Nastia K: Oh My by Natalie Prass
You know this type of artists that are just utterly, unashamedly and unabashedly delightful? Natalie Prass is one of those rare musical unicorns, delivering honey to your ears, sea breeze to your hair, sunshine to your face, and food to your thought, as her lyrics are witty kind of great, and pack a punch meaning-wise. Having happened upon her early this month, I now just can’t stop churning out all of her music and Oh My especially. I like this NPR Tiny Desk Concert version more than the album one, so here it is. And the whole performance is absolutely stunning visually; a treat in every respect.
Maria: Hungarian rock oldies and cool-kid Woodkid
For such a music-obsessed person like myself, choosing a favorite song of the month is as difficult as deciding whom I love more, mom or dad (considering that they are both extremely awesome). It never worked – it won’t work this time either.
So here are my two favorites:
- Gyöngyhajú Lány by Omega
Yes, I know that this song is already 50 years old, and, moreover, it’s in Hungarian. So what? It is beautiful, and Jonah Hill’s Mid90s, recently released in Russia, reminded the whole world (including me) of its existence. If you are afraid to listen to the original, here is the English version (and a very old rock-hippie video).
And one more definitely not new (but still great!) music video from another talented continental European. Very dramatic and completely unrealistic monochrome footage, amazing music and kind of fantasy-like historicity (the main character speaks Russian in the middle of a completely non-Russian entourage) over and over again make me return to:
- I Love You by Woodkid
Nastia L: Чувства by Animal ДжаZ
Last week, after a whole winter of listening to Sufjan Stevens’s Carrie and Lowell album I suddenly realized that it’s time to move on to something more optimistic and heart-lifting, and that’s when I bumped into Russian rock band Animal ДжаZ’s new song Чувства (Feelings). In case you’re wondering who are all these weird looking and acting guys in the video, these are Russian rock bands members all singing together “It’s time to love, not fight”.
Anna: I’ll Always Remember Us This Way by Lady Gaga
After listening non-stop to Shallow for the past month, this is my new fave because to me it’s about how true love never dies and the chemistry of a real connection is a gift and an experience worth living for.
Vasiliy: A Man With A Plan by KORPIKLAANI
Though it’s only early spring, all I can think about is the long May holidays and my long-awaited vacation, meeting old friends and sitting by the fire late into the night. So I can’t help but sing to this one:
Vadim: Barleycorn by Johnny Flynn
There’s something charmingly whimsical about the British folk tale of John Barleycorn, a personification of the barley crop, and his unending troubles at the hands of his hungry, thirsty countrymen who’ll stop at nothing to turn poor John into a bit of whisky. Johnny Flynn’s masterful modern adaptation of the story told hundreds of times by all sorts of singers is, at times, zestful, melancholic, and paranoid; it is, indeed, a feat of storytelling to make you feel sorry for a bit of cereal.
We’ll be back with our favorite tunes in April, but until then – peace out and make sure to have a good ol’ boogie to the aforementioned!
ITMO.NEWS Editorial Team
