diSKOAver weekly: Week of December 15, 2021

Hiii I don’t want y’all to think I popped in for one update only to vanish again for months on end. Truth be told, a bitch got her booster on Monday (🙏🏻) and did not anticipate how much it would affect her stamina for shouting into the void about songs I adore. I’m kind of obsessed with this update because *Stefon voice* it’s got a a little bit of everything: a conspiracy theory about a ✨magic manifestation song✨, a drugged out music video shot by the singer’s mom, vocabulary words, playful threats, and so much more!

don’t tell anyone I said this, but I love you best!

✨💖
kibbe!

---

1. Allday - ”After All This Time”

   Came across this lil Aussie sweetie via one of my most favorite finds, Memphis LK. His latest record, Drinking With My Smoking Friends, is indie pop perfection. I always find myself going back to “After All This Time” because it’s just so perfectly fucking catchy and sweet. Also you should follow him on TikTok. Him and Memphis LK do hilarious little weird sketches together like this one. I’m obsessed.

2. The Toxhards - “How Lucky Am I?”

   When this landed on my FYP and I heard the lyric, “How lucky am I that I can afford to be alive? How lucky am I that I’m living through the end of times?” I scream-laughed so hard that I missed the rest of the song. I really love how this song just kinda laughs in the face of misery. Additionally, I discovered that the music video for this song was shot by singer Alan Macchiarolo’s mom while he was post-op high from ear surgery and doesn’t really remember shooting it, which officially makes this band’s sense of humor the best ever.

3. maxime. - “telephone wires”

   Another FYP find. It was when I came across Canadian cutie maxime. that I determined that I have sufficiently trained The Algorithm™ on TikTok to deliver me the best baby bands. This is the title track from his latest EP. There’s not a subpar song in this kids’s entire catalog and if you disagree LMK so I can slap the stupid outta you and tell you how wrong you are.

4. MAX RAD - “Roll Out”

   Thrilled to report that MAX RAD is still at maximum radness since last I checked in on him. Also as someone who loves having a song for every occasion the glitch witch in me is so delighted that I have a lovey song that references new moons.

5. sundiver ca - “Soundtrack for Your Backseat”

   Okay but I have not stopped SWOONING since I stumbled into this song. It’s so simultaneously soothing and seductive. This one feels extra intimate in your headphones for sure. If a lyric like, “you tie my soul to the ground” doesn’t take your breath away then please don’t ever try to flirt with me. Also I can’t stop thinking about what would happen if Jason Martin/Starflyer 59 got to produce whatever this guy does next.

6. Ladyhawke - “Think About You”

   Ladyhawke dropped a new album last month called Time Flies, which is appropriate given that it feels like I heard, “Mixed Emotions” back in May, blinked moments later, and then missed celebrating the album’s release date in November. Unsurprisingly, I’ve gravitated towards “Think About You”, a song about a fantasy infatuation that miraculously gets reciprocated. Thanks to reading up on this song, I now know of a new word, “limerence”: (n.): the state of being obsessively infatuated with someone, usually accompanied by delusions of or a desire for an intense romantic relationship with that person. The More You Know 💫.

7. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - “That Life”

   I assume there are two kinds of UMO fans: the kind that saw the music video for “That Life” and thought, “yeah I don’t get it” and the kind that are still trying to perfectly copy the puppets dance moves every time the song comes on. I’ll let you guess which kind of UMO fan I am. 💃🏼

8. Amber Ryann - “SWITCH”

   I fucking love when I end up swiping my way into someone like LA’s Amber Ryann, whose unwavering confidence and diligence matches up with her talent level. Her latest EP, A SIGN OF THE TIMES (COLLECTION) has all the makings of a sleeper hit. The production is a blend of punchy pop and R&B with her sensuous vocals glistening all the way through. “SWITCH” is a clear standout moment of hers for me, and not just because it references one of my favorite pastimes: subtweeting. My gut says it’s only a matter of time before everyone catches on.

9. Yung Bae - “Straight Up Relaxin’ (feat. Cosmo’s Midnight)”

   Alright so like, this is a very serious question that I would like to pose to the internet: does it throw you off when a song is released ✨out of season✨? As in, should a song about “straight up relaxin’ in the summer” be saved for a late spring release so it can build momentum through the actual summer, or does it not matter if it is dropped in the dead of fall? I assume that the majority of you have NOT worked in the music industry (and certainly not in as many different corners of it like I have), but plenty of you probably have seasonal listening habits like I do where your musical cravings adapt a bit with the seasons changing. I absolutely love this song so much, but I can’t tell if I’m being an old industry fuddy duddy or if this is an actual teachable moment for baby bands. Just this one time would y’all not make me feel like I’m shouting into the void and LMK your thoughts on this?

