KSCU's New Year in Music

Summer MezaTHE SANTA CLARAJanuary 15, 2015

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] new year in music means a blank slate for budding artists, trending genres and established legends alike. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will make 2015 their year, whether with a huge album release or introducing the public to a fresh new sound. As calendars flip to January, music lovers are eyeing the scene to predict what will be blasting in listeners’ earbuds this year.

Big names, bigger albums

This year, both Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar are slotted to release delayed albums, which will undoubtedly set the bar for hip-hop in 2015. While both artists are well-known already, the changing sound may well be what sets these upcoming albums apart.

“(West) has released one track,” said senior Danny Hunt, a DJ at KSCU. “It sounds very different, so he’ll probably be surprising us quite a bit.”

On the indie front, electronic-aficionados are advised to keep their eye on Tame Impala, the psychedelic rock group from Australia known for fuzzy synth melodies that sound straight out of John Lennon’s rhythmic, danceable dream-space.

“They’ve only had one radio single so far in their career,” said Hunt. “But they have such a huge, dedicated fan base that their next album has got to be impressive."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycjnCCgUes

When it comes to who will be huge in music this year, check out the anticipated releases, which, fingers crossed, will live up to the hype, but don’t forget about the underdogs as well.

The sounds of  2015

“It’s going to be a pretty rap-heavy year,” said Andrew Weaver, another DJ at KSCU. “One of the best things about hip-hop, though, is that it’s so multi-faceted.”

Those who are not fans of catchy radio hits about excessive wealth need not turn away from the genre this year, as much music is becoming increasingly politicized.

“We’re starting to see a new wave of conscious rap coming around,” said Weaver. “Protests, racial injustice and social unrest in the country are getting addressed.”

Outside of lyrical content, electronic music is beginning to have increasing influence on many genres, in addition to growing more popular as a genre itself by the day. Many artists are leaving the standard setup of a guitar, a drum set and a bass in search of electronic music production, including synthesizers and other futuristic sounds.

Generational trademarks

We are officially at the halfway point of the decade, and the legacy of this generation should be beginning to form by now. Whether we are the ones who officially transitioned to exclusively electronic sounds, the ones who love Internet culture and verbal hashtags in our lyrics, or the generation who jumped from musical trend to trend based on Twitter virality, it’s still hard to say.

“People like being surprised,” said Hunt. “Who could have predicted in 2013 that one of the next year’s big stars would be some random white girl rapper from Australia? People are open to something new.”

Predictions and patterns aside, Hunt made one confident prophecy that rings clear for both KSCU DJs: “I think we’re going to see something that will be considered timeless this year.”

Contact Summer Meza at sameza@scu.edu .