Can we go up?

I've been weirdly listening to a lot more rock music lately.  I say that this is 'weird,' because since I came to college three years ago, I've become pretty obsessed with electronic music.  When I was in high school, I listened to a lot of indie rock.  My older brother was definitely the first to plant the seed of electronic music in my brain.  When he was a senior in high school, I was a freshman, and he would drive me to school every day.  Despite the drive lasting only a few minutes, my brother would carefully select just the right song to play.  It was inevitably by some obscure electronic artist that I had never heard of; Deadmau5, Boys Noize, Steve Aoki, etc.  Little did I know that a few years later, I would be listening to those exact artists when I came to college.

Anyone who knows me may tell you I'm an electronic music snob (or hipster, of course).  I'm really not offended by this; I think anyone that's really passionate, informed, and infested in a subject cannot avoid becoming a bit pretentious and selective about it.  I feel like last year, with artists like David Guetta and Afrojack producing big Top 40 songs, electronic dance music has become massive in mainstream culture.  Part of me gags at this, because people choose to listen to some really untalented artist, and act like their so hip.  But then again, I'm glad that people don't just look at me weirdly when I play some house music at a party.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll post more electronic music after this, but it's been on my brain with the recent release of Ultra Music Festival tickets.  I attended the festival last year, and I can truly say it was the best weekend of my life.  It's not for everyone, but for the people that go, it means the world to them.  Today I have a track from Paper Diamond, a new producer out of Colorado who released a free EP a while ago that has really caught my ear.  I first heard his new song, Can We Go Up (which isn't on the EP), on Hype Machine, and I had to check him out.  Really beautiful beats and glorious synths.  He's been on tour with Pretty Lights (I'm not a pretty lights fan, I think this guy actually sounds much better than him) this year, and has a bunch more shows coming up before the new year, check him out if you get the chance!

PS - In case you're wondering, yes, that is Lindsay Lohan.


So Precise by Paper Diamond

Baby, gonna even the score

Happy October!  I know it's been fall for a week or so now, but living in Houston it can be a bit hard to get into the mood for the season.  I think I've finally gotten into the spirit today, with cooler weather (read: 84 degrees) and perfect blue skies.  The return of the pumpkin lattes hasn't hurt either.

Not sure why, but the fall always puts me in the mood for a different kind of music.  For me, summer is definitely all about fun music you want to blast by the pool while sipping a margarita, so mostly electronic, hip-hop, indie rock, etc.  Fall seems to be the time when reality begins to sync in again, with the return of classes, work, and such, and I start looking for something with a bit more....depth.

Today we have my favorite song off of one of the best albums of last year (although it blew up this year), Pickin' Up the Pieces by Fitz & the Tantrums.  This band has some serious soul going on, and I'm really digging it right now.  They hail from the sunny city of Los Angeles, California, although I never would have guessed that based on their sound.  Don't be fooled by their hometown, these guys aren't just another indie pop buzz-band.  I've never heard anything like this before, and I don't think it's going anywhere.  Hell, they won't even allow guitars to be used in their songs because they are so sick of the excessive emphasis on them in most pop music!  All of their epic sound comes from two vocalists, a tambourine, a saxophone, a flute, a bass, keyboards, and drums.  Check them out for some sexy, fun retro ballads that seem perfect for relaxing outside in the chill of fall.    

(Also, the photo is courtesy of Cupcakes of Cashmere, love her blog.  The outfit is very fall, yet retro classic.  Perfect fit!)

- P

Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work it Out by TheTop22