Phoenix stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night (September 14) to perform ‘Tonight’, their collaborative single with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, who joined in via split screen, emulating the song’s music video. Watch it below.
Alpha Zulu will appear on Phoenix’s forthcoming album Alpha Zulu, the follow-up to 2017’s Ti Amo, which arrives on November 4. The band previously shared the album’s title track.
Father John Misty has released the Live at Electric Lady EP as a Spotify exclusive. It includes new versions of the Chloë and the Next 20th Century tracks ‘Goodbye Mr. Blue’, ‘The Next 20th Century’, ‘Buddy’s Rendezvous’, We Could Be Strangers’, and ‘(Everything But) Her Love’, as well as a cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)’. The EP was recorded at the legendary studio in May 2022. Take a listen below.
Father John Misty is the latest artist to contribute to Live at Electric Lady EP series, which has featured recordings by Japanese Breakfast, Patti Smith, Faye Webster, and more.
Lowertown have released ‘Antibiotics’, the latest offering from their upcoming debut LP I Love to Lie. Listen to it below.
“I wrote ‘Antibiotics’ soon after turning 19 about the clarity I felt after leaving my first serious relationship,” the duo’s Olivia Osby explained in a statement. “The end of the relationship was a suffocating cycle of saying I wanted to end things because of how I was being treated, and my partner would respond by acting out or doing something to make me scared for them or pity them. So over and over, I would end up getting sucked back in.” She continued:
During the relationship I got very sick with something similar to walking pneumonia from all the black mould in the walls of his house. I felt like the conditions of the relationship were quite literally poisoning my body and mind, like a sick and funny metaphor.
After things were finally broken off, I fully recovered from my illness. For the first time in over a year, I felt like I was starting to heal both mentally and physically. The distance I had from that part of my life forced me to come to terms with how harmful the relationship had been and made me realise what kind of boundaries I should have for myself in the future.
I Love to Lie, which features the previously released single ‘Bucktooth’, is out October 21 on Dirty Hit. Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with Lowertown.
The basic components of a Tier-1 esports tournament are the players, a game, a set of regulations, and a high-quality broadcast. Many companies stop at that, but some go the extra mile, turning a tournament into an event capable of winning the audience’s hearts.
WePlay Esports is one of those companies with a unique vision for esports tournaments. Each tournament from WePlay has a one-of-a-kind theme — their past choices included anime, desert island, cyberpunk, and so on. Preparing an event requires the attention and dedication of the entire creative team, so everything from the music and settings to lighting and costumes combines into one smooth picture.
All of the above applies directly to the live broadcast of the tournament. However, another critical point for quality is side content, which we will discuss in this article.
Before a tournament, the creative team prepares pre-production content such as teasers, openings featuring talents, short videos for intermissions between matches, etc. This content should support the event theme and capture the audience’s attention.
“Side content is a kind of glue that connects all parts of the event. For example, first, the viewer sees a teaser. This already gives them an idea of the theme and what they should prepare for. Every piece of such content, even if it’s just a short video, is extremely significant for creating the atmosphere,” said Denys Klimov, director at WePlay Esports.
In addition to fans commenting on and sharing creative bits, side content can be used in the broadcast. For example, the “HYPE” music video featuring the talents of WePlay AniMajor was recorded on a CD and used for giveaways during the broadcast.
“Side content is also needed, as it helps to give the viewer a break from the broadcast itself and the tournament.”
In esports, anything can happen. This takes away the boundaries for designers and directors but simultaneously adds responsibility for the team. When there are a bunch of ideas, how to decide which one to implement?
“It all starts with the seed of the idea that we lay. This idea is reflected in the name of the event itself. For example, as with WePlay AniMajor, anyone who hears the name already understands what the event will be about. The team then builds on that idea and comes up with different options for the content. It is important to understand that everyone has varying tastes, and if we accept every hunch without discussion, then, in the end, we will get a psychedelic mix that no one will stand to watch,” shared Denys Klimov.
To come up with something really catchy, director must be well versed in the theme. Some obvious things and comparisons will undoubtedly cheer up the viewer, but if twists and props turn out to be more predictable than not, interest in the event will go down. Therefore, despite all the creative parts, the team must do some serious in-depth research.
“Some people call this process finding inspiration, but in fact, there is no single resource where the director can go and find everything they need. To reveal the idea, you need to study everything related to it. So for a start, one needs to review a mass of research on a given topic, discuss it with the creative team, and only after that get approval and start implementation,” commented Denys Klimov.
Although tournament styles are always different, the target audience of esports remains the same. Therefore, the main thing is to keep a balance between esports and the chosen theme to avoid pushing away the fans.
“I call it ‘raising the degree of insanity.’ Whatever you want to implement for a tournament, check with your audience first. For example, we can publish a small part of our idea to our Twitch audience and see how people react. Once you understand what your viewer is ready for, you can start giving them more than they expect,” added Denys.
Side content is created beforehand, so fans naturally have slightly higher expectations. Everything is of the essence here — the quality, the idea, and the tiny details. Fortunately, the team can redo this content as many times as necessary.
“We choose an idea, but to bring it to life, we need to work with different people such as talents. I remember that in the beginning, the commentators put little trust in our endeavors. No one refused, of course, but there was a lack of understanding between the creative team and the performers. But the more ideas we implemented, the easier it was for the actors to agree to go along. The difference between our first attempts at creating an extraordinary talent video and our recent work is huge”, recalled the director.
Sometimes even the most fabulous idea needs to be abandoned. Not all creatives understand this, but the author must be ruthless at such moments and analyze all the pros and cons.
“It happens that an idea captures the whole team, but it’s technically impossible to implement it. Here, you need to understand that your idea should be not only interesting but also of high quality. For example, we once spent almost two days trying to organize a shooting stage in a manor. This video was supposed to be a total blast, but we ran into technical limitations, and in the end, we had to abandon it. Were we disappointed? Yes. We will definitely give this idea a shot later, but we cannot afford to feed our audience a raw solution,” confessed Denys Klimov.
“Sometimes an idea sits with us for a long time and then its time just comes. Some ideas may come at the wrong time, be too large-scale, or require technical solutions for implementation that are just not available. And then comes a moment when we realize we already have the capability and we start thinking about the past ideas”, comments Denys.
High-quality side content always boosts a tournament — it gives the viewers an opportunity to plunge into the story created by the creative team. But any piece of content should be based on the overall idea of the event and support it. Otherwise, side content risks breaking the integrity of the event canvas and spoiling the overall impression.
Vaping marijuana is altogether a unique and different feeling. With the legalization of weed across many states, the herb industry is reaching great heights.
Despite being in trend nowadays, vaping weed has been around for quite some time. In fact, the first vaporizer invented was for vaping cannabis.
Vape and weed are such a combo that it is sure to knock off your head! Just like disposable cannabis vapes.
In this article, we will guide you on how you can vape weed, along with details regarding the types of marijuana used for vaping and the vape cleaning procedure. So, let us get into it.
Things You Need to Vape Weed
The following are some of the things that you need before vaping weed.
The Form of Herb.
You can vape weed in various options. It can be through cannabis extracts, oils, or a dry-packed herb.
The types you can opt for vaping cannabis concentrates or extracts are wax, crumble and shatter concentrates.
To inhale them from your vaping device, you need to locate its heating chamber and then load a small amount, which easily finishes in one vape sitting.
However, make sure that you do not store it in the heating chamber after usage.
Dry herbs used for vaping come in various forms like afghan kush, sour diesel, granddaddy purple, girl scout cookies, and northern lights.
If you are using any of these strains, first grind them finely and put them into the herb chamber of the vape.
Ensure that you grind it with the help of a grinder and not by hand, as it needs to be finely ground
As for oils that can be used for vaping, there are butane hash oil, live resin as well as full spectrum oils.
If you are using oils for vaping, you have to fill your cartridge with the oil and then attach it to the vape pen. It is recommended to use a 510 battery for vape cart for a longer vaping session.
Type of Vaporizer
There are a variety of vaporizers that you can use to vape weed. The 2 primary ones are as follows.
These are quite luxurious vapes when it comes to smoking marijuana. Here the vaporizer is plugged into an electrical outlet so as to function properly.
These vaping devices vaporize the herb through convection, helping in better inhalation and improving the quality of vapor. However, they are a little bit in the higher price range.
These are one of the most popular types of vapes as they are discreet, portable, and easy to use.
Here, vaping works by heating a liquid such as CBD oil to an optimum temperature. It forms a wonderful aerosol containing TCH, terpenes, CBD, and other cannabinoids, which renders an easy and immersive vaping experience.
You can also use vape pens that come in rechargeables and disposable models.
Other Accessories
Apart from vapes, other tools like pipe cleaners, brush tools, and swabs are required to clean your vape after each smoke-up session. So, make sure you possess all of them.
How to Inhale Weed from a Vape?
If you are a novice user of vaping weeds, it might take some time to get used to it. Smoking and vaping weed is pretty different, even though the former is cooler in comparison to smoking.
You can follow the below-mentioned steps to inhale weed from a vaping device.
How to Clean Your Device After Vaping Weeds?
It is essential that you clean your vape after each session, as vaporizers filled with dirt don’t work well. Also, it renders a hygienic vaping experience.
So, follow the below steps to clean your vaping device thoroughly.
Summing Up
Vaping marijuana is indeed an enjoyable and exciting experience. Though newbies might take some time to get used to the type of vapes and weeds, it would be a joyful experience when you get hold of it.
However, ensure you carefully follow all the instructions mentioned above and have a safe and fun vaping session!
As if casino-themed movies were insufficient, gambling has also made its way into a number of today’s most popular video games, dating back to the days of the first PlayStation. There were games similar to 007: The World is Not Enough that included casino games such as blackjack.
No longer is it necessary to play video games in order to enjoy a great casino game. You can simply play at EU casinos online and gamble for real money instead of the virtual currency in video games. However, a simple casino game may not be enough for gamers, so you should check out our gambling and casino-themed games.
Since Vice City, when you could bet on street racer events, vice is the focus of GTA, and gambling has been a part of the game since then. However, more gambling activities such as blackjack, roulette, slot machines, Wheel of Fortune and video poker were added in GTA: San Andreas.
Carl Johnson, the main character, has a gambling skill that can be improved by spending money in casinos. You can go bankrupt playing in the casinos of San Andreas, just as you can in real life because you can borrow money from the casino when you run out of funds.
If you fail to pay your debts after a period of time, armed men will harass you in the most popular casino in San Andreas, Las Venturas. This will continue until you repay the casino money you borrowed.
Rockstar Games also developed Red Dead Redemption, the same company responsible for Grand Theft Auto, so it is not surprising that gambling is included in the game. Ultimately, Red Dead Redemption is comparable to Grand Theft Auto, with a wild west topic instead.
You can play Poker, Blackjack, Five Finger Fillet, and Dominoes in Red Dead Redemption 2. This game features both single-player and multiplayer gambling options. However, you earn the majority of your cash in single-player mode.
The multiplayer mode is exclusive to the Liars and Cheaters downloadable content pack. Contrary to the single-player mode, players will only receive a $200 daily allowance for betting against other players. If you run out of money, you will have to wait until the following day to obtain $200.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s gambling is enjoyable if you enjoy collecting trophies. One Die To Rule Them All, Good Call, Pa-Pa-Poker Ace, The Big Bluff, Compulsive Liar, and No Dice are some of the available trophies.
We can’t leave Fallout: New Vegas, a popular action role-playing game, out of your list of the best gambling-themed video games. It is a captivating game with a captivating plot.
The gameplay consists of slashing enemies with melee weapons, but you can also play dice at your preferred online casino. This video game features a blackjack side quest as well.
As you try your luck in combat, the game’s visuals create a memorable gaming and gambling experience. If successful, you can receive greater rewards, such as a suite key for high rollers, complimentary vouchers, combat armour, and leather armour.
The Witcher III is a top choice for many gamers who enjoyed Gwent, a card game featured in this video game. To construct a deck, players must amass multiple cards while slaying monsters.
It is a challenging game due to the increasing difficulty of the opponents and the likelihood of not collecting powerful cards. The video game has an impressive narrative and gameplay, making it ideal for killing some time.
Gamblers also enjoy the game’s progression and can wager as much as they like while earning points. Even though there is no requirement to wager, it is possible to purchase cards, which involves the exchange of cash. Gwent is, therefore, a popular choice among poker players worldwide.
The purpose of video game gambling is to spend money without actually spending it. Therefore, games such as The Sims are ideal for this type of activity. You can enjoy gambling without actually losing anything.
The Sims 3 introduces the casino lifestyle, where you can play at the Lucky Simoleon Casino. You can play Hit’em Harder Blackjack Table and Triple Riches Slots O’Potions Slot Machine here.
Yes, those are a lot of names for blackjack and slot machines, but they’re a lot of fun, especially if you’re a Simmer who never uses money cheats. It’s a more fun way to make your Sim instantly wealthy or impoverished.
Louis Cole has released a new track called ‘Not Needed Anymore’. It follows ‘I’m Tight’, the lead single from his upcoming album Quality Over Opinion, which made our Best New Songs list. Listen to ‘Not Needed Anymore’ below.
Quality Over Opinion is slated for release on October 14 via Brainfeeder Records.
From the moment they linked up, Ela Minus and DJ Python’s friendship revolved around the things they loved. When the New York-based DJ and producer, also known as Brian Piñyero, was commissioned by Minus to remix a track from acts of rebellion, the Colombian electronic musician’s excellent 2020 debut LP, the pair started texting each other not just music recommendations but also films and book excerpts. When it came to making their EP ♡ (referred to as “corazón”), which is out Friday, they didn’t talk about how the music should sound – Piñyero describes the process as “unspoken communication” – but this back-and-forth did lead to philosophical discussions about love and life that are, in an organic way, reflected on its three spacious, strikingly intimate tracks.
Press materials cite specific influences such as Tricky’s debut album, the Belgian new wave band Bernthøler, and Leslie Winer’s 1993 record Witch. On the early single ‘Pájaros en Verano’, Minus goes through a list of things she’s grateful for during the pandemic – “clouds, food, sleep” – that could also be considered inspirations. That none of these were mentioned when we caught up with the duo is less of a surprise than a testament to just how much music, literature, and wisdom they absorbed through their collaboration. Read about Caribou, Tom Robbins, love poetry, and other inspirations behind their new EP below.
Brian Piñyero: I just really like that album, and I was listening to it a lot when we were making stuff. It kind of just has everything it needs. I feel like it doesn’t add more, so maybe that’s why the songs might feel spacious or something like that. It just lets things breathe, and it’s one kind of feeling that can be a bit nuanced. But the more it repeats, the more different parts of it you can feel. I think the drums are interesting, but it’s more strictly downtempo drums of a different era, where people were referencing certain kinds of breaks. And then I was thinking of doing that with other kinds of drum breaks or rhythm. We were just exploring that kind of stuff.
Would you share these kinds of musical influences with Ela?
BP: I think we chatted about it. We send each other lots of stuff, so it’s hard to remember. We would definitely share stuff, and that was one of the things that we shared. But it’s more so just to share, it wasn’t “Let’s sound like this” or something like that.
I hadn’t revisited that album in a long time – it’s an excellent record. And this is an interesting track, because it has this Elliott Smith-like, folky quality.
Ela Minus: Honestly, it’s one of my favourite Caribou songs, which is kind of weird, because it’s such an old album, different from everything he’s done after. But there’s something about his voice and the melody and the fact that it’s just like guitar and his voice, at the beginning at least, that’s very sweet and intimate. And I love that. Since the first time I heard that record, it’s always been a go-to song, that I go when I’m in that mood and I just want something sweet and warm. And that’s why when we were making this, the melodies just felt like that.
Given how you focused on vocals and lyrics for this EP, I can see how it could be inspiring to hear how an artist like Caribou would approach such a sparse song.
EM: Yeah. I mean, in general with the EP, it never was a rational thing. It was never, like, we were listening to stuff and being, like Brian said, “It should sound like this,” or I was looking for references for how to sing or write the lyrics. We made it so intuitively, and then after the fact, hearing it back, it reminded me of certain things that I obviously have listened to before that influenced me when I was doing it, but on a subconscious level.
There’s something not that interesting about the difference between my own productions and what I did with Brian, and it’s that I usually stack up a lot of vocals on my own songs, like at least eight tracks with my vocals. And with Brian’s, it was one, a single one. And I haven’t done that since I first started. It’s very different, and obviously way more intimate. That affects the interpretation and also the sound, and I think probably Dan from Caribou does something similar, but on that track, it’s only one vocal, you can really hear him so much closer. It’s a silly thing to talk about if you’re not into producing, but it does make a very big difference in the sensation.
Was the vocal approach that you took with this EP a conscious decision?
EM: I think it was sort of an accident. I just recorded one, which is obviously how it starts, and then I just felt so much when I heard it back. I did one and I was like, “This is a good melody,” and I just bounced it and send it over. And then he really liked it. He was like, I just didn’t feel the need to add anything else, kind of the same as he was saying with the instrumentals. Like, I have one vocal take, this is it. I don’t need to add anything else. It just feels right.
Were you reading it around the time you were making the EP?
BP: Yeah, while the EP was being made, I was reading it a lot. I don’t know, it’s just really good. Have you read it before?
I haven’t.
EM: Me neither.
BP: I highly recommend it. It’s an interesting memoir from a great writer. But I think it kind of went in line with some of the stuff Ela and I would talk about, about life as an artist or something like this. And just making stuff – feeling like you gotta make stuff, I guess. That’s about it, though.
How do you each remember those conversations?
BP: Ela’s definitely helped me feel more comfortable with just thinking of myself as an artist and kind of going for it more, and not to worry about other aspects of life as much as creating work. We just had conversations where I’ve been working other jobs and feeling a bit frustrated or something, and Elsa’s been helpful in helping me feel comfortable in my decisions.
EM: [laughs] Sorry, it’s sweet, so I smile –
No, it is sweet. How about you, what do you feel like you’ve learned about living as an artist by talking with Brian?
EM: Yeah, I think it was very evident since the first time we talked – something about the things we talked about since the first conversation and how Brian sees art and life just made it very comfortable to exist in this realm of melancholy and sensitivity. Being melancholic, but also comfortable in that realm. It hadn’t been in my life before very common to talk to people, to other musicians, about such nuances; it’s very specific sentiments and sensations that come along the craft, the profession, I guess. But it’s not very common to talk about them so quickly with someone you just met. I think also, in the type of music we both make, you meet people and you don’t usually talk about right ahead, like, about how you feel right now. Even if you’re down, it’s not very common to be like, “How are you?” “Ah, not feeling great today.” You know? The honesty about how you’re feeling was very special. I feel very comfortable talking about all the aspects of the realm of feelings that come alive as an artist. It’s very precious to have a friend like that. You can be completely honest and don’t feel like you have to be positive all the time, or don’t question yourself, the decisions you’ve made, all of those things.
Why do you think that vulnerability is something that’s maybe absent in certain circles of electronic music?
EM: I wouldn’t say electronic music, I think just music in general, in my experience. Because when you said electronic music, I thought back to when I was in bands and stuff, and I think it was the same. I don’t know, I think capitalism got very into the core of artists, and this idea that you have to be tough and always be very positive if things are going well in your career and not question it or question why you’re doing it after a certain point. There’s something very external that got inside the core of artists of just having to always be proving yourself, always be going for it. And once you’re “living the dream,” whatever the fuck that means, you just have to be thankful for that and always happy and positive and keep going, and not question yourself or accept that maybe you’re feeling down because of it or whatever. I think that core is what has made it be more like that, even though it should be the total opposite, I think.
Brian, do you have an early memory of having conversations with Ela that made you realize you were kind of on the same wavelength?
BP: I feel like a lot of people – this is kind of in line with what Ela is saying – culturally, for some reason, we move forward very quickly, and we’re constantly trying to improve ourselves. But it’s not really improvement, it’s like we’re trying to think of ways to be able to be more productive, which doesn’t really mean living a happier or a truer life by any means. And I think Ela and I just connected quickly because I think we’re both really reflective, and for whatever reason, felt really comfortable doing that with each other. So a lot of this sharing and discovering with each other has just been really natural. It feels good to know someone like that, that you can be with.
EM: He’s a writer that I actually was reading another book by lately, and I was just texting with Brian about how I wonder why he isn’t more known. That book specifically – it’s not literally about love, but the two main characters fall in love with each other, so it ponders a lot about relationships. It’s very surreal, but also very down-to-earth. I just like it a lot. And I think I was rereading it when we were making the songs, had just finished rereading it. I was actually thinking how the love aspect of it completely went over my head the first time I read it, because there’s so many other layers. And it was just part of the story, but not really what I thought the book was about. I didn’t think it was a romantic book by any means the first time I read it. And then when I was writing the songs and I had just reread it, that was the main thing that popped out. It’s just a very cool book, very inspiring too.
Just by reading the synopsis, it seems to encompass so many different things that I can see why the romance aspect might slip by you.
EM: Obviously I understood the love aspect of the story, but it was sort of love towards something, like each of the characters is very radically committed to a cause – extremely different causes, like one is an anarchist and super radical, but it was love towards those things themselves and what they were trying to achieve, the first time I read it. And then the second time, I was like, there’s that, obviously, but also love for each other and things they did or didn’t do to be together. It’s a very surreal book, so it’s hard to talk about it – the entire thing happens inside the Camel cigarette.
