Reminds me of some dear friends in Somerset.
I'll post more about my majestic daily life when I can pull myself out of this rut.
Tuesday 31 July 2012
This & Only This
Reminds me of some dear friends in Somerset.
I'll post more about my majestic daily life when I can pull myself out of this rut.
Monday 30 July 2012
Sharing Is Caring
The weekend just past has been, without exaggeration - one of the worst of my life. I'm not a 'drama king' so don't really want to publish the hows and whys on here too much, but know I am a tired man, both physically and emotionally.
I have been taking comfort and solace in the arms of good music today whilst being granted some compassionate leave. This blog will be a running dive, a trickling creak of good blogs and good music I have discovered today, in-between naps and a lot of thinking.
My mind is a tempest, an unfair tornado that melodies and beats are quelling.
1. First up is the blog Overcast Music, the young lady who runs this has impeccable taste in music, and I lost hours today trawling through the audible delights that she has placed on the pages of her Tumblr. Even if you don't have an account, take a few minutes out of your day to listen to what she's offered up - click on the links, open the YouTube videos, send her a message - I know I sure as hell have. Check the links out on the right-hand side of her page too. I am too tired and perhaps stupid to figure out if they are her singing, but her vocals and the soft, delicateness of each passing chord make for 'must have' hearing.
EDIT: Both links on the right hand side ARE by the author of the blog. She goes by musical alias 'Cade'. She's also bloody fantastic.
2. Second up is Warwickshire born, London based artist Lucy Rose. Her whimsical songs and pretty face may remind you of artists such as Laura Marling - but make no mistake, this girl is in a league of her own. She has lent her vocals to firm favourites of mine Bombay Bicycle Club (which I wasn't even aware of) and has a debut album coming out shortly. I'm also sad to hear she played at the Great Escape Festival earlier this year - how did I miss that one?
Check out this acoustic session of 'All I've Got', which is beautifully filmed by a project called Beatnik Sessions, which I have also been taking a keen interest in. A hub for me once I get Garnet Portrait off the ground? Perhaps. Give their YouTube channel a scour whilst you make a cup of tea or something.
3. I think I'll leave you with this final beauty, as I've just realised I haven't eaten today and there are stir-fry ingredients in the kitchen with my name all over them.
Volcano Choir (amazing name I'm sure you'll agree) has the work of musical God Bon Iver all over it, but in the best way possible. I heard two tracks and was so blown away by what I heard I went over to iTunes and purchased the album immediately, knowing there was absolutely no wrong in such a spontaneous purchase. The iTunes employee who wrote the review for the album I just bought, titled 'Unmap', did a far better job of reviewing it than I probably ever will:
"Anyone thinking that Volcano Choir are going to be anything like Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago just because Justin Vernon is involved is in for a bit of a shock. Yes, Vernon's otherworldly vocals grace most of the songs on Unmap, but there are no real songs to speak of, no hushed backwoods folk grandeur or heartbreakingly soulful sounds. Instead, Vernon and his friends from the post-rock band Collections of Colonies of Bees have crafted a defiantly experimental album that relies on Vernon's vocals as just another color in the paint box, not the main focus. The tracks are largely free-floating post-rock jams that drift and flow without great purpose but often sound intensely emotional, as on the driving climax of "Seelpymouth" or the segment of "And Gather" when Vernon's massed vocal overdubs join together in a hurricane of sound. Elsewhere, the group conjures up the dreamy, almost dancy post-shoegaze sound of A.R. Kane (on the album's best -- and most songlike -- song, "Island, Is"), dives headfirst into the kind of atonal modern composition Scott Walker favored in the 2000s on "Mbira in the Morass," and drifts into almost new agey soundscapes on the album-closing "Youlogy." A few tracks aren't miles away from Vernon's work with Bon Iver, especially the opening "Husks and Shells" and "Still," which is basically a rewrite of "Woods" from the Blood Bank EP, using the same vocodered vocals but inserting them into an almost rocking backwoods jam. Unmap won't scare off hardier Bon Iver fans who might find its experiments intriguing enough to get past the lack of songs. It will also please those who were worried that Vernon might be content to just repeat the BI formula until it became clichéd. Despite the occasional flaws, the album shows that Vernon (along with the guys in Collections of Colonies of Bees) has not only the desire to branch out but also the necessary skills."
