#buy on the days where bandcamp gives artists all the money though | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rushingheadlong · 4 years

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This isn’t exactly Queen-related, but since this is my “bandom” blog y’all are getting this post over here instead of on my main so. sorry about that I guess lol.

I mentioned this a little bit in my post about the sale Tim Staffell is having on his bandcamp right now, but I also want to talk about this in it’s own right too: Music artists, especially independent creators, earn hardly any money from streaming services and it’s important to actually buy their products to support them!

I know there are other posts going around talking about the problems with Spotify’s payment model right now, but a) I can’t find them to reblog at the moment and b) I think it’s easy to get confused when you look at “average amount paid per stream” because that’s not actually how streaming sites pay out their artists at all.

Rolling Stone did a breakdown in August 2020 of what Spotify most likely pays out to artists, based on the available revenue information. If you don’t want to read the whole article, the long and short of it is that:

The conservative estimate for the number of artists on Spotify is 3 million - of which only about 43,000 artists account for the top 90% of streams on the site.

Spotify doesn’t technically pay artists per stream. All the revenue that it distributes to artists each month is pooled together, and artists are paid out from that pool based on popularity of individual tracks.

As this separate Rolling Stones article explains, if five hit new songs by one artist pull in 2% of all the streams in December, that artist (and everyone with rights to those five songs) gets 2% from that pool of money. But that means that if you listen to nothing but small, independent artists the money Spotify makes from you is going first and foremost to top-name artists and not the people you actually listen to.

Here’s a breakdown from that first article that makes this a little clearer: The top 43,000 artists make about $22,000 per artist per quarter. Everyone else (over 98% of all artists on Spotify) averages $36 per artist per quarter, or roughly $12 per artist per month.

You can also see that in breakdowns of what artists with high stream numbers actually make. Just over 1 million streams earned one group just under $5,000 across three months. Although to be clear, this is not a problem with only Spotify and buying digital copies of albums from places like iTunes and Amazon also doesn’t result in high profits for artists - usually netting them less than $1 per album, or about 9 cents per track downloaded.

Here’s the thing, though: If you buy directly from the artist themselves that percentage of profits goes way up.

That should be obvious, but it’s easy to rail against how unfair Spotify and other streaming sites are and lose sight of the fact that there is a very clear way to support independent and/or less popular artists and it’s by simply buying their stuff without using a middleman!

Not to keep talking about Tim Staffell but that’s exactly what we’re going to do for a moment here: He sells his music and limited merch through Bandcamp which takes 15% of each sale of digital downloads and 10% of each sale of merchandise.

His albums are priced a little more expensive than a $9.99 iTunes purchase, but you can buy digital copies of his entire discography for £24 and he’ll make about £20.40 on each sale. If you buy a physical copy of one of his albums for £20, he makes £18. Hell, even if you buy a CD during his 50% sale he’ll still take home about £9 from it and that is still a significantly higher profit than what either streaming sites or iTunes pay out.

This article talks more about how much more money artists earn selling through Bandcamp than they do through streaming sites. One example given is a band who made $4,200 releasing a new album on the site, vs maybe making $100 a year in streaming.

From a broader ethical standpoint, that same article talks about some of the charity donations that Bandcamp makes from their revenue and the fact that since the COVID-19 pandemic started Bandcamp has launched “Bandcamp Days” where they waive their percentage from each sale entirely so all profits go directly to the artists. (There’s also the fact that Bandcamp simply pays out artists faster than streaming sites do, so they aren’t waiting for their money to be released.)

It’s also worth noting that Bandcamp requires artists to set a minimum amount, but you can also choose to pay more if you want so if you have some extra cash to burn you can, in fact, give it directly to that small indie artist whose music you fell in love with if you so choose!

And the thing is, it can be really easy to look at a group and see that they have their music on iTunes or Amazon or whatever and just buy from there out of habit, but I guarantee that if you look at their website they’ll also have a link to their Bandcamp page - but you do have to go looking for it!

If you follow my main blog, a few weeks ago I was waffling over whether I wanted to buy merch from The Longest Johns (yes, you’re getting a real glimpse into my musical tastes today). I spent well over an hour looking through their store and I was so tempted by the vinyl copy of their newest album. And I’m still tempted by it but y’all, I live in the US and conversion from £ to $ plus international shipping is not always the kindest so I didn’t buy it. And I will never judge anyone for not having the money to pay for international shipping to support independent artists.

But here’s the thing: The Longest Johns also have a Bandcamp page, which I never went looking for because I’ll admit that I found their music to stream and I just did that and never looked further into it. But now that I know that I can buy digital copies of their albums for £10, of which 90% of that is going directly to them, I am definitely going to be doing that instead.

I get that not everyone has the money to do this, and I fully understand that streaming sites are sometimes the only way that people can listen to the music that they love. If you don’t have the money to spend on something, then of course that’s fine!

But if you do have the money, considering spending it to directly support an independent artist!

Look, Queen is a multi-million dollar enterprise. It’s one thing to advocate for supporting new album releases, like Live Around the World, because that can influence future projects that they might release - but at the end of the day, I genuinely don’t care if you illegally download their music or stream it or anything else. (Seriously, I don’t care if you stream Queen, because the issues with Spotify’s payment structure don’t matter to them when they’re that rich already and there needs to be a massive overhaul* across all streaming platforms anyway in order for smaller artists to make a reasonable profit off streaming sites.)

But if you have an independent artist that you love - be in Tim Staffell or The Longest Johns or Omnia or anyone else - how you engage with their music does matter a lot more. And if you’re financially able to do so, look into buying their music or their merch from them directly, either through Bandcamp or whatever other storefronts they may use. They’ll get a much larger share of the profits if you do that than any amount of time you could spend streaming them on Spotify.

*If you want to do something to start forcing changes with how streaming sites pay out artists, the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers has a list of demands for Spotify specifically which includes paying at least one cent per stream, adopting user-centric pay models, revealing existing payola and then ending it altogether, and crediting all labor in recordings, among other things. You can sign on to support them and read more information HERE and there’s a tumblr post you can reblog HERE as well.

#long post //#text #not queen //#ramblings

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chi-capricorni · 6 years

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Musician x Muse Plot Ideas:

An intern for a small folk record company is tasked with hunting down a reclusive artist. When she finds him, she expects it to be a piece of cake to get him back to the city but what started as a simple task soon devolves into madness, & it’s going to take more than a positive attitude to get him to cooperate.

Could be a romantic plot, but could also just be a kind little Enemies to Friends situation.

What would you do if a time traveling musician found their way to your doorstep?That’s exactly the situation Muse A is faced with when, on an already hectic morning she runs into an odd stranger standing at her doorstep. Muse B insists this is their apartment but Muse A begs to differ, having just signed the lease a week ago, and brushes past him making sure to lock the door as quickly as possible before making her escape. However, upon Muse A’s return home they notice Muse B has disappeared but their after work relaxation is soon interrupted by a crash from the Bathroom. It seems Muse B isn’t out of their hair just yet.

I see Muse B having a key, and since its an old building the lock hasn’t changed and as it turns out thats easily proven when Muse A compares their key to B’s.

The traveler could be from any era, preferably 60-70′s for peak folk vibes. Muse A likely works in the music industry but has become jaded, no longer able to see past the money hungry nature of an industry she once adored for its honesty. Muse B comes from a time when crummy values were just starting to be reflected in the industry, and instills A with a sense of hope.

I know this could tread into Manic Pixie Dream Girl territory but god am I a slut for time traveling musicians.

Potential plot points:

Muse A finds an old record, and realizes its a Muse B release

Muse B has to decide whether they should find a way back or stay with Muse A

Muse A busks outside of Muse B’s place of work, almost every day they stop to enjoy A’s music trying their best to offer up some change when they can. One night, Muse A is late getting back to their little apartment when they spot Muse B. Unfortunately, Muse B is attacked, and while they struggle to free their bag from the muggers clutches Muse A steps in and whisks them away to a quiet corner to hide. Still shaken by the attack, Muse A brings Muse B to a 24 hour diner, buying them hot chocolate and hash browns to give them a distraction. Muse B finally begins to speak again, trying to laugh off the situation and mentioning how stupid it was for them to be working so late. The two find comfort in each other, and though they are worlds apart they have more in common then they might expect.

Muse A could be homeless, but honestly I know a lot of musicians that busk when they need some coffee change.

Muse B is a musician themselves, but have struggled to continue with their passion as generally they’re too exhausted after a day in the office.

Maybe there isn’t even an attack, maybe Muse B catches them cleaning up or they don’t show up one day and the next time they’re there Muse B checks in and makes sure they’re ok.

An established couple, one of which is the “struggling musician”-trope, while the other has a long term job. Basically just a general romance plot where they’re trying their best but their best doesn’t exactly support Muse B to the extent that Muse B supports A.

Could end in Muse A getting famous OR the continuous struggle between the two.

Record Store Cutie: Muse A is the assistant manager at a record store known for hosting open mics in the coffee shop that the store shares their space with. She’s seen it all, from ridiculous double acts to their personal synth hell. That is, until Muse B performs one evening. Their voice is soothing, and it feels like they are singing to A and A alone. They start to perform at the open mics more consistently, and Muse A starts making sure they’re working just so they can catch their sets.

In House AU’s:

Muse A pines and pines and doesn’t know what to do with themselves when Muse B comes to the counter to pick up a record ordered for him.

Muse A goes back and forth, considering asking Muse B to coffee once they start spending more time but is disappointed when the barista stops by and reveals the two have been dating for a while.

I’m a sucker for pining and melancholy.

They share flirtatious glances, but nobody makes a move until its TOOOOOO LATE.

She donates like 20 dollars to his bandcamp thinking its anonymous but as it turns out, her email address gave her away. He approaches her and asks her if they can get a drink and things move on from there.

Muse A has been trying to get a music career started for the past five years but nothing ever seems to work out. Drummers quit, practice plans fall through and it seems like no matter where they turn they’re left hanging by people that they trusted. Cue Muse B. A talented pianist, guitarist and just about any other instrument you can think of who answers Muse A’s final attempt at putting on a show. ‘Last minute gig, must have own guitar’. And like that, a momentary band.

They play together and expecting B to just disappear like everyone else Muse A treats them like trash, ending the arrangement immediately after the show. Muse B, isn’t going to take it and tries to contact them to continue. It’s hard to deny they played together well and suddenly, it’s like all the pain was building up to this. They start booking gigs, playing around town and eventually get to open for a larger band but there’s one problem...Muse B seems to be getting all the attention, and what started as a solo project is ending as one...it’s just a question of whose project.

Oh Brother!: Muse A is in town for a wedding but their hotel is cancelled unexpectedly. In a mad dash to get a place to stay, he contacts the groom who offers up his sisters couch as an alternative to the luxuries of a Hilton. Muse B is the grooms sister, and boy is she surprised to find a stranger in her apartment when she gets home. Initially peeved with her brother for offering up her apartment without her permission, Muse A turns out to be quite the interesting character and as the big day closes in and A makes themselves at home in B’s apartment. They soon find they have more in common then they thought, both A & B are musicians by trade and both have been struggling to keep the passion for their music alive when a day job sucks up their energy. For that week, the two grow closer and even sing a song for Muse B’s brother at the wedding. But soon, the two must go their separate ways and what seemed like the perfect match begins to deteriorate due to long distances between them, and the one thing that brought them together falling to the back burner for work.

This can go one of two ways, be a melancholy split and maybe get some serious Like Crazy vibes or perhaps they grow closer over time, their music keeping them together and their passion growing with every tune they write for one another.

#music plot #fc: emily browning #fc: oscar isaac #musician x muse #intern x client #time traveling musician #time travel plot #will likely be updated #tfw one of the in house aus is based on real life lmao #ahas plots

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doomedandstoned · 6 years

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Lurk Deliver an Emotional Sledgehammer of Extremity

~By Willem Verhappen~

I have a confession to make: I'm a shallow bastard. At least, I can be when it comes to music. Every so often, I come across a record by a band I don't know and I buy it even though I haven't heard a single note of what's on it. Sometimes, when I have no idea what kind of music it even is, I might do a quick internet search, but often I just buy it. I buy those records for one simple reason: I like the artwork. The thing with this tactic is, sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't.

I also bought 'Fringe' (2018), the third record by Finnish death-doomsters LURK for this reason. The record was originally released in 2016 by the band themselves, but now Transcending Obscurity Records re-released the record with hauntingly beautiful new artwork from Adam Burke.

Hauntingly beautiful is also a good way to describe the music. Not in a pretty way though, for this is still a Finnish band. I'm not sure if it's the lack of sunlight during winter or something else, but the country is home to some of the most depressing bands ever. Lurk certainly is one of them. The four piece mixes death, black and doom metal in a sludgy mix.

Fringe (Atmospheric Sludge/Doom Metal) by LURK (Finland)

Opener "Ostrakismos" is dark, almost ambient-like piece, with even an alto-saxophone thrown in the mix. Expect slow but melodic guitar arpeggios, drenched in reverb and with sufficient feedback. "Tail Blade" has a more traditional structure, with some quality doom riffs and heavy drum hits.

