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kicktwine · 2 years

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I havent watched motor city BUT im loving this au pls tell us more about what everyone is doing im begging hfdhg

hKFGS ok o7 i dont have v much though i havent thought about it that hard

so for starters motorcity is a cartoon about the rule of cool, car gangs, and oppression from a guy who built a perfect efficient city Over the normal city of detroit on a big dome. everyone above kinda lives in a rigid perfection-oriented apple product smooth city, everyone below is Alive and also Chaotic. there are also killer robots. moving on.

my ideas start and end with the mobile games (i am SO SORRY sora you know i love you. you and roxas and xion and others are probably doing cool fun stuff too)

Ephy's gang (the dandelions) cornered one of the lakes still in motorcity and monopolized it to use as their base, they run a beachy resort called Daybreak Town that provides luxury services for cheap prices to normal citizens. People love it because it's like, a resort and a vacation spot where there aren't any more, and also they can relax and not worry abt being shot at by robots because the gang is good at what they do. obviously other gang members run a higher price than normal citizens because of the increased attack risk, and if they act up inside the resort Lauriam will not hesitate to kick everyone out. the rule is Don't Ruin It. the Dandelions trade in and out a lot of money from/to their resort business, so they're good to trade with, and also have a slight reputation as being intense when it comes to trade deals and parts salvaging. you know how competitive khux got.

Ephemer and Skuld (the bear and snake, respectively) run the front desk and manage every trade deal. They're the face members, they deal with PR, management, etc. They're very nice, customer service and all that, and also very scary because they're the most powerful people on the east side and are smiling at you. Brain (the fox) runs all the computer and tech stuff, all the scheduling and activity decisions, and he's the treasurer. Behind the scenes sort of guy, absolutely the one they send in if a trade deal is going poorly and they want to outfox (hahaaa) someone else. He also makes schematics for new weapons. Lauriam (the unicorn) is groundskeeper and security -- caring for the plants (they have water, and thus they have plants, and thus their trade extends to some edible goods as well) relaxes him, which he kind of needs, because he has to be intimidating if someone rowdy is gonna listen to him. He's a twig boy still... dont worry lauri youll fill out soon. Ven and Vani (two leopards, snow and melanistic) are part time maintenance/customer service part time external security, because they like having tasks to do and also like (and are very good at) fight attack kill. Vanitas really likes fixing/making stuff, funny enough, and Ven likes to help people; and Vanitas likes ...dealing with annoying customers. I like 2 think Kane was experimenting with cadets + cyborg stuff and they ended up down in motorcity discarded and glitched out at two separate times, and now they work together. Elrena (no animal) does a lot of mechanic work because she hung around for so long and bothered Lauriam so much that they became friends, so she's ours now. Player (no animal) is head of kitchen crew because that's me and I like cooking and we were missing an important role in the hotel! So!

Ephemer has a car that looks ancient but has a whole harpoon on it, called Polaris. It's kinda star themed, kinda bear themed, kinda icy. Skuld has a whole fire snake thing going on, her car is also starry, blue fire version. It's called Ophiuchus, and it doesn't look quite as old, but it's long, and has a whip/morning star/metal junk projectiles thing. Brain's car isn't used that often, but he has a dog/wild dog theme, and it's called Vulpecula. It has a chain/traps/buffs/debuffs thing. Lauriam obviously has a gardeny mythical car, Cygnus, it is very new and shiny. it has. a lot of weapons also DUH he uses a scythe in hand to hand. Strelitzia isn't old enough to drive yet, but she's learning, and they're gonna build her a car of her own. Her animal will be the heron, and she'll help with groundskeeping until she specializes. Ven and Vani share a car, Gemini Lux, because Vani can't drive and Ven can't aim very well. Ven can drive extremely well and Vani likes to shoot things (they were pilot and combat cadet experiments respectively). They have a tank of a musclecar with two cannons on the back, wing/claw motifs, and a b/w theme.

Ephy and Skuld started this effort, it was ephemer's idea to built a resort in Motorcity. After it really started working, though, they were both in. Brain popped in because a) he prefers not to fight so often and wanted somewhere quiet to work but b) he likes the message and is REALLY good at what he does. Which is important, since the next person they found was Ven, glitched out on the side of the lake and trying really hard not to hurt anyone even if his programming was yelling at him to attack. Brain fixed him up :] after which Lauriam joined, searching for his sister, who turned out to be doing a weird rogue thing with a broken H.O.U.N.D they have all kept and named Chirithy. She tried to attack Ven on sight but it's chill now. Vani joined the main group last by doing pretty much the same thing as ven, just a lot more violently (everyone needs to STOP ATTACKING VENTUS he is NOT made of STEEL. MOSTLY.). They're a legitimate company family at this point.

Daybreak Town as a resort is pretty beachside typical, very relaxed, everyone has soft hawaiian shirts and shorts. They managed to rig some cables and controllers up for a warmer temperature and soft wind from the lake, even if they can't have the sky. They also RIGOROUSLY clear out pollution so people can swim in it, they have constant beef with a certain deluxe garbage chute. It's also: pretty big!

listen to this song

I stick this in here and say hesitantly,,, no.,,,, because I want the khdr kids +aqua/terra to be in a samurai themed gang LMAO-- I think it would be cool if there was a bit of rivalry/comraderie between the Dandelions and these guys, or if the dandelions broke off from them and that's why all their cars have latin names, or something. Xehanort and Eraqus run their gang after usurping it from their previous leaders, who were extremely strict and had led their subordinates to infighting and sabotage. They vowed to do better, but running a business is hard, and they can't see themselves trending in a similar direction...

idk what their name would be. But they're very much samurai-jedi-apocalyptic car gang members, meticulously clean, down to murder. Good outfits. Cool base building design. I... also want to either keep Baldr as the final straw from their last leaders (he snapped and killed a lot of people allowing xeha and eraqus to take control) or keep him here as a berserker in a cool battering ram swords car. JFHKSD

that's it i think, its cool cars

#i kinda lied but i kinda didn't i just started typing a lot and because my brain works the way it does it got long #i don't say a ton of extra info i just like being wordy #ask #anon #blueskyheadleft010 #khux #khdr spoilers #ok i think i'll use khdr spoilers as a tag until the end of this week. is that cool?#dandelions have a day/night thing going on... you know #motorcity au

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tea-with-evan-and-me · 1 year

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Im 15 so I dont really get some of the millennial slang but I do have a question…….

What was the most popular like songs during that time yk? Like what was EVERYONE listening to and like what was something that everyone did (dressed, makeup, hair, music, shows) all that

Was it cool fr to live like that?

