#how did u know every single lyric the song was not released

[a-lilypad]

thinkin abt how i saw alley rose live before it was even released….

[leeyanyanyaaan]

Kayn x Graffiti Artist!Reader

16 / 11 / 2023

hi hi~ welcome to the start of my heartsteel x headcanon series "creatively charmed"! sorry, i cant think of a better title atm LOL anyways, this is gonna be a series of the heartsteel band with a lover who's got a creative side to them XD that's all, hope you enjoy! next up will be sett ^-^

Started with another one of days where Kayn decided to go out and wreak havoc by vandalizing everything LOL

When he does he often comes across a lot of grafitti art, this one in particular has a certain style to it

He always lets out a little chuckle when he sees it.

Now, as a fellow artist himself, he is respectful enough to not ruin that person's art, but he does his own grafitti nearby. For him it always includes his HEARTSTEEL icon and if he's feeling good then some song lyrics or a joke

This time, it was shortly after HEARTSTEEL's debut MV released, so when he left to do his usual vandalizing, he wrote "two sides to a story but they never tell my side" with a bunch of doodles. He was particularly proud of this piece, so he was planning to continue working on it the next day

What he didn't expect, however, was for someone to continue the lyrics, with "never been the kinda guy to stay inside the guidelines" written underneath, as well as some art of Kayn's scenes and even a headshot drawing of him from their single's thumbnail

Kayn was surprised and amazed to see it, and broke out into an excited shit-eating grin once he saw the artist's signature that he saw in all their other pieces

"So, looks like I captured this person's heart too. Ever the popular star I am, no?"

And so, he continued the lyrics to his verse, secretly hoping this grafitti artist will continue it again.

Which they did, and gradually, that specific wall gradually filled up with PARANOIA's lyrics from their gradual exchange, even with additional doodles of the other members, Ernest and Rhaast, and some of the funny scenes of the MV

Even mini conversations started with side comments on each others drawings, for example:

"This dog -> true MVP of HEARTSTEEL"

"The dog in the MV? His name's Ernest. (But Kayn is the real MVP)"

"LOL u come up w that name? I can see it tho ngl"

Oh right, this person doesn't know this is THE Kayn Shieda they're talking to

Anyways, this exchange made Kayn excited to come back every time (even his bandmates questioned why he goes out every night looking all excited)

Same with Rhaast actually LOL, but Kayn doesn't let him because he knows how crazy he gets when it comes to vandalizing

"I WANT A TURNNN KAYNNN" "No! I don't need you drawing 100 dicks on the wall again!" "THAT'S HOW MUCH OF A DICKHEAD YOU AREE-"

But alas, all good things must come to an end, after... 2 months, I guess? They had finished writing all the lyrics of the song and the whole wall was full of just HEARTSTEEL PARANOIA. Okay, so that's the end of it then.

Until a paper plane hit the top of Kayn's head. Annoyed, Kayn immediately lifted his head up to the direction it was thrown, yapping angrily at whoever had the fucking audacity to do that

Just as he was about to crumple the plane, he noticed writing on one of its wings, "read me!" Raising a brow curiously, he opened up the paperplane, where it revealed a username with a discord logo drawn next to it, along with your artist signature :)

I love how writing for Kayn gives me the free reign to swear AHAHAHDJSN

[carangel]

LISTEN

This is so damn specific I find it hard to even IMAGINE it in an X reader because when u play with reader aus we all know they’re basically ocs

And I don’t play with the whole X reader in the tags and it’s actually an oc

BUT IMAGINE AN ANTIHAREM:

Where it’s the basic, you’re the ‘friend’ who gets invited in and everyone dogs on u cause little miss liar can’t stop making herself look good.

Like geez narc much

But I want to expand more on the aspects of souls, soulmates and aus

Listen, I’m a firm believer in the whole ‘soulmate = compatibility not destiny��

and somehow this woman matches the soul frequency of ALL the boys

But like LISTEN, y’all ever like been listening to music and like, you’re imagining AMV’s and animation memes for your oc??

I’d like to think here, soul frequencies are just instrumentals, or at least one HALF is

Example: I HEAR A SYMPHONY

One soul is the lyrics, one soul is the instruments

Or yk, instrumental that flows well together

Like, they come together to make a full SONG

EITHER WAY

Ik I’m getting a lil ahead of myself but stay with me even tho I’m realizing how delulu this all sounds

Some how this miss is copying every, single, one

It’s almost as if she already knew the song and knew what to copy

But you can’t do that right? Your soul frequency is your own, right???

But like, what if there was some multidimensional changeling shit going on and she like-

Idk man

Locked away all the au versions of the reader/oc to copy the songs and she switches up when needed

Cause if yk MLP shit yk how changelings copy

And if I was a changeling, having a whole harem that loves and spoils me without question 👀

Seems like a buffet to me

You might be wondering

Cara, Carangel, Ciao (if ykyk)

How would you even set this up? How would the changebitch capture all the alternate yous/mes?

What about the main reader/oc? Wouldn’t they put a wrench in the plans??

Idk

Maybe they figured out in another au and traveled to one where you hadn’t met the boys yet

Unknowing that you were in existence but when they did changebitch was like

Oh if I make them hate her they’ll never know

Idk man

I’m just here for the climax

Where it’s revealed that the ladi is a FRAUD

And I’m not opposed to murder as a punishment

And yk, maybe after the au counterparts are released everyone goes back to their au.

I DO KNOW

End goal would be swap x swap!reader/oc, tale x tale!reader/oc

Ect

[ode2cheol]

big deep breath OK SO . ive been so excited for this comeback like idk with every new cb i feel like i get even more excited than with the precious one yk so i was really waiting for it to come out!! they released the mv while i was in class (they hate me) but during a little break not long after i managed to watch it and i was bobbing my head and swinging my feet at the sound LJKE U DONT GET IT I WAS GENUINELY SO HAPPY

honestly this is one of my fav svt albums and idk it just makes me so happy all the songs are so perfect and good there's not a single one i don't enjoy and the aesthetic is so cute and im so excited and impatient to FINALLY HAVE MY ALBUM IN MY HANDS ARGHHHH but yes this was such a success im so happy they broke so many records and they just continue to prove how talented they are wooooo

for the songs there isn't one i dislike at all but i really like SOS idk the beat js so nice and the lyrics are really good and this may be also due to me loving marshmello when i was younger but STILL !!! Diamond days makes me SOOOOO NOSTALGIC i love it so much im so glad they used kind off the same sound/sample as Shining Diamond im in love 💔💔 i think back 2 back is my fav song of the album!! i love minghaos highnote and the beat and just the overal vibe idk it stood out to me sm their voices fit the song so well im obsessed with the part around 1.30 where dino and hao sing in like a low voice? YGM BUT ITS SOOOOO GOOD just the entire song is so good i think tbh i have a soft spot for pu songs 😭😭😭😭 i haven't had much the time to really analyze yawn but the soft voices and vocals are heavenly i genuinely passed away BECAUSE YOU ARE MY BREATH 💔💔💔💔 LIKE WDYM UR MY BREATH WHY IS THIS SONG MAKING ME TEAR UP DONT EVEN LIE RNNN monster is such a fun song i just know I'll play it on repeat like fire while im walking to uni to wake me up and get me in study mode 💥💥💥 it's giving Halloween vibes and im here for it!!!! it's also just fun to me because my roommate/bsf and i bet on who sang the first line and she swore it was gyu and i swore it was vernon and today we didn't see each other much so like 1h ago she told me she saw in a lyric vid that gyu sang that line and i was like ??? girl i have weverse and i follow it religiously so ik it's both of them AND WE COULDNT AGREE BECAUSE WE DIDNT HAVE ANY PROOF so i ended up showing her weverse and it was so fun we were both right in the end and we did a silly dance LMAOOAOOOO IT WAS SO FUNNY 😻😻😻😻 but lemme tell u about headliner. FUCK THAT SONG BRO WHY AM I CRYING ??????? no it's actually my fav song along back 2 back like are u actually kidding me ???? this song makes me wanna study even more for my Korean classes like FUCK HEADLINER SO BAD 💔😭😭😭😭😭 I CRY AND LAUGH WITH YOU THIS NIGHT💔💔💔💔💔 WHERE WE OFFER ALL OUR LOVE💔💔💔💔 HOW BEAUTIFUL💔💔💔💔💔 BEVAHSE YOURE MY HEADLINER 💔💔💔💔💔 this moment when we shine together don't lie rn I'll actually kms and take a bath with my toaster like wow jumping of the 9th floor of the apartment building next door seems like such a fun activity today 😻😻😻😻😻😻

RIGHT OMG I WAS LITERALLY TUNING IN EVERYDAY AT 12 AM KST TO SEE IF THEY DROPPED FHE ANNOUNCEMENT AND WHEN THEY DID I WAS SOOOOO HYPED ‼️ like fml was SO huge i couldn’t wait for this one ALSO THE MV LITERALLY RELEASED DURING A PRACTICE FIRE DRILL FOR ME 😭😭

it genuinely is one of my faves too, like although the songs aren’t necessarily my fave of each unit (i still LOVE each one) the album was just so well put together ?? everything flowed perfectly and like usually it’ll take me like two or three listens to like some songs but i listened to the album start to finish ONCE and fell in love w EVERYTHING i’m not even kidding ❤️‍🔥 I CANR WAIT FOR MY ALBUMD TO GET HERE AYSHSHAHDJHS

right like there wasn’t a bad song at all !!! my fave has to be headliner bc it’s just so fucking emotional like woozi why u got me crying on the train home 😐😐😐 it gives me MAJOR our dawn is hotter than day vibes which i love sm !! the whole album vibes reminded me a little of you make my day a little i think it’s just me but yeah ‼️ i LOVED back 2 back too omg perf unit ALWAYS hits and YAWN OMG 😓 every track was amazing 😓😓😓 STOP THE DEBATES ON THE MONSTER FIRST LINE LMFAAOAOAO 😭😭 speaking of monster, cheol’s part.. changed me . i loved SOS too omg it gave such like band vibes ??

