It's a bitter sweet thing when I sometimes discover a really amazing song during those hours when I should be in bed already. I mean, I get so excited and energized by it that it ends up being on repeat for a really long time causing me to be part of the living dead the next day. Although, I'm never too tired to put that very same tune on repeat again the first thing I wake up.
For me it's shocking to hear when someone doesn't consider music to be the most important thing or important at all for them. Then I'm in my head like "is there anything else we could talk about now? should I really be bothered to get to know you anymore?".
Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not as shallow as I sound. Music is just a huge part of my life that it's hard to believe that it isn't for everyone else.
One of the most horrifying comments came from my mother, when she told me I should sell my CDs if I move abroad. That was the moment when I realized what my relation to music exactly was- it's my most loyal and understanding companion.
Friends come and go, but music is to stay.
All the phases of life, all the emotions I feel. Let it be sad, happy, on top of the world or just absolutely effin' torn up. Music is there for me.
Wherever my feet take me, music is by my side. To each place I say goodbye/hello, music is there with me.
It's there to give me a push, encourage me to let go, catch me when I'm falling... I seriously would be completely lost without it. I haven't had a best friend since elementary, but when I think about it, that's just a rubbish statement.
Music's been my best friend since cradle. And it will be just that beyond my last breathe.
note: while writing this the writer was listening to abba. oh, don't be too surprised.
It's funny that after spending a year in The Netherlands, I left with one luggage. Now after spending half a year in London, I left with two. During my exchange year I didn't visit home at all, I didn't even want to. But London made me want to go home for a while, only after two months. We were talking about this with Maria, and wondering if it was about the person or the place. Probably both.
But one thing I'm sure of... I'm happy to be back! Here are some reasons;
1. No more dealing with noisy kids.
2. I can have pork and beer in the fridge again.
3. Fresh air and nature. It's not even cold, as I'm wearing the same clothes I wore in London, and yet I'm sweating.
4. It's affordable to keep the houses warm.
5. Thick walls, so you don't need to listen to your neighbors' life stories.
6. Being surrounded by people, who understand social awkwardness. Or actually not being surrounded by people at all.
Last spring my friend kept telling me to check out this one band, she saw at a festival. Time and time again she reminded me to give them a chance. And time and time again I felt uncomfortable hearing the name of the band; Crystal Fighters.
Yes, Crystal Castles. Um I meant Fighters.
Why the hell do I hear of a band, whose name is half the same as the band which I've just learn to consider sacred?! But why the hell do I consider myself to be open to new music, but resent a band just by its name?
You little hipster hater hypocrite, change that thinking of yours quickly now.
Luckily cleaning my room always takes many hours, so there was time to have a few albums playing in the background. Now and then it might happen that one album gets on repeat. The now and then moment was then.
Seriously I don't think there's another band in the world, which can combine all the genres I love into one. Well ok, it's not right to say it that way, since I listen to all kinds of bands from Abba to Slipknot. But what I meant is that when listening to Crystal Fighter's debut album Star of Love, I heard everything from drum n' base to pop and electro to rock. I'm not going to use the word indie now, just to avoid the 'indie is not a genre' people's mumble.
They even make their vibe of Spanish music and instruments, which I'm not a huge fan of, sound delicious with everything else. But let's have a look now at the short version of my Crystal Fighters/Star of Love listening debut:
1. Hm I didn't expect them to play this type of music.
2. Oh maan this is one of those songs you can not only sing by yourself, but also with a huge crowd!
3. WTF was this the album or did I have a random playlist on?
Then comes the Wikipedia part put into my own words:
Crystal Fighters are a British electronic band with Spanish influences. One of the band members found an unfinished opera script from her reclusive grandfather's house. That's where the band got its name and were heavily inspired by the wild and deranged spirit of the writings.
Themes in the album include 'the unfathomable mystery of the universe, the turbulent journey towards being at peace with death, the triumph of love, and the omnipotence of the sun'. Star Of Love is actually a backronym for SOL, the Spanish word for 'sun'.
When you've researched enough of the band, you look for gigs anywhere near you. If you're lucky enough to find one, you ask your friend to buy you a ticket, since you still don't have a credit card.
Then you do the latter of number 2 of my listening debut thoughts listed earlier.
It's maybe easier to understand those thoughts by checking out these videos.
Half a year later you find yourself writing about them and still wondering how was the name Crystal Fighters able to disturb you so much that you almost missed out on a gem. And how the band member on the right in the picture reminds you of a Harry Potter villain.
