Posted on:Words

William Carlos Williams

We know nothing and can know nothing
but
the dance

The words that speak beyond what is written on the page, that snap at the heels and scorch the mind.

Posted on:Interviews

Dissolving words

Meredith Monk in her apartment, October 2010 [photo: Erica Beckman]

Meredith Monk in her apartment, October 2010 [photo: Erica Beckman]

Meredith Monk is the most striking, strong, and wholly peaceful woman that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. We met in October 2010, when I had arranged for Brooklyn electronic duo Blondes to interview the revered composer for a Dummy feature while I was in town. They’d told me a couple a months previous that they’d sampled her piece Rally in what would become Lover, the first track of their debut album ‘Blondes’. They were interested in her use of vocal, non-verbal communication, and the sheer power of her often-chanted compositions. The interview took place in the beautifully ramshackle rent-controlled apartment she’d lived in since the ’60s. She was very patient, somehow a little sad, yet still so full of wonder. She ended up kind of interviewing Blondes. I was reminded of this extraordinary afternoon today after listening to the On Being public radio programme she recently took part in. It’s a wonderful insight into her approach to life and work, and the importance of art in helping us live our lives and deal with the inevitable loss it entails. I urge you to listen to it here.

Plus here’s the audio from Blondes and Meredith Monk’s interview in October 2010 below.


Posted on:Words

Thank you for the music

Songs I loved at various points for various reasons this year, in alphabetical order. Thanks, 2011.

Adele – Someone Like You

Apparat – Black Water

Autre Ne Veut – Your Clothes

Babe Rainbow – Greed (feat Yung Clova)

Blanck Mass – Land Disasters

Blondes – Wine

BNJMN – One Sea (Lukid remix)

Bullion – Pressure To Dance

Clams Casino – What You Doin’

Cubic Zirconia – Night Or Day

Cymbals – Half Ask

Dam Mantle – WE

Deadboy – Wish You Were Here

d’Eon – Tongues

DJ Manny – All I Do Is Smoke Trees

Drake – Look What You’ve Done

FaltyDL – Waited Patiently

Ford & Lopatin – Too Much Midi

Friendly Fires – Blue Cassette

FRKWYS 7 Ensemble – Just A Little Pollution

Future Islands – Before The Bridge

Gang Colours – In Your Gut Like A Knife

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – I’ll Take Care Of You

Grimes – Vanessa

Gwilym Gold – Flesh Freeze

Harmonizer – World Complete

Holy Other – With U

How To Dress Well – Suicide Dream 1 (Orchestra Version)

Hudson Mohawke – All Your Love

Hyetal – Phoenix

Hype Williams – Farthing Wood Dub

Jacques Greene – Another Girl

Jamie Woon – Night Air

James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream

James Ferraro – Sim

Jessie Ware & Sampha – Valentine

Julia Holter – Goddess Eyes

Kode9 & the Spaceape – Love Is The Drug

Konx Om Pax – 7th Dimension

Koreless – 4D

Kuedo – Salt Lake Cuts

Laurel Halo – Constant Index

Light Asylum – Dark Allies

Machinedrum – Lay Me Down

Mirror Mirror – Interiors

Nicki Minaj – Super Bass

Nicolas Jaar – Wouh

Omar-S – Here’s Your Trance Now Dance

Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica

Patten – Blush Mosaic

Perfume Genius – All Waters

Pictureplane – Trancegender

Pink Skull – Human Hair Disco

Pure X – Surface

Rustie – Flash Back

SBTRKT feat Sampha – Hold On

SLEEP ∞ OVER – Romantic Streams

The Weeknd – Next

When Saints Go Machine – Add Ends

Wild Beasts – Plaything

WU LYF – Concrete Gold

Yuck – Stutter

Zomby – Sens