Oliver Leader de Sax discusses genre-blending following rumours about Kenrick Lamar’s upcoming rock-influence
genre
Micro-Genres? Schmicro-Schmenres!
People want to use hyphens when they describe the music they listen to. Rarely will you ask someone what kind of stuff they’re into and simply receive a reply of “rock” or “dance.” A growing complexity naturally comes with more sophisticated nomenclature, after all, and a snappy summary of exactly what the vibe of artist […]
Music Genre of the Week: Grime
GRIME Background and Info With its origins in London’s pirate radio shows Grime is a genre that sticks its hands in a lot of musical cookie jars. Jungle, Drum & Bass, Garage, Reggae and Dancehall to name a few. It has also been labelled as ‘gritty’ hip hop and ‘deep’ rap. It’s certainly a […]
Music Genre of the Week: Gothabilly
Used by The Cramps to described their sobre rockabilly influenced brand of punk rock, Gothabilly is a hybrid music genre. Listening to it is like going to a prom where theme is not “Black and White” but “Black and Black”. Similar to Glam Rock, Gothabilly is also firmly intertwined with fashion. Many Gothabilly artists can […]
Music Genre Of The Week: Shoegaze
Shoegaze Origins and info Shoegaze can be described as a transient amorphous wall of sound characterised by distinctly hazy guitar and washed-out, often inaudible vocals, as if a noisy rock band were submerged in glue. Perhaps the best way to understand it is a genre is in the name itself. NME coined the name ‘shoegaze’ because the bands […]
Music Lesson 10: Riot Grrrl
Today, few topics raise the ire of so many (one way or another) than the topic of feminism. Whether for or against, moderate or extreme, proto or post-colonial, it’s a guaranteed hot topic, and like most hot topics, it has a place in the punk movement. Enter Riot Grrrl: feminism incarnate, applied directly to the […]
Album Review: Swim Deep – Mothers
Swim Deep Mothers 2 October 2015 If there was one criticism that could be made of Swim Deep’s (mostly) excellent debut album Where The Heaven Are We, it was that the wishy-washy nostalgia pop was somewhat lacking in depth; inoffensive and pleasant enough, yet almost certainly playing on the side of safe (presumably to keep […]
Music Lesson 9: Gangsta Rap
Veteran Eminem listeners may recall a certain skit from his Marshall Mathers LP album (the first one), in which an exasperated Steve Berman “explains” Dr. Dre’s album successes: “he’s rapping about big-screen TVs, blunts, 40s (40 oz. beer bottles) and bitches”. Such is the foundation of the genre known as gangsta rap, the topic of […]
Music Lesson 6: Opera Metal
Have you ever come across a genre that makes you sad about human existence? Josh Rotchelle stumbles across symphonic metal (metal opera) in his latest musical quest. [dropcap size=small]H[/dropcap]ave you ever wondered what Tyrion Lannister of Game of Thrones has on his iPod? Me neither, but if I had to guess at the point of a […]
Music Lesson 5: Electro-swing
Fact: electro-swing is, on balance, the coolest genre of music in current existence. How? It pulls off the impossible balancing act: sporting bouncy and energetic tunes, but also maintaining a cool stride that makes it look easy. Think 20 cans of Red Bull plus Morgan Freeman. Lifestyle Editor Josh Rotchelle takes us through his fifth […]