Last night, we felt a couple more earthquakes (well, some of us anyway).  It remains to be seen if the “big one” will come before Halloween or after.  We’re gonna go for a bit of both today.  The first three songs are going to shake your room a bit if you have a proper subwoofer & the next few weeks will be completely dedicated to music for your Halloween parties, kickbacks and get togethers.  Happy Halloween.  Hopefully, this makes up for your insensitivity to seismic activity.

White Panda – Diamond Thrones

White Panda makes some awesome mash-ups and I think mash-ups are a good crowd pleaser at a decent party.  A while back, he made a mash-up I really enjoyed involving Ellie Goulding, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Lumineers.  It’s worth noting I’m not a fan of two of the songs he used in that one, but I liked how they were used in the mash.  In this particular song, he mixes Rihanna’s “Diamonds” with the theme from “Game of Thrones.”  I’m personally considering a “Game of Thrones” get-up this year, so maybe I’m just biased.

Deorro – Bootie in Your Face

This song is incredibly stupid.  I think my IQ dropped just listening to it.  I don’t care, it’s amazingly fun.  This one’s a solid choice for a rager where you want people to get as unclassy as possible… it’ll even help you with the pre-drop “EVERYBODY RAGE!”  If this one doesn’t get people dancing, something’s catastrophically wrong with your party planning or guest list.

Yellow Claw – Kaolo

“IT’S A TRAP.”  Yes, here I am defending trap music again.  This song will pound your subwoofer more than any of the other ones on this list.  I recently gave this song a go at a party when I and everyone else were not quite there and it was a massive hit.  In their most recent releases, Yellow Claw call themselves “Amsterdam Twerking Music” and I’m not sure what the hell that means, but I’m becoming a huge fan of their stuff.

Nate Belasco – Kanye West “Black Skinhead” vs. Tame Impala “Elephant”

Another mash-up.  This one by Nate Belasco mixes Kanye West and Tame Impala and I can see it working just as well in a rager as at a kickback.  I don’t really know what else to say about this.  Listen for yourselves.  Oh wait, no.  You should watch the Kanye interview on Jimmy Kimmel.  It’s fascinating. Okay, that’s it.

FAROFF – Gangnam Busters (PSY vs. Ghostbusters)

This one’s for the people who like their playlists old school.  I think Monster Mash is a bit overplayed personally, but here’s a monster mash-up.  It’s only been just over a year and people will roll your eyes if you play Gangnam Style, but chances are most people haven’t heard this mash-up with Ghostbusters (a song which is definitely in the top 5 of my Halloween classics).

J. Cole – She Knows (ft. Amber Coffman)

This one is not one curated by myself… of all people, it was my film theory professor who began playing this song before my friend Sheila and I had to find out what it was.  It samples Cults, a band whose music I think works in a laid back scenario.  Thank you to Emily Carpenter, you are one of my favorite professors ever (though I doubt she’d ever be reading this).

Dead Man’s Bones – My Body’s a Zombie for You

Let’s slow it down a bit now.  This one’s more for a kickback or a nice little sneak if you want to get a little slow dance in with that person you’re into (yeah, I’m totally still in junior high).  Also, it’s RYAN GOSLING’s band.  And he’s singing the whole album with a children’s choir.  I can hear ovaries exploding.  This one’s for the ladies and gentlemen who love that man (and that’s not the only selling point, it’s a lovely song).

I’d like your opinion more than ever! Tell me some of your favorites for Halloween and parties in general.  There’s going to be two more weeks of this.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I will also take songs in my Spotify inbox, just search for Ephraim Lee. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and your recommendations may make it here!

The post Tunesday: Halloween, Part I appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Sex on Tuesday has been a staple of the Daily Cal that causes discussions – sometimes intellectual, sometimes pure sensation.  However, there are many of us who are currently experiencing no sensation.  Whatsoever.  Your love life is a barren wasteland, as are your genitals.  At this point, a kiss on the cheek is probably third base to you, maybe even a score.  You’re up at 3 AM browsing the dark corners of the internet and you see a $200 body pillow that heats up like an electric blanket and it seems like a reasonable price.  Because cuddles.

Perhaps it’s because you’re recently going through a break-up (why’s that so common this year?).  Perhaps you’re in a situation with unrequited love (or lust).  Maybe you just have too great a relationship with Netflix and suck at talking to people.  Whatever it may be, this one’s for you. Here’s to hoping your single-as-fuck rut ends soon enough.

Sia – Elastic Heart (ft. The Weeknd & Diplo)

This is one of the first few songs revealed from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  However, unlike the film, you’re not catching any fire, are you?  This is a solid example of pop music that I can get behind (not surprising, considering it’s Sia).  The lyrics are suited for someone who’s recently been hurt by someone and needs to stay strong with lines like “And I want it and I want everything / But there was so many red flags / Now another one bites the dust / And let’s be clear, I trust no one.”

Hippie Sabotage – Stay High (Tove Lo Flip)

Hippie Sabotage reworked Tove Lo’s “Habits” and I’m completely in love with both songs.  Seriously, give both a listen.  I think it’s a pretty relatable song for a college break-up or outright rejection by the object of our unrequited feelings.  One of the most common solutions (certainly for myself) is to get incredibly shitfaced.  “Staying in my play pretend / Where the fun ain’t got no end / Can’t go home alone again / Need someone to numb the pain.”  Sound familiar?  In the rework, the voice sounds a lot like Lykke Li who literally wrote a song called “Unrequited Love.”  I approve of your debauchery and will probably join you in it.  Do it responsibly.

The Colourist – Little Games

The Colourist has made an appearance on Tunesday before.  In fact, it was this song (a remixed version of it).  This song is infused with danceable riffs, but the song is all about having been hurt by someone when you thought they were into you. “What did I do so wrong? / You lied and led me on / Was I your hit and run? / Left for dead and now you’re gone” leads the listener into the chorus, which is even more about the fall after a particularly bad rejection.  The band, from Costa Mesa, CA (where my school was before transferring) recently released their debut EP and this is still by far their stand-out track in my opinion.

Capital Cities – Nothing Compares 2 U (Cover of Sinead O’Connor)

Capital Cities has become a massive hit with “Safe and Sound” hitting the Billboard Top 10 and playing non-stop on the radio.  A year ago, when they were still a relatively unknown band, they released this excellent cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” (which was also recently mashed up with Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”).  The original is considered one of the best break-up songs of all time and is in general an excellent song to describe unrequited feelings.

MS MR – Think of You (RAC Remix)

RAC is hands down one of my favorite remix artists (and even put out some awesome original stuff recently).  This time, he remixes MS MR’s “Think of You” which is a song suited for the messiest of break-ups.  I think it takes a special kind of scumbag to cheat on someone and Lizzy Plapinger sings with the kind of frustration that the situation deserves.  It’s also worth mentioning that she is the co-founder of Neon Gold records, who I have praised on multiple occasions.  She definitely knows a thing or two about good music.

Passenger – Let Her Go (Peer Kusiv Remix)

Passenger’s “Let Her Go” is by no means an unknown song with over 100 million views on Youtube alone.  It’s a song that exemplifies unrequited feelings.  Peer Kusiv takes what is a depressing song and makes it more relaxed (but not void of the somber theme).  The original is something I’d have on repeat while I lay in bed with 80 blankets over my head.  The remix is something more suited for a solo drive at night.

The Glitch Mob – Between Two Points (ft. Swan)

Finally, I’ll throw a bone to those of you actually getting laid.  Even though that’s the last thing you need.  This one’s an oldie-ish, but goodie.  My personal pick for an excellent song to get it on to which has been on an incredibly outdated playlist of mine entitled “Falling Madly in Bed With You.”  The only thing I’m falling madly in bed with lately is my Batman Snuggie.

I’m closing this post out with this preview that the Broken Bells (Danger Mouse + The Shins’ James Mercer) just put on Youtube today.  Reportedly, they’ll finally be bringing out a sophomore LP over 3 years after their self-titled debut.  This has nothing to do with the theme, but I’m ecstatic so deal with it.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I will also take songs in my Spotify inbox, just search for Ephraim Lee. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and your recommendations may make it here!

The post Tunesday: Sexless on Tuesday appeared first on The Daily Californian.

It’s October, finally.  Well, last night, Berkeley chose one hell of an interesting way to wake us up when September ends.  Please, a little more subtle next time.

September in general is a shitty month.  The original hit by Green Day was about Billy Joe Armstrong’s father having died when he was 10 in September of 1982.  The music video follows the story of lovers separated by some unfortunate circumstances.  Personally, I’ve just gone through an incredibly traumatizing break-up… with Breaking Bad.  I think we can think of several other things that have happened to us personally or in general that seem to love happening in that awful month.

The weather is at its most spastic. What is this fuckery, September?  Can you decide if you’re summer or autumn?  I don’t like having to wear a jacket in the morning and carrying that piece of shit around for the rest of the day.  I take my umbrella thinking it’s going to rain and you pull the curtains to blind me with 80 degree weather.  You are the bologna that is ruining an otherwise excellent sandwich with summer and the holiday season as the buns.  Good riddance, September.

Winter is coming.

Cathedrals — Unbound

To kick things off, I’m giving a shout out to a local band with a very promising debut single in “Unbound”.  The male/female duo from San Francisco both sing and it gives off the vibe of The xx with percussion that’s more like Phantogram’s.  It’s also worth mentioning that the male singer is Asian, considering half of last week’s theme.  I’ve had this song on repeat for the past three days and look forward to seeing what they do in the future.

Great Good Fine OK — You’re the One For Me

Great Good Fine OK is another band that is debuting with a promising track.  “You’re the One For Me” is an example of electro-pop that sounds much better than the second half of CHVRCHES’ debut album.  I found myself dancing around in my room to the track, but past 2:50 I kind of sat down and listened closer to.  Upon further research, I discovered that Neon Golds released this song.  In the past, I’ve mentioned the label because they also released “Ghost” by Sir Sly & “Operate” by ASTR, along with songs by acts like Passion Pit before they became big (and this song sounds a lot like a Passion Pit song with soft vocals).

Troika — Dancing in September (Mash-up)

Several songs went into the making of this mash-up – too many to list in the title (some songs by Porter Robinson, Empire of the Sun, Benny Benassi and Earth, Wind & Fire).  I always loved Earth, Wind & Fire but September was not a song that made sense to me personally.  Again, SCREW THAT MONTH.  So here is “Dancing in September” for you on October 1.  This is also for those of you who are nursing your Beyond Wonderland hangovers.  A nice little celebration song.

Phantogram — Celebrating Nothing

On the topic of celebration, here’s a track from Phantogram’s new EP that is a pretty accurate representation of how I feel about the holiday season.  It’s a lovely time of year.  I love the weather.  It’s also when I begin to miss things though.  I join in on the celebration, but I question exactly what it is I’m celebrating.  Halloween’s my favorite holiday, but I also can’t stand seeing all those couples with cute matching costumes.  And then it’s Thanksgiving.  Christmas.  New Year’s Eve.  Valentine’s Day.  Oh god.  Wake me up when February ends.

Say Lou Lou — Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Cover of Tame Impala)

Say Lou Lou are twin sisters making some great dream pop.  I’m a huge fan of this cover.  Tame Impala (who will be in SF on Halloween) make psychadelic rock, the kind that you can see people drop acid to.  Say Lou Lou take on their song “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” and change it into something more suited for a nap in a blanket fort on 4/20.

Lorde — A World Alone

Lorde’s debut album is kind of amazing.  Go check out the whole thing on her Youtube channel or on Spotify.  This track in particular is the final track and I think it shows her ability to add depth to radio-friendly tracks (which in general are all about partying or incredibly shallow love / break-ups).  I’m officially calling her queen bee.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I will also take songs in my Spotify inbox, just search for Ephraim Lee. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and your recommendations may make it here!

The post Tunesday: Wake Me Up When September Ends appeared first on The Daily Californian.

On the other hand, we’re in an incredibly critical time in America… one in which “Breaking Bad” is coming to an end in less than a week.  For those of you who watch it or have been keeping up, I can only say one thing. WHAT THE HELL VINCE GILLIGAN.

One part of me wants to share some Korean-made music with you that’s not popular for having your mind barraged with horse-dancing and a man in a blue suit and sunglasses screaming at buttocks. Another wants to go with a Breaking Bad influenced playlist for you.  In the end, I’ve decided to meet half-way.  This is my Korean-Amethican playlist.

WALLA – Nature

Kicking this week off, I’m giving a shout out to a fellow Korean American from southern California.  The lead vocalist and guitarist for WALLA is Jonathan Hoonch Kim (if that’s really his last name, I’m kind of jealous), who briefly makes an appearance in the music video for this song as a bearded man going outside to get the newspaper.  One listen and you probably won’t be too startled that they come from Los Angeles because of its beach-bum-esque danceable sound.  According to them, they have been influenced from all kinds of genres such as “pop, funk, samba, rock, metal, folk, disco and psychodelia” which isn’t all that surprising considering their diverse backgrounds (Korean, Mexican / El Salvadorian, Italian, Brazilian, Indonesian).

Flex Cop – This is Not Meth

Flex Cop samples Walter White saying “This is not meth” before the song breaks into an upbeat remix of Darondo’s “Didn’t I Tell You” which was used on “Breaking Bad” in a memorable scene.  I’m on a strictly no-spoiler policy with this whole post, no worries.  Either way, I think he took a pretty depressing, soulful song and turned it something funky that you can dance to.

JUNIP – Line of Fire

If you were wondering what that beautiful song in the commercial for the “Breaking Bad” series finale trailer was, it was this particular song by JUNIP.  Jose Gonzalez’s non-solo project was one of the acts I mentioned in my first Tunesday ever.  I’m glad to see them getting the success they deserve.  Really, listen to the whole album.

High Highs – A Real Hero (Cover of College & Electric Youth)

The song from “Drive” is covered by High Highs.  It’s exemplary of the characters of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.  Certainly they’re not real heroes by any means.  They’ve made mistakes.  They’ve done shit, seen shit.  Either way, we love them because they are as human as some of the best characters can get (i.e. Dexter, which just ended this past Sunday).  The chorus of the song, “A real human being and a real hero” seems to repeat a million times in both the original and the cover, but it never gets tiring.

Glen Check (글렌체크) – French Virgin Party

Chances are that if I never told you, your first guess would not be that this band comes straight from South Korea.  This song was a part of their debut album, Haute Couture, which won the award for best dance & electronic music album at the Korean Music Awards this year.  It has the feel of what that 80’s idea of 2013 might have been… maybe that statement will make a little more sense after listening.

Giraffage – Better Off Alone (Cover of Alex DeeJay)

Alice DeeJay’s song “Better Off Alone” was one of the most iconic songs of the 90’s for me.  It was one of the songs that started my relationship with EDM, along with Darude’s “Sandstorm” as much as I’m ashamed to admit that one.  Giraffage gives an interesting cover of it here and I’m still very serious about my no-spoiler policy, but I think it fits the situation that’s currently boiling on “Breaking Bad” for most characters.

Planet of Sound – We Are Together

I’m ending this with Planet of Sound’s “We Are Together.”  This is one hell of a feel-good song and if I had to guess, it’s likely you’ll need something like this after Sunday night.  Who knows where “Breaking Bad” is going, but if Vince Gilligan is willing to do all of this before the first minute of the series finale, it’s likely he’ll be crushing us some more.  Godspeed, “Breaking Bad” fans.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and every once in awhile your recommendations may make it here.

The post Tunesday: Blue Suits & Blue Meth appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Spinnin' Records/Courtesy

This past week, a major record label made an incredibly sexist joke on their Facebook and Twitter.  Furthermore, once the backlash occurred, they didn’t seem to believe they did anything wrong.  This made me take a deeper look, particularly in the EDM scene at the discrimination against female acts.  Some shocking ones included that EDC in New York this year had 82 male DJs as opposed to 3 female DJs and that DJ Mag’s annual top 100 DJs list has only had 3 female DJs on it EVER with the NERVO sisters being the highest at #46.  Anyway, to the right is the post in question.

I mean, wow, a “women in the kitchen” joke.  You must feel so original.  It’d be one thing if it was one idiot in their PR department, but one of Spinnin’ Record’s co-founders shrugged off the joke as well.  Frankly, I’m pissed off.  Hell, maybe it’s because I was raised by a single mother and can’t imagine ever working as hard as she did for my brother and I.  I’d drop from exhaustion within a week tops.  That’s kind of beside the point though.  It’s 2013 and unsurprisingly, I’ve got a huge pool of female talents to choose from to share with you, including several DJs.  Personally, I don’t want to see Spinnin’ Records let off so easily for this one.  Eat your hearts out, Spinnin’ Records… you fucking imbeciles.

Phantogram – Black Out Days

Phantogram wrote one of my favorite songs of all times as well as what has been my ringtone and alarm for the last 2 years with Mouthful of Diamonds.  Their music is something in between trip-hop & hip-hop and the singer at the forefront, Sarah Barthel, is largely a part of their success as a band.  They haven’t done much original work as of late, but did make appearances on Big Boi and The Flaming Lips’ new albums, and will be performing on Saturday at Treasure Island Music Festival in October.  Personally, my favorite of the four songs they made with them was Lines on Big Boi’s Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors.  This past week, they came out with a new single titled Black Out Days.  Funnily enough, it was exactly on the day that I actually got a concussion and blacked out (long story, let’s just talk about music).

Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (XOXO Remix)

…Miley Cyrus.  Yes, I never expected for this to happen.  I don’t know what else to say, honestly.  I’ll just leave this here.  I promise it’s a nice remix, particularly if you enjoy trap (and I hope you have a solid subwoofer handy).  If trap isn’t your kind of thing, maybe this video would be instead.

Lorde – Team

While I’m still on the topic of pop music, I’d like to give Lorde a nod.  She’s recently blowing up with her hit single Royals & I don’t think she’s going to be a one-hit wonder judging from the rest of her songs.  This song was a new one that she brought out in the past week while she was in Paris.  In the first Tunesday since I came back, I mentioned that kids are too talented these days like your grandpa or something & Lorde is one of those people that proves it having been signed to Universal Records at the age of 12 (currently 16).

TOKiMONSTA – Cigarette Lust

TOKiMONSTA performed at UC Berkeley last year in a performance presented by SUPERB and she proved her talent.  She’s got a wide range of styles that she can take on, but personally, I’m a fan of her hip-hop-Nujabes-esque beats such as “Cigarette Lust” rather than the dubsteppy stuff she did when she performed at Coachella.

The Jaze Doze – I Knew Lies Were Trouble (Marina & The Diamonds x Zeds Dead x Taylor Swift)

The Jaze Doze are a talented pair of DJs that closely follow the issue of sexism in the EDM world.  They were largely a part of what brought the Spinnin’ Records incident to light to a greater portion of the public.  In this mash-up, they pair Taylor Swift’s recent hit and still my guilty pleasure, “Trouble”, with Zeds Dead’s remix of Marina & The Diamond’s “Lies” which I briefly mentioned last week.

The Internet – Give It Time

If you don’t know The Internet, it’s a group that Syd Tha Kyd is involved in.  For those of you don’t know who that is, it’s one of the main producers of Odd Future who recently have exploded in fame with names from the group such as Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator and Earl the Sweatshirt making it big.  However, going back to Syd Tha Kyd, that’s the name you should be focusing on as her production made them sound so good.  The Internet is a side project that she, also known as Sydney Bennett, is working on with OFWGKTA’s live DJ, Matt Martians.  That’s also her on vocals. It’s also worth noting that she’s awesome live, as Ashley (who did an amazing job with Tunesday all summer) can vouch.

Zedd – Stay the Night (ft. Hayley Williams of Paramore)

This catchy tune comes from Zedd, who I think is one of the most talented DJs in finding female vocal talents.  The issue at hand is that Spinnin’ Records joked that women aren’t capable of DJing, but this doesn’t mean I should completely discount the fact that several DJs would not survive without their vocalists as well.  In “Stay the Night”, he employs Hayley Williams of Paramore whose music raised several young women to be more confident as they grow older.  Could you imagine his hit “Clarity” with another vocalist other than Foxes? I certainly can’t.  Last week, I discussed one of my favorite EDM vocalists in Greta Svabo Bech and I certainly can’t imagine some of the songs that she made a hit would be quite the same with another vocalist.

Heartless Bastards – Only for You

I’m not sure how to describe the Heartless Bastards’ sound… folk pop?  Some people say that they’re similar to The Black Keys, who also come out of Ohio.  Erika Wennerstorm, who’s on guitar and vocals, has a really unique voice that hits the highs and lows of this song beautifully.  By the way, the music video is really fucking adorable.

Icona Pop – All Night (Cash Cash Remix)

Chances are that you’re no stranger to Icona Pop after “I Love It” became a massive hit.  That’s gotta be one of the most danceable songs in the world.  Cash Cash remixes another one of their songs into a danceable club banger here.  This could be a fun one for your next party.

Rebecca & Fiona – Bullets

Rebecca & Fiona are a pretty well-known pair of DJs for their dancey, housey music, but personally, I’d love to be listening to this while going on a carefree drive by the beach.  They’ve collaborated with the likes of Kaskade and Tiesto.  They happened to meet at a friend’s birthday party and instantaneously became best friends that make music together and I think that’s awesome.  They come from Sweden, which increasingly seems to be conspiring as a country to raise DJs and EDM artists.

Ella Fitzgerald – Blue Skies (Maya Jane Coles Remix)

Maya Jane Coles is an absolute beast when its to DJing and is known for her deep house.  It’s the kind of thing for a kick-back rather than a party and she’s damned good at making it.  Her live performances are mesmerizing and I basically want to be best friends with her because she seems way too cool to be hanging out with me.  Here, she remixes Ella Fitzgerald and does it justice, which is my book is incredibly difficult to do.

BANKS – Waiting Game

I gave BANKS a mention in a previous Tunesday and some of you may even have watched her in person recently – she opened for The Weeknd at the Greek Theatre this weekend.  She seems to be gaining some fame for herself and deservedly so.

HAIM – The Wire (Tourist Remix)

If you’re not familiar with HAIM yet, you will be soon.  They’re three sisters who kind of reek of cool and making good music definitely helps too (they’ll be opening for Phoenix during their European tour).  They’ve been drawing comparisons to the Jonas Brothers and Hanson, but I think that’s only because they’re siblings.  No doubt that they’re poppy, but I wouldn’t categorize them as pop exactly.  I think Tourist made an interesting remix here of their recent hit, “The Wire” and I’d also like to give a shout out to my favorite song of theirs, “Save Me.”

NERVO & Hook-n-Sling – Reason

I’m closing this post out with NERVO, who I mentioned in the intro were the highest voted female DJs on DJ Mag’s Top 100.  This isn’t the only reason I’m including this, though.  What’s interesting is that this song in particular was released by Spinnin’ Records, the same record company that has me on my tirade this week.  NERVO’s produced other songs that I prefer to this one, but it’s nice to show the irony of Spinnin’ Record’s statements when they’re making money from talented female DJs.  Also worth noting is that NERVO were the openers for Britney Spears & Nicki Minaj’s tour, Femme Fatale.  So there you go.  This ends the Femme Fatalented post.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and every once in awhile your recommendations may make it here.

The post Tunesday- Femme Fatalented appeared first on The Daily Californian.

There’s a lovely word in the Yaghan language.  Maybe you know of it, maybe you don’t.  Mamihlapinatapai.  It means something along the lines of a look that is shared between two people that desire the same thing but neither is willing to make the first move.  This could be someone you’ve known for a while, or maybe that person you think you’re getting caught gawking at but maybe they were gawking first.  Go out and live and find out.

This one goes out to anyone who’s had their own what’s-their-name in their life.

 Flume – Insane (ft. Moon Holiday)

Flume recently played at the Mezzanine in San Francisco and has been one of my favorite acts in electronica.  This particular song recently had an awesome music video released for it recently and it has the feel of something that’d be in the soundtrack for Drive.  The song starts off with the lyrics “You don’t have to be afraid / You don’t have to be brave / Living in a gilded cage” which anyone who’s been shy about approaching someone or admitting their feelings to someone might sympathize with.  People fear the unknown far more than the known and maybe that should be applied to your (potential) love life as well.

The Kite String Tangle – Given the Chance

The song is clearly less about someone who’s too scared to do something, but someone who has been rejected and hasn’t given up, but it applies to the situation. As they say, if you never ask, the answer is always no.  If someone is on your mind enough that “heart is all scars when [they’re] not around” then you should find out if you would be “Given the Chance” for the sake of your sanity.

The xx – Fiction

I normally try to avoid posting things by REALLY well-known artists unless they’re remixes or mash-ups, but I’m making an exception here. Anyone who knows me well (or even anyone who knows me barely at all) knows I’ve had a chronic obsession with this band for years.  As it so happens, today marks the one-year anniversary of their sophomore album and my favorite track from the album is this song.  This song fits in all kinds of situations of heartbreak, but I think certain lines exemplify the situation of not being able to make a move with lines such as “you’re more than I can believe would ever come my way” and “come real love, why do I refuse you? Cause if my fear’s right, I risk to lose you.”

Zeds Dead – Shut Up & Sing V2.0 v Greta Svabo Bech

Greta Svabo Bech has one of the most desirable voices in EDM having featured in such songs as Raise Your Weapon by Deadmau5 and a personal favorite of mine, Chronicles of a Fallen Love by The Bloody Beetroots.  She recently teamed up with Zeds Dead to make a 2nd version of her song Shut Up & Sing.  Zeds Dead has done some work in the past reinterpreting songs that I have been impressed with such as their remix of Lies by Marina and the Diamonds.  As she describes it, “Shut Up & Sing’ is about feeling trapped in a situation and finally working up the courage to do something about it, even if you don’t know what you’re gonna do.”  The hard hitting percussion is motivational on its own, but Greta Svabo Bech’s vocals are undoubtedly what make it hit home.

Kendrick Lamar x Clams Casino – Poetic Justice (Mash-up by Andrew Gentry)

In the original version of Poetic Justice, Kendrick Lamar teams up with Drake to rap about romantic problems (given the theme of this week’s list and the mention of Drake’s name, I don’t think you consider this much of a surprise at this point).  In this mash-up, Andrew Gentry extracts Kendrick Lamar’s lines and puts them against Clams Casino’s song I’m God and they make a perfect couple.  Funny how that works.  Sometimes you can’t see the possibility of two things being a perfect match, but you find out once you try.

Lolo – Weapon for Saturday

Let’s change it up a bit now.  Maybe you’re feeling a bit brave now and you think what’s-their-name can become something more.  Lolo’s not exactly the strongest vocalist, but she’s brimming with confidence.  Weapon for Saturday is one of those songs that I listen to and I suddenly feel awesome about myself.  It’s a song that makes you feel like you can conquer anything your heart desires.

Big Data – Dangerous

Big Data adds another song to get pumped up to with Dangerous.  It’s got a catchy bassline, the kind that makes you strutt while you listen to them on your headphones.  I feel like Tom in (500) Days of Summer after he leaves Summer’s place when I’m listening to this song.  There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by high fives from strangers and animated birds for 4 minutes and 40 seconds.

FMLYBND – Electricity

I’ll be ending things with a little love song.  Electricity by FMLYBND is bursting with synthy poppy happiness.  If I had to put my description of a first kiss in song form, it might sound something like this.  FMLYBND are incredibly close with each other.  They live together, cook together, get tattoos together, all that lovely stuff.  Hell, maybe down the line you could be in that kind of a relationship with the person who’s piqued your interest.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and every once in awhile your recommendations may make it here.

The post Tunesday – Dedicated to What’s-Your-Name appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Things are changing. Some of our friends have graduated, some of us have had summer romances come to an end, many of us are beginning a new journey at a new school, and most life-changingly of all, several of us were traumatized by Miley Cyrus at the 2013 VMAs. Fortunately, it’s a big town (world, as a matter of fact) and there are plenty of new people to meet and everyday is an opportunity to move on with your life.  Here are some tunes to listen to while the leaves begin to change colors this autumn.

Postiljonen – Atlantis

This song is reminiscent of M83’s Midnight City in many ways, but it manages to stay original with its use of saxophone. Dear god, the saxophone. That is one versatile instrument. In certain contexts it’s classy, but it mostly screams a need for some kind of fun, usually sex. No wonder Bill Clinton was so good at playing it. Postiljonen’s album Skyer has some decent songs on it, but the clear stand-out for me is Atlantis. This is a three-person band producing these noises (they have 2 incredibly talented multi-instrumentalists).

Jaymes Young – Moondust

This one goes out to all the dead summer flings, or even worse, the relationships that were killed by distance.  My first exposure to Jaymes Young this summer was by hearing Kiely Rich’s remix of Dark Star which is a far more upbeat song than this one as well as the original version of Dark Star.  Jaymes Young classifies himself as “Dark Pop” and I’d say that’s a pretty appropriate self-categorization on his part.  He pumps out somber tunes that are laced with synth, similar to Sir Sly who I talked a bit about in a previous Tunesday.  Jaymes Young recently put out a full album, which is available completely free of charge.  My personal picks: Moondust and Running on Fumes.

Felix Cartal – New Scene (ft. Ofelia)

During summer, my two favorite EDM discoveries were The M Machine and Felix Cartal.  The M Machine hits a bit harder in most cases, whereas Felix Cartal is more melodic.  Judging from his most recent releases, he is proving his talent in curating vocalists.  This particular collaboration with Ofelia is one that was stuck in my head for days after a first listen.

Jay-Z ft. Rick Ross – FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt (THUGLI Remix)

Jay-Z – Heaven (K Theory Remix)

This is a case in which I couldn’t decide on a particular remix.  Both of them are incredibly well done remixes of songs from Jay-Z’s most recent album, Magna Carta Holy Grail.  THUGLI’s remix is from the school of trap, which is commonly associated with Baauer (unfortunately).  I’ll admit Baauer expanded on his repertoire to make me like some of his songs, but I still have a tough time convincing people that trap has some worthwhile songs because of Harlem Shake.  The lyrics in the song and the beat basically make me feel like a badass when I’m listening to it, which is not the usual way my day goes.

K Theory on the other hand took on Heaven in a more symphonic, strategic manner.  The lyrics to Heaven are already existential in nature, and K Theory places emphasis on the right ones.  The long intro adds suspense that makes the rest of the song a relief to the listener.

London Grammar – Wicked Game (Cover of Chris Isaak)

Imagine that the xx and Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine make a band baby together. That’s basically what London Grammar sounds like to me. If that’s enough to sell you, in this particular song, they cover Wicked Game by Chris Isaak, better known as the song from when Ross and Rachel make out in the planetarium on season 2 of Friends during the episode “The One Where Ross and Rachel… You Know”.  London Grammar put a unique spin on it that somehow makes the idea of love sound even more devastating than its original.  Speaking of original, it’s worth giving a listen to their original songs as well rather than judging them just on their covering abilities (which, by the way, was done live in this case).  This is truly a modernization of a classic.

Konoba – Breezeblocks (Cover of alt-J)

Capital Children’s Choir – Untrust Us (Cover of Crystal Castles)

Modernizations of classics are nice, but some of the best covers are of recent songs.  No need to wait 20 years if you’ll do the song some justice.  I know a ton of my readers aren’t fans of covers, but I will keep defending the validity of covers and how they can make us see things we love (or sometimes even things we hate) from a different point of view.  Konoba is reminiscent of multi-instrumentalists Pomplamoose, one of my favorite Youtube cover bands who did songs such as Lady Gaga’s Telephone.  They take an interesting turn during the cover in which they briefly transition into a theme song from a recent blockbuster movie. I won’t ruin the surprise, but it worked perfectly.

On the other hand, Capital Children’s Choir recently went viral with their covers and one that I thought was a case of “better than the original” was their cover of Untrust Us by Crystal Castles.  Their precision in emulating the background music, percussion and Alice Glass’s glitchy vocals all while putting their own spin on it were just chilling.  By the way, when did kids get so damn talented?  Back when I was in grade school, I was able to place 2nd in a talent show by doing magic tricks straight from a pre-bought kit from the bookstore.  What a difference.

Adventure Club – Gold (ft. Yuna)

Leaders in the melodic dubstep movement Adventure Club teamed up with Malaysian singer Yuna for this song.  Solid choice.  She sang one of my favorite songs for a Sunday morning and this would be an amazing song for a Saturday night.  I’m excited for Yuna’s new album coming out on October 29 which will most likely be filled with acoustic pop, so it’s nice to hear her voice in another setting entirely.

Stavroz – The Finishing

I’ll be finishing this week’s list with “The Finishing” and more saxophone.  While Postiljonen’s injection of saxophone solos was all about having a good time, Stavroz takes more of a relaxed approach to it.  This is the kind of song I can imagine myself sipping some aged whiskey to and then dancing with a beautiful woman in the style of Pulp Fiction, but because I am not classy, smooth or wealthy enough I stuck to listening to it on the BART at 3 am.  It’s one of the longer songs I’ve shared with you clocking in at 8 minutes, but it’s worth every minute if you’re in need of some serious stress relief.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and every once in awhile your recommendations may make it here.

The post Tunesday: Out with the Old, in with the New appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Dean Chalkley/Courtesy

Ah, Independence Day. Otherwise known as the only day of the year where you can wear as many tacky combinations of red, white and blue as you want, grease up that George Foreman grill, day-drink and barbeque to your heart’s (or liver’s) delight and yell “FUCK YEA, AMURRICA” to all your fellow patriots. July 4 is also the set release date for Jay-Z’s highly-anticipated and highly-publicized Magna Carta Holy Grail, his first solo studio album since 2009’s The Blueprint 3. In the spirit of the occasion, this week’s picks are brought to you by what may quite possibly be one of the greatest Pandora stations of all time: “Hip Hop BBQ.” Read on to listen to and watch the superb music videos for the first 10 tracks played by this glorious gift from the internet radio gods and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

P. Diddy – I Need a Girl (Part 2) feat. Ginuwine, Loon & Mario Winans

Much like an evolving Pokemon, Sean Combs has gone throughout the years from being Puff Daddy to P. Diddy and finally, to the understated yet assertive, Diddy. In addition to his timeless collaboration with Nelly, “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” Diddy also blessed us with “I Need a Girl,” and more importantly, “I Need a Girl (Part 2).” Not only does the remix feature the much-underappreciated Ginuwine (Ginuwine Appreciation Week: coming soon to a Tunesday near you), but it also includes one of our favorite R&B one-hit wonders, Mario Winans.

Regulate – Warren G feat. Nate Dogg

Def Jam’s biggest single and a definitive part of the golden era of 90’s hip-hop. Rest in peace, Nate Dogg.

I’m Real (Remix) – Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule

Alas, the great return to JLo AND Ja Rule’s true glory days. I’m pretty sure the former still looks exactly the same, but what happened to the latter? Not only is this song a demonstration of thug love at its finest, but its video is also excellent proof that JLo doesn’t like basketballs.

The Next Episode – Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt & Nate Dogg

The anthem as we know it.

Dilemma – Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland

Following his debut album, Country Grammar (Read the track list – he wasn’t kidding. The grammar is horrendous.), Nelly brought us Nellyville, which features memorable hits like “Hot in Herre,” “Pimp Juice,” and of course, “Dilemma.” Kelly and Nelly share for the vocal spotlight in this sweet throwback about flirty neighbors and the seductive powers of Nelly’s Gucci bucket hat.

Beautiful – Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell, Uncle Charlie Wilson

‘Pharrell.’ That’s enough to convince you, right? Heartthrob aside, “Beautiful” is a love ballad in rap form from 2003 that was produced by The Neptunes and hit the top of the charts for its silky chorus and signature Snoop quality.

Rump Shaker – Wreckx-N-Effect

You might not know who Wreckx-N-effect is, or even that this track was titled “Rump Shaker,” but this is one of those songs that everyone recognizes at a house party. Classic.

No Diggity – Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre, Queen Pen

Yeaaaaauh. This one’s the biggest hit from everyone’s favorite male R&B group. No diggity, no doubt this track is smooth as brown sugar and catchy as hell.

Just a Lil Bit – 50 Cent

We all like to chuckle (just a lil bit) when it comes to the topic of 50 Cent and G-Unit, but let’s take a second to recognize real talent when we see it. Beneath the wifebeaters and gangster image is a group that put out a relative amount of solid, quality jams. The production on “Just A Lil Bit” is what gets it appearances on playlists like this, and the same is to be said with infectious tracks like “P.I.M.P.” and “Wanna Get to Know You.”

California Love – 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre, Roger Troutman

Expect no less – the golden grand finale.

Hopefully I’ve more than convinced you to tune in to “Hip-Hop BBQ” for all your party needs from now on. Reminiscence in these great hip-hop hits and spread the love! It certainly helps to be reminded of what past artists brought to the table and how the standards of today’s chart-toppers compare.
As always, comments, feedback and suggestions for next week are welcomed! Peace out, west side.

Contact Ashley Chen at achen@dailycal.org.

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Ja'Tovia Gary/Courtesy

It was 2 a.m. on a weekday night when I decided to take a short break from Yeezus and throw an impromptu solo dance party in my pajamas. This week’s selection of songs turn up the energy and take on playful, pop-y sounds with a dash of R&B, electro and a little bit of that extra somethin’ special. Enjoy!

Disclosure – F For You

By no means am I an advocate for house music (no offense), but I readily admit to having a soft spot for UK dubstep and the type of R&B-infused dance music that bands like SBTRKT and artists like Jessie Ware are bringing to the table. Disclosure is new news to me — the duo’s debut album, Settle, is energetic, polished and fun as hell. “F For You” is just one playful track off the full-length, which I highly recommend as we get closer and closer to Pride weekend.

Toro Y Moi – New Beat

Chaz Bundick would be the perfect host to the disco of my dreams. Aside from having stellar dance moves in the forest, he always goes beyond the bedroom pop genre and delivers total sonic satisfaction. “New Beat” is a funk-filled throwback to the wonderful 2011 record, Underneath the Pine.
*P.S. In my SoundCloud search, I stumbled upon this gem of a mash-up of Usher and Toro by The Hood Internet, hilariously titled, “So Many Climaxes.” Thoughts?

Cakes Da Killa – Whistle (Beat it Up)

It’s time for a twerk break. Cakes Da Killa, aka 21-year-old Rashard Bradshaw, is another big player in the queer NYC rap scene. He’s the sassiest rapper out there and deservingly so because he’s fierce as f*** and he raps like rapid fire. Get wild to “Whistle (Beat it Up),” which is off his Easy Bake Oven EP and check out “Goodies,” which is off his newest mixtape, The Eulogy.

Dornik – Something About You

Dornik is another example of more exhilarating, unexplored territory. His voice cracks in at the beginning of “Something About You” and those vocals in question are smooth, drugged-out perfection. My initial thoughts put him in the same game as Abel Tesfaye of The Weeknd and lean towards a lot of soul and funk influences, especially from the Jackson 5.

Solange – Lovers in the Parking Lot

Solange’s last EP, True, is quite a delight. It’s like the soundtrack to some fabulous 80s romance film, a teen dream in all the right ways with its sultry vocals and silky beats. Having dabbled with different sounds in the past, she really stayed true to herself with this record, so hopefully we’ll get to see a full-length album sometime in the near future.

Mates of State – Palomino

Mates of State is this adorable husband-and-wife duo made up of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel. It was difficult to choose just one track to feature off of their 2011 album, Mountaintops, but “Palomino” kind of makes you wanna run around in a sunny field and sing “wooo-ooooh” at the top of your lungs with its ridiculously catchy, feel-good pop vibes. Find a spot of sunshine outside, press play, and don’t be too surprised if you find yourself with a big smile on your face the entire time.

Purity Ring – Grammy

Last, but certainly not least, is a jammer by one of my favorite bands, Purity Ring. You might not even realize at first that it’s a cover of a Soulja Boy original, but once you do, you’ll see exactly why the band makes it on to every other playlist I get the chance to curate. The Canadian duo, Megan James and Corin Roddick, are a force to be reckoned with, and their album, Shrines, is a glistening masterpiece with its meticulous construction that takes synth beats, drum machines, and delectable vocals to a new level.

Contact Ashley Chen at achen@dailycal.org. Check her out on Twitter at @avivranthing.

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Terry Richardson/Courtesy

Editor’s Note: We forgot to publish Tunesday on Tuesday, but it’s summer — you probably lost track of the days, right?

First off, you should know that this week’s installment is wholly influenced by two things: the lingering effects of Danny Brown’s stellar show at the New Parish (shameless plug: the article comes out later this week) and the advance streaming of Mykki Blanco’s newest EP, Betty Rubble: The Initiation. If neither of those things sounds the slightest bit familiar to you, then please read on, I insist. These artists and their songs are bold but not bombastic, and their lush use of snares, synths and claps are provocative to say the least.

Mykki Blanco – Feeling Special

Hailing from NYC, Mykki Blanco is easily identified as one of the key players in the emerging underground queer rap scene. His most recent EP, as mentioned above, beckons you to creep down that rabbit hole with him as he lets his character raise havoc with a daunting delivery of verses and a vocal range that goes from a syrupy sweet to a raspy growl.

Zebra Katz ft. Njena Reddd Foxxx– Ima Read

Not unlike Mykki, Zebra Katz is another rap character in the scene who is making strides when it comes to redefining the genre on his own terms. His breakout hit, “Ima Read,” is not for the faint of heart. The track might sound like it’s preaching education, but it’s actually about the ballroom culture and is vogue slang for “reading,” which is the act of verbally insulting your opponent on the dance floor. Katz is vicious, haunting and utterly delectable. If you’re intrigued, listen to his new mixtape, DRKLNG, above.

Schoolboy Q – There He Go

This throwback track comes from West Coast rapper Schoolboy Q’s second full-length album, Habits & Contradictions, and showcases the ways in which his music makes you want to throw on your fattest headphones, sit back and take it all in. Thematically, the album is dark and heavy, but production-wise, it is filled with a crisp, reverberating energy that gets in your head. Schoolboy Q is currently on tour with Kendrick Lamar, but hopefully some new material is in the works.

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – NY is Killing Me

This track is a favorite off of DJ Jamie xx (Jamie Smith of The xx)’s re-working of the late Gil Scott-Heron’s I’m New Here, appropriately titled We’re New Here. The pairing of the two is an experimental delight that has brought new life to a classic record.

Angel Haze – Werkin’ Girls

Angel Haze is, in my opinion, one of the most promising voices in hip-hop today. Her lyrical prowess speaks for itself, but the content in her songs is where she sets herself apart from the rest. Haze is brutally honest with herself and her listeners in often gut-retching verses about childhood abuse, sexual identity and personal insecurities, all laced with a cracked toughness that we can all respect. “Werkin’ Girls” is off of her Reservation mixtape, but also check out Classick and the Voice EP.

Jeremih – F*** u all the time (Shlohmo Remix)
My obsession with the original version of this song, which premiered on the mixtape Late Nights with Jeremih, was re-born when a friend introduced me to this remix by LA beatmaker Shlohmo. Jeremih’s voice, a feathery light seduction on its own, gets a darker, more tortuous twist in this version.

The Weeknd – Loft Music

The conclusion to this week’s post is more so my attempt to find some humor in the otherwise painful act of having to move into my new apartment. It might have made more sense if the track were titled “Apartment Music.” Nonetheless, this one’s from The Weeknd, otherwise known as Canadian crooner Abel Tesfaye, ’s 2011 mixtape House of Balloons. You can no doubt expect an update as soon as his highly anticipated full-length album, Kiss Land, drops.

If you have suggestions for next week or any type of feedback for me, reach out!

Contact Ashley Chen at achen@dailycal.org. Check her out on twitter at @avivranthing.

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