🎶 Max's Music Mondays with Deloyd Elze & Mai Anna
Y'all like good music?? I got a bunch right here. New Nilüfer Yanya, Lutalo, and so much more!
Welcome to Max’s Music Mondays. My ~music discovery newsletter~ where I get too excited about songs I love. I hope you love them too. Your subscriptions go such a long way. Free subscribers help these artists get the audience they deserve, paid subscriptions help keep this thing running and also PAY THE ARTISTS!!! 2/3 of every subscription goes right back to the artists I write about. Please consider supporting independent music and music journalism(?) here today <3
Hello happy Monday happy fall happy something else to be happy about!! Thank you so much for celebrating 500 Subscribers with me last week. One of those classic milestones that feels so tiny in the grand scheme of things but also unthinkably big to little ol’ me who started writing these back in like 2017?? It meant a lot to take a moment and just appreciate what I’ve got.
And, consider it appreciated.
It’s a strange place to be. Somewhere that is so far along in the journey but that still feels like the very beginning? I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that bizarre time-transcending tug of war. Never sure quite how to navigate it.
The potential of what this could be still changes, still evolves in my mind every week, and it feels exciting. Which I hope it always does. Regardless, I’m just grateful. How lucky am I that I get to do this?
Music means so much to me, and it’s a dang pleasure to get to share it with a growing group of people who appreciate my passion.
I hope you appreciate it this week too because my goodness do we have two special tunes… tap in, enjoy, and have a great week.
Subscription drive is still going! Use this link for a 25% discount on annual subscriptions! They’re the most helpful for me to plan/make offers to artists for future projects. It’d mean so much if you can afford to support MMM!
Would it be helpful/interesting to share even more transparency around the money? Show how much is coming in (a decent amount!) and where it all goes (to the artists, hell ya)? Let me know!!
Deloyd Elze - God’s Cruel Joke
Where do I even begin? I guess with the truth? Truth is, I absolutely love this song.
The backstory is long and winding but the simplest version is, I saw Deloyd & band play this song in July and was instantly obsessed. Saw them again that month and folks were singing along to this song. A song that just came out last Friday, but somehow two months ago everyone knew the words? I haven’t experienced it often (most notably when Remi Wolf closed a free set at Tenants of the Trees with Shawty. A song that, I, a die-hard fan, had never heard before but half the room seemed to know by heart). I tell that tangent mostly to brag (I will never forget that show) but also because it’s living breathing dancing proof that an artist is doing something special. And it felt clear as day this time around too.
The song opens with a couple guitars oscillating, a steady kick driving it forward. As Deloyd Elze joins, he opens with a perfect lyric. Remember when I almost killed that lady in your car / we were going to the car wash on silver lake boulevard. Stretching remember out forever, the rest of the line spilling out easy. It’s the kind of lyric you can’t forget, and let me just be totally honest, if you write lyrics about streets I use frequently, I have no choice but to stan. I’m a sucker for it. Anyways, as Elze admits this memory, the drums come in strong, almost sounding like car crashes themselves. Much more texture and energy than some simple kit.
The verse continues with the same level of personal memories and intimate moments. As the scene fades, Elze talks his way through a final thought. It’s a unique move, that gives the song a different level of direct connection to his audeince. He’s just talking to us. From there the production really opens up. I think this song was already straddling this line of “is it country music or is it something more?”, and this quick moment from 0:52 until the chorus kicks in at 1:06, truly sets it free from any easy description. It is so cool… feels like late night at your camp site watching shooting stars and a meteor shower all at once. That “shoo!” like me or you trying to join in on the fun.
The section is beautiful, and leaves me smiling as we hit the chorus. Starting small and mellow, it’s almost inviting how Elze slowly waltz’s through the lyrics while the percussion steps back a bit. I ball my fists up / and shake them at the sky. Genius in its simplicity. I relate to this feeling so deeply, then I laugh at the silliness of it, and can’t help but ride the pendulum back to the other side again, humbled by what little we can control in this life.
The arpeggiated synth joins from here, as the rest of the band readies up for another go. Another devastating verse, as his own anxieties and perspectives confronted, forced to reassess it all. The background vocals are sick here, subtle through the first two phrases, offering this perfect taste of harmonies. After they pipe in another voice to remind Elze it ain’t always ‘bout you, the harmonies open up a bit further, louder, and bolder than before. Adding so much power. It hurts to hear that last line, I found myself tearing up to it the other night. A moment that must feel absolutely earth shattering.
We watch the shooting stars again and when we get to the chorus, thank god, Elze’s got a friends around to support him. A few more voices to start singing along. As the drums disappear, you just feel the urge to join in. Throw those fists up and singalong. But don’t do it without hearing how special the vocal arrangement is here too - really a magical touch to close out a beautiful song.
We hear Elze walk away from the mic, letting it rip even harder, singing right to his honey as the production stuns again. A beautiful ride from open to close.
If you get the chance to see him live soon, I can’t recommend it enough. Special music from a special artist, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Follow Deloyd Elze on Instagram // on Spotify
Mai Anna - Free Roaming
Well if this isn’t the warmest, sweetest, hug of a song. My god it’s beautiful!!!
The vibraphone intro - notes swirling around the mix, it feels like rubbing your eyes and looking out at the sunrise. This perfect way to wake up. We add that gentle acoustic guitar and the claps. The guitar brings a similar tone and movement to the opening seconds of Medium Build’s Atom so obviously I’m in, but that’s not the important part. IT’S THE CLAPS. Folks I could write the entire piece about just these claps. How the hell did they do this???
Simple, human, dry claps but in the context of this production they feel unbelievable! So perfect, and add such a different, sharp dynamic to an otherwise dreamy song. A few seconds later more chords and vocals descend as they join. It’s gone from a few scattered pieces to a completed puzzle so quickly I’m awestruck.
Mai Anna is next, her voice ridiculously smooth as she starts. Each lyric punctuated with an adlib that seems to drift on forever. Like they fizzle into dust that swirls right back into the song. Does that make sense? I can see it in my head but idk how to say it! I tried to draw it too, but that only made it more confusing. Anyways… let me not distract from the wonderful writing here. Remembering these intimate moments, a romantic daydream of what’s been and what can be again. What a crazy little run on pulling me in deeper, a lower octave added too, bolstering the performance and giving it so much heft.
We ride that wave straight into the chorus, and we need to just sit and appreciate the vocals here. Each pass, each harmony is perfect and beautiful and full of talent, my goodness. The second round of Here we go’s????? Are you actually serious??? There is a lot of artists out there who WISH they could pull of this arrangement, and it’s done so well here. Wow. And it isn’t just for show. The impact on the song suits the story. It feels like free roaming and in love! This swirling-freedom, running-through-a-field, anything-is-possible type of lightness.
We carry the energy forward, the song building into the next verse. A little more bass and then a lot more vocals. And at this point, like, what do I even say about them. You’re hearing her voice too… there’s no reason for me to even try to keep complimenting it in new ways. Just savor it.
The second verse’s scene is sweet as hell - running off with your love, time stopping, telling the dang heavens about it. Ugh, warms my heart. We hit the prechorus, which again, is a crazy performance. This dreamy love reframed from a more practical place. But the impact is just as important on our lives. A second chorus, ditching the claps for this new synth. A synth so vast, it feels like music is coming in off the wind. A wall of noise but a wall that is soft and lush. It seems to carry us off the mountain top, soaring into the air. The claps grounding us again as the song slows it’s momentum and wraps up. A JOURNEY of a song just 2:22 long, such a joy. An exciting artist, a special voice, looking forward to more :)
Follow Mai Anna on Instagram // on Spotify
Last Week on All The Other Days:
Deloyd Elze - God’s Cruel Joke
I think I talked about this one enough. But also “I hope I’m the first one to go when we die” sends a chill down my spine every time.
emory - double dog
If my tiktok fyp was the damn billboard charts this would be the biggest song in the world. I hear this constantly and am so happy I do. GENIUS chorus, you went there / i didn’t think you would / ouchie baby! / i’d hurt you if i could. Holy hell it’s so good. The production is delightful and exciting and I can’t wait to hear what else emory is cooking up.
Honeyglaze - Pretty Girl
Sometimes the music gods just bless me. I mistakenly clicked on this band’s album while scrolling through bandcamp, and THANK FUCKING GOD I did. The band is tight as hell, the production is amazing, and I love the songwriting. The second voice to join is such a surprising and perfect compliment, it’s beautiful. Gonna be running this album a lot…
Nilüfer Yanya - Keep On Dancing & Like I Say (I runaway)
A lot of love pouring out for this album, I was stoked to dig in this weekend and boy oh boy, y’all weren’t kidding. Yanya is a singular voice and this record is electric. I was sold just after these two songs along. The intro song rolling and building, on it’s own a monumental tease, leaving you hanging right before it’s due to blossom. But stick around for track two, so beautifully picking up on that energy and delivering a gorgeous second chapter. Another that will def be in the rotation.
Lutalo - Ganon
Yes!!!!! Big ol’ guitar intro, this is what I like!!! I’ve been so eager for this album. Lutalo such a rad artist, a uniquely satisfying vocalist who is so damn sick on guitar. Their songs are big, daring, creative, intimate, mesmerizing. Never shying from a complex rhythm or unwilling to lay a lyric in an unexpected place. Ganon caught me from first listen. With the big guitars and incredible lyrics like “The goblin chewed me up” “A dragon stood me up”. Incredible stuff.
Mk.gee - New Low
Came back to this record and my oh my, this is such an incredible song. What a bold first cut on an album. Crazy sounds, crazy rhythms, I’m so obsessed with this. Makes my whole body move.
Ok we’re back in the groove now. Exciting stuff ahead. See you next week for my Extra Special Birthday Edition (probably just a normal/perfect MMM post)
With all the x’s and o’s in the world, yours,
Max