On this day in 1980 “Devo” released their third album Freedom of Choice. We’ve all heard “Whip It,” and we all know the flower pot hats, but aside from these staples of 80’s Pop culture, Freedom of Choice was Devo’s tour de force that both encapsulated the spirit of the dominant “New Wave” era, and offered something unique and immensely animated both musically and visually. This album saw the band incorporating even more synthesizers without sacrificing their guitar-driven Rock edge, and the satirical, absurd, and often tongue-in-cheek lyrics that poked fun at the human condition made the band everyone’s favorite aliens studying humanity. Happy Anniversary!
Genre: Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Indie Rock
Label: Self-released
New Delhi artist Astaaq Ahmed has proven himself to be an imaginative visionary with his project “The Earflower Experiment.” His music tells a story while he instrumentally delves into a myriad of genres that maintains his Psychedelic Folk style but isn’t limited as he incorporates clever production techniques and sound design. His new track “Emerge” featuring producer Aman Saxena solidifies his talent. On this track he metaphorically sings from the perspective of someone escaping an ocean as he nearly drowns, and this symbolizes getting out of a toxic relationship. While he sings over melancholy acoustic guitar, we hear waves and splashes from this metaphorical ocean as the track builds into a feeling of being reborn as he is now free. The track then smoothly transitions into a guitar lead final act that can be compared to a band like “Pink Floyd” as the Psychedelia makes itself more prominent and closes the book of this beautifully sentimental story. This is Ahmed at his most vulnerable, and yet he embraces the negative aspects of this relationship embedded in toxicity to recognize his self-worth. This is thoughtful music at its best.
Can you twerk to sludgy and abrasive Extreme Metal? OvO says you can with their new track “Voodoo Twerk.” With a beat heavily drawing from Reggaeton, the band warps and reinvents the genre with a Hellish but danceable tune. You can listen to “Voodoo Twerk” below:
Slowthai has been on a roll this week releasing track after track. The first was “ENEMY,” the second, “MAGIC,” and today he has released another new track titled “BB (BODYBAG)” and like the two preceding singles, the track is a banger. Now of course there’s a big elephant in the room. These tracks follow his shameful actions at the “NME Awards” earlier this year, but one can only hope he has learned from his mistakes. It’s looking like he’s on his way to bouncing back from it all. You can watch the music video for “BB (BODYBAG)” below:
This pandemic ain’t stopping Maryze from working. During this time she has written and performed a beautifully heartfelt song dedicated to her family and friends, performed for a live stream show, and has been interactive with her fans inviting everyone to send quarantine clips to be in her new music video for her new single “Muse.” The video will be out soon, but today “Muse” has been officially released, and it’s unsurprisingly astounding with smooth production provided by Super Plage and lush vocals sung entirely in French. You can listen to “Muse” below:
Drawing inspiration from her three varying influences, Bauhaus, Depeche Mode, and Lana Del Rey, Paris born musician Jenna has crafted an E.P. under her “Bliss My Heart” project that’s incredibly focused and never emulates her influences. Morningstar is the name of the E.P. It’s her debut, which is hard to believe seeing as how these three tracks are sharply constructed and her knack for catchy songwriting is unmatched. It’s evident she’s been writing music for years, because no one sounds this good on a whim. This music can be labeled “Electropop,” but it’s got distinct qualities that can be traced back to 80’s “Synth-Pop,” 2000’s “Electroclash,” and even a little “Gothic Rock.” Especially on a track like “Cross You,” which sounds like it could be a “Clan of Xymox” song with its backing operatic vocals and moody guitar. Her vocals are immensely unique and have the potential to place her in the same boat as other unique and creative vocalists such as Miss Kittin or Karin Dreijer. To say she has potential is an understatement, because though her sound contains shades of the aforementioned genres, she’s already developed her distinct sound that separates herself from her peers, and we’re only talking about three songs! That’s undeniably impressive.
