What I’m Listening To #5

What I’m Listening To, the blog series in which I reflect on all the music I’ve been exploring during the last few months. Join me on this inspirational journey and listen along with the Spotify playlist below. Let me know your recommendations in the comments!

Foster the People
I vividly remember driving around the Greek countryside during one of our holidays when I was suddenly caught off guard by a song on the radio. Immediately I wrote down the artist and song title in my phone: Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”. I’ve been following the band ever since. Their latest six singles all evoke that same feeling I had when I first heard “Kicks”: lighthearted feel good summer vibes full of joy.

KRS-One – The World Is MIND
The song “Bin Laden” with Immortal Technique first introduced me to rapper KRS-One. So I decided to explore his music too, starting with his early work from the so-called golden age of hip hop. I ended up liking the recent work better and quickly gravitated towards this album. Personal highlights are the African click language inspired “Keep Clicking” and the philosophical title track, ending the album on a high note.

grandson – Death Of An Optimist
Listening to grandson’s debut was a unique experience. It managed to capture the exact emotional state I was in, best summarised by the album title. Luckily the music also functioned as a catharsis to let these emotions out. Speaking of which, I can’t wait to experience that kind of energy live again. I attended his concert almost two years ago and it’s in settings like these that the songs truly come to life.

Hans Zimmer & Klaus Badelt – Pirates of the Caribbean
It’s not often that I listen to film soundtracks but some deserve an exception. I rewatched the original Pirates trilogy and was reminded of how good these soundtracks are. The best thing is that they get better with each film, culminating in the 10 minute epic suite “I Don’t Think Now Is the Best Time”. However, the grand and beautiful love theme from “One Day” is on a whole other level. The most euphoric feeling passes over me every single time I hear it. Goosebumps!

Grey Daze – Amends…Stripped
“Chester. Bennington. Even after his passing continuing to amaze me with his versatile and powerful singing.” These were my thoughts on last year’s “Amends” and they’re still true for this year’s stripped version. Perhaps even more so, since the acoustic setting allowes more room for his performance to cut through. Grey Daze continue to honor Chester’s legacy with a new album in the near future, can’t wait!

Kaleo – Surface Sounds
New Kaleo music, finally! I’ve been anticipating “Surface Sounds” since early 2020, but the release kept on being pushed back. Admittedly, it’s not as strong as their previous work, but there’re some great jams that showcase the band’s musicality and JJ Julius Son’s impressive vocal range: from the bluesy “Alter Ego”, to the (passive-)aggressive “Skinny” and the surprisingly upbeat “Hey Gringo”.

S P E C I A L
S I N G L E S
Individual songs that have sparked my interest.

Balthazar – ‘’Losers’’
Takes me back to the last holidays: relaxing family times in a cozy cottage.

Royal Blood – ‘’I Only Lie When I Love You’’
So. Much. Energy. Turns out to be a fantastic workout song.

The Killers – ‘’Human’’
Heard this during work and it’s scary how relevant the lyrics have become today.

Sum 41 – ‘’In Too Deep’’
Fun song to play on guitar. I noticed how nearly each section has a different riff!