We're all in the same spot: working all week, wondering if the weekend will ever present itself, and dreaming of the possibilities of a day or two without work. You spend all week making plans with friends and family, and now that Summer Fridays have begun...the world is your oyster.

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New Releases

Vampire Weekend Strikes New Chords

The indie band pays homage to the '70s and the sea in new two-track single.

Vampire Weekend

Can Nguyen/Shutterstock


Vampire Weekend is back at it again.

They've announced a new double-album, Father of the Bride, set to drop on May 3rd, and are premiering songs from it two at a time. Following the release of "Harmony Hall" and "2021," their latest sneak-peak further showcases how the band's sound has evolved from the bubbly indie rock we all know and love, into the more mature and sonically nuanced Vampire Weekend of today.

The A-side of this two-for-one single musically echoes a time when singles were still predominantly released on two sides—the 1970s. The opening track of the release, "Sunflower," featuring The Internet guitarist, Steve Lacey, opens with the bass and guitar meandering up and down a major scale together.

This syncopated, playful introduction then roots the listener firmly in a verse that could make a Phish fan's ears perk up. With "Sunflower," Vampire Weekend, with the help of Steve Lacey, shows us what a classic rock jam-band would sound like in 2019. The lyrics, about dreading going out into the sun (appropriate for a band who frequently pays homage to vampires), paired with this devil-may-care instrumentation, create an ironically upbeat anthem for the shut-in.

Flip the digital record over, so to speak, and you'll find the atmospheric and somewhat aquatic ballad, "Big Blue." Arpeggiated chords waver and unfurl in the distance as Ezra Koenig tepidly croons: "Big blue, for once in my life I felt close to you/ I was so overcome with emotion/ When I was hurt and in need of affection/ When I was tired, and I couldn't go home/ Then you offered protection." A steel guitar eventually flies above everything else, reminiscent of a seagull cawing along to Koenig's meditation on whether or not he's alone.

Vampire Weekend appears to be attempting to grow and try new things with this material. Fans should be in for a pleasant surprise when the full double-disk LP finally drops on May 3rd.

Sunflower / Big Blue



Dustin DiPaulo is a writer and musician from Rochester, New York. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Florida Atlantic University and can most likely be found at a local concert, dive bar, or comedy club (if he's not getting lost somewhere in the woods).


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With support from RÜFÜS DU SOL's Rose Avenue record label, Australian producer Cassian released his latest single today, an electro-infused pop record titled " Same Things." The single, which features LA up-and-comer Gabrielle Current, combines the soul of American Indie with the unique electronic production that Cassian is known for. The DJ's first single off the Rose Avenue label, "Lafayette," was supported by Nora En Pure, Hayden James and RÜFÜS in their 2018 MIXMAG cover mix. Praised by What So Not, Hayden James and Alex Metric, Cassian is an upcoming act that has only grown in popularity since his debut.

The producer had a heavy hand in crafting RÜFÜS's SOLACE, as well as their sophomore record Bloom. He also supported the trio on all three of their sold out shows in LA's Shrine Expo Hall. Cassian will also be joining RÜFÜS on their forthcoming Australian tour dates.


Mackenzie Cummings-Grady is a creative writer who resides in the Brooklyn area. Mackenzie's work has previously appeared in The Boston Globe, Billboard, and Metropolis Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @mjcummingsgrady.


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PREMIERE | Satya Releases Debut Single, 'Maybe We Should'

'Maybe We Should' exudes wicked, erotic electricity

satya

"Maybe We Should," the debut single from Montreal's Satya, is "a personal love story of love at first sight." Co-written by Satya, JT Roach, and David Brook, the music video was directed by Olivier Picard for Parce Que Films.

Abandoned at birth in Morocco, Satya was adopted and moved halfway across the world to Canada, where as a young child she fell in love with music. Bullied in school because of her skin color, Satya, desperate for acceptance, turned to alcohol. When she was 18-years-old, Satya hit rock bottom. Her family stepped in and she began rehab at the age of 20. Love, music, and perseverance proved to be her salvation.

Opening with emerging synths, followed by a deeply thrumming bassline, "Maybe We Should" blends hefty doses of R&B with contagious electronic dance flavors. Insistent synths ride atop a Jovian rhythmic pulse, giving the tune a dark, simmering sensuality. Luminous, glowing synths hover in the backdrop, enhanced by oozing vocal harmonies.

Satya's dulcet voice, cool, sultry, and opulent with voluptuous timbres, infuses the music with nuances of palpable carnality. Full of lush, erotic tones, Satya's voice infects the song with erogenous tension that's inescapable.

The combination of fluid R&B hues and tight dance vibes imbues the tune with wicked hormonal energy, as well as turbulent yearnings that increase rather than subside, resulting in a powerfully suggestive sensation.

"Maybe We Should" exudes a sonic aura of lethal sensuality. The pulse of the rhythm, dark shimmering synths, and Satya's hunger-drenched tones make "Maybe We Should" a definite triumph.

Follow Satya on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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MUSIC

RELEASE RADAR | Justin Timberlake Is Dropping His First Album In 4 Years

Plus -- SUMif, VÉRITÉ, Beechwood, R. Finn, Samzen, Andrea Gibson, Natalie Shay

2018 is already a blessing.


He's still bringing sexy back and we're here for it!!!!

Justin Timberlake just announced that he has a new album Man on The Woods coming out on February 2nd and we're already feeling optimistic about the new year! I'm sitting here smiling listening to one of my favorite JT albums 20/20 Experience patiently awaiting the album release. Timberlake recently released "Can't Stop This Feeling" which at a glance was super disappointing (to me at least) after coming from the work of art that 20/20 is. Eventually it grew on me the way any pop ear worm would, but that doesn't mean I'm not SO ready for JT to release something else. His new single "Filthy" dropped today and it's like the old JT is back. Along with JT's epic release, we have new releases from SUMif, VÉRITÉ, Beechwood, R. Finn, Samzen,

Watch the trailer for the album here.

Justin Timberlake | "Filthy"

I cautiously pressed play and was not disappointed. "Filthy" reminds me of the old Justin in an entirely new way. While the song has the dark, sexy elements of his last album 20/20 Experience, it's percussive nature is new and something to celebrate. This banger will be on my playlist all January long. I'm so excited for the new album!

Best for: Dance party to stay warm in the Bomb Cyclone
Perfect if you like: well, JT... or NSYNC

Follow Justin Timberlake on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter


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