#and his discography range is crazy

[sunlitsighs]

been listening to kenshi yonezu a lot lately (looked into him after watching the studio ghibli film ‘the boy and the heron’ and hearing his song in the credits!) and his music is so good... would like to recommend ‘spinning globe’ (from ‘the boy and the heron’) and ‘red out’ !!! they r both very different in terms of sound but ooouuuuuuuuuu both so excellent

[taylorhawkins]

14 Essential-Listening Taylor Hawkins Tunes

… that aren’t “Cold Day in the Sun”!

1. Pitiful (Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders)

One of his most emotionally raw tracks. I love the strange chords he used on the acoustic guitar to convey the somber depiction of guilt and shame associated with drug addiction described in the lyrics. This is a really painful song to listen to, but it’s beautiful.

2. The Path We’re On (Nighttime Boogie Association)

Matt Cameron and Taylor share vocal duties on this tune (Taylor sings the verses, Matt sings the choruses). Their voices together are pure heaven! Also features Melvins’ Buzz Osbourne snd Steven McDonald on guitar & bass. This group unfortunately only put out 2 songs during the pandemic, but they’re a magical 2.

3. I Could Be Somebody Else (NHC)

Psychedelic in every aspect of that word, this one is best experienced cranked with headphones. Trippy as hell. Dave Navarro was right when he said Taylor is a mind-blowing lyricist and singer. Another emotionally raw tune, when he said one of NHC’s songs makes him feel naked, I think he was referring to this one.

4. Running In Place (Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders)

This song takes you on a journey. It eases you in, then crescendos into classic prog-influenced chaos before it turns to a stream of pretty guitar work and layered vocals as it drops you back off. Taylor said this one was something he wrote talking to himself, trying to bring himself back down to earth and not go crazy. “The Teacher” by Foo Fighters almost certainly took inspiration from this song - the breakdown is nearly identical, and the “…say goodbye” outro is very similar.

5. Too Much for My Own Good (Phil X & the Drills)

This song by Phil X features Taylor on the drums. This is such a fun rock & roll tune that will definitely be stuck in your head for days but you won’t be mad about it. Every person I’ve ever played this to has loved it!! PS- you’ve definitely heard Phil X before, his discography as a studio musician is wild.

6. You Drive Me Insane (Taylor Hawkins & the Coattails Riders)

I love the trippy riff and the vocals in this song, it’s a California rock & roll vibe and it’s one of my top favorites of his. One of his sexier tunes he said was written about Mrs. Alison Hawkins.

7. Southern Belles

No group credited as he played every instrument and sang this one! (I think the bass is either Chris Chaney or Nate Mendel, but I couldn’t find out for sure). This is a heavy-hitting, super catchy one about his southern family roots. Really under-appreciated track from the same EP that gave us “Range Rover Bitch”.

8. Never Enough (Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders)

Taylor’s vocal range doesn’t get talked about enough… The cathartic way he belts his heart out at the end of this song gets me every single time. His voice was so beautiful. Another of that emotionally raw side of his music.

9. It’s Ok Now (Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders)

Another earworm, this one’s rhythm is bound to make you move. His voice is pure rock and roll. I think you can really hear how much his songwriting impacted the Foo Fighters’ music on this album, even though many people think Dave told everyone what to play…when you really listen, that doesn’t seem to be the case. This song feels like summer sunshine to me.

10. Guess I’ll Go Away (Edgar Winter)

Taylor on vocals for “Brother Johnny”, a tribute to Johnny Winter album, this was one of the last things he did musically. He SLAYED that shit. He sounds so good. Rock and fucking roll.

11. Louise (Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders)

I have no idea how he played that drumbeat and sang this song at the same time. Mind boggling. This song is so unique and so catchy, I don’t get why it wasn’t a hit. The rhythm section is my favorite part of the whole thing, Taylor and Chris Chaney locked in together SO well. It’s no wonder they played together from the Alanis days all the way up to him putting the ‘C’ in NHC.

12. Fearless (NHC)

This is a Pink Floyd cover…But it’s an amazing one! It’s groovy and trippy and they’re so locked in together, they were made to play music with each other. NHC unfortunately has a very small discography, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have selected a cover…but maybe I would’ve anyway, this one is just so good!

13. You’re No Good at Life No More (Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders)

Taylor and Dave Grohl split the vocals on this one and it’s such a wild ride. You can really hear his Queen influence throughout this album… so much so that he manifested Roger Taylor’s appearance on the last track! D&T’s voices together are magic as you hear on “Rope” by Foo Fighters and their cover of “Come Together”, I always wish they sang together more often.

14. Perfect Day

Only a minute long, this beautiful song is just Taylor and his guitar. A sweet reminder he wrote for Mrs. Hawkins that his love is always with her no matter where he goes. I’m sure she treasures this one. There’s so much love in it.

[taehyungfirst]

https://x.com/philtaetos/status/1847564813024612743

I absolutely agree with this and it's a pity because it's a beautiful song but I just can't listen to it. I also feel Tae could've actually handled the song on his own so it's crazy he got so few lines. I am not army as I discovered and started out liking Tae as a solo artist but I enjoy much of BTS discography. However I have a love hate relationship with many of the songs where I find them so good but then I hear only a few moments of Tae's unique vocals and realize how much he could've contributed to the song and it just ends up frustrating me because it could have been magic. Maybe I am being biased but I don't think so because I don't feel this way about all of the songs just very specific one's like TTU, that suit his voice so amazingly well.

I feel like every Taehyung biased person got a problem with TTU, it could have been the perfect song for his range after years of having to adapt to high pitched songs, but they gave him 20 seconds out of 4 minutes and didn’t even let him harmonize. It’s terrible I don’t think I’ve listened to that more than thrice in my years of stanning.

I think that’s one of the songs with the most unfair line distribution for him.

[sxcret-garden]

Hey I’ve been off tumblr for a while and barely came back and I’m so happy to see you on my feed. 💕 I’m going to try to not make this too long but I’ve never gotten to tell anyone what Ateez means to me so we’ll see how long it is lol. I’ve been a musician and performer since I was 3 or 4. I was lucky enough to go to a fine arts high school and played so many instruments, perform a bunch and even had a studio recording class.I was never really good at dancing and it made me super insecure so I spent so much time on yt watching dance studios pages and trying to get better and feel better. When I graduated I kind of gave up on music unintentionally, I was so busy with work I didn’t think I have time to enjoy my passions anymore. Fast forward a few years and Im visiting my mom and she’s watching kingdom because she loves stray kids. So I sit and watch the first episode with her and she’s explaining who all the groups are but all I can focus on is Hongjoong. His style is very much like mine and I just thought he was so cool and I couldn’t wait for every time he was in camera. During their first performance I’m staring at Yunho because I didn’t know much about kpop but he just looked so familiar and I couldn’t place it. Eventually ep 3 comes on and they perform wonderland and as soon as Jongho belts his iconic ass lines I was hooked. When I left my moms my entire ride home I was listening to their discography and I was planning on hitting like on each song I liked so I wouldn’t forget which songs they were but I realized I was hitting like for every single song that came on. Which for me loving every song, having no skips all bangers and such a wide range of genres, was crazy. When I got home I was looking them up on yt and found that I had seen yunho in a dance video I watched in hs and that’s why he looked so familiar to me! I had even seen their kq fellas videos but I just didn’t realize they were a group about to debut lol. I didn’t realize they had been a big inspiration to me for a long while. Now it’s been years since I was reintroduced or maybe properly introduced to them and I find so much inspiration from them. Yunho makes me want to dance not to prove myself like when I was in hs but to feel free and have fun. Jongho makes me want to sing again just to feel the song in my soul and get lost in the moment. Hongjoong inspires me to have fun with my fashion again and start upcycling my clothes again. Their music makes me want to play instruments again. Each member inspires me so much but those 3 I hold closest to my heart. I feel like we were orbiting around each for so long but now I fully see them and see myself in them. It also nice to just sit and watch their videos and see them have fun and be silly together. It’s like a nice break of the weight of the world on me. I hope that wasn’t too much! I just love those boys and I’m so happy to share what they mean to me.

aaaa anon that sounds so nice truly ;-; the way they've been with you for such a long time and then your paths finally aligned so to say hehe

thank you for sharing all this <3 i'm glad they had such a positive impact on you and your life!!

