Tag: Samantha Sanders

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Music

Simon On The Moon – Hooked

Somewhere between the creeping synths, accented drums and keys, and sultry vocals interjected with falsetto croons, Simon On The Moon‘s “Hooked” has me reveling even deeper into my current crush.

Impressively, this is Simon On The Moon‘s first song to be released, and was created wholly in his home in Sweden. I’m enamored by the richly layered instrumentals and vocals, and the way the song ebbs and flows, dipping in and out of varying genres. “Hooked” is a style in itself, and features a dash of nu-disco, a whiff of Sade-esque soul, and the catchiest guitar riffs you’ve heard all year. I’m really looking forward to more from Simon On The Moon; he’s set to have 2 EP releases this year.

And now I’m hooked…

When was the last time you had a crush? The type of crush that has you daydreaming, drifting in and out of engagement with the world around you. When she leaves your house, all you want is for her smell to linger; you’re eager to plan the next encounter. It’s new, it’s exciting. You’re grinning wide; she asks why, but there is simply no reason other than her presence. When you have a crush, you feel the wall around your heart, built by past disappointment and heartbreak, cracking slightly. You want to let that person ooze through, and you feed off those chemicals. As this song puts it, almost as if you’ve been drugged. This is a crush, with which the thought of something “serious” hasn’t tainted the innocence of what you’re currently enjoying. If only you could freeze these moments, before reality/timing/incompatibility enters the realm! Until then, revel with me.

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Music

Hayden James – Something About You

What about a hit?
What about a hit of your look”

Future Classic does it again! The label released their “Teen Idols” compilation back in December- the pearl of which was Hayden James’s “Something About You”. It has a certain smoothness to it which is also quite captivating. The groove is bouncy despite it’s repetitive nature, while also charming the audience. Based out of Australia, Hayden’s popularity has been blowing up these past couple of months- and he’s smack dab in the middle of his Australian tour. Last year you may have caught him opening during ODESZA’s tour. Let’s just say he’s doing things.. things I’d like to witness firsthand!

Can you imagine the vibe of his live shows? This track is happy; it’s something you can dance to. It’s a song your respective DJ should be playing before the night is over. It’s a unique blend of emotions that Hayden seems to have mastered like few others are able to do; it’s more than a catchy beat. I’m willing to bet you’ll be hearing more of Hayden James this year.

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Music

Slow Magic – Waited 4 U (ODESZA Remix)

ODESZA re-vamped Slow Magic’s original “Waited 4 U”, adding several layers of interesting sounds to the mix. The original is mellow, with the focus primarily on the minimality of the keyboard and pulsating sounds of the steady percussion. It’s very inconspicuous.. then comes along ODESZA, and the song itself yells, “Listen to me! I’m more than a chill background setting! I waited for YOU!”

I, for one, am enthralled by the transformation. There’s a lot more life in this track. Even though only 4 words are sung throughout, I really feel them in this version of the song; I can feel the pain in his voice. It also sticks to the inside of my eardrums. Earlier today I’d been listening to it, went to lunch, and found myself whistling the melody!

Slow Magic has produced two albums, the most recent of which I’ve given a proper listen. “Girls” was the first track to capture my attention. If you’re into Chrome Sparks or MMOTHS, it will be worth your while to pursue Slow Magic. Happy listening!

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Music

Whilk & Misky – Babe I’m Yours

The UK duo called Whilk & Misky are fairly new to the US music scene, and only recently released their first EP, “The First Sip” – in December. “Babe I’m Yours” is my personal favorite of the 4-track EP, and if you’re into Chet Faker-esque vocals paired with folksy guitar and percussion, you’ll probably get hooked too.

