New Music Mondays.... MOULLINEX

Happy rainy Monday music lovers, i find that in these slightly dreary indoor times the way to keep your thought happy and sunny is by music....this weeks pick should help you raise those spirits and keep your body moving MOULLINEX. MOULLINEX is Lisbon and Munich-based Luis Clara Gomes.Luis was born to a small town in Portugal he was surrounded by music and musicians during childhood and since an early age has been solely dedicated to the pursuit of his own sound, refusing to adhere to a specific genre or scene, but taking comfort in disco and house as a starting point. MOULLINEX recieved the acclaim of his peers, press and fans worldwide, with remixes for Cut Copy, Sebastien Tellier, Two Door Cinema Club (the list goes on and on...) and collaborating with Peaches for a disco-tastic rework of the classic track "Maniac" ( which is amazing if you ask me). I really enjoy MOULLINEX for all his discotasticness and dance vibe but also for the beauty he infuses in his music, so I know you will enjoy my two favorite tracks "Sunflare" and "Deja Vu". I will see you lovlies next Monday with my new music obsession. xoxoxoxo Najamoniq Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue. Plato

New Music Mondays.......EMILY WELLS

Happy Holidays Music Lovers,
I'm going to be frank, Fall makes me feel sexy, and with that feeling comes music that feels like its caressing your face while you are having a glass of wine. Here is my sexy music pick for the first signs of fall - Emily Wells.  Her music is an eclectic mix of electronics, orchestral strings, jazz tones, pop overtures, and folk sensibilities.

Born to a music minister in Amarillo, Texas, Wells began learning violin at 4 at a community college. The family later moved to Indianapolis, where she discovered Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Biggie Smalls; she gradually moved from the Suzuki method to songwriting, guitars and home recording. Releasing her own music from a young age, Wells learned to keep her work close and toured independently while developing her talent and performance across the U.S.

It was in a humble garage studio in Los Angeles that Wells’ recorded her 2008 breakthrough album, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties, picking up praise from sources as varied as NPR and SPIN, who compared her to “a feral, streetwise Nina Simone.”

Wells returns with Mama, a collection of songs as impassioned and sultry hip hopped as ever, but infused with a new found warmth. Wells rented a tiny cabin on a Topanga Canyon horse ranch and went to work, producing Mama and playing most of the instruments herself (with a little help from longtime touring companions, drummer Sam Halterman and bassist Joey Reina.) She recorded the raw tracks to tape without punch-ins or loops, often in one take.

2012 finds Wells touring Mama, her first release for Partisan Records, and preparing for the release of Pillowfight, her long whispered-about collaboration with legendary producer Dan The Automator.

Ethereal, beautiful, deep, and soulful at times, Emily Wells is a little different from the normal music I listen to, but I know you will enjoy my favorite tracks, "Sugar" and "Becomes The Color" (which is featured in upcoming film, starring Nicole Kidman, Stoker,) and a wonderful cover of one of Emily's musical influences "Juicy."

I will see you my music lovelies next Monday with my new music obsession.
xooxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. Bob Marley

New Music Mondays.....Two Door Cinema Club

Happy Monday Music Lovers,
The crisp air of fall encircles us in the Northwest; I am keeping myself warm with the sounds of good tunes. This week my music obsession is Two Door Cinema Club. They are a Northern Irish indie rock band from Bangor and Donaghadee, County Down, formed in 2007.

The band consists of Sam Halliday (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Trimble (vocals, rhythm guitar, beats, synths) and Kevin Baird (bass, backing vocals). The band's debut album, Tourist History, was released on 1 March 2010 by French independent record label Kitsuné Music. In the United States, where the band is signed to Glassnote Records, the album was released on 27 April 2010. Two Door Cinema Club was selected for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year (2010.) The band's second album, Beacon, was released on 3 September 2012 and debuted at number one on the Irish Albums Chart.

I have been into this band for quite a few years and find them to be a perfect mix of dance music, still holding true to indie roots. So take a moment and check out my two favorite songs from this talented trio - "Something Good Can Work" and "What You Know."

I will see you music lovers next week for my new music obsession.
xoxoxoxo Najamoniq
A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski 

New Music Monday.....Thomas Azier

Happy Monday Music Lover,

As our thoughts, prayers, and well wishes go out to all those battling Hurricane Sandy, let us take time for reflection and thanksgiving. I always find the best way to be at one with my thoughts is to listen to truly beautiful, energizing music. That being said I have a gem for you.

Thomas Azier is an electronic-pop artist based in Berlin. Early in 2012 he released his debut EP “Hylas 001,” featuring the single “Red Eyes.” A live favorite of audiences across Europe and the United State, he is now set to release a 2nd EP, "Hylas 002,“ which again appears on his label “Hylas Records/BMG”.

“The mood of “Hylas002” arises from the sublime essence of solitude,” Azier explains. I have to say I absolutely love an artist that can convey dance, solitude, beauty, energy, and emotion to their listeners, and I believe Thomas Azier does a superb job of this! Think Jeff Buckley and Daft Punk had a baby, tee hee hee.

So please enjoy my three favorite tracks by this new up and coming artist Metropolitan Tribe, Fire Arrow and Red Eyes. www.thomasazier.com 
xoxoxoxo Najamoniq
“Music has turned into nothing more than just a rush in the background while you are busy doing other things. I don’t want to change that, but I try to make something that will catch your ear and communicate with you." - Azier

How to Make a Day

We love making days! We spend time educating ourselves, finding new trends, and listening to you. We've also set up ways for you to communicate with us when you're not in the salon. We have a Pinterest account, a Twitter account, @embellishtacoma, a Facebook page, and of course our blog.

If you've not connected with us through any of these ways, consider doing that today. Then let us know things that interest you about beauty.

A New Colour

Your Daymakers are continually updating their skills and craft. Recently they received training on Davines' A New Colour. It's an ammonia free color line.

Here's what Davines is saying about the new line and the inspiration behind it.

Inspired by the multi-coloured world of insects with their sublime amalgamation of shapes, colours and light, and the scientific potential of carotenoids and melanins, Davines has turned the world of colouring upside down for salons, at last offering a way to work with pure colour and transform it into brand new results, with maximum comfort for customers and full respect for the hair’s structure.

Check out the beautiful results on our model, Meliza. And here's a link to the full news release from Davines about A New Colour: http://news.davines.com/en/2012/03/14/a-new-colour/

Product of the Week: Kevin Murphy Weightless Volume Spray

Kevin Murphy Weightless Volume Spray has lavender in it which is a natural astringent that shrinks oil molecules. This is great to spray on for texture and good for getting rid of excess grease from "second day hair." This is designed for anyone that wants volume in their hair, especially fine haired folks who like a weightless volume.

Talk to your Daymaker today about some.

New Music Mondays........THE KNOCKS

The Knocks are an electronic music duo consisting of Ben "B-Roc" Ruttner and James "JPatt" Patterson. The Knocks garnered notoriety for their singles "Dancing With The DJ" and "Brightside." They have since produced original material and remixes for Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Marina & The Diamonds, and, now, their own music.

With heavy rotation on Australia’s Triple J, their single, “Make It Better,” was released on Neon Gold Records. Their hit “Dancing With the DJ” was #1 on both the Hype Machine and Japan’s iTunes.

The Knocks have been taking their energetic live dance party all over the world, including their sold out NYC Bowery Ballroom debut, Tammany Hall headlining show, and their European tour with Sleigh Bells and M.I.A. They've shared the stage with acts like Big Boi, Chromeo, and just finished a U.S. tour with Ellie Goulding.

As you can probably tell I really love happy, adventurous, awe inspiring, fun party music, and this is as good as it gets. Be prepared, because The Knocks will be knocking at your door and stereo very soon.

So for now, I bid you goodbye. Take some time and check out my two favorite tunes by this dynamic duo, "Brightside" and "The Feeling." I will see you next week with a new music obsession.
xoxoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Ludwig van Beethoven

Product of the Week: Kevin Murphy Damage Manager

This is a weightless and invisible heat protecting shield. Spray it onto dry hair before using your heat tools. This is a great way of protecting your hair from the damage that can be done by blow dryers, flat irons, or curling irons. It will help your hair continue to stay healthy while having the style that you want.

Talk to your Daymaker about using this product.

New Music Mondays.......GHOST BEACH

Happy Music Monday Music Lovers,
Life has been busy these days, the seasons change and we make plans for the holidays and even for the future. Life can go so fast, and be so unsure, but one thing that always keeps me steadfast is good music. There is so much I will show you in the next few months.

I've been very inspired and enamored with the music I'm finding. This weeks gem is GHOST BEACH. a retro-future aesthetic that sounds like Ghostland Observatory, Depeche Mode, and Daft Punk, with a little Passion Pit sprinkled on top for good measure. Ghost Beach are the latest pop pioneers to set the internet on fire with only a couple singles floating around and with no major label backing.

The New York-based duo of Josh Ocean and Eric "Doc" Mendelsohn take their '80s influences one step further with Ghost Beach. This music is so seductive and emotion filled, you will feel like you are taking a journey through your teenage, angst ridden, love filled years in an old Chevy with the wind in your hair and no cares in your heart. GHOST BEACH is romance, passion and rebellion put into music.

Take some time to get lost in this band; its so easy and so needed. FYI, if you go to the bands Facebook page you can download two of their tracks. Get ready to reminisce and daydream maybe even dance, and I know you will enjoy my three favorite tracks by this amazing duo: "Tear Us Apart," "Bones," and "Too Young."

I will see you next week with my new music obsession.

xoxoxoxox Najamoniq
“I want people to have their own visions for the dance. Some generations will sit back and relate to the music. And the young people …they'll have the dance right in front of them.” Judith Jamison

Product of the Week: Davines Rebalancing Shampoo

Davines' Rebalancing Shampoo is for oily scalps. It promotes the natural balance oil production of the scalp. Gently massage the shampoo into the scalp and let it air for several minutes before rinsing. The shampoo contains Azelglycine, which has anti-bacterial and sebostatic properties; it also regulates sebum production. With extracts of Birch, Burdock, and Hawthorn this shampoo purifies the scalp.

Product of the Week: Kevin Murphy Undressed

Undressed is the newest product from Kevin Murphy. It is a firm elastic paste used to create a loose, undone, and natural look. This product is infused with black pepper, honey, and ivy extracts for a matte texture. Apply it to damp or dry hair.

Ask your Daymaker about this product.

New Music Mondays..... Make The Girl Dance

Happy Monday Music Lovers,
This week's pick for my music obsession is Make The Girl Dance.

Make The Girl Dance consists of Greg Kozo, musician/producer, Pierre Mathieu, former TV presenter on M6, France 2, and Canal +. Their first single, Baby Baby Baby, released May 12, 2009, is a huge buzz one.

The electro-rock duo Make The Girl Dance created a buzz in Paris by unveiling a very special clip of a model strutting the streets with some black out screens. The duo continued in June 2010 with the title Kill me Kill me, and in October with Wall Of Death. October 31, 2011 saw the release of their first album "Everything Is Gonna Be Ok In The End" and their 4th single "Broken Toy Boy."

The 2012 tour will pass by the USA, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Europe and parts of South America. Lets hope they grace Seattle with a show or two.

This band is for you if you love pumping beats and thumping dance tracks. They are fun, innovative, and so very energetic. So put on those dancing shoes and get ready to move. Check out my two favorite tracks from this band.

I will see you next week for my new music obsession!
xoxoxox Najamoniq "Music is the soul of language." - Max Heindel

New Music Mondays....FRENCH HORN REBELLION

Happy Monday Music Lovers,

Summer's fading slowly, and fall is quickly approaching. As we change seasons I want to bring you a duo that can keep you dancing in summer and keep your feet moving and a smile on your face through the coming seasons. French Horn Rebellion is Robert and David Perlick-Molinari - two brothers born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In Brooklyn, NY, in 2007, younger brother Robert, an accomplished French horn player, found himself principal chair for the horn section of the prestigious Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra. Standing at a crossroads, frustrated with the demands that mastery of such an instrument required, and knowing that the instrument would not allow him to fully express himself, he finally asked his brother, David, to rebel with him and together they embarked on a lifelong creative journey.

They set up shop in the arts / music hub in Brooklyn. I was not long before the French Horn Rebellion began to impact the NY music scene. David engineered and produced for the genre parallel MGMT, but in 2007 French Horn Rebellion released a self titled independent album. In 2011 the duo released The Infinite Music of French Horn Rebellion on Once Upon A Time/V2 Records.

This duo is different, fresh, funny, fun, and talented. There really is no way you can NOT dance and feel happy when hearing tracks from this them. So enjoy our last sentiments of summer; gaze at the sunlight and turn up my two favorite tracks for French Horn Rebellion.

I will see you next week with my new music obsession.
xoxoxoxo Najamoniq “If I can't dance to it, it's not my revolution.” Emma Goldman

New Music Mondays....Selah Sue

Selah Sue (born Sanne Putseys, May 3, 1989) is a Belgian musician and songwriter. Blazing onto the scene with her debut album, Selah Sue (2011,) she was a major success, selling over 400,000 copies in Europe,with 200,000 in France alone. Today, she has chart success with the hit singles "Raggamuffin, ""Crazy Vibes," and "This World". Previous to "Selah Sue." her first EP was released in 2008, under the title Black Part Love. It contains five songs.

When she was seventeen a Belgian producer asked her to sing some demos of his songs, after which Universal offered her a contract. She refused, because she wanted to sing her own songs. Selah Sue often covers songs of Erykah Badu and The Zutons, but she does has assembled a whole range of her own songs. Two of her well-known songs are "Mommy" and "Black part love," both of which are carried out acoustically.

She says her influences are Lauryn Hill, M.I.A. and Erykah Badu. You can hear a lot of these artists' influence in her record. Selah is soul music, reggae music, singer songwriter style with a dash of jazz, and it is quite refreshing and unlike many artists who enter the industry at her age.

I must give a shout out to Daymaker Susan Pack for turning me onto this extraordinary artist. I hope you enjoy my two favorite tracks "This World" and "Raggamuffin" and i will see you next week with a New Music Obsession.
xoxoxo Najamoniq
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." - Sergei Rachmaninov

Product of the Week: Kevin Murphy Motion.Lotion

This curl enhancing, frizz control lotion is the Holy Grail of curly hair products. The weightless lotion gives great control for those curls. Apply it to damp hair and then scrunch it into mid and ends of hair.

This is our number one selling product. If you've got curly hair and are looking for control, talk to one of the Daymakers today!

Product of the Week: For Wizards #2

For Wizards #2 is a matte moulding product. It has medium hold with a matte texture. It's great for styling short hair and giving a "piecey" effect. You can also blow dry this product into your roots for  volume.

Get some today!

New Music Mondays: CHBP Interview with FLY MOON ROYALTY

New music is so important, and I love finding out about new artists and bringing new music to the Embellish blog readers. My summer has been filled with amazing music, beautiful weather, and talent-packed festivals. I have seen some pretty amazing acts and have begun to talk to these innovative musicians about their craft, why they do what they do, and their origin. I have paired down my interviews to five questions that will acquaint you with the individuals making this great music and even make you a fan……ENJOY!

