'SUN TO RISE' / ELLINGTON: REVIEW

March 3, 2021

by abby crabill

Ellington is a Los Angeles native, with plenty of experience in the music scene. Some fans may recognize him from his time as the drummer of the pop-rock group R5, or from his time touring with alternative band The Driver Era. Ellington has also played several festivals, such as Riptide, Made In America, and Summer Sonic. Ellington's solo career began to kick off after releasing remixes for The Driver Era and Glass Animals.

Ellington's solo release, “Sun To Rise,” is a rock genre leaning tune that resembles the music from his time in The Driver Era. The guitar keeps the audience bobbing their head as they jam along with Ellington. The rock sound also resembles those created by Harry Styles for his self-titled album.

“Sun To Rise” is so much more than the music it's set to. A closer listen to the lyrics reminds listeners of a message that is all too important, especially during this pandemic. The repetition of the message, "But I keep waiting for that sun to rise," reinforces the sense of positivity while waiting for things to improve, no matter how difficult they may be. Overall, this is a rock tune with an easy sound to get lost in, with feel good lyrics that help remind the listener to keep looking for the positive of the future. No matter what we're going through as individuals, or a society, the sun will rise.

DYLAN DUNLAP: INTERVIEW

March 1, 2021

by mariah estran

A film score is a significant piece of any cinematography. It elevates the story, just like the actors who recite each scripted line. Tempos race during action sequences, and they wind down during dismal scenes. It is a necessary element due to its emotion-evoking powers. For singer/songwriter and avid film appreciator Dylan Dunlap, he has taken that concept to heart. He’s found the beauty in embracing his music composition and the power behind the words the sound inspires.

“I start with the music first, always,” the singer explains. “It’s a little backward from a lot of songwriter friends of mine.” Jotting down lyrics at the initial phase of a song’s development is commonplace. However, for Dunlap, rearranging these steps has allowed him to work around creative obstacles while ultimately giving attention to each layer of his art. “I’ve always overanalyzed my vocabulary. It’s been so helpful as an artist to put the music first, let it speak for itself, let it breathe, and then determine ‘what do I want this song to be about.’”

He freely recalls a moment of sitting in his girlfriend's closet, recording vocals, after piecing together chord progressions for his latest single, “Follow My Echo." “Honestly, I get satisfied just from listening to the music I create,” he adds. “I sit with that and figure out how to support it best lyrically.”

“Follow My Echo," the heart-warming four-minute jingle, is notably an excellent example of how his attentiveness to the sound has allowed him to find inspiration in numerous places. The track started from pondering on the last time he has seen the Pixar film, Finding Nemo. A blockbuster movie that left an impression on millions of kids, Dunlap being one of them. “I thought of just how influential that film was for me, and I refused to watch it. It has been six or seven years, and I wanted to write from a clean slate of what I had remembered as a kid.”

The song is no story of a fish finding its way back home. It tackles the process of letting someone go while also learning how to support from afar. You could say it is the grown-up interpretation that looks further than two adorable clownfish swimming in the deep blue. Dunlap dove into his memories — the feelings the movie conjured, without re-watching it before completing the song. “It was a grueling process; it was nothing like any of the other songs. It took two to three weeks of just writing a line a day – something that could work in the pop realm, work for my brand (Dylan Dunlap), it could also work for the plot of the film,” the singer shares.

Lyricism might come second in Dunlap’s operation, but it holds high importance. “I have such an obsession with chord progressions and music theory, but that’s not what makes me, me,” he describes. “As much as I like talking about starting music first, I still must take the necessary time to figure out what it is I want to accomplish with this piece of music.” Now realizing those conversations with his family, friends, and girlfriend could find a home in a new track. “I just stopped caring what would sound cool, what would sound like something that would be doing well on the radio. I try to focus on myself.”

