Nostalgia has been a hot commodity in pop culture for a couple years now. There have been countless reboots and revivals, as well as the new stories told with hints of the past. “Stranger Things,” Taylor Swift’s “1989,” “A Star is Born,” Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up.” When done well, the fusion of new voices and old frameworks grabs the public’s attention and becomes the hot thing of the moment.

One of the strongest curators of this fusion is producer Mark Ronson. His work with Amy Winehouse proved his strong abilities to create nostalgic soundscapes for artists to play in. He struck gold, or diamond rather, with Bruno Mars on the 2014 single “Uptown Funk.” And now he takes on the early ’80s with his new album, “Late Night Feelings.”

The project was led with the Miley Cyrus assisted “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.” Alone, it felt like an experimentation in country-disco, perhaps inspired by Kacey Musgraves. In the context of the album, it feels much more purposeful. Each track sits firmly in the disco era, but branches into the different genres present at the time. There are songs that lean pop, there are tracks that pull from soul and songs with a hint of rhythm and blues. It is singular but expansive.

“Late Night Feelings” is billed as Ronson’s most personal album yet. The project confronts heartache and lust in the aftermath of a breakup. While the lyrics are vulnerable, the music never really hits the emotional marks. It is much more focused on maintaining the flow of the body of work and riding the vibe. And though it would seem like this should be its weakness, it proves to be its strength.

The album is truly best consumed as a whole, from beginning to the end. From the moment the prelude fades in, the sound envelopes you in their world and transports you to the confrontation of the Ronson’s feelings.

To voice his emotions, Ronson casts a group of female singers. Mainstream acts like Camila Cabello, Alicia Keys and Cyrus sing alongside rising performers like King Princess and YEBBA, who appears the most on the project. It’s an interesting personification of his own emotions, but the female voice embodies the sadness in the lyrics so familiarly.

The standout tracks are “Find U Again,” “Truth” and “2 AM.” Cabello aches through filtered vocoders on “Find U Again.” The sad bop longs for a lost love through a nonconventional song structure that makes the song addicting.

“Truth” is a spacey soul track that feels like a lost transmission from the era of Sly and the Family Stone. Dodgr hits a distinct flow that strikes all the right emphasis. It is a bit of an outlier, as it is more of a protest track than emotional outpouring. Still, it stands it’s own and hits home with it’s message.

“2 AM” is a ballad, which is a rarity on a record from a DJ. The track provides a necessary counterpoint to the tracks of longing over lost love. This song tries to unpack the implications of casual hookups and meaningless late night intimacy. Lykke Li croons “Say it’s over, but you’re in my bed / Walk away, come runnin’ back again / Don’t say I’m just a 2 AM, 2 AM.” It is probably the song that strikes the strongest emotional chords.

Overall, Ronson has created a deeply interesting project with “Late Night Feelings.” It is very far from the typical product a DJ would put out. While it definitely has radio ready tracks, it is a true body of work best consumed as such.

It was a packed crowd at The Theater of the Living Arts June 17, a crowd full of predominantly queer people out to support one of their own during pride month. That performer? Internet sensation Kim Petras.

Kim Petras is an up-and-coming pop singer-songwriter known for her incessant release of single after single, bop after bop and her signature “Woo-Ah!” featured in every track. She has collaborated with Charli XCX, toured with Troye Sivan and earned praise from many in and out of the industry. The 26 year-old has quickly established her identity and attracted a strong fanbase.

Petras is one of few transgender musicians with any mainstream profile and probably one of the only ones who is well known enough to pull off a headlining tour. It is fitting for her to be touring the country and selling out so many shows during pride month, an encouraging accomplishment and reminder of how far we have come.

Petras had not only sold out her date in Philadelphia, she had also upgraded the venue from the considerably smaller Foundry to the Fillmore. Fans waited through the rain outside the venue to get as close to the stage as they could manage, to which Petras noted “The dedication jumped out!”

Click to view slideshow.