By the end of the second song, it's already clear who the real star of the record is. Vocalist Kimmo Koskinen is a true force to be reckoned with. His grunts are low and dark, sometimes appearing to go subsonic. It's often similar to the most extreme parts of Manne Ikonen (Ghost Brigade). At other times he belts out emotional screams, sporadically bordering those of Amenra's Colin H van Eeckhout. By the time we reach "Elan," Koskinen channels his inner Aaron Stainthorpe, mixing clean vocals with grunts. It must be noted though, that even though his clean vocals are good, he's no match for the My Dying Bride vocalist.

The fact that the vocals are good on this record, does not mean that the music is overpowered by them. Musically, every song firmly holds its ground. Each song is a depression inducing lesson in bleakness. The songs sometimes sound clear, melodic and open, at other times heavy and dense, throwing you on the floor and refusing to let you get up. Once again the comparison with their countrymen from Ghost Brigade isn't far away, but Lurk still manage to kick it up a notch.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Transcending Obscurity is my go-to label for extreme metal and Fringe is no exception. If you're into the Finnish brand of extreme doom metal, the kind that is both beautiful and mercilessly punishing, you're going to love Lurk. They're in the same spectrum as bands such as Ghost Brigade, Swallow The Sun and Hooded Menace, but without sounding like a copy of any of those bands. Go have a listen right now, but be careful, you just might be as broken as the end of "Proteus Syndrome."

Chatting It Up With Kalle & Kimmo of Lurk

~By Shawn Gibson~

First things first: introductions!

Kalle: Yours truly, Kalle Nurmi, can be found beating the skins, a.k.a. drumming. Arttu Pulkkinen on guitar, Eetu Nurmi on bass, and Kimmo Koskinen is always screaming for vengeance. We’ve been active for about ten years now.

'Fringe' (2018), your latest LP, was released on the Transcending Obscurity label over the summer, right?

Kalle: That’s correct, but actually Fringe was originally, although momentarily, released on Bandcamp two years prior. We didn’t have any luck with labels back then and decided just to put it out there, mainly out of frustration. Then Kunal Choksi of Transcending Obscurity got in contact with us, wanting to do a proper release and we quite quickly went with him. You could sense the passion driving him and we knew he was gonna deliver - and he did! Fringe is our third album, preceded by our self-titled debut and our second, Kaldera.

Kimmo: Kunal's dedication has been inspiring. Finally Fringe gets the release it deserves, not least because of the exceptionally amazing art of Adam Burke.

What bands from Finland do you guys like and like to play with?

Kalle: Horse Latitudes, Hooded Menace, Coughdust, Demonic Death Judge, Black Royal -- those are just some that come to mind easily, that we’ve played with. There are loads of great bands from Finland, metal and otherwise, that we’ve not shared a stage with just yet.

Kimmo: There are loads of spirited groups in Finnish underground and different styles interlock smoothly together. We have played with doom, death and black metal bands, in hardcore nights and so on. Passionate and honest atmosphere feeds itself and leads to torrid combinations.

Where are some good places in Finland to see metal or heavy bands play?

Kalle: You can see great underground-bands play at Vastavirta Klubi in Tampere. I’m not sure about the situation in Helsinki at the moment, but I presume Lepakkomies has bands all the time and we’ve played there a lot at one point. More mainstream metal acts can be seen at Klubi, YO-Talo or Olympia in Tampere, and during the summer there’s a festival going on somewhere all the time. For example Tuska is completely dedicated to metal.

What are some of Lurk's influences musically?

Kalle: Oh man, that’s a tricky one! We’ve never decided on a certain sound or a band that we wanted to sound like, so all of our influences were allowed to get in the music. But of course, some bands have bigger weight in our output. For example Celtic Frost, Eyehategod, Neurosis, Entombed, Black Sabbath, Emperor, Burzum and about gazillion other bands. Also artists outside of metal, as Scott Walker’s The Drift is, in my opinion, one of the scariest albums ever made.

What's a damn good book you've read lately?

Kalle: Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, everything by Lovecraft. My most recent favourite book is by legendary Finnish writer Mika Waltari. I had to check online for its English title, it’s called The Etruscan.

What makes you laugh uncontrollably?

Kalle: Human endeavor. Also, cat videos.

The artwork by Adam Burke is amazing! Elan is my favorite song on this album. Please explain what this album means to the band and what the artwork symbolizes.

Kalle: This album means a lot to us. We changed bass players just before making the second album, Kaldera, and that kinda made us want to write differently too, and now with Fringe I think we managed to capture something that was set in motion back in those days. Maybe we are slow learners but this is the album that we wanted to do already back then, we just didn’t know how. We wanted to combine the best parts of our both previous albums and use them to make a goddamn super-album! The art itself wasn’t made to order, but when we saw it there was no question about it. It fits the mood. It’s not completely bleak and void of colour, there are shades and textures. There is also a strong link to nature, and death is ever-present, looming in the background.

Kimmo: Fringe is about the passion and all the human behavior around it. We, as species, have lost and banned big part of our heritage, our primal instincts. What's most important, the honesty has been derogated. Humanity isn't just positive pool of thoughts, and it seems that the world is nowadays living just for the decorative skin. At the same time the self-proclaimed messiahs are conspiring behind our backs, in the name of religion, money and power. But there's so much power to be found from death, rage and beastliness, because those pure things are us. Lurk is the one channeling the vigor and ripping the meaningless crust apart. From the woods we have come and to the woods we are to be buried.

What is in the future for Lurk?

Kalle: New songs, so probably a new album, maybe some gigs. Who knows? The doom-train keeps a-rolling.

You guys have an amazing response to this album and have great reviews how do you feel and how does this motivate you?

Kalle: It’s always good that people like it. Some seem to like it a lot! I’d be making music even without the positive reviews, but they tell us we’re onto something good.

Kimmo: We are making the music for ourselves, first and foremost. But if someone finds it intriguing, I don't blame him or her. If the music makes one think, it has reached the goal.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

Massive Lurk Giveaway!

Transcending Obscurity Records is giving away 100 free digital downloads of Lurk's 'Fringe' (2018). Grab 'em while they're hot! Simply copy one of the codes below and click here to redeem it.

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#D&S Reviews #D&S Interviews #Lurk #Tampere #Finland #Doom #Sludge #Metal #Doom Metal #Transcending Obscurity Records #Willem Verhappen #Shawn Gibson #HeavyBest18 #doomed & stoned

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violetsystems · 3 years

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#personal

I still haven't gotten my passport back yet. Old or new. I'm sure it's on the way but taking its sweet time. It hasn't been that big of a deal though it's a heavy inconvenience not being able to legally identify yourself. I have an expired driver's license and a lot of paperwork but that's not really good enough for most of Illinois. Work or leisure. I don't drink and don't really frequent bars anymore. I work for myself though I haven't paid myself yet this year. You have to have valid ID to be gainfully employed by someone else here. If I didn't have my life together already it would be more than annoying. I have health insurance still under a subsidy. I had my teeth cleaned earlier this week. No cavities. Mostly due to the electric toothbrush. I bought a waterpik right after. I've been so bored that I've started attacking problems I wanted to solve years ago. There's still drawers full of crap that needs to be thrown out. Lifetimes of shit do pile up if you are focused on other things like a dead end job or selfish personal relationships. I don't have either of those these days. So there really isn't any excuse for dirty drawers. I'm not planning to shit myself anytime soon to revisit the past. Which leaves the present and the future wide open. Much of that is dictated by my love of computers. I figured out how to mine finally. The open source way. I spent a lot of time in a terminal trying to apply the right definitions to scan my phone for the Pegasus spyware. I do think the results were negative so I'd rather not dwell on the past. Being a technological professional I have definitely spent a lot on electricity. That same idea of dirty drawers applies. You turn things on believing that they are ecologically friendly. It says so on the package. You don't dig enough to gather factual data to know it for sure. You get distracted by real life. Headlines. Drama. Nosy neighbors. The list goes on. And all the while, it just keeps bleeding out. I bought these smart plugs. Half of them monitor energy. The other half I didn't read the description close enough when I bought them. The ones that do measure electrical usage, I've set up in high power rooms. Both those and the low power rooms I can kill switch from my phone or whisper to my smart assistant to power off. I pay the electricity for the unit below me as well but that's more the agreement I have with my landlord. The biggest expense for me is always the AC and the heat. The appliances and everything else are just the icing on the cake. My rent has been affordable enough that with a little care and attention I can stay on budget. I never had that freedom or time to feel motivated enough to try. Now I know my razer laptop draws less than my rice cooker. Not that I'm the twelve hour rice in the rice cooker kind of guy. I have cooked chicken in it. What can I say I've had a lot of time on my hands. This happens when you can't identify yourself.

Sometimes you don't want to be identified. My past is so far behind me that it's a broken narrative. I've written about this narrative for years on this platform. I think it's a great place to write. This morning I saw a Tor books ad that looked like a regular blog post. Soon you'll be able to charge a subscription for your content if you wish. I'm not really here for that but I do think it's a great tool for creators. Bandcamp is still the easiest way for me to release music and shirts when I'm super fucking bored. But somehow five or six people always seem to support it when I do. I sold a shirt all the way out on the Ukraine once out of nowhere. I personally find it easier to mine and watch my electric bill right now then to fight to be seen as an artist. But situations do evolve over time under the right circumstances. And community is something I have never complained about Tumblr not having. Real life? Yes I have a lot of room to complain about the lack of community or respect for individual rights and will. But control over things is something I do have. And I've learned how to do that through setting boundaries for myself. I've learned a lot of those boundaries from being part of the culture down here. Unassuming. Anonymous. Hellbent on keeping it real. Chicago can sometimes be the same. It hasn't always been in the past. The fact that I'm completely disconnected from it is a large clue. The past. Not Chicago. I live here. Just like I do on Tumblr. That's a joke. But being able to write and stand my ground has given me a voice here and sometimes in the real world. Sometimes the wrong people listen. Or people get the wrong idea and make it more about them than me. But life goes on. If anything is true from what I wrote about a year ago, it's that I've both changed and stayed the same. There's things I can't escape about myself. Even if I can't prove to the state of Illinois I'm real enough to buy legal weed. Or how I've been fully vaccinated since April. Or how I can just leisurely set up a mining rig for research in my home office. How I can write here and challenge the status quo just by being the exception. Tumblr probably isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. I can't unlock any of my other social media from the past due to unfortunate circumstances related to identity and email. Not that I'm really complaining anymore. I was. As invisible as I am it feels more like a cloaking device than anything. Chicago in the news can be very dangerous and very wild. And yet, if anyone knows anything about me, I walk everywhere. Slow enough for people to follow you for blocks on end. Wanting to be seen. Worried about my safety. Worried about their safety because I left the house for once. Worried about everything. I'm not really that worried. Annoyed? Beyond annoyed. But as angry as I get, negativity does nothing for me to foster. It makes me look like every other secretly insecure white man here and just makes the turbulence around here worse.

If you have time enough to measure the difference in wattage between your rice cooker and your 6700xt gpu on full blast, you probably have time to pay attention to nuance. I pick up on the little things these days. I get that I share a porch with my neighbors and a cat. I get that I share a neighborhood too. I get that as a cis heterosexual white male I operate with privilege. It's not that hard to understand how to humble yourself in the presence of others. It's not hard to see how people have fought for rights harder than yourself. We're all fighting for the same thing. Freedom. I am understanding where I control the narrative and where I'm a guest. Where I don't have a say over other people's bodies, souls, or thoughts. I'm just as frightened by abuses or power and authority and yet they come as no surprise. I deleted everything Blizzard on my systems and am never looking back. I walk anywhere I choose freely with only a few annoyances. Jesus freaks and right wing antagonists are always up in my face trying to get a rise out of me. People think I'm a demon or haunted by some pirate ghosts. I have pretty good intuition and timing. I was a dj for like two decades. Beatmatching and pattern recognition. I get that I scare people and intimidate them just by breathing. Men are scary. Even to me. "Not all men!" Part of the reason people keep their distance from me is something I have to understand. I think we all have to understand who we are and what we can become when we live without care or intention. A lot of people just sleepwalk through this and blame the victims. They feel it's a weakness to share power. Sharing power is what cultivates freedom. But sharing power is almost pure chaos. It takes a lot of responsibility. And a lot of questioning of authority while asking the right questions and not just pinning a tail on a donkey. It's in the nuances and the people where freedom blossoms. Not in the polls or the pundits. We the people signifies something about America we ourselves have lost sight of. People buy their way into office at the behest of corporate and special interest money. The people are out there suffering while the profits guide the government. And it's really only the people who can turn this thing around. Here in Chicago, we know with our heart of hearts what to do. We have done it for so long. We survive together. We may not always like each other. We may feel like people are breathing down our necks and judging our every turn. But we always know where each other stands. We can stand to treat each other better. At least respecting that people have walls built up for protection more often than to hide something criminal. At least give people the space they need to grow. I have a lot of space to mine and play games. If I stay inside, it's so I don't rock the boat. If I go outside, just remember I have feelings too. We all could do better not to get caught up in them because we're overwhelmed by the bullshit. The bullshit we're in together. Respect is what is going to get us through. And I identify as down for the culture. As an ally you have my word. Love is the future. And the future is for everyone. <3 Tim

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rockrevoltmagazine · 3 years

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Interview: Dead Animal Assembly Plant

The Sweet Meats Slaughterhouse was founded in 1895 by Wilhelm Schröder. Internationally known for his advances in industrialized butchery…he produced 30% of the meats consumed in the United States. In 1915 tragedy struck the small town he called home when all the livestock took some unexplained fatal disease. The ever resourceful Schröder turned to the only available meat. The townsfolk. When they discovered the terrible truth – they enacted their own form of justice. Feeding the once prolific Schröder to his own machines. The Sweet Meats Slaughterhouse remained eerily quiet and vacant..until one night…horrible noises resembling music emanated from the dank hallways.

