“Paraglow” is the appropriately named collaboration from modern shoegaze artists Parannoul and Asian Glow, and it glows hard. Following their last collaborative album “Downfall of the Neon Youth,” both artists have continued to innovate the 5th wave emo genre individually. Experiencing another collaboration project from them like “Paraglow” is really special. Featuring layers of moody riffs and dreamy vocals, each track has a strong sense of flow, while explosive percussion keeps listeners engaged. Everything about this record feels new. The shoegaze genre can feel stale from the constant My Bloody Valentine fervor, but “Paraglow” is a fresh addition that combines elements of jazz, metal, and hardcore into melancholic and energetic melodies. The album closes with “Wheel,” a 15-minute spiritual experience and tempo rollercoaster. It’s arguably among both acts’ greatest songs to date. – Elizabeth Pauly

TSHA: “Capricorn Sun” (Album)

I’ve listened to TSHA since 2018, when she released a track called “Sacred,” which is filled with delicate melodic elements. Since then, TSHA’s production ran on a finite line. Her songs filled a certain spots during the night, in a moment where heart and body meet. Fast forward to early this year, TSHA delivered a strong, robust, and dance floor-oriented mix for the highly regarded nightclub, London fabric. Reeled in, preparing for the release, I was a little confused on what to expect from this upcoming debut album. DJ-ready danceable tracks for a fall Saturday night? Or delicate melodies to be listened to during a cross country drive during the sunset?

“Capricorn Sun” fills both brackets, with some tracks from previous EPs and brand-new ones that allow the fresh take on TSHA’s melodic yet danceable sound. The two introductory tracks, “Galdem (Intro)” and “The Light,” set the emotional roots for the project. Even the previously released tracks like “OnlyL” still feel like they’re in the right place. Take “Power” as an example, which allows a look back at TSHA’s roots in house music. The project also includes great vocal performances from NIMMO, Mafro, and Grammy-winning vocalist Omou Sangaré. Personally, Clementine Douglas takes it all for me, especially on “Dancing in the Shadows.” On “Capricorn Sun,” TSHA displays her ability create a coherent story. The album is inherently hers from front to back, an impressive feat that is worth the listen. – Andres V. Mora Mata

The 1975: “Being Funny In A Foreign Language” (Album)

After releasing two grandiose and heavily conceptual albums (“A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” in 2018 and “Notes on a Conditional Form” in 2020), The 1975 decided to deviate from the poppy and synth-heavy sound on their 5th studio album. Aptly titled “Being Funny in a Foreign Language,” this album displays a stripped-down version of the sounds we are used to hearing from The 1975. Produced by Jack Antonoff, this album uses a similar approach seen his other projects (Taylor Swift’s “folklore” and “evermore,” Lana Del Rey’s “Norman F***ing Rockwell,” Lorde’s “Solar Power”) by heavily incorporating mellow and minimalist instrumentation. This tactic showcases the vocals and songwriting while creating a heightened sense of intimacy. While I had my doubts about how this bare-bones approach would play out for The 1975, this switch worked well for the band. The risk results in a fresh, concise and reinvigorating album that stands out from the rest of The 1975’s discography. However, the instrumentation and production are not the only aspects that make this record shine. 

The band’s frontman, Matt Healy, does a masterful job at adapting his songwriting to match the production. Instead of focusing on the abstract elements of human existence as he did on prior works, Healy focuses his songwriting on love’s human impact. While this songwriting might seem underwhelming when compared to previous 1975 records, it shows a sense of sincerity and emotion on standout tracks like “All I Need To Hear”, “Oh Caroline” and “Part of the Band.” There are even flashes of sounds from previous 1975 albums, notably on “Happiness” and “I’m in Love With You.” “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” shows that The 1975 is still capable of successfully overhauling their sound nearly a decade into their career. It seems they will continue to thrive artistically on future records as they expand their sound. – Maurice Crawford

hey, nothing: “i haunt ur dreams” (Single)

I am going to preface this by saying that I. Love. Halloween. I love music with a spooky aesthetic, such as “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO” by Billie Eilish, anything by Freddie Dredd, and “prolly my spookiest beat” by prodby668. It checks out, then that I have been listening to “i haunt ur dreams” by hey, nothing on repeat since it released. ‘Tis the season. First featured in a TikTok clip, the song instantly went viral. The two band members, Harlow and Tyler, finally released the studio version on 10/12/22. This song is a fun indie song, something that gets lost often in the genre. However, at its core, the song is unquestionably Halloween-esque.

It has a nostalgic guitar backing, with multilayered vocals talking about a ghost haunting someone: a former lover or a friend. The story of this song is what we would all do if we were a ghost: float around, go through walls, and haunt people. However, what really shines through this song is the chorus. The “ooo’s” in the background of the chorus add to the spooky nature, and the chords are simple, allowing the song to shine. The chords are similar to “Where is my mind” by The Pixies, which lends to a nostalgic nature for a lot of listeners. I would heavily recommend giving this song a listen and adding it to your “fall vibez” playlist (it’s ok, we all have one). – Mason Dunn

Alvvays: “Blue Rev” (Album)

Alvvays overcame apartment theft, flooding, and other roadblocks before releasing “Blue Rev,” an album filled with delightful experimental twists on the group’s already proven sound. The Toronto band’s first album in five years blends genres from intense jangle-pop to shoegaze, with soaring choruses that stick in the listener’s head long after the record is over. Last year, Alvvays teamed up with producer Shawn Everett to record the album on analog. Everett has produced albums with The Killers, The Growlers, and Kurt Vile. The opening song on “Blue Rev,” “Pharmacist”, sets the album’s tone: a light guitar leads before distortion washes over into a beautiful, twisted wave of sound. Molly Rankin’s lead vocals effortlessly float around complex, powerful melodies throughout the album. Her lyrics counteract the sprawling dreampop sound, grounding the album with intelligent songs. “After the Earthquake” was inspired by stories from Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, and “Pharmacist” details running into an ex’s sister at a pharmacy and her mentioning his “new love glow.”

“Tom Verlaine,” named after the eclectic post-punk artist, is backed by the warm glow of a droning guitar. It centers around attempted change, even when it may not be easy, with lyrics like “I know you’ll be there in the rain/just like the first night/telling me you’ve changed.” Their familiar jangle-pop sound can be seen in “Many Mirrors” and “Pressed.” “Very Online Guy” has vocal distortion, counter melodies, and rapid tone changes to deliver an erratic sound in a stand-out song. The 8-bit music video matches the nostalgic tone with bright distorted backgrounds and 80s technology. Overall, Blue Rev weaves various genres for a fresh indie-pop album that’s a perfect mood-booster, and one of my favorite releases this year. – Nick Layeux

Shygirl: “Nymph” (Album)

So Barbie from “Mermaidia” got a BBL. Or, Shygirl, the preeminent sound of the UK’s underground scene, has finally released her debut album “Nymph.” Since announcing herself in 2016 with the likes of Sega Bodega and Coucou Chloe, Blane Muise AKA Shygirl has established a raucous, bawdy body of work imbued with a libidinous charge that fuels the depths of sweat-soaked clubs deep into the night. Having already collaborated with the likes of FKA Twigs, Arca, and Lady Gaga, Shygirl’s hedonistic sound of the future has been solidified with tracks such as “BDE,” “BB,” and career-high banger “FREAK.” But it was 2021’s “Cleo” that took her sound on a more romantic route, softening out her rough edges to find an emotional depth. “Nymph” rises here, out of the waves, marking a new pivot in both her discography and persona. 

“Nymph” stays true to its title, transforming and manipulating both genre and emotional tone in a playful array in 32 minutes. Now, this doesn’t mean that Shygirl has gone celibate, locking herself in a monastery. Rather, sex itself, lyrically, is a metaphor for a more intimate display of emotions bubbling below the surface. Against trap-beats and smoky acoustics in “Shlut,” she states, “Is it so bad to just like to be touched?” For Shygirl, it’s clear that she’s comfortable placing herself within the taboo and misinterpreted world of sexuality. She can be upfront about her desires such as in opener “Woe,” “Missin u,” and the gynecologist’s lullaby that is “Coochie (a bedtime story).” At the same time, she possesses a vivid sense of yearning on the glitchy garage tracks “Firefly,” “Heaven,” “Wildfire”, and the Arca-produced erotic dance track, “Come For Me.”

