Hot Takes

Episode 86: Skylar Spence

On "Hot Takes" this week, we got Skylar Spence to come on the show! Arguably the most seminal artist that gave future funk its voice, Ryan regaled us with thoughts and tales during their episode about topics like Mac Tonight ads, Arrested Development, and their experience getting signed to Carpark Records. Having started with vaporwave and future funk in late 2012, Skylar Spence has not only released numerous albums within that genre as Saint Pepsi but is also known for their critically acclaimed indie pop releases as well. Not only has Ryan captivated the vaporwave scene, but he very literally defined what future funk is with his work as Saint Pepsi and pushed the boundaries with lauded singles and packed out high capacity venues as Skylar Spence. His album "Hit Vibes" is considered by many to not just be an iconic vaporwave album but to often be the literal archetype of future funk. During our visit with Skylar Spence, we discussed the importance of SPF420 to the independent net-based electronic music scene, we geeked out over chillwave acts like Star Slinger and Toro y Moi, and we got to hear some of the lore behind who the character of Saint Pepsi is supposed to be and the concepts behind various Saint Pepsi albums. It's "Hot Takes", so you know it's rough around the edges but made with love. Stream episode 86 if you want to hear Luxury Elite reminisce about the early vaporwave days. Shiro mused about how different his experience with vaporwave was from Lux and Skylar Spence's, and Ryan humored us with his explanation of his love for a memetic Youtube video of the Dave Matthews Band scat singing. Episode 86 of "Hot Takes" is not one you'll want to miss!

 

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Episode 85: Brickmason

On "Hot Takes" this week, Crystal Eternal and YUNG SHIRO 白 had a sit-down with influential artist, label owner, and scene builder Brickmason! Friendly, inviting, and bursting with well-tempered takes, we invited Brick to the show to get behind the curtain of not only his own project but his record label and IRL and URL show throwing experiences. Brickmason has been making music far longer than he cares to admit and has enjoyed a noteworthy degree of acclaim for his three part 2023 vaporwave album series "Pokédreams". Not only did he corner the hushwave subset of the vaporwave scene, but his label Hushtones has released several must-hear barber beats, slushwave, vaporbreaks, and vaportrap releases as well. For episode eighty-five, we discussed the working class background behind Brickmason's project name. Brick imparted his thoughts on releasing art by questionable artists, working with visualists like Solodolo84 and the whole WVSQD team, and acts that he likes a lot, like Bentoboy, Mabisyo, and Victory Over Death. Hearing Brickmason tell the stories behind the Beats for a Broken World livestream event with Cassette Cache and Doki Doki Beats was a highlight! Sharing our love of his recent hard copy VHS release of Dreamcastle's "LEGO Castle: 1979-1998" and hearing the story of seeing the album release live was a meaningful moment that also was not to be missed. Don't miss this fun and family-friendly episode with our friend Brickmason!

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Episode 84: Super Retrospective Mega Episode II Turbo

"Hot Takes" season four had to come to an end at some point, so Skelly and Shiro decided to let the mod team take the reins; and they flipped the entire format upside down, posing their own recommendations and takes and lobbing questions at the hosts for the three-hour run. A deviation from the show's typical fare, we got to get some phenomenal insight into the "Hot Takes" mod team's tastes and get the know the two show hosts and their backgrounds quite a bit better too! Six profoundly important scene builders and taste making titans gave us their valuable time, going beyond their duties as Discord server mods and basically running the show themselves instead of Skelly and Shiro being in charge, for once. There were so many memorable moments, from conversations about how to attract and retain female/femme and POC attendees at URL vaporwave show to thoughts about the longevity of artist Patreons and limited runs of exclusive fan club vinyl releases; and let's not forget Shiro getting raked over the coals for editing track metadata in the tracks he downloads, changing capitalization and tags without artists' knowledge or consent! Bad boy! Despite some audio woes, long monologues, and one weary, energy drink chugging co-host towards the end, the episode was noteworthy, well attended, and shined an important light on six incredibly important figures in the scene right now: Crystal Eternal, Luxury Elite, Luxury Noise, Minidisc.Wiki, Quiz, and Roge Corp. Make sure to block out some time for this one, because it is lengthy and brimming with rants, raves, and rarities!

 

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Episode 83: Solodolo84

We showcased ubiquitous visual artist and vaporwave superfan Solodolo84 on the 83rd episode of "Hot Takes"! We brought back the community vote format, and Solo had a strong lead from the beginning that he maintained during the entire two weeks of polling, so we gave the people what they wanted. Solodolo84 is a natural conversationalist and man of the people, so the hours felt like minutes as memorable moments abounded, like Solo's story of his experience hearing vaporwave for the first time and the moving series of passionate shout outs he gave at the episode's conclusion. Solodolo84 may or may not have had some very strong opinions about genres and arbitrary categorization of music styles. Solo definitely had some wise words, including a particularly apt metaphor he used about bouillon cubes. Stories about crate digging and late night quiet storm radio stations may have been told, and convos about boom bap beats and the nebulous nature of cassette sound quality may have transpired. If you don't listen in, though, you are never going to know what did or did not happen on "Hot Takes", are you?

 

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Episode 82: V4NGOE

For episode 82 of "Hot Takes", the bois decided to bring another act from the vaporwave zero genre to the broadcast! Skilled breaks-influenced vaporwave producer and 1/2 of VaporVA alongside Roge Corp, V4NGOE is known for being a pioneer of a subset of vaporwave that is more vocal-driven and influenced by breaks and 90's R&B than your typical slowed and reverb fare. He helped drive the growth of that new sound alongside acts like Ahero, Satin Sheets, and Simple Syrup; he and Roge Corp together threw a blockbuster show called i2K in Richmond, Virginia in Summer 2024; and he's just an absolute sweetie pie. Noteworthy moments include Vincent's game plan for how to treat acts that he books and how to network with other artists in addition to his experiences discovering acts that were seminal to him like George Clanton, Nmesh, and Windows 96. Joking around about Christian rock and reminiscing about the George Clanton fanclub and the Big Stream during the pandemic era also happened during our two hours with V4NGOE! How many chances do you give an album before you decide if you like it or dislike it? What beverages does Shiro drink while he's dieting? Is OSCOB truly the laziest vaporwave producer of all time? Only one way to find out and that's by listening to "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 81: Quiz

During the eighty-first episode of "Hot Takes", the bois used an ace in the hole and brought on Quiz, a path-finding colleague and friend to the show, spending the evening chatting about a number of things, including the story behind the curation of "Hot Takes Vol. 1" and the difference between listening to metal music and playing it live. Known primarily for his flashy tracksuits and dance moves at live shows, Quiz is also known for being a scene builder, show thrower, and community activist in his personal life. He's a member of Philadelphia-based band Burning Sunrise, de-facto leader of the Artifaqt Collective, and a mod for the "Hot Takes" server as well. Come be privy to the conversation that was had about Bee Fant's iconic art style, and be regaled by Quiz's story about his first experience hearing vaporwave at a Neon Nights-themed IRL party.

 

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Episode 80: Vitesse X

For the eightieth episode of "Hot Takes", we were honored to be graced by the presence of Vitesse X. With a background in cross country skiing, track, and field and having played live in shoegaze and punk rock bands, independent electronic artist and label owner Vitesse X told us her stories and divulged some intensely personal and edifying advice about being sincere with your art. Lots of talk about acts like Fugazi, Paul McCartney, and The Orb, advice on how to sell yourself and get work in New York City performance spaces, and a comical series of takes about cut-and-paste color-by-number breakbeat music were the highlights of our two hours with the incredibly skilled, profoundly personable Vitesse X! You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 79 REMIX: FrankJavCee x Luxury Elite

We brought back the remix format for "Hot Takes" episode 79, featuring previous guests and friends of the show FrankJavCee and Luxury Elite! When it comes to dear friends, engaged members of the community, and perfectly inspirational conversationalists, Frank and Lux were some of the first two people that came to mind when planning for this episode. The energy of episode 79 was at an all time high, with both bois fully nerding out, Lux ranting away, and Frank frenetically jumping from topic to topic in rapid, rampant fashion. Lux may have divulged some info about a secret Vektroid release and given some much needed advice to vaporwave up-and-comers. Frank told some tales and talked lost media, stolen samples, stalkers, and so much more. So much geeking out, interrupting, collaborating, and laughing transpired during the remix episode with Lux and Frank, so don't sleep on it! Restream "Hot Takes" today!

 

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Episode 78: Miami Nights 1984

Skelly, Shiro, and the "Hot Takes" horde got to spend a night with Miami Nights 1984 on the latest episode of the show! A veritable pathfinder of the outrun synthwave music scene, Michael has been recognized as one of the forefathers of the synthwave resurgence and has been involved with numerous high profile projects such as remixing acts like Gotye and Gunship, being featured in Rolling Stone, and sharing a lineup with John Carpenter on the "Rise of the Synths" documentary soundtrack. Our two hours with Miami Nights 1984 blazed by as we discussed things like his enormous hardware collection, his experiences with Gotye and Rolling Stone, and of course the story behind how he coined the genre name "outrun".

 

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Episode 77: Desert Sand Feels Warm at Night

Desert Sand Feels Warm at Night visited us this week on "Hot Takes"! An astoundingly skilled and popular vaporwave artist, Desert was surely the people's choice for a guest, and he did not disappoint in the slightest as we discussed all manner of subjects like Desert's social habits, hands-on application of music theory with regards to production, and his experience playing ambient music live at Slushwave 2024. Growing up in a musical household and trained in audio engineering with classical music, Desert Sand Feels Warm at Night came on the scene in the late 2010's and has since released countless sample-free slushwave albums. He has collaborated with multiple other ambient and slushwave acts and even runs a label/collective called Hallworth Collective! I don't know if we've ever had so many enthusiastic questions locked and loaded for a guest, chatting about everything from Skelly's thoughts on curating one's own sense of style to Desert's experience discovering Telepath テレパシー能力者 and Private Suite Magazine. Desert Sand Feels Warm at Night spoke to so many topics, such as using Maltese for the titles in his new collaborative album with Days of Blue, cool shirts, and the Slushwave Social Club Discord server. Don't miss his extensive thoughts about Cantopop, his beard care routine, and a very special top three album recommendation session in the intermission by previous guest Drinkyourtears. Follow/subscribe and be sure to be there for the next live episode if you enjoy rewatching this episode!

 

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Episode 76: Zer0 Rei

Zer0 Rei came on "Hot Takes" this week to chat with us! A well respected musician and visual artist in the vaporwave scene, Zer0 Rei was someone we wanted to amplify and celebrate; and he clued us in about a lot of things during his episode, like his daily work ethic, his work with Desert Sand Feels Warm at Night, and his longtime love of Japanese noise rock band Melt-Banana. Starting with harsh noise music and bringing with him a wealth of experience in the live punk rock and metal scenes, Zer0 now not only runs a vaporwave and experimental music label but also produces his own music and designs hyperreal 3-D rendered graphics as well. He's multifaceted and full of knowledge and experience, so rapping with him for two hours was a delight! During the night, there were discussions about topics like the local art collectives he runs, his unique production method with MIDI files and samples within Ableton, and the differences between future funk and vaporfunk. The temperature went up noticeably as Zer0 Rei regaled us with his experience on HKE and Shima33's new defunct podcast. The trio groaned over shipping and warranty issues with boutique synths, the chat erupted in laughs as Zer0 presented on camera the giant goose plushie he received as a gift from his spouse for Christmas, and Shiro raged about artists' propensity to play unreleased material live but then never release it. If you weren't there live during our visit with Zer0 Rei, check it out!

 

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Episode 75: DV-i

We were visited by the lovely and skilled artist DV-i on "Hot Takes" this week! A mysterious vapor-adjacent audio/visual artist that has been growing meteorically in popularity lately, Valerie's presence on our show meant we were able to share a memorable evening full of anecdotes and quips about topics like escapism, perfectionism, DAWs, VSTs, and more. A consummate multimedia artist that has been creating for over a decade, DV-i has played countless live shows in several countries and has scored a couple of video games as well. We got to hear lore like the concept behind DV-i being a defense contractor and Valerie's decision to use vocals in her recent work during the episode. We also got to discuss the merits of using FM synthesis and splice packs, favorite film directors and types of architecture, and the differences between DJing and production. Valerie's interplay with the audience and her breadth of knowledge of art and media made for a very fun and vibrant session with Skelly and Shiro. Yaoi? Puppy death wave? Special salsa?! DV-i's episode on "Hot Takes" features all this and then some, so check it out!

 

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Episode 74: MiniDisc.wiki

We brought our delightful friend Shortstuf888 from the MiniDisc.wiki project on "Hot Takes" this week! Beloved scene builder and moderator of the MiniDisc.wiki Discord server and "Hot Takes" Discord server, Tiffany excitedly agreed to join us for an evening of exposition and education on the defunct minidisc format, along with some backstory about her journey with the project, and of course a strongly held opinion or two for a treat. Having discovered the format as an adult, Shortstuf and partner Special K built and now manage the wiki page and several social media accounts revolving around the community of minidisc enthusiasts, most notably a nearly 2,000 member strong public Discord server. On top of that, Tiffany is a profoundly active member of the vaporwave community, staffing tables at ElectroniCON tape swap events, decorating for live shows like VaporVA's i2K, and helping moderate our own vibrant community Discord server. While we visited, Shortstuf discussed why she thought we should bring acts like DV-i and HKE on the show, playing and storing other archaic forms of physical media like iPods and thumb drives, and she helped us understand some of the differences between British dubstep, brostep, and riddim music. Tune in for a heartwarming message for Shiro by Quiz at the halfway point of the episode! Perhaps you'll get get to see and hear about some of the more unique devices in her collection, and you might even get the 411 on how to record to minidisc or get affordable players via Japanese proxies. You heard it on "Hot Takes" episode 74 with MiniDisc.wiki!

 

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Episode 73: Dreamcastle™

We got Dreamcastle™ on "Hot Takes" this week! A reclusive multimedia dungeon synth and vaporwave artist, Dreamcastle™ agreed to pull the curtain back about their artwork, share his taste with us, and entertain the chat's thirst for knowledge. Coming from a background of religion, classic musical training, and medieval composition, Dreamcastle™ clearly possesses the tools and ingredients needed to create. He's been working on profoundly cool multimedia projects like live shows in a head-to-toe handmade LEGO minifig costume, a point-and-click adventure game, and a fully rendered film dedicated to the classic era of the LEGO Castle theme during the 80's and 90's. During our 73rd episode, we chatted about the Sonic the Hedgehog video game OSTs, contemporary Christian music, and concept albums in general. We got to delve into incredible depth regarding the nuts and bolts behind the Blender renders of classic LEGO dioramas and the Majisto costume. We had a particularly poignant discussion about nostalgia and its rooting in the Latin word for "pain". Tune in for this profoundly moving and exciting episode with our first community choice guest, Dreamcastle™!

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Episode 72: Runners Club 95

We got to host Runners Club 95 this week on "Hot Takes"! The husband in married Swedish vaporwave duo Runners Club 95, Carl joined us on the show to offer advice, compare and contrast pop music in the 90's and 2000's in Sweden vs. America, and of course drop a spicy take or two. Taking the scene by storm in 2017 after earning placement on a highly regarded vaporwave Spotify playlist or two, Runners Club 95 have woven pop songwriting sensibility within and without their vaporwave compositions. They have performed in both London and Los Angeles and have released several well acclaimed albums on esteemed British label My Pet Flamingo. We get to hear Carl's advice about essentialism and the importance of emotions in music, along with the five producers he chose to try to learn from. Carl taught us a lot about Sweden like what the cost of living is vs. the United States, the lack of Halloween there, and the cultural importance of boy bands and pop music in the country. You might hear some teasing regarding the upcoming fourth album in the works if you listen in! Definitely don't miss out on Skelly's rants about the word "vibe" and derivative goth music songwriting on "Hot Takes" episode 72!

 

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Episode 71: Jumper Kimmons

On the most recent "Hot Takes" episode, we spent some time in the mind of Jumper Kimmons! Experimental electronic musician and visual artist Jumper Kimmons gave us two hours of his time and we spent it well, trading strong opinions, sharing tastes, and musing about various topics during the evening. James may not have been in the scene for long, but he has made many friends and connections and quickly amassed an impressive list of accomplishments with his analog glitch visual style. Earning a meteoric rise within the DIY scene, Jumper has created visual accompaniments for countless artists and has worked successful IRL shows such as Flamingofest and i2k. We learned about how Jumper gets his creative juices flowing and discovers content to use for his visual sets in this episode. We get to hear some real rippers by Jumper, including a very controversial take regarding a popular Saint Pepsi album. You'll want to hear the dark story behind the name Jumper Kimmons, and the only way is to hear it on this episode of this particular vaporwave talk show! It's a hot'n!

 

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Episode 70: Van Paugam

On "Hot Takes" latest episode, we brought on world renowned city pop DJ and music critic Van Paugam! Van consented to go a few rounds with us and talk about his unique lived experiences, his opinions about various art and music, and of course to share with us his spiciest takes about future funk and vaporwave. Though he's slowed down as of late, Van Paugam has been DJing and writing about music for quite some time, and he is best known for helping bring attention to city pop music worldwide and for his scathing critique of the vaporwave scene in his article "The Rise & Fall of Vaporwave". In this episode, topics run the gamut from the electroclash movement, the concept of experiencing other people's nostalgia via the internet, and whether or not future funk or vaporwave music is truly marketable on a grand scale. Why do some people pour their heart and soul in to their work and others do not? How do chillwave and vaporwave relate to the 80's revival in pop music? Is the vaporwave scene just about making a buck? You're going to have to play the episode if you want to hear Van Paugam's hottest takes on the latest installment of "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 69: strip_silence

Hot off the presses for the sixty-ninth episode of iconic internet podcast "Hot Takes", we scheduled a visit with strip_silence! Artist, DJ, "Hot Takes" mod, and Utopia District team member strip joined the bois for a rousing round of riveting history, invigorating geekout sessions, and scalding takes. Coming from a hip-hop background, strip_silence's roots and influence has brought so much well-needed discipline and flavor to the vaporwave community through the classic vapor albums he's released and scratch-heavy DJ sets he's performed. Get the scoop on what it's like to mix on wax vs. Serato or Rekordbox! Hear about strip's experiences digging in the crates while delivering pizza and listening to Boston college radio! Listen in to Skelly's thoughts on the evolution of the virally popular barber beats genre. We might have gone a little overtime, there may or may not have been a teaser promoting an possible upcoming livestream event being put on by Roge Corp, and it is rumored that there was a whole lot of love going around the room. Another one for the books!

 

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Episode 68 REMIX: Chris††† x Limerence

Episode 68 of "Hot Takes" is a very special remix episode featuring prior guests Chris††† and Limerence! We had so much fun having them on the show before that when they reached out about reprising their roles we just couldn't decline. Episode 68 was a rowdy one, featuring a lot of banter between the boys, silliness with Limerence, and grumbles with Chris†††. An asinine conversation about pizza, wings, hot chicken, and quesadillas with Limmy may have taken place. Some admonishment from Chris††† about backing content up and running a successful record label needed to take place. And of course Skelly blows his top countless times throughout the episode, so don't miss out on this very special remix episode of independent art and music podcast "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 67: SkyYamaha

For "Hot Takes" episode 67, this independent art and music talk show got to host SkyYamaha! Skilled visualist and mystical electronic musician alike, Sky is known for her surreal, enigmatic 3D rendered visual artwork, her danceable spin on vaporwave music, and her foundational work with the Phoenix, Arizona based Desert Dreams Collective. She has played a series of live shows as SkyYamaha in the desert southwest, has released a number of albums and EPs, and has also done work with other visualists in the scene like All Hell Breaks Loops, Chiefahleaf, Tropical Virtual, and Z.E.R.O. Stream the episode if you want to see hear about Sky's childhood experiences with Bach, Kraftwerk, and a lute-playing father in the household, or just skip to the part where everybody gets to nerd out about Annihilation, Apocalypse Now, and Contact! Is FrankJavCee's guide to making vaportrap really that good of an icebreaker? Did Ishkur really leave out vaporwave in his acclaimed guide to electronic music? Why was Miss Yamaha kicked out of the club!? If you want to find out, you've got to tune in!

 

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Episode 66: 회사Auto

On "Hot Takes" episode sixty-six, Skelly and Shiro spent two hours with 회사Auto, discussing everything from his eight hour long collected Noir release to his many experiences seeing such live acts as My Bloody Valentine and Sigur Rós. Beside his winning smile and playful approach to vaporwave production, 회사Auto is known for collaborating with countless hallmarks acts of the genre such as Nmesh and Saint Pepsi. He has bridged and blended countless flavors of vaporwave and experimental electronic music, and he has released on such prominent vaporwave labels as Business Casual, Dream Catalogue, Fortune 500 Records, and more. Don't miss the part in the episode when 회사Auto tells the story of showing Oneohtrix Point Never and Radiohead to his music history class, and make sure to pay special attention to his poignant commitment to raising awareness and money to treat ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.

