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Cruel Optimism – The story behind the music of Natural Velvet

by Corynne Ostermann of Natural Velvet

Natural Velvet


My name is Corynne Ostermann; I’m a multidisciplinary artist and musician playing bass & providing vocals for the Baltimore-based group Natural Velvet.

Natural Velvet started in 2012, and I’ve been involved since the beginning, as well as with my bandmates Spike Arreaga (guitar), Kim Te (guitar), and Greg Hatem (drums, production). I genuinely feel so lucky to have had my bandmates’ attention for as long as I have had, and as a result, I’m very protective of them and the long-term sustainability of our project.

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Accepting Life Through Music – The Uncanny Valley

by Vincent Cecchini of Tiki Bar

The Uncanny Valley by Tiki Bar


Two years ago, at 17 years old, I would be exposed to crucial elements that would rock my understanding of myself and my place in this world.

I was first introduced to Erik, my best friend and co-founder of Tiki Bar, through mutuals at a house party. At that point, we didn’t have many similarities: He was the embodiment of a modern-day hippie, and, unbeknownst to me, I was still searching for a purpose to assign me individuality.

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Behind the 3-song Hara EP

by Intueri (Patrik Bulak)

Behind the 3-song Hara EP by Intueri (Patrik Bulak)
In 2018, I completed my first LP album as a solo artist. It is called Kriya and features ten tracks (in 37 minutes). I later realized that even though I spent a lot of time and energy on the album, most people wouldn’t be able to listen to it from start to finish in today’s hectic times. So, I decided to tell the story of finding our center (relevant to each of us!) in the form of a shorter 3-track EP, where each song represents a different genre, a different sound, and lyrically offers a diverse point of view. The Hara EP (10 and a half minutes) was born.

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Music is my Life

by Vugatti Beyron

Music is my Life by Vugatti Beyron

Born and bred in Bristol, UK, I have always been surrounded by music. My father is a guitarist and always listens to Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. My mother is not a musician, but she always listens to AC/DC and Billy Idol. At age 8, I started playing guitar. I am now 19 and have made guitar my main instrument, but I can also play drums. Last year, however, my musical journey nearly ended.

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Tuesday Atlas: The Ghost in Your Attic

by Tuesday Atlas

Tuesday Atlas: The Ghost in Your Attic


What do you get when you combine the funky bass lines of the Chili Peppers, the haunting vocals of Nirvana, the screeching leads of Buckethead, the beefy guitars of Basement, and the powerful rumble of Balance and Composure drumming? A cacophony of styles and tastes blend into a unique representation of alternative rock music in the form of Tuesday Atlas. We just like to make songs that get stuck in your head, like a ghost in your attic.

Listen to the album while reading the text.

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The 21st Century Cult and Magical Shows

by Eli Stevick

The 21st Century Cult and Magical Shows by Soft Milk
After we started Soft Milk in 2015, there was a little buzz going because of our music but also some of wacky on-stage antics. It was just two of us then. We played with some cheap 10-watt amps and wore nothing but ghastly bed sheet costumes.

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With Every Breath You Die

by Day & Dream

With Every Breath You Die by Day & Dream
Day & Dream is a husband-wife team, Peter Frizzante, the morning person, and Abby Amaya, the night owl – our band name is a nod to our opposite sleep schedules. We are often writing music or lyrics at home in between work and daily chores, finding inspiration in personal relationships, nature, and risk-taking.

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Five Loose Nails

by Wallace Leopard

Five Loose Nails by Wallace Leopard
In eighth grade, I was challenged by my English teacher, Mrs. Walters, to write something that exercised our class’s objective at the time, imagery. I was very naive but full of heart back then and wrote this cheesy piece describing the practice room of me and my friends’ first band, Tigerlake. It has a certain charm to it I think, but only the kind of charm you find in old terrible family photos.

It reminds me of how sure I used to be of me and my friends becoming something, doing something with our music. So yes it is cheesy, and it doesn’t really talk about anything I’ve been working on recently, but it talks about where I’ve come from, and sometimes that’s even more important.

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Underground Non-Star

by MRA NEHLS / WEATHER

Underground Non-Star by MRA NEHLS / WEATHER
Hi, I am Miira. I am living far from YOUR world. I mean far from this patriarchal-smallminded-selfcalled-society. This is a great pool and I am not very sure that I can swim there or if I even want to. So I created my own world, and I am trying to hold its contour above my head.

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