Sun Don't Shine // I Think It's Gonna Rain Today

Facing another seriously cloudy day, I am not the most inclined to leave the house... let alone my bed. I figured I might as well get this blog up and rolling with a few of my favorite tracks, however old they may be.

The first is an upbeat song by an Austrian group, Klangkarussell, that might actually propel me to get out of bed to be productive (or it might just have me dancing in my room... you'll never know). The electronic swoops in the background are really what do it for me, and the synth brass instrumentals are a fabulous cherry on top.

Klangkarussell - Sonnentanz (Sun Don't Shine) [feat. Will Heard]

The second track is by one of my favorites, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (no that wasn't a typo). They always have dreamy vocals and this track features some Mario Kart-esque sound effects in the background that allow my mind to wander happily. One way to put their music is that it's just delightful (note: I will have to post about them later).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - I Think It's Gonna Rain Today

Of Monsters and Men Remixed

When I first heard Little Talks back in February of 2011, I had a feeling I would want to follow Of Monsters and Men for the long haul. Their EP Into the Woods and album My Head Is An Animal released the following year did not disappoint, offering steady and soft vocals which perfectly complemented the plethora of hearty instrumentals. If you haven't already gotten the album, I definitely would recommend it. These are some of my favorite remixes I've accrued that highlight on the vulnerability of these already incredible instrumental-based tunes.

Dirty Paws (Royal Refix)

Yellow Light (Cillo Remix)

Little Talks (The Knocks Remix)


King & Lionheart (Dzeko & Torres Streesh Bootleg)

Doin' It Right

After they silently accepted 5 Grammy's at this year's awards ceremony a few days ago, I feel like it is only appropriate that this first post be dedicated to doin' it right- Daft Punk style. I was in awe of their performance with Pharrell and Stevie Wonder, which charmed the audience into the groove as they danced giddily to the funk throughout the aisles. Inspired by their performance, I did some deeper research on the mysterious French duo (including googling what they actually looked like beneath the helmets) and found this awesome interview that was featured on NPR this summer. If you have the time, I would suggest you listen to the whole thing because it was really quite intriguing to hear the two speak about their influences. To me they represent what music should really be about... just the music itself. Of course musicians are flooded with personality and that's what helps make them unique, but obviously these days, fame has played a serious role in stripping innocence away and altering people for the worse. Daft Punk's helmets may seem superfluous; however, I think they can serve as a humbling reminder to enjoy music for what it is without really questioning where or who it comes from.

Daft Punk- Doin' It Right
   

Some of their influences for Random Access Memories from the interview:

James Blake- Retrograde

Chic- Good Times

And last but not least, this is a personal favorite from their Alive 2007 Tour: 

Daft Punk- Around the World/Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger