Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, indie pop quintet koriakittenriot have delivered a third album which is built around the experiences of singer-songwriter Antti Reikko. The result is their first full-band effort and asserts testament to Reikko being told “work f*****g hard, be honest and make ballsy decisions”.
Informed by Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel and Wilco, their latest record intertwines hope and science. It has a gentle melodic songwriting approach that hints at the fragility of humanity and points us all in the right direction, reminding us that hope lies just around the corner.
The Earth Will Spin Around
Helsinki-based indie rockers Koria Kitten Riot return with a brand new album called ‘Songs of Hope and Science’. Spearheading the record is their hook-laden single ‘The Earth Will Spin Around’. This track reflects the band’s theme of hope and a sense of optimism after a tough year in 2016.
Lead single ‘The Earth Will Spin Around’ was written by Antti Reikko who says it was “inspired by a time when I was deeply betrayed.” Musically it is a blend of three-part harmonies and a mess of chords, with mellotron sounds adding the finishing touch.
‘Songs of Hope and Science’ sees the band explore the idea of hope in all its forms, from science to fiction. The songs on the album are influenced by a variety of different artists, including Elliott Smith and Neutral Milk Hotel.
The songs themselves are a reflection of the dark times that have recently befallen the planet, and how we must find ways to cope with it. But ‘Songs of Hope and Science’ is also an album that aims to remind us to focus on the positive, despite the negativity that surrounds us.
In the first few hundred million years of the solar system, the Sun, Earth and other planets formed by clustering together. Then the powerful radiation from the Sun sucked up all the other particles in the solar system and gathered them into planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
All of these objects revolve around the Sun and continue to rotate for billions of years, until they collide with some other object. This is because when they formed, the leftover momentum from when they were just clumps of particles kept them spinning.
If the Earth stopped spinning suddenly, it would cause all kinds of problems for the world’s inhabitants. It would cause the atmosphere to blow away, and everything from people to buildings, trees and topsoil could be swept off of the ground. The result would be that the Earth’s climate would be drastically different, with hotter temperatures at the equator and colder temperatures at the poles.
The Good Old Days Are Never Coming Back
For some people, the good old days evoke images of a time gone by. A time when postage stamps cost only three cents, pocket-sized transistor radios ruled the airwaves and Singin’ in the Rain was a major hit.
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and it can be especially effective in guiding us through difficult times. Even authoritarian strongmen from Slobodan Milosevic to Saddam Hussein to Vladimir Putin have used nostalgia to rally support and derail dissent.
The best part about nostalgia is that it can be used as a tool to encourage positive change. It’s often a good idea to take a moment to look at your past with fresh eyes and see it for what it is.
This can help you appreciate it more fully and recognize it as the marvel that it is, rather than as an evil force to be resisted. It also helps you realize that there are more important things to focus on in life.
As with all things in life, it’s possible to find the best of both worlds and have a happy, productive life. The best way to do this is to keep your chin up and remind yourself that everything you experience is a gift from God.
One of the best ways to do this is to look at your past with new eyes and realize that you are already living in the most meaningful moments of your life. This may mean taking a risk, or it may mean embracing the possibility that something new and exciting is on the horizon.
The most impressive thing about looking back with new eyes is that it helps you recognize and celebrate the best parts of your past. The most successful re-examiners of history have found this to be an invaluable tool.
Milgram Experiment
Stanley Milgram conducted a series of experiments using newspaper ads to recruit volunteers. He wanted to study how obedience could be acquired under social influence, as opposed to in an ethically controlled setting.
The experiment involved an actor known as the “learner” who was a stranger to the participants, and they were not permitted to see him during the entire process. During the course of the experiment, participants had to administer ever-increasing electrical shocks to the learner, and heard his cries of pain.
A number of different variations were included in the original Milgram Experiment, all of which showed that most people would be willing to obey the command of an authority figure even when it involved inflicting increasing levels of physical pain on another person. The most common variation was to place the “learner” in a separate room from the researcher, and it was observed that participants were more willing to go all the way.
In addition to the varying distance between the teacher and the learner, a variety of other variables were also tested. For example, in one of the versions, teachers were told to force the learners hand onto a shock plate so they could deliver the punishment. This made it more difficult for them to comply, but only 2.5% of subjects used the full 450-volt shock available.
Other variations were designed to test whether gender affected a participant’s willingness to obey. In this case, only men administered the highest level of voltage, while women were more likely to stick with the lower 150 volts.
Despite the many criticisms of the Milgram Experiment, it has become an important piece of psychology history. It is considered to be one of the most accurate representations of human nature, and it shows how far an individual will go when he or she feels strongly about something.
However, even the best scientific minds cannot recreate such an evil and sadistic experiment today because we have embraced more ethical practices. In this regard, it is not impossible for Milgram’s experiment to be replicated in a modern setting, but the results would likely be quite different than those of his original research.
Breathe
One of the most important components of a healthy life is the right breathing technique. It is no secret that breathing is a major stress reliever and a major component of overall well being. The benefits of a good ol’ fashioned breathing exercise include increased concentration, heightened sense of self control, improved mood, improved sleep and reduced likelihood of injury. The best part is that it only takes a few minutes per day to reap the rewards. There are many methods of achieving the optimum breathing regimen, but one of the most effective is to meditate at regular intervals. A meditative practice can be done anytime, but the best time to elicit its benefits is during a quiet, peaceful evening. Getting into the groove of a meditation routine can be challenging in itself, but a little tinkering can go a long way.