We scout out music you've never heard and deliver only the finest. Expect music curiously different, yet simply enjoyable. We are the essential guide to independent music and beyond.
Yes, we know, we know, we’re a teensy bit late with this week’s Sunday Night Soul (no excuses this time, but things happen). Although we are a little behind schedule this week, we still hope you’ll enjoy the selection we have for you below. For those ninjas who are still awake, there’s a good mix of old and familiar names alike that we’re sure you’ll find hit all the right notes. Since it is late, we’ll let you dive right in without any further delays. As always, make sure to follow us on Spotify and SoundCloud to keep up with our playlists when they go live!
Even writing this, it’s hard to believe that Canadian synth-pop stalwarts (and quasi Broken Social Scene offshoot) Stars are nearing their twentieth year in existence. Once supplying some of this writer’s favorite sugary sweet, heartfelt pop tunes, Stars have managed to carve out one of the most endeared fan bases in any stretch of music, and last week, your Ninja faithful were privy to another stirring performance from our Northern friends. Stars, who are touring on the heels of 2017’s excellent There Is No Love in Fluorescent Light, and a pair of exciting singles to pace the first half of 2018, trotted out to rapturous applause before diving straight into aforementioned LP’s lead single “Flourescent Light”.
Read the rest of our review, and check out a few pictures from the evening after the jump!
Clearly well-rehearsed and in perfect sync with their crowd, the five-piece were step-for-step with each other, playing in excellent harmony while commanding the crowded room. Standouts from their immense, two-decade spanning catalog were next, as nearly everyone in the GA pit belted out every reverberation that co-vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan threw out to “Alone”, “Ship to Shore”, and “Elevator”.
For nearly two hours, Stars treated the Mile-High City to more than enough live exuberance and effort to warrant their fans’ presence and reaffirm themselves as one of the world’s most powerful synth-pop acts in existence. It was a heartfelt close and encore as Stars “finished” on “No One Lost” before dipping back out for a three song encore which included “We Call It Love” and “Ex Lovers”.
We’re beyond excited to have caught Stars in our home city, living up to, and even exceeding much of this writer’s performance expectations. Check out the rest of Stars’ complete tour dates from the poster above, and be sure to snag a ticket when they come through your city.
To be honest, I had something completely prepared for this week’s writeup before, but midway through my train of thought LeBron James decided to *shock* the world with his surprising decision to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Unable to reconcile a reality where King James dons the purple and gold, I’ve been left completely speechless, so I’ll be using this week’s edition of Sunday Night Soul for some much needed therapeutic purposes. I suggest you do the same with the wonderful selection we have prepared for you this week. As always, you can listen below or follow the playlists on Spotify and SoundCloud using the links provided. Enjoy!
Bobby Nourmand is already back with another single on his label, Deep In The Night. Following up from the release of his imprint’s initial release, the Subterranean EP, “The Sun” is the perfect embodiment of his label’s vision. Go deep into the night enough and it becomes the day.
“The Sun” features vocalist Adam Engle of the UK duo Blonde who takes the song to dreamy heights with his mystifying performance. Bobby keeps things pushing forward with his haunting production, one that builds beautiful tension while simultaneously makes you dance. It’s certainly a track to keep you going all night long. “The Sun” is out now on all digital formats for those looking for a copy!
Around a month ago Wavedash released their collaboration with Quest called “Star Power” on the Devil Music EP. The song is still being rinsed by DJ’s all over, but now they have a new remix to match it with thanks to LA’s own AWE.
Premiered right here in the dojo, AWE’s hybrid “Star Power” has been released by Mad Zoo. AWE keeps the heavy nature of the original intact, but he implements his own eclectic dose of sounds into the mix. Aside from the dirty sound design, AWE builds an industrial tone throughout the song that gives it a savage edge, making it a festival gem. It’s much more than that though as you’ll see near the end. Don’t forget to add this one to your digital library.
Music and travel have always been two hugely-important, intertwined pieces of my live. They’ve both served as sources of personal enrichment through discovery– whether it’s through the discovery of a cool new song, or through experiencing the world through different perspectives. I’ve always derived such joy in the new and unexplored, and I’ve found that music and world travel are both equally expansive and bountiful reservoirs in this regard.
Sharing new music with those from another part of the world is basically double-dipping when it comes to these pleasures. In this vein, I had the chance to catch up with French artistMømeabout his recent project,Møments I.This latest project from the French multi-instrumentalist and producer derives its inspiration from the lush volcanic landscapes of Bali.Møments Imagically encapsulates the ambient, serene nature of the tropical island. With polished guitar licks and soulful lyrical infusions, Møme creates a special vibe that’ll have you wishing you were in Bali right this moment. In Møme I saw a kindred spirit, inspired by the beauty and vibrance of the sunny surf town I had visited just over a year ago.Møments Iis a two-single mini-EP, comprised of the tracks “Canggu” and “When We Ride”.
