Going going, back back, to Cali Cali

It seems like I just got back from New York City, and I'm already heading out of town once again. This time to sunny California. However, this trip is mostly business...some pleasure. This should be quite the adventure though. My coworkers and I will be driving along the coast from San Diego to San Francisco, making stops along the way, and sleeping in different hotels each night. Although the trip is a lot of fun, it's also a lot of work, and I'll be exhausted by the end of next week. Thankfully, I get to relax and unwind an extra few days in San Fran with my cousin Miki.

I went on this exact same trip last year, but it's going to be completely different this time. I'm on a totally different level. I was a mess last year, and I let a lot of outside noise affect my journey. Not this time! I'm going to enjoy California and take in all the beauty. What a perfect opportunity for self-reflection!

Ok...enough of that jib jab. Let's get to some music. I'm in a fabulous mood, and I figured I should throw on some disco house for you folks. This'll definitely get my adventure started right! I'm ready!


Kano - I'm Ready

My heart is beating like a jungle drum

As you may already know, I was in quite a huffy and puffy mood yesterday. Thankfully, my good pal Kim urged me to go out for some retail therapy during our lunch break. And I don't know how this always happens, but it never fails: I discovered my new favorite track blasting while I'm browsing through Forever 21.

I heard this catchy jam and it immediately changed my mood. Isn't it outrageous how a song can do that to you? I mean, what an uplifting message: "Hey, I'm in love. My fingers keep on clicking to the beating of my heart. Hey, I can't stop my feet. Ebony and ivory and dancing in the street... My heart is beating like a jungle drum."

I had a stack of apparel I was planning on trying on, so I ran over to the fitting rooms once I heard that initial riff, and I had my own dance party in that 3x4-foot room. Too bad it ended like a minute later. Such a short track, which is probably the reason why I've had it on repeat all morning, and I've already heard it about 20 times. Wow.


Emiliana Torrini - Jungle Drum

Break somethin'

That's what I feel like doing right now. I want to grab the nearest object and chuck it against the wall. Sometimes you just want to unleash the fury and cause some minor (occasionally major) destruction. Although I try to remain positive at all times, I AM human, and the things that other people do and say affect me. That being said, I am extremely peeved right now, and I've found the perfect track to reflect during this brief turbulence in my life. And in case you're wondering what's got me all huffy and puffy, it's the negativity of others. Its their lack of appreciation and abundance of inconsideration. I don't have the time or the room in my life to entertain the haters. If you think you're one of them, please excuse yourself from La Vida Jasmina. Thank you!

Now back to the track...

When I was younger, it was Lil' Jon that I would turn to when I got this destructive feeling running through me, but that nonsense just doesn't cut it anymore. So now I have this track by Digitalism. It is an overly aggressive electronic track that takes you up and down and back again. While I listen, I imagine the damage I can do. I obviously never act on it, but sometimes envisioning the wrath makes me feel better almost immediately.

My favorite part is at the 4:10 mark, when silence hits for a brief moment, and then the aggression continues at a remarkable speed. By that time in the track, I'm already feeling great, and I've forgotten why I was angry in the first place. The song comes to a close, and I let karma handle the rest.


Digitalism - TVTV

Freedom & happiness

So it's been a week since my return from New York City, and I've had the past seven days to collect my thoughts and reflect on my experience at Body & Soul.

I fully encourage any and all house-music enthusiasts to attend a Body & Soul event, if you haven't already. François K, Joe Claussell and Danny Krivit put on this amazing show and spin a phenomenal house soundtrack for the evening.

First, I'd like to say the crowd is the most diverse group of people I have ever seen in this type of environment. I don't know if it's a New York thing and Chicago just doesn't throw parties like this. Whatever the case may be, it was so refreshing to be present in a place where everyone feels like they belong. Everyone is welcome.

And that's what this event is all about. Body & Soul's message is one of love and freedom. Everyone was there for the same reason: to enjoy the music. It wasn't the typical club-rat scene I'm used to with meat heads in muscle tees picking up bustdowns left and right. If that is indeed what you're looking for, Body & Soul is NOT the place to be.

There is no room for superficiality. No room for hate. This is no place for shadiness, hostility or dishonesty. It is a place where people go to be themselves and truly feel the music and its profound message. And yes, the music has a message. And there's no way to really explain it without actually experiencing it yourself. So I dug up a track I felt would fit right into a Body & Soul vibe. Enjoy!


Axwell & Bob Sinclar - What A Wonderful World (Feat. Ron Carroll)

My prophecy is realized when I get to the green building

This blog has been live and kickin' for the past two months, and I cannot believe I haven't posted anything about Electric Six yet. This just occurred to me in the shower last night as I was jamming to a mix CD I burned. I heard the "Future Is In The Future" riff, and it hit me like a slap in the face: I have yet to blog about my FAVORITE band!

So here it is...

Let me tell you something about Electric Six. You probably won't like them the first time you hear them. As a matter of fact, you might think their music is silly and inappropriate. But that's the way they work. Just wait a minute, an hour, a day, whatever, and go back and listen to a few more of their tracks. Electric Six will grow on you. Not only will they grow on you, but they will reel you in slowly until you realize you're hooked! I kid you not.

I had the pleasure of watching them perform live at the Double Door in Chicago in October 2007 with my pal, Justin, who at the moment is one of the few friends I have who is as into Electric Six as I am (but that will all change now that I am introducing you folks to the brilliance of E6). To be completely honest, this was absolutely hands-down my favorite live show I have ever witnessed. The venue is small, stuffy, smelly, etc., and none of that mattered once Electric Six took the stage. These guys are fun and active up there. Lead singer Dick Valentine even stepped down into the crowd and sang right there with us. It was amazing. Their performance of "Future Is In The Future" was definitely their best. The lengthy instrumental solo gave Dick Valentine the opportunity to just talk to the crowd and talk about life, introduce the band members and spread his message about living in the moment. That moment will forever live in my brain as a perfect memory.

My cousin/roommate heard "Future Is In The Future" for the first time a few days ago. She is absolutely not into this kind of music. She's into soul, jazz, deep house, reggae...real chill stuff. But as soon as she finished listening to this track, she immediately asked me about it. "Who is this? Where are they from? Do you have anymore of their stuff?" She likes this particular track because of its story-telling element. Dick Valentine doesn't just sing a catchy phrase and call it a day; his vocals get you hooked as he tells you his story. Sometimes E6's songs are hard to interpret, but I usually just make up my own story. I can relate to all their songs somehow; I create a story in my head based on Valentine's narrative. And that's what makes them so great. Electric Six tells a story, your story.

I also posted a live version of "When I Get To The Green Building" so you can get a little taste of their live performance. Absolutely enthralling, fascinating, riveting, enchanting, gripping, enlightening and so much more.



Electric Six - Future Is In The Future



Electric Six - When I Get To The Green Building [Live in Brooklyn]

RAC = mixmasters!

For those of you hipsters and misfits, I think you're gonna like this one! I've recently heard a lot of RAC remixes out there, my favorites being "Nighttiming" by Coconut Records and "Hunting For Witches" by Bloc Party. RAC (Remix Artist Collective) reminds me a lot of MSTRKRFT, another one of my blog-worthy favorites.

This particular post is different though; it's an entire hour! Because of the large file size, I'll just redirect you to the original file on RAC's site: Listen here! I can't say that there is even one song that I dislike. The playlist can be found here. But I assure you, if you're into Bloc Party, MSTRKRFT, Justice, Calvin Harris and the like, you will definitely enjoy this hour filled with high energy, thrills and a little bit of punch!

A special treat at the 50-minute mark: a stellar remix of The Beatles' "You Never Give Me Your Money."

And for those in front of the computer all day, you'll definitely appreciate this because it plays through each track, no need to keep hitting the annoying "play button." See how much Jazzy cares for you folks? Ha!

Everything in its right place

Finally! Everything is in its right place. And the journey has only begun; I have so much more to look forward to. And it is the unknown that excites me.

P.S. This song is for you, Bati. The remix is for me ;-)


Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place


Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place (Gigamesh / DiscoTech Remix)

...and she's back!

I have been to New York many times, so I wasn't expecting much different. But this trip was an enlightening experience on many different levels. For your sake I'll save that story for later...

You already know the main purpose of this getaway was to attend Body & Soul, and I'm so glad I was able to be a part of this event. I have never witnessed anything like this. Simultaneously Joe Claussell, Danny Krivit and François K killed it! They each had their own style, but transitioned so well from track to track.

François K is so random; he would throw in an obscure track that NO ONE has heard before and he'd just make it work so well. This would CLEAR dancefloors in Chicago, but not at Body & Soul. People at this show are extremely attentive and recognize the skill that goes into mixing a dope track.

And Joe Claussell...well, I must admit I have NEVER in my life witnessed anything more sexy than watching that man do what he does. He truly feels the music and feeds off the energy of the crowd. One day, I'll meet this man and tell him how his set made me feel that Sunday night in New York.

Hopefully I'll be able to find some of the tracks they played that night. If not, I guess I'll just have to get my fix at the next Body & Soul event.

I also heard great tracks just cruising through the the city...thanks to my pals, Shobi and Alex. Thank you for showing me the city and for burning a quality soundtrack for our night out! Here's a couple songs I was able to enjoy Saturday night in New York City...



Justice - Phantom Part 2 (Soulwax Remix)



Chester French - She Loves Everybody (Neptunes Remix)

New York, here I come!

I am too flippin' excited! I leave for New York City tomorrow morning! This Sunday, I'll be attending Body & Soul at Webster Hall, which is like a "house party that got too big for someone's living room."

My pal, David Sabat, has been to this event numerous times and claims it will be an ear-opening experience. Apparently, I will never listen to house music the same again.

That being said, I hope I return next week with a whole new outlook on the house music scene. We'll see what happens. Until then, I decided to share one of my "mood setter" tracks. Not quite sure what mood this is supposed to set. Honestly, I think you might have to be a bit deranged and have a few screws loose to like this track. I like this track...


Soulwax - Krack

Já sei namorar

So I know I've already written about my travels through Europe and how I looooove the music I pick up in other countries. But I just had to share these two songs.

While traveling through Italy about six years ago with my cousin, we heard these tracks everywhere – on MTV, while we shopped at boutiques, in the bars, etc. They're not in Italian though; for some reason Latin music seemed to dominate the television and radio out there. Anyhow, upon my return to the States, I immediately downloaded these songs. And over the past few years, they got lost in my catalog...until now. I rediscovered them as I was organizing my files last night, and I wanted to share them with you.

The first song, "Bonito," is kinda silly, but it's uplifting – "todo me parece bonito!"

The second song is one of my all-time favorites, "Já Sei Namorar." Translation: "I already know how to fall in love." And the final lyrics are more beautiful: "I'm loving you like nobody does, I'm loving you as God commends, I'm loving you like you like I want to, I'm loving you like I know."

And just because you may not speak the language doesn't mean you can't enjoy the music. Remember that!



Jarabe De Palo - Bonito



Tribalistas - Já Sei Namorar

I am part of something bigger than the heartache

I'm going to warn you. This song is definitely not for everybody. To be honest with you, I don't even know what I would classify it as, but I hate classifying music anyway.

This song is absolutely beautiful. Once I got past the funny accent and allowed the melody to flood my mind, the song suddenly had a life of its own and a deep meaning. I know the vocalist can be hard to understand, so I threw in some of my favorite lyrics below.

This track captures something in me, and I'd rather keep that part to myself. But if you read in to it enough, you'll catch my drift.

I am part of something bigger than the heartache
Wishing, wishing you every happiness in your escape

I'm not breathing air, I'm breathing sunlight
I'm not breathing air, I'm breathing daylight
You're the tooth I want to pull
You're not the only one in my mouth
You're the face I want to lose
You're not the only face in my head

Daylight saving is an art
The daylight saving me from myself.


De Rosa - Nocturne For An Absentee

Deep down and dirty

I have been listening to the Hed Kandi compilation CDs for a few years now. They're fun, they're catchy, and they're soulful. Although they're known for that deep-house/disco feel, they recently released Twisted Disco, which is a mix of typically deep, soulful tracks remixed with a harder, clubbier sound.

I love the way they describe this two-CD mix: "a twisted journey into the darker side of house... Twisted Disco represents the deep down and dirty side of Hed Kandi, and if you've been to our parties, you'll recognize this as the part of the night when the lights dim, the bass thickens and the thronging crowd move to a very different kind of drum...Disco's not dead, it's alive and well and living in hell! This is neo-noir-intergalactic-cyber-hedonism for people who like to dance in dark spaces."

Here's a preview of two of my favorite tracks on the mix...


Richard Grey Feat. Kaysee - Crash On You


Henry John Morgan - Cherokee Go With It (Wez Clarke Remix)

Wake up...it's Monday!

I'm not a big fan of mash-ups. Ever since Jay-Z and Linkin Park came out with that horrible mash-up album, I was completely turned off. However, my good pal Justin introduced me to this track yesterday, and I found it to be quite catchy. And really...you can't go wrong with some dope Biggie vocals. And the Justice remix of MGMT's "Electric Feel" has a great beat; it's only natural these two tracks would sound amazing together.

And since Biggie, one of the greatest rappers of all time, passed away on this day 12 years ago, I found this post absolutely fitting. Enjoy...


MGMT & Justice vs. Notorious B.I.G. - Nasty Feel

Happy Birthday, Randy!

So I have that feeling in the pit of my stomach that it's going to be one of "those nights." You know what kind of night I'm talking about. The kind that you don't remember or even want to remember the next day.

There's a very specific reason for this. It's my pal, Randy's, birthday, and we're celebrating by going to Enclave this evening. I'm really not a fan of that joint, BUT I will make an exception for a special occasion such as this one.

Randy, if you are reading this (and I know that you are, mostly because you are in love with me, even though you deny it), Happy Flippin' Birthday! I know it's going to be wild, and I can't wait to celebrate with you. I've known you since we were children holding hands in the backseat of your dad's minivan. Ha!

Randy & Jasmina circa 1997...


And look at us now...


In preparation for this momentous occasion, I have created a "getting ready to go out" playlist. That's right. Just for you. Well, it's really just for me, as I'm dancing around my apartment in approximately six hours, showering and getting all done up. My favorite part of going out is the preparation part. I love taking my time and dancing in front of the mirror. I know, I'm a dork. But it's fun. So this is what I'll be rockin' out to this evening before I head out. Maybe you'll do the same...


Danger - 11h30 (DatA Remix)


C-MOS - 2 Million Ways (Axwell Remix)


Kaskade - It's You, It's Me


Armand Van Helden - I Want Your Soul


Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme

A reason not to hate Canada...

With MSTRKRFT's new album, Fist of God, due out in less than two weeks, I figured I'd give these guys a shout. Apparently, Fist of God got leaked early, so some of you may have already heard some of their new tracks, and that is unfortunate. I, on the other hand, will wait until March 17 to rock out to the new tracks.

If you are unfamiliar with MSTRKRFT, the only way to really gain a true understanding of their music is to just go ahead and listen. It's electro, it's dance, it's rock, it's disco, it's house. They do a great job of incorporating music from every direction and creating a masterpiece. Although I love their singles, what I love even more is the remixes they produce.

I'm not gonna lie...I don't care much for the originals of the songs below (with the exception of Wolfmother). But like I said, MSTRKRFT has a skill. They can turn a song around and make it incredible. Check it...



The Gossip - Listen Up! (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Panthers - Thank Me With Your Hands (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Death From Above 1979 - Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Wolfmother - Woman (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Chromeo - Tenderoni (MSTRKRFT Remix)



Bloc Party - Two More Years (MSTRKRFT Remix)



John Legend & Andre 3000 - Green Light (MSTRKRFT Remix)

Hip hop lives

You know I love to show love for my local artists, and these guys deserve some serious props. I know close to nothing about Dynamic Vibrations. But what I do know is this: They're Chicago. They're hip hop. And they're fly.

Somehow two Dynamic Vibrations CDs found their way into my car a couple of months ago, and I haven't been able to stop rocking to their fresh and funky beats since. These brilliant lyricists are proof that true hip hop hasn't died, despite the growing popularity of crap rap artists like Soulja Boy and Flo Rida. I mean, as my good friend, Zipporah, brought to my attention...does Soulja Boy even have the mental capability to rap let alone speak proper English?

Anyhow, please take a few minutes to jam to these tracks. Let me know what you think. And keep faith that hip hop is alive and kicking. You just gotta shut off that noise on mainstream pop radio, and you'll find it.


Dynamic Vibrations - Blood


Dynamic Vibrations - Microphone Murderers

Get yourself LOADED

I'm grooving in a different direction today. Sorry, my fellow house junkies, I gotta show some love to my rockers out there...

So I recently was introduced to the musical stylings of Loaded, a local Chicago band. It took me a minute to let it digest. It's a bit heavier than what I normally listen to, and the vocals take a brief moment to grow on you. But after you finish listening to one song, you're so glad that you did.

Rotting Temple has a wild chorus, very catchy: "Why did you come here? Why did you waste your time?"

Ride Me Baby is a song for the ladies in the audience. It's quite erotic for a rock song. And it's got a funky instrumental solo at the 3:17 mark. Please check it out, even if you don't listen to the whole song, you must listen to that last minute!

And if you're in the Chicago area, Loaded will be playing at Cobra Lounge on Thursday, March 26, at 9:00pm. I hear they put on a stellar show...and it's free!


Loaded - Rotting Temple


Loaded - Ride Me Baby

Mood setter

I walk into the club. This song starts to play. I do my jazzy walk through the bar. I spot "him." He winks. The song continues to play. I sway, do a lil' juke, as I make my way to this fine gentleman. He grabs my hand, doesn't say a word. And we dance, slowly. It's just me, this man and the music. And our bodies become one as we dance.

That's what I visualize when I hear this track...cheesy, but true.


The Detroit Experiment - Think Twice

I went to Cat's Meow this weekend. If you're in the Chicago area, it's on Chicago Ave. just east of California Ave. Anyhow, based on my first impression of this place, this will not be the last time I visit this joint. It may even become my regular spot. My cousin and I agreed that it reminded us of a New York lounge. The 1st floor looks fresh, with white walls and funky painting, very modern design. The downstairs level, however, is where it's at. I felt like I was at an old-school house party. I'm not sure if this was the vibe they were going for, but it truly felt like I was in someone's basement. And the DJs were set up right in the mix with everyone else.

And even better, they were spinning some of the best house music I've heard in a long time, thanks to DJs Phatman, Mark Grant and Andre Harris. And although I can't think of any of the songs I heard that night off the top of my head, this track sounds like something they should have played. It was the perfect setting, perfect crowd, perfect mood. This song is what I like to call a "mood setter."

I want to meet the man who appreciates this song as much as I do.