Writing about things that do and don't exit
A few words about a few local tracks that hit the spot this week ### Pen Lordz - Never Enough Arsinel and Fam Ross divide and conquer over a piano-led boom-bap instrumental (courtesy of Bordeaux, France's Kheyzine). Watch out for the punch lines; they might give you a black eye. More from Arsinel and follow … Continue reading Weekly Wrap-Up 05.17.24
Ames Harding goes solo and stripped down on the Hummin' EP. Ames Harding's music has always blurred the lines between the earthy and the human, and that trend continues with Hummin', a three-song EP--recorded and mixed at home--that features sylvan odes to love, creativity, and family. The lyrics on opener "Groovin'" mingle slow jam sentiments … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Ames Harding – Groovin’
The first single from Church, due out June 21st on We Be Friends. In the liner notes to Church, Weidenhof describes the childhood experience of attending Catholic mass in the following way: "...hundreds of people would all attempt to sing the same melody microtones off from one another at varying tempos with monstrous organ sound … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Ricki Weidenhof – Raptured in Formal Violence
A distress signal sent up from a terrible workplace. Even though "Bada Bing!" is one of Secret Tunnel's debut singles, the band already sounds like it's at the end of its rope. The song opens with an image of true paycheck-to-paycheck desolation, served extra bummed-out over melancholy chords: "The friend of the friend of the … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Secret Tunnel – Bada Bing!
The Taylor Gang rapper's latest release is Soul Searching. "100," one of the tracks from Soul Searching that received music video treatment, finds Fedd and collaborator Latia on the lookout for honest simplicity in a world full of flashing neon distraction. Fedd starts the track off with the weary admission, "Life been kicking my ass," … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Fedd The God – 100 (ft. Latia)
ID Labs' E.Dan recently released an instrumental album called Nothing You Don't Know (Remember Music, Warner Records). ID Labs is a legendary Pittsburgh studio and production facility that collaborated with the likes of Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller as they climbed the long and arduous path from mixtape to arena. On Nothing You Don't Know, … Continue reading Daily Yinz – E.Dan – Outta You
vireo's first release of 2024 is the gentle reverie "cloudgazers." "The car's in the shop again / I don't have enough to get it fixed." The line that opens "cloudgazers" sent me back to last summer, a span during which my since-junked '03 Honda Civic developed every possible problem simultaneously. Each week I fielded a … Continue reading Daily Yinz – vireo – cloudgazers
A jamtastic collaboration between purveyors of sunny sounds. There are certain songs that should really be listened to while reclining on a blanket laid out in grass, and "Clear In My Mind" is one of them. A joint effort between Chalk Dinosaur's John O'Hallaron--one of Pittsburgh's premier vibesmiths--and DMV area artists Austin Litz (aka crypto … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Chalk Dinosaur x crypto WAVE radio – Clear In My Mind (feat. Katriella)
James the Seventh's latest is the booming "Invisible Ink." Words are funny things. Tiny language elements created by joined units of meaning that are in turn created by puffs of air being modulated by lungs, vocal folds, tongue, lips. Breath sculpted by organic matter--a simple phenomenon that can alter the course of lives in mere … Continue reading Daily Yinz – James the Seventh – Invisible Ink
A rework of a track from 2023's Flowers Telegraphed to All Parts of the World. When I lived in Polish Hill, I used to walk along Bethoven St and then over the Bloomfield Bridge to get to the grocery store formerly known as Shursave IGA. En route I would often encounter a cat that hung … Continue reading Daily Yinz – The Garment District – A Street Called Finland (BusCrates x Baron Remix)
Bored In Pittsburgh 