#sparkly bass guitar you will always be famous.
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I AM NOT IMMUNE TO DD ERA MIKEY WAY
#its almost unbelievable to me that this is the mikey era that came directly before the current disney dad era mikey. like hello.#what.#sparkly bass guitar you will always be famous.#btw
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Pop Star meets Punk Rock Star au
Had to do more thoughts on this because it took over my brain.
-Courtney being a famous pop star with many top hits. She’s known for her melodic soprano voice and creating songs that have meaning but are also extremely catchy.
-Her music videos and performances are always like an elaborate movie production. She wants what she wants and puts all her effort into making them perfect.
-She spends countless hours in the recording studio and puts in crazy hours practicing choreography. People know she has this crazy driven-ness to her but love working with her because she is so talented and is so dedicated to her craft.
-Duncan on the other hand...has a bit of a different reputation. He’s a lead guitarist and does vocals in a punk rock band. He has the bad boy image down to a t. Tattoos, piercings, an “I don’t give a fuck” attitude (same personality from my other rockstar au)
-The band’s music is very “fuck authority” but they have a big following. Their music is the kind you can rock out to at their concerts or in the car with the windows down. Duncan’s known for showing up late or not at all sometimes to rehearsals or photo shoots, but unknownst to those who aren’t in the band, he writes a lot of the songs. He’s not always the most reliable but fans love him.
-Anyway, it’s the Grammys, or mtv music awards and both Courtney and Duncan’s band are set to perform. They’ve heard of each other but have never met. Duncan thinks that the pop princess is overrated and Courtney thinks he lucked himself into becoming famous and has no real talent.
-They meet for the first time on the red carpet before the awards show. My thought is that they have a friend in common in the music industry. Let’s say it’s Trent because the boy deserves to be famous lol Trent and Courtney are really good friends who have even released a couple singles together. Trent and Duncan know each other from playing at the same festivals and touring together at some point.
-They’re immediately put off by the other. Duncan’s all, so what if she’s even more beautiful in person and looks like an actual princess in her sparkly gown, she’s still pop sell out. And Courtney’s all, he’s so cocky and thinks it’s so cool to be unprofessional, so what if he looks great in a black on black suit and has a killer smile, he gives musicians a bad name.
-They exchange some not so nice jabs at each other and Trent has to step in cause the paparazzi do not need to get pictures of this. They have some choice parting words for each other
“Don’t choke on stage princess.”
“You’re gonna end up getting choked if you don’t shut up.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it ;)”
-Later on during the awards show it’s Courtney’s turn to perform and Duncan has his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. But his scowl fades quickly because holy shit he had no idea.
-Her live vocals alone are incredible. She’s not one of those artists who can’t sing for shit in person, if anything he likes how much more raw and real her voice is in person. She’s also an amazing dancer. Sultry and sexy without being slutty. He’s mesmerized by the way her body moves and her voice gives him goosebumps. Somehow she manages two wardrobe changes throughout the performance. She freaking kills it. He doesn’t want it to end and soon the band has to go get ready for their own performance.
-Courtney is on cloud 9 because she knows she was amazing and can’t wait to rub it into Duncan’s face later. When she’s back in the audience she gets so many compliments that only makes her feel more validated. At this point she doesn’t think there’s anyway Duncan’s can come close to impressing her.
-His band takes the stage and at first when Courtney hears the guitar and bass line she writes it off that anyone can learn to play an instrument half decently.
-But as drums and vocals come in, that clearly has the crowd jamming out, she starts to reconsider... then it’s so clear how much fun Duncan has on stage. He’s a natural with a surprisingly good tenor and barely has to try. She starts to understand the hype. It’s nothing like her performance that is completely planned out, it’s free and wild and she’s doing everything in her to not to more than tap her foot to the music. She starts to wish she could watch them play a whole set instead of one song. (She totally has the song they played stuck in her head the rest of the night)
-Duncan and the band are stoked about how well their performance went and Duncan is curious about what a certain brunette thought about it. Then again, there’s always the after party...
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shawn meets... | sapphire
SUMMARY: in the life of a rockstar, shawn mendes comes across some unique people. sometimes, things stray from the norm. (AU, shawn x every one of my oc’s)(continuation/spin off of goth gf)
AN: it REALLY feels like shawnblr is fuckign dead but yknow what its spooky szn so death is acceptable! speaking of spooky, this is another for @fourtristattoos spooky writing fest! i swear im building up to actual spooky stuff pls bear with me oh and theres more smut in this
***let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist
previous chapter
sapphire’s blog | sapphire’s playlist | masterlist
Shawn was quite open to wearing anything these days. He was also open to wearing nothing, but that photoshoot opportunity hasn't come yet, though. But this pastel pink and white suit was a bit much. Actually, the sparkly silver boots were the tackiest part of this getup. Sure, the entire outfit was worth more than all three of his guitars he'd be using during the performance, but he wasn't exactly looking forward to resembling the Had To Do It To 'Em guy when he took off the pink blazer. According to Tiffany, the birthday girl wanted all party entertainers to be in her signature color.
He still hadn't met Sapphire Venus Lilith. This performance was for her, and she hadn't even attended the meetings for it. She was apparently busy with an old friend… catching up in her bedroom. For two straight days.
The yard was full of partygoers already. Tables with hot pink clothes were displayed with all sorts of snacks and drinks. Servers were going around tending to guests, all in pink bowties of course. There was also a raised, pink metallic throne in the middle of the yard, surrounded by 2 burly security guards. The throne was right in front of the stage that Shawn was going to perform on, so he wouldn't miss Sapphire in the crowd. Music was already booming through the large speakers, a Little Mix song that reminded him of a different time. The bass was shaking the window Shawn was looking out of.
“Fan of myself, I’m stanning myself I love me so much I put my hands on myself”
Tiffany was fixing the cuffs on Shawn’s blazer. Anna was doing last minute touch ups to his hair, which was slicked back. It was similar to the 2019 Met Gala, but instead of bronze streaks, it was silver glitter that was definitely going to be a bitch to wash out.
“You nervous?” Tiffany asked.
“Excited,” Shawn corrected. “I missed playing shows.”
“We need to get you on tour again.” She smiled.
“Gotta make a record first.”
There was a sudden knock on the door, making all three of them jump. Shawn made eye contact with Tiffany, and they both chuckled at the ridiculous response.
Anna went to answer, since the door was locked. “It’s probably Andrew, wondering if you’re ready.” She opened the door, and let out a surprised, “Hello! Hi, come on in!”
Just by the change in her tone, it was safe to say it wasn't Andrew who had knocked. Shawn turned to see who had come in, and was first met with a powerful flowery scent, followed by a tall, petite woman.
“Make way for the G-O-double D-E-S-S I spare no enemies in this dress Uh huh, uh huh”
This woman was blonde, curled princess locks cascading down her shoulders. On top of her head was the largest and most extra looking sparkling tiara Shawn had ever seen in his life, but it suited her. Her face was soft with pretty pink lips and piercing blue eyes. Her petite body was clad in a tiny top made of soft pink bedazzles and equally tiny shorts of the same color. There was no other way to describe her as anything but beautiful. Knock-the-wind-out-of-me, step-on-me-in-your-white-Louboutins beautiful.
She was followed by Kat, who was the polar opposite, color wise. Tight black dress, long dark hair in a high ponytail. Unlike her employer, she was not smiling, nor giving Shawn any attention. She merely typed on her phone in a professional manner, the same look Andrew would have when he was texting important people.
Shawn couldn’t even think about the potential awkward tension he would have with Kat because he was too busy gaping at the blonde. How was one person so powerful already?
“Hello, I’m Sapphire,” she greeted, holding out her hand.
Something possessed Shawn the moment he touched her soft skin, and he bent down to kiss her hand.
That seemed to please her, because she grinned, showing the tiniest dimple in her cheek. “You’re my little singer tonight, aren’t you?”
“That’s me,” he replied, almost losing his voice by how much it softened. He really couldn’t stop looking into those eyes. “Happy birthday!”
“Oh thanks, love. I can’t wait to see what you’re gonna do for me.” She was still holding his hand, squeezing ever so slightly.
Shawn’s cheeks heated up so goddamn fast. There was something in those worse, something sickly sweet and intoxicating. “I, uh, I think you’ll like it. I hope you do.”
Sapphire was still smiling as she turned to look at Kat. Wordlessly, the assistant went to Tiffany and Anna, chatting them in on the evening’s events. Then, Sapphire took Shawn by the collar of his blazer and stepped closer to him, her glossy lips at his ear.
“If I really love your gig,” she whispered, “I may give you something extra.”
And yeah, his pants got tighter. Good thing he was going to be holding a guitar all night.
Sapphire leaned back, smoothing the area she had been clinging to. “If it’s okay with you, of course.”
He cleared his throat, trying to calm his body. “Uh, no yeah. Yeah. Yes. Very okay.”
“Wonderful, darling! I’ll see you out there. Come along, KitKat!”
With that, she turned on her heel and left the room, Kat in tow.
Shawn immediately plopped down in the nearest chair, starstruck. He’s never seen nor heard of this girl ever in his life, and somehow she managed to turn him into putty within the first few minutes of meeting him.
“You need anything?” Tiffany asked, trying to mask her amusement. “A glass of water? A cold shower perhaps?”
He blushed even more. He’s never been so flustered so fast, let alone from someone he just met.
“Did I say happy birthday to her?” he asked, dazed.
“Yes,” Anna and Tiffany said at the same time.
Then, Brian entered the room, a dopey grin on his face. “Guess who just met the birthday girl!”
“Shawn did,” Tiffany answered.
Brian’s grin vanished. “What? Man, I thought I was the first one! She’s so…”
“Yeah,” Shawn agreed. Then he got up and took his friend to the side. “Dude, she wants to meet up after my set.”
“No way.”
“I swear.”
“Didn’t you just hook up with her assistant?” Brian asked. “You’d think she caught wind of that.”
Shawn didn’t know, nor did he really care. “That’s why I need you to hit up the assistant. I don’t know if she’s hung up on me or anything and I don’t wanna take that chance.”
Brian made a noise between a scoff and a laugh. “Full of ourselves, are we?”
“Please?” Shawn asked, bringing his hands together.
“Well, what if I want Sapphire and not her stuck up assistant?”
This wouldn’t be the first time Shawn asked Brian to distract a former one night stand. But it was the one time Brian wasn’t agreeing to do it. Shawn put his hands down, surprised and mildly annoyed.
“Kat’s not stuck up, trust me,” he said. “And… Sapphire said she wants me. It’s her choice.”
“I’m not taking your leftovers again, man,” Brian said as he folded his arms. “You always get the girl! Let me have something for once!”
Now Shawn was even more annoyed. “Maybe you’d get something too if-”
“If I was a famous popstar? If I was as good as you?”
“Why are you being such a dick?”
Then, Tiffany stepped in, literally. She stood between Shawn and Brian. “Guys, don’t do this. It’s just one girl.”
Brian ignored her. “I’m being a dick because I’m tired of being an extension of you! I’m being a dick because you’ve taken dates from me! You don’t even give a shit about any of them because you can’t get over-”
“Don’t!” Shawn warned, raising his voice.
Brian narrowed his eyes. “You’re not over Annalise Flores!”
“Who?” Tiffany asked, bewildered.
Paralyzed with anger, Shawn glared at the other man. The man who was supposed to be his friend. Why couldn’t he just do him this solid?
“Get out,” he said venomously.
“You know I’m right,” Brian sneered.
“Get the fuck out!” Shawn yelled.
He scoffed as he stormed out. Shawn huffed out a sigh, wanting to punch something.
“What the hell was that?” Anna asked, utterly confused. “Who’s Annalise Flores?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he grumbled. “Can you bring me Jocelyne?”
One quick shoulder rub and a redress later, Shawn’s disgruntled state eased a little bit. It was enough for him to fully focus on the beautiful lady he had to impress.
~
The set went well. It went great, because not long after leaving the stage, Charles the butler found Shawn and led him up to Sapphire’s bedroom. Shawn didn’t get to see much of the party, but that was very, one hundred percent okay.
Most of the mansion's interior was baby pink, but this was an overload. Shawn wandered around the large, pink bedroom as he waited. The walls were made of soft pink felt, and there was a large, sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The desk against the wall was the same color, along with the laptop and picture frames sat on the surface. The photos in the frames were only of the girl he was waiting for. There was no room for modesty apparently. Shawn was never not going to think of the birthday girl whenever he saw this color.
He went over to the king size bed, draped with the softest velvet covers he's ever felt. The headboard was a metallic pink… with bars. Shawn couldn't deny how exciting that felt. He really couldn't believe someone as breathtakingly attractive as Sapphire could possibly want him.
"Didn't know it was my birthday," he mumbled with a smirk.
"What was that?" a soft, female voice said from behind him.
Shawn jumped as he turned around. There stood the birthday girl, Sapphire, blue eyes wide and expectant.
"Uh, I, I didn't hear you come in," he stammered. Way to keep your cool.
She smiled warmly, fixing the silk robe she was wearing. She was quick to get out of her tight little party outfit, but she still had that sparkly tiara resting on her head. Shawn couldn’t help but notice the perky little nipples poking through the thing material, only adding to the burn in his pants.
Wordlessly, Sapphire moved past Shawn and crawled onto the bed, letting him get a view of her ass. He was about to follow, but her high heel clad foot landed gently on his chest, stopping him.
"Take off your clothes," she ordered, her voice still soft.
Shawn had a feeling he shouldn't challenge her, even though that was something he grew to love and get off on. As he unbuttoned his shirt, he felt his face and chest grow warm; Sapphire's gaze was intimidating, she didn't even blink. She looked at his face, trailing down his body as he removed more of his performance clothes. Her tongue peeked out of the corner of her mouth as she watched him drop his briefs and step out of them. Shawn felt mildly embarrassed that he was already hard, but just looking at Sapphire's pretty features made him this way. She already possessed him without even doing a single thing.
And somehow, he couldn't tell if she wanted to fuck him or eat him.
"Don't be shy," Sapphire told him as she curled her finger to get him to join her.
She moved to the side and patted the center of the mattress. Shawn crawled onto the surface and lied down against the pillows. The velvet sheets felt incredibly soft against his skin, heightening his senses.
Sapphire traced the butterfly tattoo on his bicep. The tip of her manicured fingernail left a tiny trail of fire on Shawn's skin.
"I'm so glad you were able to sing at my party," she told him. "And I'm glad you stayed."
"Me too," Shawn replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Really, really glad."
"I can tell." She glanced down his body, making him blush.
Shawn really wanted to touch her, feel her, learn what makes her tick. He couldn't wait any longer, and it made him feel incredibly juvenile. He hasn't been so easily wound up since his university days.
"Saph-" he tried to say but a finger went over his lips.
"Shh, I know, baby boy." She leaned in close, her nose touching his ear. "I know what you want." Then she gently cupped his chin and turned his head towards hers. "I just need to know how far you're willing to go."
Shawn could barely hear himself. "As far as you want."
Sapphire's glossy pink lips curved up as she leaned in closer. Shawn closed his eyes, taking in her intoxicating flowery scent, craning his neck in the slightest, and then he felt her lips press the quickest kiss on his cheek.
He didn't even have time to breathe before she was straddling his thighs. Smooth hands went up his torso and rested on his broad shoulders, and she was hovering over him. Shawn lifted his hands to cup her pretty face, but she was much faster than him. Sapphire grabbed his wrists and pinned them down.
"No touching," she told him, her voice still soft and borderline innocent. "Understand?"
Shawn nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.
She cupped his chin once again, her blue eyes piercing his brown ones. "Use your words."
"I understand."
"Good boy." She patted his cheek. Then, she moved down his body, to his hard cock.
Breathing out, Shawn braced himself for what was about to happen. His eyes fluttered shut as a soft, warm tongue ran up the length, and then his whole cock was engulfed by her soft mouth. His immediate instinct was to place his hands in Sapphire's hair, but he had to follow her single rule. But she also had a lot of pretty blonde hair, and it was covering her face. Shawn couldn't see her mouth move on him, and he really wanted to.
Just as he lifted his hand, Sapphire sat up again, taking in a breath. She looked Shawn in the eyes as she wiped the corner of her mouth.
"I know you wanna touch me," she muttered. "But you'll have to prove that you're gonna listen to me."
He nodded rapidly, and then she was going down on him again. Shawn breathed out a soft moan at the feeling, his fingers curling around the silk sheets. It felt amazing, way too good to be real. His toes curled as he felt her mouth suction lightly, tingles spreading all throughout his body. Tiny little whimpers came out of him as the tingles persisted, causing Sapphire's blue eyes to flicker up to him as she pulled off once again.
"You are so cute," she said, reaching up to cup his chin. "Most guys don't like to make little noises like that. Keep it up."
He couldn't stop the sounds even if he tried.
Sapphire sat up and turned her body, straddling Shawn's thighs. She pushed her robe back from the bottom, letting the smooth material spread over her partner's torso. Shawn felt his cock on her ass, and resisted the urge to move his hips up. He had to be good, had to do exactly what she said.
"So, what do you prefer, little one?" she asked, moving her ass back and rubbing against his cock. "I'm on the pill, but I have condoms here if you want that."
"Mm, no condom," he answered a little too quickly, feeling the need for relief.
Her head turned, so he could see her perfectly sculpted eyebrow quirk a little bit. Then, she sat up on her knees, taking hold of the base and swiftly sinking down on it. She let out a little hiss, and remained still in that position.
"You oka-" Shawn almost got out before choking on his words.
Sapphire very quickly recovered and started bouncing on him. For a moment, the only sound was their skin slapping together, until she pinched his thigh.
“Where are my little sounds, little one?” she asked between pants.
Shawn found himself blushing yet again. What was with that nickname? What did that say about what she thought of him? He was about to ask, but he saw the back of Sapphire’s robe fall, exposing her skin. She was naked under that little robe, and she wasn’t letting him see anything. It was a tease, and only drove him further, causing a little moan to bubble past his mouth.
“That’s it,” she praised, leaning forward on her hands so as to get better leverage. She was practically twerking on his cock, making him want to grab the plump cheeks.
Obscene noises of their skin slapping and Shawn's moaning filled up the room. Sapphire was incredibly talented with her hips, keeping the rhythm steady, and she didn't stop or slow down. The coil in Shawn's abdomen was tightening more and more every minute, making his heart race and his breath hitch.
He rested his hands behind his head, eyes squeezed shut from the feeling. Fuel to the fire were Sapphire's first sounds of the evening. Shawn picked his head up and noticed her arm moving rhythmically in front of her, and he immediately knew what she was doing. God, he wanted see that, and she probably knew that too. She probably picked this position on purpose.
Even after a shaky orgasm, Shawn was still thinking about the ways he wanted to take her. All the things he wanted to do with her. His body was weak and sweaty, and he was catching his breath while Sapphire fixed her robe and plopped down next to him.
Like Kat, she still looked well put together, like all she did was go for a casual stroll. Not even sweating or panting. Sapphire did all the work and all she did was dab at her leftover lip gloss with her finger afterwards.
