Interview: Baked, Bueno, and Thatcher

Interview: Baked, Bueno, and Thatcher

Aural Wes
Column

Two NYC bands, Brooklyn's Baked and Staten Island's Bueno, hit up Eclectic last night to play the first rock show of the year. These alliterative indie-rockers have been touring around the Midwest and Northeast together, playing 10 shows in the last 11 days.  New and old friendships and family relations tie Baked and Bueno together into an exceptionally goofy, laid-back group of guys. Headlining the show was Wesleyan's own post-punk group Thatcher (Chris Gortmaker '17, Jesse Cohen '17, Ryan Breen '17, Alex Lee '17), who just dropped their debut EP. Thatcher's Chris and Zander Porter of Aural Wes swooped in for a quick interview with the bands before the show.

Thatcher // First Track Off of Debut EP

Thatcher // First Track Off of Debut EP

Aural Wes
Column

Sophomore band Thatcher  just dropped "For Today,"  the first track off of their eponymous debut EP. Thatcher (Jesse Cohen, Ryan Breen, Alex Lee, and Chris Gortmaker) played a sweaty guerrilla show in the Westco Triple on the last day of school and now return with this 5-track album, recorded in a hot-Boston-baked-bean basement. These post-punkers have an EP-release show on the 12th. In the meantime, hit up their Bandcamp and check out the new track.

INTERVIEW: KILL-F AND MOUTHFEEL

INTERVIEW: KILL-F AND MOUTHFEEL

Cal Hickox
Column

Wesleyan, in recently years, has churned out almost as many rappers as it has unpaid interns. Most of these rappers are also unpaid, but recent graduates Kill-F (anon '13) and producer Mouthfeel (Dan Nass '13) have turned this paradigm on its head with Isn't it Rich? EP, where the idea of accruing wealth becomes an opaque rhetorical question. After listening to the EP I had to know what exactly "It" was to these two musicians. I sent them some questions, trying to get at the heart of their art, only to become permanently suspended in my search for meaning. 

The Japanese // Skyward EP // DOUBLE REVIEW

The Japanese // Skyward EP // DOUBLE REVIEW

Aural Wes
Column

Two reviews?! Why is this? Why not? Aural Wes presents two takes on The Japanese's new EP:

Wesleyan's super-senior/alumni alt-rock band The Japanese (Adrien DeFontaine ’13, Neo Sora ’14, and Dan Moakley ’13) released their Skyward EP last month, featuring three newly-penned songs and a more thoroughly-engineered sound throughout. Skyward is The Japanese's second EP, and was crowd-funded via a kickstarter campaign full of funny things. 

Zooted // kai OD

Zooted // kai OD

Zack Kantor
Review

Sweeping lo-fi sound waves, made from eerie drones reminiscent of human screams, make up the most recent release from Sophomore rapper Kai Leshne [kai OD]. The beat is remarkably dark and almost atonal with its smooth, ghostly vocals. This is one of the few tracks kai OD has leaked from his upcoming full length release titled Atlantis Campus. The vocals on "zooted" are more spoken than other on tracks, some of which are reminiscent of the Weeknd's House of Balloons. Each has its own unique flair, making this a Wes release to look out for. Stay tuned for Atlantis Campus coming in April.

M. VAUGHN // FADERD MIX

M. VAUGHN // FADERD MIX

Cal Hickox
Column

M. Vaughn would be the king of Wesleyan’s 2-Step/deep house scene, if only it existed. Michael Vaughn ‘16, who producers under M. Vaughn, has gone from posting about Electric Zoo on WesAdmits to producing deep house tracks that are perhaps too subtle and sensitive to be given a chance amidst the tank topped hedonism that takes place on Randall’s Island every September. That is a great compliment, I think. M. Vaughn's new Nafe EP and “FADERD MIX [for Aural Wes]” showcase the “yung” producer’s keen ear for infectious melodies and hooks. Both the EP and mix exhibit Vaughn’s harkening back to groundbreaking house and garage producers like MK and Todd Edwards in his production. Deep house and 2-step have re-entered the underground club zeitgeist in recent years, and M. Vaughn is prepared to set himself apart from the trends with some snark and weirdness strikingly absent from most club CDJs. Just look for him “waiting at your local drop,” begging you to join him in a more thoughtful sphere of ignorance.

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