Here in the dojo we’re always about supporting newer artists and you can’t get more new than a debut, like what we have for LA’s Ian Everson. Well, it’s a bit of a re-debut but all the time – his new single “Sunrise” is a must have heater as we move towards the colder months.
“Sunrise” is a playfully smooth original fully created from start to finish by the incredibly talented producer/singer. Having made huge strides on the songwriting side of things, as well as recent features with Boombox Cartel and professional skater + producer Elliot Sloan, Ian’s latest career chapter is flourishing while “Sunrise” puts even more gas on the flame. It’s a beautiful tune showcasing his brand of therapy pop and we can’t wait for more from him as we close out the year and usher in 2025.
The fresh talent David Frank is back with one of the most inspiring songs of the year so far. “Don’t Miss A Moment” is an incredibly catchy blend of folk, indie and pop that has that intangible “anthem” feeling. That term can get thrown around a lot, even in the dojo, but this song has GOT IT.
David Frank continues to astonish with his incredible voice and dynamic production that enters a whole new echelon with “Don’t Miss A Moment.” Not only do we get the song, but David is back on his music video game for this one. It’s a bit more humorous than the song at face value, but adds a nice dimension to the single. And, you can just tell it was fun to make. Check it out below and make sure to add the song to your Summer playlists!!
After some incredible dance collaborations, David Frank is back on his own grind with the emotionally-charged single “Nobody’s Hero.” The indie-inspired gem is another inspirational anthem from one of the finest talents out of Malibu.
Having relocated to LA David Frank has been crushing it for years with his band Little Dume, as well as his songwriting career and solo project that continues to flourish with his latest original. “Nobody’s Hero” is a chill, yet powerful display of David’s knack for deep sentiments and catchy lyrics. This is one of our favorites from David who will be closing out the year with numerous more releases. So stay tuned while you enjoy “Nobody’s Hero.”
One of electronic music’s most promising topliners in fknsyd has stepped out on her own with the debut solo mixtape Taste.test. Having worked with Rezz, Slander, RL Grime and many more, dance fans already know her chops when it comes to creating, but now we get the full breadth of her talents and artistic direction thanks to a beautiful 9-track project.
Taste.test invites the listener into a world of chill soundscapes blending indie, pop, R&B and more for an experience anybody can sink their existence into. There’s a common message throughout tying the song’s together through a cohesive thread that showcases just what this project means to fknsyd as she heroically embarks on her solo journey. It’s a well crafted, strong first step and we hope to hear more from her!
“Taste.test is a compilation of songs I made over the last year or two. With my personal music I do everything myself, and I don’t feel overly confident about most of the skills involved in that process. As much as I’d like to only share things I feel completely satisfied with, I don’t think it needs to be that serious, and I realize whatever that standard is for me will be ever-changing. It doesn’t make me happy to stockpile a bunch of music. I admire people who share their art, so to me this is a step in the direction of feeling more comfortable doing that.” – fknsyd
Little Dume continue to march towards their debut LP with the release of their second LP single “Angel In My City.” This song follows up from their energetic hit “Lose My Head” that dropped back in July. With the new song the Malibu band shift sonic gears for a more chill and emotional piece of music.
“Angel In My City” wasn’t the only new release the band has as they were featured on Shwayze’s album for the incredibly catchy song “Someday” that will for sure find its way in our end of the year favorites. Both songs are completely different in style, yet showcase Little Dume’s impeccable versatility as a band. If you don’t have your eyes and ears on Little Dume already, you better soon or you’ll be left behind when they blow the f#&% up!
Any time RUNN releases something you have to give it a listen. In the case of the acoustic version of her song “Falling Apart” with ARMNHMR, there’s also a video to watch with it! With the original having been out since January with two million plays to show, it’s just about time this acoustic came out.
“Falling Apart” in its original form is an extremely emotional song that’s good no matter where you listen to it, be that at a festival or just at home; the song just works. With the acoustic, RUNN takes the lead with a toned down arrangement with essentially just guitar and piano. It’s a beautiful song and the video is tastefully done as well. Check out the Monstercat release below and enjoy!
I haven’t written a blog review/write-up/article/whatever the hell you want to call it in what feels like… well, a long ass time. But Petey, otherwise recognized as PeteyUSA on TikTok, has ripped me out of my journalistic retirement with his twelve track debut album Lean Into Life released on Terrible Records. Even if only one person becomes a fan from this I’d feel accomplished, because this LP is just that good and Petey is just that type of honest talent that deserves everyone’s attention.
We’ve all been going through it this pandemic, and a lot of us have seen numerous changes in our lives that have really just beat us down. Whether we’re using humor, alcohol, food, games like 해외축구 or music to persevere, we’ve all got plenty of things to cope with and Petey offers up an extremely authentic expression that not only gives us a peak into his relatable life, but a vastly dynamic musical escape and an anthem that will give you a kick in the toosh to push back when life is feeling like the villain of your movie.
Lean Into Life as described by Petey himself is “of the indie-rock variety,” but it’s so much more than that. Sliding through styles with ease, Petey does follow a sonic centerline but infuses a lot of electronic instrumentation into the mix for a clean balance of the organic and synthetic.
What strikes me most about Petey’s music is his authenticity. That word is thrown around a lot but it’s not until you come across someone like Petey you realize what that actually means. We can describe it, we can repeat the definition, but the term’s true nature isn’t something that’s really quantifiable. Not to get too hippy dippy, but it’s truly felt and I can certainly feel it pulsating through from start to finish on this LP.
As someone who was born, left and returned to the Golden State, I can 100% live by Lean Into Life‘s first track whose chant “I’d rather be depressed in California” which has become my go-to answer for everyone who’s asked me about moving elsewhere.
Following up are a string of my other favorites including the quirky “Apple TV Remote,” the previously released hit “Pitch A Fit!” and the heartfelt love anthem “Don’t Tell The Boys” which has literally made me cry several times while listening and thinking about my own girlfriend.
But the song that sticks out to me the most as one of the most genuine, fun, funny, sad, awesome, and unique songs is the title track “Lean Into Life.” It’s a 5 and half minute journey that is structurally different from usual expectations and is the aforementioned masterpiece that has become a mantra for my own life. Petey does everything right on this one and gives us what I imagine is his most deeply personal song. It’s minimal, yet cathartic, it builds in all the right ways. Despite showing vulnerability, it feels like this song – and the full LP – were loads of fun to craft. I could go on and on forever, but I don’t want to bore you with my adoration as you can plainly see I believe Petey to be a special musician.
Petey wants to just be a guy making stuff, and that’s something I can get behind. With lifeless brands taking over, it’s nice to see a genuine creative take the stage and deliver something extraordinary, yet down-to-Earth. I hope Lean Into Life hits you as hard as it did me, and make sure to also check out PeteyUSA on TikTok if you’re into alt-comedy. I could do a whole other review about his hilarious antics as one of my favorite TikTokers, but let’s leave it to the music for now. Enjoy.
