Swans and Lists

New Digs

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 11:33:00 +0000

You can now find me rambling about all things pop culture here.

My New Favourite Song: Ellie Goulding - Tessellate (Alt-J Cover)

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:29:00 +0000

asijdksjd is the reaction I had to Ellie Goulding's slinky cover of Alt-J's Tessellate. Alt-J's debut album An Awesome Wave was probably my most listened album on 2012, I couldn't, and still can't, get enough of it. Likewise my Ellie-obsession has increased rapidly recently. I had listened to Lights but never really thought that much of it until on a seemingly endless train journey from Liverpool to Dorset I listened to it almost non-stop and realised how much I liked it. A night spent dancing drunkenly in a kitchen to Anything Could Happen sealed the deal, so by the time Halycon was released and I was totally and utterly hooked. And after hearing this, I think I might just want to marry her. Creating an original version of Tessellate can't have been an easy feat, but Ellie Goulding manages to turn it into an enchantingly sexy tune that ticks all the boxes. Goosebumps? Yes. Overwhelming urge to press repeat? Yes.

Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 03:00:00 +0000

1. Late night walks home.
2. Park bench romance.
3. Sitting at the front of the bus.
4. Waiting to hear Naomi Wolf speak at Southbank Centre.
5. The view from my window.
6. Snowy Alexandra Palace park.

Time flies so quickly at the moment, I can't believe it's almost April. Maybe because the weather still thinks it's January. (Come on March, sort it out...) It's been another funny sort of month and it's been hard to stay motivated with the lack of sunshine and still not feeling settled in my new life.

Inspired by this post on one of my favourite blogs, Here Comes The Sun I thought I'd share some of the things I've been doing lately. It's also an attempt to remind to not let things slip away so quickly and to appreciate the small pleasures in life - it's often hard when everything seems to be as grey and gloomy as the weather we've been having. Anyway, here's what I've been filling my time with:

Listening to a mixture of Frank Ocean, Twin Shadow, Willy Mason and James Blake.

Reading Susan Cain's brilliant book Quiet which explores "the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking" - it's fascinating and I recommend it to anyone who has ever felt overlooked because they are "quiet" or that being introverted is something to be ashamed of.

Watching, or rather devouring, episodes of Nashville this weekend and absolutely loving it.

My New Favourite Song: Vampire Weekend - Diane Young

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:41:00 +0000

It's hard to choose which song I prefer from Vampire Weekend's double a-side single, the uptempo Diane Young or subdued Step (which you can listen to here) but Diane Young has had me dancing round my room to Ezra Koenig's warped, almost Elvis-esque vocals, crooning "baby, baby, baby, right on time" since I first heard it. Either way, they've both got me looking forward to their new album Vampires Of The Modern City in May.

Water Graves

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:00:00 +0000

I came across Water Graves on Tumblr recently and I'm so glad I did because their chilled out vibes are a great de-stresser. The Perth duo's ambient sounds are akin to the instant relaxation of getting into a warm bath or the first sip of cup of tea after a long day, except, you know, a lot cooler and less cosy than either of those things... In fact, those are kind of terrible examples but their dreamy vocals and synthy tones do make all the things on your mind start to melt away. You can listen and find out for yourself below...

Top Five Cover Songs

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Originally I was going to do a 'My New Favourite Song' post on Settling's brilliant cover of Beyonce's Single Ladies but then I started thinking about other cover songs that I like. I love cover versions that really play with the original, instead of straightforward renditions (although those can be great too) especially if that involves taking a upbeat happy song and making it mellow. Anyway, here are five of my favourite cover songs...

1. Chet Faker - No Diggity

I love hip-hop, I love singer-songwritery indie songs. Combine the two and it's just magical. Chet Faker's cover of Blackstreet's No Diggity turns 90s RnB into something really sexy and I can't get enough of his gravelly voice. (Listen to the original here.)

2. Bastille - No Angels (ft. Ella)

Staying with the 90s classics here, Bastille has fused TLC's No Scrubs with The xx's Angels and the result is remarkable. The 90s girl power vibe is gone and this version is angry and heart-wrenching. This is my favourite on Bastille's second mixtape Other People's Heartache Pt. 2, which is full of brilliant mashups like this one... (Listen to the original here.)

3. Angus & Julia Stone - You're The One That I Want

Who would have thought that Olivia Newton John and John Travolta's cheesy classic could be turned into something so beautiful? Points if you don't cry, this cover makes me tear up every time... (Listen to the original here.)

4. Settling. - Put A Ring On It

This is the only song on the list where I'm not a fan of the original (sorry Bey Bey) but I can't stop playing Settling.'s almost unrecognisable cover of Single Ladies. With it's soulful vocals and acoustic guitar, the Brisbane duo's song has had a huge response (rightly so) and I'm excited to hear more from them. (Listen to the original here.)

5. James Blake - A Case Of You

I've already talked about how much I love James Blake in a previous post, so I won't go on about him too much here. Needless to say this song is a beautiful rendition of Joni Mitchell's already beautiful song. No synths, no beat, just piano and Blake's gorgeously rich vocals. (Listen to the original here.)

My New Favourite Song: Willy Mason - Talk Me Down

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:00:00 +0000

What it is... Willy Mason - Talk Me Down

Why I like it...
In anticipation of seeing him play tonight, I have been listening to Willy Mason all week. I missed him at End of the Road Festival when I worked there a couple of years ago, so when I saw he was playing in Camden I didn't want to miss the opportunity and snapped up tickets for me and my sister. I'm so excited to finally see him and hoping he will play this song, as it could just be my favourite on his latest album (but it's so hard to pick, I love him so...)

Lisa Simpson: Feminist Icon

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Lisa Simpson is pretty darn awesome, don't you think?

I definitely do, and I was lucky enough to write about why here for Glasgow-based collective TYCI's International Woman of the Day series. TYCI is run by women, for women and their website explores and celebrates women in the creative industries and extraordinary, inspiring women from Daria Morgendorffer to bell hooks. They also organise music events in Glasgow and do other cool things, so go and have a browse of their awesome site, it's jam-packed with talented ladies.

Also worth a look is The Lisa Simpson Book Club tumblr, for your procrastinating pleasure.

Europe On Film Part Five - Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:05:00 +0000

I don't have that many photos from Rome, I mainly took my digital camera with me when I went out, but this is no reflection on how stunning it was. I had a huge obsession with the Romans when I was younger so I spent a lot of my time in the city like an excited schoolgirl, I couldn't get over how impressive everything was. And it may sound stupid but I just wanted expecting things to be right there in the middle of everything... On my first day I wandered down a fairly normal, busy city street near my hostel, down a hill and suddenly I looked up and there was Piazza Venezia. I looked to my left and could just see the Colosseum, and it was all every bit as amazing as I had heard and read. And so huge! I spent most of my time there in complete awe and got a strange pang of emotion on my last night at thought of leaving. I'm sure people who live in Rome must get fed up of the tourists but I wonder if they ever get bored of seeing the ruins, like "Oh, the Pantheon? Yeah I guess it's kinda cool." There were a lot of things I didn't like about the city but eating pizza with a view of of the Colosseum to our right was not one of them! Definitely a place I'd like to go to again.

My New Favourite Song: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:06:00 +0000

What it is... Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble

Why I like it...

Because it has such a laid back, hazy-summer-evenings vibe and makes me want to kick back on a porch and watch the world go by. I don't have a porch and it is still bitterly cold outside, so I make do with listening to it in the comfort of my toasty bedroom but it is still a great song. I hadn't heard of Unknown Mortal Orchestra before this song but now I am hooked, especially to this song, which has been on heavy rotation this week, and Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark) both of which kind of feel like what would happen if The Black Keys and Tame Impala had a musical child. Or something.

