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Fighting through unforeseen conflicts and problems, G-Swift has always had the drive and motivation to break through it all his struggles. Using music as his vessel, G-Swift creates inspirational hip-hop songs, reflecting his struggles and triumph with being an immigrant.  With the release of his new project, 'Trials and Tribulations', G-Swift takes the opportunity to express himself over tons of hard-hitting and inspirational instrumentals.  Within this project comes his new single “Thankful”. “Thankful” displays the inspirational side of G-Swift, but also combines hard-hitting flow and lyrics. The song begins with an ominous atmosphere, making listeners what kind of song we are going to get.  Quickly, more and more instruments add, and “Thankful” starts to form into an inspirational sound.  What I like about this sound, in particular, is how the guitar makes you feel comfortable with the sound, however, the drums hit hard, still keeping true to a hip-hop sound.  As G-Swift enters “Thankful”, his presence is definitely not unheard.  He comes in very hard, with complete control over himself.  He continues, G-Swift speaks about how he has overcome many struggles of being an immigrant, continuing to add inspiration thoughts to his listeners. “Thankful”, truly has the capabilities to motivate its listeners, however, G-Swift still has the ability to keep it hard-hitting, captivating his listeners. Hey G-Swift! Welcome to BuzzMusic. Congratulations on your new song “Thankful”. Before coming to the states, what was the main resource of getting hip-hop music, or music that inspires you? Is there a big hip-hop community where you come from? Thanks for having me! Well, the main resource of getting hip hop music was through bootleg cassettes, yes back in the day of cassette tapes lol,  my big brother would somehow get the hottest albums and mixtapes out. I remember we had jay z’s hard-knock life and then my dad got a cable box and I would watch shows like yo MTV raps, 106&park e.t.c...Watching all the greats coming up and finding out I have writing and rapping skills I can develop I wanted to be able to do it and compete at the highest level it can be done at Since living in Los Angles, where is a place that you've become very fond of, that has expanded your music knowledge and has inspired you? The studio and the stage. Because I’m also a theatre trained actor and that’s how I got to the United States. To go to the theatre school. I’ve done a lot of theatre work and short films. That is where I truly began to break out of my shell as a performer. With the release of Trials and Tribulations, there are a lot of hip-hop/rap projects on it. Do you think that you will expand your sound as you continue to grow, and venture into others? Definitely. On “Trials and tribulations” I’m talking more about my journey, my development that is still ongoing and will forever be ongoing because I believe there’s no limit to growth and basically making a statement that I really do this and I’m in it for the long run. So will definitely be experimenting with all kinds of different sounds and continuously growing as an artist. instagram.com/g_swift_ #BUZZMUSIC

New energetic Pop/Rock band Acid Rescues returns with another exciting anecdote on their latest hit “Hungry Gurl”. Formed in Los Angeles by singer/songwriter Andrew Young and his talented musician friends, Acid Rescues acts as an ‘alter ego’ to Andrew Young’s solo career with a light-hearted approach and clever short stories that put a smile on your face. Their track “Hungry Gurl” really gets our spirits high, as the theme surrounds a playful cat’s narrative patiently waiting for their owner to do almost anything with. Creating a simple and warmhearted atmosphere by supporting the song’s concept with light rock instrumentation. “Hungry Gurl” opens with clean-cut electric guitar moving into the initial downbeat, incorporating soothing drum pockets, timeless guitar picking creating a polished instrumental melody. All while inviting fellow feline-lovers to enjoy their finely-calibrated and accurate concepts. With satisfying and dynamic transitions from verse to chorus, Acid Rescues takes fun-loving melodies and thoroughly indulges in different themes that aren’t commonly written about, but sure do make us smile. With clever kitty narrative lyrics like “Get up get up! I want attention, put your hand on my head”, Acid Rescues effortlessly gets their messages across and in an incredibly entertaining way. Stream "Hungry Gurl" here and get to know more about Acid Rescues in our interview below. Hey Acid Rescues, welcome to BuzzMusic! We’re loving your track “Hungry Gurl” and it’s incredibly accurate lyricism! Could you share what Acid Rescue’s creative process was like when writing lyrics from a Cat’s perspective? At the time, I was in a phase of writing fast, fun, pop, punk-influenced songs and wanting to try putting out some new music under a different name. I usually start by coming up with a chord progression on the guitar and then just singing random stuff over it. One of the things I mumbled when I started singing to my chord progression was “Get up, get up!” That instantly reminded me of how I woke up that morning to a cat walking all over me and licking my legs. So I explored that thought some more and from then, I knew exactly where I wanted to go with this song. So that day, I finished writing the song and making a demo of it in my studio. Later that week, I had my friend, Brian Hill come into record drums for this song and for a couple of others. Right after, I started mixing and mastering and putting together the little 3 song EP and sent it off for release. Brian also made the artwork for it. This whole project was quick and I felt like the inspirations and good energies were hitting us really well. Your fun-loving track “Hungry Gurl” perfectly captures Acid Rescue’s creative abilities and desire to entertain in a light-hearted way. What made Acid Rescues want to write the purr-fect kitty anthem “Hungry Gurl”? Last year, 2019, during the summer, I was taking care of this sweet female Bengal cat, at my place, for a friend. They were in a complicated process of moving and needed someone to take care of the cat while they figured out their situation. They asked me and I agreed to do it. This cat pretty much occupied all my attention. I never had a cat so I spent so much of my days trying to build a relationship with her and getting to know her personalities and behaviors. This cat just had me so intrigued all the time. My life was consumed by this cat and so a song naturally just came out of the whole experience. You’ve mentioned that Acid Rescues releases music from a different angle than frontman Andrew Young’s solo career. What made you want to form Acid Rescues and release music that shares a different perspective? I’ve been writing and making music for years under my own solo artist name, Andrew Young. The type of songs I wrote was really honest and heartfelt. Although I hear from my friends and fans that they love the tunes, I couldn’t really feel the same way. I think it might be an artist thing. I’m glad that I wrote and made all those songs over time but to me, most of them are just cringe diary entries. I still have them out there because I respect it as a work of art that captured me at that current state and people enjoy them.  