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Frank Ocean’s Nostalgia, Ultra Changed the Landscape of R&B With Heavy Rock Influence
Frank Ocean may be one of the most popular musical acts of the 21st century, but back in 2010, the California-based, New Orleans-bred artist (formerly known as Christopher Breaux) was just getting his feet wet as a member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, led by fellow future Grammy winner Tyler, the Creator. Ocean came to life when he sang, but his reserved temperament (a likely byproduct of his clear ambivalence regarding spotlight) was overshadowed by Tyler’s electric personality, making personal connections with this man of mystery a slight challenge for fans. Yet, Ocean’s debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra (released on Feb. 16, 2011) provides a candid first glimpse into his mind. Dropped without advance warning on his Tumblr page—home base for several personal and professional musings...
Set the Mood for Valentine’s Day with 5 of the Best EDM Love Songs
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to get in the mood for romance. There’s no better way to do just that than by putting on some tunes that would make cupid swoon. While EDM is not the traditional genre you think of when someone says love songs, the selections we’ve compiled will change your mindset. Whether you are in a relationship or flying solo this year, these tracks will have you feeling like love is in the air. Making our top five list are romantic classics by the likes of Daft Punk, Kaskade, Above & Beyond, Disclosure, and Stardust. There’s a little something in there for everyone. Even the most hardened hearts will be melted by these dance-inducing ballads. Light those candles, grab your loved one, and enjoy. Daft Punk &...
Say It With a Mixtape
It’s a story you’re burning to tell. A story of new love and devastating heartbreak, fresh beginnings and super-sad endings, feeling alone—and then knowing all your pals will celebrate your shared cauldron of delectable song stew you’ve labored over for hours—weeks, even—to get just the right flavor, order and mix-tape special sauce. All it took was a single (but mighty) speaker and a tape recorder—possibly even handheld—and the all-important element of anticipation and endless patience. And of course, the tape. That mod pink/yellow/green Memorex was calling our name. Like most electronic games in the ‘80s, if you screwed up, you’d have to start all over again. Some of you think that streaming is all that for one reason and one reason only: It’s easy. Just slap a playlist together and give...
How to Forge an Inclusive Economic Recovery in Africa
Sourced from Redbubble and iStock. The spread of COVID-19 in many African countries has been more contained than some had expected in 2020. Experts have predicted that the economic fallout of the pandemic for Africans, however, will be different and direr than for the rest of the world. The reason is that Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than half of the world’s populations living at or below the poverty line. A recent World Bank scenario estimates that COVID-19 could push up to 40 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa into extreme poverty, seriously eroding the progress that African countries have made to reduce deprivation during the past two decades. Africa’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis depends on how effectively governments will be able to balance urgent actions to st...
Chevrolet Chevette: Awful Car or Unappreciated Revolutionary?
Thirty-five years after it was mercifully euthanized, the Chevrolet Chevette remains synonymous with crappy motoring. The Chevette may have been humble and horrible, but it was also one of the most significant cars in General Motors history. It marked a major turning point in GM’s fortunes, the company’s first acknowledgement that the world was changing in ways it didn’t yet understand. Chevrolet Chevette: Cure for a Corporate Emergency Like the rest of Detroit, GM had steadfastly avoided making subcompact cars—”Mini-cars, mini-profits,” as Henry Ford II so eloquently put it—but the 1973-74 energy crisis changed all that. GM’s corporate average fuel economy was 12 mpg, worst in the industry. Big car sales dried up instantly and General Motors’ mark...
Maserati’s New Nettuno V-6 Engine Has Clever Tricks Up Its (Cylinder) Sleeves
The Maserati MC20 has been developed without any input from long-time benefactor and engine supplier Ferrari, and its first all-new engine—the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 Nettuno—is quite impressive. Its Formula 1-inspired pre-combustion chamber got all the headlines during the car’s launch last year, but we just had a chance to (virtually) tour the Maserati Engine Lab where MC20 engines will be assembled (on the site where engines were built when the Orsi brothers first moved Maserati from Bologna to Modena) and learned some interesting clarifications and new facts about this historic new engine. Pros and Cons of That 90-Degree Bank Angle Pros of the engine’s 90-degree bank angle cited by chief engineer Matteo Valentini: It provides a good compromise in overall engine w...
The 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 5.9 Was the Warning Shot for Modern Hellcat Madness
See all 18 photos Big Engine, Old Grand Cherokee To appreciate how goofball the “5.9” was, you must first backtrack and revisit the original “ZJ” Grand Cherokee. In 1998, the Jeep was nearing the end of its first-generation, having been introduced for 1993. Despite its semi-modern window dressing, tidy dimensions, and comfortable interior, the Grand Cherokee was still an SUV in the traditional sense. Its narrow, boxy body teetered high atop a pair of solid axles, and four-wheel-drive models carried beefy low-range transfer cases engaged by a muscular lever between the front seats. The modern, independently sprung, wide-tired, lowered Grand Cherokee SRT this was not. Presaging modern-day Chrysler’s go-to move—shoving supercharged Hellcat V-8 engines into nearly...
Song of the Week: Haviah Mighty Channels Her Jamaican Heritage on “Obeah”
Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, rapper Haviah Mighty channels her Jamaican Heritage on “Obeah”. Multiculturalism asks us to acknowledge and embrace the diversity within our own communities. Most of us try to live out that idea, recognizing that others experience the world (even the same community) differently than us and draw from different sources and traditions to cope with the daily challenges that we all face. That’s the crux of “Obeah”, the latest song by hip-hop artist and 2019 Polaris Prize winner Haviah Mighty, who our own Wren Graves describes as “one o...
9 Ways to Save Electricity in South Africa
Image sourced from Brand South Africa In South Africa, load shedding is expected to continue as power demand exceeds supply and more downtime is needed for overdue maintenance of the system. It is estimated that load shedding could have cost South Africa as much as R338 billion over the past 10 years, according to a report from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). This includes loss of production, where most businesses use electricity for machinery, technology and light to complete the day’s work. To help keep the lights on, here are nine thoughts on how to save electricity: Turn off unnecessary lights and switch to energy-saving LED light bulbs. Additionally, use natural light wherever possible. Take shorter showers – save water as well as electricity. Turn the hot w...
Britney Spears’ Hidden Music Messages: A Timeline
Over the last decade, Britney Spears’ supernatural pop star status became overthrown by the haunting shadow of her conservatorship. Established in 2008, following messy custody battles and an involuntary psychiatric hold, the artist’s estate and finances were placed in the hands of her father Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet. In recent years, the topic of Spears’ creative and financial freedom has ballooned into a prominent discussion in modern pop culture. This year, The New York Times resurrected the conversation with its Framing Britney Spears documentary. Released on Feb. 5, it chronicles Spears’ career, the sexism she faced by the media, the origin of the conservatorship, how it has since affected her life, and the fan-driven #FreeBritney movement that follows her court proceed...
A Documentary About Legendary Electronic Outfit The Prodigy is in the Works
The history of the legendary electronic band, The Prodigy, is complex, striking, and powerful. Fans have watched the band evolve over the last three decades, up to and beyond the tragic passing of frontman Keith Flint in March 2019. Now, band members, Maxim and Liam Howlett feel it’s time to share The Prodigy’s story on the big screen. “We are making a band documentary film…so f*kin what??” Maxim and Howlett said in a joint statement. “After the devastating passing of our brother Keef in 2019, the time feels right for us to tell the story of our band, all of it, the whole 9…” The full-length feature documentary will be directed by The Prodigy’s longtime collaborator, Paul Dugdale, who worked with the band on their 2011 concert f...
Jimmy Eat World on the Phoenix Sessions and the Future of Streaming Concerts
A typical album cycle for Jimmy Eat World finds them playing about 150 shows. For their latest album, Surviving, they got in 27. They had a big summer trek all mapped out, but when touring shut down do the pandemic, what could they do? They, like everyone else, were stuck, and their fans would have to impatiently wait to hear the new material live. That opportunity finally came last month when the band launched their Phoenix Sessions concert film series (don’t call it a livestream) with a full-album performance of Surviving. Futures followed two weeks later, and this week on February 12th, they’ll close it all out with their classic Clarity. Each show came with a virtual pre-show, meet-and-greet opportunities, and exclusive merch, approximating the real concert experience as much as possib...
