Wow. Existence is Existential, the debut offering from …&more…, was already way ahead of its time when it dropped. I knew that when they hit us with a follow-up, it would be good. I had no way of fathoming that it could potentially be as good as the lead single, Faces Places, is setting the bar. Point blank, period, this is the jam. I am stretching the depths of my mind to find something grounding to say about this song, because it literally woke me right up from the first second. Good god, I can’t wait for Existence is Futile to drop.
Evan Moran is a man of many talents. After solidly establishing himself as a truly unique creative in the realm of independent southern hip hop, both lyrically and sonicly, Evan Moran is now taking time to explore different areas of production. Via the pseudonym Kal, we have been treated to a short collection of lo fi beats titled tomorrow is the same as yesterday, and the mission statement that accompanies the album sets a wonderful tone for the project. Yet another one of my friends making film score quality music… I hope this trend continues.
Like many of the other creatives in Austin, Anastasia is using 2017 as a clear signal that she is evolving into an even more diverse artist than the one we’ve come to know. Born To Love You, with its impeccable timing just days before Valentine’s day, is set to be a nice soundtrack for the day we love love. The song features gues bars from Lil Milez, and the video is a perfect telling of the story of passion and anticipation. Beautiful work from beautiful people.
After a relatively strong 2016, San Marcos-based filmmaker Jeffrey Garcia has been in rapid attack mode via a series of short projects released in the last couple of months. The latest is sunflower, starring Bri Lee of Lambchop fame, and Jeffrey Garcia also makes a brief appearance in this one. The future seems to hold nothing but entertainment for us that are staying in the know about Jeffy’s Playhouse.
Many years ago, around my senior year of high school, I knew two things for a fact… I would be a live musician in some capacity, and I would be involved in film in some capacity. I had no idea to what extent yet, but all of my energies were focused on those two things.
As I moved into college, I decided that music was the realm where I could compromise my vision and still achieve to a level that will allow to, at some point in my life, be financially stable and creatively strong enough to transition into film. The next nearly two decades of my life found music taking me all over the world, and introducing me to many creative people. The landscape of creativity also changed, and film eventually became as easy to do independently as music.
So, as we enter 2017, I find myself at a signpost in my creative journey. The transition towards the film era is in full flight. Repossession is my first official short film release (there are some college films that will never see the light of day if I can help it, lol).
Many thanks to SymmaTree and Sara Nadeau for their acting contributions. Thank you to Jeffrey Garcia for providing his lights and lighting expertise. Thank you to Carley and Ginger Root of All Evil out at Wildflower Country Inn and Event Center for allowing us a space that elevated the project. Thank you to Butcher Bear and the whole (iN)Sect Records label for making music dope enough for a movie. And thank you to all of you out there who have already seen this, and those who will hopefully discover it in the future.
The last few years have been full of growth and achievements for The Deer. Their latest video release, a compilation of live performances from all over tied together by the song And Like Through The Eye Go I, shows how rewarding and beautiful it can be to share your gift with any and everyone willing to listen. This video brought me joy, and hopefully it does the same for you.
Coming soon… a new short film from Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice. Starring Troy Baham Jr. (SymmaTree of Grid Squid and Stereofiend) and Sara Nadeau, Repossession is the examination of a soul reaper in a technological world, forced to play the role of repo man to complete his work. Please like the trailer, subscribe to the YouTube channel, and keep an eye out for the full release this week.
Anytime babelfishh releases something, I’m interested. This time around, he’s connected with james p. honey for a collaborative project known as SHOTGUN HOWLING. First impressions, this falls somewhere between Themselves and Panda Bear, with a wonderful sparse and organic approach to the production, like Tom Waits on an MPC. The first video, vicious proposals, is super dope, so check it all out, share it all, and support if you can!
It seems like there is a vibe in the air that 2017 is going to be someone’s year in my peer group. Everyone is taking shots at making bigger steps and gaining more exposure. Case in point, yet another set of my wonderful and talented musician friends are in the mix for the NPR Tiny Desk Concert Contest. This time, it’s the San Antonio-based trip hop duo Voodoo Boogaloo bringing their spacey, loving vibes to the contest. My blog may just mess around and end up being a ton of my friends going for the NPR-gold in 2017!
NPR announced that there were record breaking numbers of entrants into their annual Tiny Desk Concert Contest for 2017. After seeing the homeboy Da’Shade Moonbeam throw his hat in the ring, and knowing that this year will be the first of a major transition into the visual realm, I knew it would be foolish to miss this opportunity. Therefore, Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice is now officially entered into the contest as well! Check out my submission video for Choke from Permanent Record (beat by Lo Phi), and please give it a like, leave it a comment, and encourage others to do the same! And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for what should be an exciting 2017 filled with visual content…
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 