“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.

It started slowly. I enjoyed two singles from their last album, an album with the so bad it’s kind of good title, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. Those songs were the insanely catchy “The Sound”and the dark breakup song to end all breakup songs, “Somebody Else.” I attempted to get more into the album, yet was unable to find anything close to those songs on it.

When the singles for this album began pouring out earlier this year, I listened but expected very little. I was surprised to find myself utterly infatuated with them.

Many of those singles rank among my favorites of the year. “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” is remarkable with its throwback 80’s synths mixed with the 1975’s more traditional alternative sound. The song also slowly reveals itself overtime, at first seeming like a traditional love song before revealing itself to be an ode to heroin. The line “collapse my veins, wearing beautiful shoes” indicates this double meaning, which is pretty well hidden with the bubbly pop melody and background chorus singing as well.

The most talked about (rightfully so) song on the album is “Love It If We Made It.” The state of our world anthem that rattles the speakers. With lyrics referencing Kanye, Lil Peep, Trump, heroin (again) and much more, the song is a true overview of the times. It feels as if it could be kitschy and teeters on the edge of ironic and aggravating.

However, front man Matt Healy’s lyrics stand up to scrutiny. They demand to be screamed and his delivery, along with the throbbing guitars and synths, achieve the perfect balance. This song truly feels like a song to blast out of your care while thinking about impeachment.

Finally, “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME” is the most straight up pop song on here, and it’s gloriously infectious. Check this song out if you want to have a catchy counting rhyme stuck in your head all day. I’ve had it trapped in my skull for weeks and I’m not even mad. It’s a strong spin on modern pop stylings while also feeling deeper than traditional radio fare with its ties the albums themes of internet relationships.

For me, nothing else comes quite as close to those songs yet there are a lot of strong ones on this album. “Give Yourself A Try” is a fun, inspiring anthem for young people.

“Sincerity is Scary” shows some great range from the band with its jazz-indebted arrangement and gospel choir. I also enjoy the auto-tune freak out “I Like America and America Likes Me” which is gloriously over the top in its lyrics and electronic trappings.

This album still has a few pitfalls for me, with the ballads not getting much mileage. The late album stretch of slow love songs is a little boring. They definitely could have been pared down and made the album stronger.

But, The 1975 is not a band that pares down their albums. They are always over the top, something I hadn’t been able to reconcile with before. Somehow though, that persona is working for me on this album.

Matt Healy is the ultimate provocative millennial and he has tightened that viewpoint on this album, with his lyrics the best they’ve ever been. I would compare him to a modern-day Morrissey, a songwriter with strong imagery, provocative interviews, and a strong political bent.

I’m also eager to crown him the “King of the Millennials” a title he would likely take with ironic pride. It’s also a title he seems to be gunning for, as evidenced by the dramatic and classic album closer, “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)”

I’ve always had a soft spot for concept albums,whether they’re about mid western states, fake bands, or straight up narratives,and this album works well with its vague concept. The themes of online relationships show up again and again on the album, with cellphones crumbling a relationship in “TOOTIME” and (somewhat hilariously) on the Her-esque Siri spoken word “The Man Who Married A Robot.” This album has obviously involved a lot of care and thematic forethought, which pushes me to delve deeper into it.

A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships is not brief, which is ultimately its main flaw. But, it demonstrates the growth of the 1975, as it contains their best songs and strong experimentations.  It honestly made me into a fan, no matter how hard I pushed against it. You just need to let Healy’s persona slowly wash over you. Soon, you’ll be screaming “Love It If We Made It” along with their mostly teenage girl fan base. And you’ll hate that you love it.

The post Album Review: The 1975’s “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

What is your favorite genre of music to listen to?

“Modern rock and rap, those are definitely my two favorites!”

Who do you listen to the most?

“I listen to Tame Impala, The Japanese House, Cage the Elephant, and then in rap, I listen to a lot of Chance the Rapper and Drake, obviously. I didn’t listen to Kendrick Lamar that much until his new album, but I really like him now, and I also recently started listening to Brock Hampton and I love them. I also like SZA, but she’s not really rap, she’s more R&B, I guess.”

How long have you been listening to modern rock?

“Not long, I mean, in high school I just listened to mainly what was on the radio and Lana Del Rey, but once I got Spotify during my senior year of high school, I started to branch out.”

How long have you been listening to rap?

“Forever. I have two older brothers, and one of them was really into Kid Cudi, so I got into Kid Cudi in middle school, and he liked ‘Graduation’ by Kanye West, so I remember listening to that a lot with him around that same time period.”

How would you define your music taste?

“It is the most spastic thing ever. The playlists that I create make no sense cohesively. The songs can vary from The Japanese House to Drake, from Tame Impala to Lana Del Rey or Cigarettes After Sex. I just like a random collection of music. I guess I don’t make very good playlists because whatever I’m listening to, I just throw it all together. They honestly don’t really make any sense.”

What are you recommending I review?

“The EP, ‘Swim Against the Tide’, by The Japanese House.”

How long have you been listening to this band?

“Probably a year and a half, or close to two years.”

Why do you like The Japanese House?

“She’s kind of got an electronic/psychedelic/rock-y vibe, but also lyrically, it’s really cool. She kind of reminds me of Radiohead. In interviews, she said she was inspired by them and one of her biggest inspirations for her music was their album ‘Rainbows’, which is one of my favorite albums ever.”

I’ve known Annie for a while, and for as long as we’ve been friends, she’s been raving about this band. She’s seen The Japanese House twice, she loves them so much! Above is a screenshot of an Instagram post from her first time at their concert. I can still remember how excited she was! I, on the other hand, have never listened to them, so I’m excited to learn more about them.

