by Madi Toman | Mar 2, 2020 | albums, review
Psychedelic indie project The Undercover Dream Lovers just released its debut album, It’s All in Your Head. TUDL is the brainchild of LA based artist Matt Koenig, an all around DIY badass who’s stayed true to the OG meaning of indie, navigating the industry label free throughout his career. Koenig cites his influences as everything from The Beatles to Tame Impala to Led Zeppelin and views himself and his music as a bridge between eras, a statement that I can confidently say reigns true after listening to the record.
It’s All in Your Head was recorded in Koenig’s home studio in Los Angeles, where the multi-talented Koenig handled writing, production, and mixing himself. The record is largely influenced by Koenig’s desire to create a “bustling, vibrant, and groovy” live show, which is immediately clear even via digital consumption. He is known for his quickly recognizable disco-influenced bass lines, a staple that consistently appears on this project as well as his Koenig’s older work.
The album opener, “A Way Out”, was one of the first tracks that Koenig made for the record, and is meant to serve as an initial taste for listeners to get a feel for the direction that he takes the record production-wise, which delves into new territory for Koenig. The disco rhythms that would end up influencing the rest of the album are introduced here through infectious dance floor rhythms that are a constant presence throughout the record.
One of the standouts on the record, “Plane Ride”, was largely influenced by the fatal car accident that took the lives of rock duo Her’s while Koenig was on tour with them. He took a break after the tragic event, and “Plane Ride” was the first thing he worked on after returning. The verse was written before the accident and was about Koenig feeling caught in life’s distractions. The rest of the track comes from the traumatic experience, with the ‘ride’ being a metaphor for life and the plane crash talked about in the song representative of death. Koenig kept that verse even after the meaning of the song shifted for him, allowing it to represent the ‘before’ of the accident and letting the number be symbolic for how quickly what we view as important can shift when trauma comes into play.
“Soon Enough”, co-written with Dent May, is a hopeful track sprinkled with vibrant-driven guitar riffs and a light and airy chorus. “Chardonnay” drips with groove and (fun fact) was created in a room in LA by three people named Matt. Every track on the project boasts unique differences in production, vibe, and lyrical themes while keeping to a uniform overall feeling that makes the album itself feel like a collective work of art, a refreshing element frequently missing in modern music where albums seem to be carried on the backs of singles which often feel worlds apart from the rest of the record.
While much of the album seems to exist in an intergalactic air-space, album-closer “Everyone’s Confused” feels down to earth in comparison. The groovy guitars that stand out on many of the album’s best tracks blend seamlessly with rolling rock riffs that feel as though they could be pulled straight from the 70s. “Everything is fake, and well, everyone’s confused” Koenig sings in a moment of blunt honesty.
Keep up with TUDL here.
by Madi Toman | Feb 28, 2020 | albums, review
San Francisco Bay Area group The Seshen are releasing their third full-length LP, entitled CYAN on February 28th. Inspired by the group’s experience while touring the United States in support of their 2016 release, Flames and Figures, CYAN is fueled in part by the heaviness that the band inevitably felt as they witnessed political and social issues firsthand during the 2016 presidential election, which happened to be occurring while they were on the road. The group’s vocalist, Lalin St. Juste, also looks inward for the work, drawing on her personal battle fighting depression. Inspired by a color that the group considers to be “both soft and strong,” the band unravels their progressions both as individuals and as a band for the LP.
The album exists somewhere in the realm between the real world and a dream world, presenting itself as a drifting cloud of electronic sound with St. Juste’s grounding vocals being the exact right flavor of complimentary juxtaposition. The sound itself feels three-dimensional, slyly tricking listeners into believing that they could reach out and touch it if they only tried.
Standout track “Don’t Answer” showcases the soft side of the album. It rises and falls like a gentle slumber, somehow still feeling angelic as it brushes heavy subject matter. St. Juste is an ethereal force to be reckoned with, supported by heavenly strings and floating background vocals alongside her breathy vocals that make for an all-around dream of a track. Despite its soft nature, the track was inspired by St. Juste’s own struggles to get out of bed every day as she fought depression. “Depression can grab a hold of you and it tries to stop you from breathing… but each day comes and each day I choose this life, I choose my truth, I choose to push through” the vocalist says. The positive light that she chooses to view her battle with is in turn cast over the beautiful song, making us all feel like we can breathe again.
“Can’t Pretend” has a completely different feel, but the trend of ethereal vocals continues. St. Juste’s voice carries her listeners into the high heavens where this album seems to reside comfortably as she navigates her falsetto with grace and ease. The instrumentation feels cool and modern, with a mesh of sounds coming together to form the echoey space that the track manages to exist in.
“Dive” continues to delve deeper into electronics, with the trippy electro-feel of this track making you feel like you’re orbiting around the moon in a cyan-colored spaceship. The intergalactic-fueled synth beats and bright and shiny vocals will surely make you want to make a quick pit stop a few light years away on a distant planet for an alien disco party. Space suit up.
“Stones” is effortlessly cool. “Take It All Away” floats by on a static cloud of silky smooth vocalization and instrumentation. “Still Dreaming” wades into an ocean of sound, with bright and shiny digital sounds painting the rolling waves with vivid auditory colors.
St. Juste serves as a guide to her listeners through a vast sonic soundscape, the only force keeping them down to earth as the rest of her group attempts to defy gravity and carry them off into a different dimension. The Seshen is fresh, but in that cool, we-aren’t-really-trying-to-be way that makes them seem even cooler.
