#a funked up fairy tale

[leavemebetosleep]

do you have any good fluttercord fic recs?

OH BOY DO I. In no particular order (except of when I thought of them):

1: Non-Entity by Captain Wuzz: An AU in which, instead of being turned to stone, Discord was shot in the head with a magic arrow that takes away his sentience and magic for a 1,000 years. Fluttershy mistakes him for a wounded animal and brings him home. I loved it so much.

2: Chaotic Neutral by C-Puff: The magic is starting to fade from Equestria, and the Main 6 and Discord go on an adventure to find out why, and reverse it. A bit of AU, in the sense it was written before the show was done, so it diverts in some places because of that. Super sweet, and I love the character development here.

3: Time is Taller than Space is Wide by Dott. Can also be read on Ao3 if you prefer. Soulmate AU (?) fic with a Groundhog Day style twist. I rarely see fics play with the idea of what if Fluttershy and Discord's friendship had started when they first met, so this is fun.

4 & 5: Blank and it's sequel Reconnection by @geekcat. Can also be read on fanfic.net. AU in which, before Discord can choose friendship over ruling Equestria, Twilight remembers a "reformation" spell. He is stripped of his free will, and Fluttershy does her best to bring him back. If you don't like the idea of Twilight being a villain, you might not like this one, but I think her villain arc in this is done in a perfect way for her character. It's super heart wrenching in many places, but in a good way.

6: Our Fair Lady of the Chaos Lord, also by GeekCat Can also be read on fanfic.net. Fairy tale inspired AU in which Fluttershy is a princess who's father is pressuring her to marry noble knight Sir Big Mac. Wanting to be sure he's a good person, she makes a deal with the Chaos Lord, letting herself be "kidnapped" so she can test his character. You can guess who she falls for instead. Honestly I've enjoyed all of GeekCat's fics, so they're getting an extra mention. Check out the rest of their fluttercord fics if you like any of these.

7: The Draconequus with the Dragon Tattoo by A M Shark This is a major case of, strange premise, kick ass results. Basically an AU based off Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson, with Discord as Lisbeth, and Fluttershy as an amalgamation of Mikael and several other characters, but focusing more on the murder mystery aspect of that book, and less on the...everything else. If you're familiar with GwtDT, don't worry, there's no rape scenes. Again, it's more about the murder mystery part. If you're not familiar with GwtDT, then don't worry again, because you don't need to know the original to enjoy it. It's just Discord and Fluttershy playing detective and solving a murder together. It has two sequels, but I haven't read them yet, and it didn't feel right to rec something I haven't read.

8: The Corpse Bride by Bad Horse. Dark fic. No relation to the Burton movie. Fluttershy dies in a tragic accident, and Discord brings her back from the dead as his zombie wife. Her friends (sans Pinkie) are horrified. Has a fantastic twist ending. If you like some of the darker stuff, def worth a read.

Bonus: Comic rec: The Last Adventure by Eveeka. Taking place after the final defeat of Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis, Discord gets into a depressive funk after shouldering the hatred from Ponyville citizens for his latest actions, but also because his friends seem to never be available anymore. He starts to think maybe Equestria would be better off without him, as he can't seem to exist with out making everyone miserable, and decides to hide away in the Everfree forest. Fluttershy, worried when he doesn't show up for tea, asks her friends for help, only to discover there's a monster running lose there he and the rest of Equestria might be in danger from. This fic has two endings, so keep reading even when it seems like it's over. You've got one more ending left. This one nearly made me cry.

[magistralucis]

2025 Translation Tuesday Entry - 19/52 Title: Сирень (Lilac) Artist: Проба-1000 (Proba-1000) Album: Разное (Miscellaneous, 1990)

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В небе солнце яркое, золотистый день, (The sun is brilliant in the sky, golden is the day,) Распустилась белая-белая сирень, (And the lilacs, pure and white, have burst into bloom.) Лепестки рассыпал наш белый старый сад, (Our old white garden has scattered its petals:) И для встречи, кажется, никаких преград. (For our meeting, so it seems, we'll find no obstacle.)

Сирень, сирень, кружи нам голову, кружи, (Lilacs, lilacs, make our heads spin, make them spin.) Сирень, сирень, что с нами сбудется, скажи, (Lilacs, lilacs, do tell if our wish will come true.) Сирень, сирень, цветущий май, з��лёный май, (Lilacs, lilacs, a flowering May, a verdant May,) Не отцветай, сирень, не облетай. (Don't fade away, lilacs, don't fly away.)

Сколько зим, не спрашивай, сколько долгих лет, (How many winters, don't you ask, how many the long years,) Жду тебя, как праздника, а тебя всё нет. (I await you like a holiday, yet you are still not here.) Лепестки рассыпал наш белый старый сад, (Our old white garden has scattered its petals:) И для встречи, кажется, никаких преград. (For our meeting, so it seems, we'll find no obstacle.)

Сирень, сирень, кружи нам голову, кружи, (Lilacs, lilacs, make our heads spin, make them spin.) Сирень, сирень, что с нами сбудется, скажи, (Lilacs, lilacs, do tell if our wish will come true.) Сирень, сирень, цветущий май, зелёный май, (Lilacs, lilacs, a flowering May, a verdant May,) Не отцветай, сирень, не облетай. (Don't fade away, lilacs, don't fly away.)

