Mediocre Mountain

So today I stumbled upon a very interesting YouTube video. It's a quiz, the YouTube EDU Pop Quiz.You'll be saluted by to amiable figures who will explain you the basis of the quiz. Then you'll go through questions/videos that cover "general" knowledge with each subsequent video explaining the answer. The videos feature a host from different YouTube EDU channels, going from pre-history through energy and physics. In the end, they two amiable figures will give you a message depending on your final score.

The two amiable figures are Professor Koval and his star pupil Olivia, for whom you can already predict there's a bright future ahead.

So, let's find out if you're a Brainiac! 

This is a part of YouTube Educational program through different channels ran by Institutions, organizations and experts in different topics. Find out more about it here.

My Week In Music [06-02-2012]

Last week was interesting for music, the 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held and following last year's glowing ceremony, NARAS continued to award great talent (last year Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga, Esperanza Spalding and Lady Antebellum were among the winners). 2011 was obviously Adele's year and 2012 is set be a continuation of her dominance in music as well. Her unprecedentedly successful LP "21" was awarded 6 Gramophone Awards and her excellent producer, Paul Epworth, was recognized as Producer Of The Year, with whom Adele also shared many of her accolades. Foo Fighters, Skrillex, Bon Iver, Kanye West and Tony Bennett also won numerous awards, with latter sharing one of his two with last-year-deceased soul/jazz singer Amy Winehouse.

This year saw a lot of performers step on that stage and put on a great show from Bruce Springsteen, Adele, The Beach Boys, The Civil Wars, deadmau5, Paul McCartney, a few messy ones and bunch of others. It was quite intense the quantity of artists that performed twice, one would've thought that after the National Recording Academy Of Arts and Sciences decided to award 78 categories (down from 109, after a controversial reconstructing last year, that included the eliminations and merging of categories) the amount of awards handed on the Telecast would be a lot more. But that wasn't the only thing that got shorter this year, I bet the Pre-telecast (the ceremony were most of the winners are announced prior the main show) must have been the shortest in years.

I hope the NARAS continue to keep awarding talent and musical innovation throughout this decade too, because 2012 has already seen many great records being released. And Best-Of-2012 lists and music awards are shaping up to be stellar this far.

All the tracks have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online. The stream is and official/formal and posted with the allowance of the artist or their label (either by themselves or anyone else). If streaming is not available in this official/formal way a link will take to a "Full Track" that may not be there for long, since there is no sign in that it was posted with the allowance of the artist or their label.

[ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE/POP] 

“Mashup My Life (PopNation)” by EliasManek [POP]

“We Don’t Care What Time It Is” by Rachel Platten [POP/HIP-HOP] It's also at her Facebook. And get her free sampler. 

“Paddling Out (Jacques Lu Cont Remix)” by Miike Snow [HOUSE/DANCE/INDIE POP]

“Call to Be” by Dana Buoy [ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE/TROPICORE] 

“Destiny” by John Talabot feat. Pional [ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE] 

“Desert Mind” by A Lion Named Roar [WESTERN/POP]

“Tarpit (Dinosaur Jr. cover)” by The Electronic Anthology Project [SYNTH/POP/ELECTRONIC]

“Slave (Darkness Rises)” by White Noise Intermissions [ELECTRO/SOUL]

“Nebulon Sphynx” by Secret Circuit [ELECTRONIC]

 [ROCK/FOLK]

“September” by The Shins [POP/ROCK/INDIE]

“Long Way Home” by Nick Flora [FOLK/ALTERNATIVE/INDIE]

“ABC City” by Holograms [ROCK/ALTERNATIVE/GARAGE]

“In Consequence of a Wish” by Buble Club [ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE/ROCK]

“For All Time” by The Undeserving [POP/ROCK]

“Buying Some Time” by Shane Simonsen [FOLK] Part of "Brackish Waters" which you can get here.

“Fame Light” by Shane Simonsen [FOLK]  Part of "Brackish Waters" which you can get here.

“Market Love” by Shane Simonsen [FOLK]  Part of "Brackish Waters" which you can get here.

