Tag: Alternative

Music, New music

Who You Need: Elohim

by Blondie and the BeatLeave a Comment on Who You Need: Elohim
Elohim.jpg
Image via elohimxelohim.com

WHO: Elohim

WHERE: Iowa

GENRE: Electronic/Alternative

TOP SONGS: “Sleepy Eyes” and “Love Is Alive”

Elohim by definition is “a name for God used frequently in the Hebrew bible”. Does this make Elohim a God? A lyricist God? A music God?

The singer/songwriter/producer split her album in half and decided to release them separately. The first part, BRAINDEAD was released this May in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Elohim exposed her battle with anxiety and how she copes on these seven songs. She describes the album as “a journey into the depths of my mind. The things I do to cope, medicate, and escape. My fears and my dreams while living in a distant reality.”

All money made from BRAINDEAD in the month of May will go towards various charities that support mental health.

Every song on this half album feels like another diary entry from Elohim’s journal. She’s incredibly honest with her internal feelings and struggles. “Pills” details her dependency on medication to help her live and make it through the day. With a somewhat sad undertone she lightly sings, “Take pills for the shakes, For the aches, for the chill of it, I take pills for my health, for myself, so I can live with it.” The song swiftly dives into a hypnotic interlude titled “meditation medication” giving listeners a peek into the voice inside someone’s head.

“running” and “tv” follow in her EDM footsteps. Both have electronic drops while choppy curated vocals hug every sound. “tv” details Elohim’s need for the television to help her cope with her mental state; something so many people can relate to. If you’re a fan of Elohim, you’ve heard her on the hypnotic “Love Is Alive” by Louis the Child or even the gorgeous “Sleepy Eyes” by newcomer, Whethan.

Elohim’s sweet voice offsets the harsh beats and sounds in a way we haven’t heard before in electronic/pop/alternative music. Not to mention, her message is honest and so important for people everywhere.

 

 

Learn more about me!

-Abbey 🙂

Music, New blog post

Q&A With Hayden Scott!

by Blondie and the BeatLeave a Comment on Q&A With Hayden Scott!

Hayden Scott“Chapped lips and your timid heart” are the poetic lyrics on Hayden Scott’s 2018 release, “Summer Heat“. A song that popped up on one of my Discover playlists, which I immediately added to my library and continued to play on repeat for the rest of the day. There’s something unique about Scott’s voice; it’s deep yet gentle in such a unique way. He hugs the line between talking and singing as he tells stories you can’t help but feel passionate about.

His latest single, “White Sedan” feels like an extension of “Heat” in a way. The singer explained the new song on his Instagram, saying, “I had this deep desire to create something that could serve as a time capsule for my friends and I before we leave this town to claim our places in this world.”

I caught up with Hayden to discuss his plans for this year and musical inspirations:

At what age did you start working on music? How old are you now?

“I’m 21 now, and if my memory serves me correctly I started really writing in seventh grade. I was always a drawer, doodling all over my notebooks and schoolwork. I fell in love with words and painting pictures in that way, a few well thought-out words can spur loads of imagery in your mind. It wasn’t until high school that I really found my way into some form of production. I mostly just plinked around until I found my way around the programs.”

Do you have any fun hobbies?

“I like to drink wine and watch trashy British television with my friends, and when I’m not at school or working on career-related activities I’m either playing Bejeweled or thinking about how inconceivably small our galaxy is in comparison to the actual vastness of the universe.”

The lyrics on “Summer Heat” are so poetic. How did the writing process go for that song?

“In the full-scope narrative of the EP (coming this summer) Summer Heat sort of delves into more flippant and vapid feelings I experienced in finding my more grown-up self. It’s all very hit or miss, those first six months on your own. There’s a lot of ups and down in navigating emergent parts of life, and I think I found a way to speak eloquently about a truly awkward phase in my life. Puberty 2.0.”

Who has musically inspired you the most?

“Sonically speaking, Bon Iver and Peter Gabriel. Lyrically, Peter Gabriel, Solange, David Bowie, and Lorde.”

“White Sedan” feels euphoric. What inspired that track?

“It’s really just an ode to my friends and the city of Florence (Alabama). I wanted to immortalize us all in our current states, and now, my friends and I, we can all look back and hear this song and think of all our years here.”

Any plans for an EP or full-length album?

“DREAMDOGS EP, Summer 2019!!!! I think an album will follow soon after. The EP is virtually done at this point, so I’ve been trying to let myself write for freely and create new projects with less structure. A lot of my creative attention has been hyper focused on the EP and really fine- tuning everything there, so I’m moving into other songs now that feel linear with what’s on the EP.”

 

 

Learn more about me!

