Song of the Day

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June 27, 2024

Rulitos: “Envuelto En Tus Uñas”

By: Jack Anderson

Rhythm, melody, and chords. Those are what make the language of music universal. And that’s why even if we can only sing along phonetically, we still appreciate the beauty of a tune, no matter what tongue it’s in – no subtitles necessary.

So let’s talk Rulitos. The Chilean-American multi-instrumentalist-songwriter behind this curly-haired handle is Daniel Sanchez, who first earned local familiarity through his electric guitar work with Austin quintet Turtle Pond and original scores for dance productions and films. And no doubt those multifaceted experiences (especially aligning movement and emotion with music) have helped Sanchez’ strength on the solo front as Rulitos. Seriously, Rulitos soars with an atmospheric acoustic folk aura that makes him sound like the bilingual, Spanish-speaking love child of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith for a wholly transportive effect, and when you hear his recent recordings, you know we’re not exaggerating.

Speaking of such soft sensations, Rulitos’ introductory collection of cuatro canciones, EP 1, is out tomorrow. Rulitos will be taking these new numbers to stage for a free EP release show tomorrow at Vaquero Taquero alongside Fuvk, Sprig, and Cloud Companion and again Saturday evening at Coral Snake with Pam Reyes and Other Vessels. Ready to wrap your fingers around EP 1? Luckily the record’s lead single “Envuelto En Tus Uñas”, is the polar opposite of nails scraping on a chalkboard; minimalist MIDI drum patterns massage unhurried acoustic guitar arpeggios underneath ethereal layers of breathy vocals and a pseudo-orchestral climax to create a serene en Español scene that’ll leave you thinking, “que linda es” to say the least.


Episodes

June 27, 2024

Rulitos: “Envuelto En Tus Uñas”

Rhythm, melody, and chords. Those are what make the language of music universal. And that’s why even if we can only sing along phonetically, we still appreciate the beauty of a tune, no matter what tongue it’s in – no subtitles necessary. So let’s talk Rulitos. The Chilean-American multi-instrumentalist-songwriter behind this curly-haired handle is Daniel […]

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June 26, 2024

Sam Franklin: “Blanket”

If you want quality culture here in Texas, the surname Franklin has been shown to be a strong indicator. There’s BBQ pitmaster Aaron Franklin, The Suffers’ frontwoman Kam Franklin, and…native Austinite Sam Franklin. This producer/engineer/songwriter’s been formally doing his solo thing since the mid twenty-teens, and if you check out his streaming numbers on Spotify […]

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June 24, 2024

Painterly: “Ok/Alright”

What’s that old stereotype about the acting hubs of L.A. and New York? Oh right. Every server you meet is actually an actor who’s just waiting tables ’til they score that sweet screen time. Which is fairly different from music hubs like Austin, where success is less about streaming numbers and more about overcoming artist […]

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June 21, 2024

Fogwood: “The Mystic Valley”

Yesterday was the summer solstice, not that you’d be able to tell with how grey and rainy it was. So to complement this week’s inclement weather, we’re getting a little foggy this Friday. And that’s on behalf of Fogwood. Down to three members from the original four we heard on Fogwood’s eponymous 2022 debut, this […]

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June 20, 2024

Subpar Snatch: “Juicy Booty”

In the casual hookup community, even lovers with the highest body counts (especially those outside cis-hetero norms) might agree; it’s not size, shape, presence, or lack of specific anatomical features that make the biggest impression after the act. No, the quality of your “bits” may actually come second to a sense of enthusiasm when turning […]

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June 19, 2024

Daniel Fears: “Home” (Live from the Draylon Mason Music Studio)

Happy Juneteenth! While it’s now a national holiday, it’s always been a celebration here in Texas, where historically Black hubs like Houston were notified of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War’s end later than the rest of the states. And it’s Houston that gave us our July 2021 Artist of the Month Daniel Fears. […]

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June 18, 2024

Luke Smith: “Jimmy”

We’re right at Pride Month’s midpoint, so just as a refresher: no matter how you identify, be proud of yourself! At the same time, it’s worth acknowledging our place in a progressive city, a quarter century into the 21st, because not every Queer person’s been blessed with those privileges; more often than not, it’s a […]

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June 17, 2024

Alexi 8bit: “You Don’t Have to Be Alone Anymore”

In the world of singers, acting cutesy doesn’t necessarily negate sophistication. Like, we’ve seen a lot of success in going north of mere infantile novelty and co-opting that puppy love naivety in a way that’s accessible to all age groups. And while we can point to a major movement of such with jazz-pop hits from […]

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