Soul and a Summer Storm

I’d like to set a scene for you reading this; it’s a warm summer’s day. However, storm clouds have formed above, and people run into their houses before getting caught in the summer storm that is about to take place. You’re lucky enough to be inside watching the first few drops turn into, what seems like, a continuous stream of heavy rain. But this doesn’t faze you; you open the double doors leading to the garden, and allow the cool breeze and the tap-tap of the rain to enter the room. The atmospheric lights you hung up over the door a few months ago set a calming feeling around you, and on this Sunday afternoon you sit and watch the British weather do what it does best…rain. What better to do than to listen to some Soul?

Now, moving away from that little ‘setting the scene’ moment, I wanted to share with you guys the wonders of SoundCloud and some of the gems I’ve found. Before I carry on, if you haven’t signed up to it already make sure you do. I tend to roam the vast musical banks of SoundCloud, listening to anything that grabs my interest, and see what music is out there.

I’ve recently gotten into Neo-Soul and slow mixes to really bring out that summer vibe; nothing beats that moment of absolute chill on a cool day. Two channels on SoundCloud that have really caught my attention this year and that really evoke that chill vibe are one channel by Londoner, Tom Misch, and another by L.A. based Soulection.

From http://bamalovesoul.com/

I actually came across Tom Misch’s music through Soulection, and it hasn’t disappointed me since. If you’re into that old school sound, you’d be quite interested in this guy’s music. What I like most is how Misch re-works those old school sounds to make something so fresh and modern. One of the first tracks that I heard of his was an instrumental called The Journey, and to this day it remains as one of my go-to songs. Much like the title, the song feels like a musical journey, progressing and developing till the very end when you can just start to quietly hear the voice of Misch himself. I’m not sure why this song struck me so much, but it’s definitely something to listen to to understand what I’m talking about. He’s also, via his SoundCloud channel, released his latest track Memory, which has a real nice summer atmosphere to it, mainly with the introduction with Caribbean steel pans.

Check out his SoundCloud channel here.

For those, like me, who are into Neo-Soul, take the time out to listen to Soulection. As we speak now, Soulection is playing from my JBL Flip, filling the room with some of the freshest tracks at the moment. This L.A. based channel and radio show has got one of the most varied, but strongly connected, track lists I’ve heard. It’s times like this when I wish I lived in the States, solely because of the vast Soul vibe there. Broadcasted on Rinse FM, Soulection is one of those channels that fit the BBQ atmosphere and really gets you to go within yourself, if that makes sense! If you’re looking to build on your Neo-Soul knowledge, really have a listen to this channel and check out their website here.

You can check out the SoundCloud channel here.

I hope that you guys get a chance to listen to at least one song from these channels. You never know, you may end up surprising yourself and enjoy them…I hope you do too.

From your Neo-Soul-ful buddy,
Myles

Mimi's Summer Edit

With the summer sun gracing the British skies, I thought it was extremely convenient to show you all the things I am loving this season.

Check out the new video below which is showing you all the clothing items I've been going crazy for this summer.

I thought I should include a little something extra for the blogpost… you’re welcome!

I am an epic music lover. Recently, I’ve been into indie pop and neo-soul music. I have discovered the most amazing app on my iPad and it’s called IndieShuffle. I have discovered some amazing music through this app so if you an iPhone user or own an iPad, you should definitely check it out!

So here it is, the surprise! My summer tunes :D

M I M I ' S  S U M M E R  P L A Y L I S T

Moses Sumney – Plastic

This soulful song literally sends me to a place of peace and tranquillity. This was the soundtrack for my last video! Sumney’s voice is so raspy and effortless, it makes the song even more perfect. A stripped back song with just his voice, a guitar and a little bit of reverb, this song is just the epitome of soulful perfection.

Wildcat! Wildcat! – Garden Grays

For some reason, the opening of this song reminded me of The Boy is Mine by Brandy and Monica – one of the main reasons I was sucked in! Other than that, this song makes me feel so happy. I love listening to this whilst wandering through the busy streets of London. I forget about everything around me and feel an overwhelming sense of “chill”.

