“Yeah, my music taste is pretty out there. I don’t really listen to ‘popular music.’ Do you know Anthony Fantano? No? Oh, he’s just this music critic I really like. Some pretty indie stuff. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m weird. I’m a weirdo. I don’t fit in.”
The above excerpt is what I probably sounded like as a freshman. Thank god I’ve learned I’m not special for liking Death Grips. Regardless, my former pretentiousness about music did expose me to some genuinely good artists. Here’s a few I still like.
“Waistline” by KAVARI, SALVALA
This transsexual UK DJ is primarily known for her ambient work, so her rare ventures into the realm of actual lyricism are always exciting. Still retaining her penchant for aggressive, bit-crushed production, the content of her lyrics literalizes what her music has been about all along: being choked until you throw up and getting punched in the stomach — in a good way! Since opening for Ethel Cain in London back in 2022, KAVARI has evolved her sound and fanbase while still remaining uniquely her own. Like many musicians, she’s living paycheck to paycheck. As a reminder: streaming, while undeniably convenient, is terrible for artists! If you really want to support smaller artists, go buy their merch, download their albums and show up to their shows.
“DA” by Shay
The Belgian rapper came into my orbit around the end of my first semester here at DePaul. Despite my inability to actually speak French, Shay’s rhythm and performance transcend language. When she spits out some syllables with such palpable venom, it doesn’t matter that I can’t fully grasp what she’s saying — I feel what she’s saying. The pace at which she raps is what makes her a standout in a sea of artists bragging about their accomplishments. Nobody can keep up with her without losing themselves in the tempo or running out of breath. She’s clear and fast and never lets up. Shay goes hard.
“Hard” by SOPHIE
Speaking of hard (hyuk hyuk!), the late SOPHIE was one of our most forward thinking producers. Their work with Vince Staples, Charli xcx, Madonna and countless others has lent an untold amount of value to music history. For my money though, their solo work is where they really shine. Sampling the sound of rubber against styrofoam with their trademark ear-piercing industrial banging to the backdrop of a whimsical twinkle gives this track about BDSM a bubbly feel. Re-listening to a lot of SOPHIE for this made me realize a lot of their work was about exploring their identity through sex. It never felt gross or uncomfortable — just intimate.
“La nuit est une panthère (The night is a panther)” by Les Louanges
A Quebecois enby exposed me to Les Louanges the summer before college and I fell in love. With the artist, not the enby. Not that they weren’t attractive, they were (long blonde hair and a jawline so sharp it could cut diamond), they just totally embodied the first paragraph of this article in the worst way. Even for me they were a bit much. Anyways, Les Louanges, with a strum of the bass, colors an otherwise creepy story about a guy forming a parasocial relationship with a camgirl into a melancholic exploration of how isolating the internet can be. At some point he hits the stylophone in such a way that it sounds like a cat meowing. It’s so cute!
“Dancing with your eyes closed” by Jane Remover
Sugar rush in music form. This song came out five days ago as a single to Ms. Remover’s first album in two years, “Revengeseekerz,” “Ghostholding” notwithstanding as that’s technically a part of her Venturing persona. Not to be confused with her Leroy persona. Or her pre-transition work as dltzk (which I think she’s reclaimed?).
Anyways, Jane has been featured on every DeJamz I’ve done so far, and for good reason: her experimentation as an artist allows her to create music that migrates from genre to genre without losing her signature style. Some would say her work is overproduced. To my ADHD-addled brain, it hits all the right spots. Catch her at the Grammys in a few years — just watch.
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