Tag: Playlist
PLAYLIST: I Wore The Ocean In The Shape Of A Girl
Named after Kelle Groom’s memoir, this playlist contains some of my favorite oceanside-apt songs for your listening pleasure. Enjoy.
Frisson: A Playlist
Photo: Peter Kaaden
Candy Breath: A Playlist
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I just watched Chasing Amy (Dir. Kevin Smith, 1997) last night and all I can say is that I honestly believe that it depicts heterogenous relationships in a fairly accurate manner and that’s saying something, since this was first released almost two decades ago.
Also, I have a fairly pleasant Spotify playlist this week. Thought I’d share.
Image above: Peter Kaaden
Fevered: A Playlist
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I’m rewatching Take This Waltz (Dir. Sarah Polley, 2011) and in between donuts, I’m saving this week’s playlist that Spotify expertly curated for me – based on some really excellent algorithm that I have no idea where it took. But I’m not complaining. I actually wanted NOT to write anything and just leave the images and the playlist do the talking, but just so you’re wondering – I just find it easier to supplement stuff with images nowadays. Partly because I get lazy, and… well, that’s about the sum of it.
Image: Peter Kaaden
PLAYLIST: The Signs That Mock Me As I Go
Bahnhofstrasse
By James Joyce
The eyes that mock me sign the way
Whereto I pass at eve of day.
Grey way whose violet signals are
The trysting and the twining star.
Ah star of evil! star of pain!
Highhearted youth comes not again
Nor old heart’s wisdom yet to know
The signs that mock me as I go.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Feelings
So I woke up around noon today since it’s a) Saturday and more importantly, b) it’s COLD. Christmas season is indeed here and I know it so because I’m lathering myself with moisturizing lotion several times a day when normally, I forget to even apply it once a day. Also, I was wearing a bulky sweater last night at SaGuijo and I was shivering (or was it because, as promised, the AC’s now considerably better??) around midnight I had to ask people if it was indeed cold or I was just hallucinating. Anyway, I just wanted to draft this quick all-local playlist that you guys can listen to for times like these (which will carry on for the next three months or so, hopefully).
Hit The Road: Songs For The Daily Commute
A large chunk of my day is spent on the road. My daily commute when I was in college—and later on, to and from work—was no less than two hours. The traffic is usually bad, often monstrous and hopeless during rush hour. It’s not the same case, though, when it comes to road trips; say, going up north or down south, taking the expressway away from cursed EDSA.
Whichever the case, I make sure I have my iPod with me. Hours of our lives should not go to a complete waste; I find that music can be a diversion, or much better, a great stress reliever. Some songs just fit the bill. Whether or not they were purposely made for driving, there’s fun that can be found listening to them while stuck in traffic. A long drive with accompanying music often makes the journey worth your while.
“Peach” is my favorite track from Identikit‘s Out of the Floodways and Into Your Homes. It conjures up sensations like the breeze kissing your cheeks or the sun warming up the world, begging you to embark on a new adventure.
There is something romantic about the idea of driving miles, through toll gates and traffic, just so you can show up at your beloved’s doorstep. Despite the impracticality, many of us women still find this gesture chivalrous. Why not cross the distance in a better mood by firing this up on your car stereo while on your way there?
This track brims with sweet summer feelings—even nostalgia. If you are planning to hit the beach this summer (of course you are), you might as well get perked up by putting on “Tongue Tied” and singing along.
You’re coming back from your weekend rendezvous, and it didn’t turn out as well as you thought. Play this in the background, and you might feel less sulky and just a little more likely to shimmy to this song’s infectious riffs instead.
A harana fit for the expressway, this song is. Listen to it, because why not?
I associate road trips with life. There’s a certain philosophy that I believe can be found in the trivial act of driving; not to mention the practice of weaving patience out of nowhere (for traffic situations of biblical proportions) Maybe I’m just trying to be poetic; maybe this Valetparking song just reminds me that wherever we go and no matter how long it takes us to get there, the prospect of seeing the people we love is always worth it.
Carlo Lava’s pop rock flavored music can rouse your system just as good as coffee can. After all, who wouldn’t want to pair his or her morning cup of coffee with a good morning track, instead of the hoots and blares of bus horns?
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RAVE: Best Music Finds
Still from 2NE1’s “Come Back Home” music video
It’s been a really good kind of crazy since February started. January started slow for me, pretty uneventful but good. Last month, however, was a blast (understatement). I celebrated my 24th birthday in Clark, attended the first 7107 International Music Festival – thanks to Luis (of Maude – a local band you should definitely check out). I had a very awesome birthday surprise and a lot of amazing things that deserve an entirely different post. Although the huge downside was that my uncle suffered from TIA, or commonly known as a mild stroke caused by his hypertension. He’s been discharged a few days ago and I’m pretty busy practicing my BSN degree (always handy) and be his nurse. Like I said, first two months of this year? Crazy.
Anyway, I’ve listened to a whole lot of music since then and discovered new acts/bands from 7107, as well as the Internet (of course). Here are some of my favorites:
tricot – “おちゃんせんすぅす”
A Japanese math rock band. These girls rock (pun intended and lazy writing). They have an album called “T H E”. Favorites: 初耳, art sick, and タラッタラッタ.
Up Dharma Down – “New World”
Like dancing on clouds.
ScHoolboy Q – “Break The Bank”
Applause for Top Dawg Entertainment for being the Internet-age Death Row Records. I’m too excited for Black Hippy’s release (simultaneously stoked for labelmate Kendrick Lamar’s album this year). Definitely a single material from Oxymoron. Mad respect.
Evian Christ – “Waterfall”
Assaulting, but strangely engaging. His most jagged and thumping work to date. I was not surprised when Kanye West signed him to G.O.O.D Music for production work, but hopefully as an artist as well. This guy’s got a great range of sound.
Posse – “Shut Up”
Not what I expected from a track that beckons you to shut your trap. The surprise is good.
Lykke Li – “Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone”
If the title doesn’t give you a hint, then you are made of…
Big K.R.I.T f/ Rick Ross – “New Agenda”
Man, I haven’t heard from Big K.R.I.T since Live From The Underground. With a new album on the way, this track with the Teflon Don looks like it’s worth the wait.
Movement – “Like Lust”
I’ve noticed a pattern in Movement’s releases. But I’m not complaining. This is body music.
Tycho – “Dye”
Discovered them yesterday and again I wonder, “Where have you been all my life?”
Real Estate – “Crime”
All I can say is, I’ve fallen asleep listening to this track (and the rest of the album) for two nights in a row. It’s definitely not out of boredom, but how this amazing album conveys a deep sense of something that is inexplicable, only thing I know is that it’s stunningly beautiful.
2NE1 – “Come Back Home”
I can’t even verbalize well enough how ecstatic I was when I downloaded 2NE1’s new album, Crush. These girls are unstoppable. This is one of the standout tracks and it’s not hard to see why. The infusion of pop and reggae, plus that bass drop – too much to handle.
Arctic Monkeys – “Arabella”
My death certificate reads, “Cause of death: Alex Turner.”
Kid Ink – “Tattoo Of My Name”
One of my favorite discoveries from 7107. This guy can definitely put on a show. His hooks are memorable and the guy’s got great flow.
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Albums to download:
- ScHoolboy Q – Oxymoron
- Cibo Matto – Hotel Valentine
- Pharrell Williams – G I R L
- St. Vincent – St. Vincent
- Tycho – Awake
- 2NE1 – Crush
- Real Estate – Atlas
- Kid Ink – My Own Lane
2013’s Best Finds: A Personal and Exclusive Amplify.ph Playlist
When Amplify.ph first asked me if I wanted to write for them, I knew I had to do it. As much as I loved writing, especially about music, it was a personal mission. Feeling indebted to music, I have always wanted to do this as my way of giving back. Coming up with my monthly playlists is the best way to showcase the hundreds of songs I currently love and eventually come to love as I go along my way. I spent hours scouring Amplify.ph’s music library for tracks, unearthing classics I did not know existed and putting new and old material alike under the spotlight. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time.
Here are ten of my favorite 2013 finds from Amplify.ph’s archive.
It’s such a shame that I knew little of The Out of Body Special before their despedida in 2013. While “Sexy Beast” is a staple recommendation, the entirety of their debut Is Love is just brimming with salacious beats and timeless rhythms that no one, in my opinion, should miss out on.
A Problem Like Maria’s BONSAI is among my top local releases of 2013. The thing I love most about this album is that while it possesses both personable and sophisticated qualities, this paradoxical blend is ultimately its own charm.
I heard so many tired and formulaic songs during the past year. There are more “recording artists” who—for some reason that’s beyond my comprehension—are still releasing albums weighed down by heinous levels of substandard covers. That might sound mean, and it is; but it’s also the truth.Anj Florendo‘s a welcome change. While sticking to traditional ways of creating and writing music, her voice (coupled with endearing arrangement and thoughtful production) is one that excites me upon listening to it.
Ephesus‘ 2010 album, To Speak of City Lights and Skyscrapers, is a combination of juvenile desire and mature rumination. There are breathtaking moments throughout, caught up in either big riffs or airy pauses in between. Its closing track, “Manila Skylines,” is one that describes the arresting beauty of Manila skies—and all its hidden meanings—in abundance.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as “so-so” in jazz. It’s either good or bad, no in between. There’s no “sort of” or “passable” jazz. It’s the same with many types of music, I suppose; but sometimes it gets blurry along the way. Not in jazz. It’s an acquired taste, which makes it all the more scintillating and unique on its own. Makopa is exactly that.
I am finicky when it comes to local hip-hop, mainly because I was not exposed to the scene early on. I welcomed the fact that my preferences were challenged by artists like Dash Calzado last year. His flow is very natural, with no phony gimmickry whatsoever, which works well for me.
Threads’ profile states that a sole person responsible for the music that I have yet to find the proper words to describe. Wordless, yet with an inexhaustible amount of feelings, Paolo Owyong masters the art of musical rapture found in the unlikeliest of places and circumstances. I am personally hoping to hear more from him, and anticipating a potential follow-up to 2013’s As Everything Is Built From Nothing.
The first time I heard this song when I was when I was working on my Songs of the Nation playlist last August. It easily became one of my favorite songs from the late Francis Magalona. If I had to single out a track that sums up all the gratitude I feel towards life and everyone who makes it bearable, this would be it.
Nights of Rizal’s late night beats add more energy to whatever atmosphere, turning the mood less aloof and more ebullient, if not relaxed. The bulk of its magnetism lies in its youthful quality.
Speaking of youthful quality, it seems to be the fuel and defining character of the unending perkiness of Moonwlk. Their songs leave giddiness in the air—almost with a perceptible trail of fairy dust. With Moonwlk there simply is no room for a letdown, in every sense of the word.
Special mention: Timbre Headphones’ two mixtapes are my favorite perk-me-up compilations from the Amplify.ph music library.
(Editor’s Note: Moonwlk’s photo is sourced from their official Facebook page.)
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DECIBAWL 
