Oliver Bouchard

Newsletter

Enjoy the View

The first time I remember being in New York City was in spring 1985. I had many memorable first impressions of the city, but one experience that stayed with me was Battery Park. There, the city suddenly opens up to the sea, offering a sweeping view of Brooklyn, Governors Island,

Song Pick of the Day

Yndling - Fences

„Fences“ opens the second leg of Yndling‘s journey to her new full-length album Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand), out later this year via Spirit Goth Records. A beautiful blend of electronics and ethereal guitar work, the song switches moods like the inner dialog

Song Pick of the Day

Wisp - Black Swan [Video]

The San Francisco musician Natalie Lu, aka Wisp, goes all out on shoegaze rock on her debut album If Not Winter, out now on Music Soup/Interscope. Put your headphones on and let her expansive guitar sounds wash you away into a weightless drift. Wisp says about the album: "

Song Pick of the Day

Jane Inc. - elastic

"elastic" could easily pass as a carefree, disco-infused summer dance banger, if Carlyn Bezic, aka Jane Inc., didn't open the song with the line "I wanna get closer to death, Feel it shatter against my head." Still, it all makes sense, though, as Carlyn

Song Pick of the Day

Aleia - Pretty When I Cry

In "Pretty When I Cry," the Australian singer-songwriter Aleia delivers a decisive verdict about her hopefully now ex-partner. The folk-pop song is emotional, but gentle, as if she still sees the fault with herself. Aleia explains: "Pretty When I Cry" was written about the desperation of

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“Artistically, I’m not worried”

Music and technology have always shared a symbiotic – nearly every instrument beyond the most basic stems from human ingenuity, designed to create intriguing sounds or simplify the act of playing. One could say that the digital audio workstation (DAW) stands as the most advanced instrument: a piece of software that

Song Pick of the Day

Isabel LaRosa - My Girl

"My Girl" is a daydream about having one last shot with someone you have already lost. With sadness in her voice, Isabel LaRosa imagines what could have been with such vivid intensity that one might think of a happy ending – if there wasn't that first verse

Song Pick of the Day

PHEA - Ride or Die

The Berlin and LA-based singer, songwriter, and producer PHEA has gone through life-changing experiences and used music as a way to cope with them. While her new song has an upbeat, cheerful vibe, she also uses a moving original soundbite of her describing the situation at the hospital. "Ride

Song Pick of the Day

ugly ozo - madonna

A declaration of love for a younger sister could be a sugar-sweet song. Still, by turning it into a fuzzy rock track, UK singer-songwriter Jessica Baker, aka ugly ozo, acknowledges that the baby will grow up and leave her own mark on the world. Jessica explains: “madonna’ is written from

Newsletter

The Future in the 70s

Last Saturday, we went to the MoMA for a short visit. Without specific plans, we ended up spending our time in a small exhibition about the Nagakin Capsule Tower, a 13-story mixed-use building built in Tokyo in 1972. Each unit of the building was a "capsule,” a small space

Song Pick of the Day

Eliza McLamb - Like the Boys [Video]

For her second album, the Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Eliza McLamb sought out good stories from her life, which didn't always have to be happy. The first single, “Like the Boys,” reflects on her younger self trying to emulate the boys around her—boys who always seemed one step ahead.

Song Pick of the Day

Wyldest - All It Would Take Is a Phone Call

"All It Would Take Is a Phone Call" - easy, but impossible at the same time. Zoë Mead, aka Wyldest, indulges in nostalgia in her new song, a dreamy reflection on the challenges of letting go. The track may or may not be a single on a new

Song Pick of the Day

strongboi - one thing

"I'm the only one who can truly help myself," sings Alice Phoebe Lou. The new song "one thing" by strongboi, the band that she runs together with Ziv Yamin, "I'm the only one who can truly help myself," sings Alice

Song Pick of the Day

Ana Luna - Daddy's Empire

The most painful breakups are those without resentment. LA-via-Paris singer-songwriter Ana Luna recalls a relationship where her partner cannot help himself, and the resulting unhappiness diminishes their love. It is a sad and heavy song, but also one about doing the right thing, even if it hurts. There was no

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“Keep moving in the right direction”

It is a widespread consensus that the music industry is broken, maybe beyond repair. However, that has not deterred artists from creating music more than ever, as it is both fun and rewarding, regardless of how many people listen or how much money is made. For that reason, I loved

Song Pick of the Day

Jennifer Touch - Dripping [Video]

Cold and industrial – the new song "Dripping" by German electronic musician Jennifer Touch sends you straight into a dark basement club behind an unmarked door. The snare hits cut through the pulsating bass like a whip, synths wail, and Jennifer's voice soars – what is not to

Song Pick of the Day

CHILD + the banned - Ice Cube Candy

If you have that kind of beat, the rest of the song probably comes easily. The London-via-Copenhagen singer-producer Josephine Carl, aka CHILD + the banned, admits: "We wrote it in a few hours." And that's enough: "Ice Cube Candy" hits you like a 3-minute whirlwind.

Song Pick of the Day

Lucrecia Dalt - caes (ft. Camille Mandoki) [Video]

„caes“ is an experience. With bleeping synths, a fractured marching beat, and two contrasting female voices, singer-producer Lucrecia Dalt creates a distictive soundscape whose grip is hard to escape. “caes“ is the third single off her upcoming album A Danger to Ourselves, which she co-produced with UK legend David Sylvian,

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Record Store Days

On Avenue A in the East Village of New York, there used to be a small record store, Etherea, in the 2000s. We often popped in there, sometimes late at night, and spontaneously bought CDs. In the windows, they displayed posters for new records — mainly CDs at that time, not

Song Pick of the Day

Sijya - Do I Know

"Do I Know" is a gritty, synth-pop song that takes you to a dark and mysterious place. The New Delhi-based singer-producer Sijya is known for experimenting with both her digital and analog gear and enjoys emulating electric guitars in her productions. She explains: Funnily enough, people have often

Song Pick of the Day

Hillary Reynolds - Gaslight

"Gaslight" is created almost entirely with acoustic guitars. Still, it leans more toward pop than folk, and you have to listen closely to notice there are no drums. The Wisconsin-born, LA-based singer-songwriter Hillary Reynolds started writing her debut album in the past decade, but life got in the

Song Pick of the Day

Wrené - Archangel

The Montreal singer-producer Wrené takes you on a powerful journey through the doubts and hopes that love brings. The night-time pop song balances between dance and experimental sounds, keeping the suspense alive until the final note. Wréne says about the song: This is not just another love song or a

Song Pick of the Day

Kathryn Williams - Personal Paradise

The UK singer/songwriter Kathryn Williams announced her 15th album, Mystery Park, on September 26 via One Little Independent. The first single, "Personal Paradise," is a slow-burning folk-rock song crafted with intricate guitar work and numerous sonic surprises. It also shows that an artful songwriter can draw inspiration

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Where Have the Night Owls Gone?

Elke and I have long decided that the day is more precious than the promise of a long night, so we are usually in bed early. But last Saturday we made an exception for Neggy Gemmy, who celebrated the release of her new album She Comes From Nowhere at Brooklyn&

Song Pick of the Day

Smut - Waste Me

Greek mythology isn't a common topic in indie rock songs, so Smut singer Tay Roebuck's lyrics offer an intriguing contrast to the energetic layers of guitar work. "Waste Me" is the latest single from the Chicago-based quintet's third album, Tomorrow Comes Crashing.