With a behemoth 30 song track list typical of the modern day streaming error, MUSIC suffers from a lack of quality control and cohesion. This can be seen on similar sounding tracks such as “OVERLY” and “DIS 1 GOT IT”. The song “TOXIC” sounds like a cheap rehash of the previous single “BACKROOMS”. For an album that has been in the works for so long, MUSIC surprisingly has lackluster mixing. It shows with things like the bizarre extended intro sequence that sounds like it could’ve been ripped off of YouTube video outro on what’s currently the album’s most popular track “EVIL J0RDAN”.

Additionally, outside of a few guest appearances, most of the features on the record are middling or drag down the project at times. An A-list artist such as Playboi Carti should be capable of producing a more diverse and creative set of collaborations than three Travis Scott features, two Lil Uzi Vert features, three Kendrick Lamar features, two Future features and a repetitive feature from The Weeknd. Even though Carti is not known for being a profound lyricist, MUSIC lacks those sparing moments of introspection that added more depth to his previous projects.

Despite being a very flawed project, MUSIC has some highlights when it focuses on expanding the sounds of Whole Lotta Red. “POP OUT” is raw, sonically unhinged, and one of the most explosive and thrilling tracks to open an album. The songs “CRANK” and “COCAINE NOSE” feel like the evolved final form of the punk-rap sound. Kendrick Lamar makes an unexpectedly fun appearance as a hypeman on “MOJO JOJO”. However, another Kendrick Lamar collab “GOOD CREDIT” pales in comparison to his collaborations with Baby Keem and is slightly underwhelming due to a dull production choice and Carti’s lethargic vocal delivery.

Out of all the various genre forays on the album, Playboi Carti is at his best when tapping into electronic and sample based sounds. The spacey production on “OLYMPIAN” and “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI” is hypnotic and serves as a perfect medium for his raspy melodies. Playboi Carti delivers his finest performance on “OPM BABI” by using an eclectic vocal delivery and surrounding himself with thrilling, unrelenting gunshot effects and hype producer tags courtesy of Atlanta legend DJ Swamp Izzo. Another stellar performance on the album comes over a fun creative sample of the Rich Kidz song “Bend Over” on “LIKE WEEZY”. These sounds suit Playboi Carti well and one can only hope he continues to explore these lanes on future projects instead of rehashing cheap thrills that have already run their course in mainstream music.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 6.8/10

The post Playboi Carti May Not Be the “MUSIC” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

With this their sixth album, their previous being 2023’s playfully lo-fi Grog, Frog set out to lean into that repetition, to see how far that original bit of inspiration could carry them. The album’s 11 tracks are unified by one common factor: they all carry the same chords. Although different tracks hit different emotional tones, and lyrical content is a scattershot variety of topics ranging from reflections of fatherhood to drunken doomscrolling, front man Daniel Bateman states that the album, in essence, all consists of the same song. “1000 Variations on the Same Song is a theme and variations. There are times in your life as a songwriter where you’ll start a bunch of stuff that all sounds alike, which can be a problem, something that you want to excise from yourself. This time, I decided to embrace it and take it as far as it could go,” Bateman had said about the record. 

With this ethos in mind, the album encapsulates the intentional and idiosyncratic alt-country that the band has become known for while also adding a level of improvisation and creative curiosity to their work. The most exemplary section of songs that emphasize this, after the bittersweet opener of “STILLWATER THEME”, are the first four variations, “TOP OF THE POP’S VAR.1” through “HOUSEBROKEN VAR. IV”, all of which were recorded in one continuous 15 minute sequence. Although Frog’s discography would typically never be characterized as disciplined, this embrace of freeform musicality and spontaneous inspiration allow for a unique conceptual arc to carry across the entire album. 

Their alt-rock aspirations collide with intimations of rap, Daniel Bateman was apparently listening to a lot of Kodak Black while conceiving the album, in “HOUSEBROKEN VAR. IV”, with lyrics like, “My niece was seven when she felt chinchilla / Fucking up the track like my name J Dilla / Topped Michael Jackson I outsold Thriller / No cap, just facts man, a stone-cold killеr,” being set against steady guitars. This melancholic mumble rap transforms into something more sensual on the jittery album highlight “JUST USE YR HIPS VAR. VI” with the lines, “Southside outside is the place we rest at / House full of down to rides / Yes they do keep a strap / If no dollar sign is implied or attached / Then baby doll of mine you can miss me with that.”

This willingness to transform rudimentary means into an array of dexterous songs is the album’s ultimate strength, finding inventiveness in the uninventive. With their distinctly Americana instrumentation of banjos, pianos, and guitars, all married together with Daniel’s warbling falsetto, 1000 Variations on the Same Song finds a broad spectrum of emotionality within its set sonic template. It’s an album that proves that there are a multitude of sounds and experiences to be discovered in artistic redundancy and in building upon what is already known.  

