NYC and winter have us back after a week of early spring in Lisbon, Portugal. Like always in those situations, we contemplate why we deal with cold seasons at all and not move to a winterless region. I do like the seasons and the changes throughout the year, but the time when the outdoors is almost unbearably unpleasant in NYC feels longer every year.

But what are we complaining about? We could also be in Iceland – one of the happiest countries in the world – where winters are even longer! That was why they established the Iceland Airwaves Festival in early November. The event turns 25 this year and just announced its first wave of artists. We may again not make it this year, but we can only highly recommend it.

Kindergarten Heart, the second album by Montreal singer/songwriter Shaina Hayes is finally out. This bright, playful record makes the perfect antidote for the winter blues. Also, please don‘t miss our Q&A with Shaina.

The second album Dreamer by London musician Nabihah Iqbal, was one of our favorites last year. Now, she has released an EP Dreamer (Remixes) with remixes of four of her songs. As a bonus, “Disc 2” has a remix of her 2017 stop-you-in-your-tracks song “Zone 1 to 6000.”

Lastly, I want to bring the beautiful four-track EP Yn Y Bore by Welsh singer/songwriter/producer Gillie to your attention. I do not speak Welsh, but the music is just irresistible.

And then there is some sad news: New York City‘s feathered hero Flaco died ostensibly by flying into a window. However, other reasons may have played a role too, all of them have to do with the fact that a mega metropolis is simply not a good home for an Eurasian eagle-owl. It remains a philosophical question whether one year in freedom or many more years as a well-taken-care-of captive is more desirable.

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Yodashe Q&A

We are super excited about the debut album by London-via-Greece singer and producer Yodashe. While the full-length album does not have a release date yet, she put out the second single, “FAM,” today. We also asked her a few questions about her musical journey.

You are originally from Greece and moved to London to study at university. Please tell us how this came together.

Growing up in Greece I was always fascinated by the UK’s music scene and my dream was to move to the place where some of my biggest musical heroes lived and created. As Greece doesn’t have a developed music industry and public Universities offer training mostly in classical and jazz music, I opted to study Architecture for undergrad and then got a scholarship to do further studies in London. Architecture became the vehicle for my transition to the UK.

You make artful electronic music, and you are also a gifted singer. What inspired you first to start songwriting: the vocal or the instrumental part? Or was it your plan to combine both from the start?

As a kid, I trained in classical piano so, my passion for music started through the interaction with the instrument and the soundworlds it builds. Music always comes first, as a separate powerful language. Words are then shaped on top of vocal melodic lines to help express emotion and imagery created by the music. This is also the way I listen to music; if I am not intrigued by the sound, I will not try to figure out what the lyrics are about.

Who are your musical role models?

They are too many to name ranging from John Cage and Iannis Xenakis to Laurie Anderson, SOPHIE, David Bowie and The Beatles.

Bjork comes at the top of this list. Medúlla was the first album of hers I listened to, and the one that inspired me to compose my first music in a very DIY manner, using field recordings and my voice inside a film editing software. She is a creative powerhouse!

In our email conversation, you told me, “Music making is a kinaesthetic experience,” and you record your songs mostly with hardware. Are your songs sparked by the sound and capabilities of a specific synthesizer, or do you select the instruments based on the idea for a song?

I mostly enjoy letting the synthesizers drive the song; I like to experiment, spend time exploring the parameters, then, once I find something interesting (a texture or rhythmic pattern) the song starts to emerge. I trust the process; each synthesizer allows for different types of interaction so, if I truly focus on the capabilities of a particular instrument – and not try to replicate something I’ve achieved on another instrument –ideas that emerge will be original and this will be a rewarding and fun time in the studio.

The EDP Wasp plays an essential role in your upcoming debut album. Can you tell us a bit more about its specific appeal for you?

The Wasp forced me to think about music making in a different way due to its unique keypad which is not based on discrete notes that can produce chords – like a piano.

I could only play one note at a time on The Wasp keypad and decide whether the transition to the next note would be a glissando or not.

Without a traditional ‘chord progression’ approach I needed to build the complexity of the sound layer upon layer to define harmonies. And this process produced some fascinating and unexpected textures and effects! I like to think we co-created the album, The Wasp and I.

You graduated with a Master of Music from Goldsmiths, London. Would you recommend an academic education for somebody who wants to start making music professionally?

Academic education – in any field – translates into a personal decision to commit to developing a skillset in a consistent manner, on an everyday basis – sometimes even when working a full-time job.

