A Lot on My Crate

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  • Why You Should Spin: Stardust by Danny Brown

    Why You Should Spin: Stardust by Danny Brown

    Danny has always been one of the most respected hip hop artists of the underground. His nasal delivery makes his voice unique and the ability to flow over any beat the universe can throw at him are some of many reasons he is most formidable. His style gradually changing into the conventional to the most unorthodox has been a most interesting sight. I mean the man even rapped over a Crash Bandicoot beat with Zelooperz at one point. His rise hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Danny Brown fans know back in the day he has been struggling with alcoholism. He made Atrocity Exhibtion, which I felt was his best album to date since he highlights his most personal lows, but I’m relieved he got better. His addiction got him to the point where he had to be admitted to rehab. It was a grueling process, where he had to do some self reflection and isolate himself. In an interview with NME, Brown said the thought of quitting music passed by his mind, but thankfully that was not the case. It was a success comeback story and seeing someone rise up always gives us a fuzzy feeling. Brown has taken things into stride and has shared his open mindedness by listening to and even participating with experimental music. Which makes sense as Atrocity Exhibition and Scaring the Hoes with JPEGMAFIA were in fact experimental. He even lamented the fact that Vince Staples (who can also rap with unconventional electronic beats) collaborated with legendary electronic producer SOPHIE and regrets he never would get to do it again since he didn’t want to be a copycat back then. But his open mindedness got his curiosity when he said his first exposure to hyperpop was listening to 100 gecs and it all started there. Danny said his moniker for Stardust, was to make ‘Make SOPHIE proud.’ And that slogan being stamped on this album and a huge fan of SOPHIE, I had to give this album a shot. Danny states this album was his first project being done sober and this album sounded like so much fun. You can tell he had fun. It didn’t matter what beat these talented electronic, hyperpop artists threw at him. And speaking of featured artists, you have so many talented big names who complement what he is going for. You got Quadeca, underscores, Frost Children, Jane Remover, and more. And props to him for collaborating with LGBTQ artists. With these weird ass beats, he makes it sounds so easy, so much as it was like he has been doing this all his life. And this sober album is uplifting and seems to have given Brown so much clarity in his thoughts by not giving a shit about album sales, according to the opening track. This album sounds like a new beginning for an uprising star. It’s a damn feel good time and Brown doesn’t skip a beat.

    “Book of Daniel” is a great opener with these pop guitar loops with Danny talking about how he’s above where he used to be. “Sleeping real good at night ’cause I’m proud of myself. Say a prayer when I wake up, because that rehab helped.” And he wants to be proud of what he has accomplished and influences his fans and upcoming artists. “When the fat lady sings, just know you lived your dreams.” And then the Quadeca feature opens the heavenly gates. “Starburst” was a single I heard to prep for this album and I knew I was going to like what I was getting into. It’s an insane beat with Danny being a well-oiled machine. And if you thought that was insane, wait until you get to the last half of the track. “Copycats” with underscores is this fun infectious pop anthem with this sticky chorus. It’s a song and a warning to those who may lose their way on their walk to fame. Probably my favorite track on the whole album. “1999” sounds like an arcade on the fritz, which makes you question how Danny Brown can keep up with this production. You think, “This is an actual human being rapping?” And then we have this intense screaming alongside this insane asylum. Another favorite I want to go over is “Lift You Up”, which seems to be this house cut that just has a great groove. It’s relatable lyricism that talks about this one relationship with a friend. That friend doesn’t act like one by knocking Danny down only to make them look good. “Green Light” is a good representative on the sounds of this light music box like production with heavy bass. It’s emo hyperpop that is a little bit of a slow burner with some romance sprinkled on top. “What You See” is a song that even though it is slow paced, the vocals from Quadeca is a warm hug and piano accompaniment is sweet solace. Danny Brown shows his growth that he isn’t a young man who only longs for lust anymore. He doesn’t want to be that toxic lover anymore as he got a taste of his own medicine. This beat on “Whatever the Case” is so kooky as it sounds like falling down a cliff constantly and the feature ISSBROKIE keeps up the pace with Danny. “1L0v3myL1f3!” is such a crazy, ethereal experience as the background and jungle breakbeats get hazy. We also have femtanyl’s vocals and screams echoes throughout our path, to the point that it gets celestial at the end with Steve Albini’s outro sample being an inspirational force. Danny shows a lot of gratitude on this track that he sounds like a self-help panel, but it’s so out there yet sincere. The last leg of this album has been such a journey. “The End” I had to warm up to because of the length, but it was engaging enough with a lot of memorable segments with the heavenly Danny bars, the Ukrainian segments by Ta Ukrainia, and the insane IDM and jungle breakdown at the end and we taper off with Angel Emoji spoken word passages like before. “All4U” being the most beautiful moment and is one of the best endings to an album for 2025. It’s uplifting on how a man goes from rags to riches and is happy to spread his art for others.

    There are a lot of tracks here and even though some tracks seem like we blaze through, some of them make the album only a bit bloated. The spoken word passages kind of slow down the record a little bit and some songs aren’t as catchy or avant-garde enough for me to come back to them.

    Danny Brown being so creative and so upbeat on this album gives this whole thing a personality. Stardust is so much fun to listen to and any hyperpop head will appreciate the many elements they love about hyperpop, they will also love this for the same reasons. It’s introspective as Danny has always been with great lyricism and pen, but backed by beats that many rappers would and could not touch. It makes him one of a kind and it’s no mystery why he has so many fans. It’s no Atrocity Exhibition for me, but if Stardust makes his mentality for the better than I’m all for it. In an interview Grammys, he makes a quip that people are allowed to party during his performances, but he avoids it. He’s an old man now, since the darkness has engulfed his earlier years that was made into a catalyst for change of his mindset. Being anti-drugs isn’t being anti-fun. In his NME interview he says, “I want to have fun, but I still have something to say.”

