Keeping It Fresh

Today I thought we could go back in time, relive some of the glorious 80s and get some old school music back on the map. And to start off, I thought it would be cool to take a look at different artists across various genres in the 80s. Think of it like a series dedicated to the age when big hair, punk rock, disco, and new wave all had a spot in the spotlight. The 80s were a time where bands were starting to embrace instruments like synthesizers and keyboards, where rock music was starting to evolve and change to include these “unconventional” instruments. New wave band, Modern English, was no exception.  It’s interesting to note that Modern English is actually an English band – as were many popular bands during the 80s. I think a little background might add some context on why that is a cool tidbit. Let’s start with the genre – new wave. This is a genre which encompasses some pop music styles and punk rock to create a deliciously catchy dossier of sound. New wave was a shift a...

Continuing with more ACL artists, today I am focusing on one of the electronic acts to hit the stage. What is interesting is that initially, this artist was not supposed to be listed. Due to some complications though, they were slotted and many of us got to experience Justice for the first time. And let me tell you, the show was absolutely mesmerizing.  A little background about the group, Justice is a French electronic duo who has been a strong and powerful underbelly of music. The duo has been nominated for multiple Grammy's and has even won for some of their remixes. Justice has a really great repertoire of sound and production. At times during their performance, I would get some serious Daft Punk vibes. There is something very meticulous about their work and in the intricacies of their music. There are definitely disco and funk electronic vibes, thrown in with a little bit of house as well. But what makes Justice stand out, even more, is that there are lots of influenc...

Today I have some music from the ever exciting and moving city, Los Angeles. This duo likes to go by the name MIKNNA, and they are shaking up the underground music scene one track at a time. Fusing retro sounds with hip-hop and some electronic work, MIKKNA gives us music to bounce to. MIKNNA is made up of two very important components - a producer and a vocalist. One member brings the instrumental and musical skills to the table. In fact, the producer, Ken Nana is a talented musician and plays multiple instruments. The vocalist, Mike B, also serves as the rapper of the duo and brings words to the song. The two of them together are able to breathe life into tracks like this, giving the song body and filling it with sensation. MIKKNA's sound could be described as "electro-soul," a gorgeous blend of an older style with a newer one. This song is definitely on the slower side, but that doesn't mean the song lacks funk or groove. This song can hold its own when it come...

I wanted to go ahead and use the beginning of this post to get a little personal. I haven't been posting as much or as frequently as I used to. For years, I had written posts daily, without fail. Even if it meant staying up late to put music out there, I would do it. And within the past few months, my frequency of writing and posting has decreased dramatically. With so many things going on, I found it hard to continue to post every day, and it got to a point where I just didn't care to. But things have changed, and I am back to writing as much as possible. And even though I won't be posting content every day, I will try to do so a few times a week. And that being said, let's get to today's music. I recently heard this song and was captivated by it quickly. Everything about this song has a vibe that you cannot help but enjoy. This song is a joint effort of the band known as The Strike and rapper, SiDizen King. This doesn't seem like the likeliest of duos, but ...

Today I have some music for you which has a unique origin. There are so many styles of music, coming from all over the world and across time periods. One such style of music that we rarely get to hear from is called Pinoy rock. Essentially, this is a brand of rock that was born in the Philipines. Interestingly enough, Pinoy rock is an umbrella term to refer to any kind of Filipino rock, whether it is alternative, ska, heavy metal, punk, or more recently, indie. This is where our band of the day, IV of Spades, comes in. A rather new band who made their first appearance in 2014, IV of Spades represents a new ear in Pinoy rock. The indie band brings something refreshing and beautiful to not only the Filipino stage but the global one as well. The band is incredibly unique and has an individuality which shines through their music and performances. IV of Spades is heavily influenced by the 70s both musically and as a band. Their looks always tend towards some groovy 70s vibed outfits,...

Today I have a nice and fun, genre-bending song for you by REMI.  Now I know it has been a while since my last post, and I will hopefully be able to start posting more frequently. But since it has been so long, I thought it would be fun to kickstart it with a song like this. What I love about this song, is how unconventional of a track it is. This is a style of hip-hop that does not conform to the normal standards of radio style and urban hip-hop. This is a style that we see quite a bit from the underground community since it is more on the "freelancing" side of music. A lot of times with hip-hop, we find artists that carve out their own niche style and sound. These artists don't necessarily fit the underground vibe, but they also don't conform to the radio either. And these in-between styles of hip-hop are starting to show their colors more and more. We are starting to hear this kind of music in more places, whether on streaming platforms, commercials, movies, and...

