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5 Ways Disney Influenced Modern Society

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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5 Ways Disney Influenced Modern Society

In the modern world, cultures are spread through fashion, religious beliefs, foods, movies, and more. When there is contact between cultures, ideas are transferred easily. With globalization, the transfer of ideas and cultures is easier than ever.

Disney and Disney characters, especially, have had a major impact on the spread of cultures all around the world. From Chin’s Mulan to Saudi Arabia’s Aladdin, here are a few ways that Disney has influenced society today. 

  • The Rise of Animations

Disney has contributed to the increased popularity of animations. Over the years, Walt Disney Animation Studios has used motion-picture films to create a new version of family entertainment. 

Disney animated films are big on storytelling, revolutionary technology, and artistry. They have influenced the trajectory of other animated animations. Disney is no longer just making cartoons. It stands out as a leader in the production of live-action TV shows and movies. The quality of its animations is excellent as well. 

  • Supporting Local Economies

Disney has promoted the growth of many local economies. It has created job opportunities and improved the utilization of local goods and services. It has a significant contribution to tax revenue as well. 

The parks and resorts are luxurious, offering an unparalleled experience that attracts millions of visitors each year. They also have a substantial economic impact on the local economy, with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts currently accounting for 2.5 percent of the total domestic revenue, standing at more than $18 billion. For those looking to bring a piece of the magic home, an excellent option is to buy Boardwalk Villas DVC resales, which provide a luxurious and cost-effective way to enjoy the magic year after year.

  • Charitable Giving

Disney has influenced society with its charitable works. It collaborates with national, local, and international NGOs to support various courses. 

They support programs that promote creativity, tolerance, and healthy living. In addition, Disney gives in-kind gifts. Character visits are not all about Disney characters meet-and-greets.

Disney world characters take part in charity events as well. Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, and other characters play a major role in attracting money for donations. 

Cast members sit on the boards of various NGOs. They offer insight, helping the company donate to the best charities. For example, Walt Disney Imagineers helped with the lobby design at Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando, CA, and FL. 

They both integrate Disney characters like Daisy Duck and Donald Duck to create a restful environment for young patients. 

  • Encouraging Creativity and Imagination

Disney doesn’t just create movies. It shapes entire worlds. It promotes creativity and tells stories with an impact. The scenarios, characters, soundtracks, and outfits are incredible.

Many parents and teachers have used Disney shows and films to make their children more creative. The sense of imagination could translate to other disciplines. 

  • Reinforcing Positive Morals

Disney movies are great for reinforcing positive morals, especially for kids. The movies encourage positive attributes, and kids are encouraged to root for characters with positive qualities. Children who watch characters with lots of positive attributes feel motivated to act like them. 

In addition, Disney movies can improve children’s ability to socialize with others. Being prosocial attracts lifelong benefits. It encourages kids to grow into adults that enjoy helping others. 

In conclusion, the influence of Disney on modern society is undeniable. It has helped promote creativity, reinforce positive morals, and support local economies. Disney animations have shaped the trajectory for others in the industry. In addition, Disney has helped grow local economies. 

The company has been thriving because of its ability to cross various media types for success. From kids’ to adult shows, Disney dedicates its brand to characters that stand out.

It turns shows into movies and movies into shows. The most popular ones include High School Musical, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Hannah Montana. They have all attained international success.

Titles to Die for at Fantasia 2022

Our Culture
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Titles to Die for at Fantasia 2022

Fantasia International Film Festival 2022 kicks off on 14 July 2022. Our Culture will be there as the Quebec-based festival returns for its 26th edition live and in-person at a range of venues across the city. As ever, it will feature an array of sensational new genre titles, reparatory screenings and special events. 

This year, the festival is casting its spotlight on Korean Animation and Queer Genre Cinema, and will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kier-La Janisse’s impactful House of Psychotic Women (2012) with a series of retrospective screenings lovingly restored by Severin Films.

Last year, Our Culture covered a number of films from Fantasia 2021, from Phil Tippett’s deranged masterwork Mad God to Perry Blackshear’s grimly relevant When I Consume You, via the madcap Japanese time travel adventure Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes.

Ahead of the festival’s opening gala in the coming days, let us whet your appetite by highlighting some of the films we’re looking forward to – from blockbuster hits to obscure indie horror via new restorations of beloved genre classics.

