Moonshine Moods: Undisclosed Asia
Representation is a funny topic, especially in today’s day and age. There’s all this need for it, but never really that much content or exposure for those that would benefit from a little recognition. And in fact, it’s difficult to manoeuvre a conversation as such when these groups aren’t given a platform to speak from, or especially if they are coming from outside of that group
However, here at Demur, I find that we do a marvellous job of using our platform to give precedence to those without one themselves, and to empower those in need of it – or rather to promote artists of all mediums to a wider audience.
So, for this week I thought it would be fitting to devote an entire playlist to the current, unsung Asian-identifying artists of the world. These are just a handful of musicians that I’ve been obsessed with recently and would love more of our audience to obsess over too!
You probably know of them from their constant collaborations with Todrick Hall and occasional cameos on LA based TV shows, or their appearance in Taylor Swift’s You Need To Calm Down video. But, it’s not about these small appearances anymore, it’s actually about Lockhart’s absolutely mind-blowing musical hustle, which they’ve been at for quite some time now. Lockhart’s artistic vision lays in fortress-sized mattress between a demonic overlord of the underworld and a gothy, chain/latex clad gimp. Thematically this has always been the aesthetic for their work. But I haven’t seen it fully galvanised until the release of The Night, an eerie, glitchy, industrial powered, savage and seductive track about taking back power from a parasitic ex lover. I pray that this is finally the start to some full-length project, but the single will have to do for now. There’s not really a lot of versatility in their musical repertoire, but if you need someone to listen to while you’re getting ready for a Halloween sex party, hit Chester up.
They’ve recently released an EP called House on Wheels – It’s a humble, trappy concept, with gritty elements, teetering into soft and demure moments of tender reflection. It’s grunge-y, low-fi and hip-hop beats, with some sort of production twang to it, feels separate from the drivel circuiting the airways. I consider Never an artist’s whose music evokes the part of ourselves that feel as though we don’t really belong where we should, and is coming to terms with that fact rather than finding solutions for it. The whole EP is quite good and very emotive, but it’s the track Out of Time, reminiscent of late 90s grunge, that really goes hard and gets you in your feelings.
I’ve been missing Yaeji! She’s been off the radar for a while now – only recently collaborating with Charli XCX on her album Charli, but not releasing a full body of work herself yet. I’m hoping that it’s in the works because this producer really has something special to offer pop culture and the music scene. Yaeji skates between singing and rapping; being mellow and punchy; reciting Korean and English – these dualities add a facet to her music that is really something refreshing and powerful in a seamless way. I especially love her most recent track One More, an atmospheric low-fi hip-hop textured beat with a soft, vocdoered voice, evolving into a house style bop, which has been remixed countless times by various producers and DJs. Also, do yourselves a favour next time you’re feeling defeated, and stream her EPs wherever you can.
An up and coming RnB artist who I feel is going to completely shake up the charts in the upcoming years. I first heard of them when they released their song Lowkey, a soft cutesy song about having a casual fling with someone. Like the concept of the track itself, I thought nothing of it, until the release of her most recent single, Indigo. The song is layered with levels of composition that stem from futuristic RnB, bubblegum pop, all the way to Musical Theatre numbers, and thematically evokes the same energy as her previous track but in a much more professional and determined manner. I’m sure the chorus will have you whipping out all those classic Mariah Carey style falsetto and scale climbing hand waves, as it has me, just don’t overdo it.
Queer artist and certified bop producer Hayley Kiyoko recently released, yet another, angsty banger a few months ago, and like most of the work on her repertoire I can’t seem to get the song out of my head. I’m in love with Kiyoko’s knack for writing the catchiest of hooks that stand separate from the rest of the track, fully encapsulating the core principle of a good chorus. She writes from a complicated and love-struck space that everybody can resonate with, regardless of gender and orientation. This song is sure to get you in your feelings – and, who out of any of us isn’t a sucker for a melancholic love song anyway?
It’s no secret that I’ve been known to blast k-pop from the early hours of the morning to hype myself up for the upcoming day. Contrary to how my neighbours might feel about it, I’ve made it part of my wake up routine, after my iced coffee and just before my morning meditation. And this is a song that I’ve been obsessed with recently! It’s bird-like whistles, post-chorus break that slaps me to my core, and sensual pop styling is the bomb, but it’s truly Ailee’s savage vocal personality that drives the track home. In all honesty, the entire album, ButterFLY, is phenomenal and everyone should check it out!
I’ve been listening to Mitski for a while now, and I’m always taken back by how anyone I introduce to the artist to react to her music. The resonating ability the musician has as a songwriter is baffling, as I’ve seen metal-heads, bass-junkies, and folksters fall immobile to Mitski’s musical prowess. This track, like most of her other work, is poetic, overrun and overflowing full of emotions and anxiety formulated with experimental musical components in the form of some oddly enticing gift. The song appears like a glance into Mitski’s personal journal, with every “nobody” dissolving from a soothing chant into a lost whimper depleting the listener of any will as they’re taken through Mitski’s inner mechanics.
