[Listen] JOHNNY UTAH: “Honeypie”

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HONEY ~!~

PIE!

This song needs to be longer. Jamming in an fantastic falsetto, Johnny Utah coaxes, no coerces you into full body wiggles and head-bobbing for a full 2:26 seconds. The track is defined by sly, tongue-in-cheek and teasing lyrics matched with a snappy guitar riff, a new addition to the infamous ‘bedroom-pop’ genre dominating spotify and apple streaming services for most of 2019. Though lo-fi at heart, the sharp and snazzy production gives you an earworm for the ages.

Music like this, completely independently produced by artists who’ve never lived in a world without the internet, is a 2019 symptom of the decades-old changing climate of the industry. Now YOU can produce music DIY, and even if your production skills aren’t up to scratch and your bedroom soundproofing is somewhat problematic, any imperfection can contribute to an aesthetic choice.

An aesthetic, one of dreamy anachronism (due to your outdated or vintage equipment adding ‘analogue warmth’) with streaks of quirk and authenticity… a complete contrast to the over-produced and chrome-finished pop tracks dominating the charts. It’s an empowering production process and therefore an empowering listen.

Johnny Utah who was a regular guy with a regular bedroom but with 50 Mbps of internet speed, is now a musician with a substantial following, susceptible to the likes of Tik Tok. Garnering followers with his viral tweets, his internet personality of fun and antics is as much a part of his music.

Listen here:

An interview with Johnny Utah here:

http://www.papermag.com/johnny-utah-2620751965.html?rebelltitem=20#rebelltitem20

[Listen]: TOMMY DOWN: “Superficial”

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Think of: Leon Bridges, Nile Rodgers, Sade, Marvin Gaye

Heavy with sex appeal, Tommy Down’s new funk-inspired track mellows disco synths and guitar into a languid, unhurried seduction. The chorus is simple with Down repeatedly chanting ‘super, super-ficial oh yeah…’ , lengthening each syllable to create a dreamy, sultry landscape of a smoke-filled underground bar.

The imagery of this track is vivid partly due to the melody but also partly due to the lyrical narrative that Down builds; citing Arctic Monkeys as lyrical inspiration, Down wanted to tell a story with this track, taking his listeners on a meandering path from beginning to end.

[Listen] YOLANDA BE COOL: Dance and Chant

yolanda be cool

Listen:

A modern twist on 80’s disco electronica. Swinging sax, clappy beats and lyrics limited to ‘do that thang’.

About:

Australian duo made up of Andrew Stanley and Matthew Handley, better known for their collab ‘we no speak Americano’, though this might not entirely be a testament to their production skills. With a name from that one line in that one scene from pulp fiction, the pair of producers are one of many with obvious golden age syndrome.

Ami