#New Generation Hip-Hop Project

[bwops]

夜晚靠得住 我们不怕天黑

//

the night is dependable we're not afraid of nightfall

[black-dresses-band-fan]

A Guide to Black Dresses (Band)

Who are Black Dresses?

Black Dresses is a Canadian musical band, formed by two women, Ada Rook and Devi McCallion, who are both artists on their own.

The band was formed in 2017, following their first ever single - Paper Planes (cover of MIA). 

Devi and Ada started the Black Dresses project when they were friends, however they're currently in a relationship and implied to be married to each other.

They started the Black Dresses project, as a form of venting, and did not expect to blow up in the slightest. However, following the release of their debut album - WASTEISOLATION, they gained attention of the internet. With their unique sound palette, dark and vulnerable content of the lyrics, and general surrounding of enigmatic no-name artists, they started to quickly follow with underground cult following. 

Gaining much praise, getting a score of 9 out of 10 from Anthony Fantano, and especially, becoming viral over the song "IN MY MOUTH".

Unfortunely the band diss-banded after harassment that Devi received from the internet users after they found her online presence and internet footprint. Both Ada and Devi didn't really like the attention they gathered. So in 2020, they stopped making new material. But did in fact release old unreleased stuff all up to 2022.

In 2023 they announced working on their 7th album and making new music. Releasing more singles and uploading little snippets on them working. Confirming that way that they're a band once again.

The musical style

Black Dresses musical style is based on mixing a lot of genres. As an underground artists, Black Dresses are influenced by a lot of lesser known styles and genres coming from the outsider world of music. 

You cannot really explain their sound in simple words, but i'll try. Their genre is often described as "Noise Pop", but they're much more than that.

I'll try to describe their general sound, but i will go into more details following the guide's part about each individual album.

Most of all, Black Dresses are an electronic band, they do use real life instruments, mostly guitars and drums, but it's mostly electronical elements.

Black Dresses mixes elements of Pop, Industrial, Noise, EDM, Rock, and are mostly described as extremely experimental.

To lesser extent they also use hip-hop, ambience, metal, glitch, synth, and screamo.

Their vocals are rather amateur, which shouldn't really scare you, as it just adds to the charm. They're also notable for their usage of screaming vocals.

Themes of Black Dresses 

TRIGGER WARNING: CSA, Abuse.

The main themes of Black Dresses music are:

Mental suffering,

Living with mental ilness - such like depression or severe anxiety,

Coping with trauma - mostly from their childhood, and the sexual abuse they went trough from the hands of adults in their life.

Healing from those experiences, seeing hope in the future.

And environmentalism - raising awareness about the issues of global warming and pollution.

But there's ofcourse many more songs that don't follow these themes. 

Black Dresses often get accused of being "edgy", however you shouldn't perceive them like that. Their music is full of real struggles that both Devi and Ada are going trough. They do NOT romanticize or fetishize the themes of their music, nor they sugarcoat it or exaggerate it. 

Not to mention their music is full of hope for better tomorrow and wanting to improve, giving it all a positive message.

Release guide

2018 - WASTEISOLATION: Their debut album, definitely the darkest in terms of themes. Essential for every fan of the band, the best place to start. Mostly lighter in sound, doesn't incorporate as much noise as following releases.

Really accessible for newcommers.

2018 - HELL IS REAL EP: A 5 five song EP making a bridge between WASTEISOLATION and THANK YOU. It's a bit moodier than the previous project, but also it's a place where Black Dresses started to use more screaming vocals and noise elements.

2019 - THANK YOU: Second album, much more surreal in the sound palette, much noiser and more electronic. Black Dresses at this point got a little less personal in their lyricism.

2019 - DREAMS COME TRUE 2019: A sequel to their first ever project together, DREAMS COME TRUE 2017 which i'll mention later. It follows 3 WASTEISOLATION songs re-made and re-worked. As well as one brand new song.

2019 - LOVE AND AFFECTION FOR STUPID LITTLE BITCHES: Black Dresses (succesful) attempt at poppier sound. Much less crowded instrumentals and simpler, catchier beats. Doesn't belittle their noise elements and screaming ofcourse! 

2020 - Peacefull as Hell: Black Dresses most popular album after WASTEISOLATION, got an extremely positive review from Fantano and semi-blow up on the internet. A fan favourite.

Black Dresses production got more professional. 

The sound is much lighter and goes into the direction of electronic pop rock.

2021 - Forever in Your Heart: Black Dresses heaviest project to date. Ada and Devi at their most industrial and metal. A lot of screaming and noise. Another fan favourite.

2022 - Forget Your Own Face: Their latest album, as for the time of writing this guide. Their most disorganised project (which was intentional), full of distortions and noise and screams. It was a surprise release and is made from re-made unreleased material going as back as 2019. It contains some of fan favourite songs.

Other notable work:

2017 - DREAMS COME TRUE 2017: First ever released collaboration between Ada and Devi, a short 4 song EP.

2017 - LETHAL POISON FOR THE SYSTEM: A 3 song EP in collaboration with 99Jakes and Laura Les - a member of 100 GECS. Includes first single Under Black Dresses name.

2018 - CRUSH: Single, a cover of Tessa Violet.

2020 - 745 Sticky Remix: Black Dresses remix of 100 Gecs song that ended up on the official 100 Gecs remix album.

2023 - Shines: Single, a collaboration between the band Purity Ring and Black Dresses.

Merch and how to support them

Black Dresses ocassionally releases their albums on cassettes, however they were all limited and are currently unavaible. No official CDs or Vinyls were ever made.

You can buy at any time Black Dresses hoodies or T-shirts on https://black-dresses-merch-store.creator-spring.com/

(Ada also sells her merch on that)

You can buy their albums over Black Dresses bandcamp, or support them directly trough Patreon.

You can also contact Devi or Black Dresses trough an e-mail and show your support with words!

black.squares.media@gmail.com

blackdresses666@gmail.com

 (Please do not send this e-mail to anybody who could harass them) 

That's all, i hope you'll have a wonderful time listening to our gals! :DD

Black Dresses Extended Universe Guide

What's that? You're interested in checking out Ada's and Devi's solo stuff? Well, it might be much more confusing or interesting than you think, in fact, it's a whole rabbit hole. So let me introduce you to, what i like to call, the "Black Dresses Extended Universe" (BDEU or simply BDU). 

BDU is a collective of every side-project, nickname under which one of the girls released music, or any other band that contains either Ada or Devi.

Ada Rook's side of EU

Let's start with Ada Rook, since there's a little bit less going around her.

Ada started releasing her music in 2015, following her first OST for her game (as she's a game dev), and her first EP in 2016 "void memory".

Ada used the nickname "rooksfeather" or simply "rook", however after the release of "Parasite" she started using her full name.

Ada's solo discography follows 8 EPs, 4 Soundtracks, and 6 albums. 7th one on the way 

Her musical style is similar to Black Dresses, but more into industrial and rock side of things. Her older music used much more ambience and was darker, moodier. Her recent style incorporates much more screaming and poppier sound. However, in case similar to Black Dresses, each album have it own distinct sound. 

She also released one album with an artist called Deathirl, "DEATH IN REAL LIFE" and it's extremely rare media, not even listed on RYM. However reuploads of it exists.

She have one Alter-ego, called "Crisis Sigil" Under which she's doing extreme grindcore. Crisis Sigil released 2 EPs and 1 Album.

Ada is also a part of 2 other bands beside of Black Dresses,

"rook&nomie" is a collaboration between Ada and ESPer99, they released 2 albums. Their style is much more poppier than anything else that Ada does.

"Angel Electronics" is a fresh new band formed by Ada and Ash Nerve. They're doing power electronic rock, and their sound is more joyful. They released 1 album so far.

Notable Ada Rook releases:

"Shed Blood" by Rook

"Parasite" by Rook,

"2,020 Knives" by Rook,

"UGLY DEATH" by Rook,

"Rookie's Bustle EP" by Rook,

"GOD CUM POLTERGEIST" by Crisis Sigil,

"ULTRA PARADISE" by Angel Electronics,

"Superego Royal Jelly" by rook&nomie

Devi McCallion's side of EU

Wow, we are in for a heck of a ride... Oh well,

Devi started releasing her music since the age of 15, however most of it is probably lost media at this point. She's putting music out on her own label - Blacksquares, Under many different alliases and side projects, i'll talk about each one later.

