RAINY DAWG RADIO

Hello, my cherished readers. I have returned from my MCAT-related hiatus, and once again, I have words to share! This past weekend, I was afforded the opportunity to see Nobuyuki Tsujii for the second time at the Seattle Symphony. My first ever blawg post was covering Nobu’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s 2nd piano concerto, which was around two years ago. Reading that post now feels surreal. I recognize the girl who wrote it, as she still lives within me, but I also feel a profound sense of change. With each year of university, how I operate in the world and how music operates within me is subject to metamorphosis. I relish the opportunity to reflect on this full-circle experience. You’ll have to excuse the fact that much of this blawg post reads like a diary entry, but the nature of this concert was an intimate one.

Since January (around the last time the blawg has heard from me), I have been in a state of crisis. Life was coming at me quickly, and with the entrance exam for medical school in March and various family emergencies along the way, I found myself without my usual creative faculties. I found myself so engulfed in studying that I could hardly leave my room, let alone attend the symphony, and thus, I entered my dark age. Much like the cultural decline experienced in the early Middle Ages, my brain suffered its own decline from lack of artistic stimulation. However, my creative spirit was revived with getting to see a live performance of my favorite piece of all time, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Please take note that I don’t use the words “favorite piece of all time” lightly. As the proverbial cherry on top of this particular musical cake, my favorite piece was headlined by the incredibly talented Nobu. This was then followed by my favorite Brahms symphony, so one could begin to understand why this concert was a spiritual experience.

If you’ve read my blawg posts before, I needn’t again describe the full-body chills that I get every time I go to the symphony, as you’ve read it all before. Though I must say that these chills were on a transcendental level, which I suppose is to be expected with this particular concerto. Nobu brought an explosive air to the first movement, and before I knew it, I was crying within the first five minutes of the performance. We are now two for two on times that Nobu’s rendition of a Rachmaninoff concerto has rendered me to tears. My tear ducts outdid themselves this time, however, and I was practically sobbing during the standing ovation. Is this a little embarrassing? Yes. Will I continue to cry at concerts? Also yes. 

The second movement was devastating in the best way possible; the way the string theme washed over me is difficult to describe without some overwrought, emotional adjectives. I often complain about adagio (slow) movements and their tendency to bore me, but I soaked up every moment with delight. The movement simmered and eventually worked itself up into a roiling boil that led straight into the final movement. Nobu delivered the shimmering and thunderous textures of the third movement with a finesse that left me starstruck for a second time. I will admit that my emotions were particularly friable on the day that I attended this concert, but weeping upon the finale was inevitable. 

Soon I had to suck up my tears because Nobu returned for his encore. He whipped out Liszt’s La Campanella with honestly astounding alacrity, given the tour de force that he had just finished. La Campanella is pretty notorious for its difficulty, and I was gobsmacked by not only the apparent ease with which Nobu was playing but also the way it seemed he was being almost playful with the piece. 

I can’t forget to leave a glowing review for the second part of the concert, which was a performance of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. Everything about the rendition of this symphony was perfect. The lush, sumptuous themes felt like an antidote for my bruised spirit. It was as if I could feel the music physically filling my chest cavity and healing me. Brahms has been slowly creeping up the list of my favorite composers over the years, and hearing this symphony live essentially catapulted him to the top. The absolutely flawless execution by the symphony was just what the doctor ordered for my bleeding heart. My only complaint is that I can’t rock my head around with the music as much as I would like without disturbing the peace. 

My heart starts to bleed again when I think about my time as a music writer for Rainy Dawg coming to a close, but this won’t be the last you hear from me. 

Your classical correspondent, 

Torches, Supermodel, and the occasional Sacred Hearts Club song will always be the backdrop to my teenage years. I give way to nostalgia and lend myself to Foster the People as I transcend time.

It’s spring of 2017 again. I’m 13, acne-prone, and my hair post-pixie cut is an awkward length, but at least my music taste is good. My dad made sure of this, finding any opportunity to show me Blondie’s and Björk’s music videos. He loves watching YouTube videos. Ironically, that’s how he found Foster the People: through a University of Virginia campus tour, with “Pumped Up Kicks” in the background (weird origin story, I know).

We sit cross-legged on the grass at Chetzemoka Park, studying the lyrics to “Best Friend.” 

Feelings sleeping in the field again / But I can feel, I can feel, I can feel it's beginning to end

Yeah, premonitions smiling in the dark / Well, I can see, I can see, I can see the story's starting to arc

We hover over that last phrase. 

I focus on my father’s words, drowning out Mark Foster’s voice. He tells me I am witty enough to write television scripts one day. A rare compliment. Usually, he makes fun of me for talking like a “Gilmore Girls” character, oscillating between parallels of Jess’s sarcastic quips and Lorelai’s tantrums. I prefer to draw a comparison with music-obsessed Lane.

Whereas Dad likes “Fire Escape,” I’ve always been partial to “Coming of Age”—probably because throughout my time listening to their discography, I’ve borne witness to my own coming of age. Two years after picking at the Chetzemoka grass, “Imagination” is on repeat as I work my first job cleaning houses. Two Julys later, Dad and I drive through the Berkeley hills blasting “Are You What You Want to Be?” (not yet) through the speakers of his ‘92 Volkswagen Rabbit convertible. The top is down and my hair, well past my shoulders now, is blowing hazardously over my eyes. 

I blink and my teenhood is fleeting. It’s spring of 2023 now, and I’m on a suspiciously perfect first date. The sun relentlessly beams down on us as we curl up on a picnic blanket overlooking Lake Union. “Time to Get Closer” starts playing, and perhaps feeling inspired, I lean into him. He kisses me until I pull away gently, giggling. 

Farfetched dreams conceptualized in the grass. California joyrides. My first kiss. Foster the People was the soundtrack for these sweet, formative moments I tether myself to. 

…

The Album

At 21, I’m more of a music junkie than ever. My taste spans over 8,600 songs clustered together in a comprehensive Spotify playlist I add to daily. I’ve transformed the process of finding and listening to music into an active experience as I pause in grocery stores to Shazam tunes and seek out live shows. If I cheat and count individual artist performances at THING Festival, I have been to 57 concerts. My highest concert streak is three back-to-back weekends. I’ve seen shows in my backyard, 50 feet from where I graduated high school. I’ve hopped around Seattle venues, from Barboza to The Showbox to Tractor Tavern.

Foster the People’s Paradise State of Mind tour at The Paramount stands alone.

When the new album came out—the first one in seven years, aside from the Torches deluxe album in 2021—I was nervous I wouldn’t resonate with their music in the way I had as a teen. 

Yet I suppose it would be naive to expect perfect uninterruptedness. After a pandemic and the departure of two band members, it was inevitable that Foster the People would pivot. I should show the band more grace instead of clinging to what was; I, too, have had characters enter and exit my life, though luckily without it making headlines.

While I didn’t connect with Paradise State of Mind as a whole, “Take Me Back” and “Chasing Low Vibrations” reminded me of the existing continuity between current and past versions of Foster the People. These songs have the same layered neo-psychedelic sound and fusion of indie rock and alternative genres as the earlier albums, forming smile lines on my cheeks and coursing adrenaline in my body.

Foster the People’s music awakens something deeply human in me—raw, visceral, and alive. I knew that if I ever had the chance, I had to experience that energy in its truest form—live.

…

The Concert: Good Neighbours

January 25th was a day I’d blocked out in my calendar months before I acquired a concert ticket, just in case. Good Neighbours were on at 8, but doors opened at 7. When I arrived at The Paramount at quarter to 7—the only time I’m ever early is if I’m attending a concert—the lines were divided into VIP seating and regular entry, wrapping around opposite sides of the building. Visibly ecstatic, we all flowed in at once, filling the balcony and barricade alike in minutes.

This was only my second solo show, the first being Temples at Neumos. I’d tried to convince my dad to come up for the night, but those plans never came to fruition. Although I longingly cast looks at couples and friend groups swaying together to “Sit Next to Me,” I was ultimately glad to experience the concert alone. After all, my resonance with Foster the People’s music is rooted in my memories and sense of self.

Good Neighbours assumed the blue-lit stage right on time. Decked out in dress pants and a t-shirt tucked into a blazer, lead singer Oli Fox strutted and danced as he sang “Keep It Up,” establishing an upbeat, infectious stage presence the group maintained throughout their 45-minute set. 

Hailing from East London, Good Neighbours is an indie rock duo composed of Fox and Scott Verrill. In an interview, the band explained they were next-door neighbors in the same studio who made music separately until one day in 2023, they decided to collaborate. “That’s cute,” Fox joked in the interview about the way they met. He explained that their goal for 2025 is to continue working on their debut album.

Without realizing it, I’d heard “Home” and “Daisies” before watching Good Neighbours perform. The chorus of “Home” went viral on the internet before the song was released in January of 2024, and was often used as the backdrop for montages and other nostalgic compilations. 

Of their 11-song setlist, there was an even split between released and unreleased tracks. “Ripple” was unique. Dropped the night before their Seattle show—the tour’s opening stop—my city was the first to hear it live after its streaming debut. Of their unreleased songs, “Starry Eyed” was my favorite. It was catchy, romantic, and a perfect complement to Foster the People’s “Best Friend,” with layered harmonies and the intimate chorus line:

Look at you, look at me / Don’t you know that we could be starry eyed

By the time Good Neighbours wrapped up their set with “Daisies,” I, along with the other photographers, had been ushered out of the pit. I lingered as close to the barricade as I could, beaming with pride for knowing the song before tonight.

Halfway through “Daisies,” the girl standing next to me whispered a question. I later learned her name was Marissa and she’s been listening to Foster the People for about half her life, like me. She found out about them through her older sister, and “Houdini” is one of her favorite songs, though she’s a longtime lover of the entire Torches album.

“Are you the singer’s girlfriend?” Marissa asked.

“What??” I exclaimed, genuinely not hearing her.

“I said, are you dating the singer?”

Oh my God. There’s no way she just asked me that. “Girl, no, I’m just a journalist,” I laughed. “I wish I knew him like that.”

“Oh! I saw you in the pit and thought maybe you were with him.”

“I wish I could say that!”

Our interaction reminded me of Richy Mitch and the Coal Miners, who performed at THING Festival in 2023. My friends and I stood at the barricade, listening as a proud girlfriend’s dad hyped up the band—“the boys,” as he called them—explaining how they practiced in his basement and how he never realized they were this good. Moments like these unravel the context behind the music. Who are the important characters involved? What are they writing about? Whose basement do they practice in? What an honor for me to be mistaken for such an important character in Good Neighbours’ narrative.

The Concert: Foster the People

At 9:18 pm, the lights dimmed and the crowd erupted into cheer. The moment had arrived: Mark Foster was about to breathe the same air as us, bind strangers together and address us as a collective, serenade us in this liminal space with songs he released a few months ago and others he penned a decade ago.

Foster the People opened with “Feed Me,” a track from Paradise State of Mind that I wasn’t familiar with enough to immediately recognize. But when the unmistakable synths of “Helena Beat” hit, I screamed for a solid five seconds. The lights cast Foster in red as he turned his back to the audience, raising his arm in the air, then facing us again to sing. The crowd mirrored his movements, swinging their hands and belting the chorus in unison.

