DigitalDiscJockey

Like your favourite bands, I took an unexpected hiatus*. An unexpected two year hiatus. An unexpected, unplanned two year hiatus. And like your favourite bands, I owe you an explanation...which we rarely get when bands go on hiatus, let’s be real. But you guys deserve it for hanging around. Or just forgetting to unfollow me since I stopped posting for two years. 

Anyway...

Right before I fell off the face of the internet, I was going through the usual existential bullshit: who am I, what am I doing with my life, what’s the point. You know, all the stuff you’d find in an episode of One Tree Hill. I couldn’t find any new music I could really get into, my old stuff wasn’t doing it for me anymore, and I couldn’t stand sitting at my clunky ass Dell for hours trying to think of what song to post and what witty/half way decent writing bit to attach to it. So I just stopped. I left this blog, dropped off of Twitter, told Facebook to fuck off, and went about my life. This isn’t to say I stopped logging onto these sites, I totally did cuz realistically, what else was I gonna do with my time? I just couldn’t bring myself to post anything. 

Then about a year ago, my best friend moved from our hometown to a big city two hours away for school and I hated that I wasn't doing anything with my life so I figured, why the hell not, I’ll move too. We ended up living in the same building two doors down from each other (not really on purpose but not really accidentally, the place was cheap and close enough to grocery stores/bars/malls etc), until she moved out about two months ago because her program was done. In the meantime, I’ve been here working a dead end job at a shitty Bed Bath and Beyond knock off store burning through my savings but having the freedom to do whatever the hell I want which usually means drinking on my balcony and still dealing with the exact same existential bullshit I was dealing with before. I realized a couple days ago that no matter how far you move, or how much you change your routine, you can’t run from the problems in your head. Which brings me to my first music post in two years (oh man this feels like being a born again virgin! hello second chance!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IqCfxgKZd8

 Show Me What I’m Looking For by Carolina Liar is a song I’ve had since One Tree Hill was still on the air because I discovered it through the show. I’m still constantly looking for new music but one day last week I was cruising through my iTunes and I had an overwhelming urge to listen to this song. I don’t usually believe in signs but fuck, that urge was dead on the money. This song sums up basically everything I’ve been struggling with for the past two years and sings it in the simplest way possible: show me what I’m looking for. I’ve been lost for a long time and this song has tripped a switch in my head and reminded me that I can’t stay stuck in my head anymore because I seriously need help figuring things out. It helps too that it’s fucking triumphant sounding with the piano/guitar combo, the bell, the choir insert near the end, the drums, the vocals, fuck! Hopefully you guys have a song like this that you can blast through your car speakers and sing scream to. If not, I’ll share this one. And whatever it is, I hope you guys find what you’re looking for.

C.

*side note 1: I plan on coming out of the whole hiatus thing and hopefully getting into a routine of posting once a week. It’ll take a while for me to get adjusted to it so don’t get all sassy if I skip a week or two or five. I can just promise that there isn’t another unannounced hiatus in the near future. Thanks for hanging in there guys, you’re all fabulous gems. 

Life is full of firsts: first kiss, first drunk, first high, first fuck (maybe not always in that order, but you get it). Your firsts make a lasting impression because of the sensory overload they bring; every nerve feels the experience 10000x stronger than normal. That's exactly what's going to happen when you press play and let HAIM fuck your senses silly. These three sisters, who sound like a fusion of Stevie Nicks/all of your favourite 80's bands/smooth R&B/70's psychedelic, have found a way to mix gritty and smooth in their harmonies, and 80's rock and R&B in their instrumentals, to turn "Don't Save Me" into a flawless anthem*. If this isn't your roll-the-windows-down-and-jam-the-fuck-out song, we can't be friends 'cause I've been jamming since I stumbled across HAIM** and I never plan on stopping. 

C.

*for all you techno/EDM junkies, here's a Cyril Hahn remix  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMEfwYhk-D8 fucking. gold. 

I hate myself for not hearing about this artist earlier. Her album was released in February 2012 and was crazy successful in the UK. She's been compared to Adele and Florence. Her music is an even balance of emotional, funky, soulful, and just gorgeous. 

For me, Adele and Florence are in a class of their own. They're incomparable. You can't force a sound like Adele's or Florence's. That  class of singers/songwriters/goddesses just gained a new member: Emeli Sande. 

It's been a long time since I've listened to an album from beginning to end and loved every track. Our Version of Events is one of those albums. The tracks move from dancey, old school soulful, to emotionally uplifting, to drop dead gorgeous. If I could, I would post her entire album (plus bonus tracks) on here so you guys could experience her sound in one shot. Since I can't, here's the first track. Listen to it. Then My Kind of Love. Just listen to the whole fucking gorgeously amazing album. You're welcome in advance. 

Want to know what my new favourite song is? THIS RIGHT HERE. MY FUCKING JAM.

By now I hope you guys have realized that as far as techno/EDM/electronic music goes, Europeans do it better than anyone else. Particularly DJs from Sweden/Finland/Norway/Denmark. They know how to take a track and turn it into golden ear porn. Which is exactly what Poolside have done with this Neil Young classic.

I LOVE Neil Young's Harvest Moon. The way he sings the lyrics is simply beautiful and matches the straight forward message of the lyrics. I mean really, how can you not love his harmonica solo?! He might look like a serial killer but if he sang this song to me, I'd follow him to whatever van he had waiting for me.

Anyway, Poolside. A combo of a Danish DJ and a San Fran DJ who came together to grace the world with their smooth electro jams. Where Neil's Harvest Moon makes you sway to the melody and want to sit and watch the stars, Poolside gives the song a boost that is both smooth and calm, and infectiously dancey. When I found this cover, I couldn't sit still. The hook's lead into the magical chorus will fill you with joy, energy, and optimism that will never die out. Press play and DANCE.

So instead of the usual English track I blog about, this post is a Portuguese music video! Before you decide not to press play because the song isn't in a language you understand, hear me out. Not only does this song sound gorgeous by itself, the video adds emotional emphasis to the melody. I heard the song by watching the video and it influenced the way I hear and feel it. The band behind this gem is called A Banda Mais Bonita da Cidade (The Most Beautiful Band in Town). They're a Brazilian indie band who make amazingly gorgeous songs that will attract any lover of indie tunes* and they do it best in Oraçao. The blending of the opening guitar into the ukulele, and the two into the rest of the instruments turn the song into a composition that works through various stages, like a person going through life. The alternations between the levels of volume and the different instruments that join in the composition of the song are like people we meet in our lifetimes that help make us who we are. Once all of the instruments gather together at the end, I dare you to keep a smile off of your face.

For context, here are the lyrics in Portuguese and English:  Meu amor essa é a última oração Pra salvar seu coração Coração não é tão simples quanto pensa Nele cabe o que não cabe na dispensa

Cabe o meu amor! Cabe em três vidas inteiras Cabe em uma penteadeira Cabe nós dois

Cabe até o meu amor Essa é a última oração pra salvar seu coração Coração não é tão simples quanto pensa Nele cabe o que não cabe na dispensa

Cabe o meu amor! Cabe em três vidas inteiras Cabe em uma penteadeira Cabe essa oração

My love, this is the last prayer To save your heart The heart is not as simple as you think It holds what does not fit in the cupboard

It holds my love It holds three life times It holds a dresser It holds both of us

It even holds my love This is the last prayer to save your heart The heart is not as simple as you think It holds what does not fit in the cupboard

It holds my love It holds three life times It holds a dresser It holds this prayer

Perfection.

I can handle most things that are thrown at me but everyone has their breaking point; mine was today. My nerves have been shot since Sunday night so I've been going through phases of anxiety, stress, and calm before the cycle starts again. I handled it all without freaking out so naturally what I want to do now is flip tables and throw things. Since I live with other people and they'd probably commit me if they saw me going batshit crazy on my furniture, I've resorted to listening to this mashup.

Ladies and gents, for those days when you're ready to fucking lose your damn... fucking... MIND, there's always Supermassive Head Like a Hole. Muse's instrumentals from Supermassive Black Hole go weirdly well with Nine Inch Nail's lyrics to Head Like a Hole. So when you're feeling completely constrained, remember: everyone gets what they deserve.

Band of Horses. Baaaaand of Hoooooooorses. 

Nope. Doesn't matter how many times I say it, it still sounds weird. 

So chances are if you watch tv at all, you'll have heard one song or another by this cleverly titled band. Their sound has been described as Americana (which i'm calling bullshit on - according to wikipedia its "the amalgam of roots music that make up the American musical ethos". how the fuck can a country have its own musical ethos? anyway..) but besides that, it sounds ridiculously soothing and awesome. The best Band of Horses song I've heard in a while is Blue Beard.

The slow progression in the beginning verses tells a story of fear, confusion and conflict set to the tune of taking risks in life. The careful instrumentation of the guitar and drums backs up the cautious tone of the lyrics. The story comes to its head when the song morphs into a gorgeous conclusion that feels like a new song; in a way, it is a new song. The instrumentation all comes together in the end of the song: the vocals, guitars, and drums come together in harmony with each other throwing the caution of the beginning out the window. The fear and confusion in the opening verses is shed for the spontaneity of risk. Sometimes you gotta take a little time, roll the dice, find another way and try to break the ice because every day and night, the banana peels are true. Life is about taking risks and the end of this song perfectly sums up that mentality. Once you've listened to Blue Beard, you'll want to listen to the end of the song on repeat forever. Risk it. 

So there's this song. We've known each other for a couple of years now, and we've hung out a handful of times, but it's never been anything serious. A few days ago I woke up and had him stuck in my head - he was just hanging out in there, reminding me of how soothing he is. Later that day, I listened to him for the first time since our last hangout and I fell in love. So now we're getting married and everything's great. 

If only real life was that simple eh?

My music boyfriend is 3 Rounds and a Sound by Blind Pilot. The melody quietly builds with Israel's vocals, taking us through the lyrics like we're watching a recap of a couple's relationship from meeting to death. Heavy, I know. You might grab something lighter from the song, but whatever the meaning that Blind Pilot was striving for, 3 Rounds and a Sound is simply beautiful. 

3 rounds with this song will never be enough*.

S. 

We all know that the way most bands get attention today is through commercials or tv shows...which is great because it gives bands the chance to reach a wider audience. But we also know that once a band gains commercial success their sound usually becomes more commercialized and radio friendly. Usually. 

This particular band's single off of their newest EP was recently featured in a Google commercial (and an episode of Grey's Anatomy). It was only the instrumental that was featured and since they're on their debut EP under their new name, it's safe to assume their sound won't be affected by commercial success. This band is called Kodaline.

I found out about Kodaline online when searching for new music*. The first time I heard All I Want I thought it was just like every other acoustic indie song...until I heard Steve's voice. Ho-ly shit. Hooooooooo-lyyyyyy shit. 

It's not that his voice is incredibly different from any other voice - it's the raw emotion he soaks the lyrics in. The lyrics themselves aren't complex lines of poetry that need to be analyzed; they're gorgeously simple and heavy with meaning. Once Jason, Mark, and Vinny's vocals start to harmonize with Steve's and the drums join in with the guitars, it's all over. The instrumental continues rising with heartwrenching emotion and falls back into just the acoustic guitar and Steve's voice, matching the flow of the song with the emotional tumult that follows a breakup: the feel of despair and the result of acceptance that follows. 

Press play and let Kodaline's sound take control of your eardrums. 

S.

Wow. You guys are loyal people (or just too lazy to unfollow but i'll still count it as being loyal). Oh and I suck. 

One thousand and one apologies for being MIA for...a long ass fucking time, but just wanted to jump on here to puke up some late night music I've been listening to while everyone else in the house sleeps. Because why the hell not. 

To recap: you guys are awesomely awesome people and I suck. 

So hopefully I'll be motivated enough to do a small series of posts because there's some great music I've been listening to that needs to be shared with you guys. I'm not a selfish person and I can't keep this shit a secret I JUST CAN'T. Anyway...

POST 1 OF ?

By now I think it's safe to assume that we all have a pretty similar taste in music which is why after trying to figure out which song to post I always end up feeling comfortable with my choice. So after about 10 minutes of deliberation (cuz i'm fucking tired) I've finally decided. I give you...

Giving Up the Alp!

It's a mashup of Vampire Weekend's (!<3!) Giving Up the Gun and Yeasayer's (!<3!) Ambling Alp and I'm warning you now, it's pretty fucking weird. But in that weirdness is ear porn. I don't know how this song works but it blends so fucking well that I just wanna roll around in it. The electro beat of Ambling Alp integrates perfectly with the percussion and guitar riffs of Giving Up the Gun. You know how Fruitopia blends two flavours and it tastes fucking phenomenal? Giving Up the Alp is audio Fruitopia. 

To better understand this fusion, listen to Ambling Alp and Giving Up the Gun separately first. It'll give you a better feel of the individual tone and feel of each song. Listen to them both enough times that you (almost) feel sick of them. Once you've done that, listen to Giving Up the Alp. MIND = BLOWN.

This is just a little something to bring some light to the darkness of winter (*snaps*). Until next time, go on - press play.

After a long summer of Tumblr hibernation, I'm back with tuneage!

Ladies and gents, it's time for school. It doesn't matter if you're in grade school, high school or university/college, it all sucks. You spend your entire day listening to teachers tell you things that you'll apparently need for reality, get home, do the work they've assigned you and start the shitty cycle over again the next day. 

The worst part of school is all the fucking pointless assignments we have to do and end up throwing out after we know our marks. Assignments are dispersed pieces of stress designed to keep us from feeling good about our IQ and enjoying life. Fortunately for me and all of you, I've found the cure for stress: it's No Doubt. 

Realistically, No Doubt has always been the ultimate stress reliever. What's better than listening to Gwen Stefani's vocals tearing through your speakers singing "Don't Speak", "Hey Baby", "Just a Girl" or "Spiderwebs"? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. "Hey Baby" was pretty much my anthem through my elementary school years and into high school. "Don't Speak" is a fucking classic with hooks and vocals so catchy that whenever I hear it, I burst out singing along like a person with tourettes. Throw "Spiderwebs" on when you're ready to have a meltdown and the meltdown will turn into a ska punk dance mosh party. It's a bonafide good time. 

After a hiatus that was way too long for my taste, No Doubt are back with their sixth album "Push and Shove". People are already conflicted over whether they like what they're hearing from the album singles and I've got to admit I'm not a big fan of "Push and Shove" yet. Then again, people are saying they don't like "Settle Down" because it sounds too much like their old stuff. But for me, hearing "Settle Down" blasting through my radio speakers for the first time, I knew that No Doubt had made their triumphant return. I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. 

"Settle Down" comes in with Gwen's vocals telling us to get get get in line and settle down and the song starts its build up. The first verse shows Gwen feigning a calm that she can't grasp that's backed up by her repetitive assertions that she's fine in the bridge. When that chorus (HNNGG THAT CHORUS) comes fucking ripping in, Gwen's singing a story that we've all encountered: life is fucking hard to handle and requires some psychological toughening up to settle ourselves down. The instrumentals in this song back up the lyrics perfectly - the Dancehall pop playing with the verses blends with Gwen's confusion and when the Reggae beat mixes with the pop elements through the trumpets, timpanies, percussion, bass and electric guitar in the chorus, the perfectly blended chaos of the song hits full force and is thrown onto your eardrums. Gwen's vocals give the song its tone and the instrumentals give it its personality, making a perfect mesh of music. 

When you're doing that stupid ass assignment that's stressing you out, or dealing with a school friend or significant other who's frustrating you to the point of a complete breakdown, put the chair down, take a breath, and settle down with No Doubt. 

Damnit guys, just when I thought I was out YOU PULL ME BACK IN. 

Listen, summer is usually the time of year that is ripe with new music just waiting to be picked, listened to and overplayed. It's that time of year when we can roll down our windows, crank up our stereos and cruise into the sunset. It's that time of year that our ear drums are blessed with new heavenly tunes. 

Usually. This summer, not so much. 

We all know that when it comes to music I am picky as FUCK. Sounds remotely like another band? nope. Opening instrumental not catchy enough? bye. Lyrics are lame/corny and give me the bad heebie jeebies? next. This has been my dilemma for months now. I'm in a music funk guys. Summer is usually the time when I find a new band with some sort of beach bum vibe and then branch off from there. This summer I downloaded my usual new crop of techno/trance music and stopped there. I've got nothing. Instead of finding new music, I went back to listening to the classics like Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Queen, Pink Floyd, Elton John, and of course, The Rolling Stones (among others obviously). Why? Because no matter how many times I listen to them or the length of time that passes between my last time listening to them, they never get old. The bands I mentioned are the bands I heard while growing up and they are the definition of good music. They don't have massive amounts of production to their songs, they don't have layers upon layers upon layers of electro backbeat and synth (not that there's anything wrong with electro backbeats and synth; i am a techno junkie after all) - they have good fucking lyrics, good fucking singers, and good fucking instrumentals. Ladies and gents, this is music.

