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Alternative

Alternative music (also called alternative rock, alt-rock or merely alternative) is a style of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. In this instance, the word refers to the genre’s distinction from mainstream rock music. But the term’s original meaning was broader, referring to a generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to either the musical style or simply the independent, DIY ethos of punk rock, which in the late 1970s laid the groundwork for it. The term is a broad umbrella term consisting of music that differs significantly regarding its sound, social context, and regional roots. By the end of the 1980s, magazines, and zines, college radio airplay, and word of mouth had increased the prominence and highlighted the diversity of it, helping to define some distinct styles (and music scenes) such as noise pop, indie rock, grunge, and shoegaze.
– Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia

The Ten Counter Arguments

by The Uncivil Society

The Uncivil Society


When interpreting philosophers’ works and transforming their ideas into lyrical poetry, I understand all too well how their ideas can become didactic. Compounded by my tone-deaf vocal delivery, I have found that in every project, when I get to track 8, I am sure the listener needs a break. Ludwig Wittgenstein said it himself that “when one cannot speak, one should be silent.” Having an instrumental track is the best way to respond!

Because music is the management of vibrations that we can audibly perceive, this spectrum itself has a range of limitations. In creating instrumentals, I research a connected idea and use it as a sonic template. I found that even using the same chord structures of these songs, my limitations and aesthetics yield a truly different result!

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If I Were To Have A Daemon, It Would Be A Squirrel

by Liv Luce

Liv Luce


Writing music has been a constant in my life. I was the kind of kid who sang constantly to myself, my friends, my parents, stuffed animals, anyone, anything. For a while, I had a pen pal with whom I’d exchange song lyrics. I’m pretty sure there was one about a baby swallow I tried and failed to nurse back to health in my parents’ attic.

I began taking piano lessons around the age of nine. Being an introvert, I spent many a school break in the music rooms playing and composing songs. Then, aged 12, I plucked up the courage to approach other musicians about forming a band. It was then that Suzie (guitarist in my first band, Caliber) introduced me to Radiohead and Nirvana. I learned bass and have been in bands ever since.

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The Comfort Of Recording At Home

by Sqwerv

Sqwerv - Hors D'oeuvres Part 1


We are Sqwerv, a Denver-based four-piece band that loves improvising and jamming. Our latest project is a departure from our previous works – the new EP “Hors D’oeuvres Part 1” is the first of a three-part project. For a while, we referred to it as the “psych album,” but we went with “Hors D’oeuvres” as it’s just a taste of what we have coming out this year.

We are very much committed to artistic exploration and boundary-pushing; our close friends who have heard snippets of the songs are surprised it’s the same band. We love that.

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Easy Listening for Difficult People

by Ancient Champion

Ancient Champion


It all began with a 30-year hiatus. In 1993, I was living in Los Angeles. My band had broken up, and I was an acclaimed songwriter. I was sharing a house with my regular studio engineer, a house protected by an adherence to some Wild West frontier law — a legal loophole, really, that kept us temporarily in bank-repossessed homes before the hammer fell, and we moved on to another bank-repossessed home in limbo.

Diametrically opposed to the musical situation we’d left, which was a type of pastiche Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – abrasive, dynamic, feedback and polyester-driven mayhem, we were recording and beginning to assemble what we considered could be the quietest band in the world. Maybe you recall this was right in the middle of the Seattle grunge era. Those were terrible times for music. We were in the opposition. You’d maybe hear what we were aiming for these days in the likes of Timbre Timbre, but back then, in that environment, it seemed dissolute and unwarranted. And most likely unwanted.

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Prairie Flowers

by Dante Reynolds a.k.a. MiG-29

MiG-29


MiG-29 is the dreamy, blood-covered, creative outlet of Prairie Flowers(Dante Reynolds). Born and raised in the San Jose Bay area in the late 90s, Flowers was blessed to be surrounded by some of the best rap music from the era. Pop-punk, hip-hop, and R&B are all styles that have made an impact on young flowers. At about 14, the flower was ready to blossom.

