[rotation 61] waiting for the fall
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 posted at 6:20 PM
I bring you my first fanmix, centred around one of my favourite literary characters: Draco Malfoy.
* tracklist
that's okay - the hush sound
you were a child who was made out of glass
you carried a black heart passed down from your dad
swim until you can't see land - frightened rabbit
i may have died in a land-slide
of the rocks, the hopes and fears
bird song - florence & the machine
i picked up the bird and above the din i said,
"that's the last song you'll ever sing"
held him down, broke his neck
taught him a lesson he wouldn't forget
but in my dreams began to creep
that old familiar tweet, tweet, tweet
spies - coldplay
i awake to see that no one is free
we're all fugitives, look at the way we live
down here, i cannot sleep from fear. no,
i said which way do i turn?
oh i forget everything i learnt.
paranoid android - the section quartet
instrumental.
empty - ray lamontagne
well i looked my demons in the eyes,
laid bare my chest, said, "do your best, destroy me.
you see, i've been to hell and back so many times,
i must admit you kind of bore me."
1001 dirty tricks to kill your king - the age of rockets
a new moon, fragile as glass, same as the last
a new night, waits for you now, in back of your house
and armies of the dead will fade
in rear view mirror display
time is running out - the section quartet
instrumental.
rabbit heart (raise it up) - florence and the machine
this is a gift, it comes with a price
who is the lamb and who is the knife?
wilhelms scream - james blake
i don't know about my dreams
i don't know about my dreamin anymore
all i know is
i'm fallin, fallin, fallin, fallin
might as well fall in
somewhere a clock is ticking - snow patrol
wage your war
another soldier, says he's not afraid to die
well i am scared
in slow motion, the blast is beautiful
i'm in here - sia
i'm in here
a prisoner of history
can anybody help?
back against the wall - cage the elephant
my tongue has now become
a platform for your lies
like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall
you know
yeah you know you got my back against the wall
help i'm alive - metric
i tremble
they're gonna eat me alive
if i stumble
they're gonna eat me alive
once - hurts (diana vickers cover)
who or whatever you do
don't let anyone hurt you
touch them where it hurts
and watch them leave
i'm only gonna let you kill me once
i'm only gonna let you kill me then some
raising your voice ... trying to stop an echo - hammock
instrumental.
* download
[MF]
I think there are complexities to Draco beyond simply being the villain, but I don't think he's good at heart, either. I tried to pick songs that represent his inner conflict, and I think the result is a mixtape that sums up how I see him: a flawed character who is entangled in events out of his depth. It's a general mix but mostly focused on the events in Half-Blood Prince, I suppose, because I think that's where we see the greatest change and inner struggle in Draco. Genre-wise, a lot of Draco-themed mixes I see are metal-centered, and I have to say I've never really understood that, so this mix is a lot softer in comparison. I think the two instrumental songs by The Section Quartet are indescribably perfect for Draco, the others were chosen for a mixture of lyrics and overall feel.
Labels: Cage the Elephant, Coldplay, Florence and the Machine, Frightened Rabbit, Hammock, Hurts, James Blake, Ray Lamontagne, Snow Patrol, The Age of Rockets, The Hush Sound, The Section Quartet
Five songs I've been listening to a lot this week. There will probably be a mixtape coming next week, I'm still working on it. Also, if anyone wants to suggest themes for mixtapes, feel free to leave me a comment. :)
- Haruhi
Illuminated - Hurts
English | Synth-Pop
I featured Hurts in my last mixtape with the song Blood, Tears & Gold which I've been repeating over and over recently, I love it. Another great song by this duo is Illuminated. It's airy, yet grounded by the percussion and guitar. I love the spot at around 1:30 where everything drops away but the quiet hum of a string instrument, and all of a sudden the chorus breaks into that near-silence like a crashing wave. I really don't know how to describe this song, but it's gorgeous. This duo is amazing, and their first (and so far, only) album Happiness has become one of my favourites.
Maximum - DBSK
Korean | Pop
I still have difficulty calling Changmin and Yunho "DBSK" without the other three members. It just doesn't seem right, and I hope that one day they'll be reunited ... and if they're not planning on that happening, they should just change their name like JYJ chose a new, different name. I've only skimmed through their album once, and the only track that stood out to me was Maximum. It has a great beat and reminds me of Rising Sun - it has the same intensity and energy and even uses some of the same vocal techniques. It's energetic and addictive.
영화도 안보니 (Feat. Chan Sung) - Joo
Korean | Pop/Ballad
I was really impressed by Joo's debut mini-album which was released about an year ago. I was beginning to think she was a one-hit wonder with her famous Because of a Man, the title track of that mini-album, because she basically disappeared except for doing a few OST songs here and there. She's recently returned with a second mini-album called Heartmade, which this song is taken from. While most of the songs on Heartmade are ballads that, despite showcasing Joo's powerful voice, are quite formulaic, 영화도 안보니 is a light, airy mid-tempo track. It's melodic and the lighter accompaniment really works with Joo's vocals, which are strong but not overbearing.
