Sonic Gardens: Day 141

"Get Lost" by Will J.

A chopped vocal sample plays in the background, my partner reads her book and the world spins. To some out of control, to others it’s unfolding exactly how it is supposed to. We are months into the COVID days and all I know is that creativity is flowing.

It’s often hard to pinpoint when what we are exposed to was actually created, we have projects like folklore & How I’m Feeling Now which the creatives behind are explicitly detailing how they were made under state mandated lockdown. Black is King just released and while clearly an undertaking long before the pandemic, it speaks to now in ways that imply crystal ball like foresight. Or, sadly, just an awareness of what being black in America means.

The point is that while holed up in our homes we can only scroll, stream & tik tok for so long before our minds need something else - and we all have something creative inside of us whether we embrace it or get paid for it. And unlike any other era of history, that art can be placed within clicks of billions instantaneously. So unleash the expression and expose ideas.

From the start of COVID I mentioned to those around me that I couldn’t wait to hear what was cooked up while we all socially distanced. Now this was said with a very small segment in mind. I’m a hiphop head through and through and beats and rhymes are easily manipulated with little need for outside assistance. And we have gotten the random bars mentioning our current crisis from big and small names alike. Performing may be on hold indefinitely but home studios are popping.

But as this has settled into some type of new normal my eyes have widened. Personally I’ve embraced more mediums of art both for consumption and creation than I ever thought about prior. And now the reality of just how accessible our world is is starting to seep in. Devouring books and records that have lain dormant on my shelves for years. Digging deeper into the sounds that excite me, inspire me and quell my anxieties is a gift. Taking that inspiration a step further and exploring my own artistic whims has been a wonderful by product.

The seeds were there. At the start of it all I was inspired to bring back this column. That lasted. But I did consistently pick up brushes, markers, paints, pastels, pens & pencils while I let sounds wash over my ears.

Sonic vibrations have long been my solace. The inspiration behind every action I’ve taken in my 34 times around the sun. The impetus for this column and everything else I’ve ever published. What better time to turn into it even deeper than as the world burns?

I’ve been on the road for the last 3 weeks upon getting laid off once more. I can’t begin to detail all the rabbit holes of sound I’ve explored, but I can tell you a few things I’ve learned.

1. Nicolas Jaar makes music that at 3 am in a tent in national forest land will have you convinced bears, bugs & zombies are all at your door. Telas is deeply meditative music. Beautiful and psychotic. Respect to my mom, who I was convinced would tell me to turn it off in minutes but instead sat with it for the entirety. His sound construction is getting more abstract, brooding & mechanical. I haven’t been able to take in the visuals paired with it in a collaborative effort but I have faith that it will only enhance the already complex project and allow it to continue to grow and shift upon more listens.

2. It’s clear to me now why Burning Man was hosted in the desert. Sound just has a unique presence whilst surrounded by an otherworldly landscape. My soundtrack was Abstract Orchestra, Dilla, Ezra Collective, FlyLo, Gangsta Gibbs, K Gates, Prince, ScHoolboy & Wiz. Alternating between funky & ratchet turn up jams to blunted out instrumentals was the perfect combination.

3. Just letting your library play on shuffle as you traverse a state is exactly what you need to hear. 

4. Waking up to new Blu & Exile was a special treat. The album needs more digestion but it's incredible to me that Blu is still just as flawless and underground as he was a decade and a half ago. 

5. Take more time to give random things a chance - be it based off a cover, an inkling or just plain randomness. Instrumental music is a constant in my life and Hashfinger has something special in his new one Miles Beyond. Sat in the sand dunes with it on repeat for 3 hours and it didn’t get old. 

It’s amazing the depths of what you can explore. I can think I’m aware of so much music and then read one article on PoW and find myself diving down a RIYL trail on apple music that means I’ve added 15+ albums to my library. Sometimes I’m ok with the fact I’ll never hear everything and then some days I want to forgo sleep just to consume one more record.

Invigoration is exciting. Perhaps it’s due to a 3 week road trip, the embracing of new potential opportunities for growth or the hyped up soul of Joey Bada$$ - but that’s where I’m at. As we all navigate this new normal I encourage you to share the culture that is inspiring you, helping you breath. I know I’m ready to.

Alvord Desert, OR/Photo: Will J