Soundtrack to My Life
One thing about traveling which I realised is that it makes it more worthwhile and much better when you have your music with you. I remembered the first time that I made music as my companion – sitting for my PMR exams, I was engrossed in my notes and listening to classical music. Of course since then I’ve moved on to many other things and had my radio on when I was studying all the way until I got my degree. Then it was all the traveling – my iPod has always been my constant companion.
And looking back, sometimes listening to certain songs brings back the memories of that certain place that I’ve been – something that I’ve called soundtrack to a certain time and place. It’s bit cheesy and very gay but hey, I am both chessy (sometimes) and gay. From what I can remember, here is a rundown of the stuff that I’ve listened to.Click on the title/link to listen.
Years ago in Pangkor (pre-iPod days)
How apt to listen to The Beach on a beach eh? I quite enjoyed the movie and this was of course the days before my love affair with Thailand and its islands so I couldn’t 100% comprehend this Western love for the Eastern.
Hong Kong
Funny enough, I just discovered Roisin Murphy and these are the songs that went on repeat. I believe it was after listening to her sing during one of the Viktor & Rolf runway presentation that I started to dwell in her albums
My 1st Phuket trip
Adam K & Soha – what else can I say other than watching the sun set and listening to the waves crashing is certainly the best thing that anyone can do and these pieces of music fits right into the mood. I really heart that country. The track would be Chicane vs Natasha Bedingfield's Bruised Water remix by them.
My 2nd Phuket trip
Above & Beyond named their music label and all their assets after the famous Anjuna beach at Goa and their music has always been beach life inspired, what better song to play but Sirens of The Sea remixed which came out at that time. Perfect beach music - the link is for the track Lonely Girl.
Koh Samui
It was quite a wild holiday and there was nothing better than the Kitsune compilation which I have just discovered but one old song stood out from everything else – how can you not love this? Very old track from Pnau
Medan
Once again, long rides in the bus from one place to another and this album just came out – was on loop like mad. No idea why but it gave me solace and entertainment enough during those long long time spent on the road - Will Young's album, Echoes.
India
We Found Love somehow works in the hustle and bustle of India, probably apt in the sense of the lyrical hopefulness of finding love in a hopeless place like the slums that I’ve seen in India. And also, I heard this song being played in one of the petrol station, in an outskirt town near Jaipur, a testament that you can escape RiRi no matter where you go
Swim by DJ Cam- The majesty of the video, a girl falling off from a building, slow-mo – the beauty and the sadness of it all – something that I can imagine when I was visiting one grand palace to another – I can almost imagine myself falling off those ancient railings and onto the gardens below. This has remained one of my favorite song and favorite moment in travelling
And last but not least, my Australia trip was very much playing This Sweet Love. Those long days in the busses traveling from one beautiful place to another, it was almost bittersweet really because at the back of my mind, there was a lot of shit going on and work to be bothered with but then there’s the beautiful sense of exploring and experiencing a new city.
And looking back, sometimes listening to certain songs brings back the memories of that certain place that I’ve been – something that I’ve called soundtrack to a certain time and place. It’s bit cheesy and very gay but hey, I am both chessy (sometimes) and gay. From what I can remember, here is a rundown of the stuff that I’ve listened to.Click on the title/link to listen.
Years ago in Pangkor (pre-iPod days)
How apt to listen to The Beach on a beach eh? I quite enjoyed the movie and this was of course the days before my love affair with Thailand and its islands so I couldn’t 100% comprehend this Western love for the Eastern.
Hong Kong
Funny enough, I just discovered Roisin Murphy and these are the songs that went on repeat. I believe it was after listening to her sing during one of the Viktor & Rolf runway presentation that I started to dwell in her albums
My 1st Phuket trip
Adam K & Soha – what else can I say other than watching the sun set and listening to the waves crashing is certainly the best thing that anyone can do and these pieces of music fits right into the mood. I really heart that country. The track would be Chicane vs Natasha Bedingfield's Bruised Water remix by them.
My 2nd Phuket trip
Above & Beyond named their music label and all their assets after the famous Anjuna beach at Goa and their music has always been beach life inspired, what better song to play but Sirens of The Sea remixed which came out at that time. Perfect beach music - the link is for the track Lonely Girl.
Koh Samui
It was quite a wild holiday and there was nothing better than the Kitsune compilation which I have just discovered but one old song stood out from everything else – how can you not love this? Very old track from Pnau
Medan
Once again, long rides in the bus from one place to another and this album just came out – was on loop like mad. No idea why but it gave me solace and entertainment enough during those long long time spent on the road - Will Young's album, Echoes.
India
We Found Love somehow works in the hustle and bustle of India, probably apt in the sense of the lyrical hopefulness of finding love in a hopeless place like the slums that I’ve seen in India. And also, I heard this song being played in one of the petrol station, in an outskirt town near Jaipur, a testament that you can escape RiRi no matter where you go
Swim by DJ Cam- The majesty of the video, a girl falling off from a building, slow-mo – the beauty and the sadness of it all – something that I can imagine when I was visiting one grand palace to another – I can almost imagine myself falling off those ancient railings and onto the gardens below. This has remained one of my favorite song and favorite moment in travelling
And last but not least, my Australia trip was very much playing This Sweet Love. Those long days in the busses traveling from one beautiful place to another, it was almost bittersweet really because at the back of my mind, there was a lot of shit going on and work to be bothered with but then there’s the beautiful sense of exploring and experiencing a new city.
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