lily-likes-music

[lily-likes-music]

It seems wrong to me to have written about music yet not have mentioned my favourite band of all time, Enter Shikari, and what better way to introduce you all than with arguably my favourite album of their discography (though honestly, I have at least 3 from them they’re all so good). The Spark is a work of art that I’m certain has something in it for everyone. The classic shikari sound of guitars, drums, and heavy synth is as always complemented by Rou Reynolds’ fantastic vocals, having a noticeable upgrade from previous albums in design and production. The album grabs you immediately with the soothing tones of the title track, just to launch you to space (get it) with “The Sights”. Each song on this album is a 10/10 for me, from slower pieces such as “An Ode to Lost Jigsaw Pieces” and “Airfield”, to the higher octane “Rabble Rouser”. Rou’s lyrics once again strike a chord with me as in previous hits such as “The Mindsweep”, and “A Flash Flood of Colour”, though the leftist messages are certainly more discreet than in previous entries. The pumping synthesizer compliments the guitars perfectly leading to head-bouncing, dancing, and very chantable choruses. “Live Outside” is a constant part of any self-respecting party I take part in, and it’s always been met with a greater than warm reception. I cannot recommend The Spark, and Enter Shikari’s greater discography, more aggressively, and I implore you all to listen to these masterpieces.

[lily-likes-music]

music is still amazing, just need to write abt it now x

my word docs are calling and my ears are singing <3

[lily-likes-music]

They did it again, MUNA have once again knocked it out of the park with their latest album, MUNA. My first introduction to the triplet (throuple sounds wrong in this context), was with ‘Saves The World’, and exceptional album filled with melancholy lyrics yet somehow transformed into pop melodies, keeping me bouncing at all times. They have continued this trend with their self-titled release, with each track bringing something special to the table. ‘Silk Chiffon’, the first track on the album, is a fantastic start to the experience, leading you in with soft vocals, and a catchy hook. All this tied together with some groovy bass in the background. The stage explodes in width at the chorus, with layered vocals and guitars. The soft vocals and hard hitting bass is a trend that continues throughout the album, with slightly more vocal distortion on some of the other tracks, such as ‘What I Want’. Here synths are more present, bringing a very danceable tune to the track. Each song follows the same basic formula, and yet brings something new and memorable as well, leaving every song distinct from the others. My favourite track on the album, ‘No Idea’ brings some interesting modulation in the chorus, with almost monotone singing throughout the verses. IMHO ‘No Idea’ feels the most MUNA-ish to me, though this is likely my views being coloured through my previous experiences with their past albums, and if they take their sound in a newer direction, e.g. with ‘Loose Garment’ then I’ll certainly still be tuning in with each release to listen to some of my favourite pop songs that are out right now.

 Definitely worth a listen by all!

[lily-likes-music]

new gecs just dropped, need i say more? every track bops in a way frankly difficult to explain. glitchy, distorted, high energy, classic 100 gecs. fav track is definitely Torture Me, though the entire EP had me going fucking mental. listen if you like hyperpop, maybe give it a miss if you don't like the gecs / hyperpop genre. if you haven't been exposed to them give it a try! you might like it

[lily-likes-music]

as a long time fan of shikari, these new releases have got me v v hyped for the next album!! be expectin a full review when it drops but for now listen to this banger

[lily-likes-music]

Polyphia’s “Remember That You Will Die” is a technical masterpiece, whilst making sure that each track remains unique, a feat that they failed to accomplish, at least to the same degree, on their previous album, “New Levels, New Devils”. Whilst on the previous album, each song melds together like one long song, with repeating thematic elements popping up repeatedly, on “Remember That You Will Die” each track manages to be itself to an astonishing degree for a primarily instrumental band. This is clearly helped by the inordinate number of features present on the album, though this is far from a slight. Be it the clean and vibrant trumpet of Brasstracks, to the other-worldly guitar feature by Steve Vai himself, each feature manages to play beautifully with the 4 piece, adding emotion and complexity to each track. “Remember That You Will Die” is an education piece on expressing yourself through music, and technical guitar playing. Each track is nothing less than extremely enjoyable to listen to, with varied dynamics meaning that there is a piece here for everyone.  My favourite track here would have to be ‘Ego Death ft. Steve Vai’, and I feel it’s self-explanatory as to why, each player really gets to shine through in their own element in this track. From Tim Henson’s far more rhythmic style coming through in the first section, showing off some thumping (thanks to Tosin for gifting us the audience a Tim who can do that), to an older style Polyphia coming across with Scottie Le’Page’s hard and fast riffs after. To top off all the excellent guitar playing Steve Vai comes in and instead of shredding, joins with some of the most melodic guitar I have heard in a while. An excellent album, and well worth a listen.

[lily-likes-music]

Funky, Cool, and Fresh. Three words that perfectly encapsulate Time, by Louis Cole. My previous experience with Cole’s work is minimal at best, having only listened to a couple of songs from the project he’s a part of, KNOWER. This seems to have been a mistake on my end, as from the moment I tuned in, to the moment the album stopped, I could barely restrain my body from moving and grooving to the funky bass lines, tight drum patterns, and harmonic synths. Cole uses his voice exceptionally throughout the album, sometimes to show the listener lyrics, and other times more as an instrument itself, harmonizing and bouncing around whilst keeping flawlessly in the pocket. From electro-funk bangers such as ‘Weird Part Of The Night’ to more subdued, ballad-esque tracks such as ‘Everytime’ Cole shows a wide range of musical ability throughout the album, with my favourite being ‘Real Life’. This track captured my attention immediately, the bass line is tight to an impeccable degree, and then opens onto a melodic landscape. The drums keep the listener engaged throughout with crisp snare hits and what can only be described as fun on the hi-hats at every turn.

Funk has been a long-standing favourite genre of mine, and it’s incredibly refreshing to see a different take on it than I’m used to, all the classic hallmarks of Funk are there, with a few more new-age twists and turns added on, and the lower energy sections of the album fit well, and hold their own, even when compared to the more danceable tunes of the album, not detracting from the experience in the slightest. An exceptional album through and through, and well worth a listen!

[lily-likes-music]

Picture a cool autumn breeze, trees lining a well-trodden path, the smell of damp leaves carried on the wind. These are the images that are brought to the forefront of my mind when listening to New York based band Florist’s self-titled album. I discovered this beautiful selection of tracks on Bandcamp by accident, and it has led to some of the most pleasant music I have ever heard. On my first playthrough, the harmonies and soft acoustics struck a chord (pun not intended) with me, the way Emily Sprague’s voice drifts softly from my headphones was captivating immediately. Whilst indie folk is not a genre I have previously given much of my attention to, I realize now what a mistake that has been, as everything about this album seems to have been crafted with such care and love that you just can’t drag your ears away. My favourite track on the album is undoubtedly ‘Spring in Hours’ the tight drums pull you along as the guitar’s enchanting arpeggios flow much like a stream. Whilst I am lyric blind to a frankly horrific degree, the vocals still managed to create vivid imagery in my mind, and upon searching the lyrics, and consequently listening along whilst reading, they fit exceptionally well.

I think there’s something to be found here by most, if not all music enjoyers, and I cannot stress enough how highly I recommend this album to you all to listen to.