The June 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.
NxWorries
Why Lawd?
Pop/R&B
NxWorries have traded their party anthems and good vibes for a deep dive into the dark side of love. This ain't the carefree fun of their past work; this is raw, real, and sometimes painful. Paak spills his guts over Knxwledge's gritty beats, laying bare the messy truth of heartbreak and desire. This album is a bruise, a scar, a love letter written in blood.
Flash Advice Song: Where I Go? (feat. H.E.R.)
Charli XCX
Brat
Electro-pop
This album is a gift from the music gods to 2024: whether you like electronic pop or not, the very high level of talent, inspiration, production and sound research is undeniable. It may seem like a mixture that is too caramelly for the most refined palates, it may give you the feeling of having ended up in a Netflix romantic comedy, but credit must be given to this artist for having been able to bring every single aspect of the source material to a exceptional level. Whether you like it or not, your daughters are already listening to this stuff and not only will it be the pop of the future: it's the pop that's already here and it's fucking fun. So ditch your vinyl collection, put on this album and start moving your ass.
Flash Advice Song: Mean girls
Arooj Aftab
Night Reign
Jazz
Arooj Aftab's "Night Reign" is a haunting and evocative exploration of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory. She transforms familiar melodies into ethereal soundscapes, weaving together diverse musical influences and poetic lyrics to create an album that lingers long after the final note fades. This isn't background music; it's a journey into the depths of human emotion, where absence and presence intertwine in a bittersweet dance.
Flash Advice Song: Autumn Leaves (feat. James Francies)
Coca Puma
Panorama Olivia
Alt-jazz
Combining jazz musical education with urban and lo-fi electronic sounds, modulatin rhythmic ease with sonic immediacy: Coca Puma's blend ranges a lot and risks to be the best and most original thing you will hear in Italy this summer. The production is courageous and refined, the lyrics are a cross-section of Gen Z and adapt to the music with extreme metric ease: after all, the voice is just an instrument in the hands of the musician, to be mixed and modulated following his expressive needs, but without urgency, very calmly. Softly, like a puma (or a cat) before the attack.
Flash Advice Song: Porta Pia
Kevin Richard Martin & KMRU
Disconnect
Electronic / Experimental
The Bug and KMRU's "Disconnect" is a haunting and evocative album that explores the destructive legacy of colonialism and the importance of cultural preservation. Through minimalist soundscapes, dub techniques, and spoken word commentary, the album creates a bleak yet powerful artistic statement that resonates long after the final note fades. This is not music for the faint of heart; it's a sonic journey into the depths of historical trauma and the ongoing struggle for cultural identity.
Flash Advice Song: Arkives.
John Grant
The Art Of The Lie
Art-pop
Expressive urgency is a typical weapon of songwriting: it is the "soul" which allows it to trace effective musical frescoes, even in the absence of means and instruments of richer genres. As often happens, resuming interrupted paths does not lead to developing ways out, but it can certainly help to define better, elaborate more, express to yourself and to the outside world what has hurt and messed you up. For some of us, returning home is like a well-placed punch, unexpectedly, in the pit of the stomach: it takes your breath away and leaves you with a feeling of emptiness. This album has that same ability to leave you stunned, between a caress and a slap, between one or two-etxra gallon of beer, of a return home: it won't be worth it, but it leaves you with a lot of things to express yourself about.
Flash Advice Song: Daddy
King Hannah
Big Swimmer
Alternative Rock
King Hannah's "Big Swimmer" is a laid-back, introspective journey through America, filled with witty observations, unexpected detours, and moments of raw emotion. Drawing inspiration from diverse artists, the album weaves together a tapestry of folk-infused storytelling, dry humor, and soaring vocals. While not groundbreaking, "Big Swimmer" offers a charming and engaging listen, like a road trip with a friend who's always got a story to tell.
Flash Advice Song: The Mattress.
Pillow Queens
Name Your Sorrow
Indie Rock
Distorted guitars, hot drums, angry vocals: even when Pillow Queens try to make a less edgy album, a touch more welcoming, it doesn't mean that they give up their way of being and making music: a rock band, with an independent spirit, always honest and direct, as in the sound as in the lyrics. Being women, being queer, being yourself, not accepting compromises, kicking asses, coming up with melodies of impressive communicative immediacy, overcoming all obstacles: in short, making rock music, as it should be and as it has to be in 2024. Welcome back girls, damn I missed you.
Flash Advice Song: Like a lesson
Historical milestone
Every month, a fresh milestone from music history served up for you.
Piece of a Man
Gil Scott-Heron - 1971
Jazz/Funk
Gil Scott-Heron's "Pieces of a Man" is a raw and emotional exploration of the Black experience in America, delving into themes of grief, loss, and resilience. This isn't just a protest album; it's a deeply personal and introspective work that exposes the vulnerability and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. By embracing sadness and pain, Scott-Heron challenges traditional notions of masculinity and activism, offering a powerful message of hope and perseverance.
Flash Advice Song: Lady Day and John Coltrane.
