This is a huge week for Chicago’s Neptune’s Core. Not only are they dropping ‘Called Upon’ on August 25th, but they’re also playing a record release show for all the hometown fans at Metro the very next day. Exciting times for an even more exciting band, and we not only spoke of the thrills that are set to transpire this week, but also how they’ve evolved since their last release, insecurities, self-love, and so much more! 

Kendra: It’s been a couple of years since 2021’s ‘Evolving.’ In that time, how would you say you’ve evolved as an artist? 

Jackie Cywinski: Individually, we’ve all improved and grown as musicians – digging into different genres of music such as classical and jazz, and just experimenting more with the sound of our instrument. As our skill sets individually change, together we can truly flourish which has happened a ton over the past couple years. I got a lot more into using pedals, especially experimenting with them in the studio (Jamdek Studio with Doug Malone) which helps heighten the emotion or feeling the listener is experiencing. 

Hannah Ricter: Over the past two years we have really learned to collaborate more during the writing process which has helped make our songs more meaningful to each of us. In the past, Sofie or Jackie would come to the band with a song almost fully written and we would each write our own parts from there, but more recently we would have jam sessions where we would all just play together randomly and sometimes those jam sessions turned into songs. For example, our song “Mermaid Song” started with Jackie’s entrancing guitar part at the beginning and one day when we were practicing we all joined in and started to experiment more with it. Ever since then, our writing process has evolved into a more joint effort than it used to be.

Sofia Richter: Music is shaped by life experiences, and as we’ve grown and experienced new and difficult things, our songwriting has changed. I write songs about harder topics now because life has gotten harder. I’ve dealt with more, and I need to write about what I deal with. As we grow, our music grows with us. Not only have we grown as artists, but we’ve grown as people. 

Kendra: Looking back, you all were dropping a new record annually but then did take that two-year break. Do you think artists should allow themselves more time in between creative endeavors? Because some artists will work themselves to death…

Jackie: I believe everything is truly up to the artist and how they feel they can release their craft and truly be proud of it. At the time, releasing an album per year was the way to go, but with this release, we wanted more time to sit with the songs and send them around to people before releasing, which is working perfectly for this release. 

Kaitlin Cywinski: I think that because releasing music is so vulnerable, artists should be allowed to take their time. At this time we were also coming out of Covid, which made it a bit harder to find inspiration. Creating music isn’t something that just happens. We write new songs when it feels right to do so. Rushing this would cause us to compromise our creative process. 

Hannah: At the end of the day, I think it all just depends on what these songs that they are releasing truly mean to them. Back then when we were releasing more regularly our songs didn’t have as much meaning since we were younger than we are now. But now as we continue to experience more things and to grow as humans, our songs strike a nerve that really made us think before releasing them to the rest of the world. So overall, I think it just depends on what’s best for the artist.

Sofia: As we’ve progressed as musicians and people, our creative endeavors have started to take more out of us. I can’t write the kind of songs I want to write every day; it takes me a couple of months until I’m ready to write another. Not all artists are the same, though. Music comes from different places. For me, I see it as an outlet and a way to be vulnerable. A lot of emotion goes into our songs, which is why it takes time before we can create another. 

Kendra: Now, I listen to a lot of music doing this – and I gotta say “Inside” is definitely one of the handfuls of new songs I’ve heard this year that I truly love. Everything about it felt tailor-made for someone like myself, as I also waste way too much time in the depths of my anxious mind. Do you think that social media has pushed us to dissect our worth and insecurities more than we used to?

Hannah: Social media has some positive traits, but also some negative. I found that especially with younger girls, they feel as if there is a sort of standard they have to live up to and oftentimes that has a big toll on their mental health. I know personally I used to decide my worth based on how many Instagram likes and comments I got on a certain post. So to answer your question, yes. I think social media lets people think they have to be someone they are not. Just be yourself.

Sofia: I think social media prevents us from being in tune with ourselves. We spend so much time immersed in a whirlwind of social situations, and when we finally get the time to decompress, we open social media instead. People deserve the chance to be with their own thoughts. 

Kendra: I also do a podcast called Crushgasm, all about the different crushes we’ve had in life, and recently I’ve had a lot of guests who were promoting various programs about self-love. “Inside” very much deals with the lack of that, so I gotta ask – what’s the last form of self-care you did for yourself?

Hannah: I’ve been reading a lot more recently so probably that. I gave it up for a while because I was reading a boring non-fiction book, but recently I haven’t been able to put the book I’m reading down.

Kaitlin: Personally I love to spend time outside and in the sun. Whether it’s walking the nature trails, gardening, or being at the lake, being outside helps me reconnect with myself. I’m able to let go of the crazy world around me and naturally sort out my thoughts. 

Sofia: Honestly, being in nature is the best way for me to ground myself. Walking on the nature trails just north of my house is something I do every day to get outside and get out of my head. Being in nature is what inspires a lot of song ideas for me too. I’ll be walking through the trees, and that’s when a melody will come to me. 

Kendra: “Inside” will be heard alongside more music that I cannot wait to hear when ‘Called Upon’ drops in late August, and you’ll also be playing a record release show that week at Metro. I’ve never been, but I’ve often heard Chicago’s music scene is impeccable. Why do you think that is?

Jackie: SO SO SO EXCITED for Metro!!! I’ve been going to shows there since I was a kid. A couple of years ago, Kaitlin and I got up on stage with Snail Mail and sang Pristine with her on the Metro stage. I remember how special that felt, so being back up there with our own original music will be such a lovely full-circle moment. 

Hannah: Chicago’s music scene is honestly just so supportive of one another. We’ve met so many amazing people who you can tell really care about music as well as the people making it which is something hard to come across. Everyone in the scene is so genuine too. You can feel their love for music and it honestly just makes you want to play more and grow as musicians. Every artist is so diverse and I’m honestly just so glad to be a part of the community. 

Kaitlin: The music scene in Chicago is so connected and feels so small, despite the vast amount of creative individuals involved. The smaller venues such as Schubas, Metro, and Thalia Hall create the perfect place for bands and fans to intimately share their love of music. It’s rare I go to a show and don’t see someone else I know. 

Jackie: Chicago’s music scene is collaborative and supportive, that’s what makes it so special. All the people who are a part of it are so passionate about music and are always excited to play with new up-and-coming artists. Sima from Finom is the perfect example of this. She holds a festival called Postock up on a farm in Wisconsin every year. She’s had more established bands, up-and-coming bands, and bands who just formed play together. It’s so special to be surrounded by a group of people who are so kind, passionate, and just willing to help each other out. 

Sofia: It’s such a cool thing to be able to go to these small, intimate venues, watch beautiful music being made, and see familiar faces in the audience around you. There’s this sense of love and support that’s unique to Chicago. We love each other and we learn from each other. Going to see live music in Chicago never fails to inspire me. Bands that play on the Schubas stage, the Bottle, Metro have this magnetic energy that just makes me want to create music.

Kendra: Time for a side note – So August is a huge month for me, with so many loved ones’ birthdays being celebrated, so I’d love to know what song you’d dedicate to your loved ones, be it friends, family, or both…

Hannah: This might not be the answer most people would expect but I would say “Bring Back the Light” from our second album ‘Evolving.’ That song was written by Sofie when some people she really cared about were struggling with their mental health. It talks about how she desperately just wants to make them happy and “bring back the light” which is something anyone would want to do for the people they care about. It’s a song full of love. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Called Upon’ out on August 25th, what else can the people out there expect from you as 2023 rolls along?

Jackie: We are definitely cooking up some new songs and more shows to be announced. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we’re excited for what the future holds. 

Hannah: Similar to what Jackie said, we are still in the planning stage of what’s to come after but I can assure you, it will be great! 

Sofia: Our songwriting process has really taken off. These new unreleased songs have something different to ‘em. They feel magical to us. We’ve tapped into a new level of collaboration and cohesion. The future is so exciting to us. Bring it on!!!!

The post Getting Inside Neptune’s Core appeared first on ZO Magazine.

From The Jackson 5 to the Jonas Brothers, teaming up with your brothers has always been a good idea when it comes to music. JR Green has followed suit. Jacob and Rory Green came at the end of their six siblings. Bonding over being the youngest of the pack made their bond a little stronger than most. Over time they grew from siblings to friends to bandmates as they took an alternative route to making folk music their own. We talked family, music and where they’re sound is compared to their 2015 EP, Bring The Witch Doctor.

Kendra: Being in a group with your sibling is a universal thing that’s common throughout every country when it comes to music. So how important is the family dynamic in Scotland as a whole? Like do you have regular family get-togethers, or are you just people who share a bloodline?

JR Green: Obviously I can’t speak for every family in Scotland. On the whole, family is very important here in The Highlands. Despite the fact that, at times, they drive us insane, they have helped make us the men we are today so for this reason family is very important to us.

Kendra: When you started showing an interest in music did your family kind of lean towards a more traditional path or are the arts encouraged there?

JR Green: Traditional music and folk music were always played to us by our parents. Where we live traditional music is king. We were never really forced to like anything. It was just the music that we grew up listening to and were surrounded by. So it’s only natural that it should have such a special place in our hearts.

Kendra: Now, how does Bring the Witch Doctor compare the music you’re making now?

JR Green: We were still quite young when we wrote the songs on Bring The Witch Doctor. I think it’s fair to say there’s a lot more angst in there than there is now. When you’re younger it’s the little things that have the most impact on you. Every tiny poignancy or injustice genuinely breaks your heart and that shows in the music we made. That can be quite a beautiful thing, but I think we’d feel a bit daft if we’re still singing about things like teenage heartbreak or getting smashed. So I’d like to think the music we’re making now has a lot more depth to it, is a bit less literal and obvious and hopefully more meaningful and worthwhile than the music on the first EP.

JR Green’s Favorite Place in Scotland: Strontian

Kendra: Any lessons learned from then to now that you’ve incorporated into your songwriting and execution of “Technicolor Native?”

JR Green: We’ve learned to never rush or force our songwriting because we’ll always end up with something that isn’t as eloquent as we are capable of creating.

Kendra: The year’s almost up. Yeah, I cannot believe it either! Any big music based plans before 2017 is over and done?

JR Green: We are currently recording our first album which we are incredibly excited about. It’s been a long time in the making. We finally feel like we have a body of work that we would feel proud to call our debut album. It won’t be released before the end of the year. Hopefully, we’ll have a fair bit of the recording side of things finished before 2017 is out.

The post JR Green: The Technicolour Scotland Natives appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Migguel Anggelo remembers, “Of course, we listened to Ricky Martin’s ” Livin La Vida Loca.” It was such a huge hit everywhere, but Ricky was already super-famous in Latin-America because of Menudo. So, his breakthrough in North America was old news to us in the South!”

The Latin pop singer was already listening to the genre but admits he was way more into other artists. He notes, “Believe it or not, when I was growing up in Venezuela, I was listening much more to English pop music than Latin music – Madonna, Freddie Mercury, Annie Lennox…world music, too, even opera. Latin music is part of my heritage, but good music, GREAT voices – no matter where they were from is what excited me! Still does today.”

Today. That’s where we are with Migguel Anggelo who performs his take on pop but also has a lot of other projects on deck and in the works. That’s what we chatted about as he takes us from his days as a 13-year-old liar to the present as a budding voice in the New York scene.

Kendra: You’re not only an artist, you’re a theater performer as well. What came first though because you were playing Pinocchio at 13?

Migguel Anggelo: You know, I auditioned for the musical Pinocchio because I wanted to dance and act. Levy Rossell, the famous, wonderful and extremely demanding Venezuelan director (demanding in a good way) chose me for the roll (to my surprise), and when I told him that I could not sing, and he said to me, “You will. We will teach you, and in the future, that will be your first love.” He was right.

Kendra: Speaking of Pinocchio, can you admit the dumbest lie you’ve ever fallen for? Don’t worry, I’m very gullible and often tricked by my younger brother so I will not judge.

Migguel Anggelo: Hmmm…I’m not sure about a lie that I have fallen for, but I have certainly told a few! As a kid, I’d tell my mother all the time that I had gone to school when, in fact, I went to an audition!

Kendra: On a more serious note, you’re currently working on a show inspired by the tragic Pulse Nightclub events for NYC’s Fearless Series. What can you tell us about that?

Migguel Anggelo: David Drake and I are co-writing the play Welcome to La Misa, Baby. In it, I play many different characters that you might find in a gay club. A drag queen, a janitor, a mother, a young boy on a date, and more. The club was once a church like the old Limelight in New York City was. So our club is called La Misa or in English, The Mass. The gay disco has always been a safe place for our community. The tragedy of the Pulse Nightclub stands in direct conflict with the sanctity that those spaces usually provide.

The reaction to the first iteration of this show was terrific. Nowwe are back in the studio developing it MORE! We’re really excited about it.

Kendra: Can we expect that in 2018? Anything else you’re working on you’d like to share with us?

Migguel Anggelo: I am constantly working on new projects! I am writing a fictional book as we speak. I also just wrote a new musical based on a favorite Latin-American book that I grew up with.

In February, I embark on my second tour of Russia as a cultural attaché on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. I am singing with the awesome Grace McLean. We will be performing with Russian chamber orchestras as well as with a quartet of fabulous musicians from the United States. That includes with my long-time Musical Director Mau Quiros. The shows combine songs from the Great American Songbook with those from the Latin American Songbook. It’s quite a fun mash-up.

And upon our return from Russia, Mau and I will be back at Joe’s Pub with our show So Close: Love & Hate on March 28th and April 4th. Come see us!

The post Migguel Anggelo Takes On Many Stages appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Her past in South Korea was riddled with misunderstanding, but looking back she seems less bitter than someone else may be. A strong as hell woman with a metal background whose career took a surprising turn this year, she opened up about it all. From her days as a middle school outsider to her adulthood highs and lows, this is JUNE dARK.

Kendra: You’re not shy about what you went through growing up in South Korea. An outsider to the norm, you were bullied for your interest and look. While a horrible way to grow up, do you feel that fueled you more to get to where you are today?

JUNE dARK: Now I can appreciate the hard times I went through when I was younger. I was a lonely and misunderstood child, and I believe that’s why music spoke to me. I learned to connect and empathize with people because I wasn’t naturally likable. If I had always been spoonfed attention for superficial reasons or been equipped with an inherently mild temperament that allowed me to get along with everyone, I probably wouldn’t have tried so hard to understand why people act the way they do. I surely wouldn’t trade this ability with being popular, even if I had to go through it all over again.

Being bullied isn’t a unique problem to Korea. While it’s definitely horrible, I believe this kind of experience can transform you later if you decide to work with it. The most important lessons for me were that you don’t need anyone’s approval to be who you are. You’re the one who must defend what makes you happy against criticism or disdain.

Kendra: What was it about metal music that drew you in?

JUNE dARK: It just resonated with me. It gave me emotional release in a way nothing else did. Some people who don’t get metal cringe at it, saying it’s the devil’s music. Kids cringed at me the same way when I expressed myself, so maybe that made me feel even closer to it. I was fascinated that metal expressed extreme emotions unapologetically, regardless of what the mainstream audience wanted to hear. The kind of metal I liked often blended harsh soundscapes with beautiful melodies, and I relished such dynamics.

Kendra: About four years ago you decided it was time to go solo, mentioning that you wanted to explore a more vulnerable side of yourself. Why do you feel that vulnerability wasn’t as easy to get to as part of Clandestine?

JUNE dARK: I think being a female singer in a metal band in itself can be a vulnerable experience. It’s a lot more common now, but there were a lot less female fronted metal bands back then. But I definitely had the support of great bandmates and fans and was never afraid to perform in front of anyone. I personally never thought it was too difficult to be a female singer in a metal band, but some might think otherwise.

I’d say going solo makes me experience a different kind of vulnerability. It kind of felt like I was naked when I first sang without loud music in the background. I was used to having a band. I used to belt out as loud as I could to cut through the amplified guitar and pounding drums. Now I can sing in whispers and you can still hear every word I say. I don’t have to stick to one style of music anymore, and sometimes that makes it difficult to define what “my sound” is. It’s like having an identity crisis.