    FAVORITE TRACKS: BOOK OF DANIEL, STARBURST, COPYCATS, 1999, LIFT YOU UP, WHAT YOU SEE, 1L0V3MYL1F3!, THE END, ALL4U

    LEAST FAVORITE: RIGHT FROM WRONG

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his discography is also available for streaming.

    https://dannybrown.bandcamp.com/album/stardust-1

  • Why You Should Spin: I Love My Computer by Ninajirachi

    Why You Should Spin: I Love My Computer by Ninajirachi

    We usually associate someone being chronically online as a negative entity. That they are just some weirdo that is constantly plugged in is being part of a cog of a machine, or living in some horrific dystopia. These sheeple will never wake up! However, this album is a love letter about a healthy and complex relationship with their technology. One of the singles is how I found out about Ninajirachi and is literally called “Fuck My Computer”, a song about someone who wants to you know they make sweet sweet love to their computer. After listening to the cute single about nostalgia that is “iPod Touch”, I was then totally invested and followed the release of this album. This electronic album has the most appropriate aesthetic for this theme. How else would you show your love and appreciation to machines than to convey your craft than with the power of technology itself? It’s an electro house and EDM album with meaningful and touching storytelling. Not only the beats and melodies stay with you, but the lyrics do too and this really felt like it was made by someone who truly adored their craft. This album is like a mix of Kero Kero Bonito with the vocals and older Porter Robinson production influences all laid out with some hyperpop elements. One of the best things about this album is that it’s so cohesive and seamless and it flows just like a DJ set at an EDM fest. I was so fortunate to stumble onto this and I hope this reaches out to others too!

    We boot up the album and it goes into “London Song”. It starts out as a grimy cut that tells of Nina never being in London. But with the power of technology and the Internet, she can doesn’t need to physically be there, but using a browser would make it like she’s there. It’s a good starter on how Nina tells about some of the positive influences of what the Internet can bring. Then we get into one of the featured singles, “iPod Touch” and it just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling hearing all these nostalgic throwbacks and with references of a Pikachu case with an iPod Touch encased in it. Makes me miss my iPod touch and classic. But there’s just a certain charm that Nina was able to hit with the production on this one. And then it immediately hits us with something down and dirty with “Fuck My Computer”. The song just blasts the speakers with the synths and electronics that make it into a pop anthem, personifying her computer as something she gives all her being into. It’s a hard hitting banger and I love the responses the computer makes when it says her name. I had to look up what the next song title meant, but “CSIRAC” was the first digital computer from Austrailia, where Nina is from and also the first digital computer to play music, so thank you CSIRAC for your contributions! This track had stuttering chopped chipmunk vocals and goes into techno kick drum patterns that starts low key at first. The chipmunk vocals is a snake charmer that entices Nina about the power of the machines and then came the noise, signifying the drop and the music. The drop dare I say, is so satisfying with that long build. “Delete” is this satisfying electro rocker that has these satisfying fuzzy synth drops and comes around these background cheerleader vocals. It tells about the anxiety, the regret, and the passion to put something online for this one person and how it made her feel. “Infohazard” seemed to fit in an EDM set with a buildup and drop about Nina’s experience of how she saw a snuff film online. Although a relatable traumatizing experience, she stated it didn’t seem to shaken her resolve for her computer, being as how upbeat this track is. “Battery Death” seems to lament a machine, but it goes out with a breathtaking bang with these repetitive lyrics of “taking it too far.” And then we get to “Sing Good” takes an interesting approach as it is a softer tone about how she is saved by this tool. It’s very inspiring to the point that it almost brought me to tears. She admits she doesn’t sing well, but she’s going to keep trying as she just breathes so much life into “Sing Good”. If it weren’t for the touching songwriting, then I would’ve wrote this song so fast. It’s cute and makes you want to cheer for Nina. Then we get into the penultimate bop being “It’s You” with commentary on self-esteem and masking oneself online. After that, we get this banger of a closer on “All At Once” that just brings all the sounds together and this closer is one of many reasons why I keep coming back to this.

    There are only a couple tracks that were lukewarm to me. The weaker ones seem to just slow down at the midpoint at me. I was not affected by “All I Am” as much as I was compared to the other tracks as the songwriting was kind of meh for me.

    Ninajirachi is that weirdo, but she’s a self-reclaimed one who stands by that title. It’s a new spin on the motif that technology is not 100% evil and makes me look at it at a different angle. Nina loves her computer and has no shame to say it. It has molded her into the artist she is today. How can you question her love for it when she made something so moving and beautiful out of this? Nina will stay online for us and for herself. I can say with confidence this is my favorite EDM or even electronic album this year. I’m so fortunate to have stumbled onto this and will follow her for the future. Now, where the devil is my iPod classic?

    FAVORITE TRACKS: LONDON SONG, IPOD TOUCH, FUCK MY COMPUTER, CSIRAC, DELETE, BATTERY DEATH, SING GOOD, IT’S YOU, ALL AT ONCE

    LEAST FAVORITE: ALL I AM

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and her discography is also available for streaming.