Shawn was a little confused at this. Why was he the only fucked out mess here? He lifted a hand, his fingers gently touching Sapphire's blonde locks to get her attention.
"Was that good for you?" he asked.
She nodded with a smile. "You did everything right, babe." Then, she took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, and she lied her head on his chest. "Hell, I might even keep you here a bit longer than planned."
Whatever the fuck that meant, Shawn didn't really give a shit. Looking down at the beautiful socialite in his arms, he realized he wasn't prepared to leave either. And he certainly wasn't thinking of Brian, or his ex-girlfriend.
next chapter
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taglist: @normalcyisoverrated-beyou @justordinaryjen @chillingbythesea @iloveshawnieboi @shawnsunflower @someoneunimportantxx
#shawn mendes#shawn mendes fanfic#shawn mendes imagine#shawn mendes smut#spookytattoosfestival#shawn x oc#shawn meets fic#if this story sucks its bc i lost motivation#n im tryin to finish it anyway#bc im tired of abandoning fics
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Trying to build up a Queen x Pokemon AU
Look at what I do while doing homework 👌🏻 so uhm you know I love both Pokémon and Queen, so I thought about an AU where Fred, Rog, Bri and Deaky are young trainers travelling together while both trying to achieve their own dreams and becoming famous as a band. I gave them all 5 Pokémon but feel free to suggest additions or changes!
Brian
Aspiring professor, he studies alien Pokémon and everything related to space. His dream is to discover where the alien Pokémon come from, but also what's behind the multiverse and other dimensions. He managed to catch a Rotom and fuse it with his electric guitar, that now has an even more unique sound. He has a soft spot for cute Pokémon such as Furret, Vulpix, etc. When he was a child he dreamt Deoxys (who knows if they really met or it was just a dream?)
Beheeyem
Minior
Clefairy (all three aliens, very curious but friendly)
Rotom (guitar form aka the Red Special, tipe Electr./Normal)
Furret (because y know, soft amimals ♡)
Freddie
He comes from the exotic Alola and wants to become the best Coordinator E V E R. Every Pokémon that's fabulous or is a cat is GREAT 👌🏻💯 and he's Wallace's #1 fan.
Sylveon shiny (fab blue sparkly cat)
Delcatty (fab pink cat)
Smeargle (he and Fred share the same artistic talent)
Primarina (sings and is a beautiful boy, a true queen)
Probopass (got as a contest prize, Fred likes him a lot and wishes to have big manly moustache like thos, one day. Also the 3 tiny noses are clearly Rog, Bri and John, can't change his mind.)
Roger
Energic and sassy, he wants to be a Pokémon master! He's very competitive always up for a battle and hardly handles a defeat, he wants to be the very best. You know. Rog is also very invested in the Pokéathlon, especially the speed competitions, but also likes contests (not as much as Freddie tho). Sometimes he crossdresses for contests, and you exactly know what I mean.
Pikachu rockstar (the cutest rockstar ever, besides Rog. When we have Rogerina, Pikachu dresses up as the pink ☆ Pikachu popstar)
Luxio (basically his pal, usually stays out of the ball)
Jolteon (he f a s t and blonde uwu)
Chatot (can do the most fcking high notes you can imagine)
Noivern (his most powerful Pokémon. Still stuggles to control him, but he's working on it...)
John
The youngest and most quiet of the four, he just started his adventure and got dragged into the group by Fred, who's like a brother to him. Basically a soft boi, he loves doing concerts with the band but isn't much involved in battles or contest unless he really wants it. He wants to learn as much as he can about Pokémon and become a professor or a breeder.
Turtwig (His beloved starter ♡ -I was actually tempted to give him Rowlet because hes a sneaky owl, but Turtwig and its evolutions are known to be the most quiet and pacific-)
Drampa (a good dragon, he likes kids and is a softie, but can also be unexpectedly powerful)
Palpitoad (has the ability to create bass sound waves with his bubbles)
Oricorio (usually in its "cheer dance" form, fluffy and funky, always out during concerts ☆)
Metang (helps Deacy with engineering and mathematic stuff)
Pls be patient and the drawings will arrive! Also pls leave some feedbacks!
#queen#queen fandom#queen au#pokemon#pokemon au#queen band#brian may#roger taylor#freddie mercury#john deacon#bohemian rhapsody#queen pokemon au#pokequeen or queenemon?
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Kiryu Youtube video synopses
From November 2018 - December 2018 These are synopses, not direct translations, despite the fact I began to forget that during the top one, which I wrote last.
【本人解説】己龍最新アルバム「転生輪廻」マル秘トーク! Kiryu talks about their new album Tenshou Rinne!
Synopsis: The five members gather together and give their thoughts about their new album.
Tsurushi Mitsuki: This is an older song I wrote, back in 2017. I made Mahiro sing in a very low register. Mahiro: I like the distortion effect in doubling my voice. Junji: I was surprised by this song, it has a nice balance between quiet and movement. Muku Mitsuki: This is the song where I began using a seven-string guitar. Hiyorin: The balance is very difficult to achieve, but once you get it, it's incredible. Junji: Between quiet and movement... THIS SONG IS DEFINITELY MOVEMENT. Oborodzukiyo Hiyorin: This kind of sounds like the kind of song we would have written in our early days. Takemasa: I think this song is more popular with our male fans since it's kind of R-rated. Mitsuki: I wanted to make a song that was dark and disturbing. Mahiro: I like this song. Junji: Between sun and shadow, this song is shadow. Ibitsu Mitsuki: This is maybe the prettiest song on the album, and a bonus track. It's a song about pain. Hiyori: The bass solo is very significant. Takemasa: After having written some hundred songs together, we've yet to have made a song like this. I'm glad we put it out now. Junji: Between strength and gentleness, this song is gentle. Hansuu Mitsuki: This is a song Takemasa wrote for us. It has a nice balance and it's really fun to play. Hiyori: It's fast and busy. Takemasa: I wrote it mostly on my iPhone. Mahiro: The speed and rhythm of it really makes it a unique song. Junji: This isn't a normal rhythmic pattern for Takemasa. It's all... (sings the pattern). That's it. That's all it is for me. [Then Junji compares it to some manga thing I'm not familiar with]. Tenshou Rinne Mitsuki: This is the kind of song that people who like Kiryu will enjoy. It's a very Kiryu song. We don't use normal phrases for us, though. Hiyori: It's really nice to hear you singing for us, Mitsuki. Mahiro: That was my idea. I thought it would add a nice kind of unique sparkle to it. Junji: This is a fast song. Watashi ha Kairai, Sarugutsuwa no Ningyou Mitsuki: This is a rather slow song for us. Hiyori: I felt like this song was a sort of turning point for us, that this is the song that shows we're no longer kids. Like we grew beards for this song. Mitsuki: I don't understand what on earth you're talking about. Hiyorin: Don't you feel like you finally grew pubic hair? Mitsuki: What? Like in junior high school, weirdo. How old are you, do you still not have hair there? Mahiro: I really like the balance and sound of this song. Basara Mitsuki: This song is called "Basara," AKA Take-punk. Takemasa: WHAT? WHY?? Mitsuki: Every time you submitted a demo of this song, the feeling of it was very uncertain. But the underlying sound was always kind of punk. Hiyorin: Thank you for all the deep feelings held in this song! Mahiro: I like this. Junji: I hate the rhythm. It's the same thing over and over again. Nopperabou Mitsuki: This song was born out of my want to write a song that had this sort of bass rhythm. For you, Hiyorin, it's all bass slaps. Hiyorin: Oh yeah! This is the most difficult song to play on this album! The rhythm is hard, and when I was recording, you kept asking for more and more. Mitsuki: And the lyrics, I really felt like I was able to write something significant and deep... Hiyorin: It is a sufficiently Micchan song. Junji: When you sent it to me, I couldn't even begin to imagine what the chorus would be like. Takemasa: We had to do so much reamping and such, this was also the most expensive song to make. Mahiro: There were just so many levels to making it. But in the end, it was fun. Mitsuki: How about it, Hiyorin? Can you go more? Hiyorin: ..I'm going to have to say for now, I'd like to stay at this level. Gekkabijin Mitsuki: This is the most Japanese-sounding track on the album. It's like Kiryu-pop. Takemasa: I had absolutely no idea where to insert this song in the album. Mitsuki: Maybe we should have made it a bonus track? Mahiro: Sometimes I forget we have songs like this, too. Junji: It's Mitsu-punk. Basara is Take-punk and Gekkabijin is Mitsu-punk. Harushigure Hiyorin: This song really conveys the feeling of now. This is really Takemasa's song. Kairai is Mitsuki's song of growth, and Harushigure is -- Takemasa: HAIR? HAIR? HAIR? Hiyorin: Your beard. Mitsuki: This is the world's beard. Mahiro: From the start, I knew this would be a good song. Junji: Takemasa wrote the music and Mitsuki wrote the lyrics, so it kind of feels like a thing you both peed on together. (Everyone laughs). No, it's a good song. It's good. I just hate it. I only play TAN-TAN-TA OVER AND OVER. Except at the end, I play DO-DO-DO. Then tan-tan-ta. But it sounds nice and sparkly. Jou no Ka Mitsuki: This is THE single Junji: The song that charmed the world. Mitsuki: We used this song in an anime. The concept came from trying to tackle something we couldn't do before. I wanted to do that. Everyone: Thank you. Hiyorin: I didn't cry, but I felt as though I might. It's a moving song. Junji: But then, seeing your name appear on the opening credits as the writer was kind of a blow. This song... between light and dark, this song is light. Mahiro: I really like this song. Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto Mitsuki: This song is "Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto," AKA the Take-ballad. Junji: This sounds like something he wrote when he was in school. This is back when it was just us in a Take-band. Prince Take hasn't changed a bit. Mitsuki: This song is just so heavy. Takemasa: I thought about all the things I wanted to say, the messages I wanted to get across. But I wasn't the one singing it, so I knew if Mahiro couldn't feel it, this song wouldn't resonate. Mahiro: It was really difficult to sing. Every line felt like a wound. Hiyorin: Usually songs feel like a journey. You hit this place, then return. Then you hit this place and return. This song starts with an intro that I expect to come back to, but you never come back to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Rv-pyuEXE
5000万円以上⁉コンビニATMに入金できる額の限界を調査 Over ¥500,000,000!? Let's see how much money a convenience store ATM can take.