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One Year On – Enigmatic Journey Through Sonic Realms

by MAN1K

MAN1K


In the mystical depths of my sonic odyssey, amidst the swirling mists of creativity and experimentation, I, Yaroslav Boruk, known by the enigmatic aliases MAN1K and M∆N⸸K, emerged as a harbinger of ethereal soundscapes in the realms of Underground Witch-House and Darkwave. Born in the enigmatic city of Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, my journey through the winding corridors of music began with a profound sense of curiosity and a yearning to transcend the mundane confines of everyday existence.

From the earliest days of my consciousness, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the enigmatic allure of music, its haunting melodies and mysterious harmonies resonating deep within my soul. It was amidst the vibrant tapestry of Poland that I first encountered the tantalizing whispers of inspiration, the rhythmic pulse of the streets echoing in harmony with the beat of my heart. Amidst the lively energy of the city, I found solace in the evocative power of sound, laying the foundation for my future endeavors.

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Unused Songs And Their Potential To Make You Sick

by Loic J Tuckey

Loic J Tuckey


Whether you’re professional or amateur, tour-famous or bedroom-idle, every musician has them. They hover around like a foul scent and rear their ugly heads each time you’ve forgotten they exist. If you’re a music type, I’ve no doubt you’ve got a batch lying around, too.

I’m talking about unused songs and recordings you have no idea what to do with. A jam you tracked one night but never finished. A memory you should probably try to let go. Move on with your life, buddy!

Yet, now and then, you pull one out and give it a listen. Each time, the reek of unfulfilled potential makes you sick to your stomach. You like the tune enough to vouch for it, but know it’s never getting uploaded to Spotify. It’s regrettable because, given the right resources, you believe it had the potential to be an absolute belter.

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Walking Until I Lay

by Jonas Franck a.k.a. Corpse Feet

Jonas Franck aka Corpse Feet


Why call it Corpse Feet? No one, to my knowledge, can survive death, so I guess we’re all just corpse feet walking until we lay…

Here’s how it went.

It was in the late 70s, and I was just a few years old. I had seen a man with his guitar on our black and white TV, probably Elvis Jailhouse Rock, and immediately wanted to be that. So, I grabbed a tennis racket at a birthday party and got up on the table to do my first show.

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Collecting And Enjoying Sonic Elements And Influences

by Camilo Palma a.k.a. Ap Ducal

Ap Ducal


Over the past year, I’ve been developing my new album, “U,” by my moniker Ap Ducal, which continues in the sonic sequence of previous records, but this time from a more personal perspective. The sound, the process, and the timing of this album are imbued with the idea of collecting and enjoying the sonic elements and influences that have had the most impact on me.

Perhaps it is a form of nostalgia or simply a tribute to music styles like post-punk, new wave, and even some compositional elements of jazz in a long-play format. I tried to incorporate these elements into the four tracks of the album. An example is the theme “UUUU,” based on The Cure’s song “A Forest.”

These four themes were recorded entirely in my home studio, using only four elements per song in a band-like format, essentially the format I’ve been most familiar with in my career. The challenge was doing this as a solo artist with unconventional instruments in my context.

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The Opposite Of Shapes

by Laura of Outer Shapes

Outher Shapes


“The Opposite Of Shapes” is a term I’ve coined for the sound I hear in my favorite songs – the one I strain my ears for, impossible to pick out of the mix, so loud and so subtle at the same time, until I just have to believe it’s the final instrument – the sound that bubbles in between all of the tracks, everything and nothing at the same time. The element that makes a song good or not, well mixed or not, a hit or a flop. Sometimes it’s a feeling, sometimes it’s an actual sound. When that final piece reveals itself in a song, I can float in it, become it, and insert myself into that mysterious and thrilling space. I feel like it’s been made just for me.

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