Album review: ‘Gliss Riffer’

“Gliss Riffer” Dan Deacon Domino 3.5 Paws Imagine a musical supercomputer has ingested some type of psychedelic substance and completely jammed out for 42 minutes straight. Baltimore electronic musician and composer Dan Deacon’s latest work, “Gliss Riffer,” illustrates just that. Since the release of his 2007 breakthrough album, “Spiderman of the Rings,” Deacon has brought […]

Q&A: UCLA professor Gary Gray on his music, upcoming Oscars performance

Behind the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards goes meticulous preparation, vital in ensuring the ceremony runs smoothly. Part of the evening’s flow is attributed to the Oscars’ music ensemble, with recorded live versions of movie soundtracks playing as background music during the nominations. UCLA professor and clarinetist Gary Gray and lecturer and flutist […]

Album Review: ‘Smoke + Mirrors’

“Smoke + Mirrors” Imagine Dragons Interscope Records 4 paws Imagine Dragons’ new album “Smoke + Mirrors” defies every label or even being classified under a single genre. Tracks bounce back and forth between indie- and rock-dominated sounds, blending in its signature futuristic beats, leaving listeners more reflective about hardships than its past hits do. The […]

Student musician Mr. Moon to release first single “Darling”

Sixteen years ago, Michael de Virgilio met Brandon Hafetz, the new kid in kindergarten, in Manhattan Beach. Now, they are working together to release an EP, “Darling.” Under the moniker Mr. Moon, third-year psychobiology student de Virgilio is releasing his first single, also called “Darling,” on Tuesday. The EP is produced under Hafetz’s production company’s […]