bag raiders/bag raiders
The Australian duo behind Bag Raiders may be better known for their remixes, but it’s their first full-length album that proves dance music can last long past Saturday night. The infectious synth melodies and steady beats transcend the forgettable house genre with piano riffs, poetic lyrics, and instrumental electro-pop fantasies. Though the self-titled record was released in early 2010, its tracks aren’t of the sickeningly catchy variety that perish into obscurity after a month or two. The creative flair of DJs Chris Stracey and Jack Glass doesn’t go unnoticed in my book, and despite being underrated and overlooked, “Bag Raiders” is perfect for a good time, no matter where you are or who you’re with.
Recommended tracks: Sunlight; Shooting Stars; Prelude; Golden Wings
For lovers of: Passion Pit; Foster the People; Daft Punk
fashion (and music) forward
I yo-yoed between career choices for many of my high school years, uncertain of where my place in the world truly lay. Interior designer? Creative writer? Music supervisor? Needless to say, I’ve chosen Fashion Journalism and am very happy with my decision, but since I’m fond of all aspects of culture I don’t plan on solely focusing on what comes down the runway or who wore what label. I plan on devoting my lifelong passion for writing to my alternate loves: art, music, design, literature, and creativity itself.
I was dead set on becoming a music supervisor (someone who chooses music for film and television) for quite some time, and it’s hard to recall why I veered away from the idea. Perhaps I wanted to distance myself from the music world since I was forced to play various instruments (piano, cello, and then clarinet) during my childhood and well into high school. I came to resent playing these instruments, but the effort I put in was channeled into my love and appreciation of music. All the years I practiced have given me insight into a musician’s mind, and I respect them ten times more because of it. Now, even though my sights are set on fashion and writing, music remains an important part of my life.
Coincidentally, music and fashion are quite similar in structure. Season after season, designers produce new or revamped designs for their collections, maintaining a distinctive image or style that appeals to a specific audience. When it comes to musical artists, their process is much the same. Musicians’ early albums establish their signature sound, which usually can be classified by genre for the purpose of reaching listeners. As time goes on, they develop their sound and lyrics through subsequent albums and EPs, tweaking and reworking their “product,” so that fans will receive different, new and improved manifestations of the artists’ work. The timeline for fashion designers is much more fast-paced than for musical artists, who release albums based on the rate they write new material.