Devi's style is mostly indie pop, influenced by sub-genres like dream pop, synthpop, ElectroPop and simply underground pop.

Her music is often simplistic and cartoony, but it's hard to explain her signature style in words. 

But it's worth checking out.

Devi rarely releases anything Under her real life name, mostly singles. But she did release 2 albums Under her real name together with Katie Dey, mixing production of both girls. 

Devi used many different nicknames trough her career, such like Dizzy Girl, Devi April McCallion, Vriska Serket, Walking Patriarchy and The Little Fears, however all of these names aren't connected to any specific releases, as far as im aware (Devi's music is a huge Rabbit Hole, full of lost media and rare material).

It's also worth mentioning that she released a compilation of her unreleased material Under the name "Blacksquares", it's titled "LIFE IS HELL (ASMR)".

Okay, so now we are going to talk about each one of her musical projects. We'll start with 4 of the most essential ones, then the more obscure ones, and we'll finish it all with Devi's other bands beside Black Dresses.

1. EAT BABIES? - A name she really doesn't like to be assiocated with, so it's better to treat this project as a fun fact, rather than the core of her career. EAT BABIES? was her first ever project (that we are awere of) Under which she released 2 albums and 2 EPs. It was much more amateur than what she's used to do now. And she doesn't like to associate this project with herself due of the fact she was much different person back then. 

2. Mom - is her second most popular nickname. It was her primary stage name for a long time untill 2015 when she came out with "Girl Rituals".

Mom released 5 albums. And semi-blow up with a song titled "joyfulthought". Mom is a time when Devi really started to work on her pop sound and signature style. 

3. Cats Millionaire - the third most popular Devi project. Cats Millionaire was active from 2011 to 2013. Released 2 albums, 4 EPs and 2 mixtapes. 

Cats Millionaire is characteristic for overall theme of My Little Pony, since Devi used to be a brony. The lyrics and aesthetic are all about MLP. The sound was much more soothing and toned-down than most of Devi's releases.

4. Girls Rituals - Devi's current main allias and her most important project that's still active from 2015 to this day. Under that name Devi released most of her music, and she really perfected and evolved her pop sound with each and every release. Beside of many singles, she released 2 EPs (one with Ada, one with 4lung, however the second one is since deleted because of the 4lung allegations), 1 remix album, 1 instrumental album, and 5 albums. With "Reddishness" being Girls Rituals fan favourite release.

Now, Let's get over every other side project.

10 Chains - only one instrumental album have been released. It's noise/ambience.

Doro Doro Dono/More Bears- Just one single released each for two of these projects,

traptraptrap - 2009. one album released. Despite the name, it's her usual pop stuff.

Triangle Giant - named after one of Devi's bands, only one EP released. ElectroPop.

Yellow Bile - 3 EPs released. Usual pop stuff. One of the EPs are lost media.

Tiny Magnesium - Really obscure stage name for her usual pop sound. 2 short albums released.

Leader Misty - Pokemon themed 2008 project, one instrumental album.

Holographic Rainbow - Only the soundtrack to the discontinued web comic (of the same name) have been released.

Hexi Wing - name she used to release her self-spoken erotic fan-fiction. You're probably not interested in that 👀.

Now, last but not least, Devi's multiple bands before and after Black Dresses.

Dr. Massive and The Headwound Extravaganza - was a 2008 electronic band that released mostly covers of rock songs. Only one album have been released and the band is 100% discontinued right now. Devi was responsible for programming, drums and vocals. There also were

Mike Will Smith - percussion and vocals,

Allan Burke - synthesizer and vocals, 

Jonathan Oscar Cianni - programming, bass,

And Sensitive Bear - bass and vocals.

Unfortunely i couldn't find any info about the band members.

Giant Triangle - A band where Devi used to do vocals from 2008 to 2016, the band had a lot of members that went and go, but it seems their only official release is an 2020 EP. Usual electronic and pop.

The Various Endeavors? - a 2009 band who's appearently still active? They released one synth punk album, and a compilation of unreleased tracks in 2021. John Bevier and Tyler Bruce are in the band along-side Devi.

VCF Freq - A collaboration between Devi and Boy Pussy, they're doing minimal techno. They're Technically still active but their only 2020 EP dissapeared from any streamings. It's thankfully archived on Soulseek.

Anarchy 99 - A collaboration between Devi and So Drove, they're doing electronic pop rock. They're still active from 2020 and actually release new material consistantly. A couple of singles have been released and one album.

Notable Devi  McCallion releases:

'Self-titled" by Mom,

"3" by Mom,

"Fun Fun Fun" by Cats Millionaire,

"Reddishness" by Girls Rituals,

"Im Desperate" by Girls Rituals,

"CRAP SHIT" by Girls Rituals,

"Cow" by Girls Rituals,

"Rockstar Super Heat" by Anarchy 99,

And that's all there is to BDU ;)) have fun Discovering it! ❤️

[yangtaros]

nct dream 00 line + mark reaction to you kissing them to shut them up

mark

so mark was in the kitchen making breakfast, or trying to

things were going okay until he smelt something

“oh no!” he totally forgot about the pancake on the stove

one side was totally burned and he ran out of pancake mix so he decided to cut the burnt pieces off

he’s trying to be a thoughtful boyfriend and make you breakfast in bed but realized he took on more than he can handle

“mark what’s that smell” you came into the kitchen looking at the messy counters and the burnt pancake

“mark what are you doing”

“well i was trying to make you breakfast. you usually do it but i thought i could try it out this time and i still have to cook the eggs-”

you cut him off with a sweet kiss on his lips and took the spatula from his hand

“i got it from here. thank you though”

renjun

renjun was your partner for your school project as well as your fairly new crush

this was neither of you guys strong suit so you definitely had some issues with coming up with a good project for your grade

renjun was getting a bit anxious over this knowing that he really wanted to do well on the project

“do you want something to drink?”

“um sure thanks can i have water?”

“at your service” you get up

things were a bit awkward as you’ve never had a boy that wasn’t a family member or family friend in your house before

you came back with two bottles of water and sat down next to him, you looked in his eyes, you could tell he was stressed.

“we’ll figure out something soon don’t worry”

“don’t worry? y/n this is 20% of our grade if we don’t have a solid idea by today we’re gonna be behind and i have to do well because-”

you pecked the corner of his mouth and shocked your own self when you realized what you did

“sorry”

renjun didn’t say anything else but instead hopped to his feet

“that just gave me an idea”

him being kissed by you somehow created the entire gist of your project

jeno

everyone in class knew jeno had a crush on you

including you

everything was painfully obvious

there was a rumor going around that he was going to ask you out today

once class ended jeno walked up to you

“y/n can we meet during lunch”

you nodded and walked to your next class

once lunchtime came you waited for jeno

“hi y/n” he jogged up to you, or so he thinks, it was more like running

“hi jeno”

you were smiling so much waiting for his question, little did you know it would take a while to get to the question

jeno went from a conversation about dogs to gummy bears to homework just babbling for a long time

“it was so hard but i think i did well what about you? you know you’re very smart i find that really cool how great you are at school you know i really find you cool in general um”

he was almost there but he panicked

“so what did you think about the lesson in math i was kind of confused but i think i got it after-”

you leaned in to meet his lips

he was shocked at first but then started to kiss you back

“you’re good at stalling”

you pulled back

“sorry i was nervous”

haechan

“yyyyyyy/nnnnnnn”

“what”

“can we please get something to eat i’m hungryyyyyyy”

“i need to finish my paper go yourself”

“nooooooo”

haechan was a very whiny boyfriend, but today it was extreme.

“pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee”

“haechan please leave me alone”

haechan gently grabbed your face and put it towards him

“y/n, i’m hungry!”

he let out a whine but was quickly silenced when you kissed him

“you” *peck* “are” *peck* “not” *peck * “five” *peck* “go fix something yourself

haechan rolled his eyes but then started to whine over something new, your kisses

jaemin

jaemin was your dance partner

you’ve known each other since you met at dance class in middle school

you guys are now in highschool and are hip hop dancers

“so do we turn then pop on 3 or do we turn pause and then pop on 4?”

“turn pause pop 4”

“okay”

you do the move infront of him to make sure your correct and he nods before moving on

the next part of the dance you two are facing each other, which is the stance you both are in now

“i really think we’re gonna win this competition jaemin, this is a great piece”

jaemin smiles

“plus you choreographed it and everyone knows you’re amazing at that”

“amazing? i’m not sure about amazing, getting there maybe but amazing? there’s much better people that”

you peck his lips, “stop doubting yourself”

jaemin froze and didn’t know what to do. he giggled lightly

“can you do that again?”

requests open

[thehopefuljournalist]

unrelated- what's your favorite news story recently?

Hello, thank you so much for asking!! I've had a hard time because this week was actually full of news stories and I'm working on releasing them all to you guys!

But let me tell you about my favourite one from today :)

As an activist, working within my own country and out especially in climate-related themes, I believe in people-power, fully. I know, of course, that some people have more power and influence than others, but there's no denying that there's strength in numbers.

This recent, huge, protest in New York is such a hopeful turn, I think. I love seeing that I'm not the only one worried, that I'm not alone in my fighting. With numbers, we have a bigger chance of winning over our world leaders, and by doing that, to protect ourselves and our futures.

Well, this is my favourite news story from the past two days.

This past Sunday, 75K climate activists took to New York's streets in a “march to end fossil fuels”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the US continuing to approve fossil fuel projects, something which the Biden administration did earlier this year with the controversial Willow project in Alaska.

“We are all here for one reason: to end fossil fuels around the planet,” Ocasio-Cortez told a rally at the finish of the march, which ended close to the UN headquarters where world leaders will gather this week. “And the way we create urgency is to have people around the world in the streets.”

“The United States continues to be approving a record number of fossil fuel leases and we must send a message, right here today,” adding that despite record profits the support for the fossil fuel industry was “starting to buckle and crack”.

“This is an incredible moment,” said Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity, who helped organize the mobilization. “Tens of thousands of people are marching in the streets of New York because they want climate action,"

“This also shows the tremendous grit and fight of the people, especially youth and communities living at the frontlines of fossil fuel violence, to fight back and demand change for the future they have every right to lead,” she said.

The march came during Climate Week, as world leaders gather for this week’s UN general assembly, and a UN climate ambition summit on Wednesday.

On Friday, the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Biden was not currently scheduled to take part in Wednesday’s UN climate summit. Biden has been praised by climate activists for last year passing a historic $369bn climate law but criticized for allowing oil drilling projects and the expansion of gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

A decision for Biden to stay away from the UN climate ambition summit is “unacceptable”, said Su of the Center for Biological Diversity. “The time is now for Biden to lead on the world stage, and show he means it when he calls climate change the existential threat to humanity.”

During the march, the Rev Lennox Yearwood, head of the Hip Hop Caucus, likened today’s climate movement to the US fight for racial justice. 

Youth climate activist Vanessa Nakate, from Uganda, said: “When we say that we want climate justice, we’re not just talking about transitioning to solar panels. We are talking about leaving no one behind when you’re talking about addressing the injustices that come with the climate crisis."

Article published September 17, 2023 - The Gaurdian

Another article, interviewing a young climate activist

[venusorbits]

DOUBLE TAKE | CHAPTER ONE

pairing ; cho gue sung ( 조규성 ) x female! supermodel! british-asian! reader

summary ; You have been invited once again to the Korean TV programme 'I Live Alone' alongside the World Cup Heartthrob, Cho Gue Sung ( 조규성 ). Simple guests, who had to take double takes from each other, who could have seen it coming? No one was. Certainly, neither were the both of you.

genre ; romance, fluff, established relationship ( by second chapter cause i hate writing slow burn, i like reading them though ), angst.

masterlist

❝if you've got a girlfriend, i'm jealous of her. but if you're single that's honestly worse 'cause you're gorgeous it actually hurts.❞

You began your stardom career at the mere age of 17 years after an agent saw your photos posted through social media. The said photo was the cause of the tumbling domino effect, igniting and bursting into bold bright orange flames, into dipping your toes into the window of opportunity and universe of high fashion, colourful red carpets and long hallways of runways.

You were on your own. You were no kid, anymore. You’re moving onto big girl things like moving to the big city; flashing lights, fast-paced times, overwhelming anxiety-filled environment, big mysteries and savouring new moments. Tom Ford, catapulted your career further way beyond the horizon.

Chest squeezing. Heart thumping. Bright lights. Everyone’s attention turned to you— the clicks of their cameras. Gaze is fixed on the end of the runway. Conscious of your steps. God, you felt awkward. With the slight rock and sway of your hips, this movement didn’t come naturally as the other models did. You felt tiny. How were you supposed to showcase the intricately designed clothing when they might be snickering about how you walk?

A fellow model reassured you, ‘There was no such thing as perfection when you’ve only begun..’

Fake it till you make it they say. Well, years have passed at the age of 22, and you are now one of the most recognisable faces in the industry. You’ve walked for many runways on endless fashion weeks, been on the cover of Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, the face of Versace, representative of Swarovski and many more. Some even dare say, up and coming It Girl. You’ve accomplished a lot, all on your own.

Though, one unexpected thing came into your life, living in Seoul, South Korea. The thought never crossed your mind once. But you came to South Korea for a photo shoot with Vogue Korea back in 2019. Needless to say, you fell in love with the culture, the country’s generous and kind residents, the language, the atmosphere and — Well, obviously, the city itself. You have dedicated learning the language and culture in order to live smoothly and in harmony.

It was difficult having to fly out to New York thousands of miles away, the epicentre of jobs and Fashion Week. But, what can you say? You were used to it. Hopping onto planes needing to be somewhere by Friday? Oh, London Fashion week ends on this day but, Paris starts that day. No worries. It was painfully exhausting but that’s the life of a Supermodel.

Your life in Seoul didn’t change much. Though this time you’re receiving twice the jobs than you did before, many Korean designers have reached out to you to model for the clothing they have designed such as Rok Hwang, Eudon Choi, the duo Byungmun Seo and Jina Um and finally, Youngae Lee and Happly for their project ‘Hanbok Wave’. Not only were you attracting attention in the fashion industry but it extended to the entertainment industry, you’ve been invited to many varieties of shows to be featured in.

As your schedule began to fizzle down, you found the time to film for the TV programme you were featured in ‘I live Alone’. Dressed all chic and feminine, opting for the chunky loafers with a pair of long white socks instead of your Versace heels. Your hair is all done so beautifully. Smiling so brightly at all the familiar faces and jogging up to them for a quick embrace. A light chatter followed along with it, ‘how are you?’, ‘I’ve been doing well’, ‘It’s nice to see you again’. Strings of compliments flowed through.

“안녕하세요. I’m (First name).” You greet the man. Undeniably gorgeous, you couldn’t even focus much on what he was saying as he reaches in for a handshake, he introduces himself as— 

“안녕하세요, 조규성.” The beautiful angel marks dotted all over his face like starry stars across the wide peaceful sky. But, goddamn, he’s so bright like the sun and his beauty is also so blinding it hurts. His beautiful carved nose and the sharp angles of his jaw, high prominent cheekbones. Everything about him was a piece of art. He’s a delicate and classic painting deserving to be in a museum.

Heartbeat was skipping across the street. 

Filming starts at any second now and you couldn’t tear your eyes away from him. The soft fluffy brush glides across your face for the final touch-ups. Unbeknownst to you, Gue Sung also had to take a double take also stealing sweet glimpses, you had an addicting kind of beauty. It was much more than a drug. The kind of one that makes Aphrodite green as envy and red as rage. Eyes trail to every detail of your face. The way your eyes brighten as you joke lightly with your makeup artist.

“Please everyone get ready! Filming will start in 10!”

That was months ago. Time flies quickly; your home became littered with traces of him. He was everywhere you looked, in every corner, you breathed him. Gue Sung has now integrated well and was a part of your being. You have made space in your extensive closet just for him, he has his very own mug for his coffee in the morning, framed photo of you together on your bedside table, his own toothbrush and his very own corner for all the things he leaves.

Those months spent together have nothing been but elated, fondness and love. You have never been this happy, your whole entire life, you have never expected for him to come into your life at such an unexpected time. But, you thank God every day.

The sound of the familiar beeps and the sound of the front door opening echoed in your small apartment. 

“자기야, I’m home!”