Foster the People - Best Friend

I LOVE THIS SONG! Whenever this comes on at work, it gives me hope that day can actually be great! It is such a feel good song. I have to admit, it has started an obsession with Foster the People.

 Little Daylight – Overdose

This is my JAM! I always bob my head whenever the shuffle on my phone brings it to my attention. The female vocal fits in so perfectly with this song. It makes me feel the same way Garden Grays does.

Carousel –Stay Awake

This is my “if only I was in love” song. This song is the cutest song EVER! I’m so grateful to IndieShuffle for introducing me to this awesome song. Just listen to the lyrics. For some reason, even though it is a love song, it isn’t cringey at all! Make relationships seem pretty cool, WHO KNEW!

Childish Gambino ft. Jhene Aiko – Pink Toes

I have an unhealthy obsession with Childish Gambino. This song never ceases to blow my mind. Perfect summer jam! I can imagine this blasting at a chilled BBQ with plenty of alcoholic beverages (hehe who doesn't love a cheeky cider). Just listen. You’ll be amazed!

Hope ya’ll enjoyed the post! Speak soon,

Mimi x

MindBodyMode meets: JOY MUMFORD

Guys, I have come to the conclusion that I am an epic “fangirl”. For those of you that do not know what a fangirl is, here is a quick definition from my never-failing companion, Urban Dictionary:

FANGIRL: A female who has overstepped the line between a healthy fandom and an indecent obsession.

Okay, maybe not to that extent but I am obsessed with my YouTube and blogging loves! I always crave the opportunity to meet them and I finally did!

So, I went to Nottingham for a few days and had the amazing opportunity to meet one of my favourite YouTubers, Joy Mumford. Joy is a 21 year old singer/songwriter from Nottingham with an amazing blog and YouTube channel. With her beautiful EP called “Cake and Tea”, Joy’s music brings so much joy and serenity to those listening. Her voice is pure and rich and her songwriting ability is to be praised – not many songwriters can suck you in and make you feel as if you can relate to them. With a songwriting ability and voice comparable to people like Lianne La Havas, Corinne Bailey and Gabrielle Aplin, Joy Mumford has managed to raise a fanbase which is well deserved.

Joy is one of the loveliest people I have met to date. She showed my friend and I around the quirky parts of Nottingham and we had a cheeky day filled with window shopping and lovely conversation. Obsessing over YouTube and blogs, I found that the YouTube community brings people together which is an amazing aspect of it. Hopefully, I can meet her again and show her around Norwich.

Check out her links to keep up to date with what she is getting up to.

Joy's links:

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRealMissMumford

Blog - http://www.lullabiesandcandy.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JoyMumfordMusic?ref=br_tf

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/joooyyy

Download her EP "Cake and Tea" here - https://joymumfordmusic.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/joy-mumford
Instagram - http://instagram.com/joymumfs

Click her to watch my interview with Joy!

Until next time,

Mimi x

What do YOU listen to?

ramtco.com

As for many student dorms or accommodation, we strive to be as comfortable as possible when it comes down to revision and generally living. Of course, living away from home does have its toll and can send the best of us into the spiralling pool of mess that are rooms somehow accumulate. I had a look at my room today, and I said to myself “what has happened”? As much as I don’t like to admit…my room was an absolute tip, and I know that many students find themselves in the same predicament as me.

What can we do? Sometimes, you can’t help but fling that tee to the corner or even that lone sock that will be forever lost in the jungle we call a bedroom. We get stressed; we are in a situation where we must look after ourselves as well as make sure we stay on top of our work. Time after time, something has to give way to something else, and in this case it’s the bedroom. I confess to be a mess during this period of exams, and sure some people may just say “well, clean it up”, but sometimes you get so comfortable in your mess that you start to forget that odd sock on your desk.

I found that having a messy room is the physical representation of the mind; a messing room equals a messy mind…and no one wants a messy mind at this time. Pieces of paper on the floor that could help with revision or exam prep may be lost under the mountain of jumpers, underwear and hats. This has to change. Now, when it comes down to dealing with this I turn to music. Music is the thing that makes laborious work move quicker, and is the catalyst to a tidy room.

The pace and energy in a song inspires a sense of energised work. If you are a gym goer, you probably already have a playlist for those moments on the treadmill. If you revise a lot in your room, you may decide to choose chilled or maybe even classical music. Or perhaps you’re that person that goes back to a cultural influence; bhangra, reggae or African? It all comes down to preference for an effective clean. If you’re one of the people, like me, who are currently living in a glorified cave, then get that playlist going. However, the question remains…

What do you listen to? Click here and decide on your favourite playlist.

From your hygiene-loving buddy,

Myles

Classical Music is your FRIEND

matthewstarner.com

We have all pretty much immersed ourselves in the art of Twerking, Dougie-ing and Cutting the occasional shape. With the recent rise and experimentation of Hip Hop and Pop, we have really lost our remembrance for the classics. Remember when you were young and you may have listened to some old skool tunes like Janet Jackson and Whitney in their hay day or even the infamous Spice Girls and Madonna’s Like a Virgin. For me, I’m speaking from a 90’s baby perspective, so there is only so much a can talk about when it comes to music that I’ve experienced. However, recently I came across something very interesting.

Classical music; the music of Intelligence, of Wealth and high status. For so long now we have associated these connotations with such a musically enriched genre, and we hardly even bat an eye at it let alone allow our ears to really absorb it. However, is this wise? From March onwards, we can all expect as university students to be under immense pressure from the looming 80% examination which starts to count towards your degree after second year. As well as this, some of us have to also lend our concentration to coursework due in less than a week and it may be all getting to us…just a smidge. So, what am I exactly trying to get at?

It has been scientifically proven that the genre of classical music can actually help with working at such a stressful time; the organic instrumental sounds of the piano, harp and violin lend itself to your benefit. Looking back at my previous post about Language and Music, the fact that music can activate most parts of your brain allows you to remember things that you wouldn’t usually remember. So why not put this to work?

Radio stations like Classical FM or others that play classical music can easily be put on in the background whilst you knock out that next essay or revision session. The soothing tones can relax you and allow you to absorb more of the information. 

An article in The Metro looks at the findings of clinical psychologist Dr. Emma Grey who suggested that maths “students who listened to classical music (with 60-70 beats per minute) while studying scored on average 12 per cent more in their Maths exams”. This is due to the fact that “the melody and tone range in classical music” allows students to maintain a longer studying/revision session and allows them to retain more information. It’s pretty evident that classical music is helpful when it comes to this period, however students of the 90’s who love their Hip Hop, Rock or Pop won’t find themselves prowling the YouTube’s search bar for Beethoven’s Fur Elise now, will they?

vimeo.com

This is where the fun part comes in. A friend of mine showed me a video that was hilarious, but quite interesting at the end. South Korean dance group ‘Waveya’ teamed up with the Belgium B-Classic Music Festival to create a project to promote classical music. What they created was not just a music video, but a statement. The video shows the all-female dance group dancing in cheerleader outfits and short shorts in a style that could be seen as commercial/jazz. The interesting beats that they hit to Antonín Leopold Dvorák’s ‘Symphony No. 9’ are clean, and they really do experiment with bringing the 1893 song to a 21^st century. The dynamic and cinematic locations they use keep you interested in the video, as well as the women dancing to it. As we work our way to the end of the video, a line appears stating that “You have just listened to 3 minutes of classical music” – pretty powerful if you ask me.

The video is definitely worth 3 minutes of your time, click here to watch it.

I want to leave this blog post on a note/question: why is it that when we watch a video like this, we can sit through minutes of listening to classical music, yet we won’t use it to benefit us when studying? Food for thought mis amigos.

