Staley Sharples

An Interview With: Holly Herndon

For those unfamiliar with this brilliant musician, Holly Herndon is an electronic artist that explores the space between human and machine, and seeks to unionize the two entities in her music. Her 2015 album, Platform, was cited as one of the best albums of the year by The Guardian, NME, and Pitchfork. I had the pleasure [continued]
Essentials: “My Hands” – AYER

I think I may be the only person above the age of 17 who cites Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist as a favorite movie, but I do. One of my favorite parts about that movie is the soundtrack – it was a pretty great collection of approachable late-aughts indie rock, perfectly setting the scene for a fun teenage [continued]
Essentials: “Favorite” – Manus

We often listen to music to help us express all the emotions we can’t say, aided by the use of artists’ meaningful metaphors and coy similes. Drake‘s moody double-speak lyrics provide great fodder for sad tweets about fighting with your dickhead boyfriend, just as Beyonce‘s confident words allow us to convey bravado and poise when we’re #flexing [continued]
Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge Team Up For NxWorries Collab Album

Following their debut EP Link Up & Suede, West Coast artists Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge have revealed their plans for a full-length NxWorries collaborative album, Yes Lawd. The album is set to drop on October 21st, via Stones Throw. Listen to a new NxWorries track, “Lyk Dis”, and pre-order the album on iTunes. [continued]
Essentials: “To Say Goodbye” – Slushii

Looking to kick off your Friday with a little flashback? Slushii‘s “To Say Goodbye” encapsulates the good old days of melodic UKF-style dubstep, bringing together modern electronic elements and the bass-heavy, expansive sound we all grew up on. Rainbow-brite synths burst through the track, perfectly complimenting the wistful vocals for a vibe that’s reminiscent of [continued]
Essentials: “Gold Dust (feat. Semma)” – King Henry

LA-based producer King Henry has had a busy year so far – he’s the brains behind Beyonce‘s “All Night” and Major Lazer‘s summer smash “Cold Water”. Now, the TeamSupreme affiliate is set to step into the spotlight and showcase more of his brilliant work with his upcoming EP, Don’t Stay Away. “Gold Dust” is a sample [continued]
PressPlay Mixes #019: So Durand

So Durand is a producer and DJ residing in Canada, and he’s about to be one of your new must-listen artists. His skills on the decks are unparalleled – he’s played with everyone from Hudson Mohawke to Cashmere Cat. He’s got incredible production that rivals his beatmatching prowess, creating tunes that defy genre and experiment with new [continued]
Great Big Summer Giveaway #4: A Pair of North Coast Music Festival Passes

In the last of our summer ticket giveaways, we’re giving our readers a chance to win a pair of tickets to React Presents’s North Coast Music Festival. Check out the lineup now – this is one you don’t want to miss. Occurring over Labor Day weekend (September 2nd-4th), the all-ages festival features headliners such as [continued]
Premiere: “Set Me Free” – WNWD

“Set Me Free” is a moody, psychedelic house tune from Florida trio WNWD, and we’re thrilled to be premiering it on WeArePressPlay. Listen to the track here, and read our interview below. Set Me Free from WNWD on Vimeo. Hey guys! So glad to be premiering your newest track, “Set Me Free”. Would you mind [continued]
You Can’t Miss Netflix’s “The Get Down”

Netflix’s newest addition, The Get Down, sounds like a music lover’s fever dream – a Baz Luhrmann directed period show about the budding roots of hip hop at the end of the disco era. Nas is an executive producer. Oh, and Grandmaster Flash is an associate producer. INCREDIBLE, RIGHT? Netflix describes the series as “a mythic [continued]