#lots of songs resonate with me but for a variety of reasons and not just the lyrics

[kiiyunz]

what are you listening to? ☆

kihyun likes music as much as the next person. he’s not picky about what he listens to—what he likes, he likes, although he doesn’t make much of an effort keep up with new releases from people who aren’t in his slightly preferred circle of genres. he’ll shazam without shame, lean over as many people as he needs in order to peer onto uber stereos for a glance at what’s playing on the radio, and has quipped once that he’d be making his living as a ‘what are you listening to’ tiktokker in an alternate timeline.

genre-wise, he mainly listens to rap, pop, and dance (or just electronic in general). in terms of favourite artists, the ones he’ll mention the most are azealia banks, michael jackson, exo, f(x), and gsoul. some more that have begun to crop up more in his playlists include rihanna, tomorrow x together, miguel, and frank ocean. and, finally, when asked about his absolute favourite song, he’ll most likely say “miss amor. or.. wait.. and gravity!”—by azealia banks & miguel respectively.

at a glance ★ kihyun’s spotify

he has five main playlists (despite one of them being named ‘PLAYLIST #7’—he just thought it sounded cool) that, despite him attempting to keep loose themes for each of them, have ended up all vaguely jumbled in one way or another. their covers are a mix of photos he’s stolen from pinterest and ones that he’s taken himself (namely the cover of ‘423,’ one of his favourite pictures of jeno).

playlist rundown ☆

‘클럽 클래식’⠀(club classics—very much a reference) is for everything & anything. old, new, any genre, any language. it’s unsorted and he doesn’t intend on organising it any time soon (although he does occasionally sit and rearrange them by the colour of their covers). if he hears a song in the club, if one of mark’s recommendations really resonate with him, if he’s taking blind suggestions and needs somewhere to put them in order for him to listen later—this is where it all goes. made in 2016, ones he finds himself listening to more than once include forever yours—brent faiyaz, flowers—sweet female attitude, and 魂の叫び—soul scream.

‘FOR K’⠀is for him—not that any of the others aren’t, but in this one they’re just more so. they’re songs that are close to his heart, that mean something special to him for a whole variety of reasons. they’re words he can’t say, feelings he can’t describe—or just sounds he really, really likes. sometimes he’ll grow out of a few and do some reshuffling, (or take a screenshot and send it to chenle so they can both laugh at what he was listening to as a teenager) but for the most part it’s always been a hub for all his favourite favourites. ever since 2013, his soft spots lie for songs like crazy for you—gsoul, chasing time—azealia banks, me+u—f(x), get on the floor—michael jackson, and i want it all—arctic monkeys.

‘423’⠀is for jeno. he’s never told him about it (and doesn’t intend to, because he dreads the relentless teasing he’ll receive if any of the others find out) but it’s still for him. it’s a collection of all the music that makes him think ‘jeno,’ and whether it’s lyric-wise or a two-second-long instrumental moment, he’ll put it on there. first made in 2018, some of his favourites include bonnie & clyde—dean, sweet lies—exo, lost—frank ocean, and james joint—rihanna.

‘PLAYLIST #7’⠀is for his friends & members—both in a ‘my-friends-made-these-songs’ way and a ‘these-songs-make-me-think-of-my-friends’ way. mainly kpop, with the occasional heartfelt anthem thrown in every once in a while, he’ll usually listen whenever he’s feeling a little down—thinking about those he loves is a surefire way to make him feel better, after all. circa 2017, his top picks from this list include drama—txt, anl—nct dream, and glow—kelis.

‘###’⠀is for rap, mainly. he’s found a lot over the years, and just.. likes it. one of his goals is to make a full-rap song of his own, but while he plans and practices and brainstorms, he’ll be listening to something from this list instead. mark or johnny is his go-to person whenever he finds a new song by a western rapper he likes the sound of, asking if they know anything about them or listen to them themselves (the answer is usually no or sometimes. to say he was disappointed when he found out johnny prefers coldplay was an understatement). first created in 2018, faves from this playlist include i serve the base—future, fell in luv—playboi carti, body language—doja cat, and hazard duty pay!—jpegmafia.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Boy and the World (2013)

Boy and the World is not what it seems. Its visual style evokes childhood drawings and there isn’t any dialogue. This might lead you to think it would be well-suited for children… but there’s no way kids would “get” this. While it can feel a little long, even at 80 minutes, it’s an ambitious film with bold imagery and a story whose depth will take adults aback.

Told without dialogue, a young boy named Cuca lives happily with his family until his father leaves by train to find work. When Cuca decides to venture out of his home to find him, he meets a variety of characters, including an old cotton picker and a rebellious young adult working in a clothing factory for a futuristic city floating above the ocean.

What actually happens in Boy and the World isn’t important because much of it is disguised through symbolism and allegory. This movie is about how the unfair relationship between individuals and work. Parents have to leave their children behind to make a living in big establishments that will replace them with robots/machines the second it becomes financially viable, plantation owners get rid of the older and sickly laborers because they only want to pay the people who are the most efficient at their jobs, products made on the backs of the lower class make their way to the higher echelons of society, what happens when the working class rises up against those who stomp on them and the aftermath of it all. You don’t have to be Brazilian for any of that to resonate with you.

Some critics have suggested Boy and the World is well-suited for a young audience. I’m not so sure. Like so many of these metaphor-ladden tales, until you understand what’s being said, this can feel like a lot of randomness. Combined with the lack of dialogue, the absence of humor, no clear beginning, middle, or end, and the heavy message, it’s pretty easy to get… a little bored, wondering what’s coming next. Or maybe I’m just a dum-dum. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this film by Alê Abreu. I just wanted a more cohesive narrative; some idea of where things were headed, of what I should expect next. For this reason, I suspect I’d like this film more upon a second viewing.

The most striking aspect of Boy and the World are its visuals. While the characters evoke children’s drawings, they are not scribbles brought to life. There is a clear understanding of anatomy and a mastery of character design on display. Both ensure you always know who is who, what they’re feeling, and how we should feel about them despite the limited facial expressions and lack of dialogue. Even if you don’t recognize that glowing orbs actually represent songs or music, you'll understand the emotions in every scene. There’s a particular moment when the boy is reunited with his father that just annihilates you. It’s so good I’m shocked I haven’t seen it snipped out and perpetuated through the internet.

Boy and the World might not be my kind of movie… but then again, it might be. The more I think about what I saw, the more I appreciate and admire it. I certainly won’t forget the way it made me feel, which is the mark of a great film. (On Blu-ray, September 20, 2021)

[neednothavehappenedtobetrue]

okay, so my favorite mountain goats songs are generally of the Lovecraft in Brooklyn/Choked Out/Training Montage/Dance Music variety.

I am less a fan of his slow songs for whatever reason, but sometimes they contain lyrics that I need in my life, like Wild Sage "some days I think I'd feel better if I tried harder/most days I know it's not true"

which is, like, extremely very resonant for me but I just don't care for his slow songs as much. sorry, authentic Wild Sage enjoyers.

and it's not that I don't like slow songs, especially by women singers in particular, because I do, it's just that for whatever reason tmg slow songs do not do it for me even when they're lyrically transcendent.

anyway, this is all to say the above Youtube video is a cover of Wild Sage by The Scary Jokes and it is very good and I can already feel it becoming important to me.

it's a woman singer over I think a ukulele and my ears like it a lot.

the full verse in question is "some days I don't miss my family/and some days I do/some days I think I'd feel better if I tried harder/most days I know it's not true"

so if you need that in your life or just like this kind of song, here is its Youtube.

