This month brought WIDR’S rotation rack some poppy guitar and sweet layered vocals. Our WIDR staff picked some of their favorites for a July playlist that would fit any hot afternoon or beach day. 1. “Don’t Take the Money” , by Bleachers off the album Gone Now This song comes first on the album giving off some fun summer pop vibes. With the lyrics that make you want to shout them out loud, it’s a song that most people at WIDR can’t stop playing. A full album review is available on WIDRS blog by DJ Annie. 2. “Feel It Still” , by Portugal. The Man off the album Woodstock This super feel good song, comes in with simple fun lyrics and a blaring trumpets. It’s jam that makes 3. “Hard to Say Goodbye” , by Washed Out off the album Mister Mellow Fading into a slower but still upbeat synth-wave song with some great samples, this song feels cool. It feels like taking a dip into the water after sunbathing, it’s refreshing and new. And in true Washed Out style you don’t really know what they are saying but it all sounds so pretty. 4. “In Undertow”, by Alvvays the single from the album AntiSocialites coming out soon Ridding off of the synth we have a Alvvays new single. Everyone at the WIDR office is waiting for Alvvays sophomore album, so this single has been on constant replay. Alvvays style reigns melodic with sweet vocals and a surf rock electric guitar. It’s a song that will hold nostalgia for July when the summer fades. 5. “My Lover Cindy” , by Marika Hackman off the album I’m not your man The simple guitar riffs and sweet low vocals of this song feels so relaxing it’s like stepping into warm sand. The song is littered with great pops of color in its lyrics, harmonies, and instruments. 6. “Different Nowt” , by Chasity Belt off the album I used to Spend So Much Time Alone Echoing off the simple indie guitar in “My Lover Cindy” comes this amazing little guitar tune by the Chastity Belt’s. They prove once again they know how to use their guitars with addicting chords and melodies. It fits in our summer playlist with it’s easy summer feel perfectly. 7. “Heartbreak Summer (feat. K.Flay) ” , by RAC off the album EGO Our finale song on our playlist lyrics are perfect for anyone who is over summer, and is also perfect for anyone looking for some more surfer rock melodic summer jams. It’s a perfect song to end the day at the beach with a feel good chorus and raspy vocals. It’s like getting an ice cream or slush after a long day in the sun.

WIDR FM Volunteer Peter Warner traveled to the East side for Waking Windows Festival in Detroit and got some sick shots of his favorite acts! (Priests) (Margaret Glaspy) (Julie Byrne)

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

We're so excited for Mo Pop this weekend... we decided to make a Mo Pop inspired playlist full of bands we can't wait to see!!!

Beach Fossils starts their album with a jingle jangle of a song with This Year. The next two songs Tangerine and Saint Ivy stay with this similar sound. Acoustic guitar, strings, light non obtrusive drums fill the mix, with the ethereal vocals playing the overarching glue to the sound. The bass guitar line that fills space in the 4th track May 1st! With percussive shakers, this song moves along as if it belongs in Morning Phase from Beck. The non lyrical chorus ahh feel right in place throughout the song, while also giving us more guitar sounds then previous. May 1st transitions perfectly into Rise. A slow spoken word jazzy mid album slow down. This is one of my favorite moments within the album. A serious separation from previous motifs. Sugar is 6th on the album, and we start to explore more psychedelic, modern indie. Background drumset part feels great, and you can really hear a lot of different bands within this sound, while also sounding unique to this group. Closer Everywhere gives us a harpsichord to start, and if that doesn't follow the Beatlesness of this group, I don’t know what does! Other than surprise use of a older instruments, this song has some gold hidden inside. Social Jetlag is our next sound, and it feels much like previous songs on the album. The keys give this sound a wonderful lightness. The horns too are quite something. Down The Line is next, and is one of the most uptempo songs to be heard. Be Nothing is second to last, and it is the longest song on the album. With the drawn out chorus, and simplistic lyrics make this all work. Closing this album is the aptly named That’s All for Now the closer gives us much of what we’ve come use to from the album, but throwing a couple songwriting flairs within this upbeat, fun, indie closer! I loved my first experience with this group, and look forward to more.

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

DJ Contra Asset has put together a playlist full of songs he's been jamming to this month!

This year WIDR is proud be working press for Pitchfork 2017. We will be up close and personal with bands and guests. If you are going to be at the festival try and find us and say hello! Here is a little playlist of bands play Pitchfork from the WIDR Directors to you. Please Enjoy!!! LCD Soundsystem “American Dream” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1MUKOJIIo Dirty Projectors “Little Bubble” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IG5f50olZA Frankie Cosmos “Too Dark” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZv4K7JawbI Vince Staples “Norf Norf” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6Jc4juSF8 Priests “JJ” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbWfKVBpvZY Angel Olsen “Forgiven/Forgotten” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PinTAGbIsV4 Mitski “Happy” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ0O2vDT0VE Vagabon “The Embers” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTo_Dsa8ijM S U R V I V E “Copter” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GxTBxSntLw A Tribe Called Quest “Dis Generation” – https://youtu.be/kQaSDJYwdh4 George Clinton & The Funkadelic “Bring The Funk” – https://youtu.be/CiTh8BQ4oVU Nicolas Jaar “Mi Mujer”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Upj_Ib30K4 The Avalanches “Because I’m Me” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0KsZ_MVBc Pinegrove “Old Friends” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkb26vFEp94 NE-HI “Turncoat” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJK6Qkbb6E Colin Stetson “Spindrift” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJHr2DlRog8 Solange “Cranes in the Sky” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0qrinhNnOM

He’s written for pop musicians like Taylor Swift, Lorde and Sia. But expanded outside of the top 40 world to work with Grimes, Troye Sivan, and St. Lucia. His 80’s inspired slow building synth beat’s all leave hints in his other works, and their lyrics have a poetic quality that captures a feeling rather than a scene. Lorde credited him with giving her the best song writing advice ever by saying “Happiness is a for tourist write you little f*****”. So it’s no surprise that Jack Antonoff album number two captures that eighties pop bliss without it being overdone and lyrics sits in the perfect of spot of crazy and sane. I feel like everyone does an 80’s inspired pop ballad today. It can be easily overdone but Bleachers doesn’t take that route. This album is such a pop album, which isn’t a bad thing. There’s a question and answer format with the riffs with a lot of songs that grab your attention. But the real quality of the album lies within its lyrics. They are easy lyrics something you can memorize within 3 listens of a song. But the simplicity and ease of the lyrics are what make some of the best lines on the album. The raw honest that doesn’t grab at details but rather an emotion makes the song feel like it can become anybodys. In “Everybody Lost Somebody”, there’s a cool little saxophone riff, but the song has such belt your heart out vibe. It’s pop-ease makes the harsh reality of the lyrics feel fun, it’s like laughing at your own sadness. In one of my favorite songs “Don’t Take the Money” Jack doesn’t mention any pronouns. He doesn’t call out a specific gendered romantic interest that he’s singing about, even though the song is very much a heartbreak new love song. This breakaway from details, which normally makes lyrics and writing so relatable and special, allows for a new freedom of interpretation. Best tracks: Don’t Take the Money, All My Heros, Everybody Lost Somebody

YBOT & WIDR present Music at the Library. The new "Tiny Desk" inspired series showcases WMU music artists performing in a very raw and stripped down environment

