hyperboundzine-blog

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Enrique Jesus Hernandez: “theSTORM” music video

Anyone who’s seen Enrique’s other videos, like “theWHERE” (previously featured on HyperBound) or “theCHILD” knows that usually the visuals aligned with his music pull out our emotions by reflecting the softness within us all and reminding us that it’s okay to be delicate in our journeys to find our inner strength.

But in his new music video for “theSTORM”, Enrique reveals the darker, frightening side of struggling with inner demons and shows us how digging deep within ourselves can be just as terrifying and grimy as it can be light and gentle.

When I asked Enrique about the meaning behind his latest release, he said, “’theSTORM’ is an emotional whirlwind of trauma, hopelessness and our figuring how to survive. For me, this video articulates loneliness and one’s desperate attempt to rid monsters who have trespassed against us; wanting us to stay small and paralyzed.”

“theSTORM” is an experimental track from the “Hunger City EP” that gives insight into the mind of a young Enrique trying to process his own feelings regarding being raised as a witness to domestic violence. In the video, Enrique’s bare skin is blanketed in the hue of red lighting as he handles melting candles and eventually ends up covered in blood. Like his video for “theCHILD”, he is buried within weighted sheets that stretch as he squirms beneath them and surround him as he recites captivating lyrics. Enrique explained how the connection between the two videos was intentional. [In reference to the “Hunger City” EP] “The track after this is ‘theCHILD’, where the video starts on the other side of this ‘cave’ scene… (essentially this is what happened under the fabric of ‘theCHILD’ video.)”.

Placing us in a cult-like experience, the viewer is welcomed into a part of Enrique’s mind that is violently sacrificing his past self to a future version of himself; one that can accept the depth of previous pains and emerge from it a warrior.

Watch the video for “theSTORM” here:

Listen to the full “Hunger City” EP here:

http://www.enriquejesushernandez.bandcamp.com/

Keep up with Enrique Jesus Hernandez:

https://enriquejesushernandez.com/

IG: @enriquejesushernandez

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Spencer Robinson and the Wolf Spiders: “Beneath the Surface”

In the true spirit of good ol’ rock n’ roll, Spencer Robinson and the Wolf Spiders deliver gut-deep tracks that would go along perfect on your cross-country road trips and that would help your whiskey taste just a little bit stiffer.

The Wolf Spiders are a Los Angeles supergroup fronted by Spencer Robinson of the garage rock band The Lords of Altamont, with the band’s other members also consisting of different walks of the L.A. scene. As it states in their band bio, “…The Wolf Spiders, includes founding member of The Lords of Altamont Johnny DeVilla, Tom Hernandez from The Superbees, and Piper Ingram from The Honeymoon Screams and Kissy Suzuki.”

On their new release, “Beneath the Surface” these talented and experienced musicians team up to give us tunes to unleash our inner badass. Each track is complete with gritty vocals, enticing and winding guitar riffs, harmonious bass lines, and strong drums and percussion that act as the final polishing factor to a great mix of sounds.

Check out the album “Beneath the Surface” here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beneath-the-surface-feat-the-wolf-spiders/id1306561422

Follow The Wolf Spiders and stay updated:

https://www.facebook.com/SpencerRobinsonMusic/

IG: @spencerrobinsonwolfspiders

Twitter: @13spencer

And here they are live and in action:

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Roger Hallaway

I discovered Roger Hallaway more recently and was instantly swept away into his world of jazz chords and smooth high pitch singing. Surfing through his Instagram I saw that Roger is more than a musician and is all around entertaining with his off-beat humor shown through his interesting videos and posts.

His music videos are a perfect example of his ability to pair his music with his humor-based visual creativity. They all distinctively include his lyrics in a karaoke sing-a-long style, which comes in handy when after hitting the repeat button a few times you want to sing his songs out loud, trying to hit every high note as consistently as he does. Each video has a DIY vintage feel and puts you in a place in time that can only exist in Roger’s universe. After watching his videos you’ll surely feel as though you’ve made a new friend, one with loveable quirks and good vibes.

Roger’s music has also recently been featured on Adult Swim’s “Off The Air”. Congrats, Roger!

Watch Roger Hallaway’s video for “I’m Fine” (pictured above):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YkfAqnUbG0

Listen to his other songs here:

https://soundcloud.com/rogerhallaway

Stay updated with Roger’s music and antics on his IG:

@rogerhallway 

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Band Aparte

To see Band Aparte live is to throw yourself into overdrive with a performance of high energy and romance. To listen to them is to be transported back in time to the 1980s when music was just as dreamy as it’s pop-culture heartthrobs. And when it plays out in front of you, you can’t stop yourself from dancing and falling in love with the magic of it all.

Lead singer Brian Mendoza gives it his all in the live performances as he serenades the crowd with his alluring low vocals. He sings over synth based rhythms and covers the stage with roses and pedals from his large bouquet of flowers. Despite having some line up changes in the time that I’ve known them, their live performances never lessen in quality and each member involved brings a presence to the stage all their own, contributing to unforgettable shows every time they play.

Listen to their music here:

https://bandapartemusic.bandcamp.com/

Watch them perform live in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIBGv9hclZM

Stay updated with their shows and releases on their instagram:

@bandaparte_

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Sunny War: Worthless

I first saw Sunny War a couple years ago at a warehouse show in the gritty part of L.A. Her talent astounded me and the rest of the audience alike, as everyone stood silently and attentive, allowing themselves to breath in Sunny’s words and complex guitar skills.

Her album “Worthless” is a heavy dive into a medley of blues and nostalgia. She interlocks her subtle and soulful voice with unique fingerpicking techniques that come together in nine songs that feel like a calm and happy solitude. Sunny gives us the feeling of reflecting on our lives after a long day in the city under an overcast sky. Everything about her music is relaxing and self-aware.

“Worthless” is definitely an album to listen to when you want to curl up on a breezy day and be thankful for all of life’s blessings, both the easy and the complicated.

Sunny has a new album to be released January 26, 2018 titled “With The Sun” and will be touring alongside artist Valerie June in February 2018.

Listen to her album “Worthless” here:

https://sunnywar.bandcamp.com/album/worthless

Watch her perform the title track live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH5yNzWj8Zg

Stay updated on Sunny War and find info here:

http://www.sunnywar.com/

IG: @sunnywarmusic

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Christos Tejada - Tattoo Artist

“Christos Tejada (b.1989) queer tattooist/ Multimedia artist currently living and working in Los Angeles, CA. Using the construction of traditional the sigil methods and stylized pictorial elements to construct a tattoo as declaration ov intentions.  Tattoos easily become a catalyst for magickal desires and sometimes even will waken this desire, causing changes to occur in ones will.” – christostejada.com

I’ve always admired Christos’ work and how he’s able to recreate the details of reality while still bending realism to project his artistic vision. Although creating mostly in black ink, his images are far from the simplicities of black and white and each tattoo comes to life in breathtaking and eerie-like fashions. No mark is made in vein under Christos’ care.

Aside from being an amazing tattoo artist, Christos is also a musician and plays as one half of techno-noise band M/A/N/O/S. The band’s music is deep and trancing and works as a great soundtrack to Christos’ art.

You can see more of his skills at his website:

http://www.christostejada.com/

IG: @nearlycivilized

And listen to his music project M/A/N/O/S

https://dos-manos.bandcamp.com/

He also has touring dates set up for any east coast customers

-Brooklyn, NY @ EM16 Tattoos: Jan 3rd & 4th 2018

-Lancaster, PA @ Mantra Tattoos: Jan 6th & 7th 2018

And congrats to Christos on his artwork being displayed at The Distillery Gallery in Boston, MA opening Dec. 31, 2017 and up until January 27, 2018

http://www.distillerygallery.com/practice/

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Enrique Jesus Hernandez: “theWHERE” Music Video

From the start of the video, we’re thrown into a world of overwhelming senses, as we’re presented with Enrique Jesus Hernandez surrounded by hanging vines and flowers, beaming natural sunlight, and a dancing mist. In this bathroom turned rainforest the viewer can almost feel the warmth of the rays while the mist brushes against the skin, and can smell the aroma of being intertwined in the greenery. The video is an absolute visual expression of a song about the feeling of being lost and misguided in life’s directions.

“theWHERE” is the newly released track from the EP “Hunger City”, a collection of songs inspired by Hernandez’ experience with growing up in a household filled with domestic violence. In the music video, we see the representation of knowing you’re destined to grow and knowing you’re powerful enough to do so, but feeling caught in the grounds of your own roots. 

While Hernandez sings about the subject of abuse specifically, those of us who are dealing with different forms of hurt through any of life’s other hurdles can also feel a heavy relation in what it’s like to push through in our search to find our way through our own rain forest.

Between the softness of the scenery and delicacy of the rhythms, the viewer can’t help but get lost in Hernandez’ created universe and wish to be there as well. It’s easy to melt into the imagery and allow ourselves to escape to our own safe havens where we can ask ourselves the frightening, yet freeing question of “Where can I go from here?”.

Check out Enrique Jesus Hernandez’ video for “theWHERE” through this link or watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AanGgUtD74U

Find the “Hunger City” EP in it’s entirety (as well as everything else Enrique Jesus Hernandez) here:

https://www.enriquejesushernandez.com

And if you’re in the Los Angeles area, be sure to catch Enrique live at the event HARDY presents: The Future is Fluid on Sunday, November 19th.

https://www.facebook.com/events/180250105867033/

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Egrets on Ergot: Surfeit of Gemütlich

Egrets on Ergot just shattered the L.A. music scene with the release of their new and debut LP “Surfeit of Gemütlich”.

The album, produced by Paul Roessler (The Screamers, Nina Hagen), features eleven tracks of unique sounds complete with enticing guitar riffs and accompanying saxophone that lay over the melodies of deep bass rhythms and haunting vocals. Most of the album’s songs, like “The Pits” and “Drilling’s Drugged Doppelganger”, are slower in tempo while still having beats exciting enough to dance to. “Not Recommended”, however, provides a switch up in tempo and instrumentation that includes both quick and slow patterns involving a sitar.

I highly recommend listening to the album in its entirety, as every song is a new experience and comes together as a soundtrack for universally frustrating times.

I asked Egrets on Ergot vocalist and saxophone player, Adam Brooks, about the album title and its meaning. Brooks told me, “I was reading something about old Germanic history… and came across the word ‘gemutlich’, which is an outdated term for feeling comfortable and cozy. Maybe pertaining more to physicality than emotions, not sure.” Brooks goes on to say, “But the conversation of varied levels of socially comfortable living had been one on heavy rotation in my mind, so I impulsively applied this new antiquated, awkward term. I had an idea the name of the album would convey criticism in this context- of myself and certain population of this country.”

The subject of self-identity and awareness vs. outward expression is addressed in the music video for the song “Sister, Please”. The video is a poetic illustration of complexities behind society’s handling of differences in culture, beliefs, and anything else that separates us from the next person. It breaks down the idea of what makes us different, why it’s important, and is a subtle extension of the intention behind the album title.

You can listen to and purchase “Surfeit of Gemütlich” here:

https://egretsonergot.bandcamp.com/album/surfeit-of-gem-tlich

And you can watch the video for “Sister, Please” here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_MNR24il8

Stay updated with Egrets on Ergot by following them on Facebook and Instgram

https://www.facebook.com/Egretsonergot/

@egrets_on_ergot

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Jesua Bones is a drag performer, songwriter, and artist from Los Angeles that will be showcasing their work at their first ever solo art show at Descontrol Shop in Downtown LA.

Unfortunately, Jesua will be moving on to bigger and better things outside of LA and this will be their final goodbye. So be sure to swing through, buy some art, and get to know this inspiring human being before it’s too late!

Get a taste of their artwork on IG @jesuabonesartwork

Listen to their music here:

https://soundcloud.com/jesua-bones

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Cusi Coyllur is an artist of many trades, being a writer, musician, songstress, poet, dancer, and a number of other things; all of which she excells. She’s also a domestic abuse activist and expresses her own experiences through art in this recently released music video for her song “amivulnerable”.

In this video, we see Coyllur placed against a brick wall and struggling against her demons in the form of an abuser’s shadow and showing us just how quietly damaging domestic violence can be.

The song itself leaves an impression as well, as Coyllur matches her singing talents with a tightly and intricately produced track that bonds together to bring out the emotions in even the most callous of us.

In addition to releasing the song and video, Coyllur also released a free online zine on the subject of domestic violence titled “It’s Not as Simple as Just Leaving” featuring artwork, writings, and interviews with others who have dealt with domestic violence. The zine is released as a collaboration between herself and her self-help/self-love site The Strange is Beautiful, which acts as a community to those who might need that little reminder that they aren’t alone in their battles, whatever they may be.

Check out Cusi Coyllur’s video for “amivulnerable” above or at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NqZhy6WE5k

Download your own copy of “It’s Not as Simple as Just Leaving” here:

http://cusicoyllurmusic.com/

Stay updated with posts on The Strange is Beautiful:

http://thestrangeisbeautiful.com/