[slytherinshua]

HELLO!!!!

so ive been dead for a couple weeks (okay im sorry but school is kicking my ass)

BUTTTT IM BACK!!!!

And SO ARE YOU!!!

zanna pls the hao fic 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

idk whether to cry or kick my feet bc wTFFFF

how are you so g o o d (you obviously worked super hard and thats so cool of you)

ALSO

CINEMA PARADISE AND 19.99 CB!!!!!!

okay so i heard good so bad right? amazing song. 10/10 and thEn i watched the mcountdown kill the romeo performance and immediately went wHOA because why did that song hIT SO HARD LIKE?!?!??! Cinema paradise is such a ricky era (to me) bc his aura was off the roof he was so super noticable (even though he was worried bc of the hair dyeing :( he still stood out so much!) Also hao was so super good zb1 keeps getting better!!

OKAY NOW LISTEN

IM NOT THE BIGGEST ONEDOOR AROUND HERE OKAY BUT IVE LISTENED TO THEIR ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY AND WATCHED ALL THEIR PERSONAL CONTENT AND CAN I JUST SAY DANGEROUS AND NICE GUY ARE SO GOOD LIKE BND NEVER MISSES WHAT THE HECK

Taesans line in dangerous had me actually pulling out my earphones bc wtf why was that so good i was h o o k e d the secomd that song started and then nice guy was just also really good like?!?!?!? H O W do you slay that hard like whoa

ANYWAY HI ZANNA I MISSED YOUUUUUU

im glad you're out of your mini slump!!! (i have so many ideas and i want to write but i have no t i m e!!! i dont like school 😐)

-🌱 (bc you said youd miss this <3)

im sorry i rambled on a bit but yeah !!!

HI HAFS OMG!!!! omg it has been a while but dw i understand :((( school is out to get us all istg im so tired and its only the beginning of the year... AND LIKE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY W THAT WRITERS BLOCK HOLY SHIT LIKE I COULD NOT FUNCTION WITHOUT MY DELUSIONS BEING MY ESCAPE 😭😭😭😭😭😭

BUT AAAA IM GLAD U LIKED IT <333333 thank you ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️ ugh i remember like before i even properly stanned zb1 i was thinking about which members would fit studio ghibli boys and let me see if i can remember all the pairings.... honestly i think these ranged from most accurate (first 4-5) to zanna is running out of ghibli boys to assign

zhang hao as seiji

i think i had taerae as tombo back then but now i feel like it fits gyuvin more :((

NOW RICKY AS HOWL CAUSE WHO ELSE WOULD HE BE

and yujin as sho!!! cause look theyre literally the same skdfjksd could 100% see yujin in an arrietty storyline to me hes just the embodiment of teen youth like coming of age stories rly fit him so well

gunwook as pazu bcuz i have to satisfy my childhood crush and my current crush (also they look the same fight me)

honestly jiwoong as jiro???

taerae as asbel now (literally i don't remember anything about asbel but they look kinda similar so we're going w it)

hanbin as ashitaka bcuz i just think theyre both hot like that 🤕🤕🤕

which leaves matthew as sosuke cause i haven't watched the boy and the heron yet so idk whether that might fit better but yeah... BUT TELL ME WHY THEY KINDA HAVE SIMILAR VIBES ANYWAY SO??

now can we also appreciate how i tried to match the pics as close as i could thank you thank you anyway enough abt zb1 and ghibli boys

YES CINEMA PARADISE WAS SO GOOD!!! good so bad literally their best title track to date AND SAME W BND. i think nice guy is their best to date and ive seen a lot of ppl who like dangerous more than nice guy which is valid i also love dangerous BUT IMO NICE GUY IS PERFECT AND BETTER THAN DANGEROUS???? 👹👹👹

ricky will always stand out no matter what !!!!! even tho his hair was plain it still drew attention to him like the contrast of black hair to his skin is crazy and he looks like a whole prince (when does he ever not) BUT OMG HAO IN THE MV WRECKED ME SOOOO HARD like i think good so bad mv is the reason why hao is #2 in zb1 ranking for me rn skdfjskdfs ALSO CAN WE TALK ABT PURPLE GUNWOOK CAUSE NO IM STILL NOT OVER PURPLE GUNWOOK even tho hes had it for a while now i still look at it and then die skdfjksdhfks

IF THERES ONE THING BONEDO WILL DO ITS RELEASE BANGERS EVERY TIME!!! i swear they always stay true to their sound and concept and i LOVE that about them. every song feels SO boynextdoor but at the same time they try different sounds and tell different stories with each song. i also just adore their storytelling in their mvs and songs its so good every time!!!! and im excited to see what they release next bcuz it seems theyre doing a youth concept now that theyre done their falling in love trilogy

awwww nooo i hope u find time soon 👹 it can be so hard to find time to write sometimes istg.... but you'll manage i believe in u !!! KSDJFKSD I DID MISS IT OMG

[yegormirnov]

Danny Brown: Quaranta



Detroit musician Danny Brown is a contemporary representative of hardcore rap and experimental abstract hip-hop. Personally, I haven’t listened to many of his projects, and “Quaranta” became my second solo listen of his.

The follow-up to my second experience with Danny Brown was an album by JPEG Mafia & Danny Brown, “Scaring The Hoes,” with an all-over-the-place production and other psychedelic attributes. I was pleasantly surprised by that record; nevertheless, I still felt that I wasn’t the demographic for this project.

Despite Danny’s deviation from accepted norms of melody and tone, I was never a fan of his vocal performance. My experience with his best-acclaimed work, “Atrocity Exhibition,” was itself one big atrocity. Constantly repeated utilization of his specific and, to some extent, annoying voice drove me crazy throughout the whole thing. After that unpleasant experience, I just accepted that this guy is not for me. His yodeling left me off-put, despite the avant-garde production and experimental delivery style.

Who knew that this wouldn’t age well?

His brand new LP, “Quaranta,” gave me another perspective on who Danny Brown truly is, or at least brought me closer to understanding him.

A cinematic, rich, elegant sound is all over the place. I don’t feel as much of the experimental hip-hop production on this one as on his previous records, so I would rather define this album as something delicate and prosperous. I have never heard Danny’s "real" raw voice. His tangible Detroit accent fills up the runtime of majestic chords and the hardcore part of the record. From time to time, the artist comfortably mixes his style with beats, combining more soft and fuzzy bass notes. Additionally, a note I made during the listen is that Danny is a big fan of progressive rock. His production selection frequently leans towards art/progressive rock, which helps him maintain tension and tempo.

As far as I am concerned, on this album, Danny reaches his peak at the confessions and brings out new introspective material. I may assert that this record is an emotional rollercoaster. The artist brings out the best in himself when it comes to reaching the emotional climax of the song. The way his burden is released isn’t the same as I have seen before. In numerous conceivable ways, Danny ranges from aggressive, ominous flow to someone who is already defeated and has lost all of his young hunger.

Furthermore, after the furor that this album induced, I ought to find some drawbacks. A certain number of people believe that this album will lack replayability; however, I believe it comes down to personal preferences. Yes, tracks are hefty and complicated, but they stand out. Overall, the album is only 34 minutes long, which doesn’t allow you to reach a stage of boredom yet and I would say is ideal in terms of mainstream music.

Nowadays, many albums struggle with feeling more like a mixtape than an actual album. Let me explain. Consistency in a record is a mandatory aspect of a well-curated and produced album. For example, "Pink Tape" had lots of potential and experimental sound, with Uzi going beyond acceptable bounds, but it was bloated. Fillers and inconsistent track listings buried the album. Although, this one might be one of the most consistent releases I have ever heard. The artist commences the album with a hard-hitting and bustling record that smoothly transitions to softer, more gentle cuts of the album. Due to the help of his cinematic and breathtaking performance, the album serves as an impressive dopamine booster.

In conclusion, I was left awestruck. This release lifted my hopes for hip-hop and once again demonstrated that there is a place for this genre to evolve. I plan to explore Danny’s discography further in search of another hidden gem.

Final grade: 8.5/10

[charcubed]

hey char, mind to share your fave stevebucky headcanons? 👀

Oh I LOVE that you asked me this :’)  Thank you!

I honestly have so many if I really think about it because I love them so much and I think about their dynamic so much that I have so many favorite things... but here is what I think of off the top of my head:

• Steve was color blind before the serum, according to canon. I have a headcanon that Bucky used to try to describe colors to him. I wrote a mini fic about that here.

