The Studio - Song Recommendations

  • PS! Username: Lyd
  • Song: Caravan Palace - Russian
  • Genre: Electro Swing
  • Description: Caravan Palace suddenly released a new track after a two year hiatus (more on that later), so that ended up reminding me of their music. I actually discovered their music in an airplane to France, i dabbled with the music on the plane's system and stumbled across Caravan Palace only to find myself listening through their album on repeat until the plane landed. Russian, however, is one of my favorite tracks of them, from the iconic album <|°_°|>. It's so chill and relaxing yet it keeps that Electro Swing drive and class that you only get with Caravan Palace and Boogie Belgique (more on that later). The guitar is meltingly smooth, and the FX, especially that vintage sounding effect (I think it's trying to minic a vinyl but I swear I can't tell) adds so much depth to this song. In addition, the track employs quite a groovy and funky bassline as well, that really gives it some groove despite it being more of a chilled and relaxed take on Electro Swing. The vocals, although repetitive, also fit very well with the tune and are almost as smooth as the guitar. The chorus is also extremely fizzy and playful to the point which it's hard for it not to bring a smile onto my face. Overall this is probably my favorite song from Caravan Palace so I really wanted to share it :)
 
  • PS! Username: Lyd
  • Song: Dave Winnel - Lily Of The Valley
  • Genre: Future Trance
  • Description: This track is just type the music I dig. It has a groovy drop with the drums and bassline, yet the upper voice give a lush and refreshing voice with arpeggios and plenty of reverb. Lily Of The Valley just kind of combines the best of both worlds really, and I love when songs do that, it makes the drop so much impactful while still being minimalistic and simple.
 
  • PS! Username: Lyd
  • Song: Oomloud - Braincrash
  • Genre: Future House
  • Description: The groove on this drop is insane, I'd say it's impossible for someone into house music not to bob their head to the rhythm. The drop features a strong baseline and steady drums, but the high pitched synths give the tune a fizzy and goofy feeling. The build up also seems to juggle the right amount of tension to build up for the drop while still making it pleasant. Great track!
 

Clouds

False Pretenses
is a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a member of the Battle Simulator Staffis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus

Next Series of Song Recommendations...

This week's theme throws it back to a theme we did last year - imitations. Each staff's song recommendation this week was the type of music we think another staff would recommend. Let us know how you think we did!

  • (%) The Cheese Attack (Rageeeee)
  • Song: Galneryus - Struggle For The Freedom Flag
  • Genre: Neoclassical Cheese Metal
  • Description: Masahiro Yamaguchi's fun vocals mixed in with Syu's guitars and Yuhki's keyboards make this cheesy band and album and song pretty fun

  • (@) StarBlim (bumbadadabum)
  • Song: Pussy Riot - Make America Great Again
  • Genre: progressive
  • Description: This song is so progressive and socially engaged I love it! Too bad it doesn't advocate for LGBT rights :( I really wish more real artists would use their platform to educate the bigots.

  • (#) Pablo (vivalospride)
  • Song: Logic - Keanu Reeves
  • Genre: Hip Hop
  • Description: Man this song is so good, Logic as an artist is just so good in terms of lyricism, storytelling, and raw emotion in his music. Believe it or not, something most people other than hardcore Logic fans like myself don't know... Logic is actually biracial! You may find that hard to believe but he details this in his music every once in a while and just the way he does it is so fluid. He's truly bringing rap back, one of the few lyricists left!!! #Rattpack ... Oh and that one line where he's like "Oh my god it's the 1-800 guy!!" haha that was really good line, really shows Logic's sense of humor and self awareness!! Not to mention how relatable that fortnite line was omg, such a good song.

  • (@) roviet sussia (Clouds)
  • Song: Weezer - Pork And Beans
  • Genre: alternative rock and EMO (kindof edgy)
  • Description: Wow. Another MasterPiece by Rivers Cuomo. Once when I was in the fifth grade, Rivers Ruffled My Hair and then signed My Hat. Pork And Beans just shows His Raw Talent. Not sure if people know but I have four Rivers Cuomo posters and a Rivers Cuomo oven mitt in my house. The video Is so Cool and very Counter Culture too. I Would divorce my spouse if Rivers Cuomo told me to.


  • (@) Surgdonna (Dylas)
  • Song: Madonna - Hung Up
  • Genre: Pop
  • Description: essay pending. madge invented time here

  • (@) luctehfluff (rovietsussia)
  • Song: bathory - of doom......
  • Genre: \m/ \m/ \m/ BLACK METAL \m/ \m/ \m/
  • Description: WORSHIP BATHORY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LIVE IN MY MOM'S BASEMENT :3

  • (@) Cute Toes (StarBlim)
  • Song: Toe - Path
  • Genre: Fetish
  • Description: Only thing i care about is feet as an esteemed footfag



  • (#) OM ...Vivalospride? (OM room)
  • Song: Soulja Boy - Crank That
  • Genre: Hip-Hop
  • Description: Hello everyone it is I Zenin, Vivalospride, king of the studio and I wish to remind everyone that after his amazing business opportunity, we need to take a look back into the song that made soulja boy the ICON he is today. Like I'm SO MAD that I couldn't put this song for the throwback week we had sometime back, it really hurt my soul. In fact the next song rec will be soulja boy songs only to make up for this travesty

  • (%) Dylas (Surgeon)
  • Song: Marina - Superstar
  • Genre: Pop
  • Description: idk if dylas would rec this or not, i just wanted to share this somewhere bc its a masterpiece. k thx

Belated congratulations to two new room voices this year, Lyd and wishes!
 
