Category: Electronic

In Appreciation of Radiohead’s “The King of Limbs” 10 Years Later
It was March 15, 2012 – my future wife and I flew to Arizona and are standing on the floor at Jobing.com Arena (now Gila River Arena). The lights go off and Radiohead walk on stage for the last show of The King of Limbs tour, their first proper tour in four years. After a fervent reception from the crowd, Thom Yorke starts playing the swirling guitar arpeggios of “Bloom,” the opening track on The King of Limbs. While walking around the Grand Canyon the following afternoon we just could not shake off the chills still ringing through us from the night before.

Radiohead, Jobing.com Arena – 3/15/2012 (Photo by Buscar Photo)

Radiohead’s eighth LP, The King of Limbs (TKOL) turns 10 years old this week and as with any Radiohead album, it represents a unique (yet polarizing) place in the band’s history. The record followed up 2007’s In Rainbows, arguably one of the most important records in modern music history, and a massive double commercial success. Fans worldwide whole-heartedly embraced the pay-what-you-want model right off the band’s website. The record debuted at #1 on multiple charts months later when the retail version of the record was released. The release model for that record changed the music industry forever and foreshadowed the “creative economy” we are currently seeing explode. Four years removed from that ground-breaking release, fans were rabid for more.

The King of Limbs was slated to be released on the Radiohead website on February 18^th, 2011 but fans were surprised one day prior when the band announced that the “website was ready early” and the album was available for download. I skipped class for the rest of the day at Fordham, raced home to Long Island and pressed play as soon as I could.

The album kicks off with “Bloom,” a cascading mix of guitar arpeggios, repetitive drum sequences, and a metaphor of the ocean breathing a “universal sigh.” What would become a mainstay in Radiohead setlists, “Bloom” reaches an epic climax before winding down to a single ringing bass note. “Morning Mr. Magpie,” a feverish guitar rock track with a glitched out drum beat precedes “Little by Little,” where the new addition of second drummer Clive Deamer (of Portishead fame) really shines. The two play competing drum rhythms superimposed on one another but are still able to mix it in a way that comes off like a cohesive beat played by a single drummer.

Radiohead, Jobing.com Arena – 3/15/2012 (Photo by Buscar Photo)

Things take a sudden turn with “Feral,” certainly the black sheep of the record, even by Radiohead standards. The listener is bombarded with frenetic drums and ghostly, heavily distorted vocals (enormous “Pulk/Pull…” vibes here). We then hit “Lotus Flower,” the lead single released a couple days before the album via a music video featuring Yorke comically (seriously?) and erratically dancing in a bowler hat. The record then goes into a lull for “Codex” and “Give Up the Ghost,” which are stripped back minimal efforts that stops the albums momentum coming back to back in the second half. Closer “Separator” features soaring vocals over syncopated drum beats.

“Lotus Flower” by Radiohead (via Youtube)

Regardless of how we feel about the record today, there is no question that fans, myself included, felt disappointed that day. With only 8 tracks, a brief 37-minute runtime and a very lopsided track flow, I sat on my basement floor thinking to myself, “that was it?” After all, Thom Yorke seemed to be overtly teasing us with the vocals on “Separator” by singing “If you think this is over then you’re wrong…” A mantra fans used to convince themselves a “part 2” was coming. Everything about TKOL felt unfinished. The production was rather muted, the recordings felt like demo takes, and it was really hard to picture any of the songs slapping in an arena.

That last notion was proven completely false once these songs got the live treatment. For me personally, hearing them performed live (7 TKOL era tracks that night in Arizona) made it all come together. Listeners still turn to the live studio version released in December 2011 – The King of Limbs: Live from the Basement as the definitive version of the record. The expansive reworked versions and three additional tracks (“The Daily Mail,” “Staircase,” and “Supercollider”) gave the album a whole new persona. Between the release in February 2011 and the start of the tour in February 2012, the band only played three shows (Glastonbury, and two nights in NYC at Roseland Ballroom) but it was already clear that the songs on TKOL are in their full glory live. This is true for so many bands and songs, but here it is especially the case.

“Bloom” by Radiohead (via Youtube)

Radiohead embarked on a drastic stylistic shift on The King of Limbs. Ambient and melancholic electronica have always been an omnipresent backdrop since the OK Computer era. This time around, Radiohead dove deeper into their IDM and dub-techno influences and adopted a more dadaist approach to the structure and recording of the songs. This was taken to the n-th degree (in typical Radiohead fashion) by Jonny Greenwood who built and programmed a custom hardware/software package to sample the band’s live playing. The essence of TKOL was always meant to be a live rock-band adaptation of 2000s era minimalist techno and down-tempo, a subset of electronica seemingly brought about to capture the moments leading up to sunrise after a long night at the club; an evanescent “blue hour” moment. Artists such as Burial, Bonobo and Four Tet come to mind.

The band even physically encapsulated that very same fleeting, transient vibe of the music in the physical vinyl release. Dubbed the “Newspaper Edition,” the album was first teased with a newspaper handed out on the streets of NYC and the UK titled The Universal Sigh, that featured collages of poetry, short stories, and visual art. The vinyl itself came with another newspaper style art book, a 625-tab sheet of blotter paper, and two clear vinyls. Newspaper was chosen because of how it predictably yellows and fades over time; coming back to the whole notion of capturing an elusive futuristic sound before it fades into memory.
Artwork from The King of Limbs “Newspaper” Edition
The exploration of this new style continued in the year following the release of TKOL with a continuous series of electronic remixes that culminated in the TKOL RMX 1234567 release. Artists such as Four Tet, Caribou, Mark Pritchard, Shed, Jamie XX, Modeselektor, SBTKRT, and many more did their thing with the album tracks. While disjointed and filled with some bizarre sounding remixes that many dismissed out of hand, the collection contains some of the most unique sounding electronica you can find. This style would ultimately evolve and become a jumping off point for Thom Yorke’s future eras of solo/collaborative projects (i.e. collaborations with Modeselektor, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes and more).

That brings us back to today – 10 years later. While still polarizing and a point of heated debate amongst the Radiohead faithful, The King of Limbs owns its distinct place within the band’s discography; I would even argue it is one of their best records. Considering that another record has been released since, fans have allowed TKOL to exist as it was meant to be, rather than forcing it to be another In Rainbows or OK Computer. The record explores a very brief period in electronica from the perspective of an arena rock band in a way that has yet to be done by any other artist. The Universal Sigh publications will eventually disintegrate with time but The King of Limbs is not going anywhere and continues to perplex and wonder listeners a decade on.
February 19, 2021
Interview: NYC’s Practice Gives Inside Scoop on Solo Album

Indie electro artist Practice is set to release his debut solo album, Not A Game, on February 19. NYC-based artist Michael Tapper is developing his own sound under the moniker Practice. He combines synth usage with his deep vocals to illuminate the tone of his work.

Photo Credit: Guy Eppel

Not A Game is Michael Tapper’s first solo project. Prior to this, he was a drummer for We Are Scientists, Bishop Allen, Fool’s Gold, and Yellow Ostrich. Going from a collaborative environment to working alone prompts many challenges. Practice faced this exact difficulty and shares it with NYS Music:

Usually when working with someone else, we can find the areas and directions where we agree or feel like we can each contribute the most to create something we both will love, and that will determine what we try to make. My interests are very broad, so I had a hard time narrowing down the focus of what I wanted to do. Eventually I came upon the idea of forming a band out of analog synthesizers, which gave me some framework for structure. Within that, I could explore different types of songs that worked within those artificial constraints.
Michael Tapper

Having no collaborators to bounce ideas off was another obstacle Practice had to face, especially when working in unfamiliar capacities with many instruments. However, he found that his wife and friends were the solutions. The artist highlights, “I was surprised to learn that just listening to a song with someone else helped me to hear it differently than if it was just me listening to it in my studio. Somehow, you’re able to sort of hear it through someone else’s ears to some degree.”

The Power of the Synths

All the tracks in this album are unified by the instrumentation. The use of synthesizers is the main driving force behind Not A Game. The framework behind creating a solo project was to view it as a band, “with each band member being a specific synthesizer.” These “band members” consist of “a bass synth, a lead synth, a poly-synth that plays pads or rhythm parts, and a drum machine. Kind of like your typical rock band, but with synths.” In addition, Practice aimed to perform these songs live one day. So, he connected all the synths together to allow this.

The creative process behind utilizing these synths varied based on the arrangement. Creating new songs would sometimes start with a bass-line, a lead synth, a textural pad, or a drum machine beat. Practice utilized these “band members” as if it was an actual collaborative project with different sounds commencing each track’s development.

