#Anna Calls From the Arctic

[tornbluefoamcouch]

Artista: Dry Cleaning Álbum: Stumpwork Ano: 2022 Faixas/Tempo: 11/45min Estilo: Indie/Post-Punk Revival Data de Execução: 06/06/2023 Nota: 6,6 Melhor Música: Anna Calls From The Arctic

[ridiasfangirlings]

SaruMi go to the zoo and keep trying to insult each other by comparing them to animals.

Fushimi pointing out that everything with the name ‘pygmy’ or ‘little’ in its name must be related to Misaki while Yata’s like at least I don’t look like a penguin XD Imagine this was initially intended to be a romantic date too, like Yata figures this is one of those places people go on dates and if they go on a weekday it won’t be too crowded so Fushimi won’t complain. Of course Fushimi complains anyway (it isn’t Fushimi if he’s not complaining) because it’s outside and smells like animals and anyway only little kids go to the zoo. Yata’s like come on it’s fun, remember when we went in middle school, when Yata’s mom was taking his siblings and Yata and Fushimi came along to chaperone. Fushimi claims he didn’t care for it then too but really it’s probably a precious memory of his because he’d never been to the zoo before that and rather than watching the kids they probably spent the whole time running around together with Yata staring at all the animals and being super excited. Fushimi gets a small smile thinking about it and Yata just grins, knowing that even with all the complaining Yata’s definitely won this round.

They wander around the zoo looking at animals and of course when they get to the monkey house Yata can’t help but tease that hey, isn’t that gloomy one there you. Fushimi clicks his tongue and says the monkeys are definitely more Yata’s type, being uselessly loud. He spots one cage and is like here’s your soulmate Misaki, a pygmy marmoset. Yata probably doesn’t know what ‘pygmy’ even means (much less marmoset, imagine him being like did you just call me a bug), Fushimi’s grinning as he reads off the information plaque about how this is the smallest monkey in the world, just like Yata is the smallest Homra member. Yata grumbles that Anna is smaller than him and Fushimi’s just like ‘right now,’ Yata says to shut up and let’s go look at some birds. Yata probably points to a random crow eating trash off the ground and is like that’s you, being a nuisance, while Fushimi is like aren’t you the crow as he points out an exhibit featuring the Australian little crow. 

Yata decides birds are no good, let’s just go check out the arctic animals inside. Fushimi finds himself staring at a snow leopard and feeling like it’s familiar somehow, but definitely not Misaki-like. Yata’s looking for something to compare to Fushimi, like hey there’s a stingray you’re definitely prickly like that. Then he sees a gloomy little penguin standing away from the other ones in the exhibit, it has ring marks like glasses around its eyes and maybe it keeps waving a wing like it’s gonna smack anyone who comes near. Yata’s like that is definitely you. Fushimi blinks and then clicks his tongue, he is not a penguin. Yata’s decided though, he’s like nope, you’re a penguin. Fushimi says he doesn’t need to hear that from a pygmy marmoset, Yata’s all okay penguin whatever you say. (They keep teasing like this the rest of the day but then imagine at the end of the date Yata goes into the gift shop and buys Fushimi a little penguin charm and Fushimi retaliates by getting Yata a monkey one. Later Yata spots the penguin charm dangling from Fushimi’s PDA and grins.)

[hairtusk]

fit for going to have a hungover walk in the cemetery & a cigarette with my bf

[mesetacadre]

Two thousand people sat in the great white hall of the Kremlin Palace when Stalin made his report to the Congress of Soviets. Below me, where I sat in the journalists’ box, was the main floor filled with the Congress deputies; around me in the loges sat the foreign diplomatic corps; behind me, in a deep gallery, were citizen-visitors. Outside the hall tens of millions of people listened over the radio, from the southern cotton fields of Central Asia to the scientific stations on the Arctic coast. It was a high point of Soviet history. But Stalin’s words were direct and simple and as informal as if he sat at a fireside talking with a few friends. He explained the significance of the Constitution, took up the suggested amendments, referred a large number of them to various lawmaking bodies and himself discussed the most important. He made it plain that everyone of those 154,000 suggestions had been classified somewhere and would influence something.

Among the dozen or more amendments which Stalin personally discussed, he approved of those that facilitated democratic expression and disapproved of those that limited democracy. Some people felt, for instance, that the different constituent republics should not be granted the right to secede from the Soviet Union; Stalin said that, while they probably would not want to secede, their right to do so should be constitutionally guaranteed as an assertion of democracy. A fairly large number of people wanted to refuse political rights to the priests lest they influence politics unduly. “The time has come to introduce universal suffrage without limitations,” said Stalin, arguing that the Soviet people were now mature enough to know their own minds.

More important for us today than constitutional forms, or even the question of how they work, was one very significant note in Stalin’s speech. He ended by a direct challenge to the growing Nazi threat in Europe. Speaking on November 25, 1936, before Hitlerism was seriously opposed by any European government, Stalin called the new Soviet Constitution “an in-dictment against Fascism, an indictment which says that Socialism and Democracy are invincible.”

The Soviets Expected It (1941) Anna Louise Strong

[paigelts05]

Nora [FNAF AR, Renegade AU]

https://www.deviantart.com/paigelts05/art/Nora-FNAF-AR-Renegade-AU-1041984580

Published: Apr 14 2024

CK animatronic maintenance and R&D Robotics contract with Faz Ent has ended, but their stories are far from over.

