looking for something specific? search our archives:
diSKOAver weekly: week of May 3, 2023
Heya cute lil disco babies ✨🪩
Given that we are in the middle of one hell of a Mercury Retrograde (😮💨) and also about to have a major lunar eclipse in Scorpio on Friday that’s all about releasing what doesn’t serve you, I thought it would be helpful to offer the collective some amulets of protection and strength to navigate any particularly prickly moments of reflection that you may experience over the next few days.
I won’t front, it’s been pretty prickly the last few months. As I mentioned previously, I’ve felt stuck in this transitional phase that I’ve been in for awhile and decided to do some digging to see if there was anything that I was missing that was preventing my progress. What I finally allowed myself to see had been in front of me the whole time. If I may be so vulnerable to the void, I will bravely admit that I was toting around some really heartbreaking self limiting beliefs. I was allowing myself believe that:
I am a disposable person 😔
Connection with me is something people can easily let go of 😞
My full authenticity is *too much* and pointless to offer anyone because people will abruptly leave you no matter what anyway 🫥
A relationship with me isn’t worth fighting for 🫠
I’ve been essentially wearing these self limiting beliefs as a pair of prescription lenses that are VERY MUCH NOT YOUR PRESCRIPTION ANYMORE. 👓 For people who have privileged eyesight and have never experienced what happens when the prescription is off on your corrective lenses, it fuckin SUCKS. 😩 You get headaches from the eye strain and all sorts of other micro annoyances until you can rectify the issue and go back to full clarity.
Happy to report that those metaphorical contact lenses have been chucked into the fuckin bin, y’all. 🚮
As a result, I’ve been carefully setting some new boundaries to reflect my restored vision. This morning after meditation I drew the Nine of Wands, of which Jessica Dore’s reflections on that particular card in her book, Tarot For Change: Using The Cards For Self-Care, Acceptance, and Growth just so happen to be about boundaries. 😎
She writes that,
“Ideally what we want is a boundary that’s firm, visible from a mile away but not unwelcoming. There’s a doorway through the wall, but the gatekeeper is discerning and has a zero-tolerance policy for nonsense.”
I liken this line of thinking to that of all things, a bubble. 🫧
Think about it. Visible from a good distance and completely transparent but something that you know if you were to penetrate it you would literally wreck the whole vibe. Furthermore, bubbles are adaptive in more ways than just floating around making Ozzy Osbourne feel less like the Prince of Fucking Darkness. Bubbles can freeze and be rigid and seemingly impenetrable, which while looking kinda cool aren’t as fun as regular bubbles because they’re too heavy to be all floaty and cute. They can also bump into other bubbles and subsequently stick together and float around together in fun new shapes as a result. 🫧
To me, this last lil bitty bit here is ✨the goal✨. Right? I’ve had to learn the hard way that having good boundaries with yourself means only sticking to people who wouldn’t want to burst your bubble, and a good indictor of that is whether or not you actually see a bubble when you encounter anyone outside of your own. 🧐
On communicating boundaries, Dore offers the following (my flair added),
“I often think of communicating a boundary as a bit like getting informed consent from someone. 🫧It’s right to let others know the terms of engagement before they get involved. This keeps you safe, and it also keeps the other person safe from the possibility of your exploding in a fit of rage because you said yes too many times when you should’ve said no. 🫧 It’s scary to be close with people who give indiscriminately without a sense of their own limits.”
Apparently I’ve been in the energy of this bubble metaphor for boundaries for awhile now, because I just remembered this little nugget of wisdom from my chat with Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac that I’ll leave you with (and obvi my flair again):
"It is what you make it," he said, "It's your bubble man. You're in a bubble when you're out here [on tour] but it's your bubble. Like we say 'life's good in the bubble, man'. You know, for a lot you get to choose what's there and what's not, you know? So we just kind of keep it sane back there, […].”
So much love to all of you. Now go blow some beautiful bubbles already!
🫧💖✨
Fischerspooner - “Amuse Bouche”
KAMAUU - “the vibe — A COLORS SHOW”
Chris-n-Teeb - “First”
Lily Allen “Trigger Bang (feat. Giggs)”
Yves Tumor - “Purified By Fire”
Joshwa - “Magalenha”
Pat Lok - “Set Me Free (feat. Kiinjo)”
Mont Duamel - “Young”
Moullinex - “Break Me In Pieces (feat. GPU Panic)”
Qveen Herby - “NAH”
Courtney Govan - “stay still”
Posie Pocket - “Peace>Pleasure”
Aaron Taylor - “Patience (feat. Madison Ryann Ward)”
NAMIRÉ - “Let Go”
Bayonne - “Solo”
Sego - “SURRENDER”
diSKOAver weekly: week of February 15, 2023
OMG hi! ✨👋🏻
I did it! Two playlits in a a week! I know this isn’t wednesday but I was tryna give you some space to sit with all of those lovely love songs. Isn’t that just a vibe point five? ✨💖
(Yes, as in a vibe and a half. Just let me have this okay?)
ANYWAY!
I had planned on gushing to you about something else but in the last 24 hours I have just been ravenously reading that new Rick Rubin book The Creative Act: A Way Of Being that came out last month.
oh my fucking god. This book has me so excited to be alive. Mostly because I am so relieved that I am not alone in treating music and overall creativity this sacredly. It’s made me reflect a lot on how sacred I treat the act of sharing music with people. This shit just lights me up so much. GOT ME THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER DRAMATIC THINGS I COULD EXPERIMENT WITH HERE NOW THAT I REALIZE JUST HOW FEW FUCKS I GIVE ABOUT BEING COOL. 🤩 But yeah, that book is really good. According to the data on the Kindle app, I’ve got about an hour left to go before I have completely absorbed the wonders of that book.
I was going to share a sweet lil rando anecdote, but in an attempt to keep my promise to myself (and you) that I’d keep DW fresh on a weekly basis while also making time for this thing that’s got me all inspired I’d like to share an excerpt that I really needed to hear this week in hopes that it helps someone else (and demonstrates how good this fucking book is so you’ll go get it, too!)