The Japanese House is an indie pop band hailing from England that is made up of just one artist; Amber Bain. I guess I would never have known that had I not researched it, as I always assume artists with names like “The ____” or “Owl City”, for example, are bands, but sometimes it’s really just one person! She is the singer, the guitarist, the synthesizer, the keyboardist and the producer. Talk about an independent woman.

The name of her self-driven musical career was inspired by a place in Cornwall that Amber and her family frequented when she was a child. She recalls that there were many Japanese tea houses throughout the property and that her experiences there helped her to decide to go with an anonymous title for her music, rather than using her own name.

The Japanese House has released four EPs, one of which I will be reviewing in this column. “Swim Against the Tide” was released on November 11th, 2016 and consists of four songs; “Swim Against the Tide”, “Face Like Thunder”, “Good side in”, and “Leon”. I will be doing a brief review of each song, and then an overall review of the EP.

“Swim Against the Tide”

I really like the intro to this song. I don’t know what it is, it’s just kind of soothing and funky at the same time. Remember in my last article how I said I was a “visual-listener”? This intro reminds me of the scene in Ratatouille when Remy’s brother, Emile, eats a strawberry and piece of cheese at the same time and Remy is describing all of the sounds and colors that he should be experiencing (but he doesn’t because he is an uncreative rat).

The chorus is nice and subtle. While listening to it, I was just amazed thinking about the fact that Amber does this all by herself. I wish I was that talented! The song overall is good. It doesn’t jump out at me like, “Oh my gosh, I need to listen to this over and over for the next hour”, but it is a good piece. I’ve linked it below if you want to give it a listen yourself.

“Face Like Thunder”

The second song on this EP sounds like a mix of Bastille and The 1975, which makes sense, because Amber has worked extensively with members of The 1975, and has even gone on tour with them a couple of times. Maybe I feel like they sound similar because all of the bands mentioned in this tidbit are British? I want whatever they’re having because there’s something over there that must be making their musicians sound this good!

Like the first one, this song is good but isn’t jumping out at me as being “the one”. You can decide after you listen to it. I did watch the music video for this one, which I try not to do because they can easily distract one from the lyrics and the musicality of the song, *cough cough Taylor Swift’s recent music videos*, but the videography of this one is beautiful. It’s really simple, and Amber isn’t lip-syncing so hard that you can read her lips. It’s like she’s just singing along quietly, not wanting anyone to notice it. I appreciate that. She’s a natural.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_peMDiN6f14

“Good side in”

I don’t know what is happening in the beginning of this song with the percussion, but I like it. It’s unusual, it’s different. It sounds like marbles rolling through a rain pipe, which I think is the point because the first lyrics are “and it started to rain”. So cool.

After the first verse, the instruments completely change…it sounded more natural in the beginning, just the plucking of a guitar or two, but then as the chorus started, the electronic side of The Japanese House was brought in. It seems to switch back and forth throughout the song, depending on if the bridge or chorus is being sang. I like change, it keeps me on my toes! This is my favorite song so far. You can’t help but bob your head along as you listen to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_SWoseprUE

“Leon”

Here we are. The final song. Definitely has a The 1975 sound to it. She layers multiple vocal notes over each other, like at least three different parts. This is just like the first two songs; sounds cool and I don’t dislike it, I’m just not crazy about it. There’s not much else I can say. It seems like her music kind of follows a theme, which isn’t a bad thing by any means! I just expected more individuality since it’s an EP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOqcJnM1PMA

Overall, this EP was good. I like The Japanese House so much that I’m going to add the station onto my Pandora list, but – I felt as if 3/4 of the songs sounded the same. It’s not bad for an artist to be comfortable with their sound and to follow a “theme”, if you will, but I don’t know, I expected something different. That’s why my favorite was “Good side in”; it was different from all of the rest. The others were good. I just wanted a variety, I suppose.

If you want to learn more about The Japanese House, here is her website.

Annie said that you should follow her Spotify account, so here is the link to that.

And as always, if you’re super interested in my own personal life, here is my Instagram link. Give me a follow!

And lastly, here is a photo that Annie took of The Japanese House performing at Lollapalooza! She was really excited to get a chance to talk about one of her favorite artists, so I decided I would include this photo just for her!

The post The Rolling Bean: “Swim Against the Tide” by The Japanese House appeared first on KRUI Radio.

That being said, this track is close to nothing like anything on their debut self-titled album. The band proclaimed an end to their grungy, sorrowful aesthetic, and Love Me is well representative of this change of sound. The single—its album cover sporting a neon pastel pink contrast to the dreary black and white of previous covers—is an upbeat tune that is sure to resonate with anyone who vibes with psychedelic 80’s jams.

Love Me strongly comes off as a positive, feel-good song that is also lightly charged with a commentary on fame and lifestyle in its lyrics. It’s almost hard to recognize “what a shame” it is that “you’re reading about yourself on a plane” when the beat is so easy to groove with. A heavier, further criticism lies in lines “you’ve got a beautiful face but got nothing to say” and “we’ve just come to represent a decline in the standards of what we accept.” Even though this song’s chorus feels light-hearted and fun, the band still follows through with embedding its usual thought-provoking lyrics.

There is much to look forward to as this track serves as the first single off their upcoming album set to release in 2016, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It. Without a doubt, The 1975 successfully deliver with Love Me: a taste of their new sound and musical mood, but also a treat for any fan’s music library.

Watch the music video for Love Me below, and check out The 1975 on touring the U.S. this winter.

The post Track of the Week: “Love Me” By The 1975 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

If you like what you hear, their new EP, “IV” is out now. Buy it in CD or vinyl form here.

The post Track of the Week: “Chocolate” by The 1975 appeared first on KRUI Radio.