[SONG OF THE DAY] BENEE - "Glitter"

photo credit: Some Kind of Awesome

On Friday Auckland alt-pop angel BENEE dropped her debut EP, FIRE ON MARZZ, which features a collection of songs that yours truly got to witness in the flesh a couple of weeks ago at Mercury Lounge. I remember as I went over the bridge on the J train that evening shooting “Evil Spider” over to a friend accompanied by the following text, “I’m heading into the city to check out this singer right now. I need to confirm that she’s real.”

Gonna be honest, I was completely blown away by BENEE. Not only is her soul-soaked voice 1000% authentically just her and not a ton of tweaking in a studio, but she’s so effortless with this set of pipes she’s got that she just skips and dances playfully around stage, having the time of her life. Without a doubt this is one of the most fun shows I’ve been to in awhile. In addition to delivering a stellar energetic performance, she’s also so down to earth and personable on stage that you go from casually interested to completely invested in between songs.

I really admire her ability to write really compelling and catchy songs about all sorts of wonderfully random things. One unreleased song, “Monster”, is about her moving out of her parents house and being convinced that a monster was lurking somewhere while she as alone in her new place. Another song, “Afterlife” is a diss track to someone who tried to kill her in her dreams. My favorite story, which would come to no surprise to anyone who follows me on Twitter or Instagram, was the one for “Glitter”, which was inspired by a night out at a gay bar in downtown Auckland where she came across a big thing of glitter and proceeded to dump it all over herself. Definitely ✨my aesthetic✨.

Definitely give LIFE ON MARZZ a whirl if you haven’t already, it’s 20 minutes of glittering pop perfection.

Pics from the set at Mercury Lounge below. SHE WAS SO MUCH FUN TO SHOOT IT WAS HARD TO NOT POST LIKE 100 OF THESE FOR REAL.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Miro Shot - "Lifeforms"

Last week digital utopian darlings Miro Shot released their debut EP Servers, featuring the previously unreleased track, “Lifeforms”. The song, which features the Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra, is rooted in themes around the data that is collected about us, the way it is used to make us feel certain things and act a certain way. As the collective pointed out in a recent Facebook post, it’s important to be aware of the dark parts of technology, there are plenty of reasons to embrace the deluge of technological developments that are being integrated into our lives almost on the daily. As they're quick to point out, for every Cambridge Analytica scandal we have things like Patreon empowering creators with new ways to earn a living.

I don’t usually give homework, but if you have extra time after immersing yourself with Servers for an appropriate amount of time, I invite you to sit with Big Data’s “Business of Emotion” for a sec and then return back to “Lifeforms”. Both approach the themes of data and behavioral targeting, but I find it really interesting how differently the approach to the subject matter is and how they end up informing each other. With “Business of Emotion”, as delivered from the view point of the behavioral targeting algorithm, it’s very quick to point out all that data mining and behavioral targeting there to do is make us feel good so we become addicted to it. With “Lifeforms”, Miro Shot have chosen to insert themselves into the conversation by bringing up personal responsibility. It’s a nuance that you really shouldn’t miss as we continue to shape the future around us. Technology is only “evil” or “bad” because certain humans make it that way, intentionally or not. Starting to realize that Big Data’s not necessarily a pessimist about the future, just not the leader (or Leaders) to point us in the direction of how to ensure we’re gearing up for the brightest and best future possible.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Syrup - "Ride Safe"

lovingly lifted from Syrup’s Facebook

Another day another Aussie baby band to share through, lol

Happened to notice a couple months ago that the Slum Sociable sweeties were bragging on a project that they recently produced. The teaser they shared had piqued my interest enough to keep tabs on this project that was set to launch days later. Enter: brand spanking new Brisbane duo Syrup who you may have caught in diSKOAver weekly early last month with their debut track, “Something To Wear”. The indie pop duo have followed up with another song, “Ride Safe”, taken from their recently announced forthcoming debut EP, The Sponge, which is slated for an August release.

The band is comprised of childhood friends Harry Pratt and Henry Anderson. As the story goes per Gum Magazine, Harry had been working on instrumentals on his own for awhile before reaching out to his friend Henry for feedback, who was studying at the Conservatorium of Music on the Gold Coast at the time. Although Harry was aware of Henry’s outstanding guitar skills, he had never heard him sing before. As you’ll hear from the track below, his voice is lush and exuberant, making the pairing with Harry’s tracks a match made in musical heaven.

Looking forward to hearing how this project continues to take shape. They’ve certainly made one hell of a first impression on me with these songs.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Mayer Hawthorne - "The Game"

photo credit: Yana Yatsuk

Cali-based crooner cutie Mayer Hawthorne is really on a creative spree at the moment and I am ALL FOR IT.

He’s been making the rounds in recent months with new bops from Tuxedo, his project with producer extraordinaire Jake One, but Hawthorne has decided to release some solo music as well. I can’t believe it’s been a little over 3 years since he dropped Man About Town. Time certainly flies! At any rate, his first offering in too many moons, “The Game”, is a slow jam that feels a lot like a more mature version of his Strange Arrangement days. As he’s spent time exploring the depths of his solo sound, it’s simply showcased his vocal prowess all the more. He’s really one of those dudes who can literally sing the phonebook. I’d be like, “ok and how much did you say it was gonna be to have him sing 3 pages of people with K last names? $500? cool I’ll Venmo you now”.

The song is the first of what is supposedly more to come. It’s wild that we’ll likely be getting Tuxedo and solo Hawthorne stuff simultaneously. What a time to be alive! The next Tuxedo album, titled Tuxedo III, will be dropping on July 19th just in time for their upcoming 21-day North American tour. Dude certainly likes to keep himself busy!

[SONG OF THE DAY] Yung Bae - "Bad Boy (feat. bbno$ & Billy Marchiafava)

As of yesterday the future funk sensation that’s sweeping across the nation, Portland’s Yung Bae dropped his latest album, Bae 5. His latest single, “Bad Boy”, has been on repeat a good bit in the week leading up to the release so of course I gotta make sure you have a listen.

Bae enlisted some extra help from rappers bbno$ and Billy Marchiafava to get the party going on this one. You can really tell that the yungest of baes had so much fun making this record. It really comes through on tracks like this one.

If you haven’t snatched tickets yet to his upcoming North American tour, then clearly you’re not into having any fun and imma pray 4 u.

YUNG BAE TOUR DATES

Fri Oct 11 - Austin, TX @ Parish
Sat Oct 12 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
Sun Oct 13 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Tue Oct 15 - Atlanta, GA @Aisle 5"
Thu Oct 17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fri Oct 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry
Sat Oct 19 - Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
Sun Oct 20 - Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
Tue Oct 22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Wed Oct 23 - Columbus, OH @ Basement
Thu Oct 24 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
Fri Oct 25 - Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
Sat Oct 26 - Detroit, MI @El Club
Tue Oct 29 - Kansas City, MO @ RecordBar
Fri Nov 01 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
Sat Nov 02 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
Mon Nov 04 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Thu Nov 07 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
Fri Nov 08 - Vancouver, BC @ Celebrities Underground
Sat Nov 09 - Portland, OR (Night 1) @ Holocene
Sun Nov 10 - Portland, OR (Night 2) @ Holocene

YUNG BAE FESTIVAL APPEARANCES

7/14 @ High Seas West
7/20 @ Camp Bisco
8/2 @ Summer Meltdown
8/30 @ North Coast
9/21 @ Life Is Beautiful
9/29 @ CRSSD
11/17 @ Corona Capital

[SONG OF THE DAY] !!! - "Serbia Drums"

photo credit: Kelsey Bennet

oh HELLLLLL yes

it’s DEF a VIBE O CLOCK ON FRIDAYYYYYYY vibe with this one

New York’s finest dance-punk darlings !!! (chk chk chk for you n00bz) have returned as promised earlier in the month with more new music in the form of their new single, “Serbia Drums”, off of their forthcoming album Wallop, which out on August 30th.

Fun factoid for you: the beat of “Serbia Drums” was taken from an iPhone recording that drummer Chris Egan took while the band was touring in Serbia and then the band worked their magic on making it the combination of glimmer and grit that’s essentially my sweet spot for dance jams. Also very heady lyrics going here. Guess you could say they really pack a WALLOP.

…sorry I had to 😑😂

ANYWAY. It’s amazing that this band has been cracking out jams for coming on 20 years now. Since I was outside of NYC then I didn’t come onto the scene with them until 2003 with Me And Guiliani Down By The School Yard. That double single definitely had a big impact on me, thus me waving my invisible pom-poms for these fine folks ever since.

August 30 (or publicist with the advance) come soon! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Wallop

Release Date: August 30,2019

TRACKLIST:
01 “Let It Change U”
02 “Couldn’t Have Known”
03 “Off The Grid”
04 “In the Grid”
05 “Serbia Drums”
06 “My Fault”
07 “Slow Motion”
08 “Slo Mo”
09 “$50 Million”
10 “Domino”
11 “Rhythm Of The Gravity”
12 “UR Paranoid”
13 “This Is The Door”
14 “This Is The Dub”

[SONG OF THE DAY] Joywave - "Like A Kennedy"

Rochester indie pop rockers Joywave have announced that their forthcoming 3rd LP is on the way.

Hell the fuck yes.

While they wrap up the record, the band have released a new single, “Like A Kennedy”.

This is a track that absolutely captivating from the very first second that singer Daniel Armbruster opens his mouth. As he explains, “It's a song about complete exhaustion and media burnout. It's an anti-chaos song.”

Although the choice of words here paint the unsightly picture that is media burnout quite vividly, I’m sure a lot of folks will interpret it to be politically driven as he practically whimpers things like “Do they think they’ll bomb us all?. I don’t know.”, “Do you think they’ll build the wall? I don’t know.”

I believe I am required by law to take as much time as is needed to talk about Daniel’s performance on this song because y’all his choice of phrasing will literally knock the wind out of you if you’re not careful. His voice is notorious for being such a powerful instrument, but his decision to be very tender with these words will punch you right smack dab in the feels. There was a clear decision to be made with these lyrics that they could either demonstrate the chaos that exhausts us all or to deliver one of the most powerful universally relatable songs I’ve heard in a very long time. The latter was undoubtedly the right decision in my opinion as I have been on the verge of tears by the end of this song more times than I’d like to admit since this dropped on Friday. This one really sits deep in your soul. I haven’t been this deeply moved by something in a minute.

Daniel adds, “I don't think people should check out, but I think it's beneficial to at least zoom out and not take the bait every time. It feels like everything is designed to keep us enraged 24 hours a day,

We deserve a little bit of sanity.”

💖

[SONG OF THE DAY] Bronze Whale - "Slowing Down"

Austin duo Bronze Whale have returned after dropping their debut LP, The Shape Of Things with a brand new track, “Slowing Down”. The duo teamed up with Joe Pincus, known to the rest of the world as Aire Atlantica during a writing trip to Los Angeles. In true Bronze Whale fashion where they just keep churning out feel good vibes, the band are prepping to release a remix EP in July. Speaking of remixes, their sneak peeks from that EP might have passed you by, but as per usual I gotchu fam. Def wanna give these a whirl. Charlie Crown’s rework of “Cruising” has this fun new energy that builds quite nicely and Cloudchord’s edit of “Gold Grain” takes the song to a more downtempo/relaxed vibe.