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Label Lookout – Spring ’24

Label Lookout, a semi-regular series at KRUI highlighting a few exciting contemporary record labels and what they have to offer. Here we feature six of the station’s favorite labels in this Spring ’24 Edition.

News
Interview: Laura Bergus on Authoritarianism in Iowa

Lawyer and Iowa City city council member Laura Bergus talks about the alarming recent trend of authoritarianism in Iowa. She also elaborates on why the government is targeting trans people, and the purpose of the Back the Blue laws.

The Best of 2021: Music Staff Picks

20. Snail Mail – Valentine “Snail Mail retains the same wounded lover ethos and hazy, scorned vocals but with a noticeably more pop-inspired instrumental palette. Indie rock guitars and peppy drums provide a sturdy melodic base, while additions of piano or dreamy synths give this album a sometimes danceable effect.” –Sydney Sjobakken 19. Lingua Ignota – Sinner Get Ready “Lingua Ignota has always incorporated a regal and grandiose instrumental palette, but SINNER GET READY shows a slightly softer side to her work with elements of religious hymns and neofolk. Yet, despite drawing back a bit from her more abrasive tendencies, she still … Continued

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Tropical Fuck Storm – Deep States Aussie noise rock band Tropical Fuck Storm’s third album, Deep States, is as messy and disorienting as the doomed political landscape it was birthed out of. Reflecting mind-poisoning social media discourse twisted through the filter of a distortion pedal, vocalists Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin deliver some of their most compelling melodies over lacerating guitar and synth lines. The opening track, “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, writes from the perspective of Jesus’ second coming to Earth to proclaim in a grand chorus “There ain’t no end of days.” Even at its loudest, a sense … Continued

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Spellling – The Turning Wheel The Turning Wheel, Chrystia Cabral’s third album under the project Spellling, offers bewitchingly captivating progressive folk and neo-soul songs. A shift towards natural instrumentation marks a stark change from 2019’s synth-heavy Mazy Fly, giving these songs a new liveliness, and pushing Cabral’s songwriting towards the theatrical. The sonic palette on its own can be bewildering at first–veering off without warning into performances of soul, hard rock, classical, folk, and of course, synthwave. It’s no surprise that the personnel list reveals more than thirty performers–all of whom sound great. The songs are left with an enchanting … Continued

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Squid – Bright Green Field Long before the release of their debut LP, Squid has been making waves in the post-punk community with their own brand of angular and uniquely provocative songwriting that has set them apart from peers in the genre. With the often deranged and purposely erratic vocal delivery of singer Ollie Judge and the driving pseudo-punk melodies conducted by the rest of the band, there is no doubt the group has emotional, musical, and lyrical potency. In their most recent works, including the two singles they released in 2020 and their latest LP, Squid has begun to incorporate … Continued

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Since the turn of the millennium sports have taken on a whole new look. Rules have changed, superstars have become larger than ever, our favorite players are now owners and fantasy sports are nearly trumping the importance of reality. Although the landscape of professional athletics continues to evolve, one aspect has maintained familiarity; teams still win. Some much more than others. “Dynasty” is term loosely tossed around to describe successful teams after championship runs. In most modern sports, the talent pool has proven too deep to have a classic, 20th-century, dynasty such as the 50s Yankees, 60s Celtics or 90s … Continued

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