Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fall Music 2 The Golden Filter / Other Lives / Sia / Icona Pop / Sunday Girl

The Golden Filter - Mother



Holy Moly I cannot say enough good things about The Golden Filters recently released EP for the short film 'SYNDROMS.' Not only is this short film so aesthetically entertaining, but having music that matches the already perfect cinematography is so rare. This song in particular is my favorite from the soundtrack, due to the eerie airy female voice and the shocking lyrics. I honestly feel like I just found a bunch of never before heard Massive Attack tracks...THAT'S how good this soundtrack is. The song 'Shake' is also incredible. It has a silent buildup and a rush of musical adrenaline that gets your heart going like no other song would be able to do.

Other Lives - Tamer Animals



Clearly the piano caught my ear when I first heard this song. When I came across this song, I was actually in search for music to match my approaching seasonal depression, and this song was absolutely perfect for it. So pretty, so distant, so perfect for autumn. His voice is perfectly fitting as well.

David Guetta feat. Sia - Titanium



I'm sorry I keep posting songs from David Guetta's new album. I know I berated his lack of passion a couple weeks ago, so it seems kind of hypocritical that I keep posting him...but it's Siaaaaa. Her voice is so unreal. She is one of those artists that when she comes out with a new song, even if it doesn't strike you immediately, you listen anyway just because you want to hear what she has to say. And her voice...and this beat!? Oh yes yes yes!

Icona Pop - Nights Like This



How much fun is this song. It was such a random find! The chorus is one of the best singalong chorus's I've heard in quite some time. It reminds of the Naked & Famous song 'Young Bloods.' It just has that super feel good feeling to it, that forces you to smile and think of something happy even though you totally do not want to.


Sunday Girl - Love U More



Yayyyy Sunday Girl! I originally had heard the RAC remix to this, and those remixes are so hit or miss for me, and for this song it was a complete miss. I was really disappointed too, until I saw the video that was released and heard the original. Total winner. Awesome video, awesome song, awesome beat. Although it seems somewhat uptempo, her voice is intrinsically mysterious, which automatically adds a different sound to all of her songs.

Check out the video here!!

On Writing.

As I've said before, I have one goal in my life; and that is to write a book that I have wanted to write for about a year now. I know exactly where I want to direct it, what characters I want to use, what I want to get out of it,  so why is it that I am having the hardest time just writing it?
I was freaking out the other day as I was trying to write this mess. I didn't know where to start, and when I started, I wanted to make sure I remembered everyone I was writing about correctly, so I started to drown myself in the music of the time I want to recreate, I looked at old pictures, and if that wasn't enough, I even took out an old perfume I wore at that time to try to get some sense memories. For some reason though, I still couldn't get myself to write. I was thinking that I wasn't inspired enough, so I was playing with the idea of striking up forbidden conversations with those who shared memories with me at that time. But I caught myself.
What would make me a great writer, and what makes great writers already, is the ability to recreate by past experience. One shouldn't have to resurrect the past in order to write in the present.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My memories of these times are some of the most important memories and thoughts of my life. My memory and imagination are what should drive me. If I were to dive back into the past and reconnect with these people who had such a strong influence on me, then how can I write based on memory? I can't.
I suppose I realized that the past is a past for a reason. To try to resurrect old memories by bringing the past into the present would do nothing but confuse me, along with losing the memory I've done so much thinking about.
If I let this certain past become the present, then this past that has taken such a toll on me loses any credibility.

If I can just allow myself to recall past experience, then the present mindset can place it all into the correct categories. It's like looking at something from outside of the box. You can't really judge anything, any relationship, and situation that you are in, until you are able to stand outside and look in. There is no way for me to do that if I allow these memories to become present day thoughts.
I think I also become afraid of articulating these memories. What if I don't get them across in the way I remember them and see them in my head? This fear of writing is suffocating me.
How the hell did Waugh do it so well......

