Conquer Claustrophobia

It's been quite a while since I posted a track, especially one that isn't a free download.  But I think this one is worth the 99c or so you'll have to pay to download.  Its the Omar Souleyman's remix of Bjork's track Crystalline.  Its got this awesome eastern, desert nomad sound, with Bjork's crazy Icelandic manic melody.  Just lovely.  Plus I have to give a heads up to my pal Niall for putting this into my Facebook feed. He's got great music taste.

The BPM is 90 so perfect for a 180 SPM run. If the desert world sound isn't for you, the original version is also 90BPM.

I think we should run

Here's a sweet, dark, little pop folk song for you from Daughter. Daughter is Elena Tonra who is from North London. The song is called Run. I'm getting the BPM at just exactly 90. The first video is her singing, she's so adorable. Its not the whole song though, so there is a second video with the whole song.

Forget Who You Are

The last few songs have been new releases, but this one Utopia by Goldfrapp is an oldie, released back in 2000.  Still I am sticking to the recent theme of electronic music with female-vocals.  This track has a BPM of 91, so perfect for a 180 SPM run.

Heaven Sent

In a previous post (here) I recommended a song by the German band Monocular.  I was super excited when a month or so ago they released a new album, Pine Trees.  Pine Trees is probably as good as Somewhere On The Line, but since I was expecting it to be as good, it didn't blow my mind in quite the same way.


The track, The Street I Found, from the new album has a BPM of 92 and is very runnable. Even the lyrics of the chorus are very nice for running, "The Street I found was heaven sent". The song isn't on YouTube, or anywhere else I can find, but you can  listen to the first 30 seconds on Amazon, USA, FR, DE, UK, JP.  I like Monocular so much its hard for me to imagine that everyone wouldn't be moved by this, so just go buy it.  In fact buy the whole album.  

Stop Thinking Start Running

Here's a sweet little track from German Pea Sized.  Its electronia with female vocals.  The sound is sparse and as far as the lyrics go, they seem to be taking themselves or life a bit too seriously, or maybe its just that English isn't her native language, her voice is lovely though.  Also they let you download all their music for free or on a donation basis, which is cool.  To download this track, Stop Thinking, click here.  The BPM is 91 so perfect for a 180 strides per minute run.

Strong Bones

I'm on holiday, I wrote this post before leaving and am testing the schedule function of blogger.  So it worked.

Here's two songs from a band I recently started listening to, Rubyrough or Ruby Rough?  I'd classify them as down-tempo electronica with female vocals. I think I discovered them when last.fm made a similar playlist while I was listening to Monocular or Portishead.  The thing I like a lot about them too is that the album is really diverse, the songs don't sound alike. The singer is an American the music by a German. They are based in Berlin.


The first track, Skeletons, clocks in at 91BPM.  The video is awesome.




The second one is Ruby Red Glasses with a BPM of 89.  You can listen to a 30 second sample of the track here.  

Evolved

Röyksopp are from Norway.  I love Norway.  Well I have never actually been there, but if the opportunity can up I'd move there for ever after. I'm a bit impulsive like that, especially about moving countries. I've always had a thing for Norway, but what really made me love Norway in a concrete way was the reaction that followed the horrific attack last July by Anders Behring Breivik.  He was hoping that his violence would result in a crack down on immigration and a sharp turn to the right.  BUT the reaction of the prime minister Jens Stoltenberg was that what Norway needed was "more democracy, more openness, but not naivety".  It seemed his people were behind him on this.  This was in such stark contrast to the reaction in the US following the 2011 terrorist attack there, and the (for me) sickening street celebrations that broke out all over the US after the announcement of Bin Laden's death.  I wish I was Norwegian.   I wish we were all Norwegian.


OK so back to the music. This track Vision One by Röyksopp features Norwegian singer Anneli Drecker.  I just love the squeaky sound in this song. It tickles!  The BPM is 92, so a bit fast, but still works for a 180 SPM run.  

Meet You in the Sky

I am not really sure what genre Buzzin' In My Brain by Alū falls into. I think its officially singer-songwriter, but has too strong of an electronic/goth edge for that to be an accurate description. I call this freak.  The BPM is 89 and the song has a really strong beat so good to run to.  I think if she ran, she wouldn't need that lobotomy.  Run your crazy out!

Running Is Beautiful

Here's a truly gorgeous song: Beautiful by German electro trip-hoppers Monocular (she is singing in English). I can't find a video of it on YouTube, or a track of it on Soundcloud.  But I can listen to it on last.fm, so here's the link play on last.fm. I hope that works since I am not sure if you have to be signed up for and in to last.fm to listen.  Anyway listen to this, then go buy this amazing song. Its BMP is 92 so great for a 180SPM run.

If you want to buy, here's some Amazon links, these aren't affiliate links just putting them here to save you some time, and for anyone having trouble listening on last.fm, since Amazon has a 30 sec sample to whet your appetite.

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.fr
Amazon.de

"You don't have to dance, but move your heart"

I have moved around a lot in my life, but the country that I love best, is Germany.  I didn't have culture shock, when I arrived I felt like I had finally arrived home.  So its about time for some Germany music on my little blog!  So here's The Geek by Wir Sind Helden.

Wir Sind Helden (We Are Heros) is one of my favourite German bands, and very popular in Germany.  Their sound is pop rock and the lyrics are an amazing play on words.  Wir Sind Helden, are a reason alone to learn German.  I have copy and pasted an English translation of the text of this song below the video.

Oh and the BPM is exactly 90, and will get you running at 180 strides per minute.

Are too smart to draw any attention to your awkwardness
And not good-looking enough to get noticed
Do you know just how it is always to fall short
Just not far enough to get somewhere else
It hurts to be like you should
It hurts to be like you are
But when the quarterback comes to take off your glasses
Tell him: Thanks, but they're staying where they are
However, I do know
The wounded shall be the healers
The last shall be the first
Realise it: "The meek shall inherit the earth" 

The wounded shall be the healers
The last shall be the first
The first will be the last to realise that
"The geek shall inherit the earth"
Not your time, not your feet, not your beat, not your people
Not your world, and not your your pain
You don't have to fit in here, but look for something that belongs to you
You don't have to dance, but move your heart
It hurts to be how you imaging that have to be
It hurts to be how you imaging that you are
But when the homecoming queen comes to wake you up with a kiss
Tell her: Thanks, I didn't miss a thing
[Chorus]
It hurts to be like you ought to be
When your teacher asks you:
Shouldn't we see each other more often
It feels good to be how you imaging that you would like to be
When you tell him:
Lord, let this annoying man pass me by