Justin Vernon, along with the Dessner Brothers (of the National), recently announced a new artist collective called PEOPLE, or “a collective of people, people turning things upside down.” The free platform was created to provide artists and audiences an “independent and nurturing space in which to make work (generally around music) that is collaborative, spontaneous and expressive in nature and where all unnecessary distractions or obstacles that get in the way are removed.”
The diverse roster includes a new Milwaukee-based duo, OQ, featuring Liam O’Brien and Cole Quamme (members of Holy Sheboygan and The Fatty Acids) who released their debut “Lifestyle” on the platform and quickly followed with their first first EP "Paradice 1."
The compilation pulls together some amazing names in Milwaukee talent—Quamme, O’Brien, Alex Heaton, Josh Evert, Ivan Eisenber, Treccy Marquardt-Thomas, D’Amato, Caley Conway, Dana Elyse Smith, Mike Noyce, Derek De Vinney, Steven Strupp, Carmen Quinliven, Sarah Shay, Caley Conway, John Larkin, Ian Olvera, Alex Scott and Hesper Juhnke. And it was recorded at Silver City Studios and mastered by Zach Hanson.
OQ's EP touches on more serious and bleak topics—opening with "Obligations," a track on our global landscape—while also contrasting it with some carefreeness and vivacity. The follow-up is literally called “Song You Can Dance To.” Their first show will be this Saturday at Company Brewing with NO/NO and Ruth b8r Ginsburg. Listen to the EP below before the show.