Me - in music

So for some reason, I started compiling a list of songs that could define my musical taste and influences. Here it is, unordered.


There are some songs that I couldn't find on Spotify, so I'm linking them from youtube:

Joris Delacroix - She

I've started being really active on couchsurfing recently. For those of you who don't know, this is about helping out others by offering them free sleeping surfaces for a night or two. I find it an extremely good way to meet new people and to get to know different cultures.
You briefly talk online and agree on the terms and extent of the visit, and then after a short while, you'll find yourself greeting them at your door - or stepping into someone's life, if you're a guest.

To crown my outstandingly great summer, I thought I'd give this a go and see if I enjoy sharing my living space with almost complete strangers from time to time.
Over the past week, I've met many new faces thanks to this opportunity, and for some odd reason, I've mainly hosted German people. As I think back, I'm not sure if I was ever exposed to them before so closely, and I must say I enjoyed every single moment. Easy going, interesting and fun folks, to whom I could relate in many ways.

Great laughs, talks and exchange of culture and experience. To get the most out of it, we were listening to Spotify's suggestions to electronic music related to Berlin nights. Mostly in the smooth progressive-house and minimal genres, as they can provide a quite nice, non-intrusive background noise.

On one of these nights, my ears caught this tune, and it ended up as a candidate for one of my new mixes instantly.

Back 2 Vinyl

I woke up today to a twitter mention. As usual, you're always suspicious when you receive a tweet with just a link in it. It's usually spam that ignites even more spam. So I waited until my second coffee and clicked on it. I loved what I saw! Check it out!

Thanks @fboldog for the video, he truly knows what I'd love. Brilliant marketing, nice design, painless user experience (actual experience) and awesome music. Not to mention hearing Sono - Keep Control, which always makes my day, no matter what. Thank you!

@vsbmeza http://t.co/78i292NDKN
— Ferenc Boldog (@fboldog) June 19, 2013

Leander - Bad Romance (metal cover)

I must admit, that I like most of the Lady Gaga tracks. There, I've said it! I'm not going to justify this, it was hard enough for me to admit it. 

Anyway, she inspired hundreds of musicians to cover her songs, more or less in a terrible way. You've probably heard many of those and still revert to the original. Can't blame you. However, there is one that most likely beats the original.
I'm not sure how I discovered this one. but I get back to it again and again. Not only that it re-frames a perfect "earbug approved" song to metal, it was made in Hungary.

Leander Köteles - singer, songwriter, lyricist, keys & bass

Attila Vörös (Nevermore) - guitarist, songwriter

Jozzy - guitarist, co-songwriter

Bela Budai - drummer

A new wave of Hungarian metal is coming and its name is Leander. Based in the grand capital city of Budapest, the band originally started in 2009 as a solo project for its namesake Leander Köteles, whose first video for the song Bound To Belong created an internet buzz throughout Hungary.

Upon hearing about the video Attila Vörös, a young and well-known guitarist, who has also toured worldwide with Seattle metal band Nevermore, reached out to Leander via e-mail. In the beginning Attila only came on to do some guest solos for Leander, adding his guitar skills to the songs "Viharom Tavaszom" / "My Storm," "My Spring" and "Ördög Naplója" / "Devil's Diary." But as time went on they found their true sound was together. Their collaboration began with a recording of their version of a Hungarian classic song, "Szomorú Vasárnap" / "Gloomy Sunday" which was originally written by Rezső Seress. The two also recorded a unique version of Rihanna's "Only Girly," which helped to garner them some additional internet attention. The first original track the two were co-conspirators on was the song "Szívidomár" / "Heart Tamer," a blend of brutal riffs and punishing breakdowns that are coupled with huge anthemic and driving melodies, which will be a focal point of their self- titled debut release LEANDER, out digitally in June.

While Attila was touring in the US with Nevermore, Leander decided to cover and put his spin on Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which became the most viewed and successful video in he project's history at that time, incorporating Hungarian Dances from Brahms, his version will be the special bonus track on the upcoming US release.

In September of 2010 after Leander and Attila played a sold-out show in the capital city, with nearly 600 people in a club that was designed to hold only 150, they decided it was time to take their duo and form a full band. The two joined forces with guitarist József 'Jozzy' Takács (Wendigo/String Theory) and drummer Márk Maczák, they deemed themselves LEANDER and set out on a debut mini tour in March of 2011, where they played to sold out and at capacity crowds.

Soon after the drummer, Márk Maczák decided to leave the band to focus on his studies. He was replaced by Béla Budai who'd been playing with Attila Vörös in a Pantera tribute band, called Vulgar Display of Cover. Fortunately the change in line-up did not affect on the band's growing success which was shown by all the sold-out gigs and highly successful festival shows.

In July, 2011 the band was signed to Sony Music. Their 14 song self-titled debut album heads straight for the adrenal gland but still focuses on melody along with the fury. Recorded in Hungary and mixed and mastered in Sweden by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth, God Forbid, Katatonia, Soilwork, Kreator), with artwork by Robert Borbas (Metallica, Suicide Silence, Bring Me The Horizon) and a guest appearance by Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore) on the track Six Feet Under. LEANDER is sure to take American by storm.

And this is all just the beginning... rest assured the dichotomy within their sound will gain them fans across the metal, hardcore and rock scenes as well as the ability to bring both sexes together in the pit.

Rudimental ft. John Newman - Feel The Love

I believe I have told you I find it difficult to stumble upon valuable new music. Not only that there are so many releases happening a day, but my taste is so wide-spread, I can't concentrate on a single genre. I grew the habit of listening to the US, UK top 40 compilations once a while to familiarize myself with the current charts. MTV and radio stations cannot fill this job anymore. Between that amazing amount of music mockery, I came across this tune. I got hooked on the baseline from 2.50.

Alice Deejay - Back In My Life

Well, this is one of those songs that connects the dots between the famous rink, me and a girl. We had many great nights out on the ice or just at random events after school. The relationship didn't last too long, but it was intense in drama. I've experienced my first serious heartbreak thanks to her. We gave ourselves several chances after the first split-up, but it just did not work out. I was DJing a lot back then, and she was a constant asset on the dance floor. I remember playing this song to get her attention... Oh, we were so young! Teenage love rlz! :) She was the reason I got back on cigarettes after quitting for almost a year. After all the pain I've learned 2 things:

1. If it's over, it's over. There's no point in wasting each other's time
2. Never get back on cigarettes because of a girl. Drink instead...
3. Drinking instead does not work. Simply get over it.

I'd still play this song occasionally, and I can't help but to think of her. Wonder how she's doing.

 

Touch and Go - Would You Go to Bed With Me?

So I'm humming this baseline for days now, I have to write it out. I have no special memories to this song apart from loving it from the first time I've heard it.