10-27-2013
The days just fly by. As the busy week is coming to a close, and the nights get longer, I sit here sipping a glass of wine, thinking… thinking about how to get away from it all for just a few desperate moments. I ease into my chair in the den and listen to the music flowing from the speakers to my ears.
I’ve always had a deep love for music, a profound lust for the aural pleasures in life, which, at some point, molded me into what some might call, a music connoisseur. I’ve seen this happen with other people- they feel the need to expound their musical theories to those that surround them- offering up unsolicited music advice to anyone that would listen. This is what I offer you today, with this post.
Female vocalists- I would usually say “‘nuff said”, in an anecdotal fashion, but the problem is, it truly isn’t enough to stop there. For as long as I can remember I have been a fan of the fairer sex’s vocal abilities. Two particular females have struck my fancy as of late, and I’ve not yet been able to shake their voices from my head.
You’ve probably been living under a rock if you haven’t heard of the commercially successful; yet anything but commercial artist, Lana Del Rey. With beauty to match her crooning Nancy Sinatra-esque vocals, I’ve had her on repeat for longer than I’d care to admit.
Lana Del Rey is a singer-songwriter but not in the ways of yesteryear. She is a classic performer, made relevant for todays audience. Since her project’s inception, it wasn’t long before she picked up serious heat from Hollywood behemoth Interscope Records, and since then, the rest is history. Her musical style has been dubbed, “Hollywood Sadcore”- whatever that means…
If I had to, I would categorize her as Downtempo-Experimental-Shoegaze as her vocals seem to me, to be homage to the days of My Bloody Valentine, or Mazzy Star. Even though she has a track on the radio titled “Summertime Sadness” – you may have heard the Cedric Gervais remix, which has been vastly overplayed by most major radio stations. In the realm of Lana, I’d be careful not to stop at her singles, but rather go further down the rabbit hole and take a chance on her lesser known tracks.
Please allow me to introduce you to some of my personal favorites from the lovely Lana.
This track is the lovely “Blue Jeans” remixed by New York City’s Blood Orange. A track that is equally as infectious as Lana’s original.
https://soundcloud.com/lana-del-rey/lana-del-rey-blue-jeans-blood
^^ Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans (Blood Orange Remix) ^^
Lana’s voice is sultry, smooth, and quite striking. If one mindlessly passed on her music, then I’d be inclined to pass on that persons musical taste. My other offering is a tune titled, “Born to Die”… It’s the original track, and maybe its the video, or her voice- or maybe I’m just a sucker for gloomy subject matter… part of me feels like it’s all of the above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bag1gUxuU0g
^^ Lana Del Rey – Born To Die ^^
Iggy Azalea. She’s got model looks, powerful presence, and she’s arguably Melbourne, Australia’s hottest import since… uh… well… If you think of anything, feel free to post in the comments below. Her debut album is slated for release via Island Def Jam in 2014. Even though it hasn’t yet been released, this girl has been making some serious waves- everybody’s quite literally Iggy for Iggy.
You might have caught her opening up for Nas on his “Life Is Good” tour or seen her warming up the stage for Rita Ora, she’s literally everywhere. Although I am reticent to place her in the realm of Hip-Hop, her lyrical ability and overall performance persona demands attention and respect. Her style is a tasteful infusion of Pop, Hip-Hop, and commercial rap, matched with the sex appeal of more mainstream artists before her (Spears, Gaga, Perry, Minaj, etc.). Her track “Work” is the embodiment of her style and swagger, it’s a must hear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zR6ROjoOX0
^^ Iggy Azalea – Work ^^
Move. Dance. Jump. Say what you want to say, but there’s a science to writing music that heats up the dance floor and can be emotive at the same time. Iggy proves that she can pump your blood pressure up and move you like any of the best with her track, “Bounce”.
https://soundcloud.com/iggy-azalea-official/iggy-azalea-bounce-explicit-1
^^ Iggy Azalea – Bounce ^^
After a glass of wine and some amazing music, I’m on a different tangent. Can’t you feel it? I don’t remember how much homework I have to do, I’m not thinking about clocking in at work tomorrow, I’m not concerned with the bills I have to pay, and I really couldn’t care less about what time I go to sleep tonight, because after all the turmoil and confusion this life has to offer, the music that is my lifeblood… the sounds that orchestrate my every moment, have done what I needed them to do, take me away.
Article By
Gabriel Barrio
Gabriel Barrio is a writer, music enthusiast, and vegan from Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Please direct any messages to:
“barrio.gabriel85@gmail.com”
with the subject heading “Take Me Away”.
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