Influenza / Singled Out
Influenza was a series on the music blog Culture Bully, serving to give insight into the thoughts, influences and the inspirations that drive the creation of music, directly from the mind of the artists. This concept was later picked back up through the Singled Out series on villin.
- Maitreya & Aquatic Cat Dolphin “Roses” (Singled Out) ()
Out a random night freestyling off each other came the foundation for what became the song “Roses,” with Maitreya and Aquatic Cat Dolphin ultimately bringing the song from conception to recording within the span of a day. On the surface, the song’s themes appear simple, with gratitude at its core, but a more complex and […]
- Scott Miller “Waters” (Singled Out) ()
Scott Miller is an MC and producer based in Iowa City. Today he’s marking the release of a new single, “Waters,” which follows last year’s 14-track Recovery full-length and speaks to where he’s looking to move creatively. With that album, he says he found himself gravitating toward building cohesiveness within style and themes. With that […]
- Nickk feat. Big Teo the Trap Man “Ghosts and Spirits” (Singled Out) ()
Nickk is a Cedar Rapids-based MC whose recently released full-length album, Closed Hands, explores themes of mental health and addiction. The album title itself represents the concept of self-sabotage, which is a theme that bleeds into one of the album’s standouts (and its lone feature), “Ghosts and Spirits.” For the track, Nickk teamed up with […]
- That Honorroll KID “Lunch Table Flow” (Singled Out) ()
KID PICASSO is the new full-length release from That Honorroll KID, bookending a series of three albums which the Des Moines MC says brings closure to a particular era of his life. The discussion that follows is certainly focused on this release, and in particular a standout track from it titled “Lunch Table Flow,” but […]
- Dan Tedesco “You Want Me To Stay (But I Have To Go)” (Singled Out) ()
Now on the tail-end of a series of shows which brought the Des Moines-based musician out to the east coast, Dan Tedesco will be returning to Iowa for a performance this weekend at the Village Theatre in Davenport. For this edition of “Singled Out,” Dan checked in from the road to discuss his recent singled […]
- Mango “Hard to Hide” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Mango discusses the music video for his song “Hard to Hide.” Shot and produced by Cedar Rapids‘ Young Creatives, the video combines live and road shots in creating a narrative that reflects the […]
- Dave Helmer “Kiss the Sun” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Dave Helmer discusses “Kiss the Sun,” a track from his debut solo album titled Such a Clown. Here, Dave contextualizes the song within the bigger picture of the release, contrasting Such a Clown […]
- Closet Witch “My Words Are Sacred” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Closet Witch vocalist Mollie Piatetsky discusses “My Words Are Sacred,” the first track released from the band’s album Chiaroscuro. Featuring Dylan Walker of Full of Hell, the track encapsulates lyrical themes of social […]
- Flex Bormarr “Recovery Operation” (Singled Out) ()
Flex Bormarr’s new full length album, Admin, wordlessly encapsulates modern anxieties surrounding the what-ifs of potential technological collapse. More specifically, it captures the story of his own experience, documenting a hard drive failure by way of composition, speaking through sound to the range of emotions that accompanied the incident. In this edition of “Singled Out,” […]
- William J Locker “Between The Lines” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, William J Locker discusses “Between The Lines,” a track which grew out of the period of writing around his 2022 release, Brainwash. While its roots date back a little, “Between The Lines” has […]
- Early Girl “Evil Head” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Aaron Longoria of Iowa City‘s Early Girl discusses the inspiration behind the band’s track “Evil Head.” In their explanation, Longoria recalls how an off-the-hand comment made in an argument grew to take on […]
- Display Case “Get Out” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Des Moines-based four piece Display Case discuss their new single “Get Out.” The track is part of an upcoming EP, with vocalist Jordan Essy calling it a “hard, fast, and angsty anthem,” borne […]
- Sean Tyler “Drive Me Home” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, guitarist and vocalist Sean Tyler discusses the opening track from his NOR THERE EP, titled “Drive Me Home.” The song, as he explains, stands at a crossroads, bearing sonic inspiration from Link Wray […]
- Glass Ox “Gaze of Colossus” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, guitarist and vocalist Bo Becker digs into the song “Gaze of Colossus” by Glass Ox. In our discussion, Becker touches the process of building the track, an update on the development of […]
- Teri Underhill “MONSTER” (Singled Out) ()
The first line of Teri Underhill‘s website bio frames the purpose of her music around advocacy work, particularly relating to mental health and autism awareness. This mission is felt with brute force when considering her latest track, a creeping pop anthem titled “MONSTER.” The song, as Teri explains, is a direct response to past experiences […]
- Wxlley “Bussin” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, Wxlley discusses the origins of the track “Bussin” and the purpose behind its creation, noting that he used it as a way to check in with himself to see if he could remain […]
- Lady Revel “Jeanette” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, Jasey Rebarcak discusses the first track to be released from Lady Revel‘s forthcoming album, Mood Music, which is set to drop September 15. The song, she says, carries themes of overcoming pain […]
- Lily DeTaeye “Hive Mind” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, Lily DeTaeye discusses “Hive Mind,” the title track from her latest release, detailing the patterns in her life that surrounded the creation of the song and how they relate to a broader […]
- Jazz Niehaus on “Heat Stroke” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song as told by the artists who made it. In this edition, director Jazz Niehaus provides commentary on the video for “Heat Stroke” by Annie Kemble. Having co-written the song with Annie, Jazz explained the inspiration which informed its lyrics and provided a foundation […]
- Strong Like Bear “The Slow Collapse” (Singled Out) ()
With the release of In The Future Only The Rich Will Live Forever in 2021, Strong Like Bear uncharacteristically waded into the realm of stoner fuzz. In exploring the dialogue surrounding the album, there’s an interesting contrast at play with it. Little Village commented on the band being “as silly as they are serious” in […]
- Miss223 “Moonflower” (Singled Out) ()
Miss223 is a Des Moines-based singer working loosely within the realms of alternative pop or wavy R&B. She’s released a trickle of select tracks over the past several years, including the likes of “Free Fly,”which takes on low-key rap elements, bouncing self-revelations over a slow, creeping beat. Her latest offering, “Moonflower,” is another that takes […]
- Dead Beat! “KTFO” (Singled Out) ()
Dead Beat! is the moniker of Christian Solsma, an electronic musician based in Iowa City. Having already rolled out several singles over the first half of the year, he’s returned recently with the pulsating, drum and bass-leaning “KTFO.” Connecting via email, Solsma explained the track’s production as a work several months in the making. During […]
- Traevfx on “328ix” (Singled Out) ()
Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song as told by the artists who made it. This edition finds Traevfx discussing the video he directed for the track “328ix” by lui*. Based in Cedar Rapids, Trae ventured to Des Moines for the shoot, which took an unexpected turn when it was […]
- Halen “CLEAN SLATE” (Singled Out) ()
“CLEAN SLATE” is the opening track from BACK BURNER, the debut solo release from singer and multi-instrumentalist Halen. While the EP is ripe with songs about relationship struggles, its sum presents as a reclamation of power in the face of repetitive emotional neglect. Connecting over Instagram, Halen added, “People pleasers and hopeless romantics are victim […]
- DM Bob & the Deficits “They Call Me Country” (Influenza) ()
The history behind DM Bob & the Deficits is one that might not translate through a screen as it seems to be a story weathered by well over a decade of unique twists and turns. Earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from LSU in Baton Rouge, “Deutsche Mark” Bob (Robert Tooke) formed the trio with Django […]
- T.Q.D. “Desert Sky (Remix)” (Influenza) ()
Following the release of Status Reign’s Brutally Honest LP (which includes such standouts as “Dedicated” and “The Chorus“) comes a new release from another member of Minneapolis’ Background Noise Crew, T.Q.D.Serving as an aptly titled lead-up to more new material which should drop later this year, The Appetizer 3 is an “odds-and-ends collection” which does […]
- The Ettes “Excuse” (Influenza) ()
As time draws near for the release of the Ettes‘ fourth studio album, Wicked Will, the trio has dropped a pair of new tracks: the fuzzy and wonderfully distorted “The Pendulum” and the straight-forward kick in the teeth “Excuse.” Produced by Liam Watson (the Kills, the White Stripes) Wicked Will was written on the road […]
- Erin Manning “Back and Forth” (Influenza) ()
It’s rare that music can appropriately be labeled as deceptive, but such an explanation might hold true for Back and Forth, the new EP from Nashville’s Erin Manning. Though physically unimposing, the petite vocalist maintains a commanding presence with a voice that is peppered with far more passion and explosiveness than her appearance or singer/songwriter […]
- The Non-Commissioned Officers “Fire Standing Still” (Influenza) ()
Simply put, had it not been for a bit of chance the Non-Commissioned Officers would not exist. A phone call from an old friend about an indie film that was set to be produced in Nashville—which would become Make-Out with Violence—drew brothers Eric and Jordan Lehning together from opposite sides of the country, and out […]
- MYTY KONKEROR “Cell Division” (Influenza) ()
I Miss the Future, the full-length debut from New Haven’s MYTY KONKEROR, offers an interesting blend of sounds that loosely fall under the wide-reaching blanket of guitar-based rock. The group’s been called “a thoroughly dirty rock band” (Redefine Mag) that creates “a psychedelic slab of droney, hypnotic rock” (Magnet), but Sonic Masala‘s conclusion might best categorize […]