The post Over and Over Again on Frog’s “1000 Variations on the Same Song” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Origami Angel’s Feeling Not Found stays true to their ethos of deeply expressive, raw emo rockers; all with a tinge of geeky goodness. Opening with as soft-spoken of a track as “Lost Signal”, they immediately contrast it well in “Dirty Mirror Selfie” with gritty guitar riffs, passionately vulnerable vocals and lyrics that follow. The harmonic changes in songs like “Where Blue Light Blooms” and “Living Proof” flow into the ears the way butter spreads so easily on bread. Guitarist and vocalist Ryland Heagy’s tenor voice fits the bill of a classic emo-rock whine, which is nothing short of impressive. Drummer Pat Doherty’s versatile chops also remain top notch. Everything up until “Fruit Wine”, I just can’t get enough of. 

From a songwriting standpoint, both Heagy and Doherty are at the top of their game so far. It’s lines like “Tell me something good, I wanna smile one more time/Tell me I’ll be safe from the virus in my mind” from the track “Viral” that complement the emo instrumentals well. “Fruit Wine”, “Dirty Mirror Selfie”, and “Where Blue Light Blooms” were the singles released ahead of the album’s release on September 27th. At the same time, these are also among the standout tracks. These are the tunes that in my journey with this album have stuck with me the most. However, tracks like “secondgradefoofight”, “HM07 Waterfall”, and the album’s title track are so much more lightweight than the first half of the album. While the second half’s tracks add their fair share with respect to the album as a cohesive unit, they were only as good to me as their first few listens. They’re nowhere near as memorable as the first half of the album.

As you could probably tell from the titles of the tracks, Feeling Not Found is based on the isolation and disillusionment in the digital age of today. The question is, does the album tackle the subject well? So much of its lyrics are far from contrived and feel like candid glimpses into the digital lens of Ryland and Doherty. I applaud the creative commentary on the internet age we find ourselves in as social media and doom scrolling are a couple of major topics explored. They even cleverly tackle the struggle for Spotify artist’s pay in the track “Sixth Cents (Get It?)”. I can’t help but feel nostalgic in “Where Blue Light Blooms”, as it harkens back to a more innocent time where CRT displays may as well have kept the vast frontiers of unexplored webpages condensed into a singular box — “Just waiting for the cue to go outside/So I can lock up every single door and/Hide behind these firewalls.”

“Underneath My Skin” tells the story of being caught in the crosshairs of social media anxiety, expressing concerned over arbitrary follower and like counts with a line like, “Bigger number, better person/Bigger picture, better mercenary tactics get you where you wanna be.” Origami Angel is sharing these experiences with the listener, an audience of people who’ve also been raised by the internet. They have astutely centered their writing beyond this album on having grown up in the 21st century, and it’s no wonder their fanbase gel with that. In Feeling Not Found, they and their audience are now a group of digital mountain men reminiscing on what was, and at the same time, resenting the development of what that land has become now; the Las Vegas strip that is big tech. 

The album excellently captures the rage we feel living in these virtual times. However, while jamming to tracks like “Where Blue Light Blooms” and “Underneath My Skin” today, I’m curious to see where this album finds itself in discussion thinking back on the 2020s. Does Feeling Not Found explore these themes beyond the frustrations we feel with it now? Not so much. Of course, this album falls under emo, so why wouldn’t there be such raw emotion and whine in the lyrics and vocals? But when I think about living in the digital age, there’s more to be said outside of the anxiety we feel wasting time in front of screens. This album just speaks so much in the present tense.

Origami Angel’s audience, with them being perhaps late Millenial or early Gen-Z in age, are still so young. We’ve still got a lot to live for, and we’ve grown up like this for damn near our whole lives. This album doesn’t show much on what they think this anxiety now will mean in future. They’ve invested so much in the concept that I’m not sure what stopped them from exploring even a tad further. Their writing chops have blossomed so much since Somewhere City, and these dudes totally have the wits to go even further in the concept album department. In this candid conversation with Origami Angel, I’m curious to know their opinion on where we’re headed in the future, because as far as Feeling Not Found is concerned, they’re too busy moping about the now. 

Nevertheless, I have a feeling that this album has the capacity to be an important, if not at least interesting time capsule for our frustrations on the trials and tribulations surrounding social media use, especially for us Gen-Z folk. It still covers heaps of emotional ground on the topic, while supplying a stellar deal of mosh material that’ll last fans years (I really want to get my foot broken next time I show up to a Origami Angel gig). For fans of Origami Angel, this album is right on par with Somewhere City and will for sure keep you satisfied. For patrons of pop-punk or emo, as well as all those feeling some lost signal themselves, Origami Angel’s Feeling Not Found is well worth your time.

