![[SONG OF THE DAY] Paper Idol - "I'm Fantastic"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671489975238-UDMY4RWXKVOFDAF1CMLO/image-asset.png)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Paper Idol - "I'm Fantastic"
image courtesy of Paper Idol
VIBE
OCLOCK
ON
FRIDAY
How y’all cute people feeling? Me?
I’M FANTASTIC.
The source of my perfectly pleasant mood is the latest from Paper Idol’s latest track from his forthcoming debut EP, Money For Flowers. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because yer girl included one of his earlier tracks, “Still So Alive”, in a diSKOAver weekly update back in August. Since then the Los Angeles based electro-pop newcomer has been keeping us satiated with a string of tracks and remixes while he worked on the aforementioned EP, which will be dropping this spring.
If you’re the kind of person that feels like you’ve repeated a phrase similar to, “Nothing’s wrong with me, this is just my face” more than a couple of times, then “I’m Fantastic” is the song for you. Our society loves to imply that if you’re not blatantly happy all of the time that there’s probably something wrong with you. It’s weird that we’ve found a way to weaponize wellness to an extent. Humans are blessed with a wide range of emotions that we all experience at different times all day every day. Sometimes you’re elated, sometimes you’re depressed, and sometimes you’re just….chillin?
I love the way the chorus comes barreling through your eardrums, abruptly interrupting the pleasant piano hooks and carefree vibes, questioning Paper Idol brainchild Matan KG’s happiness as if he needs to justify his every move throughout the song. I especially enjoyed the choice to let the question nag him a bit before finally responding so he can go back to his bopmaking business. It makes it feel like you’re eavesdropping on the most unnecessary conversation ever, only you want to dance your ass off to it?
Speaking on the track, Matan shares, “I grew up in Wisconsin, and in the precious few hot summer months it was a family sin to stay indoors on the weekends. In third grade, I wanted to do nothing more than play Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 on my gamecube. Like many other kids in the 00s, I hated the 'get some fresh air!' plea from my parents, so I wrote this protest song in honor of my younger self.”
Last week, Paper Idol announced their upcoming Fantastic Tour which features select dates on the west coast. Tour kicks off on February 29th (what up leap year) in San Francisco and ends in Reno. Dates and more info below! Go! Go! Go!
Paper Idol 2020 Tour Dates
2.29 - San Francisco, CA - Club Bizarre
03/03 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar
3/04 - Seattle, WA - Belltown Yacht Club
3.05 - Bellingham, WA - Karate Church
3/07 - Reno, NV - The Loving Cup
Money For Flowers EP
Coming Spring 2020
01. I'm Fantastic
02. Money For Flowers
03. Ready For Love
04. Chigasaki Warriors
![[SONG OF THE DAY] Sizzy Rocket - "That Bitch"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671489978055-3UJKPQRLP99SG0EXBN8M/image-asset.jpeg)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Sizzy Rocket - "That Bitch"
Photo Credit: @peggyshootsfilm
Following up her 2019 full-length GRRRL along with a 2-song EP with chloe mk called I KNOW WHAT U LIKE, New York based alt-pop bombshell Sizzy Rocket has returned with her first single of 2020. “That Bitch” is a track for those of us who choose to do no harm but give zero fucks. The song is the first taste of a forthcoming new full-length, details TBA.
“’That Bitch’ is about owning yourself - even the crazy, messy, wild, emotional parts that might be ‘too much’ for people, even when you feel insane and down and alone.” Sizzy explains, “It's about being unapologetic in the process of figuring out who you are and pummeling through anyone and anything that gets in your way,”
Sizzy’s been making the rounds for quite awhile now, first coming onto the scene in 2015 with debut track, “Kingpin” Since then, she’s been hitting the pavement hard, releasing 3 LPs along with a string of EPs and singles along the way. I actually personally came to know her through her collaboration in 2016-2017 with SKOA fam Fitts from The Kickdrums called Shiny Wet Machine, which is also worth checking out if you’re in the mood for even more Sizzy Rocket jams (“Stun Gun” is my personal favorite from the project).
At midnight tonight (technically 2/21), the accompanying music video for “That Bitch” makes its official premiere over on YouTube. Be sure to gather around for the premiere and interact with Sizzy when the video finally is live!