Not related to the blog, but it kinda is since he is 36 so like he was born during that time yk

Also was AHS a big thing when it came out like everyone and they mama was watching that?? Mbn fr💯💯

hello youth, sit back and let me tell you about what life was like starting way back in 2012 when thee evan peters became an important figure in my and many others lives! i mean, it was very cool to me, but maybe that's how everyone remembers their youth because i was 20 years old.

tumblr was the social media platform of choice for cool kids. not that we didn't love twitter and instagram, but tumblr was where you went for your fandom fix and to chat with like-minded folks. and to post and reblog many-a gif sets and graphics. somewhere on a hard drive are thousands of gif sets and graphics i created in my heyday as a successful criminal minds blogger and matthew gray gubler devotee. but i digress..

in 2012 rihanna was still making music, katy perry was enjoying relevancy, one direction was taking off, plenty of other still familiar names were putting out music at the peak of their success.. but if you spent time on tumblr you were sure to find plenty of listeners of lana del rey, frank ocean, the weeknd, marina and the diamonds, the 1975, arctic monkeys, and lorde to name a few.

in 2012 fashionistas everywhere committed to wearing awful peplum tops and dresses. not me, but i'll never forgive this. black, sometimes ripped skinny jeans, graphic print statement tees, big wedge sneakers, gaudy prints like chevron and nautical themed clothing and accessories.. oh, and these particular platforms that had women everywhere in a chokehold:

and good luck finding photos of any woman from this time-frame whose eyebrows did not look like this, because anastasia beverly hills popularized pencils and pomades to allow you to channel your inner cara delevingne (very relevant)

yes, bold make-up was in. smoky eyes and ''beachy waves'' in your hair! what a time to be alive.

and yes: AHS was quite a big deal when it first came out. it was hard to escape people talking about it online. and for several years after it debuted.. if AHS, and specifically evan peters, had not been so inescapable on this app, i would never have ''discovered'' him.

oh to be alive in 2012, listening to channel orange and feverishly refreshing tumblr for more gif sets of evan peters.

#i'm sorry i have no idea if this is serious but this was a hilarious ask to receive #flashback time #NOSTALGIA ULTRA

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the-dashing-darling · 2 years

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Yellow: Michael Darling’s Driving Playlist

heaven sent is the way you say you're proud of me I'm unconditionally loved. so now I'll be your dashboard, your car keys, your aux chord that feeling of transport, in transit with you

So, not gonna lie-- already had this made! The idea of this playlist originally is it was Michael Darling’s sunshine mood, the happy, energetic songs he listens to when he’s feeling good. A lot of the time though, that intersects with the ‘driving’ songs since Michael loves going on drives. So yes, this playlist is full of songs about cars and about driving, and a lot of them are bubbly and quirky and FUN!

1. Heaven Sent is a Coffee Cup

I consider this song to basically be his theme. It’s so wholesome and bright-- exposing Michael as someone who loves a bit of pop indie punk every now and then. The imagery in this song is just top-tier Michael: sunflowers, blue skies, cars, trip to the beach! Also the verse above is very Michael. He wants nothing more than to be good enough-- useful to someone, especially his family. He’s a very loyal, devoted person.

2. Sunroof

Very straightforward-- a song about putting the sunroof down and enjoying yourself ! I love the lowkey beachy vibes in the guitar and the ‘la di das.’ So does Michael. This is probably the song he most wants to embody and what he tries to be like every day of his life lol.

3. Never A Good Time

What I like about this song is it’s a break-up song, but it’s a HAPPY break-up song. I headcanoned at the beginning that this is the song that Michael listened to during the end of his last relationship with a girl named Charlotte (yeah Im just,,,taking Charles’ gf as inspo for that, call me lazy). But he did break up with her because of schedules and long distance and all that. This song turns that unfortunate instance into something bombastic, and about seizing your own opportunities! I like it a lot.

4. sunburn

Another song with summer, yellow-ish imagery! Sunburns! California! Heat waves! Again, this is very easy listening and once again gestures to Michael’s past love affairs...unfortunately, he was not someone who ever had anything serious because of the demands of his job. But! It’s upbeat and helps him deal with that stuff lol.

5. Parked Car Conversations

Wow another break-up song actually. Look, to be honest, I put this on here because it 1. takes place in a car. 2. its upbeat and 3. its got the similar groovy, beachy guitar that many of these songs have. It’s catchy, but not really a dance song so it fits really well for driving around.

6. Roses

oh i love this song and michael loves this song. once again, he is a type of person who listens to songs that fit his mood. he listens to happy songs when he’s happy and sad songs when he’s sad. this one typefies Michael’s optimistic upbeat attitude that he tries to keep up... 75% of the time. he clearly also likes the band camino. that is a michael band.

7. Music for a Sushi Restaurant.

its GROOVY. i dont think Michael loves everything harry puts out, but he def is a fan of his more happy music for sure. He loves the trumpets in this one... as everyone in life should, this is basically the best song on that album. It SOUNDS like gold, because of all that brass...and Michael is the golden boy. Also, he likes sushi. honestly, he’d a simple boy, that would be enough for him.

8. Weatherman

Another one of my favourites here, a little nod about how michael’s gift gives him just a little influence over the weather, and he doesnt even realize it. Go tell the weatherman I said I want it sunny outside today No darkness into my emotions So tired of living in yesterday

literally michael. But yes, he loves sunny weather, which is why many times it stops raining when michael wants to go somewhere lol

9. I Think I Like You

The next few songs will get at Michael’s sensitive, romantic heart. For this one, it’s the bridge to me-- that feeling of overarching loneliness that has followed Michael around and is precisely why he craves love so much!! Also, this is a bop, and I love the use of falsetto here in the chorus. I think it really communicates that giddy feeling of a crush that gets u, well, high. Lol.

10. Girl

AGAIN this one is about how easily Michael falls. He’s never really been in love, but he’s looking for it and seeing it in juuuust about any girl honestly. Plus, the piano pop sound really compliments some of the beach rock songs on this playlist in my personal opinion.

12. Strawberry Sunscreen

We’re once again talking about Imagery. But srsly, this one is giving Michael’s Ideal Vibes, harkening back to the good ol’ simple days of beach music and driving with the roof top down! The entire last verse for me:

Taste the strawberry sunscreen Laughing at songs from the 90s Don't really care if it rains or it shines I'm still stuck inside The treasure chest center of both of your eyes Kiss with them open, see what it's like to be loved

13. Sun Keeps on Shining

Oh, the eternal optimism of this song!!!! I imagine this one is very fun to sing along in the car with your friends. You get to scream along at the parts where the person screams, and then break out into some gang vocals when the chorus hits! This song is very much where Michael has been since Wendy got back. He’s been frustrated with his position, with staying away, and that led to obviously a huge ass crash.

