Sunday, 1 February 2015

Music Favourites: January 2015

5 most listened to songs for the month :
(Random Order)



1. ILOVEMAKONNEN (FEAT. DRAKE) - TUESDAY

This is the kind of song that you groove to while driving. I am not a big fan of rap or too much hip hop, but this track is just too groovy and fun that it becomes a perfect on the road kind of song.

We all thank god that it is Friday, when it is Friday, because that means the weekend is here. Yes, because everyone loves the weekend, I do too. Food for thought, why don't we do something that we actually like, that the working week doesn't feel that bad. Do something you like. Get the club going up on a Tuesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avFq9errZCk




2. SUGAR- MAROON 5


As all Maroon 5 songs go, they get popular really quickly. Their music is pure marketing genius. It is fun, young, peppy, lyrical, and what not. This song goes like " Sugar, you're sweet ", which isn't like an art work of lyrics, but it's pop and so so so much fun.
The video was THE thing. I have been a Maroon 5 fan forever. The video is Maroon 5, gatecrashing weddings and singing for them. For the first 5 times one watches it you are just amazed how sweet the thought was to make the day of random strangers on their wedding. But then logic kicks in. How do they get in without no one noticing? Not that anyone would say no to Maroon 5 performing at their wedding, but won't they be suspicious? How do you get past security, even if you're Maroon friggin 5? And how is it so well choreographed? Then you realize, maybe, just maybe, the video is a choreographed thing, and you burst your bubble.
Other than the bubble bursting, I actually fell in love with the song. How I wish that the video was actually true, but nevertheless it is an amazing song to sing along to in your high pitch nasal voice. All is good.

Sometimes, reality isn't as pretty and dreamy. It doesn't have to be perfect always. You can find the good in the normal. Find joy in the ordinary. Sing Sugar in the highest Ariana Grande pitch and let it be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09R8_2nJtjg


3. ELASTIC HEART- SIA

















Elastic heart is not the peppy or groovy kind of song. I actually don't have an adjective to what it actually is. It is just really addictive. The thing with Sia's music is that, her voice is so peculiar that you end up paying attention to that and not the lyrics. Am I the only one who thinks that? Maybe. But her voice is really nice. It is okay to be distracted. When you actually pay attention to the lyrics they are really meaningful.
I love this quality in artists when they take their musical brilliance and make it even better with an artistic video concept. Sia directed this video, and it is brilliant. The girl in it is the same one from her Chandelier video, Maddie Ziegler, with Shia LaBeouf the actor from Transformers series who had a bad anger phase with jail time. It's sad that the bad phase is what we identify him with, we humans are very weird that way, we hold onto bad things.
Anyways, the video is crazy, creepy, weird, and a complete work of art. Now certain people took it as mildly pedophilic as it was a girl and a man scantily clad in a cage. But that is just their misunderstanding of the expression of art. I assure you, Sia definitely didn't want to send a message of pedophilia.
As humans, we are skeptical. We don't accept change easily or warm up to strange things. If that strange person or thing, does something too strange we kind of run away from it, because we aren't too sure how to deal with it, and well we don't want to know how to deal with it. That is just too much work. Too much to deal with. We fight it. We fight with our own selves too, because our self-defense system doesn't let us take risks. But risks are intriguing, and we want to take them. Weird strange things or people grow on us. We might not like them, but there is a good possibility that we will end up liking them, and getting used to them. When they leave, it hurts. And you don't want anyone to see you at your weakest. A relationship is a two way road. You might think someone is weird. They might think you are. We are all weird humans in our own special way. We are all vulnerable deep down, but that is okay, that makes us human. When a relationship flourishes, and you want to go somewhere, but the other person can't and not because they don't want to, but because they can't. At that point, we realize, to hell with weakness, we want the world to see us at our weakness. We want to show our pain. Because, sometimes, expressing our pain is the only way to show that we care.
That was quite a rant, and my take on the brilliance that the video is in words.

We are all weird humans. Being scared of the unknown is okay. Being hurt is okay. We all move on, things pass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWZGAExj-es



4. YOU ARE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE- SIA

Sia has kind of taken over my music player this month. We all just have those months, where one artist just takes over our lives for a while and we listen to their music OVER and OVER again. Simplicity is the most delicate quality. You take a simple idea and it can touch hearts too. We have all the fashion brands in the world, with all the latest trends, styles, make up techniques and what not. I am not saying that it is a bad thing. It is okay to like Fashion. It is a creative outlet. But too much of something is always bad.
 If you are too into the idea of looking better and not the whole creative outlet that Fashion provides, it becomes problematic in a self derogatory way. You end up with body image issues and lose the essence of being YOU. Like the song says, You might wear Chanel clothes and all that jazz but unless you are happy on the inside and it reflects as a smile, you are never fully dressed and ready. That smile, changes the world.

Like the famous Free Hugs campaign, the video has a bunch of kids, going all over town with posters with nice compliments making random strangers smile. There is joy in making someone you don't know smile. People you know, you know their likes and dislikes and it is awfully easy to make them happy, but someone you have never met, that is a challenge. The concept of the video is extremely cute.

Where ever you go, take that smile with you. It warms your heart, and others heart as well. Warm and cozy things are nice. Like socks and hot chocolate on a cold night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKjJ6DQF7xY


5. BUDAPEST- GEORGE EZRA





But for you Oooooooo Ooo ooOooooo I'd leave it all.
Budapest is on the top of my Wanderlust list. So So gorgeous. Coming back to the song, It is an adorably cute song. Not in a teenage-y way, more like an adult version. The lyrics are borderline love-bug bitten. But the music is nice. And George Ezra has a beautiful voice.


Sometimes in life, it is hard to believe that someone would leave their acres of land, golden grand piano and Castillo (what is a Castillo? Spanish word for Castle. Ooooh.). But it's okay to be skeptical, it is only human to do so. Give people a chance. Don't get someone to leave it all for you, because that is unfair. But let them surprise you. People can surprise you in the most unexpected ways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHrLPs3_1Fs




Now if you get bored with all the music, Special gift:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSdDElVMlpU

I used to LOVE that show.
Hope that made you smile.
Always wear your helmet and seat belt.










Fin.

Sunday, 25 January 2015

Words

“He liked the mere act of reading, the magic of turning scratches on a page into words inside his head.” 
― John GreenAn Abundance of Katherines

As I sat on my bed, binge-pinning on Pinterest, I realized I have an awful lot of images of Words and their meanings pinned. The Alphabet is the foundation of all languages. Letters are the magical ingredients that are mixed together to represent a particular sound which we then call a Word. Magical because some words just touch our souls in unexpected ways.

English is a funny language. We have contradictory terms used in conjugation called Oxymoron's, "She was found missing.", She is missing, She hasn't been found, but the fact that we know she is missing leads to us concluding that she was 'found missing'. Punctuation and Grammar are confusing and if used incorrectly can show that one might be mildly Cannibalistic, "Let's eat, Grandma" or "Let's eat Grandma". As funny as this language can be, it is also nonsensical and very difficult.
We pronounce "To" as /tu/ so shouldn't "Go" be /gu/? "Go" is /ɡəʊ/
There, Their, They're that is something you say to a Grammar Nazi when you are trying to console them. And, don't EVER spell Grammar as 'Grammer' and "Thus" is not /th/ as in thick + /us/ as in pus.
English is much like The United States of America. You have certain countable Native 
Americans or the pure English words. And then you have the African Americans, the Latinos, the Indians, the Asians etc. English words are alterations of words from root languages like Sanskrit, Greek, French, Latin etc. And this is the very reason why the pronunciation and grammar is so confusing.
English is also the universal language, as it has words from every other language hence becoming the overall intersection of all the Languages.
But like every language, English also gives us the gift of expressions in the form of words, words for expressing a feeling, words that have deep meanings, words that are simple, sentences, phrases, quotes, lyrics etc. 

Words are magical. Scratches on pages or mere marks made by ink on paper that turn into words in our head. 

Here are some magical words for you :)

A

alacrity
əˈlakrɪti/
noun
brisk and cheerful readiness.










B
benevolence
bɪˈnɛv(ə)l(ə)ns/
noun


the quality of being well meaning; kindness.


C
cacophony
kəˈkɒf(ə)ni/
noun
a harsh discordant mixture of sounds.











D
denouement
deɪˈnuːmɒ̃/
noun

  1. the final part of a play, film, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.






E
epiphany
ɪˈpɪf(ə)ni,ɛ-/
noun

a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.








F

felicity
fɪˈlɪsɪti/
noun
  1. intense happiness.






G
grandeur
ˈɡrandjə,-(d)ʒə/
noun
splendour and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style






H

harmony
ˈhɑːməni/
noun
  1. the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.










I

invincible
ɪnˈvɪnsɪb(ə)l/
adjective
  1. too powerful to be defeated or overcome.















J

jabberwocky
ˈdʒabəˌwɒki/
noun
  1. invented or meaningless language; nonsense.











kakistocracy
kak-uh-stock-ruh-see/
noun
government under the control of nation's
 worst or least qualified citizens










L

labyrinth
ˈlab(ə)rɪnθ/
noun

a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze.



M

mystical
ˈmɪstɪk(ə)l/
adjective

inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery,
awe, and fascination.






N
nebula
ˈnɛbjʊlə/
noun


a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the
night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or
as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter.





O
onomatopoeia
ˌɒnə(ʊ)matəˈpiːə/
noun

the formation of a word from a sound

associated with what is named (e.g.
 cuckoo,sizzle ).

P
petrichor
ˈpɛtrʌɪkɔː/
noun

  1. a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.












Q
quantum
ˈkwɒntəm/
noun

a discrete quantity of energy proportional in
magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents.







R
reminiscent
rɛmɪˈnɪs(ə)nt/
adjective

  1. tending to remind one of something.




S



serendipity
ˌsɛr(ə)nˈdɪpɪti/
noun
the occurrence and development of events by chance
 in a happy or beneficial way."a fortunate stroke of serendipity"


T
tranquillity
traŋˈkwɪlɪti/
noun
  1. the quality or state of being tranquil; calm.




U

utilitarianism
jʊˌtɪlɪˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m/
noun
the doctrine that actions are right if they are
useful or for the benefit of a majority. 
T
he doctrine that an action is right in so far as it promotes happiness, and that the greatest happiness of thegreatest number should be the guiding principle of conduct.




V

vendetta
vɛnˈdɛtə/
noun
  1. a blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or the murderer's family.




W

wanderlust

ˈwɒndəlʌst/
noun
a strong desire to travel.

X

xanthophyll
ˈzanθə(ʊ)fɪl/
noun
a yellow or brown carotenoid plant pigment which causes the autumn colours of leaves.


Y
youth
juːθ/
nounthe period between childhood and adult age.




Z

zenith
ˈzɛnɪθ/
noun
  1. the time at which something is most powerful or successful.















I don't own any of the pictures. I found them on the Internet.
I hope you enjoyed this list of magic :)




Fin.

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Music Favourites: December 2014

5 most listened to songs for the month :
(Random Order) 



1. Baby It's Cold Outside- Idina Menzel and Micheal Buble

December is the month for Christmas music. Now, there are these forever favourites like Disney themed Christmas music, the carols, but every year there is that one oldie that gets a makeover. This song renovation by Micheal Buble and Idina Menzel is the cutest. As chivalrous the song is lyrically, the video just makes it so much more cuter. The video is 80's Gatsby themed in a hotel lobby, and well with a cute bunch of 12 year old's. It's one of those catchy Christmas tunes, with the right concept for the video and just so much fun. The video just makes it so much cuter and catchy.

9/10. For the cuteness factor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bbuBubZ1yE




2. Outside- Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding


Ellie Goulding is just TOO sweet for me. After 'Anything could happen' by her, I couldn't stand listening to another one of her songs. As famous as that song was and well accepted by the world, just not my cup of tea. I am not that big of an EDM person. After refusing to listen to this song because Ellie Goulding sang it, the radio just decided to trick me into liking it, as obviously I didn't know it was by her singing until after the song was done. I LOVED it. Calvin Harris is GOD. He has such a catchy sense of music that even if you aren't an EDM lover, you like whatever he makes. This song gets me dancing just like Animals by Martin Garrix did. Too awesome.

10/10. For making me dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9NQFACZYEU




3. Don't Wait- Mapie

I just have to put light upon the fact that the picture I found on google was a Tumblr dedication to Tyler Oakley and Troye Sivan. CUTEST. Binge Youtubing makes you familiar to the whole Youtuber scene, cat videos, dog videos, funny videos and songs like Don't Wait. This song isn't a famous one but it is so catchy. It's one of those discoveries that you make and end up making everyone you know listen to it. Yes, I am boasting about my discovery but I am also making the song popular, win-win situation. It is a thoroughly enjoyable Indie-pop hip-hop-y song. One of those songs you play on a road trip. 

7/10. For keeping me company on going home from college drives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPo7iNKoCGQ








4. Take me to the Church - Hozier

Being a gigantic fan of artists like Lorde, because I am a lyrics fanatic, Hozier rocks my world. The depth in the lyrics is SO maddening that you rethink everything you took for its face value. This particular song was a looking at ones lover as religion, it was about how sexuality is a silent thing when it comes to religion, it was about homosexuality being a sin in religions eyes, it was about human craving of love, it is about love and loss, about rebirth, about pain and suffering, it is about so many things. And when you can take a concept so strong, put it into words and make it work with music, you give the world an extraordinary experience. This song is my most played song throughout the month of December. For the most beautiful metaphors and quality music if you haven't listened to it by now, GO NOW. As an artist if you are making a music video to support your piece of art, the music video must do justice to the song. A brilliant song can become unpopular because of its video and vice-versa. The video is so brilliant that it translates the musical metaphors into visuals. Kudos to the video director.

10/10. For feeding my metaphor craving soul. And For becoming one of my favourite artists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw




5.  Somebody to you- The Vamps ft. Demi Lovato

Life is too short to not like catchy pop music. This is one of those boy bands that make crazy pop tunes and earn millions in terms of money and teenage girl attention. Cute boys pointing towards you and screaming "YOU" even if it is through my laptop screen, it is still very fun. Demi Lovato's strong vocals help in making it catchier. That's the thing about pop, it is so catchy that 5 years later when the song plays, you will still know all the lyrics and still sing it out loud like no one's watching. The videos is kind of like a One Directions' What makes you beautiful, but I like this song better. Sunkissed. Beaches. Hot chicks. Cute guys. Love song. Done. Perfect boy-band formula.

8/10. For making me scream my lungs out singing because of its catchy-ness. 
                                                                                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0go2nfVXFgA






I hope you enjoyed reading.
It's 10pm on 31st December 2014.
I am spending my New Years' Eve with my Biochem textbook.
I hope you are having a better time partying.
If you're not, and are bored, re-read this and count the number of times I have used the word 'catchy'. I need to find better adjectives. XD

Happy New Year. :)




Fin.