Blog Feed – Chase Worthey | Advertising & Strategic Media SIUE

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PARTYNEXTDOOR returns with two single releases “The News” & “Loyal”

PARTYNEXTDOOR got hundreds of thousands of people excited with just a simple one-word post “Friday.” on Instagram and Twitter after his silence in music and social media for a while.

His last post before that on Instagram was in July of 2018, and fans were really beginning to wonder where “Durag Jesus” was anticipating and pleading for new music.

The Friday after his post, Party released two singles “The News” and “Loyal” on all streaming services. The singles are accompanied with simple artworks and corresponding looping videos of the covers.

“The News” features very somber, quiet pianos in a spacey reverb with simple drums. The dark R&B instrumental, produced by Bizness Boi and Hoskins, smolders under Party’s crooning about someone who cheated on him. He sings “I got used to your bad side, baby” which is why the news of her cheating (again) is not new to him. Party is well-known for his dreary R&B catalog, and “The News” fits very well within it.

Loyal features Drake and is a more instrumentally upbeat record produced by OG Parker, Noah “40” Shebib, and Dregotjuice. The instrumental has a melancholy synth playing quietly amongst ambient synths and a rimshot giving a UK House rhythm to the song. The OVO artists sing about having a disconnect between their significant other “raising war” with their friends saying “I don’t want war with you, or my friends. You’re my best friend.” Even though they have gone their separate ways over the years, Party and Drake always have stayed loyal to their love interests.

After dropping his singles, he later posted “Album in January” on all social media. Though unclear if the singles are going to be on the album, Party return has many of his fans happy and eager for more.

Album in January
— PARTYNEXTDOOR (@partynextdoor) November 25, 2019

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“Die A Little Bit” with Tinashe’s new heavy-hitting single

Tinashe is making a comeback with her infectious new single “Die A Little Bit” featuring UK artist Ms. Banks. Having just been released from rocky contract with RCA, Tinashe is making her mark in 2019.

The track starts with some intimate vocals over a pulsing, almost disorienting House-style bass line. At first, the tempo of the song is almost confusing, but the rhythm is quickly found with the driving kick and snare pattern. Breaths pan from side to side all while the bass line forces you to keep moving.

This song feels surreal. I have never been in a nightclub before, but I have no problem believing it could feel just like this song: incessant, heavy bass, loud vocals contained in a small, smoky and dim-lit room. The stereo verses consume your ears while the bass rocks your chest.

Ms. Banks delivers a great feature in the second half of the song. Her demeanor is strong and sexy like Tinashe’s. She finds all the right pockets in such a bouncy beat pairing well with the encapsulating feeling of the track.

“Die A Little Bit” is an inebriating, addicting song that sets a powerful and exciting tone for Tinashe celebrating her independence.

Check out the video here!

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Aaliyah mashups that blend new and old R&B

Lately, I have been on a 2000’s R&B music kick. I have a playlist with some classic Usher, Destiny’s Child, Ginuwine, and so much more. There is something about that era of R&B that is so special to me. The instrumentals have so much character: shimmering synths, bouncy drum programming, and catchy melodies that are still emulated today. The blend of the punchiness of Hip-hop and electronic music with the smoothness of soul and blues really started to develop in the 00’s era of R&B.

A few weeks ago I was browsing through YouTube a to find some remixes of Aaliyah songs over new R&B song instrumentals. I thought I would share a couple of my favorites:

Aaliyah x SZA – Come Over/The Weekend

My favorite part of this remix is how well the two instrumentals blend together. If you did not know either song, you would think this is real for how well the two complement each other, instrumentally and vocally. The groove of the beat is so fluid complemented by the sweet voices of Aaliyah and SZA. I love the sparse bassline from “The Weekend” alongside the percussion from “Come Over.” Together, these anthems have a sound that you cannot pinpoint an era to. It is timeless sound and example of great R&B, together and separate.

Aaliyah x dvsn – Rock The Boat/Too Deep

This is another example of two songs that seem meant for each other. Though the suggestive natures of these songs are different in their lyrical approach, their styles and deliveries work so well together. “Too Deep” interpolates its bassline from Ginuwine’s “So Anxious,” and its bulky groove flows well under the original track as well as this mashup. Aaliyah’s intimate delivery over the watery synths and steadily heavy-hitting drums is really like the best of both worlds.

So tell me, what music are you listening to right now, and what makes it special to you? Let me know!

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New Music Release “Elevate”

This past Saturday, a song was released by up-and-coming RnB artist “JxdyHill” called “Elevate,” which was produced by myself and my good friend “iii.” This is my 6th song that I have worked on this year, and I am so happy to be making RnB while building my catalog.

At 4 minutes and 14 seconds, Jxdy glides on the beat. He has a unique mixing style in mixing harmonies lower for a roomy, intimate feeling in the songs. With chorus effects and tasteful distortion, Jxdy’s singing makes for a smooth, fluid song that’s great for riding out to.

I started the base of the beat with a sample from producer Coop The Truth, who has gained numerous major label placements this year from his samples that he sells. I chose the sample because of its pretty, subtle piano lines and vintage synths. I filtered them to make it less noisy and added some synths leads and a bass. From there, I sent it to iii and he put some bulky, simple drums that made great room for Jxdy to sing over.

There is definitely more to come from iii and me, as well as me and Jxdy. I am doing my best to balance music and school to advance myself and my career further.

So tell me, how do you balance school with your passions? Let me know!

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August Album Anniversary: P3

Hi everyone! Now that August has come to an end, I thought I would share one of my favorite August music releases “PARTYNEXTDOOR 3.” PARTYNEXTDOOR released his 3rd and final project of his self-titled trilogy on August 12, 2016.

This album explores themes of love, heartbreak, lust and more. At just over an hour, Party cycles through different sounds like sunny, Caribbean-inspired tracks like “Not Nice” and “Only You,” to dark, hard-hitting cuts like “Problems & Selfless” and “Transparency.” I could go on and on about this album, so I figured I would save time for the both of us and talk about my favorite song from it “Come and See Me.”

Come and See Me was the first single for P3. It was produced by Noah “40” Shebib and features a verse from Drake. The instrumental contains some bulky electric piano chords with some slow, simple drums. Its simplicity creates a melancholic atmosphere for Party and Drake to croon about their “situationships” they were in at the time.

My favorite lyric from it has always been “Things change, people change, feelings change, too. Never thought the circumstances would have changed you,” from Party. He pauses after as the beat continues, and a vocal delay of “you” slowly dissipates. I think he evokes heavy emotion in such a simple couplet, and the rest of the song is no different.

Party and Drake’s vulnerable writing is something that we can all relate to, whether in the past or present for you, and that is why I enjoy “Come and See Me” so much. The writing combined with simple, sweet melodies from them and 40 make for one of my favorite songs ever.

Did you guys have any favorite August releases? If not, what music have you been listening to? Let me know!

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My Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Chase Worthey, though I usually go by my stage name “Noc.” Within the past 5 years or so, my passion for media has grown into me wanting to have a career in the media industry.

I am a music producer who mostly makes R&B and Hip-Hop. I love discussing music and all other kinds of entertainment like comedy, TV shows, and more! I will bring up those three forms of entertainment the most in this blog I have a feeling…

I am not someone who blogs often because I do not like to share too much about myself publicly, which I think is kind of strange considering most of the people I follow on social media are entertainers who love to share their stories!

My goal with this blog is to be able to speak more freely and feel like I can open up without being judged so much. I also hope that I can learn to become a more concise writer. I usually overthink my public posts, so hopefully this stream-of-consciousness format could help me get out my ideas in a quicker way, while still staying on topic.

I hope you all enjoy hearing about all my wacky opinions and quirks in this, and I hope I can engage with some of you who feel similarly to me!

Alaina Castillo releases debut EP “antisocial butterfly”

This past Friday, Houston singer and songwriter Alaina Castillo released her debut EP “antisocial butterfly.” At around a light 6 tracks at 16 minutes, Castillo’s smooth voice and catchy songwriting make you want to keep this project on repeat.

This EP was executive produced by singer, songwriter, and producer RØMANS, who has worked with the likes of Lewis Capaldi and Khalid. The chemistry between Castillo and ROMANS is very evident on this EP. Castillo sounds comfortable and in-control over RØMANS’ bright pop production.

“i don’t think i love you anymore” was the single and first track of this EP. Castillo’s falsetto is beautiful alongside such a cinematic beat with heavy bass and ethereal strings. The song has gathered over 2 million views on YouTube, where she first got her start.

Castillo started her music path on YouTube doing well-liked covers of Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and more. Her beautiful voice and warm charisma brought in hundreds of thousands of views over 2018. She made a few originals alongside her covers that I produced like “luvin u is like” and “fake love.”

Her path from beginning on YouTube to releasing an EP assisted by her team Fine Group Entertainment is inspiring for any independent artist looking to grow. Castillo’s latin-infused pop debut makes her someone to really look out for in the music scene.

The placebo effect with Kanye West’s “Jesus is King”

This past weekend, designer, rapper, producer and songwriter Kanye West dropped his latest project Jesus is King. While I have my own reservations about this project, I wanted to focus on a different subject regarding this release: celebrity worship.

Infamously known for his messy album releases, it was no surprise for listeners that Kanye had put new mixes up within a day of his release of Jesus is King. I saw posts floating around Reddit and Twitter of fans praising the new mixes. Previously, Kanye had done the same thing to his release The Life of Pablo, replacing mixes and even adding more post-production work after the album’s release.

There was only one problem with this update of new mixes for Jesus is King: there never were any updates. Someone made up this idea and outlets ran with it, convincing thousands of listeners that they heard things much better that next listen.

I think the mind is very powerful. We can convince ourselves of anything when it comes to how we view our heroes. It still kind of blows my mind that thousands and thousands of Kanye fans convinced themselves they heard his project differently because of something they had read, not from anyone who worked on the project either.

Being honest, I probably would believe it too knowing his history, but I would not use it as an excuse to like it better. Kanye has a lot of influence, and I think it is important that his consumers are honest with him by being honest to themselves. How is Kanye supposed to keep himself in check when his fans don’t even bother to keep themselves in check?

This is not a post meant to slander Kanye, it is meant to make sure people are paying attention to what they feel vs. what they want to feel. I admire Kanye a lot, and I think he is one of the best artists of our generation. I hope that no matter the celebrity or artist, fans start to evaluate how they really feel.

So tell me, has the placebo effect ever gotten the best of you? How did you feel after you learned the truth of it? Let me know!

Summer Walker finds success with new album “Over It”

For me, October means the beginning of cuffing season, and Summer Walker’s new album “Over It” really reinforces my mindset.

“Over It” sold 134,000 copies its first week and landed at the No. 2 position on the Billboard 200 chart. It is 18 tracks long with some previous big singles like “Playing Games” and “Girls Need Love (Remix).” It was streamed 154.7 million times in the first week which is the biggest female streaming debut ever, passing Beyoncé’s record that “Lemonade” set in 2016.

I have been listening to this project on repeat. I cannot decide on a favorite yet, but the standouts for me are “Come Through” featuring Usher and “Drunk Dialing…L.O.D.T.” I love the “You Make Me Wanna…” sample washed in the background and the interpolation of some of the lyrics in “Come Through.” “Drunk Dialing” is woozy and hollow. Walker’s needy, unashamed lyrics and beautiful harmonies are inebriating in and of themselves.

Being single certainly enhances some of the wallowing that can happen listening to this project; I am currently a victim of it. The album is executive produced by London On The Track, and he did a great job establishing a silky-smooth, late night feel to this project. Walker’s vocals shine above the murky, booming beats. Walker and London’s chemistry is evident in making such a cohesive, strong tracklist.

Are your playlists changing with the seasons at all? Let me know!

Mobsters: How are they likable?

This past weekend, I started watching HBO mobster series “The Sopranos.” I am about half way into the second season, and I feel stars in my eyes when I watch the show. I feel like I have seen all the mobster movie stereotypes: expensive cars and jewelry, guns with silencers, hairy Italian men smoking like chimneys and more. However, I cannot stop watching.