Nora's life was normal into her early twenties, when whilst on holiday in a remote landlocked town, she was kidnapped by a cult, almost burned alive, and escaped by killing the cult leader then finishing digging out. In the span of about four or five days. Most of which were spent digging prior to almost getting burned alive. Becoming the wrath of the girls who failed to escape in the past, she wound up being a walking cult detector whose back quite literally will set on fire if near real cult stuff.

That's how about a decade later, she knew that Faz Ent was harbouring a cult.

Though with all large corporations reps and execs setting off her 'this guy's in a cult' reaction and her having no real way to determine weather it was just the individual man who was sent to negotiate the contract for building animatronics was in a cult as an individual or if the cult WAS Faz Ent's executives themselves, all she could really do was warn CD of the potential danger. With how far into negotiations things were, she'd need tangible evidence to tell Faz Ent to shove it without it resulting in R&D robotics getting hounded by Faz Ent's legal department.

R&D Robotics was also so strapped for cash that needed the contract, even if Faz Ent was a known dubious company (then again, practically all corporations on Faz Ent's scale are dubious to some degree). At least being contractors meant that Faz Ent had no claim to anything R&D robotics made unless R&D robotics specifically handed over the rights, so they were protected on some legal fronts.

The only company in the area that seemed to be able to avoid taking a contract with Faz Ent was Smith &Tea Robotics, who used thier past employment at Freddy's as their reason for rejecting Faz Ent's offer of contracting.

Some way into the contract, Faz Ent started to treat R&D robotics as if it was their own Research and Development team, requesting new models whilst CK animatronic maintenance were being hounded by a ghost and computer virus.

Then, things came to a head: tensions got high, and Tristan dropped that someone he had spoken to in person knew that Faz Ent was trying to kill all of them.

Within that week after that revelation, Magician mangle tried to kill Tristan, and almost succeeded. Then, some weeks later, CK animatronic maintenance suffered what they called "The Adelaide incident". Then, as soon as Tristan's brother, Daniel, was wheeled into the hospital room, Tristan woke from the coma Magician Mangle had put him. He had known that Dan had been in danger, but he hadn't had time look at the blueprint that had come in.

Nora had looked at the blueprint and connected the name Adelaide on the Arctic Ballora blueprint to the Adelaide who tried to kill Dan, so she knew that CD was in danger. She was able to warn Izzy and CD in enough time for CD to survive.

Though if she was being honest, all the crazy shit going on was too much for Nora to understand, so she generally just kept her head low and kept on keeping on unless something was blazingly obvious. It wasn't enough to stop her getting a concussion from a certain animatronic's (thankfully rubber) oversized mallet, but she lived through the chaos and came out the other side well aware that most people in the robotics scene around these parts were already neck deep involved with something or someone Faz Ent related before this contract even started: the Rocha twins father was a technician in the 80's, Anna was a Faz Ent scientist's kid, Ness worked on the HW project, Luis was part-timing at Faz Ent during the HW project, and the two she knew already: PT and Fritz who worked at the Freddy's location designated 'Location C' back in the 90's.

Well, Nora didn't keep her head down entirely. During this chaotic time, a while after Tristan had recovered enough to come home, R&D Robotics did pick up a new employee: a girl called Sadie who used to work at a factory that produced some of the robots for the 'Special Delivery' project, including some 'Unique Models', until someone important to her was murdered. Nora helped Sadie to adjust and set her up with the survival tools necessary to survive working on the Special Delivery project. Nora was also the least surprised when the next day, Sadie showed up talking about how the person she had lost was back, albeit in a robotic body.

So whilst Nora never got the hang of the murder conspiracy ghost shenanigans, she did get the human element of everything. This made it so that despite her snappy nature, she made lots of friends.

After Faz Ent finally got off their backs after the Special Delivery project shut down, Nora was the biggest help to everyone when it came down to everyone finding their new normal.

[true--north]

POLAR STATION AU.

Anna, Kristoff and the station's supervisor Mattias are stuck at the Arendelle polar station in the Arctic. Anna is a student studying fossil gas, Kristoff is a PhD student and a biologist. They argue constantly and can't stand each other, but they have to spend a lot of time together in the station's proximity. Mattias just can't with their stubbornness and sparks.

One evening on the Winter Solstice, Anna and Kristoff are exploring the inside of a glacier. And there they find an ice maiden sleeping in the ice, dressed in a strange ancient-looking white dress. She is very similar to the spirit from the indigenious legend that Mattias told them recently. Their voices about what to do with this sensational find awaken the Maiden. She calls herself Elsa and says that centuries ago she was a Northern tribal sorceress, but when her tribe migrated or died out she became a spirit doomed to sleep in Ahtohallan – that's how she called the glacier. She behaves weirdly and does not realise what time and place she is in.

Elsa's awakening brings a new ice age to all of Europe. All the news headlines are screaming about a climatic catastrophe, even Italy and Spain are engulfed in a unprecedented snow collapse; but only the Arendelle Polar Station, or rather its two hapless students and their tired head know what caused it.

And now they must must survive and work together to remind Elsa about the warmth of human love and friendship she had forgotten if they want the glacial magic, their hearts and the entire continent to melt.

[travelella]

Arctic Ocean

The world's smallest and most shallow ocean. It is also the coldest and least salty ocean.

About the size of Russia.

The Arctic Ocean is divided by an underwater ocean ridge called the Lomonosov ridge

Located at the North Pole, the Arctic Ocean has polar ice. Over the years, glaciers have melted threatening sea levels to rise.

Despite the IHO recognizing it as the “Arctic Ocean”, some oceanographers still call it the “Arctic Sea”.

The Arctic Ocean is the most diverse in terms of fish species. It has a wide variety of marine species including whales, jellyfish, etc.