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st. pablo

custom title
is a Battle Simulator Staff Alumnus
as if i'd miss this theme,,
  • (#) Brandon
  • Song: Hannah Montana - Nobody's Perfect
  • Genre: Pop
  • Description: This song has always meant a lot to me. Montana truly kills it on this track. The lyrics are very, very powerful and deeply meaningful to myself. "Sometimes I'm in a jam, I've gotta make a plan, It might be crazy, I do it anyway," sis im... wig. I literally can't, she just.... understands me so well. Because the catchy tunes often distracts people from the lyrics, nobody knows how woke my girl is. It's hard to believe this pop icon was only 14 years old when she made this song, but she was already wise beyond years and she definitely shows it in this song. I recommend this to any and every college student, I listen to this every morning to start my day off for some motivation, and I'm graduating a year early as a result of all the work I've put in because of this song. Just remember nobody's perfect, you gotta work it, again and again, until you get it right. And I promise you if you follow this advice, you can be very close to perfect but not quite.
 
I've been a lot busier recently with university, but now that i'm getting used to the routine i think i can find some time back for ts :) so since ive been away for a lil bit, i'll share a handful of songs this time:
  • PS! Username: locri
  • Song: Flume & Eprom - Spring
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: Flume is back with a brand new album and this track is by a landslide my favourite. The changes it tempo along with the syncopation make this track very unique while still being very pleasing and comfortable, something you wouldn't expect from such a chopped up track. I absolutely love the feeling this track gives, too, the vocal chips and the vocal pads make it very sweet and calm, but it still has that nice backbone with the steady beat.

Now for the next two songs, I'd like to cover a bit of an underrated tool of music production I feel: remixes. People often look down on them as if they're inferior to the main song, but I actually think several of them exceed the original and provide an awesome twist on it, without further ado here are two remixes I've been quite digging as of late:
  • PS! Username: locri
  • Song: Louis The Child - LOVE (Tails Remix)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: Tails makes great use of the original's vocals, reharmonizing them in quite the intriguing take, with plenty of tension and almost some dissonance, and it really conflicts with the lyrics. This would seem odd, but then it's all explained in a chill easy going drop that starts playing as soon as the lyrics say "it could be that easy". Honestly, I love when the lyrics and the ambience of the song interact like this, makes it feel like one unifies song and Tails did a great job bringing this up. The fizzy drop then continues and bridges into a second verse but this time harmonized in almost a more mature nature, I feel, it still keeps the happier vibe from the drop but not fearing to try new sounds, the build up then goes back to that joyful style once again, almost a metaphor that we're all still kids and things really could be that easy if we want them to.

  • PS! Username: locri
  • Song: Illenium - Crashing (DROELOE Remix)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: While the first remix might have won in the cohesiveness category, this one takes the cake in plain enjoyability as arguability my favorite track this year so far (very prone to get overthrown by another track from DROELOE soon, though). DROELOE starts their remix by having a verse with just the vocals and a low pitched synth bringing a new context to the vocals, and honestly, I love this part. They way they just highlight how beautiful these vocals from Bahari are while still providing their twist on the tune is impressive I'd argue. The break then develops into a more upbeat and happy DROELOE-style to accompany the vocals in which the persona ask to stay over, this can be viewed as a sort of metaphor that she really does enjoy the presence of whom they're sleeping with, of course, this is kind of obvious, but the upbeat feeling that begins at this part really does a great job at emphasising it. The song then goes into a gorgeous yet uplifting drop that — honestly — just brings a smile to my face everytime, the way it blends Bahiri's vocals with DROELOE's synths is just poetic to me. The song then keeps the same vibe of before, kind of implying a sense of repetition of the fact she's sleeping over, over and over again. Even disregarding the story the song tells, just that pure fizzy DROELOE beat alongside Bahari's outstanding voice already makes this quite the track, I love it!
 

Rage

is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator
RoA Leader
Next Series of Song Recommendations...

Going to monthly posts with more recs!

  • (%) Clouds
  • Weezer - Byzantine
  • Genre: Alt Rock/Indie
  • Description: Poked fun at roviet's weezer obsession last recommendation only to recommend them myself, but weezer's black album has some great songs on it.





  • (#) St. Pablo
  • DaBaby - Suge
  • Genre: hip-hop/rap
  • Description: recently discovered this guy and i've actually been really feeling his album, this being one of the top songs from it imo.
  • SONG 2
  • $not - Gosha
  • Description: this song goes off
  • SONG 3
  • Boogie - Soho (feat. JID)
  • Genre: hip-hop/rap
  • Description: short song which i think these two artists absolutely KILL on. this probably has to be my favorite track from boogie's album and JID does not disappoint as a feature.


  • (#) Brandon
  • MARINA - Superstar
  • Genre: Pop
  • Description: I really am excited for Marina's return! This song is much stronger of a single than her other single, but I'm interested to see where her name change and artistry has steered her!
  • SONG 2
  • Brandi Carlile - The Joke
  • Genre: Americana
  • Description: The Grammy's really inspired me to get into Brandi, and I've fell in love with her great voice. This song she performed on the Grammy's, and it really showcases just how powerful her voice is. A great story behind it too.
  • SONG 3
  • Kacey Musgraves - Space Cowboy
  • Genre: Country Pop
  • Description: A really beautiful ballad done by Kacey. Album of the year winner with several other Grammy's behind her belt! Definitely a wonderful album that y'all should check out!

 
hey guys :) I'd like to share another three songs this week, hope they are well received nwn
  • PS! Username: + locri
  • Song: A R I Z O N A - Find Someone (DROELOE Remix)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: If you know something anything my music my music taste you've probably heard me talking about DROELOE. Their music is always so uplifting and joyful, and the formula works yet again under A R I Z O N A's amazing vocals. The drop adds a bit of a more traditional Future Bass approach, but the DROELOE signature sound is still very present and the automation in the synth makes it very groovy to listen too, especially with DROELOE's powerful drums. Anything DROELOE touch is gold, that's all I have to say

  • PS! Username: + locri
  • Song: Flaws x ILIVEHERE - morning might turn things around
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: This tune is also your typical Flaws track, with smooth vocals and guitars that is really nice to chill to, but still has plenty of drive and interest. The lyrics are also very beautiful and well-thought while still being very entertaining. Just a great song, really, I don't have much else to say, I'll let the song speak for itself.

