Tag: Lykke Li

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Music

EMPT Presents: Le Miel du Mois Summer 2014

Relax your mind, and folks unwind and be kind to a rhythm that you hardly find
And off we go, let the trumpets blow
Well hold on, because the driver of the mission is a pro, 
The Ruler’s back…” – Slick Rick (The Ruler’s Back)

That’s right folks—the underground’s most eclectic, most uninhibited, most poetic, futuristic, most imitated, but never duplicated mixtape is back in action, and as expected from all tapes worthy of the name LMDM—in grand fashion. We don’t release for the sake of releasing here, our intention is always to be the best, offer the best and be real at every minute in the process. So if you’re wondering why the hold-up, it’s because life has been happening and we weren’t just going to put something out we didn’t feel. As long time readers know: we don’t fake it here…

I live by the funk, I die by the funk…” – Notorious B.I.G. (Machine Gun Funk)

The last time I saw Steph she was at her wedding. We know each other and connected years ago because of music, and here I am at her wedding—damn. How does this mixtape start Steph – “So you come a long way, huh!?”

It was so inspiring to be around so much love and family. It was an honor to see her take that step, to be there amongst her most-cherished because she is certainly one of mine. On behalf of the EMPT army, congratulations!

I represent the Space Age where all institution is up for revamp, examination, and ready to be destroyed or challenged, but one thing that stays true is the importance of family. Sure, there are corny people that abuse love and family itself, but when a group of people understand the bond and importance of blood and use that as support, there is literally nothing stopping them. Believe me when I say this, the people who run the world are the tightest families you’ll never know of. The institution is being destroyed on purpose because a world without people who would die for one other is easily malleable, but we can’t let that get diluted or forget it’s value. So why was LMDM on hold? Because Steph was building a family, you basic bitches!

But we still love you all & here we are, back with LMDM Summer and like I said earlier: it’s heavenly.

As usual there’s 360 degrees of styles uniquely bound by Steph’s masterful mind. Everybody knows that no two LMDM‘s are the same, and this one is no exception, so don’t take the title for granted.

This is truly a summer-tape perfect for all your hot weather activities. I think Steph spent her honeymoon in Thailand and Cambodia or something amazing like that. Or as Steph put it…

Pure, calm and escaping love ❤️”

I can easily picture myself with my close ones bumping LMDM Summer while chilling in an infinity pool somewhere in the middle of a forest or some futuristic shit like that. As usual, I highly recommend pressing play and letting the tape rock till it stops. The adventure is beautiful, it’s custom-made for the Space Age kids, for you. Enjoy.

Relax your mind, let your conscience be free.
And get down to the sound of EPMD EMPT. – EPMD (You Gots to Chill)

Tracklisting:

  1. Jungle – Busy Earnin
  2. Coucheron – Deep End
  3. Phoria – Once Again (Layzie Edits)
  4. Haring – Us
  5. Racing Glaciers- First Light (Backstroke Remix)
  6. The Aston Shuffle – Tear it Down (GAMPER & DADONI Remix)
  7. Wild Ones – Row (Francisco Y Madero Remix)
  8. Panama – How We Feel
  9. Lykke Li – No Rest For The Wicked (Joris Voorn Remix)
  10. Peaking Lights – Beautiful Son (John Talabot’s Acetate Dub)
  11. Wild Nothing – Shadow
  12. Twin Sister – Daniel
  13. Goldfish – Moonwalk Away
  14. Sons Et Al – Day by Day
  15. Bronze Whale – Weird Dark Things (Ft. Khai)
  16. Bright Moments – Tourists
  17. SOHN – Bloodflows
  18. The Shoe – Dead Rabbit Hopes

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Categories
Music

Le Miel du Mois by Steph Lund: Janvier 2013

Music has taken me many places man but my most recent adventure might be the one to top them all. I spent last week on a 26,000 acre private Villa off Mexico’s virgin coast. I was there curating the music for someones 50th birthday, this person shall remain nameless but all I can say is that my life will never be the same.

A good friend asked me what I got from the trip and aside from the most luxurious partying I’ve ever done, hanging with some of the most beautiful and elegant women I’ve ever encountered, having worldly conversations with the most powerful men around and all the other romance such beauty and power affords, it was the first time I really understood that it’s the rebels who get the best life has to offer…

 How does somebody know what they want if they’ve never even seen it?”

We’re literally bombarded with media these days, which in the context of that question means that what we want is limited to what is put in front of us. For example, these BS Netflix and Pandora algorithms that “know what you like.” At first thought that might seem cool but always getting what you already know and are comfortable with is criminal. Where’s the adventure? There’s no limit to our anything, not our love, our ability to learn or appreciate, to grow or to expand and yet the whole point of these services is to define and box you up. I don’t buy it.

It’s important to ask yourself if the path you’re on is something you created, is it an expression of yourself or is it just something others have created for you? You’ll never find what you seek if let others guide your vision. There is a wonderful experience out there most of us will never get because we got so caught up in the ever expansive rat race but we live in a time when being limitless is easier than ever… The people who excel astronomically in this world are the ones who live beyond it. Welcome to the Space Age, please REBEL ASAP.

That brings me to the subject of today post, the first LMDM of 2013, aka the soundtrack to my story. Le Miel du Mois has been going since 2009 and you think by now we’d know what to expect right? Wrong! This isn’t Pandora baby, this is pure life in the form of music and like someone who is truly living, it’s constantly evolving, changing, learning, adapting, growing, speeding up, slowing down, in love, out of love, partying, chilling out and on and on. I’ve never been able to define LMDM, I could never tell someone it’s one genre of music or what not and it’s one of the reason I and so many others are forever in love with this tape. Where’s the adventure? With LMDM it’s everywhere and it makes me proud to bring you another year of it, enjoy.

januaryyy. sigh. the cold air. hugging your coat a little closer to your body. brisk walks. short cigarettes. cold hands. warm bodies. late night sips. stealing kisses…stay warm & stay up late…

“When I see you standing there. The evening sun upon your hair. Covered up with garden dirt. With just one glance you tear my skirt.” – Nicolas Jaar”

Le Miel du Mois at work? That’s much better than work at work! Download

Tracklisting:

  1. Misun – Harlote
  2. Crystal Castles – Baptism
  3. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
  4. Flight Facilities – Clair De Lune (Them Jeans Edit)
  5. Paradis – Hemisphere
  6. New Animal – Falling Up
  7. Ultraista – Gold Dayzz (Maribou State Remix)
  8. Diiv – Follow
  9. The Dø – Bohemian Dances (YUS Remix)
  10. Porcelain Raft – Shapeless and Gone
  11. Kleerup with Lykke Li – Until We Bleed
  12. Young Magic – Sparkly

Categories
Music Remixes

Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (David Sitek Remix)

I crossed off something on my liststhis week that I’ve been meaning to cross of for a while. I crossed off “completion.” As Saturday ticked its way into Sunday, I finished my last piece of work for the year and for once I felt the proper sense of completion. I am the type of high-strung perfectionist that believes that a piece of work can never be truly finished and often when I say something is done, it’s really not ever done in my eyes. Perhaps its been this recent bout of not letting the minute things get me down and actually employing the “let go” phrase tattooed onto my collar bone, but when I hit send this past Saturday night I literally felt a weight lift off my body. There was an incredible rush of lightness and I knew then that I had completed something; that I was done and the door shut smoothly. The future now seems so open, so ready. “Welcome,” it’s saying to me, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

There could not be a more appropriate time to play this track. TV on The Radio’s David Sitek has reworked Lykke Li’s ethereal single off last years Wounded Rhymes into a track that sonically embodies the feeling of moving forward. A deep bass strum brings us in as the track’s original spacey sounds and sleigh bells echo in the background until the drum line picks us up, closes its door, and takes off down a sonic road. At times it feels like we’re chasing Lykke Li and other times it feels like she’s following us. Her wunderkind vocals play well with Sitek’s rock-saxophone and horn melodies. Wait til you get about 1:14 in and you’ll know what I mean. Sitek seems to be celebrating Li’s pursuit, the music is poppy enough to get us moving and soulful enough for us to feel Li’s infatuation. It makes stalking a little appealing.

To feel completion is to come to an end. Yet we all know that an ending signals a new beginning; an opportunity to find a new thing to follow. I’m writing this from the JetBlue terminal at JFK waiting to board my flight back home for the holidays and feel nothing but excitement. The world may or may not end this Friday, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit back and wait. We have to follow our pursuits until completion. Even then we won’t be done because something new will come along and we’ll follow something else. It’s a fabulously sublime cycle that we’re on and really the only proper thing to do is dance through it. Let this track be your guide.

Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (David Sitek Remix)

Categories
Music

Lykke Li – Come Near

Here’s Lykke Li’s latest song and video filmed in what looks to be a desert. Equipped with mirrors, the sexy musician herself, echo-y vocals and epic drums, both the visuals and sounds won’t disappoint. The music has taken on more of a Fever Ray feel in this song which leaves me wanting more, hoping that she continues in that direction with the rest of the upcoming album.

 

Categories
Music

Lykke Li – Hanging High

I read an article not too long ago about Lykke Li, and she was talking about how her music comes from a sad dark place and how she thought it too be possible that she was born this into sadness.  She didn’t seem to be upset about it because she explained how it helped with her writing.

And when it hurts the most
I’ll push a little more
I’m back where I started at
You know I’m a little lost
Like lightning in my heart”

I find it refreshing to listen to a female artist who can really embrace who she is and what she is writing about.  It makes you want to listen to her more, and you can almost feel what she is feeling from her vocals, I guess you could say that honesty is what makes the best music and we don’t have a whole lot of honesty these days.

When I was listening to this track it really made me ask myself about how honest I was being with my own self.  I think this track is great to sit back and mellow out to as well…Enjoy!

Lykke Li – Hanging High

-Mollz

 

Categories
Music

Le Miel du Mois by Steph Lund: Mai 2011

Where am I? I’ve been rockin’ for a good 27 hours now,  was in the studio with the Oos & Ahhs all day yesterday, pulled an all nighter to finish curating the music for a restaurant and then realized this morning I have to hook you up with this months mixtape – Go, go, go…

Life in the fast lane
Surely make you lose your mind
Life in the fast lane, everything all the time…” – The Eagles

This months installment of LMDM is arriving 17 days late but in my opinion perfectly on time. I’ve been meaning to post about 9 of the 14 songs on the list which goes to show you how similar Steph and I are when it comes to music. There is much to be said about this line up, but I want to avoid too much talking because and let Mai 2011 shine. I’m pumped to finally have the new LMDM and I know a lot of you have been waiting so here it is, enjoy.

I decided to open this mix with Naked and Famous’ :48 intro called The Source which then goes into The Sun, my favorite track off the new album, besides Young Blood, and ended this month’s mix with one of my favorite Paris DJ’s Walter Sobcek, and his new remix of Parisian artist, Keren Ann, called My Name Is Trouble- the opener and closer of this month’s mix sets somewhat of a tone, which depending on the individual could feel completely different from one person to the next.

Le Miel du Mois at work? That’s much better than work at work! Download

Tracklisting:

  1. Naked and Famous – The Source
  2. Naked and Famous – The Sun
  3. Youth Lagoon – Cannons
  4. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
  5. Blackbird Blackbird – Hawaii (Niva Remix)
  6. Wave Machines – Keep the Lights On
  7. Washed Out – Eyes Be Closed (SposhRock Remix)
  8. Loud Valley- Daytona Beach
  9. We Are Trees – Colorado
  10. Siriusmo – Idiologie
  11. Purity Ring – Lofticries
  12. Holy Ghost! – Wait & See (CFCF Remix)
  13. PEPEPIANO – Flesh Rails
  14. Walter Sobcek- My Name Is Trouble


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Le Miel du Mois by Steph Lund: Mars 2011

There’s never been a ni$%@ this good for this long
This hood, or this pop, this  hot or this strong
With so many different flows, this ones for this song
The next one I’ll switch up – This one will get bit up
These fucks to lazy to make up shit
They crazy, they don’t paint pictures
They just trace me.” – Jay-Z

That verse is exactly how I would describe Steph’s LMDM series, especially after the bomb she delivers this month. March crept up on us thanks to the February’s short month trickery and on the 28th I got an email from Steph reading exactly as follows –

its march tomorrow…..!!!!?!??!?!

LMDM is usually a month long project and I have to admit I was a little worried when I heard it this time around it was going to happen in about 24 hours but like a true champ Steph stepped up and absolutely crushed it. By now you’ve probably figured out that you can’t figure this girl out, I mean Skeeter Davis into Star Slinger?! How does it work, how is each tape so different month after month and I tip my hat to yet another fantastic installment of LMDM…

What more can i say?
What more can i do?
I give this all to you…” – Hovito (What More Can I Say)

A 1964 song opens this one. Another track I wanted to single out is Star Slinger’s remix of The Go! Team’s Apollo Throwdown and also the Diamond Messages track, which I fell in love with on the spot when EMPT posted it a few weeks ago. I found 3D Friends when we interviewed the SKINS 19 year old music supervisor from London, you can check out that interview here, and the closer to the mix, White Wishes is another one to check out (all of their material is available to download for free on their bandcamp page)- everything I listen to by them I love. Have fun in the March moments.

