Focusing solely on DC area music, often we get to see artists develop over the course of many years, starting small and building the chops and charisma to attract a fan base. But it’s such fun to see someone new pop up out of nowhere and blow us away. Singer-songwrier Rorie released her debut EP Singing & Silence earlier this year, its well-polished songs presenting both inspiring lyrics and delightful instrumentation. The EP’s lead-off track “Climate”, our podcast pick back in July, now gets this lovely music video from Franck Tabouring and Caitlin Crommett of Open Valve Studios. Rorie’s thoughtful and precocious style is delightful to watch as she sings about moving cities and fighting against the steady march of time.
Hometown Sounds
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Category Archives: video
The Galaxy Electric – Leaving
Enigmatic DC lounge-pop act The Galaxy Electric is now a part of the Blight. Records family. The expansive compilation BLIGHT. MAKES RIGHT, released today, proved to be the perfect spot for “Leaving”, a moody and introspective bonus track from their psychedelic debut album Everything is Light and Sound. Blight visual artist Jen Meller shot this music video in Super 8 at many recognizable DC locations, marrying the 60s musical vibe with a nostalgic home video style. The Galaxy Electric join Blight brethren Reignbeau, Stronger Sex and CrushnPain for a compilation release party tonight at DC9.
Kingpen Slim – Bad Guy
DC rapper Kingpen Slim grabbed our attention earlier this year with “FYB”, the dirty and catchy slow-jam single from his EP Fxck Lxve. That was just an appetizer, and now he’s served the main course with Life After Doubt, a full length album boldly referencing both Life After Death by Biggie Smalls and Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z. Fire up your SoundCloud app because the album is only available for streaming there, but the first single up is “Bad Guy” produced by J Buttah and we got the visuals for you right here. Director Jay Gregory shows us endless footage of Slim, dressed to the top of his game gliding down high-end hotel corridors, allowing us to focus on the eye-popping wordplay in his lyrics. His rhymes truly know no limits.
Handsome Hound – Hannah
Upbeat jazzy folk band Handsome Hound have a well-timed message for all the heavy feels we have right now. “Hannah”, the new single from their debut EP I Guess We’re Doing Alright, tells the story of a rebellious young lady challenging societal norms. Videographer Kip Radt, director of Near Northeast’s excellent video Under The Pines earlier this year, enlisted Amaris Montes as a lady boxer with a mean frown and a punishing right hook. The DC indie folk scene is coalescing into a popular and necessary counterpoint to punk, and we’ve never needed it more.
Wylder – Lantern (Out Loud Session)
With our ubiquitous monuments, distinguished architecture and low height requirements, DC’s rooftops are curiously generally untapped as music video locations. Over the summer, indie folk band Wylder joined Brooklyn singer Skout on a well-placed downtown DC rooftop to record a few songs for her picturesque Out Loud Sessions. Brighten up your Friday with a stripped down version of “Lantern”, from Wylder’s debut full length album Rain and Laura, featuring Will McCarry on vocals and guitar and Lavar Edmonds on violin. We really hope you won’t miss the full band opening for The Riverbreaks at Gypsy Sally’s in Georgetown on Saturday December 3rd.
K.A.A.N. – The Way
Rapper Brandon Perry’s latest video as K.A.A.N. takes us into the home studio where he and producer ORBT craft a seemingly endless supply of gems. This is a man-cave with a purpose. K.A.A.N. is wholly devoted to SoundCloud streaming, so head there to hear his latest mixtape with Genshin.
Priests – Pink White House
Early in Priests‘ new music video for “Pink White House” the entire band is led in 80s style aerobic video workout by drummer Daniele Daniele, and believe me that things only get weirder from there. Frontwoman and video director Katie Alice Greer “wanted to do something playing on the notion that pop culture repackages your identity and sells it back to you for ‘entertainment'”, and that’s reflected in vignettes of each band member facing a dark reflection of their personal affectation in true camp style. Priests new full length album Nothing Feels Natural drops January 27th on their own Sister Polygon Records, and the nationwide tour wraps up at the Black Cat on March 11th.
Gordon Withers – Lost Thought
Arlington’s Galaxy Hut excels as a venue booking interesting and innovative music, especially in (or near) a neighborhood known for generic bar crawls and cover bands. Serving up a wide array of craft beers and quite fine grilled cheese and tots, you really owe it to yourself to cross the river and make an evening of exploring new sounds. Tonight Gordon Withers serves up improvisational cello music alongside Boston instrumental band Ghosts of Sailors at Sea, on whose new album he appears, and a new DC band called Numbers Station. Withers is most well known for his collaborations with Jawbox lead J. Robbins in the group Office of Future Plans, and his cello covers of Pink Floyd, The Joy Formidable and others are beautifully inspired. Our video today for Withers’ improvisational piece “Lost Thought” comes from Survive Vol. 1: The Holidays, a compilation and zine put out last December by Bad Friend Records.
Ras Nebyu – Iyah-Tate
Ethiopian-American rapper Ras Nebyu may have coined the ridiculous name Washington Slizzards for his crew, but his smooth, conscious lyrics and snappy production deserve your attention the most. Last year Nebyu traveled to West Africa’s Ivory Coast to open for Nigerian rapper Wizkid, and while there hooked up with DC expat Ibrahim Keita to shoot a video for “Iyah-Tate”, the single Keita produced. Stream Nebyu’s latest mixtape Slizzatrism at, of course, Slizzatrism.com.
Marian McLaughlin – Grayson Highlands
Everyone knows that autumn is the best time to get the hell out of DC and hike up some mountains. Let experimental folk singer Marian McLaughlin be your travel guide on the new music video for her song “Grayson Highlands”, from her soon to be released album Accotink. The Grayson Highlands State Park is located in southeast Virginia, and contains a small portion of the famed Appalachian Trail. Marian and videographer Vianney Paul camped and hiked around this beautiful area and delivered this uncomplicated and peaceful video to accompany her wistful song about serenity in nature, with arrangements by Ethan Foote. McLaughlin and her trio depart on their first ever UK tour tomorrow, but she promises a DC area performance on November 22nd at the Moishe House in Columbia Heights with Audrey Harrer.
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