Kevin Sorbo. Justin Beiber. Madonna. Laura Palmer. Pitbull. Al-Queda. These are all the things that Kool AD claims to be on his latest song “Eroika”, which borrows cadence and metaphors stylings from Lil B circa his “I’m ______” period. I’m trying to draw a connecting line between all those people to get to the heart of who Kool A.D is. Is he trying to tell us that he’s a strong pop artist with the middle eastern typed terrorist beard? That’s the obvious assumption.

Look for “Eroika” to show up on Kool AD’s new double mixtapes 19 and 63, dropping on February 7th. Features and production will include Spank Rock, Trackademicks, Pictureplane, Young L, SKYWLKR, Keyboard Kid, and Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys. Are doing double mixtapes what’s up now? We don’t give a fuck about albums now? Is that hot? We on that Beatles/Yes wave huh. I’m getting that 1963 titling now. Kick back to the four LP release. Taking acid and listening to Beach Boy albums, while recording like Lil B. Smooth pop artist move.

Download the new mixtape from Kitty called D.A.I.S.Y Rage. This is Kitty, formerly Kitty Pryde, not to be confused with late 90s goth, nu-metal band Kittie—although D.A.I.S.Y Rage sounds like something they’d title one of their albums. Trying to rack up all those, thirty year old broads, with bad tattoos, trying to recapture their youth—I see you Kitty.

Daisy Rage has Kitty, sounding real confident over her usual, cute but ethereal beats. Heavy cotton candy cloud rap wave on this mixtape. Song topics cover the usual shit, unfollowing people on social media, hanging out with “bad” kids your parents don’t like, and emotions. Features from Antwon and Lakutis to add some testosterone to the mix. Highly recommended for those that enjoy slyly subdued punchlines, kittens, Lisa Frank aesthetics, and Tumblr.

From the dudes over at Redbull Music Academy comes this lil twelve minute documentary about “Alt r&b”, “PBR&B” or whatever other stupid moniker you want to put on dudes that aren’t Usher clones, making songs about fucking. The video features interviews from How To Dress Well, Zodiac, Miguel, and Rochelle Jordan, BadBadNotGood all pontificating on what it means to be part of the new wave of indie R&b.

Personally, I’m riding the wave of nerdy dudes creating romantical songs over beats that sound like outer space. The way I figure it, these dudes make some emotional music that sound like Star Trek sound effects, broads listen to it and feel those feelings, broads start lusting after dudes with giant holograms of 2001: A Space Odyssey in their bedrooms. Profit. All the weird r&b jams are gonna have y’alls pussy/dick games at an all time high, plus I already got every Jodeci album ever. What more is their to be said in music—r&b specifically—past “Freek’n You“?

I’ve been wearing 4 to 6 inches of height on my soles for years now. In fact, it would often feel terribly uncomfortable to be flatfooted once the wedges came off at the end of the day. As a 5 foot 3 inch tall woman it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. Frankly, the extra lift really makes me feel like a long-legged Amazonian beauty.

In September of 2012, I had my first real adult fall. I fell hard.

It was a beautiful sunny day in San Francisco (very rare), and naturally I thought it a wonderful idea to throw on the miniest of minis with a loose see-through tank and perhaps my tallest pair of black suede wedges and go shopping for cheap dresses and whatever else I could find on Haight Street that day. I’m crossing the street when all of a sudden I step in a crack and I go down. Luckily the curb was there to break my fall, and by break my fall I mean fracture my left knee. As I try to pull myself up in front of a bunch of hipsters and German tourists with blood just spurting out of my knee like a damn Tarantino film, all I could think was “God, I hope people don’t think I can’t walk in my shoes.”

The old grizzly bear that lives outside of the Tibetan trade store helped me up and said “Damn girl. It just ain’t your day.” I smiled and said “So it would seem. All I can do is get back up, baby.” and it was true. As much as I wanted to curl up and die right there, I knew the sooner I got my ass off the street, the sooner I could put this unpleasantness behind me. I walk into my destination straight mortified and holding tissue on my knee when a very flamboyant Asian teen boy looks at me and says “Oh honey, it happens to the best of us.” I was obviously the only one who cared that I fell and I couldn’t figure out why, despite my open wound I cared ONLY about what people thought. I have spent most of my life not giving a fuck and it’s served me well for the most part, why should I care now?

I spent the next month limping and the following month in physical therapy. I can’t lie, I haven’t worn heels since. I have a constant rotation of Beyonce falling YouTube clips playing on my desktop. If she can fall in front of thousands and not skip a beat, surely I can stop cowering at the site of my own shoe closet. I’m no Sasha Fierce, but perhaps I’m writing this in hopes that it will inspire me to get back on that proverbial horse, I don’t know. I can’t really afford another fall like that, but I also can’t really afford to be a pussy much longer.

