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The 4 piece indie rock group from Hamilton, Ontario, Tripper and The Wild Things are coming in full effect! They released their single “Caramel” and it instantly began with a progressive rock and smashing introduction. The energy begins eclectic and the delivery becomes electric! However, we’re still maintaining sanity due to the melodic lyricism from the vocalist. This soft-rock arrangement was great for exuding positive energy into its listener. If you felt dull prior to listening to “Caramel”, that completely changes. You’ve been transformed into a whole different mood and you’re thankful for it. It’s like the refreshing song we didn’t know we needed. I can picture myself peacefully shopping in a retail store while “Caramel” plays in the background, enhancing my experience at the specific store. It’s completely fitting for adding emphasis on everything we do. It’s great for a car ride, it’s great for a lonely listen, and it’s even great to jam out to with friends. “Caramel” is overall an exciting song that had us grasped to its fullest extent! Check out "Caramel" here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Welcome to BuzzMusic Tripper And The Wild Things! How did you form? What’s the history behind the catchy band name? Thank you, we formed from other projects out of high school, Josh (guitar and vocals) and Eric (bass/guitar) have been writing music for a couple years now and we finally decided to do something with it. Tripper and the Wild Things is kinf of a mashup between Bill Murray's character in the movie Meatballs and the kids book Where the Wild Things are Who would you consider some influences or inspirations for your style and sound? Biggest influences for us would probably just be anything throwback to early 70s rock and 90s rock, specifically from the 90's Weezer, Nirvana, the Pixies, stuff like that How would you detail the lyrical meaning behind “Caramel”? It's just about having a warm feeling and feeling on top of the world and just living an endless summer, kind of a throwback to being off school ready to take on the summer. In what ways was the creation of “Caramel” challenging? I think the hardest part of getting the whole project together was finding the time. When you get older and you have other things in the way it becomes almost impossible to find the time, but we finally made it happen. Tell us what’s next for you guys!? Any exciting upcoming shows? We are hopefully going to be lining up some shows to end out the summer, and then our full length self titled album will be released in the fall. Keep up with Tripper and The Wild Things through their socials! Instagram: www.instagram.com/tripperandthewildthings Facebook: www.facebook.com/tripperandthewildthings #BuzzMusic

Born in Poland and Made in England, Dawid Ziemba is a passionate singer-songwriter whose multi-instrumentalist skills aid in his solo performances. His influences are from the 1960's and 1970's. We took a listen to “Born, Raised Then Die” off his album “Born, Raised Then Die” and this single had an augmented vocal delivery that remained relaxed and settles. The vibes of this track were transporting us into a vintage era thanks to the transcending production and the antique-like melodies. It had this slight baroque appeal, very detailed and ornate in style. The superabundant and bombastic arrangement of “Born, Raised Then Die” created a booming storyline for the listener to follow with. I’m just personally a big fan of how I can simply sit, listen, and escape my day to day stress and thoughts. It’s easy for the listener to get lost in this classic track. I love the polish aesthetic of Dawid’s vocal articulation. It’s neat due to how it presents a slight cultural look to his music. There are many great elements to “Born, Raised Then Die” that will transform you into a fan! Check out "Born, Raised Then Die" here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hey Dawid Ziemba. How was it growing up in England? In what ways has your background influenced your style of music? It was great. I moved here when I was 9 years old, back in 2007. We arrived before the crash happened, but we didn't care about it too much as even with the economical downfall, live in England was much better then back home. The influence of my motherland is presented in many forms, but musically it can all be heavily seen through the influence from legendary Polish bands such as Dzem and Perfect (look them up if you want, they're real good). I write songs from the heart, with whatever current idea I have in my mind. If it's a ballad, if it's a rocker, if its a funk-track or a jazz-track - whatever it is, it comes from a personal space. Who are some specific artists from the ’60s and 70’s you acquired most of your inspiration from? Easily Bob Seger wins the spot. Rory Gallagher, Queen, Meatloaf, Billy Joel and Elton John also top the charts for me. The Hollies, Beatles and Elvis Presley are my 60's inspiration. Let’s talk about your music! What’s the major theme behind your album “Born, Raised Then Die”? The major theme behind this EP is songs about life. This project represents the circle of life, with each song entailing a different emotion and story. Some are more personal then others, some are more darker then others, but all tell a tale that most people can relate with. From a lot of love, to failing dreams, to sad realities and regret, all the emotions that make us human are perceived in this album in one way or another - I think. What song off this project do you feel best represents the album’s theme? The title track - without a doubt. It's a sweet story about birth, growing up and dying with your family and friends by your side. With entanglements of political displease, heart-break, education and career. I'm very proud of this song. What’s next for you Dawid Ziemba? Currently, I'm in a brilliant, new jazz-funk band called The Victims (although the name is to be officiated). This project is extraodinary, with music that I feel might stand a chance to bring something new to the world. Otherwise, as a solo artists, I'm planning on recording and releasing my 2nd EP, sometime before November, entitled - 'The Murder Of A Piano'. Keep up with Dawid Ziemba through his socials! Facebook: www.facebook.com/dawidziembamusic Instagram: www.instagram.com/musicdawidziemba #BuzzMusic

DAN-GANJA is a music producer and recording artist from the city of Paramount, California. He’s the founder of the collective called “RICH MIND$”. He released the single titled “Alarm Clock” alongside the artist Sanity whose also a poet and producer out of Carson California. Together they fused together lo-fi and old-school hip-hop with a contemporary and current flare. The beat was like an urban spin on the popular “Elevator music” sound that you hear in pop culture. However, the delivery from both rappers were both on point. They transcended into different generations and eras of rap while maintaining a refreshing sound. DAN-GANJA and Sanity represent a set of rappers whose lyrical ability could be unmatched. Just the way that they write their material alongside curating their storylines is just compelling to me. “Alarm Clock” fits best for the lovers of intellectual rap. There’s a subgenre for everything, and conscious rap is taking over the mainstream public now! DAN-GANJA and Sanity fit right in! “Alarm Clock” is a nice vibe that you can catch during this breezy summer. Check out "Alarm Clock" here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Welcome to BuzzMusic DAN-GANJA & Sanity. So let’s talk a little about your background. How would you describe your upbringing and growing environment? [DAN-GANJA - Damn, well I grew up in a single parent household. My mother took care of me, my two sisters and brother. I was the youngest. I experienced a lot at a young age, but music was always there for me. I had everything too, from a Walkman tape player to the iPods when they first came out.] [Sanity - As for me, I came from a small household, only child, my mom was a singer, a huge part of why I started making music. I wanted to explore poetry just cause I needed a way to vent my thoughts.] In what ways has your background essentially impacted your style of music? [Sanity - Well, I come from Kerala, located in South India, the beauty of my heritage really helped me take this music seriously. I wanted to stay in tuned with my roots. At first it was just fun but as time went by, I realized how important making an impact is.] [DAN-GANJA - Same here, just touching on what Sanity said, it was all fun and games at first, but soon as I realized how much I truly loved music and wanted to push the community forward, shit got real. Starting taking everything a bit more serious. I grew up in the city of Paramount, California. Lived most of my life with my grandparents. It’s a long story, but it was all for the better. I guess just witnessing my family’s struggles and how we were able to always overcome, really molded me into the man I am today. And when it comes to the music, I’ve always wanted to create meaningful content. Always want to make sure that there is a message involved.] Speaking of your music, we listened to your single titled “Alarm Clock” and it was a killer! What was the main theme behind this record you were hoping to accomplish? [Sanity - When Dan-G showed me the beat, I felt like it was a perfect time to give somethin’ to the people, I laid the hook and we agreed to spit about motivation. I mean, the whole project is really a sense of drive for your mission, for anyone that needs that pick me up in the morning to start the day and grind, and especially with this track, it lays the basis down.] [DAN-GANJA - I honestly couldn’t have explained it any better. Sanity took the words out of my mouth. Like I said, there’s always a message involved. This track really came together so organically because we basically spoke on our daily grind and how we stay productive. Shout out to the God Father Rito and my man Piano Blac for being apart of this record!] What gave you inspiration for “Alarm Clock”? [DAN-GANJA - I really didn’t have any expectations for the record. I was just making beats that day. I just found this sample, cut it, looped it, added some percussion. Called up Sanity, showed it to him, he added some keys and synths, soon we had a concept and a hook for the record and tracked it soon after. This was all during the time we were working on the “Flip Side” album. The creative juices were flowing.] [Sanity- Man, a lot of what I was feeling at the time was getting up, tryna find a reason to keep on livin' through the ups and downs, Dan & I knew that when we started this journey. For that reason to spread positivity through our raps and movement.] What’s next for you DAN-GANJA? What’s next for you Sanity? [DAN-GANJA - I’m making sure the team (RICH MIND$ Collective) stays tight. I’m working on new music too, we’re always locked in the studio. We have a lot of projects dropping before the year is over, so just preparing. Also getting ready to coordinate a few events again too. I can’t give too much away! Just know that new content is on the way, so please stay tuned and keep up with me and the squad.] [Sanity- Just exploring music, literature, creative writing and whatever comes my way, life's been moment to moment lately, expanding the skill through many means.] Stay connected! www.instagram.com/danhyphenganja www.instagram.com/sanityminds #BuzzMusic

Namilla hails all the way from Toronto and is West Coast’s upcoming hip-hop artist. From the East to the West, he always had a love for music and has been in the scene on a serious level since his incarceration in 2014. Music has and will always be what helps him surpass challenging times, most of which are reflected through his lyrics and strong musical decisions. Furthermore, such inspiration is the source of his musical drive. His musical influence comes from rappers such as Method Man, Biggie, Yuck Mouth, and X-Raided. We took a listen to Namilla’s “Rollin” and this began with a melodic atmosphere that elevated its listener into the song right before the beat drops and gives us an aggressive smack. The smashing production in “Rollin” was a mixture of hard-trap and soft-rap. The fusion of the melody mixed with the hard-hitting aggression gave us a unique vibe that weave’d between getting hype, and tuning in with our emotions. The vocal tone of Namilla’s is completely different from anything I ever heard before and was essentially one of the main reasons I enjoyed this record. He had a unique articulation that gave a special delivery to “Rollin”. One we will never forget. He convicted true passion through the sentimental lyrics and the raw authenticity to his artistry. Namilla is a fascinating artist with a special one of a kind sound that can’t be compared to any other artist in the industry at the moment. He will certainly go extremely far. Check out "Rollin" below and keep scrolling to read more in our exclusive interview! Welcome to BuzzMusic Namilla! Mind telling us a bit about your upbringing? In what ways has this impacted your music? My childhood was in Victoria, BC Canada. I grew up on the East Coast of Canada (Toronto), spent some challenging years in Calgary, and can call the West Coast, being Vancouver, home. Aside from my natural passion for music, it’s my life experiences that play a huge role and impact my music. I am able to express myself lyrically through music, as do most artists. What’s the most challenging aspect for you as an upcoming artist? In what ways do you overcome these obstacles? Being an artist in BC is a challenge in itself. There is not a lot support for “gangster rap” here, compared to other major cities IE: Toronto, Montreal. If there were more resources, events, and accessible networking to artists like myself it would definitely be beneficial. The only way to overcome these obstacles is to persevere, and not give up on what I believe in. I will think outside the box and push my music all the way in peoples’ faces LOL. “Rollin” seemed to have had a strong lyrical presence to it. What was the meaning behind this song? “Rollin” was just a way for me to express my different styles and I made it as simple as possible so that my audience would be able to connect with it more and have a better understanding of me. There’s no specific meaning, other than a man (me), that loves music and speaks on things and people that try to hold me back or want to hold me back. What inspired you to write “Rollin”? I will rephrase this question to ‘Who’ inspired me to write “Rollin”. Simply put my late ‘Bloodah’ DON CASTRO. He straight told me that this was going to be a banger so I went for it...and it’s a hit...RIP CASTRO. Stay connected with Namilla through social media. Instagram: www.instagram.com/sgnamilla #BuzzMusic

Indie pop/rock collective and brother duo wats is comprised of Micah and Noah. Making music together for almost five years, the brothers have an undeniable bond and chemistry through music. Going from messing with Foo Fighters tunes to creating catchy guitar riffs and heavy synth layering, the brother have established their craft from the ground up. Based in Michigan, wats was separated by circumstance when Micah had to move to Wisconsin. Using the power of technology and strive and ambition like no other, the brothers managed to still make music. Their latest release “Love -wats” is a six track EP that took 2 years for the brothers to finish, but it was worth every second! “Rested” is an upbeat pop rock anthem off of wats “Love -wats” EP. We can’t stop blasting this catchy lighthearted tune on repeat. I highly recommend you do the same so you can sing along with the high energy vocals and authentic indie sound arrangements. The brothers have already received much success and positive feedback for their newest released and we can see why! Easy listening synths blast through the speakers layered with addicting guitar riffs and soulful lyricism. Micah and Noah have created an eclectic motif and we can’t wait to see what these long distance brothers curate for their fans next! Check out “Rested” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hey guys! Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and how wats came to fruition? Hello! Well for starters wats is made up of me (Micah) and my older brother Noah. He’s 21, I’m 17, and we both grew up in Kalamazoo Michigan. Ever since we were kids we’ve been interested in music. We were fortunate enough to be raises on some true classics, courtesy of my dad. You couldn’t get in his car without a Pink Floyd album coming on. If the car ride was long enough, you could be treated to some Counting Crows, Foo Fighters, or even older Maroon 5. It was that music that inspired us to pick up our own instruments, play along, and eventually write our own stuff. The creation of wats was just the natural next step of our musical journey. We had our own material and a desire to share it with other people. Who are you musical influences and how do they inspire your sound? Like every artist on the planet we have a ton of influences but to name a few, The Band Camino, The 