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SINGLE REVIEW: BREAKFAST FOR DINNER “SAY”

Staff Pick

Breakfast For Dinner has an exciting new sound that is reflective of the ever-changing music landscape. Swirling guitar and sun-drenched, ethereal vocal blends into its nostalgic, glistening skyscape. It twirls between the line of dream-pop and alternative rock, making its own exception, capturing the essence of the indie genre with its thriving, energetic, yet obscure light.

Exploring the complex feelings when you care deeply about your partner and really want them to thrive yet find the expression of your feelings to be selfish and embarrassing. The song is about choosing to let it go for the better good. “Say” was written in the most direct and truthful process that directly reflects that pain-fused, vulnerable, and intimate moment. The beautiful somber undertone is undoubtedly fascinating its aesthetic.

The NY-based four-piece band Breakfast For Dinner has been releasing music alongside the Independent underground Niagara Falls, NY-based label, Love Canal Entertainment since 2019. As a collective, they have shown their fierce and lush color palettes through the course of past releases. As one of the rising artists on the horizon, they are a band quite exciting to watch.

Written by Katrina Yang

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ALBUM REVIEW: CHRISTER FREDRIKSEN “MAUVE”

Album of the Week

Identified as creative, free-form jazz, Mauve directly challenges the emerging stagnation in the jazz landscape. It comes from deep exposition into the genre when one dived deep in search for the truth and stands at its very core. What is jazz? Does jazz vocabulary define jazz? What do we seek in a jazz vocabulary? Sometimes, the answer is as simple as truth.

Intuitive and spontaneous. Fredriksen’s sound is nurtured and encouraged in a way that it stayed pure and lucid from the outside noise. It allows the messages and creative ideas to flow freely and interact with its other in the most natural, stimulated form that it is reflective and nostalgic to experiences, memories, and spirituality.

Inspired by life and written about life, the music Christer Fredriksen shares with Mauve has tastes, color, and scent. It wrapped your auditory system with multi-dimensional production that projects each sound to every detail from its location, distance, and altitude. It captures the moments and experiences in life in a cinematic, sensitive, and romantic way.

Christer Fredriksen is an artist, a perfectionist, and a keen observer. Mauve is intricate, sensitive, and immersive in that it brings you an experience that goes beyond the senses. From a personal, intimate perspective to the grand capture of dawn, wind, and clouds, Mauve is a mixture of those immediate, deeply touching experiences in a close-up position. It evokes different feelings and textures through the artist’s unique lenses and gives it a personal touch to the sound itself.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: ATEM S “Lift Off”

Discovery

"Dance through life like everybody's watching. Then tomorrow, do it all over again." Atem S on “Lift Off”

Photo credit: Adam Smetana

“Lift Off” is infectious. It gradually uplifts your mood in an unnoticed yet significant way. It gently lifts up the sky that was pressing on your shoulder and allows you to breathe again. Cheerful and spirited, humorous in its own way, it breaks you out from the digital world we all seem to live in back to the way life used to be.

Twirling vocals and euphoric synth-scape, a bouncy bass swoops into your ear like a free agent dancing in and out of the crowds. There’s a sprinkle of magic in Atem S’s voice. Reflecting on social media’s influence on our daily life and how much we seem to function around “liking” other’s people’s pictures/videos instead of living our own, “Lift Off” invites you to take a break and rewind. It’s time to write your own stories.

“Lift Off” is fascinating the way their influences and unique auditory outputs seem so well intertwined together. Atem S and By Phoxy Music bonded over the love for music through the internet. Intrigued by their distinct musical influences and backgrounds, the two joins hand to explore possibilities and step into new territories.

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SINGLE REVIEW: HISTORIAN “BROKEN CUP”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: Mallory Turner

From a fragmented, misbehaving drumbeat gradually developing into live drums as if finding its shape and rhythm stretching in its brokenness, “Broken Cup” explores grief and sorrow towards frailty as we all feel as humans. Ethereal vocals and reminiscing melodies washed away the rest of the world, Historian found a new world in the sonics.

Hypnotic and cathartic. “Broken Cup” is its own world. It sets on the edge of dark and light, resonance and dissonance, peace and sorrow, pure emotional release and spiritual exploration. Written during an emotional low point where brokenness took a new shape in the sonics, “Broken Cup” is reflective of its own creation. Like the wind that glistens with immersive light, it’s easy to get lost in its soft, milky dreamscape.

Historian is the sonic brainchild of LA-native Chris Karman. Fully absorbed from the landscape where the mountains meet the ocean, “Broken Cup” is the wonderful blend of melancholy and enchantment. There’s the existence of spirits in its flowing sound.

“Broken Cup” features a cello section from A Cello Symphony. The song serves as a preview of Historian's upcoming album Out of Seasons, where Karman went to great length to gather over 30 musicians from well-established bands and explore sounds and new territories. The album is scheduled for release on Nov. 5.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: PHARAOHS “FABLE”

Discovery

Capturing a moment of uncertainty revolving around change, “Fable” sets its scene in a reverberant, swirling dark, electronica world where the feeling seems to be emphasized and reshaped in the air, joining the smoky, radiating, sensitive lights and sounds.

The debut release of Pharaohs has created a sonic world with their unique indie-pop, dark electronica-inspired language, stimulating vivid, brand-new imageries with its ever-changing dreamscape. “Fable” in a way, is hard to be pinned down by words.

“One day late into the evening I’d been working on different piano progressions over a four to the floor beat and it wasn’t until I wrote the horn section that I realized the song was unfolding. ‘Fable’ for me is about the common uncertainty we have when met by a fork in the road, making a choice and backing yourself that you’ve chosen the right path, wherever that path may take you,” said Kendall James from Pharaohs.

Pharaohs is the musical brainchild of Kendall James and Brett Sellwood. “Fable” as the first collaboration between the pair has naturally become their introduction to the rest of the world. Establishing a sonic experience that can only be described as “Escapism Electronica,” Pharaohs creates a lucid, emotive, and immersive world.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: MAIYANAI “FINE”

Discovery

Photo credit: Yhali Yanai

Photo credit: Yhali Yanai

Known for her unapologetic lyricism and versatility, the Tel – Aviv, Israel-based artist MAIYANAI brings another brutally honest, contrasting single “Fine” tackles self-worth. Inspired by the moments that we seem to mumble on “I’m fine,” but deep down, we know how exhausted we are, “Fine” speaks directly to that experience and offers a moment of goofiness and fun, reclaiming your power with an anthemic statement.

The captivating chorus takes you further down the road of self-exploration, “Fine” swirls between funk, rock, and hip hop in a smooth, groovy vibe. Kaleidoscopic soundscape you could never get bored of. MAIYANAI has a laid-back, unique, flavorful voice that catches your attention instantly. She has no trouble being sweet, mellow, jazzy, or dark, always surprises you with her various sides.

Celebrating who you truly are and dancing the pain away is the spirit of “Fine.” From the center of its being, the song embraces its true self in the current stage with no excuse or explanation. In a sense, MAIYANAI’s lyrics feel almost cathartic and raw, carving the deepest thoughts and feelings into the sound wall.

Written by Katrina Yang

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ALBUM REVIEW: JACQUELINE LOOR “Show Them”

Album of the Month

Photo credit: Hector Socorro

Photo credit: Hector Socorro

“If you listen to it, there’s a real person behind each song who actually went through a situation and learned something about themselves, and learned that they’re stronger than they thought they were,” Jacqueline Loor on Show Them

Jacqueline Loor is one of a kind. She surprises you with her versatility and enormous vocal capacity. Loor captures sounds and portrays emotions in a meaningful, authentic way. There’s no pretense in her music, which makes her art so powerful and soul-reaching. Show Them is an epic, cinematic, poetic, mind-blowing grand opening to the artistic world of Jacqueline Loor.

Inspired by her twin sister’s journey breaking free from toxic, unhealthy relationships, Loor dedicated her debut album Show Them, featuring 13 songs to inspire and initiate changes. Show Them is about self-worth and finding strength. It’s about courage and breaking free. Closing up to a melancholy, vulnerable, introspective “Coming Undone,” the song immediately gives you chills in its deep, emotive, soul-shaking sonics. Strings clutterings and vocal soaring, haunting melody ring in your head for long. Stepping into the world of “Don’t You Pretend,” tearing with a wrenching vocal that gradually blurs into the light and eventually becomes invisible. Loor’s performance on this song is truly remarkable.

The album arrives at the time of change when it reaches “I’m Done With You” capturing the moment of realization with a beautiful monologue that glooms in the dark. Growing from the underworld, climbing its way out with strength and determination as the painful experience hardens the softcore. The turning point of the becoming is a glance of true beauty. A very slight, expressionistic Spanic influence in the sonics that reminds you of bold, blossoming red flowers.

From the tenderest memory, “Burn it Down” stretched its wings, turning into the most heart-wrenching, raw, and destructive anthem with emotive strings and cathartic choirs. “This world, they break you down and tear you part, and that’s when the fire starts,” said Loor. In this stage of Show Me, the energy changed again with a splash of hardcore, badass edginess. Groovy, dark, enchanting gospel marks the beginning of a change in narratives. Bouncing between swirling electronic soundscapes and punk rock spirit, “Find Your Way” is a head-banger that combines lightheartedness and naughtiness in the celebration of a reunion with self. In a completely different way, it reminds you of the 16-year-old Avril Lavinge, sticking her tongue out, leaving a part of herself in the music.

When the order is restored, the sky is clear and the air is fresh again. “Show Them” and “I Can Fly” light up with subtle soundscape and a shift of focus on the vocal and empowering message, coming in a full circle. “I Broke My Heart” and “Carry Through” revisit heartbreak with immersive, reverberant melancholy and introspection.

Read our review on “I Can Fly”

“It’s all about a person being who they really are,” Loor says of the title track “Show Them,” “I’m very big on an individual being who they are instead of trying to conform or being put in a box. I’m a big advocate for people being themselves. I do that especially as a mom: I want all kids to know how beautiful and how perfect they are, and sometimes I do think my twin struggles with self-esteem; she doesn’t realize how amazing she is.”

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: BAILEY TOMKINSON “WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT”

Discovery

Photo credit: Edek Goralski

Photo credit: Edek Goralski

Kernowfornia refers to a west coast UK sound — the wonderful brewing of the ocean, the sun, surfing, and rock n roll in a live setting. Taking on a chill, rocker, fuller trip following where the heart desires the most, Bailey Tomkinson brings forth a vibrant, organic single “When The Lights Went Out,” from her upcoming EP slotted for a 2022 release.

Beaming the warm, cool, nostalgic light of the sinking sun, “When The Lights Went Out” is where Americana, folk, and rock n roll meets the UK coastline. The song has a subtle melancholy tugged into its undertone. Narrating around the one-sided love situation, the alchemy works almost in a mysterious way:

“A lot of people have had that experience where you’re messaging somebody, thinking it’s going well, only to find he’s talking to 3 other girls at the same time so I hope it will resonate with people’s own personal experiences,” said Tomkinson.

When it comes to her own design “Kernowfornia” sound, the artist commented the way it reflected her musical root — “There are elements of Springsteen, Sam Fender, and Weezer, and also of my environment too, that’s the Kernowfornia sound. Sort of like a sun and surf filter on my musical influences.”

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: MINI SANTS “ROMEO (Ft. GESS)”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: Santi Creative Group

Photo credit: Santi Creative Group

Like the summer night, “Romeo (ft. Gess")” sparks endless possibilities. Glistening dreamscape mixed with bright, ethereal vocals, a fiery beat leads all the dance moves. Blazing synth and airy pads is the cherry between alluring lips. A swooping, electric bass adds another layer of fantasy in its sonics.

Inspired by vintage romantic cinema and summer nostalgia, “Romeo” is a wonderful mixtape of love and brightness. Lighthearted and fantastic, Mini Sants showcase the wonderworld of flamboyant color palettes. The NY-based electronic artist/producer brings back Shakespear classic in a modern electronic vocabulary.

Poetic storytelling and poised gestures. The whispers in the summer night were no louder than a breeze. From impression to color palette to mood and energy, Mini Sants always manage to give us something new with his music. His love for vintage and nostalgia meet his natural sense of fashion and hipness, giving the familiar storylines a new place in the modern world.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: fable “WILD UNKNOWN”

Discovery

Photo credit: Deb Leal (debleal.com)

Photo credit: Deb Leal (debleal.com)

“This song is the first of many. For the past few years I’ve been writing and writing, and I’m ready to rip the bandaid off and share my music. This first song has been my baby, and it perfectly mirrors the journey I’ve been on. These past two years have been the most difficult of my life. But I’ve found my sound, and the confidence I needed to leave the people who weren’t good for me,” said fable.

