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Tantrums - Normani ft James blake

I'm so so happy that Normani finally released her debut album, but this song RIGHT CHERE???? I think it's actually one of the knockouts of the entire project Not only is the album itself an incredibly solid R&B record but when she makes music about the darker deeper tones of a subject??? Whoaaaaa The harmonies btwn her and James kill me every time I have to start the song over again once he comes on bc it makes my heart STOP

@thewarblerette

Jun 18, 2024

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HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

Swim or Sink Like this post if you're also fed up with Billie Eilish. Jokes aside, her new album is one of the two most powerful pop records of the year so far. I just got around to her release and yesterday I listened to Dua Lipa's new album, so I'm making up for it twice over: I realized what I like about Billie's album compared to "Radical Optimism." "HIT ME HARD AND SOFT" is a sophisticated alt-pop album that doesn’t even try to sound like a hit. I like that Billie intentionally didn’t turn her album into an event: near-zero promo without singles made me forget the album was even about to drop. “I don’t like singles. This album is like a family: I don’t want to leave any of the kids alone.” So, I dived into this release with zero expectations—and that’s probably the coolest strategy for promoting such music. Dua Lipa's promo wasn’t the most outstanding, but it was big enough. But I’m more concerned with one specific part of it: Dua claimed in an interview that she was inspired by “British rave culture, Primal Scream, Massive Attack, Britpop, and Gorillaz.” She even invited Kevin Parker and Danny L Harle to make the sound richer and more interesting. But when the album came out, I had only one question: where is all that? “Radical Optimism” turned out to be a very timid release, where I hear neither Tricky’s nor Damon Albarn’s approach. And Kevin Parker’s name in the credits just makes you snort—it’s one of those cases where even a talented producer couldn’t save music he’s not used to working with. Billie and Finneas say they were inspired by Tyler, Lana, and Vince Staples' music. But listening to the album, I understand what they really mean—the desire to ignore standards and do something of their own. This approach is closer to me: it sounds more honest and fully unfolds in the music itself. Finneas skillfully mixes pop, folk, and electronics, trying to make not a hit, but just cool music. Listen to the phenomenal transition in “L’amour De Ma Vie”—this is the level of production we’re talking about. Billie overcomes herself and starts singing at full voice, moving away from the image of a “whispering languid girl.” The lyrics tell an honest and sometimes touching story of love and self-discovery. Everything works like clockwork here—it seems like the same calculated pop approach as Dua Lipa's, but with the right passion and enjoyment. Now let’s look at the situation from the side of numbers, sales, and all that nonsense. Lipa obviously aimed for the charts—but magically didn’t end up in them. Because even the mass listener can feel when the music doesn’t hit. I don’t like referring to the crowd’s opinion, but here I completely agree with them: “Radical Optimism” turned out to be just a dull addition to quite powerful singles. Billie’s album came out without any singles at all. Will Billie and Finneas’s creation become a hit? Probably not. But it wasn’t meant to be—it’s more about talented music that deserves praise. An album not for the masses, but for critics, if you like. Now fans are actively spreading the theory that Billie’s album is actually a double one: firstly, the leaked merch hints at this, and secondly—the final line “But when can I hear the next one?” makes you want to believe it—because I’d be happy to get another portion of Finneas's refined production. Dua is calmly splashing in the water under the sun, while Billie Eilish is sinking, trying to overcome her main childhood fear (yes, the cover was shot live). I’m not a hater of Lipa, rather the opposite—but I think stories like this should teach something. You can’t update your sound just by inviting Tame Impala, just as you can’t sell an album to the masses if there’s nothing to listen to besides the singles. If you’re inspired by Primal Scream, you’ll have to play by different rules. Because while Dua is resting, Billie and Finneas are setting their own rules for the entire industry. And maybe not immediately, but everyone will appreciate it.

@nebraska

Jun 21, 2024

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Dauntless manifesto by cupcakke

I’m not kidding when I say this is one of the best (in my opinion) albums of 2024! CupcakKe is bold and wild, as usual. She’s really talented — I don’t know any other artist that could sing and rap about sex in such fun and engaging way? I really want to go to her concert one day

@nastya14

Jul 6, 2024

Top Recs from @larrejofficial

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Staying home for pride

I think this is the first year I ever decided to stay home for pride in the past 10 years. I usually go to the parade or at least an event. Ever since I moved back to NJ from The City, I haven't felt like going out as much. Maybe its proximity to The City (not as convenient) or maybe I'm just older now but it feels as though all the pomp and circumstance that made Pride weekend so fun and coveted are gone. So, this year, I decided to stay home. Initially, I felt bad for not wanting to go out. But, as the day went on, I wasn't upset about it. In staying home, I got a chance to reflect on how far we've come as a community and my own personal journey in making peace with my own sexuality. I watched "All of Us Strangers" this afternoon. The story is really timely for me personally as it talks about similar themes to those I was reflecting on throughout the day. If you haven't seen the film, I recommend that too. In it the lead character goes through these emotionally harrowing situations that explore the primary theme of queer loneliness. The film definitely brought up some feelings around the language that we used and the ignorance of others, but it also showed me a glimpse of both a dream and a nightmare. I promise, I'm not going to spoil the film for you. I honestly don't think that I could even if I wanted to. That said, it did remind me of the times where I thought my sexuality was a contributor to my loneliness. And, to a certain extent, it was. But I don't think it to be the sole contributing factor. This has more to do with the broader implications of personage. Beyond my queerness, there is blackness, there is masculinity, there is femininity, there is language and culture. All things that inform a relationship and relationships. There are habits and values that contribute to our overall individuality. I think that's a larger contributor to loneliness. We all have a list of non-negotiables. Those non-negotiables are symbols of our values and are the building blocks to finding alignment within a match. That said, it can become dangerous of some, if not most, when those non-negotiables are tied to unchanging aspects of a person's identity. Unfortunately, in our society, these are the exact non-negotiables the pervade our society. These ideals then become internalized for the individual which leads to loneliness. It is through the unlearning of these "preferences" and norms that then break down those walls of loneliness and allow us to let people in, be present, and open to something new. Loneliness is a feeling I think everyone can identify with but I think there is something very specific about queer loneliness. This stems from the dual phenomenon of being both an outsider and an active member of community. It's like being in a club for years and having no friends to show for it. I don't know if there's a remedy to the queer loneliness epidemic. What I do know is that is giving a name to things helps us to identify these personal issues and find a way forward. In the end, I've come to the conclusion that this way forward comes from radical self-acceptance. It's a practice that is easier said than done, admittedly, but it can be done. I know for sure I'm not there yet but I keep trying. My first step? Staying home for Pride this year.

@larrejofficial

Jul 1, 2024