Tuesday, January 29, 2008

My Favorite group

Update: Link added

I like the Bodies Without Organs, for their originality and vivid use of language in their songs. This group is like ABBA, but more mellow and sociable towards to good causes. I really think they are sensible towards the global causes that are making news.

Bodies Without Organs or BWO formed in Sweden in 2003. Their first song was released in 2004. The group gained much of the platform after the release of their hit single, Let it rain because it was remixed by many deejays.

The social causes Bodies Without Organs does are far greater than any other group in their genre. They are involved in Habitat for Humanity, Make poverty history, WHO, and many other. The causes made me look up to this band. I believe this band is only that is crying to change the world with the music and involvement.

People will be inspired by this group to push for the problems that people in worse condition face. Words that are carefully chosen to make the listeners move towards liberal policies that should be adopted and ideas. Problems that we face today are not affecting us alone but the world. It is not about us but world as whole.

I think they need a wider audience and more concise message of making the music more towards the masses other than with a European perspective. I am really glad that I choose this group as my favorite group. They really deserved it.

Tale of Change

The city Newtonmore, Scotland, It may appear a quite countryside to visitors during daylight but at night it is totally different. I was in Scotland to experience the lifestyle for three months as international exchange student from small suburb of Columbus.

The city is located near River Spey, near Scotland. It is a very small village. All around the city there was same scent which was a mixture of fish and fresh cut of grass. People seemed to be content with their daily life. Locals are obsessed with biking and fishing, it is known for its scenic bike trails and fisheries. I found it to be strange because they looked healthy and fit.

At the beginning, I was ill-minded about whole arrangement of staying in middle of nowhere, but things started to get better when it was night. My host and I family went to a rave-like restaurant because of my dull behavior upon arrival, (I came to see cultural and historic sites, but instead I was stuck in a city where people like fishing and eat English muffin.) where people eat and watch other people dance on the floor. It was interesting to see how the people on the dance floor use the beats of the music to flow smoothly. My impressions of slow village live of the locals started to fade way because they didn’t seemed to care about their slow-paced lifestyle in the rave because they dancing and kicking right and left harmoniously to electronic music.

My first day Scottish school was in school uniform. I haven’t really liked the idea of wearing a uniform to place. I always felt uniforms are to deprive pupils from their individualism and questioned my peers about it. They answered aggressively in favor of uniforms. One of my classmates asked me about my home country and my adopted country music. I replied that my home country is pretty much in sync with each other, like any other countries in the world. I thought she thought that I was an arrogant and ignorant fellow. She addressed her opinion kindly with her CD of Armin van Buuren. I haven’t heard anything like it until that day. I immediately apologized for my ignorant behavior.

I opened my eyes completely after the brief chat with that girl. I still think music is the same. I guess you have to be open minded when you experience different parts of the world. Scottish school had one thing in common; they didn’t allow students to come in late but they allow the students to listen to music in liberal arts classes. In Upper Arlington, music players were banned or confiscated. The tiny things are a sense of democratic behavior in school with two tiny classrooms then multiple classrooms with communistic teachers and administrators.

My perspective of the culture of Scotland was guys in kilts and long sleeves and girls in blouse and tunics. Well, it was a wrong assumption on my behalf. People live enjoying their jobs and lifestyle. They go on fishing trips together and have a specific task. Music is the most cherished thing to them. My host sister took me to a rave during school nights where I saw lot of people from school. From that point I decided to mingle with the people and the end isolation. I enjoyed the music too; it was mix of beats and vocals which was totally a different experience.

Music and dance rave in Scotland taught me to live with an open mind. Technically, electronic music was a mix of many which I wanted to know from the experience. I gained a new perspective and friends as well as a family. Music made the dull life of Newtonmore much easier to handle. I learned that I can’t be a one man island which draws a wall between the people who I wanted to know.

After nine weeks that I spent in an isolated society near the river Spey came to an end but did not ended my relationship with my host family. The night before, my departure to Columbus, my hosts executed a really good farewell dinner honoring me. I was packing my bags and harmonica when my host mom called me downstairs to eat, but little did I know it was a surprise. I chuckled and was amazed at my friends who made me one of them. It was the moment that I first cried in Scotland.

