Dripping in lo-fi alt pop sensibilities, the inspiration for “pity party” came about after a tumultuous break up. Clapping back at an ex’s guilt trip disguised as an attempt to reconvene, margø delivers intoxicating hooks and clever lyricism in the vein of Billie Eilish or Melanie Martinez. With a clear pop rock influence, margø invites the listener into a theatrical sonic landscape further highlighted by an eerie video inspired by sleep paralysis.
Ancient//Futureis Mourning [A] BLKstar‘s first official album since their acclaimed 2020 album The Cycle, and arrives in the wake of Celestial Bodies—a collection of works that includes collaborations with beloved television programming block Adult Swim, Berlin-based dance company Christoph Winkler, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Putting on Ancient//Future, it quickly becomes clear that M[A]B have grown exponentially since their last studio effort. Featuring contributions by violinist Caitlin Edwards, Ancient//Future presents M[A]B at their most direct, unrepressed, and thought-provoking – a work aptly represented in the album’s compelling cover art, created by LA-based artist Dakari Akil. Through a dialogue between contemporary digital techniques and live instrumentation, they are dedicated to crafting aural stories that illuminate the African Diaspora. With a unique blend of organic textures, harmonized vocals, and hip-hop production, M[A]B’s work transcends genre and eschews convention.
Arriving on the heels of a tour supporting celebrated experimentalist Lonnie Holley, M[A]B returns with a commanding album filled with rich auditory exploration and profound narratives. At the core of Ancient//Future is a rousing, ruminative thesis: “In a world that is shaken at its core, at war with the earth and in its values, in its capital perspective and ignorant to the depth of life’s meaning we offer a suite of songs entitled Ancient//Future. How do you approach a flame that spits fire in all directions? A flame that careens the message on its very back? In a landscape filled with love and love lost, valor and brewing contempt of a marginalized box with tight locks. This output breaks through the ceiling and demands to be seen in full color and uninhibited nakedness.” Exploring themes of intense passion, love, loss, courage, and marginalized anger, M[A]B aren’t afraid to confront the turmoils and conflicts of our contemporary world to blaze new paths forward.
Ancient//Future is a bold continuation of their commitment to challenging the cultural paradoxes of America and forging new pathways in what they call heart music, further solidifying their place as one of the most innovative forces in modern music. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements from M[A]B as they gear up to share more of their inspired and unexpected music.
Acclaimed musicians Derrick Stembridge and Mike Petruna are thrilled to announce the release of their highly anticipated second album, The Essence Of Control, under Labile Records. This new release follows their successful debut album, Cryptic Logic, and marks a significant evolution in their collaboration, blending ambient soundscapes with intricate electronic elements.
The Essence Of Control offers a compelling auditory journey, inviting listeners to explore the delicate balance between control and chaos through evocative melodies and textured rhythms. The album is now available for pre-order, with immediate access to two exclusive tracks via the Bandcamp app. The whole album will be available for high-quality download in MP3, FLAC, and other formats on the release date, August 23, 2024.
Following the ethereal and enigmatic themes of their first album, Cryptic Logic, The Essence Of Control delves deeper into the duo’s exploration of sound. Cryptic Logic received critical acclaim for its innovative approach to ambient music, characterized by its haunting melodies and immersive soundscapes.
The twelve-track collection traverses a diverse sonic landscape, featuring standout tracks such as “Fractal Echos,” “Beginnings In A Forgotten Melody,” and the title track, “The Essence Of Control.” Each piece is meticulously crafted, pushing the boundaries of ambient music and showcasing the duo’s unique ability to create immersive, emotional soundscapes.
Derrick Stembridge and Mike Petruna’s collaboration shines throughout the album, with tracks like “The Cage” and “Colliding Orbs” highlighting their skill in composing intricate, resonant music. “Visions in the Paradoxical Spectrum” and “Lone Wolf” further demonstrate their talent for atmospheric storytelling, making The Essence Of Control a profound auditory experience.
2024—Today marks a monumental stride in the electronic music world as two of the scene’s most revered innovators, Eli Brown and HI-LO, unveil their highly anticipated EP, “Pyramid Rave.” The duo, known individually for their trailblazing contributions, have blended their talents into a two-track masterpiece showcasing the peak of collaborative artistry and sonic exploration. The opening track, “Feel The Energy” plunges listeners into a realm of deep, resonant bass lines intertwined with pulsating techno beats and melodic synths. The track promises an intense yet uplifting journey, masterfully crafted to captivate and energize its audience with every beat.
