Browsing Tag

Spoken Word

Shackles Unbind in Ellery Twining’s Experimentally Liberating Single, WHAT’S GONNA SET YOU FREE

Posted on 24 June 2023

If Sonic Youth prolonged Kim Gordon’s spoken word verse in Kool Thing and played with post-pop and post-punk sensibilities, the result would be as coldly electrifying as the standout single, WHAT’S GONNA SET YOU FREE from Ellery Twining’s 2023 LP, RESULTS.

With a Joy Division-esque atmosphere ringing in the background of the stellar production by Eric Lichter of Dirt Floor Recording Studio, all the right motifs are in place to bring a tonal sense of familiarity, while Ellery uses his distinctively exasperated devil-may-care vocal energy to set the listener free from sonic monotony.

The soundscapes were compiled to reflect the childhood and coming-of-age experiences of Gen X kids, with themes of popular culture, childhood survival tactics and the ramifications of living in an era when divorce became socially acceptable at its core. Forget the Coupland novel, for nostalgically vindicating resonance, delve right into RESULTS.

Stream WHAT’S GONNA SET YOU FREE with the rest of Ellery Twining’s LP, RESULTS via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

snailosaur unveiled grungy indie-rock poetry via their single, Fake Cobblestone Alleys

Posted on 24 April 2023
snailosaur by snailosaur

The Brooklyn, NY brother duo snailosaur showed us exactly how they came about their moniker with the scuzzy Dinosaur Jr. tones and verbiage in their latest indie-rock evocative ride, Fake Cobblestone Alleys.

Reminiscences aside, the spoken word sermonics of the single bleed poetry into exhilarant guitars punctuated by the driving drum fills. Every aspect of the track was superlatively stitched together to become the sum of all its melodically fuzzy parts.

It is worth being part of the disenfranchised down-and-out masses just to tear the honey from this apathetically sweet projection of everyman blues. Snailosaur’s mark has been definitively left on the landscape of grunge via Fake Cobblestone Alleys; it’s a nihilist’s dream come to sonic fruition.

Stream & purchase Fake Cobblestone Alleys on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Dirt originated allegorical psychedelia in their debut LP, Agitator.

Posted on 7 April 2023

Few Manchester music fans are strangers to the disquiet deliverances of The Dirt’s wordsmith, Jack Horner, who has been storming stages with his abrasively arresting recitations of the tolls of PTSD and orations of the graffiti on the toilet walls of iconic Manchester venues.

Standing alone, Horner’s words in his solo spoken word project, Leon the Pig Farmer, carry enough metaphoric weight to leave a bruising mark on the psyche. The curveballs in his conceits open a collective of wormholes for the mind to venture down before perceptions shift around his vindicating socialist manifestic narrations. As a part of the dualistic powerhouse, the juxtaposition between his no-prisoners poetry and effect-layered guitars is enough to tear the rug from beneath you and plateau you on a new kaleidoscopic tapestry.

The Dirt’s debut LP, Agitator, starts with a true-to-form snarled spoken word piece, which prises your eyes open in Clockwork Orange style to the systematic failures of our belligerently nefarious government. Right off the bat, the strength of the dystopic imagery sends you into a spin as the psychedelic guitars, courtesy of Sachiko Wakizaka, whirl around the repression rebellion.

From definitively Madchester instrumentals to desert rock droning originations, the soundscapes psychedelically curtail the spoken word conviction just enough to make each of the eleven tracks a palatable mind-altering cocktail. It’s hard to name a favourite, each single has its allegorical merit, but being driven to tears by the existentially delicate single, What’s the Story, had to be a personal highlight before the euphoria surges through Ignorance is Bliss, which transgresses entropy into rapture.

Grab a copy of Agitator via the Golden Believer Records Bandcamp page and watch the live launch on April 14 at the Peer Hat.

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Review by Amelia Vandergast

Decuma unleashed their rogue existentialism in the spoken word viscerally experimental hip-hop track, basketball. ft. yska

Posted on 12 January 2023

Blurring the lines between poetry and hip hop, the atmospherically magnetic first single, basketball., taken from the Detroit rapper and musician, Decuma’s album, let’s play pretend, reaches the pinnacle of gritty dynamism.

Switching up the vocal tone to match the sentiments in each verse as they stay true to their brand of rogue existentialism, basketball. ft. yska is a defiantly disarming window into the mind of an artist committed to holding the world accountable for its prolific sins.

The instrumentals that seamlessly drift through cutting orchestral layers to dark and distorted bit-tune-ESQUE beats to nostalgic jazz hip-hop samples always fall in line with the provoking lyricism that makes no bones about reaching vindication by rehashing injustice.

There is little to tie each blister of candour together. When they are put together collectively, you hear a true account of how generational, romantic and institutional trauma can amount to breaking points for even the most tensile who walk amongst us. Decuma did Nietzsche proud.

Check out the official 360 Video that premiered on January 3rd on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Beavus has launched his experimentally originated hip-hop eponymous debut album.

Posted on 6 December 2022

The up-and-coming alternative artist, Beavus, proved that beyond-the-curve experimentalism is in high demand with hip-hop fans after the launch of his self-titled debut album.

The standout single, Song 4 Might Be Finished, is a meditatively chill window into the artist’s vibe-heavy inclination. Running through like a semi-lucid lo-fi trappy lullaby, the single exposes you to intimate confessionalism while the downtempo beats drench you with tranquil catharsis.

The sense of sweet yet cheeky playfulness takes the soundscape to the next level, and Beavus’ 5,000 monthly Spotify listeners would be more than inclined to agree.

Check out the eponymous debut album from Beavus on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nour Rakha exhibits his killer cadence in his perceptively galvanising latest single, Poet Turned Rapper

Posted on 12 October 2022

Nour Rakha (previously Tut the King) set the bar lyrically high with his latest old-school East Coast hip hop single, Poet Turned Rapper, but your jaw will drop just as hard as the mic when it metaphorically hits the floor after every flawlessly insightful line delivered.

The superficiality of modern reality that is stained with false pretences and egos didn’t stand a chance against the Egyptian American rapper and producer whose expressive cadence always submerges you in the depth of his introspection.

While the bars give you a candid view of Rakha’s relatable dim opinion on 21st-century disparity, the smooth summery beats set up by producer Rifado Beats bring a stylish sense of soul, complementing Rakha’s always authentic expositions. We are officially obsessed with Rakha’s new style and sound.

Poet Turned Rapper was officially released on September 27th. Check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NKem went heavy on the poetic confessionalism in his alt indie debut, Ergo Sum

Posted on 20 July 2022

NKem describes his debut single, Ergo Sum, as a short, swift pact of artistic poetry; that is exactly how the production sombrely resonates. Opening with Elliot Smith-esque softly fingerpicked guitar notes, the single seamlessly transitions into a spoken word piece, with hints of melodicism in the raw confessionalism.

Attempting to pigeonhole Ergo Sum by genre is an act of futility. NKem lets his spilt ink lyricism lead the way and lets the instrumentals contextualise the expression. For Ergo Sum, there’s a monochromatic blend of ennui pop and indie with nuances of new-wave hip hop.

Recently signed to Quartz Collective Management, the Brighton-based model and artist has a bright creative future ahead of him on the basis of the emotion-evoking capacity of Ergo Sum.

The official lyric video was released on June 23rd; you can check it out here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mined Music extends an invitation of intimacy with ‘Let Me In’ featuring Amanda Power.

Posted on 14 June 2021

Munich-based singer-songwriter, artist and producer, Mined Music’s latest single, Let Me In, featuring Amanda Power, is a trippy feat of indietronica that extends an invitation of intimacy that you’ll find impossible to decline.

Through dark yet delicate synth-driven progressions and glitchy percussion, Mined Music created a hypnotic atmosphere for Amanda Power’s spoken word vocals to command. Despite the deadpan tone of the vocals as they verse the lyrics that capture the beauty of closeness and the subsequent danger of trust, you will still feel the vulnerability that manifests around intimacy. It’s a stunningly seductive single that is more than worth a spot on your ambient electronica playlists.

Let Me In is now available to stream on Spotify.

Connect with Mined Music via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jason Potter paved the way to a spiritual journey with his sophomore album, ‘The Marriage of Celestial Things’.

Posted on 14 May 2021
The Marriage of Celestial Things by Jason Potter

Experimentally spiritual London-based artist Jason Potter has followed on from his 2020 debut album with the release of ‘The Marriage of Celestial Things’. With Gregorian chants meeting gothic inclination, the dark sermonic soundscapes may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Yet, anyone with the proclivity to delve into an exploration of the duality between damnation and salvation will want to bear witness to the subversive eight-track album.

The opening single, Creation, acts as a guide into the light within the arcane orchestral album; but it isn’t long before the haunting and evocatively striking tones pierce through the ambience in the neo-classic soundscape. With ominous spoken-word offerings, The Marriage of Celestial Things purposely disturbs as a method of awakening.

When fully immersed in the album, you can practically feel your tunnel vision widening as you’re drawn away from superficiality and forced to reconcile with the vastness of the universe and yourself.

While some artists fall out of the mainstream to make a point, perceptibly, Potter’s authenticity was something that he didn’t have to orchestrate.

The Marriage of Celestial Things is available to stream and download on Bandcamp from May 14th, 2021.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Sounds Of The People: London-based spoken word poet AMD SPEAKS astounds yet again with ‘Black Holes II’

Posted on 14 May 2021

As he warmly encourages us to only transmit true love from our words and actions despite the dreadful fire burning all around us, AMD SPEAKS returns with his thoughtful new album called ‘Black Holes II‘.

Aaron Daniel aka AMD SPEAKS is a world class London, England-based spoken word artist. He carefully fuses that real storyteller vibe — that keeps your mind alive with that proper insight — despite what is going on in the world as we speak.

This is that rare piece of absolute brilliance, that is made with so much calm energy, as his relaxed tone of information forms a sheet of guidance, to cover up our eyes from the things which we don’t actually need.

There are all highlights here and ‘Grand Rising‘ (ft. Miss Yankey), ‘Sage‘, and ‘A Prayer’, are particular standouts on this superb nine track waterfall of emotions. His deep voice and truthful lyrics rises above all of the noisy conversation that ultimately, isn’t helping you at all.

This is that music release that strikes you hard in your beating heart, as you strive to be a better person and to not let fake gossip and garbage consumerism block your mind up, into the swampy gutter below.

‘Black Holes II‘ from London’s AMD SPEAKS, brings us that real word on life through his lens, as he perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the world, as he sees it right now. This is the type of album that is highly needed in this unconnected word that has malware flowing through everywhere like an infected water stream. The awaiting world needs more music like this to heal us all of those scars, that need some love and truth lathered all over.

Stream this top album on Spotify and check out his IG page for more news.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen