Tomorrow, Dessa – the rapper, singer, and writer who’s also a member of the Minneapolis-based hip-hop collective Doomtree – will be releasing a new song called ‘Talking Business’. Showcasing her lyrical dexterity as well as her knack for inventive storytelling, the cinematic track was produced by Paper Tiger, Andy Thompson, and Lazerbeak and marks the fifth instalment of her IDES singles series, which sees her sharing new music on the 15th of each month. ‘Talking Business’ arrives with a lyric video by Matthew Levine, which you can check out exclusively below ahead of its official release.
“I wanted to make a song that unfolded like a little film where the plot was revealed in a series of objects and still images,” Dessa explains. “I envisioned lipstick on the filter of a cigarette, a wig discarded in a hotel bathtub—all the action implied, just off-screen. I tinkered with the idea for years, but never quite got it running until I heard the beat from Michael Piroli—slinky and smoky with a little menace. To try to build a story in a flash of snapshots, I wrote the song without using any verbs. So the song unfurls with just a list, really: an inventory of telling items and a few frames of character frozen in a single moment. (And, for the ‘word nerdz’ eager to bust me—terms like ‘talk’ are used here as verbal nouns and the -ing words, like ‘missing’, are actually gerunds, a type of noun.)”
Henry K. Norvalls’ Sweet Things follows Anne as she navigates an interview for a photography house.
The awkward horror of job interviews is a near-universal experience, and this film details how that can intersect with misogyny and the imbalance of employer-employee dynamics. Norvalls’ brilliant direction showcases a clash in power: a young woman desperately trying to keep things together as her employer pushes grim boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Sweet Things perfectly captures the anxiety and discomfort felt by many women who have been subject to grotesque misconduct at work. With the delicate sound design and superbly framed cinematography, the film shares Anne’s perspective – bringing us closer to her dread and unease.
Cast
Renate Reinsve
Preben Hodneland
Per Magnus Barlaug
Ameli Isungset Agbota
Crew
Director: Henry K. Norvalls
Screenwriter: Line Dalheim
Producer: Petter Onstad Løkke
Co-producer: Grunde Tveiten
Director of Photography: Torfinn Rønning Sanderud
Production Designer: Mirjam Veske
Editor: Thomas Grotmol
Costume and Make-up: Sandra Krogh Rodum
Sound Designer: Inger Elise Holm
Colorist: Raymond Gangstad
Poker is one of those games everybody is bound to play at one time or another, and it is true to say that some people do rather quickly pick up the skill and art of playing and can go on to become something of a successful and profitable player too.
However, there are of course many things that you will need to be aware of, much more so if you choose not to play in land based poker rooms and instead choose to play at any of the many online poker sites that are based in Canada.
This guide will give you a few pointers as to how you can improve your poker play and will also let you know what to look out for when choosing just which poker site to play at too, but keep in mind there are loads of different poker game variants available to you these days, and you could find you do enjoy playing one of them more than any other.
Plus, another benefit of playing poker online, is that you are not only going to be limited to playing cash ring poker games, but will also find no end of poker tournaments available to you too, some of which by the way are completely free of charge to enter, and offer you the chance of winning a huge cash prize if you make it to the final table of those tournaments and finish in one of the higher positions, so keep that in mind.
Are Poker Site Bonuses Worth Claiming
One question that I get asked time and time again, much more from first time online poker players in Canada is whether the bonuses that they will see advertised by many poker sites are real and whether they are worth claiming.
The simple answer to that is those bonuses are there to be claiming but be warned not each of them come with fair bonus terms and conditions, so read them through as that way you will see what you are agreeing to be bound by and what you must adhere to when claiming any of them.
Discover Your True Odds of Winning Any Hand
One thing that you will soon discover and notice when playing poker online for real money for the very first time is that some players seem to win more hands than they lose, and those players are of course the ones that know how to play each hand and whether to play or fold their hand too.
If you are new to the game and want some idea of whether to play your hand or not, then make use of a poker odds calculator as that way you are always going to know in advance whether your hand does have a realistic chance of winning or not.
Never Get Carried Away Playing Poker Online
I do need to reiterate that playing poker is something many players can never get the hang of, and as such and much more so due to the fact you will come up against some vastly experienced poker players online, you need to be aware of the risks associated with playing poker online and be aware that you will lose and not always win.
As there will of course be plenty of no limit poker game variants that you can get stuck into playing, those tables are high risk ones, and if you have not mastered playing poker and do not have any luck when playing you could soon completely bust out your poker site account balance and your bankroll too.
All poker sites are going to have plenty of responsible gambling tools available and by making use of them before you start to play you can set things such as a deposit limit, so if you do but out your initial deposit, as long as you have set a deposit limit you are never going to be put in the horrible position of continuing to make deposit after deposit and losing those deposits.
I’ve met a lot of tech-savvy people who dream about making money online without investing too much. Naturally, this is not an easy feat, and not everybody can reach their goals. However, one option combines both making money and having fun, and that’s online games. What’s more, these games are now available on mobile devices, so you can play them anywhere and anytime. But where to start?
We’ve spent a lot of time and effort researching the top mobile online games to play for money. So, if you’re interested in exploring this option, keep reading to find out more.
What to Know Before You Start
If you want to make money by playing online mobile games, you need to be willing to put down some of your own cash. Although many casino websites offer free-play versions of popular casino games, not many of them promise huge wins. If you’re more interested in making it big, you can start by depositing funds and playing some of the best slot apps for real money on sosgame.com — one of the best and most popular options out there.
On top of that, these types of games are available non-stop. That means you can play them 24/7 from any smartphone. All you need to do is decide whether you’re more into slots, table games, or live dealer options and start playing.
Also, remember to stop when you don’t feel like you’re on a good path. Playing responsibly with and for real money is extremely important.
Make sure to follow the tips below before you start playing to stay on the right track.
Take advantage of bonuses — Many online casino sites offer lucrative bonus deals to entice new players to join. These bonus packages will prove to be of great value once you start playing, as they’ll increase your bankroll.
Watch out for free spins — If you’re more into slots, you should keep an eye out for free spins deals. These promotions reward players with dozens or even hundreds of free spins to use on some of the most popular titles.
Know your bonus requirements — Claiming bonuses is the easy part, but make sure you know all about their requirements. If you don’t fulfill them, you won’t get paid even if you win.
Learn all the rules — Don’t invest any of your hard-earned money without knowing all the rules of the games you choose to play.
Get acquainted with the RTP — Return to player percentages are essential when playing online games. Make sure to research the game’s RTP before you dive in.
Top Online Mobile Games
If you’ve decided this is your calling, make sure you know all the available mobile online games that you can invest in.
Slots
Not only are slots one of the most popular entertainment options in the online world, but they’re also one of the most profitable. Players get to choose from various options, including video slots, progressive games, and jackpots.
Naturally, jackpots are most profitable, but they require the highest bets. You will win big by playing jackpots, but it will take some time. If you’re not sure about your capabilities, start small and work your way up. You can win some decent money by playing smaller slot titles.
Roulette
Roulette is one of the most popular table games that hasn’t lost its charm in decades. This game is perfect for impatient people and those quick on their toes. Besides being available as a free game in some online casinos, you can also play a live dealer version or video roulette.
American and European roulette are the two most popular options. The former has a 94.7% RTP and the latter 97%. Make sure you go through some tips and tricks before you start playing, but remember that roulette is a game purely based on luck.
Blackjack
Many online casinos offer live dealer blackjack as it’s one of the most intriguing card games. Your skills as a player determine the RTP, meaning your decisions influence the game a lot. Interestingly, the game’s RTP can be close to 100%, making it one of the most sought-after games online. Although it sounds tempting, don’t dive in headfirst. Set aside time for practice before you start investing.
Poker
You probably know everything there is about poker. However, you might be surprised by the number of poker variants online casinos offer. If you decide poker is your calling, remember to differentiate these games and learn all you can about poker strategy. The RTP of live poker depends on the player’s skills and strategy, but video poker has a high RTP if live games are not your cup of tea. Once acquainted with the game, you can participate in online poker tournaments and win big at one of the most well-known games in the world.
It has been more than a year now since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. The constant state of uncertainty and anxiety left most of us seeking lighthearted entertainment. The gaming industry experienced a significant shift thanks to the emergence of wholesome games. Video games that are not stressful improve mood and lower stress levels. Indeed, we still need these even though the world is slowly healing from the damage.
Another thing that could be stressful is cybersecurity, especially while gaming. It doesn’t matter if you game on a PC, console, or phone – having a VPN service active is highly recommended. A VPN service delivers privacy and protects your personal information by encrypting the connection. Your data will be safe with a VPN service, and that means a lot nowadays.
If you want to try wholesome games yourself, here are some feel-good titles that will get you started.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing blew up at the beginning of the pandemic, and it is clear why the game has so many fans worldwide. While this title has FarmVille vibes, the gameplay is quite different. You play a human character living on a deserted island. As the game progresses, you create your small world by planting trees, gardening, decorating your home, and so much more. Your neighbors are cute little animals that interact with you daily.
Exclusive to Nintendo Switch, Animal Crossing also lets you customize your character and purchase various outfits from the shop. Not to forget that some of these garments and furniture could be a bit expensive. This game became a phenomenon in such a small amount of time. It is also a great way to communicate and keep in touch with your friends during the lockdown.
Calico
If you ever had a chance to visit a cat café, you know it is a unique and relaxing experience. Calico encaptures this feeling through the gameplay. As you might have guessed by now, the developer of this game is a cat lover, and she set out to create a cozy and wholesome title that will appeal to everyone. Players run a cat café in a small town and fill up space with cats and other adorable creatures.
While it could look a bit like Animal Crossing because players may decorate their cafés as they like, Calico is an entirely different game. It has aspects of magic in it since players can use potions to change the appearance of everything around them, including cats. Moreover, the town is inhabited by adorable witches and helpful residents who help you out every step of the way. Developed by Peachy Keen Games, Calico is available on Steam, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Stardew Valley
If you love gardening and wish to live on a farm one day, Stardew Valley is the title for you. Players start this game as a former city dweller who arrives at their grandfather’s property in a place called Stardew Valley. The farm needs work and repairs, so you set out to grow crops, mine ores, raise livestock, and many more.
Of course, players can interact with other nearby farmers and create a whole new life away from the city noise. This beloved 16-bit RPG already has a cult status, and players come back to it thanks to the seemingly endless content. There is always something to do in Stardew Valley, so it is one of the best wholesome video games out there right now. Created by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, you can play Stardew Valley on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and all operating systems, including Android.
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
Besides the breathtaking and colorful graphics, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is a beautiful open-world game for all adventurers out there. The game is set in Gemea, a world that lies on an island filled with natural wonders. However, not everything is idyllic in Gemea, as players will soon learn. The main character is a hero, who wants to help his world and banish the Murk.
Your goal is to explore this wonderful land and find Sprites, creatures who give you the power to eliminate the Murk. During your travels, you pass through settlements and towns, make friends with the local people, learn how to craft, and even gain sweet animal friends. Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles was developed by Prideful Sloth and is available on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Little Witch in The Woods
Longing for a bit of magic in your life? Meet a sweet little witch named Elle, the star of Little Witch in The Woods, who is about to graduate from a witch school. But before she becomes a real witch, Elle needs to be an apprentice. She moves to a town surrounded by the woods but soon discovers that the place is not what she had imagined. Elle is determined, so you need to help her gather materials for her potions.
Quests will lead you to a village, and Elle will meet the mysterious neighbors who might not be human. These residents have fascinating backstories, and you can help them build and expand their village while still working on your magic skills. Little Witch in The Woods hasn’t been released yet. The team of developers from Sunny Side Up is promising an early access launch in 2021. It will be available on Steam first, with plans to release this title on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
The fortune of many humans and dogs has been known to be entangled for centuries. Nowadays, many breeds from the Canis lupus familiaris are in existence today because of the canine’s adaptability and the fluidity in their genes. You can choose from various dogs with different temperaments, colors, sizes, and shapes today, and some of this diversity has been owed through selective breeding.
However, the practice of selective breeding may have yielded unfavorable results in some offspring. Those with incompatible genes may have resulted in unfavorable genes where an increased chance of deformities, defects, and infirmities have been associated with a breed.
You may want to know the most common breeds today and the potential issues that have been plaguing them for centuries. Read more information on dog breeds – type of dogs where you can get more tips on making them healthier. With this said, here are the common types of canines that are usually associated with a specific medical condition.
Labrador Retriever
This is highly prized and one of the favorites of many pet lovers around the world. The Labrador retriever is well-known for its affectionate and intelligent nature, and they are ideal for families. Their qualities include loyalty, playfulness, and gentleness that may not be present with other breeds.
The health issues of Labrador retrievers may be few as long as this pet is getting their daily exercises. Some of the under-exercised ones may be prone to elbow or hip dysplasia. Many of the inherited diseases can include progressive retinal atrophy that can ultimately result in blindness if not treated early.
Basset Hounds
Basset hounds have endearing sad-sack eyes and droopy ears, but they are plagued with issues that are related to their adorable qualities. You can know more about basset hounds on this page. Sometimes, the droopy skin can interfere with the vision, and the floppy ears are known to get infections now and then. They require thorough cleaning and inspection.
They have a penchant for enthusiastic and constant sniffing because of their short legs. Due to this, the basset hounds are generally suffering from spine diseases and intervertebral disc conditions. If these conditions are left untreated, the dogs’ movements may become more difficult and painful in the long run.
Jack Russell Terrier
These intelligent and very energetic terriers are known for their good health, and some have notable qualities of long life. While the larger breeds like the Jack Russell can live up to 12 years, the smaller ones may suffer from inherited diseases. The ones that are closely linked to the Parson Russell Terriers may have life spans of 14 to 16 years as long as they have regular and adequate exercises. Most of the common medical conditions that owners should watch out for is the possible loss of vision for these breeds.