“Make Up Your Mind” by Here We Go Magic [ROCK/ALTERNATIVE/ELECTRONIC] 

“Come Back” by Lotus Plaze [ROCK/ALTERNATIVE/ELECTRONIC] 

“Lessons” by Beach Fossils [ROCK/INDIE/ALTERNATIVE] 

“That Old Black Hole” by Dr. Dog [ROCK/ALTERNATIVE/INDIE]  

[TRANCE/HOUSE]

“Stars From Below” by Eleven.Five [TRANCE/CHILL-OUT]

“Beyond Liberty” by Hoyaa pres. Lunar System [TRANCE/UPLIFTING]

“Robot Wars (Andrew Rayel Stadium Remix)” by Craig Connelly [TRANCE/TECH/PROGRESSIVE]  (Out March 5th)

“ID (Project 46 Praise You Edit)” by Alesso [HOUSE/DANCE]

“The Other Side (Jorn Van Deynhoven Remix)” by Luke Bond feat Mark Frisch [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/VOCAL]

“Heaven (Maor Levi & Bluestone Club Mix)” by Emeli Sandé [TRANCE/DANCE/VOCAL/SOUL] Full HQ.

“Walking Alone (Arty Remix)”  by Dirty South & The Usual Suspects feat. Erik Hecht [ PROGRESSIVE HOUSE/TRANCE] Full Track. (Out Feb. 15th)

“Heavens” by Alex Pich [MELODIC TRANCE/CHILL-OUT]

“Azzura” by Boom Jinx & Daniel Kandi [MELODIC/PROGRESSIVE/TRANCE] 

“Scarlet Heaven (Dan Stone Remix)” by Ost & Meyer [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE] 

“Coconut” by Cold Blue [TRANCE/TECH] (TBA)

“Back In Time (Orjan Nilsen Refix)” by M.I.K.E. [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“Toulouse” by Nicky Romero [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE/TECH]

“Unity (Solarstone Pure Mix)” by Orkidea [TRANCE]

“Velvet” by Magnus [PSYTRANCE]

“Two Worlds (Preview)” by Dennis Sheperd & Talla 2XLC [TRANCE] (Out March 3rd)

“Another World” by Kago Pengchi [UPLIFTING TRANCE]

“Lost Rain” by Kago Pengchi [UPLIFTING TRANCE]

“J'ai Envie De Toi” by Armin van Buuren pres. Gaia [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE] Full Track. (Out March 5th)  

“Robot Wars” by Craig Connelly [TRANCE/TECH/PROGRESSIVE] (Out March 5th)

“Safari” by Ost & Meyer [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/HOUSE]  (TBA)

“Icarus” by Ralphie B [TRANCE] (Official Release Date: TBA) Part of A State Of Trance 2012 Compilation which is TBR March 9th.

“A Hundred Ways (Matt Bukovski Remix)” by Ellie Lawson [UPLIFTING TRANCE/VOCAL] Full track.  

“Promise You” by Fast Distance & Dimension feat. Cami [TRANCE/TECH/VOCAL] (Out Feb. 27th)

“Starfall (Ost & Meyer Remix)” by Sergey Prosvirin [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/TECH] (Out Feb. 27th)

“Jamrock (Terry Da Libra Remix)” by Vitodito & Soulforge Pres. Positiva [MELODIC TRANCE/CHILL-OUT] (Out March 1st)

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My Week In Music [30-01-2012]

I'm missing out so much on this!

Expect a list of my favorite albums of January! 

Enjoy!

Here are my favorite tracks from the week of January 30th of 2012.

The tracks are all in alphabetical order and they have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online. The stream is and official/formal and posted with the allowance of the artist or their label (either by themselves or anyone else). If streaming is not available in this official/formal way a link will take to a "Full Track" that may not be there for long, since there is no sign in that it was posted with the allowance of the artist or their label.

[ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE/POP] 

“Bad Girls” by M.I.A. [HIP HOP/ALTERNATIVE DANCE] Video.

“Every Good Thing” by James Schoensiegel [AMBIENT/VOCAL]

“Flash Addict” by Scuba [UK BASS/ELECTRONIC]

“I Fell Better” by Gotye [POP] 

“Save Me” by Gotye [POP/ELECTRONIC]

“Silent Song” by Daniel Rossen [POP/ROCK]


[ROCK]


“Interstellar” by Frankie Rose [INDIE POP/ROCK]

“Love Interruption” by Jack White [ROCK/ACOUSTIC]

“Shallow” by Beach Fossils [INDIE ROCK]

“Wild Desire” by King Tuff [GARAGE ROCK] Another one.

“Boxes” by The Steelwells [POP/ROCK/FOLK/SYNTHWAVE] Free Album Sampler.


[TRANCE/HOUSE]

“Afterthought” by Parker & Hanson [MELODIC TRANCE/HOUSE] Full Track.

“Supercell” by Dan Stone vs. Ost & Meyer [TECH/TRANCE]

“Far Away (Dan Stone Remix)” by Ralpha [MELODIC TRANCE] Full Track. (TBR March 7th)

“It’s Yours” by Mat Zo [PROGRESIVE TRANCE/HOUSE] Full Track.

“Waterfall” by Luigi Lusini [PROGRESSIVE/MELODIC/TRANCE]

“Vueltas (Album Mix)” by Steve Brian feat. David Berkeley [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/VOCAL]  I only found Illegal download links. Here's a preview of a Remix by Dan Stone.

“AnotherDream (X-Trude's Magic Flavor Remix)” by X-Trude [TRANCE]

“Awakenings (Tritonal Remix)” by Super 8 and Tab [TECH/TRANCE]

“Moonlight” by Tomas Heredia [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“Orbion (Extended Mix)” by Armin van Buuren [TRANCE]

“Slavefeat. Fisher (Tritonal & Ben Gold Club Dub)” by Tritonal [TECH/TRANCE/HOUSE]

“Smile (Arctic Moon Remix)” by Meridian [UPLIFTING TRANCE] (Out Feb. 20th)

“TheUnknown (DNS Project Original)” by Neev Kennedy [TRANCE/HOUSE]

“Till Encoded Flashback (Simon D & Rafa Ant. Brito Mashup)” by Gregori Klosman vs Jonathan Mendelsohn vs Hardwell [ELECTRO/HOUSE]

“Out Of Control (Daniel Kandi Remix)” by Ronski Speed feat. Renee Stahl [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“Our Way Home” by Lange & Audrey Gallagher [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/VOCAL](Out Feb 27th)

“The Real You (Jorn van Deynhoven Remix)” by Dark Matters feat. Jess Morgan [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/VOCAL] (Out Feb, 6th)

“Promised” by Odonbat [UPLIFTING TRANCE/VOCAL] Full Track.

SNL: Bon Iver, "Lana Del Rey".

Yesterday/Today Bon Iver took stage in Saturday Night Live for two unforgettable performances of "Holocene" and "Beth/Rest" (my favorite song off the album).

"Holocene"

Another one.

"Beth/Rest"

Another one.

Also, Kristen Wiig put on a hilarious representation of Lana Del Rey during Seth Meyer's "Weekend Update". The best thing about this skit is that she was poking more fun as Del Rey's haters critics, who went off on her when her guest performances (here, here) on the show left a lot to be desired. Sarcastic statements like "Based on the public's response, I must have clubbed a baby seal while singing the Taliban national anthem." and "No serious musician would ever change their name, except maybe for Sting, Cher, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, everyone else in hip-hop, and of course, Bob Dylan." were practically a slap in the faces of many a naysayer.

You can get Bon Iver's brilliant album "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" on Amazon and iTunes.
You can get Lana Del Rey's wonderful album "Born To Die" on Amazon and iTunes.

All video footage rights belong to NBC. Watch their channel so they won't feel like YouTube and Internet is making them lose money.  

My Week In Music [23-01-2012]

This week I'm going to add a new way to present the tracks I enjoy every week: I'll divide the list by genre/category. This way you may go straight to the pack you are likely to enjoy the most because I suppose you already have you're tastes sorted out. I decided to do this because last week's list was very long and it looked kind of messy to me to have all those tracks thrown there and expect you to check them all.

I was was planning to release a mid-week, but time ultimately backfired on me, may do that this week.

Here are my favorite tracks from the week of January 23th of 2012.

The tracks are all in alphabetical order and they have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online. The stream is and official/formal and posted with the allowance of the artist or their label (either by themselves or anyone else). If streaming is not available in this official/formal way a link will take to a "Full Track" that may not be there for long, since there is no sign in that it was posted with the allowance of the artist or their label.

