AMY

When I was in Berlin a month ago, AnCa and I went to the movies Sunday night to watch 'Amy'. I remember I heard the news of Amy Winehouse's death when I was driving home from Berlin with my family on the day I moved back to Denmark. I never really listened to her music, and to me she was just a sort of sad character with a very public deroute. But that night in Berlin as we watched the documentary about her, my opinion changed completely. I was so utterly moved by the film, I haven't stopped thinking about it since. I listen to her music and her incredibly raw lyrics and I am overwhelmed by sadness for her fate. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you to do it; not only is it well-told, it's also a warm, raw and very unshakable glimpse of a life that was all too short.

Beach House forever

Beach House's new album drops today. I've been pre-listening to it all week via NPR, and it is great. Just as I hoped and knew it would be. Beach House is something very special to me. I first discovered them in the first weeks of 2010 when I was living in Aarhus, but crashing at Chris' couch in Copenhagen. We'd cross the snowy Enghave Plads for night coffees, while the winter darkness seemed to swallow us up. But I didn't love them until later that year in Berlin when I had moved there. During the last weeks of 2010, I walked around the snowy city in a sort of haze, and their dreamy, drony sounds mirrored my feelings of being both incredibly happy and also just caught in the thought-frenzy that is the 20s. I know every single song by heart. "Holy Dances" reminds me of walking through the snow one day in Mitte when I had done an interview at a museum. The rattles of the tambourine still sounds like the snow-flakes that were falling from the sky.

In 2012, the album 'Bloom' came out. I was living in Copenhagen, and I was torn between a devastating heartbreak, longing for Berlin and also being sort of happy about living in the Castle and Nørrebro and having a really great job. The music once again struck something in me and mirrored those feelings. The songs of 'Bloom' remind me of spring along the yellow wall of Assistens Kirkegård. Biking around the city, and that nagging feeling in my stomach I had that year.

I listen to Beach House often. I know I can always put it on and go somewhere inside myself. Whether it's joy, melancholy, sadness or something else, the music is there. It's hard to fully describe what it is all about, but I guess that's the beauty of it. "Better Times" is probably the song I've listened to the most in the world. It reminds me of being really sad over a boy, but also biking through Berlin and feeling joy out to my fingertips.

Now they have released a new album. And I am three years older than last time. I'm once again living in a suitcase and perhaps on the brink of a new, great chapter. We'll see. No matter what, I know that Beach House will be a big part of the soundtrack.

That feeling

It's so pure and electrifying when you have that first real rush with a piece of music. For me, it often occurs when I've been listening to a new album a few times and the songs still aren't familiar, but they're starting to be. And then there's one song that sends chills down my spines, magnifies everything around me and opens up completely. I had an experience like that the other day as I was going home from work in the bus. It was warm, the city outside was shimmering, the sky was blue and I felt the hot air on my skin. Suddenly, everything was light and twice as beautiful. Here are two songs that have done that for me the last few weeks - and it's been a while since I've had new music do this!

The one from the other day is Quo Vadis by Lower Dens. I absolutely love the summery melancholic intro, the harmony and the voice. For a long time, I thought the lead singer was a man, and then I discovered it's a woman!

Lately, I've also listened a lot to Reptile Youth's new EP. The song Away really got to me and I've considered it the soundtrack to my summer a long time now.

Nordic voices

There's something mesmerizing about nordic voices. I don't know why, but they seem clearer, more outer-worldly. These days, I'm listening to a Norwegian singer called Siri Nilsen. I don't think I've ever listened to Norwegian music before, but this somehow hits me. Maybe it's the cold weather and the feeling of fitting right into that nordic sound of cool, like if it's sung from inside an ice palace. She even sings in Norwegian.

Another Norwegian is Emilie Nicolas. Both Norwegians just sent out their albums and they're cool and beautiful. Just right for days in the grey cold.

When I was in Stockholm a few weeks ago, I went into the Monki store on Götgatan. They played this heavenly song by a voice you couldn't mistake for a Swede, and I talked about it with Iben. "Oh, she's one of my friends, she lives just around the corner," said the sales girl when she overheard us talking. So we found out that the singer is called Linn Öberg, and 'Parades' has been spinning in my head every since (sorry, there's only a live version here).

