#sami folk songs

[they-call-me-hippie]

Achievement: cried during song performance

[jokeroutsubs]

Joker Out’s third studio album, 'Souvenir Pop', is out now!

We here at JokerOutSubs have, of course, translated all the new songs: Muzika za decu, Ako toga više neće biti, Mesto duhov and Sonce, as well as transcribing the new English song, Lips.

Check them out below the cut, as well as our Lyrics Translate page for more lyric translations! Full ‘Souvenir pop’ masterpost with further translations coming soon!

Transcript and translation by IG marija_rocen, review by IG irenalemajic, @moonlvster, IG mia_djordjevic_ig, proofread by IG Gboleyn123

Muzika za decu (SRP)

Nek' se čuje glasno ova naša pesmica

Pronađena izgubljena zlatna dečica

Tu su rokeri, hip-hoperi, cajkaroši, poperi, hipsteri i pankeri

Uvek može biti gore, hvala onom tamo gore

nismo TikTokeri

(Pa dobro malo i jesmo)

Šta me gledaš tako lepo, nerviraš me strašno

Obriši se ispod nosa, pao si u brašno

Ništa pametno da kažeš, pa si našo da me lažeš

Pa si našo da me lažeš

Ne znamo šta radimo dok si budućnost gradimo, sami se sebi gadimo

Ne znamo šta radimo pa pusti barem muziku da đuskamo i slavimo

Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol

Ovo je, ovo je muzika za decu

Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol

Ovo je, ovo je muzika za decu

Muzika za decu, muzika za decu

Muzika za decu, muzika za decu

Ajde ugasi muziku ako smeš

Ajde ugasi muziku ako smeš

Ajde smej se ako smeš

Smej se ako smeš

Smej se ako smeš

Ugasi muziku ako smeš

Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol

Ovo je, ovo je muzika za decu

Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol

Ovo je, ovo je muzika za decu

(Muzika za decu, muzika za decu)

(Muzika za decu)

(Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol)

(Muzika za decu)

(Ovo nije rokenrol, ovo nije rokenrol)

Ovo je muzika za decu

Music for Children (ENG)

Let this little song of ours be heard loud and clear

Golden children, lost and found

There are rockers, hip-hoppers, folk and pop fans, hipsters and punks

It can always be worse, thanks to the one up above

We aren't TikTokers

(Well, we are a little bit)

Why are you looking at me so nicely, you annoy me terribly

Wipe your nose, you fell into some flour

Nothing smart to say, so now you lie to me

So now you lie to me

We don't know what we're doing while we're building our future, we're disgusted with ourselves

We don't know what we're doing, so at least play some music so we can dance and celebrate

This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll

This is, this is music for children

This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll

This is, this is music for children

Music for children, music for children

Music for children, music for children

C'mon turn the music off if you dare

C'mon turn the music off if you dare

C'mon laugh if you dare

Laugh if you dare

Laugh if you dare

Turn the music off if you dare

This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll

This is, this is music for children

This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll

This is, this is music for children

(Music for children, music for children)

(Music for children)

(This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll)

(Music for children)

(This isn't rock 'n' roll, this isn't rock 'n' roll)

This is music for children

Transcript and translation by @moonlvster, review by IG mia_djordjevic_ig, IG irenalemajic, IG marija_rocen, proofread by IG Gboleyn123

Ako toga više neće biti (SRP)

UPDATED LYRICS

Prošlo je već devet dana, još se nisi vratila

Ja ću da sačekam još malo,

možda mesec, možda dva,

pa da otvoriš vrata ko da ništa nije bilo

I da te klasično pitam kakav ti je bio dan, da se gubimo u malim pričama

Šta ćemo za ručak, imamo li neki plan, da l' se izlazi večeras il' se sudimo na stan?

Da se grlimo i ljubimo, grlimo i ljubimo, i da si šapćemo

da se volimo, i da se sprdamo i smejemo dok si noge grejemo

Ako toga više neće biti, ljubav je najobičnija laž

Ako toga više neće biti, ako me stvarno ostavljaš

bez da me jednom pogledaš i da mi jedan razlog daš

Prošlo je već mesec dana i još te nema tu

Više-manje slabo spavam, da ne zakasnim u snu kako otvaraš vrata ko da ništa nije bilo

I da te klasično pitam kakav ti je bio dan i da se smejemo svim malim pričama

Šta ćemo za ručak, imamo li neki plan, da l' se izlazi večeras il' se sudimo na stan?

Da se grlimo i ljubimo i grlimo i ljubimo i da si kažemo

da se volimo, i da se sprdamo i smejemo dok si noge grejemo

Ako toga više neće biti, ljubav je najobičnija laž

Ako toga više neće biti, ako me stvarno ostavljaš

bez da me jednom pogledaš i da mi jedan razlog daš

Mene nema, znam da znaš

Prošla je godina dana

Ako toga više neće biti, ljubav je najobičnija laž

Ako toga više neće biti, ako me stvarno ostavljaš

bez da me jednom pogledaš i da mi jedan razlog daš

Mene nema, znam da znaš

Mene nema, znam da znaš

Znam da znaš

If That Won't Exist Anymore (ENG)

UPDATED LYRICS

Nine days have already passed, you still haven't come back

I'll wait a bit longer

Maybe a month, maybe two

For you to open the door like nothing happened

And like always, I'll ask you how your day was, so we can get lost in the little stories

What will we have for lunch, do we have a plan, will we go out or decide to stay at the apartment?

So we can hug and kiss, hug and kiss, and whisper to each other

That we love each other, and joke around and laugh while we warm our legs

If that won't exist anymore, love is nothing but a lie

If that won't exist anymore, if you're really leaving me

Without looking at me even once or giving me a single reason

A month has already passed and you're still not here

I sleep more or less poorly, so that in my dreams I won't be late when you open the door like nothing happened

And like always, I'll ask you how your day was, so we can laugh at all of the little stories

What will we have for lunch, do we have a plan, will we go out or decide to stay at the apartment?

So we can hug and kiss and hug and kiss and say

That we love each other, and joke around and laugh while we warm our legs

If that won't exist anymore, love is nothing but a lie

If that won't exist anymore, if you're really leaving me

Without looking at me even once or giving me a single reason

I'm gone, I know you know

A year has passed

If that won't exist anymore, love is nothing but a lie

If that won't exist anymore, if you're really leaving me

Without looking at me even once or giving me a single reason

I'm gone, I know you know

I'm gone, I know you know

I know you know

Transcript by IG Gboleyn123, X klámstrákur, @kurooscoffee

Lips (ENG)

Heavy breathing

In our Garden of Eden

We have a drink while I’m bleeding

In your arms

Can we discover

Naked undercover

With the pressure we’re under

We could make diamonds

Put your lips on mine

Put your lips on mine

You single-handedly wiped the smoke off my rose-tinted glasses

Suddenly I feel the choke from the hand of time, as it passes

Who would’ve guessed we would end up in this mess

Try to pass the test without breaking from the stress

I belong with you, not the earth and not the sky

And you say you feel it too, yet try to find a reason why

This love will kill us in the end, like waves kill castles in the sand

True love and pain go hand in hand.

