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Category Archives: Music

New Metome: Vermont

Both of these tracks have been floating around online for a little bit now, but Osaka’s Metome has compiled them together for a release via Bandcamp. Not too much has changed — “Koala” uses a simple beat as a base for Metome to weave in fading synth lines and vocals, creating a number where a lot of changes happen in the back against an otherwise straightforward bounce. “Vermont” is even better, Metome creating a groove that mutates over six minutes, always keeping a solid groove in place. This is Metome exploring subtly. Get it here, or listen below.

Kissmenerdygirl Teams With Sleet Mage And Future Otaku For “Lotus”

Kissmenerdygirl has shown flashes of creativity when working with others, usually by bending their usual “future funk” dashes into something a singer can shine over. “Lotus” — or, technically, a bunch of characters my computer can’t display plus the word “Lotus” — is actually quite basic for Kissmenerdygirl. The producer crafts a relatively simple beat, one accented by some guitar notes and bleary-eyed electronics, but that all gives away for a pretty straightforward trap-inspired thump. But again, guests play the key role. Kissmenerdygirl’s beat works wonders with Sleet Mage’s diary vocals — “my heart aches with loneliness” goes one, filtered through Auto-tune that makes you think of what the lead singer of Sekai No Owari would be like if they only listened to Spooky Black — and matches well with the melodic flow of their voice. Mexico City’s Future Otaku (not sure on that name…) also features, though where they start and Kissmenerdygirl end, I don’t know. But however they do it, they’ve made something that works well with the featured guests voice. Listen above.

Bad As They Wanna Be: Sekis & Dike’s More Beer EP

DJ Assualt they aren’t, but duo Sekis & Dike inject a little bit of edge into their juke EP More Beer. The criss-crossing beats and vocal snippets remain, but this time they are on the funny, PG-13 side. “Candy Pop” slides forward on buzzer sounds and a guy talking about crack, everything gelling together to form an energetic number on the border of ghettotech. Later songs bring on guests, and really just get the most out of repeated phrases over mechanic beats. Solid, with a fun side. Get it here, or listen below.

New Haruno: “Currant”

It’s that time of the year, where we start looking slightly back on the good releases of 2018’s first half. Producer Haruno’s Vocaloid-powered set Filia is one of the last six month’s nicer surprises, and it’s great to see them checking back in with “Currant.” What starts as a pleasant-enough bit of pop quickly turns comes the chorus with the beat picking up and the synthesizer wobbling off. And like on the full-length from earlier in the calendar, the way they use Vocaloid — letting the digital edges show — meshes well with the music itself. Listen above.

New Maidable: Slumber / Doze

The latest release from producer Maidable isn’t as sleepy as the song titles suggest. “Slumber” opens with shimmering synth chimes but quickly introduces a beat, though it moves at a groggy pace, like someone wandering a hall for a midnight snack. But then Maidable picks up the speed and turns the song into a skippy one that mutates over six minutes to find just the right balance between bouncy and relaxing. “Doze” offers something more skittery, offsetting the beat with sampled voices moaning off deeper in the mix, adding a tension to the song. Rounding it out, DJ Dai offers two more energetic remixes of the tracks for those who just want to get into it. Get it here, or listen below.