EP65: Alysha Brilla "Discovered on Myspace"

TABAH joins us this week, the Minneapolis band that played the same show as D back in 2017 and has a new album on the way. They explain how messages from people who speak Hindi, Urdu and Malay taught them that their name means to overcome and to persevere. They also share the story behind the 1950s Chicago photo on the cover of their debut album "Symmetry Somewhere." After spending 1,200 days teaching themselves to record their 2024 EP "Inner Net" at home, they went back to Pachyderm to capture their full live band sound on the new album. Stick around for a clip of their new song "Call Me" at the end, and catch the full live performance on our YouTube channel. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Alysha Brilla joins us this week, the Juno-nominated Indo-Tanzanian Canadian singer-songwriter and producer who stopped by Trilix Studio while touring through Iowa. She talks about the Tanzanian, Indian and Celtic roots behind her music, and how she wrote "Peace" as a prayer during a lonely, grief-filled time. She also looks back on going up against Celine Dion for a Juno, scoring the film "The Queen of My Dreams," and how being discovered on Myspace led to writing with No Doubt and Black Eyed Peas, then getting shelved by a major label. Stick around for a clip of "Peace" at the end, and catch the full live performance on our YouTube channel next week. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

The Host Country joins us this week, the Des Moines indie rock band featuring our own host D on keys and vocals, and no, they’re not a country band. After more than 15 years together, the band sat down at Trilix Studio ahead of the release of their new album “Liminal Ways,” with bass player Tom asking some of the questions. They look back on how Ty and D met through the theater department in college, how World Cup broadcasts gave them their name, and how each new member shaped their sound. They also dig into “Liminal Ways,” an album about being in midlife and in between a lot of things. Stick around for a clip of their new song “Leave A Mark” at the end, and catch the full live performance on our YouTube channel next week. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Meet Juliano Dock, also known as Trapper Juli, a Des Moines hip-hop artist who's been building his sound since high school, when he was burning his own mixtapes onto CDs long before he ever had access to a real studio. We talk about the musical family that raised him, how he turned a childhood stutter into part of his signature flow, and the nostalgic, sample-heavy sound behind his beats. We also get into the real challenges facing the Des Moines hip-hop scene and how he's been showing up for it, from Porch Fest to collaborating with other local artists. Stick around for a clip of the performance at the end. Be sure to check out Juliano Dock, and stay tuned for the full live session dropping next week, along with more from In The Round. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Meet Dreamthief, the five-piece heavy rock band out of Cedar Rapids blending doom, hardcore, and straight-up rock 'n' roll into jams. The band walks us through how they build songs together as a group, plus the story behind their new unreleased track, which involves a sample from Quentin Tarantino. We also get into their debut album "Disrupt the Flow of Everyday Life," the tight-knit Cedar Rapids scene that brought them all together, and yes, we finally meet Bone Man. Stick around for a clip of the performance at the end. Be sure to check out Dreamthief, and stay tuned for the full live performance dropping next week, along with more from In The Round. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

This week we're joined by pure xtc, the Kansas City based electro alt-pop project fronted by Taylor Hughes alongside drummer Blaire Geenens. We talk about Taylor's move from the East Coast to the Midwest, how she got her start as a drummer years before she ever started songwriting, and the genuinely wild coincidence that brought her and Blaire together, right down to owning the exact same drum kit before they'd even met. They stopped by on release day for their new single "Lost Weekend," which they also played live in studio, and gave us a first look at the new album dropping in October. Stick around for a clip of the performance at the end. Be sure to check out pure xtc, and stay tuned for the full live session dropping next week, along with more from In The Round. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Meet 28 Days Later, a four-piece indie rock band who throws out the genre rulebook entirely. Formed by high school friends in Norwalk, they blend folk, country, rock, jazz and whatever else feels right into one record, all held together by a sound and a friendship that's been building since they were teenagers. We talk about the band name everyone assumes is a movie reference (it's not), their evolution from home demos to a full-length album, and their growing vinyl collection, and so much more. Be sure to hang on at the end for a snippet of "Phases," a coming-of-age song written on an acoustic guitar in a high school bedroom. Come rock out with 28 Days Later. Be sure to give them a follow to keep up with new music, and stay tuned for more from In The Round. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Next up we have Sara Routh, a powerhouse singer and multi-instrumentalist. She writes poignant and emotional songs that tug at your heart strings, inspire healthy rage, and comfort you like a cup of tea. We talk about her journey into music, including a few different cities and countries, how she engages with the community, her hopes for the future, and so much more. Be sure to hang on at the end for a snippet of her heartbreaking song, “George”, in honor of George Floyd. Come get cozy with Sara Routh. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Make some room! We’ve got Jacob Lampman’s Ego Death up next. This 7-piece band includes a crew of wildly talented players fronted by Jacob Lampman, with instrumentation ranging from guitar to flute to mandolin creating a classic yet unique sound. We talk extensively about Jacob’s debut album, wild time signatures, their collaborative writing process, and their signature hot sauce line. Scooch over, it’s Jacob Lampman’s ego death. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com

Our cheeks still hurt from laughing with our next guest, Salt Fox. This Iowa-based electronic indie pop trio had us in stitches about their longtime friendship, stories from the road, song inspiration (courtesy of a night spent in a tree), their gutter company and the music festival they started — Lost Woods — which is heading into its fourth year. Plus, hang on at the end to catch a snip of their brand new track, "Nice & Slow." Prepare for giggles! Here’s Salt Fox. In The Round is produced and recorded at Trilix Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. © 2026, Trilix Studio intheroundpodcast.com instagram.com/intheroundpodcastofficial youtube.com/@InTheRoundPodcast trilixstudio.com