FORMATTING AND FLAIR ALL MINE BC WE KNOW I LOVE BEING DRAMATIC WHEN I’M REALLY INSPIRED :
“Patience is required for the nuanced development of your craft.
Patience is required for taking in information in the most faithful way possible.
Patience is required for crafting a work that resonates and contains all that we have to offer.
Every phase of an artist's work and life benefits from cultivating this achievable habit.
Patience is developed much like awareness. Through an acceptance of what is.
Impatience is an argument with reality.
The desire for something to be different from what we are experiencing in the here and now. A wish for time to speed up, tomorrow to come sooner, to relive yesterday, or to close your eyes then open them and find yourself in another place.
Time is something that we have no control over.
So patience begins with acceptance of natural rhythms.
The implied benefit of impatience is to save time by speeding up and skipping ahead of those rhythms. Paradoxically, this ends up taking more time and using more energy. It's wasted effort. When it comes to the creative process, patience is accepting that the majority of the work we do is out of our control.
We can't force greatness to happen.
All we can do is invite it in and await it actively. Not anxiously, as this might scare it off. 😑
Simply in a state of continual welcoming. 👋🏻
If we remove time from the equation of a work's development, what we're left with is patience. Not just for the development of the work, but for the development of the artist as a whole.
Even the masterpieces that have been produced on tight timelines are the sum of decades spent patiently laboring on other works.
If there is a rule to creativity that's less breakable than the others, it's that the need for patience is ever-present.”
😮💨
I’m telling you, there’s so much good stuff in there!!!
There’s so much good stuff in this week’s update too! Left you lil notes bc ilysm.
You know you’re always welcome to HMU if you wanna talk more about any of these sweeties right? My DMs are always open.
also: Briefly thought about actually making discord happen on an ✨official SKOA basis✨ so people could come hang and find people to talk to that are into the bands I cover on here. Would that interest anyone? 🤔 Anyway it’s an idea and I wrote it down so we’re still doing better than usual.
Talk soon bestie!
💖
1. Purple Disco Machine x Bosq- “Wake Up! (feat. Kaleta)”
I didn’t realize that Purple Disco Machine won a Grammy for his Lizzo remix of “About Damn Time”! Those categories should get more screen love. NARS still has… a lot more room for growth with The Grammys.😅
2. Kinder - “Bus Stop”
Speaking of remixes, one of my favorite Aussie angels Mickey Kojak did a really sick remix of this Kinder track. But you deserve to hear the original first!!! This shit s l a p s ⚡️. Think it’s been awhile since I found a new baby band that were sisters! Anyway I am adding Briony and Savannah to the list of dope women in Australia that I hope wanna be my friend one day.
3. Amtrac - “Last Chance”
There is something in the new Amtrac record that is like I got reunited with a part of my soul or something.🥺 Yes I know how dramatic that sounds. I really can’t get enough of it. There’s something I’ve been putting it on to journal in the mornings. I need to spend an evening obsessing over all the little details of it. So fucking good! 🤩
4. Nilüfer Yanya - “the dealer”
Still in the ✨getting to know you✨ phase with Nilüfer but I really love this quote about “The Dealer”:
“When I was writing this song I was thinking about the transient nature of life and the cyclical nature of the seasons. I find it interesting how we attach certain memories and feelings to different seasons and tend to revisit them time and time again, yet our lives move in a more linear motion and even when we feel like we are going back we never really get to go back anywhere. Musically speaking it’s a bit more playful and relaxed.”
5. Celebrity - “Disconnected”
This song randomly comes back to me about once a year since I first heard it when I was living in Nasvhille for college. I feel like once you hear this chorus it will never leave you for as long as you live. It’s just so well made. I always feel like I’ve gotta pay extra close attention to my relationships when it suddenly comes roaring into my brain.
Side Note: Does that kinda stuff happen to you with music?
6. I Know Leopard - “Nothing Is Real”
Oh I just realized how many Australian baby bands are in this update 😂. Anyway ICYMI I Know Leopard dropped such a beautifully earnest EP last year. This bleak lil upbeat ditty is the title track. I love energetic sad songs. It seems like you can process feelings faster the more forcefully you are able to sing along to something.
7. MID CITY - “Compromise”
More Aussie babies!!! I’m so excited to see MID CITY is back at it! Allegedly there’s an arsenal of more music on the way. 2023 really is going to be the fucking best year, isn’t it?
8. We Are Scientists - “Operator Error”
Okay I don’t have time to explain everything you need to know about what lobes is and why it’s the name of their new album, but I thought the story behind this song was cool and thought I’d share. Here’s the story from vocalist/guitarist Keith Murray:
"I have a tendency to deliver hot takes and to get extraordinarily overheated about utterly inconsequential things. I got into a multi-hour argument over whether Top Gun: Maverick is a halfway decent movie. Maybe it’s weird, then, that I also tend to be pretty sanguine over big issues. It’s fairly hard to drag me into a heated fight, or to get me to say something that I’ll later come to regret," continues Murray. "On important matters, I like to keep quiet, to listen to everyone else’s take, and to silently build my own bullet-proof argument, which nobody else will ever hear. I operate in dual modes – one where I’m apt to deliver my dumb opinion with little provocation, and one in which it’s almost impossible to get me to say what I’m really thinking. It’s probably a pretty frustrating character trait for the people who are trying to engage me in consequential conversation, and I apologize to my friends and my enemies, alike."
9. Oliver Tree - “Miss You (feat. Robin Schulz)”
I really appreciate all of the chaos that is Oliver tree. That said, I never ever want to beef with Oliver Tree ever. 😳
10. Clive From Accounts - “You Understand”
I really gotta spend an evening going down the rabbit hole on this corner of the internet. THere are so many little nooks and crannies full of these fun dance projects with punny names that are all about that vaporwave windows 95 aesthetic. For the most part I’ve never had any complaints about what I’ve come into contact with. These kinds of artists make me feel like I have more friends to find out in the world, you know?