I’ve been releasing music under Andrew Young since 2012. At this point, there is an image, brand, sound, and aesthetic that has been developed for Andrew Young. I didn’t want to keep going with it. As people grow and change, they want to associate themselves with new identities, ideas, and lifestyles. Acid Rescues is a way for me to start something fresh and not have to carry 2012 me along with it. One of my intentions with Acid Rescues, in terms of songwriting, is to become a better storyteller. With Andrew Young, I wanted to try to be as honest and emotional as I can with my songwriting but with Acid Rescues, I just want to write good songs whether they’re personally honest or not. I will always use personal experiences as inspiration for writing but at the end of the day, I just want to write good songs that tell a fun story. With that approach, I think it will open up so many creative ideas. The underlying instrumentation on your song “Hungry Gurl” perfectly supports the track’s cleverly-written lyrics. What was it like navigating through the process to find accurate instrumentation that sonically speaks the same message as the lyrics? There are so many ways to go about songwriting. Some people work on the music first and then add lyrics to it while some people do it the other way around. For me, I’ll pretty much always work on the music and the lyrics at the same time. The reason for that is because I want to make sure that the music and lyrics are all working in the same direction as it is being created. I feel like I might be a little discouraged if I created a whole instrumental and then later found it too difficult to add lyrics to it, the same as the other way around. But some people are really good at going at it that way. Singing about the behaviors of a hungry cat is not a serious topic at all so I knew the music had to be fun and light too. What can we expect from you throughout 2020? I just want to keep pumping out content and playing shows. Specifically, I’d like to get more into videos. I feel like it’s something I lack. I want to make music videos and even short fun ones that help the listeners/fans get to know the band better on a personal level. I’m always trying to write and make music so you can keep expecting more will come. instagram.com/acidrescuesmusic #BUZZMUSIC

JTLR is a duo between Jonny T and Lyric Richardson who creates Soul Pop, Urban Pop, Hip Hop, and R&B. Their music is the birth of '80s and '90s music mixed with the cinematic of LA and Inglewood. JTLR's latest single "What I'm Made to Do" is a fun upbeat energetic record. "What I'm Made to Do" features a beautiful electric piano, an extremely funky bass line, modern pulsing drums, and a dynamic vocal performance that switches between singing in a vocoded style and a raw honest rap that is full of vibe. The dynamic between both vocal styles is master-crafted in a way that allows for each to shine on their own but also feel cohesive as one. "What I'm Made to Do" opens with its elegant electric piano before breaking into a party in the first verse, the lead singing then breaks into a tight rap for the second half before hitting you with a chorus. The chorus explodes with vocal doubles and effects, combined with the driving drums and bass it will get you dancing sexier on the dance floor. Overall, this release is full of good vibes and energy and we can't wait to hear what else JTLR will be putting out. Welcome to BuzzMusic JTLR! Your release "What I'm Made to Do" is full of exciting energy and we're loving it! Could you talk to us about the songwriting and production process for it? We were in the studio wrapping up another song when we got the instrumental for what would become "What I'm Made to Do." We bounced around subject matter concepts and actually wrote the song together in the same space. About an hour later, we were recording the song. A few days later, we had a final mix that was sent out for mastering. The dynamic between singing and rapping is incredibly well done! How are parts written for each, typically? Does a rap usually start first? How did the two of you come to meet? It honestly depends on the energy and vibe of the music we are writing to. The subject matter also plays a role in that decision. Some songs have only rap. Some songs have no rap at all. Most of our songs combine both. We met through MySpace over 10 years ago. We have been creating music together with the majority of that time. Because we actually get along, have similar roots, and have a genuine friendship, our songwriting process has a simple flow.  We have a clear awareness of the type of listener we hope to attract and we create to that space.  The instrumentals are funkier than we expected and it's awesome! How did that bass line come to life? Was that part of the initial writing process? Who's playing the bass behind that? We work with a number of producers and production companies. Beats by Mantra is responsible for all elements of the instrumentation.  Mantra has produced major acts like Future, Tory Lanez, Lil Nas X and Pitbull to name a few. So they know what they are doing! We are influenced by all things 80's and 90's and that funky bass line speaks to those eras. Plus, it's just a dope beat that screams fun and JTLR is all for that. We heard that you are partnered with Sony music! That's quite exciting! How has partnering with them helped to shape your career? Do you have any goals for your future self? Our music is distributed by The Orchard, which is owned by Sony Music. We have a partnership with Digidi Music Co-Op based in Denmark. Having our music included in these systems and libraries is great. We receive a tremendous amount of technical support and supplemental marketing services through Digidi. Having an association with a well established and respected distribution company like The Orchard helps from a business-facing-business perspective as we continue to grow relationships with sync-licensing companies, other labels, and larger influencer partners. Our associations allow us to fairly pose the question: If Digidi & The Orchard rocks with us,  why aren't you? We are independent artists with a level of support we don't take for granted. 'What I'm Made to Do" is approaching 100,000 streams on Spotify. We appreciate every listener and social media follower and fan.  We are looking to increase our awareness and create more excitement around JTLR.  We have a new Instagram page - @jtlr_music - our last page was recently hacked and we had to start over.  So join our conversation by following us and let us join your conversations by allowing us to follow you back! What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020? The Coronavirus Pandemic has completely thrown us off. For the remainder of 2020, we are going to release a number of singles and focus a lot on re-growing our presence on Instagram and the online space in general. The conditions of the world will direct us in terms of live performances and appearances. We just released a new single called Good Thing featuring Breana Marin. We also have another song called The WildBunch that releases in April. We are still adding to our catalog of over 50 songs. We have plenty of content to release. instagram.com/jtlr_music facebook.com/jtlrmusic twitter.com/jtlrmusic #BUZZMUSIC

