Author: Katy Needs A Life

Katy’s “End of Days” Playlist (Pt. 2)

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Here’s my latest update on life. Like many people, this has been a rough patch. A lot of personal inventory has been had along with tough life evaluations, revelations, and epiphanies. It sucks. Luckily, I have had one thing in my life since I was a little kid that always helped me through the hard times. That thing is music. During this time, a lot of things have shut down. However, music keeps going and keeps getting better by the day.

When I was scrolling through Bandcamp today, I needed some new tunes to carry me through this week and the many moods it would surface. Some of this is brand new, some of it came out this month, some of it is just a preview of what’s to come. All of it’s great.

Nick Griffith

7 AM

Wombarra, Australia

https://nickgriffithmusic.bandcamp.com/album/7am

Nick Griffith_4_1_Review

This indie-rock, electro-pop, synth album is the definition of glee. The songs are fun with lots of quirky samples that seem to be centralized around generally peppy things. Griffith’s voice has a soothing sound to it. Not to say it’s angelic, but something about it feels familiar and refreshing. The music is incredible. It’s fast and in-your-face synth-pop with synthesized drums that incorporates romantic feels at points with unexpected instrumentation. Every track on this album had its own thing that made it stand out. 

Favorite Track: Riding On My Bike

Release Date: March 20, 2020

CHROMB!

Le livre des Merveilles

Lyon, France

https://chromb.bandcamp.com/album/le-livre-des-merveilles

Le livre des merveilles_4-1 Review

‘Le livre des Merveilles’ is absolutely insane. It’s every ounce of what you’d imagine a post-jazz, post-rock, avant-garde, power-pop album would be. You never know what to expect. Each track creates an entirely new landscape and mental image. Some tracks, like “Le livre des Merveilles” are shorter and have a poppier feel, almost like Stereolab.  While other tracks like “Le fleuve Brison” start a little more cosmic feeling and take their time building into hugeness. The album maintains is unpredictability throughout splashing in longer experimental interludes featuring instrumentation from synths to strings within the tracks. Also, there are a ton incredible vocal harmonies.

Favorite Track: Le fleuve Brison

Release Date: March 27, 2020

Blankenberge

More

Saint Petersburg, Russia

https://blankenberge.bandcamp.com/album/more

Blankenberge

If you’re in dire need of walls of sound with pop-rock vibes underneath, this is the album for you. Blankenberge has fused together shoegaze, dream-pop, and post-rock together in a way that is astonishing. The instrumentation is saturated in a way that hits you in big emotional waves. One of the guitars sounds super wet and surfy, while the other creates ambiance and space. The songs are still driving and sometimes really upbeat, borderline optimistic-sounding, without being overtly happy. The vocals are super saturated and act as more of an instrument than lyrics to sing along with. There are huge post-rock builds and unexpected rhythmic changes throughout that make each song increasingly interesting. Altogether, it’s really beautiful music that makes ya feel good.

Favorite track: Look Around

Release Date: April 10, 2020

ODDLY

Loaded EP

Kyoto, Japan

https://oddlyband.bandcamp.com/album/loaded-ep

Oddly

“ODDLY is a 3 piece rock band with no bassist. Why we don’t need bass? Cuz we’re louder than that.” I took that from their Bandcamp about section because I thought it was perfect. It perfectly describes who they are and kind of how they sound,. Don’t let their promise of loudness dissuade you. I mean, it’s pretty loud, but it’s intricate and fun with little happy vibes overall. There’s a classic, early 90’s alternative punk vibe to it with apathetic vocals riddled with angst. I love the call-and-response in songs like their featured track, “Loaded”. From beginning to end, this EP is everything it promised to be with its title.

