Writing about music in lieu of human interaction
Pittsburgh's Mixus Brothers approach their rootsy Americana tunes with a sense of homespun enthusiasm. Chapter One of the duo's seventh album, The Lonesome Gods, was released last week. The release's second track, "To the Music World Unknown," is a brief, wistful singalong that finds Jebbh and Red Mixus intertwining high and low harmonies overtop acoustic … Continue reading Daily Yinz – The Mixus Brothers – To the Music World Unknown
Lucite Spine makes recordings of sounds. These sounds can be naturalistic, mellow, grating, or all three. "Err organelle," one of two tracks that make up Lucite Spine's latest release, neven, buries a faint melodic progression under layers of raspy static.. If you listen past the dirt-smeared chaos of the surface level, a nice little instrumental … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Lucite Spine – Err organelle
Ill Advanced is a Pittsburgh rapper whose sound draws from the time-honored boom-bap tradition. Ill's latest album, Unwritten Divine Rule, a collection of hazy samples, dusty drums, and thoughtful lyrics, dropped in late February. My personal favorite track from the project is "St. Mary Loretta," a heartfelt tribute to Ill's late grandmother, a woman who … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Ill Advanced – St. Mary Loretta
Five Star Hotel is a Pittsburgh "body-horror" artist whose music sounds like Ian Curtis making violent techno remixes of Castlevania soundtracks. In February, Five Star Hotel released Hexagoness Burning Soul, an older, unfinished album that eventually became 2018's Open Wound. Its opening track, "Blood Aurora," establishes an immediate sense of brooding synth grandeur; it begins … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Five Star Hotel – Blood Aurora
Rapper and Driving While Black Records CEO Jordan Montgomery recently released Thank You 4 Ur Patience, a mixtape containing freestyles recorded over the past few years. The tape kicks off on a strong note with "Black Folk 4 Life," a track on which Montgomery defiantly and eloquently tackles issues of gentrification and racism. Overtop a … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Jordan Montgomery – Black Folk 4 Life
Pittsburgh tape label Autumn Sounds releases new music almost every week, all of it strange. One of AS's latest offerings is Adrift, an ambient vaporwave EP by Maryland artist kauzmeat, described as an attempt to "evoke the initial peacefulness of solitude." With so many people stuck by themselves in tiny apartments for who knows how … Continue reading Daily Yinz – kauzmeat – Abyss
Chip and the Charge Ups deliver some necessary pop-punk relief with their cover (video included!) of Blondie's "The Tide Is High." The Charge Ups replace the original song's horn-accented rocksteady sway with an electrified guitar gallop; instead of imagining yourself lounging on a tropical island with an oversized rum drink, you'll be thrust straight into … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Chip & The Charge Ups – The Tide Is High