But he’s still pretending like everything is okay!!

14. Crash My Car

Speaking of car crashes...

maybe this one is just on here for its title. For a lil car theme. But it’s also very upbeat, and again, about throwing away everything for love. Is that not what Michael did???? Crashed his car so he could hang out with the Darlings???

I mean he put it on his playlist bc its fun and he likes cars, but /taps my head we all know what’s really going on here.

#swyntask #aesthetic #about #music

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cerulaean · 5 years

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bored ~

Are you easy to get along with? yeh i'm a sweetiepie

If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? yes i believe he would

What kind of people are you attracted to? kind, intelligent, funny, intuitive, thoughtful

Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? probably, i mean i've already been in one for 10 months

Who from the opposite gender is on your mind? my fiance

Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? with family yes definitely

Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? my babe

What does the most recent text that you sent say? i don't remember lol

What are your 5 favorite songs right now? according to spotify- come and get your love remix - the yd 8 letters - why don't we drive all night - joan i miss you - clean bandit use me - the goo goo dolls

Do you like it when people play with your hair? depends who o.0

Do you believe in luck and miracles? yes

What good thing happened this summer? got to be with my love for two straight months!!!!

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? yes

17. Do you think there is life on other planets? yes

18. Do you still talk to your first crush? no lol

19. Do you like bubble baths? LOVE

20. Do you like your neighbors? indifferent

21. What are you bad habits? letting my anxiety take over, spending irresponsibly

22. Where would you like to travel? someplace beachy

23. Do you have trust issues? yes awfully

24. Favorite part of your daily routine? i dont have a daily routine

25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? my chest/thighs

26. What do you do when you wake up? peeee...

27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? either or

28. Who are you most comfortable around? my mom

29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? yes

30. Do you ever want to get married? yeah to the right person

31. Is your hair long enough for a pony tail? yes its in one now

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? lol wtf

33. Spell your name with your chin. edmnkilhy. close enough.

34. Do you play sports? What sports? n/a

35. Would you rather live without TV or music? tv..

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? yep

37. What do you say during awkward silences? nothinggg

38. Describe your dream girl/guy? kind, intelligent, thoughtful, intuitive, reassuring, loyal, honest.

39. What are your favorite stores to shop in? forever 21, ulta, sephora, target, best buy

40. What do you want to do after high school? lol. well we're way past that

41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? it depends.

42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean? i'm very uncomfortable

43. Do you smile at strangers? sometimes

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean? neither bc either triggers my anxiety

45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? im not sure anymore

46. What are you paranoid about? people i love leaving me, my fiance falling out of love with me, being in debt, being lonely forever

47. Have you ever been high? yes

48. Have you ever been drunk? yes? idk i guess i have

49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? well i wouldn't post it then would i loll

50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore? red

51. Ever wished you were someone else? yes

52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself? insecurity!!!!! and anxiety, but thats two.

53. Favourite makeup brand? i'm really not sure. i pick from so many different ones.

54. Favourite store? probably ulta.

55. Favourite blog? theme blogs, i like html and web design

56. Favourite colour? dusty rose pink

57. Favourite food? mac and cheese

58. Last thing you ate? cereal

59. First thing you ate this morning? technically.. first thing i ate when i woke up was rice

60. Ever won a competition? For what? nope

61. Been suspended/expelled? For what? suspended lol. walking out of in-school suspension

62. Been arrested? For what? no

63. Ever been in love? yes

64. Tell us the story of your first kiss? it was the fourth of july and i was 11 or 12 and he was some random friend of friend who i thought was cute

65. Are you hungry right now? no

66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends? well i mean i have neither so

67. Facebook or Twitter? twitter

68. Twitter or Tumblr? tumblr

69. Are you watching tv right now? no

70. Names of your bestfriends? *cries in lonely*

71. Craving something? What? friendship and intimacy

72. What colour are your towels? multicolored

72. How many pillows do you sleep with? three sometimes three and a half

73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? yesh

74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have? a lot i still sleep w/ a teddy as well

75. Favourite animal? not sure but i like samoyeds and affectionate cats

76. What colour is your underwear? like a mauve color

77. Chocolate or Vanilla? CHOCOLATE

78. Favourite ice cream flavour? chocolate, or twist 79. What colour shirt are you wearing? tri-colored lol, navy, striped, grey

80. What colour pants? multicolored pajama pants

81. Favourite tv show? breaking bad, stranger things

82. Favourite movie? the pianist, titanic, moana

83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2? the OG of course

84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street? mean girls

85. Favourite character from Mean Girls? DAMIEN ARE YOU KIDDING LOL

86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo? random, uh the jellyfish thing who inked

87. First person you talked to today? mom

88. Last person you talked to today? mom, fiance

89. Name a person you hate? myself lol

90. Name a person you love? my momma, my fiance

91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? no..

92. In a fight with someone? no

93. How many sweatpants do you have? not that many actually idk i don't like the texture

94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have? so many i klove them

95. Last movie you watched? dont rmemeber

96. Favourite actress? none lmao

97. Favourite actor? no one

98. Do you tan a lot? i tan easily but not 'a lot'

99. Have any pets? i wish :'''''( can't bc the landlord says noooo

100. How are you feeling? meh. anxious and sad as always. and kinda sleepy.

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stevetwisp · 6 years

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What do you think of the school 6? Have a favorite? Thoughts?

I LOVE THEM

the episode “what lies beneath” was like such a treat to explore their fears and have them help each other out like-

what i loved so much about their introduction was that it was *about* them and their friendship and it’s honestly just been about that ever sincei’m glad they didn’t stray too far from them to tell an interesting story- like

i know i complained about cozy glow not being chrysalis, but it was a really good decision to make her just another pony who goes to school with our new student six because if she was, in the episode, the ending wouldn’t be about our NEW characters doing something

it’d be stuck in the past making starlight and the mane 6 more important- which in this episode, they are the B plot and that’s ok!!!

