Winter Has Arrived And All I Need Is You (8tracks Playlist)

In the dead of winter when the world is in a slumber as it’s blanketed by the snow, all I need is you wrapped under my arms. All I need is your warm soul touching mine. All I need is your smile to light up the grey skies outside. All I need is you and only you.

Track Listing:

1. Perth - Bon Iver
2. The Plains/Bitter Dancer - Fleet Foxes
3. The Funeral - Band of Horses
4. We Won’t Need Legs To Stand - Sufjan Stevens
5. Easier - Grizzly Bear
6. Sé Lest - Sigur Rós
7. Lakehouse - Of Monsters and Men
8. Minnesota, WI - Bon Iver
9. Yellow Light - Of Monsters and Men
10. Detlef Schrempf - Band Of Horses
11. The Past And Pending - The Shins
12. La Noyee - Yann Tiersen
13. Avril 14th - Aphex Twin
14. Fuck Me - Yann Tiersen
15. Horchata - Vampire Weekend
16. Generator ^ First Floor - Freelance Whales
17. Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
18. Fine For Now - Grizzly Bear
19. Smoke - Moddi
20. Armchairs - Andrew Bird

“One kind word can warm three winter months.” -Japanese Proverb

Cheerleader (Neon Indian ‘Studio 6669’ Remix) - Grizzly Bear

There are three things I love about autumn; the need to wear multiple layers of clothing, savory pumpkin spice lattes with whipped cream on top from Starbucks, and listening to the folky rhythms of Grizzly Bear while the vibrantly colored leaves fall gently to the ground. For some reason I have associated Grizzly Bear with autumn, mainly because the angelic vocals reminds me of the pristine beauty of this season. After summers that were filled with random hilarity and mayhem, the fall comes providing a respite of that temporary party-lifestyle. It’s a cool-down period, a time to just slowly sip a pumpkin spice latte, read an engaging piece of literature, and relax ‘till winter when the party starts again. (At least for me, I consider winter a party-season in my book, how else can you stay warm?)

“Maybe this time we’ll grow.”

Urban Dreams #3 (8tracks Playlist)

I believe there is peace in the chaos of our wild city landscape. The city is one of the few places you can be alone while surrounded by people, a place where you can always find a venue to channel your tranquil vibes. The mixture of Indie with Hip-hop captures this feeling perfectly, it’s an amazing culmination of the best of both worlds in this busy urban landscape.

Track Listing:

1. All Things Go - Chiddy Bang
2. Sing From Dream - Sin Fang
3. Skinny Love (Das Kapital Rerub) - Bon Iver
4. Two Weeks (Tomato Remix) - Grizzly Bear
5. Cudderisback - Kid Cudi
6. Breathe (Feat. Bob Murat) - Blitz The Ambassador
7. Lovers Remorse (Feat. Rick Bartlett) - Blitz The Ambassador
8. Good Soldier - Flobots
9. Dear God 2.0 (feat. Jim James & Monsters Of Folk) - The Roots
10. Shempi - Ratatat
11. David - The Radio Dept.
12. You’ve Got the Love (The XX Remix) - Florence + The Machine

“We make the best of what we have.”

Slow Life - Grizzly Bear (feat. Victoria Legrand)

We search and search, tirelessly digging through the drudgery of our waning hopes. We conjure outlandish theories to explain the unexplainable. We insert ourselves into the center of the universe, meticulously over-analyzing every little action we take so we can find the blame for our hopelessness. There is an ancient zen proverb that says “Those who seek will not find.” It’s true, when we surrender ourselves to that fear and start to desperately search we start missing the opportunities, we start looking at the world through a blindfold, living in a dim reality. Every thing starts to seem empty. Our lives become consumed by our desires, we grow envious of those lucky ones whose search has come to an end. When we seek, we are steering further and further away, only later to realize what we’ve always wanted is what right in front of our noses, we were just too busy wallowing in our hopelessness to realize.

That is why I stopped searching. I’m resting on the laurels of fate, confident that karma will be more than kind to me. I’m assured that the universe will reciprocate my good vibes, someone will catch on to them sooner or later. Living a slow life, pacing myself because I’ve realized that feeling anxious and being in a rush will not get you anywhere.

“I think I know what’s on your mind. A couple words, a great divide.”

Icelandic Dreams (8tracks Playlist)

There is a far away land where nature remains untouched by humanity’s destructive prowess. An exotic realm of divine natural beauty that transforms you. A place that has the power to inspire any one who steps foot on its precious soil. There is a land out there unlike any other, a beautiful paradise in the cold north.

Track Listing:

1. Hoppípolla - Sigur Rós
2. Animal Arithmetic - Jónsi
3. Starálfur - Sigur Rós
4. How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead
5. Easier - Grizzly Bear
6. Stokkseyri - Jónsi & Alex
7. Around Us - Jónsi
8. Theme from Jurassic Park - John Williams
9. The Sun’s Gone Dim and the Sky’s Turned Black - Jóhann Jóhannsson

“You will reach your destination even though you travel slowly.” -Icelandic Proverb

Easier - Grizzly Bear

A white blanket covers New York today. A storm is brewing as snowflakes furiously dance with the cold wind. As I delve into the folky rhythms of Grizzly Bear, I feast my eyes on the fury of the blizzard outside and enjoy the warm calmness inside as I indulge on every sip of a sweet-smelling cup of hot cocoa with a touch of rich whipped cream. Yes, Grizzly Bear is perfect for this weather, it can turn the most raging storms into the most tranquil.

“Argue with me, I’ve got plenty of dishes and time, cords in a bind, knots that we make, fatal mistakes, let’s recreate an easier time.”

Two Weeks (Tomato Remix) - Grizzly Bear vs. Jay-Z

It’s fall, the leaves are turning golden and ruby, the cool breeze is filling the air, so that means it’s time for Grizzly Bear! However being in the city, there is always need for some hip-hop, so why not combine both! Here’s the perfect song for autumn in the urban jungle, Grizzly Bear meets Jay-Z. I love mash-ups of indie folk music with hip-hop, it’s a match made in hipster heaven (a.k.a. Brooklyn).

“I’m from rags to riches, niggas I ain’t dumb. I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain’t one.”

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

A little more than two weeks is all I have until my summer vacation officially begins. Two Weeks was my summer 2009 theme song, and I can’t believe I haven’t written about Grizzly Bear and their album Veckatimest at all! I am appalled that have ignored writing about one of my favorite bands and all-time favorite album for so long. I absolutely fell in love with song about a year ago and I’m still in love with it. I just love this song for two reasons. One, it has this old-school folk vibe, a very vintage quality to it. Two, it has chanting. I have an obsession with songs that have chanting and non-lyrical vocals. Something about a chant brings me in and automatically causes me to sing along. This song feels like a dream, one of those dreams you wake up from and immediately you just want to head right back to sleep so you can keep on dreaming. 

Last year I went to see Grizzly Bear live in concert. It was a free outdoor in the Brooklyn Waterfront in New York’s most hippest neighborhood, Williamsburg. As Grizzly Bear was playing with the New York skyline in the background the sun was setting. I have to say that the combination of Grizzly Bear’s dreamy music, the beautiful summer sun set, and the impressive New York City skyline was one of the most heavenly, and most probably spiritual, experiences I ever had. I’m definitely going to see Grizzly Bear again this summer, I won’t miss another NYC show of theirs for the world.

“Think of all the ways
Momentary phase
Just like yesterday
I told you I would stay”

Today I’m listening to Plants and Animals, Band of Horses, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Department Of Eagles, Deer Tick, and Grizzly Bear. Yep, I’m having a very hipster Earth Day indeed. =)

What “environmentally friendly” bands are you listening to today?