Le Miel du Mois at work? That’s much better than work at work! Download

Tracklisting:

  1. Skeeter Davis – Gonna Get Along Without You Now (Theresa Brewer Cover)
  2. The Go! Team – Apollo Throwdown (Star Slinger Remix)
  3. Diamond Messages – Liquid Summer
  4. 3D Friends – Lina Magic
  5. The Drums – Me and The Moon (Clock Opera Remix)
  6. Smith Westerns – All Die Young
  7. Foster The People – Houdini
  8. Pretty Lights – Forever Lost
  9. Yelle – Que Veux-Tu (Madeon remix)
  10. Phantogram – Let Me Go
  11. Royksopp- Keyboard Milk
  12. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
  13. Ravens & Chimes – Division Street
  14. White Wishes – Happy and Afraid

 

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Music

Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (Dave Sitek Remix)

First of all, thanks to everyone who downloaded and played the Casey Mendoza mixtape released yesterday. It broke all our records for most downloaded and most played tracks in one day, fresh. Thanks to Brobible.com for releasing it with us, we’ve got more on the way, let’s get it…

Alright, some of you may have wondered why I didn’t post the new Lykke Li stuff and today’s post is why – the remix…

After the show it’s the afterparty, then
After the party it’s the hotel lobby, then
After the Belve then it’s probably Cris
And after the original it’s probably this.. – Jay-Z

One of the best things about Lyyke Li’s debut album Youth Novels was the barrage of amazing remixes that came after it. Her style of singing and production is usually very ambient and mellow in nature which is exactly what they are going for. However, stip down those vocal tracks and you have this angelic voice that becomes the perfect ingredient for some drum heavy instrumentals. Seasoned producer Dave Sitek is well aware of that and use Lykke Li’s voice to perfection on this remix. Dave Sitek is a member of TV on the Radio and has been quite influential in the indie music scene so I would def check him out if you’re not familiar. Alright, its snowing up a storm in the city and I need to get some work done so press play and kick back, enjoy.

Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (Dave Sitek Remix)

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Music

EMPT: Greatest Hits 2009, forthebeat Edition

As if Le Miel du Mois wasn’t already on fire, Steph and Kristin of Forthebeat took the popular mixtape’s best of the best to provide you with 9 of ’09, 9 remixes and 9 originals from our first official year in business.
Just when you think this tape is gonna slow down and its safe for you to take  coffee break, you get smacked with a banger, then another and another… What’s the moral of the story? Sit your ass down and listen fool!! With the year closing in I couldn’t think of a better compilation to represent the taste and song selection we hold so dearly at EMPT, enjoy.

Styles P EMPT, the only rapper blog you know wit’ a bounce and a half…“

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Tracklisting:

    1. White Rabbits – Percussion Gun
    2. Delorean – Deli
    3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
    4. Passion Pit – Sleepyhead
    5. Sleigh Bells – Ring Ring
    6. Whitest Boy Alive – Golden Cage (Fred Falke Remix)
    7. The xx – Crystalized
    8. The Virgins – Rich Girls (The Twelves Remix)
    9. Miike Snow – Sylvia
    10. Telepathe – Chrome’s On It (Gold Panda Remix)
    11. Florence and the Machine – Cosmic Love
    12. Sebastien Tellier – Roche (Breakbot Remix)
    13. La Roux – I’m Not Your Toy (Jack Beats Remix)
    14. Air France – Collapsing At Your Doorstep
    15. Lykke Li – Dance, Dance, Dance
    16. Florence and the Machine – You’ve Got the Love (The xx Remix)
    17. Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
    18. The xx – Shelter (Them Jeans Drum Edit)

Categories
Music

Kleerup – Until We Bleed (Feat. Lykke Li)

I tell you man these Swedes are unstoppable with this music thing, I can’t tell you how many times a good song leads me back to the good ol’ Landet lagom. In fact, I just found out Sweden is the third largest music exporter in the world, surpassed only by the U.S. & UK, thank you ABBA. Anyways, I heard the new Lykke Li song for  the New Moon soundtrack and it put me back in that zone. This song is from Kleerup’s self-titled album which features some excellent production and features. This was one of the first tracks I posted on EMPT so here’s a classic throwback for your Saturday morning, enjoy.

Kleerup – Until We Bleed (Feat. Lykke Li)

Kanye West  – Get ‘Em High (Ratatat Remix)