The band’s intricate instrumentation made it surreal to witness them play—strumming their guitars, pounding the drums, and tapping their feet in rhythm with the very music they’d created. In "Pseudologia Fantastica," the fusion of electronic and organic elements struck a chord within me, capturing the tension between illusion and reality. It was as if the music itself embodied the battle between fantasy and truth. I danced, feeling that push and pull within the rhythm.

I was relieved and excited to hear mostly older songs throughout the set. I didn’t need to do my usual “concert homework” with these tracks—they were embedded in my memory, and every note felt like a reunion with my younger self.

Between "Afterlife" and "Call It What You Want," Foster spoke to the crowd in a more serious tone. “I’m sick of all the fear and all the tension and everything that’s going on,” he confided to the 3,000 of us in the venue. “That’s why we play music: to express that stuff.” His words hung in the air as he prepared to express “that stuff” again.

“Houdini,” “Imagination,” and “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon” tugged at my senses, unraveling memories of bus rides and walks and other in-betweens from when I first encountered these songs. My dream came true at 9:50 pm, with the opening notes to “Coming of Age.”

Someone told me once that half the excitement at a show is wondering if your favorite song will be played. There’s a euphoric rush when a song you love but didn’t expect to hear makes the setlist. “Coming of Age” was both. It’s not one of their biggest hits, but then again, neither was “Time to Get Closer,” which was also performed (and, naturally, made me think of that first date).

Yet surprisingly, as “Coming of Age” unfolded, I was not stirred by the past. I was an active participant in the moment, fixating on the warm-toned stage lights dancing in perfect sync with the chorus drums. Strangers on the balcony swayed their bodies, perhaps simultaneously reminiscing on and partaking in their own coming of age. Foster ignited a truly magical moment when he led a clap for the final chorus, only slightly interrupted by a devoted fan in front of me screaming even louder—and longer—than I was when Foster walked over to us. 

This performance was my coming of age—a decade of memories converging in a single night, stitched together by the songs that underscored every phase of my life. Foster the People knew this. They understood the weight of nostalgia embedded in the very existence of this concert. They were aware of exactly what we had come for: the oldies we never thought we’d hear live, the soundtrack of our past reclaimed tonight. And they delivered.

Of course, the obligatory encore ended with “Pumped Up Kicks” as a rewind and reference to the band’s coming of age. Foster blew a kiss and thanked us for the privilege of performing tonight in this iconic theater. After the show, I lingered, waiting for the magic to settle. I scored a set list and quickly realized each song was abbreviated: “Pumped Up Kicks” was reduced to “Kicks.” A casual shorthand memento.

The fragments of the night had already begun to slip into memory. 

Oh hello once again, blawgers! Yes, I am back to drop one last installment of my "Meet the Band" series until spring quarter! Today, I’m excited to introduce you to another incredible local band: Pilot Seat. This indie/psych/pop trio consists of Eli Bloom (vocals and guitar), Bret Shelley (bass guitar), and Everett Farrand (drums) who sadly couldn't make the interview.

The band has been going strong for three years, starting back in their days at Shoreline High School. It all began when Shelley was releasing music on his own during junior year. A schoolmate, Bloom, discovered Shelley’s tracks and reached out to collaborate. “I was nervous to join a band since I was used to doing my own thing,” Shelley shared, “but after a couple of jam sessions, we just clicked.” The chemistry was undeniable. After a feature in their high school newspaper, the realization hit—they didn’t even have a name.

“We started looking around the studio room [Shelley’s home basement], and I saw the chair we actually produce the music in,” Shelley explained. “We call it the Pilot Seat, and that’s how the band name was born.”

By the middle of their senior year, Pilot Seat was fully up and running, culminating in the highlight of their high school journey: playing at their senior prom. When college began, the band members went their separate ways, with Shelley heading to an arts school in Portland and Bloom and Farrand enrolling at the University of Washington. Despite the distance, the band stayed committed, playing one or two shows a month and creating music during school breaks. “I’m close enough to where it’s doable,” Shelley said. “This band is really important to all three of us, and I can’t imagine not being a part of it.” Their favorite shows are house gigs, where the energy from the crowd keeps them motivated. “We love when people go berserk at house shows,” Bloom said. “It makes us give it all we’ve got because the crowd gives it right back.” 

When it comes to musical inspiration, Shelley said, “I draw a lot from jam bands like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, My Bloody Valentine, and Candy Claws.” Bloom chimed in, saying, “This is always such a hard question. My parents introduced me to a lot of 60s and 70s music as a kid, so my early inspirations were The Beatles, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix. Over time, I’ve expanded to loving bands like My Bloody Valentine, The Police, and Mk.gee.”

Pilot Seat has had some incredible moments on stage. Shelley fondly recalled performing at the Central Saloon, saying, “It was amazing to see pictures of Alice in Chains and Nirvana on the walls and to think we played on the same stage.” Another major milestone was being part of the Sound Off showcase at Seattle’s MoPOP Museum. “Getting that call saying we made it was unreal,” Bloom said. “It was a great opportunity to connect with the local music scene and gain more exposure.” One of their wildest shows was at a church, where they were the final act of the night. After the first band’s set, a fog machine malfunctioned, triggering the fire alarm. Chaos erupted as the fire department and landlord showed up, cutting all the sets down to 15 minutes. “I just remember being fueled with rage the whole time,” Bloom laughed. “It wasn’t anger, really—just adrenaline from all the randomness. That show always makes me think, ‘How did we even do that?’”

Looking ahead, the band has big goals. Bloom shared, “In the next couple of years, we hope to tour up and down the West Coast.” They also plan to record an album this year, with a couple of songs already in the works. Shelley shared his songwriting process, saying, “I like starting with memorable bass lines, then building drums and adding synths until we have a full song.” For Bloom, creativity often strikes spontaneously. “Ideas will sit in the back of my head for a while,” he said. “Sometimes, I’ll come up with a 30-second riff on the guitar and not revisit it for five months.” The band admitted that finding lyrics can be the toughest part, but the rush of completing a song always pushes them forward.

And now, for my signature question: What do you love about music? Here’s what Pilot Seat had to say:

Eli Bloom- “There’s such a human part to music that makes me speechless, and I always think about how miserable life can be without music. Music has been an obsession since I can remember, every major experience can be correlated to a soundtrack of my life. It really defines the human experience, connecting with people through some sound instead of using words as an outlet.” 

Bret Shelley- “I love the way music makes me feel, I’ll listen to a song, and the way the chords are moving is enough to bring me to tears. I’ve had so many incredible moments in my life with music and I try to hunt that down to invoke that feeling in the music I create.”

Stay tuned for their next steps, and don’t miss their upcoming shows around Seattle. This is one band you’ll want to watch!

DJ Penny Lane - Meet the Band

Happy January! It’s DJ Penny Lane, and I’m back with another blog before I set off on my adventures this quarter. Continuing my “Meet the Band” series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Roy G. Biv, a semi-UW, but unmistakably Seattle-based, psych rock ‘n’ roll band.

The story of Roy G. Biv began over a year ago when Kai Montas (lead singer) and Brandon Bosch (guitar) were on the hunt for a drummer. As students at Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts, they hoped to find someone close to their age. Their solution? Posters around UW campus, one of which featured an adorable gnome and a rainbow—how could anyone resist? The poster caught the eye of Nick Ressler (drums), and just like that, the band’s rhythm section started to come together. Next, they needed a bassist. Bosch reached out to his old high school bandmate, James Eberle (bass guitar), who’s currently at UW and—fun fact—is also part of Rose Peak, the band I wrote about last week!

The name Roy G. Biv came from Montas. “Back home [in LA], there was a band called ‘Roy G and The Biv,’ and I thought, forget the ‘and the’—let’s make it a single name. It sounds so much cooler,” he explained. Ressler added, “Also, the street we practiced on was called Roy Street, so it just felt right.” And if you didn’t already know, the name is an acronym for the colors of the rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Montas elaborated, “It reflects our approach to music, pulling together a spectrum of sounds to create something vibrant and unique.” Their inspirations include King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Radiohead, and Frankie and the Witch Fingers, which definitely show in their eclectic style.

One huge advantage for Bosch and Montas is their access to a recording studio at Cornish, available for both classes and personal projects. “We try to get in there as much as possible to figure out how everything works,” Bosch shared. “It’s very trial-and-error, but it’s made us more experimental with our music. You can hear that in our new single and what’s coming on our album.” Montas chimed in, “We’re cooking right now, and we’re gearing up to buckle down and record a ton of music for the next few years.” Their songwriting process often begins with Montas bringing ideas or demos to the band. Once the group learns the basics, each member builds on it, adding their own creative touch to flesh out the song. “We’ve got a web of song ideas we’re organizing,” Ressler said. “All the pieces are there, and we’re so excited to release them, but we intentionally held off recording last year. We wanted to focus on getting comfortable with each other and strengthening our chemistry as a band.”

When it comes to performing, Roy G. Biv shines brightest at house shows in the U-District. They’ve played at local spots like The Bakery, Bug House, Green House, and more venues like Chop Suey. “Our best shows happen when we prioritize having fun,” Eberle shared. “That energy flows through us and into the crowd.” Their goals this year include recording their debut album after already having released their first single. Curious about what they perform live, since they technically only have one track out, I asked them about their setlists. “We only play originals at shows,” the band explained. So if you catch Roy G. Biv live, you’re hearing all their unreleased music—fresh, raw, and straight from the soul.

As we wrapped up our interview, I couldn’t resist asking my signature question: What do you love about music? Here’s what they had to say:

Kai Montas: “Music is infinite. There are only 12 notes [in Western classical], but they create an endless well I’m eager to dive into. We’re a silly band, and that sense of fun adds so much to what we create. It’s a feeling I can’t get from anything else.”

Brandon Bosch: “There’s no better form of expression than music. It makes me want to go all in.”

Nick Ressler: “Experiencing music as both a performer and an audience member is so special. We have so much fun creating our music, and sharing that energy with the crowd is incredible.”

James Eberle: “I love the worlds and universes music can build. Every song feels like exploring a new planet, especially with the songs in this band.”

Dj Penny Lane - Meet the Band

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone that my social media feed is filled with a fair amount of classical music-related fodder. While scrolling, I’ve come across numerous videos of people complaining about clapping between movements, and it got me thinking about concert hall etiquette and the modern era. Gen Z social media pretentiousness aside, these centuries-old concert hall traditions present barriers to those trying to get into classical music, and I sense people have a reluctance to enter a world that was once restricted to the bourgeoisie. But times are changing, and as such, I wanted to write about one of those points of etiquette that has been on my mind since seeing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G at the Seattle Symphony. So, let’s discuss why the hell we can’t clap between movements. 

I start this treatise with an anecdote. In my freshman year of college, I was thoroughly in love with classical music, but I was still what I would consider a newbie to the concert hall scene. I went to see Grieg’s piano concerto performed by Jan Lisiecki, and it was what I would describe as a mind-blowing experience. The first movement rocked my world, so it made perfect sense to clap uproariously once it ended. However, I soon noticed that it was only me and the other uninitiated few who were clapping, and I even felt a glare coming from a man on my right. A flush lept to my cheeks, and I felt that I had just committed some serious symphony sin. Later, my mom (in her infinite wisdom) explained to me that you’re not supposed to clap between movements. From that point forward, I decided I would follow concert etiquette to a T (so as to exude my high-brow, worldly nature). In following concerts, I felt a sense of cultured superiority when I (in my infinite wisdom) didn’t clap between movements, unlike the other clapping plebeians. 

I will now disclaim that I don’t actually think that those who clap between movements are plebeians, but for a long time, I did hold a strong conviction that clapping should be held until the end of a work. I’ve heard several pieces where clapping interrupts the continuity between movements, and I felt it would be better when you could sit in the intended silence. I held to this conviction even tighter when I discovered that Mendelssohn and Schumann had a distaste for applause before the conclusion of a multi-movement work. If these beloved composers didn’t want me to clap, what better reason for me to keep my hands glued to my lap? However, I soon began to loosen my grip on this etiquette as I realized it was doing nothing to encourage newcomers to support the art that I so dearly love. My judgment upon those who clap willy-nilly waned, but I myself continued to clap only at the end, until recently.

Pianist Alexandra Dariescu had her Seattle Symphony debut with her performance of Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. Prior to this performance, I had never particularly enjoyed this concerto, as I found it a bit quirky for my tastes. However, Dariescu and the SSO absolutely brought it to life, so much so that I found myself breaking one of my cardinal rules of concert etiquette. At the explosive end of the first movement, it felt like my hands were attached to magnets oscillating between like and unlike poles, and before I knew it, I was clapping in between movements. Since then, I have been listening to recordings of this concerto with renewed consideration and reevaluating my strictness on clapping etiquette. This is mind-expanding stuff. 

In the end, I believe the Seattle Symphony does a great job of making the concert hall a more inviting place. There are no dress codes, and they don’t foster a culture of turning up your nose at those who are uninitiated in the classical sphere. As far as I’m concerned, you can clap whenever the music has paused, and it feels appropriate to do so.  While I will probably continue to wear nice dresses and withhold my applause for the end, I want to make it known that at Benaroya Hall, there is a general culture of coming as you are. I won’t lie to you and say that there isn’t the occasional 70-year-old who will shoot a look for clapping out of turn, but we young people are the new generation of art patrons, and the more we attend, the more things change. I don’t think there is anything inherently elitist about the enjoyment of classical music, and it is part of my mission to demystify the traditions that can seem like barriers to entry. I love this music and this environment so dearly that I will continue to do what’s in my power to encourage one and all to come and try it out.

That’s all for now, xoxo, your classical correspondent,

Hey blawgers! It’s DJ Penny Lane and I am finally BACK on my series I started earlier last year called “Meet the Band,” where I introduce you to fresh faces in the Seattle music scene! Earlier last fall, I met with the band Rose Peak, a University of Washington student made improvisational jazz psychedelic rock band. This five-member group consists of James Eberle(lead vocals), Marko Vidich(lead guitar), Packard Stephenson(bass guitar), Aadithya Manoj(saxophone), and Aiden Chan(drummer).

The band’s story began during their freshman year at UW, most of them meeting each other at a large jam session at none other than Area 1, the student game center on west campus. They each had the intention of joining a band that night, and stayed after to collaborate and form their sound. This collaboration was new and fresh compared to, “a lot of bands that I have been a part of,” says Chan, “have been a continuation of someone else's band life, and you just happen to stumble upon people wanting to create the same thing.” 

Breaking away from their high school band experiences, they dove into Seattle’s local music scene in the heart of the U District. “We tell people we’re a jazz-rock band,” explains Eberle, “but that terminology can be unfamiliar to our generation. We thrive on improvisation, unusual harmonies, and rhythmic shifts—all fused with the energy of a rock band.” Drawing from diverse musical tastes, the band cites jazz legends like Herbie Hancock as a major influence, alongside Steely Dan and Jimi Hendrix, and many others which infuse their sound with a psychedelic groove. “We have to make sure to add some groove in there,” Vidich adds.

Originally named The Taste, the band changed its name after discovering a 1960s Irish blues-rock group had already claimed it. “It wasn’t even a copyright issue,” Vidich shares. “I actually admire their guitarist a lot.” Manoj reflects, “We also started figuring out who we wanted to be as a band, and we realized the name didn’t really fit our sound.” The new name, Rose Peak, is inspired by Chan’s Chinese name, which translates to “mountain peak.” Eberle and Chan describe it as symbolizing their music: “The sharp, rugged mountain versus the delicate rose captures the balance of our sound.” 

Last summer, the band hit the road for their first short tour, traveling to California and then back up through Portland, Seattle, and Spokane. Unfortunately, their 1984 red tour van broke down multiple times, forcing them to make roadside repairs. “We even fixed the alternator in the middle of the freeway!” Eberle recalls. Despite the challenges, they were touched by the generosity of strangers who helped them along the way. A highlight shared by all was their show at the Milk Bar in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district, where they played their last show on the tour with “a crowd that really understood our sound,” Vidich notes. 

Along with their tour they also won last year’s Battle of the Bands at UW and in turn opened for Between Friends at last year’s Spring Show. Thanks to Husky Jam (shoutout!), a really cool campus organization that helps songwriters and bands like Rose Peak get on the big stage with their homemade campus shows. Husky Jam really aided the band to expand their walls of playing house show venues to more intimate settings such as Freemont Abbey, another highlight show of their career. “That night, we were joined by a bongo player, and I felt such a deep connection with the band,” Chan remembers. “I sat down and was really feeling a deeper connection with the rest of my band. It was like I wasn’t bound by my mortal body—just pure connection on another plane.” If you’re still reading, you need to catch Rose Peak live! Their songwriting process often starts with Chan or Vidich bringing an idea, and the band builds on it organically. This collaborative approach captures the essence of their improvisational roots and gives them that deep connection to each other and their audience.

Looking ahead, the band has big goals: performing a live session on KEXP, playing at Seattle music festivals, and promoting their self-titled debut album, now streaming on all platforms! Now our interview was coming to a close, and as your host DJ Penny Lane, I had to ask them, what do you love about music? Here’s what they said:

James Eberle - “I love how music can magically affect people–it can do so many different things and make you feel all the emotions. It’s fascinating how it evokes emotions and connects with an audience in its own language.”

Aiden Chan - “Internally, no one can understand me besides my parents, but music has become my voice. It bridges the gap where words fail and allows me to truly connect with others.”

Packard Stephenson - (Absent from the interview, but his bandmates shared): “He loves using random note generators to decide which notes to play—it’s a reflection of his creative spirit!” 

Marko Vidich - “I love playing new music to someone that they may not have liked. I also love introducing people to something they didn’t know they’d like—like jam bands. Music is a universal way to communicate.”

Aadithya Manoj - “Music is about being in the moment, which involves creating the music and being in the moment the music is creating. It evokes emotions, and I love how you can never fully understand the impact it has on others.”

Go stream their new self-titled album now and try to catch this band at a show near the U-District this year! I can’t wait to see where the universe of music takes them. Check out their Kennel show from last year on our Rainy Dawg Radio YouTube channel for more!

Meet the Band - Dj Penny Lane

the quarter has drawn to a close, the holidays are upon us, and for me, that means one very important thing. it’s time to bust out my prized collection of songs in a genre i like to call “gloomy christmas”: the classics and contemporary tracks devoid of all that classic holiday cheer, and replaced with deliciously miserable, stare-out-the-backseat-window-worthy doom and gloom. covering a range of topics from the pressures of the holiday season, not-so-festive heartbreaks, struggles with family, and just plain winter melancholy, there’s something for everyone in this mix. don’t get me wrong, i actually adore the holiday season, but i just love sad music a little bit more. so if you’re like me, and your idea of celebrating the season comes with a lot of quiet indie folk and staring wistfully at lights, or if you just hate the holidays (valid! i respect you!), these songs are FOR YOU!!! 

“christmas song” + “if we make it through december” - phoebe bridgers 

phoebe bridgers is the queen of gloomy christmas, no competition. her annual drop of a new devastating christmas jam is the best part of the holiday season for annoying people worldwide. i could have put any of her incredible selections here, but “christmas song” (the first phoebe song i ever heard <3) and “if we make it through december” are undeniable classics that define the season. 

“river” - sarah mclachlan OR joni mitchell

it should be lost on nobody that joni mitchell is the original genius behind this fabulous song, but something about the sarah mclachlan cover of “river” is going to do it for me every time and i need to give that proper recognition. this woman’s vocals are so impressive that an angel gains its wings every time she sings a note. this cover is gorgeous and around christmas i often find myself listening to it at least 5-8 times per day. (additional shoutout to the ben platt cover of this song. also gorgeous. you really can't go wrong with this one).

“mama it’s christmas” - maple glider 

truly heart-wrenching and unforgettably gorgeous, “mama it’s christmas” is maple glider’s outpouring of feelings regarding her brother’s drug addiction, trying to care for him, and the agony it causes her at the holidays. her haunting lyrics and fabulous, emotional vocals complete this absolute work of art as one of the most devastating and impressive holiday songs i’ve ever heard. 

“a’ soalin” - peter, paul and mary 

this song is particularly special to me as it was a staple on all of my family’s christmas playlists growing up. kudos to my mom and dad for indoctrinating me into the gloomy christmas grind. the lyricism is poetic and powerful, and the creative uses of countermelody and echo between the three singers give this song an immersive and addicting atmosphere. 

“joy to the world” + “that was the worst christmas ever!” - sufjan stevens 

with phoebe bridgers as the queen of gloomy christmas, sufjan stevens is the obvious choice for the king. his long and masterful two christmas albums songs for christmas and silver and gold are staples of the holiday season in full, but i would pick these two as my personal favorites. “that was the worst christmas ever!” is the perfect heartbreaking ode to a terrible christmas experience, and his rendition of “joy to the world” is THE MOST gorgeous, quietly sentimental christmas song i have ever heard, and i will play it at any chance i get during the holiday season. 

“did i make you cry on christmas day? (well, you deserved it!)” - peach pit 

okay, another possibly controversial cover pick, but i already gave sufjan his flowers. i think peach pit’s cover of this sufjan stevens track is a fantastic song in the quintessential peach pit style that can be played at any time of year, not just christmas. the vocals are smooth, the guitar is satisfying, and i never tire of playing this while i hang up lights or pensively sip on a peppermint hot chocolate. 

"the last time it snowed in LA" - hana bryanne

incomprehensibly thrilled that i get to talk about my beloved hana bryanne on here again. "the last time it snowed in LA" is a gorgeous tribute to hana's experience with a friend getting into a car accident around a year ago, and what it means to reckon with the idea that catastrophic things can happen in our lives when we don't expect them, just as one would never expect snow in southern california. hana bryanne is an exceptionally talented singer and songwriter, and this newest song will become a staple in my wintertime rotation.

“angel in the snow” - elliott smith 

this song isn’t holiday-specific, but it encapsulates a cool, wintry longing that has been interpreted through the equally compelling lenses of drug addiction and unrequited love. a simple song composed of one opening verse and two back-to-back choruses, it’s peaceful, thoughtful, unassuming, and truly magnificent - a classic elliott smith take on the season. 

“whiskey and winter” - hushtones 

there’s nothing as festive as battling painfully intense sentimentality, is there? hushtones uses the gorgeous blend of their voices and some epic background jingle bells to tell a raw and beautiful story about not knowing how to let go or hold on to things and people from your past, and the way they impact the present. 

“merry christmas, please don’t call” - bleachers 

as a gloomy christmas connoisseur, i was very impressed by this new release by bleachers. it’s melancholy, reflective, and makes great use of a muted synth-pop style that pays subtle homage to a pioneer in the genre (“last christmas” by wham!, the holy grail).  i’m very excited to have a new track to add to my tried and true rotation. 

“flowers in december” - mazzy star 

mazzy star touches on the pulse of the gloomy christmas season in this song - the holidays are a terrible time for people in situationships. the reflective lyrics in this song carry a bittersweet melancholy that reflects on the ways that we can hurt and be hurt in our relationships, and how much the holidays can make us miss and think about the people who we’ve loved. it’s a gorgeous track, and another pick that can hit at any time of year. 

“7 o’clock news/silent night” - simon and garfunkel OR phoebe bridgers, fiona apple, matt berninger 

nothing like some musical geniuses reimagining a work of art created by a couple of musical geniuses from the past. both tracks feature the classic, gorgeous, and peaceful song of silent night mixed in with audio bytes of the news covering current tension, conflicts, and atrocities. the eerie juxtaposition of the two creates a thought-provoking, haunting commentary on our ideas of peace, and what the holiday season means in a turbulent world. a beyond fabulous concept executed beautifully by both teams of these fantastic, beloved artists, “7 o’clock news/silent night” is a track that you won’t soon forget. 

thank you for reading!!! have a great holiday season (whatever that looks like for you), enjoy winter break, and happy listening to all my grinches, humbugs, and wistful girlies. 

LCD Soundsystem emerged in the heart of the indie sleaze era and are coming up on the 20th anniversary of their debut album. After watching their documentary “Shut up and Play the Hits”, I thought this was yet another band that I was born a bit too late for and to be dancing in their audience, but I was happily proven wrong. 

I took a trip to LA a couple weeks ago to see them at the Hollywood Palladium and it was worth every Delta mile used. Although the band has been in an on and off relationship since 2011, they are continuing to tour and release new music, like “x-ray eyes”, which made the security line at SeaTac substantially more entertaining to be in. The palladium is such a classic venue, large but intimate, and has hosted big names for decades now. I had no idea what to expect but I was ready to dance, and that’s all I did for 3 hours. The music is so infectious that you have no choice;even the people with their arms crossed couldn’t help but dance  at some point. I was especially excited to see LCD Soundsystem  live because I’m a huge fan of the Talking Heads and their “Stop Making Sense” show , and have found a lot of their sound and dynamic on stage to resemble a modern/2000s version of this iconic 70s/80s rock band, coincidentally also from NYC. 

Anyway, now more about the actual show. As I entered the venue, I thought I entered a fever dream. I soon got sent deeper into this delusion by the openers, who practically sent me to another dimension. The entire stage was set up: a synth 2x the size of the piano, an LED lit drum kit, 2 keyboards, and probably more that I couldn’t register in my head. Distracted by my excitement of wanting to witness “Losing my Edge” live, two extremely colorful women came on stage, dressed like they were straight out of nintendo. One was wearing a large, orange furry hat, the other something equally as obscure and bright. Right when they started playing some enchanting whistling sounds, I looked to my left and noticed an increasing number of people dressed in brightly colored outfits, and an octopus. I felt like I suddenly got transported from the palladium to this folklore storybook. Along with the octopus then came fish, eels, and jellyfish, all being guided back and forth in front of the stage. Their songs blended electronic beats with a whimsical flair, infused with a powerful dose of feminine sexuality that just put the entire audience into a trance. 

This mysterious fairytail opener I later found was from London, they call themselves Mermaid Chunky. The most memorable song was definitely “chaperone” which was also the only one I could recall of Spotify, because I was definitely put under a spell. They were the most obscure, yet perfect opener for LCD Soundsystem to captivate the audience with the music. 

Now the main act: at least six people filter onto the stage, each taking their place at a different instrument. Then, James Murphy steps front and center, grabs the mic, and instantly electrifies the crowd with a surge of energy. They start with “Get Innocuous!”, warming everyone up for “I Can Change”, from This is Happening. I was really impressed with this being the last performance in LA towards the end of the tour. The energy was definitely still there, amplified by the music itself. Even though the music doesn’t age, James Murphey admitted they definitely have, and had to comically take a couple bathroom breaks during the set. That never broke the movement though, especially when they played “Movement” right after. They got a good amount of songs from each album, playing “oh baby” and “tonite” from american dream, then their new, and very much addictive, song “x-ray eyes”. Then to “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”, foreshadowing when they played “Robot Rock” by Daft Punk in “Losing My Edge” after singing “I was the first guy playing Daft Punk to the rock kids”, both from their debut album.

Towards the end they played “Dance Yrself Clean”, which I definitely did, and after felt like my body had absorbed every beat reverberating from the amps. They slowed it down with “New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down” to finish the show off with “All My Friends”, both from Sound of Silver. When they finished, I didn’t know what to do with myself, I was speechless, starstruck, dazed (and confused), all of the above. I felt so lucky to be in such an immersive experience filled with innovative artistry and production. I definitely recommend diving into their discography as a good pick me up, or even for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Overall, LCD Soundsystem live is everything you could imagine and more.

“It feels good to see you all feeling the music as much as we are.” 

Self-expression and a sense of unique sound are aspects of the music industry many artists seek to embody. Alice Phoebe Lou, for example, over time mastered the art of inhibiting her creative personality and then portraying it in the art she produces. Lou opened for Clairo on Thursday night where she relished in musical liberation with an audience who was open and willing to experience it alongside her. Alice Phoebe Lou, among many musicians, craves a crowd that can be emotionally receptive to the musically vulnerable artist, especially within an intimate setting such as that of a live performance. 

One thing to note about Lou is that she is no ordinary performer. Based purely on observation, Lou demonstrates a natural ability to synchronize her vocals and physical movements. During climactic moments of a performance, she precisely matches her body language to the musical beats. As the song resolves, her arm motions flow gracefully in harmony with the music. Not only is the act visually stimulating, but calls the viewer to give themselves away - mind, body, soul and all - to the music. Specific to Lou’s discography, she extends an invitation for the viewer to explore their interpretation of the lyrics and the emotions that arise upon reflection. 

Ironically, days before the concert a friend of mine and I were driving home together when “Halo” by Lou came on. My friend said to me, before turning the volume and rolling the windows down, “listen to the lyrics. This is exactly how I feel at this point in my life.”

It's quite a contrast, I'm not used to this life

I'm always caring for everybody else

But if I put that care in me

How easy it could be

I don’t know that I could have ever understood her more if it weren’t for the emotional vulnerability Alice Phoebe Lou pours into her music, or perhaps if it weren't for the fantastically curated queue.

Music, this I am sure of, has the power to inspire the mind, body and soul, and once you become open to its magic, such events like connecting with a friend more intensely or perhaps just dancing more freely in public, come like Second Nature. And even the act of giving yourself away to the music can be inspiring! By the end of Clairo’s performance, my group had our whole section dancing, in comparison to an audience that was doing anything but. 

Just a few months prior, at the same breathtaking venue, Adrianne Lenker played with opener, Nick Hakim. In collaboration with Josefin Runsteen on the violin, the three performed a stunningly intimate showcase of Lenker’s recent album, Bright Future. To me, it was like I was sitting at one big dinner table, with the Three at the head of it guiding a wise, passion driven conversation. It was intimate. It was the Paramount and I was at the back of the upper balcony yet it was this surreal, intimate experience with a performer who lives to collaborate with others and experience her art over and over again through their interpretation. 

In an interview with the Michigan Daily, clarity and empathy go hand in hand when discussing Alice Phoebe Lou. Specifically,

“Something about examining yourself in the way you respond to others, in the emotional exchange that is shared when you feel keenly what those around you are feeling, that provides clarity.”

At the end of the day, I have found nothing that compares to the intimacy of a small concert where the artist is fully immersed in the music, allowing both performer and audience to connect deeply with the lyrics, rhythm, and shared emotional interpretation. To fall in love with a piece of art for its impact on you, and then to see the creator of said art perform it live is truly a gift, especially when that artist is either Alice Phoebe Lou or Adrianne Lenker, people that breathe so much life into their work. At any concert or just at any listen, I will let my mind, body, and soul give in to the music, and in that, satisfy the artists’ craving for emotional intimacy between them and the listener. 

A few songs for you: 

Halo by Alice Phoebe Lou 

the year i lost myself and found the e-bow, despite the fact this song has no e-bow by Creeping Charlie

Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes

Blue Coupe by Twin Peaks

That's What I Love by Leon Bridges

Your friend, 

        Mya

This week the three of us reviewed Jazz albums. While Jazz originated in the 20 century, it has blossomed into many different genres over the century of its existence. We reviewed a couple classics of the genre, as well as a lot of new jazz fusion albums of the modern era that we enjoy.

Stan Getz & João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto

In the early 1960s, jazz was in a slump. The explosive popularization of rock and roll throughout the 50s captivated the American market and pushed jazz into the background. During this creative drought, jazz artists Tony Bennett and Don Payne took a trip to Brazil, where they caught wind of an emerging jazz scene called bossa nova. When they returned to the US they shared the music with American saxophonist Stan Getz, who was excited about the new sound. As Getz began performing bossa nova in America, record producer Creed Taylor saw the artist’s potential and connected him with Brazilian bossa nova pioneers João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim. Before Getz began spreading bossa nova to the states, pianist/composer Jobim and guitarist Gilberto were busy laying the foundations of the genre, taking inspiration from American jazz and indigenous Latin music to craft a new sound. When these three musical titans Getz, Gilberto, and Jobim met in 1963 in New York City, it was clear that a landmark work of bossa nova was on its way. Their NYC recording sessions resulted in Getz/Gilberto, an album now widely regarded as the catalyst for bossa nova’s global popularity.

The album begins with a song that is instantly recognizable to most Americans: “The Girl From Ipanema”. The track opens with João Gilberto’s warm humming accompanied by a mesmerizing, summery guitar. He carries the song over a classic bossa nova rhythm until the chorus, when his wife, Astrud Gilberto sings with an almost eerie, melancholy tone. Then the team’s roster is completed with an undeniable sax solo from Getz, rounding out the song. The next song, “Doralice” moves the album forward with an upbeat tempo and energetic performances from both Gilberto and Getz. Each song consists of incredible work from every musician involved, showcasing the absolute brilliance on display. At only 8 tracks long, or 34 minutes in length, Getz/Gilberto is the quintessential bossa nova body of work and a perfect project from front to back that is responsible for forever changing the landscape of jazz. Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/73ZRKdD3Ds43IjHrhKgucY

Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music

There is a video of Kamala Harris walking out of a record store with Charles Mingus’ Let My Children Hear Music in hand. I think listening to this album opens a window into the world of Kamala Harris’s mind.

