flowerowl的音乐

Finally Nov 7th the UK time, here arrives the album I have been longing for. I have no idea how many people are also looking forward to this debut album like I do. Their music to me is love at first listen. That’s no exaggeration if I claim it as one of my most anticipating albums of the year. After listening to it several times, I am now deeply trapped in love with this duo. There are so many fantastic artists from Sweden, one of the most productive country in the music industry. Particularly regarding the electronic pop music, no need to mention their immense influence to this business in the whole world. And I am almost certain to say, “The Sound of Arrows” may be now just a morning sun over the horizon like what is depicted on the front cover, but they will turn themselves into a glorious superstar soon in the near future. Their music has such a catchy melody which easily captures attention. The combination of old-school electronic beats and a melancholy soft male volcal strikes a chord with the listeners, meanwhile evokes sentiment and nostalgia. Beauty arises from the chidren’s backgound chior which echoes through the heart. If you take a second listen to the volcal, you may surprisingly find that there is a highly significant resemblance between Stefan (vocals of “Sound of Arrows”) and the British synth-pop icon Neil Tennant (vocals of “Pet Shop Boys”). People started to know this duo 2 years ago when their first single “Into the Coulds” was independently released and became one of the most downloaded songs in the UK in that week. The following single “Nova” and “MAGIC”, featured in many commercial tv ads, assisted them to spread out the reputation. However, I still personally think that they haven’t yet got the attention which they deserve. They posted the promo video a while ago which I would call an epic production! This cinematic teaser video(as posted below) contains the footage clips from the only three released music video “Into the Clouds”, “Nova” and “MAGIC”. The featured song combines the beginning of “Into the Clouds” and the latter half of “There is Still Hope”, which is my favorite track in the whole album. “In the darkest of days, one dreams the biggest of dreams. Close your eyes, and the world is ours.” This album is dedicated to those who are lying in between the real and ideal world struggling to accept the truth of the non-existence of “MAGIC”. As indicated in the promo video, as long as we keep our dreams, hhope still flickers somewhere not far way. Track by Track: Into the Clouds: 10/10 The duo kicks off the "voyage" with a stunning intro. As a gradual brighter tone arises from the background, gloomy clouds get cleared up unveiling the splendour in the sky. Such feeling conveyed by this intro is exactly what is depicted on the cover. Stephan's soft and dreamy volcal gives off an ambient and spacey vib, leading listeners to a heavenly wonderland deep inside the clouds. "The journey begins|Where nothing could stop us|Nothing forever...If we stick together", as a perfect opening song for the whole album, Sound of Arrows brings us along with them and sets off on an euphoric trip, a journey full of pleasant surprise and expectation. Wonders: 10/10 A fast-tempo dance track following after the intro is the "Wonders", which inherits the characteristic upbeat of the "Nova". "I'll never forget how you made me feel|I'll never forget When you and I", a lamentable relationship is concealed beneath the disguise of a hyperly danceable melody, which is absolutely attractive and catchy. The epic instrumental synth lines coming in between the penetrating vocals create a vast atomosphere echoed with a voice with a sombre saddness. As one of the two singles released just before the album came out, "Wonders" tremendously triggered our appetite and greatly enhanced our expectation for this eagerly awaited record. What a marvellous work! My Shadows: 9/10 Stephan's narrative-like singing exhibits a striking resemblance to Neil(aka Pet Shop boys) in the verses, accompined by the recurring synth lines with an 80's electronic mid-tempo . As the chorus goes on, "The only one that got my back is my shadow, my shadow", a sad image of a lonely drifter aimlessly wandering in this earthly world was pictured in mind, and a stream of melanchly descended upon us. Magic: 10/10 "Yesterday, I had the longest ever dream that the world was endless with possibilities. It had me thinking, one should never forget that there are wonders, we haven't seen yet. Seize a chance, follow a dream. Be yourself, don't plan and scheme. For what we do, won't matter that much. Puzzles and wonders. Mysteries and such." I extremely love this lyrics, spiritual uplifting and moral encouraging, just like a therapy to those who are blindly pursuing what they are after with all the childhood wonders and dreams left behind. The breathy maturity of Stephan's vocal backgrounded by the tender