The new address

So in an attempt to be fancy I have shifted this blog to a new address! Somewhere in the back of my mind an idea is brewing and hopefully by the end of this year I would have made some headway. Until then for more music and somewhat meaningless rants click below. 

sidewaystosound continues...

save it for another day

“How are we so optimistic, so careful Not to trip and yet Do trip, and then get up and    say O.K.”

-Maira Kalman-

Sometimes thats all someone needs to know to shake it off and keep walking, but like every simple life changing quote its so much easier said than done. 

What I will do though is put off my brooding and all mind numbing decisions for another day. The weather is gorgeous and the day ahead will be too. 

Days like these call for Oscar + Martin. I'm not sure where I heard them first but this Indie pop group almost always hits the spot for me. Like the more forward thinking lot of their time they unabashedly slap together a whole range of different sounds and yet never really stray from the genre. Their first album For You is a great listen just because each song has a different sound. Surprisingly it all comes together at the end. So here it is, your catchy, left of center fix for today: Recognise by Oscar + Martin. Enjoy!

Tantrums

Does everyone have this feelings sometimes where they want to, for no logical reason sit on the floor and throw a tantrum of epic proportions? It doesn't matter if you did the exercise or if you spent the day out with fabulous company all you want to do is sit around and yell at no one in particular. 


Since I am not four anymore and getting away with these fits is harder I managed to find a playlist on 8tracks that suits the mood. Four songs in and I can feel the fit dissipate around me. It may sound a teensy bit weird but the music seems to throw my fit for me and calm me down all in the same session. Thank god for the daily jet!


28 tracks from bands like Gramatik, Pretty lights and Nujabes(you can see the tracklist here) lead to the perfect selection of chill/dubstep to make that awful feeling go away. 


Audio Adderall by The Daily Jet. Enjoy!

irresponsible decisions

So I did it.
I quit a perfectly acceptable job to join music school. The good thing is I have passed the shock phase, the bad thing however is that I am now in the 'what the fuck were you thinking?' phase.


When I look back at all that I have dabbled in nothing made me happier than when Anhad, Thejasvi and I sat out under the trees and made music together.


I'm back in the balcony where not so long ago Anhad took out his guitar and we spent the evening mucking around and making music. I know its probably one of the more foolish decisions I've made but I'm happy and right now something tells me thats all that matters.


So here it is, something I haven't ever done before. Todays song is something Anhad and I made up on one of our many jam sessions. I found a rough recording in an old hard disk and hopefully someone enjoys it! Maybe someday we will actually sing this again, write lyrics down and make it an actual song but until then this is it in all its rough edged glory.

Beautiful Tango

I've figured out that there are certain advantages to having a flat tire. For instance you get to take a motorcycle taxi back home. It was the first time this whole monsoon that I got to really appreciate how beautiful Goa gets. Riding past the open fields and quaint bungalows I realised that Goa hasn't really moved since the 40's. Yes, there is the north but since I live closer to Panjim things seem like they've been caught in a time warp. 

Trawling through the soulkitchen archives I chanced upon Hindi Zahra a franco-moroccan singer with that perfect old school vibe. Sitting in one of the balconies at Venite looking out through the fairy lights onto the narrow street I knew that I had finally found my Goa song. 

Hindi Zahra presents Beautiful Tango:

Sunshine

There are lots of cures to rain:

You could drown your woes in hot chocolate(this could get you wired) or alcohol(this just gets you depressed)

You could cuddle(I'm finding my pillow to be a passable alternative to an actual person, though I'm thinking it will pass soon)

You could play board games(don't scoff they are fun)

or

You could wake up to find that Little Dragon  has released their first single since their album Ritual Union last year. The song so aptly called Sunshine created in conjunction with Absolute for the absolute remix sessions confirms that the band hasn't lost their mojo. Beautifully layered with Yukimi Nagano's vocals bringing it all together make my day and a few days to come. Who says instant fixes aren't the answer?

Enjoy!

I hear about this frog

You know sometimes for all the vast amount of cribbing I do I feel like I don’t deserve to find a song like this.

On the way to work today while I cribbed about hair fall haathi looked out of the window and said, “God I love Goa.”

Yes, the fields are now lakes, the sea is mucky brown but Goa is awake, its clean, fresh and beautiful. I thought about it a little and realized that I know no one that gets to ride through a forest and cross a river to get to work.

M83  presents Raconte-Moi Une Histoire. Ignore the video, close your eyes and listen to the lyrics.

Enjoy

Neverwhere

The rain has finally stopped and for the first time in three days i got a glimpse of the sun. The last few days felt awful and somewhere along the line the universe heard me out and is giving us a well deserved break. 

The people I love are all facing a rough time and its just so annoying to not be there physically. Yes, this is the digital age but you can't hug someone or stroke someones back through a crummy computer screen. Sometimes things dont work as planned and most times you put your own twist on it based on your surroundings; for example an office in a basement with no light and a plastic sheet to keep the rain out. But every so often the sun forces its way through the clouds and you suck it up, tell yourself to a grow a pair and trudge on.

I'm not a fan of Underground House but when someone like Maya Jane Coles comes along I can't resist. She keeps me going so here are two of my favourites. The first is a remix of a Lianne La Havas song lost and found. Mellow with a great build up its perfect to zone out to. 

The second is a track called Humming Bird. Up beat, fun and somehow never actually boring. Her more musical approach to the world of underground house is what makes it more accessible to me I suppose.

Maya Jane Coles, enjoy!

Rain moments #1

This weekend was spent indoors. Two days of torrential downpour can lead to multiple cups of tea and hours spent watching Jane Eyre while feeling sorry for yourself; But it can also lead to Sanaa picking up my guitar and introducing me to one of the most beautiful Cat Power songs I've heard. With the rain lending its sound and the fairy lights it made for the perfect scene. 

I'm going to be bold and say I liked her version of it better but it is a beautiful song so I'm posting it anyway. Days of non-stop rain can be harrowing but there are somethings that can only happen when the weather is at its worst.

Cat power presents werewolf. Enjoy

Rain

"Dude, I can't stand the rain."

My first response to the Goa monsoon conversation met with waves of laughter and pointing in my direction. Nothing could ever prepare me for it. 

Its been only a week and my pillows are damp, every surface in my apartment is covered in wet clothes and tiny frogs have decided to make a home in my balcony/pond. Haathi very sweetly reminds me how it will only get worse and there will be weeks where it won't cease. So before my brain is waterlogged and I blend in to the swamp that will soon be my apartment I have decided to cram as much music into this blog as humanly possible.

Of course now that I've gotten the drama out of my system I have to admit that I have never seen Goa this beautiful. The forest road I take to work has been washed clean and I have never in all my life seen so many shades of green before. The misty drizzle is like wearing rose tinted glasses, everything looks alive, fresh and clean. The tourists have gone home and where I stay now finally feels like a regular town.

The vibe to life has changed, and with a change in vibe comes a shift in what I listen to. The latest discovery being Chet Faker (Nick Murphy). This 22 year old from Australia got famous doing a cover of the song No diggity by Blackstreet that went viral online but the song that I first stumbled upon was one of 

his own.

He likes to call his genre Motown meets minimalist house and though I'm not too sure what it actually means though when I think about it, it seems like they appropriate way to describe it. If you are into Alexi Murdoch, smooth jazz and Jose Gonzales you will like him. 

Isn't it just amazing when you stumble upon music when the mood is set and the time is right? Chet Faker presents terms and conditions, enjoy

Growing up

Making grown up decisions are hard. It's almost as if taking that step towards that post paid connection or application for a credit card will take you that much further from the mud you would rather have your feet in. Once you do though things get comfortable, and comfortable needn't always be good.

I'm lying in bed listening to the rain trying to make one of the biggest and most unsettling decisions of my life and all I can think about is the raincoat I should have bought. 

For every big decision one must have the right kind of music and since I am approaching this momentous paradigm shift in my life from every angle except head on I have resorted to Listening to Kimbra. Now before you scoff and pass her off as pop/Gotye sellout you have to give these tracks a chance. 

I'm not quite sure how I stumbled upon her but this eclectic, skinny woman from New Zealand is a powerhouse. Her complicated rhythm and left of center harmonies make listening to her music so much fun. Every time I listen to her I always find that something slipped the last time its almost like a challenge now. Yes, she dresses a little like Katy Perry and yes, some of her music is upbeat and well "pop" but when you hear her live, really listen you know that she is a force to be reckoned with.

For risk of moving into total star wars mode I will stop now and let you decide for yourself. The first track is my favourite by far. Kimbra presents Settle Down live at SXSW 2012. Just her and an awfully fancy vocal loopy thing(at some point in my life I will find out what it's called I promise). It blows my mind every time!

p.s. note the striped pants, fabulous yes?

Second, another live version of her song Plain gold ring off her album vows. I'm not sure how I feel about the album version but this live track is just fantastic. 

Keep moving

This Monday shall be like none other. We must hit the ground running, conquer the world, Make life changing decisions and of course, contemplate a cupcake.

To help with this new attitude to life, love and well cupcakes we have Mr. Scruff presenting Get a move on. If this song doesn't get you bouncing then I'm not quite sure what will.

This Dj, Producer, cartoonist and Tea drinker is full of amazing riffs, eclectic samples and fantastic groove. He animates his own videos and It's interesting to see a musician visualize his own music, makes it different somehow.
Watch out for this one."Keep moving boy"

I am the kind of person who loves the unknown, I want to explore the world see new things, meet new people and try new food. I love it when unexpected things happen to me. I see everything as a new kind of challenge, an opportunity to push it to the limit.


sometimes such statements can be such a load of horse shit. 


Today we have Que Sera by Wax Tailor. Tales of the forgotten melodies is an album that tells a story, If you're into blockhead you will love this band. It's suprising how the large amount of speech clips didn't get in the way of the music. Take some time out and listen to the whole album in one go. It's very ambient so you can do it while you work. Enjoy

Rainbow blues

Can't keep my eyes open. Hoping this will help me keep awake just a little bit longer.

Ok Go presents skyscrapers. Enjoy

He could be my beautiful, dark, twisted, fantasy

I am going to stop convincing people Kanye is a true artist because the video for Lost in the world has finally seen the light of day.

Kanye's epic 'My dark twisted fantasy' is something that will always hold a place high on my list and this video just proves his creative genius. Stylish, suave, gritty and all things drool worthy; this will erase any doubts you had earlier. 

Ruth Hogben, the filmmaker has outdone herself this time. Her visual style getting wilder and more stark than her usual work for Lady Gaga and all things M.A.C. This doesn't however take anything away from the fact that this video is just oozing class.

I have a feeling this album will be on loop for a while now, my apologies to all those around me. What a fantastic start to an already perfect day!

Kanye West presents lost in the world, enjoy.

On being loved and sharing it

Some weeks are meant for you to stay in bed, lock the doors and hide all sharp objects. I have successfully managed to get a burned arm, a bruised knee, a busted ankle and its only tuesday. I would have put up a long rant about how the world is collapsing on my shoulders and that there is no hope for me etc if it hadn't been for Haathi who has nominated me for the Liebster blog award.

The last time I won a trophy was when I was eight. I showed up at a friend's cricket themed birthday party in a pink (and ridiculously) fluffy dress and walked away with a little cup saying woman of the match. I also got the birthday boy out. He is now a professional cricket player, yes he will never live it down. One of my finer moments. 

