Blackmill feat. Veela "Let It Be"

April 17, 2013

Album: Miracle*

It's surreal to think that I have had this blog for a year now. I remember that it was exactly around this time last year that I was bored out of my mind while trying to do homework, and I had run out of ways to procrastinate. Since then, I have changed so much as a person, and I think that  those of you who have been reading this since the beginning can tell. I created this blog just to track how my taste in music changes and when I look back on old posts, it's weird to see how I changed as a person as well. Last week was the first week of my last quarter in community college, and it hit me just how different things are going to be in a couple of months: I'm going to transfer to a completely new college, the friends I became so close to are transferring too, and I will finally be taking classes for what I want to do for the rest of my life. Alright, enough of that! I know that many of you just finished spring break, so let me know how that went (and for those of you who unfortunately are out in the real world and did not have a spring break, tell me about something fun that you recently did)! I went to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles for a couple of days with my friends, and I had an amazing time, although I have to say that it just reinforced that I am really not much of a big party person. Now that I am back at school, I have readjusted to my night owl ways (although I have improved so much; I went to bed at 1 yesterday!) and have gone back to doodling in class. I was at school yesterday for a total of fourteen hours and I have never come so close to stabbing myself with a fork and calling it quits. Luckily, I just doodled for a while and read about 200 pages of "Catcher In the Rye." Now, onto the song. I have developed quite an affinity for "chillstep" and this is one of the first songs that really got stuck in my head. When the song first started playing, I didn't think much of it, but by the end, I was mesmerized. Veela's voice is enchanting and the soothing, yet riveting, background music just captivates me every time. If you do decide to give this song a listen, don't stop half way or after a minute; listen to the whole thing and you will most likely thank me!

"It's all a mystery,

Let it come and let it be"

Youtube Music Video

Blackmill's Facebook

I cannot find a legal download link...

Podcasts! This American Life

Although this is a little different from what I usually post, I realized that not that many people know what podcasts are, or if they do, they still don't really listen to them. All I can say is that those of you who have still not indulged your brain with these morsels of information are definitely missing out! So, I decided to do you guys a favor and do posts on my favorites.

This American Life: If any of you are familiar with podcasts, this won't be much of a surprise. It was the first podcast that I ever got into, and for most people, it is the one that they have  heard of since it is actually a radio program produced by WBEZ. It's hosted by Ira Glass, who does a superb job making anything dry sound interesting and the podcast would not be the same without him. TAL covers a wide range of stories/interviews about culture from across America (yes, America, who would've thought?). The only downside to this podcast is that only one episode is available at a time on iTunes/other platforms, but every single episode is available to stream on their website for free. Since I cannot possibly explain how vast the subject matter is, I thought I'd link a couple of recent/classic ones to start you off with:

• "Switched at Birth": This episode is about exactly what it sounds like. In the 1950's, two baby girls were switched at birth and went home with the wrong families. The interviews in this episode are so intriguing to hear since they cover everyone's point of view and explain how everything went down. 
• "What I Did For Love": This episode contains a few anecdotes and one fictional story about what people did for love; and truth be told that it's a lot less corny than it sounds. It will bring out certain emotions, though, but not the one's that you'd usually expect to have in an episode like this one. For the most part, I was surprised, confused, and mad haha. 
• "Kid Logic": This episode is all about how kids use logic, but still end up coming to wrong conclusions. Some of the interviews go over the topics of: the tooth fairy, Jesus, and of course, young love.
• "No Coincidence, No Story!": Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good story about coincidence, and this episode fulfills my quota every time. The best part is that none of them are completely insane, so anyone could hear them and be able to relate. 
• "Doppelgängers": I couldn't mention recent episodes without mentioning this one, especially since it is co-hosted with Fred Armisen. Since this episode is about doppelgängers, he imitates Ira Glass's voice, and it is quite entertaining. I couldn't help but smile any time he said something since he was so spot on. On one last note, though, if any of you religiously eat calamari, this episode may change that.

