Mindstate - New Song By Computer Magic

Computer Magic just released a new song, for free as usual. Have I ever mentioned that I love free music?



If you like it, go old school and buy a cassette or vinyl (I can say from experience that the vinyl looks great ... it's part of my collection of vinyl records that I'll be able to listen to someday when I get a record player).


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Yes normally I don't recommend buying things, just like I said a long long time ago I'll never put ads on here. However, I'm not getting paid by Computer Magic, and I doubt she knows I exist; this is just a recommendation based on my own music likes.

Daft Punk

Over the past year, Daft Punk has exploded in popularity. Random Access Memories and Get Lucky both won awards, and in fact for a while I couldn't go more than a few days without hearing them on the radio. While I do get a flash of hipster-like jealousy every once in a while, I am overall very very happy that they have finally achieved this level of recognition.

One small thing that I have a problem with though, is that everyone loves Get Lucky and ignores the rest of the album. There are some incredible songs, including a couple I think are even better than Lucky. Case in point, Beyond. The words are moving, but the end just hits you like a wave of pure eargasm. Take a listen.

117

In general, the Halo 4 soundtrack disappointed me. Most of the music was bland at best. However, one song stood out. Number 12 on the disc, entitled simply '117'. Very powerful.

Holy Moly I'm Back

So you may have noticed that I haven't posted anything since October of last year. I can attribute this to my life getting busy. A, I met a girl. And B, I just recently graduated from Purdue and got a real job. Prairie Engineering was the lucky firm that snapped me up. I'm working on building a corn seed treatment facility in Rushville, Indiana.

Lets see, besides graduating, getting a job, and finding a lady, not much has changed. I'm still the libertarian, geeky, philosophical engineer that I've always been. One sad thing is that Catstache has sort of died down. I don't have time to do anything with it, unfortunately. It's still legally a company, but it's inactive.

I'll try to start posting here again. Most of the reason I haven't been is that it's been so long that every time I look at it I feel guilty for not posting, and so put it off. Well, here's the first one in months, so hopefully we'll break the trend. For now though, I'll leave you with a song.


 

Musical Connections

I love Hurts. Even though they don't have all that many songs out, the percentage of their music that I enjoy is extremely high (Something like 80%). So anytime I find music that is similar I'm interested.

I heard of Lana Del Rey over the summer, from her song Video Games. It was incredibly popular for about a month after which suddenly no one liked it. I personally wasn't really all that impressed even at the time. However, today I was surfing Youtube and ran across this.

Not only does it remind me of Hurts quite strongly, it also makes me thing of the James Bond movies, and it's rather enjoyable all around. Take a listen.


 

The Sound of Thunder

I woke this morning to the sound of thunder outside. We haven't had rain in 3 weeks, so the water will help. And the fact that it's arriving in the form of a thunderstorm instead of gentle rain is just a bonus.

The sole problem is that it's just barely after 6 am, and I'm totally awake. I do have some music to listen to though. I stumbled upon this last night before I went to bed.



On an entirely different note, I saw an article in the local paper talking about how gay marriage, politically, is a paradox. The idea being that national polls show the issue now commands over 50% support nation wide, yet each time it goes on the ballot it loses.

This isn't a paradox. It only broke 50% in the past few years, and we've only had a few state contests over the past few years. The most recent being South Carolina. What the paper doesn't seem to understand is that geography plays a roll in politics. South Carolina isn't going to see things the same way that the rest of the US does.

Plus the issue is up for a vote in Maryland this November, and the local polls show over 60% support gay marriage, so it's expected to win there. Ergo, this isn't paradox. It's just politics taking time to catch up with beliefs.
 

Songs!

Okay people. Got some songs for you. First, watch this. It is in German, but it still sounds pretty good.



Okay, no, think how you feel watching it, what your impressions were, then watch this. It's the same song, in English. Watch the top one first.


 

New Music Playlist

I previously posted a Pure Moods playlist that I'd assembled on Youtube, with the goal of finding music which was relaxing yet focusing ... music to chill out to, or do homework to.

This is the opposite. These songs won't relax you, but if you need to get pumped up, if you need to get excited, then these are for you.


 

Kimbra/Gotye Explosion

Recently everywhere I look, someone is talking about Somebody I Used to Know. It's giving me very mixed feelings. On one hand, I'm happy for both artists that they are finally gaining exposure. On the other hand, it felt good supporting small artists that no one else knew about, and being able to introduce people to them.

Have you heard this song? Yes, yes I have ... a year ago.

Though I guess that's how all early fans of any artist that hits the big time feel. In the end, I think the satisfaction of seeing others enjoying the music trumps the bandwagon effect.

Still, in honor of all you long term fans, here some classic Kimbra (and Miami Horror!) beats, back from 2010.


 

Dancing Violin

A friend shared this on Facebook, and I'm digging it. This lady can not only play great violin, but can dance while doing it. (She also does Cosplay in one of her videos O.O) Check it out!


 

Ghost by Veela

New song featuring Veela. It's got less of a dubstep feel than some of the previous ones, instead actually reminds me a lot of Beautiful Lies, by B Complex in feel. So with no further adieu:


 

Song of the Day: Venetia, by Saint Empire ft Veela

I discovered Veela last fall, and have been hooked on several really great songs, like Fall Silently and Night Vision. Found a new favorite though. My only complaint is that it's too damn short! Gotta put it on repeat.


 

Musical Memory

Ever notice how songs are tied into specific memories? Or to ... general memories, like few months that were very memorable? Nearly every day last summer, I'd wake up and go to work, I'd walk the exact same path, and I'd almost always listen to one song to wake me up. Now every time I listen to it, I think of that place, that walk, and the job I had at the time.

(Slow at the beginning, how does it wake one up? Wait until 50 seconds in.)


 

Good Music!

Yesterday I went through my phone's song ID application, looking each one up on YouTube. Ever since I got a phone with SongID, I use it frequently. Any time I hear a good song on the radio, out comes the phone to save it for later. Not to say that all of them end of being songs I love.

Of this batch, there were quite a few decent songs, but really only one that I really loved. I haven't been much of an Adele fan, but I do love this song.


 

Geeks unite!

I saw this today when youtube surfing. Geeks unite!


 

Mood Boosting Music

Browsing through Youtube last night, and found quite a few songs that were all of similar feel. Good mood music? Light electronica, good stuff. Playlist below, enjoy.


 

Been A Long Two Weeks

I'm half done with the first round of midterms this semester. Or done with round one, for the classes that have more than a single midterm. Thermo was last week, and I got a 96% (high was 97). Math was today, and of the 8 problems, I completed solved 7, and half solved the last, so an A is probable.

Tonight are info sessions for companies that are attending the career fair, and tomorrow is the fair itself. We've got over 50 companies this year, which is a small increase from last year. Nothing big, but it's still better than decreasing. Maybe someday we'll get back to the 140 rage we had before the economy crashed in 2008. The career fair ends at 3:30 in the afternoon, but I've got class from 2:30 to 4:30, so I'll be leaving then. Then possibly an interview the day after in the morning. Which means that in 48 hours, the busiest two weeks of the semester will finally be over.

In other news, two great things happened yesterday. One, I watched the season premiere of Boardwalk Empire, which was pretty interesting. Quite a few changes, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. Two, (and even better), I saw that Interstella 5555 has been remastered in HD and is coming out in BluRay. Woo hooo!!

For those poor souls among you who aren't familiar with Interstella 5555, it's basically a CD-long music video turned into a movie, with plot. It's awesome. Here's a taste. But you have to imagine it in HD, as it will be on Oct 4th.


 

Music, Here There and Everywhere

I'm a very random person I guess, my taste in music jumps around. The three artists/bands that have been in my head for the past couple weeks consist of eletronica Hurts, sorta Indy sounding Kimbra, and ... I don't even know how to describe Massive Attack (they did the song that became the intro to House, if that rings any bells.)

So, I thought I'd share a sample of all three.






 

Pepsi

Summer days, bees fly to you.
Summer nights, no need for haste.
Golden brown, light shines through you.
Cold and sweet, the perfect taste.



True Blood has nothing to do with this poem, but I was listening to the song when I wrote it. It reminds me of slow laid back summer nights, sipping a cold Pepsi and enjoying life.
 

You Can't Always Get What You Want

It's a hard life lesson to accept, but one that touches all parts of our life. There's no such thing as inherent fairness in life, excepting what we create, and fate plays no favorites. Even though we all want things like a new car, a bigger house, and even something that's considered less selfish, true love, we won't always get it, and it's just life.

Whether it's never finding your soulmate, or worse, finding one you consider to be it and having that person reject you, many times life Doesn't work out. Even worse than being rejected, is having to reject someone else. An unmutual interest is bad on Both sides. Whatever the situation though, for whatever reason, you could, as scary as it seems, end up alone.

Is it really that bad?

Maybe. I had a friend tell me recently that she didn't even know what she was working towards anymore. What is the point in the end of amassing wealth if one has no one to share it with. That's certainly a valid point of view, but I reject it, because I don't think that love is in a catagory of it's own. What is the point of anything? Money, power, wealth? We all die in the end, and on that deathbed, all the money in the world isn't going to save you. By the same key, the love of your life holding your hand isn't going to save you either, and if you are the one holding the hand, it's the most painful thing in the world.

I'm not saying that finding that perfect someone is pointless, nor that we shouldn't attempt to do so. But failing to find him or her isn't the end of the world, similarly to a failure to become a millionare isn't. It's just one aspect of life, and there are others. Close friends, family, they can all fill emotional gaps.

We must realise that there are no guarantees in life. Being rejected sucks, but it's nothing to be mad about, it's just part of life. Move on, maybe we'll find somene, maybe not. That's one of the reasons I hate when people say, ohh there are plenty of other fish in the sea, or don't worry, you'll find someone eventually. You very well might Not. If we accept that fact and live with it, we acn avoid a whole host of depression, and overall live happier lives. Just need to accept that you can't always get what you want.