Put your lips on mine

Put your lips on mine

Put your lips on mine

Put your lips on mine

Transcript, translation and review by @kurooscoffee, X coffeebiscuitxx and a member of JokerOutSubs, proofread by IG Gboleyn123

Mesto duhov (SLO)

Moje mesto je mesto duhov,

še svojega praga nisem spoznal.

Tukaj po ulicah neki straši,

noben več ne sanja, noben več ne spi.

Mimo mene lebdijo sami žalostni ljudje.

Nazaj v nostalgijo včerajšnjega dne.

Pod nogami se trese.

Zapihal je veter, da vse nas odnese.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Res je blo lepo.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Zdaj pa več ne bo.

Umrla je muzika, ugasnil je smeh.

Solze utopile so iskre v očeh.

Pod nogami se trese.

Zapihal je veter, da vse nas odnese.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Res je blo lepo.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Zdaj pa več ne bo.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Res je blo lepo.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Kratko in sladko.

City of Ghosts (ENG)

My city is a city of ghosts,

I didn't even recognise my own doorstep.

Something is haunting these streets,

no one is dreaming anymore, no one is sleeping anymore.

Only sorrowful people are floating past me.

Back into the nostalgia of yesterday.

The ground is shaking under our feet.

The wind has blown to sweep us all away.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. It really was beautiful.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Now it won't be anymore.

Music has died, laughter has gone out.

Tears have drowned the sparkle in their eyes.

The ground is shaking under our feet.

The wind has blown to sweep us all away.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. It really was beautiful.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Now it won't be anymore.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. It really was beautiful.

Pa pa pa pa pa. Pa pa pa pa pa. Short and sweet.

Transcript and translation by @chaosofsmarty and a member of JokerOutSubs, proofread by IG Gboleyn123

Sonce (SLO)

Izgubil sem vse,

čemur ti si rekla sonce.

Ko pade zadnja kaplja,

mene več ne bo.

Pazi na korak,

da prehitro ti ne mine.

Ko zajemaš zrak,

vdihni še spomine.

Učila si me, da sem vse,

a očitno vreden nič.

Tudi brez mene se vrti naprej,

preliva kri v kič.

Mogoče pa nisva dovolj glasno jokala.

Mogoče pa ni dovolj jasno bilo,

kako sva se bala.

Mogoče pa najine so solze odveč,

za ceno udobja vsi kriki preveč.

Mogoče le naju bolelo bo,

da ni naju več.

Sun (ENG)

I've lost everything

That you called the Sun

When the last drop falls

I'll be gone

Watch your step

So it doesn't pass too quickly

When you inhale

Breathe in the memories, too

You taught me I was everything

But apparently worth nothing

It keeps turning without me,

Shedding blood into kitsch

Maybe the two of us didn't cry loud enough

Maybe it wasn't clear enough,

How afraid we were

Maybe our tears are redundant

For the price of comfort, all the screams are too much

Maybe it'll hurt only us

That we're gone

[bayofwolves]

Rereading Fire and Ice

We're back again after a short break! Sorry this one took so long to get out, adult life caught up to me. As you might know, these posts are to discuss interesting tidbits and things I hadn't noticed before. Let's get right to it!

Once again, please mind the tags.

In A Revised History of Erdas, Rollan is native and has his long hair in two braids, so this cover messes with me. I really fuck with the colour scheme, though.

Meilin thinks Maya might be crazy. She also jokes about burning Pia's house down in a later chapter, which is a little unsettling! These are definitely just throwaway lines that aren't meant to be thought about again, but I find myself wishing the authors had purposefully written Maya to be a little bit off. It would add something to her character, at least.

Rollan is confirmed to be a person of colour! Yay! "His brown eyes were warm, his brown skin speckled with dirt from the road, his broad face comfortingly familiar." I wasn't a fan of the ambiguous "tan" description he got before.

It seems Abeke may have been physically abused in her home as well as emotionally. She says that if she had ever talked back to her father like Rollan did to Pia, she would be switch-whipped. Pojalo, mark my words, you will answer for everything you've done to hurt this girl.

Abeke being a Rain Dancer becomes relevant! Everybody cheer! Being near water helps her think clearly and make sense of the situation in Samis. Would have been nice to show her actually making it rain at any point like Rain Dancers are supposed to do, but I'll take this, I guess…

Aidana may have had Rollan when she was a teenager. This doesn't have any real merit, but I think it's very possible. And no matter her age at the time, given her circumstances -- living on the streets, mentally unwell and experiencing frequent blackouts -- I doubt her pregnancy was of her own will. Especially considering how she never mentions anything about Rollan's father, and he never asks.

Rollan doesn't seem to remember Wikerus. (Perhaps he only had traumatic memories of him, and his brain covered these up along with the memories of Aidana's sickness.) He probably would have mentioned to the Greencloaks that his mother was Marked if he'd known.

Zerif must have found and cured Aidana while he was in Concorba seeking Rollan and Essix. I doubt he would have visited that city on two separate occasions. He likely came across her after losing Rollan to Olvan. Another element of tragedy to their story: Aidana was possibly just hours or minutes too late to safely reunite with her son.

Aidana talks about the Devourer helping people, seeking out those afflicted by the bonding sickness and curing them with the Bile. It's unclear if she means Gar or Shane by this, but I'm inclined to believe the latter. In that case, it would have been interesting to see some of this -- Shane finding people the Greencloaks passed over and taking their pain away. He would have genuinely thought he was doing something right, even if he was offering them up to Gerathon in the process.

Pia may have been alive in Feliandor's time, as Rollan notices she doesn't seem surprised to learn of the new war. This is entirely possible, as Suka presumably froze herself and stopped visiting Samis soon after the Fall of the Four in the First Devourer War.

The animal that attacks the group's boat on their way to Arctica isn't fully revealed. I hope it was a creature that doesn't exist on Earth. I imagine a hippocampus or something like it, since the noise made when Tarik strikes it is described as sounding like a wet horse's flank.

Tarik's bond with Lumeo gives him the power to control water. Wish we'd seen more of this.

Abeke has never seen hail before their nights in Arctica.

Conor singing has always been one of the most memorable parts of this book for me. I wish there'd been other instances of him singing folk songs for the group.

So as we've seen with Suka, Great Beasts can devolve into a beast-like state -- presumably if they are comatose for a long period of time. Suka had probably been asleep for hundreds of years, so it makes sense that her mind would be delayed.

Jhi calming Suka reminds me of what Meilin's bond token was intended to do. It would have been a neat callback to what happened here if it had stopped Song's murderous rage.

Halawir's identity as the Betrayer has actually been hinted at in a few books prior to the reveal, this one and Tales of the Great Beasts. Here, it's clear that him asking for Suka's talisman meant he was up to something.

Abeke and Maya's little conversation where they hold hands for comfort and call each other magical is the gayest thing these books have given us since... Suka and Jhi, a few chapters ago. It's a really sweet but also sad moment, Maya revealing that she is traumatized and Abeke not knowing how to help. Definitely one of my favourite parts.