![[NIGHT OUT] Spencer Ludwig @ Mercury Lounge 2/13/2020](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671489990251-VC7HTEXD7GO1KG5072K6/image-asset.jpeg)
[NIGHT OUT] Spencer Ludwig @ Mercury Lounge 2/13/2020
images courtesy of Some Kind of Awesome
Last week I finally had the pleasure of catching rising singer-songwriter and trumpeter extraordinaire, Spencer Ludwig. I’m thrilled that the Brooklyn can claim the Los Angeles born poptastic performer as our very own. It was a special treat for longtime fans because it was the first time that Spencer shared some new material that he’s been working on. Prior to the sold out show, I was fortunate enough to grab Spencer for a quick interview (which is coming in the next few days) and not to throw you too many spoilers from that, but he wasn’t exaggerating about how his newer material explores a much broader range of emotions than any of the work he’s released to date.
Another semi-spoiler from the interview: there was a moment during the interview where Spencer casually semi-downplayed his abilities as a singer, citing something to the effect of he didn’t have have a lot of vocal training yadda yadda yadda. I remember chuckling to myself a few songs into his set at that very thought. Granted, if he thinks there’s room for improvement in his vocal performance, I will always encourage someone to better themselves, obviously. All of that to say for only a few years into his solo career he’s already leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of performers that I’ve seen grace the same stage. He certainly had that audience in the palm of his hand from the moment he stepped on stage.
I should also relay that during his set, the Latin Grammy award winner announced that he will be making a return to The Freehold for another residence this coming March. Details should be rolling out momentarily on that. With regards to the aforementioned new music, there are no official details on any of that just yet. That all said, while this is the first we’ve seen of Spencer in 2020, it’s obviously not going to be the last. How often he’ll grace us with his presence is still up in the air, but rest assured I’ll be passing along every last update.
Spencer Ludgwig @ Mercury Lounge 2/13/2020 SET LIST
Helium
Welcome Party
Right Into U
Best Life
Can We Just Stay
Us
Summertime With U
Falling Out
Growing Up In LA
Hard
Day That I
Just Wanna Dance
Diggy
Made To Love You
All Night Long
![[SONG OF THE DAY] Jaded - "Bounce"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671489993517-BC2H2WGOG5L3XWK67B0E/69909569_2393685677554597_4673972007816134656_n.jpg)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Jaded - "Bounce"
image courtesy of Jaded
Great news, everyone! Jaded, my favorite trio of troublemakers have made their first appearance of 2020!
Following up a string of solid singles in 2019, today they’ve decided to gift us with the Ounces EP. The release includes three brand new dance floor fillers complete with extended edits should you find yourself wishing these songs would never end (which SPOILER ALERT it’s gonna happen). Opening track, “Bounce” has one of those understated yet catchy as fuck hooks that will take residency in your brain for a decent amount of time just after a single spin.
I’ve been keeping a close eye on lovely London lads Nardi, Jordan, and Teo for some time now and I think the thing I love about these guys the most is that they always have the chops to back up their playful party antics. Apparently I’m not the only one who feels the same way, considering last year they released tracks on Don Diabo’s Hexagon label and this new EP is out courtesy of Higher Ground, Diplo's house imprint under Mad Decent.
I genuinely hope that this is the year that Jaded hits the stride they’ve rightfully earned. 💖
![[SONG OF THE DAY] Cubicolor - "Melodies"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671489997923-7SHWYHO0P7CMJ6MZC1MD/image-asset.jpeg)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Cubicolor - "Melodies"
photo courtesy of Cubicolor
You only have three more sleeps until, Hardly A Day, Hardly A Night, the latest from Cubicolor is available for your ears to feast on, and feast you must! Following up their 2016 debut full-length Brainsugar, the trio has continue to build on their reputation for sultry soundscapes with HAD,HAN, which seems nothing short of suitable to spin for the first time at twilight.
To hold you over until Friday, the band released the Melodies EP, which features a thoughtful array of cuts from the record. As for the title track, “Memories”, navigates your eardrums through a slow build of textures that playfully ebb and flow throughout the track.
After scrapping what could have been their followup in 2018, the band explored some powerful themes as they wrote what would become HAD,HAN. The band shares, “There were a lot of moments when we weren't sure we'd ever find what it was we were looking for. On the way we lost friends, lost loves, battled health issues, lost an album, lost each other and came back together again. Looking back now it was pretty crazy but the world keeps spinning and I guess we just didn't want to put out anything that wasn't true to ourselves as a band, and the very best we can do as musicians, no matter how long it took.”
Fortunately for them it was worth the added effort.
Hardly A Day, Hardly A Night is out February 21 courtesy of Anjunadeep.
Hardly A Day, Hardly A Night
Release Date: February 21, 2020
1. Prelude
2. Rituals
3. All You Needed
4. Melodies
5. Points Beyond
6. Now You Know
7. Hardly A Day, Hardly A Night
8. Once Around
9. Wake Me Up
10. Airbeat
11. Kindling
12. Pale Blue Dot
![[SONG OF THE DAY] Tom Misch x Yussef Dayes - "What Kinda Music"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671490006871-ZA1O4KT2AZ13OIOSLH8Y/image-asset.png)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Tom Misch x Yussef Dayes - "What Kinda Music"
PHOTO CREDIT: Bardha Krasniqi
On Friday Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes launched their new collaborative project - What Kinda Music, which will be dropping on April 24th courtesy of Blue Note. For those who are familiar with both artists, the title of the album is likely the your knee-jerk reaction to hearing that the two made music together. While Tom Misch has been gaining notoriety as a producer working with the likes of Loyle Carner, GoldLink, and De La Soul, Yussef Dayes of Yussef Kamaal and United Vibrations fame is always pushing the envelope as a jazz drummer.
The result of the two joining forces is the kind of experimentation I wish would happen more often to be quite honest. As you’ll hear in the title track, “What Kinda Music”, the effortless genre fluidity that exists in this project can only come from musicians who are masters of their respective crafts. In this particular track there are moments of progressive jazz and trip-hop with some lovely string movements as the cherry on top.
So fun facts to tell at your next party when this song comes on: the pair both grew up in the same area in South East London and Tom actually saw Yussef play drums in the school talent show when he was 9. The two wouldn’t become friends until 2018 when they met at the launch party for Tom’s 2018 debut full-length Geography. The rest, as they say, is history.
What made the guys click, according to Tom and Yuseff, were the exact same kinds of reasons that it technically shouldn’t have worked. Tom explains, "Yussef comes from a more experimental background, and he has a lot of loose, crazy ideas. I know how to write a catchy melody, but with interesting chords and I have a good understanding of popular song forms, so I think I streamlined those ideas and made them accessible".
What Kinda Music
Release Date: April 24, 2020
1.What Kinda Music
2. Festival
3. Nightrider (feat. Freddie Gibbs)
4. Tidal Wave
5. Sensational
6. The Real
7. Lift Off (feat Rocco Palladino)
8. I Did it For You
9. Last 100
10. Kyiv
11. Julie Mangos
12. Storm Before the Calm (feat Kaidi Akinnibi)
![[SONG OF THE DAY] Miss Eaves - "Stacks"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671490009992-RTTCWU1U8UF9Z0XV8EI9/image-asset.jpeg)
[SONG OF THE DAY] Miss Eaves - "Stacks"
image courtesy of Miss Eaves
VIBE O CLOCK ON FRIDAY
ON VALENTINES DAY NO LESS!
I know given my activity on the rest of the internet today that you might assume that I would have selected some over the top romantic bop on this polarizing over commercialized holiday, but I chose to go another route today. To be very painfully clear: I am NOT ant-Valentines Day by any means.I love the fuck outta love! Instead, I decided to go with something that reflects my impending Valentines Day plans that brings me and plenty of New Yorkers a lot of happiness on a daily basis: a song about bodega sandwiches.
Leave it to Brooklyn’s legendary cheeky wordsmith, none other than Miss Eaves herself, to pen a song that playfully loves on bodega sandwiches in a way they’ve always deserved. As she shared about her latest track, “Stacks”, “I wanted to write a song that reflected my real life. I don’t have a lot of money, but I still want to stack something. And sandwiches are delicious!”
Legit though since love is in the air today, have you ever had a bodega deli dude take a liking to you before? You wanna talk about stacking sandwiches…. they will make them bad boys thiccc. lolololol
If sandwiches aren’t your thing but you’re still fine with being single, she’s got a song for that, too! (“Paper Mache (Single AF)”) On the other hand, if you’re hoping to find love in a hopeless place and plan on hitting the apps hard tonight, there’s “Left Swipe Left” as well.