Musicapalooza!"
So, along the lines of the "feed me music" post, I decided to upload some of my favorite artists+songs for your piracy amusement. Because I'm nice like that.
Azam Ali
Endless Reverie
The Tryst
I discovered Azam Ali at Barnes and Noble back in the spring. I like to wander through various sections and pick up CDs at random to listen to them. She's an Iranian artist and Wikipedia classifies her as "world", but also "rock" and "New Age". I'd say all of the above are appropriate, plus "pure sex", if that can be called a genre. She's got a stunning voice, very clear and sweet, and she can DO things with her voice that show that beautiful Middle Eastern background. Her music manages to be both very sexy and sultry, and very beautiful in a romantically medieval sort of way. (One of the albums I have has a distinctly medieval feel to it; she sings in Latin and it's gorgeous.)
Balligomingo
Privilege
Sweet Allure
Wild Butterfly
Balligomingo is fun to say, isn't it? Balligomingo was on a musical accompaniment to Brian Froud's artwork that I found several years ago, along with Paul Schwartz, who you will meet later. The music is...well, it's hard to classify. It's got electronica lurking beneath the surface, with some really great classical instruments, and some sincerely sexy beats. The vocals tend to be very dreamy and pretty--they get compared to Delerium because they like to use some of the same vocalists. It's music you can relax and dream to, but also music for sexing someone up. I kind of like multipurpose music like that.
Bel Canto
Capio
Mornixuur
Unicorn
Without You
I don't remember how I came across Bel Canto, but I am damn glad I did. This is music that stirs up the fairytales of the soul. The genre is called "dreampop", and it's kinda similar to, say, Dead Can Dance, but Bel Canto's just...a class unto themselves. Maybe because they're Norwegian? I don't know. The lead singer has this gorgeous voice, almost operatic at times, and their albums are almost like little worlds. The four songs I've posted are from two different albums; you'll notice that they sound quite different. "Without You" and "Capio" are from an album called "White-Out Conditions", which is basically...winter in an album. Cold, mournful, utterly romantic. "Unicorn" and "Mornixuur" are from "Shimmering, Warm and Bright", and it's like a rollicking summerland fairytale in an album. They're both stunning.
Bliss
Breathe
Kissing
I heard Bliss for the first time when I was listening to the chillout station on DI.fm, "Kissing". I went nuts. It was so utterly dreamy and sweet and mellow, and I had to be content with just that one song till I found the album in Barnes & Noble, which I totally paid full-price for. The other song isn't actually on the US release of the album. I had to commit piracy for some of the really awesome songs. The group is Dutch, but they've got some gentle African influences in there. Not all of the songs have vocals, but the ones that do feature this dreamy, husky female vocalist...it's music to drift and dream to. (But not without personality. I like my ambient/chillout to have some spine.)
Chicane
Locking Down
Love On The Run
Stoned In Love
I was being very good by not totally flooding this post with everything Nick Bracegirdle ever even thought about producing. Chicane was my first trance love, and remains one of the great musical loves of my life to date. Chicane's music, to me, has a distinct sound...maybe it's a particular machine or program he uses when he's mixing music, but I can tell a Chicane mix from others. The songs he produces himself are all amazing and wonderful, basically...good beats, great songs. Trance with some depth. And he tends to pick good vocalists--he put Justine Suissa on the map as far as trance vocalists go.
Darren Hayes
A Conversation With God
Darkness
Dublin Sky
I Just Want You To Love Me
Time Machine
Unlovable
I had such a hard time both limiting myself and deciding which songs to pick for this guy. Most of you probably don't recognize the name, but if I say "HEY REMEMBER SAVAGE GARDEN, THEY SANG THAT TRULY MADLY DEEPLY SONG THAT WAS ON THE RADIO FORFUCKINGEVER", most people go "OHHH YEAH I REMEMBER THAT SHIT!". Yeah, well, this is the lead singer of Savage Garden, as a solo artist. And while I adored Savage Garden's stuff, Darren Hayes, as a solo artist, has gone miles and miles and miles beyond what Savage Garden stuff. He buries incredibly poignant and moving lyrics behind sexy dancy beats and pophappy melodies and that AMAZING falsetto of his. His first solo album was GREAT. His second album was FUCKING AMAZING. His third album blew me away. You've got songs from the second and third available to you here, because if I'd gotten into the first album, we'd've been here all night with this guy.