The show was opened by DJ Mazurbate who also works as Petras’ stylist. His set was the ultimate mix of pop queens and other queer legends. He even managed to weave in and remix the “And I Oop” meme at one point of the set. The crowd was loving it singing along to almost every track he mixed in, notably screaming along to the likes of Marina and the Diamonds and Ariana Grande.

Once Petras took the stage, though, the energy went up to a whole different level. The room was hot and humid — the pipes on the ceiling literally dripping by the end of the show — but it  stopped neither the crowd nor Petras from giving their all. The stage was masked in fog at points, but it gave an interesting aura to the set design: white Greecian columns — one emblazoned with “Woo-Ah” — and two LED video screens.

Petras sang her way through an 18 song set with four costume changes, backed by her producer/co-writer/hype man Aaron Joseph. She performed most of her singles and a song off her Halloween EP “Turn off the Light, Vol. 1.” Though her vocals were laced with auto-tune, it was fitting for the style of music, and the power in her vocal chords rang through. It was also impressive how they held up through her bouncing and undulating.

Click to view slideshow.

Her music is mostly high energy pop tracks, so she was moving throughout the duration of the show. By the end, she seemed to have tired a bit from the beginning, but she was still giving the performance her all, only slightly faltering at times in her vocals.

Petras’ performance even made me reevaluate some of her tracks I had written off previously. I found a new respect for songs like “Sweet Spot” and “Hillside Boys.”

Petras is definitely a force to watch with in pop music and is likely one to influence where it is headed. She is releasing a full-length project entitled “Clarity” June 28, which will feature three unreleased songs.

On June 3, the seniors in the music industry program here at Drexel University presented their senior capstone projects that they had been working on for eight months in Studio One at One Drexel Plaza. There were various types of projects, some based in audio production, some business plans, some research based and some that were a combination of the three.

One of these hybrid projects was a research paper and EP called “Artificial Feelings” done by students Erin Hession and Matt Kopyt. Hession and Kopyt used their project to explore the growing applications of artificial intelligence in the production of music. The result was a five song EP that will be released June 7.

Both Hession and Kopyt are in the business concentration of the music industry program and, therefore, have only received minimal training in music production and theory. They were inspired to explore how new artificial intelligence programs can be utilized by musical amateurs to create a commercial ready project.

“Erin and I aren’t very technically trained musicians,” stated Kopyt in the vlog series the two created to give a behind the scenes look at the project “We both have some type of musical inclination, but neither of us have been trained in a lot of music theory, but artificial intelligence will give us the ability to allow the computer to make a lot of those higher level decisions.”

The idea behind the project was to examine how the barriers for entry into the music industry could be drastically lowered with future improvements in these technologies. They also researched the history of artificial intelligence being used by musicians.

Throughout the production process of their EP, the two used open source scripts created by Google Magenta and Amper Music. These are two of many programs in beta testing available for use by the general public online.

Google Magenta is a suite of 13 artificial intelligence applications that can be used to make different aspects of a song. In their project, Hession and Kopyt utilized the Multitrack Chords application.

Amper Music is a program that allows users to set multiple parameters like mood, instrumentation, tempo and key to create a more customizable track that fits the creator’s vision. It was originally developed by composers in Hollywood to accelerate the soundtrack process.

Hession and Kopyt used these programs to create the chord progressions and melodies that their songs were built around. From here, they made arrangements in Logic from the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) files exported from the artificial intelligence programs.

Originally, the duo had expected artificial intelligence to serve a much bigger role in the creation of the album, but as they did further research and started working with the programs, they realized that the programs readily available to the public have limited outputs.

“We had set out to find programs that could compose an entire piece of work on its own with parameters set by us. It became apparent very early on that the technology necessary to achieve that goal is not available at this time,” the two wrote in the research portion of their project.

Hession and Kopyt composed vocal melodies and lyrics but relied on artificial intelligence for their initial song structures. The two composed and produced their songs over the course of winter term and mixed and mastered them throughout the spring.

During their presentation, Hession and Kopyt played samples from the EP and the initial file that was given to them by Google Magenta or Amper. The final product is an impressive collection of electronic R&B songs.

“I am extremely happy with the end product. Making music has always been a goal of mine. This project was the perfect opportunity to combine my goals with technology that is impacting the industry. There are very few artists exploring AI,” Hession stated about their EP.

Be sure to listen to the “Artificial Feelings” EP June 7 on all streaming platforms.

If you have seen some of the previews, you may think that this show is your classical musical comedy — not too unconventional — but just enough to make it appealing to the average musical viewer. But if you ever had a chance to see the show itself, you would know that “The Book of Mormon” is a jaw-dropping musical theater masterpiece.

“She is Coming.” “She is Here.” “She is Everything.”

“She is: Miley Cyrus.”

That is the title of Miley Cyrus’ upcoming album, due before the end of the year. Keeping up with the trend of serialized album releases, the former three are the titles of the album’s preceding three EPs. The first of which, “She is Coming,” drops June 7.

The new EP features 6 songs, all far from the sound of her last album, “Younger Now.” It is a refreshing change after the album failed to gain much traction beyond the first single “Malibu.”

The project features production from familiar collaborators, Mike WiLL Made-It and Mark Ronson, along with those new to Cyrus’ orbit like Andrew Wyatt, John Cunningham and Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA. The EP also has features from Ghostface Killah, Swae Lee and RuPaul. The broad collection of producers somehow creates a distinct, cohesive and genre-bending new sound to kick off Cyrus’ next chapter.

The EP starts with “Mother’s Daughter,” one of the strongest songs. It is part brag, part political statement and part mid-party sing along. It has the same nonchalant, blase swagger that “We Can’t Stop” brought to “Bangerz.” This, however, is not the rehashing of an old single. It has the pop and hip hop blend from “Bangerz,” but a more mature, aware and methodical approach to songwriting with an edge of rock.

Cyrus rides the trap hi-hat driven beat in a speak-sing flow during the verses, clips a perfectly catchy chorus and transitions to a rising belt for the post-chorus. The touch of co-writer Alma definitely adds to the track, but it is the strengths of Cyrus as a versatile personality that is really on display. This is a definite song of the summer contender.

While “Mother’s Daughter” hints at a dreamy space-iness, “Unholy,” “D.R.E.A.M.” and “Party Up the Street” all dive deep into it. All three songs are a commentary on the drug and party culture Cyrus criticized last album cycle when explaining why she left the hip-hop genre behind. It is hard to tell in these songs whether she is offering an embrace or reproach, but this ambiguity aids the tracks.

“Unholy” and “D.R.E.A.M.” were produced by John Cunningham who worked on most of the late XXXTENTACION’s songs. There is nothing strikingly unique about the elements of “Unholy,” but the coalescence of them with Cyrus’ delivery make it a hypnotic ballad.

“D.R.E.A.M.” interpolates the Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” to create a new message for a new generation that is dealing simultaneously with the gradual legalization of marijuana and the opioid crisis. Just as the song feels like it could fade out into a haze, it is interrupted by the abrupt introduction of Ghostface Killah’s verse. While jarring at first, when listening to the EP in order it serves as an easy transition into “Cattitude.”

“Cattitude” is the EP’s outlier pulling heavily from house music and queer culture. On the track, RuPaul and Cyrus appreciate their kitty cats and proclaim their sexual liberation. Both serve up some strong bars, but in a potentially feminist moment Cyrus chooses to reignite her feud with Nicki Minaj, spitting the line “I love you, Nicki, but I listen to Cardi.” It is a weird choice, and one that sticks out in the song overall.

“Party Up the Street” is Mike WiLL Made-It’s reunion with Cyrus. It is a much different track than any of the ones on “Bangerz” and feels much more influenced by Swae Lee’s presence than any of the other present parties. It is not exactly a pleasant listen, striking quite a few moments of atonality, but it is still a catchy track that feels perfect for the summer season.