Let My Children Hear Music (LMCHM) is quite avant-garde, even for the standard of American jazz figurehead and visionary Charles Mingus. Many songs begin with strange, oftentimes disturbing samples of distorted screams or heavy rain. The awkward, abrasive sounds Mingus is able to pull out of the album’s instrumentation are shockingly impressive. When he does anything on LMCHM, he goes all the way. The bass line on the intro to “Hobo Ho” is insanely groovy. The horns on “The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers” are explosive and violent. At times LMCHM feels like a precise composition, while at others it sounds like it is dying in a horrific fashion. The way Mingus continuously withdraws then attacks keeps you guessing throughout the album and creates an incredibly entertaining experience. If you want to feel like Kamala Harris for an hour, this album is perfect for you.

Kamasi Washington - The Epic

Being a three hour jazz fusion album, The Epic takes you on multiple journeys of sounds and textures. Kamasi Washington brings out all the stops on this record, while he mainly plays the saxophone he also conducted the band that created the album. Each instrument has its time to shine somewhere in the album, whether it be the sporadic bass plucking and bowing in “Miss Understanding”, the shimmery keyboard on “Re Run”, or even some of the vocal appearances on multiple tracks, it all contribute to this spiritual jazz atmosphere. The album is split into three sides, almost as if three albums were compiled together to achieve a 3 hour run time. I find it hard to choose moments on the record that are my favorite, as each track blends together it feels as if the album is one experience rather than singular tracks, though there are some notable standouts. “Change of the Guard” is the introduction to the “The Plan” side of the record. 

The track feels triumphant, as these strings and choir fill the atmosphere with these feelings of grandeur. Kamasi solos most of the track's melody with the saxophone and he uses it to its fullest capacity, even blowing out the sound of the sax at one point. As said before “The Rhythm Changes” has a vocal performance I really enjoyed, celebrating the reasons of living in the world through the human experience. The start of the second side “The Glorious Tale” called “Miss Understanding” gives the same energy as the first track off “The Plan” side, full of energy as Kamasi gives another great sax performance. “The Magnificent 7” has this crazy approach to the track. The melody of the saxophone over this ethereal choir as each other's instruments pops in and out for 12 minutes is this crazy exhilaration of energy. “Re Run Home”, the intro to the third side “The Historic Repetition” seems to be a parallel to the track “Re Run” on the previous side. What makes this stand out for me is a super unique percussion line with so many different little percussion sounds sprinkled throughout. The interpretation of the famous piece “Clair de Lune” also shows up on this side. It takes the track and reinterprets it into a slow moody saxophone piece I found super interesting. The last track I wanted to add is “Malcolm's Theme” which is a track that commemorates Malcolm X, who helped push the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. It features two different vocalists, male and female, that sing about Malcolm and his accomplishments. The album is long but I don’t think there is one dull moment on the album, it is a modern classic in the new age of jazz. Highly recommend this album, it's something you can get lost in for a couple of hours. 

Link: https://kamasiwashington.bandcamp.com/album/the-epic-1 

Uyama Hiroto - Freeform Jazz

Uyama Hiroto is a name I found through collaborations with the artist Nujabes. While their collaborations focused on both the lofi hip production of Nujabes, Freeform Jazz takes the jazz elements of those tracks and elevates them. This album falls under the genre of Nu Jazz, while containing a lot of elements of jazz instrumentation, it incorporates electronic elements into each song. “Yin And Yang” is a perfect example of this, where we get little sprinkles of synth melodies throughout the lush instrumentation of a saxophone and a live drum break. “Taiko” incorporates an actual taiko drum performance into its track, making for these fast rhythms to accompany these hazy melodies. What I also liked about this album is the contrast of higher and lower energy songs being woven together under the same umbrella of the album. “Laidback” is this super relaxing track, with a rhode piano taking the center of most of the song. In contrast “Solidscreme” starts with this super fast paced drum break, leading the track to become more and more chaotic. It's a blend of these two elements that Freeform Jazz really shines for me. There are some vocal appearances on the record. Shing02 appears on the track “South Side”. I really enjoyed his rapping on the album Luv(Sic) Hexology with Nujabes, so this track is a highlight for me. Both artists get time to shine, rapping and the saxophone melodies shine brilliantly with one another. “Imagination” is another highlight of the album. It's this off kilter, disjointed piece where the percussion just goes all out, however somehow it just works perfectly. “Spacemountain” transitions from “Imagination”, sharing this same sparkle. It feels as if the track is climbing this mountain, energetically climbing faster and faster with the melodies presented. I think this album has a really pleasing atmosphere to it, it's rich without sounding too grandiose, keeping it down to earth.  Link: https://rophrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/freeform-jazz

André 3000 - New Blue Sun (bottom right)

Most attendees of the 2022 Fall Fling will remember The Moss’s enrapturing performance, complete with barefoot bassist Caiden Jackson, singer Tyke James’s charisma, and, for those at the barricade who had the chance to see it (and pose for a picture if you were me), a setlist on a paper plate. Loyal concert enthusiasts who stayed until the end will recall headliner Jean Dawson, donning a rain jacket despite the unrelenting Seattle heat—summer hadn’t given way to autumn weather just yet—and his fusion of hip hop and experimental indie rock. Perhaps the early birds at Fall Fling can reminisce over the two openers, both local groups: Kaede 01, a J-Pop/J-Rock cover band, and Aurora Ave., an ensemble whose sound is a blend of indie rock and pop with hints of jazz. The majority of audience members, however, didn’t start to trickle in until The Moss was on, about an hour and a half into the show. My group was the outlier, showing up half an hour before Kaede 01 went on and maintaining our spot in the front row until the end. As a concert enthusiast who has spent hundreds of dollars on tickets over the past few years, I was baffled that this show was “brought to students’ doorsteps free of charge,” as I now tell my audiences as a campus tour guide. As an incentive to attend the University of Washington, I’ll inform prospective students that in 2015, just two years before SZA released her debut album, Ctrl, she was an opener at the Spring Fling, playing alongside Rae Sremmurd and A-Trak. That’s right, opener! Through the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW)’s Fall and Spring Flings, countless venerable artists, from Nirvana to Kendrick Lamar, have entertained UW crowds.

Aurora Ave. may not be Nirvana (yet), but their performance certainly made a lasting impression on me. In 2021, the group released their first and only album thus far under the same name as the band. They played several of these songs at the Fall Fling, my favorites of which are “Skipping Stones” and “It’s Over/Who Said.” A saxophonist, trumpet player, drummer, and several bassists lined the stage, setting the musical backdrop for the vocalist: a young woman who swayed to the melodies her bandmates played while she sang. At the barricade, I cheered for Aurora Ave. They were the first group to catch my attention with their call-and-response between instruments and upbeat neo-jazz phrases blending seamlessly with smooth soprano vocals. At the end of their set, the ensemble covered Tyler, The Creator feat. Kali Uchis’s “See You Again,” engaging with the audience and even getting a few people to sing along and wave their hands. 

After a forty-minute intermission, The Moss arrived, decked in earthy tones and ready to bump the energy up a notch. An established crowd had gathered who immediately grew infatuated with the talented Tyke, Caiden, Willie, and Addison—including a girl named Cece who made her way up to the front row with me. Based on our mutual affinity for The Moss, I made a wild guess that Cece and I had similar music tastes. In the spirit of spontaneity and camaraderie, I asked if she’d come to another show with me the next night. We all remember how easy it was to let your guard down and make friends that first week of college.

“Hey, this is random, but do you listen to Arlo Parks?” I yelled between songs.

“Yeah, I love her. Why?”

“I’m actually seeing her at Showbox Sodo tomorrow and I have an extra ticket if you want to join me.”

“Yeah, I’m down!”

Well, turns out Arlo Parks was NOT performing at Showbox Sodo. Arlo and her opener Puma Blue were at the OTHER Seattle Showbox arena, The Showbox. Who let Seattle use “Showbox” to name two of its venues? Cece and I couldn’t be the only ones to mix the two up, and in fact, we weren’t. When we arrived, expecting a line of Arlo-obsessed fans impatiently waiting for the doors to open, Cece and I were surprised to find that we were alone. We didn’t start to panic yet—we’d arrived ambitiously early. Still, as we waited for guests to trickle in, only one did. I want to say his name was Wyatt, but I honestly can’t be sure. He Who Is Probably Wyatt approached us, and we soon confirmed the three of us were searching for a concert that had no signs of being found. There were no musical ties to this location: no tour buses, security guards, flashy outfits, or excited chatter in the vicinity. After waiting a few more minutes, someone Googled the concert and ascertained that we were at the wrong venue. We laughed it off and began the trek to the other Showbox.

The journey to The Showbox was a fever dream. I think we took some sort of public transportation because I can’t imagine us walking for thirty minutes, but I do remember there was a portion where we had to walk along the highway. As we strolled down the island of the highway, I could feel the rustle of cars rushing by me. Terrifying. Yet I remember feeling a buzz of exhilaration in my step, despite knowing that my company and safety net of people were two strangers: one I’d freshly met fifteen minutes before, and the other whom I’d known a whole night longer. Comforting, huh?

In a moment of serendipity, we made it to The Showbox just as opener Puma Blue began his set, and managed to weave through the crowd to the barricade. This scene of my life felt scripted; it was as if the writers arranged this elaborate concert venue mix-up just to introduce a new side character into the story: HWIP Wyatt or what’s his name. Unlike most of the attendees that night, Wyatt had come to this concert exclusively for Puma Blue and had never even heard of Arlo Parks.

“Wow, that’s dedication,” I exclaimed. “But you’ve gotta stay for her set after.”

“We’ll see,” he responded. “What are your favorite songs of hers?”

“I really like ‘Caroline’.”

“Okay. I’ll stay for ‘Caroline’.”

When “Caroline” came on, I nudged Wyatt, then disassociated completely and lent myself to Arlo for the next four minutes. I let her inflate me with her tenderness and poetry. Wyatt was in awe of her, too, and ended up staying for her whole set. In the chaos of the crowd’s dissipating congestion after the encore, “Softly,” Cece and I lost Wyatt just as we found Puma Blue at the merchandise booth, taking photos and talking to his fans.

“We met a guy tonight who bought tickets to this show just to see you, and I wanted to let you know,” I told Puma, after complimenting him on his set.

“Wow, really?! That’s amazing! I’m honored. I’d love to meet him. Is he here?” Puma said something along these lines.

“Sorry, we separated from him as everyone was leaving.”

“Well, thank you for telling me. That made my night.”

After saying goodbye to Puma, the writers were at it again. Cece and I stepped out of the venue and came face-to-face with Wyatt one final time. I couldn’t believe it.

“WE JUST MET PUMA AND WE TOLD HIM ABOUT YOU. GO BACK INSIDE AND FIND HIM. QUICK!!!” I screamed, my voice dead from singing along to Arlo’s songs.

“WHAT?!”

“PUMA WANTS TO MEET YOU. HE KNOWS YOU CAME JUST TO SEE HIM. GO!!!”

“OKAY, I’M GOING. THANK YOU!!!” He was electric. I hope he caught Puma in time. 

Funny enough, I never hung out with Cece after that. I see her every once in a while around campus and think of the eventful concert experience we shared—that type of adventure bonds you for life.