On this day in 1985 “New Order” released their iconic third album Low-Life. Following the release of their highly successful and influential single “Blue Monday” in 1983, “New Order” released what became known as their finest work. Low-Life is an album that found the band perfecting the “Electronic” style they hinted at in prior singles and deep cuts off their previous album Power, Corruption, & Lies, and the synths, samplers, and synth bass combined with their usual Rock elements thanks to Peter Hook’s high-end bass and Bernard Sumner’s guitar saw the band developing the distinct “New Order” sound. This album was the complete transformation that departed from their earlier work that featured shades of their previous band “Joy Division” with it’s gloomy Post-Punk dominated sound. This album also featured Bernard Sumner sounding his most confident vocally and even writing simplistic but impactful lyrics with themes such as love, alienation, and even an anti-war song that opens up the album. Very few records are flawless, and this is one of those rarities. Not a skippable track on this thing. Happy Anniversary!
It’s that feeling of betrayal no one should ever have to face. That heartbreaking moment when you find out your lover has been unfaithful to you. Upon this discovery you can either unfairly blame yourself and ask what you did wrong while rage fills your heart as you try not to murder your significant other and the person they’re having an affair with, or you can realize your self-worth and take the high road as you break it off with your cheating partner and move on to a life of self-discovery and self-empowerment. New Delhi based artist Tanya Nambiar chooses the latter on her new single “Stranger in Our Bed.” Backed by lush and smooth instrumentation that features an easy listening blend of Pop, R&B, Funk, and Rock, Nambiar paints a vivid picture of this scenario with her ever so smooth vocals that are soulful and inspiring as she breaks it off with her partner as opposed to succumbing to rage. We’ve all heard countless songs about infidelity that are embedded in anger and vengeance, but it’s rare when we hear songs about said subject that are upbeat and hopeful in tone, and Nambiar tackles this subject in a way that feels universal. Even though many have thankfully not gone through this scenario, EVERYONE will feel something and identify with the message of self-empowerment, and that’s the sign of a true artist. A visionary that draws you in.
“Run the Jewels” have finally unveiled the release date for their highly anticipated new album RTJ4. It will be released on June 5th via Jewel Runners/BMG, and will feature their previously released tracks “Ooh LA LA” and “Yankee and the Brave.” The album will also feature appearances by Zack de la Rocha, Josh Homme, Mavis Staples, Pharrell Williams, and 2 Chainz. You can check out the album’s tracklist below:
RTJ4Tracklist:
01. Yankee and the Brave (Episode 4)
02. Ooh LA LA (feat. Greg Nice and DJ Premier)
03. Out of Site (feat. 2 Chainz)
04. Holy Calamafuck
05. Goonies vs. E.T.
06. Walking in the Snow
07. JU$T (feat. Pharrell Williams & Zack de la Rocha)
08. Never Look Back
09. The Ground Below
10. Pulling the Pin (feat. Mavis Staples & Josh Homme)
11. A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)
Hailing from New Delhi, musician Gaurav Balani has played with numerous musicians primarily playing bass, so he is an experienced musician who knows his away around collaborations, and his ambition most definitely shows on his debut E.P. The Commons under his project “Inalab.” Assembling musicians Shruti Dhasmana on vocals, Suyash Gabriel on drums, and Archit Anand and Shashank Singhania on keys and flute, Balani has composed a grandiose work of art that’s carefully constructed as opposed to sounding too self-indulgent. Rich in orchestral arrangements and a hint of Progressive Rock, The Commons fearlessly blends various genres and the result is an epic journey that contains a large cinematic tone. This E.P. ranges from jam band excitement to roaring songs with Dhasmana delivering soaring vocals that perfectly reflect the infectiously dramatic tone. There is never an empty space on this E.P. as the rhythm section manages to be distinct but never overbearing, the keys and sound textures add an Electronic element that brings forth a spacey and atmospheric tone, and the flute arrangements are undeniable as they soar majestically. Dhasmana’s powerful vocals grounds the music and makes it human contrasting the otherworldly sounds of the instrumentation. This is the perfect example of how a musical composition can be immensely detailed without sounding over-produced and can be translated flawlessly live, and that’s no easy feat. The Commons is some of the most inspired and utterly addictive music i’ve heard all year. I’m begging to hear more.
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