This past Friday we had our first art show fo the new year at 350 Broadway, welcoming your boy Bonethrower and his maddening art into the store like a newborn baby. Except we generally ask that you don’t bring babies to the store as it’s the opposite of childproofed, there’s tons of frightening and brightly colored inappropriate shit here.

Beers were drank (shoutout to PBR for coming through with the drinks), art was consumed. Revelry was had by all, despite the snowy conditions outside. Inside, the mood was warm and the colors were hot. Lots of discussions were had about the nature of Bonethrower’s art and what kind of drugs he must be taking. This is kind of awkward when you realize dude is standing behind you, while you pray amateur art critic/psychologist. Experiences like this, and more, can be had when you come down to a Mishka art show. It’s like Disneyland for awkward, slightly drunken experiences revolving around art.

Go ahead use that one for the Yelp review, free of charge.

Sometimes I get art-crushes where I just crush out on someone purely cos their art is beyond very. There is something about Lil Death that makes my chakras dirty. They associate themselves with people like the knock out Tamara Sky and every profile picture those boys change makes me wanna click to enlarge. I’ve had H3X3N on Transmissions before but now this project has a dark, dark side-kick who draws Blood. Bites & H3X3N pull out every single depraved thought I ever had my whole life every time I press play. Pleeeease guys, keep doing what you are doing – Kitty sure loves to pony.

Speaking of crushes ugh, have you seen this yet? Actually Huizenga is the most beautiful girl in the world (or at least up there with Carmen Incarnadine who is also the most beautiful girl in the world). I looooove this video and makes me wish I had crossed to the dark side much earlier in my life. It is purely stunning and will give you all a reality dose of look-what-people-are-doing-out-there. You better get that dose in heavy drip because this is exactly what an excellent music video is. The song will take you far far away. Pick up her album here. That sultry little vixen – gimme!

Sometimes I get sick of stuff. Sometimes I get drained… Maybe my stalker came to my workplace again or maybe I had to play psychologist to a surgeon who lost a patient earlier that morning. Sometimes I get sad cos I miss my best friend from Sweden or I miss my Blammy who i.l. Sometimes things just feel a bit harsh. Whenever sucky things occur I turn my frown upside-down by listening to a little Meth Dad. I get to have a wee chuckle. I’ll never ever really know what a meth dad actually is, my dad thinks pot smokers become heroin addicts and lives his life in business meetings. When things get weird in my perspective I sit back and have a swim to awesome tracks like Tittie Kittie. Please DL this album so you too may find happiness in your day! Meth Dad you make my life complete.

Transmissions artwork by Ceremonial Dagger

Lights out and shrilled screams from the ladies. The Waiting Game. Perhaps the shouts will bring out the star faster, they thought. Hands to the sky for the solteras. I was in the nosebleeds of a coliseum, waiting for the prince of bachata music, Prince Royce, a 23-year-old Dominican crooner from the Bronx.

For those that are unfamiliar, bachata is a Caribbean (mainly Dominican) style of romantic Latin pop. Heartbreak, baby don’t go, I miss you so, that kind of music. Throw a coastal guitar and a gentle percussion and Spanish-speaking radios devour it. Aventura are the kings of bachata, Geoffrey Royce Rojas is the prince.

As the crowd waited for the main attraction, a minor Ecuadorian pop star lip-synched through three songs. Suit and tie love songs, the man telling the audience, “Cuenca es Miami, Cuenca es Colombia.” I ate salty popcorn and water and waited for my hips to move. The ladies in the front of it all pushed the fence, closer to Royce, closer to stardom, but the security guards pushed back, a tug of war on a Saturday night. Plenty of face palms, weak dance moves, and sound problems. Lip sync your way to success. Where was Royce?

I gazed around at the high-heeled lipstick with camera phones and no men around. Poor lighting, average acoustics. The only liquor bottles available were inflated on the stage, a promoted event without its product. A dry event sponsored by cheap liquor. We snuck shots in the shadows. Old women with aprons full of loose change and picnic basket candles illuminated the aisles, selling cigarettes and salty candy and popcorn. Welcome to the Latin movie theater. Whispering dealers sold plastic bags of clear liquor for too much money. An hour and a half of waiting and nothing was happening, reminding me of that DOOM concert I went to in Chicago where he arrived at midnight. But rather than hipster boo’s and upset fans, the women of Prince Royce cheered and waited patiently, as if they had never been to a concert before. At 9:25, the women started really screaming, a scream that wouldn’t halt until 11:00. Prince Royce was in the buiding. I craved to be back at my last South American concert, bouncing to Calle 13 and Manu Chao. Claro.