11. Marxist Love Disco Ensemble - “Engineers”
I think if I hadn’t found this record so late in the year it would’ve been my album of the year. Seriously. This is the blurb from the label that put out this record. I am so fucking obsessed with this vibe:
“The format and message of pop and disco are commonly viewed just to entertain and move bodies around a dancefloor; however, lyrically, the subjects range from dialectical and historical materialism, class struggle, Marxist theory and praxis, as well as the concept of Marxist disco music. In the words of band member Paolo, "MLDE was written in response to hearing 'I love America' by Patrick Juvet. The song prompted the question: why does disco, a genre originally created by oppressed minorities, eventually become synonymous with Western capitalist excess?" MLDE seeks to break this connection.”
12. Benoît Pioulard - “Tet”
I would like to have Thomas Meluch (dba Benoît) on call to lull me to sleep on command. His voice is so enchanting. I came to know him from a feature he did on this Lusine record. Proof that his voice is a versatile and really incredible instrument. Swoooooon 🥰
13. Thomas Azier - “Invisible”
Speaking of epic voices, Thomas Azier really has one of the most elegant and debonair voices in recent memory. The precision in his delivery can really kick up a multitude of feels in any given moment. He definitely knows how to weild his powers.
14. Kings Of Convenience - “Love Is A Lonely Thing”
So so so so so happy to have discovered that Kings of Convenience put out a record in 2021!! I have been enamoured with these guys since college! 😍
15. Lola Young - “Stream Of Consciousness”
I’m really excited to have tumbled into Lola Young. I watched this video the other day that was essentially an overview of Lily Allen’s career and how she really ushered this new era for British women in music with her experimentation and vulnerability while building off of the kind of storytelling that Mike Skinner was doing with The Streets. Since then when I’ve put on this song I’ve thought about how a song like “Stream Of Consciousness” is such a beautiful evolution of that work and how much a song like this would mean to me if I were in my 20s. Happy for the zoomers that they get to have her. 🥹
16. Flavien Berger - “Les yeux, le reste”
I have watched his performance of this song on Colors a few times now and still can’t figure out why you can see his breath in this. I don’t know enough about how they film these but for the sake of my sanity I’m gonna assume he’s just so chill as fuck that when he sings you always see his breath. Doesn’t matter either way, still think he’s smoochable as hell 😘
diSKOAver weekly: week of February 8, 2023
Ayo bestie what’s good !?🥰👋🏻
To quote my absolute favorite vine of all time,
✨✨GUESS WHO’S BACK AND BETTER THAN EVAH!? ✨✨
omg the way that i have missed this space. 😮💨
Also, how do we like the new digs? 🥰
Isn't it fun here now!? I'm obsessed with this design! 🤩
There are still a lot of tweaks left to do. Porting over *CHecks Notes* about10k blog posts and shit to a new Squarespace account so I could have all of the latest features to play around with was a bit tedious, but if I’m being honest I don’t regret it. This shit is pretty cool! RIGHT? RIGHT?🥺 Anyway I’m working on it, so please excuse the stardust in the meantime. 💫
Bestie you would be so proud of me. I’ve been doing so much work on myself while I was away. I learned so much about how I came to be Some Kind of Awesome and the way that unbeknownst to me until literally this past weekend that this little web log of mine has been a little beautiful container for healing. It’s so funny, ever since this site transitioned back over to just being me contributing I’ve had such a hard time feeling comfortable with doing whatever the fuck I want to here. The long and the short of it is internalized sexism fucking sucks and I’ve learned that the only effective vaccine for protecting yourself from your insecurities is 💉radical self acceptance💉, bb.
Oh I forgot to send you this when I first saw it. 😑 My bad, I’ve been ruminating on this Instagram post that Questlove made as he was in the throes of processing and grieving the loss of renowned rapper Takeoff, who we lost to gun violence. Tell me this doesn’t just stop you dead in your fucking tracks:
No wonder the never ending quest of being cool is so fucking toxic. It’s literally a byproduct of white supremacy/systemic racism. 🙃
God I used to want to be seen as 🥶 cool🥶 so bad. I used to waste so much brain space worrying about how I was being perceived. I would literally exhaust myself overthinking every little last pixel of this place, trying to prove that I was like, worthy of an industry that has time and time again showcased that they intend to strip you of everything that makes you so perfectly and wonderfully you in order to essentially win a popularity contest. I can never decide if living with that as our reality is more embarrassing or infuriating, you know what I mean? Like we have lost (and continue to lose) so many people in this community to mental health related issues because we push artists to such unrealistic standards to try to keep up with capitalism’s insatiable desires. As a recovering perfectionist myself, I can share from firsthand account that just feeling the pressure to perform without a single mistake all day every day will take you to the darkest and twistiest of places inside one’s big beautiful brain. Musicians then have to factor in the grueling demands of touring until you drop dead while fanbases leave them feeling beholden instead of empowered because their art gets reduced to something that if it’s not solely consumed in excess it’s considered worthless. that’s so fucking gross. 🤢
IDK about you bestie, but everyone I know who makes music is trying to 🔌 connect 🔌. They wanna connect people to shared experiences. To parts of their firsthand lived experience that someone else may not have been exposed to so that the slight shift in perspective just for a handful of moments might click something into place in their spirit so they can know themselves better. You know, like all the things that art is about! 🤩 as someone who was briefly obsessed with trying to monetize people’s consumption of my self expression with the unrealistic expectation of somehow eliciting an insatiable demand for my ✨rock mom ramblings✨, I can tell you it makes you feel really fucking worthless that the thing that makes you happy will probably never fit unless you change every last thing that makes what you have to offer so special in this lifetime.
And bestie like, you’re so fucking special. Especially to me. 🥹 Has anyone told you that yet today? Because if not I can say it again and like 200 more times today and for the rest of our lives if you want. Cheering you on to greatness is my 2nd favorite thing in the world (after making playlists, obvi).
