Complete Nonsense

Nigh upon a midnight hour (actually it was a July afternoon in 2014) I came across a Peabody award-winning mini-series called The Story of Film: An Odyssey  and it elevated my love of the cinema to heights I never before knew existed. The series is narrated by film historian Mark Cousins - he has an addicting Irish accent and a very distinct cadence to his speech, and now when I hear certain director's names I only hear them in Cousins's pronunciation - and he takes the viewer on a complete trip through the history of cinema on a global scale. It's 15 one-hour episodes that explore everything from the birth of film as an art form to the Golden Age of Hollywood to the New Wave movements to today. The series, along with my discovery of the Criterion Collection, inspired me to focus on cinema's bigger picture and to take an interest in and view the works of all the filmmakers that came before the modern era, especially those outside of the United States. It's driven me...

give me The groud - Mura Masa [Mura Masa:] Don't try and fuck with my head A very short track from the rising 21-year-old electronic producer , and songwriter, Mura Masa , who sings over his own beat on this one. Alex Crossman (Mura Masa) exploded into the mainstream this year with his self-produced and  self-titled debut album , which featured the hit single " Love$ick " with A$AP Rocky , as well as " 1 Night ," with Charli XCX , and " All Around the World ," with Desiigner , both of which saw their fair share of attention too. Mura Masa  is one of the few electronic albums that I enjoy the entire way through because of its sonic variety , and the fact that Crossman seems to collaborate very smoothly with other artists. He's aware of the cultural zeitgeist, so his Caribbean and Afrocentric beats come off less as appropriation and more as important global influences: "The truth is, at the end of the day, popular culture is Black cu...

Grown Up - Danny Brown [Danny Brown:] Whoever thought I'd be the greatest growing up Detroit rapper Danny Brown bops along over this carefree track - from 2012 - about his childhood experiences and how his life is so different now. Party Supplies production has a bit of a classic vibe to it that we don't hear Brown over often, and his delivery is much more chilled out and accessible compared to his typically more animated , aggressive style of rapping. This is a good morning track to put on as you're getting ready for the day. Music video below, but the fucking lyrics are fucking goddamn fucking censored fuck. Take that you censors . Video directed by: Greg Brunkalla

Joan of Arc - Ricky Reed [Ricky Reed:] I dip the shank and I carve your name in ink If the roof is up in flames, I will hold the beams This electro pop groove from Grammy-nominated producer Ricky Reed is one of my favorite songs from this summer. The one-man machine has produced some big hits in the past few years: Jason Derulo's " Wiggle " and " Talk Dirty ," in 2013; Pitbull's " Fireball " in 2014; Twenty One Pilots's " Ride " in 2015; Phantogram's " You Don't Get Me High Anymore " in 2016; and this year he produced Derulo's " Swalla ," and his name was all over the production credits on Kesha's Rainbow  album, and The Aviary  by the Swedish EDM group Galantis . However, this funky, self-produced track tops them all, and I'm pretty sure the synth melody could possibly bring about world peace. It'll put some rhythm in your damn bones. I really enjoy Reed's singing ...

So whenever I'm trying to write and I'm not really feeling it or I don't know how to start I'll use a technique - favored by a lot of surrealists in the 20th century - called "automatic writing." It's where you start writing literally whatever comes into your head and don't think about what's coming out in an effort to pull something from your subconscious. It's a process that involves uninterrupted stream-of-consciousness and free association. I believe a few hip hop artists use the technique for their lyrics; the two I'm most aware of though are Heems and Kool A.D. of the former Brooklyn duo Das Racist . The things you write aren't entirely unplanned, there may be a word you'll latch onto that you throw in, but you're also not really pausing to think about what you're writing or what you're going to write next. It's the same thing Nathan, Oscar Isaac's character in Ex Machina  (2015), talks about in his desc...

Pull Up - Swift [Swift:] I'mma pull up just to hop out and stunt This is a jam to vibe to if I've ever heard one. Atlanta hip hop artist Swift rides over the starry production by Dreek Beatz with chill assurance. This is the type of song that you can smoke to, drink to, ride to, study to, hook up to, etc. The versatility is unarguable. While Swift's bars aren't anything to write home about (cookie-cutter lyrics and an uninspired rhyme scheme), he does sound damn fucking good over the beat, and the hook catches your every limb, injecting itself into your bloodstream, and enabling you to get on that same level as Swift. The confident aura he exudes will have you wanting to hop out and stunt right there with him . Video directed by: Gerard Victor

Homemade Dynamite (Remix) [feat. Khalid, Post Malone & SZA] - Lorde [Post Malone:] You know I think you're awesome, right? The "Homemade Dynamite" remix from the 20-year-old New Zealand singer-songerwriter Lorde's surprisingly satisfying sophomore album Melodrama features some amazing features from three of R&B's most talented young artists: the 19-year-old Khalid , the 22-year-old Post Malone , and TDE's very own SZA . Each singer adds a welcome verse to an already solid song that can easily be thrown on a party, and each singer is in the midst of blowing up just as loudly as their homemade dynamite, making this one of the most exciting collaborations of the year. Post Malone's recent single " Rockstar " with Atlanta rapper 21 Savage has topped the Billboard charts for 3 weeks running, Khalid's debut album American Teen  has made him one of the most sought after features of the year, and SZA's debut Ctrl  launch...

Let It Grow (feat. Karen O & Tunde Adebimpe) - Maximum Balloon [Karen O & (Tunde Adebimpe):] From a tree a forest grows (It could turn into anything) This blissful track comes from producer extraordinaire, Dave Sitek , A.K.A. Maximum Balloon . He teams up with vocalists Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs , and Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio , for this feel-good charmer "Let It Grow." Much like his moniker, this indie pop track will have you floating through the air, catching currents from warm spring breezes. It has a freshness to it that's addicting. A smell even. The smell of a May afternoon rain that trickles into the air as the sun appears, leaving rain drops to glisten on blooming flowers. I love the overlapping harmonies in the first verse and the cooing choruses. The variety within the song keeps the listener interested over its 6-minutes span because it just keeps progressing. Each verse offers a distinct format. Hopefully this song will keep you ...

Strangers Things is a better It  than It . The show writers should really be doing future Stephen King adaptations . The character writing is just so damn good. Major shout out to Matt  and  Ross Duffer . Also big ups to Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein - of the band    Survive - for the phenomenal score.

Sway - Anna of the North [Anna of the North:] Sway, just move with me, darling I fell in love with this Norwegian singer-songwriter, Anna of the North , the instant I heard this song back in 2014. Anna makes a dreamy plea to take a moment outside of oneself and just feel. I routinely listen to it if I've had a long, stressful day, or if I'm feeling especially anxiety-ridden. It's a starry, ethereal, effervescent electro pop ballad that never fails to make me take a deep breath, take a step back from myself, and chill right the hell out. "Sway" has the power to melt even the coldest of hearts (I'm looking at you Mr. Scrooge , maybe if you'd had this song in your life you wouldn't have need goddamn ghostly ghosts to scare the shit out of you). Check out her beautiful live rendition too. In my head the song always brings up the images of a camera following a girl slowly twirling through quiet city streets at night under glowing street lamp...

Dark Star - Jaymes Young [Jaymes Young:] My heart was born out of the fire Falling into the same realm of indie/alternative R&B as Mr. Allan Rayman from yesterday's Song of the Day is this gifted singer/songwriter/producer  Jaymes Young , and admittedly, his songs are a bit more accessible than Rayman's. Young's smooth vocals glide over his own spacey, melancholy production, and he hits falsetto notes with graceful ease. His lyrics tend to be simple and poppy, but there's always a depth to them, and the way he sings each word adds it's own meaning. I first heard Young back in 2013 when I came across his Dark Star mixtape on Soundcloud, and have been a fan ever since. I don't think there's a song on the mixtape that I dislike; some highlights include " Two More Minutes ," " Moondust ," " Parachute ," and " Northern Lights ." He even performs two down-tempo covers: one of Justin Bieber's 2012 hit ...