[ELECTRONIC/ALTERNATIVE/POP]

“Bambi” by Azealia Banks [ELECTRONIC/DANCE/RAP]

“Brandy& Coke” by DJ Q [DANCE/UK GARAGE/R&B]

“Demona (Dead Moon Cover)” by Grouper [DREAM NOISE/LO-FI] Free download via Yeti Magazine (3rd Track)

“I Belong To Your Arms” by Chairlift [SYNTH POP]

“Mouth 2 Mouth” by Kate Havnevik [ALTERNATIVE POP/BREAKBEAT]

“National Anthem” by Lana Del Rey [ORCHESTRAL POP]

“Placid Acid” by Tourist [ELECTRONIC/POP]

“Searchlight (Night Mix)” by Hyetal [ALTERNATIVE/PROGRESSIVE ELECTRONIC]

“The Mist (ft. Sean Michael Smith)” by AZEDIA [ELECTRONIC/CHILLSTEP/POST-ROCK] Video.

“Tonight” by Saint Etienne [DANCE/POP/DISCO]

[HOUSE]

“Amnesia (CAZZETTE Another Sugar Hunt Remix)” by Ian Carey & Rosette feat. Timbaland & Brasco [HOUSE/ELECTRO/DUBSTEP]

“Evergreen” by Tangle & Mateusz [PROGRESSIVE ELECTRO/HOUSE]

“Halfway Between Heaven And Earth” by Karim Shaker [DEEP-TECH/HOUSE]

“HalfwayBetween Heaven And Earth (Dosem Remix)” by Karim Shaker [DEEP-TECH/HOUSE]

“Jigsaw” by Project 46 [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

“M4ZZO” by Mischa Daniels & Solid Gaz [HOUSE]

“Prutataaa (Darth & Vader Remix)” by Afrojack & R3hab [ELECTRO/HOUSE]

“She Plays Me Like A Melody (Global Deejays Remix)” by Da Hool feat. Jay Cless [DANCE/HOUSE]

“Shmoke de Pancake” by Nathan C [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

“Solstice” by Tangle & Mateusz [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

[TRANCE]

“Acid Harmony” by Alex Larichev [TECH/TRANCE]

“Better Half Of Me (Shogun Remix)” by Dash Berlin feat. Jonathan Mendelsohn [TRANCE/VOCAL] Part of Trance 75 - 2012 vol. 1

“Colours (Armin van Buuren Remix)” by Emma Hewitt [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE/VOCAL] Video. For some reason, this track and all its remixes were released in January 16th, even though all the buzz was created in 2011.

“Elegia” by Alexander Popov [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“In A Green Valley (Basil O'Glue Remix)” by Markus Shulz presents Dakota [TRANCE]

“Katowice (Mr. Pit Remix)” by Markus Shulz presents Dakota [TRANCE/CHILL-OUT]

“Legions” by Ørjan Nilsen [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“LucidSprings (Uplifting Mix)” by Ferrin & Morris [PROGRESSIVE/UPLIFTING/TRANCE] (TBR Feb. 15th on Beatport, Feb 25th all other stores)

“Lucky Strike” by Ørjan Nilsen [PROGRESSIVE TECH/TRANCE]

“Meteoric” by Monada [TRANCE]

“Miami (DNS Project Remix)” by Markus Schulz presents Dakota [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“Ordinary People (Jason van Wyk Remix)” by LTN [TRANCE/CHILL-OUT]

“Phantom Manor” by Mark Norman [RAVE TRANCE]

“RockerMonster” by Heatbeat [TECH/HOUSE/TRANCE]

“Silver Splits The Blue” by Manufactured Superstars & Jeziel Quintela feat. Christian Burn [DEEP HOUSE/VOCAL/TRANCE]

“Sinners (Aerofoil Remix)” by Markus Shulz presents Dakota [TECH/TRANCE]

“Suburban Train (Live)” by Tiësto featuring Children of Orpheus [TRANCE]

“Suggestion No. 5 (Erick Strong Remix)” by Markus Shulz presents Dakota [TECH/TRANCE]  Full Track.

“World Falls Apart” by Dash Berlin feat. Jonathan Mendelsohn [TRANCE/DANCE/VOCAL]


[ROCK/FOLK/ACOUSTIC]

“666.66” by Wild Dreams [POP/ROCK/SYNTHWAVE/DREAMY]  Don’t judge it by it’s kinda-evil title, it’s actually pleasant to the ears.

“Eyeoneye” by Andrew Bird [FOLK/ROCK]

“Good Man (Jesse Lacey Cover)” by Jacob Gann [ACOUSTIC/POP/FOLK]

“It Will Never Be (Edit)” by White Fence [ROCK/LO-FI/FOLK]

ACTA is more Dangerous than SOPA.