• Bucky was drafted for the war, but didn’t tell Steve. Steve sort of assumed that Bucky enlisted, and Bucky never wanted to correct him. How could he? Steve wanted to enlist so badly, and Bucky didn’t ever feel like he could admit that he didn’t have the same drive to want to ~fight for the country~ like Steve did. He didn’t want to disappoint him and he was afraid Steve would think he was a coward. So Bucky just... never told him that he was forced into war. It was never his choice to fight for the country. If it was up to him, they would’ve stayed home together and stayed safe and never fought at all.

• They were always physically rough with each other, in the sense that they'd wrestle as boys all the time, and Steve loved that Bucky never treated him as fragile. Buck knew he could take it. Even after the serum, they'd still scuffle a bit like kids, finding a bright spot in a war-torn world. They’d be awake in the trenches on lookout, having soft conversations in the night, and shoving each other after one says something stupid or makes a bad joke.

• Steve is bi, and Bucky is gay. Bucky was consciously aware of his feelings for Steve way, way before Steve was aware of his for Bucky. In the 30s, Bucky has a bit of a reputation for ~dating around,~ but not in a rude ladies’ man kind of way but rather his reputation is “Bucky Barnes is a real charmer. He’ll show you a good time and he’s really sweet, but he never pushes your boundaries.” Some women wishes he’d push their boundaries, but he doesn’t. He’s taken so many women out on dates because he never lets it get super serious, since they’re not who he wants and it’s mostly for appearances’ sake, especially since he and Steve live together. He definitely enjoys hanging out with women, and treating them nice, but most of the time his motivation is to try to set up double dates–half because Steve deserves to find a great girl to date, and half because a double date means Bucky can selfishly do a date activity “with” Steve and not have it mean anything. Meanwhile though, Steve gets jealous as hell and testy about Bucky dating all the time, but he’s oblivious to the fact that it’s because Steve wishes Bucky would be with him instead.

• Their first kiss was when Steve was 16 and Bucky was 17. I’m not necessarily saying that’s when they actually got together, but something significant happened between them at those ages... maybe they kissed because they were drunk, or it was so Steve’s “first kiss” would be someone he knew and it was for “practice.” And then they both never talked about it again, because they’re idiots and were afraid to ~ruin things~ between each other. That’s why Steve says “Rumlow said ‘Bucky’ and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn.” That’s why “seventeen” is one of Bucky’s trigger words as the Winter Soldier. It checks out, because Bucky is a little bit older than Steve.

• Steve doesn’t fully admit the depth of his own feelings for Bucky to himself until he finds out Bucky’s been captured by HYDRA. And then he tears Europe apart to get him back. He’d have done that anyway, obviously, but... the prospect of losing Bucky forever is really what makes him realize how much he can’t handle that concept. Because he’s in love with him.

• After Bucky “dies,” Steve gets more reckless, and that’s part of the reason he put the plane in the ice and didn’t try to survive: he didn’t want to live in a world without Bucky in it. This is supported by canon. And so I headcanon that, after Steve finds out about the Winter Soldier, one day he abruptly realizes that he could’ve died in that plane crash and never known Bucky was alive and brainwashed and suffering. He thought Bucky was dead and he wanted to follow him, and he could’ve left Bucky even more alone in the world without knowing it. When Steve realizes how close he came to leaving Bucky behind like that, he throws up. It horrifies him to think about it.

• They each have a pair of dog tags where one says “Steve Rogers” and one says “Bucky Barnes.” They swapped one tag each, so that they’d have a matching set, because while they couldn’t list each other as “next of kin,” they wanted tangible evidence that would show other people how important they are to each other. So people would know: tell him if something happens to me.

• Their Brooklyn accents come out / get heavier around each other, especially if they’re bitching about things or arguing.

• Bucky is a complete sci-fi and fantasy nerd–which is now confirmed canon, and I love it. In particular, I like to headcanon that he loves to read paperback sci-fi novels, and discount romance novels. He unironically enjoys them, and he leaves them allllll over the place. One of the things they love to do is Bucky will sit around and read while Steve will sit around and draw/paint, and half the time Steve gets distracted sketching Bucky’s facial expression he makes while he’s reading.

• Bucky is also a pop culture gremlin. He will try and often get interested in pretty much anything and everything, without rhyme or reason. In modern day, he and Nat will watch trashy reality TV together–sometimes to make fun of it, sometimes to get invested. Steve thinks they’re insane for that. And sometimes Bucky will like one niche thing but then for very specific reasons he dislikes another similar thing. It makes sense to him, even if Steve doesn’t get it.

• Steve tends to be pickier with the kind of stuff he enjoys. He’s always had Strong Opinions™️ on everything, including and especially art. Put him in a museum and he’ll have a lot of thoughts on all of it. He doesn’t judge things or hate on other people for liking things he doesn’t like at all, but he won’t get hooked on a movie/show quite as easily. The one exception is animation, which he absolutely adores, and he goes on a wild binge of all kinds of animated content for awhile–shows and movies–because the various art styles and uses of the medium to tell crazy stories just fascinates him.

• Easy access to so much music is one of their mutual favorite things about the 21st century. Bucky often gets into individual artists’ entire discographies and becomes a fan, whereas Steve often gets into a handful of specific songs from a wide range of various people. Like... Bucky will often love an entire album, and Steve will often love 2 songs specifically more than others. But even with that, Steve loves collecting vinyl records–both old and new ones.

• Bucky has a fantastic singing voice even though he’s shy about it, and he tends to hum along to music when distracted or working on something else–especially while making something in the kitchen. 

• Bucky likes technology more than Steve; Steve likes physical stuff more than Bucky. Bucky loves to take photos and videos of things all the time, hoarding digital memories in a way that’s precious to him, knowing that they’re “safe” and accessible anywhere. They lost so much of the objects that they loved a century ago, and photos were scarce, but now... there are endless ways to have pictures. When Bucky was recovering in Wakanda and Steve was on the run, Bucky would often text Steve photos–sometimes without captions��to wordlessly share bits of his days with him. He’s got a good eye for photography, except for when he takes the photo equivalent of shitposts to make Steve laugh. Regardless, Steve gets his favorites printed–some of Bucky’s photos, some of his, some of their selfies–so they also always have something tangible to hold onto.

• Bucky calls Steve “sweetheart” sometimes, just to be a little shit–and he means it. It makes Steve turn red every time, without fail, but he secretly doesn’t mind it.

Okay I’ll stop hahaha. Those are the main ones that come to mind for me all the time when I think of them! 

Thank you again for asking :D  This was so fun to write all in one place!

[oneustual-moving]

ok saw lucie do this & now i will too!! heres all my thoughts on the oneus concert in like one place under the cut <3

- i wanst expecting it to be that long wtf i think it was 2.5 hours?? as much as i didnt get good sleep last night, idec and i loved that it was so long. it rly let them show sooo much of their discography like they probably performed like 70% of their music (either fully or portions of songs in medleys or songs that played during breaks)

- my only complaint kinda is that the prerecorded videos werent subbed :( like i get when theyre talking on stage unscripted like i was Not expecting subtitles for that, but idk! maybe they just couldnt get it translated in time, which is okay bc i expect the luna behind the scenes video to be on youtube soon!! definitely did Not overshadow the good stuff though, but it did stick out a little bit

- SPEAKING OF LUNA I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT. i thought they were gonna release a new single for oneus theatre bc the concert was marketed as oneus theatre BUT WE GOT TO SEE THE TITLE TRACK???? okay. oh my god. oh my god. idk how to explain it. spoiler free review!!!! its amazing & if they dont get their first win like. i know wins dont rly matter bc at the end of the day its a popularity contest but like. please. please begging and hoping luna gets them a first win it’s incredible

- the mics were ON last night. they all consistently sounded stable, confident, & incredible. obv oneus has talented singers (like in my Totally Unbiased opinion keonhee & seoho could be the best 4th gen bg vocalists), but it was just soooo crazy to see that theyre rly THAT talented, its not just that they sound good in the studio. there were moments of live vocals where i was just so shocked in a rly good way at

