"Even if You're Tired, Make Sure You Eat Breakfast and Lunch" - A Look at Zion.T

Kim Hae-sol, professionally known as Zion.T is a South Korean hip hop artist and record producer that has left quite the impression on me. With his recent induction into the Korean powerhouse label YG Entertainment, I thought it was appropriate to dedicate a post to one of my favorite artists coming out of Korea.

Zion.T is a vehement flame to the world of Korean hip hop (Kpop) and RnB. The smallest dose of him is enough to quadruple a song's memorability, energy, and of course....swag...(I won't say that again I promise). To this end, he has prolifically risen to fame within these genres with his zesty and playful singing voice. Whether he's nonchalantly tossing his voice around in groove-based melodies or taking a more emotional approach on tracks, Zion.T truly is a master of filling anything he sings with color. 

While his debut album Red Light brought him critical acclaim with its tracks bearing harmonies and melodies that were hard to follow (due to Zion.T's improvisational and atmosphere reliant approach) yet catchy, it should be noted that record label restrictions would ultimately limit what he was able to produce. 

                           

After the release of Red Light, Zion.T would enter a cycle of releasing singles on a yearly basis. To this day fans have eagerly awaited another creative effort from the young talent, but had begun to lose hope with the restrictions his former label Amoeba Culture imposed on him. However, all hope is not lost as Zion has recently been singed to prolific label YG entertainment. The same label that has harbored massive critically acclaimed artists and groups such as Big Bang, Epik High, and 2NE1 to name a few. The label prides itself on allowing for artists to have full creative reigns when approaching their work. To this end, I can only imagine what this will mean for Zion both stylistically and musically looking forward.

Zion T's music is clearly influenced by American music. But instead of rehashing the American format, Zion has created a style that he has made uniquely his own. The healthy variety and diversity of texture featured on his tracks truly make me believe that Zion.T is an artists that is hard to dislike. To those who may not have ever given Kpop a try, I firmly encourage a listen through of any of the track recommendations I will include below. Zion.T is a unique talent with a gorgeous voice to back it up. His stylistic and melodic base approach to traditional Kpop song structures is refreshing and enjoyable. Give this man a listen and I'm sure you'll feel compulsed to adore him.

To all my readers who have never given music of another language a shot, I'll offer this. Ultimately, music is a universal concept that all cultures share. To this end, while it's nice to understand what the vocals are saying in a track belonging to a language you do not speak, I do not feel this to be paramount in appreciating other culture's music. Rhythm, tone, melody, and style are all aspects of music that we all can come to appreciate in the absence of understanding what the lyrics mean. As such, I encourage anyone to give a listen to any track out there belonging to a language that is not their own. To all my pop lovers...there is a reason why Kpop has traversed into the realms of excessive popularity. Just give it a try and have a wonderful day. Thanks for reading! 

Track Recommendations:

                      


                      


                      

-Nights Off

"I'm So Good at Hurting Myself" - A Look at Julien Baker

There are very few artists who are able to draw the deep, unfathomable (at times) emotions meandering within the depths of my convoluted soul. But every now and then an artist will come by with the ability to do just that. Bringing me to tears with her genuine lyricism and beautiful instrumentals, I'm privileged to write about and share with you all the young and fantastic Julien Baker.

I find it interesting that Baker currently resides under 6131 records, a label that has traditionally been defined by its harboring of artists in the genres of hardcore (and other heavier sub-genres).

Hell, she's even opened up for bands such as Touche Amore! How rad is that? Anyways...to this effect, Baker serves as an interesting and solitary backdrop for the label to offer something both unique and lighter to the table. Baker's personable approach to music is beyond stellar. Listening through her LP Sprained Ankle a 4th time honestly began to feel like a violation of privacy...

This voyeuristic appeal plays a minor role in distinguishing Sprained Ankle, though. More important is how Baker operates in existential ultimatums-life or death, hope or despair, oblivion or epiphany. It cuts through the bullshit rather than piling onto it, and its clarity and honesty has instantly helped Baker reach across aisles. I truly adore the themes of resilience Baker explores while also touching upon a willingness to wallow in despair.  

Sprained Ankle is a solo-effort at its core but by no means would be considered "folky." Instead, Baker opts for a minimalist approach, encumbered in bassy clusters of melodic thirds, flicking silvery harmonics, and palm-muting chords. But it's this approach that I can honestly appreciate and adore.

Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee I simply wish nothing but the best for Julien Baker's career. I implore everyone reading this to please support her and buy her album. It is a rare gem amongst a multitude of fake and un-passionate LPs. Below I included two tracks for you all to get a feel for her. Thank you so much and have a wonderful day. 

-Nights Off

"I Spend Most Nights Awake" - A Look at Modern Baseball

Pop punk is a genre I don't normally mess with. However, Run For Cover Record's Modern Baseball has made me equal parts reconsider that notion and look fondly upon the future of this branch of music.

Simply put, Modern Baseball is a band that comes across as truly genuine. Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the 4-piece are a group of young and up-and-coming lads whose first LP Sports was recorded while the band was still in college. Although young, the band has proven they are quite capable of composing some fine groove-centric punk whose lyrical content is both likable and relatable. Drum and bass tracking is particularly stellar on their LPs and many songs delve into heartfelt content such as feeling unnoticed amongst peers, or dealing with watching everyone around you aspire to success. Another interesting quality worth pointing out is the band's tendency to diverge from the idea of a dedicated lead singer. In fact, some would say the band really has no dedicated lead singer as each member can be heard singing at some point on their tracks. Each member at some point has even been privileged to sing entire tracks from start to finish. To this effect, Modern Baseball presents an enjoyable and interesting layer of diversity and variation to their albums. You never know who's gonna get the vocal spotlight next on each track! While other bands out there have probably employed this idea, it's something I have personally never encountered. As such, I could whole-heartedly say that this band is fantastic and is creating some of the most truly genuine and heartfelt tracks I've heard recently. Their third LP Holy Ghost is due out May 13th and I couldn't be more stoked after hearing two singles off the album which I'll include below. Give these guys a listen and support them! I promise you they are worth the time. 

From Upcoming 3rd LP:

Get a better feel for the band's sound:

                 


                 


                 

Thanks for reading! - Nights Off

"I Learned There's a Reason that Some Things Go Untaught" - A Look at Self Defense Family

Self Defense Family might appear a little strange to the uninitiated: a post-punk band that's known by ten other names, currently comprised of sixteen members, (at least I'm fairly certain...) and manages to comfortably release new material on a nearly bi-monthly basis. But conventionality hardly seems like a priority for the band. 

The band started as an Albany-based project known as End of a Year, going back to 2004. Since then, they had released 14 EPs, 6 singles, 5 LPs, and even done splits with bands such as Tigers Jaw, Code Orange, Touche Amore, and even Creative Adult. As such, the band's catalog and repertoire is best described as vast, diverse, and full of surprises. And I mean shit, it only makes sense when the band's line-up is constantly expanding and evolving: the people who wrote the song may not be the same people who recorded the song who may not be the same people playing the song live in front of you. It's a rather strange concept that most certainly lends to the most intriguing framework I've encountered in my time engaging this musical scene. 

A few days ago, the band released its newest EP: Superior. The record was promised to be Self Defense Family's darkest material to date and as per usual, they certainly did not disappoint. Superior's dreary four tracks manage to drone without ever being monotonous or dull. Instead, the record dances through an unpleasant blackness that you'll still manage to nod your head to. Frontman (and comic book writer) Patrick Kindlon's cynical prose guides the listener through a brief but begrudging experience that serves as a perfect companion for a frozen night spent on self-reflection. Check out the opening track, "In Those Dark Satanic Mills" below: 

Don't let all the brooding fool or scare you away; this is a good record by a great band whose honesty and energy is seldom found elsewhere. Self Defense Family is a band that you might have to sit with for a moment to soak entirely in but you'll be glad you took the time afterwards. It's a little naive to say that there's "something for everybody" as the band clearly isn't interested in catering to everyone. But Self Defense Family, like life, is full of ups and downs, tempo changes and mood swings, glorious sunrises and miserable nights. It's not for anyone, but for those comfortable enough to pause and momentarily challenge their ears; Self Defense Family will compel you.

You can purchase Superior from Run For Cover here, and ask the band for relationship advice here. Check here to find out if Self Defense Family is coming to a city near you! 

I'll Meet You on the Water There Sometime - A Look at Basement

Hailing from Ipswitch, England Basement is a band that has been bringing some kindhearted and enjoyable takes on the genres of alt. rock, punk, and even emo. While this 5 piece may not be the most ambitious band out there in terms of structure and style, gravitating heavy into the melodic realm with their latest LP release: "Promise Everything," Basement is a strong member of Run for Cover Records in my honest opinion.

While earlier releases' strengths lied in glossy bass tracking, and coursing rhythm-based guitar riffs, baritone vocalist Andrew Fisher is really beginning to come into his own. His vocals are not only enjoyable but strong enough to carry a good majority of the strengths of the band's latest release. However, this isn't to say the band is lacking on the instrumental front by any means, I just really feel that Fisher deserves to be recognized for stepping up. Give this a band listen if you dig alt rock with an emo and punk flair.

Below I've included a link to a few track recommendations:

If you wish to support the band. You can purchase their latest album here. Check out Youtube for a full stream of the album!

Deftones "Prayers/Traignle" - Track Review

Deftones' long awaited 8th LP has been announced for an April 8, 2016 release and has been revealed to be titled "Gore." With all the hype building up, Deftones released the first single from this album today entitled "Prayers/Triangles." Is it an indicator of the brilliance to come, or is the band finally taking a plummet into the realm of the generic and uninteresting? Check out my review of this track!

Deftones is my second favorite band of all time. I grew up with them and have a giant soft spot for them inside my heart. As such, I feel their two release post Chi Cheng's death have been on the weaker side for their branch of music. I honestly could not buy into "Diamon Eyes" and while "Koi no Yokan" was definitely a step in the right direction for the band, I felt that a good 50% of Yokan could've been better. Have I grown jaded with their music? Or perhaps I wish to relive the glory days of "White Pony," "Around the Fur," and even "Saturday Night Wrist?" No, I feel I've just grown to expect a lot from a band I hold to such high regard, no matter how heavily I gravitate towards the realm of being unrealistic. With all that being said, I definitely feel "Prayers/Triangles" is a shining and refreshing track that has gotten me more excited for a Deftones release in quite a long time. 

"It's one of those songs that's very Deftones-esque," said frontman Chino Moreno this morning when this track was revealed on Zane Lowe's "Beats 1" radio show. And I couldn't agree more!

This track displays a healthy dichotomy between elegant and brutal sound with soaring guitars that guides a pseudo psychedelic verse that is equal parts soothing and passionate. Some post-hardcore influenced elements can be heard towards the final bit of the track and it's simply awesome. While I definitely feel this one of the band's more straightforward tracks with a simplistic format, the track is awesome and comes across as very appealing listen. The production is clean and Chino's voice sounds better than ever!

This upcoming album is being described in interviews as being "all over the place" in terms of song structures and sound. As such, a Deftones album with a lot of variation sounds like the most appealing thing I could've hoped for coming from a Deftones LP! I give this track a solid 8/10 and eagerly await to hear more from the prolific California 5-piece. 

-Nights Off

Check out the track for yourself here:

"These Floods of You are Unforgiving" - A Look at Converge

Today  I wanted to get the ball rolling with a new series of posts solely dedicated to putting certain bands and artists I've come to adore over the years in the spotlight. It's within my humblest of hopes that I can bring some attention and light to these musicians, as their work is truly brilliant in their own way. So let's kick off things with a look at a band whose music can only be described as brutal and abrasive. Converge!

This Massachusetts four-piece has its origins rooted in 1990 with front man Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou coming together in the winter to create a bloody fantastic hardcore band. While Converge's music is rooted primarily in the genres of hardcore and hardcore punk, there are occasions in which implementations of metalcore and even mathcore can be heard. With that in mind, Converge may very well be the single most influential hardcore band of modern time. They have performed numerous live acts throughout the world and have had a profound influence on numerous bands. Some would either don their hardcore punk mantle or even become part of Deathwish Inc., a record label (that is within my personal top 5 favorite record labels) that was founded by frontman Bannon himself. 

While their earlier releases had their own strengths, it wasn't until the 2001 release of their legendary 4th LP "Jane Doe," that the band really came into their own as the powerful and influential hardcore act we know today. "Jane Doe" is heralded by numerous critics as a masterpiece of its genre. It's one of the very few albums I've ever listened to that I can truly describe as a unique experience. It's intense, heavy, cacophonous, and insane. Yet, it is bolstered by a lack of rudimentary structures and some of the most impressive and cogent experimentation I've ever heard in hardcore instrumentals. To this day the album holds up as something truly unique. "Jane Doe" is an album that always seems to leave listeners with something different and it's truly interesting to discuss such with fellow hardcore fans with an appreciation for the album. 

Since "Jane Doe," Converge seemed to be simply incapable of releasing any album that was short of masterful and brilliant. Every release post "Jane Doe" brought something new and interesting to the hardcore genre. While later releases saw the rise of more melodic portions including: melodic vocals, strong tonal-based guitar riffs, and even some post-rock influenced tracks or segments of tracks, Converge still remained the masters of their hardcore roots. I highly recommend this band to anyone who appreciates the hardcore genre and is looking for music that is equal parts heavy and smart. Converge is still going strong today and I eagerly await what they intend to release next in coming years. 

Fun Facts:

-Front man Jacob Bannon is not only the founder of Deathwish Inc. but is also a graphic artist. He has done all the album covers of Converge's LP's and has even provided album art for bands such as: As I Lay Dying, Cursed, Bane, Every Time I Die, End of a Year, Fall Out Boy, Norma Jean, Modern Life is War, Poison the Well, and Underoath to name a few. 

-Guitarist Kurt Ballou is a notable and prolific record producer who owns his own studio named Godcity. To date he has produced and assisted the recording of 174 albums. 

Track Recommendations

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

-Nights Off