OPENMIC #1

OpenMIC

Cranbrook’s Music Society

ISSUE #1

OPENMIC THE WEEKND / ARIANA GRANDE / BILLIE EILISH / J-HOPE / CHARLI XCX / LUPE FIASCO

Cranbrook’s Music Magazine

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All image rights belong to their respective owners.

Dear Reader, Thank you with all of our hearts for being part of this magazine as it embarks on a worthy journey.

OpenMIC is a student-led music society made to share one’s favorite artist, song or genre.

This tri-annual, non-profit magazine will operate under the vague topic of pop culture. It is open for anyone in our school to contribute.

OpenMIC

<OpenMIC> presents ...

1. Introducing...

What is OpenMIC? Editors & Staff

2. Founder Interview Creation of OpenMIC, OpenMIC’s values

3. Recent Releases KINEMA - DPR ARTIC BRAT - Charli xcx ADDICTED: REFRESHED - Zerb, The Chainsmokers I Hear You - Peggy Gou sociavoidance - Sion KYGO - Kygo Valedictorian - ian Supernatural - NewJeans

Cranbrook’s Music Society

4. Full Album Review eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 - j-hope Days Before Rodeo - Travis Scott HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish Clancy - twenty one pilots Samurai - Lupe Fiasco

5. Featured The Weeknd Trilogy: Midight, Dawn, Morning

This magazine is a non-profit project. All image rights belong to their respective owners. All designs are inspired from its respective original artwork, and derived to an extent that does not violate the rules of plagiarism.

OPENMIC INTRODUCING...

Open Music Industry Community aims to be Cranbrook’s one and only commercial music society. OPENMIC will be its main magazine, putting up spotlights to artists and songs inside and outside of our school.

As the name suggests, writing the content is open to anybody in our school in any form: interviews, articles, and many more. We’re eager to support them in any possible way we can.

Issue #1 Editors and Staff: Tim Han Adam Zhang Fisayo Ariyo Kenneth Hu Eric Mu Ryan Kan

founder

FOUNDER INTERVIEW

Interviewer: Nicole Wang (N) Interviewee: Tim Han (T)

Creation of OpenMIC, OpenMIC’s Values N: Introduce yourself and your connection to music.

T: I’m Tim, a (rising) junior. I’m launching a club based on music, aiming to be Cranbrook’s one and only music industry club.

N: What are the kinds of goals of the club? What do you want to accomplish with it?

T: For our club, our goal is to create an inclusive community for anybody passionate in music, and who can share their favorite music. And just, make a good community overall. The reason why I named it Open Music Industry Community was that I really wanted everybody in this school to participate as much as possible. To make this all happen, I must give the impression that it’s open to everyone.

N: What do you plan on doing during the meetings? What kind of events do you think will bring, this community together?

T: I have four categories of activities that we’re planning to work on. Our first activity is that we’re going to make a tri-annual magazine. It’s only going to be focused on music, and I will be bringing different editors that could write articles on music, such as album reviews or some featured articles. The second activity would be using social media. We’re planning to create content that is really accessible to a lot of people. For our third activity, we’re planning to create a podcast, focusing deep on the technical parts of the music industry, such as exploring different genres, or how the industry works economically through the medium of music. Lastly, we’re planning to

create an annual performance event if the circumstances allow us, bringing in participants who would like to perform their singing.

N: What do you love about music? What kind of emotions?

T: There are a lot of great genres of music, but I really like the genre of Hip-Hop in particular.

Not because it’s about bragging or flexing with someone’s position or wealth, but it’s about the core message in hip hop. Hip-Hop is really about what you’re sincere about, and what you really want to say to the world. These messages are often related to resistance and struggling through adversity, as the genre originated from the 1970s Bronx in New York city where lives were tough.

Those values really matched with my mindset when I faced hardship and what I really wanted to say to this community, and the world in some sense. Due to my own preferences, I think the magazine would probably have its base in black music and culture. However, the magazine is more than open to accept music from other cultures.

N: What kind of things do you do with music? What is your passion/creative outlet?

T: Well, singing is one of my many hobbies, first of all. I perform and have performed on many stages and shows where I sang ballads, rap songs, and such. Singing is really about relieving my stress and somewhat playing around, not as much. Beyond that, I really like to listen to music. I can say that I am a really prone and subjective listener to a lot of genres, songs and albums. As a listener, I really like the opportunity to hear what other artists have in their minds to talk about. In order to be engaged in these artist’s music and support them, a possibility I figured was to write

OPEN MUSIC INDUSTRY COMMUNITY

Recent Releases some reviews, articles and different editorials. That’s why I chose the medium of a magazine to express my insights and various thoughts about music in general.

N: So, I was reading your club proposal form. I think you said something about how a lot of students nowadays wear earbuds. How do you think music has impacted new generations?

