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kickdownthewalls · 6 years

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Top 20 Non-Metal Albums of 2017

So, while my passion has long been heavy metal, there is so much other great music out there I felt it was worth my time to compile a list of the best of the rest. These twenty albums represent quite a number of genres, but they all share the quality of being awesome…

1. BLACK SEAGULL - Distant Lullabies

After the heart-breaking demise of one of my favorite band of the last two decades, On Trial, I was overjoyed to hear that a couple of ex-members had formed a new band called Black Seagull. While the sound is a bit more mellow and countrified, the songwriting quality is still top-notch and it sounds very much like a logical continuation of the Forever album.

2. ANVIL STRYKEZ - Anvil Strykez

My first impression was this would be a half-assed synthwave late-comer, based on the name, song titles, and album art, but damn if this isn’t one of the most thoroughly engaging albums all around. Vocoded vocals, pure 80s synth and drum machines, well-placed guitars, and a completely memorable and different approach for each tune add up to one hell of a spin.

3. DEPECHE MODE - Spirit

The past few Mode records have been consistently good, if not quite as memorable as Playing the Angel or any of the classics. Spirit is a different beast and my favorite album of theirs since Songs of Faith and Devotion way back in in ’93. The songs “Going Backwards” and “Where’s the Revolution” rank right up there with anything they have penned and the lyrics throughout the album are the perfect reflection of our current state of devolved world affairs.

4. POPPY - poppy.computer

It’s happening again. Some things are weird. Let’s appreciate together. Am I doing this right? Someone sent me this. Can you see it? These are cotton swabs. Poppy loves politics. You are Poppy. I’m Poppy. Everybody wants to be Poppy, Poppy.

5. SNIFF 'N' THE TEARS - Random Elements

One of those groups that, save for one big top-40 hit back in 1979, has flown under the radar but consistently released top-notch albums over the years. Paul Roberts is the singer/songwriter that has helmed the group since the start (and even paints all the album covers) and he still sounds as unique as ever. He writes songs that have a certain melancholy to them that has always struck a chord with me and Random Elements is full of them.

6. DANCE WITH THE DEAD - B-Sides: Volume 1

While synthwave acts like GosT and Carpenter Brut have made a considerable number of fans among metalheads, Dance With the Dead goes the furthest in actually combining the styles. Retro synth lines are still the dominant feature but the chugging, thrashy riffs are nearly as omnipresent and the band add some very well-placed (and well-played) guitar solos on many tracks. This is their latest and they have only gone from strength to strength.

7. THE HAXANS - Party Monsters

This is the kind of thing I would usually roll my eyes at and dismiss straight away but this duo has put together a collection of songs that are so infectious, I can’t stop listening to it. It is the perfect mix of death punk, pop, and Rob Zombie-eque horror metal. Vocalist Ashley Costello is a real gem, too, delivering the campy lyrics with the perfect mix of sensuality and power.

8. KMFDM - Hell Yeah

These die-hard industrial rockers have been releasing slight variations on the same album for the past 25 years or so but, hey, it’s a fucking great album. Hell Yeah isn’t quite up there with WTF?! or WWIII but it’s better than the last couple and their revolutionary calls to action have never been timelier.

9. THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA - Amber Galactic

When it comes to paying tribute to classic AOR from the 70s and 80s, no one does it better and with more enthusiasm than The Night Flight Orchestra. Amber Galactic is not as consistently brilliant as the first two albums but it is still great and the song “Domino” is an instant classic.

10. SIINAI - Sykli

This is Finnish ambient space trance. Repetitive, hypnotic electronics, looping guitars - it’s the perfect soundtrack for some meditation or that long, slow flight into the night. I’m always looking for chill stuff like this that works and, damn, this is executed with utmost perfection.

11. CHEAP TRICK - We're All Alright!

While Cheap Trick made some pretty mediocre records in the 80s and 90s, their 70s albums all stand up as classics and they have done some good work in recent years, too, most notably 2009’s The Latest. We’re All Alright! might be even better and the first half in particular is loaded with some well-crafted and hard rocking tunes.

12. CURSED MOON - Rite of Darkness

This album positively reeks of early-80s death rock in all the best ways. You’ve got driving basslines, reverby guitars, and gloomy synths, with the added bonus of gruff vocals that are more in the vein of early black or death metal. Not a ton of variety from song to song but it’s a highly enjoyable sound that works for a full album.

13. THE MOON AND THE NIGHT SPIRIT - Metanoia

This is a cool Hungarian duo that has been around for a good 15 years now. They make a very enchanting brand of folky darkwave with dreamy melodies and ethereal vocals. This is the first time I have had a chance to hear them since I fell in love with their 2011 album Mohalepte a few years back and I’m pleased to report they haven’t lost any of their charms.

14. LEGEND - Midnight Champion

Duo from Iceland that manages to capture the vibe and quality of classic industrial-rock and infuse it with modern and rather epic touches. The songs don’t just kick in and race to a catchy chorus; you have to be patient. The payoff is always worth it, though, and each songs follows its own dramatic course.

15. ADRENALINE RUSH - Soul Survivor

The debut from these Swedish hard rockers back in 2014 was a captivating collection of tunes that lived up to the band’s name. Soul Survivor is not quite as consistently good but it still has some damn fine tracks. The sound is big, melodic and surprisingly metal at times, with Tave Wanning’s vocals adding a great deal of charm, passion, and distinctiveness to the proceedings.

16. JESUS AND MARY CHAIN - Damage and Joy

I’ll admit I never paid much attention to these Scotts until the Automatic album came out and blew me away. Sadly, they seem to have slowly disintegrated after that, but after a lengthy break, they managed to return with one hell of a comeback record. Damage and Joy has some of the feedback from the early years, some of the electronics of the later years, and all of the sardonic humor and Velvet Underground chord progressions you would hope for.

17. BLONDIE - Pollinator

Blondie has had some good tunes since their reunion in 1999 but this is the first album where nearly every track is a winner. The three most important contributors to the band’s sound - Debbie Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, and drummer Clem Burke - are all still intact and in great form.

18. BLACK MARE - Death Magick Mother

This is the solo project from Sera Timms, the lead vocalist of Ides of Gemini. Here she takes a far more traditional gothic tone with the music, while her vocals take on an even more ethereal feel than in Ides. No individual song really stands out but it all works together beautifully as a complete album.

19. RAINBOWLICKER - I Saw The Light But Turned It Off

My first listen to this Finnish outfit was truly one of those WTF moments. Elements of punk, electro, chiptune, industrial and goth all merge together with some suitably peculiar, snotty vocals to make a fresh sound that is at once annoying and endearing.

20. TARJA - From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas)

Christmas albums have a tendency to be either too campy or too cliched for their own good. Tarja instead presents a collection of traditional (and one original) tunes done up in a suitably dramatic and darkly original fashion. While her solo rock albums have left me rather flat, I love her voice and the orchestral pairing is simply gorgeous. No one sounds like Tarja, no matter how hard they try.

Some more bands with great releases in 2017 to check out if you are curious: AGUSA, BARDSPEC, CAMERATA MEDIOLANENS, DAN TERMINUS, FLAMES OF GENESIS, GALLEY BEGGAR, IIVII, KESHA, L.A. WITCH, LIVING COLOUR, PERTURBATOR, ROPE SECT, SOROR DOLOROSA, and UFFE LORENZEN.

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itwascrabpeople · 7 years

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start a craze (ignite the airwaves) // septiplier

Boys in a band, touring and writing songs and pining. AKA Septiplier Band!AU, where they all meet when they're teenages and start a band.

Also on AO3.

DISCLAIMER: Any situations written involving real people are fictional, and are in no way meant to be actual implications on their personal lives, s'just for fun! So please press that back button if any of this makes you uncomfortable!

“Hey, you’re the Irish exchange student, right?” Bob asks, handing him a can of coke.

“Half-right,” Jack says, twirling a drumstick between his fingers. “We moved here from Ireland. Signe’s the exchange student. People keep gettin’ that mixed up.”

They’re in the basement of Bob’s house, it’s crowded by instruments and old furniture, including a single couch pushed into the corner.

“Sorry,” Bob says, pushing up his glasses. “Wade said he met you on Friday and wanted you for the band. So you’ve gotta be pretty good, huh.”

“I guess, he was sick today apparently, but said I should still come audition,” Jack tells him, then nods at the bass in Bob’s hands. “You’re the bassist?”

“Yeah, I have no real musical talent,” Bob laughs, “but I’m passable at bass, thus Mark dubbed me the bassist. Sorry about the room, by the way, my parents are the only ones that let us play.”

“Nah, It’s cool,” Jack says, “thanks for the coke.”

“No problem,” Bob says, smiling, “you can show us what you got as soon as Mark gets down here.”

“Already here, Bobby m’boy!”

Jack turns, and is faced with a strange rush of something at the sight of this Mark guy. Probably because of how close he’s standing to him.

“Whoa.”

“Oh hi, I’m Mark, I sing and write lyrics and stuff,” Mark says, taking a step back and sticking out his hand. His voice is deeper than Jack would’ve expected it to be. “You’re Sean, right? You're gonna be in our band?”

“Jack, actually,” he corrects as he shakes Mark’s hand, feeling lightheaded. “And… you haven’t even heard me play yet.”

“Oh!” Mark smiles warmly, then sidesteps. “Sorry man, go ahead!”

“Um, anything in particular? Any styles?” For some reason he can’t stop staring dumbly at this Mark guy. With his stupid shark-fin hair, and his stupid eyes, and his stupid big friendly smile, and his stupid hot voice. It has to be because of how stupid it all is. Definitely.

“Whatever you like, man,” Mark says, and there’s that warm smile again.

Jack goes and sits at the drumkit, and, with one last look at Mark, he plays.

They gel pretty quickly, him and Mark. He’s shy about letting Jack see his lyrics at first but once he does Jack swears he can practically hear the songs.

He gives suggestions about moving some lines around, and when he tries out a simple beat Mark starts humming along, and when Ethan comes down he starts working out the guitar and bass sections immediately.

After that first night of practise, Mark beams at him like he’s made of magic and insists that Jack comes to his place the next day. And Jack - with his heart caught in his throat - of course he’s not going to say no.

He realises he’s pretty much doomed from here on out.

“So you’ll do it right? You’ll be in the band?” Mark asks, eyes trained on Jack like if he looks away he’ll bolt. They’re standing on the porch of Mark’s house, waiting for Jack’s brother to come pick him up. They’ve just finished their second band practise, and Jack has to admit that they sound pretty good.

“Well.. I didn’t just come here for the food,” he says, scratching the back of his head. He looks down at the sealed container of leftovers Mark’s mom insisted that he take. “But I’ll have to next time if your Mom makes whatever this is called again, yum.”

“Kimbap, Wade likes it too so she always makes it for lunch when he’s over,” Mark tells him, then tilts his head, “So that’s a yes?”

“O’ course it’s a yes,” Jack smiles. He sees his brother’s car drive into the street. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah, great! Y’know, we’re gonna be really awesome.” Mark tells him, sounding so sincere that Jack can’t help but to believe him. Mark grins widely and, for some reason, ruffles Jack’s hair before heading back inside.

Jack tells his brother to shut up when he asks why he’s blushing.

“If one more douchebag asks me to play with his drumstick, I’m quittin’ the band.”

“Jack noo,” Mark says blandly, staring at his phone. “This is gonna be our Behind The Music breakup, isn’t it? It was all over after one gig at a sleazy bar.”

“I’m surprised they even let us play,” Bob says, loading a speaker into the back of the van. “Tell Danny those fake IDs were legit.”

“Yeah, maybe too legit,” Jack says, shuddering. “Agh, one guy’s breath smelt like alcohol, vomit, and regret - how’d they miss the whole underage thing up close and personal? I’m practically prepubescent!”

Bob tilts his head. “Yeah, you look sixteen, and some guys are into that,” he says, cringing. “Creepy guys.”

Mark peeks up from his phone to look at Jack. “Nobody like, touched you or anything, right?”

Jack looks at him, noting the hint of concern in his voice. “Nah, there wasn’t no bad touch, thankfully.”

“Good,” is all Mark says, looking down again. “Or I’d’a, you know…”

Jack clasps his hands together and bats his eyelashes at him. “Would you’ve defended my honour, Markipoo?”