Irish Setter
Although many people may not generally prefer Irish setters, and their popularity may be fading, these pets are still ranking higher in the affection and playfulness categories. They are very lovable redheads, and they love their parents hard. Although these redheads are considered hardy, it’s still possible for them to have a hereditary disease. Some of the medical conditions common to Irish Setters are bloating, hip dysplasia, bone cancer, and progressive retinal atrophy.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire terriers have their nicknames like Yorkies, and they usually come in undersized packages, but they have flounced on many owners’ hearts. They are very popular, and with their tan and silky blue coats, some think it’s just right for them to have a terrier attitude. They are considered mini divas, and they love their roles.
However, the yorkies are known to have digestive problems, and this is why owners should carefully monitor their diet. As with any other dogs, they can experience a tracheal collapse, and some of the signs can include excessive coughing.
Some of the defects may tend to decrease the optimum function of their liver, and they may have portosystemic shunt conditions where the toxins can accumulate in the blood. If they show some symptoms of medical conditions, it’s better if you’ll immediately check with their vets for a more accurate diagnosis of their possible diseases.
Dalmatians
Dalmatians are infamous because of their stint in the movie world and since they are often associated with firefighters. Learn more about dalmatians in this link: https://kids.kiddle.co/Dalmatian_(dog). They are the fictional heroes in Disney movies, and in real life, they are also hardy, gentle, and patient.
However, one of the most common hereditary defects that they may be experiencing is deafness. They are known to be reported by reputable breeders across the world, and some are working on solutions to remove this problem. Other than deafness, dalmatians may be prone to develop bladder or kidney stones that can result in a condition called urolithiasis. This often requires corrective surgery and a special diet.
Cocker Spaniel
Cocker spaniels are a favorite among dog lovers. They have supermodel tresses, flowing coats, and a regal look on them. However, they may be pricey, and their maintenance may be costly for some. They require frequent brushing and bathing, and they may need pet sitters to ensure that the hairs are free from tangles.
The cocker spaniels are susceptible to epilepsy, cataracts, glaucoma, heart diseases, and more. The ears should also be cleaned regularly to prevent them from getting infections. They may be susceptible, but it doesn’t mean that they will have these conditions when they are older. Through proper care, you may be able to prevent these canines from experiencing medical conditions that are prone to their breeds.
Despite its prevailing tendency towards nihilism, the recent post-punk revival relies just as much on moments of pure catharsis and joy. Since forming at college six years ago, Brighton five-piece Squid – Ollie Judge, Anton Pearson, Louis Borlase, Arthur Leadbetter, and Laurie Nankivell – have perfected that contrast over a series of well-received singles that leaned more heavily on nervous ecstasy than apocalyptic gloom. ‘Narrator’, the lead single off their debut album, Bright Green Field, served as the most of exhilarating display of the band’s strengths as well as their willingness to work around them: a near-9-minute epic that builds to a thunderous coda, the song features guest vocals from Martha Sky Murphy, whose lingering, powerful presence introduces new dynamics into an already explosive track. The rest of the teasers hinted at a similar direction: ‘Pamphlets’, the album’s closing track and one of the oldest songs written for the album, also spreads out over eight minutes, anchoring in a noisy, propulsive groove and bending it until it resembles some sort of release.
“Although thematically it’s not really about joy, ‘Pamphlets’ is quite a joyful track,” Pearson explained in an interview. This is partly what demarcates Squid from their contemporaries: while their lyrics can be downbeat and their performances unnerving, there’s an infectious energy to their eclectic blend of jazz, krautrock, funk, and post-rock that’s designed to retain the listener’s attention rather than make a show of their versatility. But though they’ve showcased an impressive command of space in their singles, Bright Green Field would confirm whether they could achieve the same impact in the album format. Clocking in at almost an hour, the LP not only does that, but also reveals the true scope of their ambitions: even at its most wildly experimental, the album never loses its sense of momentum, zooming out of a specific scene to paint a grander and more frightening picture.
‘Boy Racers’ most strikingly sets forth the band’s dual focus. Placed right after ‘Narrator’, the first half of the track has a rhythmic, almost pop-indebted immediacy, before segueing into an ambient section led by a siren synth and a sample of a medieval instrumental called a racket, which producer Dan Carey manipulates to haunting effect. Even then, the diversion feels like a necessary component of the band’s disorienting and unrestricted vision, as thrilling and liberating as a euphoric climax. “Are you suspended in time?/ Does anyone even know what you might look like?” Judge sings, questions that might as well concern the nature of the album.
It’s clear that Squid have structured the album based on their musical instincts rather than any thematic throughline. Though their songwriting process is entirely collaborative, Judge writes most of the album’s lyrics, which expose the trappings of modern society by drawing on a wide range of cultural influences, imagined places, and real-world environments – especially London. Most of their impact is derived from Judge’s frenzied, yelping delivery, which is far from distinctive for the genre but whose fervour always feels as sharp and intentional as the music. On ‘Paddling’, a tense, layered highlight about the pressures of consumerist culture, Judge’s vocals never settle into a single mood, mirroring the anxiety of its surroundings and the yearning to escape the cycle of conformity.
Squid can be as inventive with their lyrics as they are with their arrangements, but even as the songs here touch on interrelated subjects, they also present opportunities for improvement. Judge’s impressionistic details are clever and thought-provoking, but they don’t always feel as carefully orchestrated in the context of the album as its sonic accompaniments. This approach doesn’t detract from the intensity of the album, but it does make one wonder what a more conceptual Squid record would sound like. Bright Green Field lays out a scene both massive and claustrophobic, its characters as lost as they are connected, all – narrator included – aching to break free. For them, the release never really comes.
Music, an absolute delight and a treat to our ears, is universal and never gets old. Due to the development of technology, Songs can be streamed, uploaded, promoted through online websites and audio distribution platforms. One of such popular music-streaming websites is SoundCloud, one of the most extensive music streaming services. The company was founded in 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden. The company’s headquarters is located in Berlin, Germany, established by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss. The company reaches over 175 million monthly users worldwide and attracts people to launch their music careers every day to release their songs and get people with their songs. This article specifies many ways and tips to buy SoundCloud plays and profit through music and beats.
Five significant ways and ideas to get your music noticed on SoundCloud and gain more SoundCloud plays:
Create Great Music and Successful Marketing Plans:
The key to success is consistently producing great content of high quality. Let your artistic side out and craft some great songs. By pushing yourself further, you can improve your technical and musical talents. Keep the beats fresh and unique, and it will help you reach millions. Release tracks consistently to have a good audience.
Everybody requires a good marketing plan if they want to sell their product around the world. It must always be well planned so that nothing gets out of your control. You can start creating a strategic marketing plan that includes stating your goal, identifying the target market, and developing products that might fill the needs of the particular market by creating songs and beats that are desired by the standard population.
Always have a good relationship with your fans by maintaining good communication with them. Some ways that might help you get noticed by people and become a musician might like include
If you are just a musician who is starting up their career, you must attend shows of similar artists and visit the pages of the musicians and their fans online so that it may help you understand what exactly your target audience wants.
You can sometimes save your audience and produce music and beats that are typically preferred by many. This can help you buy SoundCloud plays and increase your fan base too.
Understand your target market and study more data about your audience:
There are many places online where you can find potential fans and turn them into your ardent followers through your music. Always try interacting with them through social media and the web, understanding what goes by trend right now, and keeping digging around for data. Tastemakers, commonly otherwise known as DJs, bloggers, and even playlist curators, are gaining more and more followers even now, and you can always reach out to them.
If you want to gain more SoundCloud Plays for your beats, you might as well start using the feature offered by SoundCloud, the Go Pro. By using this feature, you can access data through free accounts and never let artists access data. It can also help you increase your upload time and usage, along with the feature of trafficking data.
Promoting your music on social media:
There isn’t a greater reach than social media in recent times. Preparing promotional materials for influencers and fans can help you reach more people. After finding the appropriate social media platform according to your convenience, you can create profiles and post some of your songs and content online on apps like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Tumblr, and many others.
Being active on social media while also being attentive on SoundCloud can help you gain more SoundCloud Plays. Though you can always buy plays and followers, keeping them genuine can take you places. You can always use social media to drive engagement, like asking questions and making polls. It also helps your audience and you to access free downloads and also helps in ways like maintaining the organic buzz through hashtags.
Permanently attach the link to your SoundCloud profile to your other social media pages and blogs so that anybody looking you up can have direct access to your songs and your SoundCloud Profile.
Work on your SoundCloud Profile and Online presence more:
While researching your niche and growing, you can also follow others and leave comments, keeping it interactive and leading the path to collaboration with artists. Please leave comments on the sounds and beats of other upcoming artists, making their fans and themselves notice you and your rhythms in return.
You can also join groups based on your preferences and requirements, which is also another way of gaining potential followers and fans, which can help you increase your SoundCloud Plays and such.
Always be active on your SoundCloud profile and be a trendsetter by uploading new and fresh content. Find out what kind of music gains the most plays and try making tracks like them with your innovation and creativity.
Taking the initiative and Being more Creative:
Always try to join SoundCloud Premier and use Promote on SoundCloud to distribute your music among the audience with ease. Use various tools available online and utilize the resources as much as possible to create fantastic ways for the audience to access your music.