Keep up with The Seshen here.
by Meredith Schneider | Feb 28, 2020 | albums, review
As if we hadn’t been blessed enough this week, Munich-based pop rock quartet KYTES – expertly comprised of Michael Spieler, Kerim Öke, Timothy Lush, and Thomas Sedlacek – releases their new album Good Luck today. Eleven power-infused pop tracks, replete with punchy lyrics and accented vocals are about to put you in the best mood ever, despite some of the subject matters. Like first track “Runaway”, for example, during which we hear the protagonist either setting boundaries with a conflicted relationship, or acknowledging his runner mentality in life. Either way, we start on a highly relatable note, and that doesn’t fade as we melt into the 80s-inspired work.
“Go Out” keeps the energy going at the same pace, while the coming of “Emily” leads us into what we would prefer to identify as a quintessential ambient love song. A sense of nostalgia is established within the lyrics, leading perfectly into the highly danceable “Take Me Home”. “Want You Back” comes in with a slight disco feel, the guitar parts absolutely standout. While “Alright” doesn’t exactly convince us that he is quite alright, “Shot of Love” has a very Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy” feel to it over spans of verses.
“Like a Dream” is as sticky sweet as the title would suggest, “Fast Life” is a bit quirkier in both composition and lyrical content, and will definitely get you on your feet, while “Wheel” is the defining ballad of the album. Bonus track “Livin’ in Havana” serves as our last sounds from this euphoric release, and it puts us in such vacation mode that we are almost looking forward to our next two days off… even if that means we are midwest-bound.
Keep up with KYTES here.
by Kendal Chandler | Feb 28, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Americana sibling duo me&you release their new single “S.O.L”– which stands for “shit outta luck”– and in the case of this song, it’s in reference to bad timing of a relationship. The track is a country-folk, shows the complexity of a relationship, when one person is in another place compared to the other. “S.O.L” is also a track with a slow burn. It starts off simply and slowly builds, where it seems to peak in the chorus.
Siblings Karlee and Connor Hormell have been playing music together since they were kids. me&you project came into place after a month-long trip traveling through the backcountry of New Zealand in a camper van. Karlee explains their band name comes from something the two would always tell each other, “All we have is me and you.”
Keep up with me&you here.
by Meredith Schneider | Feb 27, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
From the freezing forests of Norway emerges your new favorite ambience-inducing producer, a truly talented artist named Ruben Dawnson. His single “FYALMA” may seem a little jarring lyrically, but it is totally an anthem for those fighting anxiety. This is the unifying song we all needed even if we didn’t realize it. Admits the artist”
This is by far the most liberating song I’ve ever written! It’s a big fuck you anthem to anxiety! Like many others I’ve been struggling with it for a long time… hopefully this can lift people’s spirit and I hope people will connect with it and scream out the lyrics!! I really want it to reach as many as possible and help create a big “fuck you” wave towards anxiety!! I know it won’t solve any deep issues people might have, but hopefully it can make someone feel less lonely.
Dawnson just released the accompanying music video, which can be seen below. Watch as he runs around town, looking similar to the feelings those of us struggling with anxiety hold inside. Not only does this video feel a bit chaotic, but it’s also very inviting. Get your fresh air. Get outside and move. Break away from yourself sometimes.
What do you find powerful about this song and video? Let us know on Facebook!
Keep up with Ruben Dawnson here.
by Kendal Chandler | Feb 27, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Danish retro indie pop artist Favor releases new single “Soda”, which is a look at addiction through the eyes of the child. Under the name Favor, Jeppe Gande, shows off how he can create very own lyrical universe through his writing.
By addiction, Gande is referring to obsessions, like relationships, nights out, social media and work. “Soda” is his look back to the times of being a naive child – when the world was your playground and your life was not cluttered with responsibilities and commitments. Gande views childhood as a time ruled by innocence, and adulthood ruled with obsession.
“Soda” is off Favor’s upcoming album Crush out March 27.
by Meredith Schneider | Feb 26, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Have you ever been so thrilled with the way a song makes you FEEL THE EMOTIONS that you just want to shout it from the rooftops? With dark, brooding vocals, an incredible amount of dismal attitude, and whirring guitars, The Great Dictators bring us new track “Play Dead Together”, which is sonically just as morbid as its title suggests. Past the initial impression, it is a love song at its core, and sweet in a sinister and beautiful way.
To truly understand what any of this means, of course, you have to take a listen for yourself. So check it out, and check back in with us over on Facebook with your thoughts!
Keep up with The Great Dictators here.
by Kendal Chandler | Feb 26, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles based artist Suzy & the Lifeguard released their newest single “Take it Slow” off upcoming EP ANIMA out May 1. “Take it Slow” is a look at the dichotomy between longing for love and falling to lust. This contrast of love and lust is shown within the vocals and the musical arrangement. The vocals are sultry and flirty teasing at the dark corners of this split. The horns used in the composition bring visions of forbidden romance, something that is both infatuating and dangerous.
“Take it Slow” is composed of lyrics of seduction and regret. With words that emanate a desire for love, our hearts break. “We both we’ll take it slow / As I am taking you back home,” is soon followed by feelings of remorse, “Nobody wins when we play games.” This back and forth creates a look at that rocky line between love and lust, when it turns, and what happens because of it.
Keep up with Suzy & The Lifeguard here.
by Kendal Chandler | Feb 25, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
El-Paso based outfit Sparta release their newest single “Empty Houses” off their upcoming album Trust the River set to drop April 10. This is Sparta’s release since their 2006 album Three’s.
This electrified post-hardcore track is accompanied with an animation music video. The track centers around the lasting effects of the market crash, playing with the emotions of fear and anxiety of that time.
The video depicts a body with a house as a head running through destruction, trying to find solace while the house is also on fire. The idea of “Empty Houses” looks out how those affected coped with the upheaval and what became of those houses that were left vacant because of it.
Keep up with Sparta here.
