"What the Heck Is Gangnam Style?"

Owning that dance like it's nobody's business

Who hasn't seen this music video?



... now you have. 
(I can see the potential for this video to become the new Rickroll)


My curiosity was piqued by this article on Racialicious, a blog about "the intersection of race and culture." It noticed it on my facebook newsfeed, and the title caught my eye.

So what IS Psy singing about?
To summarize the article, Gangnam is a city district within Seoul, the capital of South Korea, but it's claim to fame is a result of 1970s urban development. "Designated for commercial and residential development" the growth "kicked into high gear in the 80’s" with the result that the top schools relocated there, the real-estate values sky-rocketed, upscale stores and restaurants opened up, and the district became well-known for its nightlife.

"PSY’s 'Gangnam Style' is a satire about the Gangnam life itself which is nothing but materialistic and about people who are chasing rainbows, dreaming of becoming a Gangnam resident someday."

Just to think - Psy intended for the song to be a clever social commentary, but all we were interested in was his silly dance.

Photo from the Ottawa Citizen

Cheers!
iKaria

Asteroids Galaxy Tour Part II: Out of Frequency

Ms. Mette the Gorgeous  

Alright, it's retro night folks!
Described as "stoner jamz" (I thought it was a good descriptor, thanks hon x)

Check out this interview on Buzzine:

My top tracks from the album:

Heart Attack

Major

Cloak and Dagger

Suburban Space Invader

Check out the official website

http://www.theasteroidsgalaxytour.com/row/

Cheers!
iKaria

Purity Ring

Shrines

Hey!

Today was my first day back in classes, and as much as I love summertime, it feels good to get back into the swing of things - including blogging! I'm happy to kick things off with a post about Purity Ring, an electronic music duo from Montreal. Being the responsible student that I am, I went to see their concert yesterday ... at 11:30pm. It's a looong story. 

Their debut album Shrines has only been out since July 24, 2012, but they have a strong presence on Youtube with nearly 10 million views on one video alone (granted, I'm not sure how much it has to do with their music, and how much has to do with the picture... see for yourself, Lofticries)

At least he's honest

Even though I first heard "Lofticries" many many months ago, it wasn't until recently that I discovered I liked their music. Here are my favorite tracks: 

Fineshrine



Obedear



Lofticries



Live:
The appeal of their sound for me is that the electronic is more ethereal and less dance. It's different. But put them into an intimate club venue and all of a sudden the walls can barely contain the vibrations from all the wub-wubs xD It was RIDICULOUS - cups were being rattled right off counters and you could feel your hairs vibrating. I've never been to a concert in a club before, but Purity Ring was a new experience for me in more ways than one. They combined sound and light in a way that enhanced the music, added a unique touch, and captivated your curiosity. 

Even with the awesome 8-megapixed double LED flash camera on my new phone I couldn't really get any good shots because I was just too darn far away :( That's why I'm using these great photos from The Snipe News!

Singer Megan James

The brightness of the lanterns followed the beat of the music

Corrin Roddick is controlling the lighting and sound with that light bulb-looking contraption - which he custom-built  himself!

Photo from ATS

Website
http://thepurityring.tumblr.com/

Cheers!
iKaria