10. Oh Bummer! - “Mirrors”

    The homey Fitts d.b.a. The Kickdrums tipped me off to this new project that he produced. LA based brainchild Tanner Houghton describes the project as, “songs that are a conglomeration of my manic ADHD thoughts - the diary of an overthinker,” So basically, music made just for yours truly (if I am to accept TikTok’s diagnosis that I have ADHD anyway). “Mirrors” is the first taste of his upcoming EP that is slated to drop in Spring 2022. I will probably harass Fitts to let me have a listen before then. Will report back accordingly. 😘

11. clashingedge- “Don’t miss”

    I’ve never gone out of my way to rank my favorite algorithms yet but the Soundcloud one is def in the top 5 for bringing me clashingedge a few years ago. Her airy vocals are quite stunning. Anyway we’ve kept in touch since the fateful day I tracked her down to tell her that the song that Soundcloud autoplayed me into was very good. A few months back she dropped, “Don’t miss”, which is a lovely evolution from the gateway drug of a song I first heard, which I would link to but unfortunately she’s pulled that one and a slew of other tracks down. Her and I are overdue for a catchup so I’ll be getting to the bottom of this soon enough.

12. Amtrac- “Oddyssey”

    Look, we all need to listen to more Amtrac, okay? If the title track from his album that dropped last year doesn’t convince you, then maybe some of the newer tracks he’s dropped since then featuring collabs with the likes of The Juan Maclean, Durante, and Washed Out (his “Hide” remix) will. And if that doesn’t, well, maybe we need to discuss the status of our friendship moving forward….😬😬😬.

13. tiLLie- “Hell Yeah!”

    While snagging her track, “faith” for a friend who I thought could use the support it offered me I quickly realized that I’d missed a slew of songs since her 2019 LOUD MOUTH EP. Thankfully I’m all caught up now. The thing I continue to love about tiLLie is that she makes vulnerability really fucking cool. Take this newer track, “Hell Yeah!”, which is saturated in sarcasm in the best possible way all the while rocking this tight 90s UK garage-ish sound (which made me think of Lucious Jackson a lot if I’m being honest). The chorus goes, “Like hell yeah. I made it through today. Like hell yeah. The sun is in my face. Like hell yeah I made it through today without crying, without dying, hey.” Def a song that belongs in everyone’s 2021 time capsule/mood board.

14. Moullinex x Xinobi - “Imaginary Numbers”

    I have such a *professional crush* on Portuguese producer Mouillnex. I always squeal like an idiot when I see he’s dropped something new. This collab with newcomer to my earholes Xinobi is good energy. If this is your first foray into Portuguese electronic music, you’re welcome for the 2 for 1 special yer girl is offering with this one.

15. LP Giobbi- “Take My Hand”

    I am having the best fucking time watching LP Giobbi’s ascension to greatness. With every Instagram post of her grinning from ear to ear in complete control of the crowd in addition to seeing all the good that her non-profit FEMME HOUSE continues to do it just increasingly makes my heart oh so happy. She is my little Princess of Piano House and I will protect her at all costs so she’s smiling forever. If you haven’t checked out my interview with her you absolutely should. She makes it so easy to love her.

16. iANO- “Labrynth”

    So there was a thing going around on TikTok where apparently another song of iANO’s called “Time In Oblivion” possessed some potent manifestation power as long as you at the very least had a recording of the song sitting in your drafts. The sound has since been pulled down from TikTok and all DSPs (which led to this interesting conspiracy theory about that surfacing) but me being the curious little shit that I am I wanted to know what else was in the elusive artist’s repertoire and came across an album they recently released, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve been debating whether or not to reach out to iANO to talk about this manifestation phenomenon, especially after glancing at the comments on the SoundCloud for the song to link to this post. Like people are straight up making wishes etc in between troll comments. So yeah if anyone is interested LMK and I’ll electric slide into their DMs for the 411.

diSKOAver weekly: Week of December 8, 2021

Hello gorgeous internet friends!🥰✨💖

Did you miss me? I sure missed you.

I think the hiatus is over? IDK. I feel like I keep saying that, but I’m pretty sure this is the real deal this time, haha.

In the past I have spent a lot of time overthinking what I share on this silly little site because I want it to be an equally fun and informative space that also happens to be aesthetically pleasing to My People. Plus there’s that pressure to figure out how to monetize the thing that makes you happy 🤑, which can easily become a thing that makes you really unhappy when you get caught comparing your internet offerings to someone else’s. Juggling all of those feels on top of a pandemic made trying to express myself even more stressful so I gave myself as much space from this as I needed until I missed it so much that I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

And some of you even reached out a few times to ask when the next update was coming. 🥺 You’ll never know how much that meant to feel like my contributions are actually meaningful to y’all even though most of the time I feel like I’m gushing into the void, lmao.

Anyway I hope you all are doing well and have been stuck at least twice by now. 💉

Enjoy!

---

1. Mickey Kojak - ”Club Is On Fire”

   Okay so for whatever stupid reason when I want to take myself seriously about loving on this Sydney sweetie I always tell myself his full name is actually Michelangelo Kojak. I might have dreamed that once? Either way, that’s not even remotely true. I know his real name is actually Michael Dable and yet here we are lol. At any rate, our fateful hero has been doing his part during the pandemic to regularly drop techno treats on Tuesdays of his choosing to keep the fire burning in our hearts for his adorkable ass while he continues to work on new music. Luckily we managed to get a remix and two originals from Mickey in 2021, “Lights Out” and “Club Is On Fire”, the latter being the more splendidly chaotic of the two.