1975, Michael Jackson, and Little Image have inspired the way we make music tremendously. MJ and The 1975’s incorporation of synths  is just genius. George Daniel of The 1975 and Troy Bruner of Little Image are two of the most proficient drummers in the industry at the moment in our opinion and we keep coming back to their work when we’re laying down drum parts. And all four artists influence the way we write guitar lines and vocal melodies. We love your track “Rested”! Can you tell us about the meaning behind the lyrics? Thank you so much! Rested is all about social anxiety and a fear of not fitting in. It’s a manifestation of the feeling you get when you walk into a room and wonder if anyone in it is happy to see you. The feeling that when you open your mouth every little word is being scrutinized by a jury just waiting for you to slip up. But contrasting that is the bridge which is a bit of a angel on your shoulder telling you “people don’t really think of you like that”. The name Rested wraps all those concerned feelings up and dismisses them. It’s all in your head, go back to sleep. What are some challenges that come with being a long distance duo? How do you overcome these challenges? Mostly it’s communication. If one of us records a part and the other has questions or comments it’s not as easy as simply turning and talking about it in the moment. We also don’t get a ton of time to rehearse and write together which can be frustrating at times. All this is besides the fact that we grew up together and just miss each other’s company. It’s definitely not all bad though. Modern technology helps massively. We spend hours each week talking ideas and our progress on current projects over the phone. And when the stars align and we actually get to play and write in the same room, we appreciate it even more. What can the fans expect from the album you're currently working on? Any hints on a release date? This next album will definitely be full length. At least 13 tracks. We’re really excited about making a longer record because it leaves more time to tell a longer story. To create an actual experience rather than captivate someone’s attention for a few minutes. Albums are beautiful in that way. Our next one will have more of an electronic element to it and more honesty in the lyrics as well. Not that Love - wats wasn’t honest, I simply held back some of the things I wanted to say. But there are no holds barred on this next one. We’ve just started to record it so I don’t want to set any dates in stone, but my hope is we’ll have some music ready by mid 2020. Catch up with the duo via their socials: Facebook Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic

Dave Cavalier is an alternative blues artist deeply connected to his roots in Chicago but firmly focused on establishing his sound in the City of Angels. From the controlled chaos of his live shows to his bleeding fingers after a raucous set, they seem to be essential ingredients of his art, his persona & his music. With the emotional capacity of a hurricane, Cavalier’s guitar playing is almost as if a tattooed James Dean played guitar like Hendrix, bending his memories into music at every turn, snapping strings most nights in the process. Cavalier still performs every night with the adolescent joy he had playing his father’s guitar to his mother’s favorite records, carving out a niche in today’s landscape of disposable music & entertainment that is decidedly individual. “Rumors” is an alternative rock/pop track and yet again Dave Cavalier is blowing his fans away! Still featuring Dave’s spectacular textured guitar riffs, “Rumors” keeps a high energy and upbeat pace to keep you toe-tapping along. “Rumors” weaves through the consequences of spreading fake truths. Cavaliers expert lyricism shines on display throughout “Rumors”. My favorite lyric is early on when Dave recites “It’s like they pledge allegiance to the hearsay”. His emotive poetry and expert ear for contemporary music makes “Rumors” a hit! Not only does it provide undertones of Dave cavaliers Chicago Roots, it fuses diverse backgrounds of genres to create one new-wave sound! We can’t wait to see what Dave Cavalier does next. Give a listen to "Rumours" here, and keep scrolling for Dave's interview with us at BuzzMusic! Hi Dave! Welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you start by telling out readers how you got started in music? I got started in music as a kid growing up in my dad's music store in a suburb outside Chicago, IL. For as far back as I can remember, I was surrounded by walls of guitars and was lucky enough to grab the ones I wanted off the wall and begin to play. That started my love of music which led to touring around the Midwest in high school, attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and beginning my professional career in Los Angeles. We love your new track “Rumors”! What is the meaning behind the lyrics? Living in L.A., it's almost impossible to escape wannabe social media influencers and what some would argue are the darker sides of pop culture. It's ground zero and we inherently just see and learn too much. I'm always reminded of the phrase "high school never ends," every time I hear rumors being whispered behind people's backs, thinly veiled social media tantrums getting thrown and the drama of it all, really. I like to think I do my best to avoid that lifestyle as much as possible and "Rumors" is about the wear and tear of watching the world be less than incredible to each other in those ways. We can all do a lot better job of helping other people live happier lives and "Rumors" was an open letter to those who help feed the negativity. What’s your writing process look like? I'm typically inspired by other artists which helps push me in directions I've yet to try and explore. Once I have a basic idea of where I'd love to go with an idea, it's about taking whatever comes first which could be lyrics, melody, music or any combination of the three and running with it to see where it goes. At some point, the song always takes on a life of its own and you no longer are shaping that direction as much as you're keeping the train on the tracks towards its full potential. In the end, there needs to be a great story and something you can move to. Can you describe your stage presence for someone who has never seen you live before? I think Randy Radic nailed it in the Huffington Post when he said, "his music defines what is known as the carnal arts - sexy, sensuous, gritty music." I don't shy away from the fact that if you can't dance, f*ck or fight to the music, it's probably wrong. I am a hurricane of genuine emotion, typically snapping strings in the process, dancing and sweating myself into a mess. My goal is always to take it a little farther than the audience just so they know they have the safe space to lose themselves at my shows. The release is what it's all about. For me, performing live is as much a personal exorcism as it is a musical performance. Who are your biggest musical influences? How do they inspire your sound? I've always said the four pillars of my electric church were Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton and B.B. King. Their influence is smattered all over my guitar playing. But growing up on those records, I also stole Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains albums from my older brother as a kid. Pair that with my deep love of R&B artists like James Brown and Sam Cooke along with new school cats like Jacob Banks and I think you'll find me at the intersection of them all: soulful, sexy, gritty music that's as loud as it is carefully constructed to try and tell you a great story. Follow up with Dave Cavalier and his music via the artists socials: Facebook Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic

Couch Surf. The name of this band can give a lot away with the name and the overall aura they provide to their listeners. Couch Surf is a three-piece indie/rock band that gives it their all within their music, and yet comes off as if the music effortlessly flows. We love the retro-feel we get with the bands music, and we know all of your alternative indie/rock listeners will be hooked on their recent music. Couch Surf resides in one of our favorite places: San Francisco, CA. Their music is created for a place like this, for the California vibe we all love and appreciate. The most elemental aspect of their music is how personal and honest it feels while listening. Nothing fabricated--just three guys expressing their musical talent. We love it, we're here for it all the way, and we're honestly wanting more from these guys (seriously, we want them to be releasing new music right now)! You can already guess we're grooving along to "Washed Out" and its melancholic feel. Couch Surf creates a full-body experience with their music. You feel serene and tranquil while listening to "Washed Out", however it still is able to fully capture the care-free and nonchalant vibe that's frequently drawn from indie/rock pieces. "Washed Out" attracts your attention immediately with the underlying tempo and rhythm that the band curates together---the band is able to produce this relaxed environment that is incredibly necessary for a track like this, and isn't easy to manifest either. However, Couch Surf exemplifies their musical abilities throughout the track, and prove that their sounds blend beautifully together. Now, how do you take the composed vibe presented in "Washed Out" and film a video that can express the emotion without flaw? Well, the exact music video of "Washed Out" by Couch Surf is the perfect example of how to do exactly that. As we want all music videos to be unique, we emphasize that element of Couch Surf's new music video for "Washed Out"---unique and witty is what we call their video. You can't help but fall in love with this three-piece indie/rock band, they're fun and eccentric (exactly what we need from such a band). Check out "Washed Out" here, and watch the music video below! Keep scrolling for Couch Surf's exclusive interview with BuzzMusic. Hey there Couch Surf! Can each of you introduce yourselves to our readers? Taylor: Guitar/vocals Bailey: drums Michael: bass/ vocals What was the theme behind your recent release "Washed Out"? What motivated you guys to write this record? Taylor: I wrote this song about 6 months ago when I was living alone in LA. It’s essentially my goodbye to a city I never felt at home in. Now I’m back in the Bay Area turning my solo project into a full band. Explain to us how the creative process flows with you guys? Ever clash with ideas, and if so, how do you get around that? Taylor: Generally I write out the entire song on my laptop including drum and bass parts, then see what the guys think and adjust the song from there. We rarely clash with ideas because the band is so new and we’re just working together to find a vibe we can all get behind. How does the music you curate as a band now compare to the music you curated when you first started out, in each of your opinions? Taylor: Since Couch Surf used to be a solo project, it’s night and day. The songs are fuller and gave much more personality and meaning to them. It used to be strictly a surf rock group but we’re adjusting to other styles like jazz, R&B and rock. Do you have any upcoming shows or releases we can get ready to be excited about?! We just released our debut single/music video for ‘Washed Out’ currently booking shows as we speak! Be sure to stay updated with Couch Surf via their Instagram for upcoming shows! #BuzzMusic

BuzzMusic presents the unique and eclectic stylings of Flow&Hustle! Hailing from the UK’s south coast, these guys bring the grit and edge of underground hip-hop and fuse it with the soulful energy of alternative music. Flow&Hustle’s explosive sound is created by Irrelevance spitting emotive poetry for the mind and soul, The Wizard laying down intense bass, DDRumz delivering ferocious beats on the kit AND providing harmonies and smooth melodies and last but not least, G-Radio launching insane riffs and solos to bend your brain, he weaves melody and harmony as naturally as his lungs breathe. Fresh off the release of their self titled EP, Flow&Hustle are a must hear! We had the pleasure of checking out this EP and my favorite track has to be “Hustle&Flow”. This track expertly weaves through elements of alternative rock layered with powerful hip-hop verses. “Hustle&Flow” is a meaningful track about the motions that we all go through in life. We work our asses off and it’s hard to see the big picture. These guys get it, they know that all their blood, sweat and tears is not for naught. Not only are they self aware, but extremely talented. Flow&Hustle exude an undeniable confidence and grit throughout the entire track. Flow&Hustle remain modest but these guys have big things coming! I highly recommend you check out “Hustle&Flow” and the rest of the hard-hitting EP. Listen to “Hustle&Flow” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! Hey guys! Welcome to BuzzMusic! Can you start by introducing yourselves and tell us a little bit about your upbringing into music? Irrelevance - Carl ‘I grew up with my grandparents and uncle so I was exposed to a wide range of music as a child. From Shirley Bassey to the Sex Pistols. But I can remember hearing rap verses from early 90s dance tunes that really interested me. Rap and hip hop was far from mainstream at that time but I knew I liked what I heard. The flows and rhyme structures. I remember Coolio and Gangsters Paradise being one of the earliest rap songs in the charts. At the age of about 13 I found a Slick Rick tape at a car boot sale, and my life changed from that moment. I started writing lyrics but it wasn’t until my early 20’s that I actually recorded anything. And formed a rap group called lyrical monsoon with a friend (Daytripper mc). We started making beats on a laptop and later eventually formed a band, making music together for over 10 years. G-radio - Giles ‘I was brought up listening to the classics of the 60’s and 70’s but it wasn’t until my late teens that I started playing guitar and getting that rush of excitement. Being inspired by the clever experimentation and innovative guitar riffs that pushed the boundaries of conventional popular music. Drawing on bands like Incubus and Rage Against The Machine inspired me to push my own music to the next level. My first band was actually with our very own drummer, and I remember our first gig - I was so excited about being onstage! Halfway through the set I turned my amp up because I couldn’t hear myself - I didn’t understand stage etiquette back then! I still love the feeling of taking a guitar out of the case, whether it’s electric or acoustic, and playing simple riffs and chords. Flow&Hustle is such a good band to be a part of as there are no egos, and we are all free to put our own spin on tracks; everything we do is a collaboration of different styles and backgrounds, and I really enjoy that.’ The Wizard - Merv ‘Probably like a lot of bass players I started off playing guitar. My dad brought me my first bass guitar when I was about 15 so I could play with my brother and sisters band (yes I come from a musical family). From then on bass became my main instrument and I gained experience playing live and recording in many bands of different styles over the years. From Folk, Rock to Hardcore Metal. This has given me a wide range of playing styles and influences to bring to Flow&Hustle.’ D-D-Rumz - Kristian ‘Hey, so I’ve been playing the drums longer than I care to remember drumming is my trade my life and I wouldn’t change that for a second. I can’t actually imagine what I’d be doing for work if there wasn’t music?! (probably just cry in a corner somewhere) For the past 4 years I’ve been away on a theatre tour and although this was an amazing life experience it kinda sucks after a while playing someone else’s music night in night out. Joining Flow&Hustle has given me back that creative spark again and we are just writing music like savages at the moment, who know’s when its gonna stop? Drum heroes? Hmm that’s a hard one, I’d have to say probably…. all of them and hopefully that comes across in my playing. I also took on the challenge of producing and mixing our EP and this was a big learning curve for me, I’d done a bit of production in the past but nothing that was going to be put out on a worldwide platforms. Overall I think everyone’s is pretty pleased with the results and it’s given me the itch to do some more so watch this space!’ What’s the meaning behind “Hustle&Flow”? What inspired you to write this track? Irrelevance - ‘I remember the first time Kris played the drum parts he had for Hustle&Flow. I was inspired instantly to grab my pen and paper “we flow we hustle in the bustle stay dark and raw” was the first line I wrote and the first verse was written there and then. The 1st verse is more a twang at the world or more England and its government. But ultimately it felt like I was back in the game instantly after a couple of years out of the music scene. I went home with the track recorded on my phone and wrote verse 2 and 3 that evening. Manically scribbling all the thoughts that had come into my head in the practice room. The track goes on to reference my exit from making music with my previous band. And how I got married traveled a little bit and made a home with my wife. So really the track is written solely from my point of view about life, music and a journey. Flowing over beats and hustling through life. From an artist’s perspective, what’s your favorite part of “Hustle&Flow”? We each have personal favourite parts of Hustle&Flow, but as a band we really like the hip hop vibe to a chilled guitar riff that builds over a really strong beat to a chorus that moves the song to a completely different feel. There’s a lot going on throughout the song, and it takes more than one listen to really hear the subtle changes that happen all the way through the track. We like that, because the more you hear it, the more you get out of it. Your intense energy is clear through the speakers but what is your stage presence like? ‘You literally cannot capture the presence and energy we have on stage in any studio with any producer in the world. We feed off the energy of the crowd whether it’s one person listening intently to the bars or hundreds of people bouncing at the same time. We shine on stage!!’ What’s the overall theme of your self titled EP? ‘As a band we would say that overall theme of our self titled EP is a showcase of the differences between the smooth chill of the flow and the hectic excitement of the hustle. The experimenting of the essence of the band can be heard through the EP, and with that the blending of the fast paced punk vibes and the cool focused hip hop vibes. This EP is called Flow&Hustle because, simply, this is Flow&Hustle.’ Stay updated with Flow&Hustle via their socials: Facebook Instagram #BuzzMusic

Soon to be based in Chicago, Box House is a rock band currently making noise out of Northern Illinois. Comprised of four talented members including Beckland Sargeant on vocals and guitar,  Jon O’Brien on lead guitar, Drew Zaremba on drums, and Luciano Passaretti on bass. With so many diverse influences ranging from Paramore to Weezer and Fall Out Boy to David Bowie, Box House can’t be labeled as one genre. Formed in 2018, Box House is currently touring their new EP “Sick Days”. Featured on the EP “Sick Days” is the hard-hitting track “Chip” with spectacular riffs, addictive melodies and retro vocals reminiscent of the bands eclectic influences. Box House’s mighty, crunchy guitar riffs together with their pummeling, rhythmic textures and dynamic edgy vocals are laced with old school elements while still maintaining the focus of a modern rock band. Classic legendary rock sounds such as the raspy and powerful vocals are a timeless addition to a killer rock song. My absolute favorite part is the very end when Beckland delivers a Sebastian-Bach-like note that might blow your speakers. So powerful! I think Box House has a sound that’s finely-calibrated well beyond their years. “Chip” adds a much needed gritty edge to today’s rock scene. Stay on the lookout for Box House, we can’t wait to see what they deliver next. Check out “Chip” here and read more below in our exclusive interview! What’s your writing process like as a group? Songwriting for us usually goes one of two ways: (Becky): I write the basis of the song (lyrics, structure, chord progression), and then bring it to the rest of the band to fill it out. a lot of the time i have everything for the song written out pretty thoroughly in my head, so whatever i’m thinking for guitar or bass or what have you, i usually show to them. sometimes they go with it, sometimes they don’t, most of the time i only really suggest the idea i had in mind because i know the three of them are good enough musicians to be able to either put their own spin on what i had in mind and make it better, or just come up with something else entirely that also ends up working super well. We jam on a riff that one of us has, or just a general idea or concept of the song we want to make, and then record it onto someone’s phone as a demo, then i’ll go and listen to that demo and write lyrics and try to arrange the structure of the song based off what we played, then i’ll bring that back to the band so we can form it into a song, either way, we usually finish songs within one or two rehearsals. i’m always coming up with new ideas, and almost every time we rehearse either jon, luch, or drew, has something to bring to the band so we have a pretty steady stream of new stuff always being added to our live sets. even while we were recording our ep we were working on new songs. (Luciano): Becky comes in with chords and lyrics and sometimes a direction he wants the rest of us to go, then us other three write our own parts or modify his ideas for our parts. What inspired you to make music everyday? (Becky): Being avid and borderline obsessive music fans. We all have different specific artists that probably inspired us, personally for me it was David Bowie and Black Flag, but i think at the core of it, that’s where that passion and drive to make music came from. (Luciano): I don’t know what else to do. The only other thing I like is cars and those are even more prohibit-ably expensive than guitars. Tell us about your track “Chip”! (Becky): Chip started out as a very spontaneous jam, and it was actually one of the first times the four of us had played all together. jon, drew and i were all part of another band, Seasalt, for about a year and had been playing with each other for awhile, but luciano was a fairly new part of the whole equation. the singer and bassist of Seasalt had left us for about a month or so to audition for a singing show, and there was a lot of tension between her and the three of us. admittedly, on both sides, some of it was kind of petty and immature, but there were also very real concerns as to whether or not she was serious about the band or was just looking for either a stepping stool into her solo career, or a backing band. luciano had been filling in on her bass parts and i took up her vocal parts (she and i split lead vocals) while she was gone, and the first rehearsal that she was back for she was not very happy about it for one reason or another. at one point, she decided that she was so frustrated that she was just going to leave rehearsal, despite us having a fairly big show the next day. We channeled our own anger and frustration into the jam session we had for the majority of the hour and a half that she was completely AWOL. i believe it had started from a drum beat drew had started playing, which jon matched with the song’s guitar riff, and everything else followed suit. about a week later, Seasalt’s lead singer was now our former lead singer, luciano officially joined the band as our bassist, and i’d become our sole lead vocals. there was so much catty drama between both parties that was so infuriating to me, it started getting very personal with people verbally attacking significant others and trying to coax friends and other musicians we had worked with into joining sides, so i think i sat down one night at home after being absolutely sick of it all, and just pounded out all the lyrics in about 5ish minutes. we were a little afraid to play it at first, as Seasalt was known for being a fairly light and admittedly basic indie pop band, and here was this song that had a very obvious punk and hard rock leaning to it and was so incredibly different from anything that we’d been attached to previously, but it was so much fun to play and we really believed in it, so we went for it anyways. (Luciano): I was in an awkward position when we wrote that song, because I was plopped in the middle of serious band drama. Before I was in Box House, the other three were in a band called Seasalt. I happened to be at one of their final rehearsals because their old singer had been out of town and the other three were having me fill in for her instrument parts. She had just gotten back and I was showing her the bass part for the new song Becky had brought to the band while she was away  (which happened to be Lovesick #2). Somehow, an argument started between her and the other three, and she stormed out. In their upset energy; Jon and Drew began to jam. I, frazzled and still holding a bass guitar, joined. Afterwards, Becky exclaimed something like; “What the hell was that!? I have lyrics that could work with that!”, and Chip was born. What’s your favorite lyric/part in “Chip”? (Becky): probably the guitar solo section where we break into a bit of a straight hardcore punk passage. i came up playing in small, and admittedly really bad, punk and trying-to-be-metal bands, and listening to stuff like Minor Threat and DRI, so it was really cool to hear us do something kind of in that vein. also it’s one of the first times i’ve really screamed on a recorded song, i used to a lot when i was in those smaller, dinkier bands, but that was also middle school and my first two years of high school, so i’m not really sure what that counts for. (Luciano): The bridge into the breakdown after the second chorus. Becky calls it the “hardcore punk” part; Jon, Drew, and I call it the “psychobilly” part. I guess it’s just our perspectives because of our specific tastes in music.    While we were putting the song together, we were all experimenting with different parts. I was effectively in control of the chords as the bass player since Becky hadn’t written any and there was no rhythm guitar part, just riffs. Drew suddenly changed the drum groove to a raw, uptempo beat that made me picture a cartoon hillbilly riding a mine cart on an exaggeratedly rollercoaster-ish track through a mountain, so I reacted with the straight 8th note descending line. Then it transitions more smoothly than it should to the Black Sabbath-ish breakdown. Discover more on Box House and their upcoming releases & shows via the bands socials: Instagram Twitter #BuzzMusic

New York State native Matt Nakoa is an award winning singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He’s known for his passionate and heartfelt originals and intense piano chops. Born on a small goat farm in New York State, Matt trained to be a concert pianist before accepting a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music as a vocalist. After establishing his dramatic songwriting craft with his college alternative rock band, The Fens, Matt ended up in NYC. Manhattan's all-night piano bars allowed Matt Nakoa to truly shine in his element. His sultry and alluring sound arrangements demand to be heard. Nakoaʼs newest album, Casting Shadows, is a spellbinding blend of pop, soul, and classical influences that tells a story of childhood dreams crashing headlong into grownup reality. “Love Is A Loaded Gun” is a melancholic piano ballad layered with Matt’s hard hitting vocals. Nakoa pours his heart and soul into every element of “Love Is A Loaded Gun”. This track gives the listener a retrospective look at Matt’s meaningful thoughts on love. It weaves through the powerful and on top of the world feeling that you have when you’re in love, but also highlights how if love goes wrong it can be detrimental. Matt paints a vivid and emotive soundscape. Soulful and authentic to the core, Matt Nakoa creates music that resonates with his listeners. Stay on the lookout for Matt Nakoa! Check out “Love Is A Loaded Gun” here. Keep up with Matt Nakoa through his social media! Instagram: www.instagram.com/mattnakoa Facebook: www.facebook.com/mattnakoamusic #BuzzMusic