SubmitHub – Page 168 – Queen City Sounds and Art

Delyn Grey’s Starkly Powerful “Battle” Dispenses With Platitudes and Bravado in Depicting Depression and Neurological Distress

DelynGrey_BATTLE2_crop — Delyn Grey, photo courtesy the artist

Delyn Grey’s “Battle” addresses one significant aspect of suffering from depression and other mental and neurological disorders and that’s the fact that you pretty much never just get over it. Even if you get through a bad phase of it it’s rarely if ever something that just goes away. You don’t “fix” it the way you might repair a faulty machine. It’s more complicated than that and the specifics are individual even if there are some similarities and resonances of experience. What Grey dares to express in the song is that you may never actually get completely past that struggle. With a dynamic, minor chord piano progression and passionate vocals the song depicts the frustrations, the confusion, the search for answers that may not be there and the ability to endure even if you don’t feel like you can. That can be a heavy message but it is a pop song, albeit a dark one offering no hopeful platitudes, and its power is offering a deep sense of understanding and empathy for going through those rough life passages. There are no faux posi words of encouragement and how it’ll all be okay. Rather, that one can weather some very bad times even if it does feel like things are completely unraveling inside your head. The song does not pander, no keep your chin up or anything like that. It’s sense of hope is given with acknowledging those feelings which so often feels like the only thing that doesn’t feel like some lie or “tough love” nonsense people parrot from a culture where vulnerability and being in a stretch of weakness or powerlessness is perversely seen as a moral failing. Delyn Grey dispenses with these meaningless, arbitrary culture tropes and extends her compassion and solidarity with a dose of what it’s like to be there in the worst places in your mind. Watch the music video on YouTube and connect with Grey at the links provided. Look out for Grey’s EP The Disappointment Girl due out later in 2020.

open.spotify.com/artist/1aL7h7z850IDEqABbkFulP
delyngreyofficial.com
twitter.com/iamdelyngrey
facebook.com/itsdelyn
instagram.com/delyngrey

CocoRosie Renders in Rich Sonic Detail the Unlikely Friendship Between Ghosts and the Living on “Burning Down the House”

CocoRosie_BurningDownTheHouse1_sm — CocoRosie, photo courtesy the artists

Not to be confused with the Talking Heads song of the same name, CocoRosie’s “Burning Down The House” is a single from the duo’s new album Put the Shine On (released March 13, 2020). But the resonance with the way the Talking Heads seemed to put a unique stamp on each of its own records, CocoRosie imbues each of its offerings with its own creative identity. This song sounds like Sierra and Bianca Casady used the structure and methods of making a hip-hop beat with its use of samples and production techniques to write something that sounds very organic and handcrafted. From the unique rhythms and textures, the unconventional vocals, strings and dulcimer one gets a view into a world where the living communicate with ghosts and form a friendship and a path of freedom and fulfillment for all involved. It is almost symbolic of the way CocoRosie uses imagination and creativity to transcend the arbitrary limitations of identity and art to better express something genuine and rich from one’s own idiosyncrasies rather than adhering to a popular style. That said, listening to “Burning Down The House” is a beautiful fusion of Tin Pan Alley pop, Americana, hip-hop and outsider music but immediately accessible precisely because there is an undeniable appeal to the way the Casady sisters create something that not only honors their own creative instincts but shows some respect for potential listeners in delivering something that isn’t a drab clone of something someone else already made. Listen to “Burning Down the House” on Spotify and connect with CocoRosie at the links below.

instagram.com/eoinlyness
cocorosiemusic.com

Eoin Lyness Vividly Captures the Agoraphobic Anxiety of Crowded Public Spaces on “Mutilation of Art”

EoinLyness_MutilationOfArt1_sm — Eoin Lyness, photo courtesy the artist

Combining filed recordings at the National Gallery in London with layers of processed synth, “Mutilation of Art” gives voice to composer Eoin Lyness’ sense of anxiety in crowded public spaces. A nearly abstract background arpeggio conveys a sense of movement in the distance with a distorted synth echoing in the foreground, all seeming to weave together with the samples of nearby human movement and conversation. The weight of that stimulation all but ruining the experience of taking in art that was created largely in isolation and best experienced without the surrounding rush of interruptions. It serves as a model for abstract expressionism and minimalism itself with what seems to be constant repetition of themes with enough evolving layers to provide stimulation, in this case of the kind that suggests the low level of menace that stimulates feelings of anxiety. Which should make for uncomfortable listening yet somehow in truly capturing how one’s mind tries to push away the presence of crowds emotionally it creates a space within which one can escape the worst of those feelings by dissolving and reflecting back some of that energy through what might be described as an ambient catharsis. The way Giorgio Moroder did the same with “Chase” from the soundtrack to Midnight Express or Oneohtrix Point Never accomplished with his soundtrack to Good Time, Eoin Lyness takes an intense emotional experience and renders it in a form more accessible to the conscious mind with an intentionality of soundscaping that draws upon subconscious reactions. Listen to “Mutilation of Art” on Soundcloud and connect with Lyness at the links provided.

eoinlyness.bandcamp.com
soundcloud.com/eoinlyness
twitter.com/eoinlyness
facebook.com/eoinlynessmusic
instagram.com/eoinlyness

Ghost Stories’ “URI Track 03” is the Sound of the Subconscious Mind Expressing Inner Wellness

GhostStories_URITrack03_1_crop — Ghost Stories “URI Track 03” (cropped), image courtesy the artist

“URI Track 03” comes from Ghost Stories’ recently released URI EP. Its three songs were written while the composer was dealing with an Upper Respiratory Infection at the end of January 2020 before COVID-19 fully hit the international media. The first two tracks of the EP are more in the realm of dub-inflected post-industrial but this third piece evokes a sense of peace that comes after one has endured a great deal of pain and struggle. Anyone that has experienced a respiratory condition is familiar with that sense of panic that can take hold as if you can’t catch your breath and you’re not sure what you can do to get relief immediately. That kind of disruption to your system can induce intense moments of borderline euphoric distress where every second seems to last forever. But once those moments pass and especially when you’re in the recovery phase of a a bad flu or cold, bronchitis, a horrible allergy attack, asthma, pneumonia that ability to take in air without effort is difficult to describe to someone who has never had the worst end of that. The soothing melody of this song with faintly luminous, streaming synth akin to soft lighting early in the morning coupled with the digital cello sketching a background drone like the vibrations from the realm of dream dreams seemingly drift through to your conscious mind as a reminder of subconscious processes expressing inner wellness. Listen to “URI Track 03” on Soundcloud and connect with Ghost Stories at the links provided.

soundcloud.com/ghost-stories-official
ghoststoriesghost.bandcamp.com

The Layers of biskuwi’s Techno Track “Yoisho” is a Vivid Portrait of a Rigorous Night Journey

biskuwi_Yoisho1_crop — biskuwi *Yoisho* EP cover

Biskuwi builds “Yoisho” like layers of minimal techno contributing to a track of blossoming emotional urgency. Beginning with percussion, bring in menacing distorted synth swells and fades, like you’re in a giant flying machine passing others rapidly in the night. Multiple lines of melody stream by and tonal hazes shimmer like you’re hearing fog and steam clouds as you pass street lights, illuminated signs and other urban lighting. The title is a Japanese word that doesn’t translate directly easily but is said while straining to do something or after such an effort is accomplished. A self-affirmation in a way and a way to blow off some of the steam of that effort. This song might have felt like dusting off ideas and pushing forward into a new direction or experimenting with weaving together variant musical concepts but whatever the source of its titling, “Yoisho” conveys a sense of journey and the experiential details of that journey through employing sounds that work simultaneously for cinematic effect and immersive musical composition. Listen to “Yoisho” on Spotify and connect with biskuwi at the links provided.

open.spotify.com/artist/2wdY7YDYVddKtVbbgh1fCT
soundcloud.com/biskuwi
facebook.com/biskuwi.official

Wugo Contrasts the Minimal With the Ethereal to Evoke Cherished Memories on “Océan”

Wugo_Ocean1_crop — Wugo, photo courtesy the artist

Listening to “Océan” by French composer Wugo one gets the impression that it came out of a night of deep reflection. Like he took some time in re-creating the memory of a seemingly magical time in summer through selecting the tones and structure that would make that journey possible in a relatively short pop song. In the beginning “Océan” is spare and unadorned, a simple keyboard line and spare percussion with contemplative vocals that sound like a sketch of a memory. But soon enough a wave of ethereal melody runs through the song for a few moments like the trickle of vivid memories bringing a sense of elevated emotions. The contrast between the more minimal side of the song and those awash in the effervescent synth melody and the way they overlap is an effective way to express simple personal truths and imbuing them with the sense of romance a cherished memory occupies in your heart and mind whether or not it also induces a hint of bittersweet melancholy that runs through the track as well. Listen to “Océan” on YouTube and connect with Wugo at the links below.

open.spotify.com/artist/5xD0kqGGhwCVVa7HZmQRyp
twitter.com/iamwugo
facebook.com/iamwugo
instagram.com/iamwugo

flies + flies Taps Into the Dionysian Fantasies of the Dark Side of the Mind for “Colour Blue”

FliesAndFlies_ColourBlue1_sm — flies + flies, photo courtesy the artists

London electronic pop duo flies + flies was inspired by their residency at the No One’s Watching club night that featured a visual backdrop of found CCTV footage from around the world in producing the collection Blue Movies. One of the three original tracks on the album “Colour Blue” tells the story of an unrequited desire in processed falsetto vocals, warping and wefting tones, impressionistic guitar riffs, a flowing-pulsing bass line, meditative percussion and haunts of synth flourish. Along with the music video awash in sapphire light the song is somehow both chilling and soothing. There is a hint of dark menace like a glimpse into the side of someone’s mind they normally keep under wraps until the moment they can take the time to indulge every angle of a Dionysian impose in the imagination and take a tincture of those forbidden thoughts and put it into creative work of undeniable resonance. While musically different this song and video should have an appeal for fans of mid-late-90s Aphex Twin, The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers. Its sound is more rooted in more modern production and aesthetics but that ability to tap into the rich, mysterious, shadowy places of the unconscious mind is present in this music too. Watch the video for “Colour Blue” on YouTube.

