#I do project a little of my own vocal abilities and qualities onto them but I also firmly believe what I headcanon about their voices

[aberooski]

The problem with my brain having been obsessed with knowing what fictional characters' singing voices sound like since I was a little kid, and especially now that I'm a vocalist as an adult, is that I can't listen to hardly anything without that voice in the back of my head being like "oh this sound. This specific moment in this specific verse or chorus or whatever. That's specifically what xyz character(s) would sound like!" And I hyperfixate on that for the rest of my life and I craft so many headcanons 😭

That being said, when he's singing seriously Atticus has an incredible voice argue with the wall. Atty has a very wide range but his voice really lives and thrives in the mid range. But he likes to sing higher pitches whenever he gets the chance and is very good at harmonizing. When he gets Chazz to sing with him he always let's Chazz take the melody as often as possible and harmonizes over him. He also plays like every fuckin stringed instrument and hosts weekly campfire jams for the J-Squad to unwind and hang out and de-stress ☺ he always schedules them around his and Chazz's Saturday night sleepovers so they never miss one 😌

Chazz can also sing but doesn't discover it until Atticus gets him to sing with him during like a campfire jam session or one of their regular hangouts. His voice is best suited for more mellow, slower songs like me wow wonder why I headcanon that 🙄. and everyone is very impressed by his vocals, but he gets huffy and embarrassed whenever anyone compliments his voice. In my head his vocal range is on the lower to mid range side and has a very nice rasp to it, especially on the lower pitches where it's a little more prevalent and compliments Atty's voice so they blend very well.

Jaden has the perfect pop punk voice. Just the perfect tone and range, perfectly unrefined sound for it too. But if anyone asked he would shrug and say he couldn't sing. Of course he can, but he doesn't particularly think he's all that good and doesn't really care if he can or not, it's not that important to him like card games are so he'd rather not call attention to it askskskks. His ego is reserved for card games and card games alone 🤭. But he always hypes up the others during Atty's campfire jams and he participates fairly often because he thinks it's fun and everyone else seems to enjoy it when he does so he's down for it. He also lives in the mid range but has a pretty strong upper register for belting out those pop punk classics 😌 Dear Maria is his now Alex

Alexis is an alto, she lives in the mid to lower register, she does have a little bit of an upper register too but she lives on the lower side. Her voice is very warm and soothing and mature and just nice af. But she's self conscious about it so she doesn't sing very much and almost never around other people. Leading to the theory that when the subject could come up she, like Jay, would says she couldn't sing but unlike Jay, she just isn't confident in her voice even though it's very good. Atty likes to nudge her to try and get her to sing with him at his campfire jams, but she always declines. He keeps trying though 🤭

Hassleberry has a surprisingly good voice, very warm like Alexis's and lives in the mid to lower register like her. If she sang, they would blend very well I think. He's private about his voice too, but he'd be fine if the crew find out about it. His southern drawl is still quite prevalent when he sings and it really elevates the gentle warmth of his voice. His vocals are unrefined and amateurish but they're still very strong. He prefers songs with simpler melodies and really thrives in softer, more melodious country/bluegrass music which isn't a surprise to anyone but the fact that his voice is so warm and gentle despite his rough exterior makes people view him in a different light. But in a good way 🙂 he's embarrassed at first when the J-Squad finds out he can sing, but he comes around quickly and has participated in a couple campfire jams himself every once in a while.

Syrus's isn't very different from his regular speaking voice at all I don't think. He has a very young sounding voice and he hates it. It's not bad by any means, he just feels self conscious about it like Alexis but also like he's self conscious about literally everything. Same my guy. That being said, he's a tenor. He has almost no lower register but he has enough of one 👍. His voice is very light, which he's also self conscious about. And he tends to stick to humming, he feels less embarrassed and self conscious that way and wouldn't die on the spot if anyone heard him. Also like me, if he is actually singing along to a song and it gets too low or he just feels like it's too low, he sings it up the octave.

And unsurprisingly at least to me, I feel like Bastion has the most old fashioned type of voice. His range is also very wide like Atty's is. He knows he can sing and is confident about it around strangers, but if anyone he knew heard him or complimented his voice he'd blush and get very embarrassed in an adorable way. Honestly he enjoys the compliments but he doesn't really know how to handle getting them for something not having to do with how smart he is, so he gets flustered when people compliment his voice, to varying degrees depending on how well he knows the person complimenting him or not. That being said, if you want anyone singing the old school classics at the Christmas party or some golden age musicals, you want Bastion.

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

Ive never really understood the hype surrounding Taylor Swift - I mean, I like some of her songs, but im not big on modern pop music so generally she just doesn’t really click for me. But I find it interesting that theres quite a few of Beatles/Swift blogs - like, they should have very little in common given that they’re from completely different eras and all, but somehow people seem to find a lot of semblance between the two. << and thats not me shitting on any of these blogs btw! Hope I don’t come off as rude or condescending there <3

Anyway, I was just wondering what got you into Taylor Swift? (I think ive read your post on how you got into the Beatles)

Hi, anon! Don't worry, I don't think you're rude or condescending! I agree they don't have too much in common and I don't really like their music for the same reasons.* I do have a playlist of Paul songs that have similar vibes to Taylor songs but it's mostly lyric-based. (Also the Beatles For Sale songs actually have quite the Taylor-tinge because Paul and John were not immune to Country Music)

I saw @stewy say once that a possible reason there are a good handful of us Swiftie-Beatle People on here is the appeal of a vast discography, which I agree with. If you have an artist/group with 200ish songs, it's just really fun to really dive into their work and explore all the facets. I also think: we're talking about the most popular band of all time and one of the highest-selling artists of the 21st century. They have a lot of fans so there's bound to be overlap, regardless of musical differences.

Moving on to your question: Getting into Taylor was an extremely personal experience for me and so my explanation is probably going to be kind of long so I'll put it under a read more.

It was spring-summer 2014, I was 15. I had heard the more popular songs of hers starting with Love Story and enjoyed pretty much all of them (I always found her hopelessly romantic point of view fascinating) but before I got a Spotify account in 2013 it was difficult in general for me to really get into an artists' entire discography so most of her songs had flown under my radar.

At the time, I was in this very weird sort of codependent online friendship with this girl who was basically my first real best friend and my first more or less crush. She was very depressed and I was very much in an I Could Fix Her™ mood, except that I obviously couldn't fix her and it made me feel like I wasn't enough and she had begun pulling more and more away from me and not replying to my messages and it was simply driving me insane. I consider it the saddest period in my life.

at some point during this period, I started trying to connect with other people (all online, I didn't know how to talk seriously to anyone IRL) and explaining the issues I'd been having, and one of the people who brought me joy and whom I actually felt not drained talking to was a huge swiftie. And IDK the fact that she loved Taylor and the fact that talking to her made my life better (and also the fact that I liked all the Taylor songs I knew at that point) just made me decide to give her a listen. And I think that whole "large discography discovery" phenomenon really helped me at the time (funny, because her discography has doubled since then). It gave me something new to focus on; there were just so many songs to discover, all telling such rich stories. I also have always loved bridges, they are almost always my favourite part of a song. And Taylor, god-bless her, loves them too and always puts her ALL in them. Like pretty much every bridge of hers brings the song to the next level, and even a lot of her songs I don't adore tend to have great bridges (Stay Stay Stay and Paper Rings come to mind). I think one of her most underrated qualities is how good she is at song structure and really building up an entire musical journey with a song. She also almost always adds cool ad-libs in her second and third choruses to keep the songs interesting and dynamic (or at least since she's gone pop). Anyways, back to the story: Then Taylor announced 1989 as her next album and released Shake It Off, and it was just like this great happy thing for me to look forward to, when I had very little keeping me going. The era was promoting a lot of happiness which in hindsight was slightly fabricated and it was just a really great thing for me to latch onto.

At the same time I was coming to realize that I was gonna have to pull away completely from my friend and all those break-up songs just… Hit, y'know? Like, some people seem to think Taylor's a one-trick pony because she likes to write break-up songs but to me, break-ups are just like this moment where you as a human can potentially feel every single emotion, and Taylor's songs have covered every facet of the concept. Here are some songs I remember from that period, that all meant a lot to me at the time because they explained my own pain to me so well:

Haunted, for the absolute terror you feel in the first moments you realize someone is probably gonna leave you. Come on, come on / Don't leave me like this / I thought I had you figured out / Something's gone terribly wrong / You're all I wanted.

I Almost Do, for the inner turmoil you feel when you know you have to stay away from someone for your own good but you really, really have to resist just running back to that person. We've made quite a mess, Babe / It's probably better off this way / And I confess, Babe / In my dreams you're touching my face / And asking me if I wanna try again / With you / And I almost do.

Last Kiss, for that absolute sadness that comes simply with remembering everything that was good and not comprehending how it could've possibly ended. I still remember / The look on your face / Lit through the darkness / At 1:58 / Words that you whispered / For just us to know / You told me you loved me / So why did you go / Away?

Forever and Always, for that feeling of desperately wanting to hold on to what you still have but at the same time realizing it probably isn't going to last and having no idea how to fix it, plus feeling like the other person doesn't even care. So here's to everything / Coming down to nothing / Here's to silence / That cuts me to the core / Where is this going? / Thought I knew for a minute / But I don't anymore.

Dear John, my all-time favourite song, for that moment you find clarity and realize that you deserved better and that you were headed in an extremely dark direction because of this other person. [DISCLAIMER: my friend did NOT abuse me nor did we have some inappropriate age difference. But the way she would ignore me and her general moodiness really affected my own mental health and self-worth problems] You paint me a blue sky / And go back and turn it to rain / And I lived in your chess games / But you changed the rules every day / Wondering which version of you I might get on the phone / Tonight / Well I stopped picking up / And this song is to let you know why.

(She's covered more aspects of break-ups in other songs [cheating, divorce, feeling awkward around your ex amongst others], these are just the ones I remember being really important to me when I was first getting into her)

She really helped me feel a lot less alone during one of my loneliest periods and I really can't thank her enough for that. Soon after this, I started crushing on a girl in my class and Taylor's love songs started to take on a new meaning for me as well.

What's crazy to me is, when she went on hiatus for a few years, a part of me thought maybe I'd grown out of her and no longer had much in common with her, but when reputation came out I was pulled right back into my love for her as a person and musician and then when Lover came out I found that she was still explaining feelings to me better than I ever could (specifically with the songs The Archer and Cornelia Street). And now with folklore and evermore she's simply absolutely perfected her story-telling and I find myself deeply moved even by the songs I don't directly relate to. I feel like she has this amazing ability to find the absolute truth in the specific. I've never had a summer romance with someone who already had a girlfriend and mostly wanted to go back to her, and yet the bridge of august feels so real to me, y'know?

Back when we were still changin' for the better Wanting was enough For me, it was enough To live for the hope of it all Cancel plans just in case you'd call And say, "Meet me behind the mall" So much for summer love and saying "us" 'Cause you weren't mine to lose

It's hard to explain but looking at this, like it's so much more than the story it's telling. It's talking about how when you're young you really need so little to feel satisfied; how sometimes the idea of someone maybe spending time with you is better than actually doing things with other people; and how if someone using you without much thought can make you feel like you're not even entitled to grieve what you lost. Sorry. I'll stop. Don't want to go insane.

So, all of this is very personal and unique to me, but I think really the main thing that draws me to her is how vulnerable and honest she is about emotions, how eloquently she can explain the pain of being alive to me. Some people think she isn't the strongest singer, but I think, much like John actually, one of her greatest assets is how good she is at projecting emotion. The song happiness is a song I think has some lyrically weak moments but her vocal performance on it is so raw and devastating that every single line works even when, looking at it on paper, it feels like it shouldn't.

Hope this rambling made sense to you, lmao?? I love talking about Taylor though so thanks for the ask! Also very open to giving song recs if you do want to check her out more but I won't unless solicited to lmao *Sort of off-topic but I do think there's a relation between my fascination with the Beatles' history and my love for a great break-up song. I like pain I guess :)

[bangtan-bunny]

A Word Per Member

Hello, everyone. So before the comeback, the Love Yourself videos and the highly anticipated hixtape, I’ve had time to reflect on this group that I’ve spent the past 4 years supporting.

Instead of writing a novel, I spent a little while trying to think of just one word that comes to my mind when I think of each member. (Of course I could write poetry about how I feel about each member, but no one wants to read that)

Kim Seokjin

“Inspiring”

Jin has been the butt of many jokes and he’s embraced this, he’s said being comical makes him happier, but you can clearly see there’s far more beneath the silly surface of the eldest member. I personally relate a lot to his solo song, “Awake.” Feeling less than others and that his road to success was only because he clutched onto the others’ talents, but we all know how truly talented this man is. Jin wanted to be an actor, but he paved his way to be the fantastic singer he is today by his own hard work. He’s learned to accept himself and further his abilities as a musician. If you’ve listened to “Awake,” “Crystal Snow,” and “Come Back Home,” you know exactly what I mean. Not to mention, have you met anyone as unapologetically confident as Jin? Probably not. Some may call it arrogance, but this is another inspiring quality about Jin. He’s not vain, he’s just very open about loving every part of himself. Kim Seokjin is my role model.

Min Yoongi

“Multi-layered”

Now some may see this as a lamer title, however I disagree. Being multi-layered is a word I feel encompasses Yoongi as a musician, his personality traits and his thoughts/emotions. The “Agust D” mixtape is the most obvious example of this. We knew “Suga of BTS” through mainly his silly aegyo, his smooth rapping skills and his stereotype of a sleepy grump, but his mixtape showed us someone else. “Agust D” doesn’t give a damn about censoring himself. He tells his story like it is. Where he came from, his mental health struggles, his insecurities, his honest dependence on his older brother, his road to success and his addiction to it. “Agust D” speaks the truth Min Yoongi cannot. His producing skills were and still are a sight to see. Yoongi even openly admits in his skit this is just “one of his many sides.” Suga, Agust D or even Min Yoongi is an artist, a producer, a story teller, a brother, and so much more. Min Yoongi is my role model.

Jung Hoseok

“Passionate”

Our Hobi, our sunshine. Yes, he is known as the energetic mood maker, but we see passion in every aspect of Hoseok. To start, his stage presence is like no other. This man quite literally shines on that stage. Whether that be through choreography, rap, singing, member/fan interaction, Hoseok is in his element and his passion for it is absolutely radiant. Speaking of the other members, you just know how deeply he cares for them, always trying to bring them up. Sometimes his passionate focus on his career and his loved ones leads him to neglect himself. But if give him a task, he will put his absolute heart and soul into seeing it’s perfection. Watch his practice video for “Boy Meets Evil,” he worked until every last detail was how he wanted it. Hixtape isn’t taking so long because he doesn’t know what to write, it’s actually the opposite. He’s written so many songs, he’s just working on the order and theme he wants to present them in. This mixtape is going to be the literal embodiment of a passion project and I can’t wait to be blown away by his abilities yet again. Jung Hoseok is my role model.

