#also had the thought of Sonic being a fusion just so i could bring up super sonic or dark sonic

[looksatyou]

Was on ao3 and saw a Sonic Steven Universe AU and without thinking i started thinking

What gems would I assign Sonic characters and why (i say shoving all my geology books and steven universe merch back into my closet)

Firstly Id have Sonic be Azurite (ignoring thats a canon fusion in SU)

This gems is said to encourage awareness and clarity, this gems will boost you up. Though they do not mix well with water (similar to Sonic being unable to swim)

For Tails I think i found a great gem, Citrine :D

It is described as helping you “manifest your dreams into reality” and Id think Tails would be an offcolor for his two tails

Amy could be a rose quartz for their properties in Love and compassion (and their hardness scales combined with Amy’s hammer)

but I also had a few other ideas but theyd mess with her color pallet ( desert rose ,Halite)

I WAS gonna just say Knuckles would be a ruby and move on BUT I also think he would be a garnet

garnets generate passion and create boundaries

Im incredibly biased for Shadow in making him a Red Obsidian.

Obsidian already has properties in protection and grief, but also decisions and self reflection (also normally used in weapon making COUH COUGH WHO SAID THAT)

im still researching Rouge, Silver, Blaze along with several other characters like Jet or mephiles

[serenawitchwriter]

BNHA fusion (Bakusquad/Deku)

BakuDeku

HE NUMBER ONE HERO

SCREAMS

DESTRUCTION!

is so insecure tho, don’t tell anyone

WILL ALSO TAKE ANY CHALLENGE

SCARY

YOU CAN’T HURT HIM??

SUPER UNSTABLE

ONLY GETS ALONG WITH KIRASHIMA

really wants to be friends with everyone though, please?

WOULD KILL YOU

NEVER SHUTS UP

BREAKS EVERYTHING INCLUDING HIMSELF, STILL COMES AFTER YOU

AND HE’S SMART!!??

HONEST

kinda hates himself, but in an apathetic way

NEVER GIVES UP

possibly Undyne from Undertale?

cries when frustrated

ADMIRABLE DESPITE ALL HIS FLAWS

UNSTOPPABLE WHEN HE PUTS HIS MIND TO SOMETHING

gets strangely flustered around people he admires, comes across as tsundere

KiriDeku

MANLY AS HELL

SO STRONG

FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE

WILL BENCH PRESS ALL HIS FRIENDS AT ONCE

A HERO FANBOY SQUARED

TOUGH AS NAILS

ALMOST ALWAYS SMILING

freckles and shark teeth

explosion of red fluffy hair, green roots

is very private with their insecurity. will go quiet and thoughtful when left alone

unshakably kind

MOTIVATES YOU

TRIES TO USE SLANG AND FAILS

has this weird habit of headbutting things and breaking them?

Bakugou hates but tolerates them? he acts more like a wet cat than sparky sparky boom man

they are LITERALLY the only person who can get away with hugging him

(Bakugou secretly loves them)

SO

MANY

BRO

HUGS!!!

prone towards depression but makes himself feel better by helping people

LITERALLY EVERYONE LOVES THEM

gives off a strangely unattainable vibe

DekuMina

watermelon, freckled pink skin, green fluffy hair that is amazingly curly. horns

green eyes, with black sclara

cute beyond reason

really really excitable

#1 friend, always knows when something is wrong and how to cheer people up

socially conscious. can hang out with basically anyone and be liked

an ambivert

loves dancing and moving and fighting. incredibly flexible but also muscular. sorta Mirko physique only unmatured

has sick kicks and flips

hates bullies and will punch clocks out without hesitation

can be kinda obnoxious, especially because they don’t know how to shut up

will tease you accurately if you call them out. they’re not mean, but can pick out what’s actually wrong. getting called out when you’re trying to be mad is also obnoxious

extremely tactile and clingy. loves hugging and just touching their friends. Mido never felt like he had permission before, but combined with Mina they give out touches freely

slightly dark, self-depreciating humor but you can never tell if they’re serious

both intentionally and unintentionally funny

clumsy, a bit of a space case

makes fun of Bakugou the most

gets really creative in the type of acid they make and how they use it, particularly combined with the tentacle quirk

has no fashion sense. Mina might be able to claim her bright colors and patterns are an aesthetic. but DekuMina can make no such claim. they are an eyesore and they love it. ugly is their aesthetic and they will not apologize

unironically wears eye-searing Hawaiian shirts, bakugou hates this about them

unironically finger guns at every opportunity

KamiDeku

oh man, they are not okay

chronic pain

trying to cover up that anything is wrong with smiles and humor x2

yellow hair with more than once green lightning streak

electric green eyes that glow constantly

attacks with green lightning in general. it’s overpowered but they can control where it’s going now.

unafraid to go all out in a fight and suffers physically and mentally for it

really hard on themselves, low confidence

the kind of adhd where they have a million interest and skill-sets. they’ve learned so much, they genuinely are really smart. but they remember absolutely nothing

they get really frustrated and will often cry because of this. they know the information is there but they can never find it when they need it. they’re just reaching into their brain and finding nothing when they know something is supposed to be there. they hate it

pretty depressed

an incredibly loyal friend, always trying to help no matter how worn out they are

is genuinely really funny. they know how to do critical and aware humor, situational humor, improv. they could do standup if they tried.

probably eats really weird food. i see them combining bizarre food items together and really liking it. will put garbage into their body, shaggy style

easygoing when they don’t have any stressors

but extremely anxious when there are stressors (note: there are a lot of stressors)

stims with their hands a lot. their hands just can’t hold still. will flap twiddle, twitch, tap, anything

the friend that will try to put all the focus on you when it’s clear that they’re the one having a meltdown.

is baby

the friend groups come out in force for this one. they will not let them feel alone or bad. kamideku is getting the support they need

loves cuddles

JiroDeku

vibing

Jirou brings out Mido’s attitude, so honestly they are mean and sassy and sarcastic. they’d insult you and you’d thank them for it

straight green and purple hair in an gradient, keeps the earlobes.

trying and succeeding to be punk rock but is also adorable. like you know they can and will kick your ass, but they are also so short and they have chubby cheeks and freckles. they’re adorable

a short and compensating for it vibe except they are legitimately edgy

they might be nb, but they are also absolutely still a sword lesbian

sonic boom quirk. they will destroy building with their quirk, they will destroy eardrums

absolutely in a punk band and capable of rapping

probably does vocaloid/computer based music

could also see them using a gun

I could see them being into arson, too, hopefully only for good reasons 

is wild and chaotic. they are genuinely having a lot of fun.

their grin is absolutely feral and a threat, and honestly that’s very valid and sexy of them

pretty chill when they aren’t up to shit, 

constantly listening to music, always has a pair of good headphones around their neck

vibes  with Bakugou more than Jirou does alone.

big sister to most of the class

probably kicks doors open

serodeku

spiderman

weird, not in an artistic or intentional way. they just have an off vibe

unsettling smile, freckles, eyes that are a bit to big. curly black hair.

on the plain side

lanky and scarred

can shoots energy, tentacles, and tape from elbows.

great a parkour, has fantastic mobility

full of nervous energy, but still 100% down to fuck with people

secretly a sadist.

will call anyone out when they’re being stupid or reckless

pretty social

loves fruits and vegetables

loves tv, could probably tell you everything about the show he’s watching

pretty bashful

besties with Kaminari and Kirishima

a great hype man

insane, slightly scary pranks

it’s hard to tell what they’re thinking, especially in a fight

fantastic at creating traps and pushing people into them

tries to pretend he’s not as dangerous or confident as he really is. would prefer to be underestimated

tends to talk down his achievements as a result

but knows exactly how powerful they are

(masterlist)

[thanksjro]

More Than Meets the Eye #32 - Nobody’s Ever Actually Dead in Comic Books

Our band of merry guys-who-weren’t-on-the-Lost-Light-in-issue-#1 approach the shattered husk of the Lost Light, in a gruesome scene that is only slightly marred by the graphic design.

Font doesn’t really suggest danger, does it? Here, for comparison, is something I slapped together in fifteen minutes (including recreation of background) using a font I got off a free font site.

Now, one could say that my version is rather derivative, flat, and arguably cliche, but you know what else it is? Appropriate for the fucking mood of having found a destroyed, hemorrhaging ship after everyone you knew disappeared.

I’m available, IDW! Hit me up.

Theorizing that this is the ship that the Coffin Rodimus came from- remember that? It was a few issues ago- the gang flies in for a closer look. The ship blood is actually something called quantum foam, which allows for quantum space travel to happen. It’s not supposed to be outside of the quantum quills, but the ship’s pretty junked up, so it is.

Because the ship is so very full of holes, the gang can set down for repairs pretty easy. They land in Swerve’s, finding it in less-than-pristine condition. They also find evidence of Crosscut having gotten creative, as a poster for the play he was working on is hung up in the room. Considering he was still writing it when he disappeared, this might seem a bit odd. But then you remember that this is a ship from the future, and it stops being so odd.

Because this is a future ship, with evidence that Crosscut did some stuff, it stands to reason that, at some point, everyone is going to come back from being disappeared.

Just to die.

Which is a bummer, but one crisis at a time.

Megatron disembarks the Rod Pod, with Ravage following, and everyone is just a touch put off by the duo. Everyone but Nautica, who proceeds to commit a microaggression.

Nautica, that’s Soundwave’s father you’re petting like a common animal.

Ravage, angered by this over-familiarity, swats at her. Skids questions letting an active Decepticon roam around, but Megatron brushes off these concerns, saying that finding any still-living crew members is more important. With that, the search begins.

The gang splits up to look for clues, despite Riptide thinking this is a horrible idea. They’re on the clock for this one- the quantum foam is liable to explode if it touches anything, and there’s an awful lot of the stuff floating around right now.

Nightbeat and Nautica leave the rest of the group to their own work, seeing as Nautica has the most appropriate alt-mode for traversing the gaps in the ship.

Man, that’s pretty cool. Wish Nautica hadn’t been regulated to being “girl best friend” for her character arcs, I would have loved to see her do some neat stuff for her own development. Guess that’s what happens when you get introduced as main cast late, and have to compete with all the faves who had dozens of issues to be established and who also don’t have to deal with the whole “token girl character” thing.

The rest of the gang- Megatron, Ravage, Riptide, Skids, and Getaway- start looking in the area they’re already in. Seems a little lopsided, but whatever.

Ravage finds someone almost immediately, identifying Ultra Magnus through smell alone. Only, it isn’t just Ultra Magnus.

The Magnus armor lays not terribly far away, having had its hands cut off to prevent the recall signal from being activated before being gut-murdered.

Gut-murdered wiTH A FUSION CANNON, MEGATRON

Of course, Megatron was forced to destroy his fusion canon after it was decided he would be joining the Lost Light, but you can buy these things off the black market like it’s nothing. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if Brainstorm had a few stashed in his lab.

As it currently stands, nobody can trust the guy who has a storied past of killing Autobots, on a future ship where the only folks who could stop him are dead. Megatron, at least, has the good sense to not argue this fact, and suggests that the boys lock both Ravage and himself up until they suss out exactly what happened.

Meanwhile, over with Nautica and Nightbeat, we run through all the weird shit that’s happened in the last day or so.

Nautica, you’ve been on this ship for months now. How did you miss the fact that the only couple within 800 miles got annihilated by way of Phase Sixer? I feel like that attack might have come up at some point.

Since they’re on the subject of spouses, Nightbeat asks Nautica if she’s married, or if she has friends. Though noting that such a direct line of questioning might get him slapped with someone else, Nautica reveals that she is single, though she does have a best friend. Nightbeat is also single, probably because he pulls shit like this.

While this conversation is going on, Nautica uses her Sonic Screwdriver wrench to open a door with the literal push of a button. Brainstorm tricked out her wrench so hard it turned into a magic wand, which is good, because they’re going to need all the help they can get now that space is literally warping around them thanks to the quantum foam.

Nautica kicks something on the elevator, and that something turns out to be Brainstorm’s mysterious briefcase. Too bad Swerve is gone, he was so invested in what it contained. Luckily, Nightbeat is just as interested.

Back over on the other side of the ship, it seems as though Megatron kept his word about not resisting, as both he and Ravage have been locked in a cabinet. Wonder how that’s going for them.

Oh, better than I expected.

Ravage is fucking pissed that Megatron joined the Autobots, thereby turning his back on everyone who supported his cause during the last four million years. Despite this grievous betrayal though, the Decepticons haven’t stopped moving. Turns out, Galvatron’s in charge now.

But only if Autobot Megatron isn’t some sort of ploy.

It’s at this point that we learn just why Ravage is here to begin with- to see if Megatron’s truly given up the Decepticons, and if he has, to murder him. But first he’d like to know why this is happening.

Megatron views himself as a monster, having perpetuated a war that ended the lives of billions, destroyed the Cybertronian way of life, ostracized his race from the rest of the universe, and killing just to have something to do. He doesn’t like feeling this way about himself, so he decided to walk away from that life by joining the other team.

Don’t think it’s quite that easy to do, but okay.

Ravage isn’t so sure that this change of heart is going to stick, still convinced that Megatron will snap back to his old self with just a bit more time. Problem is, Megatron may not have a ton of that resource left.

Didn’t they build that body in like an hour so you wouldn’t die? Yeah, no wonder it feels as ill-fitting as a twenty-dollar suit. Thing’s probably made out of pig iron and duct tape.

The lights come on before further self-reflection can be done, and the duo realize that they’ve had guests this whole time.

Someone put the kettle on.

Obviously some fucked up shit happened on this ship. Megatron isn’t so sure that it’s him who did these dirty deeds, however, as he reaches into Ratchet’s mouth and pulls out his brain. Which feels like something that doesn’t really absolve one of guilt, but okay.

Also, ew.

Back with Nautica and Nightbeat, things are getting weird.

Now, this sequence might seem confusing at first blush, but this is because the laws of reality are collapsing around them. Going by clues in the background, we can find the proper, linear progression of time, and thus is conversation. This is what is actually happening:

With the mystery of Brainstorm’s briefcase eluding us once again, we move on to see more graphic aftermaths of violence. Poor Tailgate has been nailed to the wall with a chunk of a metal beam that’s almost as big as he is. The mood lighting for this scene is gorgeous, but I’ve hit my limit for exposing y’all to gore for this issue, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one. Then they find something even more interesting.

Who’s ready for Under Cold Blue Stars… 2!

Back over on the opposite side of the ship, Riptide’s found something nasty. It’s a bunch of dead bodies!

Including, uh, Pipes.

Who already died a while ago.

Hm.

All the bodies in this room are in their alts, and it looks like they’ve all been shot and drilled into, for some reason. Skids brings up that he had a friend who could identify the placement of any robot’s brain module just by knowing what they turned into. Then he reaches into a corpse to see what the drill-hole’s all about. It makes him sick, though maybe not for the reason you might think. He gets on the phone with Nightbeat, who’s called to tell them that they’ve found Overlord.

Still locked in his weird body harness.

And decapitated.

Megatron is on the other line, calling because he’s figured out the same thing Skids has. Someone paid a visit to this ship. Someone nasty.

The gang regroups, and Nautica gets the basics on the DJD, because I guess nobody’s mentioned them even in passing in the last six months, either.

God, what do they even talk about on this ship? Certainly not their feelings.

The reason that one room was filled with alt-modes was because of Tarn’s addiction to transforming; t-cogs are easier to remove when they’ve been used recently.

We get a quick 4/5ths-page gore-fest, then it’s back to making it all about Megatron.

Maybe you should have thought about that before you FUCKING DEFECTED, YOU POOL NOODLE.

Nightbeat’s beginning to put two and two together. There’s an Overlord in the basement. That shouldn’t be, because Overlord got exploded by Chromedome when he mercy-killed Rewind. Something is off about the past of this ship.

Before he can establish his MTMTE everybody-lives-but-then-dies AU though, the quantum foam fucks with the ship. These sons of guns need to get the hell out of here, pronto.

Oh god, what now?

Ravage smells someone inside the Magnus armor, someone who isn’t a part of the usual nesting doll lineup. Megatron reaches into the Crackerjack box and pulls out one hell of a prize.

HE LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES

Chromedome would be so thrilled, if he still existed.

[blazehedgehog]

Just thinking of some notable Sonic fan-work vaporware. 1. The Sonic OVA sequel 2. SatAM Season 3 (can't remember if there was a stab at animating it, or if it was always intended to just be a pitch + scripts) 3. Sonic XG 4. Ashura: Dark Reign... do you recall any more across your fandom history? Funny that I thought I had a load of examples - yet the latter two are actually getting out of vaporware status. Bonus: The one that's not quite notable, but the one you're personally the saddest about?

The very first Sonic fan game I remember finding, the one that eventually lead me to SFGHQ, was something called "Sonic 2000." Even by now, things like Klik 'n' Play and The Games Factory were the most common ways Sonic fan games got produced, but Sonic 2000 was written for, and in, DOS.

I barely remember it now, but I think it might have been the source of one particular set of Metal Sonic sprites that were pretty common back in the day. Here they are in a fan game recently tweeted by Rlan's SonicFanGameBot:

The only other thing I remember about Sonic 2000 now is that it eventually scrapped and tried to reboot as one of the first 3D fan games -- I believe the coder was going to write his own entire 3D engine to support the game. It didn't get very far to say the least.

My memory is grasping at straws now; I think the villain was also this, like, muscle-bound humanoid cyber-man? The sort of thing where, when you're 15 or 16, it seems REALLY cool, but as you get older you start to realize how much that probably clashed.

Doing some digging, I have uncovered this:

Which comes from this Youtube series. Gameplay looks very much like The Games Factory's default platform movement, so I'm guessing the "I'll make a 3D game!" reboot is when it became DOS-only.

(what are the odds: this person just did a complete TFH playthrough only a few hours ago, as of this writing)

Beyond that, I dunno. Sonic Madventure 2 never came out that I remember? I could never get very far in Madventure 1 (I think my computer didn't like it and it'd crash at a specific part), but I remember being very interested in Madventure 2. But, as I recall, it succumbed to the problem a lot of Clickteam Fusion games had back then: data corruption followed by "I just don't feel like fixing this."

Some of your examples are showing signs of life, however. The Sonic XG twitter account tweeted out two new gameplay videos in February, and Ashura: Dark Reign rebooted in Unreal Engine 4 last year and is making regular updates again.

Season 3 was many things. To my memory, it ended up as a fancomic, which I think is still going to this day. (If you have trouble navigating pages, the next/previous page buttons are the tiny little arrows in the top right, next to the RSS feed icon)

You didn't bring it up, but even Sonic 2 HD is showing signs of life recently.

[searching-for-arcadia]

Sea-Hearts by Margo Lanagan & Vita Nostra by Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko

torchwood fanfic asks

9. AUs? what kind?

Edits aren’t quite responsive since they’re not quite AUs that I’d say I gravitate towards, but more AUs I’d love to see people’s take on (I’ll actually answer the question below).

