If you read my "Back Home." post, you know that I went through a major LIGHTS phase while I was traveling around Europe. When I turned on my phone, she was the only artist I would think to listen to. When I was able to attract Wifi in our hostels, I feverishly looked up interviews and remixes and acoustic performances. Though I fell in love with a few songs off her Siberia (Acoustic) album, specifically the stripped down version of Toes, earlier in the year, this trip made me really appreciate Siberia itself.
Never listened to Sibera (the album)? I highly recommend Flux and Flow (which I listened to A LOT on my trip, though I really do not care for the rap verse), Siberia, Cactus in the Valley, Suspension, And Counting (omfg when I looked this up on YouTube, the first choice was a video from Majestic Casual and I find that hilarious for some reason), and the lovely instrumental that is Day One. It feels a bit stupid to suggest that many songs, but it's a brilliant album. Siberia is a huge step up in complexity and rawness from The Listening. I prefer that grittiness to the clean sounds of her debut album. Basically, I'm just in love with the direction Lights is going.
I also think that her vocal abilities have skyrocketed over the past few years, as can be seen by this May 2013 performance in Toronto. I listened to this acoustic rendition of Flux and Flow almost as much as Lights' cover of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2.
When I returned from my trip, I sorted through the entire month of Cathy's Tumblr that I missed, and read the most recent posts on her Blogspot (and by clicking over there I just realized I've missed her two most recent posts... how....), which lead me to rediscover Gravediggress by CocoRosie. Which I then had stuck in my head for three days. Not complaining whatsoever.
Links: Lovely New Discoveries of the Month
My favorite find of August was one given to me by none other than my best friend, Cathy. While I was in Europe, she found via Tumblr this list of "10 Queer Rappers You Should Check Out." Cathy showed me a fair few of the people on this page, and my favorite is most definitely RoxXxan. Her songs are catchy, British, and badass. I also really love the way she combines feminine and masculine elements into her work, and her personal style, particularly in the video for "Too Fucking Facety." Her sense of fashion in general is just really, really great. And that hair. And if you watch so much as one interview, you can tell she's smart as hell and understands that balance of self-image, marketing, masculinity, femininity, and being true to one's vision. She owns all of it without hesitation.
If you ever need a breath of life, listen to my favorite of RoxXxan's songs, "Power"
When I returned from my trip, I sorted through the entire month of Cathy's Tumblr that I missed, and read the most recent posts on her Blogspot (and by clicking over there I just realized I've missed her two most recent posts... how....), which lead me to rediscover Gravediggress by CocoRosie. Which I then had stuck in my head for three days. Not complaining whatsoever.
Links: Lovely New Discoveries of the Month
- A beautiful live arrangement of Sing to the Moon by Laura Mvula.
- MØ- Pilgrim, in which the video totally reminds me of old school Lana Del Rey clip splices.
- As discovered on August 31st, Narcissus is Back by Christine and the Queens.
- While I was in Forever 21, Go to Sleep by Lupe Fiasco blasted throughout the store and it was great.
- I'm not sure if this counts as a new discovery because surely Cathy has shown me this song before, because I know she introduced me to the band earlier this year. But I really love this rooftop performance of Wolf by First Aid Kit.
- Though I'm not proud, I jam to Work by Iggy Azalea..... I'm just.... Sorry, guys.
- But to redeem myself, this month I jammed even more to The New Workout Plan by Kanye West.
My favorite find of August was one given to me by none other than my best friend, Cathy. While I was in Europe, she found via Tumblr this list of "10 Queer Rappers You Should Check Out." Cathy showed me a fair few of the people on this page, and my favorite is most definitely RoxXxan. Her songs are catchy, British, and badass. I also really love the way she combines feminine and masculine elements into her work, and her personal style, particularly in the video for "Too Fucking Facety." Her sense of fashion in general is just really, really great. And that hair. And if you watch so much as one interview, you can tell she's smart as hell and understands that balance of self-image, marketing, masculinity, femininity, and being true to one's vision. She owns all of it without hesitation.
If you ever need a breath of life, listen to my favorite of RoxXxan's songs, "Power"
wow, what an amazing post! thank you!
ReplyDeletexx
ahhh, no, thank you!! :)
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