Kim Namjoon

“Diverse”

This man does it all. I cannot even fathom the titles Namjoon claim to his name. It’s obvious he’s a leader and a rapper. We know his IQ is high, that he’s multilingual and that he’s a deep thinker, but that’s not all. This may sound similar to Yoongi’s, but hear me out. Underneath those labels is a bunch of other titles not recognized as often as they should. He carries this team all over the world and is almost always the spokesperson. Now, yes. This is what a leader does. However, can you imagine the immense pressure he’s under while trying to do all of that? Being the face of one of the biggest groups in the world? Yet, he does it effortlessly. He’s able to express a wide variety of emotions. You don’t often hear many artists speak about their religious struggles. Namjoon does in “Always.” His solo track “Reflection” pours out the side of Namjoon a leader normally doesn’t. The insecurities. The doubts. I could go on about this man’s qualities, but I’ll have to pause here. His abilities are seemingly endless. Kim Namjoon is my role model.

Park Jimin

“Determined”

This one is commonly used, but Jimin literally owns and wears this word on his chest. He will exhaust himself to the point of collapsing to improve himself. From his appearance, to his dancing abilities, to his vocals and so on. That V Live comes to mind where Jimin talks about how he’s been trying so hard to improve his vocals, you can see it in his face how true those words are. Compare his old vocals, basically being known for just high notes, to his beautiful performance in “Serendipity.” His practice and work is almost visible. Jimin is determined not only in his work, but the work of his members. Being caring and aware of his brothers is in his nature and we see it all the time. I believe that he inspires the others to be more determined in their projects as well. Another aspect Jimin is determined to improve is his presence and interaction with us ARMY. I’ve noticed him become more comfortable being himself. He’s not just abs and high notes. He’s worked on being confident enough to let us see his silliness, mistakes, concerns, flaws, etc. Have you ever seen him laugh as genuinely as he has in the past year? Park Jimin is my role model.

Kim Taehyung

“Character”

Now I don’t mean because he’s an actor, but that as a person he has character. I don’t think I could normally present myself to millions of fans if I lost one of the most important people in my life for as long as Taehyung did. The strength he must’ve had to put BTS and us first when he was hurting and grieving so deeply awes me. Seeing him break down while speaking of his grandmother was a side of him we rarely see because he always holds himself together. This personal strength is only part of his character. Taehyung has silly moments, but he’s a thoughtful person who keeps a lot to himself. They’re many moments he’s shown to just think differently and not be ashamed of it. (I don’t just mean the fact he cares more about plate presentation than the meal being served.) Taehyung pays very close attention to his loved ones. He openly he expresses his love for his family, has the late night talks with Jimin and Namjoon and he even how he notices Yoongi likes egg yolk in his soup. Being observant and loving are parts of who Taehyung is, and are only parts of his incredible character. Kim Taehyung is my role model.

Last, but certainly not least,

Jeon Jungkook

“Growth”

This word came immediately to mind when I thought of the maknae, and it’s not hard to see why. Just picture young Jungkook leaving his family in Busan to train in Seoul at only fifteen years old. Now change that image to the multi-talented and award winning adult we’ve come to know. Of course we’ve seen him become taller than half of his brothers and greatly increase his physical strength. However, we’ve also seen this shy boy break out of his shell. Yes, he can still be pretty childish, but he’s far more open and confident in himself. When he was younger, he seemed nervous and timid in his abilities and presence as an artist. Now, Jungkook has found and cemented his identity. He’s furthering his talents as an artist through writing and producing. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. He’s become better at expressing himself. I can’t wait to see what he’ll soon accomplish. Jeon Jungkook is my role model.

BTS as a group has helped me learn more about myself and they helped me develop as a person. Each member has taught me unique things I’ll never be able to thank them for. I just have so much respect for them, I don’t know how to put it in words. BTS is a group that has their pop music, but has so much beneath the surface and I’m so happy I decided to see it for myself. I apologize for this post not being very organized, but I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. (Also I’m sorry the gif size is inconsistent, but I chose them because their expressions seem so genuine and they make me soft tbh) Thank you all for reading 💕💕

[beatsfortheillperth]

Words with ENTRO//

ENTRO// hailing from Melbourne, Australia is a beat-maker that is making moves within Australia and beyond, showcasing quality sounds that express the eccentric joys of hip hop, not to mention the bounce it induces in the day to day lives of its appreciators.

Which was something that drew me in about ENTRO//, first listen. His ability to change up the atmosphere around well-known rap tracks and their vocals in a way that doesn't take away the integrity from the original is truly blessed.

ENTRO// adds components that trigger the soul with his collection of vocal laced escapades in his various releases. Those ENTRO// escapades are evident in albums like "Tōge" and "Hands Free" released June of this year and "Tōge" October of last year.

Teleport back to 2018 and chill on ENTRO//'s flawless ode to Jazz and Soul "after hours" his nine-track wonder available like all ENTRO// releases via Bandcamp. "After hours" as an album, highlights, and samples moods and sounds that are timeless, it simply can't be missed if you're a lover of soul-infused musical displays.  

Not to mention one of his earlier beat-tapes, "Etcetera" released in May 2016 that shows the development and dedication to beats ENTRO// has embodied since the beginning.

You'll notice ENTRO//'s creative response and fluency has shown his dedication to staying true to the roots of a song, and this is evident from the early days for this truly inventive beat-smith.

Innovation at it's best is what you can expect when you hit play on an ENTRO// track. So chill and take in the words of this Australian talent, making music for the soul, body, and mind, much love.

Hey ENTRO// thanks a lot for the opportunity to share words. First off, I thought I'd ask a few random quick questions to get things started.

Favourite Food: Sushi

Favourite Beverage: Red bull

A track to cry to: Jesus is the one ( I have depression)

A song to break it down to: ethereal - Playboi Carti

Last piece of art you brought, and what drew you in about it: Commissioned a piece from Melbourne artists @cactvs - portrait of me and my partner

Views on Reincarnation: donno

Views on Tea: Green

A childhood memory in regards to music: My mum used to listen to Macey Gray and I hated it lol

Go to Album of All-Times: Saba - Care for Me

Favourite Place to Eat in Melbourne: Korean BBQ

What you enjoy doing in your downtime: Video games, making clothes

Favourite Location: Osaka

Thanks for that ENTRO//. So, I thought I'd ask, what inspired you to give producing a go in the first place? Did you play any instruments before you picked up beat-making? How many years have you been at it and what brings you the most joy when you're making music?

I've played instruments since I was young. Guitar and drums mostly. I also learnt viola at school but that sucked ass. I've picked up piano recently too.

I just enjoy creating things I like, all the music I release is stuff I enjoy listening to myself.

When making music, do you have a routine you follow or a way you set your creative environment up before getting onto a track? If so, how do you find this benefits your mood and your creative output?

Not really, I just sit at my studio and listen to music, roll up some broccoli, look for samples, make drum tracks. I'll find something that sounds cool and go from there.

What does ENTRO// mean and represent to you? What is something you're trying to share through your music?

ENTRO// is just a form of expression for me - I just share what I enjoy making and am blessed to have people enjoy it the same way I do.

Melbourne has such a well, developing community for beat-makers and musicians in general, much love to those based in Melbourne bringing up other artists. Artists like Amin Payne whom we interviewed a while back and SADIVA whom we are in the works of words with too.

Humble individuals devoting themselves to sound, really feel that.

What do you enjoy about living and creating in Melbourne? And what do you feel Melbourne has to offer musicians that may be unique, compared to other areas in Australia you have visited or lived in?

Melbourne is hella diverse when it comes to music, and we're lucky to have a lot of opportunities to play live and network with each other. Everyone is super supportive too, it's nice to have a community like that.

Can you share more about HIGH BIAS a monthly event based in Melbourne that you are a part of?

High Bias is originally an event brand me and my partner put together with Fiftyfive. Through everyone's support and our amazing community, we've grown into a multi venue event group, as well as a clothing brand and micro cassette label.

HIGH BIAS I believe is a label as well, focusing on Mirco cassette releases for artists creating in the realms of Hip-Hip and Jazz and also supplies quality merch and vintage apparel through their website too, love the concept.

HIGH BIAS Website - https://highbias.supply/

Can you share what HIGH BIAS means, believes, and represents collectively?

High Bias was originally a homage to the "good old days" of lofi, before Spotify playlists and anime beats. We focus on the culture we fell in love with - and try to share that with everyone else.

These days, we've expanded our scope to become a platform for all things "sample culture." Essentially that means anything that reinvents conventions or turns them into something new. We try not to limit ourselves on what we want to do - we take each thing as it comes and decide as a group whether it's something we believe in and want to represent or not.

What is the feel of the live, monthly shows known as "Lofi Lounge"?

Lofi Lounge is pretty much what it sounds like. Lofi beats in a basement lounge bar. We also host jazz bands and hip hop crews, artists and video DJs too. We focus on creating a vibe rather than a show, we want it to be somewhere to chill with homies and catch up with the community.

And with the restrictions in place with Covid19 here in Australia, has HIGH BIAS had ideas for online shows?.

We think live streaming shows is quite over saturated right now - and it's not something we're excited about so its not on the cards right now.

What else can we expect from HIGH BIAS in the coming months?

Once venues start to re open we'll be back with our usual programming. We've got some more clothing drops on the way too - and finally a little secret project in the works with Good Mood Melbourne, but we can't speak too much on that right now.

Are you hoping to have HIGH BIAS in full swing again after restrictions have been lifted?

Absolutely.

What do you think you enjoy most about being a part of HIGH BIAS? And finally, what do you feel encouraged the move to start selling quality threads? The collection is mint by the way.

Thanks! High Bias allows us to support the community and share things we love.

We started making threads because outside of music, I've always been big on clothing and streetwear. It's another avenue of expression. We aim to make clothes that are sustainable and affordable, while still focusing on design and cuts.

What do you love most about expressing a part of yourself through music? Do you feel your music makes you feel vulnerable sometimes? If so, how do you overcome and embrace those feelings?

It's always enjoyable creating something, I do it for myself first and foremost. I'm just lucky to have people that like it as much as I do. Making music isn't a vulnerable thing for me. 

When I first started sharing my music it was a little frightening putting it out to the world - but you kinda just have to do things like that sometimes and cop the feedback. Makes you a stronger person.

With everything going on worldwide at the moment with protests, illness, and lack of employment, what do you think creatives should be doing to show their support for those affected?

I don't think it matters who you are, people should look out for their friends and family - think global act local.

What do you feel creatives within the realms of Hip-Hop should be doing to show their appreciation for the roots and fore-creators?

As a white dude I don't like to speak on what we should be doing as it's not my place. But what's most important is to listen, be respectful and know that we are guests in this culture.

Would you say you like to explore various genres? What do you enjoy most about adapting and creating your own sound?

I donno, as a music fan I listen to many different genres, but when it comes to creating music I do what feels right. I'm really into that heavy 808 type stuff right now, so I try to blend jazzy, soulful stuff with that.

Let's go back and talk about your earliest beat-tape released in 2016 known as "Etcetera".

For me, this release as a whole is dosed in those smooth tones and jazzy feels that had me thinking to myself,

"Surely, you'd been producing a while before you released music?",

"Etcetera" is a blessed release to play track 1 to 10.

Favourite track for me is "INFAMOUS", much love for the skills displayed in this timeless release.

Link to Etcetera here - https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/album/etcetera

Can you share how "Etcetera" came about and also, why the name Etcetera? Can you remember what your thoughts were like on the release date? What atmosphere were you trying to create with this release?

Etcetera is actually just a collection of beats I made in the early days. It's not something I revisit often but it was a good benchmark of what I had made at the time.

Do you have a favourite track from "Etcetera"? If so, what beat and why? Finally, what inspired the names of the tracks on "Etcetera"?

I don't really have a favourite from that album, I actually barely remember it lol. When I name tracks there's nothing special too it, it's normally a play on the original samples name, or a line from an acapella I used.

Thanks for that. Can you share a little about Lab Co and what they represent? You've released with this collective quite a bit.

What do you feel Lab Co represents and, what do you enjoy about releasing and creating with Lab Co? Where is Lab Co based?

Lab Co is literally just a crew of homies from mostly Melbourne. We're not as active as we once were but we all still play the same shows and catch up all the time.

It came together through us all being heavily involved with BeatLab, a show put together my Walla C and Clay Adams. 

They gave a lot of us our first shows - and it grew from there. It's amazing having a tight knit crew around you, I love all those guys and girls and am forever grateful for it.

Going back to 2016, you also released another beat-tape in that year, "Wave '92" which is a full release consisting of 26 tracks that you put together for Melbourne based label Groove Penguin Records and HIGH BIAS.

For me, there are too many added goodies for me to choose a favourite.

You supply variety and innovation when it comes to working with beats and, your style feels very natural.

Link to Wave '92 here -

https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/album/wave-92

How did this release come about and what inspired you to create it?

Also, what do you appreciate about having the opportunities to work on your music with other local curators and labels?  

Funny enough, I was working a cafe at the time and got talking to the dude who runs the label as he was a regular customer. One thing lead to another and we put together the tape. It was awesome meeting everyone in that community and learning the ropes. I appreciate them for putting out my first physical release, meant a lot.

2018 was a good year for experimental Hip-Hop in Melbourne with the release of the HIGH BIAS compilation "local cuts [comp #01]" which showcased the works of producers and beat-makers that have played at the monthly Melbourne shows "Lofi Lounge".

Insane tracks by artists such as SADIVA, ohwell, and yourself are featured in local cuts and it's such a release.

Bounce, emotion, and soul are all present in this comp, cheers to all involved.

Link to "local cuts [comp #01]" Here- https://highbiassupply.bandcamp.com/album/local-cuts-comp-01

Your track "i'm lazy these days" for the compilation was a smooth jazzy number. The piano simply carries you away, much love.

What's it like to perform at a "Lofi Lounge"? Also, what was it like to make "i'm lazy these days"? Clever track name btw.

Performing at Lofi Lounge is pretty chill. 

We let people do their thing and just facilitate them.

I'm lazy these days was literally thrown together in 20 min cus I forgot to make a beat for the tape lmao, hence the name.

Does your family know you make music? If so, what does your family think about your sound and how do they show support for what you do?

Yeah! They're real supportive as well, they think cus I got a couple million plays on Spotify that I'm like a big deal, so it's kind of cute lmao

Away from music, what does your day to day activities usually consist of? Does your day to day inspire or influence the music you make?

Not much right now cus of isolation, but it's normally a lot of going to shows, seeing homies, playing video games. Inspiration comes from experience for me. Whether it's listening to new music or getting hyped from someone else's success.

Can we look with a wee bit more detail into your August 2018 release "after hours"? Which has to be one of my favourite albums by yourself.

Jazzy vibes that suit day or night layered in drums that make the heart skip a beat, vibrant and balanced, I've found myself playing "after hours" on repeat. Thank you for the effort you put into this one.

Link to after hours here -

https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/album/after-hours

You produced this album in 6 months too, what was that like?

Just like any other project for me, I catch a certain vibe and run with it till I have something

Did you create any deadlines for yourself with this release? Also, what was "after hours" like to create?

