music

as promised, here's an update on what's been on my precious headphones the past month or two. and what on what i'm expecting to hear soon. styles vary, as do impressions. yes, you may call me an audiowhore and you'd be right.

just music section:

tracy chapman's latest studio release, "where you live".

i think this is her 7th studio album. although her music doesn't do for me what it used to do when i was 15, and i almost never listen to her nowadays, i still think it's a good try. her voice is soothing and velvety as always, but what is striking in this album are the gorgeously detailed yet simplistic instrumentals. flea on the bass, by the way. for me, the outstanding tracks are "3000 miles" and "never yours".
no hints of country, gladly. just pure old tracy, although it doesn't reach "crossroads" or "new beginning". a good album for indulging in melancholy and nostalgia over the lost teens.

fiona apple's "extraordinary machine":

i guess we'll never know what exactly happened behind this record, but sony has decided to release "extraordinary machine" on october 4. some of the new tracks have been released on fiona's revamped official site. it's interesting to hear new versions of the EM tracks most of us know already. i find them a little more glossy, but not in a bad way. also, there's a new track called "parting gift" which i find brilliant. fiona at her best --sexy, quirky, unexpected, chaotic, yet making sense. i can't say i'm not excited.

antony and the johnsons' "i am a bird now":

there's some music which you just cannot describe. when my friend kim told me about them, i asked what music they made. she wondered and then said, "absolutely gay" and had a grin on her face.
having heard the music, i still can't put it in a certain style box. it is gay, in a sense that antony's voice and lyrics obliterate any sense of gender. it goes from masculine to feminine in the frame of one song. and his voice bears a stunning resemblance to nina simone's.
the music is dramatic, exquisite, a bit theatrical, soulful, tragically sad, unusual, and most of all, beyond beautiful.

*shifting gears for a second*

house music:

kaskade's "house of om" vol.2:

lately i've been stuck on kaskade. his two previous records "it's you, it's me", and "in the moment" show his talent as a songwriter. this one shows his talent as a dj. "house of om" vol.2 compiled and mixed by kaskade is a deep, soulful house album that makes me want to dance -- and i do, in my mind, mostly, for lack of clubs around here that would play this kind of music. it makes me daydream and grin even if i'm just listening to it on my headphones on my way to work or sitting on my desk.
sexy, intelligent, well-mixed music.
lovely. i want more.

speaking of which, "house of om" vol.3 has been released yesterday, as well as miguel migs' "get salted". i'm sure these two are albums to be looking out for. can't wait.

current song: (11) [late night alumni] i knew you when (kaskade's mix).mp3