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Indiana Begins New Year with Win Over Maryland, Looks Ahead to Wisconsin
Written By Nick LanscioniIndiana picked up their second straight win last night with a 63-55 victory over Maryland in their first game of the new year. The Hoosiers star center, Trayce Jackson-Davis, was the focal point of the offense in Indiana’s late surge to victory, tallying 22 points and dominating the glass with 15 rebounds. Jackson-Davis wasn’t alone on the offensive end of the floor as Race Thompson and Al Durham both contributed 13 points.Monday’s game contained a lot of ups and downs for IU. The offense started sluggishly as the Hoosiers opened the game 3-13 from the field. Worse yet, they were 0-9 from three-point shooting in the first half, and they lost their best three-point shooter in Armaan Franklin (47.6 percent) to an apparent ankle injury in the first half. The Hoosiers were riddled with adversity, but they fought. Race Thompson was the first player to answer the call for help on offense, as he attacked the post and drew fouls going a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line. A Maryland zone that locked Indiana up in the first half, became more vulnerable in the second half as the Hoosiers moved the ball with efficiency and worked it inside to Jackson-Davis. This ball movement created a lot more spacing and better looks from beyond the arc during IU’s offensive spark. The Hoosiers overcoming their first half obstacles flashed their toughness and confidence in a difficult conference matchup.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Sv3zb0rNU[/embed]Indiana hits the road for their next game on Thursday night against Wisconsin, currently ranked #8 in the country. This matchup hasn’t been too friendly to the Hoosiers in recent years, especially when they’re on the road. Indiana is just 1-7 in their last eight matchups against the Badgers, and the last time the Hoosiers won at Wisconsin’s Kohl Center was nearly 23 years ago on January 25, 1998. Thursday will not be easy as this Wisconsin team features many familiar faces who have had their way with the Hoosiers in the past. In fact, the Badgers return the same five starters from last year. How do the Hoosiers pull off the upset and break their dreadful losing streak at Wisconsin? Assuming IU will be without Armaan Franklin, their top three-point shooter, they’re going to have to rely on heavy inside play. Although this will be difficult against Wisconsin’s top two big men anchored by 6’10” Micah Potter and 6’11” Nate Reuvers, it has been the most consistent source of offense for the Hoosiers. IU will also have to get to the free-throw line by playing physically down low. Indiana ranks 19th nationally among Division I basketball teams in free throw attempts accumulating 243 trips to the line. The charity stripe needs to become Indiana’s best friend come Thursday night and they must knock down those freebies. The second key for the Hoosiers path to victory will be to pick up their offensive tempo. Right out of the gates against Maryland, the offense was stagnant and lifeless, and a switch was finally flipped in the second half. IU’s ball movement improved and the pace picked up which kept the Terrapins on their toes. This same offensive plan needs to carry over when the ball tips in Madison in order to avoid a deficit that will be much more challenging to overcome. The last thing the Hoosiers need to emphasize is the "next man up" mentality. There’s a high chance Armaan Franklin won’t be available to play as he rests his ankle. Guards Rob Phinisee and Al Durham will surely log a heavy dose of minutes, but the Franklin injury is going to open up an opportunity for guard play minutes off the bench from freshmen Khristian Lander and Anthony Leal. Wisconsin’s bench runs deep and provides a lot of points, and although Lander and Leal are just dipping their toes in the water, they’ll need to dive in headfirst and make their presence known. The same idea goes for the rest of the Indiana bench as Archie Miller will need to keep bodies fresh to match Wisconsin’s depth.The Hoosiers are the clear underdog going into Thursday night’s game. Having started the Big Ten season with back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Illinois, IU seems to have finally found their stride with two straight conference wins over Penn State and Maryland. Wisconsin will be a far greater challenge than both of those games, but Indiana is playing some of their best basketball right now, and 20 plus years of losing at the same arena has to light a fire within the Hoosiers to finally end this streak.
Nick Lanscioni
So This is Goth? A Beginner’s Guide to the World of Goth Music
Maybe you’ve made a conscious effort to bypass goth music your entire life. Maybe you’ve listened to some bands and didn’t even know they were goth. Surprise! They probably are. But don’t worry, I’ve been there too. I realized goth rock was a genre that I had never spent a lot of time thinking about. Images of goths (mostly from media... to be fair, I don’t think I’ve encountered many goths in person) I had seen throughout my life made me curious about what kind of music they would listen to. Upon first glance, I had the assumption goths must be fans of heavy rock music with lyrics that were poetic yet saturated with imagery of things goth people liked (vampires, the color black, Edgar Allen Poe references, etc.), though simultaneously incomprehensible through screams into the microphone. While my assumptions seemed pretty sound, this was the perfect opportunity for me to dive headfirst into the iconic subculture. In the beginning, I was intimidated, but quite early on I realized there was no need to be worried. Goths are just like you and me, and the music they listen to is quite beautiful. If you’ve found yourself in this situation before, fret not. I have come to the rescue with a beginner’s guide to help guide you understand what IS goth music? Below, I have attempted to answer some frequently asked questions about the goth genre. Music very often transcends genre boundaries (and those are already inherently flimsy to begin with), so draw your own conclusions. I’m just here to get you to possibly expand your music repertoire! What makes goth music goth? Defining any genre is difficult and once you start thinking about it too much, what you end up with is more questions than when you began. The minute details, like a band within the circle of “goth music” using a synthesizer might also be grouped in with new wave, despite clashing aesthetics. I’ve found the line between goth and new wave, punk, and shoegaze is very thin and ultimately, the lesson we should take away is that genres shouldn’t be defining features of whether a song is good or not. With that being said though, goth music is very often (but not exclusively) categorized by the following attributes: Monotone vocals Themes referring to “taboo” subjects such as sex or death Sometimes the songs have a more minimalist approach when it comes to instrumentation taking a long time to build up to the “whole” (see: Bela Lugosi’s Dead); some songs will sound echoey, almost industrial and kind of distant (Pornography); others may sound similar to any other rock music you might hear from the 80s (Get Out of Control). None of these aforementioned characteristics are absolutely necessary though, so it’s important to recognize that while a song might not sound goth, the band who wrote the song will likely answer whether it is or isn't goth. I’m also not the final word on what makes a song fit into one genre and not another. These are just some characteristics I’ve found are pretty similar throughout many goth bands’ discographies. Just because I consider Misfits to be goth, that doesn’t mean other people can’t consider them to be punk. But honestly, have you ever seen a goth without a Misfits shirt? Exactly. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dBt3mJtgJc&ab_channel=JoyDivision[/embed] Who “invented” goth music? Traditionally, Bauhaus is held in high regard as the “founding fathers” (or gothfathers, as I’d like to suggest as a more festive alternative) of goth rock, and for good reason. Their music incorporates many of the quintessential “goth elements”, such as gloomy guitar riffs played echoing into the abyss and the adoption of occasional synthesizers to mix things up a bit stylistically. A little nudge into new wave territory never killed anybody. A good depiction of the difference between “mainstream” music and goth music can be heard when comparing David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” and Bauhaus’ cover of the same song. Alternatively, Siouxsie and the Banshees formed in 1976 (compared to Bauhaus’ 1978 conception) so an argument could be made that Siouxsie and the Banshees pioneered the goth sound. Siouxsie and the Banshees originated in the punk area but settled naturally into the goth scene upon its creation in the late 70s/early 80s. Likewise, Joy Division emerged around the same time as Siouxsie and the Banshees and Bauhaus, among others. Joy Division is also often cited as a huge influence for many goth bands that followed in their footsteps. As a whole, goth music didn’t just come out of nowhere; there is a long line of influences, both sonically and aesthetically, that lead up to the emergence of a true goth scene. Regardless of whoever was “first”, we must remember that title minimizes influences that preceded the genre. Familiarizing yourself with the genres that spurred the development of new movements (like goth) is incredibly helpful, not only as an introduction to new songs you might enjoy but also because it can help you appreciate the music more in a way. Perhaps goth music wouldn’t look so intimidating (from an outside perspective) knowing a lot of their visual characteristics developed from glam rock stage productions’ dramatic theatrics. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrCzTgUe2M&ab_channel=SiouxsieBansheesVEVO[/embed] Who should I listen to as an introduction to goth music? This is all about personal preference. If you like the classics, you can’t go wrong with Bauhaus, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Damned, Skinny Puppy, and Depeche Mode. If you want a more international goth palate try: Clan of Xymox (aka Xymox), Pink Turns Blue, and Xmal Deutschland. If all of this is confusing and you just want me to provide a link for something you can click play without too much thought, great news! This playlist is just what you’re looking for. With the recent resurgence of goth aesthetics making an appearance in the mainstream, it would be remiss of me to not give it the recognition it deserves. Since its emergence in the 80s, goth music (and style!) has been extremely influential in fashion and the development of later genres such as grunge and emo rock. Find songs that speak most to you—there’s no wrong way to listen and enjoy the sweet sounds of goth music.
Tsion Mola
A Unique Basketball Season Begins With a Win For The Hoosiers
Written by Andrew FishFor the first time, the Indiana Hoosiers played a regular-season game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall without any fans in the seats to cheer them on. This however didn’t stop the Hoosiers (1-0) from starting the season with a 89-59 win over Tennessee Tech.The Hoosiers were led by star sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis who lead the game in scoring and rebounding with 26 and 11 double-double. Jackson-Davis is expected to continue his success as he was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team and the Naismith Award watch list for the national player of the year.Hoosier fans also got their first look at some of the freshman on the roster this season. Led by 5-star point guard Khristian Lander, the freshman on the roster earned big minutes and did not disappoint. The four newcomers combined for 20 points including 13 from guard Trey Galloway. Reining Indiana Mr. Basketball award winner Anthony Leal and athletic forward Jordan Geronimo played meaningful minutes as well.Head coach Archie Miller is expected to have his best team so far since joining IU in 2017. After a slow start the Hoosiers came alive halfway through the first half with a spark of scoring from Jackson-Davis and Robert Phinisee following the under eight minute media timeout. Miller’s fiery personality and coaching style was on display as it seemed like he applied an energy spark the Hoosiers needed during this timeout to get the Hoosiers on track.Indiana would continue to add onto their lead throughout the second half despite being without senior caption Joey Brunk who was held out of the game due to a back injury. Coach Miller explained the decision for Brunk not to play was due to “an abundance of caution” and he is expected play on Monday for their next contest.There was some worry that the game was going to be postponed after Tennessee Tech head coach John Pelphrey had a positive Covid-19 test result along with three additional players. Those members did not travel with the team to Bloomington but both programs felt it was safe enough to play with these precautions in place.The Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech came out of the gates and played the Hoosiers tough for the first ten minutes. They were led by sophomore standout Keishawn Davidson who tallied 17 points to lead the Golden Eagles in scoring. Tennessee Tech was without their leading returning scorer Jr. Clay who was one of the three players that did not travel due to health precautions.The Hoosiers are now 3-1 in openers under Coach Miller and 5-0 against Tennessee Tech all-time. Indiana was not alone in the Big Ten with victories however as each of the 12 teams in action began their seasons 1-0 as well.Indiana will now head to Asheville, North Carolina where they will play in the Maui Invitational. The tournament was originally scheduled to be played in Hawaii but was relocated due to Covid-19. The Hoosiers will tip off their tournament run against the Providence Friars on Nov. 30 at 2:30 p.m.
