I've got those feelings

Just before the take off: a new artist discovered thanks to Sam Sure & Giacomo's post on their facebook: Ian M Hale, a south London singer-songwriter. Quite suitable. This is where I'm heading to. Off we go!



Meet the director of the video Domenico Favata.

going somewhere

It started roughly a year ago with a flower empty tree. It was winter so the title fit the picture quite well and appropriately. But the EP from Kris Berry was far from being empty. It was thriving and it still is. Now, a year later and with trees starting to blossom (yes, it takes a bit longer for spring to arrive in Finland :)), Kris Berry with her band offers their debut album Marbles. Good and fantastic new energy. It's definitely going somewhere. Plus I wouldn't mind if the band tried to squeeze in my kitchen for a private show :)



you don't know where you're going
you don't know where you're from
but if you're going somewhere
think about what you've become
(Going somewhere) 

because Moshi Moshi said so

I got a news letter from Moshi Moshi and I was happy to see that Clock Opera has a free gig in Rough Trade Store in London next week. I will gladly drop by. I also got a map, a few clues and an Oyster Card (so that it gives me a tiny tiny feeling of being a local ;)) from a friend I haven't seen in quite a while and now I can place those venues for the concerts I have listed. Slow Club also appears in town as the Moshi Moshi news letter informs. They are fun, cheerful and light-hearted but will I trade them for Marcus Miller concert that's on the same day just because Moshi Moshi said so? Tough calls during this upcoming holiday trip:)



Two Cousins video credits goes to the director Lucy Needs, choreographer Ryan Francois and two brilliant dancers Ryan Francois and Remy Kouakou Kouame. Trophy Room video was directed by Pete Ohs (a guy from Iceland who stands behind Arcade Fire's Wake Up video :)).

Hold on, to where you're from.
It's where your heart goes, when you're done.

brother/sister

It's great to have siblings. Brother/Sister gets the idea of that and additionally brings an intriguing blend of the Beach House sound and the LA sun. Sunny Saturday to all of you.

Artwork by Michael Gittes. See more of his fantastic works.

"Brother/Sister is a band that consists of one brother and one sister who met during a play date set up by their parents. One's black and one's white. They remain brother and sister." (via Brother/Sister)




hello my friend (...)

there’s one more silver lining

A week off has officially started. Sky is black and blue. It actually got green and blue at some point of the evening. I was reminded again of the value of friendship and good people that surround me. Such never-ending and big talks till until late at night stay within you. And last long. If not forever.



"Upon seeing a picture on the internet of Kagbeni (a village in Upper Mustang, Nepal, A/N), I armed myself with a camera in my bag I walked for 10 days hoping to shoot a video on happiness, magic." It worked out. Another brilliant work of Bruno Levy for The Walkmen.

Hey, Leah, I'm here to see you
there's one more silver lining
So c'mon then and be a good friend (...)

good (night) songs from Cold Blue Kid

Speaking of Canadians, I was somehow brought to Broken Social Scene senses tonight thanks to this good discovery from Chicago: Cold Blue Kid. Don't they just sound a bit like BSS (in a good sense I mean)? I also think it's high time to establish a new label here: Canadian :). I was reminded about it by a surprise message from an old friend. Ironically it comes with the post on a Chicago band. Confusing. Not at all. Just logically connected through all the social circles we are involved in.



Check also Footloose Montana, a non-profit organization the band asks to support.

damas de blanco

So I skipped the Record Store Day yet I managed to get a Record Store Day release: the very white (well it's actually a bit creamy) vinyl version of Tegan and Sara's Get Along :). Sisters have never been much politically involved as these Damas de Blanco (although they have supported  PETA, Get Your Vote On and Warchild), but one must admit they definitely look good in white. It's a making-peace-with-yourself video. White video. Calming and peaceful. And so is the song. Even though it's sad I officially end the black spring of this year with it and put myself into summer mode (which means taking my white trousers out of the closet:)). Suddenly it all seems clear at this time of the year. Summer, I dare you to come!



Meet the director of video Angela Kendall.

Read more about Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), an opposition movement in Cuba, and the Sakharov Prize the movement received in 2005.

I won't regret saying this thing that I'm saying
Is it better than keeping my mouth shut that goes without saying (...)

Monday reggae party

Just paid a visit to the best Vegemesta in town and met the only original Jamaican in town (as he decribed himself). Oh, peace, man. You made this rainy evening sunny and full of good spirit! And now, that's why I like Mondays so much :)



Tigercats's video was made by its singer and guitarist, Duncan.

orange Sunday

For the last two days I was diving in the peacefulness of a remote place out of town with good people by my side. Divine. Just as this work of The Walkmen and Bruno Levy, the director of the video.



(...) left my life behind
whistle in my ear
the good gets better all around me

out of town

Skipping Record Store Day and running away from the city for the weekend. Packing chaos eased by the liberating feeling of Thursday evening.



The Walkmen's Heaven will be released by Fat Possum on June 5.

remember remember
all we fight for

a good (night) song from Yann Tiersen

when those from Kendal are in Copenhagen

It's a peculiar stance, it's me reaching for the olive branch...

cat in the box

No, it has nothing to do with Simon's cat. It's a bit more complicated.
In the town of my choice it's raining tonight.



Cat in the Box - a band to watch in 2012.

moshi moshi

Moshi moshi. That's a proper way of saying "hi" when you're answering a phone in Japanese. Moshi Moshi is also a proper way of finding tons of great moshi moshi sounds :) They say it's a small label but all those names in their stock are just huge. I favorited a new track from Tom Williams and The Boat which is more than suitable for this weirdly windy April evening. I so much count days till my take off to London in May :) I have already drafted a list of a few gigs. And of course speaking of Moshi Moshi Summer Camp is just a must share. Well, we all love bad paid photos, don't we? :)



Meet the director of the video Ollie Evans from Partizan.

a good (night) song from Lykke Li and Deportees

Speaking of Lykke Li: here's something she shared via her twitter a while ago already. A song done with a Swedish band Deportees from their 2011 album Islands & Shores. A calming melody to quieten the day down.

  A New Name To Go By - Deportees ft Lykke Li by livvvvvy

dance, dance, dance

What a sunny Sunday! Going to explore the city in the rhythm of Lykke Li's
"Dance, dance, dance". 



Having troubles telling how I feel
But I can dance, dance dance
(...) Words can never make up for what you do 

a good (new) song by Beach House

Having always good people in my mind when it comes to Beach House music. So it's all positive and gives another reason for May to be a good month always worth waiting for. Beach House's new album (Bloom) will be released by Mistletone Records on May 11. Lovely.

found yourself in a new direction (...)

whole again

Paula and Karol (Paula i Karol in Polish :)). I discoverd them accidentaly last spring wandering and getting lost in the vast bandcamp website. They really cheered up my spring. This year they seem to do that once again. The Guardian called them Poland's superheroes as it's quoted on their bandcamp site. They are my heros today as they wash away all the tiredness from me. How come I missed their appearance at SXSW? Oh, yes, I remember, it was insane. And is it just me or does Paula look a bit like Alanis?



(...) this hole inside my chest seems to taken all the best of what was mine

Meet the director of the video Robert Bęza (ah, not so much info on him).

get funky with Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart

sipping Burgundy tonight

Feeling a bit like new here again after a few days off.



I'll need a little room to sway (...)
I am a lion, a tiger sleeping under my skin (...)

Meet the directors of the video Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard.

waking up in Montmartre

Waking up in Montmartre this morning and wandering around with Lianne La Haves.

18 weeks to go

All righty. I don't have to perhaps go to such extreme and move. All I have to do is simply move in time till summer so I can embark the festival season. The posh and city-orientated Flow Festival (see the 18 weeks to go teaser :)) gets new artists. Yeah. We are all happy about it. Bobby Womack, Yann Tiersen, Korallreven (!!!). Well, all three of them get three exclamation marks as well as these new names I am excited to see in the festival line-up: Burning Hearts from Finland, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou from Benin and Tamikrest from Mali. Not to mention the ones confirmed before: Feist, Björk, Ane Brun and St. Vincent. Life's good.

don't leave my mind

Speaking of Azure Ray: here's a wonderful version of Don't Leave My Mind from their Drawing Down the Moon album. Ah, I would so much go now where no one knows me and where the winter is kind. All that dream pop mood Maria and Orenda create is quite suitable for this hazy-lazy Easter Sunday. Isn't the cover of this single simply beautiful? :) Enjoy.
 

window

The sounds of sweet nothing are delivered by James Husband this time. I wouldn't mind to have a husband like that. He seems to organise things in a pretty funny way and definitely knows how to pick up (also literally ;)) good people to work with. Here's some great acting by Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink from Azure Ray. The video was directed by Matthew Harfield and I sincerely have no idea who's that but still the credits go to him.

washy, broken and disturbed

A brand new video from Django Django. I really like it. It's so detached, washy, broken and disturbed in many ways. And yet complete both in sound and vision. But I guess it's kind of a default feature when it comes to this band :). See more works from Focus Creeps (yes, lots of Cass McCombs and Girls).

it still hits me like a rock

My player got stuck with this song today God knows for how many times. "And even after all this time (...), it still hits me like a rock." Well, at least after that tutorial, it shouldn't take much to make you people dance. But perhaps I should  move on to another song now ;)

as a matter of coincidence

Brought to many things as a matter of coincidence today. Summer Camp is one of them. Summer in my mind. Tomorrow picking up Coxon's new longplay. 



Meet the director of the video Chris Boyle.

Cold nights, so sick of cold nights
I've wasting all my life in a black house where I grew up
Hold tight, keep saying hold tight
I don’t know what I’m waiting for
And when it comes I still want more
And I’ve been locked away these great great days
And the time we spent is not our own anymore.

a good song from Tigercats

Another band to watch in 2012. Surprisingly enough, they are British :)
Someone described them quite accurately "Tigercats are that rarest of bands, an indie-pop act you can actually dance to.." So, do I see you dancing there? :)

Tigercats come from the known family of Haircut Records and their new album will be released by Fika Recordings.

whole new way

I like Mondays. They always hold something good in stock for me and give new perspectives. There is always something new to wait for. A whole new way! :) I think it's a good time to start officially counting days to SBSR. Faltam 94 dias. 94 days left. The Horrors and much more to come and anticipate. So much sun to devour!



Meet the director of the video Dave Ma (responsible also for Wild Beasts' Albatross). Such a small world.

I see a whole new way now.
I see a new beginning.
(...) I see a whole new vision.

I would lie anywhere

Time played its tricks again. Weekend is over. I then soothe myself with the sounds of Wild Beasts. And again work of Daniel Brereton (the one responsible of the latest Django Django video).



I would lie anywhere with you, any old bed of nails would do, ink up the wound for a crude tattoo, a big old red heart with an anchor stuck through.