What Mark says sounds like ‘shut up’ as he turns away with a blush forming on his cheeks, but what Jack hears is ‘yes’.

They got close to it once, earlier on. They were drunk and camping out in someone’s living room between shows. Wade and Ethan were passed out on the couches, snoring, while Bob had opted to sleep in the van. Jack was seventeen, and at the time he thought underage drinking made him cool as shit.

“You know, you’re my best friend, Jack,” Mark had said sincerely. He was glassy eyed and his face was all red, it tended to get really flushed whenever he drank.

“Dude,” Jack said, leaning up on his elbow. “You’re like, my first best friend ever . But you’re also the best one. Y’know what I’m sayin’?”

“Yeah,” Mark agreed, rolling onto his side to face Jack properly. Without his glasses and his hair all mussed up he looks really young, and sort of vulnerable.

“I never wanna lose that, you know?” Mark went on.” What we have… it’s different, it’s ours, it’s... special.”

Ordinarily Jack would have laughed at that, cheesy as it is, but being an emotionally drunk teenager, and Mark looking at him like he meant every word - he took it to heart.

“Yeah,” Jack sighed, and Mark moving in closer felt like another reality, a slower one where all Jack could do was lean in too and close his eyes.

Then Wade snorted really loudly, and Mark just laughed and laid back down as if nothing world-shattering was just about to happen.

And at that moment, Jack remembers thinking to himself, ‘oh no, I really love him’.

They have a hit on their hands, their manager says. They don’t believe it till they’re out on the road, and Bob turns up the radio. Wade nearly swerves them off the road in shock.

The opening line; I was crawling around in my head in the haze of a trance…

Mark catches Jack’s hand and starts singing along loudly, at stoplights and in backstreets. And it’s the last time they drive to a show in that shitty van.

Jack sighs and sets down his drumsticks. Wade and Ethan jostle the bus from the outside, trying to push it out of a ditch as Bob revs the engine.

“Y’know what they say,” Jack says, “if the bus is a-rockin’...”

“I’ve got my cock in,” Mark finishes, grinning at Jack from across the table.

“You’re such a moron,” Jack says, but he’s laughing too, and looks out the window just in time to see Ethan charge at the bus. “Although, not as moronic as those two, apparently.”

“I dunno, I kind of admire their optimism.”

Wade slams onto the bus then, huffing and sweaty as he looks at them with wide eyes. “You guys have just been sitting here this whole time?!”

“Hey, we helped!” Jack says, leaning back. “Like, the first couple o’ minutes.”

“Then we realised that none of us have the manpower to move this thing,” Mark chimes in, and flexes his arm out at Wade. “Not even my huge muscley manliness could help, it’s hopeless.”

Jack mentally congratulates himself for only glancing at Mark’s bare arm as he nods. “Y-yeah! Not our fault ya idiots are still trying.”

“Well we need to do something!” Wade says exasperatedly, a hand pressed to his forehead. “We have no freaking reception and we’re out in the middle of nowhere!”

“Actually,” Jack starts slowly just as Ethan clambers back onto the bus, “I got a signal and called a local tow company.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us that?” Ethan’s skinny form slumps right onto the table. “I can’t feel my arms. Or my legs. Or most of my upper body.”

“We liked watching you try.” Mark shrugs, petting Ethan’s blue head consolingly. “It was admirable... in a sorta fruitless way.”

“And I really thought you had it like eleven minutes in,” Jack adds, nodding at Wade who is just watching them with quiet rage. His eye’s twitching - does it normally do that? “So at least I believed in you.”

Jack dyes his hair green in the middle of their tour, and Mark decides dying his red would be cool. Wade says they look like Christmas one night on stage between songs.

“Form of - mistletoe!” Mark says, coming ‘round to Jack behind his kit and shaking his hair in his face. Jack laughs and shoves him back playfully, and the crowd loves it, cheering.

“I need a haircut, man,” Mark says. “Hey Jack, what would your superhero name be?”

“Um,” Jack says into his rarely-used mic. “JackSepticEye’s what they called me in Ireland, ‘cause I had a septic eye once, and m’name’s Jack.”

“Mine is Markiplier, apparently.” Mark shrugs. “That was my username on myspace I think, like eighty years ago. The fans found it. Meeerkiplier.”

“Those are both shit hero names,” Bob says, strumming his bass as the crowd laughs. “You’d be shit super heroes. Mark Septic Plier Tank? The hell is that? Besides, you’re both too short.”

“Hey!” Ethan says indignantly, and someone in the crowd screams “I love you Ethan!”

“Eh, whatever, shush, shush ,” Mark commands, waving his hands down. Once the crowd is quiet enough, he leans in and sings the first lines of one of their sillier songs, “Hate to tell you honey, but Wilford Warfstache killed a man…”

“Ohh home sweet not-the-road!” Mark exclaims as soon as he’s through the door, making his way towards the kitchen and flopping onto the counter. “Oh, overpriced kitchenette, I’ve missed you so.”

“Dude, I forgot you had a house!” Jack says as he walks in after him. “And a kitchen!” He glances at Mark and goes to hug the fridge since the counter’s taken.

“I forgot what not having to disinfect every surface before you touched it was like,” Mark says, voice muffled.

Jack opens the fridge and sighs. “I forgot food wasn’t only provided by truckstops and questionable club owners.”

“I forgot that you guys don’t shut up,” Tyler yells from the living room. “Like. Ever.”

“Tyler!” They both say excitedly, and run to greet him. It’s an awkward six-armed hug, but they manage.

“Aw,” Mark says, “I forgot what having a surly roommate dictating my every move was like.”

“Hey Tyler!” Ethan says, opening his arms to join the group hug.

“Wait, never mind,” Mark grunts as he’s crushed between them all. It’s a good day.

“I guess the songs are okay, but babe, do they have to be so… down ?” Mel makes a sad pouty face, as though Mark can just rewrite the whole album for her when they’re at a party celebrating that it just went platinum. God, Jack hates her.

“Ah-hum, well the songs are pretty personal, yeah,” Mark says, looking down at his drink. “I thought “Calling Doctor Schneeplestein” was pretty upbeat though.”

“Yeah I guess,” she says with a grimace. “The drum solo was a bit much - no offense Jack, but yeah.”

“Oh, offense taken, Mel,” Jack says, a fake grin plastered on his face as he sips his drink - whiskey and coke - and murmurs, “Ya shady bitch ,” into his glass. If Mel hears this she doesn’t show it, and proceeds to ignore him like she usually does.

She’s entwining her pinky with Mark’s, using her cutesy voice as she says, “C’mon babe, I'm dying for a drink.” Mark looks to Jack for some reason, opening his mouth like he has something to say before she drags him away.

Eventually Wade comes over, bottle of beer in his hand as he leans against the wall beside Jack.

Wade bumps him with his shoulder. “You holding up okay, buddy? I feel like you’ve had that glass half-full all night.”

Jack barely hears him, watching Mel parade Mark around the room like a trophy. “Is it just me, or is she the worst?”

“Who?” Wade asks, then follows Jack’s line of sight and rolls his eyes. “Oh .”

Jack turns to him at that. “What?”

“Nothing,” Wade says, taking a swig of his beer. “Only... you know you say that about all the girls he dates, right?”

“I do not,” Jack says indignantly, setting his glass down. “I thought Amy was cool.”

“Yeah, after she married Kathryn and moved to Connecticut.”

“She was cool before that!”

“Before she dated Mark, you mean,” Wade says, a small smile on his face. “Then it was all, ‘man, has Amy been kind of an asshole lately, or what’. don’t you remember?”

“This is different. Mel has her head shoved so far up her own ass I’m surprised she can still communicate verbally,” Jack says, and unconsciously starts to fiddle with his wristbands. “Mark doesn't need someone like that. He needs someone that isn’t vapid, someone that actually cares about him, that gets him like...”

“Like… you?” The smile is evident in Wade’s voice alone.

“Shut up,” Jack says, blushing as he picks his drink back up and downs the rest of it. He can feel Wade’s eyes on him, but refuses to look up.

“It’s okay that you’re in love with him, you know,” Wade tells him, and Jack swears he can feel his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. There’s no way he can know - he’s hidden it so well.

“Wh-what,” Jack says quickly, breathlessly, “I don’t… you don’t… I don’t.” His hands won’t stop shaking so he clenches them at his sides, hoping it goes unnoticed.

Wade places a heavy hand on his shoulder, and somehow it sets Jack at ease, makes him feel a little more grounded.

“It is okay, Jack. You have to know that,” is all Wade says, then after a smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder, he walks away, probably to go find Molly.

Jack takes a deep breath, and after a few minutes of settling himself down he decides it’s time to go order another drink.

It’s not like Jack just pines for Mark and doesn’t date other people. There was Signe in high school for like two weeks. Then Robin. And Jack will count Felix even though that never really went anywhere.

So he’s not totally pathetic. He just... can’t help that his stupid heart doesn’t leap at the thought of anyone but Mark.

And if that idiot can’t see how gone Jack is like bloody everyone else can, well, he has to figure that it’s on purpose.

“It will, Bob, it’ll fuck up the band,” Jack hears Mark say from the other side of the bus. He thought they were asleep. It’s like three in the morning and they have a gig tomorrow, but Jack woke up needing to pee and the great outdoors seemed a fine choice for a toilet.

“You’re an idiot if you think something like a real relationship is gonna fuck with the band,” Bob says.

Ah, Jack figures they’re talking about Mel. They'd broken up just over a week ago, Jack doesn’t know the specifics as to why, but Mark hasn't seemed all that upset about it anyway.

“Being in love is a good thing, Mark. You can have good things.”

Something about the way Bob says this reminds Jack of what Wade said to him that night at the party. It's okay for you to be in love with him, you know.

“I don’t know,” Mark says, sighing. “I don’t know and I hate that I don’t know.”

“Look, you guys, together,” Bob says, “it just... works. It always worked.” Jack hates him a little for this. Since when is Bob so gung-ho about Mark and Mel getting back together?

“And when it doesn’t?”

"If anything actually happens because you finally grow some fucking balls,” Bob says, and Mark chuckles a little at this. “If something does go wrong. We’ll still be a band. You’ll still be my friend.”

“At least I’ll have that going for me,” Mark laughs weakly.

“Yeah, at least.”

Jack quietly heads back onto the bus, but he doesn’t manage much sleep.

The next day, Mel releases a sex tape of her and Mark.

“Oh…” Jack says, and for some reason he can’t bring himself to look in Mark’s direction. “No it’s not like that… we’re uh…”

“...Not together... like that,” Mark finishes for him, and for a long moment no one says anything. Even the lady interviewing them seems to sense the tension as she glances between them.

“Well the fans sure do “ship” it, haha,” she says, tapping her pen against her clipboard. “So, any real romance happening in your lives, or does the touring keep you busy?”

“It does keep us all very busy, but we’d like to keep that sorta stuff personal, regardless,” Bob answers, then smiles innocently. “If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not! It must be so overwhelming having the spotlight suddenly on you,” she says, faux-sympathy written all over her face. “Mark, I know you’ve been dealing with some heavy media attention lately.”

“Is that a question?” Jack snaps, already frustrated with how this interview has gone. When he feels everyone’s eyes on him he looks away, face flushed.

“It’s just that you’ve all been so... quiet,” she says carefully, “Which is understandable, but I’m sure your fans would love a comment from you Mark, and of course from your fellow band members.” She smiles, and it reminds Jack of a bloodthirsty shark circling its prey.

“What do you want to know,” Mark says finally, eyes downcast. “Did I know she taped it? Did my “fellow band members” watch it?” He looks up at her then, pure fury in his voice. “What? Am I into other kinky shit? Am I really that hung or was it the camera angle? What - what do you want from me.”

“This interview’s done,” Bob says, putting a hand on Mark’s shoulder, to silence or comfort him - Jack doesn’t know, maybe both. “You’re not using any of that.”

The lady laughs - laughs . “You don’t get--”

“You’re not using any of it,” Bob says again firmly, towering over her, and the lady shuts up and nods tightly.

“Well that was…” Jack finds himself saying, but Mark is already standing and walking away.

“Get out,” Jack says, trying to pull Mark out of his bunk. “You aren’t sulking here the whole goddamn tour, Mark.”

“Fuck you, yes I am.” Mark resists, rolling away from Jack and - with his extra muscle - manages to pull him halfway into the bunk with him.

“Ow , you fuckin’ ass,” Jack swears. “Tear my arm out its fucking socket, why dont’cha.”

“Hello, Tyler,” Ethan says into his phone, sitting at the table on the bus. “Hi, mommy and daddy are fighting again, I’m scared.”

“Fuckin’ - that’s it.” Jack climbs the rest of the way into the bunk, squeezing himself into the tight space between the ceiling and Mark’s body.

“What’re you - get the fuck out, Jack!” Mark squirms, but only manages to fit them closer together. There’s a lot of kicking and elbowing but Jack manages to hold Mark down. Even if it’s in a precarious, and somewhat suggestive way.

“Dude, I am in prime position to knee you in the balls, do not test me.”

“Nevermind,” Ethan says loudly. “I actually think they’re having sex. Yeah I know right? Finally.”

“Shut up!” They both say at once, and Jack manages to pull back a couple inches to stare Mark down.

“The tape isn’t your fault,” he states simply and firmly as he can.

Mark’s face reddens, and he starts pushing at Jack in earnest. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Sean --”

“The questions aren’t your fault either. Fuck’s sake, Mark, we’re a team. When shit happens to you - it happens to all of us.”

Mark sinks back down and avoids Jack’s eyes. “Exactly,” he says, “and now you guys are catching all the shit meant for me. All our work - our music is ruined because of me .”

“No. That’s not what I mean.” Jack shakes his head, keeps his hand pressed to Mark’s chest to keep him still. “The music is the music, it doesn’t matter how people find it, or what they associate it with. It doesn’t even matter whether they like it or not.” Jack swallows when Mark finally looks up at him. “It is what it is, and one stupid sex tape isn’t going to change that.”

Mark is silent for a moment, then quietly asks, “And us?”

“The band is us, stupid,” Jack says, huffing. “It’s our friendship, it’s you and me. Would the band be ruined because I fucked like, I’unno, a german horse?”

“Ew, maybe,” Mark says cringing slightly, but his tone is light.

“Nah, you’d forgive me, wouldn’t ya?” Jack shuffles his body down a bit, but stops when his thigh slides against Mark’s. “We’d even write a song about it.”

“We probably would,” Mark says faintly. “Do you? Forgive me, I mean.”

Jack frowns at this. How can Mark possibly believe that any of this is his fault? “Dude, there’s nothing that I need to forgive. Mel’s a fuckin’ bitch and she screwed you over. And even if you yourself released a bajillion freaky sex tapes, I still wouldn’t be mad. Horrifyingly impressed maybe, but never mad.”

“Yeah?” Mark asks, half-smiling at Jack now in a way that makes his heart get caught in his throat.

“Yeah,” Jack says, biting hack the urge to lean down close and brush his lips against Mark's. “Now, me and the german horse on the other hand…”

Mark doesn’t say anything to that, but he does pull Jack down into a heartfelt hug. And if Jack maybe savours it for longer than he should, well, that’s no one’s business but his own.

After the tour ends, they hang out at Mark and Tyler’s place in LA, laughing and drinking every night. It’s just Ethan and Jack since Bob and Wade flew back to Ohio, so Tyler insists that they crash with him and Mark before their international tour starts.

It feels so normal, like how it was before all the crazy fame and attention.

“You’re gonna tell him, right?” Ethan asks when Jack lies down next to him on the pull-out in the living room.

Jack doesn’t answer, hopes that Ethan will just think he’s drunk and already dead asleep.

“You’ve gotta, dude,” Ethan says anyway, and Jack feels him tug at the sheets when he turns on his side. “You’ll be happy.”

Jack thinks about it the rest of the night, thinks maybe it’s time to get this weight off his chest. But he doesn’t think he can. When Jack really thinks about it he loved Mark the minute they met. When he was fifteen. And Jack’s man enough now that he can accept that he loves him, probably always will. But he couldn't bare actually saying it and having Mark not feel the same way.

It’s better this way, he thinks as he drifts into sleep. Less heartache.

Not an hour later, Tyler is shaking him awake and saying, “Something’s wrong with Mark, get up!”

“You moron,” Jack says, and wipes his nose on his sleeve. Mark continues to sleep, it’s so quiet except for the rhythmic beeps of the machines he’s hooked up to. A really cool nurse let him in when she saw he was practically lying on the floor in the waiting room.

Jack sent the others home after everything was sorted, but couldn’t bring himself to leave.

“Do you even know how bad I would’ve killed you if you died,” he says to Mark’s sleeping face. His chest hurts at just the sight of the tubes in his nose and dark bags under his eyes. “Like, super dead.”

Mark collapsed, turns out his usual minor reaction to alcohol wasn’t so minor at all. It did something to his heart. Jack only got the gist of it - that Mark plus alcohol from now on is a no-go.

“This is the part where I tell you I… I’m in love with you, or whatever.” Jack sniffles and takes his hand in his, careful of the needle stuck in the back of it. “Well nope, in fact, fuck you. You scared the shit outta me. Us. Half your family’s flying down tomorrow, by the way.”

Mark continues to sleep, his hand is heavy and warm in Jack’s as he gently holds it.

“What would I do without you?” Jack says quietly, then, even quieter, “I do love you, ya fuckin’ bastard.”

“Are you always this articulate?” Mark’s voice is gravelly and weak, and his eyes are closed when Jack nearly snaps his neck to look at him.

“Mark?” Jack holds his breath, and then the corners of Mark’s mouth lift up to a smile. “Oh you fuckin’ asshole!” It takes a lot of willpower to not smack him on the chest.

“Be gentle with me,” Mark says meekly, opening his eyes, “my heart stopped or something. I’m delicate.” He squeezes Jack’s fingers which cause him to blush.

“My ass you’re delicate,” is all Jack can say. His face feels hot and he’d really like to pull his hand away, but Mark is holding on like a vice.

“Did you mean it?” Mark asks, and for a second it feels like Jack’s heart stops.

He can’t bring himself to speak, or even look at Mark, as he nods minutely.

“Will you look at me,” Mark croaks, and his fingers are on Jack’s chin, gently turning his face. Their eyes meet, and just fuck Jack’s life, it’s a goddamn hallmark movie.

“Well,” Jack says, though he doesn’t know why, and swallows at the lump in his throat.