The project comes with some stunning visuals; a live performance filmed in the shadow of the mighty volcano Mount Batur. You can give it a watch below, and learn more about the man and the process behindMøments Iafter the jump.
TMN:So travel seems to be a source of inspiration for you when it comes to creating music. What is it that first made you want to start traveling the world?
Møme: Well I guess that I was living in the same town, with the same people for too long and needed a big change in my life. Traveling is going out of your comfort zone, challenging yourself, meeting new people, sometimes speaking another language. There is excitement, fear and I wanted to experience all of that. It also a great thing to get inspiration and then compose. And I started traveling at the same time as writing my first album “Panorama”.
TMN:Seeing new parts of the world has always sort of kept me grounded. Learning from new cultures has been an enlightening and rewarding experience. It’s also made me more appreciative of home, here in San Francisco. What’s your own personal relationship with travel? What has it done for your music?
Møme: Haha yes, I totally understand the “home feeling”. When I started traveling, it was more “personal”, for myself, like a desire for new experiences, a desire to discover. Now I travel for shows and to share my music. I go overseas every month, it’s exciting but I don’t have the same time for personal trips. It’s way more intensive and I also appreciate coming back home. I live in the South of France, where everything is quiet and where sun shines all year long. I need a peaceful lifestyle when I’m not on tour. And for music, traveling offered me the possibilities to discover talents, featurings that I’m now working with. I’ve composed more for international vocalists than for French ones!
TMN:Travel aside, where do you call home these days?
Møme:The French Riviera is home but Indonesia has been like a “home away from home” the past 6 months. It has the weather that I love, good surf, good food, extremely nice people and I have often said to myself “should I move there for real?”.
TMN:I also had the pleasure of visiting Canggu last year; what an amazing town. Idyllic paradise full of amazing people and good vibes. What’d you think of Canggu and Bali?
Møme:I only discovered Bali last year. It was for my honeymoon and the trip we planned was supposed to be very chill. But I don’t know what happened there, I immediately started to compose! I was so inspired by the local sounds, instruments, by everything that was surrounding us! I was supposed to visit Bali from North to South and East to West but last October, we received messages from our embassy because of a volcano threat and had to shorten our trip. Canggu is where we spent most of our time. It is very quiet, the food can be very authentic as well as super healthy and the surf is good! It is where I stayed last month to finalize my two tracks from Møment I (Canggu and When We Ride) and film a video clip.
TMN:So thisMøments project is going to be a three-part project, with the first highlighting your experiences in Bali. What can we expect from Møments II and III?
Møme: It will be very spontaneous! I’m now in South America and will be visiting again soon the USA and Canada. It may be possible that one of these destinations will be the inspirations for Møment II. And for Møment III, it will be a bit later, probably end of this year. I’m still hesitating in between a hot or cold destination for this one!
TMN:I’m a big fun of the funky guitar grooves on “When we Ride”. It seems like that retro, dance-y feel is really big in the French music scene these days. Who would you call your biggest musical influences?
Møme:Yes it is! French are a bit retro sometimes Wow, my influences are not all electronic actually. I’m a huge fan of Tom Misch from the UK, and I’ve been a huge fan of Flume few years ago. Now I like a lot r’n’b songs and voices like Jorja Smith for instance.
TMN:If you could perform with any other artist (historic or current), who would it be?
Møme:Probably Mura Masa! I’ve been listening to him for a while but he is getting more and more attention in France now! We played at the same festival in Paris last week.
TMN:Where is next on your list of travel destinations?
Møme:Today I’m in México, flying to Cancun then back in France for two shows. I’ll go back home beginning of July for literally two days and then, I’ll be flying to Canada (Montreal and Quebec) for festivals. Finally I go back to Los Angeles, my second home away from home after Bali! And after all of these trips I have Belgium, New Caledonia, probably again Mexico and Belize this year. Some are for fun, some are for work!
I have to say I really have been enjoying the music coming out of France these days. As touched upon in the interview, the French these days have been adeptly bringing back retro-chic elements, interlacing them flawlessly with soul, funk, and modern electronic influences. Between artists likeMøme, Jean Tonique, Polo & Pan, and FKJ (who also created a track inspired by paradisiacal Canggu), there’s a lot to be gained by opening up your musical tastes to that part of the world.
Wow, my influences are not all electronic actually. I’m a huge fan of Tom Misch from the UK, and I’ve been a huge fan of Flume few years ago. Now I like a lot r’n’b songs and voices like Jorja Smith for instance.