March 8, 2013No comments
“Partnering hip-hop artists with charitable causes is nothing that I made up… but they’re infrequently covered by the media, perhaps, unless they’re related to a tragedy.” – Dessa
Read moreMarch 6, 2013No comments
On HL001, a split 12” featuring her a-side “Patriarchy Over & Out,” Ronston blends her twisted falsetto and trip-hop inspired electronic beats into something that’s altogether overpowering. “Patriarchal life, you’re out date / Patriarchal life, get out of the way,” she repeats over the unrelenting pulses. Screeching and howling in ways on Ronston could make attractive, “Patriarchy Over & Out” is the kind of 21st Century protest record that proves music is more than skin deep.
Enter “Misxgyny Drxp Dead,” the second single on Human Level, slated for release on March 8th. The track finds Ronston once again campaigning for social change, this time with her vocals as the driving force. What initially comes off as abrasive at best, the screams of “Take, take, take, take” eventually become a sort of war cry against idealism. While it becomes completely self aware towards the end, it’s never in a way that breaks the fourth wall, a subtle shift that allows Ronston to make the track feel more like an exercise in speech. No doubt one of the most distinctive songs in recent memory, “Misxgyny Drxp Dead” is somehow one of the catchiest as well. “Public Love” and “Agender,” the two b-sides on the single, function as much darker and more instrumental driven orchestrations, complementing “Misxgyny Drxp Dead” while continuing to expand Ronston’s evolving palate.
So rarely does an artist crusade for equality or evolution in such overt fashion, but such is the way of Planningtorock. From the way Ronston presents herself on stage to the way she so dedicates herself to crushing identity norms on record and in the press, Human Level has so far provided a tremendous soapbox for such action.
MIsxgyny Drxp Dead – Planningtorock from planningtorock on Vimeo.
March 5, 2013No comments
Youth LagoonAround the time Trevor Powers was set to release his first record for free, before Fat Possum or any other record label came calling — or rather, begging — there was an insatiable desire for home-recorded dream pop. Atlas Sound, Wild Nothing, Real Estate… the list goes on and on, an endless wealth of nostalgic-tinted, lo-fi recordings that fans, websites, and magazines couldn’t get enough of. As a result, Youth Lagoon’s initial rise always felt forced, and his debut nothing out of the ordinary, a collection of expected music.
But now, as time has passed and tastes have shifted, Powers’ brand of estranged psych ambiance somehow stands alone. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. In talking about his debut, The Year of Hibernation, Powers consistently brought up the fact that his music is dictated by what haunts him, not by any contrived sense of nostalgia, no matter how retro or en vogue his songs may sound. The ability to escape the misappropriation of The Year of Hibernation proved vastly important in the growth of Youth Lagoon, but Wondrous Bughouse ushers in a new era for the ambitious musician.
ALBUM REVIEW CONTINUES BELOW
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