The post Origami Angel Feels 21st Century Anxiety in “Feeling Not Found” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Their resplendent approach is immediately noticeable throughout the immaculate buildup of the opening track “She Looked Like Me” with relaxing, pulsating synths that build up to explosive horns in the middle of the epic song. Despite making more grandiose musical choices, they still haven’t lost the catchy melodies and bridges that have always laid at the core of their music. This is best exemplified on “Death & Romance”, which might go down as the best pop song of the decade. The bright keys and catchy hook of this track centered around themes of eternal love is close to perfection with its psychedelic backdrop. “Image” is another catchy pop song with amazing bass lines that makes it nearly impossible to resist dancing.

There are many ways to objectively review an album, but the most absolute way to determine the quality and appeal of is to hear it played live. Fortunately, many students at the University of Iowa, including myself, were blessed with the opportunity of seeing them play live during the annual homecoming concert put on by SCOPE. Not only did the performance live up to my high expectations of the group, but they exceeded them by a large margin. Mica Tenenbaum’s vocals were ethereal, and the instrumentation was also cosmic with Matthew Lewin delivering on the keys and guitar.

Hearing songs off the album such as “Killing Time”, “Fear, Sex”, and a more punk like rendition of “That’s My Floor” with live guitar and drums showcased the artistry that is sometimes overlooked in their discography. The quality of the live vocals and rhythm sections were show stopping and gave new life to the songs as they evolved from the studio versions. The set was incredible with colorful, gleaming lighting fitting of their music, and came to a perfect end with the triumphant and bouncy track “The Ballad of Matt & Mica”, which gives a euphoric synopsis of the duo’s own personal lore.

In what has seemed like a major year of pop revivalism, Magdalena Bay deservedly stands at the forefront of a year of music loaded with incredible releases. It is one of the best things to witness in music when musicians at their artistic peak manage to effectively translate a cohesive, yet opulent vision to an album both conceptually and musically. This record delivered on all fronts and improved upon their first album in almost every way possible. In case you’ve never heard anything like it before, this album is pop music fleshed out at its highest level, balancing thoughtful and introspective songwriting, maximalist song arrangements, and catchy melodies that will be permanently inserted into your brain.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 9.0 / 10

The post Magdalena Bay at an Artistic Peak, Live in the Flesh appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This feeling was incredibly significant when I discovered They Are Gutting a Body of Water for myself. I can’t possibly claim that I was there as a fan starting from the band’s offset. I was a 15-year-old high school sophomore living in Dubuque, Iowa when the album dropped in 2019 with no logical way of knowing what was going on in the underground Philadelphia rock scene at the time. I had first heard the song “eightball” off their album Destiny XL when I was driving to see one of my friends who lived 30 minutes north right along the Mississippi in the late summer of 2022 before I left for college. The noisiness and discordant arpeggio melodies were much to my liking, but the tracks punctual switch-ups were what was so captivating.  

College’s initial great change must’ve made everything too crazy to find time to sit down and listen to things, because the album sat in the back of my mind until I heard “eightball” fade in over some breakbeats in a DJ set. I gave Destiny XL a full listen the next morning and was enraptured by its searing, discordant distortion and blown out, battering riffs with interludes of drum and bass in-between. I saw they were playing a show in Davenport in October but wasn’t able to find anyone with a car or time to go in those early isolated times. I just had to view the photos taken from somebody’s backyard in the following days. 

Not too long after that time I had also been entranced by feeble little horse’s Hayday and all its sparkling energy. It was very healing listening to the buzzing noisy tracks. The record was originally release #008 on the Julia’s War label. Being obsessed with Hayday led me to discover more that revolved around the label, like the Wednesday monthly vlogs and music videos, the Hotline TNT Audio Tree performance in a ski shop, and the “I THINK IT’S OVER” video that followed TAGABOW on tour.  

After the first semester of college in December of 2022, I visited Chicago with my friend who was going to a national composer conference. One night, I didn’t really have much to do, so I just walked around the frozen dark streets in Armour Square and put on Destiny XL. The semi-sprawled grids, highway overpasses towering over otherwise normal city blocks, fluorescent streetlamps staining the cracked concrete white, and dirty tiny snowbanks defined the winter urban environment. It accentuated the atmosphere while walking around with the album’s dark grittiness and sheathing frostiness, fully enveloped in place and time.  

When the cold was too numbing to further bare, and I returned to the place we were staying, I laid in front of my laptop. Its blue glow and the orange lights from outside were the only things that lit up the dark room. I just searched They Are Gutting A Body Of Water and looked through their old webpages and accounts, most of them stylized with appropriated mashed up early 2000s imagery. I came across the band’s SoundCloud which had the recently released lucky styles and FC GORIS EP, along with a bunch of unreleased drum and bass tracks, and somewhat fleshed out riffs. I spent that night just listening through as much as I could, enticed by the treasure trove of music that I found. 

Only a couple months later, this bubble of east coast shoegaze burst to where everyone was rightfully appreciating it. At the time, I felt like I had come across something incredible that was new and unknown since no one else I really knew at the time was talking about it. It was that enthralling feeling of discovery that made the world around me feel exciting and optimistic despite the surrounding chaos at the time. 

In June, TAGABOW released swanlike a collection of loosies from 2020-2023. Most of the tracks on this compilation album come from the band’s SoundCloud page on playlists titled “sc bp excl” and “finger top digital good”. On the first listen through, most of the songs were recognizable. “killfraiser” and the opener “solo gay bowser” stood out as iconic. It still gave this frontier feeling having these songs in a new lens.

swanlike is a very different vibe from Destiny XL or any other TAGABOW release. Some of the tracks do come off like they were just thrown on there, such as “lu tamé” or “voicememmo” but it makes sense since they are all demos in a way. It’s not inherently cohesive, but that’s what you would expect from something referred to as “loosies”. The essence of each track though matches, and that probably comes from their shared origin on a SoundCloud page just made by a guy trying to see what he could get to sound cool. Experimentations out of boredom and making something not boring, making it feel earnest. Maybe it comes from the overall lo-fi fuzzy sound in the instrumentals, the strange ideas that shine through in parts like the middle of “elysian fields”, or the constant switch-ups.  

Of course, along 22 tracks there is a wide range of tones and emotions reflected in swanlike. A song like “clit eastwood” is an all-out rager with a bouncy blasting ending, impossible to quell any excitement. This is along with a plethora of other blistering drum and bass tracks. “beautysleep” and “day of the dead” feels in a way like signature TAGABOW with dragging, chorused acoustic parts and dejected vocals found in gestures been mixed with the drum machine loops and digital sound flairs in the band’s newer material. A lot of these tracks generate a very poignant yearning.

The first listen to swanlike was in a similar situation to the night walk with Destiny XL, just a different time, setting, and context. It was in Berlin just after I had recovered from jet lag and didn’t know what to do yet, so I just walked. I went through different areas in Friedrichshain and Kreuzburg in the early evening golden summer sun that seemed to linger on forever. The aimless drift dragged me along an urban fabric of faux-old ornamental stone buildings, on bridges over worn out metro tracks with vegetation sprouting through, and through ribbons of green space with occasional ruins.  

Again, the environment was accented by the varying sounds in the songs playing. Drudging acoustics often bit crushed in a processor, spacey reverberating drums, windy or pitched up vocals, quick switching samples, digital audio artifacts, and rapid drum brakes define the record. They all wove in with the scenery itself. All of it felt very vibrant and spirited. Even the more exhausted, low-energy moments like on “pacey” felt very grounded, as if there were just an overall acceptance of the way things would be. It has an air of defeatism, but without overbearing anguish.  

This feeling was ever more pervasive when “heavy vegetable” switched on near the end of the record’s runtime. A plucked, saccharine guitar plays throughout most of the track, and the ghostly phases that oscillate throughout the track give a very tender and longing feeling. A lightly hustling drum loop plays underneath in contrast. Everything around was so in touch with me, like it was whirring by my body. In that vivid moment, with that mix of feelings, it was all very lucid. There was a sharp resignation, but with the urge to continue to move along in hope the next thing would be better. On the path of discovery I found in that new place, in that new moment, it was better. 

The post Rediscovery in “swanlike” by They Are Gutting a Body of Water appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Having created one of the most exciting new musical movements in recent memory, the new “Slizzy” subgenre of hip-hop has been inescapable all summer. Originating from the Bronx borough of New York, Slizzy is a sleek and sexy version of Drill music combined with elements of the Jersey Club house subgenre. Easily recognizable through its signature use of looped R&B samples, the movement blew up with the Cobain’s Bay Swag collaboration “Fisherrr” finding popularity through Tik Tok.

However, Play Cash Cobain doesn’t meet this soaring level of excitement. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the album is its failure to evolve the Slizzy sound and showcase Cobain’s personality. The record has a strong start with the opening track “slizzyhunchodon” being a highlight of this album, allowing Cash Cobain, Quavo, and Don Toliver to seamlessly blend with great chemistry.

The next few tracks are all solid as well, adding a more atmospheric and melancholic feel to Cobain’s signature sound. Unfortunately, the album begins to fall apart after the track “problem.” The six minute posse cut over a dull sample chop of Laila’s “Not My Problem” is lifeless with subpar verses. On following tracks “turks (i apologize)” and “wassup wya,” Cobain delivers two boring and mediocre Drake imitations.

The back half of this project might be bogged down by lowlights, but there are still a few diamonds in the rough towards the end of the track list. “dunk” is a freaky club banger that has the energy lacking over much of the album. “me n payroll” has the best bear on the entire project, and on the closing track “baddest in the room,” Cobain sounds silky on a nice R&B inspired instrumental.

I know you’ve seen me repeat this talking point in past reviews, but the album is simply too long and bloated. Even though Cash Cobain has a horny, yet endearing since of humor, it cannot make up for his lack of vocal range and flat subject matter. He would be much better off following the blueprint of fellow New York native Ice Spice and stick to releasing projects in the range of 10 to 12 tracks. This would simply allow Cobain to shine more without tiring the audience with his signature but underdeveloped sound. If you trim the fat, there is definitely a stellar nine track EP within this album.

Even though there is no telling whether or not the Slizzy movement will remain relevant in the future, it has been so much fun to witness a fresh movement in hip-hop. As someone living through the recent sonic and creative stagnation of mainstream rap music for the past five years, Gen Z deserves more artists like Cobain to step up and serve as the Timbaland’s and Pharell’s of our generation. Despite this album being largely disappointing, I am nonetheless grateful for Cash Cobain’s contributions to the culture. Consider me Slizzy until the bitter end.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 5.6/10

The post Cash Cobain: Play Cash Cobain appeared first on KRUI Radio.

On this sequel mixtape to 2012’s King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 (Underground Tape 1996), Curry wades in familiar territory to those early days, but with improved lyrical abilities and much more confidence this time around. Hosted by legendary Memphis rapper Kingpin Skinny Pimp, this project is a love letter to the old sounds of the “Dirty South” that myself and many others have been nostalgic for from when it came onto the scene in the 1990s and early 2000s.

To truly understand this project, you have to go back to the days of Memphis rap group Three Six Mafia and iconic Texas producer DJ Screw. During this time, southern rappers were not considered to be legitimate MCs, and were often considered to be beneath their West and East Coast contemporaries. This lack of acceptance led to the creation of more experimental music that would eventually be appropriated by rappers (looking at you A$AP Rocky) all across the United States. On this mixtape, Curry’s reclamation of the sound results in one of the more fun projects released this year.

The production across this mixtape is very nostalgic and bouncy, giving Curry a strong background to deliver his dexterous and energetic flows. The opening song “ULTRA SHXT” is a strong cut of southern flavored cloud rap, with subdued vocals over a sample of 2 Low-Key’s “On That Devil Shit” creating an almost ambient feeling. Another highlight of this tape, “BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE”, contains some of Curry’s best wordplay and a show stopping performance from up and coming Texas rapper That Mexican OT.

The second half of the tape decides to take an alternating approach between grimy distorted tracks such as “SKED” and “HOODLUMZ” balanced with breezy pop-rap tracks like “COLE PIMP” and “WISHLIST”. An integral part of this project that will most likely be overlooked by others are the interludes. Despite these intermissions being short and spread throughout the tape, they add an incredible touch to the project, giving it a feel of an unrecognized demo cassette that traveled through a time portal inside a dusty box in someone’s basement.

From top to bottom, King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 is a consistent offering that scratches an itch by dipping into nostalgia, but not reveling in it to a fault. It does this by putting Curry’s unique aggressive and distorted touch on the sound of Memphis hip-hop. We can discuss and argue the musical qualities of this project for days, but the most important thing about this tape is that it is energetic and lively. The Florida MC’s ability to switch between deeply introspective and heartfelt songs, to bangers built for maximum destruction in a mosh pit, is seriously underappreciated in the landscape of modern hip-hop. There are simply not enough artists who know how to have a good time without sacrificing quality in their music. Even though there has been a widespread decline in southern hip-hop in recent years, it is a relief that I can finally rest at night knowing the torch is in good hands.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 8.1 / 10

The post Denzel Curry’s “King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2” and His Origins appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The greatest strength of this album is its ability to sound fresh and innovative while being deeply rooted in nostalgia. Sonically, these songs feel like a natural progression from their opus, Modern Vampires of the City. “Capricorn” has a hazy, yet groovy psychedelic vibe backed by a stellar piano track and punchy drums. “Gen-X Cops” is a grungy take on the traditional Vampire Weekend sound and lyrically ponders on the shortcomings of past generations, asking whether or not the current generations will be able to overcome their own. “Classical” is perhaps the band’s best song ever with its mellow instrumental and incredible melody leading the listener into an abrupt, but brilliant jazz passage.

On “The Surfer”, the band looks to explores some of their hip-hop influences with its relaxed bass, poetic lyricism, and ethereal horns. The brilliant production of this record is not its definitive characteristic, the songwriting is stellar too. The lyrical focus of this album surrounds reflecting on youth and coming to acceptance with aging. This album is a musical statement for the millennial generation. The touching subject matter is tackled in an eloquent and thoughtful manner that leaves you thinking long after the album is finished. The melodies of this project are light and airy, but very memorable. This album is one that you can both cry to, and sing in the car at the top of your lungs.

The brilliance of Only God Was Above Us is seldom seen in modern music. Improved songwriting coupled with strong production has allowed the band to reach new creative heights. The album’s concise ten tracks and 47 minute runtime is extremely refreshing in today’s streaming era which encourages 20 plus track “playlists”. This record sounds truly like something that a modern day equivalent of The Beatles would put together, being ever proficient.

Now having arguably released the greatest indie album in two different decades with their latest and Modern Vampires of the City, their legacy is strong. The level of greatness this band has achieved is rare in music. Perhaps it is time that we put their jerseys up in the rafters as the greatest indie band of all time.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 9.4/10

The post Vampire Weekend Demonstrate Proficiency with “Only God Was Above Us” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Intended to reflect the often turbulent and ever changing summers of Las Nubes’ Miami home base, Tormentas Malsanas translates to “unhealthy storms”. Through seismic displays of fuzzy dream pop and whirring shoegaze, bandmates Ale Campos and Emile Milgrim are able to convey this feeling of unrest in a way that is accessible to anyone, anywhere. The album’s grungy and distorted sonic influences root its story in both the past and present. It feels fresh, but also familiar somehow, in the way many summers tend to be a limbo of old and new, trapped between lingering memories and potential for more.

The ten track album takes listeners through several cycles of build up and chasing release. The album opener “Would Be“, gives us the first taste of the idea of warm, almost comfortable feelings opening up into something much heavier. Hypnotic waves of guitar paired with the soft choral repetition of the words “I know the more I give, the less I get back,” are suddenly spun into crunchy power chords and hard snare beats in a moment of whiplash. The words that began as musings have become a chant of dissatisfaction, of feeling stuck.

If the entirety of Tormentas Malsanas is a storm, then track four, the ten minute epic “Caricia”, is the eye of the hurricane. The song hums and buzzes in a moment of calm, but the feeling of unease remains. The familiar circling feels prominent in this track, even as the humming becomes a louder and angrier drone before cycling back to a hum once again. It’s clear the release hasn’t been found yet. It feels like a summer rain that doesn’t cut through the heat, it just makes it thicker and stickier. 

“The Weeks That Followed” puts a name to the idea of spiraling thoughts that seem to orbit this album. The notions of thoughts circling and reliving memories are what drive this song forward, along with the struggle to know when it’s time to move forward and embrace the possibility of change.

Tracks like “Canse” and “Drop In, Ya Freaks” feel less like a thought spiral and more like the unwinding of one, like a release has been found. Heavy and anthemic guitar fuzz along with steady rhythms guide us through the final moments of the album. These songs feel like they’d be best understood driving the backroads of your hometown with your windows down, letting all of the heat and anger wash away with the wind and rain. Where “Canse” is loud, boisterous, and full of kinetic energy, “Drop In, Ya Freaks” is reflective of the time gone by. It acknowledges that the storm has passed, and that even if more should arise, we’ve learned by now that they are impermanent.

In a summer that has already had it’s fair share of heat and storms, both literal and metaphorical, Tormentas Malsanas feels fit to be the soundtrack to a mind that’s very prone to spiral. The story it tells and energy it transmits feeds those tendencies to dwell in the heat, while also encouraging the listener to let go and move forward when the time is right.

The post Las Nubes’ “Tormentas Malsanas” and the Weight of Summer appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This album marks a change for bedbug. Dylan Gamez Citron, the artist behind the project, crafted the songs in a new way. With previous bedbug releases, they wrote and recorded all the music in their bedroom, assembling the songs on a four-track recorder. Inspired by artists like Brave Little Abacus, they made lo-fi folk pop songs with an emo flair, and a plethora of samples interwoven into the melodies. It was dawned with an intimate sincerity that many people deeply connected with. Creating music at that time was a relatively solitary exercise for them. When I talked with Dylan about the new album, they said it was enhanced from eventually being ingrained in the Boston area scene. From this they enlisted the help of friends as band members and recorded in a studio.  

“I’m like kinda weird with the way I write stuff. I don’t really know how people write stuff as a group,” they said on the album’s songwriting process. “I would bring a basic guitar structure and some vocals, and then I would bring that to the band where we would all decide what parts would go where, and how they would sound.” This new collaborative approach made the songs larger, and fundamentally changed bedbug’s sound.  

It was so different that Dylan stated, “I was considering having a new band name for the record, but everyone told me not to do that, and it would be a waste of resources and reputation.” pack your bags never abandons the methods of the older releases. Instead, it makes the vibe of the tracks from previous albums fuller and more enveloping. It’s like they grew and are now wrapped around you laying down while you listened rather than crawling around your hands as you stare off into the distance by yourself. The past sentiments still exist in the current entity. 