🪩 The world deserves to see you in your most authentic form of self expression that you feel safe enough to release out into the world. Whatever that is. Regardless if it’s on trend or not. Period. 🪩
As you can see, all this radical self acceptance I’ve been practicing’s got me riled up, bestie! So much so that I woke up this morning and decided that I had to make sure that in the time we’ve been apart that you haven’t forgotten that your creative expression is so precious to this world and you deserve to have people take the time to make you feel seen and that they deeply understand what you are conveying to them. AND! AND! You deserve to feel abundant as fuck as a result of your willingness to be that fucking vulnerable. Not everyone can do it like you do, yo. Your way is so magical! you’re really just out there drastically changing lives all effortlessly and shit by doing what comes naturally to you. And yeah, ofc there are gonna be some people out in the world that will forever be committed to misunderstanding you, but honestly that’s their fucking loss. Just look at you In all your splendor enduring all this hot pink to connect with me right now! Making me feel all seen and valued and shit. 🥰 anyone who wants to sleep on you is gonna be kicking themselves for the lapse in judgement eventually, so just try to focus on the people who try to give as many fucks as I do about what you do.
You know how I love to make you playlists, so I’ve decided that as a way to be a good friend to you that I’m going to commit myself to sharing all the songs that have been helping me get to the really beautiful place that my spirit has settled into lately. It’s been really wild to see how all these songs that have sought me out in the last few years were helping me retrain my brain so I could be the person who is blissfully babbling into a Squarespace to you right now. I’m so excited to see what resonates with you. That’s by far my favorite part of music: that moment when you can really see another person from a very specific perspective that could only have been facilitated by self expression. Makes my eyes water just typing that 🥹.
I hope these songs make you feel as safe and supported as I feel right now having you here reading this. I saw this sticker recently from this decolonial Native Xicana Feminist Fanzine that I stumbled into on Instagram awhile back that said, “We keep each other safe so we can be dangerous together.” Huh, I guess my brain needed to simmer with that for a minute so I could be inspired to drop you this playlist. Anyway I’m gonna wrap this up so I can get to work on your Valentine for next week💘. You know how much I love Valentine’s Day.
To recap: I think you’re the fucking best. I’m proud of you all day every day. please don’t overthink anything that makes you feel like the happiest and most authentic version of yourself. Keep doing what you’re doing. Stay true to yourself. Fuck the haters. And fuck worrying about being cool. You’re so much more than cool. You’re everything. Also, you don’t have to stress about where you’re tryna go, you’re already there. 🪩✨
That’s all for now.
Talk soon, you little sweet sweetie!
Love you!
p.s. I did that thing I always do where I put lil notes in the tracklist below so you’d feel extra special. Excited to hear your thoughts!
1. DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? - “Guess Who Just Rolled Back Into Town”
You’ll have to excuse me, I think I’m hilarious opening with this. Also lotta people missed this one when it dropped last year so had to make sure you saw it.
2. salome - “What’s Home”
I regret not venturing out in the rain last year when I was in Paris to see Salome. Woulda made catching covid while I was there worth it. 😮💨
3. Memphis LK - "Tricky”
It makes me so happy to see Memphis LK doing so well.🥰 Has it really been *checks notes* almost 3 full years since I first fell for her? Hell yeah. My love is steadfast when the vibe is right and she’s def ✨got it✨.
4. Son Little - “drummer”
I love Aaron so much. I am always so thrilled to see him doing well. This is such a fuckin jam. If it doesn’t make you do a cute lil shimmy then maybe you need a nap (or I need to remember that not everyone chair dances as often as I do).
5. Djo - “Change”
About to make you sound really cool at parties: did you know that Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame is in a band and it fuckin RULES!? I think I love the new record so much because I’m convinced that Joe is channeling Matt Mahaffey, which is weird because he’s very much alive and well. He’s even apparently working on another sElf record! But yeah, back to Joe. It's such a cool little record that could not be anymore well received by yours truly.
6. Telenova - “Haunted”
Bestie did I tell you that Slum Sociable broke up? 😭 As you can imagine, I was absolutely fucking beside myself. But! In true Aussie fashion as detailed to me by the homies in Kingswood, there was an amalgamation of talented Aussies that emerged from that chapter coming to a close. If you thought Slum Sociable was the shit Telenova will absolutely knock your fucking socks off. Singer Angeline Armstrong is such a powerhouse and cool as hell. If I have to swim to Australia, put the band on my back, and swim them to America myself I’ll fucking do it. That’s how badly I want to be her friend 🥺.
7. Casually Here - “Apex”
“Hey Kibbe what was your most played song of 2022?” This absolute fucking masterpiece. This whole record is good, but this is just such a stunning little meditative moment. If I’m freaking out about something this can normally calm me down pretty quickly. AND Nic was a real one dropping it on the first day of birthday month. What’s not to love?
8. Fyfe + Iskra Strings - “Egosystem”
Now this lil lovely, whewwww. Makes my heart soar. If you feel like swooning for about 45 minutes, this is your record.
9. Ab-Soul + Zacari - “Do Better”
This song is so well written and meticulously executed. I love how when I’m in a moment where I’m being really hard on myself that the hook feels perfectly reflective of the moment so I can help the feeling come and go with ease, but then once the feeling passes I find it motivating. Potent medicine here. Be careful tho! It’s addictive.
10. DanDlion - “I Can’t Go FOr That (No Can Do)”
Speaking of addictive, this is one of the best covers I’ve ever heard. I can’t get enough of it. I hope that Dandlion has his moment soon. It’s gotta be any second now at this rate. His vocal performance on this is just 🤌🏻.
11. Mason + The Melody Men - “Better On My Own”
Choosing to be more deliberate with my energy even if it means I’ve been mostly keeping to myself during this little emotional growth spurt has made me feel as good as this song does.
12. Étienne de Crécy - “Kepler 186f”
You deserve to strut around like the kooky little badass that you are and this is the song to ensure that.
13. HERO - “POWER”
FYI - If you play this one loudly enough when you’re having a moment of uncertainty in the power that you posess, the feeling typically subsides by the end of this song.
14. Kutay Soyocak - “Hiçbir Şey”
The darkling lead singer of Jakuzi released this little one off solo track last year and it makes me feel like a lil sexy ass glitch witch every time I put it on. 🔮 Oh speaking of that sweet boy. He’s been posting Mutual Aid resources related to the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria on his instagram stories but they’re all in Turkish. NPR shared this detailed resource of ways to lend your support from over here.
