eMusic Conducts Scientific Research on Indie Rock

By Bob Marshall 

With the rise of Spotify and iTunes’ domination over the paid music industry, we were surprised to learn that online subscription service eMusic is still in operation. But, a clever new digital campaign from Mother NY titled “eMusic Investigates” brought it back to our attention, especially considering the three artists the campaign showcases are some of the best up-and-coming musicians around today.

The three videos in the campaign are positioned as scientific experiments that seek the meaning and impact behind each artist’s latest work. For example, the above short investigates indie folk singer/songwriter Porcelain Raft’s latest album, Strange Weekend, and whether or not the Italian-born artist’s musical interpretation of a bizarre weekend in New York causes bizarre reactions from passerby when played on right around the corner from the iconic Bowery Ballroom. As it turns out, dance parties and heavy makeout sessions occur.

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Meanwhile, Grammy award-winning neo-soul crooner Esperanza Spalding is aiming for a decidedly “bigger” sound on her latest album, Radio Music Society. Accordingly, eMusic wanted to see if her new style would still please her fans that are used to listening to Spalding in more intimate settings. The above video plays Spalding’s new single, “Radio Music,” for fans in increasingly smaller places, starting in an empty room and ending in a wacky party that takes place in a full-size bed. See if Frankie Rose’s new space-themed album, Interstellar, holds up when played to a rocket scientist, twin alien abductees, and a chimp after the jump.

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