T: You know how some say we’re living in the ‘streaming era’. Music streaming platforms are used by everyone including students in our school, from Spotify to YouTube Music. I really became curious of what people think about when they’re listening to their favorite music. Do they reminisce about a nostalgic childhood event? Do they fill up with anger? Do they get melancholy easily, or do they focus just on enjoying the moment the song is played?

What I also thought about was how Spotify is famous in how they utilize the features of playlists, opening a method of social collaboration. The way Spotify interacts with the community through playlists is innovative for sure, but I thought there might be some more creative ways for users to share their favorite music. So I thought: Spotify may need a community where all users can write different articles about what they want to say. Express their own music world. The creation of this club might be able to make this happen at least amongst people in our school.

N: I do resonate with your ideas. I feel like in Cranbrook, people are occupied in their safe zone a bit too much; they’re like, “This is my life. This is me. I’m gonna stick with my friends. My stuff.” But every single one of us does listen

to music in our earbuds. Sharing is definitely beneficial; music tastes and preferences might even be the same between people amongst our school, giving opportunities to socialize through common ground.

T: Exactly. To be honest, I first was the introvert myself, the one who wouldn’t really prefer to share any of my thoughts. I think my passion towards music helps me take a step out of my safe zone, and talk about something that I like. And yet, I have tons to explore, know and learn about music and culture loved by people.

N: Thank you so much for your time today! I hope your club reaches successes.

T: It was a great time talking with you, and thank you so much for the questions!

FOUNDER INTERVIEW KINEMA | BRAT | ADDICTED: REFRESHED | I HEAR YOU SOCIAVOIDANCE | KYGO | VALEDICTORIAN | SUPERNATURAL

Recent Releases

KINEMA DPR ARTIC RELEASED 2024 / 02 / 02

The ‘Dream Perfect Regime’ crew welcomes ARTIC as their fourth member, as he debuts as a producer with his first album ‘KINEMA’. This album is a showcase to all the DPR audience and an introduction to ARTIC’s broad music spectrum, from a hard EDM number to an echoey house track. The title ‘Do or Die’ featured by DPR IAN presents the most confident colors of ARTIC, playing in a sharp lead synth and a dystopian ambience. Another notable track, ‘POST’, features three unique Korean hip-hop artists Roh Yun Ha, ODEE and oygli under a booming trap beat.

Overall, ‘KINEMA’ is a great introduction of the EDM genre to the DPR crew, setting up greater expectations for future releases.

TRACKLIST

1. Ism 2. Do or Die (feat.DPR IAN)* 3. Dream (feat.The Deep) 4. EMP (feat.1300) 5. POST (feat.ODEE, oygli, Roh Yun Ha) 6. Escape 7. To Nirvana

‘Yeah, 360, When you’re in the mirror, do you like what you see?’

BRAT Charli xcx RELEASED 2024 / 06 / 07

TRACKLIST

1. 360* 2. Club classics 3. Sympathy is a knife 4.

I might say something stupid 5. Talk talk 6. Von dutch 7. Everything is romantic 8. Rewind 9. So I 10. Girl, so confusing 11. Apple 12. B2b 13. Mean girls 14. I think about it all the time 15. 365

Charli xcx is back with a stronger touch in hyperpop. Sticking to the trends yet maintaining her own style, her last record ‘CRASH’ in 2022 consisted of jersey and dance pop numbers.

Charli intensifies the sound in this album by importing even more aggressive UK techno genres, providing the nostalgia of the 2000s ‘rave party’ trend. The blasting, delighted beats of ‘360’ and ‘Club classics’ introduce the album, and ‘sympathy is a knife’ amplifies the spaciousness using the echo. ‘i might say something stupid’ goes on with rather a calm, restrained tone, and Charli confesses her insecurities and that she might not belong, depicting the desolate dawns after the party. The record makes its run again with ‘Talk talk’, eventually finishing with ‘365’; it’s almost a remix of the first track ‘360’. Initially spinning around in 360, Charli reinstates her identity as a ‘365-day partygoer’, or a genuine ‘brat’.

ADDICTED: REFRESHED Zerb & The Chainsmokers RELEASED 2024 / 05 / 24

TRACKLIST

1. Addicted 2. ‘‘ (Zerb Acid VIP) 3. ‘‘ (Joel Corry Remix) 4. ‘‘ (DEPARTAMENTO Remix) 5. ‘‘ (Curol Remix) 6. ‘‘ (Drove Remix) 7. ‘‘ (Mednas Remix) 8. (jigitz Remix)

I Hear You Peggy Gou RELEASED 2024 / 06 / 07

TRACKLIST

1. Your Art 2. Back To One 3. I Believe In Love Again 4. All That (feat. Villano Antilano) 5. (It Goes Like) Nanana 6. Lobster Telephone 7. Seoulsi Peggygou (서울시페기구) 8. I Go 9. Purple Horizon 10. 1+1=11

Alex Pall and Drew Taggart—better known as ‘The Chainsmokers’—never fails to deliver the mood of an energetic party, proven by the past mega-hit songs like ‘Closer’, ‘Something Just Like This’ and their latest studio album, ‘So Far So Good’. They have recently partnered with Brazilian DJ Zerb and Grammy-nominated artist Ink to create a summertime banger for a club. The seemingly simple yet the upbeat drumline—along with the synth—sends the listener literally ‘addicted’ to the song. The perfectly pitched vocal of Ink is the perfect cherry-on-top of this song. The album consists of the original song along with 7 remix versions of the same track, all perfectly tailored for party-goers and bedroom dancers. Some of the best remixes include the ‘DEPARTAMENTO’ remix and the ‘Drove’ remix.

Get ready to press the play button of this song on summer nights, every single year.

The name ‘Peggy Gou’ is somewhat misleading, with a seemingly last-namey name not being the mega-hit DJ’s actual name. Based in Berlin, Kim Min-ji is the rising star of the techno scene. After the banging ‘(It Goes Like) Nanana’ released last year, she proved herself consistent with 2 singles and the famous collaboration track with Lenny Kravitz. ‘I Hear You’ wraps up this era of Peggy’s sounds and style, supported with 5 brand new tracks to make it a 10-track debut record of the world-renowned DJ. Her soulless yet witty ‘rapping’ of Korean words are the main points of some songs, such as in ‘Back To One’ where she murmurs, ‘It’s f**king swaying’ in the most nonchalant tone of Korean. Though some tracks do show redundancy in the samples that were used, this album overall serves as a great introduction to who Peggy Gou is, and helps us swirl into her own unique vibes.

sociavoidance Sion RELEASED 2024 / 06 / 16

TRACKLIST

This is basically what Sion is trying to talk about in this medley: a friend who committed suicide, and how he suffers from his social anxiety. Yet, the first few tracks of this album are far opposite from the expected mood; somewhat lighthearted, even joyful. The extended play continues with a vigorous, popping tone throughout. The uniqueness of the voice of Sion is it being oily yet clean, and being able to freely sway over high and low pitches, falsetto and modal. What’s even more notable is the production conveying a glitch-like, digital sound bringing even more fun into the whole record. The last track ‘moon!’ slows down the pace, humbling and soothing the listener at last. ‘sociavoidance’ will be a great choice to start off a tiring day, energizing the mind with striking melodies.

1. (sociavoidance) 2. avoid! 3. expired! 4. karoshi! 5. icognito!

6. moon!

KYGO Kygo RELEASED 2024 / 06 / 24

TRACKLIST

1. Intro 2. The Feeling 3. Whatever 4. Surrencer 5. Can’t Do It On My Own 6. Me Before You 7. Healing (Shattered Heart) 8. Lighthouse 9. Found Another Love 10. Louder 11. Fade Away 12. Hold On 13. Let Go 14. For Life (Feat.Nile Rodgers) 15. Without You (with HAYLA) 16. Wait - Kygo Remix (2024 Edit) 17. You Can Feel 18. Love Me Now Or Lose Me Later

Eponymous, or self-titled, albums come often as great pressure to the artist; once the album is criticized, there’s no turning back but dishonor to the name. They play a significant role in representing the artist’s style. Norwegian DJ producer Kygo had made a brave decision, releasing a self-titled record since his debut in 2014. Hope and ambition is seen in the first few tracks with ‘The Feeling’ and ‘Whatever’(Ava Max) powerfully starting it off. Tracks such as ‘Me Before You’ and ‘Healing’ somewhat follows the rules of a pop number, beating on and on. ‘Louder’ and ‘For Life’ featuring rock legend Nile Rodgers consists of an addictive chorus, continuing the freshness. Good things over, criticism has to be said on the truth that the record seems like just a medley of booming tracks that sometimes get too hefty on one play. Yet given the drawbacks, most of the tracks were in exceptional quality, and a great answer to one who asks to recommend a Kygo album.

Valedictorian ian RELEASED 2024 / 05 / 17

TRACKLIST

1. Holiday Intro 2. Never Stop 3. Bentayga 4. AirBnb 5. Hermes Sheets 6. Omakase 7. Chauncey 8. Judgement 9. Grand Slam 10. Figure It Out 11. Options 12. Magic Johnson

Supernatural NewJeans RELEASED 2024 / 06 / 21

TRACKLIST

1. Supernatural 2. Right Now 3. Supernatural (Instrumental) 4. Right Now (Instrumental)

“Valedictorian” (Deluxe) is the debut mixtape from Ian Smith, otherwise Ian. Ian gained traction in the underground rap scene producing beats before making his starting to make his own music. His music draws many comparisons to Yeat, Summrs, and Autumn with their similar production and sound which helped Ian rise from the many social media platforms boosting his songs. Ian is a new hot topic with his unqiue sound and white boy look coming from the “you know I had to do it to em” meme. Regardless, the album has a somewhat nice blend between catchy lyrics and memorable beats with Magic Johnson and Figure It Out. However, some of the other songs seem unfinished products because of the autotune and the beat which sometimes contradict each other like Judgment. In addition, the lyrics on some of his other songs are lazy and not well structured, not enough anyways for them to stick to the audience. Ian doesn’t seem to have established his style yet which means there is still a lot of room for growth for his lyrics and production. As a listener, the main takeaway is that the album was loosely made and does not make the audience crave more. The album doesn’t really offer much creativity. Nothing really impressive other than a few moments where the beat shines or a nice bar. In general, the album was an entertaining listen, something to pass time.

During the summer, NewJeans released their song “Right Now” on June 16th, featuring 3 languages all together in one song.

However, the language wasn’t the only important part. Additionally, FRNK, the producer of NewJeans’ music utilizes a simple 4 note bass line with a light and catchy melody to capture the listener’s immediate attention. As always, music from NewJeans is known to be simple, so therefore FRNK also uses an Am7Dm7-E7 chord progression to keep the audience engaged with the melody. Another factor about this song is the repetition used with the phrase: “Right Now”. The phrase acts as the anchor to the start and end of each chorus, providing us with a more memorable experience when listening to this masterpiece.

“Supernatural” features a 90s UK garage sound predominantly to anchor the feeling of nostalgia, along with R&B snares to convey the feeling of love to the audience. Unlike the chord progression in “Right Now”, in “Supernatural”, it switches up a lot more frequently, catching the audience off guard, causing them to perceive the song as fresh, which emphasizes the nostalgia even more. This simple yet perfectly executed combination of the various sounds used makes “Supernatural” by NewJeans a must listen for everyone. (Unless you hate k-pop of course)

eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1 - j-hope DAYS BEFORE RODEO - Travis Scott HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish Clancy - twenty one pilots Samurai - Lupe Fiasco

Full Album Review

- Released 2024.03.28 Ariana Grande

1. intro (end of the world) 2. bye 3. i don’t wanna break up again 4. Saturn Returns Interlude 5. eternal sunshine 6. supernatural 7. true story 8. the boy is mine 9. yes, and?* 10. we can’t be friends (wait for your love)* 11. i wish i hated you 12. imperfect for you 13. ordinary things (feat. Nonna) 14. supernatural (w/ Troye Sivan) 15. imperfect for you (acoustic) 16. true story (a cappella) *title track(s) 17. yes, and? (Remix)

Ariana Grande has been through big

yours again’—and her current date—’this sit-

and small problems and scandals through-

uationship has to end, but just can’t refuse’.

out her career, and yet she has always found

Ari gets upset because she has to keep

a way to fully confront them with her music.

scolding her boyfriend, yet she is starting to

Despite the obstacles, she did not hesitate

move her heart towards her new love.

to express herself through her lyrics and singing, and this resonated with the emo-

‘Saturn Returns Interlude’ features

tions of young men and women worldwide,

Astrologist Diana Garland explaining about

leading Grande’s way in becoming a pop

Saturn’s orbital period, and how it gets

star. Although it has been Ariana herself

ready to ride another orbit of 29 years. Sat-

who chose to get to these problems face to

urn ‘hits you over the head’ and makes Ari

face, things have been starting to get really

realize:

rough for her recently. After she and her former spouse Dalton Gomez parted ways, multiple sources started to report Ariana dating Ethan Slater happened to be playing in the same musical. Countless scandals have been chasing her since then, and the way she chose to confront them was to ‘get head to head’ with her music again.

The first track of the album starts off with Ariana telling her struggles of finding the right love, indirectly conveying her emotional state. An interference of a new person on Ariana’s relationships have made her tired of her current one. On the next track ‘bye’, she directly states farewell with her boyfriend on a danceable pop rhythm, yet calls it ‘bittersweet’ as some of their good memories remain. The next track ‘don’t wanna break up again’ intentionally switches up the person Ariana is saying to, between her ex—it ‘breaks her heart to keep breaking

“Aha, it’s time for you to get real about life and sort out who you really are.”

The transition to the next track ‘eternal sunshine’ is as smooth as sand flowing.