The Splatterhouse - Two Hours of industrial, metal, goth, punk, and other types of electronic jams! The darkest, heaviest, filthiest show on WIDR FM! Friday nights from Midnight to 2am! We sat down with DJ WILL KILL and asked about his experiences here at WIDR FM. How long have you been DJing at WIDR? I’ve been DJing at WIDR since January 2016 but I’ve been volunteering with WIDR since Fall 2015. What is your most memorable moment at WIDR? Being able to interview artists that I’ve respected and been a fan of for a long time have been my proudest moments at WIDR. I got to interview Edsel Dope from Dope, Zoog Von Rock from Angelspit and more! Who would be your dream guest to have on your show? I’d like to have myself on my own show as an interview subject! Nobody ever asks me anything. Seriously though, I would love to have Jimmy Urine from Mindless Self Indulgence on my show. I feel like he would be a lot of fun to interview. But I wouldn’t say no to Al Jourgensen of Ministry or Dave Wyndorf from Monster Magnet either! What does WIDR and Radio Evolution mean to you? Growing up and going through high school, I never joined a single club or extracurricular activity because nothing ever interested me. So the fact that DJing for WIDR has become such a passion of mine surprises even myself, sometimes. Even with as popular as other types of electronic music have become in the United States, I feel that Industrial is still super-underrepresented, and DJing through WIDR means being able to give it an outlet, and I’m honored to be able to be the one to do it. The fact that I get to play music that I love and care about and have been listening to since my single digit years to a wide audience means so much to me, and I have a niche in Kalamazoo, because Kalamazoo in general isn’t really an Industrial-music type city. If even one person listens to my show and hears something that makes them think, “Wow, this is cool! What IS this?” and looks it up, then my job is done. I have spread the good word of Industrial music. On top of helping with exposure, I also get props and love from the bands that I play! Whether it be a nice message, free promotional downloads, or an interview, I get a deep amount of satisfaction that the bands I play take notice of my show. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I get to interview my heroes! I get to talk to artists and bands that I’ve admired for a long time on my show, and if that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is! All of this is what WIDR means to me. I get to live the rockstar lifestyle, and I can’t even play any instruments! Most importantly, WIDR FM has provided me with a network of friends, colleagues, and like-minded individuals. WIDR FM has made my time at Western Michigan University well worth it. I wouldn’t change any of it for anything!

This month brought WIDR’S rotation rack a lot of synth-pop, synth wave music and just 80’s feeling electric music. Our DJ and staff picked some of their favorites for a June playlist that would fit any night drive to the beach. 1. “Do You Want Love?” , by Dave Depper off the album Emotional Freedom Technique This song comes first on the album giving off groovy night time drive vibes. It also comes first on our playlist due to it’s to the tandem of its lyrics and melody. 2. “Bedtime Intimacy” , by Das Mortal off the album Always Loved Creating more of spacey night time drive on our playlist is this upbeat but slightly dark synth-wave tune from Das Mortal. The song comes third on the album and features little colorful pop of sounds that definitely feel very 80’s. 3. “Stay Close” , by darkDARK off the EP Heathered Fading into a slower synth-wave song with melodic soft vocals and darker notes is this funky futuristic song by electronic duo darkDARK. Unique with it’s use of analogue synths, it helps move the playlist along in it’s 80’s vibes. 4. “Feel It (feat. Anfa Rose)”, by Jackal off the EP Endorphins Ridding off of the darker notes of “Stay Close” we fade into this EDM-R&B tune. The vocals are smooth which makes the hard waves of sound in the chorus stand out, but it blends itself together nicely to still create a vibe of night time, making it fit uniquely in our playlist. 5. “Heatwave” , by L.A. Takedown off the album II Bouncing off the darker EDM sounds in “Feel It” this songs slower synth wave is a good come down song from the earlier vibes. It builds in drum and synth to reach a melodic feel good tone. 6. “Lannoy Point” , by Ride off the album Weather Diaries “A lone echoing guitar, and slowly builds instruments on top of each other as the tempo picks up.” This song has been a must play at WIDR with a full album review by Emily Sabourin. It fits in our playlist with it’s darker guitar riffs but airy backbeat. 7. “Rules” , by Hoops off the album Routines Our finale song on our playlist comes from semi-local Grand Rapids band Hoops. A perfect beach tune with spring guitar and synth-pop vocals. Ending our June favorites playlist on a dreamy note.