in the parking lots of these endless nights

TWO MORE FUCKING DAYS! I'M GOING CRAZY WAITING FOR SATURDAY! I never dreamed I'd see them in Singapore, much less in the same day.

Beach House - Silver Soul
Their brand of hazy dreampop already imprinted in us as their signature, they deliver it with the usual panache. Pouring their entire soul into this one, the syncopated keyboards dovetailing nicely with Legrand's ethereal vocals.

Lotus Plaza - A Threaded Needle
With a persistent rhythm and tinkly sounds, how can I not be hooked into the song? The rhythm subsequently forms the backing of the song, over and above the barely heard vocals. Elegiac in a rough way, the entire song feels hazy amidst a microcosm of intimate sounds, and it runs out amidst a dishevelled blast of intense repetitive sounds.

Deerhunter - Agoraphobia
A thoroughly enjoyable listen; comforting and warm. A slow tender piece that takes delight in its measured pace, preferring to let the music speak for itself.

Deerhunter - Desire Lines
Accompanied by a fat reverby guitar line, Cox reminisces about the nostalgia of youth, awash in careless freedom. And just when you thought what could get better than the first 2 minutes of awesomeness, a good 4 minutes of instrumental takes over. It's ponderous yet urgent, slowly seeping into your consciousness. Going on and on, you're sinking deeper and deeper, only for you to be jostled out as it gradually ends.

20 Favourite Albums of 2010: Part I

Now, here's the list of my 20 favourite albums for this year in 2 parts.


Twin Sister "Color Your Life"


Fear of Tigers "Cossus Snufsigalonica"


Beach House "Teen Dream"


Crystal Castles "Crystal Castles"


Arcade Fire "The Suburbs"


Local Natives "Gorilla Manor"


LCD Soundsystem "This Is Happening"


Röyksopp "Senior"


Warpaint "The Fool"


Tame Impala "Innerspeaker"

100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part V

Everything’s a compromise. For instance, you’re not going to get Marlon Brando to do your script, you’re going to get someone lesser. The room you see in your mind’s eye is not the room you’re filming in. It’s always a question of high aims, grandiose dreams, great bravado and confidence, and great courage at the typewriter; and then, when I’m in the midst of finishing a picture and everything’s gone horribly wrong and I’ve reedited it and reshot it and tried to fix it, then it’s merely a struggle for survival. You’re happy only to be alive. Gone are all the exalted goals and aims, all the uncompromising notions of a perfect work of art, and you’re just fighting so people won’t storm up the aisles with tar and feathers. With many of my films—almost all—if I’d been able to get on screen what I conceived, they would have been much better pictures. Fortunately, the public doesn’t know about how great the picture played in my head was, so I get away with it.

- Woody Allen in an interview with the Paris Review


The National - Conversation 16
Another great track from "High Violet" set to a literal depiction of the song. Oh what gloom and doom, so sweetly done by The National. I love the chorus in particular as Berninger says matter-of-factly "I was afraid I'd eat your brains".
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Beach House - Zebra (mp3)
I'm surprised that Beach House opened for Vampire Weekend, as said in the top rated comment on the youtube video for this song. I would think Beach House is almost as popular and many would have been clamouring for a full set from Beach House as well. Can't get enough from this prodigious duo and can't wait for Laneway!
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

GROUPLOVE - Colours (mp3)
Good old rockin', just having fun together and making music as a group, GROUPLOVE indeed! This song is such a ball of fun.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Ooh, I love this song. Régine Chassagne, who is also Win Butler's wife as well provides vocals for this outstanding track. Taking a more experimental approach, they dip into the electronic pool and come out with Sprawl II to a beautiful outcome. Their rock roots are still very much present, which makes this song even better, even nicer a listen.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Yeasayer - O.N.E
Experimental rock group dishes out what's notably missing this year, experimental random stuff. It's catchy, quirky and tribal-ish, it's fun. Wonder what their performance at Laneway is gonna be like, hope it's gonna be raving!
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Villagers - Becoming a Jackal
Becoming a Jackal is a heart-wrenching, melodic piece full of lyrical finesse; its the sort of song you want to play on repeat until every last note is engrained in your mind. - Domino Records

They're coming down to Singapore on Jan 31. Try this lovely brilliant acoustic version here.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Caribou - Leave House
Good stuff from Caribou, still remember what got me listening to him was Hello Hammerheads, which is very different from his deeper electronic stuff now, like Leave House for instance.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes His Shirt Off
Sweet and tender with a conspicuous trombone(?) sound, Pallett is such a delight here. It always seems as if he's teetering on a tightrope, but singing his heart out at the same time.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Stars - Wasted Daylight
A lot of Canadian magic this year. Stars, Owen Pallett, Broken Social Scene, Basia Bulat, Caribou, Arcade Fire and Crystal Castles just to name a few. I just realised in this post alone, there're already 4 of them! Amy Millan's silky vocals shine here, dancing unabashedly amidst the twinkly electronic beats.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

White Hinterland - Icarus
Big booming bass that rattles at the start, toned down subsequently to provide a neat toe-tapping back drop as Dienel's swooning vocals charm the socks of me. Sounds like magic.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part I

So the year is coming to a close again, and it's almost ritualistic that one has to consider his/her favourite songs in the past year. 2010 was quite a bumper year, different from 2009 though in the type of music that were released. 2009 saw it's fair share of experimental stuff and folk-inspired rock. Also, indie pop reigned while there was the usual electronic/electropop stuff. Contrastingly, 2010 would likely go down as a bumper year for a particular subgenre called chillwave/dreampop/shoegaze/hypnagogic/psychedelic/you-name-it, and this list clearly reflects that since I so happen to take to this genre. A lot. This year also saw the likes of The National, Spoon, Arcade Fire releasing solid follow ups while there's the same old indie pop and electronic stuff. Without further ado, I present to you my list of 100 tracks, in 10 parts and in no particular order, of 2010.

Note (i): These are my favourite tracks for the year, i.e. I checked my most played on itunes and sorted out those that were released this year. So they might not be the best songs around, but they sure were my most listened to. And I self-imposed a cap of 2 songs max per band/singer.

Note (ii): I was just musing over the fact that Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus can attain such fame from the general populace of the world, while honest to goodness awesome, fantastic, fabulous, you get what I'm saying, music can remain untouched and unappreciated. It's not to say indie music is better then mainstream music, it's just a little sad that only those who are signed to major record labels and are exposed to mainstream media that get such recognition, and many of them might not even write their own music. It's a very interesting phenomenon, that on Youtube, Bieber's highly watched videos, numbering up to hundreds of millions of views, have more dislikes then likes, obviously a concerted effort/campaign by detractors and haters. In a similar vein, many music videos that have garnered dislikes would be met with "x number of justin bieber fans?" So anyway, I have no idea why I have such an intense dislike for Bieber or Cyrus, maybe it just stems from the fact that indie music is definitely not inferior to their music, and yet they are not getting as much attention or regard. And to what end? Cyrus is spotted smoking salvia. Though legal, it does not set a good example to the young kids who idolise her, young American kids and kids everywhere else that the American culture has propagated to. Smoking is legal too, but is it encouraged or healthy? No, definitely not. But then again, if I think about it, quite a lot of indie artists engage in all sorts of raucous stuff which they would have to cut down or do without if they were in the spotlight. That way, they'd prolly rather stay indie, which renders my thoughts moot.

Tell me about your favourite songs or just drop some comments!


The Morning Benders - Excuses
This song really makes you feel warm inside. A wonderfully crafted indiepop gem that is beautiful as it is touching. And this Yours Truly session really shows how tightly knit the indie community is, surely eliciting a smile or two.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Spoon - Out Go The Lights
I love this stand out track from "Transference", very soft rock and tender vocals from Britt Daniel.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Beach House - Norway (mp3)
I still remember when Norway was dropped as a lead in to the album, definitely a huge teaser for the new album. I was extremely stoked too because the same dreamy evocative melodies were still there, better in fact, coupled by Alex taking the vocal lead in this song. Beautiful.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
Matt's baritone is definitely one of the reasons why I listen to The National. And this mellow tune is deeply affecting. Maybe that's why it's often on repeat.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Broken Social Scene - Sweetest Kill
Soft with a little reverb, it's one of the awesome tracks in a fantastic follow up to well, Broken Social Scene.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Sun Airway - Put The Days Away
When this bliss pop outfit put out their little 4 track EP, "Oh, Naoko", I was pleasantly surprised by what they had in them. Their debut album, which features the entire EP, "Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier" definitely doesn't let down. The whole song feels very orchestral-ish with the strong backing which culminates in spectacular fashion at the end. It starts around the 3:15 mark, the strings? and everything else building up steadily to a crescendo and suddenly dips to a murmur after a minute plus. Mmhm.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Vampire Weekend - White Sky
What's Vampire Weekend without preppy catchy uber fun pop hits? White Sky doesn't detract much from their recipe and turns out to be a delightful sing-along song. The high pitch ows and oohs that punctuate a quirky twist in the song.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

The Pass - Colors
Delectable synthpop with catchy beats display dance music sensibilities that make The Pass an awesome boppy listen.
[myspace] [last.fm]

Small Black - Despicable Dogs (mp3)
One of the many in this whole chillwave movement, Despicable Dogs presents a trippy psychedelic journey to a fantasy land of huge mushrooms and fancy little elves that populate said land. They say, "Take a bite of them mushrooms." "Go on," as you hesistate. And then you realise these mushrooms are exactly what the song does, different means, same end.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Toro Y Moi - Low Shoulder
Less dense than the above, featuring heavily on a strong bass that rattles my CPU instead, along with squeaky loops that might egg you into a dance. There's reason why these chillwave-y songs hit home with me. Much love.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

your brown eyes are my blue skies

Beach House - Zebra (mp3)

Beach House - Heart of Chambers (mp3)
In light of Beach House coming down to Singapore to perform at the Laneway Festival, here are two of my favourite songs, which happen to be available for download as well, from their own website.

The undulating voice of Victoria Legrand never fails to draw me into any one of their songs. It's like a giant magnet, compelling you to listen to the song in order to put you into a dreamlike haze that you'll be glad never to lift. The passive synths seem so insignificant when you consider the hold her voice has over you, but you realise, it is a complement that serves to empower that ethereal voice.

Warpaint - Undertow (mp3)
I guess i'll just make this a Laneway post. Not sure whether by intention, Warpaint is a gorgeous all girl quartet that doles out exquisite rock with an undercurrent of psychedelia and haziness provided by hypnotic vocals, and not least a deep resonating beat. Put it this way, listening to this song is like being in a state of bliss. In some ways, they do sound like Beach House, just with the post-rock element. And you wonder what were they doing since 2004, only releasing their EP only in 2009 and debut album in 2010. Oh and I think they're anything but Warpaint, so don't take the name too literally.

Warpaint - Billie Holiday
Initially I thought this might be a Miike Snow cover, but just listening to the song and you know it's not. So I googled Billie Holiday and it turns out she is a famous jazz singer and songwriter. And this song is so damn exquisite and wonderfully crafted that it's like fine bone china. I could rave on and on about this song, but this song is one you just have to listen for yourself and be utterly transfixed by these girls. Amazing. Check out an acoustic version here which is just as beautifully done.

don't i know you better than the rest

Simian Mobile Disco - Nerve Salad
A sobering beat that conceals a certain frothing excitement that slowly spills over. SMD are back with a purely electronic piece devoid of vocals; some might say back to their roots as DJs. A delectable delight of snazzy synths and increasingly urgent beats, they suddenly revert back to spacious sounds that fill the space, and then back to those pacey doowops. It's nice to see some action from SMD after their last release, "Temporary Pleasure".

