Featuring underground artists of every genre.
"Quarry" is the second single from the forthcoming record. The song begins with a lush sonic scape; electronic elements swirl around a lazy, but but driving beat. Jeter's vocals compliment the atmospheric track - an added calmness to an already mellow sound. "Quarry" is both relaxing and playful. It's a peaceful song for those who need a break from the daily grind. Jeter sings an invitation to the listener, "if your head is heavy, come float with me," and I suggest you join her.
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Who are your biggest influences; who inspires you?
I’m very inspired by the female R&B electro-soul genre. Artists such as Kehlani, Ariana Grande, Kiana Lede, Lolo Zouai, Ella Mai etc. I think these artists have the perfect combination of deep lyrics, strong vocals and badass attitudes. I try to mix this with my more introverted, dark and weird beats, where I talk about how sad I am, haha. When I wanna have more fun with music, the old school late 90’s/early 00’s girl bands give me my strength and inspire me to make girl power anthems that are not just “for me.” Why did you start making music? It’s the cliche - you guessed it: I’ve always made music. I started the Fjer alias in New York when I lived there for 5 years. This is where I came up with the name, released my first EP, found the people to work with and really started to believe in myself. It was so inspiring being around people on the constant grind. I felt accepted in a different way and started sharing my music on a bigger scale. I really owe it all to New York, for beating me down and building me back up. That city is nuts. Your LP "You Again" was released at the end of 2018, what influenced the sound and songwriting for the tracks? One of the first songs I made for the album was the song "You Again." I wrote it because I always had this voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough. Then I really loved that theme and started writing more songs about different insecurities in life, love, my career etc. All of a sudden I had like 5-6 songs about this in different shapes and forms. Besides my own production work changing a lot I also had a revelation when I started working with producers Lennart Rasmussen (Kill J, etc) and Peter Anthony Red (Lucy Camp, owner of the label Quintic, etc). They helped me morph my sound into something a little more polished and approachable. I collected songs for the album over three years and all of a sudden it just felt like it was ready to share. You've also released a new music video for the single, "Roll Call." How was that conceptualized and completed? "Roll Call" was always such a fun song to me, so I really wanted to make a music video that reflected the vibe I had when I made it (with Peter Anthony Red). I was very inspired by the style of music videos and concepts from the late 90’s/early 00’s - artists like Destiny’s Child, TLC, Britney Spears, Missy Elliot, etc. That Hype Williams-era of golden videos. Then I started tracking down different items from that time online and in second hand stores. It was honestly the prep for the vid that took the longest. Try to track down an inflatable couch and UFO pants in 2018, haha. I got my girls, Alida Tull and Emilia James, to come over and be by my side - to really get the girl power vibe out. We had so much fun shooting it and I think it comes across in the video. What's your songwriting process? Very different from what kinda mood I’m in. Currently I do a lot of quick beats and instrumentals, 30 minute or 1 hour challenges for my self. Just to get something out of my head. I also write notes on my phone constantly when I get ideas for lyrics. I hum melodies and record them on my voice memo app. And most of the time it just all comes together when I sit down and try to collect some of the ideas. I also love collabing with other producers - the songs always come out completely different than if I made the beat. That mix of processes is so important to not just repeat yourself all the time. Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? Nope, not really. I write very personal lyrics, they’re almost always about something I’ve experienced. If they’re more abstract it’s usually cause they’re about a fantasy, dream or about something I picture someone else thinking. What are your future plans for your music? I’m releasing singles and videos from the album this year and then I might drop a new song or two in the fall. Just creating right now and trying not to get too tied up in projects. I wan’t this time to be free and open, and if I wanna drop something - I’ll do that. Tell us something quirky about yourself. I have a cat name Buffy (like the Vampire Slayer) and I make a mean dolphin sound. Lol… that’s really lame.
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Photos by Peter Anthony Red
What should we know about your new project, KARLYPSO?
KARLYPSO is a departure from Kinky Karl, sort of an exploration of my roots and what has sonically been growing inside me the past year. I plan on releasing a KARLYPSO EP this summer. Who are your biggest influences; who inspires you? My biggest influence is Bjork! My biggest inspiration would have to be John Lennon, we definitely need more "Lennons" in the world today. As far as KARLYPSO goes, my influences vary: Ex:Re, Cigarettes After Sex, Mazzy Star, and Chillwave music in general. Why did you start making music? My father was a musician and I was raised with musical instruments around me. I guess it's in my blood, but from around the age of 13 all I wanted to do was experiment with new sounds and make music. I was in choir in elementary and one day they had kids from high school come and show us different instruments. This one girl played the Adams Family theme song on bassoon and I had made my choice, so from the 6th to the 8th grade I played bassoon in band at First Colony Middle School. After that I moved in with my Dad and he bought me a Jimi Hendrix Fender Strat replica and taught me guitar while my uncle taught me piano. Then I went off on my own unique way of approaching music and instruments. Your single "Rat Race" was recently released, what influenced the sound and songwriting for the track? Rat Race was inspired by events in my life that I wanted to communicate through music. The sound was influenced by Ex:Re and the song writing was influenced by Cigarettes After Sex, as well as the vocal style. You're active with visuals to go along with your music - how do you conceptualize and complete your videos? Usually my songs have colors and emotions attached to them. I guess being an artist, I am naturally thinking about those things while making the songs. Sometimes I have a set vision but most of the time I get on the computer and spontaneously start working to let the song show me what it wants to be. Completing videos is always challenging because as an artist I just don't know when to stop or if it is complete, that is probably one of my biggest challenges. What's your songwriting process? I always make the song first, listen to it for a week and then the lyrics come to me naturally. Sometimes I will have a lyrical idea and make a song for that, but that is very, very rare. Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? Yes! What are your future plans for your music? I plan on trying to make my own label to support artists like me who are being ignored by main stream media as well as start some kind of team to promote events and artists, etc. As far as my music, I would like to reach as many people as possible and spread good vibes/love/knowledge to try to heal the world in my own unique way. What would be your first question after waking up from being cryogenically frozen for 100 years? Have ya'll resurrected Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison yet!?
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"Release" is dark and atmospheric, structured around Erving's ethereal and spine-tingling vocal lines. The track begins with a downtempo electronic beat, vocals, and synth. The composition blossoms and pulls back, hinting at a hook, but not too worried about making it catchy. Between the vocals and progression of the track, I am reminded of the stylings of Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) and Björk. This track wasn't made for the dance club, but for a listener who is couch-locked and introspective. I'm looking forward to hearing more and to having access to Shrines on other platforms! For the meantime, I'm excited about finding this hidden gem.
"You and I" is the first track from Anja Kicken's debut EP. The song immediately delivers a warm and romantic atmosphere with minimal keys and a sample of a crackling fireplace. As Anja's vocals enter the mix, my expectations are set to hear an intimate piano ballad, but a deep, groovy synth and rock beat arrive to subvert them. The track is still totally a love song, written for new lovers, packaged in a downtempo/indielectro/R&B wrapper. Listen to this when you're feeling both wistful and hopeful - Anja won't let you down.
Who are your biggest influences; who inspires you?
I'm influenced by everything from Rage Against the Machine to J.S.Bach. Phantogram, Bjork, Sia, Led Zepplin, Queen, The Glitch Mob, I would say i'm influenced a lot by any music that has a very dominant emotive quality. If I hear it, and it makes me feel something, then I like it! Why did you start making music? I started making music I think because I have like tons of feels haha. Music has been the thing in my life that has been a total outlet and like so foundational, it's always there for me, I can always depend on it, and it's so fun. It's like my best friend, or like a whole community I'm in - but all my friends are waves. Your EP "Century of Self" was released in February this year, what influenced the sound and songwriting for the tracks? This EP is really a collection of singles that were all written over about a year, with the exception of one track, Pangea. I had written that song years previously, but it suddenly felt relevant in my life again. Since I had never really been able to capture it well in a recording I thought I'd try reworking it. Ultimately I was really happy with how it came out! As far as the sound of the EP overall I'd say I'm really interested in the convergence of analog/organic sounds and digital/electronic sounds. That intersection is really interesting to me so I continue to try new things, bringing together "real" instruments with virtual ones but still maintain that emotional connection that I feel is so central. I write, play all the instruments, sequence all the sounds, produce and mix everything on this record. What's your songwriting process? I usually start on guitar, I've been playing guitar since I was a child and it's super easy for me to get my feelings or inspiration out of my head or my heart, then through my body and instrument, then into the air that way. It's really easy for me to write whenever I'm feeling really strongly about any particular thing, then I just channel that feeling like a lazer and music comes out of me. I usually start with just like some chords that feel right and then the melody develops around the chords, words start coming in to describe what I'm experiencing and then through lots of iterations the lyrics form. I really spend a lot of time on lyrics even though I think most people really don't care that much what I'm saying. It's important to me and part of making something that is true and real, which I feel like is really important culturally right now. Then I kind of deconstruct it and start recording sounds and creating beats and stuff - sometimes from start to finish it's the same general vibe - but other times what I started with on guitar sound legit nothing like the final thing. Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? I would say almost all of my lyrics and music have hidden meanings, or things that are so particular to the story of the song that they would be a little puzzling to try and figure out. I've done lots of things that way I guess when I stop to think about it, encoding meaning in the lyrics is really fun for me, I've even hidden meaning in binary code in lyrics before. What are your future plans for your music? I want to continue to create and explore that intersection of the real and the virtual, I see the genre I'm trying to create as kind of an expression of augmented reality, where I'm using computation to enhance the landscape of sounds in real time. I'm constantly looking for ways to be more emotive on the digital side, and create my own human/computer interaction devices and setups so I can interact with the sounds physically. I also want to get better at sharing what I've made because I put so much effort into it! I think there's nothing better when I hear some music that happens to be just right for the moment, and makes me feel fully alive, so if I could ever share something that does that for someone, or just helps them through their day, I'd be mega stoked. I need to get better at social media and promotion things - I'm awful because I spend all my time creating stuff and thinking about creating stuff then it's hard to have energy left over for that part - which I think happens to lots of us! So super grateful to be on your blog! What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of? The visual art, poetry, performance art, and music of all of my friends! 
"Hebedo" is the second single released from Apoptosis, and it showcases Liyv's ethereal voice and her talent composing experimental soundscapes. The track begins with some skittering electronic sounds over a deep synth and playful keys, pulling back as Liyv's vocals add new depth. I can't help but think of Megan James' (of Purity Ring) vocal stylings as I listen to "Hebedo" - spritely and playful. The song takes quite a few turns in it's short duration, making the experience feel much longer than in reality. I can only compare the track to a piece of origami, a piece of paper deliberately folded to create something three-dimensional. Put Liyv's music on and take a long walk - I guarantee she'll add a bit of magic to your day.
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Her song, "Chambers," from her upcoming EP of the same moniker, demonstrates her ability to merge genres to create a humid, dreamy atmosphere. The track begins without waiting to showcase the lush soundscape with creamy synth and 'verbed-out vocals. A simple drum track and bass are added, serving to deepen the sonic experience - becoming more intricate and groovy as the sounds erupt, overflowing as the song comes to an end.
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Beginning with a carousel of a capella leading into the exposition, Leonora takes advantage of her beautiful voice before quirky, yet grooving, rhythm section tracks surround her. The chorus takes off on a rocket. And maybe that's not the best way to describe it; to say rocket gives an aggressive impression that is misplaced. The chorus is more like a magic carpet. Incomprehensibly smooth, purposeful, and focused. Leonora's vocal, her writing, is thought-provoking. Insightful lyrics always get me fired up!
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Motel Satori defies expectations in the best way. They fool the listener into thinking they understand where the piece is heading, pull the rug out from under them, then give what they didn't realize they wanted. I especially love the bass work on the back end of this track; it reminds me of U.N.K.L.E. As I make my way through the song, I can feel some jazz influences, as the synths and guitars bloom into a wonderful rock-esque pounding groove marks the outro of the composition. This was a wonderfully painted picture.
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