Employee of the Month (Belgium, dir. Véronique Jadin)

One of no less than four Belgian genre films showing at this year’s Fantasia festival, Véronique Jadin’s Employee of the Month fits into a larger international cycle of ‘corporate horror’ films. Along with the likes of Stalled (2013), Bloodsucking Bastards (2015), The Belko Experiment (2016), Mayhem (2017), Office Uprising (2018), Corporate Animals (2019) and Keeping Company (2021), it finds its horrors squarely in the ruthless world of capitalist enterprise.

But what’s interesting about Employee of the Month – and the reason why we’re so looking forward to it – is that it is a woman-led take on ‘corporate horror’ that not only takes satirical aim at the exploitation endemic to the modern workplace but does so through a (thus far) uniquely feminist perspective. This is a film that promises to combine a critique of contemporary work culture with scathing indictments of gender inequality, everyday sexism and the persistence of the ‘glass ceiling.’

Employee of the Month screens on Sunday 17 July and Tuesday 19 July.

The Harbinger (USA, dir. Andy Mitton)

Andy Mitton’s lo-fi genre films have been going down a storm on the genre festival circuit since 2016. His oddly life-affirming debut We Go On (2016) plays like a mumblecore take on The Sixth Sense (1999), in which the film’s despondent protagonist offers $30,000 to anyone who can prove the existence of the afterlife and thus alleviate his unshakable fear of death. We Go On was followed by The Witch in the Window (2018), a terrifying twist on the haunted house narrative that ripped through international festivals before finding a wider audience on Shudder.

Mitton returns to this year’s Fantasia with his pandemic horror The Harbinger. The film takes place during lockdown, and explores the existential horrors that have defined humanity since 2020; its title monster is an entity that uses ‘viral nightmares’ to ensnare its victims, feeding on the negative psychological energies created by the pandemic. Given its grim real-world relevance, The Harbinger is likely to be one of the more abjectly terrifying horror films at this year’s Fantasia – a distillation of our collective trauma.

The Harbinger screens on Wednesday 20 July and Friday 22 July.

Shin Ultraman (Japan, dir. Shinji Higuchi) 

Undoubtedly one of the most high-profile films in this year’s selection, Shin Ultraman is the spiritual successor to 2016’s marvellous Shin Godzilla. Comparisons between the two are inevitable – and the film itself actively invites them – but Our Culture looks forward to what Shin Ultraman will achieve in its own right. 

The Ultraman franchise is long and expansive, featuring dozens of sequels, spin-offs, reboots, and more since 1966. But stretching through almost every series, film, and appearance is one theme: hope. The Ultra series is unabashedly positive, asserting easy messages of kindness and strength enjoyed by children and adults alike for generations. While Shin Ultraman takes many of its cues from Shin Godzilla, we’re hopeful it’ll still belong to that heritage of hope. With the myriad nods to the original 1966 series in just the trailer (not least the extra-textual knowledge that director Shinji Higuchi and writer Hideaki Anno are lifelong fans of the series), we have a good feeling about this one. 

Shin Ultraman screens on Thursday 21 July.

Space Monster Wangmagwi (South Korea, dir. Kwon Hyeok-jin)

Seldom seen outside of South Korea, SRS Cinema brings this 1967 monster movie to Fantasia ahead of its eventual blu-ray release – slated for autumn this year. The film sees a giant monster unleashed by alien invaders to destroy Seoul. However, the monster (nicknamed “Wangmagwi”, or “big devil”) sets its sight on a young bride-to-be instead.

South Korea’s other 1967 monster movie, Yongary, Monster from the Deep, was released to American television by American International Pictures in 1969 and has enjoyed a handful of home video releases since. Space Monster Wangmagwi, however, has not had quite the same history. SRS Cinema’s upcoming blu-ray of Space Monster Wangmagwi marks the first time the film has been made widely available outside its home country. With fans glimpsing only bits and pieces online over the years, this presentation of the full film will be a real treat. 

Space Monster Wangmagwi screens on Saturday 23 July.

The Breach (Canada, dir. Rodrigo Gudiño)

It has now been a full decade since Rodrigo Gudiño, Rue Morgue magazine’s founder and president, released his excellent (and skin-crawlingly creepy) directorial debut: The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012). A meditation on family ties and Catholic guilt, Rosalind Leigh is a quietly chilling tale focused on a traumatised son tasked with clearing out the sprawling home belonging to his recently deceased (and deeply religious) mother.