The EP’s title track, “Pyramid Rave,” follows, showcasing a deeper dive into the synergistic genius of Eli Brown and HI-LO. Boasting simmering harmonic scales and hypnotic rhythms, the track evokes the surreal experience of a desert rave under starlit skies, merging mystique withraw, exhilarating energy to form a unique musical expedition.
Trailblazing artist Steinsdotter just released her new single “HoneyBee,” promising to sweeten summer playlists and empower fans to embrace their true selves. Steinsdotter penned the track earlier this year, inspired by an obsession with bees and honey as a nectar of healing. This fascination, coupled with a longing for summer, inspired the track. The harmony of a beehive mind captivated Steinsdotter, leading her to imagine a world where individuals accept themselves and embrace their natural power, much like the honey bee. Steinsdotter brought the concept to the studio with longtime friend and producer Agon Branza, who worked his magic on the track. They were in a particularly sassy mood that winter, envisioning summer breezes and the buzzing of worker bees, which ultimately shaped the creation of the track. Fans of artists like Sega Bodega, Lykke Li, and Tove Lo will find echoes of their styles in “HoneyBee.” The track masterfully blends a dark, atmospheric vibe with a hard-hitting beat, punctuated by the buzzing of the hive.
Pop-punk powerhouse Taylor Acorn has today announced her highly anticipated debut full-length album, Survival in Motion, set to be released on September 13th. Featuring recent singles “High Horse” and “Greener”, Survival in Motion is an empowering collection born from struggle but showing that there is always hope for a better tomorrow. Fans can watch the music video for title track “Survival in Motion” now, here: https://youtu.be/_LqOLY7LGWU.
Pre-orders are available now for Survival in Motion, including vinyl, cassettes, and brand new merch. For more information, please visit: https://tayloracornmerch.com/. Fans can also pre-save the new album at http://onerpm.link/survivalinmotion.
rock icons The Used have shared a brand-new music video with NX Zero for “On My Own (Live In Brazil)”, recorded in Belo Horizonte in March 2024 on the I Wanna Be Tour. In a 2020 interview with Revolver, frontman robbietheused called the track called “probably the most special and profound slow/soft song on the planet, in my world” – and for good reason. Originally released in 2002 on The Used’s groundbreaking self-titled album – which celebrated it’s 22nd anniversary earlier this week – the classic hit delves into deep themes of introspection and self-discovery that defined the band’s early career and shaped a generation of fans.
The I Wanna Be Tour sold out stadiums across Brazil and brought together some of emo’s greatest names across the world, including bands like NX Zero, The Used, The All American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, Plain White T’s, Fresno, and more. As self-proclaimed fans of The Used, NX Zero wanted to create a special moment for Brazilian fans and had the idea to invite The Used on-stage to perform a fan-favorite track.
“Touring with NX Zero was the best time we have ever had in South America,” says robbietheused. “We got to know the guys and were immediately friends. So honored we had this incredible opportunity.”
Danish trio WhoMadeWho and Canadian duo Blue Hawaii have enlisted Munich-based live act, DJ, and producer Innellea to remix their latest collaborative single, “Kiss Me Hard.” The trio continues to raise the bar on their creative output as they approach the release of their upcoming album, Kiss & Forget, expanding the impressive range of their LP remixers. The release also arrives on the heels of the lineup announcement for the second edition of WhoMadeWho’s label festival, The Moment, which will return to their hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark on August 7, 8, and 9, 2024.
RIAA Platinum-certified singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Clinton Kane today released his second track of 2024, “I DONT WANNA LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT YOU,’ a heartbreaking yet profoundly hopeful track detailing the loss of a great love and the desire for it to rekindle itself.
A sequel track to “I GUESS I’M IN LOVE,” the emotional and latest single from the burgeoning talent once again delves back into a relationship that had a tremendous impact on him and his definition of love. Steve Rusch served as producer and cowriter of the song. Said Clinton: “’I DON’T WANNA LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT YOU’ is a very special song to me. Written over 4 years ago, a couple months after I GUESS I’M IN LOVE was released, I consider this song the sequel to I GUESS I’M IN LOVE. It was written about the same girl shortly after we broke up. The aforementioned ex is in the music video, she directed the music video, and she edited the music video, so we’re clearly on great terms. She’s lovely and I think nothing but the best of her. I’ve loved this song and championed it for the longest time, timing just never felt right to release it. This song is both a love song and a heartbreak song. It shows the complexities of life and emotions and what a person can feel dealing with a breakup but still having so much love for the other person involved. This release feels very full circle to me, especially with my ex-girlfriend’s involvement in the process. We’re both very proud of this video.”
The iconic brand Emo Nite has recently partnered with Zumiez and Learn to Forget on a limited time merch collaboration. The drop features a variety of items including T-shirts, hats, and stickers. The collection will be available in 80 in store locations and is available now online HERE. These items will be available to purchase while supplies last.
Speaking on the partnership the team at Emo Nite shares “Very cool to be approached by LTF about doing something together. The guys that run the company are for real about this stuff. While we released it, they were playing shows in the UK with TOOL. Being in a band and growing up around band culture was a huge dream for everyone at both companies and I think we both saw the authenticity of each other. The fact that we’re able to partner with Zumiez is pretty incredible as they’ve been a staple of our youth into adulthood. Its also interesting to see how on top of the culture Zumiez is after all these years ~ I think anyone who grew up wanting to be close to music has a story about hangin out in a Zumiez haha”
Emo Nite has also recently launched a merch collaboration with Hazheart (Lil Aaron), which can also be found in Zumiez stores or purchased online HERE.
Check out all upcoming Emo Nite parties for a date near you HERE.
New York City/Los Angeles-based alt-pop group MisterWives share the official VEVO performance of booming single “Organized Chaos” out now, premiering exclusively via PAPER Magazine. PAPER dives into the video itself and the “art of bringing repressed feelings to the surface.” Later this summer, the band will release the deluxe version of their 2023 album Nosebleeds, Nosebleeds: Encore complete with reworked tracks and new surprises.
This Fall, MisterWives will embark on the MisterWives: Just For One Night! tour with support from Joan, Juliana Madrid, Moody Joody and Meg Smith beginning with the band taking the Austin City Limits stage on October 6 and October 13. Tickets are on sale now here with a full list of dates below.
The band is thrilled to partner with VEVO and play the song the way it’s meant to be played, bringing it to life in an all new way live. Lead singer Mandy Lee says to PAPER, “Having the opportunity to do a live VEVO performance is something we’ve always wanted to do! This song was meant to be played live and the incredible team at VEVO perfectly captured the live energy we want you to experience the song in.”
The self-aware, booming track “Organized Chaos” picks up where Nosebleeds left off–launching right back into erratic patterns and cycles that have become comfortable. This time, though, Lee has recognized these habits and this is the final straw. Lee shares that the track allows her to regain control over her feelings and says to PAPER, “‘Organized Chaos’ was the reckoning of unhealthy patterns that are comfortable, not because it’s what’s right but because it’s so familiar. This song meets you in the middle of untangling the knowledge you have to break out of a dysfunctional loop while still being stuck in it because there’s just enough order to get by. Alchemizing those feelings into a track that is punchy and fearless both sonically and lyrically gives a lot of autonomy over putting those feelings into action.”
gold-certified singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sueco has released his highly anticipated alt-rock single and music video for “Outta My Head.” This is the third single off his sophomore album, Attempted Lover, which is set for a July 2024 release.
Watch the music video “Outta My Head” here and stream the song here.
Teasing the song and music video over the past few weeks across social media channels, this song has reached upwards of 50M impressions, and the response from fans has been incredible. Check out one of his TikTok’s HERE.
This single is a strong example of Sueco’s dynamic, experimental sound, which combines alternative rock, emo-rap, and punk elements. It showcases his raw vocals meant to be played at full volume through listeners’ speakers. His first two singles off the album included the stripped-back song “Mulholland Drive” and the fast-paced anthem “Drama Queen.”
Hailed by Rolling Stone as “a major proponent of genre-bending music through his kinetic rock-hyperpop-rap sound,” Sueco has quickly proven he is one of the most exciting prospects of the mainstream punk resurgence. He channels the spirit of nineties pop-punk through a 21st-century lens, tapping into the unpredictability of hyperpop, the catharsis of hardcore, and a whole lot of hip-hop finesse.
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