A heartbreaking horror film that doubles as a psychological drama about grief and loss. It keeps you on your toes, but it's tough to stay upright when the rug keeps being pulled out from under you

Lucy the Tease - Allan Rayman [Allan Rayman:] Get out the car baby, please 'Cause any further, you can never leave If you don't know who Allan Rayman is by now I don't know what you're doing with your life. The alternative R&B artist has gained a reputation as a bit of an enigma  due to his mysterious live shows and secretive nature, and he is nothing less than an artist. He writes introspective songs and sings with a very unique vocal delivery, often crooning over the beat in a way that reminds me of the Cudi hum . "Lucy the Tease" is the song that introduced me to Rayman and remains my favorite of his. He's released two albums in the last two years - Hotel Allan  and Roadhouse 01  - which are both quite enjoyable and I recommend giving a few listens. "Lucy the Tease" is off the cinematic Hotel Allan , an album full of characters and stories. So do yourself a favor and learn yourself about this talented and strange new singer/...

Stanley Kubrick's feature directorial debut is a must watch for anyone interested in tracking the early years of one of cinema's most legendary and influential filmmakers.

Electric (feat. Khalid) - Alina Baraz [Alina Baraz & Khalid:] Kiss me, we're on fire, babe Love me, take me to outer space Alina Baraz and rising phenom Khalid ooze sensuality on this track. Their soft harmonies whisper over the chorus and intertwine like two lovers at dusk. The whole track brings up images of silhouettes wrapped in each others arms, lit by neon lights in the night sky. It feels like the energy of the one you're with combining with yours, punching holes in the atmosphere, warping time and space, until its just two shapes floating on a current of electricity in a private dimension of your own making. The moody, shadowy production comes from  Jonathan Elkær , the beatmaker of the Danish R&B duo Phlake .

Famed director Takashi Miike's samurai action flick is an epic, bloody period piece where good and evil square off in a fight to the death. The intensity of the fight scenes is matched by the beauty of the cinematography.

Sex n' Drugs (feat. Harrison Sands & Copper King) - Abhi the Nomad [Abhi the Nomad:] I need my sex n' drugs I need my money first This self-produced song from the young Indian hip hop artist  Abhi the Nomad is sliiiick, and I can't wait for him to blow up. Sex n' Drugs is guaranteed to put you in a good mood and have you singing along by the end.  Harrison Sands , who I know virtually nothing about, fits the vibe perfectly on the second verse. I can't find any information on Copper King, but I'm guessing he's probably the one on the horn. Video filmed by: Meridian Media & Olivier Buyse Edited by: Abhi the Nomad

Spar (feat. 6LACK & Kodak Black) - Dreezy [6LACK:] They disregarding us And if I go to D.C, I'm tryna spar with Trump Another political hip hop song proving once again that hip hop is the new punk challenging the system. Singer/Rapper 6LACK delivers a nice, short verse before Dreezy absolutely goes in and kills it. I'm not too familiar with her but after hearing this I'll have to check out more of her work. Kodak Black's verse is passable. Starts out with some poignant lyrics " Ain't old enough to hit the club to fill my cup with rum/But I can go die in the army or go to war for them/Ain't old enough for marijuana cigars, spark my blunt/But old enough to spend my life behind bars, that dumb. " But then he starts talking about the government controlling the weather? " These people got weather control/Where the hell you think Hurricane Harvey from? " Not sure if he's being symbolic or literal, but having listened to Kodak ...

1. Heavy - POWERS You may have heard  POWERS  from their feature on the hit single " Classic " by  The Knocks . Heavy is a solid groove to throw on at a party. 2. OLLA (Only Lovers Left Alive) - Jhené Aiko/TWENTY88 A chill song off of Aiko's recent album Trip . She teams up with Big Sean on this one under the musical duo moniker TWENTY88 . I really enjoy throwing this on when I'm driving around at night. Produced by Amaire Johnson . 3. Honey - 070 Shake, Hack, Treee & Ralphy River An epic, nearly seven minute pulsating dance track that just gets better and better as the song goes on. I've never heard of any of these kids before but I'm really excited to hear more. Produced by Kompetition . 4. Stoney (feat. Phoelix & BJRKNC) - Saba An older song off of Chicago rapper Saba's 2016 Bucket List Project . It recently came on my Spotify and it's undeniably catchy, and a lot of fun. You may recognize Saba's name...

So this is a blog, eh? Ol' blogland. A place for bloggers. A paradise for eager readers. Little eaglets. I will represent myself. Posting movie stills, and music, and thoughts, and photos, and thoughts, and other writings, and just whatever the hell I want. Pew pew pew. Let's get weird.