Always keep your content innovative, trendy, and creative so that the beats are fresh and recognized by people of all ages and gender. Never replicate rhythms so that the listeners might never get bored. Let your individuality out and keep your fans surprised to gain more SoundCloud Plays and attract more and more valuable followers so that in a while, your songs reach billions and have a massive effect on your music, turning it into a sensation.
According to a survey taken by a US website, the best way to kickstart your music career is to launch some great songs online through music websites like SoundCloud and Spotify. By finding ways to gain more SoundCloud Followers, you can always earn more listeners and plays, making your music reach millions. Use tools to promote your songs, build your brand and find your fans to get noticed. The ways to buy SoundCloud plays are very affordable and can be done very quickly by turning your online connections up, being creative, letting your artistic side out, and turning your passion into a profitable profession.
With a range of new additions to their platform, Netflix are releasing the second part of the well-renowned series Lupin starring Omar Sy (The Intouchables, Jurassic World, Two is a Family).
As Assane’s journey for revenge against Hubert Pellegrini has ripped his family to pieces, he now has to think of a new plan with his back to the wall – even if it means putting himself in danger.
LupinPart 2 will be available on Netflix from the 11th of June.
Hailing from Billings, Montana, Hey, ily! is the brainchild of Caleb Haynes, who combines influences from “Nintendocore, Emo, Powerpop, Shoegaze, and anything else the project can get its grubby mitts on.” Though Caleb has been active in local bands including Gray Joy, Rookie Card, and The Invertebrates, the way he blends disparate styles with Hey, ily! is both incredibly unique and strangely effective – it’s no surprise their two EPs, February’s (/ _ ; ) and latest release Internet Breath, blew up online, even without the push of his 92K following on TikTok. Hey, ily!’s music might spur arbitrary discussions as to where exactly it fits in the post-genre world, but what makes it so enjoyable to listen to is that it comes from a place of unbridled creativity, pairing frenetic energy and the impulse to experiment with the pure, nostalgic rush of a catchy chorus. These sounds shouldn’t work so well together, but they do – no small feat for a project that almost disappeared before it even had a chance to be discovered.
We caught up with Hey, ily!’s Caleb Haynes for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about his inspiration for the project, the process of making Internet Breath, and more.
First of all, is Hey, ily! a solo project? Who exactly is in this band?
That’s debatable. I think I like to leave up the mystery of like, “Are there other people in this band?” I guess the simple answer would be sometimes. Sometimes it’s a solo project and sometimes there’s multiple people in it.
But in terms of recording and producing, you do most of it yourself?
Yeah, I do pretty much all of the recording myself. Some people will come in and perform their stuff, but all the recording is done by me.
Is there a reason behind you wanting to have a bit of mystery behind the project?
Yeah, the idea of Hey, ily! as a whole is this kind of – I wanted it to be like a mysterious internet band, like, “Oh, who is this, what’s going on, what are these people, what are their lives like?” But I also want it to be a bit more transparent than that. I don’t want to be like Death Grips where I put out my first mixtape and no one knows who or what the band is. But I do want there to be a mystery behind it.
I know you’ve played in a few other bands before, so I was wondering what the initial inspiration for starting Hey, ily! was.
I think I was really sick of being in these bands that are just emo and nothing else. I was so tired of this copy-and-paste emo sound a lot of bands, including the bands I’ve been in, are doing. And so I was like, “I’m just sick of this. I want to make something that’s familiar yet super crazy and all over the place at the same time.”
The thing that I wanted to do with this project is – basically, I wanted to impress people on Twitter. I saw people on Twitter and I was like, “Those guys are so cool, I want to make music that they’ll like.” But in order to do that, I thought that what I would have to do is create something that people haven’t really heard before, and I was like, “Here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to combine influences from emo with chiptune and shoegaze and punk and all this different stuff to try and create something new.”
In terms of influences, you’ve also cited Nintendocore, which is a term a lot of people listening to your music might not be familiar with.
I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t know what Nintendocore was before people started calling my band it. But I think what Nintendocore is is, like, music inspired by video games that isn’t directly related to video games, if that makes sense. So it takes sounds from retro old video games but combines it with a modern kind of tint to it.
When it comes to emo and shoegaze and power pop, why do you think you gravitated to those sounds early on?
I kind of started my music journey with radio rock, like I was really into Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gorillaz. And then, I don’t know exactly what happened, but as I got older and I got more like an emotional teen, I got into Joy Division and indie stuff like that. And then from that, I discovered American Football – which, you know, when you’re in high school and you discover a band like American Football and emo stuff like that, you just get totally obsessed with that sound. I was really into the way that these harsher, not as prettily sung vocals combined with these really beautiful melodies. And so bands like Los Campesinos!, Say Anything, American Football really stood out to me in that regard.
How did you start playing and making your own music?