I woke up last Saturday with a slight hangover. Thanks tequila!! And as I woke up this song was somehow etched into my mind. Perhaps I had briefly jammed to it before bed, perhaps my brain was simply latching onto something calm stored up there from an earlier listen of the song. Either way, I hazily walked around the house singing the “babe I’m yours” line, over and over, barely able to reach the depth of Charlie’s voice. But it slightly eased the intensity of sore mind caused by the previous evening’s shenanigans. So of course I had the urge to listen to the entirety of the song, and am so glad I did! Mainly because before that morning, I’d only passively listened to the track whilst working and hadn’t truly appreciated the artistry of the duo. The only bit that had resinated with me up to that point was the one line stuck in my head. On that morning, my mind wanted something to help ease the hangover, and it just happened to be the sound of Charlie’s throaty voice and Nima’s folksy strumming. What’s your hangover remedy? Of course mine was accompanied by copious amounts of water.

Whilk & Misky will release their first full album later this year, so stay tuned to their unique sound!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176209366″]

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Music

The Preatures – Is This How You Feel?

 

Do you ever put on a song and immediately start jigging? That’s how it is when I press play on The Preatures’ “Is This How You Feel?”. The bass & guitar mesh well together in a Fleetwood Mac-esque sound. The male singer, Gideon, has a verse sandwiched between lead female vocalist Isabella’s, who takes the spotlight throughout the song. The pair balance really well together; she slides her way back into the verse seamlessly. I hardly noticed her takeover until writing this post!

The content of this song is simple.. we’ve all been there. Liking someone and being in the dark about how they feel toward you. Part of the mystery is fun, but the unknown brings on an uneasy feeling- a feeling of something that needs to burst open. Hey how about you sing this song to your crush and see how she/he reacts? Joking of course, but how about you take the plunge and just ASK!

Shake it right tonight”

The sound of the Australian band sounds rather like a pop tribute to the 70’s scenario of dance house-based compositions. Along with Fleetwood Mac, their sound is very reminiscent of HAIM, so if you’re into singing along to something upbeat, you’ll take a liking to this track. As a child who grew up with music-centric parents, I can definitely empathize with the sound of this track. Might you?

The band’s style varies tremendously song-by-song. You’ll notice this on their EP titled “Is This How You Feel”, released back in 2013. Also be sure to check out their latest album: “Blue Planet Eyes”.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/85988814″]

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Music

Made In Heights – Panther

Sit back, relax and plug in your headphones. Here’s something melancholy that will caress your eardrums in the best way. Made In Heights has released a few tracks as teasers to their newest album- due out early this year, and here’s one of the most favorable ones- “Panther”. There’s no set date for the album yet, but I’m keeping my eye out. The duo is comprised of producer Sabzi from Seattle, and vocalist Kelsey Bulkin, a San Diego native. Their unique sound has been propelling their infiltration into the LA music scene. This minimalistic song is way more stripped down than the complex production of one of their other popular singles, “Ghosts”. Both are catchy, but in vastly different ways. I appreciate a band who can spread itself out, but maintain a spark that reaches across multiple audiences.

This track is of the mellow variety, and I’m digging it. It starts with barely-there guitar and moves toward a focus on Kelsey’s soft, layered vocals. Sabzi has crafted an overwhelmingly beautiful instrumental here filled with chilling synths, emotive violins, and outstanding percussion. I’m a sucker for strings, so was immediately hooked on the violin solo.

Enjoy now or later, when you’re mood calls for something low-key yet mesmerizing.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177654811″]

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Covers Music

Ibeyi – Better In Tune With The Infinite (Jay Electronica Cover)

Not many words are necessary to describe this song, and if you watch below you’ll see for yourself. It’s simple and to the point. It somehow evokes multiple spouts of goosebumps with beautiful harmonies and minimal percussion. The twins of Ibeyi took out none of the soul of Jay Electronica’s original, but twisted it in a way that touches a different part of my inner being.

Go take a walk, listen to this song, look up at the sky, let the melody take your mind away from your physical being. Let your mind wander.. because when’s the last time you truly did?

Ibeyi’s album is set to be released in February, so keep your eyes peeled!

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Music

Vanic X Zella Day – Hypnotic

When’s the last time you listened to a song and were immediately hooked? Well this might be the next. There’s something captivating Zella Day’s voice and the echoey horn-infusions of Vanic’s production. As if to prove a point, the song comes to a energetic tease at :53 and just builds from there, until we hover until the explosion at 1:41.

There have been several occasions lately where I’ve listened to this song on repeat to keep up my momentum. One time was in the gym after not being there a while. It was right after Christmas and I was trying to burn off the hangover. Bad idea first of all, but this song helped me push through the pain. It helped me put a little bit more aggression into the punching bag. It urged me to do one more pull up. Isn’t that crazy? Artists I didn’t know existed until a couple weeks ago, living in a cities thousands of miles away from me, somehow transferred energy to me, and now I’m passing it onto you in hopes that it will have the same positive effect; in some way or another.

Next time you’re having trouble grasping that motivation from within, blast this and drown the rest of the world out. Power through! To me, it’s something special and I foresee it being on my iPods’s “Top 25 Most Played” fairly soon. Enjoy!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/174417235″]

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Music Remixes

Jessie Ware – Keep On Lying (TOKiMONSTA Remix)

I’d quite like to talk about dancing really quickly. Now, this isn’t a dance song, but I’m currently tapping my feet along to the good-ness that is TOKiMONSTA’s style. She (yes, SHE) first captured my attention with “Drive” (do your ears a favor and search our site for this post), so I was happy to hear her style translate over to a remix. She couldn’t have picked a better artist than Jessie Ware. OK.. I’m a little (lot) biased, having been a fan of Jessie’s for a few years. Simply put, this is a badass song.

Back to dancing… I never felt hindered from dancing until moving to Oklahoma. It’s not a bad state overall, but it’s the little things that get me. One thing being the lack of dance floors (excluding two-stepping bars of course). The fact that the majority of bar-hoppers would rather sit and talk allll night, than to get up and get a little jiggy, confuses me. It became apparent to me last weekend when I was in a college town; it was the “Big Game”- two Oklahoma colleges playing each other. So, a girlfriend and I were hopping around, having fun, all the while looking for a place to “end” the night. Somewhere to dance! This was how it was for me in college.. go out and find somewhere to let loose. It shouldn’t be as hard as it was last weekend! We ended up creating our OWN dance floor!! When I woke up the next morning and was revisiting the memories, the thought hit me- why were we the ONLY ones dancing?? I felt like an anomaly, with everyone looking at us strangely. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by Austin’s abundant nightlife, filled with bars accompanied by energetic people and dance floors, not just bar stools.

So it’s just kinda been on my mind lately. I’m not asking for a giant dance party.. just some SPACE to move around, and for the general atmosphere to be open to body movement. Let’s bring some free-thinking into these Southern towns! Who’s with me?

Make sure to give Jessie Ware’s new album a listen, and keep your ears pricked for more of TOKiMONSTA’s work.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177241606″]

Categories
Music Remixes

Rae Morris – Closer (Tom Misch Remix)

Tom Misch has been getting a lot of EMPT love lately. And it’s not surprising! His smooth tenor voice and the jazzy style of guitar are brought together wonderfully. He also has a lot to offer to other artists’ songs. Take Rae Morris’s “Closer”- Tom adds just a little- just enough- to change the entire mood, and bring the song’s “chill” level through the roof.

His John Mayer-esque guitar is addictive. It makes me want to pick up a guitar and replicate it, even though I know his skill is unattainable to me. But it makes me WISH I had that talent! Oftentimes we witness someone’s talent and think, ‘Wow, that’s impressive’. Other times we think, ‘WOW, I really wish I could do that!!!” And the latter is one of those times for me, as I listen to this tune.

Tom and Rae sound as if they are singing simultaneously, in the same physical arena; and I was surprised to see it was a remix and not the original. The harmony Tom injects is seamless and ultra smooth. I could listen to this song over and over and pay no notice to the repetition. It’s there, in the background, minding its own business- for your listening pleasure. If this song had a personality, it would be a monk-like figure sitting on a park bench watching the world pass by him.

So sit down, relax, and let the music chill you out. Also, keep your ears perked for Rae Morris’s new album, coming out in January of 2015. Tom Misch recently released an EP and I’ve given it several listens and recommend it! I wasn’t aware that Tom did so much purely instrumental songs, but his EP is minimalistic with its vocals.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/172244473″]