-Abbey 🙂

Music, New blog post, New music

Who You Need: Handsome Ghost

by Blondie and the BeatLeave a Comment on Who You Need: Handsome Ghost

(Image via news.bandsintown.com)

WHO: Handsome Ghost

WHERE: Boston, MA

GENRE: Alternative

TOP SONGS: “Eyes Wide”, “Weight of It All”

 

 

Who have been some of your musical inspirations lately? 

“Phoebe Bridgers has been in steady rotation, she’s a great writer. I’ve gone back to the last Local Natives album a lot for the past couple weeks. I liked it when it came out a while back, but for some reason it’s hitting me really hard right now. I’m on a bit of a Wilco kick too.”

Do you have any favorites off Welcome Back? And why?

“It’s really hard to pick a favorite. Certain songs are more important to me at different moments, depending on what’s going on around me. I like to think that’s the mark of a good album, that any song could mean the most to you at any given time, but I’m not the most objective listener in this case.”

“Reckless Lover” is so raw and honest. What was it like finishing a song like that? Did it feel good?

“It did feel good to write that one on the guitar and then see it progress to what it eventually became. I think one of the goals behind the album as a whole was to try and be as honest as possible with myself in the hopes of making sense of the past. ‘Reckless Lover’ is a good example of that. And I thought if these songs could help me figure a few things out about the last few years, then I’d have a better shot at moving forward. And honestly, I do feel better, like something has changed.”

You recently played a sold-out tour. Did you ever think that would happen? How was it?

“It was great! We linked up with our (now) friends Flor and toured with them for most of the winter. You never know what you’re getting yourself into on a tour, and honestly it’s not uncommon to meet the band you’re playing with on the day of the first show. And then it’s like ‘okay, let’s travel around the country together for the next six weeks.’ But the Flor guys were wonderful people and such great musicians and it made for a great experience all around. The crowds were incredible too, we had a blast.”

What do you hope to accomplish in 2018?

“Right now we’re getting ready to begin The Welcome Back Tour this Spring. We’re doing everything we can to make sure all of these shows are unique, and that the audience leaves feeling like they were part of something special. It’ll be fun to play some songs off the new album for the first time, and to dust off some of the older ones from the first two EPs. I feel confident in saying it will be our best tour yet, and we’re just working hard right now in preparation. Then it’s more writing and recording and starting to plan for whatever’s next.”

 

 

Music, New blog post, New music

Q&A with Northern National + New Single!

by Blondie and the BeatLeave a Comment on Q&A with Northern National + New Single!

Texas natives, Northern National just released their latest single, “Slow Down” off their new EP, D.A.R.K. Channeling their alternative side they’ve mastered so well, you can’t help but compare this one to an Imagine Dragons-esque anthem. Something draws you in with the eeriest sound. The haunting backup vocals and consistent hit of a drum make this stand out among the rest of their discography.

Listen for yourself: 

1.) Explain more about the song meaning
“‘Slow Down’ talks about the realization that we all lie for different reasons and using that realization to change ourselves for the better.

The bridge of the song says, ‘I’m a liar, I am tired, I get higher just to hide that I am a liar’. These lines are the ‘wake the fuck up moment.’ The ‘these lies are exhausting and you can’t keep doing this’ moment. The ‘You have to change for yourself’ moment.

Sometimes you can’t just change for someone else. You have to change for yourself first and foremost and then let that change be shaped by the people around you, and that is what the song is really about. It’s a song about realizing the person who you’ve become after all the years of wearing a mask you’ve shaped for yourself through lies, hiding, and fear. Now that you’ve realized that mask… you won’t back down, you will hold out, you won’t slow down any longer.”

2.) Who are some of your musical inspirations? 

“Everyone in the band has different musical inspirations actually. Our singer’s favorite songwriter of all time is Ray LaMontange, mine (Kanne) is probably a songwriter named Ron Pope, our drummer loves Bombay Bicycle Club, and our bassist/guitarist loves Thrice. It’s crazy the range that a band can have sometimes.
Actually we are all creating playlists currently of our favorite music and what we are all listening too. You can check those out on our Spotify!“

3.) Is this a glimpse into what the rest of the EP will sound like?
“‘Slow Down’ was the first single we finished writing and recording in the studio. It helped format the direction of the EP for sure. However, we have a couple different vibes on it. We want to keep the audience guessing and intrigued about what’s coming next. You will really get to see all the sides of Northern National in the EP.”

4.) What are your plans for 2018?
“Releasing this new record and lots and lots of touring! We are currently booking for the summer, but from about May on.. get ready to see us at a city near you! We can’t wait to get on the road and play these new songs and write more for future records.”

To learn more about Northern National, visit their website!