Earth and Sun Say Hello in New York

In the past week, we had two major natural events in New York City: a 4.7 earthquake and a partial solar eclipse. One is unexpected and frightening, the other long anticipated and elevating! Both are reminders of the big forces in the universe and how dependent we are on the stable ground beneath our feet and the warmth and light of the sun.

Coincidences like these could serve as an inspiration for an artist’s creative process. I’m curious if we will eventually hear songs reflecting those events and how they fit into our perception of the unprecedented times many believe we live in.

Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, is an artist I have admired for her vision since I first stumbled upon her song “Vanessa” in 2011. She has become a star since being an indie musician and relentlessly touring small stages – but not only because of her music.

Recently, she was interviewed for the PBS documentary A Brief History Of The Future. In this little, heavily produced clip, she is very upbeat about the technologies artists have at their disposal, including AI. She knows what she is talking about because, thanks to a universally available technology, she could launch her career: a laptop equipped with GarageBand.

Check out the clip below. I was delighted by her positivity and belief in the human creative spirit.

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Song Pick of the Day

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The Canadian musician Matías Roden tackles his depression by taking its perspective in his new song “Great Escape.” He adds another layer of defiance by making it an upbeat synth-pop track. There is also an artful video directed by Peter Faint:

Jenny Newman has some candid words of advice for an ex-lover in “Mother’s Porcelain.” The guitar-heavy track nods towards melancholic 80s and 90s post-punk.

A few notches more cheerful is the music of singer/producer Velazques, who makes unabashed dance party music. “Floor is Lava” – a children’s game by which you are not allowed to touch the floor – is a metaphor for not standing still and embrace whatever is coming at you.

LA musician Little Monarch embarked on a project where she posted little clips “to help motivate a positive experience of self for the week.” One of those, “Sheesh,” made it into an entire song, and it indeed spreads positive vibes by the boatload.

The same can be said for the next song, “Beautiful Life,” by Californian pop-rockers “The Eiffels.” Give yourself into the song because life is beautiful in many ways.

Music is an art form where the result only reveals a little about the process of making it. That makes it fascinating when an artist opens up about how she approached bringing a song to life. For “Sinkhole,” LA singer/songwriter Sarah Grace White wanted “the production to reflect the unreliable tint of memory.” For that, she chose Valentine Studios, where she and producer Jorge Balbi “allowed the character of the room to speak for itself.”

The New York indie rock five-piece GIFT is back with a new track, “Wish Me Away.” The song reflects the feeling that everything is too much, but in a hopeful way. “While this all seems daunting and sad, there’s a feeling of optimism in this song, holding on for dear life and refusing to give up hope,” says songwriter TJ Freda.

Nine Photos of Moving and Eclipsing

So, this happened. The moon was blocking the sun in its path around the earth, and 40 small boxes of vinyl, CDs, books, and memorabilia found a temporary new home in a New Jersey storage facility. Both events had an exact time stamp for when to be ready, yet admittedly, the cosmic spectacle was less emotionally taxing and easier to make time for. Going through our belongings and making decisions on what to keep, what to put in storage, and what to let go was, at times, rather difficult. April also marks the month that Oliver and I moved to New York City. It’s been 23 years by now, and our possessions have grown over time. Taking stock and reducing our possessions was also a reinvigorating experience, and we’re not done yet, as the actual move has yet to happen.
Here are nine snippets from both events.