- SPEAKING OF LIVE VOCALS dongju 😭😭😭😭😭😭 knowing that he’s previously stated he’s not as confident in his vocals, just comparing his performing abilities/stage presence/and especially vocal ability strength and confidence from last night to debut time, its SO clear to see how much he has improved the past couple years. i think sooner or later he’s gonna be in charge of lower harmonies/parts bc his lower range is rly so strong and amazing

- a LOT of the songs were remixes or rock versions which im kind of obsessed with. i feel like u all know i listen to oneus a Lot, so i was totally expecting performances of the studio versions i already listen to a lot, BUT NO???? im so upset bc sooooo many of them were amazing & i rly want studio versions of those remixes, but i dont think we’ll get them 😖 idk! maybe a concert album will come out, or they’ll be on future albums (like how valkyrie rock version was on binary code)

- (side note, obv i am a keonhee ult for many reasons but a big one is his rly incredible performing abilities and stage presence, & last night’s concert just solidified that to me he’s one of the most underrated performers just in general <///////3)

- THE STYLIMG ok i looooved the prince-y outfits at the beginning like they were gorgeous. and tjis is random but youngjo looked So Good with his hair styled like that ohmg. anyway all of their outfit changes were so good, but the star of the show i think we can all agree was seoho’s dropped shoulder top!!!!! it looked so good on him

- wait keonhee crying and all of them teasing him but then giving him a big hug before ipu😭😭😭 AND THEN HOW HE COULDNT GET THROUGH HIS LINES without crying i was so emo he is everything to me i love him such a normal amount

- okay now little things that just made it so fun

the audio going out during zigzag that im 90% sure was intentional and a calback to the one concert where that did happen for real. also seoho and keonhee sounded incredible during that lmao

even though them talking wasnt subbed it was fun to be able pick out words and phrases that i know lmaoo i definitely heard seoho say “keonhee pabo” at some point

whenever they just were having fun on stage like at the end of life is beautiful ;;

THE LORE IMPLICATIONS of youngjo and keonhee being the center of the Oneus Summoning Circle in luna. dont get me started i wont shut up abt oneus mv lore/plotlines

the transition from tbontb to no diggity UGH

the end they still are like Everytjjng To Me <3 it was so fun omg and amazing i hope someone who recorded it finds a way to upload it somewhere 😭

i will rb with more if i think of more <3

[suhyeos]

fromi and enha (our beloveds) for the ask game? 💞💗

hi thank u bestie beloved

fromi / if i stan;

favorite member / bias line: my most beloveds saerom + jisun

which member I’d fight (& why): i would love to fight hayoung for no particular reason i love her very much but she's so competitive i think it would be kinda funny

favorite song(s): feel good, weather (!!), love bomb, dkdk, mulgogi, airplane mode, coloring, escape room, fun ALSO REWIND

favorite thing about the group: omg.. literally trying so hard not to write a whole essay but they really are my most favorite girls they're so funny and talented and they seem like they rly love and care for eachother .. they are a breath of fresh air not to be dramatic but they're not afraid of acting stupid and being themselves and theyre just so so good they r literally my friends i love them.. also i know i already mentioned it but they're just SO talented i need everyone to listen to hayoung and jiwon singing like ! so good best girls in the world

something i’d like to see from them: need them to plagiarize chocome's concept actually. i want silly stupid cute i know they can do it they have the range

enha / if i stan;

favorite member / bias line: heeseung + sunghoon !

which member I’d fight (& why): not sure i would probably fight all of them depending on my mood not sunoo though he's safe

favorite song(s): given-taken, drunk-dazed, fever, not for sale, just a little bit, upper side dreamin', go big or home, polaroid love ..

favorite thing about the group: their discography ofc they have soooo many good songs its crazy !

something i’d like to see from them: yes absolutely i would like to see them stop rapping ! please give me more 10 months, not for sale, polaroid love, that feeling when etc. but for a title track .. put on a pink sweater and give me something cute i know sunoo would kill it

send me a group and i’ll answer ..

[oishirecipe]

Hello Andre :) How are u have u listened to any really good new music lately? Lately I have been listening to the songs Internet overdose (by aiobahn), Eye (by slavevvr), no nein disco (by r-906), ghost girl (mikitop) & penguins detour (by takumi hayashida) a ton…4/5 miku songs 😓 Oh on the topic of vocal synths, they released 4 new vocals for synthv and Weow are they amazing they’re so realistic and have such good ranges…I think it was 2 jp 1 chinese 1 English vocal? I could be wrong about the Chinese though….I’ve mostly listened to the Eng voice his name is Kevin. None of them have official designs but I’ve enjoyed seeing fan designs :) Tbh synthv is really outperforming vocaloid lately with these new vbs and solaria…I can’t wait to see where they go w their vocal synths . Okay sorry for the long synthv paragraph here are some images 4 u

^ My cat :) he has been acting very possessed lately like he just stares at nothing for 3 minutes, looks to the other side and then runs around like crazy. Love him regardless

Hi Vincent !!!!! I have not been myself lately but I'm fine , I hope you're doing well . And not much but I did listen to the new Utada Hikaru album it was very nice albeit not something I'd see myself coming back to . The cover just being a picture of her standing in (presumably) her house does make me laugh though lol . Because of it I did end up listening to alot of her discography again and I still love First Love so much ..... Excellent album . Automatic , Movin' on without you , Time Will Tell and Amai Wana ~Paint it, Black have always been my favorite tracks . I've also been *really* into Sakanaction and Yellow Magic Orchestra lately . I will check out the songs you mentioned !!

And LMFAO I love that his name is Kevin . They could've given him any name and they named him Kevin that's lovely . Do you have any links to where I could hear their voices ? I'm interested now .

And LOVE the images . Your cat is so lovely what is his name

[sleekervae]

The Neighbour [0.4]

Masterlist

The first thing Eva did when she came home was finish downloading the rest of Palaye Royale's discography. It was as though pushing the arrow on the saturation scale and suddenly her apartment with skeleton white walls and empty shadows was bursting with a new variety of rich colors. Songs that pulled back the whites in her eyes and forced open her ears to this new euphoria that was rattling through her brain and body like a pinball game.

The band's music drifted through the apartment for the rest of the night, tracks on a loop that was sure to make the tenants upstairs despise her. By the time she finished cooking dinner for herself she was lost in the cynical poetry of Warhol, entranced by the echoing of Remington's rasping screams that were never out of tune. And while she was supposed to be working on her latest article, Eva was instead watching the video for Lonely, the entire time feeling like her throat had been ripped out by a bare fist and forced to watch it beat out.

All in all, Dying in a Hot Tub took the crown for favorite. On a Saturday night, when she would usually be out with friends and drinking her problems away at the local bar, Eva was dancing through her apartment, pretending to sing along to the miserable and comprehensive words. A glass of cheap white wine sat on the counter, aiding in her inhibitions for having a rock concert in her living room. Pluto wasn't having any of it, retreating to his bed and ignoring her for most of the night.

Meanwhile, holed up in his own bedroom Remington scrolled through the Tumblr blog that Eva told him about: posts filled with poetry and proses that had him hooked as sure as he was doing drugs. Each post told a story, ranging from questions about her femininity, difficulties in growing up with an absent mother and a know-it-all dad, the first boy she had who humped and dumped her after prom. Remington wanted to read it all, falling deeper into the rabbit hole of Eva Kuznetsov.

His focus shifted from text to music when he heard a familiar sound: that sound being his own voice. The faint echo of words he was singing to crowds not months ago were suddenly swirling in the air, and when he turned to the complex, he found he had a clear view of Eva dancing away under the golden lights of her apartment. She had the screen door opened, not big enough for Pluto to squeeze through, but enough so he could hear the muffled music from his room. He knew he had pretty open access to Eva; he just didn't realize that he could see right into her space.

Which meant she could probably see into his room, too...

It was mesmerizing to watch her, spinning, jumping, her hair pirouetting around the sharp edges of her perfect jaw, all the while smiling and pretending to sing along. It was the most endearing thing Remington had seen in a long time, watching the real Eva come to life. She was uninhibited by people and impressions, dressed down in a pair of little cotton shorts and her hoodie, she was absolutely crazy and perfect.

Mischief soon got the better of Remington and he reached for his phone, eagerly selecting her number and typing. Across the way, Eva stopped dancing when the music dipped, indicating that she received a text on her phone. Brushing her winded hair out of her face, she grabbed her phone off the desk, her face going beet red when she was Remington's text:

Nice dance moves, Frances Houseman

She glanced up through the glass sliding door, mortified when she realized Remington could see her this whole time. Illuminated by the glow of the street lamp, his boyish smile seemed to shine brighter, clearly amused with this late-night entertainment. She took a deep breath and turned down the volume of the music, trying to collect herself.

How much of that did you see?

He responded not even ten seconds later:

Enough to know your hips clearly don't lie.

Shut up

And if I may ask, why are you looking through my window?

I can't help it. I'm vain enough that I get distracted by my own damn voice

Or you're just a fucking creeper

The fact that you haven't closed the curtain tells me you don't seem to mind an audience ;)

A familiar warmth spread through the pit of her stomach and Eva began to giggle uncontrollably; like a child that had been caught stealing a cookie from the jar and was so on edge she couldn't help but laugh. Stupid her for not closing the curtain.

Well I'm sorry, but the show is over now

She then went to the window to close the curtain, flipping off the smirking blonde as she shut out the rest of the world. Remington only laughed to himself, quickly texting back:

But the memories will live on in my brain

Fuck you, Leith!!

I think you should buy me a drink first, Kuznetsov

Eva just shook her head as she read his last message, downing the rest of her wine with a rose-tinted cheeks. Even with the music off, she still had Remington's soft raspy voice ringing in her head as she decided it was time to turn in. She couldn't help but start singing to herself.

"But I'm dying in a hot tub, I'm dying in a hot tub with my cat!" she lunged down and pointed both hands at Pluto. Pluto was unfazed, just staring at her with an unemotive expression. Eva's smile turned into a scowl.

"Well, fuck you too, then,"

✧✧✧

May brought the promise of vibrant flowers, bikini bodies and so many reasons for people to go out and mingle with their friends at the beaches and clubs.

Well... that was the case a year ago...

In Remington's mind, he and his friends had no need to go down to the beach and risk contracting Covid when he had a perfectly safe and clean pool and patio in his backyard. And within the last two and some weeks, he had succeeded in bringing Eva around more and more.

She got along great with everybody, which had Remington confused as to why she said she had it rough with friends. But everybody seemed to like her, and soon enough she had assimilated into their little pod. She started just with sitting outside with everyone, and when she was comfortable enough she came and hung out inside the house. Afternoons were either spent by the pool or watching TV shows and eating snacks. And the more she stayed over, the more Remington became fascinated with her.

Even Emerson and Sebastian couldn't deny that there was something about Eva that was unique; she was sparkplug of quick witticisms and lame jokes that people would laugh at just because she was so cute. She was mature way beyond her years, and yet she still had fun like a teenager trying to find themselves in high school. More than anything, the boys were curious to how close Eva and Remington were slowly becoming.

Remington liked hanging out in Eva's apartment. The environment held a different kind of vibe; like an aesthetic post you'd tag on Pinterest under a renovations gallery. But Remington was inside Eva's world, seeing the random art pieces she had hung on the walls and getting to hang with Pluto on the couch. He helped her bake when they couldn't think of anything else to do, and she always insisted he'd bring some home even when he assured her that he didn't need it. She was kind, homely, a woman with a clean soul and dirty mind who could make him laugh and didn't care when he openly belched after a soda.

Despite the pandemic, Remington was excited for his birthday. Any other time, he was at a bar or a house party with his friends, drinking until he couldn't feel his legs or ending up face-deep in a grimy toilet bowl. Even though the party wouldn't be as fun as it usually would be, Remington was looking forward to at least spend his birthday with his closest family and friends, only.

Eva wished she could have had the same optimism Remington did, but the Saturday before his birthday, she was none too pleased to find that the drain to her kitchen sink was leaking water. And apparently, it wasn't her landlord's job to come up and fix it for her.

"You want me to come take a crack at it?" Remington asked when Eva explained the situation.

Eva's phone was on speaker as she tried to navigate the utility box in the closet to turn off her water.

"Do you have experience in sink maintenance?" she asked.

"I don't," Remington admitted, "But that's what Youtube is for, right?"

Eva simpered, "As entertaining as it would be watch you destroy my sink, I respectfully decline,"

"You think too low of me, Eva," he whined.

"I just know you better than you think, Remington," she replied smartly, "I got a plumber coming by, anyway. And he can't get here 'til six for some reason so I'll be down a shower day,"

Remington's eyebrows furrowed down, "He's coming at six at night?" he asked.

"Yeah," Eva replied, seemingly clueless to the skepticism in his voice.

"What plumber makes house calls after five o'clock?" he said.

Eva stopped short, "Well, he's an independant freelancer. Makes his own hours, I guess,"

"You hired a fucking freelancer to come fix your sink?" he said incredulously.

"He's what I can afford," she replied.

"So he didn't come from an agency?"

"Nope!" Eva huffed, satisfied when she finally figured out how to turn off the water dial, "He came from Letgo,"

It was then Remington had a sinking feeling in his gut. He didn't blame Eva that she didn't want to splurge her money on a plumber, but the thought of her alone with a strange man -- who mostly carried a multitude of heavy tools -- made his hair stand on end.

"Maybe I'll come by and wait with you while he does the job," he said.

"Why?" Eva asked.

"Because you're a small girl letting a strange man into your apartment after hours," he replied.

Eva turned to her window, still having a firm view of Remington's empty, but messy bedroom, "You were a strange guy I let into my apartment," she countered.

"And now you have concrete proof that I'm not a creep, I'm just a little weirdo," he replied, "I'd just feel better being there with you, is all,"

Eva shrugged, understanding where he was coming from yet assuring herself that he was overthinking it, "I mean, if you wanna'... sure,"

"Great!" Remington grinned, "I'll be by before six,"

The early afternoon soon delved into the night, and just as he promised, Remington was at Eva's apartment ten minutes before six.

And the plumber was late.

Eva attributed it to traffic when the clock hit ten after, but then she was annoyed by twenty after. What was he possibly doing that he was twenty minutes late for a pay grab? Remington didn't say anything, though the knot in his stomach got tighter as the minutes ticked by. And when Eva assured him that he didn't need to stay, he simply shook his head and declined.

"The only way you're getting me out of this apartment is with a fucking pitchfork," he told her, smirking with pride. Eva only rolled her eyes.

It was finally quarter to seven when a battered, unlabelled black pickup truck pulled up in front of the complex. And just as Remington feared, a rather large man came falling out of the truck and started trudging his way inside. He carried no tools with him.

Both Remington and Eva had their masks on and the windows open as the plumber came inside. He was portly, older, and he wore the mask just under his nose; a particular pet peeve of Eva's. He was polite as he greeted the kids, narrowing his eyes at Remington. The whole time he was there, Remington made sure to keep Eva close to him.

"So, what seems to be the trouble?" the plumber asked, coming over to the sink but looking around slowly at the knick knacks and furniture within the apartment.

"Well, I'm not sure. It just started leaking all of the sudden," Eva shrugged.

The plumber glanced at the faucet, then took a look under the counter to the pipes. Eva began to understand why Remington was so eager to come over, now. He stayed well on his knees for longer than needed, not pulling out a flashlight to see in the dark shadows. Even Pluto seemed to sense something was off about this character, he leapt onto the top of the couch where he had a full vantage point of the typical case of plumber's crack.

The plumber finally sat back from his inspection, turning to the two kids, "I see what the problem is. I gotta' get my other tools from my truck, though," he said.

Eva and Remington glanced at each other with uncertainty, "... Okay," she drawled, "We'll, um -- we'll be here, I guess,"

"Okay," he forced himself back on his feet and exited out the door.

Not two seconds later, Remington heard the faint carry of voices in the hallways; a couple by the sounds of it. He took a look into the hall, indeed finding a pair of Eva's neighbours unlocking their door as the door to the stairwell slammed closed.

A few minutes passed, but Eva was confused when she heard the revving of an engine outside. She went to go look out her window, and sure enough, the black pickup truck was speeding away. Needless to say, she was shocked.

"What the fuck!?" she exclaimed, "He left!"

Remington came to look as well, not surprised but his fears quelled as he watched the truck disappear around the corner.

"Good," he said, "Truth be told, I'm pretty sure he wasn't here to fix the sink,"

Eva pulled her face mask off, "What, you think he wanted to rob me?" she asked.

