Hila Ruach - Grizzly Bear

Hila Ruach's fierce and sensitive "A doctor in the west" is one of my favorite albums from 2015 and what better way to end the year than with a clip for the first song off of it, based on a poem by Yona Wallach. 

"The clip was made out of love for horror movies and film noir classics, which also inspired me while making the album", Ruach notes. "It provides a revealing glimpse into the fears and innermost thoughts of daily life, including disconnected internet, well-known figures from the indie scene and sedatives".

A grizzly she-bear raised me
Milk from the stars was my main nourishment
The first thing I saw
In the days of my life meaning what I remember
Was how I would be able to forget

Iki Levi & Rasta Hebrew Man - Flying High

Feel-good roots reggae with a powerful message, Iki Levi & Rastra Hebrew Man is music for the body, mind & soul.

They're talking only about money,
Corrupting the government,
They don't know what it's like to live one day like us.
Distancing peace
It's a security fraud,
Life is short and what will we leave to our children?

I fly high in my dreams
I want to live like a king's son
Yes I fly high with thoughts
How do I change this situation?
Israel year two thousand and more...

Will not fly away,
Well mi na ever gonna fly away!

Israel year two thousand and more
She takes and gives, I don't have a hand in this
I can't do it! I can't promise...
For years I've been writing and speaking about it,
If we work hard we'll discover it,
I promise that then we'll make it...

I fly high in my dreams
I want to live like a king's son
Yes I fly high with thoughts
How do I change this situation?
Israel year two thousand and more...

Won't fly away,
Well mi na ever gonna fly away!

Life is short and what will we leave to our children?
Time is passing and there are more that will come after us.
Yes life is short and what will we leave our children?
Time is passing by and there are more moments,
In which I fly high...

Won't fly away,
Well mi na ever gonna fly away!

Ramle - Alternative Energy

I remember first hearing Ramle's "The Factory" as part of the excellent "Ohalim Adirim" mixtape which served as a musical soundtrack to the 2011 tent protest. Ramle certainly stood out with their sharp lyrics together with pure rock and roll. I love how in their second album their sound matured a bit, and so did they, but the honest and thought provoking lyrics still take center stage.

A critical person
What does he have in his life?
Even to himself
He tends not to believe
Honking to cars
Doesn't talk to people
Even with himself
He forgot how to be innocent

But there was a plan
Not to see every night the same menu
To continue sliding as if there is no bottom
To start using alternative energy

Over the years
He learned how to get smashed
And not be interested
In what there is behind curtain number three
Hugging the bridges
So he can go and come back
Even with himself
He doesn't remember how to stop

And he hasn't found another island
To take his last belongings
To stop reacting to what they're saying
To start using alternative energy

When I was young, I loved the winter, because I thought it was easy to find warmth.

Eyal Even Tzur - Three Floors

Eyal Even Tzur says of this autobiographical love song that it is about the happy moment in which you realize that you have found your life partner. Gili Shaanan created the stunning clip and Shahar Even Tzur composed the music. Pure and beautiful.

Another turn of the key
You come home
A long day the shoes are tight
Empty talks about war
And noise
Everyone knows everything
Only you were waiting to come home

I love how your heart beats after three floors
Take my bag from me and give me your arms
I'm giving you, come and fall on me
At the end of every day

On the sand on Sunday
We talked without thinking
Funny feet
On the yellow set against the blue
It's important to take ourselves to a far away place
To get closer
I'll build sand castles for you

I love how your heart beats after three floors
Take my bag from me and give me your arms
I'm giving you, come and fall on me
At the end of every day