The clarity of tone that Joona Vainionkulma employs in the beginning of “Moon Garden” makes the most of a bubbling minimalist synth tone by suggesting something more exciting over the horizon. When the percussion kicks in and the strains of piano the composition takes on a cinematic aspect like something from a more hopeful Alex Garland film. It transitions from minimal synth to a lush orchestral sound that recalls the soundtrack work of both Giorgio Moroder and John Murphy for the pure evocative impact of the way the music swells and switches to a stark spaciousness on a dime without it seeming sudden. Like swimming in fast moving waters into a those more tranquil for precious moments then back into the stream. The song is at once melancholic and hopeful and leaves you with a sense of resolution. Listen to “Moon Garden” on YouTube and follow Joona Vainionkulma on Spotify.
“Carry On” finds UK-based dream pop band CATBEAR in a more darkwave mode. The brooding bass line and icy synth establish a more somber mood and the vocals this time seem even more introspective. The lyrics seem to catalog all the things we’ve done to struggle through times and situations in life and in the world with no seeming end to a need to restart, retool, re-strategize, re-imagine ourselves, our situations and our ability to keep going on. Thus the title of the song. Sometimes it feels like you can only tell yourself that sort of thing to keep from falling completely into despair when challenges and setbacks just keep falling into your path and our collective journey as a species. But the glimmer of melody that flashes into the song hints at moments when something a little more than the usual breaks through what could be a gloomy present and the strong rhythms of the song like a fortifying internal momentum to hang onto. Listen to “Carry On” on Spotify and follow CATBEAR at the links below.
In These Trees (Binnie Klein), photo courtesy the artist
The Quiver is the debut album of In These Trees & Tartie. A collaborative effort between two women who live in nearly opposite ends of the world (Hamden, Connecticut, USA and Melbourne, Australia respectively) the album is the product of a chance encounter between Binnie Klein and Tartie when the former chose the latter’s song “Winter’s Girl” to play on her WPKN radio show from the bevy of submissions she received each week. Something about the song struck Klein, its passion and authenticity, and Klein asked Tartie about putting a melody to one of her poems. Klein had been writing poetry for years and had been told they might make good song lyrics and something seemed to make sense resulting in exchanging ideas and Tartie lending her vocals to the project with contributions from Jeff Pevar, John Andrews and Jerry Marotta with production by David Baron. The Quiver, which released March 19, 2024 for digital download and streaming, became available on CD in September has a spacious, orchestral quality like one of those great late 80s and early 90s college radio artists like Kate Bush, 10,000 Maniacs and Tori Amos with more than a little musical sophistication and grace but lacking none of the vibrant emotional resonance.
Listen to our interview with Binnie Klein on Bandcamp and follow In These Trees at the links below.
The restless and smooth percussion on “Groundhog Day” alongside the incandescent keyboard tones with Nappy Nina’s steady flow of lyrics creates a uniquely engaging dynamic. It sounds both soothing and chill but intense and energetic. It’s a dreamlike stream-of-conscious arrangement that is matched by the music video wherein we see the rapper working at her music playing piano with images of dragons and an apartment, distant darkened mountains like fantasy and reality mixing together befitting the lyrics. Later we see Nappy Nina flying through the air in a nimbus of fire and in a convertible driving down a cosmic freeway after appearing in a blaze of light like something out of Repo Man and all the while she seems to be taking it all in stride hinting that even though life can seem like we’re repeating experiences in our lives like the film Groundhog Day we can maintain our inherent sense of self and because of that through it and maybe, just maybe, take some moments to do what we really want to do and not get lost in the hustle and rush of everyday static. Watch the video for “Groundhog Day” on YouTube and follow Nappy Nina at the links below. Her new album Nothing Is My Favorite Thing dropped October 23, 2024.
Pulsars is a band from Chicago that released one album, the 1997 self-titled LP, but which has a bit of a cult following. Though the band was around from 1994-2000 with a 2009 reunion and despite playing with some of the more well known alternative bands of its era Pulsars never entered the mainstream. But its embrace of New Wave synth sounds and power pop melodies was slightly ahead of the curve of a similar fusion of early synth pop and experimental electronic music with other popular music forms that informed the music of the likes of The Faint, !!! and later MGMT. chillwave and darkwave. But Pulsars’ music is a little grittier and in moments sounds like it has more sonically in common with The Jesus and Mary Chain and Dinosaur Jr at their most poppy and upbeat. In 2024 the group’s record was released for digital download, streaming, compact disc and vinyl.
Listen to our interview with Dave Trumfio of Pulsars on Bandcamp and follow Pulsars at the links below. Trumfio some may know for the band but many more may be familiar with his production work with Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Grandaddy and American Music Club among many others at his Kingsize Soundlabs also linked below.
The 2024 re-imagining of 1987 gonzo cult film classic Street Trash has its Denver screen premiere at Sie Film Center on November 30 at 7pm. The new version directed by Ryan Kruger (Fried Barry) was shot in Cape Town, South Africa in 35mm techniscope. The horror comedy reboot is set in the near dystopian future where, similar to the original, a group of vagrants work to stop the government, rather than a ruthless liquor store owner, from liquidating the homeless. It is a humorous, gory and transgressive commentary on the disparity between the rich and the poor and the international issue of houselessness. The film was produced in collaboration with Vinegar Syndrome Pictures by Not The Funeral Home, the people behind the Shudder series The Last Drive In with Joe Bob Briggs who are part of the revival of the horror hosting culture. The 2024 Street Trash reboot will also be streaming starting November 19 (Screambox, Amazon, Apple etc.). For tickets to the premiere, presented by Scream Screen and hosted by Theresa Mercado, please visit the Sie Film Center website here.
Reindeer Flotilla’s new album Radio Silence LP will be out in early 2025 but for now you can see the video for “Today” and it’s vintage nature documentary visuals and lush guitar and synth interplay. Musically it’s reminiscent of mid-to-late 80s Talk Talk before that band went fully into pioneering post-rock. The processed guitar sound has that flare and edge favored inf that era and the vocals landing somewhere between soulful New Wave and a jazz fusion sensibility. The song has a cinematic quality that recalls the aesthetics of a previous decade when art rock bands were on mainstream radio and Michael Mann and Jonathan Demme films featured cutting edge left field rock. And yet there’s an immediacy to the energy of the songwriting and production that grounds it in the present befitting the title. Watch the video for “Today” on YouTube and follow Reindeer Flotilla at the links below.
Natalie Clark begins her song “Nothing Left To Lose” singing about having found an old notebook filled with ideas, plans, dreams, aspirations as well as memories of never having until now really followed through with those impulses. But the rest of the song builds on finally having set aside the personal blocks and hesitations in holding herself back from doing what feels important and not setting up artificial barriers like thinking you’re going to lose some part of your life or yourself or the “right” way to do things or the proper things to say. It’s a common issue most people have when you’re conditioned and encouraged to do what other people think you should do or what ascribed roles you should pursue according to culture and what is immediately and obviously available for you as a life path. Clark breaks free of these preconditions in the song and makes it seem like such an easy and natural path for anyone and one that feels better than simply going with the flow of a way of being and living that doesn’t suit you. Clark’s expressive phrases and breathy vocals are centered in the song but a spare bit of guitar work and strings lend the whole song an uplifting orchestral quality that makes its message hit as immediately accessible. Listen to “Nothing Left to Lose” on Spotify and follow Natalie Clark at the links below.
Since 1992 Tokyo’s Melt Banana has freely fused noise, hardcore, pop, grindcore and experimental electronic music in a uniquely frenetic and ever evolving mode of expression that has translated into furious live shows and a body of uniquely compelling recorded output. If you get to see the now duo of Yako and Agata live there is a raw, visceral power paired with an intense playfulness that creates a riveting energy that brings the audience along for a wild ride of sounds, ideas and rhythms. Year after year Melt Banana is consistently one of the most memorable live bands going from anywhere in the world. The band released its latest album 3+5 in 2024 marking it’s ninth in its long career and its first in eleven years. The new record finds Melt Banana offering what might be its most accessible songs to date but also some of its most exploratory material seeming to soundtrack and combination of video game and manga-based anime because of its gloriously frantic switches of pace, tonal richness and the musical equivalent of jagged jump cuts. We had the opportunity to pose some questions to Onuki and Agata via email. 3+5 is available now digitally, on CD and LP. Find links to connect with the band after the interview. Introduction and interview by Tom Murphy.
Tom Murphy: 3+5 is your first album in 11 years. Do you feel like you had to take some time off from Melt Banana to develop new ideas or methods of performing the music before making a new album?
Yako: We didn’t feel like it took 11 years. After we released “Fetch,” we kept doing our usual live shows and tours, then the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and we were busy with various things like starting our Patreon page and writing songs available only there. Time just flew by.
Agata: We never took a break from Melt-Banana during these 11 years. It’s not like we spent 11 years making “3+5,” but it feels like the album was made possible because of those 11 years. During that time, I started using new effect pedals like the Ricochet and the SY-300, which I used a lot on “3+5.”
TM: The title of the new album as well as songs titles like “Code,” “Puzzle,” “Case D,” “Stopgap” and “Hex” in particular point to mysteries or problems to solve or temporary solutions to complex challenges. Did you find yourselves faced with similar challenges to inspire songs like those?
Yako: For this album, I kept the song titles simple. Each of the nine tracks on the album feels like an independent piece, and using simple titles allows listeners more room to imagine their own interpretation of the songs.
Agata: Nowadays, everything is explained in detail and answers are easily found, so I think some ambiguity is needed.