2. Pat Lok x Party Pupils - “So Fine”

   Over the course of 2021 the Twitter homey Pat Lok has been doing the Lorde’s work by keeping us satiated with shit that slaps. His recent collaborations with Party Pupils have been especially hitting the spot as of late. “So Fine” is an obvious fave because it makes it easier for me to pretend like I’m getting the attention I know I deserve, but I also really love their latest, “I Want You”. Which is also more attention seeking from me I guess? lol ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. Lxury - “PAD MA”

   I was really glad London’s Lxury snuck in another EP after last year’s No Real Rush. This new one, Smart Digital Life is a lot more airy and brighter than NRR. There’s not a track I’d cut. In a parallel universe I would’ve included “Up High” but I was really feeling the high energy of "PAD MA” to compliment everything else in this weeks playlist.

4. Simon Hinter - “Wanna Make Love - Mixed”

   I love a good DJ Kicks mix, which is where I fell for German producer Simon Hinter. While I thoroughly enjoyed the entire mix that Disclosure put together, “Wanna Make Love” easily stands out as a moment to shut the fuck up and dance. Do not try to shift your focus otherwise you might get swept away on the dance floor.

5. Alfie Templeman - “Wait, I Lied”

   If these are the kinds of songs that Alfie Templeman is writing at 18, mannnn I’m like dying to know how his sound is gonna evolve in the next, like, 5 years. The progression from Don’t Go Wasting Time to Forever Isn’t Long Enough is somewhat subtle but you can tell that he’s feeling a lot more confident in his sound. Here’s hoping he continues on this trajectory he’s clearly on at the moment.

6. Jaded - “Welcome To The People”

   Lovely London lads Jaded have also been doing their part holding it down in 2021. I think “Welcome To The People” is a nice change of pace for the trio. The beat is super addictive. It keeps you stimulated as if you’re slightly over caffeinated and leaves you wanting like a 10 minute edit of this or some other absurd length.

7. Darius - “Feels Right (feat. Duñe)”

   Let the record reflect that the only show I went to in all of 2021 was to see Darius and Étienne de Crécy while I was in Paris for part of August and most of September. I just can’t bring myself to do shows in the US yet. I got hella trust issues with this country related to this pandem. Meanwhile, France’s vaccination efforts coupled with the countrywide implementation of the Pass Sanitaire put my mind at ease to dance the night away. And you better believe I barely moved the next day I went so hard at that show. While every track on Darius’ new EP, OASIS (Prelude), has its each little flavor to savor, “Feels Right” is my favorite mood enhancer of his and I had to make sure this one got to y’all. 🥰

8. Louis La Roche - “One Big Gay Disco”

   I very much like Louis La Roche’s new album, We’re Not That Different. There are so many good details about this record that make me keep coming back to it. My first taste of the record was, “One Big Gay Disco”, which is how I would succinctly describe what I hope heaven is like if it exists. I did ⚡️The Kibbe Thing⚡️ and hunted down the origin of this sample. I’m not going to publicize the hateful homophobic person’s name who said some horrible shit in an interview that Louis chose to transform into something positive and fuckin fabulous. I’m not mad it wasn’t easy to find the clip. Maybe just take my word for it that it’s awful and as someone who has people who lost people in the Pulse shooting that this song advances the slay agenda and is defiantly gay as hell.

9. KUNZITE - “SUPREME BEAM”

   I’m such a doofus. I went way too long not putting it together that KUNZITE was Ratatat adjacent. Never not embarrassing when something that later seems painfully obvious just flies over my head. I mean how long have I been at this shit, 12 years now? Anyway for the record KUNZITE is comprised of RATATAT's Mike Stroud and Agustin White from White Flight which is why it’s vibey af. I really love their latest album, VISUALS and I cannot recommend it enough.

10. Willow Kayne - “Opinion”

    When last we met this little sweetie was just stepping out with her debut single, “Two Seater”. Since then she’s released tracks “I Don’t Wanna Know” and more recently, “Opinion”. Have a peep at the brand spankin’ new music video for IDWK which Willow shot during her recent stay in Los Angeles. If you need any concrete evidence that the 90s are absolutely back in style, just sit back and let Willow’s ‘fits wash over you in all of their Delias-era glory. For some reason I really want Willow and BENEE to be besties. I feel like they would get into the best kind of trouble together, you know?

11. Noah Davis- “How Much Cash”

    I haven’t watched American Idol since season one so I hadn’t made the connection that Noah Davis has already had a little heat going for awhile. To me he was just some unassuming sweet thing that landed on my FYP and left me fucking SHOOK when “How Much Cash” hit my earholes. It not only makes me want to go to a gay bar full of hot lil go-go boys, but given that I’m in a space to call in the blessings I’ve been blocking, I always feel richer and mad sexy after playing this.

12. Magdalena Bay- “Secrets (Your Fire)”

    Only been trying to make this band happen since *checks notes AKA the DW archive* 2019. Glad everyone has joined the party! Like sincerely. I really am. Gotta say tho, they really fucking nailed it with this record. Mercurial World is just… *chef’s kiss*. Also this 90s nostalgia aesthetic just makes me feel like I’m on Geocities talking about this. If you don’t know what Geocities is please don’t tell me and just Google it. I can already feel the “kids these days don’t know how good they have it for making websites” spiel and I’m not in the mood to embarrass myself. Just let me casually obsess over their music video for this song and their website in peace.