From your classical music-loving friend,

Myles

Music from around the WORLD

Youtube.com

I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by different languages all of my life. Having an Indian and Jamaican heritage, studying French when I was in high school, and being fortunate enough to travel to many countries in my 20 years, I have really been able to learn about culture…especially through music.

I had recently visited my Indian grandparents, and we sat down to watch a good ol’ Indian movie. Now, Indian films tend to have a lot of music and singing in them, and this particular film inspired a lot of interest. One song from the movie 'Ramaiya Vastavaiya' was called ‘Jeene Laga Hoon’ – I have no idea what it means. Quite odd for a guy who says that he has Indian heritage, ay? This song also reminded me of a really old Indian song called ‘Chura Liya Hai’ which I know the lyrics to, but have no understanding of. I have always regretted not learning my native Indian language, which is Gujarati, and because of this I have lost a lot of time being able to communicate with my grandparents effectively.

ramaiyavastavaiyasongs.blogspot.com

Now at university, I have been able to experience music from different cultures even more as I have been fortunate enough to meet people who have introduced me to so many amazing songs. This got me thinking – a lot of the songs I’ve listened to that are in a different language got me singing along in a different language. It really interested me how music can be used a start-up tool to learning a new language, so I got to researching. I came across a really interesting article about music and languages. Your brain is known to be split into two hemispheres – the ‘logical’ left side and the ‘creative’ right side of the brain. According to this article, language is located on the left side of the brain, whereas music can be found to activate both hemispheres. Here’s the really interesting bit – have you ever remembered the lyrics to a song/foreign song you haven’t heard in a decade or so? Well, listening to music that has a foreign language in it allows you to easily develop your tone, accent and rhythm when speaking in another language, as well as remembering lyrics you may have forgotten. THAT’S AMAZING! I mean, music in itself is a tool to learn a new language.

www.6psbig3.com

Listening to music with a different language FIRST, rather than learning to speak it, is like walking into the shallow part of a swimming pool first rather than diving straight it. You begin to get comfortable with it, learning the tones and sounds, and once you have absorbed it, learning the technical parts of learning a language is a piece of cake! I’ve really come to appreciate songs from different languages, and knowing that it has an effect on learning a new language, it may be a starter to properly learning any of the Indian languages. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t happen overnight, and it may not even work…BUT IT’S MUSIC, and I LOVE MUSIC.

So if you’re looking to start learning a new language, don’t intimidate yourself by jumping straight in. Get those earphones in and start listening to music with the targeted language you want learn. Really absorbed the sounds and who knows, you may become a master linguistic. Click here to have a look at the article, it's a really good read!

From your musically inspired language lover,

Myles

Because I'm Happy

www.mtv.com

Pharrell Williams is some sort of musical angel in my eyes. Having been obsessed with his addictive and feel-good song Happy since it came out in the summer of 2013, I was really interested in the fact that the song’s meaning and Pharrell’s own opinion of it was perhaps not quite as ‘happy’ as we might think. Having been on Oprah this week, he was reduced to tears after watching fans remake the Happy video, from people in London to Portugal to Malawi - literally all over the world.

Several articles have appeared this week on what makes Pharrell’s song so catchy and feel-good.  It took him 10 attempts to write Happy, knowing that he wanted to create a song simply about a man who had lots to be happy about, but felt that he couldn't write this into a song. Thank god he kept going. His 8^th version was named ‘Feeling a Bit Tired But Fine’, but he knew he’d struck gold by the time he got to the 10^th version; Happy.