After ten years, Gudiño’s sophomore feature plays at this year’s Fantasia. The plot of The Breach is somewhat shrouded in mystery; a blend of horror, thriller and science fiction tropes, it follows a small-town cop tasked with solving a bizarre murder. His investigation leads him to a dilapidated house, where he finds a strange contraption that might hold the key to solving the case. Given that The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh was one of our favourite genre films of 2012, we’re keen to see Gudiño’s follow-up – especially after such a long wait.

The Breach screens on Monday 25 July.

The Deadly Spawn (USA, dir. Douglas McKeown)

In 2021, boutique distributor Synapse Films presented their restoration of Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972) at Fantasia. It was fantastic (and this particular writer is very happy to have just picked up the subsequent Blu-ray), which is why we’re excited to see their new 4K restoration of 1983’s The Deadly Spawn – making its world premiere in Quebec. 

Alien creatures with more teeth than a dentist’s coat pocket invade a young boy’s home, growing in his basement to titanic proportions. If Joe Dante’s films are the polished results of a ’50s monster kid growing up to make movies, The Deadly Spawn is their independent, far-less-polished but deliciously grimy cousin. This is by no means a bad thing, for The Deadly Spawn delights in its bloody mayhem, beautiful practical effects, and overt love for monster movie history. We can’t wait to see it again thanks to Synapse. 

The Deadly Spawn screens on Friday 29 July.

Words by Christopher Stewardson and Craig Ian Mann.

King Princess Shares New Aaron Dessner-Produced Single ‘Change the Locks’

Konstantinos Pappis
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King Princess Shares New Aaron Dessner-Produced Single ‘Change the Locks’

King Princess has shared a new single from her upcoming album Hold on Baby. It’s called ‘Change the Locks’, and it was co-produced alongside the National’s Aaron Dessner at his home studio in Stuyvesant, New York. Check it out below.

As Stereogum points out, Mikaela Straus posted a video on Instagram earlier this week, explaining that she met Dessner at his home studio the day after her grandfather’s funeral. ‘Change the Locks’ was the first track they wrote together, and it “became this song that — it just helped me heal so much.”

Hold on Baby is set for release on July 29 via Zelig Records/Columbia Records. So far, King Princess has shared the advance singles ‘Too Bad’, ‘Cursed’, ‘For My Friends’, and ‘Little Bother’ with Fousheé.

Watch Belle and Sebastian Perform on NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk Concert’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Watch Belle and Sebastian Perform on NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk Concert’

Belle and Sebastian are the latest band to perform a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR. They played three tracks from their last album, A Bit of Previous – ‘Unnecessary Drama’, ‘Working Boy in New York City’, and ‘Reclaim the Night’ – plus the classic ‘Judy and the Dream of Horses’, off their 1997 record If You’re Feeling Sinister. Watch it below.

Belle and Sebastian released A Bit of Previous, their ninth studio LP, back in May. Last month, they put out a video for the title track, which isn’t featured on the album.

The Mars Volta Release New Song and Short Film ‘Graveyard Love’

Konstantinos Pappis
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The Mars Volta Release New Song and Short Film ‘Graveyard Love’

The Mars Volta have released a new single, ‘Graveyard Love’, which is accompanied by a short film directed by the band’s own Omar Rodríguez-López. Elaborating on the lyrics of the song, singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala said in a statement: “They will seek your ruin, and burn your lands, because if they can’t have you, no one can.” Watch and listen below.

Last month, The Mars Volta returned after a decade-long hiatus with ‘Blacklight Shine’. The single was teased via an audiovisual cube installation that appeared in Grand Park in Los Angeles, which can now be experienced online here.

Beyoncé, Rina Sawayama, Grace Ives, and More: A 2022 Summer Playlist

Sam Franzini
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Beyoncé, Rina Sawayama, Grace Ives, and More: A 2022 Summer Playlist

The debate over “Song of the Summer” is often contested — will it be a highly popular singer’s release that seems geared for maximum playtime, or a newcomer with a breakout hit? Summer energy can be lazy, frantic, or a mix between the two, making the search especially hard. To try and narrow it down, Our Culture has compiled a 15-track list to accompany your summer. 