Bouncing on the edge of the forest and stepping into the “Wild Unknown,” fable combines the love of wilderness with the thrill and fear of a new relationship and brings to life a sexy, inspired electro-pop debut release “Wild Unknown.”

A new beginning is exciting, but stepping into the door towards the unknown also means a step further away from one’s comfort zone. No one knows where the road will lead, but unless we take the step forward, nothing will happen. It takes courage and determination to start anew and to trust again. “Wild Unknown” mirrors fable’s journey in life and music in many ways, which in turn transforms the thought process and her courageous, optimistic energy into sonic form. Inspired, empowered, and free.

Photo credit: Deb Leal (debleal.com)

Photo credit: Deb Leal (debleal.com)

Like the forest itself gradually unfolds before your eyes, “Wild Unknown” has that mysterious, attempting energy in its storytelling. Cold-mist soundscape and enlightened, bouncy texture, her feathery vocal echos in your eardrum. “Wild Unknown” is a song you could listen to forever.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: LÉVYNE “LOSING SLEEP”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: Oscar Keys

Photo credit: Oscar Keys

The sting of youthful love is always one hard to forget. From the sweetest memories to its painful end, it was the first realization that sometimes, we don’t seem to have control over the other side of the story. Love, even the one that tickles your heart, can come to a natural end no matter how hard we try.

“Losing Sleep” picks up the story from its lowest point when something/someone close to you is being ripped apart from your daily experience. It stings, and it haunts. Lévyne captured that pure energy with her subdued vocal.

Blossoming, lighter-than-a-feather soundscape symbolizes growth and becoming. The process of healing begins with a realization and progresses towards the reconnection with oneself. Finding the joy in life again and learning to love; there is beauty in the embrace of pain.

The music video by Oscar Keys shows a different side of growth from childhood to adulthood, giving the lyrics and sonics another layer of meaning. “Losing Sleep” is hard to ignore. It speaks to you, no matter your age or stage in life.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: JAKE BRACEY & THE MOUNTAIN LAURELS “SYNAPSE”

Song of the Day

Jake_Bracey__The_Mountain_Laurels-Synapse-ECBC086E-5966-4628-B612-693514D39665.jpeg

Cutting lyricism, heartfelt storytelling, “Synapse” is the moment of a truthful reflection, looking oneself in the mirror. The song tackles on the hard choices and imperfections of life from the perspective of being a dive-bar musician. No one can really have it all, in the process of becoming the person we need to be, we constantly make sacrifices and compromises, and some of these decisions you may find yourself regretting in a quiet time.

Jake Bracey & The Mountain Laurels have a naturally warm, Woodburn feel with a range of well-balanced influences. Smooth, soulful, and infectious, every instrument is a wonderful delight to the others around. With the band’s experience deep-rooted in live performance, “Synapse” can blend into any environment and transform the mood into its own storytelling.

It’s a song that freezes time and takes you to the feels where it burns you with its brutally honest lyrics. It dives deep into our human experience where it essentially becomes transparent — a reflection of your own past.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: RIEN DE KEYSER “AWAKENING”

Staff Pick

Cover Art

Cover Art

“Awakening” is illuminating, alternating between constancy and inconstancy. It paints a picture of a lonely person, sitting at home, listening to the clock’s ticking as time flies by, while his mind wanders from place to place. Like water flowing, the ebbs and flows aren’t always predictable.

Inspired by sunrise on a beautiful morning, “Awakening” takes you to a space where the time is slower and each moment is fuller. There’s beauty in its instability and unpredictability. Just like an adventure, no one's listening journey would be the same. There were always new findings and experiences.

Like the shape of clouds, or the wind, or water, it flows above the air, supported by breathing strings and airy pads. For Rien De Keyser, “Awakening” also marks the beginning of using sound design in his music-making. The song also features a few original pads created by the artist himself.

“Awakening” radiates the joy and the moment of excitement from its very core. Bathing in the beautiful sunlight, the energy within recharges and renews. It is vivid imagery of something beyond measurable as well as a moment of peace.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: ARLISTON “CENTRE”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: Bo Morgan

Photo credit: Bo Morgan

A Stream-like piano is the center where it always returns. In its pure, beautiful background, Arliston alters between the storm and close-up emotions, channeling the raw, brutal honesty into “Centre.” Tension is the center of its storytelling, enriching the multi-layered expression.

“I take a raincheck, thought I see you some other time.” (Lyrics) As if suppressed, explosive emotions that continued to find their way out where the tenderest memory and beauty meets the pain. On the edge of sadness, memories, introspection, and the seeking for forgiveness, regret is a complex feeling to capture, as well as the sound of the band.

“Centre is a song about getting your priorities wrong and subsequently having to sacrifice something precious,” said Arliston. A mixture filled with contrasts, conflicts in harmony, the band brings out that destructive yet resonating energy in their sounds as well. Arliston is where the diverse musical backgrounds and various influences find their footing.

In their music, Arliston presents us with a variety of possibilities and endless imaginaries. Their music is the crossroad that leads the past, the present, and the future, while the listener chooses its own path and connection. It is where the indescribable matters in music interact and collide into new formations, breathing through music. Introspective and emotive, poetic yet raw, they go beyond the measurable.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: NINA “GOLD HEART”

Discovery

Photo credit: Yan Chi

Photo credit: Yan Chi

Golden pedals and ethereal dreamscape. Bathing in the sunlight, floating above the soft clouds, NINA invites us to see the beauty of the world with “Gold Heart, “ co-written/produced by electro-rock artist Radio Wolf and songwriter Ricky Wilde. NINA channeled something pure and limitless with her voice, floating in the center of airy harp and harp.

"To me the song is about hope, bravery and believing in the good nature of others. When producing the track, I wanted it to feel like you're being kissed by the sun after braving the darkest of days." says NINA.

Like a firm flame that lights up in the dark, the dreamful love ballad tunes to the core power and the strongest believes. It brings out something powerful and encouraging within each one of us with its open-hearted intimacy.

Epic and moving, “Gold Heart” is a song you could easily dance to as well as appreciate like a fine wine. Sonically, it is filled with intriguing details that take you on a stimulating sonic journey. Like clouds, it appears to be in various shapes and colors that surprise you in awe.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: CLAUDIA FENOGLIO “19 AGAIN”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: Jennifer Gibbon

Photo credit: Jennifer Gibbon

Inspired by the coming-of-age music and artists, “19 Again” has a weary, laid-back mood, exploring a vulnerable, youthful feeling. At the edge of a change in narrative, when you consciously make the choice that no longer resonates with the past or others, the theme of leaving something behind yet being completely alone facing the new challenges can be overwhelming.

“19 Again” exposes the nerves and the pulsing veins to their most vulnerable and captured the beautiful, poetic moment of becoming. Earthy guitar and intimate vocal; vague and smooth backing vocal feels like it’s there but it’s not. Its rich, balanced vibe brings you into a lazy afternoon of a live performance in the drowsy ears, circling in the dreamful, ethereal soundscape.

Claudia Fenoglio dives a little deeper into Deja Vu and memory in “19 Again.” The vivid, visual component in its lyricism immediately triggers our memories of other senses, interacting with touch, smell, feel through the little, specific details.

The fear of going through something traumatic and overwhelming again is a powerful thing. It almost puts you right back into a pastime where the hurt and loneliness are still soft and vulnerable.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: END OF PROOF “DON’T THINK TWICE”

Song of the Day

End_of_Proof-Dont_Think_Twice-End_of_Proof_3x16_9.jpeg

End of Proof dives into what we all desire the most yet almost seem impossible sometimes, which makes the song highly relatable. It gives you the feeling that End of Proof, aka Jon Hammeren Nilsson, is speaking your mind. It taps into the vibration where things are easy and the chemistry is strong. Dreaming about the perfect evening of falling in love, “Don’t Think Twice” is a song that melts your heart.

Do you wonder that maybe sometimes we give too much credit to making small talks and conversation that what we need is the exact opposite? As indie as it could be, “Don’t Think Twice” narrates around a fantasy of what could be a perfect date.

Optimistic major chords and electric dreamscapes with dazzling storytelling, “Don’t Think Twice” gives you the tickling feelings that you have long forgotten. End of Proof opens with a warm, fuzzy guitar riff. A chant-like vocal paired with illuminating piano communicates a sense of vulnerability and hope.

It swirls into a light-hearted, energetic narration, traveling from one location to another, the adventure and fun continue to grow as the pull between two souls is strong. “Don’t say your name, just dance with me. Don’t think twice.” is the captivating, magical line that lingers in your mind.

Written by Katrina Yang

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EP REVIEW: CITIZEN:KANE “SMOG”

Staff Pick

Photo credit: None

Photo credit: None

Inspired by the dub universe, CITIZEN:KANE took a different approach to music-making with his third EP Smog. Consisting of “Smog,” “Smoke,” “Fog,” and “Gas,” the EP taps into the sonic world of industrialized, chemical-fused smog with vivid imageries.

“Smog,” characterized by a heavier, wide-spreading smoke has a warm, groovy bass pulsing alongside a minimalistic beat. It structures its massive, intoxicating quality with a hypnotic loop that condenses its heaviness. Obscure, flashing fragments of sounds echos in an empty, hollow sound environment, give it a vivid, eerie feel that could easily remind of certain scenes from a sci-fi movie.

“Fog” quiets down with its deadly dark, epic swooping bass approaching your eardrum as if giant footsteps. The dazzling, obscure synth-chant directly contrasts with its dark, melancholy personality where domination and sensitivity co-exist. It constantly amazes you with the power of simple note sequences.

The EP takes a detour to a light-hearted, festive “Smoke,” visualizing the immense, rising-up, and spreading-out smoke in the air. As if coming from a pipe with mysterious flavor and alluring possibilities, you watch the way it drops and interacts unexpectedly in the air, forming its own world. A variety of passages and single sounds evoke memories about ambulances and alarms. “Gas” dives into malfunction and dissonance with its unique sense of invisibility and danger mixing in the air. Reverberant drones escalate in the background gives it a chilly feel.

CITIZEN:KANE adheres to the illuminating, meditative structure, layering up with sonic storytelling and visualization in Smog. It’s a mashup of what it could be when memories and imaginations meet one simple shape of air.

Written by Katrina Yang

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SINGLE REVIEW: SHAE BROCK “WISH”

Beautiful, simple, and melancholy. “Wish” is a dreamful, nostalgic slow waltz that is brought to your ears by the wind.

Music Review: Shae Brock "Wish"

Photo credit: Sachi Sato

Beautiful, simple, and melancholy. “Wish” is a dreamful, nostalgic slow waltz that is brought to your ears by the wind. Shae Brock’s laid-back vocal floats right above the water and took you for a little spin. “Wish” is a song you could easily lose yourself in.

A light bass elegantly fills the space, where the mesmerizing hook gently plucks your heartstring. A swirling guitar is a cherry on top of the wonderful, ethereal imaginary. Defined by a unique genre — dream rock, in the feathery, cloud-like soundscape, “Wish” is too good to be true.

It evokes memories of the mysterious ocean or the obscure mountains at sunset with a range of taste, touch, and sound that works its way into the sonics. Like the unpredictable weather and mood, “Wish” is an impression of a lucid color palette that never sets in one mood. There’s something deeply connected and spiritual in the sound.

Growing up around deserted landscapes and mountains, the Arizona-born and raised artist is always rooted in the mystical, ever-changing nature. “I can become different songs and different stories and feelings and characters - like one big painting with all different colors,” the artist described.


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SINGLE REVIEW: ANNE BENNETT “HEAVY HEAD”

Discovery

Photo credit: Courtney Brooke

Photo credit: Courtney Brooke

Written in the middle of the pandemic, when Anne Bennett was on a trip down south to attend a memorial service, the brewing feelings in her chest poured out of her with a surprising turn which becomes what we hear today - “Heavy Head.”

Unlike the most logical conclusion of a song written from her own personality, “Heavy Head” marched on the street with its dark, haunting character, so much like the virus itself. Bewitching guitar and the lingering, stringy screams in the background weave into a giant web that ties up its captivity. In the rock and pop-infused soundscape, “Heavy Head” is a song with personality and grittiness.

The melodic ideas were a collection of wandering thoughts in space. It reminded you of something from the corner of your memory but laughed with its unique twists and turns. “Heavy Head” is something else.

Anne Bennett’s vocal is the soul of the song. Raw and smoky, her voice has a natural, unforgettable quality to it. Growing up in a musical household, the artist has always been surrounded by the soundtrack of vinyl CDs in turntables. After pursuing science later in her life, the artist reunited with her initial passion with no reservation and aimed to share her musical gifts with more people.

Written by Katrina Yang

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