While watching all the R-rated material, I started to wonder why I am so infatuated with the movie mobster lifestyle. Why do I, and many others romanticize such a cruel, hedonistic lifestyle? There’s infidelity, murder, robbing, heavy drinking and strip clubs. It is everything one should strive to stay away from; yet, in these mobster movies and shows, we make these oppressors into heroes.

A possible explanation is that these infamous mobsters serve as antiheroes: protagonists who lack typical hero characteristics. “Despite clearly doing improper things for (at times) corrupt reasons, antiheroes still function as ‘‘forces of good’’ in many narratives,” said Daniel M. Shafer and Arthur A. Raney in their article “Exploring How We Enjoy Antihero Narratives.”

I find myself rooting for these characters because they are strong men who want to care for their families and people around them. Their masculinity is not challenged by hugs and cheek-kisses or holding someones face or neck when talking to them, but when asked about if a boss is going to therapy, he feels like members are trying to make him less of a man. Their uniqueness is inspiring and terrifying at the same time.

I admire their strength and responsibility, and sometimes even envy their mellifluous accents at times, as silly as that may sound. I relate to their cynical lifestyle, but obviously not for the same reasons. Though I can be repulsed by the values and lifestyles at times, these characters do make me realize how easy my life is, and that staying determined and hard-working can get me far in life.

So tell me, who is someone in a show or movie you find yourself rooting for, even though you kind of feel like you shouldn’t be. Let me know!

My Favorite Podcasts: September 2019

For the past couple of months, I have listened to podcasts almost every single day. I primarily listen comedy podcasts, but I also listen to a couple of music podcasts. Podcasts have been a great source of laughter and insight for me, so I thought I would share some of my favorites this month.

2 Bears, 1 Cave: Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura

These two definitely have a dark sense of humor -and so do I- so be warned! This podcast has made my cry tears from laughter. Kreischer and Segura are definitely two bigger names in the stand up comedy game, and to have the two join forces to make a podcast has been so good.

Their history and chemistry really shines in every episode of this podcast. They talk about past stories, current events, react to videos, come up with funny ideas for shows and more. The dynamic banter between the two keeps me coming back for every new episode.

Dissect by Spotify Studios

Dissect is a series hosted by Cole Cuchna that breaks down some very critically-acclaimed albums like “The Miseducation of Lauren Hill by Lauren Hill,” “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West” and more. Almost every episode is about one particular song on a project, and sometimes there are even background episodes before getting into the albums about the artists.

I recently listened to his analysis of Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” which includes some background episodes on Frank as well as some analyses of previous songs from his last album “Channel Orange.” This was an incredible listen to really grasp some of the albums heavier themes like love, heartbreak, growth, and more. Cuchna also includes general information about music theory and breaks down the production on the songs as well.

So tell me, are you a podcast listener? Why or why not? If you are, what podcasts do you listen to? Let me know!

Horror Movies: Home vs. Theater

This weekend, I met with a friend to go see the sequel to one of our favorite 2017 horror movies: IT – well, remake that is. IT is 2 hours and 49 minutes in length, which I am sure many people have their own opinions about. However, I enjoyed the movie and thought it was a great blend of horror and humor.

Bill Hader, who plays Richie, really shines as the star role in the movie. He is so, so funny in this movie and does a great job acting as well. Another notable role was was James McAvoy who plays Billy. I was curious to see if his accent would come through in the movie, but there were not any noticeable slip-ups I heard!

I thought about how much more exciting horror movies are in the theaters while I was there. When I go to see a movie in theaters, it is almost always a horror movie. There is nothing like seeing a scary movie in theaters. As pretentious as it sounds, the movies are optimized for the big screens and 5.1 surround sound. Movies should be experienced in the same way given the opportunity!

Most of my favorite horror movie experiences have been at the movies. The environment makes the jump scares much more impactful, and you get to have friends there with you experiencing it alongside of you. Usually, I really enjoy the communal aspect of everyone tensing up from a dark, quiet room waiting for something to jump out. I am a nervous laugher, so those moments are so exciting for me, but maybe not for others.

So, I am curious. Do you guys go to the movie theater anymore, or do you stay in to watch? What is your favorite movie you have seen recently? Let me know!