Mark smiles at him. “That was really cliche,” he says, and Jack tugs his hand free, hurt. “And I’m really fucking in love with you.”

Jack doesn’t say anything, can’t . But then Mark makes a soft noise and pulls weakly at his hand and Jack goes easily, hugging Mark as carefully as he can. It barely registers that Mark was quoting Hercules when he spoke up, what a nerd.

“I really would have killed you, y’know,” Jack says, muffled against Mark’s collarbone, he brushes his fingers through Mark’s dark hair. “Still might.”

“I know, you’re totally vicious and scary,” Mark says, and his mouth is right against Jack’s ear, making it tingle oddly whenever he speaks. “You’ll kiss me first though, right?”

Jack lifts his head a bit, and Mark looks so fragile, so tired and hurt. And he loves him, so, so much.

“Right,” Jack says softly, leaning down. “I’ll kiss you first.”

Only he doesn’t, as Mark surges up and closes the space between them. His lips are dry and his mouth tastes like chemicals, and like everything that Jack’s ever wanted.

#septiplier #septiplier fic #band au #bandom au #septiplier away!#fic

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randomvarious · 3 years

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Aurora - “Hear You Calling (Fire & Ice remix)” The Best Trance Anthems... Ever! by John ‘00′ Fleming 1999 Trance

***Song starts at 1:04:18 and ends at 1:07:43.***

The funny thing about the UK duo of Aurora was that they bursted on to the scene with a pair of highly successful trance singles in 2000, managing to not only kill it on the UK dance chart, but faring really well on the UK singles chart as well, and then when it came time to record a debut album, they were like, "lol jk, we're actually on more of a downtempo / chillout tip now 😝." But then in '02, they were like "never mind, we're trance again," and became kind of known for doing trance covers of previously popular UK pop songs, perhaps trying to rekindle the magic that they had once conjured with their most successful single, a cover of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World," which went to #5 on the UK singles chart. Just a really strange career arc for these guys.

But that career arc actually didn't begin in the late 90s. Sacha Collisson and Simon Greenaway (fun fact, Greenaway's dad, who is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, co-wrote the song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," which then got famously co-opted by Coca-Cola) first began working together sometime around 1992, making up half of a house / acid jazz / R&B / downtempo quartet called Think Twice, which lasted into 1997 with two albums and seven 12-inches and sold over 150,000 albums. But that same year when Think Twice ended, Collisson and Greenaway split off to form their own duo, and released house music under the names of Nylon and Dive, before transforming themselves into a formidable pair of trance producers called Aurora.

As Aurora, their first single was "Hear You Calling," which they originally released in '99, before re-releasing it in January of the following year, when it would climb to #17 on the UK singles chart. Widely considered to be a turn-of-the-century trance banger, "Hear You Calling" is a song that has a smooth finish to it and a transcendant, above-the-clouds kind of feel.

But then there's the remix by Belgian trance duo Fire & Ice (super lame name for a trance duo; sorry, guys), which is almost like the yin to the original's yang, or uhh, the fire to the original's ice. This particular remix, although shorter, came with a much harder, pumping, underlying kick drum and an overall darker and way more intense sound when compared to the original. And while the original was definitely a top quality piece of trance, this one felt a lot more catchy, thanks in large part to its Euro-trancey blare of a big, leading melody and the awesome set of ethereal strings that freely flowed underneath it once the clap-and-kick were dropped in.

Hard to say which of the two versions are better, but for my money, I think I like the original just a tick more overall—it seems to have aged slightly better—but the Fire & Ice remix is still pretty damn great for '99 and definitely still goes today. The combination of its melody, strings, and percussion when it hits its peak is certainly a hard moment to top.

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musicmapglobal · 6 years

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Interview: Untangling Zoë Mc Pherson's String Figures

Most people’s understanding of the string figure tradition starts and ends with the cat’s cradle, but Zoë Mc Pherson is not most people. The Brussels-based artist’s new project explores the history of string figures through an array of sonic and visual textures, and the result is a relentlessly future-facing vision that should see her mentioned alongside the likes of Actress, Holly Herndon and Gazelle Twin.

The germ of the String Figures concept came from Mc Pherson’s anthropological research into Inuit culture, with both original and archive throat-singing recordings resurfacing throughout the record. However, this was just a jumping off point; unpicking the many strands of String Figures is a deviously enjoyable challenge. The album threads itself through pulsating electronic and acoustic terrain, taking in everything from squalling saxophone drones to trotting Turkish field recordings via a series of dynamic rhythmic flourishes.

It’s a multi-media and multi-participant creation spanning anonymous samples, distant stories and Alessandra Leone’s continuing work developing an impressive visual aspect to the project. As Zoë Mc Pherson theorises, “Folk music is considered anonymous common property in a culture and that’s what a lot of computer music and other kinds of music data may end up becoming”. In this sense, it’s not hard to see why she sees String Figures as part of “an indigenous of the future” – rarely has ancient and modern culture been tethered together so tightly.

It’s a fascinating record to untangle, and Zoë Mc Pherson was kind enough to assist us via the following email exchange…

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MusicMap: Your debut album was originally inspired by your research into Inuit culture. What led you to that field of study and how did it influence your music?

Zoë Mc Pherson: This obsession period about Inuit culture came when finding a book in my grandmothers’ boxes. I just dove into it, utilising the worldwideweb mostly. It is fascinating to read how it has evolved so fast, their “diet”, the seclusion they had to live through, forced into boarding schools, the way they were told not to pursue hunting, not to speak Inuktikut (ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ), etc.

Pretty f violent. I mean check out Tanya Tagaq’s twitter if you wanna know lots about what’s going on still today. I had honour to open up for her last year and interview her. The world needs ppl like her.

The hunting part I find fascinating. The animalism within it. The respect. Not like huge meat factories treating animals like shit and then eating it. Thanking the spirit of the animal to let them feed your family. This deep respect.

Yet nowadays, the big drinking problems, unemployment, food is extremely expensive. I have never been but spent ages online digging whatever I could find on this culture a few years back. It’s through this that I discovered the practice of String Figures, extremely beautiful and complex shapes. The stories around making string figures. And I found out, this practice happened all over the world, since ages. This human connection is there, even without being able to communicate.