Even musical experts have come forward this week to determine why the song has become such a global phenomenon. It’s been said that so many artists these days try to make music that is a little out there and different from what we know, but because Pharrell’s song takes us back to a more familiar mode of pop music, it makes us love it even more. It’s been said to have a kind of 60’s Motown feel to it so we associate it with pop music that we can relate to. It’s not trying to be too clever or alien to us. And similarly, Happy came out at a time of year when the recession had ruled for quite some time, and what people really needed was a song that would make them feel better about themselves. Radio 1 Extra test their top 25 songs each week to rate which is the most loved song – and unsurprisingly, Happy came out as having the highest ‘passion score’ of any song within the last 18 months.

www.blackrockstar.com

Pharrell said himself that the song had "Zero air-play, nothing. And the next thing you know, we put out the video on 21 November and all of a sudden - boom. I mean, when I say boom, I mean booooom”. This shows that he didn't even expect great reactions to this song but, yeah, he got one! He was even the first ever person to create a 24 hour-long music video for the song – showing that no matter how many times you listen to it, it seems it just doesn't get old.

                                                         

Thanks for reading! 

Becca

Justin Timberlake - Let the Groove Get In

I’m not sure if I’ve come across one person that doesn’t like Justin Timberlake. Being the triple threat superstar that he is, it’s a given that his songs either hit an emotional heart string or hidden dance move in everyone.

From www.highsnobiety.com

Once again, one of my friends was lucky enough to see him in concert recently and of course put a video on the ol’ Facebook of the performance. Even though I wasn't able to go to the actual 20/20 Experience Tour, I did listen to many of the songs in the album; one that got me grooving was his track Let The Groove Get In. Now, this particular song definitely gets me up on my feet. For some reason, it reminds me of the music in Brazil; the start of the song has a very South American vibe and continues as a song that sounds like you would hear it at a Brazilian festival. The songs spurs your inner dancer and you find yourself moving without realising.

From blogs.theprovince.com

The harmonies and falsettos in this entire song always seems to justify that Mr. Timberlake definitely has the right to be held in such esteem as a professional and a very talented artist. Towards the end of the song, its style changes and it becomes more of a soulful sound, one that I was very drawn to as it didn’t sound as if it were part of the song. This part of the song attracted me the most and pretty much spurred me on to find out if there were any routines or choreography done to this song…and there were!

From Youtube.com

Anthony Lee and the dance group Culture Shock Los Angeles on YouTube really made me excited about the possibility with a dance to this song. The amazing transitions and canons in this routine are so visually stimulating that you can’t help but accidently miss something. Therefore, this routine is one that you have to watch more than once.

Sometimes, quantity overthrows quality but that is not the case with this choreography; it seems as though the more people in this choreography the better. The moment when the two lines move in a circular motion around the middle line is probably one of my favourite; they seem to continue the routine whilst running to their next position and staying in time. I appreciate the precision in the routine, even with the mass of dancers. I think it’s something that really showcases the talent of Culture Shock Los Angeles as a whole. The whole routine shows off the groove of the song, mixing accuracy with pure fun, and presents a dynamic and visually exciting routine. Anthony Lee’s YouTube channel is definitely one to watch out for and learn from because it’s filled with amazing choreography. 

Here’s the video, make sure you watch it!

 From your dance driven friend,

Myles

Jhené Aiko - The Worst

A friend of mine recently went to the Drake concert in London’s O2 Arena where she got to see the man himself, plus his supporting acts The Weeknd and Jhené Aiko. I personally thought that this mix of artists was such a brilliant match, because they are all so different in their own way. But what caught me the most was the amazing voice that Jhené Aiko had. I never really got the chance to listen to any of her songs; I did see the odd YouTube video with her in it here and there, but I never really sat down and gave her a chance. So, I sat down…and gave her a chance!

From Youtube.com

I went in with absolutely no expectations, and she completely blew my mind. Completely at the mercy of YouTube’s drop-down suggestions list, I typed in her name and the first song to come up was The Worst. Now, from what I assume after doing a bit of research into this, this song is a particular favourite for most people…and I understand why. The beat is absolutely sick; the piano mixed with synth-y tones creates this completely chilled zone. With this, her ethereal voice, and her choice of emphasis on words, produces this beautiful track; both complementing each other. The lyrics, captivating every sinew of your body, transport you into this story of love.

