bring the drugs, baby, i can bring my pain

     

Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known as The Weeknd, has had quite a year, but my guess is that this has been nothing compared to the possibilites and expectations of coming year. This past spring, Abel committed to releasing, not only one, but three albums for free over the span of 2011, titled 'House of Balloons', 'Thursday' and 'Echoes of Silence' in chronological order.  All of the three mixtapes has been self-released, and every release has exceeded the former in terms of "buzz/hype", especially with 'Thursday' featuring the track 'The Zone', that included a guest appearance by Drake, who has played an important role in getting The Weeknd out in the public. To have been able to tour at all with a schedule like this, along with being starred in Drake's new album, 'Take Care', remixing tracks for Lady Gaga and Florence and the Machine, is a performance in itself. 

The first album of the three, 'House of Balloons', came out of nowhere, and exploded out in the public soon after release. It contains an overpoweringly fresh take on what has come to be the r'n'b genre, and manages to captivate the listener in an atmosphere of describing depression and over-indulgence, and the incredibly lush and nocturnal feel can only be likened to that of what the 'the xx' did to the pop genre two years ago. The nine songs featured in the release manages to be both beautiful and enthralling, while at the same time being deeply disturbing and unsafe. This is an incredibly close-to-heart production, no doubt about it, and what's even more clear; someone hurt mah bro'. bad.

the third greatest album of 2011 is 

The Weeknd - House of Balloons

best track - 'the party & the after party'

below you will find the five greatest mashups of this year, in a particular order:

Daft Punk x Ellie Goulding - 'Something About Us Under The Sheets'

       

and here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the mashup of the year. words can't describe my love for this. the groovy, sexy blend of ellie goulding's voice and daft punk's seducing composition just gets me going. listening to this gave me a huge crush on ellie, and man, there's a massive amount of great mashups/remixes on her stuff if you'd be interested; but this is the best. the tip of the iceberg. instant classic.

Star Slinger x Whitney Houston - 'How Will I Copulate'

       

i recently discovered star slinger, aka darren williams, and his album from last year, volume one; a fantastic little work of art, with a refreshingly overpowering warm and innocent layer on every single sound he uses. when browsing his soundcloud, i discovered what apparently is a fan mashup between his track 'copulate' and 'how will i know' by whitney houston, which makes for an inappropriately cute title. and a fantastic mashup. this will make you happy.

James Blake x Drake - 'Measure It All'

       

this is probably the most interesting and extensive mashup here, as it is actually an extract from a mixtape, cleverly named 'james drake' by bombé and mr carribean. this track is a mash between james' very subtle 'measurements' and drake's throwaway track 'do it all' (which i didn't like very much), and therefore i'd definitely see this as an improvement on both parts. though i still consider the former to be a great song, drake's contribution adds another interesting dimension and quite frankly this mashup reminds me a lot more of james blake than the original. cool. cool, cool, cool.

M83 x Kanye West - 'Midnight Life'

       

next up is a mashup of m83's (hint: there'll be more of  him later on in my 2011 wrap-up) hit single 'midnight life' (you should absolutely check out the remixes for this track, which was also named pitchfork's 'track of the year') and kanye's 'good life'. excellent build up, and kanye's lyrics are a nice addition that breathes new life into the song. this is the absolute basics of the mashup formula, with excellent execution, add something recognizable to something fantastic. bam.

Little Dragon x Kelly Rowland - 'Union Motivation'

       

i've had little dragon on my 'yet to listen to'-list after i first heard her excellent collab with producer sbtrkt, and when i recently found this little gem i atleast got a small taste. though i have to admit, i hadn't initially heard either of these songs before, but i was instantly impressed by the excellent timing and the flow it brings. it's a great track, and after listening to both originals, i definitely prefer this version.

i wonder who is like this one

     

'For Emma, Forever Ago', was, without a doubt, one of the biggest successes accumulated from an independent self-release in a very long time, and well-deserved at that. Bon Iver, in particular Justin Vernon, became a musical phenomenon, and if this wouldn't be his rise to fame, then his guest appearance on Kanye West's latest solo album, 'My Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy', surely did the trick. He has had quite a journey, to say the least, from recording his first release as Bon Iver in a cottage out in the middle of nowhere, in solitude, to being one of the biggest names in music. Therefore springs the question; what might have been lost?

When listening to the self-titled 'Bon Iver', you instantly realize that things have changed, and what you'll first notice is probably that this time around, Justin has spoiled himself with the power of electricity, luring you in with an enthralling electric guitar. He now has the resources, and the peace of mind to create this album as an evolution of what 'For Emma' was, and you could absolutely see his EP 'Blood Bank' as a transition of sorts between the two albums. Though some might be intimidated of his change of scenery, this should be considered a good thing. We already had 'For Emma', and with the scenery changing for him personally, it's only natural that this is reflected in his music as well. While his freshmen release was beautiful and moving in it's solitude, this is beautiful and moving in it's grandeur. His two releases shouldn't be seen as different as such, but rather as complimentary. We have been waiting for a sequel, not a remake. This is the sequel. This is Bon Iver 2.0. This is, in spite of what he might think he knows, magnificent.

the fourth greatest album of 2011 is 

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

best song - 'michicant'

below you will find the five greatest remixes of this year, in a particular order:

Adele - 'Rolling in the Deep' (Jamie xx Shuffle Remix)
       

with a release date of 06/01/2011, this is definitely cutting it close, but i just couldn't leave a track such as this to chasing pavement. 'rolling in the deep' is probably one of this years absolute hits, and to have such a prominent up-and-comer do a remix feels as unsurprising as refreshing. the beauty of the lingering bassline, along with the added contrast from the pitched voice of john legend does nothing but add to the simplistic depth that has come to define our dear jamie xx. excellence is the bare minimum.

Lykke Li - 'I Follow Rivers' (Tyler, the Creator remix)
       

yet another simple yet hard-hitting beat, signed by, of course, none other than tyler, the creator. with what instantly feels like a match made in heaven, tyler blends his, to put it lightly, daunting rap with the haunting voice of lykke li. best of two worlds, in both of which i'd dive in, head first.

Frank Ocean - 'Thinking About You' (SBTRKT remix)
       

frank ocean has had quite a year, between seeing his fellow friends from the odd future wolf gang kill them all clan tour the world from afar and releasing his debut album, he found himself starring on jay-z and kanye's collab 'watch the throne', which was, without a doubt, the most anticipated release of the year. 'thinking about you' was just a flick of a brick away from making the top 5 original songs, but this remix by sbtrkt [subtract] had a spot guaranteed. disregarding the shoddy production value, this absolutely breathes the essence of frank ocean, while adding the experimenting that has come to define sbtrkt. i need this remastered. 

Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans (The Internet remix)
       

another odd future addition, this time together with who is probably the most talked about artist of the past couple of months, lana del rey. gahwd, the remixes has been pouring down over her two only released songs 'blue jeans' and 'video games', primarily the latter, but the sensual feel of this production is so thick you could probably use it for all kinds of things. i still, several months later, can't got over the sensual addition the ambient background strokes brings. i just can't. they say chocolate is an aphrodisiac. sure, spend your money on that; i have this.

New Navy - Zimbabwe (Flume remix)
       

and here we have it, mambo number five. probably the least controversial of the bunch. flume previously provided a first class track in 'sleepless', and after this i've no doubt that we've lots more to expect from this man. i suggest that you listen to the original after this, just to see the amount of change he actually brought to this song, and how well it works. that said, if you like this, you'd probably be better off turning to flume or foals, since that's more up the alleyway of this remix than new navy. and that, ladies and gentlemen, is what makes remixes so great - the added dimension.

strange nostalgia for the present

     

For someone who grew extremely tired of their sophomore full-length 'In Ghost Colours' past the first year of release, Cut Copy is a band that has now managed to reinvent themselves while still keeping the original core that set all of those hearts on fire three years ago. With their obvious retro disco feel, there's really not much like it out there nowadays, and to be honest, there doesn't need to be. This band managed to follow a critically acclaimed album with an even better one. 'Zonoscope' is an album that shelters the mindset of their past, but brings it in to a new, modern, era.

Where they will take this next, I don't know. 'Blink and you'll miss a revolution', they sing in one of their singles off of this album; this, however is just an evolution, but a pretty darn good and well needed one at that.

the fifth greatest album of 2011 is 

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

below you will find the five greatest original tracks of this year, in a particular order:

James Blake - 'Wilhelm Scream'
       

simply this years greatest track. james blake is not only reinventing modern music, but is also constantly reinventing himself. managing to pull off a song with what essentially is two sentences does nothing but showcase his variety and potential as an artist. this track was not the beginning, nor his ticket to fame; it was his ticket to history.

Tyler, the Creator - 'Yonkers'
       

the biggest, baddest, and yet simplest beat of the year. this, combined with the outlandish voice of tyler, the creator/wolf haley, is, simply put, nothing short of hypnotizing. this song will make you feel like the king of the universe. swag.

Jamie Woon - 'Shoulda'
       

voice, finesse, lyrics, production. 'shoulda' showcases all of these things; from the mesmerizing production, through jamie's soothing voice, to the descriptive yet restrained lyrics. jamie woon does really have "it", but i'm convinced that we have yet to see him in his prime.

M83 - 'Raconte - Moi Une Historie'
       

without a doubt one of the most interesting songs of this year. without a doubt one of the most heartfelt productions of this year. to be honest i could've picked anything off of this new album as a top five entry, but there's just something captivating in how the bouncy production and trippy lyrics are presented in such an assuring and harmless way.

Drake - 'Marvin's Room'
       

i've never been a fan of drake, but one thing led to another and so i ended up listening to 'marvin's room'. i wasn't instantly hooked. i wasn't impressed, though i did respect, but not fully understand, his choice to release this as his first track from his then forthcoming and much anticipated sophomore album, 'take care'. so i ended up listening to it again, and again. and if you wouldn't consider the above, 'raconte - moi une historie', to be one of the most heartfelt productions of the year, then this is the one. tell me, have you heard that lately?

echoes, silence, patience, etc.

     

stream - download

third and "final" entry in the mixtape trilogy from the weeknd, though I can promise you that we'll see more from this guy, especially with drake backing him up.

below is an outstanding track from his first mixtape - house of balloons

The Weeknd - The Party & The After Party

       

one, two, you're the girl that I want

     

The Roots - I Remember

   

your ink is the pain in my side

     










James Blake - Love What Happened Here

       

4 p.m.

get off work, signs out, clocks out. gather my things, say my goodbyes. gather the group - there's nils, there's petra, coolio. heading towards the buss, random chitchat about our forthcoming night out.

-

Eastern Girls (David's Lyre Remix)

       

4.30 p.m.

on the bus, naptime.

woop, cool, almost there. i throw a few glances behind me - yup, they're all here. everyone equally tired from a hard days work. soon things will be different.

-

The Hood Internet - VCR (feat Freddie Gibbs, Telli of Ninjasonik, Elizabeth Harper of Class Actress)
       

5.30 p.m.

off the bus. time to hit the shelves for some beer and what have you. need some nasal spray also - the lack of which is probably the only thing currently standing between me and a great night.

-

The Internet – Cocaine (Little Dragon remix)

       

6 p.m.

inside! open up a beer, bring forth the sweet stuff. peace out.

(this better last you for the weekend!)

        

            (advent with david wilson, follow him)

new directions

i have resigned.

     

hence, the countdown has begun. the countdown to the end of this chapter. the countdown to the beginning of a new chapter. an unusually short, but equally well deserved and needed chapter.

twenty seven days in sweden.


speaking of advent - why don't you celebrate it with david's lyre who is releasing a song (cover, original, remix, what have you) every day up until - that's right - christmas day, with an accompanying video for the song. follow the spectacle here. (and watch his contribution for day six below)


       

not to fall short, i am hereby also starting my advent celebration countdown shindig. i'm aware that i am a bit late (i'll catch up). so, every day, i'll share something nice, but only up 'til christmas eve (sweden style!)

p.s. this will probably the only time i'll embed a youtube entry with video d.s.

a strange place without snow

     

so, once again winter is upon us. once again the days are being counted.

once again I'll spend my days leading up to christmas drinking mulled wine and listening to sufjan stevens excellent album 'songs for christmas'; I've attached my favorite excerpt below.

Sufjan Stevens - Holy, Holy, Holy

       

since a couple of years back, this has been, literally, the most played album of mine every december (though there might have been a slight sidetracking of that last december with 'my beautiful dark twisted fantasy'). lööv it.


the only thing that does not seem to repeat itself is that, for the first time, my surroundings lack the comfort of white, pure, comforting snow.

though I'll have my fair share of that in about a month, I reckon.

     

I'm not traditionally one for "art" in the sense of paintings and so forth, and I have therefore no opinion nor perception of dali, but I find this a capture of true genius at work.

truly a remarkable photo - which apparently took dali and the photographer six hours and twentyeight throws (of water, a chair, and three cats)

sure, I'll catch one for you

     


Star Slinger - How Will I Copulate (Moranis Mashup feat. Whitney)






   

Hi Darren,


Me and a couple of mates are heading down to the Grand Social tonight in Dublin to see you drop some tunes. Do you have any idea of when you'll start the set? Thinkin' just so that we'll have time to prepare with a proper amount of alcohol before we set our hearts on fire.


Peace!


/Patric

so yeah, going to see star slinger tonight.

i would've put tints on my windows

     

and tyler, i may steal what you write, so sure, go ahead, keep me in sight
i'm not scared of you, i stopped that a long time ago
stopped being a coward, stopped caring what you'd all take me for
for critics writing reports, but no, i'm still not stabbin' anybody with a pitchfork

i'm not gonna take a crack on those guys, but sure, haters gon hate
i just think this shit's getting kinda mainstream as of late

my words may come out right, but i'm still the same old guy
if i care for you i'll show it, if i like you you'll know it
but if i don't, i'll probably ask you to shut your mouth
and i'll definitely not ask you what you're thinking about, or what you like
and i don't care if you mind, 'cause that's kinda where i'm at right now

so maybe i'm not still the same,
i'm kinda pretentious, is that such a shame?
that i've stopped pretending, that i now'll tell you you're lame
i might hurt your feelings, but i'm still keeping it true,
i would, without a doubt, fuck your gf in front of you

start a big bang theory, me, your sister and your wife to be,
leave them cryin' for more, that stuff has never bothered me
why would i cockblock myself, i'd love to leave it out for everyone to see

for everyone to grab, just say the word and i'll stab,
you in whichever of your holes, where you at, miami, spanish sahara,
india, i don't mind praying to the foals

to be honest, i'd say that my patience's wearing thin
all these bitches got em sayin' oh please let us in
why would i let them in, i don't care for them,
not mad for them, can't stand to see them scrambling the tin

as in reality i think i'll never meet your mother
8 more years, you should probably forget about a brother
forget about yourself, you're nothing more than a thought on the calender
just a splash on the bedpost, just a stain from the adder

i've been thinking 'bout forever

     










i was watching QI today, with a guest appearance from professor brian cox. what an amazing man.

what was even more amazing was when i sat in awe, listening to the most beautiful thing, told by stephen fry. he was talking about this memory he had from school. this memory he had from chemistry class, when his teacher was holding a rose he had just picked from his garden. a rose, which he slowly dipped in a prepared liquid formula. after lifting the rose from the container, he smashed it towards the table, at which point the rose shattered into a thousand pieces.

it may sound destructive, but the thought of something so soft; so pure and beautiful, shattering into a thousand pieces, like if it had been crafted out of porcelain, really hits home.
how something so soft; so pure and beautiful, can suddenly turn into the most vulnerable thing you ever saw.
how circumstances can change the most basic formula on which we depend, on which we rely on things to adhere by.

Frank Ocean - Thinking About You (SBTRKT Edit)

       

hearts don't mush, they shatter.

stumble on my footprint

     

cults jobbar på att göra ett mixtape av sitt debutalbum, först upp är freddie gibbs - sneak peek nedan.

Cults feat. Freddie Gibbs - Bad Things (Remix)

       

och ja, det är fan skitbra.

foreplay's a bitch

     

i follow the breadcrumbs,
but still can't seem to find home

those bright eyes seem to take a piss
on everything i've ever known

treating my life of tragedy with parody
while i'm treading every step more careful than i'd care for yeah

withdrawal is my bitch and indifference my girlfriend
is it hard to understand, i'm tryin' to avoid all this hurt man?

since i left you, i've found the world so blue,
the avalanches drowns not only the critique, but my happiness too

she's the one who got me here, who got me going real nice
not just cockwise but she also turned me counter clockwise
got me dropping all my fears, stopped listening to my peers
it may have been done before, but listen, i'm the king of all deers

i'm not here to rip on faggots, is that why you're still calling me one?
'cause i don't put any effort towards proving that i'm not one,
but i'd fuck a bitch to pass the time,
i'd love a bitch to make her mine,
always put her first in line
i've got more problems than i can cunt, stop wasting my damn time
i've got more g's than a faggot, but still can't seem to make her mine

i'm feeling childish, i don't wanna be a part of your community,
no need to help me make it through

to the other side of the glass,
of my window of memories
i'm real happy for you kanye,
but imma trade museums for reality
won't wrap my feelings up real nice to see
they'll have to live with the real thing, they'll have to live with seeing me be me

fuck a bitch to pass the time

     

biljetten hem är bokad. tionde januari.

en ljus vinter är på väg. förhoppningen är att det inte är alldeles för mörkt i sveriges januari - hur som helst så känns det som ingenting annat än en snabb passage.

vetskapen om vad som väntar efteråt bleknar ut nutiden. fast inte så farligt - mest fan vad jag måste spara pengar. pengar till asien.

vill gärna ha lite kvar när jag kommer hem dessutom, till början av resten av mitt liv.
(nae, det betyder inte att jag planerar att stanna på ett ställe då och för alltid, men det låter fint, och det är ju vad jag handlar om för det mesta)

mer betyder det nog att jag faktiskt kan ta bilder och försöka droppa tunes istället för tomma rhymes!

Elephant - Assembly

       

p.s. gud så beach house och härligt d.s.

i think we can get a bit higher

     

Childish Gambino - Freaks and Geeks (Star Slinger Remix)

       


-


     

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie xx Remix) ft. Childish Gambino

       

i learned to cut out the middle man

Donald Glover - Reality
Troy Barnes - Community (mixed feelings about this show, first season is fantastic, second is on the verge of being too "meta")

this dude won't even know what hit him.

Childish Gambino - Bonfire

       

and yeah, there's a lot of "power" in this track, if you know what i mean, hah -

_lots_ of kanye influences on the album, which you can stream here - camp

these bitches in my bedroom

     

you'd think i'm missin' pussy,
but i'm missing my best friend

all i've got now is me,
and though that's more than you'll ever be,
lena handén'll no longer cut it for me

i'm not missin' pussy, just that friendly grind on my knee,
just that loving welcome when you set my lower part free.

she always whispered in my ear, 'blow me away',
and i always did, i'd always come out to play.

she always held my hand, 'life will find a way',
but i don't fucking care, 'cause that's what they all say.

i want something special, and though that might make me a faggot,
i'm still active, i've got more fuckin' bitches than you've got!

or will ever have, 'cause that's who i motherfucking am,
for that little something, i'll search every part of every woman, in every land.

these are not my babies, nor the cows'

     

New Navy - Zimbabwe (Flume Remix)

       

we're only two thirds, love

     


jag hade hoppats att en gyllene nyckel skulle ge mig drömmar som borgmästare i en liten gyllene stad.

jag hade hoppats att jag skulle kunna doppa den i choklad, att jag i solljuset skulle kunna sitta och se den rinna av, tills nyckeln, tills mitt hjärta blir lika rent som omständigheterna det vill befinna sig i.



det här är tredje dagen i rad som jag drömmer konstigt. som jag drömmer jobbigt. som jag drömmer nödvändigt.

verkligheten känns mer ofattbar än drömmen. drömmen känns som någonting jag förtjänar.

     

harry, my dream is a code waiting to be

jag har precis börjat se twin peaks.
dock är jag ingen recensent, och avser ej heller att vara det.

intryck finns överallt.
inspiration är det jag söker.

     






jag drömmer så konstigt nu. förmodligen lika tydligt som special agent cooper.
desto mer jag drömmer, desto mer börjar drömmarnas verklighet komma ikapp den jag kallar min egen.

det blåser obehagliga, men nödvändiga vindar i mina drömmars kappa.

hanggliders och någon som inte bör nämnas vid namn. verkligheten kommer ikapp, viljestyrkan kommer ikapp.

snälla, var på riktigt.


M83 - Raconte-Moi Une Histoire

       

remind, rewind

i'm imagining, i'm just taking notes
fuck no, i'm not imagining, i am rippin' clothes 

i think i do at least, i'm grabbing tits and asses. 

this is for real right? it must be. 

'pinch me', i slap her face.
i lay her down, yeah, i must be awake 

if not, at least i'll fight the clock
'cause this girl ain't leaving with her knees in a lock.

     

i won't stop, i already beat the clock
beat you to the thought 

you better hold tight 

you better bite with all your might

'cause that pillow is your only friend tonight. 

               - the only lover that you'll have tonight.

time flies back and forth

tiger, tiger. någons hjärta går i mol.
någons hjärta kommer måla din värld i kärlekens färger.

     

James Blake - Evening Fell Hard for Us     


       

blue jeans

     

Kanye West - Christian Dior Denim Flow

       

i remember the riots

     

ett

första gången du sa att du älskar mig

två

andra gången du sa att du älskar mig

tre

tredje gången du sa att du älskar mig

fyra

fjärde gången du sa att du älskar mig

fem

femte gången du sa att du älskar mig

sex

sjätte gången du sa att du älskar mig

sju

sjunde gången du sa att du älskar mig

åtta

åttonde gången du sa att du älskar mig

nio

nionde gången du sa att du älskar mig

tio
för att göra det till en topp-tio.

ett leende från er alla är befogat. hur gulligt är inte detta liksom?

just watch

     








ett extra lager, som att man inte har tillräckligt mycket att döma en människa på.

en magisk dragningskraft, helt oberoende av resterande lager. oberoende av utseende. oberoende av personlighet. oberoende av ägare.

en självskapad dragningskraft, byggd på erfarenhet.

att allt som behövs är viljan.

jag tror nästan det. jag tror att kärlek är ett sinnestillstånd.

älska väljer man att göra. älskar gör man den man vill.

-


såklart får ni en låt också. hur skulle detta annars gå.

tillägnad det motsatta könet. löjligt sexig låt.

Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans (Odd Future's the Internet Remix)

       

breathe in

     

unwind, little one, unwind.
before there was now, there was time
there was love, there was life. there was hope in sight.

unwind, great sorrow, unwind.
nothing heals in time.
hearts heal together. come share your heart with mine.

unwind, unbreakable dream, unwind.
you will change in time.
not disappear, but possibly collide.
with reality. with life. please, love, unwind.

     







Star Slinger - Mornin'

       


_

     

Flume - Sleepless ft. Anthony For Cleopatra

       
  

release

     

en ny era har påbörjats. inte bara för mig, för patrikmedc, utan också för musik. som Geoff Barrow så motvilligt uttryckte det
"Will this decade be remembered as the Dubstep meets pub singer years?".


om det låter så här så är mitt svar:
"åh, gud, jag hoppas verkligen det"

       

(fast han skulle nog inte förstå)

you are a super player

påskveckan verkar inte vara det den förväntades att vara.
mycket mer jobb än jag hoppades.

lika mycket jobb som vanligt.
men då är det tur att jag har möjlighet att spela super mario world. finaste och bäst.
och väldigt väldigt annorlunda jämför med alla andra itterationer om denne fete rörmokaren och hans gröna dinosaurievän.

     

igår såg jag kanye live på coachella.
på internet.

Pling.

Pling.

Pling.

v

Pling.

Who got ya- who got ya- who- who- who got ya, ladies- who- ladies and gentle- who got ya- ladies and gentlemen.

gud. vi ses på way out west.

hungry like the wolf

jag är på jakt. jakten håller mig vaken. håller mig levande.
jakten äter mig, helt och hållet.

jag är utanför dublin. och kommer vara här i minst ett år.

planerna skissas. planerna för framtiden och för mig och för dig. hela tiden.
jag har ett idéal. men det kommer inte delas ut.

men jag finns fortfarande kvar. för alla.

     

här är jag, en bild jag inte sett på flera månvarv. men för första gången på kanske någonsin så tycker jag att den jag var speglar exakt den jag är idag. många år i mitten. men på något sätt har jag hamnat där jag var för nitton år sedan. i mig. bara mig.

jag är så fin. det är ni också. men inte irländarna.