13. Griff - “One Night”

    Fun true story: while working from my Airbnb in Paris I would leave MTV France on because I figured of all the TV shows that would teach me useful French vocabulary that Catfish would be perfect for someone as Very Online as yours truly. In France they were going HARD with plugging this song in the commercial breaks. Admittedly I haven’t given Griff a lot of attention in the past, but the clip from, “One Night” left me curious about the story behind the song. Apparently it’s about, “feeling like you’re always carrying this darkness or burden.” As Griff told NME, “I think in the daytime we can feel distracted because we’re around people and we’re busy, but that moment between going to bed and falling asleep, there’s just enough silence for those burdens to get louder. Essentially this song is trying to understand why I can’t shake it, and the chorus comes to this breaking point of desperately wanting at least ‘One Night’ alone.” Yeah girl, feel that. 😔

14. Carter Vail - “Trash Friends”

    Carter Vail makes it very easy to love him, which is why I’m not surprised at his ever growing following on TikTok. He’s a solid songwriter, has a great sense of humor (see also: “Trash Friends”), and also happens to have a face that you don’t mind looking at for long periods of time. It did not surprise me one bit to learn that he’s based in Nashville now and played at Rockwood Music Hall at the end of November. Hell I might DM his ass and ask him if he’s going to Belmont, because that’s the vibe he’s throwing. He’s throwing “homey I could’ve gone to college with who’s having a fun time getting better at writing songs”. That said, it seems his sound has already evolved quite a bit since he started releasing tracks in 2018 and I definitely like the direction he’s chosen for his 2021 cuts.

15. Nasty Party- “People On The Street”

    Are you ready to hit BINGO on your SKOA Bingo cards? This one is courtesy of the TikTok algorithm AND is an Australian baby band, bitches. LMAO. These guys have managed to capture the essence of 1980’s punk but made just enough tweaks to the sound that it could contend with today’s standards. In my ✨Kibbe Flies Aussie Bands To America And Makes Them All Famous Fantasy✨, these guys would be on a bill with Johnny Hunter and These New South Whales.

16. Jakuzi - “Açık Bir Yara”

    My little Turkish darklings Jakuzi have reappeared to seduce us with a quickie two-song EP for 2021, of which the title track,“Açık Bir Yara” is my favorite. Singer Kutay Soyocak has also started dabbling in a new black metal project called Vox In Rama which is a genre I’m not often in the mood for but is very cool to see this side of Kutay’s vocal abilities.

Let Brothertiger Be Your Guide On The Journey To Living A Life Of Authenticity In ‘Paradise Lost’

John Jagos of Brothertiger; photo credit: Alec Castillo

“I don’t think there was a specific moment,” explained Brothertiger mastermind John Jagos late into our recent phone call discussing the ethos of his latest album, “It’s just something I think about all the time.” Paradise Lost is yet another album serendipitously ripe for the reflective picking that has been delivered to us in quarantine. Although the album wrapped long before lockdown, I’m not sure there’s ever been a moment in the history of humankind where someone isn’t struggling with feeling confident in the defiant decision that’s made daily to live the most authentic version of one’s life. An act which, specifically here in America, is often frowned upon for not falling in line with the toxicity that is American Individualism, when it should instead be lovingly lauded. Jagos has frequently found himself triggered to address this phenomenon in both his everyday life in addition to his time in New York City specifically collaborating with other artists. “I think there is external pressure from just, you know, movies, TV, and just everyday life all around you. It’s just kind of, ‘This is where you should be in your life. This is what you should be doing,’” he detailed. “I feel like I see it all the time. I don’t know. I’ve seen a lot of people who I’ve worked with [...] who are very passionate about something yet they can’t really indulge in it because they have to do their *real job*.”

There are moments in Paradise Lost where I find myself convinced that Jagos is indulging enough for all of us, perhaps as a way to showcase a paradise we can all find within ourselves. An album that, in my impassioned albeit humble opinion, encapsulates the essence of retreating to nature for restorative means from start to finish. Opening with “Found”, featuring field recordings of birds chirping atop a bed of gently bubbling synths within the first few seconds, it blatantly signals while gently easing listeners into the flourishing and soothing soundscapes that are about to bless their ears for the next 46 minutes. “I’ve tended to lean more towards synth sounds that are a bit more like natural sounding [...],” he noted. “You know, they sound like a synthesizer but they don't sound super processed. I like when they have errors or kind of mistakes in them.” He adds, “[...] I tend to use a lot of analog synthesizers because you’re not gonna get the same exact sound out of it every time you turn it on because the analog circuitry just kind of allows for there to be randomness in a way. [...] I think with that a lot of the sounds for this album kind of were a bit more, earthy and natural in the sense that they were a bit more loose [...]. Loose to the grid. Loose to tuning. Just like loose to the constrictions of a song made a computer.”

