diSKOAver weekly: Week of December 15, 2021

Hiii I don’t want y’all to think I popped in for one update only to vanish again for months on end. Truth be told, a bitch got her booster on Monday (🙏🏻) and did not anticipate how much it would affect her stamina for shouting into the void about songs I adore. I’m kind of obsessed with this update because *Stefon voice* it’s got a a little bit of everything: a conspiracy theory about a ✨magic manifestation song✨, a drugged out music video shot by the singer’s mom, vocabulary words, playful threats, and so much more!

don’t tell anyone I said this, but I love you best!

✨💖
kibbe!

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1. Allday - ”After All This Time”

   Came across this lil Aussie sweetie via one of my most favorite finds, Memphis LK. His latest record, Drinking With My Smoking Friends, is indie pop perfection. I always find myself going back to “After All This Time” because it’s just so perfectly fucking catchy and sweet. Also you should follow him on TikTok. Him and Memphis LK do hilarious little weird sketches together like this one. I’m obsessed.

2. The Toxhards - “How Lucky Am I?”

   When this landed on my FYP and I heard the lyric, “How lucky am I that I can afford to be alive? How lucky am I that I’m living through the end of times?” I scream-laughed so hard that I missed the rest of the song. I really love how this song just kinda laughs in the face of misery. Additionally, I discovered that the music video for this song was shot by singer Alan Macchiarolo’s mom while he was post-op high from ear surgery and doesn’t really remember shooting it, which officially makes this band’s sense of humor the best ever.

3. maxime. - “telephone wires”

   Another FYP find. It was when I came across Canadian cutie maxime. that I determined that I have sufficiently trained The Algorithm™ on TikTok to deliver me the best baby bands. This is the title track from his latest EP. There’s not a subpar song in this kids’s entire catalog and if you disagree LMK so I can slap the stupid outta you and tell you how wrong you are.

4. MAX RAD - “Roll Out”

   Thrilled to report that MAX RAD is still at maximum radness since last I checked in on him. Also as someone who loves having a song for every occasion the glitch witch in me is so delighted that I have a lovey song that references new moons.

5. sundiver ca - “Soundtrack for Your Backseat”

   Okay but I have not stopped SWOONING since I stumbled into this song. It’s so simultaneously soothing and seductive. This one feels extra intimate in your headphones for sure. If a lyric like, “you tie my soul to the ground” doesn’t take your breath away then please don’t ever try to flirt with me. Also I can’t stop thinking about what would happen if Jason Martin/Starflyer 59 got to produce whatever this guy does next.

6. Ladyhawke - “Think About You”

   Ladyhawke dropped a new album last month called Time Flies, which is appropriate given that it feels like I heard, “Mixed Emotions” back in May, blinked moments later, and then missed celebrating the album’s release date in November. Unsurprisingly, I’ve gravitated towards “Think About You”, a song about a fantasy infatuation that miraculously gets reciprocated. Thanks to reading up on this song, I now know of a new word, “limerence”: (n.): the state of being obsessively infatuated with someone, usually accompanied by delusions of or a desire for an intense romantic relationship with that person. The More You Know 💫.

7. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - “That Life”

   I assume there are two kinds of UMO fans: the kind that saw the music video for “That Life” and thought, “yeah I don’t get it” and the kind that are still trying to perfectly copy the puppets dance moves every time the song comes on. I’ll let you guess which kind of UMO fan I am. 💃🏼

8. Amber Ryann - “SWITCH”

   I fucking love when I end up swiping my way into someone like LA’s Amber Ryann, whose unwavering confidence and diligence matches up with her talent level. Her latest EP, A SIGN OF THE TIMES (COLLECTION) has all the makings of a sleeper hit. The production is a blend of punchy pop and R&B with her sensuous vocals glistening all the way through. “SWITCH” is a clear standout moment of hers for me, and not just because it references one of my favorite pastimes: subtweeting. My gut says it’s only a matter of time before everyone catches on.

