The sun is setting in the heart of Hollywood, and the ambiance (and spirits) of Hollywood Forever Cemetery are palpably alive. The sunset has lit up the sky in hues of orange and magenta, and the twinkling lights of the cemetery sparkle like stars. Serenity reigns, unobscured by the bustling energy of Santa Monica Boulevard.…
Photos by Kayla Hayashi There was something out of place that night. Los Angeles was unseasonably cold. A light rain had drizzled over the city a few hours before. It must have been just strong enough to wash all the Los Angeles off Los Angeles. Kayla and I are UCLA students, so we are both…
“The inferno of the living is not something that will be; if there is one, it is what is already here, the inferno where we live every day, that we form by being together. There are two ways to escape suffering it. The first is easy for many: accept the inferno and become such a…
When it comes to crafting sonic atmospheres through skilled electronic production, Hippie Sabotage is a duo that immediately comes to mind. Masters of both the EDM and hip hop scenes, Sacramento based brothers Jeff and Kevin Saurer have embarked on their Enter The Unknown tour. Tonight, in their highly anticipated stop in Los Angeles, the…
In reflection of Women’s History Month, our writers share musings about the women and music that influenced their lives. Zain — Anne and Elizabeth Anne is twenty years older than me. I met her when I was eighteen, not too long after I arrived in New York City. I was trying to get away from…
Bad Bunny @ Crypto.com Arena Photos by Kelly Smiley/Crypto.com Arena Thousands of cowboy hats have gathered inside Crypto.com arena, eager to see the biggest music star on the planet, Bad Bunny. The lights dim; an orchestra walks out onto the stage. They set an immediate vibe for the show. This concert is elevated and far…
Photos courtesy of death’s dynamic shroud Any list of the greatest vaporwave acts of all time would lose all of its credibility if it didn’t include death’s dynamic shroud near the top. Since 2014, James Webster, Keith Rankin, and Tech Honors have helped push the niche and often misunderstood genre towards the spotlight of internet…
Photos by Jeslyn Wang A song online is curated to sound its best. Every step from the recording, to the editing, to how the headphone company handles frequencies is made to amplify the listening experience. It’s extremely hard to match the online sound quality in person, and even harder to add another layer to it.…
“It’s brave to be nothing to no one at all.” “Ribbons” – Ryan Beatty An ironic line from singer Ryan Beatty, who catapulted himself to fame in his mid-teens co-signed by Radio Disney and Ryan Seacrest. After he took a hiatus from music for three years to break away from his teen heartthrob image, he…
Prelude to Ecstasy is massively successful as a debut, as much a period piece as a fourth-wave feminist dissertation. At times, overwhelmingly pop sonic qualities clash with lyrical norm transgressions, yet the album ultimately triumphs in its polished sonic qualities, catchy hooks, and punchy lyrics.