The Ethereal Journey of Blushing - An Album by Copeland
After 2014’s Ixora, Copeland is back again with perhaps an even more impressive release. The now 3-piece band followed up with their newest album, Blushing, in what seems to be an evolution from their past. Where Ixora leaves off, Blushing picks back up to build a colorful, pastel, dream-like world filled with beautiful, instrumental composition and heartfelt lyrics to compliment.
Knocked Loose - "Mistakes Like Fractures"
A raucous drum fill starts out the first Knocked Loose song to be released since 2016. The Kentucky band are back with an unapologetic sledgehammer of a song that incorporates all the best elements of punk, metalcore and hardcore. Known for their raw fury, the band are direct as ever in their new song, “Mistakes like Fractures,” proving that they haven’t skipped a beat—or two-step.
Omar Apollo Taking Over the Music Scene
Where do I even begin with this one? Do I start with my discovery of his music, or do I just dive right in and talk about his new music? There are so many things that I want to say about Omar Apollo, but I don’t think anything I say will every truly suffice. The recently turned 22-year old (you heard me right...22-years old) Mexican-American has taken the alternative/R&B/ indie music scene by storm, and he shows no signs of stopping.
Hasta La Vista, Baby!
If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I value the idea of authenticity. To me, authenticity is about being the real “you.” It’s about forming your own beliefs and values and living up to them without hesitation. It’s about not caring what others think and doing your “thang.” It’s about being real and not playing into society’s expectations of who you are and who you should be. It’s about wholeheartedly living your truth with the purest of intentions.
A Cult of Community: Turnover Tour
My night started out with a cult induction ceremony led by an eerily, tall alien guy—or at least that’s what it felt like. I was attending a show that I had been so stoked about for several months. The lineup would include the Reptaliens (a band I only knew by name), Turnstile (punk/hardcore aficionados), and Virginia Beach’s own dreamboat band, Turnover. The show, located in Norfolk, Virginia, was a homecoming of sorts for Turnover, but the other bands were just as warmly welcomed. That feeling of warmth and embracement would become pure manifestations of a cult that I joined that night—a cult of community.
Life & PVRIS
There's a deafening sense of vulnerability that exists in the music of PVRIS. A vulnerability so refreshing and captivating, you have no choice but to become entranced. Leaving no room to hide, vocalist Lyndsey Gunnulfsen's lyrics not so much as demand, but coax, you to reflect on your innermost thoughts. To reflect on these thoughts would mean that you would have to accept them—a task proven hard for any human being. And to reflect on those thoughts, would force you to pause and look at yourself and the world around you, a concept so foreign in today's world of persistent worries and temporary satisfaction.
The Glimmer of Nostalgia: A Lesson Learned In "Bandaids"
You know the saying, “The best things in life are simple”? Well, Houston artist keshi certainly embraces this in his latest EP, “bandaids,” a five-track manifestation of lyrical and sonic simplicity at its finest. With summer in the near future, and spring…well…here, this release could not have come at a better time, especially when all of us (for the most part) are stuck inside during a nationwide quarantine. And while we can’t fully enjoy the fruits of the season, this EP gives the listener a taste of what used to be—and what will eventually come.
Black Music Month
As Black Music Month comes to a close, I figured it was more than suitable to highlight black musicians in the many sub-genres of “rock.” Contrary to what many were told growing up, Elvis Presley was not the beginner of all things “rock n’ roll.” Rather, “rock” was an amalgamation of all sorts of musical styles (e.g., rhythm and blues, gospel and soul, country, jazz) living and breathing within the black community.
Step Into the Multi-Dimensional Debut of Lex Lucent with "Incase You Forgot"
"Before this rapping shit, I been writing music since I was 13. I got my ass beat at the age of 13 for . . . a fucking rap on a piece of paper . . . and my mom found it, and she beat my ass. [S]he said, 'This shit's fire, but why are you cussing at the age of 13?'
The saying, "Watch out for the quiet ones," is relevant in the case of Lex Lucent. And that's not to say the Brooklyn-born, Virginia-raised rapper is short of bravado. Underneath her laidback delivery, Lucent is giving it to you straight. "I'm literally just me, and that's really what I wanna be," says Lucent, "[A] lot of my lyrics...it really just be how I be living my life . . . . So it's just like in a cool way, I'm just gonna explain to y'all what kind of person I am, and it's just like I hope y'all fuck with who I am."
Making Sense of the Foreign with Foreign Colour's "sundancer"
Raytheon Dunn is no stranger when it comes to revealing a little bit more of himself in each and every different project he undertakes. Popscure's Jasmine talked with the Norfolk artist about his progression as an artist, the meaning behind his newest project--Foreign Colour--and where music all began for him.
Exploring Life's Complexities in Foreign Colour's Debut Album, Weight of a Rose
Fall has personally always been a relentlessly nostalgic season, pelting a world of memories in your brain synapses...kinda like that particular scented candle that brings you back to a specific space and time. In this case, I think the latest release--and debut album, Weight of a Rose--from Raytheon Dunn's Foreign Colour embodies that same feeling.
Just Released: "Start Over" by Ívan Frey
A lone infectious bassline kicks off "Start Over," capturing the listener's attention just like a sudden thought would capture your mind. This track is the latest single from Mexican-American singer-songwriter Ívan Frey.
Taking 2021 off to reflect and refine his artistry, Frey returns with a sense of conviction--both of sound and mind. Previous songs in the Seattle-based artist's history, like 2020's "Seems Right" or 2019's "What's Up?" show Frey in a deep, reflective state. In contrast, 2022 and “Start Over” portray Frey as more affirmed and accepting of the present through letting go of the past.
Rising From The Ashes In Flames - An Interview with Sofia Gillani
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, London-based artist Sofia Gillani asserts her position for future success and longevity in her latest single, “Flames”. Reverberating synths and composed vocals pepper the atmosphere, setting a cool tone that showcases the singer-songwriter’s level-headed determination. This determination is set in the theme of overcoming: overcoming obstacles, doubts, and sacrifices.
Within “Flames”, Gillani reflects on her journey through the path less taken, determined to achieve purpose and clarity in chaos. Her track expresses how sacrifices often have to be made, so one might as well embrace the blood, sweat, and tears on the road to the grand prize.
This track captures the essence of true growing pains. As Gillani says, we’re where we’re supposed to be, and if we stay true to ourselves, we’ll see it through to the end, coming out a better person than when we began.