BP: I think it just came out when we were writing stuff. I really like his first collection of poems, called Beauty Was the Case That They Gave Me. But I think this one’s better, actually. He was a little bit on that lit bro trip on the first one. The second one is amazing. He’s just older now. They’re really beautiful – some of it’s funny, but a lot of is just beautiful. There’s really nice love poems in there, poems about friendship and relationships. My favourite, I think, is “Having ‘Having a Coke With You’ With You’”.
Ela, do you remember it coming up during the process?
EM: I don’t remember, I don’t think so. Again, we share so much. Actually, I ordered it when I saw that Brian sent it over, because I also read the first one and I kind of had a similar vibe as what you just said, kind of bro-y. There are glimpses. But then I actually didn’t know he wrote another one, so I ordered it yesterday.
The poem that you mentioned is the one I read, and it really struck me. I actually was reading him discussing the events of the poem, and I wrote down this quote: “When I reflect on this moment, I feel inspired by love, by its ability to inspire the good kind of risk-taking, and the happy surrender to a mind outside your own simply because you respect and admire it.” When you think about this EP, were there moments of love that inspired you in a similar way?
BP: Yeah, definitely. And I was reading a lot of books about love, like I was reading In Praise of Love by Alain Badiou. With Ela, at least on my end, I feel like we just get to be each other and share each other. Kind of what he’s saying, like you’re just discovering someone and trying to look at the world through their eyes in a bit a way. That’s been really nice working together, but also just getting to know each other.
Ela, when it came to writing these songs, does that sentiment resonate with you?
EM: Yeah, definitely. Like Brian said, we were exactly on the same page. And I was very moved by it, because it hasn’t been very common in my life, that feeling. But also, I think I was definitely channelling something that he was thinking about while he was making the instrumentals. The lyrics definitely surprised me, hearing them back again. I didn’t write – I think that’s a big thing, I didn’t sit down and write and then sing. I sort of just sang, and words came out. And then I write them down to try and make sense of them and see if I need to change anything. When I was writing them back, it was just surprising to me. But also very transparent and honest, which is also how the relationship feels.
The way that he writes about love is just really wonderful, really unique, really touching. Ela, tell me why you picked it.
EM: Precisely that. I mean, it’s one of my favourites. And I just love also how free it feels, his work in general, but that’s the only physical book I have from him. And I love it. The love ones are probably my favourite ones. I actually don’t really like poetry that much, but when I love something, it’s, like, completely. It just changes everything, right? A good poem. Anyway, those are probably my favourite love poems. I have it around usually, but also, I remember specifically when we were writing this, I had it on my desk. I wasn’t reading through it or anything, I just remember the image of it being there.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Ela Minus and DJ Python’s ♡ EP is out September 16 via Smugglers Way.
Meg Duffy has today shared two new Hand Habits songs, ‘Greatest Weapon’ and ‘Under the Water’. They’re being released through Sylvan Esso’s Psychic Hotline label as part of their singles series. ‘Greatest Weapon’ features backing vocals from that Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath, while ‘Under the Water’ finds Meath handling lead vocals. Take a listen below.
In a statement, Duffy said ‘Greatest Weapon’ “is about coming to grips with the dance of time.” Of ‘Under the Water’, they commented: “I wrote it all in one go. Learning how to hold my head underwater when I was a kid was a moment of independence that I hadn’t been expecting — all of the sudden I was able to be completely alone in the pool — even when I was surrounded by people.”
The new songs mark Hand Habits’ first new material since last year’s Fun House.
Crooks & Nannies – the West Philadelphia duo of Madel Rafter and Sam Huntington – have announced their signing to Grand Jury with a new single called ‘control’. Check it out below.
“I wrote ‘control’ in 2017 while struggling with consistent intrusive thoughts,” Rafter explained in a statement. “I wanted to capture the feeling of walking through an art museum and holding all of your muscles tightly because if you don’t, you might give into some crazy impulse and do something really really bad, like pull a painting off the wall and put your foot through it. The lyrics talk about wearing a mask for the world to conceal internal negative thoughts, and worrying about being ‘bad to the bone’ and ugly inside. On the facade, the song feels humorous, but I often use humor as a way to soften the blow of darker sentiments. Sonically, we took an approach that feels almost sing-songy at the top, but gets progressively more chaotic, fast, and emotionally blown out as the song progresses.”
Crooks & Nannies are set to embark on their first tour this fall, opening for Lucy Dacus.
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