#anjimile

February

Theme: Black artists

NSFW by The Paradox - a new pop-punk band singing about traditional topics like angst, bad life decisions, relationships, and breakups that sounds straight out of the mid-2000s, which I mean both positively (I am a huge fan of mid-2000s pop-punk, I love this sound and energy) and negatively (do we have to still be laying so much bitterness and blame on exes, especially for having been promiscuous?) Strongly evocative of Blink-182, one of the band members of which they collaborated with on one of the songs. Despite the name, the only thing really NSFW about it is a few swearwords—topics like sex, drugs, and alcohol are definitely there, but overall presented in a fairly traditional way. It’s not doing a whole lot new with the genre, but the music is fun and catchy and energetic and entertaining in a very classic pop-punk way.

Laughter in Summer by Beverly and Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland. Released this month. Beverly Glenn-Copeland is a trans man, was one of the first Black students at McGill University, has been an activist and folk/jazz musician who got involved in activism, music, and new agey stuff in the 70s. Now 82 years old and fighting dementia, Laughter in Summer was co-produced with his wife. Wistful and gentle, primarily one or two voices singing along to piano music, you can hear the New Age, Classical, and subtle jazz influences. 

The King by Anjimile. I really love Anjimile's first album, Giver Taker, and while his second album was definitely good I didn't love it the same way - I prefer the mellow, sad, contemplative, soulful feeling of Giver Taker.  The King is bolder, bigger, more passionate, more bitter, more intensely instrumented, and I think I need to listen to it again to appreciate it on its own merits rather than expecting more of Giver Taker again. Anjimile is Black and nonbinary transmasculine and that definitely informs the feelings of both albums in different ways - Giver Taker more about personal journeys and introspection, The King a much angrier response to the upheavals of 2020 and being Black and trans in America. He has another album coming out in March I'm looking forward to, too.

Ride, Daybreak, and Sojourner by Immortal Girlfriend. Looking for a new synthwave/retrowave album to write my dissertation to, and I picked Immortal Girlfriend somewhat arbitrarily from a list of Black synthwave artists because I thought they'd be women. They aren't, they're two brothers. Enjoyable synth, melodic and retro in feel, more grooving than intense beats.

March

Theme: Female artists

Fasiya by Sona Jobarteh. I like her earlier album Bandinyaa Kumoo a lot, and Fasiya was... kind of more of the same, admittedly. I listen to Bandinyaa Kumoo to fall asleep to a lot, so I'm probably just more familiar with it and more fond of it. Fasiya is soothing and lovely to listen to, and Jobarteh's voice is beautiful.

Tragic Magic by Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. Orchestral and ambient, it fills the space and is calming and contemplative. I listened to it as background music when Dissertation Writing.

Sanctuary by Tilly Tjala Thomas, her EP, as well as her single "Ngana Nyunyi." Tilly Tjala Thomas blends the breathy-girl pop singer sound with indie songwriting and electronic beats. There's a lot about her music that reminds me of what I like about CHVRCHES (still obsessed with, still listening to constantly, lol). Thomas is Nukunu Aboriginal Australian, and incorporates the Nukunu language into my two favorite songs of hers, "Ngana Nyunyi" and "Ngai Yulku Nhiina." I read a few articles about her use of the Nukunu language in her songs here and here.