‘Sacrifice’ by The Weeknd

The Weeknd’s 2022 album Dawn FM posited himself as the king of the underworld, but that doesn’t mean Hell is without its jams. Piggybacking off the success of ‘80’s-tinted After Hours, songs like ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Take My Breath’ dip their toes into the throwback production style of the era, without ever being overpowering, as ‘Blinding Lights’ sometimes tended to be. The bassline is killer, the outro is catchy, and ‘Sacrifice’ not being as big of a hit as ‘Blinding Lights’ will forever be a mystery.

‘BREAK MY SOUL’ by Beyoncé

It’s no ‘FORMATION’, but Beyoncé’s six-year comeback single ‘BREAK MY SOUL’ is a grower in its own right. Assisted by Big Freedia, the queen of bounce, shouting the affirmation-like “Release the stress/ Release the love, forgive the rest,” and a well-used Robin S. sample, ‘BREAK MY SOUL’ is a rallying cry suited for a period of time that is working very hard to break our souls. Though Queen B, one of the richest humans on the planet, singing about working a nine-to-five is pretty funny, her writing is inspirational and deceptively simple. “I’m taking my new foundation/ And I’ma build my own motivation,” she sings, eventually incorporating an angelic choir into her performance. Her upcoming RENAISSANCE is said to be a dancefloor-filler album, and ‘BREAK MY SOUL’ is just one taste of the hits yet to come.

‘Venom’ by Ravyn Lenae

Ravyn Lenae’s futuristic R&B debut Hypnos entrances all the way through, but the standout track is ‘Venom’, an upbeat and glitchy track. Though the lyrics are descriptive of a sort of femme fatale killer (“Go get ’em, fake killer / Don’t tell ’em, straight venom”), the playfulness of the track makes it insanely catchy. Her sweet and high voice is used exceptionally well, pulling the listener in before the dopamine hit of the chorus. 

‘The Path’ by Lorde

Released at the tail end of summer last year, ‘The Path’ certainly didn’t get the recognition it deserves. Based on just vocal performance and instrumentation, it’s one of Lorde’s best works to date — the serene singing of “Let’s hope the sun will show us the path” in the last half is almost a summer blessing. The lyrics sometimes dip into 2013 Lorde, starting the song off with “Caught in the complex divorce of the seasons,” when she’s probably just talking about the month of June, but any discrepancies are forgivable in the track as a whole. A perfect album opener, it sets the tone for Solar Power immediately and concisely.

‘The Big Sky’ by Kate Bush

‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ might be the Kate Bush song that’s having a summer resurgence, but I’d throw ‘The Big Sky’ from the same album, Hounds of Love, in the running. ‘The Big Sky’ is huge and jubilant, Bush entranced by our cosmos and place on the earth, mesmerized by something as simple as a slate of blue we see everyday (“What was the question?/ I was looking at the big sky,” she sings, distractedly). The pulsating beat builds momentum as it becomes the pinnacle of an 80’s feel-good jam, complete with a choir. Whether listening while laying down cloud gazing or walking around, her approach to nature will likely change yours as well.

‘Scent’ by YUKIKA

YUKIKA’s first solo 2022 release glides effortlessly into her catalog of dazzling pop gems, keeping with the city pop trend she cultivated on 2020’s standout SOUL LADY. Complemented with a saxophone, an electric guitar, and YUKIKA’s impossibly light voice, “Scent” is perfect for either a high-energy workout song or simply lazing around. The song comes after her recent engagement announcement, which makes her lyrics of “When I touch you I feel like I’m holding you tight/ I keep shaking, I’m cutting it close/ When you touch my scent that flows backward/ I’ll flinch and find you” all the more sweeter.

‘Want Want’ by Maggie Rogers

Clunky song title be damned, ‘Want Want’ by Maggie Rogers is a perfect encapsulation of summer’s freedom. From the roaring bassline to the lyrics stemming from desire and need, it’s easy to memorize and easier to sing along to. Rogers has crafted a grittier, rough-around-the-edges approach to pop, but the her emotional sensibility offrom her debut is still in play here. “Can’t hide what you desire, once you own it / Can’t fake what you can’t break up with,” she sings. This, plus lead single ‘That’s Where I Am’ suggest an immensely successful sophomore effort in her upcoming Surrender.