This video despicts a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland which features U.S. Rep. Issa, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales, Google SVP and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond, Scribd Cofounder and CEO Trip Adler, and Mashable CEO Pete Cashmore. It's incredibly informative on topics like: the now deceased SOPA and PIPA and it's international relative ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement), better ways to fight piracy and the fact that content owners (and their representative organizations), tech companies and legislators rely on each other to discuss the solutions to this problem focusing on the user. It's well worth watching in its entirety.

I really liked Adler's remarks that the content and entertainment industry has been highly benefited from Internet distribution services and that piracy has indeed decreased in the past few years as more and more legal services are made available online.

Here's the article from Mashable that caught my attention on this.

Here's also Anonymous-collected  information about ACTA. 

Twitter To Censor Tweets.

This particular blog entry from Twitter has come a lot of people's attention where they explain they will start erasing withholding tweets in specific countries by government requests.

In attempt to boost up the sweetness of these bittersweet news, EFF's Jillian York reminds us social media is not above the law (we're talking about local laws) and that they have already responded to DMCA-based requests. I'm interested to see which laws will be used as arguments to locally-censor tweets.

Another stated reason is that geo-blocking tweets will prevent access to citizens from certain countries to content that goes against the moral and cultural values of that region.

Several Twitter users are promoting a #TwitterBlackout to be held tomorrow Saturday, January 28th to protest against these measures.

We'll give Twitter the benefit of the doubt on this one. I'm sure Twitter knows what they are doing, after all "What you say on Twitter may be viewed all around the world instantly. You are what you Tweet!"

Oh, almost forgot, here's my Twitter.

My Week In Music [16-01-2012]

Hello, last week was pretty crazy and full of beauty. Thank God this one started the same way.

I'd like to take this entry to express my infinite joy, because finally, at last, Thanks God ARMIN VAN BUUREN is having a gig in Dominican Republic!

It's on March 23rd and I can't wait 'till the tickets are out. I have to be very cautious of them because according to some "sources" Trance Family DR is huge, also the venue is not that huge and I don't want to be left behind in this one. Many people have been waiting a long time for this to happen and 2012 was the year our begging, screaming and prayer were answered!

Here are my favorite tracks from the week of January 16th of 2012.

The tracks are all in alphabetical order and they have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online. The stream is and official/formal and posted with the allowance of the artist or their label (either by themselves or anyone else). If streaming is not available in this official/formal way a link will take to a "Full Track" that may not be there for long, since there is no sign in that it was posted with the allowance of the artist or their label.

“#1 In Heaven” by MNDR [ELECTRO-POP]

“Amnesia(SoundLift's Emotional Take)” by Running Man [UPLIFTING TRANCE]

“Aquamarine (Kamil Esten Remix)” by Manuel Rocca [MELODIC TRANCE]

“Arganda (Original Mix)” by Heatbeat [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“Atomic Peace” by SBTRKT [ELECTRONIC/CHILL-OUT]

“Born To Lose” by Sleigh Bells [NOISE POP/ROCK]

“Com Couch” by Clark [ELECTRONIC/TRIBAL]

“Comeback Kid” by Sleigh Bells [NOISE POP/ROCK] Video.

“Concrete Angel” by Gareth Emery feat. Christina Novelli [TRANCE/VOCAL]

“Dream With Both Eyes Open” by LoveStruck [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

“Exclusive (Bigroom Edit)” by DNS Project [TRANCE/HOUSE]  Part of The Trance 75 - 2012 vol. 1 Compilation

“Falling Anywhere” by Kyau And Albert [TRANCE]

“Gentlemen’s Quarterly” by Stalley [RAP/CHILL-OUT/HIP-HOP]

“Giant Zero” by Arrange [AMBIENT POP/ELECTRONIC]

“Gone Tomorrow” by Lambchop [ACOUSTIC/JAZZ]

“I Follow You” by Matt Darey & Stan Kolev ft. Aelyn [TRANCE/CHILL OUT/VOCAL]

Full track.

“In & Out Of Phase (Club Mix)” by Andrew Bayer & Matt Lange [TRANCE/DEEP HOUSE]

Full track

“Infesto” by Naden [TRANCE/HOUSE]

“Median (Keyworth Remix)” by Breakfast pres. Keyworth [TRANCE/HOUSE]
Full track.

“Mess Of A Machine (Extended Mix)” by John O'Callaghan feat. Kathryn Gallagher [TRANCE/VOCAL]

“Mess Of A Machine (Sean Tyas Remix)” by John O'Callaghan feat. Kathryn Gallagher [TRANCE/VOCAL] 

Full track.

“Metro” by Nico Parisi vs. Erik Hubo [PROGRESSIVE TECH/TRANCE]

“NEEDSUMLOVE” by Azealia Banks and Machiendrum [RAP/R&B/PROGRESSIVE]

“Never Change” by Juliana Barwick [AMBIENT VOCAL]

“Night Swin” by Frankie Rose [PHYCHEDELIC POP/ROCK]

“Oberhofer” by HEART [ALTERNATIVE POP]

“Paradise (Mike Sonar Bootleg Remix)” by Coldplay [TRANCE/CLUB]  (Release Date: TBA)

“Paramnesia” by Becoming Real [ELECTRONIC]

“Pretender” by Black Marble [COLD ROCK/SYNTHWAVE] Get "Weight Agaisnt The Door EP"

“Saint Nothing” by Daniel Rossen [PIANO/ACOUSTIC]

“Slideland (Addict Djs Remix)” by Gregor Es [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

“Somebody That I Used To Know (AZEDIA remix)” by Gotye [DUBSTEP]

“Splitting” by Breakfast pres. Keyworth [TRANCE/CHILL-OUT]

“Stay Gold” by The Big Pink [POP/ROCK/SYNTHWAVE]

“Sulk (Single Edit)” by Trust [ELECTRONIC/POP]

“Tears (Protoculture Remix)” by Markus Schulz pres. Dakota [TRANCE] 

Full Track.

“Today Is The Beginning (Steve Kaetzel Remix)” by David Granha [TRANCE/CHILLOUT] Official Release

“Turbulence” by Monada [TRANCE] (TBR Jan 30th)

“Universal Language (Ahmed Romel Remix)” by Mike Foyle & ReFeel [ PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

“You Got To Go (Seven Lions Remix)” by Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston [TRANCESTEP]

“Youth” by Foxes [POP/FOLK]

“Zeitgeist (Dennis Sheperd Remix)” by Solarstone & DJ Orkidea [TRANCE/VOCAL]

Trance 2012

We're just a few days in 2012 and the incoming tracks in the Trance world have been to die for.

Since my 2011 playlist saw the year end with a proudly-collected 170 tunes, I've decided to make a new one for 2012.

As always, I'll keep updating it with all the tracks that I like the most. It already has 60.

Here's to a massive and unforgettable 2012!

"Why SOPA is a bad idea"

Check out this brilliant video where, in a TED feature, Clay Shirky explains in depth why bills like SOPA and
PIPA are dangerous for a society whose basis has become "sharing with one another" and how media companies have always been afraid of this trend and how they want to stop it instead of adapting their business models to it.

You can find Clay on Twitter, Facebook (Community Page) and his blog.

SOPA, PIPA and Media dinosaurs awaiting for their meteor.

This a comment a wrote at Mashable inspired by an article written by Christina Warren.

It's redundant with some parts of the article and the comment itself, but at that moment I felt like I had to say all of this:

“Most people pirate or purchase pirated content because legal access is unavailable or too difficult to decipher.” That sentence is gold!

Also, the geo-blocking of media content should be put to rest. Once I tried to purchase a track on Amazon. It told me I don’t live in the USA.

I myself have downloaded a lot of copyrighted material, just because it’s not available to purchase/stream/etc in my country and I want to enjoy it. But I made a news year resolution about it; there are many streaming websites, so I have access to one of them that contains the material I want to enjoy (music), I will not illegally download that material as long as I can legally enjoy it online. That simple.

I’m 100% sure that everybody would rather have a movie streaming HD on their screens (within a few weeks of theatrical release) for a FEW bucks instead of downloading a poor quality Camera Recording with people standing on the front and NL subtitles. I’m almost certain that the countries that have high statics of copyright infringement it’s not because they want to, it’s because of content availability.

As you said, the entertainment industry just needs to be more clever than the pirates in order to win users and create consciousness that piracy and copyright infringement are wrong, but they won’t get it by imposing us to the model that works best for them.

Also, I bet most people (in countries who have have wide access to numerous distribution services) don’t infringe because they want to harm somebody, they do it because it’s the fastest+easiest way to get what they want.

Why do startups succeed? Because they provide a real solution to a real+common problem, keeping the user satisfied and MAKING IT EASIER for them to do something.

