Simply Sweet and Smooth Sounds

New favorite song of the week: “Faster” by Laura...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:06:00 -0500

New favorite song of the week: “Faster” by Laura Shigihara.

Other contenders on the list:
“Light” - Alec Holowka
“To The Moon - Main Theme” - Kan R. Gao
“Show Me Girl” - A-Rival
“Catskill Green” - Leslie Ritter
“Expectation” - Tara Priya

And of course, this week’s highlighted album is: “Machinarium Soundtrack” by Tomas Dvorak - simply beautiful ambient abstract electronic music.

Penampilan spesial oleh Ikal @monstreza dan Pia @piazakiyah,...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:09:52 -0500

Penampilan spesial oleh Ikal @monstreza dan Pia @piazakiyah, menyanyikan “Satu Dalam Sejuta Hasta” di Gathering ke-2 #30HariMenulisSuratCinta

@bumihr: My Fantasy Is You

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:57:10 -0500

@bumihr: My Fantasy Is You:

bumiherarihlatu:

Erotomania - sejenis khayalan dimana orang yang bersangkutan percaya atau memiliki delusi keyakinan bahwa orang lain -biasanya orang asing- secara sembunyi-sembunyi memendam perasaan cinta kepadanya.

Duarr…! Duarr…! Duarr…!

Suara letusan terdengar dari seluruh…

This week’s recommended listening: “Somebody to Love” -...

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:21:26 -0500

This week’s recommended listening:

“Somebody to Love” - Rusko
“Don’t Give Up” - Green River Ordinance
“No Light, No Light” - Florence and the Machine (Spector Ryan Gosling Remix)

Plus, Adam Young has a limited time free sampler over on Noisetrade!

New artwork courtesy of Fitria @ridzikita Edit: newer artwork courtesy of me!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:13:00 -0500

New artwork courtesy of Fitria @ridzikita

Edit: newer artwork courtesy of me!

Favorite new song of the week: “Break It Down” by...

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:39:10 -0500

Favorite new song of the week: “Break It Down” by Justin Young

Other contender’s on this list (lots of good free music this week!):

“Far Into The Night (Without You)” - nosnow/noalps
“Worth It” - Stars and Rabbit
“Heart of Me” - Green River Ordinance
“Must Be The Feeling” - Nero (Delta Heavy Remix)

@TheHermes at Pojok Galau, Kaskus Playground Definitely my...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:33:00 -0500

@TheHermes at Pojok Galau, Kaskus Playground

Definitely my favorite spot in their new office!

Acara perdana Kaskus The Lounge kemarin membuat iri saya yang bukan pekerja kantoran ini. Desain yang modern, minimalis, dan hi-tech ini benar-benar layak untuk merepresentasikan kantor baru komunitas digital terbesar di Indonesia. Karena saya bukan Kaskuser aktif (terdaftar dengan total 4 posting), kemeriahan acara kemarin jadi membuat saya berpikir apa yang saya lewatkan di forum online mereka.

Terharu juga ketika mendengar testimoni Ghina @djghina yang menjelaskan kantor baru Kaskus “it’s a real bless”. Karena ternyata baru bulan November tim Kaskus Officer pindah ke alamat baru di Kaskus Playground, dan sebelumnya mereka harus berjuang dengan kantor lama yang “ngga representatif” sampai bikin Om Mimin pun berdoa “please dong please jangan ke toilet” ketika ada tamu dari Amerika yang berkunjung.

Well, I have to say: congrats Kaskus! And for all Kaskus Officer: you guys deserve it! Semoga di usia ke-12 di tahun 2012 ini semakin membawa banyak berkah untuk Kaskus dan para Officernya.

Thanks to Ghina yang mengundang kami The Hermes sebagai komunitas di luar Kaskus. Terima kasih juga sudah diperkenalkan dengan Kaskus Officer lainnya dan dipandu keliling fasilitas kantor baru yang pastinya membuat semua tamu ngga bisa berkata-kata selain: “Kereeen” dan tentunya “Pertamax Gan!”. Semoga ke depannya komunitas The Hermes bisa memeriahkan* acara Kaskus The Lounge!

*#kode lho itu

Cheers,

“I’m not looking for someone like you,I am looking...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:26:22 -0500

“I’m not looking for someone like you,
I am looking for you.”

Lirik yang ditulis @ridzikita ini tampaknya menjadi lirik favorit dari lagu baru “Love You at Your Worst”. To be honest, awalnya saya kira liriknya kurang OK dan ada cara penyampaian yang lebih bagus. Tapi mungkin justru keaslian dari liriknya itu yang membuatnya paling digemari.

Have a listen!

Favorite new song of the week: “The New Hello...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:48:00 -0500

Favorite new song of the week: “The New Hello (Hers)” by The Hawk In Paris

Other contenders on this list (just one!):
“Piano Tune VIP” - Bar 9

And this week’s featured free album:
“Growing in the Cold” - Jess Penner (first free album I’ve donated $1 to! Hoping good karma circles back my way!)

Cuplikan “VIVA! Hermesian” on Musikamu TVRI

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:22:17 -0500

Cuplikan “VIVA! Hermesian” on Musikamu TVRI

"For me, those benefits greatly override any questions about the objective reality of the experience."

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:56:05 -0500

“For me, those benefits greatly override any questions about the objective reality of the experience.”

- Mark McElroy, from “Lucid Dreaming for Beginners”

New favorite song of the week! “Human” by The Human...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:53:00 -0500

New favorite song of the week! “Human” by The Human League.

Other songs in this week’s playlist:
“Lost and Found” - Katie Herzig
“Remember the Name” - Fort Minor
“Obat Cinta” - Medical Band

And, this week’s highlighted FREE album:
“Wild ARMs: ARMed and DANGerous” - And OC ReMix Album

ReBlog: 13 Questions to Ask Yourself in the Harsh Morning Light of 2012

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:32:00 -0500

Nicholas Tozier wrote a post about 13 questions a songwriter should ask at the start of this new year. Thought it would be fun to answer. Here is my “State of Songwriting” from 2011:

1. Did I achieve the resolutions I set for myself in 2011?

No. The previous year 2011 was one of my darkest years, because things happened that made me aware I was only growing farther from my dreams. After the initial shock of that subsided, I started to figure out how I can take more personal control in the hopes of moving forward again towards my dreams.

Nevertheless, the story remains that it was a very bitter year (but not without its highlights).

2. How many songs did I finish? Don’t list any fragments or half-finished works here. They don’t count.

Nineteen. But I produced only less than half of it I think.

3. Could I have finished more songs than I did? Have I been procrastinating?

I could have, but I slowed down because I didn’t want to write new songs per se – I wanted to finish the old songs that I had already started to write. I also wanted to see what I could do with the bank of melodies I’ve gathered over the past few years, and combine them with lyric only fragments. I want to wrap up these old notes so I can start with a new direction.

4. How happy am I with the quality of the lyrics, melody, etc.?

I’m always heading to a new direction, so the moment the song is finished I like it but it fades fast. I do like the fact that 2011 was the year I started remixing, introducing me to a whole new world of musical styles.

5. In what ways did I get my songs heard by others this past year?

I launched an album! Played live shows. Did radio interviews. And of course uploaded them to Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Noisetrade.

6. When I did sit down to write, did impatience and lack of focus scatter my energy?

No. I use the Pomodoro technique!

7. In what ways did I upgrade my skills in composing melodies, arrangement, and lyric writing during 2011?

I bought 2 songwriting books: “The Songwriter’s Workshop” series by Jimmy Kachulis. I also bought Gary Ewer’s “Essential Secrets of Songwriting”. Subscribed to 2 blogs and made a Twitter list of songwriting resources to follow.

8. Have I taken time to listen to new music and learn from the strengths of musicians and lyricists I admire?

Yes! My favorite source is Noisetrade for singer-songwriter or band type music, and Junodownload for electronica and dance type music.

9. Have any bad habits or addictions held me back?

Probably – mostly because I still need to take a break now and then, especially using up creative energy. So I’m not on my high 24/7. I do want to be more efficient with my time.

10. How much time did I spend on the web, watching TV, playing video games, or otherwise consuming idle entertainments? How does that compare to the amount of time I spent writing songs and honing my craft?

I spent time on the web a lot, but that also accounts for listening to new music, reading songwriting blogs, writing blogs about songwriting, discussions, etc. Didn’t play any video games this year. Watching movies can sometimes be a source of inspiration.

11. Did I schedule and manage my time to make sure I could devote time to songwriting?

Yes! About 4 times each week learning songwriting in the morning, and the whole day Friday for writing and producing new songs (applying what I learned all week long).

12. How badly do I really want to write songs? Is it my true artistic calling?

As bad as I want to make money (preferably from my music).

13. Am I holding myself back with fears of commercial or artistic failure?

No. I actually need more commercial success. Don’t we all?

—-

What about you? How was your 2011?

Wawancara bersama Mr. Jimmy Simanungkalit dan Ms. Lia Achmadi...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:14:21 -0500

Wawancara bersama Mr. Jimmy Simanungkalit dan Ms. Lia Achmadi untuk “VIVA! Hermesian” di acara Pro Resensi, RRI Pro 2 105.1 FM (sub tajuk: Bernyanyi Bersama Mannequin). Menampilkan “Gravity” bersama Andre Ramadhan dan Roy Anderson di gitar.

The next gig will go better!

Playlist: Best of 2011

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:09:27 -0500

Musik bisa menjadi potret baik untuk merangkum perjalanan selama 2011 silam. Saya yakin teman-teman punya soundtrack masing-masing. Dan setiap soundtrack itu mengandung kenangan tertentu - kadang manis, kadang pahit.

Izinkan saya sharing playlist “Best of 2011”, yaitu lagu-lagu pilihan yang saya ambil dari sekitar 20 album musik yang saya beli dari Januari hingga Desember kemarin. Bentuk albumnya ada yang CD biasa, DVD live concert, bonus download gratis dari layanan internet berbayar, dan juga beli mp3 online melalui toko musik legal. Karena saya senang menggunakan jalur yang resmi.

Here is the music:

[1] “Pelangi dan Matahari” - BIP (Berangkat)
[2] “Monster” - Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
[3] “The Grid” - Daft Punk (TRON: Legacy Original Soundtrack)
[4] “Just The Way You Are” - Bruno Mars (Doo-Wops & Hooligans)
[5] “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” - Shania Twain (Woman In Me)
[6] “You’ve Got A Way” - Shania Twain (Come On Over)
[7] “Must Get Out” - Maroon 5 (Songs About Jane)
[8] “Makes Me Wonder” - Maroon 5 (It Won’t Be Soon Before Long)
[9] “Kamu, Aku, Cinta” - Lala Karmela (Kamu, Aku, Cinta)
[10] “Hold It Against Me” - Britney Spears (Femme Fatale)
[11] “C.L.U” - Daft Punk (Paul Oakenfold Remix) (TRON: Legacy Reconfigured)
[12] “The End of The Game” - Sting (Live in Berlin)
[13] “Menulis Cinta” - Ubiet & Dian HP (Komposisi Delapan Cinta)
[14] “Many The Miles” - Sara Bareilles (Little Voice)
[15] “The Edge of Glory” - Lady Gaga (Born This Way)
[16] “What If” - Colbie Caillat (All Of You)
[17] “Galaxies” - Owl City (All Things Bright and Beautiful)
[18] “One and Only” - Adele (21)
[19] “Serba Salah” - Raisa (Raisa)
[20] “Pergilah” - Afit (From Cairo to Jakarta)
[21] “Paradise” - Coldplay (Mylo Xyloto)
[22] “A Perfectly Good Heart” - Taylor Swift (Taylor Swfit)
[23] “Dazed & Confused” (feat Janai & Illaman) - SKisM Baroque Out Remix (UKF Dubstep 2011)

Sebenarnya ada 1 album yang tidak saya masukkan, hanya karena saya merasa album itu betul-betul tidak layak dengar (saya beli karena musisi dan penasaran). Tentunya banyak album-album bagus yang belum saya beli, seperti Pixie Lott “Young, Foolish, Happy” dan Patrick Stump “Soul Punk”. Semoga tahun 2012 lebih banyak kesempatan mendengar dan menikmati lebih banyak lagu-lagu bagus.

Happy New Year 2012! See you up in the air ~!

MickeyMau5

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:13:12 -0500

Andre: Abis ini loe biasanya ngapain?
Me: Sekarang sih lagi eksperimen sama musik dance.
Andre: Hm?
Me: EDM: Electronic Dance Music. Ya kaya David Guetta gitu - duk tak duk tak.
Andre: Mm ... yang Mickey Mouse itu siapa?
Me: Deadmau5?

"You’re in Tokyo, Japan! Go out and have fun! Go see Shibuya!"

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:45:40 -0500

“You’re in Tokyo, Japan! Go out and have fun! Go see Shibuya!”

- what I said to the band, in the hotel room, before going out and discovering a secret passage way beyond the dumpster behind the alley where my eyes turned yellow and I became possessed by Magneto.

Notes from a dream.

“Trampolin bawa aku terbang jauh tinggi ke bulan...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:20:58 -0500

“Trampolin bawa aku terbang jauh tinggi ke bulan ~”

Special surprise for Mr. Nyoman Suardhita. Lagu pembuka saat “VIVA! Hermesian” CD Launching , di Backyard Cafemart, Kemang.

Setelah tampil bersama Andre Ramadhan dalam rangka promosi album...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:12:49 -0500

Setelah tampil bersama Andre Ramadhan dalam rangka promosi album “VIVA! Hermesian” di acara Kompasianival 2011.

"Thank YOU For being an artist, for creating and sharing your music, for getting on stage, for..."

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:25:13 -0500

“

Thank YOU

For being an artist, for creating and sharing your music, for getting on stage, for staying up late to record from your bedroom, thank you. Today you will see more success in bringing your own sound. Be creatively brilliant, take chances with your music, be yourself.

”

- J. Sider, CEO & Founder RootMusic