One result I liked about working with this framework was that in the end, the songs all shared a certain consistency in their sounds and textures because it was the same instruments on all the songs, even though the songs themselves might seem like they come from different worlds or genres.
Michael Tapper

Photo Credit: Guy Eppel

Finding Inspiration

A few songs on Not A Game are inspired by the 28-day sailing trip that Practice undertook from Mexico to Hawaii. The idea to make an EP stemmed from the thoughts and feelings experienced on this voyage. “They deal with feelings of loneliness, fear, and uncertainty – sort of these universal feelings that are relevant even when you aren’t out in the middle of the ocean.”

The album kicks off with the catchy single “After Life,” introducing feelings of being separated from the world. While the closer, “I’ve Had Enough,” is a more laid-back song. Practice shared, “I like to take the listener on a journey. I ultimately decided to start the album with ‘The Afterlife’ because I thought it introduced a lot of the elements of the record musically, but in hindsight, it really works lyrically as well. I liked that it started with just the richness of the synthesizers and then kicked into a groove that’s definitely danceable.”

Watch “The Afterlife” Music Video Here

Leaving an Impact

I hope people can relate to and connect with what I’m saying according to their own experience…But also, I hope people can just listen to the music and think it sounds good! I don’t really feel a need to be heard, like personally, and I’d be very happy if people wanted to put it on at a party and dance or put it on in the background as they work or work out or whatever. I hope that people can enjoy it in whatever way they can and need, like a musical multipurpose saline solution.
Michael Tapper

Keep an eye out for Not A Game, soon to be released on February 19. Get a sneak peek by checking out some released singles off of the album: “I Saw Love,” “Failure of Imagination,” and “I Don’t Need Love.”

February 16, 2021
Watch White Cliffs Claymation Music Video for “Just Like You”

On February 3rd, Brooklyn-based electronic rock artist White Cliffs (Rafe Cohan) released an endearing claymation music video accompanying his newest single, “Just Like You.” Garnering a lot of attention from fans to art enjoyers alike, the video is impressively mesmerizing and perfectly captures the feeling of imposter syndrome. The single kicks off the beginning of his upcoming EP, Stockholm, to be released February 19th.

The music video is directed, produced and edited by Rafe Cohan himself and features two clay creatures, identical except for color, that are constantly molding themselves into vibrant animations and dancing around each other. Previously having expressed his struggle with accepting his true self, Cohan created a perfect visual aid to his music and the message he wants to send.

I wrote the song about our playful and hypocritical struggle with accepting our true selves. And that struggle is just a part of pursuing a career as a musician… You’re constantly drawing this attention to your project, and in the process, you end up learning quite a bit about yourself, both good and bad. Usually, you experience some denial or imposter syndrome, but after time passes, you are left with acceptance.
Rafe Cohen, on the meaning behind “Just Like You”

With this track, the artist set out to challenge conformity and use unconventional means, such as a Roland organ/strings synthesizer that allowed him to experiment at the base level, the underlying chords. This idea alongside an unorthodox topic and video meshes together beautifully to create a sense of ease and nostalgia.

February 14, 2021
Serge Bulat Releases His Newest Single ‘Digital Guillermo’

Maldovan-Ukrainian musician, Serge Bulat, releases his new single “Digital Guillermo”, his first song after his most recent album Wurmenai.

Serge Bulat Cover Art for Digital Guillermo

Bulat came to the U.S in 2009 to start his music career. He currently resides in New York and Virginia. His creativity expands further than just music, he experiments with many mediums consisting of video games, sound design, theater productions and more. Wurmenai is actually the soundtrack for his video game Wurroom and serves as the video game in album form. The game gives music a new and interactive experience. The album was his first full-length album after four years since releasing his album Third World Walker.

The work from Wurmenai was his most diverse, featuring artists across the globe who contributed their own sound. More of his notable projects include Queuelbum that gained him the Best Electronic Album of the Year from the Independent Music Awards. Also, he is the creative behind the multimedia Inkblot, the psychological test that appeals not only to seeing but also to hearing.

His artistic expression has only increased throughout the years and he has more in store this year. “Digital Guillermo” is Bulat’s newest release and it further explores his musical ability using several instruments throughout the song. The song is on the soundtrack for the psychological horror video game Isolomus.

February 12, 2021
Genre Bending Body Language Share “Start It Up” Video

Sensual pop experimentalists Body Language have been developing their genre-blend tone for some years now. Beginning in 2008, the band (Angelica Bess, Grant Wheeler, Matt Young, and Ian Chang) has added a future-shocked mixture of soul and R&B to their sound. These Brooklyn-based musicians have even received praise from NPR, The New York Times, and The Guardian. As a matter of fact, Body Language and their new music video for “Start It Up” doesn’t stray away from this amount of appraisal.

Photo Credit: Nat Magliore

With an introduction of glamorous dancers and a pulsating beat, “Start It Up” gives viewers nostalgia of packed dancefloors. The combination of the smooth vocals from the front-woman Bess, the glitzy outfits, and an electric flow makes anyone want to get up off their seat. The video travels through a fisheye lens creating a greater sense of funk to the already bouncy instrumental and harmonic hook.

Bess characterizes the video as a “Dreamlike mirage of glamour and shimmering movement. It’s a tribute to our favorite videos of the 90’s and early 00’s. An ode to the New Roaring 20’s: a little old and a lot new. ‘Start It Up’ represents the new age of loving yourself, expressing yourself, and having a good f*cking time.”

“Start It Up” is featured on Body Language’s latest LP Travel Guide. As described as their most collaborative effort yet, Travel Guide consists of ten tracks of genre-bent psychedelic. Check out the LP below for an escapism of the realities of day to day life. Also, look out for Body Language’s remixes for “Start It Up,” coming soon.

February 10, 2021
White Cliffs Journey of Self-Discovery in “Just Like You”

Brooklyn-based psych/electronic-rock artist White Cliffs (aka Rafe Cohan) just released his latest single “Just Like You” on January 29. The single commences the first release off of his upcoming EP Stockholm. After spending years experimenting with a variety of instruments, genres and vocal styles, White Cliffs made his first ever EP. Keep an eye out for Stockholm available shortly on major platforms February 19.

White Cliffs maintains the fine balance between being a musical purist and an unconventional creator. His mastery of instruments and entrancement in the art of producing can be seen as a curse to his canvas. Nevertheless, his complexity and dedication to his craft allow him to gain reason within the collage of sound he puts together.

“Just Like You” illuminates an ambience of summertime through the layering of a psychedelic tone, conversational lyricism, and guitar effects. An effortless blend of indie rock, soul and electronic creates a unique yet dynamic anthem. The hypnotic sound he is able to make gives off feelings of late night car drives where time seems to stand still. White Cliffs reminds everyone of the constant struggle of self-acceptance and learning to celebrate our individuality.

White Cliffs Songwriting Process:

I wrote the song about our playful and hypocritical struggle with accepting our true selves. And that struggle is just a part of pursuing a career as a musician… You’re constantly drawing this attention to your project, and in the process, you end up learning quite a bit about yourself, both good and bad. Usually, you experience some denial or imposter syndrome, but after time passes, you are left with acceptance.

Look for the claymation “Just Like You” music video that Cohan directed, produced, and edited himself. Soon to be released tomorrow, February 3.

White Cliffs career is just beginning and on the rise. Previously, he held performances at Panorama Festival in New York City and at CRSSD Festival in San Diego, which leaves the future looking bright for the upcoming artist. He even toured with acts like Big Wild, Elderbrook, and STS9.

White Cliffs limitless potential becomes more evident with each new project he releases. His latest double single release “Six Cylinder Run”/”On My Mind” demonstrates that exact captivation he can hold the listener in. His ability to produce hypnotic layers of sound yet still make each single unique exemplifies his artistry.

“Just Like You” is available on major platforms

Apple Music, Spotify, and Soundcloud

February 2, 2021
Upcoming Indie Band Yo Kinky Release new single “Resistance,” video for “Wire”

Alternative duo Yo Kinky is in its nascent stage, with members Tom Unish and Laura Wight meeting in early 2020. The duo immediately felt a musical bond, and started crafting songs together.

Laura Wight and Tom Unish of Yo Kinky

Queens-based band Yo Kinky follows their first single “Somebody That I Used to Know,” with the second single, “Resistance.” The song is delicately created, yet exudes a confidence created by Tom Unish’s spaced-out guitar licks. The sonic landscape undulates with hypnotic layers of sound; the song yearns for the intimacy long lost by social isolation.

Laura Wight sings “Love is all we breathe,” and “Swing me off my feet,” transporting the listener to a beautiful place where love is all-surrounding. “Resistance” is an ode to the sanity one has during this time by finding delight in the small things in life.

“Resistance” follows their first single “Somebody That I Used to Know,” which, albeit its darker vocal passages, is playful, seductive and clever. It has received heavy play on WFMU’s radio station, as well as named as one of the best tracks of 2020 by Three Chord Monte. The band is beaming in their own path as they create and release more infectious music.

Over 2020, Yo Kinky self-produced and are releasing their first, self-titled EP. This collection of songs addresses trust, communication, love, loneliness, freedom, identity, and expectation. The group combines drum machines and bright, buzzing synths and guitars that shimmer with reverb and delay.

Yo Kinky’s music is reminiscent of Blondie, X, Mitksi, and Soccer Mommy, as they blend the pop and rock elements of indie into an incandescent artwork. When shows are possible again, Yo Kinky looks forward to playing locally, nationwide, and beyond.

Yo Kinky’s debut EP is due out on February 26, 2021.

YO KINKY! · Wire

January 30, 2021
Ethnic & Electronic Artist Dawoud Unleashes 7 Albums Forged During Quarantine

Dawoud Kringle, aka The Renegade Sufi and God’s Unruly Friends, is one of the more forward-thinking, globally-centric and productive music-makers on the New York scene. The latest evidence is the remarkable cache of seven full-length albums he has just dropped on Bandcamp.

Dawoud’s music is a singular blend of East and West, acoustic and electronic, modern and ancient – sounds that transcend genre and time. Like the Sufi mystic/musician/author Inayat Khan, who inspired spiritually enlightened musicians like Coltrane, John McLaughlin and Dawoud, his primary interest is the psychoactive properties of music – the healing tenor that a sonic experience can bestow upon the listener.

The Milwaukee native/guitarist came to New York in 1983. On arrival, the 22-year old quickly secured a gig as a trainee engineer and studio musician at Shadow Sound, where he worked with artists like Kid Creole and the Coconuts. In New York, he also endeavored to deepen his guitar chops by taking private lessons with noted jazzman Kelvyn Bell (Ronald Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society) and master classes with the legendary Pat Martino.

But it was the sitar, an instrument he purchased on his 18^th birthday but returned to in earnest in the mid-90s, with which he would make his mark.

Called “the Jimi Hendrix of the Sitar,” Dawoud boldly applied jazz technique and electronics to expand upon the Indian tradition of the instrument, as heard in releases like The Tao of Mystic Jaz (2000) and Renegade Sufi (2004). The latter is notable as it features a sitar synthesizer, something the crafty Kringle devised by modifying his guitar synth pickup and controller.

Dawoud would further his reputation by performing with notables like Lauryn Hill, Nona Hendryx, Brooklyn Massive Raga Orchestra, DJ Celt Islam and many others. In solo performance and with his ensembles, Renegade Sufi and later God’s Unruly Friends, he appeared across Europe, Asia and the U.S. In New York, he performed at top venues including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apollo Theater, Blue Note, Birdland and Town Hall. He has also kept busy playing at yoga and meditation events, and with dance and theatre companies.

Seventeen of Dawoud’s mind-expanding releases can be found at his Bandcamp page, including his newly-released trove of seven full-length albums.

Wonder, Love, & Power is my favorite among the new offerings – a diverse, pristinely recorded and engineered collection highlighted by its wonderfully mysterious and airy title track. It’s a jazzy, ambient, floaty things-that-go-bump-in-the-night vibe, where you are lulled into complete relaxation then brought back to attention by a periodic gong crash. “Awaiting Joy” is another bevy of sonic surprises – cinematic, spiritual and sort of sexy like all the tracks here. Strings and a pulsing hammered autoharp reminiscent of Brian Eno discovery Laraaji at first swell, then are flipped backwards. At times, this swirling backdrop sounds like the fade out of “I Am the Walrus.” It is perfectly furthered by the eerie vocals of Chennano Manno and a gorgeous modal flute improvisation by Duane McCarthy. Another standout track is “The Unveiling,” where Kringle shows his melodic mastery of the dilruba, a bowed string instrument played in Sikh devotional music, over a synth pulse.

