Headphones

There is this special section I have and categorize as headphone music. All good songs sound even better with amazing headphones. These are just a few ones I was currently listening to in my list. When in possession of an awesome pair of headphones, you should definitely listen to these tracks.
 

1) Deadphones (feat. Degiheugi) – Screenatorium
 

This eerie track immediately drew me towards the French trip-hop group. The arrangement, instrumentation and the haunting melody itself separated them from countless trip hop bands you can hear nowadays. They are extremely generous to offer all their albums for free on their website.
 
 
2) Sooner or Later – Trifonic
 

Trifonic introduced me to the non-dance part of electronica and to trip-hop. Their whole debut album “Emergence” is worthy enough to be put on this headphones list. I will leave you with their explanation of Emergence. It pretty much sums it up:

The term emergence refers to many simple, independent actions giving rise to complex systems and patterns. It’s similar to the concept of order out of chaos. Emergence can be seen in everything from the formation of molecules and the evolution of complex organisms, to behavior in ant colonies and flocks of birds, to traffic patterns and stock markets. 

The concept of emergence is applicable in many ways to how we make our music. We typically start with a single sound or idea that we find interesting — maybe a guitar amp setting, a bass note, or just some sort of ambience. Then we begin adding other elements, shaping and refining the sound of each one as we go. This process of layering sounds eventually leads us to the melodies and rhythms that define each song. As a track begins to take shape we start to get a sense of what the finished product might look like. But the track often becomes something very different by the time we’re done with it. 

 
3) Stille – Bendik

Found this Norwegian gem while stumbling through Vimeo. It accompanied a visually appealing short film, titled “Kiss”, on a love story between the sun and the moon. Actually, accompanied is the wrong word. It intensified the emotions you experience as you watch the film and complemented them as well. You can watch the film here.
 
 
4) Daydream in Blue – I Monster

I posted this track on Tumblr a couple months back. I still prefer this version to the more popular Neveroddoreven.
 
 
5) The Gaudy Side of Town – Gayngs

Gayngs is an indie super-group founded by Ryan Olsen and features several indie musicians like Justin Vernon from Bon Iver, and Megafaun to name two. Anyways, this track is all smooth, layered backing vocals, gaudy and humid, and a saxophone that fades in and out at places.
 
 
6) Svefn-g-englar – Sigur Rós
 
I tried my best to avoid famous bands and their songs but I couldn’t avoid this one. Post-rock was made for headphones and the self.

Urban Hymns

Urban Hymns (1997)

This was an old post that I never posted. So the timing is quite off, seeing that it is 2012 already. Nevertheless I would hate to bury the meaning that all these songs hold for me. So here it is —

Let me start off on a personal note. The transition between 2010 to 2011 was not a happy one. Adaptation to a certain way of life takes time. It’s not that this part of the year was full of bad happenings. It was more because nothing was happening. It was and still is a weird feeling. Even though the days seem to pass really quickly, since I settled in this new place, nothing seems to have changed. It’s almost as if time has stopped yet is still continuing. Bit of a paradox, I say.

In such times, music always comes to the rescue. It is a bit heartbreaking that the Verve are mainly known for their hit Bitter Sweet Symphony. Yes, it’s a great song and made them a somewhat one-hit wonder around the world, but that is just the beginning.

Urban Hymns already gives you an inkling of all themes associated with urban life, such as love, relationships, dreams and depression. Most of the tracks revolve around these concepts and how they crumble/ should be appreciated/ are ignored. Nevertheless Ashcroft’s lyrics do hit home and McCabe’s spacey guitar riffs resonate with feeling.

Right of the bat, you have the cynical Bitter Sweet Symphony.  Honestly speaking, I am pretty much sick of this 90s indie anthem, what with its lyrics plastered on every Facebook status. Nevertheless its a great song. The strings imitating the verse progressions from the Rolling Stone’s The Last Time fused with slide guitar, bells and space effects forms this classic ballad of the pitfalls of life. Personally, I love how this track complements another track, The Drugs Don’t Work. Ashcroft sings in the first track how

I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet yeah

while the latter track overcomes this phase of self-destruction becoming more persistent in fighting it:

I’m never going down, I’m never coming down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more

Ashcroft described The Drugs Don’t Work as a love song and that it definitely is.

Talking about love songs, Sonnet is a nostalgic one. I interpret it as being in love with your best friend. This maybe my analysis but when Ashcroft sings:

Yes, there’s love if you want it
Don’t sound like no sonnet, my lord

it reminds me of what my English teacher back in high school would say. “There is always a hidden meaning or a secret in a sonnet. They are never straightforward.” I tend to interpret these lyrics the same way. It is as if Ashcroft sings for a love that should be interpreted for what it is. Something that is neither crafted to please nor hidden with witty meanings. It is straightforward and honest, which is what makes this ballad simple and easy to listen.

