From a Safe Distance
Thrilled to bring you a collaboration this month with one of my very good buds from high school: Austin Hall. Austin and I bonded over music, webcomics, and an undeniable impulse to create (among other things). We've recently been in more consistent touch around music through my Discord channel, song rocks, which... hey you can join if you want to post or listen to songs that rock on occasion.
We started just throwing songs into the mix and saw something bubble up to the surface: a sort of uneasiness, a sweetness that felt a little dangerous. It felt... kind of, right? Everyone's a little different, but sometimes I personally like listening to downer music when I'm down, angry music when I'm angry, and this sort of music when I feel a little... lost? It's validating.
I'm in love with what we wound up with. It's unlike any other mix I've done, and I feel like it really explores the idea Austin describes below.
Hey, here's a first for the newsletter! Because the subject matter can be a little dark in its exploration of the ideas, I'm going to toss out a content warning: Baths's "Phaedra" features lyrics detailing suicidal ideation & Okkervil River's "For Real" alludes to self-harm. I love these songs, but completely understand why someone might not want that sort of stuff popping up on their mix. If that sounds like you, those are skippers! I hope I did this right, and if you have any feedback for how I can make this sort of thing easier or better LMK!
Like the mixtapes? Help me spread the love by throwing a few bucks my way via BuyMeACoffee. Thanks to everyone who has already supported me there. This really helps me not rack up a stupid amount of debt while making this passion project for you all.
And hey, if you like it, why not share the mix or this newsletter with a friend?
L'appel Du Vide
Created in collaboration with Austin Hall despite the seductive spiral.
A few words from Austin:
*****
When Brady asked me if I could lend him twenty-six bucks, I baulked at the idea. But I slowly came around and counter-offered: how about 26 tracks?! My original pitch was hundreds of hours of increasingly distorted boat horns, but Brady suggested that would be too long for a cassette tape, so we went with his concept instead: The Call of the Void.
As going mad is my favourite hobby, it took little to no time at all for me to remember about The Void. The sickly sweet siren song of that snake, the burden and bounty of consciousness – it’s real Garden of Good and Evil stuff. An easy choice for a mix!
There can be unparalleled tranquillity in this kind of meditative acceptance of The Darkness and Its Ilk. But obviously – we’ve all heard the warnings of monsters and abysses – you just gotta watch out, dude! Take a step back, Jack! Don’t too much gaze, Blaise! And cetera.
The ebb and flow of danger, wavering from analog to digital. That’s what this mix sounds like, to me anyway. And, as luck would have it……… to you?!
*****
Love you all. Hope you enjoy!
Join Me: Listen to Saturdays Sounds Volume 2, feat. Aloha Got Soul
I'm a big fan of Saturdays NYC, a surf/streetwear clothing brand that makes incredible cool and laid back casual wear. They recently collaborated with Sig Zane, a Hawaiian designer, on their Spring '23 collection, and it's full of great pastel colors, florals, and easy pieces.
Saturdays has also recently started posting playlists of tunes they've been jamming to at their Crosby St. store or otherwise digging. Volume 2, released just last week, was curated by Roger Bong of Aloha Got Soul, the incredible Honolulu record store I was lucky enough to visit and grab some wax at this past December. Similar to the Spring collection, this playlist is full of some of the best Hawaii has to offer. I've been loving it so far.
RIYL: Hawaiian tunes, city pop, bossa nova
Check out one of my favorite Aloha Got Soul pickups, From These Shores.
Some Other Things That Austin Loves
(that you might love too!)
Mario García Torres - Of opening track fame! I was introduced to him through his Illusion Brought Me Here tour at the Walker Art Center, and while entranced by his meta-paintings of their dimensions, materials, and titles, I couldn’t help but think - this is also the place illusion brought me! He’s made some of my favourite art in all sorts of mediums. You’d never know it from the spelling, but I’m not British!
Outer Wilds - "Echoes of the Eye" is from this video game’s soundtrack! Thematically, the whole game gels quite well with this mix – it’s a game all about knowledge and discovery through internal motivation, through the lens of *spoilers*. But it’s one of the only good video games since The Stanley Parable. Video games are for adults, now.
Photius I’s Bibliotecha – The world’s first book reviews! I got my hands on a physical copy of this historic beast, and there’s something so mesmerizing about the opinionated assuredness of an author so obviously mired in the times, except the presumed cultural conventions are contextless and riddled with lost allusions. Plus, the fact that half the books mentioned are no longer extant just lends an overwhelming transient meaninglessness to the whole affair. Really gives a dissociative edge to anything we may do!
PRRP - Speaking of reviews, have you listened to the podcast that reviews the reviews of its podcast? This recursive, metatextual narrative should be wrapping up its story later this year. It’s no secret why I love this podcast! I just think more people need to hear it.