All the previously released albums except for Heyyy have been reissued. Changes include:
- Higher quality music with louder volume
- Higher resolution album covers
- Fixed tags for better music library sorting
- Replaced some of the album covers
- Rearranged some of the tracklists
- Subtle improvements in transitions (fade in/out)
The link to the new Electrique Music Live! album is at the end of this page.
If you're new to Electrique Music and is overwhelmed by all the choices, don't worry! I have included Youtube links so you can hear a sample song and get the overall theme and specific indie genre for each mixtape before you decide to download it. If you want my recommendations on what to listen to first, I would suggest: Radio, Capri Suntan, Icarus, Heyyy, and Revelations.
The reissue links are all from Zippyshare. If you're not familiar with downloading files, continue reading these additional instructions:
Click on the orange "Download Now" button on the Zippyshare download screen. Ignore any pop up windows which may appear. You do not need to install any app to download the file. Just keep pressing the orange "Download Now" button until your download starts. Unzip the rar file and enjoy!
Album rating legend
Tempo: 1 - slow, 5 - fast
Warmth: 1 - cold, 5 - warm
Weight: 1 - light, 5 - heavy
Songs in bold letters: My personal favorites
Mixtape #25
ICARUS
Released: 31 July 2011
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 5 / Weight: 5
Commentary:
This album was inspired by my demise from UP Diliman, both as a grad student and as an instructor. Hence, the prevalent themes of ignoring warning signs and falling as a result. Icarus really is the perfect title for this one. That period was the most traumatic time in my life and it will have lasting consequences which will be depicted in my later works. During those early months, I was so on edge all the time that I can cry at the snap of a finger. I channeled all of those emotions into making this album and I guess that's why this turned out to be great. Icarus marked my great leap into making higher quality mixtapes. A number of my listeners still consider this as my magnum opus, even after all these years.
Best moment:
The dramatic transition between All That Remains and Embers. I've never been able to replicate that in any of my succeeding albums.
Key lyrics:
"It all started with a stumble
And I get old and I get humble
The sky cracked a million ways
Making me blind
And as the trees grew higher and higher
And the fish began to fly
I went and stole some wings
And thought why can't I
And I get old and I get humble
The sky cracked a million ways
Making me blind
And as the trees grew higher and higher
And the fish began to fly
I went and stole some wings
And thought why can't I
Get in the sunrise"
-Sunrise
Tracklist:
- Rogue Wave - All That Remains
- Just Jack - Embers
- Yeasayer - Sunrise
- Band Of Horses - On My Way Back Home
- Death Cab For Cutie - Soul Meets Body
- Guster - Satellite
- Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard
- Grand Archives - Silver Among The Gold
- The Rosebuds - Nice Fox
- The Shins - Split Needles
- Travis - Song To Self
- Youth Group - Forever Young
- Headlights - Get Yer Head Around It
- The Legends - He Knows The Sun [Bonus Track]
- The Explorers Club - Don't Forget The Sun [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #26
DRIFTER
Released: October 2011
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 2 / Weight: 4
Commentary:
Drifter is a cold and calculating album. It reeks of jadedness both in personal relationships and in society in general. Its synthpop sound highlights my perceived artificiality of interpersonal relationships. It gets a little sappy towards the end when I start to explain the backstory of the character I was depicting in this album because I want to show that the he is not beyond redemption. He's only hurting others because he's hurting himself. Drifter may not have the best songs in my discography. I don't really go back to it often but my narrative here is among my strongest. Drifter's story is crystal clear.
Best moment: How the first lines in Plastic Heart reference the previous track, I Want It All.
"Look for love on the internet, and find your best friends on TV.
I'm sure you see, we did our best to make it all feel very real."
- Go Back To Sleep
Tracklist:
- Hurts - Wonderful Life
- Awesome New Republic - Whatever
- Zynic - Soul For Sale
- Alphaville - Song For No One
- Universal Poplab - Go Back To Sleep
- Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Dance The Way I Feel
- Christopher Anton - I Want To Be Broken
- Dangerous Muse - I Want It All
- DeVison - Plastic Heart
- Depeche Mode - Precious
- VNV Nation - Illusion
- Assemblage 23 - The Cruelest Year
- Anoraak - Above Your Head [Bonus Track]
- Monarchy - The Phoenix Alive [Bonus Track]
- Color Theory - Zero Crossing [Bonus Track]
- Trans Atlantic Crush - Remember [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #27
REVELATIONS
Released: March 2012
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 5 / Weight: 3
Revelation chronicles all the ups and downs of my first real relationship. It's a complete story. It covers a spectra of emotions - from the giddiness of those first months, the confusion and struggle when it started breaking apart, up until years later when you look back on how great it all was, and that overpowering awe when you realize that it will always stay that way. It has a diary feel to it and almost all of the lyrics are in the first person perspective. It has some of the catchiest songs in my discography too.
Best moment: how it ended with Bread's classic, Diary. I couldn't have chosen a better swan song to the most important relationship of my life.
"You're the only girl that I will ever love."
- Annabelle
Tracklist:
- Hail Social - Annabelle
- Kids Of 88 - Everybody Knows
- Generationals - Either Way
- Telekinesis - Dirty Thing
- Sparkadia - Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs
- The Airborne Toxic Event - Changing
- The Cast Of Cheers - Goose
- Say Hi - Devils
- The Shoes - Crack My Bones
- Free Energy - Something In Common
- fun. - We Are Young
- Atlas Genius - Trojans
- Bread - Diary
- Gypsy & The Cat - Gilgamesh [Bonus Track]
- Steel Train - Bullet [Bonus Track]
- Melody Club - The Hunter [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #28
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
Released: 31 August 2012
Tempo: 1 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 5
Commentary:
This album is an anthem for the dreamers. Those who see beyond and those whose minds continue to escape the trappings of our mundane everyday lives. I'm listening to it while I'm writing this and my gosh, it's just... really beautiful in every conceivable way. From how light and airy it all sounds (it's mostly just vocals and acoustic guitars) to the sheer beauty and depth of the lyrics which still resonate with me until this day.
Best moment: The middle 8 of Orange Sky. That part still brings me to tears.
"And our minds were meant to sail
Take a rest from our thoughts
Take a break from this world
And we'll feel miles away
From the places that we used to be"
- Miles Away
Tracklist:
- Andrew Belle - Reach
- jj - From Africa To Malaga
- We Are Serenades - Daydreaming
- Big White Clouds - Puddle Jumpers
- Trent Dabbs - Leave To See
- Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Shine
- Emil & Friends - Ali Baba
- High Highs - Open Season
- Years Around The Sun - Miles Away
- Bon Iver - Blindsided
- The Narrative - Eyes Closed
- Carpark North - Heart Of Me
- Greg Laswell - Comes And Goes (In Waves)
- Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky
- Eddie Vedder - Guaranteed [Bonus Track]
- Elvis Depressedly - Crazier With You [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #29
ELECTRIC DREAMS
Released: 13 January 2013
Tempo: 5 / Warmth: 3 / Weight: 2
It's so easy to ride the wondrous wave of happiness in this album. After the emotional heaviness of Head In The Clouds, I decided to shake it up and turned up the fun factor. This album was inspired by my Adamson students (hence, the last track) and the friendship that they unconditionally offered me even if I was an outsider. There might not be a lot of hidden depths to ponder on in Electric Dreams but that's not necessarily a requirement to make a good mixtape. No baggage. No frills. Just straight up pure euphoria.
Best moment: The flawless transition between It's So Easy and Wonders.
Key lyrics:
"Baby I can feel the voltage running through my skin
Come on and tap into the current i'm generating
Down through every node
My circuits overload with all this energy"
- Connect Me
Tracklist:
- The Sounds - It's So Easy
- The Sound Of Arrows - Wonders
- Young Empires - Enter Through The Sun
- Nightbox - Pyramid
- Ceo - Love And Do What You Will
- Tanlines - All Of Me
- Capital Cities - Safe And Sound
- Lo-Fi-Fnk - Shut The World Out
- Christopher Norman - Connect Me
- Futurecop! feat. Keenhouse - Dreams
- Defend Moscow - Sign Of Life
- St. Lucia - We Got It Wrong
- Patrick Wolf - The Falcons
Mixtape #30
VIRAL
Released: 30 March 2013
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 2 / Weight: 4
The sound of sleeping around, Viral explores desire and the complex role of sex in relationships. The first tracks are electronica-tinged indie rock but they slowly lose their warmth and the distorted synths become more prominent and grating as you approach the end, symbolizing how the character has finally succumbed to numbness. The last song is still about sex but by this point, the romantic part of it has been dispensed with altogether. I find Viral enjoyable, but admittedly, it isn't the most accessible among my albums. The songs may not always be of topnotch quality but the story I painted with them is ace.
Best moment: The line "You will never learn" in Get Related. That hits too close to home for me.
Key lyrics:
"They don't love you
They just need a little sex"
-Lies
Tracklist:
- Foals - My Number
- Citizens! - Reptile
- Strange Talk - Sexual Lifestyle
- Dead Sea Lions - Yellow Books
- Tommy Sparks - I'm A Rope
- Bloc Party - Mercury
- Cosmonaut - Say What You Want
- IAMX - Spit It Out
- Adam Kesher - Local Girl
- Junior Boys - In The Morning
- Is Tropical - Lies
- The Big Pink - Hit The Ground (Superman)
- Wild At Heart - Get Related
- Get People - Lonely Game [Bonus Track]
- Geographer - Original Sin [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #32
KINGDOM COME
Released: 3 August 2013
Tempo: 4 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 3
Kingdom Come is the sort of album you'd prefer to listen to in the morning to start your day right. It's unabashedly campy and perky and that matches well with the motivational theme I was going for here. Brimming with shout-along choruses and marching drum rolls, you'd find yourself stomping to the beat in no time. It shares a similar structure with Electric Dreams, where the conflict in the narrative is introduced in the latter half of the tracklist. Kingdom Come is an enjoyable romp of an album, but the never-ending barrage of rallying cries can get too cloying at times so I've found that it's best served like any sugar-laden dessert. In small doses.
Best moment: The middle 8 of Take Your Medicine. You can really feel his struggle to get better in there.
Key lyrics:
"These are things that I keep hidden in belly
I can't see them but they control my life
For a moment you could see right through me
See right through me
Help me make this right
Look at all those skeletons running from their closets
Get them in the light!"
- Take Your Medicine
Tracklist:
- Total Warr - Bambastard
- Air Traffic Controller - Hurry Hurry
- The Little Ones - Argonauts
- American Authors - Believer
- Youngblood Hawke - Dannyboy
- Vydamo - Hurricane
- Canopy Climbers - Stuck
- Said The Whale - Mother
- Andy Bull - Keep On Running
- Cloud Cult - Take Your Medicine
- Kishi Bashi - Bright Whites
- The Ceremonies - Land Of Gathering
- Handsome Poets - Sky On Fire
- Mother Mother - The Stand [Bonus Track]
- Jake Bugg - Two Fingers [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #33
RADIO
Released: 21 December 2013
Tempo: 2 / Warmth: 2 / Weight: 3
Oh my gosh, this album. Definitely one of my most universally beloved efforts and deservedly so, in my opinion. Not a single weak track in here. Radio is about this nighttime car ride through the city while you reminisce about your former lovers. With this one, you can feel that I have finally learned how to take the backseat and just let the songs speak for themselves. I've also found the right balance in here, not only in the sound (just the right tempo and embellishments) but also in the narrative (just the right amount of exposition and reflection). It all sounds unassuming on first listen. It doesn't try too hard to make you feel anything, really, but as it ends, you'll still find yourself bleeding. Quietly.
Best moment: The middle 8 of Robbers. The whole album has been subdued until that breaking point.
Key lyrics:
"There's been a lot of talk of love
But that don't amount to nothing
You can evoke the stars above
But that doesn't make it something
"And the only way to last
And the only way to live it
Is to hold on when you get love
And let go when you give it"
-Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It
Tracklist:
- Walsh - Title Sequence
- Gypsy & The Cat - Time To Wander
- Guineafowl - I Hope My City Loves Me Still
- Mansions On The Moon - Radio
- Coastal Cities - Summer Reign
- Walla - Neon Love
- Georgian Waters - Narkotikum
- Bowmont - Ruphmiup
- The 1975 - Robbers
- A Boy And His Kite - Ways
- Stars - Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It
- Carousel - Into The Night
Mixtape #34
EVIL I
Released: March 2014
Tempo: 4 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 4
Recklessness and rebelliousness abound in Evil I. During this time, it looked like I was trying to break as many social norms as I could and understandably, my voice wasn't always received warmly. My reputation was at an all time low but instead of trying to remedy that, I fully embraced it. I accepted what people thought of me and branded myself as the sinner and the heathen. This is my sarcastic clapback to my perceived haters. On the surface, these sinister and halloweeny songs are all about swagger but there is an unmistakable hollowness in all of them. Like tequila shots laced with slow-acting poison. It's hard to care about an album which proudly professes that it doesn't give a fuck but it's this unapologetic attitude which makes it stand out from the rest. It's paranoid and neurotic but it wears those labels without shame. It is how it is. Take it or leave it.
Best moment: That false start in the second verse of Thiskidsnotalright.
Key lyrics:
"Oh, there's something wrong with me
Oh, it reads nothing like poetry
Oh will you love me in spite of these tics and inconsistencies?
There is something wrong with me"
-Dead Now
Tracklist:
- The Parlotones - Start A Fire
- Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red And Blue
- De Staat - Get It Together
- The Faint - Evil Voices
- Fitz And The Tantrums - Spark
- AWOLNATION - Thiskidsnotalright
- Bear Hands - Agora
- Franz Ferdinand - Evil Eye
- Laurel Collective - They Hate Me
- Frightened Rabbit - Dead Now
- Robert Schwartzman - Second Chances
- Mounties - Headphones
Mixtape #35
SAVIOUR
Released: July 2014
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 2 / Weight: 5
Saviour is my farewell album for Adamson and I made this connection obvious by selecting songs with preternatural and orchestral flourishes. The slower tracks especially wouldn't sound out of place if they were played in church. They're borderline gospel hymns. Aurally, Saviour is schizophrenic. There is a clear distinction between the two halves of the album. This is intentional since in the first half, I wanted to show the helplessness and longing - the need to be saved - while in the second half, where the tempo noticeably goes up a notch, the restoration of one's self-worth after being saved. I can't quite put my finger on its source but there is a sense of vitality in all of the songs in this album. Every song sounds big somehow. Every song is a moment, each one building on the previous track and never letting up until you are led to those glorious ending tracks.
Best moment: The transition between All Waters and Silhouette.
Key lyrics:
"When I can take your hand
On any crowded street
And hold you close to me
With no hesitating
Oh my love
Oh my flower
Oh hold my hand"
-All Waters
Tracklist:
- How To Dress Well - Decisions
- Perfume Genius - All Waters
- Active Child feat. Ellie Goulding - Silhouette
- Beach House - Myth
- M83 - I Need You
- Rhodes - Your Soul
- Hurts - Somebody To Die For
- Evan And The Brave - Rescuer
- Twin Shadow - To The Top
- Wolf Gang - Last Bayou
- Strange Talk - Young Hearts
- Secret Company - Saviour
- High Highs - A Real Hero
Mixtape #36
LIBERTINE
Released: 20 November 2014
Tempo: 5 / Warmth: 3 / Weight: 1
If partying is your game, then Libertine is the one I'd recommend for you. It's my only dance-oriented mixtape this side of my discography. It isn't your typical DJ fare though. I made sure it's loaded not only with the most infectious retro-influenced earworms but also with impeccable style and charisma. It just sounds really sexy and cool. I released this album on my 30th birthday and my friends and I had this virtual listening party. It was so much fun. There is not much to dissect in here, if you're looking for poetry, but we all need to take a break from that every now and then, don't we?
Best moment: The middle 8 of By My Side. That is pure bliss for me.
Key lyrics:
"Ten in the morning
And I'm skipping breakfast
And drinking a beverage (Ahh)
To ignore it all
Guess ignorance is bliss and
I've come to embrace it
It's all overrated
Except drugs and alcohol"
-Doses and Mimosas
Tracklist:
- Yuksek - The Edge
- Olympic Ayres - Control
- YesYou feat. Marcus Azon - Frivolous Life
- Kisses - The Hardest Part
- Belarbi - Paradise
- Yeah Boy - Can't Get Enough
- Strange Names - Potential Wife
- Oslo Parks - Twin
- Great Good Fine Ok - By My Side
- Penguin Prison - In The Way
- Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
- Cherub - Doses And Mimosas
- STRFKR - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun [Bonus Track]
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - James Dean [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #37
SHADE IN THE SHADOW
Released: 31 March 2015
Tempo: 2 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 5
Shade In The Shadow is the spiritual successor to Head In The Clouds. They sound the most alike, among my albums, and they touch on related themes. Where Head In The Clouds aimed for an escape to the high heavens to deal with its woes, Shade In The Shadow is a headlong dive into the abyss. This is an anthem for the introverts. Those who have embraced solitude, whether by choice or not. For this album, I drew on my period of depression the previous year as inspiration. That was the lowest point in my life and it culminated in me attempting to harm myself. It took a whole year for me to feel removed enough from that before I could analyze what I went through and this album is the result of that cathartic process. There is something about Shade In The Shadow which still scares me to this day though. I still can't bring myself to surrender to it. Perhaps it's the pain of reopening up a deep wound which has barely healed which prevents me from doing so.
Best moment: How the singer's voice breaks in "I'm so healthy... healthy," in On Your Own.
Key lyrics:
"I am dented by the skies
They keep me up at night
And it’s not agoraphobia
It’s just a lack of air supply
That keeps me up at night
I know I’m getting older
But I’m told that I’m not
Momentarily out of my mind"
- Agoraphobia
Tracklist:
- Michael Parallax - Growing Splendid
- Dustin Tebbutt - The Breach
- Ben Howard - The Fear
- Josh Pyke - Leeward Side
- The Map Room - Pilot
- Sea Wolf - Old Friend
- Trees Of Maine - Venice On The Inside
- Frightened Rabbit & Manchester Orchestra - Architect
- Autoheart - Agoraphobia
- Fryars - On Your Own
- Fink - Looking Too Closely
- Sufjan Stevens - No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross
- Fossil Collective - Do You Realize
Mixtape #38
CAPRI SUNTAN
Released: 11 July 2015
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 5 / Weight: 3
This is my album for your typical summer fling. The epitome of short-lived romance. Easy come, easy go. The antithesis of Revelation. I've always tackled romantic relationships from a nostalgic perspective (like in Radio) and after listening to the first half of the tracklist, Capri Suntan seems to be a rehash of the same sentiments. The twist comes in the second half when I begin to question whether keeping all those memories is the right thing to do at all. It ends with a hypothetical meeting with your former lover and realizing that you came back to where you both started. As strangers. All those lazy afternoons spent writing each other's names on the sand, those sunset-streaked glances at each other while sharing your most poignant stories, those clothes carelessly dropped on the bedroom floor - none of these truly mattered in the end. It was as if like you never were. Soundwise, Capri Suntan is a solid effort. It has some of the strongest songs in my discography. Even the bonus tracks are excellent.
Best moment: The second verse of Like We Never Have when the music fades away and the male voice dominates. That elevates the whole album to another level.
Key lyrics:
"This world is rabid, this world is through
Follow me through an empty dream
I'm sleeping next to someone new
My conscience burning, my beastly roar
The headache pill, the necktie on my bedroom door"
- Ava
Tracklist:
- Sensual Harassment - Capri Suntan
- French Films - Special Shades
- Last Lynx - Brother
- Broncho - Class Historian
- Louds - Ways
- TV Girl - Easier To Cry
- Nick D' And The Believers - Wanted
- Bad Suns - Salt
- Bronze Radio Return - Melting In My Icebox
- Famy - Ava
- The Kissaway Trail - Cuts Of Youth (Razor Love)
- Gangplans feat. Steffaloo and Pandreas - Like We Never Have
- Little Racer - Jack Knife [Bonus Track]
- Yuno - Sunlight [Bonus Track]
Mixtape #39
I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT IT'S FUN
Released: 25 December 2015
Tempo: 4 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 2
I was in an angry state of mind when I was making this album and my impulse was to lash out at, by far, the worst lover I have ever had. After extracting my revenge by thoroughly destroying his reputation among our common friends, I decided to channel the rest of my emotions into making my next mixtape. I Don't Know Why But It's Fun captures our masochistic tendencies in the way that we keep running after those so-called killer queens. We know it's not going end up well for us, and yet we keep chasing them back all the same. This dichotomy is apparent in how I paired up these uptempo guitar riff-ridden bangers with the barely concealed long-suffering lyrics. You're putting up this facade and adopting this brash attitude but inside, it's driving you mad. It makes for a slightly confusing narrative, to be sure, but I did the ending right by choosing myself over his worthless piece of ass.
Best moment: The line "I don't know why but it's fun" in Black Skeleton and how that is repeated until the end. You can tell he's bluffing with his bravado.
Key lyrics:
"I love this feeling
But I hate this part
I wanted this to work so much
I drew up our plans on a chart
Cars are flipping, I'm in hot pursuit
My character's strong but my head is loose"
- Greek Tragedy
Tracklist:
Mixtape #40
KANJI
Released: 27 May 2016
Commentary:
It often takes us a few months to fully process the magnitude of how we've been affected by traumatic events in our lives. This was the case for me when I made Kanji. After a series of betrayals by my closest friends, I have finally had enough of dealing with people and I decided to shut myself out from the world. My policy at this time was less people, less problems, so I decided to have none of them in my life. My once highly active social life, both in the real world and the virtual one, was reduced to zero. I stopped seeing people. I even completely stopped talking at some point. I just purely hated people. Being a good person doesn't pay off so I wanted to invert all my positive values and be someone else and Kanji is the name of that alter ego.
Best moment: The frenetic ending of Young Once. How it builds the tension and serves as the perfect prelude to the doom which is yet to come.
Key lyrics:
"Finally taking flight
I know you don't think it's right
I know that you think it's fake
Maybe fake's what I like"
-New Person, Same Old Mistakes
Tracklist:
Mixtape #41
IN LIMBO
Released: 26 August 2016
Commentary:
After slowly reassimilating myself back into society, I went to check back on my abandoned need for love. It was during this time when I realized that I couldn't bring myself to start dating again since I couldn't trust people anymore. I was stuck in that limbo between longing for love and reaching for it. I felt incapable. I have lost the ability to go after those that I love. All the songs in here try to capture different angles of constantly being in between and not finding a home to latch on to. It's my saddest romantic album. There's no hint of joy to be found in any of these tracks. These electronic ballads serve as the perfect background for that image in the cover - a solitary astronaut slowly drifting away. His gaze fixed at Pluto's heart.
Best moment: The "to you..." parts in The Wall. There's something breathtakingly beautiful in those.
Key lyrics:
Mixtape #42
ALWAYS
Released: 11 February 2017
Commentary:
It was the memory of my students which eventually pulled me out of my self-imposed quarantine. I thought that if I were to leave them behind, then I have failed as a teacher. Everyone loses people in their lives and in the end, I didn't want them to add my name to that growing list. Someone had to stay so I did. A number of my students did notice my absence so when I reactivated my Facebook account, I received a lot of warm messages from them. They really saved me during this time. Always (yes the title is a Harry Potter reference) covers the story of going back to who you were - your vibrant, positive, well-loved self. It's an unrelenting onslaught of well-meaning teen pop-influenced bops. Very Max Martin. I wasn't aiming to be cool with this album. No convoluted themes and difficult questions on this one. I just wanted it to be as enjoyable as possible. It's pure love all around. Always is that much-needed ray of sunshine after being cooped up too long in my mind's prison.
Best moment: Those opening synths in Exhale.
Key lyrics:
"So I locked myself up in my room Closed the door and shutters too Read books on how to do it all And drew the plans up on the wall I need to get it right ‘Cause I don't want to say goodbye"
-Big Glass House
Tracklist:
Mixtape #43
HEYYY
Released: 21 July 2017
Commentary:
Have you thought about how the meaning of "hey" differs drastically, depending on where you are in your relationship's lifeline? That was what I wanted to explore in this album. Heyyy is my least personal album in the sense that I wasn't inspired by real events in creating it. It's my first attempt at stepping out of my world to paint this fictional story about a man who tries to play it safe by keeping some emotional distance with his lovers. A player who's only in it for the fun and realizing too late that his lover has gotten him helplessly hooked and that he might finally be (gasp!) falling in love. It's your typical masc perspective on contemporary relationships and there is nothing groundbreaking about any of its narrative. Compared to the rest of my discography, Heyyy feels the most modern. It also benefits from its right balance of sad-ish songs and happy-ish songs. It doesn't try too hard to be anything. It's no surprise then that based from the response I got upon releasing it, Heyyy has turned out to be one of my most successful efforts.
Best moment: I'm still hooked to those "hoo-oo-oo-ooked" hooks in Hooked.
Key lyrics:
"'Cause you said it meant nothing
And I should've kept my silence
But I guess I'm too attached to my own pride to let you know
That all these words meant nothing
And I've always been this heartless
And we were just having sex, no, I would never call it love
But love"
- Sex
Tracklist:
Mixtape #44
ELECTRIQUE MUSIC: LIVE! 2011-2017
Released: 29 December 2017
Tracklist:
- Rich Aucoin - City I Love
- Bleachers - Rollercoaster
- The Wombats - Greek Tragedy
- The Royal Concept - Radio
- Tower - Teenage Miracle
- Phoenix - Trying To Be Cool
- The Kooks - Creatures Of Habit
- Twenty One Pilots - Tear In My Heart
- Spoon - Do You
- Snowden - The Beat Comes
- Jenny Broke The Window - Black Skeleton
- Piano Club - Me And Myself
Mixtape #40
KANJI
Released: 27 May 2016
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 2 / Weight: 4
It often takes us a few months to fully process the magnitude of how we've been affected by traumatic events in our lives. This was the case for me when I made Kanji. After a series of betrayals by my closest friends, I have finally had enough of dealing with people and I decided to shut myself out from the world. My policy at this time was less people, less problems, so I decided to have none of them in my life. My once highly active social life, both in the real world and the virtual one, was reduced to zero. I stopped seeing people. I even completely stopped talking at some point. I just purely hated people. Being a good person doesn't pay off so I wanted to invert all my positive values and be someone else and Kanji is the name of that alter ego.
Best moment: The frenetic ending of Young Once. How it builds the tension and serves as the perfect prelude to the doom which is yet to come.
Key lyrics:
"Finally taking flight
I know you don't think it's right
I know that you think it's fake
Maybe fake's what I like"
-New Person, Same Old Mistakes
Tracklist:
- Plus Minus - Young Once
- Oceanics - Electric Heart
- Foreign Air - In The Shadows
- The Hour - No One's Going To Heaven
- Young The Giant - Amerika
- Pale - Rundown
- Junip - Your Life, Your Call
- We-Are-Z - Easy
- FEiN - #Grownupz
- Lou Scarrs - Let You Down
- LUH - I&I
- Tame Impala - New Person, Same Old Mistakes
Mixtape #41
IN LIMBO
Released: 26 August 2016
Tempo: 1 / Warmth: 1 / Weight: 4
After slowly reassimilating myself back into society, I went to check back on my abandoned need for love. It was during this time when I realized that I couldn't bring myself to start dating again since I couldn't trust people anymore. I was stuck in that limbo between longing for love and reaching for it. I felt incapable. I have lost the ability to go after those that I love. All the songs in here try to capture different angles of constantly being in between and not finding a home to latch on to. It's my saddest romantic album. There's no hint of joy to be found in any of these tracks. These electronic ballads serve as the perfect background for that image in the cover - a solitary astronaut slowly drifting away. His gaze fixed at Pluto's heart.
Best moment: The "to you..." parts in The Wall. There's something breathtakingly beautiful in those.
Key lyrics:
"I've been wondering what is freedom
Is it checking out from all you're feeling?
Is it feeling OK 'cause you're not running
From the boring person that you're becoming?"
Is it checking out from all you're feeling?
Is it feeling OK 'cause you're not running
From the boring person that you're becoming?"
-I Feel The Weight
Tracklist: - Favela - Gong
- Life & Limb - Fool's Nest
- Greyjoy - Strangers
- Porcelain Raft - Half Awake
- Fantazja - Unreal
- Young Empires - Glory Of The Night
- Contrakids - Fool
- Adam Snow - All I Need
- Barbarossa - The Wall
- Sufjan Stevens - A Little Lost
- Miike Snow - I Feel The Weight
- Belgian Fog - Loveless Way
Mixtape #42
ALWAYS
Released: 11 February 2017
Tempo: 5 / Warmth: 4 / Weight: 2
It was the memory of my students which eventually pulled me out of my self-imposed quarantine. I thought that if I were to leave them behind, then I have failed as a teacher. Everyone loses people in their lives and in the end, I didn't want them to add my name to that growing list. Someone had to stay so I did. A number of my students did notice my absence so when I reactivated my Facebook account, I received a lot of warm messages from them. They really saved me during this time. Always (yes the title is a Harry Potter reference) covers the story of going back to who you were - your vibrant, positive, well-loved self. It's an unrelenting onslaught of well-meaning teen pop-influenced bops. Very Max Martin. I wasn't aiming to be cool with this album. No convoluted themes and difficult questions on this one. I just wanted it to be as enjoyable as possible. It's pure love all around. Always is that much-needed ray of sunshine after being cooped up too long in my mind's prison.
Best moment: Those opening synths in Exhale.
Key lyrics:
"So I locked myself up in my room Closed the door and shutters too Read books on how to do it all And drew the plans up on the wall I need to get it right ‘Cause I don't want to say goodbye"
-Big Glass House
Tracklist:
- Ra Ra Riot - Absolutely
- Air Bag One - 1992
- Max Frost - Adderall
- All Tvvins - These 4 Words
- Moving Units - Teacher
- Abandoned Pools - Pep Talk
- Kid Astray - Back To The Ordinary
- Quilici - Big Glass House
- Step Rockets - Turning Tides (By Your Side)
- Ecstasy - Exhale
- A Silent Film - Tomorrow
- Smallpools - Karaoke
Mixtape #43
HEYYY
Released: 21 July 2017
Tempo: 3 / Warmth: 3 / Weight: 2
Have you thought about how the meaning of "hey" differs drastically, depending on where you are in your relationship's lifeline? That was what I wanted to explore in this album. Heyyy is my least personal album in the sense that I wasn't inspired by real events in creating it. It's my first attempt at stepping out of my world to paint this fictional story about a man who tries to play it safe by keeping some emotional distance with his lovers. A player who's only in it for the fun and realizing too late that his lover has gotten him helplessly hooked and that he might finally be (gasp!) falling in love. It's your typical masc perspective on contemporary relationships and there is nothing groundbreaking about any of its narrative. Compared to the rest of my discography, Heyyy feels the most modern. It also benefits from its right balance of sad-ish songs and happy-ish songs. It doesn't try too hard to be anything. It's no surprise then that based from the response I got upon releasing it, Heyyy has turned out to be one of my most successful efforts.
Best moment: I'm still hooked to those "hoo-oo-oo-ooked" hooks in Hooked.
Key lyrics:
"'Cause you said it meant nothing
And I should've kept my silence
But I guess I'm too attached to my own pride to let you know
That all these words meant nothing
And I've always been this heartless
And we were just having sex, no, I would never call it love
But love"
- Sex
Tracklist:
- Stephen - Line It Up
- Krrum - Moon
- Aaron Taos - Off My Mind
- Urban Cone - Old School
- Leisure - Know You Better
- Simon On The Moon - Hooked
- Tender - Erode
- Junior Empire - West Coast
- Axel Mansoor - Out Of My Head
- Blajk - Gunshot
- Eden - Sex
- Breen - Make Sense
- ELEL - Kiss Kiss
Mixtape #44
ELECTRIQUE MUSIC: LIVE! 2011-2017
Released: 29 December 2017
Commentary:
This one essentially works as a greatest hits compilation but instead of using the exact same versions, I decided to use acoustic ones instead. The downside of doing this though is that not all albums can be represented since there's only a limited number of songs which have live or acoustic versions and even those which do have them are sometimes available in poor quality or not suitable for the intimate gig vibe I was going for here. It's amazing that even if the original versions of these songs come from a wide variety of indie genres, they all sound cohesive when stripped down. It's like seeing the songs from another angle. The acoustic versions of the more electronic tracks are especially interesting. I'm making this one for my listeners. A reminder of this amazing musical journey that they have shared with me. My own silly way of saying "Hey, thanks for staying with me through all these years. Now look at how far we've come."
Tracklist:
- Imagine Dragons - It's Time (Acoustic From The Occidental Saloon)
- Nick D' and The Believers - Wanted (On the Couch Music)
- Eden - Sex (Live at Studio 8)
- Atlas Genius - Trojans (Acoustic at Sirius XM)
- Citizens! - Reptile (Live at Triple J Studios)
- Cherub - Doses and Mimosas (Stripped Down Live)
- Said the Whale - Mother (Live at The Edge)
- Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red and Blue (Live on KEXP)
- FEiN - #Grownupz (Live at Sunset Marquis)
- High Highs - Open Season (Live at 101.9 KINK)
- Hurts - Somebody To Die For (Acoustic)
- Monarchy - The Phoenix Alive (FD Acoustic Session)
- Capital Cities - Safe And Sound (Acoustic)
- Youth Group - Forever Young (Acoustic)
- Secret Company - Saviour (Ont Sofa Gibson Sessions) [Bonus Track]
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