  • PS! Username: + locri
  • Song: MEMBA - School's Out
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: Last but not least, School's Out by MEMBA packs a similar chill vibe, it's a very smooth and simple song, but hey it surely works. The drop is very nice and the song is also quite uplifting, you can almost feel the energy and happiness of when you were a kid and the end of classes were near. It's a great song.
 
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I've been hyping up Gouldian Finch #003 out this entire week (as you can see on my profile picture), and it just came out with a ton of amazing Future Bass tracks so definitely give it a listen if you haven't already!! Anyway I decided to pick three tracks to share and analyze, but I seriously recommend giving the whole album a listen.
  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: DROELOE - Snow Shovels
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: What's not to like about a song with cheerful lyrics, a fuzzy and jolly vibe, and with your typical DROELOE sound, from the first bar all the way to end of this track I was smiling. This is the energy DROELOE songs give me, the happy mood with a unique and groovy drop and a beautiful and playful melody on the drop, like answer me, how can you not like this song? The vocal leads also give an equally happy contribution to the track, almost like DROELOE are asking you to sing along. Even though the song may appear as simple and childish, the joy that it brings should outweight any skepticism one may have about happy songs, give it a listen, I promise you will like it!

  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: Knapsack - Easy To Communicate
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: Easy To Communicate makes use of syncopated vocals and synths to make a really cool and smooth vibe, it's more of a minimalistic take with a more repetitive beat, but the variantions every few bar add a lot of flare to it, and the drop just sounds so fucking good, Knapsack makes use of a really powerful rhythm honestly. While I could talk a lot here, I think the song title just speaks for itself, give it a listen and it should be Easy for Knapsack To Communicate why this is such a good track!

  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: Marcioz & BeauDamian - The Generated Freakshow
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: The ambience this track gives is insane, using some really obscure and eerie harmony, and bells playing an arpeggio-like melody that helps masquerade the dissonance to ultimately create a very unsettling mood, which is perfect to set the tone of the track, all this tension quickly boils down in a very unique drop, that has your typical hard-hitting Marcioz syncopated drop with heavy drums and a really cool melody, but some very detuned saws and metallic sounds that are at the same time a bit perturbing but extremely nice sounding at the same time. The way this tracks plays with your expectations and makes such a nice sound of such a creepy vibe is honestly very unique. All I can say is that Marcioz and BeauDamian are extremely talented and managed to turn this track into something very emotional and strong while staying extremely loyal to the mood they wanted the song to give. This is a masterpiece.
Since there isn't a playlist with all the tracks as of when I'm making this post, I'm gonna list all of them here in a little hide tag, please give it a listen, I hope you like it :)
 
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More music :o
  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: Bart B More - Rave Lab
  • Genre: Experimental House
  • Description: Rave Lab is probably one of the most creative tracks I have ever heard, the way it uses these arpeggiating to mimic odd sci-fi like sounds on top of a groovy house beat is really create and makes it so this track couldn't have received a more coherent title. The vocal sample before the drop is also very interesting and the build-up is very well-done as well. All in all a really creative take on the house genre!!

  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: Fytch - Burned (feat. Pauline Herr)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: Fytch's track has some amazing vocals by Pualine Herr, which really adds a lot of depth, but the selling point here is definitely the drop, I feel. The way it propells you and builds up momentum with the sudden stops every two bars, and the chiptune esque sounds really add a lot of personality to this track. Big fan of this one!

  • PS! Username: + lyd
  • Song: Zen/It - Wave
  • Genre: Future Trance
  • Description: Further developing the newer "genre" of Future Trance, which is mostly Future House but packing some Trance elements, such as arpeggiating synths and a characteristic lead sound, Zen/it releases another track that follows this style, although this track doesn't quite deliver as much as Zen/it's previous releases, but this time the focus is more geared on a powerful drop, with a strong bass and many leads in unison to create a really powerful lead in the drop. I do acknowledge the melody can get someone repetitive, but it's a really solid melody that three minutes of it ain't too much, honestly. This is still quite a nice track that I'd surely recommend someone to explore the new nuances of Future House.
 

insydia

I COULD BE BANNED!
  • PS! Username: insydia
  • Song: Kehlani - Footsteps (feat. Musiq Soulchild)
  • Genre: R&B
  • Description: first i just want to say that i personally think this is the best song off kehlani's newest album. if you really pay attention while listening to the lyrics you'll find that they have a lot of meaning to them. i think what really pieced this song all together was adding musiq soulchild as a feature, his vocals are so smooth it just adds so much flow to the song. if you're into r&b music, i highly recommend you give this a listen.
 
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three more :blobwizard:
  • PS! Username: +lyd ♪
  • Song: Rome In Silver - Fool
  • Genre: House
  • Description: Fool starts off with a really high profile, with crispy sound design and packing a strong melody from the get-go that keeps building up, this all culminates into a really groovy House beat in the drop, with the odds sounds from before adding a lot of flavor and uniqueness to the song. I like how the buildup seems to overshoot your expectations a bit too, making you feel a bit like a Fool. It's a stretch, I know, but I like to view it this way, as there's clearly a strong contrast between that alarming buildup and the following low profile drop. Then a slow vocal comes along, matching the previously established groove almost perfectly. From there, the track takes a completely new approach, with a brand new melody and a very dissonant harmony, only to raise the listener's expectations and end up in the same low profile groovy drop. Afterwards, the bridge adds a really juicy drum loop, and that links into a really odd sounding section with unorthodox chord selections only to end the song. This is surely an unique musical experience, and I'd totally recommend it, creative and good-sounding, what else can you ask from a song? For sure the best of the week, and probably one of the most unique tracks I will listen to in a while.

  • PS! Username: +lyd
  • Song: Jonas Aden - I Don’t Speak French (Adieu) ft. RebMoe
  • Genre: House
  • Description: Jonas Aden releases another strong track, this time with quirky vocals from RebMoe, which are surely beautiful and well sung, but somewhat funny in a way, as the persona of the song reveals their experiences in Paris. Don't be distracted by that though, the drop here is as strong as the gimmick behind the song, with metallic sounds and a distorted lead, Jonas Aden has a really strong drop on his hands, the groove is also very strong, as one would expect from such a talented producer. This is a nice song!

  • PS! Username: +lyd
  • Song: Elohim - The Wave (Louis The Child Remix)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: With smooth vocals, and a nice feeling to it, Louis The Child provides a really cool twist on The Wave, the highlight is surely the arpeggiating synths on the drop though, that gives it a really nice sound and warmth. Good remix!
 
oi :)
  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: EASTGHOST - Terrified
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: This track condenses a plethora of negative feelings into an actually really soothing and beautiful piece, it feels almost odd to be vibing to this song when you look at what the song tries to convey. The lyrics and the atmosphere display a lot of sorrow, regret and guilt, and the lyrics almost seem to indicate suicidal thoughts, I'm usually a very happy person, but I like to listen to songs like this every once in a while, as they bring a whole new perspective into music, and how it can be used to express far deeper meanings than what most lovesongish music nowadays seem to talk about. On a more technical aspect, the drums on the drop are strong and the vocals are very nice, but what sells this song for me, is the piano and the guitar at the end, they take the song a new direction and seem to send a more positive vibe with the vocals in the background, as if it was a rainbow before a storm, or something poetic like that. All in all, this song is a great experience, and I will probably have it on repeat for a while!

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Zonderling - Imaginary
  • Genre: Pop, Future House
  • Description: Zonderling is more known for his Future House productions, but he decided to release a new track with a more radio-friendly approach, which in my blunt opinion, is a nice thing every once in a while. The track has really nice lyrics, great vocals, and a really nice drop, with a pretty interesting syncopation between the vocals and the synths. The third pre-chorus is also quite nice, giving the song a new harmonic context and adding some variance, that was a really nice touch to give the third chorus some more power.
 
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Next Series of Song Recommendations...

for the month of april!​

  • (@) Rageeeee (Rage)
  • Song: Weyes Blood - A Lot's Gonna Change
  • Genre Psych Pop
  • Description: Recent discovery, pretty cool artist

  • Song: Chelsea Wolfe - Iron Moon
  • Genre: Gothic/Doom/Industrial Rock
  • Description: Chelsea is amazing and i've gotten into like everything shes done nearly lol

  • Song: Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia
  • Genre: pop rock
  • Description: I used to love American Idiot when i was younger and its still fun to listen to every now and then

  • Song: Zola Jesus - Soak
  • Genre: Alt/Indie/Po
  • Description: when not listening to Chelsea or Carla or Emma, Zola is the one









  • (%) Clouds
  • Song: Maggie Rogers - Retrograde
  • Genre: Alternative/Indie
  • Description: After releasing her most recent album, Maggie has reached new levels of fame in her career. This song did not rise to popularity as much as several other tracks, but nevertheless is a great addition to the album with excellent production.






  • (%) lyd
  • Song: Flume - Friends (feat. Reo Cragun)
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: This song does a great job at contrasting the feelings of the persona. In one hand they want to keep their cool and be rational about the situation, accentuated by a mellower verse and female vocals. But on the other hand, the persona can't stand the toxicity and negativity anymore, and you can feel his emotions through Reo Cragun's voice, the chorus is a lot harsher and more intense. The way the song uses some syncopation on both the chorus and the verse also speaks to how the persona as facing a rough relationship. On a more technical aspect, this song has a really nice pace, keeping the listener engaged with nice vocals in the verse and a really euphoric drop with strong drums and bass, the song also has a really smooth bridge with a really unique sounding bridge that breaks up some of the intensity to something a bit more playful. Arguably one of Flume's greatest productions and it surely deserves the 5 millions of plays it got in Spotify in less than a month.

  • Song: Mako - Coyote
  • Genre: Pop, Future Bass
  • Description: "Coyote" is a metaphor for the rough parts of life everyone inevitably goes through, and the music video really helps to paint this picture. It shows how even the coyote, an apex predator goes through several hindrances when it's just trying to live its life. The metaphor in the end of the music video is a bit harder to decipher, but I like to see it as the coyote becoming one with its environment, as such harsh environment embodies all the struggles the coyote goes through as it is the source of all of these adversities. The music itself helps illustrate this metaphor with very bittersweet harmony and chord cadences that are really dramatic, yet in a way very delightful and soothing, kind of like how nature itself is, beautiful yet harsh. The lyrics are also very pessimistic, and specifically the line that mentions the musical persona trying to shoot a coyote just further adds to the idea that the environment hurts itself in a vicious cycle. Last but not least, the track is very enjoyable, guitar and the vocals on the drop are very pleasing and make a great combination with a beat akin to that of future bass. Overall this is another excellent track.



 
my personal recs for the week:
  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Robotaki - Beaches
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: "Beaches" has a pretty smooth vibe, something definitely on the calmer and more simplistic side, but I still like it as a track and the drop is pretty nice too. Won't go too much in depth because I don't have much to say. It's a nice song.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Matroda - Bang (feat. Dances With White Girls)
  • Genre: Bass House
  • Description: This track has a really cool drop, with a call and response type of drop with one super intense section and a groovy one right after. The break is also kinda nice with those vocals and the synths in the background. Overall this is a powerful track, would recommend a listen if you're into this type of music.
 

Brandon

My flop era is lowkey serving
is a Battle Simulator Staff Alumnus
After exploring some artists lately, I come to you with some fresh recommendations. I might only be posting one song by them, but I suggest checking out more of their stuff!
  • PS! Username: Brandon
  • Song: Doja Cat - Go To Town
  • Genre: R&B
  • Description: I recently discovered Doja, and I absolutely adore her. She has really fun lyrics, a great voice, and good beats to rap to. This song in particular really encaptures all of those qualities in my opinion, and it's just a fun song that gets stuck in my head.

  • PS! Username: Brandon
  • Song: Lizzo - Juice
  • Genre: Funk Pop
  • Description: Lizzo has made some waves recently, and it's not hard to see why. She's this firecracker of fun, positive energy, and she channels this into making bops. Juice is probably my favorite song of hers, but she touches on loving yourself and body positivity in other songs, which is really helpful to younger listeners in my opinion.

  • PS! Username: Brandon
  • Song: Maggie Rogers - Light On
  • Genre: Pop
  • Description: A fresh breath into the pop genre for me. She has a pure voice, good lyrics, and it makes me really excited about what she's going to do next! I have been feeling really disconnected from most mainstream pop, so a more alternative pop artist is something that I really dig.
 

st. pablo

custom title
is a Battle Simulator Staff Alumnus
Next series of song recommendations...
for the month of May with the theme of songs in different languages

174463


Now it might seem like I'm making this post prematurely seeing as we post monthly recs at the end of the month, but we're actually going to switch it up in our usual unorthodox fashion. From now on, we will be posting the staff recommendations at the beginning of the month with an accompanying theme every time, that we encourage the rest of the community to partake in as well (if you so choose). Our aim with this is to gear this thread more towards the community and take the spotlight off ourselves. So with that in mind, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's foreign language recommendations this month, and many more themed recs in the future!





  • (%) lyd
  • Song: Águas de Março
  • Genre: Bossa Nova
  • Description: In Brasil, March (Março) represents the end of the summer and the beginning of the autumn, which is associated with rain in several subtropical areas of the country, therefore Waters of March (Águas de Março). The song mostly talks about things related to this time of the year, which may seem bland but in actuality it acts as a metaphor for rough times but still with some hope. Tom Jobim was told he would likely die from cirrhosis for drinking too much and he felt as if he was on a low point, especially after the Brazilian dictatorship, whom haunted Tom Jobim for quite a while, between having his phone line tapped and letters violated and even being detained and interrogated by the police, he wasn't having an easy time. You can tell this is the case with the first few lines of the song. "É pau, é pedra, é o fim do caminho", in which "fim do caminho" gives a very negative conotation to say it's the end of something. The next line adds to this "É um resto de toco, é um pouco sozinho", with the part before the comma meaning he's outworn, and the part after meaning he's a bit alone. The chorus does add a bit of hope to the song, however. "São as águas de março fechando o verão" means that the waters of March are ending the summer, which is the core concept of the song, and "É a promessa de vida no teu coração" translates to "it's the promise of life in your heart", which makes it clear that the waters of March embodies Tom's hope. Another quirk of the lyrics is the heavy use of anthitesis, "vida" and "morte", which mean life and death, as well as "dia" and "noite", day and night, as examples, which show the conflicts Tom Jobim is going through. Another interesting tool is the repetition of the verb to be throughout all of the song, always conjugated as "é" which is the third person singular. "É pau, é pedra, é o fim do caminho", "É um resto de toco, é um pouco sozinho". The only exception is the chorus which uses the plural "são". "São as águas de março fechando o verão", which allows the chorus to stand out a lot more as it has a very similar pacing to the rest of the song. The song's harmony is also very rich, mostly basing itself on a chromatic descending bassline, which is a common technique in jazz and fits wonderfully here. Not going much more in depth because this is already way too long, but I could talk about this masterpiece forever. Consider giving it a listen :)

  • (#) Brandon
  • Song: Pedro Capó, Alicia Keys, Farruko - Calma
  • Genre: Latin Pop
  • Description: A great summer jam. It's very lowkey with beach vibes. I love how Alicia mingles beautifully with the music and the other two singers compared to the original version. Definitely would grab a cold one while by the pool with this song!



  • (#) Pablo
  • Song: Axel Thesleff - Bad Karma
  • Genre: Dance/Electronic
  • Description: This song has one recurring lyric in Punjabi, which translates to "Don't keep on wanting money, people have loads and they're never happy." It's an electronic music track that has this same lyric repeating over and over, but I still find it pretty catchy and a nice listen. I think that the hidden meaning behind the Punjabi lyrics sends a message that more people ought to hear, and I believe the lyrics tie in with the title of the song too, encouraging people to worry about more important things and seek good karma. (or i dunno and i might be looking into it too much lol)

And to make life easier, here is this month's playlist!
 

Rage

is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator
RoA Leader
  • Ps! Username: Rageeeee
  • Song: Alcest - Autre Temps
  • Genre: Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze
  • Description: A neat band from France that started going heavy into post- and shoegaze in this album and onwards

  • PS! Username: Rageeeee
  • Song: Enslaved - Hordalendingen
  • Genre: Black Metal/Viking Metal
  • Description: Norwegian black metal at its finest imo, as I don't care for the lame one dimensional "trve kvlt raw black metal"

  • PS! Username: Rageeeee
  • Song: Behemoth - Lucifer
  • Genre: Blackened Death Metal
  • Description: One of my favourite bands, and Nergal decides to write this song in his native Polish instead of English like the majority of their other songs
 
welcome to another edition of lyd's songs of the week
  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: EASTGHOST - Remote Viewing
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: "Remote Viewing" envisions the wishes of EASTGHOST, of being able to sensing impressions of unseen targets, as EASTGHOST himself said: "The first place to look is always within." This is a song about self-knowledge and -discovery. It relates to this theme, by throwing a really wild mix of chords into you, that convey several different emotions, but still create an unsettling feeling, which adds to the more paranormal concept, yet the songs feels still happy somewhat, as if the persona is glad of their new "ability". This song really goes to show how much you can convey without a single word, and how this song's harmony reflects its goals. Love this track. Along with "Terrified", which I covered earlier, this song is a part of EASTGHOST's new album: "Misery & Wonder", which will come out next Friday. You can expect a happy costumer review from me :>

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: MEMBA - Walls Down feat. EVAN GIIA
  • Genre: Trap
  • Description: Nice vocals, a very bass-heavy drop, this song has a really cool edge to it. It feels like this track really could be the theme of one of those cop / mafia type movies, with very unique lyrics that really fit the theme the song is going for. "Walls down, boss up | Save my life | Give me time" From the first few lines you can already tell you're in for quite the experience. And this really blends in with the distorted synths, the powerful bass in the drop, and the trap vibe. Definitely recommend this one ⌐■-■
 
Singles of the Week

review of 2 or 3 singles that stand out + honorable mentions

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Eastghost - As I Live & Breathe
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: This could have been lumped together with the album review, but this song released as a single 3 days earlier, so I'll do it some justice and review it separately. "As I Live & Breathe" is one of my favorite tracks in a long time, it displays a very dramatic change from a more simplistic synth going up and down to a more full sound a few moments later, with ensemble, choir, and drums, and the same happens in the drop, giving that synth plenty of company. I think this illustrates how overwhelming life can be at times, especially along with the lyrics "Long is the night for you, starlight", this also feels like a father / mother talking to a son / daughter with words such as "little lie" and "starlight" indicating that, and "ever fading out of sight" a metaphor for growing and living alone. After that the vocal stops, which could suggest the kid is alone as the build up begins, into a convoluted, overwhelming and somber drop, and such deep meaning behind this song, really helps sell it for me, if the drop wasn't already amazing on it's own.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: ILLENIUM, Jon Bellion - Good Things Fall Apart
  • Genre: Future Bass, Pop
  • Description: ILLENIUM tracks are often great, but this one is top notch. The guitar hook is super pleasant and the vocals are very smooth and fit just perfectly. The lyrics are great too, and stay very consistent and concise. The drop is also very nice, showing the energy of the persona, but it's still easygoing because, like the persona says in the bridge he's coming to terms with the fact that good things fall apart, and this is really accentuated by nearly no instrumentation, so he's accepting it and being easygoing about it. This is something I like about this song too, these aren't your generic love song lyrics, you can really tell there's more to it than meets the eye. Excellent song!

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Rezz - Dark Age
  • Genre: Dark Techno
  • Description: It's very heartwarming to see Rezz succeed in her career, electronic music seems to have a oddly low number of female producers, and seeing a very talented Rezz with such unique music and a nice brand there's just no way not to want to scream how much you love Rezz everytime she drops a new track. This one's no different, keeping her Dark Techno influences, Dark Age really feels like the type of banger you'd come to expect from her. The verse has this really cool guitar that feels somehow easygoing and creepy at the same time, almost as if its trying to masquerade something from you, which would of course be that deadly drop. These low tempo bass-heavy drops really get me everytime, and this track is no different, Rezz is a genius at making those, and the effects she added really add to it. Overall this is an excellent track and I'm really happy to see it pop up in my release radar today.


Album Review

review of the album as whole + 2 or 3 tracks

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Album: Eastghost - Misery & Wonder
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: This album is just magnificent. I know some of you may be scared of the word "Future Bass" as it can be seen as a trendsettish genre, but Eastghost turns that taboo on it's head, with extremely unique and deep experiences in every single one of it's twelve tracks. This album is a piece of art, a literal masterpiece. Give it a listen!
  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Eastghost - Masque
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: The introduction to this gorgeous album. This track references Eastghost's past, using a mask during his previous gigs which now he freed himself from. This track is somewhat somber, but it's incredibly beautiful, these strings are very soothing and ethereal, and really scream that this album is different than most others. The chords used are often subverting your expectations, with unresolved cadences, or resolving tension in ways you wouldn't expect, this track also juggles several different motifs you can find in Eastghost tracks, which again references his past and future as an artist. Overall though, this is a marvellous opening to this album.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Eastghost - Magnolia
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: "Magnolia" starts with a very pleasing beat with warm strings, which is very nice, as it releases the tension from the other tracks, very fitting since magnolia is a flower. It has cakmer vocals, but it still has deep lyrics, talking about being hurt and learning, still keeping the fingerprint of the album, if you will. Nevertheless, this track acts as a lone flower amidst some quite somber tracks, so it really stood out and is probably one of the most memorable tracks for me.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Eastghost - Smiling
  • Genre: Future Bass
  • Description: "Smiling" condenses so much stuff into a single track it's really impressive, it really feels like a conclusion to the whole album, almost as if it was grouped the feel of all the other tracks into one. And the title indicates this "Smiling" is Eastghost's feeling right now, proud of the masterpiece he created, but fuelled by dark thoughts and energies. This track is the culmination of it all. The begging is very slow and almost kind of bittersweet. The lyrics talk about Eastghost finding his home, his place as a music producer and all. At the end it all builds up into one of the most feel-good drops ever, especially after a kind of somber album, this drop is the peak, the best the album has to offer, pure musical gold. You can bet I'm smiling after taking a listen.

Extended Play Review

review of the e.p. as a whole + 2 or 3 tracks

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Album: Boogie Belgique - Prelude to Machine
  • Genre: Electro Swing
  • Description: Electro Swing is kind of my guilty pleasure, the tracks can end up being a bit similar but I can't resist a nice groovy swingy track like this, as it draws influence from the two main genres i like the most, EDM and Swing / Jazz kind of music. Boogie Belgique hadn't released anything this year with the exception of a remix to Caravan Palace's new single a month or so ago, so I was expecting some new tracks from them hopefully, and they go all out with this really nice E.P.. Prelude to Machine is a great title, summing up pretty much the whole identity of Electro Swing in three words. Well, speaking of words, I think I should let the music do the speaking for you now, hope you like your listen!
  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Boogie Belgique - Pax
  • Genre: Electro Swing
  • Description: As most Electro Swing songs do, this song has a pretty easygoing beat while blending Swing elements with more modern ones. This song doesn't stand out much but I really like it's minimalism and simplisticness. Vocals and instrumentation go very well together, it's just a nice track to zone out to.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Boogie Belgique - Chicago
  • Genre: Electro Swing
  • Description: This track is very heartwarming, the trumpets really get you, and the melody is very lax. By far my favorite from the whole E.P., the vocals are kind of weird and chopped but it adds a lot to the groove of the track. This track has a very cool chorus too, with the trumpets and guitar and all, it's not too enthusiastic, not too quiet, it's just perfect! The way the track also subverts the expected harmory to build up some tension is very nice too, and adds a bit more depth to the song.
 
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Singles of the Week

review of 2 or 3 singles that stand out + honorable mentions

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Caravan Palace - About You (feat. Charles X)
  • Genre: Electro Swing
  • Description: Caravan Palace has been making a really nice 2019, this track however, is probably my all-time favorite from em. Electro Swing is usually a bit formulaic, but this one brings a very creative drop, mashing vocals a very out there bassline and typical swing instruments. It feels very clunky and fizzy but totally in a good way. Charles X and Zoé's vocals are sound really really good, especially in the same song, and they fit very well with the mood the song seems to be going for. The lyrics are also great, with two singers allowing for a conversation of sorts to go on, which is really nice. Overall I really love this song and I hope Caravan Palace keeps delivering!

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Loopers - Deep Inside
  • Genre: Bass House
  • Description: Loopers is mainly known for Future House, but this is quite the Bass House tune, with a mind bending drop, the rhythmic interest and the sound design are really there, I love the way the main synth changes pitch to keep interest and how after the eight bar of the drop he goes for a more metallic lead to change things up. I do agree the buildup may feel a bit bland, but it's still a huge banger.

  • PS! Username: (%) lyd♮
  • Song: Curbi - Flip It
  • Genre: Bass House
  • Description: Another Bass House track, this time by Curbi. Curbi's new style is very powerful and club-friendly, and he creates a lot of creative Bass House tracks and this is no exception. The main lead has a pretty cool melody, and the drop has this very call and response type of feel to it, that makes it feel very grounded and groove better. The sound design is also on point. This is a banger.

 

Surgeon

venice bitch
is a Contributor Alumnus
hi!!! haven't done this properly in a while but i finally have some free time and i feel like sharing some of my fav songs on my current playlist :blobuwu:. edit: ended up going crazy with the descriptions mb lol but im just writing about shit im really into so! it's fine if u don't wanna read or even check out the songs, i just felt like sharing cause i haven't had the opportunity to do so properly cause irl's been a mess and very stressful.

  • song: carly rae jepsen - everything he needs
  • genre: pop
  • description: i wanted a "dedicated" song to be the first here because i just needed to talk about this album in length somewhere, and i had a tough time choosing a single song (also love "real love", "right words wrong time", and "julien") but "everything he needs" talks about an ideal that i fully stand for and believe in and its sound is something that i haven't heard from carly ever, so it just makes it 2x more special. the ascending piano notes and the distorted high-pitched voice in the background make for a really great mid-tempo pop song with a lot of dreamy qualities. the song talks about fully supporting someone "emotionally, spiritually, intellectually" and so on and so forth, and just giving everything you've got to make someone else, be it a partner or w.e, happy, and i can relate to that heavily. the whole message of dedicated is pretty amazing to me as well, because she starts out totally in love with this guy, but it's not correspondent, but he ends up revealing his feelings later on when she has already moved on or at least is trying to, and in the end she decides that she should instead be truly dedicated to herself. hence WHY party for one was the first single and the last song on the record. the album explains the whole backstory about the song, about how you should first try to make yourself happy so that you can show the same kind of love/support to someone else, and i think that's utterly brilliant.

  • song: marina - please don't call me (unreleased) / marina - emotional machine (fear)
  • genre: dace/pop
  • description: so ive posted songs from love + fear already but i never really talked about it i think. i think it's a pretty fantastic album, one of my favorites from this year as far as pop albums go. the whole concept of "everything we do comes from a place of love or from a place of fear" is a really interesting subject for a pop artist to bring up. according to marina, two emotions are also complete opposites so we're incapable of feeling them at the same time. i personally disagree since i believe that we, as human beings, are extremely complex creatures and we're all made of complex minds, complex thoughts, and endless contradictions, so i do love the idea of justifying our actions through love or fear, but i wouldn't divide them like she does, i would go as far as say that both of them COMBINED is what truly justifies most human actions the best. either way it's an amazing topic to discuss and brings the album to a new philosophical/psychological level and i love that. i technically already picked emotional machine before but i needed to talk about how it's the best song on the album - "she's a machine because she doesn't know how to be human". again, human nature is extremely complex and the album, and this song in particular showcases it the best since she's a machine, she has an issue with expressing emotions and she can come off quite cold and aloof at times, incapable of loving someone else like they deserve (or at least that's what she thinks) but she's also full of emotion, full of love to give, full of fear and anxiety because she can't express them how she would want to. the other one i picked didn't make the album, but it's worth checking out. i don't have much to say with this one, it's a more personal one to me at least because it's her taking the hard decision to give up on a toxic relationship even though she still has feelings for this person. takes a lot of guts to do that. besides, it bops so two on one.

  • song: lizzo - soulmate
  • genre: dance/pop
  • description: ok let's talk about lizzo. "cuz i love you" is the epitome of fighting for positivity and it's honestly transcendent just because of that. like a girl talks about woman empowerment, juice speaks against body-shaming, cuz i love you/crybaby are about emotional openness, better in color speaks against racism, and of course, soulmate is about making yourself a priority. every single song has an amazing message that i feel like everyone needs to hear in this day and age. let's also applaud a black woman that proudly sings pop songs but still dives into hip-hop/soul, genres that are typically considered "black" and genres that are typically considered "white". it seems weird to talk about it in this way in 2019 but race is still a big subject today, and having someone fighting for equality out here is exactly what we needed. soulmate's my favorite song so that's why i picked it. i have an incredibly low self-esteem and self-confidence and i usually don't talk about it but it's something i fight with everyday and this song helps me a lot because it's just amazing vibes, and we all need that sometimes.

  • song: madonna - i rise
  • genre: pop
  • description: i fully understand that "madame x" is most definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and that hating on madonna seems to be the wave now, even amog the lgbt+ community (which should be the first group of ppl supporting her btw), but credit needs to be given where its due. whether the album is good or bad, this is a woman that completely changed the landscape of the entertainment business for everyone that isn't a straight white men, and that has to be celebrated until the end of times. "i rise" talks volumes about her perseverance in order to endure all the shit that she's been through because people have been disrespecting her, doubting her, mistreating her since she started out but she stood tall every single time, selling out arenas and albums for decades, fighting for what she believes in, and leading a whole genre of music for almost 40 years. definitely gonna be checking out "madame x" when it comes out, should be a hell of an experience.

  • song: gabriella francesca - kris jenner
  • genre: pop
  • description: this is a fun one. not a very popular artist like the ones above, she's just a theater actress that happens to make great music (only has a couple songs out tho). this one in particular is very clever and witty tho, using kris jenner as a bad ass money grinding role model. say what u want about her as a person but she did what she did and ended up building an empire with her family. very clever lyrics and the synthesizer sounds amazing, so check it out. some other songs i love from her are "forbidden fruit", "hallucinate" and "fever".

  • song: iggy azalea - started
  • genre: hip-hop
  • description: iggy has come a long way and i think that going independent was one of the best decisions of her career because she was really not getting the boost and the creative freedom she deserved. song means a lot about her journey, she literally started out from nothing by moving out to america at the age of 16 after saving money from cleaning houses until she made it big with "fancy". it also talks about the hate that she's gotten so far in her career which is incredibly unfair. people loved to claim that she used to n word and was racist in some way, just to make her another product of the cancel culture. racism goes both ways unfortunately, and people just can't cope with a white woman in hip hop, but that's one of the things that i most like and respect about her artistry, and i hope her coming album bops as much as these last songs.

  • song: zara larsson - don't worry bout me
  • genre: dancehall
  • description: not gonna lie, first listen didn't amuse me much because the chorus just didn't hit hard enough for me, but after a while i started getting into it. it doesn't hit as a hard because she wants the listener to pay attention to every word that she's saying (ty legend tove lo for helping with the writing!), while still being able to dance it out. the lyrics rly speek to me because it's about someone (ex partner/friend w.e) that was shit during the actual relationship but happen to be super chocked when the other person decides to put an end to it. there's nothing wrong with walking away from something that makes u feel less than btw, putting yourself first before anyone else is a must, and this song is an anthem for that, so it's been rotating for this past week or so.

  • song: kehlani - rpg (ft. 6lack)
  • genre: r&b
  • description: this mixtape is LIT. r&b hasn't been this good for years, and records like this one, ctrl, caution, and ella's debut are really bringing it back. "rpg" is a very chill slow-tempo song, really soothing to the ears, 6lack always makes for a great feature since he isn't just there to spit some random off-key bullshit that doesn't even make sense with the rest of the song (no name dropping but ya know). the lyrics are quite personal like the rest of the album. she spends most of the album talking about this relationship that neither really care about moving forward with but don't care enough to break it up either so they just leave it on "autopilot". rpg goes even deeper than that because she feels like whoever is on the opposite side is not showing their truthful feelings. it's like they're playing an rpg game because this guy/girl is just playing this character that they think is what she wants them to be, so it just ends up being a relationship built on lies which is obviously not great.

  • song: slayyyter - mine
  • genre: house
  • description: another non-popular artist that i've found out about relatively recently, but she definitely deserves your attention. she's bringing back the britney, paris and lindsay moment (blonde, breathy vocals) in combination with eletronic elements which i fully support, and makes some really amazing party music. she's also quite sexually open, similarly to cupcakke (that's how i found out about her), and there's obviously going to be ppl criticizing her for that once she gets more successful but just seeing a woman embracing that part of life and playing the supreme role in the dating scene is riveting (check out the latest video lmao). "mine" is a little different in that regard tho, much more 'chill'. reminds me of 90s house and club songs. i actually think it samples "show me love"? not entirely sure so don't take my word for it lol but it sounds super cool either way.
 

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