[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

[LISTEN] Snowing Throw - "The Folly Of Pangloss"

photo credit: Colin Hawkins

Earlier today Throwing Snow aka Ross Tones has unveiled a new alias, Snowing Throw, for a one off EP called The Follow of Pangloss, which drops on July 15th courtesy of Houndstooth.

Don’t worry, if you’ve re-read the above a few times to make sure you read me right, trust me when I say I have at minimum triple checked to make sure I accurately laid that out for y’all. 😂

It might seem confusing at first, but if you’re familiar with Tones’ catalog at all and what he’s been up to specifically in the last year, it would make sense that a pair of tracks that are, as he put it, “unashamedly built for the summer”, are probably best to be given their own space to roam freely. As he explains, “'I’ve embraced their tongue in cheek nature and I'm releasing them as Snowing Throw." The resulting title track from the EP is pretty spot on from his description. It’s definitely a vibrant and super upbeat summertime vibe. He goes on to explain, "Voltaire’s Pangloss was blindly optimistic in the face of reality. This track is his folly. It is only the ‘best of all possible worlds’ if we actively endeavor to make it so."

ICYMI - last year Throwing Snow released The Death of Pragmatism the day after Brexit, using the tracks as a way to channel his aggression as tension continued to rise around the Brexit debate. Since then he’s also released subsequent remixes from the EP fro the likes of TSHA, Mako, and AceMo.

The Folly of Pangloss

Release Date: July 15, 2020

1. The Folly Of Pangloss
2. Lose Again

Stream/Buy

[SONG OF THE DAY] Brothertiger - "Livin'"

photo credit: Alec Castillo

Today I’m delighted to share the news that one of Brooklyn’s finest, Brothertiger (born John Jagos), will be releasing another album in this hellscape of a year. The aptly titled Paradise Lost is slated for a September 11th, 2020 release courtesy of Satanic Panic. Following up last month’s Fundamentals Vol 1, an album of lush instrumentals, Paradise Lost, explores the shifting nature of one’s expectations, which given the state of *gestures wildly* everything happening around us right now, this record will be the definitive soundtrack to Redefining Your Post-Pandem Life.

Our first taste of Paradise Lost, “Livin’”, is quick to get to a key element in managing one’s expectations, which is to give yourself permission to revel in the power of your own decision making instead of crumbling under the pressure of external forces. “There’s always underlying pressure to be achieving certain life goals at certain ages,” explains Jagos. “The song is about doing your own thing and not worrying about how other people think you’re living your life.”

Paradise Lost is available for pre-order now. Tell you what, that marbled purple vinyl is lookin’ pretty lovely right about now.

Paradise Lost

Release Date: September 11, 2020

1. Found
2. Mainsail
3.Shelter Cove
4. Livin’
5. Cannonball
6. My Canopy
7. Swing
8. Checking Out
9. Pyre
10. Paradise Lost

Pre-Order

[SONG OF THE DAY] Space Above - "Movements (feat. Boyboy)"

Last week Los Angeles based electro-pop outfit Space Above released a new track, “Movements”, from his forthcoming EP due later this year. You might know the New Zealand transplant (born Aaron Short) from his time playing keys with The Naked And Famous, but this has been his primary project for the last few years. The track is a collaboration with fellow Los Angeles based Kiwi, Boyboy (born Sam McCarthy), and recounts their shared experiences with earthquakes upon moving to Los Angeles. McCarthy was inspired to lyrically explore the fear, helplessness, and inevitable acceptance one goes through when overwhelmed by forces much greater than our own. The pairing of McCarthy’s lyrics atop a synth laden soundscape that is evocatively akin to the full course of a micro adrenaline rush triggered by something that catches you off guard. Speaking on the track, Short shared, “It’s fascinating how the instinctual reaction is immediate survival mode, but after a little time passes (and in our case, so did the shakes) you then grasp just how little control you have of the situation when it’s literally the earth moving beneath you.”

The accompanying music video was crafted by Anna Chocholi, who takes these themes and presents the song in a world that is dark and jagged in nature, while leading us on a journey that is met with warmth and surrealism.

“Movements” follows EP cuts, “Golden (feat. So Below)”, “Nobody Home (feat. Tom Young)”, and “Stolen Days (feat. Alisa Xayalith)”, which are worth catching yourself up on before the rest of the EP drops.

MOVEMENTS Out Now: http://smarturl.it/SA-MOVEMENTS @space__above | @boyboylife Written by Aaron Short, Sam McCarthy Lyrics: https://genius.com/Space-above-mo...

diSKOAver weekly: Week of June 24, 2020

Hello precious internet cuties! Hope y’all are staying safe. Here’s this week’s update. God there’s some cool shit in this one. I feel like I say that every week but this is also why I also laugh in people’s faces who are like, “Man remember when music was good? There's just nothing cool anymore.” If you hear anyone say that. You tell them to come find me. I’m happy to show them around.

