Music of the Moment (August 2013)

This blog is not complete without music. I know these posts aren’t to everyone’s taste, but I also don’t like the type of music most people listen to. Sure I like my share of mainstream songs, but my heart lies with indie music. Or at least, music that is less accessible and not always so easy on the ears. I have made quite the selection of songs over summer which I have yet to share, so I will be bringing them to you in installments. Give them a listen and who knows: maybe you like it.

CHVRCHES – Gun

Happy poppy song with the sweetest vocals ever. I saw them live at Pukkelpop and really liked the performance too.

Cosmo Sheldrake – Rich (ft. Anna Roo)

Nice steady beats and a groovy rhythm make this song a great summery tune. And I seem to have a thing for cute-y vocals this time round. Also check out the live version, recorded in a pig sty, featuring close ups of, oh yes, pigs.

Fitz and the Tantrums – The Walker

Catchy catchy tune. From the whistle to the stomping beats and the sax solo near the end. Great mixture of a bit of soul with a bit of funk with a bit of spunk, without it sounding dated.

Jagwar Ma – Man I Need (White Label version)

Fusion of rocky rhythms with electro cool and a hint of guitar. Vocals are a bit cool due to the amount of echo. The surprise comes at the half way part though, when the fairly easylistening tune turns into a more danceable rhythm and the track becomes a full blown electro track. Clever!

Ms Mr – Fantasy

Electropop duo from the States. I missed them at Pukkelpop, but they were programmed at the same time as another band I wanted to see. The song still remains a solid track. Driven by different layers of rhythm the song builds to a boiling point. Add some catchy lyrics in the mix and you have a great song.

Sir Sly – Gold

Mysterious. Dark. Heavy. That’s how I’d describe this song. I just saw the video just now and I think the visual of that never ending sea fits the song very well: hope is on the horizon, and you’re close, but yet so far away. “I hope you find your dreams”.

The National – This is the Last Time

My favorite performance at Rock Werchter and this song from NPR’s tiny desk series (it’s the first song they sing in the video). They almost coincided. The song came first and I thought it was beautiful. After showing what they do on a stage, I bought the album and heard that version. Equally exquisite. The song is kept small at first and then builds up, adding instruments and intensity as it goes along. Small but powerful.

Visuals – Levitation

Combining 80s new wave vibes with a more updated rock tune. This song is retro and modern in one go. Also a bit dreamy because of the echo and reverberation on the vocals. Up for free download.

Wild Belle – Another Girl

What if The Black Keys had a female singer? That’s a bit what this is like. Though not as rock-ish as the comparison I just made, but definitely building on that type of sound.

Banks – Fall Over

Let’s end this post with another comparison. What if Florence + the Machine ditched the harp and went electric? That’s this song in a nutshell. Apparently there’s a nifty remix floating around the interwebs as well.

What have you been listening to?