[hogcranker1984]

baffled at how quick and easy it is to have mutuals on here. and like. how much overlap there is with different fandoms + interests + etc

tumblr feels so much different in comparison to other platforms because it hardly really feels like a competition. (when you're not trying to focus on numbers, reblogs, and attention)

RANT BELOW: READ IF YOU DARE

geniunely the amount of variety i've seen on here and the less algorithmic (in comparison to other sites) structure that tumblr has is such a breath of fresh air. instagram had made me feel like the veins in my skull were about to pop. twitter gave me anxiety attacks. with tumblr? i've been able to FULLY block shit i dont want to see by curbing my feed in a way that suits my interests. but not in a way that has negatively affected me.

the recent posts ive been seeing about how staff kinda has been trying to fuck shit up and make the platform MORE like instagram. MORE like twitter have been scaring the shit out of me. (i will never call that fucking platform X. not on my fucking grandmother's grave will i ever do that.) This is simply because i'm a lazy ass. i don't like using html. i'd have to retreat to spacehey or fucking neocities if this place gets more fucked up than it already has. Which, chances are, I probably fucking will LOL

idk why im going on this tangent. it's 3 in the fucking morning and our mom has a doctor's appointment. yet here i am, thinking about the future of the internet and how the big social media sites are sort of just. crumbling as we speak. everything has been riddled with ads or useless content spirals that take your attention away from shit that needs to be paid attention to. it's like nothing has fucking changed in this world. (of course, a lot of things have. but the chokehold that big corporations have on information and the media we consume. and people just take it like it's nothing)

for some reason that reminds me of the opening segment of the Sugar (SOaD) music video. "NOBODY IS OPENING THEIR EYES! COME ON! I WORK FOR THE SYSTEM!"

got to love the fucking. capitalistic system that is such a behemoth that even a song from fucking 1998 still fucking resonates now, 25 goddamn years later. the SAG-AFTRA strikes have really shown a huge incentive for change. i hope that other industries start strikes like these. they need to fucking happen. we need fucking CHANGE before we all wind up being completely unable to afford the basic necessities of a first world country. Even now, it's hard for people to stay afloat. COME THE FUCK ON. rant over, a lot of shit has been on my mind lately

[anitosoul]

tripreport.018: The Return of the Disco Samurai

the sound of the jungle fire 🐅

Key Inspirations

Hiking (Activity)

Cultural pride (Activity)

POC Artists (Music artists)

Sherelle (Music artist)

Jungle (Music genre)

Acid House (Music genre)

AceMoMA (Music artist)

Avalon Emerson (Music artist)

WTCHCRFT at Nowadays Nonstop (DJ set)

Octo Octa (Music artist)

JPEGMAFIA – LP! (Music album)

Yves Tumor (Must artist)

Halloween (Event)

Music from the Mountain Provinces (Music album)

b2b with Lissoms (Activity)

LCD Soundsystem at Good Room (DJ set)

The Wu-Tang Clan (Music artist)

John Tejada (Music artist)

planetqueer (Community)

iiiPoints Music Festival (Event)

Jamie xx (Music artist)

The jungle (Place)

Night on Earth – Jungle Nights (TV show) (The Junglist Warrior mix somehow syncs up perfectly with this episode)

The Return of the Disco Samurai Tracklist A-Side: Junglist Warrior

Kulintang – Badjao or Yakan Gong

Stones Taro – Full Train

DJ Rashad & DJ Manny – Drums Please

INVT, DJ Earl – WORK

Kelly Lee Owens – Re-Wild (Breaka Remix)

Mickey Hart – Frog Dance

Octo Octa, Avalon Emerson – Adrift (Avalon Emerson’s Furiously Awake Version)

quest?onmarq – WATCH THIS

Mark Broom – Jungle

John Tejada – Abbot of Burton

LAVA LA RUE, Congo Natty, Phoebs, Nia Archives – Magpie (Nia Archives Remix)

Ivy Lab – Suzuki

3ASiC – Lorentz

The Fugees – Ready or Not (A SURGEON Remix)

Remarc – RIP (DJ Hype Remix)

Kiat – Stranger Tings

BEARCAT – The Bells

Fixate, Double 99 – Ripgroove

Yves Tumor – Secrecy is Incredibly Important to the Both of Them

The Return of the Disco Samurai Tracklist B-Side: Wild Fear

Dumagat – Throat Singing

AceMoMA – 1 Million Breaks

Avalon Emerson – One More Fluorescent Rush

Ataw Allpa, Trio Ternura – A Gira (Ataw Allpa Remake)

3 Times 6 – You Can Run

Die Orangen, Full Circle – Yaranabe (Full Circle Goa Way Remix)

Wu-Tang Clan – Triumph

JPEGMAFIA – ARE U HAPPY?

Breaka – Get Your Sweat On

Stones Taro – To Rave

Ase Manual – Soniferous (Instrumental)

Viper Diva – Alice

Psychedelic Research Lab, Deetron – Keep On Climbin’ (Deetron Remix)

Shakedown, Peggy Gou – At Night (Peggy Gou’s Acid Journey Remix)

Jennifer Lopez – Waiting for Tonight (Hex’s Momentous Club Mix)

In previous months, I increasingly turned to music for guidance, comfort, truth, and therapy. In October, I submitted to the music completely. It became all-consuming, and I filled my brain space with unending tunes, either listening to music in headphones, mixing songs with my DJ controller, or dancing at a live show. There were a variety of reasons I became so engrossed, but the main driver was twofold: purpose and performance.

Coming out of September, I was dealing with a lot of difficulties surrounding grief and loss. I used music as therapy in September, but in October I began to use music to give my life a tangible meaning. For the first time, music gave me something to work towards. I was no longer just a consumer, but I was on my way to becoming a contributor. It clicked for me that I had opportunities to share my own creativity within music through DJing and live performance. I started planning events with a few friends, building a community we called planetqueer. It started as a party with drag performances and DJ sets, and it was a chance for me to perform live quickly after getting into DJing. 

For my first performance, I crafted a set with specific themes around my own identity; I wanted to express what the Ifugao persona represented to me. This meant drawing upon music evocative of the jungle, my indigenous Filipino roots and anti-colonial sentiments. I went on a hike early in the month and spending that time in nature rejuvenated me. I listened to Avalon Emerson’s DJ-Kicks and some of Octo Octa’s albums; the natural sounds resonated with me. I had a primal hunger, and the music had to represent that. 

On the day of the planetqueer party, it was cold and rainy so we moved the event inside our friend’s apartment. It was great for the drag performances and it was incredible seeing how engaged everyone was. I started my set, though, and got a little worried. I didn’t feel like it would hit as well being indoors, but I went for it anyway. Shortly after I started, the rain cleared up and we moved the event upstairs to the roof. Being outside felt right! I began my set. It was crafted around the lane of dance music that represented me: not so much techno or house, but drum & bass, jungle, and breaks. To my surprise, people were actually into it. They were dancing the whole time, filming me, asking for track IDs, and genuinely having fun. At the apex of the set, as I was playing the most chaotic and high intensity song (Ripgroove), the wind matched in intensity, blowing so hard that the canopy covering the DJ set up started flying away. People were scrambling to weigh it down as the track orchestrated the maelstrom. It was epic.

After that, I was totally charged up. The rest of the month was dedicated to performing or consuming music. Shortly after the planetqueer party, I went to see a surprise LCD Soundsystem DJ set at Good Room, and a few days after that some friends and I went to Miami for the iiiPoints music festival where I got to see some of my favorite artists and DJs. I saw the Strokes in the rain, crowd chanted Peggy Gou’s name, had a spiritual experience at Jamie xx’s set, was reminded of the importance of community and respect seeing the Wu-Tang Clan, and danced through a mind-boggling back-to-back rave run of John Tejada, AceMoMA, Kaytranada, and Robert Hood to close out the festival. That same week, I also somehow spontaneously decided to see JPEGMAFIA tour his incredible new album and had Yves Tumor melt my face off on consecutive days. Both nights I moshed harder than I ever had before, and it was so worth it. 

On the Friday after that, we pulled off hosting a one-off planetqueer Halloween back-to-back DJ set between me and my friend Holden, aka Lissoms. Playing b2b brought out the best in both of us, and we delivered a killer set that had people dancing until the very end. With the very last of my energy, I decided I would attempt to last as long as I could for Nowadays’ Halloween nonstop weekend, which was the last Mister Sunday party of the season. It was a space and community that had given so much to me, so I wanted to take in every last bit of it. I donned my skeleton costume and signature frog hat (this time in white, going as a skeleton frog) and submitted to the rave. Every set blew my mind; particularly WTCHCRFT’s bouncy witching hours set, MoMA Ready’s emo sunrise liquid DnB set and the legend Todd Edwards’ sunny UKG set. By the time Mister Sunday was happening I was fully a husk, barely able to move or speak (I lost my voice at some point). The music kept me going, though, and as day turned to night I said goodbye to the Mister Sunday season which had given me so much this year.

I didn’t fully complete this mix until December, but all the tracks I either used during my set at PQ, the Hallowb2bn set with Lissoms, or were songs I heard live. It made sense for this mix to be a sequel to The Rise of the Disco Samurai, as it brought forward a lot of the themes I explored in that mix. The Rise of the Disco Samurai was my first foray into mixing and narrative-building, and The Return of the Disco Samurai was the manifestation of that character in my first live set. If The Rise of the Disco Samurai was the Disco Samurai dealing with feelings of being displaced and disconnected from his roots, the Return of the Disco Samurai is the Disco Samurai fully embracing where he came from and unapologetically living out his culture.

