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I want to preface by saying that this year and in most years of my past, my life has been so saturated by music. I think in music, and go inside of it, sometimes loosing all thought of my physical self. I’m not exactly sure what the complete connection of music is to people but I do feel as though music is a natural part of the human experience. And without creating, listening, and experiencing it, life would not be anything that it is today. For something to have such power as changing your current state of mind, actions, and feelings, it is one of the most powerful forms of raw expression.
Dandelion Gum, releasing in May of 2007 has held a primary role in 2008 for me, providing lush experiences from their distinctive psychedelic, and electronic sound. Personal favorites are “Untitled Roadside Demo,” “Sun Lips,” “Forever Heavy.”
I have not gotten into his 2008 release, Turning Dragon yet. But still feeling the effects of Body Riddle from 2006. This is one of my favorite albums still, with such a dynamic and captivating sound. It takes me away and brings me back, over and over, with fluctuating in energy and feeling.
Though it is called Alive 2007, this album came out with the onset of 2008 and consumed much of my time this year. It has the ability to give me complete energy, given the amount of momentum that is in this live set. It is constantly pushing, changing, and most of all building. I don’t know if I will ever see them, but if the chance comes up, you better believe I’ll be traveling far distances to experience this in person.
I put these two side by side for the because of seeing them together at the National this past September. Though I have known Mogwai for a while, Fuck Buttons still held a prominent position in my memory from that show. They are in many ways different, which made this show even better. It was loud and powerful and epic in so many ways, as is the music itself.
Seeing Health play while watching Obama being elected as our next president on the television. This was a memorable experience with the fusion of a surreal moment in political history and the overwhelming music performance, putting an even more special twist on this night. The sound alone that they produce is quite unique and the live show just as innovative, with flailing body parts like wild animals and strong convincing sound. The music video for Heaven is perfect.
I dont even need to say how I feel about In Rainbows. I saw Radiohead for the first time at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA. It was just as good as I expected. The most memorable element was the fact that it was cold and raining the entire time. This made for a unique experience, and added a very natural feeling to the show. I remember feeling animal-like, with the constant flow of raindrops upon my body, basic survival instincts were telling me to get out of this. With music speaking to your soul, and increasing adrenaline, extreme conditions are lessened. My phone was ruined, everything completely soaked, and I was shivering so bad that toward the end I couldn't even concentrate, but It was well worth it. Phones are disposable and weather comes and goes, but moments and experiences are all we have.
Just like everything else they’ve put out, this album is monumental. I cannot truly describe it in words. But, I did have this awesome experience where I was listening to this album for one of the first times while running. I just wanted to keep going, with each song. I remember loosing all thought that I was even running. I felt machine-like, like this was just natural, like sleeping. I was suddenly sedated a pacified by the sound. Its like the production of goose-bumps fuels energy. I was encouraging every stride and drop of sweat, with the complete trance this music put me in.
Seeing Stars of the Lid live in DC this year, was quite an experience. Everyone in the room seemed to have an understanding of everything around them. I think their music is the type you don’t really put faces to, but rather identify as a pure element, existing and forming on its own, speaking to your inner awareness. This is definitely a reflection of what is within a person rather than what they are. There is always this pivotal moment for me when listening to Apreludes (In C Sharp Major). This music really evokes a sense of ambience, seclusion, and tranquility. I absolutely become part of this music, and the experience becomes my existence. I feel at peace, and at times don’t feel real.
The following is an explanation for a study I did with sound and imagery, that took form as a web-site, using interactive flash elements and sound as representation. Here is the link if you wish to check it out, http://ramsites.net/~gilkeyea/sound/about.html
The reality that we see and experience everyday is a mere representation of what our mind creates. How does our mind make up this reality that we live in? When does a thought become separate from what is real? When you lie down at night and close your eyes, the thoughts and images that run through your brain are non-defined. How do we represent something that is not physical or concrete? There is a certain experience that comes from detaching your physical self and becoming only your thoughts. In this is a sort of nothingness that we usually relate to darkness. The darkness that comes every night and that came before we could see or were even born, but began to exist. Within our mind, thoughts arise and from these thoughts come meaning and representation into our physical world. To express this, are these experimentations using the synthesis of sound and visuals. With sound coming from silence and light coming from darkness, they are a way to represent the workings of our mind and connect abstraction with form. By attempting to bring these abstract elements into a visual realm, certain familiar ideas of ambience, seclusion, and tranquility are brought forward.
Air France / No Way Down
Autechre / Quaristice-Altibizz
Battles / Mirrored
Boards of Canada / Discography
Bone Thugs N Harmony / E. 1999 Eternal
Chromeo / Fancy Footwork
Jose Gonzalez / Discography
Justice / Cross
Odd Nosdam / Level Live Wires-Kill Tone
Ratatat / Classics
The Velvet Underground / Discography
Tim Hecker / Discography
Tycho / Past is Prologue
Why? / “The Hollows-Good Friday (Boards of Canada remix)”
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