"Summer" of Dreams

Where do I even begin?

How about we set the vibe first. It starts out with a some Chet Faker, FKA Twigs, SOHN, and then a little bit of James Bay and George Ezra. Oh, and throw in some Hozier in the mix too. Mmm, yeah. That feels just about right.

Now, where were we? Oh, yeah. Apparently I'm bad at blogging. But that's about to change now. And I am serious this time like, I-want-to plan-an-elaborate-wedding-proposal-to-you-that-would-soon-go-viral-once-I-upload-a-video-of-it-on-YouTube-because-it-was-ridiculously-grandiose kind of serious. But, enough with the promises and on with the agendas.

The past few months have been so different compared to what I was doing a year ago... and I kind of love it. Aside from the uncertainty of where I'd be a year from now and the worries and anxieties that come along with it, it's that same uncertainty that brings excitement to my life. If you told a year ago that I'd be brushing shoulders with Matty (of The 1975) and Thomas Mars (of Phoenix), I would've told you you're crazy because those sorts of things do not happen to me. I'm the type of person who'd buy a Killers concert ticket only to find out they'd soon be disbanding/taking a break and cancel the whole tour (circa 2011). But I guess things finally took a turn for the best because not only have I watched a few of my favorite bands live but I've also found myself to be a certified yoga teacher now. A year ago, I wrote this letter and briefly mentioned how I wanted to pursue my certification and now I actually am. I can't believe that was just a year ago.

For someone who doesn't do much, a lot has happened.

Now, what exactly have I been up to in the months that I've missed blogging?

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In The Open

"Statistically speaking, you will die having missed almost everything." This is the sad truth in life. 

I came across this article from NPR from two years ago and it kind of hit a nerve. We all know the days we have in this lifetime are short and precious thus, some of us live it meaningfully while others go batshit crazy and start saying 'YOLO' in attempts to make life more adventurous.

Though the article doesn't actually go that route. It focused more on being well-read and knowledgeable about books, music, and films and how it is physically impossible to know everything especially since new content is being made every second of every minute of every hour. Now that everything is practically handed to us, it is our choice to decide what we'd want to be well-versed in. This is a problem for me because sometimes I feel like I want to watch all episodes of the The Office and Arrested Development or watch all of the classic Doctor Who which is about 695 episodes or know all the words to every Black Keys song and there's at least a hundred of those or watch all of my dad's dvd collection which I can calculate as 200+++. There's so much to be taken in when there's only one of me and 24 hours in a day. That's why sometimes I end up falling asleep at four in the morning while listening to some podcast that I probably wouldn't be conscious by the time it finishes.

Although the reality that I'll die having not known about some film that could've changed my life is a little bit haunting, I guess, the flip slide to all of this is that this just makes life more interesting and giving you something to look forward to. There'll always be something new to discover, new records to excite you, new films that will inspire you, and new books that will bring you to another universe. If I had finished my list of everything I want to see, read, hear, and everything else, then I'll probably end up being bored to death. But then again, I'm pretty sure my list will never stop growing.

Linda Holmes concluded the article well saying,

It's sad, but it's also ... great, really. Imagine if you'd seen everything good, or if you knew about everything good. Imagine if you really got to all the recordings and books and movies you're "supposed to see." Imagine you got through everybody's list, until everything you hadn't read didn't really need reading. That would imply that all the cultural value the world has managed to produce since a glob of primordial ooze first picked up a violin is so tiny and insignificant that a single human being can gobble all of it in one lifetime. That would make us failures, I think.  

If "well-read" means "not missing anything," then nobody has a chance. If "well-read" means "making a genuine effort to explore thoughtfully," then yes, we can all be well-read. But what we've seen is always going to be a very small cup dipped out of a very big ocean, and turning your back on the ocean to stare into the cup can't change that.

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Better In The Dark

On The Radar: Issue #2 is all about the synths, funk, and a little bit of pop. This week we talk about sexy socialites, explorers, and being afraid. 

Charli XCX is tired of getting requests to write another 'I Love It' because it's not going to happen. She said: "We’ll never write a song like that ever again. I just kind of want to get out of that for a bit and do my thing." But she doesn't regret giving away the song to Icona Pop in the first place because they are "totally owning it". 

Now, she's focused on her second album and already released its lead single, SuperLove, to which Yeasayer just did a remix of.

Stereogum recently did a Q&A with her and I'd like to share this bit about their shared feelings towards pop music.

STEREOGUM: I think sometimes people want to imprint too much meaning on pop music when a lot of it is about that kind of simple, release. 

CHARLI XCX: Exactly. And I think it can still be meaningful, but I don’t think it has to be overly clever and ridiculously meaningful. I think stuff can be dumb and easy and be really important.

They also talk about the ultimate karaoke songs and the biker gang that tried to run off with her while shooting her music video for SuperLove in Japan. (Read the full article here)

Tha Funk Lordz are back with Sexy Socialite. Chromeo are at it again and bringing the funk back for their third studio album, White Women, which has yet to be given a release date. This 6-minute single has Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem, Museum of Love) playing drums for Dave 1 and P-Thugg. It's been said that the new album also includes appearances from Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, Solange Knowles, and Toro Y Moi. But for now, you can look back and reminisce on the Reddit AMA they did a month ago. (Listen)

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BAND CRUSH. CAND BRUSH.

It's Monday again and what better way to start the week with new music. I've been crushing hard on Oberhofer so much. I love the whimsical tune to their music plus any band who uses a Suzuki Omnichord is worth listening to. Haim, on the other hand, is like a girl version of Hanson but better and less teeny boppy. Grizzly Bear and Tanlines are two amazing bands that you should also definitely start listening to. Enjoy!

Band Crush from leicamont on 8tracks Radio.

Tracklist:

I Could Go - Oberhofer
Away Frm U - Oberhofer
Haus - Oberhofer
Forever - Haim
Don't Save Me - Haim
Send Me Down - Haim
Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear
Knife - Grizzly Bear
All of Me - Tanlines
Brothers - Tanlines