[talenlee]

Decemberween 2022: Music!

New Post has been published on PRESS.exe: Decemberween 2022: Music!

As you get older you stop paying attention to ‘music’ in a general way. I don’t drive a car, I don’t go to parties, I tend to listen to music that’s functionally entirely under my control, and this year I have been trying to avoid streaming services for music.

This has also meant more stealing stuff, which I feel completely fine about, but it has meant stealing stuff in low quality mp3s, which of course, the person in my life who might hear them and can appreciate bad music quality doesn’t like.

Still, here’s some stuff I found this year and I like:

Night Gaunts - Post Party Depression [Days N Daze Cover]

Watch this video on YouTube

It’s weird how this song, which I first found on Spotify (you know, before the stealing stuff) didn’t have an album cover to me. Now it has an album cover and I can’t imagine wanting anything else. Sick, huh?

The Town Inside Me [With Lyrics] (Bridget Theme) - Guilty Gear Strive OST

Watch this video on YouTube

Oh man, remember when Bridget GuiltyGear dropped and we got treated to a new wave of incredibly stupid discourse? A detail easily missed in all this was that there was a new theme song with it, and most of the Guilty Gear Strive music whips (I particularly like Disaster of Passion, the theme for May), but The Town Inside Me got to stand apart of it and included an enduringly weird line that keeps popping into my head, ‘I hate the alarm clock I chose.’

Also it’s got a horns bit! I like horns bits!

絶頂讃歌／和ぬか【Music Video】

Watch this video on YouTube

This one might be blocked in your region, don’t know, can’t help ya. It’s called Orgasm Anthem by Wanuka, and it’s a really fun, poppy Japanese song you can hum along with.

KICK BACK

Watch this video on YouTube

We also got the OP to Chainsaw Man Kick Back, which is… a cover? Of a Morning Musume song?

Venus Line

Watch this video on YouTube

And while I’m loading up on Anime themes, I also really liked Venus Line, the opening to Birdie Wing. Oh no, wait I just noticed this one does a horns bit too. I might just be really into horns in my music?

Sunrise Skater Kids - Rylo Ken [Official Video]

Watch this video on YouTube

There’s still always room in my heart for ironically pop-culture engaged pop punk though, and even if I feel like Sunrise Skater Kids is the kind of band I expect to make ‘pronouns’ jokes at some point if you give them enough rope, I still like this song just because if you’re going to make fun of a character, it helps to present them the way you perceive them.

Regurgitator - ! (The Song Formerly Known As)

Watch this video on YouTube

Oh, you know what else was super popular this year? 1997 Australian pop music! For reasons undisclosed at this point I’ve been doing a lot of retro listens to 90s pop music and trying to determine if there’s some inherent quality to them I don’t appreciate enough, or if maybe it’s just making my brain think I’m a teenager again.

I like this song a lot because it feels like it’s expressing a very 2020 kind of vibe about loving music but not loving music culture, and how people and anxiety are at odds with one another for how you can appreciate it.

The Dear Hunter "King of Swords (Reversed)"

Watch this video on YouTube

I don’t know anything about this one but the name makes me assume it’s part of a greater operatic structure and I absolutely do not care to hear more. But I am a sucker for the jabby violins at the start.

Carmen Miranda's Ghost 02 - Dawson's Christian

Watch this video on YouTube

Finally, the thing that made me decide I needed to do a post like this.

Carmen Miranda’s Ghost is a science-fiction zine album of filks made by a variety of folk and headlined by an anarchist songmaker way back in 1989. The story of how it got made is a bit interesting and cool, and maybe the vibe of it is just something that resonates with me a lot. It’s sea shanties, but it’s also science fiction, so there’s an unreality to it and there’s worldbuilding and that’s dope as hell.

And this morning as I write this, I got confirmation of something.

There are a lot of fun names on the credit list for this album of nonprofessional music. Particularly, one of the songs is written by Mercedes Lackey, which is pretty neat (as much tolerance as you have for her). But the other thing is, on a couple of these songs, there’s a chorus voice, doing bass backup for a higher front voice.

That voice is Mike Pondsmith, the creator of Cyberpunk.

I checked with Talsorian Games, and asked if they could confirm it was the same Mike Pondsmith. They told me yes – and they called the album a rare gem.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#Decemberween2022

[candiliam328]

Lyrics That Attacked Me 2021

{ ok so this is actually something ive been meaning to do for a while, purely for my own enjoyment. originally this was going to be a 2 parter - one for lyrics and one for specific music/instrumental moments, but there are notably... a lot more instrumental moments i could think of than particular lyrics so this lyric post was just easiest to put out on its own. enjoy me getting a little exposed and vulnerable with some of my favorite lines. of course there's only 4 artists here bc... im me sksk. oh well i guess that means you just have to stay tuned for the Big One }

and if you'd like, here's the playlist. have fun

"And my fingers used to dance on every key / Now they're just pieces of meat" - Get Used To It by Ricky Montgomery

"It's alright to die / Cause death's the only thing you haven't tried" - Even My Dad Does Sometimes by Ed Sheeran

"Skeletons, skeletons, what do we have here / Hiding from the mirror?" - Snow by Ricky Montgomery

"I'll always be that short little gloat / Always clearing his throat like he ever had something to say" - Snow by Ricky Montgomery

"Take my mind, take my body / Take my father's conscience from me" - Snow by Ricky Montgomery

"I chased the picture perfect life, I think they painted it wrong" - Eraser by Ed Sheeran

"Days pass by and my eyes stay dry and I think that I'm okay / 'Til I find myself in conversation, fading away" - Wrecked by Imagine Dragons

“Only in my darkest moments can I see the light / I think I’m prone to being blinded when it’s bright” - This December by Ricky Montgomery

“I’m alright if you’re alright / And I’m okay if you’re okay / It’s this state, in this state I’m living in” - This December by Ricky Montgomery

"Tell you the truth I hate what / Didn't kill me, it never made me stronger at all" - Drunk by Ed Sheeran

“Maybe if I fall asleep I won’t breathe right / Can nobody hear me? / I’ve got a lot that’s on my mind” - Hear Me by Imagine Dragons

“I thought you’d care to notice / I just want you to notice me / Mama, maybe it’s today / Maybe today” - Last Night by Ricky Montgomery

"Another tear / Another cry / Another place for us to die / It's not complicated" - Autumn Leaves by Ed Sheeran

“I’m a hold my cards close / I’m a wreck what I love most / I’m a first class let down / I’m a shut up sit down” - Polaroid by Imagine Dragons

“Oh, I’m cramping up, I’m cramping up / But you’re cracking up, you’re cracking up” - Mr. Loverman by Ricky Montgomery

“You know I’ve never been afraid of death / But now I want to see the things that haven’t happened yet” - Tides by Ed Sheeran

"I have the same dream every night / A bullet through my brain the moment that I close my eyes" - Tides by Ed Sheeran

"What? Am I normal or not? Am I crazier than other patients?" - Karma by AJR

"Oh, I am just a girl, but with a little motivation, I'll go far / I want the world to know that I'm not just a piece of trash" - California by Ricky Montgomery

"I been dyin' since I learned it / Art is dead and artists killed it" - California by Ricky Montgomery

[daja-the-hypnokitten]

Hypnokink Community and Legacy

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy - about who influenced me, and what influence I’ve had over those who will come after me in our little community. In part, this is due to a verse from an SCA-themed song that goes:

“Now as I gather armor, bits and pieces here and there

I think about example, how you act and what you dare

‘Cause you never know who’s watching or how far the story goes

And where’re that Lady is I hope she knows”

And it’s all a song about how the singer didn’t feel there was a place for her in that particular type of SCA combat until she saw another Lady doing it.

This song resonates with me, both as a SCAdian who was inspired to pick up a rapier by other ladies who fenced, but also when I look at where the hypnokink community was when I joined, and why I stayed.

You might not know it to look now, but when I first joined the hypnokink community, especially the con-going hypnokink community, it was OVERWHELMINGLY straight male Dominants/hypnotists and female submissives/hypnotees. The first con I went to had like … 5 people at the queer roundtable. And one of them was someone I know to be a straight man who just happened to be planning to run a con (MEEHU 1) later that year. There were very few openly switchy humans in that group, as I recall, and only two gals I can remember who were openly primarily hypnotists - LeeAllure and LadyRuetha.

And, of course, much of the fiction at that time, at least that I could find, was … not very friendly to young Daja. Again, it defaulted to male-dominant, often in very mean-spirited ways that treated the lady involved as an object who had no meaningful way to consent. If that had been all I could find, I likely would never have stayed in the community - I likely would have never felt *safe* here.

But then I found stories written by Jukebox (@jukeboxemcsa) and Wiseguy (@hypnoobiwan). Jukebox, as he does now, always wrote a variety of style of stories, but he had some extremely sweet stories that made me *want* to be here, to have a partner who could do that sort of play, if … maybe in different ways. I will never forget the way I felt the first time I read “Closer to the Heart.” There’s a line from that story I’ve always tried to hold to, as a “am I doing this for the right reason?” check - “Everything we do comes from love.” No matter how contentious things got, in the future, having that mental check, the “am I doing this for pride? Or for love of my community?” moment? It helped me figure out what the right path for me was in some very difficult spaces.

And then he published “Just Can’t Get Enough,” which was the first moment I felt that someone who was more interested in the HYPNOSIS part of erotic hypnosis could belong as much as anyone. The story wasn’t about an ace character, but I resonated so much with the way Suzie loved hypnosis. There … wasn’t a lot about asexuality in the community at that time - or, really, many places. I was still just figuring out that I wasn’t *broken* for not experiencing attraction the way my friends and classmates did. And that’s where I was when I read this story for the first time. I felt *seen* in a way I couldn’t articulate then, but I can now that I understand being ace better.

 And Wiseguy’s stories, such clear moments of connection between *humans* added to that. Those two made me feel like maybe I could be safe in this community. Without them, I’d have run away before being around the hypnokink community for even a year. I learned so much from him, too, on how to be a hypnotist. I don’t have words for how much he’s taught me over the years.

But I never would have made a home in the hypnokink community without LadyR (@ladyruetha) as a role model. See, as many of you might know, I’m a highly switchy human, and a particular blend of ace and pan. If I’d felt I had to deny half of who I was? No matter how safe this community felt, no matter how much I wanted this kink? I would have walked away. It mattered too much to me to be able to express all of who I was as I figured out those parts of me. But I could never pull off the … distant… persona of a lot of the online pro-dommes cultivated. LadyR though always came off as sweet and warm and caring of all the folk around her.

Even today, I think of what I’ve seen of her as a hypnotist, and how her Chosen speak of her, and have that as a goal any time I’m in Dom!Daja mode. Not necessarily the exact style of play, of course, but that level of care and ensuring my partners know how much I care for them.

She encouraged me to teach my first class, an uncon class at my first NEEHU, where I and another gal talked about switching, specifically as gals and the particular challenges that can bring sometimes. In that space of time, I actually *believed* that I had value to add to the community.

That belief, along with people pointing out that my rough and dirty “hey, can you avoid…” negotiation when demoing for classes was changing the approach to demos and consent slowly, encouraged me to teach more, and, more importantly, to ask Hypnomaestro and Isis if they needed any help at MEEHU 1.

Well, turns out that they did. And by the end of MEEHU 1, I was asked to be on the ConCom for MEEHU 2 - and had been doing a lot of ConCom type work in the process, including stepping in part way through the con for a ConCom member who had a personal crisis that pulled him away from con.. That was summer of 2014. I stayed on the Chicago Con ConCom through the end of the last Entranced in 2018.

In that time, I watched our community change DRASTICALLY. Our consent standards drastically improved (to my view, anyway), and cons started banning folk for severe enough consent violations. We started having consent teams, and consent policies and required training. Switching has become *a norm* more than something weird. Our community is SO much more queer - and trans folk are around and visible and loved here, now.

It’s a series of changes I’m happy to have seen and to help shepard in, to some extent, for all I’ve been far from perfect over the years. But any change I helped cause? Would never have happened in that way if it wasn’t for those three people who made me feel like this community could be a home for me.

I hope, in the future, there are folk who have improved our community in similar ways who can trace their welcome here back to things I’ve done, the way I can look at Jukebox, Wiseguy, and LadyR and acknowledge I wouldn’t be here without their influence.

That’s a legacy I could be proud of.

[antiquemotel]

♡♡PAC: Your life as an idol (pick a Blackpink photo)♡♡

hello my lovelies~welcome to my first Tumblr Pick a card reading... this would consist of your lifestyle as an idol including group concept, company, BFF group and compatible male idols ♡♡♡

let's begin your journey <33

{decks used: rider-waite tarot, work your light oracle}

Disclaimer: Tarot readings are subject to interpretation. All tarot readings given by me are for entertainment purposes only. Choosing to believe in the tarot is a choice.

now, breathe in calmly and exhale all your doubts then choose the image you're most drawn to. This is extremely detailed and therefore contains numerous messages, take what resonates and leave the rest. Visiting my page and dropping a follow would mean the world to me as I'm a new blog, along with feedback in the feedback box, I'll post it onto my page <3333

Pile 1: Mystic

Pile 2: Barbie

Pile 1: Mystic

Aesthetic = Girl crush, Glamour, Luxury, Badass

Role = main dancer, Lead rapper

Lifestyle = Visual, model, fashion industry

company = YG Entertainment

BFF group = Gidle

Compatible male idols = Taehyung from BTS, Yeonjun from TXT, Sunghoon and jay from Enhypen, Eric from the boyz, San from Ateez, Hyunjin and Minho from Stray Kids, Kai from EXO, Jeno from NCT

Now, you would be the holy visual, the Irene effect basically, every male idol gushes over you during award shows and gg members clap for you during your stages, you would be receiving Inkigayo sandwiches left and right. Many Idols would talk about you behind the scenes, however, that could bring a lot of negative attention eg. gossip, dispatch, dating rumours with every male in the industry and plenty of jealous fangirls wishing their idols wouldn't spare you a glance. Very misunderstood in terms of personality. You would tend to keep to yourself and your members due to the hassle of communicating with people who see you in a completely different light. Career-wise, I see you going very far...the perfectionist type who won't tolerate mistakes. Extremely well rounded; a good dancer, singer, actress etc yet your company refuses to promote you properly as your visuals could flourish in the modelling scene. You attend every NYFW (new york fashion week) Milan, Paris, LA you name it. You were made to shine in the spotlight. although, Your energy seems reluctant, reluctant to move forward with your goals despite having the complete ability to. I suggest you stop doubting yourself and move forward with your goals as you could reach great heights with your vivid emotions and raw passion.

Pile 2: Barbie

Aesthetic = Girl crush, sweet chic, Luxury, lovely, expensive

Role = dancer, Lead singer

Lifestyle = mood maker, variety show god, sweetheart

company = SM Entertainment

BFF group = Loona

Compatible male idols = Jungkook from BTS, Soobin from TXT, Jake and Jungwon from Enhypen, Sunwoo from the boyz, Yeosang from Ateez, Felix from Stray Kids, Jaemin from NCT Dream Haechan from NCT

Oh wow, I was seeing candy floss and rollercoasters while visualizing this reading :,) definTELY a sweetheart /variety show god. ~I see a lot of positivity and light. ~An Ideal type for sure. Ask any guy on the street who's his ideal type and you bet it's you ^_^ girls are lowkey buying your favorite products in hopes of achieving your look. A trendsetter icon!!! getting Jennie Kim vibes or Park rosé. A foreign beauty --------god, as I keep reading all I get is Olivia Rodrigo for some reason probably her songs? you just give off those vibrations. Now for the darker parts of the reading, you are easily prone to jealousy and bitterness, an inferiority complex. You seem to constantly compare yourself to others and try to beat them?? like competitive and sarcastic but sometimes too much :/ I cAN SEE... NO, SENSE MISCHIEF it's basically your second language. You're also prone to get drained easily; it may be due to your short attention span or bursts of energy but you definitely have a social clock, Time for rest and time for social interaction. This could be because you're an introvert or you just have huge energy surrounding you. Anyhow, your spirit guides are by your side and are helping you through your intense emotions so DW you'll be fine just trust the process, everything happens for a reason.

thank you sm <33 please take care of yourselves and make sure you're drinking plenty of water Ily ♡I hope this reading resonated with you, feel free to request anything on my blog^^

you cannot copy, this is my original idea and copyright AntiquemotelⒸ︎ (Tumblr), 2021. All rights reserved. Do not repost or plagiarise.

[faye-tale]

Hi Faye 💖

for the ask thing, bubble bath, champagne, jazz, perfume

Hi lovely!! Thanks for the ask 🧡🧡

bubble bath: do you have any routines before bedtime? like skin care, etc. what are they?

So I should have a skincare routine, given my age, but I don’t. I rarely even moisturize haha. The only nighttime ritual I have is AirPods in and iPhone or iPad under the covers. Very very bad sleep hygiene, please do not copy me peeps.

champagne: what topic could you talk about for hours?

Hmmm I don’t know. Maybe comedy? I’m passionate about that. Also BBC Radio 4. In fact, comedy on radio 4 is probably my sweet spot lol.

jazz: name a song that resonates with you and your emotions. explain the reason why.

Wow there are so many songs that mean so much to me for a whole variety of reasons. So let’s go seasonal. One song I absolutely adore is ‘Put Your Records On’ by Corinne Bailey Rae. It just encapsulates summer lol.

perfume: if you could make your own signature fragrance, what would it smell like?

So my husband hates perfumes and is allergic to lots of them, so I haven’t worn fragrance for years. I also get headaches from strong scents, particularly ambers and musks. So if I were to it would be something that smells fresh and light like laundry straight from the dryer or powder fresh deodorant.

[ladylenacat]

Twin Fantasy (2018) - Car Seat Headrest Review

"I haven't looked at the sun for so long, I'd forgotten how much it hurt to."

Car Seat Headrest is a band I really wish I took more seriously earlier, as over the past few weeks they've quickly grown to be one of my favourites. I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me a while to fully appreciate this project on a larger scale, my initial reaction to the album was a decent "wow, that was pretty cool!" not at all being aware that in the coming months this would become one of my favourite records of all time.

The first of many things that had Twin Fantasy grow on me was an effort to pay sharper attention to the song structures, the obvious examples of this record's achievement in this field would be the tracks 'Beach Life-in-Death' and 'Famous Prophets (Stars)', two songs which run for 10+ minutes and become enamouring emotional experiences due to the diverse and almost theatrical nature of their structure. They both manage to be engaging throughout the lengthy runtimes and accomplish their musical aims well, however, my personal favourite example on the album is the excellent 'Cute Thing', which features a great amount of lyrical and compositional progression while still being able to roll in at a concise 5:40. Even if I do think the ending is a bit of a whimper given how passionate the track is, it isn't a deal breaker at all, and I can't get enough of it's amazing drum fills and grooves, as well as Will's very, well, lets say charming lyricism.

While the 2018 version of 'Twin Fantasy' is absolutely one of Car Seat's less sonically ambitious releases, it does not at all suffer for it—given it's aims to essentially be a reflective 'spruce up' of the 2011 version—and the moments where it does offer variety are greatly appreciated, such as the fantastic 'Bodys' which features a tight drum machine on the opener that is just so danceable, or the beautiful organ on the closing track which just fits the saddening lyrics so perfectly.

I seriously love the lyrics on this project, the story of Will's turbulent romantic relationship is tear jerking and raw. The authentic displays of hopeless romanticism for this boy and the emotional hurt that comes of the aftermath hits a vast array of emotional strides, and Will Toledo's passionate performances allow the most to be brought out of some of the most beautifully written lines on this project. But aside from the more conventionally moving lyrics written here, there are also a variety of far more unassuming, nervous and awkward lines that I wouldn't have any other way. I love it all. This record perfectly captures the bizarre and ticklish nature of a romantic teenage fantasy in a way that is charming and fun, as well as emotionally touching, just excellent. 

And of course it would be remiss of me to not mention how admirable the 2018 version of this project is contextually, while I do love the orignal 'Twin Fantasy' for different reasons, it would be a lie to say its a consistent listen for me. Reason being the horrendous production—which while adding lots of emotional authenticity and character to the record—does make it a bit rough on the ears at times, and also did limit the potential of a fair few tracks. This lift up is not only the perfect way to experience the album in my opinion, but also a testament to Toledo's dedication to acknowledge and honour his musical history. This feels like a definitive and reflective moment in the band's discography, Will finding a project that is deeply personal to him from the older bandcamp years—filled with great material—and giving it another, more focused shot, in the studio. I consider this album an incredibly respectable artistic effort as well as an excellent collection of sonically explosive and emotionally resonant tracks that tell a beautifully engaging story. I suspect I will continue to be obsessed with this project for many years to come. Amazing.

10/10

Favourite Tracks: My Boy (Twin Fantasy), Beach Life-in-Death, Nervous Young Inhumans, Bodys, Cute Thing, High to Death, and Twin Fantasy (Those Boys).

Thank you for reading :>

[medicine-and-molly]

happy 1 year! to celebrate, here’s my (maybe unpopular idk) evermore ranking. everything listed here is just my personal opinion, dont take it to seriously.

foreward: some songs i cant rank because my opinion on them fluxuates too much- includes closure, evermore, and coney island.

now onto the ranking:

14. tis the damn season

im sorry i like the song but the instrumentation reallt isnt for me. the story is incredible but the lyrics just dont resonate with me.

13. cowboy like me

i dont like the melody on this one. cant explain it, theres nothing specifically wrong with it, but i just dont vibe with it. that being said, i still listen to it regularly, just less than the others.

12. willow

I used to like this song a lottttt but more recently its kinda dropped. i think i finally wore it out after listening to it on loop for like. literal days. its definitely a solid song that i still really enjoy though. the fact that its kinda low is mostly my fault lmaoo.

11. happiness

something about this song makes me cry, and out of all of taylor’s “sad” songs, this one is up there. i love it so much, but I cant listen to it if im not in the right mood, so it sometimes ends up getting skipped if im emotionally fragile or whatever.

10. champagne problems

now were getting to the problem i experience in every single album ranking i have of taylor swift’s, where there are farrr too many good songs. champagne problems is one of my favorite songs, but it took a while to grow on me. even now, its not at the top of my list, maybe because im still young and dont really relate to a lot of the singer’s experiences. music wise it slaps though

9. marjorie

i hated this song the first time i heard it. and the second time. and third and fourth and fifth and sixth. but eventually something just clicked and it gets stuck in my head at just the sound of the name. its such a good song omg idk how me from last december disliked it aaaaaaa

8. tolerate it

this was actually my number one song when evermore first released, and my love for it has not decreased. its so filled with pain and resentment and frustration, but theres so much sweet liberation in it that is so so so magical. the reason its dropped in ranking is not because my opinion on it changed, but rather because i finally stopped listening to it almost exclusively and gave other songs a chance and realized “oh shit this whole album is impeccable”.

7. Gold Rush

its just so catchy. like idk i love it theres something about it that just makes me go “oooaoaoaoaoa”. like idontlikeslowmotiondoublevisioninroseblush. fndmdndnd. it turns me into a gremlin of the best variety. (also this was the fav song of a guy i thought i liked who is now a good friend so theres a lot of nice memories attached).

6. no body, no crime

this is just. omg. i love this song. i cant like say anything about it other than “go listen to it right now”. its good. no one better disagree with me because i will cry.

5. long story short

now were getting to the ones that make me dance around my bedroom. long story short is a bop. plain and simple. good song. i have no analysis other than “wow this song is really good, top 5”.

4. its time to go

this song is so emotional and passionate, and a little existentially terrifying. but the poeticism involved is just sooooo unbelievable and the musicality is great and the lyrics and- i cant stop raving about. why are the bonus tracks always so good?

3. right where you left me

even though this is only at number three, this is my most listened to song of evermore. i have both apple music through my family and spotify, so i dont think rwylm showed up on my wrapped, but if you combined them it would probably make my top 5 most listened to songs. its incredible in its melody, lyrics, instrumentation, imagery, and every other aspect. not to mention how catchy it is, like goddamn!

2. ivy

speaking of goddamn! this is song is underappreciated everywhere, i feel like. (this may or not be true but it feels true, y’know?) The story it tells is a beautiful one, and the figurative language is multilayered and very complex. i love every moment of this song, and i absolutely cannot pick a favorite part.

And for number 1, i present: dorothea!

this took the number 1 slot fairly recently after doing a lot of climbing in the past year. it started our mid-tier for me, but the more i listened to it the more i loved it. now, it stands out as one of the cutest, most passionate songs on the album that i also feel gord underrecognized. congrats to taylor for making something so incredible!

so thats my list, obviously its just my opinion and very heavily influenced by my own experiences and taste. im curious to hear other opinions as well! happy birthday, evermore!

[caw4brandon]

Love From A Love Song

For someone who has no prior experience to love or dating in general. I do love to talk about love a lot. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that (again) I’m a hopeless romantic or it could be because of the music I consume. 

I’ve talked extensively about a certain band I listened to on repeat as a teen mainly so I can scream, rap and growl. There’s the thing. [What Linkin Park Was and Always Be] But, I also like things poppy and lovely. Music runs in my family.

In one room, I hear K-pop but alone, I’m listening to Japanese. Next to me will be English of the Rap or Pop variety and downstairs will be Chinese/ Cantonese. My family loves music and no matter the age difference and variety in genres. We always find things to like about each other’s taste.

One part of the music world that I hear a lot when I’m not screaming my lungs out are love songs. Each song I’m about to present is from a certain stage of a relationship. Yeah, this is going to be that kind of post. If you want to play along. Just add the phrase “Love from a Love Song” and tag me if you want me to find it. I’m curious about your tastes.

- {Love Song} by Sara Bareilles -

I believe there's a way. You can love me...[Full song here]

While not its intended stage but when I think of putting my guard up from love. It would be Sara Bareilles. Released in 2007, {Love Song} is one of those catchy tunes that keeps getting stuck in my head for no absolute reason. Perhaps its a song the resonates with me whenever I have a crush on someone.

Crushing is a rather sweet thing. Its that typical story of being close to someone only to realize that there was an intended or unintended purpose to drop the three big words. Its up to interpretation as to what it means and people sure did their number on this particular song and its intentions. There is an official answer though. According to Bareilles, it came from her bad co-writing experience with the record label she was signed to.

“The co-writing sessions, I think for me, they came at a time where I was still so unsure of my own edges. In a way, I was still sort of discovering who I was as an artist at that time.” [Sara Bareilles Reveals The Real Story Behind ‘Love Song’]

As for me, {Love Song} its a song about learning how to love instead of being in love. Instead of feeling butterflies, writing their names with yours over and over again for some self-insert fairytale. The song is reminding me not to get all bright eyed and lovey dovey to a person too soon.

Love songs are very personal. To write one is to be vulnerable and no one likes to be vulnerable. Crushing can be sweet but also frightening because of the looming uncertainty. Despite the lyrics {Love Song} is, in some way a love song. Its about loving the self and the value of one’s self and how can you love others without loving the self? Which is funny to the song I’m about to pull next.

- {心做し} by Chouchou-P feat. GUMI -

こんなの知らないよ　独りにしないで (I don’t know this, don’t leave me alone)...[Full song here]

Love can make us do stupid things. That’s a given. We all have crushes. Some of us don’t but I digress. For the ones that do, we eventually had to say our peace. We get anxious over this uncertainty and that uncertainty leads to recklessness. However, it can only go two ways. Either the person is going to say yes or no with an "I'm sorry" at the end. Most of the time. It's the latter.

This Japanese song is a heartache song. {心做し} translates to {Kokoronashi} an expression meaning 'somehow’ or 'somewhat’. Crushing can be scary and the scary part is to hear the unwanted words from the people you loved, cared and admired. More so if you treated them like a friend. Its an exhausting feeling to realize that while its good to finally tell the person how you feel, it doesn’t hurt less when you hear that they don’t feel the same. 

For Chouchou-P and the many other emotional cover artists that covered this song with loads of emotion. (you can look it up) Its about reliving that painful memory of experiencing a wound not even a bandage can fix. Giving your heart only to see it stabbed before your very eyes. Heartache is perhaps more harmful than pain itself. Not that I have experienced it. I made it abundantly clear but if I am soft as a pillow when something from fiction has a breakup scene. I can’t imagine the deep gashes people who actually dated suffer from.

Reading too much into this, a fellow Amino User; Karu! expressed that while it is soul crushing, there is a silver lining. According to him. {Kokoronashi} is about not letting others love you. Despite the 'hurt' the Main Character did to this very special person, the MC is confused about why the person she is confessing to, a He (based on most of the official artwork from the creator) is still around. There’s a sense of regretful guilt to be accepted from the MC. Believing themselves to be incapable of being loved for all the harm that they bring. If you prefer that darker and also brighter take, here’s the link. [An Analysis of 'Kokoronashi' by Karu!] 

Heartache hurts and many, many songs cover this but perhaps the more harmful side to a heartache is being incapable to love again. However, what happens when you do?

- {Bubbly} by Colbie Caillat -

every time I see your bubbly face. I get the tingles in a silly place...[Full song here]

WE’RE ON CLOUD FREAKING NINE! Call it young and dumb love, call it finally meeting “The One”, call it whatever. Love is the greatest gift anyone can give to a person. Its just refreshing to wake up and feel the comfort of a significant other lying next to you and holding you to sleep. Its great to realize that you can have a rock to fall back on, to keep you supported and vice versa.

Being in love is a childish thing. It makes you feel like a kid again because you become soft and relaxed. You become at peace knowing that you’re with that certain someone who is both your best friend and your protector. I could have picked the duet {Lucky} that the artist, Colbie Caillat did with Jason Mraz. [Full song here] but I decided to use {Bubbly} because, its a lot more comfortable.

Love can occur in many ways, from people you least expect from and that is what this song means. Its sweet, its used for more than just being in love with someone you’ve met in life that became special. It could also be about being with someone in your family. Like a sweet grandma, a protective dad, a best buddy sibling or a soothing mom. Its love in its most comfortable state and its calming for the body and the soul.

- {最重要的決定} by 范玮琪 Christine Fan -

人生完美的事太少. 我们不能什么都想要 (There are very few things in life that are perfect. We cannot possibly have everything...[Full song here]

Here’s a special piece, on one particular relative’s wedding. My mom practiced and sang this very song during the celebration ceremony as a gift to the newly wed couple. {最重要的決定} translates to, {Most Important Decision} 

Love, even if you did eventually find “The One” is still imperfect. There will be fights, hardships and external challenges. “Love is about two people but doesn’t mean there is no room for others.” That’s what a certain movie my younger sibling watched said. For a long time, I struggled to understand how love works for married couples who bicker but still love one another regardless and I believe this song sends that message.

Its a testament to remind me or perhaps, us that love comes from what you value most. Sure, its not perfect but is good...still good and its what keeps the relationship going. Its so easy to breakup when you are young and dumb. Maybe it was a silly argument or maybe it was the self being uncertain. Or perhaps, the person did deserve the break because they were horrible.

But love is a journey. Not a feeling, but a journey and eventually that journey leads to Forever and even in Forever, it still is a journey. I still don’t completely understand how do old couples survive for so long aside from the commitments they shared when they tie the knot but that night, this song became a reminder.

Perfect is rare and often it fails us. The message I hear from my mother’s singing is a message to say. “Perfect does not exist, WE make things Perfect.” As of now, I still have not found that special one but if I eventually do. This song would be a significant reminder that I carry with me. As for now, my more...pessimistic side will conclude with this last note.

- {Lower Your Expectations} by Bo Burnham -

We all deserve love. Even on the days when we aren't our best...[Full song here]

Alright, I’ll get out out of your hair. Let’s be real here. In a world where all things are connected, a genuine relationship will be difficult find and get. Love is not as dreamy as it sounds, it can be uncertain. Love is not perfect but love is a feeling that no other feeling can bring. Let’s not kid ourselves here.

We suck and want Love to help us suck less. Love is far from simple but it can be as simple as picking a person and loving them. Love is perhaps the best thing about being human. We are all capable of changing a special person’s life, giving them pain and happiness when we choose to. We express them in its various stages and while It may not be perfect, so is everything. 

Its important to know that love, no matter how you learn the expression or what stage you are in, is less about the feeling and more about the commitment. Love is an adventure and its no easy task but for those who do. Love becomes the will that keeps us going. I won’t end with that preachy talk about “love yourself first” but rather, I will end by saying. “Love is difficult and imperfect but love can also be just as simple.” What I address here is but a fragment of the meaning of Love. Perhaps we may never completely understand love or maybe we don’t have to. But there sure are many ways to express them.

Thanks for reading

- B - 

[lynx-paw]

Stray Kids album review no one asked for, but I still did because yes.

Every song has 3 "reviews": before looking up lyrics, after looking up lyrics and final.

1 – Cheese

BEFORE: Ohh the guitar riff. I am WEAK for guitar in this one. Probably a song I’d play waiting for the traffic light to go green. It has nice, somehow fun beat. But, we definitely could have survived without them naming types of cheese.

AFTER: Heh. A real fuck you in not romantic way.

FINAL: I appreciate the entire idea behind the song. Tho, we still could’ve survived without types of cheese.

2 – Thunderous

BEFORE: Idk why, but beginning reminds me of Rhythm Ta. Yes Changbineeeeeeey take it away.

Did I hear it right? "I’m not sorry, I’m dirty." Babes, are we okay?

Ah yes, Aussie line being more Aussie with each passing day. OMG THAT LAUGH AT 2:03 YES.

Oh I def heard it right, I’m not sorry I’m dirty. Cool, cool, ok. The rapapapam bought me, seriously.

It has very Kingdom!Ateez sound to it which isn’t a bad thing at all, I’m a sucker for Kingdom!Ateez. But… I don’t know, I miss either more intense build-up or beat drop. That would, like, totally kill me and pay for my burial.

AFTER: Oh. Changbin’s part is really, really good. Okay, okay, seriously props to whoever wrote the lyrics. But we really could’ve survived without I’m not sorry, I’m dirty.

Kkundeuri wasseoyo and Gyerani wasseoyo need to have a collab if you know what I mean hehe 😉

FINAL: I feel like my precious I.N had so much fun in this one, so I give bonus points. The song is good, the lyrics are bomb, but the sound lacks intensity. I wish they went with a bit harsher tone, the song would be absolute bomb slap then. All in all, I like it.

3 – Domino

BEFORE: GOING IN STRONG YES. Yeah, goodbye brain, I’ll be going around singing Domino, domino, DOMINO. Yo, that stop and then intense rap at approximately 1:15 is very nice touch.

Don’t kill me, but in my very humble opinion, Chan’s parts feel a bit out of place in the song.

Oh… I don’t like the pace change starting at 2:40…

AFTER: Ah, yet another fuck you, I’ll succeed no matter what you say song.

FINAL: Kinda have a feeling it might grow on me after a few days, but right now… Hm. I don’t know. Maybe one of those songs which need to marinate and which might slap after I come back to them randomly.

4 – Ssick

BEFORE: Oh, the beginning gives me Ikon vibes, yes please. Okay, okay, this drop at 0:50 is really good, I like it very much.

This song has nice transitions and per se, variety, that maybe previous songs lack. For now, my favourite song. It is repetitive, just like the previous ones, and that’s not a bad thing, but I think this one has the best mix of repetitive and filled with variety in beat.

AFTER: 3rd fuck you haters song? I mean sure, fuck haters, but isn’t dedicating 3 songs to them giving them a bit too much attention? This one isn’t just about fuck you tho, it’s also about being there for your friends and I like that aspect. It’s like fuck you to haters and i wuw you to friends and supporters.

Also very, very, very important and positive part of the lyrics is “Oh yeah, I know that I don’t have anything special. But, yeah, do you know that I myself am special?” This, boys, girls, rocks and flowers, this is very valuable lesson. You don’t have to own something special because you are special by just being. Don’t belittle yourself. Even skz is telling you that.

FINAL: From all the fuck you songs this is probably my favorite.

5 – The View

BEFORE: Awww very summery song, very sweet since the beginning. OH SHIT I AM CRYING WTF?

Fuck, this reminds me of a feeling, if you get me, but I don’t know which one? I like it. I LIKE IT SO MUCH. YES. BRING IT ON. BRING ON THE TEARS YES. (i am probably the only person being excited to cry but that says a lot about me sush please).

This is one of the songs I’d LOVE to randomly hear on the radio. Just driving to the beach, vibing you know.

And getting attacked by sudden rap and beat change because why tf not, you know?

AFTER: “Clouds like a submarine swim” I told you, summer vibes.

Ah, fuck. Here, it’s this why I cried. I sensed something in the way they delivered this part of the song and it was this: “The road in front of me seemed dark ‘cause i never ever let it go. Now I feel comfortable, I like it, this feeling and I’ll never ever let it go.” Not to be someone who’ll be like Aha! This is the meaning behind this! but to me this reminds me a lot of feeling stuck with bad self-image, both mentally and physically, and because I said this is like a summer song, my brain immediately goes to all those summers I hated my body and this one being the first summer ever that I didn’t actively hate myself. This part of lyrics is for me like finally breaking out of the shell or maybe a better expression, shedding old skin and just leaving it behind, going forward with new, more positive mentality and a sense of liberation.

“I like the view right now” is like 1) i literally like the view (sunset on beach type of vibe), 2) i like looking at you/myself and realising you’re feeling comfortable around me/yourself/myself, and/or 3) i like this new view on life I have.

Look, I could literally quote entire song and give in depth analysis of on what level they resonate with me, but I won’t do that. I’ll just say these are one of the best lyrics I’ve ever read and they’re so well combined with music ughhh. And the fact this song came at the right time in my life *insert chef’s kiss*

FINAL: I love it. It was really good before I read lyrics and after it’s like three times better. One of my faves on the album.

6 – Sorry, I love you

BEFORE: Nothing special for except for the slight angsty tones I hear. I like it, but nothing crazy. I’d like it to pop up on my playlist occasionally. I think it would be an absolute BOP for me if it was leaning more to the rock genre. Like, a bit slowed down with accent just on guitar and their voices. But, that’s just me always being a sucker for rock ballads. For some reason to me, best ballads and most songs which evoke strong emotion from me are the ones which accentuate the words, the voice and one instrument.

AFTER: Very convinced this song is written by the one who is watching Nevertheless (is it Seungmin? or someone else?). My roommate strongly disagrees with that, but look, I don’t make rules, I think, I say.

FINAL: I hate to admit it but it’s catchy. I’d love live band version of this ngl.

7 – Silent Cry

BEFORE: Interesting intro huh. But something doesn’t sit with me right with the rest of the song. I don’t know what. I really don’t.

AFTER: Yeah sure, hit me with depresso lyrics right in the beginning.

FUCK. The lyrics are really killing me.

FINAL: I just can’t suffer through music. Lyrics are amazing, but idk, music is so not my style and somehow don’t suit the lyrics.

8 – Secret Secret

BEFORE: WAIT WHY DO I HAVE EMOTIONS ALREADY IT’S ONLY BEEN LIKE 10 SECONDS INTO THE SONG. Fuck. I’m on the verge of tears. Imagine listening to this and then Ex I would straight up have emotional breakdown. Yeah, yeah, I’m crying. Leave me alone. The softness, the preciousness, the cuteness, ugh I am broken™.

AFTER: Yeah, fuck. I’m crying again.The lyrics are killing me.

FINAL: This song makes me very emotional, I am a literal mess right now. Kill me, resurrect me, kill me again.

9 – Star Lost

Not my type of song. Like, nothing’s wrong, it’s just so not my type.

10 – Red Lights

BEFORE: Well, the beat drop for sure slaps. The song reminds me of something, it’s either a movie or a song, but I can’t remember. And that’s not a bad thing, I just hate the fact I can’t remember what it reminds me of.

AFTER: “I’m staying up all night again.” I see what you did there, tsch.

“Now tell me you hate me I can’t stand you any longer. But I know, you and me, there’s nothing I can do.” this is very good. I like this.

FINAL: This song could be about so many things. Lust, control problems, feeling of losing yourself, not knowing what your stage personality is and what is real you, anxiety, insomnia, depression… The thing they really managed to do is achieving a level of intensity. I like the song more after I read the lyrics, but I have to say I thought it would be much, much more intense and in your face. I’ll let it crawl in my mind and heart. Slowly. Hehe.

11 – Surfin’

BEFORE: I’m not a fan of summer. Or summer songs. But this is good. Wtf. Something’s going on with me lol. I have nothing much to say, I like the song, that’s it hahah.

AFTER: Felix talking about working 24/7 isn’t something I thought I’d hear in such a summery song.

“My head is overheated just like my laptop.” yo Changbin, mood.

FINAL: I hate summer songs, but this one slaps. This is the only summer song I’ll ever love and accept. Absolute bop.

12 – Gone Away

BEFORE: Oh the beginning surely is something. Oh no, no, no, no, no, I’ll cry again. Oh no. I’m dead. Fuck. I’m crying without lyrics, what’s going to happen after I listen with lyrics? Fuck man.

OH SHIT WHAT WAS THIS AT 3:00? THEY’RE PULLING OFF SOME MAYFLY SINGING UNIT THING I AM LITERALLY DEAD HERE. My. Jesus.

AFTER: Yeah, I’m crying a river. Pass me handkerchiefs.

FINAL: Seungmin, stop watching Nevertheless.(Don’t. I need more heartbreak songs ty.)

13 – Wolfgang

- The song I lowkey hated on Kingdom, but it crawled in my mind and heart later. Hyunjin just added some spice heh.

14 – 애

- Not gonna comment much, this could be the worst song ever and I’d still adore it because of what the song means. And who it brought back 😊

[rosereview]

Top 11 Albums of 2020

Much like my top EPs of 2020, this consists of all the albums that came out in 2020 that I really enjoyed. I just did a small description of my favourite things about these albums, and for all of them, I highly recommend them. 

11. Weird! by Yungblud

This one was a very big surprise for me because I generally don’t like the type of music Yungblud creates (a more punk/pop rock-ish sound), but many of the songs on this album made me fall in love with it. Yungblud knows how to use his voice to inflict raw emotion that gave me goosebumps particularly in his song “mars,” “teresa,” “love song,” “it’s quiet in beverly hills,” and “god save me, but don’t drown me out.” These are for sure my favourite songs on the album. He has such an interesting voice and even my least favourite songs, I can still listen to and enjoy because they evoke other types of emotions that really resonate with me. 

10. Rare by Selena Gomez

Next we have Selena Gomez’s new album after a five year hiatus, which now feels like it came out a million years ago, but it was just last January (a little more than a year ago). I also had quite a few songs that I liked on this album and the whole theme of mental health and finding yourself I really enjoyed. Not all of the songs were my favourite which is why it’s lower on my list, but many of the songs also grew on me more as time went on. Almost all of them are also really catchy so I found myself singing them in my head at random times, which also made me realize the genius of some of these songs.

9. Leave It Beautiful by Astrid S

Like Selena Gomez’s album, this new one by Astrid S had a lot of good singles that I fell in love with even before the album came out. But when the album came out, I wasn’t as impressed with the rest of the songs, even though some have really grown on me with time. I think I was just wishing for some more ballads and stripped down songs like from her Down Low EP. But besides that, this is Astrid S’ debut full length album, which in itself is really exciting since I’d been waiting for this forever. 

8. These Two Windows by Alec Benjamin

Next is Alec Benjamin’s new album, which definitely has some songs that make me pause and give me goosebumps. I really liked how on this new project, Alec Benjamin had some more interesting and different production styles in the songs, so they weren’t all the same, or very similar, styles like in his last album. By that I mean that he used his voice in different ways and there were cool sound effects in the background of the songs that added something extra to them. Although that being said, I think I have to say that the last album had superior storytelling skills than this one, and even though I really did like the lyrics in these songs, in the last album I felt like there was more of a variety of topics and stories that I missed in this album. 

7. Wonder by Shawn Mendes

And finally Shawn Mendes came out with a new album this year too, which was really exciting. I overall thought that this album was really good because it was so different from his older stuff. I know that some fans didn’t like this album for that reason, but for me I thought it just made it better. Shawn Mendes is still growing as an artist and I liked seeing him try out different styles of songs that he wouldn’t normally do in his other albums. When “Wonder,” the single, first came out I was sold on this album, and I liked how he did have a theme of wonderland and love and wonders about life throughout the album. It made it feel like a very complete project. (I also loved how there was a song called “Dreams” on this album and Camila Cabello also had a song called “Dream of You” on hers!)

6. Loves Goes by Sam Smith

Sam Smith’s new album was also long awaited, especially when I thought it was coming out in the first half of 2020 instead of the last half. But I can’t say that the wait wasn’t worth it. I was worried that Sam Smith was going to do a whole pop album, but instead I was very happy when they came out with many songs that are still slower ballad heart-wrenching pieces. Most of the songs I really loved, and I also kind of wished that they had an album with none of the bonus tracks from their original album since I felt that just the new songs made it feel more complete, if that makes sense. But even with the old songs that aren’t really my favourites still there, the new songs definitely make up for it.

5. Confetti by Little Mix

Little Mix’s new album is absolutely stellar. I loved so many of the songs on this album and I thought it was all done really well. They were all really fun and make you want to dance and sing along, while still being original and different from their older projects (although some songs take inspiration from older ones which I also liked). They did release a lot of the songs before the album even came out, and I got a little nervous because when that happens, I usually like the singles more than the other songs on the album, but that didn’t happen here. I loved the non-singles probably more than the singles, which I didn’t think possible. They also played around with different production sounds in this project, which I also thought was a very smart idea, and this album just makes me love Little Mix more and more.

4. Only Child by Sasha Sloan

Also a very anticipated release, I was almost in tears when Sasha Sloan said she was finally releasing his debut album this year. I have been obsessed with her EPs for a long time and now having a full length project is such a treat and she definitely did not disappoint. All of these songs on the album are amazing and so many of them are so relatable it almost scares me. I really don’t think there is a song on this album that I truly dislike, and every time I re-listen to the songs, I find a new love and appreciation for them. These songs just feel so personal like a diary entry, which also makes them feel so powerful, and even though Sasha Sloan is known for being a sad girl, this album also has a lot of happy songs when talking about love that made me smile. 

3. Heartbreak Weather by Niall Horan

I was very surprised with myself for putting this album in the top three, but I really have to say that I love it so much. I was not even expecting to have a Niall Horan album on this list, but this album took me by surprise in all of the best ways possible. This is the type of album you can just continuously listen to on repeat because all of the songs are different and so good that you just never get sick of them. I love singing along to all of them and I’m obsessed with almost every single song on the album (which usually doesn’t happen with long projects like this one). 

2. Folklore & Evermore by Taylor Swift

I put these two together because they do feel like one project and I needed to talk about them as one. First off, I’m just obsessed with the lyrics, the production, Taylor Swift’s voice… you name it, I love it. These albums are just perfection in every way, I can’t find any bad things to say about them. Also the fact that we were gifted with TWO albums instead of one is amazing, and the fact that they have different stories in them with literal characters is also superb. I don’t think there is anything negative or something I don’t like about these and I feel like you can just look at anything a Swifty says to know what I like about these albums. 

1. Manic by Halsey

And finally my favourite album of the year, and probably of all time, is Halsey’s Manic, which makes me smile just thinking about it. This was the exact project I dreamed of getting from Halsey and she delivered in every possible way. I loved all the different styles of music in here and every lyric that she wrote. Listening to the album all the way through on repeat makes me so happy that I can’t ever turn off the music until it’s run through all the way. And just having been on this journey with her for this long, makes it so much more special because you understand all of the little meanings in the lyrics and the story that she’s telling. This is definitely my favourite album from her and my favourite album ever!

And that concludes my top favourite albums of 2020, and I also have a top favourite list of EPs if anyone’s curious. 

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[plutoandmoon]

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST / Tyler, The Creator

Tyler’s new album introduces a combination of his old and new developed music style. It gives listeners a taste of both Cherry Bomb and IGOR eras with the heavy beats and impactful verses with a twist of the beautiful background vocals. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST features a variety of artists from Lil Wayne to Brent Faiyaz to Pharrell Williams.

The change up of style within LEMONHEAD show cases Tyler’s artistic abilities as he begins the song with a heavy and aggressive beat emphasized with trumpets, a dirty kick, and an 808. The last 40 seconds of the song changes the vibe of the song as it is more calm and collective. It is a moment of reflecting and rewinding down. It is a great transition into the next song, WUSYANAME, because it is a slower and sensual song. The song reminds me of a modern twist of a Japanese city pop song. YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s verse and flow fits perfectly with this song as it gives it a unique aspect. Flow reminds me a lot of how Lil Uzi Vert begins his songs. Definitely also showcases how YoungBoy Never Broke Again can fit into a song outside of his style.

Another beautiful transition from Hot Wind Blows to MASSA. It is like Tyler’s continuation of the message/story in Hot Wind Blows in MASSA. The same beat but a change up of flow and verse.

SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE is literally a part 2 of FUCKING YOUNG/PERFECT from the Cherry Bomb album. The same melody and vibe. This is one of Tyler’s most memorable songs on his new album as it show cases his vocals, production, and lyricism. It is definitely worth the 10 minutes. Brent and Fana’s features takes this song to a whole different level. A very lovey dovey song to dedicate this to your significant other while on a beautiful picnic date!! Now the change up to the second half of the song is just … breath taking. Tyler changes the whole vibe by including congo drums, sirens blasting, basically a whole tropical vibe. Tyler, the Creator has definitely done it yet again :’) This song resonates strongly with me so could be another reason why I enjoy it deeply.

HOLD UP THE WAY THE BEAT CHANGED UP IN JAGGERNUT IS SO ICONIC. I love the way Tyler used the typical hard aggressive snares you usually hear in EDM or electronic music. Lil Uzi Vert and Pharrell Williams on a Tyler song together is so surprising because you would never expect that but this collaboration is perfect.

The transition from JAGGERNUT to WILSHIRE is so clean that I didn’t even know it was a new song. I thought it was a part 2 of JAGGERNUT. Love the vibe of Wilshire. Just hearing this song once and paying attention to the lyrics love the way Tyler addresses this situation. His way of getting closure through music.

Safari is such a perfect song to wrap up the whole album. It sounds like the grande finale with the trumpets, the aggressive and heavy verses, and flutes. Another solid album from the one and only, Tyler the Creator!