Hailing from Adelaide, South Australia, singer/songwriter Saph returns with another unique and reflective track titled “Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees”. While conjuring up her musical talent to create a 6 track EP for a late 2020 release, she’s also currently working alongside High Line Management to aid in the creative and releasing process. Her latest rocky-blues single “Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees” captures an intriguing take on the topic of Polyamory and Saph’s journey of discovery upon her own sexuality and interests. While incorporating hi-fi electric guitar, Saph’s vocals layout versatile lyrics that perfectly round out the exciting track. As “Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees” begins, the track exudes authenticity with a unique yet subtle drum pattern underneath contemplative electric guitar riffs. Not to mention the enticing soft synths that create a celestial and sensual atmosphere. The track's instrumentation takes dynamic turns throughout, making it that much more exhilarating. Once Saph’s vibrant vocals appear, we’re met with her finely-tuned metaphors and well-thought-out lyrics. Saph quoted “Lyrically, 'Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees' uses the metaphor of a garden for a polyamorous relationship, asking the subject of the song to “take a walk through my garden” and find a plot for yourself.”. This is exactly what the invigorating single does, it plants a seed in your mind and allows you to take grasp insight on topics you may not be familiar with. However, Saph’s musical execution makes “Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees” all the more inviting, and lets us expand our knowledge effectively. Stream "Flowers, And Ferns, And Trees” here. instagram.com/saphlazuli twitter.com/lazuli_sapphire #BUZZMUSIC

The Grunions are here on BuzzMusic to show off their jazzy collection of instrumental spy music. The Grunions, consisting of members Andrew Joncas, Christian Ingelevics, Jeremy Lear and Nick Teehan, released 'Star Fish Prime', an album with ten instrumental tracks, each full of their own personality. The Montreal-based band focuses on bringing creativity to an eloquent and expressive level with 'Star Fish Prime'. The band is all about constructing novel sounds with their own quirks embedded for that right kind of flair. With a slight psychedelic style, The Grunions donate mesmeric and riveting sounds for all jazz fans alike. The first song on 'Star Fish Prime' is "Dr. Phantom", and it really sets the mood for what listeners can expect to experience within 'Star Fish Prime'. You'll hear prominent bass within "Dr. Phantom", accompanied by light guitar riffs, as well as a smooth tenor sax. "Alpha Draconis", the second track off of 'Star Fish Prime' houses more of that intricate sax sound, allowing for that elusive jazzy sound. Once diving deeper into the track, you'll begin to hear the introduction of drum soundings, which work to amplify the bubbliness the track provides. There are so many different moods wrapped into "Alpha Draconis", as The Grunions deliver a variety of ambiance's to listeners with their frequent switch-up regarding the instrumentals. Soon, we find ourselves immersed in the creaminess of "El Swoncho", a very compelling jazz production with heavy use of tenor sax, as well as the guitar. "El Swoncho" has us feeling light and full of buzzing energy. It's quite unrealistic not to move your body along to the appealing rhythm of this track. You'll find yourself completely compelled to "El Swoncho" if you're the type to fall in love with those vibrant and lively jazz compositions. The fourth track 'Star Fish Prime' sees delivers a more low-key environment for listeners to lose themselves in. The drums in "St-Otto" have definitely backed down for this track, and the more percussion-based instruments find themselves shining. Once over halfway through "St-Otto", listeners will find themselves in for an eclectic experience. The strategic blend of instrumentation in order to give the hypnotizing effect was the perfect kind of approach from The Grunions. We continue our journey with the band once we come along the midway point in their album with their track "The Scrunger". This track did a whole 180 for us! There's definitely a grungier feel with "The Scrunger", in which the guitar and bass dominant in order to give a rock flair. Providing more of a darker ambiance, "The Scrunger" really attracted our attention with its multi-dimensional manner. That mystified setting sticks with the following track, "Night Shift". Listeners will see that "Night Shift" smoothly transitioned from "The Scrunger", and this probably comes from the clear similarity the two tracks have. "Vaqueros Rising" is the seventh track that 'Star Fish Prime' sees, and right from the beginning of the track we felt vastly unsure of what was about to come. "Vaqueros Rising" began off with a similar tune of "The Scrunger" and "Night Shift", but quickly delved into a more fluid soundscape. There was so much to take away with "Vaqueros Rising" and we felt as if there was almost a cloud of rejuvenation that soared over us throughout the duration of the song. "Makeout Island" brought us back down to reality with its mellow and laidback production. "Makeout Island" was the right kind of background noise to find productivity in. It's a bubbly and vivacious instrumental track that brings lighter elements into play and really focuses on the exploitation of vivid synths. We're brought back to normalcy with "Hamspace", where we find ourselves presented with a similar type of sound to the beginning of the album. Nevertheless, our expectations are exceeded once The Grunions decided "Hamspace" would benefit from a crazy guitar solo. After listening to "Hamspace", we came to an agreement that we loved when The Grunions brought in those potent guitar rhythms because it really amplified and accentuated that jazzy tempo present in almost every track. We now find ourselves onto the last track of 'Star Fish Prime', titled "The Dark Comet Suit". Similar to "Dr. Phantom", "The Dark Comet Suit" houses some of those best-known jazz collections, which offer the typical spy-type sound you'd expect to hear within your favorite James Bond movie. We find warmth in the chosen use of instrumentation with this track, and we're basking in the familiar feeling of this song. "The Dark Comet Suit" definitively was the right kind of track to end off 'Star Fish Prime', as it offered listeners that one last bittersweet jazzy goodbye. In essence, The Grunions created their album 'Star Fish Prime' with absolute flair and personality, delivering a range of atmospheres for listeners to enjoy. Whatever jazzy sounds the band releases next, we know we'll find ourselves indulging to the fullest. Stream 'Star Fish Prime' here, and get to know more about the band in our interview below. Hello, The Grunions! We are absolutely loving your album 'Star Fish Prime'. What was the songwriting and production process for this like? How did the songs transform after the initial recordings? Thank you! We are very pleased with how this album has been received by critics and fans so far! However, all of the song transformations happened before the recording, not after. As songwriting goes, the approach was pretty varied, each song was developed before presenting it to the band. Often the musical idea just comes from out of nowhere, Jeremy describes “Hamspace” as dropping out of the ether, a real “presto” moment where the slow groove in his imagination found a compromise with the instrument in his hands. While this is a common process for a lot of musicians, including Andrew. Nick had a very different approach to writing his featured song. Nick started with the title “Makeout Island” and worked backward. Inspired by his love of the reality TV show “Temptation Island”, the intro of “Tahitian Moon” (Porno for Pyros) and the melody of “Baby Elephant Walk” (Henri Mancini); he was able to bring something earthbound and cheeky to the band’s cosmic sound. As for Christian, who keeps a list of potential song title ideas at the ready, he chose “El Swoncho” for the melody in his head. He then made a conscious effort to sing it first rather than go right to the guitar so that he wouldn't fall into familiar finger patterns. Once fully formed he recorded the tune for reference and added the chords. Once presented to the band the compositions go through each member's “personal musical filter” and the songs take on a life of their own. “The Grunions” worked on the music as a whole for about six months between weekly rehearsals and gigs. Preparing our compositions for concert performances is very different than preparing for them for the recording studio. At our live shows, we would arrange our songs by extending certain sections and creating musical build-ups in order to get people out of their seats and dancing. We’d even have the crowds participate in dance-offs! For example “The Dark Comet Suite” usually lasts 15 minutes (the studio version is only 7m13s), however, we would often extend the piece even longer if the crowd requires more. While getting the songs ready for the studio we quickly realized we needed to tweak our arrangements for the recording session. While the long live jams pleased the crowds, having shorter versions of the pieces would create a better place for the album. We heard that this was recorded live off the floor and wow! Every part sounds incredibly musical and tight. What was that recording process like? Were there any challenges faced due to the aspect of it being live? Yes, we did record live off the floor! It’s a daunting task but It’s always been Andrew’s preferred way of recording because it allows the engineer to capture an accurate representation of the band’s energy. The result is a very exciting performance and the process is more familiar to the players because they get to work together with the way they usually do at rehearsals and shows. There was a great ambiance at Skybarn thanks to engineer Pietro Amato. Even though we worked many long hours in a confined space, everybody present was really excited to be working on the project! That being said there was a lot of pressure to get the work done quickly! Even with a successful crowdsourcing campaign under our belts, the band’s biggest challenge was the budget constraint. It forced us to make split decisions on the fly that would ultimately shape the final version or the record. We recorded the bed tracks for nine songs in one day and having someone as experienced as Pietro in the room really helped with picking the right performances for the record. Some songs were great on the first take, while others took six or seven… we probably averaged about four to five takes per song! In the following two days, we were able to record the percussion, guitar and synthesizer overdubs! Every song has such a unique flavor to it! How were the concepts of each song thought of? What was the inspiration for this album? Was there a story being told throughout? The first track written for the album was “The Dark Comet Suite”. In actuality, it’s three separate compositions, which together, make up the full suite. This piece was the springboard that inspired the Sixties Psychedelic /Sci-Fi/Spaghetti Western /Spy movie sound that permeates the album. Andrew’s idea for the bass line in the intro came out of the surf rock tradition and after working on it for several days he came up with the rest of the first movement. There is definitely something haunting about the song, and Andrew’s interest in astronomy inspired the song’s title. The Sci-Fi theme continues with “Alpha Draconis”, while songs like “Vaqueros Rising” and “Dr. Phantom” are tributes to the Spaghetti Western and Spy movie soundtrack genres. Meanwhile, the compositions “The Scrunger” and “Night Shift” borrow heavily from the Psychedelic Blues movement of the 1960s. We like to think of the album as a book of short stories. For example, In “St-Otto” (The Patron Saint of Parking) Jeremy’s bass line and Christian’s rhythmic drums are meant to remind us of the hustle and bustle of busy urban streets while Andrew’s initial guitar riffs and Nick’s saxophone honks harken to the interplay of car horns and revving engines. How did the members of the band come to meet? There's a strong sense of musicality and chemistry between the parts. What does the typical songwriting session look like? Three of us – Andrew, Christian, and Jeremy – met after we were recruited for a now-defunct Montreal surf band. After developing a kinship we agreed that we’d like to continue creating music together. Needing a fourth member to help round out the sound of the band, Christian invited his college buddy and former band-mate Nick to join us during one of our rehearsals. We very quickly got along, and within a few weeks of him joining the band, we were gigging and working on new songs together. As previously stated, the initial ideas for the songs are developed before they are introduced to the rest of the band. Having a clear vision for the songs when they are presented to the band is important, however, allowing the flexibility for each member to infuse their own personality into the parts they play helps to achieve the musicality and chemistry that you are picking up on. The goal of the band has always been to have a great time. If we can have fun on stage the crowd will catch on and party with us! We hope the album will inspire people in the same way! instagram.com/thegrunions facebook.com/thegrunions #BUZZMUSIC

Multi-instrumentalist Martin Strang is here to spread his colorful and eloquent style with his new single, "Out of My Window". Currently residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Martin Strang is known for his abilities as a composer and music producer. Already working within the industry for over 20 years, Martin Strang has always had that burning passion for creating music. Whether he was playing the keyboards at 9 or recording his very first music at 17, the innate desire to construct and design sound has always been present within Martin. Now, Martin Strang has released his first single, "Back in Time", as well as his latest single, "Out of My Window", which highlights some of the articulate aspects of Martin Strang as a diverse instrumentalist. "Out of My Window" begins with an expressive array of instruments, ranging from the use of the trumpet, drums, trombone, as well as the electric guitar. Martin Strang knows how to craft his songs with a highly groovy rhythm, all stemming from the collective combination of vibrant instruments. As we surpass the halfway point of "Out of My Window", we're introduced to a high-pitched and highly equalized vocal sound. The delicacy that the vocals add to the overall melody of the song is unequivocally observable. Martin Strang showcases his ultimate instrumentalist dexterity within "Out of My Window", and with the techniques of Martin Strang and his various apparatuses, we receive a certain kind of richness and quality with his musicianship. As we wait patiently for more material from Martin Strang, "Out of My Window" and its vivacious nature will keep us occupied. Discover Martin Strang in "Out of My Window" here. Hello, Martin Strang! Welcome. With the release of your single, "Out of My Window", how did you feel that you expressed your artistry with this particular song, compared to your last release, "Back in Time"? Hello, Thank you, happy to be here chatting with you today! My project demands from me being usually the sole performer in every track. I use mostly live instrumentation in the studio and with "Out Of My Window" I had to step into my role as a producer first and do what is best for the song. Sometimes that means not being me in certain roles. So I asked my friend Mercedes Marcalle if she would like to track vocals for this song, I was already sure her voice was one of the elements the song needed. After that, I wanted a solid post-production treatment. So I got in touch with Grammy Nominee engineer Beau Vallis (Beyoncé, Pharell, etc.) to let him do his magic. It's a beautiful thing when your compositions take a new