Music can spark thoughts and nostalgic feelings of an event or a time in our lives and yet, oftentimes, the memory can be more pleasurable than initially experienced. To be conscious of the present, enough to truly embrace our experiences, especially the good ones, is a well-cultivated gift that is guaranteed to make life a little sweeter.
So, with the bright and warm weather of summer surrounding us, our openness for creating new playful and adventurous experiences is definitely heightened. Whether it’s planning road trips, backyard parties, or just having the windows open at home or in the car, music can definitely help elevate our experiences by adding a soundtrack to the precious moments of our lives.
As we look back on the great times of our life in a warm fuzzy glow, artist Toro Y Moi seems to have captured the elements that evoke the mood and good-time feelings of a carefree yesteryear into an electronic contemporary sound of summer.
American artist & producer Chaz Bundick became better known to the world as Toro Y Moi as he began to produce his mixed style of chillwave, indie-pop and dance, with a few heavy dashes of the 70s and 80s added to a stew of today. The result is a wide sound of warm and shapely synth hooks layered over soulful bass lines and vocal samples that are peppered between Chaz’s friendly and familiar sounding lead vocals.
His latest album, Anything In Return, offers a few stand-out tracks that could certainly grace a playlist compiled for a playful or chillaxing summer experience. Tracks such as: Rose Quartz, Never Matter, and Say That really provide a peak into the warm, light, and delicately introspective sounds of Toro Y Moi. And while you’re at it, adding singles Causes of This (from his 2010 album Causes of This) and Saturday Love (from 2011’s Freaking Out EP) will top off the Summer Fun 2013 playlist perfectly.
Music is created as a gift to evoke feelings and help us emotionally navigate through life. It is a tool to embrace along our journey so enjoy all it has to offer and go forth and play with life as much as you can for it is our love that harvests the earth and shines light upon the darkness.
“Dance like no one is watching,
love like you’ve never been hurt,
sing like no one is listening,
and live like it’s heaven on earth.”
Adam Nathan is the Principal and Creative Director of Jellyfunk – a borderless creative boutique outfit of design and music. He was heavily entrenched in the global underground dance music scene as a DJ and a founding partner of Juno nominated Release Records until his departure from the company in 2004. He felt creatively and emotionally stifled and a break from the scene was what was needed as he had many questions about himself, the Universe, and life, in general. His path led him through a multitude of experiences, teachings, people and places, and all roads led to today. The appetite for knowledge and truth hasn’t left him and neither has music. His own forthcoming imprint Jellyfunk Records will be what he would like to see more of – quality and uplifting funky music that gets you moving.