Music
“Dead Summer,” A Nostalgic Yet Contemporary Take On The Struggles During The Pandemic
The sun is shining, but people aren’t outside trying to take it all in. Everyone is confined to their homes. Crows are circling in the distance; something must be dead. If you ask Levi Zadoff and Dead Hendrix, it must be the summer.
“Dead Summer” is a joint EP by these two artists about the psychological effects of COVID, which can still be felt even today. “Dead Summer” represents a time when everything slowed down, and what would have been an enjoyable, fun time was anything but that.
Levi Zadoff is a pop-punk musician based in Los Angeles who believes in maintaining a sense of freedom in his artistry. His inspiration comes from pop-punk artists like My Chemical Romance and Nirvana. Dead Hendrix, whose name also fittingly represents his psychedelic sound, is a punk artist based in Canada. He covers true-to-life topics such as drug abuse, heartbreak, insecurities, and trauma in his music.
With a fusion of punk, pop, and rock, Dead Summer takes us through Zadoff’s and Hendrix’s thoughts as they process the pandemic. Love Game and Alone talk about the rabbit hole that has been sitting in your thoughts for too long. Love Game leans towards hard rock. It is loud and aggressive, and the drum chops used at the end give it a strong finish.
Alone is mellower with heavier lyrics; “Yea, I am numb to the core… I’m getting kinda tired of getting stoned and kinda tired of being home.” It is that gnawing feeling of no longer enjoying things that used to make you happy. The song also has some hints of EDM to it, especially with the bass drops and looping in the chorus.
Cant Be God has the most summer feel in the EP. It sounds easy and light. The instruments are muted and alternate between a subtle guitar riff and simple piano chords. They sing, “If I make my bed, I lie in it,” a willingness to accept whatever comes your way.
Dont Think It Could Get Much Better takes a satirical perspective of Dead Summer. Of course, things will get much better, but before they do, Hendrix and Zadoff allow us to wallow in the feelings of things worsening.
Hendrix and Zadoff have added the song Teenage Dirtbag as a bonus track. The sound is nostalgic, with guitar melodies that sound like they were made over ten years ago. The song is about missing someone, but you decide to stab them since you can’t have them.
With Zadoff and Dead Hendrix based in different countries, Dead Summer was created virtually. However, it’s hard to tell. The two bounce off each other’s sound well, making for a cohesive sound. Furthermore, the transition between different song styles is smooth, making for a trippy and enjoyable listen.
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7v9FFhJrHoLLDiuNOIXy1H?si=vCrWap8nS8S6zM4iOJHFpg
Distrokid:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/deadhendrixandlevizadoff/dead-summer-ep
Levi Zadoff Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/levizadoff
Levi Zadoff Website:
https://www.levizadoffmusic.com/
Dead Hendrix Instagram:
Artist Spotlight
Makk $aucy explores feminine power and emotional connection in “Agressive Woman”
Women are powerful to the people around them, and Makk $aucy explores that dynamic in his new single, “Aggressive Woman.” In this release, Makk $aucy dives into how our personal habits and views are shaped by our relationships and emotional ties, rather than just skimming the surface.
“Aggressive Woman” comes from a relaxed, flowing creative process, captured at Grill Studios in Emeryville, California. You can feel that vibe throughout the track, letting the performance speak real emotion without sounding forced. Much of the vibe comes from Makk $aucy’s vocal delivery, which matches the recording’s chill atmosphere.
Beyond the theme, the release also showcases Makk $aucy’s talents as an artist and producer. He lists R&B, hip-hop, and rap as influences and is still trying to find a musical direction that doesn’t confine him to one genre. His production work is central to this identity, reflecting his desire to shape the whole listening experience, not just his vocal performance.
“Agressive Woman” is another chapter in what Makk $aucy calls the “Makk $aucy Experience,” a larger musical journey based on experimentation and creative findings. It celebrates female power and spotlights an artist who continues to push the limits of his production and genre-bending approach.
Artist Spotlight
C’batch explores love, irony, and poor decisions in “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1”
“If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1” by C’batch is a classic rock release that explores that complicated side of relationships. Based on a friend’s real-life relationship, the song explores love, bad judgment, and the emotional repercussions from a dark, ironic, and sometimes humorous perspective.
What’s interesting about the release is that it spans different eras, musically and lyrically. C’Batch first recorded the guitar improvisation in 2012, and the words came years later, after the relationship that inspired them was over. He kept the two apart until 2026, when he finally merged them. The unusual creative chronology links an early musical idea to a later observation of human behavior.
The track is steeped in classic rock and soul rock and showcases C’batch’s experience as a guitarist, composer, and producer. To truly appreciate this release, one must understand the creative process behind it, a process that has been touched by a musical history spanning four decades. He returns to an old guitar composition and gives it a new purpose in the telling.
The song is about how people can get so wrapped up in love that they ignore shady decisions and only see the consequences afterward. “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1” is an interesting intersection of past inspiration and present outlook. It also shows how an unfinished musical idea can be born years later.
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