As I write this reflection of my metamorphosis that changed me for the best, it feels I am missing something in Ohio right now. This made me search my attic for the faded memory into my present. I contracted my host family only twice after coming to Columbus and this piece made me do it again. On a note, they still remember me and we share some bi-weekly updates of our lives.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

what is trance means to me?

Trance is somewhat well known to people around the world. Fans are frequently hosting parties across the world. Trance music is produced with high tempo beats and stretchy background noises. Synthesizers are mainly used in making the effects of the music. Beats are much faster than other genre of music.
I think the music moves you emotionally and physically. As many people know me as a trance freak. As trance freak, I feel greatly feel the music releaving my stress from work and school. I was hooked on this music, when I went to live in Scotland as foreign exchange student from Upper Arlington High shool in 2006. I did not even know any types of music existed other than American mainstream music in the west.
Trance was introduced to me by friend named Mia. She was totally into the music. She had collected some cds of her trance artists. I loved her collection which was sort of rock and puck fused together. It is truly international because it blends all music from around the world and form them in an electrized music.
Tranc is probablly the most well known form of the electronic music because of its fused to make other culture listen to message from beats but not just the words alone.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

What is trance anyway?

I believe that electronic manipulated music has greater effect than other form of music. It generally consists of higher rate of tempo. One form of the electronic music is Trance. Trance is divided into Acid, Classic, Cyber, Euro, Goa, Hard, Hardstyle, Progressive, Psychedelic, Uplifting , Tech, Vocal.

Acid trance formed in 1980’s. It is an old trance, which utilizes the “acid” sounds in the music. Classic trance is softer version of acid which followed after acid. Euro trance was made by primarily western European artists. They produced the beats and vocals organically. Goa trance was influenced by night life in Indian state of Goa in mid-1990’s. Hard trance is consists of harder beads and more variation of song types. , Progressive, Psychedelic, Uplifting , Tech, Vocal are generally newer form of trance which shares same patterns as Euro and Acid but more mellower.

Most dance music are called “trance” even if they don’t meet requirements for it. Mainstream trance allows the listeners to participate in their own ways. Trance is only form of electronic music being played in American and Canadian dance club.

I think Vocal trance has much more to offer apart from other form of trance because more people like to listen to vocal. Most of European music channels changed their dance charts with R&B and rap into trance. In America, vocal trance is gaining popularity and biting some music market share. I think if you are new to whole trance genre, you should start with vocal.

Listen to artists like: Milk Inc, Armin van Buuren, Larsgo, Sylver, Kate Ryan.




Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Electronica is a therapy

I was a mediocre student, who tried and tried to do better to get good grades but didn't get them. I knew the problems I faced were internal. I was challenged to grasp the knowledge which was given to me by teachers but I couldn't. I believe that people around assumed that I was "mental".

Thing started to change when I moved to Newtonmore, Scotland in 1994. I was admitted to learn rich unique culture of European rural communities. It was big change since I didn’t get know the life style people in other part lead. My host family showed compassion and openness that most people didn’t show towards me.

One Saturday night, my host sister and I went to a dance bar to have a good time. It was my first time to experience electronica. I felt it was liberating and most influenced. I liked the tempo and rhythm which was already known but faster paced then the original. Other genre of music became ambiguous from that night.

Trance is the reason of my recent success other than my work ethic.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Beats after beats

I think I will be talking about the Electronica genre and movies.
I will be writing about Djs, bands, rock, new age, and euro pop. I feel the people should know about various artists who are performing in various venues. I will also posting about latest tracks and mixes from the hottest djs from across the world. I will also emphases. I am also put more news on music. Lately, I feel that RIAA and MPAA are acting like bulls and fighting bullishly on protecting media. They don't realized people made them big in the first place and they are fighting the very people who endorsed their work in the first place. I will be providing my analysis and commenting on the current situation.