Today I have some music for you which comes from the world of Vine. Now, I have to admit, this was one of my favorite platforms for a little while. You can't go wrong with funny! But it is so cool to see how we have seen many artists and singer come about because of vine. In fact, today's artist comes from the world of vine. And you may know him from his popular cleaning + WOP videos. Trey Kennedy has been a very low key singer since the inception of vine. Recently, there have been some singing videos which have popped up with him in it, and that eventually led to him creating and releasing his own music. This track is an absolute bop. The energy is level headed and has a fantastic vibe associated with it. Overall, this track is a great one to just relax and lounge around to, just soaking in the atmosphere and sounds. It's cool to hear this song and how influenced by the early 00's it is. The grooviness that we hear in the track, is partially attributed to the use ...

One of the highlights of SXSW was to see the plethora of hip hop artists from around the world. And this was quite a shift for SXSW considering there is usually a heavier focus on rock music or related genres. But this shift in music content for SXSW only reflects a shift in the way we listen to music in the US. And one of the cool things about the music festival this year, is that we got to hear hip hop and rap from all around the world. Previously I spoke about a group of rappers out of China. Well today, we are shifting to another part of the world. Today is all about Korean-American rapper, Junoflo. Junoflo started out on the South Korean rap show called Show Me The Money. Now I have to admit, I think this is one of the coolest things ever. We have shows like The Voice and American Idol, which focus primarily on singing capabilities. But Show Me The Money is all about whether or not you can spit bars, and if you can, how well can you do it. Needless to say, Junoflo is a man who ...

Today I have some music for you that may be a throwback for some, and a wave of nostalgic sounds for others. Basshunter. What can I say about the guy? His popularity has been an interesting trajectory and course. But somehow, his older work persists as a club classic. And it really has been a while since I listened to him or talked about him. Since I got a random listen recently, I thought it might be nice to take a trip down memory lane. So Basshunter is a phenomenal DJ and is incredible at pretty much every aspect of producing music. Every note and lyric is written by him. One thing which always used to make me chuckle a bit, are the lyrics. It's not that Basshunter is shallow with his lyrics. It's just so entertaining to hear how simple they are! For example, one of his songs is literally about playing a video game. Straightforward and to the point I suppose! But then again, I guess the focus for him is more the production and electronic aspect of the song. For this track...

Today I have some music for you by a rapper who has made quite a name for himself despite being out of the spotlight. Vic Mensa has made some big waves in the music industry as a lyricist and performer. Now as a listener, I can wholeheartedly understand why he has been able to do so. Not only does Vic Mensa carry power in his words, but also in the delivery. There are a lot of rappers who lean towards one or the other, but Vic Mensa has found this incredibly sweet and saucy combination which leaves an impression on everyone who hears his music. Today's track is right up that alley. This song is a very interesting vibe, especially because it sounds very unlike a stereotypical rap track. Vic Mensa's debut track is an absolute jam, perfect for the club or a night out. He successfully blends deep house with a spillage of rap words which fall like dominoes. He carries a slick flow, seemingly removing spaces between words so that there is a smooth and continuous barrage of words. ...

Alright, now that we have officially kicked off the new year, I wanted to talk about a throwback song. I know, I know, the new year should mean new music. But to be fair, we have had exactly one day of 2018. And I also wanted to kick off the new year with a song that had a fun and retro vibe. So here we go! This song first came out in 2002 and is by the British singer, Craig David. It's hard to imagine that 2002 was technically sixteen years ago! Oddly enough, it doesn't seem that far off. But songs like this have really defined the millennial generation. I mean, these are the songs that we grew up with! These are the kinds of songs we jammed out to, the songs we played at parties. These are the song of our not-so-distant-past childhoods.  And this song was an anthem for not only the dance floor but was the iconic song for some of the hottest toys out there. But that is beside the point, isn't it? This song is what we could call a "club banger. The early millennia...

Today I have some music for you out of South London by an incredible producer by the name Tom Misch. This is an artist who creates masterpieces of sound by blending hip-hop beats with dance and electronic music. Now to me, it seems like this style of music is becoming more popular, or at least more prevalent. But what I do enjoy, is that each artist has a distinct way of making that chilled-out hip-hop track. And Tom Misch makes some really good textured beats while also providing his own vocals. Stylistically, there are always so many ways artists can go when it comes to chill-hop or electronic hip-hop. In this track, we get a more upbeat and friendly sound. It is a bubblier track, with only feel good vibes flowing through. Tom Misch does an incredible job of capturing this carefree atmosphere through his production and composition. I think one of the reasons the song flows this well, is because there is a dynamic array of instruments. Not only do we get the synths and electroni...

Alright, today I have some groovy music for you all. Now this is a nice change of pace from the past few postings I have made (which I know, have been spread quite far apart.) So today, I would like to introduce you to the Haitian-Candian producer and DJ known as Kaytranada. I have only recently started listening to his music, and it has got me jamming so much. Kaytranada is an interesting DJ because his focus is on the genres and subgenres surrounding hip-hop. Normally, when we think of DJs, the people who come to mind are those who play giant festivals, with light shows and ravers galore. Kaytranada is a suave breath of fresh air because of his unique style. The beautiful production style that he uses brings together a variety of rising musicians, with backgrounds in so many different musical sounds. From funk to hip-hop to modern dance music, we get to hear how Kaytranada effortlessly blends and blurs the lines between genres and between being retro and modern. What is cool abou...

Today I have some music for you by an artist called Always Never. This is a super nice and chilled out song, something that I have been able to listen for days. It has a seductive smoothness to it, one that can catch you by surprise with its subtly lustful sound. I have to admit, I really like how Always Never has made the song to be so effortlessly smooth and even a but sexy. One of the things to note about this track is how it seems to fall into this newer and growing style of R&B. This emerging style relies a bit more on synths and electronic work to create an ambient sound, while the vocals hang onto a more soulful and R&B sound. Part of what makes this song really work, and one of the things I really like about this song, is that there is a darker undertone to some parts of the song. But this darker undertone is not menacing, melancholy, nor eerie It is an irresistible allure, the tantalizing call of an interaction filled with lust and seduction. Now I have to be hones...

It has been quite some time since I posted anything electronic or EDM related, so I thought that would be a fun way to start up today's post. So today, I have some music for you by one of my favorite electronic artists, Flight Facilities. As we all know, EDM tends to be a wide but really fun genre of music. There are so many subgenres and sounds that are under the umbrella of EDM, and today we are going down the path of house and disco. I think the first thing I have to address when talking about this song, is Flight Facilities as a music duo. This is one of the most risk-averse artists to listen to because you will always find something to like. You may not like every song, but there will be a few that you can definitely jam to. This is all because of the musical style with which the duo has defined for themselves. I think many producers easily give this duo a nod of approval because of how dynamic the music is. Everything is so well polished, even when Flight Facilities aim in ...

Today I have some music for you by a band out of Los Angeles by the name Saint Motel. This is a band that really likes to play with different sounds and has produced music across the entire rock spectrum. While these guys do tend to focus more on indie music, they have been known to throw down some wicked smooth and fresh alternative music. This song is one of those seamless mixes of indie pop and alternative rock with a beautiful dash of old-timey music. This song is one of the more refreshing sounds I have heard in a while. There is so much energy in this song, from the first note we hear to the last. Saint Motel's sound is one that splurges on integrating old-school influences and the band seems to like mixing the older and more retro sounds with the newer and bolder kind of sounds. This song also has such a nice alternative sound which is highlighted by the bright and powerful sound we get from the horn section. What is really cool about this song is that there is such a wi...

Today I have some music for you that feels so good. The first time I ever heard Manila Killa was when he performed a show during SXSW. And ever since, I have been a major fan of his music. This song is one of my recent favorites and also features the work of Robotaki. One of the best things about these two artists is that their musical style is so effortless. I wouldn't necessarily call it carefree, implying that the music is rather bubbly. But there is something so completely smooth and fluid and undemanding about their music. Something completely free-spirited. It's so easy on the ears and though they are electronic artists, you never really feel that kind of sound. And I really like that. These two artists are more about creating an atmosphere and an environment, and they are able to create something that feels so good. This song is super chilled out, following in the footsteps of other popular deep house singles. But Manila Killa and Robotaki put a lot of character into...

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 that isn't very well known despite his wickedly good music. First time I heard this song, I could not stop jamming out, and even now I still have the dancing bug. 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 songs. 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 i...

Today I have some new music for you by a band that has not been very active the past few years. We all remember Foster the People as the band that sang about those cool shoes, but the song wasn't actually about having cool kicks etc. Well, Foster the People is back again after quite some time and have dropped a wonderful new album. This album is very interesting because it sounds exactly like Foster the People, but also sounds nothing like them. It is an odd concept to wrap your head around, but it also makes a bit of sense. For example, this particular song. It has to be one of my favorites by the band. Why? Because it has such a good vibe to it and it also reminds me of another good band- Tame Impala. It is very interesting because the musicality behind the song and the production style is very similar to what we have heard with Tame Impala, but it is also very characteristically like Foster the People. The groovy vibes and ethereal nature of the song is one that we are familia...

Today I have some pretty exciting music for you. A little bit of background, I was never a huge Justin Bieber fan. His older music was definitely meant to be charming little pop singles, something that wasn't necessarily up my alley. But over these years, we have seen and heard a lot of evolution in Justin Bieber's music. And now, I cannot stop listening to his music. His latest album to come out is absolutely genius. This is the best Justin Bieber has ever been and each and every song has something different to offer. So naturally, I have to post about one of those songs! But what makes this more exciting, is that today's song is a mashup of one of Justin Bieber's singles and one of Selena Gomez's. I have to say, I am still not on the Gomez train, but this mashup is absolutely phenomenal. This version has a good balance between the two songs. The background melody is different variations of Justin Bieber's song, something that is pretty recognizable and somet...