Coming off a strong LP with I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You, the West Coast artist continues to become more versatile with his latest mixtape SCRAPYARD. This mixtape has almost everything to offer within the current musical landscape. There are traces of postmodern hip-hop, cloud rap, indie rock, and folktronica. The combination of these genres makes for a fun and creative record. Despite the various mixes of different musical genres and influences, Quadeca’s sense of melody is strong throughout the project and every hook lands.

Quite honestly, SCRAPYARD sounds like the project that artists like Yung Lean and Lil Ugly Mane have been trying to make over the entirety of their groundbreaking careers. The triumphant instrumental of the incredible “A LA CARTE” sounds like something that would sound at home on a Bon Iver record, while “GUESS WHO?” is an energetic EDM trap banger. “U TRIED THAT THING WHERE UR HUMAN” has a distant almost alien like sense of emotion that is commonly seen on Björk albums. Quadeca’s confidence throughout this record is exuberant as he tackles an array of challenging styles, putting his own emo hip-hop spin on the various genres incorporated on his latest mixtape.

One of the biggest flaws of Quadeca’s unbridled creativity is the lack of cohesive thought. Even though most of the songs off on this project sound good individually, the great variety in styles spreads the main focus thin. It leaves us with undercooked tracks like “I MAKE IT LOOK EFFORTLESS” and “WAY TOO MANY FRIENDS”. Despite Quadeca showing proficiency in many different styles of music, he has mastered few of them.

Nonetheless, the potential that he shows across the fifteen tracks of this mixtape left me awestruck with the possibility of what he could do in the future. Quadeca has the raw talent to create classic records for years to come. If he simply hones in and develops some of the styles showcased across this diverse mixtape, we are going to be in for something special in the near future. If SCRAPYARD is merely a bare bones skeleton of a great record, I have seen few that are more appealing.

Official Maurice Crawford Score: 8.2/10

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Regardless of whatever sticky tangle of emotions you find yourself in this heavily commercialized and commodified holiday, there’s always time to discover some new jams and reunite with some old musical flames! For this edition of Girl King (prev. Conundrum of the Veil for all two of my regular readers) I’ll be sharing a mix of my favorite classic love songs, the kind you’d want to be serenaded by, or have your first dance at your wedding to. Reflecting on recent nuptials in London’s enchanting venues, it’s evident how much a picture station enhances the overall ambiance. These booths serve not just as entertainment hubs but also as creative outlets for guests to express themselves. The spontaneity and laughter they bring to an event are unparalleled. For a truly distinctive addition to your celebration, I suggest using captivating wedding photo booths in London for enhancing matrimonial celebrations.

First off, we have the timelessly tender original Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis. I have included the Ingrid Michaelson version as well, and highly recommend listening to the Fleet Foxes version as well as Kina Grannis’s. There have been countless covers of this classic, but nothing can beat the syrupy crooning of the King of Rock (Happy Black History Month, click here to learn about the Black artists that actually pioneered the genre) to give you the feeling of waltzing to the crackling radio with a lover in the kitchen.

Speaking of Kina Grannis, “Valentine” off of her 2013 album Stairwells is another holiday appropriate song and an excellent representation of Grannis’s earlier work. Grannis’s cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” was recently and notably featured on the soundtrack of Crazy Rich Asians. “Valentine” is a similarly saccharine song, displaying Grannis’s sweet, clear voice, naturally complemented by an acoustic base and folksy percussion.

“Baby I’m Yours” by Barbara Lewis was released in 1965 and is a sensual ballad that brings grandiose orchestration to pop. You may have heard it in Baby Driver, or Bridges of Madison County with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Barbara Lewis was an African American singer most active in the 1960s. She was musically talented from a young age, singing, performing and writing her own music. She went on to have an illustrious career with Atlantic Records. Learn more about her life and accomplishments here.

Need something to watch this Valentine’s day that will make you question all of the entrapments of modern relationships? Why not revisit Spike Jonze’s Her, the movie “The Moon Song” hails from! Written by Karen O and Spike Jonze, “The Moon Song” rests on simple acoustic backing which lends itself to a sleepy, tender sound.  It holds a special place in my heart, as the studio version is accompanied by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. (Who is now expecting a baby with actress Rashida Jones!) Amazingly, Karen O is best known for her work as the lead vocalist for the rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I, for some reason, assumed she was some small indie artist trying to break out of YouTube, but she has had a long, wildly successful as a female rock singer. Check her out, she’s an amazing Asian American artist.

Lastly, we have “Two Slow Dancers” by Mitski. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t normally put this song on this type of playlist but I really wanted an excuse to write about Mitski (because it’s not an article unless I mention Vampire Weekend or Mitski). In the end, we’re all just two slow dancers, last ones out. Buy tickets for Mitski’s upcoming show here and stay tuned on KRUI for coverage of Mission Creek!

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Just look at this album cover. Is this not the most hardcore Halloween banger album art you’ve ever seen?

As we descend into October, cool mists roll across campus and the veil between our world and the supernatural grows ever thinner. There was a new moon on Sunday, a good time for reflection and refreshing for this next cycle. Cultivate an intention for this month, set a little energy aside to reach a goal, whether personal, academic or otherwise.

Happy Libra season, you beautiful foolish Libras. There’s a full moon early in the first decan of Scorpio this year. A full moon means that it’s time to cash in on the energy you’ve put toward making or manifesting something. Use this energy for good, act where you have previously refrained. Come out of the shadows and into your own this October.

Track #1 – “Can’t Play Dead” by The Heavy

We kick off this playlist with a romp into the world of B-list zombies, werewolves and vampires with The Heavy’s “Can’t Play Dead”. Imagine you’re sprawled across your couch on a cold October night, as the wind howls outside and tree branches rattle against the windows. The TV is tuned to a channel showing old school horror movies. You’re starting to fall asleep and as your dreams grow strange…

The Heavy is a rock band of four that hails from Bath, England. In this decidedly monster mash vibe, “[‘Can’t Play Dead’] feels like the soundtrack to a zombie B-movie” according to lead singer Kelvin Swaby. With lyrics like “Walks like a zombie / talks too cold / lives in a graveyard like the one I call home”, the song comments on the cutthroat and profit-driven cycles of the music industry.

The drama of this absolute Halloween banger is topped with a homemade feeling claymation music video. The music video showcases the song’s “filthy garage riffs” and is complete with nods to monster movie imagery and sound.

Track #21 – “Lose Your Soul” by Dead Man’s Bones

We finish off with a personal favorite of mine. There’s nothing like a children’s choir on backing vocals to make it feel like someone’s walking over your grave. The project is led by Hollywood beloved actor Ryan Gosling and his friend Zach Shields. The two first connected in 2005 over their shared obsession with all things supernatural, and embarked on creating what would be the album “Dead Man’s Bones”.

The album centers around an almost fireside retelling of a monster-ghost love story. Every instrument was played by either Gosling or Shields themselves, even instruments they had never played before. They incorporate the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir to give it that extra eerie and honest feeling. Experimental, weird and so much fun, I highly recommend you give this album a listen if you’re into the thematic and dramatic. Read more about the project here and check out Pitchfork’s review!

These jams are guaranteed to get you in the mood, whether you tear it up at a house party, or run howling at the moon this Halloween.

Listen to the whole playlist below!

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