○ ● ● Music On, World Off ● ● ○

Kimevamay / / 4,609 Comments

roughtrade-blur

Sorry for my few month hiatus! But hopefully you’ll be able to forgive me with my post on all things musiquaaaaah.

The past couple months have been so bloody busy for me BUT it’s given me a little time to source some new music and vibe out some tunes i didn’t know existed. Last week, i met one of the music producers from Made in Chelsea and we got chatting about all things makeup (obviously) and bands that have either faded out, up and coming and  in general, good, looked over hits that no one knows about. We shared some of our favourite songs with each other and being true to my word, i did go home and check those bands she recommended.

The best way to discover music is by stepping out of your comfort zone a little bit and be open minded to what’s out there. Hey, I even remember going to a blue-grass gig and inside i was like “no, no, noooo, this totally isn’t my thing”, but, with a couple beers in hand, my bessie mate and a sweaty musician giving it his all on the Pizzicato (a string instrument you basically slap), i was converted.

Soooo…ive compiled a little list of tracks i’ve been listening to at the moment to get you inspired.

Campdogzz-The Well

 

Source: Soundcloud

This song is only included on Soundcloud but you can check out their other stuff on Youtube. They’re a really low key band from Chicago, with melodic, somber elements that lift with its sixty style singers and instrumentalists.

 

The Lumineers-Angela

Source: Youtube

Between us, i never really listened to this band much and i didn’t think it was “my thing”, but i came across this one-off song and it really stuck. It’s got this folky/magical vibe to it which i think is really sweet and might of just made me like them more..

Rhye-Open

Source: Youtube

This song’s from Rhye’s Album called “Woman” and it mixes rhythm and blues with electronica. They sound abit like an American Version of “Disclosure” but i like the soulful, whimsicalness of this little tune.

 Keaton Henson- You

Youtube: Source

Henson’s music is a mix of Folk and Rock but in general, he’s such an interesting Artist dabbling with written poetry verse and producing visual graphic novels.

Betsy-Lost and Found

 

Youtube: Youtube

Alright, so she’s a little bit of my guilty pleasure but wait. Doesn’t she sound like CHER?! I’m pretty envious of the styling in this video and makes a play on Marilyn Monroe’s Glamour with her poppy/techno beats.

Seafret-Give me Something

 

Source: Youtube

These guys are a musical duo from Yorkshire, and although i haven’t really listened to much of their other music, i think this song is just a simple alternative/indie tune to get you into the stuff they produce.

If you’ve got any other recommendations, comment and share below!

Happy Listening  x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That L.A Playlist that get’s you going all kinds of OoOoOo.

Kimevamay / / 3,342 Comments

photo (62)

A good ass playlist to listen too, is probably just as important as water is in a dry desert full of slow moving tumble weeds. Alright, maybe that was a little far-fetched but you get the idea.

Ever been on holiday and listened to an Album back to back or maybe it was a song that kept coming on that droned into your head over and over and now it always reminds you of that one place or experience? For me, Moby’s 2004 Baby Monkey Album reminds me of Caravanning along the Rocky Mountains in Canada and now, whenever one of his tunes comes along, I’m planted in time right back to that moment.  I’d hate to admit it, but even Skatman by John Skatman takes me back to last year’s New York road trip with my best mate with burnt backs, legs, and pretty much lobster everything, fist pumping out the window singing SKI BA BOP BA DOP BOP in full, unapologetic blast.

My recent trip to L.A,  i say “recent”…i came back yesterday and i’m writing this now to try and get over my jet leg, determined to stay up. untill. the. bitter. bladdy. end.

The trip got me hearing all sorts of music and in pure me fashion, i can’t let those songs get away. So I thought I’d share a couple of songs that have now been added to my music playlist and have got me reminiscing on warm LA bliss.

Trace, Honey

                                              

Source; Youtube

I heard this in an Uber, yes, an Uber. The Driver had the longest dreadlocks i’d ever seen on a human, picked my mate and i up, after me stumbling in front of his car by a cactus in a trolley in my wooden platforms. We were off to Lake Balboa and I was actually really shocked at his music choice. Anyway, this song came on in his car and it’s melody really relaxed me. It’s not the most happy ‘feel good’ song, but i like its repetitive tender lyrics.  For that long drive to Balboa, it definitely got me into a chilled vibe before we ended up at a ranch in a two-seater bicycle…

 

Lykke Li, I follow Rivers.

  
Source; Youtube

This tune got my attention at Venice Beach and i met this amazing woman who was telling me about her life in San Francisco before moving to Los Angeles where she overcame alot of prejudice being gay, whose now adopted two boys and is the happiest she’s ever been. This woman was a real hipster, with a fierce spirit and i really loved her “go get it attitude”. This song remained with me for most of the trip and gives me a bit of a kick up the ass when i hear it.

 

Disclosure Feat London Grammar, Help me Lose my mind.

                                         

Source; Youtube

What a sweet, sweet tune and for me, its a total beach song. Basking in Malibu’s heavy sun on a 99C stores beach towel’s finest babysitting a rucksack and beach ball, this sent me straight off into holiday mode and got me excited about the evenings Pineapple Mojito’s served in a pineapple itself with surfboards and a deep sunset as scenic ambiance.

 Beach House, Bluebird.