Andrew Fish
Feature Friday: HBO's Succession
Written by Guneet Lalria, header art by Madison Waliewski Being home in the midst of a pandemic has given me free time; free time that I’ve dedicated to binging television shows. I craved drama, comedy, and family affairs and that’s when the show Succession was brought to my attention. Jeremy Armstrong’s Succession follows the Roy family who are founders and owners of a large media conglomerate called Waystar-Royco. The father, Logan Roy, is clearly declining in health and aging, which means his children have to deal with company dilemmas and ultimately plan for a future without their father in the picture. Essentially, viewers are watching a wealthy family dodge every law in the book in order to become a media company powerhouse which will ultimately affect the rest of the world. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzYxJV_rmE8[/embed] The series quickly became one of HBO’s favorites, but why? The characters are problematic, and who really wants to know the truth about news outlets being controlled by parent conglomerates? Perhaps it’s the way most scenes are improvised for comedic purposes, or the exaggeration of how people born into the rich find ways to become even more rich. The characters of the show are also interesting and complex. Season one presents the Roy family as cold, business-minded minions of their father who seems to only show love to his children when they have benefitted the company financially. Season two allows the audience to connect with characters on an emotional level as they start to be affected by family scandals and humiliations. Rather than despising the characters, audiences begin to feel for them and only hope for the best. There also tends to be a tier to the characters as to who serves what purpose for the show’s storyline. For example, Kendall Roy, Roman Roy, and Shiv Roy seem to be career-driven children on their way to appeal to their father. On the other hand, there are Tom Wambsgans, Greg Hirsh, and Connor Roy who give the audience a deep breath from all of the corporate talk with their comical suck-up personas to further their own agendas. The cinematography also proves the show’s dramedy element. Often times the cinematography is similar to that of an Oscar-winning film. The occasional zoom-ins are reminiscent of The Office, showing the series’ comedic side. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9TKHvvaMfE&ab_channel=HBO[/embed] The show takes a satirical route. A large portion of the dialogue is exaggerated and often unintentionally funny and one of the elements that I love about the show. The writers sarcastically implement stereotypes of the rich, such as non-disclosure agreements, pay-offs, company scandals, and hatred for the poor—if anything, in addition to acting and cinematography, that’s what the show does best. Lately, Succession seems to be a public favorite. The series swept 7 Emmys in the drama category a couple of weeks ago, including Outstanding Drama Series and Best Actor (Jeremy Strong). The show proves to be an entertaining piece, as well as an exceptional, but alarming, reflection of how media conglomerates influence news outlets and the rest of the world—in an inadvertently funny way.
The Circle: France is Your Next Quarantine Binge Show
The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a huge, defining moment of our generation (also probably lifetime), and it feels like our lives have changed exponentially. What was life even like before the pandemic? I can hardly remember… Throughout the summer, I was stuck in my apartment. I barely left and was very, very bored. Like quite literally everyone else in the world, I turned to technology to curb my boredom and to distract me from the current events of the real world. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to spend countless hours binging shows, and so now, I’m going to tell you about one that I cannot recommend enough. Relatively early on in quarantine (I’m talking the early days of everything being closed down and not leaving your house for days on end), I was desperately searching Netflix for something to watch. Adjusting to pandemic life was not easy and I found myself unable to focus on long movies. Just then, in my time of intense need, I stumbled across a pivotal series. Enter: The Circle: France. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISeWPSFkSiE&t=14s&ab_channel=NetflixFrance[/embed] The Circle is a reality tv show with the goal of seeing who is the “ultimate influencer.” I know how this sounds, and believe me, I wasn’t convinced either. The first question that came to mind after reading the description was, “why?” But I needed to watch something mindless, and what could provide such entertainment but a game show to see who can use a fake social media platform the best? And so, I embarked on this mission to watch The Circle. I watched The Circle: France, but there are other seasons of the show with contestants from other places, like the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States. I choose the French version because I found it a bit more exciting than a US option; I had never seen a French reality tv show before! It was also simply the first version that showed up recommended to me. For the first two episodes or so I was still unconvinced that The Circle was a legitimate show. The idea of this fake social media seemed silly (why not use an actual platform?) and I didn’t quite understand the format, but over time everything became clear and I was invested. Like any reality tv show, there are people you like more than others despite knowing virtually (pun intended) nothing about them. This was the case for all of the contestants, affectionately referred to as #lecirclefamilie (#thecirclefamily). Everyone was isolated in their respective rooms throughout the show and all interactions with other players were exclusively through their profiles and chats—which means catfishing is fair game. After all, The Circle is a game of popularity and people are there to win. Oh, how funny it is to look back and see the participants willingly self-isolating for the filming period, only to have quarantine become mandatory in real life a few months later. That’s right, my quest for escapism just brought me back to what I was trying to avoid. Go figure. There are 12 episodes in total, but I think I finished the series in less than a week. The Circle became my 12 to 4 am routine and I had to restrain myself from indulging in another episode to see how the cliffhanger was resolved. Towards the end of the week, I was absolutely hooked. So much that my enthusiasm encouraged my roommate to watch it. That meant I was to watch it again. For a second time. In less than 2 weeks. In many ways, my experience watching The Circle: France was simply part of the fever-dream that was the beginning of a worldwide pandemic destroying life as we knew it. In that respect, it’s fair to say I probably could have watched anything during that time and ended up deeply invested. But I didn’t, so that’s why we’re here. I won’t lie and say I’m not curious about the other seasons, but I don’t think they will live up to the level of expectation set by The Circle: France. #deso (pas deso). All images used in this article are screenshots from The Circle: France on Netflix.
