Han Hong - 天路

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to post another song by this Tibetan artist! She has one of my favorite voices, and this is one of her most famous songs. She specializes in folk/traditional Chinese music like this. Wait until the end for the REALLY Tibetan vocalizing kicks in. I don’t have much true party music waiting in the wings for the occasion, but a song of such epic scale seems somewhat befitting of the New Year. Happy New Year!
Note: HD option is recommended!

Han Hong A.K.A. 韩红 - 天路 [Tian Lu - Road to Heaven]:

Gary Cao - 世界唯一的你

This R&B artist, who is from Malaysia but writes his songs in Mandarin because his career is based out of Taiwan, writes his own music (as well as that of other artists). I HAVE to post this song of his because not only is it his single that really boosted his career, but he wrote this song for his CAT. That is awesome. The story goes that after struggling with music industry rejection, depression, alcoholism, and a number of suicide attempts, he came across a stray cat that he decided to adopt as his own, and after writing this song for the cat his career and life took a turn for the better.

Gary Cao A.K.A. 曹格 - 世界唯一的你 [Shi Jie Wei Yi De Ni - The World’s Only You]:

Angel Taylor - What’s Comin’ to Yah

I first encountered this artist recently when my friend was playing a trance-ish song that featured her vocals. I guess he was as impressed by her singing as I was, because he asked me to find out who the singer was for him. Because there have been so many British artists lately with rich, soulful voices like hers, I guessed that she was British as well… but I was WRONG! She’s American. Her songs themselves don’t strike me as particularly distinctive, but her voice is a winner.

Angel Taylor - What’s Comin’ to Yah:

Clemens feat. Engelina - Har Du Noget At Sige

I have an inexplicable liking for this song. As far as the lyrical meaning goes, it’s the typical “Hey, girl, lemme holla atcha! I’m gonna make you my woman!” message. The main draw for me, as a non-Danish-speaker, is the beat, and the low-energy delivery works for it. It’s so laidback as to almost be hypnotic.
Note: HD quality is available!

 Clemens feat. Engelina - Har Du Noget At Sige [Have You Got Something to Say]:

Gabriela Robin - Green Bird

This artist’s background and identity are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but rumor has it this singer and the song’s composer, Yoko Kanno, are one and the same. This song was used near the end of the famous anime series Cowboy Bebop, and is so much a part of the scene in which it was used that when I hear the song by itself I get images in my mind of the moment in the show. Considering the church setting of the scene, the angelic, choir-like quality to the song is no coincidence.

 Gabriela Robin - Green Bird:

Celldweller - End of an Empire

Man, this sounds good. This artist created a record label, FiXT, under which he signed the artist I posted somewhat recently, Blue Stahli. Their music clearly belongs to the same category, but I heard of this artist many years earlier.
Note: HD listening recommended for full effect!

Celldweller - End of an Empire:

Lea Michele - O Holy Night

Speaking of things I never thought I’d post… This artist usually is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Most of the time her singing on the musical show Glee is painful for me to listen to. However, this was one of the few moments I enjoyed it, and my friends who felt similarly toward her said the same thing about this cover. For once, she doesn’t whine or overenunciate as much, and there’s a power to her voice that makes it work. So I’ll forgive the context of the song for not making any sense given the character’s background. It’s Christmasssssssssss, so here’s a Christmas song! I didn’t even realize this belonged to the class of Christmas songs I liked until I heard it covered a few times within the past couple years. Or maybe it just grew on me. Either way, it sounds nice to me now.
Note: HD quality ahoy!

Lea Michele - O Holy Night:


Here’s the scene from the show in which the song appears:

Alex Boyé feat. One Voice Children’s Choir - Let It Go

I swear, I had no intention of posting this overplayed song from the immensely popular Disney movie Frozen. I watched it a month or two ago and liked it, but dang, everyone, chill out on the song. (No pun intended.) But I came across this “Africanized” cover and had to share it--I’m a sucker for African-style choirs, plus that little girl can actually sing!
Note: You can listen AND watch in HD!

Alex Boyé feat. One Voice Children’s Choir - Let It Go:

Eisblume - Zeit Zu Gehen

Icey music for a chilly season! The artist’s very name is wintery (as it means “iceflower”), and the content of their music doesn’t stray far from that theme. Many of their songs, including this one, at least make reference to winter or ice.

Eisblume - Zeit Zu Gehen [Time to Go]:

Ed Sheeran - I’m a Mess

This artist (along with Sam Smith) is kind of the reigning king of British pop music right now, and with good reason. Funnily enough, my friend only found out about him this morning. He told me there was a song sample he was dying to know the original artist of, and when he played the sample for me I recognized the voice as this guy’s. It wasn’t this song, but this was among my favorites from his most recent album. For me, this song really pays off at the clapping part.
Note: Thanks unto the uploader for HD!

Ed Sheeran - I’m a Mess:

Brown Eyed Girls - Kill Bill

Wowwwwwww, SOMEBODY was a fan of the movie Kill Bill. As the song’s title suggests, the music video is themed after the Quentin Tarantino movie, but in such an over-the-top way I was laughing. It even incorporates multiple songs from the movie’s soundtrack! Like the movie on which it’s based, there’s ample violence, to the point that it’s a bit surprising for a K-pop video.
Note: This is the official music video (because it’s the point, more so than the song) and it has HD!

Brown Eyed Girls - Kill Bill:

TM Bax - Tahroon-Male-Mast

Irani party music! It’s repping their (presumably) hometown of Tehran, like with American hip hop city anthems. Weirdly enough, today there are three songs I was considering posting, and all three are non-English hip hop songs from countries I rarely post music from. I ultimately went with this one, because although I heard it recently it was the one I heard first.

TM Bax - Tahroon-Male-Mast [Tehran’s Ours]:

Miranda Sex Garden - Cover My Face

I’ve been watching the American TV series The Following, and this song was used in an episode I watched recently. I like that clear, high voice and of course that gothicky style doesn’t hurt either.
Note: HD quality is here!

Miranda Sex Garden - Cover My Face:

Conor Maynard - Use Somebody

I’ve been posting some unusually long tracks lately, so to balance it out a bit here’s an unusually short one. In an age where music artists are self-selecting and brought to fame by actual popularity rather than whatever record labels force on audiences, I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise that artists like this one self-promoted via YouTube and ended up getting mainstream TV airtime. I don’t remember what show it was in, but this is a cover of the song by Kings of Leon.

Conor Maynard - Use Somebody:

Luxuslärm feat. Culcha Candela - Mehr Gewicht

I guess it’s about time I put something bouncier up. At first this song sounds like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” but then it’s not. In fact, this song’s urging women to NOT lose themselves—that is, to not starve themselves for the sake of beauty. It criticizes societal glorification of overly skinny bodies and encourages people to not be so self-conscious about their weight so they can enjoy life.
Note: This is the official music video, with HD!

Luxuslärm feat. Culcha Candela - Mehr Gewicht [More Weight]:

PackFM - Happy Days

This song casts a cynical eye on the celebratory attitude people showed after the election of Obama, arguing that the victory was more symbolic than a true move of progress. The lyrics also rail against the widespread fascination with frivolous news and activities that serve as little more than distractions from acknowledging the true state of the world. “You may think that I’m complaining, but at least I ain’t complacent.” This song ain't for the kids, as there's quite a bit of profanity and such.

PackFM - Happy Days:

Sydney Wayser - Belfast Child

I heard this song when I was looking for music from the soundtrack of the recent movie Exodus: Gods and Kings. It’s a cover of a song by Simple Minds. It has a haunting quality that suits its unfortunate subject matter. Despite the song being about acts of terrorism in Northern Ireland, the artist is American.
Note: HD quality!

Sydney Wayser - Belfast Child:

Mindless Self Indulgence - Kill You All in a Hip Hop Rage

I think the lyrics of this are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, and are mocking the oft-spoken idea that hip hop used to be good and now it’s horrible. It makes reference to all the violence that plagued older hip hop, indicating that older hip hop isn’t as idyllic as many make it out to be and suggesting the nostalgia may be misplaced. It also gestures to the admittedly bizarre tendency of hip hop fans to engage in speculative appeal to authority through idol worship of hip hop martyrs. Unsurprisingly, there’s profanity and violence...
Note: HD quality for this short track!

Mindless Self Indulgence - Kill You All in a Hip Hop Rage:

Wrathschild - Angeles

Now I’m thinking Simon Curtis’s idea to team up with the female singer is well-advised. He sounded good by himself, but when his voice is paired with the Wolfy’s it makes a nice blend! Obviously, this song is about Los Angeles, the good and the bad.
Note: HD quality is available!


Wrathschild - Angeles:

Lisa Fischer - How Can I Ease the Pain

Evidently this song was a hit back in 1991, but I wasn’t familiar with it until a few days ago when I watched the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. This artist has done a lot of work as a backup singer and one of the primary points of the documentary film was that backup singers have plenty of potential and are often just as good as (if not better than) leading vocalists. This song was used to illustrate that point, and I think it served its purpose well.
Note: Even though it’s oldish, this upload has HD!

Lisa Fischer - How Can I Ease the Pain:




Here’s the live performance that demonstrates some serious singing talent and skill:

Maximum the Hormone - Maximum the Hormone

I’m long overdue for a post of a song by this artist. I was “craving” the manic energy this Japanese band always brings, but it’s actually the quiet parts of this song that hooked me. It of course also fulfills the weirdness quota I’ve come to expect from them with more unconventional elements like the chanting. I find it kind of funny that well into the band’s career they made a song with the same name as themselves.

 Maximum the Hormone - Maximum the Hormone:

Eyes Set to Kill - Infected

I was on a hunt to find music of this general genre, and came across a recommendation for this artist. It’s a little weird I hadn’t listened to them before (that I know of) because they’ve been around since 2006. This song was only my introduction to them, and I definitely plan to look into more music by them.
Note: Another official video of sorts, also in HD!

Eyes Set to Kill - Infected:

Blue Stahli - Ready Aim Fire

I noticed that when I feel down, angry music genuinely makes me feel better. It’s like it channels my negative feelings that are dragging me down into energy, so that instead of wallowing I feel motivated. It pulls me out of the rut of a downtrodden, lethargic attitude by converting it into power, so this song is just what the doctor ordered.
Note: This is the official lyrics video, and it has HD!

Blue Stahli - Ready Aim Fire:

Rene - Снегом

Here’s a little Russian soulfulness. I bring you winter-themed music for the season! It’s not my favorite song ever, but the danciness isn’t overwhelming.
Note: This is the official MV, and it has HD.

Rene - Снегом [Snyegom - Snow]:

The Black Keys - In Time

Although I’d heard of this artist many times, I didn’t look up their music specifically—or if I did I didn’t find it memorable. However, the British series Hollyoaks used this song and I found it compelling enough to look into. I guess this from their new album and has a different sound from their previous work, so maybe I really did hear their music before and it just didn’t strike my fancy.
Note: HD quality can be found here!

The Black Keys - In Time:

25Band - ی باده خنک

I just came back from seeing the movie Rosewater, and this song was the ending credit theme. As soon as A-Del started singing I knew it was a winner. I really like something about her voice. It’s smooth, and simultaneously sounds effortless yet controlled. It also kinda reminds me of the voice of a Korean singer I can’t put my finger on at the moment.
Note: I’m pleased to have found this in HD!

25Band - ی باده خنک [Ye Baade Khonak - The Wine Cooler]:

Hidetake Takayama - Believe ft. Amanda Silvera & Matt Brevner

This song is comprised of some nice-sounding elements, but I kind of get the feeling this song doesn’t know what it wants to be. Part of the time it sounds like contemporary hip hop mixed with R&B, and part of the time it sounds like the ending credits of an inspiring Christmas-themed Disney made-for-TV movie. And that’s OK; I accept it. There’s a little profanity.
Note: HD!

Hidetake Takayama - Believe ft. Amanda Silvera & Matt Brevner:

Jolin Tsai - Play我呸

I’ve never been into this artist, but OMG, I think I love this music video… My friend has been a fan of hers for years and I never understood why. Now I’m starting to get it. This music video entertained me, the song is actually pretty catchy, and the lyrics (I believe) mock the superficiality and materialism of society.
Note: This is the official MV, and it’s in HD!

Jolin Tsai A.K.A. 蔡依林 - Play我呸 [Play Wo Pei - Play I "Bah"]:

The Neighbourhood feat. Raury - Warm

If you’re a fan of Banks, The Weeknd, Ellie Goulding, or trip hop, peep this artist’s mixtape! It's free! If you look this artist up they’re classified as a rock band, but when I listened to their just-released mixtape (which is a very hip hop thing to have) the music was clearly in the range of trip hop, hip hop, and contemporary R&B.
Note: Take advantage of the HD!

The Neighbourhood feat. Raury - Warm:

A Fine Frenzy - Pinesong

The other night I walked home in the POURING rain while listening to this and it was a suitable soundtrack. It’s moody, but doesn’t ring with melancholy as much as other songs it reminded me of. I like the different phases it goes through, and especially at this length of song the variation comes as a welcome attribute.
Note: HD listening is recommended!

A Fine Frenzy - Pinesong:

Pentatonix - Run to You

When I finally got around to listening to complete albums by this artist, I was thrown by this song in particular. I couldn’t identify the song it was covering, but I thought it was magnificent. Then I started to suspect that it was an original of this group’s, and it turns out that was right! I like how none of the members really sings lead on this (although I admit the voices I hear most clearly throughout most of the song are Mitch’s and Avi’s)—it truly is an ensemble arrangement.
Note: Naturally, HD listening is preferable.

Pentatonix - Run to You:

Stefanie Sun - 天黑黑

Being an adult sucks. That’s the message of this song’s lyrics. It was brought to my attention when my friend sang it at karaoke recently, telling me the song is sad because it’s about how life is more complicated when you grow up. I noticed he was singing some of the lyrics in Hokkien—this is because the refrain of the song is taken from an old, popular Hokkien song. I can’t think of a song more fitting for today, climatewise and otherwise.

Stefanie Sun A.K.A. 孫燕姿 - 天黑黑 [Ti Aw Aw - The Sky is Black]:

City High - What Would You Do?

This song was on the radio a lot when I was a kid. At some point, long after I knew all the lyrics to the song, the family babysitter pointed out that the song was not exactly kid-friendly due to its mature subject matter and profanity and I probably shouldn’t have been listening to it. Way too late for that, though! Despite the disturbing lyrics, it sounds pretty nice and makes a compelling case for not using a screwed up background as a justification for perpetuating the screwed uppedness.
Note: HD quality!

City High - What Would You Do?:

Bridgit Mendler - All I See is Gold

Today was a rather musical day, filled with pop songs and bounciness. I feel it only appropriate to post a song that’s more or less in the vein of what I’ve been listening to all day.
Note: HD listening is available!

Bridgit Mendler - All I See is Gold:

JJ Lin - 江南

Arg! There are too many songs by this artist I want to post! He’s too prolific! I like playing this song on the piano, but not as much as I like listening to the original version. Like the previous video I posted, there are English subtitles for the lyrics!

JJ Lin A.K.A. 林俊傑 - 江南 [Jiang Nan - River South]:

T-ara - Day by Day

Yeesh, what’s happening? Yesterday a Coldplay song, today a T-ara song… I find it admirable how much effort clearly is put into K-pop music videos, even if I find the music vapid and soulless. This artist is among my definite “not favorites” but even I had to give it up to this music video, which is so over-the-top it’s comical in its excess. From the beginning of my interest in Korean pop music videos, one of the things that stood out to me about them was the tendency for them to have storylines, no matter how frivolous the song. The drama was on a level that seemed completely unwarranted by the content of the song. It’s nice to see reassurance that, although over a decade has passed since that time, not only is that trend still going strong but it’s even being taken to extremes like this 15-minute, unfinished saga.
Note: This is the official music video, which has HD AND optional English subtitles! It also has violence, if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing.

T-ara - Day by Day:

Coldplay - Midnight (Confidential Remix)

To be honest, I never really expected to post a Coldplay song on here… but here we are. I heard this song in the trailer for the as-yet-unreleased movie Exodus: Gods and Kings. Sounds perty cooooooool!
Note: New song, and therefore HD.

Coldplay - Midnight (Confidential Remix):

Gloss Da Boss - A Million and One Remix

Here’s a female MC who has the potential to be mainstream… but unlike a certain other hip hop artist who’s somehow made it to the top of the charts, she seems to be a legit lyricist. Not to pit the female rappers against one another; just want to show that there are others out there, and they’re doing it better. If you are unacquainted with the hip hop, the instrumental she’s rhyming over is Jay-Z’s.
Note: This is the official video, and it has HD!

Gloss Da Boss - A Million and One Remix: 

Jones Shi - Beautiful World

Today was a good day. I can’t say the same of a couple days ago, when this song so didn’t suit my mood; I almost posted it then, when it would have been bitterly ironic, but since I really do like this song I didn’t want to taint it with my bitterness so this works a lot better for me. “Wo bu yao langfei shijian.” Word! In case it’s not obvious from the title, the song is about appreciating the positive aspects of the world around us rather than focusing on the negative.

Jones Shi A.K.A. 石康軍 - Beautiful World :

Ella Eyre - If I Go

I just today heard this song in the British series Hollyoaks, and my instant reaction was, “Wooooo, what a voice!” Another youngun’ on the rise… She’s 20, and a songwriter as well.
Note: This is an official music video of some sort, so it’s HD!

Ella Eyre - If I Go:

James Bay - Let It Go

I heard this song on the radio. I liked it and took note of it to look up later when I had a search engine within reach. Judging by the sparse information I came cross on him, it looks like he’s a new artist. It also seems like he’s not very well-known, so it’s interesting that I heard him on the radio, I suppose.
Note: HD hath been brought here.

James Bay - Let It Go:

Ana Johnsson - We Are

My friend recommended this song to me, knowing my penchant for songs with unconventional lyrics meanings and stringed instruments. The lyrics are pretty on-the-nose, but in case it’s not obvious they’re about taking responsibility for the state the world is in.
Note: HD listening is here!

Ana Johnsson - We Are:

Flosstradamus feat. Elkka - Rebound

I found this song by YouTube surfing. This is some nice, chill EDM. It’s the only song I have by either of the credited artists, but it’s a calming force in these stressful times.
Note: You know I got that HD.

Flosstradamus feat. Elkka - Rebound:

Sneha Pant, K.K., and Udit Narayan - ए दिल दिल की दुनिया में

I came across this song from the Bollywood movie Yaadein by surfing YouTube for Indian music. I’m normally not a fan of Indian-style female vocals but I enjoy this song. Also, one of the playback singers is Nepalese, so another new country of artist origin is added to the list!

Sneha Pant A.K.A. स्नेहा पंत, K.K., and Udit Narayan A.K.A. उदित नारायण झा - ए दिल दिल की दुनिया में [Aye Dil Dil Ki Duniya Mein - A Heart in the World]:

Savage Garden - You Can Still Be Free

This is one of the songs by this popular 90s artist that I heard like a decade after they had disbanded that made me go, “Huh. Maybe most of their music didn’t suck after all.” Its somber, perhaps even melodramatic theatricality is much more to my liking than their saccharine pop singles I was exposed to as a child, and I think if I’d heard this first I would have liked them a lot earlier. R.I.P. Super Dave.
Note: HD quality!

Savage Garden - You Can Still Be Free:

Kay Tse - 篋神

This Hong Kong artist isn’t exactly a vocal powerhouse, but her voice has a pretty tonal quality to it. I’m mostly posting her because Canto-singing artists don’t usually get much love. She does some weird things with her voice at a couple points in the song, and I don’t know what that’s about, but it at least it adds some variety. I seriously don’t know what the title’s supposed to mean… If there’s a translation out there that makes sense, let me know.

Kay Tse A.K.A. 謝安琪 - 篋神 [Haap San - Luggage God]:

Epik High feat. Sweet Sorrow - 희생양

Another common translation of this song’s title into English is “Scapegoat.” I thought the English title I used makes for a better translation when taking the religious context of the lyrics into account. If you don’t understand Korean, I recommend reading the English translation included in the video. You can actually get the meaning of the song from the English verse alone: it’s claiming society merely pretends to follow Christian teachings, and questions the existence of God for not interfering. This is kind of a risky move because this popular Korean hip hop group is, well… based in Korea, making music for an audience that very likely consists of a lot of fundamentalist Christians.

Epik High feat. Sweet Sorrow - 희생양 [Heuisaengyang - Sacrificial Lamb]:

P!NK - I’m Not Dead

I've been a fan of this artist's since the release of her single, Most Girls, from her first album. That was when I was in elementary school. She's an original, and more importantly talented, voice in a sea of formulaic pop acts. It's a miracle that she seems to be just as popular now as she was 10 years ago, if not more so. How she managed to maintain her successful career in the industry for so long without completely losing it I don't really know, but I'm grateful for it.

P!NK - I’m Not Dead:

Sleeping at Last - I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)

I can’t remember exactly where I heard this song first, but I suspect it was on a TV show. Upon closer inspection, it turns out this artist is a one-man band. This song is pretty recognizable as a cover of the song of the same title by Proclaimers, but a much calmer version.

Sleeping at Last - I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles):

Kénédy - Cours Toujours

My browser kept crashing and playing this song every time it restarted. It must be a sign that it’s time to post this song and get it out of my queue! I guess it’s also high time I posted some more zouk, too. And with this artist, another country is added to the list: Guadeloupe!

Kénédy - Cours Toujours [Always Running]:

Free Speech feat. Ro Blvd. - Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth Intro

This opening track from the hip hop album of the (almost) same title criticizes mainstream rap for being the modern manifestation of the minstrel show. Its title is an allusion to the mainstream rap song “Laffy Taffy,” which belongs to the popular subgenre the emcee is suggesting brings down the black community, drawing a parallel to the candy of the same name: maybe enjoyable in the moment, but ultimately harmful when consumed in excess as people are prone to do. There is profanity, and if you are offended by the message of the lyrics… well, you’ve been warned.

Free Speech feat. Ro Blvd. - Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth Intro:



Here’s the official video, which has different audio from the album version, and I like it more because it samples two of my favorite stand-up comics, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. It makes the aforementioned message clear by juxtaposing images of old-fashioned racist representation against modern rap music videos:

Yoko Kanno feat. Shanti Snyder - Sora

This is from the soundtrack of the anime movie Escaflowne, which I received as a Christmas present many a year ago. It was a while ago, but if I remember correctly I actually had this song in my music collection long before I’d watched the movie. This song (and all of its multiple renditions) never ceases to captivate me. This version in particular is painfully pretty, largely to the credit of Shanti Snyder’s pure voice. I’ve seen claims that the lyrics are in old Romanian, but I doubt this is true. Instead, it seems to be a mixture of words taken from different languages.

 Yoko Kanno A.K.A. 菅野 よう子 feat. Shanti Snyder - Sora:

James Arthur - You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You

What kind of message is that for a song?! Whatever. I heard this catchy song on the UK show Hollyoaks. This is YET ANOTHER example of British soul. I’m beginning to think that’s their sole musical export… I’m loving that choir action they have going on too.
Note: This lyrics video has HD quality available!

James Arthur - You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You:

Broods - Four Walls

I heard this artist when they were the opening act for Sam Smith’s concert. Although I hadn’t heard of them before then, I paid attention to their performance and made a mental note to look up their music after the concert because through the din it sounded like the downtempo style of music I tend to like. That led me to the discovery of this chill song.
Note: Here be HD quality!

Broods - Four Walls:

Emmanuel Jal - Warchild

Whoa, while I wasn’t looking this Sudanese hip hop artist released a bunch more albums I wasn’t aware of. I found out about him first through an article in Rolling Stone magazine. I thought his backstory as a child soldier was compelling, and when I looked up his songs I found them to be quite sonically pleasing, too. This, I believe, is the first song of his I heard. It’s clear the lyricist is not a native English speaker, but I still think it’s worth listening to for the sake of getting another person’s perspective.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Emmanuel Jal - Warchild:

Zara Larsson - Carry You Home

Whoooooooooooosh. My first thought when I heard this song was that it straddles the line between acoustic pop and club hit. Her voice has a richness to it that I appreciate all the more in a saccharine pop song. After this one, I listened to a handful of other songs by this Swedish artist and in some of them she sounds just like Rihanna. Aaaaaaaaaand she’s just 16.
Note: The video has HD!

Zara Larsson - Carry You Home:

Boyz II Men - You Just Got Slapped

I finally finished the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother! I watched the entire last season within a matter of days, and this new rendition of an original song from the show made an appearance somewhere in the final episodes. The song demarcates another installment in the TV series’s ongoing saga of characters slapping each other, and I found it especially funny that this time it was performed by this famous R&B artist in their signature love ballad style. The singing group came up in other places with comedic contexts over the past few days as well—in song parodies—so all the more reason to post this now.
Note: Despite not being an officially released song, the video with it has HD!

Boyz II Men - You Just Got Slapped:

Icon for Hire - Pop Culture

The more recent album by this artist has been on repeat for the past few days for me. I actually really enjoy the lyrics from this band. They have nice, aesthetically pleasing rhyme schemes that carry lyrics that are both meaningful and comprehensible. This song mocks the delusion some people have that they’re impervious to marketing or are somehow above mainstream taste.
Note: HD listening está aquí!

Icon for Hire - Pop Culture:

Troye Sivan - Happy Little Pill

I clicked on this song’s music video because it showed up as a related video to another song I’d just listened to on YouTube, and I didn’t recognize the name of the artist. That alone was enough to interest me, and I’m glad it did. I immediately was drawn in, even before the vocals began. Turns out this artist is a youngun’ (19!) and an actor.
Note: HD listening, yo!

Troye Sivan - Happy Little Pill:

Alice Russell - Citizens

This song is apparently the theme song of the show The Blacklist, but as I’ve never seen that show that’s not how I heard it. Instead, I heard it in the show Political Animals.
Note: British soul in HD!

Alice Russell - Citizens:

Trick Daddy feat. Cee-Lo Green & Big Boi - In Da Wind

I admit, this is one of the hip hop songs I loved purely for the beat. But I love this beat! Trick luh da keeds. One of my favorite aspects of this song is Cee-Lo's distinctive (read: decidedly weird) voice, which would later become well known in American mainstream music. The lyrics have profanity, so even if Trick DOES love the kids the kids maybe shouldn't listen to the song.

Trick Daddy feat. Cee-Lo Green & Big Boi - In Da Wind:

Cherry Filter - Anothr Blood of Witch

This seems more like an interlude than a proper song, but it still sounds cool with Youjeen’s freakishly high ghosty wailing. The track is a nice amalgamation of a variety of her vocal styles, in a way. I love how she has mastery of everything from growling to singing in the whistle register. Happy Halloween!

Cherry Filter - Anothr Blood of Witch:

IAMX - Commanded by Voices

I know I keep posting songs off the same album by this artist, despite him having released others. I finally listened to another of them recently, and although I really liked it I still am stuck on this one, Volatile Times, for some reason.
Note: HD vooooooices!

IAMX - Commanded by Voices:

Yma Sumac - Magic

All the way from 1957 comes this otherworldly track! Some have suggested that it sounds like a chant that would accompany some kind of ancient, scary ritual, but I think it takes on a ghostly quality in the part where her voice leaps up like 3 octaves.

Yma Sumac - Magic:

Dead Man’s Bones - Buried in Water

This artist, fronted by actor Ryan Gosling, was last year’s Halloween post, and I’m posting their music again as the holiday is nearly upon us. That’s not surprising, because practically all of their music is Halloween-themed, filled with lyrics about various manifestations of the undead. The kids’ crappy singing, especially at the end, bothers me though. It makes it feel like I’m watching a school play.

Dead Man’s Bones - Buried in Water:

Nightwish - Ghost Love Score

If you’ve never heard this artist before… this is what they sound like. Symphonic metal? I can’t keep up with the kids and their terminology these days. Anyway, this level of over-the-top theatricality is pretty typical of their style. As cheesy as it is, it can also be pretty nice and is good for drowning out the rest of the world. It’s a little weird I’ve never posted music by them before, considering how long I’ve known of them, but I think their overwrought style deterred me.

Nightwish - Ghost Love Score:

Birds of Paradise - Monster of the Monastery

I came across this track through YouTube surfing. I wish the chorus were easier to hear, because from what I CAN hear it sounds nice. I don’t hate the screaming, but it’s also not that much to my taste so it’s good that that’s not the whole song.
Note: HD!!!!!!!! *scream*

Birds of Paradise - Monster of the Monastery:

Fever Ray - If I Had a Heart

A little while ago when I was looking to this artist’s music, I naturally came across this song. I even thought I’d already posted it, but a friend pointed out that I hadn’t. She also said the song has been used in a number of television shows.
Note: The song has HD, but for full-on creepiness watch the music video too. I don’t know what’s going on in it, but it can’t be good.

Fever Ray - If I Had a Heart:


Music video is here:

Patrick Wolf - Mercia

My housemates and I were just talking about the possibility that our house is haunted. So I bring you this song, which mentions a haunted house! Plus it has all those layered ghosty vocals in various parts of the song.

Patrick Wolf - Mercia:

Dresden Dolls - Missed Me

The first time I listened to this song I was struck by its interesting rhyme scheme and lyrical dexterity. This song is so… evil. It’s about a girl who tempts an older man into getting involved with her out of some sick sense of neediness and seemingly has no remorse about getting him in trouble. It’s so clever how the lyrics use a children’s nursery rhyme and twist it into a meaning both sinister and adult. There’s profanity and all that.

Dresden Dolls - Missed Me:

The Cliks - Walking in a Graveyard

Could there be a song more fitting for the season? It even sounds like it was made for a children’s Halloween movie! I don’t mean that in a demeaning way; it just has that vibe. I saw this artist live years ago and my, how their sound has changed.
Note: HD quality is available!

The Cliks - Walking in a Graveyard:

Goldfrapp - Human

All the songs on this artist’s debut album sound like something from an old horror movie/noir thriller. This is actually the most energetic track on the album, and perhaps the most conventional.
Note: The track is available in HD!

Goldfrapp - Human:

Buck-Tick - Muma ~ The Nightmare

Wikipedia names the album this song is from as the artist’s foray into a deliberate gothic image, but in my opinion they took on the gothic image long before that. However, it is true that I could pick virtually any song off the album and it would fit the Halloween theme.
Note: Holy shiznit, a Japanese song available in HD that hasn’t been taken down yet?!

 Buck-Tick - Muma ~ The Nightmare:

Ceylan Ertem - Çok Yakın

While looking for Turkish music on YouTube, I came across this music video. I’m not sure what’s going on in the video, plotwise, but both sonically and visually it seems pretty unsettling.
Note: This is the official video, and it has HD!

Ceylan Ertem - Çok Yakın [Very Close]:

Caravan Palace - Sydney

This song takes the scariest elements of old timey music and the scariest elements of new music and puts them together. I like it, but it sounds like something that should accompany a disturbing fever dream sequence in a movie or something. This song is significantly more downtempo than their other music and doesn’t have quite the same effect, so in its lazy gait it doesn’t come across as “scary” so much as “spooky.”
Note: HD listening is here!

Caravan Palace - Sydney:

Evanescence - Even in Death

This artist is well-known for their mildly gothic image and less-than-upbeat sound. This song is no exception, but while many of their songs could be characterized as brooding and melancholy, this one leaps right into unsettling. It’s about someone who’s obsessed with her dead lover, staying at his grave and it even sounds to me like she plans to dig up the body.
Note: I found it in HD, and with a cool background image!

Evanescence - Even in Death:

Richard Marvin - Burying Lisa

This piece is quite a departure from yesterday’s rather upbeat track, and is from the television series Six Feet Under. It’s a pity that this song title is so spoilery, but not much I can do about it. The beautiful and refreshing thing about the series is that it addresses the topic of death in an unflinching way that takes into account its reality and inevitability while not neglecting the sadness that accompanies it. I feel like that tone is reflected in the music, as it conveys a tone of mourning and loss without being overwhelmingly tragic.

Richard Marvin - Burying Lisa:

Lee Jung Hyun - V

Yes, that is the artist attempting to pronounce “V.” The music of this video isn’t what grabbed my attention, but the video itself did. It was sent to me by a friend because the video was directed by none other than Korean filmmaker Park Chan Wook (director of some of my favorite movies, which have unsettling air). Infantile women (i.e. lolita chic) ain’t my style at all, but this video has some distinctive elements of the director’s other work. The harpsichord music, the awkward humor in dark situations, and of course the cinematic nature...
Note: It’s a K-pop video, which means it has HD.

Lee Jung Hyun A.K.A. 이정현 - V:

Tiger Lou - The Loyal

I'm not in love with this Swedish artist, but I found the band through the related videos margin on YouTube and liked the creepiness of this song. The video is up that alley as well.

Tiger Lou - The Loyal:

Snow Ghosts - Murder Cries

Hollyoaks, you’ve done it again. I’d never heard of this artist before this song was used in an episode I watched. Although I heard this song months ago I saved it for now because it seems perfect for the Halloween season. It also has a bit of a Southern (American) gospel sound to it.
Note: I could only find this song in the music video, but that’s OK because it’s in HD! Be warned, though, it features some freaky ish.

Snow Ghosts - Murder Cries:

Gackt - Lust for Blood

Theatrical as always, this artist brings us another song that sounds like it belongs in the ending credits of a Japanese horror film or something. This song actually manages to sound pretty creepy. To me, at least.

Gackt - Lust for Blood:

Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou - A Little Priest

This song is from Stephen Sondheim’s musical Sweeney Todd, the original cast recording. I saw Tim Burton's movie version when it came out in theaters, and from the start of this song I appreciated the macabre humor of the lyrics. They struck me as painfully clever. This version is longer than the movie version, which means even more punchlines packed into one song. In case you aren’t familiar with the play or can’t derive the meaning from the lyrics on their own, the two characters are scheming to use human meat to save their impoverished meat pie business.

Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou - A Little Priest:

Sting - The Last Ship

This British artist is practically a legend in his longtime fame, so I suppose it’s odd that the song I’m choosing by him is from his most recent release. He wrote the music for his own Broadway musical, The Last Ship. This is the title track. I love ghostiness of it, combined with the Celticness and pirateyness.
Note: HD listening here!

Sting - The Last Ship:

Florence + the Machine - Spectrum

Earlier today, my friend got into this artist’s music. Hurray! This is one of the songs she named as among her favorites from her sampling of Florence's music today. The first time I heard this song, the word that crossed my mind was “triumphant.” Although many of this artist’s songs are filled with melancholy, there’s something jubilant, strong, and celebratory about this song’s sound, especially the chorus. Although I haven’t a clue what the lyrics are actually about (and believe me, I’ve tried to figure it out), it feels like she’s singing about a victory of some sort, in a “We shall overcome” kind of way.
Note: Hdeeeeeeeeeeee!

Florence + the Machine - Spectrum:

Jeong Dong In - 홈페이지

From one soundtrack of a horror movie directed by a Korean filmmaker to another… This piece is from the soundtrack of the Korean horror film Arang. I did watch the movie, but not until after I’d listened to the soundtrack several times. By then, I recognized the pieces when they arose in the movie, and this piece, despite its brevity, is what stood out to me the most.

 Jeong Dong In A.K.A. 정동인 - 홈페이지 [Homp’eiji - Homepage]:

Emily Wells - Becomes the Color

When I was trying to think of a likely way to find eerie-sounding music to fit this month’s theme, I thought, “I should look up the song that was used in the ending credits of Stoker.” I didn’t remember the music, but I figured that the disturbing movie’s soundtrack would be a good place to look for the type I wanted. I ended up not even having to look it up myself, because that information came to me shortly after when I quickly searched for information about something else that was, like Stoker, directed by the esteemed Park Chan Wook. This artist is actually the violinist as well, which I think is pretty cool. Compound that with her skills on a variety of other instruments and we have a winner.
Note: This song has HD quality available!

Emily Wells - Becomes the Color:

Delta Rae - Surrounded

A nice song by this group, with a male vocalist singing lead instead of the usual female vocalist. The lyrics of this song appeal to me—they’re unconventional in a way, and are seemingly about how history weighs on us all. (Interesting that this all-white southern group specifically alludes to slavery in the song when evoking the past of the region.) I can’t help but notice the despite the lyrics that might read as forlorn on their own, the tone of the melody is uplifting and—dare I say it?—worshipful. Perhaps this is because there’s something awe-inspiring and beautiful about the knowledge that where you stand now is the site of a deep, rich history that is so formative to your situation as to be all-encompassing and inescapable. All that you are is the culmination of everything that came before, and there’s a certain reverence to be held for the idea that you are built upon generations of a past you’ll never know.
Note: Eyy, HD!

Delta Rae - Surrounded:

Poe - Haunted

I looked up music by this artist because of her work as the featured vocalist in the Conjure One song I’ve previously posted. Her singing style is pretty lacking in flourishes and embellishment, which I’m normally a sucker for, but in this case it’s actually the smoothness of her voice that appeals to me.

Poe - Haunted:

Puscifer - Rev 22:20

I can’t remember how I heard this song, but it sounds darn good. I didn’t realize this artist consists of the lead guy from Tool and A Perfect Circle. This song is not family-friendly and it has Christian references that might be considered offensive…

Puscifer - Rev 22:20:

Lana Del Rey - Once Upon a Dream

This song takes the cheery love song from the 1959 Disney movie Sleeping Beauty and reappropriates it for the modern Maleficent movie. Just as Maleficent twists the original fairytale into a haunting story, this song twists the upbeat song to suit the mood of the movie, infusing it with a haunting quality.
Note: HD listening is recommended.

Lana Del Rey - Once Upon a Dream:

Placebo - Sleeping with Ghosts

One of my friends said this artist’s music has a sound of “emptiness” to it. I think I know what he meant by that, because their songs are indeed imbued with a sense of melancholy, like a hollow ache. Somehow, though, this is part of what’s so appealing about them to me. This is one of the first songs I heard by this British band, and clearly it made a good impression because it still ranks among my favorites by them and led me to look up more music by them.
Note: HD quality, yo!

Placebo - Sleeping with Ghosts:

Tribalistas - O Amor é Feio

It’s October, which means, at least for me, Halloween season! This is one of the eeriest-sounding songs about love I’ve heard. Nothing in the lyrics is explicitly spooky, but the sound of the song overall sounds well-suited to the Halloween season.

Tribalistas - O Amor é Feio [Love is Ugly]:

Sam Smith - I’ve Told You Now

I find this artist’s voice interesting. It sounds like John Legend in the low notes, and someone else entirely on high notes. I just saw him live in concert and, needless to say, he was great. This artist has blown up massively in the U.S. over the past couple months, and with good reason, so the concert was “the event” of the year and sold out in less than 10 minutes. And I got in FOR FREE, BOOYAH! This song took some time to grow on me, but the richness of his tone eventually got to me. It starts out so unassuming and graduates into a soaring piece.
Note: Finally found this version of the song, and in HD!

Sam Smith - I’ve Told You Now:

Yolka - Около тебя

This is a nice, chill song. It doesn’t sound like it’s overextending itself, although you get the feeling that maybe it could go for a more grandiose sound if it wanted to. I found it through roaming the Russian-language annals of YouTube. I don't know why all the artists I come across with Russian-language music are in fact Ukrainian.
Note: It’s uploaded in HD!

Yolka A.K.A. Ёлка - Около тебя [About You]:

Pentatonix - See Through

This artist primarily does covers of other artists’ songs, so when I heard this and didn’t recognize it I figured it was just a song I hadn’t heard the original version of. Turns out this IS the original version, written for the group by Estonian pop star Kerli! This song sounds like the kind of music I’d normally find uninteresting, but with Mitch’s voice at the helm I’m a captive audience. Every member of this a cappella group is freakishly talented (Seriously, Kevin’s a cellist AND a beatboxer!? That just ain’t right.), but there’s an uncommon quality to Mitch’s voice that makes the songs he sings lead on more beautiful. Now I can’t stop playing this song.
Note: HD listening is available!

Pentatonix - See Through:

Stefanie Sun - 渴

This artist was part of my recent push to catch up on Chinese-language artists’ most recent album releases after a gap of years from the previous album of theirs I listened to. I’m happy to say: she’s still got it! There’s something distinctive about this artist’s style, and she has that “singer/songwriter” vibe to her (which is an accurate vibe).
Note: Someone was kind enough to upload the song in HD, with accompanying lyrics!

Stefanie Sun A.K.A. 孫燕姿 - 渴 [Ke - Thirsty]:

Nicky Romero - Toulouse

This song’s music video is entertaining, if not a little unsettling. That’s actually why I’m posting it, as the song itself isn’t all that captivating to me. Typical club dance music. But it’s also been too long since I posted Dutch music.
Note: Naturally, the video has HD.

Nicky Romero - Toulouse:

Tracy Chapman - Broken

I found this song when I was cruisin’ YouTube for music by this artist. Since my sister is her fan, I’d heard her music quite a bit, but didn’t know specific songs by her. I knew I liked her voice, though, so she was a safe bet!
Note: You can listen to this tune in HD!

Tracy Chapman - Broken:

Merry - 六本木ジャジー喫茶

As much as I love the lead singer’s vocals, this instrumental track is one of my favorites by this Japanese artist. It’s quite sassy, for a song with no lyrics.

Merry A.K.A. メリー - 六本木ジャジー喫茶 [Roppongi Jazzy Kissa]:

Beyoncé - Pretty Hurts

This song, a single of this artist’s, was written by Sia (whose solo music I’ve posted a number of times already) and Queen Bey. I heard this song was supposed to go to Rihanna first, but she missed out. Anyway, the melody doesn’t do much for me but there’s a nice meaning about the absurd beauty standards women are held to obsessively, and I just watched a clip lampooning the Miss America pageant so it seemed well-timed.

Beyoncé - Pretty Hurts:


Here’s the official music video:

Romeo Santos - Eres Mía

Holy shiznit. When I listened to this song I found by YouTube surfing, I wasn’t watching the video and wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics, and I swear I thought the singer was female. Sooooo interesting voice! This artist is American, but he’s of Dominican heritage.
Note: HD listening, yo!

Romeo Santos - Eres Mía [You’re Mine]:

F.I.R. - 花疯

I had doubts about this artist’s most recent album, released earlier this year. I mean, after so many albums how could they keep up the quality? To my relief, I found that, on the contrary, the album overall was more to my liking than some of their earlier work. When I listened to the album all the way through, very shortly after this song started I could tell it would be my favorite from the album. And then it just got better. I’ve tried to pinpoint what it is about this song that sets it apart for me (aside from the obviously pretty melody), and I think I’ve determined that it’s the combination of instruments, particularly the bass, and the sound in Faye’s voice that’s slightly more indieish than her usual style.

F.I.R. - 花疯 [Hua Feng - Flower Crazy]:

Jim Cummings, David Ogden Stiers, and Judy Kuhn - Savages (Part 2)

This song is from the Disney movie Pocahontas. I didn’t really appreciate this song that much when I was young. Of course, I understood its message of dehumanizing the “other” and the danger that entails, but for some reason the artistry of the imagery as well as the song’s construction are more appealing to me now. My favorite part even as a child, though, is the part where Pocahontas sings, “How loud are the drums of war?” Just that one line, which deviates from the rest of the melody. One of the voice actors/singers is the same as in the last Disney song I posted (I somehow never noticed the archdeacon from The Hunchback of Notre Dame has the same voice as Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas!).
Note: This has HD quality!

Jim Cummings, David Ogden Stiers, and Judy Kuhn - Savages (Part 2):


And here’s the part from the movie that includes both parts 1 & 2 of the song:

Hannah Schneider - Fences

I like the instrumental aspect of this song. Its arrangement is pretty interesting, and I like how the instruments are constantly changing, with some phasing out while others phase in. By the end, it reminds me of some kind of nighttime fairy waltz, although that has nothing to do with the song’s meaning, I’m fairly certain.

Hannah Schneider - Fences:

Bastille feat. Maiday - Adagio for Strings

Despite the title, there are no strings to be found here. This song is a cover of Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Haddaway’s hit “What is Love” mixed with Rihanna’s “We Found Love”. I found this British artist’s cover mashups interesting, and the particular mix of artists who were covered across the cover album is interesting too, running the gamut from 90s Eurodance to 2000s rap to 2010s pop hits. Although this band is all over American airwaves with their original singles these days, the first songs I heard by them were these covers. A dreamy style blended with moody pop makes for a weird but pleasant mix of covers that had me thinking, “Is this really the theme music from Requiem for a Dream combined with a Lana Del Ray pop hit? Did they seriously set Kerli’s lyrics to an Outkast beat?” But it works.
Note: This HD video helpfully provides indicates of what’s being sampled.

Bastille feat. Maiday - Adagio for Strings:

12 Girls Band - My Heart Will Go On

This instrumental artist took the massively famous song from the movie Titanic and turned it into something else—something perhaps more palatable to the many who despise the hit track? I’m not sure if it’s people’s hatred of the original artist, Celine Dion, or just their disdain for the theatricality of the song, but somehow it has gone from being the most popular song (when I was in elementary school) to the target of scorn. Maybe playing it with traditional Chinese instruments will reduce its rage-inducing effects!

12 Girls Band A.K.A. 女子十二乐坊 - My Heart Will Go On:

Kaoru Wada - 時代を超える想い II

This piece is from the soundtrack of the movie for the anime InuYasha, which shares a name with the song except for the “II” part. I never watched the movie, but I somehow came across this theme years ago and loved it. For some reason, part 1 of this song (which features harp and oboe or something) is much easier to find, but I think this one is more beautiful so I was determined to post it instead. Always go with the strings!

Kaoru Wada A.K.A. 和田 薫 - 時代を超える想い II [Toki wo Koeru Omoi II - Affections Touching Across Time]:

Elaine Paige and Helen Massie - Memory

It’s that song that everyone has to learn when they take voice lessons! This song is from the musical Cats. I watched the video version of it quite a few times when I was little, and recently was reminded of it because my family dug up the long-lost VHS of it. This song is easily the saddest of the show, sung by an aging character called Grizabella who is shunned and lonely. (Fun fact: in the Philippines performance of Cats, the famous Lea Salonga played this role.)
Note: HD quality for an oldish recording!

Elaine Paige and Helen Massie - Memory:


Here’s the part from the stage performance:

Gang Starr - The Dark Revolution

That is a niiiiiice beat. To be honest, the primary ear-catching thing about this song to me is the dreamy instrumental that takes you in, but I also have to note my appreciation for the number of times the emcee correctly uses the phrase “too few” in world dominated by incorrect uses of “too little”. R.I.P. Guru.
Note: Another one you can listen to in HD!

Gang Starr - The Dark Revolution:

Seven Lions feat. Kerli - Worlds Apart

My friend sent me the music video for this song because he’s a fan of the featured artist. The song’s not my favorite genre but it reminds me of music by Loreen or Ellie Goulding because it’s electronica with enough of the “pretty” elements to make it enjoyable to me. On top of that, the video has some nice fantasy imagery.
Note: This official music video has HD!

Seven Lions feat. Kerli - Worlds Apart:

Chasing Grace - Free

I think I heard this song in the background of an episode of the British show Hollyoaks. There’s been some confusion regarding the artist, whom I didn’t know of before. At first I looked them up and saw a result saying they are a Christian band from Virginia. Fair enough, although strange for them to be featured on a British show. But I looked them up again later and still couldn’t find a Wiki page, only pages regarding their collaborative work with British artists, many of them my favorites (Jessie J, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, John Newman, Naughty Boy). This suggests there are two artists called Chasing Grace, and this one’s British.
Note: 2 days ago I posted a song from an Indian movie. Today I post a music video shot in India. In HD! (Also: The Kite Runner much?)

Chasing Grace - Free:

Despina Vandi - Να τη χαίρεσαι

I came across this Greek artist by YouTube surfing. I haven’t had much exposure to Greek music. I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising how similar it sounds to Turkish pop music. On a purely linguistic (non-musical) note, I was pretty excited listening to this song’s lyrics because of how many words I recognized from Russian cognates.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Despina Vandi A.K.A. Δέσποινα Βανδή - Να τη χαίρεσαι [Na ti Xairesai - Enjoy Her]:

Atif Aslam - आ भी जा मेरे मेहेर्मान

I listened to a “best of” collection of this Pakistani artist’s songs and came across this lovely song. The singer is prolific in soundtracks for Bollywood movies, and this track is from the movie Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story (which I haven’t seen, but looked up and learned is a remake of a Korean film). I always love this singer’s voice, but in this song the little nuances of the instrumental part stood out to me as well.
Note: HD listening is available!

Atif Aslam A.K.A. عاطف اسلم - आ भी जा मेरे मेहेर्मान [Aa Bhi Ja Mere Mehermaan - Come to Me My Beloved]:

Big Mama - 날아오르다

When I was looking for music by this Korean artist, I ran into some trouble. I already knew I liked the voices of the women who comprised the group, but all the songs I could find by them were lackluster ballads or more upbeat tracks that were too disco-sounding for my liking. Then I stumbled across THIS song, which is quite different from their others. Although it’s a ballad like many of their other songs, it has a distinct traditional flare to it that makes it more interesting, and it sounds like it could be the theme song to some movie.

Big Mama - 날아오르다 [Naraoreuda - Fly Up]:

James Vincent McMorrow - We Don’t Eat

I probably heard this song in a TV show, but I don’t remember. I’m not familiar with this Irish artist outside of this song, and I’m not crazy about his voice, but the song overall is quite nice. (It totally sounds like the type of song that would be in the background of some TV show, though, doesn't it?)

James Vincent McMorrow - We Don’t Eat:

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

This song is SO not what I expected when I saw the title. I was expecting an electronica-bordering-on-dubstep club hit about how much the narrator loves dancing. Then I saw the music video thumbnail all pink and girly-looking, and I thought, “Bubbly pop song?” It turned out to be neither of these. Instead it was an acoustic track with a retro feel and mature vocals and sassy lyrics. It goes for the same sort of cheeky juxtaposition as Lilly Allen’s work, setting a message with attitude against a backdrop of cutesy imagery. Although there’s a message of “you look fine the way you are” I wouldn’t necessarily blast it for little girls because there’s profanity.
Note: The official music video (with HD) should be watched for full effect.

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass:

Gackt - Story

In light of my recent coming across a sizable stockpile of sheet music I gathered some years ago, I am posting an instrumental track for which I have the sheet music. I adore this piece. After creating this gorgeous work near the beginning of his solo career, this Japanese pop/rock star made a new version of the song that included vocals. The vocal version is nice, but it lacks the emotionality of this one, which is largely due to that violin. In fact, it packs enough of an emotional punch to have grabbed the attention and admiration of my former boss, a professional violinist.

Gackt - Story:

Portishead - Roads

The album this song is from, Dummy, reminds me of Madonna’s album Ray of Light (which I heard first although it came out later). I read other people’s assessment that it holds up well against time, and I would say the same. I didn’t even identify the music as being from the 1990s. I heard that Ray of Light helped popularize trip hop, but I read the same thing about Dummy, and that album came first.

Portishead - Roads:

PackFM - Click, Clack, & Spray

There need to be way more songs by this hip hop artist on this blog! This is the song I know of that’s about tagging. As you can probably tell, this emcee also has a history as a graffiti artist. And guess what? My first hip hop concert for this guy’s record label, and when he was performing he got off the stage and waded into the crowd until he was standing right in front of me and continued performing from there. Unexpected front row seats!

PackFM - Click, Clack, & Spray:

Mýa, P!NK, Lil’ Kim, and Christina Aguilera - Lady Marmalade

I can’t help it; this was one of my all-time favorite songs from when I was a youngun’. It was not exactly age-appropriate, but I adored the overall sound and these individual ladies’ voices were already among my favorites at the time. This is a cover of Patti LaBelle’s famous song, but this was the first rendition I encountered. I think it was for the release of the movie Moulin Rouge.

Mýa, P!NK, Lil’ Kim, and Christina Aguilera - Lady Marmalade:

Gripin - Vazgeçtim Ben Bugün

I think I’m going to have to listen to a lot more music by this artist. I came across this band by YouTube surfing for Turkish music. The first song I heard I liked enough to take note of, and was driven to seek out more later. That led me to this song’s music video, which I think is interesting enough to include here. At first glance (listen), it doesn’t stand out to me much, but as I keep listening something about it strikes me as beautiful. That in itself is intriguing…
Note: This is the official music video, with HD.

Gripin - Vazgeçtim Ben Bugün [I Gave Up Today]:

Gabrielle Aplin - The Power of Love

What a heavenly voice! This was one of a couple songs by this British artist I heard on the show Hollyoaks, but, having already posted the first one, I thought, “No, I’m going to be more original and post a song from her album that I didn’t hear through the same avenue.” But upon listening to her album, I concluded that this was the next best song to post after all.
Note: HD with some nice imagery!

Gabrielle Aplin - The Power of Love:

Up There: The Clouds - Roots in the Air

I don’t post music by Italian artists often enough… It’s also not often that I post instrumental rock music. I came across this track recently through YouTube surfing. This could be music on some kind of indie film soundtrack. At first I didn’t expect the song to be so moody, and it goes through various phases. It almost feels like multiple songs stitched together. In fact, surprise emo vocals at the end!
Note: HD listening available!

Up There: The Clouds - Roots in the Air:

Agnes Monica - Ku Disini

Whoa, I don’t know what happened, but apparently this Indonesian R&B artist is now collaborating with American artists and going under the name Agnez Mo. Years ago when I was into her album Whaddup A…? she was an actress in Indonesia as well, but I checked out for a while and when I looked her up again to see what was up with her, I found she has a song with Timbaland and T.I. Not small names either! However, I’m still partial to the first album I heard by her, and that’s where this song is from.

Agnes Monica - Ku Disini [I'm Here]:

Bo Burnham - Rant

This is more along the lines of what I’d expect from fellow comedian Tim Minchin, what with the railing against the church and all. This young artist/comedian’s irreverence is permitted by his talent, and his shock value is balanced out by his intellect. You don’t get to hear him sing in this track, but his rapping’s not hard to listen to. Although it starts out as a cohesive lambasting of the doctrine and kind of devolves into more random wordplay. And yes, this is the instrumental of “Believe Me” by Fort Minor. There is profanity, blasphemy, and generally offensive content.
Note: Hurray for comedy in HD!

Bo Burnham - Rant:

Rökkurró - Hún

Iceland’s going through some hard times right now. Coincidentally, I’ve also been listening to Sigur Ros, another Icelandic artist, lately, so it seems like a good time to post something else from that region. I came across this peaceful track through YouTube surfing for nothing in particular.
Note: Why, yes, there IS HD!

Rökkurró - Hún [She]:

Brother Ali - Forest Whitaker

The album this song is from, Shadows on the Sun, is one of my favorite albums and widely considered to be praiseworthy, from hip hop fans and critics alike. This song is a self-esteem booster and means a lot coming from a guy who got teased for being albino (hence the lyrics). It’s not meant to be the epitome of lyricism, just humorous and motivational.
Note: HD, with (messy) lyrics!

Brother Ali - Forest Whitaker:

Ikuko Kawai - Violin Muse Based on Two Chaconnes

This piece is based on compositions by Johannes Sebastian Bach and Tomaso Antonio Vitali. Not only does the fusing of the chaconnes work well, but the fusing of different types of instruments does as well. The flute adds an Asian or Celtic hue to an otherwise Western-sounding piece, and there are even some bells and pipe organ in there for added intensity. All this makes for a rich combination of sounds that somehow work.

 Ikuko Kawai A.K.A. 川井 郁子 - Violin Muse Based on Two Chaconnes:

Burhan G - I Stedet for Dig

This Swedish artist has SUCH a nice voice. That’s less obvious here, since this is more dance music than R&B and there isn’t much fancy stuff goin’ on with the technique. (For that, see my previous post with a song by him.) I encountered him through his more R&B-oriented songs first, but this electronic (read: European) pop song is sufficiently catchy.
Note: HD listening is available!

Burhan G - I Stedet for Dig [Instead of You]:

Julia Savicheva - Прости за Любовь

I meant to post a second song by this Russian artist a few months ago, but apparently that didn’t pan out. Better late than never, though. This song may be a little on the melodramatic side, but I’m fondest of her voice when she’s belting, and her more uptempo piano-infused pop songs have less of that.

Julia Savicheva A.K.A. Юлия Савичева - Прости за Любовь [Prosti za Lyubov’ - Sorry for Loving]:

Wali Band - Yank

This artist is an Indonesian band, but this song has a Spanish sound to it. I think I came across them through YouTube surfing. I don’t know what the deal is, but I can’t find a translation of the title anywhere.

Wali Band - Yank:

Bridgit Mendler - Postcard

I got a postcard today! That’s almost irrelevant to this song except in the title. At first I thought this was a girls’ empowerment song, which is cool since her status as a Disney star makes it relatively likely that young girls will hear this song and the message with it, but then it ended up being an even broader and rarer “gender roles are stupid” song, which I personally find even cooler. I like that this song doesn’t stop at the message, “Girls can do anything,” and goes on to suggest that boys, too, can do anything, since teaching boys it’s shameful to do “girly” things is poisonous to girls just like teaching girls they can’t excel at “boyish” things is.

Bridgit Mendler - Postcard:

Trey Songz - Can’t Be Friends

This song was apparently released 4 years ago, but it was only a few months ago when I kept hearing on the radio for some reason. The R&B radio station was being played on the bus I rode in the mornings, so I took note of the lyrics on my phone to look up the song with later. I didn’t realize it was by this popular artist, whose name I knew of and knew another song or two by.
Note: Listening in HD available!

Trey Songz - Can’t Be Friends:

Cirque du Soleil - Alegría

I think this song was my first exposure to this artist, an immensely famous circus performance collective. I vaguely recall finding this song through an mp3 rotation site, and didn’t really get why a circus would have its own original music, but I liked it. For the record, I’ve never seen the specific show that this song came from.

Cirque du Soleil - Alegría [Happiness]:

One OK Rock - Mr.現代Speaker

I was listening to the album Zankyo Reference for the first time while multitasking, and while listening to albums as I do other things normally causes the songs to blend together in my mind, that didn’t really happen with this album, and especially not this song. This track gripped me immediately and didn’t let go. I like how varied it is, and every part appeals to me, from the verses to the chorus to the falsetto to the scream.
Note: It’s a miracle: a Japanese song available in HD!

One OK Rock - Mr.現代Speaker [Mr. Gendai Speaker - Mr. Modern Speaker]:

Émilie Simon - Flowers

I just came across some compilations of music I made years and years ago, and this song was among them. Just from the title, I called the mind the melody and lyrics with no problem. It was never one of my favorite songs, but I guess the weirdness of it made an impression.

Émilie Simon - Flowers:

Wheesung - 손톱달

This song was the theme of a Korean movie I never saw called The Restless, but I came across this song nonetheless (I think through an mp3 rotation site). Although this singer specializes in R&B of the modern variety, this song is clearly intended to have a traditional sound to it. The ancient-seeming fantasy setting of the movie accounts for this. This song is also commonly known in English as “Memories of Midair.”

Wheesung A.K.A. 휘성 - 손톱달 [Son T'op Dal - Crescent Moon]:

Zaho - Kif’n’Dir

Although most of this song’s lyrics are in French, the title and chorus lyrics are in Arabic. If you detect a tone of sadness to the track, it’s for a reason. The song is expressing the artist’s feelings of doubt and anxiety when she left her home in Algeria to move to Canada. They seem to convey both her loyalty and attachment to her home as well as the necessity to leave. You can find a translation of the French lyrics into English here: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/kif039n039dir-kif-n-dir-what-shall-i-do.html#songtranslation
Note: HD listening available!

Zaho - Kif’n’Dir [How Will I Do?]:

Sivu - Family Tree

I did not take note of where I heard this song, nor do I remember where it’s from. Nonetheless, it’s some nice, relaxing music with a pleasant accent. And of course, true to the current trend this artist is a young, British, singer-songwriter. Kids these days, with their creativity and whatnot.

Sivu - Family Tree:

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Tiny Light

I heard about this artist from an interview with the singer Adam Lambert; he said he’d been listening to her music lately, and that her voice was amazing. I figured that if HE of all people was calling someone else’s voice amazing, that person must really be an impressive singer. And indeed it was so! Listen to that scream!

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Tiny Light:

Zion I - Soo Tall

What the…? I’ve only posted this artist once before! Bay Area hip hop represent! I’ve seen these guys live a few times now. I don’t think I’ve seen them perform this song live, but it’s one of my favorites by them because of the wordplay. The switching around of words and sounds from where they’re expected to be (metathesis), repetition, linking together of lines, and so on not only adds a layer of intellectual complexity but also makes it exceptionally thrilling to the ears somehow. It’s songs like this where the poetry of hip hop really shines through. As if that weren’t enough, I LOVE this song’s production! It’s the very definition of infectious, and I love the use of the non-looped violin, like in the previous song I posted by them. There’s a little profanity.

Zion I - Soo Tall:



I wasn’t at all expecting to find a dance performance for this song, but this popped up and was too cool to not share:

Angel Haze - A Tribe Called Red

Get ittttttttt, girl! I can’t help but be proud of this young hip hop artist for making it as far as she has. It’s rare enough for a female emcee to get mainstream-level recognition at all, but for her also to be genuinely good (that flowwww!) is almost unheard of. Add to that that this success story didn’t hear music until the age of 16 and started making music of her own shortly after, and she’s nothing short of remarkable. I think the last time I posted something by her she was still relatively unknown, but now she's blowing up massively.
Note: This is the official music video, and in HD.

Angel Haze - A Tribe Called Red:

Ed Sheeran - Afire Love

When I found out that this song about the artist’s late grandfather and his suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease was chosen as a single for the latest album, I was a bit surprised. It’s not exactly charting pop hit fare. Good on him, though, for making a song with subject matter that strays off the path that’s been beaten well beyond tedium.
Note: This is the official audio, in HD!

Ed Sheeran - Afire Love:

Utada Hikaru - Final Distance

This song has long been one of my favorites by this massive J-pop star, simply for its sound. I like the melody, even though Hikki’s voice isn’t quite enough to cover the range. I think in high school I acquired this song through a friend lending me the album it was on, but I’d heard it before that because it was quite popular. I only just now found out the story behind it, though, which is that the song was arranged into a ballad when it was dedicated to a little girl who was murdered. The young student had won an essay contest by writing about how this artist was her idol. I guess that accounts for the songs’s eerie and decidedly unromantic music video.


Utada Hikaru A.K.A. 宇多田 ヒカル - Final Distance:



You can check out the official music video here:

Megaherz - Herzblut

I believe this band’s music would be classified as industrial metal. This song seems to be narrated by a really creepy version of the Sandman. Years ago I bought the album this song is on, Herzwerk II, and paid a pretty penny for it because it was out of print AND an import. Now I come to find that in 2008 not only was the album re-released, it was released in the U.S. -_-
Note: Someone was kind enough to upload this in HD about a month ago!

Megaherz - Herzblut [Heartblood]:

Sara Jackson-Holman - Cellophane

Thank you, Netflix series Orange is the New Black, for another likeable song in your ending credits. This artist, whom I haven’t heard other music by, has a rich, jazzy voice mixed with a modern sound.

Sara Jackson-Holman - Cellophane:

Woodkid - Run Boy Run

Someone at my company uploaded this song as an audio file to our system, and that’s how I heard it. I didn’t realize this French music artist also dealt even more prominently with the world of visual art, directing music videos and working as a graphic designer in addition to writing and singing songs. This song’s music video is apparently the sequel to the previous music video I posted by this artist.
Note: Judging from the two music videos I’ve seen for his songs, which I assume he also directed, there’s a particular aesthetic to his signature style. You can watch in HD!

Woodkid - Run Boy Run:

Fever Ray - Now’s the Only Time I Know

I heard this Swedish song on a German soap opera that I watched years ago and have been reviewing lately. That show supplied me with lots of music to look into, but I didn’t notice this song until my episode reviewing yesterday because it was used to accompany a scene had skipped past previously.

Fever Ray - Now’s the Only Time I Know:

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce

This song just sounds kinda cool. I don’t know any other songs by this artist, and I can’t even remember how I heard it. It may have just been through YouTube surfing. It’s rock with a bluesy feel.
Note: Here are the lyrics in HD!

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce:

Yolda - Eski Resim

I noted down this Turkish artist some time ago because I liked her singing style. However, when I looked up her songs they have a Western-style folk flavor, which isn’t exactly to my liking. Finally I came upon this song, which is much more obviously folk leaning toward Eastern-style, and is more my taste.

Yolda - Eski Resim [Old Pictures]:

Brown Eyed Soul - 시계

Ballads are extremely popular in modern Korean music, and as much as I love a good slow song these can end up sounding pretty bland and cliché after a while. For some reason, though, this Korean ballad was a standout track to me on this R&B artist’s first album.

Brown Eyed Soul - 시계 [Shikye - Clock]:

Natalie McCool feat. Bernard Butler - Thin Air

I posted a song by this artist a while ago and then virtually forgot about her. Fortunately, a recent episode of Hollyoaks reminded me of her existence when it used this song as the intro music to an episode. Moments of this song, she sounds to me like a pleasant combination of various other female singer/songwriters I like, including Tori Amos, Florence + the Machine, and Sarah McLachlan.
Note: I could only find the official music video, and it’s in HD!

Natalie McCool feat. Bernard Butler - Thin Air:

Eminem feat. Royce Da 5’9” - Renegade

Renegaaaaaaaaaade! Em’s essentially boasting about how adept he is at offending people, and Royce is doing the typical braggadocio thing in terms of physical intimidation. Fun fact: Back in the day Em and Royce were friends and made this track, then they got in a feud and Em redid this song by collaborating with Jay-Z and replacing the Royce parts with Hova. RUDE. Supposedly Em and Royce are cool again, in case you’re wondering. Obviously, there’s profanity, violence, and other stuff intended to offend—because that’s the point. The song's not here to make friends.
Note: It’s old, but has HD!

Eminem feat. Royce Da 5’9” - Renegade:

Tessanne Chin - The Messenger

When I came across this artist’s album on YouTube recently, I didn’t know anything about her, including that she is the winner of season 5 of the singing competition show The Voice. When I learned that, though, it didn’t come as a surprise. Somehow, she seemed like the type who would do well on that show. Although she competed on the American version of the show, the soulful singer is actually from Jamaica. Hence the reggae!

Tessanne Chin - The Messenger:

Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers, and Tony Jay - The Bells of Notre Dame

What a way to kick off a kids’ movie. My friend and I like to quote this song to each other, “Ring the bells, bells, BELLS, bells, BELLS, BELLS, BELLS, BELLS.” And of course the end of the song is one of the best moments of the whole movie. “Bells of Notre… DAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!”

Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers, and Tony Jay - The Bells of Notre Dame:

Sia - Don’t Bring Me Down

This Australian artist just released her 6th album, and it’s full of potential hits. Although she’s currently being thrust into the very mainstream spotlight, it’s relatively late in her career. This track is from a previous album, as a reminder that she’s actually been at this for years, and while her most recent album showcases how powerful her voice can be in song after song, much of her older music is like this: lowkey and with vocals barely above a whisper.
Note: HD listening!

Sia - Don’t Bring Me Down:

Rise Against - Disparity by Design

I really like the lyrics of this song. They’re meaningful and poetic, but not to the point of obstructing the message. They rail against the socioeconomic gap in the U.S. that is only getting worse, and the erroneous (or willfully deceitful) narrative people are presented with about the upward mobility of all Americans being in direct proportion to how hard they work. “We pulled these bootstraps so hard that they broke.”
Note: The lyrics are helpfully displayed in the HD video.

Rise Against - Disparity by Design: