#there are so many gaps in synth lore

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 25/03/2023 (Taylor Swift, Hozier, Lewis Capaldi)

For the 10th week in a row, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus tops the UK Singles Chart. It may be its last considering Ed’s on the way, but for now, welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we start with our notable dropouts – songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40 – and we have a pretty varied list this time, as we say farewell to “Snowfall” by Oneheart and reidenshi, “SPIT IN MY FACE!” by ThxSoMch, “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” by P!nk, “Afraid to Feel” by LF SYSTEM and finally, once again, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis bloody Capaldi.

What’s filling the gaps? Well, our list of new arrivals does not seem built to last and “Pointless” by Lewis Capaldi only returns presumably due to the three-song rule at #68, so we may have to look at our notable gains, and for this week we don’t have many, in fact we seem to end up with a lot more losses, which I don’t really cover. Regardless, we do see boosts for “Here” by Tom Grennan at #39, “Can’t Tame Her” by Zara Larsson at #38, “REACT” by Switch Disco featuring Ella Henderson and the late Robert Miles at #32, “Mother” by Meghan Trainor at #27 (kill me), “Whistle” by Jax Jones featuring Calum Scott at #25, “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift at #18 thanks to residual Eras Tour hype (more on that later), and finally, “Creepin’” by Metro Boomin and The Weeknd featuring 21 Savage back to #10 thanks to a Diddy remix that prompted an ACR reset; its time back up here is very limited.

This week’s top five on the UK Singles Chart should all be familiar now, but with some notable movement: “People” by Libianca is at #5 alongside its fellow Afrobeats track “Calm Down” by Rema at #4, “Die for You” by The Weeknd is at #3, “Miracle” by Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding is up to #2 off of the debut, and of course, “Flowers” reigns at the top. And now, without further ado, let’s look through our... interesting batch of new arrivals.

NEW ARRIVALS

#67 – “DEATH” – Melanie Martinez

Produced by CJ Baran and Melanie Martinez

We’re starting with Melanie Martinez, huh? God help us. So this is a somewhat exhausting week overall when it comes to covering the stories behind these songs, and we’ll get more into that as we go on, but there’s no easy D-Block Europe jester here: they’re all out-of-the-ordinary songs and it’s honestly difficult to explain why any of them are charting. This one... well, I guess it’s easy enough. Whilst Martinez has never been much of a chart presence, she’s a big deal amongst a certain brand of Tumblr user that has naturally spread over into TikTok (a demographic that kind of fits a lot of this week’s new entries), so her newest single was probably going to chart in the bottom 50. Thanks to a weak chart, it got into my territory of the top 75 and I’d feel silly asking the rhetorical question of if it’s any good. I’m about as far as you could get from a Melanie Martinez fan, and this song seemingly about the cyclical nature of life and death is ridden with so much Melanie Martinez lore that I, as a non-Melanie Martinez fan, can completely Melanie Martinez ignore. Therefore, what do we have without it? Non-descript vocals coated in Auto-Tune that make the more nasal, childlike inflections even more annoying? A musical theatre set of strings and pianos that takes the most immature and memetic response to grief possible... that is then completely ignored for a set of gross, buzzy synths over complete ass drums that are mixed like a complete mess alongside some disgusting vocal mixing? Great, thanks, I hate it. When 100 gecs released a rock album just last week, what purpose does this serve? I didn’t even like that album, but a half-serious gecs record is much more rewarding of a listen than something as self-serious for no real reason. It’s abrasive, eclectic, sure, but it makes you wait and wait for a chorus that hits at a completely wrong note but it scuffs any remnants of emotional resonance by way of childlike mockery. I don’t care about the lore, or the character, this is awful.

#58 – “Christmas Kids” – Roar

Produced by Owen Evans

So this may need some explanation, or at least as much as I can grant it. Roar is the moniker of Owen Evans, who you may know as having drummed for AJJ (no relation to AJR). This song is from his debut solo effort, I Can’t Handle Change, from all the way back in 2010 and it actually touches upon a subject from even earlier, that being the relationship between Ronnie of the Ronettes, who has sadly died since this song released, and Phil Spector, who has fortunately died since this song release. Spector was a nutjob who tormented Ronnie psychologically, rarely letting her leave the house, and often threatened to kill her. In 1971, as an attempt to save their marriage, Spector brought her two adopted children out of nowhere on Christmas Day, hence the title. Naturally, Owen Evans wrote a song about it, and a bit less naturally, he decided to do it from Phil’s perspective, in the style of a Spector-produced Brill Building track. Oh. Oh, dear. Uh, well, the production is decidedly cheaper than Spector would have had it, and the claps in the chorus just feel like random clips rather than whole-hearted claps, it really hurts the momentum, as does the slogging bridge which I understand is supposed to be creepy but it makes the whole thing seem comical... especially when Evans changes perspective to Ronnie and slows the tempo down. For a song about such a horrible, horrible abusive relationship, it all seems rather gimmicky, and I’m not entirely sure why we’re okay with this.