Action Jackson and AdraBoo make up buzzworthy band Fly Moon Royalty and the duo is taking Seattle by storm with their harmonius mix of hip hop, soul,and  rap with a little bit of funk . The Duo recently played Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party, Friday evening July 20th, drawing the largest crowd the Vera stage saw all weekend. I feel very honored the duo took a few moments to answer some questions for readers.
Najamoniq: Fly Moon Royalty, I know this is a typical question, but tell our readers the inspiration for your unique name?
Action Jackson: Honestly, there is not a very clear answer for this. It was a challenging process considering we were about to press the album when we changed from Sugar Water Purple to Fly Moon Royalty, due to another band already having the name - SWP. FMR was a long, careful process of finding a name that we felt somehow embodied our music. Simply put, it just had to feel right. Just like when we make music. We would prefer the name to take on its own personal meaning for the listener.
Najamoniq: Adraboo, you are from Seattle. What got you into music?
AdraBoo: I grew up with music in the house, in my family. My uncles were in bands, them and my big brother rapped around the house and, currently, around the town, and my mom sings too. I didn’t know that this is where I would be with it, but it’s like home.
Najamoniq: Action Jackson, I’ve heard you referred to as a musician’s musician. What was your inspiration for getting into music? What made you transplant to Seattle?
Action Jackson: Like many young people the first time they heard an intoxicating sound come out of speakers…. I has hooked. When I heard Gangstarr’s ‘Mass Appeal’ it blew my damn mind. I was like, ‘How the hell did he (DJ Premier) make that sound, that beat, that uuuuugh!’Make-your-neck-snap snares and kicks and those samples. Damn. I needed to know how that sound came to life.’ I didn’t know where to start, so I bought turntables and taught myself how to scratch and mix. Years after that, I bought my first Akai MPC 2000 and taught myself how to make beats. At the same time, I started in a music recording program at the community college in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I had never properly used a musical instrument in my life before this point. I was a percussion major; however, I discovered I had a deep love and understanding of the piano. I am a producer at the core of me. Playing piano LIVE was something that manifested by working with Adra and this project. Moving to Seattle was a natural direction because it was a bigger and more music-friendly city than where I was in Michigan. I was in a hip hop group in MI called Sex Panther: 1 MC(Matt) and 1 DJ/Producer (me). We were serious about our music so we both moved to Seattle in ’09 to give it a shot.
Najamoniq: What musicians have inspired your rebel music style?
AdraBoo: Really, we listen to so much of a variety of music…I'm into a lot of old school funk, 90s R&B, and also a bit of indie alternative, and then Mike grew up with that Detroit hip hop and soul… (Mike jump in here…)
Action Jackson: If I was to credit one genre over another, it would have to be hip hop. Golden era hip hop. (Late 80′s/ 90′s) Tribe, Dilla, Gangstarr, Busta, Talib, Mos Def, etc… But hip hop by no means is the only inspiration. Stevie, James Brown, and the entire Motown sound. Older soul/ funk music tends to have an energy that I don’t hear as much these days. An honesty and rawness. Intentional or unintentional, it was there. The way things we recorded were so rich you can taste it. At the end of the day, I just want to hear some good music that comes from the soul.
Najamoniq: How did the two of you meet and come up with the concept of Fly Moon Royalty? AdraBoo: We met at work, and we still work there currently. The day we met we were both in other groups and had started talking trades and this and that. Action produced an EP for the group I was in, and I sang a few hooks for his group, and in the middle of all that, kept meeting in the middle about what we dug about music… and then, Andoid Love was born. We’ve been making music that we want to make since! Emphasis on ‘that we want to make.’ We’ve never called it anything conceptually. We just make what we feel.
Najamoniq: What are some music artists/DJs right now that you are into?
AdraBoo: Frank Ocean, Le Vice, Allen Stone, Lemolo, Incubus, Little Dragon, DJs Action Jackson (obviously), Supreme LaRock, and 100Proof to name a handful… I listen to so much music right now, I couldn’t possibly name it all.
Action Jackson: Little Dragon, Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Money Making Jam Boys, Black Keys, Beirut, Herbie Hancock, Erykah Badu etc.

For more on Fly Moon Royalty, check out their reverb nation page, and for a look at something really fly, check out the video below "My Heart Keeps Pumping" a tale of strength, retrospect and triumph, truly an empowering track.

See you next week for my new music obsession.
xoxoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"Love cannot express the idea of music, while music may give an idea of love." - Louis-Hector Berlioz

Product of the Week: Kevin Murphy Body Builder

Body Builder is a voluminzing mousse. It boosts hair with flexible fullness and hold. It is made with tangerine oil that locks down the cuticle to create shine, while vitamin B5 binds moisture into the hair. Apply to damp hair and blow dry it in.

Ask your favorite Daymaker about it!

New Music Monday: A$AP ROCKY AND LANA DEL REY

Good Monday Music Lovers,
This week I'm doing something a little different. Instead of showing you a new artist, I'm highlighting a few new tracks. I found these gems in a mix I downloaded while preparing for a DJ gig.