‘It was me’ by Yerin Baek

Zaps of electricity spark in “It was me,” Yerin Baek’s first release since her 2021 covers EP. Her voice sounds like a lullaby, pulling in new melodies and styles that make her work so dynamic and flexible. 2019’s personal Every letter i sent you. and 2020’s electronic tellusaboutyourself are melded perfectly here, creating a lulling and exciting tune. “What made me disappear/ What made me shine/ It was me,” she sings, a telling sign her upcoming work will be filled with even more self-reflection.

‘This Hell’ by Rina Sawayama

Whether it’s the allusions to the heat of hell, Rina Sawayama’s tongue-in-cheek writing about homophobic protestors, or the killer electric guitar bridge, ‘This Hell’ is a perfect way to kickstart Sawayama’s Hold the Girl era. It combines the detailed and personal writing about being a queer woman (“Got my invitation / To eternal damnation,” she teases) and the eclectic yet precise production that her debut, SAWAYAMA, was lauded for. The disparity between this song and her next release ‘Catch Me In The Air’, never jarring, makes Hold the Girl a highly anticipated release.

‘Eye in the Wall’ by Perfume Genius

Perfume Genius’ recent Ugly Season was filled with avante-garde baroque pop, but one of the most successful songs came in the form of ‘Eye In the Wall’, a sprawling, cosmic journey. Starting slow, it quickly expands into a frantic, pulsating energy, with Mike Hadreas singing, “Wild and free, your body onscreen/ I’m full of feeling/ I’m full of nothing but love.” The hazy momentum keeps up in the entire song, evoking images like rolling through the Californian desert on the way to Coachella.

‘Western Wind’ by Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen is known for her big, unabashed pop bangers (‘Run Away With Me’, ‘Now That I Found You’, ‘Want You in My Room’) but on her first solo release this year, ‘Western Wind’ kicks back and relaxes. Taking a hint from Lorde’s Solar Power of last year, Jepsen’s new era is nature-focused, grounded, and bathed in atmosphere. It’s a perfect song just to chill to, and Jepsen seems as relaxed as ever when she sings, “Coming in like a western wind/ Do you feel home from all directions?”

‘Loose’ by Grace Ives

Janky Star is a perfect name for Grace Ives’ sophomore album, a record that combines intimate and diary-like writing with eclectic, home-bound production. Quiet rasps of falling on the floor, doing splits, admiring a diner worker fill the album, but she flexes her vocal muscles on this song, singing “I’ve been loose/ Every night.” She has the power to pull focus, yet filling whole songs with it might be overpowering. Smartly, she leaves the verses for her quirky and relatable anecdotal writing, and fills in the choruses with her bold voice. It’s alright not to be perfect, and Ives’ music is the jolt of life-affirming sound we need.

‘Libre’ by Angèle 

Angèle’s ‘Libre’, filled with vocal chops and a groovy, bouncy beat, is an ode to freedom in a studded pop package. Owing it to herself to live as freely as she can, she playfully teases on the chorus: “Living free/ Believe me, it will change/ I stayed standing and I came to like it.” The song has an airiness, assisted by her dynamic voice, and it’s worth mentioning that in the dream-like music video, she becomes an astronaut jumping around the streets of a city. If you’re not spending the summer like her, what are you even doing?

‘What I Want’ by MUNA

“When I go out again/ I’m gonna drink a lot/ I’m gonna take a shot,” lead singer of MUNA Katie Gavin asserts at the beginning of this track. The band’s new self-titled album is all about listening to your body and prioritizing yourself, and nowhere is it more apparent on this pulse-pounding song. “I’ve spent too many years not knowing what/ What I wanted, how to get it,” she sings, and now, it’s time to make up for lost time. Whether it’s because of the pandemic, or a kind of queer second adolescence MUNA is filled with, “What I Want” is an ode to pleasure, casting thoughts of self-doubt aside.

‘Big Time’ by Angel Olsen

Gone are the sharp, angular and anxiety-provoking strings of 2019’s All Mirrors — Angel Olsen wants to sing about love on her latest release, Big Time. Her lyricism accompanied by a new twang paints the picture of a perfect summer day: “We’re always busy, baby, not this time/ Lay in the tall grass, talking with your eyes.” She repeats, “I’m lovin’ you big time, I’m lovin’ you more,” filling the song with a sweet sincerity.