I disagree with the 'no real songs' and the flaws parts, but apart from that, seems I need to go back to review school.
I hope I find you in a better disposition than I am in, and that you enjoy what I have posted. If you have anything to say, or know of a band/artist I must hear - get in touch.
I have been taking comfort and solace in the arms of good music today whilst being granted some compassionate leave. This blog will be a running dive, a trickling creak of good blogs and good music I have discovered today, in-between naps and a lot of thinking.
My mind is a tempest, an unfair tornado that melodies and beats are quelling.
1. First up is the blog Overcast Music, the young lady who runs this has impeccable taste in music, and I lost hours today trawling through the audible delights that she has placed on the pages of her Tumblr. Even if you don't have an account, take a few minutes out of your day to listen to what she's offered up - click on the links, open the YouTube videos, send her a message - I know I sure as hell have. Check the links out on the right-hand side of her page too. I am too tired and perhaps stupid to figure out if they are her singing, but her vocals and the soft, delicateness of each passing chord make for 'must have' hearing.
EDIT: Both links on the right hand side ARE by the author of the blog. She goes by musical alias 'Cade'. She's also bloody fantastic.
2. Second up is Warwickshire born, London based artist Lucy Rose. Her whimsical songs and pretty face may remind you of artists such as Laura Marling - but make no mistake, this girl is in a league of her own. She has lent her vocals to firm favourites of mine Bombay Bicycle Club (which I wasn't even aware of) and has a debut album coming out shortly. I'm also sad to hear she played at the Great Escape Festival earlier this year - how did I miss that one?
Check out this acoustic session of 'All I've Got', which is beautifully filmed by a project called Beatnik Sessions, which I have also been taking a keen interest in. A hub for me once I get Garnet Portrait off the ground? Perhaps. Give their YouTube channel a scour whilst you make a cup of tea or something.
3. I think I'll leave you with this final beauty, as I've just realised I haven't eaten today and there are stir-fry ingredients in the kitchen with my name all over them.
Volcano Choir (amazing name I'm sure you'll agree) has the work of musical God Bon Iver all over it, but in the best way possible. I heard two tracks and was so blown away by what I heard I went over to iTunes and purchased the album immediately, knowing there was absolutely no wrong in such a spontaneous purchase. The iTunes employee who wrote the review for the album I just bought, titled 'Unmap', did a far better job of reviewing it than I probably ever will:
"Anyone thinking that Volcano Choir are going to be anything like Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago just because Justin Vernon is involved is in for a bit of a shock. Yes, Vernon's otherworldly vocals grace most of the songs on Unmap, but there are no real songs to speak of, no hushed backwoods folk grandeur or heartbreakingly soulful sounds. Instead, Vernon and his friends from the post-rock band Collections of Colonies of Bees have crafted a defiantly experimental album that relies on Vernon's vocals as just another color in the paint box, not the main focus. The tracks are largely free-floating post-rock jams that drift and flow without great purpose but often sound intensely emotional, as on the driving climax of "Seelpymouth" or the segment of "And Gather" when Vernon's massed vocal overdubs join together in a hurricane of sound. Elsewhere, the group conjures up the dreamy, almost dancy post-shoegaze sound of A.R. Kane (on the album's best -- and most songlike -- song, "Island, Is"), dives headfirst into the kind of atonal modern composition Scott Walker favored in the 2000s on "Mbira in the Morass," and drifts into almost new agey soundscapes on the album-closing "Youlogy." A few tracks aren't miles away from Vernon's work with Bon Iver, especially the opening "Husks and Shells" and "Still," which is basically a rewrite of "Woods" from the Blood Bank EP, using the same vocodered vocals but inserting them into an almost rocking backwoods jam. Unmap won't scare off hardier Bon Iver fans who might find its experiments intriguing enough to get past the lack of songs. It will also please those who were worried that Vernon might be content to just repeat the BI formula until it became clichéd. Despite the occasional flaws, the album shows that Vernon (along with the guys in Collections of Colonies of Bees) has not only the desire to branch out but also the necessary skills."
