Not too long ago on this blog, I covered an album from an awesome Indie artist with a sound, style, and theme that is entirely unique and sophisticated. I was really into what this artist was doing, as it stood out from all of their peers, and I was pretty excited about their new project when it came out. That artist was BLACKSTARKIDS, and that album was called Saturn Dayz. BlackstarKidz has such a sound that is tough to compare to their peers; they incorporate retro Rock, Hip Hop, Pop, and R&B into their music somehow sounding old-school and new-school at the same time. They are known for making concept albums with deep themes that can be followed like a story while listening to their music. BLACKSTARKIDS got started back in 2019 when they released their debut EP Let’s Play Sports. This project garnered the attention of Matty Healy from The 1975, getting the group picked up by his independent Dirty Hit record label. Over the next year or so, they dropped two more EPs, Surf and Whatever, Man, before putting out their debut album, Puppies Forever near the end of 2021. They followed up this record with their fourth EP, CYBERKISS*, in 2022. BLACKSTARKIDS second album, the aforementioned Saturn Dayz, was released a couple of months ago. This record created a super unique and eclectic sonic landscape and had a sophisticated theme. Saturn Dayz covered the main character’s journey through a “Black Heaven,” discussing themes of racism and inequality as well as themes of existentialism and death. I really enjoyed the concept of Saturn Dayz and was excited when I learned it was going to have a follow-up. This follow-up to Saturn Dayz arrived a couple of weeks ago, and it is titled Heaven On Urf. Here is how I feel about this new record from BLACKSTARKIDS. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about BLACKSTARKIDS Heaven On Urf, and also comment the names of any other Independent artists you think I should check out!
When we concluded Saturn Dayz, the main character, had just finished her journey through the “Black Heaven,” being told by Mother Saturn at the album’s conclusion that this journey has actually all been a dream. We kick off Heaven On Urf on an energetic and ethereal note with the track ‘40 OZ. & A MULE.’ This track has a groovy Electro-Pop sound with a fast beat that will get anyone moving when it comes on. that is very spritely and charming. The melody ‘40 OZ. & A MULE’ is very intricate and bright. It is driven by a very floaty keyboard melody and is complemented by a variety of synths and twinkling sound effects. I really like the saxophone tone that comes underneath this melody, as it gives the song a level of depth that I appreciate. The vocal on ‘40 OZ. & A MULE’ are just as jumpy as the instrumental. I especially love the female vocals we get on this track from….., as her vocals fit the tone of the melody so nicely and make this song pop. On ‘40 OZ & A MULE,’ BLACKSTARKIDS sing about trying to navigate through life and fit through all of their turmoil. As much as they do not want to, they know they have to charge on and keep fighting through all of the stress. This is such a relatable sentiment and creates an interesting juxtaposition with the more positive tone of the instrumental. The outro for this track comes from a radio DJ trying to distribute good energy into the world. Another thing I resonate with is listening to a DJ at night to try to bring my mood up, so this is another element of the song I appreciate a ton. ‘ETERNAL BLISS’ has an equally ethereal and sweet sound to the song that precedes it, but is not nearly as quick or jumpy. The melody for this one is driven by a smooth and welcoming piano riff that is complemented by a deep Saxophone riff and is complemented by some sparkling sound effects and synths. It is almost like a softer and calmer version of the original. Even though its sound is deeper, it does not feel as pushy. The beat for this track has an easy-listening Jazz Rap tone. This is the kind of song to turn on whenever you are feeling down and just need some music to relax your mind, as it fills the head with fresh and calm feelings. The vocals on this song are perfect for the energy of the instrumental. The vocal performance is just as soothing as the instrumental and makes the track feel all-encompassing. On ‘ETERNAL BLISS,’ BLACKSTARKIDS sings about taking on the world with a partner and trying to see the positivity in life with the help of someone else instead of focusing on everything that is dragging them down. The outro for this track takes on an interesting tone, addressing the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic and quarantine on the brain. The narrator states that we do not need to let