i’m happy to see the student six like.... get a lot of time to shine, show case their personalities and how they interact with each other- while also not being like one note characters with no depth

yona; is adorable and i think the thing i love most about her character is how willing the other characters are to help her out- like it’s so easy to have yona be kinda like the odd one out but it never feels that way, i love yona, because her friends love her so much and thats so special to me

silverstream; i honestly thought silverstream was going to be really one note- like trying to be a halfway between pinkie pie and skystar and while she sort of is- again what makes her shine is how she interacts with others, its nice to see her eccentricities not treated like she’s the “weird” one that no one gets (like s1 pinkie pie??) seeing her get scared and have the lasting effect of the storm king be showcased while also having gallus talk to her about her fear without solving her problem for her? like!!!!! this is just really great way to make these characters feel real and different from the previous main characters

ocellus; IS PERFECT AND IS GONNA BE THE NEXT CHANGELING QUEEN, i wish more was done with ocellus- she’s a changeling and i wish she’d... *change* more- i know that part of introduction was like she’s gotta learn to “be herself” but even that i wish they explored more so im hoping if the student six get another season they explore ocellus a lot more c: I WANT AN EPISODE AND IT’S JUST OCELLUS AND YONA

gallus; gallus could have been some bratty idiot who makes everything cringy and terrible BUT NO gallus has a heart of gold with a sad backstory and they waste NO TIME letting you know that- which i think is awesome likethere was no way i was going to sit thru a bunch of episodes of gallus being horrible only to have some “very special episode” about how hes abused at home and then never have them talk about it again like, NO no im not going thru that shiti like that instead he’s mostly a decent griffon, he can be a little curt- and at first he’s a little mean- but it’s nothing that a little friendship can’t soften and i’m glad that that’s exactly what we see, gallus, content and happy to have friends and to tease them and have fun- while still having all that sad home life in the backthere’s nothing worse than a show- with a mean character who treats all their friends terribly and the show just keeps telling us like “oh this one’s damaged so it’s ok that theyre awful” without ANY growth

sandbar; i don’t have much to say on sandbar, i wish they’d really play up his beachy-ness more, like i was really ready for like a borderline stoner character but to be honest sandbar can be a littleeeeee bland, which kinda sucks bc he’s up against the coolest characters the show has seen- like little kid griffons and changelings ??? sandbar’s got competition!!!!! so i hope again if they get another season, we get to see *more* of sandbar and what his deal is? on the other hand, i was so afraid that the show would just *forget* he’s a pony?? like in the finale i was afraid he’d be locked up with the others and no one would address that he’s a pony but they don’t! like he uses that to his advantage which is really cool and very topical for the sort of uhhhhh “theme” these story arcs are going for i also really like his relationship with the mane 6, i like that he’s just some teenager who thinks the world of them bc theyre like hometown heroes to him and it’s always special to see boy characters who admire girl characters for their work and achievements and not,,, idk literally anything else.

smoulder; when i saw “what lies beneath” i was so afraid of what they were gonna do with smoulder, like you see the tea party and i was like ‘oh no, theyre gonna drag girly stuff in a show,, FOR GIRLS’ but nahi like the reveal of smoulder being really into that sort of stuff like- originally smoulder was a cool character to me bc she was like a less socially inept ember, she’s not really mean just likes to tease- like gallusbut most importantly is that she doesnt see herself as “too good” for the pony stuff- or even “too tomboyish” for it- she doesnt do the whole “im not like other girls” smoulder is just smoulder- she doesnt have some big commentary on her place in the society she just does what she wants and offers help when she canshe’s really... a very very nice dragon, despite what she might try and say about itand with the reveal of her “fear” it adds a huge amount of depth to her character without having to point directly at it and try and comment on itsmoulder acts tough because she’s a dragon, she has to act that way to survive, but now she lives in ponyville and she’s realizing she doesnt have to be tough all the time, she’s allowed to do the things she likes and be the dragon she wants to beit’s tiny but one of my fav lines of hers is in “father knows beast” when she just says “i sleep in the school now, nothing says we have to sleep outside” like; she’s a dragon, but nothing says she has to be a dragon in the traditional sense, she can be a pony-like dragon like spike, she can be girly if she wantsshe can be whoever she wants to and that’s real special

i think what i like about the student six is not what they’re *doing* with them, but what theyre *not* doing? like i’ve watched... a lot... of cartoons in my life and this season feels refreshing because we’re treading in sort of new territoryi get these expectations and when they’re not met, it’s not disappointing it’s really exciting to see them go in directions i didn’t predict! same with the characterization with the new students

there’s so many things they *could have* done, which would have been.. an.. acceptable show, but it wouldnt be different or exceptional- itd just be the same stuff over and over again

i’m so happy we have tomboyish girl characters who dont see girly things as below them, happy to see characters who talk and act differently be accepted as one of the crowd rather than gawked at for comedic value, happy to see boy characters treat girl characters with respect and admiration rather than just love interests or decoration and just really excited to see what happens next

#my little pony #mlp season 8 #Anonymous

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easylion · 5 years

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Hi! About your trip, yes to everything! lol I'm really curious about what to do, what to see, how to move around (did you take a tour or did you visit the places on your own?), how long did you stay, definitely the experience and what to expect, how much did you spend once you were there (forgetting about the flight and accomodations), whatever you can share will be extremely helpful!

alrighty! however, in all honesty i was only there for 48 hours so i might not be the BEST resource, haha.

I was living in Amman and crossed over the border through to Israel. I do not recommend this. I would recommend flying in and out directly. Reason being is the border took me 6+ hours. I sat in a bus for hours, just sitting, because of how stringent security is. Its also a little unnerving if you are a woman and you are by yourself. I dont know if that will be your case, but i asked my male friend to go and we also pretended to be married while we traveled over there together.

You will be issued an entry visa/card and they should not be stamping your passport - you don’t want them to do this if they do insist. they’re also likely going to ask you a lot of questions about your reason for being there/what your parents occupation is, do you know anyone in the government. etc. anticipate spending a lot of time upon entry and be careful not to lose your paper visa!!!

I took a van from the border into Jerusalem. Jerusalem, as you know, is the old city and the dome of the rock are. the old city is split into “quarters”: Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim. you can pass freely through all of them. they are known for different things; i remember the Armenian quarter had a lot of beautiful ceramic work. dress modestly! remember too its also very very humid in the summer. (i was there in july - drinks LOTS of water.)

The Dome of the Rock is beautiful, obviously, but there are certain rules about entry and also ways to get around them. Visitors enter the complex through the Mughrabi Gate near the Western Wall. admission is free, but the site is only open during very specific times and the line can be very long to enter.

you should try and get there early. from what i can find still visiting hours are:

Monday through Thursday:

Winter: 7:30 am – 10:30 am and 12:30pm – 1:30 pm

Summer: 8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm

the temple mount is closed to visitors on Friday and Saturday. Sometimes the entrance to the site is closed without notice, even when it’s scheduled to be open. you need to be dressed modestly. no weapons are allowed obviously and cannot bring in any sacred Jewish objects, like a prayer book or a talit. also bring your passport and carrry it on you as they might ask to look at it. may be asked to show their passports. non-Muslim visitors will NOT be allowed entry into the building of the Dome of the Rock.

my other recommendation is that while you are there, only say that you are Christian. EVERYONE will ask you. be careful of sharing (if you are) Muslim. (unfortunately).