Shygirl doesn’t do this all by herself, though. Producers like Sega Bodega, Mura Masa, Bloodpop, and Danny L Harle mix their signature sounds to create a kaleidoscopic blend of electronica, R&B, and hip hop. The blend gives the album a technical edge that plays along with Shygirl’s falsetto. “Nymph’s” reference points include Madonna’s “Ray of Light,” Tricky’s “Maxinquaye,: and Smoke City’s Brazilian infused trip-hop, recalling the 90s and Y2K in a non-obnoxious way. “Nymph” is not a perfect album, but as a debut it expands her creative capabilities into a larger realm, letting her sound run freely without fear. “Nymph” is an album that reveals itself like a rainstorm that pours into a sensual sea. – Ben Romero

PJ Harvey: “B-Sides, Demos & Rarities” (Compilation)

In November, singer-songwriter PJ Harvey is set to release an entire album of b-sides, demos, and unreleased tracks. This is excellent news for her fans. On October 7th, 2022, she released 3 new tracks and several previously released tracks as an EP for the upcoming collection. These three tracks cover a wide range of her previous styles. “Memphis” is a raw, high-energy song about friendship and love, and particularly losing a lover. She does not shy away from her own pain, and sings about death and the difference between death and loss. Stylistically, this track is reminiscent of her critically acclaimed album “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.” 

“Dance,” is a lo-fi track that sounds like it was written for her debut album, “Dry.” The lyrics are abstract: the chorus is about how she dances, while the verses are about a girl’s somewhat depressing life and death. Part of the brilliance of this track is the upbeat guitar riff with brutal lyrics. The final new track, “Wait,” reminds me of “Stories from the City,” but maintains the grittier sound of her earliest albums. Lyrically the song is about waiting, but has a dark undertone of mystery. This is something Harvey has always excelled at. She keeps the listener on edge by not elaborating on what is unsaid, giving us a sense of unease. I recommend this project for fans of singer-songwriters. I am very excited for the 59-track album on November 4th. – Alli Seamans

Click below for a playlist of music featured in this article.

The post Staff Picks: Best of October appeared first on KRUI Radio.

On Weatherglow, 5th-wave emo icons Weatherday and Asian Glow, masterminded by Sputnik and Gyungwon Shin respectively, team up to create a new high-water mark for the genre. While these recordings may sound comparatively hi-fi beside Weatherday’s Come In, and a bit closer in production style to Asian Glow’s Cull Ficle, the raucous, DIY ethos is present as ever. Dirty guitar textures blanket an atmosphere of shoegaze and pair it with vibrant riffs and intimate vocal performances. This duo’s comfortability in both crooning and screaming allows them to convey a full range of feeling while writing lyrics that sidestep cliche completely. No one else would sing lyrics like those on “Clockwalk Around the Ache”: “All of my penetrated spells were found to head to you through the neon signs / If we come to break right in time, no longer suffer from each other.” It is a loose poetry just barely audible under the scuzz of guitar and crashing cymbals. Most impressive is how they pull off something only the best emo bands can–they make melancholy really rock. A song like the opener, “Melt a Bed” showcases the variety of their strengths–from the starting get-up-and-jump riff, to the middle section of ambient, crackling synths–the band jumps between levels of energy with such ease that the song is barely more than three minutes–no big crescendoes necessary. “Look Alive, Sunshine”, meanwhile, has some of the catchiest melodies in either of the bands’ catalogs–a feat of its own. Weatherglow is an accomplishment that packs the brilliance of five genre-defining albums into one EP.

–Jaden Amjadi

Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See Your Future

Denzel Curry has never been one to cling to a single style or sound. While he may be best known for his more energetic tracks, complete with jarring, horror-esque production and raucous delivery, he turns away from his signature sounds in favor of a more reserved sound. Many of the beats are much more relaxed than on Denzel’s previous albums, but they still cling tightly to the alien, foggy sounds that are a key component of Denzel’s musical reputation. While the sound may not be as striking, the beats are still filled to the brim with zest and still capture Denzel’s musical personality flawlessly. While he has never shied away from opening up to his listeners, the emotion and tenderness is particularly dense on this record. On the lead single, “Walkin”, he touches on his personal demons and expands on how this struggle is not unique to him, but is a struggle brought on to many by the system. He preaches over a simple yet smooth beat, with a graceful beat-switch in the middle of the track that he glides over with multiple flows. On “Ain’t No Way”, one of the album’s more zestful cuts, Denzel joins forces with 6LACK, Rico Nasty, J.I.D., Jasiah, Powers Pleasant, and Kitty Ca$h, all of whom add a unique element to the track in what is by far the most feature-heavy song on the album. On “X-Wing”, Denzel’s originality in his production blossoms, fusing angelic strings and piano melodies with classic trap 808s and drums. This direction of sound and theme may not have been what most fans, including myself, expected, but the direction Denzel chose is clear and executed with few flaws.