On a dreamy pop beat with a trap rhythm, ‘eternal sunshine’ openly accuses her ex boyfriend of how he has been a profound liar, and yet Ari can’t help but wish him the best of his next stage of life. The deep bassline in this track contrasts with the high tone of Ariana’s voice, creating a pilowy sensation of floating in space. The dreamy, fantasical narrative continues to ‘supernatural’, ‘true story’ and ‘the boy is mine’, slightly shifting the attitude to a meaner one: ‘I’ll play the villain if you need me to… if it makes you feel better’. The album’s lead single ‘yes, and?’ functions as a freshener, bringing up disco pop rhythms and a

unique drumline. ‘we can’t be friends’ ponders on Ari’s rationale of her attitude. The wholesome house-dream pop fusion beat whooshes the listeners into focus. At the point where Ariana sings the melancholy, reminiscing track ‘i wish i hated you’, she is sick of this love, so much that she rather wishes her ex-boyfriend was worse towards her. The last track ‘ordinary things’ featuring Nonna talks about Ari’s happy times with her current boyfriend, how ‘ordinary’ life spent with him turns special. The album retains the dreamy, echoey vibes of Ariana’s voice till the very end. ‘eternal sunshine’ features 13 original songs, along with 4 bonus tracks remixing some of the highlights in the album. ‘supernatural’ and ‘yes, and?’ reimagined with Troye Sivan and Mariah Carey adds different colors in the vocals. Given the narratives Ariana has told to the listeners in this album, some say ‘her latest three albums create the perfect trilogy of healing.’ Her last three albums, ‘thank u, next’, ‘Positions’ and ‘eternal sunshine’ does chronicle Ariana mending her past scars and moving on to a new chapter in her relationships, effectively portraying her growth mentally and to a stronger being. Musically, Ariana’s dreamytrap-pop fusion style is truly starting to get in shape. As ‘eternal sunshine’ suggests another round of Saturn’s orbit after Ariana’s 29 years, listeners and her fellow ‘Arianators’ are supporting her fresh start on life.

eternal sunshine by ariana grande

- Released 2024.03.29 j- hope 1. on the street (solo version)* 2. i wonder... (feat. Jung Kook) 3. lock/unlock (feat. benny blanco) (with Nile Rodgers) 4. i dont know (with HUH YUNJIN) 5. what if (dance mix) (with JINBO the SuperFreak) 6. NEURON (with Yoonmirae, Gaeko) *title track(s)

HOPE

J-Hope is a member of BTS which was cre-

and reached No.6 on the US Billboard 200

ated by Big Hit Entertainment in 2013. The

album chart. The album shows J-Hope reach-

group is recognized as those who led Korean

ing the peak of his abilities and hard work for

pop culture all over the world. J-Hope takes

music and dance. In addition, through the

on the role of lead rapper and main dancer

song “NEURON”, he expresses his respect

in BTS. Recently, he has developed his talent

and affection for the dance crew he was a

as a songwriter and has produced a lot of hit

part of in the past.

songs. In 2018, his album Hope World was selected as one of the “5 songs to listen to

Grammy.com published a feature article on

this week” by TIME magazine and reached

J-Hope’s musical journey, focusing on his

No.1 on the iTunes Charts in 63 countries.

growth and musical evolution. The media

In 2019, he released the single “Chicken

outlets stated, “Before he became a glob-

Noodle Soup”. It reached No.1 on the iTunes

al superstar, he first discovered his love for

Top Song charts in 69 countries. His person-

dance while dancing at a playground.”

ality and talent were proven when he won the “Most Popular Male Artist in 2022”. He is

Music media, Consequence Of Sound an-

also known for his fashion sense and is cur-

alyzed his new album, saying “It’s a return

rently an ambassador for Louis Vuitton.

to the bright and optimistic sound of Hope World.” The album shows his musical growth

On 29th of March, 2024, J-Hope (BTS) re-

and maturity with his age combined to pro-

leased a new album, “HOPE ON THE

duce better music and a more pleasing tone.

STREET VOL.1”!

His worldview has attracted famous artists

It reached a high position, No.5 on the US

such as Benny Blanco and Nile Rodgers,

Billboard 200 album chart. It is an album

leading to collaboration that has made his

based on J-Hope’s artistic roots in street

work more remarkable. His music continues

dance. “HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1”

to evolve and captivate more people, and

contains six songs: on the street (solo ver-

he is soon expected to become No.1 in the

sion), i wonder… (feat. Jung Kook), lock /

world.

unlock (feat. benny blanco), i don’t know, what if (dance mix), NEURON, and this album shows J-Hope’s further growth as a solo artist.

This work is his follow-up to his solo album “Jack in the Box” which was released in 2022

hope on the street vol. 1

Travis Scott’s (born Jacques Webster) road to fame was paved through with his distinct auto-tuned sound and well produced beats. Before his mainstream breakout, Travis was working as a small-time producer until he was recognized

by Kanye West’s label, GOOD Music. By the time DAYS BEFORE RODEO was released in August 2014, he had already become an established producer in the industry, having already released his first mixtape, Owl Pharaoh. However, the album was never released officially on digital streaming platforms but nonetheless became one of his most highly rated albums by fans and critics alike. In August of this year it was released on Spotify and Apple Music for the 10 year anniversary of the original release.