those two years of isolation ruin us mentally and drag us into despair. With the help of those around you(and money), you can break free and find happiness again. ‘HAUNTED BY MEMORY’ has a similar easy-going Jazz-Rap tone to the song that precedes it, but feels a bit darker and even more floaty. This track does not have quite as positive a tone to its melody as the first two tracks. There is something about the groove of this one that just feels a bit more melancholy. I really like how the sparkling synths that complement the main melody sit on top of this track, as they give the song such an interesting texture. Whereas the vocal focus of the first two tracks was more on the female vocals, I am drawn more to the male vocals on this one. I really like the flow that is sung with, as the way that it sits on the beat gives the song a cool texture that stands out. On ‘HAUNTED BY MEMORY,’ BLACKSTARKIDS sings about trying to get over the trauma and looking past some of the things that have been pulling them down and making them lose focus. The outro for this one discusses the conservatorship of a black woman(in particular, our main character), and how they need to break away from this man who is controlling them as they are being taken advantage of. ‘ART OF INDUSTRY POLITICS’ is even softer and more easy-going than the song that precedes it. In fact, this one is probably calmer than any of the songs on Saturn Dayz as well. This song does not have much of a beat. There are some very light snares being played in the background, but they are so soft that they hardly contribute to the tempo of the track. The melody has an old-school Jazzy feeling to it. This melody is driven by a luscious piano riff complemented by various string and wind instruments which give the song a very full and grandiose feeling. Both the male and female vocals on this one are very soothing and balmy. The vocals create an all-encompassing feeling that matches the feeling of the instrumental very nicely. On ‘ART OF INDUSTRY POLITICS,’ BLACKSTARKIDS sing about succumbing to the wills of an industry and of a society to just get by. Even if they know they are being taken advantage of, they need to do what they need to do to survive. The outro for this track sounds like an ad for the “trip to Saturn” our main character partook in on the last album. This seems to suggest that “trip” was a scam to get our main character to provide cheap labor for someone.
‘ESCAPISM’ is another track with an easy-listening Jazz-Rap sound and feeling to it. This is probably the most simple-sounding song on the project so far. The melody is still pretty intense and deep, but not nearly as much as the first four tracks. The main melody for this one is provided by an off-kilter piano riff and a funky bassline, and it is complemented by a saxophone and some synths that come in and out. The beat is a bit off-kilter, and gives the track a bit of an anxious feeling. The vocals on ESCAPISM’ are solely provided by a male rap verse. The low, raspy tone and even-keeled flow that is rapped with leans into the somber feeling of the track but also provides a bit of hope. On ‘ESCAPISM,’ BLACKSTARKIDS reminisce on simpler times and talk about trying not to lose hope in this scary and difficult world. ‘SHOOT THE MESSENGER’ is a track that brings back the energy and emphasis. After the slower feeling of the last few tracks, this speed-up in pace is welcomed, as it provides hope and life to the record again. ‘SHOOT THE MESSENGER’ has a melody and tempo that sounds like they came straight out of the early 1980s. This one is so reminiscent of New Wave artists like Flock of Seagulls, INXS, or New Order. The synths that drive this melody are so sleek, having that neo-robotic feeling that 1980s New Wave music was known for. The beat of this track is quick and punchy; like the opener, this is the kind of song that is impossible to not dance to when it comes on. The vocals on ‘SHOOT THE MESSENGER’ are a bit understated. The most pronounced of the vocals are the female ones that come in about halfway through the track, but overall, it feels like the vocals sort of get washed away into the melody, which actually adds to the ethereal feeling of the track. On ‘SHOOT THE MESSENGER,’ BLACKSTARKIDS plead with people not to condemn someone for trying to educate or change the world. They feel like their message falls on deaf ears because too much of the focus is put on the person delivering it. The outro for ‘SHOOT THE MESSENGER’ is a radio report about our main character about 40 years in the future from the Saturn abduction. The DJ explains how this person became a prominent civil rights activist in their lifetime, attributing all of the ideas they got to their trip to Saturn many years before. ‘SATURNGURL45 + JELLYFISH’ is a two-part song with pretty different sounds that features The Human. The first half of this one has a 1990s Garage music feeling to it which leans into themes that are pretty prominent throughout pop music today overall. This instrumental is pretty simple, but very effective. The melody is provided by charming synths with a warm and shimmering tone. They are put on top of a glitchy Garage music beat that reminds me so much of a 1990s underground Dance and makes me want to party. The female vocals in this section of this track are very sweet and soothing, and they make this half of the song super engrossing and fun to listen to. In this section of the track, BLACKSTARKIDS sing about wanting to go to Saturn with a partner to see the better things in life. The second half, ‘JELLYFISH,’ is a lot calmer and a bit darker than the first half of the track. This song has a groovy Synth-Pop sound that is still pretty dancey, but not nearly as energetic as the part of the song that precedes it. There is something about this instrumental that just makes me think of The Weeknd. I could literally see this melody and beat being on his DAWN FM album. Although the synths that drive this instrumental are pretty glossy and bright, there is something about their tone that feels a bit downtrodden or even hopeless. The vocals in this section of the song are very nice. The texture of the male vocals in this part of the track gives it a ton of life and almost makes it feel imposing. ‘JELLYFISH’ almost feels like a response to ‘SATURNGURL45,’ with the singer telling the girl he is going to take them to Saturn to see what they want to see. The outro for this track consists of the radio DJ signing out and wishing the listener happiness for the rest of their life. BLACKSTARKIDS closes out this project with the title track, ‘HEAVEN ON URF.’ This is probably the most powerful track on the record. Everything about this song feels huge and deliberate. The tone of the melody is warm yet austere. Even though its tone is pretty sunny, it still somehow feels cold. As the song progresses, the melody picks up more and more distortion, which adds to its grating feeling. This song’s tempo is pretty slow, but its beat hits hard. The drums match the audacious energy of the melody and really make the song pop. The vocals on ‘HEAVEN ON URF’ are very strong as well. BLACKSTARKIDS do a great job of matching the energy of the instrumental and making this song feel longer than life. ‘HEAVEN ON URF’ is a song about love and hope, as BLACKSTARKIDS sing about taking on the world with their partner and getting through the trials of life together. This is a heavy way to send off the record and closes things with a bang.
Since I listened to Saturn Dayz and heard it would have a follow-up, I have been looking forward to covering it. I thought that was such a cool record with a really interesting theme, and I had to see how BLACKSTARKIDS would close things out. HEAVEN ON URF continues on the sonic and lyrical themes of its predecessor and brings them to a close in a concise and meticulous way. The thought and care that was put into creating this project is so evident in the way that it sounds. I like how sonically the energy level is shifting throughout this record. BLACKSTARKIDS certainly keeps the listener on their toes, as the way the energy and emphasis switch from song to song makes the project pop. Just like Saturn Dayz, the production and vocals on Heaven On Urf are just great. The members of BLACKSTARKIDS do an excellent job of providing vibrant, fascinating sounds throughout this record, not only with the instrumentals but with the dynamic qualities of the vocals. The lyrical theme of this project is super cool as well. I love how we get a concise ending to the story. Our main character used their trip to Saturn as a way to spread a message condemning inequality. Because of what happens in Saturn Dayz, the main character is able to become a prominent activist on Heaven On Urf. Overall, Heaven On Urf brings this story to a positive ending sonically and emotionally, and I appreciate that a lot. Before I end this write-up, I have to talk about the elephant in the room. BLACKSTARKIDS have stated on social media that Heaven On Urf is their last project as a group(at least for now). If that is the case, this is a more than worthy ending to their art together. I hope this is not the last music we hear from them, but if it is, they sent things out on a high note, that is for sure. If this is the last we hear from BLACKSTARKIDS, I would like to thank them for making such cool and important art. I hope they know how great they are.
EAST SIDE VIBES 