Immediately, you tossed your phone aside, jumped off the sofa and came barreling. Gue Sung was kicking off his shoes as he slips his face mask off, he puts his bag down and his arm stretched out wide open. No hesitation, you crashed right into his warm loving embrace.

“Hi.” You mumbled nuzzling your face into the side of his neck and inhaling his scent. He awkwardly shuffles with you still practically glued onto him and clung onto him like a koala bear, Gue Sung peppers your temples and hairline with kisses. Running his hands up and down your back. You only snuggled further onto his neck tightening your grip around his large frame.

“Did you miss me?” He whispers softly voice dripping in honey, you pull away enough so, you could stare deeply into his eyes, and you rest your head on his shoulder. Gue Sung couldn’t resist but placed a quick kiss on your lips.

“Not even a little bit.” You tease, poking your tongue out at him playfully.

“Oh? I know you did. You can’t even think about not having me by your side that’s why you asked for my number when we first met.” Not exactly a lie but, not exactly the complete truth either. You gasped dramatically,

“I don’t appreciate you lying about my name like that.”

Gue Sung hums. 

“Did you eat yet?” You asked.

“No. I knew you were waiting for me.” It tendered your heart.

“Let’s go eat then. I’m sure you’re starving.” However, Gue Sung didn’t want to let go, his grip on you only tightened squeezing you against his torso. No matter how many times, you brush his arms away it would always ends up back circling around your waist.

“What? I can’t set the table if we’re like this.” You laugh light-heartedly,

“Have you always been this pretty?” Gue Sung almost coos, “우리이쁜자기 ( My pretty baby ).”

“Go take a shower! You stink.” You ushered him away towards the bathroom. Your ear pick up the sound of water splashing, you move around the kitchen, hands everywhere all at once to get the food reheated, plated and on the table before Gue Sung gets out of the shower. 

It has been a long day for him, you’re sure. You take upong yourself to sit while you await for your beloved, occupied by your mobile phone. Food all laid out on the table; all simple and quick whipped up meal, thankfully your boyfriend was no picky eater. He enjoyed a variety of dishes and scarfed everything down with gusto… Except meat. He’s particular about how it should be done. Not long after, he emerges from the shower.

You held out your hand for him to hand the towel. It’s a unspoken ritual at this point; he sits down and you dry off his hair. There was something weirdly intimate about it. Running the soft towel through his damp hair. Once his hair is relatively dry, you carded your fingers through his hair brushing it off his forehead, slicking it back. He lets out a sigh of relief and softens under your tender touch. 

You were so deeply lost in your task, you fail to notice Gue Sung’s blatant fond, affectionate and loving stare. He admires everything that you are from your head and down to your toe. He likes everything that you do to him.

“What?” You ask with a stupid smile on your face leaning to his level.

“Nothing.” Gue Sung shook his head.

He cups your face peppered kisses. From your forehead. Eyes. Nose. Cheeks. Finally on your lips.

One love, one house.

[freshthoughts2020]

No More Big 3! What's Cole's Next Move?!?!

No More Big 3! What's Cole's Next Move?!?!

July 11, 2024

If you haven’t read my previous article, scroll down on the freshthoughts2020 tab and check it out. In that article, we discussed whether Kendrick’s feud with Drake might be pointless if he doesn’t aim for the commercial number one spot. With a clear task ahead for Kendrick (whether he follows it or not), we’re left to ask: What is Cole’s next move?

I.Cole's Strong Start in 2024

Cole came into 2024 in a great position in the power rankings and was a strong front-runner to take the lead. He outperformed Drake on “First Person Shooter,” went bar to bar with him again on “Evil Ways” from the “Scary Hours Edition of For All The Dogs,” and just completed a successful national tour.

II.The Apology and Its Aftermath

Cole was set to answer the call when he released his “Might Delete Later” EP. However, moments later, his infamous apology came, leading many people to write him off and not wanting to hear from him for a while. Then he reappeared on the bubbling New York sensation Cash Cobain’s track “Grippy,” which has been regarded as one of Cole’s worst verses. The verse wasn’t even bad, but if it wasn’t mind-blowing post-apology, any verse he penned was going to get panned anyway.

III.The Dismantling of the Big 3

The idea of the Big 3 has been dismantled. The world waits on a new K-dot album, ready to crown him as number one, while the Drizzy hive stands patient awaiting Drake’s inevitable return. Again, what is Cole to do?

IV.The Two-Part Plan for Cole's Comeback

I believe Cole has to do two things to ensure a great comeback and even get his name back into that front-runner conversation. We know he’s been hyping up his album The Fall Off, which is in a worse position post-beef. Here’s what he should do to make sure his album isn’t swept under the rug when it drops.

First, Cole has to address Symba. Why Symba? People may have forgotten about that freestyle he did on the “Control” beat, but it needs to be addressed. He sympathized with letting Nas down but went on to say he left Bas and Cozz down, the whole squad down. He slammed him for the apologies. Cole has to address how he didn’t have to clout beef with Kendrick, and most importantly, he has to spank Symba for even thinking he can say that. There are a few angles he can go with, but I probably shouldn’t reveal that. If Cole is capable like I know he is, he should know the angles too. There are plenty of lyricists who will probably make fun of that apology moving forward with general bars, but he needs to make Symba the poster child of what happens when you disrespect Cole.

He needs to do this because Symba has enough lyrical respect from peers and elder statesmen of hip-hop that he’s worth addressing, and because Symba doesn’t threaten Cole in popularity. It’s like Pusha T with Drake. Symba can scorch Cole until he’s blue in the face, but modern rap is a popularity contest, and Cole would never lose that. However, for this to be effective, Cole would have to scorch Symba as if he’s going up against JAY-Z himself—no mercy! If Cole does this, half of the two-part plan to dominance will be secured by everyone taking mental notes: “Maybe we shouldn’t mess with this guy; that apology stuff doesn’t really mean anything.”

The second thing Cole must do is very simple: hits on hits! He has to get into his Forest Hills bag. That’s far from my favorite project from him, but it’s his most commercially successful album, and his sound isn’t compromised! He should re-listen to that album hard while creating The Fall Off and study the singles from Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. He needs smashes—songs for the radio!

With these two things working in unison, we’ll quickly forget the same people saying they “...never want to hear him again,” “he’s soft,” blah blah, will be the same people saying “oh Cole’s the G.O.A.T., Cole’s the G.O.A.T.”

These are only suggestions, and he can take these suggestions and stuff them up Rubi Rose’s ass for all he cares. But if he still cares and wants to get back in that conversation, he’s got to do something along these lines. It’s not even much, but it’ll be more than enough. Trust!

Visit gettothecorner.com

Follow me on twitter.com/onlyonejaevonn

[caltropspress]

ISSUE 20 AVAILABLE NOW

Ostensibly an issue dedicated to the startling work of Wave Generators, this issue marks a milestone of sorts for the zine project. Four years in, and no end in sight.

Contents include interviews with Nosaj from New Kingdom and Height Keech, a show review of Wave Generators, Andrew, and Big Flowers, investigative journalism into the ialive abandonment scandal, an ad page featuring a variety of podcast recommendations, and the first and possibly last (but probably not) DEADITORIAL reflecting back on these last 4 years of writing, zine-ing, and hip-hop.

Cold urine yellow. Staple-bound. 24 pages.

Just in time for the hollow-days.

DM on IG or eX or Blusky or email caltropspress@gmail.com for a copy.

[newmusickarl]

Albums of the Year 2024: Honourable Mentions

2024 – what a year for music hey?!

We had The Last Dinner Party in Spring, a well-documented BRAT Summer, a Fontaines Fall and, finally, The Cure for the Winter. We also had a couple of big reunions: the Gallagher brothers delighting everyone by reuniting Oasis, nu-metal icons Linkin Park returning with a new vocalist and then, just last month, indie darlings The Maccabees announcing some live shows for 2025. Both the Electronic and Country music genres seemed to have a particularly great year, while artists dissecting toxic relationships also seemed to be a thematic favourite over the last 12 months. We also had plenty of memorable moments and some incredible festival performances but, above all else, we had some bloody great new music.

