On June 3, 1997, New York’s Wu-Tang Clan released its second album, “Wu-Tang Forever.” The release, which has since earned platinum certification four times over, signaled a shift of power and prominence in the music industry that would influence the genre’s landscape indefinitely.
After achieving widespread commercial success with its debut record, “Enter Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” in ’93, the Wu-Tang Clan took an extended hiatus. The group’s members used this time to write and release several solo projects. Wu members RZA, Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ghostface Killah, GZA and Raekwon each released a solo album.
Four years after Wu-Tang emphatically entered the hip-hop scene, group leader and producer RZA called the clan back together to make another record. This time, however, the time spent working on their individual projects had instilled a new confidence in each member’s ability. They had all grown into their own.
The group returned with “Wu-Tang Forever,” a double LP that allowed its members to have an opportunity to showcase their newly-honed lyrical skills. This new confidence is heard on the the record with standout performances from every member. While the record featured memorable verses from Inspectah Deck, GZA and Method Man, Ghostface Killah’s verse on the track “Impossible” stood above the rest. His verse, which describes the traumatic event of his friend Jamie dying in his arms, won hip-hop magazine The Source’s Rap of the Year award.
Most of the record incorporated a lyrical approach often referred to as “free association,” where rappers form the narrative of their lyrics around a strain of conscious thought. The Wu’s were the first to popularize this rapping method.
This form of rapping is widespread in contemporary hip-hop. In the mid 2000s, Lil Wayne used this style to record many of his records. He even stopped writing down his lyrics altogether at a later point in his career. Young Thug — the face of the new subgenre known as “mumble rap” — also refrains from writing his lyrics. Instead, Thug draws pictures to remember his rhymes. The current face of rap himself, Drake, wrote a song with the same title as the Wu’s sophomore release.
Watch the video for “Triumph” below:
Along with its style and flow, the subject matter of “Wu-Tang Forever” has heavily influenced the last two decades of rap. Unlike “Enter Wu-Tang,” the group’s second record dealt with serious issues of violence and poverty that the members had experienced while living in New York City. These were not new issues discussed in rap music, but the Wu’s continued the lyrical tradition by depicting their world perspective on the group’s sophomore record.
As impressive as “Wu-Tang Forever’s” lyricism is, its production makes it one of the most important hip-hop albums ever released. RZA, who produced the Wu’s entire first album and handled almost all of the production on the group’s second album, is the one to thank for this.
On the album, RZA implores many of the techniques he tested on the Wu members’ solo projects in previous years. Contrary to anything on the group’s debut record, RZA used an array of instrumentation with layered strings accompanied by a multitude of synthesizers. The most innovative production technique is the use of sped-up samples from old R&B and soul hits, which creates a high pitched sound. Famed producers such as Kanye West and Nas have since included this technique in their recording arsenals.
Through impressive lyricism and innovative production, Wu-Tang Clan’s sophomore album influenced the last two decades of hip-hop music more than any other record. From recording and writing processes of contemporary artists to the production styles of the genre’s legends, the influence of the celebrated record is comprehensive — making the title “Wu-Tang Forever” accurate.
R&B singer Frank Ocean won’t perform at this year’s Sasquatch! music festival, but the lineup still features an impressive assortment of indie and alternative rock bands who will provide great tunes for what appears to be a beautiful weekend in the Gorge.
Headliners LCD Soundsystem, 21 pilots and Chance the Rapper are known for their captivating live performances and will certainly put on a good show. But people don’t just go to festivals for the headliners. One of the best parts about attending a music festival like Sasquatch! is discovering new music. For those headed to the famous Gorge Amphitheater and looking to get a headstart on their journey of music discovery, here’s the Emerald’s preview of must-see artists performing at Sasquatch! this weekend and a Spotify playlist featuring songs from all the bands too.
Friday, May 26
Kaytranada
There won’t be a great deal of hip-hop-inspired artists performing at Sasquatch! Luckily, Haitian-Canadian DJ Kaytranada will attempt to fill that void with grooving beats and choppy samples from his debut album, “99.9%.” Don’t let Kaytranada’s title as a “DJ” lead you to believe that he’s an EDM artist — because he’s not. Instead, let the former Soundcloud standout take you on a spiritual journey through his dynamic, hypnotizing music. Don’t be surprised if Chance the Rapper interrupts Kaytranada’s set with a performance of the duo’s recently released collaboration, “They Say.”
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Whether you enjoy listening to Charles Bradley’s music or not, you have to admit that he has the most interesting life story of any of the artists performing this weekend. From living in poverty in his youth to hitchhiking across the continent to working as diner chef to almost dying from an allergic reaction to penicillin, Bradley has done pretty much everything imaginable throughout his nearly 50-year career. His live performances — inspired by Bradley’s idol, James Brown — give a spark of old-school funk and soul music. The 68-year-old’s vibrant personality will make for an energetic and interactive performance.
Saturday, May 27
MGMT
MGMT is a must-see act, but don’t fret if you don’t catch their set this weekend; you’ll most likely have another opportunity to see the band at Sasquatch! soon. Having played the music festival numerous times in the past, American rock group MGMT are Sasquatch! veterans at this point. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden founded the electronic-psychedelic group during their time spent at Wesleyan University in the early 2000s. Since then, MGMT have released four studio albums and added a mirage of additional band members that accompany their live performances.
Vulfpeck
Comprised of former University of Michigan students, Vulfpeck is known for their strong rhythm section and intricate instrumental arrangements that make up their fun, energetic sound. Reminiscent of 1960s funk collectives, Vulfpeck’s music features a quick pace, creative harmonies from the keys and unforgettable bass lines that provide a solid foundation. Also known for their memorable festival performances, Vulfpeck is sure to provide the Gorge with a fantastic set on Saturday night.
Big Gigantic
Electronic Dance Music duo Big Gigantic are quite different than most other EDM artists. Their live performances incorporate an over-the-top light show, heavy bass drops and the constant pounding of synths. But the way Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken of Big Gigantic achieve these feats is rare: Along with the traditional DJ turntables, the Colorado-based group uses a full acoustic drum kit and an alto saxophone, giving a new life to their live performances. Their performing style and the fact they’re one of the only EDM artists playing at Sasquatch! make them a must-see act.
Klangstof
Indie-rock group Klangstof became the first Dutch band to perform at Coachella when they appear on the festivals GOBI stage earlier this year. The group — led by lead singer and founder Koen Van de Wardt — started to gain mainstream success after releasing its 2016 debut record, “Close Eyes to Exit.” Wardt’s ability to blend simple, melodic guitar riffs with a symphony of keyboards and synths makes for an overwhelming sound that is sure to provide a memorable performance.
Sunday, May 28
Car Seat Headrest
Residing in the heart of the Northwest, Seattle-based trio Car Seat Headrest broke onto the popular indie-rock scene with their 2016 introspective record “Teens of Denial.” The band’s breakthrough release is much in thanks to its lead singer and architect, Will Toledo. Toledo’s self-depicting lyrical imagery on the record hit home amongst introverts and loners across the world. Car Seat Headrest’s live performances capture Toledo’s modesty and humility, providing a casual space where fans can enjoy the group’s catchy hooks and lyrical ingenuity. Plus, drummer Andrew Katz graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012.
Chicano Batman
There are many ways to describe Chicano Batman’s music. Some characterize it as alternative indie-rock with 70’s soul and 60’s psych influence; others say it’s fast-paced Latin tropical-rock with Motown influence. But it might be easier to just describe Chicano Batman’s music as really good. The four-piece Los Angeles-based group uses their variety of influences to achieve a shockingly distinct sound in a profession that is becoming increasingly more cookie cutter by the minute. The band — known for wearing formal attire during their performances — will be a perfect act to wake up to on the sometimes tiring third day of a festival.
Follow Zach on Twitter and check back for our daily Sasquatch! recaps this weekend.
R&B singer Frank Ocean won’t perform at this year’s Sasquatch! music festival, but the lineup still features an impressive assortment of indie and alternative rock bands who will provide great tunes for what appears to be a beautiful weekend in the Gorge.
Headliners LCD Soundsystem, 21 pilots and Chance the Rapper are known for their captivating live performances and will certainly put on a good show. But people don’t just go to festivals for the headliners. One of the best parts about attending a music festival like Sasquatch! is discovering new music. For those headed to the famous Gorge Amphitheater and looking to get a headstart on their journey of music discovery, here’s the Emerald’s preview of must-see artists performing at Sasquatch! this weekend and a Spotify playlist featuring songs from all the bands too.
Friday, May 26
Kaytranada
There won’t be a great deal of hip-hop-inspired artists performing at Sasquatch! Luckily, Haitian-Canadian DJ Kaytranada will attempt to fill that void with grooving beats and choppy samples from his debut album, “99.9%.” Don’t let Kaytranada’s title as a “DJ” lead you to believe that he’s an EDM artist — because he’s not. Instead, let the former Soundcloud standout take you on a spiritual journey through his dynamic, hypnotizing music. Don’t be surprised if Chance the Rapper interrupts Kaytranada’s set with a performance of the duo’s recently released collaboration, “They Say.”
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Whether you enjoy listening to Charles Bradley’s music or not, you have to admit that he has the most interesting life story of any of the artists performing this weekend. From living in poverty in his youth to hitchhiking across the continent to working as diner chef to almost dying from an allergic reaction to penicillin, Bradley has done pretty much everything imaginable throughout his nearly 50-year career. His live performances — inspired by Bradley’s idol, James Brown — give a spark of old-school funk and soul music. The 68-year-old’s vibrant personality will make for an energetic and interactive performance.
Saturday, May 27
MGMT
MGMT is a must-see act, but don’t fret if you don’t catch their set this weekend; you’ll most likely have another opportunity to see the band at Sasquatch! soon. Having played the music festival numerous times in the past, American rock group MGMT are Sasquatch! veterans at this point. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden founded the electronic-psychedelic group during their time spent at Wesleyan University in the early 2000s. Since then, MGMT have released four studio albums and added a mirage of additional band members that accompany their live performances.
Vulfpeck
Comprised of former University of Michigan students, Vulfpeck is known for their strong rhythm section and intricate instrumental arrangements that make up their fun, energetic sound. Reminiscent of 1960s funk collectives, Vulfpeck’s music features a quick pace, creative harmonies from the keys and unforgettable bass lines that provide a solid foundation. Also known for their memorable festival performances, Vulfpeck is sure to provide the Gorge with a fantastic set on Saturday night.
Big Gigantic
Electronic Dance Music duo Big Gigantic are quite different than most other EDM artists. Their live performances incorporate an over-the-top light show, heavy bass drops and the constant pounding of synths. But the way Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken of Big Gigantic achieve these feats is rare: Along with the traditional DJ turntables, the Colorado-based group uses a full acoustic drum kit and an alto saxophone, giving a new life to their live performances. Their performing style and the fact they’re one of the only EDM artists playing at Sasquatch! make them a must-see act.
Klangstof
Indie-rock group Klangstof became the first Dutch band to perform at Coachella when they appear on the festivals GOBI stage earlier this year. The group — led by lead singer and founder Koen Van de Wardt — started to gain mainstream success after releasing its 2016 debut record, “Close Eyes to Exit.” Wardt’s ability to blend simple, melodic guitar riffs with a symphony of keyboards and synths makes for an overwhelming sound that is sure to provide a memorable performance.
Sunday, May 28
Car Seat Headrest
Residing in the heart of the Northwest, Seattle-based trio Car Seat Headrest broke onto the popular indie-rock scene with their 2016 introspective record “Teens of Denial.” The band’s breakthrough release is much in thanks to its lead singer and architect, Will Toledo. Toledo’s self-depicting lyrical imagery on the record hit home amongst introverts and loners across the world. Car Seat Headrest’s live performances capture Toledo’s modesty and humility, providing a casual space where fans can enjoy the group’s catchy hooks and lyrical ingenuity. Plus, drummer Andrew Katz graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012.
Chicano Batman
There are many ways to describe Chicano Batman’s music. Some characterize it as alternative indie-rock with 70’s soul and 60’s psych influence; others say it’s fast-paced Latin tropical-rock with Motown influence. But it might be easier to just describe Chicano Batman’s music as really good. The four-piece Los Angeles-based group uses their variety of influences to achieve a shockingly distinct sound in a profession that is becoming increasingly more cookie cutter by the minute. The band — known for wearing formal attire during their performances — will be a perfect act to wake up to on the sometimes tiring third day of a festival.
Follow Zach on Twitter and check back for our daily Sasquatch! recaps this weekend.
There are plenty of bands who write songs about isolation and loneliness, but few bands truly embrace those motifs as much as Dutch indie band Klangstof. The group’s lead singer and founder, Koen Van de Wardt, spent the majority of his teenage years living in an isolated part of Norway after his family moved from Amsterdam when he was 14. Most adolescents would likely resent their parents for such a move, but Wardt — a natural introvert — enjoyed the period of his life spent in Norway.
During that time, Wardt was able to focus on writing music, which he had almost no experience doing before the move. He taught himself how to play guitar, bass, piano, synth and drums. Soon, Wardt was recording demos and songs on his computer. He didn’t know it then, but those demos would one day turn into Klangstof’s 2016 debut record, “Close Eyes to Exit.”
The album, which is full of overlapping synths, echoing bass tones and simple guitar melodies, was heavily influenced by the time Wardt spent in the lonely backwoods of Norway. His lyrics on the record depict a man who is uneasy with complete contentment living in isolation.
Since then Wardt has led Klangstof around the globe, becoming the first Dutch band to ever play at Coachella and opening for The Flaming Lips on a nationwide tour along the way. Looking back, it’s ironic that Wardt’s self-depicting lyrics of introversion have connected him with thousands of fans all over the world and led him to places he could’ve never imagined.
The Emerald caught up with Van de Wardt ahead of Klangstof’s show with the Flaming Lips at the Roseland Theater on May 12. This article has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Emerald: I read you are the first Dutch band to play at Coachella. What does that mean to you?
Koen Van de Wardt: Yeah! It’s pretty special. I think we never had the support we were hoping for in our home country as we do in the US. Everything kind of started over here and in Holland no one knew about us until we were announced for Coachella. Then people in our home country figured out we were the first Dutch band to play there. All of a sudden we kind of got all the support we were hoping for so it was kind of cool to finally be recognized in our home country.
Most of the shows we play with the Flaming Lips are at smaller venues where there’s never been a Dutch band performing. It’s been kind of cool to be these “pioneers” of indie rock out of Holland.
E: I heard that you got pretty emotional after that Coachella performance. There were even rumors that you started crying. What made that show so emotional for you guys?
KW: We were just kind of looking forward to it for half a year so it was kind of a long run until the actual festival. We knew it was going to be a very big one for us and there was a lot at stake. There was a lot of people from the press coming and everyone from the label was coming so you really don’t want to mess up that first Coachella weekend. So basically I think it was all of the pressure that was on us and then just us playing a really good show. So all of that pressure turned into emotions. To be honest, I wasn’t crying, but we had a lot of people crying backstage. So that was a really cool moment.
E: How do you prepare for a show?
KW: I’m always very silent two or three hours before the show. I’m just there, concentrating on the show, playing the set over in my head. No one can really talk to me. That usually happens for bigger shows. For smaller shows, we always like to play board games before we go on stage. I guess we’re not those rock stars who do drugs so we just sit there and play a board game instead.
E: What board games do you guys like playing?
KW: Our favorite is a game called Munchkin. I don’t know if you know it.
E: No, I don’t know it. Is it kind of like Monopoly?
KW: No it’s a game where you just kind of fuck with each other. It’s the best game in the world. So we usually play that, but I just bought a game called King of Tokyo, or something. So we’re gonna try out that one tonight I think.
E: From what I’ve gathered reading some of your past interviews, you have sort of an introverted personality. Would you agree with that?
KW: Yeah, totally. I’ve always had kind of a hard time connecting with people. Like if I could choose between going to a party or sitting in my room making music, I would always choose the last one. I don’t know what it is, but I usually just enjoy being by myself more than I do being with friends. I don’t know where it comes from, maybe I just love being on my own making music. I guess I’m just a weirdo.
E: You’re definitely not a weirdo. There are a lot of people out there who feel the same way.
KW: That’s the funny thing. I always thought I was the only one feeling like that so I kind of wrote the record… Much of the record is about that feeling. Ever since the release I kind of get people saying the same thing and it’s cool to know that more people think the same way. It’s very cool to know what your fans are thinking. They are always very open with me since I’m the one making the music. It’s pretty cool that you can really connect with your fans on that level.
E: How does that introvertedness and preference to be on your own affect your ability to perform in front of large audience like Coachella?
KW: It’s funny, whenever I’m on stage I don’t really get that feeling anymore. I kind of go into “show mode.” I feel very secure. I know what I’m doing when I’m making music so that makes it way easier for me to be there. If I were to stand on the stage doing something I’m not comfortable with, if I was just talking or something like that I would totally creep out. So it’s basically doing something I’m comfortable with makes it a lot easier for me.
E: You wrote most of the music from the last record while living in isolated Norway. What made you want to move to such an isolated area and how did it influence the music you wrote during that time?
KW: Well, I was only 14 years old when I moved with my parents so it was pretty much their decision when I moved from Holland to Norway. So I didn’t really have a choice, but it definitely helped me a lot with music. I wasn’t doing any music before I moved just because there was so much going on in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. There’s no real need to block yourself off to make music. So as soon as we moved to Norway — it’s very isolated and there’s not so much you can do, so I got kind of stuck to all the Radiohead records and my guitar.
Because there’s not that many people around you kind of have to play all the instruments and record it yourself. So I just spent seven years trying to make a record. That was my goal for the time I lived in Norway. It was just a very cool, creative process to do everything yourself. I think it saved me in many ways. I had a great time living there even though I had no one around. It was really cool.
E: Could you walk me through the writing process for that record?
KW: First of all, it was a very slow process because I never was intentionally working on a record. It was just making songs anytime all the time. Then I had like five or six hours of music I had made over the last seven years that had slowly turned into some songs. The nice thing about the process was I never had a way of making music. It was just whatever came to mind. Sometimes it was kind of making a synth riff or sometimes it was just playing with the guitar or sometimes I had a vocal riff that worked really well. I just always tried to do whatever came to my mind, instead of really finding a way that worked for me. I just tried to leave it very open and do whatever comes to mind.
