Keeping It Fresh

Today is a big day for a couple of reasons. First off, it's Halloween! One of the most fun holidays to celebrate, this is the time you get to be whatever or whomever you choose to be! Scary costumes are definitely fan favorites, but no matter what you dress up as, it's all about the spirit of Halloween. Now there are some really cool eerie and spooky kinds of songs out there that fit so perfectly with the holiday. And they range from being fun songs with the typical Halloween kind of sound, to that really crisp baroque pop kind of sound that is my favorite kind of Halloween sound. What is even better, is that there are so many bands that like to take on that Halloween kind of sound and make it their own. All those burlesque and vaudeville bands, this is their time of year. And so in honor of these bands, today's song is by the kings of this genre, Panic! At the Disco. Whenever I hear this band, I am immediately transported to this era of steam punk and eerie atmospheres. Bu...

Today is quite a big day for me and Indian people around the world. One of the world's most celebrated holidays also falls around this time. Diwali, or The Festival of Lights, is a holiday celebrated in India which has such a wonderfully intricate and beautiful meaning. Spiritually, this festival celebrates the victory of knowledge and wisdom over evil. That light of knowledge is enough to flush out the darkness. There are many different stories that accompany the festival, with roots in many different parts of India. But all of these stories point towards this brightness of self awareness and inner light, and how that triumphs over the spiritual darkness. But in more general terms, Diwali is a celebration of the Hindu new year, celebrated on the first new moon after harvest season. Diwali is a time of celebration and is one of the most lively and fun and energetic holidays of the year. Bright lights, colorful clothing, and rich food adorn households and bring the the community tog...

Today I have music for you that I haven't blogged about in a long time. It has been a ridiculously long time since I posted anything out of the world of Korean rap. This song has been one of my main jams for a while now because of how wicked it sounds. This song has the swag of gangster rap infused with the gritty sound that only Korean rappers can bring. Now most of these artists are not ones that I listen to on the regular. This song actually reminds me of one of those rap songs that features a bunch of popular rappers. But this song mainly features Live, Sik-K, PunchNello, Owen Ovadoz, and FlowSik. And let me tell you, these beats are sick. This is a really cool song because the repetitive beat is not only something that is ridiculously catchy, but it is simple and allows us to focus more on the rap itself. These verses are extremely clever and borderline funny. I love the way these Korean rappers reference so many pop culture phenomena that are mainly American in origin. Even t...

Today I have some music for you by the singer-songwriter known as Kevin Garret. This is the first song I heard by him, and I have to say, it left me in this beautiful state of melancholy and fragility. This is the kind of song that leaves you hoping that nothing shatters the silence that follows the end of the song because of how much of a soul hitting song it is. This is a gorgeously pained single, one that is full of heartbreak and loss. This is a song that poignantly walks through a relationship that is slowly disintegrating, scattering into the winds. This song is one that seems to reflect on that one moment in every relationship, the moment so vulnerable and fragile that one touch could splinter and shiver into millions of pieces. This song explores the thoughts and feelings that seem to rush through your body as this moment overwhelms you, telling us that we either know what we want or we don't. And Kevin Garret's mature and emotive voice passionately and vulnerably expre...

Today's music is by an artist I had the pleasure of seeing perform this evening! Troye Sivan is a singer out of Australia, and he is possibly one of the most adorable performers I have ever seen. Not only is his music that is soulful and fun, but his demeanor is just as chilled out and sweet. When he was on stage, you could see the ecstasy of music running through his body and he moved with the flow of the song. I loved watching him perform just as much as I did listening to his music. Troye Sivan is an authentic performer, one who easily shows his carefree nature and passion for music. But his music, well that was something beautiful.  Troye Sivan has an enchantingly unique sound, one that has started to pick up in popularity, but is also a lesser known genre. I don't really know how to classify his sound, but the closest I would get to is a mix of indie pop, indietronica, and R&B. The beautiful thing about Troye Sivan's voice is that it has this soft richness to it...

Today I have some music for you by Mohombi. This song is just so damn catchy. This is one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance. This song has an infectious energy to and it won't let you sit still. Mohombi has taken a great Latin and hip hop mix to make this song what it is. I think what makes this song even cooler for me is the fact that Mohombi is actually from Sweden, and this song could technically be classified as Swedish. That's right, I bet you didn't see that coming. But Mohombi is from Europe and more importantly, Sweden which adds this plot twist. Mohombi takes on those Latin and afrobeat and hip hop styled beats and is able to even nail down the accent when singing which makes this song sound absolutely phenomenal. Honestly, I think that in this song there is a very fine blend between Latin American and afrobeat sounds to the point where it can be a bit difficult to distinguish between the two. This song is such a great dancehall anthem which is...

Today I am bringing it back to the chill side of things, taking it slower with some nice and smooth electronic music. This song is by the aritst know as Medasin. Other than the fact that this is a cool name, the music produced by Medasin is very smooth and cool. The soothing sound this young producer creates is something that is very unique. Medasin has this incredible ability to form and morph an atmosphere. The carefully crafted ambience is what makes his music more emotional than other electonic songs. It almost seems like Medasin is able to effortlessly connect to the sense of pathos we all share, and that flawless production is what makes Medasin stand out from the other up and coming artists on platforms like Soundcloud. Now this specific release is more about getting the "feel good" vibes flowing. With a slightly tropical twist, this song takes us on a soulful and ethereal journey, meandering aong through the states of dreaming and awake. There is a comforting warmth t...