Photo by LaTur
Fellow Creatures, “Allies”
Single.
For those still missing the pop songcraft of Ugly Purple Sweater, new Fellow Creatures track “Allies” should do much to suffice in place of a new UPS song, and probably bring a bunch of new people to their music, too. “Allies” takes the strong melodies and hooks that made Ugly Purple Sweater special, but adds a much more significant emphasis on atmosphere and texture, moving the music into a darker feeling and weight.
The track begins with electronics and staccato guitar licks and quickly leads into Sam McCormally’s familiar harmonies. Each movement of the song changes subtly, half the time using subtraction as addition for the next section, taking instruments away to make the next part of the song feel more fresh. The stripped-down sections are held together by McCormally’s vocals, electronics, and guitar riffs reminiscent of Amnesiac-era Radiohead, while in the more full sections, the harmonic movement of the bass and layers of guitar make a bed for more vocal harmonies to take center stage. It’s an interesting piece of music that rewards multiple listens.—Alex Tebeleff
Black Clouds, “Mt. Rainier”
From Dreamcation. Collect Records.
Instrumental trio Black Clouds differs from some of their contemporaries by always creating a sense of unease, even in their most beauty-stirring moments. “Mt. Rainier” transitions seamlessly from the previous track, “Some of Us Are Meant to Disappear,” and immediately makes the listener question the catharsis of the prior song’s conclusion. That is to say, the song begins with an awfully eerie string arrangement in the background so when Justin Horenstein’s guitar jumps from melodic to crunchy and powerful at the one-minute mark, the listener should feel like they’ve been warned.
But perhaps the coolest thing about this track and about their album, Dreamcation, on the whole is how prominently Jimmy Rhodes’ drums are displayed. Horenstein can take a melodic route but sometimes he and bassist Ross Hurt create moments of pure cacophony. It’s in those moments that Rhodes’ drumming is particularly noticeable: because it’s heavy enough to induce headbanging yet precise enough to evoke a feel of a chase through the terrifying soundscape that these three have created. — Valerie Paschall
Asheru, “No Matter Where You Go (ft. Wayna)”
Single.
Asheru has been billing himself for the past few years as “Internationally Known and Locally Accepted,” and his latest music video drives that point home. Filmed in Costa Rica while he was on tour, this single is an ode to blackness and the global African diaspora. The message in his lyrics could not have come at a better time; “I wear it like a suit of armor / My melanin activates to bring me good karma / Sow my seeds, multiply like a good farmer / inside of every Trayvon or Obama.” “No Matter Where You Go” features D.C.-based Ethiopian-American singer Wayna on the chorus, with Asheru delivering a positive message of empowerment in his verses.
Asheru is one busy MC. He is most well-known as the singer of the Boondocks TV show theme song and has worked closely with Aaron McGruder on the show; he even won a Peabody Award for his work on the “Return of the King” episode. In addition, he just returned from a U.S. Department of State Cultural Ambassador program to Bangladesh. A leader among his peers, Asheru’s “No Matter Where You Go” is both a fun, uplifting and socially-conscious track. “We move by a code / And go for what we know / More like what we’re owed / To make up for the lies that media tells / Like being Black is hell.” —Andy Cerutti
Pentamon, “Talking Points”
Single. Main Course Records.
Just because it’s EDM doesn’t mean it has to be upbeat. That’s the message from local artist Pentamon, a producer who specializes in dark, acidic house tracks. While a lot of electronic music is created to lift your spirits, Pentamon wants you to stay entrenched on the dance floor, aware of the painful realities that are plaguing our society. He wants listeners to focus on his music, which is why he goes to such great lengths to keep his identity obscured. If there was ever an anti-establishment, rebellious electronic act, this would be it.
His latest release comes to us courtesy of Main Course Records. “Talking Points” is a brooding track that merges elements of deep house and trance to create a palpitating beat. It slowly burns along the first couple of minutes, before working itself into a noisy, synth-filled frenzy that’s meant to represent the never ending chatter that goes on amongst the city’s politicians. There’s no word on whether Pentamon is building towards an EP release (or if he has future shows planned), so for now listeners will have to make do with his current collection of grounded, statement making electronic productions. — Dalton Vogler