delicacy of the children's choir creates such a harmonious combination, a “Magic” moment. As the kids chanted “The WORLD is full of MAGIC”, the idea conveyed by this song is self-explanatory, as one needs retain a childish innocence to dream and embrace all the possibilities and uncertainties in the life. Another memorable masterpiece by Sound of Arrows, I am sure it will be another hit. Ruins of Rome: 10/10 This track standouts among the all because it not only employs again the children’ choir as the back vocal, but also an old-school type beat which is overflowed with sentiment and melancholy. The song starts with another Pet Shop Boys-like verse, followed by a repeating chant, which goes “Love is what I choose. The ruins of Rome, take the first plane home. The ruins of Rome, I just wanna go home.” The song is about love, of which the tone in general is slightly down but the feeling behind the vocal however is quite warm. The echoing and the delicacy of the vocal bring about an emotional moment, in which the listeners helplessly indulge themselves, trapped and submerged by this overwhelming sombreness. What a triumphant masterpiece! Longest Ever Dream: 9/10 The title correlates with the “Magic” song, as taken out from the first verse. Compared to the other songs, I personally think this track is a bit plain in terms of the composition. However, the duo colorized it by exploiting a female singer as the lead vocal with a fast-tempo synth lines and drumbeat throughout the whole song. It turned out to be a successful attempt, with a lovely and pleasing surprise. Hurting All the Way: 10+/10 “Follow the lines. Obey the rules. Don’t loose yourself. Don’t be a fool. Life wasn’t a easy game to play…Yes, it was hurting all the way.” The downbeat of the tone and the cruel reality unveiled by the lyrics remind us of the melancholy mood carried by “Ruins of Rome” song. This track is such a short piece, however soaked with endless beauty of tranquillity, peace and sullenness. Stephan’s synthesized voice exhibits a bit mechanical texture and echoes through the vast ambient space, calm and floating. There is not so much drastic change of either the tone or the rhythm, but I can’t stop myself repeating listening, which makes me believe it is among one of the few that will haunt me in the future. Conquest: 9/10 This track adopts a quite pop style performed in an uplifting mode. The melody is catchy, funky and exquisite, like a typical and classy Swedish-made. It is an anthem for triumph and victory. The underlying concept is about pursuing what you want, trying your best to seize what you are after and enjoying the great moment of success. Not bad, but less surprise. Nova: 10/10 “Sound of Arrows” is now at the last state of energy accumulation, which is so close to the final expansion followed by a stunning explosion to turn into a “Nova”, a brighter new star. This track has a dynamic flow with a danceable fast-tempo, quite similar to the “Wonders” song, depicting a picture of a sailing boat heroically breaking the wave and proceeding up and down against the wind, which is what the “Voyage” theme all about. There Is Still Hope: 10+/10 Here comes the masterpiece, a majestic production of this album and the climax of the journey! Pioneered by scattered electronic beeps, was the dawn of a new day. A trumpet-like euphoric prelude diffused from the far distance, a beam of sunshine broke the endless dark of the night. Along with the gradual brighter synth lines, a silhouette slowly showed up from below the horizon and started rising up. Abruptly, “Through the fear and fire, pass all the last struggle. Within the darkest hour, there is still hope…”, as the vocal lit up, the splendid sun turned into a whole figure and shot out all the light and heat starting to glory. “The sun will always shine, burning with hope”, the freezing world then got rapidly warmed up, as well as my heart, thanks to the hope. As the refrain “Never go away…you come back to me” starts fading, the song comes into completion in the conclusion of “HOPE”, the theme throughout the whole album. The song starts with a gloomy tone, extends by an uplifting melody and ends with an utterly victorious ecstasy. One of the most epic songs I have ever heard in my whole life! Brilliant, triumphant, marvellous! It won’t be a surprise if it is heard again when the credits are shown after the movie, because it is more than better to be featured in a motion picture. Lost City: 10+/10 Pure instrumental masterpiece, another triumphant production, which wraps up all the elements, lament, nostalgia, dream, love and hope altogether completing the whole record. I feel the same as what “There Is Still Hope” conveys, it will be a pity if it is not featured in the credits for a motion picture. Thank god that they’ve signed with a major label in the UK which means that their tour here won’t be long waiting! If they come to the UK, who is with me?

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或许只是巧合，名为A and B之类的艺人，都注定会不简单... 先后走红了Noah and the Whale, Mumford and Sons, Marina and the Diamonds, Angus and Julia Stone和新西兰新晋电音乐队The Naked and Famous 而Florence and the Machine...也逐渐走向事业巅峰 No light, no light...Florence的声音就如她冰冷深邃的眼睛，慑人心魄，又令人魂牵。 正如"Set Fire to the Rain"之于Adele,"No light, no Light"也是Florence基于自己的绝望经历而作。 渐入深秋，恰逢新砖发布之时，Florence可谓是借机将愁绪升华到极致。 "No light, no light in your bright blue eyes." A light dimmed, 热火骤冷，希望湮灭。你的眼里已不见我身影，透出的只是望不到尽头的深渊。 "And I'd do anything to make you stay." A light dimmed, 缘分消逝，任何努力只是徒劳，但我仍愿为曾经的美好做最后的挣扎。 "Tell me what you want me to say." A light dimmed, 但我仍然不愿放手... ... ... ... A light dimmed, I am already dead to you... "I never knew daylight could be so violent." A light dimmed,白昼却如深夜般漆黑一片，绝望取代指明灯让人迷失方向。 "You are the hole in my head。 | You are the space in my bed." 那句再见就像在头上开了枪，留下无法弥补的空白。 每个早晨醒来发现你已不在，留下的space没人替代。 “You want a revelation, Some kind of resolution. Tell me what you want me to say.” 我的沉默无言和笨嘴拙舌，让两颗心越走越远...A light dimmed, 如今不论再说什么，都已成云烟... 对我而言，No light, No light是Florence新砖中最为出挑，同时也是最绝望的一首歌...如果你没有歌中所描述的种种经历，我只想说，你很幸运...

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最近一支个人特别心水的瑞典双人电音乐队, Kite。乐队组建于07年末，刚起步时只是作为双方各自的副业。4年来以一年一张不紧不慢的速度发行了4张EP，一共20首不到的单曲，算不上高产，但每张EP每首歌都能一如既往地保证质量和口碑，于是在当今瑞典新人不断涌现的Indie和Synth Pop圈子里，他们已有了稳固的一群乐迷，并日趋庞大。或许乐队的名字听来有些耳生，不过两成员分别来自瑞典小有名气的两支乐队，一支是继Glam Rock王牌乐队The Ark于今年年初解散后被誉为其后继者的Melody Club，另一支则是相对小众的Indie Rock乐队Strip Music，虽然他们发行的两张专辑里让人能叫得出名字的或许只有”Sugar and Lime”一首歌，不过有总大过于无，对indie乐队来讲有一支单曲能被铭记于心已是可望而不可求之事。 Kite的成立源自于4年前两人的一次合作，在Strip Music中担任混音师一角的Christian Berg邀请了Melody Club中的贝斯手Nicklas Stenemo在自己创作的一首纯乐中担当主音献声，于是在Christian对电音敏锐的嗅觉与Nicklas标新立异的机械嗓音天衣无缝的完美搭配下，诞生了他们的第一首单曲”My Girl and I”。在双方对初次合作都非常满意的基础下，两人便开始了长期的合作。之后Nicklas把自己的芬达电吉他转手，当天二人宣布了乐队Kite的成立。 乐队的logo是支指甲锋利的手，让人感觉和Nicklas略带点锋利质感的嗓音着实贴切。Christian打造的电音，时不时混入类似邦哥手鼓的打击元素，给人一种80年代Electro Pop的怀旧感，在第一张EP里的”Ways to Dance”和最新EP里的”Step Forward”中尤为明显。Kite的动听旋律可谓是集Melody Club与Strip Music之大成，不过Nicklas声嘶力竭般的唱腔又感觉给这流行的风格加上了点工业和实验的味道。4张EP相继以Kite,II,III和IV命名，让人不禁想起瑞典另一支低调Electro Pop乐队jj的No 1, No 2和No 3，同时也让人对其把精力关注在音乐本身而心生敬佩。拿到他们的最新EP后，把他们的4张EP合在一起播放，重复听来已经不下四百多遍，每首单曲都有种爱不释手的感觉。若必须要在最新EP中挑一首最爱，我想定是那首”Closing My Heart”吧。Christian创作的背景旋律低沉悠扬，摄入心扉；Nicklas的尖锐声线，仿佛让人听到站在理想和现实边缘挣扎的撕心裂肺，这一低一高的强烈反差下折射出理想和现实间的距离遥远，触碰听者心弦的同时，一种心痛的感觉也若隐若现:”When I used to dream a lot…now whether I want or not…I am closing…I am closing…I am closing my heart”。Nicklas用颤抖的嗓音似哽咽般地歌至最后，我也难以不为之而动容…

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有些艺人，虽才情横溢，却被纳错麾下，因“军师”的短见薄识，将唾手可得的扬名之业毁于一"弃"。有些艺人，虽踌躇满志，却一方面在营中受到偏见待遇，另一方面受"军饷"预算所限，无法得以施展抱负。于是他们始终在名利的红与紫间徘徊，在小型唱馆间奔波，即使是一场受到万众瞩目的登台，仍无法将他们推上销量榜之巅。也许如大任于斯，好事多磨，需几经磨练方可立身世界之林，也许他们与显姓扬名注定只有擦肩之缘。但只要他们独善其身，不苛求闻达于世，即使音乐的创作受阻，灵感的火花却不会受外界干扰而灭。Jon McLaughlin就是这样的一个音乐人。08年新砖【OK Now】的发布前夕，在Oscar颁奖晚会上的现场表演本可为他的新砖发行造势，最后却未能如愿达到预期的宣传效应。当专辑即将发行，又因制作人的武断，Jon已录制完成的单曲“Smack Into You”被当做"糟粕"从新砖曲目表上撤下，拱手相让给流行"天后"Beyonce。而这支单曲最后被更名为“Smash Into You”收录于Beyonce的第三张录音室大碟【I Am...Sasha Fierce】中。可以预见的是，Jon式浪漫曲风的柔情被美臀天后的激烈所取代，好比水火相触，互不相容，一首有潜力成为热单的遗殊最后变成了炮灰。更令人哀怨的是，这支被斩首的单曲始终没能收录到Jon的任何一张EP或Single中被发行。之后在他完成了【OK Now】的全美巡演后，Jon花了1年的时间全身心投入第三张录音室大碟的创作。然后为了寻找一个让厂牌和自己都满意的制作人，花了9个月的时间。屋漏偏逢连夜雨，最后关头因厂牌出现财政问题，专辑录制被无限期延迟。出于对新砖的急切期待，在与厂牌商谈无果后，两方分道扬镳。于是在无厂牌无制作人的艰难情况下，Jon凭借自己的力量和Band朋友的帮助，独立完成了这张专辑的录制，回顾一路走来的三年之不易，出于感慨的同时抱着对未来的企盼，将新砖取名为【Forever If Ever】(若能恒久远)。因整个创作到录制的过程，自己不仅充当词曲作者，还担当了制作人一角，其所愿所想无他人左右，所以Jon认为这些歌是最能代表他个人风格的音乐。 听罢整张专辑，从词曲谱写到旋律包装，和上张更为商业流行的【OK Now】相比，"干净"了很多，少了那些上耳易却不耐听的浮华虚饰;以爱情为主题带有叙事风格的歌词更加个性化；他所擅长的piano-pop比重也大大增加，从专辑封套中第一次出现钢琴这个物象也可窥出piano在整张专辑中的分量。个人觉得像Jon这种以钢琴为主音乐器并以情歌为主打的艺人，悠扬情深的慢歌更能表现出其行云流水般的款款柔情和浪漫情愫，正如"Beautiful Disaster"使其暂露头角，"So Close"让他站在Oscar的聚光灯下,上张专辑【OK Now】中的"Throw My Love Around"和"We All Need Saving"久久萦绕吾心，以及那首遗殊"Smack"被众乐迷捧为其音乐生涯中之最佳，这张新砖里让我割舍不得的也是几首深情慢歌，"Summer Is Over", "If Only I", "Maybe It's Over"和"I'll follow You"，同时亦是本人重点推荐的。 