November 2023 | MendoWerks

Saint Samuel Drops Catchy “Dancing In the Moonlight” Cover

30Nov

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Saint Samuel Drops Catchy “Dancing In the Moonlight” Cover

Saint Samuel, the self-produced singer-songwriter hailing from Richmond, VA has unveiled a sneak peek into his upcoming EP. With the release of "Dancing In the Moonlight," we gain a fresh perspective on the classic hit and get a taste of what's to come on Going Through It. Sam McCoig is the mastermind behind Saint Samuel. He stumbled upon the song through Toploader's rendition featured on The Umbrella Academy. From there it instantly became an obsession, McCoig even admitted to playing it four times a day at some points. His decision to cover this upbeat, lighthearted tune was swift, inspired by the joyous vibes embedded in the original. Getting To Know Saint Samuel A musical journey that began at the age of nine, Sam received his first guitar at a young age. Transitioning fr...

Kid Bookie Delivers Mind-Melting New Song, “AI (Save Yourself)”

30Nov

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music

Kid Bookie Delivers Mind-Melting New Song, “AI (Save Yourself)”

If there's one set from SXSW 2023 that we are still thinking about, it's Kid Bookie's. No, we're not talking about either of the official Marshall-curated showcases that he was apart of. Instead, we had the opportunity to witness Kid Bookie play a daytime set on the patio of JNL Barbeque, a two-mile walk from downtown Austin... and trust us when we say that it was worth every sweaty step. Eight months later, we've been blessed yet again by Kid Bookie--except, this time, it's in the form of a new single, "AI (Save Yourself)," fresh off his upcoming album, Songs for the Living // Songs for the Dead. The artist also issued an action-packed new music video to commemorate the release. Keep reading if you want to know why we're so excited about all this... But first! Check out the mus...

An Artist with a Boundless Vision: NOANNE on debut single “Goodwill”, AI-assisted creative process, and more [exclusive interview]

28Nov

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Interviews

An Artist with a Boundless Vision: NOANNE on debut single “Goodwill”, AI-assisted creative process, and more [exclusive interview]

The use of Artificial Intelligence in the arts is something that’s been heavily discussed online; that’s not news. If you’ve spent any time on Twitter in the last several months, you may have gotten lost in the “should/n’t” of it all—in visual arts, in publishing, in education, in music, in film, you name it. You may even remember the AI-related aspects of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, the results of which are believed to set a precedent for other industries moving forward. However, like with all hot topics on social media, we feel it’s important to dive into the details and have conversations about a topic in order to fully understand it. This belief led to us connecting with NOANNE, a Prague-based artistic multi-hyphenate who is able to “[shed] the veil of self-consciousness and [step] into the...

Radiobot Unveiled: Featuring Fuel’s Brett Scallions, Billy Harvey, and Emmy-Winner Eddie Wohl

27Nov

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Radiobot Unveiled: Featuring Fuel’s Brett Scallions, Billy Harvey, and Emmy-Winner Eddie Wohl

Radiobot is a dynamic musical ensemble comprising the talented members Brett Scallions, Billy Harvey, and Eddie Wohl. They've released their re-imagining of a classic Bob Dylan song, "Subterranean Homesick Blues." The cover is a taste of what's to come with their debut original single set for release on December 8th. In their homage to Bob Dylan, the band expressed their admiration for the rock 'n' roll lyricist, aiming to pay tribute with swagger. The accompanying video pays homage to Dylan's Alley video, with Scallions meticulously recreating all of the iconic cards by hand. Radiobot Formation Radiobot was formed in 2016 by Scallions, Harvey, and Wohl. They initially faced challenges due to conflicting commitments and touring schedules. However, their chemistry resulted in t...

Kareful Unveils a Fresh New Wavy EP: ‘Phantom’

25Nov

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music

Kareful Unveils a Fresh New Wavy EP: ‘Phantom’

In wave music, there are few names that hold as much weight as Jude Kaufmann--better known as Kareful, an OG wave producer and the co-founder of Liquid Ritual, Dektora, and most recently, Wave Global. After dedicating a huge amount of time post-covid to curating and promoting wave shows all over Europe--including two years' worth of wave nights at the prestigious Amsterdam Dance Event as well as the beloved "Liquid Ritual Conference" in 2022--this artist-slash-industry-savant has finally returned to his DAW and gave us the gift of his 3rd EP, Phantom. This EP builds on what we already have come to expect from Kareful--fresh, emotional atmospheres, soft melodies with a tinge of darkness, and an absolutely seamless effort to infuse classic wave sounds with catchy modern twists. Phant...

