New Music – Page 182 – Queen City Sounds and Art

Lunakid’s “Living In The Last Days” is a Reflection of the Brooding Menace and Glimmer of Hope Inherent to a World Facing Multiple Existential Crises

The rapid eye movement in the video for Lunakid’s “Living In The Last Days” reflects the dark urgency of the track. The title may be a bit on the nose for the various crises the world faces from the COVID-19 outbreak to the rise of far right political parties and authoritarian regimes in general across the world, the climate crisis bearing rapidly upon us all and all manner of issues that make right now feel like we are living as though it’s the last days of the human race. The mix of organic sounds and analog synths give this electronic song a physicality and emotional directness that brings you into that dark moment of realization and allows for a catharsis of that angst that makes the pressures coming at you from all angles seem manageable through the resolve at the end part of the song. The building of tension in the beginning and the natural and almost intuitive shift in direction and tone is a nice touch that transform darkness into not a state of denial but one of quiescence able to take on challenges ahead rather than in a perpetual mode of trauma management that will eventually erode your ability to handle anything when you really need to and sooner than later we all will in our various ways and through our multifarious capabilities. Watch the video for “Living In The Last Days” on YouTube and connect with the German production project at the website linked below.

www.lunakid.net

DOV’s Brooding and Deeply Resonant Downtempo Pop Song “Reciprocate” Speaks to the Universal Human Need for Genuine Love for a Night or a Lifetime

DOV establishes a deep sense of regret and disaffection on his single “Reciprocate.” The processing on the vocals, provided by London artist Vaughan, gives its almost falsetto tones in the choruses a distorted quality that enhances its message of yearning for real emotional connection in an era when many people pursue their natural sexual impulses through apps and other online avenues and can kind of scroll through a seemingly endless string of people as though choosing something to try out for awhile or just once. The lingering but propulsive bass line, the bell tone arpeggio and shuffling percussion are both brooding and contemplative, giving one a feeling of unease. The accompanying music video, according to the artist, “explores the representation of queer male sexuality in ’80s media through vintage porn and film clips” where even the hint of emotional bonding between people and the sometimes lurid romance of it seems preferable and more real than the even more highly mediated experiences one can have today. Everyone wants to be loved, to feel special even if a relationship isn’t lasting and the song evokes that desire, that need, in a resonant way whether or not the LGBTQ aspect of the video or the song is something that directly correlates to your life. The core humanity of it is universally relatable in a powerful way and this moody, electronic pop song stays with you long after it’s over. Watch the video for “Reciprocate” on YouTube, connect with DOV at the links provided and look out for the five-track It Feels Right EP due out July 24.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hZZ8OqdBU60DJTCt0OTKc
https://soundcloud.com/dovisnotabird
https://www.facebook.com/dovisnotabird
https://www.instagram.com/dovisnotabird

“Rise Up To Pray For The Dawn” The Malibu Beachband is Like a Massage and a Cleanse for the Psyche

The Malibu Beachband “Rise Up To Pray For The Dawn” cover

The Malibu Beachband is from Denmark and its single “Rise Up To Pray For The Dawn” may be inspired being in Istanbul one summer for a friend’s wedding and waking up before sunrise to hear the Imams utter the appropriate prayers (the Güneş) through speaker systems but the vibe of the song invokes the kind of mood one experiences in Southern California in the early morning assuming you’re not scrambling to get to some job. The organic flow of textures, impressionistic guitar work reminiscent of Daniel Lanois’ own on Brian Eno’s Apollo album, the blissful vocals tracing the slow arc of the sun into the full bloom of day and the delicate percussion flourishes through bells and drums have an effect similar to that of the music of Alice Coltrane’s spiritual albums. It is like a massage and a cleanse for the psyche, much needed in these angst-ridden times, and you’re better for having given it some time with your ears. Listen to “Rise Up To Pray For The Dawn” on YouTube, connect with The Malibu Beachband on Spotify where you can listen to the rest of the Freestyle Alternatives EP.

Mashmellow Captures the Peak Moments of a Magical Romance With Its Dream Pop Single “Share It”

Mashmellow seems to channel a bit of The Shape of Water in its colorful and imaginative video for its debut single “Share It” with its own plot of a romance between a mermaid and an earthbound human. The duo comprised of Masha Shurygina and Egor Berdnikov (of popular Russian indie rock band Hospital) are now based out of Moscow but have roots in Eastern Russia in the Vladivostok area. Inspired in part by 90s dream pop in the writing of the single, the band captures the sweeping dynamic of that era of music with the fuzz tones giving some grit to ethereal melodies but its captivating layering of the music with Shuygina’s melodious voice sets it apart from the current wave of 90s nostalgia rock. The production and choice of pace and rhythm has more in common with the likes of Voice of the Beehive more so than the ambient rock of Seefeel or Slowdive. Though its experiments in entrancing atmospheres throughout the song resonate with the work of those bands as well. It’s an elegant pop song with a touch of power behind the guitar work and an ear for evocative dynamics that strike the perfect balance of uplifting passages and those more introspective. The single was released by Revolver Records (UK) with a forthcoming EP due out in 2020. Watch the video for “Share It” on YouTube and follow Mashmellow at the links below.

https://soundcloud.com/wearemashmellow
https://open.spotify.com/artist/07QqFGQPEVwVtv3jCOy6Wr
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mashmellow/1506641635

Kosch & Bosco’s “Othered Bubble” is a Concise, Jazz Pop Exploration of Self-Alienation

Kosch & Bosco give us a rather unusual music video for its short song “Othered Bubble,” a song with an enigmantic title as well. It looks comprised of repurposed scientific process videos of material dynamics and titration, of manufacturing and the automated production of a plastic toy. The song, what might be described as progressive jazz with all the fluff cut out, seems like a commentary on the way many people self-alienate by holding other people in some way as inferior. The lines “Radioactive in my othered bubble/Completely different, nothing but trouble/I am better than this, I want to be better than this” point to an awareness of how problematic such a cultivated stance of considering oneself separate from other people, special even, and how toxic such a mindset can be. That this song is kind of a jaunty jazz pop tune is coupled with the video and those lyrics gives it an interesting conceptual contrast that is sustained and contained perfectly in its one minute, sixteen second duration. Connect with Kosch & Bosco at the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWnfdZWxibHnFvm7WxVzhQ
https://www.facebook.com/koschandboso

Rett Madison Navigates the Troubled Waters of Personal Darkness on “Shame is a River”

Rett Madison “Shame is a River” cover (cropped)

Rett Madison’s voice emerges boldly from the understated, textural guitar work of her single “Shame is a River.” The song seems to tell the tale of growing up in an environment where you can’t live your authentic life openly and you keep your struggles and your pain to yourself out a sense of shame and potential humiliation at admitting to anything that might make you seem weak or immoral in a social climate that isn’t supportive and out of a sense of obligation to others and not burdening them with your troubles. But often enough in life we find that if we can bring ourselves to cross that river of shame we find that there are people who know what it’s like or at least aren’t so conditioned by a twistedly stoic cultural framework and able to at least sympathize and we can find support and even a shared strength and sense of place. And perhaps most significantly for ourselves if we can be open about these issues with which we struggle we can work through them or at least feel free from them for a time by speaking our truth rather than feeling the need to always hide away the aspect of ourselves that aren’t so removed from the experiences of most people. Putting this process into song extends that personal claiming of dignity to the potential aid of other people who feel alone in their pain as well. The song in going from minimal guitar and vocals blossoming in volume and adding piano and percussion perfectly embodies going from shame to shedding it at least a little. Listen to “Shame is a River” on Soundcloud and connect with Rett Madison at the links provided.

https://soundcloud.com/rett-madison
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uvAzG565dP2oXartAqh1F
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rett-madison/1361224962

Lisabel’s Poetically Lush “A Work of Art” is a Portrait of a Disarmingly Pure Love

The title track to Lisabel’s debut album A Work of Art, written in collaboration with producer and pianist Nikola Kovačević is a downtempo love song that reflects the the kind regard in which one finds oneself on the receiving end of an affection that isn’t based in selfish motivations and being loved for you rather than what you might represent to that other person. Most love songs are grounded in a hackneyed premise especially those expressing any kind of idealism but Lisabel goes beyond the tropes and brings to the song a graceful and poetic expression and a sense of having been guarded in other relationships only to find herself surprised to be in love with someone who isn’t projecting onto her an unrealistic fantasy festooned with equally unrealistic expectations. The background spiral of synth sounds and processed piano melody serve as a lushly dreamlike backdrop to Lisabel’s soulful vocals with a touch of jazz in the composition. What is perhaps most striking is that in the current era of pop songwriting there isn’t a concession to cynicism or a jaded perspective while also not melodramatically overstating matters in that desperate way that is emotionally unsustainable. Fans of Everything But The Girl will appreciate the fine details in the songwriting that accent not just the arc of melody but the subtle nuances of emotional coloring. Watch the video for “A Work of Art” on YouTube and connect with Lisabel at the links provided.

open.spotify.com/artist/1C0dDmhzM8QZTNw1c05wsx
facebook.com/Lisabelmusic
instagram.com/lisabelmusic

The Beautiful and Raw Mutant Pop of Magic Bronson’s “Tell All Your Friends” Exalts the Power of Friendship in Troubled Times

Magic Bronson, photo courtesy the artists

Magic Bronson employed a dazzling sonic palette in crafting “Tell All Your Friends.” It’s essentially a pop song celebrating the solidarity and support of friendship in a time of deep uncertainty and challenges. It has an undeniably exuberant and uplifting quality that draws you into its unconventional rhythms and production. Employing live guitar like samples, rapid warbling synth swells and dance beats, it’s at times reminiscent of a mix of 90s Len and New Zealand indie rock bands whose music always seems to come from a unique and eccentric place. A fusion of hip-hop production, rock and raw psychedelia without seeming like it’s trying to be something for everyone or putting too many musical ingredients into the same song. Fans of Unknown Mortal Orchestra will appreciate the wonderfully odd tonal inflections that run through the song and fans of Japandroids may enjoy the paradoxical mélange of disarmingly earnest melodies and raw energy present here too. Listen to “Tell All Your Friends” on Soundcloud and connect with Magic Bronson at the links provided.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4YlhxCoA1qEgTHoOBaKu1t
https://soundcloud.com/magicbronson

The Niecesandnephews Ambient Single “Species” Breaks Down the Conditioning of Capitalist Culture in a Dissolving Flow of Textural Tones and Organic Rhythms

Niecesandnewphews, Lines Appearing Parallel cover

The title of “Species” from the recently released Niecesandnephews EP Lines Appearing Parallel (out May 7, 2020) references our collective experience as humans without being human specific. It hints at how we’ve been conditioned to think we’re atomized individuals who struggle with issues only we are experiencing, a mindset that pushes us back into ourselves, the norm of life under modern capitalism that creates social norms and ways of living that erodes a sense of community through commodifying everything and making it all seem like segments of experience we can buy or take in episodically while we go through life reifying this economic and by consequence cognitive arrangement that tries to streamline human life to suit a particular model of profit making. The song breaks down this way of thinking by drawing you in with basic elements that build and synergize to create a stream of listening experience that includes familiar textures of music, comforting textures and melodies both abstract and soothing through minimalistic piano compositions. The dynamic breaks with rigid notions of time signature and carries you along a route that goes where it will while maintaining a consistency of pace that makes becoming immersed in its atmospheres early on and lets you out with some grace at the peak at the song’s conclusion. It helps you to accept it on its own terms by its own logic without imposing demands upon you as a listener except some level of trust that, unlike many jobs, you will not be abruptly ejected at the end of the ride. In the context of the EP it goes into another realm of psychic cleansing in the next song. Listen to “Species” on Soundcloud, the rest of Lines Appearing Parallel on Spotify and connect with Niecesandnephews at the links provided.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7fWMgDDxLKBDvlmYBpiDSZ
https://soundcloud.com/niecesandnephews
https://www.instagram.com/niecesandnephews_

Port Lucian Speaks to the Uncertainties and Mixed Emotions of Modern Relationships and the Way Technology Has Complicated Them “Full Control?”

On the song “Full Control?” Port Lucian ponders the uncertainties and wash of mixed emotions in a relationship with someone where there’s a not small amount of time spent far apart. If not a long distance relationship, one in which the people involved use modern technology to stay connected. And we know that such supposed conveniences don’t quite suffice for in person connection the way social media is showing to be a poor substitute for being able to talk to someone and gauging nuances and basic human communication that doesn’t translate well to a website or even a text. The vocals float along luminously in a flow of tones like a dreamlike pace, bright, distorted synth melodies giving expression to an underlying desire to keep the relationship going but having misgivings with how it is currently maintained. Referencing concepts like being “AFK” and having a “3 by 6 silhouette” the song eloquently to the things we take for granted and accept that turn aspects of our lives that should be visceral and vital into something more abstract making it easier to dissociate from a physically human context. Nevertheless, the song evokes the a sense of longing and hoping for a better future wherein one doesn’t have to settle for what can come to seem a virtual relationship. The title of the song “Full Control?” questions whether people in such a situation as described in the song can have any control over the circumstances of the relationship when so much of it is contingent of necessity due to the distances involved as when you don’t have that immediate feedback and touch it can feel out of everyone’s control. Listen to “Full Control?” on Soundcloud and connect with Port Lucian at the links provided.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0O1ZnoDwP2ya6lesVR8OrT
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg5UkmvWYsnj7U9JilYKiww
https://portlucian.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/portlucian
https://www.facebook.com/portlucian
https://www.instagram.com/portlucian