专辑以节奏明快的"Without You Know"开篇，表达了分手后身感自由的表象之下，却心存旧恋。高潮处的电吉他给人一种回归80's后期经典摇滚的味道。一段渐柔渐强的旋律过渡给整首歌画上休止符，后知后觉的情感最终升华为深深的遗憾。第二首"A Little Too Hard (And a Little Too Fast)"描绘了老友重聚前，站在镜前边著装打扮，边幻想憧憬爱慕对象的到来，同时边自言自语的画面，颇有俏皮之感。fast意为时光流逝之快，hard则指现实生活之难。第三首"Summer Is Over"是Jon以朋友的亲身经历为原型创作的一首作品，"未觉初秋会寒冷至此|风刮过灰色天际，仿若一个送给即别恋人的分手之吻|夏逝秋来..."，这其中的伤心欲绝，也许只有经历过异地恋的朋友才会感同身受。恰逢秋时，愁绪满怀，又正值开学离别季，之所谓应景，不知又会唤醒多少听者的眼泪...第四首"Promising Promises"表达了对太多未兑承诺的厌倦，快速跳动的琴键营造的剑拔弩张一触即发的紧迫感，仿佛预示着曾经的山盟海誓即将弦断音绝。第五首"If Only I"以独特的视角，通过细腻的心理变化，讲述了一个对暗恋之切却无勇搭讪，最后把感情深埋心底的故事，“...love is hell，a shiny prison cell where time stops|Slowly all the faces turn to yours,like no one else exists anymore”，歌词看似平淡却透射点点哲理。第六曲“Maybe It's Over”是令人印象深刻也是专辑中唯一的duet，Xenia知性成熟的爵士味女声可谓是点睛之笔（Xenia Martinez，NBC歌唱类真人秀节目The Voice的第一季参赛者），对比衬托出Jon听似哽咽般的唱腔，表现了一对站在崩溃边缘的情人在做最后的奋力挣扎，歌曲结束前的那段随性的口琴吹奏也可谓是生花一笔。在连续两首中慢拍情歌之后，随着键盘快速的敲击，是一首快歌"What I Want"，这首似乎在向前厂牌公司抬杠的作品，把积郁在胸的种种不平和不满一吐为快，让人颇为淋漓酣畅。吐槽后的第九首"I'll Follow You"是整张专辑中最为情深的一首作品，"As long as you're around I'll follow you，you won't ever be alone...Harder is the love gonna break...I will give whatever love takes|I believe in you and you believe in me，how can we ever go wrong?",诗意唯美的歌词，舒缓深情的钢琴，加上Jon温柔似水的男声，扣动听者的心弦，与大提琴哀婉的琴弦波动产生共鸣，内心深处的点滴温存被唤醒，化作感动氲氤飘散。催泪过后的第九首"You Are What I'm Here For"谱写的是通过自我反省方才领悟到内心真实感受的爱情宣言。第十曲"I Brought This On Myself"是一首非常随性的快歌作品，以歌者自嘲的方式宣泄了一段尴尬奇怪的恋情。这半念白的演绎方式似乎让Jon充分体验了作为专辑制作人手握大权的兴奋感。第十一首"My Girl Tonight"是首谱曲相对简单的小品，Jon用他缠绵悱恻的歌喉和曼妙的钢琴描绘了获得伊人芳心的甜美回忆。专辑的最后一首"These Crazy Times"由清脆的班卓琴引航，从而带上了乡村的芳草气息，但Jon想揭示的却是一个深刻的"灰色"主题。这首歌创作于去年墨西哥湾漏油事件期间，事故中Jon的表兄在钻塔爆炸中失踪，于是在歌中他通过审视生命和环境在与经济利益相比下的地位，表达了他无奈的愤怒，童声合声作为背景和音在一方面也提升了这首歌的气场。对Jon而言，亲身经历过重创的由感而发才显的真实，所以也是为何这是他第一次尝试演绎时政相关类的作品。（该曲之后有首hidden track） 大任于斯，3年一剑。Jon说在所有专辑中这张最能展现他真实的一面，而我觉得或许用“唯一”一张更为合适。如果你没听过Jon McLaughlin的音乐，那我把他推荐给你，希望他的柔情能感动你。如果你听过Jon McLaughlin的专辑，并且喜欢他的音乐，自然更加不可错过这张打磨了3年之久的新砖。若你对他的音乐没有共鸣，我同样推荐给你，因为这是他第一次以一个全新的，自由的姿态演绎他自己的作品。

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