We’re Back!
Wow. Taking a break is good! I listened to a bunch of music, did some wedding planning, watched a bunch of movies, met my niece, and got sick like 3-4 times.
Thrilled to be back with an absolute banger collab with Erin Rose O’Brien (peep her substack here!). Summer’s here, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it. Here’s hoping it stays awhile.
Got a bunch of exciting stuff in the works in future months. Thanks for being here. Let me know what you’re digging lately.
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And hey, if you like it, why not share the mix or this newsletter with a friend?
✨sparkly sad✨
Created in collaboration with Erin Rose O’Brien for holding onto summer.
A few words from Erin:
*****
The moment summer begins, I begin to mourn its end—anticipatory grief for the season in which I feel most alive! The vibe is rock, pop, melody-forward. Artists translate all sorts of sadness, doubt, heartbreak, and defiance into anthems and grooves. These songs sparkle like tears welling up in your eyes.
This playlist is partially inspired by how much I’ve been grooving to “Obituary,” a song about finding joy while the world crumbles. The hoot (woo!) throughout is a spark at the end of days, intense love and devotion in defiance of it all. When the clouds open to rapture you away, horns play loud: “May your cup overflow / as the oceans rise below!” Maybe it’s a bit of a misdirect—a hopeful song beginning a playlist of sad ones—but it’s the thesis of the playlist. You can bop a little while your world is shattering.
Elsewhere you’ll hear melancholic city pop, a favorite genre of mine. Japanese city pop has a distinct sheen, influenced by jazz, funk, and emerging recording technology of the 70s-80s. “Midnight Pretenders” is a moody groove, with slap bass and syrupy harmonies. Tomoko Aran sings about her desire to “monopolize your love,” to claim someone all to her own. Similarly on the funk-influenced “4:00 AM,” Taeko Ohnuki wonders if she’ll ever see this lover again, to get one more chance.
These lovelorn songs are not unlike “Fever,” the Carly Rae Jepsen B-side, where she sings, “My breath was lost when you said friends / Well that could work but I'm still hot for you.” “Fever” is a glistening jam, with reverberating bass synth you can feel deep in your broken heart. It sounds just like summer nights longing for the one you love.
Summer just started, but everything ends. The nights are hot, the days are long, and the production is polished and crisp!
*****
Love you all. Hope you enjoy!
Join Me: Lankum @ Warsaw, Saturday, Nov. 9th, 7:00 PM.
After having to cancel their American tour last year, I am thrilled to announce that I am going to be devoured by the Irish trad-drone-folk group Lankum this November. I have been looking forward to this show for years. Tickets may already be sold out, because so have hundreds of others.
Still, if you want to bite the bullet on the ticket resale sites, I would bet my bottom dollar it is going to be worth every penny. This is maybe the most ideal concert of spooky season.
RIYL: traditional Irish folk, drone, Robert Eggers A24 ass horror adjacent movies
Check out Lankum’s amazing video for their incredible “Go Dig My Grave.”
Some Other Things Erin Loves
(that you might love too!)
Listening to a new-to-you album over weekend breakfast - My favorite is a breakfast burrito, a dab of Zab’s St. Augustine hot sauce, and copious coffee.
Getting really into Halloween - As a kid, I was very scared of Halloween. Now I think enjoying Halloween cured my seasonal depression. Drag your significant other to a pumpkin field, a Spirit Halloween, or a rep screening of a horror classic and hold them close.
Miso White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies - I cannot gatekeep this cookie recipe that literally everyone loves. They’re not that hard to make. You gotta try ‘em.
Finding the Fool: A Tarot Journey to Radical Transformation - I taught myself to read tarot during 2020. This book by Meg Jones Wall honors the old symbolism while bringing a modern perspective to each card. Less divinatory, more “what does this card mean to me right now?”
Sea Is A Lady - This album by Toshiki Kadomatsu. The sound of the summer, every summer.