Dawoud’s The SymphoSynth Improvisation Series is a collection of synthesizer improvisations based on templates taken from composers like Scriabin, Slominsky, Stravinsky, Messian and jazzer Yusef Lateef. Music of Another Mind is sound design for meditation, massage therapy sessions and the like, with long tracks the artist calls “deep explorations for altering states of consciousness.”

A New Beginning is a collection of six impressionistic pieces, a tour through the emotional catharsis and ultimate acceptance of the artist’s own divorce, with evocative titles like “Painful Clarity” and “Fighting Back the Tears.” A Mansion with Many Rooms is a selection of more vintage tracks that Dawoud had time to complete during the quarantine. Its closer, “For Yusef,” is one of my favorites, with gentle bells and strings bathing his melodic sitar (possibly synth sitar?) melodies.

The artist calls Tales from Isolation “a collection of very dark stuff I did in total isolation during the quarantine.” These are “guerilla recordings” according to Kringle, ones made during the long, lonely hours he spent on his radio engineering job during Spring 2020. This is a collection of 20 sound poems, from two- to nearly 10-minutes in length, where Dawoud seems to have caged his darkest musical impulses – scratchy sounds and effects, weird oscillations, jagged time signatures and robotic percussion. And they have killer titles too. What’s not to love about compositions with names like “What the Hell is Wrong with You?” and “Fighting Monsters in Nightmares!”

With The Legend of Sheikh Majnun, Dawoud returns with the second album from a fictitious character he first conjured in the Myspace days, his weird electronic artist alter ego, Sheikh Majnun.

Get your Burning Man supplies in order for this selection of 11 tracks ideal for your next rave. It’s a cornucopia of beats and sounds and samples designed for dancing, tribal not disco! There’s a Brazilian Carnival space futurism vibe here. It’s the reggae samba rhythms of the mighty Olodum crossed with the outer space weirdness of the BBC’s early synth wiz Delia Derbyshire, most evident in the album opener, “Dance of the Small Fuzzy Things.”

As if this wasn’t enough, Dawoud composed his first symphony, “Trees,” a demo of which can be found here on his YouTube channel.

With these new releases and those that have come before, Dawoud has created a musical world that unites the past, present and future of sound. For him, no borders seem to exist and the most distant of inspirations, the most seemingly warring thoughts can live in perfect harmony. This is music as a healing and calming force, something the world needs now more than ever.

Key Tracks: Wonder Power Love, The Unveiling, It’s Not the Destiny, It’s the Journey, The Dance of the Small Fuzzy Things

January 28, 2021
Evan McPhaden goes Lofi with new solo project Fluffy Fingers

Evan McPhaden, bassist of Aqueous, spent 2020 staying productive amid limited live performances. He started early out in quarantine working on a solo side-project, Fluffy Fingers, and it’s one of the best albums you’ll hear in this nascent 2021.

If you’re looking for an album of soothing tracks that fit neatly into a Lo-fi beats playlist, Fluffy Fingers is for you. Six tracks of instrumental goodness are found in the vein of Poolside and a consistent groove that does not slack on any given track.

Compared to energetic Aqueous performances, McPhaden contrasts his typical comfort zone, bringing mellow yet engaging sounds to the listen for just under a half-hour. Evan invited fellow Aqueous bandmate Mike Gantzer to play on “Summer Pool 104” as well as Turkuaz‘ Craig Brodhead to join in on “Chai,” making this collaborative effort even deeper despite the distance between them.

McPhaden spoke to NYS Music about the album and revealed The Office connection to the project name.

Pete Mason: When did you start on the EP? Was this a project in works prior to pandemic or something that generated from the shutdown?

Evan McPhaden: I started working on this project about a month or two into the shutdown. I’ve always wanted to release my own personal music and it felt like it was a “now or never” moment. There’re so many memes about working on an EP and never putting it out, I had to do it. The shutdown was a unique time for everyone so it was nice to fill that time making music.

PM: What artists influence the style found on the album? I hear some Poolhouse and Tycho influence.

EM: That’s funny you mention Poolside because that was definitely an early influence on this project. The first song I wrote for this EP (coincidentally the first on the EP as well), which features Mike, totally has a Poolside influence. I also love Bonobo and was thinking of his vibe through this. Over the pandemic, I binged on instrumentals as well. I can put on the “lo-fi beats” or “jazz vibes” playlists on Spotify and listen to those for hours. So a lot of this EP has that vibe of influence over it.