Fuck You - Eliza Doolittle
English | Acoustic
This is a cover of Cee-lo Green's song of the same name. I've had this song for a while but only started really listening to it more recently. I don't know anything about Eliza Doolittle, but she has a rich, unique voice that sounds great over the acoustic backdrop. I'm usually not a fan of covers, but this one is great.
OH YEAH - GD & TOP ft. Park Bom
Korean | Pop
Like most of Big Bang's songs, OH YEAH is catchy and heavily laced with electronica. It's a combination that usually works, but the thing that I dislike about their songs is that they tend to get old really fast. That's already happened with GD & TOP's HIGH HIGH for me, but OH YEAH has staying power in Park Bom's gorgeous vocals. I'm not a 2NE1 fan at all, but Park Bom has really grown on me. To be honest, I think her vocals aren't really put to use in 2NE1, so I love it when she releases solo material or, in this case, collabs with other artists. She sounds amazing, and it really adds colour and texture to the song.
Labels: Big Bang, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Eliza Doolittle, Hurts, Joo, Park Bom
[rotation 57] all that glitters is not gold
Saturday, January 1, 2011 posted at 6:17 PM
Happy New Year everyone! You may have read in Carmi's post that she was only going to be updating once a month from now on. From now on, I will be updating weekly instead of biweekly/randomly like I usually do. I will still probably only post full rotations/mixtapes once every two weeks, but in the weeks in between I'll be making smaller updates. Posts will probably be made on weekends. :) All the best in 2011!
- Haruhi
overview: The theme of this mix is a bit difficult to explain. It's for those points in your life when you feel like you've changed; like you're no longer as naive and you are in a way proud of how you've grown, yet sad for the things you've lost along the way. These songs are about the moments that changed you and the things you learnt from them - about past, present, and future.
01. mercedes - joseph arthur
oh i know you will rise
when you watch yourself burn to the ground
oh i hope that you will rise
when you talk about what they've done
02. dancing at her funeral - the limousines
the only words she can say are can you take me home
before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow
03. the truth is in the dirt - karen elson
the truth is in the dirt on the ground,
not in your poison tongue or your acid tears
04. give us a little love - fallulah
leave it by its pain, leave it all alone
if i never turn, i will never grow
05. lights go on again (full version) - beast
i kept wandering in the long darkness
to reach that place touched by the single ray of light
06. the end where i begin - the script
sometimes your first scars don't ever fade away
07. the ice is getting thinner - death cab for cutie
and the ice kept getting thinner with every word that we'd speak
08. i was wrong - capsule
the best of times
through coloured glass
09. skeleton key - margot & the nuclear so and so's
and it's clear to see
you're nothing special
you're a skeleton key
10. change - monkey majik
i need a change
cause it's all gone wrong for me
i need somebody else to lead me now
11. fisheye lens - nell
you were meant to be my reality
but it's over now, it's over now
12. white gold - metric
hush don't explain,
when you water down my name
i'll be up too late
call me when you get
better at your game
you haven't beat me yet
13. 별 빛이 내린다 (starlight is shining down) - bye bye sea
between the starlight that poured down
above the people that poured out
my hearth that poured out
i've grown like that
14. you and i both - jason mraz
oh taking your advice i'm looking on the bright side
and balancing the whole thing
but often times those words get tangled up in lines
and the bright lights turn to night
15. history sticks to your feet - modest mouse
and you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history
16. 남자 때문에 (because of a man) - joo
i want to learn to live alone
so that i can smile a bright smile
without holding someone else's hand
17. cross bone style - cat power
oh come child
come and rescue me
because you have seen some unbelievable things
18. sorry that i loved you - anthony neely
but sorry doesn't turn back time
19. don't you mourn the sun - mimi
and i said, don't you mourn the sun
cause darling, the nightmare has just begun
20. army men - charlotte sometimes
cause tears are selfish and you aren't anymore
21. anything at all - cara salimando
but i can feel it between my fists as i close my hands around this
i don't know why i ever fooled myself into believing anything that i heard
22. blood, tears & gold - hurts
love grows cold
blood, tears, and gold
won't make it any better
[download]
This mixtape features a number of female vocalists I recently discovered, including Karen Elson and, a favourite of mine, Charlotte Sometimes. Metric's downtempo White Gold is gorgeous, I especially love the lyrics quoted. Another standout is the last song by Hurts, I love the echoing vocals.
Labels: Anthony Neely, Beast, Bye Bye Sea, Cat Power, Charlotte Sometimes, Death Cab for Cutie, Fallulah, Hurts, Jason Mraz, Joo, Karen Elson, Metric, mixtape, Modest Mouse, Monkey Majik, The Script