I recommend this experience, seeing the western wall, and exploring the quarters. Depending on how much time you are there, i would look into excursions to the Dead Sea for a day and Masada. there is also alllll the religious and holy places and many biblical tours, which are cool to me.

I stayed in Tel Aviv at the Abraham Hostel (http://abrahamhostels.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NPjBRDDARIsAM9X1GIZ_f3IEv27vqLyusFoN0IWUCI0IMzDYCsxdMNz_Q59Sen_A4mRDosaAgBFEALw_wcB) they have three central locations and of which i HIGHLY recommend. super cheap, clean, comfortable, and plenty of tours and activities you can sign up for. they offer day trips and each night has a theme for the guests. its right by the beach (you can walk). Tel Aviv was like a beachy D.C vibe. pride flags everywhere, night clubs, all kinds of food! you don’t have to dress modestly in the city.

other places i’d recommend:

jaffa, which is a chilled-out little harbor town with a lot of histroy - its a huge main port. its known for its flea market and beautiful!!

haifa - it's the perfect base to explore the north. akko, mount carmel, and Cesarea are right there, and nazarath and megiddo could be easily done as a day trip. its also a very easy going city

my recommendation is pick 5 BIG things, and try to cram small things around it. be strategic about mapping out what you want to do. i am also a big believer in the lonely planet travel guides - seriously, i buy one for EVERY place i go. buy it.

overall, i like exploring on my own but i think tours can be a great way to meet other people and get a local’s perspective on the land. also a good option if you arent super organized at planning.

i want to say i didnt spend a terrible amount of money but i also wasnt there long. its going to be a little expensive depending on all that you do . plan plan plan! the lonely planet guide also maps out great cheap eats and free things to do. i think they even have an interactive website.

if you think of anything else you want to ask me let me know! im nostalgic now :) hope you enjoy every moment! its hard for me to put everything into a post and sorry this all over the place but i am happy to talk about anything more in depth!

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modernbookfae · 6 years

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how do you make your insta edits? they're really good and im curious :)

Hi there anon and thank you for the kind words! 💕

For my insta edits I first find photos from Pinterest and Google (which is super fun and I always loose track of time during my photo hunt!) Usually I already have an idea of what I want the photos to represent from a character. Does this character have a green thumb? Then theme the edit around their hobbies! Or if the character lives near the ocean then be sure to include some beachy vibes.

Once I have my photos I’ll place them in Illustrator and arrange them on a template I use for my insta edits. Sometimes I’ll change the colors on portions of the photos in Photoshop so they fit the color scheme.

Hope that helps!

#answered #Anonymous

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wolverrrain · 6 years

Text

a soft boi

s o f t t a g

tagged by the michael to my david, the steve to my billy, @moderateslytherin

the only rule if you do it, tag a few people/blogs you adore~

what’s your favourite song(s) to sing/hum? take on me by a-ha comes to mind, but i love singing/humming really any song. currently my song obsession is my my my by my boy troye sivan bc wow that shit is catchy as fuck

what are your favourite flower/tree/plant (all 3 or whatever you have an answer to) ok so my favorite flower is a sunflower (ironic i know) but after that i love palm trees (because they remind me of hawaii and just being outside in beautiful southern cali where i am) and also i really like wildflowers

favourite colour(s)? my favorite color’s been green for as long as i can remember, but i also love creamsicle orange (and especially lime green and creamsicle orange together, it reminds me of summer)

what do you always doodle (if you ever do)? im always doodling david (from the lost boys obvi) because wowie my mans is just so fun to draw??

how do you take your coffee/tea? If you don’t like those what’s your fav warm drink? i like coffee only if it doesn’t really taste like coffee lmao but if i’m in a hurry i’ll just chug a couple espresso shots straight and be very upset with the taste in my mouth for about the next ten minutes. i do like tea (mostly fruity teas) with sugar in it. (but i live for hot chocolate as well)

favourite candle scent? i absolutely love clean cotton smelling candles as well as pine or beachy smelling candles as well as anything that smells like fire (earthy/clean type scents, nothing too sweet unless it’s pineapple or something like that)

sunrise or sunset? i love sunrises because i love being outside in the cold, crisp tasting air, though i love sunsets because theyre almost always really pretty where i live

what perfume do you wear if any? i wear cologne, and i wear ocean by bath & bodyworks bc it smells clean but also thick and masculine

what’s your go to dance move when you’re alone? uhh i don’t really dance?? only if im really into a song and even then idk how to describe it??

favourite quote? uhhh hm i don’t really have a favorite one off the top of my head, but i do really love aldous huxley and i do like this one by him: “there is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”

favourite self care thing(s) or routine(s)? watching the lost boys always cheers me up or at least calms me down, sleeping in is good, listening to music, taking baths, etc

fuzzy socks or house slippers? fuzzy socks, slippers are too much work for me (plus i live in socks bc my feet get cold easy)

what colour are your eyes? dark green

what’s your favourite eye colour on others? i love blue and green

favourite season? why? winter because it includes christmas and my birthday, and it’s cold enough for layers and the air always smells crisp or like fire, and it rains more than other seasons (also no school)

cheek, neck or nose kisses i like neck kisses the most

what does your happy place look like? sitting on sunset beach in oahu with my family, watching the sunset

favourite breed of dog? i have always loved newfoundlands, german shepherds, and alaskan malamutes (im a big dogs kind of guy)

do you ever want to be married? If so what colours would you pick for your wedding theme? i guess? i dont know, not really a question i care much for at this point in my life. for colors i guess maybe something earthy? ive always loved the idea of a wedding in oregon or washington, but nothing can really top my sister’s wedding in hawaii so y’know

silk or lace? silk? idk im never really around either material so i cant really give an opinion.

favourite weather? i love it when it rains

tagging: @retrovamp @theglorydefender @nicospaten @creepy-mangojuice

#speakos #text #about me #tagged

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jonathanbogart · 7 years

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Magnitizdat: Soviet Aligned Pop and New Wave

Mix seven of seven. The previous mixes can be found here. The YouTube playlist for this mix can be found here. Below this paragraph is the tracklisting for this mix; below that are my notes on it. It’s been a gas.

Bravo, “Koshki”

Klaus Mitffoch, “Jezu jak się cieszę”

Spenót, “Szamba”

Tango, “Na šikmé ploše”

Forum, “Davayte sozvonimsya”

Urszula, “Wielki odlot”

Pankow, “Rock ‘n’ Roll im Stadtpark”

Florian din Transilvania, “Mă simt minunat”

Trick, “Elektronnoto kuche”

Dzeltenie Pastnieki, “Sliekutēva vaļasprieks”

Marika Gombitová, “Prekážky dní”

Grazhdanskaya Oborona, “Zoopark”

Gigi, “Divat a fontos”

Maanam, “Lucciola”

Silly, “Die Gräfin”

Kino, “Posledniy geroy”

Sfinx, “An după an”

Első Emelet, “Amerika”

Aya RL, “Skóra”

OK Band, “Žižkovská zeď”

Nastya, “Tatsu”

Magnitizdat: soviet aligned pop and new wave

In a just world, just about every nation represented here would get its own mix: Poland, Hungary, Czechia, and Russia, to name just the largest pop scenes, were (and are) too capacious to be summed up in the paltry handful of songs I’ve allotted them. But I’m already teetering on the furthest outside edge of my understanding. My grasp of Europe is comparable to Saul Steinberg’s legendary view from 9th Avenue: the further East of the Pyrenees I get the more featureless and notional everything is.

To make things more complicated, although the seven nations (at the time; now 13½) represented in this mix were formally Soviet-aligned in terms of foreign policy and general economic structure, they all pursued different approaches to cultural policy, and those policies changed radically over the decades, and even from year to year. At the beginning of the 1980s, the Soviet Union was perhaps the most officially censorious in terms of rejecting Western influence, whereas places like Poland, Hungary, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia were relatively open to current trends in Western European culture, especially following the Prague Spring of 1968. Then too, one of the necessary preconditions for good pop is money (which doesn’t necessarily mean pure capitalism: state-funded arts education and broadcast media, e.g., made British pop the envy of the world), and many of the Eastern Bloc nations, whether or not they were eager to support international-style pop, were among the poorest in Europe.

Still, life finds a way. Electronic music in particular was taken up enthusiastically by many Warsaw Pact composers in the 1970s, both as a technical challenge and as a path forward into a Communist musical future that owed nothing to the dead traditions of the West. Young musicians in Warsaw, Riga, and Leningrad got hold of contraband records or reel-to-reel tapes (called magnitizdat in Russian, in parallel with printed samizdat, according to Wikipedia) of new and innovative forms of rock and pop, imitated them, and added their own perspectives. And Eastern European nations held their own national and international versions of Eurovision, and broadcast local singers in a variety of traditions, both as light entertainment and as a way to reinforce cultural nationalism.

So although Eastern Bloc pop in the 1980s was often cheaper and perhaps chintzier (or at least dedicated to different notions of cool) than its Western counterparts, there was still plenty of it; but it was also unevenly distributed. My division below is less about population size or global importance (either today or historically) than about what would fit into a single mix. There are six Soviet songs (five Russian, one Latvian), four Polish, three Hungarian, two East German, two Czech, one Slovak, two Romanian, and one Bulgarian. Linguistically, it’s my most diverse mix by far, with six Slavic languages, one Germanic, one Uralic, and one Romance language represented (the runner-up, Melodier, had five Germanic languages and one Uralic). Google Translate is my everything.

All of them are great songs, and most of them are great records as well (we’ll get to the exception), although I doubt anyone actually living in Eastern Europe, either at the time or presently, would group together these precise performers in this way: some were defiantly underground, some boringly mainstream, and most somewhere in the middle.

Most of these mixes have taken 1981 and 1987 as the boundary years: while this one ends with a longish 1987 track as per tradition, the rest of the songs are mostly clustered between 1983 and 1985. Due to protectionist policies (both Eastern and Western), inefficiencies of resource allocation, and the slow-to-arrive effects of glasnost, the new wave (if that’s even a useful term to describe a shift towards 1980s-era modernity in the diverse Communist scenes) rolled over Eastern Europe several years after it had blanketed the West. My early investigations all centered on 1984, and further research still marks that as a pivotal year.

Anyway, here’s what I’ve fallen in love with. I hope you dig it too.

1. Bravo Koshki no label | Moscow, 1985

WIth all apologies to Long Island’s Stray Cats, Southern California’s Blasters, England’s Shakin’ Stevens, West Germany’s Ace Cats, and Barcelona’s Loquillo, the greatest rockabilly revival act of the 1980s was the Russian Браво (Bravo). Formed in 1983 by guitarist Evgeny Havtan, with singer Zhanna Aguzarova signing on later that year, they played 1950s rock and roll with a side order of 1960s ska, with lyrics simple and catchy enough to be universal but subversive enough to get them into trouble. “Кошки” (Cats) could be a children’s song: “Cats don’t look like people, cats are cats,” is the opening lyric. But when Aguzarova adds that cats don’t talk nonsense or care about bits of paper, that’s questionable, and when she launches into some of the most thrilling scatting ever heard in rock & roll it’s downright revolutionary. After the band had self-released their first recordings on magnetic tape, she was arrested for using forged identity papers in 1984, and didn’t release a proper record until 1987. She left the band in 1989 for a solo career, and is beloved throughout Russia as a sort of Lady Gaga avant la lettre, while Bravo under Havtan and a succession of singers has continued to plow their rockabilly furrow to slightly diminished success.

2. Klaus Mitffoch Jezu jak się cieszę Tonpress | Wrocław, 1983

One of the most important Polish new wave bands, Klaus Mitffoch combined punk energy, two-tone nimbleness, and post-punk solemnity in a compulsively listenable and sometimes danceable mix. Their first single, Jezu jak się cieszę (Jesus, I’m Happy; the name is an interjection rather than an address) is a mordant portrait of callow youth that doesn’t think past the next payday, fight, or fuck, and of the system that keeps them that way: the shouty chorus translates as “Get up and be busy and own things/I can’t really do it/I don’t really want to.” A Polish “I prefer not to,” it’s a critique of the capitalist contract which worked just as well as a critique of Communist expectations: the lack of real difference between the oppressiveness of East and West will be an ongoing theme.

