Blvck Hippie crashes the party

Shining beams of natural light with Josh Shaw, aka Blvck Hippie; photographed by December Hansen.

Readying the an album release of commiserating endearments titled If You Feel Alone at Parties; Memphis artist Blvck Hippie presents a selection of fascinations to commemorate the occasion. Alias of creative Memphis artist Josh Shaw elaborates upon an arsenal of DIY demos, shambling vignettes and more to deliver vulnerable honest hymns for the introverted at heart. Shaw sharpens their sound sculptor's chisel in angling amplified angst via organized psalms of sentimental soliloquys. The gossip, anguish and other agita of upper academia are lamented on the catharsis of "Art School", carefully accelerating the narratives and vibes on the curiosity cavalcade of voice mail vibes on "Answering Machine", bringing the big feels on an otherwise celebratory night with the heartbreaking melancholia of "NYE", to the stand out title track that rocks like an awkward back to school homecoming event of feelings isolated (and insulated) within the density of a crowd.

Josh wears the heart firmly fixed to their sleeve on emotionally wrenching tracks like "Smoke Break Interlude", to letting it all out bleed out in the passion of "Bunkbed", to pensive inner monologues that play out on "Straight to TV Movies", to the hungover pains, embarrassingly honest and existential dread of "July 5th". Shaw leads the audience to the album's final act with the cinematic celluloid heroic confessional of "Technicolor", complete with a gorgeous baroque piano and string guided outro that directs you to the closing cataclysmic canyon of therapeutic recitations that spiral like a poetic spoken word session that excavates memories, thought trains, lost meanings, connections, the moments that we can’t let go of and so much more. If You Feel Alone at Parties is an album for anyone who as ever felt uneven or odd from within, seeking a resolve, resolution and reconciliation within themselves and their surrounding world. Join us for some exclusive inspirational insights from Blvck Hippie’s Josh Shaw after the jump:

The inspirational pop doctrine of Blvck Hippie’s Josh Shaw

Cover art for Blvck Hippie’s album If You Feel Alone at Parties; courtesy of Josh Shaw.

Morning Time Outside

So my girlfriend and I have gotten into the habit of waking up early and drinking warm lemon water on our porch and reading books. I'm currently reading The Godfather (I'm trying to get my love of reading back that I lost in college). This has been like a super meditative chill time that helps me start my day without stress, no phones, just books and health.

Stunted Growth

I’ve stumbled on this YouTube page where a guy discusses former NBA players that never panned out in the league and breaks down parts in their games and early development that kept them from success. I used to hoop so I just love anything breaking down the game and lord knows my bad knees and lack of being in shape keep me from playing too much nowadays.

The candid, cool and real realm of Blvck Hippie; press photo courtesy of Bandcamp.

Cooking and Vinyls

Since I'm no longer an edgy skater bro, I like to spend my evenings cooking with my girlfriend and listening to my vinyl collection. Recently I’ve been bumping this Perry Como record I got in Kansas City while we cook — I always listen to jazz when I cook. That's like the rule I've made in my house. It's nice ‘cause I’m too obsessive to have a hobby, but I find cooking to be the closest thing I can have to one. My mom taught me and my brother how to cook when we were younger but I grew up vegan so I can still really only cook vegan or vegetarian. It always relaxes me.

Tyler, The Creator's latest interview

I love watching experts talk about the art they make and the thought process going in and usually I get that from watching videos of Johnny Marr breaking down his guitar style (which I study religiously) but Tyler's latest interview was informative and inspiring and definitely has me approaching my creative process differently. It’s an hour and half interview on Hot 97 — listening to his foresight, his confidence and him breaking down music as he sees it was amazing, dude is definitely a once in a generation talent and everything I strive to be.

Crying to Avatar the Last Airbender

My girlfriend has never seen ATLA so I decided to re-watch it with her. Which means I've been getting drunk and crying to Avatar a lot recently. Iroh’s part in “Tales of Ba Sing Se” gets me every time, also “Leaves from the Vine” is a certified bop. Cartoons and anime have been extremely influential on myself as an artist with the art styles, soundtracks, and stories. Most demos I've recorded you can hear cartoons in the background cause I leave Adult Swim on and record all night. Also does anyone remember the anime Zoids: Chaotic Century, that's like my fav anime of all time and more people should know it exists.

Blvck Hippie’s If You Feel Alone at Parties will be available September 17 via The Record Machine.