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The Midnight Faces of Sergio Flores

Felipe — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 15:47:37 +0000

Slide in to your Monday with these appropriately easy to listen to tracks with enough sexy sax to boost your spirits (granted, they could always use a little more sax, but I’ll take it. Did I listen to “Careless Whisper” on repeat afterwards? Maybe I did, so what? That’s the sexiest sax. Did I google funny Sergio Flores Sexy Sax Man videos after that? Signs point to probably). Midnight Faces is a Los Angeles-based synthpop+rock band by way of Grand Rapids with a new album out last fall called “Heavenly Bodies.” The album seems to be Monday morning appropriate: not too intense, got its ups and downs, easy tempos to settle you down after a raucous and sardine can-like subway ride to work. Is it an album you’re gonna crave to listen to when you get home, no, most likely not. Not me at least. But would I put it on shuffle in the background while idly working, doodling, or cooking? Ya, I would / I currently am. Would you put it on while nighttime driving, preferably with the windows down? Most certainly, it’s a very LA album.

Well, Feli Says he’s back, with hopefully less hiatuses to come. Here’s two sexy sax tracks off of Midnight Faces’ “Heavenly Bodies”, and an extra dose of “Careless Whisper” for good measure.

Breaking News: LANY frontman can now afford sleeves

Felipe — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 15:15:23 +0000

About a year and a half ago I posted LANY’s first mega hit single “ILYSB” (I Love You So Bad) and info on how they started this band as an incognito Soundcloud account, and actually thought they were getting catfished when some rando UK labels came a’knockin (they weren’t). Now LANY is selling out shows from LA to NY (get it? LANY… no, for real, that’s what their name means. Look it up if you don’t believe me. They wanted a four letter name, and considered TTYL for a hot minute, then decided they “didn’t want to be 13 for the rest of our lives“. Smart choice.). So I guess, you’re welcome LANY, for getting your name out there and singlehandedly racking up your Spotify listens in to the millions. After appearing on FSL, their career skyrocketed (!! not surprising though really) supporting acts like Ellie Goulding, Twin Shadow, X Ambassadors, Halsey, and a whole slew of festivals. Well, their new single has a cool name too, and also the phrase I say when chickenheads come a’cluckin: “yeah, babe, no way.” And if you haven’t heard “WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS” (apologies on the all caps :-/), I’ve included it too.

Midnight To Monaco-One In A Million

Ashley — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 14:30:42 +0000

What do you get when you bring together a super producer for Empire of the Sun and a Canadian crooner with a voice that will make you weak in the knees? The sweetest fusion of doo-wop, hip beats, and sparkling synths courtesy of Midnight to Monaco. Donnie Sloan and Ricky Ducati sometimes refer to their unique sound as “nu-wop” and they’ve certainly done a bang up job of re-imagining 50s doo-wop. The duo effortlessly melds classic retro aesthetics with current pop sensibilities to make a sound that is at once familiar, but ultimately something completely new, exciting, and ready to be consumed by the masses.

“One In A Million,” their latest musical gem, has the catchy hooks and danceable electronic beats that make a song instantly addicting. Ducati’s voice immediately lures the listener in, and, coupled with Sloan’s expert production, will have you hitting repeat before the song is even over.

So go ahead–press play, put on repeat, and dance yourself into the weekend.

Don’t be a Bleach; get Bleached

Felipe — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 15:30:19 +0000

LoFi gritty beach tunes are all the rage these days and LA seems to produce them with a certain regularity. Sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin write sun-drenched LA rock songs and form the foundation of (surprise, surprise!) LA outfit Bleached (named “Bleached” for always bleaching their jean jackets and blonde hair – shoulda called themselves the “Bleach Boys”). The only time they can write their emo love songs is when they’re going through some weird times (no one wants to listen to you sing about how happy you are! How unrelatable! … I guess unless it’s rap and country; spinners and bottles and jacked up trucks and hot ladies are all happy AND relatable. So nvm my theory I guess). Anyways, Jen (that’s what her buds call her) wants to be in a relationship, but being in a band and on the road is super tough, so she gets inspired to write while on tour. Add that with being a Scorpio… and ya… watch out for that rollercoaster. Here are some Scorpio buzz words thanks to Zodiac-Signs-Astrology.com: loyal, jealous, passionate, resourceful, suspicious, observant, manipulative, dynamic, and unyielding. Wow… FBI/serial killer!? Both? Oh ya. first two quotes: “Scorpios are fiercely independent” and “Relationships with Scorpios are always complicated […] a series of extremes.”

