Music Monday: Movin’ and Shakin’

October 1, 20121 Comment

I think we’ve all been here before:

You’re all packed and ready to head out the door; your hands are full and your head is swimming with excitement over your weekend vacation. With the trunk packed and some snacks in the passenger seat, you head out on your journey….only to be accompanied by everyone’s mom and dog because it’s 4pm on a Friday and you live in the heart of ‘insert-major-metropolitan-city-here‘. Traffic on city streets is a little slow but that’s okay for you, you can handle it. You start to merge onto the freeway and suddenly you’re engulfed into a parking lot of metal, exhaust and horrible moods. Oh, no!

I grew up in the Silicon Valley, and let me tell you – even with all those Freeways (101, 85, 87, 280, 80, 180, 680, 880….) we had some of the worst rush hour traffic I’ve ever been in. And then I moved to Los Angeles. If traffic in the bay is deplorable, traffic down here is like being in the second or third layer of hell – respectively. Good thing this potentially awful experience has an antidote: music. When I know I’ll be stuck in traffic, I get on my computer the night before with a purpose – if my car isn’t moving, I think my body should be. I’m one of those creatures who hates sitting still, so if I’m not tearing rubber having a one girl car rave seems like the next best logical choice. Before I left for San Diego, I had a feeling I’d be sitting in traffic for a long, long time. So, I scoured my iTunes library and made a kickass playlist with new and old favorites that I could belt out and dance to. Chances are, I was “that” girl in my car – that girl having too much fun considering the situation at hand. But when you compare that to the people that looked beyond miserable, I’ll take it – life might not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we may as well dance!

Tracklist:

Craig David – Hot Stuff (Chase & Status Remix)
Kaskade ft Haley – Llove (Dada Life Radio Edit)
Chromeo – Night by Night (Shreddie Mercury Remix)
Michael Jackson – Speed Demon (NERO Remix)
Deadmau5 – There Might Be Coffe
Pryda – Shadows
Flight Facilities ft. Grovesnor – With You
DJ Fresh ft Dizzee Rascal – The Power
Rusko – Everyday (Netsky Remix)

Wednesday Watercooler

September 26, 2012September 26, 20124 Comments

Time is seemingly just skipping on by this year. I swear just a few weeks ago I was lamenting how it was already summer and now – all of a sudden, fall is upon us. If you take the time and think about it, the older you get the faster time respectively seems to fly -when we’re younger, we have a lot of ‘novel‘ first experiences that stick their roots in us as monumental; as we get older, there are less and less of those unique milestones in our lives. Think about the first long drive you took – I bet it took forever, but on the way back didn’t it seem like a breeze? But if you’re one of those people that’s dragging their cute butt through the week, keep reading and maybe this will kick things into a higher gear.

Science

Amidst a considerable amount of controversy, UK based Channel 4 made a daring (and entertaining) move by observing participants under the effect of the recreational club drug MDMA. The study was designed by David Nutt and Valerie Curran – respectively professors of neuropsychopharmacology (say that five times fast) at Imperial College London and psychology at University College London. This study, much like a previous study on psilocybin, was conducted both in hopes of observing brain changes via fMRI and in the treatment of mental illnesses like depression and PTSD. Though not all volunteers will be shown on television, amongst the 26 were Evan Harris, a former member of Parliament, Lionel Shriver, a writer, and actor Keith Allen. If you’re like me, you won’t want to miss this – watch live this today (9/26) and Thursday (9/27) here.

Football

I can’t say that I’m a huge football fan, actually it’s one of my least favorite sports – next to the nonsports of professional golf and cheerleading. How-to-the-ever, I know enough football fanatics – including my best friends and parents, that I definitely can empathize with the current referee situation. On Monday, the Green Bay Packers faced off with the Seattle Seahawks in what ended up being an unfortunate loss by the CheeseHeads due to some Bone Headed officiating by replacement referees.

The NFL Officials are currently on strike – asking the league to provide thousands of dollars a year toward their pension plan. Per usual, the owners are being obstinate – hiring abysmal replacement referees and doing the best they can to keep the 2012-13 season in play. Also to note, the less clothed and talented Lingerie Football League had apparently fired some of the same replacement referees from their own league.

Entertainment

Following in the stellar footsteps of Daft Punk, Skrillex is venturing out of his dubstepbox and doing huge things for himself. Currently on his plate is the score for the upcoming James Franco movie the Spring Breakers as well as the upcoming Disney movie, Wreck It Ralph. He’s catching some considerable flack from parts of the EDM world but I think it’s actually pretty neat. I can’t think of many DJs, beyond Feed Me and potentially the ‘Mau5, that would excel at doing the score for the movie so major Kudos to Skrillex. And to boot, he gets his own cameo alongside John C Reilly and Sarah Silverman; the cameo isn’t in the trailer below but no matter -it still gets me excited!

Technology

Google Maps is at it again; no, this isn’t an anti-iPhone post – rather, it’s me getting excited about an innovative look at geography. They’ve paired up with the Catlin Seaview Survey to provide amazing underwater maps like the one below. We all could use a vacation, and now you don’t have to leave your desk to take one – head on over right now to take a gander at sea turtles, coral, schools of fish and sunsets from exotic locations like Australia, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

Doing it Right: All Day We Dream of Cities and Angels

September 23, 2012August 14, 2013Leave a comment

Over the last few months, I’ve managed to both migrate friend groups and music scenes; if you know much about LA you’ll realize that these are more or less the same thing. In Los Angeles, your taste in music and culture – apart from everything else – are truly what separates you from the rest of the bunch, essentially dictating which of the multitudes of subcultures you belong to. Though I have a firm and steady love for all things music – especially electronic, for the past few years I’ve been listening to a lot of trance, house and drum & bass. Well, about five months ago the trajectory of my life shifted – I started wavering away from my former group of friends into unfamiliar territory: the co-mingling worlds of deephouse and techhouse. Sure, I’d been to a few underground parties in the past but this was so different. My friends were essentially spoon feeding me music, events and DJs like I was a newborn child. I’ve always told my friends that the best way to experience a new type of music or new DJ is to see them live – and now I can say for a fact this is true.

Looking back at all the wonderful events I went to this Summer, I can tell you with 110% certainty that my favorite was ‘All Day I Dream of LA Sky‘ with Lee Burridge and Matthew Dekay. I went with a few of my new, close friends (remember: I’m excellent at this fastfriend thing) after an epic birthday weekend in Ojai. To be honest, I had no expectations because I didn’t know what to expect. But there were beautiful people sprawled out across the parking-lot-rooftop-turned-dancefloor, gorgeous light fixtures of all colors swaying with the slight breeze and the music – oh, the music. And I couldn’t be more thrilled, because they’re bringing the party back to Los Angeles one more time….today! As I type this, I’m getting all sorts of goosebumps reminiscing about just how amazing the last show was and this giddy feeling is developing in my heart, is it time to dance yet?! If you want to see what you missed last go around, just take a gander at the video below!

The Audiofiles: Let’s Get Mellow

September 17, 2012August 14, 20131 Comment

I don’t know about y’all, but I had a busy, busy, busy weekend. Several friends were enjoying birthday celebrations and to boot – the weather was absolutely phenomenal! It’s been nothing but heat wave after heat wave, but with gorgeous blue skies and pools, playful friendships and a city to paint all sort of neon colors – I don’t think I have any business complaining.

My head’s been in the clouds all day running through the hilarity of the weekend and I could use something mellow to soothe my soul (and my new tattoo!); these are the jams that are currently making my Monday more enjoyable. Enjoy!

Tracklist

Waifs & Strays – Body Shiver (Hot Natured Remix)
Solomun – After Rain Comes Sun
Infinity Ink – Infinity
Maceo Plex – Ain’t That Love
Fritz & Paul Kalkbrenner – Sky and Sand
Jan Blomvist – Something says
Maceo Plex – Frisky
OXIA – Harmonie

What the Wednesday: Tracks on Mars

August 22, 2012August 22, 2012Leave a comment

Today is a big day for the Mars ‘Curiosity‘ rover as it prepares itself for its very first test drive in search for life, the universe, and the number 42.

After considering the not so simple notion that we’re currently, right fucking now, on another planet searching for other forms of existence (pause; geek the eff out), my next thought was this:. If you were operating Curiosity, what would be on the soundtrack to your first ride?

Tracklist:

Kid Cudi – Embrace the Martian (Crookers Remix)
Daft Punk – Robot Rock (Soulwax Remix)
Chuckie – We Can’t Hear Anybody Out There
Boys Noize – Kontact Me
The Bloody Beetroots – Rocksteady (Gigi Barocco Remix)
Fake Blood – Mars (Herve Re-fix)

Sunday Soundcheck

August 19, 2012September 8, 2012Leave a comment

I’ve spent some quality time with my cats and my music this weekend; it’s been both nice and necessary. If you have air conditioning in your apartment (and it works) consider yourself very lucky right now! This weather has been ridiculous lately – maybe upper 90s for the past few weeks at the very least. Which is fine and dandy during the weekends, but during the week it’s just cruel and unusual punishment to have the beach so close yet so far.

Basically every day I dream about sitting near some calming body of water with some great friends and good music. Well, I’ve accomplished half the battle; enjoy this hour long playlist of some of my favorite mid-summer, sunny Sunday sounds!

Tracklist

Eats Everything – Jagged Edge
Flashmob – Need in Me
Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew (Finnebassen Remix)
Martin Roth – Beautiful Life
Finnebassen – Touching Me (Dj Christodoulos Remix)
Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Luciano Remix)
Kameleon – Confetti
Green Velvet – Preacher Man (2012 Edit)
Umek vs Traumer – She Never Wants to Come Down (Tocadisco Remix)
Funkagenda ft. Big Ed – Afterclub (Riva Starr Remix)

Music Monday: Choose Your Own Adventure

August 13, 2012August 19, 2012Leave a comment

Ah, yes – I’m one of those strange, strange people who actually enjoys that first day of the work week.

First, it only happens once a week which is so lovely – I think if we had more of them I might suddenly understand where the rest of you are coming from.

Secondly, that feeling 5 o’clock feeling when the day is done and under your belt; there’s no better day to appreciate that than a Monday.

I usually spend part of my day reminiscing about the good fun I’ve had over the weekend: editing and posting pictures, reaching out to new friends, and tracking down any tonal treasures that got stuck in my head over the weekend.

I’m not sure who came up with the idea that Monday‘s always had to be manic – or that a little mania on Monday was a bad thing;I had an incredibly relaxing weekend (all things considered, being me and all…) and I’m feeling pretty mellow at the moment. But regardless of where your weekend dropped you off, I have some jams, new and old, to pick you up and chill you out. Each playlist is about half an hour, so why don’t you treat yourself to some fun on your lunch break and take a listen? After all, it is a Monday – you deserve it!

This one is for the gogetters and anyone looking to pick it up a notch or rock it out:

Tracklist:

Dog Blood – Next Order
Adventure Club ft Kai – Need Your Heart (Candyland Remix)
Sub Focus ft Kenzie May – Falling Down (xKore Remix)
Bingo Players – L’Amour
Zedd ft. Matthew Koma – Spectrum (A-Trak + Clockwork Remix)
Gareth Emery – Tokyo (Pixel Cheese Remix)

And for everyone else – maybe your hangover is too loud today, or you and the snooze button just became best friends this morning; either way, I’m sure you’d love to pull a Grandma’s Boy and take a nap under your desk. In lieu of doing that, and potentially getting fired – why not listen to this mix and try and make it through the day.