While most of his previous material has been loosely based on friends or other people’s experiences, Paradise Lost comes from a very personal place. He recounted, “For this [album] I really was thinking a lot about where I wanna be and what I wanna be doing. Just about like being a young person and the expectations that you’re kind of expected to fulfill.” Carefully choosing his words, he volunteered the additional heartfelt observation, 

“A lot of friends, acquaintances, and family members, they all kind of just like follow a prescribed sort of path. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. I feel like there’s a lot of pressure and assumption that everyone kind of follows that path. I certainly haven’t because I’ve been pursuing music and my girlfriend’s an actor and she hasn’t been following that path either. [...] I just feel like it’s a stigma that is a part of our society that isn’t really... cool *laughs*.”

“I feel like there’s a lot of pressure and assumption that everyone kind of follows that path. I certainly haven’t.”

— Brothertiger

With that observation in mind, it should come as no surprise how intentional Jagos is with his messaging throughout the album, making sure to convey that no one has to navigate the complexities of finding the paradise within themselves all on their own. When you are ready to shed the stigma for yourself, he is ready to guide you on this introspective journey as the album drifts on to, “Mainsail”, where he doesn’t shy away from admitting that although even he himself feels lost at times making his way through this thing we call life, that the best way to get through those moments is to embrace those feelings head on, sailing into the tidal break instead of waiting for still waters. In the event you ever realize you’ve gone off course, he’s included a metaphorical north star in the form of the album’s lead single, “Livin’”, featuring a makeshift response for listeners to lean on as a morale boost when shedding external criticism: “I’m living my own life. I don’t care how I get mine. I’m living my own life”. All the more determined, he adds: “I keep my eyes to the sky like anyone else. I keep my nose to the grindstone workin’ myself. I put my hands to the fire and swallow my pride. I keep my deepest desires on an anchor line.” 

For the duration of the album you’ll find his eagerness to guide you on your own personal journey shimmering its through on tracks like, “Shelter Cove” (follow down to the river bend, I know the way), even if for whatever reason you were unable to reciprocate the same level of effort as heard on “Cannonball” (I know that I would reach for you. Would you reach for me? [...] I go my own way. Are you with me?). As with any first-class guide, getting you to your destination is a meaningful purpose to him and with songs like “My Canopy” he reminds you that he takes it to heart, perhaps occasionally a bit too much so, in the moments you abandon ship along the way (How could you go away? How could you end me? How could you fall away into the night? I can recover then. I can be anything. I can be anyone that you'd like). One of the most admirable things about approaching this subject matter is how he is vulnerable enough to admit in a song like, “Checking Out” that this quest you’re on together is actually less about the destination and more about the journey, which is ever evolving and requires a commitment to routinely reevaluating the course as a way to ensure it’s still serving its intended purpose (Do I wanna lay an anchor oceanside? Or drift about the open sea?). As always, it’s absolutely your call what you want to do, but he gives you permission to use any hesitations as a moment to steer back on track in the event you’ve wandered off. 

My personal favorite moment in this record is “Pyre”, a swift and very brief switch from mostly water based imagery to pure fire. Given the subject matter of the pair of tracks, it’s fairly obvious to a fellow transplant that they’re about his time living in Brooklyn pursuing a career in music. During our chat he shared the story of his first show in the city in 2010 at the now defunct but well renowned Glasslands Gallery, a place where many SKOA favorites graced with their presence. While he was still a college student in southern Ohio (his home state), upon being given the opportunity to perform at the space, drove 10 hours with the assistance of his girlfriend to the city the night before, performed, and then drove back to campus immediately after the show. As we reminisced about the music blogger boom of that era (which this very site was born during), I found it both admirable albeit a bit confusing to hear that in spite of such a story that he wasn’t convinced that he would have been able to see the same amount of success in his career if he had started his attempt further along in his life. Although his hesitancy is valid given how the evolution of music consumption since those days has resulted in a lot of noise with very little signal to elevate lesser known artists as effectively as blogs did back then, I find it hard to believe that someone so determined to transform himself into the kind of artist that wouldn’t be ignored in a metropolitan area as overwhelming greater New York that he envisions it literally engulfing him in flames in the process was ever going to fall by the wayside. 

I will say this, it was cathartic as fuck to convene for even a few moments of the conversation about our respective longevity in the city and confide in each other that while it’s a possibility that New York might not be our “forever home”, that it doesn’t strip of us of our title of being “real New Yorkers”, a title that people raised here love to weaponize, especially now during the current mass exodus brought on by the pandemic. We were in agreement that it’s more of a state of mind versus the amount of time your body has been within city limits. He shared, “I have a connection to the city. [...] I came here. I struggled and starved at the beginning[...]. I wanted to prove that I could make it work and you know, cultivate something. And I did! So for that, I feel like New York is a state of mind that I can take with me.” Since I went out of my way to double check with him then, I feel like I should make it clear for both of us now: neither Paradise Lost or what you’re reading right now should be interpreted as our own personal, “Why I’m Leaving New York” essays, but from the sounds of things we are both keeping our options open. “I don’t want to be in one place,” he said. “Especially while I’m young. This was a great place for me to be in my 20s and now I’m 30 so you know...time to go! *laughs*” 

“I have a connection to the city. [...] I came here. I struggled and starved at the beginning[...]. I wanted to prove that I could make it work and you know, cultivate something. And I did! So for that, I feel like New York is a state of mind that I can take with me.”