"Or something a little more vile," Remington nodded, simultaneously pulling off his own mask, "He clearly didn't like the fact that I was here,"

Eva's face paled for a moment, now grateful she had let Remington in when he asked. How did he know, though?

"How did you know he wasn't legit?" she asked.

Remington scrunched his nose, "Well, first of all he's coming by at six -- well, seven o'clock on a weekend. Second of all, you found him on Letgo,"

Eva shrugged, "I don't trust Craigslist,"

"Because Letgo is any more reliable?" he raised his eyebrows with a petty grin, "This is the part where you say 'thank you for looking out for me, Remington',"

Eva narrowed her eyes at him, "Thanks for coming by, ya' smug shit," she glanced out the window again, "You think he's going to come back?"

"Not now that he thinks I'm here, too," Remington replied, "Like I'd leave my girlfriend alone with a strange guy at seven at night. In a fucking pandemic, too," he scoffed.

Eva looked at him quizzically, "... I'm not your girlfriend," she drawled.

"But he doesn't have to know that," he grinned back.

Eva had to admit, she was impressed. And moreover, quite grateful for Remington's persistence -- though she wouldn't tell him that.

"Aw, I have such a smart boyfriend!" she gushed sarcastically, clasping her hands together before going to fetch her Lysol spray.

Remington simply sat back down on the couch, feeling pretty damn good about himself now, "Anything for my baby!" he exclaimed happily.

"Shut up,"

[pissjesus]

aaa i forgot to ask the yesterday when you were like "send asks" but like would be cool to hear what type of music the planz crew would all like and if any of them can sing or play instruments. also maybe some songs you think either theyd like or that just really fit them as characters? ooo or you could do this for the new vampire ocs to like show off what their vibes all are

•Daisy’s music taste would be lot of girl-fronted bands like No Doubt, Blondie, Paramore, the Cranberries, Joan Jett, but she’s also very much a Dodie Clark-Phoebe Bridgers-Girl in Red-make-playlists-titled-“let’s go lesbians”-that’s-identical-to-3-other-wlw-playlists kind of bitch. None of her music taste is particularly weird or controversial but she’s still too insecure about it to man the aux chord. Her least favorite genre is nu-metal— which she has decided after hanging out with Wyvern for a while

•Asami likes things like metal and hyperpop. Her favorite artists are Babymetal, Rina Sawayama, White Zombie, Marina, Kim Petras, Willow Smith, Studio Killers, Doja Cat—along with kpop groups/artists like Orange Caramel, Sunmi, and Red Velvet. She describes songs as “cunty,” and can get down to almost anything, especially if it’s upbeat and you can dance (or mosh) to it. She knows Barbie Girl like the back of her hand. Her least favorite genre is probably “white dude with a guitar and reverb”

•Wyvern’s music taste is actually very similar to Asami’s and can also get down to most things (albeit because he sometimes likes things that suck), but with more thrash metal and nu-metal. He also enjoys a good 2000s club banger. Ghost wants to throttle him every time he requests limp Bizkit or Nickelback. However, if you show him a song, he’ll sit and listen to it. Asami got him into Taemin and Megan Thee Stallion. His actual favorite Lady Gaga song is Teeth but he says it’s Judas. His least favorite genre is whatever you’d consider easy-listening music

•Calvin likes The B-52s, The Beach Boys, Dolly Parton, Frankie Valli, and Kate Bush. He’s also a fan of musicals, but he’s not familiar with current ones. If Cats is “cringe,” it’s news to him. Also knows Barbie Girl like the back of his hand but not as open about it as Asami. Conversely, his husband Jason is *very* into punk, but they share commonality through Oingo Boingo. He also has a good theatrical singing voice. His least favorite genre is probably heavy metal

Val likes a lot of old music, like 30s-50s, and more modern things with a retro sound, like Amy Winehouse and Beth Hart. She tends to prefer music on the softer/slower side, and prefers having her headphones in rather than playing it aloud even if she’s alone. Some of her favorite songs are Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers, Spooky by Dusty Springfield, and Crazy by Patsy Cline. She’s the best singer of the group and has a deep, raspy voice and her music reflects her range, but she gets embarrassed about singing in front of other people.

•Z is a former emo kid still mad they weren’t allowed to go to warped tour— My Chemical Romance and Black Veil Brides are their favorites. They also like Linkin Park, The Offspring, Mother Mother, Gorillaz, and Death Grips. They are also very touchy about having their music criticized. Their least favorite genre is “whatever’s on the radio.”

•I’ve probably already talked about Ghost’s music taste. His toxic trait is being a music critic. He likes a lot of stuff, but unlike Wyvern, he’s picky. He likes hip hop, disco, 60s-70s funk and soul, and psychedelic rock. He tends to prefer individual songs over entire discographies. His least favorite genre is whatever Wyvern is playing. He also plays instruments, including drums, keyboard, ukulele, and guitar.

I’ve made some playlists for each of them but they’re kind of old so they’re a bit of a mess, I’ll have to make updated ones and share them here

This is hella long so I’ll post a part 2 with the B Positives <3

[lesbiansamruby]

sam stan ask game! tagged by @jcthro and @pietacastiel thanks guys :)

Sibling status (younger, middle, older, only child…) - oldest!

How long have you been stanning for - oh boy since i started watching in season seven so like.. eight years

Favorite Sam era - s4-5 when everything is terrible ALL the time. tragedy rights.

Favorite spn season, but if the only criteria was Sam’s hair - season twelve!

Favorite Sam-centric episode - houses of the holy, i know what you did last summer, when the levee breaks, swan song, o brother where art thou, american nightmare. there are so many options

Any ships you may like to mention - SAMRUBY SUPREMACY. also samrowena is good..

Favorite song you would/have put in a Sam playlist - julien bakers entire discography of course. but especially even, rejoice, and faith healer. and not to commit amanda palmer crimes but i saw girl anachronism on someone’s sam playlist a while ago and that makes me a bit crazy

If you could steal one thing from Sam’s wardrobe, it would be - orange lesbian jacket!! everyone thinks it is ugly but i want it

Complete the sentence: If Sam cishet, then WHY repressed christian lesbian

Favorite unhinged Sam moment - when he screamed at the biblical devil that he was going to rip his heart out and then two minutes later looked like he might start crying. the range!

You must have some intense headcanons you need to talk about, tell me one Sam hc that drives you insane - literally anything about lucifer having manipulated sam’s life down to every detail which is given a few lines in the show and nothing else. the absolute lack of autonomy in that and belonging to hell and the devil which was what sam was always afraid of. horrifying. also lucifer having always been the one to receive sam’s prayers, not heaven

Tell me something about the hbo Sam that lives in your brain - hbo sam is more overtly demonic and religious in ways that are violently opposed to one another and very sad. burning baptism, burning holy water, struggling to say prayers, choking down communion wine etc etc

Oh no, the writers forgot to give Jess a personality! Now it’s up to you. Tell me, what was Jess like - i do not think abt jess very much but i think the idea of her as a mainline liberal california hippie is very funny. also like august said, all the modern all fathers. comedy.

Biggest injustice Supernatural commited against Sam (be as brief or as ranty as you desire) - s9 gadreel and also not being allowed to be right ever. which are the same thing >:(

And finally, just say something about him that makes you smile ♥ sam being very hopeful against all odds makes me 🥺

i think everyone has been tagged at this point but if you haven’t and you see this.. i tag u

[straykidsupdate]

Stray Kids & Their Fans Are Growing Up Together

Adulthood has its side effects.

Strobe lights flash like firing synapses; Synths wobble and throb like a pounding headache. “머리 아프다!” — my head hurts — yell the members in Korean, pounding their fists erratically in different directions in the air. Stray Kids dance over the EDM-trance beat as a stern voice recites a string of aliments: “Common side effects include: nervousness, insomnia, nausea, agitation, anxiety, sweating, vision problems, numbness, psychosis, dizziness, headaches, weight loss.” 

From the crowd of nearly 5,600 in New York’s Hulu Theater, the refrain to “Side Effects” rang out passionately from the K-pop group’s diverse fanbase, called Stay, caught somewhere between a battle cry and a cry for help. Stray Kids know that this feeling they’re communicating with “Side Effects” — one of disorientation, fear, and confusion that goes hand-in-hand with growing up — is one they share with Stay. After all, that’s what makes Stray Kids (who range in age from 19 to 22) so beloved by their passionate fans — they write and compose straight from their own experiences, painting a vivid picture of the feelings that young people share all over the world. And now, for everyone gathered in this dark theater, singing together is a catharsis.

