Soundclouds of the Underground: Dark Disco Edition
These days, music truly lives online, with an infinite number of websites dedicated to hosting tunes for the laptop-wielding masses. However, the web’s bottomless pit of blogs isn’t the only place to troll for mp3 treasures—some of the newest and most exciting (Internet-friendly) artists can be sought out via Soundcloud, the online stage that allows musicians to promote and distribute their music to fans and friends across the globe. In this weekly column, expert Internet sleuth Alex Chapman goes into the depths of the music-sharing site, in hopes of shedding light on emerging acts, as well as sharing some digital diamonds in the rough.
Music can transport us everywhere from a sweaty club to a serene lake—just take Soundcloud, for example, which features a radically wide range in style, origin and influence. But sometimes instead of a calm island vibe or your typical party-prone hits, it can be far more stimulating to go somewhere, deeper, darker, smokier, while still maintaining a groovy, captivating quality. The three songs selected (each by some of the most exciting up & coming artists out) take us to this place, one of fog machines, flashing lights, and shadowy sounds.
VAPORDOG: “Do You Got A Bae? Or Nah?” (feat. Angelfire)
Who: Better known as young Internet phenom and digital artist Cumdrizzle, Justin Kovacs has gradually started to unveil impressive new music under the moniker Vapordog. While some of Kovacs’ tracks lean more towards the ironic (like his slowed-up edit of Taylor Swift’s “Forever and Always“), others—like his hard-hitting, sinister take on the viral “Do It For The Vine” clip—display his true talent and unique knack for collaging genres like juke, Jersey club, and more.
The Song: The Internet-relevant “Do You Got A Bae? Or Nah?” seems to perfectly encapsulate Kovac’s distinct smartness—the young talent takes a highly popular, hilarious phrase and contextualizes is with obscure, dirty club beats. The result? A big track that could easily kill at the club, while cracking those up who get the reference.
Current Project: Keep up with Vapordog via his Twitter.
Str8boycore: “Marshall Mathers”
Who: You may recognize producer and DJ Str8boycore from his modeling career as Jay Goss, but the burgeoning artist is far more than a pretty face. The Michigan native, who is currently based in New York, fuses together the darker dance elements of trance, dubstep, and mákina to create songs like the industrial “Regen.”
The Song: With “Marshall Mathers,” Str8boycore takes the traditional approach of a mash-up (vocals ontop of a beat not belonging to the original track), but it’s his chosen materials that make the result so special: Eminem’s “Superman” lyrics (which still manage to pack as much bite as they did in 2003) fight aggressively alongside the bass-banging techno beat, with dubstep-esque wobbles thrown in for good measure.
Current Project: Discover more on Str8BoyCore via his Facebook page.
Dre Green: “Guarded”
Who: Perhaps from the same school as R&B babes like Banks and Tinashe, Dre Green’s softspoken coo has become one of music’s most exciting sounds to watch in the new year. Most caught wind of the artist a few months back when she collabed with fellow Chicago talent GTW on the So So Def-inspired “Neymar Night.” Since then, Green’s innate ability to shut down dark, moody tracks with her sensual, breathy vocal has become more than apparent.
The Song: The young talent’s latest comes courtesy of blogger darlings The-Drum, who will be releasing the track as part of a singles compilation for their developing label Lo Motion. “Guarded” finds Green in an obscure echo chamber while a snappy, ethereal beat provides the perfect backdrop for her smooth singing—”Give me that body, baby, touch me like you love me,” the singer growls.
Current Project: Keep up with Ms. Green on her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/dregreenmusic).
Soundclouds of the Underground runs every Thursday. For more, click here.
