i've been listening to your music for a while

Non Tiq - Quiet
Real name Nora Lindqvist and hailing from Stockholm, she brings about the usual fresh poppiness of Swedish music with her in this number. With lyrics that hint of relationship issues, she sings with melancholy, in contrast with the bounciness of the song's melody. On a side note, I think it's a perfect waste of a nice tee in the otherwise random video.

Priscilla Ahn - Vibe So Hot
My call has been answered! In this post, I made a wish that she would come to Singapore, and now she is! On her facebook page, she asked for song requests for Singapore. How awesome! Front row seats please.

Anyway, it's a neat little song about her insane want for a guy. A little contrasting with the tender melody and warm vocals. If I recall correctly, this album was written around the period she was going to be married so this song might be about her husband.

Priscilla Ahn - City Lights (Pretty Lights)

Hauschka - Cube
I love his music and this new piece from his latest album "Salon des Amateurs" is no different. Like a new person to a foreign land, wandering about and gleefully discovering the boisterous local market fair, the cobbled streets lined with quaint shops, the castle over yonder as well as the forest with verdant trees and beautiful flowers just on the outskirts of town.

drawing pictures with some chalk

Priscilla Ahn - When You Grow Up (mp3)
One of my favouritest artists, Priscilla Ahn, has released her new album just a few days ago, and she has given a free download to all on her bandcamp page. Click the link to sample the song first, then you can download it for free after.

Ahn's same effortless style we heard in "A Good Day" is back. Delicate dulcet vocals that seem perfectly tailored for singing, added to really carefree lyrics has already made this into a song that has been played more than 5 times as I'm about to be done with this short part on her song. I wish she would come to Singapore.

The One AM Radio - In A City Without Seasons
Total bedroom pop you'd make with friends. The twinning of guy (Hrishikesh Hirway) and girl vocals just add to that whole making-music-is-fun-with-friends vibe. The keyboard is used to great effect here, providing delightful backing rhythms that hook you in immediately.

The One AM Radio - Ticking Heart
Saccharine vocals take centre stage in this bass heavy song which utilises deep trumpet samples; somehow the song reminds me of Au Revoir Simone with more oomph. The frazzled background sounds seem to be by design - as if trying to make it sound like it's played out of the cassette.

what you want is just outside your reach

Neon Neon - I Lust U (feat. Cat Le Bon)
Neon Neon is a collaboration between Boom Bip aka Bryan Charles Hollon and Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals. This is apparently a one-off, since Rhys says "I don't know about making another Neon Neon album because it was quite a specific record about (John) DeLorean's life story. If we did something in the future it would have to be something different. But it's nice that it did well and we get to play it live."

John DeLorean is the founder of the DeLorean Motor Company and the album "Stainless Style" is a loose concept album based on the tumultuous life of him. And according to Rhys, I Lust U is about a dark period in DeLorean's life when he was having lots of affairs. And true to this album, the song is every bit the frivolous electro-pop. Cat Le Bon's voice in this song is a bit deadpan, but it somehow adds to the robotic laid-back attitude and intended stripped down feel.

Tiësto - I Am Strong (feat. Priscilla Ahn)
Hah, I never expected Priscilla Ahn's voice in a dance song. But to say I'm not pleased with this outcome is wrong. Her voice is magnetic and melds with the deep solid beats nicely. The whole house feel to this song - I love it.

I can't recall where I heard/read this, but Tiësto's collaborations with so many different artists such as Nelly Furtado, Emily Haines of Metric/Broken Social Scene, Tegan and Sara, Jónsi of Sigur Rós, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, and Calvin Harris amongst others, is due to him wanting to break into various markets (of other countries) and such collabs may increase the exposure to these markets.

Tiësto (with Sneaky Sound System) - I Will Be Here
cool video. How can anyone actually walk like that? Must be lots and lots of training, or maybe just talent. It's like popping, which I think is my favouritest street style of dancing. Speaking of Japanese and walking, I was at the Uniqlo fashion show yesterday and I was taken in after seeing the female models and their unique way of walking. The model strut is so powerful and striking.

Real Estate - Beach Comber
What a nice summer song. Maybe if you'd replace the guitar with the banjo, wonder what it'd sound like.

life just ain't the same

I wanted to continue my updates on the latest from X Factor UK, but to my extreme disappointment and disgust, Lucie Jones has been booted out. While this is not the latest news (it was out early yesterday), the debate still rages on, as to why Simon chose to let it go to deadlock, which I think was pretty obvious that Lucie would be booted. I won't go into the details, but as a personal protest to Simon Cowell's dastardly act of cowardice (I personally think it's to protect his remaining 3 acts, and as much as I like them, what's this about keeping the horrible twosome in the show, which he claims is a singing competition?), I will stop updating on X Factor UK. And what were the voters thinking!?!?! How could Lucie receive the lowest number of votes? She was one of the most consistent performers, and one of the best each time I might add. Utterly disappointed. It's really bittersweet as well, I mean it's obvious that there's a good crop of contestants remaining in the competition, but how can anyone continue watching, knowing a really good singer has been booted out?