I never do deadlines, I try to release at least one full length a year but it's more important for me to make sure the music is ready before pushing it out.

What atmosphere were you trying to create with this 9-track blessing?

Just some lounge type hip hop beats - I didn't think too much about this one but I do think I really refined my style at the time when it came to that release.

Do you have a favourite track from this release, if so, which one and why?

Nokia 3310 by far - it's just such a tasty sample.

Last year you released "Tōge" a 14 track album that showcases lofi hip-hop laced in all things phonk and jazz, with drums that add bounce and has the head-bopping till you hit the last track "Class Is Over", to the way you worked the vocal samples in "Tōge" which also needs to be commended. 

Nice work yet again on this release, I feel it's a must cope for anyone who enjoys experimental hip-hop. "Tōge" seems to show how you subtly change your sound and still hold that integrity within your work, it's blessed to hear through-out this entire release.

When one purchases this release, you're also gifted with 11 bonus musical blessings that are just worth the purchase, much gratitude for the additions.

Link to Tōge here - https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/album/t-ge

Can you share what "Tōge" was like to create? What encouraged the vocal samples you worked with in this release? And finally, what did you enjoy working on most with this album?

Toge for me was my departure from lofi. I was experimenting with 808s and slower tempos, triplets etc. I started using Acapellas from modern rappers I liked, putting it into a different context over my type of beats. It was refreshing to do something different.

If you still have it in you, I would love to discuss "Hands Free" which you released at the start of June this year.

This album has your track "double cheese" in it and this track was my introduction to your sound.

Your take on "Double" by Smokepurpp and NLE Choppa just blew me away, subtle alterations to the vocals that enhanced drums as I had never heard them before. You added another layer of soul with your take.

I knew at first play you'd be someone I'd love the opportunity to share words with so before we end, I'd just like to thank you for what you're doing within music here in Australia.

Back on "Hands Free" what inspired you to put this release together?

Link to Hands Free here - https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/album/hands-free

Nothing in particular, I had been working on some new music and with all the time off I've had recently it was a good time to put something together.

What were your nerves like with this release? What inspires you to release bonus tracks with your releases?

No nerves or anything like that. The bonus tracks on that release are for the people that prefer the instrumentals. I like to include them for anyone that buys the album.

Also, what drew in in about the particular songs you chose to sample for this album as a whole and how does this release resonate with you as its creator?

I was actually listening to a lot of Jetson, baccyard and Soudiere at the time so that was kind of the vibe.

Any upcoming releases or collaborations in the works that you would like to share more details about?

I'm always working on music so I'll have some stuff out again soon. Some singles and maybe another EP before the end of the year.

Can you recommend any artists from music and beyond that you feel our readers would benefit from checking out?

Aside from who I mentioned above, as well as everyone in Lab Co - I'd have to say some of my influences when I first started out.

bsd.u, p00k, aNTOJE, mdbnd, AKTR, bugseed,

Any Last Words?

Thanks for having me!

ENTRO// - Dime Bag

Support ENTRO// Here:

Soundcloud - 

https://soundcloud.com/entrobeats

Bandcamp - 

https://entrobeats.bandcamp.com/

Spotify - 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1D0OXZyaPPpi1IIXPHnbwt

Instagram - 

https://www.instagram.com/entro__/

Twitter -

 https://twitter.com/entro__

Youtube - 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ju9lC_y1R-aSgSHQ-VAhA

Special thanks to Bonny Scott, Corey Leonard, Dani Caffs and @thelisteningpartyco for the brilliant photography

[sakurasakiyama]

Hakumyu Tag Game!

It has taken me a while, but I have finally finished the questions (at this post) given to me by @allyyyyy0619! I am sorry for them being answered so late but I had to think back and re-watch a couple of them to answer the questions. 

To remind everyone now, these are my opinions and everyone’s is different from my own. You can feel free to disagree with me, but no hateful comments please. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

1. Which musical was the first that you have watched? Your impressions on the overall production?

The first musical I watched from the Hakumyu brand was actually Hijikata-hen. Overall, I absolutely loved it as I have heard of the actual game (but I have never played it) and seeing this as something different from most other musicals I had seen before this. The songs were all catchy, the storyline was really great and the actors did really well and it was good to see a few familiar faces when watching it for the first time.

2. Which musical is your favourite in terms of the song performances and why?

My favourite musical for the song performances…That one is a tough one to answer as they all have their low and high points. But if I have to choose, it would be Hijikata-hen for me as it was the first one I had seen and the songs just blew me away.

3. Which musical is your favourite in terms of the storyline and why?

My favourite when it comes to the storyline is Okita-hen. Although it was played by Hirose Daisuke which is one of the many actors I like. Okita Souji is someone different as he became ill throughout his time during the Shinsengumi and he wanted to keep it a secret until Chizuru found out. And to have that moment at the end when he finally falls for her makes it all worthwhile. I haven’t seen Harada-hen’s storyline yet, but as others do upload little snips of it, it looks really interesting!

4. Which musical is your least favourite in terms of the song performances and why?

I don’t think any of them I have watched so far don’t have any song performances I didn’t like. They were fun to watch and listen to and they match with the situations that are happening.

5. Which musical is your least favourite in terms of the storyline and why?

Least favourite in terms of the storyline…there are actually none that I didn’t like. They basically follow the same routes and end up falling for Chizuru (from what I have seen but it might be different for the others), so I don’t have a least favourite.

6. The musical that you didn’t initially love, but has/have grown on you?

The one that I didn’t love in the beginning was Toudou-hen. For some reason, when I watched it, it seemed different form the others. But then when I watched it again I loved it. Toudou can kind of be seen as a minor character in some of the other musicals, but when he got his own I was surprised, but you could see that even Toudou could fall for Chizuru, even though he would barely get any lines in the musicals beforehand. (As I will say, I haven’t seen them all so he might have more lines in the other musicals than from what I can remember)

7. Original or latest casts?

The original cast will always have a place in my heart as they made Hakumyu real to me. And from the first time I watched it, I knew that this Hakuouki project was something not wasted. I have seen the action of the latest casts and they have taken on well what the originals have left for them and have kept on going. So, this one is an undecided as I like them both.

8. Live 1 or Live 2?

I have seen both lives and this one is an undecided. That is because they both have their strong points and weak points but I do love them both equally. And the Lives signify that both old and new casts have had one live each and have performed to the best of their own abilities as their characters.

9. Favourite actors/characters?

My favourite actor/character would have to be Hirose Daisuke, Mikata Ryosuke, Aramaki Yoshihiko and Higarashi Keisuke from the top of my head to name a few. They all played their characters well and were serious when needed be, which made me like their characters (and Okita more as Daisuke and Yoshihiko play the same character).

10. Actor/actress whom you think has the best vocal skills?

The best vocal skills…they all have their highs and lows when it comes to singing so I can’t choose one at this current time.

11. Actor/actress whom you think did the best in bringing out the character into life

If I have to say, they all did the best making their characters come to life. And the new cast have continued to improve on those characters the old cast left for them.

12. Hijikata, Souji, Saito or Harada, Shinpachi, Heisuke?

I love them all, but I will have to pick Souji.

13. Favourite minor character?

My favourite minor character would have to be Sannan-san. When I first saw this character played by Mikata Ryosuke (from the original cast), he is basically a mad scientist that can give them infinite life, at the cost of becoming a crazy, uncontrollable demon (as well as himself).

