Renaissance - Winter '17

So cliche! A rebirth for January! But I'm going to try to do it this time! I'm going to try to kick my ass into gear and get myself cleaner and leaner. To accompany this feeling, I'm gonna listen to songs that are minimal, clean, kinda upbeat, and inspiring.

Renaissance
1. Bloodflows, SOHN, Bloodflows
2. Monument, Röyksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
3. All I Want, Bob Moses, All In All
4. Dear World, Nine Inch Nails, Not The Actual Events
5. Colours, Calvin Harris, I Created Disco
6. Golden Light, STRFKR, Miracle Mile
7. Breathe, Kylie Minogue, Impossible Princess

Holigay - Christmas 2016

I haven't done a playlist in a hot minute. It feels nice to be making them again for the holiday and winter season. This year I wanted to make a Christmas playlist to celebrate the fact that I'm letting myself celebrate Christmas. It's not my favorite holiday and I've stayed away from enjoying it because of the forced happiness. But I somehow naturally associated it with the home-iness and classicism of the 1950s and made a playlist full of classic holiday songs from Frank, Tony, Ella, and Billie. Get yourself a hot toddy, wear your best red lipstick, and put on some gay 'ol tunes.
Holigay 2016
1. Happy Holiday by Peggy Lee 2. Winter Wonderland by Ella Fitzgerald 3. Silver Bells by Tony Bennett 4. White Christmas by Dean Martin 5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Lou Rawles 6. A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives 7. Frosty the Snowman by The Ronettes 8. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause by The Jackson 5

01

Trying to dress like that. Listening to them. 

It's a "warm" rainy day; having some left over stir-fry and waiting to head over to the airport to pick up my sister for the holiday week ahead.

keep it spooky ~ halloween 2014

I haven't done a Halloween playlist in two years (!!). This one is a little more "Halloween party" friendly. I grabbed some songs from my favorite bands that I think are a little spooky and paired it with a still from one of my favorite spooky movies, Donnie Darko.

>>Keep it spooky ~ Halloween '14<<

1. The Killing Moon, Echo and The Bunnymen, Songs to Learn and Sing
2. Came Back Haunted, Nine Inch Nails, Hesitation Marks

3. Vamp, Trentemøller, The Last Resort

4. Bloodletting (The Vampire Song), Concrete Blonde, Bloodletting

5. Lullaby, The Cure, Disintegration

6. Silent Shout, The Knife, Silent Shout

7. I Want You Now, Depeche Mode, Music For the Masses
8. Evil Eye, Franz Ferdinand, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

*Bonus: The X-Files theme song

03 summer funk

>> When you're in that summer funk(y music mood) <<

01 - Delorean Dynamite, Todd Terje, It's Album Time

02 - Miss Mood (Satin Jackets Remix), Novika, Miss Mood

03 - Have To Fun, Volta Cab & Rim Tag, Have To Fun EP

04 - Till The End Of..., Anthony Middleton, Insomniac Nights EP

05 - Mopedbart, Hubbabubbaklub, Mopedbart

weekly happiness 03

The Tube: Utopia



I have been in a television show rut lately. I was re-watching one of my favorite shows Torchwood just for the hell of it but I wanted something new to watch that gave me just as much as excitement that Torchwood did the first time I watched it just about four years ago. After doing some Googling ("good BBC dramas", "Channel 4 dramas"), I stumbled upon the Channel 4 show Utopia. I watched the first few minutes of the first episode from the first season and was instantly hooked. The violence, the mystery, the colors, the cinematography and the soundtrack were all things that intrigued me at once. I'm currently on the fifth episode out of six in the first season and I am completely addicted. In a nut shell, it's about a group of internet friends that unwilling unravel the secret conspiracies behind a popular comic book. It's extremely violent so it's not for the faint hearted but I definitely recommend if you're looking for some smart and visually stunning T.V.

Top Shelf: Fiercely Fabulous O.P.I. nail polish + Simple hydrating lotion

Somehow I acquired a tiny bottle of Sephora for O.P.I.'s (or O.P.I. for Sephora?) Fiercely Fabulous a few years back. Only when I run out of it do I realize that it's the perfect shade of red orange. I searched at Sephora for a replacement bottle but found nothing (purchased Clinique's Dramatically Different moisturizer though). Instead I ordered it online and to my surprise the bottle is two times bigger than the average O.P.I. bottle!

Before I use the aforementioned Clinique product, I'm finishing up Simple's hydrating lotion. For a sample I got last year from Target, I'm actually really impressed by it. It's the right amount of thick while still remaining light enough to wear on my face in the middle of August. I can also use it on my body (took it with for a vacation weekend in northern Wisconsin) so it's good for travel.

Tech Check: Duolingo app

I can't remember where or when I read about this app I've been using to teach myself the basics of French. It's called Duolingo and it works two ways: the user learns a language or brushes up on one all while simultaneously translating text from the Internet. This visually stimulating video explains it so much better. The point, though, is that it's free, you're learning or re-learning a language as well as helping someone out.

Jams: The Dead Weather



I have fallen head over heels in love with Jack White this summer and along my journey discovering his musical talents I have stopped at the Dead Weather. There's something a whole lot darker about the Dead Weather compared to The Raconteurs, The White Stripes or his solo stuff and I'm totally hooked. I'm a massive fan of The Kills as well so I am always pleased to listen to Alison Mosshart. Favorite tracks (and videos) include Hustle and Cuss, I Cut Like A Buffalo, Treat Me Like Your Mother and So Far From Your Weapon.

aphrodite, lady, seashell bikini

Aphrodite, Lady, Seashell Bikini ~ Summer '14

1. Love Sublime, Tensnake, Glow
2. Best Friend, Foster the People, Supermodel
3. Lazaretto, Jack White, Lazaretto
4. Uptight Downtown, La Roux, Trouble in Paradise
5. Navajo, The Glass Jars, Evolution of Containment
6. Gooey, Glass Animals, Zaba
7. White Diamonds, Friendly Fires, Friendly Fires
8. Come A Little Closer, Cage the Elephant, Melophobia
9. Good Enough to Keep, Tensnake, Glow

somnolent

SOMNOLENT ~ SLEEPY

My first semester of college has kicked my ass. I am dead tired and am ready for a a long, six week winter vacation full of sleep, sleep and more sleep. I want to lounge around in knits and sweat pants and listen to Jamie Cullum and Massive Attack, sip caramel apple spices from Starbucks, watch The X-Files and Mad Men, and read 'Filth' by Irvine Welsh. I am ready to curl up in my huge comforter and wake up to a white neighborhood and then fall back asleep. I am ready to use this winter break to refresh myself for the spring semester.

1. Waiting, Aquanote, The Pearl

2. Exchange, Massive Attack, Mezzanine

3. Love for $ale, Jamie Cullum, Momentum

4. Heroin Chic, Naked Music, Re-creation
5. Our Remains, Bitter:Sweet, The Mating Game

02 guilty electro

>> Shitty electro, good vibes <<

01 - Off & On, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Make a Scene

02 - Work B**ch, Britney Spears, Work B**ch

03 - Girl Gone Wild, Madonna, MDNA

04 - Do What U Want, Lady Gaga, ARTPOP

01 sickly

>> Nursing you back to health <<

01 - Wonderful Life, Hurts, Happiness

02 - Breathe, Kylie Minogue, Impossible Princess

03 - Rescue Me, Madonna, The Immaculate Collection

04 - The Drug, Röyksopp, Senior

05 - Breathe, Télépopmusik, Genetic World

06 - Mercy, Moby, Moby

07 - Subtle (feat. Mikky Ekko), Active Child, Rapor EP

08 - There's A Light Out On The Horizon, Chromatics, Kill For Love

exhibitionists

Haven't done this for a while.

Soundtrack for the weekend:

1. Geri by Superhumanoids
2. Make Luv by Room 5
3. Panic Station by Muse
4. Dance Me by Télépopmusik

grown up tunes

I am unbelievably excited about how all of these album covers are cohesive. I didn't mean for them to turn out this way, but it's great that it did. It definitely works with my love for orange and black and white this summer. I had this phase two summers ago and I suppose it's going to become my go to for the warmest season. 

I'm calling this summer 2013 playlist "Grown Up Tunes" because this is the last summer I have as a "kid". Come fall I will be a college freshman (gosh that sounds odd) and the real world will start regularly hitting me in the face. The playlist consists of mainly new tunes that I wouldn't have imagined myself listening to (Drake, Rihanna, The Weeknd) and some very expected (Daft Punk, St. Germain). This summer is all about new experiences and I have the most appropriate playlist to accompany me.

>> Grown Up Tunes Summer 2013 <<

1. Beach Side, Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown

2. Give Life Back To Music, Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

3. Sweet Life, Frank Ocean, Channel ORANGE

4. Sure Thing, St. Germain, Tourist

5. Take Care, Drake/Rihanna, Take Care

6. Tomorrow, DJ Sun, One Hundred

7. The Zone, The Weeknd/Drake, The Trilogy

8. Café de Flore, Doctor Rockit, Hôtel Costes Quatre

9. Get Lucky, Daft Punk/Pharrell Williams/Nile Rodgers, Get Lucky

all hallow's eve

Oh no, I wasn't going to let Halloween go by without a playlist.

> Happy All Hallow's Eve <

Playlist Track Listing

1. Paranoid by Black Sabbath

2. Manipulated Living by Michael Andrews

3. Dead Souls by Joy Division

4. Superstition by The Kills

5. Monster by Kanye West

6. Rape Me by Nirvana

smalhans

Soundtrack for the weekend:

1. Rà-àkõ-st by Lindstrøm
2. Simulation by Róisín Murphy
3. This Head I Hold by Electric Guest

island life

Last year my summer playlist had more of a California beach vibe but this year there's more of a Tahiti, Cancun, Caribbean beach vibe. I love islands, tropical beaches that meet with jungles, heavy dark green foliage, turquoise water, rolling mountains. Pretty much any geographical description that is seen in these photos. A few are from a Vogue Japan August 2012 editorial with Toni Garnn, one is from Vogue Portugal and the YouTube screen caps are from Duran Duran's music video for Rio. Rio is the main song of the playlist because of its funky bass guitar riff and bubbly personality. The title of the playlist is even from the song. A close second is Madonna's La Isla Bonita because of its lyrics: "tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free, this is where I long to be, la isla bonita." La isla bonita means the beautiful island and where ever Madonna was referring to, I'd love to go to. Despite the humidity of tropical islands and the bugs, I just want to end up in some sea side resort with my all white wardrobe and mermaid hair.

Bird of Paradise - Summer 2012

spring resolutions

Today is the first day of spring and I'm normally not one to enjoy this season. My allergies are beyond terrible and I live out in the country where there's nothing but the things that irritate my sinuses. But there's something about a warm breeze, an open window, fresh new airy clothing and sunshine that appeals to me right now. I've been telling myself to have a spring makeover since this winter was kind of a mess for me. I'm looking forward to getting some vitamin D on my skin and recovering from the past year. There's a mental list of things to try to get accomplished during this spring and things to carry one through the end of the year and beyond. It's like this March is the January I never had: making resolutions and starting over.

I started with taking inspiration from Metronomy's music video for The Bay. I love the colors: deep greens and filling aquas with white contrast whilst laying on a boardwalk. These things remind me of a trip to Maui about four years ago and I would love to go back for my Spring Break which is in three days. But that's not happening this year. I'll just have to play this video over and over again instead. Here is a list of things I want to achieve/accomplish this season:

1. Plant: After getting a puppy Chia pet for Christmas and watching the little green leaves grow on him, I've really been wanting to grow inside greenery.

2. Read more: Of course, it's almost always on everyone's resolutions list. I've got a massive reading list here and I'd like to work on it.

3. Exercise: It seems to have really made a different in me since really starting in August of last year. Maybe not in appearance, to me anyway, but I've felt somewhat happier.

4. Open the windows more: Just remember to take your allergy medicine.

5. Focus on spring dressing: Chinos, trench coat, pastel colors on top, no black, flowy hair and maybe with the warm weather we're having now, I'll be able to wear sandals right away.

6. Burn more candles: They lift the vibe in the room. I want springy scents, of course. I'm feeling Sun and Sand from Yankee and Pineapple Mango from Bath and Body Works.

7. Find some sort of online job: I don't drive and there's no such thing as a taxi or city bus or any kind of public transporation out where I live so it's impossible to find a job. I've resorted to looking for publications that I can write for from home. Paid or unpaid.

Spring 2012 playlist: The English Riviera

blanc, froid, sombre: winter 2011 - 2012

Et voila, my winter 2011 mix. 11 tracks for the cold of twenty eleven.

A mix that's dedicated to the winds of winter, the snowflakes (or rain drops), those first cold bites of hiver and the barren feel of a field full of snow. It's a serene and chill out bunch that you can dance the night away to, watch the snow fall to that will also take you away for a while from this holiday madness. A simple, clean, electronic mix that will accompany you throughout this season.

Blanc, froid, sombre: white, cold, dark. These three words describe the songs I have selected and how I'm viewing the winter holiday. Enough of me telling you about them. Give it a listen, and happy winter.

Blanc, Froid, Sombre

subtle sexuality part 2

I decided to make my summer 2011 playlist in two parts because the summer is three months long and in those three months, my tastes and vibes change. A lot. Plus, I don't like it when playlists are ultra long. I like them short and sweet.

Subtle Sexuality Part 1 was sort of in your face, look at me I'm a literal summer playlist with poppy songs and chill out songs perfect for the most cliché thing to do during June/July/August: go to the beach. Part 2 is for what happens after you return from the beach and are all sunburn and your skin is rough and thick from the wind, sun, sand and salt water. You're tired and warm and your hair is all a mess and tied up into a bun. You're still wearing your bathing suit but have thrown some shorts and a racer back tank on and are just ready to wind down. That's when you reach for these songs whilst you watch the sun go down and take in the ocean side from a different point of view.

The link below is located within Spotify, so if you don't have an account you won't be able to open up the playlist. Spotify is now open to the United States for those of you who don't know (this was just recently). It's a great place to share music and make loads of playlists. Also, the best feature, you can listen to any song at any time and it's in it's full form. No 1 minute sample like on iTunes.

SUBTLE SEXUALITY PART 2

1. Echoes by Washed Out

2. Indigo by Azari & III

3. Vessel by Zola Jesus

4. Altes Kamuffel by Paul Kalkbrenner

5. Paradise Circus by Massive Attack

6. Something About You by Tensnake

7. Precious by Depeche Mode

8. Overpowered by Roisin Murphy

9. I Want Your Love by Chic

10. Shades of Marble (Trentemøller Remix) by Trentemøller

subtle sexuality part 1

I really enjoy making playlists and mixtapes for the summer even if no one listens to them. It's just fun to pick out songs that have that summer vibe of whatever I'm feeling and put them together. For this summer, I've decided to go into a sort of calm but bubbly theme. Subtle, but sexy. I wanted upbeat pop-y songs like Cut Copy and Kylie Minogue but still some lazy summer tracks like Washed Out and Beach House. I am relating all of these songs with a tropical feel for this summer too. I couldn't help but put La Roux's Quicksand on here with that in mind. Plus, it's been a summer favourite since 2009. This year is a little different in terms of summer music because I've even got a favourite album: Friendly Fires' Pala that released last month. It so perfectly fits into my summer mood. I'm planning to do an album review on Pala so I'll get to gorm over it then. Until I write it up, enjoy my summer 2011 mixtape: Subtle Sexuality.

SUBTLE SEXUALITY PART 1

1. Raise Me Up by Hercules And Love Affair
2. Norway by Beach House
3. Cowboy Style by Kylie Minogue
4. Make Some Noise by Beastie Boys
5. Too Much of A Good Thing by Kylie Minogue
6. If I Was Your Lover by Kylie Minogue
7. Quicksand by La Roux
8. Take Me Over by Cut Copy
9. Feel It All Around by Washed Out
10. Live Those Days Tonight by Friendly Fires
11. Saturdays by Cut Copy
12. What You Know by Two Door Cinema Club

winter playlist

For my 2010 Winter playlist, I decided to do a fun and sort of expected mix. I picked out every song on my iPod that I thought resembled the holidays. Some of the tracks are specifically for Christmas, since that's the holiday I celebrate, others are good for watching the snow fall or for feeling nostalgic for the white magic if it doesn't snow in your area. A few songs aren't Christmas-y but still fall under the "holiday" category by their name or a specific lyric in the song. One track on my holiday mix I listened to a lot last Christmas and I think it applies for every year's holiday season. Last year was a dark and moody, but of course still cheerful, Christmas. I like to colour coordinate things, even things that aren't able to be coloured, if that makes sense. 2009 was full of cool colours: blacks, dark purples, dark blues, greys, and occasionally a white. 2010 is full of reds, hunter greens, golds, whites, blacks, silvers; more of a classical Christmas vibe. I hope you enjoy the feel-good tracks that I selected for this season and come back for my Summer 2011 mix in June!

Track list:

1. Horchata by Vampire Weekend
2. Imagine by John Lennon
3. Last Christmas by Wham!
4. Crystalised by The XX
5. Holiday by Vampire Weekend
6. Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney
7. Dreaming by Goldfrapp
8. I Feel Fine by The Beatles
9. Ice Monster by Minus The Bear
10. Clocks by Coldplay
11. Cosmic Love by Florence + The Machine
12. Happiness by Goldfrapp
13. Fleur Blanche by Orsten
14. Lights by Ellie Goulding
15. The Gaudy Side of Town by Gayngs
16. Evelyn by Hurts
17. Wonderful Life by Hurts
18. Blackbird by The Beatles

Download HERE.

S.J.K.