It certainly pays to have a jack-of-all-trades in your band, but when you have five, the results are pretty magical. All the members of Denton, Texas, quintet Seryn are multi-instrumentalists (think accordion, violin, cello, ukulele, pump organ and bells), and they all share singing duties to form flawless harmonies. It’s no wonder Paste magazine named Seryn the number-one performer of SXSW this year. The band will be supporting its latest album, This Is Where We Are (Velvet Blue Music), on a U.S. tour this summer, and it also made MAGNET this awesome mix tape.
“We Will All Be Changed” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/WeWillAllBeChanged.mp3
Son Lux “Weapons VII”
Trenton: Ryan Lott, who is Son Lux, has always done impressive originals and remixes. This song is from his Weapons EP, a compilation of six remixes of the same song, and this one stands out as my favorite. Son Lux eloquently takes his orchestral compositions, sends them through the paper shredder and pastes it all back together to make driving and captivating songs. Video
Adebisi Shank “International Dreamboat”
Nathan: We found out about this band during SXSW this year. The guitar work is insane, great name and a wild stage show. They have it all. Add that to footage of someone chilling with their dog, and you have the makings of a great video. Video
Doug Burr “Should’ve Known”
Trenton: Doug’s album The Shawl was a big inspiration to Seryn, and it has been our great honor to share bills with him, as well as perform with him on some of his songs. We also had the pleasure of recording our album with Britton Beisenherz, who engineered The Shawl. This song is haunting, like much of Doug’s work, and it gives you just enough of the crescendo to leave you wanting more. Video
Maps And Atlases “Artichokes”
Aaron: I saw Maps And Atlases on tour with mewithoutYou, and they’re one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. Very-well-pulled-off math/thrash/folk, and the guy has an extremely unique voice. Video
The Middle East “Blood”
Chelsea: I love this song because it has all my favorite elements: multi-instrumentation, group vocals, guitar picking and great composition. I love the story behind the lyrics, and listening to it always turns a good day into a beautiful day. Video
Bela Fleck “Wairenziante”
Chris: I recently watched this Bela Fleck documentary Throw Down Your Heart, where he goes to Africa to play with different African musicians. I have a strong love of African music and the banjo (which is originaly an African instrument). The rhythm in African music is totally different then our traditional, Western back beats and shuffles. The music that the marimba group plays puts me in a rhythmic trance that only breaks after the music stops. Video
Baraka “Kekac (Balinese Monkey Chant)”
Nathan: Discovered this recently and recalled this song and dance being performed in the film The Fall. I had to do some more research to figure out what this was. They are reenacting a battle between Prince Rama and Evil King Ravana. Pretty amazing. Video
Bon Iver “For Emma”
Aaron: After singing an acapella version of “For Emma” in a hallway for a small crowd of people, the guys chase some Americans around (I think) France with an acoustic version of the same song. Nice harmonies and a very well-written simple song. Video
Akron/Family “Silly Bears”
Chris: There are a lot of bands out there right now getting a lot of hype for attempting doing what Akron/Family is doing, but none of them is doing it as well. The soundscapes A/F create with their recordings work as the perfect backdrop to their catchy melodies and cryptic-yet-beautiful lyrics. Video
Patrick Watson “Fireweed”
Trenton: I love the subtleties within Patrick Watson’s music, not to mention his ghostly voice. This particular song makes you wait almost an entire minute for the song to pick up, but for those who are patient, it’s worth the wait. Much of his music includes simple-yet-unique rhythmic sections by incorporating different timbres or using unconventional junk as percussion. This song leaves you feeling washed out and lost just enough to let you forget where you are. Video
