After releasing their Grammy-nominated album, Weather, in 2019, Tycho returns with Simulcast. While Simulcast is its own album in its right, it serves as an extension of Weather, giving fans a new perspective on some of the old while mixing in a little bit of the new.

Simulcast starts off with a newer version of the previous album’s title track, “Weather.” This version of “Weather” is much more simple and cheerful than its previous version. It not only provides a brilliant glimpse into the overall mood of “Simulcast,” but given the fact that the previous version of “Weather” was also the very last song on the previous album, the new version of “Weather” also provides a link to the previous album.

“Alright” and “Outer Sunset” follows “Weather” and are two new songs that help build upon the mellow mood on the album. These songs are followed by another remake from “Weather,” “In The Woods,” which matches the same level of simplification that was applied to the new version of “Weather” (the song) thanks the lack of distortion of sounds despite the presence of the distorted vocals and wind sounds looping in the background.

“Easy,” which was also present in the previous album, didn’t have much of a difference from its previous version. However, it served as a proper tie to “PCH,” which is perhaps the most unique song on the album. Unlike most of the songs on Simulcast, “PCH” is upbeat and has a strong French house influence. “Cypress,” however, slows things down and provides the perfect segue way into the last song of the album, “Stress.” While the title might make this song seem like it is on the somber side, the music itself is not. While “Stress” is slow and mellow for the most part, the song becomes louder and busier towards the end, thus ending a rather peaceful album on a chaotic note.

Simulcast may seem like a bonus album to a certain extent given the remixes of some of the songs from Weather. However, Simulcast stands strong on its own. It gives the listener a new perspective into Tycho’s artistry, something of which will keep fans on their toes for years to come.

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After the success of CityFox: Halloween, CityFox returned to Avant Gardner to host a second rendition of CityFox Live, a unique music festival dedicated to underground superstars of electronic genres. New Yorkers braved the high wind and cold weather to witness Avant Gardner transform into multiple multi-faceted venues where each stage was its own different world with its own special ambiance.

The lineup was unique and international. Brazil’s Gui Boratto and Parisian producer Rodriguez, Jr. returned after a successful run at CityFox Halloween. Germany was all over the lineup with the presence of Christian Löffler, Tim Engelhardt, Seth Schwarz, and Schwarzmann. Italian techno producer SOEL [cover image] as well we UK’s Kate Simko and Japanese-born Alice Iguchi added additional international flair to the lineup. But CityFox kept in touch with their local roots by featuring Ray Zuniga, Nikita, and Beartrax. The live ambient lounge sets from BPMF, PJay, and Gleix gave fans an additional layer of music to enjoy as they moved between the musical worlds of Avant Gardner. The diversity in sound, technique, and nationality was omnipresent in this line up celebrating the beauty of underground electronic music.

One of the standouts for the night was German-born DJ and producer Tim Engelhardt. Engelhardt graced the stage of the Great Hall giving fans an impressive light show combined with sounds that moved the room. Engelhardt’s consistent and vibrant set filled the room early on in the day capturing the attention and admiration of the crowd with songs like “Skin,” his collaboration with Mi.Li.An. It really felt as if the Great Hall was transformed into the main room at the famous Suicide Circus in Berlin.

Washington, D.C. native Jon Charnis continued the party in King’s Hall, stepping into his role as both DJ and Live Producer. The crowd embraced Charnis’ unique sound during the live set which created the soundtrack for the night combining his own magic while blending in tribal grooves like “Cableito” from Colombian producer Canedo. Charnis’ set, coupled with the ambiance in King’s Hall, teleported the crowd to a rave in the tropics.

As the night went on the audience was treated to a very special performance by The Lost Circus. German DJ, producer, and classically trained violinist Seth Schwarz combined all of his talents together into one of the best sets of the night. Schwarz’s impressive multi-tasking skills came into play as he beautifully showcased his talent to a cheering crowd of fans. The sound of Schwarz’s violin echoed the halls of the Lost Circus as he played along to songs such as “Coming Home” from A-Track and Ferreck Dawn as well as his own creations such as “Ometion,” his collaboration with Stephan Zovsky, “Einsheimer,” his collaboration with Einmusik, and “Najura.” It was quite the sight and probably one of the most unique and impressive DJ sets of the festival.

CityFox: Halloween favorite, Parisian producer, and DJ Rodriguez, Jr. was another standout of the night. The Great Hall was packed with fans dancing to an alluring set ranging tracks from Rodriguez, Jr. such as “Monticello” and “Radian” as well as some underground favorites like “Moon” by Brazilian artist Astrodisco. It was pretty evident why CityFox decided to bring Rodriguez, Jr. back one more time to Brooklyn who once again showcased some of the best in French electronic music to the crowd.

The second CityFox: Live was an experience to remember. Every spectrum of underground electronic music was represented where every space, even the lounge, was filled with unique sounds that penetrated the soul. Every detail down to the lighting was planned meticulously by the folks at CityFox which created one of the most unique concert experiences you’ll ever attend.

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After a five-year absence, Dan Snaith, also known as Caribou, returns with Suddenly, his fifth studio album. Caribou gave fans a sneak peek into his new work in late 2019 with the release of “Home,” a story about a woman’s homecoming over a Gloria Barnes’ sample, and “You and I,” a song describing the feelings involved with the loss of a loved one. A month into 2020, Caribou released “Never Come Back,” an infectiously upbeat track about moving on. These genre-bending songs were a tease into what would become the wild ride that fans will experience with Suddenly, an album that knows no boundaries in terms of mixing sounds from different genres into one.

The album starts off with “Sister,” which features a dialogue between siblings and a message of forgiveness. “You and I” and “Sunny’s Time” continues the ebb and flow of the album, giving fans everything from indie rock to trap which culminated into “New Jade,” a chaotically colorful track with looping R&B/pop vocals that somehow brought seemingly different sounds into one beautiful melody. “Home” and “Lime” continue the upbeat portion of the album, sending fans in many different sonic twists and turns. “Lime” in particular provides shock value as what starts off as a funk electronic song is immediately interrupted with loud breakdowns that incorporates elements synth-pop which is blended beautifully into the overall vibe of the song, only to be transformed into what seems like another song on the much calmer end that ends abruptly. “Never Come Back,” one of the most upbeat songs on the album, is followed by “Filtered Grand Piano” which serves as the perfect interlude into the rest of the album which depicts the aftermath of the chaos described in “Lime.”

The final songs of the album describe a period of reflection, regret, and loss, all while sonically sending fans into many different directions and depths. “Like I Love You” is upbeat yet somber, providing an added element to a song about reflection and missing someone from the past. “Magpie” starts off soft and sounds like it’s being played over an intercom which gives it a very retro feel, only to be transformed into a loud tune that commands attention. The end of “Magpie” was the perfect segway into “Ravi,” a fast number with elements of house music that starts off nice and easy and transforms into a loud melody that celebrates the memory of a love.

Suddenly is an adventure and it is Caribou’s most personal album yet. It is experimentation at it’s finest. Suddenly sonically displays the unexpected twist and turns of life with an assortment of different genres and sounds meshed into one beautiful package.

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