My Playlist

About the DJ: I’m a nerdy programmer who lives for art, music, and anything ridiculously awesome, especially the five things I’m going to tell you about. I graduated from the UW Informatics: Human-Computer Interaction program, and in my spare time, I sing, sketch, and play the viola and guitar. Over the summer, I went on an art splurge in Europe and became a cheese farmer in France for a couple weeks. It was freaking awesome. And so are these:

1. Phantogram
I have so much respect for Phantogram, it’s ridiculous. This alternative band manages to fuse sick beats with beautiful melodies and poetic lyrics to create some wicked music. This lovechild of alternative, hip hop, and electronic music is a real stunner. Listen to "Fall in Love," "Mouthful of Diamonds," "When I’m Small," and just all of their songs. “Dig a hole, fireworks exploding in my hands. If I could paint the sky, would all the stars be shining bloody red?”

2. Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club creates an incredible atmosphere of pleasantness with their music. Their catchy melodies, sophisticated composition, and unique vocals come together to draw you into a state of wonder. If you could characterize their music with a facial expression, Bombay Bicycle Club would be a wide-eyed child gaping at the sky. Immerse yourself with "Home By Now," "Overdone," and "Luna," and when you fall in love with them, catch their October 7th concert at the Showbox.

3. Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel is my classical music crush. Let me tell you why he’s so hot. With the most gorgeous melodies, he sends the full extent of his emotions across time. Not a single drop of his heartfelt longing or bliss is lost in "Pavane pour une infante défunte." On top of that, he shows an unparalleled talent for composition by making dischord sound so harmonious and beautiful, as in "Jeux d'eau" and "Piano Concerto for the Left Hand."

4. Banksy
Banksy is the king of street art right now, for good reason. He’s the definition of swift defiance and the social commentator the world needs but doesn’t deserve. Before people began tearing walls apart to disagreeably sell his work, Banksy spray-painted the walls of London with bold and clever visual commentaries on human behavior. Despite his documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, in which you can see how brilliant and hilarious he is, Banksy remains ever elusive.

5. Gustav Klimt
I was never a huge fan of Klimt, widely known for “The Kiss,” before seeing his paintings in person. The golden light of his paintings is enough to warm the faces of any onlookers. None of the pictures you’ll see on the Internet can ever justify the magnitude of grace emanating from his art. If that wasn’t already enough, he also paints with insane finesse and an interesting style that combines the realistic and fanciful. If anything bad ever happens to “The Kiss,” the world should seriously mourn.