diSKOAver weekly: Week of August 19, 2020

Blawging with more intention is tricky when life starts to speed back up to almost pre-covid time, babykids! It’s as if NYC has finally gotten its rhythm back, but like with the covid remix if that makes sense? Oh speaking of rhythm, thanks for bearing with me whilst I find my algorhythm over here. Feeling good about where my head is at, especially with the timing of these coming into my life.

At any rate, here are the 16 ways I love you most this week:

1. Victoria Monet - ”Experience (feat. Khalid & SG Lewis)”

   I forget who made a big stink on Twitter about how this track didn’t have enough lovin’ on it, which even now whoever it was they’re still fucking right. Y’all really gonna sleep on a track that feels like a sunrise sparkling over the fucking ocean? SMH. Anyway it kept Victoria Monét’s latest drop, JAGUAR, on my radar long enough to love on that the second it hit. It’s a really cool record. Sexy as helllllll, too.

2. DJ ST THOMAS- “Fodder”

   Pretty sure The Algorithm™ delievered DJ ST THOMAS to me because dude nailed the shit out of a vibey ass Blood Cultures remix for “Best For You”. Been bumpin’ his debut LP MATRIMONY ever since. Def would debate some nuptials with this record for sure.

3. Brijean - “Moody”

   ICYMI - Brijean is a lil collab featuring folks from Poolside and Toro Y Moi, which is how you know it’s equally chill as fuck but also gorgeous. Last year they dropped their debut LP and have been stringing along some tracks ever since.

4. Le-Nasty - “Sunshine”

   This one is funny because even if you put a gun to my head I still couldn’t fucking tell you how I ended up saving an Instagram post to check Manchester’s Le-Nasty out, but the lyrics are kinda where I’m at with all this personal growth I’ve been hard at work in quarantine (ex: “and now I can finally breathe / finally found some kind of peace / sure hope it’s stayin’”). If/when you get there, this one’s for you for sure.

5. Christinna O - “Hot Head”

   This Philly phenom got away from me for a bit after falling hard for her track from last year, “Lay It Down” that I played the shit out of. Fortunately I happened to catch wind of her latest track and then got to spend some quality time with her debut LP, Girl In Passing. Apparently this track is about her struggles with living with bipolar disorder. Always gonna appreciate being granted the opportunity to learn more from experiences I will never have. 🙏🏻💖

6. Race Banyon - “We Need It”

   According to the data y’all don’t love Race Banyon enough and I am NOT PLEASED about this. This is the first of a string of tracks that he’s dropped so far this year, following up an EP he dropped last year. The New Zealand producer has toured with the likes of Jamie XX, Kaytranada, Modeselektor, and RL Grime if you need a reference point before diving in.

7. Cassian - “The Rise”

   Okay okay okay but I am OBSESSED with Cassian now!!!!!! Like this might turn into a Cassian fan blog that’s how fuckin’ real I am about this dude. There isn’t a bad time to put on his debut album, Laps. There just fucking isn’t. You wanna dance late at night? You wanna journal first thing in the morning? Anything in between that you wanna dream up? Knock yourself out sweet thang. This record always keeps me connected in whatever moment I'm in, so if you need that…bump ittttt.

8. LA Priest - “What Moves (Soulwax Remix)”

   I always thought Soulwax had a signature sound, but I didn't realize how right I was until this hit my ears courtesy of The Algorithm™. It was a fun few seconds of my brain putting together without looking at what it was that this was a Soulwax remix of my favorite LA Priest song from his latest.

9. BLACKPINK - “How You Like That”

   Spent some time the other night getting really immersed in Chromatica because I've been reaching for it a lot more lately and realized I wasn't well acquainted with BLACKPINK, who guest on “Sour Candy”. Love what I've heard so far. Can't wait till all their stuff is committed to memory.