TRAVIS SCOTT

DAYS BEFORE RODEO cemented Travis Scott’s status in the hip-hop industry as a visionary artist. Influences from his idols Kid Cudi and Kanye West can be seen throughout the album, from the production to the vocals and melodies. He uses his auto-tuned voice as another instrument, complimenting the synths and 808s seen throughout the album.

la

1. Days Before Rodeo: The Prayer 2. Mamacita (Ft. Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug) 3. Quintana Pt.2 (Ft. T.I.) 4. Drugs You Should Try It 5. Don’t Play (Ft. The 1975 & Big Sean) 6. Skyfall (Ft. Young Thug) 7. Zombies 8. Sloppy Toppy (Ft. Migos & Peewee Longway)

- Unofficial 2014.08.18 - Released 2024.08.23 Travis Scott

9. Basement Freestyle 10. Backyard 11. Grey 12. BACC

The mixtape is filled with heavy, reverb-laden beats, and haunting melodies, featuring col-

aborations with notable artists such as Young Thug, Big Sean, Migos and Rich Homie Quan.

The fan-favorite track, “Drugs You Should Try It,” is often considered one of the best songs in Travis Scott’s discography. The song starts off with the main melody which is played by a guitar. As the song continues, the contrast between Travis’ autotuned voice and the drums almost recreates the euphoric feeling of being high. The repeating guitar riff continuously adds to the vibe of the song.

The themes of excess, fame, and personal struggle, are frequently shown throughout the album. While his lyrics may not be the most complex, the emotion and delivery make them resonate, which is what many listen to his music for. The project is produced largely by Travis Scott, but other producers were involved as well such as Lex Luger, WondaGurl, Metro Boomin and Mike Dean.

While DAYS BEFORE RODEO isn’t Travis Scott’s most polished or most acclaimed album, it is a fan favorite and offers listeners a better view of how his music has evolved throughout the past ten years.

- Released 2024.05.17 Billie Eilish

1. SKINNY* 2. LUNCH* 3. CHIHIRO 4. BIRDS OF A FEATHER* 5. WILDFLOWER* 6. THE GREATEST 7. L’AMOUR DE LA VIE 8. THE DINER 9. BITTERSUITE 10. BLUE *title track(s)

From a groundbreaking dark popstar to

girl for lunch … tastes like she might be the

a world-renowned singer-songwriter, Bil-

one’. Her manipulation of her vocals with

lie Eilish has already devoured the charts

ease goes spot on with the production of

and countless awards at the age of 22. Her

Finneas O’Connell, her brother and co-pro-

unique voice intermingled with her brother

ducer. The next track ‘CHIHIRO’ is inspired

Finneas’ production touched many feel-

from the Ghibli animation ‘Spirited Away’ as

ings of the young generation, making her a

a lot of lyrics are referenced in scenes in the

one and only icon of the past decade. Her

movie. As it is apparent that Billie has been

second studio album ‘Happier Than Ever’

resonating herself with the main character,

released in 2021 did not quite follow the

the lyrics are written from Billie and Chihi-

chart results as her first; yet, it was enough

ro’s point of view at the same time. ‘BIRDS

for her listeners to feel like she has evolved,

OF A FEATHER’ takes a whooshing breather

expanding to a variety of genres and per-

from the melancholy mood, romantically

fectly managing it under a single record. On

stating ‘I’ll love you till the day that I die’. Bil-

top of how Billie has openly expressed her

lie’s vocals under this light tempo enables

dark feelings and anxiety in her first album

an initiative for the listeners to imagine the

‘When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’,

dramatic feeling of riding a bicycle with

she has chosen to be even more bold and

their loved ones, and further serves as a

free in expressing herself in her latest re-

hint and a rising action for the climax of the

lease ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’.

album, ‘THE GREATEST’.

A classic yet powerful guitar solo sets the

A melancholy guitar line fills the starting

mood for the first track ‘SKINNY’, as Billie

mood of ‘WILDFLOWER’. The mood grad-

starts to explain the emptiness and the

ually advances, keeping the minor tone

weaknesses of herself in the midst of her

throughout. The subtle chorus voices fur-

popularity. As the song progresses, what’s

ther amplify the spaciousness. The lyrics

most noticeable is how Billie’s vocals have

focuses on a triangle relationship of Billie

gotten better again. The change between

admitting her sense of guilt over her friend,

her falsetto and modal voice is even more

and regards it:

smooth, bringing impact on the right moment to move the audience. A rather abrupt, upbeat transition leads to the next track ‘LUNCH’, as she directly expresses her identity in the chorus: ‘I could eat that

‘like a FEVER, like I’m BURNING ALIVE’.

The subsequent song indeed talks of unre-

emotions, appealing in a familiar yet fresh

quited love where Billie is ‘trying my best

taste of her style. The delicate transitions

to keep you satisfied’ yet her partner ‘made

between the different moods enliven the

it all look painless’. The sad ukulele builds

play. Of all, what’s most significant is her

up until the second pre chorus, and gets on

true self portrayed onto every beat and mel-

to the loudest, most dramatic chorus of the

ody. Just like the ending message ‘When

album yet, with powerful band and orches-

can I hear the next one?’ Billie leaves a trail

tral sounds backing up Billie’s helpless yet

for us to anticipate her next evolution along

heartfelt shouting. After the outburst, the

with her brother.

album sets on a new phase with the number ‘L’AMOUR DE MA VIE’ singing farewell to her partner in a calmer attitude. ‘I told you a lie … that you were the love of my life’ openly accepts the fact that she has been the one who hurt her partner’s feelings. It seems like the song would end in a gradual diminuendo as the high pitched, buzzy voice of Billie evokes nostalgia…

An abrupt drum beat and an 80s synth line interferes the close call of the track, immediately changing the mood upside down. It almost seems like Billie herself has brought another character inside her to express her feelings even deeper inside. The high-end, unique production credited by Finneas almost evokes a grotesque sensation when it comes to the songs ‘THE DINER’ and the last minutes of ‘BITTERSUITE’. At last, the carefully integrated and officially released ‘BLUE’ from years ago wraps up the record.

The 10 compact tracks of the album ‘shouts to the listeners’ in all caps about her deep

I TRY TO LIVE IN BLACK AND WHITE, BUT I’M SO BLUE

...but when can I hear the next one?

- Released 2024.05.24 twenty one pilots

1. Overcompensate* 2. Next Semester* 3. Backslide* 4. Midwest Indigo 5. Routines In The Night 6. Vignette 7. The Craving (Jenna’s version)* 8. Lavish 9. Navigating 10. Snap Back 11. Oldies Station 12. At The Risk Of Feeling Dumb 13. Paladin Strait *title track(s)

Twenty One Pilots’ album Trench (2018) introduced fans to the enigmatic world of Clancy, a character whose journey unfolds through cryptic letters and metaphors. The album’s narrative centers around a city called Dema, a metaphorical prison controlled by a

Dema itself represents mental strug-

group of nine bishops, including the

gles like depression, anxiety, and inner

main figure named Nico. Clancy, an

conflict. Each bishop symbolizes a

inhabitant of Dema, seeks to escape

different manifestation of these mental

its oppressive grip and find freedom

battles. Nico, the leader of the bish-

in a place called Trench, a safe haven

ops, is thought to embody self-doubt

representing hope and self-liberation.

or negative self-talk, constantly trying to keep people, including Clancy,

TWENTY ONE PILOTS

trapped in Dema. This ongoing struggle is a key theme in Trench, both lyrically and symbolically. Clancy’s journey reflects the band members’ personal struggles, particularly Tyler Joseph’s battle with mental health.

Throughout the album, the letters written by Clancy reveal his desire to break free from the control of Dema and Nico. These letters, posted on a cryptic website before the album’s release, add depth to the lore and provide fans with more insight into Clancy’s world. He describes the oppression he feels within Dema and his longing for a better life in Trench.

The metaphorical battle between Dema and Trench is central to Twenty One Pilots’ Trench album, representing the ongoing fight between mental health struggles and the quest for peace and freedom. Clancy’s journey, while specific to the fictional world of Trench, resonates deeply with fans as a reflection of the human experience with mental health, identity, and self-discovery.

clancy by twenty one pilots

Lupe Fiasco SAMURAI MY BUSINESS BONE IS CONNECTED TO MY ETHICS

‘Samurai’ is an album by Lupe Fiasco, produced published by 1st and 15th and Thirty Tigers. This album uses intricate poetry as it does not follow the modern style but rather uses the creativity of hip hop.

The inspiration for this album was Amy Winehouse and his vision for this was telling her story of becoming “The greatest battle rapper of all time”, but also him being able to express his feelings and emotions on the impact he has had on the hip hop community.

1. Samurai* 2. Mumple Rap 3. Cake* 4. Palaces 5. No. 1 Headband 6. Bigfoot 7. Outside 8. Til Eternity - Released 2024.06.28 Lupe Fiasco

*title track(s)

A huge part of the album was the first song ‘Samurai’ which sets the scene on what the listener should be expecting throughout the album, he introduces a character that is constantly trying to perfect their craft almost obsessively affecting the world around them.

The next track ‘Mumble Rap’, possibly my favorite track on the album, has a very discomforting tone. This track talks about Amy Winehouses encounter with a mysterious old man who says “Everything you do will now be in another art” implying that he gave her some type of ‘power’ most likely the power to battle rap. The theme really goes well with this beat, and I love the dark element of ‘selling your soul’ or making a deal to receive something in return.

An example of this is when Lupe says “That’s from earth or maybe from not, maybe she just received a curse or maybe the plot” as a listener this bar just matched the theme so well.