Space and Time is another love ballad, structurally quite close to Sonnet but it stands out on its own with its rather declarative lyrics. My favourite lines are towards the end where Ashcroft’s vocals overlap, something he tends to do in almost all of his songs:

We have existence and it’s all we share
Keep on pushing cause I know it’s there

Catching the Butterfly is one of those songs that is all about the groove. Ashcroft and McCabe’s guitar begins with a sort of wail, punctuated by bass grooves, formulating much of the verses. In fact, Ashcroft’s vocals are sort of repressed until the chorus where there are so many layers, making this song one of the most complex in terms of texture. The guitar mimics Ashcroft’s vocals, thereby contributing to the trance-like atmosphere, this “lucid dream” puts you into.

Lucky Man is another fantastic track comparatively more optimistic. I would put Lucky Man as the antithesis of Bitter Sweet Symphony. With its rising strings contributing to the positivity, it is on track that sticks on.  However there is somewhat of a tonal shift when you hear the next track, One Day. From a lyrical aspect, although it is encouraging, you can still sense some sadness:

Oh, don’t you want to find?
Can’t you hear this beauty in life?
The roads, the highs, breaking up your life
Can’t you hear this beauty in life?

I could go on and on about all the other tracks that I love and why I do, but I would rather you discover them for yourselves.

Other honourable mentions: Velvet Morning, Lord I Guess I’ll Never Know, Weeping Willow

I also urge you to check out Verve’s earlier two albums, A Northern Soul and the Verve EP, they are worth listening to as well.

On Terrorism in Sweden and Norway

Two major terrorist attacks in one month, one hitting the metropolitan city of Bombay and the other in Oslo and Utoya, Norway. And of course this is all ignoring the frequent attacks going on in war zones like Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. This is an alarming indication of the rising extremism in the world. Take the example of Norway, one of the most peaceful countries, that has been acting as a mediator in several conflicts. As someone I know described “It’s like kicking a puppy”, both innocent and defenceless. Overall it  may appear so, however it has to be noted that extremism has been on a general rise in Europe and especially shocking is the underground movements in Scandinavia.

This link about Neo Nazis in Sweden (this is back in the 2000′s) on the Socialist Today website documents the menace that has been functioning underground for some time. Now with improved technology, resources, one can only wonder how far this extremism will spread and how much damage it will cost. It’s a rather long read but interesting nonetheless.

Stieg Larsson now most known for his work on the Millenium Trilogy, was also the editor of Expo magazine, that documented the rise of several right-wing extremist groups in the Sweden. Describing Sweden as a hotbed of White Supremacists, he also talks about Norway’s own rather disorganized groups. Here is a link to the BBC article giving a summarized account.

If anything we learn from attacks is that extremism and terrorism has no religion. In fact, reading excerpts of Andrew Berwick’s manifesto (its 2083 pages long) immediate parallels and similarities rise between terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and white supremacist groups. It’s not surprising that Andrew admires the structure and operations of Al Qaeda.

Extremism has to be dealt with and such attacks only show that terrorism has no religion.

How To Train Your Dragon

I love animation movies. I grew up on Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, anime and the other odd animation film productions, and naturally, the music, the soundtrack all played a great role in influencing my music taste. It is only a few years since I started appreciating the background score as well. One that has really stood out for me was 2010′s How To Train Your Dragon, scored by John Powell. I was very disappointed when neither this, 127 Hours nor Inception won the coveted Oscar. While atleast the composers of the other two have won previously, it was a bit disheartening to see HTTYD lose. I liked The Social Network (the music not the movie), but compared to HTTYD, I felt the latter had a stronger score complementing the visuals and brightening their life on screen.

I am unsurprised to learn that John Powell has worked with and under Hans Zimmer, scoring in many blockbusters. He has learned from one of the masters.

So here goes some of the highlights of this score:

1) This Is Berk: A rousing start to a rather unconventional story. I love the Viking undertones, that were rightfully required in the setting. It totally fits when Berk describes the dangerous aspects of the Viking lands. Plus the gradual growth from a melodious, soothing tune to a ambitious and rather pompous melody makes me want to own a dragon. This Viking theme is itself repeated several times in the score. It is a journey that summarizes the score as a whole.

2) Dragon Battle: This initially ominous sounding melody helps in creating the atmosphere as Berk faces the Nightfury, the most vicious of all dragons, for the first time.

3) Downed Dragon: This beautiful clarinet starts the Viking theme, with the melody leading to strings and a oboe solo. It has an almost waltz or skip like feeling. And abruptly it changes to a very ominous sound. This is when Hiccup meets Toothless for the very first time. You can hear Hiccup’s theme overpower the Viking theme with the strings rising and ending on a rather emotional bagpipe solo. And phew! Toothless roars and takes off into the air.

4) Dragon Training: The troop of kids, gasp, are faced with dragons of all shapes and sizes. This piece like all other tracks in this soundtrack is journey of its own. I love the cellos beginning the main melody and then you can sense the urgency and the determination in these kids to stay alive without being fried, burned or toasted. The pounding percussion, building strings, the raucous brass, all lead to a resolution.

I won’t go on to describe all of the 22 tracks, but ones that really stood out:

5) Wounded: Powell’s use of vocals here is very eerie and beautiful with short interludes of wavering wind instruments. The strings provide the tone and substance of the track.

6) Forbidden Friendship: I know this is a huge favourite amongst the fans and rightly so. The use of marimbas although foreign to a Viking /Scottish tale still provides that feeling reminiscent of nostalgia and childhood. Afterall this is based on a children’s book. Very inspirational and soaring. Also a special mention to choir in this track, the way they ended this piece was simply stunning.

7) Test Drive: Another great fan favourite as Hiccup flies Toothless through the Viking valleys. The soaring, wheeling score just transcends under the sheer genius conduct of Powell. These are memorable moments on the screen as well, where Hiccup steers Toothless through the rock formations and treacherous North Sea.

8 ) Romantic Flight: Beginning with a Celtic melody introduction, the strings and harps are joined by the soft choir in creating a romantic atmosphere, as the trio fly through the Nordic skies. Anyone would want such a first date.

If I may say so, this has been so far Powell’s best. May he continue to exceed.

Note: This poem can be best experienced if read along with the one comment directly below. A cheers to fellow spontaneous blogger/commenter HumtY.

She looked into the mirror
Flexed her arms
And sucked her stomach in
And frowned.

Her mousy brown hair now ebony
A color she would be proud of
Her spotted skin now silky
The undulating curves
Where the bones
Embrace her
Lucid skin
Her
Supple and
Intoxicated mind
Thrown in the riches
Of tropical lusting wetness
Suffocation of numbing fragrances
Adoring, showering, envious Aphrodite

Passed is the tsunami of
Lusting pleasure and
Now the unceasing satisfaction
She judges herself.
Cold, wet, vulnerable.

Soul Spectrum

From the sun kissed rainclouds
Blessed from the heavens as all
The rainbow, a pathetic fallacy
Illuminates this innocent one.

Hey, you crawl on your knees
And walk where you please
Take the chosen path
And feel emotional wrath.

Something doesn’t fit
No, it doesn’t bode well.
Abrupt, changing the rhythm and meter
Be a rebel and you curiously experiment.

You find yourself on a spectrum,
Neither right nor wrong
In the throes of adult passion
You embrace your colorful cloak.

Wear it, flaunt it
With still a glimmer
Of the fading rainbow
You have come out of that closet
Revealing to the world

How To Be Alone

A beautifully made video describing what all you can do when you are alone. Shot with a poem and simple background score, this narration makes us think.

Link via Xeb

Friendship

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Flugufrelsarinn

Sorry for the hiatus. This has been on constant replay. Do I need to describe the raw emotion and wounds this divine creation can open? Hopefully not. Enjoy.

Civil Society Activism and Social Networking

After the whole Anna Hazare & Baba Ramdev episode of hunger fasts over the Lokpal Bill, the public seems eager to continue this civil society-esque movement. One of the counterarguments for those cynical of the measures adopted by the Lokpal supporters was Irom Sharmila, an activist in her own right, who has been fasting for the past eleven years. Cynics mostly debated why this Lokpal issue deserved more response from the government, when Irom Sharmila has been wasting away for several years. A similar individual, was Swami Nigamanand who had been fasting continuously against illegal mining near the Ganges, and in the process passed away. While both were overshadowed by the Lokpal protests, slowly their cases are getting attention, with more of the public now contemplating more on social issues.

If anything beneficial has come from this wave of protests and stages of fasting, it is that social activism has reached new heights in India. More and more parts of the public are getting involved with social activism, and questioning the government on grounds of accountability and transparency. While I disagree with some of the measures taken by the social activists, it is still important to see the growth of such activism. We need people to voice regions where people of that region cannot be heard. The only problem occurs when you cannot hear the voices of the activists themselves. And obviously that remains the biggest problem.

Now, Akhil Gogoi, an activist in Assam has been arrested by the state government. And once again, social networking plays a big role in documenting the shift in support for social activism (interestingly, it made a U-turn in this case). Now if you go, Akhil Gogoi is trending on twitter, with several tweets slamming the Assamese government for their vindictive actions against freedom of speech. Several conspiracy theories have arisen and in general bad press for the government. This has piqued interest in the issues plaguing this region. People are googling up terms like Gogoi, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), and National Alliance of People’s Movement. Plus the media will continue covering this as it caters to their audience (us).

I am sure Swami Nigamanand, now is wishing from the heavens why social networking did not happen years ago.