The Lion's Tunes #9

Welcome to another edition of The Lion’s Tunes.

At the suggestion of a close friend, I decided to put my love of music to good use.

She pointed out to me that since I love music and listen to so much of it, I should share what songs I’m currently jamming to at the moment.

I was expecting this to be up sooner, especially given how very active I was over the October month. I had no idea where all of those emotions and opinions came from but hey, clearly I felt inspired and writing was the best way to get it out.

Anyway, getting back to the matter at hand. I have come across a lot of music while I will share below so I hope you enjoy.

I’m by no means a music expert and I won’t pretend to be. Most of what will be written here is information I’ve learned on the net and just my personal opinions on the songs.

I have been listening to a lot of local radio so today's is a mix of radio songs and tunes that I have discovered across the interweb.

So have at it...

·         Song: Soap

Artist: Melanie Martinez

This song is just fucking awesome. I love how fun, badass and so full of eccentric attitude that it is. I heard this first on local radio before I searched for it on youtube. It is just super cool. I groove for days on this song...and my grooving gets very grimey and nasty ;)



In all seriousness though, what I love about this is just how it also speaks back to parent's washing out your mouth with soap when you said something wrong (not that that happened to me because the weapon of choice when I misbehaved happen to be a belt). This song is just so cool.

What I love even more is that she sounds nearly identical to the record when performed live. Yassss.



I have no clue why I said "Yassss" I actually hate the word, but that is another blogpost for another day.

·         Song: WTF (Where They From)

Artist: Missy Elliot ft Pharrell Williams

She is back, and showing why we fell in love with her all those year ago. It is so nice to finally have another black female MC back on the scene. Nicki Minaj has been killing it but Missy is just that awesome and it feels awesome to have her back. Also this music video is fire! Excuse me while I'll try learning the words to this jam.

·         Song: Till I Found

Artist: Josef Salvat

I  came across Josef Salvat after hearing his vocals on the Tourist "Holding On" song. His voice captured me and I wanted to discover if his other music was just as good. I went throguh some of his songs on youtube but couldn't help but become obsessed with "Till I Found You". Given that I am a romantic at heart, I love romance songs but there is something haunting about this song that just gives me chills. Also, it hurt that he is gorgeous to look at. Yummy.

·         Song: Talk Me Down

Artist: Troye Sivan
Album: Blue Neighbourhood

It was to be expected that I would include the final song in the "Blue Neighbourhood" music video trilogy from Troye Sivan given that I have covered it before. What should be noted is that while the first two songs in the trilogy are from his "Wild" EP, the final song in the music video trilogy, "Talk Me Down" is actually the first single of his forthcoming album in December.




I have Youtube'd some of his live performance of songs from the forthcoming album, and boy does his album sound like it is goes to be a banger.

·         Song: Never Forget You

Artist: Zara Larrson ft MNEK

This is the song that has my mother annoyed. It has her annoyed because it is the only damn song that whenever it plays, I sing it as loud as possible. I am just so  OBSESSED. I dance and dance and dance and just let the sick beat crash over me.

Firstly, the vocals of this song are on point.
Secondly, the beat is a monster.
Thirdly, If you aren't dancing to this then you must be dead.
Fourthly, the message is something I connected with deeply. We all have that one person we will never forget.



Also, another pair that when performed lived, just absolutely destroy it. #ThankTheMusicGods. Though I was bit worried when she first started, the worry turned out to be for nought.

·         Song: Novocaine (Remix / Audio)

Artist: Fall Out Boy ft Uzi

I like Fall Out Boy, they are not on the list of groups that I obsess about, but they are just so awesome. They also are willing to mess around with their sound and let it be changed to make it work for other genres. No better example can be given than this version of their song Novocaine.

·         Song: Dance Again

Artist: Black Coffee ft Nakhane Toure
Album: Pieces of Me

DJ Black Coffee recent won the ‘Breakthrough In Association with Mixcloud Award at the 2015 Ibiza DJ Awards which is a pretty big, but cooler than that, he also released one fucking amazing song from his new album "Pieces of Me". It is currently the biggest song in South Africa at the moment and once you hear it, you will understand why. It is just a really really great song.

·         Song: In My Head

Artist: Galantis

I have been a fan of Galantis following the release of their song Runaway (You & I). While their song "Peanut Jelly" is currently soaring up the charts, I don't like it as much. However, regardless of that I still like their originality and how peculiar they are. Their latest offering "In my Head" is definitely proof of their craziness but also how they just love making music.

·         Song: When We Were Young

Artist: Break D Law ft Matthew Gold  

Love love love this tune. Matthew Gold has always had a very unique voice and one distinct enough that you can pick it out when it plays on the radio. He just supplied his vocals to Break D Law for this track and I'm glad because it delivered quite the banger. This is a local track and it is doing very well on the 5FM charts. While initially I wasn't captured by the song, the more I heard it, the more I liked it.

·         Song: Tripswitch

Artist: Nothing But Thieves

I love this song. I love the rocker vibe to it, it has a bit of that Muse thing going on which is hardly a bad thing. That aside, I just love the whole video of the song...also who doesn't love a guy pole dancing naked?? (it must have hurt quite a bit though). That aside, it is groovy and makes me want to air guitar which is a horrific sight to say the least.

·         Song: Automatic

Artist: Zhu ft AlunaGeorge

I have been liking the stuff that Zhu has been putting out. He has a cool vibe about his stuff. I am not the biggest EDM fan but I really really love a good beat that I can dance to.



Additional Mention:

Song: To Ü 
Artist: Jack Ü ft AlunaGeorge

I seem to be on a AlunaGeorge vibe of sorts. Hahaha. Also I do love me some Jack Ü because I am all about that Skrillex and Diplo making love with their music :P

·         Song: BURNITUP!

Artist: Janet Jackson ft Missy Elliot

My reaction to Ms Jackson's comeback has been varied. What I love about this next song is that it also features an artist I love, Miss Elliot. She was just pure awesome-sauce and I am really glad that she is also returning to music. I am really excited.

· Song: Stressed Out

Artist: Twenty One Pilots

I am all about that Twenty One Pilots vibe. They are hip hop but doing it on their own terms. It really is just them doing what they want and I love the deeper meaning that can be found in their lyrics. It's all about substance and you can hear it in every song that has such a clear message.

Additional Mention: Lane Boy

BONUS:

Florence + The Machine covers Skrillex and Diplo's "Where Are Ü Now"

I am including this cover by Florence and the Machine because she is just damn amazing. Some people may not like her style of singing but regardless I love it.

Theo.  Over and Out.


PS - Hope you enjoyed it. I didn't include a radio section because this was such a mix for me so yeah...

The Lion’s Tunes #2

Welcome to another edition of The Lion’s Tunes.

At the suggestion of a close friend, I decided to put my love of music to good use.

She pointed out to me that since I love music and listen to so much of it, I should share what songs I’m currently jamming to at the moment.

If you follow me on twitter then you’d know I usually tweet about what music has got me all caught up and catching feelings.

If I can sum up this week’s music selection it would be – Soulful, Truth Bombs and Sassy Funk.

I’m by no means a music expert and I won’t pretend to be. Most of what will be written here is information I’ve learned on the net and just my personal opinions on the songs. So have at it...

·         Song: Gold Dust

Artist: Galantis

Album:

Description:

After hearing their hit song “You & I (Runaway)” I knew that I wanted to hear more from this group. There was something about the song that just couldn’t get me to leave it alone. Sometimes with some EDM songs you don’t know whether they a momentary flash in the pans or something you will be able to hear on your playlist without skipping- “You and I (Runaway)” is a song like that for me.

 After a quick search, I discovered their follow up single “Gold Dust” and boy was I not disappointed. Staying in tune with their sound they deliver a track with emotion and beat. I really enjoy this track; it’s quieter but no less potent. I highly recommended it.

Additional Mention: Smile.

Interesting to note that Galantis is a Swedish duo composed of one of the Miike Snow members, Christian “Bloodshy” Karlsson and Linus Eklӧw. If you’ve heard of Miike Snow you’d know their sound is quirky given that it’s within the EDM genre but it works for them. Anyways someone on Twitter suggested I hear their song “Smile”, and as nice as it is, for me I find it somewhat generic. It’s like that song on an album that’s nice but it’ll never stand out for you.  That being said, not every song can be a superb hit so a few duds are to be expected. All in all I’d suggest giving more of their music a listen and find out if you like what they are selling because I certainly do.

·         Song:  Twisted Tongue

Artist: Misterwives

Album: Our Own House

Description:

When I was pondering about this particular song from the band, the words that came to me were “Sassy Jazzy Rock” and in some ways that perfect encapsulates their vibe. I picture myself in a vibey New York City bar, or something like the one in the movie “Going the Distance”, where you just reveal in the sound of a band and groove the night away. The band definitely knows their sound and who can deny it because it works. “Twisted Tongue” has that sass and also there’s a lovely section in the song where they get funky which just works so well. I think “Twisted Tongue” should be playing in movie scenes and credits.

I’m listening to this song now and it made me think of Duffy is some ways. With music it is only common to compare artists and the sound of Misterwives reminds me of Duffy, but I think that is just because of the lead singer’s voice. I wouldn’t automatically dismiss them if you dislike Duffy though. There is something so catchy about the song. You might not hear it on the first listen (I didn’t) but this song is soo funky. I bet you that you’ll be singing the tune or lyrics of “...you just managed to mask what’s now clear as glass, and that is – you’re an ASS-HOLE.”

Additional Mention: Reflections

Their funky side becomes clearer in this song. I really don’t have much further to add other than the above. All I want to do is just stop typing and groove along to the song. Reflections grew on me.

·         Song: Hard Time

Artist: Seinabo Sey

EP: For Madeleine

Description:

This song fits into my own made genre of what I like to call “Truth Bomb EDM”. It's the type of song you dance to in your room at night with your eyes closed and just shutting yourself off from the rest of the world. Having some de-stress alone time. The drum beat gives me that Amazonian Marching Band vibe. Please please please go and give this song a listen because the voice of this Swedish-Gambian singer should be heard.

“Hard time forgiving, even harder forgetting; before you do somethin’, you might regret...”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/who-is-seinabo-sey-introducing-the-swedishgambian-singer-inspired-by-her-dual-identity-9600349.html

Additional Mention: Younger

This song was released before their song “Hard Time”, and I didn’t like it. I thought that the potential was there but the song didn’t really do much. As what often happens with me is that I sometimes judge songs too quickly, and not all songs make a home in your heart immediately. This one grew on me and while I never seek it on my playlist, when it does come on it just makes me stop and I don’t skip it. You feel the hairs on your arm raise because it just has that truth bomb factor. You just have to listen. There is something haunting but thought provoking about the song and it just makes me like it all the more for what it is.

·         Song: Say You Love Me

Artist: Jessie Ware

Album: Tough Love (Delux Edition)

I came across this saying that I just felt was so perfect; it went something to the effect of -“The right song will find you at the right time”. This song happened that way to me. I was on tumblr, browsing someone’s account when suddenly my earphones were playing this song. I immediately fell in love and went to search it. This is a song I became so obsessed with, as I was writing this week’s blog post, I found this and I had to add it.

I love this song for many reasons because it speaks to that moment when all you want from the person you have feelings is just for them to say they love you (see what I did there?). I even used it as a chapter title for my online story; this song is just pure bliss. Don’t mind me while I quote the whole Second Verse and Chorus:

“Just say you love me, just for today.

And don’t give me time, ‘cause that’s not the same

Mmm... want to feel burning flames when you say my name

Want to feel passion flow into my bones like blood through my veins.

Cause I don’t want to fall in love

If you don’t want to try

But all that I’ve been thinking of is maybe that you might

And babe it looks as though we’re running out of words to say and love’s floating away.”

Additional Mention:  Tough Love

I only heard this in the past few days and I get why it’s the title track for the album. More people really need to know about Jessie Ware. Her musicality really shines through, and she knows exactly how to use her voice. Wispy and gentle when it needs to be as witnessed in “Tough Love” and uses the power of her voice when she needs to.

Hot Pick of the Week:

·        Artist: Kwabs

EP: Walk

Soulful. Fresh. Silky.

Those are the three words I’d use describe Kwabs. There is something special about this guy, and when his album gets released in May this year, it will be a must have. As what often happens within the music industry (from my little understanding) is that these artists often release EP’s to give people a taste of their sound and then if people bite these artists are rushed into the studio to produce a full length album.

Do yourself a favour and purchase his EP (a quick Google search confirms that it’s on iTunes) because I promise you won’t be disappointed. The title track, “Walk” has been playlisted on radio stations so I’m certain you’ve heard but still, there are so many gems.  It was released in October last year but my word it’s great. As I’m typing this, I’m currently obsessing over “Into You” *dance breakdown*, getting goosebumps from “Pray For Love” and just treating my soul to some good music with “Saved”, “Last Stand”, “Wrong or Right” and “Spirit Fade”.

If all is right in the world then this talented man from Ghana will hopefully blow up in a huge way.

http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/nme-exclusive-listen-to-kwabs-stunning-and-soulful-new-ep-walk

The “Oud maar nog nie Koud nie”:

There might not always be this section within future posts but I thought I would add it in this one nonetheless. These songs aren’t new (and may or may not exactly be well known) but yet are still banging. The section title is in Afrikaans which in English means “The old but not yet cold”.

·        Song: Woods

Artist: Bon Iver  

I came across Bon Iver after they won the Grammy actually, famously beating out Justin Bieber in some category or other. I was like well let me go give a listen to their music. I will admit that I’m still not sure if Bon Iver is one person/ duo or group because from my understanding it seems like there is the lead singer and recurring members. Getting back this song however, it gave me chills; haunting and eerie but it works. I loved how the song was describing that feeling of being lost within life by using woods as a metaphor.  We’re all just stumbling through the woods of our lives not knowing where we are going but feeling out way through it.

Additional Mention: Lost in the World (Kanye West’s version/remix of Woods).

When I first heard about this, I thought “great Kanye probably butchered the song” but when I saw the video of Kanye and the lead singer of Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) performing this together at the Coachella music festival, boy did I fall in love with it. Kanye West is one of those artists who can create pure music magic once he lets his ego get out of the way and let music take over- this is such an occasion. When Kanye came on and remixed it, keeping Justin’s vocals and, adding his own hip hop flavour, it just gelled so well together. I sometimes search for this song if I hadn’t heard it in a while because it is just one of those songs you need to hear every so often.

·         Song: No One’s Here To Sleep

Artist: Naughty Boy ft Bastille

If you don’t know of Naughty Boy then where have you been? He did the super catchy “Lala” song featuring Sam Smith on the vocals and also “Home” with Sam Romans. However there is a lesser known and older song from Naughty Boy that actually features the talents of Bastille (who’s lead Singer Dan Smith is actually from South Africa yay!). I came across this song is an episode of one my favourite shows – Teen Wolf (judge away, I know it is bad) but the song just captured my attention. It’s moody and dark but so great.

Additional Mention:  Wonder

This song is one banger. It just gets you grooving and dancing. Also it’s Naughty Boy featuring the talents of Emeli Sandé. I love seat dancing to it.

Extra:

Songs on the radio that I’m currently obsessed with –

1.       Goldfish – Away Game (Deepfish Mix)

2.       TiMo ODV ft Sarah Jackson – Save Me (Radio Edit) ←This song is amazing

3.       Zebra and Giraffe – Goodbye

4.       Kelly Clarkson – Heartbeat Song

All tracks should be available on iTunes.

I’m aware that the tunes aren’t exactly big club dance tracks but I’ll promise to keep an ear out for anything. What usually happens though is that the songs are always picked up by radio stations and killed to death on repeat so I tend to go for the smaller songs here.

If you have any suggestions don’t be scared to let me know in the comments below.

Theo. Over and Out.