Winter cleaning...

So I'm sitting here, with nothing to do. So I decide to continue organizing the music on my hard drive...an ongoing project that will probably never be complete. If you have an immense amount of music, though, I highly recommend attempting to clean it up and organize it. It helps you rediscover music you forgot about, haven't listened to in a while, or just neglected in the recent past.

Anyhow, so I'm sitting here organizing my music folders, and I begin another neglected task...creating a workout playlist! I haven't been to the gym in ages, and I keep blaming my lack of a "workout playlist" for my absence from the gym. Shame on me...

Basically...I need to get my $hit back in order! My music is in disarray, and my muscles are dwindling!

While I worked on these two projects simultaneously, I came across this track. Either I've been out of the house scene way too long, or house DJs just suck ass now. Someone please tell me which it is, because I just don't hear tracks like this anymore! 

Check it out, let it warp your mind. And get back to me.


Chris Kaeser - Atomic Control

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Snap out of it!

Damn you Daylight Savings! I'm all sorts of backwards right now. What is the point anyway? Great, I see the sun earlier in the morning, and my drive home from work is black as hell. Wonderful. What a dumb system. 

There's something about autumn and the changing of the season that makes me think a whole lot. I think about what's missing, rather than my blessings. Although I'm probably the happiest I've been in a long time, it still feels like something isn't right. And I know I'm not alone. I hear negativity all around me, just by listening to my friends talk or reading my friends' Facebook status messages and what not. The cold weather takes away our spirit, and we're left feeling unmotivated and uninspired.

So what does one do to snap out of this dismal mood? Just with almost anything else, I find solitude in music. 

I downloaded the album Contraption by Beats Antique last night before I went to bed...solely because I heard one of the songs on Pandora yesterday afternoon and liked it. Well, I was in my usual gloomy morning mood as I drove to work this morning. Until...I played my new album and instantly that mood was reversed. Instantly, all the negative thoughts went away. Instead, my mind began circling around all the positivity in my life. And I began taking mental notes of all the things I want to do today, tomorrow, over the weekend, during the winter, etc. 

It's so easy to get stuck in that winter depression, but I'm not going to let that happen. I'm far too perky and optimistic for that nonsense. And I was reminded of this as I danced all the way to work in my car. 




Beats Antique - Mission


Beats Antique - She's Looking For Something

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Music is my drug

I've recently been introduced to the calming grooves of Emancipator, and I was quite bummed to have missed his recent show in Chicago on Oct. 30. But the more I thought about it, the more I was actually happy I didn't waste my $44. There is something very depressing about standing there, witnessing a guy and his lap top; it makes me kinda nauseous. I like bands, you know...with instruments. That's what a real show is about. 

Not to take anything away from electronic music. It's still music, and an art. It's just not something I'd spend money to watch live. I think electronic music is best listened to in the car, in the shower, at work, etc. It's excellent background noise for any moment.

I listen to a lot of music, as you already know. But there is something so tranquil and calming about this new style of classical, lo-fi, jazz-like electronica. Actually, I think I just made it sound a lot more complicated than it really is. It's probably the one genre I can listen to at any time of any day and feel better than I had moments before. 

It's not ridiculously complicated or technical. It's simple, yet thought provoking. Peaceful, yet dramatic. It puts me in a dream. It's my drug. Who needs opiates, when you've got music?!
I hope it has a similar effect on you. Here are my two favorite Emanipator tracks, followed by two somewhat comparable tracks by similar artists.



Emancipator - Lionheart


Emancipator - Anthem


RJD2 - Smoke & Mirrors


Xploding Plastix - More Powah to You

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My Happiness Project

Well hot damn! Did I really go the entire month of September with not a single blog post? Shame on me. Totally unacceptable. YOU might not care...but this is the place where I get my creative juices flowing. This is the place where I can vent and share and discuss the thing I love most in this world: music. And I have totally been slacking.

And it hasn't been without consequence. I've been feeling quite lethargic lately, and lost. I always believed pursuing one's passion was essential to life...and I somehow lost sight of this priority.

Some of you might be feeling as down as I have been. The fall weather sometimes does that to us, especially here in Chicago. We go from hot temperatures, beautiful flowers and days spent on the lakeshore to chilly days and gloomy skies. It can be difficult to keep your optimism when everything around you is darkening.

But you know...there is another way to look at things. The fall and early winter symbolizes the end of a year. That's 365 days of your life gone, and a new 365 await!

I just bought a book over the weekend: The Happiness Project. I'm only about 10 pages into it, but I already feel better about myself and my future. And I encourage you all to re-evaluate your life, your priorities, your values...and most importantly, what truly makes YOU happy. I know I sound like a hippie, but I don't really give a $hit. I'm sick of putting everything and everyone before me. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to you. How can you taste the real Jazzy flavor, when I'm always worrying about something or someone?

It's time to stop worrying, and make a change. That change begins now, with this post. Here are some tracks that are currently getting me pumped for all the endeavors that await me tomorrow, next week, next month and into 2011.

Cheers!

Faunts - Out on a Limb

Maritime - Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts

The Strokes - What Ever Happened

Cursive - In The Now

The Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer

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Keep me guessing

Sometimes I hear something that sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. I can sit there and attempt to "label" it, or even try to guess influences, but it never makes any sense.

But really when you think about it, isn't that the beauty of art? When you can create your own meaning and find inspiration within the music that applies to you personally. When it trips you out every single time and never gets old.

I urge you to listen to these two tracks. Animals as Leaders somehow managed to sync every element that I love about music. It's rock. It's edgy. It's trippy and even "electronic" at moments. It's instrumental. It's progressive. It's emotional. It keeps me guessing. It's dramatic.

If you are a true music fan and appreciate true skill, you will notice the talent of guitarist Tosin Abasi immediately. It's not even debatable. He's a genius.

And if you agree, you might want to check them out live. Animals as Leaders will be on tour this fall with Circa Survive, dredg and Codeseven. I'll be at their House of Blues show in Chicago on November 19.



Animals as Leaders - On Impulse



Animals as Leaders - Behaving Badly

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