    https://ninajirachi.bandcamp.com/album/i-love-my-computer

  • Why You Should Spin: Pirouette by Model/Actriz

    Why You Should Spin: Pirouette by Model/Actriz

    When I listened to their debut album Dogsbody in 2023, I was floored by this cold and cacophonous sound that expanded my worldview of music. I wasn’t familiar with No Wave, but it although it causes dissonance, I was being hypnotized by this band’s avant-garde approach to dance punk. I’ve always described their music like music to a groove like you’re being stabbed at while someone is closely singing muses into your ear. And although that experience was intense and cathartic in Dogsbody, that sound didn’t leave us in Pirouette and I’m for one glad. It felt like a short time to already make their sophomore album, but I’m still down for more things I loved about Dogsbody and into this one. It’s tough to say which I love more as it could be so interchangeable. But the coldness is there, the grooves are still there, and Cole Haden’s sultry and tortured vocals are still there. In a famous story, drummer Ruben Radlauer and guitarist Jack Wetmore apparently found Haden performing by “writhing on the floor in a corset, with fake blood dripping in his face.” I love to imagine the mindset of the drummer and guitarist looking at him and saying, “That’s our guy! He’s our first draft!” And it totally fits as Haden’s vocals give both Dogsbody and Pirouette an identity. Like I described Hit It! by vianova as a beast, Pirouette is a diva. A diva that has more bite than a beast. The diva character is on about social norms, LGBTQ issues, mental health, self-hatred, religious themes, as well as violent and sexual imagery abounds. This album is theatrical, gay, abrasive, mechanical, and it sounds like a cry for help. Haden’s deep voice delivers and it gives sultry, but makes him a dangerous, sympathetic force to be reckon with. And he is backed by with this knife sharp instrumental. This whole album is an anxiety inducing trip. Oh I forgot to mention too, this album is danceable as hell! My God, they made someone’s pain so danceable.

    Anxiety attacks! And you’ll know what I mean when you start out with the opening act of “Vespers”. With that staccato synth that they use in tangent with the bass groove. This character takes the stage and is ready to writhe with fake blood. “Cinderella” sounds just like any song that can the Dogsbody tracklist. I am devoid of any complaints, because this track is such a banger with their own retelling of the ‘Cinderella’ story with moments of composure and then chaos. “Poppy” displays a person who is hurting by putting up image of a beautiful self, but surrounded by and decimated by violence. The reason I loved “Diva”, because the beat behind this beast just lurks along with Haden’s spoken word. Loved the part where he just elongated calling himself a bitch. This interlude that is “Headlights” has a lot of religious overtones of a boy who had crush on another with these dying church organs. It highlights Haden’s character and gives us more of a dossier of how he’s this self-indulgent, but tortured self. “Acid Rain” is more laid back and takes a break from the horror with this acoustic number and moment of clarity. “Departures” still continues being laid back, but the monster is still wanting out. And after no one hears his prayers, “Audience” grabs us with these unhinged backing vocals including a scream and a metallic synth that marks impending doom. And then we get an awesome industrial interlude being a clash of sounds on “Ring Road”. It’s brief, but satisfying every time it’s there. The penultimate song, “Doves” I can see why it was one of its released singles to promote this album. It’s one of the catchiest ones with the staccato synths like “Cinderella” and it ties the whole church together with its religious overtones. It’s probably my favorite track on Pirouette. And then we get “Baton” as our closer and has some very strong song-writing to take us home. It’s closing time for these cathedral doors with these sparse church organs. It’s an appropriate ending for one that is long for loving and wanting to be loved. It’s a message for someone who gives our character meaning.

    There are very few complaints I have on this album. Even on the ones that were too chill for me I enjoy their bleak song-writing. The ending even though I wish was more intense, its strong lyricism did hit home with its strong messaging.

    I absolutely love this banger of a dance punk album. This album is such self-flagellation. The flogging stops when morale improves. But does it sound like this person is doing better? Or another question, do they even WANT to get better? The audience and fans are the only outlet that these prayers have reached and are also the ones that are forced to have this sensory overload. Strapped to a chair and eyes propped open like an Alex DeLarge, we are subjected to Model/Actriz’s inquisition and dance. Haden is the one doing the prayers, but why does the light seem to be on us?

    FAVORITE TRACKS: VESPERS, CINDERELLA, POPPY, DIVA, DEPARTURES, AUDIENCE, RING ROAD, DOVES

    LEAST FAVORITE: ACID RAIN

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://modelactriz.bandcamp.com/album/pirouette

  • Why You Should Spin: viagr aboys by Viagra Boys

    Why You Should Spin: viagr aboys by Viagra Boys

    Swedish post-punk outfit Viagra Boys already at first glance at their name, is that there is something so cheeky about them. The best things that manifest out of punk or post-punk is that there could be so many ways on criticizing the dumbness that is our world and its men with their art. Frontman Sebastian Murphy uses self degrading humor to give confidence in his self conflict. That makes hilarious song writing, which he has done in the past, when I was a fan of his past songs like “Sports” or “Troglodyte.” The songs make me vent and then laugh. This album with their cheeky songwriting adds the cynic energy what we need. I mean the first track is named “Man Made of Meat” it just pokes fun at the ridiculousness of people themselves. The tracks aren’t long usually so it flows very well and the songwriting is just dead on hilarious or introspective. So, we pop a pill to deep dive this one.

    “Man Made of Meat” is an excellent starting appetizer that reminds me of 2000s rock, but its got so much humor such as a Chandler Bing tub reference, trolling at a drive-thru, and just straight up burping into the mic. It’s a man who yearns for escapism and I find it hilarious he refuses to pay for anything, but is willing to pay for someone’s Onlyfans. This not giving a fuck attitude has weight throughout the album. “The Bog Body” brings us about him criticizing someone who is envious of others. But Murphy states a point, why the vitriol if we all decompose in this swamp or bog looking all gross at the end? Trivial things like that shouldn’t matter. I really liked “Pyramid of Health” as Murphy sounds inebriated as hell like isolated mountain folk. He claims he’s doing dandy by eating cigarettes and cacti, because someone else told him to. Someone else told him to drink the Kool-Aid as the flat Earth is about to get him! Guess what level of the pyramid this subject is at? Really loved the next track, “Dirty Boyz” as it tells the sad story of how this “dirty boy” who is hard into drugs and are seen as less than human. The song is so grimy and abrasive, and the repeating vocals make them sound so lost. Speaking of feeling lost, “Medicine for Horses” is the sounds of a man who is loosely tethered to the Earth. It’s a slow burner of a song that is somber and relatable. Escapism seems to be the name of the game throughout this entire LP. “Store Pollicy” gives us this down and dirty groove who just lists a bunch of absurd rules that were broken. The band brings the life of the party on “You N33d Me”, which is him proposing that Murphy would not let you down if you have him in your party. He insists no awkwardness will arise if he crushes a bunch of beer and European war trivia. “Best in Show pt. IV” is the ramblings of a man who would give absurd imagery and storytelling. It’s the longest song of theirs being just shy of five and a half minutes, but they put their all into the instrumentals of this one. And then we get to a tragic ending in the end as Murphy quivers his way through this piano ballad that is “River King”, he longs for the moments or the person that reminds him of those moments. Its ending comes to a full closing of the curtain as he loosely grabs hold of the link that binds him to the world.