Synopsis: Takemasa gathers a TON of money and tries to break the ATM by putting too much in at once. Result: Eventually, the ATM does stop accepting the money after depositing ¥305,000,000. Notable: Holding THAT MUCH money at once is genuinely terrifying. Takemasa tries to make a joke about it, but you can tell he's truly nervous to be holding that much in public.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4SRtOUadMs
【黒崎眞弥を観察する会】サイン書き Watch Kurosaki Mahiro write his signature
Synopsis: Mahiro announces he will now sign posters. He then begins silently signing posters. Result: Posters have been signed. Notable: That one time he moved a poster. It was magical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tmRaTSFRys
己龍 九条武政より、今までありがとう。 Thank you for everything up until now. -Kujou Takemasa, Kiryu
Synopsis: Takemasa talks about his past in an overly dramatic way, how he decided that as long as he's in public, he will always wear his mask. As long as he has his mask, he is Kujou Takemasa. Result: In Macau, while bungee jumping, his mask flies off, and he pretends he died the moment the mask came off his face. Notable: OVER THE TOP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNb_NqnO9Fs
【初体験】まだ見ぬ仙台の味を求めて【雑談有り】 [First Experience] We found a new flavor of Sendai (chat included)
Synopsis: Mitsuki and Hiyorin go to Sendai and talk about the kinds of food it's famous for: gyuutan, zunda, sasakama... but NO! They will not try these foods today! Instead, they'll try the first hamburger shop that was opened in Japan. Result: The two agree the hamburgers are good. Notable: Mitsuki relays a story. "Sometimes, when I go buy food, an old lady will say, 'please enjoy this with ketchup.' Sometimes the kids will write their names on their food in ketchup, too. And young couples will write each other's names." "That's sweet," Hiyoin comments. "They even draw a heart around it... the little shitheads," Mitsuki laughs. "GROW UP, MITSUKI!" Hiyorin manages through his own laughter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEiLBSyab8
メントスコーラリベンジ Mentos-Cola Revenge
Synopsis: Mitsuki analyzes what went wrong in the first mentos and cola video and decides to try again. Result: A huge mess explosion. Notable: Mitsuki isn't sure about trying by himself, and wonders if someone very special will hear him call out for help, no matter where they are... he calls out, "HIYOOOORIIIIIIINNN!" and surely enough, Hiyorin sweeps in to save the day. Notable 2: It's rather humanizing to see Mitsuki and Hiyorin cleaning up their own mess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_JFW6ck3o
【企画会議】みんなでネタ考えよう! [Meeting Regarding Future Plans] Let's all think of ideas for videos!
Synopsis: Chamu (Codomo Dragon) and Mitsuki ask for help thinking of Youtube videos people would like to see. Mitsuki claims he's only good at thinking of food-related things. Later, Mitsuki recruits Zero Hertz's Gaga and Rio to help him try different toast toppings while Chamu films them. Result: Nori tsukudani (seaweed simmered in soy sauce) Mitsuki: Too salty, but otherwise good. Rio: It's like jelly. Gaga: Salty, but good. Ume gonomi (pickled plum) Mitsuki: Too sour. Rio: Too sour. Gaga: (feigns vomiting) Ika shiokara (salted and fermented squid) Mitsuki: SALTY!! Rio: (makes a face and groans while Mitsuki asks "is it that bad?") Gaga: Yum! Delicious! The best one we've tried so far. Salmon flakes Mitsuki: It tastes like margarine. Rio: (no comment) Gaga: It tastes like normal bread. Tarako flakes Mitsuki: Where did the tarako go? Rio: It's bread! Gaga: It's like eating sand. The ensuing laughter sounds like agreement from everyone. Minorusaki menma (fermented bamboo shoots) Mitsuki: It's good! Rio: Good! Gaga: Yum. Tastes like something sold at a ramen shop. Nametake (enoki mushroom) Mitsuki: I don't taste it. It's good, but it doesn't taste like nametake. Rio: (makes a face) Gaga: (nods) Natto (slimy fermented soybeans) Mitsuki: DELICIOUS! Rio: Yum! Gaga: It's good! Mitsuki's conclusion: Everything needs more mayonnaise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Z1sMuQQxM
【武道館ドラマーが】ドンキーコングトロピカルフリーズをまったりプレイ Part.2 A Drummer Who Has Performed at Budoukan plays Donkey Kong Tropical Breeze part 2
Synopsis: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Result: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Notable: Nothing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNUb1GWaEg8
おまえは誰だ "Who are you?"
Synopsis: Hiyorin tests the urban legend about going insane from asking your reflection in the mirror "Who are you?" repeatedly. Result: Nothing happens. Notable: A weird tapping around the 64th time Hiyorin asks his reflection "Who are you?" Hiyorin says that this must be the spirits coming after him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWNJvrJO2V8
【悶絶】辛味の奥に眠る旨味は見つけ出せるのか!? [Watch as we pass out in pain] Can we bring out a dormant, delicious new flavor from spicy foods?
Premise: Mitsuki and Hiyorin try mixing a number of spicy soups together, despite both hating spicy food, in their quest to find something new and delicious. Result: Mitsuki decides, after getting over the initial pain, that it really does taste kind of good. Hiyorin dies from agony and says he can't tell if it tastes good or not because it's too painful to eat. Notable: Mitsuki flailing in pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6vfta-eF8
#kiryu#kiryu youtube#english kiryu#sakai mitsuki#kurosaki mahiro#kujou takemasa#isshiki hiyori#tokai junji#chamu#codomo dragon#zero hertz#gaga#rio
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742.
1. Are you wearing any type of outerwear now (e.g hoodie, jacket, cardigan etc.)? No.
2. Please promise me you’ll leave the tag on this survey on? I hate it when people deliberately remove it. I would if there was one already on it?
3. Describe your favourite pair of flip-flops. I don’t have any.
4. Does your guy have any kind of facial hair? Yeah.
5. Is the lead actor in the last movie you watched hot? Yeah, he was cute.
6. Is there a song that you used to really love, that you’re slowly getting tired of now? Probably.
7. Do you know how to intimidate people? No.
8. Do you follow any famous blogs like Perez Hilton or Go Fug Yourself? No.
9. Does the ceiling in the room you’re currently in have any obvious cracks? No.
10. Have you ever worried that a ceiling fan would fall on top of you or something? Not really.
11. Are you wearing any hand-me-down items now? No
12. Do/did you name your stuffed animals? Yeah, I used to name every single one of them.
13. Can you play at least just ONE chord on the guitar? Sure thing.
14. Do you freak out if a toddler gets a hold of one of your belongings? I don’t know. I guess if I don’t know them, yes. If it’s my niece, I don’t really mind.
15. Do you use the default earphones that came with your music player or did you go and buy new ones? I don’t use earphones to be completely honest with you. I find them uncomfortable.
16. Do you own a sparkly dress? If so, where do you wear it to? No.
17. Do you know someone who actually married their high school sweetheart? Yes. My parents, for one.
18. If you have watched the two most recent Batman movies, who did you think was better as Rachel Dawes: Katie Holmes or Maggie Gyllenhaal? Never saw those movies.
19. Do you pump up the bass as far as you can on your music player? In my car I do.
20. Do you always remember to remove your makeup before going to bed? Always, always. I hate the feeling of make up on my face when I go to bed.
21. Have you ever broken your toe? Nope.
22. Do you have a specific ringtone for different people on your cell phone? No. I don’t have the time nor patience for that right now.
23. Is the song that you’re currently listening to a sad song? I am not listening to any music right now.
24. Do you have severe mood swings during PMS, girls? Mhm.
25. How many days are there in the month you were born in? 31.
26. Do you wish you were of a different ethnicity? Maybe. I don’t think about it often, if at all to be completely honest. 27. What’s one very significant difference between you and one of your siblings? Well, one of my siblings is a male. I’m a female. And age? I don’t know.
28. Do you know anybody whose last name is a colour? Yes, I do.
29. Can you easily decipher emotions on IM? Nope
30. Who’s your favourite American Idol winner? I don’t watch American Idol.
31. Do you know anybody who has been an extra in a movie or a music video? Yes
32. If you become famous one day, would you still keep your personal Myspace/Facebook/whatever? Sure
33. Do optical illusions fascinate you? They don’t “fascinate” me, but they’re cool sometimes?
34. When you like or dislike something, do you make sure your friends know about it? Sometimes. It depends.
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Writober 19 - Secret Identity
Summary: It’s not easy, being part of S4. Luckily, Tsukamoto Lena has a good way to work out some tension. Metal music might not be the most conventional therapy, but it works wonders.
---
“Everyone, thank you for coming today!”
The audience screaming in front of the stage was a rush of red-tinged penlights. They matched the spotlights and the glitter on stage in front of them as the girl on stage smiled and waved at her fans. She was wearing red too – a bright red coat, topping off the famous 4 Star Academy S4 uniform. It was the dream for any 4 Star Student.
