Tag: Great songs

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Lights & Motion – I See You

Lights & Motion - I See You

In yesterday’s entry, I mentioned why I liked cinematic (post-rock) music. Well, I probably have to thank Lights & Motion for that. Reanimation, the debut album of this Swedish one-man band, founded in 2012 by the talented Christoffer Franzén, hooked me in. The “band” is one of the main references in the genre and its songs have been featured in multiple tv commercials, tv shows and movies. Funnily enough, the song I’m recommending here today, from the Lights & Motion‘s latest album: The Great Wide Open, is perhaps the band’s less cinematic songs.

It’s not that I See You lacks Lights & Motion‘s trademark atmospheric vibes and amazing soundscapes –it doesn’t–, but I think it has more elements of indie rock, especially with the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Swedish singer Frida Sundemo. I particularly love the guitars that start playing at 1:42. All in all, it is a mesmerizing track that closes perfectly another great album by Lights & Motion and Deep Elm Records.

Isn’t I See You an instant musical crush?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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The 93 – 03

The 93 - 03

I love listening to cinematic rock –also known as post-rock, although I dislike that name– when I need to focus or relax. Something about the atmospheric sounds and the different acoustic textures that cinematic rock artists often use elicit joyful yet peaceful emotions in me. Unfortunately, it is not a massively popular genre yet, so the number of artists creating this kind of music is still somewhat small (and the best ones all seem to be signed by Deep Elm Records), but the good news is that this seems to be changing with a number of new “post-rock” bands that have been popping up lately.

The 93 is one such band. Based in Cardiff, the group is formed by two talented brothers from Poland and started in 2017. I discovered them on Instagram when they liked one of my posts and started following me (I love to discover new music that I like this way). They got some samples of their songs on their profile there that got me interested and then I listened to their EPs, which are available on most streaming platforms. They say in their official website that they were originally rooted in punk-rock and you can definitely sense some Angels & Airwaves influence in their songs, which can never be bad. 03 is their latest single, which was released earlier this year, and it encapsulates perfectly the gorgeous kind of music they make.

There is no video available yet but you can listen to this song in the playlists below. Give this band a chance. You won’t regret it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Relax

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Paul van Dyk ft. Plumb – Music Rescues Me

Paul van Dyk ft. Plumb - Music Rescues Me

I don’t think Paul van Dyk needs any kind of intro. Matthias Paul, his real name, is one of the most renowned DJs in the world. However, from the moment I decided to include trance tracks on this website, I knew I had to feature Music Rescues Me. This tune from 2018 was a collaboration with Plumb, who is an American Christian artist who has sold more than 500,000 albums and two million singles worldwide. The song was also co-written by Johnny McDaid, who you might know as Snow Patrol‘s guitarist and lead singer of the extinct band Vega4 (and also as Courteney Cox’s boyfriend).

Music Rescues Me is a gorgeous and uplifting trance anthem that is impossible to get out of your head. It’s the perfect earworm for a Saturday night. Don’t believe me? Try it now and let me know how it goes.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Electronic

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Cultures – Away From Us

Cultures - Away From Us

Cultures is an alternative/indie rock band from Greater Manchester that started just four years ago but has managed to get some attention in that short period of time. In fact, I would not be surprised if they became the next big thing to come out of the Manchester area. The group certainly got the talent for that.

Away From Us is their latest single and it showcases perfectly how much the band has evolved since 2016. It is a guitar-driven song about what it feels like to live away from home for the first time, something many of us can relate to. If this is an indication of where Cultures is heading to, it is clear then that the band is going up. Watch the brand new video (released today!) or listen to the song in the playlists below, and then you’ll be able to brag about listening to Cultures before they became big.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Télépopmusik – Smile

Télépopmusik - Smile

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday song is a bit different than previous entries. To begin with, it is a “chill out” tune from Télépopmusik, a French electronic music duo that released its first album, Genetic World, back in 2001. The most popular song on that album was Breathe, which got featured in a Mitsubishi television commercial and got even a Grammy nomination. That being said, it is unlikely that people who don’t follow electronic music that closely knows who they are (they are still active).

I got nothing against Breathe, but my favorite track from that album, besides δp.δq ≥ h⁄4π “L’incertitude d’Heisenberg”, is Smile. I cannot explain why, both tracks are similar, they even feature the same guest vocalist: Angela McCluskey, but there is something about Smile that is hard to put into words. I think it was the blend of Angela’s raspy voice with the delicate unconventional sounds that composed the track. I guess the best thing I could say about this song, besides its being a musical crush of mine, is that if I told you it was released yesterday instead of 19 years ago, you could totally believe it.

Had you heard this tune before? Let me know what you think of it in the comments section below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Chill Out

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Hunter & The Bear – Won’t You Ever Come Home

Hunter & The Bear

These British rockers deserve worldwide recognition. Started by Will Irvine (the Bear) and Jimmy Hunter, Hunter & The Bear is now a four-piece rock band that have supported artists like Eric Clapton and played in multiple festivals, but I don’t think the casual listener knows who they are. That needs to change soon.

Hunter & The Bear released a new single in March this year. It is very good and I will probably feature it here in the near future. However, the song I’d like to highlight here today is this gem from their debut album from 2017: Won’t you Ever Come Home. This beautiful song blends the best of Bruce Springsteen with Irvine’s stunning vocals to make it a memorable track that deserves to be played on repeat ad infinitum. It became my musical crush for a while. If you like good rock music, chances are high it was or will become yours too.

*Update: The band has been renamed Daytime TV after guitarist and co-founder Jamie Hunter left the band in 2021.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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The Dangerous Summer – Where Were You When The Sky Opened Up

The Dangerous Summer

The Dangerous Summer is an American band that sits on the border between alternative rock and punk rock. The band has been active since 2006 and even though it didn’t became big –at least not yet–, it got a decent group of fans. The Dangerous Summer’s latest studio album (although they will release a new one soon) was Mother Nature, released last year, and it had the song featured here as it lead single.

Besides having a really long name, When Were You When The Sky Opened Up got a melancholic vibe and a melodic rhythm that make it one of the most memorable songs from the subgenre in a long time. It’s the perfect tune to listen to when you get into a car and start riding. Don’t you think?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Punk-Rock

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Meg Myers – Numb

Meg Myers - Numb

Janice Sue Meghan Myers, better known as Meg Myers, is an American singer-songwriter who debuted in 2012. Almost two years ago, she released her second studio album, Take Me to the Disco, for which Numb was the lead single. I know it is not brand new but the song is too good not to be featured here, especially considering the fact that it didn’t reach a very wide audience (that being said, it wasn’t unsuccessful, having peaked at position 182 of Billboard 200.

Numb is perhaps the singer’s most radio-friendly song, which is not something Meg usually tries to achieve. The song’s style reminds me of the late 90’s alternative rock, which feels like a breath of fresh air nowadays. It certainly deserves to be listened to on repeat at a high volume level. Without a doubt, Numb has huge musical crush vibes. Is it yours?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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U137 – Have Hope

U137 - Have Hope

U137 was a “cinematic post-rock” duo from Sweeden formed by Adam Tornbland and Oscar Gullbrandsen in 2013. Unfortunately, Adam passed away at age 27 in 2017 (and I strongly urge you to listen to the beautiful “Adam Forever”, which Oscar released as a tribute to him), so nowadays Oscar is the sole member of U137.

Back in April this year, Oscar released U137‘s latest single, Have Hope, which he wrote as a message of optimism during these uncertain times. The song has the rich textures and layers for which U137 is known for within the genre enthusiasts and makes you want to hear it again and again. As other U137 songs, it evokes feelings of euphoria and has a calming effect. I find this kind of music ideal to listen to while I work or have to focus on something. I guess the best adjective for Have Hope is, quite simply, beautiful.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Relax

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Craig Connelly & Siskin – All For Love

Craig Connelly & Siskin

Craig Connelly is a young DJ from the UK who started his career in 2010. He has a new album called A Sharper Edge, which features this great collaboration with Siskin, All for Love. It is a thrill-inducing track, perfect for a Saturday night.

If you like uplifting trance, you are going to love this tune.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Electronic