People of color are constantly stigmatized for their names, whether from biased hiring managers or teachers who butcher pronunciation while reading attendance sheets. These moments are often demeaning, like one of the most fundamental elements of someone's identity is burdensome or atypical. But on “Flicker,” the latest single from the Japanese-British artist Rina Sawayama, such experiences are transformed into an ecstatic, self-assured pop song meant to uplift people who, in her words, are “misunderstood for who [they] truly are.”
“Flicker” reflects on Sawayama’s experience of having a “difficult” name herself; in the process, she subtly critiques social constructs that dictate what a “normal” name is. Over fluorescent synths and jittery drums, she urges listeners to take pride in their names and remember that they are better than the homogeneous faces on TV screens. “They flicker but they ain’t gonna shine like us,” she croons in the catchy, jubilant chorus, establishing that this is a song specifically for her community. People of color are so often expected to minimize their differences for those unwilling to engage with experiences unlike their own. With “Flicker,” Rina shines in spite of that pressure.
, Download New Movie We are sending away 2018 and we look back and see what were the most popular phones over the past year. While there are 20 phones in the yearly selection, the list of manufacturers is scarce. To be more precise, two out of every three devices come from either Xiaomi or Samsung. Samsung brought us 7 of the most popular phones in 2018 - hardly a surprise that the world's largest manufacturer dominates the popularity chart. Somewhat less expected is that Xiaomi got 6. Last year , the number for the Korean manufacturer was the same, but the Chinese maker is up by one, showcasing that the global trend of Xiaomi catching up to the big guys is on every level. The most popular phone of 2018 was the Redmi Note 5 Pro and it completely smashed any competition. It was so popular, that the other two Xiaomis following couldn’t gather the same number of hits even if they combined their powers. Samsung eventually caught up with the Galaxy A8 (2018). The love for midrangers is...
, Download New Movie For Canadian singer/songwriter Andy Shauf, solo success meant putting band life on a brief hold. Whether narrating the macabre end to an unfaithful relationship or house-party antics gone horribly wrong , Shauf has diligently refined his storytelling during the last decade on a series of albums under his own name. All the while, he’s also performed alongside hometown pals Dallas Bryson and brothers Darryl and Avery Kissick as Foxwarren. After releasing 2016’s self-produced, self-arranged The Party on Anti-, Shauf has pulled the band along for the record deal via Foxwarren’s self-titled debut. From the music’s mild temperament to its orchestral flourishes, there are similarities to Shauf’s solo work. But Foxwarren invest more in lyrical ambiguity than storyboard form, a sense they match with wondrously spacious sounds. These songs reflect the band’s familial bond, radiating warmth like a campfire. Foxwarren ’s 10 tracks range in tone from brooding Elliott Smith -...
, Download New Movie The Montreal dream pop trio Men I Trust make such warm, delicately twee bops, a single spin will make you want to buy gingham. But don’t be fooled: Beneath the surface of their sepia-toned, blissed-out sound are sharp, biting lyrics. “Say, can you hear,” the lead single from their forthcoming first album with frontwoman Emma Proulx, Oncle Jazz, celebrates the power of observation. “You’re self absorbed, raving about your cryptic ways,” Proulx sings nonchalantly over a burst of vintage synths that sound like organs and bright, reverberant guitar. Proulx’s observations only get more cutting from there, as she notes how her subject walks through life with a ceaseless air of narcissism: “Waiting for the world to bend around you,” she sings with cool detachment in the refrain. The self-absorption comes across as chilling, and when met with the song’s perfectly chipper melody, “Say, can you hear” becomes jangle-pop fit for a David Lynch film. 3D song download download
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