Beryl – Bad Joke
Similar artists: Big Thief, Dry Cleaning, Julia Jacklin
Genre: Post Rock, Lo-fi Rock, Alternative Rock
Beryl have no time to double-guess themselves or to try and copy any of the trends that might ease their way to fame. Their latest single “Bad Joke” proves that their sole intention is to find themselves and make sense of regular living that seems to cascade around them.
A genius is the one most like themselves, after all. The old jazz guru might’ve been right there. And even though this quote is used often, it takes most of us a lifetime to figure this out. In an era where clone groups are getting to headline stadiums and where imitation often appears to be the quickest way to success, it is hard for artists to invest in their own imagination,
Beryl’s “Bad Joke” plays like a diary entry, but there are few artistic choices made here that are common. The vocals make their way into the mix like a slam-poetry recital waltzing across the noise of a busy room. Meanwhile, the instrumental takes twists and turns in a bid to hypnotize listeners directly into the story. It’s an approach that shouldn’t be studied but rather that should encourage others to follow their own muse.
hush no move – feel no shame for her
Similar artists: Car Seat Headrest, Orville Peck, Johnny Cash, Alvvays, Arcade Fire
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Lo-fi Rock, Garage Rock
hush no move sound like what The Velvet Underground might have been before they’d learned to play their instruments or before someone had taken a chance on professionally recording them. That is to say that if you listen closely, all of the great ideas are already there.
In fact, we may just be living in the Golden Age of DYI Pop Music and not even know it. Sure, it’s hard to keep tabs on everything that’s good. One can’t rely on record labels and major publications for information on that anymore. The good news, however, is that folks willing to dig deep enough will uncover artists who might not have received a from those gatekeepers in the past.
hush no move is Polish street-smart rock music that revels in its extremely lo-fi properties. This is music that sounds like it was made by a poet, moonlighting as a Lou Reed-like rockstar and recording songs from their kitchen table. There’s little here that’s forced or made to adhere to common standards. And in those ways, it is fascinating.
