FIVE RECORDS FOR ROAD TRIP, VOL. 2
One of the main reasons why I got my driver’s license is the endless list of albums and playlists I created to play in the car. I always claim music sounds different in that metal box. I always claim music sounds different in that metal box. It is such a small and intimate space. You sit close to the person, some kind of subconscious state of mind happens and you end up having the most wholesome conversations. One of the things I do when listening to a record is imagine how it would sound during a road trip. Over the years, I curated my dream “road trip albums” list and it is getting bigger and bigger. I often dream of a road trip through the English countryside, California, or Magistrala, the road along the Croatian coast. These five are a fragment of an extensive list.
Ladaniva, “Postcards” (2024)
My biggest discovery of the last year is the duo Ladaniva. They represented Armenia at last year’s Eurovision in Sweden. I saw their cover of the Armenian song “Here’s to you Ararat” on Instagram. I immediately loved it because a group of people sang it a cappella - my dream! Side note: Ararat is a mountain in Turkey that can be seen from Armenia and it is considered a national symbol. Anyway, once I heard it, I could not stop listening to it. Singing that course to myself made me incredibly calm and weirdly longing for something I can’t pinpoint. The thing I love about more traditional songs is phrasing and repetition. It is meditative. Postcards is a beautiful palette of songs from different parts of Europe and the Middle East. Singer Jaklin Baghdasaryan sings every song in a different language, so you can hear Lebanese Arabic, Italian (the Neapolitan accent), French, Romanian, Ladino (a mix of Hebrew and Spanish spoken by Sephardic Jews), etc. This variety truly deepens my appreciation and enthusiasm for music.
Harry Styles “Harry’s House” (2022)
It would be a real shame not to include the album which has a song called “Keep Driving.” Styles’ record can fool listeners at first, but it has some dark moments. The previously mentioned song is the example of escaping all the problems hoping they will somehow magically disappear. We all do that sometimes, don’t we? It is a classic example of a song where you don’t realize how dark it is until you read the lyrics because the melody doesn’t make you feel like it - at first. Anyway, not many albums spark joy in me like Harry’s House. It's a great blend of half-screaming-half-singing songs and true sobbers, or mental breakdown tunes - ideal for a road trip. Besides that, I love the sonic palette of Harry’s House. It is diverse but still not too much all over the place where every song sounds like its own world. Besides that, it has some great groovy bass lines.
Oliver “Vridilo je” (2005)
I had never listened to Oliver’s album from start to finish until I listened to “Vridilo je.” As a matter of fact, I was on the bus in Magistrala and was paralysed by its beauty. Months passed and I still have “Duša za nju” and “Vridilo je” on daily rotation. Lea Dekleva, the songwriter of these songs, wrote one of the most magical lyrics Oliver ever sang. I respect all the big ones like Zdenko Runjić, Jakša Fiamengo but Dekleva can stand side by side with them. Vridilo je came out in 2005 and it contains some of Oliver’s most known songs of his career, i.e., “Ako voliš me” i “Sa dva zrna lažnog srebra.” On the other side, "Od grija do kajanja" is a hidden gem. It features beautiful instrumentals and showcases minimal yet powerful songwriting.
Miach, “Insomnia” (2023)
Since I heard “Tempo” last year in March, I haven’t stopped listening to Miach. As a huge lover of a good rhythm section, that bass line is purely addictive. There is not a single skip on this record. Each song can stand on its own but as a whole, the album is stunning - something not easy to achieve. The thing I obsess over about Insomnia is the production. It hugs your ears in the best way possible. The kind of production I love is when a song doesn’t sound loud even if you put the volume to the maximum. I can’t stand when sound breaks your ears, which usually means it is not well balanced. That is for sure not the case with this one. Also, I noticed one more thing listening it over and over again - Miach’s overlooked skills are her half singing, half talking style of singing and adlibs. That means she has a feeling for both melody and rhythm. Besides obvious favourite, my highlights are “Rendezvous”, “Tvoje Je” and “Kao ti.”
Radiohead, “OK Computer” (1997)
It is a touch ironic that I include OK Computer, which has a song about a car crash, but it really does sound amazing in the moving vehicle. I have listened to OK Computer a million times and every time I press play, I hear a new sound. That is when I know a piece of music will be the soundtrack throughout my life. This album is likely the most loved collection of music by Radiohead. Some would argue that In Rainbows or Kid A holds that title, but I will not go into that. Hundreds of articles, Reddit threads, and various analyses are created about the album. Thanks to that, I was almost scared to listen to it but once I did, my brain exploded. After 28 years, it still sounds fresh and innovative - that bass line in the album's opener “Airbag” hits me every single time I press play. Not gonna lie, it was challenging at first listen - “Climbing Up The Walls” scared the shit out of me - but it grew on me. OK Computer is not my favourite Radiohead record - A Moon Shaped Pool is THE ONE - but it is a decent start.
