Reflections on April and new rituals

Greetings and Happy Friday! April came and went, and now May is here. For me, April was about taking action and risks and advocating for what I want. Sometimes things didn’t turn out as I had hoped or envisioned, but I was grateful to have at least tried and to trust that more will be revealed in time. Closed mouths don’t get fed, right?

Sung Neung-kyung, Apple, 1976. Hammer Museum’s Only the Young: Experimental art of Korea in 1960s-70s

Experimental Korean art exhibit featured at Hammer Museum

Hammer Museum’s Only the Young: Experimental art of Korea in 1960s-70s exhibit wraps up next weekend, May 12. The exhibit features artists of the generation who challenged status quo and boundaries while also moving through the intense transitions, cultural changes and oppression following the Korean War (1950-1953). I particularly enjoyed learning about artist Park Hyun-ki, a pioneer of video art who incorporated natural and artificial stones throughout his sculptural installations as an approach to spirituality and ancestry.

Park Hyun-ki, Video Inclining Water, 1979

Park Hyun-ki, Untitled (TV Stone Tower), 1982

I decided to approach “our” perspectives by broadly categorizing them first as visible, and second as spiritual. And the stone tombs, menhirs, temples, mortuaries, danggol (shamans), uncanny experiences, and many historical ruins and villages that I organically experienced as a child, the spiritual consciousness of the village elders who once lived in them, the thoughts that our forbearers had, and especially their aesthetic consciousness: it was, above all, enjoyable to find the spirit that I had previously failed to acknowledge and its visible manifestations.”- Park Hyun-ki

New matcha ritual

Perfecting my matcha lattes. Apologies in advance for those with trypophobia.

I found out yesterday (May 2) was National Matcha Day which is exciting as I’ve now become a daily matcha drinker since I am pausing my consumption of coffee while I have braces to avoid further staining my teeth. I am currently trying out different kinds of matcha, and every morning, I look forward to making it as part of my morning ritual. It’s a relaxing and peaceful process. My lovely friend Chrystal recommended and sent me Ippodo Tea’s Ikuyo recently which is a medium-bodied matcha that strikes a bright balance between bitter and sweet. I’m also excited to try Marukyu Koyamaen’s matcha as I came across it online as one of the most popular matcha brands in Japan. Are you also a matcha lover and have any other ones you’d recommend?

April Gems in rotation
Here’s my short stack of April gems that have been on rotation for me. Listen to the playlist here.

Tommy Richman - MILLION DOLLAR BABY
Hailing from Woodbridge, VA, Tommy Richman has been making and sharing music since 2016. He is the first artist on Brent Faiyaz’s label ISO Supremacy. “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” is quite simply a hella catchy hit song that I’ve been listening to on repeat and is making its way to debuting in the Top 10 of Billboard Hot 100 next week. This song just puts me in a good mood, and it makes driving extra fun. 

Concrete Boys ft. Lil Yachty, Karrahbooo - NOT DA 2 
Fronted by Lil Yachty, Concrete Boys is a collective consisting of rappers Camo!, Draft Day, Karrahbooo, and Dc2trill. “NOT DA 2” is from Concrete Boys’s It’s Us Vol. 1 album, a song I dig largely because of Karrahbooo’s nonchalant, laid-back rap style and cunning punchlines. In this Essence feature, she says “I like when I sound like I’m really unbothered and just talking my sh*t.” Hell yeah! I first came across Karrahbooo on her song with Anycia (another favorite) called “Splash Brothers.” I dig her overall tomboy style and am excited to hear more from her this year. 

Damar Davis - Bend
Damar Davis is a LA-based house music producer and DJ who also runs Salon Recordings, a label he started in 2019 which he says is “where dance holds the utmost importance. There is no need for words, just move.” I proudly rep his great merch as well. I first learned of Damar through my great friend Natalie. I love the thoughtfulness around Damar’s selection of samples and beats and his compositions across all of his projects. “Bend” from his self-titled EP is no exception. The beautifully composed jazz chords and groovy synths get me excited for the weather to get warmer and summer to begin. “There is no need for words, just move” indeed.

Nation of Language - September Again
Formed in Brooklyn in 2016, Nation of Language’s music transports one to ‘80s new wave. My dear friend Anahid recommended me their music as I hadn’t heard of them before. I dove further into their catalog and have to say, “September Again” is a song I’ve repeatedly listened to this past month even thought it released in 2020 from their album Introduction, Presence. I’m excited to catch them live with one of my favorite bands Blonde Redhead in October. 

Eyedress ft. Rico Nasty - It’s All in Your Head
This collaboration between Eyedress and Rico Nasty makes me happy, and it’s cool to hear Rico sing in this fun, alternative style I hadn’t heard from her before. “It’s All In Your Head” is from Eyedress’s latest mixtape Vampire in Beverly Hills and just as the title suggests, the two serve up some important reminders to knock down self-doubt with lyrics like “You’re not as weak as you think / Just keep moving along / Don’t get stuck on the pain / They won’t pity for long / They don’t know how you feel / Don’t worry what they want.”

Baby Rose and BADBADNOTGOOD ft. Mereba - Caroline
Baby Rose and BADBADNOTGOOD have come together to release their joint EP Slow Burn. Baby Rose’s soulful voice and BADBADNOTGOOD’s excellent production make this a comforting, lush EP to carry you through. “Caroline” is a favorite from it, especially with the feature from the ever talented Mereba. Fun fact: I helped book Baby Rose and Mereba along with Baby Tate for a special women in music camp in Atlanta in 2019 where they got to spend a week recording and collaborating together. You can also watch our panel conversation I hosted here. Baby Rose was also a guest on my podcast Progression which you can revisit here.

