Random Stuff

#FBF 11-20-15

It's insane how time flies. Released two years ago today was Monstercat 015 - Outlook. This album is special to me for more than one reason. First, Outlook is my favorite Monstercat album cover, and I know exactly why. Not only do I love nighttime and pieces of light shining in the darkness, but I especially love music to go with that scene and create a beautiful experience. And that is why Outlook is so special to me. The theme of nighttime is woven perfectly throughout every single song on the album. Blended together with this cover, it creates an absolutely gorgeous feeling. Today I was looking at the quotes from the Monstercat artists that were released with Outlook, and they've made me realize the theme of the album and how beautiful it is altogether. It's our different perspectives on life and on music...with a nighttime point of view thrown in, which is always my favorite, and I think that's probably why I love the vibe of this album so much. Not to mention that it's the album with the the easiest and strongest vibe for me to access, tying with Perspective. And, of course, this album contains a lot of incredible fan favorites musically. Through the Dark, From the Dust, To the Stars, the Astronaut & Barely Alive remix of Collide, Motionless, Air, and Duality are all personal favorites of mine. I remember listening to the Outlook mixes from YouTube for the first time sometime in 2014 (I estimate September), and my clearest memory is laying in bed one night while listening to a mix and hearing From the Dust for the first time. I remember specifically hearing the words "and our hands will touch the sky" and absolutely falling in love with the mindblowing sound, along with Through the Dark as well, and Motionless. I also remember hearing Bleed and thinking it was "the most non-Monstercat Monstercat song I'd ever heard"...until I heard Valkyrie II. Even though I didn't even know about Monstercat yet when this album was released, it still has some of my favorite memories with the label. Here are the quotes from the artists to look back on:

"Pieces of music can be like slices of time, feelings or experiences frozen in place. It's my hope that people can use my music as a way to relive those moments."
-Andy (Feint)

"As sonic alchemists, our duty is to keep love and inspiration in the hearts of our race, changing lives for the better at every opportunity, giving back to the world that has blessed us with so much. To me, music is about revolution and unity through love. That being said, I truly feel that I have already achieved my goal. Everything after this point is just a bonus!"
-Brady (Fractal)

"Music is a way of expressing emotions and feelings for which I have no words. Without music I would have no way of expressing myself. It's the language we can all understand and creating it is something I will always do. It is part of me. It is who I am."
-Thomas (Project 46)

"We truly believe there's a passion in everyone's hearts that they should follow. Our passion is to be one of the biggest EDM duos in the world. It may seem impossible, but you really have to believe it to achieve it. Quitters never win, and winners never quit."
-Dillon & Kaz (Eminence)

"I create for myself and no one else. When you listen, you hear my enjoyment as well as my stress. You hear my favorite pastime interlaced with self scrutiny. A stable balance of love and hate. And it's neither bad nor good. It simply, is. And maybe in that way it is something great. But what will it be? Yeah, good question. I'm just as curious as you. I'll keep going and find out, then we can both see."
-Alex (7 Minutes Dead)

"I produce to push boundaries: the boundaries of my listeners, of the musical world and, ultimately, my own boundaries."
-Martin (Haywyre)

"Freedom of expression through a medium of music is a great gift, and is an even greater gift when other people enjoy it too. We love writing and we're both very passionate about it. Our final goal is to turn over enough money to live comfortably while doing music full-time"
-Tim & Tom (Televisor)

"Music is something I can't escape. It's my sole motivation and passion. I create to inspire, motivate, bring love to the world, unify people, and to break norms for the sake of free thinking.
It's something more than just dance music.
I don't do it for me, I do it for us."
-Austin (Au5)

"Music is much more than something you just listen to. It is a passion. A passion that drives me to imagine places I could never imagine without the help of sound. My job as an artist is to take what that place looks like, and put it into an artpiece."
-Connell McCarthy (Graphic Designer)

My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing.
X~ Monstercat 015 - Outlook ~X
20/11/13