 

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Episode 65: Heaven Sample

For episode number sixty-five on independent music podcast "Hot Takes", Heaven Sample brought the party with his extensive experience in the music scene and well cultivated taste in art and music. Known as of late as being an up-and-comer with live performances with i2K and Bass House HMTL and collaborations with the likes of Sevag H, Heaven Sample wowed us with his tales of drumming in various bands and touring worldwide pre-vaporwave scene. Come for the stories about drumming in shoegaze band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and a geekout session with Skelly about South Jersey hardcore and pop punk, and stay for stories about 3AM noise music sessions and a shirtless guy cooking chili at a house show!

 

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Episode 64: Futurefunkrocker

Kicking off "Hot Takes" season four, we brought on an OG from the early days of the vaporwave scene, Futurefunkrocker. Known for releasing an album square in the middle of "Chuck Person's Eccojams Vol. 1" and "Spend the Night With Games", Brent has been to hell and back with the scene and adjacent experimental and hypnagogic projects as well, paving the way for vaporwave's popularity via an early, profoundly popular Tumblr page. Futurefunkrocker rapped with the bois for a couple of hours on Monday night about his love of ambient and drone music, seeing Growing and Slowdive live, incessant self promo in the scene, Chris Gaines listening stations, and a hell of a lot of other cool topics too.

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Episode 63: Yet Another Retrospective Mega Episode

As is now customary for "Hot Takes", we finished season 3 with another mega episode, but this time we wanted to concentrate on involving the community! Bringing on more guests to the show simultaneously than ever before, episode 63 is more brief than the last two retrospective episodes, but what it lacks in length it makes up for with pure chaos! We've lost count of how many people joined us live that night, but we made sure to make room at the table for not just prior guests but friends of the show, donors, mods, and members of the vaporwave community in the Discord server as well. Keeping conversation flowing was not a difficult task at all, and nearly every guest got a chance to share their best arguments, debate a little, geek out some, and drop some great questions and spicy takes! Despite some imperfections in audio levels, multitasking difficulties, and some people losing their train of thought a time or two, the third official "Hot Takes" retrospective episode and conclusion to our third year as a talk show was a rousing success and was enjoyed by many. If you missed it, be sure to block out time to restream it, but prepare yourself for some fun conversations and wild moments!

 

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Episode 62: Crystal Eternal

Right on time, we we came forth with episode number sixty-two of "Hot Takes", and our special guest on the show was graphic designer, producer, and show organizer Crystal Eternal! We spent two hours on Monday night talking taste, technique, and opinion with Reina, and it was a delight. Known for their phenomenal graphic art as Chameleon Crafts and future funk/vaporwave production, Crystal Eternal appeared on the show right after releasing "Keygen" on Business Casual and immediately prior to putting on their second Nostalgia Lounge show in Columbus, Ohio, featuring Imcopav, King Quartz, VCR Headaches, and Frankjavcee. We timed our episode with her perfectly! Rewatch the episode to get the 411 on the lore behind DJ John Cena. Get into the details of Crystal Eternal and Skelly's vocal production techniques! Hear about the birth of the Crystal Eternal project, and enjoy the audience submitted hot takes in the intro portion of the show. The audience really came through for this one and were rewarded with Reina's thoughts on cliques within the vaporwave scene and her love of the Scorsese film "Casino". You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 61: Donor Lens

Open late and ready for service, "Hot Takes" episode number 61 introduces the gang to well-seasoned and highly requested British vaporwave duo, Donor Lens! Staying up late with the bois and the attending audience, Jay and Thom chopped it up with us, dropped some takes for the audience, and shared some secrets that you won't want to miss during their time on the independent art and music talk show. Known for their prolific work and progressive interpretation of the vaporwave sound, Donor Lens has been moving and shaking, collaborating with many acts in the scene and amassing a dedicated online following. In addition to both of their own side projects, the members are heavily involved with the UK live music scene, online blog and show Futuresounds, and labels My Pet Flamingo and Timeslave Recordings. Rewatch to hear about Donor Lens' careful techniques in selecting samples, including a hot take about sample-free vaporwave! Watch the duo talk about their favorite musical influences, like Architects and Drexciya! Hear Jay state that djent isn't a genre of music! Donor Lens and the attendees helped make episode 61 of "Hot Takes" an incredibly fun and action-packed experience, despite the myriad technical difficulties. Now you have a chance to rewatch it if you weren't able to be there live!

 

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Episode 60: SlyVinyl Records

This sixtieth episode of "Hot Takes' featured community member Eric from the label SlyVinyl Records! It made sense to bring Eric onto the show, having been releasing work by independent net-based electronic acts for so long and also recently involved with My Pet Flamingo and Utopia District's Flamingo Fest event. Two hours really wasn't enough time, but what time we did have was packed with fun moments like talking about Eric's background producing and selling skate tapes in school and deep diving into the three's love of Radiohead and their discography. There may or may not have been some background in how SlyVinyl sourced Chlorine Mist as a performer for Flamingo Fest. It is said that there may have been a firsthand look inside the vinyl manufacturing process over the years in America. The announcement for SlyVinyl's next release by Blue Sky Black Death was teased, and some talk occurred regarding re-releasing an overlooked album by electronic post-rock act El Ten Eleven. Episode 60 was a very good time, so don't waste time if you want to know the story of how SlyVinyl Records was taken over, hear thoughts on the importance of physical media within and without the vaporwave scene, and know a little bit of the scoop on the barber beats beef!

 

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Episode 59: JD Senuti

"Hot Takes" episode 59 is an ode to JD Senuti! When considering the microgenre of vaporwave that overlaps with lo-fi house music, JD Senuti was the most obvious guest for us to invite. We didn't quite get our traditional two hours with our guest due to eleventh hour technical difficulties, but the valuable time that we did have overflowed with memorable conversations like the transgressive nature of vaporwave music and overused tropes in pop and rock music. JD Senuti had some thoughts about eurodance, the future of music, and the band The Drums. The topic of making a living on music vs. music on the side transpired at some point during the show. The three discussed the benefits and drawbacks of the cassette tape as a form of physical media; and a chat about hyperpop, deconstructed club music, and phonk music was had as well. Episode 59 was one to remember, so run it back if you want the 411 on bad audio in arena venues, sampling and soundfonts in production, and some really bad Blink-182 songs! Only on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 58: Device Operator

"Hot Takes" episode 58 was focused on multifaceted vaporwave up-and-comer Device Operator! Following a pattern of working closely with Pacific Plaza Records and affiliated acts, we managed to dodge an episode delay and coordinate our schedules so that we could sit down for an evening with our friend. Known for their work with Business Casual and Pacific Plaza Records, their affiliation with Luxury Noise's Coast to Coast Collective, and their recent "Kiwi Pop" album of future funk heaters; Device's time he spent with us was definitely not enough, as we learned his backstory and took live audience submitted queries as well. We conversed about his journey to the vaporwave scene and the local scene where he is in Baton Rouge. Shiro and Device Operator vibed on their shared love of Trademarks & Copyrights. Lots of chats about DAWs, hardware, dubstep, mashups, and a whole lot of love for Shannon may have also come up during the conversation. And there were tons of other great moments throughout our evening with Device Operator as well, so don't miss a moment of it: hit that play button!

 

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Episode 57: Topaz Gang

Front and center for "Hot Takes" episode 57 was seminal early vaporwave duo Topaz Gang! We have been wanting to bring some guests from across the pond on to the show for a long time, and what better act to debut with than our old friends Topaz Gang!? Known for their early involvement in the scene, collaborating with such greats as Luxury Elite, Saint Pepsi, and even Vektroid herself, our allotted time with Topaz Gang hardly seemed sufficient to pick their brains and celebrate their stories. We got to know their backstories making chiptune in Newcastle, along with plenty of details about their current coldwave/post-punk project Novyi Lef. Plenty of details about hardware came up, in addition to some factoids and well-kept secrets regarding Topaz Gang's production process. We got to see some of the favorite grails in their physical media collections, and Euan spoke at profoundly great length about the Bootleg Beatles. So many more great moments transpired during the episode that haven't been highlighted, so let it play and tell us what your favorite moment with Topaz Gang was!

 

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Episode 56: Popcultr

For "Hot Takes" episode 56, Skelly and Shiro called upon vapor-adjacent up-and-comer Popcultr! With a background in dubstep production and audio engineering, Popcultr has put out a handful of tight, clean chillwave-meets-vaporwave releases and has played several live shows within the scene, including Utopia District's tape swap events and Virtual Memory live shows as well. If you take a raincheck on this episode, you'll never get to hear about the unique vocal techniques Popcultr utilizes for his studio and live output, the team's thoughts on leftfield sample usage in vaporwave, the degree to which a DJ should prepare for their live sets. The episode seemed to end before it began, as the threesome covered such subject matter as getting over writer's block and knowing when a song is complete. Skrillex and Linkin Park love? Rooming with Enraile and Molo360? Unauthorized bootlegs of vaporwave albums!? If you don't tune in to "Hot Takes", you'll never get to hear about it!

 

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Episode 55: Augnos

Episode 55 of "Hot Takes" stars longtime friend of the show and vaporwave jack-all-trades Augnos, joining the duo for a series of engrossing discussions about such topics as World of Warcraft and the ability and willingness to teach oneself new skills. In addition to the release of their recent vapor-infused breaks mini-album "Gilded Sentience", Augnos has made a name for themselves with their stellar concert photography portfolio and noteworthy performances as a DJ as well; boasting such events as Crystal Nostalgia and Terminally Chill: NorCal Edition! They also code and mix and master audio too. Enjoy hearing Augnos' thoughts on starter camera equipment, living on a submarine in the Navy, favorite EDM and drum ‘n bass acts, and a host of other things!

 

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Episode 54: Geometric Lullaby

On the 54th episode of "Hot Takes", we strategically chose to bring on vaporwave label owner, artist, and metal musician Geometric Lullaby. A musical polymath with a background in metal now rising to the forefront of the vaporwave live show circuit, Geometric Lullaby was our top choice for the show owing to his Summer Slushy Fest event coming up right before ElectroniCON; and we spent the evening geeking out and learning about the man behind the label and various projects. Our two hours that we shared with the community flew right by, as we chatted about the differences between touring Europe and touring the United States, the experience of starting and running a label, and the various types of art films that Geolull and Skelly both enjoy! Check out this "Hot Takes" if you enjoy deep cuts of art and music, and keep on watching and listening if you enjoy it!

 

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Episode 53: Navigateur

Starring in the latest episode of "Hot Takes": Skeleton Lipstick, YUNG SHIRO 白, and guest of honor Navigateur! Genre-bender extraordinaire and an OG producer from the early days of the independent net-based retro electronic music explosion, Navigateur has produced faithfully throughout the chillwave years, found a degree of success in the synthwave scene, and is featured consistently as a key player throughout the early years of the vaporwave movement. We hardly had a sufficient amount of time to cover the number of topics that we wanted to cover with Carlos, touching on such concepts as SPF420 and Turntable.fm groups in the early 2010's, Navigateur's love of shoegaze and nu-gaze music, and New York City in the 1980's. What you hear here you heard first on "Hot Takes!

 

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Episode 52: Mingkurray

For "Hot Takes" episode 52, Mingkurray joined us on the show! Mingkurray, musical artist, visualist, and livestream show organizer, descends upon "Hot Takes" with Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 for 120 minutes of inside jokes, insider info, and of course hot takes. Mingkurray's renown transcends many scenes and media, being known for his glitchy vaportrap music, his use of antiquated media like Gameboy Advance cartridges, his decaying digital visual effects, and sprawling livestream URL events. During our episode with Ming, we get to hear about his relationship and work with EDM artist Flux Pavilion. Ming and Shiro share many moments geeking out over Brainfeeder artist Lapalux. Tune in at the very least for a quick overview of Mingkurray's short film and a shoutout to the few other acts in the scene that are also film makers. You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 51: Datagirl

The latest "Hot Takes" episode stars Skelly, Shiro, and highly coveted special guest Datagirl! An extremely skilled DJ, musician, and visual artist, Datagirl has been working silently within and without the vaporsphere, playing club and house shows, dropping albums on labels like Pacific Plaza Records, and creating phenomenal 3D rendered visuals for livestream events, including for 100% Electronica. Our two hours with Datagirl were over before they even began, discussing such concepts as nostalgia for trance and big beat music, controlling the entire music making process from the ground up, and love for the N64 game Paper Mario! Only on the only vaporwave talk show on the internet!

 

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Episode 50: Luxury Noise

We broadcasted with Luxury Noise for this installment of the show! Longtime friend and supporter of the show, Paul's camaraderie, taste in art, outspoken nature, and experience in the industry made him a picture perfect candidate for a "Hot Takes" guest, and we relished the chance to get his take on everything from production techniques to ElectroniCON 3's food truck situation to Roseanne and Webster. Having gotten his start in the vaporwave movement during the pandemic lockdown era, Luxury Noise has since become a force to be reckoned with, contributing heavily to the Coast to Coast Collective's releases and livestream events, performing at various live parties like Club Genki, and melding genres like breaks and house with vapor soundfonts. As a personal friend of both Skelly and Shiro with great taste in art and music, the two hours with Luxury Noise flew right by, and we made the most of them that we could! We held our chat submitted questions until the second hour, covering a range of topics such as his favorite all-time albums, his favorite Coast to Coast livestream, and memorable moments during his time touring with indie rock band Of Montreal. Paul intimated to us his thoughts on genre hyper-categorization, recording TV and radio shows manually as a child, and the origin of his nickname "Lonely Paul". Don't forget the Chillwavekittens love, the "bad love poetry" line, and of course Luxury Noise teasing his upcoming new release via Pacific Plaza Records. Check it out if you couldn't be there, and be sure to check out the latest Spotify playlists and the public community Discord server as well!

 

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Episode 49: Hawaii94

This week on "Hot Takes", Skelly and Shiro managed to source Leroy Honeycomb all the way from Melbourne, Australia for an evening chat (well, it was evening for us)! A multi-instrumentalist that's been playing since long before the independent electronic music explosion in the late 2000's, Lee is half of the monumental psychedelic vaporwave duo Surfing, and has released music under the names Hawaii94, Neoclone, and Skyraider. We have been wanting to bring on a guest that isn't living in the Americas since the show's inception, and being that he is so skilled and such a dear friend of ours, our top choice as first non-American guests was definitely Leroy! An OG auteur in the chillwave and vaporwave scenes, Lee peeled back a layer and gave us the 411 on the division of labor between he and Penny, the other member in Surfing. He admitted his dislike of metal and top 40 music to us, gave us a crash course on his production flow, and intimated his thoughts on the differences between independent musicians in the US and independent musicians in Australia. Over the course of what felt like a very short two hours, we talked a lot about Lee's collection of guitars and effect pedals, and he warmed our hearts with his story about finally meeting Skelly in real life for the first time after being Facebook friends for years. Despite some notable issues with Leroy's mic, we made the most of it and enjoyed geeking out over Mr. Nonsense's curated content in the early 2010's, discussed the similarities between the goth and vaporwave scenes, and heard about Leroy's techniques that he uses to bring guitar tracking into his electronic work. If you weren't there live, check out the replay of our evening with Hawaii94!

 

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Episode 48: Patchnotes

For our forty-eighth "Hot Takes" episode, Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 brought on fan favorite and red hot up-and-comer Patchnotes, covering all kinds of subject matter that night, including but not necessarily limited to his production background (or lack thereof) and love of M83 and Washed Out. Aside from his gentle, enthusiastic affect, Patchnotes is known for his portfolio of vaporwave-infused takes on breaks and dream pop that have been released via Pacific Plaza Records. He's also one of the OG members of the Coast to Coast Collective, which is known for their stellar vaporwave-influenced breaks and house music compilations and short, snappy, high quality livestream events. Rewatch the episode for engaging discussions around seeing Kanye West live and Chris and Kyle's thoughts about genres of music that utilize trap beats; and don't miss Patchnotes' take on classic conversation topics like separating art from the artist and the either/or shoegaze band choice that we love to put our guests through!

 

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Episode 47: Segaoctopus

Segaoctopus was our featured guest during this talk show episode! Renowned for her vapor-adjacent visual art, Segaoctopus has been a highly coveted guest for us to have on "Hot Takes", and we relished getting her input on various animation techniques like rotoscoping and stop animation, making sure to not miss our chance to also pick her brain on favorite anime and Western animated media. A longtime visual artist, Segaoctopus has released several longform digital comic strips and has produced everything from chibi caricatures to rotoscoped animations of various vaporwave acts, such as Equip. As an immensely treasured member of the vaporwave visual scene and creator of the pixel GIFs that we use for our own show, her thoughts, tastes, and opinions were highly sought after, and we didn't waste time in uncovering as much info on Seggo as possible! The live chat drowned us with questions for Segaoctopus, with topics covered ranging from gamer guys to Seggo's recommendations for future guests and on to her ultimate artistic goals for herself. Segactopus gave us the scoop on future plans for Sights, Sounds & Conversations, her livestream series that she runs with Codex صبي Encyclopedia, and a small debate broke out over the difference between jingles and jangles. Don't miss out on a very special midsection segment courtesy of the Wizard of Loneliness, featuring some of his recent vaporwave faves and a special hot take courtesy of him as well. If you couldn't make it the live broadcast, and be sure to follow us on social media, retweet us, and join the public community Discord server!

 

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Episode 46: Geo Metro

This week on "Hot Takes" episode 46, after a brief hiatus, Skelly and Shiro pulled Philly area act Geo Metro for the show! Eccentric, well-spoken, and a heavyweight in the Philadelphia independent electronic music scene, it made perfect sense for us to bring Andrew on; and he kept us entertained with his thoughts and stories about Britpop, Bossa Nova, wall-of-sound in music, and his chain-smoking sixty-year-old former roommate from Iraq. A man of many aliases, Geo Metro can also be found online as Aesir Archivist, Bonneville, Mad Gear, and Vimanas. He's released albums on several labels, including Philly's own Virtua94 Records, has released albums in obscure formats like burner phones with the album preloaded, and has performed alongside former guests Mr. Hideyoshi, Toadofsky, Vincent Remember, and Skelly himself at Terminally Chill. Incredibly learned, patient, and knowledgeable, Geo Metro was a picture perfect guest for the show. Over the course of our two hour broadcast, we discussed ego death, the importance of water treatment workers as artists, and airbrushed thugged out Looney Tunes T-shirts. Hot takes kind of took a back burner during our night with Geo Metro, but we did get to hear some trash talk about the Philadelphia noise music scene, discuss the practice of naming samples online, and hear some album recommendations and a thought regarding physical vs. digital media courtesy of "Hot Takes" veteran Indy Advant. If you missed out on our live visit with Geo Metro, why not review it right now!?

 

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Episode 45: King Quartz

On the "Hot Takes" vaporwave talk show this week, longtime vaporwave and vaportrap artist King Quartz agreed to come by for a session! Drawing from myriad influences and scenes, King Quartz brought a lot to the table, regaling us with their perspective on what they consider to be bad art, their thoughts on micro-genres, and their experience with roadside schnitzel and goulash while touring in Germany. Master of many different instruments both analog and digital, Quartz has played and performed in metal music, hip-hop, and vaporwave music too, releasing a couple of highly lauded album in the mid 2010's and recently returning to the live show and vapor dance party circuit! He has albums on Business Casual and Neoncity Records, and he boasts numerous side-projects as well, within and without the independent electronic music sphere. That night, we covered his dislike of Sugar Ray, his story behind writing his favorite song "Sad Cigarette", and the pipeline between instrumental hip-hop music and vaporwave. Come for a rare moment when Skelly and Shiro agree on every album Shiro recommends, and stay for the conversation about where the King Quartz pseudonym originates. How in the world did King Quartz learn to play accordion? You'll have to watch the episode to find out if he'll ever tell!

 

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Episode 44: Whitewoods

This week on "Hot Takes", we were graced with the presence of one Whitewoods! An OG act from the early chillwave and vaporwave days, Whitewoods spent his two hours chatting us up about his love of CDs as a physical medium, collecting vintage commercial blocks during the Tumblr heyday, and his experience seeing Radiohead live during the "Kid A" tour. Having produced his brand of hypnagogic vaporwave for years, Whitewoods has been an enigmatic and evasive actor in the scene that has inspired many since the early days. Not only has he been creating and releasing music for over a decade, but he collaborated with vaporwave zero up-and-comer Ahero and also totally recut and re-scored the 1989 classic film "The Wizard", trimming the fat and throwing his own unique audio/visual spin on the film. His album "Spaceship Earth" is considered by many to be a genre-defying tour de force and a staple in the independent net-based retro electronic music scene. During our visit with Whitewoods, we discussed the value of newer music that re-contextualizes older music, Whitewoods let us in on some production techniques that he uses to create that trademark warbled sound of his, and then he turned interviewer towards the end when he asked the bois how they met and became friends. It wouldn't be an episode of "Hot Takes" without its imperfect charm, but you should rewatch the episode if you want to hear about how Whitewoods feels about acts like Boards of Canada and Tom Petty. He may have shouted out some of his recent favorite album purchases, and there may or may not have been special promo for upcoming Terminally Chill and Vaporspace StL shows. Don't miss out episode 44 of "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 43: CyanBlue

On "Hot Takes" this week, we had a sitdown session with future funk hit-maker CyanBlue! Enigmatic, eccentric, and extremely skilled, we brought Cyan on to fill us in, treat us to some of his insights, and expose any uninitiated viewers to his outrageous personality. Having been producing music outside the vaporwave and future funk scene for the past ten years, CyanBlue exploded on the scene in October, 2021 with "Cyantology", a phenomenal album comprised of chopped and looped 80's R&B and new jack swing. Not only did he revitalize the scene, as he would claim, but he's since gone on to collaborate with many renowned acts and will be releasing a remix album of "Cyantology" in late March as well. For episode forty-three, we discussed the skills of various future funk and French house acts. CyanBlue imparted his thoughts on anime in future funk music, Death's Dynamic Shroud, Macintosh Plus, and metal music. Hearing CyanBlue repeatedly shoehorn in ways to sell the audience on the new CyanBlue in that wild accent of his was a hilarious highlight! As he stated, "Good future funk is future funk that is chopped; lazy future funk is in my opinion simply mislabeled French house." Don't miss this zany episode with our new friend CyanBlue!

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Episode 42: Another Retrospective Mega Episode

In honor of last year's conclusion to season one of "Hot Takes", we decided once again to see how many of our former guests from both seasons would be interested in joining us for another mega episode, and so many people agreed to participate! Managing to pack even more guests into the timeslot than ever before, episode 42 is flush with exciting moments courtesy of our beloved talent, all tasked with arguing, debating, geeking out, and/or offering us only their hottest of takes during their group sessions! Thirty-five guests joined us throughout the evening, in addition to a private green room videochat for the talent and a live Twitch chat full of attendees from every corner of the vaporsphere bursting with energy all evening. The general theme of the evening was a biographical one, with questions for the guests centered around production techniques and inspiration, along with a number of memorable moments in which we got to delve into the artists' tastes, and of course a handful of spicy statements peppered throughout the broadcast! Despite Sonavision Deluxe's inability to attend, some technical difficulties with various guests' audio, and a couple of moments in which Shiro's audio or video went down, the sophomore "Hot Takes" retrospective mega episode was an exciting and momentous experience that will inevitably be remembered fondly by vaporwave historians. Rewatch it if you missed it, but be ready for an epic, sprawling episode full of fun and flames!

 

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Episode 41: FrankJavCee

For the penultimate episode of "Hot Takes" season 2, we got FrankJavCee to join us on stream! Francisco Contreras, the real person behind the renowned internet comedian, DJ, and producer tag, joined us for a rap session, featuring two hours' worth of wild stories, insightful wisdom, and hilarious takes. FrankJavCee is an internet OG and famous Youtuber, best known for his instructional videos poking fun at niche internet-based genres of electronic music like chiptune, trap music, and vaporwave. Building on his success on Soundcloud and Youtube, FrankJavCee has not only performed at many festivals and parties, but has also released several albums' worth of music, drawing from myriad independent electronic music genres. In today's episode, we get to hear all about his experiences with stalkers, obsessed fans, and other famous Youtubers in LA. We get to hear his insightful thoughts regarding hilarious tweets, producing beats, networking, and how to get him interested in hearing your music project. You've got to at least hear his opinions on jazz, city pop, synthpop, and shoegaze! You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 40: Bee Fant

This week on "Hot Takes", we had a visit with Bee Fant! Known for their visual art and music within the vaporwave scene, Bee rapped with us all night, bringing plenty of insight, thoughts, opinions, and takes to the show for us! Having been involved with the scene for a while, Bee has developed an iconic visual art motif that's instantly recognizable by anyone that knows anything about the vaporwave movement. They've worked with countless labels, artists, and characters within the vaporsphere, most notably producing flyer artwork for Dan Mason, Mossy Frog Tapes, 식료품Groceries, and live shows put on by the likes of Death's Dynamic Shroud and Skelly's own Terminally Chill vapor dance party! During this week's episode, we got to chat about Bee's ridiculously curated taste in music, the average background of the average vapor fan, and the love that Bee and Shiro have for the Dissidia Final Fantasy games. We were able to be privy to Bee's background in piano and violin and their experience in art school, and we got to clown Skelly for being unfamiliar with "Twin Peaks". Bee was such a treat, forgoing the hot takes for a more wholesome geekout session full of taste and thoughts on fine art and music! Tune in for Skelly's thoughts on controversies within the horror art world, but don't tune out until you've got the scoop on Bee's production process, work/life balance advice, and their favorite manga as a youth! You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 39: Sonavision Deluxe x Komit

On episode 18 of "Hot Takes" season 2, we brought on some vaporwave up-and-comers to join us on the show: Sonavision Deluxe and Komit! Sona and Komit, the wizards behind the breakout independent electronic release "Creation", took over "Hot Takes" with the bois for a couple of hours' worth of production techniques, secret inspirational sauce, and ranting and raving about good and bad art alike with the live audience in chat. Having received critical acclaim due to their recent release and work with acts like Windows96, we felt it necessary to pick Sona and Komit's brains, owing to the quality of their sometimes psychedelic, always maximalist digital synthwork. In this latest episode, we get to rant and rave about the redeeming qualities of such musical acts as Oneohtrix Point Never, Rush, Siouxsie Sioux, Van Halen, Windows96, and more. We get to deep dive into Sona and Komit's favorite video game OSTs, with Sona and Shiro sharing a moment over the "Octopath Traveler" soundtrack. Don't miss the episode simply for Shiro's rant about album lengths and Skelly's slow ascent into dreamland towards the end of this episode of "Hot Takes" It's a hot'n!

 

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Episode 38: Fashionista Boyfriend

For our latest episode of "Hot Takes", we brought on a vaporwave-infused chillwave up-and-comer, Fashionista Boyfriend! We've wanted to bring Casey on for a long time, so of course we were excited to have the opportunity to showcase his latest work, get the 311 on his production techniques, hear the stories behind his artform, and find out what his most controversial opinions on music and art were. Fashionista Boyfriend has been involved in the vaporwave scene for quite some time, releasing work and performing under the names AM Àffairs, Fashionista Boyfriend, and Gaiaxis. He has collaborated with OG artists like King Quartz, released work on noteworthy labels like Business Casual, and has opened for heavyweights like Brothertiger. The topics we discussed ran the gamut from growing up in a non-musical family to the beauty of early 2010's retro net-based independent electronic music to music that moves the listener to tears, like Shiro's example of his love of "Woman in Chains", by Tears for Fears. Are multi-day festivals worth the money and hassle? How many times will Skelly's camera freeze or Shiro forget to unmute his mic? Do lawnmowers dream? You'll never know the answers to these pressing questions or understand the inside jokes if you fail to stream Fashionista Boyfriend's episode of "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 37: Eventual Infinity

After a brief hiatus, we brought to our listeners and viewers the hotly anticipated 37th episode of "Hot Takes", and joining us was vaporwave/vaportrap up-and-comer Eventual Infinity! For two hours last Monday night, we got to talk production, tastes, personal views, and more with Paden. Known for their acclaimed early vaportrap work and albums released via fan favorite Pacific Plaza Records, Eventual Infinity when they joined us was on the cusp of releasing a brand new album that delves into a totally different more dreampunk-infused soundfont. The timing of our visit with them could not have been more apropos! Tune in to hear the three discuss the beauty of imperfection in art and the evocative imagery that instrumental music can create in the listener's mind. Watch Paden crack a smile ear to ear discussing their experience performing for the first time as Eventual Infinity at the ElectroniCON LA tape swap! Get the scoop on who Eventual Infinity would like best to collaborate with, along with a ghost/paranormal experience they shared with the audience during the broadcast. Despite Skelly refusing to pick a favorite A24 film, there was a great turnout and viewers engaged with plenty of fun questions for Paden. Now that's a hooooot take!

 

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Episode 36: Drinkyourtears

Hot and ready for "Hot Takes" episode number 36, we brought to this net-based independent electronic music talk show a well-respected synthpop-influenced-vaporwave up-and-comer, Drinkyourtears! Joining the bois and the whole "Hot Takes" family, Drinkyourtears regaled us with opinions, takes, and tales for the two hours that we were privileged to spend with her. Known for her DIY production style and new wave and synthpop influence, Drinkyourtears has been making moves lately, building upon her fusion of strong, melodramatic melody, pop sensibility, and retro soundfont. She boasts many dedicated fans in the scene and adjacent scenes and has collaborated with other movers and shakers, such as Bee Fanty, Haze TV, and Male Tears. Relisten to hear about Drinkyourtears' unorthodox production techniques, including the vast number of unreleased, unfinished tracks she's sitting on! Hear Shiro and Drinkyourtears leave Skelly in the lurch as they wax nostalgic about video game OSTs, particularly that of Super Mario 64! Hear Drinkyourtears absolutely rip on The Proclaimers' one hit wonder "500 Miles". Episode 36 with Drinkyourtears was an all out geekout fest, featuring the talent, the hosts, and the attendees. You don't want to miss it!

 

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Episode 35: 3D BLAST

Episode 35 of "Hot Takes" is dedicated to all things 3D BLAST! Randy was an obvious choice for the show, being not only an accomplished DJ and artist, but also known on the internet for their brazen opinions and hilarious delivery. The two hours felt like nothing and brimmed with noteworthy moments like talking shop about Denon DJ decks and the benefits and drawbacks of playing live shows and dance parties. 3D BLAST may or may not have had some things to say regarding Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Panic at the Disco during the show. An in-depth dive into what allows us to classify an album as vaporwave is rumored to have happened on stream. The three reminisced over their experiences at the recent ElectroniCON 3 festival in New York City, and some talk occurred regarding absurdist and situational comedy. The truth is episode 35 was another memorable night that you won't want to miss, so restream it pronto if you want to know 3D BLAST's thoughts on pop punk music, playing the saxophone, and more! You heard it on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 34: Digital Sex

Our focus for the 34th episode of "Hot Takes" was senior vaporwave producer Dreaming Diary fka Digital Sex! Sebastian reached out to us about making an appearance on the show, and we rushed his scheduled episode due to our excitement over working with someone so tenured and multifaceted in the scene. Known for their work with Dream Catalogue, their vaporwave collaboration with OSCOB, and their recent work in the synthpop genre, the two hours we had with Dreaming Diary flew right by, as we enjoyed each others' company and the live viewers helped us pick their brain. Conversations were had about the growth and commercialization of vaporwave and the antagonists in the scene. A gleeful Shiro put Digital Sex through a couple rounds of marry fuck kill regarding shoegaze and vaporwave acts. Lots and lots reminiscing about the ElectroniCON 3 weekend transpired between the three, and an exposee on Dreaming Diary's songwriting process may or may not have also been covered during the episode. And there were countless other moments that haven't even been mentioned that were in this latest episode as well, so run up that play button!

 

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Episode 33: Be Careful

During our thirty-third episode, Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 contrived to sit down with vaporwave up-and-comer Be Careful! Creator of Homesick FM, mastermind behind the recent Circuit Zero 2022 Summer Tour, and prolific recording artist, Be Careful has already dipped their feet into so many different vibrant sections of the community. They've been instrumental in organizing various livestream events and have helped promote the work of countless burgeoning artists in the DIY scene, all of this while regularly creating quality new solo content themselves. If you decide to skip this episode, you'll miss out on the secrets behind the planning of the Circuit Zero tour, the benefits and drawbacks of owning a recording studio, and the blissful experience of hearing something in music that totally subverts expectations. Our two hours with Be Careful sped by as we delved into such gems as the ElectroniCON lineup and the people we were excited about reuniting with at the festival! Reworking old material? Directing versus supporting roles in the community? Cults of personality in vaporwave!? You'd better tune in to "Hot Takes" if you want to hear about it!

 

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Episode 32: PJ Rork

For our 32nd episode, "Hot Takes" features one of our own die hard supporters and visual artists for the show, PJ Rork, for an engrossing conversation on such topics as worldbuilding in fiction media and creating art for one's enjoyment rather than for a paycheck. In addition to their sharp sense of humor and flair for style, PJ Rork is known for their iconic high fantasy character design and caricature work, boasting clients such as Equip, The Yetee, and us too! They also create lush imaginary video game OST music as Fighting Island, having recently released the immersive concept album "Echoes From Brightmoon Tor" along with a monster fighting card game based on the lore from the album. Listen in as the three opine on topics such as art films and fantasy films; and if you stick around long enough, you just might get to see both PJ and Chris' cats!

 

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Episode 31: 18 Carat Affair

For "Hot Takes" episode 31, we lucked into an interview with eccentric and elusive vaporwave auteur 18 Carat Affair. Having been engineering retro-themed net-based independent electronic music since before the days of vaporwave, 18 Carat Affair was a top pick and in fact a stretch goal for the show; and we spent the evening enchanted by insight into their craft and taste in art and music. The evening seemed to end before it even started, as we heard 18 Carat's poetic takes on everything from age-old methods of cratedigging, the importance of negative emotions like terror and tragedy in art, and the extremely unique production methodology that they utilize! Tune in to "Hot Takes" for this rare and exciting episode, and stay tuned for more!

 

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Episode 30: Persona La Ave

The latest episode of "Hot Takes" features Skelly, Shiro, and special guest Persona La Ave! A multifaceted genre-bender and tenured member of the independent net-based retro electronic music club, Persona has released music for years through myriad labels under their alias, spanning the gamut of genres, including chillwave, hypnagogic pop, and vaporwave. We found that our time with Persona La Ave was far too short lived, as we covered such topics as old side projects (like Purity Ring's), Onlyfans, and the early chillwave scene with Toro y Moi and Washed Out in the South. Only on the hottest vaporwave podcast on the internet!

 

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Episode 29: Syllabus

Syllabus joined us this time around for our bi-weekly broadcast session! Longtime member of the classic vaporwave club, Syllabus' contributions to the movement and her resurgence in popularity made for a perfect guest on "Hot Takes", and we very much enjoyed getting her thoughts on everything from OG favorites like Lay Bac and Topaz Gang to famous auteurs like Nine Inch Nails; and of course we got her vote on the eternal My Bloody Valentine vs. Slowdive battle. Having gotten her start early on in the vaporwave movement, Syllabus has released on nearly every major vapor label, including Business Casual, Dream Catalogue, and Fortune 500 Records. As a tenured member of the scene, her input and opinions were a delight to be able to hear, so we picked her brain as much as we could! The live chat helped us keep the conversation flowing, bouncing around to and from topics like Syllabus' favorite mood music playlists, the evolution of source material used in vaporwave music over the years, and whether or not artists should evolve or continue to deliver the sounds that their fans know and love. Syllabus kept us entertained with her thoughts on constructive criticism, barber beats, and Shiro's old Tumblr page 天安门 Tiananmen Square Dance. If anything, listen in as she shouts out her favorite Vektroid release, discusses the Celebrate: Luxury release, and dialogues with Skelly and Shiro regarding the inflation and price gouging situation in Canada. Check it out if you weren't there live, and be sure to follow, repost, and tune in next time with a friend or two!

 

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Episode 28: Auragraph

For this week's "Hot Takes" episode, the boys pulled multifaceted audio/visual artist Auragraph in for a quick session! An extremely skilled genre-bender and jack-of-all-trades, Carlos was a shoo-in for the show, and he kept us on our toes with his story of coming to vaporwave via 猫 シ Corp and Hiraeth Records, sharing production tips, a show-and-tell of his formidable synth collection, and musings on his experience working as a sound engineer on Netflix original show "Stranger Things". Having proven himself an adept composer via releases on Hiraeth, Auragraph went on to release, perform, and participate in livestream events put on by 100% Electronica, and he's recently made the move to Dais Records, hinting at upcoming new material during the episode. He's skilled, personable, and a friend to many, so he was a must-have guest for "Hot Takes"! During our two hours with Carlos, we discussed the differences between sampling and stealing and Carlos' background with various punk rock and hardcore bands in Texas, and he even caused Skelly's jaw to drop a time or two when discussing his studio setup. Carlos kept it clean and didn't offer us much in the way of hot takes, but we did get to touch on his experiences with digital design and virtual reality, joke a bit about punk rock, midwest emo, and shoegaze, and hear a story about moving a 300 lb. synthesizer for Vampire Weekend. Rewatch it if you missed our tête-à-tête with Auragraph!

 

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Episode 27: Dan Mason ダン·メイソン

This week on the "Hot Takes" talk show, fan favorite and good friend of the show Dan Mason ダン·メイソン stopped by to hang! A veteran in the scene at this point, we went round and round with Dan, getting the scoop on his musical background with his family, his favorite Midwest emo acts, and his abhorrence of bad brass patches in music. Multitalented and well-versed in various music styles, the "saddest man in vaporwave" has produced myriad different styles of electronic and non-electronic music, has deeply entrenched himself in the community, and has performed for several livestream events and IRL events, including ElectroniCON! He has albums released by 100% Electronica, Business Casual, and DMT Tapes, and he's also known for his side projects Aokigahara Online and Ghost Enterprise. On Monday night, we discussed the longevity of the vaporwave scene, Dan's experiences with post-rock and bluegrass, and his upcoming album "Electric Elevator". Come for Dan's hot takes and great advice for the audience regarding working full-time in music production, and stay for his rendition of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. Does Dan Mason ダン·メイソン deserve to be called the Kermit the Frog of vaporwave? Best to tune in to "Hot Takes" and decide for yourself!

 

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Episode 26: Vaperror

For "Hot Takes" this week, we invited Vaperror to join us! One of the very early players in the vaportrap movement, Jeff spent a couple hours chatting with Skelly and Shiro about early seminal bands he was involved in, secret sideprojects of his that haven't yet seen the light of day, and divulged some conceptual background info on the Vaperror project, while opining on the state of Georgia and our good friend George Clanton. Producing music, DJing, doing graphic design, and running Plus 100 Records, Vaperror is a man that seemingly never runs out of energy, involving and embedding himself in the scene in myriad ways, all with great aplomb. He played both ElectroniCON events, will be performing at both Terminally Chill events in Philadelphia and Sacramento, and has collaborated extensively with acts like Cocainejesus and Telepath テレパシー能力者. His album "Mana Pool" is a critically acclaimed release that consistently tops lists of all-time best vaportrap music. Over the course of our visit with Jeff, he discussed networking and promotion with us, let us in on some personal techniques and advice for other artists, and spent some time discussing various genres of music with Shiro. It wouldn't be an episode of "Hot Takes" without some technical difficulties, but you should check the episode out if you want to hear Jeff gush about his love of jazz and K pop. He may have given us some info on some upcoming plans with Plus 100 Records, and there may or may not have been a very special music video debut by another skilled vaporwave artist at the end of the episode. You don't want to miss out on "Hot Takes" episode 26!

 

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Episode 25: Virtua94

This week on "Hot Takes", we had a tête-à-tête with Philadelphia's eminent collective and label, Virtua94! Comprised of numerous artists and DJ's in the Philly area, we brought on the two biggest names in the group, Mr. Hideyoshi and Toadofsky, to talk shop, share some insight, and regale us with stories. Having been involved in the vaporwave and vapor-adjacent scene in Philly for years as both artists and DJ's, Victor and Andrew have been releasing albums like Enraile's "Spaceworld 2000", throwing dance parties like Super Party Ball, and have also been integral to the visual art direction of many of Virtua94's releases. Not only was Virtua94 doing live shows earlier than many of the other vapor shows that have popped up in the US, but they've also been assisting with arguably the biggest vapor dance party, Terminally Chill, since its inception. During this twenty-fifth episode, we shouted out our favorite visual artists in and outside of the scene. We discussed our favorite video games of all time, touching on such games as Final Fantasy, Katamari Damacy, Pokémon, and Super Smash Bros. Getting to hear the stories behind Toadofsky and Mr. Hideyoshi's monikers, production styles, and performance styles was of particular note! Tune in for this wholesome episode with our good friends from Virtua94!

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Episode 24: Vincent Remember

For this week's "Hot Takes" episode, we brought Vincent Remember to the neighborhood! Vaporwave jack-of-all-trades and master of them all, Mark joined the conversation and brought to the table plenty of insightful stories, lovely compliments, and wild opinions about art and music! An early actor in the scene, Vincent Remember has released material with several noteworthy labels like Business Casual, Bedlam Tapes, and Dream Catalogue, and he even released a split album with famed producer Telepath テレパシー能力者. He draws from countless sources in his material, having done everything from slushwave to high energy mashups to indie rock music in his current project Camp Candle. In this week's entry, we get to gush about Janet and Michael Jackson, black metal, shoegaze music, and the importance of the people in our lives that lead us to new music. We get to hear some of Mark's deepest cuts and most fascinating artist recommendations, along with the fascinating stories behind his moniker and the collaborative experience working on "Interstellar Love". He kept it pretty clean, but we got a handful of hot takes out of the man during our two hours on the air with Vincent Remember! Tune in for the debate about whether My Bloody Valentine is better or Slowdive, but don't turn it off until you find out who Vincent is and if he remembers or not!

 

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Episode 23: Hotel Pools

For the sophomore episode of "Hot Takes" season 2, we got Hotel Pools to join the broadcast! Ben Braun, the mastermind behind Billboard charting chillsynth act Hotel Pools, crashes "Hot Takes" with Skelly and Shiro for 2+ hours of crazy stories, intimate insight, and back-and-forth with the bois and the live audience in chat. Hotel Pools is one of the more well known and successful acts in the popular chillsynth subgenre, which builds upon the gentler analog sounds often used in synthwave and chillwave music. Helping launch independent electronic music label Stratford Ct into a higher echelon of success and popularity, Mr. Braun's albums, EP's, and singles have enjoyed an astonishing level of acclaim and renown. In today's episode, we get to hear so much insight into the ins and outs of his experience with big music business during his days writing and performing as Mackintosh Braun. We get to hear Skelly rake Shiro across the coals for not being a fan of Daft Punk. You've got to at least rewatch for Hotel Pools' wild stories about Lady Gaga and Daryl Hall from Hall & Oates on this episode of "Hot Takes" "That's a hooooot take!"

 

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Episode 22: Discoholic

To kick off the second season of "Hot Takes", we brought on one of the hottest, funniest personalities in the entire vaporwave scene, Discoholic! The Disco man said he was honored to join us, so of course we jumped at the chance to delve into the lore behind his character, hear his story of how he came to find the scene, and get as many antics and hot takes out of the man as possible during our two hours that we spent together. Discoholic exploded into the future funk scene a ways back, being best known for his outrageous skits, cartoonish personality, and dancefloor-ready singles and releases. He has performed in various livestream events and IRL events such as the Terminally Chill vapor dance party, but he's found his own community in his weekly Saturday night Discoholics Anonymous sessions hanging out, playing music, and goofing off with fans and friends. We covered a range of topics like Discoholic's love of Daft Punk, the magic behind the disco ball helmet, and a hilarious interchange between the audience and Disco regarding a certain copypasta and a certain BeanBoozled jelly bean game. Which is better? Funk or disco? Who does Discoman take influence from comedically? Will Discoholic's jelly bean taste like cappuccino or liver and onions? You'll have to stream it to hear the scoop on Disco in this latest episode of "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 21: A Retrospective Mega Episode

As a very special conclusion to our first season of independent music podcast "Hot Takes", Skelly and Shiro decided to see how many of their first twenty guests would be down to join them for a retrospective mega-sode, and to no one's surprise, all but one said yes. The most tremendous undertaking since the show's inception, episode 21 features almost four hours of rousing content courtesy of 20 special guests rotating in and out at breakneck speed, all tasked with bringing to the airwaves their hot take to end all hot takes! Twenty legends joined in throughout the evening, in addition to a packed behind the scenes green room and an overload of hungry attendees, all tapping in on the conversation. An overarching theme of the future and longevity of vaporwave pervaded the conversation, along with various intimate anecdotes regarding the meaning of the movement to each guest, and let's not forget the fiery takes that many guests brazenly let rip in front of god and everyone during the raucous broadcast! Despite Tech's inability to attend, some technical difficulties with Nmesh's audio and video, and a couple of guests that really did not want to stop pouring their hearts out, the "Hot Takes" retrospective mega episode was an astounding smash hit that will go down in the annals of vaporwave history. Restream at your own risk, as it is long and full of fire!

 

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Episode 20: Lunitas

Coming in hot for the twentieth episode of independent art talk show "Hot Takes", we brought on another big visual artist in the vaporwave scene, Lunitas! Joining the Hot Takes homies for two hours' worth of deep dives, Lunitas brought the takes, the taste, and some fascinating stories and background behind their project. Known for being one of the most iconic and distinctive looking visual artists in the scene, Lunitas has designed artwork for Dan Mason, Popcultr, 猫 シ Corp, and several flyers for shows and events as well, like Austin's Body Cruise vapor dance party. Tune in to hear Lunitas tell the heartwarming story behind their namesake, "baby moons", and their coming to discover global community online while living in their tiny hometown! Watch the team melt down over particularly awful album covers by The Trail of Dead and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Get the scoop on Lunitas' personal musical journey throughout high school and young adulthood with garage rock, psychedelia, and freak folk. Despite the show's rawness and imperfections, a good time was had by all, many new names appeared in chat, and a very special raffle and teaser for the next upcoming episode were both announced in the final moments of the episode. What a hot start to the new year!

 

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Episode 19: Golden Living Room

"Hot Takes" episode 19 showcases illustrious ambient and experimental vaporwave producer Golden Living Room! Joel was itching to come on the show, and we were flattered to feature such a renowned artist from the early heydays of Dream Catalogue, known also for collaborating with the prolific artist Telepath テレパシー能力者 and performing at both ElectroniCON festivals. This latest episode flew right by and had a lot of memorable moments, including a handful of special attendees, like Shiro's dad and a Golden Living Room superfan that tuned in during the early morning hours in their country. There may or may not have been some insight into what it's like to play guitar during a praise and worship service. Shiro definitely bored Skelly to tears as he and Joel gleefully ranked the Final Fantasy games and discussed other JRPG's. A shared moment of appreciation for seminal Oneohtrix Point Never album "R Plus Seven" between all three boys may have transpired, and a lengthy discussion about death and near death experiences possibly was had. But you'll never know if we made all this up or if it really happened until you hit the play button on the latest episode of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 18: Keith Rankin

For "Hot Takes" episode 18, Skelly and Shiro bring on another member of Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv to the vaporwave talk show experience! Illustrious freelance graphic designer, label head of experimental and vaporwave label Orange Milk Records, experimental electronic artist Giant Claw, and finally 1/3 of acclaimed vaporwave trio Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv, Keith Rankin is a serious heavyweight in the independent art and music scene. He's had a hand in the album artwork for countless acts in and outside of the vaporwave scene, had his artwork featured in countless high profile publications, was instrumental in the creation of some of DDS' most critically acclaimed albums, and he just got shouted out as one of the best electronic music artists of 2021 in Pitchfork. Don't miss out on Keith's stories about playing Giant Claw in Midwest bro bars and the conversations the three had about the DIY tape explosion and the importance of seeking out new music as a thirty-something. Getting into the nitty gritty on topics like religious iconography and the amorphous sound of some modern pop music made the two hours we spent with Keith just fly right by! Who's better live? Animal Collective or Phish? Will we ever be able to unearth Keith's Tiny Mix Tapes articles that he wrote? Why does Skeleton Lipstick hate Daedelus so much? The answers can only be found by tuning in to the latest episode of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 17:Groovy Kaiju

On "Hot Takes" episode number 17, Skelly and Shiro brought on a last minute guest, very dear friend of the show Groovy Kaiju, discussing a wide range of topics throughout the evening including the benefits of lo-fi versus hi-fi music and the stories behind the album artwork for Aaron's releases. Aside from his kind, friendly personality and iconic hairflip, Groovy Kaiju is known for his prolific production in future funk and lo-fi hip-hop with side projects Aviscerall and Marquice Turner. He's also one of the resident DJ's for Pacific Plaza Records' Orange County based vapor dance party Virtual Memory and a member of the illustrious Rosewood collective. Listen in as the trio discuss the recent bigger vaporwave live shows that have happened as of late, and don't miss the moment when Skelly monologues about his love for Trent Reznor for at least five solid minutes uninterrupted.

 

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Episode 16: Eyeclick

In the second episode of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes", we decided to bring on vaporwave duo Eyelick so that we could enjoy their antics and learn from their yin and yang. Exploding into 2020 and 2021 with a handful of uniquely curated themed albums featuring a variety of never before used samples, Eyeclick members Enraile and Will Wade regaled us with stories and gave us insight into their own tastes in art and music and what they bring to the production of new Eyeclick material. Getting into the nitty gritty of genres like K pop, riddim, and bloghaus, trash talking Windows phones, and a hilarious list of Enraile's own hilarious hot takes rounded us out in such a way that the two hours felt like they were over before they even started! Only on "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 15: Nmesh

On the latest episode of "Hot Takes", the bois and the whole Hot Squad got to kick it with Nmesh! An engimatic, eccentric, and prolific long-term member of the scene, Alex has received numerous accolades for his work and has been covered by countless high profile publications, along with a slew of remixes, mixtapes, and awe-inspiring audio/visual creations to his name. Our visit with Nmesh flew by as we covered topics like his myriad doppelgangers at the ElectroniCON festivals, his experience drumming in various bands, and of course his thoughts on things like New Jack Swing, harsh noise, and SunsetCorp.

 

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Episode 14: Luxury Elite

This week on "Hot Takes", we were visited by Luxury Elite! Vaporwave OG and the person that coined that genre name "late night lo-fi", Lux was a shoo-in for the show, and having her join us paid off tenfold as we covered topics like nostalgia for late night TV programming, her experience with vaporwave over the years, and her love of tapes and URL shows. Having gotten her start as early as 2011 via Turntable and Black Moth Super Rainbow fanclubs, Lux eventually started the wildly successful and seminal vaporwave label Fortune 500 and has gone on to host countless radio shows like Neon Nights and Lux Visions. As a diehard fan and historian, her involvement in the birth and growth of the scene has been undeniable, so we had to make sure she was given the time and space to tell her tales! The live chat ran wild as we jumped from topic to topic, discussing innovation regarding dreampunk, early music videos and curation within the young scene, and Lux's love of Hoobastank. We got to hear Lux address multitudinous questions regarding anonymity as an artist, her production techniques, and the importance of SPF420 in the early internet music livestream realm. If anything, tune in to hear Lux shout out her top three Fortune 500 releases, hear her tell the broperwave story, and experience the geekout session that transpired between Skelly, Shiro, and Lux over early vaporwave curator Mr Nonsense. Rewatch it now if you didn't get to be there, and be sure to subscribe and tune in next time!

 

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Episode 13: Pacific Plaza

On this week's episode of "Hot Takes", Alyx from Pacific Plaza Records came by to chat! Head honcho of one of vaporwave's most reputable labels, Alyx was an easy top choice for our next guest, and he kept us entertained with stories about his musical background, his wild employment history, and his thoughts on paying talent, including visual artists. Having mixed at countless parties and produced his own music as Trucks Passing Trucks, Alyx not only runs a successful vapor-adjacent DIY label but also throws the wildly successful Virtual Memory vapor dance parties in Orange County, California, starring himself and resident DJ's Earthboy Advance and Groovy Kaiju. He's a multifaceted pillar of the scene, so you know we had to have him on to hear him rant! Throughout the course of the evening we covered such topics as the loudness wars, the importance of the DIY community in leftist politics, and the renaissance of creativity in our scene brought on by the global pandemic. Hot takes abounded as Alyx gave us solid insider info on how best to submit demos and promote ones work as a new artist. DJing tips and tricks were spilled, upcoming events were hinted at, and Alyx's love of the Elephant 6 Collective was laid bare for the world to see. Check it out if you missed our riveting conversation with Alyx from Pacific Plaza Records!

 

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Episode 12: Porter Vong

On "Hot Takes" this week, we were graced with the presence of our dear friend Porter Vong! A well loved relative newcomer to the scene, we brought Michael on for a rousing evening of discussion regarding love and vulnerability in interpersonal relationships, favorite and least favorite artists and live experiences, and a plethora of other spicy personal revelations from the wealthiest man in vaporwave. A hyperbolic reaction to some of the most prolific, clout chasing acts in the scene, Porter Vong's hypercapitalist persona is based on 80's self-help personality Tom Vu, and his charming roleplay has captivated countless fans. Michael didn't reveal his true identity until 2019, and his cred only shot up from there! During Monday night's seminar, we covered Porter's favorite albums, the story behind the early Winners' Circle, and the familial nature of the vaporwave community. As much as Shiro tried to get Michael to dish out the burning hot takes, the evening quickly became an intensely therapeutic session on the importance of fearlessly showing love to one another, and a lot of that was put into practice live during our very active Q&A. Or you can skip all that mushy stuff and just tune for all the ranting about Blood Brothers, Boards of Canada, and Jimmy Eat World. Two hours' worth of solid fire on this edition of "Hot Takes" with Porter Vong!

 

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Episode 11: Fibre

This week on "Hot Takes", we spent some time with our good friend Fibre! Future funk OG from back in the early days of the genre's explosion in popularity, Alex enthusiastically consented to join us for an evening of rousing tales, comparing notes on DJing and production, and of course, some strongly held opinions on music genres. Producing since a very young age, Fibre was a part of Artzie Music and Future Society Collective, riding the wave during future funk's heyday, and now he runs his own label and studio, Montaime. In addition to all of those accolades, Alex has mixed and mastered several critically acclaimed releases, including Skelly's own "Glows Then Melts" LP. During our chat, Fibre let us in on some intimate details regarding a track he wrote for his partner, how he came to meet and begin working with Discoholic, and he divulged some personal details regarding the origin of his love for music and some of his production techniques. Despite the technical difficulties at the beginning, you should tune in for some warm moments towards the end regarding the importance of collectives and community in the art and music scene! You might even got to hear about some hilarious moments of frustration Fibre experienced in undergrad, and he may or may not have let slip which Daft Punk track he feels is their most overrated. All this and more on episode 11 of "Hot Takes" with Fibre!

 

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Episode 10: Chlorine Mist

For this week's episode of "Hot Takes", we brought on an instrumental hip-hop OG, Chlorine Mist! A cloud rap producer since the late 2000's and 1/2 of acclaimed duo Friendzone, Dylan joined us to express his feelings regarding art and production, geek out with us about shared favorite acts and artists, and chop it up with the chatroom. Having been involved with various bands and collectives since his early teenage years, Dylan has dipped his feet in everything from noise music to trap music, producing extensively for the Greenova crew, which boasted acts like Main Attrakionz, Mondre M.A.N., and Shady Blaze. He and bandmate James Laurence produced the beat that would be used for A$AP Rocky's "Fashion Killa" and were even used by Yung Lean for his track "Solarflare". During episode ten, we compared notes on acts like Air France, Blood Brothers, Clams Casino, Metallica, Sufjan Stevens, Yes, and Yeule. We got to discuss artists choosing to delete their content from the internet and the concept of having too much music in an act's discography. Getting down to the nitty gritty of what constitutes metalcore, thrash metal, and the Scramz scene was a highlight. Tune in for this fun as hell episode with our first non-vaporwave guest!

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Episode 9: Angel Marcloid

This week on "Hot Takes", we got to host Angel Marcloid! The mastermind behind avant-garde fusion project Fire-Toolz and slushwave act Mindspring Memories, Angel showed up to regale us with tales, dole out advice to young up-and-coming vaporwave artist, and of course gush with us about favorite acts and genres of music. An extremely prolific provocateur, Angel has performed in countless bands and performed alongside numerous big players in the metalcore and other scenes. She has mixed and mastered a plethora of releases and does her own graphic design for many of her releases. On this episode, we get to geek out about emo music, scene kids, post-metal, and The Anniversary. We get to hear Angel's recommendations to independent artists and labels about how to be taken seriously by big publications. Best believe she also had some hot takes regarding performing live and audience behavior at live hardcore shows. At least tune in so you can see who Skelly said should go fuck themselves on this ninth episode of this vaporwave talk show!

 

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Episode 8: Chris†††

For the latest episode of "Hot Takes", we got Chris††† in the house! John Zobele, the mastermind behind Chris†††, 아버지, and eminent vaporwave label Business Casual, jumps on the podcast with Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 for 2+ hours of strong opinions, intimate musings, and back-and-forth with the live audience in chat. Chris††† is one of the early players in the vaporwave scene, headlining the more plunderphonics aspect of the movement. Directly instrumental in the release and distribution of countless noteworthy releases, Mr. Zobele also arguably pioneered the deathdream subgenre with his side project 아버지. In today's episode, we learn about how his rejection by a label du jour in 2013 led to the inception of Business Casual. We get to hear Chris†††'s opinion on good and bad song titles, including a quip on "Wacky, Wonky Windows". You've got to at least tune in for his list of favorite Business Casual releases on this episode of "Hot Takes", a vaporwave talk show! "That's a hooooot take!"

 

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Episode 7: Equip

For the latest episode of "Hot Takes", we are joined by the cursed knight himself, Equip! Kevin agreed to grace us with his presence and bring to the show his unique take on matters, his personal opinions on music and art, and of course one or two spicy hot takes. Equip has been in the game for a long time, but he is best known for his vaporwave-influenced spin on 16- and 32-bit video game music in full-lengths like "I Dreamed of a Palace in the Sky" and "Cursebreaker X". In this episode, we cover everything from Equip's favorite video game soundtracks, the wondrous story behind the creation of the Nameless Dreamers collaboration with R23X, and of course a disagreement between Equip and Skelly over Neutral Milk Hotel. Are The Beatles really that good? Are Interpol's songs too long? How important is good album artwork to a release? You'll have to tune in to hear Equip's quips in this latest episode of "Hot Takes"!

 

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Episode 6: Vaporspace StL

Coming in hot for episode six of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes", we bring the Vaporspace StL bois on for our very first double feature! Ronny Louvre and Sound Market, the heart and mind behind popular St. Louis vapor dance party, join Skelly and Shiro for a riveting round of hard hitting questions, ripping rants, and spicy hot takes. Known for being one of the first and most fervently promoted vaporwave shows in America, Vaporspace StL has featured countless heavy hitters, including but not limited to Equip, Vaperror, and Yuni Wa, and a whole slew of other greats amongst their many perfectly polished online livestream events. Tune in to hear YUNG SHIRO 白 get raked over the coals for disliking 90's music! Watch Ronny and Skeleton Lipstick rip into Sound Market for being a Dave Matthews Band fan! Get the 411 on Ronny's promotion techniques and listen to the adorable story of his inspiration for Vaporspace StL. There might be technical difficulties, there might have been a teaser promoting Vaporspace Odyssey, and there just might be a surplus of "Hot Takes" pins that you can message us about getting for free. One of our best entries yet!

 

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Episode 5: Yuni Wa

"Hot Takes" episode five features legendary future funk and lo-fi hip-hop producer Yuni Wa! Our good friend is one of the most prolific and seasoned acts in the game and has mixed and performed at countless IRL shows across the US, including headlining at Vaporspace in St Louis, Missouri. Despite some technical difficulties, episode 5 featured a lot of memorable moments that you'll just have to press the play button to experience. Geeking out about 80's R&B and quiet storm music may or may not have happened. Some insightful words about how to best uplift and celebrate the voices of people of color within the scene definitely needed to be heard. Advice for mixing, mastering, and who up and coming musicians should hire (and not hire) is embedded throughout this stanky episode of "Hot Takes", a vaporwave talk show!

 

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Episode 4: Tech Honors

On the fourth episode of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes", Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 are joined by a COVID positive Tech Honors! 1/3 of seminal vaporwave trio Death's Dynamic Shroud.wav and founding member of the Ghost Diamond Collective, Tech is known for his production skills, off-the-wall sense of humor, his beautiful singing voice, and his uncanny resemblance to Fred Figglehorn. He's played countless live shows as Death's Dynamic Shroud.wmv and appears regularly on "Dino Hour with Tech Honors" and the "Neo Gaia" livestream, both hosted on 100% Electronica's Twitch and Youtube channels. Tune in to watch Tech deep dive into discussions on philosophy, morality, and objectivity, or just skip to the part where Skeleton Lipstick screams at YUNG SHIRO 白 about the Refused discography! Can Tech successfully defend his hate of Salsaghetti? Is YUNG SHIRO 白's dislike of paying for singles and EP's too controversial? Are the kids, in fact, alright!? You'll just have to tune in to find out!

 

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Episode 3: FM Skyline

For our third episode on "Hot Takes", Skeleton Lipstick and YUNG SHIRO 白 got to rap with vaporwave artist FM Skyline for a couple of hours, covering everything from his love of the "Mind's Eye" series to his scandalous "mild take" about a certain popular track in the scene. Beside his cool, chill demeanor and distinctive hairstyle, FM Skyline is known for his MIDI-esque original compositions, his memorable performances at both ElectroniCON events, and for his astounding contributions to the 100% Electronica catalog. Be sure to listen in as we get him to play "Fuck, Marry, Kill" with the audience's least favorite acts and artists of all time, and make sure to bend an ear as Skeleton Lipstick admonishes the virtues of being patient with our family in the scene on social media.

 

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Episode 2: The Wizard of Loneliness

In the second episode of vaporwave talk show "Hot Takes", The Wizard of Loneliness crashes the party with his unique insight and sage advice. Known in part for his zany skits on social media and also for his carefully curated selection of releases as the label owner of Halcyon Tapes, The Wiz regaled us with more than a handful of his own hot takes. Come for the Animal Collective geekout session and the moment Skeleton Lipstick called the Wiz and YUNG SHIRO 白 "old", and stay for a rousing debate about re-using material for livestreams and a poignant moment in which Wiz reveals his kind and patient methods of dealing with drama within the vaporwave scene!

 

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Episode 1: Indy Advant

For the premiere of "Hot Takes", we are joined by vaporwave maven Indy Advant. A well loved figure in the community, Indy heads the Utopia District collective, runs Tiger Blood Tapes, and was instrumental in the creation of the new defunct Private Suite magazine and podcast. Indy joins us as we rant about synthwave, The Mars Volta, bruised egos, and the importance of eccojams in the vaporwave scene, along with a host of other topics.

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