Fluxblog 445: goodnight to the DGC era
Plus new songs by Freak Slug, Andrew Ashong, Low Hummer, and Jadasea & Laron
This week’s playlist is DGC ERA 1990-1999, a loosely chronological and mostly complete history of the Geffen imprint that defined alt-rock, featuring music by Nirvana, Hole, Beck, Sonic Youth, Weezer, Counting Crows, The Sundays, Teenage Fanclub, Sloan, Veruca Salt, White Zombie, Urge Overkill, That Dog, Boss Hog, Jawbreaker, Pell Mell, and many others. [Spotify | Apple | YouTube]
I have two requests of you! First, I’d like to encourage you to spread word about this newsletter if you can - I have no promotional machine behind this besides what I can do on social media, so every time you share a newsletter or a playlist I’ve made, it means a lot in terms of bringing what I do to new people. I’m not trying to make money here, I just would like for people who’d like Fluxblog and the playlist projects to find out about it, ideally through their friends and family.
Second, this is a list of all the playlists I’ve published so far in 2023. I’m curious which ones you’ve listened to the most, or liked the most, or learned from the most, whatever. I know which are the most popular, but I’m interested in individual experiences with this. You can simply reply to this email or add a comment on this post!
You can, of course, find all these playlists and more from previous years on my Spotify, Apple, and YouTube profile pages.
From Zero To In Love
Freak Slug “Sleepover Mood”
I know nothing about the creation of this song but it would not surprise me if the way Freak Slug sings the phrase “sleepover mood” started as one of those things where you click into a phrase and start singing it to amuse yourself. It’s in the way it feels loose and informal, and how the soul in the delivery comes from a slight ironic remove that allows for some plausible deniability in case the other person isn’t in a sleepover mood. The song is very vulnerable but that little bit of protectiveness feels so real and human, and makes the boldness of singing “you’ll go from zero to in love” later in the song hit with the right combination of flirty confidence and bashful sweetness.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
Andrew Ashong featuring Lex Amor “Washed In You (Wu-Lu Remix)”
The original version of “Washed In You” from three years ago sounds unfinished relative to this new Wu-Lu remix that takes the very strong bones of the melody and structure but dials up the ambiance way up. I particularly like the metallic clattering percussion parts contrasted with guitar and keyboard parts that surface in the mix for brief moments, and the way Lex Amor’s weary and uncertain voice serves as a counterpoint to Andrew Ashong’s earnest soulfulness.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
Does Every Decade Have This Feeling?
Low Hummer “Connected”
There’s no shortage of people attempting to write about how social media has impacted our lives, and a lot of the time it doesn’t fully work – too serious, too didactic, too overblown, too generally cringe, take your pick. Low Hummer make it work in this song by focusing on a central paradox – “I’ve never felt so connected, and alone” – and mostly just asking a lot of questions with no answers. Both singers sound bitter and confused and overwhelmed, and true to the conceit, like they’re singing at but not with each other.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
Jadasea & Laron “The Corner”
Laron’s production on The Corner is mostly quite disorienting, often suggesting the audio equivalent of extreme depth of field by contrasting super filtered bass with pitched-up vocal samples that blare over Jadasea’s rapping. There are moments in the title song that feel like they’re deliberately designed to knock the listener off balance, but despite the perverse mixing choices, it still holds together as this mutated version of, say, early Kanye.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
LINKS LINKS LINKS LINKS LINKS
• And Introducing is back from hiatus with an interview with Dan Boeckner that touches on his experiences in Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire, and several other bands, plus a lot of topics impacting working musicians at the moment. He also talks about making his first solo album, which will be out on Sub Pop next year.
• Lisa Tozzi wrote a great Rolling Stone profile of Sleater-Kinney focused on Corin and Carrie’s long deep friendship, which is a real treat as Lisa doesn’t get to write that much given that she’s usually an editor.
i haven't heard all of them, but my favorite is probably autumn nocturnes, because that was perfect music to read to on a sunday morning! going through the post-punk one right now, i think that's my second favorite.