E: You wrote the last record by yourself, but now you’re touring with a full band. Do you prefer writing alone or with a band?
KW: That’s kind of where the introverted thing comes in. I find it really hard to just write songs with the band from scratch. Like to just start singing out of nowhere or stuff like that I still find really hard. So what I like to do now is write little demos on my computer and as soon as it’s getting somewhere I get the band in to start jamming. I think that’s just kind of something that works really well for us now.
It’s also way more inspiring for me to have a band around. All the band members are way better on their instruments than I am. So it’s very cool to see them translate what I have on my computer into a proper song. I think that just the whole writing process for the next record will be way easier and more fun. So I’m looking forward to that.
E: In a recent interview you said your next record is going to be about girls. Is that true?
KW: (Laughs) No. I don’t think so. We might get one song in there about girls. It’s kind of true though. The first album was very much about the isolation and now that whole isolation thing is gone since I’m on the road so much. I don’t really have those same feelings that I had when I wrote the first record. [The next album] has to be about something else that’s on my mind, but that can be anything. I just hope it’s not going to be girls.
E: In anotherinterview you said that you’ve been listening to more electronic music and that your next album is going to be more experimental. What direction is your next record headed?
KW: Well that’s the cool thing. I’ll always be stuck in this Radiohead thing, which is they’ve done everything, so that’s also pretty vague. The cool thing about having a band is they bring all of their own interests in. The guys listen to a lot of hip-hop and a lot of electronic music, which kind of triggers me as well. The way they play drums is a bit more urban than the way I would do it myself. I’m very open to try that out to see if it works. I want the next album to sound different and I think it already will be by working with these guys. I think it’s going to be very different. You don’t want every record to sound the same so it’s a good thing to get all of these weird influences out in the music now.
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Since forming in 2008, the only thing that’s been consistent about Australian rock group Pond is its high quality of music.Throughout its lifespan, the band has featured a rotating cast of musicians — which includes Tame Impala founder Kevin Parker and Tame touring bassist Cameron Avery — and a wide range of musical sounds that stem from a variety of recording techniques. Vocalist Nick Allbrook — who is the linchpin of the group — guitarist Jay Watson, bassist Joe Ryan and keyboardist Jamie Terry are the only founding members still in the band.
Read the Emerald’s interview with Cameron Avery here.
Pond recorded its first album, “Psychedelic Mango,” on an 8-track in Allbrook’s parents’ basement. The band’s sophomore release, “Corridors of Blissterday,” was recorded with a live, eight person band in less than a week. Both of those records featured an indie, psychedelic-rock sound that the band refers to as “neo-psych space rock.” Pond’s third album, “Frond,” took a drastic musical style change. The record featured heavier elements of pop than ever before.
Several genre leaps and lineup changes later, Pond finally found its first mainstream breakthrough with its 2012 album, “Beard, Wives, Denim.”
Pond’s seventh studio album, “The Weather” takes a slight departure from their indie sound and enters the realm of trippy rock with stronger elements of psychedelic rock. The record’s heavy synth, disjointed breakdowns and digitized vocals lay a solid foundation; however, Pond’s ability to intertwine melodies and harmonies that shouldn’t sound good but somehow do is the instrumental cornerstone of the record.
This stylistic change can be partially attributed to Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, whose 2015 album, “Currents,” also took a deeper dive into the psych/trippy rock genre. Parker, who used to be Pond’s drummer, produced “The Weather.” This collaboration doesn’t come as a surprise; Parker also produced Pond’s “Man It Feels Like Space Again,” but his influence is more prevalent on this record.
The album kicks off with Allbrook singing a challenge for the world to launch all of its nuclear weapons on “30,000 Megatons” over an arpeggiated synth riff. The song’s title and chorus is a reference to the 30,000 nuclear warheads in the Earth’s arsenal. The song was originally supposed to be released with the album, but the band decided to release it the day after Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States.
“Sweep Me Off My Feet” and “Paint Me Silver” take a lighter, almost comedic approach to the commonly written about concept of love. The songs are short and sweet, but both feature a strong, cycling harmony. The lyrics provide a nice break from the stark nature of the rest of the album.
The record takes a steps back into its grimness with “Colder than Ice,” which tells of meth infiltrating the band’s suburban hometown of Perth. The societal critique continues through the rest of the album, but especially with with the satirical “Edge Of The World Pt. 1.”
“A/B,” is really just two songs that contrast each other well enough that the band combined them into one track. The first half of the song features Allbrook singing about hypocrisy in America and Australia over a punk-esque bass and drum line. Allbrook describes an “angel” who has fallen into the grasps of drugs and is accompanied by a grand piano in the song’s latter half.
“Zen Automation,” “All I Want For Xmas (Is a Tascam 388)” and “The Edge Of The World Pt. 2” deal with modern societal issues such as superficiality, over-reliance of material items and drug use. “Zen Automation” also features the best two lyrics on the album. In the second stanza, Allbrook sings “Holy shit is that Sir Ian McKellen leaning from the clouds / Shooting lightning from his eyes all across the Burmese crowds?”
The final song and titular track was released as the album’s lead single earlier this year. “The Weather” begins with a heaving build-up and a cycling guitar melody. Allbrook begins the verse and chorus that compare life to a “worst-case scenario survival game.” He uses this game as a metaphor for making the best of a world that is full of violence, drugs and poverty.
The track ends with an epic guitar solo that overlays the opening melody, bringing the whole song together. “The Weather” perfectly captures the essence of the album and provides a sense of closure for the listener.
While last year saw a slew of musicians breakthrough into the mainstream spotlight, Canadian producer David Pimentel had possibly the quietest, but most successful year of his career. As the rest of the world continued to run per usual, the producer from British Columbia helped write some of 2016’s biggest hits and picked up a Juno award along the way.
Pimentel, better known by his stage name, Pomo, produced Anderson .Paak’s hit “Am I Wrong” along with the Mac Miller and .Paak collaboration, “Dang!” Later that year, Pomo won a Juno for the best electronic album in Canada of 2016. Pomo released his first single of 2017 last month with the track “Fall Together. The song features British singer Harrison Brome, who will be accompanying Pomo on his upcoming national tour. The two will be making a stop at Holocene in Portland on May 10.
