Month: August 2018

Storytelling

08.27.18 — Leave a comment

These days I find it difficult to string together enough sentences and paragraphs worthy enough to be called a blog post. These are difficult times (when aren’t they?) and I’ve still yet to find the answers to various personal ailments and grievances, but what I have had energy to do is continue to nourish my love of good music. Since this previous post I’ve listened to so many good songs and albums. Janelle Monae, SHINee, Monsta X, NAO, and many more have graced these weary ears and provided a semblance of peace and hope. Some music has been old, some has been new. All has been on repeat in my head and earbuds.

If you thought The Code was an amazing album (much like I did and still do) then the release of The Connect: Dejavu must have completely blown you away. (much like it did me) Monsta X’s vocals have continued to only improve with every new comeback and I’m disheartened that I didn’t get the chance to see them live again for their second world tour after having been able to see them last year. Jealousy is the wonderful continuation of Dramarama I never knew I needed. Carrying on Dramarama’s movie soundtrack feel, Jealousy completely sucked me in, bringing on more scenes and story ideas than ever before. I’m not exactly the most well versed genre-wise, but Monsta X always manages to have a fresh and exciting sound in their tracks. They’ve done hip-hop, R&B, tropical-house, and with these newest albums even embraced their more alternative-rock side. There’s hardly a genre I think they can’t do well, and so far this isn’t a thought they’ve disproved yet.

As this post is titled Storytelling and Monsta X music and their music videos always inspire and contain such vivid imaginings it’s only right I turn to another talented, multi-genre artist. Janelle Monae’s “Dirty Computer” is amazing. I teared up watching her beautiful multi-year labour of love. A love letter to her seniors, to the art of music, to her community, my community, to her self, to entire genres…there’s too much to say. I’d never have enough to mention it all. I loved the emotion picture and I love the album. I haven’t always been a big fan. No particular reason, I just wasn’t overly fond of her style of music (that and I was at an age where I disliked nothing more than liking anything my older sister liked). As the years have gone by and I’ve gotten to listen to more music and learn more about different artists my tastes have changed. While I doubt I’ll ever completely catch up in what I’ve missed out on by being stubborn, I definitely won’t mind catching up either.

Some new-to-me/rediscovered artists I’ve been listening to these days, include A.C.E., Ciara, Empress Of, Hyolyn, BOA, Marron, COASTCITY, IN2IT, and Mitski. My playlists (site curated, and my own creations) have been full of them. Mostly I’ve had Level Up, Take Me Higher, and Hyolyn’s newest songs on repeat, along with Amazons (gag, I know, but I forgot to end my Prime subscription in time so I’m making use of it until next year, not gonna let all that money go to waste. I’m still mad about it) Introducing: Latin playlist. There are a lot of good artists, but I don’t have the time or energy to name them all. The ones listed are just the ones I listen to the most now.

Most of the songs I listen to now, at least while on my laptop, are for story telling. I’ve been using Youtube to make playlists for my story’s ever since 8tracks became less suitable to use (and I’m not overly fond of Spotify, plus they don’t have all the songs I use either). One of the first posts I made on here was about soundscapes and my love for MyNoise. I even mentioned how great it is to layer sounds, especially when trying to set a mood, but lately I’ve been more focused on telling the story, or elements of the story through playlists.

My playlist for my werewolf/vampire romance novel I think shows this the best. It currently has 26 songs, I keep finding more to add, and it has songs suiting the main characters, some of the themes, and even the setting/feel of the story. An example of the variety, I have both the song for 7pm from Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Monster by EXO in the playlist. I also have Close to You by the Carpenters and Moon Woman by HOMESHAKE.

7pm is a song for setting, a magical town that seems quaint at first site, but something is eerily off about it. Monster is a bit of a joke (I also have Wolf by the same group), I added the song because of the concept of the song and music video. Close to You is for the relationship between child and parent. While the song can be seen as a romantic one, I’ve always related it more to childhood and parental affections, as that’s how I’ve seen the song displayed growing up. It’s sweet, yet also melancholy. Moon Woman is about the MCs, the main couple. Coincidentally I also really liked the title of the song and used it as the playlist title, and as the working title of my story until I can find a better one.

P.S.

I’ve also been working on another playlist on the side. I’ve just been collecting “club” songs and putting them in one big playlist. I’m not sure what it is, I’ve never even been clubbing myself, but something about songs and clubs, and clubbing songs really helps get the ol’ writing gears turning. I’ve entire stories just centered around sci-fi club aesthetics. I just really love a good dance bop. Dance music…is truly music for the soul.

Confession

08.20.18 — Leave a comment

Even though I love music, I am a very bad fan of musicians and artists. Until a few years ago I couldn’t really tell you who my favourite artist was, what albums I liked, what songs I kept on repeat. There was a time when I couldn’t even tell you if Beyonce or Rihanna was on the radio. I loved music, but I wasn’t very good at dividing my attention. Even now I’m someone who tends to become easily and singularly fixated on things of interest. At a time when the only thing that mattered to me was understanding my friends obscure (only to me, I admit) pop culture references and keeping up with my favourite anime or manga, knowing what songs were on the radio that I liked so much seemed pointless and overly difficult.

Now that I’m older, hopefully wiser, and have gained the ability to multi-task my affections, I can’t help but feel as if I have to play catch-up. While I am now better at defining my musical interests, I’m still no closer to keeping up with anything than before. Occasionally I even find myself listening to the same songs and albums on repeat as if possessed by the spirits of the studios that made them. As if my brain’s decision to cooperate with my desire to better embrace my love of good tunes was to chose them as my new fixation.

Who needs Naruto when you can listen to an 8tracks playlist based on Kakashi’s tragic childhood 50 times in a row?

There are so many songs out there and so many genres, and I haven’t listened to half of them. I’m physically stressed over all the good music I’m missing out on because I feel as if I got my start so late. Every time I say I “love” something music related, be it an artists, genre, or song, I find myself actually struggling to really go into and explain what exactly it is I like about it, or I realise I don’t actually have that much knowledge about the thing I claim to care so much about. I feel as though I am a fraud.

These days I find myself being bolder and less harsh towards myself. I often need to remind myself that I’m not even halfway to fifty yet. I’m young. It’s ok if my musical education started late and is self-taught. While music played in my house, my parents weren’t music-history buffs or anything like that, and I’m in a new country as well. The kids I met in later years didn’t grow up on the same music fads as I did. Everyone loves Beyonce, but I hardly know other kids who grew up on S Club 7 or even know what a Westlife is.

I know as I write this, I’ve fallen back on some old music habits (K-pop calls me, yet again, but what can I say? SHINee’s on their 10th years and I’m feeling that nostalgia, has it really been that long?) but I think I’ve picked up some new ones. I’ve been listening to more Latin pop lately. Using curated playlists to try and find artists I like and listen to more of their stuff. I think, thanks to social media, finding new music and keeping up with old faves is a lot easier as well. I was never really involved with sties like Tumblr or Twitter until recently. I find those sort of sites are more helpful in keeping up to date on news than anything, aside from actual magazines and newspapers that is, but I’ll be honest. I’m not entirely sure what all exists out there either.

Anyway, here’s to new music and new directions.