The Synth Pop Doo Wop of “Lucy” by Smegma Bubbles Transports You Out of Normal Cultural Space

SmegmaBubbles_Lucy1_lg — Smegma Bubbles “Lucy” cover

The surreal mix of doo wop and Sparks-esque synth pop of “Lucy” by Smegma Bubbles immediately takes you out of normal cultural space. The call and response vocals possibly by the same vocalist and the electronic percussion and pulsing bass line is reminiscent of some impossible hybrid of an early 60s pop song, early Human League and Cabaret Voltaire’s mid-80s period. One imagines a performance on Top of the Pops or Rockpalast with a darkened background and white lights reflecting off the performers made up like they walked off a filming of an ABC video, hints of sparkles on their outfits but with a cool vibe like you’re not sure when or where this show is happening. The musical touchstones already displace you from being anchored in a specific decade without aiming for a specifically defined retro aesthetic and because of that it is transporting in a way that bypasses an appeal to nostalgia while drawing on influences across decades. Listen to “Lucy” on Spotify and connect with the enigmatic UK band at the links provided.

youtube.com/watch?v=N8ifzzzQUl8&feature=youtu.be
instagram.com/smegma_bubbles

Black Sails’ “02_prG_D#STRuKToR” is the Retro-Futurist IDM Industrial Alien Techno Dance Song You’ve Been Looking For

BlackSails_02_prG_DeSTRuKToR1_crop — Black Sails, photo courtesy the artist

Don’t let the unusual title of Black Sails’ song “02_prG_D#STRuKToR” get in the way of taking in the grandeur of its alien techno. Its nearly industrial percussion is reminiscent of The Art of Noise’s “Legs” but its dark, distorted synths and tonal pulses is a bit like being carried along on a conveyor belt while your body and brain are being upgraded, a voice occasionally announcing points of progress. Yet it also works as a dance track the way Kraftwerk often did in clubs in the late 70s and early 80s. Something about the robotic nature of those rhythms as those here that translate into something inducing rhythmic human movement. The title of the song is reminiscent of something Aphex Twin or Front 242 in the early 90s might have named one of their own compositions and that resonance of influence can be felt in the unique, downtempo retro-futurist vibe of this track. Black Sails recently released his third album Function on March 13, 2020.

Neon Brown’s Gripping, Animated Video For “Maintain” is Poetic Commentary on the Power of Imagination as a Tool of Resistance

NeonBrown_Maintain1_lg — Neon Brown, photo courtesy the artist

Neon Brown’s new video for “Maintain” pairs the song’s powerful poetry with images of how America portrays blacks Americans in its cultural products and official history. With vocals and lyrics from Vursatyl of Livesavas and instrumentals from deejay Red C, Neon Brown has brought to us a vivid critique as commentary on how black people in America have had to, yes, maintain in the face of prejudice and injustice fueled by generational racism. Showing images of black leaders throughout history since the 1920s as well as the forces arrayed against them and scenes from everyday life in colored filters and processing to give the video a fascinating mix of animation and old news serials. The flutter of melody, sketches of strings and Vursatyl’s thoughtful and confident rapping don’t sugarcoat the message, but make it easier to take in so that the impact gets past any immediate defenses someone might have in order to deliver some truth as a reminder that although the struggle continues, maintaining grace and patience even as one must act to address issues leaves one with a flexibility of mind to adapt rather than compromise oneself foolishly. The use of the cinematic space alien observing humanity was a nice touch perhaps symbolic of how stepping out of yourself now and then to get some objectivity always helps while bringing in the image of Rodan suggests a hope that exists beyond the powers of humanity to control or fully comprehend. Both, also, work as absolute works of creativity and as with the rest of the song and execution of the video highlight how one’s imagination is a powerful tool to weather the static of an unenlightened society and work toward a better world. Watch the video for “Maintain” on YouTube and connect with Neon Brown at the links provided. Currently on the Bandcamp page you can order a limited edition seven inch of the single backed with the track “The Light Goes Out.”

open.spotify.com/artist/2IrwOUIHQmfLRZE94B2wrL
iamneonbrown.com
iamneonbrown.bandcamp.com
twitter.com/MisterNeonBrown
instagram.com/givemeacallbackitsyourdad