[SONG OF THE DAY] DAVID44 - "Truth"

photo credit: Samy Khabthani

IT

IS

FRI-YAYYYYYYY!

We know how much I love leaving you with some feel good dance vibes to start your weekend off on the right foot and today is no exception. In fact, this very much so leans into the feel good aesthetic on multiple levels.

Today sees the release of Denmark-based electro-pop artist DAVID44 (born David Olafsson)’s latest single, “Truth”, a song about the universal struggles we all have with self-image. It can be incredibly frustrating to see someone not love themselves as much as we love them and Olafsson perfectly articulates the perspective of desperately trying to get someone to see their self-worth. “It’s about speaking the truth but also how reality and words can be twisted by the one hearing it,” Olafsson explains, “It’s about having a misunderstood self-image, not believing in yourself or accepting your true self. These can be very dangerous thoughts and I wrote ‘Truth’ to boost the missing self-esteem.”

“Truth” is the first single from his forthcoming debut full-length album which is due in 2019.

Here’s to dancing your way to loving yourself this Friday, fam. I hope y’all know that you’re some kind of awesome. 💖

[SONG OF THE DAY] Michl - "Pulse"

When Riverside, California artist Michl hit the scene in 2016 I was borderline obsessed with his self-titled EP. Since then he’s trickled out a handful of singles including his latest, “Pulse”, which dropped last week. The reflective song about love and loss was over a year in the making. According to Michl,

"John Calvert and I started this song in London and I worked on lyrics for over a year...I can't even count how many times I rewrote it. After a session with Justin Tranter and Kennedi, I knew the direction the song should go. I almost let this song die a few times, but glad it finally came together."

Thankfully he didn’t give up on the song, which is full of staticy ebbs and flows paired with emotive lyricism. It follows prior 2018 releases, “Fight It Rough04”, “Borrowed Time”, “Tell Her”, “I’d Do It All Again”, and “Better With You”, so be sure to have a listen to those as well if you’re getting caught up on his latest movements like I admittedly had to.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Sakima - "Apps"

Yooooo London’s Sakima is out here raging against the hookup culture machine and I am HERE THE FUCK FOR IT, Y’ALL. His latest single, “Apps”, from his forthcoming debut full length, Project Peach, speaks to the overall disillusionment from the current state of modern dating. Although he’s speaking to Grindr related careless hookup culture, yer girl knows first hand what it’s like to come back from a bathroom break on a date and see a dude swiping away on Tinder to kill time. App dating is garrrbbbbaaaaaggggeee fam please for the love of everything in your being just go meet people at shows ffs.

As Sakima told Highsnobiety about the inspiration behind “Apps”,

“I was dating someone in particular and it was going really well but by the end of it, it transpired that even though this guy really liked me he just wasn’t ready to give one person his attention. Not because he wanted to sleep around or anything like that, but because there’s just so many endless opportunities to meet someone new 24/7, how can I compete with that? I’m the kind of person where if I like someone I get rid of all the hook up and dating apps on my phone and give whoever it may be my full attention to see where things go, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for the same in return. So through the frustration and psychological stress that comes with feeling like you’re not good enough to compete with an entire world of new possibilities through an app, I sort of found this inner voice in me that was much stronger and self-knowing than before all this dating apps shit that’s ruining potentially meaningful relationships.”

“Apps” is a departure for Sakima, who typically relies on his angelic voice to be the central focus for his songs. Instead, he enlisted the production stylings of Robokid, who also contributed a verse on the song about dudes being “glued to [their] phone looking to get [their] dick sucked.”I especially appreciated Sakima’s jab at the end of the song about people being too disillusioned to vote. Impeccable timing considering we’re a week out from Election Day here in the US.

Suffice it to say if I didn’t already hardcore stan for Sakima I sure as shit do now.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Smoota - "That Body Of Yours"

Okay we need to have a discussion about musicians being held accountable releasing crazy sexy jams during Scorpio season. It’s like with every passing day I’m trying to not be all hot and bothered in a coffee shop writing up most of the songs in the past week. Is there some coitus-coaxing conspiracy amongst musicians right now that I don’t know about? jfc.

Today I’m trying to not make eye contact with anyone because New York based sex panther Smoota’s latest single “That Body Of Yours” is making me want to sneak off to the bathroom with the next cappuccino-sipping cutie that walks through the door. The sensual single comes from his forthcoming sophomore album, Pheromones, which drops this Friday (November 2nd). “That Body Of Yours” follows previously released singles, “Ballbuster”, a love song using S&M imagery and the double entendre of the word ballbuster, and title track, “Pheromones”, a playful fantasy about using our biological pheromones to attract a partner inspired by a friend who sells human sex pheromones online.

If you weren’t already sold on Smoota’s sensual 70s groove aesthetic, the video for “That Body Of Yours” should throw you over the edge. Always the clever one, Smoota re-edited a very obscure Japanese film from the 50s into a new story with new subtitles about himself in post-war Tokyo and his relationship with one of the performers at a Casablanca-style exotic nightclub. As he noted about the video, “The imagery from the film is gorgeous and features an ultra-sensual dance routine to my trombone solo on the song. The new story is funny and over-the-top and even features my appearance in the old footage through some studio trickery.” Of course he played the trombone solo. Of fucking course. 💦

If Smoota’s face looks familiar, it’s because he’s a super in-demand musician in New York. You may have seen him on tour with TV On The Radio, who he performed with for several years. He’s also recorded and performed with a slew of other acts such as: Run The Jewels, Steven Tyler, Pretty Lights, Sufjan Stevens, Aaron Neville, and the late Sharon Jones. Currently, Smoota is in the house band on ABC’s The Gong Show, hosted by Mike Myers.

If you happen to be in NYC you can catch Smoota with me at Union Pool in Brooklyn along with William Butler, Superhuman Happiness, and Hearing Things. I normally end up making out with someone at Union Pool, so it only seems appropriate that my first time seeing Smoota will be there. If you’re not in NYC, don’t fret! You’ve still got a chance for Smoota to get you wet on his North American tour that kicks off on Friday. Full dates after over on his website.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Humans - "Going Late"

Good news, everyone! We’ve finally got a release date for the new Humans record!!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻Oh my good Lorde do I need this batch of vibes like yesterday but I suppose I can wait until November 16th. The Vancouver duo chose to unveil the details alongside dropping the title track, “Going Late” complete with a video that’s basically a walking advertisement for the dope ass bomber jackets they sell as part of their merch offerings (the “Girls” edition of the Boys & Girls bomber is like legit at the top of my Mixmas List).

Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to see about selling one of my kidneys so I can look cooler than all of you every fall for the rest of my life.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Saro - "Please"

photo credit: Josh Nixon

Proceed with caution as LA based queer musician Saro (pronounced “sorrow”) has a voice that can completely wreck you if you’re not prepared for it. Ever since my first taste of his 2017 EP Boy Afraid, his songs have firmly cemented themselves in my heart and I’ve been eager to hear what he would share with us next.

Yesterday he unveiled his latest single, “Please”, which upon first listen can be interpreted as a song about a lover, but as he explained in an interview with PAPER,

"'Please' is a reflection of my search for something lasting in this increasingly disposable world.The past few years, I've kept a distance between myself and any sort of permanence, caught in a revolving door of temporary homes and temporary people. Temporary has become my constant— the only stability in my life has been music. Now, I find myself reckoning with my growing desire for stability and my willingness to exchange volatility for something more concrete. I wrote this song about longing for something lasting, all the while knowing that nothing is forever."

If you happen to be fortunate enough to be in Los Angeles, you can catch him live next month on November 19th at School Night.

#SKOASelfCare: Wilderado Shares Their Mental Health Maintenance Tips From The Road

Wilderado outside of Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, CA. Photo gently lifted from their Instagram.

Touring is often looked at by musicians as a necessary evil due to how taxing it can be on their mental health. No matter your tour budget, finding moments of self care on the road can be tricky to come up with when you’ve only got so much time before load-in, so I’ve decided to start asking around for ideas from bands while they’re mid-tour.

Since I’m seeing them tomorrow night (10/27) at Music Hall of Williamsburg, I decided to hit up Tulsa rockers, Wilderado (who you hopefully checked out in this week’s diSKOAver weekly playlist) to see what’s been working for them on their tour with other SKOA favorites Sure Sure. Gotta say, I am loving the tips that singer Max Rainer sent through! From my brief stint in tour managing I can tell you that some of these are a hard agree from me.

This is “Thieves”...it smells pretty awesome and supposedly makes you less susceptible to germs. Our drummer’s wife sells this stuff and i dump it on everything (my bag, backpack, arms, neck).

Buy: Young Living Thieves Essential Oil 15ml

Reading books helps me not think so much.

Buy: Fight Club: A Novel

I’m not so sure if this stuff actually benefits me in any way other than tasting great and feeling good. I just like having it around, the name says it all.

Buy: Cold & Flu-Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat

I currently have bronchitis, so maybe i shouldn’t be the one doing this, BUT, these multivitamins are amazing. This is the first time I’ve been sick on the road, and these things are keeping me alive.

Buy: Source Naturals Wellness Formula Wholefood Multivitamin With Vitamins & Antioxidants

Listen to something other than your own music that you’re playing over and over and over. Sometimes I’ll even just hang out listening to the calm app... it sounds so real.

Grab the Calm app on iOS & Android

NY fam come hang with me tomorrow night (10/27) at Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch these guys live. Should you need a refresher of their sound you can find their latest single, “Sorrow” in this week’s diSKOAver weekly playlist below!.

[SKOA PREMIERE] + [SONG OF THE DAY] Niki Black - "Not Coming Up"

IT’S FRIDAY, WITCHES!

Just in time for a weekend that will be undoubtedly be full of Halloween parties I have a song from LA siren Niki Black that is nothing short of supernatural. “Not Coming Up”, the debut single from her forthcoming EP, wastes no time in allowing you to get to know Black, who studied feminist theology in college, as she cries out, “don’t forgive me father”, which I assume is derivative from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Whereas Christ was crying out for God to forgive those crucifying him for sinning against God, Black does not wish to seek for forgiveness, as the song is ultimately an arresting ode to her first queer relationship, which as we know, one does not need to seek any forgiveness for. “I felt the church to be central to the song’s idea of being denied entrance to heaven because of your sexuality,” explains Niki. Spoiler alert / non shocker here: Black is also tremendously involved in women’s rights and LGBT initiatives.

Her forthcoming EP, which is slated for an early 2019 release, offers up Black’s perspective on femme sexuality through her feminist theological lens. “I was enchanted by old Judaism, namely the mythology of the female demon Lilith, and how she mirrors Eve,” shares Niki. “The thousands of years of interpretations of the myths of the religious texts are goldmines in the way that they illuminate my creativity and thoughts, and also how they inform so many of our modern generation's conscience, especially when it comes to sexual politics.”

To a certain extent, the EP is like Dante's Divine Comedy, describing the journey from heaven to oblivion, or hell. “I wanted to retell that descent from a modern feminine perspective, one of the damned, which some of us may feel like sometimes, or all the time....whether it's from religion directly, from a relationship, or from yourself,” shares Niki.

Before today I didn’t have a playlist called “Songs To Sin To”, but here we are…

Have a safe weekend, fam! Happy sinning ;)