What I'm trying to get at is that I walked around with a smug grin on my face swishing my fluffy dress at anyone who crossed my path feeling quite proud of myself. If I had a dress like that I have a feeling my reaction to the news would pretty much be the same.

The thing about the award is that I must, in turn nominate five others so as to spread the love. So here goes:

Bottled Reggolb:  His Tim Burtonesque illustrations never cease to amaze and delight me. I'm not sure how many times people have caught me rubbing my hands together and chuckling evilly while reading his blog. We share a love for old jazz, laid back blues and all else suave and fancy. This is for you:

Vince kidd presents last train home in tribute to Etta James:

Pickled prawn: Her subtle, left of center illustrations are so much fun. All about people, life, reminders and the little things. I'm not sure what we share musically but her blog leads me to think about the song lights out words gone by the Bombay Bicycle Club. I did a post about this band not quite knowing much about them, this by far my most favourite song. Things just get better when the video is this good.

He drew that: And that and all of this stuff on the wall. His minimalist Illustrations, those bold swipes of colour all his signature styles.

Our relationship with music is so random its great fun. We have gone from smooth jazz to techno all in one conversation. 

I don't put enough Hindi music in this blog and when I watched the video to this song all I could think of was the both of us tripping out to it. For Deboo we have the song Beedo from the film Gulaal, a new favourite album of mine.

Hungry?: Well then it would probably be best if you avoided this blog like the plague. Her cooking tastes as good as it looks(yes, I've eaten a whole lot of it) not to mention her vibrant and fun illustrations. It's the best pick me up on a gloomy day. Make sure you're eating something while reading though it could leave you gnawing at your keyboard.

Our musical journey started on the college bus with me pretty much shoving my ipod in her face every morning. We would harmonize occasionally to pass the time and every now and then we share our latest fix. Strangely enough we discovered Soley at the same time. So here it is: Smashed birds, Another great video.

What Kaveri sees: I have nothing more to say except that she "paints a tiny universe of talking ink". Its all so loverly. It's great to wake up to a blog that illustrates how you feel occasionally. I stumbled upon this great song by Champagne Coast called blood orange and somehow always reminds me of her blog when I watch it. Another phenomenal video enjoy!

Right, that was hard. Here is just a glimpse of what I do when trawling the internet. This also means you spread the love to five other bloggers like yourself! Here are the rules for the Liebster Blog Award:

1. Thank the one who nominated you by linking back
2. Nominate five blogs  with 200 or fewer followers
3. Let your nominees know by leaving a comment on their sites
4. Copy and paste the award image on your site

round acoustic midnight

It's nearly midnight and I'm still at work trying to finish up a rather large project. Music is keeping me from passing out on the keyboard from hunger so while I wait for my turn at the file I thought I would put up this long overdue post.

When hungry and overworked my brain instantly finds solace in acoustic music. Honestly, after a long an intense Dubstep trip listening to Nadeah Odile is just what I needed to unwind. 

Watson and I don't speak as often as I'd like but when we do she always introduces me to some gorgeous music. If I understood french I would tell you more about this woman but since I can barely write a correct sentence in English this will be an emotional opinion. 

It's been a while since I've seen someone so confident in her own skin. In this day and age finding an artist who is better live than he/she is recorded is so hard, but Nadeah is a class apart. Her rough bluesy vocals accompanied by her fantastic band evoke all sorts of emotion inside you. Of course it doesn't hurt the fact that she is gorgeous to look at.

Something about her brings back memories of a school band I was part of. We would sit on the auditorium floor our drummer with her table and me with our school song book making up songs we thought were terribly intense and meaningful. Our music wasn't fabulous but it was so much damn fun. All the best music starts on a pavement.

Below are two of my Nadeah favourites. They're both poles apart when it comes to mood but that just proves how versatile she is as a singer. If anyone happens to know where I can download her music, buy an album, or translate the french I would be eternally grateful.

Nadeah presents with a little love and Tell me. If you like what you're listening to Froggy's sessions has done an excellent live session with her which you can listen to here. Enjoy!

Drifting

Have you ever woken up feeling like the world is a just a little out of focus?

Oversleeping is possibly the worst possible habit. You wake up feeling groggy and spend the entire day dreaming about your bed. It doesn't help if your blanket is possibly the most comfortable thing in the world and you just changed your sheets. 

I got to work today in desperate need of some sort of inspiration, everything seemed off center and odd. Just as I felt like all was lost Haathi shared a video with me. 

Sometimes, that's all it takes. 

Zero 7 and Jose Gonzales are both bands that require you to be in a specific frame of mind. My mind instantly wanders to rain, thunderstorms and windy days, this one however has something different about it. I know I'm constantly telling people to listen but this video is what brings the song home for me. Its some sort of semi disgusting optical twist that makes you want to stop but something inside you keeps you hooked up until the end. The world has now gone completely off center but that makes it just a little more interesting yes?

Zero 7 featuring Jose Gonzales present, futures. Enjoy

The last rant

What are you passionate about?

 Is probably the most troubling question anyone could ask me. In all honesty I have absolutely no idea, I wish I could say pretty much everything but that doesn't get anyone anywhere. I took this weekend off to sort out my head but that has proved to be a daunting task. Somewhere in the middle of washing dishes and bouncing to kanye west I lost the plot and proceeded to switch my brain off entirely. Of course I am now paying for it dearly by wallowing in self pity and general sappiness.

Spending time with yourself can be as counter productive as it is productive. You can either be organised about it or you could end up going on an emotional rampage with yourself. Bits of the latter are always necessary but not to the point where you blend into your bed and settle into a good and comfy sulk.

What I did end up doing though was to give myself a time limit. Since I am now at the age where I can be foolish and impulsive I have decided to give everything a go; who knows maybe three years down the line I will realise that my true calling lies in the Congo researching a species of beetle.Whatever it is I have two years to do it. Hopefully all my new and exciting endeavors will make for a more exciting read. My rant will soon end I promise!

I haven't actually checked the watch listen tell site in a while and as I was looking for the song to attach to this post I stumbled upon this; Daughter presents their acoustic version of medicine. Its funny how music that suites your mood sort of appears when your not even looking. close your eyes and well, be overcome.

Take me Elsewhere

Birthdays are sordid days, your facebook wall explodes, your phone starts ringing and all you want to do is find a hole and stick your head in it. Every one around you is beaming with happiness while you sit around and notice all the lines on your face and all the crap you've put your body through. Somehow every birthday I've had has been an awful series of unfortunate events. By the end of it I feel that it would probably be best if I left for someplace obscure and burnt my passport. Which is why most of my friends have decided that birthday celebrations are best held before or after.

Shkaplan, Holmes, Flower and I decided that this post birthday weekend would be held at a place known only as, elsewhere.It's funny how even living in Goa doesn't stop this burning urge to escape and by just the name of this place you know you are going to taste just a teensy bit of heaven. 

We arrived at night and crossed a bridge into what felt like neverland. Of course the true beauty of the place only hit me when I woke up walked out of our beautiful old bed and opened the doors to the ocean. Shkaplan and I had coffee on our porch(yes, our porch) after which we proceeded to have a fabulous breakfast with the others under a banyan tree. The old houses stood out against the grass, the sound of the sea in the background only confirmed that I was obviously dreaming.

I think its safe to say that all of us felt as if we were in a different world. The weekend was magical, good food, great company and a few random volleyball sessions are just what you need. Of course Holmes and I have now decided to sell all our assets and move into one of the old Goan houses for as long as it will buy us for this is honestly how everyone should live.

As we crossed the bridge back to reality, dogs and a stuffy car I couldn't help but feel a little bit of my heart had stayed back. Take me back, take me elsewhere.

Of monsters and men presents-little talks. This is a video worth watching. enjoy

Overthinking

I tend to over think things. Anything I begin be it relationships or a good meal will fester in the back of my head until it becomes this convoluted tangle ending in something completely different from where it started. I also let things fester. A friend once told me "to cut the fat" and though I know its valuable advice putting it into action is well, hard.

Over a conversation at dinner someone asked a bunch of us when the last time was that we actually spent with just ourselves, unplugged and alone. Looking back at the past few months I cant find a single instance where its happened. The weekend is going to be spent sorting stuff out, a sort of spring cleaning of my mind. Hopefully I will come out sparkly and not a blithering mess but one will never know until one actually tries.

Quarter life crisis does however lead to finding a whole bunch of new music. down here are two bands that are currently festering(music is allowed, i think). The first one is a band called Gramatik. I seem to be on a lucky streak with finding entire albums that I love and Beatz and pieces vol. 1 is the latest one. As if it couldn't get any better, this one man band produces under the Pretty lights label which means you can download his album for free here.

The next is a band called Blackmill, something I stumbled upon on an 8tracks mix. It is a darker sound but perfect to mull over. enjoy.

You will be missed

My headphones died on me a while ago and it was only then that it struck me how much I depended on them. I would come to work and wistfully look at my desktop screen, my hand subconsciously reaching into my bag to find headphones. Yes, they might make me deaf but they are so incredibly necessary! My gorgeous, fragile Senheiser ones succumbed to the wrath of sand, sea and general neglect and I will still miss them.

If course one and a half days of this and I promptly logged onto flipkart and very impulsively bought myself a pair of black Skullcandy headphones. They aren't the best, but they are the sound equivalent of an all terrain vehicle. Besides, I get to be Mrs. Darth Vader every time i put them on.

Every set of headphones comes with a theme song of sorts. Ain't no rest for the wicked by Cage the Elephant. They're a little schizophrenic as a band but I'm growing to love their sound.

Enjoy!

Fabulous? obviously

I woke up today feeling fabulous.

My plants aren't dying, the roommate is happy and Goa is finally hot. Riding through streamers on my way to work I realised that the time I spent mooching took away from the fact that I really am in a happy place.

Shit will hit the fan at some point but sitting around waiting for it to happen is a little silly don't you think?

Lunch at Ritz awaits(One of Goa's oldest and most succulent restaurant, serves the most fantastic Hindu Goan food) and I shall bounce there with chopsticks in my hair.

How awfully posh.

Bouncy songs for bouncy days: The faded paper figures present, the persuaded

enjoy!

Finding Frank

A few days ago I went over to a friends place to listen to his newest addition to his record collection. An album called Frank by Amy Winehouse. I was never a big fan of her music and maybe that's because I never seemed to get passed the most popular tracks. Has it ever happened to you that when something is such a rage you instantly run in the opposite direction?

Finally after many failed plans and ditch attempts we managed to squeeze in some time between work and dinner. As I sat there allowing her boozy vocals wash over me I realised why people went nuts over this tiny woman with dramatic eye make up and weird bouffant. Her lazy scat, words melting effortlessly into a careless melody, it was fantastic! If I closed my eyes I could smell the cigerettes, stale alcohol and sweaty bars. Her voice is almost ambient, it surrounds you and takes you places.

Of course listening to it on record on a stuffy evening in Goa only made it that much more romantic. Listening to the entire record, no fast forwarding or choosing tracks  is something I haven't done in ages. Frank has been on loop for a while now and I can easily say that it is one of my favourite albums.

Attached are two tracks, the first is my favourite, Moody's mood for love and since the record man introduced me to this, his favourite; Fuck me pumps.

Honestly? Download the album, find some nice wine, a little loving and a balcony. Let the evening, music, booze and passion flow. I intend to try this as well.

Enjoy