Guneet Lalria
A Discussion With the Cast and Crew of A24's BOYS STATE
Last week, I had the privilege of attending a press meeting with the cast and directors of the new A24 and Apple Originals film, BOYS STATE. Before the call, I had a chance to watch the movie for myself and was pleasantly surprised at how such a concept could result in such a captivating piece of storytelling. BOYS STATE follows four young men during a week-long program by the same name. Boys from all over the state of Texas came together to participate in what is essentially a hyper-intense simulation of the modern American world of politics. Why Boys State? The previous year (2017) yielded an interesting result: the boys voted to secede from the union. 2018’s results were highly anticipated; “would it be civil war or would they ‘choose unity’ and reconcile?” The highest role one could run for is governor, though other positions held high prestige as well. With around 1100 high school boys, only a handful of positions, and a one-week built-in time limit, Boys State was a fierce battle to not only get voted into office but to get their names on a ballot, as well. We get to be up close and personal with four of the boys throughout their turbulent week—a chance to peek into their minds as they wrestle with tough dilemmas, such as how to strike a balance between their own personal morals and politics versus those of the general majority they found themselves surrounded by. Our main players had to play the game in order to get elected, but at what cost? With only one week to capture the entire event, the crew of BOYS STATE had to make sure they captured all they could to tell a story. It was a unique situation where the filming was only half the battle. It took a year to cut and put everything together—to form the narrative and get the cast’s approval. Suggestions from cast members were encouraged, and those recommendations ended up making it into the final cut. BOYS STATE was a collaborative effort across all parties involved. Meeting everyone – directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, and cast members Steven Garza, Robert MacDougall, and Ben Feinstein – via zoom was really exciting. Naturally, a lot of behind the scenes information was shared with us, like the checklist (or rather, lack thereof) the directors had when looking for subjects to follow for the week. McBaine and Moss intended on finding boys who were "politically sophisticated, smart, and ambitious,” and asked whether they planned on running for governor. Of course, diversity (both in politics and background) was important to keep in mind, as well. But most importantly of all, they wanted someone who was still able to be themselves while the cameras were rolling. While Steven, Robert, and Ben each checked all of those boxes before the start of the 2018 Boys State, the final subject for the film, René Otero, was found amidst the chaos. His story and character enthralled McBaine and Moss, so they invited him to be a part of the film. BOYS STATE is a great documentary for many reasons, but one of my favorite things about it is that it is so real. According to all accounts, BOYS STATE stays faithful to the way things really went down that week, and regardless of the fact that cameras were around, everyone was able to enjoy the experience, proposing silly motions they knew would be rejected for the chance to participate. Other participants met along the way were only side characters of the story being told throughout the film, though their impact at Boys State that year was anything but off to the side. It’s impossible to tell the future, so McBaine and Moss had no idea ahead of time how their chosen subjects would emerge as leading players throughout the week. Leading players, yes, but governor? Not quite. This result fits the film better, though, than if one of our protagonists won the final vote. As the Boys State program mirrors current American politics on a micro-level, the experience as a whole mirrors life on an equal level; not everyone will win, and loss offers the unique opportunity to learn. Win or lose, though, Boys State 2018 was just the beginning for Steven, Robert, Ben, and René. Just two years after Boys State 2018, America is gearing up for, what many might consider, one of our most important elections yet. Lessons learned at Boys State resonate in every American political arena, though I think current politicians could learn a thing or two from participants at Boys State. Now more than ever, the fate of our country is in the hands of voters—power to the younger generation! BOYS STATE is an Apple Original Films and A24 Release. Now available on Apple TV+.
CULTURE STREAM PHASE II: brz
Last week WIUX’s virtual summer virtual music festival, Culture Stream, came to a close. Following the previous week’s performance by Beanie, brz, one of the artists from Culture Shock 2019, shook the audience! brz, pronounced “breeze” and always typed lowercase (according to his soundcloud bio), is a rapper from Indianapolis, Indiana. brz’s songs carry themes of technology and life as a Black millennial in today’s society. While politically charged lyrics are often a staple of his music, songs also share personal experiences, like making an internet friend (and going to visit said friend across the country!). Between each song brz gave listeners insight on the song just performed, allowing the audience to understand more about the project and sentiment behind each piece, and setting the stage for the following song. I found it a fun way to make the performance more intimate, despite being virtual. During a few songs, fun visuals were layered on top of brz and he danced on screen while rapping and singing his songs. From gritty and heavily distorted vocals to groovier and more melodic tunes, brz’s set had it all. His music was fun to listen to and encouraged audience members, wherever they might be, to get on their feet and dance along with him. Although the set was only 20 minutes long, it encapsulated brz’s signature sounds and leaves audiences wanting more. Good news: you can find brz’s performance on the WIUX Instagram page, along with all of the other performances for both phases I and II. If you’re interested in learning more about brz, check out his Instagram and bandcamp! Culture Stream may be over, donations to the Homeless Black Trans Fund are not! Thank you to everyone who tuned in, donated, and performed over the past several weeks—we would not be able to put on events like this one without your continued support!