Bongos, drums, two keyboards, güira? So many NY hats. “rOyce,” the god moaned into the microphone, his catch phrase. He sang the hits like “El Amor Que Perdimos” (the love that we lost) and “Corazón Sin Cara” (faceless heart). The women ran rampant, snapping memories into their phones. 8,000 women screaming for love, agreeing with his words that are scribbled in their journals and Facebook statuses. Silver jacket player, Royce knew exactly what he was doing, telling all the ladies he loved them. It was the loudest show I have ever been to and I was in the rafters. Louder than the time I found myself in front of eight monster speakers for Ratatat. Louder than your nagging wife.

Royce kissed the microphone and it traveled to the whole country’s heart. So many lady boners, so many loners. Taking your girl to Royce in South America is like taking your lady to see Justin Timberlake or Cirque du Soleil in Vegas. It was the horniest concert I have ever been to. I am your dream, he says. Come with me, he wails. So many after party pregnancies.

People bought posters with “Stand By Me” lyrics in Spanish. People made t-shirts. Women continued screaming.  All Royce had to do was pout his lips, kiss into the mic, and he was golden. Anything more and a riot would have exploded. Small efforts were needed for the prince, one who knows all about everlasting love and sensual tricks.

All through Ecuador, in the taxis, on the beaches, in the clubs when the nights are ending, Royce is everywhere. The crowd for the singer was 20% guys, maybe; This was ladies night. Royce spent ten minutes looking for a girl to bring on stage, filler when you only have ten good songs. When he chose his poison, the girl died, and he revived her with a kiss, one that killed the rest of the audience.

Falsetto V-necks and background music videos of women bathing. If your panties weren’t to the side, The-Dream style, they were on the stage, dripping for Royce. What Enrique does for your mom, what Bieber does for boys, Royce does for all of Ecuador. Look out late October, numerous babies will enter this world.

I saw Sigur Ros in Guadalajara, Mexico and the venue employees gave everyone condoms when they entered the stadium. Did’t they realize that we were all going to sleep afterwards, to dream of unreachable mountains and warm sweaters? At Royce’s show, on the other hand, home of a sex god, the most attractive person named Royce (sorry, Royce Clayton), they handed out liquor. Quietly, but quickly.

Roses thrown to the crowd led to face scratches. Bachata bitches got ratchet. Ratchata. That was a stretch, but the stadium status spectacle was enough to hold over the ladies until Royce swings through again in a year or two. An audience of thousands swaying back and forth, sneaking kisses to strangers that feel like having fun. I was reminded of Bruno Mars.

After an hour and a half of half-assed songs with a band that acted like they were backing Jay Leno, Royce knew the ladies couldn’t scream anymore, that they would be mute the next morning, so he called it quits fast, no one seeming to mind the brief concert of screams and poor sways. It was better than last Saturday, the mascara smears and liquor burps told me.  Only three or four more months until another big act swings through Ecuador. Until then, my ears will continue to ring screams for the prince. $25.00 well worth it.

What seems to have started as a small headless web-collective has grown into a nebulous massive net-label with releases from artists such as I††, VS//YOUTHCLUB, ▲NDRΛS, Witchboy, and Tash Wilmore and now even an Aural Sects mixtape for Long Clothing.

spf50, Pe† Ceme†ery aka Bunny, and Jack Mitchell aka FIre Coral sit down with MISHKA correspondant CUN Pittsburgh for a little internet chatter. Let’s cut right to the quick and let the Aural Sects.

What is the Aural Sects story and what spurred the genesis of the collective?
Aural Sects began when a group of like-minded musicians met and became friends through the online witch house scene – a few n00bs and a couple of 1337 old hands. After sharing our music between ourselves, we decided we wanted a platform to throw our music at people from, and also include a few people’s music we felt was criminally unappreciated. We started originally as a collective with everyone involved, but it soon became clear that some people were just more interested in their own projects. Eventually we whittled down the numbers so that just Joe (Spf50) and Bunny (Pet Cemetery) remain, supported by Jack (Fire Coral) and Micah (I AM WATER) who is now serving as our visual co-ordinator, as well as a few friends and phamilee who help as and when they can.

We were founded purely through a shared love of underground dark electronic music – the entire label would’ve been impossible without the social media boom. None of us knew each other – even remotely – before the glory of the internet connected us together through our mutual interests. Micah aka I Am Water was one of the main AS peeps and now he is the artistic coordinator

What was the reason for him to move positions?
Honestly, it was mostly just a time issue – Micah, in the end, wasn’t able to commit fully to the role of co-manager, so he felt it appropriate to have dominion over the one aspect of the label he felt was his major strong point, which was the art direction. When we were first founded, we all thought everyone would have equal input in EVERYTHING, but over time people have found the phenomenal pace of the label (life at the speed of internet!) difficult to keep up with.

What is the philosophy of AS and how does it shape your direction and daily workings as a label?
We began on the net, we grew up on the net, and we operate on the net. Our philosophy tends to revolve around the same principles the net grew up on – openness, a distaste for figures who have a monopoly on power (in our case the larger music industry and the dinosaurs it houses), being by and for the artists, and having no binds over the artists we release, and doing it all for the lulz. Also, we tend to release whatever we like, which has ended up guiding our release rate (which averages at just under one release a week).

How does 2013 look for AS? What are the big plans that you can share with us?
2013 is looking pretty mighty, with physical albums from Moon Mirror, Spell Hound and Madden all appearing before the Summer, and free releases from Psychic Rites, Marie Dior and a whole raft of others. We’re looking to put on a SXSW show, get a few of our acts touring, and looking (as always) to move into putting out vinyl.

You’ve done some great comps, Blam Lord’s Quest, the split with Pale Noir…any more big comps in the works?
Apart from a relatively small tribute to Marilyn Manson’s “Mechanical Animals” compilation, we actually don’t have any planned. Maybe it’s time to start another…

Oldschool MISHKA fam Nattymari has done some releases with AS and you even did a tribute of remixes of his tracks that I was lucky enough to be asked to participate in (Funny enough Nattymari responded with his own set of remixes of the remixes). What do you guys think of Nattymari’s immense output and secret identities/artistic aliases?
Natty is, has been, and always be integral to the pham. He was one of our collective tutors way back in the beginning when most of us were just starting out. We’re all fond of his output (both musical and literary). His output is MASSIVE and all bizarre outsider-art of the highest calibre. Much luv Nattypham ♥

What do you guys think about Seapunk and the recent stir around the Rihanna performance on SNL?
All forms of art get commodified at some point, whether it be into the mainstream pop circuit, or simply into another underground genre. It can be unfair, but in another way it can be seen as that pop and the underground are gradually fusing together. Look at artists like Charli XCX, an out-and-out pop singer, working with both mainstream producers and underground producers simultaneously. To heavy internet users who get most of their music recommendations from friends of friends, a Rihanna youtube vid looks much the same as a Charli XCX music vid. Everything’s becoming one thing, and it’s all becoming each other faster each year. Also to be noted without pop culture borrowing from the “underground”, causing things to lose their novelty and appeal to many, a lot of great new art movements wouldn’t exist. Once “sacred” or niche things become popularized forcing creative artists to come up with new underground culture, it’s all a very necessary cyclical process as old as the arts themselves.

I heard AS has a new website in the worx, what is the story on that?
We’ve always wanted our own website – a place where you get all of our vast output in one place, neatly organised, along with a way to discover new music, learn more about the artists and get news directly from us, since the social networking we grew up on seems to have been broken. Also, we see ourselves as a net-positive group, and having a central hub that’s relatively independent was a desirable thing for us to have – a proper home on the world wide webernet. The website is hopefully going to be all of these things and more soon, including some very specific fan bits that you’ll be able to access if you have a membership card and number, but that’s all in the pipeline. Watch this space!

Bunny, I see you have been playing shows lately in the UK. How is that all going and how are things going for Pet Cemetery?
I’ve played a couple of small shows in UK – one under the Witch House London (WHLND) banner, and one as part of the initial Griefcore meeting in Glasgow (shoutout to the Griefers). After the second I realized I have a fairly decent live set together, with a theatrical script, that I’m very proud of, so I’m looking to gig more in future. The past year or so I’ve seen as just attempting to find my feet, sonically, but I feel I’m finally approaching a sonic palette that I’m happy with for now. All things being well, you should expect a series of EPs from me in the new year, as well as some new music under a different direction, under the name ≥ (or greater than or equal to).

Jack your project is Fire Coral. What is the current direction of your music and what do you have planned for the future for your music?
Jack Mitchell: Over the space of two years, my music for Fire Coral has evolved to the point where it’s now 80s-centric; with a few genre tangents. I didn’t intend for this to happen, but I am happy it has turned out this way because I have never been more comfortable, since the inception of this project, with the vibe of the music. I will release a couple more tracks soon and then I will put Fire Coral on hiatus while I focus on another project. It’s not the beginning of the end, however.

Joe, your project is spf50. You had some great things happen this year including the remix of Crystal Castles which they posted and your current collab project Sniper Wolf. What is in the works for you?
Joe Royster: Well, I just put out a collaborative EP with my friend called Velours Rose which is quite a bit different than anything else I’ve been making. Also worth noting is the other collab EP i put out with German witch house producer ViatataiV “Strange Daze”. In terms of what’s coming, mostly focusing on finishing up the Sniper Wolf LP I’m making with A$$ R^IN then from there we’re gonna do another similar concept project based on our mutual love of all things Metal Gear Solid called “Gray Fox” which is based on the cyborg ninja character from the series. I believe that’s really all I can think of as of right now but I’m sure that’ll keep me quite busy. Maybe a few singles for free download from my main project, spf50, which is more focused on kinda house-y cyberpunk/dreamy vibes now more than anything witch house per se, Anyone who wants to keep up with any or all of this can do so just check out my facebook page i keep it pretty up-to-date.

Micah, what’s planned for I AM WATER? How do you see the future of your project?
Micah Clark: As for right now, I do have a few projects here and there, including a project featuring (AS favourite and pham) Blam Lord and Bobbi Dahl, but as far as the long run is concerned, I’m returning to a place of strictly visual work under the handle Mizo (and/or just my name). Music will come here and there, but I excel in the visual field, so that’s really my focus.

I really dig the VS//YOUTHCLUB release, how do you guys feel about VS//YOUTHCLUB and will there be more VS//YOUTHCLUB in the future on Aural Sects?
We absolutely adore VS//YOUTHCLUB. Their blend of modern dance music and indie songwriting skills is something I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the future. Both releases (the WAVES EP and the follow-up remix EP, TIDE OUT) are absolutely stellar, and the lads have been working on something since just before the last EP appeared, so we expect to see them release something with us in the future. We’re hoping to eventually re-release some of their previous tracks on vinyl in the future also.

Looking back on what you guys have done as AS, do you think you should have done anything differently?
Honestly, probably better organisation and a way for people to be able to go through our back catalogue a little easier would have been good to have done differently.

Collectively, what are you most proud of?
Our bangin’ style.

Today marked a glorious day in the history of education. Not since the destruction of Alexandria’s and Timbuktu’s libraries has so much information been put on display, for those that thirst for knowledge. Professor Gucci Mane or Dr. LaFlare, if you’re not into brevity, lectured junior high school students in Atlanta for career day. His classes were dedicated to discussing what it takes to become a rapper, and other typical career day topics. Discussions of “how one becomes a ‘Freaky Gurl’” were apparently off limits.

Limiting The Gooch to such mundane and pedestrian topics really seems like a waste. Gucci could’ve easily given  several riveting lectures, off the top of my head I’d love to hear him discuss “Burrr: A Survey Of Climate Change Theories”, “Ornithology of East Atlanta”, “BurrRussia, Great Burritan, Guccimerica: The Rise and Fall of Empires in the 20th Century”, “Expert Level Alliteration, Allusion and Analogies”, and “Six Stoves in the House & Everybody Cooking or Home Economics”.

The career day events went smoothly save for one incident when a smaller child  asked “If you were a rapper that fell off, how would you get back on?” The child was revealed to be former Gucci protege OJ Da Juiceman, in a clean Osh Kosh overalls fit.

The Keep Watch logo is iconically creepy. A disembodied, unblinking eye just staring at you; judging you, silently pointing out your flaws. A mixture of that creepy dude on the train and your disappointed grandmother, wrapped up as a veiny image. That’s why you guys wear ‘em and put em on all sorts of shit—because you want other people to feel weird and unsettled. We respect the hustle, we too are about that life.

From time to time, we like to kick back though. Enjoy life a lil bit. Chill the fuck out, you know? Maybe watch How High on cable or some shit. Play Borderlands for-fucking-ever, get into a screaming match with a Korean kid on Starcraft 2. Straight coolin’. All kinds of lifestyle adventures. The Stoney Keep Watch die cut stickers that our friends at Sticker Robot just printed for us, really celebrates that lifestyle choice. These aren’t for sale, but if you order something or stop by the store who knows what kind of extra surprise you might find inside the package?

^{* For the cheap asses among you, it’s not the kind of surprise that police dogs can sniff out or that gets you a federal charge for shipping it through the mail. It’s just the sticker. We’re not expanding into a weed delivery service.}