life by assembling the talents of the right crew. Session drummer Daniel Gallardo also did a fantastic job with this song that is quite demanding in his instrument. So in the end, artistry came in a different form for this song, by being a producer before a performer and a songwriter. With "Back in Time" things were different. My music style is very eclectic and showcases my passion for different genres such as funk, soul, jazz, rock, hip hop, rock, and pop. If you listen to both songs you will hear how different they are one from the other. But, still maintaining the style. The kind of cohesion I have been working on for a long time. In this song, which actually was my debut, I performed on guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals paying tribute to my origins: Alternative and grunge music from the '90s with a twist reflecting the genres I'm more interested nowadays. In the end, artistry takes different roles for one same goal, let others hear the music inside my head. What were you hoping that listeners would extract from the strikingly articulate soundings in "Out of My Window"? Do you go into the creating aspect of a song with an intent in mind of how you want your listeners to feel? To me, each song is a new beginning and a different story. An empty canvas if you get me, and that is exactly the way I compose my music. When I sit in the studio with a new song in mind, preparation comes from ideas gathered by carefully listening to different examples of musicianship from other artists I stumble upon. But my expectations are nonexistent. I just start writing line after line guided by my ears. Then, rinse and repeat. It's an entire process of polishing the song several times over until I'm satisfied with it. What I do, is telling the story of how I perceive the world. My only intent with my listeners is to provide them with the platform for their own interpretation, to accept each song in their own vivid experiences. They will be the ones deciding what my music means to them and how it makes them feel. One way or the other, I hope each note brings joy, relief or any emotion needed in their lives. I make music with love and I just want to share it. Living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, can you walk readers through the day-by-day music scene you experience, and how/if it stimulates the manifestation of your music?  Buenos Aires is a vibrant and artistic city, there is a gig going on every single night in several different venues. There is something for every taste. Just for you to have an idea, Buenos Aires is one of the top 5 cities in the world with most active theaters, so only with these two examples in consideration you might understand that there is plenty of room for inspiration. I live in Palermo, a neighborhood well known for its a bohemian vibe, and luckily for me, I live next to a Jazz club. That means opening my windows four nights a week to enjoy the show. On top of that, I really enjoy street musicians in different corners of the city and especially in the subway. From urban rappers to tango singers. We live in a bubble ruled by algorithms whom ultimately decide (based in our preferences) the content we are exposed to, and complex creations such as a song, get lost into oblivion by scrolling down in one second with the same treatment we give to any given post or ad. And still, many artists are running into this frenzy creating "content" like maniacs to try to have a chance. I like to remember that this is art, it takes time to create, it should take time to digest. When I'm exposed to the local music scene, time becomes relevant again and I'm able to enjoy an entire show before jumping into conclusions. A much-needed break from deciding if I like something or not in the format of a 15 seconds ad. Where do you see your personal music career taking off to after the release of "Out of My Window"? Are you planning on balancing your time with your own music, as well as your time in your music duo, "Opium"?  Life itself means balance. Besides being a musician I'm also a digital marketing professor, an entrepreneur, a husband, a friend. In no particular order. With this in mind, the actually available moments to create music are less than optimal but with discipline and organization, there is time to push all projects in harmony. Might take more time in the end but sometimes, going slow is the best route. My next release will be in a couple of months with a third single, and after that,  I will release my debut album "Duality" which is a fantastic project in the making since the end of 2018 with eleven songs each of them with their own personality. No fillers here, all songs are single material! I've been working very hard to provide this experience to my listeners and I'm sure it will have a warm reception by them. Opium is a side project of electronic music with my best friend. It all started ten years ago recording 4 songs that we never published. We are currently working on delivering our first EP hopefully in 2020. I compose and perform all melodies and structures and Santiago is the beat master. Even while we are in different countries, technology gives us the opportunity to do music together like we used to do. Music must include feelings you know,  not only marketing goals. martinstrang.com #BUZZMUSIC

Morning Trips are an Alternative Pop group based out of Fort Walton Beach, FL. Since the bands forming in 2017, they have toured across Florida, worked with legendary producer Carl Bahner, learned to engineer and produce their music themselves, and have released three previous singles. Recently the band released their fourth groundbreaking single "Follow the Blind" and it is a high energy nostalgic pop track that you'll find very easy to listen and bop your head to. This release features a tight solid bass line, intimate dancey drums, spacey guitars, and an intimate evolving vocal. The backbone groove of this record instantly will have your foot tapping along, the rhythm section creates a lovely dance-centric experience that perfectly suits the vocals. Speaking of the vocals, they have a lot of great things going for them. They have an incredible blend of being both nostalgic and new at the same time, it has a little bit of that classic '80s reverb on the voice, but also has a bit of those ever so perfect harmonies that you won't be able to tell if they are a vocoder - whatever it happening it works really well and suits the story being created. "Follow the Blind" radiates a lot of feel-good energy and we cannot wait to hear what's next from Morning Trips. Listen to "Follow the Blind" here and get to know Morning Trips in our interview below. Hey, there Morning Trips! Welcome to BuzzMusic! We can't stop listening to your latest single "Follow The Blind"! What was the songwriting and production process for this like? Greetings, thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you're enjoying our song. Morning Trips certainly embraces the “bedroom artist” approach to producing. I’ll usually demo out songs onto Ableton and bring them to my band to discuss and learn. Once we have the live arrangement, the songs start to evolve a bit more into something that feels more intrinsically natural to the band once everyone has their imprint, but still keeps the spirit of my original ideas. Then once we have the live arrangement locked in, we will start properly recording revisit the song as a whole again on a laptop. Everybody in our band comes from a background of growing up on stages rather than in studios, so playing the songs in a live context helps us become more familiar with our songs, and sometimes even provides a brand new perspective on where they need to go. Embracing all the digital