2020 Favorites: Media

Today, I’m here to talk about my favorite books, movies, TV shows, and music I watched, listened to, or read in 2020. Usually, I break this post down into various parts, but the year is 2020 and it’s going to be a little different.

Books...

With the pandemic going the way it is—as well as how nerve-wracking the election was—I read fewer books this year. However, the ones I did pick up were mostly good. I’m just going to list them here since I already did dedicated posts for them, and for short stories check the Short Story label. 

Nonfiction

• Floriography by Jessica Roux 
• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
• The Hidden Life of Ice by Marco Tedesco
• The Eternal City by Jessica Maier

Fiction & Manga

• Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
• God's of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
• The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
• The Night Country by Melissa Albert
• Deal With the Devil by Kit Rocha
• Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
• Haunted Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
• Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradly
• Silver In the Wood by Emily Tesh

• Ghost Squad by Clairbel A. Ortega
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells
• Fangs by Sarah Anderson
• Unbirthday by Liz Braswell
• The Case Study of Vanitas volume #1 , #2 ,  #3 ,  #4 , and #5 by Jun Mochizuki
• Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter
• Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
• The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill
• The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clarke
• Artificial Condition by Martha Wells 
• I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett 
• The Sister's of Straygarden Place by Hayley Chewins

Movies & TV Shows...

It doesn’t feel like I’ve watched anything new this year, but I know I have. Earlier in the year, I talked about watching Labyrinth (1986) for the first time. (I Watched Labyrinth (1986))  I also revisited movies like Stardust, Total Recall, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

In the last three months of 2020, I started watching holiday-themed shows. I enjoyed the usual classics when I caught them on TV, as well as the various baking competitions that aired on Food Network.

One series that was my absolute favorite was Over the Garden Wall. It took a while for me to watch this one, but I’m so glad I did. It was the perfect way to get into fall, as the show has a very autumnal aesthetic with the perfect amount of heartwarming feels and quirky spookiness. 

I watched a number of movies on Netflix around this time as well. For Halloween, my favorites were A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting and Vampires VS the Bronx. And for Christmas, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story was the clear winner here. It was hands down one of the best musicals I watched in 2020. I also watched Christmas on the Square with Dolly Parton and Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, a documentary involving Debbie Allen and her dance students. 

Podcasts

My list of podcasts hasn’t changed. I mainly listened to Print Run, Our Opinions Are Correct, and Fangirl Happy Hour.

 

Music... 

And last but certainly not least, music. I listened to a lot of great albums and EPs this year. I did try to step out of my comfort zone and find new artists to add to my playlist, and I did accomplish that.

• I Listened to Treat Myself by Meghan Trainor
• I Listened to Where Are You? by Abi Ocia
• I Listened to Ungodly Hour by Chloe X Halle
• I Listened to Jaguar by Victoria Monet
• I Listened to Cape God by Allie X and Where Does the Devil Hide by Zella Day
• I Listened to Shadow Works by Kerli
• I Listened to Super Sunset by Allie X
• I Listened to Death Stranding Timefall

Two Mixtapes I did not get to do a post for this year was Tkay Maidza’s Last Year Was Weird Vol.1 and Vol.2. I did mention them on a Music Monday post, but they needed to be mentioned again and with a little more details. Last Year Was Weird Vol. 1 and Vol.2 were probably two of the best mixtapes I listened to in 2020. The sound and lyrics of every song was done so well, and I often find myself wanting to listen to them again and on repeat. They're memorable and give a smooth R& B vibe with a number of catchy rap flows. There’s going to be a Last Year Was Weird Vol.3, and I’m looking forward to when that gets released.

Adri: I'm here to tack on some of my favorite music that I have been listening to. I didn't do any post for these (some of them I mentioned for Music Monday), but I am listing it anyway. This year, I gravitated toward more metal artist, like Ocean's of Slumber, I Prevail, and Tetrarch. I discovered a lot of past albums from the likes of Grace Jones, Mythos, and Samantha James. And, of course, have been enjoying recent releases from various artist. Anyway, here's my full list in no particular order. (Sorry in advance for the long list...)

• Earthgang - Mirrorland
• RL Grime - Sable Valley Summer Vol. 1 (Compilation)
• Lone - Not Seeing Is A Flower (EP); Cluster Dreams (EP) Lone x KETTAMA
• Grace Jones - Muse; Hurricane/Dub
• Samantha James - Subconscious; Rise
• The Airborne Toxic Event - Hollywood Park
• Disclosure - Energy (Deluxe)
• Mythos - The Reality Of A Dreamer
• Stephen Rhodes - Perfume
• Tetrarch - Freak
• Bree Runaway - 2000AND4EVA
• Oceans of Slumber - Oceans of Slumber; The Banished Heart; Winter
• I Prevail -Trauma
• Swing Out Sister - It's Better To Travel (Deluxe Edition)
• Thunder Cat -It Is What It Is; Apocalypse

Songs

• Oceans of Slumber - Strange Fruit; Kashmir
• WOODKID - Goliath
• The Spiritual Machines - Sleepwalk; Moon of Honey; Dancing in the Streets; Flood it all
• Les Friction - The End of the Beginning
• Tetrarch - I'm Not Right
• Lion Babe - Umi Says; Hot in Herre
• Cookiee Kawaii -Vibe
• Moonchild Sanelly - Bashiri
• Bree Runaway - Gucci (Feat. Maliibu Miitch)
• Lil Nas X - Holiday

So that was all my favorite media from 2020. What movies, shows, music, books, or podcasts brought you joy in 2020?

I Listened to Cape God by Allie X and Where Does The Devil Hide by Zella Day

Cape God (Released on February 21, 2020)… 

It might have taken me a while, but I finally got around to listening to Allie X’s Cape God. I’m so glad I did. Cape God was tonally darker with a brooding sound to it, rather than the high-energy tone of the pop and synth sounds that defined Super Sunset. That wasn’t a bad thing of course, and some of those same influences could also be found on Cape God too. I have to admit: Cape God was great album. I liked Allie X’s vocal delivery on all of the tracks, and there were also some cool visualizers to accompany the songs. Some of the standout tracks included Devil I Know, Madame X, Sarah Come Home, Life of the Party and Susie Save Your Love featuring Mitski. Those songs in particular were incredibly memorable for me, and I see myself returning to this album again, just to give the lyrics a closer examination. If you’ve listened to music by Allie X before, then you’ll likely enjoy Cape God.

Where Does The Devil Hide (Released on August 28, 2020) … 

Where Does The Devil Hide has finally been released, and most of the songs from it are pretty recognizable (most of them were singles). In particular, People Are Strangers, which I’ve mentioned on a Music Monday post a few weeks back. Still generally speaking, this EP—with just five tracks to its name—had a good selection of songs. Where Does The Devil Hide had a distinctly pop sound with a singer-songwriter and indie edge (along the same vein as St. Vincent). It was sometimes nostalgic in its sound for eighties/seventies disco (funk) tracks—think Earth, Wind, and Fire, with a bit of Rayven Lenae’s Crush EP—it had Zella Day’s unique vocals, and the visuals for the music videos captured the overall feel of the music. Overall, this was a good EP. Some of the standouts were People are Strangers, Purple Haze, and My Game. But really, I liked all the songs relatively equally. So Where Does The Devil Hide will likely end up on one of my playlists.

Have you listened to music by Allie X or Zella Day? If so, are you planning to listen to Where Does The Devil Hide or Cape God?

I Listened to Jaguar by Victoria Monét...

 

I’ve listened to music by Victoria Monét in the past, and her latest album, Jaguar, was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020. I liked Jaguar a lot. It was a blend of pop and R&B with a 80s nostalgic aesthetic and sound. Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, Allie X’s Super Sunset, and Ravyn Lenae’s Crush immediately comes to mind for comparisons sake. There were some recognizable samplings, but it was reworked in a way that made the music feel fresh and unique. Jaguar pretty much did its own thing, and I have to say that I’m currently enjoying the recent R&B releases such as this.

Generally speaking, there was nothing bad here, because Jaguar is a solid album. The titular song was a good intro to the album. It’s the kind of song that easily grabbed my interest, and from there, I binged the whole album. It was so good. There were so many tracks that I outright liked such as Dive, Touch Me, and Go There With You just to name a few. The style of the album comes through in its sound as well as the music videos. There’s no clearer example of this than the music video for Experience featuring Khalid & SG Lewis—which is also one of my favorite songs from the album.

