Quick Note: I’m now writing a monthly column for the music platform Nina. It’s called New Musical Express. The first edition is out now; it features a top five list, an interview with the artist Raque Ford about the music she was listening to in the studio as she worked on a series of plexiglass dancefloors, the “Harsh Noise Pick of the Month,” and other shit. It’s a journey through the confusing mind of John’s Music Blog. Read it here.
Xeno “11/11/2023 at The Hive (First Show)”
I have found the future of Zoomer no wave, and it comes in the form of a Flagstaff, Arizona band whose first show exists on YouTube and has less than 200 views. Two piece: guitar and vocals plus shambling drums played via a pre-recorded backing track. The guitar player wears makeup and a jester cap; he doesn’t seem to care all that much about tuning. The singer is highly political and does some solid crowd work. I have no idea who this band is influenced by, but that’s not really the point.
Harto Falión “1doorclose, 1dooropen”
A trilogy of producers (EvilGiane, Chainheld, Trip Dixon) combine to manifest a track with a Timbaland-caliber bounce. It’s hard not to wonder what kind of topline Missy might’ve been able to work over it, but Harto Falión’s aloof emo mumble is catchy enough. Really, it’s all about that bassline. It’s John’s Bassline of the Week.
OZIGIRI “Party People Must Die”
Let’s check in on the state of Japanese extreme rave metal. Here is a psycho cut that I found on the 155 newsletter, which is an extension of a podcast that, for a time, was exclusively about unpacking Blink-182 songs. “Party People Must Die” sounds nothing like Blink; it sounds like all of the most absurd music in the world put together; it sounds like making one of those mutant fountain drinks at Taco Bell where you combine all the sodas on tap and you hope for the best. But instead of Baja Blast and Pepsi, it is breakcore and grindcore… And all the other kinds of core.
Rap Rock Alert: King Isis takes a 2023 classic and gives it a Deftones-esque overhaul. “What if Sexyy Red was sludgy” is what the TikTok text might say. This is the sound of Ozzfest 2024. Earlier in the week, I watched a Canadian movie called Rock N’ Roll Christmas. Confusingly, it was about country music. It starred a former cast member of 7th Heaven. While I was watching the movie, I kept trying to Shazam some of its original music (for the blog), but it was nowhere to be found on the internet.
Hearstopmiami, FearDorian “INTOXICATED”
“INTOXICATED” is a different take on shoegaze rap. Producer FearDorian is always flipping the wildest guitars. Here, he finds a half-time lean over something rare and hazy; the beat works well with Hearstopmiami’s digital nasal. “Don’t call me a SoundCloud rapper/My shit on Apple and Spotify.”
Mean Jeans “I Don’t Give a Shit Anymore”
When it comes to contemporary Ramones worship, Mean Jeans are at the top of the pack. Look, either you can stomach this shit or you can’t, but I can—oh, I can. Midlife crisis pop punk at its finest.
MIX OF THE WEEK: I. Jordan “Rinse FM 10/23/23”
I. Jordan is part of a core Manchester crew of DJs that understand how to play honest-to-god party music. Jordan’s Rinse hour is eclectic, unrelenting, and in the 150 BPM range. I’m enjoying it, but I drank too much coffee today, so now I’m going to have to turn it off and go lay down.