Europe On Film Part Four - Venice

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:45:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing my photos from Venice, the first of the three cities I visited in Italy. I took an overnight train from Berlin to Venice and the change couldn't have been more dramatic. From the chilled temperatures of Copenhagen and Berlin, I stepped off the train and into sweltering heat and gorgeous sunshine. Although sleeper trains are less than comfortable there's definitely something to be said for falling asleep in one city/country/culture and waking up in a new plce that feels like a whole other world.

I had always wanted to visit Venice and I can't quite describe how it felt being there, it's so very different to any other city I've been to. Unfortunately, despite it's beauty and the stunning weather, after a few days I was getting sick of the hustle and bustle and was finding the city kind of claustrophobic. I escaped for a day to the stunning island of Burano, around 40 minutes away from Venice by vaporetto. Although there are water bus-loads of vistors streaming onto the island throughout the day, it was a lot more relaxed than Venice. I spent a few hours exploring and eating ice-cream, finding people-free alleyways to wander down. The island is known for it's brightly painted buildings and it really is a very pretty place, although it also felt slightly strange as the whole island is a tourist attraction.

My New Favourite Song: James Blake - Retrograde

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:09:00 +0000

Why I like it

Oh James Blake, you make me melt. I have always found his music perfect for holing up in my room and shutting out the world (bonus points if it's raining) and his latest single is no exception. With its moody piano and eery humming twisting around beautiful lyrics, 'Retrograde' makes me feel so much at once. Like his other songs I find it somehow simultaneously comforting and heartbreaking (this is probably also a result of my penchant for sad songs, see this post). I've had it on repeat since I first heard it, each time taking in new details and falling in love a little bit more.

The slow start and finish, the gentle clapping driving the song forward, that satisfying swell in the middle which is at once angry and soft, and Blake's haunting croon. If you hadn't noticed from all that gushing, I really, really like this song. Blake's captivating combination of soul and synth gets me every time. I recommend you turn the lights off and the volume up, curl up somewhere comfortable, and just let everything else slip away. I can't wait for the release of the album Overgrown in April.

Europe On Film Part Three - Copenhagen

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:38:00 +0000

I loved everything about Copenhagen and spent the whole time with a grin on my face. Even the cold, wet weather didn't spoil my visit, especially as there are an endless number of coffee shops selling delicious pastries to hide in. The city has an incredible attention to detail and design, even the manhole covers are beautifully decorated, so it's a great place to explore. I don't know if I can pick just one favourite place from my trip but Copenhagen was definitely in the top three, and I could even picture myself living there. I can't wait to go back one day. The last photo was taken on the day trip I took to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør (also known as Elsinore, the setting of Hamlet) and I think it's the little details like this sign on the way from the train station to the castle that made my short stay in Denmark so enjoyable.

Mixtape #5: Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:02:00 +0000

Posts are (unintentionally) slightly repetitive and music heavy at the moment - I've just moved to London into a new house and am in a job-hunt frenzy, which has taken over my life slightly. I feel really busy at the moment but hopefully soon I will be more settled and focused.

I never really realised it before but my iTunes has always been fairly male-heavy, but recently I've been listening to a lot more female singers and totally loving them... So here are some of my favourite female voices, in a slightly more upbeat playlist than the last one. Perfect for the change in weather we've been having - I had forgotten how much of a difference blue skies and sunshine make to my mood.

'Anything Can Happen' has become my go to song for getting me out of bed, motivating me, and walking to job interviews. Of course, nothing will ever beat 'Eye of the Tiger' in terms of motivation but this is my girly equivalent at the moment! Listen on 8tracks.

1. Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding
2. Everything is Embarrassing - Sky Ferriera
3. The Mother We Share - Chvrches
4. Youth - Daughter (Alle Farben Remix)
5. Feather - Little Dragon
6. Let It Fall - Lykke Li
7. Anne - Santigold
8. What The Water Gave Me - Florence & The Machine
9. Oblivion - Grimes
10. Turn Me On - Cocorosie
11. Good Intentions Paving Co. - Joanna Newsom

My New Favourite Song

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Why I like it

I think I've fallen for Danish singer Karen Marie Ørsted. I mean, who can't identify with the lyrics "Oh, why does everyone have to grow old?" Even at the tender age of 21, I am feeling the pressure of settling down and "growing up". But, as I approach my birthday next week, I feel a new lust for life and this song perfectly matches my mood. I've left the safe cocoon of my parents' house to find my feet on my own and it's both scary and exciting; the desire to be free and find my own path has never been stronger.