The Emerald spoke with Pomo ahead of his show in Portland. This article has been lightly edited for clarity.
Read the Emerald’s interview with rapper Oddisee here.
Emerald: You kicked off the “Fall Together” tour in your hometown of Vancouver, B.C., last month. How’d that show go?
Pomo: That show was awesome. It was kinda like unique show because we did it with a full band, but yea it was really fun.
E: Is adding live instruments to your live performances something you like to do regularly? What do you think the presence of live instruments adds to your performances?
Pomo: I think watching a band play live is more entertaining and people get more out of seeing a live band work together. It’s also kinda fun to see the songs that you know interpreted by a band. I noticed that when I do shows with a live band the [crowd’s] energy is always really high. So it’s always something that’s really fun to do.
E: Are you going to have the full band tour for you for the remainder of the tour?
Pomo: It’s going to be a duo, me and Danny McKinnon (guitar) But we also have more stuff. I’m bringing more keys and we both have SPD drum pads.
E: When you record your music do you use any live instruments?
Pomo: It’s kind of a mix. I start with an idea pretty much straight up on the computer because it’s to get my ideas down. Then when the song develops and I think it’s turning out to be a good song, we’ll start to add shit. We’ll start to add guitar or maybe record a couple percussion things and then add them in after. I find that recording stuff and then adding it in after gives a new life to the beat. It also helps it not sound so digital and ‘in the box’ computer kind of thing. [Live instruments] just add character. It’s an easy way to make it your own.
(Riun Garner)
E: For years there was a movement away from using live instruments in the electronic music genre, but recently there’s been a trend of DJs reverting back to having instruments in their recorded music. Do you think this trend is signalling a resurgence of live instruments being used in your style of music?
Pomo: 100 percent. That’s exactly it. I’ve noticed the same thing. Now everyone can DJ and I feel like once things get to a point where everybody can do them it’s not as interesting. It’s not as exciting anymore. Whereas I feel like a few years ago there was more ‘mystery’ around DJing and around playing live electronic stuff, but now the ‘mystery’ is kind of uncovered. So I feel like people are looking to the next thing that’s exciting and live instruments is something that you can’t fake. You either can play it or you can’t. So it gives you an edge if you can do it. I feel like people are definitely trying to do that to bring up their live sets.
E: You’ve opened for Anderson .Paak in the past and now you’re headlining your own tour. Does your approach change depending on if you’re the opener to a show or the main act?
Pomo: It definitely changes. The thing with opening is you have to base your set around the rest of the performances, so you have to keep it fairly straightforward and simple. It’s not your show so you don’t get as much time for a soundcheck. You essentially have to make space for the headliner When you’re the headliner, you have more freedom and a wider range of things you can do. We’re definitely thinking about that when we prepare for the show by trying to make it more interesting and step it up a bit.
E: Not a lot of producers go on tour. Why do you decide to perform your music live?
Pomo: It’s kind of always what I’ve done. I used to play in a lot of bands and we always did shows since we were like 14 years old. I started taking music more seriously when I started playing in bands. It just kinda made sense. When Pomo started I was DJing after our band’s sets.
E: Does your approach to making a beat change when you’re working with a vocalist or rapper compared to producing a purely instrumental record?
Pomo: When I work with other people I usually like to do it together with the person in the same room because you’re able to get to a point when you’re both happy. Whereas when you’re kind of doing it online and you shoot someone over a beat they’re going to judge it differently. If you do the same beat with the person and worked with them there it works better.
But basically the approach is when I work with other people I love to be in the same room and do it that way so can both get on the same page. I feel like a lot of people who work online are the type of people who have a huge beat catalog of a ton of beats. So they’ll just send the artist a huge folder and the singer will just kind of choose what they want, but that’s not really the way I work. I don’t really crank out a lot of beats. I just don’t work that way. It’s hard for me to work online and I haven’t had a huge success rate working that way.
E: It sounds like you consider yourself more of a songwriter than a beatmaker. Would you agree with that distinction?
Pomo: Yeah 100 percent. I would definitely consider myself more of a songwriter.
E: You just dropped the single “Fall together” last month. The song features UK vocalist Harrison Brome. What was it like working with him?
Pomo: That was fun. I really wanted to work with him because I heard his music and I knew we had a show together — and that show was actually booked before we ever worked together. So I was like, ‘well, we’re playing together so let me look into this guy more’ and once I did, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy’s really dope!’
He’s only 20 years old and already so talented. So we got in the studio together and worked with a couple beats. He just works at such a high level for his age. He’s really tasteful with melodies and the session just went really well because he was so easy to work with. I think we made like two other demos and then one of them ended up being one that we both liked. We both liked the “Fall Together” demo, which all started with a loop and a rough melody idea.
The thing with Harrison is that he’s so passionate—and so am I—we were going back and forth trying to get the song somewhere where we were both happy. It was kinda cool because they have definitely been a few revisions. There’s like three or four versions on my computer that sound totally different than the one that was released. It was an interesting experience, but it was really fun.
E: Is the single a precursor to a bigger project you’re planning on releasing sometime in the near future?
Pomo: It’s just the single for right now. I am going to release an album sometime this year, but right now it’s too early to say if it’s going to match up with the rest of the songs on my album. There’s definitely going to be more Harrison Brome stuff on my album.
E: Do you have a date set for the album’s release?
Pomo: I can’t say for sure when this year, but I’m hoping for this summer. Late summer would be great.
E: Last year you won the Juno award for the best electronic music album in Canada. What was the experience of winning that award like? Do you feel any pressure after winning that award?
Pomo: Winning that award was awesome. It definitely helps with opportunities that I can get and applying for grants and working with different people. So it’s been really great, but I don’t really feel any pressure because when that album came out I never thought it would go this far.
When I put out my EP “The Other Day” it was really shortly after I got signed and I wanted to just put something out to kind of as an introductory piece for me. I didn’t really treat it really ‘songwritery’ because it’s just kind of loops and beats and grooves rather than full made songs for the most of it. So in my head I was kind of like ‘this is a dope way to introduce myself, but I didn’t expect it to win a juno or anything. So I feel like by the time that happened I was kind of like ‘I can’t believe this album made it that far’ but I feel like I’ve already come a long way since then so I guess I don’t really think about [the pressure] that much. I just try to keep making the best stuff I can and just try to stay musically inspired because that’s been a hard thing for me the past couple of years. Like doing music 100 percent professionally ends up being harder to stay consistently inspired.
E: What kept you from being fully inspired?
Pomo: You know, you think back to the old days of making music, like not professionally, when you had to work eight-hour days and you’re just dying to get home to make a beat and then now I’m just trying to get out as much music as I can. So it’s hard to stay inspired. I always find my best beats are when I have a really solid idea of what I want it to sound like and what I want, but that got kind of hard recently. I feel like I’m hitting a new wave now of what I want to do and I have a good, clear picture of what kind of sound I want to go for … So I feel like I’m getting back in the zone.
Tickets for Pomo’s show at Holocene on Wednesday, May 10 are available here. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $18 day of show. Follow Zach on Twitter: @Zach_price24
While last year saw a slew of musicians breakthrough into the mainstream spotlight, Canadian producer David Pimentel had possibly the quietest, but most successful year of his career. As the rest of the world continued to run per usual, the producer from British Columbia helped write some of 2016’s biggest hits and picked up a Juno award along the way.
Pimentel, better known by his stage name, Pomo, produced Anderson .Paak’s hit “Am I Wrong” along with the Mac Miller and .Paak collaboration, “Dang!” Later that year, Pomo won a Juno for the best electronic album in Canada of 2016. Pomo released his first single of 2017 last month with the track “Fall Together. The song features British singer Harrison Brome, who will be accompanying Pomo on his upcoming national tour. The two will be making a stop at Holocene in Portland on May 10.
The Emerald spoke with Pomo ahead of his show in Portland. This article has been lightly edited for clarity.
Read the Emerald’s interview with rapper Oddisee here.
Emerald: You kicked off the “Fall Together” tour in your hometown of Vancouver, B.C., last month. How’d that show go?
Pomo: That show was awesome. It was kinda like unique show because we did it with a full band, but yea it was really fun.
E: Is adding live instruments to your live performances something you like to do regularly? What do you think the presence of live instruments adds to your performances?
Pomo: I think watching a band play live is more entertaining and people get more out of seeing a live band work together. It’s also kinda fun to see the songs that you know interpreted by a band. I noticed that when I do shows with a live band the [crowd’s] energy is always really high. So it’s always something that’s really fun to do.
E: Are you going to have the full band tour for you for the remainder of the tour?
Pomo: It’s going to be a duo, me and Danny McKinnon (guitar) But we also have more stuff. I’m bringing more keys and we both have SPD drum pads.
E: When you record your music do you use any live instruments?
Pomo: It’s kind of a mix. I start with an idea pretty much straight up on the computer because it’s to get my ideas down. Then when the song develops and I think it’s turning out to be a good song, we’ll start to add shit. We’ll start to add guitar or maybe record a couple percussion things and then add them in after. I find that recording stuff and then adding it in after gives a new life to the beat. It also helps it not sound so digital and ‘in the box’ computer kind of thing. [Live instruments] just add character. It’s an easy way to make it your own.
(Riun Garner)
E: For years there was a movement away from using live instruments in the electronic music genre, but recently there’s been a trend of DJs reverting back to having instruments in their recorded music. Do you think this trend is signalling a resurgence of live instruments being used in your style of music?
Pomo: 100 percent. That’s exactly it. I’ve noticed the same thing. Now everyone can DJ and I feel like once things get to a point where everybody can do them it’s not as interesting. It’s not as exciting anymore. Whereas I feel like a few years ago there was more ‘mystery’ around DJing and around playing live electronic stuff, but now the ‘mystery’ is kind of uncovered. So I feel like people are looking to the next thing that’s exciting and live instruments is something that you can’t fake. You either can play it or you can’t. So it gives you an edge if you can do it. I feel like people are definitely trying to do that to bring up their live sets.
E: You’ve opened for Anderson .Paak in the past and now you’re headlining your own tour. Does your approach change depending on if you’re the opener to a show or the main act?
Pomo: It definitely changes. The thing with opening is you have to base your set around the rest of the performances, so you have to keep it fairly straightforward and simple. It’s not your show so you don’t get as much time for a soundcheck. You essentially have to make space for the headliner When you’re the headliner, you have more freedom and a wider range of things you can do. We’re definitely thinking about that when we prepare for the show by trying to make it more interesting and step it up a bit.
E: Not a lot of producers go on tour. Why do you decide to perform your music live?
Pomo: It’s kind of always what I’ve done. I used to play in a lot of bands and we always did shows since we were like 14 years old. I started taking music more seriously when I started playing in bands. It just kinda made sense. When Pomo started I was DJing after our band’s sets.
E: Does your approach to making a beat change when you’re working with a vocalist or rapper compared to producing a purely instrumental record?
Pomo: When I work with other people I usually like to do it together with the person in the same room because you’re able to get to a point when you’re both happy. Whereas when you’re kind of doing it online and you shoot someone over a beat they’re going to judge it differently. If you do the same beat with the person and worked with them there it works better.
But basically the approach is when I work with other people I love to be in the same room and do it that way so can both get on the same page. I feel like a lot of people who work online are the type of people who have a huge beat catalog of a ton of beats. So they’ll just send the artist a huge folder and the singer will just kind of choose what they want, but that’s not really the way I work. I don’t really crank out a lot of beats. I just don’t work that way. It’s hard for me to work online and I haven’t had a huge success rate working that way.
E: It sounds like you consider yourself more of a songwriter than a beatmaker. Would you agree with that distinction?
Pomo: Yeah 100 percent. I would definitely consider myself more of a songwriter.
E: You just dropped the single “Fall together” last month. The song features UK vocalist Harrison Brome. What was it like working with him?
Pomo: That was fun. I really wanted to work with him because I heard his music and I knew we had a show together — and that show was actually booked before we ever worked together. So I was like, ‘well, we’re playing together so let me look into this guy more’ and once I did, I was like, ‘Damn, this guy’s really dope!’
He’s only 20 years old and already so talented. So we got in the studio together and worked with a couple beats. He just works at such a high level for his age. He’s really tasteful with melodies and the session just went really well because he was so easy to work with. I think we made like two other demos and then one of them ended up being one that we both liked. We both liked the “Fall Together” demo, which all started with a loop and a rough melody idea.
The thing with Harrison is that he’s so passionate—and so am I—we were going back and forth trying to get the song somewhere where we were both happy. It was kinda cool because they have definitely been a few revisions. There’s like three or four versions on my computer that sound totally different than the one that was released. It was an interesting experience, but it was really fun.
E: Is the single a precursor to a bigger project you’re planning on releasing sometime in the near future?
Pomo: It’s just the single for right now. I am going to release an album sometime this year, but right now it’s too early to say if it’s going to match up with the rest of the songs on my album. There’s definitely going to be more Harrison Brome stuff on my album.
E: Do you have a date set for the album’s release?
Pomo: I can’t say for sure when this year, but I’m hoping for this summer. Late summer would be great.
E: Last year you won the Juno award for the best electronic music album in Canada. What was the experience of winning that award like? Do you feel any pressure after winning that award?
Pomo: Winning that award was awesome. It definitely helps with opportunities that I can get and applying for grants and working with different people. So it’s been really great, but I don’t really feel any pressure because when that album came out I never thought it would go this far.
When I put out my EP “The Other Day” it was really shortly after I got signed and I wanted to just put something out to kind of as an introductory piece for me. I didn’t really treat it really ‘songwritery’ because it’s just kind of loops and beats and grooves rather than full made songs for the most of it. So in my head I was kind of like ‘this is a dope way to introduce myself, but I didn’t expect it to win a juno or anything. So I feel like by the time that happened I was kind of like ‘I can’t believe this album made it that far’ but I feel like I’ve already come a long way since then so I guess I don’t really think about [the pressure] that much. I just try to keep making the best stuff I can and just try to stay musically inspired because that’s been a hard thing for me the past couple of years. Like doing music 100 percent professionally ends up being harder to stay consistently inspired.
E: What kept you from being fully inspired?
Pomo: You know, you think back to the old days of making music, like not professionally, when you had to work eight-hour days and you’re just dying to get home to make a beat and then now I’m just trying to get out as much music as I can. So it’s hard to stay inspired. I always find my best beats are when I have a really solid idea of what I want it to sound like and what I want, but that got kind of hard recently. I feel like I’m hitting a new wave now of what I want to do and I have a good, clear picture of what kind of sound I want to go for … So I feel like I’m getting back in the zone.
Tickets for Pomo’s show at Holocene on Wednesday, May 10 are available here. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $18 day of show. Follow Zach on Twitter: @Zach_price24
R&B singer Frank Ocean will not perform at this year’s Sasquatch! music festival due to “production issues beyond his control,” the festival’s website announced Friday morning. Electronic rock group LCD Soundsystem will replace Ocean as the festival’s Friday closing act.
Ocean, whose long-awaited sophomore album, “Blonde,” hit number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 200 the week it debuted, was scheduled to headline the festival along with Chicago artist Chance the Rapper and alternative rock band Twenty One Pilots. The announcement comes just three weeks before the festival, which will take place over Memorial Day weekend.
Ocean was announced as a headliner in December, months prior to the full lineup release. His Sasquatch! performance would have been his first full-length live performance in over three years. He is still scheduled to perform at Hangout music festival on May 19, the Northside music festival in Aarhus, Denmark on June 9 and the Lovebox festival in London on July 14.
The announcement drew mixed reactions from ticket holders. Some took to social media to express their frustration with the last-minute lineup change. Many demanded refunds for the tickets they had purchased months in advance via social media.
“The news didn’t come without disappointment,” University of Oregon Sophomore Keenan Siminski told the Emerald. “He was arguably the biggest name in the lineup… Seeing Frank would’ve been great, especially since he’s known for not performing very often.”
Listen to LCD Soundsystem’s newly released “Call The Police” below:
Siminski said he and his friends still plan on attending the festival, despite the lineup change.
While many people seemed to be annoyed by the change, others showed excitement for LCD Soundsystem’s first performance at the festival since 2010. LCD released two new songs last night and are in the process of making its first new album since 2010’s “This Is Happening.”
Sasquatch event correspondents did not provide further comment on the matter.
Read below to see Twitter reactions to the lineup change:
@Sasquatch@lcdsoundsystem Love Frank but yay for LCD Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Sasquatch! announces LCD Soundsystem to replace Frank Ocean as headliner three weeks before festival
Amir Mohamed, better known by his stage name, Oddisee, is a member of a rare breed of rapper that seems to be dying out with every passing year: He produces all of his own music, his lyrics focus on social issues and he’s never used the n-word on a track.
Oddisee’s music isn’t the only reason he’s an anomaly among the current pool of rappers. His background is quite different from many of his peers. He grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, which is the wealthiest African American county in the United States. There, he was raised by an African-American mother and a Sudanese father who taught him the virtues of Islam.
Now 32, Oddisee has turned a small niche audience into a large cult following. He music is a well-blended mix of R&B and hip-hop that he has developed with his prolific work ethic, which he says he got from his mother, who hasn’t missed a day of work in 20 years.
On Tuesday, Oddisee will perform with his band Good Company at WOW Hall. His current tour is in support of his 11th studio album, “The Iceberg,” which was released in February. On the record, Oddisee attempts to break down social barriers. He says the best way to solve social issues in the world is for people to find common ground, which he attempts to accomplish with his music.
“I wanted people who listen to me from all across the world to realize that many of the same issues that are occurring in the states are actually occurring elsewhere,” Oddisee told the Emerald in a phone interview. “People think that things are exclusive to them or their trials and tribulations in general are exclusive to their people or them personally, when in fact, these are things that everyone is experiencing around the world.”
Oddisee attained this insight by traveling the globe and meeting people from different cultures throughout his 15-year professional career. In his travels, he has gained a more holistic perspective of the world around him and is worried about the direction that the society is headed.
Oddisee performs in 2015. He and his band Good Company will perform at WOW Hall on Tuesday, May 9. (Wikimedia Commons)
“We’re moving to being an ultra-conservative society,” Oddisee said. “A lot of fear mongering is used to persuade the masses and it made me worried about the lack of critical thinking that I’ve witnessed across the globe. People are taking things at face value and not taking the time to understand why things are the way they are.”
