Gear Days: V-Moda Crossfade LP Striking Sonority

Before the last post of the year, I wanted to leave you with some nicer headphones to look/think about.  Forget the under $30 stuff, this is serious.  For my next pair of nicer headphones, I have up the V-Moda Crossfade LPs.  With an MSRP of $199.99 but a going price closer to $100, these are by no means super expensive.  However, that doesn't mean they aren't good or nice; and yes those are two different things as I'll explain.  This is going to be a long post, so I'm just going to say that these are closed back headphones like the ATH M50s and stay with that for form.  Since these are nicer headphones, I'll go a bit more in depth with the sound and go into a bit of what kinds of songs I like listening to to test out new headphones, as such this post will also double as a multiple Top Tracks post.

As always let's begin with accessories.  Normally, I'd say something like, these headphones come with a quarter inch plug.  Maybe I'd compare it to some other pair of headphones I own.  But really, these headphones come with a lot of stuff.  Like, I'm gonna just leave this link here to show you.  Sorry about the blurry images, unfortunately I don't have the steadiest hands while taking pictures.  Also, my camera's pretty old at this point and my phone can't do too much better.  Maybe I'll retake them when/if I get some better camera gear.  If you can't tell what the V-Moda Crossfade LPs come with I'll walk you through it.  First off, you have a pretty nice box, complete with a button clasp which is pretty snazzy.  The headphones are held in a plastic hardshell case which is pretty sturdy and fits everything really well.  Inside the case you have the headphones themselves along with 2 detachable cables.  One of the cables has a built in 3 button remote.  It also comes with a small carabiner and a quarter inch plug.  Also, all the ties and the holding pieces for the cables are secured with Velcro which I really enjoy.  All said and done the accessories are very nice and there are quite a few of them.

Comfort wise they're quite nice.  Apparently the pads are memory foam, but all I can tell is that they feel pretty comfortable and the size is pretty decent for over ear headphones.  The cups are large enough to fit my ears and deep enough that there is no weird rubbing.  The headband is pretty comfortable and doesn't put a lot of pressure on the top of the head.  Also the adjusting for the headband makes a nice and satisfying audible click which is always a plus for me.  The one thing I don't like about them comfort and form wise is that they don't fold up which isn't necessarily a big deal.

Top Tracks - 81summer

Another installation of top tracks.  This time the track is 81summer by Uyama Hiroto.  The track is the first on an album called A Son of the Sun and as far as music goes it's really laid back.  Genre wise, it might be labeled jazz or hip hop depending on what you're paying attention to.  To me, the clean sounds are really relaxing and I find the track really pleasing to listen to.  While there isn't a lot of actual action and as a track goes it is pretty repetitive, it feels neither long nor short.  From the bits of static noise in the background to the piano to the drums to the sampled voice, all the parts just fit.  The piece just evokes a really refreshing feeling that never really gets old.  If you ever get a chance to listen to the whole album, most of the music is similar, although it's my opinion that 81summer is the best track on the album and why it has it's spot as a top track.

--CsMiREK

Musical Discovery: Parov Stelar

Wow, so if you actually follow this site at all, you'd know that this is being posted like...3 weeks late.  I've been busy moving halfway across the country.  I'm sure I'll catch up eventually.

If you don't follow this site...well move along and keep reading.

Anyways, this entry is on the electronic/swing artist Parov Stelar.  I was originally introduced to the music of Parov Stelar by one of my college roommates.  Specifically these songs.  Soon afterward, as I get with music I enjoy, I became semi-obsessed.  We had some really fun times rocking out to these beats.

In any case, back to the music.  Overall, it's a pretty jazzy set of music.  While it incorporates a lot of electronic aspects, the swing and jazz feel are really strong and really refreshing.  Especially so when you listen to pop music too much.  Don't get me wrong I love me some pop music, my first Musical Discovery was on Ellie Goulding after all.  But I find that if I listen to too much pop music, it just all blurs into a mess of...indistinct musical tropes.  On the other hand, I find that all of Parov Stelar's tracks are while genre-wise similar, their feel and overall execution vary greatly, in a good way.  From his use of trumpets with Harmon mute to his saxophone heavy melodies to his awesome collaborative singers, he just seems to make every piece magical in a different way.

Overall, I just think you're missing out if you haven't taken a listen.  He's got a bunch of stuff and in my opinion, all of it's good, which is pretty hard to find.

--CsMiREK

Musical Discovery - Nujabes

This post is technically two days late.  However, to me it is the most meaningful post I'll have this month.  Three years ago, on February 26, 2010, Seba Jun aka Nujabes died in a motorcycle accident.  As a musical figure, Nujabes was honestly the first time I enjoyed hip hop music.  As such, I feel a great sense of disappointment and grief in knowing that no more of his music will ever exist.

The genre that Nujabes preferred to work in was a blend of hip hop beats and jazz that even if you didn't always agree with, always worked and was always a pleasure to listen to.  In the United States, my guess would be that he is most famous as the composer of the soundtrack to Samurai Champloo.  With tracks like the opening, 'Battlecry', to 'World Without Worlds' to 'Aruarian Dance', Nujabes made sure to make interesting beats meld with really traditional themes to create beautiful music for the anime.  On another note, 'Aruarian Dance' is actually an arrangement of Ravel's 'Pavane pour une infante defunte' with a hip hop undertone.

What's sad to me in particular though, is that it took Nujabes' death in order for me to go back and really listen to everything he's done and properly enjoy his music.  While he had catchy songs like 'Lady Brown' and 'Blessing It', you understand that hip hop and jazz are his roots.  But as mentioned earlier, he had a great understanding of past music and respected classical music enough to put his own stamp on a theme well known in the classical world.