Here to debut their first project “1-800-MIXTAPE,” ST*R67 provides a listening experience that travels between worlds. On one line lays a subdued and relaxing soundscape characterized by ethereal melodies and soft tones, and on the other, a drastic shift filled exclusively with searing rhythms, heavy bass, and hype drum beats. Cruising in smooth with tracks like “Nebulous” and “a good mood revisited,” the listener drifts off, going into ST*R67’s dreamland before being startled awake with intense tracks like “Pinkity Drinkity” and “Lose It.” A collection of pop/alternative hip-hop tracks, “1-800-MIXTAPE” offers a rich combination of sound that illustrates the variance in background of the 15 members and how they choose to harmonize in spite of it.
On Wednesday March 11, 2020, President Jim Ryan of UVA announced that students would not be returning from Spring break to finish the semester on grounds but would instead complete their classes online. For some classes this was more feasible than for others; for those of us in collaborative art spaces this was initially taken to mean that our semester was over. However, our group of 15 student musicians decided to find a way to finish what we had started and to remain In Solidarity Online. Thus, our group took the name ISO and under the direction of Dr. A.D. Carson finished our mixtape, Isolate, whose sound reflects many of our feelings throughout the semester.
Visit the Album Page: Isolate.
REC (Reclaiming Everyday Content) is a group of 14 producers, performers, and writers in the University of Virginia Music Department’s “Composing Mixtapes” class (taught by Dr. A.D. Carson) who collaborated to produce an album of rap, pop, hip-hop, and R&B tracks. This project, COPE, embodies each person’s perspective of love, power, and justice. “America Damn” is an exploration of political and social issues through a demand for change. “Black” exemplifies power, and “Me and You” is an intimate portrayal of the multifaceted aspects of love. In 20 tracks, COPE delves deeply into the mindsets of 14 college students exploring their different identities.
Visit the Album Page: REC (Reclaiming Everyday Content).