Посмотри доверчиво, руку протяни, (Gaze upon me trustingly, stretch our your hand,) Всё-таки случаются сказочные дни. (Days like fairy-tales happen, all the same.) Лепестки рассып��л наш белый старый сад, (Our old white garden has scattered its petals:) И для встречи, кажется, никаких преград. (For our meeting, so it seems, we'll find no obstacle.)

Сирень, сирень, кружи нам голову, кружи, (Lilacs, lilacs, make our heads spin, make them spin.) Сирень, сирень, что с нами сбудется, скажи, (Lilacs, lilacs, do tell if our wish will come true.) Сирень, сирень, цветущий май, зелёный май, (Lilacs, lilacs, a flowering May, a verdant May,) Не отцветай, сирень, не облетай. (Don't fade away, lilacs, don't fly away.)

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I'm so grateful for archivists. I can't overstate how much.

Today's band is so obscure that there were only two detailed sources I could find for them: their entry on sssrviapesni.info, which is an archive site about ВИАs in the USSR, and a livejournal post containing a small biography and interview quotes from 2006. Every link on that post is dead, as are the images... well, it was twenty years ago. To be honest, I'm still not used to the fact that you can read/watch posts on the internet older than two decades, like authentically made online at that time and preserved for this long. Kudos to all the people who left those records behind. To everyone who will not let information die. 🥲

But what am I talking about? Проба-1000 (Proba-1000, 'Sample-1000') was a band from Moscow, primarily active in 1984. I cite this date because that was the year their magnitizdaty were published, two reel-to-reel albums in a row. Their style was 'funk-fusion', combining synthesizers, vocoders, collages of spoken speech (such as spliced fragments of TV programs) with new wave and disco-inspired beats. Linked below is their second album, Телепробы (Teleproby, 1984), where you can listen to their early sound for yourself. Almost every track is a different genre.

The strings sequence in 'Металлические червячки' '(Metallic Worms') is very catchy and worth listening to. Listen out for Cheburashka on the next track as well! 😎

It does not appear that Проба-1000 had a constant line-up. According to sssrviapesni.info the 'main' band members were Alexey Poznakharev (frontman), Sergey Vorobyov, Dmitry Chetvergov, and Inna Men; a comment left eight years ago on a Youtube video by who I assume is Poznakharev himself cites at least ten others. Interestingly, according to Poznakharev Проба-1000 never held 'real concert activities' ('К настоящей концертной деятельности Группа так и не приступила'), but they had a presence in festivals and the TV programs Утренняя почта (Morning Mail, music program running since 1974) and Шире круг (Wider Circle, variety program first aired in 1976). They put out their final album Разное in 1990, which is a collection of all their latter material, and from then on I can find no more of their activities as Проба-1000.

All their music is available online, but it seems the best-known track is 'Сирень': it's the first track that comes up in videos and downloads when you search the band's name. 'Сирень' is the second-to-last track on Разное, and notably, it sounds least like it should be a Проба-1000 song. 😅 It's probably their most conventional track - it wouldn't be out of place in a ВИА - but if you'd only ever heard this one, you might get a very different impression of what this band did than the reality. The accessibility of this track (+ Mayposting) earned it today's translation spot, but if you liked Проба-1000's experimental sound better, you'd be pleased to know the other tracks of Разное continue to be multi-genre.

Here are a few links. If you liked 'Сирень', 'Не грусти' will serve you well. The rest are a little heavier, and more funky.

I'll be back next week with another rare band! 😎

[television-overload]

Analyzing track no. 7 from Michael Weatherly's NCIS:TIVA playlist for @fairy-tales-of-yesterday

"The Traitor" by Menahan Street Band

First impressions:

Sinister/mysterious vibes

No lyrics

Reggae/funk vibe which is very Michael Weatherly

Layered instruments

My thoughts:

Despite the fact that this song is instrumental, there's plenty to talk about

The TITLE is alarming

My first thought is that this has something to do with the spinoff, a hint at what may be to come

That being said... "The Traitor"

Will someone we know betray Tony and Ziva? Is that how they end up in danger?

Traitor, to me, implies that it's someone they know well. A former lover? An internationally connected ally? One of Tony's employees at his security company? A business partner? A friend? (I can't imagine this one being true, at least of any main characters on the series)

This track I could definitely see as the background music while a character is up to no good (not that that's the point of this playlist, I'm just saying if it was used in a show or movie, that's how I'd see this one used). If we really are looking at songs that represent both the OG NCIS and the spinoff Tiva, I do think Michael has the spinoff in mind for this one.

However, there definitely were times in seasons 3-10 where Ziva was accused of being a traitor. Tony too, for that matter. But the argument for that isn't as strong, so I'm sticking with this being an indicator that we may see betrayal kick of this globetrotting adventure, which I am very intrigued by.

Like this song's many layers, I'm hoping to see extremely well fleshed-out characters, especially Tony and Ziva and Tali, of course. They may be holding things together on the surface, but underneath we know there will be tension that gets resolved by the end of the series. I cannot wait.

Send me a number between 1 and 30 and I'll analyze/give my thoughts on one of the songs on Michael Weatherly's Tiva playlist

[surpriseraisin]

spiteful au some thoughts

if it was going to continue i think it would be by doing more world building about the strings and also exploring other effects of songs.

we've seen that songs/music can have magical effects (power chord, perfect family harmony, jazz music, hustle button, etc) also like branch bringing back color with the song and bringing back music and color in general during the ending of world tour

theres also the effect of a pinkie promise (which honestly kinda looked like the perfect family harmony)

so one of the key difference is that floyd made a pinkie promise to come back and become a family again before leaving branch.

velvet in this au; she keeps the talent and a permanent stain of magenta. she discovers that the talent grows stronger the more applause she gets, and that there's a certain allure to the audience so even those who may have put together that this was troll based talent or witnessed the tragedy from the trolls perspective it gets washed away by the pop songs.

but velvet also notices that she's been getting migraines and that there's been a soreness and bump growing on her head. it could be a troll egg manifesting, containing floyd in order to try and fulfill the pinkie promise. it could be a nasty side effect of imbibing concentrated troll essence, especially fully consuming the troll.

veneer is proper horrified and is no longer singing with velvet, but is acting more like a manager. he's organizing her shows and watching over her routine, and its to make sure she doesn't get more trolls and that he knows what she's doing. has been noticing the migraines and the complaints of a bump. may also be hearing voices; could be a side effect of partially imbibing floyds essence.

branch and his brothers were transported away by rhonda, bridget and gristle. branch has fully gone catatonic and is being led along by poppy. john clay and bruce still in the diamonds are being held by bridget and gristle. they look uncomfortable. clay is practically vibrating with energy, fiddling with his arm bands and tugging at his hair. john is clutching his head or hitting the walls. bruce is holding himself and looking at the other brothers, telling them not to hurt themselves.

viva is trying to lead them along and is silent but is now convinced that bergens may have become friendly but there are still monsters out there and her fear is very much valid. She's trying so hard to not bring up her concerns, because everyone is so distraught, but she really wants her sister and everyone away and out of here.

much later viva remembers the story that poppy told her about the other trolls and the real history of the pop trolls and the string. in turn viva tells poppy about the stories she used to hear during her childhood from their dad, that she thought were just fairy tales but may have truth in them if the other trolls are real.

such as the lengths pinkie promises can change the world to be fulfilled or the consequences of it being broken. powerful enough to have an effect on the fabric of the world. << this discussion is not brought up until later when branch gets absorbed into legends and myths to see if there could possibly be an answer when poppy tried to get him out of the funk by saying there has to be an answer don't give up branch.

maybe they can fully bring floyd back by singing a particular song and sacrificing some of their talent. to replace the void of talent that was taken from floyd. or maybe they siphon some of floyds original talent away from velvet, and supplement it with the song and put it all together with some kind of ritual

[giftideasfromaycaramba]

Igraine dreams of becoming a famous knight just like her great grandfather, but the truth is, life at the family castle is rather boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. He's got a dastardly plan to capture the castle and claim as his own the wonderful singing spell books that belong to Igraine's magician parents. To make matters worse, at the very moment of the siege, her mom and dad botch a spell, turning themselves into pigs! Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, it's up to Igraine to be brave and save the day-and the books!

[nodricwanderer]

HASH BLINK: Eclectic Beats & Engaging Reads Bundle

Product Description

Eclectic Beats & Engaging Reads Bundle

Dive into a world where rhythm meets storytelling with our Eclectic Beats & Engaging Reads Bundle! This curated collection brings together the pulsating energy of the music scene and the captivating narratives of the literary world. 

Musical Selection:

From the heart-pounding drops of Dubstep to the infectious grooves of Funk, our music selection spans across genres that will make you want to dance all night long. Immerse yourself in the vibrant vibes of EDM, Deep House, and Tech House as you lose yourself in their hypnotic beats. Experience the smooth melodies of RnB and the infectious hooks of K-Pop, followed by the high-energy rhythms of Moombahton and the nostalgia-inducing sounds of Disco.

Whether you're chilling out with some Melodic Techno, getting lost in the intricate layers of Progressive House, or vibing to the storytelling of Rap and Hardcore Hip-Hop, this musical assortment caters to every mood and moment. Explore the islands of Afro House and the pulse-pounding beats of Drum and Bass (DnB) as you journey through soundscapes that inspire movement and emotion.

Literary Selection:

Complementing the audacious soundscape, our selection of books invites you to dive into the pages of gripping Thrillers & Suspense and enchanting Fantasy tales. From the chilling realm of Horror & Supernatural to the enlightening journeys of Body, Mind & Spirit, every narrative unfolds a new universe.

Explore the urban landscapes of Urban & Street Lit, unravel mysteries in Mystery & Detectivestories, or embark on thrilling adventures in Science Fiction & Action. For romance lovers, our collection offers a delightful mix of Historical Romance and passionate Romance & Action, alongside captivating Epic Fantasy sagas that ignite the imagination.

Feast your eyes and minds on the whimsical realms of Fairy Tales & Mythology, or unleash the superhero within with our powerful Superheroes stories. For younger audiences, we present charming Juvenile tales and relatable Young Adult Fiction that capture the essence of growing up.

Why Choose the Eclectic Beats & Engaging Reads Bundle?

This unique bundle harmonizes the joy of music with the art of storytelling, offering you a holistic experience that resonates with both your auditory and literary senses. Perfect for parties, quiet nights in, or a dash of inspiration, let this eclectic mix elevate your day!

Whether you're vibing to the beats of the latest Deep House track or getting lost in a thrilling Paranormal novel, this ultimate bundle is designed for those who embrace life in all its vibrant forms. Order your bundle today and transform your experience with rhythm and words!

[chrisryanspeaks]

Empowering Pop | Remi Wolf - “Cinderella”

Remi Wolf's "Cinderella" is a vibrant single from her upcoming album Big Ideas, set to release on July 12 via Island Records. The song, recorded at Electric Lady Studios at the beginning of 2023, draws from vintage funk and disco influences, perfectly aligning with Wolf's unique style. Wolf collaborated with Solomonophonic initially, and later enhanced the track with horn sections to complete its rich, dynamic sound. The lyrics of "Cinderella" are described as a "lyrical collage" by Wolf herself, reflecting on the myriad emotions and challenges she faced while working on her album. These included feelings of insecurity, mood swings, and the search for stability amidst constant travel and change. Through this song, Wolf channels her own fairy godmother, empowering herself to take control and find balance. She aimed to blend '70s nostalgia with contemporary sounds, creating a track that encourages listeners to dance and feel uplifted​. "Cinderella" explores concepts of self-identity, empowerment, and resisting conformity. The song uses the transformation of Cinderella as a metaphor for personal growth and freedom of expression, contrasting fairy-tale imagery with the realities of modern life, such as the struggle for recognition and authenticity. The stunning music video for "Cinderella" adds a visual layer to the song's themes, featuring Wolf performing funky dance moves in a park accompanied by a brass ensemble, with a humorous cameo by Mac DeMarco as a subpar ice cream vendor. The video, co-directed by Wolf and Ragan Henderson, underscores the song's playful yet reflective tone. "Cinderella" stands out as an anthem for embracing one's true self, navigating the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with life's ups and downs, and celebrating individuality against the backdrop of societal expectations. Read the full article

[audiofuzz]

Empowering Pop | Remi Wolf - “Cinderella”

Remi Wolf's "Cinderella" is a vibrant single from her upcoming album Big Ideas, set to release on July 12 via Island Records. The song, recorded at Electric Lady Studios at the beginning of 2023, draws from vintage funk and disco influences, perfectly aligning with Wolf's unique style. Wolf collaborated with Solomonophonic initially, and later enhanced the track with horn sections to complete its rich, dynamic sound. The lyrics of "Cinderella" are described as a "lyrical collage" by Wolf herself, reflecting on the myriad emotions and challenges she faced while working on her album. These included feelings of insecurity, mood swings, and the search for stability amidst constant travel and change. Through this song, Wolf channels her own fairy godmother, empowering herself to take control and find balance. She aimed to blend '70s nostalgia with contemporary sounds, creating a track that encourages listeners to dance and feel uplifted​. "Cinderella" explores concepts of self-identity, empowerment, and resisting conformity. The song uses the transformation of Cinderella as a metaphor for personal growth and freedom of expression, contrasting fairy-tale imagery with the realities of modern life, such as the struggle for recognition and authenticity. The stunning music video for "Cinderella" adds a visual layer to the song's themes, featuring Wolf performing funky dance moves in a park accompanied by a brass ensemble, with a humorous cameo by Mac DeMarco as a subpar ice cream vendor. The video, co-directed by Wolf and Ragan Henderson, underscores the song's playful yet reflective tone. "Cinderella" stands out as an anthem for embracing one's true self, navigating the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with life's ups and downs, and celebrating individuality against the backdrop of societal expectations. Read the full article

[cafeleningrad]

 🔥 about ASOIAF and/or Reckless by Cornelia Funke :)

Hey thanks for thinking of me. ^^ The asks have been collecting too much dust so far, so let's finally answer them. Let's go with Reckless because it's not talked about this much. 🔥Unpopular opinion about Reckless, and the Mirrorworld series as a whole: It is perhaps one of Funke's most uneven works I've read so far, and I fear loosing more and more potential with each book. The problem is that she doesn't seem to know what the endgoal is supposed to be, thematically. Already the first book was more an interesting fairy-tale-fantasy action adventure than actually having a lot of depth throughout the journey (which ironically, her children's books are much more focused than her more grown up stories which are in a certain sense more meta discussions with writing and genre). The fairy tale world is deeply rich in ideas and life, being dark because Grimm's fairy tales are actually dark in nature. Take the idea that a cannibal could be out at night, or drinking from the wrong pond takes the autonomy of your will are taken at face value very scary concepts to live around. However, in the first book the characters mostly encounter these occurrences, overcome them, characterizations being rather surface to have a somewhat plausible decision making on the character's part. It is noticeable how the first book was meant to be a script first since some passage are rather devoid of flowing writing. The second book is better in terms of fleshing out the characters, and an overarching scheme which makes the journey more interesting outside of the fantastical world. The characters falling into traps and ploys becomes realistic, the Erls existing opens a new mystery. The third book continues with the adventure. All good until Silver tracks which not only jumps massively between huge landmarks (even considering that the Mirroworld is in possession of 19th century technology how does Fox travel that quickly between Japan and Persia?), the rushed writing not only feels more like single events just happening but also transforms many non-European and/or queer characters into tokens or no deeper importance. With this book everything is so longwinded whereas simultaneously unprosaic that it reads to me as if Funke actually doesn't know where to go with the saga but the stories simply being adventure titles which could run for as long as the series sells. With writing quality varying so starkly from one book to the next, it robs the series of a lot of engaging immersion. While clearly, Fearless was nothing but a continuation of the previous title of the universe for sequel's sake, it did a things better than Reckless, and opened up an engaging mystery which could've been an interesting journey if there was a final destination which ties it all together. It could've been an entertaining fantasy adventure but it looses track on how to be engaging by derailing in solid craftsmanship of writing. Which is a shame because Funke is great at fantasy world atmosphere, and I miss fantasy which isn't softporn YA. Even it was just an adventure story. (But I will always adore Nerron. Somehow I have the impression that Nerron is Funke's unbeaten favourite, he receives long passages, and a tsundre romance arc with Will. Seriously, none can convince that there isn't something serious going on between him an Will.)

Send me a “ 🔥 “ for an unpopular opinion.

[atopvisenyashill]

@daenystheedreamer ya ya and like, in the show we get that little line about how margaery remains fond of sansa (petyr says it i want to say in s6) that lets you know margaery’s feelings were not just genuine but that they likely do still exist. and i think people take the show dynamic which is VERY different and put it onto their book counterparts. but with book margaery, it’s not even like she is self serving but ultimately is fond of sansa (like she is in the show) she straight up never even mentions or talks to sansa again after the tyrion engagement.

even if we were to get a sansa mention that is NEGATIVE tbh i’d like it and could be convinced into seriously shipping it, bc it does play into those themes about sansa working through & abandoning these fairy tales. joff who looks like a dream but is a mad king, cersei who looks a queen but is nothing but a beautiful liar, sandor & dontos who do not look or act like true knights yet they help her & care about her in their own flawed and selfish ways, all of this (imo) culminating in this final lesson where Sansa refuses to trust Petyr or Harry and uses her skills to topple them and come into her own power without any illusions on what power is and how it works and what it looks like. margaery slots Perfectly into that- she looks a perfect queen, she acts a perfect queen, and not like cersei who even on her best day finds it difficult to fake the funk with people she dislikes (which is most people) while margaery acts like sansa’s shadow self almost. a queen who is sweet, a queen who cares for the smallfolk, a queen with a family that loves her and will defend her. but under that, nothing but emptiness, nothing but naked ambition.

i do think if we get margaery mentioning sansa in twow i could easily be talked into seriously shipping it. a lot of my “it’s cute ig” stance is just that they don’t really think about each other after they part nor does margaery seem particularly torn up over sansa disappearing. whereas in the show, besides sophie & natalie just having good chemistry, you can see margaery DOES feel quite bad about everything that’s happened to sansa (and she also didn’t know olenna was going to frame sansa for the joff murder). some of this is just because we don’t have a tyrell pov in the books (while in the show i would argue most of the KL arc once margaery shows up IS from her pov, even a lot of the sansa scenes) so we don’t know what margaery is thinking and if her friendship with sansa is genuine or 100% self serving. but if she were to MENTION sansa i could live off those crumbs for the next two decades until ados comes out.

[lordmayokcorner]

THE BOYZ 『Christmas in August』 - Album Review

Allkpop

THE BOYZ—no not the TV show—is a boy group (shocker) that I know very little about, besides the fact that they are supposedly very good and I should check them out. Perfectly timed, I got a request to write a review for this album. (Send me asks on my Tumblr if you want something reviewed!) If life has taught me anything it’s to always believe random people on the internet, so let’s see how their newest album PHANTASY Pt.1, Christmas In August, holds up to my standards. I rate on a balanced scale so a 5 out of 10 means I feel neutrally, not that I don’t like it. Enjoy!

LIP GLOSS - 6.5

This song has an upbeat, summery beat that feels like a cross between new Harry Styles and Prince. It’s pleasant and groovy. Some of the elements feel a bit disorganized however, which is off putting for a song that requires the rhythm to be tight and right in the pocket. It works well as a title track but could use a little more catchiness which it lacks because it’s a little generic. I love the energy though, classic summer song!

Passion Fruit - 7

I love the sampled beat! This song also has a lot of funk but is a bit darker feeling and has a wider sound spectrum. I love the way the bass and the rapping in the verses overlap. The prechorus draws things out but doesn’t drop the tension at all. The chorus is a bit of an anti drop, letting go of all of the tension and build from the prechorus, feeling much more hushed. Classically, it scales up again in 8 bars but still feels somewhat laid-back. It’s much more energized than LIP GLOSS and I’m living for it. It’s not adventurous but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Lighthouse - 7.5

This one is not at all uplifting. The beat feels somehow underwater and ocean-cave-like if that makes sense and lacks the funkiness of the past couple songs. The chorus is lighter and more subdued, but when the post chorus hits it feels massive and dark. Massive modulated synth basses back screaming vocals for a mere 4 bars in a way that makes me want it back more than anything. The second verse doesn’t do that many interesting things till the end when it brings in some crunchy harmonies with some extra instrumentals. The post chorus has even more oomph this time around and thankfully lasts a little longer. A post post chorus concludes the song excellently. The whole song feels very reminiscent of being under the ocean. Lovely stuff.

Fantasize - 8

Arguably the first epic on the album, this song starts with a stripped down drum and bass verse and adds more synths in the prechorus to build tension to yet another anti drop…getting a little old. It feels very After Hours (The Weeknd); It’s very much a reference to the 80s, just like After Hours. We love an 80s K-pop banger, just like the iconic LA DI DA. I like its ability to simultaneously be this big power song but also be pretty laid back in the chorus and verses. Certainly a banger.

Fire Eyes - 4

The kick-snare beat, pluck bass, and fun quick vocals are indicators of a classic light pop song. The vocals are definitely sub-par, which is unfortunate because there’s not very much beat to back them up. The melody is nothing to speak of either. I would say it’s the first clunker so far, which is pretty good overall. It’s not painful, it just doesn’t feel like anything special. Light pop has never really been my thing anyway. The end has some more synths, but that doesn’t change much for me.

Fairy Tale - 5

Another one with ‘meh’ vocals. The autotune is unsoundly, I guess you could say. The melodies feel a bit all over the place in the verse; They don’t really connect in a way that they should. The chorus turns things around a bit though. The arpeggiated synths are really nice to listen to. It’s definitely refreshing to hear a final track that’s not just a flat boring ballad. It has flavour for sure.

Final Thoughts

A great summer comeback! The sealike and tropical vibes keep going throughout the album. Super fun but also has some pretty impressive production in it. The middle of the record is really solid. I give this album an overall score of about 6.5 for that reason, with my favorite song being Fantasize. I didn’t love everything on it but I can say that I’m overall very satisfied with it. Some interesting stuff from THE BOYZ, thanks for recommending this to me! I’ll have to listen to some of their other releases. Thanks for reading!

- Maya

[rainingmusic]

Extreme - More Than Words

[moontrinemars]

a Few Notes on Writers and Storytelling in Vedic Astrology - and how to use that in your own chart!

Researched for my use, published for your reference. Disclaimer in bio. I use Sidereal placements but suggest checking both.

✒️ Ardra has massive connections to Gothic fiction. Mary Shelley (Frankenstein) and Lord Byron (romantic poetry) both had Ardra Ascendants, with Shelley also having Ardra Saturn and Indu Lagna. Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre) had an Ardra Mars and Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights) had an Ardra moon.

📖 This makes sense! Ardra is the Star of Sorrow. It is also called the Star of Oppression. The Vimshottari Dasha says Ardra can be connected to condemnation and sacrifice. It is ruled by the Howling God, Rudra, born crying for he had no name. He was the god of Destructive Storms and Thunder, and also the Lord of Wild Animals and Medicines. This aligns with many common Gothic motifs!

📖 As a result, Gothic fiction can be an amazing introspective dive for Ardra natives... if they aren't too afraid to see their own wounds reflected back at them. Like Frankenstein's monster, Ardra natives often end up rejecting or being rejected by their "creators" - whether that's their families or their gods. Catherine and Heathcliff and their tragedy will speak to the wild Ardra native's inclination to lash out or run away out of fear of being trapped or abandoned. Etc!

✒️ You can look at an author's D5 for common threads in their popular works. For example, D5 Mars in its own sign or house is common for suspense and noir authors, as is prominent Scorpio. Both of these things are true for Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot books and other mystery novels), Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes series), and Truman Capote (In Cold Blood)!

📖 If you are a creator, you can look to it for inspiration, or use it to analyze your works for patterns you never even noticed! For example, I also write original fiction in my own time. My D5 Ascendant is Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, and faith, fate, and the divine are common themes. My D5 sun is 6th house Taurus and my works usually explore one on one relationships with lots of dialogue. Venus, my D5 sun's sign ruler, is in the 12th and Scorpio and the plots typically involve secrets, mysteries, and the link between life and death. Etc. etc. etc.

📖 Even if you don't consider yourself a creator, you can use your D5 to look at the creators that helped shape you! For example, my D5 has a Mula Ascendant and a triple conjunction in Bharani under 1º, and my favorite author as a child, Cornelia Funke, has Bharani Mars and a Venus/Saturn conjunction in Mula under 2º in her D1. I also loved Peter and Wendy, and on top of us sharing D1 Ardra Risings, J. M. Barrie has his D1 sun in Krittika, same as my D5 Jupiter.

✒️ Fairy tales are usually associated with Punarvasu, Hasta, and Revati. Hans Christian Anderson (The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, etc.) had Punarvasu Rahu, Hasta Saturn, and Revati Sun and Mercury. J. M. Barrie (Peter and Wendy, later iterations known as Peter Pan) had Punarvasu Jupiter, its ruling planet, in the 1st and D10 Hasta Ascendant and Pluto. Hans Grimm (Grimm's Fairy Tales) had Hasta Moon, which is its ruling planet, and Revati Rahu.

📖 Punarvasu is the Star of Renewal. It prospers the greatest only after experiencing failure - a common theme in fairy tales. There is a Rags to Riches element to this nakshatra, or the reverse. It's not a romantic nakshatra but it is well suited to travel. I personally associate it with The Emperor's New Clothes, The Lost Princess, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.

📖 Hasta is the Hand, which has more than one meaning. This nakshatra puts what you want in your hands, but there is also a connection to palmistry, fate, and magic. These natives have the quick wit and mystical audacity that gives characters in fairy tales the happiest endings. They're also willing to 'take with both hands'. I associate this nakshatra with Jack and the Beanstalk, Rumpelstilskin, and The Seven Ravens.

📖 Revati is the Star of Wealth, because they find what has been lost or overlooked and appreciate it appropriately. They are at their best when they act as guides, or as guardians, to those who need them. I associate them with The Blue Bird, The Frog Prince, and Thumbelina.

Hope this was useful, thanks for reading. If you have any questions, feel free to message, ask, or reply ♡

[saurongorthaur9]

As a Children's Librarian, I read mostly youth fantasy, but here's a few recommendations of some older/adult fantasy I've enjoyed.

Definitely seconding Tolkien if you've never read him.

The Runemarks series by Joanne Harris. My favorite adult fantasy after the Tolkien Legendarium. It's high fantasy based on Norse mythology and has some of the best worldbuilding and atmosphere I've ever seen. Can't recommend enough.

The Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke. It technically gets marketed towards kids/teens, but it has very mature themes, characters, storylines, especially Books 2 and 3. Brilliant worldbuilding and it's basically a love letter to readers and writers. Book 1 is not high fantasy, but Books 2 and 3 are (mostly).

Mirrorworld series by Cornelia Funke. Dark fantasy with twisted versions of fairy tales and excellent worldbuilding.

Watershed Trilogy by Douglas Niles. Classic straight-up high fantasy with magic, a war between good and evil, monsters, elves, and political entanglements.

Who are your high fantasy author recommendations?

Excluding romantasy/paranormal romance and YA writers, please.

(If you feel like it, you would be welcome to reblog so more people can reply and recommend me writers.)

[schleierkauz]

Cornelia Funke Q&A - 05.09.22

First of all, the audio quality was horrible this time. I tried my best to make out what Cornelia said but it was a struggle.

The Elephant in the Room/Those new Inkworld Covers

- See this post

- No, really, Cornelia hates them a lot and encourages us to complain to the publisher

The Color of Revenge

- The book is finished

- Direct quote from Cornelia:

"I admit, I'm very in love with this book. It will, in many ways, be different from the other Inkworld books since it takes places five years later and the two main characters are definitely Dustfinger and the Black Prince. 

That means there will be two story lines, two separate efforts to stop Orpheus' revenge. Dustfinger, Farid and Jehan (Dustfinger's stepson) will travel with the Strong Man. 

Meanwhile the Black Prince, along with Battista, will be with a young witch named Driope... who will... hm... probably explain why Fox has a fox pelt. So the fox will be mentioned but not- not in the way the cover seems to imply. The story will be about witches, good ones and evil ones, it will... I had so much fun finally getting more into the Prince's story, I wanted to do that since I wrote Inkspell. And now Nyame, which is his first name I hadn't revealed so far, will really be in the spotlight this time. Colors, too- are pictures more powerful than words? We will see... and I think the answer will surprise us all.

Part of the story will take place around Ombra, which looks a lot like Tuskany, where I live right now. Other parts will take place in South Tyrol, which we already know from Reckless.

I let the story surprise me. It went completely differently than how I initially imagined, that's always a good sign. There were plottwist I couldn't have predicted, I learned a lot, met characters I didn't know very well before... And I hope that I have another book in me because after this, there are still a thousand stories to tell. But that's how all my stories end, so... We'll see. I definitely wrote it with so so so much joy and I hope some of that joy will infect the readers once they have the book in their hands.

Of course (unintelligible) but there's also a lot of beauty and light... and many characters that we love."

(Translator’s note: I’m guessing she said something like “Of course the story will have dark moments”- but everyone talked over each other so I can’t hear her exact wording)

Reckless

- She is preparing Reckless 5, which she calls a huge challenge

- It will involve African fairy tales and Cornelia is realising how little she knows about African history so she's been doing a lot of research. Since she explored the Black Prince's roots in TCoR, she is looking forward to see possible parallels between the Inkworld and the Mirrorworld again

The Wild Chicks

- Cornelia has recently been made aware that The Wild Chicks are trending on Tiktok. She obviously had no idea. She heard that they are seen as idols because even 30 years ago they were growing their own food, saving chickens and featured lesbians

- The idea is to do something with those characters and environmentalism because it would fit very well but there are no concrete plans yet

- Of course there are also those scripts about the characters at 30. Plans have been changed - instead of a movie, Cornelia wants to turn it into a six part TV show. This would give every character room to breathe. Of course, there would be a book to go along with this

Misc.

- Cornelia wishes she was ginger. She doesn't want to dye her hair, she just wants to naturally be ginger. Maybe in the next life

- Cornelia talks about her Christmas project again. She wants all her artists to draw christmas trees which the writer's will then tell little stories about

- One of Cornelia’s next plans is to get environmentalists and artists together and come up with more hopeful narratives about the future of the planet. She is tired of apocalypse stories

- "The Green Kingdom" is finished and will be released next spring

- Cornelia's Italian is getting better and she hopes she will be able to do a few readings in Italian next year. She will be on stage in Germany next month for the first time since covid hit and is very excited about it

- If Cornelia had the chance to sit down and talk to any fictional character, she would like to choose the three musketeers or Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride

- Despite all the wonderful Italian food she's been eating, Cornelia remains loyal to the potato

- In Cornelia's experience, publishers often try to stop authors and illustrators from communicating directly because they don't want them to unionize. She encourages everyone to ignore this and talk to each other

[novelmonger]

Stories About Stories

There's this certain genre (or subgenre? or category?) that I love, which I like to call "stories about stories." (At first I was going to say "books about books," but obviously it can also be a movie/game/etc.) You know - a story that revolves around the very power of stories, of reading, of the deep love of books and fiction in general, where books and stories and reading are central to the plot. Stories about stories are less common than you might think, considering...well, presumably most people telling a story have a deep love and appreciation for stories, or why would they bother writing their own? But every now and then, I come across one and add it to a little mental bookshelf in my head. Here's what's on my bookshelf so far:

The Fall (2006) - A man with a spinal injury starts telling stories to a girl with a broken arm he meets in the hospital. The epic tale that unfolds not only helps pass the time, but also hints at characters' motivations and backgrounds. I'm not exaggerating when I say the story they weave together saves lives.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - People known as Silvertongues are able to read characters and objects out of books when they read aloud - and something from the real world goes into the book at the same time. The main character, Meggie, has a father who is a Silvertongue, who accidentally read characters out of a book called Inkheart, and Meggie's mother went into the book. Ever since then, he's been trying to read her back out. This book is all about the power, danger, and beauty of the written word.

Seven-Day Magic by Edward Eager - A group of children find an untitled book in the library and open it to find that it's telling the story of them going to the library and finding this book. They use the book to make wishes and go into some of their favorite stories. It's basically every child's dream come true, if that child is a bookworm like me ^_^ I love every single one of Eager's magic books, but this was one of my particular favorites growing up.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - In an alternate version of our world, there are organizations that regulate time travel as well as literary crimes (such as gang wars over Shakespearian authorship, which is a big deal in this alternate history). The main character, Thursday, is a detective looking into one such complicated crime, and ends up going into the book of Jane Eyre. In this world, any changes made to an original manuscript will change all copies of the book, so you can imagine the kind of chaos that ensues. I actually didn't care for this book very much, but it was more because I disliked the characters, not because it wasn't fun to explore an alternate world where literature is so vitally important and you can meet literary characters for real.

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - There is a huge, seemingly endless library that is its own dimension, connected to an infinite number of alternate worlds. The main character, Irene, is a librarian who is tasked with collecting new works of fiction for the library. This time, she goes to an alternate London to pick up a version of Grimm's fairy tales, meets an alternate version of a certain literary character, and has to contend with a chaotic but really fun steampunk world. Ultimately, I decided not to continue this series after the first book, but...I can't deny that risking one's life for the sake of a book made Irene very relatable XD

The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry - The main character's brother, Charley, has the ability to read characters and important objects out of books. Which is all well and good until someone else ends up reading a very literal version of the Hound of the Baskervilles from the scene where it seems to actually be a spectral horror, and sends it to Charley's house to kill him.... An excellent book, which deals a lot with how different people will read the same character differently, colored by their own perceptions and understanding of the literature in question.

Alan Wake - A horror writer goes to a small town in the hopes of breaking through writer's block. Instead, he discovers that there is some kind of magic in the place that makes everything he writes come true. And...he's a horror writer, so.... This is an excellent horror game, with a really engaging story and one of the best (probably) unintentional allegories I've encountered in a video game. It feels almost like a cautionary tale about not letting writer's block get the best of you :P

Myst (series) - Okay, this one's maybe a little more metaphorical than the others. But the series is all about the D'ni, a hidden race of people who have the ability to create worlds by writing a book about them. It's like...sub-creation writ large. The point of the games is to explore these worlds, which are mostly abandoned after the fall of D'ni civilization, and to help the last few surviving D'ni find some measure of peace. The D'ni books aren't so much stories as just worldbuilding descriptions, but there's something so metaphorically resonant about touching the page of a book and then finding yourself in the world you just read about. And the people inhabiting these worlds being real people with free will and everything even though they were written by someone else...is that not how every writer's characters are?

Please add on to this! I always want more stories about stories. And I'm probably forgetting something super obvious anyway.