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interact-if · 3 years

Note

Umm hi 👉👈 I realized that most of the asks you guys get are about games and rec lists. You guys deserve so much recognition for the work you put in this blog, so I wanted to ask if I can do a little get-to-know-the-mods thing? If that's okay!

1. Besides writing, what are your hobbies?

2. Do you have a niche interest right now?

3. Any fave songs/artists/bands?

4. Any fave movies/tv shows?

5. On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you survive in your wip's world?

You can totally ignore this if you guys want, no pressure. Anyway, much love to all the interact-if mods! You guys are incredible! ❤

We saw this ask and we went 👀 👀 👀 so we’re happy to answer! Thank you so much for the fun ask!

We also rated our survivability in all of our collective games, since Mars isn't an author! Fun stuff! Spoilers, though: it’s really not looking so great for me (Dani) but that’s fine!!! 😌

1. I’m a photographer as well as a graphic artist (but not like. A painter/drawer kind of artist!) and, on a general level, a maker and a tinkerer!

2. Fountain pens! I only write with ink, and only with fountain pens, and I use bottled inks/converters!

3. I’m pretty eclectic with music, but my top genres are alt rock, indie, indie pop, etc, as well as top 40s and some rap.

4. I feel like this is the hardest one for me to answer? Favorite movies/shows? Avatar: the Last Airbender has been a favorite show of mine since I was a little kid, but I have a harder time thinking of shows I would call a favorite in recent years. There are shows I’ve liked, and a lot of shows I’ve watched. But I’m picky! And demanding! It takes a lot to earn a place in Dani’s Trophy Case of Favorites. 😌 I would say I quite liked A Quite Place (movie), and I liked Us (movie). When it comes to TV shows, I have a hard time being pleased with them if they don’t end well. As a result, I have a penchant for a good limited series/miniseries (because they’re stories that have an end in mind and the plot reflects that, dagnabbit).

5. Heh. Okay.

In The Goodfellows? I think I stand I chance. I can exercise my sparkling wit and lovable personality to the best effect. I’m gonna give myself an 8/10 survivability rating. Even if I don’t have the right skills, I can go crying to the person who does and they’ll save me. Maybe.

In Creatures’ Cradle? I’m super $**!%d. 😌 1/10 survivability rating. And that 1 is me being nice to myself. The day the apocalypse breaks out I would probably be patient 0. I am self-aware. I would not do well in an apocalypse. Zombies care not for aforementioned sparkling wit and lovable personality, and I have all the muscle of a boiled spaghetti noodle. So it’s a no go.

Greater Than Gods (Cruz): Well. I’m going to be optimistic. And say that I have the wisdom not to do things I shouldn’t do and not to rock boats I shouldn’t rock. I’m going to give myself a 7/10 based on insider information, but also based on reckless optimism!

Vardir (Cruz): Cruz says this is a lighthearted game, so 10/10 LOL.

When it Hungers (Roast): I’m giving myself a nice, mediocre 5/10. I think I could put my mind to work here; I joke that I’m the village idiot, but I’m actually pretty smart! Unfortunately, I’m also curious, and maybe a little bad with authorities who won’t answer my questions. So I knocked off a lot of points due to the fact that I’d probably poke the metaphorical bear. So it’s a real coin flip as to whether I’d really make it or not.

Orthall Bay (Nines): Considering the genre is “horror” and the game intro includes the words “monster” and “maim,” I’m giving myself a whooping, enthusiastic 3/10. Yes, folks, I am that confident in myself! Once again, I can’t charm the socks off a monster (or can I?), so one of my greatest weapons is snatched from beneath my feet. Alas!

1. Beloved I’m a college student in the middle of a pandemic... i can hardly even write LOL i do draw at times which u can see in my personal blog (nothing too good really) and i used to do karate before things went to shit <3

2. Nothing niche I believe? All I do is leave Netflix as bg noise every day n play popular videgames (genshin)

3. Porter Robinson <3 I love Bea Miller a lot as well but lately I’ve been feeling Porter a lot

4. The Good Place <3

5. My WIPs:

Greater than Gods: Highly situational, the world GtG is set in is as broad as the real world LOL so I don’t have an universal answer. But keeping it vague, and knowing my own personality, I feel like 5/10. depends on my luck.

Vardir: 10/10 no one dies in Vikgade, unless you’re a hunter but I wouldn’t be a hunter <3

Others’ WIPs

I'm gonna give myself a solid 5/10 in all other WIPs because y'all aren't writing lighthearted stories either. I feel like as long as I avoid the role of the MC I will be mostly fine. I hope. But as Dani said I'm also prone to fight the wrong person and dig my own grave so 😌

1. Well, writing is a very, very, very, distant hobby since Words Hard, but I like to crochet and sculpt a little! Anything to do with fiddling with my hands and I’m good to go. And like, debatable but graphic design is my passion [insert clown emoji here since Tumblr said No]

2. Oh yeah a bunch! DnD yelling at people, thinking of arson, crocheting, rock climbing and simply vibing. I got into podcasts a few years ago and I’m always looking for more recs, so if you have some, hmu 😤

3. Pls,,,,my music taste is,,,so weird do not let me expose myself with lack of consistency but uhh. Current songs that are stuck in my head include; Cult of Dionysus , Achilles Come Down and The Last Shanty

4. If you’ve ever spoken to me before, I probably yelled about Pacific Rim to you or at you. Plus I love all The Mummy films and really enjoyed Castlevania (s3 excluded, we do not perceive that) as well!

5. Ah, mod survival simulator pt. 3

Alright, let’s go! I don’t have a WIP because again, words hard, but like, considering how feral I am when not tryna seem professional hm...

The Goodfellows: I wanna say a solid 7/10 because I’d hardcore vibe with the Traveler and probably instigate so much nonsense. I can also bribe with blueberry cake so maybe.

Creature’s Cradle: maybe a 4/10 and only because of pure spite keeping me alive long enough to smack someone. I’ve prepared for hypothetical zombie apolcapyses and I won’t hesitate to bap, but will be bapped back because I’m weak as hell.

Greater Than Gods: a toss up between 2/10 and 7/10! I can vibe and be chill but I also have terrible impulse control so...

Vardir: hm....I think pretty good survival rates all around? If you ask me to fight then like, okay sure, your knees are mine. So maybe a 8/10?

When it Hungers: .......8/10 just because I’d refuse to die if I can be a cool creature. Living for the aesthetic can and will drag me outta hell. But I’m also clumsy as hell so I’d probably crash as a porcelain or hold a rooster and perish (aka, real rating is a good 3/10)

Orthall Bay: 2/10, nope. Nope I’d be taken out in a heartbeat. Monsters can go pspsps and I’d head straight into the dark creepy forest like a fool if someone comes @ me. Half the time I’ll just assume it’s sfx makeup and vibe until it’s too late.

god, never put me in a universe where I cannot squawk like a bird and throw pebbles from a window. Oof

Anon, you're so sweet! I give you a forehead smoomch <333 As for your questions...

1. If I'm not writing, I'm usually watching video essays on Youtube. My go-to channels as of right now is Disrupt and Aperture! I just really like their videos. Aside from that, I recently got into podcasts. Currently going through Hello From The Hallowoods and Shelter and Warning, which are made by queer creators!

2. Oh oof, there's quite a bit so I'm just gonna put down one thing. For some reason, I really got into collecting tiny astronaut things? I recently bought this astronaut desk light, and I've got a package coming in for the miniatures I ordered. No purpose for them other than I think they're neat <3

3. I'm a bit private with my music taste (even tho I have Spotify connected on Discord lmao), but there's 5 songs that I'm currently obsessed with. I keep replaying them over and over again. Just squeezing all the serotonin I could get outta them.

4. I can't really say I have a fave TV show or movie because I can't really just pick one, but my current fave is 9-1-1 and Resident Alien. 9-1-1 because I just really love the found-family dynamics and how the show tackles sensitive topics, and Resident Alien because it's lighthearted comedy. My all-time fave movie is Flipped! I have the book too and I like rereading from time to time <3

5. You're in for a doozy, anon, because we're rating each other's games <333

The Goodfellows: 7/10

Listen. Shenanigans with the Traveler. I would get up to so many of them and that is what'll get me possibly bodied, not the actual environment itself <3

Greater than Gods: 7/10

I like to think I have enough common sense to uhhh not recklessly flip stones that should not be flipped <3 I'm a cautious and skeptic person irl so I think I'll hold up well? Then again, it's a vast environment change and while I can adapt pretty quick, I wouldn't like the lack of control in the unknown.

Vardir: 10/10

Going off what Cruz said, Vardir is lighthearted and focused on personal growth so I think I'll be okay! Self-growth here I come, babey!

Creatures' Cradle: 8/10

Maybe I'm overestimating myself, but I think I'll be able to survive in a supernatural post-apocalyptic world! Ah, but it depends on the motivation though. I like the idea of rebuilding communities and eventually societies, but the survival turmoil would be a constant battle I'd have to overcome. If we're talking survival itself though, I think I'll do well.

When it Hungers: 8/10

That's probably my wishful thinking but I think I'll be fine. Maybe. Possibly. Don't like the idea of being regulated by an organization so if I was a non-human creature that could pose a problem but I can roll with it <3

Orthall Bay: 6/10

Assuming I'm not playing as MC, my chances of survival uhhh changes quite drastically. Not enough to guarantee an untimely demise, but certainly enough that it would constantly keep me on my toes. I think that's the safest answer I can get without spoiling anything lmao

Thank you so much for asking! It's super sweet of you <3

1. Too many :'D I knit, I sew, I do carpentry (well, learning), I bake, I'm hammering away at HTML and CSS, my job kind of encourages learning new things and I take that to picking up new hobbies!

2. My time is kind of consumed with school work and work work and WIP work so not a lot of time to pursue niche interests right now. I've been watching a lot of horror game playthroughs, true crime youtubers, and an adorable show on Netflix called the Repair Shop <3

3. My taste in music is "what am I vibing with atm?" I've been listening to a lot of 80's music atm (don't @ me), but also Lo Fang and Kaleo, and whatever spotify recommends me on my discover weekly which is usually complete chaos.

4. I love the Mummy even though it hasn't aged 100% well (I'm a librarian, of course it's one of my gotos LOL), Legally Blonde, Leverage, Jumanji (the original), I'm....very bad at having recent tastes... and very bad at remembering my favorites when asked.

The Goodfellows: I'm a creature of comfort, 5/10 if I can just luxuriate in town and not actually interact with the story sfjkdbsdkf

Creature’s Cradle: I'd like to think I have a 50/50 shot XD 5/10, I want to think I'd be decent at a zombie apocalypse but ultimately would suffer an early fate.

Greater Than Gods: 10/10 if I'm just vibing, less so if I'm involved in the actual story XD

Vardir: I'd still suffer without technology but I can also knit for a living in this world so I'm down 8/10

When it Hungers: I feel like I could vibe here, there's tech if dated, hot showers, telephones are around by now... might still get bored. 7/10 though it'd be cool to be another creature....I should make a 'what creature of snv are you' quiz!

Orthall Bay: 7/10 idk I feel like after the first monster of the week I'd just skip town XDDDD I'm the worst protagonist, I see danger I just leave.

#mod talk #long post #interact if: asks

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avocadomin · 3 years

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final kingdom rankings

i decided to do the dumb thing that took too long and ranked all of the kingdom stages based on my personal opinion and ranked my top 7 over all (unit stages included). once again this is an opinion and i’m more then happy to discuss other opinions on the stages, but don’t use this post to bash me or others if it differs from your own. this will include notes on both the performance and the music itself.

with that said i’ll keep it under the cut as this will probably be a long post (spoiler: it is </3):

quick note: i watched all the stages by group and each stage in chronological order as i was taking notes. there may be some repeats of things or i bring up something that’s in a lower ranking stage if a higher ranking stage was one of the more recent ones (hope that makes sense). also if you don’t want to read everything there’s a top 5 ranking and my own final group ranking at the bottom.

skz:

stage 3 - i’ll be your man: seungmin and jisung vocals!!! i’m still not too familiar with the original btob song so i’m not sure how skz’s version varies from it, but their version i think fits their team really well. chan took a little bit of a back burner this stage, but we really got to hear the vocal side of skz shine through this song esp in their lower register which i think it stronger then their upper one lmao. jisung is really the only one (that i think) can belt some of those high notes so consistently. on the actual performance side of things there was an interesting use of sets and props, but not over done. there were some really ineresting dance breaks esp at the end of the song. the story of the stage was also i think one of skz’s strongest (and no guns <3). i really hope skz does a song like this in the future cause they can obviously pull it off.

stage 2 - side effects / god’s menu: really loved how we got to see a different side of skz on this stage with their acting! i don’t think they had another stage that was quite like this one. also loved the mixing again with both side effects and god’s menu with how they used felix as the transition between the two songs, and the FAT synths during the ‘my head hurts’ right before going into god’s menu. while this is a strong stage musically, acting and energy wise. i feel like there was too much of a reliance on props and a lot of work was done by the dancers which was visually amazing!! but skz is a strong dance group too and i wish it wasn’t as flashy as it was.

final stage - wolfgang: this stage and their 2nd stage are honestly tied but i think wolfgang is slightly lower cause i prefer the mixing for the 2nd stage. really dissapointed there was no epic organ player that was killed at the end </3 but that aside i would say wolfganf is a just a really strong skz song that’s a little more in the 3racha style. i really liked how they tied in some of the points from their intro stages with the green mouth light things and some of the samples used in the track! the reason it’s middle of the pack (haha get it cause their wolves.....i’ll stop) for me is similar to the side effects stage as it relies a lot on their dancers and props. it was a really nice ending performance to end their time on kingdom. (also one of their most messiest stages, but it was probably the one with the least amount of time for practice with everything lmao)

intro stage - miroh: really great intro stage for the skz cause we really got a taste of what was to come with kingdom (sadly no jinnie). the mixing was insane and one of my faves i think for skz (esp minho’s part <3). it had the same height of energy as the original tack, just much darker, and there was decent balance between vocals, dance, and rapping. it also showed their great work as a team with the small stunts in the choreo.

stage 4 - god’s menu x d4: don’t get me wrong, this stage is really neat with the deadpool stuff, but it’s also a stage that won’t really age that well? it was more on the gimmicky side of kingdom stages and i’m not sure why they had a large chunk of the choreo with guns???? that’s not needed that you. going into the good things...binnie popped off!! he really stuck out to me this stage rap wise. also the drop for the first d4 chorus was very unexpected but also really satisfying? kinda reminds me of the drop in the chorus for 1team’s ‘make this’ (go check it out if you don’t know the song). over all a really fun stage and their energy was really good, but just wish it wasn’t quite and gimmicky as it was </3

ateez: man i miss mingi....comeback soon king

final stage - the real: ok this stage is also really really close to their wonderland stage but is just SLIGHTLY ahead it. this stage was probably one of the most fun ones to watch out of ateez’s kingdom performances because they seemed so loose? like they were really just feeling themselves on this stage and it just looked like they were really enjoying themselves out there like this is what they were born to do. i also love this song and it’s one of my fave recent releases from ateez again (i’m not too big of a fan of their fever series sorry </3). the energy, rap, vocals, choreo was just all there. i’m just really glad we were able to see one of these stages again where we go to see the group really just let loose and half so much fun performing before the end of kingdom.

stage 2 - from the wonderland: look...i KNOW there’s a tentacle, but i’m going to look past that. it might be the favoritism towards wonderland as it is one of my top ateez titles, but i think it they did do a really good job mashing it together with symphony no. 9. there was a decent balance between using props/reliance on dancers and the group actually dancing. jongho slayed that high note at the end, and it was actually placed well in the song where it didn’t seem out of place. and them the OUTRO just represents one of the main reason’s i love ateez with their amazing energy. high energy song, high energy choreo...just the perfect ending to get you hyped. also one last note....seonghwa looked so hot when he was walking through the line of dancers with that rifle (he just looked good this whole stage <3).

stage 3 - the awakening of summer: a very different style from the original and i’d say even a different style for ateez but it still works?? the beginning was a lil cheesy and not sure how the whisper talking/rapping through most of the song works for me, but the INSTRUMENTAL pls play it at my funeral...that synth line <3 i really liked the little choreo with the rope that san did and the overall choreo was also really strong. the outro was a little let down on the energy of it. it may be cause there was some slight timing issues with the vocals and backing track or they were just missing SOMETHING for it, but jongho slayed that belted note once again where i’m not too mad at it lmao.

stage 4 - answer: in the first half i really thought this was going to be one of my fave stages for ateez as the added strings were a nice touch and i loved how they made some references to their past songs and overall concept story line. overall musically in the first part it was decently balanced with a few ode to joy and answer. once it got to the part where it was the opera singers i was????? if they stopped there i think it could have still worked, but the ending there was just so much going on but it was also missing so much as well?? i didn’t understand jongho’s one belted note at the end. this was the only stage where i really felt it didn’t fit. they either needed to not add it at all or have him have one other note after it with maybe a break between the two notes to make it feel more complete. overall...a decent stage, but it really just didn’t have that ateez polish on it.

intro stage - wave: ok tbh i....kinda hated this stage? NOTHING on ateez or wave, just the song did not translate to the style they ended up choosing for it. i think say my name would have been a really strong intro song in the final style chose esp since it didn’t come up in their later stages. the choreo was really strong, but honestly the mixing just seemed like they forced two pieces together that didn’t fit.

the boyz: ok i just want to write a quick note as a general opinion i have across all their stages. tbz is a really solid group overall esp with dancing, but i feel like for kingdom they played it safe in a lot of ways and we didn’t see much variation of wow factors from their stages. they were good!! just (usually) fairly predictable like they set the bar high and then just never raised it again </3

stage 4 - monster: this ranks so high partially cause i love exo’s monster sm but besides that point </3 the vocal line seemed to be pretty much a copy paste from the original (not a bad thing at all) but once again the instrumental my beloved <3 i think because the vocal line was pretty much the same as exo’s made it a really nice balance between the original and tbz version. i wasn’t too sure about the giant snake towards the end, but it actually wasn’t too bad as it was more of just the use of an entrance, then just a bg prop after that. as with all of their stages, the choreo was really solid, but it was the arrangement of the song that really put this performance on the top.

final stage - kingdom come: dance wise i think this is my favorite out of all their stages. they had neat transitions from their pre recorded parts of the stage and the live part of the stages. really liked the part where the hand off screen was controlling the chroeo. then the dance break/outro!! not sure what it was, but i think it just really highlighted their strengths in dancing as a group. the song itself didn’t stand out at all and i think that’s why it ranks lower then their monster stage. it sounds a lot like checkmate to me (possible blended with salty???) so it’s a solid track, but it just doesn’t sound that different from their past ‘finale sounding’ tracks. it was a nice stage to end on for them as it was really solid, and it capped of their time with the kingdom series well.

stage 2 - no air: tbh the orginal song for no air doesn’t do much but i LOVE this mix of it. it might be the slowdown of the chorus that really does it for me, but it’s one of my fave mixes for their stage. really solid choreo and i liked the paired dancing with the other dancers in the first chorus. i think tbz i one of the the better groups when it comes to non-power dancing....not sure how to word it, but they’re very graceful and i love when they show it off and the dancing in front of the white fabric was a really nice touch. they also pulled off their stunts really well!! that’s another things they’re pretty reliable in, but it’s something they don’t overuse which is nice. a very strong stage overall for them.

stage 3 - the red wedding: someone is going to murder me for this, but i’m not the biggest fan of o solo mio </3 tbz did a really good job with the song! music wise for me is just that the rap sections i think didn’t flow too well in their rendition of the song. i don’t remember how they fit in the original but it didn’t fit that well in this stage ;_; i thought the rest was really good! their use of props wasn’t overdone and added some interest to the choreo that was already really strong. also really enjoyed the sections in the birdcage with the female dancer. another really solid performance by them.

intro stage - the stealer: LOVED the choreo and formations for this performance. they’re a really strong dance group and i’m glad we got to see how good their dancing is with no props or anything. the song it’s self wasn’t too special, it was a solid mix but it seemed like something we’ve seen before? i think it reminded be of one of their stages from rtk, but i don’t remember which one ;_;

sf9:

stage 4 - move: CONGRATS TO SF9 FOR BEING THE ONLY GROUP THAT HAS TAEYANG. i could watch that man dance all day damn. the only thing i didn’t really like/understand was the very end where they were standing in the rain??? it would have been neat if they had one final dance break in the rain box or a solo dance or SOMETHING...it just didn’t need to be there otherwise </3 but everything else was SO GOOD. the concept of the stage was strong, the mixing was fit the group really well, and with move being such a difficult dance, the members did a really good job with it. the props/sets used i think added to it, and there was a good balance between those and the group actually dancing. glad to know taemin covers in the kingdom series did the original songs justice <3

final stage - believer: taeyang once again <3 overall the track sounds like a really solid b-side, but their performance really brought it up to a nice finale song. loved their references to their past stages with the props and formations with the dances, it wasn’t too much and didn’t distract from the rest of it. the use of reflections was also really well done!! that prop was super cool and loved how they played around with it. overall a really nice way to end kingdom for them, and i think dance and staging wise, it was one of my faves to come from them.

stage 3 - the scene: congrats sf9 for being the only group that has hwiyoung <3 tbh this stage would probably be my number one of they didn’t have the guns during the choreo </3 it just...brought it down so much for me (and the blurred out knife???). i think the mixing was pretty solid as it was close to tbz version, but made it fit sf9 really well. the fight scenes were super well done and i feel like did add something to the stage. then overall the dancing was really sharp this time around!! a super good stage....just take out the dancing guns.

stage 2 - jealous: this was one of the few stages outside the introductions that didn’t have a super heavy reliance on props, they didn’t rank well, and then we never saw a stage like it again </3 i loved this stage!! it didn’t change drastically music wise, but i really liked the kind of rock style? remix of now or never and it fit well with the concept of the stage. the formations!!! in this performance were some of my fave and loved the bits of choreo we saw when the members were dancing with the female dancers. there were some parts with the members weren’t quite in sync with each other, but overall it was really solid and sad we didn’t get to see a stage like this one again ;_;

intro stage - good guy: if sf9 just did suit concepts in the future i would not be mad <3 but overall a solid intro stage! there wasn’t much difference music wise except in the dance break in the beginning from the original song. choreo was pretty crisp and overall done well. there were no ‘wow’ factors in this stage, but a very solid one overall.

ikon:

final stage - at ease: tbh i wasn’t too sure about the song in previews, but it’s grown a lot on me as this past week went on. it’s a great hype song and has the energy of ikon that i really love. the drop the in the chorus is really satisfying and it was just as satisfying visually in the performance as well. they used their dancers really well and the members also did really well with the chorus choreo. it was just overall a really satisfying stage for ikon and it was the only stage in my opinion they ramped up their more laid back energy and worked so well.

stage 2 - to the world: this is one of the stages that really does age pretty well. i wasn’t a huge fan of it mainly bc of the ending and it’s still not my fave but it didn’t take away as much from the stage as i remember. i LOVE both love scenario and killing me. the love scenerio portion of the stage i think it still one of my fave ikon moments. the acting was solid and i liked their story with it. in some ways i wish at least killing me was a little more hard hitting and less a copy and paste for the most part from their original. love scenario was an amazing opening but killing me needed something to make a solid ending song as it caused the energy of the stage to kinda fall off or not really raise at all. overall i do really like this stage, it just needs more of something for the ending.

intro - rhythm ta: i think this was my 2nd fave intro stage right being skz’s. i love the formation in the beginning and the vocal fry on the ‘ikon is back’ was a nice touch. it also just seemed like the most loose intro stage? like this wasn’t their first rodeo and just felt really comfortable on this stage. overall loved the energy of the stage, and there was solid mixing of the song and good choreo.

stage 3 - inception: this isn’t hate on bobby or anything but his rap parts really bought this performance down for me </3 it might have just been an off day or smth but...yeah. otherwise i really liked the stage!! the mixing was really intresting and they really made inception into their own ikon style. the sets used was also probably my fave overall? it was really really neat with the changing sets to match the song title. also the ending was super cool with the dancers in that final formation where they kinda slowed down. a really cool stage overall.

stage 4 - classy savage: family watching yg tv time <3 i think there was a really nice balance of both the original bp song and ikon’s style. tbh it seems opposite of what i said with the boyz..the insturmental seemed pretty close to blackpink’s, but the vocal/rap was very much the ikon style. the reason this one is so low for me is because it seemed like two separate stages with lisa? it was really neat that she was added, but it would have been so cool if he joined in with them for the final outro or something. she even had the same lyrics to the blackpink song as ikon’s changed so it just made it that much more separate. if lisa either joined in more with ikon or she wasn’t added at all i think this would have ranked a lot higher on my list </3

btob: another quick note....i think on the performance end btob is the opposite of tbz. they don’t do much with choreo but they’re such an enjoyable group to watch and their VOCALS are always so stable so i probably won’t have many notes on their dancing lmao

stage 4 - blue moon: concept and comedy kings <3 idk they were really feeling themselves but it looked like they were having so much fun on stage and it made me have a smile on my face the entire time. the concept of the movie worked so well with the style of the jazzy tune. i’m not too familiar with the original bside so i’m not sure how much it differs or if it does at all. there’s really nothing i would change from this stage...it’s just so enjoyable to watch from the concept, vocals, and peniel playing that piano terribly <3

stage 3 - back door: really close to their blue moon stage for me. i really feel like they got the hang of the kingdom stages at this point. i loved their remix of back door. they took a rap heavy song and turned it in to a vocal heavy one so well?? truly made it their own. the weird drop(?) after they say back door just works so well for me and the inclusion of the electric guitar is so NEAT. there wasn’t much as far as dancing except for the small bit at the end and in one of the ‘dressing rooms’ but it really worked for the concept of the stage. idk it’s just a really fun stage to watch and a really good hype energy at the end.

final stage - show and prove: TALK ABOUT A FINALE STAGE. i love this song on it’s own and it’s probably my top song or in the top 2 for the original kingdom songs. this stage is another one that’s so close with their blue moon and back door stage, but i think it ranks a little lower then the other two as there was choreo from the members (or at least not a lot at all). but even with that this stage didn’t feel any less grand then the other finale performances because they killed the vocal parts so much and the song itself is such a GOOD ending song. oh man i would rate this higher if dancing or concept also was involved ;_;

intro stage - beautiful and painful: (i think that’s what it’s called?): vocal kings <3 they really said we’re the best vocalists on this show with this intro and you know? they’re correct. i wasn’t too sure on this stage when i first watched it since it was so different compared to the other groups, but watching it again now it’s a really strong intro stage. btob is a really strong vocal group and they established that really early on and only gave us a taste of what they were really able to do. a great intro stage overall.

stage 2 - missing you: overall the stage is really beautiful with the lighting and the trees, but similar to ikon’s stage with lisa it seemed really disjointed. the vocal sections were really strong on their own and the dance break section this was really cool on it’s own, but it didn’t mesh together super well :/ a decent stage for sure, i just wish they kept the style of the dance break or just kept it the style of the vocal stage. i think they might have just added that dance section in there as the other groups had such dance heavy performances and theirs didn’t, but again it just kinda took something away from it </3

unit stages: i’m not going to write notes on the unit stages cause i’ve already written so much on the group stages lmao but if you want to more about/wonder why one ranked lower then another than pls ask! i’m just too done with this post to write it now. i will say 2-4 are really close in ranking. love poem took the whole thing for me and i wasn’t a huge fan of wither rap unit stage </3

love poem

wolf

king and queen- both performances teams are really close in ranking after a rewatch

spark

colors

full dash

top 7 stages overall: cause i couldn’t choose 5 </3

love poem (i think it’s cause minnie brainrot but we’re not going to talk about it thank u)

i’ll be your man

blue moon

the real

from wonderland

side effects / god’s menu

move

final group rankings:

stray kids (call it favoritism, but they deserved it)

ateez

btob (if kingdom was only vocal/music they would have won in my opinion)

sf9

the boyz

ikon

#ok it's finally done </3 #i hope someone reads this or it sparks a conversation ajshrdsdr otherwise i spent 4 hours just reliving kingdom #it was interesting to see how all the stages #ended up being #and it really seemed around the 3rd round all the groups found their groove and then it got really really good #also this is not proof read to sorry if there's some mistakes

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fieldsofplay · 4 years

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Favorite Albums of 2020

25. Dehd – Flower of Devotion

Rather than look back on the shit year that was 2020, lets keep our eye on the hope of the horizon. Speaking of which, Dehd herald much of what’s to come on this here list. While as previously mentioned a shit year for most everything besides presidential politics, 2020 proved to be a great year for good old fashioned guitar music. Could I be accused of curling up with my version of musical comfort food? Perhaps. But starting off with Dehd, we have a type of band that used to be everywhere and now seems to be almost nowhere. Jangly lo-fi guitars, perky drums, and straightforward unadorned singing. About five years ago you couldn’t throw a rock in Brooklyn without hitting a band like this, but now that that fad is long gone. I’m glad that Chicago’s Dehd are still carrying the torch.

24. Perfume Genius – Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

I’ve always liked Perfume Genius, but for whatever reason Set My Heart on Fire Immediately is the album that took him out of the realm of casual background musical encounter to something I sought out. Chamber pop has never really been my thing (except for those couple summers where Grizzly Bear was totally my jam), but here the torch songs catch fire by the compressed force of Michael Hadreas’ longing. This record also pulls off the impressive feat of each song gradually morphing just a bit from what proceeds it, so that the whole record sounds similar and yet each song carves out its own little generic niche, the whole thing united by the quivering power of that pleading voice.

23. 2nd Grade – Hit to Hit

If you ever found yourself wondering what Guided by Voices would sound like if they wanted to be Big Star instead of punk rock Kinks, we now have the answer, and it’s Phily’s 2nd Grade. In the noble tradition of Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes, Hit to Hit’s 24 tracks breeze by in a mere 41 minutes and 8 seconds. An earworm sunny melody, a quick guitar hook, a second verse (maybe), and poof, each song is gone before you could ever miss it. You would think variation would be difficult working within such tight musical corners, but while each song clearly shares common DNA, there is actually a lot of variance here, from weepy country ditties (“Bye Bye Texas”) to overdriven stompers (“Baby’s First Word”) though they all tend to orbit the same (big) star.

22. Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

I’ll be the first to admit that The Slow Rush isn’t my favorite Tame Impala record, not by a long shot. Having said that, this album still feels like it got short shrift this year (not that anyone can really complain about that in these here times). If we never knew that Lonerism or Innerspeaker or Currents existed, I wonder how much people would be head over heels for this album. “One More Year” “Is It True” and “Posthumous Forgiveness” are all top notch Impala jams. Seems like this album is the soundtrack for the chilled out summer hangs that we never got to have, and thus it’s fitting that it seems condemned for the ash-heap of history rather than the late-night come downs we never got up to.

21. Against All Logic – 2017 – 2019

Ah, speaking of complicated musical relationships, I can never seem to chart a clear course with Nicolas Jaar. The music he puts out under his own name never seems to do much for me, but I dug his collaboration with Dave Harrington as Darkside, and I really love most everything he’s put out as Against All Logic. While admittedly not a great year for house music—normally a liberating genre of communal interconnectivity, now a cruel reminder that we all live in Footloose—a banger remains a banger, and 2017-2019 is full to the brim with them. While I honestly can’t remember the last time I went dancing, I’ll still crank up “Fantasy” and bop around my living room, literally dancing by myself (lets be honest, something I would have done pandemic or no).

20. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fetch the Bolt Cutters has had a lot of great things said about it this year, so I don’t really have to add that much. What I will say is this is perhaps the most interesting percussion I’ve ever heard on a record. There is percussion all over the place, but almost none of it in the form of full-kit drumming. Fiona always used the left hand on the piano as the rhythmic center of her songs, but here there is drilling, tapping, rapping, patting. The phrase DIY gets tossed around all the time (and almost never applied to big money, big label Fiona) but to me the most impressive thing about this record is how it always sounds like she is sitting at a rickety upright piano in the corner of a living room, while everyone congregating around keeps the beat by tapping on pots and pans, the walls, whatever is at hand. I’ve truly never heard anything like it.

19. Advertisement – American Advertisement

Godbless Seattle’s Advertisement. So long as there is cheap beer, old shitty cars driving with the windows down, and the U-SofA, there’ll be bands like Advertisement. Straight out of the vein of Cheap Trick and the more recent White Reaper, Advertisement play power pop with the emphasis on the power. Sometimes this type of music gets called sleazy, but honestly I don’t get it. I think its probably because you can imagine it playing while Wooderson drives around Austin looking for redheads. While we rightfully cancelled the song of summer this year, “Upstream Boogie” would have gotten my vote, perfect for backyard bbqs and cannonballing into creeks.

18. Nation of Language – Introduction, Presence

I didn’t set it up this way, but if Advertisement has a diametric opposite, its probably Nation of Language. Where Advertisement is all frayed edges and foam, Nation of Language is as buttoned up as those terrible sports jackets people wore in the early ‘90s. While its not as good as my beloved Black Marble, those bands share enough DNA to make me a big fan of this synth pop gem. It’s not as dark as the cold-wave Black Marble, but it does share that bands fondness for stark baselines and crisp arpeggios. If you’ve ever envisioned your life as a scene from a John Hughes movie, Nation of Language could easily be playing in the background.

17. The Soft Pink Truth – Shall we Go on Sinning so that Grace May Increase?

Indulge me in a moment of naval gazing. Every year as I put these things together I reach a point where I’m lack “damn, this album is this low on the list?” And the point at which that thought enters my head is usually indicative of how good a year for music it was. Now 2020 wasn’t a good year for anything, and I probably spent the least time of any year listening to music, new, old, whatever. For the most part I just listened to the Grateful Dead and ambient albums. However, for my idiosyncratic tastes, 2020 was actually a pretty fucking incredible year for new music, as evinced by the fact that this album is all the way down at 17.

Earlier on in 2020 as I was bombarding my poor local music text thread with yet more of my inane musings, I think I declared this a top 3 album of the year. And I wasn’t lying! “Pretty” is often a dirty word in aesthetic appreciation, but this is certainly the “prettiest” album of the year in the best sense of the word. From the Drew Daniel half of Matmos comes Shall we Go on Sinning so that Grace May Increase? A record that is somehow simultaneously deep house and feather light, so much so that it needs its own dumb internet music writing moniker—shallow house? wide house? vacation house? (actually kinda like that last one). With vocals from Jana Hunter, Angel Deradoorian, and Colin Self (with whom I wasn’t previously familiar) this thing will simultaneously make you want to tap your foot and drift off into the clouds. This is album is like the prayer Madonna sang about all those years ago.

16. Kurt Vile – Speed, Sound, Lonely KV

It’s not at all surprising that if Kurt Vile decided he wanted to go country western he’d be really fucking good at it. First of all, he’s an exceptional acoustic guitar picker. Secondly, his voice, while always befitting his hazed out urban rockers, has just enough twang to it that in retrospect it always sounded a little bit country. This record also gives me room to offer up an homage to the late great John Prine, for whom the EP is essentially a tribute. Vile covers two Prine songs, dueting with the man himself on “How Lucky.” Saying goodbye is never easy, but on Speed, Sound, Lonely (both the album, and the song more or less by that name) Vile manages a fitting tribute to a lost legend.

15. Lomelda – Hannah

The reviews of Hannah really did Lomelda a disservice. Sure, they were glowing, but they made it sound like this was some weepy milquetoast singer songwriter affair, when it’s actually a knotty album full off elliptical piano and fuzzed out electric guitar. Its 14 tracks hurtle by, largely due to the fact that almost all of them are under 3 and a ½ minutes. Things really get going with the second track, “Hannah Sun” with is squiggly synth effects and driving acoustic strums carrying on Hannah Read’s musings. It’s an album of relentless forward musical movement even if the vibe feels like it’s always looking back over its shoulder. Basically this album is what emo would sound like if it wasn’t made by the worst people in the universe.

14. Shabaka and the Ancestors – We are Sent here by History

Jazz! Another great year for jazz (Asher Gamedze’s Dialectic Soul and Keefe Jackson, Jim Baker, & Julian Kirshner’s So Glossy and So Thin are with a strong group that just missed the cut). In the midst of an excellent jazz renaissance (you gotta use super annoying words like “renaissance” when talking about jazz) Shebaka Hutchins remains my absolute fave of the bunch, and We are Sent here by History is probably my favorite thing he has put out so far.

13. Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud

While I really liked Waxahatchee’s low-fi emoish debut—American Weekend—I’ll readily admit I wasn’t much about the popier albums that followed, frequently jesting, honestly, that Allison was my preferred musical Crutchfield sister. All that changed for me with Saint Cloud. I’ve certainly drifted far off into country and Americana as I’ve aged, and it appears the same came be said for Katie Crutchfield. These songs have a giddyup to them but they never break out into a gallop, allowing the strength of the melodies to carry them along across the plains, with just the right hint of twilight. Saint Cloud is the sound of Patsy Cline if she played to roadside inns rather than the Grand Ol’ Opry.

12. Neil Young – Homegrown

This was the hardest album to place on the list this year. For starters, should it even count? Clearly I say yes. While some of these songs have been available for over 30 years, as an album, Homegrown was a “new” release here in 2020, even though it was originally slated to come out in ’75 between On the Beach (my personal fave Neil record) and Zuma. As a pure piece of music, is it better than most, if not all, of the records that follow? Of course yes. But what does a new Neil Young record mean in 2020? As a thought experiment its fascinating. Do we value this album within the musical context of 2020 or 1975? Fortunately, it’s an even more enjoyable listen than it is a thought experiment. From the first strums of “Separate Ways” you’re like “oh shit, this is the vintage stuff.” Gentle amber acoustic numbers (“Try”) share space with electric stompers (“Vacancy”). The best thing you can say about Homegrown is that if Neil had originally decided to release this instead of Tonight’s The Night, it would have fit right in amongst his unimpeachable run from Everybody Knows This is Nowhere up through Zuma. A classic is still a classic, no matter what year it finally sees the light of day.

11. Destroyer – Have we Met

Ah Dan Bejar, boy was I wrong about you. I kinda got into Destroyer’s Rubies, I loved his contributions to Swan Lake and The New Pornographers, but yet when Chinatown started really making waves, I just couldn’t do it. It was soft rock! I hate soft rock! I hate everything about it! This preconceived notion wasn’t helped by the fact that I saw him open for the War on Drugs in Pontiac once and he was so drunk he could barely stand up and had to read his own lyrics from a sheet. And yet, for some reason I never really gave up on it. I can’t tell you why exactly, but two summers ago Chinatown just slowly became my go-to for early morning / late afternoon strolls. I found comfort in giving myself over to its pillowy soft embrace / cheating on my own aesthetic judgments. Now that I’m card-carrying Bejarhead, I greeted Have we Met with open arms, and I was not disappointed. The synths glimmer, the guitars add just enough punch, and his lyrics remain sharp as ever. Its fitting that this was the last concert I saw before the iron curtain fell. The one thing I had always turned my back on ended up being the last memory of dionysian group enthrallment I had to carry with me out into the desert of social isolation. Come back soon Destroyer, come back soon, everyone.

10. Deeper – Auto-Pain

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready, because post punk is back! I always say my favorite genre is ‘sad songs you can dance to’ but post punk is a close second. When I was in college post punk underwent a bit of a renaissance in the form of Interpol (back when they were still good), Bloc Party (ditto), Franz Ferdinand, and a whole slew of British one hit wonders (Maximo Park, Futureheads, Art Brut, the Bravery). Fortunately, as is always the case, what’s old is new again, and stark melodic bass lines, angular guitars, and moody introspective speak-singing are back in full force. Of the three post punk bands gracing this here top ten (Deeper, Fontaines DC, and Crack Cloud) each has its own little slice of the generic pie. Fontaines have the deep gloom of Interpol/Joy Division, Crack Cloud ripple with the staccato energy of Gang of Four, and Deeper have the wiry dancieness of, well, Wire. So long as leather jackets and black and white photography remain cool, there’ll always be bands like this, and thank god for that. In a true sign o’ the times, I learned about this band from some random girl’s Tik Tok in my for-you feed. She repped five bands, two of which are in my top three, so I was like, sure I’ll give this band Deeper a go. God bless the internet. Finally, Deeper get bonus points for naming a song “This Heat,” who I’ve been spending a lot of time revisiting this year, and whose spikey guitars are all over this record.

9. The Flaming Lips – American Head

There are few things as satisfying in art as being genuinely surprised by a beloved artist you had given up as culturally dead. Since putting out their last masterpiece (2009’s Embryonic) the Lips have put out a string of good, if inconsequential, albums that befitting the ethos of the band could best be described as half baked (The Terror, Oczy Moldy, and a series of collaborative experiments). Basically, they had reached that dreaded nadir where I was no longer interested in listening to their new output (cough The National, cough cough Arcade Fire). So what made me give American Head a chance? That reader, is the point of art criticism! I can’t remember how the blurb on pitchfork read exactly, but I knew it referenced Tom Petty and a return to a preoccupation with more Earthly concerns—namely ‘70s heartland rock. Well, this sounded intriguing, and boy was I not disappointed. Sure, the Flaming Lips have already reached their sell-by date twice over (first in 1992, immediately followed by their MTV reinvention on 1993’s Transmissions from the Satellite Heart; and then again in the late ‘90s with the departure of guitarist Ronald Jones, followed by their creative pinnacle, ‘99’s symphonic masterpiece The Soft Bulletin), so it shouldn’t be all that surprising that this band could rise from the dead a third time. Only, for the most part, they didn’t. I guess I’m not surprised that American Head failed to reach a broader audience. Most people probably aren’t even aware that they are still a going concern, and after the failures of the last decade it makes sense that most weren’t interested in more tunes from the Oklahoma freaknicks. But for those willing to give the band another chance, American Head easily delivers their best album since Embryonic, if not all the way back to Yoshimi. Mixing ‘70s Americana with the star gazing of Soft Bulletin’s “Sleeping on the Roof,” the Lips deliver their best album in decades by foregoing the parlor tricks and returning to what they do best, taking trips to distant galaxies while keeping their feet firmly planted in the soil and songcraft of Oklahoma.

8. Cut Worms – Nobody Lives Here Anymore

This one is pretty easy. Do you like George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass? If yes, listen to Nobody Lives Here Anymore and revel in this double album’s upbeat acoustic rock mediations. If no, well there’s plenty of other good stuff out there. Not quite as metaphysical or orchestral as All Things Must Pass, Nobody Lives Here Anymore still manages to hit that rockabiliy-pop sweet spot that Harrison used to mine. I’m not quite sure what the definition of “troubadour” is, but it feels safe to call Cut Worms a troubadour, which is certainly better than his terrible stage name.

7. Cigarettes for Breakfast – Aphantasia

Similar to Cut Worms, Cigarettes for Breakfast also involves a simple influence equation. Do you pray at the altar of Loveless? If so, Aphantasia is just the record for you. Sure, it’s a bit of My Bloody Valentine paint by numbers (“Breathe” even features the same squally guitar noise [it’s really hard to try and describe My Bloody Valentine effects ha] as “Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)”) but when you’re as into shoegaze as I am, that’s never really a bad thing. Plus, I’m being a bit unfair. Everyone with textured tremolo heavy wall-of-sound guitars and cooed vocals is going to inevitably be compared to MBV, and Cigarettes for Breakfast do enough to chart their own course. Perhaps most interesting is the musical journey this record charts. Its loudest moment is its opening, where pummeling guitars more reminiscent of Sonic Youth with a touch of Dinosaur Jr. rip across hardcore style drumming. From there each song becomes a little more ambient, until closer “If Someone Could Help Me, Please” more or less floats away on its shimmering sheets of beautiful noise clouds. In this sense, it bears a resemblance in structure, if not in sound, to Deerhunter’s Cryptograms, another album I spent a lot of time revisiting this year. A shutout here is owed to the fine folks at Radio K, who had me diving for my shazam as this thing ripped across their airwaves. So long as there is college radio, there’ll be a new crop of kids discovering via Kevin Shields that the electric guitar contains endless sonic possibilities.

6. Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death

The second entry in our top-ten post punk trio is A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C. I’ll admit, on first blush it’s kind of a dumb band name (I just assumed they were some hardcore band from Washington DC chasing those Dischord Records glory days), but when you learn that the “DC” stands for Dublin City, it all clicks, as this band is sorta inescapably Irish in the way that James Joyce is. Now this fact at first was also off-putting—if I went the rest of my life without ever hearing the Dropkick Murphy’s again I’d be quite content—but eventually it becomes integral to their sound, and not just because of the brogue in Garin Chatten’s vocals. “Love is the Main Thing” is an incredible song in many ways, most notably because of the hypnotic quality of the drumming with its counterpoint between riding cymbal and staccato toms, but perhaps in the main (*wink*) for the way it manages to connote the weariness of a grey urban environment without ever being explicitly about it. Just as Turn on the Bright Lights managed to perfectly capture New York in 2001, A Hero’s Death to me is the aural equivalent of a dense urban center like Dublin, especially after nightfall.

5. Imaginary Softwoods – Annual Flowers in Color

It should come as no surprise that I listened to A LOT of ambient this year, and to me there was no better electronic record to chill the fuck out to during this insane year than Annual Flowers in Color. I absolutely loved Emeralds’ Does it Look Like I’m Here? and was devastated they never followed that gem (*wink*) up. In the immediate aftermath of the demise of Emeralds Mark McGuire’s solo albums got a lot of attention, but apparently the person I really loved in Emeralds was Imaginary Softwoods’ John Elliot. Annual Flowers in Color is like if Dead City’s, Red Seas, Lost Ghosts were waiting in the departure’s lounge of Eno’s airport. At the heart of the album lies the 10 plus minutes of “Another First/Sea Machine.” I could listen to this song forever, and on some particularly WTF 2020 lakewalks I more or less have. Chunky synths, arpeggios that drift off to infinity, ‘80s soundtrack nostalgia. I could live in these Softwoods for the rest of my sonic days.

4. Pottery – Welcome to Bobby’s Motel

In another moment of nostalgia for my college years, Pottery are a welcome return to weird ass experimental Canadian bands. They don’t sound anything like the Unicorns, but in spirit Pottery kind of remind me of them. I’ve spilled a lot of digital ink here and elsewhere bemoaning the fact that Pitchfork (or perhaps, me) isn’t cool anymore, and to me no band embodies this more than Pottery. They take a bunch of fun disparate elements—Talking Heads dance art rock, periodic weird pitch shifted vocal effects, hazy deep purple style guitars, and Queen style machismo disco—throw them into a witch’s cauldron, and come up with something off the wall that sounds like nothing else but is also instantly familiar. This is the type of thing Pitchfork would have been all over in 2007, but instead now they’re too busy chasing conde nast clout clicks. Oh well, nothing gold can last. But enough negativity, this here is a celebration of the joy of new music, and no new band embodies that unbridled joy like Pottery. Along with Fontaines DC, this is the band I wish I most could have bopped around to with a bunch of sweaty strangers in the 7th St. Entry or Turf Club. You can just imagine the call and response vocals and funky grooves getting the people moving. Oh well, hopefully we’ll soon all be rocking the vaccine, they can breeze through town, and I’ll be the first person on the dance floor embarrassingly pumping my fist a half beat behind the rhythm.

3. Pure X – Pure X

To paraphrase Same Elliott in the Big Lebowski, sometimes there’s a band, and well, sometimes there’s a band. For me this year, that band was Pure X. I absolutely loved their debut Pleasure way back in 2011, when lo-fi reverb heavy slow guitar music (ie, Galaxie 500) was all the rage. Their follow up Crawling up the Stairs was so bad I didn’t even bother listening to Angel, though perhaps that also owed a decent amount to just how terrible the art on that record is. (I’ve since remedied this mistake; turns out that record rules). Being that as it may, I can’t particularly tell you what drew me in to this year’s self-titled album, a full nine years after Pleasure first graced the stage. In one sense it’s probably because Pleasure is one those albums that just never went out of my rotation. Whenever the fahrenheit tips past 90 and the walk to the bodega is a few blocks longer than you’d like, that record always hits the spot. Maybe I just knew this was the record I needed this year. Either way, from the first bars of “Middle America” I was hooked. The guitars crash over you, but never in a threatening way. Rather, they envelop you like a weighted blanket, comforting you in their sonic embrace. Nowhere is this more true than on “Fantasy,” easily my favorite song of 2020 (especially since this was a year entirely devoid of dance floor bangers). If this album came out in 1999 rather than 2020 I would have hit the repeat button on my discman and listened to this song forever.

2. Crack Cloud – Pain Olympics

Pain Olympics is the answer to the question that no one asked: what if Arcade Fire’s (back when they were good) communal uplift was paired with Gang of Four’s stark anthem’s of industrialism’s collapse? While on first blush this might sound like your standard album of punkish fist pumping angst, from when the female vocals (sorry there are too many people in this band for me to be able to figure out whose who) come in on opener “Post Truth (Birth of a Nation)” Pain Olympics reveals itself to be a very strange animal (likely a unicorn of some sort), especially as little orchestral swirls creep into the mix, giving it an almost Judy Garland (in hell) quality. This subtle genre pastiche is given its best effect on stunner “The Next Fix.” That song starts out as an elastic spoken-word call and response addiction rumination, at the minute mark it starts to segue into a vocoded chill raver, then some horns crop up out of nowhere, then a spoken word passage, then at the two minute mark a chorus of voices come in, doing their best Broken Social Scene in the truest sense of the phrase. This is perhaps one of the strangest records I’ve ever heard, but what is strangest of all is just how beautiful it is. Crack Cloud are not for everyone, but if you really give it a chance, the returns are limitless.

1. SAULT – Untitled (Rise) / Untitled (Black Is)

You cannot tell the story of 2020 without SAULT, which is why this pair of records is here at the top, even if under the influence of sodium pentothal (lets be honest, veritaserum) I might lean more towards Pain Olympics. In June, the “anonymous” London project put out Untitled (Black Is), and then quickly followed that gem up with September’s Untitled (Rise). Perhaps more amazing still is that these two albums, released so close together, have unique personalities. Black Is is more pop/R&B whereas Rise has a dancy, electr(on)ic feel. I lean more towards the latter, but honestly, both albums are so overstuffed with amazing moments that it’s borderline unbelievable that one outfit could put out so much amazing music in such a short span. While these records would chart high even if sung in Hopelandic, there’s no escaping the social import of the lyrics. One need look no further than Black Is’s “Don’t Shoot Guns Down” for the 2020 dance party at the end of the world. As if that weren’t more than enough, it finds its analogue on Rise’s “Street Fighter,” and that’s SAULT in a nutshell: two albums in constant communication with one another, and more importantly, with the state of the world. Guns down. Don’t Shoot. Let’s dance.

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lifewithskz · 3 years

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GO生 (song praising)

Note: I am not a song expert, and am purely judging from my opinion. I don't know anything about chords or stuff, I just enjoy music as it is. I am doing this for fun. And yes, this is promotion for them too hehe.

Happy anniversary to the beloved album in which the title track changed the kpop industry drastically! Stay or not, every kpop fan has to know God’s Menu. All must thank the amazing Hwang Hyunjin for suggesting and pushing to change the title track. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have this masterpiece.

(Posted late)

GO LIVE - Y’all saw the unveil track to this, right? It is important to mention that the track was the first time I saw Minho’s arms. I was shookth when I saw them—Chan’s too. They all really had a look in this one, visual kings. I love the rap and the verses, and the unveil track itself, I really liked the transitions. This is the first part to another song, ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ is the second part and it’s in the IN生 album, so you can see a full review there.

God’s Menu - The pioneer and what boosted Stray Kids’ popularity, your highness, God’s Menu. What more should I say? Everyone knows that this song is a masterpiece. Hyunjin, I love your taste, thank you so much for pushing the song switch. I loved it on the first listen, the fast raps then the transition to the mellow pre-chorus, then the buildup and the chorus. Ah, perfection. Of course, Felix’s iconic “cooking like a chef, I’m a five star Michelin,” even my autocorrect knows the lyrics. To think, we almost didn’t get this song… horrifying to think about.

Easy - Minho owned this song. I love the verses and every part of it was so catchy. The Changbin and Hyunjin rap duo is back, the exchanging in the second verse is sooo good. Jisung's first verse rap is just fire. Ah! Seungmin in the bridge! I love it! I love the pre-chorus. Jeongin and Minho executed it so well. The refrain was so good as well and the dance break itself was just great. I remember when Easy and God's Menu was a push-pull thing where Stays would claim they cheated on God's Menu for Easy and vise versa. There were many memes about it.

Pacemaker - I really love this song. I always thought Easy and Pacemaker were like peas in a pod, great pair. Whenever someone mentions Easy, I think of Pacemaker and vise versa. I am not smart on instrumentals, but I really like the beat of this song. It brings me a lot of energy, a song I would probably listen to on a run. Changbin’s dance break in the SKZ-X fan meeting performance was utter perfection. Go off king!

Airplane - This is such a good song. It’s so upbeat and uplifting. This song sounds super cute as well. The bridge was so perfect, and Felix in the pre-chorus was <3. The chorus is amazing and everyone did so well with their parts. I smile whenever I listen to this song. Okay and the way Minho says “my lover” in the bridge made me feel things.

Another Day - Han Jisung!!!! Outstanding work once again!! The melody was so soft, I relax to this every time. Although I am not a big fan of super mellow songs because it makes me sleepy, this one is just really good, like amazing. The vocals were so calming and so well executed. Ugh, so good (ᗒᗣᗕ)

Phobia - One of my favorite songs out of the bunch. To think they wrote this because they fear the fans would leave them. Stays would never T.T, who said we were leaving?! I love the trap sound to it, energetic yet nice to listen to. This song has one of my favorite bridges ever, like Minho, Changbin, Felix, Jeongin, then Jisung high note. Changbin and Felix shookth me with their rarely heard vocals, underrated vocalists. One of my favorite pre-choruses as well, like Jisung vocalist agenda in the building. Chan and Seungmin in the hidden vocals as well, amazing. Of course, Hyunjin was always good in his rap verses. One of their all-rounder songs for me. Last note, y’all heard Felix’s “stay” before the second chorus? I’m— *screech*

Blueprint - To this day, this song is on loop, and I don’t go a day without singing or listening to it. My family likes the song but they’re a little sick of hearing it everyday. It doesn’t matter though, still my favorite song in the album. The mv was just so aesthetically pleasing, like oh my god. This is where the vocalists really shine and the rappers get to still spit fire. This is definitely one of my favorite all-rounder songs. Everything in this song is perfect. I remember when I watched the unveil track and I just looped it for an hour, it was so addicting. When the mv came out, I was so happy, I took so many screenshots of it. Still cry over the beautiful vocals.

TA - After they dropped Blueprint and Easy mv, I was waiting for an mv for this song. We got nothing :) but they made it up with a dance practice instead, enough for me. Totally a song I’d party to, it’s like Miroh’s child. I really love this song, top five in this album for me. My favorite part has gotta be the second verse and the bridge, they executed those parts soooo well! (Still mourning the fact that there was no mv. We could’ve gotten better look at tattooed Chan and sunglasses Minho and well everyone’s look there was so good. We were robbed T.T)

Haven - This song is so good, even my sister likes it (she is not a kpop fan whatsoever). It’s so positive and uplifting, like I get a serotonin boost whenever I hear this song. Minho’s part in the second verse is— *breathe* AMAZING. Chan wrote this for Stays, Haven is basically a safe place. Chan makes me cry a lot just saying. The last part of the song, makes me jump around while shouting “OHHHHHHHH” you know, cause we are wild and free.

TOP - full song review (coming soon)

SLUMP - full song review (coming soon)

Mixtape: Gone Days - full song review (coming soon)

Mixtape: On Track - full song review (coming soon)

Check the songs out! (These are not my videos or music. These are all Stray Kids' music.)

GO生 Full Album on Spotify

GO生 Full Album on YouTube

MVs - God's Menu, Easy, Blueprint, Haven (special video), TOP, Mixtape: Gone Days, Mixtape: On Track

<- back to song praise list

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rapchimble · 5 years

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☔️hey, you☔️

thank you @plusshippingandhandling for all the help and patience <3 pls have my hearts (and love) <3333

this fic has been my Beloved Child of many months, I really hope you like it! That said, I have to warn:

- anxiety is discussed throughout the story. in a later chapter, a character suffers something very similar to an anxiety attack

-a later chapter will feature a character coming out. there’s a lot of feelings associated with identity that are depicted in detail in the writing

Stay safe, friends!!

------

It’s raining outside and Yoongi’s trying not to let the cold seep into his bones. His brother’s voice sounds fuzzy through the rain and the distance. He closes his eyes. It’s his second month in Seoul. Second week with the company. The trainee apartment is so small that he can barely cook anything without setting up the entire room in smoke. It’s also very cold.

“Hold through it, Yoongi-ah, it’ll get better.”

He hasn’t heard from his parents since he got to Seoul, since that train ride with his brother before all the times he learnt that life got difficult.

He can hear Namjoon through the shower. There’s the sound of water gushing through a water pipe and the awful racket the other boy makes when he has a bath. Tupac. Yoongi knows he’ll revert back to Drake before he’s out. It’s always Drake with him.

Yoongi slurps at his coffee, making a noise of agreement before his brother cuts off. It tastes wet and sugarless; he guzzles into its warmth like a kid crawling to his mom. He has a shift at the cafe in the morning. After he’s done with the drink, he’s going to make music. He’ll probably fall asleep in his chair too late at night, but it’s music. He could stay up forever if it was to make music.

Namjoon appears through the bathroom door. Yoongi doesn’t even have to look to know that the whole place must be damp. He never drains the damn water. The room fills to its brim with the smell of his perfume. The tacky kind that gets endorsed with a handful of bikini models going wild for some dude’s biceps.

His roommate of the past week has black hair that reaches past his ear lobes. Whenever he heads off in the dark to go rap, he stuffs all that hair into a baseball cap. Like much of what Namjoon does, it’s a ceremonious effort. He hasn’t dried his hair again and the t-shirt’s already wet at its shoulders.

Yoongi resists the urge to rub the boy’s head against the settee cover, settling to glare at him instead.

Namjoon scowls back at him, looking a bit offended. Yoongi can’t imagine why. More water drips down his back as he marches to the fridge, opening it hastily for the weird chicken breast meals the company promotes. Yoongi prefers not eating as an alternative. Their manager tries to tell him it isn’t healthy, a warning he barely acts upon since weight loss for an idol is something they both know to be more beneficial than dangerous.

The stove stays on for about two minutes before Namjoon starts wolfing down the food. It looks like it’s still cold.

“Hey.” Namjoon looks up from his food, eyes wide. It’s not that they have not talked to each other. When they first met, their greetings were polite, the typical geniality you would expect at a new encounter. Namjoon, hair pulled back from his face with one of those twisted metal headbands; Yoongi, eyes trained at the back of the room, furrowed in his large jacket– people, he hated them so much back them. It took too much energy to speak to someone that wasn’t his brother or the people back at home. It sounded so stupid in his head, but Yoongi felt like he couldn’t ever look a Seoulite in the eye without breaking out in sweat.

He could feel the sweat already, on the back of his neck.

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

Namjoon glanced at their manager. Yoongi dragged his gaze back at floor.

A hand wound itself on each of their shoulders,”I hope you’ll get to know each other very well.”

Maybe they did, Yoongi thinks, watching Namjoon swallow a second bite with his eyes still trained at Yoongi’s face because he doesn’t want to seem disrespectful. He knows Namjoon’s schedules by heart, knows what shows he likes to catch up on his phone in the morning. But all of this he’s gathered by sight and sight alone. You see, they both aren’t very social people. Namjoon is friendly enough when he has to be, but they both prefer silence, finding conversation quite taxing, if Yoongi’s observations are correct. This should all be fine. It’s exactly what Yoongi had wished for– a roommate who wouldn’t make him talk. It should have all worked out perfectly, if it hadn’t been for the awkwardness.

The silence is nice when they both have things to get done. But at times like this? It’s like they’re stuck at a stalemate.

“You forgot to dry your hair.”

Namjoon munches at a second piece. “I don't dry my hair much.”

He goes back to his food with a smile. Yoongi doesn’t let himself get distracted by the dimples, he’s so baffled.

“What do you mean you don't dry your hair much?”

“Air drying, better than the fibre in the towels I’ve read.” Namjoon’s voice is half the loud munching sound he’s making as he devours his cold,alarmingly pale looking meal. Yoongi can't tell if he’s serious.

“You know that isn’t good for you.” He has no idea why he’s letting himself get so worked up over this. “You could get sick.”

“I don’t get sick quickly. Chill hyung.”

“Yah, there’s no point risking it.”

Namjoon stops munching at his food, choosing to look Yoongi in the eye. “What do you want to do, dry it yourself?”

His blood rushes at his cheeks, Yoongi’s too embarrassed to want to look away.

“Just grab a towel and get done with it you stupid brat!”

“What if I didn’t want to, huh? What are you gonna do?”

“I’m going to shove you head up your ass that’s what I’m going to do.”

“Why dry it if it’ll dry by itself anyway?” Namjoon’s voice reaches this pitchy whine. Yoongi is secretly satisfied about how he’s maintained his deadpan monotone.

“Why live if you’re going to die anyway?”

That seems to do it, because Namjoon huffs at him, leaving his chopsticks in his bowl as he grabs his towel from where it’s drying by the window. Yoongi smirks internally. He hasn’t said anything particularly revolutionary but he’s managed to stun Namjoon into action. Sometimes stupidity is a full stop, one that he uses shamelessly to break away from things that make him uncomfortable.

“You’re so weird hyung.”

“Oh, I know.”

Yoongi takes a bite of Namjoon’s chicken breast. A nibble, because he knows that it’s all the other boy is going to eat to last him through the day. Rubbing his hands against the wood of the table, Yoongi waits for Namjoon to be back out. It’s cold and Seoul is the crappiest substitute for Daegu’s quiet, but he feels a bit content. He’s going to put on his gloves and listen to Epik High on the way to the studio.

Hoseok peers at him from where he’s perched on the arm of their work chairs. He doesn’t look uncomfortable, even though he’s been there for more than an hour. Probably got something to do with all the dancing.

“So you write your raps after you’ve done the beat, or during?”

Yoongi’s eyes sting from how long he’s been staring at the screen. He rubs at his face with his palms. “I can’t say so clearly. It’s a bit muddy. I write on my notebook whenever I’m inspired and work on music whenever I can. It’s starts separate but then I try to incorporate the two together as much as I can. Turn the words into lyrics when I can find a beat to place them in. It’s not the most stable method, but it’s what works best for me.”

He’s saying too much and Hoseok is looking a bit disjointed from the conversation. He had just joined the company a week before and the boss was already on him, telling him to learn from Yoongi, learn to rap and produce like it’s something you can learn overnight. If he had the energy to, Yoongi would feel bad for him.

“That sounds really good Hyung, how long have you been producing?”

“Since I was thirteen years old.”

“Wow that's so young. Are you related to a someone in the business?”

“No way,” Yoongi declared. “I've been wanting to make music forever. Started working part-time at a radio station when I was thirteen, stayed long enough to understand the basics. After that, it was all me just tinkering with things till I got it right.”

Hoseok widens his eyes. The lines of his face look like they've been carved with a knitting needle, sharp, clean. It makes his expressions stand out, his surprise as loud as his happiness. Yoongi tries not to preen at the praise, but there's a tell-tale double beat to his heart. Praise had been rare, growing up with parents who'd wanted him to study and grow to become an office worker. It was an anomaly at the station, where it was hard enough trying to peek at the tricks to music production without seeming too pesky.

Coming to Seoul, crammed into a seat by the window with his fingers curled by his knees, his brother’s snores running a cold caress on the hair of his neck, he felt angry. Furious. He wanted to wage war with the universe for reasons that seemed well beyond rational thought. The questions he clung to felt too childish to be said out loud. Why was he always the one with the short end of the stick? Why was he always an inch above drowning, always amidst a chain of events that threatened him to move or lose what he had worked for?

The agitation announced his presence, wordless but terribly loud, like a threadbare shirt that barely needed to speak a word to rouse attention. He was lived tired, with dark circles badgering at his eyes, exhausted in everything he did. The worst part of it all was that he was the only one of his kind. Other people his age all seemed to belong to a different breed of human, the kind that walked with ease. It painted the world in monochrome, the blacks and whites distinguish because there was no telling which side you were on.

It terrified him, how obvious he was about his own feelings. The way he melted when someone held his hand or told him he did well. The way his heart hitched a bit, like an internal gasp, when he caught a producer smiling at his work. Hoseok says, “Wow, I’m impressed,” but the words come out to be “you’ve made it, you’ve come far enough to be impressive.”

Because the compliment is crystal honey stuck to the very bottom of the can. He pushes and pushes until the crystals grows molten, wet on his tongue, honey to his scars.

It’s an odd feeling, a self pride that feels misplaced. Because he’s here, and he’s yet not done enough for here to be valid. Enough for his parents, for himself.

Yoongi’s fingers are confident on the keyboard, his gaze barely leaving the screen, body adept at the language of his nights. He is barely receptive to the little edits, the scale shifts. Like an extension of himself, a part of himself he can furrow into, absolutely sure that he will find his way through, music is warm. In the cold of Seoul nights, Yoongi makes his home in music.

Hoseok sits across him, leaning into the flow of love Yoongi takes care to teach with an excitement that borders on hastiness. The new haircut has his bangs all over his eyes and he’s still too nervous to actually be of use to Hoseok, but Yoongi has hope, and with hope Yoongi tries.

#fanfiction #namgi #namgi fanfiction #bts fanfiction #my writing

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therappundit · 6 years

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November 2018 -*PlayLi$t of the Month*

The underground sound ain’t playin’ around in 2018.

Over the last few weeks, The Alchemist has received even heavier play than usual through these headphones of mine (I just got the wireless buds from my in-laws, I think I dig them!). That’s thanks in no small part to his fantastic recent contributions to Westside Gunn, Schoolboy Q, Curren$y and Freddie Gibbs. October closed with a powerful flurry of new rap releases, both of the underground and mainstream variety, so I am here to share my favorites on this especially stuffed edition of my PlayLi$t of the Month...

1. “Echo” - Swizz Beatz feat. Nas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMINMawUzow

(Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: this song is *vastly* superior to anything on that ill fated Nasir album with Kanye West. Whatever Swizz whispered to Nas to get him to snap back into Nasty mode, it should stand as further proof that the Ruff Ryder maestro’s status as a cultivator of hits is hall of fame worthy. Hearing the Queensbridge legend spit bars about old New York City life, watching karate films at dirty Time Square movie theaters, watching flashy cars drive up and down Steinway Street in Queens - there’s just no one better than Nasty Nas when he’s off to the races on a wave of nostalgia, thanks to his high attention to detail. DJ Scratch deserves just as much recognition for this sweet soulful back-drop, one of two strong Scratch showings in heavy rotation this month. “Echo” might be one of my favorite rap songs of the year, this is classic Nas.)

2. “'The Blow” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA4dPwtthZU

(Yeah we gotta talk about this FETTI project. The chemistry between Spitta, Gibbs and The Alchemist is off the charts, and that much has been clear since Covert Coup’s “Scottie Pippen” first rattled through speakers back in 2011. So needless to say, this FETTI album bangs top to bottom. My favorite cut off the album might not even be my favorite cut by this time next week, because the whole tape is staying in rotation for the foreseeable future.)

3. “Fork In The Pot” - The Alchemist feat. Conway, Westside Gunn & Schoolboy Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMgi0bSB0Q

(More Uncle Al, you say? What the hell, why not!? Before FETTI dropped on Halloween, this was the stand-out Alchemist leak for the month. The eagerly awaited B-Side to last month’s “94 Ghost Sh*t” A-Side that was teased on IG some time ago, “Fork In The Pot” is another incredible contribution to the growing ALC & Griselda canon, helped by a dope verse by Schoolboy Q that is sure to build hype for his upcoming album. Will it drop in 2018? All speculation at this point, but I say YES.)

4. “Saturday Night Special” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sv1psKaIgU

(More than any other track on FETTI, this one feels like classic Alchemist. A smokey loop like this one does indeed paint the perfect image of slowly cruising through the neighborhood on a late Saturday night, perhaps with a Saturday night special somewhere in the vehicle...or so I imagine - I myself have never lived that life, but the music is vivid, and the mood set by The Alchemist is palpable. What a great example of how the best producers don’t just make beats, they paint audio portraits. And like the lyrics themselves, the instrumental is, well, instrumental in telling the story.)

5. “N***as In Puerto Rico” - Westside Gunn feat. Lord Flee & Benny

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niggas-in-puerto-rico-feat-lord-flee-benny?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Folks, I really didn’t plan this, Alchemist is just that damn good! My favorite song off of Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes 6 - wow, I can’t believe he’s up to 6 now - shows exactly what happens when these lyrical barbarians from Buffalo lock themselves down with The Alchemist in Puerto Rico for a while. Look out for the beat switch-up, as both instrumentals suit this gathering of MCs particularly well, making me that much more excited about what Al may have cooked up for Benny’s upcoming Tana Talk 3 album.)

6. “Something Dirty/Pic Got Us” - Swizz Beatz feat. Jadakiss, Styles P. & Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/levels/swizz-beatz-something-dirty-pic-got-us-new-song-listen/

(While it might not pack the level of punch that fans hoped it would when Swizz first teased it live on stage a few months back - or even have an actual verse from Kendrick - Jadakiss & Styles P’s appearance on Mr. Beatz’ new Poison compilation remains one of the tape’s finer moments. Hearing Jada & SP pass the mic back and forth never seems to get old, plus this AraabMUZIK beat is still absolutely bonkers.)

7. “Willie Lloyd” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-7h0Dkz6b0

(It has felt like too long since I have shouted out an Alchemist joint, am I right? "Willie Lloyd’s” ominous instrumental makes for the ideal palette to have Gangsta Gibbs flex over, and flex he does, making it one of many stand-out verses on FETTI.)

8. “John Bena” - Westside Gunn feat. Lil Eto

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/john-bena-feat-lil-eto?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Yikes, this beat is pure menace music! And who produced it? None other than The Alchemist’s mentor, DJ Muggs, who has had quite an impressive year in his own right. Let the record show that both Westside Gunn and Eto do their thing on “John Bena”, which is no easy feat considering how overwhelming this instrumental could potentially be to weaker MCs. Furthermore, I feel like it needs to be said at this point that Westside Gunn is a VERY dope MC with his own style, traits that are not easy to come by in today’s biz. He raps his ass off on HWH6, so don’t think for a minute that WSG is carried by beats, he is not a replaceable presence on any track. So go cop that HWH6.)

9. “Location Remote” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAawyYs0uk

(A tape like FETTI warrants a cool, but eerie, intro track...and this fits the bill perfectly. I love the whole project, but I love this specific song more and more whenever I hear it. “Call the chiropractor” indeed, Mr. Gibbs - this joint is heavy.)

10. “Flipmode Squad Meets The Conglomerate” - Busta Rhymes feat. The Flipmode Squad & The Conglomerate

https://www.vibe.com/2018/10/busta-rhymes-flipmode-conglomerate-reunion-single/

(Remember when I mentioned DJ Scratch earlier? Well this massive posse cut is part of this month’s 1-2 punch of Scratch production, lucky us! Here he channels classic Busta vibes for not just one, but two of Busta’s rhyme crews to slap around for a bit. What I really like about this song is that they all sound like they’re having fun here, which is not as common as I would like it to be in today’s posse cut starved rap market. Hopefully this means DJ Scratch will make his presence felt on that upcoming Busta album!)

*Bonus - Honorable Mention [extended edition]*

“Niagara Cafe” - Westside Gunn

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niagara-cafe?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

“Tapatio” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHxFVZfAC0

“Grim Seasons - Homeboy Sandman & Edan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umff7Hael9k

“Skeleton Piñata” - HAZE & SPNDA feat. Puffy

https://dutchmastered.bandcamp.com/track/skeleton-pi-ata-feat-puffy

“Militant Exercise” - Knowledge The Pirate feat. Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlyUJ7Oyb8

“REDBLUE” - Rapsody feat. J.I.D

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/jid-and-rapsody-face-the-conundrum-of-choosing-up-on-redblue-new-song.1981003.html

“Hooters” - Tee Grizzley

https://soundcloud.com/tee-grizzley/hooters

“Money” - Cardi B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj2cK8wymIA

“Man Law” - Masta Ace feat. Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RFSInEKvE

“Say Na” - Moneybagg Yo feat. J. Cole

https://soundcloud.com/moneybagg-yo/say-na-feat-j-cole?in=moneybagg-yo/sets/reset-46

“Feels Like Summer” - Vince Staples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc6hdQEm_h4

“Lottery Games” - Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVmZX5Y6-mw

“Don’t Come Out The House” - Metro Boomin feat. 21 Savage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPOzqeHynZw

“Roses” - Rapper Big Pooh feat. Ab Liva

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54GnYccxgHM

“Last Memory” - Takeoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyVVOcpKpHA

“Picasso’s Ear” - Action Bronson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFwOE4DTmA

Have a Happy & healthy Thanksgiving weekend with friends and/or family, all...🙏

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/179287574271/october-2018-playli-t-of-the-month

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renegadesrpg · 3 years

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Paladin, Part 10. A Night At Ra’s. Viohlence and Ra

Ra:

+No, #Stephen I did NOT want those songs played. As a matter of fact, I specifically told you not to play them. This bar is to provide comfort and a relaxing environment. It is NOT a place to try out piano versions of Kanye's greatest hits.+

Frustration wells deep within me. I get tired of telling people the same thing 12 times and still looking like the bad guy. The one thing from my parents that still resonates with me is, "Listen the first time and life's easier." Other than that they never taught me anything worth holding on to.

I stand at the bar and take a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth followed by a deep drink of my favorite beverage, Henny. Ahhh better. Frustration gone, for now.

I look around seeing many familiar faces and a few new ones. One just walking through the door has my attention. He's extremely tall, well built, handsome, and has a look that could easily mean he's trouble. I should say hello, see if I can tell whether he IS trouble or not. Damn TatorTot for opening my eyes too much. I chuckle as I head to welcome my new guest.

+Hello, welcome to my bar. I'm Ra and you are?+

Vioh:

After I had ventured out in the city, the other night, wandering the streets of Charleston finding this amazing little antique book store where I found too many books I really didn’t need but had to have I’d gone to dinner at a quaint italian place. The food had been marvelous and the chef who was also the owner was just as amazing as her food tasted. We had spent about 5 minutes talking as she was on a short break and in that short time we managed to talk about both books and music. It was she who recommended this piano bar that I was currently standing just inside the door of. It was well preserved, the feel was old and 1900 feel but with a modern twist, cozy and relaxing yet welcoming and not cramped. As my eyes scanned the bar and stage setup further in I shrugged out of my jacket and tried to locate a table to sit. It looked as if I was in time for the next number to start their act. In the inner pocket of my jacket I had a good book that could keep me company if the music and drink itself didn’t do the trick. I turned as a dark honey covered male voice sounded next to me. “Well, hello, I would be Vio. A very nice place you have here.” Interesting. I felt a small warning in the back of my head, at this males precens, he was tall, taller than me with dark hair and eyes. He didn’t look upset or anything but did he personally welcome everyone who walked through the door. But I pushed the thought aside, for now and with a smile I held out my hand.

Ra:

I smile and shake his hand. The male knows how to shake hands, that's good. Sick of the aristocrats and their dainty, AKA wimpy, handshakes.

+Pleasure to make your acquaintance Vio. I apologize that my hostess is not here to welcome you. Her car is having issues but she'll be here soon. Until then I will be your host. Do you have a preference where you want to sit? Booth by the stage, window, barstool? Right now we have openings everywhere.+

Why I'm yammering so much, I don't know. Apparently it's one of those days, well nights, when I'm off kilter. Plus, I don't want this male thinking I am wary of his presence. So far, he seems fine. His eyes are scanning though as if looking for trouble. Gods I hope none visit here tonight. I could use a night without drama.

+Oh, our piano player for tonight is #Stephen and he is allowed to take requests as well as tips should you feel so inclined. Now where can I seat you?+

Vioh:

“Oh that’s no problem. I’m in no hurry. It is a very friendly place you have here.” I say with a smile and a nod to the man before me. I scan the large club checking out the different seating areas and contemplate where I want to sit depending on how well this Stephen plays and what request he gets will depend on how focused on the music I will be. After a few seconds I find the perfect spot with a set of booths that are facing the room, the stage and the bar. “Oh, I would love one of the booths over there if hogging one on my own isn’t an issue of course. What type of music does Stephan play? What’s his genre?” I ask as we start walking.

Ra:

+As I said, sit anywhere you please, sire. These booths will provide you some privacy from the worst of the noise without compromising your enjoyment of the music. #Stephen plays a variety of music but we try to keep it soothing so this place stays a relaxing environment for guests. (chuckling) He does get experimental on occasion but has been warned to skip the piano versions of his rap favorites. If anything isn't pleasing just let me know. If you would like I can get your first drink order started and #Maran will bring it over. You will also find a menu with tonight's food selections. We don't tend to do full meals like you would find in a restaurant but have marvelous finger foods and would be happy to suggest some of you'd like.+

I find myself relaxing around this male the more I talk. Good because that tells me all will be well. I find myself actually enjoying playing host too. I smile as the male, Vio, sits in the booth and places a book on the table.

+May I get you a drink now or would you prefer to relax and enjoy your book for a bit first?+

Vio: I laugh lightly as Ra explains his idea of Stephen’s musical skills “Now that is something I’ve honestly never heard. Piano rap, but I will remember not to suggest anything in that category. I would not want to get him in any trouble.” Sliding into the booth I have a seat in the middle of the seat. I place my jacket next to me and my book, The Innocent Man by John Grisham, on the table.

“Hmmm, no I’d love a drink, a caprina and some water please. Also, I wouldn’t mind some finger foods any of your suggestions. I just realized I’m quite hungry and wouldn’t mind some finger foods. “What do you suggest? Depending on the size of the dishes I’d like 2 or 3 different kinds.”

Ra:

+Well, I will just add that I have heard his versions and Kanye hits do not mesh well with a relaxing atmosphere.+

I laugh remembering my earlier discussion with #Stephen after hearing him play it.

+We have a variety of appetizers from simple to "fancy". I've found some prefer crackers and dips to lamb skewers. However, if you would honor me with some trust I will bring you a few of my favorites.+

As I wait for your answer I notice your book's title as it sits on the table.

+Have you read that book before? I do enjoy a good thriller but have not read that one.+

Vio: This guy was funny and charming, just like hosts or maybe more as the manager he was. He obviously liked what he did and wanted his customers as well as his employees to enjoy themselves. Within reason of course. “Well, since I know where you work I will trust you upon this important task of bringing me excellent foods to eat while enjoying the music and my reading material for the evening.” I say with a smile and a wink making sure he understands I was just trying to keep the same light atmosphere as he was doing. I look down on my book, patting the cover lovingly like I would a beloved pet. “Mmm, I’ve read this one before. I love reading great books over and over again. It is based on a true story and if you want something to read that will make you mad, make you sad and want to punch someone’s face in then this is the book for you.”

Ra:

+Well, that does sound like an exciting mixture. I'll have to read it.+

I take a notepad and write a few things down that Vio might like to eat and hand it off to #Cas as she passes by.

+#Cas will be your waitress tonight so once the fold is ready she'll bring it to you. I ordered you some lamb kabobs with a honey mint yogurt dipping sauce, a full smoked salmon with crackers, and some steak and bleu cheese bruschetta with onion and roasted tomato jam. I'll leave you to your entertainment but should you need me for anything just tell #Cas.+

I hope he calls me at some point. I'm intrigued and he seems like a male who can hold a conversation which is a rarity around here.

Vio: My mouth watered at all the food he mentioned “That all sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try them all.” I petted my stomach with my hand. I had to really think about it to not lick my mouth at the thought of all the good food. It had been a great idea to go out and visit the piano bar. The music started to play and Stephan had obviously listened to what Ra told him because the music that he chose was classic New Orleans jazz rather than rap. “If this is just as big a hit as it sounds you’ll have to come help me choose dessert if you have that on the menu too. And it sounds like Stephen took your advice too.” I couldn’t help teasing nodding towards the stage.

Ra:

+Oh the food will make you feel very good, the chef is fantastic. I was very lucky to find him. I'm glad #Stephen took my musical advice. Otherwise he'd have had to find a new line of employment. +

I chuckle because #Stephen flatout panicked when I told him he'd be out if he didn't follow my directions. I want to get to know this male more. There's something intriguing about him that makes me want to stay here and talk to him.

+Have you been in Charleston long Vio? I tend to know a good amount of the aristocrats that hang around these parts but haven't seen you or anyone who resembles you until tonight. Any family here?+

Vio:

It was bound to happen, meeting another one of my race here in Charleston. Ra was one it was easy to feel and him knowing other aristocrats proved he came from status or money, most likely both. I tried to not stiffen up or lose face but I really didn't have a huge desire to talk about my family. I didn't even want anyone to know about the symphath side and I was pretty sure if Ra was who I thought he was, he'd know the symphath king and the princess, my parents.

"No, no family or friends. I'm from the New York area" that was close enough to the truth "I just wanted out of the big city and some place more quaint, charming and with a home feel you know. And Charleston is the equivalent of home and charming." I smiled "How long have you had this club? Did you start it yourself or is it a family business?" Steering the conversation away from myself to him. It was safer to talk about Ra than me, scribe, knew how he'd react 5o the fact that I was almost fully symphath. I was good at hiding that side of me since I did so most of my life but I didn't need anyone to poke around in my past.

Ra:

+I've had this place for several years now, moved from the New York area myself. It was something my late sister would've enjoyed thoroughly. She was the inspiration behind it, you could say. She was my only true family. Those who gave me life haven't been in my life since she went unto the Fade. My family's business was never truly mine and I do not miss the arrogance of their kind.+

I shudder slightly thinking of my sweet sister. I miss her every day. Then I smirk thinking of Twila and what she'd say about it all. I lean a little closer so not to have to speak as loud.

+I think we are on the same wavelength when it comes to our thoughts on the aristocracy. I must bite

my tongue at times, for my business' sake, but my friend said it best, "The aristoscats are dirtier and smellier than anything out there. We'd be doing the race a favor by knocking them down a few pegs plus the air would smell better." I may have been born among them but I was never really one of them. If that makes sense.+

Vio: It surprised me how open and forthcoming Ra was, I was a complete stranger after all. Also, life had taught me the hard way that people of my race, well part of my race, were not to be trusted.

I didn't have a lot left over for any of them, aristocrats or other, symphaths less than any of them. The only good thing being a symphath gave me was that I could live in daylight unlike pure vampires. I could walk among humans and they were none the wiser and that's how I liked it. After the catastrophic meeting with my father I just gave up on ever belonging. The only truly fine person I like among my own race was Sihla, my nanny, my true mother,who passed less than a year ago.

"Yes, … well" it made me a bit uncomfortable that Ra knew I was like him but it was inevitable for me to hide it. At least I could hid my sympath side. "I don't have much experience of them but what I do know…. Well, I'm not a huge fan." Clearing my voice I said gently "I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Was she ill?" I frowned "I'm sorry for my manners. Would you like to have a seat? We could share the food if you are hungry."

Ra:

I smile and sit. I realize I may have said too much. The look he shot me was uncomfortable.

+I'm sorry if I made you upset or anything. I just lived many years, too many, being someone I wasn't and keeping my mouth shut. I grew tired of doing it so I stopped but I realize not everyone feels the same. So I apologize if I offended you. I would love to enjoy some of the food with you. It's been a long time since I tasted any of it.+

I chuckle as I am really bad about eating enough and should, at least, eat here to ensure quality is maintained.

+Lily, that's my sister, passed away during her transition. My family acted as if it was just another day and all was well because the male child was still breathing. They did not recognize the precious gem she was and that was when I started speaking up. When I left my Sire's home and business and moved here.

Oh here's the food. I hope you enjoy.+

Vio: It was weird, yet not really, how my insides didn't twist and turn as he told me about his sister. The pain my own parents inflicted in me both emotionally and the princess also physically had me numbed off. I did know how to play the part though. I had learned while growing up as a teenager yet learned, when I finally been free from the princess and moved into the real world.

"It's alright." I smiled knowing it would warm up my features making me look younger and sweet. "You have not offended me at all. I merely have my own not so pleasant interaction with our … our race." I sure didn't even though I'd mastered to play the part and hide my symphath side from my mahmen so I knew Ra wouldn't notice that part. Sitka had told me many times it had been obvious early that I was sk much stronger than any symphath alive since not even my own mahmen could see my strength and that I could without training g hide it so well from her, spire the torture she bestode upon me.

"Oh, yum, this looks and smells amazing." It really did and I couldn't wait to dig in. "It really is true that fondness goes through one's stomach." I chuckle picking out a few things to put on my plate.

Ra:

Laughing as I put a few morsels on my plate as well as have my glass of Henny refilled, I take a moment to look at my place from a customer's standpoint.

+Humans did get that right when they said that. I have yet to find anyone that doesn't relax with a good meal. So, have you visited any of the city's attractions yet? Like the beaches or City Market?

Vio: For a few moments i simply enjoy the food humming as all the tastes explodes in my mouth. "Oh my God this is divine!" I put the rest of the morsel in my mouth having to strain myself to just not shove another piece into my mouth like a vulture.

"My compliments to the chef and of course to the owner with the good taste of employ one of the best." Taking another bite of morsel. "How you don't eat this every night and weigh 500 pounds is beyond me" I bite into my food giving Ra a playful smile.

"Just a little. I walked around town for a bit the other night before I went out to dinner. I found this antique bookstore… it was love at first sight." I say chuckling. "But I have yet to explore more. So, how long have you lived in Charleston?"

Ra:

I have very little willpower when it comes to my chef's food so I eat before I come and occasionally sit on my hands to avoid eating it all before the customers.

+I chuckle+

I will relay your compliment to him. He was a rare find and I thank the stars nightly he chose to work here. I've lived here for over 10 years now, lost true count actually. I came from Caldwell originally and am grateful every day that I did. I love it here.

City Market is a must check out. It's so vast and has an array of handmade goods from furniture to food to knick knacks. They aren't open super late but still a great place to get lost in for a few hours. There are walking tours of various food places and historic sites. Even architecture tours if that's your scene. And any time you would like company I'd be more than happy to be a tour guide. I could use time away from here.

+I smile warmly not wanting to be pushy but wanting him to know I offer friendship since I know how being new in town can be.+

You mentioned an antique book store. Was that CeCe's place by any chance? Her shop is phenomenal!

Vio: It was nice, sitting there listening to Ra telling me all about Charleston. He offered his opinion and information so easily. There didn't seem to be any doubt or question that I was to be trusted. He didn't know me but was giving me the benefit of a doubt. It was a really nice experience but I couldn't help wondering if he would offer it as easily if he knew I was a symphath, especially if he knew who my mother was.

"That all sounds fantastic, especially the food market. I don't know if you noticed but I love good and different kinds of foods." Finishing my bite I lean back taking a sip of my drink as I study him. I was going to meet the male half way and give him the same benefit of a doubt as he was giving me. "A tour guide would be awesome so I can get some help exploring all those little gems." I chuckle "Yes! Yes! I believe it was CeCe's and I might have bought half the shop in one visit." I wink.

Ra:

+I smile realizing he was honoring me with trust. Trust isn't easy to give but TatorTot has been a good influence on me. She's taught me how to spot trustworthy people and how to spot the ones to avoid altogether. Vio can be trusted.+

I'm honored you will allow me to show you around. As for CeCe's, she is a doll and I have bought a ton of books there myself. She's gotten very good at restocking.

+I laugh before taking a sip of my Henny.+

"Excuse me Sire, but there's a disturbance out back needing your attention."

Thank you #Cas. Please get Vio anything else he requires, on the house.

+I stand and turn to you bowing slightly.+

I apologize for cutting our visit short. Enjoy the rest of your night with us. Here is my card, please call me anytime you like.

Vio: "You go do your thing. It was really nice meeting you Ra. I don't know a lot of people here yet, so thank you for keeping me company." I waved Ra off, taking his card and putting his information in my phone. Scrolling through it I saw the number for Rehnegade. I'd gotten it from a connection in Caldwell but I had yet to use it. I still wasn't sure I wanted to.

#TBC

#Paladin #ANightatRas #Renegades #RRPG #BDB #AU #Wolven #Witches #Vampires #Angels #Reapers #Ghosts

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the-mighty-glow-cloud · 3 years

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Music Taste Tag Game!♡ Tagged by @yesiamanerd hell yeah hell yeah

rules: we’re snooping in your playlist. put your entire music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs and then choose up to 10 victims.

1) No Light, No Light - Florence + The Machine

MY BELOVED, i don't listen to florence a whole lot but i've been absolutely obsessed with this song for YEARS, the Big Note™ continues to give me chills every single time

2) Party Poison - My Chemical Romance

holy shit this whole album is so good, i can't believe it's been over ten years since it came out

3) Stand by your Gun - George Ezra

i don't really listen to this particular song that much but i really love Wanted on Voyage-era George Ezra, Angry Hill and Did You Hear the Rain have been up there in my favorite songs for a hot minute

4) Four Loko - LIL PHAG

listen i like my dumb gay rap ok

5) Black Mirror - Arcade Fire

holy SHIT this is a throwback, i think this was the very first arcade fire song i ever heard? i was probably 12 or 13 when i found them randomly on itunes (back when people still used itunes??) i remember seeing the neon bible album cover in the recommended albums while i was looking for something else, i thought it looked cool so i checked it out and immediately entered a years-long obsession with them lmao, i definitely had a stretch where i was one of Those Kids who thought i was so cool for listening to music my friends hadn't heard of (even though i'm pretty sure arcade fire was pretty popular by that point lol, i was in middle school though so i was insufferable)

6) Swingin Party - Lorde

lorde bestie i'm BEGGING you to release new music, pure heroine is one of my favorite albums but please bless us with more (if this had been ribs instead i would not have finished this post bc that song instantly makes me Yearn)

7) Ayesha - cupcakKe

what a whiplash from swingin party lol, i unironically love cupcakKe tho. i feel like she gets slept on a lot because of how over the top a lot of her songs are but like she SLAPS as long as you're fine with how raunchy her lyrics can be

8) Warrior - Kesha

ahhhhh i love dollar sign-era kesha so much, her new music is fantastic and i love it so much but her glitter era is UNMATCHED, animal/cannibal and warrior are s-tier albums and i can not be convinced otherwise. i go absolutely buck wild when this song comes on while i'm driving, it's just so GOOD (with a healthy dose of nostalgia, my main friend group in high school was completely obsessed with her)

9) A Haunted House - Jon Bellion

JON BELLION MY BELOVED!!! his older music (pre-Human Condition) gives me so many Feelings™, i've actually thought before about getting a tattoo of the little guy from the Definition album cover. i would kill for new music from him, Glory Sound Prep wasn't even three years ago but it already feels like an eternity. he was also actually the last concert i went to (back in 2017, yeesh) and i still think about that show all the time! i still wear the shirt i got from it, so many good memories from that (my friends drove up from georgia to get me and we went like halfway across the state to the concert, we got back at like 3 in the morning and i had morning practice at 6 but it was SO worth it)

10) Don't Panic - Years & Years

hhhhhhhhhhh i love all of Palo Santo so much, i didn't know it was coming out until the day it dropped and i only found out because spotify told me at like 5:30 am on the way to a swim meet, so i listened to most of the album for the first time in a half-asleep daze lmao. SUCH a good album though, i'm super excited for new y&y this summer

hmmm let's see, i only have a few people on here who i interact with regularly but i'll tag @thealphashadows and @xylo-phone! this was actually v fun and i feel very exposed for how all over the place my music tastes are lmao

#yesiamanerd #music #tag games #very surprised there was no sleigh bells or coleman hell on here #also that shum didn't make it given that i listen to it all the time lmao

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cutsliceddiced · 5 years

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New top story from Time: The 10 Best Songs of 2019

2019 was a year of upheaval in the pop music world, with new voices rising to the fore through unexpected pathways. Lizzo’s career was jolted forward by a Netflix trailer; Lil Nas X rode TikTok and Twitter to the top of the charts. Stars emerged out of Brooklyn (Pop Smoke), Spain (Rosalía) and Nigeria (Burna Boy), expertly wielding social media and huge streaming numbers to captivate audiences across the world.

And as new voices claimed the spotlight, some of pop’s biggest names, from Charli XCX to Dua Lipa, continued to put out irresistible, vital earworms, as well. Here are TIME’s best songs of 2019.

10. “Crowded Table,” The Highwomen

The fact that The Highwomen even exists is impressive. The new supergroup brings together four of country music’s most prolific women: Maren Morris, a country-pop star with powerful vocals and mainstream hits like “The Middle”; Brandi Carlile, the Grammy-recognized folk artist whose work is marked by wry brilliance; Amanda Shires, a notable fiddler and country mainstay; and Natalie Hemby, the heavy-hitting songwriter who’s been the secret weapon for artists like Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert and Lady Gaga on A Star Is Born. That all four found the time to make an album together speaks to their commitment to claiming space for women’s voices in a historically patriarchal industry. And that their music—as exemplified by the beautiful ballad “Crowded Table”—weaves in political statements only adds a layer of richness. “I want a house with a crowded table,” they insist, “and a place by the fire for everyone / Let us take on the world while we’re young and able, and bring us back together when the day is done.” The line works as a mission statement for these four distinct artists: make great music and complicate our definitions of womanhood, motherhood and femininity in the process. They make that statement over an unabashedly pretty melody, going in and out of duets and harmonies with seamless, generous sweetness. (Bruner)

9. “Simmer,” Mahalia ft. Burna Boy

Ever since going viral for a Colors Studios performance in 2017, the British singer Mahalia has enjoyed a steady rise, scoring hits including “I Wish I Missed My Ex” and the Ella Mai-assisted “What You Did.” On “Simmer,” she repurposes the burbling bassline of the 1997 dancehall classic “Who Am I” by Beenie Man, using it to anchor a love story in which a relationship verges on boiling over. A sultry and irrepressible appearance from the Nigerian singer Burna Boy, one of the year’s breakout stars, turns the song from a B-side into a global summer anthem. (Chow)

8. “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” Caroline Polachek

Caroline Polachek has long worked on the fringes of the mainstream pop world: she fronted the indie pop band Chairlift for a decade and racked up songwriting credits for Beyoncé, Solange, Charli XCX and Travis Scott. But she takes center stage on this year’s Pang, her major label debut album with Sony. The best of the bunch is “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” a cheekily named song propelled by handclaps and strutting muted guitars. But while the song sounds readymade for a night out, it drips with lovesick anxiety: “I cry on the dancefloor, it’s so embarrassing,” Polachek confesses. The music video—in which she skips and spins in cowboy boots across a barren, hellish landscape—perfectly reflects the song’s paradoxically carefree potency. (Chow)

7. “Too Much,” Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen has built a cult following on the power of her brand of pure, heart-on-your-sleeve pop. (Her widely-praised third album was even nakedly called Emotion.) “Too Much” synthesizes everything that makes the Canadian artist, best known for her 2012 earworm “Call Me Maybe,” beloved. It’s got relatable, on-the-nose lyrics; a commitment to catchy, sweet melodies; all sung with Jepsen’s intimately breathy vocals. Most of all, “Too Much” feels intensely honest. “When I feel it, then I feel it too much / I’ll do anything to get the rush,” she sings, then turns it around: “Is this too much?” Her ability to swing from wild joy to insecurity—all over a shimmering dance tune that’s as infectious as anything she’s produced—is a triumph. (Bruner)

6. “Crime Pays,” Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

Bandana, the widely acclaimed album from rapper Freddie Gibbs and producer Madlib, was forged in trying circumstances: Gibbs says he wrote most of the record in an Austrian jail while awaiting his eventual acquittal from sexual assault charges. Given this initial disconnect between the pair, it’s astonishing how perfectly Gibbs’ gravelly rhymes coalesce with Madlib’s sun-bleached soul production. “Crime Pays,” in particular, perfectly toes the line between their aesthetic sensibilities: Madlib unearths a pristine sample from jazz fusion artist Walt Barr that conjures both nostalgia and unlimited possibility, while Gibbs confronts the darker realities of chasing the American dream: “Diamonds in my chain, yeah, I slang but I’m still a slave / Twisted in the system, just a number listed on the page.” (Chow)

5. “Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa

On her 2017 debut album, Britain’s Dua Lipa established herself as a honey-voiced rising star of mainstream pop. On “Don’t Start Now,” the debut single off her sophomore project, she proves she has something to add to the conversation. And that something is a propulsive, infectious disco sensibility. Made with juicy synths, bubbly percussion and bouncy vocal twists, it’s a tune that celebrates independence and promises joy in the process. Lipa made her name on the cheeky breakup empowerment hit “New Rules”; “Don’t Start Now” follows in that breezy, forward-thinking tradition. “Though it took some time to survive you,” she sings, “I’m better on the other side.” It’s the sound of a new pop era. (Bruner)

4. “Juice,” Lizzo

Lizzo’s “Juice” is a funk-soul self-love dance anthem built to inspire confidence. That’s no fluke; her long-gestating career as a singer, songwriter and flutist has taken off this year thanks to her commitment to the goal of making listeners find assurance in her feel-good, fun-loving lyrics and danceable beats. She kicks things off by turning a fairy tale trope into an affirmation: “Mirror, mirror on the wall, don’t say it, ’cause I know I’m cute,” and ends the song with a bold giggle. With a retro-sounding melody that resonates across generational tastes, the song has already become a dancefloor mainstay. “Juice” sounds like it was perfected in a test kitchen, equal parts joy, cheeky lyricism and timeless appeal. (Bruner)

3. “Welcome to the Party,” Pop Smoke

While mainstream rap is still dominated by trap—the crawling subgenre from Atlanta—artists have also been looking north and taking elements from drill, Chicago’s much faster and frenetic style. “Welcome to the Party,” which was inescapable in Brooklyn this summer and fall, manically races forward, with the 20-year-old rapper’s syllables spilling out in terrifying, clipped bursts. Pop Smoke growls both his threats and boasts in unruly, unpredictable clusters—but even more jarring is producer 808Melo’s bassline, which seems to bubble out of the deepest recesses of the American psyche. (Chow)

2. “Con Altura,” Rosalía x J Balvin

“Con Altura” is a record-breaking collaboration between two Spanish-speaking artists with distinct backgrounds but powerful influences: Spain��s Rosalía is making a name for herself with flamenco-inflected alt-pop on works like her Grammy-nominated, poetically inspired second album El Mal Querer, while J Balvin reigns as one of Latin America’s reggaeton kings and one of the most popular artists on the planet, thanks to his international chart-toppers like “Mi Gente” and “I Like It.” Together on “Con Altura,” they found a sweet spot that mixes a number of musical traditions, from dembow to hip-hop to reggaeton, while still flexing their individual powers. Over spare, specific percussion, Rosalía’s voice rings out with lilting, sing-song precision; Balvin provides a balancing, stable counterpoint. The combination is potent and haunting, hinting at the diversity of Latin music and the creative future it is inevitably heading toward. (Bruner)

1. “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X

“Old Town Road” contains many opposing truths. It’s both underdog and behemoth; eye-rollingly trivial and slyly progressive; radio-ready hit and oddball meme. This summer, it was both a distraction and the thing you couldn’t escape.

And it was this shapeshifting ability that made “Old Town Road” the ideal cultural artifact for 2019, in its endlessly iterative and argumentative nature. Whether people went online to criticize it, dance to it or remix it, everyone interacted with it some way, continuously pouring fuel as it set record after record.

And as Lil Nas X added to the fire by releasing a stream of remixes, the song became less a single record and more a fluid canvas for transgression. Each new version ruptured a new boundary or norm—whether it was Billy Ray Cyrus singing about his Maserati or BTS member RM delivering bilingual wordplay. Once scorned as outsider—both to Nashville and the music industry at large—Lil Nas himself became the gatekeeper, and then opened the door as wide as possible for everyone else. (Chow)

via https://cutslicedanddiced.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/how-to-prevent-food-from-going-to-waste

#Time #top stories #IFTTT #news

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