                                           

Source; Youtube

This is actually a flight song for me. Anyone who knows me, knows Aeroplanes are abit of a challenge for many reasons; the not being able to move much rule, freaky turbulence and long haul wonder. While most people are sat there watching movies on the plane, I’m flickering through all the music albums, getting a taste of as much as i can in the time i have. I think it’s really important to extend your choice and to listen to whatever’s out there, even if it’s not your “thing” because it will help you fine tune what your “thing” is. I was listening to the “Depression Cherry’s” album by Beach House for a good few hours on and off drifting in and out of sleep, which isn’t a surprise with its dreamy beats.

Youth Lagoon, Afternoon. 

                                            

Source; Youtube

Again, this song is super dreamy and really ethereal. I have absolutely no idea what they’re saying in these lyrics…but its a real neo-psychedelic band from San Diego. Is it obvious where i’m getting alot of my influences from?

 

Oh Wonder, Drive.

                                         

Source; Youtube

This is kinda a guilty pleasure, and as pop as i’ll get with this alt-pop duo band. They started off releasing songs on Soundcloud each month and progressed from there.  I really like the 70’s styling in the video and it reminds me of the LA desert. Can’t really go wrong.

Now, if my list didn’t get you going OoOoOoOo, what did?

 

 

 

 

 

Album Review-VESSELS, Dilate.

Kimevamay / / 3,577 Comments

Vessels are a band from Leeds in West Yorkshire, forming in 2005. They’ve only made a total of three albums since starting out, which isn’t fair because that’s waiting like five years just to hear a bladdy album. I’d describe their music as electronic post-rock, with the key use of instrumentals creating a timbre texture of sound. These guys have played Glastonbury and have even tried to break into the American market with their music where they created their album White Fields and Open Devices in Minneapolis.

But I wanna talk to you lot about their NEW ALBUM- Dilate. This album has only just been released this month and I’m pretty happy about it. I’m even playing it as background music as we speak as my flatmate is chomping on Baklava and getting my bed crumby and correcting me on my spelling throughout this blog post.

I’ve already got a couple of faves from the album that I  want to bring to all your attention.

We start with….

Ellliptic

 Source: Youtube

This song is my favourite of the whole album, and I really like its slow build up into what feels like its final denouement. Because it is repetitious (which you’ll find in alot of Post-Rock/Electronica), you have to be someone with a patient ear otherwise you’ll get bored.

Vertical

 Source: Youtube

Vertical is super trance like and if you keep watching the video, you’ll probably loose your shit, so it’s better to not do that. But then again, maybe that’s the whole point with the title-to make you dilate. 

This band is not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re someone that enjoys a bit of scenic music that meets the up-tempo/sombre chill-out vibe, then this might be up your street.

If you’ve got time go and explore their previous albums or share some of your Post Rock tunes with me.

 

 

 

 

 

Musical Overdose.

Kimevamay / / 3,344 Comments 
photo (19)
"If music be the food of love, Play on", Said Duke Orsino in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night And he couldn't of been more bang on. Though, now the more i'm thinking about it, was he talking about food?...I digress.

Hands up, I'm an ABSOLOUTE geek when it comes to music and if I love a song I will play it over and over until it pisses my mates off from being on repeat when we're getting ready. When I like a song, I have this urge to know everything about the artist, and where the song was written so each lyric makes sense..(which is when my inner detective comes into play....see, I told you I was a geek.)

My favourite artist of all time is Jeff Buckley. Below is a little picture of Jeff with a hat, because as I've expressed, me and hats. Hats and Jeff. It makes sense. Again, I digress.


                            Jeff Buckley, Grace, 1994.

download                            Image Source: Fanpix 

I remember being fifteen and discovering him after hearing his cover version of "hallelujah" and falling in ABSOLUTE love.  Then consumed the next six hour ear affair of listening through his album and discovering his death which rocked me sideways. In fact, I actually think I sunk to the floor. At fifteen and being a recovering Emo, with CD'S of My Chemical romance, Smilex (a local band from where I grew up in Oxfordshire), All American rejects, Panic at the disco! And other endless rock tunes I could attempt to head bang while jumping on my bed too, I erased them all from my memory and listened to Buckley back to back. You could say his work inspired my love for acoustic music and his soft tempo got me into the discovery of post rock music (commonly derived from Iceland, including bands like Signur Ros. 

But my two current favourite Artists of the moment come from two totally different sounds from the band Wolf Alice and soloist Gwilym Gold.

                           Gwilym Gold, A Paradise, 2015.  

                              Image Source: The 405

I found Gwilym Gold's music on a lazy Youtubing Sunday and it immediately broke my "one song rule". Even his videos are conceptually arty and his music strives to make a purely visceral experience for the listener aurally. The best way I can describe his sound is like a calm, electronic Utopia. He's developed a system called "Bronze" where playing his music contains a type of metal relayed onto the Vinyl or CD, allowing the song to mutate, so that it'll never sound the same twice. It's totally ridiculous but he's one of the main reasons I'm going to be getting a Turntable soon. 
He's definitely a musical artist set to change and influence music in years to come and  it would be an absolute dream to go and watch him live. My favourite Music Video of his is called "Greener World" that you can check out below.
                              Source: Youtube  


                        Wolf Alice, My Love is Cool, 2015. 

                           Image Source: The Reviewal 

I now bring you, Wolf Alice. This band makes me feel abit like i'm reliving my teenage years again, only without the braces. Their album 'My Love is Cool' has a real folky rock vibe with techno inclusions. They started off as a twosome, and slowly evolved into a fourpiece band which reinforced a more stylised, electronic vibe. My favourite songs from the album include; "swallowtail", "Lisbon" and "Your Love's a Whore". 

And if none of them suit your fancy then just dance round the room to Britney. Because it's a Friday night and why not.