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NGHTMRE & Pell

Pell’s Instagram | NGHTMRE Instagram

The night two radical midnight sleepwalkers united for a conscious fusion of experimental bass and hip-hop, forever changed my life. As a mere bacterial organism clinging to a space rock that is being throttled through space and time, I should have every reason to be on edge. But, I digress…

On a micro level we perceive time to be rather stagnant. A steady stream of occurrences — from heartbreak to death — few things too little or large for us to pass by. That is, until NGHTMRE & Pell came gliding down the street, sending a ripple through the cosmos and forever mutating the structure of the supposed illusion we’re experiencing.

In hindsight it appears at times to be madness, but at the end of the day is it nothing more than the passing of time — marching forever on into the darkness of the infinite cyclical abyss. Perhaps this is the nightmare, an inferno of sorts. At the very least it is a metaphor for the transformative illusion and the bizarre duality of life. 

NGHTMRE & Pell’s EP Magic Hour was released on Diplo’s Mad Decent. It features two tracks, “Swiss” and “Lights Low”. The dream will resume shortly. Don’t go anywhere you beautiful motherfuckers.

“good weed puts my mind at ease and sets myself free” — Pell, The Never


“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” — Sagan

Dear Japan

Photo Courtesy of Dear Japan’s Facebook

“Kushiro” is the manifestation of an Indian summer day gone beautifully awry.

Turning away from love and fleeing to a place of isolation oftentimes leaves one fragmented and worn to the bone.

Only when one has been burned to the ground can he then arise again from the ashes and live again. The tragic hero’s tale continues. 

Behold, a magnificent midnight masterpiece to meditate upon.

The dreams of tomorrow will fade away as quickly as the dreams of today. For only the heart is in possession of the truth — an organ as old as the beast it sustains. 

Dear Japan is a new project out of Hamburg and California who are still a bit of a mystery. They’re somewhere between neon Tokyo lights and a hazy Southern California sunset.

“Kushiro” is quite simply a sublime sonic spectacle to absorb.


“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” — Sagan

ZXO

Photo Courtesy of the Facebook of ZXO

ZXO’s “Silver Parade” is a sweet, soft-sung ballad that hits all the right notes. The track blends velvety vocals with potent guitar work to create a sound that is both inviting and personal. Although the song’s melody comes off as a bit sorrowful, the lyrics give way to a happier message about turning towards the sun and soaking in the rays of love.

ZXO is fortunately a psychedelic rock group out of the midwest who isn’t afraid to show off more experimental music, so it’s always nice to see them churn out a more relaxed track every now and then. We hope to hear more radical tunes from self-proclaimed yurt-rockers Ryan Brewer, Teddy Lerch, Garrick Nelson, and Gabe Gerhardt soon! Stay tuned.


“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” — Sagan

Leebone Phillips

Photo Courtesy of Phillips’ Facebook

Tenderness runs through the veins of “Before the Flood” like a pulsing river increasing in intensity. Every lyric and chord creates an emotional depth that is both charismatic and engaging. With the strumming of a banjo and the shaking of a tambourine, Liam Eaton AKA Leebone Phillips grows in nostalgia as he sings of his plight as a zealous over-thinker.

The song reminds us of what honest down-home country-folk is supposed to sounds like while expanding on the genre with subtle hints of lo-fi pop. The track is traditional folk, yet with a refreshing twist — it feels as if it came directly from the mouths of storytellers crowded around a smoldering campfire. 


“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” — Sagan

Tender Glue

Photo Courtesy of Tender Glue’s Instagram

Tender Glue softly sings us into an alternative haze on his fresh track “Rudy”, a song characterized by wonderful guitar work and faint vocals.

The track carries a certain element of emotion to it, but I can’t quite place my finger on what that emotion is. It seems that “Rudy” wants to gently point you towards a feeling but doesn’t want to dictate your experience with the music.


“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” — Sagan