PM: Where did the name Fluffy Fingers come from?

EM: Originally, I was thinking I would use something from Buffalo. I had the name “hoyt” because I live right next to Hoyt Lake. But it wasn’t sticking and I began to think about other things I love. I’m a huge fan of “The Office” and watch it way too much. I thought if I could find something from the show I’d love that. Micheal Scott goes to Darryl for some advice for what to do if someone disses you. Darryl uses the term fluffy fingers which he says “That’s when someone really gets in your face, you know you just, start ticklin’ ’em.” Part of putting out this music and creating it was to have fun with it, not over think it and just enjoy creating it. I thought the name and reference just reflected that and it felt right.

January 25, 2021
Hearing Aide: Inspector 34 ‘Love My Life’

Everyone knows Boston is a mecca for musicians, but few have heard of the nearby city of Lowell, just to the northwest. The place is a bastion for independent artists. Fans of The Pixies know it as the place where Live From The Fallout Shelter was recorded back in ‘86. Bibliophiles would recognize it as the birthplace of Jack Kerouac. Throughout the years, it’s remained a haven for people who thrive in the fringe. People like the members of Inspector 34.

I met them a few years ago when they were passing through New York on tour. Frontman Jimm Warren and his band of merry misfits shook things up at our funky little community space. They gave off a hippy indie folk vibe, but their music was tight. This wasn’t some shtick. These guys could play.

Fast forward to the present day. While everyone has been finding their own ways to cope with current events, the members of Inspector 34 were funneling their creative energy into a full-length album. Lest you think Love My Life is full of romantic ballads, one glance at the cartoon engulfed in flames on the cover would immediately disavow you of that notion.

On first listen, the experimental nature of the music can be a little overwhelming. It’s a roller coaster of a journey. There are wild cacophonies that make the more ambient segments seem almost nihilistic in comparison. Think Joy Division meets Weird Al on the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour. It’s crazy, but somehow it works.

On second and third listen, it’s easier to pick out the lyrical themes and musical motifs that weave through this work. The tracks tracks “Love,” “My,” and “Life” present interludes between acts. The repeating mantra “I love my life, everything is wonderful” cleanses the palate and preps the listener for the next course. There is indeed method in the madness.

I didn’t expect to find one album that so encapsulates the past year, but Love My Life fits the bill. I’m still peeling back the layers. There’s a lot to unpack here.

“Everybody” is a stream-of-consciousness commentary on social interaction these days, when everyone’s live-streaming play-by-play narratives of the banalities of their lives:

“I know all the people in the world each and every single person in the whole entire world and me and them are all hanging out at the same time and you can see what we’re doing we all can see exactly what each other’s doing and sit and wonder what we’re gonna do next what are you doing?”

Probably the most mainstream song on the album is “The Gray House.” If you like indie punk, this one’s right up your alley. With driving guitar riffs and gang vocals along with super catchy la da da da’s, I’m betting this will be the fan favorite when they get to take these songs on the road. Never mind that it’s a song about existential dread while the world is crumbling all around, and grasping for a reason to hold onto hope. It’s fun to sing along to.

Another song on this album that really spoke to me was “Thick Bologna.” In a recent interview, the members of Inspector 34 reveal that it is simply a song about running out of cheap bologna from the local chain store. Even Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. But I think there is license for the listener to interpret this as a song about longing for any enjoyable thing they are missing. The day my Keurig broke during quarantine, I probably could have written prose in such detail and description as to rival Nabokov’s meditation on a pencil stub in Transparent Things. Inspector 34 turned running out of bologna into a fat-riffed lament.

Overall, I find the album a cathartic experience. It’s both a poignant social commentary and an experiment in amalgamations of sound. It’s something you can zone out to in the psychedelic parts, and howl along with in the noisy dissonant parts. It’s dark, but in a satirical way. It’s a road map for getting through these chaotic times. And when all is said and done, and the crisis is over, Lowell is the #1 place I’d like to travel. Seeing Inspector 34 play live in their hometown is the newest addition to my bucket list.

You can find Love My Life at select record shops across the country. It’s also available for purchase digitally or on vinyl at Bandcamp. Or stream on Spotify. Follow Inspector 34 for updates and news.

January 22, 2021