A Going Away Playlist

Well, I mean, I'm not going for good.

I'm on vacation for the next month or so, so  I thought I'd send myself off with a fun little playlist of the 5 top songs I have been listening to non stop in the lead up to this adventure. (Now, don't judge me... these songs are so catchy and dance-y, you can't help but absolutely get into a nice groove and dance yourself on holiday)

So, in no particular order, here's 5 of my favourite songs for my summer European get-away.

Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon

This one is really catchy, reminds me of a modern take on 80s pop. I love this one, it's probably one you're going to hear on radios everywhere right about now. I think its such a cute little song, and the music video is pretty cute too. The dance moves are rocking and the hairstyles need work, but I mean, that's pretty much my life story so I guess that resonates with me the most. 

Papaoutai by Stromae

Oh man, this is a powerful one. I don't speak French in the slightest but the music video speaks for itself. There's no denying that Stromae is a musical genius, take a look at Tous Les Mêmes. His music videos are always super on point too. The musicality is genius, but also the pain behind the song speaks across the boundaries of language.  I feel as though my words cannot even do this song justice. Just know that I have it playing on repeat. Although I do like Tous Les Mêmes, Papaoutai is my favourite one of his songs.

Magic by San Cisco

A bit lighter, something that I find quite enjoyable and fun. Mainly because I have a thing for cheesy horror props and cute love stories. The song itself has a catchiness about it that I can't deny, however, the music video sold it for me. This one was won out purely because of Nosferatu driving the Lamborghini and moon walking. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the kind of kitsch that San Cisco is putting out these days.

Pray To God by Calvin Harris, featuring HAIM

Okay, this one was won out despite the kick ass music video. I am officially a HAIM fangirl. Paired in with my love of electropop, come on, how was I going to leave this song out? Okay, so it's a bit old now, but as per usual, I have just discovered it. Non-stop music for working out. I feel like I can kick serious butt when listening to this song, it's really empowering. Lets be honest though, most HAIM songs make me feel that way, I don't know why the addition of Calvin Harris made this one any different.

Ship to Wreck by Florence + The Machine

Okay, I'm a bit torn about this one. The same level of feeling that Ceremonials had somehow cannot be matched by Florence's current album. Ceremonials had something in it... a deep melodic soulfulness that reminded me of prayer. However, this song comes close to capturing the essence I felt before. I will probably never be able to fall in love with this song the way I fell in love with the whole of Ceremonials, but damn, I think I'm close. This song is one for the repeat, until I know how I properly feel about it. 

Well, I guess that's about it. This and a whole lot of Fleetwood Mac, but I'm sure those of you who know me well enough know that I could probably dedicate a whole blog to The Mac. They are love, they are life. Now to work out whether or not I want to spend the upwards of $200 to go see them in concert. Decisions... decisions....

In the mean time, I'll be on vacation!

I hope you all stay safe and have a great next few weeks of break.

I'll see you when I get back :)

If you would like to keep up with my travels, my travel blog can be found here. I hope to be updating it daily, and when I can't, there is always my Instagram and my Twitter that you can keep up with.

Lots of love,

Kristen

Holy 80s Throwback Batman!

Hello everyone!

Delayed blog post, so very sorry for all two of you that read it. You know who you are.

This week a lot of my time has been spent watching The Sopranos and toying at the idea of productivity. A lot of toying with the idea, believe me.
In coming weeks, I will predict several states of meltdown and some scattered crying sessions. But in the mean time, let's talk about the music. Which is what we are here for, after all.

This week, I struggled to find songs to review (in truth I was half way through Season 1 of The Sopranos and totally forgot I had to post a blog), so I'll be reviewing something that was recommended to me by a friend.

Certain musical genres have stood the test of time, you find them evolving and changing throughout the eras, but they have more or less stayed put as popular genres with characteristics known by all. Rap music, Pop music, Rock music all have characteristic sounds and feels. So when I heard this song, I pretty much was zapped right through a time machine to an era of 80s cop shows set in Miami (a genre unto itself, believe me).

Alfonso Muskedunder by Todd Terje

Honestly, I thought music like this had died out like handlebar mustaches and grown men wearing those tiny, tight shorts. Thankfully Todd Terje is bringing back all of the nostalgia, but none of the mental scarring.

The song is a nice eclectic mix of modern electronic beats and that classic television show theme music that we all know and love. It's got a real classic feel to it, that bass line throws back to all sorts of coolness and vintage suave. My experience of this song was sitting in a vintage convertible, driving around the streets of Miami and looking off into the distance dramatically every now and then to get some good focus pulls. I am a Miami Cop. I do have a handlebar mustache and aviators in this vision. 

