Bold and Boundless: Tunes for Creative Motives
All day when I'm at my graphic design internship, I listen to music. When I'm designing for class, there's music. When I do the dishes; music. When I'm hosting my radio station at kspu.org, I'm listening. It's a constant.
So here's a short list of some albums and artists that constantly put me in a good place. This list is very objective, but hey, it might inspire some ideas, or lead you down a music avenue yet to be explored.
The first is Slothrust, one word, one style, so unique. I don't know honestly why I keep coming back because their lyrics are so strange. They make almost no sense, but the apathetic vocal delivery, and incredible instrumentals really piece it together. This whole album gets me going, crockpot is definitely my favorite track from the list though. Give it a try, it sure is unique, but that originality is inspiring.
Oh Jamie, Jamie XX that is. Who are you? A sound noodling wizard? I think his album is so especially important to me, because I listened to it so much when I studied graphic design in London this summer at Central Saint Martins. This album through and through grows on itself and provides hours of inspiring and great content. Gosh is their strongest and best track in my opinion, but seriously the whole track list is solid.
NEW! AMAZING! CONTENT! Basement is back and I'm so happy. When they broke up years back, it was a sad ending to a great band. Tweeting a few months back on their nearly extinct Basement account the simple "hi" was hope of a revival? No one was too sure, but here they are with Promise Everything and cover to cover the album is gold. Easy to listen to, think about, and puts me in a great design place. My favorite so far is probably Oversized, but it's a hard call.
Jamacian Queens, who are these guys? I have no clue, but they have a great list of some very experimental pops, quirks, and fizzles that give them a complex and intriguing sound. I can't get enough of their stuff. I don't know how they always put me in that creative buzz, but it works every time. Check out Bored + Lazy.
Perhaps it's just because I've been anticipating Kanye's new album that I keep finding myself creep back to the old, but Kanye will always be inspiring to me. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy currently is my favorite album, but sometimes this changes with the season or mood. Graduation is also solid through and through. Either way, West put some great music out and this album is sure to strike a chord. Power will pump you up and give you that creative squeeze you might be missing.
Oh Moose Blood, how are you so perfect? An album filled with simple, heart-felt, and easy lyrics with a great composition. It's more of a guilty pleasure, make-you-feel-something album and it's really nice to listen to for that reason. So give it a whirl, and take a spin, Gum is definitely my favorite track.
Overall, music is such a great source to get you thinking, inspired and back on the grind. Whatever the genre, style, or decade, it's always important to keep your mind sharp, and ears filled with good tunes.