Keeping It Fresh

Today I have music for you by the DJ known as Sketchy Bongo and the singer known as Shekhinah. I hadn't really heard of any of these artists till super recently, but I instantly fell in love. I mean to the point where I have listened this song over and over again and still love it. This song gets me up and wanting to dance and enjoy and have fun. Shekhinah has a really nice voice, one that is very strong and clearly powerful, but she has so much control over it. This control is evident with the way she uses her voice, going into the falsetto with ease and returning back to that clear and soulful voice. This song is one that I really appreciate and find so incredible for a couple of reasons. First of all, the general melody of the song is something that is super unique and diverse. It features the use of an Indian instrument called a tabla. This is the sound that you hear as a percussion, keeping the beat. It is the only drum-ish sound that you hear in this song. I seriously love th...

Today was the day we celebrated the Grammys! For those of you who don't know, the Grammys is an award show in which the best and brightest of music in the past year, are honored on you behalf. This first Grammy winning artist is  a very interesting one because he likes to speak about politics. Kendrick Lamar is someone who is genuinely in it for the music. However, he also loves to point out social injustices and wrongdoings. By doing this kind of work and having that time to breathe, it is not easy having to wake up and get to work even though the last night was crazy. Now Kendrick Lamar is one of those rare artists who writes very controversial lyrics on controversial topics. Because we as a society have not done much in terms of making change and speaking out, Kendrick Lamar started with him being able to create this sense of well being. Each one of Kendrick Lamar's sounds has a sound of 100 men taking charge of the situation it is believe in. Every word chosen, every rhyme ...

Today I wanted to post some music that comes from one of the biggest festivals in Latin America- Dia de los Muertos. This is a version of what we call Halloween which I find to be really awesome. On this day, the dead are celebrated for the life they lived and the families all partake in feasting together and visiting the resting place of loved ones. I find this tradition to be really great because it shows this kind of appreciation that these people have for those who have passed along. It allows you to remember and rejoice in the life that loved ones lived, rather than focusing on their absence. It is a time for families to come together and really be one. So in honor of that, I have some music that is devoted to Dia de los Muertos. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment! 

Today's song is by English grime rapper Wiley. This is the first song I heard by him, and I absolutely loved it! The rapping has a fantastic beat with a very Caribbean/Latin American sound to it. I have to say, he reminds me of Sean Paul! This is the kind of song that is meant to be energetic and fun rather than deep and meaningful. I won't lie, the lyrics are a little sparse in terms of actually being deep and thought provoking. However, this is the kind of song you would want to hear when you are at a pool party or hanging out on the beach or doing something totally fun and wild. It has that infectious osund and rhythm that makes you want to move and dance along to it. While I can't say anything else in terms of what this song makes you feel, I can tell you that this would be a great song to add to your summer playlist. Everything that goes with the vibe of a beach summer, is heard and felt in this song. I think that is pretty sick! Today's instrumental song is by Moh...

Today I have music for you from Puerto Rico by a group know as Da'Zoo. These artists, they know how to turn up the party vibes. This song has everything from a sick beat to hot back and forth between the guy and girl. The lyrics to the song are a little dirty, no doubt about it. But what's wrong with a little bit to spice things up a bit? And seeing as most people don't even understand what the lyrics mean, it's all good! But this song has a really wicked dance beat to it that is so different than your typical Latin style music. For one, this song relies heavily on the use of electronics and synth to make the awesome sounds. This group makes great use of the electric bass and there is this organic fluidity to the way the song sounds. There is definitely repetition but it doesn't feel like it because there is something slightly different in every verse. The lyrics stay the same but the way they are presented is different. For example, the last verse is the only one t...

Today I wanted to post some music that comes from one of the biggest festivals in Latin America- Dia de los Muertos. This is a version of what we call Halloween which I find to be really awesome. On this day, the dead are celebrated for the life they lived and the families all partake in feasting together and visiting the resting place of loved ones. I find this tradition to be really great because it shows this kind of appreciation that these people have for those who have passed along. So in honor of that, I have some music that is devoted to Dia de los Muertos. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment! 

As many of you know, this year is the year of the FIFA World Cup. Now, I absolutely love football (soccer). This is a sport that people from literally every country watch and it is a sport that brings the world together. Part of me feels like FIFA is more unifying than the Olympics! This year we have seen some epic games and every game has been super exciting. The official song for the World Cup is also super exciting and I really like the fact that Pitbull decided to tone it down a little bit. This song sounds more appropriate for FIFA and I honestly think this is one of the best songs he has ever put out. This song really captures the feel of South America and the festive spirit of Brazil. The lyrics to this song are also very encompassing of the entire world and how football is something that can bring us together, even if its just for a moment. This song has a great beat and a phenomenally catchy chorus that really represents the energetic, fun, and vivacious nature of Brazil. Whil...

Today I have an absolutely amazing song for you guys by an artist called Saint Raymond. This song is one of the best ones I have heard this whole  year, and there are so many beautiful and incredible things happening in this song. From the beginning we get a taste of their beautiful guitar and synth work. This combination kind of makes the song for me. There are darker undertones to this song, yet there is something so inspirational and uplifting about the song. The chorus energy and melody is one of those that immerses your entire being into the music and feeling that the music is trying to evoke from you. I feel a great richness and freedom in my soul, wings that are spreading and allowing me to fly and see the world and do the things I want. Which goes so well with the name of the song because it talks about moving on and keeping ahead. Figuring yourself after losing a love or having a trying life experience. The vocals in this song are absolutely beautiful and just so amazing. ...

It has been an extremely long time since I have posted any cultural music. So today, I have some always energetic Latin music by the popular Marc Anthony. This song has a more traditional feel to it, but Marc Anthony makes it work in such a way that it sounds absolutely incredible! Today's instrumental song is from the movie El Greco, who if you do not know, is a famous artist. This song has a very calming epic sound which is beautiful! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

It has been way to long since I have posted a non-English song, so today I have music from one of my favorite Latina artists. Shakira is mostly known for her insanely incredible dancing skills but this song combines some of her awesome aspects. It has the energetic feel that we all need to dance and attempt to look like Shakira! This song has an English counterpart which is just as good, so go check it out! Today's instrumental song is a version of a song by Yandel. This has a great mix of modern electro and traditional Latin beats. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have some cultural music for you, from Columbia! This song is by a man known as Juanes, who is an incredible singers and performer. This song has such a great beat and melody to it, plus there is this switch between calmer and darker sounds which is amazing! overall, this song has great energy and is amazing to dance to! Today's instrumental song comes from the movie Zorro, which yes is old, but still has an awesome soundtrack! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

It has been a while since I posted any non-English songs, so today, I have a song from Puerto Rico! This song is by the awesome singer Don Omar. This song is pretty cool because it is sung in both Spanish and Portuguese. This song is so infectious and gets you up and dancing! With a nice beat and great tempo, if you ever need a party song, this is it! Today's song is an instrumental version of a song by Daddy Yankee. It has the usual latin beat and is also a good dancing beat! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have some music from the beautiful country Puerto Rico. Daddy Yankee is a prominent artist in the Latin American scene, and for good reason! His beats are great to dance to and have a fantastic blend of reggaeton and Latin American beats. It is an awesome blend of mambo and saco as well! Today's instrumental song is an example of mambo beats, which is actually quite catchy. Mambo beats can make you want to start dancing! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!