Raging Contagion
Music so good it will make you sick!
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Little Dragon – Feather
July 24, 2012
— 1 Comment
This song is rated: 2 Pills – intermediate musicologist level
cheerlubber here.
Today we bring you the sounds of Swedish electronic band Little Dragon and their song Feather from their Machine Dreams EP. This was the first song we heard of Little Dragon and it’s still our favorite. Again, it features some simple 80s synths and a–what we like to call–‘chillwave’ sound, a sort of modern take on the new wave genre that arose in the 80s. Listen to Feather and I’m sure you’ll figure out why it’s called chillwave. Its slow progression and subtle sounds create a relaxing, dreamy feel. Not really sure what the lyrics mean (fyi, the singer is Japanese-Swedish), but they add to the surreal-ness; you don’t really understand what’s going on but something magical is happening. Take a trip through dreamland and listen to Feather below!
Little Dragon Official Website
Little Dragon Machine Dreams EP on Amazon
Dragonette – Big Sunglasses
July 17, 2012
This song is rated: 1 Pill – entry-level for music novices
Yes, it is I, cheerlubber!
Don’t worry, I’m still very much a part of this blog, whether you want me to be or not. I was away all last week camping with my family so Whuzzerface thought we should do an in-your-face-and-back-from-vacay song for today, so who better than Dragonette? Dragonette has been on our radar for a while, but their 2009 album Fixin to Thrill is what fully converted us to fans. It’s very rare for me to find an album in any medium where I enjoy listening to every single track, and there’s not one I would rather skip to get to a more exciting one. Fixin to Thrill is one of those albums. Even the songs that slow down the tempo a bit are fantastic. The whole album is just great, aka, after you listen to this selection, you should buy the rest of the album and enjoy it just as we did.
Although Martina is the one singing all the time, Dragonette is indeed a band of three members from Canada with an electro-influenced rock sound with a lot of throwbacks to the 80s (I told you we dig that era). Martina has since done a few collabos with French producer Martin Solvieg, which have all been excellent as well and there’s a high chance you’ve heard them once or twice already. I do believe the band is preparing to release a new full album sometime soon, however, and we are all totally stoked for it. Without any further ado, enjoy rocking out and feeling cool to Dragonette’s song Big Sunglasses.
MVSCLES – Sweet N’ Sour
July 10, 2012
This song is rated: 2 Pills – intermediate musicologist level
Hi there, Dr. Whuzzerface here,
I don’t know about you but just the thought of good sweet and sour pork Chinese food is making my mouth water already! I don’t know what the deal is with the spelling, but I think it’s a whimsical device. The song “Sweet N’ Sour” will probably do the same after you’ve tasted this a few times. This Boston duo only has this one dish to offer, but it’s a punchy little number.
Heavily electronic and yet light on instruments and vocals, it contains the sweetness of a pop song without the icky sugar coma that follows. In fact, is reminds me a little of Discovery (we’ll feature them in a few months!). I’m not quite sure the whole meaning of the song but it does make one good point that can be said for many experiences in life “If I hadn’t met sour than I’d never know sweet.” I hope you enjoy this little ditty.
Usher – Climax (Them Jeans Remix)
July 6, 2012
— 2 Comments
This song is rated: 1 Pill – entry-level for music novices
Hi there, Dr. Whuzzerface here, again!
As I said in the previous post, for your immense mastery in patience, you are rewarded with Double Whammy Remix Friday (in my mind, it’s said “Double Whammy Wemix Fwiday”). “Silk” was the chill song. This is the emotional one complete with the sound of tears falling.
Usher rose like a rocket with his smooth smile, slick moves, and y’know his voice, of course. He’s had R&B slams, won some grams (7!), and topped with numerous club jams. This fella is at the top of the pop food chain so really I don’t need to bore you as to how Them Jeans hit gold with choosing his voice for remixing. What I will tell you is that this rendition, which is a notch slower than the original tempo, is a heart break. This is the most vulnerable I have ever heard Usher sing in recorded song. It makes me want to weep for his pain of reaching that “breaking point” in a relationship (which I’m sure this is in directly from his first-had experience of a divorce). Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let me also add that mad props need to be given to Diplo for producing the original. It’s a brilliant piece.
The words “It’s too late” reverb throughout the beginning. It echoes through your head, reminding you of all those missed chances you had to say sorry, do something better, try a little harder to revive a romance. While the MJ-like “Beat It” drums might seem insensitive, the chords crank up as if they’re quivering in anguish. “I’ve fallen somehow, feet off the ground, love is the blood that keeps raining down. Where are you now when I need you around? I’m on my knees but it seems we’re going nowhere fast ” The lyrics to this are actually quite profound in how sometimes you need to concede your error to repair something worth fighting for, but when no one wants to admit fault, the chasm to reconciliation seems like an ocean (you’ll hear dripping noises in this remix too). Yeah, I don’t wanna be a Debbie Downer to the weekend so would it make you feel better if I told you that yes, this song is also FREE??!! Click the “Download” button on the player below to get yours.
“Where are you now when I need you the most?”
Giselle – Silk (Cosmic Kids Remix)
July 6, 2012
This song is rated: 2 Pills – intermediate musicologist level
Hi there, Dr. Whuzzerface here,
Thanks again for your love and support last week. Also, thanks for your extreme patience in waiting an entire week and a half between songs! Because you, young students (said in a karate master type voice), have mastered such patience, you shall be rewarded with not one, but two songs. And not just any two songs, but two remixes that will be more than sufficient to satisfy your boundless thirst for musical knowledge. I will post each song separately as they deserve individual mention and not to be overshadowed by each other (listen to “Climax” here).
First up we have a chillwave offering for you folks who love 80’s synth-heavy songs dialed back to a more relaxed pace. Giselle is only getting started in the music scene Down Under, but because she offers clear and sweet soprano vocals, her songs are quickly becoming favorites to remix, as is the case with here. Quite honestly on a musican scale, I’m not impressed with what she has to offer other than the timbre of her voice, however, she is only 20 so hopefully she can learn a lot in the next few years. That being said, Cosmic Kids have fabricated a mix of metaphorically musical uppers and downers which weave “Silk” into a trance-like tune.
To start it off, you’re introduced to bongo drums and island-esque guitar hits every 8 beats. A “rev” that’s borrowed directly from Mariah Careys 90’s hit “I’ve Been Thinking About You” slams you next accompanied by gentle claps that lure you in. After the first verse which ends with “You held me tighter when I pushed you away. You turned my sorrow into silk, you turned my sorrow…” the keyboard starts to crescendo and fry, turning into wave after wave of mandatory head bobbing delight. Get carried away in the current that is “Silk”. Best part about this song? It’s free (Cosmic Kids went over their allowed ‘shares’ on soundcloud so they posted it here)!!!
Loving the turtlenecks, fellas!
Phantom Planet – Something Is Wrong
June 26, 2012
— 3 Comments
This song is rated: 1 broken heart – anyone with any feeling at all can relate
Hello there, Dr. Whuzzerface here.
Usually our posts are bright, clever, and fun to be around. Today, however, I write this with a very tender heart and misty eyes. Losing things are never easy, especially people in our lives. At about 8PM last night I received news that a friend of mine passed away. I won’t delve into the details. I know how much this friend loved music. One of his guilty pleasure songs was “Walking In Memphis” by Mark Cohen. But the only band that I could think of that would sufficiently suit my feelings right now was Phantom Planet. Oh, the years of understanding we’ve had with each other. Simple songs sometimes say it the best.
There’s really nothing more to this song than guitar, the singer, and a little haunting glass harmonica in the background. The part in this song that gets me crying is when he gets to the halfway mark and says “Now I fear that I may taste these tears rolling down my face.” Tears are salty, bitter, and never a joy to taste, much like the crying that precedes them. Gosh, I cannot even put into words my feelings write now. I apologize if this was much more lugubrious than you anticipated. I will make it up to you next week. If you can’t handle it, here’s their slightly more optimistic “One Ray Of Sunlight”
Arvo Pärt – Fratres for Cello and Piano
June 24, 2012
This song is rated: 2 Pills – intermediate musicologist level
cheerlubber again!
Posting three days in a row! Sick of me yet? I want to get back on track with our Sunday Classical posts again, even though I’m probably the only one who cares about it. Today I feature Arvo Pärt with his piece titled Fratres for Cello and Piano. This will be the first classical song I mark as a two pill! :0 Yes, even some instrumental music can be for certain ears only. I did this because Fratres is a more modern composition; from about the turn of the century on, composers became more and more experimental and these works also became more accepted, because of course each new generation tries to do something different from the last. Arvo Pärt is actually an Estonian composer. Now I know Estonia Week is officially over, but I found this when I was looking for a classical post last week and liked it so much that I knew I wanted to share it. I listened to some of Arvo Pärt’s other works and I’ll be honest, they didn’t tickle my fancy all too much. He is known for being a minimalist composer, and while some of his works had their little magical moments, most of them didn’t really hold my attention all too well. Fratres is a lot of variation on the same few notes, but I think it’s very melancholy and beautiful. I like the exchanges between the piano and the cello, and when the cello plays the high notes (known as “harmonics”), I think it creates a very ethereal, otherworldly feel. In fact–bet you didn’t know–the cello has the largest range out of all string instruments. It can hit low notes and sound like a bass or it can hit high notes and sound like a violin. Whuzzerface says: “The cello is like the all-star of string instruments, and I’m not just saying that because I used to be a cellist.” Oh reeeally…
You know what this song reminds me of? The music in The Village (composed by James Newton Howard). It’s got the frantic feel at the beginning, then soothes out, glides along, and hits those high harmonics. This is also the longest song I’ve posted thus far, but don’t let the 10 minutes in length scare you. Press play and let it go in the background as you do your thing. I think you’ll find it’ll give a great atmosphere to whatever you’re doing. Enjoy below!
OYT – Shut Up Fool feat. Jukka Eskola
June 22, 2012
This song is rated: 1 Pill – entry-level for music novices
Doctah cheerlubbah in da house.
Look at us go–we’re managing to post everyday! Today I bring a little funk to ESTONIA WEEK with this electro-jazz-r&b jam by OYT, Shut Up Fool feat. Jukka Eskola. OYT is a project group comprised of three producers, MC Busta, Sander Mölder, and DJ S.I.N. The three all have pretty different styles but come together and make something great. They label this collaboration as “electronic soul.” I really dig the reverberating wha-wha-wha, the minimal bass that gives the song just enough structure without being overbearing, the smooth vocals by Sander Mölder, and then the suave trumpet you hear singing out, courtesy Finnish solo trumpeter Jukka Eskola. It’s a very chill and groovy song, wouldn’t you agree? Well you will when you take a listen below!
Ewert & The Two Dragons – (In The End) There’s Only Love
June 21, 2012
— 1 Comment
This song is rated: 1 Pill – entry-level for music novices
Hi there, Dr. Whuzzerface here!
ESTONIA WEEK is starting to come to a close so what do we do now? We’re pulling out some of our ringers! Todays selection is Ewert & The Two Dragons (pronounced “Ev-ert anne-d th-uh t-oo drag-ons”. Tee-hee!) These four fellas are making a name for themselves in the Baltic region with their indie-folk sound. I would liken their music to be a mix of Fleet Foxes, Sondre Lerche, & The Shins. Their debut album “Good Man Down” is rather impressive for an initial public offering (take note Facebook) and shows a maturity and range that usually don’t become evident in a bands sound until a 3rd or 4th album.
Let’s get back to this particular song though. I love many of the simple elements of this piece, it’s not a complicated song, but probably my favorite it the toy glockenspiel which adds a whimsical, lightheartedness to the almost fast-paced song. The hand drum is a lot of fun in the mix as well. Another point of appreciation is that they incorporate a cascading splinter 3-part harmony that makes this song a fast favorite to sing along to with friends in the car. Have fun with this song, and with your life, because as this reminds us again “(In The End) There’s Only Love”!
Amazon MP3s – Ewert & The Two Dragons
Wikipedia – Ewert & The Two Dragons
ESTONIA WEEK!! Rudolf Tobias – Otsekui hirv kisendab
June 17, 2012
This song is rated: 1 Pill – entry-level for music novices
Howdy ho, cheerlubber here~
Like when we had Kimbra Week a few weeks back (or…half-week rather, but the intended concept is the same), we’ll be doing themed weeks now and then. The very special theme for this week is music from ESTONIA. “Estonia?” you say with a raise of your brow. “I have not heard of such a place.” There’s no need to fret–thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the internet, there is a magical place of all knowledge called Wikipedia. Now that you’ve clicked on that handy-dandy link I so graciously gave you and have glanced a bit at what Estonia is all about (and in case you didn’t read too far in, here’s an interesting fact I know you didn’t know just two seconds ago: Skype was created in and is largely still operated out of Estonia. The same developers were also behind Kazaa, if you’re enough of a veteran to know what that was), you may be wondering, “Whyyy Estonia?” with another raised brow.
One of mine and Whuzzerface’s sisters lived in Estonia for about a year and a half. She left for Estonia two years and two days ago exactly, so we thought we’d commemorate–if you will–the occasion with a week dedicated to music from Estonia. Don’t worry, it’s gonna be good. Estonia may be a teeny country but its artists’ have talent that is anything but. Let’s see if we can do this themed week properly this time! To start off, I’ll be highlighting the Estonian composer Rudolf Tobias. I only just learned about Tobias this week. I have not had the fortune of ever listening to any Estonian composers before because there simply aren’t that many of them. I have found many new interesting composers to look further into while preparing for this post, but unfortunately I will only have to share one with you for now. Estonia has a strong tradition of choral music (read a bit about their Singing Revolution against the Soviet Union) so I thought I’d share a choral piece. Usually I’m more of a fan of purely instrumental classical music, but this piece–translated (according to our sister) as Like the Deer Cries Out–is haunting and beautiful, a gorgeous requiem. Estonia has also had a history of being repressed, so I also kinda imagine that this song is them crying out like a deer, mourning what they’ve lost and yet still maintaining some hope for the future. Rudolf Tobias emerged as a composer during a time known as the Estonian national awakening, so this makes sense. Enjoy the moving piece below and keep a look out for other Estonian songs this week!
Raging Contagion 