Why did you pick your band name?

Z.Wager: That is definitely the 10,000 dollar question. Having a name like Dead Animal Assembly Plant – I’ve found people either love it or hate it. It does feel like a disjointed jumble of nonsense. Yet the origin story is actually pretty mundane. A number of years ago I was casually looking at a website relating to business licenses and I came across one that I found extremely bizarre. In the state of Oregon in order to transport or store animal carcasses you have to get what’s called a “Dead Animal Assembly Plant” license. The absurdity of it was too much. At that moment I thought it would make a great band name.

Once I started putting together the pieces of the theme. Backstory. Etc. Having such a name made it easier to come up with the mythology and just kind of build on it from there.

Anything you would like to share, from new merch to upcoming shows/tours or songs/albums?

Z.Wager: So March is a big month for us in terms of releasing new material. March 26th our new album “Bring Out The Dead” will be released via Armalyte Industries. It will be available via Bandcamp (www.deadanimalassemblyplant.bandcamp.com) in both physical and digital form. We are very excited to finally have the album it out. The initial release date was pushed due to COVID. We had finished the album just prior to our tour in 2019, but the world turned inside out as we all know, so the decision was made to delay the release. Which was completely understandable. There was just too much going on and people were far too distracted by way more important things. We can’t wait to finally be able to hit the road to play new music and promote the album.

We also recently did a collaboration with the Belgian surrealist artists – Mothmeister. They just released their 2nd art book and over the past few months have been working with them to create unique “sonic landscapes.” Each track represents a different chapter in their book. So we would get a collection of photos and from that compose a soundscape that would convey the overall emotion. Try to tell the story their vivid imagery conveys. It was an honor to work with them on that. The 9 tracks are included for free when you buy their latest book which is available on their etsy page (mothmeister.etsy.com.)

As far as shows we are currently gearing up to perform a live set in late May. It will be professionally recorded/edited then released on YouTube. Still working out the details on that but we cannot wait to play together again even though it will be in a closed studio.

How do you describe your music to people?

Z.Wager: It can be challenging describing your music to people because of preconceived ideas about what defines a genre. Plus you don’t really want to pigeon-hole yourself into a music corner. We basically say it’s a cauldron of rock, metal, industrial, electronica, but also a bit of rockabilly or dissonant noise. That even sounded silly listing out haha. I think one of the funnest things is to hear how people describe your music to you. It’s really insightful and rewarding.

Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition? What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Z.WageR: Oh we all still get nervous before shows. Doesn’t matter how big or small the venue/crowd. There’s always this nervous halo kinda dangling over your head. It really doesn’t start sinking until after we get ready and there’s that calm before the storm as it were. When you’re loading in, getting ready, doing your make up, sound checking etc etc…there’s almost no time to really be nervous. After all that is done and you have time to process your emotions…yeah the nerves set in.

I’ve never seen nerves as a bad thing though. It’s exhilarating and it really keeps your head focused. Maybe it’s the adrenaline junky in me haha. But it makes you feel alive and present. If there gets a point when you’re so jaded that you don’t feel that then maybe you need to rethink where you’re at. Approach the show with confidence – of course – but let those waves of anxiety wash over you.

Let it drive your performance or keep you on your toes. Then when you hit the stage let it drop and roll away. Cuz now it’s show time and people deserve to see a great show. So my advice is not to try and avoid your nervousness but embrace it as part of the experience.

Do you have a band website? Do you have a Facebook or Twitter? Do you use Bandcamp, Spotify, or SoundCloud to share your music?

Z.Wager: Yes we are all over the place on the internet. Bandcamp is by far our preferred place for selling music online. Sure, it’s a business but they don’t rake artists across the coals unlike all the streaming services. It is hilariously sad when you register your music and get the occasional “check” for the stream payouts. It would be easy to get angry if it wasn’t so funny how ridiculous the thing is. At that point you really do have to think of it in terms of getting it out to more ears than expecting a payout. All of our links can be found below.

How Does music affect you and the world around you?

Z.Wager: At one point in our lives – up to today – we can all say that music saved us in some way. I know it’s a cliche’ we say or hear a million times, but we know it to be true. Music is visceral. It vibrates us down to our core. It gives a voice to the voiceless. Understanding to the hopeless. This is something we all feel and for us – if we’re able to put something back into the ether and help one person get through a tough time – then it’s all worth it. Because it’s something that no matter who we are…our backgrounds…beliefs…we can find something in common.

One of the best things anyone has ever said to me at a show that really stuck with me was,” You know there’s a lot going wrong in my life right now, but I know when I come to one of your shows…I can forget all that and just have fun.” That really meant the world to me because that is a huge part of why we do what we do.

How would you define the word “success?”

Z.Wager: That’s such a loaded subjective word. To me it really comes down to …fun. Are you having fun? If so – then you are successful. It isn’t always a happy positive situation…like any other facet of life it is wrought with negativity, dangerous thoughts, and dramatic complications but I can say..still…I’m having fun. So no matter how big or small your band is…your following is..how big your shows are…if you are having fun then you are successful. People can tell and respond to that energy when a band is in a positive state of mind. But it’s that realization that can get you through the darkest times.

How did you form?

Z.Wager: So back in 2007 I was in a friend’s band called Bound in Oblivion. He was taught me a lot about various DAWs and gear to the point where I started tinkering around more with my own songs. I had ideas for songs that didn’t really jive with what he wanted so I initially formed DAAP as a solo side project. A place where I could experiment with themes and compositions. After a few years and a few small – VERY – rough releases I wanted to do a live show, but I didn’t want it to be only me. I didn’t want Industrial karaoke. So through my friend Case (whose band I was in prior) I met Eric “aka Zero” and my friend Vex (of Particle Son) joined. Viola the 4 of us clunked our way through a show that was supposed to be a one off. Here we are 10 yrs later (almost to the day) still trudging through. Granted, we have changed members up quite a bit but that comes with the territory. Why have kids when you can have a band? Haha

Who writes the songs, what are they about?

Z.wager: We all , in some respect, work on the songs. I generally will write the lyrics, but the compositions/instrumentation is a collective effort. There are stronger personality imprints on certain songs which i love because it makes it dynamic yet cohesive. The themes of our songs are generally all over the place. There’s no one thing we tend to focus on other then we follow the basic idea that real life is far more horrorific than make believe. So whilst we call ourselves a horror band – the horror we generally write about is every day life. The depths in which humans stoop. We’re also not very religious and tend to view religion through the lens of critical skepticism. So, that definitely makes easy fodder for lyrics. Predictable? Absolutely. But they make it so very easy.

What’s your outlook on the record industry today?

Z.Wager: In one word: shambles. The pandemic has really shown how shark infested those waters are. It’s a vicious voracious hungry monster that is solely designed to eat away every bit of creativity. It very much is an industry and a business. It’s always been cruel but it the cruelty has gotten more calculated over the years. Yet there is the other side to it. It’s the golden age of the independent artist. All those outlets and resources that were afforded only to major labels are now available to everyone. That’s a wonderful thing. i know people can feel pretty divisive about it but that’s a load of gate keeping nonsense.

Sure, it’s still a business so everything takes money but now you can have your own studio, pay for your own production, hire a PR person, have your music online, and stay connected to your fan base. People can be their own bosses. Own managers. Keep control of their art. That strips a lot of power away from the big business side of it. Sure, it’s still a rat race…people claw at each other for a piece..that’s in our nature. But now you have far more control over what you do with your art. Empowering the creator which is paramount.

There will always be that power struggle between both sides of it and you just have to figure out what’s best for you. Full steam ahead. Damn the torpedoes!

DAAP combine elements of rock, metal, industrial, and bring a strong post-apocalyptic / horror influence to our characters and stage show. Shows include: Knotfest 2015, Wasteland Weekend 2018/2019, multiple successful independent tours including a national tour in 2019, Twitch.tv appearances, collaborations with international artists Mothmeister, and direct local support for numerous national touring acts from metal, to horror punk, to industrial.

The fanatical cannibals of Dead Animal Assembly Plant have whipped up their own recipe for the horrors of the modern age: with a touch of rock, dash of metal, pinch of industrial, sprinkle in some electronics and heaping helping of madness. Welcome to the slaughterhouse.”

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DEAD ANIMAL ASSEMBLY PLANT: Z.WAGER REBECCA ‘BUZZ’ WAGER ERIC ‘ZERO’ BERGEN JASON ‘SKORN’ MOORE NICK ‘NIX’ SNYDER

Connect with DEAD ANIMAL ASSEMBLY PLANT (click icons):

Interview: Dead Animal Assembly Plant was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

#Dead Animal Assembly Plant #ERIC 'ZERO' BERGEN #JASON 'SKORN' MOORE #NICK 'NIX' SNYDER #REBECCA 'BUZZ' WAGER #RockRevolt Magazine #Z.WAGER

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awonderfulkindofimpossible · 4 years

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The Art of Giving Away

AKA, Gathering an audience when money doesn’t matter

I love street art and think that graffiti writers tell us an awful lot about the inner workings of any artist’s mind.

Creating a large piece of graffiti is not cheap. A writer could easily drop 30 to 50 quid on art supplies for a night’s work, painting public property, for free. So what drives them? Could it be just the desire to be seen?

We’ve all seen that meme about pub musicians. This one:

Why do so many musicians do this? Could it be that for most artists getting rich just isn’t that important.

Getting seen or heard in this world is hard. The internet is full of articles about getting paid to do what you love but… what if money doesn’t really matter that much?

And if money doesn’t matter, what does matter?

[As a side note, I realise there are people that make their living from their art. For them money may be the most important thing. That’s amazing and I’m not knocking it. I just think that for many, many artists, money isn’t that important.]

For years now I’ve been giving my music away for free. And any artist with their music on Spotify or Apple Music might as well not bother with the pittance of royalties they pay. We do it for fun. We do it because we need to get what is inside us, out there. It’s not egomania, it’s a normal human phenomenon.

We just want an audience, but we find that giving stuff away is just as hard as making money with art.

Most artists can find a small number of people that will buy CDs, tee shirts or prints. Perhaps, like me, you’ll find that skills you’ve gained in your art creation can be sold and you’ll make some money freelancing creating videos, taking photos, or mixing and mastering other people’s work.

I feel like if I really worked hard at finding more paid opportunities, I could probably grow the revenue I get from my art with a decent plan and some motivation.

Growing my audience, though? That’s a harder nut to crack.

Over the past couple of years I’ve given away a few things online, not just music and videos, but a video game, a print and play card game and sample packs for other artists to use. I’m now gearing myself up to give away the second version of that print and play card game, so I’ve been thinking about how and why to do it, and what might work.

So here are 3 thoughts that have been running through my head.

The corporate world wants to monetise your art, even if you’re not getting paid for it.

Spotify and YouTube are only free to use because they stuff your free content full of paid-for adverts. They get paid. You get an audience and the promise of maybe one day getting some cash. That’s why they care about your art.

As an artist, there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging this, and using it to your advantage. I’ve seen people advocating using video streaming services other than YouTube because they profit from your hard work. But at the moment if you want people to watch your videos, YouTube will likely get you the biggest audience.

It’s okay to understand this, disagree with the practice, and use their services anyway. Remember, the money isn’t important, whoever is getting it. The audience is important.

There’s another thing I’ve seen advocated online that I’m not so sure about. I’ve not got anything against it but I’m just not sure it works. And that is selling something in order for it to be valued.

I’ve seen people kneecap their audience numbers by attempting to set an entry price so that people REALLY value their art.

Hell, I’ve done it myself.

One Day Everything Is Going To Be Better For You by Kinetic Monkey

The Kinetic Monkey album “One Day Everything Is Going To Be Better For You” was originally not available on streaming services, and only available to download for a set price. Very few people bought it, and I don’t think any of them valued it any more than if Bex and I had given it to them for free via Spotify or via a Bandcamp “Name Your Price” model.

I think the reason that this whole “set a price to determine value” thing doesn’t work, is that your initial reach doesn’t change. No one new is hearing your work if you sell it at a premium; only your fans. And they already love your art.

2. There are places that love free stuff.

I’ve already mentioned Bandcamp. If you want to give away music without a corporation making money on the back of your hard work, Bandcamp works well. They offer you an ad-free site for your music, and actually promote free music on their weekly shows, blogs and podcasts.

As companies go, they are turbodope.

But they’re only available to the music community, and most people don’t use their services. Everyone has a Spotify or Apple Music Account. Not everyone has a Bandcamp account.

In the gaming world, I’ve had an amazing response from content on Itch.io.

In the few months since I uploaded my first ever videogame, There’s Nothing To Do In This Town, 4,000 people have played it online, and over 350 have downloaded it to play offline. It’s a very similar model to Bandcamp with an ad-free page for your project and Name Your Price structure. Sure, the video game market isn’t as crowded as the music market. Especially not the market for games for a 30-year-old console. If I had those numbers for my music, I’d be over the moon.

Itch.io is based on community, collaboration and innovation. It’s a great place.

The last places I want to talk about are online communities. Sites like Reddit, Discord or small interest-specific forums likes Lines or Board Game Geek are great places to share free stuff, because their model depends on conversation and interaction around content, not on the content itself.

This leads me to my last thought.

3. How we talk about free projects, is as important about where we talk about them.

“Free” is no longer a differentiator. Most things online are either free, or have a sales model that allows them to be freely accessed, with monetisation happening through ads, subscriptions or in-app purchases.

There are still far too many self-promoting posts online that highlight how free something is.

“MY NEW ALBUM – DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE!” says nothing about the album itself. I don’t want to click on free stuff. I want to click on good stuff.

Talk about the themes your art is exploring. Talk about your frame of mind when you were creating. Talk about the artists who inspire you.

One way I try to attract an audience is asking for feedback. My print-and-play game has had 741 downloads in the 18 months it’s been live. I track where those clicks have come from and it’s not from self-promotion posts, but rather from posts asking for feedback on Board Game Geek. Not only does that feedback allow me to make better stuff the next time round, but it engages with new people.

I get my art seen and heard because my audience feels seen and heard through the feedback I ask them for.

#marketing #makersgonnamake #maker #makersmovement #music #gamedev #kickstarter

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ulyssessklein · 5 years

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How an indie hip-hop artist charted on Billboard and iTunes

The direct marketing strategy that helped me chart at #3 on iTunes and #50 on Billboard.

It was all a dream: “I believe I can chart on Billboard with this album!”

I convinced my producer, engineer, mentor, and—most importantly—my wife to buy into the dream.

The odds of charting Billboard were clearly stacked against me. No major label budget. No national, regional, or even local publicity campaign. I also work more than the typical “40-hour workweek” at a big tech company in Silicon Valley. The list goes on.

Nonetheless, my belief was strong. It was late October 2018, and I had just spent the past couple weeks writing, what would soon become my latest album, Airplane Mode. I had the music. Now I just needed to crystallize the narrative, develop a marketing strategy, and reach out to my fans.

Five months later, Airplane Mode debuted at #3 on the iTunes Top 40 US Hip-Hop Album Chart as well as at #50 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Album Sales Chart. Mission accomplished. Simple, right?

In the midst of people congratulating me on this huge accomplishment, many have also asked, “So, how did you actually make it happen…?”

Establishing the Airplane Mode album narrative

Airplane Mode developed in a very unplanned and visceral way. In mid-October 2018, my aunt— the one who nurtured my love for hip-hop at an early age—passed away unexpectedly in my hometown, Bridgeport, Connecticut (about 3,000 miles from where I currently live).

Days before, my friend and producer, J-Dot Music, had coincidentally sent me a collection of beats. We weren’t thinking about an album then. I just wanted to hear the new sounds he had been working on. After hearing about my aunt though, I needed to artistically grieve. I remembered the beat pack, sifted through until I found the beat that most plucked my heart, and wrote the song, “Hope You Hear Me.” All within the same hour I received the news.

I spent the next two weeks devouring each beat J-Dot sent me. Within each song, I explored concepts and tackled issues I wasn’t even ready to express out loud yet. The writing was nonstop. On the bus. At the gym. During my walks in between work meetings. On my flight from San Francisco to see my family. By the time we buried my aunt, I had the foundation for a new project, which I decided to call Airplane Mode.

The term “Airplane Mode” symbolized three main things for me:

My mindstate: I was in a daze. At the same time, by feeling so disconnected, I was able to tap into my creativity without restraint, allowing me to be and remain “in the zone.”

My lifestyle: combined, my wife and I have visited over 100 international cities across 50 countries. We’re both multilingual and children of immigrants coming from an impoverished background. As such, I have developed a global, cross-cultural outlook on life, which is a core part of my brand.

My music career: two months before I wrote Airplane Mode, I had just booked and headlined my third Bay Area show in 2018. My career growth was feeling even more tangible, so in a self-fulfilling prophecy type of way, I claimed that this new album would elevate my platform even further, as each project had done before.

Why do I share all of this with you? Because for me, the album narrative—replete with passion and vulnerability—was imperative for my entire marketing campaign. I interweaved this narrative throughout my entire go-to-market strategy, from the album cover to the song content to audience communications pre, during, and post-release.

Setting the foundation for the Airplane Mode marketing campaign

Around the same time I completed my album, I also learned about the Nielsen and Billboard charting successes of fellow independent artists, Shannon Curtis and Tyke T via the DIY Musician Blog. With more research on the process plus assumptions of my current fanbase, I resolved to set an ambitious goal of selling 1,000 albums within the first week of release.

Pre-sales seemed to be the predominant way that I would hit this goal. Learning that the pre-sales period may be a minimum of one-week and a maximum of six months gave me the time I needed to mobilize my fanbase.

Because my album had 12 tracks, I was also eligible to set up an instant gratification (grat) track via CD Baby. I chose “Hope You Hear Me” as my track because, not only did an instant grat track give extra incentive for core fans when purchasing, this particular track also gave listeners a deeper, weightier connection to the album narrative, which furthered the word-of-mouth evangelism.

The majority of my fans do not purchase physical albums anymore. Combined with my limited budget, I decided upfront that Airplane Mode would be 100% digital. This decision helped me streamline my preorder process in the long-run. For instance, I only had one UPC to register in Nielsen’s database.

Lastly, I knew that over 60% of my fanbase had iOS devices, so iTunes was very essential to my campaign. That said, I did not want to exclude the other 40% of my fanbase from helping me achieve this monumental goal (that’s a lot of fans!). So, I focused on three sales channels: iTunes, Bandcamp, and my online store (which also had Airplane Mode merch for sale).

5 key tactics to enable the Airplane Mode marketing campaign

With a two-month preorder window, I executed several marketing activations. However, there were five that I felt truly moved the needle:

Empowering my brand ambassadors: my “High Grade Society” – my exclusive group of core fans – were critical because not only did they immediately preorder Airplane Mode with enthusiasm but they also encouraged their circles of influence to do the same.

Asking fans to purchase directly: just about every day, I shared the album narrative and sought out support from my fans directly via in-person or direct messaging. With every proof of purchase, I would repost and thank them publicly.

Paying for digital advertising: social media ads are a cheap way to build brand awareness amongst your target audience and fight through organic noise. While I was not depending on ads to generate the bulk of the sales, I did end my campaign with a 3% conversion rate (better than 0%!).

Promoting organically via weekly content production: In December 2018, I started a weekly freestyle series called “Casual Fridays” – a tongue-in-cheek for my fans who know that I juggle both a music career and a white-collar corporate day job. What started as a simple addition to my “Call Me Ace portfolio” soon became another avenue for organic album promotion once I gained traction.

Coordinating a pre-album release party: the Airplane Mode party occurred one week before the album dropped, with an optional “free entry” ticket for those that already preordered. With a full crowd gathered for an exclusive listen to my album, I also garnished the night with additional special touch points to ensure that everyone felt even more connected to the album narrative once they left. Here’s the Airplane Mode release party recap video if you’re curious!

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Airplane Mode immediately jumped up to #3 on the iTunes Top 40 US Hip-Hop Album Chart after releasing on Friday, March 22, 2019. This news served as another big social proof point that galvanized more people to organically share and encourage others to listen. Even with the option to stream available, some people still purchased Airplane Mode as a sign of true support.

To top it all off, fans were directly sharing immensely positive feedback with me on the album content. With their permission I would repost, recognize publicly, and use to encourage even more feedback from other listeners.

These additional touchpoints helped push Airplane Mode to the final goal of the campaign: charting on Billboard.

5 challenges during the Airplane Mode marketing campaign

While I’m ecstatic that Airplane Mode hit the Billboard chart, the effort did come with its challenges:

Apple does not provide real-time presales data. Not being able to track my preorder sales on iTunes, where most of my fans purchased my album, forced my total sales count to be more of a calculated guess than a sure fact. I had to assume, for example, that trending at #3 in iTunes Hip-Hop albums to pre-order list was a good sign…right?

Apple is (not-so) secretly phasing out iTunes. Strike two, Apple. Apple automatically reroutes all iTunes links to the “Apple Music” iPhone app. This created unnecessary confusion and frustration, especially for potential supporters that didn’t even remember that the “iTunes Store” was a separate app, probably somewhere in the back of their phones. This definitely impacted final sales.

There were too many clicks at point-of-sale. Although I created a superlink to streamline the preordering process, it still took at best 7 clicks before actually preordering the album. Still, this was a better trade-off than having three separate preorder links to promote…

Not everyone has money to preorder. I naively assumed that all my fans had at least $9.99 of disposable income. However, while there were many cases where supporters spent way beyond $9.99 on Bandcamp to purchase the album, for some would-be supporters, $9.99 was too costly.

Some people just don’t believe in purchasing music. This last challenge wasn’t an issue for my true fans and supporters that understood the larger goal I was hoping to achieve. This was more so a challenge with casual or potential fans that interpreted the ask within the context of their preferred music listening preferences. The reality is that streaming currently dominates music consumption in the US, where over 90% of my fanbase exists. I knew my request wouldn’t be an easy one from the beginning; this challenge only confirmed that I had to rely on my core base in order to reach my Billboard goal under my aforementioned constraints.

And there you have it! If any of what I shared resonates with you, please let me know in the comments below. And of course, if you have any thoughts on the Airplane Mode album itself, I would love to hear your feedback on that too

The post How an indie hip-hop artist charted on Billboard and iTunes appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

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asfeedin · 4 years

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The Best Android Apps (April 2020)

Aren’t smartphones just amazing? There’s almost no limit to what your Android phone can achieve. From the top Android flagships to the best budget phones, a few taps is all that’s needed to order takeout, watch live news, or hail a cab. If you’re looking to get really advanced, you can even call people, too.

A lot of these features don’t come preloaded, so to get the most out of your phone you’re going to need apps. Which apps should you pick? There are millions of apps to choose from on the Google Play Store, and deciding which to download and install on your Android phone or tablet can be a tricky task. Thankfully, we’re here to help with a tantalizing menu that combines a solid core of apps everyone should find useful, with a few lesser-known apps that you might want to try out. You’ll find 100 apps in all, neatly divided into different categories for your consideration.

If you’re an iPhone lover, then check out our list of the best iOS apps instead, and if you’re more into gaming, check out our list of the best Android games.

Android essentials

Facebook

Can a billion people be wrong? The biggest social network on the planet has a decent official app. Keep up with your friends and family, jump into instant chats, and stay informed with push notifications. Best of all, Facebook isn’t just a place to share content stolen from Reddit and Twitter, as the world’s biggest social media site has also pushed out into sections for dating, shopping, and videos. Pair it with Messenger for the ultimate double-act.

Google Play

YouTube

Alright, you probably have YouTube already — but that doesn’t make it any less an essential. YouTube’s mobile app is sleek and intuitive, bringing the entirety of the video-sharing site to the palm of your hand. For those subscribed to YouTube Premium, you’ll have access to all the premium content, as well as special features like audio playback while the screen is off.

Google Play

Twitter

Sometimes unfairly viewed as the lesser version of Facebook, Twitter is the place where everything seems to happen instantly. Birthplace of the now now-ubiquitous internet facet, the hashtag, Twitter is the best place to be if you like to be on top of the latest breaking news as it happens. Follow your favorite content creators, actors, or crazes, and follow all the news, impressions, and opinions as they roll in.

Google Play

Google Opinion Rewards

It’s the Play Store’s best kept secret, but it’s a secret you should really know about. Google Opinion Rewards is exactly what it sounds like — it gives you rewards for your opinions. Specifically, it’ll ask you questions about places you’ve been or about yourself, and you answer the questions to earn Play Store credit. If you’re not worried about giving up more of your data tmhen this is a good way to earn a little extra money for apps.

Google Play

Movies and videos

Netflix

Netflix isn’t just one of the best video-streaming services, it’s THE video-streaming service. There’s a huge selection of movies and TV shows for subscribers and the performance is silky smooth. It’s not just restricted to old favorites either, as Netflix has produced a huge amount of excellent exclusive content — though if you’re anything like us, you’ll just put The Office on again. This is as entertained as you can get from just $9 a month.

Google Play

Disney+

If you’re looking for anything from Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, or National Geographic, the only place to go is Disney+. The Disney+ app allows you to stream everything from the latest Avengers blockbuster to those weird Disney Channel programs you used to watch back when you were a teenager. There’s a 7-day free trial, and it’ll cost you $6 a month after that — though you can pay $60 for a year in advance to save $12.

Google Play

Hulu

Hulu’s the place to go if you want to see the latest episodes of thousands of shows or movies, or catch up on some older classics. Running shows are updated as they air, while you can often also catch live sport on here too. Hulu offers various subscription models, including one that opens up the entire streaming library for $6 a month, and another that removes midstream ads for $12 a month.

Google Play

Fite — Boxing, Wrestling, MMA

If MMA, wrestling, or boxing is something you love to watch, Fite could be your Netflix. Fite provides a way to watch a huge range of combat sports, from UFC to All Elite Wrestling to the top boxing matches around. It’s free to use, but you’ll need to order each event you want to watch, though it does support streaming for easy viewing.

Google Play

Crunchyroll

Whether it’s a guilty pleasure, full-on obsession, or anywhere in between, anime is exploding in popularity across the world. If you love to dive into the latest series — or are just curious — Crunchyroll is your gateway to anime paradise. It has the latest anime episodes, streamed just 1 hour after Japan, and there’s an enormous range of series to pick from. A monthly subscription for ad-free access and the latest episodes is just $8 a month.

Google Play

Music and audio

Spotify

Spotify is probably the first name that springs to mind when you think about music streaming. That’s for a very good reason — it’s probably one of the best streaming services out there. There’s a massive selection of music on offer, from the latest huge releases to some seriously obscure genres — parrot-fronted death metal, anyone? There’s a free version if you want to try it out, but if you want ad-free listening, to download music, play any song, and have unlimited skip, then you’ll need to subscribe for $10 a month.

Google Play

Soundcloud

If you’re looking for an all-you-can-eat buffet of sound with no ads and no subscription fees, you’ve found it. You can discover new music and stream it from the cloud, but this is no Spotify replacement — most of the music on Soundcloud is from relatively unknown artists, and if you’re not able to find it on Spotify, you can probably find it here. Listening is free, with the pro versions of SoundCloud mostly being for the artists themselves. It’s not just about music though, as you’ll find a lot of podcasts on here too. A great complement to another music streaming service.

Google Play

Bandcamp

Bandcamp is the place to go if you’d rather directly support your favorite artists. Bandcamp’s mobile app allows you to stream and play the music you’ve purchased from the artists who make their livings on Bandcamp, and you can browse and buy new music as well. If you’re a fan of a specific Bandcamp artist, this is also a great way to keep tabs on them.

Google Play

Google Play Music

Google’s official streaming service is a worthy competitor to Spotify. Not only does the app provide a vast library of content, but it also allows users to upload up to 50,000 of their own songs for online storage. So if you’ve got a collection of MP3s from before the days when streaming was the normal way to consume music, upload them to Google Play Music and stream them from any of your mobile devices. Be warned though, it’s not long for this world.

Google Play

Apple Music

If you use a Mac or iPad on top of your Android phone, you may be better served with Apple Music over Google Play Music or Spotify. Apple Music offers access to Apple’s massive library of music, as well as Apple’s Beats 1 radio station, which plays both current hits and up-and-coming music. The celebrity DJs and exclusive album streams are a plus, but you’ll have to subscribe before you can listen. There’s no free tier, so you’ll have to pony up $10 a month.

Google Play

News

The New York Times

One of America’s most hallowed publications also has one of the best news apps. The New York Times app arranges the publication’s content in a clean format and allows users to customize their newsfeed, and it comes with breaking news alerts to bring you the biggest news as it happens.

Google Play

Vice News

If you prefer journalism that leans toward gonzo, Vice offers its robust library of written and video content in an app that is elegant and easy to navigate. The app includes estimated reading times, so users with a time-crunch can prioritize articles to suit their schedules.

Google Play

NPR News

The official app of National Public Radio provides a steady stream of straightforward reporting in both print and audio. Users can not only listen to news reports but also various programs such as All Things Considered and Radiolab.

Google Play

The Washington Post Select

One of America’s most noteworthy papers has a beautiful mobile app, with vivid images and colorful menus. The content is also top-notch, particularly the incisive political reporting. The app requires a subscription though.

Google Play

Flipboard

If you love curated news and updates, Flipboard is the perfect app. It allows you to follow publications and topics you’re passionate about. Throughout the day, Flipboard updates with the best stories, allowing you to flip to find whatever you’d like to read. Its redesign makes it look slicker than ever.

Google Play

Nwsty

Ever feel like there’s just too much news to keep up with? Nwsty might well be the app for you. It’s aimed at those who don’t often read the news and makes it easy to keep up with the daily headlines without spending too much time on them. Each day, you get six to 10 headlines in your digest that you can quickly and easily read in a matter of only a few minutes.

Google Play

Sports

theScore

Whatever gets you excited, from NASCAR to the NFL, theScore will have you dancing in victory or crying in your beer. It brings you all the latest touchdowns, goals, and home runs as they happen.

Google Play

ESPN

Having the official ESPN app installed is a no-brainer for any die-hard sports fan. You can quickly get the latest news on your favorite teams and leagues, including MLB, NFL, NCAA, MLS, NHL, and more.

Google Play

CBS Sports

Not only does the CBS Sports app have the latest news, standings, and scores for all major league sports, you can also watch live games and events like NCAA basketball and the PGA Tour, as well as CBS Sports original programming, like Fantasy Football Today.

Google Play

Social media

Tiktok

Essentially Vine for a new generation, TikTok is the home of short videos that are amusing, meme-laden, and just generally fit for a certain demographic. It says it’s there for raw, 15-second storytelling — but we know most people are there for the memes and song mimers. It’s fun, and showcases some real creativity — but it’s probably not for everyone.

Google Play

Instagram

Instagram is ubiquitous in photography now, so you might as well have it on your phone. Owned by Facebook, the social network centered on photos offers great filters and connectivity with others.

Google Play

Pinterest is the go-to social network for finding and sharing inspiration on creative projects, hobbies, fashion, and more. The app features the same functionality as the website, allowing you to “pin” and “repin” posts from other users to various boards, so you can share and save new ideas.

Google Play

Messaging

Skype

The original VOIP service is now owned by Microsoft and boasts more than 250 million users. Free international voice and video calls via your data or Wi-Fi connection are hard to pass up.

Google Play

Messenger & Messenger Kids

Facebook’s best feature is arguably its built-in messaging. Facebook now offers its messenger service as a stand-alone app, enabling you to chat with your Facebook friends and anyone in your contacts with the app installed — without having to be signed into Facebook or even have Facebook installed on your phone at all.

If you’re a parent, then Messenger Kids is a must-download on your child’s phone. Messenger Kids might seem like it’s built for kids, but it’s really built for parents. With the app, parents have control over their kids’ contact list, and messages can’t be deleted — meaning that parents can check in to take a look whenever they want. Of course, there are some pretty sweet features for kids, like kid-appropriate stickers, GIFs, emojis, and so on.

Messenger Messenger Kids

The Google Play Store has no shortage of messaging apps, but WhatsApp’s secure end-to-end encryption and feature-rich interface mark it as one of the best. This cross-platform app lets you send and receive messages, pictures, audio notes, and video messages for completely free. A must-have for messaging addicts, even if the U.S. hasn’t fully embraced it yet.

Google Play

Ablo

So good it was named Google’s App of the Year for 2019, Ablo allows you to connect with other social butterflies from around the world. Sign up and you’ll be connected with a new friend from somewhere else in the world. Ablo’s automatic translations whips away any language barriers, translating text and video calls live. It’s free to download, there are no restrictions on the number of chats you can have, and there are even in-app challenges.

Google Play

Snapchat

Snapchat is all about sharing photos, short videos, and conversations that expire automatically after they’ve been viewed. You can use filters, decals, and effects to enhance your photos and videos, and take your Snap game to a whole new level.

Google Play

Dating

Tinder

Tinder is the ultimate dating app for mobile users, thanks to its location-centric features. Regardless of what its reputation may be, it’s still a great way to meet people. Your next match could be a swipe right away.

Google Play

Coffee Meets Bagel

This app is geared toward those who are looking for a real relationship, rather than a quick hookup or short fling. Every day at noon, you get sent a prospective match based on a specific set of criteria. You can Like them or Pass on. If you like them, you’ll be set up with icebreaker questions; if you pass, the app will learn your preferences and try again tomorrow.

Google Play

Happn

Happn connects you with others you’ve passed in real life, making that shared glance at a coffee shop into a potential date. You can browse profiles of those you’ve crossed paths with, and if you both “like” one another, you’ll be able to begin a conversation.

Google Play

Grindr

The dating app of choice for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer people of all sorts, Grindr is one of the biggest dating apps around. Using it is simple — let the app know your location, and you’ll be matched with other nearby members so you can chat, swap pictures, and hopefully meet up in person.

Google Play

Reading

Kindle

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle — you can still read your ebook directly on your smartphone. From best-sellers to the classics, it’s all here, with more than 900,000 titles in Amazon’s store.

Google Play

Google Play Books

If you’re not a fan of Amazon, then Google’s Play Books is an excellent alternative. Google has a massive database of books to choose from, including all the classics — and you can even buy and play audiobooks too.

Google Play

Audible

Audible is the premier place to consume audiobooks on your Android device. There are thousands of audiobooks on offer, from classics to the most recent hits, and you get your first audiobook for free. A $15-per-month subscription gets you a credit per month to spend on any audiobook, and options for playback speed and cross-device syncing make listening even easier. There’s even a car mode for listening on the go.

Google Play

Comics

Comixology’s free app is a window into a staggering library of more than 40,000 titles, including all the big names from Marvel and DC. It’s the biggest comic book reader out there right now.

Google Play

Blogging

Medium

Medium is a high-profile yet minimalist blogging platform that anyone can use. Due to its popularity and presence, it draws numerous well-known journalists, authors, actors, and other personalities to the platform, meaning you’ll have a stream of high-quality articles and essays to read whenever you want.

Google Play

Tumblr

The Tumblr app makes it easy for you to share anything from anywhere. You can post any kind of content to multiple blogs, save drafts for later, schedule posts, and then join in the discussion.

Google Play

WordPress

This app mirrors the functionality of your WordPress blog and helps you create and edit posts. It’s a simplified version that’s easy to use, and it also displays reactions to your latest articles.

Google Play

Gaming

Steam

Steam is the biggest and most prolific community and storefront for PC gaming. Through the Android app, users can access the Steam community, browse the store, and purchase new games.

Google Play

PlayStation App

PlayStation Network can be accessed on your Android via the official PlayStation app. You’ll be able to sign in to your PSN account, interact with friends, make purchases, and even schedule downloads for your PlayStation 4.

Google Play

Xbox

Microsoft’s Xbox app not only brings your Xbox Live account and console interface to your phone, but it also opens up your gaming experience, with many games offering special, second-screen features, such as maps and bonus content.

Google Play

Twitch.tv

Through Twitch’s Android app, you’ll be able to watch your favorite streamers, view past broadcasts, and browse through all available streams to catch the latest high-profile Dota 2 matches and tense speed-running marathons right on your phone.

Google Play

Strafe Esports

Our first stop for esports-related news, Strafe covers pretty much every competitive game out there, from Rocket League to League of Legends, from Hearthstone to Dota 2. There are exhaustive stat breakdowns and live map updates for applicable games, and there’s even an in-app betting system, offering another layer to your viewing.

Google Play

Nutrition, cooking, and food

Zomato

You can set your location, the type of food you want, and your budget to find suitable local restaurants. There’s also a handy shake feature to get a random suggestion if you just can’t decide.

Google Play

MyFitnessPal Calorie Tracker

If you want to lose weight and get in shape, then you need to start counting those calories, and this app, from MyFitnessPal, is an easy, accessible, and completely free way to do it.

Google Play

Food Network Kitchen

Find thousands of recipes from your favorite food network chefs and personalities, including recipes featured on their TV shows and specials. How-to videos and shopping list features will equip you with everything you need to make a great meal.

Google Play

Simple Macro

Tracking your macros is an important aspect of fitness. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain mass, or maintain your body composition, eating the right balance of protein, fats, and carbs is key. The macro tracker lets you set your preferred macro ratio, and track the foods you’ve eaten.

Google Play

Fitness and health

7 Minute Workout

How long does it take to start getting fit? How about seven minutes? The 7 Minute Workout app is a well known way to get fit, and it crams a bunch of high-intensity workouts into just seven minutes, making it the perfect way to start, straddle, or end your day. 7 Minute Workout offers guidance through 12 exercises that only need a chair and wall to complete.

Google Play

AllTrails

Running isn’t the only way to explore the great outdoors, and if you want to take a more leisurely pace, AllTrails is the best way to travel. This app has over 100,000 routes you can walk, run, or cycle, and they’ve allbeen extensively reviewed and rated by outdoors lovers like yourself. In times where you#re not able to go outdoors, this makes AllTrails an excellent research app, and you can note down the routes you want to tackle. You can recordyour walks, and the Lifeline feature broadcasts your location to friends, keeping you safe. Most features are locked behind a Pro subscription, but it’s only $30 a year, making it nicely affordable for most.

Google Play

Adidas Running App by Runtastic

Runtastic is a smartphone staple, with a simple interface that doesn’t sacrifice advanced features. The no-frills app uses your smartphone’s sensors to track metrics, such as your distance and relative pace, as well as calories burned and your heart rate. A few extra features, such as 3D mapping and a workout diary, only complement the app’s wearable integration. Runtastic is now owned by Adidas, adding an extra element of branding to the app, but it still functions much the same way as before.

Google Play

Strava Running and Cycling GPS

Strava is an excellent tracking app that monitors your runs or cycling routes via GPS. It gamifies your cardio workout and pairs with leaderboards, achievements, and challenges, bringing a competitive spirit to your routine. It also has Android Wear support.

Google Play

Sleep as Android

Sleep as Android is one of the biggest sleep tracking apps on Android, and there are a bunch of reasons it’s popular. You can track your sleep, movement, and snoring, you can play soothing noises to put you to sleep, and it syncs data with quite a few other apps and devices, including Google Fit and Philips HUE smart bulbs.

Google Play

Daily Yoga

Yoga is unbelievably powerful. It strengthens your core, increases flexibility and focus, and decreases stress. Plus, it can help you lose weight and stay healthy. This app will guide you through daily yoga routines of varying difficulty and length, and step-by-step, HD videos showing exactly how to do each pose.

Google Play

Self-improvement

Calm

Taking a moment of calm can be crucial for your mental health, and Calm is one of the leading meditation and sleep-promotion apps in the Play Store. It has guided meditations, breathing exercises to reduce anxiety, sleep stories, and more. There are guides for beginners and experts alike, and while you’ll need to pay to get access to most, there’s still a lot here for free users who aren’t sure if they’ll enjoy it.

Google Play

Udemy

Whether you’re looking to learn something new for work or just for yourself, Udemy probably has a course to help you. With over 130,000 video courses taught by expert instructors, you can use Udemy to pick up skills with coding languages, Photoshop, yoga, and even more. You can download individual lessons to learn on-the-go, and there’s an audio-only mode if you’d rather learn in places like the car. Most courses will cost you money, but there are deals and discounts available for many.

Google Play

Duolingo

Anyone looking to learn a language should start here because it’s fun and accessible for all ages. It has free courses for Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, English, and more.

Google Play

Fabulous — motivate me!

With science-based coaching as its backbone, Fabulous – Motivate Me! Will help instill healthy, positive habits and routines into your life — everything from better sleep, sticking to a morning routine, finding time for creativity, daily meditation, losing weight, and more.

Google Play

Finances and money

Mint

Mint is our favorite money management website, but it also has a kickass app. Mint can keep track of multiple bank accounts or credit cards to help you stay on budget and out of the red.

Google Play

Acorns

Looking to save a little more money? Acorns helps you invest by rounding off your credit card or debit purchases to the nearest dollar. Once you’ve accumulated a little money, it’s easy to transfer the funds to your bank account.

Google Play

Venmo

Venmo allows users to send money for free. The transactions can be sent to any bank and occur overnight. This makes paying back your friends simple and quick.

Google Play

Cash App

Create your “Cashtag” and you can receive payments for just about anything. Formerly known as “Square Cash”, Cash App lets you quickly transfer money between other users for free, using a passcode of your choosing and 128-bit encryption as an added security measure.

Google Play

Google Pay

Mobile payments are slowly becoming commonplace, and Google Pay is Google’s latest attempt at a mobile payment app. Using Google Pay, you can purchase items at any NFC-capable payment terminal, provided you’re in a country that supports Google Pay and have previously set it up on your NFC-capable phone.

Google Play

Shopping

Depop

Depop’s ultra-minimal, online marketplace takes little more than a photo to get started. Once captured, share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter before striking a secure deal with a host of potential buyers via the built-in chat function.

Google Play

eBay

There’s very little that you can’t buy or sell on eBay. The app is full-featured and much easier to use than the website. Bid on items, track your orders and sell all of your unwanted stuff right here.

Google Play

Amazon Prime Now

While the selection on Amazon Prime Now may not be as good as what you find on Amazon, the upshot is free delivery within two hours. If you’re in a real-time crunch, some products and locations offer one-hour delivery available for a small fee. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon Prime Now even offers a decent selection of groceries.

Google Play

PayPal

The easiest online checkout method right on your smartphone. You’ll be able to manage your PayPal account, send and receive payments, and more. The app can also notify you of transactions, offering handy reminders and alerts when you use PayPal as a payment method or have an upcoming bill due.

Google Play

Travel and events

Google Maps

Google Maps has been stopped us from getting lost for fifteen years now, and it’s never been better. Get voice-guided navigation for trips, different instructions for driving, walking, cycling, or taking public transport, and search for anything you need. If you’re using some Pixel phones, you can even get AR-based walking directions, which is pretty neat.

Google Play

Uber

If you need to get somewhere and don’t have wheels of your own, hop in someone else’s ride. Uber allows you to call upon a private driver in your city who will help you get to where you need to go. It’s all the ease of a taxi, at a lower cost, and without the fumbling for cash at the end.

Google Play

Lyft

Lyft is another private cab service, that helps you to find a — well — lift whenever you need one. Basically an alternative to Uber, you can hail a cab and pay directly in the app, and can even split the tab with a friend easily.

Google Play

Airbnb

Forego the headache of trying to find and book a hotel, and instead find an open room or home to stay at on your travels. Users can search for accommodations, communicate directly with hosts, and book, all without leaving the app.

Google Play

Google Translate

Translate speech or text between more than 70 languages with this app. It can act as your interpreter, enabling you to decipher signs and menus and enable two-way conversations. You can download translation files if you know you’ll be without a data connection, and it can even translate signs with Google Lens.

Google Play

Going out

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is the ultimate going out app, with millions of recommendations and reviews from people all around the world, covering the best things to do wherever you are. Plan ahead with Tripadvisor’s tools, allowing you to organize your hotel bookings, restaurant trips, and attractions. You can even book them from the app with Google Pay access. It’s also great when you’re traveling, thanks to support for mobile tickets and bookings.

Google Play

Yelp

Craving a decent microbrew, a breakfast burrito, or a good latte? Yelp will help you scratch that itch. It’s packed with user reviews, directions, and tips for almost every place around, making it invaluable for almost every trip out.

Google Play

StubHub

StubHub allows you to buy and sell tickets to virtually any event, from sports to concerts. StubHub protects its users with its “FanProtect Guarantee,” meaning you can buy and sell tickets on their app without risk.

Google Play

Fandango

A streamlined glance at your local theater listings with trailers and reviews of all the top releases, this app can also work as a mobile ticket at participating cinemas. Check times, select seats, and pay, all within the same app.

Google Play

YP – The Real Yellow Pages

YP is a robust tool to help you find local businesses, venues, and restaurants. You’re able to browse menus, book tables or tickets, and you can even check out the local gas prices, so you can plan your next outing with ease.

Google Play

Foursquare City Guide

With over 60 million quick reviews of the best (and worst) places to eat, drink, and more in any city all over the world, you’ll know exactly where to go — and where to avoid — while you’re out and about.

Google Play

Device performance

Avast!

This comprehensive package includes malware protection, privacy advice, anti-virus scanning, filtering to block nuisance calls, and anti-theft tools. There’s even a firewall for rooted devices.

Google Play

Files by Google

Google’s Files app is an all-around excellent utility app that allows you to find files quickly and free up space on your phone. You can also easily exchange files with other people close by with Files, similarly to Apple’s AirDrop. While there are other similar Android apps on the market, Files is less cluttered and not bogged down with ads.

Google Play

Google Find My Device

Google’s official phone tracking service helps you locate your phone, remotely erase its data, and reset the screen lock PIN, and it works with any device associated with your Google account.

Google Play

Gboard

There are many keyboard apps out there, but Gboard is generally considered one of the best. Coming straight from Google, Gboard is loaded with a tonne of features, including swipe typing, inbuilt Google search, GIFs, and emojis.

Google Play

Photo editing and management

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom, a program built upon Photoshop, is a powerful photo editing tool for photographers. The mobile app takes the features of the desktop application and puts them on your Android device.

Google Play

Adobe Photoshop Express

While not as powerful or extensive as the desktop version, Adobe Photoshop Express still offers an impressively wide array of tools for editing and creating images directly on your Android device.

Google Play

VSCO Camera

VSCO Camera has become one of the most popular photography apps, thanks in part to its powerful editing features that include impressive present lens settings, post-shot tweaks, and before-and-after comparison shots.

Google Play

Imgur

The official app for one of the most procrastination-friendly sites on the internet. Browse through near-endless GIFs and images from almost any topic you can imagine.

Google Play

Google Photos

A centralized location for all your photos. Google Photos will automatically backup your photo libraries on your phone to your Google Drive, saving them in a special folder that only you can access.

Google Play

Documents, web, and email

OfficeSuite

It’s one of the most downloaded apps on the Play Store, and that’s for a very good reason. OfficeSuite is a fully featured alternative for Microsoft Office, and includes tools to view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents, as well as including support for various PDF operations. It’s an all-in-one solution for your document woes, and it’s free to get most of the features. OfficeSuite Premium gets you the ability to work on password-protected files, 50GB of cloud storage, the ability to export PDFs to other formats, and more.

Google Play

Google Drive

Downloading Google Drive should be a given. it’s one of the biggest sharing and cloud saving platforms out there, with 15GB for free and the ability to access your files and photos wherever you might need them. It’s tied into Google’s other services as well, including Gmail and Docs, making it the natural choice for anyone invested in Google’s ecosystem.

Google Play

Dropbox

Dropbox is another cloud saving service, and while you think you have that covered with Google Drive, Dropbox is still useful to download and use, because it often works with a number of third-party apps Drive doesn’t. It only gives you 2GB for free, but if you use it primarily for smaller files you should be okay with that amount.

Google Play

Evernote

Who needs to carry a notepad when you have your phone and Evernote? Evernote’s app is an elegant and extremely useful solution for note-taking, and can be used for everything from simple to-do lists, to notes with accompanying photos. You can scan in typed notes with your camera, create separate noitebooks, share your notes with other people — and best of all, everything is searchable so you’ll never lose that important note.

Google Play

Google Docs

Google Docs is the ultimate free collaborative writing tool, and allows simultaneous usage of a single document with a large number of other people. It syncs to Google’s services almost immediately, which means you’re able to see other people editing and typing in real-time, and it syncs with other platforms as well. An excellent writing tool if you’re working with others or alone.

Google Play

Productivity

Recorder

It disappeared for a little while, but now Google’s Recorder app has returned and is happily back in its position as our favorite recording app. Recorder is more than just your usual voice recorder — it uses Google’s powerful AI to transcribe conversations as you record them, meaning you can reread conversations and even search for specific phrases. While its transciption feature isn’t perfect, it’s still a very powerful tool and worth including in your toolbox.

Google Play

Adobe Scan

Adobe Scan eliminates the need for you to have a dedicated scanner in your home or office — simply take a photo of the document, and the app will crop it and make it look like a scanned document.

Google Play

Box

Box recently launched revamped web and Windows apps to better tackle online collaboration. Box takes things a step further by offering an overhauled web app that you can access through any browser by logging into box.com.

Google Play

Google Assistant

This app doesn’t bring Google Assistant to your phone if you don’t have it, but it does allow for a much easier way to access Assistant — by adding a shortcut to your home screen. If squeezing the edge, long-pressing the home button, or using a dedicated key aren’t your style, you can add the shortcut to your home screen easily thanks to this app.

Google Play

CloudCal

CloudCal offers one of the most unique ways of showing you how busy you are on any given day. The Android exclusive uses a system it calls Magic Circles, which turns the days of the month into clock faces and shows different colored circles, or segments of a circle. We also like that you can attach photos, audio files, and Dropbox files to specific events.

Google Play

Editors’ Recommendations

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Tags: 2020, Android, Apps, April

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vinylexams · 5 years

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Dramathan - Into the Pink

I’m VERY excited to make this post because if you’ve been following VE for a while, you’ll recognize it as one of the only albums I’ve used this platform to help fund-raise to see it get pressed! Dramathan, or Jonathan as I know him, has been making noisy, DIY bedroom rock for a while now and Into the Pink is a big ol’ hunk of album with an even bigger story behind it. I won’t tell the story on his behalf, since there’s a pretty meaty interview waiting for you on our main website, but this album has a lot of backstory. Musically speaking, it’s really catchy pop-minded indie rock. It’s a little crunchy, it’s a little shoegazey, and it reminds me of the best-of-the-best college rock bands back in the mid and late 90s. Now, what’s even more exciting about this post is that it serves as your official heads up that I’ve also had a chance to interview Jonathan himself about this album and I’m including it in its entirety below the link to listen for yourself!

https://dramathantheband.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-pink

INTERVIEW:

Hi Jonathan! I’d love for you to tell us a bit about the album’s story and what you want us to know about the great music you’ve written here.

First of all, thank you! Not only for today, but for being one of the early supporters of this album. I’m aiming for brevity on this one because I know I have a lot to say! Into the Pink is my sophomore follow up to California Magick, both released on Kerchow Records. It is an album I wrote and recorded in its entirety all by myself. It documents these past couple of years full of love, death, redemption, depression,fame, triumph, fame, and a life changing cancer diagnosis. Jayne Mansfield’s Pink Palace was the inspiration for the title and thought of moving into the house of love. The remastered tracks are on Kerchow’s website and were the tracks used to press my new vinyl on pink wax! The vinyl can be purchased only through the Dramathan bandcamp.

Dramathan is a play on your name Jonathan, so tell us a little about that!

Like a lot of teens everything I experienced was just the end of the fucking world, a real costume drama. But in my defense my childhood was full of drama/trauma not completely of my own making. Yeah, I did wild things and was a chronic runaway. But what was I running away from? That’s the real question! But I digress. The short version is one day my mom called me that, it was funny and it just stuck. She was the only one who called me that for a long time. It’s in the Urban Dictionary and they describe it as “an over dramatic gay dude” (which I may or may not had a hand in coining) but I think of it more now as queer who puts an end to the drama and cuts through the bullshit. It’s a bit strange having a band name or persona that’s actually ridiculously personal. That’s kind of a running theme in my life. I mean, if you see my IMDB I play myself on The Fine Bros. React channel on Youtube. I’m lucky to have it though. It’s a name that really allows me to play to my moodiness musically and doesn’t pigeon hole me to a specific sound. Plus, It’s really the only good word play you can do with my name besides “Jon Not Thin” which is my IG handle, so there.

I shared a link to your GoFundMe page earlier this year to raise money for this pressing and also to help support your mother who is undergoing treatment for cancer. How has that campaign worked out?

In terms of funding, great. In term of community, it worked out better than anything I could have hoped for. I always thought I knew who my community was, but who it actually consisted of…well.. .that was a bit of a rude awakening. People that I supported by showing up to their shows, donating money to, or by lending my name to their events were nowhere to be found. That was until the buzz around Into the Pink started! It was fans of music not fame that lifted me up from its inception. There are so many people that claim to be supporters of poc-lgbtqia+-artists, so evolved in their inclusivity, but really are hypocritical or just surfing the trend for likes and followers. And these are things that shouldn’t be made trendy, because the problem with making them trendy is that trends go out of fashion and we are here to stay! These are real fucking people! The truth is people like me have to work twice as hard to get half as far in this industry. My therapist would say “thoughts are things” and ask “Is this a narrative you’ve created?” To that I say, ‘Yeah , thoughts are things and people can create a narrative, but reality is a thing too!’ And the reality is Into the Pink is album that was created on the island of misfit toys. It doesn’t really fit into one genre and there are people that get it and love it! Yes, I am aware that the story behind it resonates with a lot of people, but it wouldn’t be doing this well if it wasn’t a good album. Here is where I show my hubris. The people who funded it know the back story, but the majority of people buying the vinyl don’t. They want the music!!! I recorded this album all by myself, zero budget and on a phone! A damn phone, Nate! I had this one review where a sound engineer critiqued Into the Pink. Not a rock journalist mind you, but a sound engineer. They said things like “…not more than fuzzy guitars, drums and vocals…” well that’s what I had to work with! There was no producer and no studio! I love the Pixies but I’m not trying to be the Pixies! (another thing he threw out there, there are even references to the Sex Pistols which shows his musical pool to pull from). Black Francis isn’t recording in his bedroom in between taking his mother to chemo. I did win him over though and at the end he recommended it. A fucking sound engineer! He said I did “a remarkable job with the tools he was working with” and that all my songs were “catchy” a term I used to hate but now embrace as one of my strengths. All this is extremely important for any artist to know (esp. marginalized ones) and I’m not afraid to speak on these things and really show my seams, because I want people esp. queer or people of color to know it’s hard, but also know that they can do it!!! So many people finally get through the door and get a seat at the table in this industry. But then they shut the door behind them, barricade it! Because they feel like there isn’t room for anyone else. FUCK THAT! I’m all about breaking down that damn door and holding it open for others like me. I mean… the cream rises. You’re only afraid if you don’t have the goods. So, now I keep my circle tight, but right. Many of the campaign supporters were friends of React or Reactors themselves (Trudi, Ary, Faith and Jason). The trans community really stepped up and friends that know my mother. They know my mom has spent her entire life helping people, fighting for gay/equal rights by being part of ACT UP, a Brown Beret who helped raised money for communities where people couldn’t pay for their families’ own funerals, and a social worker who always went above and beyond as an advocate for the people she was assigned to. It was time to give back to the woman who had given so much all of her life.

If it’s not too forward, how is your mom doing? I know we’re all sending her lots of good vibes and thinking of her as she goes through treatment!

It’s rough. I didn’t know that the heart could break so many times in a day. How many times until it’s just broken, ya know??? Some days I hear my mom’s very distinct laugh and I am so grateful for that day and then the next moment I find myself frightened I might forget it someday soon. I want people to know how hard it can be so they cherish every moment with their loved ones without being a total buzzkill. I live my life pretty publicly/authentically, but I can only tell my side of it. I will say she’s a fighting and kicking ass, but for once I wish things could just be easy for her.

Tell us a little about you, the musician.

Well… I’m an autodidact. Before I got into punk I listened to a lot of female R&B groups, oldies and those old school Jamz like “Lookout Weekend” by Debbie Deb. My mom played a lot of Pat Benatar, The Cars, and Janet Jackson around the house so I learned a lot about hooks from those artists, at least early on. But I picked up on how to write harmonies from bands like Veruca Salt not the Beach Boys!

What is your approach to songwriting? Who do you credit as some of your biggest influences?

I’m a fucking workhorse when it comes to music! For every song on this album there are at least two others that didn’t make the cut! I will put out shit song after shit song until one feels right. (I shouldn’t say they were shit, but just weren’t up to my standards). I don’t wait for a muse to show up and guide my hands “Ghost” style. Sure, I get inspired, but I need to write and love doing so. This time though I stepped it up, I knew that I needed to write something people would buy! That’s the harsh reality of it. I still create without an audience in mind with the exception of a younger me. Growing up I always wanted to hear songs about boys loving boys, magick, poc, etc. So, I create what I want to see more of in the world and share personal experiences in hope to lessen others’ alienation. I also didn’t listen to any music while writing this album! I did have a vision board that had pictures of Deborah Harry, Debi Martini (whom I dedicated the album to), Jayne Mansfield and Patti Smith. Also, a list of bands I love including: Hole, Huggy Bear, Red Aunts, Helium, Julie Ruin, Free Kitten, Kaito, Veruca Salt, Slant 6, Frumpies, and L7. It was less a vision board and more of a reminder. Like REMEMBER WHAT YOU LOVE LISTENING TO and WHY! Hole will forever be my number one influence, I think Courtney Love is an underrated lyricist even if a vast amount of people think she is an overrated anything else. It’s funny because I grew up listening to noise bands, red aunts, but what comes out of me is this weird alt. pop! I mean, I don’t know many noise bands with bridges and a hook. Go figure!

If you got to collaborate with one famous musician or band (alive OR dead), who would it be and why?

Patti Smith, but what would I bring to the table??? She’s a Poet laureate! I would just prostrate myself at her feet.

What made you want to press this album on vinyl and how did you get connected with your label, Kerchow Records?

That was always the goal from day one. As a collector, why not my own wax? I read somewhere that on a digital format your ear/brain can get tired of the fixed sound. On vinyl it’s forever changing in the most miniscule of ways so it’s harder to tire of. We did do the cassette tape first because we weren’t fully funded and time was of the essence. The tracks weren’t mixed to my liking (my doing) but, I didn’t know how long we had with my mother. So, we released it just so my mother could see a tangible product. Not to mention Kerchow is famous for putting out tapes so I am honored to be their first vinyl release. I know they did one before, but it was combined label release with two other labels. Into the Pink is their first solely Kerchow vinyl. I first met Nick Dolezal in Fresno through my then boyfriend, Taylor Rosario-Price. Fresno is one of my hometowns. They have some of the best and worst people you will ever meet. Nick of Kerchow is one of the good ones. That is also how I met the brilliant Damaris Paz who made my vision for the cover come to fruition. All are amazing musicians/artists in their own right. I didn’t think they would be interested in my first album California Magick, because like I said before, my style didn’t really mesh with what I heard from their label or any for that matter, but I believe he was intrigued by how I was recording the songs before he heard the songs themselves. I didn’t even think to shop demos around for Into the Pink. They believed in me before the Youtube success and I’m all about bringing people up with me. They believed in me from the beginning so I wouldn’t just do one release and leave… it’s called loyalty!

What does the vinyl format mean to you? If you’re a collector, how did you get started and what types of records do you like to collect?

I started in my teens with whatever I could find at thrift stores. “Sounds to make you shiver” was a good one and probably the scratched to hell “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac (which I still have). It started with riot grrrl releases! There was a time when whatever Kill Rock Stars put out without question, without hearing it, I would just buy it, because I knew it would be amazing. I have an affinity for the female voices so the majority of my collection is that. I have thousands of pieces of vinyl. Not to sound to snobby, but I only buy NM or Mint vinyl now.

Do you have any white whale records that you’ve never been able to find?

I’m going to say something I never thought I would say but I pretty much have all the records that I want. I know what your readers are thinking ‘well there you have it he’s not a real collector’, not true! It changed throughout the years. When I was doing my tumblr 365 it was an og pressing of Live Through This, got it. Not to mention a white label candy heart promo copy of Hole demos and rarities. Then it was all about getting them signed. I have signatures by: Kat Bjelland, Mary Timony, Louise Post, Janet Weiss, Theo Kogan etc. I even got The Craft soundtrack signed by Rachel True. Believe me, there are still records I would like to have but I know where they are. I still need singles like LaVern Baker “Voodoo, Voodoo”, Donna Lynn “I’d Much Rather Be with the Girls”, April Stevens “Kiss me tiger”, and Betty Lavette’s “Witchcraft in the air” It’s a cash issue as I am sure it is with a lot of collectors. Also, there are records that aren’t on vinyl that I’m waiting for like, Frumpies “One Piece”, the Jawbreaker soundtrack, Juliana Hatfield’s “Made in China”, even Sheryl Crow’s self-titled album lol!

Last Question! What’s a bit of Dramathan trivia that you’ve never told anyone in print before!

Until this album I had never wrote songs about one particular person. Even if it’s an it’s a very devasting break up song or about a boy (usually a diss track) it’s always snippets of many different experiences tied together. I feel in doing so, like, when you compile many different experiences that feel similar it has a synergistic effect and a lot more people can relate. Collecting all the teardrops to make the tidal wave sort of thing. Also, I feel like if I were to hone in on one person I would destroy them psychically! One song in particular is about my best bruja Lily. Who in my darkest hour showed up in my dream and I did the same in hers on the same night. She told me I “dream jumped” and as an avid student of the esoteric believe she saved me both in my dream and in real life because I was really depressed.

Also, I mention Angelyne in the album because we met for coffee and she drove me around Hollywood in her iconic pink corvette (for free I might add) and while writing L.A. Water I kept the pink quartz crystal she gave me in sight.

#dramathan #jonnotthin #finebrothers #finebros #adultsreact #diy #indierock #surfrock #california #pop #kerchowrecords

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airadam · 6 years

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Episode 109 : Sunny Days, Dark Times

"If you mad, take it up with God, it's how he designed me"

- Havoc

My goodness, it was tough to get this episode completed - but here we are, celebrating the ninth birthday of the podcast! Thank you all for your continued support; it's knowing that you're waiting for the show every month that keeps it going :)

As mentioned on the show; RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) could make very good use of donations right now.

Beatnuts show, September 19th, Whiskey Jar, Manchester - catch me on the wheels in the early going!

Twitter: @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Nas ft. The-Dream & Kanye West : everything

It seems that seven-track albums are the style right now. I still need to give "NASIR" some more listens, but this song stood out by a mile to me on the first hearing. I'm not here for Kanye West right now but he and his team do nail the production on this one, and he and The-Dream knock the sung vocals out of the park. Nas' mostly solid rhymes, with some gems in there (especially the third verse), are somehow my third favourite thing on this song, which is at least partially due to the seeming anti-vaccine sentiment in the second verse. He's either wrong, or just dropped some clumsy lines - you be the judge.