For Tsukamoto Lena, it was Tuesday.
“I hope to see you all back real soon!” She winked and flashed a thumbs up to the cheering crowds as she disappeared behind the stage. As soon as nobody could see her, she let out a massive sigh of relief. Her shoulders dropped almost as fast as the sweat dripping down her brow like a river. It got hot under those lights, even more when she started moving around.
If only the Aikatsu system had a built in fan...
Slowly, she plodded down the hallway from the stage to S4's dressing room. Given how she could still hear the crowd, the live had been a smashing success. Of course, S4 always brought it when they came on stage. That was their job.
“Man, I'm tired.” Lena brushed sweaty lavender hair out of her face and watched as it fell back. “Better dry off and get going.”
She found the dressing room, labeled with the names of S4 members. When she opened it, it wasn't really a voluntary action; the girl more or less fell against the door to get it open, then held on for dear life as it swung open. Right after a solo stage, that was all the energy she had.
“Good job today, Lena-chan!” a bubbly voice sounded from the side. A girl in a similar outfit was seated at the table, drinking from a water bottle. Her senpai, Nijino Yume, always managed to have more than enough energy. How she managed to look so perfect after a full set was still a mystery to the younger idol, but she admired it all the same.
Lena managed to smile and nod. “Thanks, Yume-senpai. You were really awesome up there with your Sun Wings. Everyone loved it.”
“It really worked the crowd up!” Yume handed her a red water bottle as she sat for a few minutes to breathe. “You look like you really got into it out there.”
Was it the sweat and messy hair that had given it away? Lena kept her smile as she took a sip of the water. Soon she had her towel and was wiping off the massive amounts of sweat. Luckily, their actual uniforms were still hanging up. These were just the stage versions – they would get too sweaty otherwise.
Speaking of – her phone beeped in the pocket of her actual uniform jacket. It took quite a lot of effort for Lena to stand up, but she managed it to cross the small distance. Her phone was an easy find, still tucked into the left pocket where she'd left it.
Ema: Yo, Tsuna. You coming or what tonight?
Shit.
Lena glanced at the clock. She had two hours to get back to school, then make it to her next work location. It was hard, but doable. Nothing she wasn't used to as she typed in a response one-handed, still clutching her towel.
Tsuna: Yeah I'll be there. You better be on key this time, dude.
“Senpai, I'm going to head back. My next job's coming up. Tell Ako-senpai and Mahiru-senpai they sounded great for me.”
Yume nodded as Lena headed back out into the hallway to catch a ride back to Four Star. It was something they were all used to – the demands of being an idol meant they were always on the move. Sometimes you couldn't stay behind to talk to your friends – even if you really wanted to do it. That was just part of being an idol.
It wasn't a pleasant part, but she had learned to accept it.
---
“You look like shit, Tsuna.”
“I ran all the way here, give me a break.”
It was another backstage, a smaller one covered in band posters. Outside of the room, loud metal music blared through speakers to a screaming crowd. There wasn't a single glow stick to be found among the bunch, just a lot of raised fists and throwing up the horns.
She loved it.
“Ever heard of the bus?” A girl with a guitar – Ema – adjusted her jacket. “You're lucky you're good in gym class, that'd kill me.”
Lena nodded, careful not to move her hat too much. She had ditched her school uniform for jeans and a red hoodie. Her face was currently hidden by a dark wig and a beanie that kept everything together. If she spoke in her lower register, nobody looked twice. To them, she was just a pretty damn skilled middle schooler.
Just the way she wanted it.
“It's about the only thing I'm good at.” She paused to peak out. “Damn, that crowd is huge.”
Not nearly as big as the one she had been singing in front of before, but it had a more entertaining energy. Something about it just felt... real... to her. She could never quite describe it, but something about standing in front of that wild crowd gave her enough energy to keep going.
Lena had found the band she fronted for months ago through a paper someone had tacked to the wall at a recording studio. The girls of Thornslash were older middle school and high school, but they had accepted her readily. Now they were like something of a second family to her.
A secret family that didn't know what she did during the rest of her week... so maybe they weren't that close.
“Hope you practiced that growl, we're on in five.” Their drummer, the founder and a high school first year named Mari, was already practicing with her sticks. She often did that when they weren't performing; it was her tick.
The bassist, a middle school third year, scoffed lightly. “Don't be too worried, the next group is all idol-y. I guess they think they're the next Babymetal.”
“They wish. They're just two bit idol wannabes.”
Lena swallowed hard as the band chuckled. Another reason to have a secret identity. She had never asked how the group specifically felt about idols, but it probably wasn't too great. After all, Ema's sister had tried to get into 4 Star. She had grown up hearing audition songs and the angst of not getting in after all that practice. Apparently her family didn't talk about it anymore. As a younger sister, she could only guess how the guitarist felt and well... she didn't want to poke that bear.
So she'd keep her sparkly coords to herself, thank you very much.
She didn't have much time to think about it, though. The band before them had left the stage, meaning it was their time up. On the way up, they passed the so-called idol band chatting. Definitely sparkly enough, though Lena didn't pick up any auras. Most likely, they were just girls with a color scheme.
Cute girls, but not idols. Easy rookie mistake.
The crowd was already riled up as the band took the stage. Lena stood at the front, mic in front of her. Behind her, the rest of the band tuned and prepared to start playing. She took a deep breath as she surveyed the crowd, so different from her usual ones and yet the same in one way. They were there to see her perform, and she was going to give it her all. It didn't matter what she was singing – when she stepped on stage, it was to play for keeps.
And she was a stubborn asshole.
Behind her, the drum beat started and soon the guitar and bass roared to life. Their song pounded through the speakers, loud and jarring and so completely opposite from the idol tunes she spent days practicing for.
At least she didn't have to dance here.
Lena smirked as she grabbed for the mic. When it was her time to come in, she came in hard with her chest voice rather than the head tone she had to use in her normal day job. Really, the best part about being a secret metal singer was that she got to scream at people without getting yelled at. It was the best therapy there was.
She lost track of time, screaming into that microphone. One song followed another, until they had worked through the entire short set. Sweat dripped down her brow once more as they finished the last song, the crowd screaming with them. It was a wave of sound crashing down on them, screaming the band's name as they finally left the stage for the next group.
Lena felt boneless as she leaned against the wall, sweat dripping off her chin and onto the floor. “I think we rocked it.”
“Almost feel bad for the band that's coming next. Poor idols can't handle something like that.” Ema punched her lightly in the shoulder. “Damn good screaming out there, Tsuna. You're going to be killing death metal by high school at this rate.”
She grinned and punched back. “Hope you'll still be able to keep up on backup vocals once I get there.”
High school – that was a whole other beast for idols. Lena didn't even want to think about that then as she joked with her band mates. Right then, she was just a middle school metal head. Anything else could come later.
“Don't get cocky, kid. You're still like 12.” Ema was all smiles as she and the rest of the band headed off in their separate directions. Lena watched them go, waiting. Then she went in her own direction, towards the bus stop. After that, it be the direct line back to 4 Star.
Her schedule was beeping in her back pocket, reminding her that she had two interviews and a radio show in the morning tomorrow. Then there would be practice for her solo live, and then afternoon classes with the rest of the dance group. If she was lucky, she'd be able to get some metal practice in after, in one of the soundproof practice rooms. They were good for screaming.
Just looking at her schedule made her smile fall. Lena sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck. The whole week was going to be like that, and the week after that. That's what happened when you were a top idol.
“Shit.”
Shoulders sagging, she sat down on the bus stop to wait. There went her good mood. It was back to reality now. At least here, nobody would mind if she didn't smile. That would be a requirement when she was back in uniform. Until then, she could just be herself.
So she treasured those few quiet moments. They kept her as sane almost as much as screaming into a mic did. That probably wasn't a great sign for her health, but... well... she couldn't complain. She had brought it on herself.
Another day in the life of a popular idol, she supposed. And people actually wanted to be in her spot?
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151.
1. Are you wearing any type of outerwear now (e.g hoodie, jacket, cardigan etc.)? - no
2. Please promise me you’ll leave the tag on this survey on? I hate it when people deliberately remove it. - there’s no tag????
3. Describe your favourite pair of flip-flops. - i don’t have a favorite pair???
4. Does your guy have any kind of facial hair? - yeah sure
5. Is the lead actor in the last movie you watched hot? - there was no lead actor
6. Is there a song that you used to really love, that you’re slowly getting tired of now? - yeah alot
7. Do you know how to intimidate people? - no
8. Do you follow any famous blogs like Perez Hilton or Go Fug Yourself? - nope
9. Does the ceiling in the room you’re currently in have any obvious cracks? - yes
10. Have you ever worried that a ceiling fan would fall on top of you or something? - nope
11. Are you wearing any hand-me-down items now? - nope
12. Do/did you name your stuffed animals? - still do
13. Can you play at least just ONE chord on the guitar? - nOPE HAHAHAHAAH i used to
14. Do you freak out if a toddler gets a hold of one of your belongings? - not really????
15. Do you use the default earphones that came with your music player or did you go and buy new ones? - no, they got wet and broke
16. Do you own a sparkly dress? If so, where do you wear it to? - i used to
17. Do you know someone who actually married their high school sweetheart? - i don’t personally know anyone tbh
18. If you have watched the two most recent Batman movies, who did you think was better as Rachel Dawes: Katie Holmes or Maggie Gyllenhaal? - i haven’t seen
19. Do you pump up the bass as far as you can on your music player? - yes
20. Do you always remember to remove your makeup before going to bed? - i don’t really wear make up on a daily basis
21. Have you ever broken your toe? - nope, i broke a toenail once done
22. Do you have a specific ringtone for different people on your cell phone? - nope
23. Is the song that you’re currently listening to a sad song? - i’m not listening to anything rn
24. Do you have severe mood swings during PMS, girls? - not rly ‘severe’
25. How many days are there in the month you were born in? - 31
26. Do you wish you were of a different ethnicity? - nope 27. What’s one very significant difference between you and one of your siblings? - that im still studying
28. Do you know anybody whose last name is a colour? - no???? i know a lot of people who has a color as their first name
29. Can you easily decipher emotions on IM? - yeah
30. Who’s your favourite American Idol winner? - i dont watch american idol
31. Do you know anybody who has been an extra in a movie or a music video? - yeah
32. If you become famous one day, would you still keep your personal Myspace/Facebook/whatever? - yeah
33. Do optical illusions fascinate you? - idk, i find them cool
34. When you like or dislike something, do you make sure your friends know about it? - it depends
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1. Are you wearing any type of outerwear now (e.g hoodie, jacket, cardigan etc.)? No.
2. Please promise me you’ll leave the tag on this survey on? I hate it when people deliberately remove it. I would if there was one already on it?
3. Describe your favourite pair of flip-flops. I don’t have any.
4. Does your guy have any kind of facial hair? Yeah.
5. Is the lead actor in the last movie you watched hot? Yeah, he was cute.
6. Is there a song that you used to really love, that you’re slowly getting tired of now? Probably.
7. Do you know how to intimidate people? No.
8. Do you follow any famous blogs like Perez Hilton or Go Fug Yourself? No.
9. Does the ceiling in the room you’re currently in have any obvious cracks? No.
10. Have you ever worried that a ceiling fan would fall on top of you or something? Not really.
11. Are you wearing any hand-me-down items now? No
12. Do/did you name your stuffed animals? Yeah, I used to name every single one of them.
13. Can you play at least just ONE chord on the guitar? Sure thing.
14. Do you freak out if a toddler gets a hold of one of your belongings? I don’t know. I guess if I don’t know them, yes. If it’s my niece, I don’t really mind.
15. Do you use the default earphones that came with your music player or did you go and buy new ones? I don’t use earphones to be completely honest with you. I find them uncomfortable.
16. Do you own a sparkly dress? If so, where do you wear it to? No.
17. Do you know someone who actually married their high school sweetheart? Yes. My parents, for one.
18. If you have watched the two most recent Batman movies, who did you think was better as Rachel Dawes: Katie Holmes or Maggie Gyllenhaal? Never saw those movies.
19. Do you pump up the bass as far as you can on your music player? In my car I do.
20. Do you always remember to remove your makeup before going to bed? Always, always. I hate the feeling of make up on my face when I go to bed.
21. Have you ever broken your toe? Nope.
22. Do you have a specific ringtone for different people on your cell phone? No. I don’t have the time nor patience for that right now.
23. Is the song that you’re currently listening to a sad song? I am not listening to any music right now.
24. Do you have severe mood swings during PMS, girls? Mhm.
25. How many days are there in the month you were born in? 31.
26. Do you wish you were of a different ethnicity? Maybe. I don’t think about it often, if at all to be completely honest. 27. What’s one very significant difference between you and one of your siblings? Well, one of my siblings is a male. I’m a female. And age? I don’t know.
28. Do you know anybody whose last name is a colour? Yes, I do.
29. Can you easily decipher emotions on IM? Nope
30. Who’s your favourite American Idol winner? I don’t watch American Idol.
31. Do you know anybody who has been an extra in a movie or a music video? Yes
32. If you become famous one day, would you still keep your personal Myspace/Facebook/whatever? Sure
33. Do optical illusions fascinate you? They don’t “fascinate” me, but they’re cool sometimes?
34. When you like or dislike something, do you make sure your friends know about it? Sometimes. It depends.
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Feature: 2017: Second Quarter Favorites
Half of the year is over, and we have done absolutely nothing with our lives. Very pathetic. The good news is that we use our ears to listen to music, so to celebrate, the TMT staff has once again come together to share our favorite releases of the last three months (give or take), compiled in the best format known to humankind. This time around, we were outside the club (Jlin), in the Devil’s book (Sarah Shook & The Disarmers), and on Google Hangouts (Kendrick Lamar), broadcasting live using algorithm-free YouTube (Future City Love Stories). There was glittery slime (cupcakKe), naturalistic abstractions (Lieven Martens), and condensed chunks of cut-open human organs (Pharmakon), with a range that went from pop (Lorde), narkpop (GAS), and contorted pop (Laurel Halo) to rock-star rappers (Playboi Carti), airbrushed nightcrawlers (99jakes), and mutilated tunes on the DAW floor (Khaki Blazer). Check the full list below, and as always, please take note of the shortlist, as these particular releases either weren’t heard enough yet to make the list or just fell short for various reasons. All worth a listen. Shortlist: The Caretaker’s Everywhere at the end of time: Stage 2, Upgrayedd Smurphy’s HYPNOSYS, Actress’s AZD, Slowdive’s Slowdive, $3.33’s DRAFT, Perfume Genius’s No Shape, Peace Forever Eternal’s Nextcentury, Cloud Rat & Moloch’s split, Babyfather’s Cypher, Russian Tsarlag’s Gel Stations Past, Ducktails’s Daffy Duck In Hollywood, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma’s On The Echoing Green, Elysia Crampton’s Spots y Escupitajo, RITCHRD’s GREATEST HITS, and Tara Jane O’Neil’s self-titled album. --- Laurel Halo Dust [Hyperdub] Dust’s single “Jelly” was a surprising teaser for fans of Laurel Halo, soberly announcing her return to vocal music with a big result. As the song resembles and contorts pop product, it’s vocoder — emblematic of 2012’s viscous and spacey Quarantine — serves the punctuated delivery of a funky Parliament-esque hook (“You don’t meet my standards for a friend…”), while collaborators Klein and Lafawndah deliver the remainder. The far-reaching influences found on “Jelly” came to be representative of Dust at large, an album that moves through its vibrant landscape of sounds and grooves in a way new to the artist behind it. “Moontalk” delivers a second blast of lopsided feel-good pop, Sam Hilmer’s saxophone rips on “Arschkriecher,” Michael Salu takes the stage on “Who Won?,” and the album ultimately subsides, taking space to explore old territory with the help of composer Eli Keszler. Dust is an exciting and adventurous release that couldn’t be more matter-of-fact. –Ben Levinson --- Playboi Carti Playboi Carti [Interscope] “I’m a rockstar” asserts Lil Uzi Vert in the intro to “wokeuplikethis,” the collaborative lead single off of Playboi Carti’s self-titled debut. Given the Atlanta native’s penchant for distorted, guitar-like synths and driving rhythms that often exceed 160 BPM, it wouldn’t be a stretch for us to extend the title to Carti, too. While “wokeuplikethis” is undeniably a track indebted to early rock & roll’s chugging groove — although one could even deem it pop-punk, taking its sparkly lead melodies and raspy, slacker vocals into consideration — Playboi Carti is evidence that its creator is something even greater. He’s sedimentary rock, a walking pastiche, the zeitgeist. He culls the best of 2016’s SoundCloud wave — its gravelly basslines, its chiming riffs — and blends it with well-curated bits of other subcultural ephemera. The transcendent beatswitch midway through “Location” integrates Macintosh Plus’s sloppily chopped aesthetic. “New Choppa,” featuring A$AP Rocky, delves into its own dark interpretation of chiptune. “Lame Niggaz” feels like a barebones deconstruction of PC Music’s unbridled optimism. Cash Carti’s everything that’s cool. He’s everything that’s ever been cool. –Jude Noel --- GAS Narkopop [Kompakt] Whatever happened to program music? We tend to think of the entire instrumental-pop umbrella, typically cast over both ambient and techno, as purely abstract. Wolfgang Voigt’s marriage of the two styles as GAS has especially been painted as a project concerning itself with the musical absolute. And yet, when you put your ear to the impenetrably thick walls built around Narkopop’s heartbeat-like low-end and contemplate the album’s wandering melodies and swift, unpredictably-resolving chord progressions, it’s hard to shake the feeling that there’s a story there. Not just the depiction of emotions or a mood, not just the aural rendering of “a nightclub in a forest,” but a plot, a character, and a conversation (or their multitude). Is it the movement of people through the European continent in its war-ridden past (or equally foreboding present)? Or is it more of a personal strife, the tale of a human struggling and succeeding, to various degrees, at finding solace? He would likely respond that there is none, but my question stands: What’s the story, Wolfgang? –Patryk Mrozek Narkopop by GASNarkopop by GAS --- Khaki Blazer Didn’t Have to Cut [Hausu Mountain] Pat Modugno when donning his Khaki Blazer is most known for his juddering, hypercaffeinated cut-ups and off-the-grid percussive discursions (scope the contemporaneous Speed Rack Willy), but on Didn’t Have to Cut, he seems to be taking our boy Gotye’s words to heart. Not only do we choose when and where to cut, but we could also decide not to do it at all. Modugno, thinking of all those tunes left mutilated on the DAW floor, must’ve had a change of heart, a turn away from the neo-dadaist massacres he seemed to so gleefully perpetuate. He still collages with the best of ‘em, but Didn’t Have to Cut gives each sound a little more room, a little more time to express itself. From the complete wheezer of “Comfortably Grey” to the slow-tone torture of “Saturn Rings” to the sheer psychic insinuation of “Hold Your Breath and Count,” everyone swarms and squiggles and sighs and squawks a little more thoughtfully. Still, the crowning achievement is the strung-out electric allolalia of “Death Bedhead,” featuring some famous singer I used to know. Didn’t Have to Cut is perhaps the most truly strange thing of 2017 so far, a melted, lopsided chimera roaring, bleating, and hissing its way into our hearts. –Cynocephalus Didn't Have To Cut by Khaki BlazerDidn't Have To Cut by Khaki Blazer --- Félicia Atkinson Hand In Hand [Shelter Press] Hand in hand, I’m watching the places where fingers tip into edges where I end. The fingernail barriers blood vessel and lymph and nerve from the wilderness. The fingernail keeps the self-stuff safe. Keratogenous upkeep is self-atomizing with clipper and file, a breaking for building to remind us that split bone is trauma but broken nail is health. All sounds are found in the breaking. All found breaks are Hand in Hand, the discarded sounds we shed to be. Voice is a buzz a bass a kiss a house a dance a poem. It sounds in slivers, these uncovered discards, this mode of droned bone jutting into distal digits. Dis-uncovery is wiping it away while rubbing it in. It’s in us. Félicia splints (our) nervous material like steel kissing keratin. Slip pinches hangnails. Bones break flesh, in-grown you. Infections are plausible. Fungi whine in crevices. In clips. Is imperfect. She skitters. We whisper. Listen. I’m following you. Take care. –Frank Falisi Hand In Hand by Félicia AtkinsonHand In Hand by Félicia Atkinson [pagebreak] Ryuichi Sakamoto async [Milan] When Ryuichi Sakamoto was diagnosed with throat cancer, no one knew how long he had to live. After around 40 years with Yellow Magic Orchestra — as well as many years as a solo composer — Sakamoto didn’t know if it’d be possible to ever make music again. “My faith in ‘health’ was crushed… I could have lost my voice, so I feel very lucky that I didn’t,” he shared with The New York Times. But with time, the 65-year-old composer slowly returned to the piano to give us async, 14 tracks of sobering reflection that meditate on the underlying grief at the heart of his health. Pooling influence from Andrei Tarkovsky and the piano meditations of Claude Debussy, async is about as uncomfortably intimate as instrumental music can be. Tracks like “walker” and “disintegration” feel of a certain post-Cagean tradition yet bask in a crushing fragility that borrows more from the emotive terrain of film composition than it does from art world experimentalism. “Ff,” “stakra,” and “ZURE” offer warm synths with a harrowing sparseness, while “fullmoon” includes a quote from Paul Bowles, one that’s light, yet aching in their harrowing detail. For all of its baggage in personal narrative, async continues much of what makes Sakamoto’s film work breathtaking with a handful of rich pieces at the height of the emotional spectrum. –Rob Arcand --- Jlin Black Origami [Planet Mu] The outward expansion of footwork has yielded many meta-narratives, all inextricably bound by a sense of propulsive energy — be it a frantic release schedule, marked by a saturation of physical releases and SoundCloud drops, or the will to stretch and mutate the methodological lexicon for the circle beyond. Never created, never destroyed; Jlin taps into the latter impulse once again with Black Origami, a renegotiation of the truncated vision of footwork posited by Dark Energy. Between percussive modes via India and Africa, and the divergent compositional methods of Basinski, Herndon, and Fawkes, these dark energies are (as the title suggests) continuously folded and refolded, enveloped and developed, resulting in one of the densest and most challenging sets of footwork yet. Wordless coos (“Enigma,” “Calcination”) pierce the void; meanwhile, “1%” quite literally dials up the madness, interjecting samples amongst characteristically throttling drum hits and transmuting bass. Make no mistake, Jlin is operating way outside the club here. Questions of identity and psychogeography aside, the pull of Black Origami lies in the physicality of its Delphic complexity — a kind of corporeal braindance — so consider it a sizable gauntlet to body music hereafter. Oh, and good luck dancing to the next one. –Soe Jherwood Black Origami by JlinBlack Origami by Jlin --- Future City Love Stories Future City Love Stories [BLCR Laboratories] The BLCR Laboratories debut of Future City Love Stories (a.k.a. Dream Catalogue CEO, a.k.a. HKE, a.k.a. [every last a.k.a. imaginable]) finds spectacular foundations for the self-titled release’s existence on the audible milieu of atmosphere. There is no “real” rhythm or reason unfolding within the chapters of Future City Love Stories, just architectural patterns. Existence as lingering footsteps in the background. Haunting echoes vibrating throughout empty alleys and alcoves. The sound of rain down the road turns out to be televisions left on static in a storefront window. Explanations withdrawn with, “Neverminds.” A voice intentionally lost in translation. Blurring lights that even up close hum a glow of aura. Dumpster fires. Pockets of wafting smells entangle the senses. Enough narrative imagination in ethereal splendor for listeners to create their very own Future City Love Stories. Come out and play forever. –C Monster Future City Love Stories by Future City Love StoriesFuture City Love Stories by Future City Love Stories --- Sarah Shook & The Disarmers Sidelong [Bloodshot] “What kind of music do you usually have here?” Country AND western, honky AND tonk, punk AND queer… wait, what? Sarah Shook plays smoky raw alt-country that contrasts a subtle defiance of gender stereotypes with a proud and triumphant embodiment of another trope, the country legend on a path to hell paved with bad intentions and slippery with moonshine. Country may be the music of pain, but if you need something to rile you up, the driving outlaw rhythms here’ll get the job done too. Shook’s voice is an extraordinary instrument — rough-edged and velvety by turn, with a rattling quiver and a broken lilt that’ll break your heart right along with it. Sidelong inscribes her name, alongside Lydia Loveless and Hank Williams III, in the Devil’s book. –Rowan Savage Sidelong by Sarah Shook & the DisarmersSidelong by Sarah Shook & the Disarmers --- Arca Arca [XL] Electronic music has an odd relationship with vocals. They’re polarized along the spectrum of directness, either fully obscured or so loaded with emotional cues as to seem heavy-handed. The notion of the electronic singer-songwriter is nearly extinct, word to James Blake. Arca found a way to bridge that gap, speaking both through his production and his own voice, and transmitting gripping affect on two levels: the pure sound of his voice, a universal language, and the massive (but nuanced) emotional conveyance of the lyrics themselves, sung in his native Spanish. Whether you speak the language or not, Arca seizes control, making himself clearer to the listener than ever before. –Corrigan B --- Lieven Martens Gardens, Fire and Wine (A Compilation) [Edições��CN] Quietly, he picks out postcards under a bright moon. The street murmurs, the water laps. Slowly, softly, a certain psychedelia seeps in, of the visitor, in transit, appearing, displacement. And the words come, briefly. In summary. To try to speak to transitory and totalizing experiences. Swaths of moments, and to honor them, particularly. Moods, tones, warped glimpses. A gesture. Plus all that’s ungraspable, well-traveled. I picked this one out just for you. Wish you were here. Signed Lieven Martens, who equates the seven soundscapes on Gardens, Fire and Wine (A Compilation) with a set of seven postcards. They go around the world; it’s a miracle. Delivery, like a whisper. Words laid bare for you, again, actually, as many of these tracks were previously released on 7-inches and cassettes between 2012-15. Compiled, they span from documents of live performances to naturalistic abstractions. But, again, in the wonderful words of Martens, they’re not quite that. More, “a series of images, not reissues yet self-captured.” Words touched heart. Simply. What did he write? He wrote of all sorts of good soil. Thank the glaciers, the volcanoes. –Cookcook Gardens, Fire and Wine (A Compilation) by Lieven MartensGardens, Fire and Wine (A Compilation) by Lieven Martens [pagebreak] cupcakKe Queen Elizabitch [Self-Released] Saying that this [title with a strong female lead] is anything like MC Lyte or Lil Kim would be as lazy and as sexist as it is glaringly false. Elizabeth Harris (nope, not this one) is a motherfucking kraken on Queen Elizabitch, spitting glittery slime from her furry pink tentacles until you submit. Straight up, Queen Elizabitch is filthy as fuck, hilarious as Hell, and hard as a dick while she’s rapping. Put squarely, this shit is BOLD, and it’s not lost on us that being a female MC in this context requires an impossible balance between class and crass. I can’t deny that cupcakKe’s notorious guttermouth is what pulled me in, but in all honesty, what has kept me coming back is her unmatched consistency in a game dominated by warbling cocks. This shit slays on a Blueprint level. That it would probably still slay on a Kingdom Come level is a reflection of her unsolicited ferocity. However we heard it, I’m glad we listened. –Jackson Scott --- Chino Amobi PARADISO [UNO NYC/NON] Tiny Mix Tapes has been covering Chino Amobi since at least 2012, when he was known as Diamond Black Hearted Boy. As it turns out, 2012 also was the year yours truly started writing for TMT — and my last name really is Diamond, by the way; it’s not a moniker like C Monster. Fun fact: C got me this gig. He was listening to Chino back when Chino was Diamond Black Hearted Boy. I faintly remember him telling me about Diamond Black Hearted Boy, and my reply being something like,”’Diamond Hard Blue Apples of the Moon?’ Dope song, bro.” He definitely told me about Chino Amobi later too, but I just thought he was talking about the guy from The Deftones. The point is, not all of us TMTers are in-the-know experimental music scholars with master’s degrees, and some of us who are are secretly borderline illiterate, but most all of us thoroughly enjoy Chino Amobi’s PARADISO and its arcane references, sudden outbursts, and the way those elements play off of one another, like close friends with similar interests and backgrounds but little else in common. Cages this weekend? –Samuel Diamond PARADISO by Chino AmobiPARADISO by Chino Amobi --- Richard Dawson Peasant [Weird World] The curtain rises; before us, a paddock of aged grass, overcast with swelling clouds, while somewhere nearby, there lays a whimpering collie “under a whining bush… seized by a fit.” A house sits in the corner of the enclosure, steam escaping through the windows — inside, there keeps “a cauldron of pummeled gall-nuts afloat in urine/ add river-water thrice-boiled with a bloodstone.” On the wall, a painting has begun to drip from the humidity, its seaside pastoral molting into something almost unrecognizable, as if suddenly one can see “in the face of the cliff/ a ghastly doorway.” Beyond the doorway lies a kingdom of gold, a place where “a child can be bought for a year’s worth of grain,” and “fortune wags its tongue along the walkways of the bathhouse.” Innocents lay lifeless on the street corner, and as the music of war begins to stir once again, somewhere far away, “the rolling fields grow dark as the grave/ and I am fleeing for my life.” –SZG --- Pharmakon Contact [Sacred Bones] Shortly before the release of Contact, Pharmakon played a memorial show for those who lost their lives in the Oakland Ghost Ship fire. The show was also a fundraiser for the Trans Assistance Project in honor of Feral Pines, a transwoman who was among those who died. I didn’t know Feral personally, but many of the people I went to the show with did. Pharmakon played a short set, a single song off Contact. A great chunk of the audience cried. Contact is an industrial-noise record, a condensed chunk of materialized, cut-open human organs, a manifestation of pain and fury and sadness. Terribly abrasive, yes, but it reminds us that such horror-totems are also a locus for contact. There’s a great deal of space in this record, gaps between aural saturation, pockets to curl up and gather and weep in between sheets of oblivion. We can gather around a shared wound. We can hold hands. Contact is an assault and an opening-up. –Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli Contact by PharmakonContact by Pharmakon --- 99jakes Birthday Party (Not Our Birthday) [Self-Released] “You would cry too if it happened to you.” INT. MOTEL ROOM — NIGHT. SALEM and GFOTY moved into a vacancy together at the edge of town, a few miles past the last gas station but before you get to the cornfields. It always looks red in their room, because they keep a neon sign glowing all through the clear-blue night. We’re throwing a birthday party for their overdue baby, and we just had to book 99jakes, the holy sacrilegious DJ broadcasting live from the forest using algorithm-free YouTube. The party is for jakes only, sorry, but you’re a jake. You might’ve RSVPd “Going” on Facebook high as fuck at 2:35 AM, but you were not ready for this party. Airbrushed nightcrawlers are scurrying on the walls, moms and ravers are talking Yu-Gi-Oh!, and one of the jakes keeps trying to start a food fight with this cardboard cutout of Magneto. Another jake is genuinely sobbing about their weekly horoscope. It’s a new moon and the party is over, but after the afterparty, we’re playing 7th Guest. For keeps. Watch it, dude. –Pat Beane --- Aaron Dilloway The Gag File [Dais] Cigarette butts litter the floor. Empty beer bottles are strewn across the room. The walls in the house are that dark-brown, stained-wood paneling of which the 70s were so fond. The carpet might as well be orange if it actually isn’t. Remnants of paraphernalia are on a glass-top table in front of a couch. There’s a stale smell in the air. A low thud lopes along in the background. You can vaguely make out that music is playing, but you don’t know what it is… there’s mostly muddy bass frequencies. Random conversations are taking place in this room, but you’re not really a part of any of them. You’re just observing. Down a hallway and through a bedroom door is a familiar smile. A kind of vaguely eerie, expressionless smile that you pull a string to animate. While pulling the string, a busted speaker inside of it creaks to life, announcing “kill away” with a cackle. You ghost this scene immediately. –Joe Davenport The Gag File by Aaron DillowayThe Gag File by Aaron Dilloway [pagebreak] Chief Keef Thot Breaker [Glo Gang] When I reviewed Two Zero One Seven in January, I felt obligated to excavate a rough sketch of Chief Keef’s disperse, ephemeral, and notoriously leaky catalogue, ending with the question of whether Thot Breaker (which had already been suspended in the limbo of hypothetical Keef releases since 2015) would ever come out. So in a surprise befitting Sosa’s winking demeanor, it makes a kind of cosmic sense that Thot Breaker would not only be released, but also that it would be an actual album, delicately mastered and thoughtfully sequenced, showcasing the evolution of Keith Cozart’s blossoming vision as a full-throated producer of singular and ambitious pop music. And the music is what shines: falsetto, autotune harmonies hang in the nausea of drum-barren and baroque lean-scapes, where the absurd poignancy of Keef’s lyricism glimmers, finally equilibrated to the left-field intuitions of his own production style (aided here by resident team Young Chop and CBMix, as well as a lone Mike WiLL Made-It spot). Standouts like “Alone (Intro),” the drumless ballad “Slow Dance,” stadium-dubstep barnstormer “Whoa,” and the inevitable lean-sipping ode “Drank Head” are legitimate ruptures in the Keef canon and, if we are to take the artist at face value (which we should), aesthetics more generally — they only require the audience to unsee a false history, and to accept the psychedelic, finessed vulnerability being offered on Thot Breaker. –Nick Henderson --- Nkisi Kill [MW] The only voice you hear on Kill bellows at the beginning of “Can You See Me,” asking with force, “Can you hear me? Do you know who I am? Can you see me? I live in the dark.” Brief and deliberate, the first official record by Nkisi, a co-founder of the explosively influential NON collective, somehow gets right up in its listener’s face while retaining its basic anonymity. The title track opens the record in a rolling, percussive euphoria, giving way to a kind of double-bridge in which manic beeping morphs into a dramatic trance arp. There are more shades of trance in the emotional denouement of “Parched Lips,” while both “Can You See Me” and “MWANA” rely on their nervous, nonlinear ascent toward climax. These are unique, collage-like tracks that still fit well within the massive, oddly shaped space Nkisi and associates have carved for themselves, blending a familiarly frenetic swing of snares into conversation with some evocative and incidental techniques of composition. Living in the dark, Kill offers a few scattered rays of light. –Will Neibergall --- Lorde Melodrama [Republic] Lorde is one of those ultimate artists who has achieved both top-level mainstream cred and top-level indie cred. You really can’t dislike her from any angle or you risk being seen as uncool, a fate truly worse than death. This is because, in contrast to most other pop today (most of which is pure garbage), her music is emotionally intuitive and refreshingly honest, with interesting insights into her social life and her love life. The production is airy, crisp, and occasionally sparse, giving the feeling that each sound and gesture was thoroughly considered and chosen for good reasons. These are true reflections of a partier, singing about the feelings that drive her to party and the feelings she’s left with when the party ends. That’s where Lorde transcends most pop music today: where most music regresses into trite politics or benign observations about life, her music is fairly particular and contains powerful ruminations that all people can relate to, because partying rules. Life is about the balance of partying and being sad. --- Ace Mo Black Populous [Bootleg Tapes] In any true Catholic family, there are over four aunts or uncles and subsequently dozens of first and second cousins who get placed in three categories: often, sometimes, and who? The “oftens” are there every holiday whose birthdays you’re dragged to; the “sometimes” are out-of-state cousins who you see enough to consistently dislike and/or smoke weed with in the alleyway; and the “whos?” are the reason why you address everyone as “bud” or “friend.” Ace Mo and the entirety of Bootleg Tapes have quickly risen from a “who?” to the highest ground of “often”: the sitcom best-friend cousin, transcending the ranks into a must-see, need-to-chill-with cousin. Can there be a brightest-star, favorite cousin within Bootleg Tapes? We refuse to answer that. But damn: as of this writing, he is the face off/banner kid of their Bandcamp, and Black Populous is bringing in a whole new appreciation for the label. So, what we’re saying is, Ace Mo, I have the dro, and we’re eating heavy always; see you at the next major holiday, and an AFX-style-remix-fanboy thanks to you. –Monet Maker Black Populous by AceMoBlack Populous by AceMo --- Medslaus Poorboy Self-Released If the most boring drums a rap producer can program go boom boom bap boom boom boom bap, then the second most boring drums a rap producer can program go ticka ticka ticka ticka ticka ticka ticka ticka ticka and the third most boring go ticka ticka boom bap ticka ticka ticka ticka bap, and so on. If I’m oversimplifying, I apologize — the point is: Slauson Malone doesn’t make beats you’ve heard before, and on the occasion that he employs a familiar sample, like on “Follies (P.M.W.),” the sumbitch gets turned out. Melodics become riddims and vice versa such that no two tracks ever sound the same. As for Slauson’s vocal counterpart, the first time I heard Medhane, I thought he was alright but steadily overshadowed by his producer. Post-Poorboy, I’m starting to think that’d be like saying Guru was overshadowed by Premier. And this is after just their second project together!? If these kids get any better, you’re all going to be out of a job. Chief Keef’s going to need to take a civil service exam or some shit. Rappaz rn dainja and beats are obsolete. Go ahead with that. –Samuel Diamond --- Kendrick Lamar DAMN. [Top Dawg] Okay, so you’re not AIM buddies with Kendrick Lamar, but… doesn’t it feel like you kinda could be? The most over-the-top thing about DAMN. wasn’t that it sounded like the work of some untouchable megastar off on his own trip; it was the feeling that an easygoing, all-around “nice dude” who lives down the hall from you cobbled this shit together on his PC in the lonely-but-spacious hours between night shifts and day jobs. The shots fired on DAMN. didn’t feel so much “shockingly revolutionary” as they did “shockingly relatable.” It pretty much felt like Lamar was sending you a MediaFire link containing the mundane, silly, scared, honest fruits of a secret-hobby on Google Hangouts and then insecurely asking you what you thought of it right on the spot. Then, he anxiously watched the screen as you typed back your near-speechless, one-word response: “DAMN.” –Dan Smart http://j.mp/2tn2dfT
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