ALSO HELPPPPP HEADLINER’S LYRICS OMG 😓😓 my mom heard me listen to it and said “girl why are u listening to such sad lyrics..”

[thegothicarchitecture]

HELLMODE - Jeff Rosenstock

More Jeff songs, same signature stock 🍲

I continue getting the same impression that Jeff Rosenstock is sticking to a sound he knows will work for him. Not to say that his schtick is getting old, as he still finds new and inventive ways to surprise listeners on every release, but each subsequent release feels more like an additional helping of the same, once perfected dish.

Personally I don't ever expect Jeff to top WORRY., a flawless album in my eyes with the best B Side medley since Abbey Road. Following this, POST- had one of my favorite songs of the decade with the closing track "Let Them Win," a despondent and half-defeated rallying cry which encapsulated the feelings of most Americans coping with Trump's electoral victory in the 2016 election. While I don't make my album reviews political, Jeff Rosenstock has a lot of opinions on the matter, and one of his strongest talents is his ability to write clever lyrics with biting socio-political commentary.

So does his knack for clever lyricism carry over into this release?

Yes and no.

For one, I'm disappointed by how lackluster and vague his political commentary is this time around. FUTURE IS DUMB and I WANNA BE WRONG bring nothing new to the table that he hasn't said better in the past. However, I'm also surprised by how unflinchingly raw and personal his best lyrics are on HELLMODE, with lines that make me wonder if he is having serious marital and mental health problems.

This is no more apparent than on the opener WILL U STILL U, which sounds as if Jeff is admitting something horrible that will eventually come to light and ruin his relationship. LIFE ADMIN feels like an apology song directly to the same person in the aftermath of said event, with some of Jeff's best lyrics showcasing his penchant for circular simplicity ("Might go to the desert 'cause I make enough to fuck off to the desert") and specific details that put you firmly in his World of boba and vinyl records. HEALMODE pushes you into his World even further, with gently plucked acoustic guitar and lyrics as intimate as this musical backdrop. This track details a beautiful little story about staying in during the rain, with detailed descriptions of the sticking pine needles and fog that make you want to nestle up with the person you love most.

As a minor drawback, the songs themselves can often feel like rehashed leftovers of previous releases (FUTURE IS DUMB sounds like a Frankenstein hybrid of Melba and I Did Something Weird Last Night) or complete misses like HEAD. However, some of Jeff's best songs show up on this release. LIKED YOU BETTER is a fun and energetic song that's begging to be belted out at a karaoke night with a group of friends (nobody else would know it but fuck it'd be fun!). DOUBT is a sleeper favorite for me, a song I wasn't fond of when I first heard it as a single but one that fits perfectly in the album's tracklist. Also the message about speaking when you lose your voice is applicable to me as more than just a metaphor, as freezing up is one of the scariest experiences that I'm sure people like Jeff are all too familiar with. And for somebody who's been feeling crippling doubt and anxiety since around the time We Cool? came out, I've always gravitated towards Jeff's music.

In summation, this won't convert Jeff Rosenstock haters into fans. What we have here is a collection of great tracks with a few okay ones, on a project that doesn't quite meet the standards set by a string of perfect or near perfect albums in Jeff's discography

Highlights: LIKED U BETTER, DOUBT, HEALMODE, LIFE ADMIN

✮ ✮ ✮ (Very Good)

[starrysvn]

AAAAAA SAMEE i’ve been a fan of them since i was in elementary school (now im in uni… that’s craZY) and i don’t listen to them that much anymore but sgfg still has my heart <3 i genuinely think it’s one of the albums i can’t live without!! ALSOO did u hear the live version of outer space/carry on from their newest live album???? I TEARED UP A LITTLE 😭😭😭 it feels so nostalgic and omg i remember being 14 and wanting to get a tattoo of the lyrics </3 (i think i’m still gonna get it!!)

HOW COULD I FORGET JET BLACK HEART AND THE GIRL WHO CRIED WOLF DUDEEE but like all of the songs in that album is a part of my muscle memory now bcs it’s the only thing i listened to for 2 years while waiting for youngblood to come out 😭😭😭 that was such a fever dream istg i remember when they went on the 5sos3 tour and everyone was freaking out abt the then unreleased songs they performed (i think one of them was lie to me??) also i religiously watched all of their cocktail chats and tour diaries!! i miss them ngl </3

it’s so nice to talk to u about this !!! i’m literally so giddy rn <33 i hope u’re having a great day today and that u’re taking care of urself well !!! 🫶🫶🫶

HSMDHSJSSH SAME!! (these bitches got us wrapped around their finger *wink wink*) sgfg just has that very… idk comforting power? i don’t know about you, but they released it when i was going through a tough time and it really helped me, it’s so special to me🥺 and OMG YESS!!!! outer/space carry on live DESTROYED ME, i cried so hard, they only did carry on at slfl tour (i still cried) so i was waiting for it😭😭 HEAVY!! YES!! on the tattoo bc same, but at the time i was like 16 so all i could get was a ring with carry on engraved on it… i’ve worn it every day since shdndhsj

PLS SAME!! when they dropped youngblood (the single) and announced the album i was on a school trip and my friend took a video of me screaming crying on the floor😑😑 when you said it’s part of your muscle memory🥺🥺🥺 felt😭 that era truly felt like a fever dream, every night i’d check twitter to see what they’d done aND THEY STILL DO THAT AT CONCERTS!! I HATE THEM (false)!!! 5sos5 wasn’t even out yet and they played easy for you to say, i almost collapsed😭 omg the cocktail chats!!! religiously quote them to this day!! (luke involuntarily creating a chant for more is my fav thing ever lmfao)

AAAAA i’m so happy to talk with u about them!! kinda did a lil happy dance when i saw the ask <33 today i’ll study hard for upcoming exams (ew), so i hope you’ll have a chill, fun day and i hope today’ll be good to you, take care!!🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

[itsallyscorner]

For Tom x

Pairing: Tom Holland x singer!reader

Summary: You have a surprise for Tom:)

Warnings: none, just pure teeth rotting Fluff:)

A/n: Hello my loves! This is literally a rewrite because I accidentally deleted the original version of this story on Tumblr RIGHT before I was gonna post it😭 Anyway here it is, I hope you all like it! Ally x

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

look at my sunshine🥺

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

Your giggles filled the hallway as you lead Tom into your makeshift studio. Since you were quarantining with him and his mates in their shared home in London, you were miles away from your crew and studio. Which, yes, made it difficult to record an entire album on your own—but it did give you the creative freedom to do whatever you pleased for the album.

The boys had their own creative outlets; for example putting together a puzzle or having a movie marathon. While you found those activities enjoyable, the inner singer in you couldn’t stop thinking of beats or coming up with lyrics in your head. You needed the studio—you needed to bring those beats and lyrics to life before you could forget them. So with the help of the houses’ tech lord himself, Harry made it possible for you to have your own little studio in the spare guest room of the house. There, you spent endless days writing and recording things like harmonies and building melodies. Little did you know that this would lead to the creation of your sixth album. Now a couple months later, your latest album is currently in its final stages and would soon be released to the world.

Tom adoringly watched your figure, which was drowned in one of his oversized jumpers, excitedly skip towards the guest room. As soon as you were both inside, you rushed to close the door and eagerly pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed.

“What have you been up to, lovey?” He teasingly asks you. He knew you were up to something, he just didn’t know if it were bad or good.

Your figure was bent over the desk where your laptop was located. Turning over your shoulder you tell him, “It’s nothing bad, I promise!” You’re met with an amused grin on his blush pink lips.

Gathering your laptop into your arms, you move to sit beside Tom on the bed. He curiously leans forward, trying to get a glance at what’s on your screen.

“Nuh uh, it’s a surprise, Thomas.” You playfully scold him and gently push his face away from your laptop. He responds with a pout against your palm before pressing a kiss onto your skin. You continue to click around on your laptop, looking through your documents for the specific file.

Meanwhile, Tom shuffles further up the bed, getting comfortable. He notices the new distance between you and him and decides that he’s unsatisfied with the additional inches. He choses to snake his arms around your waist and lifts you up, happily placing you on the empty and lonely space on his lap. Laying down on his back, he takes a moment to admire the way you look in his jumper. It was a few sizes bigger than you and stopped right above your knees. The jumper may have looked good on him, but it looked absolutely perfect on you.

“You look so cute in my jumper.” He hums, hands lazily rubbing up and down your thighs. Your nose scrunches up as you lightly slap his chest; your silent way of saying “shut up” whenever Tom would say something that made you blush.

You finally find the file you were looking for and place your laptop on your lap. You nervously glance at your screen, biting down on your lip out of habit.

“Ok, so I did something.” You started. Tom squints his eyes at you, “That sounds like the beginning of a really bad something.”

You huff, “I just told you it wasn’t anything bad! Do you want your surprise or not?”

Tom chuckles and grasps onto your thighs, “Yes—yes, sorry, keep going.”

“So you know how I’ve already finished my album?” You question him. Tom nods, staring up at you while you sit on his thighs.

“Well, I wrote a few more songs that were supposed to be on the album. But I don’t know, I felt a bit greedy and decided to keep them for myself.” You explain. Tom raises a brow at you, “Baby, you don’t have to feel guilty about keeping songs to yourself. If you don’t want to share them, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s just that, they’re about you.” You pause, staring down at your fingers that fiddled together. “Like I wrote them specifically for you to listen to. I wanted to include them on the album, but it just didn’t feel right to share something that was meant only for you.”