CULTURE STREAM PHASE II: Beanie
Last weekend Beanie graced our screens with his Culture Stream performance. His set followed the previous week’s stream by Sarah Cassidy. Beanie is a Bloomington-based electronic musician who experiments with a wide range of electronic genres, from experimental bass to dubstep to house. He has been producing music since 2011 and has since then received recognition from several other well-known electronic musicians and platforms. Unlike our other Culture Stream artists, Beanie’s set did not show him in person performing the songs. Instead, Beanie’s atmospheric and bass-heavy beats were accompanied by trippy visuals which move on the screen along with the music. The half -hour long set was a lot of fun to listen to as the songs blended into one another and flowed very nicely. There was also good variation between heavier dubstep songs and more ambient tracks which made for easy casual listening for listeners who might not be very familiar with this kind of electronic music. If you missed Beanie’s performance, it is archived on the WIUX Instagram page, along with all of the other Culture Stream performances for Phases I and II. If you’re interested in learning more about Beanie, you can check out his Instagram and soundcloud. Donations to the Homeless Black Trans Fund are still open! A random donor will be chosen at the end of Phase II to receive and WIUX crewneck. While Phase II of our virtual summer concert series is now in the home stretch, there is still more music to come! You can tune in next week to watch brz perform.
Get To Know The Band That Created Their Own Genre
The Garden The Garden is a band comprised of twin brothers, Wyatt and Fletcher Shears from Orange County, California. The band was created in 2011 and since then, five albums and several EPs have been released. The Life and Times of a Paperclip was The Garden's first studio album, released in 2013, and most recently they released Mirror Might Steal Your Charm in 2018. The Garden has gone on several tours with other acts such as The Growlers and Mac Demarco, as well as their own headlining tours across both the U.S. and the world. While The Garden is the main musical project for Wyatt and Fletcher, they each have their own individual side projects as well. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what genre The Garden’s music falls under. They made up the term “vada vada” as a new genre to encompass their musical style. There is a lot of metal and punk influence, but the songs pop around so much with sound experimentation and samples that putting a label on it would be restricting. The band is always changing, therefore their own classification of vada vada allows them to not only change the game but create a game entirely of their own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYmYSWCLgT4 In 2016, The Garden released the three singles, "Play Your Cards Right," "Call This # Now," and "California Here We Go," with corresponding music videos. The songs themselves are very interesting, but the music videos are even more so. In all of the videos, Wyatt and Fletcher are dressed as jesters acting as different characters. https://youtu.be/DTNcrUBCqXk In “Play Your Cards Right”, they play tennis, “Call This # Now”, they magically appear as businessmen, and in “California Here We Go,” they play baseball. The jester concept became more of a thing in 2016. From then on, it has been a common motif throughout The Garden’s music videos. https://youtu.be/Bln9DQb1iCk The Garden’s music is certainly an acquired taste that is definitely weird at first, but it grows on you. And by the end of the week, you’re jamming as if you've known their songs your entire life. A lot of songs are not very cohesive, so beware of sudden tempo/tune/instrument/theme changes. It's one of the most unique points of The Garden’s music which feels weird, as we are always used to music that sticks to a certain key, traditional instruments, and set time signatures. Essentially, The Garden destroys all of these “common ideas” and it WORKS! Lyrics are both sung and spoken, adding an interesting layer of depth and perception to what otherwise might seem like just a weird song to listen to. “A Message to Myself” makes a strong case for The Garden's lyrical talent and also conveys a message about checking your privilege. “People can't always have ideal situations/Served on a silver platter/And others have to fight harder/I guess it all depends on how hard you fight/Maybe you're being punished for your past life/Whatever the case is, I definitely feel for you/Because in the end, everyone has problems/And life tries to teach you something/No matter how many times you've lived/So keep in mind that everyone is equal/Nothing you do makes you more human than anyone else.” The Garden's songs waver between having a strong theme and sometimes no theme at all. “Vexation” is a song with a pretty dark meaning— the band has confirmed that the song is anti-sexual assault. The lyrics are the thought process of someone trying to get back at an assaulter for the crime(s) that they have committed. In the song “Clay”, the chorus literally goes, “I like cereal/But I ain't no serial killer/(You can make your bed)/(Did you make your bed)” and the lyricism in “Haha” is overall pretty great, but this part gets repeated several times: “Hip swing/Hip swing/Means nothing if you don't have thighs/Bend knee/Bend knee/Means nothing if you don't think twice.” Do I understand it? No, not really. Does that mean I don’t enjoy it? Absolutely not! The Garden is an interesting musical experience if you are looking for something entirely new to listen to. If the first song you listen to doesn’t exactly feel right, try a few others before entirely dismissing the band as a whole. Each song is its own entity, entirely different from any other.
Get to Know the Worlds of Porter Robinson's Virtual Self
Virtual Self https://youtu.be/HPc8QMycGno Virtual Self is the dance-heavy side project by American DJ and producer, Porter Robinson. The project was inspired by late 90’s and early 2000’s dance music. In 2015, Robinson began working on Virtual Self, but it was not until 2017 when the Virtual Self EP was released. In 2018, an edit of Ghost Voices called Angel Voices was released as a single. Virtual Self is two characters, Technic-Angel and Pathslector. https://open.spotify.com/track/69urju2iS7zKGTxNVLYt5D?si=G1L95fQPQBu2yNS9nOFnxQ The Virtual Self project is very different from Robinson’s earlier works, and it was made that way intentionally. At Virtual Self live shows, Robinson refrains from playing any Porter Robinson songs, and at Porter Robinson DJ sets, there are no Virtual Self songs—they are their own entities entirely. If you’re familiar at all with previous works by Robinson and then you listen to his new songs as Virtual Self, there is little resemblance. This difference threw a lot of fans off at first listen because they were expecting to hear something like Worlds, Robinson’s 2014 release. Instead of continuing with that particular sound he spent so long cultivating, experimentation and personal growth as an artist was the path he decided to take. The Virtual Self music had to be released under a different name, so listeners wouldn’t associate Robinson with the music. Virtual Self had been in the works since 2014 after Worlds was released, but time had to pass before it could be sent out into the world. It wasn’t just the music which needed time to ripen, but it was the entire concept. That also explains why the characters of Pathselector and Technic-Angel were created, as well as the rule in which no songs of either party will be played at strictly Porter Robinson or Virtual Self shows. Robinson is the machine behind the tunes, but the story is not his during the performance. Porter Robinson beginning the new-hardstyle renaissance of electronic music in 2017? Who would have expected that? But dance music is not immune to the circular theory of life. It’s an ever-evolving genre. It has picked up immense popularity since the early 2010s and has made its way to the forefront of popular music. Artists like Robinson seek something more from their musical ventures and instead of trying to produce chart-topping hits every month. Virtual Self was meant to take a nostalgia-hit with its sound. Instead of sounding like something that was just produced, Robinson took inspiration from rhythm games, Japanese techno, and early trance tracks in order to create Virtual Self’s rave sensation. https://open.spotify.com/track/5U6FLERTCtCgLUXU4XsIf5?si=hQRi5haFQXmjodC4Uf3b4Q Despite not having many songs, Virtual Self was taken on tour as soon as the OG EP was released and has received quite positive feedback. It is hard to say when new Virtual Self music will be out, as the music already released took so long to see the light of day and if Porter Robinson’s personal brand is any indicator of how long it’ll take to get new music, I wouldn’t expect anything too soon. Worlds was released in 2014, but he went on so many tours since then, any of his personal shows were either Worlds Live or a Porter Robinson DJ set. That is, until 2018 when he put his foot down and said there would be no more Worlds Live shows. I appreciate the hard work and personal touch Robinson puts into his work. The Virtual Self project is particularly interesting and honestly new things could be in the making as we speak, just on the down low. But until the day we see (or rather, hear) new Virtual Self tunes, sit back and appreciate the artistic creativity put into such a unique project.
Get to Know KOHH, An Artist First and Rapper Second
KOHH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5InHLAraLgQ KOHH is a rapper and model from Tokyo, Japan. His first mixtape release was in 2012, Yellow Tape. His first full album Monochrome was released in 2014. Then came Dirt (2015), and then Dirt II (2016). In between album releases were various mixtapes, features on programs from VICE, and musical exposure from other ventures like in Keith Ape’s It G Ma and Dumbfoundead’s All In. KOHH’s discography is filled with a lot of really interesting tunes which could sometimes feel like a complete contradiction to itself. "Err Day" on Yellow Tape 2.0 is what I would call a completely classic and timeless track. https://open.spotify.com/track/5XBQX0tgtiNSq1JaZ8bvdJ?si=jUQTUJ_TTDKOEHdHJe9eog First of all, it’s basically half in English, which is a nice thing for listeners who may not know Japanese. Second of all, it has lines like, “毎日tight jeans, Adidas, Nike” (every day tight jeans, Adidas, Nike), “Fendi belt, Fendi scarf, Fendi backpack, all Fendi errthang, でも時計Versace err day” (exactly what it says in English and then “except my watch is Versace”), “Fleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeex”, and “err day err day 何がお買う err day err day お金を使う” (err day what to buy err day I’m using money). It’s undeniable that this is THE ultimate flex song. I mean he even says it during the first verse! Not only are the lyrics catchy (and hilarious), but the beat goes hard as hell too. Now, this in comparison to a different song, say, "Business and Art," in which he basically says if you live for money, you aren’t really living at all—that’s actually one of the lines in the song: “お金の為に生きるなら死” (translation: if you live for money then you die). He would rather die than make music for money. The entire message of the song is that music for him is art. He is not a rapper, he’s an artist. So there’s this ultimate contradiction between flexing really hard and being modest (while simultaneously being the baddest rapper in the scene), but you feel it inside and understand where he’s coming from. https://open.spotify.com/track/7mGObUmyXVhx37KYKSzpW4?si=6r-bfUwdStCTB32ar7IGdA KOHH’s lyrics are either really deep or really shallow, it’s based on the song you listen to. As an international listener who doesn’t understand Japanese it might sound the same either way, but when you know the meaning of his songs, it becomes much more of an interactive listening experience. He has a way with words that even if you can’t comprehend the language, you still understand the meaning and sentiment behind what he’s saying. I think that’s one of the most important things that music can portray onto people, and he hits it on target. In comparison to a lot of English language rappers and even other international rappers, his flow is very unique which makes his songs extra interesting to listen to. https://open.spotify.com/track/0k7gwSKejClikMSH4g241f?si=Q_X7WF1BTGC8TFjIOvNWxQ My favorite KOHH song is called "Be Me." Instead of a heavy percussion beat with minor keys repeating over and over again like typical rap beats are, it has a sweet sample at the beginning which continues to carry throughout the rest of the song. On top of slow chord, shifts are the smooth rhythm of KOHH himself going off about how he just wants to be himself, questioning why others might want to be in his shoes. https://open.spotify.com/track/2mRSTO7ufiyaXKnI80xGqi?si=BD9YPrwGRFaNOeQRJS-lTA He’s big on collaborations, not only with other Japanese rappers like Dutch Montana and SALU, but international artists like Keith Ape, who I mentioned before, and Dumbfoundead. Because of copyright issues, a lot of his music is not available on youtube but can instead be found on Spotify!
