Sunday 27 January 2013

If I was a shoe...

This track has been my favourite song for ages now and even though it isn't a free download I just have to post it. At 87bpm it's actually just a little on the slow side for running, but if you're like me and run better in the 90-95bpm range you could buy the mp3 you can up the tempo using Audacity (see the post Take Control of the BPM to see how). Or maybe the 87bpm will work for you. No matter what it has a super strong beat. So the track is Wenn ich ein Turnschuh waere by Die Goldenen Zitronen. I love everything about it, the music, the voice, the lyrics. For non German speakers he is singing about someone in Turkey trying to get in the the European Union who realises that he would have an easy time, be considered something of value, if he was a sports shoe (or a flat screen TV) rather than a human being. Certainly adds a new angle to the barefoot running debate! There is a sort of desperate sound to this song that goes so well with the story, and the story sums up so much with what is wrong with the world. After hearing this I became a huge Goldenen Zitronen fan. Die Goldenen Zitronen are officially punk, but this track is not really, well not too easy to put in a genre, experimental punk? Decide for yourselves.


Tuesday 22 January 2013

Every Day is Lighter

It is getting lighter for us folks in the northern hemisphere, but where I am there is still no vitamin-D forming strength sunlight.  2 years ago almost to this very day I got a stress fracture and I don't know if winter and vitamin-D has anything to do with it, but if you do live somewhere dark, and run, well it might be time think about taking a supplement. Actually since the fracture I take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement, and vitamin K2, plus I got tested for vitamin-D and was very low, so I take these mega doses of that once a month. 

So now for the music after last month's list of hardcore tracks (Forever Punk) I have swung the other way, the following 6 tracks all have a strong pop influence.  All tracks are available on the amazing music site Epitonic.  Click on the song to download.  The band name links to the Epitonic page for the band. 

Shapeshifter (Epitonic saki Sessions) by Hollows 89bpm
Lo-fi pop from Chicago.  Very melodic. 

16 Military Wives by The Decemberists 92bpm
Sweet indie rock from the pacific northwest USA.

Jaded Bones by Koda 88bpm
Downtempo electronica from Columbia, North Carolina.

Ninnyhammer by Holobody 92bpm
Synth-pop from Montreal.  Could be too cute for its own good, I'm sure I'll get sick of this quite fast, but I am currently quite enchanted.  Luckily there is oodles of great, free running music to consume.

Snap by Nosaj Thing 94bpm
Electronic hip-hop from LA. Quite melodic. Has a very slight 8-bit feel.

Boogie Down by Gramatik & Break Science 94bpm
From Portoroz, Slovenia, but doesn't sound like I'd expect.  I'm not really even sure what I expect from Slovenia?  In the same sort of spirit as the last track, electronic hip-hop.