Feature Feature - The "Harlem Shake" Craze

When I first heard about the Harlem Shake craze earlier in the week I was surprised that the dance popularised by Diddy in the early noughties was making a resurgence....then I was much more surprised when I viewed the original video that started what is now the latest internet/Youtube sensation. 

The first, Shake video can be attributed to DizastaMusic, but it was the video below by another Youtube user, TheSunnyCoastSkate, that popularised the dance, with his video currently at over 6 million views. The video also set the standard format for the over 12,000 videos that have followed.

    

The dance basically involves someone wearing a mask or costume of some sort dancing to the song while everyone else mulls about, then when it hits the harder part with the lyrics it cuts to everyone dancing and generally going crazy.

The Harlem shake track is actually a 2011 electronic song by producer Baauer. Check it out HERE in full. Some of the videos have been creative, hilarious, and weird; and we've had students, athletes, military officers, and office workers joining in. 

Check out some of my favourite Harlem Shake videos after the cut, and you can head over to Youtube if you still want to see more of the madness. I wonder if there will be a Naija Harlem Shake video.

SOD's Top 20 Albums Of 2012

Its the last day of the year 2012. Its been quite a year with lots of ups and downs, joy and sorrow. Its also been quite a year for music with quite a number of impressive new artists and debut albums, crew collections, return of legends, new directions, and some pleasing evidence of acceptance and advancement in some genres.
Heres the run down of my Top 20 Albums for the year.

20. Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires
   
      Fave Track - In The End
     

19. Alicia Keys - Girl On Fire 

      Fave Track - Girl On Fire (Inferno Version) Ft. Nicki Minaj
      

18. Cocaine 80s - Erxpress og 

      Fave Track - This Can't Be A Crime
      

17. Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again 
   
     Fave Track - Home Again
     

16. Elle Varner - Perfectly Imperfect 
   
      Fave Track - Refill
      

15. Calvin Harris - 18 Months 

        Fave Track - Feel So Close
       

14. 2 Chainz - Based On A T.R.U. Story 

        Fave Track - Birthday Song Ft. Kanye West
        

13. Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love Big Enough 

        Fave Track - Don't Wake Me Up
        

12. The Weeknd - Trilogy 

        Fave Track - The Morning
        

11. Rick Ross - God Forgives I Don't 

        Fave Track - Diced Pineapples Ft. Wale & Drake
        


Check out my top 10 albums are after the cut, and lets hear your top 5.

Feature Feature - Azonto

Yes I'm rather late on Azonto, the Ghanaian dance craze thats steadily becoming an international phenomenon. I actually got tuned in earlier in the year, but it wasn't until my recent trip to Ghana that I got the full effect, courtesy of my boy KOS (shout out to the #1 Azonto dancer!) and the fun Accra night life. Everywhere we went, from The Office to Labadi Beach, I saw people bursting into different versions of the infectious dance.

E.L - One Ghana (For Your Pocket)

Azonto is an expressive dance thats rather interesting to do and watch. It incorporates co-ordinated body movement, hand gestures, and non-verbal communication in a rhythmic fashion in very few one-two timed steps. It allows for personal creativity, with dancers re-enacting activities like boxing, talking on the phone, washing, ironing, driving, and other stuff.

Sarkodie Ft. E.L. - U Go Kill Me

Azonto is definitely giving Ghanaian music a bigger international audience, with the likes of Sarkodie, E.L., and R2Bees increasing in popularity. Even without knowing the dance, their songs are hot.

Get Familiar with some of my favourite tracks:

E.L. One Ghana (For Your Pocket)


Sarkodie - U go kill me oo


R2Bees - Ajei


Keche - Sorkode


Buk Bak - Kolom


Sarkodie Ft. EL - Dangerous


I know Azonto has not fully permeated the Naija scene, and quite a number of people don't know the first thing about it. So far the only time I have heard a Sakordie track in Lagos (at Likwid), there were only a few attempts at azonto, including me showing my sis...and they were woeful. So why don't we learn from the videos after the cut. I think the 'One Ghana (For Your Pocket)' vid above is a good video to learn from too. Those masked dancers killed it!

Feature Feature - Game Of Thrones Returns

The Epicness that is Game Of Thrones returns to our TV screens tomorrow, April 1, and the SOD household is certainly excited.
In anticipation we bring to you today a bunch of trailers and features, and the official character posters, all courtsey of HBO.

First up is a Teaser for Season 2. The rest are after the cut.




click to enlarge