Music

3 Is A Band: SXSW2016 Recap of the Most Memorable Trios

Before heading out to Austin to this year’s South By South West Festival, I decided on 16 trios I was most looking forward to seeing live, and while I couldn’t catch them all, I saw most of them and few who weren’t on my list. Truth be

SONG PICK: Maria Usbeck - Moai Y Yo

Up for something beautiful? Listen to “Moai Y Yo” from multi-cultural artist Maria Usbeck. The song floats past you like a creek in glistening sunshine. This effect comes from a skillful production mixing electronic and acoustic elements as well as Maria’s warm vocals. Her album “Amparo” is scheduled for

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PHOTOS: Jimkata Got Rough Trade NYC Blissfully Dancing

On the heel of their second album “In Motion”, released in February, three-piece Jimkata played a sold-out show at Brooklyn’s Rough Trade NYC to a joyous audience. As much as space allowed, people were dancing, some even putting to test their standard-dance moves. A highly infectious, happy vibe was

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LATE NIGHT: Twin Wave - Matador

Brooklyn’s three-piece Twin Wave has just released an up-beat, highly infectious new single boosting big, sweeping 80s-reminiscent harmonies with killer hooks and an overall buoyant vibe. The track’s lyrical theme, which according to singer and lyricist Nick Williams is a nod to “bullfighting as an art form rather

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MUSIC QUOTES: Hip-hop and Electronic Music

Lara Snow at Fat Baby for CMJ 2015

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SONG PICK: Exes - Twentythousand

In this Song Pick of the Day, Exes singer Allie McDonald finds herself in pickle: how to escape an intense relationship that seems broken beyond repair? There is a lot of glass to be heard in the track, which emphasizes the fragile state of mind of its protagonist. “Twentythousand” is

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PHOTOS: Sextile Fully Excite with Dark and Stormy Post-Punk at Barracuda Austin (SXSW)

The first night of the music part of Austin’s South By South West Festival (SXSW) is usually a slow one, intensifying throughout the week and sort of exploding on Friday and Saturday nights. Checking, who’s playing kick-off Tuesday, I found to my great joy that Sextile, a band

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SONG PICK: Samuel Ford - This Is A Waltz

The title of today’s Song Pick holds the promise of something alluring and unique: “This Is A Waltz” is exactly that – a slowly intensifying track composed in 3/4 time yet there’s nothing quaint or dull about it. “This Is A Waltz” by singer/songwriter Samuel Ford is

PLAYLIST: Song Picks of the Day 16.15

1. Motions 2. [Giungla](http://www.giunglamusic.com/ 3. Wonderbitch 4. Justin Jay 5. Kassassin Street 6. Bad Feelings 7. Ramsey

PHOTOS: Donna Missal Plays Her First Headline Show at Knitting Factory & Releases New Killer Single "Sick"

Sometimes you go to a show and you know you see a star. That happened Saturday night at the Knitting Factory, when Donna Missal took the stage with a six-piece backing band in front of a packed room. Supported by family on and off stage and with many fans in

VIDEO: Lilly Wolf - Terrible Mistake

Hindsight is 20/20. In that light, New York duo Lilly Wolf map out a list of  dreadful mistakes, showing what events led to them. The track “Terrible Mistake” is from their 2015 album “Deleted Scenes” (Apple Music | Spotify), for which the video is also a good metaphor: some of

SONG PICK: Ramsey - Pay

L.A. producer and singer Ramsey sings about the escape from a bad relationship in her latest single “Pay”, so bad that the man in question ends up behind bars. There is a lot of menace in the production and her vocals are full of the emotions of a woman

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PHOTOS: Chaos Chaos closes SXSW with a bang

The last official show at SXSW we saw took place at the 18th floor bar at the Hilton Garden Inn. “Let’s all have tequila shots,” exclaimed Chaos Chaos singer and keyboarder Asy at some point and the venue felt more apt for drinking then for enjoying a concert. But

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SONG PICK: Bad Feelings - Do You Wanna Get High

“Do You Wanna Get High” has rarely been asked with more longing and skill than on this debut track by LA duo Bad Feelings. It’s sparsely, almost carefully instrumented, with slowly hitting drums, strategically placed guitar and synths chords giving the wistful vocals room to shine and to bring

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SONG PICK: Kassassin Street - Hand In My Pocket

The relentless beats and soothing synths in “Hand In My Pocket”, the new single by Kassassin Street, would hint an easy happy dance song if it wasn’t for the overall urgent vibe, almost aggressively pushing forward. When the highly addictive chorus kicks in and the five from Portsmouth repeatedly

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PHOTOS: Avec Sans light up Lucky Lounge (SXSW)

The 1 am shows at SXSW are a special experience: it’s too late, you have already seen a lot of music, walked around for miles and the bed at your hotel feels like the most desirable place you can imagine. But there is one more show to see and

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PHOTOS: Pretty City Fascinates Crowds During SXSW 2016

One of the highlights of this year’s SXSW, during a festival filled with fantastic moments and incredibly awesome music (we were so lucky!), was meeting Pretty City, from Melbourne, Australia. I’ve been portraying Pretty City in our #3IsABand feature and declared them to be one of the SXSW2016-must-see

SONG PICK: Justin Jay & Friends - Can't Complain

“Can’t Complain” is not the worst state of mind to be in and L.A. producer Justin Jay underlines this statement with a sleek, melodic dance track that includes a mad guitar solo. Our Song of the Day is the right cure for a day like we have it

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3 Is A Band: Koppel

While listening to Koppels‘s debut EP “Black & White”, released early this year, I can’t help but getting this warm and fuzzy feeling and a smile wants to appear so desperately on my face. All five tracks on their debut EP sound so much more mature, brilliantly recorded

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LATE NIGHT: HOST - State Of Your Soul

Released today, “State Of Your Soul” by Berlin/London duo HOST, is one hypnotic dance track, with great, steady beats and soothing, alluring vocals. You think it’s just your ‘usual’ alas pretty cool synth-pop song but half way through, something even more cool is happening, something so awesome and

PHOTOS: Idgy Dean live at Union Pool

It has been a while since my one and only Idgy Dean concert at SXSW last year. Back then, I was already taken by Lindsay’s solo performance and her 2015 album “Omnious Harminus” made it into my top ten favorite albums. So I was more than happy when she

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SONG PICK: Wonderbitch - Miracle Drive

“Miracle Drive”, the latest single by Austin quartet Wonderbitch, draws inspiration from groves and harmonies that were popular in the late 70s and 80s, even the drum beats sound kinda “old school” throughout the verse, contrasting with vocals that go from smooth to raspy. Once the chorus sets in, you

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NEW TRACK: Von Sell - I Insist

For sure, Von Sell knows how to write quirky yet catchy electro-pop songs. “I Insist”, his second single, grabs you with weird, distorted sounds and an almost disco-like chorus. Listen to it a few times and it will be hard to get it out of your mind again.

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NEW EP: Eliza Shaddad - Run

Recently, I find myself constantly going back to Eliza Shaddad’s second EP “Run”. I already was fascinated by opener “Wars” with its haunting video and the title track, but the other two songs are equally strong. There is something irresistible about Eliza’s silky vocals over dark, melodic guitar

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PHOTOS: Gold Class Totally Live up to Their Name! Photos & Recap of their Beerland (SXSW) & Palisades Shows

Eventually, I would have heard of Gold Class from Melbourne, Australia anyway and listened to their gripping 2015 debut album “It’s You“. Luckily, I stayed in Austin for SXSW 2016 a day longer and ventured out to a music filled afternoon too see Heaters grooving at the floor ‘stage’