[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

[Watch] Neon Hitch - "Get Over U" (Video)

First you heard the audio and now its time to check out the official video for Neon Hitch, co-writer Sia and producer Benny Blanco's creation "Get Over U." With this track and her lecent collaboration with Deadmau5, Neon Hitch is on her way to creating a solid debut effort.

[Listen] Neon Hitch - "Get Over U" (Co-written by Sia & Produced by Benny Blanco)

It looks like we'll be seeing a little bit more of Neon Hitch if this track is anything to go by. With it being co-written by Sia and add to that the nice production work of Benny Blanco the result is a dancey, pop track with a beat that sits alongside it just write. 

The track will have itself ringing around your head for the remainder of your Saturday so hit play below and enjoy the track courtesy of Arjan Writes. If you missed the track we got to hear her on not too long ago, head on over here to listen to her vox to a backdrop of Deadmau5. 

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for more from Neon Hitch in the very near future.

Neon Hitch - Get Over U by arjanwrites

Beck, Dead Weather, Black Keys, Muse and More To Be Featured On Upcoming Twilight Film Soundtrack

Yes readers, you have read that correctly. The tween vampire phenomenon that is The Twilight Saga is back once again, however, the best part about the upcoming film Eclipse is the monstrous soundtrack set to released for the movie. The previous movie's (New Moon) soundtrack featured Thom Yorke, Death Cab For Cutie, The Killers, Lupe Fiasco, Muse and more. But this time around, the series really picked up some high profile names to release some new tunes for their upcoming film such as Beck with Bat For Lashes, Cee-Lo Green, The Black Keys, The Dead Weather, UNKLE, Vampire Weekend, Metric and once again tapped awesome rockers, Muse, plus many more.

Check out the full tracklisting below and make sure you get your hands on this when it drops June 8th.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack
1. Metric – “Eclipse (All Yours)”
2. Muse – “Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)”
3. The Bravery – “Ours”
4. Florence + The Machine – “Heavy In Your Arms”
5. Sia – “My Love”
6. Fanfarlo – “Atlas”
7. The Black Keys – “Chop And Change”
8. The Dead Weather – “Rolling In On A Burning Tree”
9. Beck and Bat For Lashes – “Let’s Get Lost”
10. Vampire Weekend – “Jonathan Low”
11. UNKLE – “With You In My Head (featuring The Black Angels)”
12. Eastern Conference Champions – “A Million Miles An Hour”
13. Band Of Horses – “Life on Earth”
14. Cee-Lo Green – “What Part Of Forever”
15. Howard Shore – “Jacob’s Theme”

[Stream] Sia "Clap Your Hands"

Shouts to Pretty Much Amazing for this pretty much amazing song off Sia's new album We Are Born which is scheduled for release on June 7th. You can listen to a number of songs off her upcoming album on Sia's YouTube Channel. Oh and while you're here, check out the bonus download of You've Changed (below) courtesy of PMA.

Sia - You've Changed