We are Euphonic

Donora

0 Comments 04 February 2010

Say hello to Donora, the Rostrum Records band who made Pittsburgh’s hottest local album of the year. My friend Laura just put me onto this band this week, and I already love them. So far, they have shared the stage with bands like The Ting Tings, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Tokyo Police Club, Elf Power, Cracker, Walter Meego, and Dressy Bessy. Check out their MySpace here, and catch some of their videos after the jump.

Also, download their self-titled album on iTunes now. Hottest tracks: I Think I Love You, Shout, and The Chorus.

We are Creative

Featured Artist – Elza Jo van Reenen

0 Comments 01 February 2010

Graphic artist Elza Jo van Reenen’s collection of eclectic art photography has become a popular medium in Holland. After spending a few years studying graphic design, Elza Jo eventually developed her passion by transforming her artistic drive into this experimental artwork you see before you, which was initially inspired at a strip club in Holland. There is something so modern and playful about her work that I love. Check out Elza Jo’s website here.

Link it.

We are Euphonic

Dio

0 Comments 01 February 2010

Clearly I’m not talking about the heavy metal Ronnie James. “Dio” is the alias of the 21-year-old Dutch rapper Diorno Braaf. Even though I don’t understand Dutch, I can still enjoy his sound and the videos! I was watching the video on the making of his track “Cool,” and Dutch sounds like such a bazaar language. (Check out my original post on Nederhop – hip hop of the Netherlands). Born in Amsterdam in 1988, Diorno was Influenced by Notorious BIG, Jay-Z and Eminem, and eventually started to write songs and rap in 2004. Check out some of his videos after the jump.
Visit his website here at diomusic.nl.

Dio feat. Jayh – Cool from Opslaan Als on Vimeo.

Dio – Cool Remix ft. Jayh, Ado’nis, KV & Kempi from Dux-Deluxe on Vimeo.

Dio & The Madd – Baby from Opslaan Als on Vimeo.

We are Euphonic

Broken Bells The High Road

0 Comments 01 February 2010

The High Road

Broken Bells | MySpace Music Videos

Bro­ken Bells “The High Road,” di­rect­ed by the ac­claimed So­phie Muller. If that voice sounds familiar to you, it’s because it should be. It’s James Mercer, the lead vocalist and guitarist from The Shins. James came together with producer Danger Mouse to form the young Broken Bells. And by young, I mean the pair first officially announced the project in late September 09.

Catch the self-titled de­but al­bum avail­able March 9, 2010. Find out more here.

We are Euphonic

B.O.B. – May 25th Mixtape

0 Comments 01 February 2010

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Click on the picture above to download B.O.B.’s May 25th Mixtape, the title of which is also the release date of his album. Be sure to check it out.

We are Euphonic

Slow Down

0 Comments 31 January 2010

Robin Thicke – Slow Down

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Download.

Robin Thicke samples one of my favorite Counting Crows songs, Colorblind, on his new track, Slow Down. Even though I can’t say this with entire confidence (since I have never seen Robin Thicke perform life), I don’t know if he could come close to their live performances. I’ve seen the Counting Crows twice in concert, and they always blow me away. Their energy is just so amazing.

Check out the original here…

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Counting Crows

We are Euphonic

Cudderisback Documentary

0 Comments 27 January 2010

KiD CuDi “cudderisback” – Directed by Jason Goldwatch – DatNewCudi.com from DP on Vimeo.

It’s all fun and games in Cudi’s “documentary” for his track, Cudderisback. While on the road in Boston, he decided to shoot a little music video in the hotel. Can you recognize the bouncy melody from somewhere? It’s Vampire Weekend’s “Ottoman.”

Video Breakdown: Cudi displays his lip-syncing skills to his own music as well as his abundance of weed. Way to cut down expenses for the shoot… well, that is depending on how much that weed cost.

We are Random, We are The Big Idea

Waiting on Ourselves to Change

1 Comment 25 January 2010

When presented with the all too daunting and overwhelming question of the “meaning of life,” I always come back to one answer: the pursuit of self-awareness. The above picture is of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, that is our instinctual needs as human beings. It is pretty self-explanatory, and I’m sure you can draw your own meaning from it.

Is it us that change or is it just our surroundings? Do experiences really change us or do they just change how we think about the world? A few of my friends have left to study abroad in the past couple weeks, going everywhere from Paris to Prague to Madrid to Norway. It got me thinking of my Summer in London and the experience I had there.

I definitely gained some confidence and valuable experience in the Design industry, but how much did the experience really change me? I think making the decision to live abroad, getting accustomed to a new culture and becoming familiar with a new city, have all added in parts to my independence. Sometimes, (if this is not true about everything in our lives for certain people), we do things because we want them to change us in some way, or we want to grow somehow from the experience. I went abroad because I wanted to expand my knowledge not only of another culture but also of myself in some sense.

Last night I was chatting with a friend about relationships which eventually turned into a conversation about change, primarily the question whether or not people can change. I’ve always wanted to believe that people can change, but it’s something I’ve battled with for years. Sometimes we want something so badly that we convince ourselves we can change either ourselves or another person involved. What we fail to see however is that change takes time, and we have no control over someone else’s progress and growth, which is independent from our own.

When we finally can realize actually how little control we have over others, it can free us from the burdens of this naive and usually unfulfilled hope. Often times when we love someone, or even when we don’t, we choose to see that person for who we want them to be instead of who they actually are. Similarly, we see ourselves for who we aim to be instead of who we present ourselves as. Just as when we see, what we experience is affected by what we already know and believe to be true.

I’m not saying that there is no hope for change and growth. I am however saying that it is extremely difficult, and a process that takes years if not a lifetime. And I think that’s ok. For in reality, if we started out perfect, where would we have to progress? As humans we are flawed. I think the trick is to recognize those flaws and address them humbly. If we are to love someone fully, we must love them with all of their flaws and accept that they are human.

If we are to change at all in any way, we must be able to look at ourselves for what we truly are, in an honest light. We must then, and not first, be actually willing to change something. As long as we think it is the world around us that needs changing and not us, we will never be able to grow.

We are Euphonic

Best I Ever Had Cover

0 Comments 18 January 2010

Andy Suzuki & The Method take a fresh new take on the lyrics and melody to Drake’s “Best I Ever Had.” I love these guys. Check it out!

We are Random

Notes from my Journal

2 Comments 18 January 2010

There is a quote I have always liked… it goes something like, “love is an environment which you surround someone with in order for them to grow to their fullest potential.”

In our lifetime, we are constantly moving through different environments. Our moods are affected by so many different factors, both external and internal. I am what you would call a “highly sensitive person.” My mood depends greatly on those of the people around me. It is exhausting living with our emotions day in and day out, our ever changing moods clashing with others. This is where love comes in. It’s like our immune system, fighting off infections and disease. There is no big plastic bubble to step into to protect ourselves from the world around us. But when love is present, somehow the fight seems to fade away and become less important. When someone loves us fully and entirely with all of our flaws, it gives us courage. We are surrounded with an environment which allows us to thrive and grow.

Moment of truth – I haven’t been inspired much on the subject of love lately, but I was looking back in my journal, and I had written this a couple years back. I still think it holds true and not just in romantic relationships.

In romantic love you want the other person. In real love you want the other person’s good.
-    Margaret Anderson

Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.
-    Robert Heinlein

Keep your heart and mind open always!