9. Yung Bae - “Straight Up Relaxin’ (feat. Cosmo’s Midnight)”

   Alright so like, this is a very serious question that I would like to pose to the internet: does it throw you off when a song is released ✨out of season✨? As in, should a song about “straight up relaxin’ in the summer” be saved for a late spring release so it can build momentum through the actual summer, or does it not matter if it is dropped in the dead of fall? I assume that the majority of you have NOT worked in the music industry (and certainly not in as many different corners of it like I have), but plenty of you probably have seasonal listening habits like I do where your musical cravings adapt a bit with the seasons changing. I absolutely love this song so much, but I can’t tell if I’m being an old industry fuddy duddy or if this is an actual teachable moment for baby bands. Just this one time would y’all not make me feel like I’m shouting into the void and LMK your thoughts on this?

10. Oh Bummer! - “Mirrors”

    The homey Fitts d.b.a. The Kickdrums tipped me off to this new project that he produced. LA based brainchild Tanner Houghton describes the project as, “songs that are a conglomeration of my manic ADHD thoughts - the diary of an overthinker,” So basically, music made just for yours truly (if I am to accept TikTok’s diagnosis that I have ADHD anyway). “Mirrors” is the first taste of his upcoming EP that is slated to drop in Spring 2022. I will probably harass Fitts to let me have a listen before then. Will report back accordingly. 😘

11. clashingedge- “Don’t miss”

    I’ve never gone out of my way to rank my favorite algorithms yet but the Soundcloud one is def in the top 5 for bringing me clashingedge a few years ago. Her airy vocals are quite stunning. Anyway we’ve kept in touch since the fateful day I tracked her down to tell her that the song that Soundcloud autoplayed me into was very good. A few months back she dropped, “Don’t miss”, which is a lovely evolution from the gateway drug of a song I first heard, which I would link to but unfortunately she’s pulled that one and a slew of other tracks down. Her and I are overdue for a catchup so I’ll be getting to the bottom of this soon enough.

12. Amtrac- “Oddyssey”

    Look, we all need to listen to more Amtrac, okay? If the title track from his album that dropped last year doesn’t convince you, then maybe some of the newer tracks he’s dropped since then featuring collabs with the likes of The Juan Maclean, Durante, and Washed Out (his “Hide” remix) will. And if that doesn’t, well, maybe we need to discuss the status of our friendship moving forward….😬😬😬.

13. tiLLie- “Hell Yeah!”

    While snagging her track, “faith” for a friend who I thought could use the support it offered me I quickly realized that I’d missed a slew of songs since her 2019 LOUD MOUTH EP. Thankfully I’m all caught up now. The thing I continue to love about tiLLie is that she makes vulnerability really fucking cool. Take this newer track, “Hell Yeah!”, which is saturated in sarcasm in the best possible way all the while rocking this tight 90s UK garage-ish sound (which made me think of Lucious Jackson a lot if I’m being honest). The chorus goes, “Like hell yeah. I made it through today. Like hell yeah. The sun is in my face. Like hell yeah I made it through today without crying, without dying, hey.” Def a song that belongs in everyone’s 2021 time capsule/mood board.

14. Moullinex x Xinobi - “Imaginary Numbers”

    I have such a *professional crush* on Portuguese producer Mouillnex. I always squeal like an idiot when I see he’s dropped something new. This collab with newcomer to my earholes Xinobi is good energy. If this is your first foray into Portuguese electronic music, you’re welcome for the 2 for 1 special yer girl is offering with this one.

15. LP Giobbi- “Take My Hand”

    I am having the best fucking time watching LP Giobbi’s ascension to greatness. With every Instagram post of her grinning from ear to ear in complete control of the crowd in addition to seeing all the good that her non-profit FEMME HOUSE continues to do it just increasingly makes my heart oh so happy. She is my little Princess of Piano House and I will protect her at all costs so she’s smiling forever. If you haven’t checked out my interview with her you absolutely should. She makes it so easy to love her.

16. iANO- “Labrynth”

    So there was a thing going around on TikTok where apparently another song of iANO’s called “Time In Oblivion” possessed some potent manifestation power as long as you at the very least had a recording of the song sitting in your drafts. The sound has since been pulled down from TikTok and all DSPs (which led to this interesting conspiracy theory about that surfacing) but me being the curious little shit that I am I wanted to know what else was in the elusive artist’s repertoire and came across an album they recently released, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve been debating whether or not to reach out to iANO to talk about this manifestation phenomenon, especially after glancing at the comments on the SoundCloud for the song to link to this post. Like people are straight up making wishes etc in between troll comments. So yeah if anyone is interested LMK and I’ll electric slide into their DMs for the 411.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Aish Divine - "Common Questions"

image courtesy of Aish Divine

To witness all that is Aish Divine in the flesh is remarkable. It was sheer luck that I stuck around to check out his set at Piano’s last year during Mondo.NYC. It only took a few seconds after he first opened his mouth for me to be hooked and hopelessly devoted. For the next 20something minutes I was glued to his every move. It’s difficult to explain the sensation that washes over you when you share a room with someone that is there to be heard. To clarify, there is a difference between someone hoping to be heard and folks like him who somehow give you no other option but to hear them. As an immigrant, queer, person of color, Aish Divine is here to be heard. It is not a suggestion, it’s essentially command. He will be the first to tell you as he shared recently on Instagram, “I want to undo the injustice, the unfairness, the non-equality, and lack of visibility that I experienced. I will undo it with the rest of us.”

His latest track, “Common Questions”, is exemplary of his ethos. Taken from his forthcoming sophomore album, The Sex Issue, the track examines the world of online dating through a queer lens. From first blush, it’s easy to say that “Common Questions” is another song bemoaning hookup culture, but it’s more than just moving on from one warm body to the next as you may have heard previously from tracks from other queer artists like SAKIMA’s “Apps”. From his experience on dating apps, seeing things like, “no femmes", “no asians”, “muscle only”, etc. on dating profiles are the alarmingly normalized things that possible matches are just causally leaving on their profile. This is of course before being inundated with common questions about dick size, STI testing status (*which to be clear is not a bad thing to ask but not within the first 10 minutes of talking to someone*), and essentially just questions related to solely hooking up.

Meanwhile, as he notes in the song, “Ain’t got time for common questions / I just wanna man with intuition / who knows how to keep my attention / he’s a good fuck and tender affection”.

Oh honey, same same same same sameeeeee.

Not only is the song a fuckin bop that won’t stop, but the video is full of fabulous non-binary folks and was directed by a woman, as are all of the upcoming videos for The Sex Issues singles. It's a dance filled, intersectional view of queer, non-binary, South Asian, American street culture….and I can’t fucking get enough of it.

More details on The Sex Issue forthcoming. For now, get caught up on his debut album Mother, which was released earlier this year.

[WATCH] Miss Eaves - "Belly Bounce"

photo courtesy of Miss Eaves herself :)

While we’re on the subject of dance filled music videos today…

Y’all, when I say that I love Miss Eaves, I’m talking like, more than just typical artist adoration where I wanna put her in my hoodie pocket and keep her safe. I think at this point I would crawl over hot coals and/or broken glass for a mile if it meant she’d be safe and happy indefinitely. There’s so much to love about this truly one of a kind DIY artist. Her willingness to be vulnerable and commitment to authenticity regardless of whatever life throws her way is something we probably all should be taking hella notes on. Also I appreciate that we both really wanna be good at speaking French but we’re convinced we totally suck at it.

Further cementing her place on my Most Precious People list, last week she dropped a video for a song, “Belly Bounce”, which comes from her upcoming EP How It Is, which drops on July 10th, 2020. The video, which was a collaborative effort that includes videos of fans of all shapes and sizes dancing gleefully along to the track, is her way of responding to years of invasive questions about her body.

“Ever Since I was 13 people have asked me if I am pregnant. This caused me to be extremely ashamed of my body/belly and try everything in my power to eliminate it (HELLO AB ROLLER!).  I want to live in a world where everyone feels free—even joyous—expressing themselves genuinely, being truly comfortable in their bodies and minds just exactly as they are today.”

DO YOU SEE WHAT I’M SAYING ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL SHE IS!? 😭 As someone raised in the era of the Calvin Klein models that were referred to as “heroin chic” in their hay day, the idea that there are teens out in the world today that have the opportunity to be exposed to this level of fierce body positivity just warms my heart so much. I feel like we all need to become door to door EAVESangelists.

“Excuse me [sir/ma’am], do you have a moment to hear the good word of Miss Eaves?”

Like seriously.

Especially right now where everyone keeps bringing up that they’re putting on the “dreaded COVID 19” aka 19 pounds of extra lovin’ to carry around, we need to be kinder to ourselves and this is the bop for belly lovin’.

If you need more body positivity bangers so you can further spread the gospel of Miss Eaves and are new to the fandom, be sure to give “Thunder Thighs” a listen from her 2017 album Feminasty while you’re at it. If I’m being honest that song definitely kicked the door wide open for me to the journey to self-acceptance for my wounderous thunderous thighs.

Now go give that woman your money on Bandcamp RIGHT NOW.

How It Is

Release Date: July 10th, 2020

1. Belly Bounce
2. Stacks
3. 3 Jobs
4. Cactus Killer

Pre-Order

[WATCH] Sam I - "Don't Give Up" / Heaven: Short Film Dance Rehearsal BTS

Sam I and Nevaeh Meraz, lovingly lifted from his Instagram

Not sure why I sat on this video for a few days, but after re-watching it again I’m tryna make sure that the inspiration gets spread around.

Before we get to the nitty gritty about why this video is specifically giving me The Feels™ imma make sure we’re all on the same page. TL;DR - Sam Speigel, whom we have adored thoroughly on this site for his N.A.S.A. projects is clearing the slate on any other AKA of his and will be moving forward releasing music as Sam I.

With that, he’s just released his debut full-length under his aforementioned new moniker titled, Random Shit From The Internet Era. The album is full of features from like…everybody? No but really. We’re talking Freddie Gibbs, Theophilus London, Doja Cat, Anderson .Paak, RZA, Barbie Hatch, etc. etc. As the name would suggest, it’s not exactly a “cohesive album” per say, as it’s more a collection of ideas that have been lingering around for awhile that he decided to finish and shoot out into the world. “I usually love to work conceptually,” notes Spiegel. “Call me old school, but I love making albums that have a theme or concept that carries you through the record.” For me, the magic of this record is knowing that some of these songs were ideas that were over 15 years old. Yes, you read right. That was not a typo. Some of these are 15 years in the making. It really speaks to the equally groundbreaking and timeless nature of Spiegel’s music IMO.

OKAY BUT LET’S GET TO THIS VIDEO BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY NEED THIS.

For his latest single, “Don’t Give Up”, which features Sia, Busta Rhymes & Vic Mensa (I fucking told you everybody is on this goddamn record 😂), Spiegel assembled some lovely behind the scenes footage from his forthcoming short film that he began working on prior to the pandemic. Would you be surprised to hear that COVID derailed his plans to shoot the film back in March? 🙄 yeah didn’t think so. The film is based off the real life experiences of a dancer named Nevaeh Meraz who overcame abuse, depression and suicide attempts to become an acclaimed performer.

As the backstory goes (because I refuse to spoil her part of the story), the way he and Meraz linked up was a byproduct of her tagging him in videos of her dancing to his music on Instagram. Some more random shit from the internet era, if you will. As he shares, “I was struck by her. She dances with so much feeling. It's all there...right on the surface. She lays it all out in her expression, not hiding anything.” Even though some filming restrictions have been lifted he decided to cut together some of the dance rehearsal and interview footage as a kind of behind-the-scenes prequel to the film.

When I say I was covered in goosebumps after hearing her story of how she got into dancing. Y’all…. 🥺 It’s so beautiful the way that a world of pain can produce moments like this. I hope taking four minutes and four seconds to have a glance at this video helps you remember that your life can dramatically change in an instant, so if you’re struggling right now like I feel like we all are (thanks stupid fucking pandemic), don’t give up.

(ps 404 - more random internet shit, I SEE YOU SAM I 🤪😂)

Watch “Don’t Give Up” below. If you want the full message from Spiegel about his decision to work under Sam I, I’ve included that after the video. 😊

A NOTE FROM SAM SPIEGEL, AKA SAM I

With Random Shit from the Internet Era, I’ll be releasing my first album as a solo artist. Like so many things in our world, I’ve gone through a huge transition these past few years, and I feel like I’m embarking on a new life…a new version of myself. I’ve always created music behind a pseudonym. It was fun to be N.A.S.A. because I love space so much. I could explore my passion for the foreign, the mysterious, the unknown, the unity of humanity, all of the things that space signifies to me. With Maximum Hedrum, the only rule in the studio with Derrick and I was to have fun so I expressed my goofy side. I wrote just to make Derrick and myself laugh, I explored my perversions, got psychedelic. But at a certain point I started to feel limited by these projects—like I wasn’t able to express all of the feelings, thoughts, and ideas I have within their concepts—so I started releasing music as myself, Sam Spiegel.

With N.A.S.A.’s “Jihad Love Squad” I started to learn how to work with moving picture and discovered my love for directing, which I continued developing as I embarked on a transitional period. I needed to clear my musical slate and release everything that I’ve had stored up for years; music that I’ve been wanting to release but has never fit within my other projects. It’s been a few years of putting out these random songs, some of which have ended up on Random Shit…

I’m clearing my slate with Random Shit… It is a new beginning for me. My music coming out going forward is not reiterations of old songs modernized, but where I stand now and into the future. It is day one for me in my new life as a grown-ass human and artist, and so I’ll be releasing everything from here on out under my new name, Sam I, both on the audio and the visual side. I hope you all come along on this new adventure with me. 

Lots of love and thanks for listening,
Sam I

[Album Review] Miro Shot - 'Content'

In the final track, “Boston Dynamic”,  off Miro Shot’s debut EP Servers, recently my mind has casually fixated on a lyric quite frequently as we complete our 2nd month of quarantine in New York,

“As soon as we begin again I’ll restore our fallen friends.”

Since I have been granted the honor of getting albums in advance, I had already been playing their debut full-length, Content, for quite some time before the world ground to a halt. I had also already written something quite lovely about the album, delighted with myself that a cohesive group of words actually came to me that quickly about a record that I was obviously very taken with. However, as it came time to publish those words, the context of how this album would enter the world completely changed. Even so, listening to Content with a totally different perspective of the world, I firmly stand by my stance that Miro Shot is the soundtrack to the future we deserve. I know that in addition to this whole ordeal shining a light on the multitude of societal problems across the globe that  a lot of people have been saying that they’re devoting some portion of their quarantine taking stock in their pre-quarantine lives and thinking about the types of changes they want to make for themselves and their communities. It is my hope that Content be included in a portion of that meditative process.

Opening with, “A World You Made Yourself”, the broody track kicks off the album’s venture into self-exploration, thoughtfully navigating the boundless complexities of our very modern, very online world. Tackling society’s cumbersome relationship with technology and all that it entails, from the rampant online harassment women often face to the way that social media distorts our realities while disguising itself as a way to “connect” to our loved ones and everything in between, Content is essentially that moment when you decide to switch your phone to airplane mode and shift your focus to where you’re at in that very instance, as well as every subsequent screen tap once you switch back for that matter.

Tracks that hit so differently since the world changed: “Joined At The Hip”, album closer “I.R.L.”, with the most dramatic transformation being, “Seven Seas”, featuring Mary Wilson of Supremes fame. I already revered the track as a stunning glitch gospel in its own right, but the imagery that the chorus alone evokes in the current climate is enough to simultaneously warm your heart and send shivers down your spine:

 “When you’re lost but you can’t stand the silence / When your face looks nothing it used to do / When the sand has shifted instead / And that crown was pulled from your head / I’ve got you and you’ve got me.”

Without a doubt the world is going to be a very different place post-pandem. Hopefully it’s a world as full of potential as Miro Shot envisions, mindful of the obstacles we need to address in order to succeed. The cosmic timeliness of this band and the relevancy of Content and the future it stands for, especially right now, is something I sincerely hope folks won’t sleep on.

Content is available now on all DSPs.

Full album stream:

[WATCH] Blondage - "I Love Music (Official Video)"

Photo Credit: Zille Bostinius

Last week Copenhagen artist Blondage (born Pernille Smith-Sivertsen) dropped her sophomore EP I Love Music along with a music video for the EP’s title track. Written during a time of immense self-discovery and transition, the 6-track EP is a declaration of liberation and a middle finger to the societal expectations of being a well-behaved woman. The track is rooted in refusing to compromise being dedicated to your passion, all wrapped up in one neat alt-pop package.

The accompanying video was shot on 16mm film and created in collaboration with Pernille’s creative partner Zille Bostinius and director Daniel Borgman. There are two parallel scenes throughout the video; one where Pernille is all alone and restless in a hotel room, the other is a small gymnasium full of people swing dancing. As Pernille shared about the process of making the video, “My scene in the hotel room is a visualization of the process I went through while making this EP, where I had to find the spirit and passion within myself. I am not afraid to show the frustration and uncertainty that comes with pursuing one's dream, and wanted the imagery to reflect the true emotions behind my songs."

I Love Music is out now!

[SONG OF THE DAY] San Scout - "Sideways"

SKOA favorites San Scout have returned with another dose of downtempo alt-pop, “Sideways” straight from The Pharmacy, which is the band’s forthcoming project that will be dropping shortly for those of you just tuning in. Further carving out the vibe for this batch of songs, the broody bop is, as the band explains, “some sort of dark pop ode to the futility of modern relationships.” As usual you can expect their blend of vocal harmonies, warm synths, and ripping guitars to give you goosebumps in the best possible of ways.

While we wait on the proper release of The Pharmacy, fans can head to the band’s website and explore the virtual abandoned pharmacy that they created in an aptly dreary dystopian world. If you look closely enough while wandering around you can find links to the bands socials, games, and more.

Other cool things going on with the lovely London lads: apparently back in October the duo caught the attention of Emma Breschi who asked them to write the music for her Vivienne Westwood ‘Creatives’ campaign.

If you happen to be in London next week, be sure to check them out at The Lexington on September 19th.

[WATCH] Holy Ghost! - "Do This (Official Video)"

photo credit: Harry McNally

In just a few short days the rest of you will be able to hear the dazzling dance delights that is Work from legendary NYC duo Holy Ghost!. As a celebration of the art of making music as memorable as this forthcoming album, the guys have shared the music video for their single, “Do This”, which features clips from the entire creation of the album, from recording in the studio, to pressing the actual vinyl, before finally making it to a record store.

Gonna be honest, I could watch people press vinyl all damn day. Seeing how much care goes into making a record from start to finish is just such a beautiful thing to be able to witness all the way down to the sweet ladies putting the LPs in their jackets. I always wonder if they ever listen to the records that they’re stuffing, don’t you?

As nice as it’s been to obsess over a Soundcloud link for this record in the past month-ish, I honestly can’t wait to drop the needle on this record with my Beyerdynamics. There’s a lot of heart to this record and I’m really anxious to find more reasons to love this record moreso than I already do.

Another cool reason to love this record that hadn’t really sunk in with me until today: the guys are basically trying to singlehandedly resurrect the NYC’s original dance label, West End Records. This is the first LP to come out on the record in more than THREE DECADES y’all. While he was still alive, West End Records founder Mel Cheren was essentially responsible for laying the foundations of what would define early disco, which would then be really influential on pop, hip-hop, house, and techno. Cheren also was responsible for helping to set up NYC's Gay Mens Health Crisis letting GMHC operate rent-free in his Chelsea building, at the dawn of the AIDS crisis as well as establishing charities like 24 Hours for Life and LIFEbeat.

I think it’s so cool that the guys are like painfully aware of the irony in two white heterosexual dance-obsessed guys reviving the label but are still so passionate about using their platform with this album to elevate both the history of the genre and start a dialogue around dance music culture. The origins of dance music weren’t even close to being as white as they are today. It’s important that people pay respect to the genre they love by honoring its origins.

CAN FRIDAY GET HERE ALREADY I WANNA GUSH WITH EVERYONE ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS RECORD IS ALREADY 😩😩😩😩😩