Mads Engel

9Mar

By Mads Engel16 Comments

Uncategorized

Concert Review: BROCKHAMPTON is redefining what we mean when we say “underdog.”

Brockhampton proves that in 2018, you don't need a record deal to become a household name. Formed in 2015 in San Marcos, Texas, the rap collective is essentially a crew of fifteen friends who work together to write and record music, shoot videos, and promote their brand. The first members actually met in the comments of a Kanye West fan forum. Now, Brockhampton lives together in Los Angeles and churns out albums faster than you can squeak an ad-lib. Over the course of 2017, Brockhampton produced three LPs to comprise the SATURATION trilogy, each release more dialed than the last. Their sound is fresh but familiar, like a sonic lovechild of Missy Elliot and Dr. Dre. The group's six rapping members cover a great deal of lyrical ground, touching on themes like faith, drug use and homosexuali...

7Mar

By Mads EngelNo Comments

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Song of the Week: Valentine – Soloq ft. Clairo

Soloq is a go-getter. This 17-year-old chillwave producer sells beats for money in addition to working on his own stuff, and while he's not exactly widely established yet, he's already got some dank collaborations on lock . Soloq's latest project features a track with vocals by Clairo, the bedroom pop internet darling that everyone seems to love. The lovely tune is full of satisfying pops and guitar strums, the perfect soundtrack to an early spring day. Listen below.

28Feb

By Mads EngelNo Comments

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INTERVIEW: Easy, baby takes Colorado College

We sat down with psych-pop dream-trap group Easy, baby after their SOCC performance in December to chat about new music, old friends and the pitfalls of Rocket League. Based in Montreal, the band was started by CC alumni Gabe & Eli Sashihara and their childhood friend Lucas Hamren. Listen to the conversation below:

15Feb

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Local Shows: Previews & Reviews, Shows, Uncategorized

CONCERT PREVIEW: BROCKHAMPTON @ The Ogden Theater, February 22

Brockhampton, stylized as BROCKHAMPTON, is a California-based American hip-hop collective formed in San Marcos, Texas in 2015. Brockhampton was founded on Internet forum KanyeToThe, leading them to be described as 'The Internet's first boy band'. They released their first mixtape All-American Trash in 2016, their first album Saturation in June 2017, and their second album Saturation II in August 2017. No one could have predicted a year ago the height Brockhampton has reached. The boyband shot to superstardom somewhere between the releases of Saturation II and III. In just the last few weeks, Brockhampton has been featured on TRL, Fantano, and in Converse's "Rated One Star" campaign. America's favorite boyband will be coming to Denver as a part of their LOVE YOUR PARENTS tour . The show i...

28Jan

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Local Shows: Previews & Reviews, Reviews, Shows

CONCERT PREVIEW: Keys N Krates @ Boulder Theater, February 9

Welcome back to school and reality, everyone! With the new year comes a host of dope concerts. The SOCC will be posting previews of shows we think are worth checking out. If you're looking to enjoy a good night off campus, you can catch Keys N Krates with NYC's DJ Jubilee at the Boulder Theater on Friday, February 9th. Toronto's Keys N Krates have established themselves as one of the biggest names in electronic music, with their song "Dum Dee Dum" achieving RIAA gold status without radio airplay. Party-makers in their own right, KNK also throw an annual festival in their hometown Toronto booking acts like Virgil Abloh, River Tiber, AraabMuzik, and Lunice. More recently, they released "Glitter" ft. Ambré which saw them break the conventions of the dance world and explore R&B. On their ...

18Dec

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Music, Playlist, Uncategorized

PLAYLIST: 4thwk x 4thblk

The end of a semester is undoubtedly an emotional roller coaster. It's the only time of year that you can go to the library and get to see a silently weeping student juxtaposed with the jiggly scrotum of the streaker who had the foresight to take Intro to Nature Sounds and is done with finals four days before anyone else. Much like the average Fourth Week Experience, the Perfect Study Playlist is hardly one-size-fits-all. I've written papers to soundtracks ranging from Death Grips to Vivaldi. Regardless, Spotify playlists are the new mixtapes, and I just want the world to know that I am your secret admirer, I made this playlist for you, and I want it to make you happy and productive. Godspeed, my children. The end is near.

7Nov

By Mads EngelNo Comments

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NEW MUSIC: Most Likely – “Steve”

Austin fuzz-rock outfit Most Likely has just released a new single about a cat. Formerly known as Planet Manhood, these dudes have been putting out music for a few years already. The new track is the first release off their upcoming LP, and its production blows previous work out of the water. Fans of (Sandy) Alex G. will almost certainly dig it - the first chords immediately evoke the sound of 2015’s Beach Music. Give it a listen below:

5Nov

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Music, Song of the Week(end)

SONG OF THE WEEKEND: Palm – Pearly

I've always had mixed feelings about math rock. For those of you who aren't familiar with the genre, here's my stripped-down definition: experimental rock made up of layered rhythms that really should not sound good together. In my experience, math rock can range from utterly abrasive to mind-blowing. Palm lands on the latter end of that spectrum. I saw this band play at an itty bitty coffee shop up in Boulder a few weeks ago. The performance had me fully immersed - it almost becomes a game, trying to figure out when the downbeats land or when the keys change. It's impossible to concentrate to this sort of music, yet it tickles the brain in an inspiring way. Palm is full of contradictions. I should really stop trying to describe it, and you should really just listen to their newest track...

Song of the Weekend: Ariel Pink – “Death Patrol”

8Oct

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Music, Song of the Week(end)

Song of the Weekend: Ariel Pink – “Death Patrol”

I'm a big fan of the first few weeks after an album is released. No matter how famous or underground the artist is, for a glorious fortnight I can toss their music on the aux and watch as everyone in the room reacts. People will bob their heads and tap their toes, running through the iTunes libraries of their mind trying to figure out who the hell sings this song. In that moment, I feel like god, holding the power of a great song as well as the holy knowledge of its origins. Ariel Pink's latest album has been on the airwaves long enough wear its novelty thin, yet his music always has a similar effect on a room. Nostalgia confronts experimentalism in songs like "Death Patrol," leaving listeners in a frustrating state of deja vu. Dreamy disco melodies combined with Pink's eclectic vocal r...

6Apr

By Mads EngelNo Comments

Song of the Week(end), Uncategorized

Song of the Day: KMD – “Peach Fuzz”

Before there was MF Doom or King Geedorah, there was Zev Love X. Rapper Daniel Dumile got his start as a part of the group KMD, which he formed with his brother in 1988. The group released their first studio album in 1991, when Dumile was only 17 years old. For longtime Doom fans, the rest is basically history. Hearing a young Dumile spit on a track like "Peach Fuzz" is one helluva trip. Zev Love X's raps have the same unique timbre of a typical Doom song, but the high-pitched pubescence makes it something entirely unique. You can hear the same savvy rhyme schemes, wacky references, and vintage samples on KMD's music as you would on any of Dumile's recent work, but with a distinctly old-school vibe. So kick back, revel in the '90s slang and bump this blast from the past on repeat.