I made a new playlist for that amazing feeling, the euphoria, the happiness, and the rush of passion we all get when we are in love, Even though I have never been in love so far, I imagine this would be the playlist to express that very feeling when that moment comes.
"Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly."-Leo Tolstoy (War and Peace)
"Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place."-Ice T
Here is my another mix made by me, this one is the second Urban Dreams playlist (Urban Dreams #2). Been listening to a lot Hip-Hop recently, there is something about Hip-Hop and it's ability to capture the soul of a city, the soul of the urban landscape, which makes Hip-Hop, and it's unique lyrical quality, an interesting listening experience. These are the songs that help me relax and lay back especially among such a hectic city.
Recently I've been getting into old-school hip-hop and modern electronic music that is composed mainly of samples from other pieces of music, movies, and etc... So since my interest was ignited by this entire style of making music, I decide to read up on the history and origins of this whole culture of sampling. While reading, I found out that an entire slew of music I've heard in the past is actually sampled from other pieces music. For example the video I posted above, sound familiar? This song, The Last Time, by The Andrew Oldham Orchestra is a cover version of the Rolling Stone's The Last Time, but many from my generation wouldn't have probably associated it with that song. This song might sound extremely familiar because part of this song is actually sampled in The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. Now the fact that The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony is not a completely original song does not lessen the value I held and still hold with this song. Bittersweet Symphony is still one the best songs I've heard. This brings to view this whole "culture of remix" we currently live in. Almost everything we listen to, watch, or read borrows from something else. We live in a time where nothing is really authentic, nothing is really 100% original. But does that mean that art nowadays has less artist value? Does that mean we should consider everything that borrows from some other work as a rip-off? On the contrary, since we live in an age with so many forms of art, so many different styles; remixing, borrowing, sampling, and rearranging, makes something we love and hold dear into something new and fresh.
Here is another playlist I made. This one is Urban Dreams, it's composed of smooth Hip-Hop music that is just relaxing especially amongst the chaotic nature of a city. Sometimes while walking around in New York City I see the overwhelming chaos that goes around in the city; the constant construction, the rush of people from all cultures, from all backgrounds, from all professions moving in masses all over the place, the crowding in public transportation, the bombardment of advertisement, the constant noise from all the hustle and bustle of this mega metropolis. But amongst all this chaos, a entire genre of music was invented, Hip-Hop, a modern type of music capturing the sense of the urban landscape, but not in the negative sense but more in the positive side of urban culture, the combination of cultures, of ideas, the constant flow of people, the diversity. With some of these Hip-Hop songs, they are able to relax me in this tense urban atmosphere, when I pop on this music I stay in the urban state of mind while putting me at ease and allowing me to enjoy the beauty of the city. Sometimes when you are in a place where the pace is extremely fast, one has to slow down, and take a slow and hard look of everything around you. There is beauty in chaos.
I'm back with a new playlist! This one is titled Bright Horizons. It's composed of music that just relaxes me and gives me a sense of hopefulness for the bright things to come in the future. Sometimes we just need to maintain a positive outlook on the things to come, to think of the positive things that can happen in our lives, and when one starts to create that hopeful mindset, all our hopes and desires will become a reality. Sometimes music can helps us jump start that positive thought process, music has the uncanny ability to be able to change one's mood, to alter one's emotions, to change one's very thoughts. And when we put on music that has positive lyrics, positive rhythm, and is able to create strong associations with positive experiences, we start thinking happier thoughts, we are transported to a world where we see our lives the way we want to live it. So this is the music that does exactly what I just stated. Enjoy!
There are some songs that really strike a stride with me, something about the combination of the pristine lyrics and involving rhythms makes a song become an absolute obsession. Such songs that qualify are Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap, No Cars Go by Arcade Fire and now Kid Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness. Pursuit of Happiness - Kid Cudi (Ft. MGMT And Ratatat)
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit Feelin’ lit feelin’ light, 2 am summer night. I don't care, hand on the wheel, drivin drunk, I'm doin’ my thing Rollin the Midwest side and out livin’ my life getting’ out dreams People told me slow my road I'm screaming out fuck that Imma do just what I want lookin’ ahead no turnin’ back if I fall if I die know I lived it to the fullest if I fall if I die know I lived and missed some bullets
I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good.
Tell me what you know about dreamin’ dreamin’ you don't really know about nothin’ nothin’ tell me what you know about them night terrors every night 5 am, cold sweats wakin’ up to the skies tell me what you know about dreams, dreams tell me what you know about night terrors, nothin’ you don't really care about the trials of tomorrow rather lay awake in a bed full of sorrow
I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shines ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good (x3)
I'm on the pursuit of happiness And I know everything that shines ain't always gonna be gold, hey I'll be fine once I get it, yeah I'll be good
Pursuit of happiness, yeah I don’t get it, I’ll be good
I love the lyrics of this song! I think the song is trying to describe his (whoever wrote the song) pursuit of happiness, how he hopes to reach happiness. "ain't always gonna be gold" He knows that in the pursuit of happiness not everything is going to be apparent, its not going to go exactly how we plan it. That is true to a certain extent, we all try to find happiness in our lives but we get disappointed when it doesn't happen exactly the way we wanted to. Frustrations and sorrow arise due to a fear of the unknown, due to a worry of not getting what you want and exactly how you want it. The pursuit of happiness, a pursuit we all take part, is much more than just looking for happiness in some far off place or in some goal. The pursuit of happiness is more about realizing the things that make you happy right now. As the song says "I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good.", we just need to realize that fact, that happiness should not be pursued but rather realized. The things right in front of us, the things that truly make us happy are the things we have right now at this very moment.
Another mash-up made by me (DJ Constant). This is a mash-up of Flight of Conchords's Ladies of the World and Ratatat's One. The song is appropriately titled One Lady in the World. Enjoy! One Lady in the World (Flight of the Conchords vs. Ratatat) - DJ Constant
This is my first effort on making a mash-up. I used Ratatat's Breaking Away, which is one of their best beats in my opinion, and Calle 13's La Jirafa, another favorite of mine. Basically I just added Calle 13's lyrics to Ratatat's beat. Hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism is gladly appreciated.
My DJ name is DJ Constant. Why? Because I believe in a constant flow in music. Breaking Away My Jirafa (Ratatat vs. Calle 13) - DJ Constant Download (Right Click + Save As)
Tango has always been a music of passion. A sensual rhythm that gets the heart pumping with fiery passion and just makes you want to dance. Yes the title is correct, I have found a band called Bajofondo that is straight from Argentina and Uruguay that makes an interesting mix of Tango and Hip-Hop. It's two genres I would have never imagined being combined and I have to say I'm presently surprised. I listened to Bajofondo's live album titled Supervielle. This album has a perfect combination of classic tango with modern hip-hop and some electronic. The music is so relaxing and soothing, it puts the mind in a beautiful trance. Maintaining a new and unique sound, Bajofondo manages to revitalize tango music. With the addition of a DJ (someone on turntables) on their band it adds new life to this dying genre. This band also does a interesting mix with vocals, using classic vocals from a couple of popular Tango singers, and they also incorporate rapping. Being a big fan of tango and groups like Gotan Project, I love this album. This music is so sensual, just like Tango which is one of the most sensual genres of music, this perfect fusion of classic Tango and modern hip-hop makes for a perfect blend of sensuality and modernity.
After having my mind being blown by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, I was looking to listen to more of Pink Floyd’s albums. After having a chat with a friend talking about The Dark Side of the Moon he suggested to me to listen to Wish You Were Here. He said it was completely non-commercial just like Dark Side; one of Pink Floyd’s other avant-garde albums. Wish You Were Here was album made after Syd Barrett departure of the band. Syd Barrett was suffering through a rough LSD drug addiction and a decline in his mental state so Syd Barrett and the rest of Pink Floyd broke off. The other members of Pink Floyd were incredibly saddened by the loss of a great band member, one who mainly composed all the song in their first 2 albums. So this album was created as a tribute to Syd Barrett.
I have to say from the start this is another great album made by Pink Floyd, as with Dark Side of the Moon the entire album is one piece of work and not just a bunch of tracks put together. The lyrics are very sincere, reminiscing about the good times they had with Syd Barrett and sadness of the loss of incredible potential Barrett had. The most impressive song of the album was Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which is a 20 minute song divided into two parts. The song starts very spaced out similar to the sound of Dark Side then moves to very jazzy with the use of a saxophone and then has a rapid climax with funky melodies. Then there is my other favorite song in the album Wish You Were Here, which ironically sounds like many indie bands I listen to nowadays, very similar to artists like Bon Iver, Coldplay and many others. The guitar is amazing in this song; I really dig the acoustic sound. The lyrics in this song are simply beautiful. They express the sadness of losing a great friend, their frustrations for that loss, and their desire to have him back. This is a great album, filled with many memorable moments, if you like Pink Floyd or like slow and spaced-out music you should definitely give this album a listen.
Beautiful lyrics from the song Wish You Were Here:
“How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old ground. What have we found The same old fears. Wish you were here.”
"Open up your Open up your Open up your throat And let time All of that time All of that time All of that time go
I know it sucks that Daddy's done But try to think of what you want You've got to open up Open up your Open up your throat
Matt! Support your brother Sport Brother Sport
You got to weigh what you say To help you shape the way you play You gotta get rid of the mourning Sort out the habits of your mind
You're halfway 'til you're fully grown You've got a real good shot Won't help to hold inside Give a real, give a real Shout out
Until you're fully grown You've got a real good shot Won't help to hold inside Give a real, give a real Shout out Matt!"
Animal Collective's lyrics are always a bit abstract and hard to understand but after many listens to the song Bothersport I finally fully grasp it's meaning. The song is written for a brother called Matt who apparently had many problems. The lyricist is trying to tell his brother that the problems have come and gone and that its time to open up and talk about his problems. Anybody can easily relate to these lyrics, we all go through problems in our lives that we feel fearful or ashamed to talk about, but sometimes it's so much better to shout them out, to talk about them rather than holding them bottled up inside. "You got to weigh what you say, To help you shape the way you play" Talking to friends or family is a great reliever, someone is always willing to listen and give advice, and through that proper exchange in communication we can shape our lives harmoniously. As the song says "Won't help to hold inside".
Recently I viewed the trailer of a film called Only and it had one of my most favorite indie songs, Wet and Rusting by Menomena, and I realized that Indie songs really make any movie trailer a whole lot better. There's a enchanting quality in hearing an Indie song that is up-beat, happy, smooth, but yet full of life in a movie trailer. There is such wealth of music out there in the world that we can find any song that is already written to convey a feeling, an emotion, a thought. Especially in Indie/Alternative music where the songs have such a wealth of meaningful lyrics. Lyrics that tell epic stories, convey a specific feeling, and lyrics that tell us about the world around us. For a filmmaker, Indie songs make a perfect match to convey the subject and the theme of the film. To tell the audience what film they are going to watch. As in the 500 Days of Summer trailer with the song Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap. And with Where the Wild Things Are trailer with the song Wake Up by Arcade Fire. Each song is meant to be attached with these great films. Many of us might not realize it, but we develop strong relationships with songs. We create powerful associations of important life experiences and strong emotions with every single song we listen to. The more we listen to a song the stronger that association gets. Same thing with the marketing of a film. If you take a song that brings positive thoughts or strong feelings and put in a movie trailer, you make a personal connection with the film that is being advertised.
Now is one my all-time favorite indie songs that was in Only trailer. Wet and Rusting by Menomena.
What happens when you get members from Vampire Weekend and from Ra Ra Riot and add some synths, Daft Punk style? You end up getting Discovery, a recent collaboration between Rostam Batmanglij, keyboardist and producer of Vampire Weekend, and Wes Miles, singer of Ra Ra Riot. This is a match made in heaven, it’s my two favorite indie bands, collaborating together creating an electro-pop Daft-Punk-esque sound meanwhile maintaining that Vampire Weekend flair. Loving this album and hope to hear more from them soon.
Yet another mix made by me. Filled with smooth rhythms, soft-spoken lyrics, and slow tempo beats, this mix titled Slow and Steady is the playlist I listen to every time I need to relax and calm my nerves. Life sometimes moves too fast and when it does we just need to relax and take things slowly and deliberately. We all have the undying desire to have things right now, but life just does not work that way, we go step by step getting a little by little as we go along. We all eventually get what we want out of life, but if we go too fast we might miss out on the small, but beautiful, things in life.
"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."-Eddie Cantor "The trees that are slow to grow, bear the best fruit."-Moliere
Made a new mix titled Vintage Dreams, composed of songs that have an old and vintage feel to it. I love music with a vintage sound because it takes me back to a time where things were much simpler. Where life is simply lived by following your heart, gratifying your desires, and freely speaking your mind. But of course, in reality, life is extremely complicated filled with challenges and difficulties on every corner. Sometimes I feel that in order to cope with the complexities of life, instead of trying to control all these various complexities it's better to just live life simply.
"And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know You realize that life goes fast It's hard to make the good things last You realize the sun doesn't go down It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round"Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips
Have a new mix, this one is called Summer Bliss. These songs celebrate my love for summer and how great a season it is. It's the season where you take a break from school/work and spend it enjoying it with great friends and doing fun things and basically having a carefree time without a worry in the world. It's the time of year where life is meant to be enjoyed at it's fullest.
"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."-Celia Thaxter
New Zealand has something else besides Flight of the Concords and Peter Jackson. Ruby Suns is indie pop/rock band straight from kiwi-land itself. Their music is surreal and enigmatic, using acoustic rhythms to achieve a very tribal and lo-fi kind of feel. In their second full-length album release titled Sea Lions, the Ruby Suns achieve a very eclectic and unique sound. The songs Oh Mojave and Tane Mahuta transport you to a tropical paradise with it's Beach Boy's inspired vocals, African hi-energy guitar, and it features a chorus of Maori singers. Ruby Suns has an amazing unique sound that I really haven't heard before, and their album Sea Lion, transports to an exotic soundscape.
Here's two of their music videos. they are very surreal and probably one of the weirdest music videos I've ever seen.
Made a new mix, this one is called Parisian Dreams. It's music that puts me in the Parisian mindset of love, enjoying life, and taking in the beauty of art. Music is a powerful and beautiful thing, it's able to create strong associations with other things that are important in our lives, such as strong emotions of nostalgia, or remind you of a good friend, or bring back memories of a place you once loved, or it can take your imagination to places you want to go and things you want to do. Music is audible beauty, my friends.
I made the perfect playlist to really get that blood pumping and those party juices flowing. This mix mostly consists of remixes of popular indie songs. I suggest you hear it in order first, starting with the song Electricity by The Avalanches, because it was designed to have maximum high octane blood pumpage in this specific order. Now give it a listen and tell me what you think.
Here is the tracklist in the order I intended:
Electricity - The Avalanches
The Bears Are Coming (Partyshank Remix) - Late Of The Pier
I'm an Idealist, a Libertarian, a Hedonist, a Lover (most definitely not a hater), Pacifist, an Intellectual, and a dreamer. Blissfully obsessed with music and film. Constantly exploring the inner workings of the human condition. And on a never ending journey to experience new things and explore new endeavors.
