Cheers for our lives! 向生命致敬！

在生命的某個片段，你曾經有過想起身致敬的時刻嗎?
如果答案是肯定的，你會選擇哪首歌當作背景音樂呢?

此時此刻的墨西哥正給我這種肅然起敬的感覺，
這個不太富裕不太前衛的國家，卻有許多值得相知相惜的人們用心的生活，
簡單卻充滿歡樂的生活不正是現代人汲汲營營背後所追求的嗎?

與其花費大半時間在追尋不屬於自己的人事物，然後來不及在僅剩的短暫裡享受，
寧願用盡全力在把握已經緊緊牽在手心裡的那些珍貴的所有。

曾經我也是那群汲汲營營人們之中的一員，踩在不牢固的基礎上妄想一步登上理想的殿堂，
然而卻遺忘在每個成功背後所需要的是堅實的努力與累積而來的實力。
慶幸的是在人生的迴路九彎十八拐的錯誤裡從身邊的人事物學習到關於態度關於感恩關於"愛"。

愛自己是很難十全十美的一項課題，學會愛自己才能有能力去愛他人。
感謝自己所處的環境與環繞著的人們，向人生致敬後才有繼續前進的勇氣。

有多久沒有被蟲鳴鳥叫聲喚醒，睜開眼被溫暖陽光包圍的感動，你還記得嗎?
世界曾經是那樣的簡單，而未來還可以是那樣的簡單卻美好的。

Fall in Mexico，愛自己多一點。

嗨!

墨西哥的秋天不僅僅微涼，

貧瘠土壤上隨風飄揚的塵土更是為墨西哥增添了許多神秘感。

在距離美墨邊界車程三十分鐘的小鎮裡的教堂/孤兒院當短期的志工，

對我而言比當個全職觀光客來的更有價值。

誰知道芳齡二十三的自己有機會到墨西哥認識一群很有理想的人，

看著院內的孩童青少年成年才體認到無需依賴補給品生活的自己有多幸福。

"簡單就是美"是我在墨西哥的心得，

只要還能用微笑感染身邊的人，就是最美好的生活。

正因為這邊的生活如此簡單，

耳機裡的音樂也不再充滿花俏的效果器，

反而回歸到基本編制和撫慰人心的旋律，

徹底的反映與繁榮美國僅有一牆之隔的墨西哥生活。

【樂團介紹】Signal Hill

Signal Hill emerged in 2004 from Los Angeles, where is know for the cluster of urban noises and creative possibilities. The bond between four members creates the explosiveness and sparks in their music. After releasing first five-song SELF_TITLED EP, Signal Hill received unpredictably huge reverberate from audiences and their ascending fan base successfully spread their name nationally. 

Soon after the EP, Signal Hill finally published its full-length album, More After We're Gone. Unsurprising, this emotionally delicate album made a hit with following collaborations with films, independent projects, and most importantly the chance to perform on stage with well-known bands, such as, They Will Destroy You, Caspian, and many others. However, Signal Hill wasn't satisfied with their success in the US; instead, they decided to head over to Australia for more opportunities and new possibilities to absorb different music genres in their own. 

The trajectory of Signal Hill couldn't be portrayed with a single straight line, but with many pauses and a few uncertain turns. Owing to several reasons, band members couldn't stay at same city for their music career; however, the camaraderie in between them only grows more solid day after day. The distance and experiences add up the variety and mature into the band's music pieces. You could find brand new stories in every song. 

【數字搖滾】Math Rock

數字搖滾(Math Rock) 通常由一連串複雜交錯的旋律所組成，
樂團中大多數會以吉他或貝斯拉起主軸，其他樂器為輔，
用不規則的音樂結構以及不協調的和弦來挑戰聽眾的耳朵。

不像一般搖滾樂曲以四分音符為拍組成四拍一小節的拍子記號，
數字搖滾的編曲常常用奇數組合的小節來製造出拍點不一的聽覺錯覺，
這也是Math Rock命名的由來，像數學一樣難解的拍點。

同時，你也會發現在數字搖滾的世界裡，
不再是強烈的吉他貝斯刷奏與強勁的鼓聲，
為了營造出聽覺上各樂器的交錯，
單音和更細緻的撥弦與敲擊取代了過往的激昂，
你可以輕易找到讓人輕慢搖晃數拍子的節奏。

台灣近年來因大象體操而認識數字搖滾這個自90年代中期急速發展的搖滾分支，
無論國內外早已有許多知名的樂團奏出一篇又一篇難解的數學題。

擊碎、解構、重組。

很久沒有被一首歌重重的敲擊心臟，
今天被The Album Leaf的小喇叭旋律久久一次的再度內心大爆炸。

「6543、4321」

學過簡譜的人應該輕易就知道這是曲中不斷重複的旋律，
在各個樂器中用不同速度、輕重來詮釋的音符，
用低音的keyboard營造出曲子的穩重基底，
小提琴在背後高亢卻溫柔的安撫著聽眾內心的噪音，
小喇叭則是壓垮抑鬱已久內心的最後一根稻草。

慢慢的，像是在指責你不夠用心生活著。
穩穩地，像是在提醒你短暫生命的珍貴。

擊碎、解構、重組。

回頭給你身邊的人一個擁抱吧，
溫柔是水泥圍牆裡的唯一解藥。

Iceland Airwaves 2015 is coming!