— Brothertiger

Of all the things I’ve come to treasure about Paradise Lost since my first taste, the thoughtful little details that extend beyond the way he wields a warbling synth are definitely some of my favorites. Unbeknownst to most, Jagos has been featuring his father’s oil based paintings as the artwork for his most recent bodies of work, including for Paradise Lost and its accompanying singles, “Livin’”, “Shelter Cove”, and title track. 

As he detailed, 

“[The album artwork is] a painting my dad did back in the 80s. [...] I've always really liked the painting because it's like it's kind of dark and brooding in a way. Him and I have always been…. like we work in a similar way. [...] He recalls events of his past in a way in his paintings, but he also paints his dreams and things like that. I’ve just always had a connection to his artwork [...]. This record was, I feel, very west coast [...]. A lot of these paintings he did when he was living in Santa Barbara, so that’s another thing why it just makes sense. A lot of these paintings are kind of scenes of places I was thinking of in my mind when I was writing. So it kind of just worked out perfectly.”

As much as I was admittedly a little jealous to learn the extent to which his passion was supported by his family, I definitely have to give the man props for not only being able to recognize how beautiful and rare that is at present, and what he chose to do with that perspective in terms of how I assume it informed this record as a result. “Luckily my family’s extremely supportive of what I do,” he said. “I didn’t get any pressure from my family like my parents being like, ‘Okay well like you know you’re doing this it’s great but maybe you should like consider like you know A REAL JOB’ *laughs* stuff like that. They never did that and they still are super supportive of me. [...] I had friends who wanted to do something and their parents were like, ‘Well you’re going to get a business degree.’ It’s just like... it sucks.”

Rounding out the record with the title track, Jagos reinforces how important it is that we all venture out on this journey to becoming the most authentic version of ourselves. He recognizes that although our respective quests may begin during various points in our lives and take us to a variety of places along the way (You and I move through life on a different route. Comes down to the paths we pursue.), that the mere act of chasing the destination will always be what makes life worth living regardless of how long we’re at it (Realize that it takes time to see things through What’s the point of living high without a view?). Although obviously championing how deeply transformative this kind of kind of inner work can be on a person, he is still very adamant that “paradise” is just as much a state of mind as being a New Yorker is, as he clarified,

 “No matter where you live, like anywhere, it’s never going to be *the perfect place*. There’s going to be problems with it. [...] Actual paradise I don’t think *exists* on this earth. But it’s fine. It’s totally okay to accept that. It’s kind of like a call to accept some things for the way they are. And that’s like a personal call for myself[...] If you can take the place where you are, the place where you were, and think of it like a learning experience or think of it as a place where you’re cultivating something then it becomes a sort of paradise for you in terms of like... this is like the only life you have. So it’s like, you know, you shouldn’t think of things as mistakes, just more of learning experiences.”

Paradise Lost is out now courtesy of Satanic Panic Recordings.

[WATCH] Sam I - "Don't Give Up" / Heaven: Short Film Dance Rehearsal BTS

Sam I and Nevaeh Meraz, lovingly lifted from his Instagram

Not sure why I sat on this video for a few days, but after re-watching it again I’m tryna make sure that the inspiration gets spread around.

Before we get to the nitty gritty about why this video is specifically giving me The Feels™ imma make sure we’re all on the same page. TL;DR - Sam Speigel, whom we have adored thoroughly on this site for his N.A.S.A. projects is clearing the slate on any other AKA of his and will be moving forward releasing music as Sam I.

With that, he’s just released his debut full-length under his aforementioned new moniker titled, Random Shit From The Internet Era. The album is full of features from like…everybody? No but really. We’re talking Freddie Gibbs, Theophilus London, Doja Cat, Anderson .Paak, RZA, Barbie Hatch, etc. etc. As the name would suggest, it’s not exactly a “cohesive album” per say, as it’s more a collection of ideas that have been lingering around for awhile that he decided to finish and shoot out into the world. “I usually love to work conceptually,” notes Spiegel. “Call me old school, but I love making albums that have a theme or concept that carries you through the record.” For me, the magic of this record is knowing that some of these songs were ideas that were over 15 years old. Yes, you read right. That was not a typo. Some of these are 15 years in the making. It really speaks to the equally groundbreaking and timeless nature of Spiegel’s music IMO.

OKAY BUT LET’S GET TO THIS VIDEO BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY NEED THIS.

For his latest single, “Don’t Give Up”, which features Sia, Busta Rhymes & Vic Mensa (I fucking told you everybody is on this goddamn record 😂), Spiegel assembled some lovely behind the scenes footage from his forthcoming short film that he began working on prior to the pandemic. Would you be surprised to hear that COVID derailed his plans to shoot the film back in March? 🙄 yeah didn’t think so. The film is based off the real life experiences of a dancer named Nevaeh Meraz who overcame abuse, depression and suicide attempts to become an acclaimed performer.

As the backstory goes (because I refuse to spoil her part of the story), the way he and Meraz linked up was a byproduct of her tagging him in videos of her dancing to his music on Instagram. Some more random shit from the internet era, if you will. As he shares, “I was struck by her. She dances with so much feeling. It's all there...right on the surface. She lays it all out in her expression, not hiding anything.” Even though some filming restrictions have been lifted he decided to cut together some of the dance rehearsal and interview footage as a kind of behind-the-scenes prequel to the film.

