'ARROWS IN PARADISE' / MIRAMA: REVIEW

March 5, 2024

by izzy petraglia

mirama, also known as Logan Joel MacKenzie, is a multifaceted talent from New Zealand, with expertise in guitar, synths, and keys. He has been a touring member of Grammy-winning band Paramore since 2017, but demonstrates his versatility as a solo artist beyond that with his first EP, Arrows in Paradise.

MacKenzie released his first single “Find It,” under the alias ‘mirama’ in 2017, marking Arrows In Paradise as his first release in seven years. The EP is a genre-bending compilation displaying MacKenzie’s multi-instrumentalist talent in production and songwriting. Listeners can expect to hear a blend of songs influenced by 70s soft rock, jazz, and bossa nova.

He marked the start of this new era by releasing “Did You Mean It” as a single, and I was immediately excited to hear what the remainder of the EP would sound like. Out of all the songs on the EP, this one sticks out as the most reflective of the 70s soft rock influence MacKenzie draws inspiration from. The song overall feels reminiscent of artists such as Van Morrison and Neil Young — especially the guitar riffs.

“California” is my personal favorite on the EP. It’s the perfect introduction to the EP, setting the tone for the various production elements you can expect from its remainder. The song brings forth the best qualities of California as if you’re actually there. Whether it’s going on a drive with the sun and wind hitting your face, or taking in the beauty of the mountains or beach. It became a personal favorite because of how strongly it reminds me of how I feel when I visit there — and the memories I associate with each trip out west.

The production elements of this EP truly shines during “Moon Drag.” This interlude serves as the precursor to the final track, “Time To Pretend,” allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in the EP’s diverse sound palette. “Moon Drag” is one of the more ambient works out of the five songs, and it seamlessly blends in a bit of space age pop with its bossa nova-jazz fusion.

All in all, Arrows in Paradise and the various layers to its production is an excellent demonstration of mirama’s creative genius. This is the EP to give a listen to to feel the familiarity of warm weather as winter winds down.

NORTH COAST RETURNS 2024

March 2, 2024

by emma zanger

Returning to the Chicagoland area August 30th - September 1st, North Coast 2024 is set to bring one of the most heavily stacked lineups it’s seen yet. Just thirty minutes outside of Chicago, North Coast takes place at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Back for its 14th year, the festival boasts a massive lineup across a wide variety of artists, as well as a widespread collection of diverse art installations that will heighten your festival experience. We are most excited to see Seven Lions, ARMNHMR, Two Friends, and Illenium as they take over The Stadium stage this year.

Tickets to this sensational festival are now on sale, at northcoastfestival.com. See you there!

LANEY JONES: INTERVIEW

February 29, 2024

by joann snavely

Laney Jones is taking over the homegrown Nashville scene with a refreshing psychedelic-folk sound. The singer/songwriter has been releasing music for over a decade, having amassed a discography spread beyond her four studio albums. Having recently just released her single “Stay at Home,” Unclear spoke with Laney about her journey with music, touring, and even the joys of being an independent musician. Read more to find out about Laney’s past, present, and future regarding music!

Let's go back in time some, what is your past with music like? How did you get into it?

Laney: "I’ve always loved listening to the radio. Tuning the dial and peeking into different worlds. My mind is just sort of oriented in that way... even when watching movies or having a convo, if there’s a song that’s hitting me in the background, it’s hard for me to focus on anything else. Shazam is my friend."

Continually, what specific moment made you realize that music was what you were meant to do with your future?

Laney: "When I wrote my first song. I was in college and was extremely lost personally. Articulating what was dogging me via singing instantly broke the spell. The catharsis of singing the blues I suppose. Been an addict ever since."

Lately you've toured with some bigger names in the industry. What have those experiences been like for you? Were there any specific shows that stood out to you the most on those tours?

Laney: "Man, it’s humbling and inspiring at the same time. Nothing really changes, you just get to do your thing for more people with a few extra hands helping.

Probably the most memorable was opening up for Kurt Vile and the Violators. It was the biggest show I had ever played, and I was sort of nervous. But the response from the crowd made me feel like this quest to play our little rock ‘n’ roll songs on a larger level is possible. The theater owner legit said it was the most merch ever sold for an opener. It filled our tanks physically and metaphorically."

What moment as a musician has been the most fulfilling thus far in your career?

Laney: "Honestly, just to still be doing it! And that the tunes are connecting with people now more than ever. I work on this project with my hubs. We are a family band. He’s my ride or die and we met because of music. Doesn’t get much better than doing what you love with the one you love. It’s a mother sometimes, but wouldn’t do it any other way."

What is the writing and recording process like for you as an independent musician?

Laney: "All of it’s homegrown organic. A lot of the songs come from getting stoned and jamming and develop from there. In these most recent years I’ve built out a basement studio where we’ve been recording more and more. Mostly out of necessity, just cause going into a studio can be costly and such a bummer when you don’t get what you want out of it. It hardly ever feels fully formed on the first stab. I like to live with the song a bit."

Your new song "Stay At Home" came out a couple of weeks ago. Were there any new elements or production styles that were done differently with this single?

Laney: "When I initially wrote and recorded it the instrumental hook was completely different. The core of it was tracked at the Bomb Shelter, a studio in East Nashville, but I ended up taking it home and dissecting it. Stacking my own guitars, synth, and vocals. I think it helped make it feel looser and weirder overall."

What else can we expect from you in the near future?

Laney: "I’m playing Texas for the first time ever in a couple of weeks! Got a whole slew of showcases at SXSW where I’ll be debuting some unreleased tunage. Onwards with good vibes."

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HANNAH GRAE: INTERVIEW

February 28, 2024

by sara welden

London-based artist Hannah Grae is using her music to explore and navigate through all the big feelings that come with adulthood. Often finding herself writing from her own earnest perspective, Hannah’s music has a beautiful and refreshing sense of relatability that everyone needs to hear. Gearing up to release her sophomore mini-album Nothing Lasts Forever, Hannah took the time to chat with us about bittersweet beginnings and all things music.

Your recent single “Better Now You’re Gone” is a fantastic track, congratulations! It’s written from your own perspective of exploring the wave of feelings that come with experiencing a breakup. Can you take us through what that songwriting process looked like?

Hannah: “Thank you! I generally start with a concept in mind and then pull together some references to help visualize the song. Actually, one of the main references for BNYG was the end scene of Flushed Away. We muted the section that was originally soundtracked by Tina Turner and wrote the song to that. Listening back now, I can definitely feel that scene in the music!”

You’ve also given us a video to go along with “Better Now You’re Gone” directed by Lola Webster. It’s visually reminiscent of some of the early 2000s music videos that we all love and explores the reality of how a night out might fall short of our high expectations. Did you always know that you wanted this song to have a visual to go along with it?

Hannah: “When I’m writing, I always picture a music video to go with my songs. I’ve always been very visual, and I live in my imagination. I knew that this song in particular had a very clear storyline and I definitely wanted to pair it with a video.”

You’ve got another very exciting release coming up, your sophomore mini-album titled Nothing Lasts Forever is out on March 15th. How are you feeling in anticipation of that?

Hannah: “I wrote this project in 2022 and I’m so excited to finally release it. It feels like a time capsule of that period in my life. Letting that project out in the world will also help me. I feel like I’ve grown so much since then and finally seeing that piece of work off will help me grow that little bit more. I’m so excited for people to hear it.”

This release serves as a follow up to your debut mini album Hell Is A Teenage Girl released in 2023. Did you approach anything differently this time around while creating Nothing Lasts Forever in comparison to how Hell Is A Teenage Girl was made?

Hannah: “Actually, not really. My songwriting process didn’t change much from both of those eras. I was still very visual and pulled references from film and TV. I guess my music taste had changed slightly and I wanted to take a simpler approach in terms of instrumentation. Nothing Lasts Forever could be played by a band and sound very similar to the record. I also got a bit more personal within my storytelling and I think with each body of work that I release, I will hopefully get a bit more honest and even more personal.”

You wrote most of the album at age 19 before you made a big move from your hometown in South Wales to London, and you’ve described the project as a body of work about your first year living away from home. Did writing this album help you navigate through that journey and big life change?

Hannah: “I actually wrote the mini album after I moved to London. Hell Is A Teenage girl was written while I still lived in Wales. I wrote all of Nothing Lasts Forever when I was 19 and it was essentially the result of navigating that huge move. I would say it definitely helped and made me feel like I was doing something good for myself. I can’t help but listen back to it and just remember how hard that period was. I’m so glad I have this project to listen to and to remember how far I’ve come.”

Now being 21, what’s it like to revisit these songs again as the world is about to hear them for the first time?

Hannah: “It’s very strange, but I love that I can do that. Those songs haven’t changed much at all since I wrote them and they feel immensely nostalgic to me now. I feel so much when I listen to them. It’s almost like rewatching a movie you used to watch all the time as a kid. I remember how I felt when writing those songs and I do feel so sorry for that version of myself. I’m really glad that I pulled this project together and I see it as a great landmark to end my teenage years.”

You're a self-taught musician and started out by posting your rewritings of popular songs and covers online. Drawing elements from No Doubt, Alanis Morrisette, Phoebe Bridgers, Hayley Williams, and Taylor Swift, how has being able to study some of these giants impacted the music that you make today?

Hannah: “I’d consider myself to be like a sponge. I love sitting in inspiration. Discovering all of these artists just made me, and still makes me, so hopeful and excited for my own corner of the music world. I still draw inspiration from all of these artists. They are so different, but I connect with them all so deeply. I love that artists on opposite ends of the spectrum can still draw in the same fan and inspire them as greatly as they did me.”

You’ve certainly got an exciting 2024 lined up, but what can we expect next from you? Are there any items on your bucket list as an artist?

Hannah: “At the end of this year I would love to look back and be proud of everything that I’ve done and the decisions that I’ve made. I want to work as hard as I possibly can and write more songs on my own. I want to nurture the deep connection I have to writing and keep on growing. I’m trying not to set too many goals as I found that to be overwhelming last year. So this year, my bucket list is full of personal goals that will hopefully make me an artist that I’m proud of.”

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ALEXA: INTERVIEW

February 24, 2024

by martina rexrode

With an impressive list of achievements already under her belt, rising superstar AleXa is ready to channel her 2000s pop-punk roots in her latest single “sick.” Prior to this release, AleXa saw success by winning NBC’s American Song Contest in 2022 with her song “Wonderland,” and performing as the first solo Korean artist at iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball back in December. “sick” taps into the complications of being with someone who appears to be the perfect partner but who also makes you feel undeserving of their love, but it also holds space for dozens of different interpretations. This spring, AleXa will embark on the first part of her tour in the US. Stay up to date with future tour and music announcements by following her on social media (@alexa_zbofficial).

I have to start by congratulating you on your new single! How does it feel to have “sick” out in the world for fans to listen to?

AleXa: “Thank you! I’m happy to be releasing new music after a long while — I hope the fans anticipate my upcoming album.”

Can you tell us a little about the inspiration or the meaning behind this single?

AleXa: “While I didn’t write the song myself, I like to think the lyrics are open to interpretation based on individual personal experiences; the way I read into the lyrics is the opposite of the surface meaning. My personal interpretation of the lyrics are the complete opposite of its initial intent; I see the story of ‘sick’ as the person you’re with/you love being so self-centered with a god-complex that it makes you sick.”

How does “sick” set itself apart from your past releases? Were you able to tap into any new sides of yourself as an artist for this release?

AleXa: “It’s one of my first fully English songs that is meant for a more Western audience. I’m just happy to try out different genres.”

What made you choose “sick” as your first single of the new year?

AleXa: “We had received a handful of songs for the first single pitch, but the team thought that the easy-listening vibes of ‘sick’ would make a good starting point.”

Can fans expect more of the 2000s pop-punk sound from you? Are there other genres you want to explore in the future?

AleXa: “I want to stay in the pop-punk/emo genre as long as I can; my next single is reminiscent of the music I grew up listening to, and I’m excited to share it.”

You’ve already announced part one of your “sick of you” US tour dates. Which aspects of touring are you the most excited for? Can you share anything about what you’ve prepared without giving too much away?

AleXa: “I’m excited to go to my hometown and to the historic venue of Cain’s Ballroom! There will be never before seen stages and new songs!!”

How has your experience as a dancer and a performer on Korean survival shows bled into your career as it exists today?

AleXa: “Everything I’ve experienced within the world of performing, from childhood till now, has helped shape me into the performer that I am today. I’m grateful for every dance teacher I’ve ever had and for the support I’ve had from my peers.”

After being the first Korean solo artist to perform at iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball in December, you’re already breaking records and making a name for yourself globally. What goals do you have for yourself this year both creatively and personally?

AleXa: “I’m hoping for a mini album release in summer and to tour globally!!! I want to feel accomplished at the end of the year. I also want to write more music for myself and other artists, as well. Hopefully my personal works can be shared with the world.”

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