the villin podcast

This is the villin podcast and this episode features an interview with Akash Gururaja and Ian Crumley of Gold Revere. Collaborating on music together all the way back to when they attended Linn-Mar High School in Marion, they've put out a tremendous catalog since then despite writing and recording out of separate locations for the bulk of the past several years, with Akash attending school at Vanderbilt and Ian at Iowa State. This body of work features the viral track titled "Goldfish Crackers," which led to signing with Sony Arista, but most recently includes their new EP titled 4 On the Floor.

The duo's path lends some interesting context for the discussion which follows here, as we dip into talk about marketing and the mystery of how to get noticed when everyone on Earth has a bullhorn. Of all the different ways they discussed trying to inspire interest in their music, they also raised the idea of a remix competition, which actually went live this week on their Discord. "Goldfish Crackers" now boasts over seven million Spotify streams, and several other songs have each exceeded a million, but past successes have provided few assurances that new music is also going to reach a large audience. Instead of relying on that past sound to dictate what they make now, they say they're leaning more in what they feel is an authentic direction, aiming their sound at the intersection of where still-developing trends and their personal tastes align. This is how the sound of 4 On the Floor was developed, and that's where we dive in, focusing on the new music and what helped drive its creation.

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:26) - The New EP
(02:22) - Pitbull & Early 2000's Nostalgia
(03:29) - Rejecting Trends
(04:13) - Blending Genres vs. Finding a Niche
(06:07) - TikTok and Marketing Music
(08:35) - Authenticity and Getting Noticed
(10:46) - Creative Burnout
(12:20) - Raising "The Quality Bar"
(14:18) - 4 On the Floor
(15:30) - Long Distance Collaboration
(19:45) - Seeking Virality
(21:27) - Making Music a Full Time Job
(27:58) - The Changing Face of Marketing Music
(30:14) - Slow Growth
(32:12) - Meeting in High School
(33:51) - Dealing with Disappointment

This episode of the villin podcast features a conversation with Ira Rat. If you're scanning his solo work, you're going to hear some lo-fi experimental music, but as I learned in our discussion, he's also released music as one half of Neon Lushell, which then led me down a rabbit hole where I learned of other past recording projects including Tape Ends, Black-Eyed Kids, and Vicar Elm. This isn't to mention the labels Drug Arts or Workerbee Records, which speak to another large area of focus for him, surrounding helping others release their own work.

Based in Ames, Iowa, Ira Rat has also leaned in on publishing through his Filthy Loot press, but he's also worked within mediums such as graphic design, video, and performance, in addition to his own writing. Oh, he's also a podcaster, where he's released 20 episodes of his Not Worth Living series, which features a one-sided conversation with other creatives, aimed to feel like eavesdropping on a psychiatrist visit. In our own conversation we talk a little about how that series came to be and what he gets out of it, but along the way we wind through a twisting road of discussion which leads us through topics such as Throbbing Gristle and industrial music, black magick and the esoteric arts, and the paradox of choice and the problematic aspects of having an infinite buffet of media available to us at all times.

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:24) - Manufacturing Scarcity in Art
(03:22) - Greatest Hits
(05:01) - Aleister Crowley
(06:40) - The Aesthetic of Black Magick
(08:14) - Big in Japan / Music Blogging
(09:55) - Experimental Music
(12:43) - Ritual as Performance / Throbbing Gristle
(14:05) - Performing Live / Zines
(16:20) - Exposure to Alternative Music
(20:27) - The Paradox of Choice
(23:02) - Reviewing Music
(25:48) - The Democratization of Music
(27:16) - Ian Svenonius / Disposability of Music
(29:32) - The Value Behind the Search for Music
(32:19) - Letting Go of Personal Work
(35:38) - Filthy Loot
(38:25) - Being an "Artist"
(39:36) - Nurturing an Audience on Social Media
(42:58) - Podcasting
(46:03) - Other People's Creative Processes
(48:53) - Running Against the Clock
(51:36) - Artists Final Works
(53:42) - Overanalyzing Art

This is the villin podcast, and this episode features a conversation with Mark from Lodge Cove Collective.On his website, Mark explains his goal for the project was to release original music written, produced, and recorded by himself and some of his friends. Quoting him, Mark writes, "I wanted to be able to put some of my own music out there in the world, and I wanted it to be collaborative because…. it’s fun." Related to a spirit of collaboration is one of connectivity, which was how Mark and I first began talking. This episode grew out of a conversation on Threads, which is where he and I have both taken to in the past couple months as a means of trying to recalibrate our social media experience. And we do talk a bit about that — social media — and where we both sit with it presently, but we also talk about a variety of topics focused around the idea of creative success, or identifying personal measures of success relating to creative work outside of financial compensation.

I like how Mark uses the phrase "level setting," when talking about this, and you'll hear more about that a few minutes in, but we also go into depth surrounding his experience with sync licensing and the pros and cons of the current music streaming model before wrapping up by veering off into the world of generative A.I. and what opportunities and challenges that could produce for artists as that world continues to mature. For more, please visit his website, where Mark has written articles expanding on a few of these topics, or Spotify where he's got several playlists of his own you might enjoy. Elsewhere, you can check out more of Lodge Cove Collective's work on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, or hear music from the project on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify, or YouTube.

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:34) - Current Projects / Getting Back Into Music
(05:00) - Music Publishing / Sync Licensing
(07:14) - Fulfillment and Measuring Creative Success
(08:30) - Social Media, Threads & Finding an Audience
(10:51) - "Level Setting" / What is a "Successful" Song?
(14:27) - Using Social Media to Promote Your Work
(19:03) - Social Media & Sync Licensing
(20:35) - Generating Income vs. Creative Satisfaction
(22:48) - Rap, Hip-Hop & Sync Licensing Market Saturation
(24:47) - Sampling & Licensing
(27:49) - Finding a Personal Measure of Success
(35:50) - The Tip Jar / Validation
(37:27) - The Optics of Support
(41:06) - Music Blogging, Spotify & "Consuming" Music Online
(44:27) - Gatekeeping, the Music Industry, and What is Music "Worth"?
(49:27) - The Music Industry's "Tipping Point"
(51:41) - Sheet Music, Music Publishing & Fear of Innovation
(53:35) - A.I Composed Music & Large Language Models

Little Village Magazine article: https://littlevillagemag.com/ten-music-releases-from-2023-that-changed-my-mind-about-iowa-music/

Aeon Grey is one third of the Des Moines-based hip-hop group Maxilla Blue. Along with news of a forthcoming performance at the 80/35 music festival in Des Moines, earlier this year the trio announced plans of releasing an album of new material, which would be its first since 2012's Maxilla Blue Vol. 3. This interview with Aeon Grey was recorded mid-June in advance of the show, touching on the reformed Maxilla Blue, fatherhood, and his changing relationship with music, among many other topics. In preparation for their new album to drop, you can listen to their past releases via Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, and follow the group via Instagram and Facebook. For a full transcript and additional links, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/aeon-grey-interview

Geneviève Salamone bills herself as "The One Woman Symphony," but even that could be a limiting description when compared to the true reach of her artistic vision. Releasing her debut solo album, Catharsis, a few years ago, she has taken that work and transformed it into a sprawling multimedia experience, with its story being expanded by way of video on her YouTube page and live performances, which she continues to take with her around the world. In our discussion she provides a deep explanation of her music and its personal meaning, which speaks also to the importance behind her advocacy work. To follow along as her story continues, visit Geneviève's Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. For a full transcript and additional links, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/genevieve-salamone-interview

Husoul is a Des Moines-based drum and bass musician. In this edition of the villin podcast he discusses how he has transitioned from a rapper/producer to a gamer to where he's currently at, music's influence on and relationship to mental health, and the ability to find identity and individuality within sound. Husoul's recently released his full-length album, Project Dilemma, in March of 2023, following that up with a single titled "Dystopia." For a full transcript, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/husoul-interview

Imma is a Des Moines-based MC and he just released a new EP titled GOOD. In this discussion we spoke about the release and the influences that contributed to its sound. One such genre that swayed its direction is R&B from the '90s and 2000s and as we continued, Imma explained how the genre not only influenced his approach to making music and music videos, but also how it's also influenced his relationship with sexist language within his own music. A son of Sudanese parents, Imma also discussed feeling like an outsider throughout his childhood and what it means to have now found a sense of belonging within a community of likeminded friends. For a full transcript, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/imma-interview

Annie Kemble is a Des Moines-based singer, songwriter and musician who just released her seven track debut titled Dive Bar. In our discussion we talked about a sort of dual nature inherent in the release, as it’s simultaneously autobiographical while bearing aspects of a performative persona. Annie also discussed her collaborations with members of the Des Moines hip-hop scene and how she’s already focused on her next project: A full-length album which she says will be a much more personal affair. For a full transcript, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/annie-kemble-interview

Zachary Lint is a multi-medium creator from Fairfield, Iowa, widely known for his music recorded and released as Coolzey. In our conversation we talked about his musical history, including the two albums he’s released this year, but also his new short film called Burlington Paranormal. The horror comedy is still making its rounds on the festival scene, but if you want to be one of the first to know when it’s available to stream or purchase I recommend kicking in on its GoFundMe page. The process of getting to this point with the film didn’t happen overnight though. Instead, the path to its release involved several years of working in L.A., an abandoned feature-length film, a return to Iowa, and the sale of his house, which funded its production. For a full transcript, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/zachary-lint-interview

That Honorroll KID is an MC based in Des Moines who just released a new album titled Peace God. In our conversation we discussed how the 18 track full-length differs from past work, including the Phase 2 EP which he dropped earlier this year with 1400slim. We also touched on how Honorroll Records was created and how he's developed since first releasing Say No More, in addition to broader themes surrounding masculinity and how to find peace within. For more, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/that-honorroll-kid-interview

Teller Bank$ is an MC based in Des Moines, Iowa and his new album, The I & I, is the third in a trilogy released with producer Ed Glorious. For more, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/teller-banks-interview

Chris Jones is an MC and producer based in Des Moines, Iowa and he just released his debut album titled Unplugged. For more, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/chris-jones-interview

Gifo is a rapper based in Sioux City, Iowa and his new release, Hell Bound, is out now. For more, visit: https://www.chrisdeline.com/gifo-interview