Music

February 3, 2018

Indie Act Wallows Ignites Velvet Jones

By Hannah Jackson

In what turned out to be a surprisingly delightful artistic decision, the group experimented with trumpet and tambourine throughout the performance. In an impressive display, Minnette showed off his uninhibited dance mov...

January 31, 2018

UCSB Swoons Over Smino

By Zoe Jones

His charisma and aesthetic are reminiscent of André 3000, down to his natural, grown-out hair and onstage gyrations. Like many soulful black artists, his relationship with the stage started in church and is still reflec...

January 31, 2018

Tracks of the Month: January 2018

By William Emmons, Hannah Jackson, Konrad Neithercutt, Kristina Valencia, Alex Modiano, Jasmine Rodriguez

Every month, Artsweek’s staff collects a handful of newly released tracks that highlight the best musical moments of the past 30 days. January was chock-full of hits from a variety of genres.

January 30, 2018

Composer Souren Baronian Dazes MCC Armenian Jazz

By Anyi Cheng

From the very first notes, Taksim captured the attention of the entire audience. Feet tapped softly in the aisles to the percussion, and heads rocked steadily to the strong sax solos.

January 24, 2018

KCSB Showcases Local DIY Bands in Weekday Jam Session

By Jasmine Rodriguez

On the heels of Espresso’s lively set, Washington-based Arrington de Dionyso astonished the audience with his ability to emphasize the minimal instrumentation flowing from the drums and the saxophone.

January 24, 2018

Smino to Bring Soulful Sounds to the Hub

By William Emmons

The rapper’s words rebound off the bouncing melodies of each track in a way that keeps the album’s sonic momentum moving at a steady yet nonchalant pace.

January 23, 2018

Watch: Tyler, The Creator’s Conversation About Flower Boy

By William Emmons

Throughout the conversation, the rapper opens up about his third studio album and provides insight into his creative process.

January 18, 2018

New Talent: Isla Vista Bands to Watch in 2018

By Zoe Jones

Everyone watching the Isla Vista music scene, myself included, can’t wait to see what these bands are going to do.

January 6, 2018

The Friday Review: Saturation III by Brockhampton

By Konrad Neithercutt

Brockhampton just doesn’t stop. Their first three albums sound like no one else’s, and all of them are among the best rap albums of 2017, so Brockhampton may not remain on the periphery of mainstream rap for much lon...

December 8, 2017

The Year of the Album: a Look Into the Future of Media Consumption

By Zoe Jones

The advent of music editing technology has made the process of recording easier, slicker and faster — which makes a Beatles-esque creative yield even more achievable. This year, we saw a return to this level of relentl...

December 8, 2017

This Year In Music: Artsweek’s Favorite Albums

By William Emmons

Saturation is quite possibly my favorite release of the year and proved the group to be a simultaneously experimental and accessible force in today’s music scene. Tracks like “Gold,” “Heat” and “Star” highl...

November 29, 2017

Meet SALES: The Minimalist Pop Duo That Crafts Bedroom Beats

By William Emmons

SALES creates an amalgamation of indie, dream pop, hip hop and rock to produce something that is otherworldly to the ear. Their hip hop-influenced production backs electric guitar to create a sound that comes off as simu...

November 16, 2017

Tropicalia Fest Opens in Long Beach with a Splash

By Ivan Gonzalez, Kelly He

The musical acts, along with the assortment of Mexican cuisine, created a festival culture that resonated among the evolving Latinx culture of Southern California.

November 8, 2017

Tchami Takes on Delirium 2017 with Surging Tracks

By Melody Pezeshkian

Cheers from the audience roared vivaciously as Tchami began bumping his initial beats shortly before 11 p.m.

November 1, 2017

Tracks of the Month: October 2017

By William Emmons, Konrad Neithercutt, Jasmine Rodriguez

Intimate and sleek, “It’s Okay to Cry” is a can’t-miss pop song. The singer/songwriter/producer’s first solo venture in two years is accompanied by a stunning video in which she uncharacteristically bares her i...