Keeping It Fresh

Today I have music for you by an artist who kind of faded out of the spotlight after a big hit. Edward Maya is an incredibly talented artist and producer, and I really love the style he is associated with. Every one of his songs has some sort of exotic feel to it. This song in particular is actually a new take on a Romanian folk song, but the way he has done this mix, you can recognize the original tune and still feel that modern twist. Even though this is a Romanian folk song, there are elements to this song that sound very Middle Eastern and gypsy-like. This is actually one of my favorite things about Edward Maya's music. There is a definite Eastern feel and sound to his song which is completely different from the electronic songs we hear today. I haven't heard any other artist come out with a song that combines the mysterious and traditional sounds of the East with the modern interpretation of the West with the same level of success that Edward Maya does. The instrumental c...

Today I have some music for you by a punk band that is slowly starting to gain traction, but I have a feeling that they may hit the ground running! Death From Above 1979 is a really cool band because it has a history that is unlike most bands today. They broke up for a period of time after being together for five years. Normally when bands break up though, they don't get back together. However, Death From Above 1979 id reform and has released a new album. Today's song is from that new album and it is a pretty sick song! Fun fact, this song was based on a train wreck that did happen before the age of cellphones and other devices like it. What made this the choice wreck was that no one died. Anyway, when it comes to the song, there are a couple of cool things that mesh together which usually wouldn't. For one, this song has a crazy metal undertone with very heavy guitar work going on. We get a lot from both the electric and bass guitars. The bass guitar is harder to hear un...

Today I have music for you that comes from one of the greatest Hindi movies I have ever seen. Taare Zameen Par translates to Like Stars on Earth. This movie is one of the most beautiful, moving, and inspiring films I have ever seen. The story surrounds the journey of a child who is dyslexic. But what makes this movie so great is the social commentary it provides on the way society perceives children. A lot of times we focus on what is in the whirlwind around us that we forget to pay attention to those who will make up the future. This is a movie about loving and respecting children despite everything. This movie also especially focuses on children with special needs. In India, it is common to see how ill-treated those with special needs are. But this movie decides to tackle that issue and weave in commentary about education as well. In result, we get a film that is so heart warming and moving. This is a film that you can watch after years and still cry and feel the emotional pull o...

Today I have music for you by the duo known as He Is We and features the lovely vocals of Owl City. This song is a cute love song, one of those songs that make you smile because it is that adorable. This song has notable influences brought in by Owl City. That chime sound and the way some of the harmonies are done are very similar to the style that Owl City provides. It is quite lovely, though. Because there are three vocalists, the chorus showcases really nice two-part harmonies to go along with the chorus. The vocals that Adam Young provides fit like puzzle pieces with the female vocalization. The female vocals are bluesy and have a hint of country to it. However, Adam Young brings this special softness that only his voice has. It is a sound that can be passionate and energetic but still maintains this soft tenderness and slightly higher pitch. Usually, Owl City falls under some sort of electronic genre, but this song is completely acoustic...

Today I have some music for you by a band that I haven't heard much of lately. The Cab was one of my favorite bands in high school, but somehow I started to drift away from them. But I recently started listening to them again, and got to hear this gem of a song as if it were the first time again. It has been quite a while since I posted any music by an alternative band like this, and I thought this would be an awesome time for me to not only post music from a rock band, but also post a song that is more of a plot twist in terms of the sound of the song. This song is one that brings punk pop rock to the acoustic guitar and I love that. Alexander DeLeon has one of the best voices I have ever heard. And I am not saying this in any biased way. I mean this guy knows how to use his voice, and can mold it and shape it to sound like whatever will fit the song. In some songs, he has more of a punk voice with the slight jilts and vocal cracks that comes with that. Other times his voice soars...

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted, and they have definitely become more sporadic this past week. But with exam season over, I am back in full swing with some great music headed your way. So to start this off, today I have some music for you by Ella Eyre. This is a girl who is not well known but should be because she has so much talent. Ella Eyre not only creates her own incredible songs, but is one of the best collaborators I have heard. She has worked with groups ranging in style from Bastille to Rudimental. Honestly, I think that is extremely impressive. Something about the way Ella Eyre works and the way she sings is so fierce. Not the stereotypical Beyonce fierce, but something that is strong and bold. She is a vocal powerhouse and can belt out the highest of notes, and yet can still become soft and vulnerable.  Ella Eyre pursues a sound that is really different from a lot of what we hear nowadays. This song is pretty percussion heavy, but ...

Today I have some music for you that is an absolute earworm. This song is by an electronic producer by the name No Way Back, a producer I hadn't heard of till very recent. First time I heard this song, I could not stop jamming out. Now the best thing about this song is how completely raw it is and how this is straight up house. As in pure house music, sounds that we forget exist since music gets muddled up. Don't get me wrong, I love it when EDM genres collide and create wicked song. But every once in a while it is nice to go back to the basics and get that sweet sound of true house. This song is actually a twist taken on a Mariah Carey song, which I had no idea about. But I won't lie, I think this rework sounds pretty darn awesome and is definitely not shy of being groovy. The song begins with a steady percussion loop, which then gives way to more structured and subtle piano beats. This all builds up into the strong powerhouse vocals of Mariah Carey while ...