Category: Blog

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New Album Review

Hayley Williams Petals For Armor Review

 

Petals for Armor is the highly anticipated debut full length record of artist Hayley Williams. The artist has put off doing solo work for many years, but this album feels so authentic and perfectly timed that I couldn’t be more glad that she waited until now to work on and release the project. This record feels incredibly personal and shows the growth Hayley has experienced as both an artist and a person. 

The way Hayley went about creating and releasing this album really added to how personal and authentic the record feels. Having close friends and family help in the production and recording of this record really shows what drove the artist into this project and why the timing couldn’t have been better. Another unique aspect of this record was the roll-out process. The release of separate EPs and the split of the record in three CDs really made the 15 tracks feel cohesive, less overwhelming (then it would’ve been in one full release), and let the unique themes of the record stand out and shine in their own time. 

The debut solo ‘Simmer’ was the first taste of this record we got, along with it’s video. Lyrically and conceptually it seemed to pick up where after laughter left off as far as a slightly pessimistic and reflective theme. It was a refreshingly new sound from the artist, being darker and more blunt then we’re used to hearing from the artist in past Paramore records; especially since we got our first explicit tag from the artist. The bass was strong, a theme we see a lot in this record, and the one liner ‘give in’ just makes it something that sticks long after the first listen. As I’ve said before this album feels very honest and transparent; I feel as if the artist is very open to sharing her recent life experiences and really opens up about what she’s learned about love and friendships. This is especially prevalent in tracks like ‘Taken’, ‘Pure Love’ and ‘My Friend’. We really get a taste of the artists values and reflection process.

This album is also full of variety: featuring shifts in tone, lyrics and even genre bending. Though it still feels like a strong and solid unit. The album has a bit of a minimal feel, but it has a wide variety of instrumentation with keys, guitars and a standout bass. Of course, it’s impossible to bring up this artist without mentioning her incredibly strong vocals. Hayley’s voice is outstanding and she really knows how to balance her talents on this record. There are moments, in tracks like ‘Sudden Desire’, where she really lets her strength power through, but these moments are never overdone.

Some stand-out tracks from this record are: the power anthem I mentioned above ‘Sudden Desire’, the catchy hooked ‘Dead Horse’, the very personal and adorable ‘My Friend’, the perfect ending ‘Crystal Clear’, and my favorite at the moment ‘Pure Love’.

I could go on about this album for a very long time… Actually, I am going to. On an upcoming episode of the Get Psyched podcast, our general manager Laura (aka DJ Beowvlf) and I, will be discussing the record, so be sure to keep it locked.

Until Next Time, Let’s Stay Psyched about Music

– DJ Psyched

Categories
Playlists

2k Indie Online

2k indie is the name of the radio show I started two years ago. The premise of the show is playing some of the newest releases in ‘underground’ Indie music. The purpose is to highlight some releases from local and smaller artists, since there is an endless amount of Indie tunes being released all the time. On this online version of the series, I will highlight a few new tracks every week, and a full playlist of these new tracks can be found on WKNC’s Spotify!


‘Language’ by Mindchatter

I’ve been listening to this artist since they released their first single in mid 2019. They’ve been steadily releasing tracks ever since. Although they are not released in the form of an album or ep, they do hold a central theme much like an album would. This artist has stood out to me for their unique use of electronics and synths. The tracks unique blend of indie and ambiance makes for a genre bending experience that makes all the artists tracks feel distinct and recognizable. This track lives up to the style of the artist and the vocals make it the perfect track to relax to.


‘Second Hand’ by STRFKR

STRFKR just released a full length record titled Future Past Life.  The track second hand instantly stood out to me during my first listen. It’s incredibly chill vocals and soft synths make it something that’s easy to listen to in the background, while the catchy chorus and verses also make it a track I can’t resist singing along to. It’s a fun and groovy vibe, and this whole record is worth a spin.


‘Portland’ by Rat Kid Cool

This track has a pretty interesting intro, and its whole sound is rather unique, but that’s what makes this release stand out. Rat Kid Cool has some interesting vocals, often reminding me of the Front Bottoms, which definitely feel like a potential influence on the group. This track features some interesting stringed instruments, distorted vocals, and an insanely catchy hook. The vocals sound incredibly relaxed but the music makes me want to dance, a conflicting, but entertaining, mix.

As I’d say on air, ‘I’m DJ Psyched and 2k Indie is coming to an end this week, thank you for reading and make sure you keep it locked for more content from the WKNC Content team. See you next week.’