I started playing guitar when I discovered Radiohead, because the guitarist from Radiohead is always doing crazy, weird – I was always obsessed with weird sounds, I guess. Weird bleeps and bloops. And I saw that the guitarist from Radiohead, he could make bleeps and bloops with his guitar, and I was like, “That is so cool.” Little did I know that you had to be good at guitar, to be able to do that kind of thing. But I was like, “That’s so sick, I want to do that,” and so I got a guitar and I was like, “Wow, this sucks, I can’t do anything that that guy’s doing.” But I started learning guitar and doing that kind of thing, and as what I listened to change, my playing style also changed. I know a huge one was Coheed and Cambria. I discovered those guys and I was like, “Wow, these melodies that they’re doing, they’re playing leads on guitar while also singing leads, that’s so cool.” And I think that throughout my musical journey, a huge thing that I thought was super cool was bands like Mr. Bungle who would combine all these different kinds of music. And then 100 gecs came out and they were combining all these different kinds of internet music and I was like, “That’s sick.” And so, what I really wanted to do was to make music that combined these beautiful melodies with music that you wouldn’t ever think that it would be combined with, like hyper pop or ska or black metal.
That’s something I was curious about: Do you see yourself as fitting more into the internet aesthetic of 100 gecs and hyperpop, or do you see your music as belonging to a long-standing tradition of emo and indie music?
That’s a good question. I think I kind of flip flop back and forth, because some days, I’m like, “Oh, I just want to write an emo song and just have it be emo.” But then other days, I’m like, “I want to write a song that is what it would sound like if an anime intro was completely made with computers.” But I think that if you were to look at the majority of the things I listen to you and the things that I write, I’d say that it’s more of a traditional emo kind of thing.
Something that struck me in your bio was the confidence of, “Caleb wants to inspire people all over the world.” But when it came to describing your sound, there was this hesitancy of, “referred to by some as fifth wave emo.” I know there was recently some controversy surrounding this, but do you see yourself as a part of that genre, or would you rather avoid that tag?
It’s really funny, because when I first came with this first EP, fifth wave emo wasn’t a thing. I’d never heard the term fifth wave before – or even a little bit after I came out with that EP. But people started referring to that EP as fifth wave emo and I was like, “Yeah, sure, whatever.” I mean, I’ve always wanted to be part of a wave of something, you know. I’ve always wanted to be in a new genre. So I think it’s super cool that people are calling me and other people part of this new genre.
Do you think the pandemic has played a role in pushing bands to innovate more?
I think yes and no. I think there’s always been innovators in the emo genre and genres like it, but I think that the pandemic is forcing people to stay inside and just write music and record it with all these different limitations. It’s more relatable and people are finding each other more easily now, you know, like Home Is Where, Khaki Cuffs, yours arms are my cocoon, all these bands that are doing something different with the genre are finding each other and are being like, “Hey, check out these other bands that are doing something cool and crazy and exciting.” So I think that yes, it has in part to do with a pandemic, but also the pandemic just makes it more accessible.
Before we get to Internet Breath, one moment I wanted to point out on the first EP is ‘The Sad Acoustic Song’. That outro especially is insane. When you set out to make a song, do you always start with the intention to make something both overstimulating for the listener but also challenging for you as well?
I think that most of the time I start with an idea, and I don’t really think about, Oh, how can I make this into something almost unlistenable? With that song specifically, I was like, “I’m just going to make this sad acoustic song and that’s going to be it.” And halfway through, I was like, “I’m bored of being sad and acoustic, let’s us make it super loud for no reason.”
I’m amazed that there’s this lo-fi quality to your songs, but it never gets unlistenable or overbearing. It sounds very intentional. How do you go about achieving that?
I record everything off of my phone, and I’ve been working with music on my phone ever since I started making music. I’ve always been interested in these people who are making music that I really enjoy with basically no money, like early Car Seat Headrest. And so I kind of wanted to do that, but I also didn’t want it to become a gimmick. I didn’t want like people to be like, “This is a lo-fi album,” you know, I wanted it to be emo, I wanted it to be all these different things – I didn’t want “lo-fi” to basically get in the way of that.
With Internet Breath, did you expect that it would get the reaction that it did? You said before that that was part of the intention, but why do you think it caught on?
I guess I kind of wanted it to catch on a little bit. I mean, everyone, when they make music, they’re always like, “No, I didn’t expect this huge [reaction],” but I kind of wanted it to happen. I was like, “Man, it’d be sick if all these people enjoyed it.” But no one thinks it’s going to happen. And I think that’s a real struggle when I was making Internet Breath, too, I was like, “I’m making music that I’m only going to enjoy,” because it’s so specific and so niche in what it tries to do. And so I was like, “No one’s gonna like this.” And then it kind of blew up, which is really cool. I guess it’s still kind of blowing up, and I’m really grateful for it. A part of me still wonders if it’s undeserved, because like – with this EP, I just wanted to make music that’ll scratch an itch for me, and I guess a lot more people have that itch than I imagined.