Get to Know the Dreamy 5-Member Band Sunset Rollercoaster
Sunset Rollercoaster https://youtu.be/Dxq0IqhT3XI Sunset Rollercoaster is a 5-member Taiwanese band. Not only do they have a guitarist, two percussionists, bassist, and keyboardist, but they also have their very own saxophone player. And he kills it. Sunset Rollercoaster has gained a lot of recognition as a band from Taipei, Taiwan whose songs are in English. In 2011, the band was established and released their debut album, Bossa Nova. After a tour for that album, the band went on a hiatus until reuniting in 2015. The synth-filled Jinji Kikko EP was released in 2016. It brought a new sound to the band, which quickly gained international attention. After two years, the band’s second album, Cassa Nova was released. I would say their vibe is a funky, 80’s dream inspired band. According to their Bandcamp page, Sunset Rollercoaster IS “subtropical love, breezin’” which, if we’re being honest, I can really hang with. Each member contributes their own aspect of the groovy sound together through this given instrument set. On the Jinji Kikko EP in particular, there are a lot of long solos, as there are only 3 songs. You forget there’s a keyboard player until there’s a sick solo when the melody escapes after three minutes and it feels like pure bliss. Then right out from under the keyboard comes a sax solo that is just SO jazzy it fills your heart with pure goodness like it was just what you didn’t know you needed, but they gave it to you anyway. https://open.spotify.com/track/1NHZfGzz1bgy03FDQZq0aw?si=gbvZfl48RHiFF_d-VmPUqA Bossa Nova feels very different than the rest of Sunset Rollercoaster’s more recent discography. It is much more analog and heavier, certainly more rock influenced. As bands normally do, Sunset Rollercoaster explored and expanded on their genre, which of course resulted in a shift. They just have a different sound than they had in 2011. A sweet tune I really like from that album is called You Know I Know I Love You. https://open.spotify.com/track/6lgFrbyYUcUBdPyTiRN0RH?si=o6IvIsFhSc67zugxwIJjJA Jinji Kikko was obviously very 80’s inspired with its synth filled sound. In my personal opinion, this EP is one of the special albums in the world (even though it’s 3 songs I’m still grouping it with albums for all intents and purposes) in which every song is an absolute banger. Burgundy Red? They did that. My Jinji? Absolutely solid. New Drug? Killed it! https://open.spotify.com/track/0lqkkgY2La4JwVheEjs7Wz?si=YOvSUvQ_T5WQAd3E7kGyAg Cassa Nova continues Sunset Rollercoaster’s love affair with 80’s inspired funk but dials it down from the heavy synths Jinji Kikko to include more diverse musical exploration with more distinction between other instruments. A fun fact about this album is that the last song bleeds into the first song on Jinji Kikko! We love when our favs pull that sneaky shit! See the first installment of Get to Know with never young beach here.
Get to Know never young beach, the Effortlessly Authentic Band with Endless Summer Vibes
The first edition of Get To Know, where Rachel Fisher will introduce you to artists that you should definitely get acquainted with. never young beach https://youtu.be/ly-nbGwURgg Never young beach is a 4-member Japanese rock band from Tokyo, Japan. In total, they have released three studio albums; Yashinoki House was their debut album which was released in 2015. Vinyl, CD, and cassette versions of the album were released. In 2016, never young beach’s second album, Fam Fam, was released. The following year in 2017, the band’s third album, titled A Good Time was released. In 2018, a 10” vinyl was released with 2 new songs, うつらない/歩いてみたら. https://www.instagram.com/p/BnIt8zZnf1-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Never young beach’s style is comfortable. It’s surf rock, made by guys who want to have a cool sound. There is nothing that says they’re trying too hard and you can tell—for proof just listen to their old SoundCloud demos (which I personally adore). Everything gives off the vibe that you’re relaxing on a beach listening to their songs, from the album covers (well, Yashinoki House and A Good Time at least) to the music videos (どうでもいいけど, among others). The catchy guitar riffs melt together with frontman Abe Yuuma’s vocals like they’re one entity altogether. https://open.spotify.com/track/2fOSopHlKW1WeAx5e88yFB This chill surf rock genre is popular nowadays all throughout Japan. Perhaps because Japan is made up of a bunch of islands they really like the sound. In any case, never young beach provides a neat link between “traditional”, if you will, California sound and fun Japanese rock of the recent years. There seems to be a motif of an eternal summer, like I mentioned before with the beaches on the album covers, but there’s even a song called "夏がそうさせた (Natsu ga Sou Saseta)" which pretty much translates to “summer made it so” and another "夏のドキドキ (Natsu no Dokidoki)" meaning “the pounding of summer”. It’s safe to say summer is forever in the hearts of never young beach and they want you to feel the same way. https://open.spotify.com/track/3DnenGaRMZ3InqGaywVZhr Along with just making good music, never young beach are great performers. They have played at venues like WWW Shibuya, Yebisu Ya Pro, and ZEPP Nagoya, as well as at big festivals like Summer Sonic and Rock in Japan. They have even played at international festivals like Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival in South Korea! Speaking of South Korea, never young beach and Korean band Hyukoh have played shows together, as they are friends (could your faves ever)! Like all good bands, their live sound is authentic—filled with accidental out of key slips and heavy hitting of cymbals that drown out vocals which (sometimes) turns into emotionally fueled yelling (in the most elegant of ways). You go to the show for something you can’t get on the studio recordings, and they deliver. https://open.spotify.com/track/7LUWoJeF00KOeu3jc7nb5E A few of my favorite songs are "ちょっと待ってよ(Chotto Matteyo)," "夏がそうさせた(Natsu ga Sou Saseta)," "Motel, 明るい未来 (Akarui Mirai)," "なんかさ (Nankasa)," and "気持ちいい風が吹いたんです (Kimochii Kaze ga Fuitandesu)." You really can't go wrong with songs by never young beach, because they’re all great.