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Weekend Jams // Kaskade / Rihanna & Calvin Harris / Buraka Som Sistema / Florence & The Machine Benny Benassi / KRADDY / Jasper Forks

Kaskade - Raining (Minnesota Remix)



This is my most absolute favorite song right now. The feeling I get from this song is the exact feeling you receive when you listen to 'Only You' by Tiesto and Kaskade, that feeling where you want to be depressed in the prettiest way possible. At first the dub was too much for me in this song, but as I listened over and over and over again, I learned to love. It's only right because after the heavy dub catches your attention, that light and higher pitched synth they throw in there softens the song right up and evokes that pull for tears right out of you. Not to mention listening to this and looking at Kaskade at the same time isn't too bad either. 

Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris - We Found Love (Alessio Silvestro Remix)



Okay so when I first heard the original of this song, I liked it, but it bothered me SO MUCH that Calvin Harris didn't tamper with the beat at all. He left it in the same tempo throughout the song, where I personally think it would have sounded much better if he scaled the beat occasionally. ...But what do I know.
What I do know is that this Alessio Silvestro mix made me feel so much better because they play with the beat so the song continues to excite you. At 2:20 they single out her voice and then they add in this hard beat to string you along to a wonderful drop. Job well done.

Buraka Som Sistema - (We Stay) Up All Night (feat. Blaya & Roses Gabor)



Now if you're friends with me on facebook then you may remember when I posted the APC link to this mp3. Loved it when I first heard it, love it even more after the video came out. Especially because Diplo makes a super random appearance in it, I swear that man is everywhere now a days. Listening to it now, dancing in my seat. This may come in a close second for favorite song of the week. AHH do you hear that sneaky little drowned out beat creeping it's way up!? Brilliant. Check the vid HERE

Florence & The Machine - Shake it Out (Benny Benassi Remix)



Oh Florence Welch. She marvels me every time she opens up her mouth. And what is better than having an incredible singer being matched by an even better DJ? I think it is completely safe to say that F&TM remixes are by far the most exciting for me, going by the base artist standard. Benassi is on a freaking role.
PS: Please disregard the obnoxious announcer who thought it was smart to add her opinion in here towards the end. 

KRADDY - Operation Prometheus



Immediately caught my eye because of the remotely intelligent title. The beginning tune is so pretty and light, but then as soon as one minute hits, HOLY DROP. That is one powerful freaking blowup if I have ever heard one. Dirty, dark and angry, just how I like my music. Oh and then he throws in this 2006 sounding keyboard beat that you don't expect but just works oh so so well. THEN a ripping guitar towards the end? My oh my, this is certainly unlike anything I have heard in a good while. And it feels way too good to listen to, also. 

Jasper Forks - River Flows in You (Alessio Remix)






Okay so if I ever had to like go be a detective through the streets of a creepy town/city in the middle of the night, this is the song I would want to have playing in the background. I love love love every single EDM musician who adds in the classical music, and this one has the piano and violin strewed throughout. Beautiful.



Nero - Crush on You




For some reason, this video makes me so nostalgic for the northern fall. I love finding video's around this time that take place in fall. Last year around this time I put up the Wild Fox Couture promo vid for their Fall line 'Witchcraft' which still takes place for best Autumn video. I've also been watching Teen Witch and Hocus Pocus and living vicariously through the actors when they are outside in the cold air. OH FALL.
ANYWAY, this video is hilariously disturbing. Total mashup of The Virgin Suicides and The Craft.
So awesome.

And here is the Knife Party Remix just to add a little kick to the already kickin' beat.

Nero - Crush on You (Knife Party Remix)








Wise words from wise writers.

"The writer is one who uses words in such a way that they may become habitations of the logos, the Word. Obviously, that’s a tall order. Waugh said that in his novel he wanted his words to show “the operation of divine grace on a group of diverse but closely connected characters.” He admitted that such an aim was perhaps presumptuous, but for the writer of faith this is a presumption that we must risk. Anything less would involve an attempt to escape from our vocation."


This is one of many incredible excerpts from an article written by Gregory Wolfe on the work of Grace through characters in TS Eliot's Four Quartets and Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. One of the most refreshing articles I've read in a while about the real purpose of writing. Read it in full HERE



Coeur de Pirate - Adieu


Coeur de pirate || Adieu [Vidéoclip officiel] from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.


Since I'm on my second Unit of Rosetta Stone French, I figured it fitting for me to put this adorable video by the one and only Coeur de Pirate.