Iceland Airwaves 2015 Final Announcement Video


Iceland Airwaves is an annual music festival held in Reykjavik, Iceland since 1999 featuring new music from both international and domestic. David Fricke from the Rolling Stone magazine once described Iceland Airwaves as "the hippest weekend on the annual music-festival calendar." The acceptance of every music genres makes Iceland music well-known by its viariety and uniqueness, and encourages more new musicians to stand out with their own creativities.  Although they are isolated from the rest of the continents in the world, the diversity of music might be the best you could find so far.

【Musician】Hom, Shen-Hao

Touming Magazine Logo

Touming means transparent 

You might not be familiar with his name, Hom, Shen-Hao, but when I speak of "Touming Magazine", the famous independent alternative/punk/rock band in Taiwan, you instantly know.



Personally I love both the punk style of Touming Magazine, and Hom, Shen-Hao's calmer performance. One interesting fact to share with, while in the show of the band, 90 percent of the audience might be males, and during the show of Hom, Shen-Hao himself, it's would be completely reverse. Either you prefer full-set punk band, or acoustic guitar only, I bet you would love both experience with Touming Magazine and Hom, Shen-Hao.

Only released one album so far, Touming Magazine is still lots people's favorite Taiwanese band (including myself). After a two-year break time, they announced last weekend that there would be more foreseeing performances in the future which I am sure that you definitely don't want to miss all.


This song from Touming Magazine is called "Midnight Dinner" which described someone who couldn't fall asleep at three o'clock. With that dreamy feeling, he/she observed and pondered things around the world, and then, it's morning again, another brand new day, another fresh start.

In an interview, they said this album might be a bit low-fi while recording; however, it reflected the very thought, might be rough but true, of band members in their beats, their music. So simple and pure, I think that's why people like Touming Magazine, and their simplified music.

Hom, Shen-Hao's record label

OK, back to Hom, Shen-Hao, the vocal/guitar of Touming Magazine. He released his debut album under his own record label in 2013. People are surprised of the genre-changing from this young musician. He explained in his former interview that he composes new music almost everyday, and there's no limitation of styles for him. Some of his own composition are pretty achievable that he would like to share with people, and that's how "Light Coral" was made, a simple concept of sharing. 




The intro song of Light Coral is called "Night Cruising". Because he personally like wandering at night in Taipei City, then he gathered all the ideas of his fond toward quiet nights and freedom into this song. I do feel the free spirit of night walk from Hom, Shen-Hao's Night Cruising. How about you?


Then this song "Quality of Sleep" is my favorite song form Light Carol album. He simply built a fantasy dream in his music. In his lyrics, lingering around the same street, quietly and secretly, no one ever really cares about you, and you don't actually mind others' gossip. "Be yourself, no matter how life treat you", is what I get after listening to this song. No matter how life sucks, you can always escape/hide in your own created dreams.

The other reason I love this song is the instrument-changing which create several different possibility for listener to build their own world. With a gloomy start with drums and piano using repeated melody to create a steady base, and then adds up different instruments, such as guitar and synthesizer to embrace listeners with magical dreamy atmosphere where you would never let your imagination down.

In December 2014, Hom, Shen-Hao released his second album "Bored" also under his own record label_Petit alp record, and this is the fifth album under his label within only one year. We can tell his passion on music never fades away but increasing. Although. from other interviews, he confessed that finance is still very hard for every independent label and musician. So, if you have time and passion towards independent music, wherever you are, please stand out and participate any performances you like to support those musician. That's their motivation to keep making good music.



"Bored" is absolutely my favorite song of this album, because the rap part and mostly its lyrics. If you have tried to change the world in your own way, then you must hold the same feeling as Hom, Shen-Hao did. It's hard to get out from the frame the society built hundreds years ago, but you gotta try, you gotta walk on the edge to create your own contribution to change the world.

Hom, Shen-Hao is a productive and brilliant musician. He won't be satisfied with how the world already is; instead, he's cling to the edge of what-you-should-do-as-a-human/musician/citizen/whatever hoping to provide "something important" to things he cares by music. The answer of innocence and pure heart is why people like him and his music collection.