15. Yulia Niko + EREZ - “I’m Everything”
I have a goal to get this added to a playlist at the yoga studio I’ve been going to while I’m in Raleigh by the end of the week. This was cool to flow to the other day when I practiced at home, but I want this loud in the studio with my favorite yogis. This song is badass.
16. Myd - “We Found It (feat. Bakar)”
Speaking of yoga, I have the most beautiful memory associated with this song now. When I was in Paris in August 2021, I stayed in a studio on a houseboat on the Seine (yes, really). I had a little private terrace where I could do yoga outside. It was heaven. I added this song to a yoga playlist I made for my practice on the houseboat and this song always came on when I was in camel pose, which is a heart opener. Anyway, one afternoon around the full moon (which was also a Blue Moon) I was in camel pose listening this song. The sky was so blue. The clouds were puffy and white. THe moon was out and really feeling herself. My heart was so full. I hope you get the same feeling I did from this one. 💖
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 💫.
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. 💃🏼
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.
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?
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. 😘
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.
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….😬😬😬.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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)_/¯
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 🥰
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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. 😔
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.
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.
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.
diSKOAverweekly: Week of February 10, 2021
Hello again. 🥰
Been a little while since I felt like updating this. Did y’all miss me? Fuck I’ve missed y’all. And doing this. I won’t go into detail about everything that’s happened since last we met. Also I can’t really say for sure that we’re back online full throttle go go go with updates on this site in addition to this playlist. That said, when the feeling comes to connect with some fellow digital crate diggers I’m not gonna talk myself out of it anymore, even if sometimes I make myself crazy with how much detail I want to cram into these updates, lol. Anyway the sun is shining, I’m still covid-free, and I love you all so much that I just had to share these.
Until next time! Whenever that is…
💖✨
Arlo Parks- ”Porta 400”
If you have not pressed play on Collapsed In Sunbeams yet I hate to spoil the ending for you right off the bat like this, but also like, shame on you for not rushing immediately to support this little slice of heaven on earth. I have made jokes in the past about how I love it when bands just “dump glitter on their problems”. The Arlo Parks take on this vibe is the opening lyric (and honestly kind of its own self-review of the album), when she opens the track with, “making rainbows out of something painful”. I love her so very much. The record is absolutely breathtaking. We are so blessed to have been afforded this moment to learn from her. And possibly heal with her, too?
Anees - “Maybe”
So I am part of the statistic of millennials who mostly lurk on TikTok, fascinated to see what The Algorithm™ has chosen to reflect back as its interpretation of my True Self. No one is surprised that eventually it started trickling in really talented baby bands and they are all SUCH LOVELY PEOPLE oh my god. DC rapper Anees is a shining example of that. My goodness I just want to put this kid in my hoodie pocket and keep him safe forever. He’s only 3 tracks into his formal foray into music, but has been experimenting with rapping on Instagram since 2019. I came in on “Maybe”, which follows “Brown Kid”, a track where he shares his perspective of being a Palestinian/Lebanese kid in a very white America, and debut track, “Neverland Fly”, which details how the rapper chooses to rise above any of his negative thoughts and stay up in the clouds. “Maybe” is such a lovely little ditty to carry with you wherever you go to remind you to keep dreaming and to do your best to not let the bullshit weigh you down. PS if you want proof of his vocal abilities in real time, kid is live on TikTok fairly frequently just rapping in his car, experimenting with new lyrics.
Sycco - “Dribble”
God damn Slum fam are always such a good barometer of quality in terms of cool new things to check out. Enter: Sycco (pronounced “psycho”) and her breakout jam, “Dribble”. The track was produced by Edward Quinn (the quiet producer half of slum fam), as well as her latest, “Germs”, which has also started to gain some traction. I’m not sure who was working with her on her earlier tracks, but I really like the way her sound has evolved with these two tracks. She definitely sounds more “at home” than she does with her earlier tunes. I hope she has plans for 2021 because I could see this casual crush I have on her voice intensifying with just the slightest of nudges.
Wake The Wild - “Rewind”
Fun true story, this track initially dropped in Summer 2020 but then vanished. For 6 months in the playlist where I had excitedly tossed it to play it back on the regular it was faded pixels of its former self. I checked back on it more often than I’d like to admit. Then like its very own Christmas miracle it came back in early December. I think it’s the best track they’ve released to date. You should also check out the EP they dropped last year, too. It’s great, just not as trance-inducing as I’ve come to find “Rewind” to be.
Hablot Brown - “GO (Dam Swindle Remix)”
This remix is EXCELLENT. Dam Swindle really took one look at Hablot Brown’s “GO” and said, “You know…you can dance with your darkness if you want.” The rework is really balanced in the way it elevates the song’s essence without distracting you too much with its bouncy popped out production. I wasn’t familiar with either artist until The Algorithm™ plunked this in my lap, but I’m really excited to spend more time digging through their respective catalogs because everything else I’ve sampled so far has been great.
JESSIA - “I’m Not Pretty”
So remember that time deadmau5 was livestreaming himself working on an idea for a track and this dude Chris James randomly DMs him a vocal that he thought could be cool with what Joel was working on and that turned into “The Veldt”? So this is the like TikTok indie pop version of that story essentially. On January 1st, JESSIA posted a TikTok of herself singing the catchy ass chorus in her car. The sound got picked up really quickly. Like really quickly. So much so that The Algorithm™ did its magic and it landed on producer Elijah Woods’ For You Page feed and it was subsequently transformed into the rough sketch of the bop you hear today by the 3rd. The song was formally released *checks notes* 5 days later and is already sitting at 17 million plays on Spotify. It’s now starting to get a little radio play, too! What I really love about this track is that it speaks to the authenticity and vulnerability that people love about music. There’s no flexing or pretending like everything is fine. Also there’s just something really magical about how this is essentially a community-created track. Like *The People* basically decided that this idea was worthy of quality collaboration and said “do your thang, algorithm! make it happen!” AND IT DID. So there is your How To Sound Interesting At Parties (When Covid Is Over) With Kibbe for the week.
