24 December 2014

My 2014 in Music

It´s that time of the year again, to browse my ipod and the folders of illegally downloaded music to see which bands have been with me the entire year.

This is a tradition I have been keeping since my Hebrew blog days. Here is the post from 2013.


1. Agalloch

Agalloch have become to be kind of like Opeth- they are always with me and speak to me more than any other post punk band. I have been enjoying the album Marrow Of The Spirit especially this year. I must say that I´ve listened to only 2 Agalloch albums so far (The Mantle was the first) and it takes me eternity to move along from one album to the next. I feel like I can enjoy the same songs over and over again without having the need to check out other stuff.

To Drown / from Marrow Of The Spirit


2. Siekiera

I know I have mentioned this band a lot lately, but I have been into Siekiera since a couple of months this year, and I couldn´t emphasize checking their Nowa Alexandria album enough:



3. Burzum

A second metal band (musician, whatever) on the list! I don´t know why Burzum accompanied this year. Maybe it´s the dark atmosphere, maybe it´s how pretty Varg was when he was young, or maybe it´s because I find this type of music to serve for angry, relaxing and sexual purposes at the same time? Either way, I still think Varg is a nazi racist son of a bitch. But don´t hate me for liking his music.

Feeble Screams From Forests Unknown



Here is a great contemporary band which I had the honor to see live twice already. I adore their album and their live acts, because DS are great on stage, and because I am having such a kick imitating Max´s Italian accent (guilty pleasure, I admit). I went as far as to stand front row at a gig and sing the lyrics with that accent the entire time while laughing my ass off. I never have so much fun at other live shows. But if to be serious, Dystopian Society make very good dark punk and I totally recommend checking them out. I still want to see them live again and again!

Death Signals



Here is why this year has been more full of live music than ever. I have practically been swimming in whatever Boris is doing with TWOD, his recordings (and recent mixes that hopefully will be out soon!!), new band members which have helped to shape his post punk project into a psychedelic wave band, and I pray for him that it only will get better from here. I have observed how hard he is working not only on the music but on organizing gigs, finding people to play with and writing to basically every living human in Europe in order to hopefully organize a tour. I am very happy for him making his dream a reality, and it looks like my part as stylist/ makeup artist/ photographer/ dancer is yet to be over.

Still Remember The Day



Moving along the live acts, the other band where Boris plays guitar have become not only good friends but also an opportunity to travel and see the world in its subcultural glory. Many thanks goes to Sergej the bassist for making me able to hop along Totenwald gigs to travel with them to Copenhagen, Poland (where I visited my first ever music festival!) and to be able to contribute and help them, whether by sitting at the entrance or DJing, and finally- introducing the band here on my blog. I am more than happy to help whenever I have the chance.

Stereotypes, live from Copenhagen


7. The Smiths

On the one hand, I kind of wish for listening to this band more in my teenage years. On the other hand- if I would have listened to them I might have not been among the living today. Which is why I sometimes find the favorite sad angsty songs of The Smiths too childish for my current, mature mind. Yet they still are my happy music, in an ironic kind of way Morrisey would probably appreciate. It´s their melodies and lyrics which do it for me, and I mostly keep away from lyrics in songs unless I find them utterly beneficial for understanding the music. The Smiths´ whimsical touch can really brighten a lovely cynical day.

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (I love how the guitar reminds me of the Russian Kino).



The only band which followed me from last year, that I can say I am still obsessing about as before. I have told you about them already, and probably will continue until I will finally see them live. They have released a new album lately which I am yet to check out, I am saving my spirits for it to grand a special day where I would consume it´s content. Scofferlane are the best thing to come out of Russia yet, so make sure to check them out!

On Predators


Those are the main acts. I can include a huge number of honorable mentions, as I have discovered a ton of bands that I like more by songs rather than albums, and which have inspired me to create playlists for DJ sets. I was happy to see Monowelt and their live concerts, supporting my friends felt great and I loved to hear how they developed their darkwave sound through each gig. I also enjoyed bands as Kryzys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Auction (enjoyed so much as if I have discovered them for the first time) and some more which have left a song or two to keep playing in my mind.

What musical acts have made your year? You are welcome to do this kind of post as well, I would be thrilled to read about your musical 2014.

N. Finsternis

4 comments:

  1. I loved that video of Boris with The wings of desire!!! Wasn't he in Stockholm playing in the beginning of this year? I hope he will come back with this band and I promise I'll be there to listen! :-)

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    1. Happy to hear you liked it! Yeah we´ve been to Stockholm, wasn´t ideally planned but I do hope we will play there again, the costs of getting there are expensive though :x

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    2. I know, travelling in Sweden is expensive :-/. The cheapest is by train I think.

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