Lucie Jones singing Demi Lovato's This Is Me
A tribute to a fantastic singer who really should have gone all the way to the end, but instead faced early demise in the competition. The irony of what Simon said comments, is so stark to the decision he made on the day of results. If I were Lucie, i'd feel cheated, seeing how Simon actually agreed with Louis that she could be the last female contestant standing (ie. Stacey would be booted out first, seeing how there's only 2 females left). It's hypocritical really. And before this degrades into more ranting, let me give you guys some pretty good songs to listen to.





Maps - Everything Is Shattering
Nothing less is to be expected from Mercury Prize nominee in 2007, losing out to Klaxons. From his latest album "Turning the Mind" released about a month ago, this lush electropop song is fit for the airwaves. The latter part of the song sounds like part of a musical being run through a synthesizer, and you know what, i think this is a very good song to choreograph a dance to.

Anya Marina - Satellite Heart
This is a song off the New Moon soundtrack, and her voice is just beautiful. Totally pulling you into that voice of hers, it's quite a fitting song for the movie as well. Little tidbit: She DJs on one of the San Diego radio station's from monday to saturday, from 9am to 2pm.

Priscilla Ahn - Red Cape
She's got an official music video for this song. I always thought a stop motion video would be real neat for this song.

Thievery Corporation - Amerimacka

Girls #1

well, having featured my Going To Work playlist, here's another. and no prizes why it's been simply named as such.

1. Priscilla Ahn - Red Cape

2. Lykke Li - Dance Dance Dance

3. La Roux - Bulletproof

4. St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work

5. Au Revoir Simone - Stay Golden

6. Imogen Heap - Speeding Cars

7. Rachael Yamagata - Be Be Your Love

8. Feist - Brandy Alexander

The Saturday Mix #9 - on buses through the night, we sleep on and on

Seeland - Call The Incredible
myspace site of Seeland. Click on song and listen.

matt pond PA - Amazing Life

Priscilla Ahn - Rain

Feist - Brandy Alexander

Camera Obscura - French Navy

Meiko - Reasons To Love

Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song

THIS MONTH: ALBUMS TO LOOK OUT FOR + TOP 10 SONGS OF THE MONTH

This month marked the marked (and significant) increase in number of cases of the H1N1 flu around the world. oh boy.

Recent notable people who passed away were Farah Fawcett, Billy Mays and of course, Michael Jackson. RIP to yous.

But most importantly, some albums of note that were released this month:

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl






Roundup of my Top 10 songs of the month:

1. School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep

2. Blind Pilot - Go On, Say It

3. Rachael Yamagata - Duet (feat. Ray LaMontagne)

4. Dan Deacon - Snookered

5. The Postal Service - Such Great Heights

6. Priscilla Ahn - Dream

7. Home Video - I Can Make You Feel It

8. Au Revoir Simone - Take Me As I Am

9. The Most Serene Republic - Heavens to Purgatory

10. Gregory & The Hawk - Grey Weather

Note that they are in no order. It's really hard to decide what should be in the list and what shouldn't but well, it came down to it and I had to do it.

Home Video - I Can Make You Feel It
papermag.com describes this song to a T. "a pulsating number characterised by solid drumbeats, killer keyboard, tambourine accents, haunting harmonies and an eerie electro current." totally true.
at the same time, you can grab their EP "It Will Be OK" here which includes the above song.

Uh Huh Her - Explode
yet another electro-pop group/band. of late, i've been listening to a lot of them, like Ladytron, Au Revoir Simone, Fever Ray and now Uh Huh Her. Part Leisha Hailey, who's acting in "The L Word", and Camila Grey, they got their name from an album released by PJ Harvey.

Priscilla Ahn - Astronaut
her. voice. is. very. good. and she sounds as good as in the studio version, if not better. really looking forward to her sophomore effort.

Priscilla Ahn - Dream
enough said. i think this is the first time that i'm featuring 2 songs by the same artist in one post. it brooked no further delay that i introduce this most wonderful singer and songwriter to my limited number of readers. lay your hands on her album "A Good Day", by hook or by crook.

The Saturday Mix #2

Meiko - Under My Bed

Priscilla Ahn - Red Cape

Azure Ray - Sleep

Imogen Heap - Goodnight and Go

Au Revoir Simone - The Lucky One

decided to do one featuring female artists.

i love meiko's songs, well written lyrics. i mean, most can actually identify with them. comparisons have been drawn between her and priscilla ahn (both have featured in Hotel Cafe in Hollywood). i think they're both really good singers and songwriters. the difference in that, is meiko's songs are more oriented towards love, and therefore sounds mellow. whereas priscilla ahn's songs are more "fluff-like" or rather light-hearted, be it singing about stuff like having a dream of flying from the highest tree, or having her red cape caught in the engine of a plane. but if you listen to it a bit more, there's prolly some deeper meaning to her songs. that said, i totally love them both.

will follow up with the new album by Au Revoir Simone sometime soon. how often does one find an indie pop band, all girls, with a touch of synth and electronic, and a damn fine one at that?