When our lives came to a sudden halt due to the pandemic, Dunlap emphasized understanding himself. The restrictively isolating times had the potential to hinder creativity, but the singer could not stop working. “I’m lucky and blessed to keep finding inspiration,” Dunlap confides. “I guess I’ve looked more inward, and I’ve tried to unpack what makes me an individual.” He has now released his EP, Soldier On, which lays out genuine experiences. The love in his life, making it worthwhile in “Soldier On" to “What We Had,” uncovering the distant relationship with his father. “It’s a lot of maturing," Dunlap says when asked about the EP. “But with Soldier On, and more importantly, with the pandemic. I feel like we fast-forwarded years into the future mentally. I’m thankful I can write about it and make it a pop song.”

Soldier On might be a time capsule of sorts as Dunlap says: “they’re like little diary entries.” Yet, with all this candidness, he's found it’s better to find a balance between sad stories and overly positive ones. His right wrist with “Persevere” tattooed as a reminder, but his music is another. “There have been a lot of experiences that have traumatized me, and there are just a lot of internal struggles that I was born with," he says. “That cocktail of emotions makes it easy to write sad music, but that’s just not how I’ve ever chosen to live.”

Dylan Dunlap has found a way to remind his listeners that having an array of emotions is okay. He’s reminded them through each pop tune. “I want to make music that helps,” Dunlap states. “I’m excited to maintain a sense of realist mentality moving forward. I don’t need to be an optimist or pessimist. I can be real.”

Allowing people to join his journey – as he unwraps his mental snags – simultaneously chips away the stigma surrounding this topic. “Transparency is key – if there’s ever a song that sounds like advice, I make sure to put in there ‘I’m telling myself this too,'" he says. “If I can make a welcoming environment of music that creates a safe space, regardless of the color of your skin or sexuality – it’s important to me to spread the message: ‘you’re more than enough as you are.' I think I can make a difference by doing that because I like that I’m showing that I’m telling myself that along the way.”

The attention to each detail in Dunlap’s process goes without notice. It’s finding the perfect chord that leads to a few lines of meaningful storytelling. It is what paints the bigger picture, almost like a movie. Each ingredient in the concoction he’s created aids the impactfulness, and he hopes it will continue to aid someone else who decides to listen. “I’m just trying to make music, I would have loved to have discovered myself at 14, and that’s it.”

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'JOHN HUGHES MOVIE' / MAISIE PETERS: REVIEW

February 26, 2021

by danielle holian

From realizing the person you want doesn’t want you back, let alone doesn’t acknowledge your existence, “John Hughes Movie” starts strong with electrifying production alongside Maisie Peters’ beautifully toned vocals.

The upbeat and lively track has emotive lyrics that give off main character energy as the songstress shows her evolution from sad girl pop to bad girl pop with this storm-like release of excellence.

The storyline in the track will attract a lot of people that will resonate with the heart-wrenching mood becoming an anthem to sing the chorus loud, “This ain’t no John Hughes movie where the girl gets the guy, you look right through me every time you walk by,” then confidently sing on the final line, “then you’re not the one,” with proudness.

There’s a sense of heartbreak mixed with carefree vibes that makes it an encouraging track. The “John Hughes Movie” single release is a promising new era for the songstress with her sense of misunderstanding to find clarity that she will be okay without them.

HALSTON DARE: INTERVIEW

February 22, 2021

by abby crabill

Halston Dare is a dance pop artist from Houston, Texas. Halston has already begun 2021 with two holiday releases in the Billboard Top 20. She has also recently surpassed one million streams on Spotify with her previous single, "Teach Em." Halston continues to take her fans along on her musical journey by sharing her life through social media as well.

Despite the pandemic, Halston has grown as a person and artist. Halston recently released her new single, "Pinnacle," on February 12th. She wrote the single alongside acclaimed songwriter Shane Stevens. This single is sure to introduce fans to another side of Halston, while also giving them the urge to get up and dance. Halston is excited to achieve several goals in 2021, including new music and future collaborations.

You've been writing from a young age. Can you describe a little bit of your writing process for us?

Halston: “My songwriting process will seem really simple. I don’t prepare anything before I walk into the session. I don’t have anything really in my mind of what I want to write about either. I usually bring snacks and coffee if it is a morning session or, if it’s later in the day, I’ll grab food or drinks and jam out to some music before I get there. When the writing session starts, I wait for the producer to create some music as a baseline and the first thing that comes to my head that I like is what I go with for the song. The studio is such a magical place and it’s meant for creativity and brainstorming. So, I don’t like bringing in non-relative ideas into a studio before it’s actually started. I definitely have to be writing and co-producing with people that I vibe with and enjoy as a human being... Then, I start writing and by the end of the day, in about two to three hours, we have a song! After that, I spend a couple months perfecting the song and by then I am preparing it to be released.”

Several artists are finding ways to stay active throughout this pandemic, how has it affected you and your creativity process?

H: “The pandemic definitely affected me and my creativity. It put my mental health in a dark spot causing me to have no motivation to want to write or even do music for a little while. However, as the months have gone on, I have grown a lot and worked on myself. I am really excited for 2021 and have a lot of plans and goals that I really wanted to achieve in 2020 that I hope to achieve this year.”

You collaborated with the songwriter Shane Stevens on your new release, "Pinnacle." What was it like working with someone with Shane's knowledge and experience?

H: “It is always a pleasure to be able to write with Shane. I have such a good connection and chemistry with him, and he is an absolute doll!”

Tell us about the meaning behind your song, "Pinnacle!"

H: “‘Pinnacle’ is about all the juicy feelings that you have when you were at your highest peak in a beautiful relationship, or maybe, a one-night stand. Pinnacle is a song that I’ve never written before and I am glad that I am tapping into that part of my songwriting. If I want to be as transparent as possible with my fans, then I need to talk about every aspect of my love life. Pinnacle is also one of the most fun upbeat jam out songs I have ever created before! It’s sick!”

What is an important lesson that you have learned along your journey in the music industry so far?

H: “Don’t believe any promises anyone makes to you, and you cannot compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to the journeys of others without knowing their backgrounds or their struggles can really affect you in a negative way. I have spent a really long time trying hard not to compare myself to other aspiring musicians who are a lot more successful than I am, but I figured that I am on the path that I need to be on for my path. Consequently, I am exactly where I need to be in my career.”

How do you connect the social media aspect with your journey in the music industry?

H: “My most engaging platform is probably Triller and Instagram. I enjoy both of those platforms when it comes to posting; however, the platform that I use the most for my own personal use is TikTock! It’s one of the funniest and most educational apps I’ve ever used. However, I love to share my journey and my personal life on social media, so it’s fun to get to talk about it and show it online.”

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

H: “I can’t promise any specific projects at the moment; however, I can say more music and future collabs!”

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'OH NO, NOT AGAIN!' / ALEXANDER 23: REVIEW

February 19, 2021

by lauren kovolenko

Alexander 23 does it again with successfully creating a soundtrack to our lives. Since 2019 he has been doing a great job describing the feelings we all experience. This new EP, Oh No, Not Again! is not any different.

The project starts itself off at a relatively slow pace, which is usual for Alexander 23, but it stays fresh. He thoughtfully bridges the gap between sad music and the pop sounds we hear every day. As we move through the tracklist, we see those pop elements come in.

What most attracted me to this EP is the production behind every song within it. It is thoughtfully crafted from the very base of the song. With each new listen, individual pieces of the backing tracks stick out. A personal favorite of mine off this EP is “Come Here and Leave Me Alone,” where you can most definitely find the mix of these different sounds.

It was a great idea to end the project with a slower ballad to wrap up the project, “Track 9” leaves us right in the feels where we started. From beginning to end, Alexander 23 demonstrates what it means to have a cohesive piece of work.

Whether you are looking to feel like you are the main character of a movie, looking to cry, or forget about the one you used to love, this EP has something for you. Make sure to check out the EP and stream it to your heart’s content, you won’t regret it one bit. I know I have it on repeat right now.