The creation of the album was also a great time of person change for Dylan. They moved from the Boston area in Massachusetts to Los Angeles for work in 2022, just after the songs on pack your bags were written. While that move hadn’t happened yet, they said it still occupied their mind, and informed the album. The change from moving from one part of the country to the direct opposite, and all the anticipation that comes with that is stark. “seasons on the new coast” shows this preemptive thought from the title, but also with the opening line “Snow banks still grow, without me,” and the lyrics about leaving people someone cares about behind.  

Recurring throughout the record too is this theme of moving across the wide expanses of land that make up the country. Skies that oscillate between wide open swathes of gleaming blues, and dark backdrops dazzled with trillions of stars cascade above. Images of the sun’s light sprawling rainbows on dashboards, or the desire to drift and dance across the imaginary interstate lines inhabit the album. The song “postcard” gives a more rebellious flair to this attitude, burning down everything you want to leave behind, and moving on to more prosperous things. All this bolsters the pack your bags motif that shows up in several songs and gives the album its namesake. It describes the journey of picking up your life and traversing to new far-off locations. Feelings of excitement and melancholy can come with that change.  

Bright, mellow indie folk tunes lull the listener. Quaint synth blips trickle in around the analog sounds. Dylan’s raspy, anxious, quietly murmured vocals have a very soothing nature. These aspects give each song this tender feeling. Each song transudes through the listener’s spirit, like the honeyed scent of forested air. Never dissipating, it stays there like a long reassuring embrace. It has a deep, yearning atmosphere, trickled in by the halcyon days of youth.  

For me it’s reminiscent of summer day trips I went on with one of my parents that went along driftless, wooded highways weaving through to whatever blissful destination lay at the end of the road. The ground dappled in the leaves’ shadows, with nearby bodies of water glimmering in the same light. It recollects memories of sitting alone along bluffs staring out and being overwhelmed by the bright pastels of the sky during sunset. Jovial and sweet memories that hum behind the vault of the past.

There’s something about the idea of hitting the open road, crossing endless stretches of unfamiliar terrain, and leaving behind the weight of what’s known that resonates deeply. It’s the spirit of exploration, of finding freedom in the journey and embracing the unknown with a blend of excitement and quiet contemplation.

Whether it’s the hum of tires on a long stretch of road or the way the landscape slowly changes, each moment feels like part of something bigger, something full of potential. It’s not just about where you’re going, but the act of moving itself, of seeing the world from a new vantage point and letting the distance between you and the familiar fade with every mile. Those days spent wandering through forests, watching the world unfold in its most raw, untouched form, fill the soul with a sense of wonder that lingers long after the trip is over.

And yet, sometimes the adventure calls you to places beyond the map—places like tropical islands that beckon with the promise of azure waters and swaying palms. Hawaii, with its rich, diverse landscapes and laid-back spirit, feels like an invitation to step into the rhythm of something both familiar and entirely new. The islands hold a beauty that mirrors those winding highways and quiet bluffs, with their lush rainforests, volcanic beaches, and crystal-clear waters.

It’s a place where you can truly embrace the journey, whether you’re cruising along coastal roads or finding hidden spots only known to those who dare to explore. Renting a vehicle—be it a scooter or a Jeep—adds an element of freedom, allowing you to feel the wind against your skin and stop wherever your curiosity leads. With rentals available throughout the islands, the adventure becomes personal, taking you to each corner of this paradise, where new discoveries await at every turn. 

Welding these feelings together, Dylan said, “I sometimes pull from two or three different strains of thought. The reason that I think it works is that I try to keep the emotion that is conveyed in that moment consistent. As long as that’s consistent, I don’t think it really matters if you can follow the story. I think it’s more important if you can follow the feeling.” To garner these reactions from the listener, they string together ambiguous common experiences that are easier to relate to. “I don’t know if there’s any clear meaning to it. It’s more in that collage way of how someone feels,” they said. “Everybody has had some experience with a long car trip. Stars are the same way. Everybody has a couple memories of a time when they could take the stars in.” 

Deep rooted nostalgia seeps in from these shared feelings. They are shown through in the songs’ compositions and how they glide with the lyrics. Dylan cites a specific example of driving around the streets of their empty suburban hometown in New York, blasting music. They said how it was their first taste of freedom with getting their own car. That specific memory is a thought that went into the album, but it’s not the main message they were trying to communicate.  

“I’m never trying to give it away too much, it’s never so intentional of what I’m trying to get people to think,” Dylan said on how they form songs. “It’s up for interpretation. So how I interpret it isn’t how other people should interpret things. That’s been some weird feedback I get. Some people will be like ‘wow that was really beautiful,’ some people would be like ‘your song is really funny,’ and I’m like, ‘wahh okay?’ I just have no idea how people would interpret things.” With their songs, they try to portray specific feelings. A lot of that is connected to joy and sorrow, loneliness and hopefulness, and all the connections to coming of age nostalgia. They’re universal but complicated emotions. 