1. DE’WAYNE - “National Anthem”

   If you can’t feel the energy from this track in your veins the second the sounds hit your eardrums I’m not sure what to tell you.

2. binki - “Heybb!”

   Everything binki has released so far is fucking great. My personal favorite is “Wiggle” but this one just fit the vibe I was going for this week.

3. TOKiMONSTA - “Get Me Some (feat. Drew Love & Dumbfounded)

   My favorite cut from TOKiMONSTA’s latest, Oasis Nocturne. It’s just too hot for it’s own good.

4. Hermitude - “Let It Burn (World’s Gone Mad feat. Haiku Hands)”

   Why yes the world has gone mad. (Mental note for me: spend more time with Pollyanarchy. You enjoyed that first spin)

5. The Knocks - “No Requests (The Knocks VIP Mix)”

   I miss DJ booths and people with strong opinions about what the DJ should be playing 😞

6. TOBACCO - “Hungry Eyes”

   We love a fun cover. Also there’s a pre-order for this on beige vinyl if that’s your kinda thing (for the record it’s def my kinda thing).

7. Blockhead - “The Music Scene”

   You know when you fall in love with a song all over again? 10 years later this still hits.

8. Killer Bee - “Feel 4 U”

   We love a local making moves. My brain wanders to far off places with this one. Just me?

9. Latir - “Wallflower”

   Came in loving “Blue Roses”, fell for his new EP Until Forever. This one’s my favorite though.

10. Medasin - “Get By (feat. Cautious Clay)”

    Part of my weekend homework is to spend more time with both Medasin and Cautious Clay. They always seem to be on my radar but somehow don’t make it into my ear holes enough.

11. OKENYO - “Buckle Up”

    OKENYO, on the other hand. God I’ve been having so much fun getting to know her catalog. This one though. Gotta love, “by the way by the way by the way you’re cute as fuck”.

12. Brendan Maclean - “Easy Love”

    All Aussies are perfect. The end. Also while checking in on what else Brendan had going on I noticed he got added to an official Spotify playlist called Search Engine Sex (but is clearly one of those algorithmic editorial playlists because it doesn’t come up for me🙄).

13. Slow Magic - “Home”

    First taste from the upcoming album, it’s the end of the world but it’s ok. Just a little something to curl up with if you’re feeling a little down.

14. iZNiiK - “paradise”

    You gotta check out the EP series from a few years ago that iZNiiK did. There’s some really cool stuff in those.

15. Berry Juice - “She Got The Moon (feat. Deidre)”

    Forever a sucker for nu disco. Seems promising enough. Going to keep my eye on this one.

16. Sushi + Kash - “Shatter”

    Feels kinda Daft Punk lite (and I mean this in the nicest way possible). Looks like dude is starting to really get his footing on his sound. We’ll see how this plays out.

17. Jarami - “Bahía”

    Yes this is from 2018 but don’t worry they have new stuff too. PS guess who also did a track with Cautious Clay? This world gets smaller and smaller every fuckin day man.

18. Herzeloyde - “Disperse”

    Herzeloyde is vibey af. You should check out his newest track too when you like this one.

19. Vandelux - “Live Forever”

    From his Lost In Common EP. The build on this one eases you into the idea of immortality being possible so by the

20. Crowd Control - “My Special Girl (feat. Slug Father & Vantage)”

    Happy house is my favorite house. You will enjoy Housy Love Songs Vol. 2, trust me.

21. Hervé - “Blow Your Mind”

    Bless this man for keeping us dancing in quarantine. Oh how I love him so.

22. Mtbrd - “Damn Fine Coffee”

    This cut from Damn Fine contains my advice to you if you’re choosing to continue to quarantine like me. It’s literally the only way I’ve been able to not lose my fucking mind.

23. Calica - “Bitch”

    You have to check out her TikTok and see her remake loads of cool tracks. Fell for her when she covered BENEE’s “Supalonely”. Also how fun is it to sing, “Cause you’re a bitch and you know it”?

24. Body Language - “Let’s Try”

    These Brooklyn babies are back from their break for some more retro dance vibes. Hope this means there’s more in the pipeline.

25. FVLCRVM - “Bad Blood”

    Other half of this double A-side single officially drops on July 14th, but you can sneak over to Soundcloud and hear “Hate List” now if you want.

26. La Femme - “Mycose”

    I always say there’s a song for everything and in the case of La Femme’s “Mycose” this is a track about….a yeast infection. Took me too long to put this all together. I need to stop blowing off Duolingo if I’m gonna keep falling in love with French artists.

27. Tim Ayre - “Laxx”

    This lil Sydney sweetie tho. Everything of his I’ve put on is just so dreamy. 😍

28. daste. - “Telephone (What’s Your Name?)”

