Music

Apr 6, 2012

Friday Indie Feature / Vacationer

Jon Lim Indie Pop, Music, Vacationer Friday Indie Feature, Music

Like Now, Now, I saw Vacationer open for The Naked and Famous in Toronto. They seemed to have a ton of fans in the crowd and I could see why: their music sounds great and they put on a great show.

From their Facebook page:

The eastern seaboard’s foremost relaxation specialists have teamed up to compile this unique collection of serenity-inducing sonic arrangements. The audio program you are about to experience was designed with the sole purpose of relaxing the listener and sending their mind on a well-deserved trip. No airfare needed, no reservations. Simply settle in, relax and enjoy; Vacation from anywhere at anytime.

Here’s my favourite song from their album, Gone: Be With You

Apr 6, 2012

Friday Indie Feature / Now, Now

Jon Lim indie rock, Music, Now Now Friday Indie Feature, Music

I saw Now, Now perform live when they opened for The Naked and Famous in Toronto. Tons of energy, great sound, and their album, Threads, is fantastic from start to finish.

From their Wikipedia:

Now, Now, formerly known as Now, Now Every Children and abbreviated NNEC, is an American indie rock band formed in Blaine, Minnesota and based in Minneapolis. The band is composed of Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar, keyboard); Bradley Hale (drums, backing vocals); Jess Abbott (guitar, vocals), with occasional touring members Britty Hale (keyboard) and Christine Sako (bass).

Here’s my favourite song off of their album, Threads: Wolf

Feb 1, 2011

The Birth of #MixtapeTOSF

Jon Lim Lan Nguyen, MixtapeTOSF, Music, San Francisco Music

Magical things happen when you act on spontaneity.

Example: On Sunday night, Lan and I had decided, to start sending each other mixtapes on a regular basis. Every week, we’d assemble a good lot of songs and sling them over. I thought it was great because I kill two birds with one stone: I get to keep talking to a friend in San Francisco, and I get to hear a bunch of music I may not have heard before.

Yesterday was our inaugural #MixtapeTOSF exchange. It went even better than expected.

Here are our mixtapes, mine (“Energetic Mondays”) on the left, and Lan’s (“I Love The Unknown”) on the right.

Totally looking forward to next Monday. I’ve already started working on the mixtape!

Be spontaneous!

Oct 6, 2010

No Copyright Protection – Doing Just Fine

Jon Lim Copyright, Fashion, Games, Johanna Blakley, Movies, Music, Piracy, Software, TED Business, Media, Technology

This great presentation from Johanna Blakley discusses how the fashion industry, which does not have the luxury of copyright protection, is a flourishing and innovative industry despite their lack of protection. Being strongly opinionated on the matter of copyright protection, I felt I had to make a few comments.

I think Johanna’s use of the fashion industry doesn’t necessarily apply to the movie, music, software or games industry (Anything that suffers from piracy.) because in fashion, it’s designer to designer copying, not consumer to designer. In other words, it isn’t a consumer issue as much as it is with the aforementioned industries.

But Johanna brought up a fantastic point: designers are making it more difficult for other designers to completely rip off their designs, but they aren’t making it more difficult for the consumer to consume, unlike all of the initiatives that the movie, music, software, and game industries have been undertaking. (Cough, Ubisoft, cough.) I think it’s a very valid point: these people who have no copyright protection are becoming very creative at designing something difficult to rip off, and people want it because it’s designed well.

So lesson to the movie, music, software, and game industries: make something we want, something unique, and we’ll buy it.

Trust me.

Feb 19, 2010

Featured Album Fridays / Field Music – Measure (2010)

Jon Lim Featured Album Fridays, Field Music, indie, Measure, Music, Pop Featured Album Fridays, Music

This week on Featured Album Fridays, the 2010 album from Field Music – Measure.

Here is the description of Field Music from their Last.FM:

Field Music is an experimental pop band from Sunderland, UK, formed by brothers Peter and David Brewis and their schoolfriend, pianist Andrew Moore. They have recently reconvened after an extended hiatus with a new line-up featuring guitarist/keyboardist Kev Dosdale and bass player Ian Black (Andrew having taken time out to train as a chef). A new double album is due to be released in February 2010.

The band’s first album, the eponymous “Field Music”, was released in 2005, followed in 2006 by a collection of b-sides and early tracks entitled ‘Write Your Own History’. During this time they toured with fellow bands from the North East England, such as Maximo Park and The Futureheads, as well as sonic adventurers from further afield, including Melbourne’s Architecture in Helsinki and Portland’s Menomena.

In 2007, they released ‘Tones of Town’, a critically acclaimed song cycle, which captured a particularly English variety of post-industrial frustration. However, sensing that a quick follow-up could lead to a dilution of ideas and purpose, the band announced a hiatus shortly after the album was released. In this time Peter and David each released solo albums as The Week That Was and School of Language respectively.

All of their albums were self-produced at their own ‘8Music’ studio in Sunderland.

As usual, the stream is below. Enjoy!

Feb 12, 2010

Featured Album Fridays / Holly Miranda – The Magician’s Private Library (2010)

Jon Lim Alternative, Featured Album Fridays, Holly Miranda, indie, Music, The Magician's Private Library Featured Album Fridays, Music

This week on Featured Album Fridays, the 2010 album from Holly Miranda – The Magician’s Private Library.

Here is the description of Holly Miranda from her Last.FM:

Holly Miranda is a Detroit born musician, raised between Michigan and Tennessee. Besides being trained in piano, Holly is a self-taught guitar and trumpet player. In 2001, She recorded “High Above The City”, a 20-track solo album available only at shows. In the fall of 2003, Holly met and teamed up with Alex Lipsen, producer and keys player. The project evolved into The Jealous Girlfriends, a four piece band based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She also recorded and performed as Raven Mayhem.

Holly has recently released an EP and has a solo album coming out some time in 2009 . It was produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek and Celebration’s Katrina Ford.

Very different from what I’m used to, but very chill music. The stream is below, hope you enjoy!

Feb 7, 2010

Soulful Sundays / Kenichiro Nishihara – Humming Jazz (2009)

Jon Lim Humming Jazz, Jazz Hip-hop, Kenichiro Nishihara, Music, Soulful Sundays Music, Soulful Sundays

This week on Soulful Sundays, the 2009 album from Kenichiro Nishihara – Humming Jazz.

Wonderful album, very relaxing, along the same lines as I have been posting as of late (Nujabes, Woodblue, Smooth J, etc) and I really hope I can keep finding these kind of albums. The stream is below, enjoy!

Jan 31, 2010

Soulful Sundays / Woodblue – North Source (2007)

Jon Lim Jazz Hip-hop, Music, North Source, Soulful Sundays, Woodblue Music, Soulful Sundays

This week on Soulful Sundays, the 2007 album from Woodblue – North Source.

Terrific second part to the album I posted last week, the stream is below, enjoy!

Jan 29, 2010

Featured Album Fridays / Generationals – Con Law (2009)

Jon Lim Con Law, Featured Album Fridays, Generationals, indie, Music, Pop Featured Album Fridays, Music

This week on Featured Album Fridays, the 2009 album from the Generationals – Con Law.

Indie pop with distorted vocals, very happy music. Enjoy!

Jan 24, 2010

Soulful Sundays / Woodblue – North Letter (2007)

Jon Lim Jazz Hip-hop, Music, North Letter, Soulful Sundays, Woodblue Music, Soulful Sundays

This week on Soulful Sundays, the 2007 album from Woodblue – North Letter.

Wonderful downtempo album, along the vein of the same kind of people I’ve been posting as of late – DJ Okawari, Nujabes, Michita, and the rest of them. Take a listen, and I’ll probably be posting North Source next week, which is the other half of this album. The stream is below, enjoy!

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