This campus is full of alarmingly qualified individuals, so it comes as no surprise that a number of accomplished musicians and potential stars walk among us. Check out these four Penntastic musical acts (all of which have released legit albums and EPs) still on the upswing of their auspicious arcs.
MALIK (Malik Smith)
youtube.com/user/keysongmusic
C'10
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Influences: 90’s R&B from TLC to D’angelo; neo-soul like Jill Scott; MTV at the turn of the millennium; reggae
Sounds like: Malik says he’s going for “a soundtrack to life.” We can confirm that his fresh, uplifting, and soulful R&B “complements our everyday,” as he promises.
In the beginning: “I’ve been making music since I was 7. My mom took me to a garage sale, where I saw an old keyboard that I knew I had to have. I bought it with my own money and one thing led to another.”
Up next: Malik expects this year to be a breakthrough in some form. He’s flying out to Los Angeles in the near future to film another music video.
Artist selection: “Try”
GOLDEN AGES
(Francis Tseng)
myspace.com/wearegoldenages
C’11, Cognitive Science Major
AKA: Tiger Tiger Panther (during his stint as a DJ)
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Discography: Three EPs released as Tiger Tiger Panther: Grrr (2008), Live the Perfect Life (2009), Tastes Like Candy (2009)
Influences: Panda Bear, F**k Buttons, Deerhunter
Sounds like: “Noisy psychedelic pop.” We won’t disagree, but we will add that this music possesses the same sort of intriguing murkiness as Animal Collective’s catalogue. Golden Ages is spacey, experimental, and beat-conscious all at once.
Meaning behind the music: Tseng says Golden Ages lyrics are intensely personal. “It’s about nostalgia and growing up and how relationships change as you get older,” he says. His debut full-length hinges on the theme of the uneasy transition from carefree adolescence to full-fledged adulthood.
Up next: May have a slot at this year’s South by Southwest music festival and already starting work on a second album. As of recently, Tseng is considering turning music into a career.
Artist selection: “Be Cool”
Tradition is available on iTunes now.
WESDOGG (Wesley Skold)
myspace.com/wesleyskold
C’13, Econ Major and Music Minor
Hometown: The Bronx (before a move to China, then Massachusetts, then Maine)
Discography: My Low Rider (2009)
Influences: The beat on T.I.’s “Let’s Get Away;” Pharrell Williams; Timbaland; Dr. Dre
Sounds like: Popular rap filtered through a practical Maine sensibility. Different subgenres of hip hop shine through.
Collaborators: Co-wrote with friend Daniel Jordan; had album produced by Maine musician Pat Keane
Take on rap: Loves it for dynamic beats, flow and the unity of the two, but disagrees with a lot of the mainstream themes like “violence, drugs, womanizing, and egotism. I try to say something different.” Up next: Possibly a video for “At The Thrift Sto”, getting through Penn, “taking one opportunity at a time with music.”
Artist selection: “Buy You a Walrus,” a send-up of cliche R&B, “At The Thrift Sto,” “Bumpin’ This”
MATT CHYLAK
myspace.com/mattchylak
C’13, English Major and Music Minor
Hometown: Newtown, PA
Discography: Slipped off the Sleeve (2008), Sound of Summer EP (2009)
Sounds like: An earnest singer-songwriter, ranging from Ryan Adams-style intimacy to Jack Johnson-style chillness
In the beginning: At his first gig, “They put me on at 6 p.m. Doors didn’t even open until 6:20 p.m.” Since then, he’s played for as many as 600 people and holds the record for highest attendance at one Newtown venue.
Most creative recording methods: Performing in a bathroom, singing through a telephone (check “Love Song” on Slipped off the Sleeve)
Up next: Writing/releasing more CDs, starting a Penn Songwriters Circle to play at on-campus spots and raise money for charity
Artist selection: “Footprints,” written at an open mic, and a hidden acoustic track at the end called “Seek and Find,” written one day at school and recorded in less than a half hour (impromptu writing seems to be a strength).
