New LA Adds: Kelela, Globelamp
Kelela - Hallucinogen: In a world where everyone and their mother can get their hand on a copy of Ableton or Frooty Loops with some 808 drum samples, that “female singer-producer trip hop rnb” duo seems to be almost like a sad rendition of some of the actually amazing singer-producer combinations. It seems as though that very dark, atmospheric and brooding vibe that the Weeknd, Drake, FKA Twigs, and (perhaps) BANKS has come to bring so forefront to the mainstream has been saturated in sound cloud fuckery. But although my message seems cynical, don’t get me wrong, it only separates the good and the bad more. You begin to appreciate those who are actually very good versus that bullshit sound cloud link that’ll be pushed down your throat on mediocre music blogs. Kelela is one of those individuals I think who can separate herself from the rest. She does have that aesthetic, yes. Very moody beats, with trippy synths, rumbling 808 basses, but what it really comes down to as a songwriter is how she interacts with the instrumentation given to her. I think she demonstrates her talent to really bring a song to the core of its emotions, to bring interesting melodies and rhythms to her voice versus just belting over a trap beat about idk.. fucking someone in a dark room or some shit. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, it just gets so terribly boring. I really liked Kelela’s album because while it may sound sort of generic at times, you can feel that soul that this trip hop movement finds its roots in. One of the biggest up and coming LA RnB singers IMO. DYLAN
RIYL: Tinashe, Jhene Aiko, BANKS
Recommended Tracks: A Message, Rewind, Gomenasai
Globelamp - The Orange Glow: Globelamp is the dreamy, lo-fi, psych folk project of LA native and Washington resident, Elizabeth le Fey. The album was produced and mixed by Joel Jerome and is one of the first releases off of his new record label, Psychedelic Thriftstore Recordings. This is her second album. Her first album, Star Dust, was recorded with the help of Foxygen frontman and her then-boyfriend, Sam France. She went on tour with Foxygen in 2012 and appeared in one of their music videos, but, after a falling-out with the band, formed her own side project. The song “San Francisco” is about her time with Foxygen and refers to the song title of the music video she was in. Lyrics describe her past relationship with Sam France, likening their relationship to that of couples like “Romeo and Juliet, Sid and Nancy.” She goes on to describe her current situation, “Now she’s searching for the life that was stolen in the night in San Francisco/ All that’s left is a video.” Her latest album, The Orange Glow, was entirely written by Le Fey. It is about life after a breakup and what it’s like to really miss someone—not just an ex-lover, but also the person you used to be when you were with them. Le Fey goes through all the typical post-breakup emotions: sadness, cynicism, loneliness, anger, and nostalgia (see songs “The Orange Glow,” “Controversial Confrontational,” “Master of Lonely,” “Piece of the Pie,” and “San Francisco,” respectively). Her music is dreamy and poetic, with lyrics about time and the universe, the moon and the tides, a genies lamp and a fairy queen. I really like the song “Piece of the Pie,” which is more bratty garage punk than her other songs off the album and conveys a lot of anger that is typical of a break up. I think there are definitely some grrl power feminist moments in that song. CHRISTINA
RIYL: Foxygen, Joel Jerome, Girlpool, Sharon Van Etten, Conor Oberst, Angel Olsen
Recommended Tracks: “Washington Moon,” “The Negative,” “San Francisco,” “Artist Traveler,” “Master of Lonely,” “Piece of the Pie”