Contemplation
Edition #70 concludes the year with new tracks by mantocliff, CATT, LIN, Mary Middlefield, and kitsches.
mantocliff – ocean
The Swiss band mantocliff reports back with ocean, the first music since the debut album umbilical in 2016. Synthesizers and deep bass create a dense foundation on which singer Nives Onori's voice dances like a figure skater on a frozen lake. The darkness is fragmented by rays of light, the composition's slow creeping contrasted by the vocal playfulness. It's all sloshing like waves.
Kiss Remixed
Edition #69 with remixes of the Editors and Mnevis and fresh tracks by Tristesse, Karies, and Frank Popp Ensemble & Lucy Kruger.
Editors – Kiss (Colyn & Konstantin Sibold Remix)
The Editors added some electronic virtuosity with Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass, who co-produced the latest album, EBM, and joined the band as a full-fledged member. Kiss is a hymnic composition with flickering flavours of an almost disco-like feeling.
However, the remix by Colyn and Konstantin Sibold transforms the song into an incredible captivating technoid track—reminiscent of synthwave, accompanied with hauling, altering synth-hooks and an energetic beat.
Tristesse – Im Taumel
The falsetto voice hovers above a lush composition, breathless and dreaming simultaneously. Tristesse, a German newcomer band, draws inspiration from classic indie-rock, shoegaze and dream pop, adding to the sound's richness.
Artificial Intelligence Writes About Music
I used ChatGPT to create short descriptions for songs. The results are simultaneously impressive and sobering.
In the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of fuzz around the public beta of ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot that can write whole texts. People are constantly experimenting and posting screenshots about the programme's impressive capabilities.
Naturally, I was curious if ChatGPT could also write compelling texts about music. So, I used my existing OpenAI account (I also tried Dall-E 2 intensively before) and used the program to create descriptive paragraphs about previously curated songs.
Here's how I went about it:
The first sentence of the prompt was always "Can you write me a short paragraph with the following parameters:" followed by specific categories and keywords. I used the existing descriptions of the songs to distil the keywords as they accurately reflect my personal opinion.
I also always used the first result that ChatGPT provided and didn't make any alterations to the prompts or texts.
Al Pride – Small Heart
Prompt
- Band: Al Pride
- Origin: Switzerland
- Song: Small Heart
- Genre: Indie-pop
- Adjectives: innovative, groovy, pumping, impressive, talented, balanced
- Nouns: Brass section, Spoken-word part questioning consumerism
Result: Al Pride, hailing from Switzerland, is an indie-pop band that stands out with their innovative sound. Their song "Small Heart" is a groovy, pumping track that showcases their impressive talents. The brass section adds a unique flavor to the mix, and the spoken-word part questioning consumerism is a clever touch. Overall, the band strikes a perfect balance between catchiness and substance, making them a must-listen for fans of the genre.
Nola Kin – Not What You Think
Prompt
- Artist: Nola Kin
- Gender: Female
- Origin: Switzerland
- Song: Not What You Think
- Genre: Folk, Pop
- Adjectives: comforting, warm, smokey, soulful, vulnerability
- Quote by Nola Kin about the song: "The songs are more like coming home than setting off, like a warm hug after a long and hard walk across my history, a bit closer to myself."
Result: Nola Kin is a female artist from Switzerland who creates music in the folk and pop genres. Her song "Not What You Think" is described as being comforting, warm, smokey, soulful, and vulnerable. In a quote about the song, Nola Kin says that her songs are like coming home and are like a warm hug after a long and hard walk across her history. It seems that Nola Kin's music is very personal and reflective, and she uses it to connect with herself on a deeper level. Her music is comforting and provides a sense of warmth and soulfulness that is hard to find in today's fast-paced world.
Julien Bracht – Across the Ocean
Prompt
- Artist: Julien Bracht
- Gender: Male
- Origin: Berlin, Germany
- Song: Across The Ocean
- Genre: Techno
- Reference: inspiration from techno and trance of the late 90s, early 2000s
- Adjectives: pumping, vast, thoughtful, slightly nostalgic and melancholic, warm yet distant, playful
Result: Julien Bracht is a male artist from Berlin, Germany, who is known for his pumping, vast, and thoughtful techno sound that is inspired by the trance and techno of the late 90s and early 2000s. His song "Across The Ocean" is a perfect example of this, with its slightly nostalgic and melancholic vibe that is both warm and distant. Despite this, the track is also playful, making it a true delight to listen to.
Cutting Circuits
Edition #68 brings you new tunes by Bethan Lloyd, Circa Waves, Moreno itf, Loupe, and The Beauty of Gemina.
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reLISTEN #10: Sadness
In the 10th edition of reLISTEN lies sadness. I present five of the saddest songs I know.
Music's power to evoke emotions is unmatched. I'm constantly staggered by how artists can trigger a vast range of feelings—from excitement and nostalgia to love and melancholia.
However, today's edition of reLISTEN revolves around one particular emotion: sadness. And yes, many of you might think it's a bold and unnecessary collection. Because who wants to feel sad for no reason?
But I would argue that sad music has a healing, cathartic effect. We usually avoid socially unaccepted feelings as they're seen as weaknesses. Today's selection of songs is, therefore, a small and tender rebellion. So close your eyes and do nothing else but listen to these songs and your heart.
Aisha Badru – Splintered
The airy voice of New York singer-songwriter Aisha Badru carries you into a world of vivid lyrics. Splintered slowly builds up to overwhelming instrumental magnificence, contrasting her whispering singing and the supporting choral. It's a song about our disconnection, about humanity—filled with Weltschmerz.
Carbon Dioxide
Edition #67 recommends the new tracks by Fever Ray, Tuys, Liam Maye, Boardallein, and Weyes Blood.
Just Have Some Fucking Empathy
Edition #66 recommends the new songs by Dream Wife, Worries And Other Plants, Eaves Wilder, Auk Nova, and Alexander John.