Don’t Say Feli didn’t warn you

90 Pounds of Pete is obvi Beach Bod ready

Felipe — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 13:30:22 +0000

(Now) LA (sort of) duo 90 Pounds of Pete have a really weird name, and are kinda making me a bit body conscious. How am I supposed to relate with a 90 pound body type? This song is so good, but do I have to be that little to enjoy it!? I’m a full grown adult male! (although I have a 90 pound boy’s sense of humor) Who is this Pete?! Or is he heavier and only using 90 pounds of his otherwise “normal” frame..? So like, maybe he’s not giving us his all or whatever? Like, I couldn’t be bothered to give you all 190 pounds of me… you only get 47.4% of my attention and effort. I don’t know! I’m so confused. Pete’s from Chicago, and usually dudes there are pretty American in size. Maybe he’s in it just for the acronym 90PoP / 90’s PoP. Idk Idk… I’m gonna go binge lemon juice and cayenne pepper for the next month and think about this…

Summer of WWFS is officially over, but not in spirit

Coast Modern – Hollow Life

Chelsea — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 22:29:11 +0000

Before you press play – put on your headphones, turn the volume all the way up, and let “Hollow Life” bring you some place else.

“Runnin runnin runnin from my problems”

“You’ll be sittin pretty baby hold on tight”

“Hollow Life,” by newcomers Coast Modern, is the kind of song that you turn on to tune out everything and truly get entrenched in the music. The soothing vocals, unique and entrancing, are paired with extremely relatable lyrics – everyone can relate to lyrics about growing up too fast, the fear of facing problems, and well, life in general.

The LA-based songwriters Luke Atlas and Coleman Trapp of Coast Modern explain that the creation of their project was based purely on the whims of their creative spark. While writing songs for other people, Luke and Coleman had an epiphany – why not write for themselves, on their own terms? “After we stopped shooting at an invisible moving target and had no agenda,” they explain, “that’s when the sound came.“

“Hollow Life” is an anthem for restless souls everywhere. Buried within the synth-pop track is frustration and a longing for an escape. Coast Modern has made their debut with this track and it’s safe to say that these guys are on their way up.

Allison Weiss – Golden Coast

Felipe — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 13:00:12 +0000

Indiepopper and Tegan & Sara vocal double, Allison Weiss, created a Kickstarter in 2009 to press her debut full length, and after crushing her monetary goal, she became a sensation for online promotion (NYT, Wired, etc). Regarding her new album, out in October, she says she’s finally making music that sounds like the music she listens to… which I guess is a good thing..? :-/ But also kind of a bad thing, right? I mean, if it sounds like what you listen to, then you’re just mimicking instead of taking elements and making them wholly unique and your own. But can anything ever be wholly your own? Or has everything already been created and we’re just a combination of our experiences and influences? If so, then how can one take credit for anything they do? Can we look at anything in a void, and separate it from all other things to appreciate it for it’s singularity? But how can you not consider the past? Ugh… IDK, my heads spinning just thinking about “art” and what that even means… Either way, the Georgia native, now LA resident, has some nice catchy indie tunes. Bye.

Feli Says Summer Forever #wwfs

Transviolet – Bloodstream

Felipe — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 20:04:45 +0000

So these duders debuted this summer with a smasher “Girls Your Age” (although “smasher” probably isn’t the right word to describe its electro-minimalism) and have racked up tons of listens. Before they hit the web with their first single, the LA-foursome actually sent out clear plastic cassette tapes with the words “Just Press Play” on them to tons of randos in LA (how’d they get their home addresses??), like some horror flick where you watch a movie and die in exactly one week – except this time you like, listen to some horrible cursed screeching barnyard torture music, then your ears fall off and you die exactly one song later. That’s basically the only possible outcome when you get a package like that, or maybe a musical ransom note… But honestly, who even has a cassette player anymore to find out their dad’s been kidnapped while smoking peyote in Silver Lake? Either way that song they sent out was awesome, and now their back at it again with their second single: Bloodstream. Oh ya, this is Transviolet.

Feli Says Summer Forever #wwfs

Jaymes Young & Phoebe Ryan – We Won’t

Felipe — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 14:00:31 +0000

West Coast man Jaymes Young teamed up with Phoebe Ryan for this slow burning break up track about how they “just can’t seem to get it right” that I’ve weirdly been listening to on repeat for the last week or so (especially now that it’s gloomy and rainy outside). Aren’t rainy summers the BEST? As he writes about his multitude of heartbreaks (a-la Taylor Swift but with less power angst and supermodel cameos) he created a Tumblr where he posts emails from fans about how they’ve connected with his music and helped cope and stuff. So if you’re feeling particularly forlorn and/or devastated by that guy/gal crushing all ur hopes and dreams of a perfect Montauk Summer together even though you only met twice before he made out with your roommate, shoot him an email…. You may get internet famous.

What Would Feli Say? #wwfs

HOLYCHILD – Money All Around

Felipe — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:56:16 +0000

LA-band HOLYCHILD call themselves “brat pop” – but also refer to themselves as “if Katy Perry, Andy Warhol, and Robyn had a menage-a-tryst and out popped a perfect pop baby for adults only.” Sounds a little pedophile-ish but whatever, I can flex with it. They were offered a 25K radio deal if they changed their sound to be “Icona Pop meets Daft Punk”, but they said “no way Jose! we’re not changin’ for the man!” Just by chance “Jose” was the name of their manager at the time. So they fired him and pushed forward. Hopefully they’re not still broke… but their tracks are rackin’ up clicks, so I think they’ll be ok!

What would Feli Say? #wwfs