"Ridin," a sexy beat filled track, is by New York native A$AP ROCKY, featuring songstress Lana Del Rey. The duo met after ASAP Rocky appeared in her "National Anthem" video.

Lana Del Rey returns the favor by assisting Rocky with his new record, 'Ridin," produced by The Kickdrums. “LiveLoveASAP” drops September 11th. There are rumors the two are dating and, by checking out the video and pictures from the two tracks the duo have worked on, I think the rumors are true lol.

Enjoy the two videos by this sexy pair, "National Anthem" and my personal favorite, "Ridin.  "

See you next week with a new music obsession.
xoxoxo Najamoniq
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." Victor Hugo

New Music Mondays: POOLSIDE

Good Monday Music Lovers,
Summer is still in our midst, and I've got a new band on my radar. POOLSIDE is a Los Angeles based duo - Filip Nikolic and Jeffrey Paradise. Their sound is described as "Daytime Disco."

Filip Nikolic is a Danish born producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist, known for his contributions in the rock, dance, and pop genres. Jeffrey Paradise, formerly known as DJ Jefrodisiac, is a DJ synonymous with San Francisco's young, hip, and ready to party scenes.

Poolside's debut single, "Do You Believe," was positively received by fans and praised for its "pop-tinged disco, brimming with optimistic vocals and retro acid synths." "Take Me Home," Poolside's second single was released in November 2011, and their debut album, "Pacific Standard Time," was released on July 9th, 2012 on Day & Night Records.

I really enjoy this band, they are a serene mix of good dance music with relaxing yet energized tones. Basically, good summertime music. I recently had the pleasure of watching these guys live and even spending a few moments with them, and I can tell you that they are a good live show as well as gracious and charming in person.

I hope you enjoy my favorite track from Poolside, "Do You Believe." I will see you next week for my new music obsession.
xoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosphy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents." - Ludwig van Beethoven
 

Product of the Week: Sachajuan Straight and Shine Spray

A lightweight styling and finishing product creating texture and maximum shine. It's ideal for use with straighteners and protects the hair against heat. Easy to apply and rinse out.

If you're interested, stop by and talk to a Daymaker today.

New Music Mondays...FRANK OCEAN

Good Monday Music Lovers,
It's been a scorcher, and I'm all about all things hot! This week I bring you one of musics hottest newbies, Christopher Francis Ocean, better known by his stage name, Frank Ocean.

Frank Ocean is an American singer-songwriter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Ocean's early career was as a ghostwriter for artists such as Brandy, Justin Bieber, and John Legend. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Ocean's hometown of New Orleans; his recording facility was destroyed by floodwater and looted. To continue recording music, he moved to Los Angeles, where he intended to stay for six weeks. However, after acclimating himself with music industry circles, Ocean stayed longer and develop his music career.

He recorded demos at a friend's studio and shopped them around Los Angeles. After getting a songwriting deal, he started working with other record producers and writing songs for artists such as Justin Bieber, John Legend, and Brandy. Ocean later said of his work at the time, "There was a point where I was composing for other people, and it might have been comfy to continue to do that and enjoy that income stream and the anonymity. But that's not why I moved away from school and away from family."

After meeting them in 2009 through networking, Ocean joined the Los Angeles-based hip hop collective OFWGKTA, also known as Odd Future. His friendship with Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator, reinvigorated Ocean's songwriting. In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped him sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist, though he was initially unable to build a relationship with the company.

In 2010, through a legal website, he changed his name from Christopher Breaux to Christopher Francis William Ocean, inspired partly by the 1960 film Ocean's 11. Ocean is also known for being one of the first mainstream hip hop artists to come out a a gay male. To my surprise and delight The hip hop world exploded with support for singer Frank Ocean when he revealed his first love was a man.

So take a load off and enjoy this innovative musician with two of my favorite songs by Ocean, "Thinking About You" and "Crack Rock".

See you next week with my new music obsession!
xoxoxoxo Najamoniq
 "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." ~Ludwig van Beethoven

Product of the Week: No. 4 Glossy Modeling Putty

Don't let the caption of "For Wizards" fool you on this product. Anyone can get the great light hold that No. 4 gives. It gives a nice shine to your hair when used. This product is applied to dry hair for sculpting.

Looking for that something extra to add to your product line? Come check out No. 4 Glossy Modeling Putty. Your Daymaker can talk to you about its great benefits and how best to use it.

New Music Mondays:Fred Falke

Good Monday Music Lovers,
This week I've decided to take a different approach and write about a new DJ, Frédérick "Fred" Falke. He is a French based house producer and DJ of German origin.


Fred Falke was a funk bass player, but after a coincidental meeting with Alex Braxe they decided to collaborate as a dance music producing duo. In the heydays of french house, which includes pioneers like Daft Punk and Cassius, they released several singles (underground but highly appreciated) on the French Roulé and Vulture Music labels. The tunes they made, with which Fred became famous, were released in 2005 on The Upper Cut.


Fred Falke is now an in-demand remixer in his own right and has produced remixes for a number of mainstream rock and electronic artists. Falke has reworked songs from artists as diverse as Little Boots, Gossip, U2, Annie, Grizzly Bear, Uffie, Ladyhawke, Florrie, Lykke Li, and La Roux, among many others.In 2006 Fred Falke went solo and released Omega Man, and a 12-inch of the same name, on the Parisian label, Work It Baby. He has made several remixes, including some for Gossip, Ladyhawke, Robbie Williams, Burns, Kish Mauve, Mini Viva, The Whitest Boy Alive, Lykke Li, U2, Miami Horror, Annie, Hot Chip, Ke$ha. In September 2009, he released a new 12-inch, including Chicago and Back To Stay.

On a personal note, I' really enjoy Fred Falkes DJ style; he is crisp clean ethereal and romantic - all the while keeping you dancing.

So please enjoy my two favorite remixes of Fred Falkes': "When I look into your eyes" and "Automatic".

See you next week for my new music obsession.
xoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below." -Joseph Addison

Drew Brings a Present to Coco Blackwell

Our very own Drew went to San Francisco earlier this summer and took in the Jean Paul Gaultier show at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.


Jean Paul Gaultier showed his first prêt-à-porter collection in 1976 and founded his own couture house in 1997. Gaultier developed his own dress codes in his designs during the 1970s to reflect the changing world he saw around him.


You can find Gaultier's designs featured in Nordstrom's fall collection, being described as "punk-infused, ready to wear." Check it out here: http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/jean-paul-gaultier?cm_ven=google&cm_cat=designer&cm_pla=jean_paul_gaultier&cm_ite=jean%20paul%20gaultier_p&ef_id=AghPjL7mpVAAAA3b:20120726025534:s


Here's a link to the pictures that Drew took while she toured the exhibition. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151135087581565.498346.200863556564&type=1


For now, I'm going to be combing the interwebs looking for more of Gaultier's Fall Collection. What will I be adding to my wardrobe?!?


Until next time, Coco Blackwell loves you.

New Music Mondays:Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Good Monday, Music Lovers,
I am back on the blog and better than ever after a very fun birthday weekend. This week's pick is a fun one for sure; Orlando Higginbottom, known professionally as Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED), is an English electronic dance music record producer and DJ. He is currently signed to major label Polydor. His debut album Trouble was released on 11 June 2012.

Orlando was educated at the Cherwell School, Oxford and has previously worked as a music teacher in schools. Orlando not only works on TEED but has also remixed tracks by the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Professor Green.

With ethereal beats and dream like dance tracks, I know you will enjoy TEED. Check out my favorite track, "Tapes&Money." I will see you next week with my new music obsession.

xoxoxo Najamoniq
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato

 

Product of the Week: Invisible Styling Cream

Not quite a miracle, but pretty darn close! Invisible Styling Cream is a wearable treatment for your hair. It strengthens your hair without that feeling of having product in your hair. You get a natural soft hold.

Stop by and get some today. You'll be so thankful! Healthy, beautiful hair is yours!

New Music Mondays: ALPINE

Happy Monday Music Lovers! I had a wonderfully fun time this weekend, fueled by music of course.

During the weekend a dear friend sent me a track, and I was hooked. Alpine is Phoebe, Lou, Phil, Christian, Ryan and Tim, hailing from Melbourne, Australia. ALPINE defines a new sound with zingy, wintry melody while still giving a sense of melancholy.

The band used to be known as SWISS but became ALPINE circa 2009-10; the band was quickly snapped up by the Aussie-hip Ivy Records. ALPINE quickly made their way onto the scene, constantly being referred to as the best Aussie band heard all year.

I love this band but I dont know if anyone can take the place of ABBA for me (tee hee hee.) Enjoy two of my favorite videos/songs from their debut album, A is for Alpine, out 8/12/2012 -  "Heartlove" and "Gasoline".

See you all next week with a new music obsession.

xoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
“Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.” ― Langston Hughes, The Collected Poems

Product of the Week

This week we are spotlighting the Davines Defining Texturizer.

The spray in product will give you volume all the way to your roots without leaving any residue. It gives you body and hold without heaviness. This product is heat activated, so use your blow dryer. Defining Texturizer will also restore your hair to its best state.

Come in this week and get some of this amazing product!

New Music Mondays.....Poliça

Happy Monday, Music Lovers. It's a brand new week and with it comes brand new music. This week's pick, Poliça.

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, this band is honestly one of the most amazing new finds for me in years. The band makes a perfect sound with waves of prog rock accompanied by showers of electro synth, coupled with Channys' hauntingly beautiful voice - only made more poignant by her deep lyricism.

There isn't much out there on the band since they were only founded in 2011; their first album was released Valentines day 2012. This is a very new and different find, less dance than I tend to lean more towards, but there is a magic in this band's sound.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy my two favorite tracks from the 2012 album "Give You The Ghost:" "Lay Your Cards Out" and "Dark Star".

I will see all you music junkies next week with another new music obsession!
xoxoxoxo, Najamoniq
"If music be the food of love, play on." William Shakespeare

New Music Mondays: Niki and The Dove

Happy Monday my lovely music lovers. My favorite time of year is upon us - SUMMER. I'm feeling carefree, sexy, and hopeful, and I always say "as emotion is music has inspired."

This week's music pick inspires all these feelings, and more. Sweden based electro pop duo, Niki and The Dove formed in 2010. This powerful duo is made up of Malin Dahlstrom (vocals) and Gustaf Karlof (keyboards.) Words cannot truly explain the energy, epicness, and spectacular dazzle of this band.

All I can say to you my eager reader is to play all the below videos, clear a spot on the floor in your living room, and get ready. This is a short one, I know, but some music cannot be explained in words, only in moves.

I know you will enjoy my favorite tracks by this band, "The Drummer" and "DJ Ease My Mind". Enjoy your Monday, and I will see you next week with my new music obsession.

xoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is." ~William P. Merrill

Locks of Love

Yesterday, Susan got to help a woman donate her beautiful locks to Locks of Love. Our Daymakers have done much cutting to help people donate their hair to this wonderful organization. The locks are turned into wigs for children who are battling long term medical problems.

The woman on the right in the photo donated her locks to this wonderful group. She came in with a friend, had her day made, and made the day of someone else.

We love when we can share in these adventures for you.

Gucci Half-Up Twist

We're still gleaning things from the Spring fashion shows. This week it's the Gucci half-up twist.

This look beautifully complimented the flow of fabrics on the runway. The style also works for all seasons. The look is simple but rich.

Check out a how-to, or, go in and have one of the Daymakers do it up for you. They love to make your day.

http://www.fashionising.com/hair/b--half-up-twist-hairstyle-25078.html

Treat(ment) Yourself

Are you finding that there are issues with your hair that just don't seem to resolve themselves no matter what you do? I know it's frustrating for me when I'm using the right shampoo, conditioner, and product but still find that my hair is uncontrollable. One of the things I've added to my hair care is a scalp treatment.

There are five different scalp treatments to choose from that have very their own specific value.

Purifying- To alleviate flaky dry scalp due to dandruff

Energizing- Aids healthy hair growth by encouraging blood flow to the scalp

Awakening- An aromatherapy treatment designed to Awaken you and your scalp with an aromatic oil blend

Relaxing- An aromatherapy treatment designed to Relax you and your scalp with an aromatic oil blend

Royal Jelly- A nourishing treatment designed to revitalize the hair with a perfect balance of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and biotin.

My favorite is the Relaxing. Those weeks when everything is just pressing in and I want to scream, going in and treating my soul and hair to this just makes it all more manageable.

When was the last time you invested in yourself in this way? Isn't it time to do so?

New Music Mondays Throwback Edition.....Jeff Buckley

Good Monday music lovers! This week I thought I would take a different approach with New Music Mondays. I decided to write about a artist that changed my view of music forever.

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician. After a decade as a guitarist-for-hire in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by playing cover songs at venues in Manhattan's East Village, such as Sin-é, gradually focusing more on his own material. After rebuffing much interest from record labels and his father's manager Herb Cohen, he signed with Columbia, recruited a band, and recorded what would be his only studio album, Grace.

Over the following two years  the band toured widely to promote the album, including concerts in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Australia. In 1996, they stopped touring and made sporadic attempts to record a second album in New York with Tom Verlaine as producer. In 1997, Buckley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to resume work on the album, to be titled My Sweetheart the Drunk, recording many four-track demos while also playing weekly solo shows at a local venue.

One sad evening while awaiting the arrival of his band from New York, he drowned during a spontaneous evening swim, fully clothed, in the Wolf River, where he was caught in the wake of a passing boat. His body was found on June 4, 1997. Thursday June 14, 2012, I will be in Seattle at the Crocodile Lounge watching one of many events celebrating the music and passion of Jeff's music at "Eternal Fair and The Crocodile Present A SEATTLE TRIBUTE TO JEFF BUCKLEY."

 I think at one point in everyone's formative years you come across an artist that opens the world for you, someone that lets you see deep into yourself and your dreams and, as the notes fade beautifully in your ears, they leave you changed as a person.

So I leave you this week with two of my favorite songs from this amazing artist: "Forget Her" and "Lover You Shouldve Come Over".

I will see everyone next week for another New Music Monday.

xoxoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"I try to make my music joyful—it makes me joyful—to feel the music soar through the body. It changes your posture, you raise your chin, throw your shoulders back, walk with a swagger. When I sing, my face changes shape. If feels like my skull changes shape—the bones bend. "Grace" and "Eternal Life" are about the joy that music gives—the, probably illusory, feeling of being able to do anything. Sex is like that. You become utterly consumed by the moment." -Jeff Buckley

New Music Mondays.....CSS

Happy Monday Music Lovers. I dig music, and I especially dig good electro dance music. Today my obsession with music brings you CSS Cansei de Ser Sexy.

Originating from São Paulo, Brazil members include Lovefoxxx, Luiza Sá, Ana Rezende, and Carolina Parra. Past members include Maria Helena, Zerba Iracema Trevisan, Clara Ribeiro, and Adriano Cintra. J.R. Kurtz has been the band's touring drummer since 2010 with the addition of Nate Perry as touring bassist beginning in late 2011. Bassist Inge Johansson has also toured with the band. Think Carnivale and club had a baby and you will get CSS.

