♪ mn music wonderland

Birdy - People Help The People, Shelter, Skinny Love

Her voice is so pure and innocent, she’s very young though, but that’s still talented. These are all covers (PHTP: Cherry Ghost, S: The XX, SL: Bon Iver), but I think the magic of her is that she makes them more mainstream and accessible but still retains the genuine, raw goodness, wonderful.

genre: folk
rating: PHTP: 4/5 stars, S: 4/5 stars, SL: 4/5 stars

Beth Orton - Stars All Seem To Weep (1999)

When I’m so f*cking sad, sometimes I think of this very neat sad song. I wish I can sleep underneath the stars, like I did when I was a child. 

rating: 4.5/5 stars
genre: electronica, folk, rock

 

There’s this voice saying - calm down calm down… Here’s a collection of 7 calm down songs.

Maria Mena - This Too Shall Pass, Homeless

Gorgeous ballads. “This Too Shall Pass” is bright and little uplifting while “Homless” is down right heartfelt, good song before dream, amazing vocals too.

genre: pop, folk, contemporary 
rating: 4/5 stars (both)




James Vincent McMorrow - We Don’t Eat , Higher Love

Haunting and beautiful. Something just swirl into your heart - chilly but pretty. Coincidentally, just like Maria, ”We Don’t Eat” is on the brighter side, with higher spirit while the cover song “Higher Love” (Steve Winwood) is cold yet emotional and touching, and only left you craving for more.

genre: folk, acoustic 
rating: 4/5 stars (both)

Lana Del Rey - Video Games

This is massive. Would you expect something this beautiful from a song titled “Video Games”? lol… Amazing vocal, beautiful melody suitably matched with a bare/minimum/subtle arrangement. Watch out for this girl, she’s gonna be big. Song of the year contender. 

genre: indie pop
rating: 4.5/5 stars




Charlene Soraia - Wherever You Will Go

Um… slightly cheesy, but I have a soft spot for this, nice cover (The Calling). Lovely voice with slight vulnerability, not bad at all.

genre: pop
rating: 3.5/5 stars

 


Rebecca Ferguson - Nothing’s Real But Love 

Soulful pop, simple and heart warming, heartfelt. The focus is on the vocal and nothing else is important. 

genre: soul, pop, blues
rating: 3.5/5 stars

Chet Lam (林一峰) - The Best Is Yet To Come (2003)

Similarly this calms you down. Good acoustic Canto-pop number. I think my heart always has a place for this little song, it’s always there even if I’m not huming to it or has it in my head. And he’s really likable.

genre: canto-pop, pop, acoustic, city-folk, folk
rating: 4/5 stars

James Blake & Bon Iver - Fall Creek Boys Choir

Instantly gained my attention and very moving. This time the repeating issue seems doesn’t really bother me, and the prettiness is still pretty there. I’m just greatly impressed and touched. What a clever use of vocal processing, it makes his vocal so affectionate, full of emotion and powerful, good job!!

genre: electronic, post-dubstep, soul, folk, indie
rating: 4/5 stars

PJ Harvey - The Words that Maketh Murder

Oh yeah, another quirky artist. I absolutely love that male chorus which comes in all of sudden, like from no where, very surprising and insteresting. Unusual but amazing, smooth progress arrangement. Solid yet surprising, weird but upbeat, along with her quirky lovely vocal, this is a wonderful piece of work!!

genre: experimental rock, alternative rock, folk
rating: 4/5 stars

If your heart and soul ever need comforting, I think these tunes suit the category.

Tori Amos - A Sorta Fairy Tale (2002)

I love Tori. She may have lost her fire, but I enjoy this calm Tori too. She’s just being herself, telling how she feels, whether it’s angry or pleasant. I have to say I prefer the album version though, the brilliance is extended.

genre: rock, pop
rating: 4/5 stars

Beck - Lost Cause (2002)

He’s quiry, I like that. This is mind soothing, lovely. This, however, comes as quite tamed, but I’m rather ok with it. :)

genre: folk
rating: 4/5 stars

Moby - Natural Blues (2000)

This comes from his 1999 mega album “Play”, so many wonderful things there. And this one is certainly comforting, with the use of some wonderful samples. It’s a little sad though, but I adore it, for some reason, this little song comes into my head from time to time. For the videos, I have to say I prefer the animated one, I like that slightly sad little fellow.

genre: electronica
rating: 4/5 stars 

Lia Ices - Grown Unknown

A little bit cool, a little bit cold, but it’s also lively and lovely, and it turns out to be very beautiful at the end, I think it’s very suitable for autumn season. I don’t really like it at first, but after a few more listens, I’ve grown to love it, and not just like. : ) Ah yes, she does resemble Tori Amos a little bit.

genre: folk, indie, alternative, experimental
rating: 4/5 stars

Summer is with us and you need some tunes to accompany it? Besides this one, I got two more at the time for ya to comsume~ :)

Eliza Doolittle - Pack up

I like that she’s being light and slightly flirty… this tune is very suitable for summer! And I really like these lines ~ ” I don’t care what the whipseres say Cause they whisper too loud for me” ” Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet…” lol.

genre: pop, folk
rarting: 3.5/5 stars

Olly Murs - Please Don’t Let Me Go

I’m feeling this a lot! This surely is a summer tune ‘cos it’s so light and flirty! Lol. Oh yeh and this guy is being fun, listen to the way he sings! ^^ My suggestion is that it would sound even better if they can make it sound even more like an oldie, they are already doing it, why not go all for it.

genre: pop
rating: 3.5/5 stars

Lissie - When I’m alone

Slightly folk, little bit country, slightly rock, so light I feel I can fly. And there’s enough catchiness to hook us up. It’s raw, but not too much, it’s genuine, it’s sensational. Yes, I feel this is a great new direction alternative folk could be heading. She is surely a great new talent and the one this year music fans should be watching out for.

rating: 4/5 stars
genre: folk, rock, country, alternative