the last song, “Emptiness,” stands alone, completely different from the first, in a dark, doomy Death Metal posture. The first seven are 6:45 in length, combined; while, the last song is 11:06 on its own. This record is full of great riffs and powerful vocals, regardless of the style of any song. I love it!

Tracks:

Starved – 1:03

Sick of Being Sober – :58

Rusted Gold – :56

Imposter Syndrome – 1:07

Amputation – :31

Depraved Not Deprived – 1:11

Superspreader – :59

Emptiness – 11:06 

Favorite Songs: The first seven, and Emptiness! LOL  

Rating: 9/10!! 

Categories
Playlists

2020: The Music That Connected Us in a Disconnected World

2020 was a year of pure isolation, distress, and chaos. Throughout this year of disconnect, we all remained connected through the power of music. Here are my top ten songs from this year!

10. Obsession by The Cairos: Let’s just say that I played this song on repeat during a three hour long road trip. Am I proud? Absolutely. For me, this song has two moods. Either break something or scream the words in a dark basement with five of my closest friends. 

9. The Zone . Leave Me Alone by Lorine Chia, J. Kelr: I play this song and immediately I am on a rollercoaster of emotions. When it begins, I feel like I am in a neon lite club. Then, I am on a hammock on a beach! All I have to say is three minutes and fifteen seconds. You will thank me later. 

8. Pools by Glass Animals: This song, along with any Glass Animals song, will always and forever be my favorite. Every single member of this group was definitely an alien in their past-life. I had the honor of seeing this group (pre COVID-19) at Okeechobee Music Festival. To sum it up, the best experience of my entire life. This song has many different interpretations on its meaning, so let me know what you think it’s about! 

7. We Left (Night Version) by RÜFÜS DU SOL: Sound and color. These magicians use the inspiration of our beautiful world and translate it into mesmerizing sounds. I plan on doing an entire blog post surrounding RÜFÜS DU SOL, so definitely check them out! Fun fact: This is one of the first songs they ever created as a group!

6. Intrinsic by Odd Mob: If I were traveling through hyperspace, this song would be blasting in my space craft. Words to describe this masterpiece: weird, alluring, and memorable. This song is a rollercoaster that only goes up. Definitely give it a listen!

5. Another Sky – The Magician Remix by Scenic, The Magician: This song makes me feel like I am in the opening scene of a movie. Specifically, in a 1961 Lincoln Continental driving down a highway at 3:30 in the morning. Very cliche of me. I know. Can’t complain though, because it is true. 

4. Because You Move Me by Tinkler, Helsloot: If you are looking for the perfect bop your head and wiggle your toes beat, this is the one for you! Randomly play this song in front of your friends and every single one of them will be moving some part of their body. Tinkler is always one step ahead of the electronic music game. He combines various sounds and genres to create a “sound-driven journey”. 

3. Bunny by Tourist: Beautiful. Majestic. Unique. Lush. Emotional. All words and feelings that consume my soul while listening to this song. All I can say about this song is sparkles, sunlight, and serenity. 

2. Never Cage a Butterfly by tiedye ky: This song was released a few months ago in tiedye ky’s game changing album called “Baby Blue and the Super Moon”. This entire collection was such a dominating contribution to the 2020 evolution of electronic music. This song mixes the use of live instruments (specifically electric guitar) and synthesizers in unbelievable ways. If you are trying to get ahead of the electronic music scene, I highly recommend listening to this entire album! 

1. 2nd Street by Kaskade: I personally believe that Kaskade is one of the most innovative house artists of our time. With him being one of my favorite artists that I saw at Okeechobee Music Festival 2020, I decided to learn more about him, his music, and vision for the music scene. I also plan on doing a blog specifically for him so be on the lookout for it! In the meantime, enjoy this journey that this song puts your through. 

-Caitlin