by Jane Lambert

Jessica Cotten Debuts Her New EP, ‘Edge of the Wilderness’

Edge of the Wilderness is the provocative new EP from the indie electro-pop artist Jessica Cotten. The 6 song EP is Jessica’s aim at political and cultural uproar. It calls out failed leaders, corrupt systems, and hypocritical faith.

“This is a big deal for me, but I felt like I had to speak up,” Jessica says. “I wrote these songs out of a need to express my feelings, and share my experiences of existing alongside broken systems. I didn’t intend for the songs to be a way of exposing harmful people and ways of thinking, but, as I wrote, these things needed to be named. I was angry when I wrote a lot of these songs, and I’m still angry.”

Edge of the Wilderness is ambient and atmospheric as her dream pop elements blend with the electro-elements. Her voice is angelic and calm juxtaposed against her guttural lyrics. Each song tackles something different. Opening the EP is “City on Fire.” This song was written during the political unrest spanning 2016-2020. Jessica found herself separating herself from toxic people and cultures as she watches everything fall apart around her. The overall message is that of hope, however. It’s meant to say, “this way of doing things is broken; it’s falling apart, and we need to let it fall apart so we can build something new and healthy.”

“My Heroes” points out gender discrimination, the lust for power, continued systemic misogyny, and the idea that leadership means putting people last and putting personal drive and success first. “Another Love” follows with the theme of Christianity and the hypocrisy it often boasts. But “Reach Out To Me” follows with a strike of love and hope as she explores how we are all connected which is why we should all care more for each other.

“Steady Now” was actually written as a piece of a poem from one of the novels Jessica wrote. “This particular character is a strong, fierce woman who always knows what to do, and this poem/song is her talking to herself in the midst of a really painful, scary loss,” Jessica reveals.

The EP wraps up with “Every Golden Hour,” a mostly ambient instrumental song about Jessica’s dog, who unfortunately is no longer here. It’s about connection, that even though he’s gone, their spirits are still connected.

Making Edge of the Wilderness marks a powerful journey overcoming anxiety, fear, and showing up for yourself, even if that means stepping out into the unknown. “Music is in my soul and it makes me come alive,” Jessica says. “I hope that my words, stories, and melodies offer the world a place to breathe and a sense of connection to the deeper meanings of life.”

Connect with Jessica Cotten

Website / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

06.10.22

by Jane Lambert

Dream Pop and Electro Pop Artist Chris Baluyut Premieres his New Single “Come Back to the World”

Chris Baluyut, the New York electro-pop and dream pop artist, grew up surrounded by a musical family. His father, uncle, and godmother are in Versus, and another of his uncles started the indie-rock/math-rock band +/- {Plus/Minus}. “They were hip,” he affirms. “My parents had me when they were young. I remember the three B’s, Björk, Beck, and Built to Spill being played all the time in my house growing up.” From elementary school through high school, family members would bring Chris to gigs all around NYC. At 14, inspired by the classic rock and indie rock playing in his house, Chris started playing guitar, and eventually played a show with Versus when he was still in high school.

Today, Chris brings us the second release in his single series, “Come Back to the World.” The production here is both lush and lean, consisting of a gently unfolding melodic guitar motif, airy vocals, sparse rhythm guitars, electro ambience, and a hypnotic beat to tie it all together. All of these intentionally intertwining themes bring us a dark, yet hopeful resonance.

“Come Back to the World” has an electro-pop sensibility to it while also pulling in elements of dream pop, lo-fi, and downtempo. It’s emotionally raw and reveals Chris’s vulnerability in his songwriting. The song drips with feelings of regret and guilt for not helping someone you love. But there’s an air of hope and thoughtfulness behind that facade, that one day, you will get another chance to be there for someone else.

Chris’s music has evolved from folk into an exploring and experimenting with atmospheric soundscapes that are grounded by rhythmic pulses. His carefully-curated aesthetic spans dream-pop, electro-pop, post-rock, and folktronica. His latest songs are more impressionistic, conjuring landscapes, and visual representations of emotions.

Listen here:

Connect with Chris Baluyut via:

Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

03.07.11

by mcirigliano2

Lucas/Lukas Unveil Music Video, “Made For You”

Lukas Haas has been acting for over 20 years, first starring alongside Harrison Ford in “Witness” when he was just 8 years old. Since then, Haas has appeared in dozens of films, including “Inception,” Woody Allen’s “Everyone Says I Love You,” Tim Burton’s “Mars Attacks!” and the upcoming “Red Riding Hood.” Lukas also plays drums and piano for The Rogues, and appears in music videos for My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” OutKast’s “Roses,” UGK’s “International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You),” Death Cab For Cutie’s “Cath…” and Jet’s “She’s a Genius.”

Australian actress Isabel Lucas recently starred in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” HBO’s eight-time Emmy winning series “The Pacific,” as well as “The Cove,” an Academy Award-winning documentary exposing the brutal business of dolphin harvesting in Japan.

Together, Lucas and Haas are Lucas/Lukas, purveyors of dreamy indie pop. Their first video collaboration, “Made For You” was filmed and recorded in Lukas’ studio in Los Angeles, directed by Carleton Ranney, with editing done by Real Sprague and Destin Douglas.