10. O Mer - “Birds”

    Can’t stop calling for O Mer. Love that I can pick his voice out from anywhere now. He's got 3 new tracks (including this one) for you to savor. Note to self: need spend more time with Everything Is Everyone’s Fault.

11. Kacy Hill- “Unkind”

    I think it was Jim-E Stack that called out Kacy Hill to me. To say that I was not prepared for her new record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again…..Holy. Fucking. Lorde. I'm not saying this to pin women up against each other, but y'all can have Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift all you fucking want. I will take Kacy Hill over either any day of the fucking week. She speaks to/for me, you feel me? I would've pulled “Everybody's Mother” for this because goddamn that one really knocked the wind outta me but her sweet angel baby voice really shines in the chorus on this one

12. kwassa - “sucker”

    Well now we’ve got two sucker songs for 2020. Don’t mind me I’m just sitting over here amused that with Akurei’s “SUCKER” his track is a softer, more chill vibe, while kwassa’s “sucker” is the bolder more vibey laid back pop vocal + vibe. These baby bands keepin’ us on our toes over here! Lesson learned: never assume you know what you’re getting into when looking at a track’s info at face value. But yeah, this is one of those soaring pop numbers for sure. It’ll def have your feet off the ground like the single artwork. Kinda obsessed with everything about that shot tbh. Also - do I know of any other songs written in response to someone’s car getting broken into? Hm. Imma have to think about that 🤔

13. Memphis LK - “Green Light”

    Actual true story: I stumbled into this song while looking for stickers that said “This Synth Kills Fascists”. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Yeah I know. Ended up in a completely different part of the internet than where I started and was completely taken by this song. Love/hate how much this makes me miss being out. Memphis sounds like someone I'd get along with a little too well all the way down to her reformed running around dizzy on vodka days. Really living for the lyric, “If you miss me you know I'm doing well.” I def identify with that.

14. Ginger Snaps - “Attention Seeker”

    Should you need the reminder that, “not everything that glitters is better”, the homey (government name: Jay Brooks) has got you covered. As the story goes for this track, Jay stuck a post-it to his mirror that said, “maximum honesty”, and that became the theme of the single. Appreciate how he’s reminding us here to not assume shit is better just because ✨IT’S NEW✨ or because they’re good at The ‘Gram. With MFs like Daniel Ek saying artists need to be constantly cranking out tunes in order to stay relevant, it’s important to remember that quality > quantity, and this definitely ranks on the quality side of the spectrum. Jay has wrapped on his debut album and will be releasing more soon enough.

15. Telquist - “Trash Talk”

    Love how many chances Kitsuné Musique is willing to take with baby bands. You always know you’re gonna catch a nice vibe from the bands they pick. Their move to release, “Taste” got me in the door and I found my way into this jam while sniffing around. And now I can say I like German indie pop! 🥰

16. Meet Me @ The Altar - “May The Odds Be In Your Favor”

    Haven’t had a hankering for pop punk in a minute, but when BATHS was loving on this track I went alllllll the way the fuck in. This three-piece is so modern day pop-punk that none of them even live in the same fuckin state. They’re spread out across Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey and collab over the internet when they’re not on tour. Into ittttt.

[Listen] Toro Y Moi - "Slough" (Ricky Gervais Cover)

While many the world over may still be sad that the American version of The Office has sadly come to an end this year, many of us on the other side of the Atlantic have longed for the British version for nearly 10 years. Recently though, Ricky Gervais has brought back to life the idiot that made him so famous, David Brent. He's been doing a series of online guitar tutorials, which is funny enough. One of the tracks he plays in the videos is call "Slough", the place where the British series was set. Toro Y Moi has now taken on the track and made it his own with a reverb drenched cover that you can stream below.

[Listen] Toro Y Moi Remixes Disclosure's "You & Me"

Disclosure's dancey single "You & Me" is quick-tempoed and energetic, but Chaz Bundick (aka Toro Y Moi) decided to shake that up entirely with his remix of the song. Slowing things down considerably the remix sizzles with erratic percussion and glitchy vocal samples, taking that energetic feel and melting it down across five minutes. Stream it below.

[Sasquatch! 2013] Our Most Anticipated Artists of the Festival (Day Three and Four)

Only one day left until Sasquatch! commences. Today and tomorrow will see thousands of avid music fans journeying to The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA, prepping their campsites, stocking up on alcohol and drugs in anticipation of dozens of amazing performances. This year's lineup boasts some fantastic talent, such as The xx, Vampire Weekend, Sigur Rós, The Postal Service, Disclosure, Arctic Monkeys, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and many, many more. It's a lineup worth salivating over.

As the festival quickly approaches, I've put together a list of some of the best acts playing each of the four nights. Each band comes with some recommended listening, because there is no better way to prepare for a festival than sampling what each band has to offer, whether you know them or not. Take a look at our most anticipated artists for days one and two here, and check out days three and four below.

Day Three (Sunday):

Danny Brown - 3:15-4:00pm @Sasquatch

Danny Brown is a crazy dude. Very crazy. His ridiculous presence on his albums and mixtapes should equal an incredibly energetic live show. Did I mention that he got a blowjob onstage during a recent performance and didn't miss a beat?

Recommended Listening:

El-P - 5:30-6:30 @Honda Bigfoot

Last year's Cancer 4 Cure marked El-P's return after five years of absence. It was an amazing album that showcased his talent at bringing humor, wit and dark themes together into a cohesive hip-hop sound. On top of that, if featured some incredible production. I can't imagine his live performance will disappoint.

Recommended Listening:

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros - 7:10-8:10pm @Sasquatch

Have you ever seen live footage of Edward Sharpe and his hippy cohorts performing live? If you haven't, do it now. One thing you'll notice quickly is the unreal energy that this group has, and that is guaranteed to transfer straight to the crowd. If you make it to the main stage on Sunday night, expect the audience to be partying just as hard as Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros.

Recommended Listening:

Earl Sweatshirt - 8:15-9:00pm @Honda Bigfoot

Earl has made a huge return this year. After a long-rumored and now confirmed absence in Samoa, the Odd Future member is back working on a new album called Doris. He's already debuted new material during his ongoing festival circuit, so hopefully he offer up something new this weekend.

Recommended Listening:

Baths - 9:00-10:00pm @El Chupacabra

Baths has created some quirky electronic beats for years now. His debut album Cerulean was great from start to finish, an eclectic and refreshing collection of synthesizers and samples. With his sophomore album Obsidian set to release next week, what better time for the Los Angeles musician to unleash a swath of new tunes.

Recommended Listening:

Grimes - 10:00-11:00pm @Honda Bigfoot

Vancouver turn Montreal musician Clair Boucher has quickly garnered praise from across the music industry. She's a charming woman with a penchant for the oddities, and her music is a direct reflection of this. Her electronic productions are captivating and at the same time so very weird, but it's exactly this that makes her so intriguing. What better place to be won over by Grimes than the gorgeous vistas of the Gorge?

Recommended Listening:

Killer Mike - 9:10-9:45pm @Yeti

Killer Mike is poised to dominate over the next year or two. This year, he'll be releasing a collaborative album with El-P, who produced the excellent R.A.P. Music, and next year he'll release not one but two albums. With El-P performing at the festival and a ton of new material in the works, you can expect Killer Mike's show will be pretty memorable.

Recommended Listening:

The Presets - 12:00-1:15am @El Chupacabra

The Presets are fantastic live. I've seen them twice now and they do not disappoint. They tweak and expand beyond what is featured on their albums, and turn what could be a simple dancey live set into a body-jacking, floor-thumping experience. Let The Presets occupy your eardrums in the late hours of the night.

Recommended Listening:

Day Four (Monday):

P.O.S -2:25-3:10pm @Honda Bigfoot

P.O.S is representing the Doomtree collective at Sasquatch! this year, bringing the bluesy hip-hop sound of Minneapolis to Washington state. Hopefully we'll hear tracks from throughout his career, including last year's We Don't Even Live Here. Personally, I'm hoping for a bit o' "Sarah Silverman."

Recommended Listening:

Dirty Projectors - 4:30-5:30pm @Honda Bigfoot

Swing Lo Magellan was one of my favorite albums of last year, and I've heard great things of Dirty Projectors' live performance. Don't pass up the chance to hear David Longstreth and Amber Coffman's incredible and expansive vocal talents in person.

Recommended Listening:

Death Grips - 5:50-6:50pm @Honda Bigfoot

This is the show that'll be burned into your memory for a while. My roommate, who unfortunately can't make it to Sasquatch! this year, said this was his most anticipated artist, and for good reason. The duo of rapper Stefan Burnett and producers Zach Hill and Andy Morin are crazy sons of bitches, with the verses of the former equalling the insanity of the beats of the latter. This is intense rap, no question about it. If you go see Death Grips be warned, a most pit is inevitable.

Recommended Listening:

Toro Y Moi - 6:00-7:00pm @El Chupacabra

Chazwick Bundick has put out some amazing albums these past few years. This past January he gave us his third, Anything In Return, and while much of it crept into mindless pop (I'm mostly referring to the lyrics) there are plenty of gems to be found. He combines such an eclectic taste, drawing influence from pop, hip-hop, R&B and electronic. The result are incredible songs like "Rose Quartz," "Say That" and "Never Matter." Personally, I can't wait for Bundick to bring these to the Sasquatch grounds. Hopefully you're on board too.

Recommended Listening:

Twin Shadow - 7:10-8:10pm @Honda Bigfoot

Twin Shadow evokes the best of the '80s. Leather jackets, wild haircuts, and bringing confessional lyricism together with '80s guitar licks and glittering synthesizers. It's pretty fantastic, and if you're in the mood for an '80s throwback this is the show for you.

Recommended Listening:

Disclosure - 7:30-8:30pm @El Chupacabra

Guy and Howard Lawrence are a talented pair of brothers. Every song they put out is fantastic, whether it's "White Noise" with AlunaGeorge, "You & Me" with Eliza Doolittle or even the brand new track "When A Fire Starts To Burn" (which just debuted today). Even though their set is a bit earlier than I hoped—they would have been a perfect late-night set—it's one of my most anticipated performances of the festival. Get ready to get down and dirty at this one.

Recommended Listening:

Alt-J - 8:30-9:30pm @Honda Bigfoot

Alt-J is a strange band. Really, they are. But this strange aura around them they are incredibly accessible. Hell, they won the Mercury Prize for their debut album An Awesome Wave. It's their broad scope and diverse but fantastic sound that draws in a huge fanbase. You can expect their show at Sasquatch! to be just as diverse.

Recommended Listening:

The Postal Service - 10:00-11:30pm @Sasquatch

What better festival for The Postal Service to headline than Sasquatch!, taking place in Ben Gibbard's home state of Washington. Ten years after releasing their lone album Give Up, Gibbard and Dntel came together for a reunion tour and a re-release of the LP. When that album first came out I was still in middle school, and all that teenage angst found solace in the moody electronic stylings of The Postal Service. I have a nostalgia with the band, as do so many others, and I highly doubt they'll disappoint that nostalgia.

Recommended Listening:

[SKOA Presents] We Found Sasquatch! Mixtape

The drive to Sasquatch! is a lengthy trip for most of the attendees, and what better time to get familiar with the bands you'll be seeing at the festival? That's where we come in. We've plucked 36 artists from the festival lineup and chosen a song by each, resulting in two-and-a-half hours of fantastic music. This is SKOA's essential Sasquatch! mix. This is the We Found Sasquatch! Mixtape.

The mixtape features plenty of amazing talent, including Vampire Weekend, Disclosure, Tame Impala, Alt-J, Surfer Blood, Dirty Projectors, Father John Misty, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Bloc Party, Empire of the Sun, Toro Y Moi, Holy Ghost!, The xx, El-P, P.O.S, CHVRCHES and more. For your convenience, the mixtape is available to stream below via 8tracks, or you can download all 36 songs in one, two, three parts. Check it out and hopfully it makes the journey to Sasquatch! a little bit easier. The full tracklisting is after the jump.

SKOA presents We Found Sasquatch! Mixtape from skoablog on 8tracks Radio.

We Found Sasquatch! Mixtape Tracklist:

1. CHVRCHES – “Recover”
2. Odesza – “How Did I Get Here”
3. Baths – “Aminals”
4. DIIV – “Past Lives”
5. Surfer Blood – “Take It Easy”
6. John Talabot – “When The Past Was Present”
7. Toro Y Moi – “Rose Quartz”
8. Holy Ghost! – “Dumb Disco Ideas"
9. Youth Lagoon – “Dropla”
10. Azari & III – “Into The Night”
11. Kid Cudi – “Pursuit of Happiness” (Steve Aoki Remix)
12. The Postal Service – “Clark Gable”
13. Vampire Weekend – “Hannah Hunt”
14. Sigur Rós – “Varúð”
15. The xx – “Swept Away”
16. Arctic Monkeys – “R U Mine?”
17. Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros – “Man On Fire”
18. Empire of the Sun – “Alive”
19. Bloc Party – “Octopus”
20. Andrew Bird – “Eyeoneye”
21. Grimes – “Oblivion”
22. Alt-J – “Matilda”
23. Disclosure – “You & Me” feat. Eliza Doolittle
24. Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"
25. Father John Misty – “Nancy From Now On”
26. Danny Brown – “Grown Up”
27. Earl Sweatshirt – “Chum”
28. P.O.S – “Wanted/Wasted” feat. Astronautalis
29. Death Grips – “I’ve Seen Footage”
30. El-P – “The Full Retard”
31. Twin Shadow – “Five Seconds”
32. Dirty Projectors – “Dance For You”
33. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built"
34. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – “Garden”
35. The Presets – “Fall”
36. Porcelain Raft – “Unless You Speak From Your Heart”

[Watch] Toro Y Moi - "Never Matter" (Official Video)

Toro Y Moi takes to the flea market, seeing how random strangers react to his Anything In Return cut "Never Matter". As listeners place the headphones over their ears, their bodies react to the song in unexpected and fun ways. The dance moves alone make this quirky video worth the watch.

[News] Parklife Weekender announces initial line-up

After weeks of torment and announcing just one act a day via numerous sources, Parklife Weekender has been given a full initial line-up announcement and it's shaping up to be a fun start to summer in Manchester. Presented by the same awesome people that bring us the Warehouse Project, the festival takes part over the weekend of June 8th-9th. Previously announced acts included Julio Bashmore, Everything Everything, The Maccabees, Four Tet and Hudson Mohawke. 

Names added today include Example, Plan B, Rita Ora, Mark Ronson, A Trak, The Horrors, Jessie Ware, Jamie Jones, Disclosure, Rudimental, TEED, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Savages, King Krule, Toro Y Moi and a crap load of others, with loads more still to be announced it's looking like it will live up to the previous years'. For the full line-up so far head over to the official website to grab some tickets. You know you want to. We're still awaiting word on the new venue/location for the event but we're told it'll all be revealed a week today (February 21st).

[Album Review] Toro Y Moi - 'Anything In Return'

Behind the veil of Toro Y Moi is Chazwick Bundick, a twenty-something who many associate with the rise of chillwave. Perhaps it is this chillwave affiliation that does Bundick a disservice, as his progression as an artist reveals someone with unique inspiration and defined goals. His latest work, Anything In Return, expands beyond chillwave, beyond his first two albums, as Chaz takes off the veil and lets his personality seep through.

Before Anything In Return was released, Bundick stated that it was his intention to make a more straightforward pop album. He aimed to steer away from his usual laid back, experimental style and more towards catchy Top 40 hits. To his credit, he has in a sense achieved this, with an album where not a single terrible track can be found. While thankfully not venturing into cliché, the album is Toro Y Moi’s most straightforward work yet. It is in this that Anything In Return finds an honest yet nostalgic identity.

Anything In Return starts on a remarkably high note, with “Harm In Change”, “Say That”, “So Many Details” and “Rose Quartz” leading the charge. Each of the songs bring hypnotizing vibrancy to the album, instilling an urge to really listen and embrace the soundscapes that Bundick creates. “Harm In Change” has a charming mystery about it, a jazzy aural landscape with finesse. It demands attention, deservedly so. The three tracks that follow it achieve something similar, injecting a personality into the album through distinctive instrumentation. Anything In Return arouses personality with its jazz nostalgia, its disco-pop influences and its catchy melodies. Every minute brings you deeper into the music itself.

“Rose Quartz” is the key to this personality, exuding a beautiful atmosphere. Swaths of synthesizers wrap around a driven groovy beat, pacing along wonderfully. It charms in its simplicity, in its honesty, as Bundick calmly delivers: “Don’t let me go / Because I feel weak”. Hate on the lyrics all you want, but they fit perfectly well into the Toro Y Moi style and approach. While laughable lyrics can often ruin a song, the gushy mainstream words voiced by Bundick are never cause for concern. He keeps himself under control and allows for the instruments to be the voice of his album.

With such importance placed on the instruments, many of the songs on Anything In Return fall flat. For instance, “Touch” comes across as lacking direction, not really aware of what it wants to be. It’s good, but it plays like ambient filler, more welcome on a Nicolas Jaar LP than Toro Y Moi. “Cake” is one case where Bundick knew what he wanted it to be, that being a mainstream pop track. Bordering on radio friendliness Bundick sings, “Imma be her boy forever”, while glittering synthesizers guide the beat along.  It’s poppy, it’s cheesy, and, save for the redeeming beat, it seems disingenuous.

Much of the middle portion of Toro Y Moi’s third effort plays this way, exhibiting weak direction amidst interesting instrumental concepts. None of the songs are downright terrible, but there is nothing outwardly special or captivating about “Studies” or “Day One” or “High Living”. It’s not until the final two songs on the album, “Never Matter” and “How’s It Wrong”, that the pace quickens again and Anything In Return revitalizes itself. “Never Matter” bounds along with energetic, distorted bass and crisp piano chords, swirling through your eardrums with moments of spacey grandeur. “How’s It Wrong” plays the piano chords even better, immediately boasting a soulful atmosphere and swagger met with abstract synthesizers sweeping throughout.

“How It’s Wrong” is sexy, well paced, and it has charm, something that many songs on this album achieve. Unfortunately, Anything In Return’s stellar sounds are slightly marred by inconsistent ones. But, these inconsistencies can be overlooked, and are overshadowed by the personality roused over the course of its thirteen songs. Some of the songs fall short of evoking a worthwhile presence, but many, such as “Rose Quartz” or “Harm In Change”, bring Toro Y Moi’s hardships and experiences and love and loss to the forefront.

Anything In Return is our descent into Bundick’s mind and, for the most part, it’s an enjoyable and diverse musical journey. One thing that is definitely clear, Toro Y Moi has moved beyond chillwave. He now inhabits a musical space where jazz can fuse with electropop or pop can accentuate a hip-hop vibe. Chazwick Bundick has found his personality.

Words by Adrian McCavour, originally published on LYFSTYL Music Blog.

SCORE: 4.0