#i love the dreamy and airy vibe a lot of them have

[vaugarde]

sorry soldiers. gonna have to put a steven universe song on my oc playlist.

[dramadramallama]

So. The Time of Fever. The story is pretty simple, but it was elevated by some choice cinematography and music... sooooo let me take two seconds to gush about the two kissing scenes.

Both scenes are shot to convey something very specific (how special the characters are to each other) and although not much is said, a lot is implied. I don't know how intentional it was, but they also end up almost a perfect "reverse" of each other.

The bare bones of the two scenes are as follows:

Kissing Scene 1: infirmary (public setting, neutral white, Dong-hee takes care of Ho-tae's wound)

tension, uncertainty/confusion, complicated feelings (shaky cam, tense dialogue)

something sets it in motion ("hyung")

music starts

slow and steady - dreamlike atmosphere (tension released)

outside interruption, music stops - back to reality, tension back up

Kissing Scene 2: bedroom/house (private setting, heavy color-coded, ends in pain for both of them)

comforting, easy-going, chill vibe (steady cam, silent book reading)

something sets it in motion (hand feeding)

no music

shakiness, quick movements - raw, not romanticized (tension goes way up)

minimal music - self-interruption - got a lil too real, tension goes down

If you watch them back to back it's even more obvious, I love iiiiiit. The contrast of it all!! YES. Sorry for my ugly GIFs, I just wanna illustrate my points lol

In the first scene, Dong-hee and Ho-tae let down their guard and enter a bubble of peacefulness, before it bursts. The scene starts off with quick, nervous dialogue, no music. The shots go from tight to even tighter, and the camera shakes a lot, reflecting the ambient tension.

The music, gentle and hopeful, starts as soon as both of them "fold". Ho-tae agrees to use the hyung honorific for the first time since ep1, and Dong-hee gently goes in for the kiss. The scene is drenched in white, the camera movements slow, to the point it's hard to notice whether they themselves are moving slowly or if there's a subtle slow-mo effect applied. It's unhurried, like they have all the time in the world.

The music swells into something very airy and dreamy as soon as their lips touch; the camera steadies, the shakiness fades—the surroundings too. Even when the camera pulls back a little, the framing is minimal—you can't even distinguish where they are anymore (in a school infirmary, behind a curtain, against a window). The only thing in focus is their faces, the rest is slightly blurry or washed out. It's not just visually that things fade out, there's also barely any background noise: no ruffle of their clothes, no school chatter, no bird chirping. it's just them, floating on a cloud, the heaviness of the moment gone, the initial anxiety soothed.

The moment, the music, the kiss—everything is interrupted abruptly by an outside element: the school bell. The bubble pops, like a dream they both wake up from—signaling the end of recess, back to harsh reality. Their eyes open, they freeze, and just like that, the camera shakes are immediately back.

The scene unfolds smoothly and clearly: it takes the characters from a moment of tension, to sweet release, steadiness, and calmness—it starts from something complicated and changes to something pure and easy, like a knot being unraveled—and then snaps them back to reality.

The contrast with the second kissing scene, happening in the same episode (!) is nothing but art tbh. Like I said, it looks like the reverse of that first scene, but it unfolds the same way. This time, it starts off quiet and gets thick with tension.

First, they're at home, not in a public space. It's not day-time. They're lying down. The private, safe atmosphere of the scene is reinforced by the warm colors. It's late autumn, it's getting cold. They set up a space-heater (it casts a reddish brown hue over them), place a comfy (red) carpet on the floor to keep the heat in and to laze around on. The camera is steady, the framing comfortable, no shakiness.

They're still facing each other, one is on his back, looking up to his book, the other one is on his stomach, looking down as his own. Everything conveys a cosy, relaxed but intimate vibe, without any agitation. Ho-tae is snacking absentmindedly on some seasonal fruit (clementine/mandarin). There's no talking. There's also absolutely no music. You hear everything, from the distant creaking of the house, to the pages rubbing together, to the crickets outside.

Then, comes what sets the scene into motion: Ho-tae feeds Dong-hee some fruit. Dong-hee takes it into his mouth easily. The mood switches. A lot of close-ups, and the camera movements become shakier, more chaotic: tension goes from 0 to 100. Where there was a lightness, softness to that first kissing scene, it's pretty much the complete opposite here. It's more intense, but there's a sort of ache, an urgency to it that was completely absent in the first scene. The breathing gets heavier, louder, no music to cut through the reality of it. It's been a while since I've seen such an erotic scene, without it being explicit.

When it does come, the music kicks in very slowly, just a few low notes of piano, not enough to cover the noises (the kisses, the breathing), the initial warmth of the scene becomes almost stifling. And just a few seconds later, everything abruptly stops once again, but this time, Dong-hee himself is the one putting an end to it. The camera very slowly tones down the shakiness, back to steady.

In this scene, the characters' comfort and peace crumble, the kiss doesn't appease, it lights a fire. Gets them inflamed and exposed. Takes them from innocence and easiness to desire and hurt, from sanity to fever. The hazy, nice moment catches fire and burns up too fast. Like Ho-tae's fingers twisting knots into Dong-hee's sweater, the feelings gets tangled up, and both end up getting hurt.

The first kissing scene was the beginnings of some clarity, they both let go of what holds them down, while that second scene is charged with angst, it weighs heavily on them. The parallel was just so good I needed to get this out.

[anotherghoul666]

Papyrus and aloe Vera!!

I already answered those two previously, but I'll do new answers for you dear! ❤️

papyrus ⇢ if you put your ‘on repeat’ playlist on shuffle, what’s the first song that comes up? what do you like about it / associate it with? Pang by Caroline Polachek

I absolutely adore her, and while her new album from this year blew her debut out of the water, 2019's Pang is still an incredible record that I go back to. It has a special place in my memories as being part of the soundtrack of my first relationship when me and my life partner went the non-monogamy route. This was the type of dreamy pop with lovesick lyrics I craved at the time because I felt like an absolute teenager with a crush again. What a youthful experience that was, and Caroline Polachek's breathy, airy, flight-like shimmering sound was exactly the vibe. There was lots of nervous energy in that first attempt at enm, a healthy dose of not having words anymore so I'd let song lyrics do the talking. Lines like "There's a look in your eyes when you're hungry for me. It's a beautiful knife cutting right where the fear should be." resonnated, what with being very afraid of putting myself out there and maybe not getting love back the way I wanted to. That partnership ended badly (spoiler: we were too eager and we didn't see the red flagsssssss and it came back to bite us in the asssssssss) so it's difficult to look back entirely positively at it. But it taught us a lot, and songs / albums like this remind me of how good the early months felt, how giddy and truly happy I was, and that's always gonna be worth something.

aloe vera ⇢ what’s something (mundane) you really want to experience in life? A wedding. I've never been to a wedding, and it's not like I think I'd like it, in fact I'm pretty sure it would be an awful experience socially and in terms of sensory management (and if it's christian in any way and/or in a church I am not fucking going under any circumstance so that limits my options). But my 'tism brain asks for me to do test runs of things and see how other people do things before I can do them myself. So I'd need to attend someone's wedding before I can confidently start planning my own to see what's "allowed" and "normal" (likely things I will then refuse to repeat in my own ceremony - sometimes it's better to lead with that you know you don't want hahaha). And me and my life partner do wanna get on that in the coming years ideally so my brain's a bit stuck. Idk how mundane that is, but I feel like most people have attended at least one wedding in their lives, from family members or aunts and uncles or cousins when they were young, etc? I did not have that experience.

[neptune-midheaven]

💓 Astro Notes PT 3 ! 💓

+I’m definitelyy gonna do sign posts soon, like houses, planets, asteroids, and all, it’s all gonna have a theme to each topic yada yada yadaa, so look outtt+

>A bit of a long post here so have fun scrolling through it hehe :))

*All aries risings have sign/house synchronization because the house order doesn’t move or if it does move at all it hardly does, only shifting by a sign or two depending on how late the ascendant degree is, this is notorious of aries’ independence streak by wanting each sign to be in their native houses, to feel its house’s full power, aries rules 1st the house of identity so there’s the more symbolic way for this occurring. It’s pure energy here.

*Venus-saturn, especially conjunction, definitely carry a big daddy vibe. It’s more prominent if the two are placed in the angular houses.

*Taurus and libra are both rules by venus, but these energies are distributed between the two signs in different ways. A basic way to differ the two energy wise is taurus is the “masculine” side of venus, libra is far more “feminine”. Both are delicate but in different ways taurus is “heavier”, for it being an earth sign, contrasted with the airy and flighty libra.

*Libra sun is in fall in astrology, the fall meaning the behavior of the sign contradicts the traditional role of the planet, the role of the sun is to stand out from everyone else, its your radiance, what makes you special, it’s your ego and what you take pride in. But libra wants to be relatable to everyone, to NOT stand out, merge and meet and balance !! This is the opposite of aries, aries is independent, “what makes ME independent, me me me !!”, explaining its exaltation when the sun enters this sign, it’s not absolutely the same as leo sun or the suns energy overall but it’s a close fit, almost... perfect, that’s what the exaltation means represents here. Libra is focused on everyone else around them, everyone other than themselves, the people around them and how they can compromise to fit everyone’s needs. I mentioned before they don’t like to stand out, this is excluding fire placements in a libras chart which will create a person who relates well to others but still demands to stand out in whatever planet is in a fire sign.

*Whatever house leo is ruling is wherever your rising sign’s ego is being expressed in, ex: leo in 11th expresses their ego, creativity with friends, causes. This area of life is where you’ll likely take most pride in, excluding the suns placement in the chart.

*Neptune in 7th can attract a lot of partners in need of healing or help. This person is very healing and guiding in relationships, maybe they could even make a good guidance counselor, but I’m not so sure astrologically because I haven’t looked into it entirely, let me know if this is true.

*Neptune in 2nd is the type of person to browse a shop, find whatever they like but never end up buying it, they change their minds about it by putting it back right before they leave. They could’ve been talking about hooow much they want to get whatever they’re holding onto over and over again but never buy the thinggg.

*Aries mercury were always told to lower their voice or be quiet as kids I swear.

*Uranus in 12th feels they should hide their brilliance, these are veryy creative people they just keep it a secret.

*12th house feels like a never ending game of hide and seek, you find the planet sometimes but you’re always in a never ending loop, always searching for it.

*The moon in astrology, when looking into the mother, who’s ruled by the moon in astrology, describes your relationship with her, what she’s like, how she raised you etc...

*Ex: taurus moons, your mother gave you many gifts, she adored youu as taurus is ruled venus which rules gifts and appreciation, she was also very relaxed in your childhood, she still is now. This relationship is a very calm, steady one, moon is exalted in taurus meaning the role of the moon is comfortable in relaxed and comfy taurus.

*Ex: a moon in 8th, the house of intense and psychic scorpio, could have a psychic or even telepathic bond to the mother, this is a very strong connection overall and depending on its sign and aspects is where you’ll find the specifics of the relationship from, the details, how the relationship is flavored.

*Sun in 12th indicates an absent father figure. This placement is difficult, i’m so sorry if you have it because you can never feel like you can be yourself, it’s hidden from you. With any other placement in astrology, there’s a gorgeous, forgiving upside to it, you’re very healing and understanding of others, an empath or at least someone who sucks in the negative vibes out the environment, it can get quite exhausting !! so always need to seclude yourself now and then, you’re very loyal and caring of your loved ones, people love you for your sensitivity and empathy as this placement also makes you an old soul, someone overflowing with wisdom others rely on.

*5th house shows you what your child will be like, what traits they embody, what they will do and even how they act.

*Capricorn risings look elvish, they have high cheekbones a lot like a LOTR character and elvish, chiseled ears. It’s not OUT there but it’s subtle.

*Chiron in 9th has experienced religious trauma.

*A lot of 12th or 8th house placements carry a lot of karma.

*Mercury-pluto (especially negative) can become inconsiderate in arguments, they bring up a ton of shit to use against you, only as long as they can win.

*Scorpio suns are far more optimistic and light hearted than the moon sign.

*Mercury-ascendant aspects can make even an introverted rising sign more out-going, open, talkative (not that introverted risings can’t be talkative this is just what comes with this placement).

*You may be good at something without realizing it, take a peak at your 12th house or quintiles !! For quintiles, look up the trine form of whatever two planets are aspected for the general description since there’s not too much to find online sadly. 12th house is something you don’t really know or realize you’re good at, especially early in life, the secret talent pertaining to whichever sign or planet are ruling/in this house.

*Leo venus take pride in their loverss like damnnnn they literally treat their partners as royalty, king and queen, kissing the ground they walk on and everything, they’re so devoted in love, it’s adorable !! <33

*Pisces and leo moons, THE dreamiest, most romantic moon sign pairr, it’s well known pisces is the hopeless romantic of the zodiac, however to bring up the flamboyant, dramatic leo moon when describing a dreamy romantic you wonder, really ?? Yes this is extremely true ! Both signs, pisces and leo, are fairly alike, almost alike in fact, considering they both create a inconjunction in the natal chart, two signs who share some similarities while still contradicting one another in ways they express these similarities, both pisces and leo are creative, talented, have a love for the arts, film, music, loyal as friends and love to care for others, both are insanely idealistic. Leo rules the child remember !! so they’re a childlike sign with young idealism, an idealistic moon sign here. Both leo and pisces moons are children at heart, they’re so gooey and sweet.

*Sun in 10th can get any job they apply for, they could even be terrible at that job they want, the one they want to try out for, they would even have a breakdown over how terrible they were in an interview but still get the job like HOWW- WITCHCRAFTT.

*Aquarius mercuries were known as the smartest kid in class, the einstein’s of the class, everyone asked for their answers for the homework, they just carry this flair of intellectual superiority just like the sun sign haha.

*Your 12th house is what you unconsciously give off the vibe of, your ascendant and midheaven are noticeable layers, different types of layers of you !!but the subtle layers of the 12th house, sign or planet, can always be sensed unconsciously, 12th house energies are at a higher octave, a higher vibration than the other houses, even 11th, you can notice a person’s subtle 12th house energy but they’re still completely unaware of it as it’s ! hidden ! from them.

*Aquarius venus, and really all air venuses in general, are soo stereotyped UGHH, what I mean by stereotyped is the descriptions of each of these venus signs is literally like the same shit over and overrr again, they all get terrible reps in the astro community it seems almost close minded because it’s also such a hugee generalization. It’s only about how the air venus energy is used, manifested in the person, if its underdeveloped or not. If it’s underdeveloped it’s going to be chaotically afloat from material love affairs, which earth venuses don’ttt like, water too, fire can handle the floaty-ness but if the passion’s not there- BYE !! If you develop an air venus well enough, you can balance the material and intellectual realms in your relationships, this is kinda natural for earth heavy charts with one the air signs here, however fire or even more air could become a little tricky to ground yourself in relationships. Just let your partners know you deserve your space because you guys can really run out of mental power after a while, so it’s necessary for you to recharge !! just don’t ghost people completely when you do, it’s where this immortal stereotype comes from.

*Saturn dominant people are flawless beings.

*Saturn in 3rd, YOU GUYS ARE SOOOSOO SOOO SMART AHH. Their minds are always running at a fast pace like literal lightning, or they become too overwhelming (not in a bad sense ofcc, it’s just how it is) that the person’s speech rhythm is kinda forgotten about in a way, it feels like that their mouths aren’t always running in sync. The thought they’re going to express into words should come out but it’s so quick or even “heavy” it jumbles up a sentence or it causes the person to mix up a word or two. Their minds are fast fast fastt but they feel like their mouths are running in literal slow motion. There’s nothing wrong with this, this placement makes amazingly smart peoplee. Just relax, try letting yourself go in conversation, let all that big, brain energy freee !!

*Alsoo, as singers they would and definitely ALWAYSS get their notes right, they have actual PERFECT voices, they really should become writers or, like I said, singing would be perfect for them because they would never mess up lmaoo.

*Libra, computerized concern and sympathy...

*Pluto in 8th feel unbeatable, indestructible almost, they have above average regenerative abilities, they have the best survival tactics but they keep it a secret, it’s 8th house we’re talking about.

*Whatever saturn is in is the area where you’ll become flawless in, you’ll master that area throughout your life with time.

*There is a guiding planet in astrology, the planet that is closest behind the sun, it’s considered your “second” chart ruler, or basically has the energy of it because you can probably relate to it being one of the most prominent energies in your chart.

*Sagittarius//9th house mercury is soooo blunt, so blunt. Wait did I mention they’re SOOO SO BLUNT.

*Moon in 5th need to perform, they love to get out on stage and perform with their entire hearts, they’ll do amazing in the performing arts, theatre, and honestly they probably already aree. These people are so playful and generally so fun to be around, they’re natural hypemen as well !!

*Taurus venus love to be appreciated by their partners, the gifts, the kisses, the food and allll.

*Neptune in 3rd feel everything in their environment, they can sift through the energies and vibes, it’s second nature, no not second nature, FIRST nature, they’re one with everything around them. Their minds are like a hazy, cloudy ocean containing every drop, every thought of a place, a person.

*Moon in 11th, and 10th too, have a special ability to understand and sympathize with the public, they always know what the public wants and even how to give it to them. This can easily get them famous since they’re extremely understanding people, especially if moon is healthy in the chart.

*Someone with a lot of capricorn/10th house or aquarius/11th house energy is very extroverted, they enjoy socializing with others but suffer from social burn outs often, they often need to recharge.

*Scorpio risings have intense voices, like their tone radiates throughout your head and it can feel intense overall, even when they’re speaking casually. The specific flavor or tone doesn’t matter but how it sounds overall is piercing.

*In astrology, libra rising starts the house cusps with each houses sister signs ruling each cusps ex: pisces rules 6th house, the house of virgo in astrology. Symbolically, libra wants to balance out the houses by blending the energies with the sister signs together, by with what is (house number) and how it’s done (sign on each house cusp), for balanceee !!

*Moon conjunction uranus TRANSITSS can cause literal earthquakes on earth, shocking news or something shocking or groundbreaking will happen that day either around the world and in personal, daily life. Ex: this transit happened on halloween during the blue moon, so basically no one ever trick or treats in my neighborhood, like barely anyone comes out i mean, it’s always 5 houses apart where people typically hand out candy, some people are just hanging out, we always run out of houses to go to since it’s not very active, but this year EVERYONE was out trick or treating it was so crazy to see so many people out, it was quite literally shocking because that actually never happens also there’s a whole pandemic going on too lmaooo.

[raiseyourvibration]

You guys asked, so I thought I would list my playlists here. Whenever I listen to a new track, I try to fit it into one of these  –  📿 The Human Spirit - Songs from the soul. A collection of singers and songwriters that can move the Earth. 🛸 Alien Spa Day - Relax and kick your tentacles up. Essentially a downtempo version of the “Space Bass” playlist 

💣 AMPLIFIYAH ⚡- High energy, fast paced, from another planet. 

✨ Atmospheric Beats ✨- My most popular / most shared. Light hip-hop influenced tracks to vibe to. Etheric in nature, light and airy, other-worldly and dreamy beats. Save for a rainy day. 🧙🏿‍♂️ Bass Shaman 🔊– Trappy medicine music from your local bass shaman. This one’s new, having fun. 

🌊 Crash and Flow 🌊 – It can flow, or it can crash. Liquidy beats that go boom. This is a catch-all from Emancipator -> Clozee type vibes. Essentially an amped up version of “Soothing Sub” 

🌑 Dark & Heavy • Slow & Low 🌑 Low frequencies not for the faint of heart. High fidelity speakers, subwoofers, and a certain hint of darkness required.  📀 Dark Garage  One of my favorites I’m always on the hunt for. A dark side of the future garage and dubstep genres. Big, bassy tunes that hum, growl, and rumble.

🚘 Drive Slow, Homie Songs to stare out the window to. A mega-playlist for those long drives home. This my catch-all for anything slow and emotive that doesn’t really fit anywhere else. Tons of gems here.  👾 Dubsteppa - The start of a collection of tracks that remind me of the essence of dub – suggestions welcome.  🇬🇧 Brixton Beats - My bucket for any hip hop with a UK sound. 

👸🏾Femme Fatale 💅- Another new one, tracks to appreciate the power that is the new generation of woman. 

🎙️ Freestylin - Strictly instrumental beats to freestyle with.

🏎️Full Send 💨- New one, high tempo techno & psytrance. 

🔊 Hard Hitters  - Literally, the bassiest things I could find. Big booms with lots of attitude and space in between. Sub-bass speakers required.

💜 Heart Beats - Happy tunes that open the heart and leave you vibin' high <3 [techno, house and trance focused] It’s like a happy version of Palpitations.  🔥 High Frequency Flows - This is my catch-all for anything hip hop. Might need to split it into two eventually, but I try to curate tracks with more thoughtful and emotive lyrics. 

🐅 Jungle Rhythm 🌴- Transport yourself to a night in Tulum / Ibiza / techno jungle paradise of your choosing. 

🍞 Like Butta - Some gold in here. A modern mix of thick, smooth, hip-hop infused jazz, soul, and funk. "Neo-Soul"

🍄 Organics - Analog inspired, natural sounding world-music grooves. Enjoy a trip in nature with Porangui, Theivery Corporation, Random Rab, etc. 

💓 Palpitations - Minimal movements, big feels. Long progressive tracks in the tech house + minimal techno genres. Essentially a slow and somber version of Heart Beats. 

😃Positive Energy 😃- Ones that feel good. Easy listening with upbeat tunes for everyone.

👽 Space Bass and Alien Rhythms 👽- Get in touch with your inner extra terrestrial. Squiggly space bass. Waaaay out there, be warned. 

🌀 Sound Healing 🌀- Soothe your soul with sonic signals. Frequencies designed to heal and relax with. 

🌩  Soothing Sub - Love this one if you have a sound system. Light and soothing with a thick low end. Receive a cellular tune up. Subwoofer / Sub-bass speakers required.

Follow any that catch your eye! Some are new and I’m always adding to them all! Check back every week for new tracks in each genre. And hit me with suggestions!!  Much love,  ∞

[bangtanfancamp]

Main ceremony vibes

✨ (Mainmony)✨

if you will.

10•12•21

•the inspo for our evening ceremony

• I love this sheer, drapey chiffon and baby’s breath art install. I’m planning to spend the summer drying as many of our ceremony flowers myself as I can and installing this in our venue the day before.

•my hope is to line the aisle with as many candles in glass hurricanes and tall dried florals as I can. I don’t necessarily want them quite as alice and wonderland tall as the second picture but I DO love the airiness and whimsical elegance of dried florals so they’ll be as tall as I can get them

•I’d love to have neutral bohemian rugs as aisle runners but I haven’t been able to find any at a decent price and rug rental is oddly steep in dfw 🤷🏽‍♀️

•our venue is a small converted Industrial space with an old ladder smack in the middle of the wall🪜 if I could move it I would, but I don’t think I can, so I’m gonna charm it up instead with a few more dried floral pieces and draping fabric reminiscent of what will hopefully be our backdrop installation

•in my traditional art, I tend to add lots of “sparkles” or dots or stray petals, small unnecessary flourishes to round out a composition so I love the idea of candle flame and loose petals providing the same element in 3D at the ceremony

•my natural style at the moment is some oddly curated blend of bohemian meets romantic academia if I had to classify it so my hope is that the ceremony reads “elegant bohemian” if that’s a thing.

•if I had to say what “Theme” the wedding is, my hope is that it reads as “airy” “dreamy” or “golden hour”... less the literal interpretation and more the way the world FEELS right as day ends before it slips into evening. That subtle liminal feeling as the suns light dips from gold to terra cotta and from excitement into rest. That sliver of space filled with haunting possibilities.

Mainmony music vibe

• honestly, I’m deeply, intrinsically romantic and the suppressed performer in me loves the drama of deeply cinematic moment. I’m literally just trying to justify my desire to have a crazy rich Asians ceremony moment where the room just feels hushed and ethereal. I want it to feel celestial and otherworldly so I have chosen music accordingly.

• first up, “air so sweet” by Dodie

•second up, “more to me” by steffany gretzinger and chandler moore.

•now the second is technically a worship song, and in that sense it does still apply, but I love the dreamy, airy, almost haunting tone of it.

•it also lyrically suits us so well. Z has always been so special to me in a way labels feel too small to fit. I love that this song is about a connection that is more. More than might make sense that you’ll never let go of.

•did I say I was aiming for cinematic?😅

•it’s hard to explain that I want it all to be very romantic without their brain going “traditional”, unconventional without them thinking “irreverent” and bohemian without them thinking “Woodstock,” so here we are. This is what I mean.

[ferie-anon]

Oh im sorry its me again, i think i lack info from my prevs qq, so, ill do it again im sorry, I wanted to request for my ship from NCT (127 or dream) i love all of them thou 21🥰. My placements are Taurus sun, Leo rising, Pisces Moon, mercury aries, venus pisces, mars is in taurus & jupiter in pisces. Thank youuuu for answering and for your efforts!!! 💚💚

Hiyaa~ Your taurus sun shows you are pretty chill, making you easy to get along with others. You naturally love your comfort zone and you are quite unmovable from other opinions~ Pisces moon gives you more of a sensitive intuitive feeling to others emotions and your emotions. Sometimes you just feel it out too much, kinda like a beach wave of emotion washing over your delicate heart. You’re stubborn and have quite the driven side if u wanted to, but have a soft side and kindhearted. Mercury in aries people put it out simply, honestly, and no lying. They are often trusted by others for their opinions due to the amount of sincerity and truth you guys have. Venus pisces shows you like displaying romantic cute affection with your s/o, those dreamy things holding hands or cuddles with your partner. Pisces generally sometimes are a daydreamer of romantic fanatics, so sometimes your venus is inspired by that. Taurus mars prompts you to have a driven and determined side when you set a goal or motivation for yourself. Dilligent and long lasting, you also are usually calm and professional. Jupiter in taurus shows how you will grow by overcoming some things. For you, after you have found a stable point in your life or consistency in your actions, you are able to mature and settle peace from within and outside life. And wow ur a leo rising too :0 there’s a lot of leo risings 🥺✨💛 You come off as charismatic, there’s a certain aura that makes others notice you or have interest either in you platonically or otherwise.

In nct 127... your match is Johnny~

Oh daddy- (Jkjk I will never stop clowning Johnny for that tho :P) But yea Johnny is one of the oldest members in the group, and he can sometimes be lighthearted in a weird and funny way, and he’s mature and still retains some youthfulness. When I first saw your chart and then Johnny’s, there is quite the similarity. You are quite the hardworker when you want to, quite mature when need to. Johnny is calm usually when not cracking up jokes and making Mark laugh, he’s also one of the respected from his members and they’re scared of him- He’s an aquarius sun, and it definitely shines through with their crackheadness and unique humor. But his chart isn’t only aquarius ;)

His moon is in gemini. This adds to his child-like youthness as ppl with this placement tend to be quite the curious one. They’re curious bout new things and juggle a lot of new found interests they do, to which if it gets boring they don’t continue it. But if it’s something they’re super passionate about it, the creative flow towards it is immense as Gemini is intellectually creative. His gemini moon is sextile to your leo rising. This creates a profound attraction where you feel drawn to his energetic mentality. As leo is a fire sign, you may be able to relate to Johnny’s airy energy as both fire and air are quite similar in astrology. If air fuels fire and spreads it, fire needs air to thrive consistently. That’s kinda the chemistry of them. And Johnny of course loves your style or how you project yourself to others. Based on your leo rising, you may dress more on how you love yourself, present yourself. Leo risings are confident in their own style which transcends their impression to others noticeably, which is why they are charming and stand out at times.

Johnny’s mercury is in aquarius~ his sign is sextile to your aries mercury. Both signs are alike in the fact they have a sense of realness in their words. Aquariuses are usually innovative thinkers so in mercury, they speak on their new ideas and project it to others, more of someone who kinda invents new theories type of vibe yknow. Aries mercury share their opinions honestly, someone who is not afraid to say wut they think. Since you both are similar in this aspect, getting along communication wise would be easy and you both might even enjoy the conversations you have together~

Next, his venus is in capricorn! It is sextile to your pisces venus, and these two signs are noted to get along. They are different to the extent where they’re similar. Both cap and pisces together kinda radiate mom and dad energy, capricorn being practical and logical while pisces being soft and understanding. This is where Johnny gets more serious, as he shows his affection in his responsible actions and is family oriented. He values a responsible and also a mature s/o, but ofc not to the point where they’re dead serious 24/7 and can’t even have fun. Your pisces venus shows you have a soft romantic side, you are caring and affectionate to your partner. Johnny could find comfort on days when he’s tired from work, and you just know it so you open your arms wide welcoming him to come over. And he just crashes on to you, snuggling you as you pet his head. <3

Lastly, his mars is in leooo! So your leo rising is conjunct to his mars. Mars is the ruler of passion and actions. Johnny takes his approaches towards his goals in a very determined and fiery way. He puts his all in it becuz leo mars usually get super pumped up doing their favorite thing/hobbies. Mars also kinda rules assertiveness romantically as well since Ares is the god ruler of mars. (Ares and Aphrodite~) He loves the fiery aura you emit, how you too can be super passionate at a point. Leo mars rather have loyalty cuz they are loyal too, so he admires and loves your stable and unchanging approaches mentally and action-wise (cuz your taurus mars and other taurus placements).