world has to offer for musicians in 2020 is something we are big on. It’s definitely the way I prefer to create. With Follow the Blind, we’ve probably had the original demo since 2018, it was straight-up synth-pop - no guitars. We traded out some of the synth elements for guitars, spiced up the drum grooves, and filled out the soundscapes to create a world. I knew how I wanted this particular song to sound and some songs aren’t always that natural but this particular one was. I felt like we got it out while the energy and excitement towards the song were at its peak. This release radiates a whole lot of positive energy! Was this something that was part of the initial songwriting? Or did that come during the production? That's actually sort of funny you say that! The “Day 1 Demo” most of the time will encompass a lot of what the song is thematically for sure. Lyrically, the song is actually sort of dark and sad. I had the instrumentation and remember sitting with the main synth lead repeating over and over in the song, it kept bringing me to the thought of relationships. It brought me to observations within my own relationships past/present. Relationships and partnerships can be these joyous, playful exchanges but also can be emotionally taxing or awkward. I think there’s a point in every relationship where things get moot or routine and you have to figure out how to get the energy to be joyous and playful again. I think the song is that - it's repetitive, like a relationship. It's playful in some sections and tense in others. Then the climactic resolution. I think I really just wanted to say,  "Hey, nobody really knows what they're doing. There is no handbook, you just gotta give it a shot." I think that message in itself is pretty positive despite the sort of dramatic and somewhat negative lyrics. It's so cool to know that you engineered this yourself, were there any challenges faced along the way? What was the setup and process like? Hey, thank you!  Every song we have done teaches us something different about the process. Our setup and process are rather humble. We do the original drum takes in a shed where everyone in the room is crammed together with all this gear and a drum set, but we’ve learned to work within those confines. The bass and guitars were all done in the same shed. Logan my bandmate, is a huge gear head and plays a big role in engineering the drum takes and guitar re-amps. I tracked all the keys, synth effects, and vocal parts in my tiny bedroom. The vocals were done with an SM57, a legendary microphone, but maybe not the first microphone most producers would choose to track vocals with. I sang into a closet with a thick blanket to attempt to get the most isolated sound I could achieve, which also played into the microphone choice. I would say our band hasn't run into any different challenges than any other bedroom artists haven't. We really learned to embraced the more “lo-fi” aesthetics of our process and do the best to express our songs sonically that we could at that particular moment in time. We are also super fortunate to work remotely with a producer named Carl Bahner. Once we have the recording produced, I’ll do a mix and send our work over to Carl for the last line of polish and mixdown, before the song gets mastered by Nicholas Di Lorenzo, a fantastic and friendly engineer we found through the internet in Australia. We really embraced computers and the internet in creating our records and it's served the band well thus far and taught us a lot. The bands sound feels both fresh and nostalgic to us, what influences the music that you are creating? Do you have any idols that you look up to? That is very nice of you to say, we really appreciate that. I think overall, we want to sound versatile yet cohesive. A playlist of different textures, soundscapes, and nuances but still clear and unashamedly expressing what Morning Trips are. It's something that's always developing and honestly, something that I don't think can be summarized with one song. Most people always reply to me that their favorite type of music is “Everything” - so embrace that same approach with creation. I grew up a massive blink-182 and pop-punk fan. You could get the best of both worlds, these big well-produced recordings and super well-crafted melodies in pop. Mixed in with the youthful, rebellious energy you got from punk. Tom DeLonge certainly knew how to write a riff that you would remember on the first listen. Prince also played a huge part in the birth of this band, he was an artist who was prolific at every instrument, and that was super admirable to me, especially at a time when I had no band. It inspired me to shy away from traditional approaches to creating within the context of a band, and more interested in producing music on my own. He was another artist who had both a guitar and synth-heavy sound, as he surfed between R&B, Funk, Synthpop, and straight-up Rock n' Roll. He was definitely a huge inspiration during the formative years of Morning Trips. As I progressed, my love for ambient and electronic music grew deeper too. I felt those genres of music could transport me to places with different sounds and textures that guitar music couldn’t, and without lyrics. I wanted to convey that similar energy in our productions. I was digging deep into the discographies of Kraftwerk and Talking Heads. Kraftwerk was one of the founding fathers of electronic music and some of the sounds Talking Heads were using on their records were crazy. I would say my fondness for those bands were elicited by bands like LCD Soundsystem and The 1975. Bands with cheeky, sarcastic but playful frontmen. We're big fans of bands like Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins too, two traditional guitar bands that grew into these eclectic legends. You couldn't tell the story of our band without mentioning those two bands for sure. I think I will always be influenced to write about my personal relationships and self-exploration, but right now we're really influenced by our observations of society. The world is in an intense place at the moment and I think creating is a healthy way to make sense of these things. instagram.com/morningtrips facebook.com/morningtrips #BUZZMUSIC

As a music duo, Kalina & Kiana have always come off as naturally compatible. Already having traveled the world and experiencing novel encounters, Kalina & Kiana have a cultured perspective and apply it all to the very sound they create. It’s easy to say that we feel as if we’re on a journey with the music duo, and we get a sense of reflection and contemplation with their music. Recent offerings from Kalina & Kiana consist of the warm and bubbly expressions in their latest EP, titled 'The Golden Age EP', featuring 4 widely disparate tracks. "Golden Age" is the last track to appear on the 4-track EP, and focuses in on a vibrantly soft soundscape. We're first introduced to a light and mellow rhythm, which slowly progresses into a slightly more upbeat feel. "Golden Age" follows along with the thoughts of Kalina & Kiana, where listeners are exposed to feelings of contemplation regarding our current times. Kalina & Kiana always maintain that positive and inspiring atmosphere with their music, so any theme that they conjure up is able to feel loose and airy. "Golden Age" will make you think beyond what's on the surface with Kalina & Kiana, which is why we felt we resonated well with the single. They give substance with melodic flair, making us anticipate whatever comes next from them artistically. Discover "Golden Age" by Kalina & Kiana here. Hey there, Kalina & Kiana. It's great to have you back here on BuzzMusic to talk on your track "Golden Age". Compared to the other tracks featured