lately i've been listening to...

"...the term "music" is derived from "mid-13c., musike, from Old French musique (12c.)..."

[themusike]

I'm late to the Snoh Aalegra party and wishing I came earlier. It's a bit of a mindfuck to listen to an artist with strong Swedish influences, R&B crooning, and Persian roots. But maybe that's what makes Snoh's angelic vocals and smooth contemporary R&B tracks work.

And even though I know it ain't right Said I wasn't gon' spend the night Here I am right back with you

Although I lost you I, I'll always want you (I'll always want you) 'Cause you take me high (high) See I'll always want you But I know I've lost you

[themusike]

Steam

Steam, a song by Shagabond, Noah on Spotify

I’m always interested in lo-fi productions and luckily I stumbled on Shagabond’s produced track, “Steam”. Noah employs some elements of 90s R&B vocal techniques to dance over the song’s two verses leading into Shagabond’s simple production. The song is aptly titled “Steam”, as listening to this track might lull you back into a memory of a love interest who had/has your heart beating out of your chest in symphony with a flash of their smile, the way they smell, or the way they kiss you.

I love you more than life Itself, itself, no - I love you more than life Itself, itself, no - 

[themusike]

dvsn: Tiny Desk Concert

The Toronto-based R&B duo bathed the Tiny Desk in vibrant blue, purple and orange light to make it feel more like a concert hall.

Happy Thanksgiving to me. Still want to see them in concert.

[themusike]

God is a woman

God is a woman, a song by Ariana Grande on Spotify

It’s been a minuteeeeeee.

I know. So much has happened in my life since the last post on this blog. For better or for worse, recent events have caused me to slow down. Tonight I caught up on online readings and listened to Ariana Grande’s “God is a woman”

The concept is simple. Ariana achieves choir effects by layering her voice on top of her voice, on top of her voice, on top of her...you get the point. Ariana and Max Martin are quite the team. Producing hits like “Into You”, Max excels at pop-thumping jams. 

This song in particular highlights Ariana’s unabashed discussion of female sexuality and ownership of it. There’s nothing particularly profound about the lyrics or the musical composition. It’s just a catchy song. And sometimes, that’s all you need to feel a little better on an off-day.

You, you love it how I move you You love it how I touch you My one, when all is said and done You'll believe God is a woman And I, I feel it after midnight A feelin' that you can't fight My one, it lingers when we're done You'll believe God is a woman, yeah, yeah

Maybe God IS a woman ;)

[themusike]

Feel It All Around

Feel It All Around, a song by Washed Out on Spotify

Portlandia lovers will recognize the trippy intro from this track as the show’s theme music. I’m yearning to head to the West Coast. A change of scenery, some fresh air, and new perspective. The West Coast and more specifically the Pacific Northwest has a different feel to it than the hustle and bustle of my beloved NYC. A different, Feel All Around if you will ;)

Washed Out has a nice set of mellow songs for interested listeners. This song repeats the same set of lyrics throughout the entire song:

You feel it all around yourself You know it's yours and no one else You feel the thought of love again It's all alright In spite of all the things you did We'll work it out

You feel it all around yourself You know it's yours and no one else You feel the thought of love again It's all alright In spite of all the things you did We'll work it out

Admittedly, this is the first time I looked up the lyrics. I never considered the repetition besides the “You feel it all around” lyric. Perhaps Washed Out fancied this song structure on purpose with the synth and chillwave sounds to create a popular, relaxed track. The structure is a bit weird, but fitting for the Pac NW, which is exactly the memory this song evokes whenever I hear it. 

Feel it all around.

[themusike]

La rebelion

La rebelion, a song by Joe Arroyo on Spotify

[themusike]

Feelings

Feelings, a song by Hayley Kiyoko on Spotify

I was late to the Hayley party. this song is...too.damn.accurate. dammit. 

I over-communicate and feel too much I just complicate it when I say too much I laugh about it, dream about that casual touch

Spent the night, you got me high Oh, what did you do? I'm hooked on all these feelings

[themusike]

Mi Corazoncito

Mi Corazoncito, a song by Aventura on Spotify

that twangy bachata is what you need sometimes. dale, pa.

“No le digas a nadie Lo mucho que te quiero....

Yo soy el poeta de mil penas,  y tu eres mi condena

[themusike]

When Your Lover Has Gone

When Your Lover Has Gone, a song by Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson on Spotify

the sax in this song....damn.

