I get way too excited when I find a good female artist that sings over dark electronic beats. WAY too excited. This girl, Jess Mills is probably my greatest female find in a really long time. She's beautiful, British, skinny as all hell, wears some of the coolest rings, has an incredibly enviable ombre, oh, AND her voice is absolutely stunning. I've put up some of my favorites from her, including a track by Breakage featuring Miss Mills. Think of her music as in the same circle as Katy B or Sunday Girl...I wonder if they'd all get along or not...
Jess Mills - Pixelated People (Produced by Sam Frank)
This song has probably about a trillion likes on Hypem now, each one more deserving than the next. Totally dark, but there is something so chill about her music. Like the beats are totally raw, but her voice evens it out so you could either listen to her music just driving, or getting ready for a killer night out. This single officially drops mid-February, and the release of her album follows shortly after. Can't wait.
Jess Mills - Live For What I'd Die For
Her voice sounds absolutely beautiful in this song. And the backbeat reminds me of one of the Flo and Machine remixes I obsess over. Absolutely adore the piano at the end.
Jess Mills - Vultures
I think this song has become my favorite of hers. As soon as the first verse starts, the beat immediately drops into something mysteriously deep and sucks you right in. "Quietly violent like a bad dream, they pursue day and night"...
Breakage feat. Jess Mills - Fighting Fire
Such a dance floor killer if you're at the right place. Loud, dark, intense bass. Ahh...perfection.
Jess Mills - Silent Space (in the snow)
And this is from her in Ibiza, she just like...exudes coolness when she performs.
I had to watch the film Manhattan by Woody Allen the other day for film class, and it was absolutely a work of art. I think this is probably one of my favorite films portraying New York City. It made me miss home, and be so excited to get there on Sunday. Here is the opening scene from the film, one of the best opening scenes in any film ever created. I'm trying to memorize the opening monologue. Also, Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" couldn't have been a better musical decision.
"Too corny for my taste, let me try to make this more profound..."
I adore Morgan Page, and I definitely used to listen to Tegan and Sara when I was an angsty little high schooler. I normally would have never seen a collaboration of the two coming together, but then I remembered that wonderful 'Feel it in My Bones' song that Tiesto and the girls produced. I wish M. Page did a little more with this beat, especially after the 2:45 sequence when the vocals are totally building up for a good drop. However, I guess he fixes it the next time around...it just all seems too...simple. But who am I to judge............ Also, is it just me or do they sound a little like Marina Diamondis in this song....?
Azari & III - Reckless With Your Love
THIS SONG IS SO MUCH FUN. And totally something I would never normally download. It sounds like something if the 90's and the 70's got stuck together producing music and they were fighting over the background beat of the song. It's like NuDisco Jock Jams style. Totally fabulous.
Marina & The Diamonds - Radioactive
Didn't like it when I first heard it, not quite sure why, because I am absolutely swooned by Marina Diamondis. But it came up again on one of my random playlists and caught me by surprise. How did I ever not like this song at one point? Her voice is so rare, and this song in particular really plays up on the electro card. Listen to around 2.:25...here that deep nasty bass rolls through...where in the hell did that come from? It's perfect, I love it, it's wonderful. The lyrics are quite great, too.
YACHT - I Walked Alone (Get A Room! Remix)
The only problem I have with this remix is that I feel like it's a little too long. It could have been chopped up a bit and compressed...but either way, once again we have another super dancey YACHT song. The end minute and a half or so sounds like something Music Go Music would have come up with, it's really fitting for a YACHT song. It's a perfect 'background of a party where you're pretty drunk and needing to dance but you're wearing something cute and don't wanna get sweaty' kinda song. Miike Snow - Devil's Work
HOORAY. I cannot for the life of my little soul express to you all how excited I am that Miike Snow's new album is coming closer and closer to our little hands and ears. They've announced just last week that their new album is complete, artwork is finishing up and they are planning their tour dates!! This is such a perfect single, and the anticipation I hold for this new album is making me giddy all over. They are SO incredible live, and every single that they drop, without fail, some absolutely brilliant remix comes forth. That's also another secret reason why I am so excited they are back on the radar. The re-edits and remixes that stem from Miike Snow songs are straight sexy.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Every season has it's own romantic nature about it. Summer nights last forever to the kids who will never grow up and spring afternoons excite the maternal in us because something new has begun yet again. There is something about the desolation of autumn that is so beautiful, the rusted leaves and the barren trees, still in the grey air with a wind that smells of death. Winter evokes a same emotion. Nights filled of snow, the earth looks pure, clean, fresh. A world caked in white tricks us into believing it is untainted. Silence takes over all noise, somehow everything seems perfect.
