Chillmatic

  Anna Devine - Seeing the Trees for the Leaves Review By Chilly Oppa      The Twin Cities music scene is full of underappreciated talent, and Anna Devine is a shining example of that. Discovering her music couldn’t have come at a better time, just as I was diving into the worlds of folk, alternative, and indie rock. Her sound captures a warm, bohemian side of the Cities’ music culture that often flies under the radar but deserves far more attention. Seeing the Trees for the Leaves is Anna Devine’s debut project, and getting to experience it with fresh ears feels like discovering something rare. It’s not often I stumble upon an artist at the very start of their journey, which makes this review feel extra special. Let’s dive in.     Graduation  The start to this album feels like a breath of fresh air, with soft drums, wistful guitar, and lulling vocals that intertwine perfectly with the melody. Right away, I love the overall positive perspective that ...

  Turnstile - Never Enough Review and Rating By Chilly Oppa      If someone asked me, “Who is the hardcore band of this generation?”,  I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. The answer is Turnstile. Full stop.      After a four-year gap (aside from the trippy, genre-blending New Heart Designs collab with BADBADNOTGOOD), Turnstile storms back with the title track for their upcoming album, Never Enough . And let me tell you, it hits. Hard.      The song kicks off with an arresting synth line, setting a moody, almost dreamlike tone. But it doesn’t linger, Brendan Yates’ unmistakable, resonant voice cuts through the atmosphere with that familiar emotional weight. His vocals feel cavernous, echoing like a call from deep within a tunnel, pulling you in right before the track explodes into a tempo shift and one of the most addictive choruses I’ve heard in a minute. Fuzzy guitars and punchy drums crash together in pure Turnstile fashion.  ...

The Marías - Back To Me Review and Rating By Chilly Oppa     The Mar ías never fail to set the scene and mood extremely well, and that's exactly what they did with their newest release, Back To Me. The track unveils with a deep, smoky synth and charming vocals from  Mar ía Zardoya. I really liked the small intro verse where she says, "Promise I'm changing, back from the dark. But if I would see you, I'd fall apart.". This  is met with a choppy transition into a graceful beat drop, which moves directly into the rather significant chorus. This definitely feels like the key focus of the song and it definitely stuck with me. The chorus and overall theme of the song is about missing someone, seeing your mistakes with them, and wanting them to come back. The melody here displays hints of a late 90's/early 2000's grunge rock guitar, paired with their signature psychedelic synth sound, which is something I love about this track.  Mar ía goes on to talk about how t...

  Saba (prod. No ID) - From The Private Collection of Saba and No ID Review and Rating By Chilly Oppa     In my mind, Saba is the king of feel good Chicago rap with a sound that often gives me the feeling of a nostalgic spring day in the hood. To be completely honest, I regretfully hadn't been following Saba's career as closely the past few years, so I had no idea that Saba was planning to drop a project, but I was very pleasantly surprised! He's someone that I've listened to in so many different eras of my life, and has proven to be one of the best poetic Chicago rappers alive (in my humble opinion). I haven't been this excited to dive into a project in quite a while, so lets get to it.      Every Painting Has a Price (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid & Eryn Allen Kane) - Saba and No ID start the album off charmingly with a soulful, piano-heavy instrumental, delivering humble yet vulnerable lyrics. Right away, I love how he humanizes the idea of idols, speakin...