brkn trntbl

brkn trntbl is a blog dedicated to spreading the word about the music I enjoy. I spent a year living in Seoul, South Korea, so with that in mind, I look to bring some of the spotlight to domestic DJs and other artists. Music with disco and house elements makes me the happiest but I'll also bring in pop music and hip-hop. Find me on Twitter and Instagram, or drop me a line at [email protected].

[brkntrntbl-blog]

Explaining SM Entertainment's Foray Into EDM

An in-depth review of SM Entertainment's shift into electronic music! SHINee, f(x), Girls' Generation, and EXO are all discussed in light of the change in artistic direction.

I wrote an article for The Music Mind and it’d be rad if you gave it a read and a share! I’ll still be writing on this blog, but my K-pop writing will end up over there for the most part. Be sure to check out the rest of the site, too ;) Lots of cool articles and interviews. 

[brkntrntbl-blog]

just 3 little blurbs

Summer is here, and after a long semester working my ass off to graduate, I’m back and I’m ready to get some of my current favorite tracks out there!

First up, we’ve got Super8 & Tab’s “Mega”, a track that’s much less trance and much more big room. I don’t note this as a negative, however. The track’s melody is refreshing, catchy and leaves the listener, regardless of how they feel about “trouse”, hitting the replay button. Has it been accepted yet that big room influence in some trance is here to stay for awhile? For me, if I like a track, I like it regardless of genre. For the critics, there’s still amazing trance out there if a track like this isn’t up to snuff for you! I enjoy it, however. Really fun.

Second is Simon Patterson & Magnus’ “Evoke” - absolutely the kind of trance I love. High 140 BPM with an amazing, original melody. I could easily listen to this on a loop for 12 hours. It’s classic and massive while maintaining the euphoric beauty we expect from uplifting trance. Another thing I want to note about this track is the psy elements. I’m super excited about this sort of direction the genre is going! I’m obsessed with these driving basslines we’ve been hearing lately. Armin van Buuren mentioned this during his AMA on Reddit a couple weeks back and he couldn’t be more right. Great track.

Lastly, I have to give it up to Aly & Fila once again. Finally, their “Million Voices” collab with Luke Bond and Audrey Gallagher on vocals is out after being one of my favorite tracks from A&F’s sets this year. This is exactly the kind of trance I love and I’m grateful to producers like A&F for continuing to make it without compromise. Gorgeous, emotional track. 

Half a year has come and gone with a lot of fantastic music pushing us through it even faster. I’m super pumped for what else is in store for the rest of the year.

Until next time, stay cool.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

it’s lit! as always.

A year and 3 months following the release of their last full-length album, EXODUS, the now-nine membered Korean-pop boy group EXO has released their 3rd LP, EX’ACT. Doused in synths, house-influence (among other dance genres) with a smattering of EXO’s trademark R&B sound, the album comes out the likely winner among the group’s releases thus far, marking both a new beginning and showing a sign of maturity, both musically and personally. A reminder that while I am a fan of this group (yay, transparency!), I’m a fan because I enjoy their music above all. This album isn’t perfect, though technically better than EXODUS, and I have issues with it that I make sure to note, but as always, this blog is personal and casual, which is why I wrote this in the first place. Vaguely track-by-track, it’s a bit long but bear with me and enjoy the ride. Thanks for reading!

The album begins with “Lucky One”, the first of two lead singles. A bright track with a nu-disco, funk inspired instrumental made especially catchy by nostalgic flute section prominent through the chorus. Towards the end, a funky guitar riff replaces the flute, closing out the well done genre-bending pop song. EXO’s vocals really shine here, as well, showing off a range of improved technique from each member. I can’t express enough how fantastic this song is - on its own and as an extension of EXO’s musical progress over the last 4 years. As a stand alone track, it’s fantastic but in the grand scheme of the album, it is easily EXO’s best opener yet. This brings me to one of my favorite aspects of this album: it’s cohesive. It’s rare to find a K-pop album that feels cohesive, like a “real” album instead of just a compilation of songs.

“Monster” is the next track, a dark hip-pop song that really goes in with the trap hi-hats. It’s very sexy, too, with lyrics suggestive enough to warrant raised eyebrows from sensitive parents. It’s a sign EXO have grown up, and grown out of their typical yearning-for-love singles; this time, it’s assumed we’re the ones desperately reaching out to them. It is, however, one of the only songs on the album that doesn’t seem to quite fit with the rest - but it doesn’t necessarily fit with any past EXO release, either. 

“Artificial Love” is my favorite song on the album - which is to be expected, considering it’s a densely layered house track. Contrary to popular belief, EXO absolute suit electronic music genres, with their vocals adding a warmth to the track without taking away from the strength of it. “Cloud 9″ comes next, which is described as being experimental R&B. It’s definitely different; it’s jumpy and can feel disjointed upon first listen. However, it captures the dreaminess conveyed through the lyrics, the vague anxiety of the song reflecting the anxiety felt when one is falling in love. “Heaven” feels much more like a typical EXO song, with lyrics written by member Chanyeol. It’s a break from the electronic density found in the first 4 tracks and serves as the midpoint of the album, which definitely isn’t a coincidence. It’s a pleasant palate cleanser, especially considering the following track, “White Noise” throws the listener right back into something house infused, something unmistakably electronic. This song doesn’t have as classic of a sound as “Lucky One” or “Artificial Love” and would likely be right at home on Top 40 British radio, but it’s just as strong of a track. “One and Only” is an alt-R&B track tying together the atmospheres of the two songs preceding - a mix of traditional, EXO-esque sound and the new electronic feel weaved in throughout the album. As we come towards the end of the album, “They Never Know” and “Stronger” serve as admittedly lackluster, but necessary, closers. Considering the rest of the album, these tracks are a bit forgettable, though I enjoy the trap and future house influences in “They Never Know”. “Stronger” is the necessary ballad and works well as the final song.

What I find so enthralling about this album is that despite its flaws, and despite a few songs that miss the mark in terms of impact, is that it’s an album you want to replay as soon as it’s over. Having had 2 weeks to really listen to EX’ACT, I’ve developed favorite tracks and those are what I go back to replay. That being said, I enjoy listening to the album as a whole - from beginning to end, in the tracklist given to us. This differs from every other K-pop album I’ve listened to where the tracklists are interchangeable and filler is so boring, it’s intolerable and impossible to enjoy. In considering this, EX’ACT is EXO’s most mature album yet, and highlights their growth as musicians. I look forward to their future releases, especially if they continue to experiment with genre the way this album plays with dance music influence.

I’ll be back likely tomorrow with some of my favorite trance tracks as of late. I haven’t written a post on trance yet, so I’m excited! Hope you’ll stick around for that one, too.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

Favorite Korean DJs

I must have started thinking about this post well over a year ago. It’s a topic I’ve put a lot of consideration into in terms of who I’ve actually seen in person, my own personal taste in music, and in some cases, how well those DJs fit into their club of residency. The whole point of this blog is to post stuff like this, so I’m happy I finally sat down and wrote it out. With that being said, here is a sampling of my absolute favorite Korean DJs! 

KINGMCK: I think at this point you’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t think KINGMCK is the best, or close to it, DJ in Korea. Back when I originally was writing this post, he was just gaining quite a bit of popularity and I lowkey felt like I was in on some sort of secret. I’m totally excited about the increase in interest, though, and I’m even more excited to see he’s been going around and playing outside of Asia! KINGMCK knows how to start a party, keep it going, and cool it down. He’s immensely talented regardless of the genre of music he plays, but he stays in the House realm of things. Most of my experience with KINGMCK has been as part of the DEADEND crew (please, please go to one of their parties if you’re in Seoul!) but I did see him at Ultra Korea last year at the Underground stage and he murdered it; he surpassed the a lot of the headliners at the festival. Check out one of my favorite sets of his here; I think this one highlights his versatility. 

Conan: I’ve talked quite a bit about Conan on this blog before. Next to KINGMCK, he’s my favorite Korean DJ. He’s the first DJ I saw and I can honestly say he has influenced my life on the same level as people like my family. He’s a captivating, lively DJ and so, so much fun to watch spin. He reignited my love for dance music, especially genres in the disco/nudisco/funk/breakbeat area of things. It’s hard to put into words where my love for Conan comes from. His love for the scene and for dance music is so genuine, in a way I had never experienced before. In a way, Conan is the reason this blog even exists. Besides being a member of DEADEND, Conan started up a crew called Disco Experience, which seeks to promote disco/nudisco in the house/electro-heavy club culture that permeates South Korea. They just had their 1st year anniversary, and I’m so excited to see where the project goes from here.

Soulscape: Soulscape is a fucking legend, and probably 99.9% of anyone you talk to will say that. He’s been in the game for awhile, and he’s a vinyl guy. He puts out his own stuff from time to time, using samples. Like I said, he’s been around for awhile, so there’s a ton out there if you’re interested. You can find out more about him here, where he discusses his views on Korean music and why he’s so interested in the oldies. I highly recommend seeing him at least once, particularly a vinyl set of his; no one in Korea can match up to him. Probably. I don’t know that for sure, I just know Soulscape is spectacular in many ways. 

Andow: Andow did club residency in Chicago in the mid 2000s, which definitely influences 1) how I personally view him as a DJ and 2) his own style. I’d say his strengths lie in his mixing. His party sets remind me a lot of Girl Talk, though I’d say Andow incorporates more rap/hip-hop and dance subgenres, mostly house. Andow is part of both 360 Sounds, a very established crew, and DEADEND. His sets can vary depending on which crew he’s playing with. Here’s a recent mix he did for 360 Sounds 10 year anniversary.

HAUSK: This is the only Gangnam-scene DJ on my list. I’m not the biggest fan of progressive house/electro (I mean, get me drunk and we’ll talk…), but HAUSK is a DJ that makes so much of an effort to get a crowd hyped, and has a real love for what he’s doing, that I find it hard to leave him off this list. He was a resident DJ at Octagon but he has since moved to Ellui. I prefer Ellui, so I’m pleased with that decision, personally. I think he fits better there, too, since Ellui draws a more excitable crowd. He’s been jetsetting off to China and some other places since last year, as well, so I’m excited to see where his career goes. It’s hard to tell with Gangnam-scene DJs because it’s difficult for them to differentiate themselves; names aren’t all that important to Gangnam clubgoers. HAUSK, however, has the personality to keep him around for awhile. 

There are 5 of my favorite Korean DJs! There are, of course, more, but this should give you a good idea of where my personal tastes lie and a sampling of what Seoul has to offer in terms of its scene. Which I love, obviously, quite a bit. Contact info is in the sidebar if you’re interested in learning more or have comments.

Peace

[brkntrntbl-blog]

Best of 2015

What a year. I’ll spare the apologies for being such a trash blogger and get right into it!

Tracks Of The Year 

DΞΔN x Anderson .Paak - Put My Hands on You

The vocals here are absolutely gorgeous. More layered and experimental type of production than I’ve experienced thus far with Dean’s music. I really, really enjoy this song, along with Dean’s latest “Pour Up”, featuring popular Korean rapper Zico. I look forward to big things coming from this guy. He has all the makings for a star: talent, looks, and personality. 

Grimes - Flesh without Blood 

There’s something very nostalgic about this song that makes listening to this song an experience every single time it comes on. Grimes has such an amazing voice and that became obvious on the Art Angels album, especially in this track. It’s sugary and juvenile, even down to the lyrics, and I love it. 

Axwel /\ Ingrosso - Sun Is Shining

Galantis - Runaway (U & I) (the album came out this year, it counts!)

Animal Collective - Floridada

Animal Collective has been my favorite band for the better part of a decade now. While I was entirely letdown by Centipede Hz (as many other fans were), I am pretty excited where their next album is going to go. This track is so lovely; it’s fun and a bit childish, which I love. Like the Grimes song, it makes me feel hella nostalgic. It’s a throwback to their older music without sounding stale. These guys just keep proving how timeless their sound(s) are. 

PSY - 나필바지 (NAPAL BAJI) 

A disco-inspired track rather silly in its lyrics about flared pants and shoulder pads, PSY gives us a nice throwback without sounding dated. Like much of PSY’s 7th album, NAPAL BAJI is full of energy and self-awareness. It’s a fun pop song that showcases PSY at his absolute best: cheesy, embracing the cheesiness, and bringing fantastic music quality along with it. 

Coming Soon!!! - Innocence Lost

I wasn’t a psytrance fan before (mostly out of ignorance, admittedly!). I am now. These guys fucking rock. Sickest basslines I’ve heard in a long time. Listen to them if you’re into that kind of genre or interested in something new.

EXO - Lightsaber

EXO released a myriad of songs this year with the album EXODUS, its re-issue LOVE ME RIGHT and a recent (pretty good) EP titled SING FOR YOU, which features a song co-written by previously mentioned future R&B vocalist Dean. Lightsaber was released as a promotional track through a Disney Korea collaboration for the new Star Wars film. Produced by LDN Noise, who also produced some of K-Pop’s best music this year like SHINee’s View and F(x)’s 4 Walls. Lightsaber features very clean production, a beautifully layered mixture of baby dubstep and prog house elements. The vocals on the track (EXO has 9 members) are well mixed and I make note of this because a lot of K-Pop music has issues with vocal mixing. It’s an impressive track, and so much fun to listen to and pick out all the layers. 

Drake - Know Yourself

Jamie xx - Gosh

This is one of my favorite tracks of the year and I feel like I shouldn’t have to explain why. Everything about it is exactly my taste and it is so beautifully made.

Disclosure - Bang That

This is one of those tracks that would work perfectly in a club set working towards the tail end of the night around 3am. Built around a sample from a techno jam by Detroit’s Filthiest, Disclosure slows it down and makes it an acidic, banging (no pun intended) house track. While Disclosure got a bit of criticism from fans for releasing Bang That, I think it’s one of the most interesting tracks of theirs and feeds into my love for music that is ready made for the club, no remix required.

Lana Del Rey - Music To Watch Boys To

Perfume - Pick Me Up

Albums of the Year (in no order, like the tracks)

Jamie xx - In Colour

EXO - EXODUS

Jack Ü - Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü

What So Not - Gemini EP

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

Justin Bieber - Purpose

Drake - If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

Lim Kim - Simple Mind

Alesso - Forever

Carly Rae Jepsen - EMOTION

Lots of great tracks released this year, including an instant classic from Mat Zo titled “Don’t Say The T Word” which just dropped a couple days ago, but I wasn’t into very many full albums. I’m ok with that, though. I went back to a lot of older stuff instead with a new ear, which was fun. 

That’s all I’ve got this time, but I’m hoping to use this blog more in the new year! :)

Keep it wavy.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

No One Ever Said It’d Be This Hard...

It’s been awhile! I got distracted trying to have as much fun with my last couple months in Seoul as possible and over the summer, I was literally doing nothing. Listening to a lot of music, but being back in small town Minnesota means no shows. I meant to write some posts but I just never got around to it. That ends now! I have so many posts planned for the next couple months that I’m very excited about. In any case, I’m back! And I’ll be posting more regularly. Hopefully.

Anyway, in June, I went to Ultra Music Festival Korea for Day 1. There were a lot of expensive, 10,000 won tequila shots going on so, truth be told, much of that afternoon is a blur. What I can tell you, though, is that it was...okay. I’m not really a festival person. I’ve been to a couple but UMF Korea was probably the largest scale festival I’ve ever been to. There was maybe one? trance act, and I missed him because I got sucked into someone else’s set. Kingmck maybe? I seriously cannot remember, so it must not have been that memorable.

Regardless of how I felt about the atmosphere at UMF Korea, I still had huge, huge highlights: Skrillex and Porter Robinson. 

Skrillex melted my face off with his genre-bending, K-Pop incorporating set. He even brought out Korea’s biggest Hip-hop crew, The Cohort, to perform the smash trap hit “U Guessed It” “It G Ma”. That song always gets a great response in the club and at a festival, it was no different. Skrillex seems like he has a lot of love for Korea and the music there, which is kind of cute.

Porter Robinson is just on a completely different level than the other electro/big room/whatever acts UMF Korea booked (Korea’s taste in dance music is a topic of discussion for another post). The visuals were impeccable and the way he works his older music into his live set via the Worlds remixes is rather genius. Porter’s hour-long live festival set is an emotional journey that maintains the structure Worlds as an album has yet keeps up the hype required of a festival performer. I had high expectations for Porter and I was not disappointed. I skipped out on Hardwell for that set and there are definitely zero regrets.

That’s about it for my UMF Korea experience. Maybe I’ll find my way back there next year, we’ll just have to wait and see! 

Keep an eye out for my next posts including my top 10 trance tracks of the year and a list of my all-time favorite Korean DJs. Super stoked about both of those! 

Stay cool.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

EXO’s 2nd Album ‘EXODUS’ And Why They're So Popular

So, if you're not into Korean pop music, or know someone who is, you probably haven't heard much about EXO. That’s cool, but did you know they're one of the most popular boy bands in the world? The group lost 2 members, Kris Wu and Lu Han, to contractual lawsuits last year, and have been in a state of limbo until their stream of five sold-out concerts here in Seoul a couple weeks ago. They began to show that they were coming back stronger and better than ever as a 10 member piece, displaying improvement in their vocals, dancing and overall performance.

This is the first pop-focused post on my blog, and since I'm a huge fan of EXO (Disclaimer: I saw them live twice, which definitely influences the way I write about them), I feel like EXO and their new album, EXODUS, is a good starting point. Since their arrival on the scene in the spring of 2012, EXO’s influence has been growing, their fanbase expanding, and with EXODUS, a mighty fine piece of pop R&B, it would honestly be disappointing for them to continue to only be mentioned in a Jeff-Benjamin-for-Billboard, paid PR context. When I think about it, there has yet to be a Korean boy band to be taken seriously beyond Big Bang. People just aren’t writing about them. In talking with another music writer who focuses on Korean music, we agree that it’s because the people writing about K-pop are middle-aged white men. They don’t care about boys, they want to talk about the cute girls. The problem, though, is the boy groups are the most popular throughout Asia. The deserve the attention. Groups like Dong Bang Shin Ki never got their proper time in the sun, though they were the most popular boy band in the world for awhile between the Western boy band craze and One Direction. Groups like Super Junior have ridiculous popularity around the world, as well, particularly in Europe and Southeast Asia.

EXO’s reach is crazy. China (their target market after Korea; half of them sing in Chinese and the others sing in Korean so they sell 2 albums at the same time), Japan, Southeast Asia, parts of Europe (strangely, lots of popularity in Russia?) and the US as well. Currently, EXO’s 2nd album sits in the top 10 albums on US iTunes. They have countless fan sites dedicated to following their every move, serious fans ready to drop close to $500 on every version of their new album (there’s 20; different covers for each member, and remember, they sing in 2 languages), and beyond that, the sheer number of their fans is beyond any other Korean male idol group out there at the moment.

But why? That’s a good question. What makes EXO so marketable? They're not exactly the boys next door, in fact their entire concept is that they're aliens who hail from Exoplanet and have secret powers. They aren't very accessible. But maybe that’s part of the appeal? You feel close to them without feeling too close. A barrier remains, a barrier that reminds you none of this is real, and these boys are ultimately controlled by a third party. Besides that, there are 10 members, so there’s bound to be one that fits your taste. Though they're all obviously attractive. There’s talent in the group: songwriting (yes, it’s true! One of the members, Chanyeol, has written his own raps before), producing (not yet part of their official discography), and incredible vocal ability. Not to mention, the strong choreography for which they are recognized by. But above all, EXO consistently release great music that has its own sound while evolving with each release. 

EXO’s company, SM Entertainment, has had top producers work to create EXO’s sound and because of this, no one else in Korea has the quality nor the same concept going on. Pop and R&B heavyweights Teddy Riley, The Underdogs and The Stereotypes have given EXO some of the best music I've ever encountered in K-pop, much less the world of boy bands. We’re talking pure, clean production. Clear vocals, strong bass. On par with the production on Lana del Rey’s debut album ‘Born To Die’, one of my favorite productions. Props to everyone who worked on ‘EXODUS’, because it’s beautifully done. Take a listen to “Beautiful”, one of the songs Teddy Riley worked on here.

With all that being said, EXO’s popularity shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody, and considering the ferocity of their 2nd album, they're only going to go up from here. Keep a look out. Give the album a listen if pop R&B is your jam (why wouldn't it be?!). If there’s ever a time to get into EXO, it’s now. 

[brkntrntbl-blog]

So, this is my first post about Cakeshop, and I'm especially excited to have it be about last night's Disco Experience. Disco Experience is a project started and headed by DJ Conan, who I've mentioned before and will mention again and again and again. It's meant to be a space specifically for disco/nudisco/deepsco as it's not something a lot of people gravitate towards naturally (though the landscape is changing at a rapid pace and I'm living for it). As a fan of disco, I love the idea and I'm excited for more of their events in the future.

I got there at about 11 when people were just starting to trickle in. Things didn't get really poppin' until midnight with DJ Wow's set, which was groovy as hell. Very funky, very nu disco, which is what my soul needed last night. Dguru of Idiotape played 1-2am and I enjoyed his set more than I maybe expected to. It felt pretty diverse while still maintaining the disco vibe. With regard to Conan's set, I'll try to keep myself from gushing too much, but he is definitely my favorite domestic DJ. I've seen him pull out a bit of a breakbeat set, and I know he can do party music with elements of hip-hop. His ability to be so great with whatever genre he chooses is why I love him so much. Anyway, last night was no exception! In fact, out of the five times I've seen him, I think it was the best. Parts of his set got deep, which I really liked. I'm glad I was able to get up front because I absolutely love watching him work. I left after his set, because by that point I'd been dancing for almost 5 hours straight. I'm sure ffan was fantastic, as always, since nu disco/house is what he does on a weekly basis (check out his deepsco mixes on his soundcloud, love 'em). 

If you're in Seoul, definitely be on the look out for Disco Experience's next events. All the DJs are fabulous. I went alone and had a great night. 

On that note, if you haven't been to Cakeshop yet, go! Itaewon, Exit 4, walk straight. It's just an underground basement club, but it's a great one. 

I'm also working on a post about my favorite domestic DJs, which I'm stoked about. I have so many, it's hard to write about all of them, but I'm trying.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

New Stuff: Touch Sensitive, Nicki Minaj, and Okasian

This week has been whirlwind of emotions, final exams, too much Gossip Girl and alcohol. But somehow, I managed to find time for some new music. Here are 3 of my favorite songs from the last week.

I'll start off strong with Touch Sensitive's "Teen Idols", the title track off the incredible Aussie label Future Classic's compilation album which just dropped yesterday. Some other artists on the label include one of my favorites KOA, whose "All Of My Love" is a great House jam and can be found here, and they've also worked with the likes of xxxy, Seekae and Flume. "Teen Idols" is a pop dance-y track using an acapella voice loop from Glee as a backdrop. It's elegant and sharp, yet has enough ease and catchiness to work as a summer jam. Perfect addition to any playlist.

Next up is "Get On Your Knees" by Nicki Minaj, featuring Ariana Grande. This song absolutely has top 40 potential. Ariana Grande is one of the hottest names out there right now and the song has incredible replay quality. Maybe a little too provocative, but maybe just enough. It has the same sort of vibe as Katy Perry's "Dark Horse", or Iggy Azalea's "Black Widow", which makes sense given Katy Perry wrote all three of these. They did well, though, so here's hoping "Get On Your Knees" hits the radio soon as a proper single to help prop up Nicki's less than stellar album sales (which is a shame, the album is her best yet). 

Lastly, we have Okasian's newest single "Get That Money". After "See Me Gone", I wasn't sure what to expect, but Okasian seems determined to keep me a happy camper. Early this year, he put out a song featuring Hi-Lite Records CEO and founder Paloalto called "Damn Thing Funny" which has a similar sound to this one. It's a more mature Okasian than you see with "See Me Gone" or his "No Flex Zone" remix. The lyrics are honest and while I wouldn't say his flow here is the best, the monotone delivery works well with the song. One thing I love about Okasian is his ability to always deliver with the hooks, it's something he's really good at. 

That's all I've got for today. Christmas and New Year's parties are coming up, so I hope everyone has as much fun as I plan on having. 

Stay happy.

[brkntrntbl-blog]

Artists I've Loved in 2014

A lot of people talk about how bad of a year 2014 was but I beg to differ. This year, at least for me, was one of the best in awhile. Had to venture outside my comfort zone to get to the good stuff, but it was well worth it. Here are 5 of my favorite artists from the past year. The genres are a bit all over the place, but that's my taste for you. Order is random (I mean, I guess).

1. Okasian: a pocket sized (to me, anyway) MC with so much coolness in his aura, if harnessed to its full potential, he could probably kill. Obviously, I really like his style. Between his No Flex Zone Remix, recent track See Me Gone featuring The Quiett, as well as the new single "Get That Money", I'm excited for what his next album is going to sound like. I guess we'll find out in March!

2. Huckleberry P: alright, I promise I won't spend this entire list talking about Hi-Lite artists but Huckleberry P put out one of my favorite albums this year: gOld. This guy is fantastic lyrically and his style of music is unlike anything else I've heard. A unique mix of rock influences and old school hip-hop sounds, nearly every song on gOld is great. My favorite track is Page 64, an autobiographical song that feels much more like a heart to heart conversation rather than a rap, and I mean that in a good way. Even if you don't know Korean, Huck P is still worth a listen. His flow breaks down all language barriers.

3. DJ Conan: it's not really typical of me to put DJs on lists like this but I love Conan so much, I can't leave him out. While I like turning up or whatever, nothing makes me happier than disco-y, house-y music that brings me back to my childhood and adolescent dreams of Chicago in the 90s. Conan's pretty diverse too, and is just as good with disco as he is with everything else. He's got a pretty sick breakbeat mix on his Soundcloud and plays tech house and deep house as well. Basically everything I love...I'm gushing so I'm gonna stop here, but if you're in Seoul, definitely check to see if he's spinning somewhere and get your groove on. 

4. Porter Robinson: his second album Worlds signified a huge genre shift for Porter Robinson, and while some still resent him for that, I adore him for it. Worlds has a nostalgic place in my heart because it came out a few days before I boarded a plane for the first time to come to Seoul and live for an entire year. It's an album that got me through a lot of anxiety and stress and sadness and for that, I have to give it more props than it might deserve. However, there are serious gems worth mentioning: Sad Machine, Sea of Voices, and Goodbye To A World. It's definitely a bittersweet album, transferring you to another universe only to leave you feeling empty when it's over.

5. Above & Beyond: so, technically Group Therapy came out in 2011 (16 year old me was too focused on Bring Me The Horizon and trying to impress a guy) but I didn't listen to it in full until early this year. It's such a beautifully crafted album loaded with anthems (like, who doesn't know Sun & Moon?) plus Richard Bedford's voice just adds to the ear candy. Black Room Boy and Thing Called Love are my two favorite tracks. There isn't much else I can say about A&B other than they're fantastic live and definitely a group to put on your bucket list. Just gorgeous, gorgeous music, ugh.

Honorable mentions go to: Todd Terje, MACROSS 82-99, 3lau, Rae Sremmurd, and KOHH, for various reasons. Todd Terje's album is in my top 5 in case you were wondering ;)

Hope there's something in this post you like!

[brkntrntbl-blog]

Peer Pressured Into Starting a Blog

Hey there! So, I'm starting a music blog, I guess! I'm not exactly sure what that's going to entail but I wanted a place to specifically talk about the music I like, shows and parties I go to, the people I meet, that kind of thing. It's going to be much more on the personal side than anything but as someone who wants to write about music and culture for a career, practice makes perfect apparently.

To state the obvious, music means a lot to me. I listen to music basically 24/7. I set out time every week to just go on Soundcloud adventures to find new stuff. And honestly, it wasn't until pretty recently that I realized that not everyone loves music to that extent. A couple weeks ago, I asked a friend what kind of music they listen to and they responded, "whatever my friends listen to". That was bizarre to hear. They walk to the bus stop, to class, without music. They study without music. They shower without music. I straight up cannot do much of anything if there isn't any music and if it's impossible, I just play songs in my head.

Right now, I live in Seoul, South Korea, which is one of the most amazing cities you will ever visit. 02, what up?! I spend most of my weekends either at hip hop clubs in the Hongdae neighborhood or, most recently, Cakeshop which is in Itaewon. I still have a lot of exploring to do. Korea knows how to party, so clear your evenings (and the subsequent mornings) Thursday through Saturday when you come.

I listen to a lot of different genres, but most of them are in the dance music category, hence the blog title Br(o)k(e)n T(u)rnt(a)bl(e). I like hip hop and rap, too. I also listen to pop music (K-pop included; trust me when I say there’s good stuff out there), and am pretty passionate about its merits, so expect posts about that as well.

The music I always end up coming back to, though, the music that makes me feel the happiest, is disco, deep house, and trance. DnB is something I'm trying to get into more.

I think that's a pretty good intro.

Keep it wavy, y'all.