Overall, I’d say this is a match force to be reckoned with 😌 Johnny is a flirt, knows how to get the converaation flowing, but knows when play time ends and all. You’re not a pushover, but not unsocial. Simple in your thinking and approaches, if you have a goal you work towards the goal, if you think this person is a good person, they probably are after you deduced from your observation and gut instinct of them. Your resolute mind that comes with a gentle sweet side offers a new interesting light to others and it’s charming. Everyone appreciates you two becuz you both are amazing in many ways. The charming mature couple~ -> 🌹💖🌿☁️✨☕️🍷🍮

[la-paritalienne]

Eve!!!! Need your thoughts about Taylor's album!!!! 💓💓💓💓💓💓

i love getting asked :”(((((( :”))))))) thank uuuuuuuu. let’s get to it. as usual, it’s an almost-first impression (normally i write my basic thoughts during the first listen – yeah i’d started doing it before getting this, you know, just in case – and then i review them w a second one, where i also select my favourite passage). sooo, let’s go

♡♡♡♡

the 1 — such sweet yet heartbreaking lyrics... very soft sound, if it sets the mood for the album im 100 per cent in! This one didn’t stick w me after one listen, but after the second i was like wooow! I love how she says waking up alone ughhh. 8

fave lyrics: persist and resist the temptation to ask you / if one thing had been different / would everything be different today?

cardigan — !!!!!!! the sound has that bittersweet something that gets under your skin and makes you nostalgic for something you can’t even pinpoint. it reminds me of the softest lana, especially in nfr (eg bartender!!). i’m in awe. instant obsession!!!! the ending takes you to another plane of existence – ‘cause i knew everything when i was young... i knew you’d miss me... you’d come back to me. also i’m crying. 10+

[it’s hard to choose bc the whole song reads like poetry but i’m especially obsessed w] giving me your weekends; once in twenty lifetimes; tried to change the ending / peter losing wendy; you drew stars around my scars

the last great american dynasty — storytelling on pointttt and sound, too! telling the story of someone she bought her house from?? the genius jumped out. she paints it like a romantic portrait, mad woman pacing on the shore, but then also gatsbian, the crazy parties, dali... and then takes it back to today w the key lime green dog, idk, iconic. i want to know this woman. this song truly takes you somewhere else, i thought it was a bit repetitive but then the bridge came in and the final vocals plus i had a marvelous time ruining everything, i have to stan! 8+

there goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen / she had a marvelous time ruining everything

exile — ok wow, bon iver’s voice is something else!!!! i was kind of ignorant when it came to him, i admit. his depth and rasp paired with how angelic she sounds... heavenly. sound-wise, but also thematically, this vaguely reminds me of tomorrow never came w lana and sean ono lennon. (one of my fave songs of all time maybe?). the way they enunciate i think i’ve seen this film before is literally a work of art all in itself, not to mention – well i’m mentioning it bc it’s worth it! – the you never gave a warning sign vs the way she goes over it w i gave so many signs. god this makes me feel sooooo sad and like, involved. it’s so beautiful. 10

you’re not my homeland anymore / so what am i defending now?

my tears ricochet — ok wtfffff??? everything about this speaks to my soul. the airy voice, the way she sets the scene... sunlit room, the funeral metaphor, you turned into your worst fears. i didn’t have it in myself to go with grace speaks to me more than anything, but just, everything about the lyrics. truly something else, cursing my name / wishing i stayed gives me chills everytime she says it. the beat that gets more insistent towards the end, with the bridge....... the high notes that then fade..... just wow. 10

and i can go anywhere i want / anywhere i want, just not home / and you can aim for my heart, go for blood / but you would still miss me in your bones / and i still talk to you when i’m screaming at the sky / and when you can’t sleep at night you hear my stolen lullabies

mirrorball — love the lyrics, maybe a bit less the sound? i mean i do love the sound, so far i’m loving how softly produced and coherent this album is, but this one i wouldn’t listen to on repeat and maybe there’s something a bit whiny that i don’t love. powerful meaning tho, and who’d use a mirrorball as a metaphor for feeling like you’re fragile, trying too hard to be a people-pleaser and no one sees the real you? 7

i’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me

seven — ah........ i started crying as soon as this one started, pleeease picture me in the trees, i hit my peak at seven....... like ok there’s no need to go that hard??? it’s so dreamy and like... naïf? in a perfect way. the way she says i still got love for you...... and everything else... she mentions folk songs... the purest love described in the purest way. i don’t think i have enough words to descrive the way this song moves me. like i want to listen to it again and again, to be able to feel like that again, but also i’m almost scared to listen bc it touches me too deeply. i still will tho hehe. 10+ (also just realised this is track 7 ok makes sense but my mind is blown. 100)

[this is literally deeper than a shakespeare sonnet so everything literally is my fave but, having to choose] and i’ve been meaning to tell you / i think your house is haunted / your dad is always mad and that must be why / and i think you should come live with me / and we can be pirates / then you won’t have to cry / or hide in the closet / and just like a folk song / our love will be passed on

august — i love the contrast between the lighthearted, happy singing and guitars and the sad lyrics. the story it tells is so simple and yet there’s so much poetry in that... plus it reminds me of fearless or even speak now?? which are like. the taylor that gets to my heart, tbh. the bridge and the outro made the song for me. 8,5

for me, it was enough / to live for the hope of it all / canceled plans just in case you’d call

this is me trying — oh god... lyrically this song is so raw and honest, it gives me chills! i do have to say, i don’t love how she says i just wanted to know (like metrically?? idk, im weird) but these are really just small comments on amazing songs, bc i feel like all i’m saying is wow this is great, lyrics and sound, but it truly is a complete and consistent work of art, easily listened to top to bottom each time. 8-

they told me all of my cages were mental / so got wasted like all my potential / and my words shoot to kill when i’m mad / i have a lot of regrets about that

illicit affairs — ok this goes without saying but i love storyteller taylor, it’s the taylor i grew up loving and singing to in my room. the thing about most of these songs, this one included, is that they probably grow on you after a few listens, bc they’re not made to be catchy, the production and backgrounds are always very soft and some i love more than others. this one musically maybe isn’t my fave but the narration is on point, and the bridge?? the fuckkkk. plus it has one of mt favourite themes ever which is so rarely spoken about, which is the fact that language you only speak w a particular someone you love, makes you miss them even more when they’re gone. or well not exactly this but i can’t put it into words, she did tho. 8+

you taught me a secret language i can’t speak with anyone else / and you know damn well / for you, i would ruin myself / a million little times

invisible string — the color theme!!! the guitar strumming!!! and the idea of an invisible tie w someone special... i do think she outdid herself w this album. again, not my fave soundwise, maybe slightly whiny when she goes meEeeEee? but, lyrically adorable and moving. 7,5

one single thread of gold / tied me to you

mad woman — maam...... this is iconic shit........ how could she say stuff like this w such a dreamy, breathy voice. musically i get huuuge lana’a nfr vibes again (which i mean. goals) but i also adore that lyrically it’s so taylor, no one would say this shit the way she does. adore how she sings to wrap your news around and bonus for women like hunting witches too, i do love me a nod to the fact that some women are so deeply filled w machism that they’re basically men in disguise. 8,5 

every time you call me crazy, i get more crazy / what about that? / and when you say i seem angry, i get more angry [isn’t this just womanhood condensed in a few lines]

epiphany — aw! it sounds like a lullaby, maybe it’s slightly ‘boring’ for my taste? meaning i get distracted which is surely a shame bc the words seem beautiful, but it’s so soft i just drift off? but reading the lyrics – for focus hehe – i’m moved. 7+

only twenty minutes to sleep / but you dream of some epiphany / just one single glimpse of relief / to make some sense of what you’ve seen

betty — okay byeeeeeeeeee. this is taylor at her finest! countryyyyyyyy, storytelling, lesbian jdjdfk no yeah I know I knowww, romance went sour. gut wrenching and beautiful, this feels like... watching a sad teen movie but w a sepia filter, idk. i dreamt of you all summer long oh my......... it’s like og taylor from her iconic first couple of albums came back but w all her baggage and growth and experience and better than ever. also why does taylor sing so wel about being in love w a woman????? well. 10+

betty, right now is the last time / i can dream about what happens when / you see my face again

peace — ..........yes yes yes. the high notes, the honesty, the syncopated parts where she says so much so quick and yet it still hits you. it’s not even a short song but it ends too soon, it goes by like that..... a poem. omg it just hit me this has flo vibes! especially from high as hope, for example grace or south london forever?? i mean... taylor doing alt folk country pop...... queen. give you my wild, give you a child?? ok ok. 10

all these people think love’s for show / but i would die for you in secret

hoax — weeeell the lana inspo jumped out w that piano!!!!! and like. mood. and lyrics...... this reminds me of wuthering heights or of lana’s tormented love stories (shades of blue.....). a powerful closer. poetry. 9

i am ash from your fire

♡♡♡♡

okkkkk this was a flattering review, very well deserved imo since the review is mine gjgjhkhk i agree w myself. thank you again and as i always say, feel free to come back w your comments! and have a great dayyyyy! much love

[seafoamreadings]

week of january 26th, 2020

aries: your ruler mars is a key player in the mutable tensions of this week - you may be bursting to do something, even if you don’t know what that something is. saturn is still a big player, though, even as it eases away from its plutonic spree, so planning before acting is wise.

taurus: the week is a rosy haze, so enjoy it - but also be cautious because while neptune can be deeply spiritually lovely, it can also be deceit - and under circumstances like this, sometimes that deceit can be accidental to boot. just put off solid decision making until later if possible, and meanwhile try to go with the flow in the knowledge that all is fleeting.

gemini: the mutable and mysterious nature of these transits likely suits you. you can blend in or sparkle as needed. to anchor yourself this week, say what you mean and mean what you say.

cancer: the moon treks over the sweet mushy piscean vibe early on in the week. romantic experiences become thus extra poignant - perhaps it’s simply lovely or perhaps it’s wistful pangs, but either way it is emotional with the possibility of great nurturing.

leo: although the week is not particularly leonic in nature, it is still rather glamorous with mars, venus, and neptune being the big players here, and that is likely to nevertheless make you feel at home, or at least not like a fish out of water as a lot of the recent capricorn influence has done.

virgo: it’s not a mercurial week other than the fact that your ruling planet is slowing down in preparation for a retrograde soonish, but it *is* a mutable one and that likely suits you. it’s a great time to enact changes, especially if you have already thought them through carefully and especially in love/romance.

libra: venus, your sign’s ruler, is really the star of the show this week. phantom scents waft past and remind you of lost loves - that sort of romance is in store. but if you can find the source of the fragrance, so to speak, you may be able to trigger a new, evolved, more satisfying affair than ever.

scorpio: the week highlights water with a touch of fire - like undersea volcanic systems, a place you feel right at home with your extremophile tendencies. but the extreme situations here are fun ones, rather than survival-mode ones.

sagittarius: mutability suits you and it’s the order of the day (really, the whole week). mars in your sign makes delightfully tense squares with gossamer, dreamy venus and neptune in pisces. it is all sexual tension and deja vu sensations.

capricorn: you may have gotten so used to the intensity of saturn and pluto (and, like, everything else it seems) in your sign that the lightheartedness of this week feels almost like a frustration to you. if that’s the case it’s okay to hunker down and wait it out, but do try to enjoy it all. you’ve certainly earned a bit of a break.

aquarius: although the fresh new lunar cycle is beneficial to you, the rest of the week’s astrology is not necessarily comfortable to your airy nature. your romantic connections will lead you to reassess what it is you truly value in life.

pisces: your sign sees peak levels of activity this week and most of it spurs growth in your relationship with yourself as well as in romantic arenas (hint: not necessarily relationships with others!) be also cautious with any mind-altering substances at this time - i would recommend a break from any form of escapism. you don’t need to get all work-minded, you just want to be firmly rooted in reality for a bit.

[inthestars011]

Hii ✌🏻 I’m a taurus sun, libra moon, virgo rising, mercury aries, venus gemini and mars gemini 💘 was wondering if you could read me? if not that’s oke I don’t want to take up a lot of your time !

keen view for aesthetics and beauty. Loves to give to others and is extremely compassionate and kind but does hope that that kindness will be returned and gets resentful and upset when that doesn’t happen. So trusting with others when it comes to your emotions. MAy be in your head a lot daydreaming and such, however that Taurus sun and Virgo rising might give you a rather down to earth vibe still, so you may have still a strong sense of practicallity about you despite your dreamy heart. Mercury Aries almost always talk so fast it’s so funny and they don’t even realize when they do it. Lots of nervous or excited talking. Very honest and raw expression. Light and airy approach to love, it depends where you are placed but SOMETIMES not always can have commitment issues. Very attracted to the way a person speaks or how intelligence they are, you have to have chemistry through conversation before you touch them. Rather smooth talking. With your libra moon, def a flirt. Wants a fun and innocent love, nothing too serious or terrifyingly deep. Words are your fave foreplay move I bet.

[julie-odl-blog]

Influence and legacy

Today I would like to talk about Fleetwood Mac’s influence and legacy. When I talk about legacy I am talking about possible singers or bands who followed in their footstep, tried to reproduce their style, maybe covered their songs and put them in an album.. For that I will make a clear difference between Fleetwood Max and Stevie Nicks. Stevie had a very clear style (Witchy, very airy and mysterious ) but this style was not something the entire band had in common ,it was only Stevie. So that will exclude people like Harry Styles who said numerous times that Stevie was one of his inspirations.

The power of Fleetwood Mac comes from the way they manage to mix three different universes and make it work.  “What really made these three albums tick,(...) was their griffin-like hybrid of pop traditions. A California-to-the-core studio obsessive with a permanent case of the jitters (Buckingham), a dreamy mystical type with a gift for ornate, languorous melodies (Nicks), and a veteran British rhythm section with roots in raw electric blues (Fleetwood and the McVies)”  ( article here ). So they had a very unique sound, something that was theirs and theirs only. We’ve talked about how Rumours was successful (n°26 of the 500 best albums of all time by Rolling Stones magazine) but it wasn’t their only success. Do you know many bands from the 70′s who still tour in 2018 ? However, despite their undoubtable success and many hits, I wasn’t able to hear Fleetwood Mac AS A BAND in a lot of contemporary popular music. When artists are asked about their influences, the name Stevie Nicks will come out many times but Fleetwood Mac ? Not that often. 

In this article, Rolling Stones listed 16 songs that are supposedly channeling the band but 5 were influenced either by Stevie Nicks herself or songs she wrote and sang in solo, and at least 2 are about having great harmonies. So is Fleetwood Mac’s legacy all about Stevie and harmonies ? I hope not. Harmonies are really common in bands and I would even dare to say they are necessary if more than one person is singing. Fleetwood Mac’s harmonies were brilliant yes but many other bands harmonized before them. Stevie is a huge part of the success of the band and I absolutely love her voice and style but It has been proven that F.M. was not the same if any of the members left the band. So is Fleetwood Mac really influential ? Do they have a legacy ? 

According do the first article I linked, they are not influential. But not because they are untalented, because they can’t be imitated. They took elements from their different universes and blended them together. Miraculously and weirdly enough, it worked. But, on other part of the internet, like the rolling stone article, it appears that many artists claims that they were influenced by the band. In my mind, influence and legacy are two very different thing. I am influential if I wear a red sweater on Monday and the day after the whole school is wearing red sweaters but I have a legacy if for the next years every Monday people wear red sweater at school. Like the “On Wednesday we wear pink” from Mean Girls. So, still according to me, Fleetwood Mac was and is still influential because people are trying to sound like them or to channel their vibe but do they have a legacy ? I don’t know. But i’ll think about it. 

[rosecrystal]

hello!!! first of all, i really love your blog (you're one of the blogs i reblog the most from) and you're suuuuper pretty. secondly, i'm trying to get into astrology and i'm a cancer rising/pisces sun/libra moon and idk i was wondering if you had any opinion on this and if you'd be willing to share them with me? i always love it when you post about astrology! keep being awesome 💫

thank you babe💖 and yes actually! im gonna call these placements the Sweetheart Recipe bc they give someone a very soft, pleasant and charming vibe to be around. People are usually drawn to you, feel they can trust you (cancer rising) and that you’re overall just a positive influence (combination of the dreamy pisces sun with the charming & balanced libra moon). Harmony is very important for you, you’re probably prone to liking ‘pretty’ things and people, daydreaming, maybe into art in some kind of way, you dislike conflict and always want your personal life to be well balanced. Very intuitive & can understand “the general mood” in a room as soon as you go in. I feel like the airy qualities of that libra moon nicely balance your pisces sun & cancer rising, you may be emotional but are also good at exploring and understanding your emotions and knowing how to find a healthy balance. When it comes to relationships, you might be prone to idealizing romance and just generally being “in love with love”. Just relating to people and making connections is important to you, and not just romantically! The cancer rising + libra moon duo show the probability of having a generally kind, peaceful and sweet mother who is cherished a lot by you or has had an important impact in your life, this of course also depends on the moon condition and the planets in the 4th house, if you have afflictions/bad aspects the mother could have also expressed more “negative” venusian/libra qualities such as shallowness or emotional detachment, nonetheless these placements show a person for whom their motherly figure is/has been important. All in all you are dreamy, graceful, easy going and sweet, negative traits are the tendency to often live in a dream world, being a people pleaser and indeciveness. 

Hope u have a good day! 💖

[unwrittenarticles]

Top 50 Songs of 2019

1.  Julia Jacklin - Head Alone

Lyricism, pace, snowballing, power, catchiness. Pure catchy and melodic, angelic, lovely, lusty.

2. Cate le Bon - Sad Nudes

Her voice, always, a thing of intelligent beauty. 

Interesting subject matter.  Reclaiming nudes?  Is it sad to take nudes? I feel like it’s empowering but not also.  I hate the thought of men requesting nudes.  My sister and her peers get this a lot and I don’t like it.  It confers power to the voyeur (often deeply unattractive comparatively!) 

But then it could be seen as empowering also, if it’s just for yourself taking it.   For centuries, people want to see themselves depicted in narrative and photo form - is this what makes us human?  Fascinating.  

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

As a tenuous link between Cate’s track and Julia Jacklin, Julia also has a track named ‘Body’ which explores a past relationship.  It reflects on a relationship that ends.  These next lines are powerful:-

‘I’m not a good woman, when you’re around’  (Cat Power’s - Good Woman also explores this, what defines this?  Why do people make us feel like we need to perform the role of a ‘good woman’ - why do we feel bad, if we are angry or negative or depressed?  I think says a lot about the social construction of femininity being tied to ‘goodness’ I think it harms us sometimes, comparing ourselves to these ‘selfless’, good women that are also beautiful, hard-working, intellectual, but not too intellectual, and always sensitive to men’s needs over their own. 

Back to Julia’s perfect lyrics:-

That’s when the sound came in.  I could finally see.

I felt the changing of the seasons // All of my senses, rushing back to me.

Go your own way // Watch me turn my own head.

Eyes on the driver, hands in my lap, heading to the city to get my body back. 

I remembered early days // when you took my camera

Turned to me, 23, naked on your bed.  Looking straight at ya.

Do you still have that photograph? Would you use it to hurt me?  Well I guess it’s just my life and it’s just my body.  

I guess it’s just my life, and it’s just my body.

That feeling of intrusion, I can relate to massively. Sometimes you feel alienated by your own body and that it is “just a body”, and that you’re not really valued for anything but your body.  I think it’s more of a female experience. 

3.  Sharon van Etten - Seventeen

Strength, defiance, powerful, connectivity, ageing.  Ace lyricss, “I used to be 17, now you’re just like me”.  There is such beauty and wisdom in this song, “i see you so uncomfortably alone / I wish I could show you how much you’ve grown”   “I used to be 17, I used to be 17.”  Love the way she signs “la la la” oh gorgeous simplicity but with this intelligence and edge.  “I know what you’re gonna be, I know that you're gonna be”   “Afraid you’ll be just like meeeeeeeeee”  (Och, sad/sweet/reflection, feeling old but with the responsibility and confidence that comes with it.  Sounds a wee bit like Patti Smith on the extended high notes on “meeeeeeeeee” so feisty.  How we are all basically that under confident, anxious 17 year old, even when we’ve grown and learnt all these life lessons.  

4.  Sault - Up All Night

Opening bongo drums and bass, slick and classy, draw you in. Such a catchy tune.  “no time for sleep”.  Such an exciting weekend song, makes you feel excited.  I like the kind of declarative “shut up you need to shut up” entwined with “don’t stop the beat again”  I can’t work out if the male vocals are referencing vulvas, if so, hell yes.  “And I will walk alone” Such feistiness and catchiness.  At around 2 minute 32, it picks up volume into some kind of psychedelic and calediscospic drop that just keeps building and I feel like I am in a 70s movie walking along the pavement, euphoric and bombastic.  Then drums again.  The drums, vocals and bass are the strength of this track.  

5.  Faye Webster - Room Temperature

Wonky, sassy, hubby, intelligent, sarcastic, bittersweet breakup sass.  

6.  Buzzy Lee - Sundown Queen

Purely for the most gorgeous, romantic voiced line of the year:-

“In the seventies, we’d be in love”.

7.   Ada Lea - The Party

Another brilliant female vocalist.  “Ditch the party, in your beat up truck.  You’re always leaving when the night starts”.

Fave line - And the moon was a strange shade of green, orange, was i wrong cause I couldn’t tell the difference at all?

At all, at all, at all.

Stood on the porch, watching you get away.

Second fave line:-

And the night, that night was a pure shade of honest, or something Was I wrong? 'Cause I couldn't tell the difference At all, at all, at all, at all

So it’s kind of like the moon and the night verses, are similar, in tone of voice or enunciation and I really really like this.  

8.  Grace Ives - Anything

Lovesong, post-modernity.  Like a future scape, electronic, tinny, flimsy but with a depth to the writing, also a boom boxy 90s feel. 

Rhyming.  

Electronic.  “Holding hands, silence sigh”  “I can’t think of any way to move, I look you in the eye”.  

“I’m right here, I wanna love you.  I wanna fight”.

“I would do anything, anything, anything to keep you in my life”. (Oh my life)

“That’s the way it’s got to be from now on”.

“I’m gonna talk, I’m trying harder, I’m sleeping less”.

“I would do anything, anything to keep everything above my chest”.

“Chest” it’s the way she says it.  Dark, light, sarcastic.  Kind of reminds me of Cher or someone with a deeper vocal range.  

“That’s the way it’s got to be from now on”.

“Oh that’s the way it’s got to be” (highness, lightness)

That is the way, it’s just the way it’s gotta be (guaranteed to get in your brain all day).

Also, a mention for her song Mirror which is brilliant.  It’s like a song we might have heard when we were 13, but so much better and sassier.  It has this 90s r+b feel, but is smart and weird, “I think I think about it too much right now, I didn’t know what I was about, I think I finally got it f- figured out”. 

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Money, move me along

Heart, in the air

Baby, I don’t care 

Also another mention for Butterfly

It’s so sexy and her high range is amazing.  

9.  Ztella - Samba

Do I like samba songs because I spent my late childhood/early adolescence in a dance hall in Bolton doing the samba with various girls from places in Bolton I didn’t know.  Yes, I am pre-disposed.  

But this song is fine.  It’s fit as.  Exuberant.  Classy.  Mid summer evenings.  Breezy holidays, sun sea air catching your neck, and making you want to dance.

10. Brijean - Show and Tell

Those hazy female Californian vocals I like so much like Mama Cass.  So slick and lovely, also a few 70s funk whistles and synths as the drop comes in.

11.  Babii - Seizure

12.  Jorge Albrecht - Only Gonna Break Your Heart

Those male/female vocals, laced, layered with back and forth woozy bass, similar to some other songs I like such as Marilyn by Them are Us Two and Soft as snow (but warm inside) by MBV.

13.  SASAMI - Pacify my Heart

Classy, sad, melancholic, fresh, zen, neutral, complexity.  

14.  Weyes Blood - Picture be Better

All the Joni vibes on this record.  Sad sad reflection on wanting to be redeemed and seen in a better light.  I love her voice, production, depth to the lyrics.  I like how her voice is in a lower key than most, lyrics flowing with such intricacy yet also stripped back and melodic.  

15.  Noname - Song 32

Sweet rhyming style, super feminine and confident flow, so slick tho, could be any male rapper.  “I am the Kennedy’s out for lunch” nice reference to history.  “Diddy money” oh yes, talking about this commercialisation of rap backed by big business (1 person monopoly).  Also, what I like about this track is that it reminds me of being younger and in the summer listening to pop and rap and r&b in the garden, only it’s a kickass female rapper who is smart and funny.

16.  Big Thief - Not

So fulfilling to listen to, belting it out and feeling angst.  

17.  Planet 1999 - Spell

Dream like 90s vibes, lush harmonies are so light and airy and then the bass and drums kick in.  So melodic, I feel like I am feminist Barbie listening to this.  Beautiful vocals.    

18.  Lightning Bug - Vision Scraps

Distortion opening, reminiscent of MBV.  Sweet hummingbird vocals, laced with distorted guitars. Nice drums. Having to really listen to the words. Break in the distortion at approx 2 minute

19.  Carla dal Forno - Dont Follow Me

20.  Teen Body - Dreamo

Twin peaks synths and guitars open the song.  Lovely MBV drone guitars on the 2 count, lovely, dreamy.  Then vocals begin so angelic and beatific, i love it.  Could be a much clearer Blinda Butcher vocal.   Hazy, woozy, wavey and repeat.  Male/Female vox interplay I like, so reminiscent of MBV.  MBV being the best archetype.  Male vocals, a little too high in pitch to be as good as Kevin Shields, however, still this track is very pleasing.  “I could have told you that”

Nice wee break in the track at 3 minute 34 secs.  

21.  James Massiah - Natural Born Killers (Ride for Me)

Trippy, bubbly, spaceagey, acid vibes, dystopia/utopia cityscapes.  Danceable, intelligent and jocular.  

22.  Sandy - Not There

23.  Mount Eerie - Love Without Possession

24.  Easter - Muscle

It’s no wonder to me that Easter is a novelist because her word play engulfs you in these romantic, callous, cruel, visceral, trippy, sexual double entendres and European flaneur narratives.  

While the (heart) beats are 90s Euro beats but with a finesse and style no one rivals. Also, about the drums and electronic synths - they really punctuate the spoken word lyrics, it feels like a marching band or something - so taut and percussive.  

I’m going to eventually write a list of my favourite Easter lyrics and this is such catharsis, they bring me joy.  Smart and critical but trippy and fun.  Decidedly adult.

“Back to the studio.  Holding my crotch.  Laying it down”.

“Sadness is an evil gas inside of me”.  (I can totally relate).  

“like a pack of miniature Russian figure skaters on a suicide mission across the frozen lakes of the world to find true love” Oh my, the imagery, startling and beautiful.  Think about also trafficking of Russian women?  Is this what she is referring to?  Or Russian athletes?  Intriguing.  

“A future where each pussy gets a puppy when she hits the floor”.  What does this even mean?  Cats reigning supreme.  Women/femininity to be rewarded for action or inaction?  Fascinating.  

“I fall asleep on these sticky sheets to dream of you and how we’ll meet, again one day to fuck, and eat, and drink and kiss and never sleep”.  Holy cow!!  Gut punching eroticism and obsession.

25.  Okay Kaya - Ascend and Try Again 

Great guitar, slow melancholic and then the singing starts which is just gorgeous and reflective. 

“Ascend and try again” (I like the lyrics, I want to ascend to be honest).

Her voice feels so comforting with this depth and clarity that shines through.

Definite ear worm you can’t stop singing. 

26.  Sandy (Alex G) -  In My Arms

27.  American Football - Every Wave to Every Rise

28.  Sleep Over - I don't want to hide

29.  Molina - Venus

30.  EDDYEVVY - All for Me

31.  Fauness - Soon There Will Be No Summer

32.  Infinite Bisous - Island

33.   Aldous Harding - The Barrel

This song is catchy, but slightly off beat, you don’t know where she’s going to go with it, left-field, jarring.  I wasn’t sure about the vocals initially, but each time I listen, I enjoy it.  

34.  Free Love - Everyone

35.  Eartheater - Concealer

36.  Hand Habits - Placeholder 

37.  Erika de Casier - Good Time

38.  Aya Gloomy - vs Reality

39.  Fee Lion - Re(Visit)

“I love you but I cannot think about you anymore”.  Pulsating bass and catchy distorted synths.  Vocals are beautiful.  “Time to erase our time”.  Breakup contemplation.  Becomes more intimate yet intense, picks up tempo but vocals are more stripped “I am walking alone, feeling fine on my own”.  REPEAT.   Pertinent.  More explained.  “I knew you, oh how I knew you, oh.  I kne-ew you (lovely enunciation” Can we really stake claim to having known someone once?

“All I have is time, time to erase our time”.  When you just want to erase someone so much and it takes a long time because the way you think is so merged with that person.

Ultimate power track.  Deriving power.  Gaining strength.

“Feeling fine”.  One last declaration of strength.  

40.  Equip - Shop (New Inventory!)

This is the song I want to soundtrack my weekly shop so I can imagine being a vaporwave, nintendo or anime character going about the shops, similar to kick ass Negative Gemini, but instead I will reconcile I am a boring nerd (while listening to sick beats, yo!)

41.  Pearly - Too me

Self-composed/self-control

Post-rock with Julee Cruise angel vocals I love.

42.  Mount Kismet - Teenage Fantasy

43.  Prince Rama - F.A.T.E. bought us together

44.  Space Drum Machine - The Mauskovic Dance Band

Infectious, brilliant sitar sounds and synths, makes me want to dance.  Light, breezy, melodic holiday song that sweeps along at pace.  

45.  Ariana Grande - Ghosting

Such a sad melody and lyricism, that sounds cinematic its perfection.  Woozy synths and sirens, that engage the listener straight away.

“I know you hear me when I cry

I try to hold in the night”

Sadness, her voice is stunning.  

“Baby you’re doing so well” Her voice.  Oh so beautiful.

“We’ll get through this, we’ll get past this, I’m a girl with - a whole lot of baggage” (I can identify).

I dunno what this song is about - a couple becoming stronger

The strings, the synths becoming more orchestral.  

‘I know that it breaks your heart when I cry again”.

46. Lana del Rey - California

I could have put any track off Normal Fucking Rockwell to be fair as her songs are ace.

47.  Elena Setien/Mary Lattimore - Wreckage of the hunt

Beautiful harp offsets beautiful vocals.  Lovely and classy.  

48  Blue Hawaii - All that Blue

“Give me sunshine too, oh yeah”. 

49.  Xavibo and Aleesha - Last Call

Best line “some drunk cop might pull me over’.  I like how American people are contextualising this in regards to people of colour being pulled over by inept cops.  Worrying it still happens though.  I guess as well, you wouldn’t really expect a hyper feminine female pop track to be referring to this though - which is great. 

50.  Automatic - Calling It.

Nice drums and guitars, kind of 60s sounding, building and building.  Then female sass vocals, loud and joyous.  “Emotions always out of reach”.  The guitars have this throbbing kind of swagger I also like on a track by Maraudeur named ‘Computer Dreams’.

“A picture of your changing face / To hold it all together”.

What I like is the merging of guitars with synths to make these future/retro narratives that are existential and narrative based.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Kara Connolly shares new single ‘Roses’

“How can you ‘stop and smell the roses’ if you don’t even notice them?,” Kara Connolly asks in her new single ‘Roses’ — a breezy commentary on the passage of time, our success driven society, and the singer-songwriter’s desire for a return to innocence where she can finally slow down and be more present in her life.

“I went on a 3 day plant medicine ceremony (ayahuasca—one of the world’s most powerful psychedelics) in search of understanding and healing,” Kara reveals. "We had to walk several miles through brush and cactuses to find what would eventually become our ceremony grounds. Psychedelics put me in touch with my heart and ground me with the earth, so on the walk back I realized I hadn’t even noticed my surroundings on the way up whatsoever, such as the striking color of the flowers. I was so in my head...I spend a lot of my time there. There’s a line in the song that says ‘they tell me slow down before you break down, I’m almost there now’ which really has two meanings...I’m almost to my destination…I can see it…so I feel like I have to keep going, but I’ve also nearly broken down at several stops along the way."

Quiet reflection meets moments of bliss and freedom in ‘Roses’ through the form of dreamy guitars, effortless melodies, airy harmonies and a laid back vibe. Produced by Jack Ventimiglia, written with Jack and Teddi Gold, vocal produced mixed by Drew Alexander, and mastered by Randy Merrill (Harry Styles, Maren Morris, Lorde, Taylor Swift), Kara’s latest single hints of legends Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty and delivers a universal message of slowing down, savoring the moment, and recognizing the small-big things in life amidst a world full of dangerous ambition and trying to be somebody.

"The truth is that as an “adult,” I miss that new dress, summer love, feet in the dirt, rainfall on the pavement, hands over a fire kind of feeling,” Kara discloses. “With 'Roses,' I wanted to capture that sort of freedom that can feel elusive to me and remind myself that life isn’t always about getting ahead and constant progress, even though I am naturally very ambitious.”

She sings, “I wanna wear time like a new dress, send love letters across oceans even if they never get there. Spinning in slow motion, trying to catch the moment, I can finally notice there are roses everywhere.” Instantly, we find ourselves lighter in spirit. “I hope this song can be a reminder of all the beauty in your life and help you to notice the ‘roses’ around you like it has for me,” Kara says. We will be cruising in our car, listening to this song on repeat, and dare we say, may even stop to smell the roses along the way.

Kara Connolly · Roses

Photo credit: Sara Hertel

[astoldbytoria]

ATBT Review: “Ctrl” by SZA

SZA just let out her highly anticipated debut album “Ctrl” on June 9th, and I’ve gotten a solid two weeks to listen to it. I’ve been following her since her Soundcloud days, so I was definitely curious to hear her new record and pick it for growth. Luckily, she made it easy for me. SZA has considerably grown in her songwriting and production and it is clearly reflected by the amount of positive responses she’s received since the release of the album.

In my opinion, this album raised the bar for both traditional and alternative R&B. She did not settle for low droning trap-soul nor did she drown it with samples. She successfully created a record that is both alike and not like any other record we’ve heard recently. So I’m going to dive into each track one by one discussing their strengths and weaknesses below. Feel free to listen along as I break down each song (this review is kind of long):

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/76290XdXVF9rPzGdNRWdCh

Apple Music Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ctrl/id1239976329

1) Supermodel

First thought: what a way to open an album. This track is definitely one of her statement pieces. It really brings in the tone of the whole album. She’s talking about really heavy stuff over an acoustic guitar that’s strumming a melodic chord progression. And this isn’t just “cutesy sad” stuff either. She’s writing a letter to this person telling them she’s leaving after realizing that they’re cheating on her and aren’t giving her the time of day in general. And don’t forget the part where she adds that she’s “secretly banging” his friend. Pretty intense stuff.

2) Love Galore (feat. Travis Scott)

This is such a strong single for this album. She called this one a “tropical bop” and I couldn’t agree more. If your head isn’t boppin during this song, you’re probably lying. The instrumentation is so lightweight and euphoric, even though she’s discussing some heavy experiences, much like “Supermodel.” The lyrics were masterfully filled with wordplay and double meanings. They are poignant and relevant to the dating experiences of today’s youth which is really important. Not everyone is loyal, not everyone is trying to date to marry – and she, at this point in her life, is not only calling out the people she’s dated for being like this, she’s also recognizing these ways in herself. The line “Why you bother me when you know you don’t want me? Why you bother me when you know you got a woman?” is so real for some people, and that’s what I appreciated. It’s the side of relationships that people aren’t brave enough to address because everyone wants to tell a perfect love story instead of recognizing the reality and the duality of love. The production is also so perfect because it feels like such a light, chill bop even though it’s calculated with many layers. Her collaboration with Travis Scott was such a smart decision and it was nice to hear a different beat and vibe from him that still goes along with his sonic taste. I will say though, I absolutely hate the way she pronounces certain words – like “negus” and “beaches” – but that’s just a personal pet peeve, so I digress. Love Galore is a solid song and one of my favorites. Beautifully crafted and portrayed.

3) Doves in the Wind (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

This one was funny to me because I was surprised at how many times and different ways they managed to say the word “pussy.” To me, this one was another statement piece. The lyrics were definitely cheeky and bold, which just pushed another characteristic of the album. SZA is so willing to be bold and blunt about her experiences throughout the album. I thought Kendrick Lamar as the feature was a brilliant decision. Who better to talk about the subject? The song was witty and interesting and draws the listener to the lyrics. And the beat is so relaxed compared to what they’re talking about. It’s not one of my personal favorites, but I recognize its purpose for sure.

4) Drew Barrymore

When I heard this, I was like “where was SZA in the 90s when alt-black girls had no voice?” because she would have definitely been they’re holy grail artist. It has such a somber 90s alternative rock vibe. I love that it addresses insecurity and low self-esteem and genuine feelings, especially in lines like “I get so lonely, I forget what I’m worth / we get so lonely, we pretend that this works.” She brilliantly portrays how these feelings can manifest themselves in relationships. So because of that, these lyrics are not only relatable, but eye-opening for some listeners. This was a strong one for me.

5) Prom

I really love the lyrics on Prom. It felt like she was talking about her insecurities and her shortcomings compared to her partner. She’s describing the right person at the wrong time for her, as if she’s not yet at his maturity level, which is something I can relate to personally. However, I didn’t know that this song was about this topic until I looked the lyrics and followed them. The music just doesn’t seem to match what she’s talking about at all. And in the prior songs, the music does contrast with the topic of the song but it’s done in a way that makes the two work together – not in this case, however. So unfortunately, this song kind of got lost among some of the other tracks for me.

6) The Weekend

This is the traditional R&B bop on the album. I love the Justin Timberlake sample. It was nicely hidden in the beat and was not at the forefront, so it meshed well overall. This was another song with bold lyrics. She’s talking from the POV of the “other woman,” a character that hasn’t really had  a voice in music. This is especially depicted in lines like “My man is my man is your man / heard it’s her man too” and “the feeling is wreckless / of knowin’ it’s selfish / knowin’ I’m desperate.” So this was a daring move for SZA. It definitely sounds like she’s okay with the whole idea while also knowing that it isn’t an ideal situation. Very interesting track. Lol

7) Go Gina

I really like the instrumental on this one. It kind of gives me A Tribe Called Quest vibes. However, aside from the clever line “picking up a penny with a press-on is easier than holding you down,” this one did not clearly convey the meaning of the song. From what I can gather, she’s comparing herself to Gina from the TV show “Martin,” saying that she is a woman that belongs to herself – any man that comes along the way will either be of value to her or easily disposable. And she will never be hung up on a man. So I guess it’s just a song that outlines that feeling of self-sufficiency. This one kind of got lost amongst the tracks, like “Prom.” Without fail, I seem to tune it out when it plays. It’s still nice to listen to, though.

8) Garden (Say It Like Dat)

This one is also one of my favorites. It’s another euphoric song with a chill beat and melodic sounds throughout. Lyrically, this one is stronger because she’s clearly in love with this person but is still insecure about herself, hoping that he “never finds out” the real her. But she believes that maybe he will love her for her because of the way he compliments her and treats her. I love how genuine that is and how we don’t like to address our fear of people seeing the real us. More importantly, I’m happy that she managed to make a 3:28 song that perfectly describes that.

9) Broken Clocks

If there had to be another single on the album, it would be this one. The production is so poppin’ it’s not even funny. My poor ’99 Camry can’t handle the bass whatsoever, but it still gets blared regardless (nah mean?)!! SZA tells us another story of her balancing love with work and how those things sometimes conflict with her time – hence, the broken clocks. The busyness of life can definitely affect relationships and I felt like she really captured that here. I loved the Joseline Hernandez strip club reference as well, it really tickled me. Lol

10) Anything

This one sounds the most dreamy to me. It also samples “Spring Reprise” by Donna Summer, which is a nice addition. She seems to be questioning her relationship, serving as the next chapter to “Broken Clocks.” This is definitely shown by the repeated line “Do you even now I’m alive?” She seems to be at the cusp of the relationship lasting and ending. I kind of hate how short it is though.

11) Wavy (Interlude) [feat. James Fauntleroy]

I love this interlude so much. I love the production. Again, it is so light and airy and dreamy. Lyrically, this one didn’t jump out to me at all. But I fell in love with the feeling that it gave me more than anything else.

12) Normal Girl

This one is another that kind of got lost amongst the other tracks for me as well. I think that lyrically it’s really strong because she’s trying to describe an idealistic version of herself. Furthermore, she’s wishing that she could just be a “normal girl” for this guy, and clearly she isn’t capable of being that for him. So it’s really relatable. But at this point in the album, the theme starts to really beat a dead horse, at least for me. I felt like she kind of explained some of these same feelings in songs like “Drew Barrymore” or “Garden.”

13) Pretty Little Birds (feat. Isaiah Rashad)

I was impressed by the metaphor she used, because it’s not that obvious. Yeah, she’s comparing herself to a bird but she’s also talking about how she wants to be open with her love interest, like a bird’s wings. And it also kind of dives into the fact that although she’s been through a lot of experiences, she is still open to a new relationship that allows her to “fly.” This is apparent in the line “my wings don’t fly like they used to / but I wanna fly with you.” Lyrically this one is really strong, and if you aren’t paying attention to lyrics, it’s easy for its meaning to “fly away” (all puns intended). It’s very dreamy and pretty. I grew to like this song.

14) 20 Something

It’s only fitting that that she ended with an acoustic song. Lyrically, this song is all-encompassing in so many ways that aren’t obvious. She’s acknowledging everything that happened in her twenties – including the good and bad. It seems like her relationship ended, so she is definitely being critical and saying that she’s “got nothin, runnin from love.” So in a way, she’s stuck in the “immature” mindset of her 20s. But she also says “God bless these 20 somethings” because although she views some of her experiences as failures, she also recognizes how they’ve shaped her into the person she currently is. Compared to the opening track, this one focuses on the self instead of the people that have wronged her and her spitefulness as a reaction to those wrongs. Beautifully written and the slow strumming guitar is always fitting for introspection. This song ends the album on a bittersweet note, and I really love that.

My Conclusion (finally lol):

I think this album is something that has been missing from music. It’s full of lyrics that are relatable, funny, poignant, and introspective. And although some of the topics are heavy and risque, SZA carefully managed to pair them with beats and instrumentation that was seemingly light-hearted. She was unafraid to be the voice of the side chick, the main woman, the insecure woman, and the woman scorned. And she did it all from the perspective of a girl, and more importantly a Black girl. While culturally, this album was so influential and powerful, its importance could get lost if you aren’t paying attention to the lyrics. Sometimes they were hard for me to follow by listening alone and I had to look them up just to understand what she was saying. So that could be improved upon for the next album. Otherwise, I give this album a strong 7. SZA has really changed herself and has completely grown into her sound. This was a striking debut.

[her-culture]

5 Women-Led Bands You Definitely Need to Listen To

We are a little over halfway through 2019, or as I like to call it, Twenty-Nine-Scene: the year of the emo revival. Whether you proudly continue to listen to My Chemical Romance six years after they broke up and can’t hear the G-note played on a piano without having a full-blown meltdown, or if you have no idea what band I’m talking about and are about to click away because this style of music may not be your taste, I urge you to wait just one more second! We’re about to dive deep into some badass bands led by female powerhouses that might just convince you to give the alternative music scene a chance.

Now, it’s no surprise that the music industry is mostly a boys’ club and this is (unfortunately) especially the case with rock music. However, things have begun to change as more and more women get involved in all aspects of the music world, which is totally amazing and also why I’m hyped to present this list of bands that have been taking the alternative scene by storm.

Eat Your Heart Out (Rock; Newcastle, Australia)

I discovered this band with the help of Spotify, and I am so glad that I found them! Founded in 2012 in Newcastle, Australia,  Eat Your Heart Out (EYHO) is classified as a rock band but has tons of pop influence in their style of writing. Their sound can be described as a mix of grunge realism, punk styling, and pop ambition that really makes them a strong act. Frontwoman Caitlin Henry writes heartfelt and incredibly raw lyrics that ooze with intensity and delivers them beautifully. If you’re a fan of Paramore, I highly recommend this band as they’re definitely inspired by Paramore’s music as well. 

Songs I Recommend:

“Drag Me Down”

“Shape of You” (Cover)

PVRIS (Electro-pop/Alt. Rock; Massachusetts)

Pronounced like “Paris”, which this band was originally named when they began in 2013 before ultimately changing it to avoid legal trouble with another band already named Paris––their name isn’t the only statement they make! This group is led by Lynn Gunn who is incredible. Not only is she a wicked talented vocalist, she’s also very vocal about LGBTQ+ rights. Lynn Gunn was the first queer-woman artist from the alternative scene that I listened to and seeing that kind of representation in music that I really love was a great feeling. Her band was also the first female-led band to be signed by the prominent rock label Rise Records. Their music can best be described as rock with mesmerising electronic elements that give them an almost hypnotic quality. I’ve been a big fan of theirs since their first album White Noise, and if you’re a fan of the band Chvrches, I really think you’ll like PVRIS too.

Songs I Recommend:

“St. Patrick”

“Chandelier” (Cover)

Misterwives (Indie-pop; NYC)

You may have heard this name before, especially since they popped up a lot on the radio after their tour with Panic! At the Disco in 2017. This band was founded in 2012 when the lead singer, Mandy Lee, wanted to form an 80’s cover band. Their early music definitely reflects this synth-like feel, but they’ve developed their sound to a much stronger indie vibe with a bit of pop sprinkled in. Mandy’s voice is airy and light, with a lovely and unique voice that juxtaposes well with her heavy, sentimental lyrics. Their songs can be incredibly moving and real but also something you can dance to.

Songs I Recommend:

“Revolution”

“whywhywhy”

Save Ferris (Ska/Punk-ish; Southern California)

Save Ferris is an iconic staple to the alternative music scene; they’ve been around since 1995 and are still killing it to this day. I’m a bit ashamed to say I barely found out about them this year when I attended the last-ever Vans Warped Tour, but I guess it’s better late than never! Their name is a reference to the cult-classic movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which should give you an idea of what vibe this band has. They’re all about having fun with excitable lyrics and an irresistible beat that ska is known to have that makes it impossible not to jump around and dance. If you’re new to ska, or have always been wary of it, Save Ferris is the perfect band to start off with. They’re funky, fun, and full of energy and I’m confident that they’ll make you google “How to play the trombone” when you’re done listening. Did I mention that they also do a killer cover of “Come On Eileen”? 

Songs I Recommend:

“Come On Eileen” (Cover)

“Anything”

The Aquadolls (Surf Rock/Indie; Southern California)

We’ve gotta end with a bang so I’ve saved my favorite band for last. The Aquadolls are a girl group full of attitude and “take no shit” energy, and their music has a captivating 90’s cool girl vibe to it that I’m a total sucker for. Originating from La Mirada, California, they’ve channeled the laid-back spirit that SoCal is known for with their approach to surf rock that gives them a dreamy feel while their lyrics are very in-your-face but still fun.They’re comprised of Melissa Brooks (singer), Jackie Proctor (drums), Keilah Nina (keys/bass), and Kate Rose (lead guitar). These badass women have been performing since 2012 and Brooks recently started her own record label in 2018 called Aqua Babe Records. I highly, highly recommend this band to everyone; trust me, they won’t disappoint.

 Songs I Recommend:

their entire discography 

seriously, go listen to them they’re on Spotify

especially their song “Troubled Valentine”