#the lyrics of the song actually matters in the overall theme of the video

[soffij]

While Narnia is fading I'm the one staying

No. I'll never return to Narnia. I can't. I don't need it anymore.

[jimin-bangtan]

Jimin’s FACE & MUSE or FACE vs. MUSE

I’ve been reading different comments about how people feel about FACE and MUSE or FACE versus MUSE and a few thoughts came to me. First, I am not countering the way anyone feels about them because art exists so that people can interpret it through their own lenses and feel or see what it means to them, even if no one else shares that viewpoint.�� I am only thinking through my thoughts about the albums and some comments I’ve seen.

I will always be disappointed that FACE (and Jimin) didn’t get a fair shot at a clean debut. Some readers may have moved on right after reading that line, and that’s okay.  We can agree to disagree. Or not.  With those people now gone, I hope anyone who continues hears me out. There is a reason for bringing that up here, but I’m not bashing or blaming other members. In fact, I don’t even plan to mention other members about that at all because it’s not about them or that. Trust me. It matters to the topic, and I hope you’ll understand better as we go.

The situation for solo work was rather new to BigHit and Hybe, especially regarding BTS.  The companies had to learn just like the members did.  They seemed to have made a promotion plan that didn’t quite work out as well as it should have, but they ultimately made adjustments, and circumstances improved in some ways. There is still room for growth but at least changes were seen.  They also made a plan about how strongly they would support each artist, and I feel they did that wrong too.  Well, overall, we can’t turn back time to see how things would have gone differently had they managed the first debuts better.  We can only live life forward, as I always say.  MUSE did get better promotional support than FACE and received the streams, radio play, and achievements accordingly.  It is just worth it to explain one reason the 2 albums’ results look significantly different as I’m discussing both albums. The difference in their achievements is not due to one album being better than the other. I feel their results may have been more equal, or possibly even reversed, had the promotions been equally done.

Many say FACE was the better album because of its honest, gritty revelations. I also prefer FACE to MUSE - but not by much - and NOT because I feel it is more intense or honest than MUSE.  That was one of my problems about some of the comments I’ve read.  I feel being miserable is not Jimin’s only way to show intense and honest emotions. 

FACE and MUSE were written at the same time.  Both of them were important to Jimin and both of them were honest and intense, in my opinion.  They were supposed to be on the same LP album but were only separated due to how contrasting the moods were for each set of songs. One was dark and about unhappy, heavier circumstances, while the other was lighter and about happier, charming themes. I feel Jimin shared intense, important feelings in FACE, and I feel he shared intense and important feelings in MUSE.  He co-wrote most of the music and lyrics for both albums.  

I also feel in both situations Jimin was talking about things that were real and important to him but was being artistic in how much information he chose to share and in the tone of how he wanted or needed to share it. For example, if you read my Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (SGMB) post, I explained my view that the video was intended to be light, and even comedic, but was actually filled with a serious message. Like with BTS, information can be written in a poetic and artistic way so that it creates a mood that is intended. BTS could be singing about something dark and serious, but the music is danceable and catchy. As an only English speaker, I didn’t find out what the deeper meaning of songs were until I got the translations, and I was sometimes surprised about how intense or deep the sentiments were based on the melody and rhythm of the music.  That is why I feel some people miss the message Jimin was expressing through MUSE and dismiss it as a silly, unimportant album, especially when compared to FACE.  I venture to say that many awards committees and media venues will overlook MUSE for the same reason. FACE was often overlooked due to the promotion issue mentioned early.

If you read my Man of Messaging post, you will see that I have already expressed that I feel Jimin is saying a lot through his clothes, tattoos, dance, lyrics, melodies, etc. He is not someone who takes emotions or communications lightly.  He is consistent with what he has shared and is sharing, and those who get it, do, and those who don’t either will enjoy it as simply performance or will dismiss it as meaningless. Do so at your own peril. Jimin has things to say, and as an artist he can choose many ways to say them.  He said in one of his photoshoot sketches for MUSE (linked to the mark) that he hoped people would misunderstand some of the messages, and it appears he was successful for those people who don’t realize how significant the meanings were for MUSE in the same way they were for FACE.  

Mission accomplished, Jimin -  for those people complaining about MUSE’s lack of sincerity or depth. The rest of us got it. Interpretations are still in progress, but we know Jimin puts a lot of time, attention, and meaning into his work, regardless. 

Jimin always surprises the public and even those who know him personally.  He likes revealing different looks, singing in different tones, creating different sounding songs, and doing different styles of dances and performances. I love that he isn’t afraid to experiment, and he writes what he wants to write and how he wants to write it. He creates the stages and choreography that he envisions in order to delight and entertain.  He’s. Your. Fil. Ter.😉 (If interested, see my indirect Filter post.)

Jimin is always growing and trying new things as Tae said during Festa 2020 (linked to the mark). He said that Jimin was basically “in charge” of bringing surprises to the group as well. In other words, even those close to him aren’t always sure what to expect with his next move.

In his behind the scenes video for the making of MUSE songs, when Jimin was recording Closer Than This, he said to the engineer that he knew when he sang “My Love, My Baby” it sounded a little cringy (linked to the mark). He laughed and said but he was okay with that and liked it, and it was left in the song, which is partially a fan song. (Yes, I said partially. Read my CTT post if you care to know why I said that.) If Jimin has a message, he will include it, regardless of what others may feel. 

MUSE had a different tone and feeling than FACE.  Jimin had explained that for neither album was he going for charts and awards. He shared that he initially wanted to release FACE for free, just to express himself through song and perhaps reach someone who’d understand or who needed to hear the message. I feel the songs for MUSE were written for the same reasons: He wanted to express himself and perhaps if someone else needed to hear the message that would be great too.

As producer PDogg said (linked to mark) in the same making of MUSE songs video, SGMB team was a band that was created  “for those who aren’t able to express their love themselves”.  PDogg was sharing Jimin’s vision of the song with Loco. It wasn’t an empty album. Jimin had things to say, for himself and for others, and, in my opinion, he expressed himself as loudly in MUSE as he did in FACE. IYKYK.

Anyway, I wanted to think through that in my writing. Whether you agree or disagree, I hope it inspired some thoughts about Jimin and his work.  That is always a wish and hope for my writing about BTS and Jimin. I think they hope their art and lives serve as inspiration of some kind. For anyone who still wants to know my thoughts about what I feel MUSE may mean, see my MUSE post, where I share why I think it is a more complex album than it may appear.  (If interested, my FACE post too.)

Borahae!

💜

[accio-victuuri]

Somebody Else’s Arms : Timeline + Analysis ✍🏻 and a tiny bit of clowning…

as what the title of this post says, let’s talk about this song and everything that goes with it. i didn’t expect him to actually do something like this but i’m not mad about it. there were already some rumors about it before the release, which personally didn’t come by my weibo feed so as soon as the poster teaser was out, everyone had their own thoughts:

1. It might be related to intercross, because of the water imagery and angsty title.

2. It’s a song he bought and at the time people were pointing to an existing track by cool heads prevail. and others were saying it may just be the same name.

3. some cpfs getting nervous cause it seems to be a breakup song, as if you all didn’t know he and xz love bittersweet songs!

4. connected to #2 cause a cpf station sister commented on this song before we knew anything like she had an idea that this will be performed all along.

AND NOW THAT THE WE HAVE LISTENED TO IT, it is a completely different one from the track people were referring to. oh well. rumors are rumors.

yibo-official first released the teaser for it at 16:00 which to me relates to the “fact” that 16 is bobo’s favorite number. also the play on words and how they associate with each other is so interesting SEA = somebody else’s arms then using that as an overall theme like deep in the sea. not to be that person — but it’s so xiao zhan.

then the hair reminded people of his style @ tencent starlight in 2019 with xz. but i have to say, when the douyin video was released, it made more sense because of the 80s vibe he ( along with other yh family stars ) was going for. the clothes and the hair definitely complete the look. i mean come on, he already had the vincent vega hair.

the similarity in the caption, once again! xzs 🤝 ybo

Now let’s move on the song itself ⬇️⬇️⬇️

i can only find information on this songwriter, so i guess it’s true that he bought it. the lyrics is actually giving ghost by justin bieber which is a personal fave. it’s like acknowledging you love someone but they are gone now. also it’s interesting that he chose an english song! i’m gonna be a totally delusional fan here and think that this is because he is becoming more and more popular with the international stage so he chose this to connect more.

the choreography is also by his fave Franklin Yu who also did the dance for Rules of My World and Burn It All Down. backed up by Made in V which is a usual group that collaborates with him and XZ. 💚❤️

i think we are all surprised cause it’s in ENGLISH. like i understand if the chorus is, but as a whole. wow.

You're still in my heart

But you're in somebody else arms

You are still in my mind

But you are in somebody else's life

A part of you got left inside my chest

I try and I try to forget

You are still in my heart

But you are in somebody else arms

Memories that we said we made

Memories I can't never let go

How do they torture me the same

Memories that we won't even know

Let me out

Na na na oh My love my love

Na na na oh Let me out

Na na na oh My love my love

A part of you got left inside my chest

I try and I try to forget

You are still in my heart

But you are in somebody else arms somebody else arms

the lyrics are so heartbreaking 💔 and as i said, something we know will appeal to yibo. and as an artist, or any kind of creative i feel like this kind of emotion connects well to the audience. it’s the perfect choice! but that doesn’t mean it don’t hurt!

i know there might be some part of the fandom who will look at this and be like — oh they broke up! “see how sad his face was performing?!” and well.. dude, he is performing this song and singing those lyrics.. what should he do? smile? lol. his dance is an interpretation of it, did you see that bit where he was alone and everyone had partners? In the meantime he was all alone and cradling no one 😭😭😭

it’s a performance. no matter how much we think everything has a personal connection.

anyway, it’s beautiful. his voice is amazing. i’m just imagining xz totally lovin this song and putting this on repeat! 🎧

and oh, the style of his clothes look like there are XX on it. hahahaha! a CPN fave!

DISCLAIMER: this is all the information available at the time of writing. I will post separate ones if ever new information comes out related to this song. 🎶

[tetsunabouquet]

Attack On Titan X Reader- Dutch Playlist Headcanon

A/N: Nothing To Lose was repeating in my brain and I couldn't help but think how the doomed, let's runaway theme fits Eren Yeager, and then my mind slowly started attributing Dutch pop songs to AOT men. I hope my AOT girlies can enjoy my picks!

Eren Yeager: Douwe Bob - Nothing To Lose This song is entirely sung in English so you don't need me explaining this one to you. The music video was actually shot in Japan.

Connie Springer: Fouradi - 1 Ding It means 1 Thing, and is about a guy with a somewhat player and clown-like image begging 'you' to be his: "One thing that I want from you, is that you stay by me and become my woman". The more playful lyrics in the rap verses really fit regular Connie and Slap On Titan's Connie both.

Jean Kirstein: Kim - Ik Ben Verliefd Means I Am In Love, this was a finalist song from the Dutch national contest of Junior Eurovision. It's a very mature ballad that fared better with adults then it did with the children watching and lyrics like, "In the silence rings your voice," just really remind me of the way Jean would look at Mikasa or in this instance, you as the listener imagening Jean feeling that way about you

Onyankopon : Re-Play - Kijk Om Je Heen Means Look Around You and it's about realizing you are not alone because there is a guy that loves you, "There is one who waits for you, all day and all night long." Because Re-Play is a pretty famous R&B group from the 90s, they were immediately who came to mind when thinking of this dude as he just fits that smooth R&B vibe.

Armin Arlert: Nielson - Beauty & the Brains Despite it's English title the song is in Dutch, if any of you watched TVD you might recognize this as the song playing during the Amsterdam scene. The title is pretty self-explanatory though and it is about simping for his girlfriend who's equally smart as she is beautiful and just an overall package deal. "I'm not so much of a hero myself, but I have my superwoman with me," is a lyric I can see Armin sing.

Reiner Braun: BLOF - Dansen Aan Zee Means Dancing At The Sea and this would totally fit Reiner falling for a girl on Paradis during his mission. It's about saying goodbye to the one he loves whilst he doesn't wants to and having one final dance on shore. "One for your tears, two for mine and three for the horizon to which we disappear". (tiny fact about me: I was actually classmates with the singer's nephew that had a crush on me in elemantary school)

Levi Ackerman: Claudia De Breij - Mag Ik Dan Bij Jou Means May I Go To You. It's about opening up and showing yourself at your most vulnerable state to a strong protector, the latter role is really befitting for Levi, I mean the song literally opens with "If there comes a war, and I'd need to hide, may I go to you?"

Bertolt Hoover: Paul De Leeuw - Ik Heb Je Lief Means I Hold You Dear. It's just a very sweet romantic song that I can picture Bertolt listening to whilst thinking of you. 'I hold you dear, what am I without you. They are four very small words, and they'll make you a little frightened. I hold you dear, a thousand and one nights long.'

