Happy International Women’s Day everybody! My name is Jake T. and we’re back with another blog for you. Today (every day really, but especially today) I want to celebrate some of our favorite voices in music.
There are so many examples of women’s contributions to their field being overshadowed, it’s impossible to count them. At the end of the day recorded history was written by people in power, and for the last thousand years if you were in a position that held the privilege of historical authorism…you were probably a man.
One of the more insidious effects things like institutionalized sexism, misogynistic sexism, and litanies of other socio-economic issues have had on our society is that oftentimes the creators of the things we love the most do not get the recognition they deserve. Sister Rosetta Thorpe, Jordana LesSesne, Donna Summer, and Kate Bush, people who have changed the fundamentals of recording and performance have had their work trivialized, their impact miniaturized and infantilized by people who feel that women are less than.
That’s why I wanted to take a moment today to shine a spotlight on the women we look to for inspiration. These are the producers, and songwriters who make us want to make things, who’ve changed our perspective on music-making, on art, and how we look at the world.
Honey Dijon
Honey Dijon - Beatport x Absolut NYE 2020 Global Celebration - Berlin | @Beatport Live
Honey Dijon is a staple of dance music. Having grown up on the southside of Chicago during the golden age of House, she lives breathes, and bleeds dance music. Having been featured in every mix series that’s worth mentioning, Honey is one of THE final words in house music. She has performed internationally and has collaborated with Louis Vuitton and Dior providing soundtracks for their runway presentations. A vocal activist for the rights of trans women Honey Dijon keeps the spirit of rebellion and subversion of House music's roots alive.
Kemistry and Storm
Kemistry & Storm - DJ Kicks (1999)
Two of the most influential DJs to ever grace the decks Kemsitry and Storm were pioneers of Drum and Bass in the 1990s. As two of the founding members of Metalheadz (alongside Goldie) they were the first female label heads to have a dance record with international distribution (Goldie’s Timeless) providing integral support and platforming for artists that have torn up dance floors for almost 30 years.
Jordana LeSesne
1.8.7 - The cities collection (Full Album)
Also known as 1.8.7 Jordana LeSesne is a pioneer of early Dnb and bass music. As an open and proudly transgender woman, Jordana helped bring the sounds of Drum and Bass to the US. After surviving a hate crime in 2000 Jordana became a fierce and vocal advocate for the rights of trans women. At the time Jordana was a breath of fresh air in the typically hyper-masculine world of Dnb. She remains active in music; touring, and releasing to this day.
Veil
Stepping into the modern side of dance music we have Veil. Label head of Street Ritual, Veil is an enigmatic figure in bass music whose dark angular productions light up clubs globally. This is not to mention her work as a touring DJ. Her sets are marked by her profound connection to the crowd and her ability to take the crowd on journeys it didn’t even know it wanted.
Sylph
Hailing from NorCal Sylph is an artist whose productions offer an energetic and emotional intelligence that entrances the listener. Her compositions are intricate enough to keep you guessing and immediate enough that you’re transported into a world that she has total control of.
A Hundred Drums
Noxious (A Hundred Drums Remix)
A Hundred Drums, also known as Gabriele Watson has been releasing and making music under the same project since 2006. A mainstay of bass music A Hundred Drums’ productions offer angular detailed rhythms and crushing bass impact. Just recently she produced a mix for Super Bowl XLVIII sponsored by Apple Music.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Ears (Full Album)
Diving into the more ambient side of things we have Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Known for her soft and organic sound design, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is a master of modular synthesizers, particularly the Buchla Music Easel and 200 Series. Her compositions allow for deep introspection into realms of imagination not easily accessible. Her album Ears is a particular delight to start this journey.
Malibu
Malibu is an artist who uses lush overwhelming soundscapes to convey a sense of lonely yet comforting beauty. Listening to Malibu is to let the waves of sound crash over you, the listener ecstatically surrenders to a journey in which they discover themselves again and again.
Sophie
SOPHIE — It's Okay To Cry (Official Video)
What else can be said about Sophie that hasn't already been articulated in a hundred different ways by a hundred different writers? Dynamic, graceful, a stunning range and melodic sensibility that can only be found in a generational talent. She left us too soon, trying to gaze at the moon. While we were all looking at her she was looking out just a little farther. At something just out of reach. Bigger, brighter, and more beautiful than anything found on this terrestrial earth. What we’re left with is a gentle reminder. “It’s ok to cry.” Rest in peace.
Eartheater
Eartheater - Crushing (Official Music Video)
Eartheater is the brainchild of Alexandra Drewchin, a New York based singer, producer, and recording artist whose work draws a line in the tension between underground and pop music and pops a wheelie on it. A classically trained singer and composer, she creates songs of enigmatic grace that beguile and entrance the listener.