14. Favourite Shinsengumi member?

My favourite Shinsengumi member would have to be Toudou and Souji. I like Toudou as he likes to play around sometimes but when he has to be serious, he will be. I also like Souji as he hides his emotions and just does his job as a member. Even when he becomes terminally ill, he still tries to act tough and hide his pain so he can fight alongside his friends which are like his family.

15. Favourite demon character?

My favourite demon character would have to be Kazama Chikage. When I first saw him come onto the stage, he was actually serious about taking Chizuru with him as she is obviously the exact same as him. The clothing Chikage wears is actually quite old fashioned but goes with how it would have looked like during that time frame. There could be more to say about him, but I will leave it at that (^_^)

16. Favourite Chizuru?

My favourite Chizuru would have to be Kikuchi Mika. She has a really good voice and you can feel the emotions that Chizuru would have felt for the Shinsengumi group within the game (and the little anime series).

17. The actors/characters that you didn’t initially love, but has/have grown on you?

I love all of them. I have not disliked any of them so far and I don’t plan on doing that any time soon.

18. Least favourite actors/characters? Why?

I don’t have a least favourite actor at this current moment. They all find a way to create their characters and can display them to the best of their current acting abilities.

19. Favourite solo song?

Favourite solo song would have to be Sannan-san’s solo (from the old cast, I can’t remember the name of it). He just becomes so serious and Ryosuke is a really good singer. Even when he changes into a demon during the song (due to being injured during their previous battle) and it shows the strength what becoming a demon is like and what it can do. Overall, I just love the song in general.

20. Favourite duet?

I do like Chizuru and Okita’s duet, but the one that tops the list is Chizuru and Hijikata’s duet at the end of Hijikata-hen. When listening to this song, you could feel the acting quality they had as they had to kiss each other at the end of the song. And you’re able to see the love and emotion Hijikata and Chizuru would have had in the game (if it is…I haven’t played it yet).

21. Favourite group song?

My favourite group song would have to be Yaisa! I don’t think I need to explain why, but I will. Yaisa is my favourite group song because it allows the cast to come together at the beginning and at the end of the show before they separate and become their characters who like/dislike each other. Yaisa is basically a song of unity to me (>v<)

22. Which Yaisa! is the best?

I do love the original Yaisa the most as when I first heard it, it gave me goose bumps and I was surprised at the manliness, yet harmony they gave when singing it. Which made me believe that they did feel like a group, they felt like a family just like how the Shinsengumi were.

23. The songs that you didn’t initially love, but has/have grown on you?

There weren’t any songs I didn’t like. I loved them all!

24. Which production are you most looking forward to?

As far as I know, there have been no announcements for a new Hakuouki after Harada-hen, but if there is one in the future, I will be looking forward to it!

25. What does hakumyu means to you?

What Hakumyu means to me is that it gives the chance for actors to play fictional characters but use the real names of the group that changed Japan history and is loved by many to this day. The characters to me are all wonderful old or new, and they have the chance to make the character their own and experience some of the things that might have happened to them. It gives actors the chance to see what it would have been like for the Shinsengumi to fight during those times and the battles they faced until it all came to an end. This Hakuouki Musical Project truly means that everyone has the opportunity to make their own history.

[cjostrander]

Jimmy Eat World: Integrity Blues

Good morning everyone! Today i’m going to tackle a promo review and it will be the latest by jimmy Eat World. There hasn’t been anything new yet this year that has interested me; so i figured it would be worth scratching off another new one before returning to my anniversary reviews. This is an interesting piece that i feel is much stronger than their prior “Damage” album. It did bring up some elements of Radiohead’s latest album (great album by the way) in terms of atmosphere and is a nice direction for them to take. We shall see how well it flows because that is possibly the only real area that i could consider some sort of complaint. Let’s get started and see how these guys do on their ninth album.

You and Me: It begins with a soothing acoustic riff that echoes its way through your ear drums and joins forces with some harmonious choir vocals to create a very atmospheric effect. The drums take on a semi-electronic beat while the guitars gain in energy and cheer. They will do well to treat the listener with a combination of straightforward melody combined with drawn out complexity in approach. The vocals are very soothing and sit nicely in the middle range with Tom Linton providing his staple backing vocals. The lyrics prove to be very strong and could compare vocally to Invented and Chase This Light; but with a very organic tone.  It definitely contains a very spaced foundation but the instrumentals maintain a surprisingly strong degree of energy and contained softness to start this album off on a rather strong note. It already stands above Damage in my opinion due to the more risky approach and stronger delivery of melody in the lyrics. (i liked Damage just noted a lot of filler pieces that could of used a little extra push in their flow). 9/10

Sure and Certain: This is a single and begins with a soothing yet playfully energetic guitar melody and drum pattern. The bass hums along peacefully while Jim warms up his strong vocals into a very blissful tone. His lyrics continue to captivate the listener with their degree of substance and smart spacing. This piece along with the prior song will prove to be strong live picks for a relaxing cafe style concert setting. The chorus makes a frequent appearance on this song but manages to hold it together quite well. There is a nice little instrumental segment that combine with backing choir vocals to create a very majestic atmosphere. The guitars even manage to infuse the track with a nice bit of climatic drive without throwing the song’s theraputic tone out of rhythm. Not a bad piece for a single due to it’s ability to capture a relatively wide range of listeners in the indie circle as well as some pop rock fans too. I liked the opener a bit better due to its ability to pull off over five minutes of complexity smoothly while this one proves more safe and is at three and a half minutes long. Either way i still stand by this one as a fair peace to begin promoting with for now. I believe Get Right was the first track that surfaced but was more of a demonstration of Jim’s solo material for Jimmy Eat World. I would of actually liked to of seen what Jim Adkins could of done for a solo record (probably something more acoustic and piano driven); but its easy to label these guys as a consistently strong group that wouldn’t warrant such side projects. Enough of my rambling on this one lol. Onto the next one! 8.5/10

It Matters: Highly echoed keys begin this one on a very poppy note while the bass and drums support it very smoothly. Jim enters as casually as one can expect and his lyrics warm up gradually over time but do hit a nice level of strength once the chorus enters. The chorus is very soothing and can be viewed as one of the more typical pieces for older fans to grasp onto immediately so that they can be more easily adapted into their more risky work. The bass rumble actually has a nice groove to it; which could be a nice segment to develop a nice dance to. The guitar solo proves to be interesting due to its disengaging touch and pure focus on organic melody. I definitely contains a spur of the moment quality to it and should give enough diversity to get the listener to the end of the song without becoming bored with repetition. I will acknowledge that this is another decent piece to unwind to and allow your current troubles to melt away. The keyboard element is a nice touch of class for it and will further add to their range of sound. I could call this piece out as being safe again like the prior song and as a result would risk boring a listener that was focused heavily on what’s going on. I would suggest not putting too much emphasis on songs like this and let the song take up the atmosphere of the room. That will make it a very pleasant experience. Ironically i was listening to this album yesterday while running a blanchard grinder; so it was interesting how well the loudness of that machine interacted with the softness of this album. Definitely a sweet Ying and Yang effect that helped motivate me to tackle this album today. 8/10

Pretty Grids: This one uses a very raw key rhythm that is quite interesting and the bass/drums enable Jim to enter with an immediately catchy vocal direction. His lyrics are very strong and the overall dark nature of his chorus creates a night effect that is highly reminiscent of Futures. That comparison alone is enough to convince a seasoned fan to give this track a listen. The guitars provide a very supportive nature while the drums seem to be the dominant instrument with the bass a close second. There is a very soothing interlude towards the end where Jim takes on an echoed tone and the acoustic riffs enter to give the drums an organic tone. It is rather soothing and pulled off very well melodically due to the lack of clutter and strength of Jim’s relaxing voice.  8/10