Honorable mention for fluff's sake:

Falco Grice: Melle - Dromen Means 'Dreams'. This was a another finalist song from the Dutch national contest of Junior Eurovision. Not only does Melle have a Falco vibe, but it's a really adorable love song where Melle talks about his dreams of becoming a singer and sharing a life with his crush with whom he will always feel like the little boy he is now, no matter how old he gets. I can totally picture this as a shipping song for Falco and Gabi.

[notebookmusical]

So I noticed how she changed her profile pic in the morning and thought it was mostly nothing. I didn't really keep up with the website codes or Red herring or anything and thought the only thing that would happen is an outfit hinting at rep...which was mostly true. I never thought she would announce anything at the Grammys! I was happy to see her win the category and when she announced it..I was really shocked and confused?Lol I mean..new album? Instead of rep? The title that was longer than most of her album names? Then the announcement/photo prologue she posted. It might have been more shocking than Midnights but that time I was so shocked I cried lol. I don't think it was more shocking..it just left me like what??? I honestly don't know how I feel about the album title or aesthetics yet but I think it could match my earlier prediction of a mix between Folklore and Red with maybe Midnights. If she is performing it on tour, I think it will be more acoustic and that would fit with a breakup album. I think it fit that a little bit but then it still feels like Folklore to me. It also reminds me of Dead Poets Society lol and I've seen other theories on the theme and choosing her career as a poet. But then there is the other side that says it's black and white like Rep and will be the other side of that with like the anger and revenge side. That's not what I thought at all so now i don't know! I guess the cover leaned into that how it only shows half of her face like 1989 or rep but i'm not crazy about the cover either..like it didn't fit with the title at all. However I guess I would love a mix of all three since rep red and folklore are my fav albums. What do you think? I hope you have a great week! 🩷

i was actually at powerpoint night with some friends and my phone started blowing up so i went and looked and i was shocked that there was a new album. — i'm putting my thoughts under the cut! 🤍

i've been seeing a lot of non-swifties criticize her for announcing it at the grammys, since the grammys is a black tie event / a more ~ professional ~ one, and every video i see of the crowd is a little 😵‍💫 . i think there were some things about the grammys that i've seen that just make me feel a bit 😵‍💫 about that entire night. like her pulling up lana on stage, and the way she interacted with boygenius... i just feel a bit 😵‍💫 overall haha.

i've saw something about how it's labeled as synth-pop, which is interesting, since it doesn't match the album art at all, but was talking to friends about how the same thing happened with midnights (labeled as rock originally, marketed as a 70s aesthetic) and how evermore was originally also labeled as synth-pop. so i guess that doesn't really matter.

i think it might sound a bit like midnights 3 am + folklore / evermore, but i feel like taylor always manages to surprise me in terms of sound / lyrics ! have you seen the theory about how rep was more black than white, and this is like the opposite? i'm surprised she dropped the track list so early — i guess to build anticipation? i like the album cover and the album art at the back, and i'm curious about the "i love you, it's ruining my life" line and what that's a song lyric from!

i don't really know how i feel about this album; i keep alternating between being excited and also just being annoyed at all the ~ swiftie discourse ~ i've been seeing and how a lot of people seem determined to perform a public autopsy on her relationship with joe alwyn. which just ... makes me feel weird? like obviously taylor's a singer/songwriter that draws on a lot of her personal experiences! that's normal! but also the way swifties talk about joe is just ... a bit odd, in my opinion! like we're taylor fans, i get it, we don't want taylor to be upset, etc. but i also think that the way people talk about joe like he's the worst person on earth is a bit weird when his biggest crime (as far as i know) is ... getting complacent in a relationship? like when jake gyllennhaal and john mayer are ... right there? i just ... sigh!

i think i'm most excited for the songs: clara bow, the alchemy, the manuscript, i can do it with a broken heart, but daddy i love him, and so long london though! what about you?

[musictooth]

tagged by @kuningatar

🎶✨when you get this you have to put 5 songs you actually listen to, publish, then send this ask/tag 10 of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) 🎶✨

Uh every time I get asked what kind of music I like / listen to I start to sweat ‘cause a) I’m not that into music b) I know nothing about music and c) my (short) playlist is a weird mix of teen nostalgia & vibes:

A Silent Film - This Stage is Your Life

I tend to forget this one for period of time ‘till I remember this exists and start to sing along no matter the time or place. Sorry fellow travellers and bypassers.

But I don't believe you're suffering I came to see the storm that caused the scar  

(If I would have the time and the energy I would make and kp edit out of this. But since I’m unproductive in every aspect of my life I dare someone else to pick up the idea.)

Bunch of BL OP’s & ED’s (เป็นเธอใช่ไหม (Have I Found) Ost.Vice Versa รักสลับโลก - Sea Tawinan / Slot Machine - Free Fall  | Theme from KinnPorsche The Series / Slot Machine - เพียงไว้ใจ (PhiangWaichai) | Theme from KinnPorsche The Series / ふたたび(with 大塚 愛) Music Video｜HIROBA)

As it turns out BL became a one-way escapism route for me. I’ve watched a lot of wacky shows in the past year or two, but some of the OST’s have been surprisingly good. Vice Versa is a good example of a show that is all over the place but damn the OST is good.

JO1 - 君のまま (lyrics here)

This is by far JO1′s best song, period. The lyrics are so good and the overall mood hits so many buttons in me. I’m forever salty that they rarely perform this live.

OWV - My flow【OWV LIVE TOUR 2021 -CHASER-】

Now that I opened the can of worms called PDJ101 I have to add OWV to the list. There is some hits but most of OWV’s songs have been a miss for me. I get the whole underdog concept they’re after but it has gotten repetative and frankly, boring. That being said, My flow has the right kind of middle finger vibes they’re after. This isn’t for everyones taste though, as the song is more of an fan anthem than a list hit.

Take That - When We Were Young

If Kimi no mama hits my sentimental button, Take That smashes my nostalgia button into pieces. I don’t listen the songs on daily basis but when I do, it’s a full-time job for me to course through their discography and sing my voice hoarse.

I’ll tag only two because all my followers left during the titty purge (insert sad face here).

@deathslights @sapphic-eclipse

[blackhorrorthoughts]

Blog Post #4: "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar

One of the pleasant surprises when reviewing the syllabus at the beginning of the quarter for this class was seeing the inclusion of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” in the works the class would discuss. It has been one of my favorite songs since I was in middle school, and I had the pleasure last September to see it live during his Big Steppers Tour. It wasn’t until the lecture that covered the song that I found out the song was actually adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement as its anthem, which made me appreciate the song even more.

Before the lecture, I had not watched the music video for the song since I usually don’t watch many music videos anymore. The video made it a lot clearer the ways the song was tied into the themes in the class, as it features Kendrick literally rising above the pain and chaos in the video. There is a lot of power in the statement of “We gon’ be alright,” and the song itself means a lot to ease my personal struggles as well as the Black movements that have co opted the song to put an end to police brutality. It has stayed in my rotation over the years and I don’t think there will be a time where I don’t listen to it and feel a small sense of relief from its message.

I find it fascinating (and very reassuring) that one of the aspects of Afrofuturism is optimism for the future and creating the space for Black people to thrive in the future. “Alright” is a great example of that; it’s likely that Kendrick Lamar wasn’t intending his work to be Afrofuturistic, but its intentions and what the song has come to stand for allows it to paint a brighter future without the perils of systemic violence. I also love the way the lyrics bounce between Kendrick’s own personal struggles and taking on issues for the greater community; both struggles still align with the greater message when considering the ways our system continues to oppress Black individuals on a singular and plural level.

Overall, I loved that a song so important to me was discussed in our class context. I have a new lens on both Afrofuturistic music as a genre and Kendrick Lamar’s music.

[kevgao1030]

Bruno Mars: The Modern Man of Retro

In today's music industry, various artists have carved their own niche through creating pieces drawn from popular genres, ranging from rap, country music, and rock. One particular genre draws much of its popularity and identity from hip hop and R&B. At its forefront stands song artist and pop icon Bruno Mars. Peter Gene Hernandez, or Bruno Mars, almost single handedly revived the era of hip hop from the 1990s through his most popular songs. Today, Bruno Mars represents the 90s culture, and while he is not as popular as he was during the 2010s, his influence situates him as a well-known artist in the modern US.

Starting from his origins, Bruno Mars was (as expected) especially interested in pop music during his youth, drawing inspiration from big names like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Much of the music her produced is best described as "vintage", such as his early collaborative efforts in songs like "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B and "Billionaire" by Travis McCoy. Such works served to cement his image as a hip hop artist.

Following Bruno Mars' success in late 2000s projects, he began to pursue his own career in the form of his first official album Doo-Woops and Hooligan. The album had almost immediately become a countrywide success, pulling in hundreds of thousands of listens at an alarming pace.

Personally, during my first listen of the entire album, I could not connect the songs to his recent works. However, I eventually was able to discern the instrumentals that linked both of his works. His use of more excitable background music instills a unique depiction of music that is hip hop but is also undeniable a Bruno Mars song. I had actually felt nostalgic as I had heard these very songs in my youth. As a matter of fact, I had heard of these so much that I initially believed that Bruno Mars' songs were the musical products early 2000s era, when in actuality his songs were indicative of what the 2000s represented.

Following his album's success in 2010, Bruno Mars worked on various projects with other music artists until the release of his new album Unorthodox Jukebox. While it did not perform as successfully as his initial album, it still sold very well and reflected his personal style.

My first impression of the album was that it certainly was created by Bruno Mars. It remained upbeat and its lyrics matched the instrumentals. However, I felt that it was certainly not as iconic as his first album. The greatest departure from his style was the song "Gorilla", which reminded me more of rock music than hip hop.

Finally, the last song I want to cover for Bruno Mars is, in my opinion, Bruno Mars' most iconic song: Uptown Funk. With its 90s feel and the stylization of the music video, one can immediately conjure the time era that Bruno hoped to capture. The clothing style exemplifies the 90s: the tinted sunglasses, fedora, leather jackets, and jewelry! Furthermore, the use of the setting sells the theme with the use of vintage cars, brick building neighborhoods, and the overall quality of the recording. On the last point, the filming quality was excellent, but it still captures the sense of 90s television, likely due to the colors used. Furthermore, both the choreography and lyrics also give off a 90s-esque atmosphere. For instance, the lyrics

Take a sip, sign a check Julio, get the stretch Ride to Harlem, Hollywood, Jackson, Mississippi If we show up, we gon' show out Smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy

display a sense of old time metaphors and vernacular that is easily recognizable. In regards to thee dance, much can be attributed to the style, but the group choreography also matches up with 80s dance styles, many of which involve swaying back and forth.

To conclude, Bruno Mars is one of the greatest icons in the 21st century through his incorporation of 80-90s music style and his own unique twist that can be easily recognizable to those who hear his songs. While his name has not been as prominent in today's music scene, Bruno Mars will continue to remain as a mainstay in today's culture, especially in regards to the niche community of retro music.

[moonstarinfinity]

BTS Group Astrology Interpretation

What is BTS's overall vibe? How does their debut influence them as a group, their sound, and how their career as a team will play out? There are a lot of things you can see about a group or business using event astrology, and we're going to explore how BTS's group astrology plays out for them as a whole. Want to see what placements are beneficial? Does their chart indicate fame? How does it influence their music? What potential things could be issues for them as a group? Lets take a look!

(This is long winded, so grab some banana milk and churros and enjoy the ride!)

Chart Pattern

Their chart pattern is called a "Tripod" pattern. This pattern indicates that they like to do their own thing. They are the trailblazers, and are often doing things that have never been done before. They refuse to be boxed in. We can see this in a TON of their music but the song that comes to my mind first is "Idol." They are not afraid to speak their mind and to bravely put their thoughts and feelings out for anyone to see and hear.

Personal Planets

Sun in Gemini - 7th House

Communication, self-expression, curiosity, and adaptability. This placement is STRONG for BTS when it comes to their lyrics and style. They change up their sound and styles frequently as they grow. They are excellent communicators and often times their lyrics are deep, but easy to follow.

They are crafters of the spoken word, and this placement is actually a great one for an artistic group. It allows them to stay current and to be able to understand and gather information about what is going on around them at all times.

Gemini Sun placements are very good at fitting in with the world around them, and in this case the placement is strengthened in the 7th house of relationships and beauty.

Gemini in the 7th house is all about learning how to get to know others better. This plays out in them trying to keep up with their fans and each other, and to really understand and relate to their closest relationships.

You can see this influence in their style, and in the way they try to empower, relate, and connect with people through aesthetics and communication. Take "Dynamite" for example: It was created in an attempt to connect, inspire and uplift people all over the world. It was well thought through, brilliantly created, and extremely successful.

Amongst themselves this placement allows for them to understand each other better. They are all very different people, but they all have an understanding and love for each other regardless, and this energy is part of what makes their bond so close due to it's ability to help them understand and communicate as a whole.

One thing they need to watch out with when it comes to this placement is a restlessness. They struggle to stay still for too long, which is good and bad. When it comes to the 7th house this means that they tend to not focus on one commitment for too long, but it also means that when things seem too stable they may get anxious as a group, which can cause some discord. Thankfully this is also good in the sense that it always helps them to stay relevant, and as long as they are investigating and researching before they make moves, they can use this to their advantage.

Moon in Leo - 8th House

Loyal, proud, adventurous, enthusiastic. This is a really bright and cheerful placement. It's also a placement that LOVES love.

In the 8th house this is a very creative and straightforward placement. They thrive on creating with their emotions, and they likely bring a positive spin to topics like death and rebirth. They often will have a deep understanding of things that are more taboo, and are able to express their views and feelings of these things in a creative and positive light.

As a whole they are very aware of the important people in their lives (ARMY), and it's very easy for them to emotionally attach because their love for their fans and their group is very deep and intense. If anything were to happen to their relationship to their fans or as a group it would be a huge blow.

They need to be able to express things in big, passionate ways. They have a big voice as a group, and it's likely people will try to discourage them and dull their shine and intensity. Think to when Namjoon and Yoongi were both teased and looked down on for being in a kpop group by other rappers. This is the energy they face as a group overall, and it's important to continually express their passion and energy regardless of the people that try to bring them down.

A downside is this placement tends to be pushy and somewhat domineering, so they need to stay patient with each other as a team. They may try to rush themselves into situations, and at times this could make them feel unstable, but again...as long as they are taking calculated risks with their music and contracts then this is a good thing.

Let me also say that this is a very psychic and intuitive placement and people and businesses with this placement are often times healers. They heal through their artistic expression, and they bring those deepest, darkest feelings to a place of comfort for their fans. If you look at all of their music there is a theme. Map of the Soul. That alone is already proof of this placement without including each song, their music videos and concepts, and the way they connect to their fans.

This is a GREAT position for a business because the moon in the 8th is also seen as a position that indicates wealth earned from others.

Ascendant in Sagittarius - 1st House

BTS has an overall energy that exudes exploration and is extremely social. They are relatable and well-respected all over the world. They are open-minded, flexible, and extremely good at adapting to constant change.

Hope. Excitement. Change. Optimism. This is a very good ascendant to have in both a personal and group situation. You can see everything here from adventure, to fame, to being charitable, to expression, to intuition.

Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter and in the 1st house they are larger than life. This placement has been, and will continue to be, an amplifier for them. It is a placement that has led to fame, expansion, and notoriety.

This placement helps them be confident in themselves and their music. It's a placement of good luck and success. People are drawn in by the energy of this placement, and it helps BTS explore and understand all types of people, no matter their background.

They exude a colorful, childlike energy as a whole, even when talking about deep concepts and darker parts of the world and psyche. This makes them relatable and even for those that don't understand their lyrics, they can feel a sense of magic when listening to their music. They are funny, playful, hopeful, optimistic, and extremely likable.

This is another placement that has a strong intuition and a connection to spirituality. They often discuss things like the persona, shadow, ego, and the soul. These things are explored and the group as a whole grows and bonds through their own personal journeys and discoveries of who they are.

Generous. They LOVE to donate to causes. They LOVE to do things that better humanity. They are well informed, knowledgeable, and extremely attuned to the things going on in the world, and will sacrifice whatever they can as a group to bring awareness, support, and donations to causes that really need it.

A downside to this placement is a tendency to get bored, so they may have lots of projects that don't get finished or brought to light. They may get restless when they feel like they've been stuck in a situation for too long.

For some they may come off as naive or overly optimistic, and we can see that this was an issue in the beginning for them when they were looked at as just a kpop group, and not as a group that is more serious. Thankfully they have worked hard and proven time and time again that they are much more than just a kpop group.

Personally I don't see many challenges for a Sagittarius rising, and I love this placement. It's beautiful, and I could talk for days about how this placement is a lot of what BTS is known as.

Mercury in Cancer - 8th House

Here we find a place that helps BTS to slow down their high energy. Cancer is all about emotions, intuition, and going with the flow, and is traditionally ruled by the moon. Mercury is all about communication and knowledge, and the 8th house is the house of Scorpio traditionally. A place that is deep and watery.

This is a gentle, calm, and deep placement. They understand emotions, and express in a way that helps people who are in the darkest places feel heard and nurtured.

This placement is a huge one for music. It helps with rhythm, lyrics, and putting emotion into melody. This helps BTS express emotion through their sound, and that's a magnet for them as a musical group. Think poetry through sound and lyrics.

They can get frustrated as a group with "facts only" conversations, and as a whole will always touch on deeper subjects. They likely won't engage with drama or mainstream theatrics. They will likely stick to more personal topics in their music.

This also allows them to present or perform things in a powerful way that lets people know what they think and what they mean without any doubts. They are honest, and expect that honesty back from the world.

They may also need to retreat at times to work on projects or to go through their projects as a team, and all of them have to bring their viewpoints together in order to create the deep, soulful music we know. They likely have a ton of deep conversations amongst themselves about their feelings and emotions.

Ultimately this placement is kind, caring, and loving. BTS uses this placement to help people heal deeper wounds through love and compassion.

Venus in Cancer - 8th House

This placement honestly just triples the love, compassion, intuition, and care BTS has.

It brings a sensitivity and dependable energy to their group, and to their fans. They are protective, patient, and caring when it comes to their group and to ARMY.

This is another romantic placement, and it means they have a DEEP love for BTS as a whole and for their fans. They feel the connection on a deep level, and they place a ton of trust in their fans. (See Jungkook running into a crowd during a concert with zero fear, or how outspoken they are on controversial topics.)

They build a home amongst themselves, and invite their fans in to that home. It's a home built on dreams, intuition, love, compassion, and connection.

Again...spirituality. Literally their chart screams spirituality. This is another placement that focuses on the deep inner workings of being a human, loving ourselves and others, and developing humanity overall. You can see all of these spiritual influences in their music. They even touch on subjects like astrology, intuition, death of the ego, dark night of the soul...the list can go on for a long time.

They need to make sure to appreciate where they are at now, as this placement can make them forget to enjoy the moment. They need to allow themselves to revel in the current success and not chase after the next thing on their list. Celebrate the successes that you have now, because soon this moment will be a memory. Enjoy it while you are in it.

When they are hurt by someone or something they have a tendency to close down, and this would affect them on a more personal level. For example if someone in the group is hurt by a rumor, the entire group will put up a shield and nurture that person. They might withdraw from the public to make sure everyone is safe and cared for until there is no longer a threat. They also might hold grudges as a team against people who wrong them as a group, meaning that they could potentially fuel each other to do this if they aren't careful.

If you've ever noticed that they have a magnetic draw, part of that charm can come from this placement. It makes them naturally appealing and have a social chemistry as a whole that keeps people intrigued and coming back for more. As a group they develop each other and can actually increase each other's attractiveness.

Mars in Gemini - 7th House

Witty and edgy! Mars in Gemini knows how to use their words, and they definitely are not shy about it. This is a high energy placement and when the group is fired up about something expect there to be a lot of explosive communication about it. Think about songs like "Cypher 4" and "Ddaeng" and you can feel this energy.

Fast. This placement is FAST. This seems to be a good thing for BTS as long as they can take the moments to celebrate their successes as they happen. They are always quick to change and adapt. This speed allows them to keep up with trends, other groups, and the world. They just need to make sure all decisions are thought through, and usually this placement really helps them make calculated, smart decisions on the fly.

This placement is really good for BTS in the sense that it's usually a great fit for careers in the media, fashion, and entertainment. Again it's about keeping up with the trends and communication. What is cutting edge? This placement knows.

Usually people with mars in Gemini discharge their powerhouse energy through their hands, so it makes sense that as a group they are constantly making music. They also enjoy doing group puzzles and games together. (See BTS Run.) They have to constantly stay busy or they may get bored or depressed, and this just means that as a group they feel the most success and happiness when they are busy. They need that constant change so they can stay hyped up, and when they are all together their energy levels rise tremendously. This is where some of that chaotic energy comes from.

With Mars in the 7th house they may often times actually thrive in being the leaders, and they tend to have a dominant energy, but for a powerhouse group this is a good thing. They are extremely honest and loyal to their fanbase and they will likely fight anyone who comes for their team or their fans.

They are extremely competitive, and this placement almost always guarantees success. They don't stop until they are finished with a project, and they throw themselves into what they are passionate about as a group.

Jupiter in Gemini - 7th House

Lucky. Successful. Spiritual. Curious. Jupiter rules Sagittarius traditionally and this is actually a really great placement for them. They love to travel and be students of the world. They are constantly exploring in many different ways, and this allows them to bring their knowledge to a platform.

This placement is also very fortunate financially. It brings them wealth, which in the 7th house this can mean that it also brings the group lots of beauty and love.

Long term partnerships and relationships (with each other and their fans, and company) are predicted here. Jupiter is the sign of expansion and in the home of partnerships, relationships, and beauty, this can indicate a very happy, harmonious, long term situation.

I want to mention that their Ascendant is in Sagittarius and that actually affects this placement as well. Sagittarius being ruled by Jupiter means that this placement is actually their chart ruler. That means the effects of their Jupiter can be felt much stronger as a group than some of their weaker placements.

They have an innate ability to make their enemies into their friends, gain the affection and trust of the public, and to turn any partnership into a successful, financially lucrative situation. So this makes lots of people want to work with them and sponsor them. Think LG, FILA, Maplestory, Hyundai, Conway, Baskin Robbins, etc.

This placement personally makes the group very aware of their own energy overall. So they are very in tune with what feels like it's in alignment for them at any given time, and they will do research if they are not sure how they feel. They will usually discuss amongst themselves and really feel out how the whole group feels and thinks about things like partnerships and projects before committing to them.

Legal matters. They win. The 7th house is also the house of legalities and contracts so if at any point any legal matters arise for BTS, they have luck and intelligence on their side x10 because of this placement. They likely will quickly, easily, and successfully deal with any legal stuff that comes their way.

Last, but not least, for this placement: Their fans mean the world to them. Their love and relationship with their fans is amplified because of Jupiter being in the 7th, and you can see their love for their fans runs deep. It hits them very hard that they haven't been able to perform live, or meet their fans in person for a while, more so than a lot of other groups. They feel very deeply for their connection to their fans, and feel extreme amounts of happiness, love, and success when their fans show them love.

Saturn in Scorpio - 11th House

Hard workers first and foremost. Saturn is the planet that rules over hard work, and Scorpio is one of the most intense signs in the zodiac. They take their work very seriously, and they will dive into their work and won't come back up for air until it is finished.

Shadow healers. They use their music to relate to people on a level that makes you feel like you are their best friend. This allows them to really help you open up to yourself and dive into the depths. They can take you on many journeys through your soul and psyche and help you through even the toughest moments.

Saturn here is really fortunate because it means they are meant to reap the full benefit of their hard work. Whatever work they put in they are rewarded tenfold in time. Because they had to put in the work they appreciate the reward a lot more, and generally don't let things like materialism or finances go to their heads. (See Bangtan forgets they are millionaires videos on Youtube.)

Friendship and their relationships with fans are very important to them. They value the friendship that the group has overall, but also externally. They actually gain a ton from their friendships due to this position, which is no surprise. Think about all of their music collaborations, and the fact that their fans are what makes them successful. This Saturn can traditionally make it hard for the person to open up completely, but...that's not necessarily a bad thing for BTS because they are a KPOP group, and need that privacy.

Speaking of privacy:they treasure their privacy, and they are extremely protective over their individual lives away from the group. They tend to have a wound here about trusting others with things like this, and I think rightfully so honestly. Fame can bring good and bad things, and being overly cautious when it comes to who you let inside is important for idol groups.

This placement also nods to a group that refuses to follow trends. They are very unique and want to express that, so they will ignore what everyone else is doing, and follow their own beat. This can lead to them feeling isolated as a group sometimes, which may make them doubt themselves at times, but they ultimately should know that this ability to be themselves is what attracts the greatest things into their lives.

Their biggest shadow fear is the fear of being misunderstood. Mostly because of the point we just went over. They have a fear that they will be so deep or different that people won't understand them and that they will lost interest, or they will never truly understand their messages.

They also may fear that they will lose their passion as a group and things may spin out of their control, or become inconsistent. They want to heal the world and reach as many people as possible, and there's a fear that they won't do this, and at this point that they would lose the status they have and stop being able to change the world through their music.

They need to know that their whole chart is lucky, and as long as they keep following their passions, their spirituality, and their values they will be extremely successful as a group. You're already so many leagues ahead of so many people BTS, so look around right now and know that you are safe and that so many millions of people love and support you.

Transpersonal Planets:

Uranus in Aries - 4th House

A powerful trailblazing placement! This is yet another sign and planet combination that goes their own way and leads the group into uncharted territory with confidence.

Uranus in the 4th house traditionally makes them feel like they are outcasts or outsiders. That they don't necessarily fit in or have a "home." Aries being here drives them to create a home of their own. This is why they make every person feel included and safe with them.

They also will find that this aspect makes them feel at home with each other as a team of people who may feel like they don't fit in with "normal" society, but they feel like they fit in with each other.

As a whole they will encourage each other to rebel against society, norms, and traditions. They will all feel like a fire is lit beneath them when they are working together. A passion and bravery will exude from them as a whole.

This will give them a craving for freedom (which goes hand in hand with their Sagittarius Ascendant) and a desire to be independent. They will find that this placement develops a safety and stability within their group, and this is what gives them a strong foundation. They may at times come off as cliquey but they are far from it. They just really like to do their own thing, and are confident in the foundation they continually build together as a team.

Normally this placement can indicate hardships with family, but because it's a group chart reading this is saying that they come from all different backgrounds, and atmospheres, and they find a way to make anywhere their home as long as they are together. At times they can be dependent on each other, but this bond is what gives them stability in their endeavors as a team.

They are all inclusive, meaning that their love (ARMY, music, each other) doesn't judge, and it accepts everything. They are not superficial, and they like to think of themselves as a safe place for anyone and everyone to land.

Neptune in Pisces - 3rd House

Led by their intuition and thinking processes, they will look within their group and themselves to move forward.

I know this is sounding like a broken record but: SPIRITUALITY. I can't say it enough. They like to know the ins and outs of the deepest parts of life. They like to develop themselves on an individual level, as well as in their group. They then like to share this journey through music and art as true Neptune in Pisces placements often do.

It's another placement that gives them a leg up when it comes to communication as well. They have a way of using metaphors, art, sound, lyrics, and emotion to explain and teach things on a global scale. It's one of the reasons they are so popular globally, and relate to almost anyone they come across.

This placement has a power struggle early on between the mind and intuition. Generally there's a lack of knowledge on how to express, but over time as the mind and creativity flow together, it becomes a powerful placement. We can actually see this in BTS in the way that early on their music was influenced more by others, and now they are the ones who are creating their music exclusively from within themselves.

Eccentric, different, funny, and sociable. This placement creates a very forward-thinking group that loves the unusual and thrives from doing things in their own ways. It's given a very energetic and humorous spin because of the fact that the ascendant is in Sagittarius, and the overall energy of their chart allows for the group to have a massive amount of freedom, passion, and drive.

Pluto in Capricorn - 2nd House

I laugh at this placement because this can lead to a tendency to be very frugal with money, but can lead to holding onto things too tightly. So for instance: If your phone breaks, you tape it back together instead of buying a new phone. It's not that you can't afford one, it's that you don't value buying a new phone, and would rather save the money for something better. Plus you like that phone, and it still works, so why not?

This is a very logical and practical placement, and the goal of this placement is to teach the group what is really valuable, and in doing so they can translate that to the world. It causes them to develop as a team in the realm of stability and finances.

They are incredibly gifted at following their intuition as a group when it comes to what they spend money on, how their tours are organized, what businesses to partner up with, and how much to invest into their projects financially. They just understand and know the ins and outs of what is the best deal and what can bring them the most success.

They likely have struggled as a team with the pull of money versus stability from within. They have to continually understand that their group is stable and abundant just because of who they are, and that it's not all about how much you can earn or how successful you are. This will help alleviate the fear that all can be lost at any moment by helping them understand that they could lose these things, but that they won't lose their stability in each other.

The lesson is to let go a little. They need to follow their intuition, and it's okay if they are a little possessive over their team, their fans, and their success, but they also need to be okay with letting things come and go. They seem to already work through this challenge really well, and thankfully their other placements make it a lot easier to not get stuck holding onto everything. See the song "Let Go."

Aspects:

Scorpio North Node - 12th House

Their purpose as a group is literally to show the transformation process (death and rebirth, spirituality) through art and music.

Their challenges are to embrace the unknown and to teach others how to do the same while understanding and accepting their emotions and themselves for who they really are.

It's all about embracing change and emotions for what they are and flowing through them. You will find that most of their music is about this very thing. Love yourself. Map of the soul. It's all about transforming yourself by working through your shadows and wounds.

Song recommendations if you want examples: Butterfly, Interlude: Shadow, Persona, Ego, Black Swan, Mikrokrosmos, Magic shop....I could just say their entire catalog really.

The goal is to change the world by helping people step out of their comfort zones, follow their passions, and love themselves. If that isn't beautiful, I don't know what is. If you find yourself drawn to BTS, don't be surprised if you are also drawn to spirituality, self-love, and massive personal transformation.

Pisces Chiron - 3rd House

When I do group Chiron placements they are read as how the group helps their fans, each other, and potentially the world heal.

In this case they help each other and the world believe in the universe again. That there is good in the world, and that we are all part of one big beautiful consciousness. (Not to get all spiritual on you.)

People who feel like the universe has dealt them a bad hand, beaten down by the world, discouraged with life, will come to BTS for healing. When you listen to their music and connect to them as a group it creates a sense of oneness. They teach others that they are important, they do have a place in this world, and that they belong. Your differences are what makes you who you are, and they are here to help you see that, accept it, and embrace it.

They will help you see that even in the darkest times there is always light. There is always hope, and you are ultimately in control of your life. They teach that the universe co-creates with you.

This placement helps them to open people up when they've shut down. To nurture people back to believing in the good again. They do this through communication and connection. They help people to face their wounds and to transform from them instead of running away from them. Then once they've faced them, they teach you how to voice your thoughts, your passions, your emotions.

Chiron in Pisces helps them to understand and actually feel other people's emotions and pain, so as a group they need to make sure they take the time to recharge after long tours or giving their energy to people. They can easily take on other people's emotions as their own, but this is also what helps them heal others.

The 3rd house Chiron placement also helps them teach others to find a balance between logic and intuition. Practicality and spirituality. Light and dark. A place where you can have both instead of leaning into one or the other.

Speak your truth. Be yourself. Feel your feelings. Love yourself. "Speak yourself."

Midheaven (MC) - Virgo

This makes so much sense it hurts me. Virgo Midheaven is all about having the ability to look inside yourself and bring what you find out in the open to teach others. They are destined for a career that allows them to better themselves (which they all do) as well as the world around them.

They use language as a healing tool, and are suited to a career that allows them to express their knowledge that they've gained from deep introspection. They are direct, but nurturing. They often bring a grounding energy into their career.

They strive for perfection and organization, which for a group placement makes a ton of sense, considering this is for their career.

This also indicates an importance when it comes to coworkers and teamwork, which is yet another reason they all work so well together.

They have great attention to detail, and we can see this in how much work they put into getting each part of their music to be just right. It's a great placement for working on masterpieces.

There is a tendency to be overly critical of their work as a group, but again...they need to recognize their accomplishments and their success in the moment and this will help curb that. Plus a little self-criticism can be a push forward if it's constructive.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into who BTS is and how they interact with each other, their fans, and the world around them. At some point I would love to expand even further on their placements because they exude such a warm and supportive energy.

Here's their chart for anyone who is interested. More on their aspects to come at a later time!

Stan BTS, and stream "Butter" on all platforms!

[passionate-reply]

Kraftwerk are best known for being innovative pioneers in the field of electronic music, but by 1981, the rest of the world was finally catching up to them. Faced with living in the future they’d helped create, they released their last truly great album, Computer World, as a sort of reaction to the times. Find out more in my video, or by reading the transcript below the break.

Welcome to Passionate Reply, and welcome to Great Albums. Today, we’re talking about Kraftwerk, and what is perhaps their last truly “great” release: 1981’s Computer World.

Kraftwerk were, of course, one of the first groups to popularize the creation of music through chiefly electronic means. From their icy and robotic onstage demeanour to their stiff-shirted sense of style, just one look at them makes it clear the outsized influence that Kraftwerk have had on the genre we now think of as “electronic music.” While, at times, their significance can be over-emphasized, and I’ve always been critical of the way that the discourse on this all-male quartet has often squeezed out even earlier electronic pioneers like Wendy Carlos and Delia Derbyshire, it isn’t all for no reason. While Kraftwerk’s actual music often comes across as more accessible than experimental, the fact that they were doing it in the 1970s, long before synthesisers became a commonplace sight in popular music, should fill anyone with the sense that they were architects of the future.

Music: “The Model”

While “The Model” first debuted on Kraftwerk’s 1978 LP The Man-Machine, it was re-released as a single in 1981, where it saw substantial success in the charts. In those few short years, the musical landscape had changed, with younger artists like Gary Numan and OMD making headway in the charts with similarly synthesiser-centered songwriting. For almost the entirety of the 1970s, Kraftwerk had been contentedly putting along, secure in the knowledge that they represented the future of music. But now, as the 80s began, they were finally living in the world that they had made possible. The future had arrived for them--so what were they possibly going to do now? I think the best way to frame Computer World, and perhaps what makes it such an interesting album for me, is that it represents a reaction to the ways that the landscape of electronic music had shifted around the artists in these intervening years. On Computer World, Kraftwerk would both reflect as well as critique what younger artists inspired by them had started doing. It’s the first Kraftwerk album that seems to represent a true challenge being posed to these by now august and illustrious pioneers, forcing them to respond in new ways.

Music: “Pocket Calculator”

In many ways, “The Model” is a pop song--compared to most previous Kraftwerk compositions, it’s heavy on lyrics, and focused, surprisingly, on a human being, and a love story involving her. But I think the Computer World single “Pocket Calculator” is almost as good of a pop song as “The Model” is. Highly melodic, and almost candy-coated in its simpering exuberance, it has perhaps the hookiest hook anywhere in the Kraftwerk discography. I’m tempted to compare it to similarly bright and upbeat tracks from Yellow Magic Orchestra, such as “Ongaku”--particularly since it was also released in a Japanese-language version, as “Dentaku,” for that market. Still, there’s no avoiding that the subject matter of “Pocket Calculator” has taken a sharp turn back towards an iconically Kraftwerk subject matter: the inner life of the titular machine. While the narrator of the lyrics announces themself as “the operator” with the titular calculator, it’s also possible to interpret the lyrics as the voice of the machine itself. “I am adding and subtracting, I’m controlling and composing”--but who, indeed, is really performing these tasks: the operator, or the calculator itself? Perhaps a stronger example of Kraftwerk gone pop is “Computer Love.”

Music: “Computer Love”

Melodic, but also balladlike, “Computer Love” is an unambiguous return to the traditional pop theme of romantic love, absent from the asexual and perhaps childlike glee of “Pocket Calculator.” Its more plaintive hook is also an easy one to appreciate, and its theme is perhaps more universal: while listeners at the time may not have necessarily owned rapidly miniaturizing digital technology, surely, all of us have, at some point, felt lonely. “Computer Love” doesn’t just connect to that feeling, but it also offers us hope, in the form of an almost magical, futuristic solution for finding love. I think it’s the internal balance of “Computer Love” that makes me find it so captivating: it’s a song about despair at being alone, perhaps even intensified by the alienation of modern society in particular, but it’s also suffused with the romantic dream of computerized matchmaking services, which might, like so many other technological developments, tremendously improve one’s day-to-day life. In “Computer Love,” the machine is only a tool, a small piece of the overall human picture, and not the chief focus of the work--much as the camera for which “The Model” was posing was little more than a prop in that love story. But despite this optimism about online matchmaking, other tracks on the album seem more skeptical about our computerized future, including the opener and title track.

Music: “Computer World”

While Kraftwerk are best remembered as utopian thinkers, many of their compositions hint at the potential downsides to technological advancements, albeit subtly. Much like *The Man-Machine* alluded to works like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and Karel Čapek’s R.U.R., the title track of *Computer World* prominently notes organizations like Interpol and Scotland Yard among those who may benefit from computers, hinting at fears of oppressive techno-surveillance expressed by works like Philip K. Dick’s “The Minority Report.” With its slinking rhythm and overall ominous feel, this track implies that we should be apprehensive, without necessarily stating what to fear, and I think that’s part of why it’s remained resonant. In today’s world of deepfakes and location tracking, we’re constantly vigilant over the nameless potential dangers presented by the machines in our pockets and handbags, even when we couldn’t explicitly state what they are. Our increasing distance from the album, in both time and technological progress, may present an obstacle to appreciating it as art. While it’s easy for me to get into the mindset of computers as something newfangled and exciting, having grown up earlier in the personal computer age and able to recall the way they were advertised and talked about in the 90s and 00s, I do wonder how this album sounds to my younger peers. At any rate, “Numbers” is the track that I think sounds the most like it could have been on any Kraftwerk album, and not just this one.

Music: “Numbers”

A classic example of how a simple conceit can fill a whole composition to its brim, “Numbers” remains one of Kraftwerk’s most iconic tracks. Nowadays, it might be best known for how heavily it’s been sampled by later artists, and the influence it’s had on hip-hop, that nephew of electronic music that is nowadays, somewhat arbitrarily, considered a separate genre unto itself. But ultimately, “Numbers” and its famous beat stand up perfectly well on their own. As a cosmopolitan panoply of languages recites the names of the numbers, we are reminded of the ways in which mathematics is a universal language. Not only does it unite mankind, but many have also wondered if it might someday be the key to communicating with people from beyond the stars--an honour also bestowed upon music itself. Structurally, “Numbers” is the second-to-last song on the album’s first side, and like many earlier Kraftwerk albums, it transitions directly into another part of a larger “suite,” connected both musically and thematically. “Numbers” becomes “Computer World 2,” which is not simply a reprise of the title track, but a sort of medley which also incorporates the whispering vocoders of “Numbers.” While in many ways, Computer World feels like an attempt by Kraftwerk to keep up with the times, the overall structure of the album maintains a sense of continuous, symphonic composition, not unlike the seamless “transfer” between “Trans-Europe Express” and “Metal on Metal” some years before.