    This was a fun listen, but some tracks didn’t do it for me sound wise. Such as “Uno II” seems too laid back to me. And “Waterboy” seemed to have Murphy sing the song in a stupor in the verses, but it sounds too awkward for me. And although the ending was very touching and I sympathize with his plight, I wished the ending was a bang instead of a whimper.

    Nevertheless, this has been a fun listen with sharp commentary on humans and how they’re surviving. It’s a good album to vent and rock to. Great riffs, great songwriting, and Murphy has so many ways to tell stories and metaphors lined up in his pocket. I wish to get into punk and post-punk more and I’m glad this album is so accessible for my ears to get into. This man of meat approves.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: MAN MADE OF MEAT, THE BOG BODY, PYRAMID OF HEALTH, DIRTY BOYZ, STORE POLICY, YOU N33D ME, BEST IN SHOW PT. IV

    LEAST FAVORITE: WATERBOY

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover

    Why You Should Spin: Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover

    The cover art is a great descriptor of this album already as Jane Remover pushes the edge forward on how noise and dance music can be implemented. The whole album is fire. Revengeseekerz is a blaze and leaves a trail that marks their spot on the rager map. They have repurposed rager music and EDM by opening the curtain to anything is possible within this genre. There is no box to contain Jane. They hop onto many genres and experiment with many sounds that makes the underground wanting more and this album is what has gripped my attention the most so far in their discography. I was curious about their music when people were making waves for Jane. Frailty and Census Designated were ambitious and intense projects with only a few songs I liked, but Revengeseekerz has a distinct personality that I was charmed by. This project is laser focused in distorted power electronics, 808s, and synths that just crash into you constantly. The tone is constant and the same, but the beats change throughout. It has changed my perspective on rage completely as it was something I found infantile, but now can be a weapon for one’s turmoils. In their interview with Paper Magazine, this album is a weapon to inflict damage on the people that have wronged them. It’s a blind rage that devastates everything in its path. The damage you inflict can actually be self healing, which can be such a weird dichotomy. What I felt through the intensity through this album is much needed, there are almost no breaks. No breaks at all in this album. You sometimes can’t hear yourself think during your listen. So, the album can be one note and polarizing, but if you just feel like fucking shit up, then gear up with this one.

    It starts soft and then gases up at “TWICE REMOVED” and if you’re not into this sound then turn back now. It’s triumphant and Jane postures themselves against God and the grim reaper. “I sent a prayer, I don’t think he hit me back.” We’ve all felt wronged by people in our lives, right? The arc begins and resumes on “Psychoboost” with the great Danny Brown as a feature, who is one of the few rappers who could rap over unconventional beats that Jane Remover chaotically concocts. It touches into hardstyle and this kind of EDM you grab hold of the concert rails and headbang violently. “Star people” goes into braggadocious territory and “Experimental Skin” goes into persecution territory. It’s interesting, yet necessary these two are close together as the people who hurt you still linger in your head even after you succeed. They still describe themselves as a flawed vulnerable person who can hurt. It’s very human, even though Jane have said the others see them as a robot. There are many religious overtones here such as “angels in camo” and “Dreamflasher” as they wish for a power to take out their demons or a plea for help. In “TURN UP OR DIE”, it is a ritualistic dance that celebrates their opposites to blow their heads up. Their gift is this party anthem for their listeners and the drop around the midpoint is such a sweet release. There’s a sort of chiptune loop that makes “Dancing with your eyes closed” fun. And same with “Professional Vengeance” with their synth loop sounds like the 2000s Y2K pop era where you’re seen running down the halls of your school. It ends with a really noisy industrial beat that just mashes your brain. And the last highlight for me is the closer track, where Jane states this was the first track made for Revengeseekerz, which is “JRJRJR.” This may have set the tone for the whole album to be this angry fest. It lashes out on critics that make jokes about their name. They make self-degrading bars by stating they want to do whatever the fuck they want. Such as sexual acts or wanting to escape referencing a procedure that trans people desires. Jane being a trans woman is part of a very marginalized group that has been demonized and this closer is the most vulnerable as they have every right to do whatever they want as much as others. Shouldn’t they stand by for who they are even if it’s against their own fans? Referencing death and the want to reset at the end, it was very riveting and necessary as the song just ends abruptly.

    The album is very one-note, there isn’t very much variety between songs. And even though the song-writing can be poignant and eloquent. Sometimes the vocals can be incoherent or buried in the loud chaos. Sometimes the vibe is good enough though. There was a song called “Supernova” that didn’t make the cut on the original and that song did feel like an afterthought, so I’m only looking at the original. Some songs such as “Fadeoutz” just didn’t do it for me and I want to jump back into the mosh pit that is the aggressive maelstrom of this album.