You’ll be pleased to know that while this blog took a backseat to some other hobbies and ventures in 2024, my listening habits certainly didn’t slow down. My Apple Music Replay tells me I’ve listened to 587 albums from 983 different artists, 4,758 songs and a whopping 35,886 minutes of music. Just like previous years, I’ve whittled this mass of new music down to my favourite Albums, EPs and Songs of the Year – starting as always with the albums.

From my own (more accurate) tally that I keep every year, I’ve actually listened to 220 Albums in 2024, with that 220 then broken down into my Top 50 Albums of the Year, my 50 unranked honourable mentions and then sadly 120 albums that didn’t make the final cut. As ever, the top albums come from a multitude of genres: pop, rock, indie, hip-hop, R&B, country, electronica, shoegaze, punk, post-punk - it’s all here! So, although there is a good chance you won’t enjoy everything on this list, hopefully there is at least something for everyone.

For those who are following my annual countdown for the first time, I have a basic criterion that has treated me well over the last decade when collating my final Album of the Year list. Generally, I’ve favoured the records that:

Had the biggest impact on me

Was a landmark culturally or within the wider music world

Showed ambition or had something unique to offer

I played the most during the year

Ultimately produced my favourite front-to-back listening experience

So, before the Top 50 countdown officially begins with the albums that finished 50-41, I wanted to just shout out the albums that I thoroughly enjoyed this year but ultimately just missed out on the Top 50 spots. This includes some fantastic debuts (Been Stellar, Dolores Forever, Fat Dog, Sprints), some surprise returns to form (The Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, The Libertines), some late career highlights (Gruff Rhys, Maxïmo Park, James, Los Campesinos!) and plenty of the year’s biggest and most acclaimed projects (Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kamasi Washington, Waxahatchee).

So, officially kicking off year-end season, here are my 50 Honourable Mentions for 2024 in alphabetical order (by artist):

Arab Strap - I'm totally fine with it 👍 don't give a fuck anymore 👍

Been Stellar - Scream From New York, NY

Beyoncé – COWBOY CARTER

Bill Ryder Jones - Iechyd Da

Billie Eilish – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

Bring Me The Horizon - POST HUMAN: NeX GEn

Caribou – Honey

Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Destroyer

Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To, She Reaches Out To She

Daudi Matsiko - The King of Misery

DEADLETTER - Hysterical Strength

Dolores Forever - It's Nothing

Du Blonde - Sniff More Gritty

Fat Dog - WOOF.

Fazerdaze - Soft Power

Four Tet - Three

Geographer - A Mirror Brightly

Goat Girl - Below The Waste

Green Day - Saviors

Gruff Rhys - Sadness Sets Me Free

Hovvdy – Hovvdy

The Howl & The Hum - Same Mistake Twice

Ibibio Sound Machine - Pull The Rope

IDLES - TANGK

Jack White - No Name

James - Yummy

John Grant - The Art of the Lie

Kamasi Washington - Fearless Movement

The Libertines - All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade

Lime Garden - One More Thing

Los Campesinos! - All Hell

Maggie Rogers - Don't Forget Me

Maxïmo Park - Stream of Life

MGMT - Loss of Life

MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

Mount Eerie - Night Palace

NewDad - MADRA

nothing,nowhere - Dark Magic / Hell or Highwater / Miserymaker

Orlando Weeks - LOJA 

Rahim Redcar - HOPECORE

Remi Wolf - Big Ideas

Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips

Sega Bodega - Dennis

Sick Love – Champagne

The Smashing Pumpkins - Aghori Mhori Mei

The Smile – Cutouts

Sprints – Letter to Self

Tycho - Infinite Health

Vince Staples - Dark Times

Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood

So that’s what didn’t quite make it!

Now, join me throughout December as I reveal my Top 50 Albums of the Year, My Favourite EPs of the Year, My Favourite Live Shows of 2024 and My Top 100 Songs of 2024 Playlist.

[gxbtx]

How Tyler, The Creator Continues to Infiltrate our Childhoods and Hearts

Austin, Tx, October 7th

Three years ago I attended Austin City Limits for the first time in my life. ACL was a tradition with my parents semi-annually growing up, with some of my earliest memories seeing The Eagles at Zilker park around age four. In 2021, there was an undeniable plethora of great artists, such as Miley Cyrus, 070 Shake, Greta Van Fleet, and Tyler, The Creator. ACL in 2021 was one of my first musical experiences as a teenager that I genuinely connected with, leaving a lasting impact on how I spend my time and money.

Tyler was an eye-opening experience to what a live setting of music has to offer. Tyler’s energy and dedication to his craft was shown on the grand Ladybird Stage with an extension of his Call Me If You Get Lost tour. Tyler played several tracks of Call Me If You Get Lost to perfectly pair with his stage props of expensive trunks and a speedboat. It was an honor to be properly introduced to his most recent album, as I didn’t fully understand the emphasized hip-hop elements near and dear to Tyler that made it such a great project. Tyler’s presentation of luxury and success leave him in a clear position to convey his lack of care to others who may have doubted his ability, which is heard throughout his boastful yet admirable confidence in CMIYGL. Even with the hundreds of thousands of people cheering him on he still managed to get away with poking fun at many demographics of his audience, with his charm and fame making the remarks go right over their heads.

A crucial aspect of the musicianship and the importance of performance was found in my first pit experience. Tyler’s shows are so great because he considers the live performance a core aspect of how he intends his music to be perceived. Such as one of his favorites, “NEW MAGIC WAND” from IGOR, the song took a few years to catch mainstream attention as he specifically curated the song to be enjoyed in a pit experience. Additionally, being so close to the artists removes the awkward unspoken barriers with others surrounding, connecting sweaty people together through the common denominator of love for his songs. Rarely do I see so many people singing the same songs with so much heart and passion, one after the other, representing the impact Tyler has on my generation. Ever since seeing Tyler up close, I’ve come to understand and appreciate the aspect of supporting musicians by going to Live shows, giving them a chance to present their life’s work to the audience the way they intend.

With all of this in mind, you could imagine my excitement to revisit Tyler’s catalog at the same stage three years later. Nearing the end of my teenage years, seeing Tyler for a second time brought me a sense of nuanced conceptualization of how Tyler has brought super star status to his career. Tyler started off his desert themed set with some bars unfamiliar to the crowd, ‘“what’s that gun name,” showing me Tyler’s contribution to the alive and well hip-hop resurgence within the past year. He returned with his classic stage presence utilizing his last decade of experience to show how a true professional does a festival set. At this point of his career, he was able to turn his numerous hits into a fresh DJ set in a sense, showing refinement and improvement from one track to the next. Along with this he brought his same moshing and intense energy to the pit that was insulting yet funny years prior. It was humorous to again see individuals who were not ready for the chaotic running around and moshing, with many people remaining from the previous set of Chappell Roan. He joked that he’s now at the age (~30) where something aches, reminding the crowd that he’s been himself in the public eye for the past 14 years or so, cementing him as an integral part in our generation’s music taste.

I really enjoyed seeing Tyler again as he serves as a subtle reminder that despite the ever increasing subdivisions of internet culture, there are still huge artists bringing entire generations of people together. I genuinely at this point in my life feel like I’ve grown up listening to Tyler, which can be said for millions of fans around the country. It feels full circle that my sibling is now eagerly awaiting the new Tyler project coming out soon, illustrating the recurring theme of the obsession with Tyler’s experiences he creates in music. Revisiting the screaming crowds hashing out every lyric in some of his most influential songs is a testament to the power music has, as Tyler’s anti-hero persona towards his fans who treat him like messiah himself still manages to bring out hundreds of thousands diverse souls to flock to what he has to show. His hard work and envelopment of becoming a music nerd is something I think is so inspiring, to me and others alike, fostering the energy to keep creativity alive and well.

[burlveneer-music]

Red Hot & Ra - The Magic City - Meshell Ndegeocello puts her spin on Sun Ra's compositions, with performances from Immanuel Wilkins, Marshall Allen, Pink Siifu, Darius Jones, and more. Cover art by Cécile McLorin Salvant!

Red Hot + Ra: The Magic City is a profound musical journey curated by Grammy Award-winning bassist-composer-producer Meshell Ndegeocello. Recorded with a diverse ensemble, including the legendary 99-year-old saxophonist Marshall Allen and hip-hop/punk-jazz vocalist Pink Siifu, this album transcends traditional covers, offering entirely new compositions inspired by Sun Ra’s philosophy. With a multi-generational cast of community musicians, the project recontextualizes Sun Ra’s work, avoiding clichés and presenting a brighter perspective than its predecessor, 2023’s Red Hot + Ra: Nuclear War. Immerse yourself in the dreamlike and soulful interpretation of Sun Ra’s composition as The Magic City marks the third installment in the Red Hot & Ra series. With it’s upcoming album release on April 5th, 2024, and vinyl release on April 12th, 2024, this album is a testament to Ndegeocello’s visionary approach. Meshell Ndegeocello, an iconic singer-songwriter and artist, brings forth a present-time experience that honors Sun Ra’s legacy while navigating the complexities of our society.

[w3bgrl]

predebut history

synopsis: an in depth look at kang juyeon’s life prior to debut, including both information known by the public and unknown by the public.

a/n: bold is public information!

kang juyeon was born may sixteenth nineteen ninety nine in daegu to her parents, sangjun (b. 1963) and miyoung (b.1965), and her older sister minju (b.1993). her father worked as an english teacher at a high school in daegu and her mother took care of the girls until he got home before leaving to clean businesses after closing. growing up her family was always very affectionate and close, often spending time going on trips and sleeping all squished together in bed. to this day, juyeon cites her positive upbringing as her source of strength in life.

unbeknownst to the general public, grief struck her family early into her life concerning her older sister, who was 10 at the time. on november fourth, 2003, kang minju passed away after suffering an accidental drowning while at a friends house. this period of her family’s life was very difficult and lead to her parents exhibiting overly-protective tendencies, a likely factor in juyeon’s fear of water and anxiety around new people.

a few years after this incident juyeon’s parents decided to begin enrolling her in a sport, which happened to be dancing - per her choosing. she attended a hip hop academy that was only a short ride from her house and joined their “junior crew” for dancers aged 6-10. even though she had no prior experience with dancing other than with her family and friends, juyeon quickly fell in love with her newfound hobby and attended every practice and performance diligently. only a few months after starting to dance she found an interest in music and singing, deciding to join her school’s band and later choir teams.

in january of 2010, only a few days after new years, her father was called by choi sutae, president of songwon university in gwangju. he was offered a job as a professor in a few different english courses and quickly accepted this opportunity. the kangs were relocated by the end of march and though juyeon was sad to leave her friends behind in daegu, her mom did prior research to find her a suitable new dance academy. in hindsight, this may have been one of the best decisions for juyeon. her new academy offered her expertise, hip hop, as well as other styles she hadn’t been able to explore before such as jazz, ballet, and contemporary.

after settling into her new environment, juyeon fully dedicated herself to her after-school practices and weekend performances. she tried every style offered and often went home going over the choreography again. her efforts were noticed by the teachers in her classes and juyeon was able to make her way to the center position, where her priorities changed from simply learning the choreography well to perfecting her presence on stage. after diving so far into her passion for dancing, juyeon then began thinking about making her own dances, which led her to thinking about making her own music.

juyeon’s first ever song was created on the laptop she had received for christmas in 2011, and it had been completed with a choreography by mid-january of 2012. although she never posted her very first song on soundcloud like she would later into her musical journey, juyeon described it as very beat heavy and less focused on lyrics. she spent many sleepless nights on this project and especially fatigued her body after already attending her dance classes. for the next few years after this initial song her inspiration for music shifted from choreography focused to actual music focused. she started out building a beat from nothing to something, leading to a lot of her songs sounding pretty similar, but her real artistry started once she found out what samples were.

after finding samples from around the internet, juyeon was able to not only work the rest of a song around it, but it was also a good way for her to find examples of what she could recreate in her own way.

at this same time, due to her dad being a college-level english professor with his expertise in english-speaking cultures, juyeon’s proficiency in the language was held at a high standard. and although she sometimes struggled with this expectation it eventually lead her to the opportunity to exchange to america for a semester.

from september to mid december 2013 juyeon lived with a host family in eugene, oregon, where a lot of international students attended the university of oregon. her host family was also korean and had a daughter the same age named mina who was considered a best friend by the time she had to return to korea. juyeon went by billie during her time in america, leading to her eventual stage name. this time was certainly hard for juyeon; she missed her family and friends, she wasn’t attending any dance classes, and every day was an overwhelming culture shock after another. however, juyeon looks back on this time fondly. she made some good friends that she still talks to and cites this experience as a big growing point for her as a person. alongside the english language, juyeon learned a lot about the american culture, history, and people. it really changed her perspective on the world and opened her mind to greater possibilities.

after returning to korea for christmas and new years, juyeon finished her second year of middle school and began her last. as a celebration for juyeon’s hard work in america and graduating her second year, she and her family took a short trip to seoul and spent most of their time wandering around and finding shops and restaurants to stop at. during one of these days out with her parents, juyeon was approached by a jyp staff member and offered the opportunity for an audition. she was given a card and told to call if she was interested.

juyeon’s parents were a little iffy about the idea at first. their image of idols was not as admirable as their daughters, who had been a fan of quite a few artists over the past few years such as; wonder girls, f(x), 4minute, shinee, and exo. however, juyeon was certain she could convince them. during her process convincing her parents juyeon revealed the music she had been working on which happened to be the straw that broke the camels back. her parents saw her interest as well her potential and finally gave in late april, stating that as long as she kept studying english diligently and didn’t let her grades drop, she could join as a trainee on her 15th birthday. obviously, juyeon did exactly as told and joined may sixteenth, 2014.

in june 2014 juyeon met the first member of the now permanent group stray kids. after a dance class juyeon was getting her stuff together when an older boy came up to her and complimented her dancing. juyeon, who had been shy all her life, was still new to jyp and very embarrassed by this sudden recognition. however, to compensate for her awkward nature, she was extremely friendly to this stranger and ended up going to the cafeteria with him for dinner (which ended up being a great decision). during this dinner, juyeon learned that bang chan joined in 2010 from australia. their numbers were exchanged, and after furthering their friendship, they began making music side by side, offering constructive criticism and suggestions for each others productions. chan and juyeon’s friendship was the foundation for what came after - 3racha and subsequently stray kids. this is also the reason why her place in their group meant so much, as netizens at the time of the survival show didn’t understand why she needed to be in the group.

the group, formed by chan with help from juyeon, was completed just a few months prior to filming the survival show. although this process was in no way official, it made it easier for chan to take his ideal debut team to evaluations, which they passed. however, their excitement was short-lived as now they had to prove their worth directly to jyp. while on the show, juyeon faced a lot of stress in order to be competent enough to debut within their hand-made group. jyp stated that her opportunity to debut in the ‘boy group’ depended on her ability to not only meet his expectations but exceed them. she couldn’t just be as good as their best member, she needed to be better. the majority of these days were spent working constantly in fear of not meeting the standards, and the blood sweat and tears she put into debuting was recognized by jyp at the end of the show. juyeon, as well as all of the other members, were granted their debut and finally, on march 25th, 2018, stray kids debuted as a 10 member group with district nine.

[bwops]

就让那些烦恼随风去吧 随着稻香飘过的地方 耶 哎哟喂

[ultrakdramamama]

To size up the impact South Korean superstars SHINee have had on music is a difficult task. With a panorama that spans both K-pop and the world’s stage, the band’s dominance has grown exponentially since their debut 15 years ago. With their latest album, it’s also clear that SHINee’s future could only get even brighter. 

When someone goes around muttering, “Hard like a criminal, hard like the beat” under their breath for about two months straight, it’s bound to attract a few stares at the workplace. Especially when you yell, “We go HARD” when your colleagues enquire about your state of mind. But that’s SHINee’s effect for you. The lyrics from the title track of the legendary band’s eighth Korean language studio album, fittingly titled HARD, tend to imprint themselves on the listener’s temporal lobe. But this isn’t a new phenomenon for SHINee. Fifteen years since the band’s debut, it’s safe to say that they have created K-pop’s (and pop in general’s) most satisfying earworms and anthems, from Replay (2008) to Ring Ding Dong (2009), and Amigo (also 2008) to View (2015), to name a nanoparticle of songs off a daunting discography. ONEW, KEY, MINHO, TAEMIN – and the late beloved JONGHYUN – together form one of the finest, most well-rounded groups to emerge from South Korea’s competitive music industry, and their longevity speaks volumes about their talent and relevance. This includes solo projects, too – each of their individual offerings is a class apart.

