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“Get Refreshed” is a monthly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here. On Sidia… and Dolly’s Midas Touch I’d like to introduce everyone to the world’s best A&R. You’ve probably never heard her name before, just hear me out. It’s d0llywood1. Yes, this obscure, unheard-of A&R doesn’t work for a major label, nor is she even working in this little thing called the “music industry” whatsoever. She’s actually just like all of you out there – an admirer of modern underground music; a proponent of the future; a real music listener, if you will. Many of your favorite artists working today were originally discovered by her, and just because you’ve never heard her name before, doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate her for this very fact alone. In all seriousness, Dolly is not just the best damn rapper and all-around performer for her age. She’s truly the best A&R who’s not really an A&R. From Lei, to Kyenn, to pretty much everyone in SillyTeam who wasn’t popping before the collective started, she’s co-signed some of the most talented acts in the grander Internet music landscape before practically anyone else did before. Much like being a “Paul …

“Get Refreshed” is a weekly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here.  Cover by Nick D’Apolito Preface: In Memory of Lucas Foster This column is not the place for mourning, but it certainly is the place for memorializing. So much has been said about the impact of Lucas Foster – a beyond-exceptional writer who suddenly passed away this weekend – by so many others far closer to him; as a longtime admirer of his work, craft, and overall presence in the grander music blogging space, however, I feel as though I have a necessity to extend my greatest gratitude for what he was able to do during his short, yet remarkably resounding life as an equal-parts human being and master of their craft.  Be it subconsciously or direct as can be, reading the work of Lucas whenever I could inspired many of the undertakings I went through in my much more active blogging days. He was the ever-true root that others, and even he himself, grew out of as this online blogging landscape blossomed more and more over time. By extension of this notion, it would be difficult to dispute that anyone …

“Get Refreshed” is a weekly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here.  Cover by Alejo Andres Remembering To Forget With Cat Mother Any creative eager to move towards new beginnings in their artistic career might focus on the idea of the “future” more than anything else. Most creatives would more than likely share this belief in full; planning out how things might turn out in going through with an artistic transition is much better than going in blind, obviously.  But what’s even more obvious is this: Quinn – the 16-year-old phenom of the online music world – has never, and will never, be classified under the title of “most creatives.” Simply put, we’re dealing with a talent who stands completely amongst themselves in regards to their place in the modern music landscape as a whole, and nothing better exemplifies that than their brand new artistic endeavor under the pseudonym “Cat Mother.”  This fresh title has arrived with an equally-fresh outlook in regards to their craft. The immense, impactful, and influential waves that they have already created with their past pop-centric work has been effectively concealed and placed out of sight by way …

Being as purposefully off-putting, obscure, and abrasive as ever while still withholding the tried and true appealing facets of traditional pop and hip-hop is one of the most defining features that the rising next era of both those genres alike hold so closely. Artists in this light not only have the ability to make music in this manner, but their willingness to do so is just as apparent in the process.  Through any necessary measure, even the most sporadic and off-the-cuff approach to those aforementioned genres can be transformed into such a gripping and entrancing experience — one that is not too dissimilar to far more “traditional” examples of their respective statuses in the past. This notion has become normalized today due to the immense work put in by a number of this new era’s most apparent progenitors.  Among these incredibly influential acts is Novagang’s very own Ways, who has played an integral role in shaping what can only be described as not just the future of those specific genre tags as expressed before, but the grander future of popular music to an extent. Their work up to this point – what with their equal-parts solemn and soaring vocal approach …