Weekend Wind-Down No. 3: MelodicDub
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
In the dubstep realm, “filthy drops” and “sick wubs” often overshadow the sonic landscape. EDM buzzwords aside, there are plenty of nooks and crannies at 140 beats per minute, and this week’s wind-down is dedicated to melodies and intricacies. While songs like Enigma Dubz’ “Make Up Your Mind” and Blackmill’s “Let It Be” could serve as definitions for the subgenre, others barely feel like dubstep at all – Phaeleh’s rework of Ludovico Einaudi’s “Walk” is so nuanced you’ll barely notice the sub-bass brush strokes.
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Weekend Warm-Up No. 3: Punk That Pops
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Nothing quite compares to the all-around upbeat nature of a well-crafted pop-punk tune. Major chord progressions, scything drum kicks, and positive to a fault lyrics delivered with a boyish (or girlish) smirk. My inner 10th grader couldn’t help but pump his fist and pretend every word was written to describe me. Whether on the heavy side – “Beatdown in the Key of Happy” and “The Downfall of Us All” drip with post-hardcore – or lighter fare – “Everything Is Alright” and “Plays Pretty For Baby” for starters – it’s all nostalgic, and it’s all too damn catchy.
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Weekend Wind-Down No. 2: Piano-Driven Tracks
-Words and list by Michael Hogan
Musically, I’m a sucker for two things: songs in 6/8 – widely agreed upon as the most epic time signature ever – and a good piano-driven track. Pianos add a certain degree of weight to a song, transforming the latent emotion contained within and allowing it to resonate in sparse, clear, reverby notes. A good piano part can work wonders on a song; give it a swing, drive it forward, or provide the perfect amount of melancholy as each note rings away into nothingness.
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Weekend Warm-Up No. 2: 30 Minutes Or Less
–Words and list by Michael Hogan
Like the inverse of the pizza delivery guys, prepare yourselves for an aural blitzkrieg this week. We crammed an hour’s worth of tunes into less than 30 minutes with a barrage of punk and pop-punk; from The Story So Far back to Alkaline Trio. For good measure we threw in one of the most frantic songs hardcore legends Converge have ever written, just in case the other nine songs weren’t quite fast-paced enough. So get up, jump around, break some shit, and enjoy your weekend.
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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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