The dream Conor has about the group all wearing strange shoes could have actually had some meaning behind it. The laces on Meilin's dumpling shoes that stretch behind them for miles could symbolize her Bile bond leading the Conquerors to them. Abeke falling through the ice with her fire shoes, but Conor being unable to save her, could foreshadow her being captured by the Conquerors in the next book. As you may recall, Conor was not present and could not do anything when this happened.

I don't believe Shane had any intention of cutting Uraza off Abeke's skin. It's this line for me: "Shane is too much of a diplomat, so Zerif made sure we [Ana and Tahlia] came along and enforced the plan. He was especially hurt by Abeke's betrayal." I'm assuming Shane knew of the plan, and may have been okay with threatening Abeke to get what he wanted (similar to how he used Achi to win his fight against Lishay in The Book of Shane: Vendetta), but wasn't going to actually harm her. He knew he could get the talisman another way. Zerif, on the other hand, wanted Abeke to suffer and so sent two of his minions along. Less plausible is the chance Shane wasn't even in on it to begin with, and Zerif (and his minions) deliberately conspired behind his back. (I'm all for the Conquerors defying Shane's authority, given that ARHoE has Drina stage a coup, so I find this possibility particularly intriguing.)

Kind of wish Abeke had ridden on Great Briggan with Conor in the final battle. Would have made for an iconic scene.

Poor Abeke is concussed during the final battle. I never spotted this growing up because I've never had a concussion and didn't know the signs. I thought she was just tripping, to be honest.

Rollan begins to slip into suicidal ideation after his mom tries to kill him. This book has not been kind to our protagonists, not one bit.

On this quest, the team has done two terrible things: destroyed the Ice Palace, a place built by generations of Ardu, and condemned the entire village of Samis to death. And all for a talisman that slips out of their hands, no less.

My final thoughts on Fire and Ice are mixed. There were some inconsistencies and relapses in character development, and while I can chalk it up to being a product of the many different authors working on this series, it still got on my nerves a little. Let's be real, Conor's animosity towards Shane came out of nowhere and is wildly out of character for him. Rollan shouldn't have been grating on Conor for giving away the Iron Boar when they resolved that conflict back in Blood Ties. It's a little messy. But I liked the rest. They introduced some elements in this one that really grabbed me. I absolutely love Aidana and her relationship with Rollan; she's a good example of how the war is not so black and white. I love how our protagonists firmly believe anything they do is justified because it's for the greater good, choosing to ignore the destruction they leave behind. I love the depth Rollan got, though it unfortunately came at the expense of other characters'. I wish they hadn't waited to develop Maya until we were nearing the end; I really enjoyed her when they gave her a bigger role. The focus this author gave Conor and Abeke has always been a highlight of the series for me; their relationship is so sweet and caring, though I see it as more platonic than anything. And of course, I loved the darker elements that this book had. Not only that, but it left me in emotional pain, which is exactly what I need to consider something a good read.

All in all, another solid addition to the series. This journey hurt our protagonists so much, and it hurt me.

This is part of an ongoing series.

Wild Born | Hunted | Blood Ties | Fire and Ice | Against the Tide | Rise and Fall | The Evertree

Immortal Guardians | Broken Ground | The Return | The Burning Tide

Heart of the Land | The Wildcat's Claw | Stormspeaker | The Dragon's Eye

Tales of the Great Beasts | The Book of Shane | Tales of the Fallen Beasts

[aromantisk-fagforening]

Music in various languages

I've talked about how interacting with different cultures is good, I figure I'll also try to recommend some songs. (many songs beneath the cut). I'm going to include a couple different genres, but obviously I won't be including every.

I hit audio limit :/

Norwegian language (Norway):

[Pt: Du må ikke sove by klarspråk]. [album: du må ikke sove. shows a warped photo of Donald Trump on tv.] genre: rock / (punk?) / spoken word / social criticism. it's an antifascist song, quoting a famous illegal WWII poem by the same title "you mustn't sleep".

[PT: regn & gitar by Jomas] [album: evig kronisk. shows man looking at a garden holding a retro phone.] It's a more soft quiet song about waiting for someone in the rain.

(I could recommend many more Norwegian songs so don't feel afraid to ask if you're at all interested)

Sámi language (Norway / Sweden / Finland / Russia):

I don't have the necessary letters on my keyboard to write PT. But this is a Inari Sami song by Amoc. I don't speak that language. here are the lyrics on genius. here's a dictionary, not sure if it's the right Sámi language. The genre is like atmospheric rock or something, the instruments are amazing.

[PT: áddjá by resirkulert] [album cover: áddjá] translation: grandfather (Sámi) by recycled (Norwegian). genre: yoik/joik - a Sami Music genre which is mostly about vocal technique.

French language (France / Benin / Congo / Democratic republic of Congo / Monaco / Senegal / Switzerland / Belgium / Ivory coast ++)

[PT: Soleil noir by 47ter] [album: petit princes. Photo of three boys on stairs]. A rap song by a trio from France. It's about "a black sun" about liking the dark and rain and not liking summer.

[PT: Déprime hostile by Pogo crash control]. [album: Déprime hostile. Shows a digital drawing of a head cut open with a cocktail]. genre: punk / metal. The band is from France. The song is about hostile depression or something.

[PT: plus rien ne m'étonne by Tiken Jah Fakoly]. [album: coup de guele. It shows a face pointed towards the ceiling]. The artist is from Ivory coast (AKA côte d'ivoire). genre: Reggae. It's about colonialism.

[PT: formidable by stromae]. [album: racine carée. it shows the side of a man's face, he has short hair]. The artist is Belgian. Genre: hip hop. The song is about a breakup or something.

Scots Gaelic (UK: Scotland)

[PT: Faileas air an airidh by Runrig]. [album: 50 great songs]. genre: traditional folk. The song is about waking up on a ship or something.

German language (Germany / Belgium / Austria / Switzerland)

[PT: 99 Luftballons by Nena]. [album: Nena]. Genre: synth pop / pop rock. This is an antiwar song from 1983 about the cold war.

A last song even though I hit Audio limit:

Kunst by Lebanon Hanover. (link). It is a gothic rock song about art.

[fetznerdeathrecords]

Auraal - Myriads

Depressive Black Metal/Folk/Dungeon Synth from Finland

Auraal is the one-man project of Sami Härkonen (aka Mørk), a new wind from the north. Auraal have touches of Black Metal, Atmospheric, Dungeon Synth, Ambient and Neofolk/Post-folk, being this a versatil and different kind of expression evoking nature, occultism, melancholy, poetic and epic.

1. Eternal Autumn of the Moon 02:39 instrumental 2. My Beloved Death 06:43 3. Ghosts of Ishtar 02:58 4. When the Angels Feel Pain 13:57 5. Lost in Time, Found in You 11:20 6. Kingdoms of the Seven Heavens 03:08 instrumental 7. The Celestial Rings of 1000 Eyes 07:25 8. The Song of the Cursed Child; Exile from Paradise (Outro) 03:43 instrumental

Release date: October 27th, 2024

@auraalofficialband

[screampied]

‼️ GOTTA WORK 💪🏼 GOTTA MAKE THAT MONEY 💰 MAKE PURSE 👜

WOOOOOO AN ATINY HERE ?????? OMGGGGGG ATEEZ IS MY FAV BOYZGROUP TOO ‼️‼️‼️‼️live laugh love ateez i lob them sm GIRLLLLLLL i’m so happy i found my people 🫂🫂🫂 who’s your bias i’m curious 👀

ooo fun day nice ! what did you get for dinner and drinks ? :))) omggg plants i recall you telling me you had plants some months ago how are you fine ass plants doin’ ?🤭🤭🤭 did you buy something online ? (’ω���)

yeah i hope i won’t flop 2025 too, i hope only the best for this year for everyone 🤸🤸🤸 OMG SONG WRITING I GOT INTO IT RECENTLY TOO WE’RE MATHCING but samies here it’s so hard to find good lyrics but the thing is that i don’t compose songs and all bc i don’t know which app to use and i don’t have instruments so i do my lyrics over nothing :D OOOOO NEW BASS GUITAR it’s so cool🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

thakn you vegas, don’t forget to rest too ! (and get tacos again, i swear it’s all worth it🙏🏼🙏🏼)

for boxing 🥊, the first session was pretty cool and relaxed we just hit the box sack (box bag?? idk) and tried some moves but yeah it’s pretty good it’s worth a try! it would suit you real good 😈😈😈 aaaaa martial arts i wanna try it one day 🤞🏼🤞🏼

yes me too i’d love to try bts but, army’s are what scares me the most… THANKS FOR THE RECS ILL TRY AND TELL YOU!!!! i did not really tried girls groups since now but i reaaaally wanna try so i’ll let you know 🦧🦧 ENHYPEN 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂 bless their heart, who’s your bias :3333??

OOOOOOF thanks a lot for your recs vaygus theyre really precious💋💋💋 thanks for everything and have a good day night and dreams !!

-🌟

I LOVE ATEEEEEEZ my bias is minji :3 their coachella performance was so ????? 💪💪 ahh def my fav group of this year fs. who’s yours 🫵

i ate some macaroni pie, hot pot ‘n fried rice for dinner !!!! visited my folks, had some yummy caribbean dishes was soooo yum. hehe my plants are doing good !!!! 💞 recently bought a venus fly trap n she’s so <3

AHHHH SONG WRITING TWINS PERIOD. ur right !!! i mostly write songs just for fun, i love thinkin im like bruno mars 💪 i just write anything, i prefer playing the bass tho hehe. YEAAAAH i got a new one, got it for a discount too which was niceeee. i wanna learn electric guitar later this year also that’d be cool. need my jimi hendrix moment 💯

oooof ur right. i think some of the fandom is pretty sweet tho !!! u just gotta look out for those ones, i do wanna get into bts one day tho. RAAAAH ENHYPEN 🔥🔥 my bias is def sunoo

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Ensiferum - Winter Storm

It's been four years since folk metal icons Ensiferum released an album, 2020's Thalassic. This is not an intolerable amount of time to wait for new music but it is the longest of Ensiferum's career. Fortunately, the wait was worth it, as the band is releasing its new opus, Winter Storm, on Oct. 18.

The nautical-themed, and at times pirate metal, stylings of Thalassic brought some changes to the band's lineup and sound, with the addition of keyboardist and clean vocalist Pekka Montin giving the band a one-two vocal punch. If you enjoyed the changes, then Winter Storm will be an album for you as Montin's participation in the band has only increased and his epic screams have only gotten louder.

This time out, Ensiferum has ditched the open waters as an album theme and has instead turned to the realm of fantasy. All but one song was written by founding guitarist Markus Toivonen from a fantasy novel concept written by bassist Sami Hinkka (who wrote the album's one other song, “Fatherland”). This gives the album the feel of a rock opera, weaving a coherent narrative about two warring factions of Northern armies and the relationship between a nomadic shaman and a mysterious widow. In true rock opera form, everything is bigger on Winter Storm. The choruses swell, the harsh vocals belt out with an increased ferocity, and Montin at times channels Manowar's Eric Adams with his soaring vocals.

One of the album's anthemic highlights is “Winter Vigilantes.” Introducing the audience to one of the two warring factions that make up the story, “Winter Vigilantes” begins with harsh vocalist Petri Lindroos doing his best throat-ripping scream before belting the opening verse. Then Montin comes in with that epic scream and it just cements the viciousness of both the track and the tribe it portrays.

“Fatherland” is notable for being the album's most anthemic song. With an almost Steve Harris-esque bass gallop from Hinkka to anchor, “Fatherland” best features the big choruses where the entire band harmonizes and sounds like a Viking chorus singing an ode to Odin.

Another highlight track doesn't feature Montin or Lindroos on vocals, but Madeleine Liljestam from Eleine, who plays the part of The Widow and takes vocal leads on the entire song. Liljestam has always sung like an angel and her voice here anchors what is as close to a ballad as you get on Winter Storm.

If you enjoyed the addition of clean vocals and the move toward more of a power metal sound than their traditional folk metal, then Winter Storm is an album you're going to love. It takes everything that the band added on Thalassic and cranks it up to 11, leading to a

[rhapsodynew]

#updating playlists of new items

ERIC CLAPTON "MEANWHILE" (EPC Enterprises/Surfdog) 2024

electric blues/ adult pop

Against the background of news about Clapton's age-related health problems, many (including me, for example) we have already got used to the idea that the living god is preparing to retire. The more surprising is the appearance of a new product, which Eric even decided to release a few months earlier than planned. The content is as predictable as possible, but therefore does not lose its charm: This is old-fashioned companionable blues mixed with vintage covers like "Moon River" (featuring the late Jeff Beck). If it turns out to be a farewell, it will remain a pleasant memory.

COLDPLAY "MOON MUSIC" (Parlophone) 2024

pop rock, lyrical pop

Moon Music": the album demonstrates what this music would be like if it didn't jump out of your pants to get on the radio. Just like that: sincere, soft and even a little vulnerable.

Rufus Du Sol – «Inhale / Exhale»11.10.2024

Inhale/Exhale is the fifth album by the Grammy–winning Australian electronic band Rufus Du Sol. This time they touched on the eternal themes of "romance, heartbreak, euphoria and despair." This is also a new stage in the band's career: now they strive to "just enjoy the process" and "create in the moment." Three singles "Inhale / Exhale" entered the top 40 of the Billboard dance/electronic songs chart: "Music Is Better", "Lately" and "Break My Love".

Sam Abbo - Add To The Noise (2024)

alternative | freak-folk | avant-honky-tonk I singer songwriter | uk

Sam has created several projects on the Brighton experimental scene. some even got to the BBC ;)) Abbo owns a piano, guitars of all stripes, including a Clarophone (Clarophone Banjo), from here it grew-the idea to play his own honky tonk adventure broke through;)) it turned out to be very thoughtful even;))

VanWyck - Dust Chaser (2024)

americana | alt-folk | alternative | acoustic | singer-songwriter | amsterdam

Hello there. let's try to get into a rut... meanwhile, VanVik is already on the air;))

Joose Keskitalo & The Mystic Revelation of Teppo Repo - Tähdet palaavat paikoilleen (2024)

"When the stars return to their places,

The original shadows of delusion will disappear

And they will begin to gain wisdom."

gloomy Sami romantics return the stars to their places, and when they come into contact with the music of this miraculous creative symbiosis, sensitive and sensitive listeners have an irresistible desire to reach the heavenly bodies together;)) turn it on, enjoy, stretch;))

P.s..And the music is beautiful! ... and they take care of the silence)

DAWN RICHARD AND SPENCER ZAHN "QUIET IN A WORLD FULL OF NOISE" (Merge) 2024

ambient pop, pop soul

Soul vocalist Dawn Richard has never been content with pure style. Instead, she uses R&B as a starting point to find some new intonations, techniques, and sound. In 2022, this led her to work with pianist Spencer Zahn. Their first album together, "Pigs", seemed to connect two worlds: chamber jazz and art soul. The sequel goes even further: now it's practically ambient based on frozen R&B, the music of silver snowflakes. Insinuating and very beautiful.

Seventeen – "Spill the Feelings" on October 14th

The return of Seventeen is one of the main k-pop groups of our time. Their previous releases "FML" (2023) and "Seventh Heaven" (2023) set records for millions of pre-orders. There is no doubt that "Spill the Feelings" will be among the top bestsellers of 2024. Seventeen's new album promises to showcase the band's creative evolution and show their individual sides. And also to tell a fascinating story that is close to everyone.

The album "Tension" (2023) became, perhaps, the most successful in the late discography of Kylie Minogue. The hit "Padam Padam" not only returned the 55-year-old singer to the chart, but also took second place in her career"The Grammys." "Tension II" is the sequel to "Tension", its "high-energy, high-octane version". In general, the legend of pop music has prepared another release with dance hits of the highest standard. It featured Sia, Bibi Rexa, Tove Lu, Diplo and The Blessed Madonna.

Pixies – «The Night the Zombies Came»25.10.2024

In 2024, bassist Paz Lenshantin left Pixies and was replaced by Emma Richardson. How well she knows the instrument can be assessed on the band's new album "The Night the Zombies Came". Pixies frontman Black Francis described it as "fragments connected and juxtaposed with other fragments in other songs." According to Francis, the album is a collection of tracks reminiscent of a movie. The producer of the material was Tom Dalgety, who has been working closely with Pixies for several years now

The authors of the hit "Pompeii" Bastille present an unusual project: "&" are not just songs, but stories about interesting people. In "Eve & Paradise Lost" Bastille sings about the biblical Eve, and in "Leonard & Marianne" – about Leonard Cohen and his muse Marianne Ihlen. Maybe the band's new tracks don't sound as hit as their early work, but it's interesting to listen to them and read the lyrics. Frontman Dan Smith certainly has a talent for storytelling.

Underworld – «Strawberry Hotel»

the 25th of October

[duskodair]

can you recommend me some folk songs? ur very cool

thank you :)) I don't claim a specialism in uk folk (the credit in the mutuals discord goes to @silvermagpies and @doctors-star and @combefaerie with their bells and ribbons and banjos and swords)

European folk i can do a little better (but still not great (Eurovision is my genre of choice)

I am a big fan of Tautumeitas from Latvia. Their whole discography is a vibe ngl

Tulia from Poland have a lovely sound (and were robbed at Eurovision) (they've done some great Depeche mode covers)

I now offer possibly the most beautiful piece of music ever put together. One day Sweden will send Jon Henrik Fjällgren to eurovision, but for now here is some Joik (Sami traditional singing) (for Joik-pop, the music of Keiino is wonderful)

Here's Slack Bird with a reminder of how great Finland's most famous song is (equal to Sandstorm and Cha Cha Cha, of course) (see hatsune miku for another version)

Here's my favourite old English poem, performed by Hanna Marti (there is no set melody or translation for this one it's just my most watched video this summer so it's in)

Here are FAUN of Germany with a lovely lovely song

And now for some dance, here's Norway's hallingdans (rule of dance, you must kick your own hat from the stick) (if you rewatch Alexander Rybak's 2009 Eurovision winning performance, you will see it being danced in the background)

It doesn't fit the brief but I'm also giving you the Danish milk song, which is just very important to me as a person

there's so much more but I've been at this for two hours and now I must sleep. turns out the music I've spent the last eight years gathering has finally become a useful collection

[queenofcandynsoda]

Claudia Strife (AU)

(I asked @jknerd if she can drew Claudia with Sami clothes and she delivered~)

Claudia Strife

Other Names: Claudia Myrsky (maiden name), Mrs. Strife, Cloud’s Mom, The Reindeer Killer, The Caretaker of the Nibelheim Orphanage, Raggedy Bitch (by Junio Shinra)

Age: 34

Affiliation: Nibelheim Orphanage

Occupation: Caretaker, Woodworker, Pharmacognosist

Residence: Strife Household (currently), Gamme in the Nibel Area (semi-nomadic, formerly)

Family: Cloud Strife (son), The Nibelheim Orphans (adoptive children), Styrmir Strife (husband, presumingly deceased)

Relationships: Vincent Valentine (friend), Tifa Lockhart (neighbor, eventual friend), Brian Lockhart (neighbor, initially disliked, eventually somewhat friend), Dr. John Lenox (neighbor, employer, eventual friend), Mrs. Esme Shaw (neighbor, eventual friend), Reeve Tuesti (sponsor, eventual friend), Professor Hojo (enemy), President Shinra (enemy), Junio Shinra (enemy)

Abilities: Magic Materia Knowledge (Cura, Fira, Blizzaga, Thundara, and Aeroga), Summon Materia Knowledge, Spear Combat, Trap Creation, Knife Combat, Cold Resistance, Skiing Mastery, Snowboarding Mastery, Fishing Mastery, Hunting Mastery, Culinary Mastery (Sami and Nibelheim cuisine), Baking Mastery, Butchering Mastery, Child Caretaking Mastery, Sewing Mastery, Housekeeping Aptitude, Woodworking Mastery, Herbalism, Medicine Creation, Alchemy

Likes: Her son, the Orphans, Reindeer stew, Tifa’s help, Woodworking, Sleighing, Making medical herbs, Skiing, Performing Alchemy, Vincent being sociable, Ms. Shaw’s protection, Reeve���s aid

Dislikes: Shinra, Hojo, Junio’s Insults, Brian’s Mistrust, Soldiers (initially), Using a gun, The Triplets’ pranks, Tainted medicine, Any potential danger to the orphans

Origins: Claudia Strife is Cloud Strife’s mother and the caretaker of the Orphans from the Nibelheim Orphanage. Before she had settled down in Nibelheim, Claudia was part of a Sami group that used to live in the Nibel Area. She would often hunt, sew clothes from reindeer pelt with her mother, ski and snowboard with her friends and cousins, woodwork with her uncle, and listen to folk songs. Soon after Shinra started to become more mainstream when they put their first reactor in Nibelheim, it became noticeable that the plants and flowers started to wither and die and monsters started to appear around the village. As the villagers saw the Shinra Company as a very benevolent organization that denied that their reactor was responsible, they blamed the Nibel Sami for their “enchantments”. Since then, Claudia’s family has been discriminated against as some villagers even attacked them. 

When she was about fourteen years old, she met a young man, named Styrmir Strife, who was a chemist who experimented with alternative fuel sources and toxicology. The teenage boy empathized with her clan and offered them to live on his field. This led to a conflict between the two childhood friends that eventually caused its breakdown. Brian did not even attend their wedding nor saw the birth of Cloud. After Cloud was born, the Myrsky Clan had left to head northward, which would make their visits less frequent. 

Styrmir taught her alchemy during their marriage in secret from Shinra, mainly for materia and herbs. The couple had since experimented in their basement. Claudia also became creative when it came to creating medicine. She would then sell them to Dr. Lenox for his office. 

One day, when Cloud was about a year old, Styrmir went hiking up to Mt. Nibel to get more herbs. However, he did not come back later that day. Days went by, with search teams, and there was no sign of him. Styrmir was presumed dead weeks later, leaving Claudia as a widow and raising an infant Cloud alone. Brian did attend Styrmir’s funeral but this had led to an argument between him and Claudia. It had gotten so intense that it nearly resulted in physical violence before they got separated. 

Claudia and Cloud were deemed outsiders due to their Sami heritage, furthermore with the Mt. Nibel incident with Tifa. The only ones who were not prejudiced against her were Ms. Shaw, who is a reclusive older woman, Dr. Lenox, Mrs. Lockhart, her daughter, Tifa, and a handful of villagers. Dr. Lenox had hired her to be his pharmacognosist. 

After Cloud had left for Midgar when he was 14, Claudia had become lonely. She would often stay at home and make medicine for a few years until one day, the villagers found a disturbing discovery. A few of the villagers discovered that there were mako tanks filled with young children in the Shinra Manor’s basement. She was one of the first people to clean them up and put them in the temporary infirmary. She even got some reindeer pelts to keep some of them warm when blankets ran out. Unbeknownst to her, she started an emotional connection with them as she noticed some scars on their bodies. 

In the village meeting, Mayor Zander asked for any potential solutions to this sudden discovery. Brian wanted to contact Shinra for an explanation and that they should take the children. However, Claudia was quick to counter that, stating that Shinra was the one who put those children there and their intentions would be bad. She also mentioned that Shinra abandoned the children for the gods’ know how long. She offered to care for the children. Mayor Zander reluctantly agreed with her. While gathering some materials from the manor, she accidentally awakened Vincent. Though she was afraid of him, he managed to calm her down. After his explanation, she told him about the orphans and Shinra’s connection to them. Vincent decided to help her and the orphans, knowing that Hojo was connected. 

Once the children awakened and recovered from mako poisoning, Claudia gave the children their names and the old clothes donated from some of the villages. She soon discovered unusual traits they have, such as how some of them either look like siblings, have deformities, or have strange abilities. Despite this, Claudia has grown attached to them. When the Turks tried to collect them back, the caretaker quickly called in Seldon, who is the village’s photographer and record keeper, to take photos of the orphans and send them to the newspapers as blackmail against Shinra. From this, Claudia can protect the orphans as the company does not want to hurt its public image. 

Fortunately, this had worked. Though a bit too well. 

This had drawn out Junio Shinra, the second wife of President Shinra, making her Rufus’ stepmother, and the PR executive. All she cares about is her public image and seeing herself as being above others, especially when it comes to Rufus. As soon as she saw the orphans, she was disgusted by them and angry that people sympathized with them. However, she used them as an opportunity for Shinra’s public image to avoid any discussion of war crimes. She decided to be a sponsor but with conditions. Reeve, knowing Junio, decided to be a co-sponsor, just to make sure that Claudia and the orphans were safe. 

That is just the beginning for Claudia as the caretaker.

[tbkenvs3000w24]

The Beauty of Nature Through Music

Our natural world has many beautiful features. The beauties of nature are not only seen by the eye but can also be heard when you listen closely. Where is music in nature? When reflecting on this question, my first thought was that music is everywhere in nature. When I step outside, I am surrounded by the music of nature.  

Music is not just created by humans as a form of expression and communication. Animals like whales and birds also use songs as a form of communication. 

Humpback whales communicate using songs with similar components to our music (Gray et al., 2001). These whales produce repeating rhythmic themes that form songs of similar length to musical pieces written by humans (Gray et al., 2001). The notes formed by whales are similar in tone, timber and intervals to those used by humans (Gray et al., 2001). The beautiful yet eerie songs produced by whales are a prime example of where music is found in nature.  

Here is a video my sister took of a humpback whale while she was in Nova Scotia.

Numerous bird species communicate through song. Birds use rhythmic patterns and changes in pitch to create songs to communicate with other birds (Gray et al., 2001). Birds will also produce songs using musical scales like those used by humans (Gray et al., 2001). When I think of music in nature, the beautiful songs created by birds are the first thing that comes to mind.  

Here is a picture I took of a Black-capped Chickadee. I am sure many of you can hear the "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call.

Ambient sounds like the rustle of leaves in the breeze or the sound of water rushing downstream are another example of music heard in nature (Gray et al., 2001). These ambient sounds heard in nature and the sounds produced by different animals come together to form a symphony or “biophony” as described by Gray et al. (2001). The biophony created in various ecosystems forms distinguishable music unique to a location.  

Here is a picture I took of a waterfall located on Six Mile Lake in Muskoka. Imagine the relaxing music the water makes as it crashes over the rocks.

Where is nature in music?  For centuries humans have been inspired by nature. As a result, people have tried to capture nature through music. From folk music dating back centuries to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to modern-day music, nature has inspired humans to create music. 

As stated by Mallarach (2012), folk music is found in all cultures and often expresses the importance of the natural world. Folk music is an art that elicits emotions while building people's connection to their natural surroundings (Mallarach, 2012). Finnish folk music has been used to pass down messages on how sacred nature is to humans and how people can live in tune with nature (Mallarach, 2012). 

The Sami indigenous people of Scandinavia create vocal songs called yoiks to describe life, animals and natural places (Gray et al., 2001). The yoiks have no words but are made up of repetitive cycles (Gray et al., 2001), much like the songs birds and whales communicate with. Finnish folk singers and the Sami people communicate through music to share the beauty and significance of nature in their communities.  

Interpreters can use music to share knowledge of natural heritage places. The use of music in nature interpretation helps interpreters paint cultural and historical pictures of natural landscapes and resources (Beck et al., 2019). Also, music can help deliver environmental sustainability messages in memorable ways that provoke the listener's emotions (Beck et al., 2019).

I have a strong emotional connection with the song “Island in the Sun” by Weezer. This song transports me to my cottage on Six Mile Lake. I have spent countless summer days at my family cottage sitting on our dock listening to this song on the radio station my parents love. When I hear this song, I can picture the island my cottage is on. I can see the red roof of our cottage peeking out over the tall white pines that grow over the hard rock of the Canadian Shield. I can feel the breeze blowing off the water as the sun shines down on the water.

The lyrics of this song remind me of the calming effect being at my cottage has on me: 

 “On Island in the sun 

 We’ll be playing and having fun 

And it makes me feel so fine” 

This song reminds me of all the fun I have had over the years swimming with my sisters, going on sunset boat rides, having campfires with my family and many more memories. This song brings back a nostalgic feeling and reminds me of the beautiful lake that made me appreciate nature from a young age.  

This is a picture I took of the bay my cottage looks out at on Six Mile Lake.

Music is not unique to humans. Music can be heard in the melody of birds harmonizing with the branches swaying in the breeze. Music is found in the rhythm of rain falling to the ground as spring peepers sing their chorus in the distance. Music can be heard throughout our world by humans and animals alike. The art of music is a powerful tool used to draw on people’s emotions to highlight the significance and beauty of our natural world.

References  

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing. 

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8 

Mallarach, Josep-Maria (2012). Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe:  Workshop Proceedings. Bonn, Germany: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, 2012. 170 pp. ISBN: 978-3-89624-057-6. 

Weezer. (2009, June 17). Weezer - island in the Sun (official music video). YouTube. https://youtu.be/erG5rgNYSdk?si=3K8eerbPPMD5b5hc 

[acgenvs3000f24]

Blog Post 7

I believe that music is embedded within every aspect of nature. Any chain of ecological events that generates sound contributes to the larger symphony orchestrated by Earth’s complex systems. This symphony includes more prominent sounds like a chorus of birdsong or the chirping of crickets in spring, as well as subtler, less rhythmic sounds like the rustling of leaves in a breeze or the creaking of a tree in the forest. These seemingly irregular sounds may feel random due to their lack of rhythmic repetition, yet they add texture and depth to nature's soundscape.

            As explored in this week’s reading 'The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music (Gray et al. 2001), music is defined as ‘patterns of sound varying in pitch and time produced for emotional, social, cultural, and cognitive purposes.’ This definition broadens our understanding of music beyond human creation, suggesting that sounds produced by animals like whales and birds might also be considered forms of music. Similar to humans, birds and whales demonstrate "musical traditions," where song patterns evolve and spread among individuals and communities. For example, humpback whales across oceans adopt entirely new songs from visiting whales, suggesting a shared inclination in nature toward musical adaptation and cultural exchange. These parallels hint at an intrinsic musical language in nature that may predate human musical traditions.

Moreover, the article describes how learned musical patterns in nature are transmitted through social interactions: vertically from parent to offspring, obliquely among unrelated adults, or horizontally among peers. This concept mirrors human cultural transmission of music, showing that animals demonstrate 'musical traditions.' It reveals a profound connection between humans and other species, and as Gray et al. stated— further suggests that music may be an ancient, universal language that fosters communication and cultural continuity.

            I believe this idea supports the notion that nature serves as a foundation for what music inherently is. Music functions as a cultural thread within our society and within the social structures of various animal communities. The reading ‘Using Folk Traditional Music to Communicate the Sacredness of Nature in Finland’ by Virpi Sahi further highlights this concept. Folk songs not only reflect the natural world but also preserve myths and stories integral to human experience, embodying a shared history and respect for the environment.

            A song that immediately takes me back to a natural landscape is ‘Exhale Inhale’ by Aurora. Aurora is a musician from Norway that often incorporates Norwegian musical patterns into the pop music she creates. Similar to the description of Sami yoiks (vocal songs) depicted in the reading by Gray, et al. 2001, her music incorporates Norwegian elements such as hujning (a form of singing derived from Nordic herding calls) into her music. Which I’ve always felt elicits an emotional understanding in listeners. Aurora’s music to me represents a modern derivation of folk music that interprets both human nature, and human connection to the natural world. Now to return to the song in particular, ‘Exhale Inhale’ describes the current state of the Earth, an emotional personification of the negative impacts that climate change is causing. I feel this song beckons humans to understand that we are all connected, and what harms the earth undoubtedly harms us. ‘With no solution for the scared, tasting pollution in the air… Take from our world no more’ This song always takes me back to my walks in the forest alone. As once I got caught in a thunderstorm and hid under a dense tree canopy, I listened to this song as I waited it out. Lyrics such as ‘We are stood and somehow calm within the madness of the storm’ and ‘If you could fly and be the bird, then you would see the forest burn’ really resonated with me in the moment. I feel transported back to that day whenever I listen to this song.

Though not the same song, I wanted to share a link to another song ‘The Seed’ by Aurora that was performed in a forest accompanied by a choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRhj3lfWzrI The cinematography, subject matter of the song, her singing, and the forest landscape altogether are a beautiful rendition of ‘music in nature’

References:

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8

Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe [Workshop Proceedings #322]. Using folk traditional music to communicate the sacredness of nature in Finland [Read pages 129 - 132] [Select 'Proceedings_Spiritual Values_PAs_Europe.pdf'] Sahi, V.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2006 - Number 55 - Sandra Dahlberg - "Jag tar det jag vill ha"

You wouldn't think it when watching this, but Sandra Dahlberg's musical background is performing Sami folk songs, but everyone does go on a musical journey. It's Sandra's second performance at Melfest after a place in the final in 2004. Her career has been taking off since an appearance in the 2003 incarnation of Sweden's version of Fame Factory. It was on that show that she met her partner, perennial Melfest act Jimmy Jansson.

By 2006 Sandra is a familiar face on Swedish music TV with her mix of pop incorporating some folk elements - she was sweet, smiley. However in 2006, there was a newer, raunchier vibe to much of what was being submitted and accepted in the national finals. The girlbops and ethnobops had evolved into their final form - the bad girl bop.

Jag tar det jag vill ha (I Take What I Want) is a product of the summer song-writing camps, this one being written by Sandra herself in conjunction with two experienced song-writing teams. One being Johan Fransson and Niklas Edberger, who'd written Alcazar's Alcastar and Jimmy Jansson's 2005 entry. The other team was Tim Larsson and Tobias Lundgren, who'd also worked on the Jimmy Jansson song and would go on to write Malta's 2016 Eurovision entry.

Underneath its motorbike, black-clad dressing and Sandra's demands for exactly what she wants, it's a standard Melfest pop number. But it does have all the elements that have been successful recently. Choreography, hot backing dancers, a sexually forward female singer. It's not quite as horny as many other entries this year (as we'll discover later), but Sandra does her best to stand in for Nanne Grönvall in her absence.

It's slick. Highly competent in its production and presentation. Sandra absolutely has what it takes to pull this off at Melfest, and it had a good chance of getting to the final. However on the night it fell just short - just. She finished fifth of the eight songs in the heat only a few thousand televotes short of fourth position and a place in the last chance round.

It's also Sandra's last Melfest song. After this, she became pregnant and what should have been a celebration for Jimmy and Sandra with the birth of their son was complicated by Sandra becoming dangerously ill during childbirth. She pulled through, but this complicated birth and her recovery seems to have had an effect on her career and her relationship. After this there was less music and more TV work. She hosted summer shows and took part in the wonderfully named and themed Help, I'm in a Japanese Game Show, eventually getting eliminated by a poor performance in a round called Slippery Live Eel Transport.

Jimmy and Sandra split up in 2010. She remarried dancer Mathias Singh who worked with her on her TV children's show Prinsessan Sandra och Prinskörven.

[ilopisara]

08.09. 22:07 | Ilo Pisara vs Nybro Vikings E Sports 6 - 5

Well, well, well! Look who just pulled off a nail-biter against the Nybro Vikings E Sports—us! We squeaked out a 6-5 victory in overtime. Talk about living on the edge; I felt like I was watching my grandma try to parallel park! Teppo Winnipeg? More like Teppo Win-it-all! With two goals and two assists, he played offense like it was his job (oh wait, it is). Sami Noddy also brought his A-game with three goals—he must’ve been channeling some inner Wayne Gretzky or maybe just had an extra cup of coffee. Now let’s talk Jani Saari: five points and more hits than a bad pop song. But seriously dude, cut down those giveaways before you start handing out free samples at Costco! On the flip side... we did allow five goals against us. That defense looked shakier than my uncle after one too many drinks at Thanksgiving dinner. If our goalies were any less effective, they’d be better suited for a game of dodgeball. So here’s to us keeping fabulous while others drown in their tears—and may your tissues be plentiful next round! Lace 'em tighter folks; this rollercoaster isn’t slowing down anytime soon! 🏒🥳

[sinceileftyoublog]

Real Estate Live Show Review: 4/11, Thalia Hall, Chicago

Real Estate's Martin Courtney & Alex Bleeker

BY JORDAN MAINZER

During the middle of Thursday's Real Estate show at Thalia Hall, part of their Infinite Jangle tour, I thought to myself about the New Jersey band, "Are they the millennial generation's version of college rock?" Independent of the extent to which they get played on independent university radio stations--let alone SiriusXMU--Real Estate were at least thinking about their forebears during the making of their latest album Daniel (Domino). Frontperson Martin Courtney cited R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People--which added elements of baroque to the Athens, GA greats' punky folk--when working with producer Daniel Tashian, known for crossing over country singers into the pop mainstream. Tashian encouraged Real Estate, too, to return to their penchant for hooks, and they self-consciously made a comparatively poppy record after years of darker hues, longer songs, and general experimentation. As a result, they, and yours truly, think Daniel is at once their best album yet and their least hyped.

Real Estate's Julian Lynch, Sami Niss, Courtney, & Bleeker

Indeed, Daniel exudes a weightlessness, free of expectations. The songs, more often than not, are about songwriting and musicmaking in an increasingly cruel universe; as a result, the band plays what comes to mind. That spirit showed itself in their show on Thursday. The psychedelia of "Say No More" and bouncy bass and keyboards of "Flower" seemed effortless, the vocal harmonies between Courtney and bassist Alex Bleeker on "Water Underground" natural. Even the songs that missed Justin Schipper's pedal steel from the studio version, like "Haunted World", shined in other ways, Courtney's lyrical delivery reminiscent of power pop greats like Adam Schlesinger. And it appears Real Estate have gotten good at jamming--not indulgent noodling, but true musical chemistry. "Freeze Brain", whose studio version emanated from a hip hop beat drummer Sammi Niss was playing, toed the line between taut and elastic. "This world is diseased but at least we can be here," Courtney sang, evergreen words when it comes to writing, recording, and playing tunes. For what it's worth, the band did noodle a bit while Courtney was switching guitar cables, Julian Lynch's guitar riffing Allman-worthy, but Real Estate remained concise, showing restraint.

Lynch

Best, it seemed just as fitting that Real Estate knew what not to play. Throughout his Apple Music breakdown of Daniel, Courtney remained open about not liking some songs as much as others. Likewise, on Thursday, he knew that switching to a 12-string for Bleeker's "Victoria" or hopping on keyboards for meandering closer "You Are Here" would not have fit within their set. The band played a little more than half of Daniel rather than the whole thing, opting to intersperse their new songs within the highlights of their discography, like Days singalong "It's Real", whose sped up version inspired whoas loud enough to be a soccer chant. Atlas' "Talking Backwards", perhaps the band's best song, which doubled down on the Days formula, was propulsive as ever. Bleeker's "Wonder Years" was wonderfully wistful. "Green Aisles" offered a gentle respite between "Had to Hear" and "Talking Backwards". And keyboardist Matt Kallman shone on The Main Thing highlight "Paper Cup", a song whose glistening synths would perhaps have netted the band an even bigger audience had the album not come out just before COVID.

Real Estate's Matt Kallman, Lynch, Niss, Courtney, & Bleeker

During Real Estate's encore, a few hardcore audience members shouted out requests, mostly from the band's self-titled debut. Eventually, a tired audience member replied, "Play whatever you want!" Courtney said, "I like that person that said, 'Play whatever you want.' That's what we're gonna do anyway." It was a humorous exchange, but one that also ate at the tenor of Daniel. For Real Estate, playing whatever they want is not just a night-by-night choice, but a purpose and a mantra, the very reason for the band's perseverance and thriving in a ruthless music industry and world.

Courtney and Bleeker

Lynch, Niss, Courtney, & Bleeker

[magickedteacup]

Listening to some working demos of my animation and golly, I may just have to make my first uploads of the new tracks of me singing to a plastic digital keyboard, keys clacking away, because even with all that it sounds good. After a year of working my voice to everything from classical Indian, Chinese opera style, Okinawan folk songs, Tin Pan Alley, European opera, and Sami yoiking (all of which are amateur hour stuff, casually sung) but I think my singing is strong enough now that these song demos work even if the instrumentation is done on the cheap. I’ve heard it said that singing is an athletic activity, which—yes. On Sunday I was singing on and off for three straight hours, around my apartment and then through my walk through German countryside, because it felt good to do it, and every style mentioned above is working my voice differently because of where the sound and resonance is produced. And anyway I’m just excited to share a song that has lyrics like “and though the public may call it folly—“ dumped into this song that’s starts off setting the stage of this being the Great Depression, and suddenly you know, you know I’m singing about Hollywood’s first Technicolor animated feature length, even when I never mention it specifically in a song about the daily ins and outs of an animation studio…

Tangentially, for like, 3 days I was obsessed with that deleted Lorax song, “Biggering.” It’s so good. I was listening to it on repeat and singing to it and trying to figure out the chords, and this fan storyboard is simply a masterpiece. It all just hits some kind of mood, with the dark tone and the commentary of human materialism, greed, and egotism, and how that impacts the bigger world we live in and the environment, and that singing, and the masterful song-writing, and how the actions/story beats of the storyboard strike just perfectly with the song….