When I say I was covered in goosebumps after hearing her story of how she got into dancing. Y’all…. 🥺 It’s so beautiful the way that a world of pain can produce moments like this. I hope taking four minutes and four seconds to have a glance at this video helps you remember that your life can dramatically change in an instant, so if you’re struggling right now like I feel like we all are (thanks stupid fucking pandemic), don’t give up.

(ps 404 - more random internet shit, I SEE YOU SAM I 🤪😂)

Watch “Don’t Give Up” below. If you want the full message from Spiegel about his decision to work under Sam I, I’ve included that after the video. 😊

A NOTE FROM SAM SPIEGEL, AKA SAM I

With Random Shit from the Internet Era, I’ll be releasing my first album as a solo artist. Like so many things in our world, I’ve gone through a huge transition these past few years, and I feel like I’m embarking on a new life…a new version of myself. I’ve always created music behind a pseudonym. It was fun to be N.A.S.A. because I love space so much. I could explore my passion for the foreign, the mysterious, the unknown, the unity of humanity, all of the things that space signifies to me. With Maximum Hedrum, the only rule in the studio with Derrick and I was to have fun so I expressed my goofy side. I wrote just to make Derrick and myself laugh, I explored my perversions, got psychedelic. But at a certain point I started to feel limited by these projects—like I wasn’t able to express all of the feelings, thoughts, and ideas I have within their concepts—so I started releasing music as myself, Sam Spiegel.

With N.A.S.A.’s “Jihad Love Squad” I started to learn how to work with moving picture and discovered my love for directing, which I continued developing as I embarked on a transitional period. I needed to clear my musical slate and release everything that I’ve had stored up for years; music that I’ve been wanting to release but has never fit within my other projects. It’s been a few years of putting out these random songs, some of which have ended up on Random Shit…

I’m clearing my slate with Random Shit… It is a new beginning for me. My music coming out going forward is not reiterations of old songs modernized, but where I stand now and into the future. It is day one for me in my new life as a grown-ass human and artist, and so I’ll be releasing everything from here on out under my new name, Sam I, both on the audio and the visual side. I hope you all come along on this new adventure with me. 

Lots of love and thanks for listening,
Sam I

[Album Review] Miro Shot - 'Content'

In the final track, “Boston Dynamic”,  off Miro Shot’s debut EP Servers, recently my mind has casually fixated on a lyric quite frequently as we complete our 2nd month of quarantine in New York,

“As soon as we begin again I’ll restore our fallen friends.”

Since I have been granted the honor of getting albums in advance, I had already been playing their debut full-length, Content, for quite some time before the world ground to a halt. I had also already written something quite lovely about the album, delighted with myself that a cohesive group of words actually came to me that quickly about a record that I was obviously very taken with. However, as it came time to publish those words, the context of how this album would enter the world completely changed. Even so, listening to Content with a totally different perspective of the world, I firmly stand by my stance that Miro Shot is the soundtrack to the future we deserve. I know that in addition to this whole ordeal shining a light on the multitude of societal problems across the globe that  a lot of people have been saying that they’re devoting some portion of their quarantine taking stock in their pre-quarantine lives and thinking about the types of changes they want to make for themselves and their communities. It is my hope that Content be included in a portion of that meditative process.

Opening with, “A World You Made Yourself”, the broody track kicks off the album’s venture into self-exploration, thoughtfully navigating the boundless complexities of our very modern, very online world. Tackling society’s cumbersome relationship with technology and all that it entails, from the rampant online harassment women often face to the way that social media distorts our realities while disguising itself as a way to “connect” to our loved ones and everything in between, Content is essentially that moment when you decide to switch your phone to airplane mode and shift your focus to where you’re at in that very instance, as well as every subsequent screen tap once you switch back for that matter.

Tracks that hit so differently since the world changed: “Joined At The Hip”, album closer “I.R.L.”, with the most dramatic transformation being, “Seven Seas”, featuring Mary Wilson of Supremes fame. I already revered the track as a stunning glitch gospel in its own right, but the imagery that the chorus alone evokes in the current climate is enough to simultaneously warm your heart and send shivers down your spine:

 “When you’re lost but you can’t stand the silence / When your face looks nothing it used to do / When the sand has shifted instead / And that crown was pulled from your head / I’ve got you and you’ve got me.”

Without a doubt the world is going to be a very different place post-pandem. Hopefully it’s a world as full of potential as Miro Shot envisions, mindful of the obstacles we need to address in order to succeed. The cosmic timeliness of this band and the relevancy of Content and the future it stands for, especially right now, is something I sincerely hope folks won’t sleep on.

Content is available now on all DSPs.

Full album stream:

#diSKOAverweekly: week of February 26, 2020

Here is your Wednesday update on a Friday. My bad. But I love you, so. There’s that.

1. Bamily - “Katata”

   This song feels like bottled sunshine. You’re welcome.

2. The Undercover Dream Lovers - “Chardonnay”

   This whole album is so chill. Oh yeah, that came out today. Go listen to It’s All In Your Head.