Pass the Baby: The bass begins with a low rumble and the drums enter with an electronic tone. The electronic elements i believe are new to this album though Damage may have tinkered with it a bit. The vocals enter just as low and give the song a nice opening texture as the backing vocals deliver a soothing companion element. The bass continues to direct the song in a fluid manner while the guitars conservatively infuse melodic riffs every now and then. This dynamic did conjure up thoughts of Radiohead’s atmospheric approach (drums/bass rhythm)  but retains a very clear identity for Jimmy Eat World. The chorus is very relaxed and features predominantly Jim’s soothing verses and leads into a rather relaxing instrumental segment. The drums keep a steady beat while two guitars work together to liven the piece up just enough to keep the listener from losing energy . It then surprises the listener with a few loud drum bashes before going into an aggressive jam rhythm which is surely out of character for this album; but is very pleasantly appreciated. It will appear rather nicely live and will play a humorous role of waking up a listener who may find himself dozing off from the abundance of easygoing tunes on this album.  I liked the very finely hidden Radiohead elements in this one and the jam segment demonstrates that the band isn’t opposed to delivering material with the energy of Futures and Static Prevails in this era of their career. 8.5/10

Get Right: This is the second single and Jim’s very own solo piece for when he went touring by himself for the first time. The fact he gave the song to the band should assuage fears that he seriously considered a solo career aside from his band. It is a shorter piece at just under three minutes; so i’m expecting a more direct approach than the last song. The guitars and drums begin with a nice degree of tension and rough rhythm that follows the previous song’s jam ending fluidly. Jim has a more demanding delivery than one may have expected in awhile and as a result the overall texture of this song will do well to capture the listener’s direct focus. It still spaces itself out effectively and will ensure that this piece doesn't feel rushed or drawn out but definitely a three minute tune. Jim’s delivery gets very lively towards the ending and you hear sense a very tense approach to his lyrics that are elevated to a decent level by backing harmonies from his band mates. This one i would see as a hit or miss depending on what you expect from them at this point in their career. Its tense approach is a decent change of pace for maintaining momentum on the album and would fit relatively well with earlier song during a show. You can sense Jim’s solo touch on it as a result of its tenseness which i honestly thought would have gone even softer than this album due the general approach of the band over the last three albums; but if Jim can write more raw material on his own then future releases may touch upon that approach in the future. We shall see. 8/10

You Are Free: This middle track marks a return to more spacey guitar openings and the bass works with the drums to create a more familiar sense of harmony for fans to enjoy. The vocals lose the roughness of the past song and develop a very soothing tone. The chorus to this one is phenomenal in how simple the lyrics are but how emotionally drawing they are in terms of emotion. The instrumentals manage to deliver a high dose quality support and the keys will do well to add in little extra bits of complexity without taking the focus away from the emotion in Jim’s lyrics. I would view this piece as a highlight song that should attain single status. I do see that the interlude segments could be a bit drawn out for airplay but its melody and emotion will do well at attracting a good level of listeners to this album. Fans should be happy with this one and will likely come to share my opinion of it as one of the stronger tracks on the album. I agree the instrumentals could of used a little extra push to them but it gets the job done and will be a greater listen when on shuffle mode. 9/10

The End is Beautiful: This is another of my personal favorites on this song and it begins with a simple key note and a steady drum beat. The guitars take on a somber melody while Jim enters to further develop the sad atmosphere that seems just right for this song. The chorus approaches rather quickly and will resonate with the listener immediately on an emotional level despite its simple lyrical structure. The guitar prove to be a steady instrumental focus and the rest of them focus around it to provide to soothing approach to push Jim’s voice to the next level. As the song builds Jim really pours his heart into this song and the energetic melody of the guitar solo surely provides an uplifting break for them. Casual fans could pick repetition in the lyrics apart for this song but when you hear Jim’s sincere delivery it’s hard not to fully appreciate it for what it is. Three more to go and this review is set! 8.5/10

Through: The guitars start off on a pretty soothing tone and Jim enters rather energetically. The instrumentals adapt cleanly to support his level of drive and the song as a whole takes on a much more positive tone than the previous song. The lyrics continue to develop a good level of substance and the energetic jam solo towards the end will provide enough punch to capture a nice bit of attention during a live show. It’s a very quick song but it does well at speeding along the album before they reach their lengthy finale piece. 8.5/10

Integrity Blues: This title piece begins with some classical strings in the background and a heavily echoed voice from Jim. The lyrics are a bit hard to understand as a result but it does conjure a very holistic tone for the more religious listeners to contemplate. It definitely is a newer approach for the band to tackle though you could think of it as a very souped up version of My Sundown.  Other than that this one really doesnt seem to hit the mark much for me. It definitely has a very climatic tone overall and would be a great piece for a movie soundtrack; thus giving it a nice purpose overall. Other than that, i could of skipped this song and not even have missed a beat in terms of flow. It’‘ll still be appreciated easily enough from their indie fan base. Now for the finale! 6/10

Pol Roger: This finale track is nearly seven minutes long and will prove to be an indepth listen. Brass and a low bass rumble start this song on a mellow note while Jim eases his way into the song with a calming sense of melody, His lyrics are low but provide enough substance to follow along rather nicely. The chorus infuses a high degree of mid range energy and Tom supports Jim with some harmonious backing vocals to a successful outcome. The chorus on Jim’s part will deliver a nice dose of cheer for the listener to be happy with this song before the more drawn out soft segments enter to space out the song. It doesn’t take away too much energy but the hot and cold approach will be easy to notice if you are focusing heavily on the song like i am. The solo is another nice element that will add extra emphasis to the song and help to conclude this song and album on a decent note. 7.5/10

Overall album rating:8.1/10

[obsidianarchives]

AJay Jordan

AJay Jordan, has always been a person who likes to tell a story. She’s always sought to communicate with people in a creative way, having studied vocal performance for 14 years before moving onto film production and screenwriting which brought her back to creative writing. She loves writing magical revenge plots featuring “fantastical dope black girls and boys.” In an effort to make stories centering the experiences of marginalized people, she created The Bookshelf, an online database of 500+ books by underrepresented authors.

Black Girls Create: What do you create?

I am very self conscious about the stuff that I create, and I’m never sure if it’s enough, whether it’s good enough, or enough work, or enough quality. So I feel like I create, and beyond that I stop my brain from going into imposter syndrome mode. I can say I create websites and I create stories, but if I were to get deeper—I don’t know. It’s really hard. I can see everyone else and I can see everyone else’s purpose with their actions and what they create and what they’re trying to do but it’s hard seeing myself.

I hope that I create more space for marginalized people, more specifically brown and Black people, and more specifically Black people, and more specifically Black people with dark complexions because that is what my family reflects and that’s what my children will reflect. And I guess those are the stories I would have wanted to see as a little brown girl, brown Black girl, Black Black girl. When I was creating The Bookshelf I knew right away I wasn’t going to make it just for the age category that I write for. I also wanted to make finding those books accessible for parents finding stories that look like them.

About The Bookshelf

As a writer for the past couple of years I’ve gotten to know this writing community…and through it I found it was hard to find books by people of color. Usually Goodreads is my go to place to look for books, but even then our percentages are so abysmal. I would rather there be a place where I can find a book or even discover new books that are own voices because there are so many tricky people out there who don’t share ethnicity or marginalization with these people. Nothing against them. [I'm] not saying that they can’t do their due diligence, but they’re writing from a place where they’re not experienced and that’s inauthenticity.  I’m sitting here with a book that’s not on the shelf and I’m reading your story that has to do with my culture and you’re profiting from this.

Long story short, I wanted there to be a way to find books easier. I was actually going to hold onto The Bookshelf because that was my filler name for the time being. I was going to change it to something but then Barnes & Noble dropped that bullshit changing all those classic white titles and putting brown faces on the covers and I was like, “Dang, I can’t even hold onto my database anymore and perfect it and make it better before I go live. I just have to do it now because I have to combat this issue with Barnes & Noble," because that is such a slippery slope and a bait and switch. I wasn’t here for it.

BGC: Why do you create?

I think very linearly and I imagine a line being drawn across the paper and you draw the line up, and you draw a line down, and squiggle it or you swirl it—that’s the trajectory of that one person. I feel like if maybe I had a second book as a child, not just the one [with Black representation], that trajectory that I had maybe would have been a little bit off; it may have changed the direction of what I would be today and so I feel like that’s why I do The Bookshelf, too. Because you don’t know what you don’t know and you never know where inspiration or where something will spark some level of interest in a child.

Black people don’t have all of the same experience. For me, I am a Black American and in turn an African American, but I don’t know my lineage enough to be able to connect to my culture. So, when I say things like, “Write stories about Black people even though Black people don’t all share the same experience,” it’s for all of those people like me who don’t know their own history. I’m seeing a little bit more stories feature African fantasies, which is still abysmal in the grand scheme of things, that Black stories are like 3% of publishing as a whole or whatever that percentage was. Although I love [African fantasy] stories, I want to write stories for those who don’t have those connections who would still be able to relate.

BGC: Who is your audience?

Definitely, I want to gear my stories towards Black teens, but I feel like you’re not going to find my book in the Scholastic Book Fair. Maybe some time in the future I'll write a middle-grade and you’ll find that at the book fair (you can get your little book and get your little bookmark to go with it).

I still want to gear toward a Black audience but at the same time I got so much inspiration from watching anime. When I watch it there’s a level of freedom. I want that freedom, but with Black characters. So I’m hoping that my audience would be those who like anime but also those who like to game (because I like to game sometimes and I get some inspiration from that, too). I want people to dress up and go to Comic Con in their costumes of my characters.

BGC: Who or what inspired you to do what you do?

"I want to create experiences but I want to have fun while creating those experiences as well."  -- AJay Jordan

This is a fair question but the gag is I don’t know if I am inspired by anyone. It’s more like a self motivation for me because I want to create something fun for people to experience. I want to create experiences but I want to have fun while creating those experiences as well. You know how in high school people would be like, “Oh this is the person I look up to. I want to be just like them.” That was not me. 

I’ve always been the person to go left when everyone wanted to go right. It’s almost like I was challenging myself to be my own inspiration. I am a competitive person in all things. I will kill you in Uno, Monopoly is my game. I can look up to people but it doesn’t give me the fire to create. It’s the competition with myself or seeing others do something terribly that makes me think, “Hey! I can do that!” 

I want to be better everyday. Every time I do something I try to surpass what I created because I don’t have someone to look up to and gauge myself [by]. I just work hard and hope it works out for the best.

BGC: Why is it important as a Black person to create?

My first answer is representation, because that percentage in publishing is so low that it’s almost like we shouldn’t even exist. Animals will take a higher percentage than a person of color — I think in total, too. On the flip side, those in publishing that share the same marginalization of us querying authors is abysmal, as well. Which is why it’s so hard when agents say things like, “Oh I couldn’t connect.” You couldn’t connect because you don’t share these experiences. Your own biases are getting in the way of stories that are authentic.

Representation will allow those that come after us to feel like they have the ability to do what we do. A Black little boy isn’t going to know he can become a bio-engineer unless he sees one. It’s almost like feeling like it’s OK to be here, you deserve to be here, too.

BGC: Why is it important that folks, but especially marginalized people, have access to these stories?

I think that [The Bookshelf] is a great resource for writers who want to comp their own books because sometimes literary agents ask for two titles to see where your book would sit on an actual bookshelf. I’ve even had editors tell me that they use it as comps for the stories that they’re reading for. 

I’ve had teachers and librarians tell me it helps them build their lists, that they would also maybe have their students come to the website and find new books. I always tell them to do their research before you have them jump on the site because I have books from picture books all the way to adult. 

I’m hoping that it will create baby writers. So those who didn’t think that they would be a writer will see these stories and will be excited to write more. It’s like a virtual hand reaching back to pull up children of color or Black children to write these crazy fantastic stories and become authors. 

But also to up the percentage of reading. Reading has definitely changed my life. I was not a reader when I was a kid. I had that one picture book [that had Black representation]. My godmother even tried to pay me per chapter to read this book. I did not finish the book. It was only because I did not have the right story in my hand. It wasn’t until there was finally a book that I was like, “Wow that was actually a good book.” It was that moment that I found a book I actually liked that it changed the trajectory of my career. I don’t think I would be a writer today, I don’t think The Bookshelf would exist, I don’t think I would be as passionate about representation and trying to make these books accessible to people. None of this would exist if it wasn’t for that one book. This is serious. My life could have been completely different if not for reading that book. If that happened to me, it can happen to someone else. And if it can happen to someone else, it can happen earlier in their timeline for their life and trajectory and change their life for good. I feel like books are good things and we have to uplift them especially Black and brown and marginalized voices.

BGC: How do you balance creating with the rest of your life?

I feel like I’m good but I feel like I’m not. I feel like I’m good because I think very linearly and I will be doing multiple projects at once and I’m like Go-Go Gadget, let’s-get-this-shit-done. Let’s do it and have fun. 

At the same time when I work, sometimes I forget to eat, sometimes I forget to drink water, sometimes I forget to stretch, maybe go out into the sun and get some vitamin D. I don’t exercise because I’m so into my creative work. I’m always doing something and when I’m glued to my screen and I’m just going. I don’t feel like my health deteriorates, but I forget to take care of myself. I have to work on that because I’m not going to stop doing something until I finish X, Y, and Z and that can backfire. I have to learn to stop and be OK with stopping. But I feel like I have to keep going so I can have results.

BGC: Any advice for people who don’t see themselves reflected in the stories around them?

One thing I didn’t get to do growing up was shadow people. I didn’t get to see this job or this art, I didn’t get a chance to see what something was about. I was very much in the dark. I essentially felt along the walls and found a light switch. If you want to skip that, try to shadow someone or even interview someone who does what you want to do. Try to get as close as you can in regards to things you have similar with the person. Whether you’re a little Black girl and you want to speak with a Black woman who is an architect. If you just do the research and find them and reach out and interview them because there’s potential in you having interest in whatever that is then I feel like you will find your path to creating much easier. 

Then, after talking with these people who are doing what you want to do, make sure to keep in contact with them…because if you keep those relationships you never know if it can help you down the line. If it’s a genuine interest in these different things, you never know.

BGC: Any future projects?

I am expanding The Bookshelf. I don’t know if I’m going to keep it under the same name, but it’s definitely moving in the direction of having its own website. And with that, I hope to add some other special things on that website too aside from just books. I am in the literary community and I know that writers struggle in the trenches and just struggle with writing period because writing is hard. So, I hope to add some tidbits on The Bookshelf for that and for those who just started writing and think they may want to write.

I’m drawing more. I can’t say that I’m the best artist but I feel happy with my work art right now, so I’m hoping to start doing some commissions with that but I’m probably going to limit my time on that because in order of importance The Bookshelf and my writing career take precedence.

I’m working very hard to find a literary agent that sees me and would be ecstatic to champion my book and champion my future stories. I’ve tried many different careers in my life and the only thing that has really stuck has been writing.

You can follow AJay on Twitter @AJay_Author and check out The Bookshelf here!