Power Glove : E-240

Power Glove are an Australian who the gamers amongst you may know their work from the soundtrack of "Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon". They're mostly known for 80s-style synthwave, but this has more of a chilled 90s vibe, which I think they execute really well. You can get this on their "EP II".

Agallah : Don't Wanna Be The Last

I think this was the track that made me go back and check the catalogue of the group who were sampled by Agallah for this beat! This is taken from his "Doomsday" mixtape and has been a favourite of mine ever since I was bumping it in a red Corolla like the Puerto Rican driver in Masta Ace's "Born To Roll" and the "J.A.N" re-record :)

Rapsody : Special Way

Going with another repurposed 80s ballad on this one, with Khrysis on production. A song of love, delivered in Rapsody's flawless style, this is yet another great track from "She Got Game". Have you got yourself a copy yet?

Rakim : Remember That

I really didn't appreciate "The 18th Letter" enough when it first came out, but I keep going back to it and finding tracks I unjustly overlooked. This particular one finds Rakim reminiscing over his early experiences of Hip-Hop and the NYC club scene of his youth, with DJ Clark Kent supplying the beat.

Devin The Dude : Gotta Be Me

I can't say I can relate to the smoking experience, but this is a tune I enjoy nonetheless! This is the title track of his seventh album, with Cozmo basing the instrumental on a classic soul number, and Devin's lyrics making the whole thing a great summertime tune.

The Mouse Outfit : Children Of The Stars (Instrumental)

Just the beat from one of my favourite tracks on the "Escape Music" album - gorgeous production work. Do pick up that album if you don't already have it, along with their latest release "Jagged Tooth Crook".

Jasiri X : The Whitest House

You can always rely on Jasiri X to be the man with the take on current events, and this is a heavy one. It opens with a sample of the author and educator Ta-Nehisi Coates before the beat drops in and Jasiri tackles the evils of the Trump regime. As usual, the best place to get his singles is on his Bandcamp page.

The Alchemist ft. Mobb Deep : Carved In Stone

A longtime favourite of mine from the excellent "Insomnia" compilation, with raw Mobb rhymes (including this month's epigraph), and Alchemist killing it on the beat - I don't know where he got the sample, but it's a great one. Listen closely and you'll hear it's an example of a no hi-hit drum part, with kicks and handclaps along with some low tom-type rolls making up the entirety of the drum programming. Rhyme-wise, the late great Prodigy opens things up but I think Havoc absolutely shines here!

Smoke DZA & Pete Rock : Last Name

Given the names of the two artists who created the album, "Don't Smoke Rock" is just the best possible name. Apparently a new album is on the way, but for now have a sample of the first collaboration. The beat isn't one that immediately makes you think of Pete Rock but obviously has the quality, and it suits the MCing perfectly. Smoke DZA does have a kind of smoked-out vibe, but is right on top of things at the same time here.

Blu & Nottz ft. Exile : The Man

I don't know if it's just me, but the first verse sounds very different to the other two - and is clearly the best! Blu & Nottz' "Gods In The Spirit, Titans In The Flesh" is a new release but essentially a merge of two separate EPs that the pair had previously released, with this track originally being on "Titans In The Flesh". Nottz, though mostly known as a producer, gets on the mic here to close the track and definitely shows he belongs, but Blu just kills that first verse.

A Kid Called Roots : Hip-Hop

He may not be a household name, but A Kid Called Roots (I presume it's like A Tribe Called Quest or A Pimp Named Slickback, you say the whole thing) has quietly produced for quite an array of artists, from Canibus to Xzibit. This beat is from the 1997 "Hydra Beats Volume XIII" collection, with ten tracks from this producer - all named after a producer or executive, except this one, it seems!

DJ Jazzy Jeff ft. The Trinity: Wide Awake

The third instalment of the "Magnificent" series seems to have quietly snuck out, but it's an album well worth checking out! Rhymefest, Dayne Jordan, and Uhmeer make up the on-mic crew for this track, with crystal-clear rhymes over lush production. A nice extra touch is Jeff's scratching with a famous sound much beloved by the turntablists of the world!

The Foreign Exchange : June

It's somehow unfair that Phonte is such an amazing MC and got that singing voice, but we're the beneficiaries when he gives us stuff like this! Phonte and Nicolay's joint project has gone from strength to strength, with this new single being another gem in their catalogue. The low notes give us the high point of the production, with Nicolay killing it on the synth bass!

Children of Zeus : All Night

Last month we had the A-side of this single, but I just couldn't resist that "You're A Customer" sample after all! Konny Kon and Tyler Daly each shine at what they're best known for on this cut, with the overall result feeling like (in my opinion) a super-upgraded version of what some of the R&B/rap combination tracks were trying to do in the late 90s/early 00s. Big tune, and one which sets the table for the release of the long-awaited debut album "Travel Light" in July!

Smith Brothers : Real Live

Nothing conscious or pretty here, just pure gangster business from Smoothe Da Hustler and Trigger Da Gambler as The Smith Brothers (they actually are the Smith brothers in real life) on this 2000 single. I thought the beat here was a good one to blend to from the CoZ track, with the staccato synth line and tough drums. I only have this as a promo 12", which unfortunately doesn't have a production credit printed, but DR Period might be a reasonable guess.

DJ Spinna : Let It Speak

It's always a good time to play some Spinna, and with him being under the weather recently, right now it's doubly so. Dope beat from the "Unpicked Treats Vol 1" compilation.

Mobb Deep : Play

This may be one of the only ever completely radio-friendly Mobb Deep tracks! I don't think this is a well-known one, but I originally heard about it on the Juan Epstein podcast. From the soundtrack of the Keanu Reeves film "Hardball", this one sees Prodigy and Havoc doing it for the kids but absolutely maintaining their own rugged style. If you ever stumble upon the original sample, I think you'll enjoy that track too.

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

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airadam · 6 years

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Episode 106 : Flavaful

"...I can't listen to it, 'cos all I hear is mistakes."

- Phonte

Ok, it's not the actual globe from the cover of "Flava In Ya Ear", but it's the closest thing I've ever shot - it reminded me of the man Craig Mack himself, who sadly passed away this month. That means that this month we pay homage to the twin pillars of Bad Boy Records (Craig and Biggie), as well as Phife and Eazy-E, while also showcasing some outstanding new releases and finishing with some soul classics.

Get yourself down to the Lords of the Underground show in April!

Twitter : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Pudgee ft. The Notorious B.I.G and Lord Tariq : Think B.I.G.

Only the first - and best - verse for you right here, but despite this track not getting an official release due to sample clearance problems, it shouldn't be too hard to find if you do a little digging. Biggie just blasts out pure disrespect in his inimitable style over a beat by Minnesota. I had to rewind this when I remembered playing this on a mixtape with DJ Mathmatics - the first line hadn't even finished before he was calling for the pull-up!

The Lox : New York City

I don't know if the bassline here is a sample or a replay, but either way it did get an official release! This 2014 single from the stalwart Yonkers crew also samples the hook from "Think B.I.G" directly, so it was a great opportunity to bring it in here.

[K-Def] Theodore Unit : Wicked With Lead (Instrumental)

I'm not sure what's up with some of the kick drums here sounding like there was an issue splicing the track together, but I promise you this is how the uncredited K-Def instrumental came off the vinyl!

Craig Mack : Get Down

RIP Craig! This was the second single from his debut "Project: Funk Da World" LP (following "Flava In Ya Ear"), and once again it was Easy Mo Bee doing the business on the beat - you can hear his style for sure. Craig commands the track ably, and you can tell why he was such a solid foundation stone for Bad Boy.

A Tribe Called Quest : The Pressure

Great tune from "Beats, Rhymes, and Life". I don't remember Tribe ever doing a DJ track but the section of this before Q-Tip comes in might be the closest - lots of cuts and scratches, much of which came from their own records! Phife goes off on the second verse, continuing the rampage that kicked off back on "The Low End Theory".

The Mouse Outfit ft. Sparkz : No Wonder (Tall Black Guy Remix)

I don't know how I've managed not to play you this one already! From the very nicely-priced "Mouse Outfit Remixed" collection, this is a shoulder-mover where Sparkz kicks Manchester rhymes over TBG's trademark boom-blap.

Phonte : Such Is Life

One of the best MCs in the artform, and one who has let us into his life from the beginning of his career. The "No News Is Good News" album comes seven years after Phonte's last solo release, and it's a powerful, concentrated album which is packed with real life experiences that we will all face. This particular track, produced by DJ Cozmos, is a standout on my strong purchase recommendation for the month!

Focus... : Beautiful & Beastly

I must have convinced you to pick up "Analog In A Digital World" by now? So many great beats on that project...

Simtraks ft. Camp Lo : Eternity Window

In a more reflective mode than many will know them for, Camp Lo take the mics for a deep cut in all senses of the phrase. This was a standout on the "Sputnik Sweetheart" album by Houston's Simtraks, and the samples of the astronomer Carl Sagan add to the cosmic vibe of the track. Not a well-known track, but an excellent one - if I could change just one thing though, it'd be that snare...

Guilty Simpson ft. Meyhem Lauren and Starving B : CO-OP

I'm not familiar with Cuns and Sine One, but they did a top job on the production here. Great new single from Detroit's Guilty Simpson alongside two Queens MCs, conjouring up images of the New Day Co-Op in "The Wire".

Tanya Morgan : Just Not True

AKA the Trump theme tune...a pick from the 2009 "Brooklynati" album that I hadn't heard in a while. Brick Beats on production, allowing the group to use all their energy on the mic.

PRhyme : Rock It

The second PRhyme album came out this month and I think it may well have surpassed the original! This single gave us the first peep at what to expect, and it's just a great beat, classic Premo cuts, and killer rhymes - not all of which you'll catch at first. Definitely some rewind lines on this one, and take some time to appreciate how DJ Premier breaks down the main hook/bridge phrase on the turntables - masterful.

J-Zone : The Art of Shit Talkin' (Instrumental)

I somehow don't have the vocal version of this (yet) but it's the expected excellent level of production from J-Zone - you can get this beat as part of his instrumentals collection on Bandcamp. Peep the technique.

G-Dep ft. Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, and Craig Mack : Special Delivery (Remix)

A sparse, uptempo number from the Bad Boy camp, and a solid single for the currently-incarcerated G-Dep back in 2001. Every MC drops quotables, from the always-fire Ghostface through to the surprise appearance of Craig Mack, who'd last released a record four years previously and stepped back from the industry. In a kind of tribute to the incredible "Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)" video, this one was also shot in B&W but with a pace to match the EZ Elpee-produced beat. This MC lineup was just the thing needed to elevate the original track from "Child Of The Ghetto".

Camp Lo : Retro

Back to that slang-dense Lo flavour! One of the best tracks from their latest album ("The Get Down Brothers"), they channel some old-school flavour but keep a modern feel at the same time. I bought the digital release of this LP, so I'm still trying to find out who produced this cut!

Eazy-E : Eazy-er Said Than Dunn

It's been twenty-three years since the NWA founder's death, and he's too often forgotten. For this selection, we go back to his 1988 "Eazy-Duz-It" solo album for the only track clean enough for radio play - and intentionally written as such. Dr.Dre and Yella produced it, and Dre is also credited as the writer - which is interesting, as in later years he would be known as someone who would employ writers for his own lyrics! This song was tributed eleven years after its release by fellow Compton native DJ Quik on his "Quikker Said Than Dunn".

Black Moon : Who Got The Props?

The first time I heard this on the pirate station Supreme back in Leeds in the early 90s, they didn't announce the artist or the track title, which was frustrating - because I thought that this was one of the best records I had ever heard! Eventually I found out what it was and emptied my pockets to buy the import 12" single. A straight classic of Brooklyn rhymes over a jazz sample and some kicking drums, which gave us a preview of the quality to expect from the "Enta Da Stage" album.

[Hangmen 3] Benzino : Bang Ta Dis

Back in the days of the SOHH message boards, this beat was a popular one when it came out! Benzino's not the most heavyweight lyricist in the world, so searching out the vocal of this isn't a must necessarily, but he along with Johnny Bananas and Jeff Two Times kill it on the production here.

The Doobie Brothers : You Belong To Me

My assumption is that this is supposed to be a love song. However, it can't be just me that think it sounds a little...pimpish? This song was written in the late 70s by the Doobies' Michael McDonald and Carly Simon, who herself recorded a more popular version than this, one which got a Grammy nomination. Anita Baker, J-Lo, and others have recorded it as well, but this, the first recorded version (from "Livin' On The Fault Line") is my personal favourite. McDonald is one of the most unmistakable voices in music, and he does a top-notch job with this song.

Marvin Gaye : After The Dance (Instrumental)

An early track from Marvin Gaye's 1976 "I Want You" album, some of you will know this as the ending credit music on "American Pimp". While the vocal version is clearly a love ballad, the Gaye and Leon Ware-produced instrumental seems to take on a sadder character without Marvin's voice over the top. I love it.

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