Beating the buzz for higher grounds, higher states, and even higher stakes; Impose Week in Pop invites over a handful of today's most innovative artists to close things up, with first a look at a few top spots from the headlines. We received word about Migos getting caught up in a shootout in Miami, Kanye & Kim Vogue cover spoofs and clogging social media feeds, chatter over Cloud Nothings and WAVVES collab, Billboard is curating a Twitter trending based chart, buzz over the Chris 'Coldplay' Martin split with Gwyneth Paltrow, the continued release of Kurt Cobain death scene photos continues to bum us out, Wu-Tang to sell only one copy of secret album, while Billy Corgan's professional wrestling league Resistance Pro might be getting an AMC show and news of another performance at his Madame ZuZu's tea house based on the works of Sufi mystic Rumi called, “Sunday With Rumi”. But moving forward now, we are proud to present exclusives and interviews from Secret Colours, WV White, Albert Swarm, Suburban Living, Young Aundee, and more—in no particular order.
Leading up to the release of their new album Positive Distractions Part II, Chicago's Secret Colours dropped by to debut their new song off the album, “Into You”. The into it, out of it, and over it song dialogues come from singer Tommy Evans with Justin Frederick, Eric Hehr, and Mike Novak that sort through their connective complications of shared thoughts and sentiment spaces. Having given us recent songs like “Heavy & Steady“, and “It Can't Be Simple“; Secret Colours take you deeper into the codes that codify relationships and the unspoken energy that exists between couples.
“Into You” finds Tommy describing the rules of attraction in time to the beat of Justin's percussive rhythm measures. “You are into me / I am into you / being into me, being into you / and I… like you.” The almost over-simplified description takes the couple's perception into the ESP channels that tunnel in the non-verbal shared mental folders and signals. As the song keeps strutting on its dancing heels, the acknowledged perceptions and understandings of where the other has been and where they are going are explained in a verse. “In my head I've been / I've been in your head / in your head we've been / you've been in my head / and I see ahead.” From these places that follow the paths' individual view points and the shared consciousness, Secret Colours use their pop poetics in attempt to translate the inexplicable and magnetic sensory of connectiveness that blend the empathy of the super-ego with the self.
Tommy from Secret Colours gave us an inside tour of the band's upcoming album Positive Distractions Part II, Austin Psych Fest projections, and more.
Tommy, tell us about the upcoming installment of Positive Distractions with Part II. What do you feel progressed for you and the band between these two volumes, and what distractions do you feel were the most beneficial to all these recordings?
Most of part one and part two were recorded down at Dandy Sounds in Dripping Springs, Texas. We recorded “It Can't Be Simple” and “Rotten Summer” in Chicago about three months prior to going down to Texas, so we had a good amount of time for pre-production, and writing. Overall we recorded 12 songs in 11 days. We had the intent of releasing an EP but wound up with enough tunes for a record. So we decided to put two EPs digitally since the collection of tunes felt like they could be segregated in two separate EPs. However making this project felt like one big experience and it didn't seem right to me to not put it out as a full LP. So after both EPs are released digitally we are going to release the full album on CD, vinyl, and cassette.
The album itself is more or less about not being satisfied where you are in life then something unexpected derails you from the undesirable path and helps bring you to be content in yourself whether it be a person, new experience, or new hobbies. That's what a positive distraction means to me.
As far as distractions during the process of making the record, there wasn't many. We all worked our asses off staying focused with ungodly amounts of Jim Beam.
Who are you most excited to see at your upcoming appearance at Austin Psych Fest?
Always good to see The Black Angels. The Zombies being there is pretty crazy that is a must. Night Beats, Mikal Cronin, Dead Meadow. I think I'm most excited to see Temples. I can't get their record off my rotation.
Care to take us into your own songwriting methods, like the appealing song about attractions on “Into You”, or like your previous offerings of “It Can't Be Simple”, and “Heavy & Steady”.
The music itself was a huge collab between the four of us. One of us would bring in a riff or idea and the rest of us would write our own accompaniment to the skeleton riff or groove. From there we'd talk through almost every detail 'til we all were happy usually ending up with something we didn't expect. For example, I had the key part and vocal melody for “It Can't Be Simple” and Justin and Eric were the ones who made the groove with Mike's reggae and lead guitars. In my head the song had more of a dance beat but what they did with it turned out far greater than I could have made it. As for writing lyrics, I drew my inspiration from the experiences I had in the summer and fall of 2012.
How do you and Secret Colours translate these songs into full form from your concepts, ideas and initial sketches?
We pretty much had all the music structure and lyrics done before Austin which gave us and Dan Dusynski (producer, engineer, wizard) the chance to focus on the nuances of the record. The strange delays, harmonies, samples. All the things that make the record shine.
The English vernacular spelling of adding that 'u' in your name Secret Colours; is this anyway some kind of British Invasion influence nod?
All of my favourite music is from England. I suppose so.
What do you find yourself listening to lately?
The two groups I can't get enough of right now is Temples and the latest Arctic Monkeys.
Other spring and summer plans on the heels of Positive Distractions Part II's release?
We want to tour for this record but we have nothing planned at the moment. Maybe we'll just go back to Austin!
Positive Distractions Part II will be available April 29 via Bandcamp.
From Helsinki, Finland with atmospheric care and hallowed ambient hollows re-emerges Albert Swarm, with the release of his new EP The Cage from Brooklyn's Ceremony Recordings. Previous releases Held, and Wake are the risers that lead to this three song offering that enters a new citadel.
You enter the lobby of the EP with the opening “Truths” that reveals a gothic medieval entrance into an ornate palace of many rooms, tiers, and keyboard-diamond encrusted pillars. The track bubbles into the rippling digital synth slithers that begin the curious loops and cascading keys that attempt to contain “Restraints”. The title track “The Cage” sounds like a mass performed in a prison, where the cut's opening benediction begins a mission into the various floors of this heart beat pounding break out through the digital dungeon.
On the heels of The Cage's release, we had an opportunity chat with the only and only Albert Swarm over Atlantic waters.
How has the winter to spring transition in Helsinki treated you, family and friends?
I really wanted to buy cross-country skis this spring and go torture myself on the ski tracks, but the snow melted way too early. If you don’t count that minor bummer, it’s the best spring in years. I’ve been listening to stuff like Ben Frost, Kelela, black metal and old bossa nova. And I guess I’ll start buying modular synths instead with the money I saved for the skis.
Walk us through your work from Held, Wake, to The Cage. How have these states of embrace, reckoning of conscious lead up to the imprisoning EP of prismatic synths and some sick drum patterns?
For Held I was loosely imagining a theme about a mother who abandons her newborn child and later on regrets her decision. With Wake I didn’t really want to have a specific theme, some of the track titles were just inspired by these weird dreams that I had at the time.
So with Held and Wake I was going for this dreamy, distant vibe but now I’ve been more fixated on dissonant and fragmented sounds and this idea of a bad trip or a nightmare you can’t wake up from. A bit like the movie Jacob’s Ladder.
I feel that one of the reasons that the soundscape has become a bit more oppressive than before is that the emphasis on my EPs has shifted radically from melodic to rhythmic during the three EPs. Rhythm has taken overally the dominating and more important role on The Cage as opposed to Held, which I wrote during a time when I was much more interested in ambient music and minimalism.
The concentration on melody and subtleties on Held was also caused by technical restrictions: I wrote Held in my room in NY by using just a portable Jawbone Jambox, which doesn’t really play low frequencies at all. I’d broken my headphones just some time earlier and I didn’t buy new ones before Held was actually released.
I didn’t listen to a lot of electronic music prior to working on Held, and since then I’ve pretty much dived in the deep end of electronics so to speak. Overall, I’ve become more comfortable with giving bass and percussions more of a leading role on my tracks.
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It's almost like the tracks, “Truth”, “Restraints”, “The Cage” could all be Albert Swarm EP titles and arguable, if edited as an extended disco mix could be 12″ EPs to themselves. How do you decide which is a title for a release or for an individual track?
It depends a lot: sometimes I have a list of suitable names ready for tracks. This time I made the artwork already a year ago and it was really the basis on which I began to write the songs for: having this claustrophobic 'caught in a dark room or state of mind you can’t get out of' atmosphere. Typically I don’t want to name my EPs after certain songs but on The Cage I really wanted to put the listener’s emphasis on the title track.
And given the very ethereal component of your music, where you do much with ambience and these electronic touches of subtlety, how you go about the process of editing your tracks?
The process really changes a lot. For a while now I was just lost when I was trying to write tracks the way I was used to. I typically begin by introducing a natural element to tracks, be it human voice or manipulated sounds of buzzing bees. The human sound normally ends up being buried under the layers of tracks, but it’s there. On both Held and Wake I used human scream samples on the tracks but it’s really hard to hear them.
On future songs I potentially want to start using more organic instruments, like a real bass but I’ll see if it actually works. There’s also a saxophone-led, Badalamenti-inspired song on the works but I’m not sure if I’ll ever release it under the Albert Swarm moniker.
What are some of your recent favorite artists from Helsinki?
I’ve lately started exploring the Finnish jazz scene a lot—there’s a lot of interesting acts like this aggressive, almost punk-sounding act Sound & Fury and Oddarrang, which kind of gives a new refreshing jazz-inspired breath to post-rock, which has in general ended up becoming a horribly dull scene. Also psychedelic black metal group Oranssi Pazuzu is amazing. Then there’s Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Redder, Phantom and a lot of other great acts around.
Latest reports and thoughts on the Finnish scenes around Helsinki and elsewhere?
The Finnish DJ and club scene are a mystery to me to be honest. There’s a lot of great cross-genre festivals in Helsinki though, like Kuudes Aisti.
Any remixes, or Albert Swarm collaborations in the making?
This and that, I’ve been talking with some singer friends and other local groups about doing some collaboration singles or split EPs but we’ll see what happens.
Albert Swarm's The Cage is avaialble now from Ceremony Recordings.
(WV White, photographed by Danielle Petrosa)
Columbus, Ohio's WV White released their album, West Virginia White this past week on Anyway Records, also the home of fellow Midwestern indie rockers, Connections. Taking their name from the metamorphosing Pieris Virginiensis insect, guitarist and vocalist Tyler Travis, with fellow vocalist and keyboardist Caeleigh Featherstone, bassist John C. Fisher, and drummer Tayler Beck allow their organic approach to synthesize together in the slacker sciences and sonic physics.
The small town drama, “Alison Lapper, Pregnant”, takes you to tales and trials of teenage pregnancy and yearbook doodling gossip. Iconic red trucks and rebel yells coast on organ riding boogie boards on the howl and wail of “Ford Mustang”. The American machines of industry are moved to the false start performance of “Macha” that lifts spirits up from the sulks of depression through an honest-hearted outreach of hands and arms on lyrics like, “stop trying to kill yourself.” Lives from the margins make a break from the cracks in the floor and walls on the gentle beauty of “Cockroaches” to the seventeenth century genre painted indoor designs on “Dutch Interior”.
“Multiple Bathrooms” makes its way down the hallway in search of relief, and rocks through the mirages of false advertising. Songs like “Mastercraft” are a great representation of the band's own band-craft mastery where their sonic fused sound comes together like a naturally occurring force of happenstance. In case you missed it on the first half of the album, this is the point where the band's bond can be heard as a tied tight knot of kinship, friendship, a forged force to be reckoned with in the Columbus scene. Cassette tape clicks and record button noodling can be heard on the home recorded relic of “JC's Song”, strumming melancholic keys of 'wishing you were here' sentiments that leaves you with line of “plant the seeds I wish you were here to see this.” After that interlude, “The Mess” pours out everything you love about WV White with everyone throwing in everything they got—up to and including the kitchen sink—where the fuzziest guitarists are sent up into the rafters of destined and pre-ordained dreams. The closer “Tricycle Sutra II (Nutra)” completes the journey on West Virginia White with a finale that rides off into the Midwest sunset on a three-wheeler to Caeleigh's organ keys, harmonies, melodies, and blasts of notes that continue on and into the evening's skyfall.
WVWhite's Tayler Beck talked to us a bit to give us lots of good news in an extensive report on the state of the Ohio scenes and much more.
Paint us the picture of your guy's Ohio upbringing, and that how that sonic-suburban surrealism was first birthed.
Our upbringing consisted of long walks on historic streets. The sub-urban areas of Delaware aren’t suburbs, at least the ones around when we were younger. Conversation and character building originated here stemming self awareness and strengthening communicative paths. When we would hang out we would play music. We were lucky enough to have Tyler’s dad, Mike Travis, who did the mastering, provide us with the means of projection. I think this is where the sonic comes in. He always had drums around, bass and guitar along with the amplification necessary to rattle the windows.
State of the Ohio scene? The good? The bad? The awesome? The boring?
Ohio has an awesome scene within art and music both. All genres are around each with their own crowd to suit. Whatever you’re looking for is happening somewhere. There are great places such as Carabar where shows are always free, no matter who the act is. It makes music really accessible here. We try to occupy our own place within the scene & slide between the genres we encounter.
The music really takes the listener to the American Midwest, with your songs that are almost like these local folk tales that the listener gets dragged in on as a complicit party, like on “Alison Lapper, Pregnant” and the vivid showdown of “Ford Mustang”. Your music has a real appeal where we are brought to your hometown, and feel like you are there present at a live show like the false start live-sounding opening to, “Macha”. Do you all draw from some kind of local vibe out there and then channel your experiences so your listener's can easily join in?
Yes, our surroundings influence us heavily and we try to tune in to and enjoy the vibes around us. We try to make it out to shows, everyth show is an influence when seen in person. Community engagement is an awesome thing. The Midwest is where we live, so it manifests itself in our music accordingly. The album is close to a live sound, however, those songs have progressed further since their recordings. We like to move around so hopefully the album conveys that enough to bring people out to experience it for themselves.
I love that you can do these like pub craft singalongs like the drunk at the piano “Cockroaches”, “Dutch Interior”, and then switch the controls for complete blast off on an epic like “Multiple Bathrooms”. What is up with that kind of audio bi-polarity, and what the hell is up with “Multiple Bathrooms”? It all rules.
Perhaps this was touched upon in the second question but the variance within our music is a result of recognizing these ‘significant’ aspects of songs, and making a point to diverge from them in other songs. Naturally, we as musicians create the aesthetic, but the songs are left free to delve into whatever genre or ‘mode’ they would like. Multiple people with multiple influences makes for many outcomes… “Multiple Bathrooms” is about false advertising.
Was there any conscious planning, like with putting the lo-fi tape recorded vignette of “JC's Song” before knocking us over flat with “The Mess”, and “Tricycle Sutra II (Nutra)”?
There was most certainly planning within the composition of the album. Built to Spill and Pavement instilled in us the concept of an album as a journey rather than a place to slap together songs. There are aspects of the record we have been able to recognize after putting forth the effort to make the album read well. We’re looking forward to enhancing some, and straying away from others.
Do you abide by some quiet for a moment, and then hit them with everything WVWhite has?
Next album we’re going to shoot for higher peaks and lower valleys.
Who are some other Ohio groups you all dig?
Connections, Brat Curse, Nervosas, Psychic Wheels, Sega Genocide plus all the golden oldies of Ohio.
What can we expect from the festivities from the release of your LP?
We’re going to keep on keeping on. We’re playing in Dayton and Chicago soon and hopefully everywhere else after that. We just hope people are willing to come check it out and enjoy the Spectacle along with us.
Here’s a photo from that release show actually.
Parting words of wisdom for your listeners and readers?
We’re all pretty young, so wisdom will come more easily in time. That being said, the wisest thing one can ever do is be aware of their surroundings and the state of the World. Clearly there are some major flaws in the way that the World is functioning currently. Everyone should make it their goal to change that, in any way possible. Because… well wouldn’t it be fun if things actually changed? Hope that’s something.
WVWhite's self-titled album is available now via Bandcamp from Anyway Records.
Wesley Bunch of Suburban Living dropped the karaoke bar feel video for, “Video Love”, directed by Richard Perkins with Robbie Graves, and edited by Charley Feher. Taken from the Virginia artist's Always Eyes 7″, hearts fastened, fixed, and worn on sleeve are translated to lyrics displayed on the screen. “You're Just my type, we hardly talked, no care for our feelings no care for the sky above, you're just my type, my video love, until we meet again when we wash away.” “Videos” finds the artist inhabiting piers, porches, bedrooms, dark rooms with bright lights, and on-screen note characters and bracketed indications of things like, “[Sick Guitar Solo].” Bunch takes his song and guitars through the karaoke selections that bring about an oceanic Pangaea that gathers together all seven seas of the East, West, North and South together in a VHS taped pool of sweet and sentimental harmony.
Suburban Living's Wesley Bunch to talk about his awesome karaoke visuals for “Video Love,” the Norfolk, and Portsmouth report, and much more.
Tell us about working with videographers Richard Perkins and Robbie Graves to create the 'karaoke in a bar feel' recorded between beach and suburban locales around Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA.
It was great working with Richard and Robbie. I’ve known Richard for a while now, and it was cool that they wanted to shoot something. They had me climbing on top of sketchy rooftops to shoot this video. Those guys definitely like to push the limits for a shot and I like that. They just know how to have a good time which is a big plus for me. As far as the locale, we were really limited to our area which really only showcases 'beach and suburban' areas.
The on-screen title lyric video/karaoke choice was awesome, why do you feel that those Eastern interactive audio visual styles are enjoying a popular resurgence among Western audiences and artists alike?
Let me just start by saying this is the coolest question anyone has ever asked me about this video ever. That’s so rad you picked up on those influences. I grabbed on to this idea because I had just visited this bar in Norfolk called Cruzers which is owned by an Eastern Asian family. They do this awesome karaoke on a TV that looks like it was bought in 2001. You can choose a song for like a dollar or something, and all the visuals to the song you’re singing are to backdrops of waterfalls or boats sailing on calm waters. It’s pretty rad when you’re with your friends and you get a couple beers in you. The visuals in their software totally took me back to singing karaoke in my living room with my family when was twelve years old. I guess this aesthetic is making a resurgence in our Western Culture, and I think it’s mainly due to the fact that it’s just time for this stuff to make a 'comeback' even though I feel like it never really left. It’s just cultural science. People get nostalgic. Dude, someone born in 1997 is 17 years old now. Isn’t that insane? I’m only 23 and I know that’s way too old to pull the whole 'I’m old' card and it probably is way too soon to be calling late 90s early 2000s audio and visuals a 'throwback' or whatever, but it just felt right and cool. Everyone’s been tagging the video as 90s nostalgia (which in turn I feel like really mean this Eastern Visual Style) because let’s get real, that shit people are marketing fashion wise as '90s wear' was NEVER popular in the 90s. Either way, I just did it because my gut told me these visuals looked cool and remind me of a sweet time in my life.
What is the current state of the DIY scene in Norfolk, Portsmouth and surrounding incorporated / unincorporated territories?
Pretty dismal. Everything that's DIY around here gets shut down quick. My friend Rusty ran one of the best DIY venues Virginia Beach has ever seen for a year. That was the longest I had ever seen a DIY venue run in this area. It was awesome and located in this converted retail/garage spot, we played a ton of shows there with great friends. Eventually the landlord had to pull the plug, but it was great while it lasted. Rusty just has a true grasp on the DIY scene and that dude treats touring bands so great. He’s thrown the best DIY shows in Virginia Beach and it’s cool Suburban Living has played some of them. Other than that, there’s a house show here and there and nothing DIY sticks without the cops/city shutting it down quick.
Fellow local artists you're really into at the moment?
There’s some very cool bands from this area. I of course am biased to some people that have helped me with the Suburban Living live line up. There’s Wandcarver, which features Seth McPhearson who has played in SL. His stuff is great, very 'dark wave' Joy Division meets Christian Death. Also You’re Jovian which features my friend Elliott Malvas and I also play guitar and bass in live. His stuff is like Sebadoh meets My Bloody Valentine. There’s also this great duo called Sunny and Gabe who infuse this kind of hip hop meets dreamy Cocteau Twins vibe.
What was the story and the concept for you behind the sincerity streaming out pour of feeling that's on the song (and video) for “Video Love”?
What’s funny is “Video Love” is one of those songs I totally wrote on a whim. From the start it was this, 'I’m gonna write a song that’s totally not my vibe right now,' which turned out a down tempo 'ballad' song. Most of everything I was writing at the time was upbeat and poppy/happy songs that were lyrically very 'close to home' kind of stuff. So “Video Love” is a shot at me writing a song out of my comfort zone and from a third person lyrical view.
What have you been working on lately, and what's coming up next for Suburban Living?
As you can probably tell things have been somewhat quiet for Suburban Living the past few months. We toured to SxSW last year, put out a 7″, almost a year to date, toured around in the summer then hit up an East Coast tour in the fall including a festival date in Tokyo. Since that fall tour in 2013 I’ve been working really hard on a full length. I’ve finally written like 10 songs I’m 100% proud of and can’t wait to share with the world. I hit the studio in a few weeks to finish it up. Hope to have a single out by mid/late summer.
What is it for you about the different places and spaces of dwelling from the cities, the suburbs, the skies, and the sees that you evoke in your namesake, your music, and more?
I’ve lived in Virginia Beach my entire life. If you’ve ever been here you’ll know that it’s basically the beach (tons of sky and ocean off to the horizon) the suburbs (houses built in the 70s w/ big yards), a faux city (strip malls stacked on strip malls). It’s hard to not let your surroundings influence yourself which in turn for me influences my music and my band because at the end of the day my band is just me. I chose the name Suburban Living because it encompassed everything around me and I didn’t want to go by Wesley Bunch. I just can’t imagine walking around and fans wearing t-shirts that say 'Wesley Bunch' and album names titled with 'Wesley Bunch.' It just doesn’t match the type of music I do. The surroundings definitely affected my sound, because for the most part Virginia Beach’s weather is bright, sunny, warm, beachy. I make summer music I guess.
Spring and summer preview for Suburban Living?
I’m doing some local dates and a few festival dates. I’m heading straight from our show at Tom Tom Festival in Charlottesville to the studio I work at in Virginia to finish my record. I’m hoping to finish it in one week. One of those “turn off my phone and get shit done” weeks. Hopefully after that we’ll hit NYC and all the other rad cities on the coast for some summer time shows. Check the dates:
March
28 Richmond, VA – Balliceaux
29 Norfolk, VA – The Iguana
April
12 Charlottesville, VA – Trap House
13 Charlottesville, VA – Tom Tom Fest
Listen to more from Suburan Living via Bandcamp.
(Young Aundee, photographed by Joshua Craig.)
Sacramento's Young Aundee is preparing the Caveat Emptor release for Waaga this Tuesday April 1 along with a release party the same evening at Sac's Low Brau. Sharing the boistrous synth beat and bounce of, “Amazing Grace” off the EP, frontman Andrew Southard collaborated with Tha Fruitbat's following bass sauced track, “Beckon”. Letting drum rhythms and keyboard selections exhibit the embrace and feeling of trust, the two create an auditory presence of security with vocals and effects that surface and disappear as swift as they emerged from the fog. Southard and Tha Fruitbat listed for us the following gear that contributed to this track:
– Pads : Juno 106
– Worm Lead : Eurorack Modular Synth :Tip Top Z3000 oscillator through Doepfer SEM filter
– Lead B : Univox Mini-Korg (through Tapco spring reverb and Maestro Echoplex)
– Arp – Midi Nintendo
And in case you missed it, here is a listen to the wing raising graces of Young Aundee's “Amazing Grace” that soars like doves from the baptismal lakes. Stay tuned for our recent interview with Andrew since his cover of Yaz's “Young Tuesday”.
So as we await the release of the new Young Aundee Caveat Emptor EP; Andew Southard joins us up with again to catch up, and take us behind the consoles, mixers and controls, and into the process of one of Sacramento's shining indie stars.
What was one of the driving visions that you were working with in the composition of the upcoming Caveat Emptor EP?
We had the opportunity to play in a couple festival settings last year… One of our favorites was called “The Bounce”… Perhaps part of that vision was to make something that was my own brand of x-ray cerebral pop music that could also be on par with the music that's played on festival sound systems i.e. The Bounce, Symbiosis, Bobolink etc…
“Amazing Grace” is amazing, I know we have talked before extensively about your respect for Vince Clarke, and was wondering about the passion that informs this particular single.
I was absolutely pulling references from the early Depeche Mode albums he produced as inspiration (Speak and Spell). Also newish dark synth stuff like The Faint, and ADULT.
Working together in a band capacity, how do you find that it differs from the solo roads and routes of performing, recording, and writing for you?
I feel very lucky to be able to work with various producers and put my name as a solo artist… I'm seeing that as a sustainable thing as I've only used the Young Aundee moniker since 2005. Dusty and I are constantly thinking of new, and affordable ways of making the live show more engaging…
Having grown up in a strict household, and that story about you running away in high school, I was wondering how that sheltered life has contributed to your work on a creative level?
If anything, it has certainly put an importance on remaining vulnerable…that's how you achieve closeness and gain trust. The goal is to connect through the music created. If that's lost, then at least I'm remembering what and who I was at the time a certain piece was made.
I feel very fortunate to be able to express myself in that way for this reason.
Sacramento has so many great things happening, Doombird's recent release really captured our attention and imagination. Who are some local folks you and friends are really into right now?
I love the Cygnus album too. Ernie Fresh, Paper Pistols, DLRN, Sunmonks, and Tepid Joy are all locals that I can safely co-sign for…
And since you dig the Doombird release you'll definitely want to check out Contra. Their summer itinerary is stacking up fast.
Spring and summer plans for Young Aundee?
Well, the EP comes out next Tuesday April 1. On limited cassette tape release and in the digital world via Waaga Records.
I will be playing the EP in it's entirety plus new unreleased material at Le Twist (Low Brau) on the day of it's release.
Besides that, playing shows and recording a full length record with Giant Squid in June.
Young Aundee's Caveat Emptor will be available April 1 on tape and digital, with pre-order availablenow via Waaga Records.
L'Orange's album, The Orchid Days will be available April 8 from Mello Music Group, and we have the track, “The End” that features an appearance from Billy Woods. Directed by Jay Brown, with video effects from Paul Mihailoff; L'Orange pitch-flipping production and late night verses becomes joined by Woods and shadowy images of hoodied spirits moving about the streetcorners and sidewalks of the material world.
Desert Daze is happening April 26 at Sunset Ranch Oasis that features the likes of, Blonde Redhead, The Raveonettes, DIIV, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Liars, Vincent Gallo, Autolux, and so forth. Go here for more information, and watch the following animated video now.
From their just released self-titled from Decades Records, check out the snazzy synth fever of Jean Jacket Miami dance floor lazer dazer, “Next to Rosary Pt. 2”.
Word spitter Chad D from Pennsylvania, aka Chad Lewine made the jump to Brooklyn and became, HoneyChrome. Check out your boy's dance moves and more in the video for, “Hope You Visit Soon Bro”.
YG, The Jacka, and Messy Marv join Blanco on the track “9/11” dishes out thoughts on corruption, devastation, and states of mind. Find this on the upcoming One Hunnid EP available April 15 that that also counts collaborations from Nipsey Hussle, Mistah FAB, Trae the Truth, Freeway, and production from Tha Bizness.
Todd Terje is going to release his debut, It's Album Time on his imprint Olsen Records on April 8, and you need to check out the cover he did with Bryan Ferry of Robert Palmer's “Johnny & Mary”.
Enter the Slasher House will be available April 8 on Domino, and you can peep the Olivia Wyatt flashing light video show for, “Strange Colores”, from Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks.
With Memphis dive bar destroyers Ex-Cult releasing their Midnight Passenger album on April 29 from Goner Records, check out the threatening growl from Chris Shaw as he and the band turns all surrounding sounds inside out, back again, and then inside out one more time just for kicks.
Sivu's single Can't Stop Now drops April 8 from Canvasback Music's Canvasclub, and we got your listen to their cover of Nirvana's “Dumb” set to see-sawing organ drones.
Stone Cold Fox dropped the shake, twist, rattle, rock and roll of, “Darling, Darling (Twist)” off their upcoming album, Memory Palace, available May 6. So do the twist, get high on high-fructose corn syrup (or a healthier alternative), and twist the night away.
Adanowsky , son of the legendary Alejandro Jodorowsky dropped the sleak, 80s styled video for, “Dancing to the Radio”, off his album ADA. From the guy who learned to dance from James Brown, and learned guitar from George Harrison, check out his self-directed time capsule of 80s stage glamor that keeps those neon lit dreams lit bright.
Papercuts lend the uplifting choral symphony of their title track, from their upcoming album, Life Among the Savages available May 6 (May 12 in the UK) from Easy Sound / Memphis Industries. More sweeping strings await, pre-order is happening via iTunes.
Give it up for Antwon, as he drops the Shawn Kemp produced “Rain Song” that features Lil Ugly Mane. Kemp things everything cloudy for that dance, as we await further gems to drop from Antwon's upcoming Heavy Hearted In Doldrums, available May 6 from LA's most based, UNIF. Listen closing to the atmospheres of actual rainfall that kemp keeps pouring gently during the entire cut. Shout outs to hanging with Antwon at the Rickshaw in SF, where he performed with Cities Aviv, in a bill shared with Surf Club, and Weekend. Props on tearing it up on the mic, and kicking it natural, always.
Othe Silt album available through Wonderwheel Recordings, and you can peep the video for Alsarah & The Nubatones' “Soukura” here. Let Alsarah bring you closer to the sound and resonance of Sudanese music with visuals courtesy of Maryam Parwana and shot in a Bed Stuy mansion.
Dan Huiting directs the house party, dance party happening in motions all over Sylvan Esso's video for “Coffee”. Their self-titled album will be available May 13 from Partisan Records. Keep up with all of our extensive Sylvan Esso coverage, interviews, and exclusives here.
LAFAWNDAH dropped the single, “Butter” off her May 6 slated self-released self-titled. The track features co-production from Garagembanda, aka Emily King that creates for a skin to skin contact that is sweating, and spitting in candid congress.
You have probably heard by now, but just in case get a listen to Michael Gira's new orchestra/arkestra of sound and well meticulated and masterfully placed noise on Swan's new song, “A Little God In My Hands” off To Be Kind available May 13 from Young God Records.
You thought it would never happen, but this week it did. We present to you the collaboration between Air France and Yumi Zoumi, and their shared affinity and bonds in the song, “It Feels Good To Be Around You”. From the opening to the song's close, beginnings, discovery, memoriam, new friends, and old become reunited in the spoken bars of:
“Dear Air France, sometimes I think the way we met happened too fast…waking up to city sounds, but I'll always think about you, when I'm drunk”
Yumi Zouma's cover commemorates the anniversary of Air France's breakup, lending vocals from Joel Karlsson and Henrik Markstedt. The Yumi Zouma EP is available now from Cascine.
In more Cascine news, Nashville's Jensen Sportag's upcoming single “One Lane Lovers” b/w “Let The Queen Bee The Boss” has been slated for release April 8, and you can catch the breeze of the A-side here. The music takes the shape and styles of the pensive programming that occupies many of the sound-spaces of Japanese exported video interface option segment screen displays of today, and the past few decades.
Alright, so I may have been bumping the DJ Mustard produced TeeFLii with 2Chainz with the ratchet racket of, “24 Hours”. Tee is setting up his album Starr for release this summer, and you can check out any of Mustard's mixtapes from AnnieRuO'Tay 1, 2 and 3, and Fireworks.
Self-made in their basement, it's the video for the opening song, “Interesting Thing No. 2”, from Posse's beautiful album, Soft Opening from Beating a Dead Horse Records. Rest in peace, Kingdome, and shout outs to Dr. Katz Professional Therapist. Catch our debut of this song, and read our interview with Posse here.
Produced by Supahotbeats, get a listen to Wrekonize rolling with some folks you might recognize, with Jarren Benton and R.A. The Rugged Man on the remix version of, “Floating Away”. Let the waves sweep you away, but hold tight to the flotation devices to keep from going under.
With Little Racer's Modern Accent EP available April 8 frm PaperCup and an EP release show April 12 at Baby's All Right; peep the b/w shadow performance video for “Dancing” here.
Grand Cousin's debut EP will be available this spring, and will send shrill-chills down your spine with Henry Hall's powerful delivery and performances as displayed on the single, “Let Me Know”.
Milagres really takes it there in the night club gig set video for “Jeweled Cave”, off their Violent Light release from Kill Rock Stars. If you thought the single was over the dramatic hilt, take a good, nice, long look at this.
Seabed Remixed is slated for release April 1 from R&S Records and we have the hand-clapping house nerve sedative that is Debukas remix of Vondelpark's “Always Forever”..
Rare Beef's Michael Imperial dropped the “Slow Legend” cut that is taking the dance form back to the art of the 'chill lounge' ways. But this is no soft cop out, the 808s scream everything that's all the rave with Chicago dance styles, with a chopped and echo approach to electronic rhythm and blues. Note the glowing keyboard touches, and keep an ear out as the Toronto producer and Rare Beef imprint founder/operator will release Secret Drugs Volume 3 April 8. Listen to more via Facebook.
East India Youth takes on Wild Beasts' “A Simple Beautiful Truth”, that introduces some new drum patterns and decaying synths to the audio pictures of feelings and truths. EIY is the UK's own William Doyle, who has been celebrating the recent release of his debut release, Total Strife Forever from PIAS.
Nothing like a little soul searching with Amps For Christ, on the song “Sailor's Searching” off their forthcoming record, Canyons Cars and Crows April 15 from Shrimper. The rural folk sound reflects the surroundings of the Pomonoa Valley that contains the Equation Road studio where it was recorded. Roam the hillsides with Henry Barnes, who has brought you Man Is the Bastard, a split album with Woods, and Every Eleven Seconds, nearly seven years back.
The Skull Defekts are readying their album Dances in Dreams of the Known Unknown for April 8 release from Thrill Jockey, and we take you into the doomed dimensions of, “The Known Unknown”. The vocals dance to the fire steps of the guitars, as klaxon drones ride singular notes into the folds and suites of unknown destruction and mind breaking distortion.
With the calling of the tide, Arum Rae send the electronic waves our way, with “Warranted Queen” off her EP of the same name available April 22. The subtle electronic slow beat streams into the arranged drum network of rocks and pebbles to Arum's repeated assurances of, “it's alright.”
From Denton, Texas with a lot of heart; Two Knights dropped the decked out DIY bliss on, “Dear God, This Parachute is a Knapsack”, off their album debut, Shut Up, available April 8 from Count Your Lucky Stars.
Our friends Nathan Lithgow and Garth Macaleavey brought by another track from their Free My Animal album, with the grunge chords that ride across liquid riffs on, “Blood In The Water”. Catch our interview and premiere of the title track, here.
We got the first single from ProbCause's forthcoming WAVES EP, where he meets up with Chance the Rapper and remixing courtesy of Hood Internet on, “LSD”. This is what that new-new 'acid rap,' 'trip hop,' or whatever you like to call it is all about. Wavy worlds await.
Glass Animals have been dropping deets pertaining to their ZABA full length, but not before taking us through the atmospheric holiest of the holies on, “Holiest” that features Tei Shi off their EP, Gooey available April 8 from Harvest Records.
Tycho's Awake is available now from Ghostly, as Scott Hansen and company have already set out on their spring / summer tour. Get a limited time stream and listen to the new sea-lifting sounds of wakening consciousnesses.
Off their recently released Animal Relief EP, get into the echo noise chamber garage pop of Malatese on the chord striking sensations of, “Ostrich”.
September Gurls do so much, and give us more with the Neil O'Driscoll video for “Sister” from their Fortuna POP! album, Cursing The Sea.
Off “Deadbeat,” an upcoming Hulu original show from Lionsgate Television debuting April 9; you can hear the long-lost Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha dropping some electric chords on the show's theme song here.
Japanther's Instant Money Magic will be available digitally April 15 on Japanther's imprint Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt, and they welcome you to take them in as one of your own on, “Take Me In”.
The Peach King duo's Mojo Thunder EP will be available June 3, and you can peep the Paul Trillo sunset silhouetted video to pair with Paige McClain Wood's voice for, “Be Around”
VEDAS dropped the emotional wrecking ball of, “Ruin”, from their upcoming EP, Exhume, available April 15. The duo of vocalist, Alex Lee and percussionist Andrew Monborne combine the rhythm structures and ambient interiors to house the inhabitants of sentiment and thought.
The Trouble With Templeton's debut album Rookie will be available May 13 from Bella Union, and we have the video for, “Soldiers” where Brisbane, Australia singer-songwriter Thomas Calder's song comes alive in the nighmare of the nine to five existences – compliments of The Calder Boys.
Rare Times & Benedek have combined powers to create, Cool World, giving some “Chilly” vibes off their collaborative EP available April 8 on Feel So Real.
Girl Talk and Freeway dropped news of the Broken Ankles EP available April 8 that features Waka Flocka Flame, Young Chris, and Jadakiss. Peep the video teaser with “Tolerated”:
Mark E gave us a spin of the disc space beat of, “Being Hiding” featuring Bing Ji Ling from Phenomenal Handclap Band off the upcoming Product Of Industry album available April 28 from Ghostly.
Currently making the tour rounds, check out Miniature Tiger's poolside picture augmentations in the video for, “Swimming Pool Blues”, off their upcoming Cruel Runnings album available June 10 from YEBO Music. Make it with these blokes right beside the vintage babes and the chlorine-color-blue-chrome waters.
Incan Abraham released a listen to the song that has every big stage anthem element you could ever want in a pop song, with “All You Want”. The LA group's new album, Tolerance will be available April 8 from White Iris.
Crow Bait's album, Sliding Through the Halls of Fate will be available May 20 from Don Giovanni, and the Long Islanders gave us a taste with the melodic yet distorted fervor of, “83”.
SFV Acid helps us to take the stress off and a bit more on, “And No Stress” off the Amber's Songs album available April 29 from UNO NYC.
Also from the new album, get a listen to SFV Acid's “Cheddar Mercedes”.
Also don't miss, Boring Ecstasy: The Bedroom Pop of Orchid Tapes, available now from Orchid Tapes here, with a stream of some of your faves from Ricky Eat Acid, Infinity Crush, Home Alone, Foxes in Fiction, Euphoria Again, and more.
Augustines dropped the video for, “Now You Are Free”, to help you let it all go while making everything just a little easier on yourself. Ask yourself what you are running from, and set yourself free from whatever it might be as instructed here in the song.
I Break Horses' “Faith” got remixed by The Field in a chilled digital dance marathon that clocks in over eleven, jagged, jaded and drum-machine-drilling minutes. IBH's has an upcoming tour rolling from April 14 through May 3.
(“Trudge the Road”, from John Felix Arnold III's upcoming show, “Excorrigia: The Scourge” in NYC)
In catching up with our good buddy John Felix Arnold III, he told us about his road trip from San Francisco to NYC that moved on down the map lines of LA, through Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, and so on. His upcoming show is titled, “Excorrigia: The Scourge” taking place at NYC's Superchief Gallery from April 3-13. Opening reception is happening April 3, from 6-10pm at Culturefix, and today, March 28 the artist will be painting a mural, and building an installation with various found items collected from his recent travels. Peep the following trailer for “Excorrigia : The Scourge”, and check out JFAIII's site and Superchief Gallery for further details.
