raxmix vol. 5
Jul. 19th, 2020 12:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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likealarkThe theme for this mix is "Tunes for being stuck in your house: depression jingle bugaloo"
Maybe introducing you to vocaloid was a mistake because now I just overwhelmingly want to share weeb music with you. Half the tracks on this mix are from Japan. I would apologize, but you know who I am.
The cover is from a song called Chaplet by DJ Totto. It's exclusively on jubeat and one of the very first 10 (highest difficulty rating) songs I ever passed, mostly because I kept playing and playing it until I succeeded. I miss arcades a lot. I also think the cover of a flower wreath is really pretty.
If you are not Rax but also like music, you're welcome to give this a listen too?
> DOWNLOAD <
( YouTube Playlist )
( Spotify Playlist )
01. Siinamota ft. Kagamine Rin - Q
Siinamota (also known under the name PowapowaP) was a first generation vocaloid composer who started making tracks when he was 14 years old. His work was so good that by the end of his teens he had already scored a major record label and was making songs with his own band. Unfortunately he died in 2015 when he was only 20 years old. He's one of my top favorite vocaloid composers.
I listen to Siinamota when I'm in trouble. His music is very raw and about depression and poor mental health and equally despondent topics. But the thing about his lyrics is that his music always encourages you to keep trying. Listening to his music for me feels like he's sitting next to you, totally understanding all the impossibly hard stuff you're going through, because he's been there too. But he's still trying to communicate to you that there can still be beautiful things in the world. He had a beautiful spirit and a beautiful way of looking at things. He was definitely an artist who spent time looking into the abyss and his music reflects that. Sometimes I need it. Sometimes you might too. Musically, Siinamota straddles the line between hard rock and bossa nova electropop, sometimes doing both in the same song. He spent almost his entire career working on/perfecting a single track, re-releasing it as he learned more techniques and gained more skill; that's called his Strobe series, and it's my favorite of his pieces, but it's also fairly sad. This track, Q, is his most famous work, and one he made after a close friend of his died. It's catchy as heck and the emotion he manages to imbue in Rin's voice is amazing. It's a song about gritting your teeth and continuing for reasons that you may not even understand yourself, which, well, that's probably all of 2020.
02. Sakamoto Maaya - Chibikko Folk
I've loved this song since high school. Sakamoto Maaya is one of my top favorite singers, her voice is so sweet and clear like pure water. Yoko Kanno agrees with me, I think, because she writes songs for Sakamoto Maaya all the time; they even produced a duet album once (of which I have a copy that Yoko Kanno signed for me herself). I also really like acoustic guitar. More than that this song is about protecting children—the lyrics (link to static page) are straightforward and passionate, and they really resonate with me as something...I wish I could believe in? Something I'd want someone to believe on my behalf? It's just a lovely song, please listen to it.
03. PinnochioP ft. Hatsune Miku - Ultimate Senpai
I know you already know PinnochioP! He's also a first generation vocaloid producer, and he was actually good friends with Siinamota. PinnochioP was one of the ones who helped finish and publish Siinamota's incomplete final album. This is one of the most recent songs published by PinnochioP and I love it so much and I empathize with the lyrics (link to MV) so much and I have a really strong feeling that you will too.
I came this close to putting this other PinnochioP track on this album instead (link to MV), but the killer lyrics of this track won out. Please do listen to that other track too, though, I think you'd really like it.
04. Vulfpeck - Back Pocket
Motown (and 60s-70s R&B in general) is still my musical love language. Vulfpeck is interesting because their songs wander across all of Motown's subgenres and capture the general feel of the music of this era. They're mostly an instrumental band, as far as I can tell, and they're GREAT to listen to groove and play music together. But this track is so chill and soothing and fun, jazz-infused with a great groove, and I love the vocalists here.
05. Niru Kajitsu ft. Flower - Hungry Nicole
Yep. It's even more vocaloid. Of course it's flower. I had this song on repeat for a long, long time, and I think you may get even more mileage out of the lyrics (link to MV) than me. There are a lot of things I like about this song? That the character's name is Nicole and uses he/him according to the composer notes, that it's really catchy, and that it's tbh kind of about domestic abuse and revenge. Content tag on the MV for disordered eating visuals/lyrics and also murder, decapitation, blood, kinda cannibalism.
06. Walk the Moon - Lisa Baby
"Did you put this on this mix because of the first four lines"
Yes. But also I really like how like, kinda cheerfully sleazy this song is? To me the sound of the song implies "I'm kind of falling apart but goddamn I'm gonna have a great time while doing it" and, Mood.
07. Hot Chip - Jelly Babies
I have no idea why there are so many Baby tracks on this mix
This mix has that sort of gloomy chiptune sound I associate with CGR, and also the bassline (is that a bassline?) is amazing. There's a twisty little complicated at run of notes at 1:16 that makes my heart soar. This song uses weird chord progressions and stays surprising for the whole length of the track. I thought you'd like it!
08. Jack Strauber - Baby Hotline
Jack Strauber became really popular with Gen Z folks and all his songs sound kinda twee like this. I first found him because the animator who created the amazing MV to Soda City Funk also did an animation to his song Two Time. I'm not keen on most of his music, but this one caught my ear. The melodic lines themselves are kinda interesting and some of the lyrics are interesting in what they almost say. My favorite part of the song is the "Hoarder of quarters" section. And then halfway through this song slides into "Wait, it caught up to me, I'm actually really sad" and (again), Mood.
09. Broken Bells - Perfect World
I found this song through the redgreen discord server, of all things; someone linked it. This is the "vanilla ice cream" track with a cool retro feel. The lyrics are also pretty nice. I don't have a ton to say about it, I just felt like it would be a good CGR song.
10. Girls Dead Monster - Crow Song
This song is really great? Especially the, I think it's the chorus? It's in a minor key and it's AWESOME. And it's bizarre that this song is so awesome considering that it was made to be an one-off episode insert song for a pretty lame 12 episode anime called Angel Beats (link to static page). Angel Beats is quite popular because it was made by a popular company. It's actually a title you might like? The theme of the anime is laying the past to rest and overcoming regret. It tells its story in a clumsy, but earnest way.
This song is legitimately the best thing about the whole series. What is such a good song doing in such a weird place?? I thought that was cool, so I wanted to share it.
11. Lady Gaga ft. Ariana Grande - Rain on Me
I know I know everyone knows Lady Gaga and as a result she's kinda boring. But listen, I love this song and it just came out. There's a moment when the chorus starts and the song opens up at 0:47 that feels great, and I really like how their voices blend.
12. Shintaro Yamaguchi - Carrying You (From "Castle in the Sky")
I was thinking about putting Merry Go Round of Life on this mix, but while digging around on iTunes I came across this. This gem. This masterpiece. Why did someone make Ghibli happy hardcore EDM? Why did not just one someone, but several someones feel it necessary to give Ghibli wubs and sick drops? I don't know, but I can't stop laughing and I love this so much. I knew you'd get a kick out of it too. Please buy the album, it's easily the best eight bucks I've spent this year.
Bonus Track: VGR ft. Jenny - Undertale • Hopes & Dreams (remix)
You put Hopes and Dreams on a CGR mix and as a result I've associated you with Asriel ever since. But also this is a really good cover, way better than every other Undertale vocal cover I've heard. The production values are great, the lyrics are meaningful, the vocalist is fantastic. It's just a great cover and I thought of you.
Maybe introducing you to vocaloid was a mistake because now I just overwhelmingly want to share weeb music with you. Half the tracks on this mix are from Japan. I would apologize, but you know who I am.
The cover is from a song called Chaplet by DJ Totto. It's exclusively on jubeat and one of the very first 10 (highest difficulty rating) songs I ever passed, mostly because I kept playing and playing it until I succeeded. I miss arcades a lot. I also think the cover of a flower wreath is really pretty.
If you are not Rax but also like music, you're welcome to give this a listen too?
Bonus Track: VGR ft. Jenny - Undertale • Hopes & Dreams (remix)
|
( YouTube Playlist )
( Spotify Playlist )
01. Siinamota ft. Kagamine Rin - Q
Siinamota (also known under the name PowapowaP) was a first generation vocaloid composer who started making tracks when he was 14 years old. His work was so good that by the end of his teens he had already scored a major record label and was making songs with his own band. Unfortunately he died in 2015 when he was only 20 years old. He's one of my top favorite vocaloid composers.
I listen to Siinamota when I'm in trouble. His music is very raw and about depression and poor mental health and equally despondent topics. But the thing about his lyrics is that his music always encourages you to keep trying. Listening to his music for me feels like he's sitting next to you, totally understanding all the impossibly hard stuff you're going through, because he's been there too. But he's still trying to communicate to you that there can still be beautiful things in the world. He had a beautiful spirit and a beautiful way of looking at things. He was definitely an artist who spent time looking into the abyss and his music reflects that. Sometimes I need it. Sometimes you might too. Musically, Siinamota straddles the line between hard rock and bossa nova electropop, sometimes doing both in the same song. He spent almost his entire career working on/perfecting a single track, re-releasing it as he learned more techniques and gained more skill; that's called his Strobe series, and it's my favorite of his pieces, but it's also fairly sad. This track, Q, is his most famous work, and one he made after a close friend of his died. It's catchy as heck and the emotion he manages to imbue in Rin's voice is amazing. It's a song about gritting your teeth and continuing for reasons that you may not even understand yourself, which, well, that's probably all of 2020.
02. Sakamoto Maaya - Chibikko Folk
I've loved this song since high school. Sakamoto Maaya is one of my top favorite singers, her voice is so sweet and clear like pure water. Yoko Kanno agrees with me, I think, because she writes songs for Sakamoto Maaya all the time; they even produced a duet album once (of which I have a copy that Yoko Kanno signed for me herself). I also really like acoustic guitar. More than that this song is about protecting children—the lyrics (link to static page) are straightforward and passionate, and they really resonate with me as something...I wish I could believe in? Something I'd want someone to believe on my behalf? It's just a lovely song, please listen to it.
03. PinnochioP ft. Hatsune Miku - Ultimate Senpai
I know you already know PinnochioP! He's also a first generation vocaloid producer, and he was actually good friends with Siinamota. PinnochioP was one of the ones who helped finish and publish Siinamota's incomplete final album. This is one of the most recent songs published by PinnochioP and I love it so much and I empathize with the lyrics (link to MV) so much and I have a really strong feeling that you will too.
I came this close to putting this other PinnochioP track on this album instead (link to MV), but the killer lyrics of this track won out. Please do listen to that other track too, though, I think you'd really like it.
04. Vulfpeck - Back Pocket
Motown (and 60s-70s R&B in general) is still my musical love language. Vulfpeck is interesting because their songs wander across all of Motown's subgenres and capture the general feel of the music of this era. They're mostly an instrumental band, as far as I can tell, and they're GREAT to listen to groove and play music together. But this track is so chill and soothing and fun, jazz-infused with a great groove, and I love the vocalists here.
05. Niru Kajitsu ft. Flower - Hungry Nicole
Yep. It's even more vocaloid. Of course it's flower. I had this song on repeat for a long, long time, and I think you may get even more mileage out of the lyrics (link to MV) than me. There are a lot of things I like about this song? That the character's name is Nicole and uses he/him according to the composer notes, that it's really catchy, and that it's tbh kind of about domestic abuse and revenge. Content tag on the MV for disordered eating visuals/lyrics and also murder, decapitation, blood, kinda cannibalism.
06. Walk the Moon - Lisa Baby
"Did you put this on this mix because of the first four lines"
Yes. But also I really like how like, kinda cheerfully sleazy this song is? To me the sound of the song implies "I'm kind of falling apart but goddamn I'm gonna have a great time while doing it" and, Mood.
07. Hot Chip - Jelly Babies
I have no idea why there are so many Baby tracks on this mix
This mix has that sort of gloomy chiptune sound I associate with CGR, and also the bassline (is that a bassline?) is amazing. There's a twisty little complicated at run of notes at 1:16 that makes my heart soar. This song uses weird chord progressions and stays surprising for the whole length of the track. I thought you'd like it!
08. Jack Strauber - Baby Hotline
Jack Strauber became really popular with Gen Z folks and all his songs sound kinda twee like this. I first found him because the animator who created the amazing MV to Soda City Funk also did an animation to his song Two Time. I'm not keen on most of his music, but this one caught my ear. The melodic lines themselves are kinda interesting and some of the lyrics are interesting in what they almost say. My favorite part of the song is the "Hoarder of quarters" section. And then halfway through this song slides into "Wait, it caught up to me, I'm actually really sad" and (again), Mood.
09. Broken Bells - Perfect World
I found this song through the redgreen discord server, of all things; someone linked it. This is the "vanilla ice cream" track with a cool retro feel. The lyrics are also pretty nice. I don't have a ton to say about it, I just felt like it would be a good CGR song.
10. Girls Dead Monster - Crow Song
This song is really great? Especially the, I think it's the chorus? It's in a minor key and it's AWESOME. And it's bizarre that this song is so awesome considering that it was made to be an one-off episode insert song for a pretty lame 12 episode anime called Angel Beats (link to static page). Angel Beats is quite popular because it was made by a popular company. It's actually a title you might like? The theme of the anime is laying the past to rest and overcoming regret. It tells its story in a clumsy, but earnest way.
This song is legitimately the best thing about the whole series. What is such a good song doing in such a weird place?? I thought that was cool, so I wanted to share it.
11. Lady Gaga ft. Ariana Grande - Rain on Me
I know I know everyone knows Lady Gaga and as a result she's kinda boring. But listen, I love this song and it just came out. There's a moment when the chorus starts and the song opens up at 0:47 that feels great, and I really like how their voices blend.
12. Shintaro Yamaguchi - Carrying You (From "Castle in the Sky")
I was thinking about putting Merry Go Round of Life on this mix, but while digging around on iTunes I came across this. This gem. This masterpiece. Why did someone make Ghibli happy hardcore EDM? Why did not just one someone, but several someones feel it necessary to give Ghibli wubs and sick drops? I don't know, but I can't stop laughing and I love this so much. I knew you'd get a kick out of it too. Please buy the album, it's easily the best eight bucks I've spent this year.
Bonus Track: VGR ft. Jenny - Undertale • Hopes & Dreams (remix)
You put Hopes and Dreams on a CGR mix and as a result I've associated you with Asriel ever since. But also this is a really good cover, way better than every other Undertale vocal cover I've heard. The production values are great, the lyrics are meaningful, the vocalist is fantastic. It's just a great cover and I thought of you.
