Why? Her music captures this amazing tension between delicate and powerful that holds one in the place of unresolved liminality. Not to mention, one of the few artists who has really coalesced what I want most from goth music.
(NOTE: I'll be taking a break from the fedi for several months after this, just want to leave you all with some great music in the meantime)
Artist: Farewell Utopia (Nikita, she/they)
Why? Because her music hits a lot of diverse synth vibes - chill synth, 80s horror synth, experimental noise - and is an amazing listen! Also...I may be dating her and she is brilliant and beautiful and creative, and go give her a listen already!
My favorite album of hers is "Indecision" (https://farewellutopia.bandcamp.com/album/indecision). It is heavily inspired by 70s and 80s horror soundtracks, reminding of the Goblins and other synthesizer heavy horror musical artists.
Why? Because Laura Jane Grace's music has been a companion to so many of us over the last decade, and she just released a new album!
Where to start?
"Dysphoria Hoodie" has quickly become a favorite of a lot of trans people, speaking to those days when shit is hard and we reach for our most comforting wardrobe item. https://youtu.be/miGIgIqcsXA?si=lF7OM95fzC49W7ZE
I'm also really loving "I'm Not A Cop." Really speaks to the way we start policing each other in leftist and queer communities, and reinstitute the same crap. https://youtu.be/nk5UnxIqgRQ?si=wPKtgzjXe7LdSJ6r
Becca Mancari and Joy Oladokun at the Howard Theatre yesterday. Becca resplendent in performance garb (look at those shoes!) Both in fine voice and fettle, Joy had to stop and cry for a minute but it was all in love and community. Both of their records out this year are terrific. #dcmusic#joyoladokun#beccamancari#indiepop#queermusic#howardtheatre
I've got a new song out for the first time in nearly two months! mostly because I found myself being a perfectionist with regard to actually finishing it, and I find that's the time when I just need to pop an end on the damn thing and release it 😅
anyways, you might be able to broadly categorize this one as dreampop, though there's influences from all over the map here 😌 artists/albums I had in mind include the dream academy, sigur ros, slowdive's just for a day, and a couple of my usual touchstones: disintegration/wish-era the cure and ulrich schnauss. anyway, hope y'all enjoy! <3
This week's queer country playlist features Joh Chase, Autumn Nicholas, Izzy Heltai, Jenny Owen Youngs, Lizzy Lehman, Lydia Loveless, and Shadwick Wilde! Crank up your speakers!
oh hey, it's the first Bandcamp Friday in ages! so it's time once again for me to plug the fact that I make electronic music 😁
you can pick up lossless copies of my debut album Nonbinaural, and my darker, more experimental EP Eclipse, right now for just $2 total (or more if you're feeling generous) right now on my Bandcamp page: https://rachelunderspoon.bandcamp.com
this track grew out of the desire to craft something more song-based, and the vocal melody popped into my head while arranging the opening part with the crunchy synths. this is the first time that I've been, let's say, not dissatisfied with the way my singing turned out.
influences here include early NIN and Thrill Kill Kult, HEALTH, Kidneythieves' "Trickster" and The Smashing Pumpkins' "Machina."
hi, everyone! my new EP, eclipse, is out today on bandcamp!
the idea for this project came about because I felt the need to explore a few darker themes that didn't really fit on nonbinaural. I don't like to engage in too much doomerism or trauma-dumping through my music, but a lot of what's present here is part of my story. and I don't feel as though I can earnestly express joy and love without also relating, in some form, the concurrent sorrow, anger and anxiety. any other approach would be succumbing to toxic positivity.
so, with that in mind, I present to you my eclipse - a momentary lapse into shadow.
what's included:
"autoflagellate" is the most distortion-heavy thing that I've composed to date, and it also features some basic (non-spoken-word) vocals. to say that I'm uncomfortable as a vocalist would be an understatement, but I also feel that it's important to challenge myself as an artist. I think the end result turned out... not too badly?
"drone" is a minimal techno-influenced track that I'd initially wanted to add words to and ran into writer's block at the time of its original SoundCloud release. here, I've repurposed it to tell a true story.
I originally wanted to include "rising oceans" on nonbinaural, but I couldn't find a place for it on the album. someone once called it "apocalyptic donkey kong country music," and I like that description enough that I'm running with it.
the title track is the last complete song that I composed before escaping an abusive household. it's one of the most experimental things I've ever released, and also includes a short, surreal poem that I'm fairly proud of.
I completed the bulk of "what she left behind," my "synthwave epic," last june, then promptly shelved it for some reason that I can't quite remember. then, last week, I finally dusted it off, added a bunch of overdubs, and rewrote and re-recorded the spoken-word part. this final version is much closer to how I'd originally envisioned the song, and I'm glad that I waited this long to release it.
additionally, your purchase of the EP at $1 or more gives you access to instrumental versions of "autoflagellate" and "what she left behind," as well as "sunset cliffs," a downtempo track that I composed for fun to see if I could liberally thieve from a certain german electronic artist.
and either way - even if you just stream the EP - thank you so much for listening! <3