The cover design of Computer World is another in the long list of the aesthetic triumphs of Kraftwerk, which, I maintain, are perhaps as important and influential as their music itself. Its bright yellows and greens remain eye-catching, as does its portrayal of the band members’ portraits, rendered on a computer terminal. Despite seemingly now only existing in cyberspace, their faces remain in the position we saw them in on The Man-Machine, projecting their beatific gazes towards the leftward horizon of the future. The struggle between the reality of a human being, and that which is affected by their simulacrum, is a strong theme throughout Kraftwerk’s discography, stretching back, at least, to “Showroom Dummies,” and the cover of Computer World seems to take it another step further. Now, we don’t even contend with the idea of physical replicas of humanity, in the form of trudging robots or glib mannequins, but rather with the idea of an ethereal, holographic doppelgaenger. With its title, the album asks us not only to consider computers as technologies in and of themselves, but about an entire new era, and a new way of being, which is brought about by their arrival and proliferation. In many ways, this way of thinking about the future was more correct than perhaps anyone knew at the time, and I think it’s this sense of vision that makes Computer World remain a vital artwork as opposed to a curiosity.

As I said in the beginning, Computer World is often considered to be the last great album Kraftwerk made, putting an end to their streak of classics that began with 1974’s Autobahn. Their follow-up to it was the troubled and controversial Electric Cafe, released in 1986, which attempted, unsuccessfully, to add more dance influences and samples with the textures of more traditional instruments into their sound. While I think Electric Cafe is an album not without its merits, it is certainly a substantial departure from the Kraftwerk sound we’ve gotten familiar with so far. I might characterize it as an album that perhaps went too far into the territory of attempting to keep up with the times, extending Computer World’s lunge for more accessible, lyrical pop further than it could reach. Whatever the motivations, it’s hard to hear Electric Cafe tracks such as “Sex Object” without being at least a bit startled at the group’s willingness to tackle the topic of sex so frankly. It might be the only Kraftwerk song in which being like an object or a machine is portrayed in an unambiguously negative light.

Music: “Sex Object”

I think my favourite track on Computer World is its closing track, “It’s More Fun To Compute.” With a straightforward repetition of the title as its sole lyrical content, and a brazen, strident synth blast propelling it forward, it’s another one of those simple, but utterly compelling tracks that Kraftwerk seem to have been full of. Despite the way it flips into something much more melodic later on, it’s the tumult of the opening bars that really sells me on “It’s More Fun To Compute.” I think the textural qualities are almost a bit reminiscent of the grating oscillations of their often overlooked earlier album, Radio-Activity. That’s everything for today, thanks for listening!

Music: “It’s More Fun To Compute”

[ranboo5]

Dropping the Ranboo mixtape

Anyway at time of starting to write this post I had two likes and two affirmative replies, which is Good Enough For Me, so here I am :D I was gonna link the YT but on second thought my YT channel is a mess so this is gonna be one of the annoying ones that doesn’t link to one you can actually listen to but 

This is also a running list and currently organized roughly by increasingly hotter takes and it’s under a cut bc it’s 13 songs and I justified all of them 

Everybody Likes You (Lemon Demon) - LISTEN THE ANIMATION MEMES WEREN’T LYING THAT EVERYBODY LIKES YOU CAN RANBOOCORE. The increasingly distorted, incredibly bright repetition of EVERYBODY LIKES YOU EVERYBODY LIKES YOU EVERYBODY LIKES YOU until you can hear it morphing in and out of EVERYBODY LIED TO YOU? Tell Me That’s Not Him In The Spiral Depths 

Tall (Naps the Block on YT) - This is a) literally a theme for the End, b) sounds stumbling and anxious/high-strung, and c) echoes the Pigstep melody in the middle while still very much doing its own thing this is self explanatory 

Dance of Thorns/Old Secret mashup (Tensei and James Roach respectively, feat. woodfur00 on YT) (yes this is Homestuck music) - It’s just the vibes. The energy. The way the elegance of the violin lines of Dance of Thorns sounds almost nervous especially against the almost noir mystery vibes of Old Secret, and the guitar lines of Dance of Thorns add like. Initiative/urgency especially when they underlay the other music it’s so good I don’t think either song alone is Ranboo vibes but this remix definitely is. Just the mix of perseverance and desperation and melancholy and mystery and Class 

Touch-Tone Telephone (Lemon Demon) - This one is old news but tbh it just works. Man decides he’s the correct one in this situation and he’s losing his entire mind that no one is listening to him because he just is not 

2012 (Will Wood) - This one isn’t really clever it’s just about memory loss, derealization, identity, and often self-hatred (“A miserable fuck, but a loud Tao mystical” is a lot). “Did you lose yourself?/It’s always in the last place that you check” sounds so mocking in ways internal monologues like Droice have been and “I might find myself/By retracing my steps” is literally just Ranboo dealing with the Enderwalk; “And not until lobotomy abolished my monotony/Did I applaud autonomy, and modify a lot of me!” works so much for him Dealing With Himself generally, and also “I heard the world would turn to hell/Compared to that, I’m doing well!” is a Him sentiment 

Hand Me My Shovel, I’m Going In! (Will Wood) - Jokes about the three hour mining/grinding streams aside. Not only is the chorus so heavily a spiral/self-evaluation mood, but literally consider his thought processes abt the things he’s done/allegedly done and then consider “My dreams were shattered like a stained-glass window/Jesus in pieces! I believe I through a brick right through Him/But my memory could not be saved!/It just seems unlikely that it’s me who was to blame/So I bookmark my DSM, ‘cause I need to remember my place.” And now with the advent of the “experiments” the second verse’s “Take the road on higher ground, and tell me ‘don’t look down! You’ll fall and break your back’/But that just reminds me how there’s more to be found beneath the black!” is more relevant than ever 

Friends With You (The Scary Jokes) - Oh my god. Oh my fucking god man. This could be on here for “I put myself to bed just halfway through the party/I love all my friends, but I hate when their eyes are on me” alone but the general almost empty saccharine vibe of the song is immensely his vibe; the humorlessly-smiling vocal fry on “don’t know” in “Why do you pretend/You don’t know who’s to blame?” is probably responsible for 80% of this read. Not to mention the first lyrics are literally “How long do I have to wait/’Til my lonely days are over?” which is really the. The waiting it out man the So When Do I Get To Be Okay of it all. Shoutouts also to “And the crumbling infrastructure no one else can see,” the self hatred of “I miss being friends with you/But what can I do/What can I do/But leave you alone?” and to “And I can tell you really love me/Can you tell I’m really sorry?” Just. The mix of hope+affection and dejected cynicism and self-hatred in the lyrics

Saline Solution (none other than Mr Wilbur Soot) - Remember what I said about waiting it out until you get to be okay? Anyway that’s crystallized in “If I could just break one more night/Maybe I could wake up and feel alright” and also this is literally a song about catastrophizing and self-evaluation just,, in general and I will not be highlighting all the lyrics about this but I will highlight the fact that he literally calls himself pragmatic and also the lyric “blurring the facts and the fiction.” Also, the sheer desperate anger-concealing-breakdown vibes of “I think I’ve made my choice” to “I think I’ve found my voice” deserves a mention, as does the culminating end of “saline solution to all your problems” with the tears+now splash water motifs of it all with Ranboo I am going to die 

Funny (The Scary Jokes) - This is actually a softer take but not only does it literally start with the singer pleading with the addressee to look away, it  continues with “I went up in the middle of the night and I climbed right onto the stage/And I raged/And I cried/Oh, what a funny joke am I” disregarding everything as performance, reemphasizes the opening demand with the qualifier “it’s not that I hate you, it’s just that I’m funny these days,” and then kills you with the last couple lines which. Yeah he does care and it does,,, just,,,,, a

Chemical Overreaction (Will Wood) - This is where the mood VIOLENTLY whiplashes because this is where we get unhinged. Anyway “I won’t stop to drop to draw a line in the sand/’Cause I’ll be picked apart to pieces by coyotes!” is LITERALLY the whole “I don’t do well with ‘peer pressure’” thing. “Where the sentimental value of the city around ya/Is deleted obsolete, but still completely will stun ya” is the single most L’Manberg lyric I’ve ever heard, especially from the perspective of a character whom I will repeatedly insist is narratively in the role of someone who’s shown up and seen the status quo as an outsider after it’s been established (hence the eternal New Kid vibes). Chorus very much has vibes of Ranboo Is Seized By The Urge To Do Something, and like. The entire dramatic end part. The last two lines especially (be very careful if you look up the vieo for this by the way it is NOT pretty; cws in the video for flashing, blood, suicide imagery) 

A Mannequin Adrift (The Scary Jokes) - The Bitterness. This song is just fully The Bitterness at the environment he’s stuck in; the saccharine comes back as does the “peer pressure” thematic and just the Having An Awful Time; the sarcastic saccharine comes back too, which is always good I love passive aggression. Honestly the first verse is just everything like just listen to it it immediately makes sense

Poison Ivy Grows (The Scary Jokes) - This is overall a song about having bad brain and not knowing what the hell to do about it; it’s so faintly bitter and distant and melancholy and also so zoned out. Also, it’s not the only lyric that matters here but it is enough to be a full argument on its own: “I used to spend so much time/Wandering around outside/Now I’ve got too much on my mind/Now I’ve got too much on my mind” 

Spring Haze (Tori Amos) - Listen. Do I know what Spring Haze is about? No. Is that gonna stop me from saying it’s about Ranboo? Also no. I just think “You say we’ll never make it there/So all we do is circle it” is so much, the fact that the bridge at the end is just “Why does it always end up like this?” repeated, and that it just feels so much like overall the song feels like a desperate attempt to figure Something out, and the chorus is just inexplicably him? It might be partially influenced by the fact that “Uh-oh, let go, off on my way” and, to a lesser extent, “Uh-oh, way to go” is not only in accordance with character vibes but also vaguely evocative of Ranboo’s speech pattern

[soffij]

The problem of Lucy

If you are interested in stories about the Narnia aftermath of the Pevensie siblings you might enjoy this.

Watch it on 1080 quality for best experience.

There was a time, dark and divine, Exciting and new, shameful and true Free to explore, we had it all. Towering trust, insatiable lust Clouding the truth, both of us knew This sordid affair is ending in tears Yes we would go on knowing the wrong Until the day it was taken away Oh, all our love fell down to Earth. Here, broken and cold, with great remorse But for a while it all made sense It might have been just a dark pretense But you had me And I loved it To be with you, to be the one, To live a lie It really got me all excited. I felt wanted Then in the night the sorrow inside Was taken away. Deliverance came Fell from the sky. Heaven replied Salvation in streams, silent and clean All that we were, all that we knew Faded away with tears in the rain. Yes all that we were, all that we knew Is fading away like tears in the rain. All that we were, all that we knew Fading away All that we were, all that we knew Fading away All that we were, all that we knew Fading away All that we were, all that we knew Fading away

There's also a first draft of the first part of the video, it's a bit different and it's only 2 minutes long. I published it on YT and there's a tumblr post about it (with the thumbnail I created for it but couldn't attach to it), but soon I will upload it to vimeo.

[engineer-in-space]

a simple call of the wild review that is totally professional and not way too detailed by me (February)

It's gonna be a bit of comparing to previous powerwolf albums/songs and remember everything is my own opinion. If you disagree/agree we may talk about it in a civilized way, I actually love talking to others about this shit!

But otherwise (hate, insults, etc.) you can keep your opinion somewhere where I can't see it :) Also, the album has barely been out for a day and things change with time and I may grow to like certain things more. (but there's not too much that I don't like tbh) But I hope you enjoy this metalhead-gremlin's ramblings!

Faster than the flame

I had to listen to it quite a few times before I could say anything about it. It's a powerful start into the new album, however, it is (as previously stated) powerful but didn't blow me away like the first songs on the previous albums. (Fire &forgive, Blessed &possessed, amen & attack - wait am I just now noticing a pattern here? oh my god. Anyway.) Maybe I got that personal feeling that I want it to be Fire & Forgive, which is, of course, not possible and would be boring. So i think I'm not even critizing the song but rather the order of the songs.

It feels like a typical powerwolf song; both lyrics and instrumental. Fast, heavy, something about flames and burning - awesome. The two Latin parts (I think it's called the pre-chorus? man, I have no idea and will just throw around these words because my internet connection is too bad to look this up. But if you listen, you'll know which parts I mean.) already give me goosebumps. I also really, really liked the bridge (again?? idk??) aka the "flame, flame, burning wild in heavens name" part. This was the most memorable part for me after the first time listening. Of course, the guitar arrangement throughout the whole song is just... god bless. I must say that using the word "pastor" is dangerous because my stupid brain keeps thinking Attila is singing about "pasta" again... Oh well, moving on!

Beast of Gevaudan

Man, I've been listening almost non-stop since it was released as a single! At first, my head was comparing it somewhat to army of the night but after a few times this feeling was gone and it became an awesome new idea/song. The choir and orchestra part are so well placed and support the rest of the instrumental and Attila's voice perfectly. Again, much fast, very powermetal. I've grown very fond of the guitar solo. The lyrics tell us a little about the story of the beast and I. Love. Storytelling. In. Songs. Glad matthew finally came around to put his idea out there!

This song also has a video, which left me speechless at first. I love Attila's acting so much??? And making this sort of their own story of Jesus was such a cool idea. Production is high quality as well (didn't expect anything less after The Sacrament of Sin MVs) and there were really nice shots in there. I doubt that I will get tired of this song and this video anytime soon!

Dancing with the dead

That choir stuff in the beginning, following by that awesome guitar riff already had me. I couldn't stop listening to this one either. This might be, in my opinion, the most catchy song on the whole album. The intruments are in perfect harmony with Attila's heavenly voice. The transition into the guitar solo is so damn smooth and well done. I'm having a whole crisis about how good this song is.

The lyrics are interesting too! Again, there's a story to be told. As far as I can interpret it, being introduced to some darker powers and growing to enjoy them, despite previously having lots of faith, is what's going on here. It has this slight feeling of... corruption (in a good way of course). This makes me want to go dancing (with the dead)

This one also has a video! Once again, very high quality. Every band member had their "special moments/shots" and just looked stunning. But Attila left them all behind this time. Slow dancing, in a suit, with that smirk on his lips??? Well done, my dude.

Varcolac

This one's dark and heavy. It brings me back to the good ol' times of Lupus Dei and Bible of the Beast. Just with more orchestra, choir and overall harmony. It makes me so happy that Powerwolf is using so many real life legends and figures on this album! And they did such a good job with them as well. If this song was alive, it would be a scary beast.

The typical metal elements and orchestra/choir parts are very well balanced. And the organ throughout the whole song is fitting. It supports the dark and sinister feeling of the whole thing. My favourite part may be the "And as army we bing fire..." parts! Man, I just love werewolves. Also, I think Attila's famous gibberish singing made a return in this one!

Alive or undead

Oh boy,here we go. The piano in this one is incredible. "Here we STAAAAAAND!" Goosebumps and shivers. Everything about this is so emotional andreading the lyrics while listening just makes me want to cry, ok?! T_T Powerwolf has become so flexible, exploring different ways to make music. This could have been some kind of typical powermetal song but it's not and I'm glad about it.

Even if it's a little different, they never stray to far from what makes them special. The few parts, reminding one of typical church music would not have been necessary but are appreciated! They know when to leave out the guitars and go slowly. What bothers me a little, is that it somehow feels like Attila's voice had a tiny bit more potential up to the chorus. It could've been a little bit softer? if i can put it that way. But honestly this song is raw emotion and everything still fits together. If you thought their first ballad was emotional, buckle up, this one kicked me right in the feels.

Blood for blood (Faoladh)

Powerwolf ventures again into the folk metal territory and successfully conquers it! Could be a headline of something. Anyway, this song is a very worthy successor of Incense & Iron! It just makes me happy, its melody is so light - combined with your typical Powerwolf lyrics. Perfect song to start jumping up and down! It radiates motivational energy. Just like Dancing with the dead, this song has a very smooth transition to the guitar parts.

The melody is strong but still easy enough to quickly get into it! I can barely sit still and write this aaaa. Seriously, I am just happy with this song and will go jump and headbang a while to it!

Glaubenskraft

I have returned from jumping and oh no. It's a German song. Bold of them to go all out on that Latin beginning... it works really well though! It might be because I'm German but this song hits hard. Very hard. It's not easy to make this language sound good and ( if you don't happen to know much about German) the lyrics consist of a bunch of old words and grammar you wouldn't normally use anymore. But they made it fucking work!!! The quiet verses only make the pre-chorus and chorus itself heavier and blow me away. And SOMEHOW this super epic song with (made up, at least I'm pretty sure they don't exist like that) Latin words is about.. you know what Powerwolf writes about a lot. And I LOVE that. It's so subtle and only if you read into it, you're like "wait a minute".

This song has a feeling of corruption too. But not in a good way this time. It feels evil and intimidating and - honestly, I can't get enough of it. Everyone of my neighbours will think I'm some kind of weird Christian fanatic because I WILL yell "Glaubenskraft" just as much as I yelled "Stossgebet". Worth it, tho.

Call of the wild

The song with the same title as the album! (or the other way around, whatever.) This song is just catchy from the beginning to the end. Like many other songs its fast and hard. Just how I like it. Don't take that out of context.

The lyrics and instruments go wild (haha get it), with a really neat Latin pre-chorus. It's very fun to listen to. Personally, it makes me feel like I belong to the pack. That we're strong together, that we can say fuck it once in a while and just go crazy. The chanted part near the end of the song reminds me strongly of Sanctified with dynamite (ya know "die, die dynamite" and "call, call, call of the wild") and it's really cool they pick up on old things once again. Be it intentional or not. It's a reminder that they still are who they were back then - and their music is still fucking incredible.

Simply an epic song, strong vocals, strong guitars. I really, really like the intro. Attila has to sing so many words in such little time, does he even need to breathe now and then?

Now I'm wondering what came first; the album title or the track title? Chicken or the egg?

Sermon of swords

First of all: WHAT IS THAT OMINOUS VOICE IN THE BEGINNING. Mark me down as horny and scared. Ahem.

I really like how the verse and the chorus have their own theme and melody going on and yet they're connected. The chorus is super catchy too! And just say it yourself "Sermon of swords", how cool does it sound??? The choir in the beginning is a really neat introduction into the whole song. The lyrics match the whole album, very much a soundtrack to go on a crusade to, like Raise your fist, Evangelist or Christ & Combat. Just... "AAMEEN!" Ok, I'm actually going insane here, calm down, Feb. These might be my favourite lyrics of the whole album I think?? (unless I said that somewhere else already, then i have more than one favourite.)

The whole song has a more "classical" feeling to it, not only in the Powerwolf sense but also in the Heavy Metal sense in general. BUT. Orchestra and choir are prefectly mixed, especially supporting Attila in the chorus. The guitar solo is really cool and sounds very Greywolf-y, if you know what I mean. It's just Matthew's style.

Undress to confess

The name of this song says it all. This is your friendly reminder that no matter how much they preach about Jesus or the Devil, Powerwolf should not be taken too seriously. When I first saw the title I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

The melody is pretty catchy and easy to remember, the organ and general approach reminds me of Demons are a girl's best friend. I absolutely love how the lyrics are on that thin line of somewhat poetic and ridiculous. Let me provide two examples here: "all the world we posess for desire and sin we carress" - man, this sounds pretty.

And there's also "dressed to hide the dark, and obsessed to ride him hard on the.... crucifix." Yeah, I... I don't know what I expected here. Anyway, this is how you describe church sex without actually using explicit words. (why are you booing me, i'm right)

Still really nice to listen to and have a good time!

Reverent of rats

We arrived at the last song of the album! And here we picked up on the speed and power again! The way the organ is played during the verses makes it so... sinister. Again, this piece reminds me of Lupus Dei. The verses keep the sinister feeling while the chorus picks up more... drama? An epic melody mixed with epic words make my soul ascend to heaven.

This guitar solo is also the absolute good shit. It might be my favourite from all the songs of this album?! Additionally, the drums? I don't know why but they really stand out here. Love how fast paced they are.

Aaaaand that's it! If you've read all the way through holy shit, you are actually a badass. Thank you for staying with me, my werewolf friend. Maybe we'll meet where the wild wolves have gone. But always remember: Metal is religion.

[jcisthebestfightme]

BJYX Song #12: Heart Beats

BJYX Song Series List

Disclaimer: Nothing here is real. Nothing are words. I can’t actually write.

Another song from gg, but this time it’s going to be bittersweet. All the more bitter songs we’ve seen before were from dd so it’s time to change things up. The song I want to talk about is a song that gg sang during Our Song, “心動” by Shino Lin, which I’ve seen it being translated into “Tempting Heart” or “Heart Beats”. I personally like “Heart Beats” the best because the literal translation is “heart moves” but is a metaphorical phrase in Chinese meaning heart starting to yearnn/have feelings. I think “beats” best describe this motion metaphor while also can present the increase in heartbeat people feel when they’re in love.

When asked about “Heart Beats”, gg said he has always liked this song but he didn’t really understand the true meaning of this song until now. Now? Why now? This got me interested in the lyrics. Na Ying, his mentor also said that this song needs some wisdom to understand. 

Really excited about this song actually because I liked gg’s version of this song before I knew about bjyx. I was just really touched by gg’s way of singing this song. So from a semi-unbiased view, we can say that gg put a lot of emotion into this song.

The overall message of this song is the singer really loving the other person. It seems like there may be some separation with the other person but it’s unclear. The singer is also trying to convey with the song how much they love the other person, regardless of whether they can be together or not. So I think the focus of this song isn’t the actual “plot” of what happen, but the love the singer is giving. 

Another background information on this song, the person who wrote the lyrics is the same person that wrote “Brother and Sister”. He’s a gay artist that often write songs about unrequited love between homosexual relationships. I think “Brother and Sister” may be more fitting to that theme and this song may not necessary be specifically about unrequited love or homosexual love but it’s just an interesting tidbit about the lyrics writer.

Okay, let’s put on our bjyx glasses and depart. I personally think this song reflects gg’s feelings towards dd after their separation after filming of The Untamed. That was a time period where he wasn’t certain of his own feelings, whether it was character bleed from Wangxian, and whether they can even have a future together due to their career and environment. However, this song convey the feeling of love no matter what, and the very certain feeling of love in this song suits gg’s personality. It’s like “I love you regardless of what is happening around us.” It doesn’t mean they will be together forever, but the love that’s there is pure and strong.

有多久沒見你 (Haven’t seen you in so long)

以為你在哪裡 (Thought you were somewhere else)

原來就住在我心底 (Then I realize you were living in the bottom of my heart)

陪伴著我的呼吸 (Accompanying my breath)

The “haven’t seen you in so long” can refer to the literal separation, like after filming TU, or it can represent gg not thinking or facing this relationship directly. But then, even though he’s trying to not see dd or think about dd, he realize dd is always there in his heart, and he can never let him go. That may be his realization after his trip to Japan. Some people say it may be even after that, that gg decide to just be friends after Japan and they had a period of trying really hard to just be friends before getting together in 2019. Either way, this song tells us that there’s a moment of realization “f*** I can never let this person go.”

有多遠的距離 (How far was the distant)

以為聞不到你氣息 (That I thought I couldn’t smell your scent)

誰知道你背影這麼長 (Who knew your shadow was so long)

回頭就看到你 (That I could see you when I turn around)

I was perplexed by the second part for awhile. Usually shadows, especially metaphorically, are behind a person, which means the person is walking in front of you in order for you to see it. This gave me a sense of gg chasing after dd. However, it says “I could see you when I turn around” which means that the person is behind you. So why is the shadow in front? Scientifically, it must mean that the sun is also behind the person. From previous analysis, I’ve talked about gg comparing dd to a “star” and even the “sun” (yes, I know the sun is also a star, but in literature, it’s much brighter, hotter, and more intense than just a star). So here, gg is saying that dd is like the sun (or with the sun) standing behind him and projecting his shadow onto gg. In the song word, if someone is standing behind another person, it usually means they’re chasing after them. This means that it’s dd chasing after gg, which we can all attest to. But why is the shadow long? It’s because dd has now kept a distance. During their time of separation, gg has kept a distance from dd, and dd has also kept it to respect him. So here, dd is physically veery far away from him. However, his shadow is very long, because he’s shining very brightly, signifying that his love is very strong. So even though dd is very far away, gg can feel/see him immediately when he turns around.

過去讓它過去 (Let the past be in the past)

來不及 (It’s too late/Not enough time)

從頭喜歡你 (Love you from the beginning/all over again)

Here, it can be taken two ways. The first interpretation is that we should let go of the past and it’s too late to love you all over again, which means let’s just let this entire relationship go. The second interpretation is let’s let go of all the bad things in the past, there’s not enough time anyways so I want to love you from the beginning. Yes, Chinese is a lot more ambiguous in meaning than English, especially since grammar is basically nonexistent. I think the lyrics is purposefully ambiguous so it’s up to your own interpretation. I personally think it’s the second interpretation, just from the way the song was sang by gg and Na-jie. There is a “space” between “Too late/Not enough time” and “Love you all over again”, isolating “Love you all over again.” Since this line was emphasized on its own, it’s telling us that this is the main idea of this stance. So gg is saying that regardless of what happened in filming or during their separation, he’s now determined to love dd from the beginning. The word “beginning” is also telling us that gg wants to create his own story with dd, a story that’s independent of that of LWJ and WWX. 

白雲　纏繞著藍天 (White clouds tangling around the blue sky)

This line further supports my theory that the stance above is the second interpretation. The 藍天 “blue sky” and 白雲 “white clouds” are the same words as the now very famous motif “LTBY” that has shown up 5+ times in WB post/clothing/videos between gg and dd. We still don’t know the exact meaning of their “blue sky white cloud” but I have a feeling it’s a very warm, positive feeling, almost like how they think of “summer.” Since this line is a metaphor right after “Love you from the beginning,” we can infer that it’s a positive feeling using to describe the “love” so it must be the second interpretation.

I also find it interesting that it’s not just a static “blue sky white cloud.” Here, thee “white cloud” is tangling around, actively moving around, the blue sky. This first reminds me of the white cloud pattern on LWJ’s clothing. The WWX-centric theme song also talks about how WWX thinks of the pattern to remember LWJ. However, I think that gg will want to try to separate his relationship with dd from Wangxian so it’s probably not directly related to LWJ. I think that the white clouds tangling signals that it’s grabbing onto the blue sky and never letting go. Whether it’s gg trying to grab on to dd or vice versa, I don’t know. It may even be that they’re both clouds, tangling around each other and the blue sky just represent the giant world they live in.

如果不能夠永遠走在一起 (If we can’t be together forever)

也至少給我們懷念的勇氣 (At least give us the courage to reminisce)

擁抱的權利 (The right to embrace)

好讓你明白 (To let you know)

我心動　的痕跡 (The trace of my heart beats)

I’ve said before that this song is bittersweet so it mentions separating. But I also think that it’s trying to convey love that is there right now and forever, regardless of what may happen in the future. We can see from this part that gg desire to be together with dd, wanting to have memories with him and “have the right to embrace him” (I take this second part as having the physical right to touch someone in a lover’s way). He wants to do these things to let dd know that he also loves him back. These are “trace” or “evidence” of his love. This song is another perfect rebuttal for people that say that gg doesn’t love dd back as much. Gg is just more cautious publicly and probably less openly expressive because of his maturity but we can see here that he desire to show all of his love to dd if he can. (I personally think that he’s already extremely “naked” about his feelings from his songs actually.)

Also when gg sang “If we can’t be together forever,” I sense in his tone of anger mixed with sadness and defeat. To me that represent that yes, he understand not every love will last forever but he will be very heartbroken if he has to let this one go. Afterwards, when he sang about “courage to reminisce”, the tone is very strong and undefeated, almost like he really wants to have this courage to do so. The part about “right to embrace” is full of yearning and longing. 

總是想再見你 (I keep wanting to see you again)

還試著打探你　消息 (Still trying to get news/updates about you)

原來你就住在我的身體 (Then I realize you were in my body)

守護我的回憶 (Guarding my memories)

The last part of the song is separation, and the person the singer loves no longer being there and became the memory. You can tell how sad and defeated gg sound when singing this part. Even though it may be hypothetical, the thought of separation is still painful to him.

Edit: When I heard this last part again, for some reason, it reminded me of ggdd’s reconciliation after not talking in late 2018. I feel like this part can be use to describe gg’s perspective. The feeling of realization that I can never let you go, that I will still keep trying to hear about you and want to see you. 

This is a very interesting song to analyze because the way the song was sang is very important. Feelings and tone from how someone sing a song is hard to analyze objectively so I encourage everyone to go listen to it yourself and draw your own conclusions. But I think this is definitely a song where the emotions matter more than the words being said. 

[secondhandnewsradio]

SHN INTERVIEW: Rachel Bochner

by Claire Silverman

Rachel Bochner is a singer/songwriter based in New York City. Her career in the music industry began with an A&R internship at a record label, and it was there that she realized her true passion for creating and sharing her own music. Her passion lies in making pop music that resonates with people through the good, the bad, the lighthearted, and the heavy.

CS: Congrats on the release of your song “hating myself in the summer!”

RB: Thank you so much!

CS: The song feels like a song that so many people, especially young girls, can relate to a lot. What initially prompted you to write this song?

RB: I actually started writing this song back in October, so it wasn't written in the summertime. But the phrase in the chorus “I'm tired of hitting myself in the summer” is kind of what sparked the song as a whole. And like you said, it's something that a lot of people, especially young women can relate to. I think it's just something that I have always struggled with for as long as I can remember. There are periods in my life where I noticed, at events or seasons, that I'm feeling particularly self-conscious, and summer is definitely one of those times. There’s this push and pull of “I want to be enjoying myself, and I just want to exist and not be worrying about this,” but there's also a pressure that “okay, my friends are all going to the beach, and I don't love how I'm looking in this bathing suit, and now that's consuming my mind,” and it's a really exhausting thing to worry about. Also as I've gotten older, it’s become so much more apparent that it's not something that actually matters, and it's not something that I should be basing my worth on. So the song is about coming to that realization.

CS: One thing I like about this song is that it's you and yourself, but also it’s you speaking to a lot of people. I appreciate that this song is a pop song, and it's a really good pop song, but it's not about a love story, which is something I really like. I've noticed this type of theme in some of your other songs too. Could you tell me a bit about what kind of messages are you interested in writing about, and what's important to you and your songwriting overall?

RB: It's funny that you say that because this song is on a project that is a collection of songs that are all not love songs. I think, for this project, I wanted it to be exactly that — my thought process and things that I'm feeling and what I'm going through but not really about another person. I do love a love song, and I love the last EP that I put out that had this story of one relationship not working out and like coming into a new one that feels better and more authentic. So I felt like I got that off my chest for a bit. I started with “how am I feeling?: And “what are the things that I am struggling with?” And what are things that I think that other people who are around my age, so high school through mid to late 20s, can relate to? I love being able to write something that feels really personal to me, but when someone listens to it, they might have a completely different life experience and still be able to place themselves in that song.

photo: Sasha Bellentine

CS: Who are the artists that you feel have really influenced you and your songwriting?

RB: I am definitely influenced by a lot of different artists. Some longer-term inspirations for me are Julia Michaels, Maggie Rogers, and Lana Del Rey. I think Julia Michaels’ writing is the kind of pop music that I am really drawn to,  where sonically it’s a bop, but lyrically, you can read into it and it’s a thought-provoking song. Recently I've really been loving Conan Gray. Also, Sasha Sloane is great. I always feel overwhelmed when I'm asked this question because I feel like I need to list everyone. And I also love Taylor Swift. She consistently blows my mind.

CS: I love that. One of the coolest things that I’ve noticed from speaking with female artists around our age is that literally almost every single one of them has been deeply influenced by Taylor Swift. She has really helped create this next generation of songwriters. It's so cool.

RB: And I also love Lorde so much, but I feel like people always kind of name Lorde as their inspiration.

photo: Alex Lyon

CS: So how did you get started in the industry? What made you realize that music was what you wanted to pursue?

RB: I have always loved music. I've always been a singer, for as long as I can remember. But I didn't really start writing and working on my own music until later on. I think part of that was being a little bit afraid of failure. The part of me that wanted to do that got overshadowed by the part of me that was afraid of being bad at it. But I actually started seriously writing during the summer of 2018, which is weirdly recent. For a while, I thought I wanted to work at a label, so I interned at a record label that summer of 2018. I was doing A&R and was listening to new music every single day and looking for new artists. That’s when it clicked for me that I loved writing and I wanted to be sharing my own music. From that point on, I've been focusing on finding my network of people to be making music.

CS: As I was getting ready for this interview, I was listening to your EP 2 AM again, and I wanted to ask you about that EP as well, specifically, your song Ultraviolet. What was the story behind that song?

RB: Ultraviolet was written at the end of last summer, so we were deep in COVID times. From not being able to see people and just having so much time to sit with my own thoughts, I started to understand things about myself that I hadn't previously ever even thought about. I needed an outlet for thinking about that and processing the questions and realizations I was having about my sexuality. Naturally, I wrote a song about it. It created this space for me to explore everything that I was thinking about given the circumstances.

CS: You mentioned earlier with that EP that there was a big emphasis on the storytelling aspect of your songs. Can you talk a little bit about that, and, and the process of that EP, and putting out an EP in a time where playing concerts can’t be a part of a release.

RB: Since I started releasing music right before COVID, I’ve never really lived in a world where playing shows is a part of the release strategy. I'm excited for that to be a thing. In terms of the storytelling, the songs on the EP weren't actually written in the order that they appear on the tracklist. Afterwards, I figured out how they made sense to me, which was fun. Something I like to do in my writing is pull from experiences and emotions that I have personally felt, but also using fiction and applying an emotion that I have actually experienced and I can speak to, but in a different situation. I think as a songwriter it is really important to be able to open yourself up beyond what you've experienced firsthand, and still be able to make it sound genuine and have it resonate with people.

CS: Do you have any news you can share with us? Any exciting things coming up in the future?

RB: Definitely. I have new music on the way [Rachel’s new single “ghosted my therapist” is out now]. I won't say too much, but there's a little easter egg in the music video for “hating myself in the summer.” It's cryptic, but it'll make sense eventually.

CS: Is this the Taylor Swift fan in you putting easter eggs in your videos?

RB: Oh 100% yes.

CS: Can you give us a few recommendations to end with? What are the songs you've been listening to recently?

RB: Conan Gray recently put out a song called “People Watching” and it's so good, it was co-written by Julia Michaels as well, and she’s one of my favorites. There's a song that I literally cannot stop playing and it destroys me emotionally but I am obsessed with it. It's called “I Can't Wait to Be British” by Carol Ades. If you're looking for a song to cry to, that's a really good one. I’ve also been listening to a lot of JP Saxe lately. I'm actively not sad, but I love listening to sad music right now.

CS: It was really nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to hearing your new music!

RB: Thank you!

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Alt-pop newcomer LVRA (pronounced loo-rah, real name Rachel Lu) has shared her first new track of 2021, ‘DEAD’. Following up on 2020’s debut EP LVCID, she explains: “There’s a unique power you gain when you stop caring about what people think of you. It’s an ongoing battle, though, and ‘DEAD’ is about the conflict between the fantasy of not caring and how you feel in reality. The video captures that, with a version of myself who has her shit together and another that is fighting to survive.The use of red represents fear in the human condition, but in Chinese culture it also symbolises happiness. One rarely comes without the other.” The track – a cultural mix that matches LVRA’s heritage with bleeding edge ultra HD pop – is the first taster of a second EP, which is set to follow later this summer. You can check out an Oscar McNab (Lacuna Common, Oscar Lang). directed video above. [via Dork]

Los Angeles artist Wallice follows debut single 'Punching Bag' with new coming of age anthem, '23'. Wallice finds herself caught between two places on fresh cut, '23'. “Too old to be a runaway”, but also too young to consider herself as grown up, the 22-year old yearns for a past that still has not happened yet. Working with producer David Marinelli since her return to California, Wallice has crafted a sound that is unique without taking itself too seriously. An angst-driven remonstration at the powerlessness of her age, '23' is also the clearest stamp of her musical identity to date. The expression of this purgatory is a cathartic garage-rock headbanger complemented beautifully by Wallice’s playful lyrics. “I just can't wait to be / all grown up and 23,” she admits in the song’s irresistible chorus. “Tell me what is wrong with me / I miss my Ohio fake ID”. In artfully portraying the limbo state of the age, Wallice describes the events in her life that have led to her own disaffection. “It’s hard not to compare your own professional success to that of your similarly aged peers. I dropped out of university in New York after studying Jazz Voice for a year, and my dad was VERY disappointed, to say the least, so it was hard not to feel like a loser in that sense. “The specific age 23 doesn’t have any milestones associated with it, but it’s more the idea of just looking forward to the future,” Wallice continues on the meaning of the track. "Much like how people ‘reset’ every new year, it’s comparable to be ‘older and wiser’ with each birthday, but instead of constantly looking to the future, it is important to be happy with where you are”. [via Line Of Best Fit]

Coach Party have shared their new single 'Everybody Hates Me'. The Isle of Wight group are gearing up to release their incoming EP, with After Party pitting their potent indie pop influences against bittersweet lyricism. Out shortly, the EP is teased by new thumper 'Everybody Hates Me', with Coach Party adding a neat gloss to their guitar pop sound. Out now, 'Everybody Hates Me' comes equipped with a neat video steered by Daniel Broadley. Vocalist Jess Eastwood comments: “‘Everybody Hates Me’ isn’t a metaphor for anything; it’s literally about those times when you convince yourself that everyone, including your best friends don’t actually like you, and your self-confidence is so low that you don’t even blame them. Disguise that sentiment in an up-beat singalong, and there you have the third single from our new record. The video is a direct extension of the song. It swings between the insecurities of feeling like you’re not good enough amongst your friends, and the sense of unity you get from those same people when you finally wake up from your rut. Everyone feels that way from time to time, but you gotta remember that sometimes your irrational self is going to take over. And when it does, try to remember that you’re awesome, and your friends really are your friends.” [via Clash]

Pussy Riot have gone hyperpop on their latest song 'Toxic'. The Dorian Electra collaboration features glitched out production by Dylan Brady of 100 gecs and tackles a relationship gone bad. Written, directed, and edited by Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, the music video features jarring, bloody imagery matching Brady’s production. “Care about yourself, cherish your mental health, and stay away from relationships that poison you!” Tolokonnikova writes in the YouTube description. “Amen.” In the song’s lyrics, Tolokonnikova tells off an ex. “You are my daily poison so annoying,” she sings. “You’re even more toxic than my employer.” The hook continues the theme. “This combo is deadly — ’cause we used to be friendly,” Electra laments. “And now my heart is a weapon / You made me… toxic.” [via Consequence of Sound]

Baby Queen has dropped a brand new track, ‘These Drugs’. Bella Latham’s second new track of the year – following up on the anthemic ‘Raw Thoughts’ – she explains in an Instagram post: “This is a story I really needed to tell you and I didn’t know how to for a long time. When I first wrote this song, I honestly didn’t think I was going to be allowed to release it or that releasing it would be a particularly good idea. It just felt really important and that’s all I’ve ever wanted music to be; so I knew I had to share it with you.I was in a very bad place at the time… very depressed and convinced I wasn’t a good person and didn’t deserve good things. Life is different now. I’m happy. I’ve learnt that the antidote to my misery is gratitude and caring about myself even when I don’t want to, until it becomes a habit. It’s natural to look for escapism but there’s more freedom in working to build a life you like… and by that I literally just mean learning to love yourself. You, with all your scars and all your regrets, are home to an actual life! You’ve been through so much and you’ve come out the other side stronger because of it – it’s remarkable really. You’ve got to invite the sad parts of yourself in to have a tea party with you. Don’t ignore them and cover them up. If you don’t look at them, they’ll make themselves seen! You are so worthy of love and I hope that if you don’t see that yet, you will learn to in time. Anyways guys,” she finishes, “this is all very intense. I love you very much and I hope you can understand and relate in some way.” [via Dork]

Greentea Peng has shared her new single 'Nah It Ain’t The Same'. The UK neo-soul voice is an outstanding talent, someone who pushes herself further into that hip-hop / jazz nexus with each release. Produced by Earbuds, new single 'Nah It Ain't The Same' is out now, one that reflects the chemistry she has with her live band The Seng Seng Family. Dipping into drum 'n' bass, her vocals have a calming, beatific feel, with 'Nah It Ain't The Same' tugging at matters personal. She comments: “Deliberations of a (hu) MAN, subject to the pendulum's swing, I give you ‘Nah It Aint The Same’ off my album MAN MADE. An expression and exploration of my utter confusion and inner conflicts amidst shifting paradigms.” Greentea Peng stars in the new video, with Machine Operated sculpting the video. [via Clash]

renforshort has debuted a brand new single, ‘virtual reality’. The first taster of a forthcoming second EP, the track sees her “connect” with Kellen Pomeranz (Pom Pom), Jesse Fink and Beabadoobee collaborator Pete Robertson. “’virtual reality’ is a song that tackles many topics. But at its core, it really is about anxiety, routine, boredom, isolation, loneliness, and fear,” she explains. “I think a lot of people have a very unhealthy relationship with technology because it’s never really been restricted enough to consider mental health and overall health, and that has fucked so many people up, now more than ever. Ever since I was young, social media has played a major role in my mental wellbeing, and I became so accustomed to it, it became a part of my routine and it came before everything else. The moment I wake up, almost instinctively, I check my phone. Depending on what I see in the morning, basically determines how I’m gonna feel for the rest of the day. I hate it. But I can’t stop. And what’s most ironic about this all is you’re likely going to read this on social media or listen to the song on some sort of electronic device…” [via Dork]

Flock of Dimes has shared the second single from her forthcoming album Head of Roses, out April 2 via Sub Pop. Following recent single, 'Two', 'Price of Blue' is another standout from Wasner’s second solo LP, an album that showcases her ability to embrace new levels of vulnerability, honesty and openness, combined with the self-assuredness that comes with a decade-plus career as a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and prolific collaborator. It comes accompanied by an unearthly new video filmed in black and white, co-directed by Wasner with Graham Tolbert. Wasner says: “This song is about trying, and failing, to connect. It’s about the ways in which, despite our best efforts, we misunderstand each other, and become so attached to stories that we’re unable to see the truth that’s right in front of us. And it’s about the invisible mark that another person can leave on your body, heart and mind long after their absence. It can be difficult to make sense of the memory of your experience when the reality on the surface is always shifting—when the story you’re telling, or the story you’ve been told, unravels, leaving you with a handful of pieces and no idea how they used to fit together.”

Berlin-based indie-soul five-piece, People Club, announce their new EP Take Me Home, which is due May 7 and the band are sharing the title-track and new video. The title track 'Take Me Home' is a song about the realisation of mortality in old age and the cynicism that often plights the elderly after losing their loved ones and being left alone with their regrets. It is accompanied by a music video shot by long standing collaborator, Felix Spitta. Speaking of the process the band say, “Once again we worked with our very talented friend, Felix Spitta, who also shot the video for our last single Francine.  We basically spent a day fooling around at his house with a smoke machine and an old tape TV camera with a red filter.  The result is hazy and disorientating, just like this year has been so far.”

Introducing MARY., the dreamy alter-ego of musician and songwriter Stef T. The self-produced debut track, ‘Day to Day’, interlaces elements of electro-pop and R&B with a voice that enchants, along with an official video filmed, edited and directed by David Risdon and Charlie Rose Creative. Reading like a page in a diary, ‘Day to Day’ offers a candid and emotionally raw glance at being overlooked as a woman in a man’s world. She is put together, glamorous and poised on the outside, but on the inside she is simmering like a pot ready to boil over, fed-up and on the brink of snapping. Speaking of the track, Stef T explains, “’Day to Day’ is a reflection on what it is to be a woman in a role where you are always unseen; constantly giving yet never receiving. As woman, we are often undervalued for our day to day work in all aspects - as mothers, in relationships, in our careers; having to push extra hard to get the basic recognition and thanks that we are entitled to. This song is a commentary of a large part of my life where I settled, sacrificed and worked, only to be used and taken for granted. It is about learning to survive a toxic relationship, discover your own individual worth again and reclaim the power that you gave away to someone else. Producing this song myself is the only thing that made sense in context with the intention of MARY. as a project. She is an entirely self made, independent woman, who does it all and doesn't need a man to confirm that she's doing a good job. This is something I have personally struggled with, so I created the MARY. persona to feel more empowered in my storytelling as an artist, in an industry without a large visible number of female-identifying producers.”

Los Angeles based dream pop trio Tashaki Miyaki have just released a single and video of the title song from their forthcoming second album, Castaway, which will be released on April 23 via Metropolis Records. Singer, drummer and producer Paige Stark states that the song “is about the challenges of romantic love and how we are all bad at it in one way or another. The idea of a castaway in all this is that no one understands the relationship except the people in it, so you really are stuck on an island alone together there. Maybe you make it back to the mainland, or maybe you stay on the island.” Stark also shot the Sofia Coppola-inspired video on film, adding: "I wanted to tap into all the feelings that can come up in love relationships: anger, sadness, loneliness, vulnerability, stillness, joy, romance, longing. The actress in it has a beautifully expressive face and I've known her for a long time. I knew we would be able to create those moments together. I wanted it to feel like the camera was her lover, capturing her in various private moments, moods and feelings.”

With her Vanilla Shell EP celebrating its one-year anniversary last month, Danish-Chilean composer Molina is back with another abbreviated record in the form of the new single 'Cold,' featuring vocalist Jonas Bjerre, arriving with a pair of B-sides. The brief collection of songs continues her simultaneous journey inward toward the roots of Chilean music and outward into her own unique vision of the future. The project lands with a video for the A-side, which dreams up bizarre fantasy iconography in the tradition of Grimes and Björk to complement her subdued take on these artists’ out-there recordings. Blending ambiguous electronic sounds with the familiar drone of cello and Bjerre’s backing vocals, the track’s distinct persona may have more in common with the experimental soundscapes of artists like Jenny Hval or Julia Holter. [via Flood]

Maisie Peters has debuted her brand new single, ‘John Hughes Movie’. Described as the first single from her soon to be announced debut album, it’s a song about unrequited love, inspired by the legendary film producer and his classic coming-of-age teen comedies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. The track comes alongside a video co-written by Maisie and director Louis Bhose (Loyle Carner, Arlo Parks, Lewis Capaldi). Maisie explains: “I wrote ‘John Hughes Movie’ when I was 17 about a house party that I had gone to. It’s a really honest depiction of being a hopeless, melodramatic teenager, being awkward and drunk and getting your heart broken by people you don’t even remember anymore. John Hughes films encapsulate that foolish romantic energy of high school and everything that I, a small town English wannabe Molly Ringwald wanted to be, but was not.” [via Dork]

Chloe x Halle have shared the music video for their song 'Ungodly Hour.' The video was debuted on Wedneday night's episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and shows the Bailey sisters going underwater for a sci-fi-style visual filled with choreography and elaborate adventures at the bottom of the ocean. Watch the Alfred Marroquín-directed video above. [via The FADER]

South London's Josie Man has returned with sentimental new single 'Cuts & Bruise', marking her first release of 2021. 'Cuts & Bruises' follows October 2020's 'Grow' single, and is accompanied by a Andrea Mae-directed video that shows couples enjoying tender moments, including Josie Man and her boyfriend. [via Line Of Best Fit]

Jessie Ware has shared a new short film for her song 'Remember Where You Are'. Her album What's Your Pleasure? arrived last year, a disco-fuelled missile that presented some much-needed good vibes amid lockdown. The songwriter returns to the record for her song 'Remember Where You Are', a soulful and uplifting slice of UK songwriting. There's now a full video for the song and it's steered by BAFTA winning director Dominic Savage. Starring British actress Gemma Arterton, it opens on Valentine's Day and finds the star wandering through deserted London streets. A glimpse of hope and renewal, it taps into the growing feeling that this time, lockdown might be coming to a permanent end. "It was a real pleasure to collaborate with Jessie and Gemma on this short film that is inspired by Jessie Ware’s beautiful music. It was also inspired by the real feeling that was felt when we filmed in the deserted streets of eerily strange lockdown London on a Saturday night/Sunday morning,” Dominic said. “The feelings and emotions in the film are a true reflection of what that felt like, and what this time invokes. Sadness, nostalgia, pain and defiance. But when we climbed Primrose Hill and the sun started to rise above the city, there was real hope and joy for a future that will surely be ours. Listening to Jessie’s music. There is no doubt of that." Jessie adds... "This song has always meant a lot to me and I was determined for other people to hear it and for it to be single. I am so touched by how many people have embraced this song, particularly when it's one of your favourite actresses and an acclaimed film director. Working with Gemma, Dominic and their team has been an absolute joy. To have them realise my song with a beautiful ode to London and the longing for human touch and interaction couldn't be more of a compliment. It's a truly cherished piece of work." [via Clash]

Jaguar Jonze has shared her new single and video 'CURLED IN' ahead of the release of her second EP ANTIHERO on April 16, both via Nettwerk Records. 'CURLED IN' presents all her best qualities at its outset. From the track’s rip-roaring, slicing guitar to her perfectly forceful, omnipresent vocals, 'CURLED IN' is a pure cathartic release. "Tear me apart, just tear me apart," she all but demands: "I've never seen wrong be done right." She's fulfilling her simplest needs, and it's freeing. "It's a bit of a twist for me to be a masochist." As a survivor of abuse, these words' unafraid power is all too apparent and an engaging statement to hear expressed.

Following the release of eclectic and impressive debut singles 'ASOS,' 'Right Time,' and 'Papercut,' rising left-of-center pop singer and songwriter Dava returns with a fresh and bold new single 'New Ceilings' available now via Sony Music's Disruptor Records. The moody anti-pop record was co-written by Dava and Mike Adubato (Del Water Gap, Grace VanderWaal) who also produced the track, and is the latest off the Los Angeles-based musician's forthcoming debut EP, Sticky, due out later this year. On the inspiration behind her new single, Dava shares, "This song was written about survival and staying true to yourself. I was having a hard time financially after moving to LA and my phone was shut off while on my way to this session. I was upset with myself for prioritizing music when I really needed the money from driving Uber to stay afloat." She continues, "The day I wrote 'New Ceilings' I was angry and I wanted a song that felt empowering and validated all the work I had put in up to that point. I ended up choosing different songs for my project but when I revisited this one year later, I felt it needed to be heard because of how authentically it embodies my struggle."

London-based Fifi Rong, a multi-talented avant-pop songstress, has shared the video for her stunning single, ‘Another Me’. Directed by Rok Pat, the video for ‘Another Me’ is stylistically simplistic, as Fifi Rong uses her own body as a medium of art, painting herself and inviting the simple imagery of waterside reeds and plants. A tranquil mysticism embraces the single as Fifi Rong acts as a gentle siren, luring the unsuspecting in yet known the inevitable outcome of the relationship. Speaking of the concept behind the single and video, Fifi Rong tells us: “In any doomed romance, timing is always mysteriously wrong. This is my first full CGI music video and it visually portrays the elusive nature of the character surrounding the key message: 'you won't find another me'. The undertone of the song displays a sense of pride and confidence in the character’s melancholy. Dressed in nothing but petals, I wanted my character to symbolise purity, nature, truthfulness, vulnerability and the divine feminine form. Acting as a rotating statue, I wanted to mark the passing of time and seasons as if a unique and lonely piece of art on display.”