3. Spenót Szamba Start | Budapest, 1983

Although I’ve been attaching the tag “new wave” to these mixes, one of the signature sounds of the US new wave has been entirely unrepresented: the beachy kitsch of the B-52’s. Until now. Spenót (Spinach) was a Budapest arts collective founded in the early 80s which only released one single on the rock imprint of the Hungarian state label: “Szamba” (Samba) b/w “Hová tűntek a szőke nőket” (Where Did the Blondes Go). Casio, bass, guitar, and disaffected vocals from Kriszta Berzsenyi (now a costumer in the Hungarian film industry) make for a minimal-funk tribute to proletarian hero Popeye, as the refrain “Everything’s perfectly fine, I’ve got spinach flowing in my veins” makes clear. A late entrance from a mariachi trumpet only adds to the delightful kitsch effect, and makes me grin ear to ear every time I listen.

4. Tango Na šikmé ploše Supraphon | Prague, 1984

Although the island-borrowed rhythms and frontman Miroslav Imrich’s vocal qualities in this early song are rather heavily reminiscent of the Police, in terms of cultural positioning Tango were rather closer to Madness: a ska-pop band that could be goofy or heartfelt depending on the song, and burrowed deep into Czech working-class cultural identity, in part thanks to their inventive and prolific videos. Their first single, “Na šikmé ploše” (On the Slope) is a heartfelt and rather poetic love song on skis. Even after Tango’s dissolution, Imrich has been a consistently popular singer and songwriter in the years since, his work, both solo and in collaboration, ranging from ballads to techno.

5. Forum Davayte sozvonimsya no label | Moscow, 1984

A Russian synthpop band who owed nothing to such English decadents as Human League or Depeche Mode, Форум was fronted by singer Viktor Saltykov, who had previously sung with rock band Manufactura, and anchored by synth wizard Alexander Morozov. The video for Давайте созвонимся (Let’s Call Each Other), from an early television appearance, has become a minor internet classic of kitschy Soviet aesthetics, but a google of the lyrics reveals as thoughtful and sensitive a song about love under modern technological conditions as anything Gary Numan or Scritti Politti ever recorded. Forum’s debut album wouldn’t see official release until 1987, by which time a lot of Russian pop had caught up to them.

6. Urszula Wielki odlot Polton | Lublin, 1984

Perhaps Poland’s most prominent female rock star for the last forty years, Urszula Kasprzak has recorded in a variety of styles, from hard rock to dance-pop; but her 1984 album Malinowy król (Raspberry King), recorded with members of prog band Budka Suflera, is a minor masterpiece of cool, reflective synthpop. “Wielki odlot” (The Great Departure) was the leadoff track and the album’s lowest-charting single, but I love its stately swell and the apocalyptic lyrics (or maybe it’s just about emigration, which is another form of apocalypse). I’m looking forward into digging around into the rest of Urszula’s discography.

7. Pankow Rock ’n’ Roll im Stadtpark AMIGA | Berlin, 1983

East Germany probably had the most thoroughly Westernized and extensive pop scene in the whole Eastern Bloc — only natural, given its proximity and exposure to West German media. But child star Nina Hagen had to leave East Berlin to help found the Neue Deutsche Welle: East Germany preferred shaggy 70s rock even as icy synths overran the NATO countries. Pankow, formed in the eponymous suburb of East Berlin, was a case in point: definitely a new wave band, they still clearly adored old-fashioned boogie rock. “Rock ’n’ Roll im Stadtpark” (Rock ’n’ Roll in the City Park) is an anthem of Communist rock (even the shouted refrains are collectivized): dancing to rock & roll in the park is better than bourgeois disco or high-priced cinema, because it’s free. Of the people, by the people, for the people, oh yeah.

8. Florian din Transilvania Mă simt minunat Electrecord | Bucharest, 1986

The hermetic and impoverished Romanian scene, tightly controlled by Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Maoist-modeled authoritarian government, was the slowest of the European Communist nations to catch up to the present of the 1980s: officially supported music tended to be folkloric, balladic, and at its most up-to-date, hippie-era hard rock. Mircea Florian was one of the grand exceptions: beginning as a mid-60s folk-rocker in the mold of Dylan and Cohen, and maintaining a parallel interest in electronics and modern composers like Stockhausen and Nono, he moved through many progressive, electric, and Eastern-influenced musical phases over the next twenty years, often butting heads with the regime. His last great record, 1986’s Tainicul vîrtej (The Secret Swirl), released just before his defection to West Germany, was a summation of his folk- and art-rock past and his new-wave present. This opening track “I Feel Great,” is a statement of gleeful modernism, the lyrics an expression of bucolic alienation while the synthesizers and drum machines wander off on prog-rock solos before being recalled to robot rhythms.

9. Trick Elektronnoto kuche Balkanton | Sofia, 1985

If the Romanian rock scene was impoverished, its Bulgarian counterpart was even more so. Trick was a vocal group — two women, one man — put together out of music school in frank imitation of Western acts like ABBA, Boney M, or even (if the record sleeves are any indication) Tony Orlando and Dawn. But this cut from their first LP, “Electronic Dog,” was produced by the young, ambitious Kristian Boyadzhiev to a hypermodern sheen: if the girls are still essentially singing disco harmonies, at least the music has heard of ZTT. After release, the song was suppressed by Bulgarian state media on the grounds that the goofy lyrics and synthesized dog barks were making a mockery of Bulgarian electronics. But today, it sounds like it might predict Eastern European trance.

10. Dzeltenie Pastnieki Sliekutēva vaļasprieks no label | Riga, 1984

The underground new-wave scene in Latvia was apparently the most active and prolific in the Soviet Union outside Mother Russia: the Baltic seaport of Riga, as one of the USSR’s few access points to global culture, saw bands like Pērkons, NSRD, and Dzeltenie Pastnieki making waves even as their magnetic-tape recordings were suppressed by the Soviet authorities and not released for decades. I chose this song by Dzeltenie Pastnieki (Yellow Postmen) not because it’s exceptionally better than the rest of their material, which is all pretty great, but because its combination of electronic loops and sensitive guitar sounded surprisingly to me like the Postal Service. The pitch-shifted vocals, sure, sound more like “The Laughing Gnome,” but that’s no deal-breaker.

11. Marika Gombitová Prekážky dní Opus | Bratislava, 1984

Probably the biggest Slovak pop star of the era, Marika Gombitová had been well-known in the eastern half of Czechoslovakia since 1977, when she sang leads for the popular rock band Modus. This synthpop gem (Daily Obstacles) from her fifth album, the unselfconsciously-titled No. 5 (it was her first stab at singing to synthesizers), uses sporting metaphors to talk about desires that slip forever out of reach, the evocativeness of which imagery would not have been lost on a contemporary television-watching audience: Gombitová had been confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed from the shoulders down, following a car crash in 1981. Her marvelous voice, thin but strong, reminds me of Cyndi Lauper’s: and the gorgeous production, with its slippery bass and a haunting electronic solo in the middle eight, makes this maybe my favorite song in this mix.