Listen to the full 2022 Summer Playlist, featuring a few additional picks, on Spotify.

SG Lewis Shares New Songs ‘Missing You’ and ‘Something About Your Love’

Konstantinos Pappis
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SG Lewis Shares New Songs ‘Missing You’ and ‘Something About Your Love’

SG Lewis has returned with two new songs: ‘Missing You’ and ‘Something About Your Love’. The tracks follow the London-based singer-songwriter and producer’s 2021 debut times, which featured Robyn, Channel Tres, and Nile Rodgers. Take a listen below.

Commenting on ‘Missing You’, Sam Lewis said in a statement: “Conceptually, it felt like the perfect introduction. It’s a story about temptation and dwindling fear. Your eyes are wandering.” Of ‘Something About Your Love’, he added: “It’s no secret I’m a massive Daft Punk fan. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever made to a tribute to them. I was listening to Discovery a lot, and there’s a specific technique to it. I chopped up the sample of these seventies keys and drums. It came together easily. Lyrically, It’s a pure confession of admiration for someone. It’s the perfect contrast to ‘Missing You’.”

Albums Out Today: Burna Boy, Viagra Boys, Metric, Brent Faiyaz, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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Albums Out Today: Burna Boy, Viagra Boys, Metric, Brent Faiyaz, and More

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on July 8, 2022:

Burna Boy, LOVE, DAMINI

Nigerian star Burna Boy’s new album, LOVE, DAMINI, has arrived via Atlantic Records. The 19-track LP features collaborations with Ed Sheeran, J Hus, Popcaan, Blxst and Kehlani, J. Balvin, Khalid, Victony, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. “That’s how I like to sign all my letters, because I didn’t know the proper [signoff],” Burna Boy said of the album title in a Billboard interview. “It’s a bit personal [because] it’s bringing you into my head on my birthday — when you turn 31 and ain’t got no kids, everything is going good and bad at the same time. You reflect and then you get as lit as possible. Then you sleep and wake up and reflect again. I’m reflecting on everything — what I’m doing and what’s happening where I’m from. Where I’m from is a part of where I’m going.”

Viagra Boys, Cave World

Viagra Boys have returned with their third album, Cave World, out now via YEAR0001. The album follows 2020’s Welfare Jazz and was produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt and DJ Haydn. Ahead of its release, the Stockholm post-punks previewed the LP with the songs ‘Punk Rock Loser’, ‘Ain’t No Thief’, and ‘Troglodyte’. Cave World is “inspired by current events,” according to press materials, aiming “to tear through the insanity and confusion the world currently finds itself in.” Singer Sebastian Murphy said in a statement: “I just wrote down, ‘Who is the true ape?’” Murphy also added in a statement. “People look down at apes as primitive life forms, but we’re just this horrible, lazy society killing each other and starting wars, while they’re able to love and feel. Does that make them the true ape or us?”

Metric, Formentera

Metric have released a new album called Formentera. It marks the band’s eighth album, following 2018’s Art of Doubt, and includes the previously unveiled singles ‘All Comes Crashing’ and ‘Doomscroller’. In an interview with NME, frontwoman Emily Haines described Formentera as “probably the most important record that we can make other than our first album.” She explained: “Logistically, we could not get our band across the border and that was the longest we’ve gone without playing a show since we started. There was a sense that this could actually be it – a lot of people are not going to bounce back in our industry. There’s always a sense of urgency [when making a record], but it was really pronounced and the sense that we have to manifest our way out of this, it’s all we can do.”

Brent Faiyaz, Wasteland

Brent Faiyaz has a new album out called Wasteland. Released via his own label Lost Kids, the Grammy-winning singer’s proper follow-up to 2017’s Sonder Son boasts guest appearances from Drake, Tyler, the Creator, Alicia Keys, Raphael Saadiq, and Tre Amani, while Jonathan ‘Freeze’ Wells serves as executive producer. Jordan Waré provides string arrangements and production on several of the record’s 19 tracks, with additional contributions from The Dream.