[themusike]

Will He

Will He, a song by Joji on Spotify

“Will your tongue still remember the taste of my lips? (My lips, my lips, my lips) Will your shadow remember the swing of my hips? (My hips, my hips, my hips) Will your lover caress you the way, that I did? (I did, I did, I did) Will you notice my charm, if he slips up one bit? (One bit)”

[themusike]

Looking Too Closely

Looking Too Closely, a song by Fink on Spotify

Cue Tinto drinking and browsing the interwebs Friday night. (I need to download Cities: Skyline before the discount falls through!) I finally listened to the entire “Late Night Jazz” playlist and started “Evening Chill”. This song was the first one to play and as soon as it came on, I knew I’d had to blog about it.

I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this song before, but can’t figure out when/where. I found myself smirking (in a smug way) while listening along and decoding the song lyrics. It’s a passive aggressive hit at someone who’s obviously not invested/doesn’t care about a situation. Someone who can’t for whatever reason face the music, so to speak (pun intended). 

“Put your arms around somebody else Don’t punish yourself, punish yourself Truth is like blood underneath your fingernails And you don’t wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself Looking too closely”

[themusike]

Novacane

Novacane, a song by Frank Ocean on Spotify

I’m actually listening to “Late night Jazz” on Spotify at the moment, but this song by Frank Ocean has been swimming in my head and my car’s speakers for a few days now.

After discovering Cole Cuchna’s “Dissect” podcast (which centers around Frank Ocean for season 3!!), I’ve been pouring over Frank’s discography. “Novacane” has always been a fav of mine, but in light of recent personal life events, it feels more relevant than ever. Cuchna opened my eyes to the word play on “nova”.

Definitions to consider:

“a star that suddenly increases its light output and then fades away to its former obscurity” (hmmm...)

“a potent, psychedelic drug with effects often described as a combination of Ecstasy and LSD...The trip consists of strong open and closed eye visuals, including trails, colors, and distortion. Everything becomes interesting, and you may begin to question reality.” (you don’t say)

“a beautiful girl who is extremely unique... Everything about her is enchanting and the more you see her the more you want to get to know her.” (thx urban dictionary).

Anywho, this song is brilliant and I’m always in awe of Frank’s masterful storytelling....

“You put me on a feeling I never had, never had, never had And ever since I've been tryna get it back, and pick it up and put it back Now I'm something like the chemist on campus But there's no drug around quite like what I found in you, you”

[themusike]

Grandloves (feat. Young Magic)

Grandloves (feat. Young Magic), a song by Purity Ring on Spotify

“Waking up is easy but you're breaking my whole thesis I'm gon' feel it but you're flowing with the shaman, and another thing I'm in love with truth and sick and tired of this youth And thinking that you're falling but you're stalling when you're holding me”

[themusike]

Wild Horses - Unplugged

Wild Horses - Unplugged, a song by Alicia Keys, Adam Levine on Spotify

I’m not sure when MTV produced their last “Unplugged” show, but when Alicia Keys’ Unplugged tv special and album came out in 2005, I was thrilled.

Before “The Voice”, Adam Levine and Alicia came together to cover “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones. It’s a beautiful duet.

[themusike]

The Night We Met

The Night We Met, a song by Lord Huron on Spotify

“When the night was full of terrors And your eyes were filled with tears When you had not touched me yet Oh, take me back to the night we met”

[themusike]

hard rain

hard rain, a song by Lykke Li on Spotify

My first encounter with Lykke Li was her collaboration with Drake on his “so far gone” mixtape back in 2010.

I was browsing through my Spotify New Releases playlist this morning and stumbled on Lykke’s latest single “hard rain”. Then I discovered her heart-wrenching 2014 “I Never Learn” album: 

Her music is reminsicent of James Blake, Bon Iver, and Frank Ocean. Deeply emotional and pensive. Distorted sounds and profound lyrics. 

“So I'm trying to get us back together Though we never been apart Tryna find a shelter from the weather Before a rain came down on us You say it like it's easy but it's not easy, baby Do you see me? Do you want me? Do you need me to be near you?”

[voicesandsounds]

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#138) Sin Bandera - Mientes tan Bien

[themusike]

“Mientes tan bien Que me sabe a verdad Todo lo que me das Y ya te estoy amando Mientes tan bien Que he llegado a imaginar Que mi amor llenas tu piel Y aunque todo es de papel Mientes tan bien”