Services like iTunes, Hulu, Netflix, etc should have been MPAA’s and RIAA’s idea, but they just keep on having as their main task protecting the content owner/creator (which is not a bad thing) instead of helping them to easily distribute their material to all audiences (which would be more productive).

I don’t know how this moves legally nor how copyright and licensing works (I know this is to make sure the creator gets paid or gets the credit whenever their content is used), but I think that in addition to provide protection to someone’s material they must make such material’s “purchasability” as user-friendly, easy-going, casual, effortless as if you were downloading it illegally. They have the tools and the money (which is, sadly, mostly used on lobbying)."

My Week In Music [09-01-2012]

A week late on this! I knew I won't be able to catch up on this, but I have a few tricks under my sleve.

Here are my favorite tracks from the week of January 09th of 2012.

The tracks are all in alphabetical order and they have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online.

“Alpha People” by Solar Bears [ELECTRONIC/FOLK]

“Bite My Tongue” by King Khan and the Shrines [ROCK/SWING]

“Lafaye” by School of Seven Bells [ELECTRO POP] 

“Legions” by Ørjan Nilsen [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE] (TBR Jan 23rd)

“Lucky Strike” by Ørjan Nilsen [PROGRESSIVE TECH/TRANCE] (TBR Jan 23rd)

“Marina (Aaron Camz Remix)” by Solis & Sean Truby [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE] (TBR Feb. 6th)

“Night Flight ” by Laker & Mihailov [TRANCE] Belongs to the Rainy Day EP!

“Scalar (Store N Forward Mix)” by Mike Koglin vs Tempo Giusto  [TRANCE]

“Spock” by VCMG [ELECTRONIC] 

“Streams /At Night” by Arrange [AMBIENT POP/ELECTRONIC] Pre-order Five Years With The Sun EP!

“Sun Showers” by Arrange [AMBIENT POP/ELECTRONIC] Pre-order Five Years With The Sun EP!

“Talking To Myself (Maison & Dragen Remix)” by tyDi feat. DJ Rap [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE] (TBR Jan. 23rd).
Here it is, now with a proper release date.

“The Reflection of You” by Bear In Heaven [SYNTH/ROCK] 

“Time (Audible Bootleg)” by Hans Zimmer [HOUSE]

“Walking Contradiction” by Becka Pimenta [POP/ACOUSTIC] Get Barefoot and Restless!

My Week In Music [02-01-2012]

I've realized that if I want to give a proper use to this blog I need to create a habit. I hope to create this habit by posting my favorite tracks of every week. I might publish them on a Sunday or a Monday, a Tuesday in extreme cases.

I'll hopefully start posting about more stuff in a not so distant future when the blog-habit is fortified.

The tracks are all in alphabetical order and they have audio linked in their names if streaming is available anywhere online.

So... enjoy listening to them. :)

“Genesis” by Grimes [POP/ELECTRONIC]

“Gina” by Mr FijiWiji [DRUM 'N' BASS]

“I’m His Girl” by Friends [POP/ROCK]

“Illumination” by Air Night [UPLIFTING TRANCE]

“Know Me” by Frankie Rose [PHYCHEDELIC ROCK] 

“NovaZembla (Armin van Buuren Remix)” by Wiegel Meirmans Snitker [TRANCE]

“On The Beach(Stoneface & Terminal remix)” by Reminder [TRANCE]

Note: This is a link to an official preview of the label.
Here's a full track that may or may not be on that video for long (remember what copyright is). 

“Shady Love” Scissor Sisters Vs. Krystal Pepsy (Azealia Banks) [ELECTRO/POP]

“Talking ToMyself (Maison & Dragen Remix)” by tyDi feat. DJ Rap [PROGRESSIVE TRANCE]

Note: The link above is an official preview. 

Here's a full track that may or may not be on that video for long, since the track has not been properly released, but I'll post it again when it is.  

“Tubular” by Pier Poropat [PROGRESSIVE HOUSE]

“WalkingAlone (ARTY Remix)” by Dirty South & Those Unusual Suspects feat. Erik Hecht [HOUSE]

Note: Not properly released yet. 

“We Used To” by Air Bird [PHYCHEDELIC ELECTRONIC]

 “WinterNever Comes (Mark Eteson Club Mix)” by Paper Aeroplanes [TRANCE]

“Wish” by Paper Route [ALTERNATIVE ROCK/ELECTRONIC]

You can download the album that contains this song for FREE. I don't know until when. :P