Artist Profile - Rozeaudio

It's been about six months since I decided to do profiles on different kinds of artists, so it's safe to say I procrastinated a bit. The time has finally come, though, and to kick things off, I thought we'd start with Rozeaudio, an experimental artist from Minnesota. I came across him/his music when I joined a group on Facebook in which people would post and discuss music that they were digging at the moment and other random tidbits. I enjoyed the kind of music that he posted, so I decided to check out the music that he made and, of course, it was pretty sick! I got the chance to do a small interview with him, so enjoy:

Sharanya: What motivated you to start making music?

Rozeaudio: When I was 15, I started watching an anime called "Samurai Champloo". I remember every time the show came on, I'd start jamming out to the intro song. Eventually I looked it up and found that it was called "Battlecry" by Nujabes (R.I.P.). That single song was what motivated me to start making music. 

S: Which bands/artists do you draw inspiration from?

R: Currently I get all my inspiration from artists like Insightful and Nosaj Thing. Before, my only inspirations came from Nujabes and Lorn.

S: What song of yours is your favorite?

R: My favorite song of mine would have to be the intro track off of my upcoming EP, "Thoughts". That track really just came out perfectly to me. I always put a lot of emotion into my music and I can really feel how I felt when I first made that track. 

Album: The Stash*

S: What did you grow up listening to?

R: I started off with a lot of rap. Went through an awkward stage when I listened to heavy metal, death metal, screamo, dark shit like that. Eventually discovered Flylo and from that point I learned of artists like Dimlite, Tokimonsta, Lorn, Gaslamp Killer, etc. 

S: What has been your favorite concert?

R: I've actually never been to a concert. All the shows I would go to are out in LA and living in MN makes it a bit of a mission to go out and and see a show.

S: What do you want to be 'when you grow up'?

R: I'm not even sure to be honest. I've always been the kind of guy to just go with it. Wherever the wind takes me. I'm not entirely too worried about where I might end up. I always find a way to be happy  with whatever situation I'm in, or at least try to be.

S: What are your top 5 favorite foods?

R: Top five favorite foods? Damn. I love ramen, corn beef and and rice, fish sticks, pizza, and spaghetti. I generally love anything cheap and delicious haha. 

S: What is one of your favorite works of art?

R: I've always been really into graffiti. I love wild style. Like a lot of Tea Wei's shit. He comes up with some cool ass characters.

S: If you have a pet rock, what would you name it?

R: If I had a pet rock, I'd name it GOD!

S: What are three random facts that we should know about you?

R: Well for one, I'm an insomniac. I've almost never made a single track during the day. All the action happens when the moons up. Two, I love playing video games. I'm a PC gamer, fuck the consoles haha. And three, my real name is Carmen Rowland. Yes, that is a girls name. 

Rozeaudio's Bandcamp

Rozeaudio's Soundcloud

Rozeaudio's Facebook

Bonobo - "Kiara"

March 4, 2012

Album: Kiara*

I went to the Starfucker/Blackbird Blackbird concert last Friday with a couple of friends, and as usual, they were amazing. There is just something to be said about being in a room filled with people who share a similar interest with you and just vibing off all the energy! I am pretty stoked for the upcoming months because there are some amazing artists and bands that are coming to the bay area and I am hoping that I will be able to convince people to go with me haha. Here are a couple of pictures from the night:

A blurry picture of Blackbird Blackbird haha

Starfucker!

Maggie and me before the concert :)

Alright, I know that I have procrastinated on posting some of the amazing interviews that I did with local artists/musicians, but I promise that I will begin to upload them as soon as I am happy with the formatting. I'm also open to doing more interviews, so please don't be shy if you make music and would like me to check it out! :) I love hearing what people make, and more often than not, it's pretty sick! Throughout the past couple of weeks, I have discovered some amazing artists and I cannot wait to share them with you guys. I had to post a song by Bonobo today because I was listening to a couple of his songs and they added to the perfectly relaxing carefree day I had today. It's not often that I have time to just relax with a cup of tea and just draw and listen to new music. Also, I had to post it since I put it on a cd I made for Anna and it was one of her favorites. We both agree that when we go on adventures, this will definitely be on the soundtrack. :)

Youtube Music Video

Bonobo Wikipedia 

Download on Amazon

Cadence Collective - "M∞n - Om"

February 15, 2012

Album: Cadence Sampler*

Today, Maggie, Emily, and I sat in my hot tub and began discussing our usual topic, the future. This put me in a philosophical mood tonight and I can't help but think about everything I have done thus far, and how small events have changed the course of my life. As cliche as it is to say that I would never have imagined myself to be the way I am five years ago, it's true; and I cannot wait to see what I will do in the next five years. For the last six months or so, I was in a state in which I was pessimistic and questioned everything/worried about how messed up society is/thought about how I cannot possibly do everything I want to do in this lifetime. Looking back, I can see how clouded my mind was with negativity, when I really should have siphoned my thoughts and tuned them towards being happy and grateful. I really do have the most amazing friends and family, better than I could ever even hope for, and they always support me in all my endeavors and never let me feel shitty about myself. With them in my life, it possibly cannot be bad. For those of you who are still in your teen angst/screw society phase of life, please end it sooner rather than later. By sitting around and thinking of why everything/everyone around you is messed up, you are wasting your time and falling into a deadly trap. At least attempt to change what you dislike, or wake up and realize that, yeah, we live in a not-so-perfect world, but you don't have to fit into society's norms. Do what you want to do, be who you want to be, and let the rest fall in place. People will appreciate your originality and will be encouraged to let their inner weirdo out as well. Oh god, that was pretty long, I guess it's just one of those nights. For those of you who are also having one of these nights, give this song a listen, it's captivating.

Youtube Music Video

Cadence Collective Website

Download on Bandcamp

Medusa and Krysten Ritter!

Since I never finished uploading some of the art that I made last quarter, I thought it would be nice to finally do that. Alright so maybe these are bad quality photos from my Instagram...it won't happen again, I just feel a little too lazy to go scan the images right now! The first one was inspired by a statue of Medusa that I had loved for a while and when we had to make a monochromatic piece for my color class, I didn't hesitate to choose the image. She ended up looking more like an ethereal water goddess, but I liked the outcome nonetheless. The second one was a portrait of Krysten Ritter that I did for my drawing class and unfortunately of all the techniques I could have chosen, I went with stippling. I'm pretty sure that I had a minor case of carpal tunnel, but it was somewhat worth it because the effort I put in paid off and I actually really enjoyed the technique and want to try experimenting with it a little more.

Blackbird Blackbird - "Avalanche (Star Slinger Remix)"

February 5, 2012

Album: Let's Move On Together EP*

Even though I was having formatting issues and it started to take me over an hour to do my blogposts, I decided to start posting again because I missed it; it was always something to look forward to at the end of my day (that, and Sonia told me that she was disappointed in me haha). Yesterday was Emily's birthday and it hit me that she just turned 20 and that she isn't a teenager anymore. And that the same thing will happen to me soon enough. For those of you who are older and think that the previous statement was 'cute', you're just bitter because you're old. I was never one of those kids who wanted to be older, I just wanted to stay a kid forever. Oh well, I'll always be a kid at heart! I had to post a song by Blackbird Blackbird today because I am stoked on the fact that he is playing with Starfucker in March! I convinced a couple of my friends to go with me and I can't wait to see them because they were sick when I saw them last year and seeing them with Blackbird Blackbird will just be the icing on the cake. For those of you who aren't familiar with either of them, do yourself a favor and check em out!

Youtube Music Video

Blackbird Blackbird's Website

I couldn't find a legal download link, I'm sure that you will find another way to obtain it though... :)

Why? - "The Vowels Pt. 2"

January 25, 2012

Album: Alopecia*

I know, I know, it's been quite awhile since I've posted on here, sue me. I've been having problems formatting my posts like I normally do and don't really want to change the way it looks which is frustrating, is anyone else having the same problem? I've finally gotten into the swing of things in school, though, and honestly, it's a little depressing. I cannot wait to be done taking general education classes so that I can finally focus on what I really want to do. On another note, Maggie, Anna and I hung out with some new people and it reminded me just how weird we are. If one of you unfortunately meets me in real life, get ready for a shitload of awkwardness and rambling haha. I got asked what kind of music I listen to, and as usual, all I could say was "anything but country," good job Sharanya. Anyways, I was listening to this song when I came home and I started to become nostalgic about high school. This song has always been one of my favorites by Why? and I am bummed that I won't be able to see them play this March because nobody I know really listens to them.1) I need to find another way to describe my taste without being so cliche and vague, and 2) I need to meet more people who have the same taste in music as me, where are all you guys?!

"Am I an example of calculated birth?

To a star chart for clowns, I'm not

Under robins' eggs in a nest, you hit a manila envelope

With one last little robin's egg in it

A hollow bullet yet spent

Subject to dismissal

I wish all my pitfalls

Could be caught by this call"

Youtube Music Video

Why? Wikipedia

Download on Amazon

Mixed Media Collages and New Year!

At last, I finally got around to upload the mixed media collages that I did last week. I really like to incorporate drawings that I have done in the past into new pieces since they always transform and take on a different point of view. But on a more important note, it's 2013! For some reason, I never felt like I would get to say that; it still feels a bit surreal (no, I didn't think we were going to die on 12/21/12, but still). 2012 was definitely a year that was full of changes, and I can confidently say that it has been my favorite year so far. I started my blog last year, and that alone brought me so much of happiness. Thank you to those who have taken the time to read even a single post, or for reading many and commenting. It makes my day when I read all the lovely things that you guys have to say. I went to India this summer, and in those two months I changed in more ways than I can mention. I made connections with people which I will cherish for a long time and kept my loved ones close. I learned a lot about myself and the people around me and it has all given me a different outlook on life. If 2013 can be just as enlightening, I am stoked! =)

Prefuse 73 and The Books - "Pagina Dos" and Q&A

December 26, 2012

Album: Prefuse 73 Reads The Books E.P.*

This song has been on repeat for the past couple of days because it cheers me up (I tend to get a little down from the gloomy weather). I didn't realize that this song was from a collab that Prefuse 73 and The Books did until I went to go find the download link for this song. Now, I see why this song is so chill. This song has a slight mixture of everything so it's a beat that almost anyone would grow to love (if they didn't love it instantly like I did). I am definitely stoked to go check out the rest of their album now because every time two amazing bands/musicians come together, only great things can happen.

Youtube Music Video

Prefuse 73 Wikipedia

The Books Wikipedia

Download on Amazon

Questions and Answers:

1) Anonymous: "You have a boyfriend, don't you?"

No, Anonymous, I do not. Haha 

2) Anonymous: "Would you consider posting more of your artwork? I love it!"

Thank you, that means a lot! And yess, I definitely will. I made a bunch of mixed media collages last week while I was bored at work so I will upload those tomorrow.

3) Anonymous: "This is a little random, but where do you get your accessories? I really like your jewelry and style in general :)"

Aww thank you, but I have a feeling that you are going to hate me after my answer haha. I get a lot of my jewelry on my trips to India since everything there is so unique and detailed. Other than that, I do get some stuff from Forever 21 or H and M if something catches my eye, but it's pretty rare. I also like going to random little shops to find gems, so maybe you can try that as well!

4) Anonymous: "I think that people want to know what kinds of guys you are attracted to physically since you always give personality traits. Maybe you can find celebrities with the looks that you like? hehe"

Mehh! Anonymous, the reason I don't really mention what I like physically is because sometimes I like guys that aren't usually my 'type'. But if I am going to keep getting these questions until I answer them, I might as well. I tend to like guys with darker hair and scruff, because scruff tends to make everything better haha. I think that glasses/beanies/flannel are pretty attractive. I really like tattoos too, but it honestly depends on the tattoo-it could be a turn on or turn off. Oh! This is probably the biggest thing. I don't know why, but I like somewhat lanky guys haha. I just don't like it when they are buff and muscular and big, it kind of scares me since I'm pretty small. That's about it. Honestly, if a guy looks nothing like that but has all the personality traits that I like, I'll probably like him, so looks don't have much to do with it. I don't think that I'm going to add pictures, but celebrities that I think are attractive are: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matt Bomer, Milo Ventimiglia, John Patrick Amedori, and James Franco.