Crystal Castles - Knights
Set to Japanese teens imbibing alcohol and taking drugs, it's pretty much a neat metaphor for this spell-binding song by CC. This would definitely rock the dance floor with its bouncy synths and undulating beats that wouldn't seem out of place amongst a host of grinding bodies.

Beach House - Zebra
Significantly deviating from their dreampop signature as they lean towards a regular indie sound, they nevertheless can depend on Alex Scaly's drawn out mellifluous vocals to give that tinge of haziness I so desire. Again, I like this stripped down version of their usual stuff, banking on the drawing power of Scaly's vocals and thoughtful arrangements that never fail to charm.

watch the birds in the airport gathering dirt

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

- T.S. Eliot


I find it fascinating how some people can go to lengths to challenge themselves, yet some of us are content just being in our comfort zone. I am guilty of the latter. Do I want to go out and experience everything the world has to offer, what life really is or continue leading this prosaic existence of mine?


The Raveonettes - Heart of Stone
I love the guitars here, so very reminiscent of old rock bands. But damn do the lyrics ooze heart wrenching pain and if I may use this word, emo.

MGMT - Flash Delirium
Sneak peak into their new album "Congratulations". Fresh and appealing, clearly not reusing the same recipe (electronic stuff) that gained them mainstream adulation. Kudos to trying out new stuff, and I must say I kinda like this song - it grows on you. Such random fun with witty lyrics that mindfucks you. Kinda.

Smile Smile - Tempo Bledsoe
Dandy and fine love song that tickles and charms you all at once. They were actually together when they first formed the band and wrote their first songs. However, they broke up just as people started noticing them, to which they channeled this experience as inspiration for their album "Truth on Tape".

Beach House - Lover of Mine
Nothing better than Beach House for a lovely rainy morning. Some say they don't change their style of dreampop, but heck, if one can do what they do really really well, why change? This is their third album and I'm still loving everything. Most.

In a wide open field we know we can feel
Awake and unreal, off to nowhere
Off to nowhere

Perfect imagery. Dandelions floating through the grass field, warm sunlight filtering through big oak trees, casting a golden hue on the dandelions which make them seem like fireflies in the daylight. The fleeting shimmer, mesmerising; that gentle breeze, caressing your face.

love's like a pantheon, it carries on forever

Photo courtesy of Stephane Rotureau.

Chew Lips - Karen
Tigs voice has a very alluring quality that silently reels you in. However, listening to their songs, you'd realise they sound very similar to each other, and this recipe of building on her vocals with synths and the keyboard are repeated.

Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
Oh yeah, I certainly could leave this on repeat for a 10 mile drive. It's secretly addictive as they don't waste time and open with the line "the heart is a stone and this is a stone that we throw" singing of casting the heart away. The whole dreamy soundscape produced by the synths has become their trademark, and it's what makes this song so lovely. A very peculiar love song that only Legrand and Scally would know the meaning of, while we indulge in said song.

Class Actress - Let Me Take You Out
If I had to describe this song as a woman, it would be a one who is quite pretty, but therein doesn't like the beauty. It's her eyes, the sparkle and the youth emanating from those eyes. That's what this song is like.

Blue Roses - Does Anyone Love Me now
Oh how she reaches those high notes perfectly. As she goes "ohohohohohoh", sighing delicately while trying to find answers about her burning question from the deep sea.

This is said of Blue Roses on their official site, "Instant praise is neither expected nor sought; Blue Roses is not the stuff of lists, tip offs or hollow press recommendations; this is not recollection, it is realisation. It is not music to be forced onto the public for social measurements, or on the merit of affiliation. Blue Roses is to be found, kept and cherished; it is to be absent as the dust begins to settle, and longed for as ambience resumes. Blue Roses is the serendipity that can only happen when you thought you’d stopped looking; as you realise how life sounds without it, you begin again."