But because of its frigid temperatures, it has little plant life. This makes it one of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet.

Area

Total: 15.558 million sq km

Area - Comparative: Slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Includes: Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, Norwegian Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Coastline: 45,389 km

Ocean Volume: 18.75 million cu km

Percent of the World Ocean Total Volume: 1.4%

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Bathymetry

Continental Shelf: A rather flat area of the sea floor adjacent to the coast that gradually slopes down from the shore to water depths that are typically less than 200 m (660 ft). Dimensions can vary: they may be narrow or nearly nonexistent in some places or extend for hundreds of miles in others. The waters above the continental shelf are usually productive in both plant and animal life, both from sunlight and nutrients from ocean upwelling and terrestrial runoff. More than one quarter of the Arctic sea floor is continental shelf. The Eurasian shelf is very wide extending out 1,500 km (930 mi) and is the largest continental shelf in the World. 

Barents Shelf

Beaufort Shelf

Davis Sill

Chukchi Shelf

East Siberian Shelf

Kara Shelf

Laptev Shelf

Lincoln Shelf

Continental Slope: Where the ocean bottom drops off more rapidly until it meets the deep-sea floor (abyssal plain) at depths exceeding 3,000 m (9,850 ft) water depth. The deep waters of the continental slope are characterized by cold temperatures, low light conditions, and very high pressures. Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths, having been absorbed or reflected in the water above. The continental slope can be indented by submarine canyons, often associated with the outflow of major rivers. Another feature of the continental slope are alluvial fans or cones of sediments carried downstream to the ocean by major rivers and deposited down the slope. 

Litke Trough

Novaya Zemlya Trough

Svyataya Anna Trough (Saint Anna Trough)

Voronin Trough

Abyssal Plains:  At depths of over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) and covering 70% of the ocean floor, are the largest habitat on earth. Sunlight does not penetrate to the sea floor, making these deep, dark ecosystems less productive than those along the continental shelf. Despite their name, these “plains” are not uniformly flat; they are interrupted by features like hills, valleys, and seamounts.

Baffin Basin

Canada Basin

Fram/Amundsen Basin

Greenland Abyssal Plain

Iceland Basin

Makarov Basin

Molloy Deep; note - deepest point in the Arctic Ocean

Nansen Basin

Norwegian Basin

Mid-Ocean Ridge: Rising up from the abyssal plain, is an underwater mountain range, over 64,000 km (40,000 mi) long, rising to an average depth of 2,400 m (8,000 ft). Mid-ocean ridges form at divergent plate boundaries where two tectonic plates are moving apart and new crust is created by magma pushing up from the mantle. Tracing their way around the global ocean, this system of underwater volcanoes forms the longest mountain range on Earth. Fracture Zones are linear transform faults that develop perpendicular to the line of the mid-ocean ridge which can offset the ridge line and divide it into segments. 

Gakkel Ridge

Mohns Ridge

Undersea Terrain Features: The Abyssal Plain is commonly interrupted by a variety of commonly named undersea terrain features including seamounts, guyots, ridges, and plateaus. Seamounts (see Figure 1) are submarine mountains at least 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high formed from individual volcanoes on the ocean floor. They are distinct from the plate-boundary volcanic system of the mid-ocean ridges, because seamounts tend to be circular or conical. A circular collapse caldera is often centered at the summit, evidence of a magma chamber within the volcano. Flat topped seamounts are known as guyots. Long chains of seamounts are often fed by "hot spots" in the deep mantle. These hot spots are associated with stationary plumes of molten rock rising from deep within the Earth's mantle. These hot spot plumes melt through the overlying tectonic plate as it moves and supplies magma to the active volcanic island at the end of the chain of volcanic islands and seamounts. An undersea ridge is an elongated elevation of varying complexity and size, generally having steep sides. An undersea plateau is a large, relatively flat elevation that is higher than the surrounding relief with one or more relatively steep sides. Although submerged, these features can reach close to sea level.

Lomonosov Ridge

Gakkel Ridge

Alpha Ridge

Mendeleev Rise

Chukchi Plateau

Ocean Trenches: note - there are no oceanic trenches on the Arctic sea floor

Atolls: note - there are no atolls found in the Arctic Ocean

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Highest Point: Sea level

Lowest Point: Molloy Deep -5,577 m

Mean Depth: -1,205 m

Ocean Zones: Composed of water and in a fluid state, the ocean is delimited differently than the solid continents. The Ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. Although some sea creatures depend on light to live, others can do without it. Sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 m.

The upper 200 m (656 ft) of the ocean is called the euphotic, or "sunlight," zone. This zone contains the vast majority of commercial fisheries and is home to many protected marine mammals and sea turtles. Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth.

The zone between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft) is usually referred to as the "twilight" zone, but is officially the dysphotic zone. In this zone, the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases. Such a minuscule amount of light penetrates beyond a depth of 200 m that photosynthesis is no longer possible.