So, how does one even begin to dismantle SHINee’s hypnotic hold on both their Korean and global devotees? To be honest, there is no need to divide them because once a ‘SHINee WORLD’ (the name given to the band’s beloved fanbase), always a SHINee WORLD regardless of age, gender or geographic distinction. With their vocal prowess, stage mastery, and dexterity of movement, they’ve filled stadiums worldwide through the course of a 15-year-long juggernaut. ONEW possesses one of the most iconic voices known to this oeuvre, with a dominant baritone and operatic tenor. KEY’s aura and presence is impossible to translate into words. MINHO’s a towering personality in terms of both talent and charisma. It’s also not hyperbole to state that TAEMIN is the king of movement – an unparalleled dancer, and a star. Together, they’re extraordinary. Solo, their personalities jump off the screen too. They’re each lovable matrixes of sass, humour, gravitas... clumsiness (the fans will attest to this). If one were to sum them up, ‘real’ would be the word to choose. Even though they’re revered in the industry, and active in all its different aspects – variety shows, musicals, performing on OSTs, solo projects, etc – they’re as humble as the day they started.

In this email interview, three of the band members dive into their music, providing perspective on the landscape they inhabit. ONEW, the leader of the band, is currently on hiatus for health issues. (However, he did send out a message to fans to reassure them of his rest and recovery and his imminent return.) One thing is for sure – it’s SHINee’s world, and we’re happy to be living in it.

You’ve always been completely ahead of the curve when it comes to genre, often blending several sonic elements in one album. In this album, for instance, you have wobbly drum and bass and soulful vocals on The Feeling, a really fresh take on the clear drum breaks of ’90s hip-hop on HARD, and dance-pop on Identity. Yet, you can tell a SHINee track from a mile away. How do you connect so many diverse sounds to the SHINee colour, and what – in the first place – would you say is SHINee’s colour? KEY: Rather than defining SHINee with one colour, I believe SHINee’s colour consists of all the colours each one of our fans sees us as. MINHO: SHINee is quite an interesting team because we have the ability to make any song into SHINee’s own colours. It’s our biggest weapon. We’ve built up this skill since our first album, and it only strengthened as we tried out various genres and concepts. Now, all our members know how to make any track SHINee-like. TAEMIN: SHINee’s colour is a combination of the various music styles we’ve experimented with. Without being limited to a specific genre, we capture several different colours and find SHINee’s own way of uniting everything into one.

Having said that, can you reveal the most “SHINee” song on this album for you, and explain why that would be your pick? KEY: For me, that would be the title track Hard, because it shows best all the efforts we’ve put into the visuals, performance, and recordings to demonstrate the genre of hip-hop. MINHO: It’s hard to select just one track. Many might say The Feeling but, rather than selecting one, I’d like to say this album in itself is “SHINee”, and it opens up our new chapter. TAEMIN: I’d say Satellite, because it shows the harmonious vocals of SHINee.

SHINee has a way of tapping into a collective sense of nostalgia – whether we go back to View, Married To The Music, or 1 of 1 even. Yet, you somehow manage doing this in a future-forward way with both your look and sound. How do you access and communicate a wide spectrum of emotions for people across borders and gender? KEY: Songs and melodies are very effective in expressing emotions and conveying messages to different people and genders. Though the lyrics might be interpreted differently depending on one’s culture, I believe a melody has a relatable power for everyone. MINHO: We try to convey emotions directly instead of hiding them. One of those characteristics is being upfront about how one feels and not hiding one’s emotions. TAEMIN: Even if we do not speak the same language, it’s the energy we’ve poured into this album that makes it possible for us to connect and communicate with those who listen to it.

Often, when you’re with a group of people who end up knowing you inside out, it helps you to see yourself more clearly. How would you say the close bond that exists between all of you has affected or changed you? TAEMIN: I was able to learn a lot from my (fellow band) members since they are all very talented. The bond we’ve formed through our time and experiences together is such a valuable gift to me.

People say there is always one side of the brain that’s more dominant. The left brain vs right brain – largely the analytical vs the creative. The artistes in you must make use of the right brain, but, to navigate this industry and learn from it, the left brain has to come into play. Given your successful ongoing careers, how do you balance the two sides? KEY: Balance is something I’m constantly thinking about not only as SHINee’s KEY, but also as an entertainer on variety shows so that I can continue to better myself and grow. MINHO: This is an interesting question that I’ve never thought of before. I probably use my left brain more since I’m always thinking about things that others might not have done yet or tried before. TAEMIN: When I tested myself, I found that my right brain functions better than my left!

Is it possible, as an artiste, to be happy and satisfied at the same time? MINHO: I’m not quite sure if happiness and satisfaction can be felt at the same time, though it’s different for each person. Even if I’m happy, I might not be satisfied, but I think that’s because I’m a bit of a perfectionist [laughs].

Can you talk about how the performance aspect of music has evolved for you over the years? Does it feel more poignant being on stage together again after a break? [The members of SHINee fulfilled their mandatory military enlistment duties, staggered, over the last five years.] KEY: I’m not sure if this properly explains it, but I’d like to think of our growth as ‘still strong’. As the years add on, there is a sense of pressure from wanting to show our best selves and great performances but, through this album, SHINee was able to show persistence and strength. Whenever I step on stage, it’s an overwhelming feeling. MINHO: You can see just how much we’ve grown through our performances. Compared to before, we’re more experienced so there’s a sense of ease. Yet we do feel more nervous when we return to the stage after a long time. ‘Will I be able to perform well on this stage? What if I make a mistake?’ These are the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind but that’s what brings out a perfect performance. The most important thing in all of this is to look as if you’re not nervous! [laughs] TAEMIN: The K-pop market has grown, and we’ve also benefited from that. The lifespan of K-pop idols has also increased compared to before, but I believe it’s (everyone’s) hard work that’s made this possible.

What sort of music are you gravitating towards right now? Do you connect music and movement given how proficiently you link the two? TAEMIN: I usually listen to calm music. I also enjoy humming or dancing along to whatever I’m listening to.

Fifteen years down the line, what is something you know now that you wish you had known then? KEY: That I don’t need to have any regrets because I’ve done my best throughout. MINHO: There are many things I wish I had known but, since I didn’t know anything at that time, I’d want to keep them a secret [laughs]. TAEMIN: What we’ve learned throughout holds greater value and meaning because of the process. If I were to say one thing to my past self, it would be to travel around the world more and study English.

Does the desire to experiment and the ability to actually be able to follow through with ideas become easier with time? KEY: It becomes harder with time but that’s why I make sure to put in more thought and effort to bring out the best I can.

As the world evolves at an almost breakneck speed, music evolves with it; you’ve also been witness to the shift in the influence of K-pop. How would you say the K-pop industry has also changed over these years as it has become a global phenomenon? KEY: From training to performing, everything has become very systemised and specialised. There’s also a wider variety of messages that can be delivered through performances. MINHO: K-pop has changed rapidly and, as a part of the generation that has seen that process of change, it is quite fast. The best development is the fact that the whole world can see what I’ve uploaded in seconds! TAEMIN: As a person who has been in this field for quite some time, I am amazed by K-pop. There have been a lot of changes through the years, changes that I did not realize at the time!

Looking back to when you started, would you say you are where you want to be as an artiste at this stage of your life? MINHO: I’m getting closer to where I dreamed I’d be when I debuted, but there’s still quite a way to go to get there.

How does the future look? KEY: SHINee will always remain the same. MINHO: The future will always be SHINee. TAEMIN: I’d like to live a happier life by giving back to our fans with good music and maintaining the precious relationships we have together. And I hope to perform overseas more often.

Would you please send a message to SHINee WORLD in India – any thoughts you’d like to share? KEY: I’m very much looking forward to the day we’ll get to meet our fans in person. Thank you for always showering us with love. MINHO: I’ve been to India before, but have not had the opportunity to perform. I hope that chance will come sometime soon, so please wait for us! TAEMIN: I really want to meet our fans in India and I’m sorry we haven’t been able to visit. I promise you we will create precious memories together!

[mysteriawrites]

Your idol matchups look like fun. I'm gonna ask for one and see what you cook up, if that's ok.

