Today I have a terrific new dance single to share with my esteemed readers – “Dream Tonight“, a collaboration by British artists The Ocean Beneath and Liz Mann that dropped yesterday, February 9th.
The Ocean Beneath is the music project of Leeds-based electronic musician, composer and producer Matt Burnside. Influenced by bands such as Gunship, HVOB and Talk Talk, he combines 80’s synthpop elements with modern recording techniques, analogue synthesizers and huge melodic grooves to create music that sounds retro, yet fresh. Like many electronic artists, he often collaborates with other musicians and vocalists, and has released a substantial amount of outstanding music, some of which I’ve reviewed previously.
Liz Mann is a silky-voiced synthpop artist from Manchester who, in her own words, “mixes 60s pop melancholy with a synth-based vintage style”. Thus far, she’s released two wonderfully sultry singles, “Chocolate” in 2022 and “COOL” in 2023.
As is typical with The Ocean Beneath’s collaborations, he composed the music and beats and produced the track, while Mann wrote the lyrics and sang vocals. The track was mastered by Tony Dixon, with additional vocal production by Grant Henderson. The beautiful single artwork was conceptualised by Jack Loxham.
About the song, Liz explains “I’ve been such a big fan of The Ocean Beneath’s work since he remixed Purple Thread’s track ‘Something Good’ a few years ago. So this was a special collaboration in the making. It’s a bit of a departure from my usual sound, but we hope you’ll join us on a dark disco pop journey through the realms of dreams and desires, exploring the yearning to connect with a special someone in the ethereal landscapes of the subconscious mind.”
I’m a sucker for dance music of all kinds, so “Dream Tonight” fills the bill quite nicely. I love the hypnotic, thumping dance groove and enigmatic synths, punctuated by spacey and funky flourishes that call to mind some of the great 70s euro-disco music by artists like Cerrone and Alec Costandinos. Mann’s sensuous vocals perfectly complement the track’s dark and sultry soundscape as she croons, “Come close to me, come close to me, want you in my dreams tonight.”
Today I’m pleased to present Canadian singer-songwriter Danté Ravenhearst and her enchanting debut single “Asphalt“. Born and raised in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario and currently based in Toronto, Danté is also a scientist and conservationist. Her pleasing style of alternative folk draws from classic country, traditional folk, Americana, soft rock and jazz elements, which she delivers with thoughtful, compelling lyrics and warm, comforting vocals.
Photo by Sam Keravica
Recorded in November 2023, “Asphalt” was a labour of love and friendship between Ravenhearst and a group of close Toronto and Hamilton-based session musicians who helped bring her beautiful song to life. For the recording of the song, Ravenhurst played acoustic guitar and sang vocals, Ben McWebb played organ, Kurt Van Bendegem played lead guitar, bass and sang backing vocals, and Jonathan Horvath played drums. The track was produced by Matt Fasullo, who also sang backing vocals, and engineered by David Worthen.
The song is a stunning feast for the senses, with vibrant twangy guitar notes, throbbing bass and shimmery percussion layered over a somber organ riff, all coming together in glorious alchemy to create a mesmerizing backdrop for Ravenhearst’s captivating vocals. As the song progresses, the music builds to a soaring cinematic crescendo while her vocals overflow with passion, leaving me covered in goosebumps.
Ravenhearst shared her thoughts about her inspiration for writing the song: “I am really entranced by the correlation of loss between our emotional and physical spaces and the mourning that comes with that. ‘Asphalt’ is about searching for a connection that existed in a world that physically no longer exists. Its question “Where are you? Where are you?” hauntingly chanted to the listener, is only asked and never answered.“
On February 3rd, I saw alt-rock band Portugal. The Man at the wonderful art deco Fox Theater in downtown Pomona, California. A mid-sized city located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Pomona has a thriving art scene, with numerous venues for live music. (I’ve seen local bands play at a couple of smaller clubs, and in 2022, saw Two Feet play at the Glass House.)