The next track ‘Cake’ talks about no one in the rap game being able to put together pieces like him. I personally don’t mess with this song, but I still think it’s an alright listen not very important to the album though. The next song ‘Places’ this song is calmer and chill the beat is smooth and the song overall just flows. To me this song represents the gifts and talent that rap really has to offer and how rap isn’t just singing it’s more like an art to express yourself.

‘No. 1 Headband’ follows this same calm beat it’s not very aggressive. This song is a reference to the popular anime ‘Afro Samurai’ the No. 1 headband in the show is a representation of being the strongest of the best. The chorus for this song “Imma be the one Imma be the one” means that Lupe is striving to be the best at what he does like how the Afro Samurai became the best fighter in the world.

‘Bigfoot’ the next song is just Lupe explaining how it feels to be an artist on stage in his own words. The song itself isn’t anything special, it’s more of a calm song you would listen to while studying. The second to last track ‘Outside’ is another good song that describes how quickly your life can be taken over the pursuit of money and fame. To wrap up this album, the last song ‘Till Eternity’ summarizes everything in the album with Amy’s story. This album is a good listen, and I think there are lots of lessons you can learn from Amys story that Lupe points out throughout the album. Overall, this album for me is an 8/10. The detail Lupe put into this album was just amazing, and this is one of the reasons Lupe Fiasco has solidified himself as one of the all time greats in this genre of rap.

Featured

THE WEEKND THE WEEKND THE WEEKND

MIDNIGHT

DAWN

MORNING

Abel Tesfaye once said: “I can say pu**y a** ni**a” in the most elegant and sexiest way ever (Complex, 2013). Indeed, The Weeknd’s vocals are of uniqueness and one of a kind, proven in his discography from his major debut in 2013. The ideal mashup of R&B vocals and multiple genres was enough for critics to call him ‘the next Michael Jackson’. As of 2024, we are anticipating his new album after the consecutive mega-hits: ‘After Hours’ and ‘Dawn FM’. As we remind ourselves of the story throughout these two albums, we expect an answer to the question: Through this finale, will The Weeknd be able to be a true savior to himself after being in the dark for so long?

“AFTER HOURS TILL DAWN”

“103.5 DAWN FM”

The year is 2019, and The Weeknd is back

The final destination of Abel’s extravagant

to work after the release of his EP ‘My Dear

road trip seems to be in a shape of purga-

Melancholy’. Free from the agonies of end-

tory. A cozy radio is buzzing through the car

ing a relationship, he is fresher than ever

speakers, and host Jim Carrey whispers: ‘It’s

with a new inspiration: 80’s dance sounds.

time to walk into the light and accept your

Tired from his life in LA, he started to take

fate with open arms.” Snapshots of Abel’s

account of the colorful yet desolate snap-

past life shines by; lost relationships, the

shots of the dystopian city. Going through

high moments of five A.M., the passionate,

a painful breakup and isolation, Abel strug-

breathtaking nights fade away, and regret

gles within himself and his other persona

fills up the mind. Out of time, he blasts the

‘The Weeknd’, gradually converting it to

karaoke, managing himself one last dance

genuine madness as he carelessly drifts by

under the disco rhythm. As the light at the

the ‘Blinding Lights’ of the city. No matter

end of the tunnel gets near, the host asks:

how hard Abel regrets his wrongdoings, or

‘Were you ever in tune with the song life

how fatal his actions were to his life, it is too

was humming?’ Life tightly wraps you up in

late to salvage himself back to the ordinary.

multiple layers, stopping you to appreciate it. The key of this seemingly unbreakable lockdown may be the endless dancing of euphoria, the find inner peace in ourselves.

“HURRY UP TOMORROW” As the writer is typing this article, ‘Hurry

the process. The record itself is extremely

Up Tomorrow’ has not been released yet,

crucial to the trilogy story and also Abel

and its pre-release single, ‘Dancing In The

himself, given that it will be his last album

Flames’ is scheduled to release on Friday,

under the name ‘The Weeknd’. As his usual

September 13. As the two records each

80’s synth-pop genre does not mix as well

focused on death and its transition to after-

with the divine, sacred concept of the al-

life, this end of the trilogy likely leads us up

bum, there is likely a significant shift in his

to the afterlife itself, evident from the trailers

music style. Critics and listeners anticipate

conveying divine choruses, with The Week-

the last story ‘The Weeknd’ has to tell us,

nd as a baby, crawling up the stairs to heav-

and whether he will succeed to wash up his

en with determination. Getting straight to it

sins and find inner peace at last.

is obviously not the case; he would have to advance through obstacles and past temptations, hard enough for him to struggle hard along the way. He might be able to realize what he has been passing through, truly appreciating certain moments through

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“... And if you gaze for long into an abyss,

the abyss also gazes into you...”

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