Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sounds of Denmark

So clearly, music is a big part of my life. Before coming to Denmark--apart from a misguided Hanson phase in 3rd grade--I knew the music I liked. I grew up on the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground, etc.; from my generation, I love The Strokes, Wolf Parade, The Decemberists, Arcade Fire, things like that. You get the idea. There was very little music I wouldn't listen to. But in that small category? Country; polka; anything by Miley Cyrus or an American Idol contestant; and techno/electronic/dance.

Coming to this country and going out on free nights, I was at first dismayed to discover: Danes love them some electronic tunes. I had spent many years mocking this genre of music. I had no intention of ever going out and dancing to it. Give me some Chubby Checker, or Tina Turner, or any song from a decade before my time to which I can bust an idiotic dance move, and I'm good. But senseless beats produced by a large soundsystem? I never understood the appeal.

However, I slowly learned to become open-minded. One of my first weekends out with some new ballet friends, I apparently saw The Knife at Vega, a nightclub in Vesterbro. I remember having no idea who The Knife was, but I was mildly confused as to why the DJs behind the turntables were spinning "mad beats" with creepy masks on. Slowly but surely, the more I got used to hearing this kind of music in the right fun setting, the more I accepted it.

I am now only mildly ashamed to say that I have tentatively embraced this genre for what it is, and have a tiny collection of such music on my beloved iPod Touch. The Knife, Trentemøller, Röyksopp...I am now familiar with these names and some of their music. This is NOT to say I have abandoned my beloved rock n' roll and oldies; when I go out, I much prefer to be the idiot on the dance floor belting out Elton John (or, more ideally, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, aka best karaoke song ever) or busting out the old classic MC Hammer.

Nonetheless, enjoy this "old" one from The Knife, called Like a Pen...it's not so bad. And hey, there's weird animation. I do love cartoons.



Then enjoy one of my personal favorites, by The Contours. Seriously, it's not a party if I can't mashed potato.

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