Category: Music Video

Interview With Fjer

4/7/2019

Fjer is the moniker of Danish electro-soul artist, Maja Barløse. She is not only a singer-songwriter, but producer as well.
She released her self-produced debut album, “You Again,” at the end of last year.

We've asked her a few questions about her music:

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.

Photos by Peter Anthony Red

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Interview with Karlypso

4/3/2019

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KARLYPSO is the new project of Houston-based multidisciplinary artist, Karl Scheidt (also known as Kinky Karl). His new songs are a sonic departure from his previous music, taking on a melancholic, chillwave vibe.

We've asked him a few questions about his music:

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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Airy - Disappearing Ways

3/26/2019

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Airy is a Korean singer and songwriter who crafts laid-back alternative dreampop songs. She sites influences from folk music of the 60's and 70's - which can be heard through her use of guitar solos and psychedelic grooves - but she is paving the way for future artists. She released her EP, "Seeds" at the end of last year and has a lovely music video to accompany the single, "Disappearing Ways."

The track begins with a stripped down rock beat, then introduces a deep bass and sparkling keys. The electronic elements inform the listener that the song is more than it appears, and finally a playful electric guitar chimes in. The instrumentation composes the stage for an atmospheric alt-pop song - much more chill than what you'd imagine if asked to listen to a new K-Pop song. "Disappearing Ways" is an anthem for the change of the seasons, for moments that slip between your fingertips. Sit back, relax, and let it all fade away.

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Rosie Tee - Chambers

3/15/2019

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Members
Rosie Tee - vocals, glockenspiel
Tom Harris - keys
Kai Chareunsy - drums
Dan Cippico - bass

Rosie Tee is a Birmingham, UK songwriter, composer, performer who is known for her innovative, atmospheric blend of electronic, jazz, classical, pop.

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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Videocean - Genes

3/7/2019

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"Genes" by Videocean is a great driving song that makes me feel a little nostalgic, and I think that's due in part to the disco vibe and flavor of the track. The song begins with a very strong, stable drum beat that drives the groove alongside a smooth base before the vocalist begins delivering just a perfectly executed passage.

Videocean does a good job of harnessing the energy involved in the disco era, which is something that I can't help but find charming as it can be difficult to recreate such tracks with all the technology we now have available. There's something to be said about feel and vibe, and paying attention to detail, which is something that I look at a lot when I listen to music. In this day and age it can be very easy to slap things together, and if an artists doesn't take that time to really listen to sounds and listen to their voice, they can really miss the mark.

Videocean hits the bullseye and I'm interested to hear more, as I imagine the disco flare maybe a part of their overall sound. "Genes" by Videocean will make your palms sweat, your hips wiggle, and give you a great energy to start your day, finish your road trip, or experience change in your life. It's movie music and I'm all in.

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Madi - Dirty

3/6/2019

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"With electro-tinged art pop, self-styled as ‘weirdo pop’, MADI aims to marry experimental and accessible. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, it uses everything from keyboards and guitars, to samples and modular synth."

Members
Maddie Jones, Dan Fitzgerald, Chay Lockyer,
Richard Welsby

MADI's "Dirty (Word)" begins with a kooky vocalization and a swelling, high pitched synth, suddenly dumping the listener into a pounding beat. Interestingly, there is percussive vocalization used in tandem with the beat between Maddie's vocal lines. The track turns sweeter with spritely arps and a buttery bass line, revisiting the pounding beat and heart of the lyrics: "don't you care to understand? can't you see there's nothing dirty about me."

I really love this track. MADI makes me imagine a collaboration between Amanda Palmer and St. Vincent - which is simply kick-ass. The trippy video is a delightful bonus.

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Two - Angels

3/5/2019

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Two are an alt-pop song writing duo comprised of Alfie Jackson (ex Holloways frontman turned songwriter/producer) and playwright and performer Gemma Rogers. Mixing dark folk with shadowy lyrics, their music ebbs and flows through very murky waters. Their debut single, "Angels," is is taken from their forthcoming EP "Great Expectations," which is due for release in early 2019.

The track is a dark and angsty bit of folk noir, shown in both the melancholic undulation of the instrumentation and the lyrics, which explore themes of poverty, gambling, and isolation. Regarding the inspiration behind the song, Gemma states, “Nursing hangovers on a Saturday morning we shared our saddest stories and came up with the opening line “I’m never going back”; from there the song wrote itself.”

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Astralingua - Space Blues

3/3/2019

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"Composer Joseph Andrew Thompson and backup vocalist Anne Rose Thompson create evocative and eerily harmonized music as Astralingua. The nomadic space-folk duo explores life’s unknowns, blending haunting vocal harmonies, radiant strings, and otherworldly soundscapes into crafted songs that fall somewhere between classical, folk and psychedelia." - astralingua.com

As the song name might imply, Astralingua's "Space Blues" is just that, an absolutely beautifully crafted, insightful journey. As I listened, I couldn't help but begin to think of my own journeys in life. The track has a way of allowing a person to reflect back on choices, consequences, and regret. Astralingua skillfully prevents the listener from spiraling into uncomfortable thought, allowing them to reflect from a safe space, sonically speaking. The instrumentation and arrangement are contemporary, futuristic, and nostalgic all at the same time. I attribute this to the instrumentation; in particular, Astralingua's use of synth alongside much older instruments such as the strings and (wood?) flute create a "Star-Trekkian" vibe that I'm loving more with each repeat.

Astralingua's full length album, "Safe Passage," will be released on March 8, 2019.

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Caiine - The Game

3/2/2019

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As I begin listening to "The Game" by Caiine, I quickly feel as if it is an electro-jazz type ballad. I'm not sure if the vibe is because of the production, but I know that a good deal of the feeling revolves around Caiine's voice. How she delivers the line, "I never felt like playing the game," pairs really well with the imagery provided by the producers of the track.

In her music video, the clips of the dancers (from what I think may be the twenties) give off a nostalgic vibe of a sentiment older than time, which is the game of love. I would be very interested to see this song performed with a jazz quartet or quintet, and I can imagine that the composition would be very gorgeous in live performance. That's not to take anything away from the recorded song; in fact, the song is so inspiring that it's fun to think of additional possibilities. I wouldn't play around with something that I didn't feel good about in the first place.

As the composition blooms, I begin to notice additional synth and keyboard lines weaving in and out, very much like jazz players taking turns with rides, which may attribute to the thoughts I had when the track first began. "The Game" by Caiine is a great song about a timeless theme and the universal struggle to find our way without being hurt. Although there may be no winning formula for protecting our hearts, Caiine definitely hits the mark with "The Game."

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Cholly - Adores

2/26/2019

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Ruminations (EP), released February 18, 2019

"Adores" by UK alt-pop artist Cholly is a psych-electro masterpiece, forged in the fires of brilliance. The song begins with the type of dramatic entrances that I thrive on. Cholly also makes a wonderful compositional bloom at the beginning. The use of her voice (I think) as a sample nails it.

Speaking of Cholly's voice, it is gorgeous. One of the most fun things about this song from a musicianship and arrangement standpoint is the number of turns the composition takes. This song would be a lot of fun to spin or remix. I love Cholly's sense of groove and timing, how the artist weaves her way through the arrangement of the piece, pushing and pulling different emotions, flashing different stress. The full experience of this song, from finding it in my inbox until now, is why I enjoy doing this work.