Fresh Media and Fever Ray: All in one day

I know I've already posted an entry about this remix but I really feel like my day had a connection to this song.

So I thought I was supposed to be live blogging today at the Fresh Media Festival but it turned out, I was talking about my blog to future bloggers who wanted to learn more about the subject. This was good. I got to learn about other (more successful) bloggers and learn more about what people want.

Earlier in the day, ION magazine supplied the event with free magazines (these went really fast). On the cover of their issue this month is Fever Ray, aka Karin Dreijer Andersson. I don't know what it is but lately, this woman has got a hold on me. I'm intrigued with everything she does and all the music she creates. I quickly grabbed a magazine so I could read the article inside. To my dismay, there was no real article of Fever Ray inside. It was mainly a cover photo shoot with a small description of her on the same page as the Editorial Staff page. I was disappointed but still impressed that the magazine flew out to Gothenburg, Sweden to take this photo shoot.

So Fever Ray was one of the things on my mind from the start of the day. For the rest of the day, I was observing the people coming in, listening to what they had to say about fresh media/new media/old media, and soaking up everything I could. I took advice, gave advice and above all, learned many things.

At the end of the day, the Fuck Buttons remix of Fever Ray's "If I Had a Heart" popped into my head as I was walking in the downtown area of Vancouver. This song/remix always reminds me of how I feel about Vancouver.

This will never end 'cuz I want more. More, gimme more, gimme more...

These lyrics are repeated throughout this remix with a drum pounding hard in the foreground. Creepy noises accompany the pounding and it adds to the whole notion of searching for something you know isn't lurking far beyond that corner up ahead.

The lyrics and the overall atmosphere of the song always pop into my head when I'm thinking of good ol' Vancouver. And it especially popped into my head after this event because I feel like everyone kind of feels this way about Vancouver. Correct me if I'm wrong but we're all kind of searching for that something-something here. I'm sure this happens in every city but I feel like Vancouver is still evolving so it seems a little more obvious here. Vancouver is still new, fresh and its reputation is still developing. This remix/entry/day focuses on the lyrics posted above; people aren't going to give up on Vancouver ever, it's going to keep developing and its people will want more and will create more as time goes on. Just look at the event that occurred today.

I know I don't usually express my deep and heavy thoughts on my blog but I felt like this remix/song really had a connection to my day (even more so than other songs have in the past). Perhaps it isn't the original intention of the song, or the remix for that matter, but this remix has inspired me to interpret the song differently.

So let's keep getting more...

Fever Ray - If I Had a Heart (Fuck Buttons remix)

Fever Ray - If I Had a Heart

Ratatat (Remixed!)

GMGN remixed Ratatat's "Loud Pipes" into a crazy dancing machine. I've never really heard a worthwhile Ratatat remix so I was definitely skeptical. But I literally just put this remix on and I'm already dancing like a weirdo in my chair, therefore it is worth your time.

Ratatat - Loud Pipes (GMGN Remix)

Possibility

This song by Lykke Li is from the New Moon soundtrack. When I listen to this song, I feel like I'm on a farm on a cold night that's being supervised by a harvest moon. It's not really like her usual stuff but of course, Lykke Li's voice still sweetly coerces me into liking the song.

I'm going to admit I haven't read or seen anything to do with Twilight but this soundtrack is really good. The album contains many respectable artists like: Muse, Sea Wolf, Bon Iver & St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear, Editors, and more. With those names, you can't go wrong.

Lykke Li - Possibility

Computer vs. Human: Metronomy at the Red Room

After Fool's Gold dragged their show on for a little too long, Metronomy lit up the stage at the Red Room with chest lights and personality. The UK band had visited Vancouver last January and played a crazy show at the Biltmore Cabaret. This time, I was excited to see that they were playing at a venue that was constructed a little better for a concert but to my surprise, it wasn't as packed as their last show. Considering it was a Tuesday night, it was impressive that at least the die hard fans showed up anyway.

They started the show with "Night Out Intro" and transcended it into "Heart Rate Rapid", which was performed fairly well. My two favourite songs, "The End of You Too" and "Back on the Motorway", weren't performed as well as some of the other songs. I felt like songs from Pip Paine (pay back the £5000 you owe) and from the new EP, Not Made For Love, were performed better than songs from Nights Out. I know the band has recently acquired two new members and has decided to drop their computer as a live band member. But when I saw them in January, I felt like the computer did a better job on these two songs. It just seems like the band needs to practice some of their songs a little more.

Besides a couple songs that weren't played that well, there were plenty that were played well. "You Could Easily Have Me", "What Do I Do Now", and "Holiday" were all played excellently. "What Do I Do Now" had a sweet live twist to it. Joseph Mount (vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist) talked to the audience a lot, which was nice. I always like it when the band speaks to the audience. He even invited everyone out to play pool with them at the end of the show. Mount also introduced the new, and old, members of the band while the beginning of "A Thing For Me" (the Breakbot remix) was playing in the background, which ended up transitioning into the original "A Thing For Me." Very nice touch.

The band had those little push lights on their chests; the same push lights that appear in the "Trick or Treatz" video. These lights were synchronized with the beats of the music. I thought this was very cool, obviously.

I know I'm probably making it sound like the band needs their computer back asap but that isn't really what I meant. Really, I just think they need to practice a little more. I really think the band will be phenomenal live once they all get on the same page. I still danced a lot and ended up sweating. And to be honest, that was the most I've sweated and danced in a long time. I remember the last Metronomy concert was the same; a nice sweaty dance fest. So besides my two favourite songs not sounding as good as I had hoped, the concert was still enjoyable for the most part.

Metronomy - You Could Easily Have Me

Shempi, ilu

This song and this video are amazing.

Bring it to me in this café

At the moment, I'm in a coffee shop in good ol' downtown Vancouver, where extreme dance music that was released 5 years ago is playing. Hate to say it, but I'm not a fan at all. I'm trying to drown out their music with this song by Sia, "Bring it to me". I don't know why I haven't heard more good things about this Australian singer. Most people I've talked to say she's pretty mediocre but from what I've heard so far, it sounds like she's a talented and unique singer.

Last year, I was obsessed with her song "Buttons". The music video was a little weird but there were some pretty good remixes of that song. Unfortunately, I don't have a remix of "Bring it to me" available but here is the original, which should be played in a coffee shop, unlike this outdated dance music.

Sia - Bring It To Me

6's afraid of 7 'cause 7 ate 9

Röyksopp's "Tricky Tricky", featuring Karin Dreijer Andersson, has an extremely dark exuberance to it. I feel like Dreijer Andersson (The Knife and Fever Ray) sings the listener through a dusky tunnel of possessed, scared numbers. I really don't have much else to say other than, it's pretty yummy.

And, this remix by Horror Shower is like the original but in this one, the numbers are dancing.

Röyksopp - Tricky Tricky feat. Karin Dreijer (Horror Shower remix)

The Wooden Sky. Biltmore Cabaret. 10/07.

Opening for one of Canada's favourite acts (Elliott Brood), The Wooden Sky took the stage after the progressive, almost acid rock-like band, Sleepy Sun. The Wooden Sky is a four-piece band from Toronto. They have recently released their second album, If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone and it's an album that deserves a description that's similar to this review of their live performance.

Every time I enter the under layer of the Biltmore Cabaret, I always feel like I'm being transported into a different world. Maybe it's the hot atmosphere, the red lighting or something I can't put my finger on but whatever it is, depending on the band playing, I can be transported into other worlds that the Biltmore can't do on its own. The Wooden Sky did just that. Each of their songs reminded of a different city. When they first started, I felt as if I was in the Maritime provinces again, listening to a family jam session. Then, they played "Angels" and I was all of a sudden in Romania. Each song painted a new image in my head. Songs like, "Lock and Key", brought me to the deserts of Las Vegas, and others like, "The Late King Henry", took me to the edge of the Mississippi River. The band's music could be described as wanderer's music, due to the way it made my brain travel. "Angels" and "Lock and Key" were probably my favourite out of all the songs that were played. I liked the electric guitar solo in "Lock and Key" and the imagery that "Angels" sketched for me.

To be honest, I liked the Wooden Sky more than Elliott Brood. No offense to Elliott Brood but I enjoyed Gavin Gardiner's delectably cracking voice a little more than Sasso's raspy one. The Wooden Sky performed very well and they were well-received by the audience. I was surprised to here how hard the audience was clapping and cheering at the end of their show. I wasn't surprised because I thought they didn't deserve it or anything (because they definitely did) but surprised just because that doesn't usually happen. I'm sure anyone who's been to a concert will understand what I mean by this. You're always pleasantly surprised when the opening band is good. They had former Mother Mother member, Debra Jean Creelman, join them on stage. It was kind of hard to hear her but it's the thought that counts.

With chords hanging from the ceiling and sweaty plaid shirts on the ground, The Wooden Sky performed to impress. Their songs invited the audience to join them in their wander through cities of different emotions.

The Wooden Sky - Oh my god - It still means a lot to me

"I called to say I'm on the way"

"Rome" is probably my favourite song from Phoenix's most recent album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. But I found myself listening to the song on repeat, waiting patiently for the heartbreaking bridge that occurs 3 minutes into the song (approximately). I just wanted that part of the song to last longer so badly.

As I was taking a glance through the recently created/released remixes online, I came across this remix of "Rome." I was very curious to see how it was produced. I wasn't sure if it was going to be dance or not. I'll tell you that I was unbelievably happy when I figured out this remix pretty much does exactly what I wanted the original to do so badly. The bridge is almost the entire remix. So sad, but it's perfect for those days when you're letting your mind travel while your body stands still.


Phoenix - Rome (Neighbors remix feat. Devendra Banhart)