Sunday

Today, I made my family Eggs Benedict. The others have been watching Formula 1 since the wee hours of the morning, and I got up and made breakfast (I'm not particularly a fan of F1, so I kept to the kitchen...). I'm spending the day writing, listening to MØ's new album (epicly good and definitely worth the long wait) and thinking big thoughts. Have a nice Sunday out there!
The photo is from my mom's birthday a few weeks ago where I also made Eggs Benedict - which explains the festive glass of champagne. 

Secret behaviour

I have developed a strange habit in my time living outside Denmark. I actually never really miss living in Denmark, but subconsciously I have found (strange) ways of connecting myself with the mother land. I have noticed I talk a lot about Denmark when I meet strangers; I like to compare with other places and distinguish what is typical Danish. Whether it's wearing sneakers to everything, having blonde hair, or something else. And in Montreal I started doing something truly strange; sometimes I will put on my Danish playlist in iTunes and sing aloud to songs that remind me of childhood or my family and friends. And sometimes it gets me all teared up. But it doesn't mean I want to jump on the first plane to Copenhagen. It's just a nice little thing I do occasionally…. So what do I listen to? Here are a few (of those that can actually be found on youtube (?€#% youtube germany!):

Grey days

It feels like forever since I've seen the sun. It's both quite cosy and kind of depressing that the sky is a constant thick layer of grey. I'm spending the days inside trying to write my assignment and take care of a fever that knocked me over on Monday. My house is full of the warming music from the autumn playlist, and I hear the washing machine spinning and the gas heater purring in the kitchen. It's kind of nice.

Last week I went down to the ringbahn on my way to a coffee meeting. The colours on the train tracks were breathtaking, the air was crisp, and it seemed like the exact recipe for November.

Other than that, the sky is grey grey grey. Like this day in Mitte where I found myself looking up at one of my favourite buildings; the TV tower.

Efterklang's 'Sedna' from last year's album 'Piramida' is the perfect song for grey weather. And it's so numbingly beautiful.

Alright!

Okay, so I had another blow. The apartment I thought I'd gotten, since the landlord called me up and said they had chosen me, went to somebody else after all. Thanks a lot. I feel so powerless in this system, and it keeps getting me down. And the worst of it is that I get so freaking angry at the Germans for being so arrogant, silent, manipulative and plain cowards. And I kind of like Germans in general... I don't exactly know what to do other than just get quite angry, yell a little and keep on going. Luckily I have a place to live until February, but I now have to cancel all those plans I'd made. So today I went for a walk in the cold rain, music in my ears and thoughts spinning. One song came on, and it made me feel so comforted somehow. It will happen, but why it has to be this difficult and make me feel like I'm seriously not worth anything, I don't know. Ah!

New crush

Another music crush has entered my mind. MS MR; a big sound, like being inside a spacy bubble with greatness, good drums and a sharp voice. I'm convinced, and it's spinning endlessly in my ears. Plus, they remixed MØ, my other current music crush, and the combination of the two is magical.

Current crush

Oh my, I have discovered a new band. I absolutely love when that happens; especially when it happens at just the right time when you had outgrown the other tunes on your playlist. Highasakite (lame name, I must say) is a Norwegian act and plays music that lends itself to different things; Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Lykke Li, Jenny Wilson, Beach House. And then it sounds like not so much else. It has a Nordic vibe I feel I'm drawn to these last couple of months. Just listen to it, I'm convinced it'll make my spring soundtrack.

Goodness

Right now; my window is open, I can hear children playing in the street and life being lived somewhere outside. I'm listening to my 'spring' playlist (MØ, Charli XCX, Beach House, Purity Ring...), cleaning my room and drinking coffee. Also singing a little bit. It's Sunday, it's great. Have a good one!

The small things

As I'm writing this, the wind gently blows snow off the tree outside my window. It looks like whipped cream glistening in the sun. Yes, the sun pokes its head out of the clouds once in a while. I'm home, doing homework, enjoying the coffee machine in the kitchen, reading, listening to the marvellous Daughter album and talking over the phone with people I miss too much. Here are a few glimpses from the last week:

A week ago, I stopped by the cutest turqoise book shop in Nôtre-Dame-des-Grâces to pick up a book I'm presenting in a class. I love old book shops; the smell, the endless stories and the quirky owners that always look like they never see sunlight.