12. Grazhdanskaya Oborona Zoopark no label | Omsk, 1985

Here’s that not-great record, meaning only that it’s extremely lo-fi, so much so that the tape hiss and room tone plays practically an aesthetic role, turning a simple rock ballad into a fuzz-pop gem that could sit side-by-side with contemporary work by the Beat Happening or Hüsker Dü. Гражданская Оборона (Civil Defense) was the psych-rock project of Siberian-born Yegor Letov; after their first magnetic tape, containing “зоопарк,” was recorded, band members were institutionalized, their subversive attitudes having been dutifully reported to the authorities by the guitarist's mother. That subversiveness isn’t hard to detect in this song, in which Letov dreams of finding other crazy people (like him) with whom he can plot an escape from the zoo of contemporary life.

13. Gigi Divat a fontos Start | Budapest, 1985

Nobody on the Internet seems to know anything about Gigi, not even whether the name is of a performer or a group. The writing credit on the Hungarian compilation LP where “Divat a fontos” (Fashion Matters) appeared is to “Gigi Együttes,” which latter word just means Ensemble. But a bunch of people on the Internet, some in Hungarian, some in English, and some in Polish, have warmly praised this song, an aerobic synthpop jam that combines the best of Kim Wilde and Olivia Newton-John. It’s apparently all that this Gigi (the thirty-first entity of that name on Discogs) ever recorded, but it’s enough.

14. Maanam Lucciola Polskie Nagrania Muza | Kraków, 1984

The post-punk band Maanam, on the other hand, are legends of Polish rock, with dozens of records and a rabid fanbase: one of the most successful and important Eastern European bands of the decade. Lead singer Kora (Olga Jackowska)’s vocal style owed little to Anglophone precedent, digging deep into Slavic and Polish modernism, even when, as here, the most frequent word in the song is the Italian woman’s name of the title. In “Lucciola,” Kora dispassionately portrays a man searching for the titular woman in the night wind, while the band’s brawny Gang of Four funk motorvates right along regardless.

15. Silly Die Gräfin AMIGA | Berlin, 1982

Probably the most interesting East German rock band of the 1980s, Silly was centered around the vocal performances of Tamara Danz, who could be kabarett-outrageous in one song and luminously synthpop-tender in the next. “Die Gräfin” (lit. The Countess, but also slang for any stuck-up woman) is a funk-rock vehicle for her gift for satirical vocal caricature, as she mocks the decayed German aristocracy from a victorious proletarian point of view. Not that Danz was a strict ideologue: in 1989, she joined other East German musicians in demanding greater freedom, in protests that helped lead to the collapse of the Communist consensus. She died in 1996 of breast cancer, far too young.

16. Kino Posledniy geroy AnTrop | Leningrad, 1984

The only Russian band represented on this mix whose music was officially released within the era under consideration, Кино (Cinema) were no less skeptical about the Soviet system than their peers, just luckier in that they hooked up with the independent Leningrad-based AnTrop label, which gave them cover for sarcastic, despairing songs like Последний герой (Last of the Heroes), in which the familiar 80s theme of nuclear annihilation gets another airing, and East and West turn out to be not so different after all.

17. Sfinx An după an Electrecord | Bucharest, 1984

When Mircea Florian was one of the leading lights of Romanian prog in the 1970s, one of his few competitors in the field was the band Sfinx (Sphinx), formed in the mid-60s to play Western-style pop/rock. In the following decade, they grew more ambitious, taking cues from Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis, the last of whom, in their 80s incarnation, is a reference point here. “An după an” means Year After Year, and even though it was only their second LP (they were constantly running afoul of the Romanian censors), it was occasion for a wistful look back over the last twenty years.

18. Első Emelet ‎Amerika Start | Budapest, 1983

Perhaps the most popular Hungarian rock band of the early 80s, Első Emelet (First Floor) was formed from the remnants of several less fortunate acts which imploded around 1982. With a bright, energetic sound, witty lyrics by songwriter Péter Geszti, and an irreverent comic sensibility to their visual presentation, they were just the kind of band that would have been a lock to appear on MTV if they weren’t from a Communist nation. In fact, they did anyway — one of the television screens in Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” is playing an Első Emelet video. Their first single, “Amerika” is a terrific satire of that consumerist paradise, rendered with all the plastic pomp the subject deserve.

19. Aya RL Skóra Tonpress | Warsaw, 1984

One of the greatest long-running European indie-rock bands, Aya RL (for Red Love) formed when Russian keyboardist Igor Czerniawski and Polish singer Paweł Kukiz met in Warsaw. “Skóra” (Skin), their biggest hit and most well-loved song (I dare you to get that wordless chorus out of your head), is somewhat unrepresentative of their more psychedelic and intellectual work — but it’s a great song, a portrait of love despite the turmoil and violence of the heavily politicized street culture of Warsaw in the 1980s.

20. OK Band Žižkovská zeď Supraphon | Prague, 1982

If you didn’t know anything about Eastern Bloc music in the 1980s and relied only on what the Western media of the time showed you, you might expect it all to sound like this: icy, measured, foreboding. In fact, “Žižkovská zeď” (The Zizkov Wall) is just about the slowest and coldest song in Czech synthpop act OK Band’s repertoire: most of it is much cheerier and romantic. But I really dig its coldwave vibes and the sound of Marcela Březinová’s voice singing about the awful feeling of seeing your name written in graffiti by an unknown hand.

21. Nastya Tatsu no label | Sverdlovsk, 1987

Thanks no doubt to my own global position — in the (allegedly) democratic West — I’ve been focused throughout this mix on how the music of Communist Europe responds to or relates to or recalls its Western counterparts. But with “Tatsu,” the gaze shifts not West, but East. Nastya, a band formed on the border of Europe and Asia, and named after its frontwoman, singer, composer and poet Anastasia Polova, was fascinated with Japanese folklore, history, and mythology. The Tatsu of the title is both a Japanese child left for dead in World War II (that’s where the bits in English come in), and a mythological dragon-god protecting islands in the Pacific. It’s an amazing song, the centerpiece of an amazing album, and the fact that it only circulated as a bootleg tape for a decade before being officially issued in the mid-90s is the strongest indictment of late-Soviet cultural policy I know. I say that as a Communist.

That’s it, that’s all the mixes. For now, anyway. Thanks for reading and listening and sharing and liking. I’ve got other projects to keep me busy; I’ll try to mention them here from time to time.

#my mixology career

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