PASST BLASST: Episode 13 (6/4/17)

TRACKLIST
1. The Screamers - "122 Hours of Fear"
2. The Justified Ancients of MuMu - "Whitney Joins The JAMS"
3. Le Butcherettes - "Stab My Back"
4. Hawkwind - "Brainstorm"
5. Outer Spaces - "Mint on the Sill"
6. Sonic Youth - "Schizophrenia"
7. NARB - "Tight Spaces"
8. Uranium Club - "The Clown's Got A Gun"
9. feedtime - "Ha Ha"
10. Chromatics - "Hannah's Song"
11. Mugwort - "Flowers"
12. Coma in Algiers - "For What"
13. X - "The World's A Mess, It's In My Kiss"
14. Crooked Bangs - "Evil Eye/Le Mauvais Œi"
15. Big Boys - "Which Ways To Go"
16. Alice Bag - "Programmed"
17. Frankie Cosmos - "On The Lips"

NOTES
Today's episode is a throwback to June 2nd, 2017. Donald Trump had only been president for a few months, and he was already wreaking all sorts of havoc. The music selections are excellent and eclectic - as this show has always intended. Unfortunately, following the events of Hurricane Hanna, a few things needed to be tended to at home (nothing tragic, thankfully, but important nonetheless). I hope everyone out there is safe and has shelter of some kind. A lot of people, including friends, are at-risk of losing their homes if they haven't already, and some definitely have. Things are really fucked up in the Valley right now. They always are when hurricanes and big storms with a lot of wind and rain hit us from any angle. Our local governments have yet to invest in proper infrastructure to give communities proper drainage systems, proper access to power as well - as it stands, AEP will not be able to return power to nearly half of the entire Rio Grande Valley for at least a week, some will have to wait two weeks. It's just a nightmare. But there is hope on the horizon! A group of local activists and organizers have put together a mutual aid fund to raise money for people in need. 

They're calling it the RGV Mutual Aid, and are accepting donations via this link: 
https://www.phly.co/public/hG8KPf8aGCjCZDZQg?fbclid=IwAR38y-2MhNnzUmOA0QAoUMmq_gIGHbTTwHLIe-uCow4giDYPm4sIyy6lYq0

If you or someone you know need to request funds, you may do so with this Google Form: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KzzLfznzCEt_rw4kFA18XpvaAiYKLdtpMnVxMp9TpYs/viewform?edit_requested=true&fbclid=IwAR0TuOEMYAHqqoYsGwgQV4Ab0YvB9sWnbkbhX6YqzsviY-yl7psegA_GUII

The fund has already raised over $10,000 and already redistributed a large part of it to families in need! Please spread this as far as you can.

As always, take care of each other, take care of yourselves, and be safe. We'll see you next week.

AS

BLASST 121: DOWN IN THE VALLEY

TRACKLIST
1. Dandy Heat - "Southpop"
2. Európa Kiadó - "Megalazo"
3. Boiz - "Hope"
4. noimnotwhite - "Burning Man"
5. Jay Sol - "The Game"
6. Simonada - "heat death"
7. Gusto Gusto - "New Laughs, New Jokes"
8. Honeyflowers - "Yellow Boy"
9. 10 Foot Overhead - "Why Do You Care (feat. Boiz)"
10. Isao Tomita - "The Sunken Cathedral"
11. I Killed Techno! - "Heal! Heal! Frog Ass!"
12. Pillowsnake - "Copaganda (feat. I Killed Techno)" 
13. STRGHTFWRD - "Unchained"
14. PatrickStarrr - "Go Off"

LISTEN ON MIXCLOUD
LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

NOTES
The RGV is in really bad shape right now, people are dying of COVID-19 every day, our hospitals are full, and our most powerful hospital is withholding resources - and hospital space. All this paired with the firm refusal on the part of the State Government to shut down the economy again are sending my neck of the woods head-first into a pile of shit. Let's not forget that the Trump administration has also made it so that hospitals are no longer reporting to the CDC - an attempt to control and skew the numbers of cases and deaths connected to COVID-19 throughout the country. Things are bad, y'all. They've been bad everywhere else, but now they're bad here.

That being said, the music on today's show is almost all from Valley artists, each track more remarkable than the next. 

EDIT: I've decided to add some write-ups on these tracks. They're all incredible and I think every single one of these artists deserves some pen put to paper about their work.

1. Dandy Heat - "Southpop" | Label: Self-released
It only makes sense that the Valley's answer to brit-pop giants like Blur and Pulp would release a song that sounds like aural sunshine at the peak of summer. With a stripped down beat laying down the grid for washed out guitars and a fluttery, conversational bassline, "Southpop" sounds the way Summer should: thriving, full-of-life, and jubilant.

2. Boiz - "Hope" | Label: Self-released
Keeping with the theme of posi-vibes, we have a bouncy new single from Brownsville's well-preened electro-pop outfit, Boiz. Their latest EP, Everywhere I Go, was produced by Adrian Loera of Brownsville's premier recording studio, Creative Cave, and boasts a consistent set of elevated pop bangers. While some of the lyrical content leans more 'male gaze-y' than I'd prefer - and in the case of hype-beast anthem "High Fashion", just comical - the music shows definite promise, and I believe Boiz have given themselves plenty of room to grow beyond the tropes of popular music. I can only hope that they choose to do so, because with tracks like "Hope", they've demonstrated that they know how to write a damn good song. 

3. noimnotwhite - "Burning Man" | Label: Midnight Militia
This kid DMed me on the U-Punk IG account the other day after I put up a call for performers to play upcoming Instagram Lives streaming slots. I thought his brand of sad-boi hip-hop wasn't bad, though some of his tracks run a little morbid for my taste (see his latest horrorcore-lite single "Stalk-Her"). Jay Barr shows he's got a knack for lyricism, and through the network of collaborators he's associated with in the Midnight Militia label, creative vision as well. He's signed on to do an IG Live set on 10/10, so follow us on IG and keep an eye out for that one.

4. Jay Sol - "The Game" | Label: Self-released
This song scratched an itch I've had for some time now. I can't think of a Valley artist that's tackled r&b/neo-soul sounds quite like Jay Sol has. With pipes that send flickering glimpses of Frank Ocean and even a little ZAYN, Jay Sol packs a bottle tight with heartbreak and sends it out sea with grace. Not sure who produced this track, but the production is rightfully minimal and dedicated to supporting Jay's soothing baritone. Looking forward to what Jay's got coming next. I learned recently that he's currently recovering from COVID-19, so sending him best wishes as well.

5. Simonada - "heat death" | Label: Self-released/Futuro Conjunto
This has become my favorite track from Charlie Vela & Jonathan Leal's buzzing transmedia project, Futuro Conjunto. For Charlie and Jonathan to create fictional groups, each with their own personality and histories, is a feat in itself. But to also make distinctly unique music for each group...that's also amazing?? That's a fucking miracle. Simonada features spellbinding vocal performances from two of the Valley's greatest indie-rock vocalists, Jesika Cueta, and Andy Peña of Quiet Kids (previously Dignan). As the two harmonize around the music's vaguely latin rhythms and accordion-brushed melodies, they create a dreamy space that evokes a spectrum of emotion - and that's without reading the lyrics, which lament the fate that has befallen the RGV 100 years into the future. An absolute gem of a song.

6. Gusto Gusto - "New Laughs/New Jokes" | Label: Self-released
An earlier demo version of what has since become a staple of the band's live sets, "New Laughs/New Jokes" acts as a thesis for bandleader Gustavo Bañuelos' ever-evolving songwriting handbook. Groovy basslines, pocket drums, foggy synthesizers, and subtle guitar lines all play second-fiddle to Gus' firm but flexible tenor vocalizations. One night while I was delivering some buttons I made for the band to Gus' house, he invited me in to listen to some of his demos, stuff he'd been working on at home alone. One song in, I was absolutely floored with the sheer space this dude can create in a single track by himself. Truly a talent, not to be underestimated. He'll be playing a live set this weekend on our Instagram, so be sure to tune in for that.

7. Honeyflowers - "Yellow Boy" | Label: Self-released
This song opens with shining keys, and leads directly into silence. What breaks that silence is vocalist Paolo Honey's smokey baritone falsetto, crooning with a constant vibrato that evokes all but the frustration at the core of this beautiful and otherwise unassuming anti-racist indie-pop jam. Instead of channeling anger, Honeyflowers lean into tight-knit rhythms, swirling synth lines, and guitar solos to release tension. It's a smart move songwriting-wise, and also a refreshingly cool-headed approach to this undoubtedly painful topic. Also, incorrectly labeled this as a "Paulo Honey" track when it's by the band Honeyflowers, also Paolo's name isn't spelled with a 'u'. The new image reflects this.