Something I didn’t notice until much later was that you also have a TikTok with a lot of followers, but you don’t really promote your music there. Is that a conscious attempt from you to keep things separate?
It kind of is, because I wanted to keep it separate. But also, part of it is like, people on TikTok have really short attention spans and I’ve tried to promote my bands on there before, and it just does not work out. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because the TikTok algorithm is broken. But people don’t really support you outside of TikTok – if you find a following on TikTok, your band might get a few extra followers, but most of the people just stay with your content on there, like people won’t try and find you on other places if even if you promote it on there.
But also, I feel like a lot of people that like my content on Tik Tok are kind of – I don’t want to sound mean or whatever, but they’re just starting to get into that kind of underground scene, and I think that they wouldn’t really like what I’m doing out there. I think maybe what I’m doing out there would be too in their face, you know. I think they’d still have to make the journey that I did.
Can you talk me through the process of making Internet Breath?
I do this thing a lot where I’ll find a project idea, whether it be with other people or with myself – I get really into this project idea, I put something out there, and then I’m like, “Wow, this project idea is really dumb.” And then I delete it and I just never think about it ever again. And that was almost going to be what Hey, ily! was – it was going to be like a one-off, just throw it up there, see what happens, and then take it down eventually. But people really liked that first EP, and I was like, “Well, I guess now I’m sticking with this.” And so the second EP was kind of made just because I wanted to give people that already liked the first EP something more to listen to.
Throughout the EP, you find so many ways to distort or push the limits of your voice, whether you’re screaming or running your voice through effects. How much of a challenge was that for you?
I kind of am not that great of a singer, and I don’t really know a lot of the inner mechanisms of how singing muscles and organs work. So I think for a long time, I’ve been just pushing my voice and distorting it a lot just because I wanted – I’m not really super confident with my vocals yet, so I wanted to disguise it in any way that I can, whether that be singing harsher or adding effects onto the vocals. I’ve been doing that for a while now, but the challenge was making it listenable too. Sometimes I’ll add too many layers or too many effects to my vocals and people will just be like, “Wow, this is garbage.” And so I think that a part of me was just trying to be like, “Let’s calm down,” but also, “Let’s not calm down.”
A connection I made has to do with the way you use your voice and the idea of the “internet breath” that you bring up on the lead single, ‘DigitalLung.exe’. Did you have a particular concept or theme in mind for this EP?
Yeah, most definitely. When I was writing this EP, I was like, “I hope people will pick up on this,” so it’s really encouraging to hear that at least you did. I really wanted this EP just to be about the pandemic and the way that has forced us to live our lives basically through the internet. We can’t really see – well, I guess now places are starting to open up – but for a while we couldn’t really see each other, so we had to rely on just texting and group chats and we had to rely on the internet for entertaining us for most of the day. So, really what I wanted most of the EP to be about which is that struggle of being forced to do everything online, whether that be communicating with your friends online or just not trying to become addicted to social media in general. And then, you know, body image in an era where all you’re doing is looking at other people and seeing other people’s success.
Were you immersed in internet culture growing up, or was it something that really changed during the pandemic?
I was exposed to the internet at an age that was probably way too young for me, so I’ve totally been on the internet for a long time. But the thing is that I would still always find a balance. But as the pandemic started to become a thing, it did start to just absorb me and kind of take over my life for a while.
Something that stood out to me about that song is how it starts with “I’m brainwashed, but I like it” and ends with “part of me wants to break free.” This obviously relates to what you’re talking about, but I was wondering if you could expand on that final sentiment of wanting to break free.
I am helplessly addicted to the internet and I’ve been for a long time. And I like being able to talk with people online, I like being able to talk to communities, I like being able to access music and art and all these things thanks to the internet, but a part of me just wishes that I could just go to a time when it wasn’t completely online, and if you wanted to have a community you had to go out and experience that, you had to be around people. A part of me just wants to be able to turn off my phone and turn off my computer and just experience life, you know, without the internet. But also, I think I enjoy the internet way too much to do that.
What are your ambitions for the project going forwards?
I finally have a full band figured out for this project, so I’m really excited for the future. I think that we’re gonna try and ride out the attention this EP is getting – more listeners for me and my label mates, everyone else in the record label, and then we’re going to try and just make something bigger and better. And it’s going to be hopefully a full-length album. It’s just going to be just everything turned up to 11 – it’s going to sound better, it’s going to be more crazy, there’s going to be a lot more different things happening in it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