Shapes ressemble each other sometimes, or are very particular, they represent animals and moments that belong to its context. From Polar bears to snakes, depending on where you live. I love this transmission aspect, from a grandmother to a little daughter, through the strings. Maybe this is actually the hidden theme of this debut.

At what point did you decide it would be an audio-visual album (and when can we expect to see the next episodes)?

I’ve always been into transmedia stuff. Performances cross media, audiovisual etc.

I met Alessandra Leone at a female:pressure meeting in Berlin two years back, when I was looking for a director to collab on my next album. She got hooked on strings too and we really clicked together on the whole project. It is very intense and amazing to work together because we’re both perfectionists, have similar aesthetic ideas, and don’t really stop working. She’s a powerful woman and artist.

Each track is a chapter – as we called it – as it is a video as well and is an audioviusal album all in one! We imagined this audiovisual album together with Alessandra, and commissioned pretty amazing visual artists, choreographers, costumes designers, DoP etc. We’re currently still working on forthcoming chapters! And of course live, we play an audiovisual show.

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Next episodes will be out within the next days & months, we got some beautiful movements, improv, choreography, 3D and shots waiting for you. It’s super exciting and fulfilling.

String Figures features a range of field recordings from all over the world. Is there any particular ‘string’ that links them all? And which one brings back the most vivid memories?

I got this question many times 🙂 It’s funny. There’s no particular moment that would be so interesting to write down.

But for sure, it is a very “inner” activity, you’re in your own world (headphones), although listening to the outside world. It’s like disconnecting but connecting at the same time.

I find parts of the record unsettling, parts of it meditative and parts of it liberating, yet somehow it all feels cohesive. How did you achieve that and what do you hope listeners take away from the experience?

Haha well that’s great, happy to hear. I didn’t do anything on purpose, so not sure what to answer.

I’m already impressed by what people tell me from their listening experience. I honestly didn’t know it could touch other people and it makes me very very deeply happy that it is now a shared experience!

Mmh let me think further. I hope ppl get on a certain trip inside/outside, connect some points, let go, shake with some beats, stop and shake the other direction when another beat comes in maybe.

What was your first experience of playing music, and what music were you exposed to growing up?

Again.. haha!!! Played the fiddle, then played drums, looking forward to playing that again btw.

My mother is a singer songwriter and guitarist, she played a lot of Rhythm & Blues and Soul records. Let’s say Curtis Mayfield’s voice would be what brings me straight back to this comfy zone. I listened to a lot of Irish folk too, as Gillie collected songs and tunes back then in the ’60s in Ireland.

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How does performing your new material compare to your experiences playing jazz?

Performing is awesome, we play as a duo with amazing percussionist Falk Schrauwen. We’ve worked hard to make an interesting live [show], mixing organic and electronic sounds. Take into account the live aspect of electronic music, as well as being able to be free, and improvise as much as possible.

I do still have a link with Jazz though, here through saxophone player Sam Comerford who I invited on my first EP and this LP to perform on it.

What led you to Brussels, and how would you describe the music scene there right now? Any names we should be looking out for?

Oh well, ‘Bruxelles ma belle’ as we say. It’s diverse, it’s underground. Ppl are very nerdy and aware of very good music.

Names: Why the Eye are my big brothers, they play crazy DIY instruments and turn the crowd into a trance rave zone. Ppl go mad. A lot of good stuff I have to say. Jazz scene is incredible, with De Beren Gieren as my favourite trio. And they are finally getting their deserved recognition, after about 10 years playing as a trio.

Can you send us a photo of the view from your window?

It’s raining, so no. I’d have to wait until there’s blue sky or snow to make you think life is always wonderful on Instagram. Unless you like greys.

If you want to know more about Zoë Mc Pherson’s String Figures, head to the official website here.

Photo of Zoë Mc Pherson by Camille Cooken Interview by Kier Wiater Carnihan

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swapnagangadharan · 7 years

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As we woke up groggily in the morning, Neha asked if I heard voices outside, someone screaming/talking loud and honestly I thought it was a dream but yup there was someone out there last night.

As we made our way to washing up and getting ready, we came to know it was the older lady, yup the same duo who were a little distant from the group. Sumita- that was her name was following a ketogenic diet plan of only protein and no carbohydrates while trekking.

All that fad worked in your daily life but not in the mountains, it was gonna screw you. She didn’t have lunch properly and skipped dinner and by early morning she felt terrible.

High altitude, no food in the stomach and the panic attack, she just wanted to go back and so when she woke up Imroze, the first thing he did was give her some sweets and within 5 minutes she was ok.

This experience taught us all so much. All that fancy diets, workouts lifestyle comes to squat when you are up in the mountains. It takes all that shit out from you and you got to respect your body and give it what it needs. None of that high protein/vegan/keto whatever works there. Nothing.

We got a chance to see Nanda Gunti early morning again and it was crystal clear, we had no idea then how up close we would get to see them later in this trek..

As we were finishing up our breakfast and getting ready we heard lovely music from Indian Ocean and Jim Morrison’s songs and as we turned around it was from Imroze’s phone! Wow, this was a revelation and any guy who had good taste in music had our respect and Imroze was slowly redeeming himself 🙂

What was also refreshing for us on this trek was that we could play music on our phones, sometimes while trekking and in our tents. There were no strict rules on it. The cool thing about Imroze we realized later was that he had not many hangups.

Then I heard Imroze talk in Telugu to one of the Kannada boys. Yup one of the guys was from Andhra and he had tagged along with his brother and his friends. Eventually he would be the only one who was way better and social than his friends. And yup Imroze was from Hyderabad.

Vinayak asked as to why we retired early as he and Mr.Singapore and Harsha were listening to music under the stars. This man had great taste in music and was a true Rock fan.

It was refreshing to see someone in their 20’s not hooked to EDM/Trance crap. I mean to know Indie artists like Jose Gonzales, legends like Led Zep, AC/DC was impressive. It was always good to meet another Rock music junkie.

It was time to get a head on. We would be crossing the forest and Manojji clearly mentioned that no way anybody should go ahead without him.