How true. Give me a moment to ponder while I click play again and leave her to enchant me beyond measure.

don't i know you better than the rest

Echo & the Bunnymen - The Idolness of Gods
Such cathartic singing, with lyrics like "If I’m just half the man I was, I’d say that’s just because I must have gotten lazy." This song wouldn't have showed their post punk roots in any manner. And when McCulloch sings "idolness of gods", it sounds so damn like "idleness of gods". Personally, I think The Idolness of Gods is an excellent piece, reflecting how much McCulloch has grown as a musician and aged, like literally.

Echo & the Bunnymen - Drivetime

Beach House - Zebra
Check out this review (but more the debate going on in the comments section) by The Guardian on Beach House's latest album "Teen Dream" here. Pretty interesting - what they're all saying. And yes, like what many others in the comments, I don't understand how Beach House brings to mind The Antlers, Real Estate and Girls. Ok, a summary is that the reviewer didn't like the album much so it didn't stick with him, so he gave it 2/5 stars. While each person is entitled to his opinion, especially since music is subjective, I really wonder how he could have drawn comparisons to those 3 bands mentioned. They totally sound different! Leaving Beach House out, even the 3 bands aren't of that ilk, their sound is miles apart. So yes, I understand where most commenters are coming from. Meanwhile, I've yet to fully listen to "Teen Dream" but if it is anything like Norway, I would think it's one hell of an album. Meanwhile, check out Zebra with it's gentle guitar picking, as they go on vaguely about being an oasis child, and deception of a black and white horse. Nevertheless, they use the same recipe as they did with "Devotion", not tweaking much of what has earned them countless fans.

THIS MONTH: Music of 2010

It's been a long road, 2009 was a bumper year for music, with so many fantastic albums being churned out by bands, but I won't be going into that. There will be more of that in the month to come, as I might be reviewing albums and songs of this year. That said, I'll be discussing releases for next year, whether some bands are going to live up to their billing, what we could be looking forward to etc.

Here's a couple I'm looking forward to.



Vampire Weekend - Contra (12 Jan)

First up, there's New York indie rockers Vampire Weekend with sophomore effort "Contra". Their much fancied self-titled debut album received rave reviews, and stand out tracks included Oxford Comma and A-Punk. This is what some people said,

Rolling Stone: On their debut, Vampire Weekend mostly earn points the old-fashioned way: by writing likable songs you'll be glad to revisit next month.

The Guardian: Behind the penny loafers and songs about commas, there's a bold band that can balance dextrous originality with an innate pop sensibility.

Boston Globe: At its best, Vampire Weekend takes the exceedingly familiar template of indie rock and invigorates it with a chiming guitar sound that suggests the band has been spending its downtime browsing afropop.org.

Personally, I quite liked the fresh and preppy feel, and it was injected with so much fun. And with Horchata, also available as a free download at their official site, their sophomore effort is really one to look out for.




Beach House - Teen Dream (25 Jan)

Victoria Legrand (fresh off her collaboration with Grizzly Bear on Slow Life, off the soundtrack of Twilight: New Moon) and Alex Scally present to us "Teen Dream". Also included is the single Used To Be released in Oct 2008 and the leaked track Norway that has gotten many raving about their third outing. And I take back what I said previously "I don't actually always pick out their songs to particularly listen to". They're nearly on constant rotation right now. Peachy!

Beach House Norway



OK go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (12 Jan)
OK go of Here It Goes Again fame (remember the treadmill video?), is back with a new album titled "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky", taken from the book The Influence of the Blue Ray of the Sunlight and of the Blue Color of the Sky, about how illness can be cured by blue light.

OK go - Skyscrapers


Spoon - Transference (19 Jan)
How exciting is this, Spoon's new album after their 2007 awesome release "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga". I'm pretty ooshed just thinking about their new album.

Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (26 Jan)
Los Campesinos! - There Are Listed Buildings

Lifehouse - Smoke and Mirrors (2 Feb)
Lifehouse - Halfway Gone

Hot Chip - One Life Stand (8 Feb)
With dancefloor hits Ready For The Floor and One Pure Thought, the slow groove Over and Over, I'm all set for "One Life Stand".
Hot Chip - Alley Cats (Live)

Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago (End Feb)

Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks (Early Mar)

A few others, such as "Congratulations" by MGMT, un-named albums by Secondhand Serenade, Panic! At The Disco and a couple more, are to be released in first quarter of 2010.


Note: I apologise for the sloppy post, been a bit busy with stuff.

and i looked in her eyes and left her

The Swimmers - Shelter
A very sweet song plus a quirky little video. Very personal, this song seems to expose them at their most vulnerable, making them the humans we all are.

Caribou - Hello Hammerheads
I thought I was actually listening to a Shearwater plus Fleet Foxes collaboration. But this is Caribou aka Daniel Snaith. Very contemplative lyrics, backed by that folksy, melancholic voice plus simple acoustic plucking. A small nugget of information - he has a PhD in Mathematics from Imperial College London. But that's no wonder, considering his father is a mathematics professor at the University of Sheffield and his sister is a reader in mathematics at the University of Bristol.

The Temper Trap - Soldier On
A little Temper Trap for all. Very beautiful and might I add, enchanting voice.

Beach House - Norway
From their 2010 album "Teen Dreams". I don't actually always pick out their songs to particularly listen to, but whenever I listen to a random playlist with their songs in it, I never fail to love the song. They're fantastic, Alex and Victoria. Oh, and Victoria is providing vocals for Grizzly Bear in Slow Life for the New Moon OST.

skiffle and rag, shuffle and waltz

Kings of Convenience - Boat Behind
Literally boat behind.

This is single-handedly the most awesome, fantastic, lovely, fetching video. The polaroid look of the video, the pretty hitch-hikers(which so doesn't happen), makes me wanna set off on one road trip too(it's not just the ladies, really.) A totally summery song which makes you feel so damn light and airy and happy.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Everything With You
Is it really painful to be pure and innocent?

Orenda Fink - High Ground
She's better known as the other half of Azure Ray, and also her other collaboration, O+S, both of which I've featured before. She's pretty much a natural, really talented. Folk-ish sounding, she defies everything - if you actually hear what O+S sound like, it's quite hard to expect this coming from her.

Beach House - You Came To Me

where did you come from

The Rosenbergs - Birds of a Feather
I'm not sure if they're even active anymore. Quite a lovely song they have here.

Goldpost - Rewind
I'm pretty sure you all know that it came out on How I Met Your Mother, one of the most legendary shows currently (i'm obviously biased but heck). Anyhow, it's such an awesome song. totally love the chorus.

"i'm asking you to stay/the words are finally here"

can picture myself walking through an avenue of trees in the autumn, strolling lazily.

Beach House - D.A.R.L.I.N.G
sounds so sombre yet so beautiful. it's akin to seeing a very beautiful woman, and just standing in awe of the woman.

Beach House - Gila
They certainly know how to make retro-ish beautiful (maybe slightly moody) music. totally sweet.

and bonfires lit up the shore

The Clientele - Bookshop Casanova

Blue Foundation - Bonfires
This Danish band is probably more known for their song, Eyes On Fire which came on in Twilight(I'm pretty sure everybody has at least heard of this). Pretty sure you can hear the string instruments in the background, which make good accompaniment.

Blue Foundation - Eyes On Fire
Well, the song is nice so I have to post it and not because it came out in Twilight.

Beach House - Used To Be
Another band with music most put in the dream-pop genre. Indeed it's pretty dreamy and lazy-ish. The slow beats, so soothing and it slowly wraps you up and comforts you.