Muxtape time!

First of all, apologise to everyone I only put 12 songs instead of 24 songs because of my stupid laptop decided to crash in the wrong time. Stop the moaning, let’s share my choice of my muxtape, most of them are chosen from my experience of Primavera Sound this year, while some of them are my old collections which are now people have completely forgotten. I have written few recommendation if you like their songs and want to hear more.

Go to http://conic.muxtape.com to listen. Track by track guide as follow:

Cat Power – Where Is My Love
As a start, I want to surprise everyone and start with a ballad. I didn’t come across with Chan Marshall till she released “The Greatest” (worth listening but remind you, it could make you feel fragile!). Chan is just amazing artist as I concluded after I saw her in Primavera Sound. This is a beautiful song combined with simple lyrics. The title said it all whenever I am alone, “where is my love?” perhaps the ongoing question I will ask for myself till I find an answer…

If you like it: download The Greatest of course and You Are Free, Jukebox is also listenable.

Tindersticks – Travelling Light
Carried on weeping people (yes I am sad and miserable sometimes!)The most underrated musician in Britain bar none. I was spring in mind whether I should choose My Sister or this one. Although My Sister is my favourite one, it won’t link up previous song at all. This song is about the couple who used to love but now broke up, looked back the memory and it was all history and mean nothing, I think this song will mean something to everyone unless you are machine and never been in love!

If you like it: urge you to get first three albums (Tindersticks I, Tindersticks II and Curtains), they are masterpiece! Also try Hungry Saw and Waiting For The Moon.

Kylie Minogue – Confide In Me
My Guilty Pleasure? Say what you want people. People have criticism on her all the time, I think she is brilliant artist and her contribution of music deserved OBE. The first song I have heard from Kylie is not “I Should Be So Lucky”, is actually this one. The lyrics is not relevant to myself, it was about secret and confession in relationship, more relevant to my parent as they experienced it and almost broke up when I was a teenager. It is still the sexiest record she has ever made, and yet the best one from her.

If you like it: Erm you all should know her stuffs by now so I won’t go further. However, get Ultimate Kylie which contained 66 songs. Self Titled and Fever are also well recommended.

Okkervil River – Unless It’s Kick
I still don’t understand why it has taken me so long to discover this band, after I saw them at Primavera Sound, they have became my latest obsession. The riff of the song is awesome from the beginning till the end; also this song can make you suddenly nodding your head even though you have never heard of it, very catchy. Okkervil River are top bollocks live band. Go and see them if you have chances!

If you like it: Down the River of Golden Dreams, Black Sheep Boy, The Stage Names are all brilliant album

Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs – Everything You Touch
It’s about time to change the mood and get some blues and country song. On the muxtape it only said Holly Golightly but I can’t change it in some strange reason (perhaps muxtape has been anal!). They are my ideal band to play my wedding only if I become millionaire! Every time when I listen to that lyrics “Everything You Touch Become Stone” give me grin on my face, perhaps it is a happy song. Also the slide guitar solo in this song is awesome.

If you like it: Other than You Can't Buy a Gun When You're Crying, just get My First Holly Golightly Album because it will make you a fortune to collect all her old stuffs!

The Notwist – Pilot
I don’t call myself massive fan of The Notwist as I never touched their early materials, but latest two albums really hooked on me. Neon Golden in particular is amazing. I picked this song as I like the bassline, the fragile vocal that could melt your heart. Of course, it is a beautiful song, perfect for summer!

If you like it: Get Neon Golden and their latest beautiful LP Devil, You + Me would do, their old stuffs are different, but if you like rock music get them as well!

Saint Etienne – Conchita Martinez
Another odd choice like Kylie Minogue, back in the old day when I was still a sixth form student I was a fan of Saint Etienne, I haven’t listened their stuffs since disappointing LP Good Humor. All of sudden one day I listened to their album So Tough, which is one of the most complex album I have owned (took me years to understand the concept of the album!). I admired their creativity of their early materials and this song is the example. It combined the element of electronic and pop, also this is the song made me start listening to Rush as it contained the sample of Rush hit, The Spirit Of Radio.

If you like it: get Smash The System single collection or Too young To Die (later one is hard to find so get first one if you can) first, then move on to Tiger Bay and Foxbase Alpha

Ellen Allien and Apparat – Metric
Time for more electronic! Ellen Allien is established German electronic musician. On the deck she is awesome, on the record isn’t far off the standard either. This song is taken from Orchestra Of Bubbles, collaboration LP between Ellen Allien and Apparat. The strings sample combined with electronic beat worked perfectly and it really amazed me! Metric sounds like soundtrack from thriller movie. The rhythms and beat will easily get into your head. Note: Don’t turn the bass up too much, as the bass sound is very heavy!

If you like it: Orchestra OF Bubbles is a must! Then Berlinette, in fact own all Ellen Allien stuffs!

Kinski – Boy, Am I Mad!
It’s about time start something epic and heavy. I love this band ever since I saw them at Primavera Sound (okay this is the last time I mentioned those two words I promise!). This song is purely amazing, started off with melodic riffs until 2 minutes 9 seconds it all kicked in with progressive build-up then brought to heavy riff with faster speed and finished off with loud and noisy feedback effect. Fan for people into post rock and instrumental and progressive/noisy music.

If you like it: Get Alpine Static as well as Down Below It’s Chaos

Million Dead – Pornography For Cowards
I came across this band when I heard I Am The Party which is amazing and I had no hesitation to get the LP A Song To Ruin. As soon as I listened to this song I first thought was “wow! Fuck me! (Well not literally)” The riff of the start is a killer. The lyrics is intelligent and powerful, it about the problem of modern society we are living in and raging the concern of sexism. With the combination of violent vocal from Frank, this song is genius 2 minutes quickie

If you like it: They only have two albums. If still not enough try Frank Turner stuffs, very different from Million Dead but still good

Daft Punk – Rollin’ & Scratchin’
Somehow this song linked up fine with Million Dead. If 2 minutes quickie is not enough, I think this 7 minutes noise will bring you into climax. This song was not on my original choice but seeing few people putting Holy Fuck on their muxtape, I decided to put something different. Daft Punk is the band that made me into techno and house music. Homework is a masterpiece, shamed that now people forgot how ace was the album and more likely become coaster replacement for everyone. I choose this song because it is the loudest and my favourite DP song ever, also I love progressive dance just like this.

If you like it: Not much to choose from except Homework, everyone should own this album if you like Techno, simple!

Portishead – We Carry On
Thank you for listening first 11 songs of my muxtape. Finally I can bring my last song for my muxtape execution, I cannot leave Portishead out of it as they had produced my favourite album of 2008 so far. This song has brought me the memory of witness amazing moment at Auditori – Portishead stage invasion. As they have been using this track to close their live set, I want to use this song to close my muxtape.

If you like it: Just own all three albums, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you for listening and reading, my choice is abit more grow up for you so you may/may not like it, mine is more diverse because I am very open minded when it comes to music and I never concentrate on one particular genre (by the way genre is so overrated!). Enjoy :)