Anna

This month I’m listening to two songs, one after the other. The first one, Rainbow by Kacey Musgraves, seems to be about people who find themselves in difficult life circumstances and have a hard time seeing a rainbow over their heads. I like to listen to it on, well… rainy days, because to me, it’s about how rain too is part of our lives and yes… there’s a good chance of rainbow.

The second song, Stay The Night by James Blunt, is my perfect dream world for when the clouds clear and you find yourself on a California beach, with friends, and maybe a romantic interest, enjoying the surf and the sand and tasting a great summer adventure.

Anastasia

My credo with music is, when in doubt, listen to a band from Manchester. Seriously, you can’t ever go wrong with a band that’s from Manchester. The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, Buzzcocks, Take That, The Verve, Oasis: there must be something in the city’s water that makes Mancunians so incredibly talented. But my absolute favorite band from Manchester are The Stone Roses, and that’s whom I’ve been listening to the most this month. I love She Bangs the Drums (below) because it’s such a feel-good song, an ode to all of my crushes. And also Something’s Burning, Fools Gold, I Am the Resurrection and Bye Bye Badman, which was written about Paris student riots of ‘68. And I may have just developed an existential crisis trying to choose what to include. Sorry.

My second favorite is of Montreal, a band I can’t believe I’ve never heard of prior to discovering them this month. They’re pleasantly funky and delightfully witty: self-professed “nihilists with good imaginations”. Bassem Sabry is a good’un; I also loved Gronlandic Edit.

Maria

As you know, a gifted person is good at everything – so this month I am sharing with you two songs by two talented actors from whom you expect anything but this:

  • Down In Nogales by Kevin Costner & Modern West

This unhurried and melodic country-style song always makes me think about the simplicity of the beauty of the surrounding world and the sultry summer nights in hot countries. So, hello, vacation?

  • I'll Go Crazy by Bruce Willis

Telling us about the inevitability of fatal consequences in the event of a break-up of a relationship, this cheerful rock song has a tremendously groovy motive and repeats the phrase “You got to live for yourself, yourself and nobody else” like some very good modern motto. And if all of this is still not enough for you to listen to this song, you should also know that it celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Vadim

Miya Folick has been my biggest musical discovery of the year, and I’m sure she’ll be yours, too. There is absolutely nothing mundane about this Japanese-Russian California native with a voice to rival (and best) some of the all-time greats. And there is no example better than Give It To Me from her eponymous 2017 EP. As one bandcamp user put it, it is “painfully cathartic. no foolin. intense. Amazing [sic]”. And Eva Michon’s brilliant music video, a sort of an energetic counterpart to Childish Gambino’s 3005, will no doubt keep you watching.

And if you end up loving it, check out last year’s Premonitions – Folick’s ability to go from poppy feel-good anti-party anthems to heartfelt love ballads, to furious hard-hitting hymns of the #MeToo era will take your breath away.

Enjoy!

ITMO.NEWS Editorial Team