Nine Non-Headliners You Need To See At Moonrise Festival
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Moonrise Festival is less than a week away, and we’re getting pretty damn excited about it. We’ve already picked out our top three outfits, made enough Kandi to choke a team of glovers, and are putting the finishing touches on our sign (“KASKADE: If u can read this, check out our boobs!”).
Jokes aside, we’ve been waiting for this weekend since the unfortunate cancellation of last year’s event, and now that we have the single day lineups we can make more concrete plans – and start imparting our musical tastes upon our readers. We know you’ll be banging your head at Bassnectar and crying your eyes out at Kaskade, but here are nine can’t-miss below-the-fold acts you should familiarize yourself with so you get the most out of that ticket price.
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Weekend Wind-Down No. 1: Trip-Hopping
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Here’s the first in a series of playlists we’ll be running weekly via Spotify: our Weekend Wind-Downs. In the words of the oft-marginalized Semisonic, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” No matter the amount of debauchery, the number of mistakes, and the richter-scale magnitude of your hangovers, weekends end (hell, it’s in the name). We’re here to take that back-to-reality transition and make it a bit smoother for you in ten-song, hour-long segments.
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Weekend Warm-Up No. 1: The Funky Shit
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Here’s the first in a series of playlists we’ll be running weekly via Spotify: our Weekend Warm-Ups. Averaging ten songs, clocking in at around an hour in length, we’re envisioning these collections finding your ears as you zoom home from work, or as your early evening pregame escalates towards whatever may be the main event. It’s not like you need help getting stoked for the 48 hours you wish lasted all week, but we figure a kick-ass soundtrack can’t hurt.
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Review: Branx Brings The Funk On Debut EP “Look But Don’t Touch”
–Written by Kevin Madert
When foraying into the ever widening future-funk landscape, it’s good to have two things: serious talent and serious friends. Branx (formerly DCarls) has more than enough of the former to not even need the latter, but it doesn’t hurt when everyone from Gramatik to Opiuo is singing your praises. Case in point: the producer’s debut EP under his current moniker, Look But Don’t Touch. Over five tracks he pilots the listener on a funk-fueled odyssey, often changing the tempo but never straying from the crisp basslines and shimmering synths that shape the album tonally.
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