Favorite Track: Loaded

Release Date: March 27, 2020

SPC ECO

4月EP April EP

UK

https://spceco.bandcamp.com/album/4-ep-april-ep

SPCECO

SPC ECO consists of former Curve member Dean Garcia and his daughter Rose Berlin. They’ve been doing this project actively since 2007 and have been putting out shorter EP’s the last few months. This EP is very fun and poppy with some really chill electronic songs and some really energetic songs. The dreaminess of this album is almost immeasurable. When you close your eyes and listen to tracks like, “Don’t Mind Me,” the mental scenery is so bright and positive. Other tracks, like my personal favorite, “Who We Are” have a more melancholy vibe to them with experimental textures and synth. This is an alum that you can get hypnotized by and utilize when you’re doing extended outside tasks like walking around, gardening, or driving.

Favorite Track: Who We Are

Release Date: April 1. 2020

Spring Reverb

It’s a Feeling She Don’t Believe In

Portland, Oregon

https://springreverb.bandcamp.com/album/its-a-feeling-she-dont-believe-in

SpringReverb

Okay, so this isn’t an album or an EP, it’s just a single. However, I’ve been obsessed, now listening to this track a dozen times. I can’t tell you what exactly I love about it so much. Is it the excessive use of spring reverb or that classic tone on the organ. I love the fact that it sounds like you’re listening to the track on a warped piece of vinyl. Something about it is so positive at the same time as being so haunting. It has every ounce of a happy day song when you’re driving down the street, wind in your hair, styling some huge fashionable sunglasses while still being ever so slightly unnerving. There’s nothing minor or negative about this jangle-pop track, which is something really great to be able to listen to and really enjoy right now. I can’t wait to hear more from this band.

Only Track: It’s A Felling She Don’t Believe In

Release Date: March 30, 2020

Once again, I hope you all enjoyed this installment of “Katy’s ‘End of Days’ Playlist”. I enjoyed making it. There’s a ton of amazing music coming out regardless of the world situation that can give us all a little comfort right now. Whether you’re into dark, heavy stuff or prefer things to be a little lighter right now, there’s something out there for you to enjoy. You just have to dig a little. Hopefully, these lists help steer you in the right direction.

Things are tough, but you better believe we’re tougher than this. Stay safe and healthy if you’re able to. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Reach out to your friends and family and find something to occupy your mind so things don’t feel as dark. I’ve chosen to deep dive into Bandcamp and have found it to be a sanity-saving time consumer.

You are cared about even if it’s by someone or a group of people you’ve never met. We care about you. All of you. We want to help make this time bearable for people who aren’t used to being home all the time and severely want everyone to get through this with as little damage as possible, but we’re also here if you just need to talk to someone. Reach out. We love you all.

Katy’s ‘End Of Days’ Playlist (pt. 1)

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Many of us are being ordered to stay at home, which sucks in a lot of ways. It’s easy to get stir crazy or bored. Luckily, we’re facing the apocalypse scenario we were never told about: the one with the internet is still available.

So, being stuck at home has its silver linings, I suppose. Today, I embarked on a quest to find some killer new music to rock out to during this time we’ve come to know as, “The End Of Days.” I spent hours digging on Bandcamp to find some truly exceptional playlist material. All of this has come out in the last week or so and varies dramatically.

Van Shed by Vanished

https://vanishedd.bandcamp.com/album/van-shed

Favorite Track: Voyager

VanShed by Vanished

This seven-track chillwave album is just what I needed today to make data entry seem like a Nintendo game. If you like happy, chill electronic albums, this is perfect for you. When I listened, it gave me a happy swelling feeling in my chest. It felt like what I used to call “optimism”. I can’t tell you anything about this artist other than they go by Vanished and live somewhere in Charleston, South Carolina. Whoever you are though… keep up the good work! This album came out on March 24, 2020.

. by Sharker Knife

https://sharkerknife.bandcamp.com/album/-

Favorite Track: Islands 

SharkerKnife

This album is the opposite of Van Shed. It is dark, harsh, thrashy, grimy, and industrial to a tee. Though the album is mildly unsettling, it fits very well with my lifestyle right now. When I listened through this the first time, I kept thinking about how it made me feel like I needed to stay in stealth mode as I gathered my essentials before heading to the nearest checkpoint. The album has a way of conveying the unnerving aspects of isolation. The weird knocks and creeks, the strange distorted noises coming from nearby. It’s almost sci-fi, but more on the mad scientist angle. This album was released on March 23, 2020.

