What happens when music refuses to stay in its lane? It gets some major Stereothematica love.
This week, we talked about the artists who blur boundaries, break molds, and bend genres in ways that feel both surprising and inevitable. These are sounds shaped by curiosity, contradiction, and a refusal to be easily defined.
Christina picked the theme with a favorite artist in mind–Arthur Russell. His song “This is How We Walk on the Moon” exemplifies his genre bending style–mixing his use of cello, vocal distortion, trumpet, and minimalism to make a huge impact. His style ranges from sweet guitar songs, country, experimental jazz, disco, and so much more. The documentary Wild Combination does a great job of showcasing his genius and his life.
Christine wowed Christina with her pick–“Simoon” by Yellow Magic Orchestra. Simoon is Arabic for “sandstorm,” and according to band leader Haruomi Hosono, the song was inspired by the desert scenes in Star Wars. Can’t you hear R2-D2s voice in some of the electronic sounds? YMO use synth and their overflowing creativity to bend genres and defy stereotypes, creating a memorable sound that’ll keep you coming back for more. So much so that 27 artists have sampled their cover of the song “Firecracker”! We’re not sure but we think it might have something to do with their epic performance on Soul Train (see below!).
Since we love to learn about musicians who bend genres, do us a favor and cruise over to the Stereothematica Instagram and share your favorite genre defying tracks in the comments!
Stereothematica 