TM: When adding 3+5 you get 8 which is a significant number in Chinese culture and numerology, a number of perfect balance and such. In splitting it into prime numbers was that maybe a commentary on the illusion of perfection and equilibrium through unconventional rhythms?
Agata: Yako came up with the album title. We had never used numbers or symbols before, and I thought it was a very good idea.
Yako: I don’t know much about Chinese culture and numerology, but in general, the number 3 is considered significant in this world. Since this is our 8th album, we needed to add 5 to make it 8.
TM: The album cover looks like a black and white collage art and ragged edged origami. Who designed the artwork and what is its significance for you and the album?
Agata: We always create our own album artwork. We make what we think looks good at the time, so we don’t usually decide on a specific theme beforehand.
Yako: As you pointed out, the initial idea was to create something by tearing and layering paper. When we create songs, sometimes they come together quickly, but often we go through many revisions, examining them carefully, cutting, pasting, and experimenting. The feeling of completion finally comes when we reach the end of that process. The artwork for this album wasn’t specifically designed with that image in mind, but it might represent that kind of process.
TM: What role did samples and field recordings play, if any, in the songwriting on the new album and how you are able to perform the music live?
Yako: For this album, we didn’t use field recordings or natural sounds. Instead, we used more digital samples.
Agata: We used synths more this time. On our previous album, “Fetch,” we incorporated field recordings, which resulted in an organic feel despite using computers. With this album, we focused on what can be achieved using computers, so we didn’t use field recordings. It’s more about how the synth sounds can coexist with Yako’s vocals and my guitar. When we play live, these sounds are handled similarly to how we treat drum sounds.
TM: Have you adapted any of your music to the pace of gaming? Are there games you find resonate well with your music?
Yako: We haven’t tried adapting our music into games. I can’t think of any specific examples, but I think fast-paced games would probably suit our music well.
Agata: We often hear that our music fits well with games like Splatoon, though I’ve never played Splatoon myself.
Yako: When I played Rez, the music synced very well with the game, and it was a lot of fun. I think music is a very important element in games.
TM: Are there Twitch streamers whose content you find especially engaging and why?
Yako: I don’t watch Twitch much, so I’m not familiar with it, but I occasionally watch game streams on YouTube. Since I use a Mac, I check out PC games that I’m interested in, as it’s very convenient for keeping up with new game releases.
Agata: I also watch more Japanese game streams on YouTube rather than Twitch. Sometimes, watching these streams makes me want to play certain games, but if I already plan to play a game from the start, I avoid watching those streams. However, recently, I haven’t had much time, so I haven’t been watching streams much.
TM: With services like Crunchyroll anime and gaming can be enjoyed by people around the world. Are there any anime series and films that have particularly captured your imagination of late?
Yako: Unfortunately, I haven’t come across any anime that has really captured my interest recently. Over the past few years, I found “Made in Abyss” and “Ousama Ranking” to be interesting. So, I’m looking forward to the next season of “Made in Abyss.”
Agata: I watch anime more randomly than Yako. I tend to watch whatever catches my eye or what Yako or friends recommend. So, I usually only watch something once, and I tend to forget the story quickly. Recently, I watched an anime called “Sing a Bit of Harmony”. Initially, I thought it probably wasn’t for me and even considered stopping halfway, but by the end, I found it really interesting.
TM: Are there any manga adaptations to anime you feel have been especially well executed like maybe Banana Fish, One Piece, Attack on Titan or Blue Lock? Others?
Agata: It’s an old example, but I think both the manga and the anime of AKIRA were great.
Yako: Manga adaptations to anime can turn out really well or be quite disappointing. It often depends on the production company and director. It’s sad to see interesting manga fail as anime. I think “Attack on Titan,” “Demon Slayer,” and more recently “Oblivion Battery” are examples of manga that have been successfully adapted into anime. When I first read these manga comics, the art was a bit hard to understand, and there were many aspects that didn’t come across well, but the anime made things clearer and was very well done. Sometimes anime adaptations include unique elements of their own, but recently, I think the anime adaptation of “Bocchi the Rock!” was done very well.
BATTS released her third and latest album Just My Luck on October 18, 2024 and the single “Vessel of Love” showcases the singer-songwriter’s warmly melodious vocals and ability to write a song that feels both intimate and epic. BATTS’ soaring vocals and expansive song dynamics embody the part of the song with the chorus that is the title and its suggesting of using the power of love to lift everyone to a higher place if we are able to choose that path rather than those more selfish. The song feels like its going places and inviting everyone hearing to go on that trip and to “Hold space for me” because if people can do that for each other there will be room for everyone in a kinder and gentler headspace for the human community. That said, the song feels like a personal entreaty and not one so abstract and that’s why the song resonates as strongly as it does. Listen to the gorgeously spacious “Vessel of Love” on Spotify and follow BATTS at the links provided.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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