MØ sings about "days slipping away" and that feeling can hardly fit a month better than January, the month where all the excitement of new year's is promptly replaced by horrible weather and colds. Instead of letting it get me down I'll be listening to this song and thinking of all the things I'd like to do next. I don't think I'll be growing up any time soon and, if I do, you can be certain I'll be doing it to the soundtrack of MØ's dreamy harmonies and bittersweet lyrics.

See and hear more of MØ on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr

Europe On Film Part Two - Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Some more photos from my travels, these were taken in Amsterdam. I stayed in a really quiet hostel, didn't meet any other travellers, and the cold weather was shock after beautiful, sunny Paris, so it wasn't my favourite city, but I still enjoyed exploring. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself so I sought out some home comforts - browsing the shelves of Waterstones, watching a film at the amazing art deco Tuschinski cinema, and having a leisurely brunch at Greenwoods English tea room.

Twelve

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:14:00 +0000

'Twelve months, twelve themes, each with their own unique interpretations.'

This is the premise for the collaborative project 'Twelve', which you can check out here. I love what they've done for January's theme 'Celebrate' and I'm looking forward to what is to come. The project also makes me want to do my own 365, 52, or 12 project for 2013... Now I just need an idea of what it could be!

Pitch Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Maybe I will have to give back my Film degree, but I can't deny how much I enjoyed this film. Anything involving a capella renditions of hiphop songs is all right by me. It's also great to watch a film that's all about girls (kind of...) has a nice message female friendships, and whose female characters actually drive the action. Even though there is a love story, and let's face it, we'd be annoyed if there wasn't, it isn't really about whether or not Beca (Anna Kendrick) gets the guy. It's about a bunch of slightly misfit girls realising they it's more fun to get along than it is to constantly bitch about each other. Yay! Also, as adorable as he, is the guy is not responsible for Beca and the other girls' success, they work it out for themselves.

It most definitely has flaws, for instance the way various story lines (absent father/stepmonster/love triangle... take your pick) are started before promptly being dropped, and the fact that most of the characters are mere archetypes BUT it is also just really good fun. These days, when a lot of things in my life are up in the air, it's nice to watch a film with very minimal tension (I'm looking at you, Love Actually) and leave the cinema with a warm fuzzy feeling rather than having the harsh reality of life shoved in your face. Plus there's that great scene where Anna Kendrick steals the show with a cup... She is definitely my new girl crush.

Europe On Film Part One - Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:26:00 +0000

Last week I finally got the last of the films developed from my Europe trip. I've been back for over two months and even though it was an amazing experience, it's sometimes easy to forget that I ever went especially living in small town where nothing seems to change. So getting these photos back was a lovely reminder and full of surprises - things I'd forgotten about or little camera quirks like an accidental double exposure.

These ones were taken in Paris on my old camera (which is basically on the same level as a disposable...) Paris was the first stop on my trip, and as I'd already done a lot of the touristy things on a holiday there a few years ago, I spent a lot of time just wandering around and getting lost. If I had to pick, the Latin Quarter was probably my favourite area to explore, but I don't think I would ever get bored of seeing the Eiffel Tower. A lot of time was spent eating nutella crêpes on either the Champs de Mars or the Trocadéro, arguing with friends from my hostel about which view was the best. The rest of the time was spent imagining I was walking along the Seine with Owen Wilson...

Heartbreak Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 16:23:00 +0000

I've been told countless times that my taste in music is "depressing" and while I generally disagree with this, I must admit I do love a good sad song. When it's cold and grey outside and everything seems a bit much, snuggling up in bed and listening to beautiful, sombre music is sometimes just what you need. I recently read something Joseph Gordon-Levitt said about revelling in sadness and not avoiding being sad because feeling something is a good thing, and I think it's true. I'm not saying it's good to be sad but I think it's important to accept the sadness, in a way, and allow it to run its course because a lot of the time that sadness will teach you something about yourself and you'll come out feeling better and wiser on the other side.

Anyway, here is a playlist for us sentimental folk about breaking hearts and feeling blue. Listen on 8tracks.

1. Change Is Hard - She & Him
2. Piledriver Waltz - Alex Turner
3. Everything Reminds Me of Her - Elliott Smith
4. Quelqu'un m'a dit - Carla Bruni
5. Run - Daughter
6. Tonight - Lykke Li
7. No Kind Words - The Maccabees
8. Alone in Kyoto - Air
9. Blackberry Stone - Laura Marling
10. Blue Skies - Noah and the Whale

And because it's not all doom and gloom, there was a sweet, inspiring post about love on A Beautiful Mess a few days ago, which you should read here!

Grimes

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:32:00 +0000

Just when I thought my girl crush on Grimes couldn't get any bigger, I fell in love with these photos by Bec Lorrimer in Yen magazine. With her baby bangs and hair like a peacock, these pictures make me so happy. And have you seen those dungarees?? I kinda want to get my hands on a copy but I'd have to pay excessive shipping costs and can't bring myself to spend that much on a magazine... See the shoot in more detail here.

Two Zero One Three

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:11:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

I spent last night with a friend, eating junk food, and talking about life, the universe, and everything. It was a very subdued celebration but a perfect way to ring in the new year. This is basically the first year in my life where everything is wide open (e.g. no school/university to plan for) and I am pretty excited for all things I'm going to do and new experiences I'll have, some of which I'm sure I'll share on here. For now, I will leave you with this because I don't think I'll ever get bored of it and JGL is the cutest...

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:14:00 +0000

So I have been away from this blog for a lot longer than planned...

After six weeks away from all things bloggy I wasn't sure I even wanted to read them anymore when I got back. However, it only took a week or so for my laptop and I to once again be joined at the hip and since returning to my favourite reads, I've been inspired. Except I'm not inspired or happy with my own blog, so writing for it seem like a chore, which obviously does not make for interesting content, hence the lack of posts.

I feel like I have changed a lot in the last few months, so it's only natural for this blog to change too. I don't want to give up on it, I like an online scrapbook and reason to write (albeit not very well...), but I want to simplify it and bring the focus back to it being a creative outlet, filled with things I'm actually interested in. I dont want to put any sort of time limit on these changes because these days I don't really know what I'm doing, but I hope you keep reading and thank you to everyone who has stayed tuned for this long!

Absence/Recap/Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:57:00 +0000

I had lots of posts planned before I left for my big trip, including an update on my ten things for summer list (which was, admittedly, a major failure anyway) but the week before I left was a whirlwind of birthday celebrations, seeing family friends, graduating, packing, and saying goodbyes, so posting got pushed to one side. Graduation was great, albeit a little overwhelming what with seeing people I hadn't seen all summer then having to say goodbye to them for who knows how long, oh, and there was that annoying gown. But it was filled with lots of lovely conversations, drinks, and hugs.

1. Leaving the first station on my journey.

2. The Eiffel Tower at night.

3. The Abbey Bookshop

And now I am in Paris! I don't have a card reader for my camera with me so am going to make do with a few instagram moments so far. The best things have been going to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night (exceeded all expectations) and a brilliant moment in a very cool and very cramped Canadian bookshop in the Latin Quarter where I drank coffee and chatted to the owner. I'll be checking in every now and then during the trip, then back to proper blogging in November. For now, I'm to enjoy my last night in Paris with a crèpe at the Champs de Mars.

Jazzberry Blue Movie Posters

noreply@blogger.com (Maria) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 22:22:00 +0000

I came across these movie posters on etsy, while searching for clothes for my Heathers inspired style collage. I love the simple line drawings and pops of colour.