First, Gwen as selkie (and not the Torchwood selkie which seems to be an opposite selkie) isn’t something I’ve seen done (though if you know of a fic that has done this, please send it my way!). There is something about the soulfulness of her eyes that says selkie to me. A little snippet of something for flavor:

Gwen loved Rhys. He was a much kinder man than the man whole stole her from the sea. He loved her because he loved her, not because he owned her. That was more than many mortal men could boast.

Second, I would love to see a Torchwood/Vita Nostra fusion where Tosh was recruited to the Institute of Special Technologies and goes through the terrifying transformation and education we witness in the novel, but ultimately rejects her place and her power. She retains her brilliance but is always a little afraid from that point on of what she is capable of of. A little snippet of flavor:

She built the sonic modulator with the same sick feeling in her stomach that she had carried with her when she first joined the Institute of Special Technologies. She remembered when she sleep deprivation was driving her to madness and incoherence; she remembered when her studies suffered and her mother was in a near fatal automobile accident. A reminder, her mentor had said, and an incentive to study harder. She remembered the horrible accidents that befell all her classmate’s family members (broken bones, heart attacks, just-too-coincidental deaths); remembered that they were all taken hostage, their families held as ransom or collateral, until the lessons overtook their senses and they fell into the heady trap of being powerful. She was careful, while building the sonic modulator, to not become too interested, to not let her sense of capability outstrip her sense of fear. She would not forget how to be human twice.

And to actually answer the questions. YES, I love AUs. Excluding my already professed love of Chosen One!Ianto and my continual insistence that everybody, Suzie included, should live, here are some of my favorite AUs (in general, I love things that decrease the stakes for everyone involved because these days I just want to be coddled and comforted):

1. Time Lord Tosh or Ianto: I just think Time Lord Tosh makes a whole lot of sense and that she would make a fantastic companion to the Doctor (regardless of whether she’s human or a Time Lord, so that’s another AU for you, Companion!Tosh).  And of course, I love the different ways that people tackle Ianto and Jack after Ianto regains his Time Lord senses (Does he get over it by sheer force of will/love? Does Jack’s fixedness not bother him at all? Does he choose to live as a human because he can’t bear to be with Jack as a Time Lord and he also can’t bear to be without him?).

2. The Team in Boeshane: I love the idea of the whole team being taken by the Rift and dropped off in Boeshane, either with or without Jack and while past-Jack is there or not. I just love Jack’s mother taking members of the team in.

3. Harry Potter AUs: I think that it’s our prerogative to pry this universe out of J.K. Rowling’s hands, take the interesting bits, and then tell better stories in it. I headcanon Ianto as a Slytherin, Tosh as a Ravenclaw, Gwen as a Gryffindor, Owen as a Hufflepuff, and Jack as a Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Slytherin (depending on what happened to his family life prior to his sorting; if there are no incidents, Hufflepuff; if there was an incident with Gray, but his parent(s) didn’t reject him, Gryffindor; if there was an incident with Gray and he has a fraught or non-existent relationship with his parent(s), Slytherin).

4. Daemons AUs: I especially love Daemon AUs that keep the touching taboo and think about how the existence of daemons would impact modern life. I think that the existence of daemons also has interesting ramifications for Suzie and Ianto. Does Suzie persist with the glove even though it can’t bring back a person’s daemon? I think you could characterize her either way. Does Lisa retain her daemon despite her partial conversion? I tend to think so and that the persistence of her daemon is the reason why Ianto doesn’t give up; when her daemon disappears is when he knows its over even if he can’t accept it yet.  I don’t have a lot of defined thoughts about the daemons I’d give the team except that usually, I think of Suzie with a bird, Ianto with a scavenger, and Gwen with a canine. Jack, Tosh, and Owen are more variable in my head. I would also love to see broader HDM AUs that take more of the universe than just the existence of daemons (give me witches and the science of dust).

5. Coffee Shop AUs: Kinda. I’ve never really been particularly into Coffee Shop AUs specifically, though I do love them in the general way that I love fluffy Torchwood-doesn’t-exist AUs (Jack is a traveling artist and Ianto his muse, Gwen is a legitimate psychic who consults with law enforcement, Rhys and Ianto run a restaurant together, Owen as the A&E doctor who treats Tosh after a welding accident, Jack is a sci-fi author and Ianto writes mysteries; the possibilities are endless!), but now I’m a bit of a coffee snob (this happened independent of Torchwood; I developed my coffee habit and snobbery years after watching Torchwood) and know people who roast coffee, so I just want to see more coffee geekery. I do wonder how blasphemous it would be to update Ianto’s coffee tastes to be more in line with third wave coffee roasting preferences/innovations (which was certainly alive and well in the 2000s, especially in certain cities, but hadn’t seemed to hit Cardiff yet).

6. Role Reversal AUs: For when I feel like keeping the stakes the same, I love AUs that put Ianto in charge of Torchwood Three by whatever twist of fate you’d like with Jack working under him. Sometimes he’s immortal (so he takes on Jack’s backstory minus the coming from the future bit), sometimes he’s not (he gets put into power before or after Canary Wharf, though after seems most likely). Sometimes Jack grew up on Earth (either because his entire backstory has been changed or he was taken by the Rift as a child) and sometimes he didn’t (he can still be immortal or he can be a stranded Time Agent/Time Agent in hiding).

7. Dogs AU: Honestly I can’t explain myself. It’s completely silly and I love it. I don’t know if I’ve seen one of these in the Torchwood fandom, but AU where the whole cast are dogs and they meet at a dog park or their humans are neighbors. Jack is a retired military dog. Ianto spent some time as a street dog, was rescued, then there was some incident that put him back on the street, before being adopted (possible by Jack’s human(s)). Gwen is a former police dog that was pulled to join an experimental medical program and she now spends her days sniffing out neurodegenerative diseases. Owen is a therapy dog; his humans don’t get it because he hates strangers, but it’s like he’s a different dog around those in need. Tosh is a scarily intelligent dog who is part of the cohort of animals that is being taught how to communicate using a speech board.

[onestowatch]

Chelsea Cutler Is Recapturing the Euphoria of Human Connection [Q&A]

Photo: Lauren Tepfer

Chelsea Cutler gracefully stands firm in her resolve that vulnerability, communication, and honesty make an album. Her sophomore project, When I Close My Eyes, brings with it a euphoric, radiant energy, exploring a vast range of emotions in unflinching detail. With soft vocals and electronic melodies, Cutler has curated her own intoxicating fusion of pop, electronic, and alternative that truly come to life on her latest effort.

Fully involved in the songwriting, performance, and production of When I Close My Eyes, Cutler cements herself as an artist who not only truly cares about what she’s putting out in the world but one who pours her very heart and soul into her music.

We had the chance to speak to Cutler about her sophomore album, mental health, and returning to the euphoria of being in a crowded room, surrounded by music.  

Ones to Watch: How are you today? 

Chelsea Cutler: I’m feeling good, I appreciate you asking. I got back from tour on Monday night and I went straight to a LANY concert yesterday. I just moved right before I left for tour, so yesterday I had a ton of furniture delivered because it was like my first day home… Then I went and saw Holly Humberstone, and then today, I’m like, “Why have I done all of this?” I am so tired and I should have taken a beat to relax. But, yeah, I’m feeling good, I’m a little tired, but I am so excited for the album to come out.

Walk me through the concept of When I Close My Eyes.

I think the really cool thing about this album versus How To Be Human is that How To Be Human was a really, really concept-based album. When I Close My Eyes, sonically, there is much more cohesion and conceptually, it’s a bit more all over the map, because I think that we all felt a crazy amount of emotion in the last year-and-a-half, two years. I think there is so much time to reflect and think, so I feel like I explored a lot of different things when I was writing, rather than writing specifically about one theme. There’s such a wide spectrum on it. There’s an emotion for everyone. There’s a thought for everyone. There’s contemplation for everyone on it.

You have a great history of collaboration and authentic friendships. Tell me about the importance of those relationships in regard to the creation of your new album.

I definitely could not have made this album without those relationships. I’m really fortunate that I was able—for the first time in my life, actually—to get in the room with an extended period of time with them, to write. We spent a couple weeks in Newport, Rhode Island. ayokay’s parents have a house there and they were generous enough to let us set up shop there for a bit… and Quinn XCII actually wrote his album in that house and kind of convinced me to come out and write a lot of my album there as well. I can definitely say there is nothing more fun than spending a week with some of your best friends, writing music. I live in New York and there’s not a huge writing scene here. I also feel like my circle of friends has always remained kind of consistent since I was in middle school. So, I don’t have a ton of friends in the music industry in New York, so it was like, “Holy cow!,” when I got to spend a whole week with other artist friends of mine. I don’t get to do that very often. It was like the coolest, most collaborative thing, ever! So, I just had a blast and you can tell how much fun we had making the album.

So your album is called When I Close My Eyes. Say you close your eyes and you can open them to see anything or anyone, what do you see?

Well, I think that question changes based on what you’re missing at the moment and what the thing you want at the moment [is]. I think for me, when I was writing this album, all I was craving was being on stage, traveling, being surrounded by my friends. I guess tour encompasses all of those things. So, I think overall, what I really missed was getting to tour and perform for everybody. That’s my favorite feeling on earth. 

Can you boil down that feeling of being on tour?

Yeah, I mean when it’s a good show, it's euphoric. It’s crazy how different, like if you’re standing in front of 5,000 people, it could go one of many ways. But when it’s good, it’s really euphoric. I’m sure it’s probably a really unnatural dopamine rush, but I guess it is natural, because it’s not induced by anything but human connection. It’s like the craziest feeling.

Talk to me about the aesthetics of the album. Did Newport hold any inspiration or was it just a place to be creative?

It was more a place to be. I wrote a lot of the album in New York City; I wrote a lot of it in Westport, Connecticut, where my parents live. I also wrote a good few songs in Los Angeles, too. It’s interesting. I probably wrote like five or six songs on the album in Newport and the rest kind of from those other three locations. I don’t think any one location had too much of an influence over the visual aesthetic. For me, the visual aesthetic was derived from this notion of… I wanted to be anywhere else besides in quarantine, which I think a lot of us felt. I understand that that comes from a slightly privileged place to be able to say that because I know some people had a much more difficult time than I did over the last 18 months. That being said, I think going from touring so frequently and being so busy with work to being quarantined with just my 60-year-old parents and myself at their house. I accidentally ended up quarantining there… That's like a whole other story.

Throughout that isolation, all I craved was traveling again and being with my friends and [being] like a really extroverted person. So for me, the album aesthetic came more from envisioning kind of… I don’t want to say utopian but dreamlike... and just colors and visuals that induce happy feelings and calm feelings and serene feelings. 

When I Close My Eyes gives off the essence of a newfound hopefulness. When I listen to it, it feels like light radiating onto the soul. How are you doing with your mental health and your self-love? How does this album reflect where you are now?

I love that question. Like I said, I think being able to work collaboratively after craving that for so long, that brought me a lot of joy and that was kind of my guiding light throughout the last 18 months. It feels really nice to know that’s what you’re taking away from it, because that’s what I was feeling making it and still what I’m feeling now… I feel like I’m just so happy to be putting out music again, and I’m happy that everyone I know is vaccinated and life is somewhat more normal and we are able to be social, and I’m able to kind of resume in the activities that make me happy that I felt like I wasn’t able to partake in when we were quarantining more strictly. For that reason, since I was able to start writing again, onwards to now, I felt like my mental health has actually been in a much more stable place, because I feel like I’m able to kind of nourish these needs of mine that I imagine most of us couldn’t nourish when we were quarantining more tightly.

Is there a certain aspect of playing these songs live that you’re most looking forward to?

I think there’s just so much joy and happiness baked into the album from when we were making it that I want, especially after two years of us not being able to see live music, I just want to curate a show where people go and feel every freaking emotion of the spectrum, but they walk away feeling euphoric. I want them to feel the way I’m going to feel on stage performing. I want us to remember how good human connection is and that shared energy. I’m more excited to get working on the creative side of tour than I even am to put out the album… as absurd as that is. That’s just how excited I am for both these things, but I am just so stoked to give people a reason to feel things again. When I Close My Eyes is available everywhere you can stream it. 

[the-nysh]

Waaait uhhh, can I hear about some prominent season one characters; Sonic, Mumen Rider, the S classes (in particular; Tatsumaki) and Lord Boros?

Oho, ok let’s see... :D Again, I read the manga before s1 aired, so I’m basing my honest first impressions off of that (and what I can remember).

Sonic: from his first introductory panels, I remember being excited/intrigued he might be a girl! :O Like, ‘ohh?? A ruthless dark assassin who’s female? That’s pretty fresh/neat!’ Until he was revealed as a dude and I was like, ‘oh. ok.’ Then my interest in him honestly waned. ;o; Simply put, his character’s appeal in the fandom just wasn’t ‘my type’ either. Also because many of his appearances and use in the story were mostly for gags, it wasn’t until ONE finally fleshed out his backstory with Flash (in the webcomic, yes it took that long) that I was like, ‘oho, NOW we’re getting somewhere!’ 8′D That his character finally gained more appeal/substance to me rather than being mostly used as the butt end of a joke. So whew;; I was so glad ONE finally wrote him seriously to be able to appreciate him for real. :’D

Mumen Rider: back then, he went by ‘Licenseless’ in the fandom. A very good, wholesome lad who’s self-aware but also knows what’s best and when to act when it’s the right, helpful thing to do. :’) He feels like the warm comfort of a mug of hot cocoa on a brisk, chill winter morning~

S Class: at first, nothing resonated about them in particular, other than recognizing they were all outlandish & traditional character tropes (on purpose, yes even the offensive/outdated ones to western eyes) that ONE was playing around with and/or deconstructing for the lulz.

Tatsumaki: a little bratty and grating in attitude at first, but seeing how she’s an honest workaholic and asserts her strength brought to the workforce...yes, that’s something I can work with. A bit shockingly heartless in the wc, but the manga fleshing out her character more, and demonstrating both her prowess and efficiently as a hero, now that’s definitely served her well. If it weren’t for Blast’s placeholder then yes, Tatsu would be the top, most active hero! I’m impressed.

Boros: a very flashy and flamboyant dbz parody. Extremely (unfortunately) short-lived too. His presence almost feels out of place in the story looking back in hindsight. But his character marked the end/turning point of opm’s ‘introduction/prologue’ saga, before it could switch from something episodic into something more legit/serious with an ongoing plot~ So I kinda look back at him ruefully, but appreciate how the story transitioned because of him too. :’)

I also wanna hear what you thought about some season two characters other than wolfie; Fubuki, Suiryu (tho I remember going real far back in your blog and you being blunt about not liking the tournament arc, unless I'm misremembering ^^'), Lord Orochi & Gyoro Gyoro. (Also ofc gotta ask if you feel for King's "persona". I remember being genuinely shocked lol.)

Part 2 with s2 characters continued! (Oho other than wolf boy~)

Fubuki: other than her gorgeous face and inferiority complex vs her sister (giving her flaws with which her character can grow), it was specifically her manipulative behaviors (trying to recruit Saitama with ulterior motives, rather than being honest/upfront about it) that honestly put me off about her. Since manipulative characters are not my thing. (Also some trivia: when I showed my mom s2, who yes liked Genos the most in s1 and got feels for Garou in s2, even she disproved of Fubuki too!) So yes, I can honestly say I generally prefer Tatsu over her. However, I feel Fubuki’s strongest character moment is when she finally confronts and asserts herself vs Tatsu in the wc’s post-Garou arc. Which made me honestly proud of her progress. :’) So I hope to see that part (and Fubuki’s true strength) Murata-adapted someday.

Suiryu: so the manga’s tournament arc in general wasn’t my thing either (but I believe gofancy was the one who was most openly blunt about not liking how it overstayed its welcome + real estate.) Simply because it was the first major diversion from the wc, and I remember how Murata’s pace was pretty slow back then too, leading many fans to dropping and/or putting the manga on hold for a while. :’) Suiryu’s initial character wasn’t my type either, for the overconfident, dismissive, sleazy/lazy, self-serving flirty/womanizer traits. Also wasn’t my thing. But I felt his incoming Gouketsu-beatdown was...unfairly brutal. D: Made me feel honestly bad for him. (Yikes, ONE doesn’t hold back at all when characters get their humbling comeuppance.) I’m glad he’s since had a change of heart and seen the value/light of true heroism (which warmed me up to him), but I still don’t know what to think about his wc’s counterpart (which honestly surprised me to see ONE use a previously manga-only character!) Wc Suiryu feels different in vibe, like he’s yet to undergo that same character development. But it seems ONE’s got further plans for Suiryu’s use in the story this way, so I’m eager to see what that’ll be..

Orochi & Gyoro (Psykos): first time seeing Gyoro in the manga I was like !!! 8D because it meant wc Psykos was incoming~ But seeing Orochi I was like w h a t. Because Psykos (Gyoro) was supposed to be the MA’s figurehead, but she was tiny and unassuming compared to...this new guy puppet (??) (She’s now the villain mastermind behind the scenes -played straight- I guess!) So there was confusion at first to what in the world ONE was thinking by presenting them this way! And well, by now Orochi’s inclusion (as the ‘monster king’ to rival what wc Garou would have dominated) has certainly escalated things and wreaked havoc....but we’ve still yet to see how things will resolve following their fusion. So...a big unknown of uncharted territory that’s difficult to form an honest impression about, other than...I’ll wait to see what happens.    

King: I personally found his ‘persona’ reveal to be a brilliant twist. :’D He’s also eternally suffering and can’t easily escape from what others assume of him, so wow, I do feel for him. Also probably one of most self-aware, sound of mind (Reigen-equivalent) characters with the most common sense in opm, so that’s pretty fresh/valuable to have. I also personally find his moments to be some of the funniest/absurd in the whole series (especially his wc staredown vs the MA cadres, that’s hilarious) for how he -an otherwise non-powered but anxious guy- manages to survive and bullshit his way out of increasingly ridiculous scenarios! So yes, a very unique and entertaining character who brings some interesting spice to the opm character roster. :D

[cgmayra]

Thank you for answering my question about Amy's crush on Sonic. I agree with your explanation on why her crush is a key part of her character. I noticed that your post mentioned a scene possibly not being delivered well in the English version. Do you think there is some type of values dissonance going on between Japan and the West when it comes to how Amy's crush is written overall? I've heard that Amy's crush and her character in general has a more positive reception in Japan than in the West.

Mmmm… Yeah.

Also, you’re very welcome :) my pleasure!

It all started with Sonic X’s English script.

Honestly, in Japan, Amy is seen as a normal girl common to her anime trope. She’s also widely loved and stated to be ‘Endearing’ in the japan’s culture, especially with her Japanese values such as loyalty.

 Originally, America branded her to be a ‘comedy’ character which has since backfired. (Sadly, a lot of their direction has been to popular tropes of that era, instead of developing characters further beyond.)

SEGA’s standard is to keep moving towards the future, stay with the times, when they should be thinking about timelessness, and staying ahead of the game.

In conclusion, my personal, humble opinion is that they dated themselves to where they’re ‘iconic personalities’ don’t work well in our modern society anymore.