Jordana - “Fuck You”
As a connoisseur of “Fuck You” songs I gotta say that this one can easily throw down among the likes of Lily Allen and Cee-Lo Green’s legendary hits imo. While those songs have these grandiose productions to really launch their lyrics into the stratosphere, Jordana’s more understated approach is way more effective in dismissing whatever dumb fuck is deserving of this energy. The “Fuck You”s of the past sometimes come off as trying to cover up a lot of hurt by making a big scene of how much one can go fuck themselves. With this newcomer, it’s as easygoing and upbeat like a Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun” but then proceeds to casually acknowledge and shrug off someone’s bullshit. It’s really such a cool choice of execution given how different the rest of Something To Say To You sounds. I like that every time this comes on I just kinda smirk and I’m like, “yeah, fuck that dude”.
Joey Purp - “Elastic”
Another fun track that them teens on TikTok decided wasn’t done with it yet even though QUARTERTHING is almost 3 years old now. I think one of the things I like about the ecosystem of TikTok so much is how songs like this are passed around and you find a really interesting subculture of sorts that materializes around a particular sound. Yes of course I know that this is how music typically works, but when I skim the TikToks around any particular sound it almost seems to me that where we used to dress a specific way to essentially reflect our music tastes, people on TikTok basically “wear songs” to find each other. IDK - bare with me, as you can see TikTok has really sparked something in my creativity. JUST LET ME HAVE THIS OKAY!?
Running Touch - “Equaliser (feat. I.H)”
There is something about this song that I have such a hard time sitting still when it comes on. I’m really curious if this is ✨just a me thing✨or if other people can’t stop from shimmying either. I should also say that if this is your first taste of Running Touch that it’s somewhat of a deceptive entry point because while dude is certainly good at mood manipulation, he’s not exactly a household name for boisterous bouncy bangers like this one. Anyway I just glanced at man’s monthly listeners and y’all need to do better by him okay.
Genesis Owusu - “The Other Black Dog”
I caught wind of Genesis Owusu via Touch Sensitive because they worked together on music for a good bit of last year (which I imagine that only stopped because sweet little Mariella arrived to the party). While I came in on, “Don’t Need You” and was hooked immediately to everything about Genesis, I really like the chaotic energy of “The Other Black Dog”. It’s almost overwhelming, which I think was its aim from the get-go. Anyway, his debut LP, Smiling With No Teeth, is coming out on March 5th and I might choose to be impatient and see if I can get my ears on this one sooner than release date.
Two People- “Dream Steppin’”
I just realized this is also a recommendation brought to you by Slum fam, lol. I don’t think either of the guys have any involvement in the making of anything Two People related, but I do appreciate that them fellas know that Sharing Is Caring. ANYWAY y’all are welcome that I’m pulling reccos from all corners of the internet/world. I very much enjoyed spending time with their latest LP Second Body and I plan on doing more of that this year, too.
j. pastel- “strawberry lemonade - 3am version”
So at present j. pastel fits that lo-fi ✨aesthetic✨ kinda vibe. You know, the one where it won’t surprise you to know that Majestic Casual is following these guys on Instagram and for some reason you’re a little surprised that they haven’t been tossed into a ‘lofi hip hop music - beats to study/relax to’ kind of playlist just yet. I hope that means they’re on a different trajectory than the playlists that people mostly put on to ignore. This “3am version” of the previously released “strawberry lemonade” to me indicates that they don’t just want to be atmospheric. I get the same feeling in their latest, “Holy War”. It’s almost as if they’re coming back to Earth in a way. As if floating in that bit where the atmosphere and outer space was fun but it’s easier to articulate yourself when there’s more oxygen available. Yes, being out in the middle of nowhere is making me sound like an even bigger weirdo. Hopefully this is as entertaining for you as it is for me.
SG Lewis - “One More (feat. Nile Rodgers)”
I know SG Lewis needs to release things to maintain visibility so he can have a career post-pandem but why he gotta drop something that just makes me feel like we are gonna be in the middle of the dance floor any second now 😩. Also so fucking cool that he got Nile Rodgers to work with him on this track. Since I can’t say enough wonderful things about TikTok, you should follow that dude over there. The other day he shared the origin story of Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” and I legit “STFU REALLY 🤯”’d right into my phone (and in the comments lol).
Kristy Harper - “My Body. My Future (feat. Samirah Raheem)”
Another TikTok find! If you found LP Giobbi’s “Amber Rose” to be empowering or thought provoking, you will absolutely fucking love the way that Kristy Harper has memorialized Samirah Raheem’s “Slutwalk interview” in “My Body. My Future.” Everything about Kristy Harper is pretty FEMME HOUSE af come to think of it. Hold up, I just realized that these bad bitches don’t know each other. Think I need to fix that when I finish this post…. will report back if anything cool happens from that. Also when you’re done obsessing over “My Body. My Future”, you HAVE to listen to “The System Is Fucked”, especially if you’ve been up to your eyeballs in stonks lately.
Otzeki - “Max Wells-Demon”
I’ve come to learn that the reason why I love Otzeki so much is because they make getting to know your shadows seem way less daunting of a task than we often think it is. I’m really glad that they’ve started trickling out new tracks over the past 6 months. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed their presence until they were back. Not only are they back, but they’ve got a new record coming out on March 19th called Now Is A Long Time. And I know by other people’s standards I should be talking about “Unthunk” because that came out yesterday, but I am genuinely just obsessed with how quickly “Max Wells-Demon” was able to permeate every cell in my body. And ofc I’m being dramatic about this, but you know when you can’t shake the way a song immediately feels like an extension of yourself? Yeah. Also the music video for this is really cool.
Pat Lok - “Pardon My French”
The Magician recently dropped a compilation called Magic Tape 001, which features tracks from a lot of really great people I already admire and some that I can’t wait to get to know better after being exposed to them through this release. I really like this contribution from Twitter fam Pat Lok, who I feel the need to go on record to say that this pandemic would not have been the same if I hadn’t been able to spend as much time as I wanted getting lost in his 2017 LP, Hold On Let Go. If you haven’t tuned in to at least one of his Fone A Friend chats on Twitch mannnnn you’re missing out. Essentially lurking on two musicians talking about music and going through demo tracks that people have submitted and giving them feedback…it’s just such a wonderful thing to see.
diSKOAver weekly: Week of August 19, 2020
Blawging with more intention is tricky when life starts to speed back up to almost pre-covid time, babykids! It’s as if NYC has finally gotten its rhythm back, but like with the covid remix if that makes sense? Oh speaking of rhythm, thanks for bearing with me whilst I find my algorhythm over here. Feeling good about where my head is at, especially with the timing of these coming into my life.