I've loved them for years, but I'm especially enjoying their newest album, La Liberacion. CSS recorded tracks for their third studio album, La Liberación, while touring. They reportedly recorded a song in Spanish titled "¡Ay, Qué Horror!" According to lead singer Lovefoxxx in an interview with MTV Brazil, the first single of the new album will be released in May. The album, also according to her, will hit store shelves August 2012, with 11 tracks. The title will also be in Spanish.

In a recent interview with Folha de S. Paulo, Adriano Cintra said that the band's third album "is not a themed album. It has influences from clubs, reggae and punk." Ana Rezende, however, said that "we sometimes do a reggae that nobody thinks it's actually reggae. But in our head is very reggae."

On November 11th 2011, Adriano Cintra announced that he left CSS and declared that he did not authorize any of the band members to use his songs in any of their forthcoming concerts. He also stated that the reason behind his departure was due to attitude problems from other band members, claiming that they let fame go to their heads.

Basically this band makes you wanna put on your baddest outfit and go raise sexy chaos with your best friend. Their name was taken from a reported quote by Beyoncé, who allegedly declared that she was "tired of being sexy." I know you will enjoy three of my favorites by this band: "Music is my hot hot sex," "Move," and "City Grrrl."

See you next Monday with a new music obsession!

xoxoxoxo Najamoniq
"I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music." Billy Joel

New Music Obsession: ICONA POP

Good Monday my fellow music listeners. The sun has taken a sabbatical for a short time, but my sunny disposition is still in tact due to hot tunes pumping through my speakers!!!

This week's new music obsession thats keeping me in sunny spirits....ICONA POP. Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo are the latest in a long line of Swedish acts hoping to make an impact in the electro dance community. The pair met at a house party in Stockholm in 2009 where they drunkenly agreed that they should make music together. "I was forced to go to her party," says Aino, "I'd been dumped and was lying in a bed for two weeks. So I went to the party, we were introduced and started to talk. We kind of fell in love." The drunken promise then turned into a reality. Caroline says: "[Aino] then called me the next day and I was nervous about meeting up again, maybe it had only been the alcohol talking the night before."

Fans of Robyn, Niki & The Dove, and La Roux will especially enjoy this duo. A little punk rock, a lot of dance, and lots of lady sass. I am absolutely in love with this band. Listening to ICONA POP leaves me with thoughts of colored skinny jeans, bright lipstick , medallions, break ups and make ups, and a fabulous night out on the town.

I know you will enjoy my two favorite songs from this dance powerhouse duo "Manners" and "I Love It". Thats all for this week folks. Tune back in next week for another new music obsession; until then keep listening!

xoxoxo Najamoniq "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." ~Berthold Auerbach

New Music Mondays.....Chad Valley

Happy sunny Monday music folks. It's sunny, and I'm dying to bathe in all those lovely rays so this will be a short one.

Beautiful trance dance newbie CHAD VALLEY is this weeks New Music Obsession. It is hard for me to put into words what Mr. Manuel (CHAD VALLEY) does for chillwave, a music genre made popular in 2008. If I could use just one phrase about him and his music it would be, "Let one long chillwave of luxurious sound after another wash over you, courtesy of one-man musicgasm Hugo Manuel."

Hugo began in the band Jonquil, although he still plays with them he is also giving more focus to his solo project, CHAD VALLEY. I love the delicate yet moving quality to Hugo's music. Maybe because there’s just one of him, he is able to give the project greater focus; there is no dilution, or sense of boxes being ticked with Chad Valley – it’s just one idea gloriously stretched out over four tracks on his sublime self-titled debut EP.

This music is so good I'm sharing two videos from Chad Valley. Please enjoy song #1 "Reach Lines" and #2, my most favorite song by Chad Valley, "Anything." See you next monday with my new music obsession - until then enjoy the sun!
xoxoxo Najamoniq “The only truth is music.” ― Jack Kerouac

Inspiration

I get asked where some of my inspiration comes from. I get a lot from visiting one of the many local shops here in Tacoma; so many to choose from: Megs N Mo, Vintage, Nine Lives, Orange, London Couture - just to name a few. But, I also find inspiration and great ideas from the blog "sincerely, jules."

Julie Sarinana is a Los Angeles based blogger whose style is fashion forward. Here's what whowhatwear.com has to say about her:

While it's obvious Sarinana is an easygoing Southern California girl through and through, we have to applaud the fact that our stalkee upholds a polished aesthetic with every look. For example, the brunette beauty seamlessly balances relaxed silhouettes (billowy blouses and loose-fitting tees) with sleek pieces (skinny cargos and tailored trousers) for a fresh, uncomplicated outcome. Sarinana's affinity for vivid colors and of-the-moment patterns is not lost on us either. In fact, we loved the way she expertly combined the two via a bright coral blazer and graphic-print pants, as the result was sophisticated, youthful, and right on-trend for spring. Clothing aside, Sarinana clearly has a knack for sleuthing covetable accessories too, as demonstrated by her drool-inducing ankle boots, versatile drawstring bag, and armful of chic bracelets!


So, go check out her blog and get inspired!

Wishing you all a happy week!

Coco Blackwell