Author: meltreviewsblog

Fleurt Shares New Song “Nihilist”

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Nihilism has never sounded so upbeat. Today solo artist “Fleurt” has released a brand new song titled “Nihilist,” and it isn’t the dark and brooding affair the word is typically affiliated with in music. To contrast the wonderfully written feeling of loneliness and boredom, the song’s instrumentation consists of delicate bells, subtle but effective synths, and a minimal but upbeat electronic drum beat that evokes the spirit of “Indietronica.” This song couldn’t have arrived at a better time, because in this time where we are forced to self-isolate, we are stuck with ourselves and our own thoughts, and not all of us enjoy our own company. It’s easy to become envious of those fortunate enough to spend this time with a significant other, it’s easy to get stir crazy, and it’s easy to become completely bored of the hometown you’re stuck in, like the song says “I’m getting bored of New York.” Though the song’s content can come off as negative, Fleurt cleverly depicts the feeling of self-realization, and underneath it all there’s a real feeling of hope, not 100 percent succumbing to nihilism’s tendencies. This is a perfect example of how music, especially in this time, is immensely important. You can listen to “Nihilist” below:

ADULT. Share Music Video for New Song “Total Total Damage”

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Electronic duo “ADULT.” are set to release their new album Perception is/as/of Deception on April 10th via “Dais Records,” and today the Detroit duo have released another new track off the upcoming album as well as a new music video to accompany it. The track is titled “Total Total Damage,” and the music video was made in quarantine and features the two completely annihilating the set they had built for the video with sledgehammers, which perfectly reflects this stir crazy time we’re forced to endure at the moment in quarantine. You can watch the music video for “Total Total Damage” below:

Nine Inch Nails Release New Album “Ghosts V-VI”

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“Anybody out there?” asks Trent Reznor as he and Atticus Ross casually drop a new “Nine Inch Nails” album. The band’s new album is titled Ghosts V-VI, and it is a continuation of the Ghosts series they dropped for free back in 2008. Like Ghosts I-IV, the new installments of the series are available for free on the band’s website. Reznor has described the album as “Some of it kind of happy, some not so much.” You can download  Ghosts V-VI from the link below:

GHOSTS V: TOGETHER AND GHOSTS VI: LOCUSTS

LINGUA IGNOTA Shares New Song “O Ruthless Great Divine Director”

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In this time of isolation, it’s comforting to hear something new from one of the most captivating artists in music at the moment. Today Kristin Hayter under her LINGUA IGNOTA project has shared a fantastically epic new song titled “O Ruthless Great Divine Director” for “Adult Swim,” and it’s a grandiose and uncompromising piece of art both lyrically and musically. About the track Hayter says “O Ruthless Great Divine Director” both addresses and embodies the hypocrite and the false prophet. The sanctimonious scene police, the friend or community who will turn away or against when things get hard, fear mongering and pervasive misinformation. It was a great pleasure to have Greg Fox’s incredible talent on this song, and to work with Seth Manchester again at the console.” You can listen to “O Ruthless Great Divine Director” below:

https://www.adultswim.com/music/singles/20

 

Kari Faux Shares New Song “While God Was Sleepin’…”

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Why is Kari Faux so criminally underrated? That’s a question i’ve been asking for awhile now. The Little Rock, Arkansas-based rapper/singer released an incredible E.P. last year titled Cry 4 Help, and it was the kind of introspective honesty that needs to be spotlighted more in contemporary music, but hey, it’s no surprise something real slips under the radar, but Faux is doing just fine gaining attention from those yearning for substance. Today she dropped a new single titled “While God Was Sleepin’…” and it is an all-rapped banger that finds Faux reflecting on her vices, her view on people, and her relationship with God. It’s a short track, but it’s impactful nonetheless. You can listen to “While God Was Sleepin’…” below:

Maryze Shares New Music Video for “Dis-Moi”

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Montréal-based musician Maryze released one of the most enthralling and immediately captivating EPs of 2019. Titled Like Moons, the five-song EP was an exploration in Electro-Pop, Synth-Pop, and R&B. Her lusciously smooth vocals and inward looking themes combined with her ambition to experiment with various musical styles has made her an artist to watch in the world of Pop and R&B. Without a doubt one of the most standout tracks on the EP is “Dis-Moi.” Sung entirely in French, the song represents Maryze’s French heritage. When translated to English for people like me who aren’t fluent in French but admire the beauty of it, it’s clear that the song is about wanting to tell your significant other everything you keep inside. Your secrets of your past, the darker thoughts that surface in your mind, or maybe a mental illness, these are all things that can frighten one into not letting someone in for fear of being judged or losing someone over it. Is it a form of lying not telling my loved one everything about me? Will this person stay if I tell them my darkest secrets? These are questions most of us have asked ourselves at some point, and Maryze beautifully conveys this theme over smooth 80’s driven production that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Nicolas Winding Refn film. Today Maryze has released a new music video for “Dis-Moi,” and it perfectly captures the sensual but dark nature of the song. The video is intentionally lo-fi evoking the nostalgia of the days of VHS, and it also pays homage to Dario Argento with a color scheme similar to his style. The video even features various scenes from his film Suspiria, and being a Horror fanatic you can imagine my excitement when watching this video. It’s clear Maryze has a vision for every song she creates and there’s never a second of filler. You can watch the music video for “Dis-Moi” below:

