diSKOAver weekly: Week of July 8, 2020

OH SHIT LOOK WHO’S LOOKIN’ SNAZZZAAYYYYYYY. Yeah last week during my week of media deprivation I decided to pretty up some things around this web log. You like? 🥰

Also I found
so
much
good
goddamn
music. 🙏🏻

We’re back to 16 tracks a week. That whole doubling up thing was really adorably ambitious of me, especially now that I want to post about all of the things again I don’t want to dread doing this playlist because tbh it’s one of my favorite things to do. It is a labor of love, emphasis on the labor, but you know, whatever.

With that, here are the 16 ways I love you the most this week:

1. Woodes - ”How Long I’d Wait”

   Tumbled into Woodes while checking out last year’s Golden Vessel record (more on him in a few). There’s something so captivating about her that I haven’t been able to put my finger on just yet. She’s practically mystical. Is she secretly a nymph? I need answers. Also she’s got a new song dropping on Friday called “Euphoria” and of course I will make sure you hear it when I do.

2. Arlo Parks - “Eugene”

   When I say that Arlo Parks had me SOBBING for days after I found her that is not even remotely an exaggeration. In addition her penning some of the most deeply personal experiences in a way that will knock the wind out of you, there is something so tenderly piercing about her voice that whatever her words don’t do explicitly her voice is like, “hold up I got this imma make you feel EVERYTHING ok ok”. She recently did a really striking cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” that’s worth checking out, but you definitely have to hear “Black Dog” so you can have a good cry, too.

3. Nelson Kempf - “Hourglass”

   So this is one of 3 tracks that are currently out right now from Nelson Kempf’s upcoming debut album Family Dollar (out on July 24). Apparently Kempf used to be more of a folky kinda musician, but after a decade of hardships he went more experimental. The record touches of the overlooked emotional experience that surrounds poverty. You could say it’s kind of a dark record, but I liken it to how sometimes light finds a way to pierce through a really dark room. Yeah, I guess it’s like that.

4. Tourist x The Range - “Last”

   This is a cool little collaboration that’s a reflection on grief. Apparently as they were writing this they each heard the lyric differently. Tourist could hear, “you know you’re lost”, while The Range was hearing, “you know you’re last”. As Tourist notes, “The duality of that truth resonated with me, as both meanings are applicable when someone leaves us. It has struck a more personal chord recently, as recently one of my dearest friends passed away very suddenly.”

5. Georgia - “Started Out”

   Last year I dropped another track from Georgia in this very playlist series and at some point I somehow reminded myself to check back to see if there was an album , finally got around to listening to Seeking Thrills, and y’all…. what a fucking cool record. I feel like this is a real launching point for her, so you should probably get in on this now.

6. Teenage Bad Girl - “Keep Up With You”

   I’m sorry to be doing this to you, but I am absolutely giving you a band that will probably never make another thing again. I just fucking love good French electro way too much to not pass this along. Teenage Bad Girl existed between 2007 and 2011. I’ve spent the most time with their last record, Back Wash. This track (much like the entire album) has split me between elated and enraged because it slaps so fucking hard but like…this is it. Anyway it’s fucking awesome and you deserve to have this in your arsenal, too.

7. Cora Novoa - “over & done”

   While trying to figure out every last detail about Teenage Bad Girl I crossed paths with their labelmate Cora Novoa (both are on Citizen Records). This Barcelona based bad bitch kinda does it all tbh. In addition to obviously being a music composer and a DJ, she also is the founder and creative director of her own label called SEEKING THE VELVET, which is for electronic and experimental pop music. She’s also an Abelton Official Trainer, music curator, etc. etc. She does a lot. She’s creative as fuuuuck. And she makes really fucking cool techno.

8. Sam I - “wishin’ (feat. bipolar sunshine)”

   Here is me nagging you again to go listen to Random Shit From The Internet Era. This record has something for everyone in it. I would not lie to you. Also like, going to take a moment to throw Sam I some more love because like, all the features on this record are great. Hadn’t heard bipolar sunshine before this. Really loving him.

9. The Kickdrums - “Sunshine Guy”

   I’m always a happy kid when Fitts surprises us with new music. Also dude dropping a track with a lyric “all these nights are blurring together” in the middle of quarantine is so goddamn spot on.

10. Marlana - “The Right”

    So I’m just getting caught up to Marlana but don’t stress that means there’s more than enough time for you, too! She’s got an EP dropping on July 24th called At Least I Tried (which is quite excellent I must say). That said, I would be very fucking rude to you if I did not make sure you heard “The Right” before I get you squared away on everything else going on with this EP.

11. Nick Leng - “LEMONS”

    Thanks to The Algorithm™ last week I came to know Nick Leng, who put out a record called LEMONS a couple of months ago. Things I have learned since thoroughly enjoying the South African born now LA-based singer-songwriter: the album is the result of an emotional breakup, the loss of a friend, and his house burning down - basically all at the same time. 😑 LEMONS. You get it now? Not for nothing though, the record put such a pep in my step that it made me teach myself how to make some bomb ass lemonade within a few hours of digesting the record. There’s a metaphor there, somewhere. I’ll let you find out for yourself what I’m saying.

12. Golden Vessel - “Hesitate (feat. Emerson Leif)”

    I am going to do my very best to not turn this web log into a Golden Vessel fan site, but goddamn it was a really fucking good day when I put on last year’s SLOWSHINE last week. Funny enough, this is not on that record. I just like taking advantage of a 2 for 1 special in showing you new stuff. That said, Emerson Leif’s vocal + the magical vibeyness that is Golden Vessel’s production = yes please.

13. otta - “Near Enough A Woman”

    otta has an EP dropping on Friday! (7/10). This track is not on it! Why did I do that? I don’t know. I guess I wanted to start with the basics with her so you could build to bumping Songbook? And this is like, definitely the basics compared to what you’ll hear on Songbook, which swings in a much more experimental direction. She’s expanding her musical palette and honestly with a voice like hers, she can get away with it.

14. Diplo - “do si do (feat. Blanco Brown)”

    Man I don’t know. Sometimes you just gotta go with the hype. This song is really fun even though my thoughts on Diplo are a mixed bag. I’m trying to occasionally participate in mainstream-ish moments. This was what my ears agreed to this week? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

15. Tall Tall Trees - “Deep Feels”

    I listened to A Wave Of Golden Things when it came out but hadn’t put it on in a minute. Lotta records are hitting different in quarantine and this one is no exception. I guess the minimal distractions made me notice the little details of this record that I likely missed on the pre-pandemic passthroughs on this album. There’s too many to share in this baby blurb, just trust me. Anyway “Deep Feels” specifically is just a quintessential summer feel good jam IMO.

16. Stilljill - “Some People”

    LA indie psych-pop trio Stilljill recently dropped their debut EP, Waterslides, which celebrates the fluidity of femininity. As they told Ladygunn last week, “Womxn have historically been analogous to water – Sirens, Venus being born from seafoam, water and women as the birth and source of life. Womxn are often conditioned to be fluid or amenable when others won’t in ways that do not always serve us; i.e. compromising needs and desires, shifting ourselves or voices to suit spaces and male egos. Fluidity also means resilience, strength, and adaptability and we find power in that.” Take a second glance at the single artwork for their tracks, specifically the “river”. They are really thoughtful in every last detail of what they’re doing and I really appreciate that.

PS now would be a good time to remind you that you can sign up to get pinged every time I update this playlist, which means a post like this with my liner notes will be sitting in your inbox the literal second I smash that PUBLISH button and drag over the new tracks into the playlist. I am just saying. 😊

Upcoming Documentary "God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines" Seeks To Share Lost Stories Of Detroit's Underground Techno Scene

Dance music hasn’t always been EDM bros and globetrotting DJs. The history of dance music is often overshadowed by the present day highly commercialized version of it that’s dominated primarily by white men. The roots of techno music, specifically, saw its beginnings courtesy of black producers in Detroit. In fact, producer/DJ Juan Atkins is credited with coming up with the term “techno”. Director Kristian Hill and producer Jennifer Washington seek to tell the full history of Detroit’s techno scene in their upcoming documentary, God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines: The Lost Stories Of The Detroit Underground. The film project is already underway but needs help funding the last bit of production in addition to the cost for some music clearances and has taken to Kickstarter for a little financial assistance. With just a week to go, the Kickstarter is currently only at 40% of their goal, so there’s still time left for you to pitch in on this wonderful project.

You can learn more about the project via the video below.

[TODAY IN MUSIC] 5 Things You Should Know On Monday, September 17th, 2018

MRW I saw the news about Australia’s first female-focussed and LGBTIQ+ inclusive booking agency

Hi so I’m going to try a thing. I do my best to keep up with relevant things happening in and thought a recap of the things that stand out the most to me might be mutually beneficial. If you want to chat in the comments (or on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram) about any of these I’m all ears! 😎

• TL;DR: Ad Rock and Mike D did NOT give Eminem permission for the Kamikaze artwork. In fact, a lot of us knew about the artwork before they did. [Exclaim!]

• Dua Lipa’s body guards from her Shanghai show were detained by police after reports of them dragging out fans waving rainbow fans and beating members of the audience. 🤬 [NME]

• If you have a never ending love/hate relationship with AutoTune, you might find this very thorough history of how it revolutionized popular music interesting. [Pitchfork]

• ICYMI: we’re still trying to get the very forward thinking legislation known as the Music Modernization Act passed in the US. Neil Diamond took to the LA Times to detail how our current outdated laws negatively effect legacy acts' ability to earn performance royalties on digital/satellite radio. [LATimes]

• AMAZING news from down under: Australian booking agent Kailei Ginman has launched Australia’s first female-focussed and LGBTIQ+ inclusive booking agency – an all-female roster, run by female agents, employing all-female freelancers and supporting community charities – aptly named Alpha. [The Music Network]

[SONG OF THE DAY] SAKIMA - "Show Me"

HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!!!!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🌈👨‍❤️‍👨👩‍❤️‍👩

Yesterday, Billboard premiered London crooner SAKIMA's  latest soft and ultra sensual single, "Show Me", which is all about communicating sexually with your body. 

Upon playing this track a good, oh I dunno, 20 times this morning, I had this nice moment of reflection of how beautiful it is that as more voices are being lifted up in music that we are getting so many different new ways to hear about expressing love, passion, lust, romance, etc. With his last few releases, SAKIMA has been boldly tackling the queer romance and queer sex from his perspective, all the while, as he told Billboard continually battling with feeling fully sexually liberated in the process. The thing that will always keep me coming back to SAKIMA is his hypnotically soothing voice, which sometimes puts you in a sexy stupor and in other moments (such as "Show Me") there's such a tenderness to his delivery that it evokes memories of being young, wanting to fall in love, make love, etc. 

The lovely London lad is currently working on a new project, which he's still determining the full scope of but is calling "Project Peach" and "it's going to be a complete celebration of queer art, queer iconography, queer stories, all of it." Obviously if there's no full scope of the project yet there's no release date to relay, but more updates on that as it reveals itself. 

Experience Beck's New Album 'Colors" In NYC, LA, Chicago, Seattle

We're down to just 3 sleeps until Beck's new album, Colors, is finally here! 

I've been waiting for sunshiny happy Beck to come back for so so long that I am about to leap out of my skin I am so excited. 

In addition to playing "Dreams", "Wow", "Dear Life", and "Up All Night" an unhealthy amount of times, pre-ordering the over the top super deluxe album bundle, and snagging a spot at tonight's album listening party at Sonos in Soho, I was just alerted of new ways to extend the celebration. 

Earlier today a new Twitter account called @beckpopups surfaced with information about some pop up "experiences" Colors in major US markets. If you happen to live in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Seattle you'll be able to head out this weekend and "experience Colors".....whatever that means. I'm assuming since these venues are all markets that there's gonna be some sweet Colors - centric merch on sale. 

Whatever, you know I'm going. 

See you there? 

The Streets Announce April 2018 UK Shows -- YES REALLY

Now YOU can't unsee my all time favorite photograph of Mike Skinner either. lol.

YEAH. 

YOU READ THE DAMN HEADLINE. 

I am losing my goddamn mind right now. 

Earlier today Mike Skinner announced via Instagram that him and The Streets boys will be reuniting for a string of UK shows in April 2018. 

I do not wish to be a person to say I have any regrets in life, but damn my heart sure did shatter when they split and I hadn't been able to make it to any of their US shows. 

This sliver of hope is giving me this itch to do something crazy come this Friday (the 13th) like grab a pair or two now and figure out plane tickets and silly things like that later. 

Oh lorde, I feel like I'm out of my mind. 

Would you go? 

spoken to my band! told them we need to sing the old songs! on sale 9am Friday 13th

15k Likes, 2,776 Comments - Mike Skinner (@mikeskinnerltd) on Instagram: "spoken to my band! told them we need to sing the old songs! on sale 9am Friday 13th"

[Video] Fischerspooner - "Have Fun Tonight" (Official Video)

Photo by Asger Carlsen

I TOLD YOU SOMETHING WAS COMING SUPER SOON. 

I THOUGHT I WAS READY FOR THIS DAY TO COME. 

But honestly I wasn't ready for how hard the first *official* single from Fischerspooner would hit me.

I am truly blown away by "Have Fun Tonight". There's seriously so much going on here that with every spin I find Casey Spooner doing a number on my #feels as he delivers each lyrical blow. The song is described as, "a queer dance ballad about polyamory (...or polyagony) encouraging your lover to go out and have fun without you". It was co-written by a Michael Stipe and BOOTS and comes from their forthcoming album, Sir, which will be out on September 22nd courtesy of Ultra. That's right, fam. We FINALLY have a release date. Let the countdown begin!

What's interesting about the performance that Spooner gives on "Have Fun Tonight" is that it can lead you into interpreting the song a slightly different way each time you listen to it. By the end of my first listen I was convinced that this was the perspective of someone feeling trapped in a poly relationship that they didn't really want to be in. Another time I thought this could be taken as a brief moment of insecurity as all long term relationships have. Then in a different instance I considered the lyric, "I can't imagine anyone can love you like I can" to be the hint that the perspective is actually a lot more confident than previously though.  The words are all chosen so carefully that in spite of it being written with a polyamorous relationship in mind that it can speak to people in all walks of life because every intimate relationship has a certain level of complexity to it as this particular one has. 

Another thing I am loving about "Have Fun Tonight" is the context that it has provided to the first Sir-related song that was quietly half-released last year, "Everything Is Just Alright". As previously reported by yours truly, Spooner has said that this record was going to be "unabashedly homosexual". At the time with just "Everything Is Just Alright" as a reference point I wasn't sure where Fischerspooner was planning to take us, but with side by side listens of both EIJA and HFT it sounds like it could be anywhere - from the booze soaked dance floor of a gay bar to bedroom of longtime lovers and everywhere in between. 

In addition to the news about Sir, Fischerspooner have revealed that there will also be a museum show called SIR at MUMOK in Vienna, which will run June 29 to October 29, and that an art book will be released along with the exhibit.

[Recap] Um, A Lot Of Music Just Dropped Out Nowhere Today

me trying to keep up with how many songs just keep falling out of the sky today 

lol remember when the RIAA was so proud of themselves 2 years ago because we all agreed on a global release day and we went from #NewMusicTuesday to #NewMusicFriday worldwide? 

lol lol lol #tbt to that cute idea according to Foster The People, Phoenix, HAIM, and Fall Out Boy. 

In an attempt to make your life easier so you don't feel as frantic as I do right now, here is a recap of what just the fuck dropped: 

Foster The People - III

Well this was a nice surprise! Earlier today Foster the People released 3 new tracks globally before bundling them as a cutie lil EP called III. Apparently these are off an upcoming 3rd album that's going to be dropped this summer. No other info there, but they did unveil some tour dates which you can check over on their website because I'm tryna make this update quick and dirty and don't feel like copying and pasting. 

Phoenix - "J-Boy" 

Another album announcement! Another solid jam! Phoenix just unveiled their lead single, "J-Boy" off their forthcoming album, Ti Amo, which will drop on June 9th. This is glittery and summery af, but not quite punchy enough for the coveted title of Song Of The Summer. I will still be drinking in the sunshine to this regardless. 

HAIM - "Right Now" 

If you have been waiting 4 long years for new HAIM music then you best stop everything and peep this video RIGHT NOW. This comes from their just announce upcoming album, Something To Tell You, which drops on July 7th. 

Fall Out Boy - "Young And Menace"

So here is a Fall Out Boy song that I believe would be better suited as a Patrick Stump song than a Fall Out Boy song but it is still pretty dang good. The track follows yet ANOTHER album announcement. You ready for this name, y'all??

It's called

M A  N   I    A

Yes, spaces and all. I don't know either. Bless these dudes. But yeah the record drops on September 15th, so we have plenty of time to get this fucking spelling right. That all said, props to the guys for the video, which features a glimpse into a fictionalized characters somewhat-hard-to-watch home life that tries to escape a home riddled with domestic violence. 

SZA - "Love Galore (feat. Travis Scott)"

LAST ONE (I think?)! SZA also after keeping her fans anxiously waiting for music from her upcoming album CTRL has finally dropped another morsel today for everyone to savor, "Love Galore" featuring Travis Scott. It's been said that CTRL will be the next project released on TDE but other than that there's  not much else we know. 

AM I MISSING ANYTHING ELSE FROM TODAY? Jfc.