    Revengeseekerz is a wild ride. It’s a fight back for justice for oneself. A metallic rose with thorns that inflicts pain on others and admittedly that feels good. The album is harsh and abrasive and serves its purpose if anyone wants to lash out in their room. This is my favorite Jane Remover project and I’m excited to see what they have in store later. I appreciate the video game sound effects such as Fortnite and they provide. It’s so vulnerable that made me empathize with them even more. I hope they get out with less wounds and scars after leaving that razed building.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: TWICE REMOVED, PSYCHOBOOST, EXPERIMENTAL SKIN, DREAMFLASHER, TURN UP OR DIE, DANCING WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, PROFESSIONAL VENGEANCE, JRJRJR

    LEAST FAVORITE: FADEOUTZ

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://janeremover.bandcamp.com/album/revengeseekerz

  • Why You Should Spin: Hit It! by vianova

    Why You Should Spin: Hit It! by vianova

    This metalcore outfit from Berlin, Germany is made up of brothers and a vocalist that caught my attention since I was combing the metalcore world for sick riffs. What I found in Hit It! was not just the mean riffs and unhinged screaming I was looking for, but unconventional methods used to deliver their metalcore identity forward without losing intensity. Hailing the Arising Empire label’s flag, they blend pop elements, have weird guitar effects, church choir vocals, proggy bars, and synth loops. And disco. Yes! Disco is a bold choice in a metalcore record, but I respect that. What we have here, are guys throwing everything and the kitchen sink to the wall with a good amount of it sticking into the bloody canvas. So, I sit down by the fire and tell the tale of Hit It! with the band’s armory still stuck to my bleeding person.

    Things go off the wall with “Squier Talk” as its opener. Distant drums, a squeaky vocal sample that is cut off really short, and autotune reel us in. It’s not as captivating yet, but then hits us with the riffs and the screams that metalcore fans would headbang at the rails. The autotunes and the “yeah” might appeal to the younger listeners, but hopefully it might bring in the demographic that vianova is known for. Más Rápido bring us down in the dirt. The subject of this song is the weight that sinks on anyone’s mental health due to adulthood, fiscal responsibilities, and stress. Anyone who faces hardships can relate and are able to vent here. The sharp contrast as if we started in a music box and then these guitar pedals just drags us into hell around the mid point feels so damn good. It’s one of the reasons why this album appeals to me is how dynamic and different segments their songs can be. It doesn’t get boring. Because it’s like I’m being shoved into church with “Wheel of Fortune” with this choir in the background and then the down and dirty riffs become so jarring when they bust through the door. The sound is so triumphant, however the theme of the song is depressing being how one is always playing the game being an uphill battle and the odds are stacked against you. Might as well go out and bust with a bang. And it feels I’m listening to a different record, or a different decade. Like it starts out Bee Gees and then goes metalcore as it makes me grimace with each blend this album concocts. “Marimba” is going back to basics with being a solid rager, while “Melanchronic” is a night drive with this synth wave direction that has strong John Carpenter influences. Anyone that are fans of moody and industrial hip hop might be into this aggressive rebellious “Whatever Alright”. Usually these kinds of mixes of rap and metal are very awkward, but vianova executes this very well. “Future Nostalgia” takes us into highs, while “Uh Yaya” jump scares us with disco again. And then comes the aggressive overtones with the self persecuting lyrics. This song is probably a good taste tester if anyone would be into this album. And then we come into “Obsolete” as our closer. They go theatrical under the spotlight, but it was not captivating as it can be as a closer of a metalcore album. It doesn’t stick and kind of drags on while their different genres didn’t grab a hold of me.

    The first half of the LP is much stronger than the second half. With the closer being kind of a letdown for me and “Uh Yaya” being the only thing I was looking forward to in the second half. “Future Nostalgia” is valiant in trying to brighten the mood, but it kind of lost its edge while trying to be a little too emotional. Some songs work with their experimental magic, while some just fizzled out or seemed to be an afterthought.

    Even though, there are some songs that just didn’t hit right for me and the ending being a drag, this album was so much fun. It’s so interesting in the band being so bold and experimental, that these moves need to be commended. There are no songs I hated and despite being diverse, this album was so tight and cohesive. This beast can be so upbeat and moody at the same time. The different emotions it can evoke has been a plus. I came out with my face blown off and survived with my jaw intact to say this is comes in with a recommendation from me!

    FAVORITE TRACKS: MÁS RÁPIDO, WHEEL OF FORTUNE, OH NO (BELIEVER), MARIMBA, WHATEVER ALRIGHT, UH YAYA

    LEAST FAVORITE: OBSOLETE

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse

    Why You Should Spin: Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse

    Legendary hip-hop duo, Clipse has made a comeback after a sixteen year hiatus from their previous album. The group is made up of two brothers Pusha T and Malice whom are each talented in their lyrical prowess that it was caught in line of sight of one of the most influential producers, Pharrell Williams. Williams or sometimes the Neptunes would collaborate with Clipse and one would understandably argue that they also make up the Clipse name. They are well known and now their album Let God Sort Em Out has been making noise in the mainstream that they are even nominated for a few Grammys. The most knowledge I had of Clipse at the time was their phenomenal Hell Hath No Fury from 2006 and that one half of Clipse, Pusha T was abiding by his own rules as a solo artist with a few solo albums under his belt. So, out comes Let God Sort Em Out and we get Pharrell behind the helm at production and it wowed me for sure. This album was a testament that Malice and Pusha T still got it. Still got the words and the charisma that many rappers have been striving to achieve.

    The opener out the gate is already a tough listen. Not in its sonic quality, but the emotional weight hit me like a ton of bricks. “The Birds Don’t Sing” is a tribute to the brothers’ parents who have passed as they are encumbered with sadness and regret as Pusha laments not being with his mother for Thanksgiving before leaving this plane of existence or Malice’s accounts of what his father’s password to his phone was. I won’t spoil what that password is in case no one has listened, but it was heartbreaking when he revealed it. This album is already memorable with how emotionally dynamic it can be. Then we get into a banger that is “Chain and Whips” that not only it has these sick distant guitars over the beat or the sick hook that Pharrell has provided, but it is a statement and commentary that criticizes America and its obsession for materialism and the systemic suppression that plagues complacency among everyone who consumes. And the way to beat the system is with chains and whips, the very thing that puts them there in the first place. It is a powerful message to rebel against the system. There are so many memorable bars in this one, like “I will close your Heaven for the hell of it.” and “Money being dried up like a cuticle.” And it has a Kendrick feature that just killed with beef against Trump, but raises arms to legendary rapper Rakim. The intensity doesn’t stop on this rolling hill into “P.O.V.” They keep the hooks and choruses so catchy on so many of these songs and “P.O.V.” is just another deliciously sinister moment. The chorus tells about kilos of coke, which is what they usually rap back in Hell Hath No Fury, it is familiar territory that is always welcome. And was there any doubt that Tyler the Creator would deliver us the goods on this song? Malice at the end symbolizing chains on the necks as oppression, a call back to the previous track. We have this absolutely insane Arabic sample lifting the braggadocious “So Be It”. It has hot gossip and this juicy drama thankfully has given us this nice thumper of a song. “Ace Trumpets” being fuzzy makes the song enchanting, but not losing the momentum of the album. You got your coke bars, which is just on brand for them, but you have so many bars referencing so many celebrities just adding fun to boastful title. You got Riri, Lady Gaga, and Mufasa bars just making me grin with glee. The sinister siblings slings us this trunk rattling bass on “All Things Considered”. It’s guised as a banger, but underneath there are so many personal things shared both on Pusha and Malice’s fronts. Using the word brave, would feel overused, but it’s actually taken me by surprise yet I applaud them for being honest, opening the curtain to their flaws and vulnerabilities. “M.T.B.T.T.F.” stands for Mike Tyson blow to the face, which is an actual bar on the acronym itself, but has these fun keys as well as this humorous “hot” sample with more coke bars. More coke bars, however they even say themselves in a verse, it’s a religion. Speaking of, “E.B.I.T.D.A.” also sounds celestial enough to be its own religion with Clipse claiming they have the whole world from nothing, but its not enough for them. “Inglorious Bastards” has grabbed my attention with this thick bass and horn sample. The brothers in this song preach in how they seize and conquer their lavish lifestyle and Ab-Liva gives us a fine feature and all artists here give their salutes to Biggie Smalls. It’s like we’re being transported into a castle in the titular track “Let God Sort Em Out/Chandiliers” where there is danger to be found with the last half being a treat with a cavalier sample with Nas being a stone cold machine at the back end. The closer plays with “By the Grace of God” is as if we’re being washed over and cleansed. It’s a beautiful ending with a gorgeous chorus by Pharrell with the brothers coming out on top. You feel this cathartic high knowing they have gone from mason jars to crepe tartares. It’s a sweet cherry on top.

    Even when I was lukewarm on “F.I.C.O.” and “So Far Ahead”, they were by no means bad listens. The former not hitting as hard for me, while the latter was not as captivating as they can be. Them being present hasn’t slowed down the album at all.

    Writing about this has convinced me, I am much into Let God Sort Em Out than Hell Hath No Fury. Even with repeated listens I have favored more tracks than my first listens. There is just something that is so refreshing in their sound and their ways of gangsta rap when the bling era was dominating back in the 2000s is all now left behind. But they still got it. They still got the flows, the charisma, the emotion, which makes this record not only so catchy, but poignant in their poetry. There’s so much depth here and the “culturally inappropriate” tag will always crack me up. Any hip-hop fan needs to jump on this if they haven’t. Who knows when this empire will crumble and fall? Will it be in another sixteen years? I can wait that long again for another great Clipse album. But I wait with bated breath, I hope they won’t fall by then.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: THE BIRDS DON’T SING, CHAINS & WHIPS, P.O.V., SO BE IT, ACE TRUMPETS, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, M.T.B.T.T.F., E.B.I.T.D.A., INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, LET GOD SORT EM OUT/CHANDELIERS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD

    LEAST FAVORITE: SO FAR AHEAD

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Rammana by Salin

    Why You Should Spin: Rammana by Salin

    A girl in Bangkok, Thailand named Salin Cheewapansri, had such a strong affinity to music that she would dip her toes into drums after being entranced into grunge music. Later, Salin would do many gigs in the streets and in the studio and then would move into the States and eventually in Montreal, Canada where she resides to this day. Her passion is music and uses not only her culture, but others as well. Mainly afrobeats, soul, or funk, genres that aren’t conventional to Thai ears are what fascinates Salin and hence, uses them as vessels to deliver her amalgamation of this melting pot of sounds to her audiences as shown in her debut album Cosmic Island as well as Rammana. Off a coast of southern Thailand, are a group of aboriginal people known as the Urak Lawoi, where Salin got her inspiration with the title. The saying, “Rammana: is sung by the Urak Lawoi in celebration at a floating boat ceremony. That is what this album symbolizes and paints itself as, a celebration. Cheewapansri has made a colorful, lush project that is not only catchy in its world beats, but blends it very well with Thai and afrobeats instrumentation. Looking at the credits of this LP is eye opening on how their sound was executed to achieve this aesthetic. You got not only drums, strings, and brass, but as well as ngoma drums, a phin (a type of lute from Thailand), a khene (a reed instrument of many bamboos), and many more instruments whose names I’ve also never heard of. Not only that, but Salin just absolutely slays on the drum set on all of these tracks that would make jazzheads involuntarily bob to the rhythm. This album was a fun listen and Cheewapansri states the purpose of this mostly instrumental project, Rammana and that is to make it danceable, which in my opinion succeeds with flying colors. And boy howdy, how colorful this album has become.

    The opener is a good prep on where you’re at, but not know what’s in store for you. The isolated hand drums that accelerate with these Thai chants from far away seem like a ritual in “Pam Intro”. But does a complete 180 in the next track, “Ma’at”. It goes into these Fela Kuti inspired brass and funky keys with these same chants. It’s such a refreshing turnaround sound in what was spiritual, is now a groove by heart. The funky vibes continue with “Current” and “Egungun”, which sounds like a scenario in which one sneaks around the city at night for the former and more romantic intimate moment for the latter. Anyone who is into the Seatbelts would be enamored with this sound. However, the second act of this record is where its stars shine brightest as the interlude eases into “Painted Lady” and goes into deep intimate blues with toned down brass, shiny keys, and sexy licks from the bass. It’s a recognizable slow burner, but this song would go very well with a glass of good wine and a Barry White voice-over with how smooth this sound is. And now the album goes back into this fun hybrid of mixing Eastern and Western instrumentals for “Being Here”. With these eastern in the background being the backbone of the jazz band. It has a killer outro and jazz flute solo too. This whole blend makes this tapestry much more mysterious, textured, and colorful. My favorite track “Puaj” sounds so trippy with this out of this world background instrumental beat that’s like some kind of jaw harp. This itself makes it so much fun with this unique sound within funk. I need more stuff like this. Please, give me more like this. “Si Chomphu” is more funk goodness that seems more guitar centric and makes it very much engaging. It has these hand drums and eastern percussive bits that just support the guitars upright. And that seems to be the statement Salin gives in the last half of the album. The instrumentals from around the globe support each other. And then we close out with the titular track, “Rammana”. It is such a beautiful and wholesome closer and could easily be the best way to close this record. It is Salin’s interpolation of the folk song and her gift to not only Thai folk, but everyone around the globe. It’s beautiful, funky, ornate, and hands down the most emotional on the album.

    The second half of the Rammana, is much more stronger in theme and sound than the first. Either the Eastern instruments are either not present or not pronounced enough in some of the tracks, especially the first half did kind of hurt Salin’s statement a little bit. If she is wanting to give more attention to the other sounds and bring it over the other cultures, I felt in my opinion she should’ve shined the spotlight more on that sound.

    On the behind the scenes of Rammana, Salin said this album’s purpose was to bring Western and Thai cultures together. Not to become experimental, which is a fortunate byproduct of this album, but to let the people of Thailand love themselves and what their culture has provided them. Western music is so ingrained and ubiquitous into all of us, is what makes us miss or take for granted what’s next to us. There are so many great sounds out there and it would be such a pity if we miss them and they disappear into the ether. It’s such a noble goal what they’ve done and much of that is achieved here. It’s an amazing collaboration by many people from different backgrounds to put together this colorful project that it needs to be celebrated. And that’s what Rammana is here. A celebration.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: LAM INTRO, MA’AT, PAINTED LADY, BEING HERE, PUAJ, SI CHOMHU, RAMMANA

    LEAST FAVORITE: CURRENT

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and her discography is also available for streaming.

    https://salinmusic.bandcamp.com/album/rammana

  • Why You Should Spin: Animatronics by Rolando Simmons

    Why You Should Spin: Animatronics by Rolando Simmons

    An electronic artist hailing from Sweden, Mattias Östling who goes under the moniker of Rolando Simmons, has caught my ears when entering the mystifying world of IDM. And in this subgenre being so broad and boundary pushing, the cerebral experience he provides here in Animatronics is such a treat for any voyeurs in experimental electronic music. Östling stated that he was dealing with a creative writer’s block and then something hit him. A surreal vision came to him in form of a world that has materialized in his mind in hopes would transcribe in this concept album. His success in its conceptualization is up to you to judge, but regardless if his objective has panned out, the audio experience provided here is nevertheless, fulfilling ear candy. It is especially a good listen for me, but I may be biased since IDM is one of, if not, my favorite genre of music. Despite it being my favorite genre, it is such a tough medium to describe since IDM is again, so broad and yet, amorphous. But we must press on, as there are many layers and textures to describe in this record.

    “Cloudless Passenger” transports us into Animatronic’s world with this calm ambient sound and a voice going through this vocoder filter. It’s a peaceful yet mysterious feeling and the mood continues as these drum loops pass on by. We get an atmospheric change on the LP with the second track, “Purple Soap”. It’s playful acid that makes this track probably the most upbeat of the entire album. It makes me think of a functioning futuristic society or an assembly line producing the shiniest technology and all the cogs are in place. In the next piece, “Eternal Plastic Foundation” was an enjoyable listen for me, since it draws so much Autechre inspiration. It’s somber and alien with this hollow lurking bass along next to these synth leads that sound like a desolate place of worship. “Retinal Caustics” has faint ghost vocals along with these simple minimalist drum patterns and breaks and yet it grows into something gorgeous in the end. These tracks have been giving that enigmatic vibe and “Procedural Cosmetics” is no exception however a highlight for me is “White Lace Throne” afterwards. This piece had these delicate string-like soundscapes that compliments these grandiose kicks and synths. It’s epic yet celestial at the same time, that can be pulled off only by someone who is really meticulous in their craft. But what a change as we get plucked out of our comfort zone with “GlobalGroove Dust Club” as this is the most acid oriented track of the with engaging break beats, but the acid synths just revs up and discombobulates the mind. Makes the track go by so fast with a plethora of ways from Östling’s pocket to manipulate the space in this room. And last but not least, because this was probably my favorite track as “Memory Defrost” was such a banger of a closer. It’s like a club, techno, and march for robots that’s so laid back, it puts you into a trance. The chill kicks, the stuttering drum machine patterns, ghostly vocals and synths all lead to a great closer on our last glimpse of Roland’s world as we get lifted out.

    A lot of engaging sounds to ease your mind to in this LP, but there are a few exceptions. Some of the tracks drag on for me or too similar to each other. Biggest issue of this LP to me was “Procedural Cosmetics” although the instrumentation was layered really well. It was too similar to other tracks and kind of dragged on a bit for me.