I’ve never seen Portugal. The Man in concert before, and when I learned they were playing a show in Pomona, a shorter drive and infinitely more convenient location than L.A., it was a no-brainer for me to buy tickets to see them. They’re one of the few major bands who follow me on Twitter (now X), so I have a special fondness for them. The show I attended was the second night of their nationwide Winter of Summer Luv Tour, which began the previous night in Del Mar, and will end in Washington, D.C. on February 24th. Supporting them on this tour is Philadelphia-based dance funk collective SNACKTIME. (Portugal. The Man are playing two shows in Mexico in mid-March, then on May 1st, embarking on what they’ve dubbed The Knik Country Tour, which will run through July 17.)
For those unaware, Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska by John Gourley, Zach Carothers and three others. They eventually relocated to Portland, Oregon, where the band is still based. Over the years, they’ve experienced several changes in lineup, and now consist of founding members Gourley and Carothers, along with Kyle O’Quin, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Additional touring members include Kirk Ohnstad, Redray Frazier and Vincent LiRocchi.
Photo by Maclay Heriot
They’ve released nine studio albums, their latest of which, Chris Black Changed My Life, was released in July 2023. (Inspired by and dedicated to the band’s longtime friend Chris Black, who died in May 2019, the album chronicles the band’s turbulent few years following the runaway success of their monster hit “Feel It Still”, during which time there was a global pandemic, Gourley suffered from a broken jaw, his and Zoe’s daughter Frances was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative genetic disease, and Howk, Carothers and O’Quin all battled different addictions.)
They’ve won numerous awards, including a Grammy in 2018 for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their single “Feel It Still”. That song is their biggest hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Alternative Songs chart, where it spent a record-breaking 20 weeks on top. It’s also my favorite song of 2017, and ranks #6 on my Top 100 Songs of the 2010s list.
Portugal. The Man have engaged in political activism and philanthropy in a variety of forms over the years, supporting environmental, animal rights, social justice and progressive political causes, voting rights, and the needs of Native American and indigenous peoples, among other things. In 2020, they founded the PTM Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization primarily focused on funding causes related to Indigenous peoples’ communities. The organization also aims to work toward the improvement of mental health issues, environmental issues, disability rights, and human rights through advocacy, philanthropy, community involvement, and increased awareness. With that in mind, they had Xochimilca artist and activist Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh open the show, performing a few of his songs accompanied by a guitarist.
Philadelphia-based band SNACKTIME took to the stage at around 8:15, whereupon they treated us to their high-energy style of music that’s a happy blend of soul, funk, punk, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. With their exuberant brass-heavy sound, which includes a trumpet, trombone, two saxophones and a Sousaphone, they’re sort of like Earth, Wind & Fire with a bit of James Brown and Parliament thrown in for good measure. They performed for approximately 40 minutes, and with their engaging, playful delivery, were a lot of fun to watch and hear.
According to their bio, the seven-piece act formed “during the height of the pandemic, and began performing free shows that combined their love of music, food, and togetherness in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square. They quickly amassed huge crowds and became a symbol of positivity and lockdown release, while showcasing the richness of their city’s musical history and community. This progressed to sold-out headlining shows, curation of neighborhood festivals, multiple appearances at Philadelphia 76ers halftime shows, and slots at major music festivals.” Following their tour with Portugal. The Man, SNACKTIME is set to appear at SXSW in Austin, TX, and plans to tour extensively for the remainder of the year.
Portugal. The Man member Eric Howk appeared on stage shortly after 9:00 pm and spoke briefly of his love of playing in the band and recalled some fun times spent performing at other venues in Pomona. He was then joined by the rest of the band, who quickly got down to business with a rousing medley of “Dopesmoker”, “Heart of the Sunrise”, “Heavy Games” and “Bellies Are Full”. Without missing a beat, they immediately launched into “Grim Generation”, from Chris Black Changed My Life. For the next two hours, they played nearly non-stop, without breaks between songs save for one moment when a group of Native Americans from a tribe near San Diego came on stage to perform a sacred song.
Throughout Portugal. The Man’s set, SNACKTIME joined them on a number of songs, adding their lively brass textures and infectious energy to create a truly exhilarating and enjoyable 90slive experience. My only criticism of the show is that the lighting was often dim during Portugal. The Man’s performance, making it difficult at times to see the painfully shy Gourley, who wore both a ball cap and hoodie, and his co-vocalist and wife Zoe Manville, who stood front and center throughout their set. Nevertheless, I was struck by how hard they rock in their live performances, exuding a palpable sense of love and joy. And the sound and production qualities were really outstanding.
After performing 23 songs, they stopped for a touching tribute video for Chris Black and John & Zoe’s twelve-year-old daughter Frances, who’s afflicted with an extremely rare genetic mutation of the DHDDS (Dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase) enzyme, which has only been diagnosed in six people worldwide. They then closed the show with spirited renditions of their two biggest hits “Live in the Moment” and “Feel it Still”, both from their 2017 album Woodstock. They quickly exited the stage afterwards, with no encore.
Portugal. The Man Setlist:
Dopesmoker / Heart of the Sunrise / Heavy Games / Bellies Are Full
Sivan Levy is a multi-faceted Queer Israeli artist currently based in Tel Aviv, who’s not only a talented singer-songwriter and musician, but also a successful actress and filmmaker. She’s starred in several highly acclaimed films and television series, earning multiple awards for her exceptional work. Her latest film, My Daughter My Love, written and directed by Eitan Green, premiered last summer at the prestigious Jerusalem Film Festival. Also last summer, in June, Levy released a beautiful EP side:s, her first music release since her self-titled three-song EP in 2015. The EP features six captivating tracks written and sung by her, one of which, “Jacaranda”, received a special live performance that was captured in a lovely video. Levy released that video last August, which I featured on this blog (you can read my article about it here).
Now Levy returns with a new EP side:w (‘w’ is for winter, whereas the ‘s’ in her previous EP side:s represented summer). Continuing the journey that began with side:s, side:w takes us on an emotional rollercoaster through the human psyche with introspective songs exploring relationships, love and loss, and emotional well-being, served up with dreamy and often dramatic instrumentals and Levy’s arresting ethereal vocals. Like side:s, side:w was recorded and co-produced by Levy and Yoav Rosenthal, who also played guitar and bass, handled programming, and sang backing vocals. Levy played piano and keyboards, Giori Politi played drums, percussion, and programmed beats, Maya Belsitzman played cello, and Yael Enosh played additional synths. Mixing was done by Nicolas Vernhes.
The EP opens with “Forgot“, a haunting song mourning the dissipation of a once-torrid love affair. Starting off with rather unsettling scraping sounds accompanied by a gentle pounding drumbeat, the music gradually expands into a mysterious, darkly beautiful soundscape, whereupon Levy softly laments of her memories of what it felt like to be in love, feelings she no longer shares: “I got used to breathing on my neck. To the warmness that caresses all night long. To mornings full of joy or fight or silence. My love had faded through the years, and I forgot, oh, everything. I’m just a rock inside a sea, that’s waiting floods to be.” The piano and cello are particularly affecting and along with the airy synths, create a gorgeous backdrop for Levy’s enchanting breathy vocals. By song’s end, Levy asks whether life is worth living without love: “And there’s no one in my mind. And I’m in no one’s mind. Am I alive when I’m not loved? When I can’t love no more.“
On the equally haunting and cinematic “Kick Off“, Levy sings of not allowing fears and self-doubt to keep you from living your life to the fullest: “I will not run I won’t get scared. I will stay here and I’ll breathe / Kick-off that voice in your head that just judge and judge and judge and judge and suddenly, you’ll see how the green is greener. How the blue is bluer.” The lovely video utilizes AI-generated imagery to great effect.
The captivating “My Far Away Femme” seems to touch on a brief romantic encounter, and how the other person’s idealized image and adoration of you is not based in reality – a sentiment I’m afraid I’ve fallen victim of more than once: “My far-away femme. You see someone in your sleep, and you’re in love with her completely. She’s everything you’re dreaming. Your fantasy (does not exist). And this someone has my face and has my body. This someone has my eyes and has my voice. But this someone who’s so present in your head is so far away from being me. Your fantasy (does not exist).”
“When the Winter’s Coming In” is an achingly beautiful and emotionally powerful song, and I may be way off, but my take on its meaning is that it seems to be about coming to terms with one’s eventual passing from this earth, with winter a metaphor for the end of life. There is no despair, only acceptance and a hope of being reborn in another life. Levy’s vocals are appropriately chilling as she plaintively sings “When the winter’s coming in, no, I will not miss so much. Everything that’ll never be, I will be enough. Wild sky. Smoking velvet, brutal pink. Pure me up and bare me down. Rebirth me, please.“
On the melancholy “Steams“, she remorsefully sings of a love affair that now appears to be broken beyond repair, and my guess is that steam signifies feelings of suffocation in a toxic relationship: “The air got thicker in the room. The steams have nowhere to get clear / I didn’t think we’d dare to leave the maze we’ve built in so much pain. You were so brave to rip the chords and breathe me into air. Our eyes are empty. There’s nothing left of us. Everything is, Everything is over now.” And on the captivating closing track “Silent Legs“, Levy sings of searching for solace in the tempest of life, and our tendency to want to wall ourselves off in order to avoid being hurt and subjected to pain: “Now you’ve found how to build that wall around you, you can’t get hurt, you can’t get hurt anymore. Silent legs, silent eyes. Your heart made too much noise.” The mournful cello and atmospheric synths create a doleful but lovely backdrop for Levy’s haunting, emotive vocals.
side:w is an exquisite, brilliantly executed work of almost surreal beauty. With a run time of over 29 minutes, and such deeply impactful and breathtaking soundscapes and vocals that take us on an enthralling sonic journey, it feels more like a full album than an EP. Sivan Levy and company should be very proud of what they’ve created here.
American genre-bending singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, whose sound has been described by Aaron Williams of UPROXX as “Post Malone singing Lenny Williams or Jelly Roll doing Teddy Pendergrass”, takes over the top spot this week with his blistering torch song “Lose Control”. With his impassioned vocals, the soaring orchestrals and that wailing guitar solo, I get chills every time I hear it. Born Jaten Collin Dimsdale in Conyers, Georgia, the gruff-voiced artist mixes R&B, soul, country, and pop to create his own unique sound that’s earned him over 26 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Released last June (of 2023), “Lose Control” has been a bit of a sleeper hit; now in its 24th week on the Billboard Hot 100, the song is currently at its peak position of #4, and also ranks #2 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. Thus far, it’s been streamed more than 221 million times on Spotify. The song is from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1), which dropped last September.
Mr. Swims isn’t the only “swim” act on this chart, as the enchanting dream pop gem “All I Die For”, by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS, moves into the #2 spot. “Northern Attitude”, by Vermont singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, jumps five spots to #4, and “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys leaps 14 spots to enter the top 10 at #8.
Two songs make their debut this week. Entering at #29 is “Neon Pill” by Nashville-based Cage the Elephant, their first new music in nearly three years. They’re one of my long-time favorite bands, so I’m thrilled to hear new music from them. Coming in at #30 is “Diamond and the Missing Son” by Northern Ireland alt-rock band Unquiet Nights, which I reviewed last month. The song is from their third album Seasons in Exile, which dropped January 19th.
LOSECONTROL – Teddy Swims (2)
ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (5)
THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (9)
WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (3)
MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (6)
NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (8)
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (22)
Los Angeles-based alternative electro band MACHINEKIT play a dark and aggressive style of techno-punk music they aptly describe as “an agglomeration of chaos”. Kind of like Nine Inch Nails on steroids. Originally founded as Dharma in 2012 by John Rojas, Dave Cayetano and William Buege, as their sound evolved they changed their name to MACHINEKIT, and in 2017, released their self-produced debut album Dysappearencer. They followed up with two EPs and several singles, and in 2022, dropped their second album I AM JACK’S LONELY HEARTCLUB BAND, a brutally dark yet strangely beautiful and sexy collection of songs Rojas wrote to help articulate his feelings of boredom, loneliness and coming to terms with inner demons that surfaced in response to the Covid lockdown (you can read my review here). After the album’s release, the band experienced a bit of tumult that resulted in some changes in personnel, and their lineup now consists of founding members Rojas and Buege, along with Ryan Janke on drums, Alexander Gillen on guitar and Jeremey Trujeque on bass.
