It has been a little while since I have been quite literally obsessed with the sounds of synthesizers. I grew up in the 80s and as such the sweet melodies carried by these instruments bring back so many memories. Also, my uncle was a huge fan of disco music and it has always held a very special place in my heart. A few years back, I remember reading the local newspaper (yes, we used to do that back then) and noticed that a band I really liked was playing at a club in Vancouver. The band's name is Gusgus and I'm pretty certain you would recognize them by their popular song " LadyShave ". I hadn't kept in touch with their work since leaving Mexico in the late nineties and therefore I was in for quite a surprise when I first walked into the venue. Once the show started and Gusgus came on stage I felt like I had finally found a perfect combination of sounds -- my sound! The vocals plus the deep bass and above all the heavy use of synthesizers really appealed to my ...

I am HUGE music fan. I have been one all my life. I own approximately 750 CDs and last time I checked I had over 5000 mp3s. You get the drift. I used to buy a lot of music instead of streaming it as services like Songza weren't really available until a few years ago. Since Spotify and Pandora were not able to operate in Canada due to copyright constraints, I first started streaming through Last.FM and I made the switch to Deezer's Premium+ Plan ($4.99 per month) a few months back. If you are interested in trying Deezer now is the time to do it. You can either choose to join with their free "discovery" mode (ads are present) or to get the Premium+ plan at 50% off which is quite a bargain compared to their competitors' prices. Another advantage of choosing the premium plan is that you get access to higher quality audio and unlimited streaming on your web browser and mobile. If you haven't streamed music before I recommend that you give it a try as it wi...

There are very few things in this life that I enjoy more than listening to music on a sunny Saturday morning (like today). Music has been a crucial part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I look back at my life it's almost like listening to a movie's soundtrack - memories blended with their musical counterparts. Every era defined by my ever-changing musical palate... Even though I grew up in Mexico I have always had an inherent attraction to music in Portuguese. In my opinion, Bossa Nova is the sexiest music known to man. I love Brazil in general and for that reason when I heard that they would be performing at Vancouver's Celebration of Light this year I knew I had to be there to experience it live. I must say I was not disappointed. Bossa Nova and Samba rocked the airwaves that night as the sky was filled with amazing fireworks - a truly unique experience! That same night I heard a version of " Mas Que Nada " I was not familiar with. At first I ...

My friend Keely and I having a blast at our work party. She chose the song... I added the corniness :)   Lovesong by Angel Clemente

There is nothing better than some great tunes to accompany you as you strut your stuff at the local pool or beach. This summer has brought some great music along with it and it is my duty as a fellow music lover to share the goodness with you. I have been listening to a few CDs over the past few weeks and there are some noteworthy finds. First and foremost we will focus on Aphrodite - the musical return of the now 40+ queen of dance Kylie Minogue . Aphrodite is very smooth from start to finish. By now Kylie seems to have perfected the exact formula for creating a very enjoyable album experience. The beats and lyrics are strong and catchy and even though she doesn't really deviate much from her previous records, her sound remains fresh and appealing. The best songs in the album in my opinion are: "Put Your Hands Up", "Looking For An Angel", "All The Lovers" and "Aphrodite" - I give this album a 9 out of 10 for heavily relying on previous su...

I have been to The Eatery many times before but for some reason I had never really taken the time to talk about it until now. To me this little restaurant is the epitome of cool. It is located in the trendy Vancouver neighbourhood of Kitsilano where yogis and hipsters forget about their differences and go out for drinks instead. I am certain that if you have never been to The Eatery before you will be shocked the first time you enter the restaurant. The decor is beyond over the top and fun with glow-in-the-dark vinyl toys and giant superheroes and octopi hanging from the ceiling. Astro Boy, Marilyn Monroe and Dick Tracy also reside on the restaurant's walls. As if this were not exhilarating enough, you can count on your senses also being stimulated by amazing electro beats from @darrenwoodhead and delicious and creative sushi rolls from the kitchen. My favourite roll is by far "The Beautiful" - scallop, avocado and mayo topped with smoked salmon - 2-DIE-FOR!~ - but I...

I really love living in these modern times where new artists can take advantage of social media sites and fan to fan marketing to promote their material. Music is a crucial part of my life and as such I'm always on the hunt for new beats that please my ears. Over the last few days I came across a new artist who allows for you to download his entire CD for free - in return just asking for you to his music amongst your friends and social circles. The name is Simon Curtis , the album is 8bit Heart , and the sound is an electro pop that will make you want to dance as you commute on the bus or drive in your BMW. In my opinion Simon has the whole package: the intriguing geeky-chic look, the androgynous voice, and the great electro beats. Two thumbs up! I hope you enjoy his album as much as I have... and remember... return the favour by spreading the word about him if you are so inclined.

  I still remember the many times I sat in front of the TV feeling mesmerized by the newest video from the King of pop Michael Jackson. His music and his image were so avant-garde at the time that one's attention could not help but to be captured by them. Twenty years later, it is now almost 2010 and the king is no longer ruling. I was shocked like the rest of us when MJ's death was announced earlier this year and I am certain that the memory of that day will always be with me. I have been reluctant to blog about this as the media frenzy on this issue has been intoxicating enough on its own. Recently however, I went to watch Kenny Ortega 's movie THIS IS IT and I was reminded of the true grandeur of Michael's music and of the importance of writing an article like this to commemorate the many memories I lived through the king's music. Ortega's movie flows really smoothly as it is a documentary and concert hybrid. While sitting at the movie theatre you...

I don't know if it is because of my Latin-American background but somehow when I listen to good music my body just naturally starts to move to the beat. I enjoy all music genres as I appreciate music's diversity. However, when it comes to my absolute favourite music style I would need to go with electro. For those of you who may not be familiar with this genre of music, I would describe it as a mix of 80's synthesizers with a good selection of drums and dance beats. I find electro to be intense, yet sexy and seductive... and no, I'm not describing a person here :) My first face-to-face encounter with this type of music was back in 2002 when I went to see GusGus live at Sonar nightclub in Vancouver. I was literally in awe. When I purchased the tickets for their show I was not expecting to listen to electro for the first time, as GusGus' previous material was more dance-like. Needless to say, I fell in love. The crowd was going wild that night as we all rocked o...