The EP closes with “The Most,” produced by Mark Ronson and BJ Burton. This track has the heaviest country influence on it and feels like “Malibu’s” sister track. Miley Cyrus is able to really shine on ballads like this. She weighs each word with an effortless heft of emotion and makes her passion, lust and hurt palpable to the listener. Not to mention her vocals soar with grace. Though it is not likely to be one of the best performing tracks on the EP, it is definitely one of the most impressive from a songwriting and performance perspective.

“She is Coming” is a new evolution of Miley Cyrus. As an artist who has had re-invention steeped into her career since the beginning, Cyrus has managed another evolution while combining two of her eras together. Where “Younger Now” was woke and welcoming, “Bangerz” was drugged out and confident, “She is Coming” harnesses all of this energy to create a distinct, unique moment of music in a time when genres are increasingly hard to pin down.

It will be interesting to see how this first taste of “She is: Miley Cyrus” connects to the two upcoming EPs but for now, bask in the sun while listening to this summer-ready collection of tracks.

I would be lying if I called myself a “fan” of Elton John. I

I would be lying if I called myself a “fan” of Elton John. I have nothing against the man. I know a few songs here and there — “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man” for example — but it was a boat I missed and I always felt too overwhelmed to swim after it because of the sheer amount of music in his discography.

That being said, when I saw the first trailer for his musical biopic, “Rocketman,” I was intrigued right away. It seemed to be interestingly shot and have a lot of fantastical elements that led me to believe that it could be enjoyed and appreciated by anyone, not just fans. I’m happy to report that this is an overwhelmingly true statement. There’ no doubt that fans of the revolutionary singer-songwriter will get the most out of the experience, but there is a lot there for everyone else too.

The film stars Taron Egerton (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”) as Elton John (born Reginald Dwight) as he recounts the highs and lows of his life, from playing music to sold-out crowds in gaudy costumes to the turmoil of addiction, eating disorders and coming to terms with his sexuality. Jamie Bell (“Billy Elliot”) plays John’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin and Richard Madden (“Game of Thrones”) plays John Reid, John’s boyfriend and manager. They star alongside Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World,” “Black Mirror,”) who plays John’s mother, Sheila.

“Rocketman” is a film with a large range of emotion, staging, acting and pacing such that a single unfortunate performance could ruin the delicate balance it strikes. Luckily there are none to be found.

Egerton knocks it out of the park. This film shows Elton John at his darkest, most vulnerable moments and it’s the most range I’ve seen from Egerton to date. Not to mention the musical aspects of his performance blew me away. The casting directors were lucky to find someone who so closely resembles Elton John with a big enough name and who can also sing well. Though Egerton mimics John’s trademarked vocal stylings, it managed to never feel like an impression or disingenuous. The emotions portrayed through both script and song were distinct and motivated.

Though Egerton’s performance stands out, with him being on screen almost always, the rest of the cast was also brilliant. Both Bell and Madden brought interesting facets to their roles as John’s closest personal relationships. Madden managed to be both charming and sinister in a dastardly way I couldn’t help but be encapsulated by. As much as Egerton’s vocal performances shined, vocals were strong from the whole cast.

The movie plays out more like a musical than a biopic, much to its benefit. In many ways it succeeds where last year’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” failed. The focus was not on the creation of the music but on using the music to tell a story both visually and thematically. Though the tracklist worked its way through John’s hits in a somewhat chronological order, the music was used to attempt to portray characters’ emotions as they sang it. It wasn’t just Egerton singing song after song, some songs were made into duets or big group numbers that played out like conversations and gave way to some of the most interesting moments of cinematography in the film.

Early on, especially, the movie has unsurprising similarities to “Billy Elliott,” a musical film that Elton John had a hand in creating and wrote the music for. The film centered on a young boy in Northern England wanting to dance despite his father’s wishes, whereas John wanted to play the piano and also had a strained relationship with his distant father.

The whole movie is impressively shot, edited and mixed (always crucial with a musical,) but the musical moments certainly stand out. These are when the film fully incorporates the surreal, fantastical elements of its visual style. Reality often gave way to cool moments like John and the crowd floating at his first performance of “Crocodile Rock” at The Troubadour in LA or John navigating his way through a riotous crowd whilst singing “Border Song.” But it also took its time with some slower, lonelier moments like with “Tiny Dancer” and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.” These moments are some of the best in the film so I don’t want to spoil them but they’re all stunning and instill a sense of wonder and magic in the audience.

