The DJ Takeover sponsored by Level Up is a program for listeners to discover their favorite artist's favorite artists, working to foster connection to the music and makers inside and outside our city. For the entire hour, we go down the rabbit hole of stories from their past, experiences of the present and goals for the future.
Milwaukee dream-pop shoegazers Standstill have perfected the art of adaptation.
After several lineup changes, founding members Aliya and Alex have continued to successfully shapeshift as a band through their strong teamwork and shared passion for the music they make. However, just a few days after their stop at Radio Milwaukee to talk about some of the artists who have inspired them from the very beginning, these two “parents of the band” faced the ultimate challenge: a long-distance relationship.
Like, long as in moving-to-Europe long.
Regardless of the literal space that presents this new obstacle, Aliya and Alex are determined to defy their band name. “I’m looking at France as a chance to step back into my artistry and kinda do it more alone,” said Aliya, the one making the year-long departure with Alex’s full support. “I like the uncertainty of the future,” Alex added. “Standstill can be anything, you know? And I think that's something we’ve kind of learned recently.”
Over two years in the making, Standstill’s debut self-titled EP came out this May — an introduction that developed fast loyalty in listeners. For this DJ Takeover, Aliya and Alex brought songs from Cryogeyser and Cranes, whose dynamic DIY influences shined through in the new release.
We also listened through to projects like Ween and Tom Waits, two artists whose identities lie in their variation and living affirmation that to evolve is to grow. A song from Winter (featuring SASAMI) taught the importance of repetition and simplicity. “A song is a feeling, so when you repeat the same things over and over again, your body goes into a feeling,” as Aliya put it.
At another point during our visit, Aliya reflected on the band’s recent shifts in members and where the debris settled after the storm, saying that “Standstill is in me.”
With a resilient start, there is confidence in the capabilities of this band that has finally found their footing. Their roots remain the same, growing stronger and more defined with time. Standstill is still standing.
DJ Takeover: Standstill playlist
- Standstill, “Stain”
- Cryogeyser, “Leach”
- Cranes, “Pale Blue Sky”
- Winter, “Good (feat. SASAMI)”
- John Fahey, “Sunflower River Blues”
- Tom Waits, “Alice”
- Ween, “Sarah”
- The Antlers, “Sylvia”
- Angelica, “Downtown”