I disagree with the 'no real songs' and the flaws parts, but apart from that, seems I need to go back to review school.
I hope I find you in a better disposition than I am in, and that you enjoy what I have posted. If you have anything to say, or know of a band/artist I must hear - get in touch.
Monday 16 July 2012
Stumbleine
I've also been listening to a lot of music, both new and old, over the past few weeks. But one artist in particular that really caught my eye(?) is Bristol based chillwave musician Stumbleine. His dreamy, almost ethereal sounding effects, mixed with delayed female vocals work together in harmony to really take you toanother place. I'm captivated and am eagerly anticipating the download release/link for the new album Ghosting, you can stream the album in full here, or keep up-to-date with his happenings via Facebook.
What have you been listening to recently?
EDIT: 'Ghosting' is now available on iTunes.
What have you been listening to recently?
EDIT: 'Ghosting' is now available on iTunes.
Dilly dally, shilly shally
HEJ!
I deeply apologise for the distinct lack of updates recently, things have been hectic! I've moved back in with my parents for the Summer, turned 24, gotten six new tattoo's (photos to come in the next post I PROMISE as I also need to send the fully healed results to my tattoo artist), a new piercing, been working all the days and hours under the sun at my Summer job back at the Council, eating too much cheese, playing a lot of video games and generally seeing a ton of my lovely friends. The weather however, can do one!
I've decided to give this a post a bit of a fashion-y edge, so here are some photos of a couple of new outfits I've compiled. Both of which have gone up on my lookbook account, so take a look and give me a hype if you also have an account! These were both taken by my brother:
How have you all been? What have you been up to this Summer?
I deeply apologise for the distinct lack of updates recently, things have been hectic! I've moved back in with my parents for the Summer, turned 24, gotten six new tattoo's (photos to come in the next post I PROMISE as I also need to send the fully healed results to my tattoo artist), a new piercing, been working all the days and hours under the sun at my Summer job back at the Council, eating too much cheese, playing a lot of video games and generally seeing a ton of my lovely friends. The weather however, can do one!
I've decided to give this a post a bit of a fashion-y edge, so here are some photos of a couple of new outfits I've compiled. Both of which have gone up on my lookbook account, so take a look and give me a hype if you also have an account! These were both taken by my brother:
How have you all been? What have you been up to this Summer?
Friday 15 June 2012
Freedom
Today I finished my second year of Uni - yay! There has also been a gigantic change of plans and due to Topshop falling through and my house falling through and many other reasons I am now heading back to my parents house in Oxford for the Summer. I pretty much already have a job lined up so that's grand, to be honest as boring as it sounds I'm just looking forward to earning some money and seeing my Oxfordshire friends and maybe a very cheeky trip up to Sweden. I also have nine full books to read over the Summer as dissertation research so there's no rest for the wicked!
How are you planning on spending your Summer?
Sunday 3 June 2012
Scratches On My Skin
The light was neither from Heaven or Hell, and the lost city behind me caught fire in the sunset, blazing behind these strange clouds. The smoke drifted past, and in it doing so, I caught the glimpses of faces and places, of voices, of lovers lost and won. Of friends near and far, close and distant in both proximity and to my heart. This black hole, which has been here since the beginning of time has moved me in ways that life couldn't.
But now I have nowhere left to run, here at the End of the World, my eyes feel heavy, and I want nothing more than to nap on the mossy banks beneath me, eclipsed by the sea, the abyss and the hiding, blinding sun.
But now I have nowhere left to run, here at the End of the World, my eyes feel heavy, and I want nothing more than to nap on the mossy banks beneath me, eclipsed by the sea, the abyss and the hiding, blinding sun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)