I Just Want to Thank You All
More and more I'm hearing back from folks about the mixes and even hearing that some of y'all are sharing them/the emails with friends. That really means a lot to me. I work really hard on these, and I'd do it for myself alone, but it's always wonderful to know some of you find joy in them too.
I'm already working on May's mix... a collab! Don't think I forgot about my promise to do that this year. For now, I hope this month's mix eases you into what is bound to be a sort of strange spring for us all. It's been helping me adjust, and maybe it can do the same for you. Hope you enjoy it. I'm going to stop including download links, because most folks seem to prefer the playlists, but let me know if you want a download, and I'll hook it up.
And hey, if you like it, why not share the mix or this newsletter with a friend?
Reunion
Created for a gentle return.
A few months ago I heard the song "Rest' là maloya" by Alain Peters, and I was floored. I have listened to it probably a hundred times since, and I think it is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. I wanted to include it on a mixtape, but I felt like I'd have to build around the song proactively rather than stumble upon a place for it in another work in progress. So here we are.
Alain Peters was a maloya musician from the island of Réunion, and I briefly considered diving deep into the various subgenres of African island music, but that didn't feel right. This song is so evocative of a feeling, and I wanted to follow that. This is the first time in a while that I've come in without any preconceived concepts other than "whatever feels right."
It struck me as oddly appropriate that this song from Réunion would be at the heart of the mixtape I'm making as we're just starting to be able to see our friends and family in person for the first time in over a year. I just got my second dose yesterday, and I'm excited for simple things like watching a baseball game with a friend and a beer.
This mix has a gentle but cautious optimism to it. I wanted to fill it with songs to celebrate the joyous return to life ahead but, as I fleshed it out, found a subtle sadness at the core. I think it's appropriate. It was a rough year. It's going to be a strange spring. Here's to better days ahead. Here's to being gentle with yourself. Here's to reunion.
Love you all. Hope you enjoy!
Join Me: Read an Interview with Me about @foundgoodoutfit
Oops (again) here's a shameless plug for another project of mine!
If you don't already know, I've got a silly creative project where I take cartoon characters, muppets, soda cans, and anything that isn't a real person and curate a fashionable outfit inspired by it. You can find it on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (sometimes).
Molly Lark Guillermo, who runs Split Lipstick–a beauty/fashion satire blog, asked to interview me about it. I was thrilled to talk with her about demystifying fashion, elevating under-appreciated design in pop culture, and finding the beauty in everything. Molly asks really thoughtful questions and frames the piece beautifully, and I really appreciate her letting me rant about this silly thing.
Would love if you checked out the interview here.
RIYL: fashion, animation, absurdist pop culture appreciation
Some Asian Artists I Love
(that you might love too!)
I don't think it's the most impactful thing to do, but one thing that I think certainly doesn't hurt in the battle for equity is exposing yourself to the art and experience of people and cultures different from your own. They carry with them beautiful traditions and individual invention which does nothing but enrich your own worldview. I'm horrified by the rampant anti-Asian racism in this country. I want to imagine a world where everyone is valued, not in spite of their differences, but because of them. I don't know. Bowen said it better.
Teresa Teng (Taiwan) - I just learned about Teresa Teng, who was apparently referred to as "Asia's eternal queen of pop." Sounds like someone you'd want to know, right? I thought so. Teresa was incredibly prolific for her 30 year career, so you could probably just pick an album or compilation and hop in. I started here, and hoo boy do I love these early rock/crooner sounds a lot!
Sinn Sisamouth (Cambodia) - I don't know how many times I have to recommend my dude Sinn before y'all listen, but here I go again recommending my dude Sinn. He's known, among many monikers, as the Elvis of Cambodia, and there's a documentary in production with the same name that I'm very excited for. I bought this comp this year, and it's a really wonderful introduction.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Pakistan) - Khan is another absolute legend, seen as the greatest qawwali (a form of Sufi devotional music) singer of all time. Apparently LA Weekly deemed him the 4th best SINGER of all time... period. He's been a huge influence on contemporary South Asian music. I picked up a record of his at Amoeba in LA specifically because I saw someone describe his vocal performance as unbelievable and beyond powerful. You should listen to the record (linked above). It is UNREAL.
Say Sue Me (South Korea) - Hey, not all of these picks have to be classics, legends, and... old. Say Sue Me is an indie rock band from Busan, and they're plain great. The band has some good surfy vibes, and lead vocalist Su-mi has the sweetest voice that reminds me sometimes of my favorite French yé-yé artists and other times of Nico. She's great. This is a great band. Check out their 2018 record.