January 2015 Favorites: The Music Edition
To be honest, there wasn’t much for me to love in January. It’s been a “put-your-head-down-and-barrel-through” sort of month. What I have been exploring a lot of, however, is the vast selection of amazing music on SoundCloud. If you’re looking for remixes, chill electro-pop, and raw musical projects of your favorite artists, SoundCloud is the way to go. I use the free SoundCloud app almost as much if not more frequently than my regular music library. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but still–highly recommend.
I thought I would compile some tracks I’ve had on repeat this past month for you guys.
Kimbra: “The Passions” (Owen Pallett Cover)
Kimbra’s interpretation of Owen Pallett’s song has a similar eeriness to Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest album and Marika Hackman’s “Drown”, which I featured in my most recent Music Spotlight. There’s something about this track that haunts the listener, and yet it’s so incredibly intoxicating that I find myself going into a sort of trance whenever I listen to it. If Kafka on the Shore was to be set to music, I wouldn’t hesitate to put this track on the playlist.
By the way, Kimbra made this cover on her own in her basement. Just saying. Queen.
Kimbra: “I’m Wishing” from Snow White
Second track I’ll mention by Kimbra here, and it’s actually a cover of a pretty old song. She took “I’m Wishing” from the beloved movie Snow White and added her own ethereal electronic flare. It’s a wonderful example of Kimbra’s musical inventiveness and creativity. It’s a super cool interpretation of a classic track, and a pretty bangin’ version of an originally very feminine piece of music. I’ve never been too big a fan of Disney Princess stuff, but this cover changes the game.
Spazzkid: “Daytime Disco” feat. Neon Bunny (starRo Remix)
I don’t know how many times I can reiterate my love for Spazzkid (and Giraffage, I sort of lump the two artists together) and his new track “Daytime Disco” featuring Korean indie artist Neon Bunny (who, by the by, just won a 2014 EatYourKimchi award for Best K-Indie Artist) definitely does not disappoint. The original track is a fun, upbeat electronic track, almost like an 8-bit picnic. starRo’s remix of the song, however, changes the tempo and chord progression to give the song a whole new chill and mysterious vibe. I recommend listening to the original first, then the starRo remix. This is the best way to appreciate the interpretation of the song. I’ve included the Kero Kero Bonito remix too, just because all versions of this song are incredibly fun and exceptional.
Spazzkid: “Daytime Disco” feat. Neon Bunny (Original)
Spazzkid: “Daytime Disco” feat. Neon Bunny (Kero Kero Bonito Remix)
Spazzkid X NΣΣT: “Yours Truly” feat. Sarah Bonito
The second selection from Spazzkid is his collaborative effort with Sarah Bonito and NΣΣT, a track titled “Yours Truly”. The synth hits and drops alternate that somewhat resemble Bo En’s “My Time” but less chaotic and more WOWSYNTHPADWOW.
I really can’t think of any other way to describe it. Give it a listen.
This song is the perfect example of the power of dynamics in production. “JMK” is tight, it plays with levels so well, and drops and breaks at all the right times to make me feel some type of way. I would love to see someone dance to this, other than me when I’m in my bathroom. Wow. Just wow. You know those songs that just hit the sweet spot with the production skills? This is one of those songs for me. I never get tired of it.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you loved any of these selections.
Want to hear what else I’m listening to? My Likes page on my SoundCloud account is constantly updated, so find me on SoundCloud @ErinKaelie to see what I’m listening to!
LISTEN TO MY SOUNDCLOUD LIKES PLAYLIST HERE
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Much love,
Erin