Cold/Love/Friend

The apex of summer, a new song, and a few updates

The first two weeks in August mark my personal apex of summer. When I was younger it would be the grand finale of summer camp, or the time where we would drive up to Lake Tomahawk, WI and vacation at my childhood best friend’s cabin in the woods, and for the last decade, it has been heralded by loved ones’ birthdays and by Sima’s festival, Postock. Almost every band I’ve had a part in creating has debuted at Postock, so it holds a special place for me as a marker of time. I hadn’t been since 2019, and I had been looking forward to it all summer. I have a memory of flying over the Midwest on my way to a festival in Omaha, NE in 2021 and having a single tear roll down my cheek as I looked out the window and imagined everyone gathering at the farm for the first time after quarantine. This year I made it back. I saw two shooting stars, dipped my feet in the cistern, got 1 million mosquito bites, and was a part of 5 different sets of music. There is a farm cat named Raymond now, and an infinite number of human babies. There is a literal and official desk where you check in. Things are different, I am different, but it was still a welcome anchor for the summer.

I think performing/improvising/making music on stage is one of the places I feel most comfortable and at home: it’s my version of a flow state. Stage banter and public speaking is another story, but the act of playing music in tandem with other people is what makes me feel purpose. Writing and recording music at my home is another version of this that I am only rediscovering now in the last few years. I used to sit for hours at my computer as a child and write music in garage band or finale and get lost in this immersive world of creating something from thin air. It feels like I’ve been returning back to that place. I forgot how important it was to me- and in 2020 I finally got my own recording equipment and its been really rewarding to remember what that brings out of myself. Which leads me to a few things I want to highlight :)

I’m very honored to have been asked to create an installation for a very special Chicago space. It’s not announced yet, but I can’t wait to share details with you as soon as it is.

Don’t forget to grab tickets to Hisako’s House - tickets are still on sale now. If you need a ride out to Lombard for the performance, please let me know and I’ll help coordinate something for you.

*~Recs~*

• I’ve been reading George Saunders’ “Civilwarland in Bad Decline”. Its a great book- I love his writing which is simultaneously apocalyptic, absurd, hilarious, and dark. My other favorite of his is “Tenth of December”

• I made this ice cream twice this summer. Once for my partner, and once for a dinner party. I reccommend it x 1000. Haven’t tried the shortbread recipe included in this link, but honestly it looks very sick. Let me know if you make it.

• been watching season 3 of Hacks. Also How To With John Wilson. I know I’m late to both but honestly what is time anyway???

I sheepishly want to share a song I just wrote the other day- temporarily calling it “Cold/Love/Friend”, and I’ll share the lyrics here. Sometimes [like now] I get the urge to share something in its nascent stages- its been a summer of many things. Tune in below the pay-wall.

*~*~*~*~*

MS