Your Custom Text Here
Shadows and light: Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra have all the angles …
Jazz, funk, classical, African, Cuban, Balkan and beyond, this week it all came together beautifully in these fabulously powerful and erudite selections by guest of the week Nilpferd, from a many more nominations from last week’s ensembles theme
Read more
The classic Netherlands Elfstedentocht event. But what songs made the finish for this week’s theme?
Skating, skiing, ice hockey and other sliding, the big freeze inspired musical outdoor winter activity. But which songs made it to the finish line, and which were left on ice? Check out in this winter wonderland of playlists by guest Marco den Ouden
Read more
Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Winter Landscape with Ice-skaters and Bird-trap, 1565
Competitive events to leisure and pleasure, skis to skates, sleds and other sliding and outdoor winter fun, it’s time to embrace the cold in song with the literal or metaphorical, and recall that this is also something very much from our past
Read more
Keys to happiness: Blossom Dearie
Sunrise to sunset and everything in between, food to flowers and all the joys of the natural world, these are just some of the many simple pleasures rendered beautifully in perfect playlists by guest writer Barbryn picked from last week’s topic nominations
Read more
Float your moments …
This week we aim to strip away life’s stresses and complexities to search for songs that capture moments of calm simplicity, enjoying the little things in life. Setting sail with this becalming poem, what moments might float your boat?
Read more
Yes, b’Lady: FAB 1 - Lady Penelope pink Rolls Royce inspired by Thunderbirds
Flowers, champagne, the moon, and even an elephant, it’s a colour that covers many shades and contexts, and from many blossoms of nominations, you’ll be tickled pink by the playlists perfectly arranged by guest of the week Severin
Read more
A chance to dance …
Neither red nor purple, this very particular colour has a strong identity and effect, from changing cultural and gender associations to distinctive animals, plants or minerals, how does it come up in song? Read these verses for inspiration …
Read more
After the many posts … vintage posters
When last week’s topic launched, it went off like a rocket - with hundreds of nominations. Now, out of this musical astral shower, guest playlister Shiv Sidecar has mapped out a song constellation that’s out of this world …
Read more
Yuri’n the hotseat: Gagarin
After last week's orgasmic theme and playlists, it’s time for thrusting engines over another kind, rockets and space ships, real or fictional, fantastic, wondrous, frightening journeys of all kind, as we boldly go to new musical territory
Read more
Horn of plenty: Rosalía
Yes! Yes! Yes! After days of non-stop, multiple orgasmic musical nominations, it’s time to have a cigarette, sit back and relax as guest of the week magicman presents more than pleasurable playlists that reach even more climaxes …
Read more
Barbarella tries the musical ‘Excessive Machine’
Expressed in lyrics literally, euphemistically and metaphorically, or in the sheer sound the music or delivery of voice, promises of, or the act itself, few things concentrate the mind and body more. So how to they come together in song? First, enjoy a brief social history of the orgasm by hitting this button …
Read more
A brutally candid fight for confidence: Rebecca Taylor aka Self Esteem
So, where’s the party? Social pressure, time trickling away, fear of the unknown and the elsewhere? Don’t worry, one thing you won’t miss out on are some excellent playlists on this universal subject, picked by guest Loud Atlas from last week’s topic
Read more
Fomo-sapiens
FOMO? A social phenomenon term derived in the last 30 years of internet culture and social media, but fear of missing out is nothing new. From big events to looking for love, don’t miss out on this fun topic with songs related to it
Read more
Mommy Long Legs
Girl gangs, guy gangs, punk, rock, folk, pop and more, since this topic was launched last week it’s been a group effort, and leading us out with his pick of the nominations, guest ParaMhor makes songs about gangs great
Read more
Quadrophenia (1979)
Crime, culture, music, identity, fashion? From family belonging to sheer survival, there are many reasons to join a gang, but how do you get out? From street kids to Mafia organisations, this huge and colourful subject has inspired many songs …
Read more
Sing out the scales of justice …
It’s time for the musical scales of justice to sing out as we explore songs about trials, short or long, from or about any perspective of those present, accused or accusers, jurors or judges, or even lawyers, as long as as the action is in court
Read more
Trinidad Panorama
They make a beautiful sound, created in Trinidad & Tobago, one that has since spread around the world. Picking from the nominations from last week’s topic, guest Loud Atlas presents global, genre-spanning panoramic lists that are pan-tastic
Read more
Panoramic range
With origins from slavery, then made in Trinidad & Tobago, let’s explore how this beautiful instrument appears across genres, within original material or bringing a new timbre to covers, or mixing with other sounds
Read more
Some of this week’s house band …
Aristotelianism to absurdism, cynicism to nihilism to stoicism and more, this week’s musings on our existence come no shortage of great musicians as well as philosophers, thoughtfully chosen and superbly described by guest playlister Uncleben from last week’s theme
Read more
The monarch butterfly: a profound life cycle, and ‘a rainbow of chaos’
It’s a big question. But how might it be answered in song lyrics? Not merely through broad definition or metaphor, but also through philosophy, practical advice or experience. See many inspirational ideas here, but it’s also time to let your answers take flight …
Read more