Since their debut with JYP Entertainment nearly two years ago, Stray Kids’ discography has weaved a narrative that serves as an allegory for the joys and pains of coming of age. They begin as prisoners in the fictional dystopia of “District 9,” but even after making their escape, they must enter a labyrinth to face internal battles as they question their identities and their goals throughout each three-part I Am…  and Clé EP series. 

“In Clé 1: Miroh, we went into the maze really confidently,” Stray Kids’ animated Austrailian-Korean leader Bang Chan tells Refinery29 in our office ahead of their New York City tour stop. Even in more serious moments, the 22-year-old rapper and one-third of Stray Kids’ producing unit, 3RACHA, holds a warmth and playfulness in his eyes. “And then after that, in Clé: Yellow Wood, we asked ourselves, ‘Was this the right decision? Do we have regrets? Did we choose the right way?’ ‘Double Knot’ [off of Clé: Levanter] was where we said, ‘We're going to keep on doing what we're doing. We'll just keep going.’ But then with [our most recent single] ‘Levanter,’ we stress how you can't always just really focus too much on one goal. Maybe you might need to take a break to see the other options.”

There’s a certain rebelliousness that seems to run through Stray Kids’ music — if they’re not fighting against a higher power, then they’re warring with themselves. But rapper Changbin, another 3RACHA member along with rapper and vocalist Han, is clear that their mentality isn’t “us against the world.” 

“There's not this big, crazy thing that we’re fighting against, right?” says Changbin, the chains on his shirt clinking together as he gesticulates. Changbin’s duality on and offstage is one of the most pronounced in the group — though he’s not the youngest, he’s known affectionately as the “baby” by his members. Catch him performing, however, and he turns into a growling menace as he spits bars.

“But just like in daily life, there are things that you're facing — issues, or roadblocks when you're on your way to a dream and things that you want to do in life. The theme of our music is that we want to overcome that together.”

Hyunjin, a striking rapper and dancer beloved by fans for his emotional intelligence, lays out what he feels people his age today feel they are most often up against: “There are two types of people. One is somebody who doesn't really know exactly what they want to do with their life. They don't really have a dream, so they're trying to find themselves and decide what they want to do. And then there are people who do have a particular goal or dream, and they're trying to wrestle with how exactly they’re going to achieve it.”

It’s not simply that Hyunjin and the seven other members of Stray Kids (a ninth, Woojin, left the company suddenly late last year for unknown reasons) are guessing what’s on Stay’s mind — they know firsthand, thanks to their uniquely close relationship that they’ve taken care to nurture over the past two years in a few ways. The first, and in many ways the most important, is by connecting through their music, which they’ve self-produced even before they officially debuted as a group. This creative license allows them to speak directly to their fans and reveal themselves  in a truly authentic way. It is also the reason why Stray Kids’ music — often a creative mix of EDM, rap, and rock —  sounds so distinctive in the K-pop landscape, and even beyond Korea’s borders. “All eight of us have different preferences and tastes in music, so we can each bring a different color to the music we make,” says Changbin. “It lets our music be more diverse and it allows us to try new things.” 

They acknowledge that there’s a tension between wanting to take risks in your music and needing to make a chart-smashing hit, which is something that despite their overall success, the group has yet to achieve. But the goal is to always try to push boundaries, and not sacrifice their integrity. 

You don’t usually see this kind of adventurous spirit in a newer group: usually, musicians start by imitating what they know and love. In Stray Kids’ case, that could’ve meant reflecting artists who Stay likely also share passion for: A bit of Ed Sheeran (courtesy of Bang Chan), Ariana Grande (Changbin), or maybe even Day6 (Seungmin). But they resisted the urge to copy, and instead created their own signature style. “Even if it might be a bit weird, I think we all really enjoy that, because it really excites us to try new things,” says Bang Chan, dimples punctuating his broad grin.

"I feel like our fans are really just close friends, to the point where they’re like family" - Stray Kids’ Bang Chan

Beyond music, they also communicate with Stay directly. The members share their thoughts in short video series such as Two Kids Room and One Kid’s Room, behind-the-scenes vlogs about their travels on tour, and often take time to talk to fans on VLive, a live-streaming app popular with K-pop idols. But they take it a step further: Bang Chan goes live once a month (it used to be once a week) in a segment he calls “Chan’s Room,” where he shares updates about his life, what’s been on his mind, and music recommendations. Hyunjin started a series called “Hyunjin’s Counseling Center,” where he addresses both his and Stay’s various inner thoughts and feelings, as well as give advice.

“I feel like our fans are really just close friends, to the point where they’re like family,” says Bang Chan. “I love spending quality time and just being like, ‘I'm doing this. I'm thinking about this these days. I want to show you guys this. I got my ukulele and am going to play something for you guys.’ I think the whole live system is really great because it makes us feel so close. It just tightens the relationship.”

“I think the best way for Stay to take care of themselves is to stay healthy and eat a lot of delicious food and listen to our music,” adds the affable and dynamic vocalist Seungmin, “so this is a way we check in and help them with that.”

It’s a beautiful symbiotic relationship. While fans certainly benefit from Stray Kids’ care, the artists readily admit that they’ve learned a lot about themselves since becoming idols and gaining fans.

“People think that it’s weird to be a celebrity if you’re an introvert,” says blonde Han, who opted for a seat in the center of the half circle, though a bit behind his bandmates. On stage and with his members, his charisma and sense of humor know no bounds, but the sole MBTI-certified introvert of the group usually takes a while to get comfortable in new environments. “I usually keep to myself, but when I’m on stage with the other Stray Kids members, I find this courage and strength that I didn’t even know I had,” he says, a smile widening on his face as he compliments the others in the room. “I get strength from my fellow members and the enthusiasm and energy of the fans, so that I can be confident and not come off as too introverted.”

“The feedback from fans has helped us grow so much,” says Australia-born dancer Felix, whose deep voice and shock of red hair counterbalance his lithe stature. His deep sincerity and good nature ratidate as he speaks. “We're always trying to show better work. So using all this direct feedback, I do try to improve as an artist and as... I guess it helps me try to be a better person in general.”

I.N., the youngest, self-proclaimed fox-faced vocalist of the group, as well as passionate dancer and cat-lover Lee Know, have both been more motivated to stick to their goals thanks to fans. I.N. explains his lack of willpower using cool slang (“작심삼일”) that stumps even the interpreter. “Basically I give up on things within three days,” he says. “I’ve been trying to overcome that.” For Lee Know, it’s a bit more simple: “I want to bulk up. So, consistency is so important. Stay are good at keeping us accountable.”

Hyunjin, ever-contemplative, sees the growth he’s gained from being an idol with fans as more introspective. “I’ve experienced a lot of feelings and emotions I didn’t have when I was a trainee,” says Hyunjin. “Being a celebrity or an idol, you're in the public eye and you're one person who is constantly interacting with and meeting many, many people. While talking to so many fans, I started realizing how much impact the words of a few people can have on a large number of people. It made me more thoughtful of what I say and I feel more responsibility for our music and performances. I want to do my best because of my fans. I feel that it’s made me grow into a more mature person.” 

And while that seems like a lot of pressure to put on a 19-year-old, he maintains that he sees it as a responsibility he’s more than happy to take on. “I don’t really see it as a burden because the way I see it, you could say just one little thing, but that could really make a person's day or really change their mind for the better.”

[playitbyear-laz]

I’ve wanted to use ‘Vain’ as an opening track for a minute, but because you know I’m all about curating based off themes, this week ended up becoming a bit of an exploration of the highs and lows of relationships. 

                        PLAY IT BY EAR 033

                               curated by laz

                     Link to all platforms HERE.

Vain - Christian Kuria

WHERE: Christian Kuria’s most recent album ‘Borderline’ was on repeat for me for a minute (featured ‘Losing You’ a few playlists back). Checked out his first project ‘Yearlong’ kind of recently and absolutely LOVED this record.

WHY: There’s just something super relatable to me about this track. We’ve all been in that position where we’re doing things for someone else with the expectation that we’ll get something in return (e.g., love reciprocated). Ultimately, the pain that comes from that experience is self-inflicted, and you realize that type of love isn’t rooted authentically. 