Katy J Pearson, Sound of the Morning

Katy J Pearson has issued her new album, Sound of the Morning, via Heavenly Recordings. The follow-up to the singer-songwriter’s 2020 debut Return was written and recorded in late 2021 and was co-produced by Ali Chant and Dan Carey. The singles ‘Talk Over Town’, ‘Alligator’, ‘Game of Cards’, and ‘Float’ preceded the record. “I want people to feel things with my music, but I don’t want to cause my listener too much trauma,” Pearson said in press materials. “Counselling is expensive, so you’ve got to pick your battles…”

Party Dozen, The Real Work

Party Dozen have put out their third album, The Real Work, via GRUPO/Temporary Residence. It follows the Australian noise-rock band’s 2020 record Pray For Party Dozen and marks the first Party Dozen album to feature anyone besides the core duo of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet; Nick Cave contributes vocals to the previously shared track ‘Macca the Mutt’. The band also released ‘Fruits of Labour’, The Iron Boot’, and ‘The Worker’ ahead of the release.

Wu-Lu, LOGGERHEAD

Wu-Lu, the project of south London-based artist Miles Romans-Hopcraft, has dropped his new album LOGGERHEAD via Warp. The record features collaborations with Asha, Lex Amor and Léa Sen, as well as contributions from Ego Ella May, Morgan Simpson (black midi), Demae, and Mica Levi. It was previewed with the singles ‘Blame’, ‘South’, ‘Scrambled Tricks’, and ‘Times’. “I’ve had a sharp turning point over the last few years. I’m going to express myself rather than holding it in,” Wu-Lu said in press materials. “When I say ‘Loggerhead’, I mean me. It’s a mono feeling, insular. It’s internal.”

Quinton Brock, My Shadow

My Shadow is the debut full-length by the Buffalo-bred, Brooklyn-based artist Quinton Brock. Out now via Shadow Panther, the 17-track album features guest appearances from Portugal. The Man., Travie McCoy, and Pink Siifu. Brock, who cut his teeth with the surf/blues rock duo The Get Money Squad, shared a string of singles prior to the release of the LP, including ‘To The Moon’, ‘There For You’, ‘Touch’, and the title track.

Other albums out today:

Caterina Barbieri, Spirit Exit; Laura Veirs, Found Light; Wormrot, Hiss; NoSo, Stay Proud of Me; James Bay, Leap; Delicate Steve, After Hours; BERRIES, How We Function; Mush, Down Tools; Journey, Freedom; Spiral Stairs, Medley Attack!!!; Antti Tolvi, Spectral Organ / Feedback Gong; Maxim Mental, Make Team Presents Maxim Mental in Maximalism; Fireground, Dreams; Flowertown, Half Yesterday; Ian Daniel Kehoe, Yes Very So; Rae Morris, Rachel@Fairyland; Alice Cohen, Moonrising.

Watkins Family Hour and Fiona Apple Collaborate on ‘(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Watkins Family Hour and Fiona Apple Collaborate on ‘(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You’

Watkins Family Hour have collaborated with Fiona Apple on the new track ‘(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You’. The song was originally written by Stuart Hamblin and was popularized by Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, and Dean Martin. Check out the new rendition below.

‘(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You’ will appear on Vol. II, Sara and Sean Watkins’ third album under the moniker, which also features guest spots from Jackson Browne, Jon Brion, Madison Cunningham, Willie Watson, and more.

“We love singing old country songs with Fiona Apple,” the group told Consequence of Sound, which premiered track. “The first time we met her was on stage at the old Largo in 2003, during one of Jon Brion’s now legendary Friday night shows. Jon is always great at finding common musical territory between unlikely musicians. He called out Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight” and Fiona sang the absolute hell out of it. She embodied it so completely and owned it in a way we’d never witnessed. We worked up ‘(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You’ with Fiona during a Family Hour tour in 2015, and were so pleased to get to revisit it for this record.”

Ciara Releases New Song ‘Jump’ Featuring Coast Contra

Konstantinos Pappis
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Ciara Releases New Song ‘Jump’ Featuring Coast Contra

Ciara is back with a new single, ‘Jump’, which features the Los Angeles hip-hop group Coast Contra. “I’m back on my mission to make the world dance,” Ciara wrote on Twitter. A music video for the track will premiere today at 12pm ET. Give it a listen below.

‘Jump’ marks Ciara’s first new solo single since 2020’s ‘Rooted’, which was produced by Hudson Mohawke and Stargate. Her last album was 2019’s Beauty Marks.

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