Sensitivities to nostalgia make up the being of pack your bags. During one of my listens through the album, I was lying in a small park surrounded by taller buildings in St. Louis during my Spring Break. It was the first tolerable day of the year to be outside, with bright skies, sparse woolly clouds, vibrant grass, and sturdy but generous winds. As I was listening to the record, I felt overwhelmed by the scene, and the retrospective images they unearthed. The instrumentals, with their earnest and warmly tender folk sensibilities only enhanced this feeling, sprouting further from the ground, with tendrils tangling around my limbs. 

Rippling in was the track “mount moon”, the only sample heavy track on the album, with darling spacey synth blips backed by a clapping drum machine loop, and a precious ambience seeping through the gaps in the foliage. Whispers of “Today will look just like heaven,” hang around like the essences of past conversations soaked into the land. At either end of the song are voicemail samples from Dylan’s grandmother. It’s shaky and static in sound, and frantic, like she was struggling to figure out the technology, but still filled with an endearing appreciation for the receiver. 

It reminded me of my own grandparents, most of whom aren’t here anymore. That feeling transuded through my being. Like the spilled orange soda soaking through the dry weathered wood of the decades old playset. Or the dimming and brightening clouded sun simmering through the cheap lattice weaved curtains. There, I cried. I cried happy tears, that curved around a warbling, radiating smile. I sat up looking around the small park, and all the people that passed by it. A dog came up and licked my palm, and I melted into more gleeful tears. I was overwhelmed by joy, and I felt so wildly loved. 

In that moment, listening to “mount moon” and all the context provided from listening to the rest of the album, it gave me a realization that led to such a positive visceral reaction. I saw that even with all the people who aren’t there anymore, even if they are gone, there was still so much love. It’s still somber, and it won’t make every loss feel right immediately, but it brings clarity. Even if in death their physical presence isn’t here anymore to show that, all those past indications are still there. All that adoration and caring is still there. It takes the form of memories that can be cherished and relived, but it also remains in me. The love that those people showed me in the past still defines who I am as a person in the present, and I carry that on as I live out daily life.  

“It’s what it’s trying to capture. I try my best to see that there is a lot of beauty in the world that is good. I also think that some of it is stuff that exists in our own past, and that can feel kinda complicated. It’s cause you have this beautiful moment growing up, and now that is no longer with you. But it is still. It can feel like a lot,” Dylan had said on this notion. The halcyon moments that are remembered so fondly don’t just end as soon as a person moves out of that singular point in time. Instead, they carry on forever into the long-lasting future, suspended in the fluid of time that defines the world around us.  

They’re like snapshots of moments that live in different astral planes of existence, ruminating through things like the cracks in drywall, the ridges of stone, the shine through a car’s windshield, or the gaps between roots and leaves. Sending through warm reverberations, it shows that the past and its influence will last for the rest of time. Those people and moments will always be there, like spirits lingering, haunting them in the most loving way possible. They’re there as something to hold onto and melt over. 

Dylan purposefully tried to pack as much nostalgic imagery into the record as they could. Things like catching fishes and running barefoot in the rain mentioned on “leave your things, the stars are returning”, or staring at streetlights while wandering around at night on “pack your bags, it’s time to go home” among many other small, detailed moments on the album make it so it can conjure up these aspects of the past for anybody.  

Despite being a smaller artist, having around 10,000 monthly listeners on streaming platforms, this aspect of evoking blissful memories is what has connected with so many people. It has established a strong, faithful following around bedbug. Tyler Odom, who’s behind the bedroom screamo band Your Arms Are My Cocoon, has expressed an absolute admiration for bedbug, citing them as their favorite artist ever. Dylan has also brought up the many times they’ve had interactions with fans over email or on social media who gave gleaming accounts of how much they loved their music, and what it had meant to them. Those few people who have listened really care and have found an attachment. 

“The people that like it, like it so much more than I was expecting them to. They really love it, which I appreciate,” Dylan said on the reactions to bedbug that they have gotten. “Right now, where it’s at, not a ton of people are listening, but the few that do are really invested. I’m pretty grateful for the people that are following me.” They also added that inspiring all these people seems weird. They feel like that the band is way too small to have that kind of impact on people, but through all the messages, they know that impact is there.  

With this, the songs on pack your bags the sun is growing and Dylan’s voice that occupies them has become its own entity that lingers and stays with a person. During and after listening, all the sensibilities interlaced in the album weave themselves between the essence of the listener. They carry the songs with them as they live out the rest of their lives, being able to reflect on the tones and rhythms whenever. These melodies are granted immortality, residing in the core of the people who they have graced. pack your bags displays that the joyous aspects of past nostalgia will always be there for us in some spectral form. 

The post “pack your bags the sun is growing” from bedbug has granted immortality appeared first on KRUI Radio.