The characters are all multi-dimensional and compelling. Oftentimes side characters can fall by the wayside in films like this but the emphasis on John’s search for love in his life made his dynamics with those around him engaging. I also enjoyed the portion of the story of his life they chose to portray. The film centers on the early effects of fame on John’s life, both positive and negative. As addiction and loneliness eat away at him, we are brought on the journey he endured, which comes to a conclusion with his resolution to get sober. Script writer Lee Hall (“Billy Elliott”) cut out this window in his life that brings us on a specific and fulfilling journey.

It’s a special film that earns its place in the best ranks of jukebox musical films and musicals in general. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if we saw this as a Broadway show in a matter of years. For those who aren’t sure if it’s for them for whatever reason, I promise there is something great here for you.

Netflix has made some pretty bad horror movies recently. “Bird Box.” “Velvet Buzzsaw.” “The Silence.” These were all one dimensional card castles that fell extremely flat for a myriad of reasons. They lacked quality scripts, ideas, performances and visuals, for starters.

So, it was with very low expectations that I decided to watch Netflix’s new original — “The Perfection.” What I watched managed to blow far past my low expectations and enthrall me within moments. “The Perfection” was a wonderful homage to ‘70s and ‘80s horror-thrillers that had a creative, original idea to expand upon.

The movie stars Allison Williams (“Girls,” “Get Out”) and Logan Browning (“Dear White People,” ”Hit the Floor”) as cello prodigies who studied under the same mentor. Williams plays Charlotte, a woman who had to give up her cello studies to take care of her ailing mother who has now passed. Browning is her gifted replacement at the prestigious Bachoff music school, who has risen to a certain level of notoriety.

What first presents itself as a simple tale of jealousy taken to the extreme, grabs the viewer for an intense unrelenting ride through much more.

The film was directed by Richard Shepard, who co-wrote the script with Nicole Snyder and Eric C. Charmelo. The script is expertly crafted, weaving multiple breeds of horror film together into an intriguing hybrid. It is a stalker saga, a disease thriller, a home invasion and a revenge fever dream. It accomplishes all of this effectively through Shepard’s careful directing. The writing is creative and exploratory, but remains thoughtful and cogent.

The unsettling nature of the movie is scored perfectly with eerie strings and beats that keep you on edge. There are also some great moments of overlap where the track from one shot is left to play as different moments are interspersed through the scene.

Williams and Browning give excellent layered performances. These characters are harboring deep trauma and the two actresses express this in subtleties as much as in moments of blatant hysteria. Each convincingly commits to the violence and more outlandish moments in the plot.

It was a strikingly different role than anything I had seen Browning do before. Williams managed to recreate much of the greatness that she displayed previously in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.” I hope to see her in many more horror films. Steven Weber (“The Shining,” “Single White Female”) also gave a strong performance as the demanding mentor.

This movie is not for the faint of heart. It leans heavily into the gore and squeamish shock factor. I handle most gory things pretty well, but was disturbed by the violent sequence in the penultimate scene of the film.

It is the visual elements of this film that take it to the next level. The cinematographer Vanja Cernjul creates a bold aesthetic with rich colors and unconventional camera angles. While the gore leaves a lasting impression, it is the inventive shots of conversations and cello playing that fill the movie with tension and alarm.

Despite its best efforts to create a feminist statement, the movie’s plot is just out of the realm of believability for the message to really hit home. The plot can’t be held to the standards of a rational and realistic world, and as a result, it loses its ability to connect with the current political climate.

“The Perfection” is one of the best Netflix films to date. It is one of the few movies the company has crafted that has a clear voice, and the source material is strong enough to support it. I was really wowed and unsettled watching this film, and that uneasiness stayed with me after the credits rolled. I certainly recommend watching if your stomach is up to the task.