But there’s definitely not one way of doing this, each artist has their unique path.

What I truly value during my time at Goldsmiths is that I had the opportunity to be creatively challenged within a safe space, as part of a supportive community of peers from all over the world and tutors who had experience in the UK music industry, therefore, keeping us grounded.

You are experimenting with AI for the artwork. AI also has a profound impact on music. Do you see this as a threat or opportunity for human creativity?

I see AI as an opportunity for human creativity, I don’t believe that the richness of human experience and its complex articulation through art can be easily simulated.

AI as a potentially powerful tool that can enable artists in the creation and processing of large amounts of concepts, which can be iteratively refined.

So far, I have only used it for visuals, but I would be interested to experiment with AI for music composition, following the path of Grimes and Holly Herndon.

What does a Yodashe live show look like?

I have no idea! I am building up my new live show based on the fact I don’t currently own an original EDP Wasp. It will be dark and immersive with a lot of interaction with the audience and the incorporation of background visuals.

Let’s come back to this question in a couple of months!

Song Pick of the Day

_Listen to/watch all seven songs on YouTube. Follow our daily updated playlists on YouTube and Spotify for the 50 latest Song Picks of the Day. Thank you for following us and sharing the excitement._

A classic tale of an imbalanced relationship tells London singer/songwriter Sam Walwyn. “Overtime” is an upbeat, empowering I-have-enough song “explaining the fear of opening up and not feeling like you can reach out for help.”

In “Habit to Help,” the Canadian singer/songwriter Rose Brokenshire chimes in on a similar topic. This compassionate, reflective pop song is “a gentle reminder that you have the ability to be gentle and loving with yourself through challenging times, just as you have always been with others.” Rose is, by the way, an overall awesome person, as you can read in our Q&A.

British musician Morgan Harper-Jones finally releases her impatiently awaited debut album Up To The Glass on March 22 via PIAS. She has released singles over the past two years, but “2D” is an excellent start to get into the record. “’2D’ is probably the most Up To The Glass song on the album,” she says.

“Reverse Bloom” is the answer to an undisclosed song by a former friend. The North Carolina singer/songwriter Emma Geiger acknowledges the other person’s feelings and expresses hope of a reversal of the fallout. “That friendship meant a lot to me, and losing it really shook me,” she says.

A band name like Friday Pilots Club raises the suspicion that ChatGPT might have generated it. But who cares, because the Chicago-based quintet makes that kind of high-energy indie-rock that is hopefully making a comeback. “In the wake of major changes in our lives, we must choose whether we will go on experiencing things from the driver’s seat or safely spectating life from somewhere outside of ourselves,” the band says about “Spectator.”

“Write Her Off” is “going after your crush and the feeling of rejection because they don’t feel any connection to you.” The London musician Freya Beer paints a dark picture of the pull and push in this relationship, and we are unsure where it ends.

We close this week’s playlist with J. Bernhard and his break-up song “Taxi.” While it may be a “cliche,” he is determined to lean wholly into it with a fist-bumping power pop song. “Forgetting about the break-up by singing about it is like self-sabotage, but I’m having fun with it, too,” he says.

Nine Photos of Lisbon - First Impressions of Day 1

After a bit of a rough flight across the Atlantic, we felt immediately welcomed upon arrival in Lisbon. Outside the airport (1), a warm breeze flitted around our noses, and we happily stuffed our puffy jackets into our little suitcase and made our way into the body of the metro.

Buying a 24-hour ticket (metro, bus, trams for only $7.37)) could not have been easier, and after a very pleasant metro ride, we left Cais du Sodré, the final station of the Azul line, less than 45 minutes later (2) & (3). In another five minutes, we could admire the beautiful view and the cozy tranquility of our apartment (4) & (6).

Despite only a little bit of sleep and airline food, we were hungry and went out to do some grocery shopping! A nicely equipped supermarket awaited us within walking distance, and soon, we could enjoy Portuguese delicacies, including wine, on our beautiful terrace and home for the next seven days (7). (Too hungry to plate everything nicely though!)

Refreshed and beautifully nourished, we left our place to explore Lisbon. Of course, we wanted to go on one of these famous funicular rides, and something we didn’t even know before there was one only two minutes away from us. So. Much. Fun (5). Granted, walking up the steep stairs would take a good twenty minutes or more, but after only a handful of minutes, we were on top of that hill, ready to explore the atmospheric Bairro Alto neighborhood (8) & (9).

Stay tuned for more photos and stories.