24Nov

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film

Best Streaming Deals for Black Friday

Black Friday has plenty of great deals to offer if you're looking to try a new streaming service. How can you find the best deals? Look no further than our handy round-up! Hulu / Disney+ One of the best deals going is over at Hulu where you can get their ad-supported service for just 99 cents per month for a full year. This saves you 87% per month! There is also an option that gives you Disney+ (with ads) for an additional $2 per month for 12 months. Check out both offers here. Anybody who is a new customer or who has not had an active subscription in the last 30 days is eligible. This pricing expires on November 28. If you already have Hulu, they are currently offering Starz as an add-on for $1/month for 6 months. In addition to all of the on-demand content, this als...

18Nov

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Events, Features, Music

STARSET Announces Huge Plans for 2024

After the release of their 2021 album, HORIZONS, and subsequent tour in support of the new album, fans of the iconic cinematic rock band STARSET have been left on the edge of their seats, wondering what’s to come next from their favorite spacemen-turned-dystopian heroes. It's going to be 2024 soon, and dang it, STARSET, we just wanna know! Will it be... Another album? A tour? The novels we were promised all those years ago? Another app--or maybe a new puzzle? When it comes to STARSET, the possibilities are endless. Well, we finally have some answers. Read on to learn more about the band’s plan for Spring 2024. https://open.spotify.com/album/0tJI0EBOHEcxov6V1ddIo7?si=qeerYT6rQYeXAD9ZF1qeNg STARSET Presents... A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE One thing to understan...

Sleep Theory: Massive Tour Announcements + “Fallout” Music Video

17Nov

By CJNo Comments

Events, Features, Music

Sleep Theory: Massive Tour Announcements + “Fallout” Music Video

Earlier this year, we wrote about an up-and-coming band that you're about to see everywhere... almost literally. In this case, I'm referring to hard rock quartet, Sleep Theory, whose excellent Paper Hearts EP dropped back in September on Epitaph Records, and who is about to hit the road for nearly six months after supporting artists like Shinedown, Set it Off, I Prevail, and Badflower all year. Yeah. You read that right: there are opportunities to catch Sleep Theory live in concert every month through May 2024. As far as current events go, the band also shared a new, apocalyptic music video for "Fallout", the opening track from their debut EP, via Knotfest. This new video continues the motifs found throughout the video for "Numb", which was also heavy on the end-of-the-world typ...

Visually Stunning ‘Suzume’ is Streaming Now on Crunchyroll (Review)

17Nov

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

Visually Stunning ‘Suzume’ is Streaming Now on Crunchyroll (Review)

'Suzume' is the latest feature film from acclaimed writer-director Makoto Shinkai. Upon its release in Japan last fall, it became a massive hit. It's currently the fourth highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. In America, it grossed nearly $11 million, which is no small feat for an international animated movie. I am hardly an expert on anime, but I thoroughly enjoyed Shinkai's previous films, 'Your Name' (streaming on Crunchyroll ) and 'Weathering With You' (streaming on Max). Those had me very interested in what he would do next, so I was excited to watch this. The storyline pays tribute to those impacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, often referred to as 3.11. This tragedy caused the meltdown of the reactors at a nuclear plant in Fukushima. While 'S...

Birthmark: Nate Kinsella To Drop First Album in 8 Years

16Nov

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Birthmark: Nate Kinsella To Drop First Album in 8 Years

Cover Art Photo by Shervin Lainez In a thrilling comeback, Nate Kinsella, the mastermind behind Birthmark, has announced the release of the project's first album in eight years. Titled Birth of Omni the album is set to drop on January 19th, 2024 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records. Kinsella, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist known for his contributions to indie favorites like Joan of Arc, American Football, and Make Believe. The new material promises a unique sonic experience, marking a departure from his previous works. The lead single, "Rodney" is accompanied by a visually striking music video directed by Ben Wietmarschen. The song delves into Kinsella's personal journey of self-discovery, grappling with his sexuality and the societal expectations of masculinity. Featuring guest vocals fr...