Among the latest to emerge from a Texas psych-rock tradition that goes back more than fifty years, Houston’s Cactus Flowers announce the November 17th release of their sophomore full-length Elation with leadoff single “Stockholm.” Listen in here:
Once again, frontwoman/bandleader Jessica A.M. channels the power of a live volcano through her guitar rig, her tone pouring through your speakers like scorching lava. Meanwhile, her mystical lyrics convey a dreamlike, starry-eyed romanticism spiked with a bite of attitude.
Raised by a mom who photographed bands for Rolling Stone during the magazine’s counter-culture heyday, Jessica was, believe it or not, a late bloomer when it came to playing rock music. Originally, her path seemed to point in the direction of her formal violin training.
But once she discovered the electric guitar in college, the die was cast. And when she met drummer and musical soulmate Mark Carcamo, a chemical reaction catalyzed, giving rise to Cactus Flowers’s intoxicating cocktail of psychedelia, fuzz, doom and classic rock.
“It took me like 7 or 8 years to craft my sound,” Jessica explains. But once it clicked, there was no turning back.
Recorded by Grammy-winning producer Steve Christensen (Khruangbin, Steve Earle), Elation is a super-charged, almost monolithic realization of the band’s vision, which now includes bassist John Griffith (who produced the band’s debut full-length, 2019’s Incantations).
Fittingly enough, the band wrote the bulk of Elation on numerous desert drives from Texas to the West Coast. Taken together, the songs take the listener on a fuzz-soaked musical journey of inner self discovery.
Lol, the new album from Portland duo Zeroz, hyperpop’s answer to alt-rock/grunge, but with lots of tears and brooding to go along with all the guitar crunch. This is an infectious record with lots of emotional contours for how zany and upbeat it gets.
It’s not too often that we associate face-melting guitar crunch with late-night crying jags, but Zeroz (FKA Butterfly) aren’t like other bands. In what can best be described as a party album for when you need to do some brooding and jump around a bit, Zeroz reach new heights of frenzy with their sophomore album Lol.
With Lol, the Portland duo serves up an irresistible blast of ‘90s-style alt/grunge riffing mixed with punk energy, contemporary hyperpop, dollops of sad boy tears and a deliciously wicked embrace of dark moods — all wrapped up in sugar-sweet hooks and a powerful knack for writing anthems for our current moment.
2023 has been a year of firsts for the Monster EnergyOutbreak Tour, fresh off their first nationwide Latin tour with rising Trap/Reggaeton sensation, Mariah Angeliq, today they’ve announced the debut of Monster Energy Outbreak Tour: AMPLIFIED, an extension of the popular, genre-spanning tour series.
‘AMPLIFIED’ will feature 3 bonafide dance music headliners – GHASTLY , BOOGIE T.RIO x Manic Focus, and LEVEL UP as part of a singular EDM tour series which will give fans the opportunity to win amplified experiences – ranging from VIP passes to watch the show side stage and pre-show soundcheck access to personal meet & greets with individual photos, autographed merchandise, and more!
Multi-genre artist GHASTLY, known for his continuously evolving musical sound and discography that spans a multitude of genres, burst onto the scene as a solo artist when he produced the high-profile collaboration with Lil Jon and Mija, titled “Crank It,” on Skrillex’s world-famous record label, OWSLA. In 2022, GHASTLY released his highly anticipated sophomore album, Haunted Haus which showcased his unique take on both house and future bass, and debuted in the top 5 Dance albums on Apple Music with smash hits including “Smoke” with Madalen Duke and “Fangs” with ALRT.
BOOGIE T. RIO is a live band that consists of Boogie T on vocals/guitar/keys, longtime musical cohort Frank ‘Animal Drums’ Castro on drums, and New Orleans-based musical virtuoso Andriu ‘Yano’ Yanovski on keyboard and synth bass. Lead vocalist Boogie T has risen to prominence in the bass music world as a producer and a touring DJ, performing at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Coachella, EDC, Electric Forest, and many more. BOOGIE T. RIO is the next phase in the evolution of Boogie T, with the band dropping their debut “Three For All” EP and first live performances in Summer 2018, followed by their “3Fall EP”, and subsequent 50+ city national tour in 2020.
The Manic Focus Band is the live instrument fusion of electronic music by John “JmaC” McCarten, a Denver-based producer with roots in funk, soul, and new-era hip-hop. A multi-dimensional artist with a rowdy style that spans across genres, Manic Focus fuses soulful blues with heavy-hitting bass, creating a tone that’s entirely his own. The Band include instrumentalist and producer Marvel Years on guitar joined with the legendary percussion of Colby Buckler (Marvel Years Trio, Emancipator Ensemble). JmaC and Manic Focus have had some incredible live performances at some of the most popular festivals and venues including Lollapalooza, Hulaween, North Coast Music Festival, Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, The Gorge Amphitheater in WA and numerous Red Rocks performances supporting Zhu, Emancipator, Pretty Lights and more.
Originally a battle DJ studying under the legendary Rob Swift, LEVEL UP later dove into music production after discovering dubstep. Since then, she has established herself as an artist at the crossroads of blending heavy and future bass, with her own flips of classic dance and emo anthems. Her live performances have captivated audiences at legendary venues such as Red Rocks, Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, Bonnaroo, Lost Lands, Beyond Wonderland, Electric Forest, and Bass Canyon, to name a few.
Since launching in 2011, Monster Energy’s Outbreak Tour has been shaping music culture and breaking new artists, while being involved with many of today’s biggest names in music across Hip Hop, EDM, Country, Rock, Latin, and Comedy.
Tickets for all tours are on-sale now and can be found HERE.
See full schedules and ticket links below.
BOOGIE T.RIO x MANIC FOCUS
11.09.23 Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe at Old National Center
11.10.23 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
11.11.23 Pontiac, MI – Elektricity
11.15.23 Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
11.16.23 Columbus, OH – Skully’s
11.17.23 Buffalo, NY – Iron Works
11.18.23 Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
11.24.23 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl
11.25.23 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
11.29.23 Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
11.30.23 Charlotte, NC – Blackbox
12.01.23 Atlanta, GA – The Eastern
12.02.23 Savannah, GA – Elan
12.03.23 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
12.07.23 Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
12.08.23 Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
12.09.23 Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Music Hall
Tickets Available at: BoogieT.Net | ManicFocus.com
GHASTLY
10.31.23 Costa Mesa, CA – Time
11.09.23 Sacramento, CA – The Park Ultra Lounge
11.10.23 San Francisco, CA – Yolo
11.11.23 Sunnyvale, CA – Pure
11.17.23 Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
11.18.23 Charlotte, NC – Blackbox
12.01.23 New York, NY – Musica
12.22.23 Philadelphia, PA – The Ave
01.13.24 Kansas City, MO – Aura
01.19.24 Tucson, AZ – Gentle Ben’s
01.20.24 Honolulu, HI – HB Social Club
01.26.24 Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
01.27.24 Calgary, AB – The Palace Theatre
Tickets Available at: Ghastly.co
LEVEL UP
11.02.23 Grand Rapids, MI – Elevation
11.03.23 Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed St
11.11.23 Montreal, QC – Fairmount
11.16.23 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
11.17.23 New York, NY – Webster Hall
11.18.23 Philadelphia, PA – The Ave
12.01.23 Detroit, MI – Elektricity
12.02.23 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
12.07.23 Kansas City, MO – RecordBar
12.08.23 St Louis, MO – Old Rock House
12.09.23 Los Angeles, CA – Exchange LA
12.14.23 Minneapolis, MN – The Loft at Skyway
12.15.23 Denver, CO – The Ogden Theatre
12.16.23 Oklahoma City, OK – Farmers Market
Tickets Available at: LevelUpDub.net
Tickets for all Monster Energy Outbreak Tour: AMPLIFIED series available at: OutbreakPresents.com
Global Chinese superstar Lay Zhang (LAY) returns to the music scene with his Chinese co-ed group D.N.A Music Alliance, releasing their first album《D.N.A》 centered around the theme “love”now available on all streaming platforms. The seven-member group, lead by Lay Zhang, along with members DANKO, GALI, Victor Ma, Shan Yichun, Wang Ziyi and Vinida, showcase their musical prowess in the collective’s latest body of work.The 11-track album is under the co-executive production by LAY himself highlighting his versatility and talent as a multi-faceted artist in the realm of music production.