–Evan Weidl

Charli XCX – Crash

After working with some of the most acclaimed artists in the hyperpop hemisphere, such as the late SOPHIE herself, Charli XCX has returned to rip out the barely beating heart of the pop industry to take a nasty bite. On her latest release, Crash, Charli plays up the big popstar trope with lavish outfits, choreographed dances, and even bigger hair while the music follows suit, drawing heavily from the glam pop of the 1980s and millennium-age dance pop. This tongue-in-cheek incarnation of the “pop diva” stereotype is elevated by the undeniably catchy and commanding pop songwriting the singer consistently brings to her work. On tracks like “Beg for You” and “Used to Know Me”, Charli interpolates the classic 00s hit “Cry for You” by September and the 1992 track “Show Me Love” by Robin S. These odes to her so-called pop foremothers not only uniquely reimagine the tunes, but also imbue the record with a shot of pop gold from the past. While it veers hard into the campy realm of mainstream pop, this record also steps away from some of the heavier hyperpop work she has done recently, specifically on her last release in 2020, how i’m feeling now. Throbbing bass and erratic synths are replaced with nostalgic, shimmery keys and light-footed staccato beats on the tracks “Constant Repeat” and “Lightning” just to name a couple. Though, while she may be moving into a territory that some consider superficial, over-the-top, and predictable, Charli proves that she is anything but your run-of-the-mill pop princess. She is indeed the bloody queen of the pop charts.

–Sydney Sjobakken

Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems

To live in the US diaspora population, in my experience, is to be in many ways removed from the culture some would assume of you. It is to recognize you live in a deeply racist, nationalist country while also recognizing, with respect to people in destabilized countries, that much of the terror the US perpetuates is somewhere far away. Of course, this is in no way equal for everyone in the US diaspora (it helps to be white, for one!). On Diaspora Problems, Soul Glo meets these contradictions with wit and grace–and a whole lot of energy. Sonically, the band sits beside emotional hardcore acts like Orchid and Converge–but with an added undeniable sense of groove. As vocalist Pierce Jordan cascades between high register screams and low register rhymes, he reminds the listener how negligible the line between rapped hip hop vocals and screamed punk vocals has always been. Afterall–what hip hop fan could possibly deny “Driponomics” with Mother Maryrose for the banger it is? While the quickly screamed lyrics can be a bit hard to make out, they’re well worth a look-up. Jordan writes about emotional subjects with great humor. Jordan’s lyrics are less about being some dialectical literary dork that politically “dropkicks MGK” and more about being–and through being the inherently political nature of just living on appears. But outside of any lyrical content, the passionately performed music on its own packs more of a punch than your average hardcore record. Soul Glo’s Diaspora Problems is the most exciting punk album to come out in a long time.

–Jaden Amjadi

Zeal & Ardor – Zeal & Ardor

There’s something to be said for musicians who ensure that a constant je ne sais quoi permeates their art; something that tells the listener, “Hey, you’re listening to my album!”. In the case of Zeal & Ardor, their commitment to creating a world through their music that asks, “What if enslaved people in America turned to black magic as a means of escape?” is right up that alley. The Swiss sextet’s newest self-titled album is both ambitious and insular in its sound with tracks like “Emersion”–a synth backdrop coupled with unintelligible death metal shrieks–and the blistering bare-bones black metal “Götterdämmerung” sharing space in this release and neither feeling out of place. Of course, the true highlights are when lead singer Manuel Gagneux brings out his blues-inflected vocals like on singles “Church Burns” and “Run”. Altogether it’s a dark churning mashup of the humid South and freezing Europe with something on it for just about everyone.

–Zachary LeBoeuf

The post The Best Releases of March: Music Staff Picks appeared first on KRUI Radio.