3. Disq - “Daily Routine”

   Looking forward to their debut album Collector, which drops….next week(!!!)

4. Little Hurt - “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay”

   Just in case you need the reminder. 💖

5. Example - “Back On The Wreck”

   Not for nothing dude is crushing it on the self-releasing game. Also like that the pop sheen has kinda worn off and he’s back to making cooler jams like this.

6. Firstworld - “Groove Is In The Heart (feat. Delia Dane)”

   This is one of the best covers I’ve heard in a long time. I was really skeptical with this at first but they really nailed it.

7. Spencer Ludwig - “Just Wanna Dance”

   Just making sure you listen to Spencer while I wrap up this interview so you can love him like I love him.

8. Niki Black - “The Other Man”

   Very happy to see Niki is back with more music. She dropped a really cool video for this too that you should check out.

9. Madame Gandhi - “Bad Habits”

   Had this song on a lot lately to remind myself to be better so passing this along to y’all in case you missed it. Gonna see this bad bitch on March 10th at Elsewhere. Think we’re doing an interview, too!

10. Joe Publik - “Military Minded (feat. Scorzayzee)”

    Missed that his new record Stubborn Vectis dropped last week. Dropped this in as a mental note to check it out.

11. RJD2 - “Pull Up On Love (feat. STS, Khari Mateen)”

    First single from RJD2’s upcoming album The Fun Ones out on April 17th! I’m so happy he’s back I’m not sure if my feet are touching the ground when I walk around listening to this.

12. Juice - “DiCaprio (Love Me All The Time)”

    Juice just shared the music video for this track and announced a headlining tour! Also the clip at the end lololol

13. LOVER - “Waiting Up (feat. Cult Shøtta")”

    Still loving on LOVER. Liked the video a lot for this too.

14. Ry X - “Oceans (feat. ólafur Arnalds)”

    I don’t know how else to explain it but this song feels like you’re coming up for air.

15. Black Books - “In The In”

    Oh shit their EP Cheer Up dropped today! It’s great. Definitely worth a spin.

16. Grivo - “H.D.C.”

    Sad to have missed these guys open for Slow Crush at Saint Vitus earlier in the month. They remind me a lot of old school Starflyer 59, which is why my obsession is slowly intensifying.

[LISTEN] I Know Leopard - 'Love Is A Landmine' (Full Album Stream)

photo credit: Lisa Businovski

With just a few days until Sydney quartet I Know Leopard release their debut full length album, Love Is A Landmine the folks over at that blog aggregator who refuses to acknowledge the website you are reading’s existence for 9 years and counting have graciously premiered a full album stream to hold you over until Friday.

Y’all, this record. *chef’s kiss* It’s just so damn lovely. Literally. As previously mentioned lead vocalist Luke O’Loughlin has discussed how the album is about the different aspects of love. "I’d be lying if I said it wasn't an album full of love songs,” he explained, “But not always in the classic romantic sense. It reflects on experiences where attempts at love are met with confusion, pain and alienation. The record also explores the importance of learning to love yourself before you can successfully love someone else."

Without a doubt I can confidently say that Love Is A Landmine is the glimmering slice of lovestruck indie pop perfection that your ears very desperately need to have in their life immediately.

FYI there’s still time to pre-order the album over on their website. I will most likely be treating myself to an early birthday present with the tote + LP bundle should you want to follow my lead.

[LISTEN] HEALTH - "Feel Nothing"

photo credit: Faith Crawford

While we anxiously wait a little less than 2 weeks away for HEALTH’s latest album, Vol. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR, to hit the internet in its entirety, the band has released another song off the album via the Adult Swim Singles series. “Feel Nothing” is a fun name for a HEALTH track basically because it is impossible to not feel anything while listening to these guys. When I try to describe their music to people I normally say something like, “Their music is like the perfect soundtrack to intergalactic war.”

The intensity to which they constantly deliver their robust electrifying sound is something I’ve yet to fully acclimate to and I’ve been an active fan since their 2015 album, Death Magic. In fact, just the other day I wasn’t prepared for their other single, “STRANGE DAYS (1999)” to casually roll up in my Release Radar and I may or may not have yelped a little when then song abruptly hit my eardrums.

My body is so ready for them to head out on tour to support this record and not just because they’ll be at Elsewhere during birthday month. There’s nothing quite like having the bass from their live show rattling through your chest. They def have the power to bring you back to life in that regard.

HEALTH TOUR DATES

04/09 - Oakland, CA - The New Parish

04/10 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent

04/12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge

04/13 - Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub

04/14 - Seattle, WA - Neumos

04/16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge

04/17 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater

04/19 - Saint Paul, MN - Amsterdam Bar & Grill

04/20 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

04/21 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop

04/22 - Detroit, MI - El Club

04/23 - Toronto, ON - Velvet Underground

04/25 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere The Hall

04/26 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair

04/27 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts

04/28 - Washington, DC - Rock N Roll Hotel

04/30 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade - Purgatory

05/01 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon

05/02 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

05/03 - Austin, TX - Mohawk

05/04 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada

05/06 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf

05/07 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar

05/10 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom