Bo Burnham - #Deep

I had another song by this standup comedian stuck in my head yesterday, but I’ve already posted it. This one lampoons the trend of people trying to come across as philosophical and wise on social media but in doing so reveal their stupidity or banality.

Bo Burnham - #Deep:

Rudimental - Home

Yummmmmmm. Thank you once AGAIN, Hollyoaks, for introducing me to a song I’d never heard before. Although I suppose I would have come across this song sooner or later, because I’d already heard other songs by this artist and was up for listening to their whole album. For the record (ha!), I did end up listening to their whole album, which shares a name with this song, and I can give it my endorsement as well worth the time.
Note: If you predicted this song would be available in HD, you were right!

Rudimental - Home:

Shaan - ले चलें

This is the theme song of the Indian movie My Brother... Nikhil. Interestingly, this is pretty much the only song used in the entire movie, which is kinda unusual for Indian cinema. It's a sad movie and a sad-sounding song, so it works very well, I think. This is probably my favorite Indian song.
Note: This is the only decent quality upload I could find of this song, which has HD, but it comes with this video that I think was lifted from another video I’ve actually posted here before.

Shaan A.K.A. शान - ले चलें [Le Chalein - Come Away]:

Dorothy - Gun in My Hand

I’m gonna go ahead and declare that this is a darn good song. This is the first song I heard by this artist, whom I came across by YouTube surfing for music, and their gritty sound appealed to me. This is also one of those rare songs that has a bluesy quality that I like.
Note: New music, and with HD!

Dorothy - Gun in My Hand:

DJ Mystik - Deep in My Heart

I heard this song when I was a kid because it was used in an AMV for InuYasha. Despite it being trance—not my typical style—I found it catchy and never forgot it. I don’t think it was until later that I recognized the melody as that of “Pavane” by Gabriel Fauré. It seems like a lot of people heard this around the same time I did, and are now re-discovering it in a bout of nostalgia.
Note: This song makes its appearance with HD!

DJ Mystik - Deep in My Heart:

Björk - Stonemilker

This is the opening track to this Icelandic artist’s newest album Vulnicura. I read a review of it declaring it to be moving, so I hunted it down to listen. The instrumental aspect of the song is indeed beautiful!
Note: HD qualityyyyyyy!

Björk - Stonemilker:

Hyde - A Drop of Colour

Mmm, that bass… I normally don’t even notice bass. Come to think of it, this is kinda jazzy and I normally don’t like jazz either. Oh, Hyde… Your English pronunciation pains me, but props for effort.

 Hyde - A Drop of Colour:

Harisu - I’m OK

This artist is not my favorite singer, nor does she make my favorite type of music, but she deserves props for being the first and only out transgender person to have achieved the level of fame and success in her home country of South Korea that she has. She has a very public career in Korea and in other Asian countries as well as an all-around entertainer, working as a model, releasing music albums, appearing on TV shows, starring in movies, and performing in live plays. The album this song is from was released on my birthday in 2006, and so I’m posting it for my birthday in 2015.

 Harisu A.K.A. 하리수 - I’m OK:

Chase & Status feat. Takura - No Problem

I discovered this artist through a YouTube recommendation. I’ve been listening to music by British artists with an element of electronica to their sound lately, so I guess the recommendation was based off of that. This is much more high-energy than what I had been listening to, but that ain’t a bad thing. I have to say I love Takura’s lyrical delivery, because his tone is so friendly and laidback, but the message and production are so aggressive. It makes for a fun juxtaposition. With this, I have my first artist from Zimbabwe on here!
Note: Listening in HD is no problem!

Chase & Status feat. Takura - No Problem:

Ellie Goulding - Human

Evidently this song one of this now-popular British artist’s lesser known ones, but it ranks among my favorites by her, and that’s saying a lot. In my opinion, it’s also one of the most lyrically interesting songs by her in that it addresses the human experience in a way that takes one’s own mortality into account. It has a meaning that I think is so ubiquitously relatable—contemplating how to go about living life in such a way that you take advantage of your time on earth to leave a legacy, make a difference, and make the most of it, even though you’re not sure how and fear the unknown. “I am so scared of what I’ll look like in the end, for I am not prepared.”
Note: I suggest you take advantage of life by listening to the song in HD!

Ellie Goulding - Human:

Seal - Fly Like an Eagle

Yes, yes, yes, I heard this song when I was a kid through the movie Space Jam. Don’t hate! This song embedded itself firmly in my mind when I was at a young age, but I’m not complaining. I always liked it, and never got tired of it periodically playing in my head even though I couldn’t always remember where I heard it originally.
Note: It’s HD!

Seal - Fly Like an Eagle:

London Grammar - Maybe

I just listened to this artist’s excellent album If You Wait for the first time. At first, this song sounded nice but didn’t floor me. When the chorus kicked in and Hannah’s voice went into falsetto, though, it gripped me. I love how her high notes contrast with her usually low-register singing.
Note: HD quality, of course!

London Grammar - Maybe:

Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come

This artist is widely considered to be the father of soul music. This song was released amid the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, which this singer-songwriter participated in as an activist (if that much isn’t obvious from this song). Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come:

Origa - Electra’s Song

Today this Russian artist, one of my favorite singers, passed away. Her voice and the way she commanded it renders it almost instrument-like. I think that quality is especially clear in this song. R.I.P. Origa.
Note: HD is preferable!

Origa - Electra’s Song:

Orishas - Represent

Behold, my first post of a Cuban artist! A friend posted this song on Facebook not long ago, and I was feeling it. It’s some catchy hip hop, and the group's sound and identity are meant to pay homage to Cuba’s African heritage. Obviously, this song is touting the group’s love of their home country of Cuba. Notice the rap parts in French (by one member of the group who now lives in France) and the “shoutouts” to Yoruba deities… It seems this song represents EVERYTHING that comprises their identities.
Note: HD, woo!

Orishas - Represent:

Tribalistas - Já Sei Namorar

This artist has such an interesting sound to me, especially in the way their voices blend together. I think that’s where their strength lies. Their songs have a kind of dreamy quality to them, even the more upbeat ones. This is probably their most upbeat song.

Tribalistas - Já Sei Namorar [I Already Know to Fall in Love]:

Bassnectar feat. Mimi Page - Butterfly

Here’s a song I heard on the American series The Following. I wouldn’t recommend the show, but the soundtrack has been a pretty good resource, with ample songs of this nature. It’s atmospheric and haunting!
Note: HD, just as the doctor ordered!

Bassnectar feat. Mimi Page - Butterfly:

Banks - Drowning

When I picked this song for today I didn’t realize it was one of this artist’s singles. It stood out to me because I liked the way the lyrics flow on this track. I kinda want to present it without commentary. It’s just one of those days.
Note: This is the official audio, and it has HD quality!

Banks - Drowning:

Bajofondo Tango Club feat. Orquesta del Plata - Montserrat

This piece is pretty irresistibly catchy, IMO. I’ve already posted music from one of this artist’s later albums, but this is from their first release. In fact, this is the first track on their first album—what a sonically pleasing introduction! Some of their songs on their first album are too house/clubby for my taste, but this one is jusssssssst right. Tango fused with electronica and trip hop sounds amazing.
Note: HD listening recommended, of course!

Bajofondo Tango Club feat. Orquesta del Plata - Montserrat:

Tuna - Babe

I found this Macedonian artist while looking for Albanian artists on YouTube. Although it took me some time to find a song by her that was in a style I liked, I liked her voice from the first song I heard by her. I had to admit, I was a little surprised she is a songwriter too, given the very mainstream poppy sound to her music. She releases songs in Macedonian, Albanian, and English—this one is in Albanian. But this makes the first post of a song by a Macedonian artist!
Note: It’s got HD!

Tuna - Babe:

There for Tomorrow - Breathe Easy

This song is an interesting amalgamation of genres. I guess this artist is classified as “power pop”, but within this one song I hear elements of pop, trance, rock, metal, and even R&B. The longer you listen, the more genres it dips into, and by the end I was kinda in love. Leave it to me to discover a band I like right before they disband!
Note: HD quality is pleasantly available!

There for Tomorrow - Breathe Easy:

Agnes Monica - Kamu dan Kamu

A while ago I read that P!NK is one of this artist’s influences. You can definitely hear that influence in this song, as it strongly resembles P!NK’s earlier R&B-styled songs in terms of production. That also happens to be my favorite era of her music, so that suits me fine! As for the random rapper in this song, I seriously can't find out who it is so I guess he'll remain uncredited.

Agnes Monica - Kamu dan Kamu [You and You]:

System of a Down - Roulette

I think this is one of the prettier songs by this artist. No trace of screaming in this track! It’s actually pretty relaxing, which is not a word I’d use to characterize most music by this Armenian-American band. Once again, the harmonizing is what really makes this song (although the cello never hurts!).
Note: HD listening is available on the video!

System of a Down - Roulette:

Paula Perry feat. Nikki D, Rah Digga, Bahamadia, Precious Paris, and Heather B - Six Pack

It’s an all-female posse cut! If you have trouble finding femcees, this should be an immense help because it crams a bunch of them into one track. There’s profanity, general un-PCness, and references to violence.
Note: Despite this track being from 1996, the quality is HD!

Paula Perry feat. Nikki D, Rah Digga, Bahamadia, Precious Paris, and Heather B - Six Pack:

Marsel - Эта Песня Для Тебя

Russian R&B seems to work for me. I only have listened to a handful of songs by this artist, but just from that sample their music seems to span a few genres, including reggae, ska, and Europop. This, the first song I heard, is my favorite of the handful, I think, but I intend to keep looking into their stuff—if anything because the idea of Russian reggae is amusing to me. I even can forgive the prevalence of the saxophone, my least favorite instrument.
Note: HD quality!

Marsel A.K.A. Марсель - Эта Песня Для Тебя [Eta Pyesnya Dlya Tyebya - This Song is for You]:

Maddthelin - Forfeit

Malaysian woman-fronted rock!! Hawt. There’s plenty of metal screaming, so if you can’t stand that sort of thing you might not be into it. YouTube surfing led me to it!
Note: This is the official music video, and it has HD quality!

Maddthelin - Forfeit:

The Neighbourhood feat. Danny Seth & DeJ Loaf - Givin N Takin

It’s funny that this song’s first featured emcee is obviously British, because not long ago that would have added to my confusion over the main artist’s national origin—I kept thinking they were British due to their name’s spelling and my first encountering them on a British show, despite already having read that they’re American. The first time I heard this I was thrown by DeJ Loaf’s voice. I wasn’t familiar with her and she sounded to me like a kid. That kinda threw me, given the subject matter. There’s profanity and allusions to violence, drugs, etc…
Note: HD listening is in order!

The Neighbourhood feat. Danny Seth & DeJ Loaf - Givin N Takin:

Yoko Kanno - Friends

Frieeeeeeeeends! I know not long ago I posted another song that was composed by this artist, but today I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with sentimentality about my friends, so this seems like the right day to post this piece. This is from the soundtrack of the anime Wolf's Rain, and it gives my heart that swelling feeling that reassures me I’m not a psychopath.
Note: Thar be HD here!

Yoko Kanno A.K.A. 菅野 よう子 - Friends:

Nas feat. Rick Ross - Accident Murderers

I know I’m a bit late to listen to this hip hop artist’s album Life is Good, but at least I got around to it within a few years of its release. Although this emcee's been a widely respected as a hip hop heavyweight since his first album came out, I must admit I didn’t completely understand its “classic” status nor his placement on many people’s lists of top 5 living rappers. With this album, though, it kinda clicked. I finally noticed and was moved by the lyrical techniques that make him one of the greats. This song has violence, drugs, and profanity.
Note: There is HD quality available!

Nas feat. Rick Ross - Accident Murderers:

Samantha Mumba - Gotta Tell You

Remember this song? If you’re American, maybe not, because I don’t think it was as big a hit in the U.S. as it was in the U.K. The only reason I even knew it was because my dad’s British GF who shared music with me introduced this song to me. Reportedly in was high on the U.S. music charts too, but I find that weird because I don’t remember ever hearing it on the radio, and back then I DID listen to the radio. I always liked the unusually low register the artist sings in for most of the song.

Samantha Mumba - Gotta Tell You:

Seven Lions feat. Fiora - Days to Come

DUBSTEP, WOMP WOMP WOMP WAHHHHHHH! WOP WOP WOP WHIRRRRRRRRRR! OK, that’s an exaggeration. This song isn’t really that dubsteppy, but it’s more dubsteppy than most music I listen to. Anyway, here’s to a good 2015!

Seven Lions feat. Fiora - Days to Come: