HANDCLAPS&WHISTLES

Wanderland 2013: New Discoveries Last weekend, I attended the...

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:48:33 -0700

Wanderland 2013: New Discoveries

Last weekend, I attended the very first indie music arts & festival in the Philippines. What excites me about these things other than lying under the sun with a beverage in hand while listening to music is the chance to discover new artists and to see my favorite ones live.

One of the bands that caught my attention is the duo from Australia, Colour Coding. My friends were fans and it only took awhile for me to get the rundown of who they are and what their popular song is.

Let me start you off with their EP, Proof. Each track exudes playfulness and adoring lyrics about young love. My favorite tracks are Hold Tight & Perfect.

You can change what you say ‘til it’s all gone away, oh- hold tight this will all go your way cause you’ll never change one thing that’s how you feel.

Recommended to fans of: Capital Cities, Atlas Genius and The Naked & Famous

Up next is Tully on Tully which sounds like a mutation of Ida Maria and Florence + The Machine. With progressive beats that is reminiscent of Dog Days Are Over but still maintaining a mysterious aura. Tully on Tully will surely keep you on your toes. Here’s Naked, a captivating single from the Australian crooner, Natalie Foster.

All I can give you is all that I’ve got
I’ve got nothing to hold you away from the dark if you leave

Recommended to fans of: Emma-Louise, Florence + The Machine & Ida Maria

Moving on to the two local favorites I’ve discovered. I have a confession, I rarely listen to OPM. My bestfriend from highschool and I made a silly pact during our freshman year to avoid listening to local music due to the emergence of copycats doing bad acoustic covers of popular songs which is still prevalent. This had consequences because I missed out on amazing artists such as Up Dharma Down & She’s Only Sixteen. Seeing these bands live prove that I should open up to listening to local bands whose lyrics (in my mother tongue) is so heartfelt and rings true to the heart.

She’s Only Sixteen was introduced to me by my Brazilian friend months before the festival. Imagine my surprise when he said they are a local band that sounds like The Strokes. Of course, I jumped right in. They had such a fire-y set which started with this song, Dying To Meet You.

I’m singing this song in hopes that will be
Holding hands again,
no need to pretend,
time will help us mend,
I love you till the end.

Up Dharma Down’s music is clearly made for my heart. I swear I thought I would cry when I first heard Tadhana live. It has #feels written all over it. The emotion evoked in Filipino just had more impact than I would ever imagine. Their lyricism blew me away and I got caught up listening to their entire discography this week which is probably why it took me awhile to finish this write-up. Listen to the live version of Tadhana & Oo below.

Bakit di pa sabihin
Ang hindi mo maamin
Ipauubaya na lang ba ‘to sa hangin

I’m looking forward to the next festival just to discover new artists to share with you guys.

Lady x Music Sounds Better With You by Jessie Ware & The...

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:46:48 -0700

Lady x Music Sounds Better With You by Jessie Ware & The xx

I feel loved
For the first time
And I know that it’s true
I can tell by the look in your eyes

A cover and a mashup of epic proportions. This is such a treat as they cover Lady (Hear Me Tonight) by Modjo and Stardust’s Music Sounds Better With You while using the downbeat of Sunsets. Could this get any better?

Make Me Feel Alive Every second here makes my heart beat...

Sun, 19 May 2013 01:30:16 -0700

Make Me Feel Alive

Every second here makes my heart beat faster
Finally think I found what I’m chasing after

A Top 40 mix for fleetwoodmacdonalds! It’s mixture of mashups and remixes of the songs we hear on the radio. Sometimes, you just have to flip it and reverse it to enjoy it in a new light.

Here’s to an endless summer night of debauchery and partying. Enjoy and proceed with caution!

01. The Hood Internet - Suit And Commercial (Justin Timberlake vs Daft Punk)
02. The Jane Doze - Follow Running Foxes (Zedd x Foxes x Deniz Koyu x Wynter Gordon x Youngblood Hawke)
3. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love Featuring Calvin Harris
04. Paris & Simo, Wolfgang Gartner, Coldplay feat. Krewella & Pendulum - Guilty Pleasure (3LAU Re-Edit)
05. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop (SCNDL Remix)
06. Bingo Players - Get Up (Rattle) Featuring Far East Movement
07. David Guetta - Play Hard (R3hab Remix) Featuring Ne-Yo
8. Icona Pop - I Love It Featuring Charli XCX
09. Will.i.am - Scream & Shout Featuring Britney Spears (Mattias Bootleg)
10. The Jane Doze - I Could Be Alive (Hardwell x Avicii x Nicky Romero x Krewella x Little Mix x Dirty South x Thomas Gold)
11. Pitbull - Feel This Moment Featuring Christina Aguilera (Sidney Samson Remix)
12. Carly Rae Jepsen - Tonight I’m Getting Over You
13. Fergie, Q-Tip & GoonRock - A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)
14. Martin Solveig - Hey Now Featuring The Cataracs & Kyle
15. Alesso vs OneRepublic - If I Lose Myself

DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE // LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

Until We Get There by Lucius What do you sayIs this the timeFor...

Sat, 11 May 2013 09:41:13 -0700

Until We Get There by Lucius

What do you say
Is this the time
For one more try
At a happy life

Sometimes you hear this incredible, perfect featured music in a show and you know you just have to find out what it is. For me, it’s this song from the last scene of New Girl (2x24 Winston’s Birthday).

It’s an adorable indie pop song worthy to be featured in a rom-com starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The progression, the oohs and the ahhs are way too cute to ignore.

Recommended to fans of: The OST to 500 Days of Summer (haha!)

Up All Night Got me up all night, constant drinking and love...

Sat, 11 May 2013 09:11:23 -0700

Up All Night

Got me up all night, constant drinking and love songs
Got me up all night, down and out with these love songs

Another late night driving mix for those times you’re losing sleep. Sometimes, you just want to drink the night away too.

01. J. Cole - Power Trip Featuring Miguel
02. Kendrick Lamar - Money Trees Featuring Jay Rock
03. DJ Khaled - No New Friends (SFTB Remix) Featuring Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
04. Miguel - How Many Drinks?
05. Lil Wayne - Love Me Featuring Drake & Future
06. DJ Khaled - Don’t Pay 4 It Featuring Wale, Tyga, Mack Maine & Kirko Bangz
07. A$AP Rocky - F**kin’ Problems Featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar
08. Tyga - Hit’em Up Featuring Tupac & Jadakiss
09. Young Jeezy - R.I.P. (Remix) Featuring YG, Kendrick Lamar & Chris Brown
10. Tyga - Dope Featuring Rick Ross

DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE // LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

Good night!

P.S. This might be the songs, I’d be bumping to if I’m still living in LA. So in some way, this is a tribute. It’s also an excuse to include Power Trip in a mix.

Prototype (Outkast Cover) by Tame Impala I hope that you’re the...

Fri, 10 May 2013 06:41:00 -0700

Prototype (Outkast Cover) by Tame Impala

I hope that you’re the one
If not, you are the prototype
We’ll tiptoe to the sun
And do things I know you like

This is the kind of tune that makes me feel like I’m floating.

Only You by Taken By Trees all I ever want is in front of...

Fri, 03 May 2013 22:03:57 -0700

Only You by Taken By Trees

all I ever want is in front of me

Remember the lovely voice from Peter Bjorn & John’s Young Folks? Apparently, VIctoria Bergsman has a solo project called Taken By Trees that started a while back. It’s too bad that I missed out on that but I’m glad I found this track that is equally infectious and adorable as Young Folks. I guess I’m spending my afternoon scouring her discography.

Signs Thom: Who are you talking about? Nick: Right now,...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:59:40 -0700

Signs

    Thom: Who are you talking about?
    Nick: Right now, Norah. No, Tris. Tris.
    Thom: You just haven’t figured it out yet, have you.
    Nick: What?
    Thom: The big picture!
    Nick: I guess not.
    Thom: The Beatles.
    Nick: What about them?
    Thom: This. [grabs Nick’s hand] Look, other bands, they want to make it about sex or pain, but you know, The Beatles, they had it all figured out, okay? “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The first single. It’s effing brilliant, right?… That’s what everybody wants, Nicky. They don’t want a twenty-four-hour hump sesh, they don’t want to be married to you for a hundred years. They just want to hold your hand.

A mix inspired by this fortune cookie passage that my friend, Kevin found in a subway in New York and the film, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist.

Call it a mix that has progression as it narrates the admission of feelings with the hopes that those feelings will be reciprocated.

I wanted a mix that builds up until the last track so I was extremely careful with the transition and how linear the songs would go as if telling an actual story from the point of view of the secret admirer. If you can’t say what you feel, then let the music speak.

01. Nick & Thom - Intro (The Big Picture)
02. The Dig - Break The Silence
03. The Kooks - Taking Pictures of You
04. Laura Jansen - Come To Me
05. The Paper Kites - Bloom
06. Angus & Julia Stone - Just a Boy
07. Lucy Rose - First
08. The Oh Hello’s - Hello My Old Heart
09. Iron & Wine - Joy
10. Vance Joy - Riptide
11. Mike Doughty - Real Love/It’s Only Life (Mary J. Blige/The Feelies Cover)
12. The Submarines - Submarine Symphonika
13. Pearl And The Puppets - Make Me Smile
14. She & Him - Got Me
15. The Smittens - Baby, Don’t You Know
16. T.V. Carpio - I Want To Hold Your Hand

DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE // LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

If you’re looking for a sign, look no further.

Get Lucky Featuring Pharrell by Daft Punk we’ve come to...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:05:00 -0700

Get Lucky Featuring Pharrell by Daft Punk

we’ve come to far to give up who we are
so let’s raise the bar and our cups to the stars

Updated with the radio edit! Yay!

Alive by Empire of the Sun freedom is within yougiving makes us...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:28:00 -0700

Alive by Empire of the Sun

freedom is within you
giving makes us feel good
hello to my people
say hello to the future

They’re back! Serving us with the same cinematic electropop anthem that only the duo can inspire with striking words such as the “future”, “freedom” and “alive”. Positivity illuminates so much from their music which made me fell in love with the band in the first place. Alive is definitely not shy in sending out good vibes. Now, put your fist up à la Breakfast Club and sing-along to this tune.The single is taken from their second LP, Ice on the Dune which will be available this June.

Finally Moving by Pretty Lights (Trip Hop) Just want to tell...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:28:00 -0700

Finally Moving by Pretty Lights (Trip Hop)

Just want to tell you right now
I really do believe it

Etta James’ Something’s Got a Hold on Me is one of those songs that has been oversampled and overplayed. From Avicii to Flo Rida, we’ve been hearing that lyrics, “Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling” for a while now.

Just when I was about to retire the whole thing, I heard this edit from a friend’s car. It was mindblowingly-good and liking it was instantaneous. A friend commented that it was ideal for making out. I can’t disagree, just imagine if Levels was made by Portishead and you’ll get the idea.

If you’re looking for a refreshing, devoid-of-pop re-edit of Levels then this is your jam.

Runaways by Mirror Kisses You might have someone nowbut...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 03:06:00 -0700

Runaways by Mirror Kisses

You might have someone now
but I’ll still be waiting in the end

A synthpop duo from Virginia, Mirror Kisses, is about to woo your hearts with an 80s sounding crooner. It’s so rare to find a track that has such grace and beauty wrapped in pure electronic goodness.

Recommended to fans of: Chvrches and M83 with a tad hint of The Rapture.

~~so good it hurts~~

Down The Road by C2C There are truly amazing things that I...

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:26:04 -0700

Down The Road by C2C

There are truly amazing things that I discover through other people and this is one of those. A Frenchman recommended this track after talking about Martin Solveig, Madeon and Daft Punk. He said that C2C is about to blow up and that I should listen to this track specifically. True enough, it did not disappoint.

C2C, 4 DJs from Nantes, specializes in turntablism and it is evident from the excellent splicing and sampling of Eddie Cusic’s You Don’t Have to Go. Let the track speak for itself!

Recommended to fans of: Justice and Daft Punk

By The Ocean “We fell in loveRight by the oceanMade all...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 03:23:32 -0700

By The Ocean

“We fell in love
Right by the ocean
Made all our plans
Down on the sand”

DOWNLOAD ZIP FILE // LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

I stared into the condensation forming on the outside of my cold beverage while I tried to disregard this unceasing heat surrounding me. I had a sudden impulse to make a summer playlist reminiscent of my Beat The Heat mix from last year.

This mix includes some of my current favorite indie tracks, a very short thrill much like summer flings. Here’s something you can dance to or play on your next roadtrip! Enjoy!

U Got The Power (Monsieur Adi Remix) by Swiss Lips...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:07:17 -0700

U Got The Power (Monsieur Adi Remix) by Swiss Lips (Nu-Disco)

All things are going against you,
we’ll fight them out in the avenues

Have you ever encountered a track that automatically fits your situation? This is it for me. Swiss Lips’ U Got The Power came at a time when I needed it. Providing affirmation that everything will be alright and even though it seems that the universe is against you, it’s not the end of it. There are good things coming and finding this track maybe one of it.

Recommended to fans of: Daft Punk, Youngblood Hawke, Foster The People

Alt-J live at the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert Such an incredible...

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 01:56:37 -0700

Alt-J live at the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Such an incredible and intimate acoustic performance from Alt-J. They sang, “Tesselate”, “Something Good” and “Matilda”and Joe Newman’s baritone is something to swoon over.

My Fingertips On My Lips / Hot Like Fire everything seems newI...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:26:00 -0700

My Fingertips On My Lips / Hot Like Fire

everything seems new
I can barely hold my tongue
to say the least I’m into you

01. Chet Faker - No Diggity
02. Ellie Goulding - High For This (The Weeknd Cover)
03. Disclosure - Latch Featuring Sam Smith
04. Phantogram - Mouthful Of Diamonds
05. MGMT - Electric Feel
06. LIPS - Super Rich Kids (Frank Ocean Cover)
07. Daft Punk - Something About Us
08. The xx - Stars
09. Chet Faker - I’m Into You
10. Bombay Bicycle Club - Video Games (Lana Del Rey Cover) Featuring Lucy Rose
11. Frank Ocean - Forrest Gump
12. Washed Out - Feel It All Around
13. Little Daylight - Overdose (Ghost Loft Remix)
14. SBTRKT - Wildfire
15. Kate Boy - Northern Lights

~~To that indelible feeling that you left on my lips…~~

DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE | LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

I received the most of interesting request from typhoonn the other day about a making out playlist. I really hope you like this one. I had the best time curating it. If I could, I would put the whole album of The xx (first one) but I ended up picking songs of the same tune and mood. For the title, it’s that movement a person does when he/she is trying to remember that electric feeling, yeah you know what I’m talking about.

P.S. I made an alternate cover this morning using a screencap from Across The Universe so I wasn’t able to include it in the zip but feel free to use this one.

Float On Bad news comes, don’t you worry even when it...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:00:00 -0700

Float On

Bad news comes, don’t you worry even when it lands
Good news will work its way to all them plans
Well, we’ll float on, good news is on the way

Sometimes, we just need reassurance that everything will be okay. I’ve been curating this mix for the past week to ease my mind off things and to send some positivity my way. It also helped me focus on what is really important. Allons-y!

01. Peter Bjorn And John - Nothing To Worry About
02. Modest Mouse - Float On
03. Miike Snow - The Wave
04. Spoon - The Way We Get By
05. The Wombats - Let’s Dance to Joy Division
06. Foals - Out of the Woods
07. Hunted Hunted - Keep Together
08. The Ettes - Take It With You

Sending some good vibes on your way!

DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE // LISTEN ON 8TRACKS

P.S. I made the album cover using apps from my mobile (Snapseed & Shape’d). It was pretty awesome! If you’re wondering what’s the significance of this photo, it was my go-to spot during the afternoons in The Valley where I would just sip on my latte and dream of the things I want in life.

can i make a request for a mixtape? i just started a new relationship so... songs to make out to. haha. i love all of your mixtapes, you are my go to source for new music. thank you so much. :)

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:24:20 -0700

Hello! You are most welcome. This is such an interesting request and I am so excited to curate this mix for you. Will keep you posted! ;)

Finally (Kings of Tomorrow Cover) by The xxFinally I meet youYou...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:23:59 -0800

Finally (Kings of Tomorrow Cover) by The xx

Finally I meet you
You don’t know what I’ve been through,
waiting and wondering about you