I’m getting more comfortable with not having to pinpoint my style; as long as I write and sing, that’s my sound. It took courage to believe that my voice alone could be unique without being backed by a unique sounding band and to trust that I’m creating something special for the world that no one else is doing.

Kendra: When you moved on from the band, depression hit. I’m sure you also battled that in South Korea. Did you manage it any differently as a teen versus as an adult, or was music always the safe haven?

JUNE dARK: As an adult, I’m definitely better at gaining insight from current and past experiences. Regardless of whether it was perceived as good or bad. I had much fewer resources to process what was happening to me when I was younger. Music provided me a safe haven like you said. I was immersed in music and the stories of musicians that I admired, hoping to become like them one day. I was definitely broody and preoccupied as a teen, but I don’t think I was necessarily depressed because those feelings gave me the drive to pursue my goal of becoming a musician and studying abroad.

What’s so crazy is that I still remember all the little and big happenings that crippled my confidence when I was very young. Shadows of those experiences still show up in many different forms and colors that affect me as an adult. I believe it’s fortunate that I remember those things, as knowing the source of your issue is half the battle.

Kendra: While South Korea didn’t treat you the best while you were growing up, is there any aspect of the country you miss?

JUNE dARK: I miss my family and friends of course. Other than that…I like that services are quick and efficient in Korea. The health benefits are great compared to the US for sure. What I really miss is how I felt as a child while growing up there. Even if the memories are not all that pretty. I feel nostalgic about the streets I walked, venues I went to see live bands with friends, watching the snow through the window in my bedroom at night (especially because it never snows in L.A.), and the record stores I used to buy new metal albums from. None of these things are there anymore, but maybe one day I’ll revisit those places to see how they’ve changed.

@junedark

Kendra: With 2017 almost over and out, what are your plans for 2018 when it comes to music?

JUNE dARK: 2017 was interesting. I’ve been collaborating with a few cool producers around the world for different projects. I’ve also been writing a lot of K-pop songs. Who would have thought K-pop would find me all the way out here in L.A.? I never even listened to K-pop when I was a teenager! Most of the songs are commissioned for TV and film, and some are pitched to other artists. It’s actually quite fun to do. So hopefully in 2018, the material I worked on will be released.

I haven’t had much time to work on my own songs this year. So I’ll work on that harder going forward. There are a few songs that are close to being finished. I’ll be releasing them as soon as they are ready. I don’t really have specific goals or expectations for my original songs at the moment. I still believe that it’s important to get the songs out there so others can enjoy them.

At this point in my life, I’m more about the pure joy of self-expression and sharing it with others who might find it as meaningful to them as it is to me. I’m the happiest when I’m creating something that’s true to myself. So I’ll continue doing just that. It’s that simple joy I have to keep in mind when the shadows of the past creep into troll me from time to time.

The post JUNE dARK Reflects on South Korea and Pushes Ahead appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: Going off your latest release, Everlasting, what would you say is the one component of Reggae music that is constant no matter if it’s a song from today or 30 years ago?

Raging Fyah: Reggae music represents the people and their struggles; it’s soul music that feeds the mind and body.

Kendra: It’s not every day we get to talk to Grammy nominees. So we have to ask, did you get to head to the ceremony?

Raging Fyah: Fortunately for us, we had the opportunity to attend the Grammy’s. We had to take the weekend off from the Winter Roots tour but the experience was well worth it.

Kendra: Whether or not you did, how did you guys react when you found out about the nomination?

Raging Fyah: Getting the news was very surprising, not that we doubted the works and efforts of the project but didn’t realize it was time for the announcement. We felt very excited and humbled receiving the news from our manager.

Kendra: Right now you all are currently on the road and will be until well into the summer. When the dates are constant, what’s something you do to personally recharge every once in a while?

Raging Fyah: We all have separate activities that we do to keep the batteries charged while we are on the road. Exercise is essential, we always have a football juggling at every stop. Yoga, reading, video games and rest are also very vital.

Kendra: Is there one place in Jamaica you never fail to miss when gone that long? Minus your own bed of course.

Raging Fyah: The beautiful scenery at Wickie Wackie Beach.

@ragingfyah

Kendra: Speaking of, what’s the most Jamaican thing about you that isn’t obvious to the naked eye?