– DJ Psyched

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (5/15)

Hey everyone, it’s that time of the week again! Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of old hiphop. I wanted to share some of the best tracks I’ve found to get you through the week, especially because I know that I (and many others) have just started summer classes, internships, and work. There’s nothing like chill, old-style rap artists to give you some inspiration! 

One Beer – MF Doom 

The flow on this song is so smooth, paired with the high-pitched background vocals and beat makes for such a funky and cool song. I really recommend MF Doom as an artist in general but especially their 2004 album MM…FOOD, which has so many instant classics. 

Fancy Clown (ft. Viktor Vaughn) – Madvillain 

This song comes from one of my favorite-ever hiphop albums, Madvillainy. This project is a collaboration between two of my favorite artists, previously mentioned MF Doom and Madlib. This is my absolute favorite song from Madvillainy and I definitely recommend the album as a whole. 

Life is Better (ft. Norah Jones) – Q-Tip 

This duo has created one of my favorite songs in the world. This combination of Q-Tip’s unique flow and Norah Jones’ soft voice creates a beautiful love song with smooth vocals and a catchy beat. The music video is also really cool, check it out.  

Wavey (ft. Spooky Black) – Allan Kingdom 

I really love Allan Kingdom as an artist because his voice is interesting and he plays around so much with his pitch and changes his flows up seamlessly. This song has been a favorite of mine since high school, but I could honestly recommend anything he’s worked on. 

Hope you all enjoyed, let me know your favorite hiphop artists! 

– Miranda 

Categories
New Album Review

how i’m feeling now Album Review

My favorites: forever, 7 years, c2.0

Listen if you like: Grimes, 100 gecs, Allie X

Since Charli XCX’s appearance on 100 gecs’ “ringtone” remix, I’ve been excited to hear this new project of hers. The album, how i’m feeling now, is categorized by “inventive” or “experiential” pop and reflects Charli’s feelings relating to the current pandemic. She created the album and its related media in entirety during self-isolation with the tools she had on hand. Charli has also attempted to involve fans as much as possible, creating interactive Zoom calls, reaching out for advice, and even putting together fan-made clips for the music video of one of the album’s singles, “forever”. 

The album is quite experimental, a transformation from the usual pop melodies associated with the singer. how i’m feeling now opens with “pink diamond,” which perfectly exemplifies the wild, chaotic sound evolution of Charli XCX from her previous discography. However, she continues the alluring pop lyricism and a killer hook in the whole tracklist, which appeals to the ear. She brings the different musical aspects together beautifully, mixing mainstream and experimental sound. This new album also reflects a display of complex emotions reflecting the anxiety which is burdening our world right now. The tracklist includes songs which focus on her current relationship as well as ones highlighting the uncertainty and bizarreness of self-isolation. 

I think this is one of Charli XCX’s best works so far and have really enjoyed listening to it today; definitely would recommend checking it out especially if you like experimental pop.

– Miranda 

Categories
Classic Album Review

Classic Album Review: Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

On the heels of the breakthrough release of The Chronic (Death Row Records) by Dr. Dre (1992), Doggystyle (Death Row Records) by Snoop Doggy Dogg was released on November 23, 1993. Having contributed, to a large extent, on The Chronic, you know that Snoop had his own debut to drop! That “lazy drawl" – G-funk style of rap – reigns supreme, again, here; but, on a whole new level. If you’ve never heard Snoop Dogg, and his swaggering vocals, you are missing out!

Snoop explains that the hook to this record is its realism, which is based on his own personal experience. Dre would come up with kick ass beats, and Snoop would sit right there and write lyrics on the spot. The album is littered with skits, because the distributors were demanding a finished product (before it was finished). Dre finished the songs they had, inserted the skits (within 48 hours), and sent it off. Desiring not to stretch G-funk any further yet, Snoop and Dre decided to produce layers in the style beyond that of The Chronic. Doggystyle is less about heavy, slow beats and more about high-tempo, lean tracks.

The album artwork (obviously) refers to the sex position, and is also a play on Snoop’s name. Technically, the cover illustrates some lyrical quotes from George Clinton’s 1982 single, Atomic Dog. But the artwork also expresses the culture of the Gangsta ethos – self-indulgence; drugs, cars, sex, and money.

Doggystyle debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 800,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, making it the fastest selling hip-hop album of all time. “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” was the first single released from the album, and it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles. It was certified Platinum in mid 1994. “Gin and Juice" was released as a single on January 15, 1994, reaching #8 and #1 like the previous single.

This record is pivotal for the hip-hop community, a classic “must have" album that Mark’s the evolution of the genre to a more melodious, synthesized, funk beat. Its controversial subject matter and lyrical content only help increase its appeal. Like The Chronic, Doggystyle is dangerous. And how wonderful that danger is!