…

Many concerts later, the highlights of which were Dora Jar, SZA, and Omar Apollo, and The Moss Pt. II, another concert was brought to my backyard. I often compare my hometown of Port Townsend, Washington, to Gilmore Girls’ Stars Hollow, Connecticut because of the quirky, tight-knit nature of its residents and the multitude of festivals we have. From a Wearable Arts Show to a Rhododendron Festival and an entire week of festivities in honor of Washington’s state flower, Port Townsend’s community events are a vessel for artistry. THING Festival, established in 2019 by Seattle Theater Group (STG), was my dream come true: an independent three-day music festival nestled in Fort Worden State Park, just down the hill from my house. Before relocating to Carnation, Washington, THING’s last run in its initial location was in August of 2023; since I volunteered, this was my first time properly going and not just sneaking in or listening from my house.

As one can imagine, August 25-27 was one of the best weekends of my life. Laufey, Cigarettes After Sex, and “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners were the TikTok draw-ins, and they didn’t disappoint. Mild High Club positioned their music equipment back to back, and each player sat facing their boards—my friend joked that it looked like they were playing chess. I volunteered during the majority of The Beths’ set, but my friends brought me a guitar chip that I’ve plastered on my dorm wall next to my Samia (who also performed that weekend) and Arlo Parks chips (from seeing her again a year and a half later). Thee Sacred Souls was my favorite live show that weekend. I like to boast that Josh Lane hopped off the stage and stood directly over me while singing “Will I See You Again?” In honor of “Can I Call You Rose?,” my friends and I bought Josh (humor me into thinking we’re on a first-name basis… he did sign a post-it note after the show with “all love, Josh”) a bouquet of roses and decorated the exterior paper with roses and kind messages. The security guard handed it to him, but since we were at the barricade for that show, he knew it came from us, and extended his gratitude after the show. I’ve never felt like more of a die-hard fangirl before.

Cherry Ferrari was not on my radar until my dad, upon looking at the THING lineup, recommended I check them out. This duo was the first act on the smaller stage that Saturday afternoon, and I showed up over halfway through the set with easy access to the barricade. The female vocalist was transitioning from an original to a cover of “No Scrubs” by TLC. Something about her essence felt familiar. Was it her voice? Her appearance? Her charisma and dynamism?

As she continued performing, I realized it was all three. This girl HAD to be the lead singer of Aurora Ave. But where was the trumpet and the saxophone? And how come all the songs she’d played were in a completely different style? 

I dismissed the idea; it couldn’t be. 

Regardless of who she was, the singer’s stage presence struck me and I happily reciprocated her energy, as did the girls to my left. When she sang another original song, they knew all the words. I was impressed. Maybe they were her friends? Like before, I started a conversation with the girls between songs.

“Are you guys friends with the singer? How do you know the lyrics of her songs?” I asked.

“We don’t know her well or anything, but she opened for our friend’s band,” one of the girls said.

“Really? What are they called? I love finding new music.”

“Aurora Ave.”

No. Way. I waited until after Cherry Ferrari had finished their set and explained what I knew.

“This is gonna sound crazy, but I thought she was connected to Aurora Ave. I swear she came and performed at UW for our fall concert but as the lead singer for Aurora Ave. Do you know anything about that?”

“Oh, yeah. The lead singer couldn’t make that show, so she was just subbing in. This is her project, Cherry Ferrari.”

“Wow. She was a substitute for that show?! She sounded amazing. So are you guys from Seattle, then?”

“Yeah, we’re from West Seattle. We’re students at Western, though.”

“No way. I have a lot of friends at Western.”

“What about you?”

“I’m from Port Townsend—I live just up the hill—but I go to UW.”

“You LIVE here? I’m jealous,” one of the girls said. She had gorgeous auburn curls.

“Yeah, it’s pretty great. We have a lot of festivals like this. I’m Julia, by the way.”

“I’m Quincy, and this is Moira,” the girl with the auburn hair revealed.

“Nice to meet you.”

As Quincy, Moira, and I continued to familiarize ourselves with one another, a voice from the crowd joined in.

“Sorry to eavesdrop, but I know the singer, Emma! We met when she performed at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Sound Off. I’m Sylvia.”

“Wow, everyone seems to know Miss Emma!” This was me.

“Here, I’ll introduce you if you want,” Sylvia said casually. She went up to Emma—THE Emma Wang, the overlap in the Venn diagrams between Aurora Ave, Cherry Ferrari, Fall Fling and THING Festival—and they embraced. I lied before: I think this was my biggest fangirl moment. As creative women of color, Emma and I had a lot in common; I could feel our interconnectedness. Perhaps she was the manifestation of my lofty musical aspirations. This made meeting her even more intimidating. 

“Hi!” I chirped. “You were fantastic.” I explained how I’d seen her at UW, and it was so cool to see her again with her own musical group in my hometown, blah, blah, blah, classic fangirl stuff. We took a few pictures with Sylvia and some with just the two of us. She asked me about what it was like to live in Port Townsend and I gave her some recommendations of things to do here if she had the time. We exchanged social media platforms before saying goodbye.

As I walked away with my new friends Quincy, Moira, and Sylvia, I continued to marvel at Emma’s talent. 

“Wow, I can’t believe it’s really her. I knew it! How old is she, anyway? Twenty?”

“Oh, she’s still in high school,” Sylvia said.

“You’re kidding. She’s so talented, and she looks a lot older.”

“Yeah, I don’t think she’s even applied to college yet.” 

…

Fast forward a year and a half and Emma Wang is attending New York University to pursue her music career. How full circle is it that she reached out to me when she found out I was going to the Spring Fling to see Between Friends and wanted to meet up? A celebrity wanting to hang out with ME? We spent an hour texting back and forth catching up, and she told me she had a concert at Neumos on June 21st. I bought two tickets for my best friend Elio and me within minutes and told her I couldn’t wait to support her. Two shows ago, Emma had no idea who I was, but this time, she had someone to smile at and sing “Night Before” to in the front row.

Hey music lovers, it’s DJ Penny Lane back in the blogging scene! This past week, I finally had the pleasure of catching Suki Waterhouse live at the Showbox SODO, which has been a long awaited concert that I can now cross off my list! My friends and I have been listening to Suki long before she played her incredible role of Karen Karen in Daisy Jones and the Six. If you have not yet watched this series, I highly recommend it. I bring this up because seeing Suki’s show performance was nothing short of impressive and watching her live was truly something special; she brings the same magnetic energy to her performance that she does on screen.

Let me walk you through the night with Suki Waterhouse. She opened with “Gateway Drug” from her latest album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, setting the tone with raw energy that pulled everyone in. She continued to jam through some of her newer songs like “OMG” and “My Fun,” each one bringing more energy and getting the crowd to sing along. Between songs, Suki gave us insights into her songwriting process, sharing stories behind the music. I really liked this approach because first of all I am so nosy when it comes to the meaning behind songs, and second of all it makes the performance much more intimate when you know the emotion it was written with. These candid moments made the performance feel so personal—like we were right there with her when she wrote each track. For “Big Love,” she explained a chance encounter with a woman in New York who told Suki everything she knew about love, which sparked the lyrics for this song. The explanation added a new layer of connection to the performance when she launched into the song.

One of the night’s biggest surprises was showing up to a sold out venue! Suki’s show was completely packed, even though it fell right after Halloween. Fans showed up in full force (and in the cutest outfits), creating a vibrant atmosphere. Although her music resonates deeply with young women navigating life and relationships, the crowd was a colorful mix of people across genders and backgrounds, all there to celebrate her artistry.

The night lived up to all my expectations and more. Hearing older hits like “Good Looking” and “Moves” was a thrill, especially for longtime fans. If you’re into artists like Ashe, Sabrina Carpenter, Mitski, or Lana Del Rey, you’ll definitely want to give Suki Waterhouse a listen!

Concert Reviews with DJ Penny Lane!

This week, the three of us are reviewing the Shoegaze genre. Emerging in the 1990s in the alternative rock scenes, shoegaze brought a mix of indie vocals, distorted guitar, and dreamy chords. We chose some of our favorites in the genre, from some modern classics to obscure releases.

Della Zyr - Vitamins and Apprehension

Few other debut albums are as impressive to me as Korean dream pop/shoegaze artist Della Zyr’s 2022 project 비타민과 우려 Vitamins and Apprehension. This album lives within its own hidden world, formed by Zyr’s angelic vocals and atmospheric instrumentation. To me, this world is a cold, foggy beach, with waves crashing against the rocky shore depicted on the album cover. Withdrawing into this world feels like finding a safe haven, accepting all of your sadness and fear and existing with it, and choosing to believe that all things will pass. This melancholic atmosphere makes Vitamins and Apprehension the perfect album for gray and dreary days. 

The album opens with the sound of birds chirping, soon accompanied by a soft piano melody and whooshing guitar strums. On the second track, “Pale Blue Dot (지구 혹은 천국)”, Zyr’s fragile vocals break through the crashing sounds of her guitar as she shares her desire to leave this “pale blue dot” and escape the people who have hurt her. This song is followed by a brief interlude featuring the voice of a man and the sounds of a wind-up toy seemingly taken straight from her childhood memories. 

These glimpses into Zyr’s life and struggles with mental health culminate in the album’s climax, “살고 싶어! (I Want to Live!)”. In this song, she details how love has instilled in her life a new-found hope and strengthened her will to continue fighting. I believe this track is Della Zyr’s magnum opus, a deeply personal expression of how love has forever changed (and saved) her life in the face of trauma and pain. The album closes with the aptly named “나의 미래 (So Please Don’t Leave Me) / 한숨 / To Go Forward Despite the Terror of Living in This World, Clinging to a Tiny Speck of Hope”. This song summarizes the existential themes present throughout the project and leaves the listener with a beautiful final message. I have found much solace in these words and hope the same for you: “So for now, I'll just start with one step forward Just for now, let me be held Until the sun dips below the crashing waves”.Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/3KvDdvikW0qXKnfGYZQtXf

yuragi - Still Dreaming, Still Deafening

Still Dreaming, Still Deafening by Japanese shoegaze band yuragi was my introduction to the genre of shoegaze. While this EP is one of yuragi's lesser-known releases, its unique title and captivating cover art drew me to it before the rest of their discography. The opening track “B/C” is the only instrumental song on the album. It’s composed of repetitive, marching drums and quiet guitar notes. It leads into the next song, “Horizon”, where the drums continue and the guitars build, eventually exploding in sound. This is when the band’s lead vocalist first sings, accompanying the track with ethereal vocals. The album’s all-encompassing instrumentals and soft vocals make it the perfect night-time drive listen.

Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/2C8O06h0WHS1rzDXdLw3qr 

파란노을(Parannoul) - To See the Next Part of the Dream

One of the catalysts of the shoegaze revival of the 2020s is Parannoul’s To See the Next Part of the Dream. Released in 2021, this South Korean shoegaze artist released the album without much buzz, until it gained notoriety through music sites such as RateYourMusic. There is something delightful about this album, whether it is the cover art of a bright summer sky with a pastel smokestack, or the music itself, it blossoms with energy. The intro of the album “아름다운 세상 (Beautiful World)” lets this mellow guitar chords fill the atmosphere with warmth. As this distorted drumming creeps into the track, Parannoul sings about the past and future with uncertainty, setting the theme of the record. “아날로그 센티멘탈리즘 (Analog Sentimentalism)” is one of my favorites from the album. It’s a shorter, more upbeat track with a really interesting synth melody. I also liked the use of ambiance samples to make it feel like an actual performance of the track. “흰천장 (White Ceiling)” is the longest track on the album, a total of 10 minutes. In these 10 minutes, the track really lets you be enveloped in its sound, as each melody flourishes past you. The track really feels like a nostalgic dream as the track starts and ends with an alarm clock sample. The title track “To See the Next Part of the Dream” dials the album back a bit, with a quieter guitar section at the start. This track lets the instrumentals shape the track, with the least amount of lyrics during the hook. “청춘반란 (Youth Rebellion)” is another favorite of mine. It's another upbeat track however it has its moments of brightness with even more distorted drums and a really calm melody in the second half. It almost reminds me of a Midwest emo track you might find. “엑스트라 일대기 (Extra Story)” is the shortest track of the album, but it's one of the most effective. Parannoul sings about the future through aging, at a point of giving up on everything as time passes. It is this track that transitions into the track “Chicken” that makes it emotional. Contrary to these gloomy feelings on “엑스트라 일대기 (Extra Story)”, “Chicken” seems hopeful, as no matter what happens, he hopes to be remembered in some form. I believe that this album will become a staple in this modern shoegaze revival, its bright and nostalgic sound is what really makes this record something beautiful. Each of Parannoul’s albums brings something new, and I’m excited about what he makes next. 

Link: https://parannoul.bandcamp.com/album/to-see-the-next-part-of-the-dream 

Isabel’s Dream - Monomara

As the only album that Isabel’s Dream ever put out, Monomara is quite a quiet release I only found about through a music Discord group online. Released in the year 2000, it combines two different genres: shoegaze and drum & bass. “Blue Morning” is the best example of this fusion together. It opens with an interesting drum loop while these chords start layering onto each other one by one. We do get what is the closest thing to vocals on the album, as someone hums over the track, which really ties the track together. “Telesto” sounds like a title screen to a fighting game, with its wispy quick synth melodies, peppy percussion, and funky bassline. “Aurora” is a track drowsed in a ton of reverb, with these echoey vocals filling the track over some more drum and bass percussion. “It's Better with You” is my second favorite of the album. These string instruments glisten over a slow breakbeat and feel like you are floating in a sea of clouds.  While I'm not too crazy about the last track “Tranquility Base”, it shows the range of what Isabel’s Dream can achieve with all of these ear candy-like sounds. If you are at all interested in either shoegaze or drum and bass, you really should check this album out.  Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4pYxJbFch0oz6g0hcNazUD

what is your name? - the now now and never

I would say the now now and never by what is your name? is an album infused with that feeling of summer break while you hang out with friends. Released in 2022, the album is an instrumental shoegaze release, however, it makes up for its loss of vocals with really interesting sample manipulation. The opening title track is one of the best introductions I’ve heard to an album, one of my favorite opening tracks for an album. It opens with these beautiful sample chops, as they stutter and glisten over a conversation of what seems like close friends. The track accompanies these samples with these full guitar melodies creating this really glimmery atmosphere. At the climax of the track, we get these saturated electric guitars that really make the track what I would describe as beautiful. After the quick interlude of “3, 2, 1..” we have “heartache st.”. While it achieves its shoegazey approach as the other tracks, its synthy sound ruins my enjoyment of the track. In my opinion, it's the weakest track on the overall record. Luckily, “youthful days” picks it right back up with what seems like lyrics chopped up into a four-count for each measure. It brings even more shiny optimism to the album, each instrument just works together perfectly. “You can’t turn back time” starts off with actual spoken vocals, starting the track off with this slower, melancholic track. The track then switches to this more upbeat drum section before going back to its slower jam session. “Saturday” is this quieter transitional track, a nice break before the finale. “That unrequited feeling” ends the album off with a ton of callbacks to previous tracks, using samples to create a new creation with all of these familiar sounds. It feels as if memories are flooding back to you as you reflect on what you listened to, a great way to end the album (though there is a nice bonus track on the album as well). As someone who is really into sample work, this album is a really unique approach to the genre of shoegaze and has become a personal favorite. 

Listen to "Ships Without Meaning." Listen to the notes echo and dissolve. Listen to it driving on a burning highway freckled by billboards for injury attorneys. Watch landscape go from scorched to concrete to scorched again. Pass energy plants and see white plumes of "Ships Without Meaning" eject from smokestacks. Watch salty wind whip an American flag into approval.

Think about "Ships Without Meaning.” Think about its crescendos while you look for park benches away from other people. Lay your head back on paint-smooth wood and think. About your headache. Think about "Ships Without Meaning" waiting for the train. Hear "Ships Without Meaning" when you should be hearing a woman’s voice announce departure times. Hear "Ships Without Meaning" tell you that the train cannot start until the doors close. 'The Train Cannot Start Until The Doors Close.' Let "Ships Without Meaning" pass over you like warm shame. Like driving a brand new car off the lot.

Hear its predecessors. Vignettes and postage stamps of Bruton’s Library Music: Alan Hawkshaw, Adrian Baker, James Asher, and Frank Riccotti. See their work hung from sine wave clotheslines baking in the sun. See their colors fade gracefully.

See "Ships Without Meaning" water the golf course at noon.

Feel "Ships Without Meaning" shine bright light through tree limbs above you. Feel its green blades poke through your shirt. Take a deep breath and discover structure give way to electronic feedback. Consider cloudy fingers that "Ships Without Meaning" uses to trace triangle and sawtooth patterns across the sky. Understand yourself less each day. Let the doors close, let the train start.

Rainy Dawg Recipe Book Entry #1: How to cover The Door’s “Light My Fire”

Ingredients: Three Mic Stands: One for your tablet, one for your voice, one for your phone speaker

Two Guitarists

One POiSON GiRLFRiEND

Directions: 

STEP 1

Walk out with your band to “FACT 2.” Warm crowd up with some of your more well known songs. Take part in light dancing. 

STEP 2

Between songs, discreetly open your phone. Navigate to “Files.” Find the mp3 of a shaker loop you’ve prepared prior to the show. Hit play. 

STEP 3

Direct the guitar player to your left to begin playing. Am to F#m. Etc. 

STEP 4

Hold your phone speaker to the knee-high microphone to your left. This part can be a bit awkward. Be sure to move your arm away from the microphone as little as possible.

STEP 5 

The guitarist to your right will begin playing his mini keyboard now. A nice organ tone. Not too similar to the original. 

STEP 6

Sing over your band; they left your microphone levels more than a bit too low.

STEP 7 

Have fun :) Try your best :)

This week the three of us are reviewing the 2010’s genre known as Cloud Rap. With ethereal beats, and reverberated vocals, we chose some of our favorite albums that we think represent the genre best.

Yung Lean - Unknown Death 2002

To be blunt, Unknown Death 2002 by Yung Lean has some of the worst lyrical content I’ve ever heard. His lyrics range from strange and immature to overtly offensive. The fact that I still believe this mixtape is an incredible, genre-defining project says alot about what I value in music. At the time of dropping his debut mixtape Unknown Death, Swedish rapper Yung Lean was only 16 years old. Growing up listening to American hip hop and living between Stockholm, Minsk, and Hanoi, Lean draws from a wide range of influences. These many influences culminate in his hard-to-pin-down, experimental approach to rap that can’t be found in any other hip hop scene.

The mixtape kicks off with “Welcome 2 Unknown Death” a one minute intro where Lean lazily raps over a sax-heavy, futuristic jazz beat. Some standout tracks include “Oceans 2001”, “Gatorade”, and “Emails”. Production is spearheaded by Sadboys’ Yung Gud and Yung Sherman, as well as Drain Gang’s Whitearmor. These three Swedish producers showcase their signature style across the project, crafting spacey, psychedelic beats. While his lyrics leave much to be desired, Lean’s unique, dejected delivery coupled with these haunting beats creates a very enjoyable listening experience, and a mixtape that has forever left its mark on the face of hip hop.

Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1T7ZoAn7Iy3uPArR6zzs4f

Lucki - Watch My Back

In 2017, Chicago rapper Lucki released one of the best anti-drug albums ever made. This album is a mixtape entitled Watch My Back, a collection of 18 short songs. All of Lucki’s albums discuss and oftentimes glorify the use of drugs, but no other project in his discography tackles this theme in the dark, hopeless way that he does on Watch My Back. The very first words spoken on the mixtape are “Ayy, she gon’ say she missed me she missed me, I’m far gone by now”. While he could be referring to an ex-girlfriend missing him, I interpret it as her missing an older version of him, someone who was taken away by his drug addiction and replaced by this new version of Lucki.

All of the songs on the mixtape have dark and subdued beats, covered in a deep layer of bass. Nearly every song is less than three minutes long, the beats seemingly dying as soon as they’re brought to life. Lucki’s rapping style has always been stylistically low effort, but this is brought to a whole new level on Watch My Back. At times it sounds like he’s barely able to force himself to weakly rap into the mic and often ends his verses by quietly trailing off. On “Fast Car”, he stops rapping with over half a minute left on the song. The beat continues eerily without his voice, as if there were supposed to be more verses but he wasn’t able to finish, or simply ran out of words to say. The persistence of death, addiction, and genuine suffering across this mixtape make it one of the saddest pieces of music I’ve ever heard and a disturbing cautionary tale.

Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/45PaEwQodQtfw2nElzigDl

Playboi Carti - Playboi Carti

Playboi Carti’s self-titled debut mixtape marks the beginning of the “Cash Carti” era, a time when he used his singular charisma and experimental vocal style to carve out his own niche in the Atlanta hip hop scene. On this mixtape, Carti’s lyrics might seem simple or repetitive but his vocal presence and delivery elevate each song, showcasing his talent for transforming simple phrases into infectious hooks. His vocal experimentation here sets the foundation for the shifts we see in Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red.

One standout example is the end of “Flex”, where Carti’s voice softens into a melodic drawl. His singing on this track is subtle but feels like a hint of what’s to come, foreshadowing his increasingly daring vocal choices and the “baby-voice” delivery he would popularize on later projects. In a way, this mixtape feels like a raw sketch of Carti’s future sound, his vocals evolving from confident, carefree ad-libs to moments of vulnerability that showcase his range.

The production on Playboi Carti is equally integral to its vibe, steeped in the dreamy, cloud rap aesthetic popularized by producers like Clams Casino and Pi’erre Bourne, who produces most tracks on the mixtape. Bourne’s beats combine the spacious cloud rap aesthetic with hard-hitting trap instrumentation, leaving room for Carti’s vocal personality to shine. Tracks like “Location” and “Magnolia” exemplify this synergy—Carti’s repetitive, high-energy delivery cuts through the swirling, synth-heavy beats, creating a hypnotic, almost addictive quality. This mixtape captures Carti at a formative moment, and the lush production and glimpses of vocal experimentation make Playboi Carti feel like an essential first chapter in his evolution as an artist. Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4rJgzzfFHAVFhCSt2P4I3j

Bladee - Icedancer

One of the classics of the genre, Bladee’s 2018 album Icedancer is a must listen. Bladee and the associated Drain Gang, composed of Bladee, Ecco2k, Thaiboy Digital, and their producer Whitearmour, had been paving the way for cloud rap in the 2010’s before this release. Whether it be the D&G collaboration between all three singers, or Bladee’s previous work such as Eversince, this collective has been at its forefront. Icedancer follows more mainstream rap troupes, hard hitting 808’s and its trap percussion. However what really stands out is its instrumentation and approach to vocals. Take the most popular track on the album “Be Nice 2 Me”, Bladee’s vocals are light and monotone, a lower energy, which is perfectly paired with a whispery melody. “OKK” is a track drowsed in reverb, sounding like it's being played from an ice cave. “Inside Out” features frequent collaborator Yung Lean, it’s a great collaboration between the two over this spaced-out beat. “Cartier’god Icedancer (Intermission)” has the artist Catier’god, another pioneer of the genre. A really interesting interlude as Catier’god raps on a more minimal beat. My favorite track on the album is Side By Side featuring Thaiboy Digital. It's one of the higher energy moments of the album, with both artists bringing their best performance with a really upbeat instrumental. “Waster” is also quite notable with its bright reverse melody accompanying Bladee’s performance. Though at some points it can be a little bloated with so many tracks, I think it's a perfect album for people wanting to dive into the genre of cloud rap. It really brings the best of Drain Gang’s cloud rap era, highly recommended. 

Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/0cT1SQDE7wSh1eUJkGFXse

a200xeaf - ⠀

I had discovered a200xeaf work through the label THE EXPANDING EARTH, specifically this album, and it blew me away. Released in 2023, ⠀ (yes there is a symbol there), takes the genre of slushwave, a genre known for its reverb ambience, and pairs it with rap samples, resulting in some really ethereal cloud rap. “Track 1” (all tracks are untitled) starts the album off with a really interesting sample of DJ Khaled and Drake. The track is super lush, with the song just flowing from each vocal performance, even DJ Khaled’s lyrics flow really nicely here. “Track 2” featuring Kunisaki is a bit more of a standard slushwave track. Totalling 9 minutes it brings your usual slushwave flare of echoey vocals and phaser while adding Tay-K’s “The Race” in the middle. With the interlude of “Track 3”, we go into my favorite song of the album. Track 4 featuring endlesswaters無限の海 is this celestial remix of Gucci Manes and Migos “I Get the Bag”. Its phaser effects throughout the track accompanied by its saxophone melodies make it one of my favorite tracks in the genre of both cloud rap and slushwave. “Track 5” ends the album off with a SZA sample, taking it and creating this heavenly, 9 minute ballad. You can hear some nods to the chopped and screwed artist YAYAYI in this track, with how the pitch modulates vocal melodies. Now on there is a hidden 6th track on the album featuring roku and endlesswaters無限の海 which leaves you with this glitchy ambient track as the closer, both equally great closers. Overall, this album is a staple of the genre of cloud rap, its knowledge of how to incorporate a fusion of many different genres creates a one of a kind experience. If you ever need some really floaty sample flips, this album by a200xeaf is worth your time!

Link: https://theexpandingearth.bandcamp.com/album/--8

Yabujin - FLASH DESIRE

In 2019, the elusive Lithuania rapper Yabujin released FLASH DESIRE, one of the very few EPs under the name. If I had to describe the aesthetics of FLASH DESIRE, it would be this fusion of game soundtracks warped into a hazy trap experience. Yabujin's approach to cloud rap is really unique. It’s this blend of regular rapping along with these sung, pitched up hooks that pairs really well with his production. Take the album’s intro as an example “ANGEL WITTA KNIFE”, a weird springy video game melody aided with these distorted mixed 808’s. Yabujin sings the hook “Angel witta knife / Trappin' in the sky” with the aforementioned pitched up vocals, while also rapping about himself and an angel in an ethereal haven. The track really sets the tone of the whole EP quite well. “DRUGS IN HER ROOM” has these crushed vocals layered over what sounds like a peppy DSI game soundtrack, one of the more popular tracks to come out of the album. “UNFAMILIAR OASIS” might be my favorite on the record, an rpg inspired track layered with this heavenly soundfont and heavy bass. All of the elements presented blend together really well, if you want to check out one song from this album this would be the one I recommend. “FANTASY AND MANA” follows the same formula, however it has a darker tone from the previous songs, and is where we see a tonal shift in the EP. “SECRET GROTTOES” feels like you stumbled into a garden you aren’t meant to see. Yabujin’s vocals are super reverberated on the track, making the song sound spacious. While I’m not too crazy about the rest of the tracks,  “FLASH DESIRE” is still a great closer to the album. All of these short tracks make up a very short 17 minute EP, a very ethereal tape that could only be found on the internet. 

This week, the three of us reviewed what we listen to around the Halloween season. From genres like Horrorcore and Dark-Ambient to more fall/autumn listens, we each reviewed our favorites that we enjoyed during the spooky season.

Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep

It only took about 30 seconds of 6 Feet Deep for me to realize that it wouldn’t be the deadly serious, disturbing clipping. brand of horrorcore, but more like the off-kilter, strangely funny Jay-Z’s verse on “Monster” horrorcore. I almost expected them to start rapping “goblin, ghoul” on half of these songs. Gravediggaz is a four-man rap collective out of New York, composed of Prince Paul, Frukwan, Too Poetic, and RZA of Wu-Tang fame. However, they all charmingly dubbed monikers for their Gravediggaz personas: The Undertaker, The Gatekeeper, The Grym Reaper, and The RZArector respectively. 6 Feet Deep is Gravediggaz's debut album, released in 1994. The four rappers offer a variety of flows and deliveries across the album; on “Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide”, RZArector attacks the beat with a characteristic aggressive flow. On “Detective Trip (Trippin’),” as he’s describing his twisted perspective on a cocktail of drugs, he begins stuttering and slurring his speech. Just as it seems like he’s about to lose the beat, he finds a way to keep with it, resulting in one of the most interesting, exciting flows I’ve ever heard. The Grym Reaper comes with an over-the-top, almost cartoonish approach to his verses that certainly took me aback on my first listen but quickly became endearing. The production ranges from groovy, bass-heavy neo-soul, to classic grimy East Coast boom-bap, to deep-fried rage beats that sound like they could have inspired the likes of Playboi Carti. From the avant-garde production and blood-soaked tongue-in-cheek lyricism to the killer rapping performances, 6 Feet Deep is a staple of the horrorcore genre and a deeply enjoyable listening experience for the Halloween season.

Death Grips - Bottomless Pit Released in 2016, Bottomless Pit is the Californian experimental hip-hop trio Death Grips’ 5th studio album. The tracklist opens with the eerie, high-pitched guest vocals of American singer Clementine Creevy, repeating the mantra: “I keep giving bad people good ideas”. Her voice is quickly swallowed by a deafening wave of distorted guitar and driving drums, attacking the listener and destroying everything in its path. MC Ride’s manic rapping bleeds through this chaotic beat and creates a menacing presence, making the listener feel as if they’re being chased down a dark alleyway. While this horrific, chaotic energy continues throughout the album, the band weaves in catchy melodic lines and memorable hooks. The beats are, for the most part, more conventional than your average Death Grips album, with electronic drums and repetitive, listenable melodies. For this reason, songs like “Eh” and “Bubbles Buried In This Jungle” may be considered some of their most accessible. That being said, Death Grips doesn’t lose their experimental edge on this album. On “Hot Head,” Ride spits a belligerent verse of gibberish and the bass on nearly every song could blow your speakers out. After banger after banger, the album ends with its title track, “Bottomless Pit.” The downright evil guitar-driven beat, monotone delivery, and gruesome lyrics make this song extremely disturbing. The vivid horror makes me feel like I can taste blood in my mouth as Ride repeats “this pit is bottomless.”

Acetantina - Carmen Winstead  When it comes to a concept album, there are many themes and stories that can be told. One of the more strange ones, however, came from the vaporwave scene in 2021: Carmen Winstead by Acetantina (known now as Kaizo Slumber). As the last record released under the Acetantina moniker, it’s an album with a creepy ambiance, interlaced footwork rhythm, and many video game references. Based on the creepypasta of the same name, many of the tracks reference events from the story Carmen Winstead, interpreting those events into songs. Though you don’t need to read the story to understand the album, knowledge of the story adds to the mystique Acetantina is trying to present. Take the song “Manhole Incident”, the song that I think shows the correlation between the two media the best. The Manhole Incident is where a group of girls push a girl named Carmen Winstead down the aforementioned manhole, killing her. The track is a slow track that feels like you are trudging through that same sewer that Carmen was pushed down into. Its use of a Wii sample and how it is distorted gives this track an uneasy atmosphere. “Body Parts” is another example of the album relating to the original story. As Carmen died, her body had been hurt severely, being covered in sewage as they removed her from the sewer. The track instrumentally uses a choir synth with a unique time signature at the start, full of high energy. As the track progresses, it slowly loses its energy until it dissipates at the end. There are a lot of other tracks that I find add to the album that don’t relate as heavily or have more abstract meanings to the original story. “Blindside” is the second track of the record, being this glitchy blend of percussion that sets the mood of what is to come. “They Pushed Her”, references the story, and is this more ambient track with a stuttering vocal sample. The ending track “Carmen” encapsulates the whole album with just one song, more upbeat while still rooted in its dark ambiance. Overall, I think this album is a great balance of creating a dark atmosphere while creating pockets of upbeat moments. A high recommendation if you are looking for something more electronic.

clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned Horrorcore is one of the most common genres that gets brought up if you are trying to find horror-themed music. Its use of lyrical rap to convey a sense of morbid horror makes any record of the genre fascinating. One of the modern groups to really revive the genre in the 2010s is clipping.. Composed of Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Snipes, and William Hudson, clipping. is the gold standard of the genre horrorcore. Starting as an experimental noise rap group in 2012 with their album midcity, their experimentation allowed them to not only bring these insane instrumentals to rap over, but lyrical storytelling in their rap songs. clipping. has two albums that fall under the genre of horrorcore, There Existed an Addiction to Blood in 2017 and this review’s album Visions of Bodies Being Burned in 2020. While I do enjoy There Existed an Addiction to Blood, Visions of Bodies Being Burned is my go-to album to prepare for any spooky occasion, a more concise experience. Each track that clipping. presents feels like its own horror story, whether it be the instrumental or the lyrics, every track feels very distinct. “Say the Name” is the easiest groove to get into, as Daveed raps over the vocals of the album name. It is a full experience from start to finish. “96 Neve Campbell” has the feeling of a classic slasher film. The feature on the track Cam & China sing about how they are murderers out to get you, using the sound effects of knocks at the door as if they are right outside. My favorite track on the album right now is “Something Underneath.” It starts with a low, humming drone and becomes this unhinged experience of percussion and noise as Daveed raps at a fast tempo. It is the best showcase of what clipping. has to offer, lyrically and instrumentally. “Make Them Dead” gives nods to the root of the group, with this loud harsh noise instrumental as Daveed raps a dead chant over the track. “Check The Lock” is this story of a man being gang stalked and his paranoia, with this reverb percussion lining it all, and is one of the more popular tracks that I recommend if you want a quick listen. “Eaten Alive” is the most abstract track on the album by far: it becomes this collision of sound as if something is rustling through an unkept attic. “Enlacing” ends the record with a more basic beat, with this beautiful sample as if you just survived the night from the terror. These guys are the best when it comes to an effective horror album. My highest recommendation for you is to go listen to this album, it's something immensely unique.