At any rate, here are the 16 ways I love you most this week:
Victoria Monet - ”Experience (feat. Khalid & SG Lewis)”
I forget who made a big stink on Twitter about how this track didn’t have enough lovin’ on it, which even now whoever it was they’re still fucking right. Y’all really gonna sleep on a track that feels like a sunrise sparkling over the fucking ocean? SMH. Anyway it kept Victoria Monét’s latest drop, JAGUAR, on my radar long enough to love on that the second it hit. It’s a really cool record. Sexy as helllllll, too.
DJ ST THOMAS- “Fodder”
Pretty sure The Algorithm™ delievered DJ ST THOMAS to me because dude nailed the shit out of a vibey ass Blood Cultures remix for “Best For You”. Been bumpin’ his debut LP MATRIMONY ever since. Def would debate some nuptials with this record for sure.
Brijean - “Moody”
ICYMI - Brijean is a lil collab featuring folks from Poolside and Toro Y Moi, which is how you know it’s equally chill as fuck but also gorgeous. Last year they dropped their debut LP and have been stringing along some tracks ever since.
Le-Nasty - “Sunshine”
This one is funny because even if you put a gun to my head I still couldn’t fucking tell you how I ended up saving an Instagram post to check Manchester’s Le-Nasty out, but the lyrics are kinda where I’m at with all this personal growth I’ve been hard at work in quarantine (ex: “and now I can finally breathe / finally found some kind of peace / sure hope it’s stayin’”). If/when you get there, this one’s for you for sure.
Christinna O - “Hot Head”
This Philly phenom got away from me for a bit after falling hard for her track from last year, “Lay It Down” that I played the shit out of. Fortunately I happened to catch wind of her latest track and then got to spend some quality time with her debut LP, Girl In Passing. Apparently this track is about her struggles with living with bipolar disorder. Always gonna appreciate being granted the opportunity to learn more from experiences I will never have. 🙏🏻💖
Race Banyon - “We Need It”
According to the data y’all don’t love Race Banyon enough and I am NOT PLEASED about this. This is the first of a string of tracks that he’s dropped so far this year, following up an EP he dropped last year. The New Zealand producer has toured with the likes of Jamie XX, Kaytranada, Modeselektor, and RL Grime if you need a reference point before diving in.
Cassian - “The Rise”
Okay okay okay but I am OBSESSED with Cassian now!!!!!! Like this might turn into a Cassian fan blog that’s how fuckin’ real I am about this dude. There isn’t a bad time to put on his debut album, Laps. There just fucking isn’t. You wanna dance late at night? You wanna journal first thing in the morning? Anything in between that you wanna dream up? Knock yourself out sweet thang. This record always keeps me connected in whatever moment I'm in, so if you need that…bump ittttt.
LA Priest - “What Moves (Soulwax Remix)”
I always thought Soulwax had a signature sound, but I didn't realize how right I was until this hit my ears courtesy of The Algorithm™. It was a fun few seconds of my brain putting together without looking at what it was that this was a Soulwax remix of my favorite LA Priest song from his latest.
BLACKPINK - “How You Like That”
Spent some time the other night getting really immersed in Chromatica because I've been reaching for it a lot more lately and realized I wasn't well acquainted with BLACKPINK, who guest on “Sour Candy”. Love what I've heard so far. Can't wait till all their stuff is committed to memory.
O Mer - “Birds”
Can’t stop calling for O Mer. Love that I can pick his voice out from anywhere now. He's got 3 new tracks (including this one) for you to savor. Note to self: need spend more time with Everything Is Everyone’s Fault.
Kacy Hill- “Unkind”
I think it was Jim-E Stack that called out Kacy Hill to me. To say that I was not prepared for her new record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again…..Holy. Fucking. Lorde. I'm not saying this to pin women up against each other, but y'all can have Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift all you fucking want. I will take Kacy Hill over either any day of the fucking week. She speaks to/for me, you feel me? I would've pulled “Everybody's Mother” for this because goddamn that one really knocked the wind outta me but her sweet angel baby voice really shines in the chorus on this one
kwassa - “sucker”
Well now we’ve got two sucker songs for 2020. Don’t mind me I’m just sitting over here amused that with Akurei’s “SUCKER” his track is a softer, more chill vibe, while kwassa’s “sucker” is the bolder more vibey laid back pop vocal + vibe. These baby bands keepin’ us on our toes over here! Lesson learned: never assume you know what you’re getting into when looking at a track’s info at face value. But yeah, this is one of those soaring pop numbers for sure. It’ll def have your feet off the ground like the single artwork. Kinda obsessed with everything about that shot tbh. Also - do I know of any other songs written in response to someone’s car getting broken into? Hm. Imma have to think about that 🤔
Memphis LK - “Green Light”
Actual true story: I stumbled into this song while looking for stickers that said “This Synth Kills Fascists”. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Yeah I know. Ended up in a completely different part of the internet than where I started and was completely taken by this song. Love/hate how much this makes me miss being out. Memphis sounds like someone I'd get along with a little too well all the way down to her reformed running around dizzy on vodka days. Really living for the lyric, “If you miss me you know I'm doing well.” I def identify with that.
Ginger Snaps - “Attention Seeker”
Should you need the reminder that, “not everything that glitters is better”, the homey (government name: Jay Brooks) has got you covered. As the story goes for this track, Jay stuck a post-it to his mirror that said, “maximum honesty”, and that became the theme of the single. Appreciate how he’s reminding us here to not assume shit is better just because ✨IT’S NEW✨ or because they’re good at The ‘Gram. With MFs like Daniel Ek saying artists need to be constantly cranking out tunes in order to stay relevant, it’s important to remember that quality > quantity, and this definitely ranks on the quality side of the spectrum. Jay has wrapped on his debut album and will be releasing more soon enough.
Telquist - “Trash Talk”
Love how many chances Kitsuné Musique is willing to take with baby bands. You always know you’re gonna catch a nice vibe from the bands they pick. Their move to release, “Taste” got me in the door and I found my way into this jam while sniffing around. And now I can say I like German indie pop! 🥰
Meet Me @ The Altar - “May The Odds Be In Your Favor”
Haven’t had a hankering for pop punk in a minute, but when BATHS was loving on this track I went alllllll the way the fuck in. This three-piece is so modern day pop-punk that none of them even live in the same fuckin state. They’re spread out across Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey and collab over the internet when they’re not on tour. Into ittttt.
diSKOAverweekly: Week of July 15, 2020
Tell you what, that week of media deprivation I did 2 weeks ago has resulted in a crazy amount of music going through my ears ever since. I feel like I’ve reverted to MySpace era-me where I just floated around the internet looking for cool songs to snack on. The only difference between now and then is you don’t have to torrent to take a chance on someone you’re just remotely curious in. If anything, it just helps you float down the rabbit hole all the more. I hope y’all are taking advantage of all this downtime in quarantine to find new folks to get invested in. It’s hard to know which baby bands will be able to stick it out until it’s safe to go to shows again, so now more than ever, we need to be taking chances and throwing our $upport accordingly, you feel me?
Okay! Okay! Okay! Yes yes I know!
Less Talk. More Rock.
Here are the 16 ways I love you most this week:
Mayer Hawthorne - ”Rare Changes”
Last week Mayer Hawthorne dropped this smooth little vibe that he co-wrote with SebastiAn long before the pandemic began. As he shared on Twitter: “I can’t believe how inadvertently poignant it is. We’ve got a long way to go, but I’m deeply inspired by all of the positive changes happening out there.”
Elle Músa - “Mango Pops”
Elle is adored by Geowulf which is how I came to know her and this lovely little summertime tune. It sounds just as refreshing as your first bite into a popsicle on a really hot day.
Tohu Bohu - “IT.”
Tohu Bohu keeps making these slick ass indie pop songs so I’m going to keep making sure you hear them. That’s just how this works.
Stray Fossa - “For What Was”
I’ve been meaning to share these guys for awhile. This feels like the right time because with every new track they release they further shape their sound. It’s obvious from the last few tracks they’ve dropped that they’ve really hit their stride.
The Nicholas - “Rockshow (feat. Odessa)”
The Nicholas did some work on the most recent Golden Vessel single and also has just dropped a song with Akurei. Do not let all the Aussie angels confuse you though. He’s currently based in LA, which how I assume he came to collaborate with Odessa on this track. At this rate I’m just torturing myself with songs about shows because I can’t go.
NIMMO - “Dancing Makes Us Brave”
Got better acquainted with NIMMO this week. I’m now well read up on their exit from their deal with Sony and all the work that went into their debut LP, The Power, that came out last year. I keep coming back to “Dancing Makes Us Brave”. Every time it comes on it has my full an undivided attention.
Birdee - “Rumors (feat. Andre Espeut)”
Decided to catch up on what Birdee has been up to since he’ll be dropping a remix for Pink Flamingo Rhythm Revue's latest track this week. I found last year’s LP Then Came the Sun to be quite nice. This track was my favorite.
Phony Ppl - “Why iii Love The Moon”
I finally held still long enough to listen to more than just like 2 Phony Ppl songs. It’s cool watching "Fkn Around” take off right now. It feels like everyone is talking about that song. I hope folks are taking the time to dig around in their catalog and really get invested.
Ruel - “Painkiller”
I’m genuinely confused how someone like Ruel can be huge seemingly everywhere else but the US. This man would easily dominate the radio over here. Instead, I had to find him while checking out who Taka Perry remixed and get knocked on my ass at the original (in addition to the other songs of his I checked out). Also - this is why I get so weird about hearing remixes before the original. You might not connect to the rework as much as the original. Do the extra legwork and peep both. It’s even more fun when you love both.
CUT_- “Cry”
I have been following along with CUT_ since I came to love “Undertown” back in 2017 (as seen in the DW archive). After releasing last year’s A Small Group of Individuals, the duo has returned with this new number. Fun fact: their artwork for this single comes from one of my favorite artists on Instagram: Slime Sunday. As someone who has had some really fun times grabbing random albums because its artwork looks cool, nice to feel a little validated that cool shit really does attract each other.
Oklou - “SGSY”
Came to know Oklou courtesy of the Flavien Berger track she contributed vocals for at the beginning of the year and decided to see what her solo releases were like. Her production chops are just as gorgeous as her voice is.
Dombrance - “Poutou”
It’s so wild tumbling into someone like Dombrance, who just seems to be low-key hiding in plain sight. I’m still working to fill in the gaps of his whereabouts in his release timeline, but regardless there’s a massive spike in activity from Parisian producer and I am paying the fuck attention to his every move.
Lxury - “Guess”
Lxury’s No Real Rush EP dropped back in May on Fools Gold. It was one of those things I tumbled into hopping around on Instagram. Pretty sure A-Trak was singing their praises. ANYWAY. The EP is very good, but “Guess” is the kind of song that’s so enchanting in its own dancetastic way that while I’m getting lost in the moment it feels like it ends way too quickly, which is impressive given that it’s almost 6 minutes long.
REBEL YELL x R-T-FAX - “Anti Club Music”
Boyboy was plugged the feature his friend Marcus Whale did on a track with REBEL YELL’s latest album, Fall From Grace and lemme tell y’all….she makes me nervous like in the best possible way. She makes that bomb ass dark techno, you know?
DDm - “Pull Up”
My beloved Miss Eaves was singing DDm’s praises on Instagram in an attempt to get him to 10k followers over there and I took to him very quickly. His lyrics are witty AF, so it should be no surprise to you that he used to be a battle rapper. Also his beats are fuckin siiiiiick. I’m genuinely surprised that I haven’t seen his name in passing before now.
J GRGRY - “Don’t Ever Give Up”
I’ve been meaning to call out this track for awhile. The Seattle singer has a new single coming out next month so you have plenty of time to get yourself acquainted in time for “China Creek”, which is coming out on August 14th.