i watched this movie recently called Gangubai Kathiawadi, a 2022 Indian film set in 1960s India. it follows Gangubai, a sex worker (tragically forced into the life) who fightsâand succeedsâin advocating for the rights of other sex workers. beyond its incredible message and the compelling performance of the lead actress, one thing stood out to me: the soundtrack. it features Tabla drums, a percussive instrument common in traditional Indian music, with a hypnotic, buoyant quality that instantly drew me in.
curiosity struck, and i went down the age-old pipeline: Reddit. i came across a post where someone linked a track featuring the Tabla, and i fell in love with it immediately. itâs called The Key by Tosca, a mesmerizing trip-hop record that uses the Tabla to create a bouncy, rhythmic atmosphere.
the track is layered with a beautiful chord progression on buttery smooth, flowing synths. itâs grounded by off-time jazz instrumentation, and just when you think youâve figured it out, it surprises you. a panning vocal chop adds a psychedelic touch, and later, a reversed vocal sample sneaks inâmaking you stop everything and think, âhuh?â but in the best way possible.
listening to The Key feels like solving a secret: and you're the detective trying to unravel it. itâs a seven-minute trip i doubt youâll regret taking.
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canât believe i never heard this until today. unreal electronic, tinges of nin-like sound design and other trip hop elements but in a more ethereal context. zoned out real nice to this
Sep 25, 2024
Went to a neighborhood record shop recently and heard this over the speakers while flipping through the stacks. I couldnât quit nodding along to its hypnotic composition and took a gamble on a copy â 100% the right choice. Big rec if youâre into Philip Glass. And the album concept is so good:
Originally released in 1979, Sei Note In Logica (Six Notes In Logic) presents a singular, sinuous piece. The composition is based on a finite set of musical notes, yet this limitation is the point of departure for a grand tour of possible combinations and enthralling timbres (marimbas, strings, reeds and human voice).
The joyous experiment of Sei Note is grounded in constant variation. Often doubled by multiple instruments, non-repeating patterns are exquisitely layered, while electro-acoustic signals transform and further refract through visceral effects. Within this conceptual framework, Cacciapaglia does not so much juxtapose rigid dichotomies â acoustic vs. electronic, melodic vs. dissonant, simple vs. complex â as fuse them into an expansive whole.
Jan 8, 2025
i have never heard anything like this before in my life WOW WOW WOW. i don't know how to describe it. part traditional part rock part electronic part ???. its got synths and ouds and Bass and killer grooves and talkboxes and probably a hundred other sounds i am too musically illiterate to identify.
it is so weird and i am so hooked.
Aug 21, 2024
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31 minutos is a Chilean kids TV program made with puppets, but calling it that completely understates its epicness. Think Sesame Street, but after 2 whiskey sours and 3 puffs of a sativa joint. Itâs a complete head high: hilariously wacky, totally irreverent while still managing to be educational - often raising awareness on environmental issues, a hallmark of Chilean culture. The showstopper though? The segment where they rank fake music videos, a funny nod to how awesomely bad 2000s music videos could be. I used to watch it as a kid but recently started rewatching it and can appreciate it so much more now that Iâm older and catch the creatorâs stoner-like humor. Itâs like talking to that cool aunt that was always so ahead of the curve and you just, like, totally get her now.
Dec 17, 2024
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what's more difficult: enduring fake airpods, or shelling out hard-earned cash to buy yourself quality earbuds? for an extremely frugal person (aka brokie) such as myself, the latter can be so daunting. however, carrying a pair of fake airpods which sounded like complete dogshit (hence why i instantly named them: Foop pods) was a lowpoint. it only got worse when the right side stopped working, so I was running on half a sound system for my ears during my 2 month solo stint in Europe earlier this year - yikes indeed.
enough was enough, i knew something had to be done. my eyes were set on noise cancelling headphones since i know the true power they hold. i lost a pair of bose QC45's (RIP) at the airport at end of last year, so the bar for shutting the world out was set pretty high. after some intense googling and a few suspiciously on-point targeted ads, i landed on the new airpods 4 with ANC. the lack of silicon cups - unlike the airpods 2 - improved technology featuring faster bluetooth connection and richer sound were all the green flags I needed. the price though? not exactly music to my ears.
thanks to capitalist western culture, black friday means the price-match fiends come out to play. this holiday season was no exception. armed with Amazon.com pulled up on my phone, i walked into Target feeling like this was a stick-up. my weapon of choice? a 22% discounted listing for the airPods 4. no violence necessaryâjust a polite conversation with the nice lady at the counter. and to my delight, she applied the discount.
the moment i walked out, i sat on a nearby bench and gave them a spin and boy oh boy... going from fake ass 'noise cancellation' to the real fricking deal? soul-stirring to say the least. music just hits different when the rest of the world shuts the hell up. but even beyond ANC, getting a true transparency mode experience was also mind-blowing. being able to hear your surroundings thanks to the built-in microphones makes me feel like i got superpowers - and definitely helps offset the tinnitus i'm lowkey getting from standing next to speakers at parties.
those Foop pods? may they rest in peace. the airPods 4 with ANC might be expensive, but trust me, they're one of the greatest investments you can make for your mental health. straight up.
Dec 17, 2024
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I love that a new year means a clean slate. a waking opportunity to start anew, or at least feel like you are. That it's the first stab at whatever your intention is. it's a reminder that we aren't our last year, nor the one before. We won't even be defined by what comes this year, but we can keep pushing ourselves into the path we most desire. We can keep being empathetic and patient with our journeys, celebrate the wins and learn from the losses. Taking things as they come, soaking it all in and cherishing the people that make it special - that's what counts. Happy New Year:)
Jan 3, 2025