on your EP, how do you two believe "Golden Age" contrasts and/or complements the other tracks? Thank you so much! We are happy to be back! This EP was a fun experiment for us because we have never written a concept album before. Last year we had the idea of adding a theme of “gold” into every song. We love that gold can mean so many things. In “That Thing” we say “I’ve struck gold” about being enamored with someone new. Gold is a frustrating metaphor for being treated like possession in “Gold.” In “She Is” gold runs through the bones of an inspirational woman. “Golden Age” obviously keeps the theme of gold, but applies it to our current state of life by asking, “Is this the golden age?” We thought that was a good question to pose going into 2020, and now it’s even more relevant as we face the challenges of the Coronavirus. The other three songs on the EP speak to different aspects of life, and “Golden Age” speaks to life as a whole. Have we missed our Golden Age? Or is it coming? Or if we focus on the right things now, (like being present and choosing joy) can we make this the Golden Age? To us, “Golden Age” is the bigger picture and ties the EP together with a gold ribbon. Was there a predominant theme you two were attempting to express within your single "Golden Age"? Was there certain inspiration gained for this single that stemmed from your personal experiences as artists? Yes, definitely. The original idea actually came from a theme in the movie “Midnight in Paris.” The main character is a modern-day writer and truly believes that the Golden Age was in the 1920s. He believes that he “missed” it. Then magically, he finds himself being transported into the 20s, where he meets a girl. But she doesn’t think she’s living in the Golden Age. She believes the Golden Age was the turn of the century and that she has “missed” it. So this sparks the idea, can we really be in the Golden Age if we are always longing for something else? This concept ties into 2020 so well, because we “should” be living our best lives. Technology makes things so easy. It gives us the ability to stay “connected” with all of our friends and family through social media. But why are we unhappy? Why is mental health, especially in America, such a huge issue? To us, one answer is: comparisons. When we compare ourselves to others, we always fall short. And social media is a platform that breeds comparisons. “Wow, she looks so pretty and it looks like she doesn’t even have to try.” “That band has so many more followers than we do.” “She always looks so happy and put together in all of her photos. Why can’t my life be that effortless?” Comparisons race through our minds as we watch “highlight reels” from the best moments of someone else’s life. And comparisons aren’t the only danger that social media throws us, another big one is feeling validated by how many people see, like, and comment on your post. Some use this to feed their need to feel loved and “connected,” but it’s lonely when you realize that there wasn’t any real human interaction. So, the theme of “Golden Age” is that if we can be happy with where we are, stop comparing ourselves to others, and stop feeling pressure to appear “perfect” online, then we can be truly happy and live out our own “Golden Age.” Are you able to explain how your music flourishes as a result of having traveled and gained pivotal life experiences? Do you two feel that your sound stems a lot from external experiences, or do you prefer to hone in on your own expressions? We have been so fortunate to have traveled a lot of the world mostly because of music! We live in Southern California and have done a great deal of work in LA and Hollywood, but we’ve also played, recorded and filmed in New York, Nashville, Chicago, Seattle, Italy, and Australia. Our music has flourished through all of these experiences. We learned about standing up for what we want and that it’s ok to turn down a deal if you aren’t happy with the kind of music that they would want you to play. We found our sound from experiencing so many different projects and working with all sorts of people in the music industry. We learned a lot by working with country writers and producers in Nashville. And we were challenged by collaborating with Italian writers - where English was their second language. That barrier made it difficult to express ideas. Through it all, we have shaped and solidified what we want and how we want our music to sound. To answer the second question, recently our sound has been whatever we hear in our heads, mixed with influences from other songs we like. We have recorded our last couple EPs with our producer, Darryl Swann. He is a mind-reading, musical magician. He takes the ideas we have in our heads and makes them come to life. He has really helped us create the sound that we have today and we are so thankful for him. Possessing that clear and distinct sibling harmony, do you feel that the quality of your music is able to flourish in a varied way compared to other music duo's? Yes we think so! Growing up and listening to The Beach Boys and The Everly Brothers, it’s clear that there is something special about sibling harmonies. Even though we both have unique voices, when we harmonize together it’s hard to tell our voices apart. We’ve always thought that was so fun. We feel lucky to be able to have that special element that not all duos get to have. What can we expect to see next from you? Next on the list is a live, acoustic version of “The Golden Age EP.” Sadly, we had to push the date back a little bit because of the Coronavirus, but that’s what is next on the books! In the meantime, we are always posting updates, occasional covers and videos on all of our social media and our YouTube channel. instagram.com/kalinaandkiana #BUZZMUSIC

Trace Austin is a Los Angeles based artist who just happens to be the grandson of the legendary Temptations founder Otis Williams. Trace Austin found his love and passion for music at the young age of six, where he had the opportunity to perform alongside his grandfather and the Temptations singing their biggest hit, "My Girl". After this, Trace Austin fell in love with performing and being able to connect with an audience. He soon began doing his own singing and rapping, and to date, has gained over 1 million streams, gained roles in musical theater, learned to play the drums, and has been performing locally in Los Angeles clubs. Trace Austin recently released his single "MO$H" and it is full of character in every aspect. This record features an interesting keyboard that sounds completely unique, a melodic flute, heavy punchy 808 drums, and a master-crafted lyric performance that is full of attitude and flow. The instrumental remains steady throughout the tune and provides the perfect amount of space needed for Trace to deliver his message. Trace's vocal performance in "MO$H" is dynamic and full of character, they transition in and out of being something more aggressive, high intensive and driven to be more flowing vibing and hitting every word perfectly with the drum hits. Combined with the exciting adlib tracks laid out this makes for an exciting release and you definitely will not want to be missing. Listen to "MO$H" here and get to know more about Trace Austin in our interview below. Hey Trace Austin! We are absolutely loving that intense masterpiece "MO$H"! How has the work of your grandfather influenced and inspired the way that this release had come out? How did you put your own spin and personality onto it? To be honest MO$H was a natural masterpiece the production and the beat was there I kind of just vibed with it, I had the beat for a minute and played it for a few people I even went over to London and played it for my cousin Louis Culture who liked it a lot. After a while, I just recorded the song and it became an instant banger. The song originally was suppose to have a feature on it anyway. The work of my grandfather has influenced me a lot just seeing the work he’s put into building his legacy, that kind of inspired me to put that type of work in not only to just music but things like my performances, me producing some of my songs and writing all of them, I kind of just ran with the guidance of watching him since I was a little kid. We are loving your flow in this, there are moments of being driven and others of being more laid back. How did you come to this performance? Was any of this freestyle and come up with on the spot? My mom is the one who got me there, I went in the studio more laid back, I had a flow for the song but it was more chill until my mom gave me some guidance on the tone and cadence of my flow. I got in the booth for about an hour and vibed with the beat, I had a crazy element of energy on the verses, it just came naturally. It’s almost like when I was actually in the booth I just let other things go and it wasn’t so much the beat I was focused or stressing over what went into it. The funny part is there was a guy that actually broke into the studio the day I was recording the song, he wasn’t coherent and he just kinda barged in, and to be honest, it was sus, I thought we were about to get robbed, he was high and started grooving to the beat. I think he forgot why he came in, the engineer thought we knew him and vice versa, I felt pressured to spit crazy rhymes so we could keep him entertained. I think that is one of my best songs, the day was so crazy. We got the hell out of there! The instrumental production of "MO$H" is able to keep steady but also perfectly supports your vocal performance. Was the instrumental created before your lyrics or the other way around? How did you create it? I actually had a producer on the beat of MO$H, the instrumental was created before the lyrics, I had the instrumental for a few months and even worked on it in place such as London, and Dubai, I got back to L.A, wrote the lyrics to the rest of the song, mastered the flow, went in the booth, and the rest is history. After having done quite a bit of amazing things in your career already, do you have any advice that you would offer to anyone that is wanting to make it in the LA Hip-Hop scene? The one thing I would say to anyone wanting to make it on the scene is, stay around the right people, meaning industry people, whether you’re going to studio sessions, or attending music events stay on the scene. Keep releasing music and get your music heard by even doing things such as posting on Instagram and marketing to reach a larger audience. Also, another thing is to never rely on anyone to do things for you be on your own wave, book your own shows, reach out to agents, write your own music, and most important work hard and that work will pay off. What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020? When the corona is OVER! I will be dropping an EP soon! Socially and in the media, I will get my name out there, it also gives me an opportunity to create and work on my craft. I get to develop more music following another banger like MO$H, COACHELLA, COACHELLA, COACHELLA  I see in my future! I have many positive vibes I’m putting in the Universe! instagram.com/pricetrace #BUZZMUSIC

“Handouts” by Kwazzi feat. Txnic was brought to life by two musicians from Toronto, Ontario who have a burning passion for music and creativity. Kwazzi began writing poems in his childhood, which eventually brought him to where he is today. He enjoys songwriting, producing, and performing as an outlet for creativity. Txnic is a songwriter, artist, and engineer who has been able to perform in over 100 shows across Ontario. Their new song “Handouts” is a deep and creative rap song that includes something for everyone. With a killer beat, catchy vocals and an inspirational message, Kwazzi reveals his passion for music-making and production. “Handouts” has a simple, repetitive melody layered underneath the vocals, What’s interesting about this song is the minor key of the melody gives it a dark and almost horror-like feeling, while the lyrics are the exact opposite. Kwazzi takes the first verse and speaks out about taking advantage of your own life, whether that’s what society thinks is best or not. He tells you it’s enough to be your own motivator, and drive yourself to success, but it’s also okay to have fears and doubts. Kwazzi uses his platform to speak about real, relatable issues that will spark inspiration for his listeners. Kwazzi’s new album Blue Collar is set to be released mid-2020, so stay tuned. Listen to "Handouts" by Kwazzi featuring Txnic, here. Thanks for joining us at BuzzMusic, Kwazzi! We loved the emotion that went into the song “Handouts”, do you always draw inspiration from your own experiences? It's a pleasure, thank you for having me! Usually, yeah. My own experiences are really the driving force for a lot of what I write, but it's not always that way. I find inspiration from the daily life of others around me as well. It's about being relatable and all of our experiences are relatable when you think about it. Tell us about your collaboration with Txnic. Oh, man. Txnic is super dope! Super freaking humble, too. From the first time I saw him perform at a show I was also at, I knew I had to get him on a record with me. Fast forward to when I wrote "Handouts", as soon as I started writing it, Txnic was the first and only person I heard on it with me. My guy killed it! Y'all should go check him out, for real. How has writing poetry shaped your songwriting process? When writing a song, do you focus on lyricism or musical elements more often? It's really something so innate to me now, I don't even think about it. I would definitely say my rhyme schemes are heavily poetry based though, 'cause essentially rap is just poetry with music behind it, right? So once I figured that out, it was a wrap. No pun intended. With that thought, I can definitely say I focus more on lyricism. I like having fun with it sometimes, but I truly want my music to have a message for the people, so yeah. Lyricism. Final answer. You mentioned that you grew up in a family of musicians, how would you say this shaped you as an artist? What advice would you give to an aspiring musician who doesn’t have full support from their family? It's a blessing really, 'cause you get exposed to more than just one or two set genres, you know? It makes you think more dynamically, which makes your writing and producing more dynamic, which makes you as an artist more dynamic. It's a ripple effect and it helps you create your own unique sound. Sometimes the family doesn't get through, hear you on that. Honestly, I would say to not let it break you. If you truly believe in what you're doing, you're putting in the work and you're seeing results, keep going. Who cares what anyone says! I mean, still, be respectful of your family, but don't let them kill your passion. That, and just stay realistic. That's the real key: being realistic with yourself. What other themes will be present in your upcoming album Blue Collar? We’re excited to see what else you have in store! Well, the overall theme is the struggle between living out your dream and straight-up adulting. No one wants to do it, so Blue Collar is me trying to balance the two. When you hear it, you'll realize that the order of the songs tells the entire story of my mental journey, but I can't say any more than that. I hope for you guys to hear it though, for sure. instagram.com/therealkwazzi twitter.com/therealkwazzi instagram.com/itsantxnic #BUZZMUSIC