Favorite Songs: Gin and Juice ; Lodi Dodi ; Murder Was the Case

Rating: 10/10!! Just a “must have" record!

What are some of your favorite songs off of Doggystyle?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
Classic Album Review

Classic Album Review: Dr. Dre – The Chronic

The breakout solo debut for Dr. Dre, The Chronic, was (and still is) a timeless banger in its own right! This record revolutionized west coast hip-hop, setting the standard for everything in the genre that followed. Not only does this album showcase the groundbreaking production talent of Dre, not to mention his powerful lyrical style and delivery, but it also introduces us to some upcoming talent – namely, Warren G, Nate Dog, and (a certain) Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Fresh off his split with N.W.A., Dr. Dre released The Chronic on his own Death Row Records on December 15, 1992. The album cover pays tribute to Zig Zag rolling papers and the title is slang for high grade cannabis. On this record, Dre patented a new style of hip-hop, a sub-genre of sorts, called G-Funk. This style incorporates “fat, blunted beats" with old school soul/funkadelic grooves and rolling bass lines with single line synthesizers. But the key to this new style was the lyrical delivery. The form would later be called a “lazy drawl;” a laid-back delivery – controlled and measured – but containing ferocious, offensive, aggressive content. The new combination launched Dre and Death Row (and every single guest performer on the record) to the top of the hip-hop field.

My dad (the O.G. Metalhead) remembers this record’s release. He says, “We’d go to [metal] head parties where it’s usually the newest Metal album being played, and hear this new thing called ‘Gangsta’. I’m not exaggerating when I say, almost every single Metal Head was into this new stuff! It related well to the Metal community, with its swaggering style and crushing lyrics. The delivery was strange at first, but the words were all-too familiar.” There are many Metal shows I go to today where, when music is played between bands, Dr. Dre or Snoop Dogg or Coolio, etc. is played over the speakers.

The Chronic peaked at number three on the Billboard Top 200. It was certified triple platinum by RIAA, selling over three million copies. The records three singles reached the Top Ten on the Top Ten Billboard singles. “Nuthin’ But a G Thang" reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on both Hot Rap Si goes and Hot R&B Singles charts. The album ranks 138th on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. In 2020, The Chronic was selected by The Library of Congress to be placed into the National Recording Registry because of its “cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.”

Favorite songs: F*ck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’), Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat

Rating: 10/10!! One of the best records ever!

What are some of your favorite songs off of The Chronic?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Bladee – icedancer

BEST TRACKS: Be Nice 2 Me, Jaws, Linkdin, Inside out, Closer

FCC clean: Inside Out, Jaws, Side by Side, Topman, Special Place, Feel Like, For Nothing, Anything, The Silent Boy Cries

Bladee is one of the forerunners of emo cloud rap, making this style of music since 2013, before the likes of Lil Peep and XXXTENTACION entered the scene in a major way. This mixtape is characterized by plush trap-beats underlaying a dreamy, atmospheric feel created by bright melodies and reverberating vocal distortion. It’s a sound that surrounds you, allowing you to slowly sink in. The album is saturated with memorable lines, sometimes heartfelt and sometimes flexing, but always clever. Refreshingly, this emo-rap album is definitely more emo than flexing. Bladee is vulnerable on this album, showing fear, dejection, and downright desperation. Smartwater is the track most exemplary of this emo display, “If you would want me dead, I would be into it. I just want your attention”.

I’m in awe of the striking production quality on this album. Vocals are heavily autotuned but still tasteful. Droning vocals, reminiscent of quranic recitation, make for a trance-like experience. With the baddest beat, wittiest lines, and best mix job, the starting track of the album is track 4, Be Nice 2 Me. What stands about this track is how the second verse is slowed down and distorted.

There might be a tad too many ice metaphors and references to Drain Gang, to the point where it becomes a little cringe. And the intermission track could have been done without, but this isn’t really a statement on Bladee, as this track is cartier’gods interlude, in which Bladee only makes a fleeting appearance. Critics say that the sonic palette of Icedancer is dizzying and annoying, but I disagree. I think the hooks are hyper melodic and solid enough to ground the music. At first listen, I admit that Bladee’s style might sound chaotic, but even to the untrained ear, the seemingly haphazard elements marry together in a very sensicle way by the second listen. After traversing this hurdle, Icedancer becomes much more enjoyable and even addicting.

-Safia

Categories
Short Stories

AV Story

 

‘I’m DJ Psyched and 2k Indie is coming to an end for the week…’ 

Oh finally DJ AV thought. I’m tired of this 

Hearing the DJs signing off is his favorite part of the day.

He spent the next few minutes patiently waiting while the DJ finished logging off and making sure the studio was clean and ready before they left. He was so eager for the DJ to leave that he said ‘Oh finally’ a moment too early.

‘What?’, DJ Psyched said before turning around again, giving the studio one last look. ‘I must be hearing things’, she said to herself before closing the door and leaving.

This time AV waited about a minute before trying to speak up, but just as he was about to say something Mica interjected saying ‘Can’t wait even a few seconds huh?’.

‘I don’t see what the big deal is’ AV lied. ‘So what if they find out, who are they to assume we don’t have thoughts and lives too?’.

‘Oh we are not having this discussion again.’ Mica added, ‘If you were a human I’m sure you wouldn’t want to know that your microphone and computers are more intelligent than you either.’

‘Coast is clear by the way’ AV shouted out for the whole studio to hear, ignoring Mica’s comment.

‘Thank goodness’ said Cedric, ‘I don’t even know why I bother being here, no one seems to want to use the CD player anymore’.

‘It’s all those streaming services’ Auxy interjected, ‘I wouldn’t mind them so much if people didn’t go yanking me out of there computers… and they wonder why they need to replace their aux chords so often’. Auxy tried not to think about this too hard after saying it, broken aux cords always ended up in the trash… and she was not ready for that.

‘Alright, so the first thing on the agenda is aux care, got it’ AV said, he always liked to act like the station leader. ‘Anything else?’

‘Can you please turn the music down, I can hardly hear anyone’ Mica added.

‘Sorry sorry’ said Soma the speakers, ‘That psyched kid really likes to blast the music…’

‘Well, we can work on that too…’ but before AV could finish what he was about to say the door swung open fast, too fast. No one had time to go back into auto mode.

AV made direct eye contact with DJ Psyched, and before he could say or do anything psyched was facedown on the floor.

‘Oh not again’ AV said. ‘Get up DJ Psyched! DJ! DJ!  Get UP!! DJ PSYCHED!!!’

‘What?’ Psyched said as she slowly lifted her head, realizing that she had been asleep, and was now being woken up by the next DJ coming in for their shift. ‘Oh sorry’ she said.

‘It’s fine, but uh… could I please get in now, my set starts in five’

‘Yeah of course’, she scrambled to grab all of her things so she could leave, and just as she was logging out she could’ve sworn she saw a little wink come from the corner of the screen…

– DJ Psyched

Categories
Playlists

Psyched’s Ultimate Indie

 

I’ve talked about this on the blog before, but I’ll say it again, I have an obsession with making playlists (I guess that’s a good thing considering i’m a DJ). Anyhow, the first playlist I ever made for WKNC was a playlist titled ‘Psyched’s Ultimate Indie’. I listened to Indie a lot before I started DJing, but I figured that since I would be running a show that focused on new released Indie music, my Indie library was going to get much bigger. 

In order to keep track of all the new music I found during my time with WKNC, I decided to make this ultimate playlist. The reason I’m writing about it today is because the playlist hit a big milestone last month, we’re now officially at 500+ songs (530 at the time of writing this), so I figured now would be a good time to reflect on the playlist and see what it has become…

30 hours of music ranging from artists like Cigarettes After Sex to Modern Diet, and just about anything in between. The first thing I thought of upon listening to this playlist was ‘how can this all be one ‘theme’ yet has so much diversity in sound?’ I won’t answer the question ‘what is Indie’ again, because I think we can all agree that it’s hard to define and I have a whole other blog post about it, but we all kind of know what it is when we hear it. I’m sure some of the songs and artists I’ve put in this playlist could be debated as not really fitting in here, but the criteria I went with was ‘if it feels indie, it can be indie for this playlist’. Some artists I can think of who might stand out a bit in this playlist are ROLE MODEL, grimes, Young the Giant and halfalive. This playlist really doesn’t have any other rules and it’s evident when it’s on shuffle. There’s everything from rock, psychedelic, to pop sounding Indie (and genres I can’t even put a name to).

I wanted to go through and choose some favorites/ react to some music but upon further review I’m seeing that 500 songs is a bit overwhelming and hard to fairly narrow down. So I think I’ll have to save that for another day… because in the making of this post I decide I’d narrow down the Ultimate Indie playlist into ‘Psyched’s Favorite Indie’ (I told you I was a bit addicted to making playlists…)

If you’re interested in checking out the playlist I’m curious if there are any artists or songs you think don’t really fit the theme, or would fit better in a different playlist. What are some artists you think are a must in an ultimate indie playlist?

– DJ Psyched

Playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4uhiwdTwdvRDzIgo6EXmWf?si=1-8XnoaoRjmnhRyEmi3tuQ

Categories
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