#52 – “Baby again..” – Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet

Produced by Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet

It’s a shame that Four Tet finally has a lead credit on a UK charting hit and it’s this glorified remix. “Baby” by Quality Control featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby is a famously repetitive song, mostly just because Lil Baby says “baby” a lot, and it didn’t actually chart in the UK – for which I thank God, since it’s pretty bad. This remix is kind of a cool idea, as Baby definitely fits into the pockets of this house groove but... well, it’s boring as sin, guys. I like all three of these guys as producers, particularly Skrillex, but sometimes too many cooks creates a product way less unique than the sum of its parts, which was true for most of the cuts from those two Skrillex albums earlier this year to be honest. The wonky synths over a bubbly bass function perfectly fine, but it’s not like it’s interesting or really that driving, and there are absolutely no stakes here given that the sample never changes flow or says anything particularly catchy. They just took the “Baby” song where Baby says “baby” a lot, and transposed it onto a bassy house beat – I wouldn’t say it’s unfinished at all, since the minimalism absolutely is the point, yet none of the tricks they pull out feel all that interesting, mostly because having all three producers kind of silences out the unique properties of each DJ. This sounds like something that was improvised at a DJ mix, and with how long its build-up is, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it were. That doesn’t make it bad, but it sure doesn’t interest me, especially if by the time we get a climax, the sample is an annoying, badly-mastered vocal clip rather than, you know, the actual hook that has been there for the rest of the track. It just seems like a wasted opportunity.

#41 – “Hell N Back” – Bakar

Produced by Jake the Snake and Beach Noise

Jake the Snake is an awesome producer name. This is a 2019 single from London singer Bakar that got viral on TikTok, and it sounds even older with its vintage guitars and slick whistle over the mellow drums. This particular brand of UK neo-soul was something I at some point was more into years earlier when I was listening to like Tom Misch and Sampha, but I still like this quite a lot. It’s a chill track and Bakar has some delightful charisma, and the references to drugs kind of explain the charming sloppiness in his delivery, and why those horns are so watered-down. Maybe the lyrics need some work – “she had green eyes like Mountain Dew”, really? – but I like the sentiment about capturing the feeling where you’ve been in a bad place, and your partner really caring for you is what makes you get out of that rut, even if that leads to some worrying dependency. It’s not a song I have much to say about, almost by design, but Hell, it’s heads and shoulders above everything else so far, so I’ll endorse this.

#30 – “Set Me Free Pt.2” – Jimin

Produced by GHSTLOOP and Pdogg

BTS member Jimin released his debut solo album – if you can really call it that, it’s 19 minutes – and this was the lead single, serving as a bit of an accidental sequel to bandmate SUGA’s song of the same name, hence the “pt.2”, and, man, I have yet to really be impressed with BTS members’ solo output, bar that one j-hope song with J. Cole a couple weeks back. This single goes for some real intensity with the compressed orchestra and choir vocals alongside alarm synths before exploding into drums that hit hard, sure, but not as well as they could have because of all the fuzz that surround them. Jimin himself is just horrible on this, I’m sorry – he is way too nasal and floaty for this beat, and I don’t believe him for a second when he talks about my “opps”, or reaches into his Adam Levine falsetto on the mind-numbingly repetitive chorus over those plastic horns. The second verse just sounds like a joke, with the comical cartoon inflections and Auto-Tune, but I don’t have a reason not to take this seriously. As a comedy song, it’d be pretty funny if that chorus wasn’t as long, but as a lead solo debut... Jesus Christ, man. Hopefully some of that album is better – it did come out today as of when I’m writing this – but God, this is honestly embarrassing, probably because it’s a lane Jimin shouldn’t be near in the first place.

#24 – “How I’m Feeling Now” – Lewis Capaldi

Produced by Lewis Capaldi and TMS

No, sadly, there’s no relation to the Charli XCX album. This is Capaldi’s third single from that upcoming sophomore effort, and well, damn, he’s finally grown some teeth at least. The entire song is a self-critique about his own mental state, with a sarcastic chorus and biting verses about how unsatisfied he feels with his life despite the fact he has everything. It’s not really connected to a girlfriend either, only vaguely stringing it to a breakup to make it a bit more accessible, I suppose, because this is definitely a famous man blues ballad, and it’s pretty damn great honestly. Sure, it’s minimal and kind of just lets Capaldi sit there amongst the folk guitars, but he’s mostly downplaying the delivery here, even though out of all songs, this one probably deserves the melodrama. The swell in the chorus wherein Capaldi really does start going for it is actually much more bearable than his usual froggy belting. In fact, this is basically an emo-pop song disguising itself as an Ed Sheeran album cut, especially with Capaldi’s delivery, and if you know me well enough, you’d know that compared to Capaldi’s usual fare, that’s right up my alley. Once the strings come in during the bridge, which is seamlessly connected to the chorus through a monosyllabic belt, which is just a cool songwriting trick, it feels really earned and the only percussion at the end of the song sounds like a ticking clock, with the looming fear of his fame’s demise nearing closer and closer. It may be compressed to Hell like all of Capaldi’s stuff, and he doesn’t go into that much detail... but this just hits like a brick and I’m honestly not sure why. Maybe it’s the downplaying of his vocals in the verses, maybe it’s that he finally understand some sense of dynamics, but I’m really bloody impressed with this – it’s an excellent song, and if Capaldi would prefer to look further inward on some of this upcoming album, he may end up with an extra listener. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d even hint towards listening to a Lewis Capaldi album, but this is genuinely fantastic.

#22 – “Eat Your Young” – Hozier

Produced by Bekon, Hozier, Rappy, Pete G and Chakra

Hozier, huh? “Take Me to Church” Hozier? “I’ll worship like a dog”, “I’ll tell you my sins”, etc. Hozier? In the top 40? At this time of year? In this pop climate? Localised entirely within #22? I liked that sophomore album, but I didn’t think he’d chart ever again, especially since his last top 40 hit was “Someone New” in 2015. Well, it was initially promoted in a snippet in February, with lyrics that come off as kind of kinky out of context until the full song gets released and that viral TikTok snippet ends up being based on the third circle of hell – gluttony – from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Just, sure, okay, it’s 2023, there are no rules to getting on the chart. Just be Hozier and make a song based on an epic poem that takes its title from a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift which sardonically claims that to solve poverty in Ireland, the rich should start eating poor children, sold to them by their parents. The whole song seems to focus on the chauvinism of the British Empire, using the imagery of making a feast, with a sensuality making the lyrics seem not too far from oral sex, in reference to how they treated their colonies which, I mean, Hozier is Irish, it wouldn’t be a surprise. The use of the word “carving”, the entire second half of the chorus referring to war, the way it’s addressed to a woman – the motherland, Britannia if you wish – it’s a reasonable interpretation. On a grander scale, it’s about gluttony, and it sounds fittingly evil. Over perilous strings and soulful drums, Hozier trades his voice between a dusty smoulder and a dusty falsetto that sounds like the high horse this Empire was on. With that said, it does stay somewhat samey outside of the gorgeous piano-led outro, and that sensual villainy may lose its lustre overtime, but that’s implying that this will last on the charts and I have no idea where this is going past its first week. It’s a damn catchy tune, a wonderfully-composed track and a unique historical message for a charting hit, so I wouldn’t mind seeing it last longer and reach further heights, but I also won’t put my trust in it.

#11 – “All of the Girls You Loved Before” – Taylor Swift

Produced by Louis Bell, Ging and Taylor Swift

To celebrate the start of her massive Eras Tour, Taylor released re-recorded versions of three songs – none of which charted – as well as this scrapped track from the Lover era, which had some residual hype after a demo leaked, which she must have caught onto as she released it less than a month later. I have probably ranted on this series before that I don’t like Lover, and honestly this is nothing different for me, especially now that we have Midnights to compare it to: it’s like a more pastel version with way less interesting writing, meaning there’s basically no justification for the clunky inflections or straightforward melodies that just sound mindlessly slapped together on this pink cloud of mist that is an instrumental. The drums are stilted and anything melodic just gravitates into a must of nothingness, and apart from the chorus and bridge, Taylor doesn’t really write like herself either. It’s a worthless leftover love song, Taylor must have thought that initially anyway, and it probably should have remained as such until it found its way on “Taylor’s Version” or some B-side compilation, instead of being forced to single release by a leak. It’s honestly just kind of sad, if anything.

Conclusion

Huh, this was kind of a garbage week, wasn’t it? I mean, Best of the Week is nice and easy, with Lewis Capaldi taking it for “How I’m Feeling Now” and I was torn between the two options for Honourable Mention but I think I’ll actually give it to Bakar for “Hell N Back”. As for the worst... God, it’s like picking the worst out of a rotten bunch, but I honestly think that Roar gets it for “Christmas Kids” for just putting a disgusting taste in my mouth, and whilst I absolutely think a song from the perspective of the abuser is possible, it’s just an icky, misguided effort and honestly pretty terrible song even without the subject matter. Dishonourable Mention is  a toss-up between Jimin for “Set Me Free Pt.2” for just being comical, “DEATH” by Melanie Martinez for being aggravating and honestly, “All of the Girls You’ve Loved Before” by Taylor Swift. I didn’t like the new Jimin or Taylor Swift or Melanie Martinez, and I’m posting this on Tumblr: it’s like I’m tempting fate. Regardless, thank you for reading, and I’ll see you next week!

[macbeth-n-cheese]

Early Synth HCs and Thoughts, pt.1

(Because I have the heart of a researcher and absolutely have to fill in gaps and ask questions on how things work.)

“I'm a synth. Synthetic man. All the parts, minus a few red blood cells.” -Nick Valentine

Internal Support Structure:

The wiki says that a Gen. 1 synths' skeleton is made of 'alloys,' and this is about as helpful as saying a cake is made of ingredients lol.

Considering the fact that they're stated to be weaker and less dexterous than their successors, we can assume that their frame is also heavier, stiffer and more 'brittle' than a Gen. 2's, and when we pair this with the fact that they were also more expendable, aka cheaper, I think their skeleton was made of a steel alloy, paired with elements that prevent rust and help with the brittleness.

And gen. 2s would be made of an aluminium alloy!

I know it should've been the first choice for the 1s, but for a 'recently formed' Institute it'd be more convenient to start off cheap, produce as many synths as possible and have them expand the group's reach, power, and scavenge for better materials with which to build the more refined models.

Senses (mainly Nick):

Nick's comments on smells obviously means he can smell, right? But how? Surely they can't have mimicked a perfect human nose on him, so it's gotta be something simpler, but just as effective.

It's a fact that he has olfactory sensors, and considering a smell is nothing more than a thing's particles floating into our noses, maybe those sensors read/analyse them on a molecular level, like an air-quality-testing-device, and some specific components trigger negative or positive reactions according to (in his case) the OG Nick's preferences and the obvious, universally hated or loved ones, the basic human simulation. In this case, it would be a matter of programming for him to be able to specify the components of a smell and pinpoint almost exactly what it comes from. Instead of "Ew, rotten eggs!" It would be something like "ew, [chemical composition of rotten egg], most notably present in rotten eggs!"

A bit more on the specifics of the olfactory sensors: a sticky/humid surface is infinitely better than a dry one for catching molecules, so there has to be some sort of lubrication in there. Thus, robot snot is a very valid possibility.

If they can smell (and if the mechanics work like I think they do) then they could technically taste as well, following the exact same principle. Gen. Is and IIs have no apparent stomach, but the tongue is present, and could be made of the same material as the inside of the nose, which could also mean it's coated in the same lubricant (robot spit?), at least the ones with a mostly intact shell preventing it from drying out and thus ruining/crippling the sensor's capability to do its thing.

So he can (hypothetically) see, hear, smell and taste, but what about touch? To make my life better, I've separated the 'Tactile Experience TM' in three parts: physical integrity/proprioception, pressure, and temperature.

Nicky does feel pain, but pain itself doesn't appear to be potentially incapacitating like it is for humans – "If you find any pieces of my legs, could you pick them up for me?" – so it's likely a programmed emotional reaction based on physical integrity (kinda like it is for humans, huh?).

This implies a certain level of proprioception, awareness of oneself, that would require a constant flow of energy/information through the synth's body, much like our nerves, but instead of joining together into a single structure (a spinal chord of sorts), I'd imagine those cables would be isolated from one another depending on the body part, but all would feed into the robot's 'brain,' or there wouldn't be that many cables at all, and a central sensor would send electromagnetic pulses through the metal frame to know what was still there. This network of awareness would embrace the entire form of the synth, minus the non-conductive parts like insulation, outer layers of skin, some cables, etc.

Regarding temperature, it's important for basically every machine with an engine/core to keep the heat produced in check, and as robots are made of metal (groundbreaking news), it would be easy to just attach some thermometers on him, from the mesh-like structure that supports the skin layer to the very inner parts, seeing as aluminium is highly heat-conductive.

We've taken care of proprioception and temperature, but I'll need to recharge my brain so I can tackle pressure lol. (And breathing, skin, power, apparent radiation immunity, the fact that Nick drinks/has drunk Vadim's brew, etc, etc, etc...)

[the-creeping-shadow]

Shade’s OCs

Here is a list with all OCs I have so far, including fandom and non-fandom OCs. Some of these might appear new to you (if you have been following me for a while); some might seem familiar. I offer this as a reference, but also as a way to talk about characters a bit. No facts are set in stone; questions and such are always welcome ^^

I’ll start with the ones I’ve already introduced here.

Fandom OCs/Fan characters

Anna Haas My Outlast fan character who exists in an AU based on The Murkoff Account. The result of the question “what if the baby was real?” that appeared in my head one day, Anna exists in several iterations depending on several factors.

Her introduction into the world was more than a little messy; the assault on her mother, Michelle, resulted in Anna being born way too early and spending the first months of her existence in NICU. Obviously she survived the whole ordeal. Under the care of her mother Anna turned into an overall friendly and optimistic child who is very close to her parent, albeit often worried about her given the trauma Michelle endured (which she tries to hide in front of Anna, but the psychological consequences still show up).  She’s a headstrong person, determined to pursue any goal she sets for herself, and has a certain tendency to want to take on a leading role in whatever project or even game she is involved in. These traits carry over when she grows up. The past of her family very much interests her even if the truth about her father and her parents’ involvement in Mt. Massive end up taking a toll on her world perception. She becomes more reserved, perhaps even more irritable in certain aspects after the “revelation”, but sets on a quest to find out what exactly ended up happening to her father with a goal to find disclosure and a peace of mind - a dangerous endeavour perhaps, but one she considers worth the risk. The outcome of all this will ultimately depend on two major variables in her story...

Kyniera the Imp A DOOM OC heavily inspired by the codex entries in 2016 and various headcanons I developed about the species’ biology. Not entirely compliant with the lore presented in DOOM Eternal, as she was created before the new game came out; so to some degree she might exist in some AU as well.

A determined survivalist long used to the harsh ways of Hell that are not that much friendlier to demons than they are to any other life forms (especially so if you are a low-ranked Imp - considered nothing more than cannon fodder), Kyniera is an Imp who has gathered enough experience and a certain amount of caution as a result to survive longer than many others of her breed. This, coupled with a growing sense of self-awareness that is present in older Imps only, makes her suitable to take the role of pack leader in any Imp group she finds herself in. If not leader, then at least someone who is confident enough to influence group decisions, especially when it comes to hunting. An unfortunate event has resulted in her, among other lower beasts, being captured by higher-ranking demons and carried off to a combat arena in the depths of Hell to fight against oftentimes stronger opponents for the sheer amusement of Hell denizens but also to test the physical prowess of the members of Hell’s armies, including herself. Kyniera, much to everyone’s surprise perhaps, has proven to be a particularly resilient Imp, showing good knowledge of how to use her innate fire ability and agility to her advantage, becoming somewhat of a “pet” in the arena. Not necessarily a good thing for the Imp as the arena masters and spectators were probably more curious to see how long she will prevail mentally, out of sheer sadistic delight. However, one losing fight convinces her to turn tail and run eventually - and she manages to escape the arena, overcoming her own fears. With a growing hatred towards the “higher-ups” and an unwillingness to die for anyone, Kyniera wishes to distance herself from all Hell politicking and solely focus her efforts on survival and hunting alone. An endeavour that may not come easy as she still ends up getting caught in the crossfire of intra-Hell conflicts between warring factions which ultimately sends her down a path that just may lead to a particular metamorphosis...

Non-fandom OCs

Synth Rex Synth is an old and powerful daemon lord* who rules over an entire realm. He appears to be a cheerful and playful person who interprets almost everything as a game of sorts. Whatever is said or even done to him, Synth will keep smiling and talking in a friendly and ofttimes jolly way. This demeanour keeps showing even if Synth is experiencing negative emotions - as a way to keep up his composure, but also as a way to “troll” people, especially so if they appear more hostile. With his mindset mostly revolving around the maintenance of his realm, Synth is willing to do a lot of things to ensure the prosperity of it.  He can be described as a scholar of sorts since he enjoys reading and travelling throughout the multiverse to learn and explore different dimensions, the people, cultures etc. It's one of the more effective ways for Synth to occupy himself and prevent boredom. Other occupations may be training, alchemy, and watching individuals and events having managed to pique his interest, especially if they feature revenge. Unlike my fandom OCs, there is no set storyline for this universe. It’s more of an open world revolving around Synth’s realm and his family as well.

Elizabeth Morgan Elizabeth is a fairly old and mighty daemon and Synth's lover. Elizabeth is what one can describe as a willful and self-confident woman who will not let others influence her in a negative way or push her around. Charming, elegant, and equipped with experience collected over 712 years of her life, Elizabeth prefers to use social skills to go about many matters. This is further helped by her mind control abilities which she can use quite deftly, provided an entity is not more powerful than her. She will often meet others with an overall pleasant demeanour, polite, respectful, and decent, simultaneously confident and not afraid of speaking her mind. Greater slights against her or her family will leave a bitter taste in her mouth and will not be forgotten so easily. As a daemon, Elizabeth has no inhibitions about using her mind control abilities to further her goals. She can be a manipulative person who likes to use a person's mental weak points to convince them of acting or thinking in a way benefiting her. When talking proves to be futile, Elizabeth is still capable of defending herself and will not hesitate to do so: like others of her species, she possesses enhanced strength and the ability to shapeshift into a fearsome daemon form.

Shannon Rex [picture not yet available on Tumblr] Shannon is the first and eldest of Synth and Elizabeth's children. Shannon had had a shapeshifting "accident" at the age of three months, having transformed into an indescribable, amorphous shape which appears to be their daemon form, which significantly differs from the usual form. Ever since, Shannon has to struggle with shapeshifting slips a lot, though their powers are getting better as time passes and they become an adult. Shannon is an introverted and reserved person, somewhat taciturn. Serious and determined, Shannon mostly occupies themselves with books and training and might not necessarily be a person who is in for the "silly" type of fun. Having been raised by a caring, but strict father who has set a firm schedule for his child and having been around their father's subordinates a lot, Shannon is disciplined and generally well-behaved. Due to their problems with the shapeshifting power and initially slow telekinesis, Shannon tends to be insecure about themselves, constantly questioning their worth and might. However, with frequent training units and being the offspring of a daemon lord, it might just be a matter of time until Shannon actually becomes powerful.

Cynthia Rex [picture not yet available on Tumblr] Cynthia is the second and youngest of Synth and Elizabeth's children. Cynthia is a happy and jolly six-year-old child (there is a huge age gap between the children), always curious and with a tendency to ask a lot of questions concerning how things work and what they are. She also has a bit of a mischievous streak and will attempt to play pranks once in a while. Close to her family, she is pretty much seldom seen anywhere away from a family member unless she decides to explore her father's castle on her own. Around strangers Cynthia becomes quiet and will cling to whatever family member is accompanying her at a time. As a child she is unaware of a lot of things existing in the multiverse and has a generally optimist attitude, though she knows not to trust people she does not know, which is mostly because of her family frequently telling her that she should not trust anyone outside of her family and her father's subordinates. Cynthia has recently begun undergoing training units in addition to lessons, which often leave her tired.

Thetis The result of my fascination with sharks, the desire to design a mermaid based on the great white shark, and depicting sharks in a positive light while maintaining the fact that they are (majestic) predators by nature.

Thetis is a very curious and inquisitive great white shark mermaid. While Thetis tends towards the introvert side of the spectrum, she is still open to talking with others, always willing to learn new things. She meets others with a friendly appearance and will not, contrary to what might be said about sharks and shark mermaids, seek any hostile intentions whatsoever as long as she is not agitated or hunting prey. Even though she has no inhibitions about killing other living things (specifically prey), she does so only for the sake of self-preservation and would scoff at others for "wasting" a kill, or put differently, for killing and harming other living things for any other reason than self-preservation. Still, Thetis does enjoy the thrill of the hunt itself and will speak rather openly about hunting if it ever comes to that. Depending on which universe she is set in, Thetis may dislike humans (or other humanoids, depending) for all the things they are doing to sharks and maybe even mermaids. However, she would never actively go against any unless the human provokes her intentionally.

Xenia Used to be a fan character of mine before I decided to rewrite her entire story and include her as a non-fandom OC in my own multiverse. As a result there are still gaps in her story, though her personality/concept remains similar.

An agent working under Synth Rex among his ranks. Xenia has endured an excruciating, unhappy childhood that left her permanently scarred - physically and mentally. An escape from her world, after she has exacted revenge on her tormentors, was offered by Lord Rex, who had become interested in her story, promising a better future for her. While Xenia was hesitant to take his offer to work for him first, she accepted it and ended up in a better position after all, as she perceives it. Still, her life has left her bitter, cynic, and mistrustful. While she tries to keep up a good relationship with her fellow agents, approaching her is still difficult as she prefers a solitary lifestyle, slow to trust anyone. Her manner of speech tends to be sarcastic often. Xenia belongs to an unspecified human-like species, possessing powerful telekinetic abilities that have developed and strengthened as she grew up. It was this power that allowed her to turn her "fate" over.

        *the depiction of the daemon might drastically differ from “canonical” mythological depictions in places. These characters exist in a multiverse created by me and thus adhere to lore created by myself.

[maxfreedmanwrites-blog]

MUSIC I LIKED IN 2017 THE MOST WRETCHED YEAR

It’s been a shit year for the world at large. Even when progressives gain more government seats, right-wing bullshit continues to enact hateful policies that expand the gap between the wealthy and everyone else. I truly mean it when I say that music, the conversations we have about it, and the many other people I know who care about it kept me going this year. This has always been true, but it felt even more true this year.

I’m not going to write about all of these at length like I did in my half-year post. Some might have comments like “wow, this aged well,” or “man, this didn’t age well,” or “I work with this band, and here’s how you can get to know them.” I’ll link to any ones I’ve written about. I’ll share listening links for all.

This year was quite good musically (but it’s no 2014, a year that still feels mythical):

Throughout, * means I work with the artist

SONGS

HONORABLE MENTION, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

Arca - "Desafío" | from Arca

Balún - "Teletransporte" | single

Big Thief - "Shark Smile" | from Capacity

Blanck Mass - "Silent Treatment" | from World Eater

Blessed - "Headache" | from II (review at Post-Trash)

Fufanu - "Liability" * (we do their media, more love for them in Albums) | from Sports

Jay Som - "Baybee" | from Everybody Works

LCD Soundsystem - “how do you sleep” | from american dream

Leyya - "Zoo" ^ (used to work with these folks) | single

Makthaverskan - "in my dreams" | from III

Mozart's Sister - "My Heart Is Wild" | from Field of Love (feature at FLOOD)

Odonis Odonis - “Vision” | from No Pop

Shilpa Ray - “EMT Police and the Fire Department” | from Door Girl (review at Post-Trash)

TORRES - "Righteous Woman" | from Three Futures

“I am not a righteous woman/I’m more of an ass man”

Yoke Lore - "Only You" * (we do his radio, good interview at Atwood Magazine) | from Goodpain

Zola Jesus - "Veka” | from Okovi

Zula - “City World” | from 6 Passes (review at Post-Trash)

TOP 20, RANKED:

20. ​Palm - "Walkie Talkie" | from Shadow Expert

Though I’m iffy on the EP, I’m excited for the new album next year, and this song slays.

19. Omni - “Equestrian” | from Multi-task (review at Paste)

If all post-punk was this jerky and minimal, I wouldn’t complain.

18. ​Högni - “Crash” | from Two Trains

I saw this guy on a whim at Iceland Airwaves and haven’t been able to stop listening since then. The synth that comes in at 2:45 completes me.

17. ​Gabriel Garzón-Montano - "The Game" | from Jardín

16. ​Julien Baker - “Turn Out the Lights” | from Turn Out the Lights

Can we get more of Julien Baker doing the quiet-to-loud burst?

15. Hundred Waters - “Blanket Me” | from Communicating

This song is borderline melodramatic, and I really like it.

14. Lorde - “Green Light” | from Melodrama

Pop perfection, as we all know.

13. ​yaeji - “raingurl” | from EP2

12. Vince Staples - “Yeah Right” | from Big Fish Theory

boy yeah right yeah right yeah right. BOY YEAH RIGHT YEAH RIGHT YEAH RIGHT

11. zuli - “kubadiver” * (we do his radio, Rolling Stone says you should listen) | from on human freakout mountain

10. ​Mammút - "Kinder Versions" | from Kinder Versions

I don’t work directly with this band, but I work with Iceland Airwaves, which they play every year, and the Reykjavik Calling concert series, which they played this year. In their Stereogum interview, they talk about how this song came together, and it’s really interesting and a testament to what makes this song amazing.

9. ​Perfume Genius - "Wreath” | from No Shape

8. Kelela - “Frontline” | from Take Me Apart

This is the most straightforward song on the album. It’s weird that it’s my favorite.

7. Run the Jewels ft. Kamasi Washington - “Thursday in the Danger Room” | from RTJ3

I’m still not over the whole “Run the Jewels made a sad song” thing.

6. Dream Wife - “Somebody” | from Dream Wife

This song is so sticky and vicious in all the right ways. I’m having a bit of trouble getting into the couple of other songs from the self-titled debut LP coming out next year, but this song is awesome.

5. Kelly Lee Owens ft. Jenny Hval - “Anxi” | from Kelly Lee Owens (feature at FLOOD)

“CBM” is a bit better, but since the version on the album is no different than the version on last year’s Oleic, I’m not counting it here. Also, “Throwing Lines” is worth mentioning here too as a therapeutic slice of heaven.

4. (Sandy) Alex G - “Brick” | from Rocket

3. Moses Sumney - “Lonely World” | from Aromanticism

The 2017 version is produced differently than the 2016 version, so it’s on here. What a killer song.

2. St. Vincent - “Los Ageless” | from MASSEDUCTION (review at Paste)

This has been a St. Vincent classic since the very first time I heard it.

1. Priests - “JJ” | from Nothing Feels Natural

Okay, technically, it came out in October 2016 when the album was announced, but the album came out this year, and it’s amazing. So it’s on here. (Pitchfork said “Oblivion” was the best song of 2012, but it came out in 2011. This has precedent.)

ALBUMS

HONORABLE MENTION, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

All Our Exes Live in Texas - When We Fall * (we do their radio and are pretty much their US/Canada spiritual guides) | Listen: “Tell Me”

Arca - Arca | Listen: “Reverie”

Big Thief - Capacity | Listen: “Mythological Beauty”

Blanck Mass - World Eater | Listen: “The Rat”

The Districts - Popular Manipulations (review at Paste) | Listen: “Salt”

Feist - Pleasure | Listen: “Century”

FOAM - Coping Mechanisms * (we did media outreach for them, New Noise Mag has more) | Listen: “Get on Board”

Hand Habits - Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) | Listen: “Actress”

Högni - Two Trains | Listen: “Komdu með”

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN. | everyone has listened to this, come on

Kllo - Backwater (review at Paste) | Listen: “Downfall”

Mozart's Sister - Field of Love (feature at FLOOD) | Listen: “Moment 2 Moment”

Omni - Multi-task (review at Paste) | Listen: “Southbound Station”

Palm - Shadow Expert EP | Listen: “Shadow Expert”

Protomartyr - Relatives in Descent | Listen: “Don’t Go to Anacita”

Soley - Endless Summer (review at Paste) | Listen: “Grow”

Sylvan Esso - What Now | Listen: “Kick Jump Twist”

This Is The Kit - Moonshine Freeze (review at Paste) | Listen: “Hotter Colder”

Yoke Lore - Goodpain * | Listen: “Goodpain”

Zola Jesus - Okovi | Listen: “Exhumed”

Zula - 6 Passes (review at Post-Trash)  | Listen: “All Except”

TOP 20, RANKED:

20. LCD Soundsystem - american dream | Listen: “tonite”

I thought I was over this band. I’m not. This may be my favorite album of theirs, but I don’t often make it through albums this long. “how do you sleep” is perfect.

19. Lorde - Melodrama | again, everyone has listened to this

18. Yaeji - yaeji EP/EP2 | Listen: “Feel It Out”

I’ve combined two EPs into an album! Yaeji is that good. Her debut album, whenever that comes, is going to be incredible.

17. Kelela - Take Me Apart​ | Listen: “LMK”

16. Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights | Listen: “Appointments”

15. ​Gabriel Garzón-Montano - Jardín | Listen: “Sour Mango”

This album dropped a good deal from my half-year rankings. The great songs are still brilliant, but the others haven’t aged perfectly. Regardless, he’s a fantastic live performer.

14. Run the Jewels - RTJ3 | Listen: “Stay Gold”

Another case of “many songs still slay, others aged imperfectly.”

13. ​Mammút - Kinder Versions | Listen: “Breathe Into Me”

12. TORRES - Three Futures | Listen: “Three Futures”

It’s a St. Vincent album. I love St. Vincent. (TORRES has the words STRANGE MERCY tattooed on her forearm.)

11. Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory | Listen: “745″

10. Perfume Genius - No Shape | Listen: “Slip Away”

This is one of two albums ever about which I can say, “This sounds like nothing else I’ve ever heard, and it’s amazing.” The other is Portishead’s Third, which I listened to more this year than I listened to most of the albums on this list.

9. Zuli - on human freakout mountain * | Listen: “blaze”

Such a brilliant songwriter and dogmatic performer. Think Weezer plus Beach Boys, with Bitte Orca worship (aka me in the club) tossed in.

8. Kelly Lee Owens - Kelly Lee Owens | Listen: “CBM” (feature at FLOOD)

I was surprised at the more pastoral moments on the album at first, which is why it was lower on my half-year list. Those moments have aged brilliantly. I’d rank it even higher if I hadn’t already submitted my list to like three other places before publishing this.

7. Alvvays - Antisocialites | Listen: “Saved by a Waif”

Still the best pop band around. Simple songs, but not obvious, and so pristinely produced.

6. Moses Sumney - Aromanticism | Listen: “Plastic”

These songs never leave my head. What a weird and fascinating sound.

5. Fufanu - Sports * (we do media outreach for them, Stereogum has more) | Listen: “Sports”

Fufanu and Mammút are Iceland’s best rock bands, both live and on record. Sports is a brilliant mesh of rock and techno. I love working with these dudes.

4. (Sandy) Alex G - Rocket | Listen: “Proud”

I’ve gone from “Alex G is overrated as fuck” to “damn, Rocket is amazing.”

3. Jay Som - Everybody Works | Listen: “The Bus Song”

Most of the time, the cliche of a “record to get lost in” makes me roll my eyes. This is a record to get lost in.

2. St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION (review at Paste) | Listen: “Pills”

My favorite artist of all time has a new album! It’s amazing! For the first time, it’s a grower, not an instant hit. It’s no Strange Mercy, but I prefer it a bit more than the always fantastic Actor. I definitely like it more than the weird and lovable St. Vincent and the precious but still solid Marry Me.

1. Priests - Nothing Feels Natural | Listen: “Nothing Feels Natural”

I expect this album to make my top ten of the decade. I’ve already rambled enough about how much I love it. I promise you it’s worth a listen. Hell, I ranked it higher than a St. Vincent album. That should tell you everything.