Here's my song of the summer: "Beast of Burden" by The Rolling Stones. Anything the Stones do is memorable, catchy and stays firmly stuck in my head for days. "Beast of Burden" is the song I always come back to. The guitar part alone gets my head bobbin' and puts me in a feel good mood. Mick's vocals give the lyrics the right tone, telling that girl of his to pop off and stop treating him like an ass she can put all her baggage, bullshit and whims onto. I am in love with this song and have been since the day I first heard it. I'm 99% positive that once you press play you will be too.

Have you heard Passion Pit's new single? No?

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! 

Look, I wasn't a big fan of Passion Pit's first album. Could be because I was tired of hearing about them, I wasn't in the indie electropop phase, or I thought they sounded too much like another band I was listening to at the time. Regardless, I am a born again Passion Pit fan. This single changed me. The first 20 seconds sounded like a slightly altered version of Coldplay's "Paradise" but when the drums came thumping in at 30 secs, it was like experiencing the sense of hearing for the first time. Ok, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but this song makes me fucking ecstatic. The drums, the synths, the guitars, the vocals, the lyrics (SWEET JESUS THE LYRICS), everything about this song is fanfuckingtastic. Do you understand what I'm telling you? It's FANFUCKINGTASTIC. The lyrics especially are a summary of the economic situation kicking everyone's ass right now, from families to students and beyond. Passion Pit has managed to take a shitty situation and make it sound like a gorgeous anthem. The next time I'm paying a bill, applying for a job or paying my tuition, I will listen to this song and when I'm done...I'll take a walk.

Universal Truth: Everyone hates Internet Explorer. Everyone.

The only good thing IE has done in the past 10 years was featuring this song in their commercial. 

It's not often that I refer to someone's voice as being smooth as buttah (thats butter for you unfunky people) but Alex Clare is the epitome of smooth. I mean fuck me LISTEN TO THAT VOICE. He could read the ingredients off of a bag of rice cakes in that voice of his and I would want to hear nothing else for the rest of my life. 

As for the beat, I hate dubstep. And when I say hate, I mean I absolutely fucking hate it. HOWEVER, I like dubstep infused electro: this may sound like a contradiction but the electro ends up balancing out the dubstep so it sounds like a well rounded track instead of a snorlax shitting into the speakers of a turntable. Such is the way that "Too Close" works out. The track fades in with a heavy bass and percussion combo, mixed with the electric guitar and Alex's smooth as fuck vocals. You can tell by the way the instrumental and his voice progresses that the chorus is going to punch you in the face and it does exactly that: the dubstep comes pounding in and supports the smoothness of Clare's vocals and the backbeat so well you'll never want to let this sound go. Alex, I can never be too close to love you.

S.

Holy shit, I've been gone for so long that they linked up tumblr with Spotify and Soundcloud WHAAAAAAAA. 

Now that my fake enthusiasm is out of the way, let me give you my excuse for not being around: like an absentee parent, I got bored (holy shit that was really mean I'm sorry but it's kind of funny so I'm leaving it). Contrary to popular belief, posting a song and writing a review on it is fucking HARD. First, you pick the song you want to write about, then you listen to it repeatedly to make sure you've picked out all the elements you want to talk about, then you write the review all the while trying to make it sound funny/interesting/witty. Hard and damn time consuming. But since you guys have been messaging me to stop being a lazy ass and get posting, I'm back by popular demand!

Don't say I never got you guys anything.

Onto the post! 

I LOVE Ra Ra Riot. Partially because their name sounds like a violent cheerleader convention and partially because their sound is fanfuckingtastic (i know you guys missed hearing that turn of phrase). It's becoming common for indie bands to have violins/a string section playing around in their instrumental but Ra Ra Riot was a pioneer of the idea (ok they probably werent but they were the first band i heard do it so shut up and go with it) and they mastered it. Their sound blends the orchestral with the modern in a way that sounds completely effortless. "Too Dramatic", the beauty of a track that I'm posting about, is a perfect example of Riot's ability to blend and perfect. The cello is featured in the beginning with the tambourine and violin and after falls back in with the bass and keeps the pace of the song. The violins are heard audibly throughout and weirdly blend and support Wesley's vocals. And of course there's the rest of the standard instrumentation making beautiful music together. Ra Ra Riot's instrumentals stay lodged in my head and provide a lovely background track for my life.

As for the lyrics WELL, what can I say? I know WAAAAAAY too many damn fucking dramatic people. Either they make it themselves or they're suffering from OCD and overexaggerate everything, I'm fucking surrounded by dramatic people. The kind of people who freak out when you say "fine" when they ask how you're doing. Or start panicking when you don't answer their question right away. Or have a straight up panic attack when they get yelled at and they can't quite figure out why they're being yelled at (hint: it's always because they're fucking dumb). Riot sums up my sentiments toward such people with their beautifully simple chorus line: you're too dramatic, I don't understand it. I reeeeeally don't.

S.

Two things:

1) Banjos

2) Tambourines

If the two above items are present separately or together in a song, chances are I will like/love that song. Example - Cameo Lover*

Like most people, I had never heard of Kimbra (FOR SHAME) until Gotye's collab with her on Somebody That I Used to Know (we've all got to start somewhere i suppose). Naturally, I did a little research ('ello wikipedia) and listened to the singles off of her debut LP "Vows" and I was not disappointed! Ok, this is all a lie, my sister actually made me listen to "Cameo Lover" like a week before and I wasn't in the market for new music, but she made me, and as a result I didn't really like it (this is also known as ignorant lazy dumbass syndrome). BUT I CHECKED HER OUT ON MY OWN EVENTUALLY which is what counts.

...Anyways back to the tambourine. I love Kimbra and this track because of the different genre that she infuses with her pop music. Most of the album is heavily jazz influenced (which is the last thing I expected) but some tracks like "Cameo Lover" are pop songs with jazz undertones. The subtle progression of the song through the verses and culminating in the chorus is what caught my attention: the first verse is supported by the bass, glockenspiel (fucking LOVE that word) and a light pop backbeat until the heavy pop chorus. The second verse has more of a presence in the more obvious use of the bass and electric guitar and it isn't until the brass come blaring in the second entrance of the chorus that you really get a sense of the jazz elements. The momentum of the chorus keeps thundering on in the bridge transition between the second and third choruses with her fanfuckingtastic vocals that were full of soul music influence that I would've been ok had she finished the song there. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Her ending with the change to deep vocals on the final succession of choruses gives a throwback to the beginning of the song and makes sure that you are well aware of Kimbra's vocal range. This, ladies and gents, is masterful pop music by one crazy good artist. She is worth more than just one listen.

S.

*side note: obviously Cameo Lover has a tambourine and not a banjo. don't be a smartass.

**sidenote: the other song on "Vows" that I fucking love is "Good Intent". It's more jazz than pop and is too catchy to resist. Here's the music video because this supports the song damn perfectly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XjNlpe7hII&ob=av3e

The first time I saw Lana Del Rey's "Video Games" music video I was confused. The intro with the harp, piano and string section peaked my interest and it was kept when Lana started singing the lyrics in her slow deep drone. I was completely ready to love the song...until it ended. I was left feeling like I had been told I was going to get the best ear sex I'd have ever experienced but was instead left alone and teased. The song progresses (if you can call it progression) and never reaches a climax - instead Del Rey keeps droning on about how the world was built for two. In the end it felt like I had spent the 4 minutes and 50 seconds listening to someone recite the DMV regulations in sing song with orchestral accompaniment (it doesn't help that her facial expressions in the video make her look like she's bored out of her fucking mind). Here's why I'm confused about Lana Del Rey: she's obviously talented since her voice is beautiful and haunting, the melody is gorgeous and combined with the lyrics, the song stays firmly stuck in my head. But she's so monotone that I can't tell if I like her or can't stand her.

That long ass winded explanation brings me (finally) to this post. Silver Swans' cover of "Video Games" changes the tone of the song and adds an eerie feel to Del Rey's original. The pop elements in the backbeat makes the song more of a mellow listen than Del Rey's: when listening to this version there is no vocal hinting at a grand climax in the song. Instead the rising rhythm comes in the variation of the backbeat: it progresses from one dull beat in the background of the vocals to a culmination of electronic elements. This one subtle change does what Del Rey's doesn't - it gives the song a different feeling from the beginning to the end. The Silver Swans cover of "Video Games" emanates an eerie and ominous feeling that will serve as perfect background music when playing video games.