Written by Eilee Centeno, WKNC Promotions Director
WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 joined student organizations from across NC State to raise more than $1,600 for Habitat for Humanity in the annual Shack-A-Thon fundraiser.
Written by Eilee Centeno, WKNC Promotions Director
WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 joined student organizations from across NC State to raise more than $1,600 for Habitat for Humanity in the annual Shack-A-Thon fundraiser.
Before Poppy was the musician that she is today, most knew her as a YouTube sensation who gained popularity for her cryptic videos. “I Disagree,” released in January 2020, was a large departure from Poppy’s previous work, which was mostly pop. “I Disagree” does a lot of genre-blending, but the biggest shock of the album to Poppy’s fans was the heavy metal influence that reverberated through the album.
Poppy’s most recent album prior to the release of “I Disagree” was “Am I A Girl?,” which offered hints of the soon-to-come metal genre that Poppy would embrace in its last two tracks, “Play Destroy,” featuring Grimes, and “X.”
I will admit that I am a huge fan of this album and have probably listened to it enough to memorize every beat and syllable spoken throughout it.
Its first track, titled “Concrete,” instantly introduces the sort of genre-mixing Poppy will go on to ace through the rest of the album. It’s not just genre-ambiguous, but actually switches back and forth between heavy metal (complete with guitar shredding and even some screaming) and bubblegum pop.
“Anything Like Me” contains lyricism that reinforces Poppy’s purpose in making this album–
Sorry for what I’ve become
“Anything Like Me” – Poppy
Because I’m becoming someone
She goes on in this song to talk about a girl who seems to represent the things that Poppy is supposed to be, but doesn’t wish to be.
I feel her heart beating in me
“Anything Like Me” – Poppy
Get her out of me
Poppy works throughout the album to express the idea that conformity is a disease. In “BLOODMONEY,” she asks–
What do you believe when everyone is watching?
“BLOODMONEY” – Poppy
And in “Fill The Crown,” she says,
You can be anyone you want to be
You can be free, you can be free
“Fill The Crown” – Poppy
Poppy is clearly expressing her desire for individuality, likely in response to the pressures she felt around making music in an industry and working with producers who executed excessive control over her work.
Poppy’s evolution does not seem to be finished yet. From electronic pop in her first album “Poppy.Computer” to the metal in “I Disagree,” and even to the alt-rock/indie vibes of her most recent album, “Flux,” Poppy seems to be innovating in every area she can, not just with her music, but with her character and stage presence as well.
— bel$
Harsh Symmetry comes from the mind of Julian Sharwarko of Sacramento, California.
Debuting Jan. 20, 2022 with the single “Mirror Twin,” Sharwarko’s “synth-driven solo project” is consistently dark, danceable and melodic.
Harsh Symmetry’s discography draws from the classic sounds of 80s post-punk and new wave with the influences of contemporary gothic genres like darkwave and minimal wave.
The resulting sounds are both nostalgic and ethereal.
As the sun starts shining and heating up NC, why not turn up the heat just a little more with some new tracks in your rotation? These tracks cover various genres that you would find in WKNC’s Underground rotation like rap, hip-hop and R&B. Listed below are some of my favorite tracks of the bunch.
This track was my first introduction to Shaboozey. Their constantly moving beat in “Snake” combined with Shaboozey’s unapologetic lyrics have made a lasting impression on me. Coming off of their recent 2022 album “Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die”, Shaboozey makes this unique Americana and hip-hop blend that works so well together. A great track to start the summer off with.
Going into this, I was already a massive fan of Peggy but the production on this track brought my love for them to another level. The track starts off with massive walls of sounds that make you want to go just a little too fast on the highway, and once you’re in that mindset, you’re already strapped in for the ride.
The track later goes into a bossa nova feel in the middle to balance out the madness from the beginning. With all of this combined, both Peggy and Danny Brown rapping over transitional clave parts, the bossa nova and to the great walls of sounds, this track has solidified itself as one of my favorite tracks of the year.
If you were wondering when and where the world’s largest gathering of gay people wearing Doc Martens was, it was May 2, 2023 at The Ritz Raleigh. The 10,000 gecs tour, featuring Machine Girl as the opener, stopped in Raleigh during its nationwide run.
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | TANUKICHAN | Gizmo | Carpark |
2 | YVES TUMOR | Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) | Warp |
3 | NILUFER YANYA | “Rid Of Me” [Single] | ATO |
4 | NARROW HEAD | Moments Of Clarity | Run For Cover |
5 | JPEGMAFIA AND DANNY BROWN | Scaring The Hoes | Peggy/AWAL |
6 | ELIJAH ROSARIO | Discovery After Death | Self-Released |
7 | ATMOSPHERE | So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously | Rhymesayers |
8 | WEDNESDAY | Rat Saw God | Dead Oceans/Secretly Group |
9 | SUMMER 2000 | Live At Crying Obsidian Fest | Self-Released |
10 | PANCHIKO | Failed At Math(s) | Self-Released |
11 | HMLTD | The Worm | Lucky Number |
12 | LITTLE SIMZ | NO THANK YOU | Forever Living Originals/AWAL |
13 | PEARL AND THE OYSTERS | Coast 2 Coast | Stones Throw |
14 | YAYA BEY | Exodus The North Star [EP] | Big Dada |
15 | CAKES DA KILLA | Svengali | Young Art |
16 | FLY ANAKIN | Skinemaxxx (Side A) | Lex |
17 | TINY RUINS | Ceremony | Ba Da Bing! |
18 | WESLEY JOSEPH | GLOW [EP] | Secretly Canadian/Secretly Group |
19 | ALTIN GUN | Ask | ATO |
20 | KARA JACKSON | Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love? | September |
21 | ASIAN GLOW | Coverglow pt.1 | Self-Released |
22 | B COOL-AID | Leather Blvd. | Lex |
23 | BUILT TO SPILL | When The Wind Forgets Your Name | Sub Pop |
24 | DIVINO NINO | Last Spa On Earth | Winspear |
25 | EMPEROR X | Suggested Improvements To Transportation Infrastructure In The Northeast Corridor [EP] | Self-Released |
26 | KAMAUU | Lacuna & The House Of Mirrors | Atlantic |
27 | KNIFEPLAY | Animal Drowning | Topshelf |
28 | MAMALARKY | Pocket Fantasy | Fire Talk |
29 | RARELYALWAYS | WORK | Innovative Leisure |
30 | SOL MESSIAH | GOD CMPLX | Rhymesayers |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | TINY RUINS | Ceremony | Ba Da Bing! |
2 | TERRAPLANA | Olhar Pra Tras | Balaclava |
3 | TERENCE ETC | VORTEX | Brainfeeder |
4 | SLY5THAVE AND JSWISS | Somebody’s Gotta Do It | Tru Thoughts |
5 | WAX TAILOR | Fishing For Accidents | Lab’oratoire |
6 | LIFEGUARD | Crowd Can Talk [EP] | Born Yesterday |
7 | DOUBLE GRAVE | Till The Ground | Self-Released |
8 | WOMBO | “Slab” [Single] | Fire Talk |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | KAMAUU | Lacuna & The House Of Mirrors | Atlantic |
2 | JPEGMAFIA AND DANNY BROWN | Scaring The Hoes | Peggy/AWAL |
3 | CAKES DA KILLA | Svengali | Young Art |
4 | SUDAN ARCHIVES | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Stones Throw |
5 | LITTLE SIMZ | NO THANK YOU | Forever Living Originals/AWAL |
6 | NAVY BLUE | Ways Of Knowing | Def Jam |
7 | WHEELUP | We Are The Magic | Tru Thoughts |
8 | RARELYALWAYS | WORK | Innovative Leisure |
9 | FLY ANAKIN | Skinemaxxx (Side A) | Lex |
10 | SAMPA THE GREAT | As Above, So Below | Loma Vista/Concord |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | SOL MESSIAH | GOD CMPLX | Rhymesayers |
2 | SLY5THAVE AND JSWISS | Somebody’s Gotta Do It | Tru Thoughts |
3 | WAX TAILOR | Fishing For Accidents | Lab’oratoire |
4 | MAUVEY | Before The Album 2: A Brief Overview | 604 |
5 | TERENCE ETC | VORTEX | Brainfeeder |
6 | KASSA OVERALL | “Ready To Ball” [Single] | Warp |
7 | KARI FAUX | “TURNIN’ HEADS” feat. Big K.R.I.T. [Single] | Drink Sum Wtr |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | BOISVERT | “Retribution” [Single] | Self-Released |
2 | AUGUST BURNS RED | Death Below | SharpTone |
3 | BURY TOMORROW | The Seventh Sun | MFN |
4 | GIF FROM GOD | “A Kiss For Every Hornet” [Single] | Prosthetic |
5 | CHILDREN OF THE REPTILE | Heavy Is The Head | Self-Released |
6 | MAMMOTH CARAVAN | Ice Cold Oblivion | Self-Released |
7 | DREAMS OF GRAY | The World After [EP] | Self-Released |
8 | VISITANT | “Dematerialization” [Single] | Self-Released |
9 | DRYAD | The Abyssal Plain | Prosthetic |
10 | ABBEY, THE | “A Thousand Dead Witches” [Single] | Season Of Mist |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | HYPHYSKAZERBOX | Manic In Your House | Suite 309 |
2 | NEGGY GEMMY | CBD Reiki Moonbeam | 100% Electronica |
3 | MAGDALENA BAY | Mini Mix Vol. 3 [EP] | Luminelle |
4 | LAINIST | The Nightmare of Fabrication | Vivarium |
5 | FELICITA | Spalarkle | PC |
6 | ROBOCALYPSE VA | VARIOUS ARTISTS | Simplexia |
7 | KHOTIN | Release Spirit | Ghostly International |
8 | IN ORDER TO DANCE 4.0 | VARIOUS ARTISTS | R&S |
9 | AUTUMN | Please Don’t Forget About Me | Self-Released |
10 | KATIE GATELY | Fawn / Brute | Houndstooth |
# | Artist | Record | Label |
1 | FELICITA | Spalarkle | PC |
Beginning on Sunday, May 14, “Geet Bazaar” is officially moving from WKNC 88.1 to RadioNyra.
John Caldwell and Afroz Taj will continue hosting “Geet Bazaar” at the same time, Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The long-running program plays a wide variety of South Asian music from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and beyond. Tune in for Bollywood film songs from yesterday and today, along with ghazals, qawwalis, folk tunes, and much more. They also track community events and interview celebrities from the entertainment industry.
“Geet Bazaar” fans can tune in online at radionyra.com, or by asking Google, Siri or Alexa to “Play RadioNyra.”
You can also still tune in on three new radio frequencies at WCMC-FM 99.9-HD4, W270DT 101.9 FM and WDUR 1490 AM.
If you want to know more about this change and why “Geet Bazaar” and WKNC are parting ways read about the decision to discontinue regular DJ shifts by non-NC State students.