Amy went from this:

Japan: A devoted lover who is overjoyed to see her hero after so long and being worried sick about him while he was fighting the good fight.

To this:

America: Overly dramatic, clingy lover who just wants to be noticed by the man she craves, still loyal and true, but with a comedic sense that has been mostly lost to our time and modern era. Now we interpret this as “Stalkerish” or “Codependent”. Which are definitely more negative than “hopelessly in love with the main hero” or “Desperately longing for main hero.” Grease and other classics like It’s A Wonderful Life or Princess Bride. But these movies have an edge in classic timelessness in that they don’t treat their supporting leads as simply ‘Comedic’ and instead, the girls have full arcs that end up ending with getting the guy in the end.

What makes other game companies pretty successful is there sense of having timeless characters that grow as audiences do as well.

Sonic’s primary audience should be the young adults that have grown up with him, and through those young adults then the younger generation will follow in pursuit. (A.k.a How Nintendo now markets is a good example of knowing ones brand, and advertising to your target market well.) However, as I see how Sonic’s marketing team runs things, I’m afraid they continue to try and pull younger audiences, and this could work if the material was taken more seriously with professionalism. But we’re reduced to memes which will date the product even further back then it already was.

Their catering to a particular side of the fandom as well helped somewhat in their small success with Sonic Forces, but it’s the young adults they should really consider and hiring those who understand the modern medium. They were going for, “Yeah! Kids love angst!” but they didn’t seem to grasp what the modern concept of ‘Angst’ was. It was like your grandfather trying to re-envision and explain modern kid culture when he clearly has no idea where the century is. They don’t understand where to go, and I hope they’ve found some solutions with younger blood in the talent pool such as Sonic Mania creators, new Animation team that worked on Sonic Mania Adventures and the Team Sonic Racing shorts. These new talents are not only huge fans, but understand perfectly the Sonic recipe which the corporation has been failing to grasp and been falling on their outdated degrees.

I know this sounds kinda harsh, please don’t see it that way. This is something I have observed and looked into. I’m sure many have different research results and/or perspectives, so please find your own information and decide what you feel has or hasn’t happened.

As for me, the Sonic branch has a good start with Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces. It’s trying to emulate the same tactics as Nintendo but aren’t true rivals anymore (and just aren’t Nintendo either. That brand doesn’t work with their formula), so I would suggest to their stockholders to stop trying to make fast money like Hollywood tends to push but to allow true creative geniuses to approach with on-brand ideas that can help bring a modern format that also respects and keeps the traditional Sonic alive and kicking once more, take the professional advice from the original Sonic Team who are the true masters of this brand and name, and give up pride for reinvention and dedicate their time to fresh ideas that blend the already established Sonic into a beautiful fusion that resonates with Fans faithfully and remains strong to modern audiences as well.

Don’t abandon what you did right, or the lore of the whole of Sonic’s universe, but simply allow real Sonic fans with real talents and creative minds to come in, train them, but let them also go off to give Sonic a real resurrection in the mode and format he was made to be in. Sonic’s a punk of the 1990s, it’s time to make him smooth rebel in defense of the ‘save the planet’ type formula with a rocker’s attitude. And for gameplay? Let those who actually know how to make a Sonic game make them. Sonic Team needs support again.

Anyway, this is long. Yes, Amy is mistranslated to where America has rebranded her. Japan hasn’t really done enough to correct this, but a good example of how lost Japan is to what America has done is when a Fan asked her creator– “Why did you design Classic Amy in the clothes she was wearing? Was it to make her a tomboy and tough?” which is what America tried to re-re-rebrand her as.

Then he famously (to me, anyway) laughed in the microphone and answered in Japanese, “I thought she was cute. Isn’t she cute?” to which the audience seemed confused.

Then he went on to explain Amy’s true character, which was the most honest reaction to not understanding why the audience was so iffy in their reaction.

This scene was honestly heartbreaking to me, seeing her own creator feeling the need to explain his character because of poor translation errors, not just between cultures, but because Writers completely went off the original material.

He went on to say Amy was designed as a love interest for Sonic, but as her mind is always on Sonic, his mind is always on what’s next, the adventure. So he created someone who would work for Sonic’s lifestyle, always happily chasing after him as he happily chases after the next challenge or danger to his world.

He asked, “Now isn’t that more interesting?” to which the audience continued to be confused.

I have the video somewhere in my favorites list, hold on one moment please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nzxRoIX4QU&t=1561s - THIS TOOK FOREVER TO FIND. Go to 38:40 or so, and I’d also like to state that Sonic Boom 2013 Q&A is a really good panel to watch overall. There are a lot of good Q&A’s and I like them because the creators answer you directly, you know?

This is also just one of the videos with him being interviewed, there are many others, like the one about the clothes and whatnot. But they’re so old and I had such a hard time finding this one again that I’ll let you do your own digging on those ones XD

It’s sad cause you can hear a fan go, “Why are there so many Amy questions?” And the boy with the camera say, “Oh, cause he’s the guy who created her.” It’s really sad to hear that, you know?

Anyway, enjoy the video ;)b

[cyberramblings]

Thoughts on Recycled Sonic Zones

So, the 3 most recently released Sonic games that I’ve actually beaten have been Generations (all the way back when it actually came out), and then Mania and Forces recently. I own Lost World, but haven’t beaten it, and it isn’t relevant right now because I want to talk about revisited stages. Generations, of course, revolves around the concept of revisiting 9 classic stages in both 2D and 3D. Mania primarily features existing stages since it is a budget title and deliberately nostalgic. Forces heavily features classic zones, although it is a little less cut and dry.

So all three of these (relatively) recent Sonic games feature classic zones, but there’s more: all three feature Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone. I see a lot of Sonic fans online complaining about how overplayed Green Hill is, but my first thesis statement today is that Chemical Plant Zone is approaching that level of overuse. Personally, I am a big Chemical Plant fan, but the boring way it is used in Sonic Forces kinda bummed me out, especially since it didn’t feature the best part: the classic music.

My second thesis statement is the reason why Chemical Plant Zone has become the #2 to Green Hill: Emerald Hill (and most first levels of Sonic games) are too similar to Green Hill, but Sonic 1′s second level Marble Zone is horrendous. I had planned on doing a writeup on one Sonic zone per day on this blog, but I couldn’t get past Green Hill because the idea of replaying and reflecting on Marble Zone just didn’t appeal to me. Great music and visuals, but terrible level design. Marble Zone has an emphasis on slow, cautious, punishing gameplay right after the easy, breezy, beautiful Green Hill. As a kid, I don’t think I ever got past Marble Zone, so Sonic 1 for the longest time conisted of a great first level and a terrible second level. Going back as an adult only reinforced that idea, but admittedly the zones after Marble bring the quality up a bit.

Maybe this is a reach, but now you can see why I think Sega deliberately leaned into Chemical Plant. Maybe it is as simple as the zone being a fan favorite or the music being *chef kiss*, but I think there is some credence to my theory.

What I really wanted to talk about today, however, is some classic zones that deserve to be featured in future Generations/Mania-style games. The first one will surprise you...

Marble Zone: Now, I know I just dunked on this zone, but the music and visuals are great, so I would love to see a Mania-style remix of this level that leaves everything the same, but plays with the idea of an above/underground split more intelligently and does a better job using Sonic’s speed. The original zone features countless crushers, spikes, and lava pits. Just take out the spikes and crushers, and introduce something like the fire shield to make the lower levels speedy but dangerous with Sonic needing a powerup to navigate the lava. Sonic Mania likes to feature one big gimmick per Act, which would fit Marble Zone perfectly as a replacement for the crushers. Instead, have machinery that can launch Sonic, transport him beneath the lava, or smoothly transition him between being above and below ground.

Emerald Hill Zone: I don’t have much more to say other than that Green Hill is a little overplayed, so this would be a nice way to mix it up. I would also love to see a fusion of Green Hill, Emerald Hill, Neo Green hill, etc.

Literally Anything from Advance/Rush: Now, technically Water Palace is in the 3DS version of Generations, but I would love to see these games get a little more recognition, maybe even some kind of rerelease on modern consoles.

Angel Island Zone: Somehow, this Zone has barely been featured in other games, despite the island itself appearing in the plot of both Adventure games and being crucial to the character of Knuckles. Technically, this Zone only reappears heavily remixed in Sonic Advance and as the setting for a handful of other zones in Adventure and Advance 3. Despite that, this level is important enough to be the only original Sonic remix produced for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, 4, or Ultimate. I think this zone could be revisited even in a wholly original Sonic game (like the impossible third Adventure game).

Palmtree Panic: Personally, I feel like this is the most coherent area in Sonic CD, so its the one I’d most like to see return, although I’m not big on Sonic CD in general.

Special Stages: This are a huge part of the identity of a Sonic game, but are sometimes overlooked. Mania features the Blue Sphere special stages from 3&K plus a kind of remixed version of Sonic CD’s special stages. Sonic 4 features a remixed version of Sonic 1′s special stages, although Sonic 4 is so old, small, and unpopular that I feel like another crack at that kind of pinball-adjacent special stage formula is worth a shot. Generations 3DS features Heroes’ special stages remixed, which is super cool. Sonic 2 special stages are famously difficult and frustrating, but could be reworked. 3D Blast on the Saturn is considered by some to be the best special stages, so seeing those return in some form would be pretty neat. Speaking of...

3D Blast At All: Now, I don’t particularly enjoy 3D Blast, but seeing even a little reference to it would be cute.

Twinkle Park: I feel like this is one of the iconic levels of Adventure with memorable music and several different unique areas (the outside, the inside, plus the racing segment). I’d particularly love to see this remade in 2D or featured in a Sonic racing game.

Windy Valley: I feel like this is more of a just decent zone, but it would be cool to see since Emerald Coast was already featured in Generations 3DS.

Pumpkin Hill: This (I believe) was the first of the outright “spooky” levels that would we see as a theme in Heroes and Shadow too, plus the rap song is iconic.

Metal Harbor or Green Forest: Just more Sonic Adventure 2 acknowledgement, please, plus Metal Harbor has that ska music.

Chao World: Either the hub world or the place where the Chaos race in Adventure 1/2 would be an amazing easter egg or whole zone.

[savagegardenforever]

   Australian music act Savage Garden will always be revered as a commercial tour de force that launched Australian pop music to the stratosphere in 1996, propelled by a series of chart-topping hits from their debut, self titled album followed by their 1999 sophomore release, Affirmation. While tracks like Truly Madly Deeply and I Knew I Loved You would attain significant success breaking through to international markets, there was far more to this group than a seemingly uncanny ability to create pop hits. Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones would be the creative force behind Savage Garden, instrumental in writing and producing their own material, first out of a family home in suburban Brisbane and then a recording studio in Sydney. A shared devotion and love of music and performing would bring the pair together, and a unique collaborative dynamic would lead to the creation of truly eclectic and exciting material.

    Hayes would discover a love and passion for music from childhood, crediting Prince’s iconic Purple Rain soundtrack as pivotal in shaping his fascination with music, “I remember I got a walkman for Christmas and I got Purple Rain by Prince and it just changed my life and listening to the stereo mix and it did something to me that music still does to me now. It physically stops me from being able to concentrate.”

     Jones similarly, had been immersed in music from an early age and between this constant exposure and his competitive nature, he would learn to play a variety of instruments as he notes, “I was brought up in a household where in one room there was a drum kit and in another room there was a guitar rig and another room there was a bass so I had older brothers in music so I’d walk in and sort of I’d be a little threatened by my brother playing drums better than I would so I’d go in and I’d practice when he wasn’t there. Then I’d go into the guitar and play guitar and so this was at the age of about 10, even earlier on the keyboard so I guess I’ve always known that I would do music and I survived on it throughout my late teens in pub bands and things like that so it was just a matter of time before I found something that I could really sit with and go okay, I’m going to work this as hard as I can.”

    As would be reflected in the sonic eclecticism of Savage Garden’s catalogue, both Hayes and Jones would be influenced by contrasting styles growing up. Darren cited the importance and influence of pop music, “I’d have to say that I definitely was a pop fan because I grew up, you know, I was born in 1972 and I watched the whole pop thing happen. I think that the album that changed my life wasn’t The Beatles, it was Prince’s Purple Rain m y’know, Duran Duran. “Pretty in Pink” was one of my favourite teen films, so yeah, I was living and breathing the whole Flu-Row experience, I guess.”

    Jones would find himself immersed in different genres, that would lead to this fusion in style evident in the group’s work. He further elaborates, “Pop definitely not all the time for me. I went through a phase of ska and punk, “oi!” music for a while there when I was a teenager, but what that did is open up a lot of various types of influences throughout my music.”

     While Darren would exude a natural and playful confidence as the un-official front-man during the duo’s electric live performances, he discussed how attending Michael Jackson’s Bad Tour in Brisbane would greatly influence his aspirations to be a performer, “It was Brisbane, 1987 and by a crazy stroke of luck I ended up front row for ‘The Bad Tour’ and I witnessed him at the absolute Olympian peak of his prowess. He would move one finger and the entire arena would scream. I looked around that room and I knew I was going to do that some day. I wanted to lift the energy of a room when I walked into it and I wanted to take people away from the sadness of life and into a dream world. That night, I stopped being a fan and I observed him as a student. He’s still my hero.”

   Hayes would continue to nurture this element of his personality growing up as he notes, “I was at university I did a lot of moonlighting in theatre productions and different plays. I was expected to be a doctor or lawyer but I left university one month before the end of my course. My parents were livid, my father thought that I was completely mad, but now he’s our biggest fan.”

    While Hayes and Jones had clear aspirations to work in the music industry as performers, they would not meet until 1993 via an ad posted by Jones looking for a singer in his band. Darren elaborates, “Daniel was in a band called Red Edge in Brisbane, they had a lot of interest from a record company but they were looking for a new singer. I saw their advert in the Aussie NME saying ‘Serious singer wanted.’ The pair would first speak over the phone with Hayes eventually auditioning in person for the position. He recollected on the experience further, “It was the first audition I ever went to. Um… when I spoke to him (Daniel) on the phone, I clicked, and even after the audition, I remember leaving his house, I went to a restaurant with a friend of mine and I actually said to her, “I think that I’m gonna be really successful. Like I can feel it in my bones. Just from meeting this person.”

    Darren would be successful in joining the band, however, it was clear that there was chemistry between both Hayes and Jones that would form a deviating musical output. Daniel elaborates, “I instantly thought it would be interesting to work with him. I liked his personality and his input towards the songs and I thought he had a really nice voice. After being in different bands for about a year, we decided to write a couple of songs together on our own. That’s how Savage Garden started.” By 1994, Hayes and Jones had parted from Red Eye and began writing material as a duo tentatively titled, Crush. The writing and recording of these early tracks were done at Jones’ suburban home prior to the pair’s signing with a record label. Daniel recollects, “Darren would come round to my house everyday and we’d try and write songs. They were some of the best times I’ve ever had ‘coz it was a real challenge. We even soundproofed my bedroom with a load of mattresses so it felt like a proper recording studio!”

     Hayes’ and Jones’ collaborative relationship was based on a healthy competitive nature. This was combined with a clear admiration and appreciation for each other’s particular strengths in the process of song writing and composing. Darren elaborates, “I mean, Daniel doesn’t do lyrics. He wouldn’t even touch melodies- not his thing. Likewise I’m not interested in spending a day behind a keyboard working out the EQ on a drum kit. We have to work round each other a lot, But I think it helps make what we do much, much better.” Daniel shared a similar sentiment, “I’m his instrument! He would say, “Let’s try that!” and hum something and I would put it into musical terms. For most of the time though, I’ll conic up with music first. Darren is perhaps more the lyric man. I do what Darren can’t do and Darren does what I can’t do.”

     The competition between the pair of who could create the more impressive piece of music would also be a significant factor in fostering the exciting material that would come from their collaboration. Darren elaborates, “I think it’s with fondness that we remember writing songs and recording songs because it’s never a struggle. It’s never a battle. It’s just “here, I’ve done this”… and it… it’s a little game almost. We try to top each other. Daniel will write a piece of music and it’s like, oh my God, it threatens me because it’s better than anything we’ve done so I’ll go “Okay” and I’ll have to go away. And I come up with something that’s better than than ever, and then, so I might come up with a song lyrically that just blows him out of the water and the melody’s really quick and he’ll go, “Well, have a go at this.” And then he’ll pull Carry On Dancing out of the hat and just show me that.”

   One of the earliest tracks written and recorded by the pair at Jones’ home-turned recording studio is the ecstatic, A Thousand Words, which would appear on the group’s debut album a few years later. The track begins with eerie synths before launching into a funky mix of loose guitar riffs, a subtle bass line and stabbing keys embellished by a subtle guitar line. Hayes recollected on the origin of the track, The first track Daniel and I wrote and finished together was A Thousand Words. And it was funny, I remember sitting in his front room and we said, “Let’s… we’re gonna do this, let’s write some songs” and he said “What do you want to do?” And I said, “I’ve been working on this song” and I pulled out the chords to Right On Time by… uh… that band, whatever that was (Daniel: Nightclubs… ) really simple house song and y’know and sang this different melody over the top, thinking I could fudge it, and Daniel said, “Eh, well, you know, we could go that way, but a zillion bands have, y’know, what do you actually want to do?” We started talking about music and I was really into Achtung Baby by U2 at the time and, I don’t know, Daniel was a big fan of INXS and Seal, I guess. But he pulled out a chord progression, which is the chord progression in this song and I pulled out a like a Manchester kind of beat to go over the top of it, and it became… it filled the room. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is the most full, you know, piece of music I’ve ever heard in my life.” And when I look back now, Daniel probably thought it was really simple, but for me, it was the most musical thing I’d ever seen or heard.”

    While the pair’s compositions would continue to develop and evolve, A Thousand Words is a demonstration of the clear talent and sophistication in Jones’ musical ability, creating a vibrant and interesting sonic landscape with pop sensibilities. The composition would also be an indication of the fusion of various genres and sounds that would continue to be evident throughout the band’s catalogue. Between the funk elements evident in the percussion, contrasted with the prominent guitar riff reminiscent of rock, with pop chord progressions, it’s clear that the pair’s genre-crossing inspirations would be evident in their music.

   On top of this composition, Hayes’ details the breakdown of a relationship with the lyrics, using his exceptional ability as a songwriter to paint vivid, visual images:

We stumble in a tangled web Decaying friendships almost dead And hide behind a mask of lies We twist and turn and we avoid All hope and salvage now devoid I see the truth behind your eyes

    Darren elaborates on the writing of the track, “One of the two songs about conflict in relationships. This track is a very personal snapshot of a real life argument and a play on linguistics and twisted meanings. The rhythm section of Terapie Richmond and Alex Hewitson take the track beyond its original Manchester feel and make it alive, grunting and believable.”

    The exciting result of the developing song was vital in instilling confidence in the pair and encouraged them to continue to create music as Jones notes, “We were so confident after that, that we just decided to come back to each other’s house every day. And really that’s all this band has been. It’s just a decision for both of us to keep coming back every day and keep doing it.” In a retrospective interview after the release of Savage Garden’s debut album, Daniel discussed the recording of the track further and the special distinction it holds on the album, “A Thousand Words is a song… that was… it was the virgin song. It was the first song that happened. I still think you can see Darren and I learning about each other in listening to that song. It’s.. that was sitting there sort of like looking up at Darren and looking up at Daniel and the songs can say different things to each of us. But I think it’s great that it’s on our first record because it means a lot in that way.”

    As the pair continued to write and record in suburban Brisbane, a reflective night at a local bar would lead Jones to compose what would become one of the most important and iconic tracks in Savage Garden’s catalogue. He elaborates, “Like a lot of Australians I was up the pub on a Friday night, I was maybe eighteen or nineteen… I’m like “you know what, I don’t belong in this pub”… I walked home…I got home and I started composing what ultimately became the whole To The Moon And Back. From the start of the intro, to the guitars, to the chorus, to the little melodies in there, the orchestral piano string ending. I remember going, “this is going to be my ticket that’s gonna stop me from having to go back to that pub and drink.”

   Daniel would present an early composition to Darren as he developed lyrics to accompany this atmospheric instrumental. Hayes elaborates, “This was one of the first songs Daniel and I wrote together. It was a beautiful, space-like instrumental that Daniel had been working on for quite a while. He showed it to me and I took it away to work on the melody and lyrics. The song came together very quickly. We recorded the song and included it on our first demo tape.”

   The lyrics would resonate with Daniel in particular as he noted a parallel in his own emotional state with Darren’s lyrical inspiration, “It’s a strange metaphor for me but that song saved me, as well as when Darren contribute his lyrical story to it. It floored me even more so because it was a very personal subject for him about a friend of his, that probably wasn’t that dissimilar to me in the sense that they were lost.”

    By 1995, Crush had been renamed Savage Garden as an ode to a passage in the novel, The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice to which Hayes was a big fan of the author. The pair had recorded enough material to produce a demo tape that they began dispersing to various record labels to no success. It’s estimated that Hayes and Jones sent out approximately 150 copies with all but one rejection. John Wordruff who previously had success managing Australian groups, Icehouse and The Angels was excited by the material he had heard. This early incarnation of To The Moon And Back had the record buff particularly excited, as he noted, “It was pretty much as it ended up on the album. Obviously a bit rougher but it came from a home studio but the same vocal, same arrangement. Much as we were in the middle of the grunge era, and I managed rock bands, it was pretty undeniable.”

   Beyond the material however, Wordruff was confident in a partnership after meeting Hayes and Jones as he recollects, “I thought they were brilliant. I thought the discussions we had together was some of the most honest and frank — albeit somewhat naïve from their perspective that I ever had with a new artist. That was what got me even more so than the music. I was still debating that with myself, because the closest thing to a pop band that I had ever looked after before was Icehouse.” John would become the pair’s manager and presented the demo tape to two major record labels, both of which passed. This disappointment would not last, however, as Wordruff was able to negotiate a contract with label Roadshow/Warner music and after the success of the pair’s first single, I Want You, Hayes and Jones entered the studio to work on Savage Garden’s debut album. The pair were finally seeing traction as they went from Jones’ Brisbane home to a recording studio in Sydney.

   While the pair had up until this time, written and arranged each aspect of their music on their own, Charles Fisher would be brought in to produce the album with Hayes and Jones. Fisher had previously produced various other Australian bands including Air Supply. Beyond producing the album with Hayes and Jones, Fisher would also provide mentorship to the pair who were only freshly immersed into the professional recording space. Charles recollected on when he first heard the pair’s demos, “When I first heard it, there was one song that I thought was magnificent, and that was a song called To The Moon And Back. It was so good, I thought anyone who could write that, could write They hadn’t done much recorded beyond the primitive demos they had done in their own home, so there was a lot of education involved in getting them to do what I thought needed to be done.”

   With a professional recording studio at their disposal and an experienced producer alongside them, Hayes and Jones began to record new material and develop the early demos they had recorded in Brisbane. It’s important to note that the pair had delivered demos that while primitive had featured the vital melodies and progressions that would be instrumental in completing the finished tracks. Fisher elaborated further, “The songs were there, the structure was there, we really just had to come up with a bit of a sound to the whole thing cos it was just Darren and Daniel. It was all very simplistic in the demo stage so we had to blow it up a little bit but the songs were there, and when you have the material, the rest is easy.”

   This sentiment is evident on a number of tracks, including the early demo of To The Moon And Back. The melody and chord progressions are clear and evident from this early incarnation, however some aspects of the instrumentation differ from the completed track. The subtle, but infectious bass-line and the light, airy synth lines during the verses remain intact, however, many of the futuristic keyboard sounds would be removed and replaced with multiple guitar riffs. The percussion would similarly be replaced with a more live and acoustic drum pattern. Jones’ sublime keyboard coda during the outro is also evident with dramatic synths eventually being replaced by the string arrangement that would be featured on the completed track. An acoustic Spanish style guitar solo would also be added into the bridge giving the track a more contemporary feel. A number of sound effects would also be filled throughout the track to compliment the imagery of the lyrics. Darren recollected on the re-recording of the song, “One thing we didn’t say about To The Moon And Back was the fact that it was incredibly hard to record because the demo was so…perfect. It was a really simple song and it had out of key singing in the demo had cheap keyboard sounds, but it was so believable. And that’s the reason why everyone hooked on that song. And recording To The Moon And Back, we really tried to jazz it up, change it, and make it this and make it that and we almost lost it. I think we only just got To The Moon And Back.”

    With the new-found budget and opportunities that came with this record deal, the duo were able to employ the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to record the string arrangement featured during the climatic finale of the track. Hayes elaborated on the outro further, “It I was a huge Bjork fan and I always love songs that kinda came back for a revamp so from a structural part of view, it was a much different song. At the same time, we were worried that it might be too serious, I could never tell if it would be a hit or not.” The sublime outro is a perfect intertwine of Jones exceptional keyboard skills present on the demo, contrasted with the dramatic tone of the heavy string arrangements.

   Coupled with this stellar composition, there was a maturity and sophistication to the lyrics that would separate Savage Garden from other contemporary pop acts. Hayes perfectly compliments the visceral composition with lyrics filled with various metaphors, creating a distinct and atmospheric visual imagery. Darren elaborates, “I guess it carried a weight to it and maybe a maturity that we didn’t really have at that time but were hoping to be.” Daniel similarly notes, “I wanted people to understand that yes this is a pop band, but it was an intellectual pop band… yes we have pop melodies, yes, we have pop progressions but we’re saying something lyrically here that’s a little more clever than “oh I want you.”

   The first track to be developed at the Sydney studio with Fisher as their new collaborator is the funky Violet. The pair brought with them a sparse, but compelling demo with the melody clearly established and propelled by an infectious synth and bass line. Prominent keys and a snare drum would give the song a catchiness and energy complimented by Hayes’ quirky lyrics, detailing the “disco in one’s mind.” The sessions took some time to get traction as Jones noted, “It was actually a really hard song to record cause it was our first one. Darren and I had just flown down to Sydney, just met with this producer called Charles Fisher, walked into the studio, and all looked at each other and said “Where do we start?” And one of us said “Violet.” (sighs) And about a month later, we actually got something happening on Violet. That’s how long it took before we actually got something moving in the studio.” While all the key elements were already evident in the pair’s demo, Fisher would begin to put his own touches on the track, polishing and adjusting certain elements of the composition. In particular, Charles would take the infectious bass line and add various effects to distort and compress the sound. As Jones notes, “Great idea from Charles of the bass line came out in the studio, um, just started distorting it, made it really fuzzy, funky, blues…this song’s got everything.” Hayes similarly recollected on how the song began to take shape with the irresistible bass line, “It moves and jumps now, and it’s fat and fuzzy and very funky and as soon as that happened, the whole song just came alive and then we were lucky enough to have Rex Goh and come in and play some fantastic guitar on the track.”

  Goh would add some bluesy guitar riffs to embellish the track further, adding to the sonic landscape and complimenting the metallic clang of the prominent snare drum. Jones discussed how Fisher’s advice would be instrumental in providing the pair with perspective when creating these vibrant compositions, “Charles’ motto would be “Less is more.” And it was a perfect motto to have, for Darren and I, because we like to feel things out. We liked as much as we can put down, we’ll put it down. Um..and we needed someone like Charles to go, “Okay, think about this, guys, why do you actually want to do this? You don’t have to if you do this.” And it was as simple as that. And we’d go, “Yeah, great idea.”

   There is an energy to Violet that while clearly evident on the demo would be magnified and heightened with the adding of various subtle but key instruments. Darren discussed further, “It reminds me of the energy that you hear in a Prince track or Need You Tonight by INXS. There’s just something about it. It has a sonic quality that just… it bubbles and pops.” The pair would spend a significant amount of time with Fisher developing the track from the demo to the completed product as Darren notes, “We actually shelved it halfway through and thought well, hang on. You know, spent copious amounts of time working on the rhythm loop and the bass line, just trying to make it work, and in the end the solution was really simple.”

   Other tracks would experience a more radical change in sound as they were being developed in the studio. One such example is the vibrant, Tears Of Pearls. The genesis of the song deviated from the usual collaborative process between Hayes and Jones, with Darren taking a role in the creation of the composition.

  Jones elaborates, “I remember feeling like I was writing a song that Darren would want to write. That happened for time to time with the pair of us. I’d give him some lyrical suggestions and say,“Look I really want to write a song about this or about that”, and I think Tears Of Pearls for me, was a song I was writing because he was asking me to write this type of song. Nearly literally, like kind of going “can you do this beat?…And I was literally carving it out in front of him going, “Is this what you mean?” The early demo would be more so reminiscent of electronic music compared to the completed track with a plethora of pulsing synths behind a deep computerised drumbeat. This initial mix would include a slightly different melody with a synth line appearing throughout that would eventually be dropped. The pair would return to Tears Of Pearls in their Sydney recording studio alongside Fisher to re-vamp the production. Hayes elaborates, “We were never really that keen on it, and it changed a lot during the recording process, and Charles Fisher did a wonderful job of producing. Just the little things in that track like there’s a string line which is in unison with my melody. There’s a glockenspiel in the chorus. It was all very Diana Ross and The Supremes, Motown kind of production values which we’d talked a little bit about. it’s nice. It’s a got a real Eastern feel to it now in the guitar solos and I think it’s quite exciting.”

    Many of the keyboard synths would be removed from this final mix and the drumbeat would be replaced with a pattern more reminiscent of dance music as opposed to electronic. Similarly, strings would once again be inserted throughout the track, most notably during the sublime bridge, swelling and dramatic while recalling elements of the string section in Upside Down by Diana Ross. A pulsing bass line would also be evident during the final mix alongside an organ solo. Fisher would also include eastern style guitar riffs into the track to give it a more exotic and fuller sound. Jones similarly recollected on the evolution of the track, “It sort of popped up in the recording process, and it was a few people’s favourites within their companies, and Charles and the people that we were dealing with. I just didn’t know where it had come from. It’d come out of nowhere. But I did like the change that it took in the recording session with the Eastern feel, the guitar riffs and the intros. It was sort of a technical thing, and one of the bottom E string was actually tuned to a D.. um… I think accidentally. And it was actually sounded a little sitar-y like, and it worked.”

    The influence of pop superstars and some of Hayes’ musical idols would be evident in the sound of Tears Of Pearls, with the artist attempting to create a track that could be performed live with theatricality. He describes further, “I always had an obsession with New-Wave and big pop stars and even though I didn’t listen to Duran Duran as a fan as a kid, when the 90’s happened, I started the 80’s obsession. I was a hipster retro-ist from the very beginning; I really missed the new wave era. I was into Michael, I wasn’t into Duran, I was into George Michael, I wasn’t into Morrisey So, I think there was definitely a camp theatrical nature to the whole movement that I didn’t experience and I mined very heavily I think as a style…I think Tears Of Pearls was a very definite and obvious attempt on our part to really be camp, be theatrical. Create this almost bourgeois sound.”

    The inclusion of string instruments in many of the pair’s compositions would become one of the defining sounds of a Savage Garden production. Mine would be one of the first tracks in which Jones would include string arrangements to replace what were originally synths on the pair’s early demo. This transition from prominent synths to the sweeping and swirling strings that would be evident in the final mix brings further intensity to the composition. Jones elaborates, “I really enjoyed working with the strings. It was one of the first songs that I had sort of thought about doing a string arrangement, in some of the string breakdowns and what not. And I really, thoroughly enjoyed it… I really enjoyed bringing out… emotion within the stringed instrument world.” Besides the strings, the various percussive elements are another integral element that conjures the atmospheric composition. Between the deep bass and various drum effects, the pair place a delay on the instruments to form a unique contrast and interplay. Hayes elaborates, “You Could Be Mine is, it’s a song that’s really, musically, all about delay. It started off with a bass line and a drumbeat, which delayed, and subsequently every instrument just had to be delayed too… Every instrument is cycling through a delay in its own time, creating a swirling continuous swell that culminates in the instruments finally locking together.” Hayes lyrics detail an obsessive desire for the unattainable; a common lyrical theme that would appear on a number of the pair’s tracks and perfectly compliments Jones’ dramatic composition.

   This element of a grand and theatrical sound would be evident on a number of tracks being worked on for the group’s debut album. Another such example is the kinetic, Carry On Dancing. The track is once again inspired by Hayes’ love with Anne Rices’ novel series, The Vampire Chronicles. Darren described the intended visual imagery of the track, “The scene is just before midnight … a full moon at a masquerade ball … avant-garde strings, timpani and even castanets create the gothic feel of the song, inspired by Anne Rice’s vampire chronicles. The feel is grandiose and theatrical.” Jones would fill the track with distinct synths that would carry the melody, while also recalling the dramatic tone of string arrangements. The prominence of keyboard throughout the track in conjunction with the clattering drum fills, would give the song a distinct electronic sound, noted by Hayes in the removed lyric, “It’s something more than a techno beat.” As the pair worked with Fisher in the studio, the track would see an expansion in sound as the synths were replaced with the luscious and sweeping string arrangements that would define the completed song. While there is a clear progression between the pair’s sparse demo and the vibrant mix created in the studio a year later, this isn’t so much an overhaul as an expansion and fulfilment of Jones’ creative vision with the resources of a professional studio. Daniel recollected on the evolution of the track, “Carry On Dancing…very grand, very avant-garde, very over-the-top. Expels a lot of Darren’s inner personality. I love the combination of strings and pianos. In the recording process, we managed to get some timpani samples and some castanets and what not, so we just tried to make this bigger than life.“ Darren similarly recollected on his thoughts hearing the completed mix, “I remember hearing the finished mix and it was bigger than I’d hoped it could get. It was just um it just feels so grandiose; I think that’s a good word for it. When I hear it, I see things like a masquerade ball in the 18th century and a werewolf or a vampire perhaps outside stalking the people inside.” Carry On Dancing would be an example of just how integral Hayes and Jones’ early demos would be in shaping the sound of what would become the grand completed tracks.

    The electric pop classic, I Want You which would become a breakout single for Savage Garden would go through an extensive development before it’s completion and release. Beginning as an early demo entitled Today…A Bad Day, the pair would extract key elements from this early version as they created what would become the classic track. Hayes elaborates, “I Want You had so many different incarnations. I think it was a demo called Today…A Bad Day and there was just something in the sound of that demo that was worth keeping.” While the basic elements of the song were developed and recorded in quick succession, the track would be put on hold before resurfacing later in the sessions. Darren recollects, “It just seemed to happen. I remember coming back the next day in the little room out in the front and sort of singing it. It was really quickly written, to be honest. I mean, we… I think I sang this song 2 days before we flew to Sydney to record the record. And we had it on TDK tape, just on a TDK tape. And it was the least produced or finished demo that we had for this record and was, in fact, almost shelved. It was.. we tentatively put it up for selection, and it was politely looked at but sort of sat by the wayside. But by the time we recorded about 8 tracks, I guess we just slipped it in and somehow it was assumed that we’d record this one and it, it seemed to turn out really well.”

    Hayes sings of waking from an erotic dream and the pursuit to replicate the feeling once again. He fills the lyrics with surreal metaphors and similes, intricate wordplay and eccentric thoughts behind the sound of a thumping beat. Darren elaborated on the writing process for the track, “It is a nonsensical song. It’s a song about a dream that I had and it’s a song that lyrically, really my voice is like a bass instrument in that song. It’s just stuttering along like a rhythm instrument and so the symbols will come first and the lyrics were something that I did pour through a thesaurus and I did look through my dictionary. I thought of as many colourful, fantastic adjectives and analogies that I could use to describe this thing.” Jones similarly recollects, “The original idea was very simple: to use the voice as a rhythm instrument — cramming in as many syllables as possible into one phrase.”

    Hayes’ unique vocal delivery evident during the verses would not only add to the compelling instrumental but also give the track a distinctive personality. Jones elaborated on this further, “It was easier for Darren to sing the faster the tempo because he didn’t have to hold his breath so long which was quite ironic because it’s already a very fast vocally song… The fact that he was pushing it to go faster cos it made it easier for him, it’s all part of the particular magic of that song.” In contrast to the verses, the chorus is particularly simple but effortlessly catchy. Darren elaborates on how it developed, “I guess that idea for that chorus, it was really a background vocal, there was no lyric… that became a chorus. I remember being very precious about lyrics and very overly detailed. One of the brilliant things that Daniel does is he sees the forest for the trees and he just said to me “What about something really simple? Why don’t you just have a simple chorus?’ and that’s where the lyric I Want You came from.” One of the most compelling aspects of this chorus are the luscious vocal harmonies that create a perfect interplay with Hayes’ lead vocals, adding warmth to the already vibrant vocals. Jones elaborates, “The recording process really bought the song alive. The simple vocal in the chorus became a bed of 12 voices. Six of Darren’s and six of session singers that we sank very low in the mix to give the chorus the thick layer of vocals that you hear.” Darren continues, “I’m really proud of just the production value and I love the blend of the vocals. There’s about 12 vocals in the chorus, all double-tracked and harmonised. And the vocal in the verse is so fast and so intricate and it always seems to fascinate people, and I like it.”

    The brilliant composition is just as eccentric and captivating as the lyrics, anchored by pounding bass, spacey synths, a clashing snare and a subtle but essential guitar riff. With Fisher at the helm as the track was nearing completion, it was clear that I Want You had great potential as a first single. Daniel recollected on hearing the completed mix in the studio, “When we played it in the studio in Melbourne after it had been mixed, we spent all day on the mix and they played it as loud as they could through the biggest system in the studio. It was that moment where you felt it and heard it and everything seemed to have all come together on that particular song. It was probably then, no one knew who we were at this point… I saw myself being able to perform to hundreds, thousands, if not tens of thousands of people at that particular time because of how powerful this song was from my point of view.” Not only would the track become one of Savage Garden’s most commercially successful songs and help launch them to stardom, but it’s also an example of how tracks would often evolve significantly during the creative process.

  Another such example with a more radical shift as the song evolved is the funk-rock track, Break Me Shake Me. Similarly to I Want You, the song developed from a earlier demo entitled Stepping Stone with the songs’ lyrical content being inspired by a fight between Hayes and a close friend. He elaborates, “Nat is my friend I met in grade 3. She was a Madonna fan, I was a Michael Jackson fan and then through high school she used to look like Madonna. I was obsessed with vogue-ing so naturally we were just very close friends. She’s always been there for me and like all good friends, boy have we had fights. And Break Me Shake Me is about one of our fights.” The track would be revised with the lyrics re-written as Darren’s relationship with Nat evolved and no longer became relevant to the conflict expressed on Stepping Stone.

  As Darren elaborates, “It was a song called Stepping Stone. And we reconciled after that song and we became friends and everything was fine, but the same sorts of things started to happen to our relationship and subsequently, the song had to be re- written. Because the first song didn’t describe the situation anymore. This is part two of that song. Um… and yeah, it’s schizophrenic. It really is quite crazy. I remember we started recording Stepping Stone and it just didn’t feel right and I started singing a different melody. I started singing the words “I never thought I’d change my opinion again” and Daniel said, “That’s a great melody,” and then we ended up re-writing the song.” It was clear as the track was beginning to take shape that the pair were expanding into a harder rock sound than what they had recorded previously.

    A combination of clear inspiration and unadulterated self-expression would be essential in developing the sound of the song. Jones elaborates, “Break Me Shake me was inspired by a combination of the guitarist Steve Stevens who was Billy Idol’s guitarist and Michael Jackson. And I think at that time in our lives when we were writing, I came from 80’s rock music so I was all about 80’s rock, big hair, big guitar… Darren was very, very much into the Michael Jackson super-stardom of the 80’s. And I think when Darren and I were our true selves, Michael Jackson would come out of him and some 80’s rock guitarists would come out of me and thus Break Me Shake Me came out of it.” He continues, “I think I remember writing the bass line and then I remember looking at Darren and he’s doing these finger snaps like Michael Jackson… and the song just started to create itself.”

   Between the irresistible bass line and finger snaps that open the track, and the slow build of various forms of percussion including tambourine, Break Me Shake Me is instantly captivating to the listener within the first couple of seconds. The verses are sparse, yet rich, with the composition perfectly complimenting Hayes’ sublime lead and background vocals as he sings with subtle conviction. All of this culminates to what is akin to a sonic explosion during the chorus with heavy guitar and thundering drums propelling Hayes’ intense vocal delivery. The combination of various contrasting guitar styles from the funky Prince-like guitar riff that enters during the second verse, to the hard-rock reminiscent riff that dominates the chorus, adds to this sparse yet layered composition.

  Rex Goh would once again lend his talents, performing the aggressive guitar solo featured during the bridge. Darren elaborates, “When Rex Goh played the solo we were jumping out of our skins. Even though it goes all over the place we felt that the solo was perfect. It was a single take and was so angry we just had to keep it.” The pair would revisit this guitar orientated rock sound on other tracks produced during these sessions such as Love Can Move You. Break Me Shake Me demonstrates that there would not be a single genre that would define the sound of Savage Garden as the pair would pursue their own artistic compass and influences, wherever it would take them.

   While eclecticism would be a integral aspect of the pair’s work as they bridged and combined a wealth of genres, Hayes would experiment with his own writing style and vocal effects on the magnificently camp, All Around Me. Being the principal lyricist, Darren would deviate from writing about his own personal experiences and look to Daniel for inspiration in writing this funky anomaly. He recollects, “Quirky, freaky, bizarre, fun. Initially it was my attempt, lyrically, to include an aspect of Daniel’s life in our music, Because I felt a bit selfish that I’d taken over certain themes and whatever, and Daniel has an obsession with Meg Ryan, but it’s a healthy one. He loves Meg Ryan very much. And in our little home studio there’s about 14 or 15 pictures of Meg…some of them wall-mounted. One of them from me as a gift to Daniel. And there’s a scene in a Meg Ryan film called “When a Man Loves a Woman” and she’s dancing. And she dances in a certain way and she says the words “stick-on tattoo.” And the way she says those words is the personality of this song. We wrote a song for Meg Ryan to dance to, and it’s all about being obsessed with Meg Ryan.”

  Once again Hayes conjures a striking visual imagery with the lyrics complimented by an instrumental recorded by Jones at their home studio. Beginning with a flurry of screeching synths and a variety of drum patterns, the track continues to build an infectious groove propelled by the bass until the bridge, in which Hayes performs a brilliantly quirky rap with his voice pitched up. Darren discussed the inspiration for the eccentric performance, “It’s like being an actor. It’s like performing. It’s doing to your voice what a costume can do to your voice in a stage play. To be honest, really, the only effected part of this song is the rap. And it’s actually the speed of the vocal and it was a mistake. I was stuffing around with the vary speed dial on the multi-track recorder, and I realized that you could change the pitch of your voice. So I um pitched it up a notch, basically. Like it’s pretty close to the normal pitch of my voice, so there’s a hell of a lot of play-acting happening in that rap. Um and when it came back, it sounded like chipmunks on steroids. And I really liked it, so we kept it.”

  Hayes would once again revisit this studio technique, on another track recorded during this era, the wonderful, I’ll Bet He Was Cool. As All Around Me continued to be fleshed out during the recording process, certain elements of the composition would be omitted or replaced, giving the track a greater polish and expansion with the inclusion of various instruments. One of the most notable contrasts is the replacement of the synth line carrying the melody with a funky loose guitar riff. The verses would be stripped back to just the infectious bass line, a slapping snare drum and Hayes’ exceptional vocal performance. The amalgamation of various genres and styles present on the track is a testament to the pair’s various influences. As Jones noted, “It’s a very bitty song. The song’s in bits and pieces, and it’s a little funky and a little disco and it’s…there’s hippie elements to the song as well. It’s like computerised hippies.”

  This is one of the elements that would make Savage Garden’s output unique in comparison to many of the Australian acts producing music at the time. This exploration into various contrasting genres mixed with a little camp would be evident on tracks like All Around Me. As Daniel elaborates, “They’re songs very strong in melody and I think that you can look at the date that we were born and the music that we grew up listening to and you can see similar structures. I think the ’80s were a time very much like the ’60s in which there is a real focus on melody and I think that’s what we see in our songs but I think more than anything if I could have a career like a band like INXS or U2 because they manage to metamorphosize and change and they’re always relevant but they’re not repeating themselves. I think what we’re doing, this is pop music and by that I mean we’re taking the sum of our influences within pop culture and we react to them and then we make something. We don’t reproduce the past, we react to it and I think that’s what a band like U2 does and that’s what I think Savage Garden would like to do.”

  One of the greatest assets of Savage Garden was Hayes’ exceptional and versatile vocal range. Between his sublime and cathartic falsetto and ability to provoke various emotions, it was clear that his exceptional song-writing skills were matched with indisputable vocal talent. This is demonstrated to full effect on the atmospheric ballad Universe. The song began as an instrumental demo developed by Jones based on a prominent guitar riff. He elaborates, “It actually started out… it sounded like Eric Clapton had met Joe Tetriani in a pub and said, “Let’s go home now and write a song.” When it first started, it was a guitar-based… groove. With some sort of, like a, lush sort of keyboards creeping in here and there.” As Hayes began writing lyrics for this early demo, the development of the track headed in a different direction as Darren’s love for RNB and Motown would have an influence on shaping the emerging song. He recalls, “Well, I heard it in a different way. I thought once again, like Moon And Back, I thought it was one of the strongest pieces of music that Daniel had written, at that stage; he’s since eclipsed himself. But at that stage, it really was, and I just had some ideas for a feel and the bass line subsequently changed. It became more Smokey Robinson, I guess. Um… to be honest, we’d been listening to That’s The Way Love Goes by Janet Jackson — I thought it was a fantastic, sexy slow groove and I really wanted to sing a sexy, slow song and that was Universe.”

 As evident in the instrumental, which fused a drum beat reminiscent of American slow-jam RNB with the spacey and stark synth line, the pair’s various contrasting influences would help shape the composition. Jones elaborates, “Universe was a little bit of a “we aren’t 100% sure who we are so lets have a go at writing this RNB like, sultry, sexual beautiful song that you’d want to make love to.” And I think it was a little bit of Darren’s RNB flavor that he has and then it was probably fused with my English big –sweep synthesizers and kind of ambient seductive feel. It was really a song that was a bit of an experiment because we were trying to figure out who Savage Garden were at the time because it was undiscovered.”

  The inspiration for Darren’s sublime and sensual vocal performance originated from the Motown artists he grew up listening to. Artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and others would help shape Hayes’ vocal identity and the iconic falsetto that would become synonymous with the group. Hayes recollects, “When everyone else was listening to Duran Duran and Cyndi Lauper and new-wave pop, I was listening to Motown records. I was listening to Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, I was understanding who Smokey Robinson was. And I think that helped me develop a falsetto voice. A lot of the time I was imitating these artists and I couldn’t sing and I was a male and a lot of them were females or had high voices like Smokey Robinson, so I would just imitate them not understanding at all what I was doing and that was called falsetto…I just hit the notes, I didn’t understand how or why but that influence was ingrained in me and Universe was really the first time I let that stuff out. In my mind I guess I thought I was singing Sexual Healing or Tears Of A Clown or something. It was definitely an homage to or an unconscious release of those crooners that I listened to in the Motown era.”

  While Fisher would be brought in to polish the track during the album sessions, engineer Mike Pela who had previously worked with artists such as Sade and Maxwell would also contribute to mixing the track alongside Tears Of Pearls. Pela would bring an international influence, enhancing the RNB and soul elements of the track. Darren notes, “It was finished and recorded and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, and we really liked it. We were really happy with it. When we went to America, the Americans had an idea for it and they really wanted to see if they could change it. Um…and it was given to Mike Pela, who’s done a lot of work with Sade, Fine Young Cannibals, and when he came back with the finished track, it sounded like a Smokey Robinson song. It was really, really ironic that it would go that way.” It’s not hard to see why a song like Universe could have appeared quite easily alongside the RNB landscape that dominated the 90’s. Between the drumbeat and the infectious bass line, coupled with guitar riff embellishments, the composition is warm and a perfect companion to Hayes’ seductive vocal performance.

  As the recording sessions were nearing completion and Savage Garden’s debut album was beginning to take shape, an impromptu trip to America would birth one of the key ballads that would feature on the record. The pair were originally planning to fly to London for the final mixing process however due to budget restrictions, this didn’t eventuate. As mixing was instead relocated to Australia, Hayes would use the money he had saved to take a trip to Los Angeles. A few days in Santa Monica would give Darren the inspiration to write the sublime ballad. Hayes recollects, “By the time we got to the end of the trip we were in Santa Monica for two days. Well I fell in love with it and I remember walking around the third street promenade and I went home and wrote these lyrics to this song.”

  The feeling of alienation and isolation that came from being immersed in a foreign country and environment would form a central theme to the developing lyrics. Darren elaborated on the lyrical inspiration further, “It really was written about Santa Monica, about feeling so out of place in a new city but seeking comfort behind the mask of a telephone. We were just getting into the Internet and we found it interesting how in cyberspace you are only as interesting as your mind. You can be anything you want to be. So sitting in a cafe in Santa Monica on day, this strange thought came into being.”

  While the verses detail an observational account of Santa Monica with references to coffee shops and skate boarders, Hayes also touches on the displacement of being an outsider as he contemplates and questions, “What am I doing here?” As evident on the lyrics featured in the chorus, he finds salvation in the fact that through cyberspace and Internet, he can control his own perception and image to seemingly fit into any situation.

Beauty so unavoidable Everywhere you turn It’s there I sit and wonder what am I doing here?

But on the telephone line I am anyone I am anything I want to be I could be a supermodel or Norman Mailer And you wouldn’t know the difference Or would you?

  Hayes discussed the meaning of the track further, “It’s funny because it, it’s, it really has captured for me just a sense of uncertainty we were feeling or I was feeling at the time of the record. It ties in… my American.. reaction and my experiences with America as a first-timer and for me, just hints at a little bit about the public mask that we’ve started to put on and how through the telephone or through my computer or on the internet I can hide behind something and I can be anything I want to be and you wouldn’t know the difference. And that’s that song.”

  As Darren returned to Australia, he would bring the idea to Jones and the pair would develop the track further. Hayes elaborates, “We had finished recording the record, and I was walking along, and the, the pace of my walk probably set the tempo of the song. And the chorus came straight away. The chorus, melody and the lyric was there, I sang into the tape deck and I went back to Daniel and said, “Look, I’ve got this song. I think it’s really, really good,” and played it. Um… but I… there was no verse progression at all. And so Daniel played a progression and I started singing over that and it just came really easily.

  The song would be recorded back in Australia and mixed by Daniel’s brother. The composition is warm yet also somewhat melancholic with an emphasis on keys and a subtle floating synth line present during the verses. The inclusion of various minor guitar riffs would add further depth to the composition. It was clear that the track was truly magical however it was not intended to be included on the final configuration of the album. This however, would change as the track listing was being finalised.

  Interestingly, Savage Garden’s most successful track to come from their debut album would be recorded as the last song during these sessions. The iconic ballad Truly Madly Deeply evolved from an earlier demo entitled Magical Kisses recorded by the pair years earlier. The track was faster in tempo, brighter in composition and featured a different chorus. While the prominent keys that would define the ballad were evident on this early version, they would be accompanied by an assortment of flourishing synths that would eventually be removed as the song evolved. There’s a significant contrast in tone between Magical Kisses and what would become Truly Madly Deeply; somewhat a reflection of the pair’s circumstances at the time. Hayes recollected, “It’s strange, this one, because before we recorded the record, it was a very different song. It was faster, it had a completely different chorus. And during the process of recording the record, I guess we changed a lot. We’d been relocated to Sydney. We were there for 8 months. It was the first time either of us had really left our families. Um… we were living in a one-bedroom apartment, on each other’s case every day. It was quite a stressful situation, and it was the last song that we recorded for the record. And I think, we talk about this now, even though it’s a love song and it’s based on a very personal experience, it’s still a song about being homesick for us actually, just about the people that you love.”

  While the pair saw potential in Magical Kisses, Jones had reservations about the heavy pop sound of the chorus. He elaborates, “One of those days when Darren and I relationship was being tested on a creative level. I remember kind of nearly begging with Darren to change the title of the song and to actually re-work and look at the chorus because for me at the time, it just didn’t sit right with the sound of what Savage Garden was becoming. We had this very pop song with a very pop chorus called Magical Kisses so it didn’t sit right for me and Darren, God bless him was understanding enough to re-work the chorus and he sat down and said, “what about this?”

  A trip to a Sydney café would give Hayes the inspiration to re-write the chorus as he elaborates, “I remember I wrote the chorus in I think it’s called Bayswater Brasserie on Bayswater Road, Sydney… um over a cappuccino and we actually had a keyboard and everything set up on in the hotel and I went back and we sort of sang the song. And it just seemed right. And suddenly this song was a much more credible, believable song than Magical Kisses had ever been, and it was because it was from the heart.” As Darren presented this new poetic chorus to Jones, it was clear that this was the element needed to elevate Magical Kisses to something truly extraordinary. Jones wouldn’t be the only one to be instantly receptive to this re-write as Hayes recollects, “I wrote the melody in my head because it was a completely different chorus previously. I went into the studio the next day; I was recording my own vocals. Charles was in another room and I said “I’ve got this idea for that song, let me just try something.” Recorded it and I think he said immediately, “that’s a number one single.”

  The composition would also see a significant overhaul, with the tempo being slowed down dramatically. Jones recollected on how this alteration occurred, “There was a day when Charles and I were just hanging around, not really doing much in the studio, and uh, we had this song, Tru — uh… Magical Kisses it was called and we wanted to play around with it a little bit. And we found a loop from some CD there and it was like really slow, and we were trying to put it to this track and it just wasn’t working. So we said, “Well, why don’t we slow the whole song down so it fits this loop?” And that was the way it sort of ended up getting, you know, half the speed that, that it started out with. And it was a bonus. It just came out of nowhere. A definite bonus.”

  By the time Magical Kisses had evolved into Truly Madly Deeply the composition would be noticeably sparser, with focus on the keys and a prominent acoustic drum loop. Hayes would also add incredibly luscious vocal harmonies during the chorus, adding warmth to the already whimsical lyrics. Both Darren and Daniel would cite the track as being one of the strongest produced during the final weeks of this ten-month long recording session, and thus it would be highly considered for a place on the impending album. Darren elaborates, “It was intended to be a very quiet, down-key finish to the record. And that’s how we tried to produce it. And during the recording process, it just showed itself as a much stronger track, and uh… when we looked at the finished record, we realized it was probably one of the strongest tracks on there.”

  If there’s one word to describe the body of work produced by the pair alongside Fisher, it’s eclecticism. The sheer scope of Jones’ musicality and Hayes’ lyrical depth on early demos and both album and non-album tracks alike, demonstrate clear ambition and no set of rules. Between the glitzy funk of Memories Are Designed To Fade and the harder rock sound of Love Can Move You, there’s an element of experimentation that exudes from these various efforts. Hayes would similarly explore lyrical themes relating to his struggle with sexual identity on the haunting B-Side to Truly Madly Deeply, This Side Of Me. Early demos such as Tell Me It’s Ok recall elements of Culture Club and In This Lifetime, industrial new-wave.

  Another track worked on during these sessions that remained unreleased for many years is the soaring ballad, She. The song would go through a number of radical compositional revamps during it’s development. While a 1994 demo version of the track was released on the greatest hits compilation Savage Garden: The Singles in 2015, another vastly different demo of the song exists. The 1994 mix is more akin to a ballad, sparse and featuring only Hayes’ sublime vocals, distant strings and a piano, however, this alternate mix features percussion, a prominent synth bass line and an increased tempo. This change in melody is coupled with the addition of background vocals. While the lyrics are almost identical, the tone of each version is vastly different due to this significant contrast in composition.

   Jones recollected on when the track was first written, “From memory I think we just sat down and literally wrote it together in my parents’ house in Brisbane. I remember my mother really liked the track, the innocence and raw beauty of it. It’s very pro-female song so I think a lot of girls will relate to how powerful it is for them. I think that was probably the biggest reason why my Mum really took to this particular song”. Hayes recollected on the lyrical inspiration for the track in a retrospective interview, “It’s a long time ago, but my recollection is I was writing about the relationship that I have, and continue to have, with the women in my life. From my Sister to my Mother and all the friends and the wonderful female relationships in my life. I know I’m indebted to these incredibly strong women who loved me and taught me what it was like to be strong and succeed in a world where you sometimes feel underestimated.”

  The pair had recorded a wealth of tracks during this almost year long recording session and enough songs to fill more than one standard album. While some would appear as B-Sides on already released singles like I Want You and To The Moon And Back, the task at hand was to create a cohesive album. Santa Monica, which had appeared as a B-Side on the To The Moon And Back single, would be considered to appear on the forth-coming album. Hayes elaborates, “Santa Monica was intended to be a B-side, and we actually pushed a recorded track off this record to put this one on.” The enthusiasm of the record label would be a deciding factor in including the track on the pair’s debut album, despite the fact that it had already been released on the single. Darren continues, “This track appeared as a bonus track on the “To The Moon & Back” single. When we released “Moon” we felt that the song had more potential than we had at first thought. Then when we went to America, the record company fell in love with the track.”

  As the track-list was decided, the final configuration of the album would include an eclectic and healthy blend of various different styles and genres. From the RNB reminiscent ballad Universe to the hard-rock explosion of Break Me Shake Me, the pair’s various different musical influences would be reflected in their debut effort. Fisher discussed his intention with the sound of Savage Garden’s eponymous debut album, “I wanted to just combine influences from the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90’s. I just wanted the entire sound to have so many different influences that it became undefinable (sic).”

  Fisher would also add some final touches to the completed mixes, adding various little elements to sweeten the compositions. Darren recollects, “Charles baby-sits the record when you leave. He spent two weeks tweaking it. We came back into the mix and there were little glockenspiels and there were string sections in there and just tiny little pad bits that he had added at the end. Um…which just… they were like the seasoning, you know, on the meal. It just really…touched it off really nicely.” Hayes discussed how instrumental Fisher was in also guiding the pair in producing and taking ownership of their work, “I think we went into this record waiting for people to just turn it into a great record. We had the songs. Tell me where to sing, tell Daniel what to play, we’ll do it. It was slow process, and what it did, it taught us to take responsibility. More than anything, I think Charles taught us to make it our record, without taking anything away from Charles. He made us sit down and make decisions and be responsible for what was on tape. Um…taught me a lot about the physical nature of recording, about using equipment, um introduced us to the sampler, suggests little… little sections in songs, which you don’t think are that important, but in the end, actually really top off the song.”

  The track listing would differ between the original Australian edition of the album and the various international versions. Promises would be another track that would originate from the demos recorded in 1995. The song would go through an evolution in sound and structure with Fisher suggesting to transform the outro into what would become the bridge. Hayes did not particularly favour the song and was hesitant in including the song on the international version of Savage Garden. However, due to pressure from the US label, the song would ultimately be included and All Around Me and Mine would be removed from the American release.

  Other songs would be reshuffled with the chart-topping hits I Want You and Truly Madly Deeply being moved to Side A on the international configuration. Hayes discussed his preference for the flow of the original order and how it exemplified the build up of strings that would feature on the album, ”I love the track listing of the Australian album. It’s actually different to the rest of the world. To me, it starts off with To The Moon And Back and we hear the strings and Carry On Dancing comes in at full force, and Pearls carries it along. It’s again, we hear the strings section.” Not only would the track listing differ but some songs would feature a different mix. Most notably, Truly Madly Deeply would undergo a change in sound with the acoustic drums being replaced with a more commercial dance-influenced beat. The distinct keys on the original track would be lowered and instead an organ would take prominence. The guitar riff would also be more evident during the chorus on this new mix. While the original ballad was certainly accessible and had all the elements to be a significant hit, this international version seems to be mixed for a greater commercial appeal.

  Savage Garden’s debut self-titled album would be released on the 4th of March 1997 in Australia and international territories the following year. To call the album a commercial success would be a vast understatement. Boosted by the success of singles, I Want You and To The Moon And Back, the album would stay at the peak of the Australian charts for 19 weeks. The success would not only be domestic, as the album would attain significant sales internationally. Truly Madly Deeply would top the single charts in the US and the pair would be launched into superstardom by the summer of 1998. Savage Garden would also attain unprecedented critical success in Australia, grasping 10 Aria Awards in 1997, a record that stands unbeaten today.

  While Savage Garden will always be regarded for their iconic hits that defined Australian and international pop music in the late 1990’s, their greatest work lies beyond the numerous chart toppers. The collaborative relationship between the pair, anchored by Hayes’ sublime lyricism and Jones’ talented musicality would be instrumental in creating the exciting material that would appear throughout their discography, reflected on both their debut album and their second and final album, Affirmation.

  I’m sure most artists say this, but my favourite songs are not the hits. I’m grateful for them, but I love songs like “Break Me Shake Me,” “Crash and Burn,” “Two Beds and a Coffee Machine” or “All Around Me.” [Those] are by far more my cup of tea. You can never tell which songs will be hits, but we made 95 percent uptempo electronic pop music, yet we’re most famous for those two ballads. — Darren Hayes

  I think that I could survive on song-writing and live performance only in all what happens within this business and that’s from videos, the photo-shoots, the press, whatever, I mean, if I could just have that hour up on stage and then a few hours during the day to write a song to get up on that stage, I’d be happy. That’s all I need. — Daniel Jones

[thesinglesjukebox]

ROSALíA - MALAMENTE

[8.23]

This song won Best Alternative Song and Best Urban Fusion/Performance, and based on this score, probably should have won everything else too.

Leonel Manzanares de la Rosa: Flamenco-pop, flamenco-tinged R&B, even flamenco rap and flamenco-reggaetón, are nothing new -- past heroes like Rosario, Bebé, Chambao, Papá Levante and fusion legends Ojos de Brujo all have enjoyed international projection and can be considered Rosalía's natural predecessors in that aspect. Rosalía gladly and effectively acknowledges that tradition while contributing to it with her empowered R&B-flavored chants, and the latin urban sensibilities in El Guincho's productions. "Malamente" establishes an interesting dynamic between the modern synths and pads and the traditional palmas a compás, which work in counter-rhythm to her cante, for a track that offers a glimpse into the percussive complexities of rumba while feeling at home in one of those alt-pop playlists. It's a new step in flamenco's legacy. [8]

Crystal Leww: My introduction to Rosalía was her feature on J. Balvin's latest album, a quiet, downtempo, fluttering track among an album of reggaetón bangers. At the Latin Grammys, she beat his monster of a tune "Mi Gente" for Urban/Fusion performance with "Malamente." It's easy to see why: this is slinky and sensual with plenty of interesting flourishes in the production as well as her very own vocal performance. It's perfect critic bait, as it stands out as driving towards a very specific sound, a re-imagining of a largely left behind musical genre in flamenco. The handclaps, the asides, the breaking of the glass, the reverb, the "tra! tra!" -- all of these should take you out of such a quiet song, but Rosalía does just enough without crossing the line. Enric Palau, director of Sónar music festival in Spain recently said that she could be the Rihanna of flamenco. And don't get me wrong, I love Rihanna, but she never had the vision to do something like this. [7]

Alfred Soto: Relistening to Radiohead is not an experience to which I often submit myself, but their use of hand claps, programmed or otherwise, loosened me up for what Rosalía attempts on "Malamente," complete with mournful keyboard. [7]

Nortey Dowuona: Twirling, circular drums wind up around the soft synths, with Rosalía's gentle, short singing and claps carefully herding them together into the field. [8]

William John: We don't have any Andalusian writers on the Singles Jukebox roster, as far as I know, which is a shame in this instance because I've been desperate to read something in English about Rosalía from that perspective that isn't a garbled translation derived from Google software. Rosalía is Catalan, but has sent shockwaves through Spain that are slowly permeating into other Western markets (I confess to learning of her from a Dua Lipa tweet); the shockwaves are in part due to her striking videos, overseen by CANADA (also responsible for that memorable El Guincho video a few years back, who incidentally handles production here), but also for her use of gitanx imagery and accents as a non-gitana. She's addressed these matters with defensiveness and naivety in interviews, and thus in Spain is the subject of some controversy. To her credit, she has worked with Las Negris, a group whose members are part of the Montoyita flamenco dynasty, on this song and elsewhere on her album El mal querer, and she seems to be both a devoted student of flamenco tradition and aware of her place in its world. Her designation as a pioneer, as someone revolutionising a centuries-old artform, seems to have come from media outside Spain more than anywhere else, and it's important to acknowledge that though she presents a perspective that may initially strike Anglo listeners as unusual, she's not the first and likely not the last flamenco artist to add personal flourish to this esteemed cultural institution. But when you watch her in "Malamente," with its portentous murmuring and dramatic "tra TRA!" hook -- one of the year's most insidious -- as she variously claps with menace leaning over the steering wheel of a truck, is raised up by forklift like a martyr to the pyre, and sits atop a frozen motorcycle, flagged down by a matador, with an expression of incredible intensity, isn't her baptism as a revolutionary, future world conqueror the most obvious conclusion? [9]

Iris Xie: Something about this song is instinctual, velvety, and haunting, like it will grab you by the chest and then dare you to explore what lies in the world that it came from. Inside of its vortex, it conjures up the perfect environment for being audacious enough to dance on a cutie that you see at the club, and there's enough breathing space in between the instrumentals and vocals to cultivate a chemistry and charisma after. There's a stunning pre-chorus from 1:34 that reminds me of the high, dreamy vocals in some Bollywood sequences, before it drops back low into a whispered chorus that undulates with a mesmerizing repetition. You can't help but dance along to that. It's a siren's song, remixed for 2018 and creeping along to a venue near you. [8]

Stephen Eisermann: Growing up, I was always enthralled by (what I thought was) gypsy culture. Clearly, the problematic media portrayals in both Disney movies and novelas my mom had playing in the background gave me a limited and exoticized view of gypsy culture and even now as I've taken the time to learn more, its hard to shake predispositions if the past. This song, very clearly R&B but with Latin tinges and seemingly Arab pop phrasing, is a culmination of all sounds that feel mysterious, as if the sound coming from my speakers form together to make that image of a gypsy from my past. All at once I'm enthralled and embarrassed, knowing that I should move past negative media portrayals yet entranced by the imagery this song brings to mind. [8]

Pedro João Santos: By releasing "Malamente," Rosalía achieved that moment of conquering the pop sphere all at once, in the span of 2:30. Aong with co-author El Guincho, Rosalía never relinquishes control, and they distill flamenco into sleek, diligently-precise soundscapes. That sonic mesh, differing from the traditional approach taken on her last album, has been the subject of controversy. I highly recommend reading from all points of view on the matter of cultural appropriation and, although that of the Andalusian community prevails, it's hard to grasp everything. This is a single that defies expectations of what an inaugural moment of pop domination is -- its foreboding edge, the multilayered sound, the conceptual richness (most evident if its parent album) -- and takes other expectations to an extreme -- vocal prowess is conspicuous, but my favorite part is how hooks are thrown relentlessly at the forefront and into the background. Within just ten seconds: "Así sí? Tra tra! Mal, muy mal, muy mal, muy mal... Mira! Toma que toma." Instant yet disorienting, seamless yet complex. In any measure other than cultural sensibility, as Rosalía's use of flamenco will continue to be the center of debate: it's bulletproof. [9]

Will Adams: The handclaps alone would have convinced me, but it's Rosalía's steely confidence that makes "Malamente" worth revisiting. [7]

Edward Okulicz: It's a short song, but it's so packed with intoxicating and instantly gratifying hooks and smaller, subtle details that make it so satisfying to dive deeply into. Rosalía's voice embodies so many moods in such a short time that one can't help but be impressed at her performance and composition. She sings, she whispers, she interjects her catchiest lines with other catchy parts. The clapping rhythm is infectious, and the song generates so much heat I'm sure my blood raised the temperature of my body a couple of degrees after having it on repeat for an hour. After that, I put it on for another hour. [9]

Juan F. Carruyo: Some friends of mine hyped Rosalía to me by claiming she was "inventing a whole new genre," which is probably a disservice to the successful fusion she and her co-conspirator El Guincho manage here: a bare bones production that's rescued by a sultry flamenco melody and lots and lots of attitude. This is the one that blew up because it's her most global, retaining just enough of an exotic touch to draw people in -- the handclaps, the slang that gives the song its title -- but also holding back from her virtuous pipes. [9]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Rosalía's sophomore album was inspired by a 13th century fable entitled The Romance of Flamenca, a classic love triangle story that centers on Count Archimbaut's jealousy-fueled transformation toward insanity. He eventually imprisons his wife -- the eponymous Flamenca -- in a tower, allowing her to leave its confines for no more than two reasons: bathing and mass. He was meant to represent the very opposite of courtly behavior to the story's readers, and yet, this portrait of a powerful man restricting a woman's life is just as necessary today. There's consequently no greater statement that could have started El mal querer than its lead single, "Malamente." The interaction of its flamenco palmas with minimal percussion and synth pulses pits listeners in a space between the traditional and contemporary. Even more, the spacious world that she and El Guincho create is simultaneously anxious and impassioned. Rosalía's vocalizing glides smoothly along the beat before sharply piercing listeners with jaleo in the form of "illo!" and "tra, tra!" adlibs. In the album's narrative, "Malamente" prefaces Archimbaut and Flamenca's wedding, and the track's subtitle indicates that the song is an omen. What is it foretelling, exactly? Well, it warns of the tumultuous relationship that's to come from the Count and his wife, but it's also a declaration that Rosalía is putting forth regarding her music, that it's going to be charting unfamiliar territory. Critics may, and have, decried "Malamente" as being disingenuous to flamenco's roots, positing that Rosalía is a mere cultural appropriater. This is despite her time spent at the Catalonia College of Music, a school where only one student per year is admitted to studying flamenco, and whose flamenco teacher commented that Rosalía was their most memorable pupil. She also has been vocal in wanting to collaborate with people outside the world of flamenco, and has already met with artists such as Pharrell and Arca. In a sense, Rosalía's critics try to force her into her own proverbial tower, but it's clear that she won't stay inside. With "Malamente," she delivers that very message to whoever will listen, reimagining new stories for Flamenca and flamenco in the process. [9]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The way "Malamente" worms into your brain, dancing in as this amorphous thing pulsating polyrhythmically and working in tones just barely within the boundaries of pop music, is deeply compelling. Even more compelling is what Rosalía does with it: over the funhouse-mirror flamenco-R&B palace she builds, the Catalonian singer's precisely sung portrait of fractured fate and consequences feels real and haunted in a way that few pop songs truly are. [9]

[Read and comment on The Singles Jukebox]

[ohwiseswami]

VIXX: An Outsiders Perspective

Now, I’ve decided on doing a VIXX critique using this formula because I’m very new to their work. As requested by some followers, I’ve crammed in as much information as I could about their music recently and want to share my thoughts on them and where they could improve. 

Let’s start.

The Good

Niche Music: VIXX is probably the most eclectic group I’ve done so far in that many of their singles are, essentially, pop-rock tracks. They are not a ‘hippity-hoppity, let’s throw on a blackcent and a bandana’ type of group, which, I argue, gives them space at the table in the music industry. Of all the groups I can think of, it’s them that is doing this capitalism thing right. People want differentiation in products and with VIXX being Nickelback-meets-NSYNC in an industry of Skrillex-meets-Chris Brown-meets-Soulja Boy’s, it’s actually kind of refreshing

Surprisingly Decent Vocal Line: VIXX stans can argue all day whether Jaehwan (Ken) or Taekwoon (Leo) is the superior vocal, but it’s obvious it’s Hakyeon (N). Let me tell you why: N has a stronger vocal technique than either Leo or Ken from what I’ve seen. Now, I know I could use to watch more VIXX performances but, as I said, from what I’ve seen N protects his voice more than the other two. Funnily enough, Ken is actually my favorite of them all. His tone is just agreeable. Even so, I find it difficult to find too many issues with Leo’s voice because he has the best stage presence of them all--bringing emotion into his performances that feels genuine--even if it’s not much

Creative Involvement: Hate him or love him, Wonsik (Ravi) is involved in just about every VIXX release that immediately comes to mind. And while this isn’t a requirement for me to find an idol good at what they do (will get into the distinction between artist and idol another time), I find it admirable. This is especially so since VIXX has some songs with very powerful lyrical content and meaning

Recent Improvement in Music Production: While my section on VIXX’s music will come later, I want to note now that VIXX’s latest release sounds very crisp and clean, which is a sign of improvement. Anytime a group grows, I always find it in me to give them a plus on the improvement. But seriously, their releases used to sound like they were recorded on a flip phone from a radio station that played it from a 1942 record player. It was a whole low-sonic quality mess. Now it finally sounds like what 2k HD looks like

The ‘Needs to Improve’

Dance Line: 

Current - While I find Hakyeon lighter than air and graceful in his movement, he does not captivate me. His dancing lacks energy at times and can even be seen as lethargic. He can’t even hold charismatic facial expressions because of it. While he delivers at times (his TOXIC routine is gold), he usually looks flat out exhausted. Perhaps this has something to do with being the main dancer in a group with only one back up for him?

Improvement - That said, I think Hakyeon can be saved. It’s clear that he has talent but not the proper outlet to show it. What I argue needs to happen for the dance line, particularly Hakyeon is a change in VIXX’s dancing style. I think that with more gender-fluid choreography, Hakyeon’s style could shine through. He looks best when performing choreography that isn’t attached to the mainstream kpop style for boy groups. Injecting feminine energy into VIXX’s choreography would make for a more lively performance than their typical point dances (if you’re curious as to what I mean, I urge you to check out Taemin’s MOVE or watch a strip show)

Music:

Current - VIXX’s music, for lack of a better term, is dated. The music they debuted with was about 5 years behind the industry (which was already five years behind the American industry) and they’re just now playing catch-up with their latest release. When I listen to some of those songs, I get the distinct feeling that VIXX watched SHINee Lucifer once and decided to model their entire discography off of it. Even to their latest release, it sounds like something EXO would’ve released in 2016. Now, you can argue that older-sounding music is a good thing, but in VIXX’s case, it’s not. Their music is not timeless, it’s just usually dated on arrival 

Improvement - Even with their music being dated, it’s still different from the norm and has a sound that no other kpop group since VIXX’s debut has even wanted to touch. They can easily take this sound and update it, giving them a 2013 Paramore feel (which, 2013 Paramore still sounds like fresh alternative rock music)

Current - A lot of their music sounds the same. There’s some standouts like Love Me Do and Only U, but most of it sounds like different variations of songs like Error and Chained Up

Improvement - See: Paramore. Seriously. I’m not talking about their most recent album but in albums before that they still had music that felt like Paramore without being the same thing rehashed. I think VIXX could ultimately go the soft EDM-pop rock fusion route and eliminate the High School Musical 4 sound that invades many of their songs

Visuals:

Current - VIXX’s music videos aren’t horrible, not even by a stretch. They’re just not interesting. This is pretty standard in kpop, but that doesn’t mean they should shoot for the sky when they can have the moon. Their concepts are usually so interesting and so different from the norm that they could really get creative with their music videos

Improvement - VIXX finally got their hands on cameras that weren’t attached to iPhones, so can they now get a VFX and SFX team to bring their concepts to life without looking like a cheesy low budget mess? I know they come from a smaller company and may not have the money to really go all out but I think it’s worth a shot to find a good production team to execute their concepts better. At the very least, they could use better direction and maybe even give their videos a story line. Am I the only one who’d find a plot for Chained Up dope, especially since the song itself tells a story?

The Irredeemable

Get rid of Ravi. There, I said it, it’s done. 

