Seraphina Simone’s “O M D”: It Hurts to Let Go
London-based singer/songwriter Seraphina Simone’s new single “O M D” is a modern, synthy rendition of an age-old love story: holding on to someone even after they’ve gone. With clear and gentle vocals, Simone sings of a romantic relationship: one that seems to be emotionally overwhelming. When he spoke It came in stops and starts I […]
Loris and the Lion on “Waxwing”, Fairy Tales, and Halloween
Fairy tales are stories that have been so thoroughly absorbed into our collective consciousness that it’s more common nowadays to see them subverted than played straight. In some cases, like Into the Woods, common fairy tale tropes are used to more realistic ends, showing how things like witch’s curses and magic wishes would have unintended […]
Grappling with Fear and Control in Sara-Danielle’s “Scared”
There was a moment as a senior in college where I pretty much lost control. Ever the formal, by-the-book student, something within me snapped and I found myself rambling and spilling out my innermost thoughts on one of my last ever undergrad reflection assignments. Two hours later, I submitted a mess of jumbled thoughts peppered […]
Andrey Azizov’s “Back of the Car”: Nostalgic Bedroom Pop
There’s something magical about bedroom pop. Not only is the prospect of turning DIY tracks into hits utterly inspiring, but the sound that’s created from these private ventures always feels refreshingly intimate. Usually comprised of layered synths and simple, danceable backbeats, bedroom pop tracks seem to consistently evoke nostalgia for a bygone era of teenage […]
KINO MOTEL on “Waves”, Gritty Pop, and How a Blonde Wig Brought Them Together
KINO MOTEL (stylized in all-caps) has broken into the music world with their debut single “Waves,” and its unique, post-modern, other-worldly sound is making a place for itself in that world. Thanks to the works of Ed Fraser and Rosa Mercedes, KINO MOTEL has been born, and might just pave the way for a new kind […]
Henry Nozuka on “When the Sea is Quiet and Calm”, Meditation, and His Creative Process
To hear the gentle vocals and thoughtful guitar plucks of Toronto singer-songwriter Henry Nozuka’s new, aptly named single “When the Sea is Quiet and Calm” is to access the part of your mind where only calm exists. Here, in this state of peace, you can be almost as ethereal and lightweight as the gentle breeze […]
Julianna Money on “27”, Stevie Nicks, and the Chattahoochee Valley
On her new song “27”, Julianna Money is preoccupied with a lot of things. She’s growing older, and even though she’s still young she knows she won’t stay that way forever. She’s ruminating on the inexorable passage of time. She doesn’t know what the future holds for her, except for what the future eventually holds […]
Clarissa Connelly’s “Holler”: Beautiful and Unsettling
The space between trees. Fields of meadowsweet. Craggy cliffs slick with sea spray. Clarissa Connelly’s October 2020 release “Holler” will take you to each of these places – and you may not want to leave. If you’re near why don’t you come by/Or do I need to holler? “Holler” is both a whimsical and unsettling […]
Tiggy’s “Share This Feeling”: Your New Pop Obsession
Tiggy may have just become my next favorite artist that I obsess over for the next seven days (as one does, of course). If you’ve got time, check out “Two Year Stand.” It’s my favorite of hers. Anyway, her upbeat, chill, beachy vibes are just the right sound for the times. We can all use […]
Amelia Ray’s “Hambone Says”: A Harrowing Role-Reversal on Race
In February, Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed by three white men as he jogged in Georgia. In March, Breonna Taylor was killed in her own home by three white plainclothes officers in Kentucky. In June, the Black Lives Matter movement re-erupted amidst widespread outrage over systemic racism in America, tensions that stoked both civil […]
