Holiday Jams

The music I listen to on holiday has a lasting effect, way after I've returned home. We had a pretty odd drama teacher at my school (I'm sure he was 'brilliant'); one lesson consisted of chatting to each other while peeling oranges. Only at the end did we learn that this was meant to cause an association between the smell of oranges and that lesson. It didn't, but now I see what he was getting at. This happens to me with holiday music.

For instance, I can't listen to Frank Ocean's Swim Good and the entire Channel Orange without being transported back to my interrailing trip two years ago. Specifically Croatia. Similarly, The Miseducation (which I discovered embarrassingly late), takes me back to a family holiday in Austria 3/4 years ago.

So far on this trip I've been listening to Candy Hearts on repeat, occasionally mixing in the odd R'n'B track here and there. I first discovered Candy Hearts two or three years ago, and fell in love with their EP All The Ways To Disappear. Their first full length came out earlier this year, but until now I've not really had the time to fully appreciate it (by this I mean bombard my ears with it until I can stand it no longer. You'll be pleased to hear I'm nowhere near that stage yet!). I think I might do a full post on them at some point, but for now here's three tracks to get you started, but I can't recommend their album and EPs enough.

1. Coffee With My Friends

2. Bad Idea

3. All The Ways You Let Me Down

So apart from Candy Hearts, I've been loving Ariana Grande's new stuff (no surprises there). Best Mistake is a totally new direction for her, and it's perfect. I wish there was a whole album out there that sounded just like Big Sean's part. I'd never stop listening to it. Frank Ocean is the most similar I can think of right now, but if you have any recommendations please do let me know!

Finally, classic me, jumping on the bandwagon slightly (/extremely) late, I've been listening to Sam Smith. So I did download his EP Nirvana earlier in the year, for the acoustic version of Latch, but I only just got round to getting his album. I like it, but the singles are definitely the stand out tracks. In particular Stay With Me and I'm Not The Only One which makes me tear up every time I listen to it (more proof that I am an emotional wreck). I don't know why particularly, maybe it's Messina, maybe I'm just jealous of Sam Smith's career (it should be me!). My eyes are naturally green. My hair not so much, but anyway, listen to it. It's a good song.