Another Tale From Another English Town

Yesterday was a real mixture of emotions.  A wedding, a funeral and some interesting conversations in between.  I've been neglecting a few things recently and I really need to, well, not.

If, like me you've traveled around the moors and fields of Britain a fair bit, you'll relate to the scene I'm about to set. Its a shame sometimes that we don't appreciate whats on our doorstep and look further afield for some sort of hedonism or escapism. I'm not just talking about the natural scenery and stuff, I'm on about stuff a bit deeper. I guess it's a case of what and how we appreciate things.  Anyway, I'm fairly sure I was supposed to be setting a scene.  I think I already have.  Well, not a scene, more of a tone. A tone of being able to appreciate what's at hand and not dreaming wistfully of a neverland or another life. Just being happy with what you have. Whether thats a beautiful scene, a nomadic approach to life, a content in the mundaneness of life or just being able to wonder at life and it's creation. I haven't posted some indie style indie stuff recently, have a listen to this beauty from Newcastle band Lanterns On The Lake - it's a real keeper, a real brilliant piece of bittersweet, and you will be babbling the same sort of stuff that I just did. Incoherent. But it makes sense. We don't want a fight, we want a quiet life.

Screenplay

I have been a bit distant I know, a little preoccupied but in a good place. Some good news, I cut my hair for the first time in 2013 after being hounded by so many people to do so. Some bad news, my old car packed in, so I bought a new one. The best news, whilst I've been away, some pretty hectic new music has been floating about, which I can hopefully start to share with you again regularly for the next week or so.

Right, now imagine you're a movie or TV exec and your job is pretty awesome in that you have to find the right music to fit certain parts of the film. Now, I reckon I would earn shit-loads doing this. Picture this: some sort of anti hero is finding out that somewhere along the line he has been misused, mistreated, manipulated. He visions flashbacks, when stuff suddenly seems to just add up, and on doing so, he feels a calling to get up and right some of those wrongs. But what or who does he turn to?..... I dunno, but this piece of music from the ever-so-awesome Bruised Skies would play to this screenplay beautifully.

Right, now not wanting to overkill on the screenplay thing, I'm gonna do the same for the second track for tonight. Cos it was fun doing the last one. This track is the first on FTSE's EP. Yes he has dropped an EP, so go scramble because it is pure brilliance and one that I was waiting for for ages. Here goes..

The camera pans to a guy lying on his bed with the sun peeking through in mid morning glory. He lies bare-chested and emotionless looking straight at the ceiling; he starts mouthing the lyrics. He turns to his left and sees an apparition of the beauty from the night before and suddenly at 55 seconds we are transported to a similar scene but in last night's said beauty's room. A few seconds of panning and she too mouths words emotionlessly. Again staring at the ceiling. And then she pulls out her battered Nokia 8210 and texts our macho bare chested dude to meet her for a coffee. At 2.15 we follow the pair individually to the coffee shop. Almost euphoric that they will embrace in some sort of romantic embrace.  But we're let down. At 2.33 the pair arrive at the coffee joint. They look through each other plainly, emotionlessly. And as the lyrics start to be heard again, they mouth at each other. No blinking. No smiling. No expression. Waiting.

Mi Amor

Things have taken a positive turn in the past 48 hours or so. Stuttering a bit. But getting there in the end. This weekend promises much and hopefully on the back of it, things will be much brighter.

If the sun comes out this weekend, you need to listen to this beautiful song Mi Amor by T.H.I.E.F.S. Ok I gotta admit, not a huge fan of the artist name, way too many full stops for my liking.  But if they are to act as some sort of hyperbole to the stuttering nature of the beat on this, then I would have to admit, I would be a smidgen impressed. Either way, this is definitely a weekend tune. A bit more housey than what I've had up recently, with some lazy vocals and heavily produced, almost masterful at  2.50 when everything just flows. It just works. And its glorious. Mi Amor.

Stay Forever

Take a fork. Smash it to your head. That's what this module in Political systems is doing to me. Liberalism, capitalism, marxism, neo classicism, post modernism - no idea where I fit within that spectrum. What's been making it the whole process a little easier has been this little gem from Catching Flies.

Following on from the 22 year old Londoner's highly impressive EP The Stars from late last year, a highly anticipated follow up EP is expected to drop within a week. Stay Forever kinda follows on from  the magical saxy jazzy sound of yesterday's post when at 2.55 a new sound is introduced. But Stay Forever is more than just that. Like an expression of space, sound, vocals and repetition, this song just lets you ease into a world of wonder...

Yeah. No complaints.

It's been a shit one. One to forget. One that needs to end. Quick-time. Complaints, moany shit, rejections. Lacklustre.

Being particular about who and what I post about, today's choice was easy. Someone familiar. Something familiar. Alt J and Ellie Goulding at the same time. Yeah. No complaints about that then. No moaning about this. No chance of rejection.

Anyway ranting aside, this is like a dubbier, jazzier, more sombre but more surprising version of Tessellate. And if you've had anything like the day I've had, you'll turn this up loud and probably sleep happy.

Let It Go

Sun. Sand. Laughter. Friends. Love. High. And then energy. Enthusiasm. Fresh. Start.

Lots going on at the moment, most importantly, being able to hand over something very precious to the custody of others for a while, and being ok about it. Thankful that this is all possible. I got this track literally minutes after posting on Friday night. But this is just luscious and perfect for a Monday evening.

Fema Knights aka Fe is definitely one to look out for.  A tempest of emotion. Think Mazzy Star. Think hazy summer evening. Think of letting go...

Polyethers

I'm going to the beach tomorrow. Hopefully this weekend will be a bit of a transition period for me, coming out of a little period of stress to hopefully some exciting pastures. In spirit of that and because I have been posting some weird stuff recently, I thought lets change it up completely.

Py is a brilliant London based singer with a huge future ahead of her. The effortless move from a zany opening two minutes which gets you into a frenzy, Py lends her deep range to a middle 15 seconds or so which sets the tempo for the rest of the song. Soft hearts and hazy fields with fresh coloured flowers. Yup, I'll take that! Click the pic below to be diverted to her soundtrack. (Gotta admit I prefer the Jimmy Edgar remix, but that may be a bit too dance for you lot)