8. 10 Foot Overhead - "Why Do You Care (feat. Boiz)" | Label: Self-released
Another jam I got wind of through the excellent Raymus Media blog! 10 Foot Overhead are a quartet based out of Brownsville with a bit of an emotional streak. Classic alt-rock balladry at play here with some contemporary furnishings, could easily see this jam holding its own among other sync-worthy tracks playing in your favorite new streaming shows. 

9. I Killed Techno! - "Heal! Heal! Frog Ass!" | Label: Self-released
IKT's Eric Linares is back on Doomed Forever, his latest full-length cassette, bringing the horror punk vibes with greater dissonance and doom than ever before. "Heal! Heal! Frog Ass!" doesn't really resemble the traditional Mexican folk-spell it's named after ("sana, sana, colita de rana" in Spanish), but perhaps alludes more to a grimy tale of willing self-destruction ("He’s eatin his way out of his brain / You’ll see his masterpiece soon / As winter draws in closer / He slowly fades away into his favorite place").

10. Pillowsnake - "Copaganda (feat. I Killed Techno!)" | Label: Self-released
This is the crown jewel of the show, in my opinion. Pillowsnake's Jacob LaFollette has a history of building unique glitched-out sound-worlds on his previous releases, but never have they sounded so concise and directional as "Copaganda" does. The track is a fervently anti-police industrial-pop(?) journey through layer after layer of synth textures ranging from booming lows to flickering electric-violin highs. The music video for this track would look like the most fun videogame you've ever played. At the point where IKT enters the arena - like a veritable Player 2 - the song takes a brief pause to let some almost harpsichord-y deep organ sounds resonate on their own, and it feels as if we're about to walk into a boss fight of some kind. I've been listening to this track so much since it was released a couple months back. So fun.

11. STRGHTFWRD - "Unchained" | Label: Self-released
The solid debut single from this EDM powerhouse. I'm probably least qualified to talk in-depth about EDM, as it truly is a universe unto itself, but I like what these guys do. According to their SoundCloud, this jam falls under the umbrellas of BASS, HOUSE, and TECH HOUSE. Sounds apporpriate to me! They've been building a good brand for themselves since their transition from "3AM" to STRGHTFWRD earlier this year, and I'm looking forward to what they're able to put together once we're able to lose our minds in clubs to beats again.

12. PatrickStarrr - "Go Off" | Label: ONE/SIZE / PatrickStarrr
Today's closer is a ballroom JAM. Produced in no small part by the RGV's own producer-extraordinaire, Charlie Vela, "Go Off" screams pride. When PatrickStarrr, who for the uninitiated, is a HUGELY famous make-up and lifestyle YouTuber, calmly slides out a "don't get mad bitch" I can't help but release the cackle of a lifetime. The confidence and sheer power in this song - don't even get me started on the music video, which is absolutely bananas - is enough to get anybody ready for literally anything that they find intimidating or frightening in any way. Watch the video below:

Whistleblower Twitter Thread - also be sure to check out some of her follow-up tweets, she shares images and accounts sent to her by other medical workers at DHR.
I don't have that much else to say right now. Spread this whistleblower story far and wide, please and thank you. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. See y'all next week.

AS

BLASST 120: Aimaloghi, Ohiozele, & Ohireime Eromosele

TRACKLIST
1. Hope Tala - "Lovestained"
2. Leon Bridges - "Sweeter (feat. Terrace Martin)"
3. keiyaA - "I! Gits! Weary!"
4. Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes - "Tidal Wave"

LISTEN ON MIXCLOUD
LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

NOTES
Today's episode features a conversation I had with siblings Aimaloghi, Ohiozele, and Ohireime Eromosele, who are not only friends of mine but also members of the Rio Grande Valley's Black community. Aimaloghi is a UTRGV graduate (double majoring in Biology & Psychology) and community organizer who's been involved in the RGV's activism community for the past 6-7 years, Ohiozele is a Biology student at UTRGV with an eye on pursuing Public Health studies, and Ohireime is a graduate of the Howard University School of Law, where he studied patent law. 

