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The earliest seeds of Worldtown Soundsystem were sown nearly fifteen years ago, when DJ Ben Arsenal threw an epic DJ party with his Worldtown DJs project and met drummer and producer, Gary Dann, at The Boom Room, Dann’s studio and multimedia performance space. In their earliest collaborations, Dann’s drumming brought an unmistakably human element to Arsenal’s organically warm and soulful beats, and over time, the project grew into a full band, complete with a cadre of expert players wielding live instruments and beautiful voices. Since then, they’ve recorded and toured in a variety of configurations and essentially have grown together, both personally and professionally, like a family.

At Johnny Brenda’s, Pierre Paloma kicked the night off with a DJ set, where he blended electronic beats and live hand percussion to present house music and West African rhythms. He remained on the stage to accompany local artist Seraiah Nicole, whose style and set were both traditional and modern, singing both originals and covers with a voice both powerful and tender. As she left the stage, Paloma was joined by Dann, Arsenal, and a murderer’s row of love and talent who brought festival stage-sized energy to the 250-person capacity venue to offer a show as explosive as it was intimate.

Jules Starr (bass and vocals) employed impressive technique throughout the night, including moments of Stanley Jordan-esque right hand fretboard tapping that brought a percussive layer to the low end. Dan Keller (saxophone) interwove intricate melodic and harmonic horn lines, at times engaging in a call-and-response with Zeek Burse, whose scat at times replicated the sound of an alto sax with astonishing accuracy. (Maybe it was the sparkly yellow genie pants…?) Zeek’s brother, Stephan Burse, brought his larger than life, multi-octave voice to the room and left it all on stage, while Anessa LaRae’s commanding voice and magnetic stage presence left the audience no choice but to dance and dance hard. And Fawziyyah Heart’s mesmerizing voice, performance, and essence embodied soul and sensuality. (‘Nuff said.) 

As the band worked through their set, it became clear that there is something primal and eternal about their music, perhaps as reflected in the titles of some of the songs they performed: “One Night” (from their eponymous 2015 EP), “Water” (from their 2023 EP, House of Love), and “Divine Awaken.” The singers left the stage for a time, leaving the instrumentalists to engage in a semi-structured jam with Arsenal conducting. Philly rapper and producer Kow, a member of the extended Worldtown family, joined the group for a few numbers as the singers returned to the stage, while Dann kept the crowd dancing, mixing funk and disco beats beneath his cohorts’ genre-defying music. Then Nicole returned to the stage, and the assembled group brought the house down with their recent collaborative single, “Good Things Take Time.”

The energy and camaraderie of Worldtown Soundsystem were infectious, creating a sense of unity and celebration that extended throughout the crowd. Their ability to seamlessly blend diverse musical influences, while staying true to their Philly roots, serves as a testament to their artistry and their deep connection with their hometown. As they continue to explore new sonic territories and push creative boundaries, Worldtown Soundsystem remains a vital force in the Philly music scene and beyond. 

Photos by Alisa Shargorodsky @earth_algorithm

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For this week’s Caustic Commentary, we wanted to focus on new holiday music that doesn’t suck. The type of songs that truly encapsulate the nuances of this season rather than emphasize the blunt greed of it all. Welcome to Caustic Commentary: Holiday Songs That Don’t Suck. 

Check out Glide’s picks for the most refreshing Holiday music of 2024 below. 

Reggie Watts – “White Christmas”

Reggie Sings: Your Favorite Christmas Classics, Volume 1 – EP

The multifaceted and always entertaining Reggie Watts tackles three holiday standards on his foray into the sonic Christmas spirit. Reggie Sings: Your Favorite Christmas Classics, Volume 1 finds Watts adding a smokey jazz club-style flair to tunes like “Christmas Time Is Here” and the standout from the three-track outing, “White Christmas.” Watts’s interpretation of this song is cheeky yet moving, as warm piano keys elevate the swaying melodies. 

Robert Glasper – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Feat. Doobie Powell)

In December

Last year, award-winning jazz producer/keyboardist Robert Glasper released his In December holiday album, and he took 2024 to revisit the project and add a new tune to the already unforgettable outing. The deluxe version of In December adds a stirring rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Glasper’s elegant piano work acts as the falling snowflakes, and Doobie Powell’s soaring vocals are the pine tree they stick to, creating an aesthetic holiday portrait to get lost in. 

DJ Harrison – “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

A DJ Harrison Xmas

While this project was initially released in 2010, 2024 was the year DJ Harrison finally released his underappreciated yet utterly refreshing Christmas album on streaming platforms. A DJ Harrison Xmas captures the warmth of lo-fi and the looseness of jazz as Harrison pieces together bedroom-style instrumentals that capture the whimsy of the season. Harrison’s version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” is a quint arrangement driven by lush synths and juxtaposing drum chaos. 

Sloppy Scales – “Sweet Baby Jesus”

This Machine Mocks Fascits: The Sloppy Scales Songbook

After leaving their life as a rodeo clown in the past to pick up music, Sloppy Scales has been fearlessly airing out his grievances with the modern world across multiple singles in 2024. Those singles have found a home on This Machine Mocks Fascits: The Sloppy Scales Songbook, the debut project from the artist. “Sweet Baby Jesus” is a groovy take on nostalgic blues and an original Christmas tune with Sloppy Scales navigating an animated arrangement and delivering harsh realities. 

Madi Diaz – “Kid on Christmas”

Single

Singer/songwriter Madi Diaz is on a clear path to the top of modern music as she slowly builds a discography that showcases her lyrical prowess and fearless sonic explorations. After releasing her stunning Weird Faith LP in 2024, Diaz wraps up the year with a downtrodden acoustic Holiday single that employs a simplistic beauty. “Kid on Christmas” is a moving example of Diaz’s poetic songwriting. She croons over minimalistic instrumentation, penning a longing that finds the artist reminiscing about simpler times around the holiday season. 

Dawes – “Christmas Tree in the Window”

Single

Dawes has had one hell of a 2024, racking up critical acclaim for their fantastic Oh Brother LP. The band closes out the year with “Christmas Tree in the Window,” a moving tale of finding solace in the togetherness of Winter. The storytelling tracks put the listener in the shoes of someone attempting to make ends meet by dastardly means, only to be deterred by the smell of hot cocoa and shimmering lights hanging from trees. The band crafts a piano-driven arrangement built on the same sentimentality of the songwriting, making the tune even more palpable. 

SNACKTIME – “This Christmas”

Home for the Holidays (Live at WXPN)

Philadelphia’s SNACKTIME is proving to be one of the most innovative and unpredictable additions to the city’s thriving music scene in quite some time, and their new holiday double-single shows their genuinely diverse sound. The band took to Philly’s WXPN to record staggering versions of the modern classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and their jovial take on “This Christmas.” The latter finds the band injecting deep grooves and jazzy fireworks into the Christmas classic as SNACKTIME wraps up a stellar year with a danceable bow. 

Amanda Whiting – “Skating”

A Christmas Cwtch

Jazz harpist Amanda Whiting is becoming an inspiring voice in modern jazz. She follows her 2024 LP with A Christmas Cwtch, a 14-song outing in which Whiting reimagines Christmas classics with new arrangements, putting her experimental tendencies aside for a sinfully sweet pack of cheer. One of the singles from the project, “Skating,” finds Whiting’s nimble harp prowess, creating a gentle Winter breeze that forces the drums to sway along. 

Laufey – “Winter Wonderland”

A Very Laufey Christmas: The Santa Baby Edition – EP

Laufey has officially broken through the ranks of modern jazz with the release of her Bewitched LP and its subsequent deluxe version. Now, the vocalist/multi-instrumentalist sets her sights on the Holiday season. Her new Christmas EP features five tunes that will shoot you into the spirit of the season via gentle vocals and lighthearted instrumentation. Laufey’s take on “Winter Wonderland” crackles like a roaring fire or an old vinyl as her vocals float over droning horns and sleigh bells. 

BOYR!OT – “I Hate The Holidays”

Single

The melodic and aggressive punk of BOYR!OT takes on the form of The Grinch as they express their disdain for the season in an infectious manner. “I Hate The Holidays” is the anti-seasonal anthem for those who don’t find jingle bells all that musical. The duo takes their youthful energy and pop-punk prowess to craft a punchy single that aims at the negatives of this time of year, including busy shopping malls and underwhelming Christmas music.

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The Gourds played their final show in Austin, Texas on October 27th, 2013 after nearly two decades. Listen to a recording of that show here. Since then, co-frontman Kevin Russell and drummer Keith Langford have ridden a wave of success with their Gulf Coast boogie-woogie soul outfit Shinyribs while other members have been involved in various projects. The 2025 reunion will mark the first time since 2013 that the original lineup has performed together. Earlier this year, a partial lineup of the band reunited onstage to play Gourds tunes at the Old Settler’s Music Festival outside of Austin. Check out video of that performance below. At this point, there is no talk of a full tour or additional shows for The Gourds, so the upcoming Austin show may be the only opportunity in the foreseeable future to catch the cult favorites.

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The band’s signature take on hypnotic psych-rock gets a touch of shoegaze on “Frankie.” Martin’s vocals subtly creek out from behind the hazy guitar melodies, and loose drum patterns add an ethereal touch to the band’s already otherworldly sound. Along with tapping into the lush tones of shoegaze, Meagre Martin employs the subtle undertones of pop as the vocal melodies whirl around infectiously and familiarly. This performance radiates a palpable warmth as the band strikes the middle ground between familiar and alien. The beauty is in the simplicity of “Frankie.” Meagre Martin’s new single is a refreshing and loose take on modern rock with cloud-like tones that interact with soaring vocals to create a welcoming atmosphere.

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In addition to a few sporadic live performances, Notre Noise has released a handful of singles, most recently including 2024’s “The Apostle Paul” and “Swordsh.” Tully is currently in the studio working on new material slated for release in early 2025.

Notre Noise’s new single, “Swordfish,” finds the band throwing caution to the wind and running head-first into a brick wall of distortion. The artsy and noisy single sees the band fearlessly crafting complex melodies that crash into each other in a stunning demolition derby fashion, touching on nostalgic noise rock without falling victim to relying on tropes. The frantic yet hazy vocals perform lo-fi acrobatic stunts as they nuzzle themselves next to the searing guitars and neck-breaking drums. Upon pressing play, you feel like you are being swooped up in a tornado of noise. A chugging intro welcomes us but doesn’t prepare us for the off-kilter on-slaught of “Swordfish” as the unpredictable arrangement grows throughout the head-spinning journey. Notre Noise finds the middle ground between art rock and punk on “Swordfish,” an unforgettable single that reveals new layers with every listen. 

“The melody for ‘Swordsh’ was written in an airport- a toddler was screaming at his mother, who’d just taken away his iPad. I was listening to some drum demos on headphones- 90s UK big beat style stuff I’d been working on- and the notes of the kid’s crying formed a perfect melody over top. The lyrics came a couple of nights later in a dream,” explains Tully. “When recording the track at the studio, in lieu of a traditional drum kit, we utilized scraps of sheet metal, vintage circus drums, and a giant WW2 artillery shell. It was a meticulous production and a challenging mix, but it was a really fun track to work on.”

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Glide is premiering the video for “Like You Do” which serves its “fly on the wall” approach with a wintry warmth where Cannata’s passionate delivery evokes the clever throwback style of Father John Misty and the imagery of a lost ’70s Laurel Canyon era B-side. “Like You Do” was written about Cannata’s at the time fiance (now spouse) Hannah Connolly, so the tender vulnerability works ideally with the acoustic piano statement.

For the “Like You Do” music video, I wanted to do a simple tribute to the piano.  We were able to use a new friend’s studio in San Pedro (where “The Wave” music video was shot).  Like the “Fruit” video, Taylor Thompson and assistant Johnny Biedenharn shot on a mix of 16mm film and digital.  We were able to capture the piano and my old Fender Coronado guitar, in a simple performance video, which focused on the beauty of the instruments. The inspiration behind “Like You Do” were classic film photos of artists like Serge Gainsbourg, or Frank Sinatra, sitting at their pianos.  This song was written on the piano, so I wanted to honor the instrument, and capture its beauty.” 

Cannata will usher in the album’s arrival with a pair of solo acoustic performances to open Young The Giant’s sold-out anniversary shows events at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. The shows will see Young The Giant perform their RIAA Gold-certified self-titled debut in its entirety (January 19) with the first-ever complete performance of their critically-acclaimed sophomore release, Mind Over Matter the following night (January 20). Cannata will then blaze the country the last week in January with album release shows in NYC (January 24), Nashville (January 27) and Los Angeles (January 31).

 A limited edition vinyl/exclusive t-shirt bundle (a collab with Paper & Wax Co) is available via Cannata’s web site (store.ericcannata.com).

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