As a Sudanese-American Muslim man, Oddisee felt compelled to write an album that deals with issues that are pertinent to his life and his experiences. Although he has taken a political stance with his most recent album, Oddisee says it is unreasonable to burden musicians with the responsibility of inciting political discourse through their lyrics.
“We’re artists,” Oddisee said. “We didn’t go and get a degree in Poli-sci, but many artists are expected to act is if they have. I don’t necessarily think that’s fair.”
While it might be unfair to hold artists accountable for their music to be socially conscious, Oddisee says that he holds the music industry accountable. According to him, plenty of musicians have important messages but don’t receive the same opportunities and resources as other artists.
“A majority of the world doesn’t have access to a higher education,” Oddisee said. “A good portion of the world is below the poverty line, yet we expect everyone to be socially conscious. But we know that oftentimes social consciousness comes with privilege of education and access to information. A good portion of the world doesn’t have access to that content, nor do they have privilege.”
For musicians like Oddisee, their greatest challenge is reaching audiences who don’t have the resources to understand the complicated concepts that are often featured in their songs. Making a song that delivers an important message and is also something that people want to listen to is easier said than done.
“I think artists like Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper and even myself are doing a good job of making music that’s entertaining and appealing, but also delivers a message at the same time,” Oddisee said. “If you are an artist who is concerned about the welfare of people who don’t have the same amount of resources as other human beings, there are ways of incorporating a message that is digestible. It’s not the easy route obviously, but there are ways of doing it.”
Oddisee said certain audiences are unable to relate to his music, and people who haven’t had the resources to contemplate the social issues he’s rapping about don’t listen to his music because they face a different reality than he does. Instead, those people listen to music that reflects their environment. Oddisee said they are worried about surviving on a day-to-day basis and it’s difficult for them to think about issues that don’t have an immediate effect on their lives.
Oddisee will continue to spread messages through his music while trying to reach those untapped audiences, but his career goal is a much simpler task:
“Making music; Making art. I want to live to make music. That’s it.”
Tickets for Oddisee’s show on May 9 at WOW Hall are available online for $12 and $14 at the door.
At just 23 years old, Toronto-native Jahkoy Palmer has already tasked himself with creating the next popular genre of music. His wide variety of musical influences, international perspective and everyday life experiences all contribute to his unique genre-blending sound that he says will help him achieve his ambitious goals.
“I definitely see myself becoming the face of a new sound and a new style of music,” Jahkoy told the Emerald in a phone interview. “I’m just going to keep pushing and pushing until I’m able to deliver.”
When he grew frustrated by the limitations of the small music scene in his hometown of Toronto, Canada, Jahkoy decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional musician. When he moved, Jahkoy only had one mixtape released on Soundcloud.com, but it didn’t take long before a talents scout noticed him. Def Jam records signed the young musician in 2016.
In the past, Jahkoy described his music as having a “bipolar” sound, but he prefers not to use that term anymore considering it is a serious mental disorder.
“[That term] was meant to express the idea that my music is all over the place,” Jahkoy said.
Now, he likes to use the metaphor of a fruit salad to describe his sound:
“[In a fruit salad] you’ve got grapes, you got cantaloupe, you got all sorts of things,” Jahkoy said. “In my music, there’s R&B, reggae, elements of house; there’s everything. I love to make music as a whole, I never limit myself to one genre,” Jahkoy said. “I just make music and I try to make it good.”
Jahkoy’s hit-single “California Heaven” opened at No. 38 on Billboard “emerging artists” chart. (Def Jam records)
He credits this ability to navigate through multiple genres to his wide variety of musical influences. His personal catalog ranges from British pop artist Craig David to more mainstream artists such as Andre 3000, Rihanna and Frank Ocean. Although these artists’ music comes from several different styles, they all helped break down barriers for others.
“Artists like that weren’t afraid to tap into different genres and become the outcast. They weren’t afraid of not being the norm,” Jahkoy said. “They set a path for other artists to spread their wings and do more.”
In October 2016, Jahkoy released his first official EP, “Foreign Waters.” The seven-track record features a variety of smooth R&B, up-tempo pop and overall feel-good California vibes. Throughout the album, Jahkoy describes the experience of moving to L.A. and his love for his new home. This is apparent on the album’s hit single, “California Heaven.” The Rico Love-produced track features a guest verse by rapper ScHoolboy Q.
“[Producer] Rico Love and I thought it would be really cool to have one of my favorite California-native artists on the record,” Jahkoy said. “So we reached out and two days later we had a verse from him.”
Jahkoy is currently promoting his record as one of the opening acts for Kehlani’s Sweet Sexy Savage tour. British R&B singer Ella Mai and Japanese alternative rock band Noodles serve as the tour’s other openers.
He first met Kehlani when they both performed at Lollapalooza last year. Since then, the two have developed a close friendship. They have even discussed collaborating in the future but haven’t had time to write anything due to their rigorous tour schedule.
This is his first nationwide tour, but performing with a high-profile artist is nothing new for Jahkoy. He has opened for The Chainsmokers, The Neighborhood, and Tinashe in the past.
So far every stop on the tour has sold out, according to Jahkoy. He added that audiences usually show up early and stay for the duration of the performances. Jahkoy says he tries to make sure every crowd member is having a good time with his energetic stage presence.
After each show, Jahkoy likes to go out into the audience and meet some of his fans. To him, that’s what being an artist is all about: making music, performing music, then experiencing and sharing the music with the crowd.
“An artist isn’t anything without their fans,” Jahkoy said.
Critics say that despite his natural talent and impressive first release, the Toronto-native turned California-rising star needs to develop his sound in order to capitalize on his recent success. Jahkoy says he’s only just begun.
He likes to use writing a book as a metaphor for his musical career.
“I feel like I’m just finished writing the intro and am about to start the first chapter,” Jahkoy said. “This tour is going to set the tone for the rest of the book.”
Jahkoy will perform with Kehlani, Ella Mai, and Noodles on Friday at WOW Hall. The show is sold out.
Several genre leaps and lineup changes later, Pond finally found its first mainstream breakthrough with its 2012 album, “Beard, Wives, Denim.”
Posted in Uncategorized