I know VIXX stans gonna hate my ass lmao. But, I’m not saying he’s a bad artist/not talented/etc. I just don’t know that he’s right for VIXX’s progression as a musical performance entity. Here is my main reason:

VIXX should be a vocal k-pop/rock group. They don’t need a rapper, never did. In fact, rap portions usually do not advance VIXX’s songs. Instead, it sounds like forcing a YG-reject to fit in with a SHINee/CNBlue hybrid experiment. Ravi’s an okay singer, but he’s not good enough to eat at the table with Ken and Leo, who are more like ex-EXO/DBSK members to me

Another thing that limits VIXX is the fact that they are very boybandish at times. Now you may say, ‘Sis, they are a boyband,’ but this crtique isn’t about what VIXX is, it’s about what they could be. VIXX has the potential to be the emo cousin of EXO, with moody concepts and experimental choreography. I know some of them play instruments as well, which could only add to their new identity once we’ve cut them down. The South American and Southeast Asian markets would eat that up, especially since VIXX is already so good at it

Also, maybe not be trash? I kind of wanted to avoid this, but it’s hard to do considering the fact that all I knew about VIXX before working on this was the fact that N was bullied into submission by the members and some of them have said some vile things that only compete with the likes of Suju for their level of trashness. The main reason why I wanted to mention this is because of what I see for VIXX’s path in the future (I also want to note that I didn’t let this color my musical critique of VIXX)

I see VIXX as a staple in Latin America and Southeast Asia, but it’s hard to do when you’re constantly shit-talking the looks of the people who inhabit these areas. Dark skin and Tanned skin are beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of. Pale skin isn’t superior and calling someone a “half-breed” as an insult isn’t funny? All it does is alienates potential fans from the markets that would be open to your style the most. Because, if I’m being honest, I don’t know many people from where I’m from (probably the whitest place in America) that would be too into VIXX’s music and concepts. Their wave is more appropriate for places like Brazil and The Phillipines. If they want to grow their audience, they need to grow as people 

Final Thoughts

Hongbin and Hyuk both remind me of Sehun. Take that as you want.

VIXX is not meant for the Bangtan trajectory. They have their own special place in kpop that is so unique from other groups that they shouldn’t worry themselves with North American success. I think they’re talented men with something to prove, and with a little adjustment, they can become a niche phenomenon 

[monochromayhem]

Systemwise, we don’t know what to call ourselves...

You know how some people go through trauma and find God? Like the heavens part and they are told “I am here” or something? It was a similar experience with headmates. I’m experiencing weird questions so I guess it’s long post time!

Team Lucantia came when I was around fourteen or fifteen. My house was rife with high expectations for me and failure meant the loss of privileges like hanging out with friends (because social interaction is apparently a privilege and not a basic necessity of human functioning???). I began writing as a means to handle my loneliness. Usually I would do one of two things- bring myself to my characters’ world, or let the characters come to me. I called it “channeling” at the time, since it was something that required a lot of energy and often left me exhausted.

I think all along that exhaustion came from rapidly switching over and over and over again, since my novel series is dialogue-heavy. It’s benefitting my work- people who have read say the characters feel alive, they feel real (funny they say that, really). Even so, I didn’t talk about the off days- the days where I wasn’t writing and they’d continue to remark about things or have a conversation or- God forbid- front.

It isn’t that I hated them fronting, at least not when I was alone or with friends. It’s that certain members liked to act out. When my parents tried to take away the phone, an altercation that actually requires my mother the physically restrain me, Ink decided it would be a good idea to make threats. When my parents were already pissed off at the dinner table, Glasses would wind them up further because watching them get upset was genuinely funny to him. Wings? Wings would cry at every given opportunity, at everything that would possible upset someone of her age (she looks about twelve but she’s like half that age emotionally).

They didn’t really realize that I was at risk at the time, but they understand that now that I’m an adult and out of that house. Wings doesn’t really talk much but I’m sure if she met our current littles she’d have more to say.

That’s not even counting all the accents that I suddenly seemed to bear (thanks Glasses) that would freak mom and dad out. Needless to say it was a messy situation.

But origin wise, I’m not sure if it’s a pure traumagenic system. Maybe it’s because I am a spiritual person but I think there’s something weird and almost multi-dimensional at work here, if that makes sense.

Bear with us here.

Galaxy Squad is entirely Sonic the Hedgehog fictives from multiple sources. They came about this past year due to my trauma with my ex boyfriend, who literally told me I had no right to complain if I couldn’t help around the house (I had executive dysfunction issues).

Their sources seem to deviate from each other, but I’ll try to pinpoint each as best I can.

Blur is game canon, remembers Unleashed and Generations, but does not remember 06 or Forces (I think). Definitely remembers the events from 2001-2005 in general.

Cosmic remembers 2001-2005 as well, but remembers 06 because he’s talked about Mephiles. Though it’s confusing, I’m not sure if he remembers Forces or not- he’s concerned he might have actually done a very VERY bad thing but he doesn’t seem to remember doing it.

Mercury is Archie Canon, specifically Sonic Universe canon. He picked up menial labor waaay too quickly for my comfort and gets touchy at the term “teal-class”. He’s also obsessed with nature since his home is a concrete metropolis. He was one of two who entered via the summoning pool. It’s a baptismal font of white marble that is set in a room adorned with a chair, a basket with towels, and a stained-glass window appearing through the pool.

Phantom came through the pool approximately 15 minutes after first seeing him. Cosmic went to check and, of course, nearly got drowned in the pool for doing literally nothing to provoke him. Needless to say Phantom was touchy.

Somehow, Sunny was just lurking outside the house and found his way in. We made a truce that he can’t do bad stuff while he’s here. Not sure what the details were but needless to say he’s perfectly fine. Quiet and non-intrusive, but fine.

Amp, Ether, and Blue are all an interesting case because they are like Team Lucantia in that they came from something I created. Their doors just appeared in the endless hallway in headspace and just... found themselves here. They were really quiet for a while, but that’s because I have “sleepwalkers”- headmates who appear to be awake but are completely unaware of their surroundings, thus they are fleeting in consciousness.

Usually I imagine it’s accompanied by the first few notes of the Jaws theme when a sleepwalker gets close to the “living room”, which is within audible range of the front. It’s nerve wracking, tbh- they might wake but they might not.

Comet is a fusion of Blur and Cosmic. He’s kinda... full of himself sometimes? I mean, good for him for having high self esteem but like... we have a mirror and he stares at himself sometimes for a long time.

The summoning pool has some interesting notes I’ve made. For starters, it doesn’t appear to operate for just ANY type of teammate here- the only ones who have come through it appear to be people who have vanished or passed away. From the looks of it, it might catch people who die, disappear or are wiped from existence.

Take Mercury, for example, whose entire world was pretty much erased due to something called the “Super Genesis Wave”. He basically became identical to game canon afterwards. His timeline was literally erased!

And then there’s Phantom, who appeared to have ceased existing during the end of Forces, who just... appeared from the pool shouting 『まだ戦える！』 (I can still fight!). He seemed to have had a smooth transition between there and here.

Listen, I’m the one responsible for cataloguing how this place works, and if you ask me, this space has some weird things that don’t line up perfectly. I kinda like the seeming inconsistency- it’s a mystery that’s left unsolved and I can’t wait to decode it. But for now, it appears as though his ability to pull people forward is a gift, and the trauma merely acts as a key, of sorts.

We are still trying to figure this out, but Amp is correct. I am the spiritual type and I’m definitely someone who feels the term “channel” is appropriate in some sense- though I personally use the term “clicking” since it’s often in direct relation to interest that it happens, which makes the connection click and lock into place- but I definitely fear particular judgement because there are definitely leaps of faith that some people may have to make and just can’t.

It’s telling that it works like this for me. Practicing pagan stuff, I came to the conclusion that experiencing negativity makes the magic stronger for me. It’s the same with major faiths who believe in an exchange of suffering for blessings. Somehow, I think the pain I’ve dealt with has given me this capability, and if so it’s my responsibility to use it wisely.

I think the best thing to call my system is “trauma-gateway”.

I don’t think I’ll have new headmates anytime soon (fingers crossed) since I’m looking at the one-year mark of being untied from my ex, but I’m proud that I’ve learned to accept my identity. I realized I wasn’t as binary as I thought, that I was part of a system, that I COULD live “alone” and be happy. While I definitely wish I could have been with a flesh-and-blood partner, I would rather get myself into a place of comfort before I think about such things. Besides, Phantom has to like them, too.

[stereostevie]

By Danny Echevarria | 10/12/2020

I’ve often thought that if I hadn’t decided to pursue music production as a career, the only other thing I might approach with the same level of passion is cooking. Even in my life as a music maker, preparing food is an important part of my day, and something I get a lot of satisfaction from.

I’ve talked to quite a few similar-minded music producers/amateur chefs who not only share those twin passions but agree with me that the two disciplines have a lot in common. Both could be called a fusion of art and science. Both involve bringing together various elements and combining them in a way that showcases their individual strengths, while also creating a whole that is greater than the sum of those parts. Both require a discerning palette, or ear, to make snap decisions on the fly in a process that can be extremely time-sensitive.

Though I could make comparisons like “EQ is like salt,” or “butter and oil are like reverb,” I don’t think those sorts of analogies hold up in all cases. Rather, the similarities between music and cuisine have to do with the spirit with which we approach these crafts. Will this article help producers be better cooks or vice versa? Probably not! Even so, I take inspiration from the time I spend in the kitchen (and at the grill) into the studio, and my hope is that you can find some inspiration there too.

Ingredients Matter

There’s no substitute for working with high-quality ingredients – whether that’s a thick, fatty piece of salmon or a killer vocal take. But that doesn’t mean we need to work with top-shelf ingredients in every instance! In fact, sometimes cheaper ingredients are really what you want: chances are your favorite pizza place is using canned tomatoes, not fresh ones, to make their sauce.

The important thing here is to understand the role each ingredient plays in the recipe. Top-tier ingredients typically need less seasoning and usually deserve to be showcased. Lower-quality ingredients — and instruments, performances, and processing — still have a place in the kitchen, but will require different sorts of treatment, and will often be featured less centrally.

From the Kitchen to the Studio:

Don’t drown a great vocal in ketchup-y reverb

If your session includes the equivalent of a prime ribeye, make it the centerpiece! Use processing to accentuate its character, rather than trying to transform it — like a subtle rub of salt and pepper before it hits the grill.

If your centerpiece needs to be made from lower grade ingredients – like when a singer struggles to deliver good takes on the mic — seasoning (processing) will play a bigger role, maybe even transforming the part entirely.

Other times, lower quality ingredients don’t need to be masked but will serve a more supporting role. Are you working with pitchy backup vocals? Maybe each track doesn’t need to be tuned and polished — instead, treat the part as a garnish. Let it stay rough and “rustic” to add character.

A Great Recipe Helps … But Only So Much

You could look at websites like this one as being similar to your favorite sites to find recipes – a place where pros share tips and tricks they use in their own kitchens and studios. Learning from people who have honed their craft can absolutely help us make more informed choices, but in reality, it’s hard to replicate the conditions of a recipe writer’s kitchen: maybe you’re missing spices, or the recipe calls for a bone-in cut of meat, but all you have is boneless.

You can’t expect to follow a recipe to the letter if your ingredients or kitchen don’t match the chef’s intention. Great cooks and great producers alike know how to work with the tools and ingredients that they have. Adapting to changing conditions is a must if you expect to get a great result every time.

From the Kitchen to the Studio:

The most important tool in your kitchen and your studio is you! Pro tips and best practices will take you far, but you have to be able to discern when things are working as planned, and when they require a different approach.

Developing the ability to know when and how to adapt to shifting circumstances takes practice, but it’s a crucial difference between a master and an amateur. Don’t expect to call up a plugin preset or slap on some settings you saw in a tutorial video and be done. Use your ears to make sure your mix moves are working as intended, and be brave enough to admit it when they aren’t.

Don’t Overdo It; Don’t Underdo It

Always there for you when you need it

In cooking, this principle applies to cooking temperatures and times as well as seasoning: overcooking a piece of meat until it’s dry, or undercooking it and leaving bits raw; forgetting to add salt to make other flavors pop; drenching a stir fry in soy sauce, and then hoping that smothering it in sriracha will fix things (don’t act like you haven’t been there).

In the studio, you could apply this concept to everything from doing too many or too few takes, to leaving in ugly, muddy resonances, or dialing in too much compression. Just like you can’t “unbake” a burnt loaf of bread, you can’t “uncompress” a track that got slammed during tracking; similarly, adding salt when serving a dish is not the same as salting properly while preparing it.

From the Kitchen to the Studio:

Stop me if you’ve heard this one (from me), but the only thing that can guarantee you don’t go too far or not far enough is your judgment as a producer. To that end, approaching production with a clear sense of intention can go a very long way.

Know how many takes you need to get a solid comp — and stop there. Continuing to do unnecessary takes can be the sonic equivalent of leaving something in the oven after it’s done, each take getting dryer and more flavorless. Know when processing (like seasoning) needs to be overt and when it needs to be subtle, and learn how to tell when enough is enough.

Context Is Huge

If you’ve never had this, there’s still time

Remember my point earlier about how your favorite pizza place probably doesn’t use fresh tomatoes? That’s not laziness — the pizza we’re used to is supposed to have the flavor of canned tomatoes. On the other hand, can you imagine ordering a caprese salad and getting a canned tomato slopped onto some mozzarella?

The point here is that there is no absolute “right” or “wrong,” in cooking or production. Sometimes cheap ingredients are crucial, and nicer ingredients might be wasted in the same application. Other times, cheap, low-quality ingredients just taste … cheap, and low-quality.

From the Kitchen to the Studio:

Your favorite plugins, pieces of gear, and mix tricks will never be guaranteed to work equally well in all applications. There’s a reason a vintage U-47 might go for $15k — it’s a great mic — but that doesn’t mean it will sound great on every voice. It will simply be too dark and wooly for some, even if it is a coveted high-end piece of gear. Some voices are going to be better suited to other mics, even substantially less expensive, less “nice” ones. The mark of a good recording isn’t the value of the gear you used, it’s the sound coming out of the speakers.

It Pays To Experiment … But Don’t Ignore Fundamentals

Wild, previously unthinkable stylistic fusions and flavor pairings have become something of a standard in cuisine in recent years. Some of those unlikely combinations may seem to come totally out of the blue, but the ones that really work often follow tried-and-true formulas, even if they are executed in an unconventional way. Pay attention to the root flavors — or sonic elements — being combined, and you can see how fundamental principles are being observed.

Free your mind and the rest will follow

LA’s Kogi Korean BBQ offers a great example of this idea in action. On the surface, the fusion of culinary styles from different ends of the globe (Korean BBQ and tacos) may seem kind of wild, but consider the fundamental flavors at work.

Tacos: marinated meat, often fire-grilled, served with salsas that add a mixture of sweetness, acidity, and spice.

Korean BBQ: marinated meat, fire-grilled, served with kimchi and sauces that add a mixture of sweetness, acidity, and spice.

The specific ingredients and nuances are different, for sure, but the root flavors at work share important similarities.

From the Kitchen to the Studio:

Every piece of music succeeds or fails on the terms of the genre or tradition it belongs to. If you’re pulling together ideas from opposite ends of the record store, consider what sonic qualities you like most in those influences, and which ones might work together well.

Are you bringing together sounds from one genre that is driving and loud with another that is subtle and dynamic? Or one that is abrasive and noisy with another that is catchy and danceable? Combinations like the ones I just described have surely been done millions of times. The thing the good ones will have in common is a clear sense of what will be rewarding to the intended listener.

Over the course of this article, I’ve mentioned a handful of times that great chefs and producers alike rely on their judgment daily to make decisions that will get the best result out of the ingredients in front of them. Though talent and good taste are certain factors that influence someone’s ability to work at a high level, none of the greats started great on day one.

The ability to know when something is working and when it isn’t, and then to know what to do to fix it, is something that can really only be honed over time, after repeated failures and successes. Even someone else’s proven recipe will have serious limitations in the hands of a chef who isn’t prepared to make those sorts of calls.

The takeaway from this is that real practice in the studio, and finishing projects, are extremely important for any producer or engineer looking to sharpen their skills. There’s no way to tell if your recipe worked if you don’t take a bite (or listen) when it’s done … and you can’t take that bite if you don’t get to “done” in the first place.

Danny Echevarria is a producer and audio engineer born, raised, and based in Los Angeles. When he isn't tightening his mixes or sawing a fiddle on the honky tonk stages of the greater LA area, he can be found chasing ever-elusive fresh mountain air. Get in touch at dandestiny.com.

[the-mf-bread-babies]

9/5/2020

BACKGROUND CHECK

NULL HQ was always busy, but today was considered an achievement for their hard work in researching the backgrounds of fifty rogues within fifty days in the form of an event where the research team went through hell to satisfy the needs of the Top 50. The 50/50/50 event, it was called, and it was held on a certain chairman's 7th 43rd birthday. If this work sounds weird, I made it while dehydrated, ok. And that chairman was none other than Satan herself, Karén Stéphane Alodie Basilie Blanche Capucine Odette Delphine-Aveline. And yes, her surname does indeed mean Dolphin Hazelnut Tree. Don't ask why.

Today, the fruit that formed by the water of companionship, the nutrients of underpaid employees, the sunlight and carbon dioxide of the terrible ventilation system of the office and the fertilizer of illegal sharing of confidential information had finally ripened and was ready to be plucked by Madame Delphine-Aveline.

The Top 50 had prepared a luxurious vacation for their hardworking employees situated at the tropical rainforest-slash-whatever of New York City Jungle. Yes, having your employees temporarily staying at a nice three-star abandoned hotel and at risk of being eaten by human-animal genetic abominations was quite inhumane, but so is simply letting them spend the day off returning home to their family that died of starvation at the hands of NULL. It's a complicated situation that was one of many developed by the fusion.

Karén hastily dashed to her three-storey private office that also had a swimming pool in it because she was rich, the sounds of her high heels clacking against the hardwood flooring of the 45th floor of the headquarters. Her white woman bracelet-strewn hand was tightly clutching dossiers of the peasants under her.

They had posed a great threat to them after they had exposed a great deal of evidence surrounding NULL’s harsh treatment of, well, everything, and while that was common sense among everyone, the Top 50 still felt hurt with the rogues' selfish actions. The dossiers were their way of striking back even harder towards the revolutionists of Eris-10, the very revolutionists that scatter across the globe, and particularly one group of them squatting in a town in the Crepitus section. Yes, those guys. The Hellspawns. The Wicked, Twisted, Rapidly-Changing-Number Evils of the World. T3G, The Three Thot Groups, the legendary…

Fifty Fighters.

Are they fifty individual fighters? Do they fight the Top 50? Or do they simply have a personal grudge against random numbers? Yes.

The tragedy that made them so important to NULL was uncertain.

Their group contains a family actively running away from NULL, three would-be NULL agents, an individual who gives intense neck therapy to NULL agents, multiple individuals who steal top-secret NULL engineering projects, an individual who worked as an exterminator for NULL and thusly has blueprints of NULL centres embedded into their head, a reprogrammed NULL spy robot, three individuals who were previously under the possession of NULL in environmental capsules, a genetic abomination made by NULL scientists as a PET, a cat, a triple agent responsible for several terrorist attacks on NULL centres who also happens to be a member of the most dangerous group of hitmen in the universe, THE RINGLEADERS, who also HAPPEN to be in good relations with the revolutionist group, because of said single father of two to four that's weirdly close with one of the three individuals who were would-be NULL agents.

Of course this group would be in NULL’s death list.

With that being said, leaving the team that actively worked to obtain information on the threatening individuals to die on a classified location while being observed by scientists might not be the best payment. But it's still a payment.

As the Frenchwoman sat in her £3,000 foldable spinny office chair that can also massage the user, she splayed out the dossier files across her £50,000 hardwood-base granite-surfaced countertops surrounding the area, hidden by rare plants that were watered with diamond-flavoured water. She sighed and leaned the chair back as she snapped her fingers, kindly reminding one of her personal assistants to bring her another large dose of caffeine to get her rusty gears running.

As she waited impatiently, she retrieved her $5,000,000,000 laptop from her Chanel x Gucci x Fendi x Apple x Louis Vuitton x Microsoft x Google x Hunter × Hunter x The Entire Country of Russia x Sonic X x Amazon purse. The laptop was said to be the one that the late Mark Zuckerberg was using as she strangled him to death for not responding sooner to her email on user information. Unfortunately, the email had went straight to the spam folder.

Her fingers were playing a dramatic symphony on the keyboard, her face stern and unchanging.

“good anniversary gifts for Her”

Her 50¢ sunglasses-covered orbs glared at her demand on Bing as she violently clicked the search button. As the ancient website loaded and the screen, white and static and dangerously bright because she doesn't know how to adjust the brightness, she wondered what sequence of surprises would bring joy to her wife currently stationed overseas. God, if only she could join her in creating genetic abominations. So romantic if she could.

Her curiosity was halted suddenly as the assistant rushed in, hands holding a tray. Situated on the tray was a jug of black coffee, a bottle of vodka, a bottle of liquoré, three stolen packets of sea salt, and a mug that read “#0 B0SS”, accompanied with a dagger with a fashioned concave end, resembling a spoon.

Of course, you could still stab someone with it. It's just that the lady's so dangerous she stirs coffee with a dagger, that's all.

The rich bitch glared as her assistant put the contents of the tray onto the coffee table at a glacial pace, also keeping an eye out for any spills made. “Here you are, madame,” the assistant nervously chuckled. Well, that was uncalled for. Her assistants were all given a strict order to not speak to her unless absolutely urgent or if needed to. This one must be new.

“How long have you been working in zis position for, exactly, mïéáæèy chérìè?” Dolphin-HazelnutTree asked with a thin, long smile across her face, eyeing a sea salt packet that was slightly teared.

“Two months, madame,” she smiled. A kind face, clearly inexperienced. “My name is Pauline,” she added, further breaking the rules.

The woman who has a herb for a middle name made an odd face to be observed, only to move towards the young lady who insulted her to hell and back. “Paulíne,” she gently whispered, “I’m glad to know those two months are over,” Pauline's face went pale.

“Faghewell,”

The last word Pauline had heard echoed in her head as Capucine stabbed her in the abdomen while staring down at her falling corpse.

With the dagger spoon. She stabbed her with the dagger spoon. Karén sat on her desk, crossing her legs stylishly.

“Why do I always have bad luck after my birthdays? First, ze bad fughe coat, now zis. I might as well just set zis whole thing on fighea tomorrow.” She uttered, uncaring about Pauline choking on her own blood.

“About ze blood, go call someone to clean it up, dear,” Basil Lady said while examining her perfectly manicured nails.

“You’ve brought too much eggs for ze baguette, now suffer under ze firm hands of it,” she taught nonchalantly. An old French proverb, unsuitable to be said by someone simply learning it on Duolingo such as Pauline.

Pauline was struggling to add even anything to their light feud other than death gargles, and soon, a light thump on the white fur rug, her blood painting it red.

The Baguette pursed her thin, dry lips and stared at the Wannabe Baguette. She lost her train of thought for a few seconds before realising the task at hand.

“Annivaghsaghy gifts! Rghight!”

She spun herself around the desk and sat back down to review the possible gifts. “Hmm…” she scrolled down the BuzzFeed article promoting various products. “Jewelghy? Too cheap. New dghess? Wardghobe's full. Potted plants? Not her thing. Floor cleaner…” she pondered. “Unfortunately, no.” She mumbled, sipping on her unusual beverage.

She stared out the window, thinking. Lists like this roaming around the Internet and made by simpletons didn't contain the spice her relationship had. Basil. Hazelnut. Karén had to think of something else, something more uniqué. Something more fitting for their… uniqué relationship that had a certain je ne sais quoi. A little la souris dans le film avec le gars des pâtes. To be specific, Je ne connais pas cette langue et je ne fais que copier et coller depuis Google Translate. Veuillez aider.

Her eyes fixated on the view outside, never constant, always having something new to be added. Buildings ranging from fallen skyscrapers turned into bridges to supermarkets hosting her greatest enemies. What would her wife like?

And then it clicked.

Homemade bread. Yes, bread wasn't really a topic they talked about often, but if they baked bread together, it would be quite nice. Karén was daydreaming into the distance, not paying attention to the hurricane of messages received on her computer.

It wasn't until her other personal assistants came in with cleaning supplies and a body bag that she stopped and continued to focus on like, eating, I guess, the fruit mentioned in Paragraph 2. She cleared her throat as she picked up the dossiers splayed out on the countertops in her office, arranging them neatly on her desk and preparing to read them.

The first file was thick, and full of information. Knowing it would consume the most of her precious time, she put it aside. Karén sighed as she sorted the files, knowing her wife would have loved gossiping about this with her. Her eyes went to the laptop screen, wondering if she could call her lover for a short while and have a nice conversation. However, a notification distracted her from her wants. An email addressing the rescheduling of the next meeting for the Top 50. She opened it with a frown.

It was from Lee. “HELLO ALL I WILL BE RESCHEDULIG OUR NEXT METTING TO TWO MONTHS ATTER” God, the man has such bad email etiquette. Maybe if he opted to switch out those horrid sunglasses for a good pair of glasses, he'd be able to type in something other than all uppercase letters and sudden typos.

“I AM SORRY FOR THIS SUDDDDEN CHGNE. INWILL BE FOING TO NYCJ FOR A BUSINES TRIP. I AM SORRY. BEST REGARDS STEVEN!”

The Frenchwoman gasped but then immediately retracted it due to fear of her assistants finding out that she has emotions. Really, Steven? The jungle? Out of all people, you? What the fuck, Steve?

This was the last straw. Karén baguetted hastily to the elevator, stabbing the button going down to the basement with an elegant dagger, sparkling with the various gemstones encrusted into its hilt. She angry white woman yelled in the elevator walls, but not before snatching the security camera so no one caught her.

As she was screaming out of dramatic French anger, the elevator halted at the third floor and opened its doors to an intern business agent. Curses. She was so blinded by her own anger that she accidentally took the peasants’ elevator instead of her usual one.

The intern awkwardly stepped into the corner of the elevator, driving his eyes to anywhere but the Frenchwoman. As the peasant transportation cage descended to the basement floor, she stormed towards NULL’s gas station. She wormed her way into the back and stole three jerry cans of gasoline, cradling them as if they were her arsonist-endorsing children. She also made sure to grab some fancy cigarettes, so that it would be a dramatic scene. What is ‘it’? You'll see.

Karén had just finished the finale of a Hulu original series following a woman struggling with motherhood and marriage. Apparently, all she got from the series was that kids are evil, and landlords aren't. Also, arson is always the best plan. Also also, Reese Witherspoon is an excellent actress who is also kind of pretty. But not as pretty as her wife. Oh, and she forgot about the whole Kerry Washington subplot. Probably wasn't that important.

She dashed into Steven's office, which was conveniently close to hers, as she was #23 and he was #24. Karén laughed maniacally as she doused the whole thing in gasoline, unaware of Drogomann sitting on the sofa watching her.

“Um, salutations.”

“WHAT ZE HELL!!?”

Drogomann stared at the struggling woman, judging her every move. Karén’s panicking had spilled the gasoline out of the other two jerry cans, the accelerant flowing down the hallway. The dragon lady noticed this but didn't pay it any care. “Yes! Hello there, my good friend! How are you doing now, Darlamean?” she asked, her voice cracking intermittently.

Darlamean. Really?

The hunter rolled her eyes as she picked up her pet dragon, Currents. It's the least she could do to prevent this crazy French lady from burning down her husband's office. “Doth thou needeth a handeth?” she asked mockingly, shoving Currents into her face. The action had backfired, since Karén had a primal urge to smack the dragon out of her face.

“DON'T SLAPPETH CURRENTS!” Currents was too young to use his wings, so this was bad. Stoorworm panicked as she tripped over one of Karén’s arms as she was trying to catch Currents. The young dragon had thankfully not learned how to use its powers yet, thankfully, and didn't burn down the building. Still, it made everyone in the room panic like hell, especially Karén, but it was for nothing…

However, Karén tends to smoke when she's panicking, and even though this was a situation where smoking was the last thing someone would do, her pattern of reacting to panic did not register the fact that doing so would cause the room, if not, the whole building to burn down, and also would cause her and many others to die, engulfed in flames.

Regardless of the situation, she still instinctively pulled out a cigarette and started to light it without even noticing what she was doing. Drogomann, on the other hand, was busy examining Currents’ current state, searching for any injuries.

The sound of the friction of the cigarette against the weird sandpaper thing on the box (I have not seen a cigarette box up close in years, if not never, so don't expect me to know how this whole thing works ok) had alerted Drogomann as she was, you know, paying attention to the task and hand and not, like, panicking. Considering she deals with herself constantly being on the brink of being set on fire by one of her pets, she's trained herself to, like, Really pay attention to fire and stuff so yeah.

“Ho, dumbass, stop that,” Drogomann shouted. “Doth thee wanteth to kill us?” “Thee baguette? Huh? Huh?” She added, stuffing her pet dragon into her pocket, running towards Karén. “Mérghèhdé!” The Frenchwoman panicked, still. Despite Drogomann’s warning, the flame had already been lit, and the fire grew.

“Merde! Merde! Merde!” Drogomann retrieved a fire extinguisher from behind Steven's desk. Karén was still screaming in French. “Runneth, wench!” Stoorworm politely advised as she started spraying the forbidden Kool-aid powder across the floor. “MERDE!!!” Karén yelled as she ran out of the room, crying. Drogomann sighed as she extinguished the flame successfully, disappointed at the foolishness of the dumbass.

“Ashes. Flames have been reduced. Thank God we didn't die, right? I was here, you know,” the medieval lady said. “Merci! Merci beaucoup, mon ami! You saved my la vie! If it wasn't for you I would be morte!!!” The modern day lady thanked her profusely, “Hi-hi, you are étourdissante, Dghogomann!” Oh, so that's all it takes to get Karén to remember her name. Saving her life. And also insulting her at the same time. Good to know.

“What will you be doing later, ma cherie?” Karén asked suggestively, playing with her twelve-foot-long hair, covered in dry ice(?). “Taking care of him. Touch Currents again, you'll die. Same goes for Steven,” Drogomann haiku’d. “What le fuque? Okay.” Karén nervously backed away.

“A married woman… should not make such offerings,” “Steven shall tell her.” She warned. “QUOI?!” She shouted in French. “Non, non, non, non, Dghogomann, please don't, s’il vous plaît, non, non,” She pleaded. “I’m kidding, Karén. But really, don't cheat on her,” Drogomann assured. “Geneticist, right?” she asked, a brow raisedth. “Y-Yes. Why?” Drogomann nodded intently.

“So she killeth stuff.”

“Huh?”

“Good to know. Watch out, Karén,”

“Don’t do stupid things.”

Drogomann walked out of the room, cradling Currents, avoiding the gasoline and kicking any jerry cans that dared to stand in her way. “Clean this mess up, please. Someone might trip over them. Or burn the building.” She advised. “Rghogergh that, huntergh,” Karén complied.

Now, all she has to do is to give her wife a call or two, get some anniversary gifts, maybe set up some surprise parties, and…

Oh God. Review multiple dossiers.

· fin ·

[onestowatch]

Coachella 2019: 10 Ones to Catch (Who Aren’t Ariana Grande or Childish Gambino)

Coachella set times just dropped, and we can practically taste the watermelon and hear the sounds of some of the best names in music gathered in one place. Set to take place over two weekends in Indio, California, the Empire Polo Fields is about to become a haven for music lovers from around the world. And with all the last-minute planning still left to do (seriously still have to figure out our Coachella outfits), one area you cannot afford to forget about this year is catching the hottest up-and-coming acts.

Well, no need to worry. Your friends at Ones To Watch have combed the lineup for ten acts you need to catch at Coachella 2019 before camping out to catch Childish Gambino or Ariana Grande. And as an added bonus, we went ahead and compiled them all into one helpful playlist just for you.  

BLACKPINK

Genre: K-pop poised for a global takeover When & Where: Friday, 8:00pm at Sahara Tent There are no two ways about it; BLACKPINK is taking over the world, one history-making moment at the time. The first K-pop girl group to play Coachella, BLACKPINK’s set this year is bound to be equal parts jaw-dropping spectacle and illustration of why K-pop is such a global phenomenon. Hot off the release of their YouTube record-shattering music video for “Kill This Love,” it is no wonder why BLACKPINK ranked, alongside Kanye West’s Sunday Service and Childish Gambino and Rihanna’s film premiere, as this year’s not-to-miss Coachella moments. Can’t make it to their set? No need to worry, it will be live streaming everywhere, including Times Square.

JPEGMAFIA

Genre: Visceral hip-hop with a lighter side When & Where: Friday, 5:00pm at Outdoor Theatre

JPEGMAFIA is clawing his way up the rap world. The crystallization of punk as an ethos, his sound is undeniably dark but within its shadows, one will find a humor all the more unsettling. Yet, it is a sound that you cannot pull yourself away from. Utterly transfixing, pressing in his often rapid-fire unrelenting style of delivery, JPEGMAFIA’s set is likely to be equal parts uninhibited mosh pit and some of the best rap you will hear all weekend. And the icing on the cake? JPEGMAFIA even has Flume’s co-sign, having featured the Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape).

Wallows

Genre: Indie-rock stars in the making When & Where: Saturday, 1:30pm at Mojave  Comprised of Braeden Lemasters, Dylan Minnette, and Cole Preston, Wallows threw their hat in the ring for best indie rock album of the year with the release of their debut album, Nothing Happens. A testament to the band growing up together sonically and emotionally, Nothing Happens is an emotional roadmap to navigating young adulthood. And what better place to hear the idyllic and nostalgic musings of the thoughts and fears that accompany the transition to adulthood than on the polo fields?

A R I Z O N A

Genre: Resonant, shimmering alternative pop When & Where: Saturday, 2:45pm at Coachella Stage  A R I Z O N A is set to bring their soaring brand of alternative pop to Coachella this weekend, and we could not be more excited. Beyond being the trio’s Coachella debut, this will also be both the first time we get to hear their latest infectious single “Find Someone” live and catch them live ahead of the Ones To Watch–presented ‘Find Someone Tour.’ From the trio’s noted love of cute animals (especially dogs) to their anthemic, emotionally-driven alternative pop, we could not fathom a reason you would not catch A R I Z O N A at this year’s Coachella.

HYUKOH

Genre: Korean indie rock that transcends language barriers When & Where: Sunday, 6:35pm at Sonora BLACKPINK is not the only Asian act at Coachella 2019 to get excited about. This year also sees the inclusion of South Korean post-rock group JAMBINAI and J-pop girl group perfume making their Coachella debut, but one act in particular that we are especially excited to finally have the chance to catch live is HYUKOH. The South Korean indie rock outfit creates fluid-moving jams, sometimes sung in Korean and sometimes sung in English, that no matter the language, leaving you feeling better than before you heard them.  

Smino

Genre: Hip-hop told through the lens of a visionary When & Where: Saturday, 8:35pm at Gobi     A hypnotic blend of hip-hop, soul, gospel, and R&B, Smino is an artist of irrefutable substance. Nowhere is this clearer than on the critically-acclaimed rapper’s sophomore effort, NOIR. An album where Smino so deftly puts it as dealing with “adult shit,” it is an exceptional showing of an artist at the top of his game. Coachella marks a pit stop on Smino’s ongoing Ones To Watch–presented ‘Hoopti Tour,’ and besides the tour, on the polo grounds is one of the only places you can catch NOIR in all its compelling glory.  

Parcels

Genre: Groovy pop music that makes you feel When & Where: 8:35pm at Gobi  Parcels is timeless. Their sound has one foot in modern pop melodies, while the other is fully rooted in the groove-inducing classic albums that the Berlin-based, Australian band so clearly adores. The end result? The release of an impeccable self-titled debut album that spans a generation of sonics, all while surging forth with a distinctively human element. And unless any shocking guest appearances happen, this is likely the closest you will get to seeing Daft Punk at Coachella, considering their Draft Punk co-written and produced single “Overnight.”

Easy Life

Genre: Pure sun-soaked vibes When & Where: Sunday, 1:10pm at Sonora  Connecting the dots between the gospel-pop of Chance the Rapper and the sun-soaked vibes of Rex Orange County is the multi-instrumental and multi-talented Easy Life. Existing behind an ever-present mellow haze, every one of Easy Life’s tracks play out like you just stepped into your best friend’s ongoing jam sessions. There is an ineffable warmth here that will only be elevated ten-fold come this weekend. If you need further convincing, just check out the UK band’s latest Spaceships Mixtape, which we celebrated as an impressive representation of Easy Life’s evolving sound. Or you could just witness the magic first-hand during Easy Life’s mesmerizing Coachella set.

Little Simz

Genre: Kendrick Lamar–approved fusion of hip-hop, soul, jazz, and R&B When & Where: Saturday, 11:00pm at Gobi  “One of the illest doing this right now.” At least that is what Kendrick Lamar had to say about Little Simz, and we cannot help but agree. Praised by the likes of Lamar, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Gorillaz, the latter of two which both invited her on tour, the English rapper, singer, and actress is about to take Coachella by storm. Flowing between hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and soul with a consistently philosophical edge, we are still not sure if Coachella is quite ready for Little Simz��� phenomenal new Grey Area album. However, one thing is for certain, those lucky enough to catch Little Simz are in store for one of the best sets of their life.

Polo & Pan

Genre: The sort of music Coachella was made for When & Where: Friday, 8:00pm at Gobi 

If Coachella had a sound, it would be Polo & Pan. A vibrant exotic journey through a constantly evolving cornucopia of sonics, the electronic duo’s music is made to lose yourself in. The duo’s heavenly synthesis of organic and electronic elements unfurls with a life of its own in their debut album, Caravelle, which we championed as having the ability to transport us everywhere from the African Congo to the Brazilian tropical forest. Go ahead and do yourself a favor this Coachella and transport yourself to Polo & Pan’s set to bask in a sound and performance quite like no other.