 

Album Review: Machine Girl – U-Void Synthesizer

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Artist: Machine Girl

Album: U-Void Synthesizer

Genre: Electronic/Hardcore/Breakcore/Industrial/Drum and Bass

Label: Self-Released

Rating: 8/10

Listening to Machine Girl’s music is like being sucked into a tornado carrying the most abrasive elements of various genres, and I do mean ABRASIVE. What a long way Machine Girl has come from spewing out tons of “Electronic” instrumentals on “Bandcamp” to getting even louder and louder with every release while lead member Matthew Stephenson screams his guts out. Following the highly successful The Ugly Art, Machine Girl has returned with his follow-up U-Void Synthesizer, and somehow this album is even noisier than it’s predecessor. Like The Ugly Art, this album incorporates live drums that give this album a fuller sound that evokes the fast-paced and brutal spirit of “Punk,” but just keep in mind, this isn’t “Dead Kennedys.” This is Synth-Punk meets Industrial meets Breakcore meets just about every abrasive genre known to man. It’s uncompromising, it’s discombobulating, but that’s part of this album’s charm. Sure it’s not for everyone, okay, sure it’s not for most people, (anyone who hasn’t acquired this taste will think that all of their electronic household appliances got together to have an orgy) but this is futuristic “Punk,” the result of the massive influence “Death Grips” have had on a younger generation of DIY artists such as “Deli Girls” and “Five Star Hotel.” Machine Girl is undeniably the torch carrier for this generation, and though they can be lyrically absurd with lines like “I don’t want you on my dick so suck my shit,” that absurdity combined with loads of cryptic content is fun to decipher and formulate your own interpretation. U-Void Synthesizer isn’t much of a departure from The ugly Art, but it’s louder and noisier and Machine Girl’s sound hasn’t lost it’s appeal quite yet.

Written By: Steven Sandoval

 

Album Review: U.S. Girls – Heavy Light

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Artist: U.S. Girls

Album: Heavy Light

Genre: Experimental Pop/Indie Pop/Gospel/Soul

Label: 4AD

Rating: 9/10

U.S. Girls’ Meg Remy at this point has solidified herself as one of Rock and Pop’s most intriguing and innovative artists. Following her breakthrough album In A Poem Unlimited, I didn’t expect her to release a follow-up so soon, let alone depart from the album’s sound almost entirely. On her new album Heavy Light, Remy goes in a bolder direction which might turn those who enjoyed the infectious fusion of Psychedelic Pop, Disco, and Art Pop of her last album off, but if you know Remy’s catalog you know that she is always reinventing her sound. Just compare her debut album Introducing to an album like In A Poem Unlimited and you will not believe both albums are from the same person. Much of the instrumentation on Heavy Light is stripped back with more focus on a beautifully crafted array of backing vocals evoking a Gospel feel, a subtle but detailed combination of various percussion, and a dominance of piano balladry. Though her sound has shifted, Remy sticks to her guns of topical storytelling told from the perspective of various characters touching on topical subject matter. The sardonic take-down of the U.S. economy on the Funk-driven track “4 American Dollars,” the Spanish spoken message of prospering with a positive movement on the track “And Yet It Moves / Y Se Mueve,” and the realization that humanity isn’t as significant as we think in the grander scheme of the planet on the track “The Quiver to the Bomb” are all topics Remy and her collaborators paint vividly with a tone that is hopeful despite the grim nature some of the subject matter suggests, and as much as Remy is looking to the future of her sound, this album isn’t without an acknowledgement of her past. There are three older U.S. Girls songs that get reworked. “Overtime,” State House ( It’s a Man’s World,)” and “Red Ford Radio” all sound better than ever polishing the lo-fi bedroom-recorded sound of the older versions. Though In A Poem Unlimited was the most collaborative U.S. Girls have sounded at the time of it’s release thanks to the contributions of the band “The Cosmic Range,” Heavy Light feels even more like an ensemble effort with various voices heard, and this is a perfect progression for Meg Remy, someone who understands the beauty of collaboration. I’m already looking forward to seeing what Meg Remy does next.

Written By: Steven Sandoval

 

 

Gorillaz “Plastic Beach” Turns 10

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On this day in 2010 “Gorillaz” released their conceptual masterpiece Plastic Beach. Five years after the release of their groundbreaking album Demon Days, the band released an album even more ambitious with a myriad of features perfectly utilized and an environmentalist theme that doesn’t bombard you with over-serious preachiness. 10 years later this album still holds up, and is a prefect representation of how “Pop” music can be as thoughtful as it is fun. Happy Anniversary.

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