Korean-American Rapper Dummie Enters New Era With "Café Bleu"
Released November 2, 2018 RATING: 5/7 Café Bleu is the latest project by LA-based Korean-American rapper, Dummie, formerly known as Dumbfoundead. In 2017, Dumbfoundead had two major EP releases. Almost a year after his last project, Rocket Man, Dumb comes back with a new vibe and 6 new songs. The 6 track EP is super chill and really consistent. Dummie collaborates with several well-known artists to create the smooth-tuned jams in this latest installation of his discography. 1. "Café Bleu Theme" https://open.spotify.com/track/5qBtLe1VpoCVxHQqpPM9DI “Café Bleu Theme” starts off with a sweet piano melody intro into the album. Instead of being an intro song, it’s the average length of the other songs on the EP, but you don’t necessarily feel like it’s that long. Dummie’s voice rings out on the beginning of this track singing about entering a place called Café Bleu. The idea of this café being a physical place is injected into this first place and then left, not being returned to until the end of the EP (see below: “Pink Bleu Dawn”). But the concept of all of the songs in between occurring in this space is something I really vibe with. The chorus, “Looks like we’re back again / if you’re feeling broken down / well I know a little place in town/ café bleu, café bleu” is sung on top of the aforementioned piano melody. Overall, it’s a nice intro to the album that seems to follow the same kind of feeling throughout. 2. "Weird" https://open.spotify.com/track/7q4N0abbhFfLBXJpyO7EzN “Weird” is an anthem to doing whatever you want at the moment without thinking of the consequences. It was produced by Sweater Beats and Donye’a G. “Weird”, like the other songs on this EP, is fairly slow paced, but the rap flow is very consistent, so it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to listen to. There is an overarching theme throughout the album, something along the lines of not really caring about what other people think (consider the lines, “I have no more fucks to give away / stopped caring long ago what people had to say about us”). A living for yourself kind of thing. Dumb says, “Let’s go out let’s do something / let’s get high go in public / go get lost in the moment / if you trust me you’ll love it” and I honestly… kind of do love it. @ Jonathan Park hmu I’m game. 3. "Washed" https://open.spotify.com/track/5IjgA0yIKV6wz6xBU4d091 This was the first song I listened to on the EP. It’s produced by Shawn Wasabi (you might know him from this), but unlike Shawn’s typical upbeat and poppy dance tunes, the beat is more toned down for this song in a more Dumbfoundead style. It’s something Dumb is able to rap over without getting too aggressive or taking away from the tune of the song. The melody is dramatic; it begins with echoing chords presenting the melody for the first almost 30 seconds of the song. Then, enter the lyrics. The first verse goes, “I feel so ancient / they say Asian don’t raisin / went from young and the dangerous to making all of my payments”. Park raps about getting older on this track. At 32 years old, he’s no longer a newcomer to the scene, or in life. He raps about getting older and the responsibilities that come along with the age. I personally really like this song, not only because it was the first song I listened to on the ep (therefore it has sentimental value and sets the tone for the rest of the album in my eyes) but because it’s true to classic Dummie style. I like that he raps a lot about real life, his life. The melody is catchy, it feels a little sad (but I like that) and the flow of the rap on top makes it feel like everything goes really well together. 4. "Chill Foo" https://open.spotify.com/track/2sI4AuSyxzS8pC7EPGrD3D This track is pretty upbeat and relatively more fast-paced than the previous tracks. It’s an interesting choice, especially at this point in the EP where songs might begin to blend together if the pace doesn’t pick up. Following the previous track’s theme of growing up and becoming more mature, “Chill Foo” explores Dummie’s current lifestyle, reflecting, “think I might be goin’ too hard / they tell me that I’m taking it way too far… I gotta chill / lotta homies in my face like chill foo, chill!”. Besides the beat (and horns incorporated in the track!), this song doesn’t stand out much lyrically or melodically as something super innovative, but it’s still a fun track that’s definitely more upbeat than other songs on the EP. 5. "Almost There" https://open.spotify.com/track/3zHZDJf53hHJo4R4BFhXhU “Almost There” features Korean rappers Paloalto and Year of the Ox, infusing Korean into the English album. On previous releases, Dummie has mixed Korean and English into his songs (see: my personal favorite) but it seems like this EP is going back to pure English, with the exception being the features on the track. Not that that’s a negative thing, but I’m a big fan of mixing languages in songs—it’s such a fun thing to do and it adds an extra layer of intrigue, especially with potential new fans. I like the idea behind the song: while he is pretty successful after having been making music for over a decade, he’s not giving up with the fame he has right now. That there is always something new to reach for and giving up isn’t an option. It’s very reflective of who Dummie is as an artist, in my eyes. In the past few months, he’s gone on tour, began a new podcast, starred in a movie, and released this EP, all on top of switching up his alias (again… he’ll always be Dumbfoundead to me). Looking from the outside, everything looks like it’s going well, but the success isn’t without struggle and hard work. 6. Pink Bleu Dawn https://open.spotify.com/track/3NF7EcaiHCqev5NKF5hxdR “Pink Bleu Dawn” reminds me of walking home from a club at 5 in the morning. It’s dark out, but the sun will be coming up soon and the streets are pretty empty. I’m tired and way ready for bed. Park sings “I think it’s time that I head home / take the keys to my car / I think it’s time that I head home / to the pink bleu dawn” before the music erupts into its own instrumental. Dreamy hums accompany soft drums on top of the beat where there would normally be rapping if this part wasn’t a break before the reprise of lyrics before the end of the song. As a whole, Café Bleu EP was a fun listen and a great addition to Dummie’s discography. I give it a 5/7 because all of the songs flow really well with each other and it’s a good, light listen. That being said, there aren’t as many iconic lyrics like I was hoping for (if you’re an avid DFD fan, you probably know what I mean) and the songs sometimes felt like they were very similar to each other. Give it a listen, if you’re into chill rap and support Dummie!