So new year new whatever. What a fucked up timeline we live in am i right?
Yeah, whatever. Well, I’m just dropping by to leave this link to a very interesting droney/tribal track that caught my..ear (i guess)
x
2020 was the year I got to enjoy the sea again. It had been 3 or 4 years since I last saw her and 5 since I last swam in her waters. I didn’t even realize how much I missed her and her healing effects on my body and mind.
In August I went to the beach for a walk. I sat down and put Tourette’s ‘Jardin du sommeil. Chant d'amour sur la nuit grandissante’ on. The sound of the waves were actually complementary to the noise. The sun was blinding so I closed my eyes and my mind went blank. I could sense the wind on my face and I became aware of my breathing. I focused on it, it came naturally. It wasn’t long till I was in a meditative state, I welcomed each thought and softly put it aside so I wouldn’t be distracted. I remember near the end of the album I felt it was time to open my eyes. I remember it felt like I was floating, until then I hadn’t been able to see colors so lively, so real, it felt surreal but I was convinced that it was how the colors look when you are able to truly look at them without fear or distraction. Since then whenever I was given the opportunity I meditated with noise in my ears and it was intense and cathartic every time.
Winter has been hard, I’m locked in the house, I can’t see my friends, there’s a pandemic killing people and cops that beat and arrest people for nothing. One thought that helps me cope is that one day I’ll be able to feel the sea’s waves again, see her colors, feel her breeze. And my mind will be blank but my body will feel free again.
So here’s a list of my favorite tracks/albums I listened to while meditating by the sea.
https://foyersecond.bandcamp.com/album/jardin-du-sommeil-chant-damour-sur-la-nuit-grandissante
https://pedestriandeposit.bandcamp.com/track/beneath-the-salt
https://golemecanique.bandcamp.com/album/nona-decima-et-morta
So you know I’m all for lists and 2020 is the year I fell in love with music again so I couldn’t help but make some!
First one is about my favorite pop/indie pop/art pop artists plus 1 song I absolutely adored this year.
You will find my favorite and/or most listened tracks, favorite videos, favorite live performance and favorite lyrics.
Enjoy!
___________________________________
Angel Olsen
Most listened track (also most listened track this year):
Unfucktheworld (Burn Your Fire For No Witness - 2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT70RUV_9rw
Favorite track+clip:
All Mirrors (All Mirrors – 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjt698Zv5jQ
Favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP7et0I844w
Favorite lyrics:
Chance ( All Mirrors - 2019)
‘
I wish I could un-see some things that gave me life
I wish I could un-know some things that told me so
I wish I could believe all that’s been promised me
‘
https://genius.com/Angel-olsen-chance-lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUkaa4-y0jY
Some Things Cosmic (Strange Cacti - 2011)
‘
I’ve felt my soul rise up from my body
When I look into your blue eyes
If cosmic force is real at all
It’s come between you and I
I want to be naked
I don’t mean my body
I don’t need my body
I’m floating away
I’m floating away
I’m floating away
‘
‘‘https://genius.com/Angel-olsen-some-things-cosmic-lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wML1hZYgoik
_______________________________
Lady Lamb
Most listened: Crane Your Neck (Ripely Pine – 2013)
Favorite track+Performance: Crane Your Neck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZPWP12Z4iI
Second favorite song+Performance: Bird Balloons (Ripely Pine – 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQbdeDuCK5s
Favorite Lyrics (also fave lyrics for 2020): Crane Your Neck
‘And how it hurts even in the sun
It’s a goddamn joke how we can hurt even in the sun
For a heart beats the best in a bed beside the one that it
loves
Yes, a heart beats the best when in a head, death becomes
irrelevant
Cause if you’re dreaming about dying, then you’re not really
living darling
You’ve gotta be starving, you’ve gotta be starving for it
And if you’re crying by the moon, in the sun you better lift
up that chin’
_______________________________
Caroline Polachek
Pang (2019)
Most listened: So hot you’re hurting my feelings
Favorite track: Ocean of Tears
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_VgkkURF_w
Favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsqObMOwmtE
Favorite Clip: So hot you’re hurting my feelings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn3cHUtNZKo
Favorite Lyrics: Pang
‘There’s a look in your
eyes when you’re hungry for me
It’s a beautiful knife, cutting right where the fear should be’
_______________________________
FKA twigs
Mary Magdalene (2019)
Most listened: Cellophane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkLjqFpBh84
Favorite track: Mirrored Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y6yXR8YEdI
Favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYkgMLDkcxw
Favorite Clip: Home With You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Rro6TQgpU]
Favorite Lyrics: Home With You
‘Never
seen a hero like me in a sci-fi
But I’d save a life if I thought it belonged to you
Mary
Magdalene would never let her loved ones down’
_______________________________
Miya Folick
Most listened track:
Give It To Me (Give It To Me EP – 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOpQYqNfdnc
Favorite track+performance:
Deadbody (Premonitions – 2018)
Favorite lyrics:
Deadbody
‘I need you to know I’m not
powerless
My strength lies within my gentleness
And I’m already hurt so now I don’t have to hide
And I hold all the heads of my brothers and my
sisters high’
Give It To Me
‘Your head into my head
Now I know I can never get out
Your lungs into my lungs
Now I know I can never get out
Your fears into my fears
Now I know I can never get out’
_______________________________
Car Seat Headrest
Twin Fantasy (2018)
Most listened Track: Sober to Death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydv6usKn2rg
Favorite track: Bodys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvsQPCbgJOA
Favorite Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqT3U2UYS4k
Favorite Clip: ‘Hollywood’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka9l8X8W03Y
Favorite Lyric: Bodys
‘Don’t
you realize our bodies could fall apart at any second?
I am terrified your body could
fall apart at any second
(Those
are you got some nice shoulders)
(I’d like to put my hands around
them)
When we dance
(That’s not what I meant to say at all)
When we dance
(I mean, I’m sick of meaning, I just want to hold
you)’
_______________________________
Sufjan Stevens
Most listened Track: All of me wants all of you (Carrie & Lowell – 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6-q57xJCg
Favorite track: Mystery of Love (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WTt69YO2VI
Favorite Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzgafg5TY1k
Favorite Lyric: The Only Thing (Carrie & Lowell – 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adKEqin5SoI
https://genius.com/Sufjan-stevens-the-only-thing-lyrics
_______________________________
Weyes Blood
Most listened&Favorite track: Andromeda (Titanic Rising - 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aki1Xn36eJ8
Favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJHMkVQsPk
Favorite Clip: Movies (Titanic Rising - 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFtRq6t3jOo
Favorite Lyrics:
Requiem for Forgiveness (The Innocents-2014)
https://genius.com/Weyes-blood-requiem-for-forgiveness-lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm7KLXXRIuU
‘ I will
forgive you
Days in my life
Are numbered and so rare
Holding pain
Is not living in truth’
_______________________________
Mitski
Most listened+Favorite Track:
First Love/ Late Spring (Bury Me At Make out Creek – 2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovFVapCtMHo
Favorite Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEIaBUuXDkc
Favorite Lyrics: Cop Car (The Turning STK)
https://genius.com/Mitski-cop-car-lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etKhIIJr0HM
‘I am cruel, I am
gentle, I can make you laugh
I am cruel, I am gentle, I can make you laugh
I’ve loved many boys, I’ve loved many girls
I don’t think about the past, it’s always there anyway
Don’t think about the past, always there anyway
And I will never
die, I will never die
I will never die, I will never die
I’ve preemptively blocked all the exits
I’ve preemptively blocked all the exits
So I will burn this movie theater, hey’
_______________________________
The Weeknd
After Hours (2020)
Most listened+favorite clip: Blinding Lights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NRXx6U8ABQ
Favorite track: In Your Eyes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqRZDebPIGs
Favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-g_SHNv5NI
Favorite Lyrics: In Your Eyes
‘I don’t regret cause my heart can’t take a loss’
_______________________________
Dua Lipa
Future Nostalgia (2020)
Favorite+Most listened Track: Physical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HDEHj2yzew
Favorite Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4neLJQC1_E
Favorite Clip: Hallucinate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcZ7e9EOQTY
Favorite Lyric: Don’t Start Now
‘Aren’t
you the guy who tried to
Hurt me with the word
“goodbye”?
Though it took some time to
survive you
I’m better on the other side’
_______________________________
Doja Cat
Hot Pink (2019)
Most listened+Favorite track+Performance: Streets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hD-Z1q_ZyI
Favorite Clip: Say So
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pok8H_KF1FA
Favorite Lyrics: Addiction
‘Bitch, I ain’t Gwen, but this shit is bananas’
_______________________________
Nalyssa Green - “Αγκαλιά’’ (2020)
(8th most played song)
https://nalyssagreen.bandcamp.com/track/–2
Η θλίψη λέει ν’άνοιγε τεράστια τα φτερά της
Και να λέγε έλα μου εδώ κουτό μικρό κι αστείο
Να ξάπλωνα ξαπόσταινα εκεί στην αγκαλιά της
Πως γίνανε τα πούπουλα παρηγοριάς θηρίο
Η θλίψη λέει ν'άνοιγε τα μητρικά φτερά της
Και δυνατά να κάγχαζε ακουμπά στην καρδιά μου
Τα δάκρυα, ποια δάκρυα, γλυκά μουρμουρητά της
Να ‘ρθει η ανακούφιση να πέσει εδώ μπροστά μου
Να γίνω η βαρύτητα να πέφτω σα να είμαι
Να ξεχαστώ και να αφεθώ με μάτια χαλασμένα
Κλειστά, να μη σταθώ ξανά να ίπταμαι να κείμαι
Να είναι αυτή η αγκαλιά η μοναχή για μένα
Η θλίψη λέει ν'άνοιγε μακάβρια τα φτερά της
Και να απαιτήσει μέσα τους την τελευταία μου ανάσα
Και να ντυθώ αναφιλητά να ξεπιαστώ απ’ τα πράσα
Να με μυρίσουν οι άγιοι να πάψω να γελιέμαι
Από ιαχές δεινόσαυρων να πάψω να κρατιέμαι
Στο ράμφος της να σαλιωθώ να με περιφρονήσω
Και για διαμάντια κι έρωτες να μην ξαναμιλήσω
Τι να σου πω
Πες μου τι να σου πω
Τι να βρω να σου πω
Και πως να σου το πω
So, the people upstairs continue banging the floor with hammers and it’s difficult for me to write anything at the moment but I’m gonna try cause I’m a stubborn little fella. Today is Tuesday, the eleventh (?) day of lockdown and things are crazy not only because of the corona panic but also because today marks 47 years since the Polytechnic uprising where 40 civilians were killed and thousands were injured by the greek millitary junta. Not much has changed since then to be honest, this is still a fascist/christian state that continues to shoot people and beat them to death. In my short life I’ve witnessed enough violence from the greek state and I have no choice to distrust and hate them. Anyway, while cops are on the streets everyday pretending to care about our wellbeing and protect us from the plague, the only time I feel free to roam the streets is when I take my boy Victor out for a walk. We walk the streets of the neighbourhood for about an hour and we quite enjoy it since there aren’t many people around or cars to watch out for. I usually put some powerviolence/grindcore on and walk like nobody’s business. A few days ago I enjoyed this album quite a lot and to be honest I think I used to listen to them but I am not sure. Anyways, this is some good old powerviolence or what I like to call dark hardcore. Lyrics are full of self loathing and talk of interrelationship insecurities and well it’s been long since I felt like that but it’s something I’m quite familiar with- aren’t we all?
Purity Control is a band from Toronto and this was released in 2012.
I woke up today to the sound of a drill from upstairs. I am not going to lie, I usually like listening to sounds like that but not when I’m asleep. Well, I recorded it so I can use it in the stuff I make, I know that’s so unique right?! (ofc I’m being ironic). Anyway, at some point I had to put on some music to cancel those irritating sounds. Most of the music I tried to listen to didn’t cover the upstair noises so I had to put on some good old aggressive hc. I bumped into youth attack’s bandcamp page and oh did nostalgia slap me right on the face. I enjoyed this album quite a lot, even after the noise stopped. Kept me company while drinking coffee and making a digital collage.
“
With a looser, more free-form indifference to their playing, their second full-length charges on with an even crazier fist-in-the-face Midwestern rage and transcends their influences with a faster and more monstrous delivery, exemplified in Aaron Aspinwall’s insane vocals atop Joe Philips’ guitar tornado. Despite the fact that the majority of this material was written and recorded on the spot in the studio, its schizo urgency has gone on to be regarded as one of the finest U.S. hardcore albums of the 2000s.
Originally released in 2006 and out of print until now, this deluxe reissue features newly-remastered audio by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios. Pressed on 180gm black vinyl, this LP comes housed in an embossed, spot-gloss slipcase with a slightly-updated jacket design and a euro sleeve displaying art sourced from original materials, including an unseen live photo of the band playing a Dekalb, Illinois basement show from this era
“
I find it unnecessary to explain where I have been all this time.
Probably the best answer would be “lost inside my mind”.
Shit happens all the time and sometimes it’s hard to find a way to cope with it.
Luckily, I was able to make it go away -even just for a while.
For months, it was really hard for me to listen to punk.
It would either remind me of stuff I was trying so badly to forget, either my mood was so shitty I couldn’t stand anything noisy.
So I kept listening to acoustic stuff and to The Cure or The Smiths.
I can say that I kinda caught up with my past. A time were I hadn’t yet discovered the magic of punk rock.
I guess I needed that break for mental health reasons. I am not kidding at all.
Anyhow, I’d like to point out some new worthy discoveries of mine.
I hope you enjoy these guys as much as I did.
Their work is quite personal and deserves to give ia listen.
Cheers.
Βrilliant. Mind blowing. Mind fucking. Noise.
This is definitely one of the best records I’ve listened to, in the past 2 years.
The first 30 seconds of their first song were enough.
It was that point when I started to feel a pinch in my heart, anxiety and butterflies combined; a feeling that kept getting stronger as the songs went on.
They are still dark as they were in their past recordings but they have taken this thing to a whole other level.
Lyrically, well, I’d say they give us a reality-punch, giving us truth in words, human/social decay in letters.
Great job guys,
we need more bands like this.
“Do i shape my life or my life shapes me?
And i can see my friends
they are all here
But they look sadder
We repeat the same day with another name”
Η αλήθεια ειναι πως δε θυμαμαι καν πως ξεκινησε η μερα. Θυμαμαι φυσικα οτι πριν απο την γενέθλιο εξοδο (ισως ως εκ θαυματος, συμπλήρωσα τα 21 ετη ζωης) εκτος απο τούρτα, υπήρξε και η ανάλογη εγκεφαλική προετοιμασία. If you know what I mean.
Το οτι το λαηβ θα γινοταν στο ΑΝ κλαμπ, δεν με κόμπλαρε ούτε στο ελάχιστο ηθικά.
Υπέρμαχος του DIY εδώ και χρόνια, μα θαρρώ πως τα δεδομένα έχουν αλλάξει. Οι περισσότεροι χώροι οπου γίνονταν συναυλίες έχουν δεχτεί καταστολή κι έχουν κλείσει, μα και το γεγονός οτι το εισιτήριο κόστιζε όσο χαμηλότερα γινόταν(απο αποψη κέρδους μιλώ), νομίζω οτι είναι λογικά επιχειρήματα για να μην ξενερώσεις εντελώς. Φυσικά, προτιμώ τα λάηβ να γινονται με ελευθερη συνεισφορα, μα πρέπει να ανοίξουμε τα μάτια μας και να βγάλουμε τις παρωπίδες που τόσο λατρέψαμε και πέρα απο το να κάνουμε παράπονα να πράττουμε για να αλλάξουμε ό,τι δεν μας κάνει. Ας αυτοοργανωθούμε κι ας χρησιμοποιήσουμε ό,τι έχουμε κι ό,τι μπορούμε ώστε να ζούμε μια ζωή μη εμπορευμάτικη κι οσο ελεύθερη γίνεται. Ας σταθούμε αλληλέγγυοι σε όλους τους χώρους κι ολα τα άτομα που δεχονται καταστολή. (ΦΑΚ ΔΕΜ ΚΟΠΣ, ΦΑΚ ΔΕΜ ΓΚΟΒΕΡΝΜΕΝΤΣ)
Οταν έφτασα στον χώρο(περα απο το οτι μου σκασε αναμνηση 2008 a wilhelm scream, ισως το καλυτερο λαηβ που εχω δει εκει μεσα περαν αυτου για το οποιο θα μιλησω αμέσως) έπαιζε ήδη η πρώτη μπαντα που, να με συγχωράτε, παρ'οτι με τράβαγε ο ήχος της δεν έδωσα την σημασία που θα έπρεπε ώστε να μπορέσω να γράψω για αυτήν.
Ύστερα απο αυτη τη μυστηριωδη μπαντα (λογω του οτι δε θυμαμαι το ονομα της), ανεβήκαν στη σκηνή οι φίλοι κι αγαπημένοι Αληκτώ.
Δυστυχώς, εξαιτίας του απογευματινού μου ντούς το οποίο είχε παρενέργειες στην ακοή μου, δεν μου επιτραπηκε να απολαύσω την συγκεκριμένη μπαντα οσο θα ηθελα.
Δε ξερω αν γινεται να εκφέρω αντικειμενική άποψη για τον ήχο, μιας κι αντιμετώπισα τα συγκεκριμένα τεχνικα προβλήματα, αλλά η αλήθεια είναι οτι δεν μπορούσα να διακρίνω τι ακριβώς ακουγα, κατι που με απογοητευσε γιατι παιζαν πολυ σωστα. Η ενέργεια τους πάνω στη σκηνή βέβαια με εντυπωσίασε κι ενα συγκεκριμένο τους κομμάτι σύντομα θα παίζεται στο ρηπητ.Φυσικά, δεν μπορούμε να μην εκτιμήσουμε το οτι τα αγόρια χύνουν αίμα για την μουσική. Κυριολεκτικά. (ινσαηντ τζοουκ,ο κιθαρίστας τραυματίστηκε)
Έχοντας τον εγκέφαλο παρκαρισμένο στα ουράνια κι ύστερα απο εκτενή κοινωνικοποίηση, κατέβηκα στο σκοτεινό υπόγειο όταν ανέβηκαν οι Γάλλοι που όντως ήτο ομορφονιοί, ακριβώς όπως ανέφερε ξανα και ξανά ο Ατσάλινος στην εκπομπή του. Εύγε για το γούστο σου, φίλτατε.
Αφήνω τις ανοησίες κι επικεντρώνομαι εκεί που πρέπει. Οι Warfuck είναι ανετα απο τις καλυτερες γκραηντ μπαντες που εχω δει να παιζει. Το σετ τους παρπαανω απο ικανοποιητικο χρονικά, η ταχυτητα με την οποια κοπανούσε ο τυμπανιστής ξεριζωνε κεφάλια κι ο κιθαρίστας με μια ευλυγυσία που θα ζήλευε και η πιο ταλαντούχα μαιμού, είναι παράγοντες που καθιστούν αυτήν την μπάντα ως μια απο τις αγαπημένες μου του είδους. Είμαι φάν.
Οι Σλέηβμπριντ, παρ'αυτα, νομίζω πως ηταν οι σταρς της βραδιάς.
Τα κεφάλια που επαρθησαν, οι λαιμοί που εξαρθρώθηκαν, είναι τα πιο γνήσια αποδεικτικά στοιχεία περί αυτού.
Σε αυτήν την περίπτωση θα μιλήσω για πολύ σωστό και δεμένο ήχο, θόρυβο που, με τη βοηθεια του γεγονοτος οτι βρισκόμουν υπο την επήρεια, διαστρέβλωνε ο,τιδηποτε βρισκόταν στο κεφάλι μου.
Χαρακτηριστικό το οτι ένιωθα οτι θα μου έπεφταν τα μάτια απο τη θέση τους.
Απο άποψη σκηνικής παρουσίας, θα βάλω 10’ στον τραγουδιστή για τα πρόστυχα χορευτικά του. Μην κάνετε πως δεν τα είδατε. Ναι.
Εντάξει, αυτή ειναι μια άλλη σκοπιά κι ενας διαφορετικός τρόπος ριβιουινγκ μα η αλήθεια ειναι πως δεν βρίσκομαι εδώ για να αναλύσω τεχνικές και τετοια, παρα μονο μεχρι εκει που χρειαζεται.
Πάντα τέτοια λάηβ.