Appearance-wise I am a 165 cm tall, average build, Bangladeshi woman (She/her but also cool with they/them). I have wavy black hair that just reaches below my shoulders and I usually dress in South Asian attire, usually salwar-kameez plus a hijab. I also wear glasses. I don't really feel comfortable going out without them 😅

My MBTI and enneagram: INTJ 5w4

Star sign: Sagittarius sun, Virgo moon and rising (I act more like a Virgo, allegedly)

Sexuality: demiromantic asexual (demisexual?)

Personality traits: Calm, collected, polite, quiet, shy (but that can easily be mistaken for being aloof or done with everyone's shit (they aren't entirely wrong about the latter)) (someone told me I radiate black cat energy), not very facially expressive (I'm the most emotional emotionless person I know. I do feel things more deeply than people give me credit for), a good listener, hardworking (I often bite off more than I can chew and end up burnt out), intelligent (especially with numbers. RIP impostor syndrome + gifted kid burnout syndrome. As much as I love my major, electrical engineering is kicking my ass). I am also the oldest of three sisters, so I'm good at handling kids (I'm also expected to be the perfect daughter, so... yea). Someone also told me I'm wise, but all that wisdom came from all the books I read + watching Avatar: The Last Airbender lmao. The same person also said my presence was therapeutic (paraphrasing, of course. Also, this is alleged). Cats and dogs seem to love me also. Dogs like to come up to me and say hello, and cats just seem to feel at ease around me.

Hobbies: Making art, making jewelry, reading, writing, animating (I'm relatively new to animation. I don't know what I'm doing most of the time, but I'm still having fun), basically anything creative. I especially like to draw and paint things that radiate a sense of comfort, nostalgia, and serenity. Someone also told me that my artworks also hold a sort of innocence in the composition of the shapes, colours, and overall vibe of what I draw/paint. I also make jewelry from time to time

Likes: Classical music, lofi hip-hop, indie rpgs (Yume Nikki and Off have me in a chokehold), visual novel games (coughs in Obey Me, Court of Darkness, Twisted Wonderland, Arcana Twilight, Ikemen Prince, and ofc, Tokyo Debunker), tea, books, creative outlets. I also like to learn psychology

Dislikes: Cruelty, anyone who would dare to threaten my family or friends, loud noises, red meat (The texture is too much for me to handle), bright lights. I also dislike strong smelling things and being in crowded, noisy and bright environments for prolonged periods of time

Favourite colours: Purple, blue, black

Favourite Aesthetic: academia

Favourite animal: Cat

One random fact about me: I made a Hetalia comic that was originally supposed to be a silly little volunteer project for my library, but it was showed on a display on flag day (It was about how Canada's flag came to be)

Hello thx for the request srry i didnt get to it as quickly as the first 3 hope you enjoy

Idol Name: Ithseem

Idol franchise: Aikatsu

Idol Type: Sexy (note: in idol anime sexy doesn’t necessarily mean sexual or revealing or explicit but just generally means mature and elegant)

How you became an idol: youve always been a creative person and into multiple art forms. The only one you had yet to really try was preforming arts. You were told it was frivolous and a waste of time. However when you saw your first aikatsu performance you know that the stage was you wanted to be. Using your skills you wrote your own songs and designed your own outfits. You applied to preform in the local square and blew away the crowd. You got offended a spot at a prestigious idol academy abroad. Everyone who had ever doubted you couldn’t help but be proud. Your friends, family, and rapidly growing fanbase sent you off on your new adventure with a heartfelt farewell.

Your brand: Bejeweled Heart (self made)

Your Choords:

Your songs:

An: im a hijabi wearer as well so this was so much fun choosing beautiful dresses for you.

P.s. im p sure u did a matchup for me before so u get some extra songs :)

[theninthdoor]

What will the future hold for SM, JYPE, YG, and Hybe in the next five years?

SM || ten of swords, eight of pentacles rx, the empress: So, either their artists will all stop renewing with the company (unlike what we've seen over the years) or we'll see some more public lawsuits/other legal issues/scandals coming for them. Their projects might start losing quality, too, and, as a direct consequence, receive increasingly worse results. The company's reputation is really at stake here. On top of that, I see their girl groups doing a lot better than the boy groups and/or a woman might be called in to save the company - either way, there's a very strong and abundant feminine presence here, which seems to carry their only chance to keep their status as a top company. SME will have to reevaluate and reorient their whole structure + business and creative approaches within the next few years, for sure.

JYPE || three of pentacles, eight of cups, knight of swords: JYPE will be standing on their own, focused on what makes them unique + the path they want to forge for themselves; they'll stop looking for comparisons or to follow what other companies are doing, just for the sake of trends/hype. This might result in a decrease of exposure, but it also cleans the slate for them to find their identity once again - also, their groups seem to be getting more involved behind the scenes, too, and that might play a big part here. I would just be wary of them developing tunnel vision regarding some projects or ideas, since that can lead them to lose their grip and fall back into incertitude and lack of direction once more.

YG || the magician, the emperor, ace of swords: There are a lot of legal elements here, so they might either acquire or establish a new subsidiary OR they might merge with some other big company - something new will result out of this, for sure, but YG will still exist as it is; it's just an add on. I see them acquiring stronger leadership, looking to build connections that are more beneficial for them (financially, specially). The company will start relying a lot more on the internet and rise of AI, I believe, and could even look to go with concepts that are a bit more futuristic from now on. They might also pull some of the original hip-hop elements from their early groups, revamp them and create a whole new experimental, ultra-modern yet timeless image for themselves and their groups.

HYBE || the chariot, the sun, ace of wands: HYBE will keep on acquiring more companies or businesses as the years come. They'll still be at the top, setting trends, winning many accolades and coming up with the next "big thing". With the Sun here, it worries me that they might keep training and debuting younger teens - there's a feeling of them wanting to continue on with the fresh, youthful craze that NewJeans started for them. Their target demographic going forward seems to be younger people, too, and whatever they put out then will certainly influence that new generation immensely (in style, tastes, behaviour, etc.; even more than before).

(Disclaimer: Based on current energies! All readings are alleged and for entertainment purposes only.)

[thelensofyashunews]

YHAPOJJ SHARES NEW PROJECT BEFORE T.L.Y.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as the future of music in 2024, Yhapojj, one of Simple Stupid Records' premier acts, has just shared his highly-anticipated project Before T.L.Y., alongwith accompanying video for "Jeepers Creepers"––out now via Simple Stupid Records. In the suspenseful "Jeepers Creepers" video, Yhapojj avoids calls and texts from his past, he serenades his listeners over hazy-hypnotic production, grappling with priorities and the crossroads of growth––"I've never seen this much money bitch how the fuck I'm 'posed to act the same",––in the end it appears his past may have caught up with him. "Jeepers Creepers" is a grail that has had hardcore fans clamoring for an official release since the snippet was shared earlier this year. Before T.LY. (Thanks Li Yhap) is Yhapojj's second full-length release of 2024, following up this spring's critically acclaimed P.S. Fuck You (6.9 from Pitchfork). The new nine-track project includes features from Benji Blue Bills, Nino Paid, RRoxket and NDO Dee, and is mainly produced by AK. Before T.LY. is a cohesive project, teasing a new path for the rising star to close out a breakthrough year. The production is a lush playground for Yhapojj's animated delivery and auto-tune drenched vocals as he explores themes of pain, love, triumph, and uncertainty.

Since his Apple Music ‘Top Albums’ charting EP, Evolution of Xur, Yhapojj has ascended through the ranks of Hip-Hop’s new-wave, being named one of OGM’s ‘Artists to Watch in 2024’. In 2024 he developed his live performance through a run of sold-out of shows in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York (where Yhapojj brought out Trippie Redd and performed alongside artists like Bear1Boss and Marlon DuBois), and Restless Fest. Ahead of releasing Before T.LY. Yhapojj shared a flurry of singles such as Flock, Patchmade and recent collab with Nino Paid on last month's "Moshpit", which was praised by both Pitchfork and Stereogum. With P.S. Fuck You and now Before T.LY., Yhapojj is continuing to push the boundaries of what Hip-Hop can sound like with his idiosyncratic, melody-driven sound and refreshing emotional venerability. 2024 has been a catalyst for the Alabama-born artist, finding new sonic frontiers and capturing his generation.