Raging Fyah: Making a way when there seems to be no way. The rebel spirit in us as Jamaicans keep us striving for excellence. “We likkle but we talawah.”

Kendra: With all the dates on the calendar, are you guys planning on taking a break after this run wraps up or do you have more planned for the fall?

Raging Fyah: We will be touring extensively this year with short breaks in between tours. We love to work and bring the positive vibration to the people.

The post Raging Fyah’s Nonstop Year appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Now they’re looking forward to another year filled with more music, shows, and life as they prepare to keep on rocking it. They were nice enough to talk to us about life in Indonesia as they know it and how that continues to play into their music.

Kendra: Was there one brother who was more into music first, or did you both show an interest in the arts early on?

Speaker First: For the sake of fairness, our parents encouraged both of us when it came to music. Being identical twins everything will always be the same. So in the end, we were always in this together.

Kendra: You’ve noted that your style was sort of bred from not being too into the local music scene. What is the music scene typically filled with in Indonesia?

Speaker First: The music scene in Indonesia is huge. There are lots of bands like us actually. In the mainstream scene, they’re always being under the radar though. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n’ roll here.

Kendra: Are there a lot of American artists heard there? Because you guys had a sound that reminded me of Stone Temple Pilots back in the day.

Speaker First: American artists have always made a huge impact here. From the early hair rockers of the ’80s, the grunge and Seattle sound of the ’90s, hip metal and new metal, the garage revival thing of ’00s, everything you can name of, they will always be heard here. In fact, some of them were the ones that encouraged us to make our band in the first place.

Kendra: Rock and roll aside, are you guys influenced at all by all the greenery of West Java?

Speaker First: West Java, especially Bandung as our hometown, plays a great role in our music. The scene here really shaped our music because of the unforgiving people when you’re sucked. They have high standards and expectations in good music.

The post Rocking with Speaker First appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Obviously, by now you must have realized that this week we’re traveling to South America by way of Revolber FX. A band from Paraguay that blends various languages and styles into one they call Jopará. Revolber FX talked about their new album they recorded in Portuguese, the growing local scene and more in this interview between the Americas.

Kendra: Many here in the states would likely fail if they were asked to locate Paraguay on the map. In terms of location, culture, and just the energy of where you are from – what is it like on a typical weekend there?

Revolber FX: A typical weekend consists of bars and parties. We are to celebrate a lot and have special days for almost everything. One of them a traditional day, and ours for the world, the day of friendship! Generally, the weekends are of many cultural activities.

Kendra: With music being a universal means of communication, do you listen to a lot of English based music, or more so music from Paraguay?

Revolber FX: We listen to a mix of things. Paraguay is a multicultural country. Here we celebrate Jopará (mixed) we have immigrants from all over the world and also our natives who left us a very strong culture if we listen to music in English, Spanish, Guarani, and Portuguese.

Kendra: Your new album is all in Portuguese. If you had to describe the new record using only three Portuguese words what would they be and, what do they translate to?

Revolber FX: “Sou onde estou” = I am where I am.

Kendra: How is the music scene where you live? Are there a lot of clubs and venues to play?

Revolber FX: It is growing quite a lot. Before we had three albums released a year. Now there are 10 per year! We still do not have a professional venue in the country. We hope that the day arrives, but today we have many spaces of artistic expression such as bars, centers, and theaters.

Kendra: What’s coming up for the band as we end 2017 and start 2018?

Revolber FX: We are working on a new material in Guarani and Spanish. The idea is to do something different to what we were doing and who know how to count on the participation of Mad Professor for this new material. He was the one who in 2016 collaborated with us and we made an album together.

The post Revolber FX Mixes Things Up in Paraguay appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: What are some of the common careers people from Belgium usually wind up doing?

Ozark Henry: Lawyers or businessmen if you don’t have a talent for sport or art.

Kendra: Were those any that you were interested in, or have you always wanted to be a musician?

Ozark: I wanted to be sculptor before anything although I was really good at mathematics. But there’s nothing that beats that feeling of creating something.

Kendra: I have a friend from Belgium who loves R&B and you’ve also got an appreciation for the likes of Marvin Gaye. Is American R&B pretty prevalent over there?

Ozark: Yes it is, but my interest in Marvin Gaye is mainly because he was living in Belgium, Ostend when he was making his most successful work. He was known and appreciated as one of us. That’s why I wanted to refer to him and pay tribute to his talent.

@ozarkhenry

Kendra: Other than Gaye, what was inspiring you when you penned Us?

Ozark: What’s happening in the world: climate change, migration, war, inequality, and human trafficking.

Kendra: Your latest single from the album, “A Dream That Never Stops,” has a very poignant political message. Over here we’re constantly watching the president ruin things. Is Belgium that interested in the US’s failure of a presidency?

Ozark: Yes because it frightens us.

Kendra: Lastly, what else do you have going on this year?

Ozark: I’ll be performing at TEDx San Francisco. I’m a pioneer in immersive sound and passionate about anything that blurs the lines between the digital and the physical.

The post Ozark Henry with the Endless Dream appeared first on ZO Magazine.

North of Germany and to the south of Norway and Sweden sits Denmark. Home of Hans Christian Andersen, tourists flock to see The Little Mermaid statue, along with architecture that makes one feel like they’ve stepped into a history book. Denmark is also the home of D/troit. An alternative rock band with a soulful twist, D/troit’s own Toke Bo was nice enough to take us into their world that includes new music, the soul scene in Denmark and more.

Kendra: So your name reads like Detroit and your EP was Do The Right Thing. How much influence do Motown and the African American music scene have on your sound?

Toke Bo: We have always been huge fans of the Motown sound. As always it’s hard to come up with a cool band name, and we spend many hours searching before settling with the name D/troit. We somehow wanted to include the city name, but we found the ideas we had somehow ridiculous. At last, we ended up with the different spelling of Detroit (to not end up with a crazy American lawsuit) and we all loved that.

Kendra: I’d assume a bit or more because while you’ve got this great alternative sound, there is soul in there. Did that blend come naturally when you guys started playing together?

Toke Bo: It definitely took us some time to find the sound. And we have the greatest respect for the classic sound and the talent of those musicians and singers. So it took us a few years in the rehearsal room and the studio to get to our sound. It was hard but we think the effort paid off. And with every show and every release, we are progressing.

Kendra: Really quick, when was the last time you did the right thing?

Toke Bo: That happens very often. At every show, we feel that, and as a band, we try to do the right thing and only do stuff that is positive and feels right to us. To us, soul music is just about that. It’s about people and the struggle to do good in life. It unites people in spite of all the terrible things that are going on in the world. It tells about equality and freedom, and that you cannot take these things for granted. If you make people feel like that or even think of that, then you’ve done the right thing.

Kendra: Okay, back to the music…where does a band like yours stand in the Denmark music scene?

Toke Bo: There is not a big soul scene in Denmark, but we hope that we can change that. It seems that with every show we play, we are having more and more followers. That is also something that makes us feel that we are doing the right thing…

Kendra: If you had to describe your debut LP Soul Sound System using three Danish words, what would they be and why?

Toke Bo: Sprød (Crunchy); In Denmark, you use this word for something hot and tasty – and the name of our record label is Crunchy Frog, and the record is presented init is released by Crunchy Frog Records and is presented in crunchilicious audio. Sjælfyldt (Soulful); This record is packed with soulful music and funky shit!!! Vinyl; Our music is intended for vinyl LP. It is our favourite format and the cover artwork is most beautiful when presented in the 12-inch format…We dig it and you should go and get your copy now.

Kendra: The video for that title track looked like a great time. Is that what a night out in Denmark is like where you live?

Toke Bo: We shot the video at a local bar, with a jukebox. It may not show the regular Danish party/night out, but more the place we would like to go to. What we were aiming at it the feeling people get when listening to D/troit music and attending our shows…And it also shows why we love soul music. It brings people to life and makes you want to dance and have a good time.

Kendra: The new album’s out now, but what’s to come now? Heading stateside in the new year at all?

Toke Bo: We are planning to go on tour in the new year. There’s a tour in the making for Germany and for Denmark. We also aim to play more shows in the UK. But right now we haven’t gotten any plans to go to the states – but we would surely love to go at some point

The post Uncovering Denmark’s Soul with D/troit appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You came to the US from Slovenia at about 15. A crucial age in terms of social stress. How long did it take you to adjust to new customs, new fashion, new ways of teenage life or were the kids in Slovenia the same as the ones here?

Anja Kotar: At the time, I was young and excited to start a new life so far away from home. So everything seemed like a movie. Looking back, I see just how crazy the whole transition truly was. We got here two days before high school started so I was kind of thrown in the moment and had to swim.

On my first day at the Conservatory, I saw a fall musical signup form. I felt like Gabriella straight out of High School Musical. I auditioned a few days later and had done theatre until graduating. That’s where my core group of friends came from. We shared the same values and ambitions which meant we could support and help each other. In the sense of overall culture, American life is different than that in Europe on almost every level. So there was a lot of adjusting and learning, especially in the first few months. One of the main differences that I noticed within my generation was the scale of dreams that teenagers here had. No idea seemed too big or too out of reach as long as you’re ready to work for it. So for someone with big hopes of becoming a singer, that was absolutely mesmerizing.

Kendra: Thinking to your single “How to Be Cool,” was there a definitive way you noticed American kids trying to be cool that varied from back in Slovenia?

Anja: The greatest difference in the definition of cool among my generation in Slovenia vs. the US, is the sheer amount of races, cultures, and religions that mix together here. There are so many subgroups and each of them has their own set of ideals they strive for. So it’s much easier to feel like you fit in because it’s easier to find a group of like-minded people.

In Europe, however, culture is much more monogamous so if your ideas are unique. You feel like an outcast a lot faster. Funnily enough, the deeper down you dig into the teenage experience, the more you notice that we all go through the same personal issues and transitions, wherever in the world we live. “How To Be Cool” summarizes that constant desire of being “cool” no matter what your society defines it as.

Kendra: Last time we talked you were talking about a NOMAD short film to go along with the album. How is that going?

Anja: It’s going great! We’ve currently released the first two videos from it, “How To Be Cool” and “Eighteen.” Visually, I absolutely love “Eighteen” because it really starts to delve into the core of what NOMAD is about. “How To Be Cool” in many ways is a prelude, setting the tone. While “Eighteen” is then the song (and video) that starts talking about specific issues and dilemmas teenagers are faced with. Following this video, we have two more coming out until the end of the year. Together they will conclude the first chapter of NOMAD – figuring out the teenage years – and then we move on to trying to find a place in this world as a young adult.

Anja Kotar’s Favorite Place in Slovenia: “Bled, a tiny village underneath the Alps around lake Bled. In the middle of the lake, there’s a tiny island with a beautiful church on it, and above the lake there’s a cliff with a castle right at the edge. It’s a very popular destination for weddings as it looks straight out of a fairytale.”

Kendra: Is there anything you’ve taken from NOMAD that you learned, and are going to do differently the next time you hit the studio?

Anja: One of the most important things I’ve learned is people really appreciate the attention to detail and unique ideas. I’m a perfectionist. Many times when I was in the studio for this album, I started to feel a bit silly for spending hours on finding the right sound for a single beep. Sometimes I would tell myself that no one would even notice it. But quite on the contrary, people notice everything. Even if they just register the different beep as a change in mood – they’ll know! That’s very encouraging and fulfilling to be aware. So I’m determined to spend even more time and attention to detail the next time around.

Kendra: How are things going at Berklee? Has class got in the way of your music?

Anja: Things are going fantastic. I don’t think school’s distracting me at all, quite the opposite. It’s actually empowering me along this journey. I would study a concept on music marketing one day and the next I’d already been using the newly gained knowledge in my professional life as a musician. I’ve been working really hard on completing my classes. So I’ll be able to finish my Bachelor’s degree two years early and graduate this December.

Kendra: So 2017 is almost over with. Any plans to close out the year?

Anja: I have a few cool performances coming up. This includes a shared bill at the famous Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco and the Cancer Walk in Seattle. Along with that, we’re starting a nationwide radio campaign, rolling out the remainder of the short film, and expanding the Too Cool store.

The post Anja Kotar Makes Cool Moves appeared first on ZO Magazine.