Edwina Hayes
Feels Like Home
Irish Waltz
Waltzing's For Dreamers
Her song "Feels Like Home" was in the "My Sister's Keeper" soundtrack, and that was where I first heard her. I turned to Rachna and said "I WANT THIS SONG!" Amazon gave me the hook-up. She's pretty much straight folk, with very simple accompaniment--she doesn't need much fuss, her voice is clear and sweet as a bell--and she's the newest love of my musical life. Very lovely voice, great songs. Catchy tunes.
George Winston
Colors-Dance
Too Much Between Us
Someone in the NaNoWriMo chat recommended him to me when I was looking for some plain piano music. I heard "Too Much Between Us" and musicgasmed and died. Plain piano music isn't exactly the right word. I mean, it's piano, straight piano, but it's not simple, it's beautiful and intricate without being pretentious and it's got so much emotion wrapped in between each and every note. I love him and you should too.
Hooverphonic
Inhaler
Someone
Hooverphonic was introduced to me years and years ago by Alex the Cellist. I didn't pay enough attention then. Then Laurel-Badger sent me their cover of "Shake the Disease", which is one of the sexiest songs ever, and I was hooked. I promptly went out and acquired every album ever, which made selecting just two songs kind of difficult. They're a funky group. Electronica, but...dreampoppy, synthpoppy, with quirky lyrics and a lovely dreamy, breathy female vocalist. It's happy music, and sexy at times.
Paul Schwartz
Earthbound
Nevermore
Paul Schwartz is kind of a brilliant musician. He's got a couple of albums out. His Aria series deals with..."tweaking"...classic pieces (usually of the choral or operatic variety) so that they're just a tad more accessible. The music's clearer, the vocals are clearer, the beat's a little peppier...but the original genius of the music is still intact. The songs I've posted, however, are from his album "Earthbound", which is original compositions to the best of my knowledge. It falls under "New Age", but...it's just...it's just gorgeous. Beautiful vocals; this is another example of music that brings the fairytales in the soul to life. Unlike anything else I know.
Soul Whirling Somewhere
In On
Nani
The Wedding
Soul Whirling Somewhere is another damn artist that's hard to properly explain. On one hand, it's the saddest goddamn music I've ever heard. On the other hand, it's so utterly, profoundly soothing, but moving, and he's got this sexy husky voice, with beautiful instrumentals, and the lyrics are like something out of someone's journal, real and bleeding with emotion, and...it's hard to explain. It's gorgeous. Go listen to it.
Ulrich Schnauss
Nobody's Home
Gone Forever
Never Be The Same
Shine
Stars
Ulrich Schnauss was given to me by He Who Is Not To Be Named. First "Nobody's Home", then "Gone Forever". Then I acquired the rest on my own. Definitely trance; usually more on the side of ambient trance than hard trance or breakbeat, though sometimes he bursts out with something rather intense ("Medusa" from his "Goodbye" album being a good example of this). He's got a certain tendency toward really dreamy, ethereal, rather indistinct vocals that hint at words that might be beautiful, but which you can never fully catch.
Way Out West
Killa
Northern Lights
Way Out West was also given to me by He Who Is Not To Be Named. It was absolute musiclust at first listening. Even now, three years later, I'm STILL NOT TIRED of this stuff. It's AMAZING trance, very lush and vivid, great vocals, great beats. The entire album is amazing, and the two artists who make up Way Out West also have some hellaciously awesome solo work as well.
Goddamn, that took me like three hours to upload everything and to type it all up. Y'all best be downloading this here music and telling me how you feel about it. I want DETAILED OPINIONS, PEOPLE.
Also, I only had three instances of HTMLfail in this post. I am impressed with myself. I am also tired.
Azam Ali
Endless Reverie
The Tryst
I discovered Azam Ali at Barnes and Noble back in the spring. I like to wander through various sections and pick up CDs at random to listen to them. She's an Iranian artist and Wikipedia classifies her as "world", but also "rock" and "New Age". I'd say all of the above are appropriate, plus "pure sex", if that can be called a genre. She's got a stunning voice, very clear and sweet, and she can DO things with her voice that show that beautiful Middle Eastern background. Her music manages to be both very sexy and sultry, and very beautiful in a romantically medieval sort of way. (One of the albums I have has a distinctly medieval feel to it; she sings in Latin and it's gorgeous.)
Balligomingo
Privilege
Sweet Allure
Wild Butterfly
Balligomingo is fun to say, isn't it? Balligomingo was on a musical accompaniment to Brian Froud's artwork that I found several years ago, along with Paul Schwartz, who you will meet later. The music is...well, it's hard to classify. It's got electronica lurking beneath the surface, with some really great classical instruments, and some sincerely sexy beats. The vocals tend to be very dreamy and pretty--they get compared to Delerium because they like to use some of the same vocalists. It's music you can relax and dream to, but also music for sexing someone up. I kind of like multipurpose music like that.
Bel Canto
Capio
Mornixuur
Unicorn
Without You
I don't remember how I came across Bel Canto, but I am damn glad I did. This is music that stirs up the fairytales of the soul. The genre is called "dreampop", and it's kinda similar to, say, Dead Can Dance, but Bel Canto's just...a class unto themselves. Maybe because they're Norwegian? I don't know. The lead singer has this gorgeous voice, almost operatic at times, and their albums are almost like little worlds. The four songs I've posted are from two different albums; you'll notice that they sound quite different. "Without You" and "Capio" are from an album called "White-Out Conditions", which is basically...winter in an album. Cold, mournful, utterly romantic. "Unicorn" and "Mornixuur" are from "Shimmering, Warm and Bright", and it's like a rollicking summerland fairytale in an album. They're both stunning.
Bliss
Breathe
Kissing
I heard Bliss for the first time when I was listening to the chillout station on DI.fm, "Kissing". I went nuts. It was so utterly dreamy and sweet and mellow, and I had to be content with just that one song till I found the album in Barnes & Noble, which I totally paid full-price for. The other song isn't actually on the US release of the album. I had to commit piracy for some of the really awesome songs. The group is Dutch, but they've got some gentle African influences in there. Not all of the songs have vocals, but the ones that do feature this dreamy, husky female vocalist...it's music to drift and dream to. (But not without personality. I like my ambient/chillout to have some spine.)
Chicane
Locking Down
Love On The Run
Stoned In Love
I was being very good by not totally flooding this post with everything Nick Bracegirdle ever even thought about producing. Chicane was my first trance love, and remains one of the great musical loves of my life to date. Chicane's music, to me, has a distinct sound...maybe it's a particular machine or program he uses when he's mixing music, but I can tell a Chicane mix from others. The songs he produces himself are all amazing and wonderful, basically...good beats, great songs. Trance with some depth. And he tends to pick good vocalists--he put Justine Suissa on the map as far as trance vocalists go.
Darren Hayes
A Conversation With God
Darkness
Dublin Sky
I Just Want You To Love Me
Time Machine
Unlovable
I had such a hard time both limiting myself and deciding which songs to pick for this guy. Most of you probably don't recognize the name, but if I say "HEY REMEMBER SAVAGE GARDEN, THEY SANG THAT TRULY MADLY DEEPLY SONG THAT WAS ON THE RADIO FORFUCKINGEVER", most people go "OHHH YEAH I REMEMBER THAT SHIT!". Yeah, well, this is the lead singer of Savage Garden, as a solo artist. And while I adored Savage Garden's stuff, Darren Hayes, as a solo artist, has gone miles and miles and miles beyond what Savage Garden stuff. He buries incredibly poignant and moving lyrics behind sexy dancy beats and pophappy melodies and that AMAZING falsetto of his. His first solo album was GREAT. His second album was FUCKING AMAZING. His third album blew me away. You've got songs from the second and third available to you here, because if I'd gotten into the first album, we'd've been here all night with this guy.
Edwina Hayes
Feels Like Home
Irish Waltz
Waltzing's For Dreamers
Her song "Feels Like Home" was in the "My Sister's Keeper" soundtrack, and that was where I first heard her. I turned to Rachna and said "I WANT THIS SONG!" Amazon gave me the hook-up. She's pretty much straight folk, with very simple accompaniment--she doesn't need much fuss, her voice is clear and sweet as a bell--and she's the newest love of my musical life. Very lovely voice, great songs. Catchy tunes.
George Winston
Colors-Dance
Too Much Between Us
Someone in the NaNoWriMo chat recommended him to me when I was looking for some plain piano music. I heard "Too Much Between Us" and musicgasmed and died. Plain piano music isn't exactly the right word. I mean, it's piano, straight piano, but it's not simple, it's beautiful and intricate without being pretentious and it's got so much emotion wrapped in between each and every note. I love him and you should too.
Hooverphonic
Inhaler
Someone
Hooverphonic was introduced to me years and years ago by Alex the Cellist. I didn't pay enough attention then. Then Laurel-Badger sent me their cover of "Shake the Disease", which is one of the sexiest songs ever, and I was hooked. I promptly went out and acquired every album ever, which made selecting just two songs kind of difficult. They're a funky group. Electronica, but...dreampoppy, synthpoppy, with quirky lyrics and a lovely dreamy, breathy female vocalist. It's happy music, and sexy at times.
Paul Schwartz
Earthbound
Nevermore
Paul Schwartz is kind of a brilliant musician. He's got a couple of albums out. His Aria series deals with..."tweaking"...classic pieces (usually of the choral or operatic variety) so that they're just a tad more accessible. The music's clearer, the vocals are clearer, the beat's a little peppier...but the original genius of the music is still intact. The songs I've posted, however, are from his album "Earthbound", which is original compositions to the best of my knowledge. It falls under "New Age", but...it's just...it's just gorgeous. Beautiful vocals; this is another example of music that brings the fairytales in the soul to life. Unlike anything else I know.
Soul Whirling Somewhere
In On
Nani
The Wedding
Soul Whirling Somewhere is another damn artist that's hard to properly explain. On one hand, it's the saddest goddamn music I've ever heard. On the other hand, it's so utterly, profoundly soothing, but moving, and he's got this sexy husky voice, with beautiful instrumentals, and the lyrics are like something out of someone's journal, real and bleeding with emotion, and...it's hard to explain. It's gorgeous. Go listen to it.
Ulrich Schnauss
Nobody's Home
Gone Forever
Never Be The Same
Shine
Stars
Ulrich Schnauss was given to me by He Who Is Not To Be Named. First "Nobody's Home", then "Gone Forever". Then I acquired the rest on my own. Definitely trance; usually more on the side of ambient trance than hard trance or breakbeat, though sometimes he bursts out with something rather intense ("Medusa" from his "Goodbye" album being a good example of this). He's got a certain tendency toward really dreamy, ethereal, rather indistinct vocals that hint at words that might be beautiful, but which you can never fully catch.
Way Out West
Killa
Northern Lights
Way Out West was also given to me by He Who Is Not To Be Named. It was absolute musiclust at first listening. Even now, three years later, I'm STILL NOT TIRED of this stuff. It's AMAZING trance, very lush and vivid, great vocals, great beats. The entire album is amazing, and the two artists who make up Way Out West also have some hellaciously awesome solo work as well.
Goddamn, that took me like three hours to upload everything and to type it all up. Y'all best be downloading this here music and telling me how you feel about it. I want DETAILED OPINIONS, PEOPLE.
Also, I only had three instances of HTMLfail in this post. I am impressed with myself. I am also tired.