The aphotic, or "midnight," zone exists in depths below 1,000 m (3,280 ft). Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths and the zone is bathed in darkness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natural Resources: Sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural Hazards: Ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May

Geography - Note: Major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Environment

Environment - Current Issues: Climate change; changes in biodiversity; water pollution from use of toxic chemicals; endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Climate: Polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature range; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ports and Terminals

Major Seaport(s): Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - Note: Sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

[atinylittlepain]

Rules: spell your url with song titles and then tag as many people as there are letters:

hehehe thank you @beskarandblasters for the tag <3

Alphabet Town - Elliott Smith

Ten New Lives - Molly Nilsson

I Want Wind to Blow - The Microphones

NEBRASKA - Bruce Springsteen

You’re Not the Only One I Know - The Sundays

Loverman - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

It’s Not Just Me - Weyes Blood

Time Escaping - Big Thief

Told You I’d Be With the Guys - Cherry Glazerr

Life in a Glasshouse - Radiohead

Everybody Here Wants You - Jeff Buckley

Punks in the Beerlight - Silver Jews

Anna Calls From the Arctic - Dry Cleaning

Into the Groovey - Sonic Youth

Nights That Won’t Happen - Purple Mountains

respectfully i am not tagging that many people lol but I shall tag a few: @northernbluess @tieronecrush @hier--soir @pr0ximamidnight and anyone else who wants to play <3

[thatonecoltkidyouknow]

New Jojolands chapter tomorrow. Thank god. (In my head I'm always saying, 'Thank god' the way the singer from Dry Cleaning says it in the song Anna Calls From the Arctic lol.) Every new chapter is a holiday for me lol.

[runwiththerain]

okay okay im putting my oc rant to ash on here

these are summaries of my main characters in the wallflowers

its this small town au right. set in australia. basically a bunch of one shots set in the same universe. theres this main group of five characters. uhhh lets start with ollie. hes a classic trans guy, his middle name is jude so his group of friends call him oj or orange juice. he surfs so whenever he gets out of the water he has the cutest hair (it's platinum blonde and curly ish) and also he's in a band with some of his other friends (not the main characters) as the drummer. his music taste is like cavetown and all time low and waterparks and he has joint issues and is also autistic

next is park. they have a crush on ollie and vice versa and theyre so obliviously in love with each other. park is short for parker but no one of his friends really calls them that. they're non binary and love basketball and coding/robotics and also making short films. theyre depressed and also have dyscalculia. they moved to the town at age five from the philippines and and since they couldnt communicate well no one really talked to them until ollie did. park listens to anson seabra conan gray lauv alec benjamin

okay up next is leo. short for leonardo but none of his friends call him that. his five siblings call him angel cause his middle name is angelo. he's aroace and in one of the one shots he establishes a qpr with les (who you'll hear about next) who he's known his whole live and lives next door to and they have a treehouse in the park down the street thats just theirs to hang out in. he's a soccer player and loves woodworking and painting. he's dyslexic and bipolar and a massive marvel fan. leo likes ajr why dont we and top mainly

now, les. which is short for lesley. they are a genderfluid icon, especially with her outfits. he listens to girl in red, the neighbourhood, arctic monkeys, halsey. while theyre in a qpr with leo, they also have a crush on ella (next up and final). she knows a little french cause she's mauritian and her maman is teaching her it (her parents are wlw btw). she has two younger brothers who can be annoying but he loves them. he also plays soccer like leo, as well as trombone and he's in a jazz band, and finally ice hockey which is why he's at the ice rink with anna so much. they have adhd and anxiety and yeah

finally, ella. which is short for anneliese (which ik is weird). she has a bunch of nicknames that im not bothered to list. if you didn't know her you'd think she was straight but in fact she's a raging lesbian who 1. is oblivious to the fact that les has a crush on her and 2. has a massive crush on another girl who also figure skates at her rink. so yeah, she figure skates, and is also on student council and does photography so she and park work close together sometimes. her mum died of cancer so she lives with her dad and older sister and moved to their town when she was like 10. she has ocd and anorexia and listens to taylor swift and one direction mainly

[celosiaceo]

Celosia mini-playlist

“And I was helpless, tormented and intoxicated

By the sweetness of your cruelty”

— Anna Akhmatova

“Angry, and half in love with you, and tremendously sorry, I turned away.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

“I kissed him passionately, I even wanted to bruise him, so that he would not be able to forget me”

— Françoise Sagan

[thequietabsolute]

Four favourites daily 🎨 # 14

link to this spotify mixtape

[adultalternative]

2022 Best of is finally here. I had like three-quarters of the list figured out pretty early on, but just had a general playlist where I added people before I listened to them to try to get more artists in at once. Turned out that was a bad idea.

Renaissance- First new Beyonce era I could appreciate live due to it instantly being on streaming. It is hard to write a real review for this album, because this is a going out album and I am still quarantining, and I primarily listen to my year end albums in a Free for All shuffle mode, but Beyonce still finds a way to surprise people 9 years after her self-titled album. My favorite songs are Break My Soul, All Up In Your Mind, Virgo’s Groove, and Thique.

Las Ruinas- Rico Nasty swung big and it paid off. Rock, G-Funk, drum and bass (amongst other genres) all make appearances on this album. People seemed to constantly mention that it was a mixtape, and you can tell, but so what? I liked the different sounds and Rico was able to stand on her own in each song without getting lost. Gotsta Get Paid, Intrusive, Into the Dark, Black Punk and Easy are my favorite songs.

Giving the World Away- Hatchie was able to make an ethereal baggy album. Another casualty of still quarantining, as this album was meant to be listened to on your way back from nights out in quirky outdoor downtown cafes in the spring. Shoegaze guitars make an appearance throughout this album, too. My favorite songs are Giving the World Away, Till We Run Out of Air, Don't Leave Me in the Rain, and This Enchanted.

Unsoothing Interior- Vero went from a cute EP to directly commanding first chair at a reality show reunion with this album. While usually, 90’s inspired albums are power pop/sunnier alternative rock and sometimes grunge, Vero dip into shoegaze and noise rock. If you primarily like Kim Gordon’s songs on Sonic Youth, then this album is for you. I like the songs Cupid, Sex, Me & TV Shows, and Beluga the most.

Sometimes, Forever- Embarrassed to say this, but this is the first Soccer Mommy album that totally got me. Her usual guitar only sound is balanced with sonic experiments like the jazzy Unholy Affliction. Also, her lyrics got to me more with songs like Don’t Ask Me and Feel it All the Time.

Nova Twins- Fun, angry and brashy. I like Cleopatra and Antagonist.

Bronco- Austin Butler wasn’t the only Elvis impressionist this year. Orville Peck sanded down his edges to make a more general country album, with unfortunately, less commercial pay off than there could have been. Bronco and Outta Time are still highlights.

Skinty Fia- Fontaines DC continue to excel at dark and brooding alternative rock music. Jackie Down the Line, In ár gCroíthe go deo, and I Love You are my highlights.

Strawberry- Dreamy alternative dance music. Patience etc… and Happy Happy are the highlights, but with such a concise project, just listen to all of it.

Stumpwork- I never would have thought that post punk would be a genre that I would fast track to my best of list, but here we are. Dry Cleaning continues to soundtrack rainy day Sundays with their detached, spoken word vocals with their expressive guitars. I like Anna Calls from the Arctic, Liberty Logs, and Kwendy Kups.

Lady for Sale- In a year with both crossover and alternative country releases, this release with a throwback sound drew my attention the most. While I was initially just drawn to Lola Kirke, the actress from underrated Mistress America, making a countrypolitan album as a Brit, I was soon surprised by how good (and accurate) it was. I like Pink Sky and Falling in Love Again.

Hypnos- Ravyn Lenae continues to be ahead of her peers at such a young age. A good take on psychedelic R&B. My favorite songs are Venom and Inside Out.

SQUEEZE- Very unique mishmash of heavier, noisy, alternative music, and more mellow singer-songwriter music. Now that I’m thinking about it, it sort of reminds me of To Bring You My Love. I enjoy the epicness of The Greatest and the sadness in Tried to Understand. 

SOS- Too late of a release (and not relevant enough in a quarantine lifestyle) for me to appreciate, but it did a good job at putting its foot in the door. I like Blind, Kill Bill, and Gone Girl.

Crash- Though Sucker and Charli could have been interpreted as pop compromise albums by some of the fans, this album definitely steals the title from either with no contest, but not in a bad way. I don’t really know how to describe this album, but it’s more Superlove and Doin’ It than Blame it On Your Love. Good Ones, Yuck, Lightning, and What You Think of Me are my favorite songs, although New Shapes is also good.

Coping Mechanism- Willow came back with an even rockier album. My favorite songs are Split, ur a stranger, and Maybe it’s my Fault.

Blue Rev- Alvvays went from a punchline for random indie bands with corny names to making a late in the year highlight for me out of nowhere. Great shoegaze in catchy pop formats for walks outside. I like Pharmacist, Easy On Your Own, and the Saint Etienne-esque Very Online Guy.

Traumazine- Megan thee Stallion had a rogue’s gallery that would be perfect for a 90’s kids action cartoon this year (Or the anime inspired visualizers for the songs on Youtube). Unfortunately, for her antagonists, you can’t keep Megan down. My favorite songs are Her, Anxiety, Red Wine, and Flip Flop.

American Gurl- Kilo Kish came back with a poppier version of her EPs. Good combination of poppy sheen and melodies but still experimental. My favorite songs are Death Fantasy, Choice Cowboy, and American Gurl. 

Froge.mp3- A drum and bass album that came out of nowhere but very catchy and fun. I like the songs Words and on and on.

Black Girl Magic- Honey Dijon provides us with more house bops after working with Beyonce for Renaissance. My favorite songs are Everybody and Downtown.

Finally, New- While They Hate Change's Finally, New is called experimental hip hop, for me the drum and bass made it more accessible and memorable. Some Days I Hate My Voice is my favorite song.

Us Ephemeral- Very coherent electronic album. A little Toonami and a little Telepopmusik. The title track is my favorite song.

Kaitlin Butts- Short sweet to the point country music with the right amount of sadness. What else can she do and bored if I don’t do a great job at capturing the melancholy of being bored in a rural area without being prepared for the bigger pond yet.

SRSQ-  Theatrical dream pop that makes me feel like I’m flying in the night. Used to Love, Saved for Summer, and Elan Vital are my favorites. It reminds me of Tamaryn but also Sky Ferreira.

Janky Star- I found Grace Ives too late in 2019 to include her in my best of (Or have her compete fairly), but Janky Star had a better chance this year. Grace makes cool music to dance to, good for either an imaginary pop up silent rave or by yourself in a kitchen while doing chores. Burn Bridges and Loose are my favorites.

[hairtusk]

i'm so obsessed with this song right now. if you're into jenny hval / cate le bon / aldous harding / life without buildings i reckon you'll like this.

[wildcardaces]

@ruby-static "grey sighting" edition!

Its the islands favorite (or infamous) orca!

Anna: oh its grey!

Anna: oh-

Anna: baby orca! Grandma time

Shawn: omg hi grey!

Anna just chilling at the docks when grey chooses to make herself known with one of her following her. The islands apex is much more wholesome when followed by a gaggle of tiny orcas *wheeze*

Suddenly herbert!

Herbert: i hate being the smallest...

Flurry and his two siblings are proud of herberts brains (dudes smart, hes just up against a whole EPF that consists of a science guy and a whole squad of unhinged agents) but theres one thing they get to flex about. Their height XD

And the finale!

Flurry: your grandfather is actually taller than me.

Herbert: what?

Flurry: the red bear of the woods the humans call him.

Herbert: oh, from my fathers side. Sounds like an anomaly

Flurry: he's a brown bear that is taller than a polar bear. He is.

Younger herbert just before he left the arctic circle on an iceberg talking with his mother. Herbert never actually met alroy before so he thinks that his height is exaggerated

It aint

[dogonodog]

2022 Best Albums 10

コロナ禍の収束の兆しが見え始め、それと同時に街の動きも加速し、日々多忙を極めた一年。あまりにも忙しく、2022年は音楽を積極的に聴く気になれなかったのですが、そんな中でも心に響いた作品を10枚選定しました。

再度聴きなおして、やっぱり良いなぁ～と思った作品が中心です。(順不同)

Fontaines D.C. - SKINTY FIA

アイルランドはダブリン出身の 5人組 ロック バンド が 3rd AL をリリース。自身のルーツを振り返り、現状をシニカルに表現したロック レコード です。

I Love You

本作はアイルランド人でありダブリン出身のメンバーがロンドンに移住してから経験したことを時に荒々しく、時に文学的に描き、詞に落とし込まれています。私は日本で生まれずっと日本で生活しているので、共感することは難しいのですが、アイルランド人としてロンドンで生活する息苦しさ及びアイルランド人としての矜持を吐露する感情が曲に籠っているので、聴いていて感傷的な気分になりますね。

そんな背景はもちろんですが、やはり曲が良い！リード トラック M-4 “ Jackie Down The Line “ や M-9 “I Love You “ を筆頭に、激しくも非常に重々しくて暗い曲が並んでいるのですが、それがたまらない。なんかイギリスの ロック バンド って感じがして好きなんですよね。儚げなコーラスと掻き鳴らされるギターとフロントマンである グリアン・チャッテン の切ないシャウトが印象的な M-10 “ Nabokov “ で私は昇天しました。

無骨さが目立った Debut AL の ポスト・パンク サウンド から スケール アップ した Fontaines D.C. ...デカいステージが似合うようになってきました。

2月の来日公演が楽しみだ！

Camp Cope - Running with the Hurricane

オーストラリアはメルボルンの 3 ピース フィメール ロック バンド が 3rd AL をリリース！ 力強くエモーショナルな歌声とフォーキーな ロック サウンド はまるで全てを肯定してくれるようで、希望を照らしてくれる一枚です。

Blue

本作も最高だ…！サウンド自体はとてもシンプルで、だからこそ響く ジョージア・マック の力強い歌声。Debut AL ～ 2nd AL の エモ / パンク からの影響が色濃く反映され、バンド シーン の女性差別などを訴えていた頃は ”怒り” が一つの重要なファクターとなって曲を作っていました。ですが、本作はその頃とは雰囲気が変わり、それは曲を聴けばすぐにわかります。 M-10 “ Sing Your Heart Out “「 You can change and so can I ( あなたも変われることはできるし私も変われる) 」という一節を歌い幕を閉じるように、どの曲も優しく包み込んでくれるように暖かく、希望に満ちているようにも思えます。

その大きな理由にメンバーはパンデミックの間、ワクチン接種の仕事をするため看護婦として働いていた経験が大きく影響されているようです。

「音楽は最高だけど、それ以上に大切なものはたくさんある。たとえ自分たちの音楽を気に入らない人が多くいても気にしない。ワクチンを打って生きているんだから。」と語る彼女たち。音楽を聴かなければいけない。それが自分のアイデンティティだとある種、強迫観念に囚われていたといっても過言ではない時期が私にもあったけど、いい意味で所詮は音楽。聴きたいときに聴いて等身大に楽しめばいいんだよと、微笑みかけてくれるような一枚です。

個人的に現在のシーンで一番カッコいい フィメール バンド だと思っています。

Whatever The Weather - Whatever The Weather

ロンドン の エレクトロニック・ミュージック プロデューサー Loraine James 別名義での 1st AL。温度を音で表したコンセプチュアルなアンビエント レコードです。

17℃ 

何度も再生してはいるのですが、正直聴いているうちに寝ていたので、ちゃんと一から最後まで聴くのは今が初めて。でも改めて聴くと、めっちゃ気持ちいいですね...　

どうやら本作は曲名を温度で表しているように気温や気候がテーマなのですが、天気というのは予測できないことから即興で演奏して作曲した模様。実験的であり美しさが光る作品です。

M-1 “ 25℃ “ (これは徐々に気温が高くなる春の温かみを表現しているのか..) を聴くとアンビエンスなアレンジが中心なのかなと思いきや M-2 “ 0℃ “ (これは水が氷結する瞬間を表現しているのか..) から M-3 “ 17℃ “（これは朝晩の気温の寒暖差を表しているのか..) の流れからは IDM 的アレンジも感じ取られ、また、M-9 “ 30℃ “ (これは夏になり人々が活発に過ごす様子を表現しているのか..) では幽玄なヴォーカルが乗ったエモーショナルな ビート・ミュージック と様々な表情を見せてくれます。これは抗えない天候の変化に伴い自然や人間の変化をも表すようです。

タイトルが温度なのでこの音は何を表現しているのか考えながら曲を楽しむこともできるし、ヒーリング・ミュージック としてリラックスする時に聴くこともできる素晴らしい一枚でした。

Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

サウス・ロンドン の注目株が去年に引き続き早くも 2nd AL をリリース！  鋭利でメロディックなナンバーがそろった名盤です！

Anna Calls From The Arctic

相変わらずループするビート上(特に ベース・ライン がヤバい！)で炸裂するギターがエロい.. そして、感情が一切排除された フローレンス・ショウ のヴォーカルはあまりにもシュール過ぎるしセクシーだ。本作は、緊張感ある演奏でミニマルに展開しつつその上に抒情的にジャキジャキと響かせるギターが印象的だった Debut AL の延長線上にある作品ですが、一曲一曲がよりメロディックになっています。

高揚感を誘いながら疾走する M-2 “ Kwenchy Kups “ ～ M-3 “ Gary Ashby “ に、アジアンな雰囲気を醸すサイケデリックなナンバー M-5 “  Hot Penny Day “ やハード・ロック風のサウンドからへろっへろなギターリフの高低差に思わず���ヤニヤしちゃう M-8 “ Don't Press Me “ など、どの曲も個性的で、2nd の時点ですでに Dry Cleaning 節を確立させたといってもいいでしょう。

来日公演マジで最高だった！！！

Gilla Band - Most Normal

アイルランドはダブリンの狂気性を孕んだ 4人組 ノイズ・ロック バンド が3年振りに 3rd AL をリリース！神経と脳みそがぐちゃぐちゃになっちゃうほど興奮させてくれる猟奇的な一枚です。

Eight Fivers

Ex. Girl Band。時代の波により改名を余儀なくされてからの (Gillaは古いアイルランド語でGirlの意味だそう) 新作。はい。不快過ぎます。神経を逆撫でする音で埋め尽くされていますね。最高。

濁流かと思うのほどのノイズと病的に発狂するヴォーカルは彼らの個性でもありますが、より一層聴き手を試すようなナンセンスなサウンドに磨きがかかっているのかなと思います。

オープニング トラック M-1 “ The Gum “ は凶悪につんざくインダストリアル ビート。絶対に良くないことが起こるんだろうなと不穏を煽る見事なナンバー。ばつんとノイズ＆シャウトが止み、何事もなかったようにすっとぼけた音が聞こえてきたかと思えば、展開が予測不能でひりついたAメロから一気に感情を暴発させる M-2 “ Eight Fivers “へとジェットコースターのように曲は流れていく。そして曲が終わると同時に次の曲へ・・そう、本作は一度再生してしまったら最後、聴き手に息をつく暇をあたえないサドスティックな構成になっているのです。細かくインタールード(しかしこれらも不快なノイズを用いている)を挟んでオープニングからエンディングまで曲を繋いでいくことで強制的に本作に没入させる。ただ煩いのではなく、つぶさにアレンジを効かして聴き手を圧倒する構成力に私はもうメロメロ.. 

世には様々なジャンルの煩い音楽で溢れていますが、私が Gilla Band を贔屓する要素でもある「理性的に狂気を音に落とし込んでいる点」がそれらと一線を画す要素なのかなと思います。

聴く際はヴォリュームを気持ち4つほど上げて欲しいのですが、聴いた後、頭が痛くなるので注意が必要です.. M-5 “ Binliner Fashion “ のアウトロ30秒間の濁流ノイズとかマジヤバ過ぎる..

Weird Nightmare - Weird Nightmare

カナダ の ノイズ・ロック バンド Metz のフロントマン アレックス・エドキンス がソロ作品をリリース！ 甘酸っぱくもヒリヒリした最高な ガレージ・パンク レコード です！

Searching for You

大好き。こういう音楽をずっと聴いていたい。パワー・ポップ とか キャッチーな メロディック・パンク はもちろんテンションが上がるのですが、時折軽さや計算高さを感じてしまい個人的には物足りなさも感じたりします。しかし本作には、野性的に楽器を鳴らす荒々しい (それこそ初期 Cloud Nothings のような..) サウンドと直感でドカンと鳴っているプリミティブな勢いがそのまま曲に乗っているので、だからこそ興奮するし涙腺にも直撃してしまいます...  M-3 “ Lusitania “ ～ M-7 “ Dream “ はヤバ過ぎる.. 拳突き上げっぱなし！

また、M-9 “ Oh No (feat. Chad VanGaalen) “ では本業でもある Metz 然とした激しさや、ラスト M-10 “ Holding Out “ では現行 エモ / インディー・ロック シーン にも通ずるノスタルジーさも感じられるので、決して思い出をなぞった懐古ではない、現代にリリースした ロック レコード だと認識させてくれます。

クレジットを見るにいろんな ゲスト ミュージシャン が携わっているようですが、Bully の フロントマンである アリシア・ボグナノ も参加しているのですね。大いに納得な出来。。

羊文学 - our hope

メジャー レーベル の ソニー から 2nd AL を2年振りにリリース。期待を優に超えていく、令和が誇る ジャパニーズ オルタナティブ・ロック の名盤レコードです。

光るとき

一曲一曲がとにかく強い。タイアップ曲 M-2 “ 光るとき “ や M-11 “ マヨイガ “ は言わずもがな、グッド メロディー がふんだんに凝縮している一枚。自然と口ずさみたくなるナンバーばかりです。

なんだろう.. 聴いていて幸せな気分になるんですね。M-3 “ パーティーはすぐそこ “ はとってもキャッチーでついつい口ずさんじゃうし、M-7 “ くだらない “ では切なくなっちゃうし、M-9 “ ワンダー “ で掻き鳴らされるファジーなギターにいつも頭がくらくらするほど恍惚とした気分になるし、スーパーカー を断片的に彷彿としてしまうエレクトロ テイストなアレンジが煌めく M-10 “ OOPARTS “ も大好きだ。それだけでなく、ルーツ・ミュージック の影響が色濃く反映されている M-4 “ 電波の街 “ や M-5 “ 金色 “ も淡くて良いんですよね..

また、デビューしてからずっと通ずることなのですが、フロントマンである 塩塚モエカ の歌声が良過ぎる.. 透明感と力強さが伴った歌声.. 歌が上手いことの シンプル イズ ベストな力って凄いなと羊文学を聴くたびに思わせてくれます。

「魅せる」という意識もあるのが羊文学の良いところ。ステージ衣装はいつも素敵だし、本当に良いバンドだなと思います。

12月25日のクリスマス公演は最高な体験だったな.. 

Alex G - God Save the Animals

US はフィラデルフィアの SSW が 神秘的な 9th AL をリリース。不思議な魅力を放つ唯一無二の世界がここに広がっています。

Runner

フィラデルフィアという地は本当に味わい深い インディー・ロック バンド を生み出してくれます。その中でもひと際不思議な存在感を放つ SSW Alex G こと アレックス・ジアンナスコーリ の様相は未だ掴めずにいます。元々彼は宅録ミュージシャンで一人で作曲をするタイプではありましたが、本作ではパンデミックの影響もあり、外に出て友人とともにいろんなスタジオで作曲したようです。そういったこともあり、たしかに以前よりは開放されたムードが感じられます。ですが、何度も聴いても未だこのアルバムとの距離感が掴めていません。

ピアノやアコギを基調とした胸を打つほどにグッド メロデイーが際立つ M-2 “ Runner “ や M-3 “ Mission “ は素朴で親近感を感じますし、ヴァイオリンの音色が優しく響く M-12 “ Miracles “ はどこか郷愁的。

しかし、ストリングスをバックに奇妙なエフェクトがかかったヴォーカルが乗る M-4 “ S.D.O.S “ やエレクトロニックなアレンジが加わった哀愁あるフォーク ナンバー M-7 “ Cross the Sea “ からアウトロでシンセサイザーが突飛に鳴り響いたかと思えば M-8 “ Blessing “ では謎な神々しさを演出するハードなナンバーへと展開していくさまは中々に奇妙でやっぱり掴みどころがないなと感じさせられます。浮遊感漂うポップなナンバー M-10 “ Immunity “ も異質な存在感がありますね。

一言では決して表せられないジャンルレス。しかしどの曲にも通底して切なさと暖かさが同居している秀逸な インディー・ロック レコード です。

Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa

US が誇る ベテラン インディー・ロック バンド が渋くも踊れる 10th AL をリリース！キャリア豊富な大人たちが無邪気に鳴らすロックンロール ナンバーに酔い痴れること必至な一枚です。

The Hardest Cut

Spoon。名前は知っていましたが聴かずじまいだったバンドの一つで、新譜を5年振りにリリースするというニュースを聞き、いい機会だと思っていざ聴いてみたら、完全に心を鷲掴みにされてしまいました..

20年以上続くキャリアから醸し出されているのか.. 落ち着きを払った大人の余裕から薫る煙っぽさが全曲通してむんむんと漂っています。しかしそれはクセがあるようで無く、誰でもいいから気に入ったヤツから一緒に踊ろうよと誘うかのようにキャッチーなサウンドばかりだったりします。リードトラックである M-2 “ The Hardest Cut “ と M-4 “ Wild “ を一聴してみてほしい。熟成した熱が帯びつつも軽やかなバンド アンサンブルは大衆性も孕んでいるかと思います。

中でも M-3 “ The Devil & Mister Jones “ と M-7 “ On The Radio “ がお気に入り。前者は卒なく仕事をこなすかのようにジャキジャキと歪ませて鳴るギターがたまらなくエロいし、後者はピアノの切ない伴奏の上で響くギターとフロントマン ブリット・ダニエル のハスキーな歌声に文字通り酔い痴れてしまいます..

2022年個人的に最も良いと思ったロックンロール レコードでした！

新進気鋭な尖った若手たちには出せないオーラに感服.. 

Cwondo - Coloriyo

No Buses のフロントマン 近藤大彗 によるソロ プロジェクト Cwondo が 3rd AL をリリース。00年代のエレクトロニカ シーンを彷彿とさせるノスタルジックでキュートな一枚です。

Sarasara

ひどくエモーショナルな気分になりますね。この妙な懐かしさと人懐っこさは。心がやられているときに不意に流れると絶対に涙腺が崩壊すると思います。M-2 “ Midori “ とかヤバいです.. 多感な思春期に何もすることもなく、ただ教室からぼーっと青空を見上げていたそんな淡い情景が嫌でも思い浮かんでしまいます。(さすがに抒情的になり過ぎ..?)

全曲通して、とてもキャッチーで愛おしいエレクトロニカ・ミュージックを聴かせてくれます。たしかに聴いていて心が温かくなる。しかしこの温もりは、少なくとも無償の愛や生命の儚さといった自然的な要素から起因するものではないと思います。

曲を象る音はどれも人工的で生々しい。それは i am robot and proud や The Postal Service を彷彿とさせる音。都市で生きる人々が無意識に欲する現代的な温もりともいえると思います。特に、機械的なピアノのフレーズの上に少々大げさにエフェクトがかかったサンプリングが切ないメロディーを生む M-4 “ Sarasara “ が象徴的だなと思います。

本業である No Buses は The Strokes や Arctic Monkeys からの影響がうかがえる ガレージ・ロック バンド (これまたとてもカッコいい！) で、バンドを稼働しつつも気付けばあっという間に Cwondo名義での作品は3枚目に突入しており、近藤大彗 というミュージシャンは本当に音楽を作ることが好きなんだろうなとストレートに伝わってきてそこも素敵です。

ようやく海外ミュージシャンの来日公演が増えてきたので、2023年はたくさんライブに行けたら良いな。

2022 Best Songs 27 もまとめました！