    On the album’s Bandcamp page, Östling shares that his thought process and visual direction steered into making this album that is a futuristic, absurdist shopping mall in a dream-like dystopia. It’s a sonic discussion on teddy bears (per album cover) and technology. The execution of this dream is understandably debatable, however you cannot argue this ambient, acid, techno, IDM album does put you in a dream-like fugue state. What a marvelous surreal experience Roland Simmons has provided this window of this enigmatic world. Thankfully this dystopia has open borders.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: PURPLE SOAP, ETERNAL PLASTIC FOUNDATION, WHITE LACE THEME, GLOBALGROOVE DUST CLUB, MEMORY DEFROST

    LEAST FAVORITE: PROCEDURAL COSMETICS

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://rolandosimmons.bandcamp.com/album/animatronics

  • Why You Should Spin: Bleeds by Wednesday

    Why You Should Spin: Bleeds by Wednesday

    I first heard about this band from North Carolina through the Brooklyn Vegan blog and saw this quirky and somber album cover that looks like it’s from Where the Wild Things Are. The creature on the cover looked like they needed a hug, so I wanted to give them a listen! Wednesday has been around the rock scene for quite a while with this release being their sixth. Their singles, “Elderberry Wine” and “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” are perfect litmus tests for seeing if this album strikes your fancy. They are a blend of noise rock and country notes that mix so well that it satisfies ones palette by being so modern and fresh. It is no wonder that their names have been thrown around as some of the most innovating in the indie rock scene as the genre refuses to throw in the towel to its contemporaries despite not being as booming popular. Self admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of country, however this album gets a huge praise from me, so that should hold much water. Also, MJ Lenderman is apparently in this band and it got me more curious as I did like a few songs from his last solo album as he is also obtaining buzz in the alternative scene. Bleeds has such rocking leads and noise that is so engaging, it just makes your head bang and your body move. I appreciate the strong song writing as frontwoman Karly Hartzman showcases them with compassion and steadfast emotion in her vocal chops. Like the album art, this LP is a beast, but it’s such a gentle, grungy, beast with a heart that will pour out in front of you.

    Getting into it, the group just showcases and hone in their rock energy with the opening track, “Reality TV Argument Bleeds”. And then the next track, “Townies” is such a treat with the chorus having so much teeth as that energy has not been diminished from the previous song. It tells about the burdened past that weighed one down from everything that is wrong from the small town they grew up in. Just the visuals of what everything Hartzman’s character is going through and describing the setting is down to the bone accurate on the damage that small towns inflict upon people. And then we get into the next two songs that were featured as singles and man, a part of me was happy that I was not spoiled on what I was about to be treated with. “Wound Up Here (By Holdin’ On) is such another showcase on Hartzman’s strong song writing on how one tries to survive in a cruel rural landscape. One dreams of a lottery ticket, while one’s dreams ends and what is now a crime scene. The grunge guitars are the true reason this band wants to let their audiences know ahead of time with this single that they are not to be trifled with. And what is now a night and day difference with the next song, not in quality, but in mood. It is my favorite song of the album as “Elderberry Wine” is such a smooth and gentle piece that is probably has the most country blends within it. Among the toxic world that we live in, we always find the sweetest things among life and cherish it as much as we can. It is much needed positivity that contrasts the previous songs and shows a light at the end of the tunnel, as it is a metaphor that elderberries while being poisonous for consumption is made into sweet wine that one can enjoy to cope with others as they get along just fine. What a lot of these songs do is reminisce the good times, not all of them are pleasant, but at least they are memorable as such in “Phish Pepsi” as they remember smoking from a Pepsi Can or watching the movie, Human Centipede. The grunge comes back on “Candy Breath” as we look into Hartzman’s world of her just surviving in it and relying on her “candy breath” to get her through the times. Looked up candy breath and it is apparently a strain of sativa. A slow ballad arrives on horseback with “The Way Love Goes” and with one big fell swoop is “Pick Up That Knife”, which is a jam that tells of a person down in the dumps as the world loves to beat them down. But do they come back with a vengeance? And just hearing the Death Grips reference in this song already made me love this band even more. Next up, even though it’s a short minute and a half interlude, “Wasp” went out guns a blazin’ and is probably the most in your face they’ve gone on this LP. And Hartzman goes pessimistic on “Bitter Everyday” with how she face plants the floor that is life. And then in the last leg of the album, we reach the eye of the storm with a soft piano ballad that is “Carolina Murder Suicide” with poignant, beautiful poetry on something that is so grim. You can see them paint when they mention fruit flies sleeping in a drain. So, we end on a country tone with “Gary’s II” and it wraps up the album nice and tight with the last verse best describing the motif of this album, which I won’t spoil of course.

    Single cover art for “Elderberry Wine” by Kamila Mlynarczyk

    Little complaints on the album. Even on some of the ones I didn’t get into as much, I was awestruck with how strong the songwriting was. “The Way Love Goes” was a little too mellow for me and I’m glad how soft the ending happened and how the writing is still consistent, but sonically wise, the ending songs weren’t as captivating as “Elderberry Wine”.

    I absolutely love this album. Hartzman is such a great storyteller and conjurer of images. The album again blends rock and country so well that I can see fans of both crafts would appreciate how captivating, boisterous, and uplifting in such a downer of a world the band paints. Because what hurts you, makes what you stronger and more appreciative of the little things along the way.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: REALITY TV ARGUMENT BLEEDS, TOWNIES, WOUND UP HERE (BY HOLDIN ON), ELDERBERRY WINE, CANDY BREATH, PICK UP THAT KNIFE, WASP, BITTER EVERYDAY

    LEAST FAVORITE: THE WAY LOVE GOES

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://wednesdayband.bandcamp.com/album/bleeds