“I don’t need you, I don’t need you, I don’t need you, I don’t need you, but I want you” – talk about a lyric! I think this one in particular sticks in people’s heads just because it almost sounds like it’s going off-beat, but how she ends it sound so experimental. Then she raps! I mean this lady is seriously talented! I could talk about this song all day long, however that’s not the main focus of this post. I wanted to look at the result of it, i.e. in the form of choreography.

After typing this song on the ol’ YouTube, I wondered whether people had choreographed routines to it…and they had! Dabbling in a bit of dance myself, I definitely appreciated the fact that people choreographed to this song, purely because its beats and lyrical nature could be quite daunting to create a routine to. I know that I would definitely be a bit worried if I don’t do the song justice, but I think I will have to do it (so many ideas brewing right now).

From Youtube.com

Anyway, this post is specifically inspired and dedicated to the amazing BiancaJean3 (her YouTube username) and her routine to this amazing song. First thing about this dance is…WOW! Honestly, I was extremely inspired by it. She has thought about every sound in her piece, even to the sounds of Aiko breathing. What I particularly thought was nice was the subtle difference between the two backing dancers and the front woman (who I’m guessing is Bianca); there are slight changes in the routine when they break off from the main stream of things and do something different.

By the way, I’m not claiming to be some sort of expert; I just really love dancing, so if I sound pretentious…I’m definitely not trying to be. Just a supporter of the Arts over ‘hurrrrrr. Back to the dance; I thought the transitioning was silky smooth, from the 3-point to the diagonal line, and the mixture of masculine and feminine movements, it’s routines like this that inspire me to better myself as a dancer (an amateur one at that).

Now, please take this time to watch the video and see EXACTLY what I mean. And also, subscribe to BiancaJean3’s channel on YouTube, there’s some gems in there that you’ve got to see!

That's me! Until next time folks,

Myles

INTRODUCING: Myles!

Greetings to all of those who are reading this! So, I’m Myles, nice to meet you all. If you haven’t read the other posts done by the other writers on this blog…MAKE SURE YOU DO SO AFTER THIS, they’ve got a lot to say too.

Okay, so here I am! I write mainly about Music and Dance, which you shall all hopefully see soon, but I will also creep up on the odd Lifestyle or Fashion article somewhere or another. But yes, Music and Dance are two of my greatest passions. Honestly, if you gave me some headphones, any form of MP3 player, and a full-sized wall mirror…I would be the HAPPIEST man ever. I have come across a lot of Music articles, but not that many Dance ones, so I’m really interested in how people will take an article on the latest dance video or craze that I may write about. I’ll leave all of you to judge that.

I really do hope that the stuff I write about interests you. No one wants to come across something that is so mind-numbingly boring that you won’t be able to move on from…because it was SO boring! So if you are interested in Music, hopefully I’m your man. I like pretty much everything, from Pop and Rock, to R&B and Jazz, so hopefully there is something there that might tickle your fancy. Having been brought up in a mainly Motown and Soul musical environment, a lot of my tastes are quite different to that of a typical 20 year-old (bearing in mind that this sentence will be time-specific lol). However, I think because of this I am definitely open to listening to new things, that’s the best way to develop a real range of music tastes. Similarly, if you’re into a dance or two, or three, or even four…I am definitely your man. I’ve been dancing for quite some time now, mainly Hip Hop, and I’ve been able to work with so many talented people. So I will definitely be “putting in my two pence” (a little British slang there) about dances I’ve seen, dancers I find talented and inspiring, and my opinion about dance as a whole.

I don’t know about you, but I’m reallyexcited! These two things are things that I couldn’t see my future without. By 80 years of age, you’ll still catch me on the dance floor “dougie-ing” the night away with the best of them. Hopefully by then, I’ll still be writing too.

There are three of us that run this blog, Mimi, Becca and me #TheDreamTeam. So make sure you check out there introductions to you lovely people.

Let’s get this going! Grab a cuppa’ tea, a chair, maybe a biscuit, and enjoy!

From your musically inclined chum,

Myles