Punk Black To-Go: July's music recommendations

July 25th, 2022

Von Phoenix of "Punk Black" talks about some of his favorite artists of color. (Aki Ikejiri)

On Punk Black To-Go, “City Lights” music contributor Von Phoenix brings us highlights from artists of color performing in various music and art arenas — many of which break stereotypes and expectations. Phoenix’s mission with Punk Black is to create a radically inclusive space for BIPOC artists, musicians, and cosplayers, expanding the vocabulary of what it means to live in the punk world. This month’s edition serves up a selection of today’s can’t-miss radical creators on the edge of the BIPOC scene.

Earlier this month, Von Phoenix and the Punk Black collective took a journey to the city of New Orleans for the first annual Punk Black NOLA Festival. Von Phoenix often touts the charm of New Orleans, though he freely admits his first visit there years ago was “complete chaos.”

While the first ever Punk Black NOLA Fest started off “amazing; great vibes, great music, bands, audience,” according to Phoenix, chaos wasn’t far behind at the second day’s venue, Gaza Gaza. Due to out-of-order bathrooms, Punk Black was forced to cancel the day’s show. But in the miraculous fashion of ever-resourceful tour coordinators, the entire event was successfully moved to The Saturn, 20 minutes away.

“I was actually really surprised and really impressed. People moved from one venue to another. I thought that was awesome. Everybody was amazing. Bands kicked butt, the venue staff kicked butt, we kicked butt,” said Phoenix.

July highlights:

Sexy Dex and the Fresh – Adventurous genre-hybridizers from New Orleans, this quintet blends rock, synthwave, disco and funk. Featured track “Play Me Birdie” struts forth in a style some might call “future funk” or “hard vapor” — high-energy offshoots of vaporwave — with proud slap bass over soaring fusion chords. Phoenix says, “The main point is that the band is amazing. I hope it gets you pumped to dance, fight your depression and finally DM your crush.” Sexy Dex and the Fresh are on Instagram at @s.d.t.f.

Supercoze – “Supercoze makes the kind of music you’d bump if you were riding a cloud, or honestly, any sort of fantastical form of transportation,” Phoenix says. The project of songwriter Cody Choi, Supercoze (pronounced “super kăh’-zé”), creates dreamy moods with serenely earnest indie pop, like in the featured track “Head in the Sand,” an unpretentious bop with a hint of melancholy in its chorus-laden guitars. Supercoze can be found on Instagram at @supercoze and on stage at the upcoming Punk Black Seattle Festival on Aug. 12 weekend.

Cinnamon Babe – The hard rock and metal singer makes music “for battle, mosh pits and defeating the patriarchy,” according to Phoenix. “Honestly, if this song doesn’t get you going, you may need to check your pulse.” The song in question is “Pure O,” a loving revisitation of the nu-metal rap-rock sounds of the late ’90s and early ’00s but refreshingly updated with thought-provoking lyrics exploring Cinnamon Babe’s real-life struggle with OCD. On her Instagram, @cinnamonbabemusic, Cinnamon Babe (aka Stormi Maya, aka “Cinner”) says, “If you’re someone who’s ever suffered with intrusive thoughts and OCD, then you understand.”