There were 3-4 trails and people have got lost here so we had to keep on the path and follow the line. The forest foliage was thick so there were only patches of sunlight, we had to cross the forest and then make our way to the first stop – a Bugyal (meadow)

The meaning of a meadow redefined it for me when I saw it for the first time in the Himalayas. And this one was going to be extra special. We would be stopping at as Imroze put it ‘ Windows Screen Saver perfect Bugyal’ , from there we would finally reach another Bugyal – our campsite.

We trudged along the forest with ascents, not as steep as the day before but tough nevertheless. we were picking up altitude, going higher and some trails were not even there, Manojji would make his way through it.

We saw Neha huffing and panting and walking slowly, was she feeling breathless? She was not on Diamox, the tablet given to counter Altitude Mountain Sickness. But yes she was getting tired often and taking pit stops.

Bhim and I would watch out for her. Nag was soaring ahead, he was at ease. There was no doubt in our minds that this particular trek was a tough one. But getting tired and breathless every now and then was something to watch out for.

We had an able assistant Kuldeep among us. While Manojji would lead ahead, Kuldeep made sure everyone made the cut safe and sound, he would be the last one always.

As we went about discussing as to how to make Nag look mysterious and what can he do to get the girl of his dreams, he laid out a line to an unsuspecting distant lady 🙂

Yup the younger one of the two women was walking sometimes ahead, sometimes behind but keeping her distance.

And at one point Nag and she started talking and when we rested a bit, He said a line to her. First he complimented her saying You are beautiful and while she smiled he laid out the next one. The sun is shining so brightly and I have a feeling you are responsible for it or something like that.

Her look changed from smiling to shocked and we were trying to control our giggles! Nag was a sweet guy who still had to practice the art of flirting. Later we did say to him, Great line but wrong woman man 🙂

I also got a chance to chat with Mr. Salman Khan fan – his name was Subham, his ‘Maasi’ was one of that Delhi couple duo. Within minutes of chatting he started asking me about smoking and smoking ‘up’ and where could he get stuff. I firmly told him, look if you try any such stuff, anytime during this trek, you would be thrown out.

As we slowly crossed the forest that’s when we saw the first clearing, way up was a Bugyal, we were still crossing it, the big one with our major first stop would be an hour later but just the sight of this was beyond words.

Imagine seeing different shades of green and I mean different in front of you, you feel the urge to just lay yourself on that ground as you see the clear blue skies and puffy clouds with this beautiful light green Bugyal sloping up! What a sight!

Then Imroze smiled and said wait till you reach that major stop, I don’t want to spoil the surprise but its truly Picture Perfect! There were pretty flowers here and there surrounding it and we couldn’t wait now to see what was next!

And boy when we walked up with Imroze telling us to come up faster, we were zapped, truly zapped! Surrounding you, like totally taking you it’s arms, the warm beautiful sunlight hitting you. It’s… what can I say? Words fail me when I go back to that moment.. Captivating Ali Bugyal…

Endless meadows, sheep grazing on the other side, the sound of the bells of the mules and you feel like this Bugyal is yours… You can be anything, you can do anything right here.. You are in silence, you are just zapped..

We just threw our packs, our trekking poles and lay flat.. Sunlight hitting us, this world seemed like ours truly..

There was noise, voices behind us as there was a Dhaba(again!) on top of the meadow and the usual gang were hogging, taking pictures. We moved away to where we could be ourselves, in silence.

It was easily a one hour stop but it seemed timeless. We were walking, taking it in sometimes, sometimes just sitting and breathing in all this and lay flat with sunlight and skies above us as we looked up.

Then Bhim played an awesome collection of The Beatles. I remember dozing off, in this lull, in this beautiful slumber where I didn’t want to wake up.. Bhim was snoring away to glory not bothering about the mules walking by so close to him.

Finally it was time to go… Walking along the Bugyal is something else, totally something else.. You feel like rolling on it or just be there forever..

We were so away from it all, so away.. from family, responsibilities, complicated lives, everything.. This was simple, just plain and simple..

Finally we were reaching our next campsite.. and I must say one of the prettiest ones so far.. Bedhini Bugyal, and we could see our yellow tents and permanent sheds. This was huge. There were lots of tents on either side all by Indiahikes. There was already one trek team who had started a day before us.

We were made to do the mandatory stretches while Mr.Singapore gave us a dose of his ‘Pranayama’ breathing with his heavy gasps and wheezes.

We took our tent as usual and Lo what did we see? Just as we opened the flap of our tent we had a wonderful view of the mountains and when the skies cleared up, we could probably see the Magnificent Trishul! What a sight!

This by far would be the most comfortable campsite and we would be spending two nights.

There was warm bright sunlight and perfect weather for a campsite like this.

I realized sub consciously how weather plays such an important part in our lives, on our emotions and moods and nothing is more direct as the Himalayas which can turn into any weather within minutes.

Neha was feeling tired but her mood was uplifted after resting a bit. We had a good 2-3 hours in the sun. We couldn’t sit in the tent so we made our way to the center where Imroze, Vinayak and a couple of others were chilling.

As we started talking to Imroze, we realized he was a nice cool guy, maybe it took him time to open up and maybe his so called cockiness was his own mechanism to deal with stuff ,who knows? We all have ours too right?

I truly believe that post Bedhini Bugyal, Imroze opened up to us.. He was a cool guy to hang out with and again no hang ups on playing music in our tents.

The evening started getting chilly, quite cold with some drizzle. It was an open clearing, so the air would hit us directly from the mountains. And oh the sunsets and the clouds.. What a beautiful evening it was when we looked up..Those colours and the clouds, it was as if we were on it..

Everybody wanted to retire early it had been a long day.. Bhim and Nag decided to look up to the stars and while Neha and I chatted we heard Pihu’s voice in the next tent, yes the same 12 year old, she was staying with the distant two women. Well at least she made an inroad with them…

Just as we thought we will drift off to sleep, we heard Bhangra music, by who else but Mr.Singapore, Delhi Couple with their nephew and a few others dancing outside. I didn’t know whether to admire them for their bravado to do this in cold or just get irritated.

Tomorrow morning we would do a stiff climb to get acclimatized to higher altitude, from here it was only going to get tougher and tougher..

Bugyals and more.. Part IV As we woke up groggily in the morning, Neha asked if I heard voices outside, someone screaming/talking loud and honestly I thought it was a dream but yup there was someone out there last night.

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