By Ethan Bloomfield, Staff Writer
[Photo provided by Salva Bryn via Instagram]
The 2021 Battle of the Bands took place in Athens at the Union Thursday night, and it was one to remember. An array of wonderful acts came to compete, not the least of which being Salva Bryn, an experimental electronic artist who put on the most unique and energetic show of the night. I was able to sit down with her and ask a few questions about her music, the show, and her plans for the future.
Category: Features
Q&A: Plastic Lemonade
By Amy Szmik, Copy Editor
[Photo provided by Plastic Lemonade via Facebook]
Q&A with Nathan Cain (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Damon Bonar (electric guitar), Kyle Willison (bass), Kaitlyn Markert (vocals and ukulele) and Joe Ash (drums) of Plastic Lemonade
Q&A: Beach Girl (Marcy Adams formerly of Athens)
Former Athens-based EDM producer Beach Girl, AKA Marcy Adams, is set to drop three singles in June, starting with their reimagining of Alice Deejay’s “Better off Alone” on June 2. “Let U Down” drops June 17, followed by “i can’t stop myself” on June 30. The singles follow two tracks Adams released in March, “I Do It Like That… You Love It?” and “SADNALONE” in addition to their recent move from Athens to Atlanta. ACRN spoke with Adams to inquire about the move, the new songs, the new place and how Krewella’s “Alive” fits into all of that:
Album Review: Giant Claw – Mirror Guide
By Kiah Easton, Editorial Director[Orange Milk; 2021]Rating: *_??//@@#$*&/10 Key tracks: “Earther”, “Disworld (Vocals: NTsKI)”, “Mirror Guide, Pt. II (you and me)” Published by am spritzer and ACRN Media Experimental electronic music often finds itself positioned opposite to the idea of organic sound. While electronic production has allowed for the abstraction of “traditional” sounds, it has…
Q&A: Kiid Spyro
First off, I personally do not hear about hip-hop artists from Australia often. What is the scene like there? Who and what inspired you to start making music?
Kiid Spyro: The scene in Australia is drill, and I don’t make drill. People don’t really listen to this stuff I make. People really don’t make it. I grew up listening to American music. Kid Laroi was the only person from here making American style hip-hop. He was getting seen a lot because his style wasn’t popular down here. It was different, and people were like, “Why is an Australian making American music?” What’s popular here is, like, pop, EDM and whatever is on the radio. I’ll play a trap song, and people will be like, “What was that?” If people do listen to rap, it’s mostly drill.
Beli and the Pulse of L.A.
If the band Beli were a car, they’d be a 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Not a lowrider, but a nice vintage ride with the potential to be converted into one. The body of the car is painted orange copper candy pearl, but the roof’s exterior is a seamless white. On the dashboard is a laminated image of the virgin Santa Maria. Hanging from the rear view mirror are two Royal Pine car fresheners. A purple LED mood light lines the inner rim of the car’s roof. When this car drives by during the day, one would expect it to serenade a quiet suburb with the classic trumpets emblematic of musica ranchera. But at night, when the LED lights are turned on, this car looks like the wheels could invert and turn into jet engines. You’re more likely to find this car parked on a cul-de-sac, windows up, with the faint sound of Lil Peep playing.
Finding Comfort in a Hopeless Place, a Guide To Xiu Xiu
By Venus Rittenburg, Contributor
Editorial content warning: sexual abuse, self-harm, suicide, depression
Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoo-shoo) is my favorite band. I’m drawn to them for many reasons, but some of those are the same reasons that people find Xiu Xiu polarizing and challenging to listen to. In the wake of their recently announced 15th album, OH NO, I’m here to provide a guide to Xiu Xiu, what I find appealing about them and how to get into them, because with a discography this diverse and wondrous, there’s something for everybody.
Learning to Listen: ACRN sits down with George and Gary Schwindt, formerly of Flogging Molly
Learning to Listen: ACRN sits down with George and Gary Schwindt, formerly of Flogging Molly
By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer
It’s 7 a.m. in George Schwindt’s Los Angeles home at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. He’s already awake. The former drummer of Celtic-punk band Flogging Molly no longer abides by a touring schedule, seeing a different city and culture every day. Instead, he is beholden to the schedule of his 8 and 6-year-old kids. If they’re awake, he’s awake. If they’re hungry, he’s making breakfast.
Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 15 Albums of 2020
15. Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation, [Sugar Trap; 2020]By Kwase Lane, Features Editor It’s kind of weird how long Rico Nasty’s been around without dropping a debut album. I mean, I’m not complaining; if anything, this is a bonus. Nightmare Vacation encapsulates all of Rico’s growth as an artist and is a pleasure to listen…
Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 10 Movies of 2020
10. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm [Amazon; 2020]By Kwase Lane, Features Editor Reprising his role as everybody’s favorite bumbling Kazakhstani reporter, Sacha Baron Cohen took a second go at a Borat film, and he stuck the landing even more flawlessly than he did in its predecessor. The first Borat movie does what it sets out to well,…
Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 10 Disappointing Albums of 2020
10. Machinedrum — A View of U, [Ninja Tune; 2020]By Lane Moore, Reviews Editor Machinedrum’s A View of U is perhaps the greatest illusion of the millennium. It’s pretty tough to catch, but if you peer into the soul of this album––or make it past track three or four––you will find that A View of…
Covers: An Overview of Approaches for Reimagining Pop Music
By Jonah Krueger, News Editor So, you want to cover a song? Wonderful! Let us start by congratulating you for making this tremendous decision and reinforce how excited we are that you chose us™ to help you along this rewarding journey. Legally, we are required to inform you of the potential risks involved with covering…
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