(Also in late 2022, Rojas, who in addition to being a singer-songwriter, is also a sound engineer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and writer, started recording music as a solo artist in order to further explore his love for electronics and composition. Thus far, he’s released instrumental-only music in the form of two EPs, IN THE THICK OF IT, followed by Amongst The Glass Trees, which I also reviewed, and a single “LUSTFUCKIN’BREEDERS”.)
Photo of band taken by Katy Viola at Cindy’s Diner in Eagle Rock, CA
Now MACHINEKIT returns with a new single “ANTIPATHY“, which actually consists of three different versions: an original raw demo written by Rojas and Ryan Janke, and engineered and produced by Rojas at his recording studio MachineHouse Audio, with bass played by Miko Miko; a remix by Matt Miller, which was mastered by Justin Weis at Trakwork Studio; and a final version co-written and mixed with producer Joseph Nova, with both the demo and final track mastered by Sam Berdah at The Wall Studio. Rojas states that this three-part single represents the evolution of the track from inception to final product. The single artwork was created by William and Jaydee Buege at Wire Mark Design, using a photo by 6ri Ramriez.
Band drummer Janke wrote a terrific description of the song for their press release, in greater detail and with more colorful language than I possibly could, so I’ll simply quote his words about “ANTIPATHY”: “Working alongside producer Joseph Nova, Machinekit recalibrates their aggressive electronic-punk sound with fucked-up mood swings and penetrative instrumentation. With the tempo lowered a few notches from the four-on-the-floor stomps or the driving noise-rock outbursts that the band often offers, the emphasis is on a chillingly tense electro groove that percolates through the delicate verses and explodes in the deafening choruses. The vocals croon, coax, swirl, and shout atop a head-nodding concoction of electronics, percussion (both computerized and analog), and a real earworm of a heavy main riff.“
Okay then, now I’ll attempt to describe what I hear with my own meager literary talents. “ANTIPATHY” starts off with heavy and glitchy pulsating industrial synths, creating an unsettling soundscape as Rojas’ sensual croons, tinged with a sinister undercurrent, enter the proceedings. The music gradually builds until, at the one-minute mark, the chorus arrives with a furious barrage of screaming distorted guitars, explosive percussion and tortured synths, Rojas’ vocals now rising to piercing, impassioned wails as he screams “I want you so bad!” From here on out, the song contracts and expands with each verse and chorus, punctuated with all sorts of ominous sounds and textures, resulting in an intensely powerful song filled with tension and unease.
The provocative lyrics describe someone intensely besotted with another who treats him with cruel indifference and apathy – i.e. antipathy, rendering him feeling sexually frustrated and verging on madness.
You think you know me well? But well enough to keep it raw? You put me through your hell as you're leaving me in awe
It's not enough to know what's left You're just like Judas when he was breaking bread But I still crave your fuckin' company Regardless of the fact that you will feed on apathy
I want you so bad to be proud I want you so bad when it's not allowed I'm poisoned irony Aren't you the god that asked the serpent to speak to Eve? And acted so goddamned viciously I guess it's OK cause you're in the sky and feeling "lonely"
I want you so bad to be proud I want you so bad when it's not allowed I can feel you in my head You're living in my head You're toying with my head Goddamn drop dead instead I can feel you in my fucking head
I want you so bad to be proud I want you so bad when it's not allowed
Make your bed in my head
The original demo is slightly longer, and to my ears has a somewhat rawer sound, with stronger and more pronounced thumping drumbeats and more overdubbed vocals. Matt Miller’s remix is great, with a sharper, more industrial treatment, while still retaining the overall sinister vibe, thanks to an abundance of screaming distorted guitars and even greater use of Rojas’ fearsome wails. I really like all three versions.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 