You place your laptop on the bed and turn it so the screen is facing Tom.

“So...as a solution, I made you your own album.” You were too busy avoiding his stare, that you missed the twinkle in Tom’s coffee colored orbs. He carefully sits up, his arms around you getting tighter, as he pulls you closer into his chest. Tom ducks his head down to yours, nudging your nose with his to get you to look at him. When your eyes finally meet, the lopsided grin on his features grows wider.

“You made me my own album?”

“Yeah.” You shyly answer. Tom softly coos at you, cupping your face and pressing a chaste kiss onto both of your cheeks.

“You are the most precious thing in the world, sunshine, I swear.” He squishes your cheeks together and began to cover your face with butterfly like kisses. Sweet laughs erupt from you, the sounds making Tom’s heart swell.

You stuff your face in the space between his neck and shoulder, using it as a place to hide from his lips. Instead, Tom opts to lay his kisses along the side of your face, your neck, and your shoulder.

“Lemme kiss you!” He whines. You chuckle at him, finally moving away from his neck. His attention darts towards your lips more than once, prompting you to lean forward and connect them with his. Tom’s lips were soft against yours, like clouds or cushiony pillows. The kiss was short and sweet; though it didn’t prevent you from feeling the adoration and passion he felt for you in that moment. In fact, he felt it all the time, but right now, his love for you was coursing through his veins.

He finally pulls away, leaving the taste of him linger in your mouth. “Can I have a listen?” He motions his head towards your laptop beside him.

“Go ahead.” Tom’s arms unravel from your waist, the area they once occupied left cold and yearning for his warmth. He uses one of his elbows to hold himself up and the other to control the touchpad. His eyes scan the file.

For Tom x

someone like u

test drive

worst behavior

main thing

He glances at you, “I start with ‘someone like u’, right?” You reply with a quiet “mhm”.

Tom clicks on the link. The opening notes of ‘someone like u’ begin to play followed by your angelic voice. You hear him release a content sigh, making a small smile to form on your lips. His arms make their way around you again, this time holding you closer against him. He rests his head on your chest and sneakily presses a kiss onto your neck. You fondly run a hand through his curly hair and rest your chin on the top of his head, listening to the songs you’ve made for him.

The two of you listen through the album in one go with no stops. You found joy in Tom’s reactions towards every song. Sometimes he would make little comments or sounds of shock whenever he heard you hit a certain note. He nodded along to the beats of ‘test drive’ and ‘worst behavior’, dancing around in his seat and making you join him. This time, you didn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes when he listened closely to the lyrics. ‘Main thing’ got him the most, leaving him with a goofy-lovesick grin plastered onto his face.

When ‘main thing’ came to a close, the room became silent, leaving Tom enough time to process the four songs you wrote about him and the meanings behind them.

You were the first to speak, “So did you like it?” You scan his face looking for any signs of dislike.

Tom’s eyes widen, “Are you kidding me? That was bloody fantastic—that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard! I’m obsessed with it, oh my god!” He expressed, arms moving around as he spoke.

His face was radiating with happiness, “You are the most talented and loving woman in the world. And I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve you or your love—but I just love you so fucking much.”

“I love you so fucking much too, you dork.” You laugh, pecking his lips.

“No, but seriously, thank you so much. I know you’re used to writing songs, but the fact that you actually took the time to write songs about me means a lot. They’re just a bunch of songs, but they mean the world to me and I cherish each and every one of them.” He admits, taking one of your hands and placing it onto his heart. Your palm feels the faint rhythm of his heart beating against his chest.

You tilt your head at him, mirroring the smile on his face, “I’ll always write songs about you. You somehow manage to inspire them anyway.”

Tom smirks, “Well I am Tom Holland.” You snort and roll your eyes at his humble brag.

“You’re still a dork, Tommy.” You comment.

Tom shrugs, “I’m a special dork because I’m your dork. Therefore making me superior to the other existing dorks—there’s a difference, darling.”

“And where did you come up with this hypothesis, Mr. Holland?” You question him, playing along with his antics.

“It’s Tom’s Theory.” He answers with feign seriousness. You burst out laughing, “Oh is it?”

Tom leans down to your laptop and restarts his album. “Yes, and now Tom’s Theory, believes that we should listen to the album again until I learn all the lyrics to every single song.” He proclaims.

“Babe, you don’t have to—” Tom stops you, “I’m dead serious.”

It was going to be a long night.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Tags ↴

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Tom Holland + characters Taglist

↪︎ @lovableparker @aprettyfleur @sunwardsss @dummiesshort @thotforcriminalminds @cuddlykoala101 @itstaskeen @whoslili @white-wolf1940 @tomsirishgirlx @roseke @kaylans-imagines @spideyspeaches @slutforsebstan

General Taglist

↪︎ @quxxnxfhxll @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @thegirlwiththediary @agustdowney @bi-lmg @rqmanoff @sesamepancakes @stardustofreading

[omegalomania]

I think tumblr ate my ask or it just didn't sent but what are your favorite Bastille songs / what are some songs you recommend?

i did NOT get this ask im very sorry anon.

it's genuinely hard for me to narrow down cause bastille is pretty up there in terms of favorite artists. i love all their shit, but a special mention goes out to their second studio album wild world since it's the one that made me a Fan

uh so here's a primer i guess i spent too much time on this lmao.

if you wanna listen to their big hits:

flaws - their first single in the uk. if you ever listened to ship playlists on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 then you've probably heard this song or a variant on it at some point.

pompeii - this is the song that really put them on the map and you definitely know it. it dominated the charts all over the place.

happier - the marshmello song that you've definitely heard before too. i think bastille wrote this for justin bieber or some shit but then decided they liked it too much to give it to him? lmao. anyway if you're not digging the version you hear on the radio all the time i recommend trying the stripped down version

good grief - their big hit off their second album. big in the uk, didn't really make as many waves elsewhere, but it's a really solid song anyway. one of those "upbeat tunes that's actually really fucking sad" ones

things we lost in the fire - another one off their first album. if you live in a wildfire area this might not be one to turn to. or maybe you'll find it cathartic idk i certainly do!!

quarter past midnight - a song about escapism, as was fitting when it was released in 2018 and equally fitting now. running away for a night of fucking around with friends, craving any kind of brief departure from the chaos of the modern world

skulls - this one was not a hit or a single and is technically a bonus track but i'm including it because once again if you ever clicked on a ship playlist on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 you've heard this one. and you know what that was justified this one is also good

if you wanna feel existentially depressed:

their whole discography. i mean i kid but i also don't. that's just kind of how bastille does it. BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS ones that hit me in particular would beeee

two evils - kind of a grim, haunting one introspecting about morality of the self.

oblivion - musing about the afterlife, love, and how time changes all of us.

those nights - contemplating what it is we seek when we plunge into reckless escapism, and the inherent loneliness of it; how even when surrounded by people there's still the pressure of the world outside, continuously coming to pieces

the draw - this one was written about the pull of pursuing a career in music vs. staying home with family and friends. in a broader sense, it can apply to a lot of things. i always felt it resonated with feelings of paranoia and displacement

winter of our youth - discusses childhood, nostalgia, and regret. if it feels like everything's slipping away, is it easier to relive the past, especially if the past is tinted rose?

sleepsong - loneliness, desperation, and the cyclical, abyss-like nature of all it encapsulates

if you want discussion of serious topics:

final hour - a bonus track off their second album that also became a bonus track off their third album? anyway this song talks about climate change and gun control. happy stuff

doom days - this one talks about, uh, everything! doomscrolling, political divides, escalating national tensions, climate change again, etc.

the currents - a song centered on political rhetoric and the power that figureheads have over the masses, the way they can orchestrate hate. basically it's not so subtly aimed at donald trump lmao, dan's literally sung it as much in a few live settings

WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? - social media addiction and the way capitalism and corporate interests have annexed our online experiences, fighting desperately for our attention as they seek to monetize every available aspect of our lives

four walls (the ballad of perry smith) - well this one is about uh. perry smith. who was charged with the death penalty for killing 4 people in the late 50's. but it's less directly about him and more a discussion of the morality of the death penalty and capital punishment

snakes - burgeoning anxieties and the impulse to turn to easy outs, like ignorance or alcoholism, to escape the world's global problems

if you want some pop culture sprinkled on top:

icarus - greek mythology. i like this one because it addresses something that i feel isn't addressed enough in discussions of this myth, which is that icarus is a very young lad. less about the pride of the fall, and more about the inherent tragedy of that.

laura palmer - the whole song is a david lynch shoutout. i've never seen twin peaks myself but the song still slaps.

daniel in the den - christian mythology. discusses the biblical tale of daniel in the lion's den and links that up to themes of betrayal and family.

poet - this one's a double feature, referencing both william shakespeare's sonnet 18 and edmund spencer's sonnet 75. also one of my favorites.

send them off! - this is another one of my favorites of theirs. it's also been described by dan as "othello meets the exorcist" and it very much delivers there

if you want something uplifting:

joy - while bastille (understandably) has a bit of reputation as a band that makes sad music about sad things, they've definitely got some happier songs in their catalogue. pun intended cha ching. this one's one of their more straightforwardly happy tunes

survivin' - this was a song they wrote while they were touring and then felt weird about releasing once the panini hit because it felt a bit on the nose. they ended up releasing it anyway and i am so glad they did cause it's a mood

act of kindness - the "happy" part here is debatable but i'm gonna include it anyway. it’s when someone does something nice for you and that impulse Changes you way down deep you know???

warmth - one of those "the world's going to shit but at least we have each other" kinds of tunes

the anchor - one of those "the world's going to shit but you're the one fucking thing that's still keeping me here" kinds of tunes

give me the future - their latest single as of this writing and one of the more optimistic tracks in their catalogue imo! it's yearning, but it's also with a genuine hope for the future.

and LASTLY. because im going to take every chance i can to plug this band. im going to throw some collabs and covers at you because there's one thing this band does SUPER well and it's collabs and covers.

of the night - this is the big one. it mashes up rhythm of the night by corona and rhythm is a dancer by SNAP! and it's so good they still do this one live and it goes off every time.

no angels - a mashup of "no scrubs" by TLC and "angels" by the xx, poured into a strangely mournful tune with clips from the hitchcock movie psycho. doesn't sound like it should work but it does. kinda really does.

torn apart - with GRADES and lizzo no less!!! it's got two parts but they're both excellent listen to them both

weapon - collab with angel haze, dan priddy, and F*U*G*Z and one of my absolute favorites

remains - remix of their song "skulls" but featuring rag'n'bone man and skunk anansie that adds an entire new dimension to the song, really fucking excellent

old town road mashup - lil nas x's old town road meets lizzo's good as hell meets radiohead's talk show host meets talking heads' road to nowhere meets the osmond's crazy horse. "what the fuck that shouldn't work" i KNOW and yet here it is!! BLATANTLY BANGING!!!

we can't stop - one of the few times dan smith subtly changes the lyrics of the song he's covering (most of the time he opts to keep the original pronouns and the like, which is very nice to see). anyway this one mixes miley cyrus's we can't stop with eminem's lose yourself and billy ray cyrus's achy breaky heart. and also the lion king's i just can't wait to be king is there. yes i know it sounds batshit especially because the whole thing is surprisingly melodic and heartfelt and you know what it works.

anyone but me x nightmares - mashing up joy crookes' anyone but me with easy life's nightmares and absolutely one of my favorites.

bad guy mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "bad" in the title? we've got bad guy (billie eilish), bad decisions (bastille), bad romance (lady gaga), and bad blood (taylor swift). bastille even has a song called bad blood and they didnt use it. they used taylor swift's version. also the distinctive guitar riff from dick dale's misirlou is there.

somebody mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "some" in the title? someone like you (adele), somebody told me (the killers), somebody to love (queen), use somebody (kings of leon), and someone you loved (lewis capaldi). seriously these guys take mashups to a new level.

final song - this is a cover of MØ's final song. it also adds in craig david's 7 days and, impossibly enough, europe's final countdown. how does it work. how.

ALL RIGHT. THATS ALL IVE GOT IN ME. HOPE THIS HELPED ANON AND IM SORRY IF THIS IS TOO MUCH

[randomobsessionsofa30something]

My top 15 kpop albums of 2021

This year I´ve been so bad at keeping up with this blog but I want to wrap up the year on a good note so I'll be counting down my favorite korean music and dramas of 2021. I'll begin with my must listen albums of the year!

15. 10 cm- The 3rd EP. 10 cm is a k-indie duo. I first discovered them when they sang an OST for Goblin, since then I listen to their songs regularly. This year they released a five song album that is sentimental and just a great listen. Kwon Jung Yeol's vocals are exceptional as usual. My favorite song is I will do my best.

14. KAI- Peaches. After Mmmh I had great expectations for Kai's second album. However I wasn't a fan of the title song although it has grown a little on me since. I did love the rest of the album tho. I love how weird Vanilla is. My favorite is To be honest, a bright r&b song with a fun beat.

13. Penomeco-Dry Flower. Penomeco is such a joy to listen to and his first full album was no exception. The title JAJA has an interesting beat with Penomeco sing-rapping style. The album features collabs with Verbal Jint, sogumm, Kid Milli and Hoody. Actually Pt. 2 is probably my favorite song but it really is a great no skip album.

12. TXT- The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE. Honestly the first couple TXT albums were not my thing but this one I really enjoyed. Anti-romantic is hands down the best one for me but I also enjoyed the title LO$ER=LO❤ER. 0X1=LOVESONG (I know I love you) featuring Seori and Magic are also highlights. It's just full of great dance pop.

11. EXO- Don't fight the feeling. It pains me to say it but even if I loved every single song in this album I wasn't obsessed with them which is why, in good conscience I couldn't rank it higher. As usual with EXO, even if I miss Suho and Chen, the vocals are crazy good. I especially enjoyed listening to D.O. and Lay again on an EXO album. Just like the title song, the album is such a feel good vibe that really brightens up your day. Paradise is my favorite but Just as usual is so sweet.

10. Aespa-Savage. Aespa's first mini album is definitely the stamp of an SM album: great vocals and impressive bsides. Savage is such a strong song and so catchy. It's a journey in itself. However I'll make you cry has an amazing beat and high notes that will impress you. YEPPI YEPPI is just fun and Lucid dream is my favorite.

9. HEIZE- HAPPEN. If you haven't checked out the MV for Happen you really should because it's filmed like a drama and it stars Song Joon Ki. Ever since Heize appeared in the korean music scene seems like she can do no wrong. This album is another hit for me. Its eight songs are on point and has features by Gary, Changmo, Kim Feel and Ahn Ye Eun. It's almost never the case but the title is my favorite song of the album however Flu and Destiny, it's just a tiny dot are stand outs.

8. Kang Seung Yoon-Page. Saying this album was a long time coming is an understatement. Ever since I got into WINNER I started to wait -not so patiently- for Seung Yoon's album. He has an extraordinary voice and he's actually a great songwriter so I knew it would be great. I do wish he had picked another title, not because IYAH isn't amazing because it is, but because I think his album would have done better on the charts with another title but I get he needed to show his story through IYAH. Sweet love songs, sad ballads and bright fun songs, there's nothing this album is missing. And obviously it's full of great vocals! WE NEED LOVE and BETTER featuring MINO are my favorite of the album.

7. Mino- To infinity. Just like with Seungyoon, I wish Mino would have chosen another title for this album because even if I like how playful TANG!♡ is, I would have liked to see other songs as the title. You definitely won't be skipping a song if you listen to it! Mino as always shows us witty lyrics with quirky beats. My favorite is LANGUAGE featuring Bobby. Every time these two collab is definitely fire. LOVE IN DA CAR and LOSING U are also highlights.

6. D.O.-Empathy. EXO's Kyungsoo finally made his formal debut with his first mini album. Sadly he didn't promote it but it's full of great easy listening songs. It's difficult to pick a favorite vocalist in EXO but Kyungsoo is mine. I love his voice the most in r&b tracks but his voice is so full of character that anything he sings ends up being outstanding. On top of that, he recorded a song in spanish and since I'm Mexican that's a big deal. Si fueras mía is definitely great but I have to say I was obsessed with I'm gonna love you featuring Wonstain and My Love. Rose the title is so bright and cute with an acoustic vibe that'll remind you of Jason Mraz. The MV is really funny.

5. Taemin-Advice. For me, 2020 was the year I got obsessed with Taemin and a huge part of that was both albums he released. This year, just before enlisting, he released a 5 song mini album. And there's just something about Taemin's songs. Last year he was all about dance pop and this year his album is more eclectic. You have r&b ballad, pop, and even a bit of hip hop vibes with his title song. Advice really was a strong way to go with a crazy beat and a really interesting way of delievering vocals. I think the fact Advice is so powerful is why having the rest of the songs (maybe not Light) being more subdued was the right way to go. His falsetto on Strings and If I could tell you featuring Taeyeon is just outstanding.

4. Bobby-Lucky man. Bobby is such a fun artist. I would say his second album is what I was expecting of his first album. Whimsical at times and strong other times. All 13 songs are on point and he added four skits. We do get a few of the cool beats he did for his first album: my favorites are LiLaC and RaiNingG (featuring JUNE). However is his hiphop heavy songs like the title U MAD, NO TIME and Devil that I was mesmerized with.

3. B.I. -WATERFALL. The moment I heard YG had said goodbye to B.I., I knew it was a major mistake. I was sure they probably wouldn't have if the circumstances were different but his drug scandal came at the worst time for YG. This year B. I. proved how big that mistake was by releasing two albums plus a donation project making over twenty songs in just a few months. He's just crazy talented. If I'm being honest I wasn't sure I wanted a solo from him. Obviously he's a great producer but I didn't know what a full album from him would sound like and now I can see a solo album from him was overdue. Both of the albums he made are amazing but I think his first one WATERFALL is just a revelation. I don't think I even have a favorite song because I love all 12 songs.

2. Baekhyun-Bambi. According to Spotify, I listened to Privacy the most so it's safe to say it was my favorite one of the album. However Bambi is so catchy and filled with great vocals. The whole album is of course, and then there's All I Got or how I like to call it: Baekhyun's Mariah song, really the high notes are crazy on that one. This makes Baekhyun's third mini album and the last one before he enlisted and I have to say it really is one of the albums I listened to the most this year. If you like R&B this is the album for you. It kind of broke my heart he didn't have time to promote it but he really left with a bang and it made me excited for his comeback whenever that is.

1. Epik High-Epik High is here (Part 1). It's no secret Tablo, the leader of hip hop group Epik High, is an off the charts producer. This album has 10 songs even if it's under 30 minutes. Every song is a statement. When I listened to Rosario, the title featuring CL and Zico, I knew it would be on my favorite list of the year even if it was released on January. Based on a true story with Heize is also crazy good. The instrumentals, the musicality of its raps and the grand collabs of the album really makes it a must listen.

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

Anees – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – July 28, 2022

Anees Shares His Positive Energy With Philadelphia Fans

I've written plenty of concert reviews now, but never have I felt as speechless as I am after seeing Anees live. The up-and-coming rap artist Anees performed in Philadelphia during his last week of his debut "Summer Camp Tour" on July 28 at World Cafe Live. Anees has been making a huge name for himself in the music industry, attracting millions of listeners from all over the world. This sudden success is without a doubt well deserved. 

A few weeks before seeing him live, I had discovered Anees singing his unreleased song, "Leave Me" on Tik Tok. I instantly fell in love and had to know more. 30-year-old Anees Mokhiber was born in Washington D.C. He used to be an attorney, and as I found out during the show, he was miserable with this life. He made the risky decision to pursue his love for rap, and clearly it has paid off.

I did a deep dive on his socials and discovered his healing journey, spiritual manifestations and poetry. You can tell that he has grown into the truest version of himself since leaving his life of law. Since releasing his 2021 single "Slip," Anees has been blowing up on the charts, now claiming over three million monthly listeners on Spotify and over half a million followers on Instagram. His most recent single "Sun and Moon" hit fifty million streams on Spotify in only three months. Most recently, Anees gave a stunning performance of that single on Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Anees' show opened with singer/songwriter Michael Minelli. His soulful, angelic voice and powerful lyrics filled the hearts of everyone listening. I don't normally see crowds show as much love and support to opening acts like they did for Michael. He exuded bright energy and confidence, which was contagious to everyone in the crowd. Michael's words spoke of love and empowerment, and he even gave a shout out to all of the "beautiful, hardworking, independent women" listening. We hear you Michael, and we love you too. 

Anees hit the stage with his band, sending powerful vibrations throughout the venue. Everyone in the crowd was cheering, singing along and dancing together. I could tell by Anees' reaction that his Philly fans had exceeded his expectations. Throughout the show, Anees repeatedly told the crowd that he had never experienced this much energy from his viewers. He told us that he was so exhausted from his tour, but we were uplifting him to keep going.

During Anees' performance of "Love is Crazy,” he invited a couple up to the stage. I knew exactly where this was going. Just two days before, the rapper had posted a couple getting engaged on stage during his show with the caption, "Anyone else want to pop the question at one of my shows?" Turns out, one Philadelphia fan had been interested. The man on the stage got down on one knee and proposed in front of the entire crowd! There wasn't a dry eye in the audience. Anees hugged the couple and continued singing his song to them. It was a really special moment for everyone to be a part of. 

Anees got deep with the crowd during his "Boba Thought" section of the show. This is something that Anees frequently posts on Instagram where he shares spiritual words of wisdom while sipping on his favorite treat. "If you're in this room you are safe to be exactly who you are," Anees told fans. "Life is full of beauty, but there's also a lot of toxicity and hate out there. This here is a safe space for you. You are exactly as God intended you to be at this moment." I actually shed a few tears during this segment of the show. Every word that comes out of Anees’ mouth sinks deep into your soul. 

The lyrics of Anees' songs embody positivity, love, relationships and spirituality. Anees' wisdom rang true to everyone in the uplifting words of "Drunk on Myself". He told fans, "I wrote this song when I was forgetting how to love myself." Self-love is a frequent message in his music, also mentioned in an unreleased song he sang to us. The refrain reads, "I love myself enough to get some space from you. I'm not the old me anymore. I'm not the old me, now I'm my own me." 

Anees has caught the attention of a lot of big names over the last two years, including Justin Bieber. In April of 2021, the two artists got deep on Instagram live after jamming out to "Slip." Justin lifted his arms up as the song came to a close and pronounced, "You can't not feel that bro, it's literally physically impossible." Anees' talent and positive vibes are magnetic to everyone in the music industry discovering his music. Justin is one of many hoping for Anees to find success. "I want to share your incredible music with everyone, everyone should hear it," Justin said on Live. 

Anees' way with words is unbelievable. Even when Anees wasn't performing his own songs during the show, he was freestyling or sharing poetic wisdom with his fans. He freestyled about Philly for a few minutes, and everyone was going absolutely insane. His last words before walking off the stage were, "This was the best show of my life Philadelphia, thank you." I will definitely be coming to see Anees on his next tour. I'm sure by then he'll be selling out huge arenas.

Brenna Hallman

Copyright ©2022 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: August 1, 2022.

Photos by Chris Sanchez-Paralta © 2022.

[abyssal-creed]

Day 20: Song that reminds you of pride

Okay now to be honest, there's a fuck ton of songs that remind me of pride because I'm a struggling queer person and like relating songs to my circumstances lol,,, but there's a specific few that legit just make me think of the lgbt community and our strength and struggles sooooooo here we go hehe

libidO - OnlyOneOf

It's literally just gay? like straight up? and it's honestly a brilliant song I'm glad they made and released it it's quite meaningful I love it sm 😩

0X1=LOVESONG - Tomorrow x Together

Not quite as bold as libidO but also,,, just as bold. I dunno something about their portrayal and the iconic leslie cheungs mambo (the lil dance yeonjun did in the mv is actually from a gay icon who sang and acted in Hong Kong) it just really,,, f e e l s queer,,,, as a queer person myself,,,, and it also makes me devastatingly sad like omg anyways I know e x a c t l y how I relate it to pride and the community but I'll just save that in my brain for now

Pretty much the entirety of skz ngl they use very gender neutral language and the issues they talk about in their songs makes it v e r y easy to relate to them sjjsksks

ofc Holland's entire discography. I'm proud of him for having the strength to be an actual o u t gay idol TT

All In - MonstaX

honestly just watch the mv you'll understand,, 😩

New Heroes - Ten (NCT)

okay you might be a lil confused with this one since there's nothing in this song to suggest lgbt or pride or anything,,,, but the lyrics,,,, just like,,,, it's easy to imagine that those words are encouragement for the lgbt community to keep on despite the blatant hatred and mistreatment from those around us because if we make it through all this pain and hardship, we can be "the new heroes" and inspire young queer kids to keep fighting and one day we'll have the rights and respect that we deserve just like yall cishets do lol love you cishets

Taemin,,,, all of it,,,,, I aspire

I'm sure we all recall how much if a cultural reset this glorious piece of work was,,, I mean,,,, everything about it is just Confidence and Power and Androgyny without being overly aggressive with it you know. It's like he's defying stereotypes because that's who he is and not just to get attention. it's truly a blessing. that's what I wanted to say with Ten too,,, okay well maybe androgynous isn't how I would put it it's more,,,,,,, unrestricted by the bounds of societies expectations and the gender binary (!!!!! that's it :D) They both wear what they want and perform in a way that expresses who they are b e a u t i f u l l y and it's really amazing. I admire them (and ofc the many other idols who do this too) a lot for sticking up for who they are and not crumbling under the standards of society,,, that's exactly what we should be doing especially as queer folk. If we can find the strength to be open (at least to ourselves,,, don't push down what makes you you) and proud of ourselves and what makes us unique I know we can be happy and successful. after all, success isn't just defined by monetary stability right?

I KEEP ON RANTING ON THESE AND I NEVER GO BACK OVER TO MAKE SURE IT MAKES SENSE BEFORE POSTING IM SO SORRY EVERYONE I REALLY DONT THINK IVE HAD A SINGLE COHERENT THOUGHT IN MY LIFE BWUAHAHAH ANYWAYS I WAS JUST TRYNA SAY THAT THOSE SONGS MADE ME THINK OF PRIDE BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH TO ADMIT WHO THEY ARE AS PEOPLE AND THE PERSEVERANCE THAT THEY PORTRAYED TO KEEP GOING EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE KEEP ON PUSHING YOU DOWN IT JUST MAKES ME THINK OF WHAT I PERSONALLY ASSOCIATE THE LGBT PRIDE TO BE ABOUT

Anyways y'all,,,, good night I love each and every one of you. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to message or if you just wanna talk about something random go ahead lol. I'm proud of you and how far you've already come in life and remember,,,, you're valid, your identity is valid, your thoughts are valid, your opinions are valid, and your struggles are valid. Stay safe, see you next time <<<33333

[queerbauten]

Your Blixa Bargeld/EN iceberg is really obscure! It would be great if you could share any links or sources of what you included! Thanks :)

Howdy, ‘non! Here’s some explanation of things. I didn’t include anything above or at waterline—I assume I don’t need to. ;)

Note: I don’t have the mental wherewithal to warn for every possible trigger, but know that this post will contain talks of violence, homophobia, drug use, and death. There’s also some NSFW in there.

alright let’s go

Andi: a play by Peter Zedek in which Neubauten performed. Blixa openly hated the project from the get-go, only taking it to pay his phone bill and avoid potential homelessness. (Source)

The Supporter Projects: the crowdfunding projects for Neubauten’s (and, currently, Blixa’s solo) works. Check out neubauten.org and blixa-bargeld.com for more info. Liebeslieder: a 1994 documentary about Neubauten. It’s available for purchase on most major streaming platforms.

Nihil: an Uli M Schueppel film scored by Alex and featuring Blixa. anbb: a music project between Alva Noto and Blixa. Wolfgang Müller: one of the many men Blixa has kissed over the years. Wolfgang’s also the founder of Die Tödliche Doris (a band that were very close to Neubauten, with Blixa executive-producing one of their albums) and the author of Geniale Dilletanten, a book about… the Geniale Dilletanten.

The female Neubauten: Gudrun Gut and Beate Bartel, who were part of Neubauten early on before leaving for other projects. (Bettina Köster and Blixa recorded together for an *album* called Einstürzende Neubauten; however, that was released as “köster / bargeld”.

Die Haut: Jochen’s (and later Rudi’s) former band. They collaborated with numerous Neubauten-adjacent musicians, including Nick Cave, Kid Congo Powers, Anita Lane, and Blixa.

Automat: one of Jochen’s current bands.

"straight wretches": an Andrew quote from a fan translation of No Beauty Without Danger. For context: Alex had said “Blixa and Mufti [had fallen] in love with each other”. He called it a “true love story”, running it parallel to his romance with Christiane F.. Andrew did not like Alex’s assertion, saying:

“The thing with Blixa and FM was no love story at all. Nonsense. No. We are straight wretches. We are heterosexual. It was not a love story. It was a friendship that lasted 16 years. That doesn’t make it a love story. But actually, even if it was, what difference would it make? Of course we know and love one another.”

The official translation does not use the phrase “straight wretches”; it opts for “real men” instead. It also includes a line where Andrew concedes he doesn’t know for sure that Blixa and Mufti didn’t have something.

Hackedepicciotto: a musical act consisting of Alex and his wife, Danielle de Picciotto.

the Alles in Allem press release: what it says on the box. The link’s giving me a 404 error right now, but it was up until quite recently. Among other things, it affirms that Blixa meant it when he said “nonbinary”.

The Dschungel sheets: an art piece Blixa made for the Dschungel, a gay bar in West Berlin. The piece consisted of real semen on bedsheets. It got taken down not long after it was erected. (If you join Blixa’s solo Supporter project, you can get the full story behind the piece. 👀 👀 )

Members of the Ocean Club: an album by Gudrun Gut, featuring collaborations between her and her friends. Blixa appears on “Die Sonne”. According to the liner notes (I have a physical copy of the album), Blixa was deliberately the only non-woman on the album.

The Supporter singles and albums: singles and albums released exclusively for Neubauten’s Supporters over the years. Some elements of these releases (for example, most recently, “La Guillotine de Magritte”) have been released to the general public. However, most of them remain exclusive. (Check out their Discogs profile for more info.)

Desire Will Set You Free: a 2015 indie film by Yony Leyser exploring queer Berlin. Blixa and Jochen have cameos.

The post-88 lyrics to "Seele brennt": so, “Seele brennt” was released in 1986. It contains a verse where Blixa says he’ll be dead in two years due to his drug use. When that didn’t happen, the verse was rewritten to say he would have been dead in two years’ time. The earliest footage I know of featuring the reworked lyrics is from the Moers Festival of 1990 (which you can see in Liebeslieder).

Jever Mountain Boys: a ‘90s country band featuring—among others—Alex, Jochen, and Mufti.

Mufti beating up Blixa: Rowland S. Howard (who performed on “Durstiges Tier”) explained that “Blixa had his body miked up and they [Neubauten] were punching him to get a bass drum beat” for the song. Rowland doesn’t specify which member(s) did it. However, the Kalte Sterne liner notes list Blixa as “body” and Mufti as “body drumming” for that track.

"Presence": members of Neubauten will sometimes get “presence” credits. Mark got one on “Durstiges Tier”, and Andrew got one on “Beauty”. Presumably, it’s a way for these members to get performer credits, even if they didn’t contribute.

The Some Bizzare row: Some Bizzare are Neubauten’s former record label. They have consistently withheld royalties from the band. neubauten.org has disclaimers on parts of their website discouraging fans from buying records that were released by Some Bizzare.

The Headcleaner U-Bahn schematic: Headcleaner is a book of Neubauten’s lyrics up to and including Ende Neu. It includes a U-Bahn-style schematic by Blixa that shows how various Neubauten songs are connected to each other.

firefighter Rudi: Rudi was a firefighter before becoming a full-time musician.

Long-haired teenage Blixa: what it says on the box.

Grandmother Cash: a pseudonym Blixa used for 2-Kut’s Rock That!

The exact story of the firebombing: for context, “the firebombing” refers to the time Blixa firebombed his high school before being expelled (and prohibited from attending public school anywhere in West Germany). Blixa tells the full story of what happened in 233 Celsius - Ein Feuerbuch, which is only available in German (and not widely available in German, at that). (As with the Dschungel sheets, you can get the full story if you join Blixa’s solo Supporter project. 👀 👀 )

Toni Kater: a German musician with whom Rudi has collaborated.

Blixa actually has parents in fact there is photo evidence: the most obscure fact of them all here ya go :)

[jentlemahae]

(Album Review) Sticker by NCT 127 – Did It Really Stick?

Just last week, South Korean group NCT 127 – numbers referring to the longitude coordinate of Seoul – released their long-awaited, third full-length album, Sticker, which immediately caused an uproar among their fans. Some really loved it, while some really hated it (and were not silent about it). It’s the so-called ‘third album syndrome’, where artists create a record that is so new even for them, that it ends up being polarizing for the fanbase. Sticker might have been just that for 127, as fans are either calling it a masterpiece or a huge disappointment – no in-between.

(Those who are already familiar with NCT 127 may skip the following section. Those who are not – buckle up!)

A beginner’s guide to NCT

For those who may not know, NCT (short for “Neo Culture Technology”) is a boy-group under SM Entertainment. The band has been able to stand out from the KPOP landscape since its very debut, and not only because of their music and talents, but also thanks to their distinctive concept. In a nutshell, the idea is that the group can have an unlimited (or infinite) number of members, as fresh new boys can be added to the lineup at any given time. So far, they have accumulated 23 members, divided into four different subunits – NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV (fixed units), and NCT U (rotational unit).

Each subgroup has its own characteristic sound and/or concept, but there is one thing they have in common – they are all known for going against the current, be it musically or style-wise. In fact, they are considered the pioneers of the takeover on KPOP by ‘noise music’. But what is noise music? Sometimes affectionately called ‘pots and pans’, it is a genre characterized by an expressive use of sound that is not bound to traditional music rules, and encapsulates different chords and types of notes within a song. Nowadays, it has become the main style of the 4th Generation, and NCT were the ones who truly popularized it to the current audience (despite being 3rd Gen).

NCT 127’s approach to noise music is particularly fascinating. Fans describe their sound as ‘NEO’, which is confusing and vague unless you are familiar with their discography – then it makes perfect sense! The group always takes noise music to the next level, yet manages to not make it sound completely nonsensical and (too) migraine-inducing.

Now that you are all up to speed, we can proceed with the actual review!

Sticker – peeling the songs off

After weeks of teasers and hints, NCT 127 finally unveiled to their eager, hungry fans their new single and album, Sticker. This record perfectly encapsulates the cornucopia of sounds that the band is known for, as the songs go from EDM to hip-hop to heart-warming ballads. And of course, the group’s signature sound – the pots and pans are here, louder and stronger than ever. But enough chit-chat for now – let’s go through the album together.

Sticker (8.5/10)

NCT 127 made the bold choice to open the record with the title track, Sticker. Why ‘bold choice’? Well, let’s just say the song is not exactly easily digestible… The melody is a plethora of sounds, yet feels almost empty and subdued to the vocals at the same time. It is a bacchanal of frenzied beats and a dirty bass line accompanied by a shrill flute and piano, with cut-throat raps and beautiful harmonies that are disjointed from the overall melody. Sticker is chaos, but an intentional one, thus its instability manages to captivate you whilst disarming you.

Truth be told, I was a bit taken aback by the song when I first listened to it. Nothing appeared to make sense to my ears, as they seem to be fighting with the beat (and losing) throughout the entire track. But that’s exactly the point. The disconnection between the instrumentals and the singing is clearly done on purpose, perhaps in order to further highlight the members’ impressive vocals, which overpower and outbalance the otherwise empty beat. Or maybe the purpose was just to render the song more impactful, which sure as hell worked – you may not like Sticker, but the song is likely to remain stuck in your head one way or another.

Lemonade (8.3/10)

The second track was teased by the group prior to the official release of the album with a track video, and was immediately loved by fans. This catchy B-side includes an addictive deep bass which makes the perfect beat for both powerful raps and hefty vocals, a signature cocktail in NCT music.

The song is so good that a puzzling question immediately erupted following the release of the record, and spread like wildfire within 127’s fanbase – why wasn’t ‘Lemonade’ the title track? After all, everyone likes it, both fans and non-fans, and it could easily be something you’d expect to find at the top of the charts. In contrast to Sticker, on which everybody seems to be divided. So, wouldn’t it make sense for it to be the title track, given its striking popular appeal?

The answer is no. What some fans don’t seem to understand is that when it comes down to KPOP title tracks (especially nowadays), the issue is not whether it is the best or the catchiest song on the record. The real question is, does it make an impact? Given how new KPOP groups are popping up left and right, managing to leave enough of an impression on the listeners can make or break a career. The title track needs to be instantly stuck in your mind, and for that Sticker fits the bill, as Lemonade sounds just like any other song you could hear in the first 30 minutes of Inkigayo. It’s good, but ordinary. It just doesn’t cut it, and NCT 127 clearly know that.

Breakfast (8/10)

Third song on the record, Breakfast feels reminiscent of past SM boy groups’ releases, namely SHINee’s song Prism from the album 1 and 1. The song encompasses bright melodies and retro beats with a modernized twist, which serve as a perfect mix with the members’ voices. The song’s main stars are the vocalists (particularly HAECHAN, whose tone works wonders with the genre), while the raps are tamer for the group’s standard.

Focus (9/10)

The fourth track is a mid-tempo R&B romantic song, a genre that is characteristic of 127’s B-sides and displays the group’s more soulful edge. Focus flawlessly showcases the members’ honeyed and warm vocals (especially JAEHYUN’s), and the slow lazy-like raps remind of early 2000’s sultry slow jams. This track was an immediate fan-favorite (as attested by yours truly).

The Rainy Night (9.5/10)

The Rainy Night is an R&B-tinged ballad reminiscent of boybands in the 90’s, and is the perfect follow-up to Focus, as vocals appear to be the true protagonists of both songs. In the track, TAEIL manages to stand out in particular by showing off his impressive range, with his beautiful adlibs on the suit-and-tie beat.

Far (6.2/10)

Next up is Far, characterized by a boom-clap drumline and a chanted chorus. Despite being rather forgettable, it is a good song after all – something straight out of a superhero movie soundtrack. It just sounds like something we’ve heard before at least a million times from about any KPOP boy group out there.

Bring The Noize (6.6/10)

Bring The Noize is about as NEO as it can get, with loud and thunderous beats, growling raps and sounds mimicking a car engine, which together make you feel as if your head were in a blender. Just like Sticker, this song is pure chaos, but of an overwhelming and impetuous kind because of its packed production. Yet, I think that’s where it all goes sideways – Bring The Noize is just too overwhelming, because it’s too crowded. On top of the production overflowing with sounds and effects, the vocal aspect of the song is simply too much. All members sing or rap on the track, but the variety of vocal colors is disarming and confusing to the ears in the worst way. Simply put, some members could have stayed silent in that recording booth…

Magic Carpet Ride (6.4/10)

Doing a full 180 from the previous track, Magic Carpet Ride is a ballad with pop elements, and a melodic beat that particularly shows off DOYOUNG and JAEHYUN’s vocals. Despite being a lovely song, it’s nothing particularly exceptional – it’s good for what it is, but it falls slightly flat and forgettable. Nevertheless, it does a wonderful job in proving that not every KPOP song needs a rap part…

Road Trip (7.3/10)

Road Trip shows off 127’s more boyish and bright side, with nice layers of guitar, drums and delicate vocals, proving once again how the band’s is not just a loud gimmick. The song is enjoyable – however, it’s not something we haven’t heard before from NCT. It’s sweet and lovely, but it’s definitely nothing to write home about.

Dreamer (7.4/10)

This upbeat song gives yet another sweet and poppy feel to the tracklist, with retro beats, trumpet riffs and a happy-go-lucky melody. Dreamer kinda sounds like something out of an Old Navy commercial, but I mean it in a good way – its funky, childlike charm combined with the uplifting lyrics is likely to put a smile on your face!

Promise You (7.2/10)

127 chose to end the album with a letter dedicated to their fanbase, NCTzens. Due to the ongoing pandemic, groups have not been able to meet fans in a long time as they normally would. In Promise You they sing about being separated from a loved one and then being reunited again, which is likely a nod towards their fans. Musically, the song intertwines retro-inspired beats with atmospheric synths, that give it a dreamy-like appeal. The track is sweet and serves as a great album closer, as wrapping up the record with DOYOUNG singing “So stay” in a longing yet reassuring tone, feels like the perfect goodbye.

So, did it stick?

Overall, Sticker is a very well-made album – it has ballads, upbeat tracks, addictive songs, and a decent dose of the good ol’ pots and pans. Does it sound like something we have never heard before in KPOP? No! Does it sound like something we’ve never heard before from NCT? Also… No… But whilst the record follows a similar algorithm to 127’s past albums, it is still incredibly enjoyable without sounding boring or too déjà vu. It has a good 50/50 mix of experimental songs to ballads and R&B-influenced tracks, and it leaves room for both rappers and vocalists to shine.

The album truly screams ‘NCT 127’ – it’s experimental, not sonically cohesive, confusing, and a little weird. Plus, just like all of the group’s music, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Or better yet, it’s not at first listen. Sticker might be odd and disarming, but it will get to you eventually – you just gotta let it stick.

8/10

[evermoredeluxe]

ooh chiming in on this post 1d discussion! ofc harry has been doing the best fame wise and his music is pretty much ubiquitous now, which as u mentioned is bc of a variety of factors like marketing, talent, charisma, etc. nothing much to say outside of this really, except that i do think his 1d days image as "the face of the band" or "the main guy" really helped the spotlight on him.

niall, i think, he's doing pretty good for himself, but judging from how he talks about stuff i would say he really wants to take it a step further, but he would need something More to kind of, break out in the public eye once again. like his music is Good, but nothing ground breaking imo. once he gets that i think he can shoot up too!

as for louis... i really liked his album and i think he has some great things to contribute to music, with interesting lyrics and a production style that makes up for his pretty average vocals but oh lord the guy has no stage presence!! that is one of my major quips with louis, maybe his fans feel differently but i do not vibe with him as a performer. and also i think his style is perfectly bland which, for better or worse, does play a part in how ure perceived as an artist, u know? personally for those reasons i dont engage with anything about him outside of his tracks on spotify and the occasional fan interaction because tbh i think he's a really fun and sweet guy who adores his fans and is adored in return for it!

liam i simply do not care about he showed in 1d that he has amazing vocals but damn did he make some Bad Choices vis-à-vis the direction of his music... kinda hard to feel bad about him too since the nft craze and whatnot but eh. i hope he can find his way to something that works for him tho because it would be a shame for all that potential to be lost to blockchain monkeys.

now zayn!! honestly i think of them all zayn seems to be the most content with his music? like hes definitely found his sweet spot and it works for him for sure. it's sad for me as a casual fan that he doesn't do live performances but if it's that versus his mental health then it's a no brainer u know... he stream well enough too esp when u see the absolute crumbs of promo he does. i do think his label is not as confident in his music as he seems to be in it and provide minimal support which sucks. i've kind of accepted by now that we might never really get anything from zayn beyond an album every few years and he lives the kind of private life he wants but i think it's harder for the label etc to have such a talented singer and not have him reap every possible source of income so they're hesitant to invest in him until he goes all in.

of course all of this is just speculation on what's going on bts haha

i think one other thing that applies overall to every single artist at the moment is that indie, rock music is “cool” right now and you have to try harder with pop. like you can’t just make a mediocre pop song and expect good return on it. pop girls try hard and they excel whereas some of the men don’t try As Hard (oops). harry knows that and he/his team play it smart and use his assets. also, he is all promo and active while releases and tour etc and opposite when he’s just making music and the public gets a break from him and it prevents overexposure etc. i agree with most of what you said! don’t have much more to add.

[45paperplates]

About Olivia Rodrigo

It is a sign of a deep lack of self-esteem in our American monoculture that when Olivia Rodrigo so recently became the biggest pop musician of the moment most writers tasked to interpret said phenomenon were by default so cynical about the music they live to represent to the world that they seemed totally unaware of the most obvious explanation, one so obvious that it's almost childishly democratic: that she is simply the most naturally compelling new artist working in pop today.

Instead, they have cited elements of the music that are actually quite detrimental to its quality. Most pop-punk was weak, whiny, and obnoxiously self-involved when it was popular, and the fact that one of Olivia’s songs (“good 4 u”) sounds an awful lot like the good stuff (“Misery Business”) is indeed a sign of creative bankruptcy. That the album often sounds so much like Lorde, Taylor Swift, or Billie Eilish is only evidence of the pop machine’s greed-driven need for familiarity and the moments where these influences are truly overwhelming are the album’s least original and most incongruous. The truly teenage moments, despite their popularity with millennials and real teenagers alike, are out of touch and uninspired. I am a thirty-two year old man who also cannot parallel park, but I will never be able to relate to this kind of quirkiness in song if the singer is a rich teenager who claims in interviews that she pays for valet parking in order to avoid it.

Her relationship with Taylor Swift, whose influence is indeed all over every song on the album, seems destined to be tense, and Olivia performs best when her own creativity manages to escape it. “favorite crime” is essentially a Taylor Swift album track, imitative of Swift’s least incisive creative tendencies. “And I watched as you fled the scene / Doe-eyed as you buried me / One heart broke, four hands bloody,” writes Olivia, in the kind of mildly clever figurative imagery that makes the listener’s brain work to uncover a meaning that was already obvious, the kind of line Taylor writes in her weakest moments. The song’s apparent antecedent, “Victim,” performed live on Instagram in June of 2020, doesn’t sound like Taylor at all:

Let me be the victim of your perfect crime Bathe in my blood so I’m not the bad guy Yeah, I messed up so that you’ll mess up too I really want the blame to be on you So drive the knife in deep Make the victim bleed  

“Make the victim bleed.” It’s both unpretentiously direct and painfully deep. The imagery is vibrant and even specific enough to evoke centuries of high Catholic masochism without being at all complicated. Olivia’s best lyrics are indeed never detailed for their own sake, but calmly symbolic, referential of cultural archetypes, serving in the makeup of some more abstracted, weightier conceptual design.

Guilt, particularly of the religious kind, would seem to be her true creative center, a counterintuitive thought, given that so many of her songs officially released are so especially accusatory, to an empowering extent. But she always admits her doubt: “'Cause let’s be honest, we kinda do sound the same / Another actress / I hate to think that I was just your type” she says of her ex’s new girlfriend. Indeed every song on the album that is explicitly about heartbreak goes out of its way to acquit the criminal in one way or another, either implicitly or directly, describing situations that are as emotionally painful as they are understandable from both sides.

She knows, in other words, that her anger at the boy is both valid and unjustified, that her sadness is real but not at all unique. Her pain transcends by its lack of an honest target, and this is what makes her music relatable to all ages. Without quite saying it, through a contradictory combination of dedicated vulnerability and self-awareness she asks the universe--or God even--rather than the boy, why did this happen? Why does this happen and is it my fault? "Did I do something wrong?"

More than anywhere else, you can hear it in her voice. Though lots of different things can get in the way, this transcendent guilt sits in her voice as a sustained emotional power, shifting between a dull pain somewhere deep in her chest and a lump in her throat, lending sincere force and tragic significance to subject matter that most have interpreted as specifically teenaged and delightfully naive. Bruce Springsteen famously said that the first time he heard “Like a Rolling Stone,” Bob Dylan’s voice “sounded somehow simultaneously young and adult.” This is the kind of compliment disallowed to teenage girls by the use of the “you’re mature for your age” trope by predatory old men, which is a shame, because if anyone deserves to be called mature it's a teenager who takes guilt seriously before they’ve really had a chance to even do anything wrong.

Maybe she has had her marvelously unanimous success because this pained emotional high is heavily tempered on SOUR, particularly in its singles, two of which drown it out in the bridge (“drivers license”, “deja vu”), and the third of which filters it through talk-singing and distorted yelling (“good 4 u”). Maybe this is why she switched out “Victim,” a song where she sings of her “guilty Catholic heart,” and pleads “make the victim me,” for “favorite crime.” It does seem almost too heavy for American pop, and maybe a little dab of it is all the industry’s recipe requires because America doesn’t know how to process a mature teenage girl in a healthy way. But it is the passion at the source of her talent and, although her album is not at all perfect, shines through like the burning sun at every opportunity.

[yeochikin]

what is music to you? | k. hongjoong

a/n: when i’m telling you that i’m almost crying as i work this fic, i’m really almost crying. this is one of the softest fics i ever worked on dfjhd also hehe this was requested by @closer-stars, love u bb. dont scream at me later hehe mwaH 😘✨💖

word count: 2.1k!

main focus: hongjoong x fem. reader

warning(s): do ignore any inaccuracies if there are any, and please forgive me for any mistakes in this as this has not been proofread!

“joong?” your soft voice called out into the studio room as your head peeked into the room.

further into the room, sat a blue haired boy, almost resembling a blueberry, on the couch situated in the middle of the room. his back was hunched over the coffee table in front of him as your ears could pick up the faint sounds of the tip of a pen scratching against a paper’s surface in a hasty manner along with his low mumbles and humming. no doubt he is either jotting down a newly found lyric that popped into his mind while working on the many buttons and instruments of his many equipment that were provided for him. or, he was merely polishing some of the lyrics he was satisfied with. 

either way, he was clearly in his own world once again. 

a low chortle rumbled out of your lips at the sight of the ever so busy man in front of you who had failed to recognise your presence in the room. but then again, you are just literally standing with your head peeking into the room instead of actually walking in. and walked in was what you did, gently closing the door behind you. upon walking further into the room, your eyes caught sight of the earphones plugged into his ears before your lips parted into a small ‘o’ out of realisation. it was no wonder he seemed so engrossed in his work. 

placing the boxed lunch you had made for him earlier during the day, it had seemed that the sudden placement was what made hongjoong halt his writing, half lidded eyes staring at the food then finally widening once he dragged his tired eyes away from it, wondering who suddenly came into the room. pulling his earphones out of his ears, the corner of hongjoong’s lips stretched out into a wide beam as he got up on his feet, bounding his way over you with his arms outstretched to pull you into a tight embrace. you couldn’t help but to release the light chuckle at his realisation, encircling your own arms around his torso. your eyes closed momentarily as soon as the scent of his cologne that made you intoxicated every single time wafted into your nose, a sigh of contentedness leaving both of your lips. 

“when did you get here?” you heard your blue haired lover ask you, though his voice a little muffled with how he buried his face against your hair, feeling him relax in your hold as your fingers ran up and down along his back out of habit. 

“mm, only a few minutes ago. though i called you earlier, but i guess you didn’t hear me the first time.” you replied, pulling away just enough for the two of you to examine each other’s faces.

hongjoong simply gave you a sheepish smile of his, a clear act of his as if silently saying that he didn’t mean to do so. of course, you had to understand. this is what he loved doing, the one thing that managed to ignite the burning flame of passion inside of him. of course, at times, you had to remind him that it was okay to take it easy at times. too much passion in you could only make you burn out so easily later on. 

“i’m sorry, my muse. but i just stumbled upon a new song today and i couldn’t help but to feel inspired by it.” your lover said, gently holding your hand into his as if it was the most fragile thing in the world, then guided you to sit down on the couch where he was previously sitting on. 

settling yourself down next to him, you watched hongjoong’s hands swiftly reached out for his notebook in front of him and opened up the page where his pen was idly sitting on, fingers itching to reach out for the object and continue his work in the first place. motioning for you to come take a closer look, the both of you looked down on the open notebook to hear what your lover had already come up with his brilliant mind. shoulder leaning against shoulder, you listened to every word that hongjoong uttered with intent eyes, even to the point of listening to him sing a certain verse to show you what he meant with a certain tone. 

sometimes, the question of how the both of you ended up together would linger in your minds. you two seemed so different. two people with different background stories and lives. but at the end of the day of wondering such a question, the both of you had your answer almost every time of asking said question.

music was the one thing that kept the both of you close.

to you, music was the one thing in your life that made your body to express itself in such a vague yet at the same time, filled with millions of words in them. the way music would fill itself in a dance studio you had for yourself for a day, or even in your own living room of your shared apartment, you let your body and mind lose itself to the beat of the song playing in your ears. from a joyful and upbeat songs playing in your playlist to the unspoken and filled with hidden meanings behind the lyrics was all expressed by the way you let music take its place in controlling you. you would be too deep in your emotions to even notice the tears that would cascade down your cheeks, visioning yourself in every second a beat would be played out. you resonate when you hear music, every bone in your body would be filled with excitement when the right frequency is struck. your skin would feel a burning tingle of wanting to move to the beat.

to you, music is also the one thing that keeps the bond between you and hongjoong close, having no signs of snapping anytime soon, or even later in the future. it was the way hongjoong’s hands on your frame as he took you in his arms while the both of you moved along the beat of a song, no matter what sort of song it was blaring through the speakers of a dance studio or your home speaker. and with such familiar music that played out from his group, the way he would openly teach you the choreography would make his chest swell with happiness and pride at how willing you were to learn their dances. 

now, to hongjoong, he would answer the same. however, his own perspective would sound completely different from your own, yet at the same time, still similar. 

to hongjoong, music was the one thing to make him express the words he couldn’t fully express and show towards his loved ones, especially to you. hongjoong believes that music is a type of voice that could speak to people in such different ways, and that it could help him express in a way he didn’t know would even exist. every time he spent his time listening to a song playing through his earphones, he felt as if his body was being carried out by the instrumentals while the words being expressed were enough to ignite the fire of inspiration in him to immediately get up on his feet to produce his very own song, whether it was a cover in his own style or his mixtape where the closest ones were able to have a privilege of the only ones being able to listen to it. 

to hongjoong, music was the one thing that kept the both of you filled with inspiration. it was the way the both of you would sit next to each other as you helped him in writing a song that made him feel that he was filled with so much love, being surrounded by the passion he grew to love from a young age with the person who has the same view of what music truly meant to them in their lives. the way you would even take the extra mile in staying up with him in order to help him whenever he was facing a creator’s block from time to time by suggesting your own words, would make his eyes filled with adoration at the passionate ton laced in your voice as you spoke while you pointed out whether an instrumental sounded off or the lyric behind it would mean something else. 

simply put, music was the one tying the both of you down in a relationship filled with inspiration and creativity, whether it was a song filling the room from your speakers or a simple dance routine being taught by one another, music was just as important as love in your relationship that you two shared. 

“y/n?” hongjoong’s voice managed to make you snap back into reality, immediately looking up at his face to let him know that he has you in full attention as you sat straight in your seat.

“do you want to listen to the piece that i’ve been working on lately?” he asked, a shy simper playing over his lips.

your eyes widened ever so slightly. no matter how many times he had asked if you wanted to listen to a snippet of his creations, it never fails to make you feel a little flattered that you would be the first one to have a listen to it. hongjoong, once he saw your reaction, laughed lightly and motioned you to give him a little moment to get up from his place then walked over to his computer. 

it was quiet for a bit, save for the few clicks, though it wasn’t anything uncomfortable. the silence the both of you shared during these certain moments were always filled with comfort instead. while he was busy, you distracted yourself by looking around the room, noting how there were a few crumpled up papers in his mini dustbin just next to his worktable until you heard footsteps coming up to where you were sitting. 

suddenly, you heard it. the beat of the song he was so busy working on the past few days played in your ears. you let your shoulders slump in relaxation once the gentle notes of a piano mixed in with a violin dance in your ears, your fingers tapping against your knee to the beat. 

an outstretched hand made its way into your line of vision, making you look up at the blue haired boy in question. his lips twitched up as his eyebrow quirked up, silently asking you to take his hand. without even objecting to his request, you took the offer and stood up from your seat. a soft gasp was emitted from your lips when you were pulled against hongjoong almost instantly. the both of you stared into each other’s eyes, both filled with the familiar adoration and fondness swirling in your irises before hongjoong lifted his hand that was not holding yours, to lightly graze his knuckles against the side of your face, you responding almost immediately to his touch by leaning against his hand. you reached your other hand to rest itself on his shoulder, now starting to sway side by side to the song playing in the background subconsciously. 

though there wasn’t any voice singing along to the song, it was enough to let the both of you succumb into your own little world. nothing mattered at the moment, all you could focus on was each other. as the music seemed to pick up, hongjoong moved back ever so slightly and twirled you around, watching as the way your eyes twinkled with such giddiness in them along with the gentle titter you let out that reminded of him during the time when he first shared this moment with you a couple of years ago. 

the song was nearing its end, and the both of you found yourselves just absentmindedly swaying to the last few beats, hongjoong leaning in to rest his forehead against your own. your eyes fluttered shut, and a small beam played over the both of your lips. you could feel his arm tugging you close against his chest as he called out your name softly, voice barely above a whisper. you merely hummed in response.

“thank you for being the source of my inspiration, my muse.” 

and with those words said, his hand that was on your waist reached up to lightly tip your face up to meet with his by gingerly grabbing onto your chin with his thumb and index finger. slowly leaning in, hongjoong whispered those three words against your lips, finally pressing a kiss on your lips. you reached a hand up to rest itself on top of his nape as you moved your lips together as if it was a dance that only the two of you could share.

music was different in how the both of you would resonate with it. but no matter how different it was, the both of you knew that it would never cease to bring the both of you close.