Music

Music

Overview

Album Reviews, Concerts, Best of Lists, and What Have You

Article Eric Duplantier

Schranz… In San Francisco…

On Halloween this year, I was fortunate enough to go to a Factory93 event at Cow Palace in San Francisco. Factory93 is a brand under Insomniac focused on techno music. As a techno fan, I knew this would be a fun event. The lineup was stacked: 

  • Max Gardner 
  • SPFDJ 
  • Klangkuenstler 
  • Dax J 
  • Amelie Lens

It was my first time seeing all of these DJs with the exception of Dax J, who I saw at Dour music festival in Belgium earlier this year.  

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Sparky’s Best Albums 2025

We worked hard to find out what our Sac State community was listening to this year. Not only were there veteran and alumni KSSU DJs Manana, DJ Hectic and DJ Audrenism BUT some new additons like DJ Ziney and DJ bluegoose along with some KSSU extended family

All in all, 32 Sac State students helped us determine the shining stars of 2025.

With the introduction of Channel 24, Sacramento’s new midsize performance venue, Sacramento has welcomed artists like Wallows, James Arthur, Denzel Curry and Lane 8.

Article HUSSAM A (DJ BLUEGOOSE)

The Violent Harmony of OsamaSon’s psykotic

The underground’s favorite new trap star, OsamaSon, wants to punch you in your face.

South Carolina’s very own has grown a cult like following in the underground. The rapper of many names— Lil O, Lil O The Destroyer, Drako, Osama, Osa Mason, O, — is regarded by many as the frontrunner of evolution in ‘rage’ sound and aesthetic.

Article Alisa Hakim & KSSU DJs

Why Tune In? KSSU DJs Tell You Themselves

Ever wonder what makes a college radio show worth listening to? On KSSU, no two shows are alike, and that’s the fun of it. Our DJs aren’t here to stick to a script or follow the same old playlist. Instead, they bring their own personalities, passions, and playlists straight to the mic. One hour you might be learning about underground artists, and the next you’re dancing to nostalgic throwbacks. We thought it was time to let our DJs do some bragging of their own, so we asked them to tell us what their shows are all about and why you should be tuning in.

Article Samantha Villagomez

Empire of the Sun Concert Review at the Greek Theater

The first weekend of May, I was definitely “Walking on a Dream” or walking on pins and needles as I endured two back-to-back concerts on Friday and Saturday. Despite the way my feet and voice felt, I was happy to be “Alive” because I got to see Empire of the Sun perform on Saturday in Berkley’s Greek Theater.

Article Sierra Stewart

Local Artist Stuns During Headlining Tour

Jessica Baio, originally from Auburn, California, just finished her first headlining tour across the country. With a following of over 2.4 million on her music TikTok page and 4.4 million on her page with her husband, 23-year-old Jessica Baio stunned on her highly anticipated first headlining tour. 

Article Daniela Torres

Orangeuglad: Junebug Interview

Hello everyone!  

On my show Orangeuglad, I was able to interview a band named Junebug. I recently went to go see them perform at Harlow’s in the Starlet room on March 11th of this year, and they were amazing! If you were not able to catch the interview but are still very interested in learning more about them, I hope this helps! I was able to do the interview with the help of my co-host DJ Nessi (host of Insoundwefindeachother, Mondays at 10AM). The interview aired on March 3rd, 2025.  

Article Samantha Villagomez

CHROMAKOPIA: Concert Review

CHROMAKOOOOOO-PIA…touched down in Sacramento’s Golden One Center on February 23, 2025 and I had the amazing privilege to go and experience all the craziness, genius, and magic of Tyler, The Creator.

On November 1, 2024, I frantically scrounge up my wallet, and pulled up my Pinterest to search for outfit ideas as I had just purchased my ticket for Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA Tour. Preparing three to four months in advance for a concert is totally normal for a Tyler, The Creator concert. Consider it a fashion show inside a concert.

Article DJ Harrito

Sabrina Carpenter Short n’ Sweet Deluxe First Impressions!

Hey guys! DJ Harrito back again, and this time, we’ll be reacting live as I write this review about Sabrina Carpenter’s newly released deluxe album: Short n’ Sweet Deluxe! I’m not a carpenter, BUT I do enjoy listening to her songs from time to time, so without further ado, let’s get into it!

Article Eric Duplantier

The Best DJ I Saw in 2024

Throughout 2024, I have seen 36 different DJs. I have been to two music festivals (EDC Las Vegas in May and Portola in September) and countless shows in Sacramento and San Francisco. I saw a variety of genres including techno, house, drum and bass, and even dubstep. My favorite genre is techno, by far. Let me walk you through my top sets of the year and then I will reveal the best⋆✧₊⁺⋆.˚ 

The top 6 (I couldn’t narrow it down to 5) DJs I saw are (in no particular order):

Article Jacob Rodriguez 

Kendrick Lamar, Man at the Garden

Kendrick Lamar’s sixth studio album, GNX, is a meditation on practicing peace and standing on business when necessary. GNX carries a spiritual significance that carries over to the listener. Lamar gives back to Los Angeles by putting on smaller LA based artists and combining their sound with older R&B samples, freestyle, and the general west coast sound into a singular cohesive project. Hard hitting bass, smooth melodies, and experimental structure make for an extremely dynamic listening experience. 

Article Giancarlo Diloy

JPEGMAFIA’s I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU – A Review

JPEGMAFIA’s I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU album is explosive! It zaps you before coddling you in a blanket of firm, strict affection before sending you back into a battlefield dirtied with raw, burning reflections behind the persona that makes up JPEGMAFIA.

Article Maya Denaé Taylor

Sparky’s Best Albums 2024

Sparky's Best Albums of 2024 Artwork

We worked hard to find out what our Sac State, Sparky-lovin’ community was listening to this year. Not only were there veterans KSSU DJs Rafterian, DJ Artrocks, and DJ Harrito BUT some new additons like ERDJ, DJ motherboard, DJ Wirehead, and DJ Audrenism, along with some KSSU extended family

All in all, 27 Sac State students helped us determine the shining stars of 2024.

Article Angelica Gonzalez

Over and Out: ELO’s Farewell Tour

On Wednesday, October 23 I attended Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) farewell tour in Sacramento, California. The concert took place at Golden 1 Center and was a sold-out show. Although I am a big fan of ELO, I originally had not planned to go. I went to the box office less than half an hour before the show started, and my friend and I were lucky enough to snag a really good deal on tickets.