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My best of list so far
5 Kas 2008, 02:40
I've managed to compile a top ten list of the best albums of the year so far. Subject to a lot of chance, since there are some more coming out.
Best New Age album to me is Medwyn Goodall's Amun Ra. If you can't make it to Egypt, this album is the next best thing.
Best score of the year is Rachel Portman's the Duchess. I really haven't heard many movie scores this year, to be honest. Not a lot of them captures my attention.
Now for the list;
1. Tigerforest - the Sound of Life. A 2007 release I only found out about last week, so I cheated and put it at the top spot! It is gorgeous and features Tiff Lacey., Amethyste, Inga and a few more vocalists. I am obsessed with it. http://www.tigerforest-music.com
2.Nox Arcana - Phantoms of the High Seas. I love Grimm Tales. And when I thought it couldn't get any better, NA released High Seas! Perfection in ever way.
3. Almadrava - Positivity. If everyone owned this album, the world would be a much better place.
4. Elane - the SIlver Falls. Love love, love. *Is left speechless by this album*
5. Glow - Winter. Why more people aren't checking out this artist is beyond me.
6. san.drine - Janvier. Amazing second album from Sleepthief's vocalist
7. JES - Into The Dawn. ANother one I should have checked out sooner - way sooner!
8. Zaria - in the Garden. A Pretty ethereal folk release/
9. Jennifer Hershman - the Little Things. Another 2007 release. Balligomingo's vocalist.
10. Lenka - Lenka. One of the best debuts of the year. -
The best show you're NOT watching...
8 Eki 2008, 21:40

It's about a guy who can bring the dead back to life with a touch for one minute. If it exceeds one minute, then someone else has to die. So he uses this gift to help solve crimes. If he touched the people he brought back to life again, they stay dead - forever.
It's got the most amazing cast in existence, including Ellen Green (Little Shop of Horrors), and Kristin Chenoweth. And it's BEAUTIFULLY shot.
Tune in Wednesdays on ABC for a serious treat!
Kristin Chenoweth Within Temptation ElaneDeleriumEnigmaThe GatheringArtesiaNightwishCharlotte MartinVienna TengSarah BlaskoTrobar de MorteAutumn's Grey SolaceAmethystiumCarrie UnderwoodKelly ClarksonRachael YamagataHoward Shore -
Albums I'd like to have when they come out
5 Eki 2008, 06:50
Claire Fitch - Cellocity
sToa - SIlmand
Rising Shadows - From the Cold
Elane - the Silver Falls
Charlotte Martin - Orphans
Sissy - their second album
Vienna Teng - not sure what that one will be called
Sleepthief - labyrinth heart
Petracovich I'm thinking that it will be awhile before it comes out, as her latest blog broke my heart. :( Oh my God.
Kate Rogers Band- Beauregard
Fiona Joy Hawkins - Blue Dream
Loquat - Secrets of the Sea
Adrina Thorpe - Halflight
The Postmarks/artist] - By The Numbers
Enya - And Winter Came. I'm not the Enya fan I used to be, still, the album looks good.
This list will be updated, of course. :)
Also, I heart Pushing Daisies. It is the BEST show on tv. -
Musical obsessions, oh my.
28 Eyl 2008, 08:22
Yeah I know, long time no journal! I suppose last.fm's removal of their reading journals feature made me want to write less. But I feel the need to post now of my biggest music loves this year.
Rosie Thomas
An icon maker on LJ whos music taste I admire played her a couple timed, and Faeerie (I've always admired her taste) has her pretty high up on her charts, so I decided at last to try her...and I'm sorry for taking so long, as I fell in love!
Some of my favorite lyrics:
Oh at night when I sleep
Oh the dreams come to me
Make me believe that my life is not my own
And if life were like my dreams
All the things I would see
I'd be so much braver than I know
If This City Never Sleeps
yea i've had enough of love
it's been good to give up so good to be good to myself
i'm gonna get on the highway with no destination
but plenty of vision in mind
i'm gonna drive to the ocean
go skinny dippin blow kisses to venus and mars
i'm gonna stop at every bar
and flirt with the cowboys in front of their girlfriends.
Wedding Day
take her on long drives for ice cream by sea sides
and give her your coat when she is cold
tell her you miss her when you're close enough to kiss her
and that you'd walk a thousand miles to tell her soOctober
Her music leaves me speechless, and I suck at music descriptions. But she's someone everyone needs to hear.
Almadrava
I am not quite sure when I discovered this artist. But if you want an artist whose lyrics will take you away to that perfect tropical vacation you had, or you just want music to daydream to, to take away the stress of the day...this is IT. Patricia Leidig and Pedro Toro really take me places with their music, and they have a rare gift.
How can you not love lyrics like this?
A clear cold night
I lay down on the grass.
I observe the sky
there just passed some falling stars.
The moon, my friend,
he smiles to me,
'cause he knows what we are
In this huge infinity.
Are We Alone? (Spanish Skies mix)
I hear a song, it’s like a prayer.
This melody shows me the way.
It carries me like the wind, a feather,
and in the nights it’s a shining ray.A mermaids' tale (mediterranean mix)
It's the sound of sorrow,
it's the sound of lonelyness
it's a crying violin sending shivers down my spine
It's the sound of sorrow,
hoping for tomorrow
It's my sound cos you're not here tonight
Sorrow (Hamlin Mix)
See what I mean? :)
Sofia Talvik
Oh, Sofia. I am sorry I took so long to discover you. There's something in the water that allows Swedes to make great music! This description from cdbaby is pretty accurate. "Her sound is soft and layered and has some things in common with Heather Nova and Sophie Zelmani."
What happened on the bridge today
were those the words you planned to say
was that some kind of statement that you had to make
Do you believe in fairytales
cause I think I just saw one slip away today
well I'm not sure and anyway...
...there's too much water underneath this bridge
and it keeps changing
and you couldn't fill my shoes if you implied it
What Happened On The Bridge Today
Maybe you were struck by lightning
or run over by a truck
maybe a spaceship did abduct you
maybe you ran out of luck
maybe a flock of hungry tigers
happened to cross yours ways
last night
or were you swallowed by a whalefish
maybe you got into a fight
Anyway something must
have happened
or else you would have called
Running out of you
There you have it, three artists. Add their music to your collection, you won't regret it.
On a side note, I've heard over 50 2008 releases this year. I feel that picking a top albums list will be impossible. Maybe I'm just easily pleased when it comes to music. :) But this has been an amazing year of discovery music-wise for me, and I have found so many I cannot live without. So I'm happy with the way my tastes are progressing. :) -
My Hypelist for June 21st to June 28th
21 Haz 2008, 17:15
My birthday is in a few days. xD
Adrina Thorpe
Wistful She is on the new DJ Shah album, and I've recently fallen under her spell!
Summer of Space Solace Kaskade is a God in my eyes, and SOS is the project of one of his vocalists, Haley Gibbs! <3
Late Night Alumni Meant to Be Another vocalist for Kaskade's project, featuring the amazing vocal talents of Becky Jean Williams.
Isabel Bayrakdarian Lord have Mercy I'm not religious, but I was quite pleased when I heard this Delerium vocalist has a couple of albums under her belt. Gorgeous stuff.
Zoë Johnston Nobody Like Myself Her solo album didn't get much press apparently, and I'm giving it another chance myself. :) -
My High Rotation Playlist [ June 14th - June 21th ]
14 Haz 2008, 16:16
Bit of a hard choice to make. I decided to select some artists I haven't played in awhile. in in Daksha's case, they are new music I've just obtained!
Let Her Feel The Rain
Blissful Escape
Mist
Nuevo Tango
Oshari - The Way of the Zen Warrior -
My all-time favorite vocalists
13 Haz 2008, 01:30
Are in a tag here:
http://www.last.fm/user/luminaux/tags/the%20sirens%20that%20lure%20me
Comments? :) -
2008, continued: a mish-mash of genres
13 Haz 2008, 00:36
First, I've got to say this...NEW Kaskade ASDFGHJKL OH MY MERLIN!
*Breathes* I'm done now!
Blind DivineYet ANOTHER Magnatunes artist, this time for trip-hop. I love this duo SO MUCH, and she singers voice is hot. They've released several albums and the reviews to them have been good. Two of the albums have a CRAPLOAD of tracks, which I love. They are an artist that everyone needs to hear. And I mean EVERYONE.
Lunascape Innerside is my favorite album from them, hands down. I haven't seen many reviews for this one? It's a shame. Kyoko's voice owns my soul.
Favorite tracks: Shimmering Sun, Burden of Beauty, Raven Star, Divine Filligree.
Lunabee I first found out about this singer through my friend Vaterland, and it was love at first hearing. Yo ucan read a review of it here:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/reviews/article/44438/lunabee-prenez-garde-aux-flots-bleus/
Apparently Iuno Are no more, which is sad. They never got the respect they deserve.
san.drine I haven't seen many reviews of this artist. If you enjoyed the song she did for Sleepthief, then you really need to hear her second album, Janvier. She's another artist that everyone needs to hear.
Glow Brooke's voice makes me melt, I am so in love with it. I eagerly awaited their fourth album, "Winter". People, if you like pretty music, then THIS is the artist you should check out!
Favorite tracks: Winter, Cold, Decembering, All This Time.
Carmen Rizzo I'm not sure which of his albums I like more at the moment, but his second album is really good! He has his fingers in quite a few pies this year!
Favorite tracks: All is Forgiven, Sirens, Ecouter, Through the Sunlight. -
2008 is awesome, part two: The Prikosnovenie and Projekt edition
11 Haz 2008, 06:23
Combining my two favorite labels into one post. /o/ \o\ \o/
(What? I'm hyper, heh.)
Alizbar Note to Priskosnovenie: Um...can you update your website already? It's getting annoying if I have to go to other websites for info on your artists.
Anyway. At first, I thought this artist was female. Silly me. But I was delighted when I read that Prikosnovenie was releasing his The Metamorphoses of Ann cd. Another harpist, and from the first note, I was enchanted. One of my top five favorite albums this year. The label has signed some interesting new artists in addition to this one - Crista Galliand Ny:Na Vales. I can't wait to see what direction the label goes in.
Caprice Kywitt! Kywitt! is one trippy album. I am never let down with their releases, and some of the songs make me want to tap my foot or dance.
Chandeen Their album Teenage Poetry was quite a surprise to me. I never liked the band much before, they didn't do it for me. But I find Julia's voice quite perfect for their sound. Julia's other project Technoir isn't that great, to be honest. I know a lot of people don't like the new Chandeen, but I suggest they don't give up on this band.
Goodness, my entries are so long, but this is what happens when I don't post. xD
Autumn's Grey Solace "Ablaze" OH EM GEE WHAT AN ALBUM!!! I was on pins and needles waiting for this one to come out. It surpasses "Shades Of Grey" in it's prettiness. Favorite tracks: "Into The Stream", "Fluttermoth", "Imaginary Grey", and "Sea of Honesty".
Raspail Well done Arcana, on a fantastic album that I wish wasn't so short. Arcana takes me such on incredible journeys that I'm sad when they end. Favorite tracks: "Invisible Motions", "Autumnal", "Out of the Gray Ashes" and "Sigh of Relief". -
2008, how I love thee.
11 Haz 2008, 05:28
The first six months have been an interesting half year for me, consisting of many highs and lows. The Office came back after the writers strike ended, meeting many of my favorite wrestlers (BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, PART TWO!)...and more. 2008 has spoiled me with the good quality of music that has come out this year. I've tried to keep track of all the artists I've discovered this year, so I plan to make a few posts talking about them. I think I'll start with the New Age genre.
David Hicken Ordinarily, albums of just piano solos just aren't my type of music, but one day I came upon an album called Faeries by David Hicken. In my ambition to get all the fairy-themed albums I can, I obtained it. And I was wowed by it's soothing quality! Kathy Parsons summed up the album best here. He's done a trilogy of albums, including Goddess and Angels. All of them are keepers!
Claire Fitch An artist on the Magnatunes label. I'm sure some people think that label is TEH DEVIL, but I don't give two knuts. Anyway, Claire was a Livejournal discovery, and I was captivated by her song titles. She's a cellist and has three albums out so far, with the first two being on Magnatunes. This review sums her work nicely: "It is a beautiful mix of ambient electronic sounds and acoustic cello that conjures up a wintry dream landscape somewhere between urban chill out music and the west of Ireland. All the electronic sounds are fabulous, rich and atmospheric, nothing new-age cheesy." Check her material out, NOW!
Oshari New-Age guru Medwyn Goodall has collected a fine group of artist for his label, MG Music. I was browsing it one day and I noticed a really pretty album cover. Oshari's debut cd is called Samurai. Using Japanese instruments, the album is a soothing collection of songs about those warriors. It is one of the most incredible albums I've ever heard.
Patricia Spero A harpist and an emusic find. I love harpist who do really different things with their recordings. She has an album called Fairy Nights (and another addition to my quest). I really think some of you will enjoy her albums Silk and Bamboo, Peru and Homage. Start with those four albums, if you want to get into her music. :)
Hope some of you find this post interesting!