Sometimes EDM becomes a little too much, and you need music that brings you back down to reality. When this rare situation occurs, I usually head to Massive Attack, Portishead or Agnes Obel for some down to Earth tunes. But just the other day I downloaded Radical Faces (Ben Cooper) new album Family Tree: The Roots and falling in love doesn't even begin to describe my feelings towards his music. This man is one word: brilliant.This is some of the most beautiful, depressing, haunting but tangible music I have ever laid my ears on. Please do yourselves a favor and dwell in the lonely emotions of your soul during these bleak days before Christmas. This album for sure wins the award for best pre-Christmas album. Allow me to introduce you... Radical Face - Kin
This song brought tears to my eyes the very first time I heard it. The storm in the beginning leads to a solemn anthem of wonder and the dark piano that comes later absolutely tore my heartstrings out. This song is the definition of sublime. How is such a grizzly mans voice so unbelievably beautiful? Blows me away.
Radical Face - Black Eyes
A much more folky sound is absolutely approved of. Somehow Ben Cooper never ever fails to hit every single heart wrenching note in his songs. You know there are those songs where you say "oh I wish they went up an octave here" or "they should have had a low piano riff here"...he hits all of them perfectly.
Radical Face - Welcome Home
This is from his previous album Ghost, which is the song I heard on an episode of Skins UK when I had nothing better to do with my nights that I spent alone over the summer. The chorus elevates and explodes into a symphony of his voice. And for some reason whenever an artist has clapping throughout their songs, it excites the audience a bit when they hear it and we all just want to sing along so badly.
Florence and the Machine - No Light, No Light (Breakage Remix)
As I have said many times before, the best remixes stem from any Florence and the Machine song. As soon as I heard this, chills completely covered my body and I immediately wanted to do something illegal. It's been a while since I've heard such a dark re-edit, and this song is absolutely perfect for it. The bridge is undoubtedly the best part of the song, the instrumentals get raised up and then that extremely low synth cuts in and just makes the song purely raw. Perfection.
Yelawolf feat. FeFe Dobson - Animal (Produced by Diplo)
Saw FeFe Dobson on the track, saw that Diplo produced it, and I immediately gave it a go. And it did not fail me one bit. I'm always pretty hesitant about any Yelawolf track because I usually just can't stand rap, but this here is one hell of a fun song. The beat is exactly what you would expect knowing that Diplo had something to do with it, and knowing that FeFe Dobson is back up and running just makes it that much better. CSS feat. Ssion - City Grrrl
CSS will always have a remotely special place in my heart because no female can get as badass as she is. This song is the EPITOME of what I used to write about when I worked in NYC. The city has a special gift of making people want to be anything but good. It makes people want to get into trouble, wear a lot of black and ripped lace, and be unnecessarily angry. It's so great. And CSS completely captured that feeling in this one banger track. The beat in the chorus is fantastic and makes the point of the song come through so much louder. However, this Ssion that is on this sounds like a toned down Jeffry Star, so that automatically threw me off a bit, but...I liked the message too much to be affected by such a small detail. Heads up girl, you can rule this place. Alex Clare - Caroline
The other songs I have from Alex Clare are fantastic remixes that darken the song just to how I like it. This is absolutely dark enough for my taste without any outside influence. You all know how much I love the piano, and when it's played like this with an overlaying beat and his unique voice, mmm so good.
Spencer Hill feat. Nadia Ali - Believe It (CAZETTE Androids Sound Hot Remix)
This would seem a little lighter than the occurring theme I have throughout this post. But something about this beat makes it fit into this category so well. I'm really starting to like this Nadia Ali girl. Her music is finding it's way into a nice little nook into my iTunes. Anyway, Cazette did a really good job editing this song.
I have a really unhealthy, completely addictive obsession with Rebecca and Fiona. After finding them through Kaskade's song 'Turn it Down,' I have dedicated the past couple weeks to downloading absolutely everything they have put out. I kind of want to be them. DJs. Females. Swedish. Gorgeous. They are absolutely the alpha female, everything that I want to be. But since that is impossible, I will do the next best thing; write and blog the shit out of them.
If you aren't familiar with 'Turn it Down,' I will provide you with the means to a really exciting end.
I also was able to get their album, 'I Love You Man.' This is the best album I have heard in a while, probably because it was so highly anticipated in my head and heart, but it succeeded in being successful in my book.
Some of my favorites from their album.
Rebecca and Fiona - Giliap
By far my favorite from the album. This song is the definition of the background music to when I go to my happy place. Rebecca and Fiona - Jane Doe
Beat is absolutely fantastic, also have a really weird Swedish Harajuku video to match. Watch it HERE. Rebecca and Fiona - We Are Girls
Okay the beat right before chorus is absolutely wonderful, but it reminds me so much of some computer game, can ANYONE think of what it is? It's driving me insane. Also, think musically when they say "we still want to play," it makes the song a little bit better. This better inspire a ton of female DJs...
Rebecca and Fiona - Golden Gate
And if all of that isn't enough, here is a documentary my brothers friend found. I can't understand Swedish for the life of me, but it's whatever because they are just so aesthetically pleasing in themselves, and I want their hair and all of their clothes. I'm also going to start wearing blue lipstick.
I have a group (trillion) of songs under a specific playlist that I hold very dear to my heart and ears, I've shared some of them, they're the ones that you can listen to while not doing anything, yet the song is able to do so much in your head. This song by Agnes Obel is without a doubt one of them. Her voice is innocent and helpless, the piano is haunting, and the overall tone of it is nothing but complete beauty.
Radical Face - Pound of Flesh
Ben Cooper is possibly my newest go-to artist when I'm feeling a little off. This song was the first I had heard from him, but after sleuthing a bit, I decided that I love him. His song 'Ghost Towns' is gorgeous, as well. There is not one fault in the entirety of this song. There are so many songs that are almost there, but they take the wrong octave direction and it throws you off a bit...this one, not at all. The chorus is beautiful, his voice is adorable, and the lyrics are brilliant. Perfect for the fall season.
The Jezabels - Try Colour
Cranberries. Was that your first thought when you listened to it, too? Cause it was definitely mine. This song is so different than what I would normally post, but those drums sucked me right into her unbelievable voice. I haven't heard a range like that from a new artist in quite a while. The chorus is so tastey, and her voice is for sure what makes this song.
Zebra & Snake - Empty Love
MY BOYS! Zebra and Snake I have missed you guys for far too long. I love their music when I'm driving or I'm just having a lazy morning and lying in my bed. Everything they produce is so fresh and so exciting. You can always count on the end of the song to just explode with musical colour, and they do not fail you on this one, even though it's just an empty love song...
Owen - Too Many Moons
The violins in this song is what captivated me. It totally reminds me of that song 'Ra Ra Riot' remix of Absofacto titled 'Each Year.' Those little songs that just make you overly happy, and then you get mad because you don't want to be. Listen to the plucking throughout this song, it's marvelous. Major kudos.
James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream
Oh my goodness this has been lost in my iTunes forever. I can't believe I have never put this up, but this song is so subtly sexy, and I can't wait to listen to it in an apartment in the city late at night looking out at all the lights. His voice is so unique, and those water sounds that replay throughout the song are magical.
The other day I finally saw the highly anticipated movie that has been referred to as "a beautiful movie about the end of the world," 'Melancholia.' Do not ask questions about how I saw it, just be jealous that I did. It was unbelievable. I love to death movies that make you question your person hood afterwards, movies that make you think about absolutely everything. It was the most beautiful movie I've seen in a while, aesthetically speaking, and the entire idea of Melancholia that runs throughout was all too comfortable. Here are some unbelievable stills from the movie, along with Richard Wagner's Prelude to Tristan & Isolde that runs so hauntingly throughout.
I had a dream last night, one that I can't recall all of the details, but it consisted of this house, rather, mansion. The mansion was dark and stone and very cold, but the details of the rooms were unbelievable. The curtains were thick faded pink velvet with gold accents, there were mirrors on the walls with heavy gold frames, there were softly lit lamps, and I remember the staircase the best. They were spiral stairs, with elaborate detailing on the railings and the window that was over the staircase displayed quite a dewey morning, or evening, I can't be too sure, but it was beautiful. When I woke up I tried to go back to sleep to go there again, but I could not retrieve my dream. When Lykke Li talks about knowing places she can go, is it OK if those places are in our heads?
This song has probably about a trillion likes on Hypem now, each one more deserving than the next. Totally dark, but there is something so chill about her music. Like the beats are totally raw, but her voice evens it out so you could either listen to her music just driving, or getting ready for a killer night out. This single officially drops mid-February, and the release of her album follows shortly after. Can't wait.
Her voice sounds absolutely beautiful in this song. And the backbeat reminds me of one of the Flo and Machine remixes I obsess over. Absolutely adore the piano at the end.
I think this song has become my favorite of hers. As soon as the first verse starts, the beat immediately drops into something mysteriously deep and sucks you right in. "Quietly violent like a bad dream, they pursue day and night"... 