The idea for this episode came after I watched an Instagram livestream that Aimaloghi did a week or so after the murder of George Floyd, where she spoke openly and critically about the Rio Grande Valley's activist response. In her stream, she explained how the Valley lacked the proper framework to build meaningful anti-racist direct action capacity and offered some critiques as well as different ways that activism can take shape when focused and properly organized. I resonated pretty deeply with all of this, considering the time I've spent around activists, as well as the fact that I also have had questions regarding how to move forward as a community that wishes to work toward an anti-racist future. Considering that at this very critical time, the focus of the movement throughout the country is to support and uplift Black lives and Black voices, it makes sense to me that I also look to Black voices in my own community for leadership in this kind of work. I'd already spent a few episodes speculating about this throughout the month of June, so when I saw Aima's stream, I thought it would make a great jumping point for a conversation on the show, where we could dive deeper into what we can do as a community to move forward.

When I asked Aima to be on the program, she asked if she could have her brothers Ohiozele and Ohireime join her, which I thought was a great idea. As a result, the discussion was able to grow beyond simply talking about the wave of anti-racist uprising around the country and local activism, but also about the experiences Aima and her brothers have had growing up as Black people in the Rio Grande Valley. Overall, the conversation had a very warm energy and provided everyone with open space to share, reflect, and of course, enjoy some excellent music selections.

For more information about Texas Rising, visit their website here.

For more information about URGE, visit their website here.

For more information about Advocates for Youth and YWOC, visit their site here.

As Aima recommended on the show, I've put together a Spotify playlist of (almost) all the music I played during June aka Black Music Month. You can listen to it below. 


As always, thanks for listening, take care of each other, and seeya next week.

AS

BLASST 119: FUTURO CONJUNTO

TRACKLIST
1. Futuro Conjunto - "Live From The Rocket Facility"
2. Mundo - "Futurasquache"
3. Futuro Conjunto - "CP Bandits (interlude)" 
4. CODEX - "The Run Pt. II The Run Pt. II feat. JUL3Z"
5. Zas! - "Amor Superno"
6. La Mosca No Muere - "El Huracan Del Valle"
7. Simonada - "Heat Death"

LISTEN ON MIXCLOUD
LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS
LISTEN TO FUTURO CONJUNTO

NOTES
Today's episode features a conversation with Charlie Vela and Jonathan Leal, the creators of Futuro Conjunto, an ambitious trans-media experience that is equal parts speculative fiction and RGV music scene time capsule - for three different generations at once, over the span of 300 years. 

I realize that might be a lot to comprehend at the moment, but if you'll grant me your time for about *checks watch* two hours, today's conversation breaks the whole thing down pretty well. Whether you're a longtime RGV music scene veteran or a sci-fi fanatic looking for a new geo-political narrative to expand your mind with, Futuro Conjunto has something for everybody. 

Having been a participant in the production itself (I voice the character of Alvaro, who you will learn a bit more about in today's episode, and also produced some design elements for the project), I am clearly biased when I speak of how profound a project FC is. However, the fact remains that there does not exist a single project like it in the world. Sure, there's entire worlds of media built around popular tv shows or popular bands, entire universes constructed by fans alone out of their love for these things, you could call this fan fiction perhaps. But what Charlie and Jonathan have done with this project is attempt to look forward 200-300 years into the future that awaits the geographic region of the Rio Grande Valley, and articulate the impact of history that has yet to be made through the lens of artists that either live it or learned about it, an experience not unlike what is going on in the RGV music and arts communities today - well, before the pandemic anyway. 

There's more that I could say, but I already say it in today's show, so I encourage you to check out the episode and of course, check out the project itself, which you can do so here.

Tune in next week for my conversation with activist and community organizer Aimaloghi Eromosele and her brothers Ohiozele and Ohireime!  Aima and her brothers share their experiences growing up Black in the RGV, we talk about the recent uprisings throughout the country, the anti-racist and anti-police work being done, as well as the anti-blackness in the RGV. Not to mention they brought some excellent selections to play on the show! 

As always, take care of yourselves, and more importantly, take care of each other. See y'all next week.

AS