YouthandHysteria – On An Indefinite Hiatus

Hey guys,

You may (or may not) be wondering why I haven’t updated YouthAndHysteria in about three months. The truth is that I’m beginning to lose interest in this website. I’m currently working for a great platform under SpinMedia’s Idolator as an editorial assistant, and that takes up the majority of my time. I was planning on learning how to juggle my new job while still upkeeping YouthAndHysteria (my baby), but it is just not working. I don’t want any of my readers to feel abandoned because I’ve been so mum over the last few weeks, but it’s important for me to let you all know what the real deal is.

Along with not have key time management skills, my writer’s block has been at an all-time high lately and I don’t know how to fix it. My motivation for writing (outside my job of course) is not totally lost, but it is not easily retrievable either. I do thank my readers for the wild support — you have been so good to me since I started this joyride four years back.

I don’t know when I’ll return to this site, but hopefully it will be sooner than later.

This sucks…

Music Bite: Governors Ball Releases 2015 Lineup

Straight after the announcement of Coachella 2015, Governors Ball has also dropped their lineup for this year! The NYC music festival will be headlined by rapper du jour, Drake, but also features big-name artists like the Black Keys, Lana Del Rey, Florence + The Machine and Bjork.

Other acts include Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Chromeo, The War on Drugs, Ratatat, Hot Chip, Flying Lotus, SBTRKT, Kaytranada, ODESZA, Kiesza, Conor Oberst, Death From Above 1979, Future Islands, Twin Shadow, Sharon Van Etten, Charli XCX, Marina and the Diamonds, MØ, Little Dragon, DIIV, Mayer Hawthorne.

As always, the festival will take place June 5th – 7th on Randall’s Island. Three-day general admission and VIP passes are available here beginning Friday, January 9th.

View the official poster after the jump!

2014: A Year In Music – Youth & Hysteria’s Best of the Best

As 2014 comes to a close with only a few days to spare, I’ve taken the time to look back at all the music highlights from this year. To be honest, the past 12 months were very basic and there was not much to write home about. Nonetheless, I’ve somehow managed to gather the best moments of 2014. This is my most jam-packed post of the year, so get ready!

Pop Song of the Year: “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith

R&B Song of the Year: “New Flame” by Chris Brown feat. Usher & Rick Ross

Hip-Hop Song of the Year: “Worst Behavior” by Drake

Rock Song of the Year: I honestly don’t have one.

Indie/Alternative Song of the Year: “Two Weeks” by FKA Twigs

Remix of the Year: “***Flawless” by Beyonce feat. Nicki Minaj

Electronic/Dance Song of the Year: “Hideaway” by Kiesza

Dancehall Song of the Year: “Everything Nice” by Popcaan

Reggae Song of the Year: “Here Comes Trouble” by Chronixx

Street Anthem of the Year: “Hot Nigga” by Bobby Shmurda

Jungle Doctors Return With New Single “Can You See It”: Listen

Jungle Doctors is following up their upbeat “The Sea And The Rain” single with their latest track, “Can You See It.” Promoted as the second taste of their forthcoming, as-yet-untitled EP, the tune is surely a winner!

It kicks off with crashing percussion that immediately grabs your attention, and smooths itself out with velvety harmonies and fuzzy synths. Take a listen below, and be sure to download the track for free.

Dream Lake’s “Let Us Stay In The Light” Video: Watch

Swedish pop duo Dream Lake are back with a new video for their latest single, “Let Us Stay In The Light.” The romantic and ethereal tune gets an equally whimsical visual, as it displays friends and couples enjoying each other’s company. It is all glossed over with a charming filter that will transport you to the mid-’60s. Check it out up top!

Dream Lake caught the attention of the music world with their self-titled EP, released in December 2013. They are a Swedish synth-pop duo comprised of Isabella Svärdstam and Niklas Willar Lidholm. They describe their music as “expressing the emotional state that oscillates between dream and reality. Melancholic tones and lyricism, combine in serene beauty.”

Michael Weferling’s 3-D Celebrates Its 1-Year Anniversary: Revisit The EP

Last Spring, I introduced Michael Weferling to Youth and Hysteria Artist Spotlight, a few months before the pop artist released his debut EP on October 20 – titled 3-D. Since then, Weferling has moved to NYC in dreams of making it big. He has performed at various shows in the city in hopes of catching the attention of music execs, and if he keeps up with his determination, that dream may come true sooner than later!

In my review of 3-D, “Soldier For Our Love” was my clear favorite: “…a power anthem that was first released back in April but is now remastered and free of the flaws that stopped it from becoming a solid pop tune. The synth-heavy production, which was once submissive, is now boastful and pairs well with Weferling’s strong vocals and continues the throwback ’80s revival sound. It’s perfect for a few spins at a downtown Manhattan bar.” A year later, and the song still packs a punch with its New Wave-esque sparkling synths and charming piano melodies. It’s still a great spin for a night on the town.

Weferling describes the EP as having “a Pop/R&B with influence from Aaliyah and Solange.” This influence is evident in “Mine,” a bright R&B-tinged tune filled with brass instruments that help to anchor the singer’s bold vocals.

Revisit the 3-D EP below, and see if any of your past favorites still ring true.