At the end of the day, I’m glad to see another album from Monét. Jaguar is one of my favorite albums of 2020, and I look forward to Monét’s next project.

Jaguar was released on August 7, 2020. Have you listened to music by Victoria Monét? If so, do you plan on listening to Jaguar?

Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For....

It has been a minute since I last looked at some of the music coming out in 2020. There aren’t that many months left to the year, so I recently checked to see what upcoming albums there were. So, here is a list of everything I’m looking forward to, which is also known as: everything is coming out in August. 

• Use Me by PVRIS (August 28, 2020): I’m still waiting for this album. I believe it was supposed to be released in July, but the release date got postponed. It is what it is.

• Where Does The Devil Hide by Zella Day (August 28, 2020): It’s been a while since I last listened to music by Zella Day. The other day, I was looking through some of my favorite songs, and her music came up. So I’m looking forward to this album.

• Energy by Disclosure (August 28, 2020): I’ve listened to and liked music by Disclosure in the past, so their upcoming album, Energy, had to be on this list.

• Jaguar by Victoria Monet (August 7, 2020): I’ve listened to some of Victoria Monet’s music before, and I’m looking forward to Jaguar. 

This list isn't set in stone and it will likely change as more music is announced or delayed. For now, however, these are the albums I’m waiting for. What have you been listening to recently? If you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments.

I Listened to Telephone by Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas

Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas is a band I’ve followed for a couple of years now. I’ve been a fan of their work in the past and present. Recently, they released a new song called Thank God, which I mentioned on a music Monday post a few weeks ago. So I ended up listening to one of my favorite albums again.

Telephone is such a solid body of work. It’s light, breezy, and incredibly fun to listen to (and it also has its deep and meaningful moments too). It’s easy to get in to, and it’s often one of the albums that I put on repeat whenever I listen to it. It also invokes an almost nostalgic feel, with its creative use of sounds. There was a mixture too, with light rock influences and even some synth sounds.

Bombay is a great intro. It sets up the tone of the rest of the album, and offers an excellent example of the kind of stylish delivery that is one of the defining aspects about Telephone. Parts of the album have a little bit of a swing music flare. One example is the song Hummingbird. Other parts are incredibly groovy, such as the song Hot To Trot. Fire and Ice is a perfect note to end on, and leaves an overall positive impression of the album as a whole.

There is also a Spanish version of Telephone, and it’s equally as good as the English version. I recommend giving both a listen, because it’s worth it.

Telephone is still one of my favorite albums for myriad of reasons, and I will likely listen to it a lot more in a future. Have you listened to any music by Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas? If so, what are some of your favorite songs?

I listened to Shadow Works by Kerli

Recently, I finally sat down to listen to Shadow Works by Kerli in full. It came out last year on February 22nd and I was super stoked for it. However, I never got around to it. Looking back now, I wasn’t in the mood. But, I was still listening to Savages and Where the Dark Things Are. Slowly, but surely I started branching out into other songs. First was Mimicry, then Giving Up the Ghost, and then before I knew it, the entire album. I felt like I re-discovered something I was missing out on. 

There are darker tones and hard hitting sounds in Shadow Works. Yet there are also the softer, more emotional ones –like Better, Giving up the Ghost, and One. I want to focus on One for a second, because it was the track that really pulled me into the album. After listening closer, and I mean really listening, I felt like I understood the album a little more than before. 

The Opening of the Way (Intro), Purification (Interlude), and Shadow Works (Outro) are all vocalized tracks that are simply ethereal (well the entire album is). I often find myself putting them on repeat. At the end of the day I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Shadow Works. 

Thanks for reading. 

Do you have any albums that you revisited and totally loved? 

I Listened to Super Sunset by Allie X

Between playing copious amounts of Animal Crossing New Horizons and baking/cooking, I also listened to some music by artists who were new to me. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m currently trying to expand my playlist, and during that search, I came across Super Sunset (2018) by Allie X under my Spotify recommendations.

I’m so glad I gave Super Sunset a listen. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was a refreshing pallet cleanser of an EP (extended play), and it was also a great introduction to Allie X’s music. It reminded me a little of Charli XCX’s latest album, as well as Lana Del Rey in the vocal department (especially the second song on the EP, Not So Bad In LA).

