The March Flash-Cult Digest
What is this thing?
Welcome to "Flash-Cult", swift insights for the advice-averse!
Each month, join us on a journey from the electrifying strums of rock to the soothing melodies of jazz, from the serene waves of ambient to the pulsating rhythms of electronic. No need for long reads—just a quick, fun glimpse and an invite to explore the best tunes we've discovered.
Flash-Cult choices of the month
Our special selection of great music released during this month.
ScHoolboy Q
Blue Lips
Rap
ScHoolboy Q's "Blue Lips" is a raucous, existential rollercoaster, marrying manic highs with profound lows in a showcase of musical dexterity. It tears through the fabric of success, exposing the scars and triumphs beneath with a raw, unfiltered honesty rarely seen. This album is not just a collection of tracks; it's an audacious exploration of life's dichotomies, solidifying Q's place as a masterful storyteller in the rap genre.
We was screamin' "Mental health", and now we wanna kill 'em all
Flash Advice Song: Blindslides.
Black Tail
Wide Awake on Beds of Golden Dreams
Indie-rock
American college rock energy, strong indie inspirations and some echoes of the more melodic Beatles: an extremely melancholic, but also energetic mix that refuses any easy way out in the lyrics. Guitars, although they are very present, never steal the show from the voice, which has the right timbre, extremely welcoming, bittersweet, of a cigarette smoked in the car, after an evening spent drinking and talking about life that passes inexorably, but pleasantly accomplice. An album that is almost a miracle, considering that it is self-produced and made in Italy.
Flash Advice Song: Haze.
Mannequin Pussy
I got heaven
Alt-rock
I remember that time of my adolescence when frustration and sweat and scarce hygiene found their natural place between Mudhoney's screams and guitar riff. It was like a perfect fit of the last piece of a puzzle. This album take all that shit and mix it up in a more modern concept with more curated arrangements, while preserving the same rage and groove. Coming back to '90s for creeps like me is never easy, but if you have a good guidance, could be the best hour of your week.
Flash Advice Song: Split me open.
Foreverboymush, Saint Abel, Moskova Div
Chiaroscuro
Shoegaze
Three twenty-something-years-old coming from different parts of Italy meet on Soundcloud and make the best shoegaze album of 2024: no, that's not the starting of a bad joke. Gen-Z developed an inexplicable passion for shoegaze, in last years, especially on tiktok, and this ununderstandable trend generated this album which is a real unicorn: distortions, feedbacks, delays and infinite guitar loops meet autotuned italian lyrics. As said, it's not a bad joke. It's great music.
Flash Advice Song: chiaroscuro.
Another Sky
Beach Day
Alt-rock
Take '90s Radiohead, add bluesy influences, make it up with a voice able to hammer on your chest: if you got this metaphor, you're half way from reality. Screams and heavy guitars play in the back, voice on the very front, drums fill the voids. If something should be saved from the spirit of "The Bends" - which Radiohead didn't, preferring their nightmares and experimental music - it's in the grooves of this album. Catrin Vincent would probably be convincing even if she sang the phone book line by line, but this time she and her bandmates made a call you would like to answer.
Flash Advice Song: Death of the Author.
Amaro Freitas
Y'Y
Avant-garde Jazz
Amaro Freitas' "Y'Y" is a bold expedition beyond the boundaries of jazz, blending avant-garde, indigenous Amazonian echoes, and polyrhythmic prowess into a transcendent musical experience. With each note, Freitas challenges the conventional, inviting listeners into a vibrant fusion where traditional Brazilian music meets an innovative future. This album isn't just a collection of songs; it's a profound narrative of cultural resilience and artistic revolution.
Flash Advice Song: Mar de Cirandeiras.
Four Tet
Three
Electronic
Four Tet's "Three" is a masterclass in sonic alchemy, blending the familiar with the unforeseen in an album that both comforts and challenges. Hebden crafts a journey through diverse musical landscapes, where each track is a doorway to a meticulously designed world. It's an album where the thrill lies in the details—each listen reveals a new layer, making "Three" a testament to the enduring power of innovation within consistency.
Flash Advice Song: Daydream Repeat
The Messthetics, James Brandon Lewis
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis
Rock-Jazz
The collaborative effort between the Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis delivers a sonic feast that seamlessly melds punk vigor with avant-jazz sophistication. This fusion thrives on mutual respect and shared creativity, eschewing genre confines for a thrilling exploration of rhythm and melody. Their work epitomizes the power of cross-genre collaboration, resulting in music that's both rooted and revolutionary, proving that genuine artistry knows no boundaries.
Flash Advice Song: Emergence
Historical milestone
Every month, a fresh milestone from music history served up for you.
Giardini di Miro'
Punk... Not Diet! - 2003
Post-rock
In 2003 Giardini di Miro' had been around for five years, had released an amazing album with some success in the Italian indie-rock fanbase... and they had everything to lose. Very few took them seriously: they were Italian, they came from the provinces, they played post-rock, they sang in English. It seemed like a recipe for disaster. Indie critics massacred them, as they often do with those who try to be coherent without being repetitive, but - in the end - time proved them right: this album still sounds great and manages to be warm, personal and melancholic like one of those old sweaters that put yourself at home when you feel like the meaning of life lies in hugging your loved ones when you're a little down.
Flash Advice Song: Once again a fond farewell
