Category: Blog

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Music News and Interviews

Música de Indie

 

As I said before, a part of the reason I started doing Musica de Indie was to get closer to the Spanish language since I’m trying to learn right now. So I just wanted to give another little tip that I found useful, find artists you like and follow them online. The more you read, write, and listen to the language the easier it gets~ And the music is amazing, so it’s a win win. This week on Música de Indie we’re talking about…

  • Yemayá by Mexican Institute Of Sound – This track has more of an ‘indie electronic’ vibe to it. There are more layers of background instruments including more electric guitars and synths. The vocals blend amazing with the music. This track became an instant favorite of mine. The hook ‘Ye-ma-yá carino’ really highlights the extremely catchy track and makes it irresistible.

  • Volcanes by Pilar Cabrera, Ceci Juno, Juliana Velasquez- Juliana and Ceci work the vocals on this track. The track uses volcanoes as a metaphor for understanding the strength of humans and our vulnerability. We learn to take breathes even through the ashes, but sometimes we explode. This track is a very slow and soothing one, with an acoustic guitar taking lead. The swap of vocals between the two women adds a ‘back and forth’ dialogue sound. The singing is carefully paced, and when it picks up in the chorus it’s hard not to sing along.

  • Entre Mis Venas by Ceci Juno – The title translates to ‘Between my veins’, and in the track the artist talks about ‘carrying songs for every flag’ and keeping ‘postcards for each moment’. The artist brings up themes of embracing her culture and that of others. She also talks about being a ‘non-conforming’ artist, and expresses her thoughts that not everyone has the same luck in life. She is one of the singers from the above track and her work is just as amazing as that collaborative piece.

Thanks for tuning in to Música de Indie today, what are your favorite songs from the last two weeks?

Until next time

Let’s Stay Psyched,

DJ Psyched

Categories
DJ Highlights

2k Indie Online

 

‘I’m DJ Psyched and you’re reading 2k Indie online. In this show I highlight new Indie releases from the last few weeks or so. This week we’re starting the segment off with Period by J.P. Plains, the track comes from the artist’s newest EP. I was Psyched about it’s release, so be sure to keep it locked as we explore some new Indie today.’

  • Period by J.P. Plains – I’ve been a huge fan of this artist for a year now and his releases never fail to end up on 2k Indie because of his phenomenal songwriting skills. This track is a heartbroken track about a complicated relationship. The first thing that stuck out to me was his vocals. The artist usually has a bit more effects on the vocals but this track feels really laid back and minimal. The guitars are soft, the drums are a slow steady pace, and the clean-electric guitar that comes into the hook picks up the sound but maintains this minimal sound. It is thoroughly enjoyable and exciting to hear the artist play around with a different style from the previous record and singles. The four track EP this track comes from definitely shows growth and change in the artist.

  • Emotional Rent Control Cheekface – This track reminds me of the front bottoms in an interesting way, but it’s also really unique in its own mix of elements. The ‘talk singing’ portions make it a really fun tune that sounds like a speech, and the song is definitely a statement piece. The rock influence makes it catchy as well, especially with its chorus. This is one that takes a good few listens to hear everything being said, and it’s worth it.

  • Dead and Gone by Lanie Rose – I fell in love with this song at first listen. The artist’s voice is so smooth and has a beautiful timbre. The hook is instantly mesmerizing and digs deep into the heart of the listener. Starting the song with ‘sometimes in this world I feel unseen’ really sets the tone for the powerful message the artist is putting across. He talks of wanting to be ‘held close’ before he’s ‘dead and gone’, and says ‘I’m done giving up now’. He just wants to see love and change in the world while he’s around to enjoy it, it’s a beautiful track and I highly recommend giving it a few spins.

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

Until Next Time,

Let’s Stay Psyched about Music

DJ Psyched

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Remo Drive – A Portrait Of An Ugly Man

ALBUM REVIEW: Remo Drive – A Portrait Of An Ugly Man

BEST TRACKS: A Guide To Live By, Easy As That, If I’ve Ever Looked Too Deep In Thought

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Remo Drive has been one of my favorite bands even since the release of their album “Greatest Hits” in 2017. You might remember it as the iconic pink album that contains some of Remo Drive’s best songs such as ‘Yer Killin’ Me’, ‘Crash Test Rating’, and ‘Art School’. With the release of “A Portrait Of An Ugly Man,” Remo Drive has given up their emo days in favor of a more romantic age.

In “A Portrait Of An Ugly Man,” the anxious, forlorn punk rock style of “Greatest Hits” is replaced with more maturity and artistry. The drums are less frantic. The guitar thrashes less, but twangs and flourishes more. Vocals are much more refined, and there is no signature emo punk rock shouting and whining. Erik Paulson has done a full 180 on his vocal style, becoming tender and wispy, and incorporating breathtaking vibrato into bellows which seem to resound and bounce off of the walls. This album incorporates a lot of dark, southwestern desert rock elements into its instrumental and melodies, most notably in track 4, ‘If I’ve Ever Looked Too Deep In Thought’ with its rattlesnake-esque tambourine, cinematic 80s strings, and wet, reverberating guitar strums.

Though I might miss the mischief and youthfulness that has disappeared from Remo Drive’s radar, I can’t really blame a band for growing up. It looks like emo was just a phase after all. Nevertheless, “A Portrait Of An Ugly Man” has all the energy and charm of a Remo Drive album, only with more impressive vocals. Not to mention, the lyrics are still as hard-hitting and clever as ever. A line from this album that really stuck with me is “If all that goes up must come down how long do I have before I hit the ground?” from the last track ‘Easy as That’. I recommend this album if you love bands like Beirut, Andrew Bird, and Dr. Dog, and Pet Symmetry.

-Safia

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Band/Artist Profile

Slept On: Gabriel Garzón-Montano


To French-Colombian multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Garzón-Montano, genre has never been a consideration. This is apparent in his laundry list of musical influences that range from Stevie Wonder to Jeff Buckley to Radiohead, and is reflected in his small, yet impressive discography that draws from styles of funk, soul, R&B and reggaeton, to name a few. After listening to his work, I am frankly surprised he hasn’t reached a wider audience. In fact, you may have heard GGM’s work already and haven’t realized it yet: his track “6 8”, featuring his fragile voice cradled by soft piano chords and patient percussion, was sampled in Drake’s hit “Jungle”. H.E.R’s cover of the same song earned him a Grammy nomination as a songwriter.

His 2014 EP Bishouné: Alma del Huila was his introduction to the world and contains “6 8”, the song that put him on the map. All instruments and vocals were painstakingly recorded to tape by GGM himself to achieve a warm, organic sound. “Everything is Everything”, with its syncopated vocal harmonies, funky bassline, and addictive chorus, speaks of solidarity in the face of universal suffering – easily one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in the past few years. Another highlight is “Keep on Running” which features plunky piano stabs and woozy organs, on top of which GGM sings about the dangers of running from one’s problems.

2017 saw the release of GGM’s debut studio album, Jardín. As a concept album, many of its tracks contain recurring motifs of fruits and plant life, giving the project a strong sense of cohesion. Standouts include “Fruitflies”, which showcases GGM’s vocal prowess, and “Crawl”, whose rubbery bass and backing vocals serve as a callback to Bishouné’s funk sensibilities.

Gabriel Garzón-Montano has proven himself to be a gifted singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, all at the beginning of his career. I can’t wait to see what he does next!

DJ Mango

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (7/10)

This week’s Friday Favorites include some of my favorite recent tracks by Black female musicians. Malcolm X said that “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” Modern discrimination against Black women is rampant, and so I want to highlight some powerful artists filled with talent despite the societal obstacles they’ve faced. 

Build (ft. Arin Ray) – Justine Skye

This song by Justine Skye reflects a tumultuous relationship. The disappointment and push and pull of an unhealthy couple. The music video for this song is very powerful as well; it helps raise awareness of domestic violence and encourages victims to seek help. 

Another Lifetime – Nao 

This alternative-R&B track by Nao reflects the emotions following the end of a relationship. The melody is pop-based but her lyrics and harmony used give the  track endless depth. 

Hello – Erykah Badu

Badu constantly pushes the envelope with her experimental tracks, veering in between R&B, pop, and rap. This lesser-known track has always been a favorite of mine. It has a beautiful melody and meaning. Give it a listen for sure. 

Sober – Mahalia 

Mahalia is an influential British R&B singer who has recently gained recognition in the modern R&B scene. This track is a love song with smooth vocals and a bit of jazz influence within it. It is a really pretty track. 

Black Truck – Mereba

This song is ethereal and light. Mereba is a multi-talented musician: she produces, writes, sings, raps, and plays guitar. This song portrays the story of her pursuit toward success in the music industry despite the barriers she faced.

As a reminder, you can find all of my Friday Favorites from this week and past weeks on WKNC’s Spotify page, found at this link. 

– Miranda

Categories
Playlists

New Music of June

 

Another month of good music releases is over, so it’s time to go back and reflect on some of my favorite tunes from June 2020. There will be a playlist with more songs linked below, but for now I’m going to highlight a few…

  • House by Baba Ali – I’ve talked about this track on the blog before, but given that it’s one of my favorites i’m going to talk about it again. This song highlights the feeling this singer has about how economic struggles can get in the way of a smooth and easy life, making a house not feel like the home it should. The message sticks by me every listen and it’s one I frequently come back to for its funky and unique sound. The track is genre-bending and blends elements of Pop, Funk, Dance and alternative/ indie. It’s one I came to for the sound and stuck by for its lasting impact.

  • Easy by Justin Starling – This song drew me in in the first few seconds and kept me hooked with its ear catching and confidence building chorus. The song is a hip-hop and rap mix that the artist uses to tell their story. The story starts with what it was like growing up for the artist and how they worked their way up to where they are now. The track is inspiring and so is the video that comes with it. The video was shot in Puerto Rico, and the artist got the opportunity after writing, recording and producing the track on his own. That’s definitely not an easy task, but just like he says ‘I know (he) make(s) it look easy’.

  • Sick of Feeling Useless by Neon Dreams – Need another track to boost your confidence and relate to? That’s what I love so much about this song. I’ve talked about it briefly in a post I made about the artist a little while ago, but the track definitely deserves some more recognition. The anthem-like chorus makes the song one that repeats in my mind long after a listen, and knowing just how much it took for the artist to get to this point makes it all the more powerful. ‘Scream out but nobody listens, try hard but it don’t make a difference’, but it makes all the difference to the listeners.

There are more at the link, including ‘Black Dog’ by Arlo Parks that I also recently made a post about. So if you’re looking for more new tunes, check it out here.

Until Next Time,

Let’s Stay Psyched about Music,

DJ Psyched

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Citizen

I was with one of my friends, heading to Taco Bell when she started playing Jet by Citizen. I loved the vibe of the song and the soothing, but raspy vocals. When I got home, I looked up Citizen and quickly started listening to them more and more. Now, their music is sad. You can hear the vulnerability and sadness in the lyrics and vocals, but complimented with the musicianship, it makes for a beautiful song.

Citizen is a rock band from Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio. Some have considered Citizen to be indie rock, grunge, or post-hardcore. Citizen is currently signed to Run For Cover Records. The formation of Citizen started in 2009 when Mat Kerekes departed as the drummer from his previous band, Sound of Glory, a metalcore band. The early material of Citizen was characterized as melodic hardcore which is unlike their most recent work.

After signing to Run For Cover Records in 2012, Citizen recorded a Split EP with labelmates, Turnover. This Split EP marks the growth and maturity of both bands as helped them evolve from local bands to national artists. My favorite album by Citizen is Youth (2013). Every song on this album is so good and you can feel the emotions that the song is projecting. People have described this album to be emo, grunge, or post-hardcore and I get those vibes from the album. I am a big fan of grunge and the grunge I listen to, for the most part, is sad. Citizen gives me that impression, and I never get tired of listening to it.

Discography:

Youth (2013)

Everybody Is Going to Heaven (2015)

As You Please (2017)


Current Members:

Mat Kerekes (vocals)

Nick Hamm (lead guitar)

Ryland Oehlers (rhythm guitar)

Eric Hamm (bass)  


Favorite Songs:

Jet, Roam The Room, Sick And Impatient, The Night I Drove Alone, The Summer

What are your favorite songs by Citizen?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW  

Categories
New Album Review

Album: Time Machine – The Geek x Vrv

Album: Time Machine – The Geek x Vrv

Best Tracks: Payeng’s Ark 1979, Electric City 2015, Get Funky 1933, Kanagawa Waves 1831

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Axel Rondeau & Vincent Téoulé became the funky, electro-hop duo known as The Geek x Vrv in 2013, taking their inspiration from artists like Gramatik and infusing their own funky style into their music. I recently came across their album, Time Machine, while browsing music and I am happy to say it is one of my favorite albums ever.

Time Machine takes listeners beyond genre lines and time periods with each song labelled around a time in music that was important for The Geek x Vrv, going all the way back to 1831 with Kanagawa Waves 1831 in which there are many eastern instruments that lead the track. The LP itself has influences in genres like hip-hop, future bass, electro, funk, and disco. Many tracks combine these elements to provide an even more unique sound.

Time Machine starts with Get Funky 1933 and Oh Baby 1939, excellent openers that draw similarities with Daft Punk combined with funky grooves that have inspiration from much earlier music. Songs like Roller Disco 1980 and Time Machine 1985 take from the age of disco with brass instruments and funky grooves which perfectly encapsulates the time periods The Geek x Vrv draw from in Time Machine. The future bass side of things can be heard in Payeng’s Ark 1979 and Electric City 2015. Then, the LP is tied together with some slow Jazz in Paris Jazz Club 1920 to finish off.

All in all, this is a perfectly crafted LP in my opinion that I believe has not received enough attention. I highly recommend this album.

-Tegan

Categories
Playlists

Love and Breakups

There is so much musical content relating to emotion, specifically on the topics of falling in love and breaking up. Some of the best music is tied to emotions of love and heartbreak, and I created a playlist found at this link on Spotify with songs that cover these themes, to show the contrasting nature within the wide range of romantic feelings. I’m showcasing some of my favorites below with an explanation and a little more about the songs and artists. 

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 

This album holds some seriously powerful love and breakup songs. Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You is a beautiful cover of the classic song, which Hill gives an upbeat, hip-hop style spin to. This entire album really reflects the emotions of love. 

Burst Apart 

This album has two great tracks included on the playlist, but all perfectly balance the melancholic with the lyrically deep. Its songs are a little haunting but perfectly encompass the feeling of emptiness and loneliness after a breakup. 

Darwin Deez

I absolutely love the simplistic indie melodies of these songs and they definitely reflect the anger and sadness one can feel against a former partner or love interest. I really recommend Deep Sea Divers in particular. It paints a beautiful, somber picture in your head as you listen. 

We Are Born 

Sia’s greatest masterpieces come from this 2010 album. It drives through every emotion thinkable, applicable to breakups but also for releasing past trauma and pain. It is also my favorite pop album of all time, great for easy listening but also something more reflective. 

Devotion

Beach House created something beautiful with this album, combining a multitude of emotions. The two tracks I selected, Turtle Island and Some Things Last a Long Time are perfect for a breakup or getting over a loss in general. 

Be sure to check out the playlist, and let me know what you think! 

– Miranda

Categories
Miscellaneous

Habit Change

 

A few weeks ago Dr. Nacoste sent out an email providing ‘Social Psychological Advice’ on living in this time of quarantine. He was asked by a student what he thinks of Social Distancing since, as we know from his teaching, humans are inherently social beings. ‘How will it affect us? Do you have any advice?’ the student asks. Dr. Nacoste responds with a simple but powerful message ‘Given the conditions, my advice is structure your days.’

Is it really that simple? Yes. I couldn’t agree more with Dr. Nacoste on the matter. Ever since he sent out the voice-essay I’ve been trying to follow this advice, and whenever I do I feel significantly better. On days that I don’t, well, let’s just say I agree with Dr. Nacoste that this can ‘get out of hand quick.’

What does this have to do with habits? This ‘habit change’ thing I’ve recently started is largely my attempt to keep my days both structured and exciting. The habits I am working into my days are giving my life structure and something to look forward to each day. ‘Structuring your days’ doesn’t mean you have to be doing overly demanding tasks all the time, it just means planning ahead of time so you can avoid boredom and the discomfort that comes with not knowing how to answer the question ‘what are you doing today?’ Weather it be setting time for reading, meals, movies, gaming, etc., as long as you know what you’re going to be doing you’ll feel the benefit of lessening some of that ‘free floating social anxiety’ that comes with a ‘vague situation’ like this.

This is why I encourage habit formation. If you aren’t sure what to do with your days, think of some things you might want to improve in yourself, things you want to learn, or any personal goals you have. Then think of little things you can do everyday to get closer to those ideals and use these new habits to structure your days. Habits make up over half of all of our time, having good habits provides a foundation that fosters structure.

I will link my habit video below if you’re interested in learning more about habits and the best ways to instill them, but the bottom line is, having good habits, such as taking the time every morning to structure your days with timely tasks you enjoy, can really help ease some discomfort in this time. I know social distancing is difficult, but as Dr. Nacoste has let us know, this kind of ‘focus and agenda’ is critical in ‘protect(ing) our vulnerable psychology.’

Until next time

Let’s Stay Psyched about Habit Change,

DJ Psyched

Video on Habits

To Live Woke by Dr. Nacoste