Night Air by Jamie Woon
Marrying music with technology.
Laissez Faire
Going through an interview I did with a single mother who is living in a L-shape (where the house has no rooms, only one common area, and a toilet and bathroom) apartment. She earns $1300 a month, and with that, she supports her mother, as well as her 2 children. Her kids are borderline in school, and she says that it’s bad influence that causes it.
It is very easy to label her as a “typical unmotivated lower income Malay lady”, who “does not think ahead” or is “lazy to be strict with her kids”. But one thing she said struck a chord with me because it is something that most educated and high strung parents still don’t get.
When we asked if she has set any goals for her children, she said:
“It’s very difficult if you set it because the goals that you set is based on what you want. So I think that it’s only fair that they set it themselves. Give them that freedom to choose what they want to be when they grow up.”
Bravo.
No Money No Point
Me: Do you know, I'm 0.15 away from a first class honours degree?
Mum: Then? Got money one or not?
Seriously... Chinese parents and their insatiable expectations."In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die.Where you invest your love, you invest your life"
- Mumford and Sons
Mississippi Isabel by King Charles
Been a while since I’ve discovered so many new good songs within a span of a few hours. So here’s another discovery, this time, from an artist I’ve never heard of until now. In love with his jolly tune, and I’m going to keep tabs on this hippie from now on.
Together by Patrick Wolf
My favourite hipster solo artist in this amazing video which pairs his deep vocals with some dreamy visuals.
Age of the Algorithm
Albeit very very long, this is a fantastic read about how algorithms are creating and influencing the type of content that used to be only be possible with the human brain - news, screen plays, and web articles. Algorithms, with its ability to calculate how lucrative certain words, phrases, or structure can be, are dictating what we consume.
I’m just hoping that consumers get more savvy and recognise the effort and importance of quality works by the creative industry. Or else, there goes my career in journalism.
Somewhere along the way, I lost interest in architecture photography. But I just stumbled upon this set of photographs by Samuel Gaze called 70’s architecture in Beaugrenelle area, Paris, and realised that this is what architecture photography is supposed to be. It showcases beautiful lines, lighting, scale, and depth in each brilliant photograph, and I’d love to hang some of these on my wall.
"As every media critic learns, the worst sin of our press is not its blatant biases, or crimes of commission, but rather the pervasive patterns of omission; what’s left out!"
- Danny Schechter in his article, The year’s top story is not getting coverage.
2011’s Best Albums
The past year has been a very kind year to original music. The pop charts were graced by Adele and Lady Gaga, both of whom write their own songs, and are legendary in their own right. It has been a while since popular music caught my attention, and I’m glad these ladies are here to stay.
But as with all pop albums, I only took a liking to the popular singles. It is the melodious vocals and the unconventional tunes of indie music that really sustains my attention. So here’s a list of my favourite albums of 2011, in no particular order. (And by favourite albums I mean that I LOVE every track in the album.)
- Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li
Besides looking like Lady Gaga, Lykke Li’s other talent is making dark melodies sound even more haunting with her child-like vocals. Her sophomore album is way better because it had beautifully hypnotic tunes, which I thought suited her voice so much more than the cutesy pop songs that filled her debut record.
Favourite track: I Follow Rivers
- Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
They had some of their own huge shoes to fill after their debut, which brought some good old soulful folk music back into the cool-obsessed indie scene. Helplessness Blues was a perfect second album - they’ve retained their style, and delivered a more profound version of their first record.
Favourite track: Sim Sala Bim - Suck It And See by Arctic Monkeys
It has been a while since the Arctic Monkeys moved me. After their mind blowing debut album, they sailed a very long and unmemorable journey through their second and third records, and now, they’re back with a slightly more pop album. This album has more ballads than usual, which I fucking love because hearing Alex Turner sing slow sexy verses just make my knees weak.
Favourite track: Love Is A Laserquest - Velociraptor! by Kasabian
It is a pleasure to watch them grow, from the new band who made interesting indie rock music, to the massive arena-embracing rock and roll band they’ve become. It’s great that an epic band like them have reached the top, and are comfortably riding on their weird mix of music styles. Velociraptor! showed us that Kasabian is not afraid to try different approaches, while keeping their groovy vocals and anthem-like rock songs.
Favourite track: La Fee Verte - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines by The Vaccines
Well, I did not expect this album to make it into this list. But it grew on me with each listen, and although this album is not very distinct or exceptionally wonderful to me, all the tracks are too catchy to ignore. This is an average band with a whole bunch of easy, mood-lifting songs - what’s not to like?
Favourite track: Wetsuit - If Not Now, When? by Incubus
Very glad that Incubus hasn’t run out of ideas since this is their 7th album already. They’ve sustained their brand of rock long enough, and it’s refreshing to see them take a slightly more mainstream and pop-like angle for this record. Compared to their previous stuff, it’s quieter, more introspective, and contains a lower level of testosterone. But I still find it great.
Favourite track: Promises, promises
P.S. Phew. I don’t think I could have written all that if not to avoid writing a boring ass article. Procrastination does produce some amazing stuff sometimes.
I rarely blog about my friends, since most of us are on Facebook and Twitter, and not Tumblr.
But I’m putting this up because I love this homely picture of about half of my close friends because we seldom take normal shots of ourselves when we’re together. And here they are, all looking shiny and happy with a fantastic dinner spread.
Fuck yeah, Jamie Dornan (of CK Jeans modelling fame) is a sexy cop in Once Upon a Time.
Can’t say I’m as sexcited about the plot.
Life, Death, and 50/50
I cried pretty fucking badly watching 50/50. Because it was about the thing I’m most afraid of - having to face the death of a loved one. The immense fear of losing a friend or family to death is the only thing I wish could be removed from me. It haunts me now and then, when even the slightest mundane thing can set off a chain reaction in my imagination.
I just can’t imagine losing someone I love so, so dearly. Till now, I am lucky enough to not have to experience that. But I know someday, and that day will always come too soon, I would have to, and I seriously don’t know how that kind of sadness will affect me. I hope I learn how to cope with this fear when I get older and death becomes more apparent. But right now, I still don’t know how you can say goodbye knowing that there is a chance that the person might not come out alive, or how you can come to terms with an abrupt death, or how you can deal with someone’s absence.
Although there is a possibility that any one of us can die any day, it is ridiculous to let the fear of death stop you from having a full life. But that is also the saddest part about death. When one person dies, the world hardly skips a beat. Everything goes on. You die, people cry extensively for a while, but they have to carry on with their lives, whether they want to or not. Your death is just 1 in 7 billion - which makes it kind of trivial, even if it is a major event in your existence.
To me, death is profoundly sad because life is fucking wonderful. It should never be taken for granted. We were given a body, a mind, and a heart to take in all that the universe has to offer. So no matter how bad things get, I’m just fucking grateful to be alive. That does make me sound like a fucking hippie, but I love my life too damn much to let it all end any time soon.
Introspection aside, 50/50 was a brilliant film because it didn’t whip out all the dramatic scenes which usually surrounds a death in a movie. The plot and actors imitated reality so well that it pulls you into the whole scenario, and you go through the whole film just like another character in it. That is why this one can really make you bawl.
Great Expectations
Great Expectations (1998) remains one of my favourite films of all time because it is so beautifully made. It is tender, sensual, heartbreaking, and dramatic. I think a review needn’t follow because you just have to watch it to understand why I love this delicate film so much.
Rafael Lazzini looking mother fucking delicious here.