Although, I'm probably to weak and tiny to take down any bad guys, I feel as though Todd Terje really succeeds in making me feel like I could. This is the theme song for my non-existent career in law enforcement.  Time to change my name to Alfonso Muskedunder and practice sliding over the bonnets of cars. This one is definitely making it on my driving playlist.

8 "Doughnuts and coffees to go" out of 10

Love,

Alfonso Muskedunder; Miami P.D.

"The Music of the Future": A trip down memory lane with some funky new beats.

Hello my darlings!

Welcome to another week, and another review.

Over the past few years, since the whole hipster "movement" sprung up into this weird subculture of arts, music and fashion. There has definitely been a shift in definition of what we consider hipster.

Well obviously, there's the tartan,the beards, the non showering,  and the frames without glasses. But we see new things coming in trend- minimalism, stockings with faces of cats on them, socks with frills, chia seeds... the list goes on and on and on.
Unfortunately, as a cat, sock, and seed enthusiast, this has really cut in on my street cred and wallet (curse you hipsters with your abundance of disposable income and cute fashion! *shakes fist in anger*). However, I will maintain that my room probably belongs on a reality tv show about hoarding. It's really getting quite bad; I collect too many nick-nacks. Minimalism will never be a thing with me.

In the same way, we see music change. First it was banjos, then experimental noise and base drops... where the future will take us, we can only imagine.
That's why, today, I'd like us to look into the future and try and figure out what will come next in hipster music. We're looking at:

Way I'm Lovin' You by Klue

Klue: Is this what the future of indie music sounds like??

What is surprising me now-a-days is the influence of old school funk into new school indie music. The Way I'm Lovin' this song is intense.  I actually quite dig this catchy tune.(Damn, does this mean I'm turning into one of them?!) It's got a glitchy sense to it, it's repetitive and staccato, with a strong flavor of soul. Reminiscent of Jungle and Rudimentals' use of funky beats in their electronic music with a more techno vibe. I feel like a middle aged woman revived. Not only am I able to listen to something that sounds like the music from yester-year, it's mixed with some sick DJing skills that keeps me feeling young and spritely.

This is some hip music of the future, I know it, I'd keep my eyes and ears out for more funk and blues in indie music in the future. This will definitely be the next big thing.


7.5 "Asking a hip youngster for technological help"s out of 10


Lots of love,

Kristen

Guess who's back....

Back again.. Kristen's back, tell your friends.

Yes, well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, surprise!

I'm not dead!

Well, the blog kinda was. But it's back now!

My brief foray into proper blogging and writing about things that mattered has finished, Anti-Hipster is back! Hello procrastination, hello lack of sleep, hello hipster fan girls hoping that they had seen the last of me.

And best of all, hello music.

Too long have I suffered in silence, with nothing and nobody to complain about... too long have I suffered with the blight of mainstream music tarnishing my reputation.

Yes, I do have a Taylor Swift album. No, I don't know how that happened.

Although, despite the fact that the catchy ear worm mainstream pop will always have a soft spot in my heart (my ears?), underground, undiscovered, independent music is where my loyalty will always lie.

So without further ado, I shall retune my brain and bring you a review of some interesting new music that you probably haven't heard before.... I give to you...

Bad Websites by Flower Drums

Flower Drums; will we ever be able to understand them? Do they want to be understood?

Perth band Flower Drums weaves an intricate mix of electronic pop and soft moaning (they might be lyrics, but who knows with these bands?) in their new song Bad Websites.

My favourite part about these reviews is the fact that I do little to no research about the lyrics and the band's demographic. Which makes complete sense for Flower Drums, because let's face it- if you're going to mumble and softly moan, nobody is going to understand the lyrics anyway. Lots of respect to the folks at A-Z Lyrics, you guys are national treasures.

So, what did I think of this song?

It's catchy hook and synth beats keep me coming back for more, and I'll keep on listening to it until I finally understand what these four mumblers are trying to say.

Like a hard-of-hearing octogenarian I strain closer to try and figure out what the lyrics mean. Before I know it, the song has finished playing and I'm still squinting and tilting my head slightly thinking that the ambient whir of my laptop is a bomb-ass lyric.

I won't say that this is the anthemic song of the generation of mumblers and soft spoken whisperers that squeak sometimes if you give them a good scare. But it sure comes close.

I'll probably listen to it in the car, or when I'm on the bus.

But much like those poor, quiet, sods, I probably won't ever remember the song long enough to get it stuck in my head and remember it's name.

Anyway, I'm going to give this

7 Squeak Up!s out of 10.


Lots of love,

Kristen