The Artless Cuckoo Vol. II by DJ Scientist

https://equinoxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-artless-cuckoo-vol-ii

Favorite Track: Rega, Rega, Rega

DJScientist

This EP comes out on March 27 and I’m super geeked. DJ Scientist is off Equinox Records, the German label out of Berlin. Right now, you can listen to, “Rega Rega Rega,” and “Road To Tashkent”.  Both the tracks that are available to listen to right now are bangers and I’m stoked to hear more. I think I cling to this so much because the samples are all over the place and vary in how they are distorted and effected while still sounding like chill soulful songs. This album is a fun one to listen to when you’re dying for a chill beat to bob your head to while out for a nature walk.

EX NIHLO by Grant Ulysses

https://grantulysses.bandcamp.com/album/ex-nihilo

Favorite Track: safety first

GrantUlysses

When I’m outside playing while maintaining my social distancing as instructed by the CDC, I need something a little more driving and poppy. I stumbled upon this new release from March 24th and felt my heart melt. This instrumental dream-pop album by Grant Ulysses from Toronto has the ups and downs that make the world seem like it has a retro camera filter on. Maybe it’s the tone of the guitar, the catchy riffs, and hooks, or maybe it’s the variance in the drum beats, but this album is fun and uplifting in a much-needed way.

pour celles et ceux qui nous croient condamné(e)s by BLATTE

https://blatte.bandcamp.com/album/pour-celles-et-ceux-qui-nous-croient-condamn-e-s

Favorite Track: L’Écuell

BLATTE

When I was scrolling through Bandcamp’s sub-genres under ‘electronic’, I found out about ‘witch house’ music. This piqued my curiosity, so I clicked the first band under the sub-genres tag and was happily greeted by this amazing EP. If you need a beautiful soundscape with shoegaze and post-rock vibes, this is for you. I got lost in the tracks of this album getting hit was ambient waves of distorted keys, guitars, and drums and I loved every second. This album was released on March 23, 2020.

Departure by Rayne Reznor

https://raynereznor.com/album/departure

Favorite Track: Survivors

RayneReznor

Sometimes you need a good sci-fi playlist. For example, currently, when I have to leave my house, I like to listen to really dark synthwave to set the tone for a post-apocalyptic raid for essentials. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to pay for my groceries, but if I walk in with a tough face on that says, “I’m all outta bubblegum,” no one gets within six feet of me. This album is fantastic if you’re in dire need of killer retrowave electronic montage music. I’m pretty sure I can say this with confidence… we all always need good montage music. This album dropped on March 24, 2020.

The Love you withhold is the pain you carry by Sunsetter

https://sunnsetter.bandcamp.com/album/the-love-you-withhold-is-the-pain-you-carry

Favorite Track: The Love you withhold is the pain you carry

Sunsetter

When I heard the first second of this albums featured track, I knew I was going to love it. This beautiful bedroom pop album is the first album released by Sunsetter since the 2018 album, “Worrybody”.  Sunsetter is the project of Andrew McLeod from Hamilton, Ontario. McLeod describes the last few years as some of the hardest. After fighting a tremendous battle with his mental illness and spending a lot of time isolated while trying to work through things, he describes being at an all-time low, feeling empty and uninspired. After a year without music, he joined the bands Zoongideewin and Deep Bright which got his musical gears turning and got him talking about music with friends again. This new Sunsetter album is so wonderfully deep. It gives you a pit in your stomach at the same time it warms your heart. This album came out on March 20, 2020.

Paranoia by Tenseventeen

https://tenseventeen.bandcamp.com/album/paranoia

Favorite Track: Tag You’re It

tenseventeen

If you’re craving something darker but still along the electronic vein,  this may be more down your alley. Paranoia is much darker and ambient with a beat driving it along, but soundscapes setting the tone. For example, it’s hard not to feel a little creeped out when listening to the tracks when one of the tones sounds a lot like the ominous wind. This album was released on March 20, 2020. 

I hope you enjoyed this installment of “Katy’s ‘End of Days’ Playlist. I’ll keep my eyes on the web for cool new stuff coming out during our elongated time at home. Stay tuned for part 2 coming to a computer near you soon. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and wash your damn hands!

Review Of La forêt by Feu Follet

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Band: Feu Follet

Label: Blackjack Illuminist Records

Members: Alban Blaising

Home Base: Nancy, France

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If you’ve been searching for the perfect 80’s action/sci-fi/horror movie feels to warm you up this winter, look no more! La forêt, the latest album by Feu Follet has everything! It’s perfectly synthwave, perfectly pop, and perfectly dark.

This album is entrancing. There are very few lyrics, but somehow from the first track through the last track, the album is hypnotized. Unexpected changes dictate the experience in the coolest way. Throughout, I got mega robot opera vibes, so I’m deeply in love with this artist now.

The twists and turns of this album are unpredictable and much appreciated. This album is ridiculously awesome. Synthwave has a way of always feeling super positive, but this album reaches depths of darkness I’ve not heard much in this genre. Some tracks will send chills down your spine as you listen.

The music is structured throughout this album in a way that tells a complete story. Like each song is a chapter or level that tells you right where you are in the story arc. It’s incredible how many times I’ve already listened to this album and feel like it tells me a different story every time.

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Some favorite tracks

Les chasseurs– Right away, this song is dark. It stays in a minor key throughout. This song is incredibly visual. It’s like you’re being chased by a robot or something and at points, you feel like you’re going to get away, but then you’re running as fast as you can and even faster at the end. Never at any point in this song do I feel anything other than pumped and creeped out.

L’enfant- This song isn’t as dark as the last, but is just as fun if not more so. This song is very danceable and has mega synthwave, 80’s movie score vibes.  I don’t know if it’s the epic guitar leads, the synths that make you feel like you’ve hacked the mainframe, or the epic Phil Collins drums in the bridge that seal the deal for me.

Le photographe- This song is just as mystical as it is epic. If you’re looking for montage music, this may be one of the greatest contenders you’ll ever hear. This song feels like it was plucked right out of The Goonies. When anything starts with a goblin synth line then drops into some gated drums, you know you’re in for a good time.

To be able to tell a story with a song is easy, but to create an entire album that makes the listener feel like they’re part of an episode of Black Mirror is a major accomplishment. This outstanding album is easily one of my new favorites.

If you’re a fan of Kraftwerk, M80, John Carpenter, anything synthwave/darkwave, or if you like to collect awesome comics with your awesome albums…. check this album out.

Review Colors Bleed by Crooked Ghost

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Band: Crooked Ghost

Label: Crooked Ghost Records

Home Base: Asheville, NC

Website: https://crookedghost.bandcamp.com/

CrookedGhost2

I listened through this album over and over trying to think of what to say about it and it truly left me speechless. It’s incredible. I think it is beautiful. To say that it’s dreamy is an understatement. It’s absolutely mesmerizing.

The first time I listened through this album, I simply listened to it. I thought it was great! The album sounds upbeat with really pretty vocals. There are lots of layers and lots of reverb. The album has a lot of post-rock and shoegaze elements splashed in, but it was really hard to pinpoint genre-wise. The vocals are huge and captivating with lots of harmonies and layers. I got lost in them. I couldn’t shake that I was missing something bigger about this album though, so I checked out their Bandcamp page to see if they had lyrics posted. They do!

These songs are heartbreaking, sometimes even kind of creepy. The second time I listened through I read along. I realized the depth of each song and the intensity of each word. Where minutes before I was dancing around my bedroom thinking how awesome this album would probably be to run to, I was suddenly fixed to my futon, listening intently trying not to miss anything.

By the time I got to the white noise at the end, I was floored. How is it possible to write so well? How is it possible to put something out there that’s probably so specific and yet so relatable? It’s difficult to write about this without creating blurriness around their incredibly crafted sound.

CrookedGhost3

Some favorite tracks

Sinew In Red– Remember earlier how I said that some of the lyrics were a little creepy? Sinew In Red starts with a twangy guitar solo. When the keys and drums kick in, the song starts sounding like a dreamy desert night. The lyrics are hard to understand, but they’re the darkest on this album. In order to really understand without giving it all away, a sinew is a piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone or bone to bone. It faintly reminded me of Nick Cave and the Bad Seed’s, Do You Love Me (part 2).

Golden Blue– This is probably my favorite track on this album. The story that’s happening lyrically is one of despair and heartache, but you don’t need to know the lyrics for the emotions to come through. The instrumentation never seems to stop building until it suddenly resolves. I can’t listen to it without having a level of excitement form in my chest while simultaneously wanting to cry.

Bright White Noise– This song made me feel very sad and lonely. For that, I love it! When the guitars and vocals come in, they convey such emptiness. The guitar plays a melancholic riff throughout that made me feel like a lost little kid looking for someone who wasn’t there. As the song progresses, the instrumentation becomes more chaotic as the singer sings, “big static bright white noise”. Then it dissolves into the guitar and then into static. It is perfect.

When I listened through this album the first time, I loved it. When I listened to it again, I felt really connected. It’s not every day that you hear something new and it almost brings you to tears the more you hear it. Yet I am trying to fill a hole in my heart I never knew I had.

I’d recommend this album to anyone who likes dream-pop, indie-shoegaze, post-rock, or post-punk. Heck, I’d recommend this to anyone. It left me feeling like I wanted more and I’m sure it will do the same for anyone who gives it a listen!

 

Review Lash by Mesa Luna

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Band: Mesa Luna

Album: Lash

Label: Afterlife Music ltd.

Website: https://mesaluna.bandcamp.com/

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When I listened through, Lash, the debut album by Mesa Luna, I fell in love. It has pretty much everything that I need to be obsessed with an album. Lash is the perfect union of chillwave and shoegaze. The lyrics are relatable and impactful in such a soul-crushing way it will skyrocket you to the love you lost when your heart had never been shattered so badly.

Mesa Luna is a duo from Vancouver, BC consisting of Justice McLellan and Jason Corbett. This album has a central theme of trauma and definitely feels at points like you’re reading over their shoulders while he writes a deep and thoughtful journal entry.

Like every great shoegaze album, Lust, has great hooks throughout both lyrically and instrumentally. This is one of those albums that is psychologically soothing on a few different levels. Beyond it being a very pretty and listenable album, it delivers on what’s expected out of each song without being predictable. It’s definably interesting without being indigestible.

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Some favorite tracks

Woronoco– This was one of the singles released right before the albums release, so you may have already heard this one. I love it! There isn’t much to not like about this somber breakup song. It’s blunt and beautiful as a story of empty promises and heartache unfolds. Though the message of the song is sad, the build-up and resolve is exciting. It kept me captivated the whole time.

Sarve– This song is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out really gentle with a soft guitar and keyboard creating a really warm atmospheric vibe. When the dual vocals kick in, it’s like they’re in an endless room. The beat is really relaxed, but still a head bopper.

Never Steady– This song is heartbreaking from the beginning. Though it starts out with a catchy beat and hypnotic synth, the lyrics spell out a sad scene of someone trying to move past something difficult. The builds in this song make your heart swell, but also leaves you feeling forlorn. Right when you think you get the flow of the song, all the instruments fade out and you can clearly hear what Justice is saying and it’s so god damn relatable. I would quote the line, but you just have to hear it yourself. When everything else kicks back in, it gave me goosebumps. This song stood out to me after listening to the whole album because it was one of the songs with less going on instrumentally, but still hit me just as hard as the walls of sound I’ve been expressing through this review.

I had a hard time writing this review because I found myself listening to this album over and over again finding new things that I loved and didn’t know how to explain. This album is definitely worth listening to if you’re into dream-pop, shoegaze, chillwave, or good music. I’d highly recommend if you like the artists: Jack Stauber, Primitive Radio Gods, and/or Youth Lagoon.