Ahh, an old fave, the legendary Wolfgang Press... (the whole 4AD/ Ae/ Pop Ambient/ January thingy... ;)
Managed to read about a dozen books in 2019, among the favorites?
There, There Tommy Orange
Nickel Boys Colson Whitehead
My Year of Rest and Relaxation Ottessa Moshfegh
Fleishman Is In Trouble Taffy Brodesser-Anker
Where'd You Go Bernadette? Maria Semple
Recursion Blake Crouch
Dopesick Beth Macy
Just Kids Patti Smith
As far as records go... I didn't listen to as much new stuff as usual, I've been trying to sift through the wreckage of a mid-2018 iTunes crash which has me parsing back through my entire collection to try and retrieve old faves and discard stuff that really shouldn't be taking up any more of my time. But these stuck out:
Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? Deerhunter
Soundings Simon Scott
From Here to Eternity Kyle Bobby Dunn
Sunrise, Looking East Danny Paul Grody
Tracing Back the Radiance Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
Constellation in Still Time Rafael Toral
Reducing the Tempo to Zero Ben Vida
Haalea Olli Aarni
Abate Fetel Alex Cobb
Agora Fennesz
Mount Carmel M. Grig
...Stereolab reissues... I left a lot of shit on the table, I hope to return as I try to stay committed to the process.
and, songs? well...
"Courtyard" Mercury Rev feat. Beth Orton
"On the Wall" Chromatics' Jesus & Mary Chain cover
"Suburban Junky Lady" Royal Trux
"New Atlantis" Efdemin
"Dragon Country" Bill MacKay
"No One Here is a Stranger" Bill MacKay & Katinka Kleijn
not enough... I know.
other faves in 2019: humility, sincerity, humor, love, empathy.
My January, 2020 (not much):
Simon Scott "Emergency Exit" (Touch)
Pale Saints The Comforts of Madness 30th Anniversary Re:Masters (4AD 0159 CDX)
Oval "Eksploio" (Thrill Jockey 515)
Oval Scis (Thrill Jockey 514)
Jeff Parker & The New Breed Suite For Max Brown (International Anthem 29)
and reading Maria Gainza's Optic Nerve (Catapult, 2019, orig. 2014)
