Mellowed Out Techno

Interview Magazine

Really feeling this music. So glad I stumbled upon this fella while I head into a day of non-stop studying. Other than to feed the necessities I experience as a human (geekiest way of saying other than when i'm a hungry, hungry hippo! - yes, I speak as if I'm a kindergarden teacher).

Ladies and gentleman, the aching, crooning, and damn smooth Chet Faker. His voice is laced with heart break, and each of his tracks falls into this mellowed out electronic vibe that I can't get enough of.

Become a little bit cooler by being in the presence of his musical godliness.








Chet was elaborating on what drove his inspiration in an interview for, well this is perfect, Interview Magazine, and he mentioned that it was a medley of his parents' taste in music. If that were true for me, I'd be listening to a Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen combo. Don't know how well that'd work out for me. The snippet of the interview is here:

WHEN MOTOWN MEETS MINIMALIST HOUSE MUSIC: I was lucky, my parents had really different tastes in music. My mum was listening to a lot of Motown. I think the most played record in our house was the Big Chill Soundtrack—so Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Otis Redding. I think that's where I got my love for a good hook, a good soul hook—really smooth and warm and from the heart. And then my dad would listen to the chilled out Ibiza CDs; all that super down tempo female vocal kind of stuff. It's like my parents' musical tastes are the mother and father of my music. [laughs] It's their fault for making me so emotional and in tune with my emotions!

Chet actually calls his name an ode to Chet Baker,

He had this really fragile vocal style—this really, broken, close-up and intimate style. The name is kind of just an ode to Chet Baker and the mood of music he used to play—something I would like to at least attempt to play homage to in my own music.  

Ya did good, Chet. Ya did good. Here's the fellow he's talking about. Lots of soul.



And on a side note, before I embark on my glorious studies, I have a three line story to tell you.

'Twas not Christmas Eve, but the eve of exam week, and young men and women alike were gathered round a gingerbread house. I envisioned windows trimmed with icing and gum drops galore, and I shouted out with glee, "Let us create a rustic house, for our gingerbread family!"

...two young men from across the room greet my idea with blank, soulless faces: "What is rustic?"

AND MY STORY IS OVER! HOW CAN THIS BE?

I shall elaborate on the beauty of rustic homes in my next post. But first, studying (sorry, my textbooks are gettin' their bitch face on).

Where I Would Like to be Studying Right Now

Exams are burying young men and women around the world. Frantic, dazed, sleepless youth are wandering in and out of libraries, coffee shops, basements of their dorms.

I am one of them.

*insert dramatic music*

And now, on my study breaks, my eyes have become trained to focus in on books or computers or desks or anything else in resemblance of my setting of the last few days. Some of my favourites.

(This is really all just an excuse to show books in rooms looking adorable.)

(Desire to Inspire)

For some reason, I always associate a fashion editor or photographer dwelling in this room. Most likely in some dramatically upscale outfit in bursts of colour, casually flipping through a magazine, or running her fingers down the spines of the impressively monochromatic book collection.

(Airows)

(House to Home UK)

Ah, it's a dangerous ting indeed to have two vintage suitcases right in view whilst studying.

1. I would muse about couples eloping in the fifties, rebelling against society with the thrill of adventure fuelling their journey.

2. I would dream about flying home in a creamy trenchcoat and robin's egg blue oxford shoes to match my trunk.

3. Well, I would literally leave.

(Blood and Champagne, aka the sweetest site I have found in a very long time)

Scrolling down past this image made my eyes widen like I just saw Santa Claus. That wood, is gorgeous. It reminds me of caramel macchiatos and Christmas fireplaces. And at the same time, I love how mysterious I would appear to any guests if they asked what I kept in there and I would simply reply, "I can't go into that right now." 

I like to think of myself as quite the enigma, as you can see (this may or may not be true, most likely not).

(My Paradissi, via Interior Inspirations)

(Interior Inspirations)

The good ol' days. It's weird to me that I can actually say that without it being laughably near to my age now. Reminds me of when I was nine or so and said, "Well I remember when I was young..." and the small party of adults near me roared with laughter to my sincere confusion.

(Design Files)

DAMN STRAIGHT, do I enjoy this office or what. If I walked into this office, I would immediately expect to be meeting with someone with a hell of a lotta swag and I may not want to leave their presence in the hopes of sneaking some. Or at the very least attempt to steal one of those sweet ceramic white legs to place, very randomly, into my dorm. 

*m

A Moment

Can we also stop for a moment and declare our mutual longing for this adorable little fellow to be gracing the countertops of kitchens universally wide? Yes. Thank you for that moment of silence in awe of his charm.

Anthropologie

*m

Starry Lights

It's always interesting to me to see how people embrace the holidays. Some opt for the minimalist decor, a star here and there, christmas lights strewn across a table, maybe a single reindeer proudly standing next to the salt and pepper shakers. Others take these 25 days as something of a challenge to channel as much Christmas spirit into their home as possible. The whole tribe of Santa's reindeers dangling from a chandelier, cookie jars with a smitten elf tempting you to reach in and grab one of grandma's freshly baked shortbread cookies, a wreath dominating their door, a toy store of plush creatures from Santa Claus' team suddenly occupying every seat in the house.

Whether you're on one end of the spectrum or contentedly in the middle, I can't deny how happy it makes me to see elves as a socially accepted addition to everyone's home. 

The naturalistic decorator keeps things simple with the elegance of frosted pinecones and lacey stars sprinkled across their home. Candles are a welcome addition as well, but not too many, as their house is most likely built off of an abundance of wood.

The "christmas-all-year" decorator never quite lets go of the cheer and jolly spirits that pervade homes during December. She prefers to keep the cranberry accents and twinkling christmas balls as a reminder of the importance of generosity, and very well may end up tricking children and adults alike that she is in fact related to Santa Claus.

The starry light decorator keeps much of her home the same, but adds an absolutely whimsical effect in the form of lights dangling from anywhere she can manage to find an outlet. Suddenly her whole house is draped with the milky way and her feet become ever so lighter.

Ah, the eclectic decorator. The perfect home for entertaining as the combination of vintage St. Nicholas postcards, delicate strings of golden lights, and the seemingly never ending glasses of wine contribute to quite the party. 

The naturalistic decorator's sister is more adept to adding in the touches of the outside wintery world with quite the luxurious pieces as well. She considers herself the Narnia decorator, where a tree stump is balanced with a minimalistic stool, and collected tree branches are in juxtaposition with white cylindrical spot lights. It's like the forest if it were dominated by elegant paintings and brilliant lights.

Oh the gift wrapping artist comes out to play in this month of giving. She fully immerses herself in the art that comes with gift presentation, seeing with delight the looks of her impressed friends as they examine her work. If you walked through this lady's home it would be marked by subtle presents peaking next to dolled up mirrors, and beneath hand-sewn Christmas stockings. 

The Scandinavian decorator! Oh you know my soft spot for Scandinavian style. Homes covered head to toe in a milky white, with feminine accents here and there, whimsical paintings, and when Christmas comes around? A collection of particularly warm strings of lights and storybook frosted trees popping up on miniature pianos. So endearing.

Lanterns really aren't reserved for Halloween. They add such a fairy like element to any home, reminiscent of twilight picnics and starry nights. 

Now I really frickin' wish I wasn't in a dorm. Challenge? Deck out my dorm in Christmas swag? I could accept that. 

*m