Summer Is Here... This Is It (What!)

Summer is here! Which means that it is time to pause with winter records for a while and start listening to some happy and summer-y music... well, at least to some extent... Right now there are two songs that, for me, really sum up that summer is here. Those two are; Camp Lo's Luchini and The Very Best's Warm Heart of Africa.

How can you fail with a beat like this? Luchini has that breezy Dynasty "Adventures In The Land Of Music"-sample that to me just screams summer. I just want to lay back with something cold in my hand and chill in the sun... yup, I chill. [Stop laughing...]

I really really really really like this song.

Camp Lo - Luchini aka. This Is It (What?)



Next song...

The Very Best released a mixtape-y sort of thing last year ( FYI, it is free and legal here) where they did semi-covers... that is, they rearranged, remixed and re-did songs, such as their cover of Architecture in Helsinki's Heart it Races called Kamphoho (one word; awesome). The group consists of Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and French- Swedish electronic duo Radioclit and have in my opinion made one of the best songs of the summer so far. The beat actually surprised the first time I heard it and I had to hear it twice before I really got it. But then it really got me. I'm already a sucker for Esau's voice so with the sunny and happy backdrop it was sure be an instant hit avec moi... oh yeah, the song also features Monsieur Koenig from Vampire Weekend (we like his voice too...).

The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (feat. Ezra Koenig)

Wouldn't It Be Sweet If She Could Die Of A Broken Heart

I really like this song. The simple use of the keyboard obviously does it for the song, but I have to say that the video really helps me along too. The whole aloofness of the singer (Morrissey fan much?) really adds to the lyrics and the whole feeling of the song. The sepia-tinged colours also says all you need to know about what decade these guys want to look/sound like they're from... I'm still confused by the leadsinger's hair though... but maybe that's just me.

... finally, I really like the backing vocals. Especially the "Zoooh Zoooh"s (or is it "Sue Sue"?), which makes me think of Sympathy for Devil.

Catchy tune. Lovely lyrics. Great song.

Golden Silvers - Arrows of Eros

I Promise That I'll Run Away With You

Speaking of all time favorite songs... I could write endlessly about why this is one of the best songs ever, but I'll just let the song speak for itself. Love it.

The Cure - Just Like Heaven

The Cure - Just Like Heaven

Je Ne Veux Plus Pleurer, Je Ne Veux Plus Parler

I recently bought Jacques Brel's 4 on vinyl and it's been on pretty much constant rotation ever since. The undying classic on the album is of course Ne Me Quitte Pas, which is one of my all time favorite songs. The song is intense and - despite the actual meaning behind the song - very romantic. Really one of my all time favorite songs...

Jacques Brel is cooler than cool. His croon is unlike most others and you can definitely see how others like Scott Walker took inspiration from him.

Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pas

Pardon me I must say, I'm kinda like a big deal...

New video from The Clipse featuring Kanye West from their forthcoming album. I gotta say I love this. The video is pretty bleh, but the song is awesome. The Clipse are lyrically always vicious, but Kanye actually kills on this song. Great stuff... and the beat is lovely too (yup, am down with the ghetto terminology).

The Clipse - I'm Kinda Like A Big Deal (feat. Kanye West)