Experimenting across both HipHop and R&B,《D.N.A》 is an album guaranteed to fit the taste of every listener. The first track, “All In” is a love song with a very unique rhyme, with lyrics that can arouse the emotional resonance of the audience. “Break My Heart” is a stand-out piece on lovelorn people produced by Bijan. “Right Back” tells the story of feelings after a brief separation from one’s lover, as one subconsciously starts to miss him or her. With “Racks On Me,” listeners absorb a warm-lighted ode to love produced by Yung Dza. “What She Said” is a story about an intimate relationship that draws to a close while “Wait For You” is a monologue turned into a confession about a chance encounter with love. “No Reason” is a knock-out collaboration between Prince Yi and Asian-Canadian musician Anders. Continuing the flow of the D.N.A hits, “Oh La La,” was also produced by Bijan who’s worked alongside hip-hop heavyweight Metro Boomin. “Except For You” is an R&B love song that expresses love from a male perspective. “Ashley” is a narrative ballad where you get to know her life and personality, produced by GRAMMY Award-winning producer Soolgothits. The bonus track of the album, “UZI” has a strong rhythm to express the attitude of adhering to a dream.
LAY has been and continues to be a household name in Asia, and his career in a whirlwind the last three years after joining forces with Steve Aoki and will.i.am for the 2020 hit cross-cultural collaboration Love You More, reaching #1 on the QQ Music China chart. He then released a string of hits with an album, two EP’s, cross-genre collaborations and solo singles overseas further propelling his international star power. The Chinese icon is one of the most beloved stars in the region with a loyal and highly engaged 51 million followers on Weibo and over 14.2 million followers on Instagram. As a solo artist, the entrepreneur’s career has skyrocketed to tremendous success, becoming the highest-ranked Mando-pop star on Billboard 200 chart and the first Chinese artist to enter the iTunes Top 60 in the U.S.; with his third solo album NAMANANA. Outside of music, he routinely showcases his skills for acting in TV and film roles, hosted multiple top-rated reality shows in Asia and is one of the most awarded artists in China. Now, LAY is working with a multitude of established and emerging artists to help bring their star power overseas with this project close to his heart.
Reminiscent of 90’s alt-icons like Fiona Apple, Ash Molloy is vulnerable, raw, and unfiltered in her approach to music. A multi-instrumentalist with a degree in neuroscience, she’s full of surprises as she bares it all with her deep-cut takes on sexuality, body-shame, and life as a woman. Not fitting the mold in her small town of St John’s, Newfoundland, Ash is an absolute force of an artist, making a name for herself with her unique vocals, cutting lyrics, and sheer tenacity to get her message and music out into the world.
The majority of the music for her newest release, “Viv,” was already written for a woman by that name. Ash had never met her but loved how her name looked so she kept it. Now she has a song and a tattoo on her body named after a woman she only wound up meeting a month ago. It’s a song about losing yourself in the summer and that feeling you get when you’ve drank a little too much and start looking at people a bit differently.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? To me, this song evokes a very specific feeling, making it easy to visualize. I wanted the visuals to match that precise feeling. The song itself is about that moment when you’re a bit drunk and you start to open up to yourself and other people. You begin to experience “sonder,” the intense realization that everyone around you has their individual life and story, containing both the saddest and most joyful stories you’ve ever heard. The music itself reminds me of those carefree summers when you’re 14 and have nothing to do but get in trouble. It’s a time when you’re not worried about anything.
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)? These two distinct feelings led me to make specific choices for the visuals. In the tattoo video (view here: Tattoo Video), I used a 2008 digital camera to create a nostalgic atmosphere, taking the viewer back to a time when not everyone carried a camera in their pocket, and moments remained just moments. In other visuals (view here: Other Visuals), I aimed to evoke a different sense of nostalgia, this time with an 80s look. This approach captures the more fun and carefree aspect of the song, with vibrant colors and a bold statement, much like how you feel when you’re drunk.
3. What was the process of making this video? For the tattoo video, the process was intentionally organic. I got the idea to get the tattoo on a Monday, went thrift shopping to find a suitable camera, and called my friend to join me on Tuesday. The next day, my friend and I found the cheapest tattoo parlor that accepted walk-ins and filmed our journey there.
Graztopia, the singular sonic sensation of New York City’s music realm, introduces his new video for “Nocturnal Lullaby,” out today. With a multifaceted persona mirroring the intricacies of his music, Graztopia is a fusion of cleverness, intellect, and an air of enigma. Picture a lovechild between a ’60s beatnik and a ’90s grunge icon, now rocking the stage at Lollapalooza – that’s Graztopia in a nutshell. The video is perfectly crafted with intricate footage that helps to set the tone of the song itself.
An enduring musician and a virtuoso of various instruments, Graztopia’s compositions are a symphony of sound and storytelling. His style defies conventional genres, weaving rock, folk, and jazz blues into a truly authentic auditory adventure. When he steps onto the stage, each performance embarks on a unique odyssey of impromptu jams, soulful solos, and seamless transitions, all powered by his “Mothership Pedalboard” and his trusty loop pedal.
When it comes to musical settings, Graztopia’s tunes resonate with a diverse array of enthusiasts. His melodies find favor in the realms of cannabis and craft beer, lending a psychedelic ambiance to pro-cannabis gatherings and brewery gigs. His acoustic finesse makes him a perfect match for coffeehouses, evoking that quintessential beatnik vibe reminiscent of Greenwich Village.
His most recent opus, Beatnik Serenade at The Cup Coffeehouse, released in September 2023, stands as a testament to his versatility. Graztopia takes the spotlight, masterfully playing every instrument, while being joined by guest musicians Dom Barranco on percussion and Jess DeBellis on accordion. The album is a sumptuous feast for the senses, seamlessly merging acoustic and synthesized elements into an ambient, genre-blending masterpiece.
We had the chance to check in with Graztopia regarding the new video for “Nocturnal Lullaby,” which you can find below.
Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
The song is meant to be interpreted by the listener in their own special way. That way hopefully the song takes on a life of its own with every listener. Insofar as the story of the song goes, it was written on a very rainy winter night after finding out the sad news that a friend had just passed away. I was lying in bed playing a simple chord pattern/riff on one of my guitars and then out of nowhere a song was magically there. Some of the lyrics reflect real time things that were actually happening to me or feeling as the song was being written while processing the loss of a friend. Though some artistic or poetic liberties might have been exercised as well. And most of the visuals going on in the video are meant to visually represent the lyrics to a degree.
What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
There wasn’t really an inspiration for the video per se, but we didn’t just make a video for the sake of making the video either. Not to be to cliche but in the simplest terms the video and the visuals in it were meant to visually represent the lyrics in a way, whether it was in a literal sense or in a poetic sense or both at once. The visuals were going to be the main focal point of the video rather than just lip-synced performances. However, there are those types of performances that happen within the video mainly because that’s a necessary evil in all music videos that have some type of singing or playing of instruments as a part of the concept of a particular video. And for syncing purposes, it makes things in post-production go smoother. By taking the concept of reflecting the lyrics through the visuals, the storyline of the video came together fairly quickly. Being that I’m a huge fan of stop-motion I knew ahead of time I wanted to have that incorporated into the video. The idea struck me to have myself lying in bed as different blankets change over me in various different ways using stop-motion and blending that with other visuals that are surrounding the bed. The real magic is making a video on a “shoe string budget” that looks a close to a million dollars as it can. That’s something that every single independent artist has to deal with. So, the real credit of bringing the video or story of the video to life goes to my friend and videographer extraordinaire Bruce Faulkner of Bruce Videography Services. Maybe one day we’ll have some serious cash to finance videos with better sets, to be able hire professional actors for the videos, create cooler visuals etc…lolol Because that would be cool to go to Bruce with a massive brontosaurus sized video budget to make videos that spare no expense. The video is kind of arthouse in a way but the end result is definitely something that we’re very proud of.
What was the process of making this video?
The process for making the video was very straightforward. It begins after I submit my music video treatment to Bruce and then he tells me what’s possible to do and what’s not. Or ways of making what I want to make happen possible in some other way. After that we work out a final draft of the video script, then shooting begins. The video was shot in about 4 hours actually. There were technically only two sets or settings for the video so there wasn’t that much that needed to be filmed because we were going to rely on the other visuals and footage. The first scenes that were shot were all of the performance shots of the video, insofar as the ones of me playing guitar and the others as I’m singing into the microphone which happen during the chorus parts. After that I got to kick back and relax in a bed that was surrounded by green screens while Bruce took a plethora of pictures for all of the different stop-motion shots of the various ways the blankets would cover me and go on and off. That part was by far the easiest of the video shoot for me, but Bruce may beg to differ on that insofar as it being the easiest part of the shoot. Once we were done shooting Bruce worked his magic to put together a first draft of the video which was basically a finished product other than changing some of the visuals and altering others. So major kudos to Bruce on that. We spent a few nights editing, making slight alterations and before we knew it, we had a finished music video.
Modern Mystery 
You must be logged in to post a comment.