Senator album Tiny Monster
With the first blooms of spring also come many budding artists worth stopping to smell—and listen. Here at Rawckus, we’ve plucked five fresh singles from the music landscape for your seasonal turntable, whether you’re rocking out in your own shower or outside under April ones.
“Breathless” by Senator
“Breathless” is a refreshing reminder of how musical maturity and awareness can accomplish more than a song; it can accomplish an experience. Howard Baker (Senator) so carefully crafts every note and word in his indie-pop track to fulfill an important message without wasting a moment: sexual assault happens all too often, to anyone, and needs to be prevented. The song was inspired by Baker’s conversations with two women who were victims of sexual assault, which were transformed into lyrics like “Under your weight I cannot fight, you leave me breathless.” Add to this a hollow numbness of acoustic guitars and a low bassline sprinkled with percussion claps and peppy synthesizers for most of the song. Near the end of the track, a guitar screams out before quickly returning to the unsettling numbness. It’s fitting for a debut EP titled, Little Monsters.
“Clean” by Figure Eight
No need to breakout the heavy eyeliner to bask in the glory of your former middle school days, Figure Eight hits the emo-punk scene in a way that stays true to the genre’s roots while being accessible to a 2017 audience. They check-off the requisite shrieking powerhouse vocals and heavy-hitting drums without the over-extensive hair dye. “Clean” is one of four songs the Long Island-based duo released this month on their EP Forever. It blends raw, basement-session sound with lyrics that seem to be pulled straight from an old AIM away message: “I hate this / I’m claustrophobic when you’re not close enough.” The song has a successful nostalgic rooting in the once-popular genre, but it’ll be interesting to see how the new band takes their music to the next level to find their own unique niche.
“Echoes” by MIEARS
With the release of her EP Who Will Save You?, Houston-based MIEARS has branched out considerably from her days as the frontwoman for the synth-pop band BLSHS. The now solo artist is stretching her creativity in the electronic genre to tackle writing, performing, recording, and producing all on her own. With “Echoes,” MIEARS gives us a thumping bass-line that is matched in intensity by her smoky higher-pitched vocals. Throughout the track, she repeatedly asks the question, “Why do I waste my time on you?” echoing out, unanswered. Final verdict: it’s not a waste of time to give this track a listen.
“The Bus Song” by Jay Som
There’s a childlike quality to “The Bus Song” that goes beyond the cute title making it a strong addition to Melina Duterte’s (Jay Som) debut album, Everybody Works. Duterte’s breezy voice reaches out through your speakers like a soothing bedtime story after a nightmare, with words offering solace against the darkness of doubt and impatience. The airy melody focal to the dream-pop genre continues to grow with layers of hopeful guitars, skipping piano riffs, and Duterte’s stripped-back vocals until it reaches a bursting conclusion of electronic-indie celebration. The song will bring you back to the time you when you could lie on your bedroom rug with your eyes closed and listen to music for hours, comforting and complete.
“Summer Clothes” by Marc Scibilia
Marc Scibilia’s “Summer Clothes” is a perfect spring-time song, capturing the sensation of being caught between the gloomy moods of winter and the upbeat rhythms of summer. Scibilia blends sentimental vocals and a folk-acoustic guitar base with a sudden surge of electronic energy in the form of synthesizers and booming basslines. The track paints the aftermath of a relationship in a small Northeastern town, where there’s more snow than sun (fitting for the Buffalo-born artist), where one person’s moved on and the other’s stayed behind. It’s a well-worn story, but Scibilia keeps it fresh with clever, scenic lyrics such as, “They built a new casino and they call it ‘Little Reno’ but the blinking sign’s got a busted light, says ‘Welcome to _eno.’”