    From their latest EP Same As it Ever Was. Whole EP is so damn SMOOOOOOVE. You will like.

29. Geowulf - “Lonely”

    A cut from last year’s LP My Resignation. I don’t know about you, but quarantine has made me really examine and reprioritize all of my relationships. Here for it.

30. The Districts - “Cheap Regrets”

    I need to play You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere more often. This is by far my favorite off the record.

31. Deeper - “This Heat”

    From their latest, Auto-Pain, that dropped in March. I love that all my brain can think to say about them is they sound very Alphaville/Union Pool. Ugh I miss shows so fuckin much. 😑

32. Oxymorrons - “Justice”

    Did you know: all the proceeds from this track are being donated to community non-profits and projects. Yep! That means all your future obsessive streaming on this one will be for a good cause! Feels good, huh? This is the band’s first drop on 333 Wreckords Crew.

#diSKOAverweekly: Week of June 17, 2020

Hello it’s your friendly playlist junkie poking her adorable lil head out to say hello. I had all of these lovely things to say about all of these songs but then the entire day just kind of imploded so next update (which will not be in two months sorry sorry sorry but also not sorry) will be thorough and what you deserve. You just really need to hear all of these things because they’re what have been keeping me sane. Maybe I will come back in and edit this up to my standards but for now please enjoy lots of love. 💖

1. Onsen - “Be There”

2. HUMANS - “Beggin”

3. Anthony & Cleopatra - “Why Don’t You Just Call Me”

4. Midnight Pool Party - “Nonchalant”

5. CLYPSO - “D.Y.S. (Defend Your Situation)”

6. James Indigo - “Cxntour”

7. Anoraak - “Between Love (feat. Outside The Disco)”

8. RAC - “Change The Story (feat. Jamie Lidell)

9. Approachable Members Of Your Community - “Only Friend”

10. Miro Shot - “Someone Else’s House”

11. Dumbfounded - “Outside (feat. SATICA)”

12. JR JR - “This Side of Paradise”

13. Duck Sauce - “I Don’t Mind”

14. Le Couleur - “Concorde”

15. JEANA - “808 (How Would You Like It like That)?”

16. Jamie Lane - “Sweet/Bitter”

17. Martin Luke Brown - “J.O.Y.”

18. JMR - “Cheap Happiness”

19. Young & Sick - “CAN I CHANGE”

20. Steve Cousins - “Start Again”

21. Jake Isaac - “10 Steps To Heaven”

22. Day Wave - “Crush”

23. Nana Adjoa - “Love and Death”

24. Poté - “Lonely”

25. Husky Loops - “You Bore Me”

26. Blonder - “Bees In The Sun”

27. Timi Temple - “Fa-Fa-Fading”

28. Bombay Bicycle Club - “I Can Hardly Speak”

29. tiLLie - “The Heart”

30. Genesis Owusu - “Don’t Need You”

31. Vacationer - “Treat”

32. Mark Ronson - “I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (feat. Raissa)”

[SONG OF THE DAY] Laux - "A Long Way From Love"

image courtesy of Laux

Last week Wexford, Ireland singer-songwriter Laux has unveiled, “A Long Way From Love”, the followup track to his debut single, “Rain”. While “Rain” gently introduced us to his striking vocals, “A Long Way From Love” is where we get to see that he knows exactly how to use it to leave you straight up shook. While the song is quite raw from a songwriting standpoint, I don’t think I would be as equally devastated every time the chorus ends if someone other than Laux were singing this. Born out of confusion and heartbreak back in 2017, the track encapsulates the heart wrenching moments of a relationship’s painful end. Laux shared, “The song is about me trying to move on from what I thought was a broken relationship and something that could easily be replaced, only to realize that what we had was irreplaceable and just ‘A Long Way from Love’”

Both “A Long Way From Love” and “Rain” are from his forthcoming debut EP, Rain, which is due out later this year.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Aubrey Haddard - "Thin Line"

photo credit: Andy Zalkin

Cute internet people we have made it to

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<)   )>  FRIDAY
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Today Brooklyn based Aubrey Haddard (and future best friend, I hope) shares her latest track, “Thin Line” along with accompanying music video. I have been waiting ALL WEEK (and a bit longer than that if I’m being honest) to share this one with you. Tell you what, this is the kinda bad bitch energy I intend to be strutting out of quarantine with. Every time I play this song (which has been at least 3 times a day) I pick up these Ladyhawke meets 90s era Sheryl Crow vibes, where she strikes this sophisticated balance of modern indie pop while maintaining an overall rich analog feel to her sound. I suppose you could say it walks a….. thin line…. between retro and modern.

Speaking on the track, Aubrey shared,  "The song kind of touches on the factors in my life that tend to push me over that line between sanity and chaos, but it's mostly about feeling. A little uneasy and a lot of fun."