Some of the tracks made me nostalgic for synthpop. It was due in part to how much the overall sound of the EP was peppered with recognizable synth influences. However, the songs were distinctly modern and put a refreshing spin on the various samples and etc.. Songs like Science, Can’t Stop Now, and Girl of the Year were a good example of what I mean; although, if you listen carefully, you can pick up on the synthpop sounds in all of the songs. They reminded me of pop songs from the eighties and nineties.

There is also a different version of this EP called Super Sunset (Analog). The tracklist is pretty much the same as the regular version, but the songs have a slightly different sound. They have a live recorded sound to them. At the end of the day, I like both versions of the EP. 

Super Sunset is going on my playlist. Since Allie X released an album this year, I’m definitely going to give it a listen sometime soon. 

Have you listened to any music by Allie X? If so, have you listened to Super Sunset?

I listened to Death Stranding: Timefall

Today, I want to talk about one of the albums I’ve been listening to: Death Stranding: Timefall. I haven’t played the game, but I have watched some playthroughs for it. Recently, I got in to the soundtrack again after listening to one of the songs from it, Ludens by Bring Me The Horizon. They’ve truly gathered a great ensemble of artists to feature such as Khalid, Major Lazer, CHVRCHES, Flora Cash, and more. As a result there was a wide range of sounds—from slower (and just as heavy-hitting) songs like Yellow Box, to pure instrumental tracks like Meanwhile…In Genova by The S.L.P (there are two version of this song, one with vocals and one without, I like both), and even to the high energy of Sing to Me by MISSIO (and Ludens). There was a mixture of R&B, Rock, Electronic, and everything else in between. Which brings me to what I liked most about Timefall: how much versatility it had. With so many artists and their distinctive styles on their respective tracks there was a lot to like, and I enjoyed all of the songs. It reminded me of some of my more recent favorite movie soundtracks—Birds of Prey, Black Panther, Spiderman Into the Spider-Verse, and Suicide Squad. Needless to say, interesting collaborations have, as of late, produced excellent and highly memorable results. So Death Stranding: Timefall is going on my playlist. 

What are some of your favorite video game or movie soundtracks?

I Listened to Where Are You? by Abi Ocia

I’m stepping outside of my usual playlist in my quest to find new music and artists to follow and listen to. One of my finds and new go-to artists is Abi Ocia. I found her music by randomly listening to a playlist, and her song, Running, happened to be on it. It’s such a gloriously elegant and stylish track, and the black and white music video is one of my favorites to date. From there, I gave her debut EP a listen. I have to say that, as of late, I’m really enjoying smooth R&B sounds with a side of guitar riffs. Where Are You? by Abi Ocia ticked all the boxes in that regard. At just five songs long, Where Are You? packs quite a punch, with its catchy rhythms and Ocia’s powerful and distinctive vocals. 

Beside the guitar riffs, there were other sounds on Where Are You? as well. Such as some synth pop influences, which were more evident on the track called Easy to Love. The feel and creativeness of the EP reminded me a little of Saturn by NAO—who is another artists I have mentioned on the blog before. They’re intrinsically different artists, and when I’m making the comparison, I’m talking about the way they mix and match influences from different genres/subgenres of music. Yet, the songs always feel and sound like one cohesive piece of music. In that way, Easy to Love reminded me of Orbit from NAO’s album, Saturn—which essentially does the same thing.

Abi Ocia has already shown a lot of promise as an artist. If this is what she can do with an EP, then I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do with a full-length album.

Have you listened to any music by Abi Ocia? If so, what are some of your favorite songs?

I Listened to Treat Myself by Meghan Trainor...

Meghan Trainor’s long-awaited album, Treat Myself, is finally out, and I gave it a listen. 

I have been waiting for Treat Myself since I heard about it from one of my co-bloggers sometime last year. It was one of my most anticipated albums of 2020, and it's finally here. It was as good as I hoped it would be, and it was also nothing like I expected—and I mean that in a good way too. Meghan Trainor outdid herself. Treat Myself is a light, fun, and creative foray into the pop genre. It's probably my favorite body-of-work by Meghan Trainor to date. 

Treat Myself had a strong “love yourself"/self-empowerment message throughout the full track list. The lyrics, the sound, and the energy of the tracks complimented Trainor’s vocals. The collaborations are particularly good like Nice to Meet Ya featuring Nicki Minaj, Genetics featuring The Pussycat Dolls, and After You featuring AJ Mitchell, etc.. The solo songs are just as good on their own, and some of my favorites include Babygirl, Evil Twin, and Blink. 

Treat Myself is definitely a new favorite. I enjoyed the whole album, and I'm looking forward to Trainor's next project.

Have you listened to Treat Myself? If so, what did you think about it?

I listened to We Need to Talk by Tayla Parx

April already looked like a great month for music, because of Lizzo’s album—and I feel like I’ve been waiting for it since the beginning of the year. Then, I came across We Need to Talk by Tayla Parx. With Tayla Parx’s history of working with artists like Khalid, Ariana Grande, and more—as a songwriter or featured artist—I was very excited to listen to We Need to Talk. This album had a great sound. The composition of the tracks is solid, the lyrics are interesting, and the whole album is lively. It leaves a distinctively good impression and a craving for more music from Parx. Even the interludes and shorter tracks have their own uniqueness—like Disconnected and Happy Birthday—they made a strong impression, and I wished they were longer. Of course, there are a number of other songs that are as equally good as Disconnected. Including the opening track, I Want You, which serves as an easy intro and hints at what comes next, and the mellow vibe of Read Your Mind. Overall, We Need to Talk is an excellent album that showcases Parx's talent....

• (We Need to Talk was released on April 5, 2019)

Have you listened to this album? If not, would you? If so, what do you think about it?

I Listened to Cuz I Love You by Lizzo + The B Side by Dainá....

It’s been a hot minute since I did a post entirely dedicated to some of the music I’m currently listening to that’s not weekly meme related. And with the arrival of Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You and Dainá’s The B Side this past Friday, I suddenly had a lot to talk about.

Cuz I Love You

With singles like Juice, Tempo, and Cuz I Love You, the hype for Lizzo’s long awaited album seemed endless on my end. Well, it’s finally here, and it doesn’t disappoint. From the first track to the last—with songs featuring Gucci Mane and Missy Elliott—Cuz I Love You is an experience. Lizzo’s powerful vocals pairs perfectly with the deep, meaningful, and inspiring lyrics prevalent throughout the album. The beats are excellent and catchy, and there isn’t a song I don’t like. You can almost hear the work that went into this album, and I appreciated every minute of it. Besides the well-known singles, there are a number of other noteworthy songs as well. For example: Like a Girl is snazzy; Jerome and Crybaby are like two-peas-in-a-pod with smooth beats and strong vocals; and Heaven Help Me noticeably features flute music and has an upbeat sound. Overall, Cuz I Love You was worth the wait. It’s the best album I’ve listened to so far this year...

• (Cuz I Love You was released on April 19, 2019.)

The B Side

Also out last Friday was The B Side by Dainá. I’ve listened to and liked music by this artist before, and was excited for what she would do next. I'm not going to lie, for me, as an EP with just five songs, The B Side was a surprise weekend hit. It’s stylish and entertaining with songs like Say My Name, Stacks, and Dainero—with the latter being one of my favorite tracks from the EP. Overall, The B Side is great, and it left me wanting more music from Dainá....

• (The B Side was released on April 19, 2019)

Have you listened to any music by Lizzo or  Dainá? Do you plan to listen to Cuz I Love You or The B Side?

That Post Titled: a.k.a. Everything Is being Released in March and April...

Today, I'm here to talk about music.  Since my last music oriented post (not Music Monday), I've sporadically worked on a new list of recent releases and upcoming albums that I wanted to talk about. This is also going to be a bit of a review/reaction type post, because the excellence is everywhere with these new releases.…

Invasion of Privacy (Cardi B)—I mentioned this one last time, but since this an update post and there has been news, I have to include Cardi B again. I happened to catch part of the iheart music awards when Cardi B announced that the release date for her album. Invasion of Privacy was released on April 6, 2018. And I like it. It met all my expectations for what I was hoping Cardi B's studio album would be. There are a lot of catchy songs on the album and some familiar tracks, i.e. Bodak Yellow and Bartier Cardi. Some of the other songs required a second listen for me to really appreciate the sound and lyrics, but overall, Invasion of Privacy was a strong studio album debut.

Expectations (Hayley Kiyoko)—I did not realize that Hayley Kiyoko was about to release a new album. She is. And there’s no wait because Expectations was released on March 30, 2018. I haven't gone through the whole album yet, but I liked the songs I've already listened to.

Joyride (Tinashe)—Joyride also had an April release date. Out of all the music/albums I'm mentioning today, I was most excited for Joyride. Tinashe has been an artists I've followed off and on over the last couple of years. Then No Drama happened, and my excitment for the album was rampped up by at least ten fold. I don't know what I was expecting, but oh my goodness, the entire album not only met but exceeded my expectations. From the simple intro Keep Your Eyes On The Road, to the sharp and catchy sound of the album's titular song,  to the melodic finish with Fires and Flames, it's a joyride . To date, Joyride is my favorite album by Tinashe.

The Kids Are Alright (Chloe x Halle)—I almost forgot about Chloe x Halle’s debut studio album, The Kids Are Alright. Their song Warrior for A Wrinkle in Time (2018) reminded me about it. The Kids Are Alright was released on March 23, 2018 and it’s worth the listen.  I love the vibe and sound of the entire album. Chloe and Halle's vocal capabilities shined through on tracks like Galaxy, Hi Lo, and all others. I caught their performance during the Coachella livestream over the weekend, and I continue to be impressed by how well they've honed their singing capabilities.

Primal Heart (Kimbra)—Admittedly, I haven’t listened to much music by Kimbra in a while. However, that has changed since I learned that she’s coming out with a new album, Primal Heart, which is set to be released on April 20, 2018. She already released a couple of songs from Primal Heart including: Top of the World, Everybody Knows, Human, and Version of Me. So far, I really dig the sound of those songs and am looking forward to the rest of the album.

Bittersweet Vol. 1 (OSHUN)—Bittersweet was released on April 6, 2018. Adri was the one who introduced me to OSHUN's music, and I discovered that I like their style a lot. So I was pretty excited when I first learned that they were gearing up to release new music. Well, Bittersweet Vol. 1 is out. And I love it. OSHUN's ability to create unique and catchy songs shines through.

Pray For the Wicked (Panic! At The Disco)—I admit that I haven't kept up with a lot of Panic! At The Disco's newer music. However, I recently went on a binge-listen where I systematically went through all of their music. Suffice it to say, the hype I feel for Pray For the Wicked is real. The expected release date is June 22, 2018.

So, that's about it for today. I know I’ll do another post like this sooner or later. And I have to say that I’m incredibly excited for the rest of April because there are a couple more albums I'm waiting for. But until then, I have music by Chloe x Halle, Cardi B, Tinashe, and OSHUN to listen to. What music albums are you looking forward to? Or, what new music have you been listening to?

Best of 2017: Music

I typically associate December with Christmas-y stuff, but it’s also that time of year where I get to talk about some of the best books I’ve read. The only difference is that this year I’ve decided to dedicate an entire post to the music I've been listening to in 2017. This list includes albums that came out in previous years as well as 2017 releases. Adri is also joining me today with her own additions to the list....

Breana's picks...

• Lady Wood by Tove Lo
• Blue Lips (Lady Wood Phase ll) by Tove Lo 
• Hopeless Fountain Kingdom by Halsey
• The Dreaming Room by Laura Mvula
• The Altar by Banks
• Sweet Sexy Savage by Kehlani
• The Fate of the Furious The Album by Various Artists
• Another Eternity by Purity Ring
• For All We Know by Nao

Comments: In 2017, Music Monday encouraged me to keep up with new music by my favorite artists while also seeking out bands/singers/etc who were entirely new to me...

Adri's picks...

• The Chief by Jidenna
• Art Angels by Grimes
• Dark Matter by Les Friction
• Warmer in the Winter by Lindsey Sterling
• Gemini by Macklemore
• Awake Alert Alive Almost by Spiritual Machines
• Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! and The Fall of A Rebel Angel by Enigma
• Carcal by Disclosure
• Break From This World by Globus

Comments: Although I havn't got the chance to buy every album on this list, starting with Awake Alive Almost, I feel like I've listened to more new music this year than the last. I can only hope that next year will bring more.

So, what music have you been listening to in 2017?

Album Review: Dark Matter by Les Friction

Title: Dark Matter

Band/Artist(s): Les Friction (Even Frankfort, Helmet Vonlichten, Paint), also Featuring Emily Valentine and Laura Fabian

Source/Format: Les Friction; CD

Label/ Release date: Moriposa Lane Music, INC/ Would Work Sound LLC; August 25, 2017

OfficialSite Bandcamp     Itunes     Spotify       Amazon      CDbaby

I first heard of Les Friction in an epic music compilation. This was a few years ago when I first began listening to this genre of music. Like any music junkie, I’ve checked to see if new music was on the horizon. My day lit up when I saw the tweet announcing Dark Matter was coming out.

Not only did this album meet my expectations, it exceeded them. Every millisecond is perfect, starting with Your World Will Fail. This song starts calm and then changes about midway. At this point it morphs into something more, resulting in a pleasant mix of instrumentals and vocals. Other songs including Who Will Save You Now, Dark Matter, and Firewall seems to follow this pattern somewhat too. Obviously, like any album, Dark Matter has calm moments too. I Remember and You Always Knew add a touch of sincere tranquility. These two duets with Emily Valentine and Laura Fabian, respectively, occasionally misted my eyes. The album ended with Kashmir (which is a cover of a song by Led Zeppelin); the only thing I can say is that it is the perfect way to end an album.

Due to the fact that each track was diverse in sound and lyric, the whole album maintained a certain aesthetic. Not one felt out of place. Actually, a host of emotions were elicited as I listened to each song. I’m not even sure they are nameble. To put it simply, it’s like finding that perfectly tailored dress. I love it!

I recieved this CD from Les Fricition for this review.

Music Monday (3) Halloween Edition

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me, that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

First of all, happy Halloween everyone! October flew by so fast, and it seems like just yesterday that I started Inktober. By the time this post goes up, I'll probably be working on my last Inktober drawing. I have to say that I had more fun with it than I expected, and I look forward to participating next year. And since tomorrow is the start of November (and while I'm not joining myself), I want to say good luck to anyone participating in NaNoWriMo. I'm rooting for you!

With that out of the way, I'm going to jump back to the topic of this post. Today, I'm doing a Halloween edition of Music Monday. When I sat down to write this post, I sort of realized that I have and know about a lot of Christmas music, but my Halloween collection was severely lacking. Anyway, here is my list...

1. Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! At the Disco--I think we all remember last year when Panic! At the Disco released that spooky good music video for the Emperor's New Clothes. So, of course, that was going to make it on my list. Listen to Emperor's New Clothes HERE
2. I Put a Spell on You by Jay Hawkins--I remember this song from Hocus Pocus. Plus Bette Midler's performance in the movie was phenomenal. Nina Simone also did a version of I Put a Spell on You, which is just fantastic. Thus, this song as one of my favorites.
3. Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.--I like the original Ghostbusters movies, and I also like the theme song by Ray Parker Jr. Listen to Ghostbusters HERE
4. Wicked Moon by Angel Haze--Wicked Moon is a song that definitely fits with October. Its kind of spooky, and the beat is pretty awesome. Listen to Wicked Moon HERE
5. This is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas--When a song has Halloween in its lyrics, you know that it has to make this list. I also like the version of the song performed by Panic! At the Disco.

What are you listening to this Halloween?

Thursday Tracks #1: Janelle Monáe

Thursday Tracks is a weekly meme hosted by GoneWithTheWords, that asks you to talk about a song or an album you’ve been listening to. You can check out the rest of the rules HERE

For a while now, I’ve wanted to join a non-book related weekly meme, and Thursday Tracks seemed like a fun one to try out. I don’t know if I’ll do this meme weekly, once every other week, or once a month. Really, it just depends on what I get done. I did have a lot of fun coming up with custom artwork for this weekly meme (pictured above and below). It's green in a shade that reminds me of mint and gold, a cool color combination that I want to use a little more since it worked so well here.

Anyway, I’m going to move on since today I’m really here to talk about music...

This week I’ve been listening to a lot of Janelle Monáe. I have two of her albums—Electric Lady and The ArchAndroid, which are both fantastic—and a couple of other songs. I especially like Monáe’s music style in the albums mentioned above—and Metropolis: The Chase Suite. I would describe the music as smooth and savvy, filled with amazing songs, and catchy beats. You can listen to two of my favorite Janelle Monáe songs by clicking on the bold text below...

Listen to Electric Lady on Youtube

Listen to Sincerely, Jane on Youtube

So, that's it for today. What are you listening to this week?

{**Thursday Tracks weekly meme link is now on the Features Page**}