Keeping It Fresh

Today I have some music for you out of South Korea. I know in the past I have talked about a couple of different Korean artists, but I realize that I have not spent as much time talking about this artist in particular. CL is one of the baddest women in music right now, and I honestly wish I had as much swag as she carries in her pinky finger alone. Though she is just now making her way stateside, CL has been a huge success in Asia between her solo work and girl band known as 2NE1.  CL is possibly the biggest female star in Korea, if not the biggest star they have. She has done some incredible work in her tenure with the Korean music industry, and definitely destroys all stereotypes associated with K-Pop. To be quite honest, she is basically the Nicki Minaj of Korean music. She has this incredible intensity to her entire persona. The way she looks, dresses, the style of music she produces, and the fact that she is a rapper. There is a tremendous amount of swagger and fierceness su...

Today I have some music for you by an artist known as NYK. I hadn't really heard much about this artist until very recently, but I am a huge fan of his voice. His voice has won him some awards, including a Japanese singing show, so that is pretty darn awesome. NYK has a very smooth R&B style voice, one that I definitely dig. His voice doesn't necessarily stand out as a voice that is easily recognizable or anything, but it is one that suits the R&B style he is going for. I will say though, NYK has a deeper voice than other R&B artists, which makes him stand out in some sense. NYK can also really climb the scale, as evidence from the second verse shows. He very easily and gorgeously is able to climb up to the falsetto notes, something that I really look for in R&B artists. Part of the soulful and seductive element of R&B is being able to play between those lower pitched notes and the high falsettos, something that NYK is able to do very smoothly. So kudos to...

Today I have some new music for you by a band that I have loved for a long time. 30 Seconds to Mars is a band that I have spent a lot of time talking about in the past, and they are out with a new track and hopefully, another album to follow suit. But the band has spent a lot of time touring and performing, taking a bit of a break, the frontman acting in a few films, etc. But I have to say, it is exciting to have the band finally drop some new music, so let's get into it. In standard 30 Seconds to Mars fashion, this song makes me feel like I am capable of doing anything. That tends to be a common theme across all of their albums. From the opening to the very end, this song surges with power and passion, ferocity and intensity. There is this fierceness to the music which feels like it is coursing through your veins, powering your mind, body, and soul. And that is one of the things I absolutely love about the band. The music is passionate and empowering, as are the music videos whi...

Today I have some music for you which is done by an up and coming artist out of Atlanta named Vince Bui. This is a guy I happened to meet in Hong Kong and I was so impressed by this track that I felt the need to talk about it. The original track which this one plays off is one of Drake's most popular tracks. When people hear the name "Drake" it is very likely that this is the track that comes to mind. And so many people have covered it- rock bands, underground pop artists, other rappers, and now our underground producer Vince Bui. What makes this track so different? Everything. Literally, everything. Let's start off with the musicality of this rework. Vince Bui has taken the original track and turned it into a slower, alternative R&B kind of jam. The rework is softer, gentler, and more vulnerable sounding than the original. Instead of going for something which has a lot of background noise, Vince Bui created an atmosphere that is ambient and has flow, but keeps ...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who seems to do very well staying out of the huge spotlights and retain a great musical fan base. Galimatias is one of my favorite chill artists for a few reasons. One of the best things about his music is that it is meant for moments and feelings. It's meant for attitudes and specific moods, which is why each song is so wonderfully crafted and different. No song sounds the same even though they have similar production sounds. Galimatias has an overall theme which runs through all of his songs, a sound which acts like more of a trademark above all else. But each melody is different and the craftsmanship on each song is simply incredible. This song by Galimatias is a seductively good song. In all of his soundscapes, Galimatias is known for creating a unique blend of electronic, R&B, and hip hop. Whether the song is a slower one or more bumping one, there is always an enchantingly good blend of the three genres so that one never outd...

After a few days of travelling, I have finally reached my destination! Hong Kong is so incredible, and I've only seen a very small portion of the region. But that is why my postings have been a bit slow and, well, absent the past few days. But to kick things off, I have some music for you by an artist known as Lapsley. Lapsley is a newer player in the music field, this song being one of the singles off her debut album. I was completely entranced by the song the first time I heard it. Instrumentally, there are so many wonderful things happening, so many beautiful sounds and harmonies that all weave together to create this magical sound. This song is like an emotional autobiography, one that really gets us inside the heart and head of Lapsley. She purposefully draws us in, so that we may share in those same emotions whether it be joy and ecstasy or pain and sadness. This ballad is a fantastically chilled out and mixed track. There are so many instruments being used in this song, ...

Today I have some music for you by one of my favorite bands of recent age, Bastille. I realized that it has been an extremely long time since I have posted a song by them, and  I thought I would share some of their magic. This song, in particular, is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. Both the musical composition and the lyrics are absolutely amazing. I am going to start with the instrumentation because the lyrics will take me a very long time to talk about. So when we are first introduced to this song, we hear the heavy drums. It almost sounds like marching mixed with a tribal sound. Actually, this song has a mystical sound to it which does include some tribal sounds. But this drum beat is so beautiful because I think it captures the intensity of what this song means. After these drum beats, we are launched into the song. Of course, Bastille gives us a beautiful choral sound in the background. But then Dan Smith starts singing, and the song changes. For the most p...