Now That You Need Me - Taylor McFerrin

WHERE: another one via the HB Weekly Playlist

WHY: Felt like this song flowed nicely after ‘Vain’, both sonically and thematically. Another familiar feeling when someone is finally ready to reciprocate that love, but it’s already too late, and you’re in a different space.  Has that liberating feel to it; late night drive through the city vibes. 

Lonely - Chloe x Halle

WHERE: Feel like I was pretty late to the Chloe x Halle train, but it’s safe to say that I’m a low key stan. Can’t think of one bad song off ‘Ungodly Hour’. 

WHY: Wish I discovered this track at the beginning of quarantine; it’s a really powerful message to hear for anyone getting a little stir crazy from isolation. Both Chloe and Halle sing so delicately on this track, which adds to the overall feelings of comfort that this record embodies. 

Who are you when no one's watching? You close the door to your apartment Are you afraid of the silence? Are you afraid of what you'll find in it?

Homewards - Mndsgn

WHERE: n/a (pretty sure just came up on my Spotify queue). 

WHY: Feels like a track of arrival. When describing this album, Mndsgn says 

"I've allowed myself to study the absence of daily struggle and it's effects, and began to subconsciously paint that vibe in the music. Yawn Zen comes from a very neutral place that we, sometimes, are too busy to realize is there."

A few weeks ago, I touched upon tapping into the joy that can be found in the mundane (the ‘very neutral place’). The intention behind this project/track couldn’t be more spot on. 

Wetin Day - Odunsi (The Engine)

WHERE: n/a

WHY: The perfect record to set the tone for a good night out. Think post-pregame in an uber with the homies, otw to the main spot. With the world slowly starting to open back up again, it’s finally feeling right to include some of these more upbeat, going out type records. 

Sun Burn - Dirty Art Club

WHERE: n/a

WHY: What a sunny day sounds like. This track randomly brings instruments & voice samples in and out of the beat, but these parts all seem to fit in the exact increments you need them.

Baby I’m Dyin’ - Lolawolf

WHERE: Mika (@mikacribbs) has been doing these stories where she’ll describe a setting and asks for requests that fit that vibe. I’m pretty sure this was a track from a ‘late night drive,’ story and once you listen, you’ll for sure see why.

WHY: I love how simply produced this track is - I usually find that the best love songs are. Zoe Kravitz is actually the lead singer of this group which makes a lot of sense considering how musically engrained she is. Still have yet to check out High Fidelity, (you won’t believe how many people have told me I’d love it).

let you go - wev, Biocratic

WHERE: Long overdue that I feature a track by my bro Trevor (wev).  Linus of Hablot Brown on the vocals. 

WHY: Wev is an artist with a ton of range. Most of his current discography consists of house records, but this is the first track I’ve heard him put out that’s got a more afrobeat feel. As I type/listen to this track, though, I realize how many parallels there are between house and afrobeat. Linus’s vocals here are smooth as ever too. 

[kim-lexie]

january rewind: 2021.

here’s to a new year, and hopefully a more timely me. i thoroughly enjoy looking back at my favorites from each month, and i hope to be able to commit to writing and rewinding my month well in the future. i hope you enjoy this journey with me, here is to january 2021. 

music.

junny. this man. i started listening to him last month, and have since dove head first into his discography. 10 out of 10 would recommend. and this man is a blessing and releases so many piano ballad versions which are incredible, and his solid vocals make you weep. ‘by my side’ incredible and stunning. ‘movie’ still a bop. and ‘thank you’ a blessing.

seventeen. i had the immense pleasure of attending their online concert ‘in-complete’ this month at the early hour of 3 am. and of course, leading up to the event i needed to listen to their entire discography, which has to many gems to name. it was a great time, being able to chat and see everyone reacting to the incredible stages our boys brought to life. it was the first online concert i attended and it was so much fun. i loved it and am thankful that it was seventeen, my OG boys. 

‘first love’ by NCT127. my boys never disappoint. our boys are back for 127 day, and i couldn’t be prouder of our multilingual kings. their vocals SLAY. i am expectant for their upcoming japanese comeback. and can we take a moment to appreciate their visuals on the cover art, like thank you irregular/regular era for originally bringing these looks, but thank you to this comeback because dang!

‘easy to love’ by key. an incredible track from a random station on apple music, and it is a VIBE. i love it and am disappointed i only just discovered this track. key’s vocals are no joke, and i love screaming these lyrics driving on the highway. 

‘a song easily written’ by oneus. y’all another blessing from this random station. this vibe and beat is everything, it’s a mix of island and edm. 10 out of 10 would recommend. and their vocals incredible. i love their harmonies, and the visuals in the music video INCREDIBLE. 

ost. my monthly playlist was accompanied by many ost tracks from the great dramas of this month including ‘true beauty’, ‘run on’ and ’18 again’. i love ost tracks, and the incredible emotions that come with them. i loved the fun cover that yuju brought to ‘i’m in the mood for dancing’. ‘hello’ by sohyang makes me want to weep. and ‘sorry’ by 2F, my goodness i cannot put into words how much i love this song and their vocals, i need more music from this duo! 

‘to you my light’ (feat lee raon) by maktub. this one was thanks to our main man seojun from ‘true beauty’. i wish they released hwang inyeop’s version as an ost, but you cannot always get what you want (but i am expectant for his ost to come very soon!!!) nevertheless, this track is beautiful and the lyrics make me want to cry. 

dramas & movies *spoilers alert*

private lives. honestly this one took a while for me to get into and then finish. i had major difficultly jumping into this one, and then finishing it was hard because the plot lost me a bit at the end. the characters were interesting and i have not really watched a drama of this mystery action nature. but i loved the actors that portrayed these multi facetted characters, like seriously i have no idea how they played this characters. there was so much plot and character development. it follows the story of a con man’s daughter, joo-eun. she wants to con people so that she can get back at the lady who conned her father when she was younger. in the series of events, she plays a character  and becomes involved with jeong-hwan, who surprise is also a fellow con-man (of course she doesn’t know at the time, they just lie and lie). it all becomes a tangled mess, and he disappears and appears to have died *gasp* and then he is alive *gasp agian*. and it just all is tangled and lots of crazy drama. she ends up working with the lady that conned her family years ago to get the ultimate bad man. and everyone teams up to take down the big conglomerate bad guys. i am thankful that i finished it. but the ending was lack luster for me, i don’t know what i wanted but what i got wasn’t it. i love gyung-pyo which is probably why i really wanted to finish it. i would rate it a 7 out of 10. 

18 again. jtbc never freaking disappoints in the drama department. i cannot believe it took me this long to watch this drama. it is absolutely incredible. up there in the top drama category. this may have it’s own upcoming post because there were too many aspects that i loved and need to relive and reflect. first and foremost, i must be honest i love hwang in-yeop. 10 out of 10 was the reason in needed to watch it, because i kept seeing his scenes rounding on instagram. and then of course our lee do-hyun is great, and has been fabulous in everything i’ve seen (hello, ‘hotel del luna’). so it was not hard to convince me to start it, and then of course i was drawn in completely by the storyline, the characters, the cinematography. my goodness i love what they did from the basic storyline from ’17 again’. like my goodness it was stunning and an incredible way to draw from one story and create a beautiful new story with more depth. i would 100 out of 10 recommend this incredible one. and it will definitely have it’s own post, as this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

live on. this was an interesting short drama. i watched mainly because our boys TXT were on the ost. and i was like yeah a nice high school drama, cute and refreshing let’s watch. it was nice, but like weird though. like our supposed protagonist, baek ho-rang, was interesting to say the least. like she thought it was better to be thought of as a bully than to be seen as a victim. i don’t quite get the logic and neither did those around her, but whatever. like she fell into this weird story that the bully hee-soo formulated and it was wack to say the least. ho-rang was cute with her friends and her relationship with eun-taek was cute. but like when all this went down, and her leaving her friends, weird. it took a minute to finish this one (but i think that was mainly because it took the subbers a while to finish for some reason on viki). must say i loved yoo-shin’s character and would have loved to see more of him and so-hyun. i guess i would rate this a 6 out of 10. 

february 2021 rewind is already going to be stellar with such incredible dramas coming to and end, i am not ready...’true beauty’, ‘run on’, ‘mr queen’, etc.