shades of burning blue
currently listening to birds outside my window and a few other notables
have you ever tried playing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act II: No. 10, Scene Moderato while sitting perfectly still in an empty room? while doing nothing else but letting it take control of you? i recommend it. i’ve listened to it on repeat when sitting still, or submerged in a bathtub for twenty minutes, during the grind of my everyday commute, or in the evening after work in the midst of my partner‘s ten-minute (often twenty) nap.
this composition, although ephemeral, has to be one of the most emotive pieces alive. the breadth of sentiments it hides, the way it palpates its surroundings. it is timid, soft, desirable, seeking, dangerous, evil, sublime. my face stays expressionless while it tears my skin, shakes the insides violently as it plays. frozen in this timestamp, i wonder if some altered version of myself will leap out at me. just like the many jump-scares in Black Swan. my brain supplies the information that she exists and goes on to draw images in my mind‘s eye. the horror never ceases to exist. not even in the presence of playfulness.
i write these letters more sporadically now. a lot has been happening, both personally and professionally. i’m once again caught in the churn of massive transit, and the bureaucracies of adulthood chip away at the time i wish i had—for daydreaming, for explorations into the crevices of my muddled, painful, and overworked mind.
i wish i could write more often you know, like i promised at the beginning of this journey, every Wednesday, very ambitious i must admit. it has to come to me, you know, the words. i wait for it to come. i don’t even know if i actually know the meaning of the words i write. English is my first language, yet still not quite. they come out eventually anyway. and maybe they’ll mean something to someone.
what‘s been playing in the cave lately
(all kinds of vibes, honestly. it‘s still April and my feelings switch like the weather)
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1/5 The Air Outside Feels Crazy Right Now by Perila
ambient/ electronic
recordings from the personal archives of the Berlin-based Perila, produced between 2021 to 2023, and now proudly published by the German Label Vaagner. i like the quietness from which it emerges. guitar strumming, airy vocals, humming and the fragile processing of sound. this is an album for the everyday wandering mind. under its influence, i stop obsessing over outcomes and learn to just be.
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2/2 Under Tangled Silence by DjRum
electronic/ IDM
the perfect marriage of modern acoustics with electronics on this album by the mighty DjRum. this prodigy instrumentalist is a true all rounder of our times and it‘s really a joy to experience his work. i especially like „Three Foxes Chasing Each Other,“ with its rolling percussive drums, tickling and tumbling around in a way that truly sounds like its name.
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3/5 Marre, marre, marre by Sexy Sushi
electronic/ pop
on a very unserious note, here’s a peppy number for you. it’s spring and the Berlin Spätis sometimes host DJ block parties. Tunes from this French band’s album could easily be a part of that mix. that reminds me: it‘s Labour Day tomorrow and the kids (of all ages, really) love it here. the city spills into the streets, with parties happening everywhere.
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4/5 Eternities II by Your 33 Black Angels
acid-pop/ new-wave
a Brooklyn-based band called Your 33 Black Angels have been around for a while, and i‘ve only just discovered them. their newest is a set of wonky rhythms that certifiably release the brain into the wilderness. a very acid-house-meets-pop-meets-new-wave electronic kind-of an adventure. this is a sign for a little spring garden party with funky outfits. a little spring-fun core.
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5/5 Heaven Can‘t Heal by Circuit Preacher
dark-wave / industrial
i fucking love grime-y, sinful, hauntology influences in tunes and even better with a little dance-y beat of course. this one fits the bill with that gritty punk aesthetic and, i’m a big fan. just sharp industrial kicks, a little tremble, synthetically enhanced voice, and purely electrifying energy. Circuit Preacher have more of this substance on their archive, if you‘re up for a treat.
hope you love the tunes too. happy spring xox speak soon ⋆˚✿˖°