 The book I'm reading is really good and makes me want to go on adventure; "The Great Railway Bazaar" by Paul Theroux.

 On a snowy Wednesday I went to Arts Café (201 Avenue Fairmount Ouest, Plateau) to meet Hui. We had good coffee, and I had a really good grilled cheese sandwich with onion relish, apple and turkey. Yum.

 On Saturday I went out. On our way to Orphé's place, Christoffer locked himself into a cage inside a beer cage. Canadians protect their beer by locking it up in a huge cage - they're so strange...

On a grey weekend day, Sophie and I went up along Bernard (on the Outremont side - I had never been!) to indulge in this year's first ice cream. I couldn't finish mine, but it tasted like spring. Three days later, the snow fell and kicked us right back to winter. I don't know how much more of that I can take.

Currently

The sun is trying to break through a heavy layer of clouds, and once in a while it succeeds. I observe this because I'm spending the day(s) in bed fighting a fever and a cold that no doubt stems from freezing my a** off in Québec City. But it's worth the pain, I'm still high on all those things I saw there, it was a marvellous weekend. I'm watching films, listening to music and trying to block out the voice in my head reminding me of school assignments and stuff. Instead, I'm trying to get ready for New York, collecting tips and information. I'm so excited! I just hope my throbbing head and running nose will get ready for a week of partying, walking, ooh-ing over buildings and all that.
The video is outside my normal musical choice, but I've fallen for this guy and especially his videos. I just hope that I'll attend a party like that sometime in the near future...

Montréal soundtrack

It's been a while since I've made a music post. I listen to music constantly, and I love how some music becomes the soundtrack of a certain period in your life. Like Beach House and Wildbirds & Peacedrums in Berlin... In Montréal I've tried to listen to local acts. I've had a long standing relationship with Grimes, and the last few weeks I've listened to Purity Ring, Julia Holter, Alt-J and Mariam the Believer a lot. (The three latter are not from Montréal, though)... When I listen to the songs now, they remind me of just stepping out into this city looking at everything for the first time, taking it all in fresh and pure with no filter and with endless curiosity. Bliss!

Hey Aarhus; a walk

I went for a walk this afternoon to clear my head. I'm sitting in my room all day working, so I needed the air. I put on my knitted head band (haha), plugged some music in my ears (Efterklang: Sedna!), wrapped my brown bear jacket around me and went out. I don't do that nearly enough, and it's so nice just walking around with a great playlist and thinking and looking at people and buildings and things. I took some photos, too.

 When I moved to Aarhus the first time around, I wondered a lot about those small windows at the top of the buildings. Something I hadn't seen in Copenhagen. Why didn't they just build a normal sized floor up there? But now I live behind one of those small windows myself, and it's quite alright...

Yéyé on a Sunday

It's raining outside, I slept late and just had pancakes and coffee in bed, all covered in blankets and warmth. I love these Sundays, it even feels nice to know that I have lots of things to do. The whole Montréal thing is starting to dawn on me, and today I'm listening to French music, just to get in the mood. I might have to throw in some Leonard Cohen, too. Have a good Sunday!

Just saw: Piramida

The documentary festival, CPH:DOX is about to be over, so you can stream four of the films through Politiken today and tomorrow (go here). Tonight I saw 'Piramida' about the Danish group Efterklang who travelled to Svalbard to an abandoned Russian mine city to record sounds and walk around in the deserted area so beautifully located in the arctic mountains. Wow. I fell a little more in love with the boys, and since the album 'Piramida' has been rotating heavily in my ears the last couple of weeks, it was very interesting seeing how many of its sounds were discovered there, up north. Besides watching the guys go nerdy, the documentary explores what happened up there in the 70s and 80s when it was a Russian fairytale. Do yourself a favour and see it, it's even got English subs! (Screendumps from the film)

The colour you say is black is the one you might lack

Beach House yesterday was gooood. Apart from teasing me with playing the first few notes of 'Better Times' - my favourite - and then not playing it at all, it was a good show. Beautiful, dreamy and full of goosebumps. There were occasions where I had to pull myself together in order to not well up in tears, and this never happens to me at shows. 'Real Love', 'Zebra' and 'New Year' were breathtaking, the audience was concentrated and moved, and Victoria Legrand's voice never ceased to amaze. Thanks for a good show!

 Warm up guy.

+ old roomie Bettina