Happy Spring

It’s officially Spring. Happy Spring!

Photos from some of my walks in March.

I hope you’re bringing in the new season with openness, creativity and peace for yourself. As new things begin to emerge and momentum starts to build for me especially in the area of work, I remind myself to enjoy the process and stay in gratitude for the learnings and lessons that are helping me continue to grow. 

Here’s my round-up of March gems. You can listen to the playlist here.

Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar - Like That
No brainer for “Like That” to kick off my March Gems list. The amount of discourse and memes around this song and moment are certainly something that makes me grateful to be a rap fan. I enjoyed reading this write-up by Vulture music critic Craig Jenkins, “What is Kendrick thinking?” 

SiR, Ab-Soul- I’m Not Perfect
SiR’s new album Heavy dropped last week. There are several standouts, but for me I’ve listened to “I’m Not Perfect” the most on repeat. This is just one of those songs that upon the first five seconds of listening, I knew I loved it immediately. “One step up and then two steps back / might slip up but I’m still on track…” The collab between SiR and Ab-Soul is effortless, melded well by production from Rascal & WU10.

iivrson - Nocturnal
I met rapper iivrson in Atlanta in 2018 while on a work trip for a shoot. He was great to connect with and at the time had just started to work on music and eventually put out his first single “Money Callin’,” a debut hit in 2019. “Nocturnal” is his latest single in his signature whisper style that has me excited for his journey ahead and is testament of how much new talent and sounds Atlanta continues to boast.

The Marías - Run Your Mouth
I’ve been impressed by and excited about The Marías announcement and rollout of their forthcoming sophomore album Submarine which is out May 31. “Run Your Mouth” is a catchy bop, and it definitely feels prime for Spring. Singer María Zardoya said “dance while you can, the next ones might make you cry.” I’m very excited to hear the rest of the album.

Better, Soft Glas - Lukewarm
Better is artist Soft Glas’s new band fronted by artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Joao Gonzalez. This month they released “Lukewarm,” and I love the instrumentation throughout the song. It stirred up some nostalgia for me in that it reminded me of past bands like Mineral I listened to growing up whose instrumentation and production I particularly loved. 

Crumb - AMAMA
Crumb just released the title track from their forthcoming third full-length album AMAMA which will be out May 17. In their post, singer Lila Ramani said the track is dedicated to her namesake, her grandmother who had sent her a video of herself singing via WhatsApp that inspired the melody and foundation of the song. Her grandmother’s voice is sampled throughout this beautiful, glitchy number Lila calls a love song, and I love the representation of Lila’s Indian heritage. I’m excited to hear the new album in a few months.

Pedazo De Carne Con Ojo - Still 
Pedazo De Carne Con Ojo is the artistry of Florida native, Philadelphia based artist Steven Perez who creates electronic music inspired by punk, rap and his Dominican roots growing up listening to merengue, salsa and bachata which he samples in his music. His experimental, eclectic music creates space for reflection and opens up new perspectives for me. “Still” is a song from his latest EP Again that just dropped. I first listened to this on my way to work as a calm breeze flowed through and the trees looked more green and vibrant than ever. I first heard of Pedazo via drummer Malcolm Martin, featured percussionist on this EP. I had met Malcolm through the lovely band Sales (side note: Sales was a featured guest on my podcast a few years ago). I’ve been blessed to connect with so much musical talent over the years and be introduced to more. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Other bits from March:

• I finally started and finished watching The Bear in March. It had taken me a while as I’m quite slow to watch some shows. I fully understand the praise received and awards they sweeped because the show hits the heart so deep. Every single cast member was phenomenal, and I love the storyline and the complex themes around trauma, family, relationships and mental health that the show covers, inspired largely by creator Christopher Storer’s own personal story. It’s a great reminder that telling and owning our stories matters. On a lighter note, I’ve been inspired to cook more. I can’t wait for Season 3 which is set to release this June.

• I caught two wonderful concerts in March: Annahstasia at the Masonic Lodge, which was my first time seeing a show there. I love the ambience and acoustics in the space, perhaps energized by the fact that the venue is located within the Hollywood Forever cemetery. I look forward to seeing another show there. If you haven’t heard of Annahstasia, I recommend giving her a listen. Her soulful voice and folk music inspired by artists like Bill Withers, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell may put you in a trance. I also caught TiaCorine at the Echoplex last weekend. She is the sweetest and put on an incredible performance and show which included fan audience participation which is always fun. It was entertaining, and I’m excited to hear more from her this year. I highlighted her song “Olive” featuring Detroit rapper Zelooperz in my February gems playlist, so I was happy to hear the song live as he joined her on stage.

• I enjoyed coming across this encouraging reminder from a tweet shared via readswithravi, an excerpt from Paulo Coelho’s book Maktub: “If you want to have a better understanding of your role in the world, write. Try to put your whole soul into writing, even if no one else will ever read it… the word is power.”

What are you looking forward to in April?

Best wishes for the Spring,
Jane

February gems and an ode to Xanga

A haiku for you:

March landed Friday
February flew on by
Peace is in the now

February Gems round-up

Here’s a set of tracks I’ve highlighted as part of my February gems round-up. You can listen to the playlist here.

TiaCorine ft. Zelooperz - Olive
Rapper TiaCorine hails from Winston-Salem, NC. She and Detroit’s Zelooperz teamed up on this super catchy song “Olive” from TiaCorine’s latest EP Almost There. I love Tia’s energy, and I’m excited to catch her live in a few weeks.

ScHoolboy Q - Yeern 101 
I’ve been listening to ScHoolboy Q’s new album Blue Lips since it dropped on Friday; “Pop” featuring Rico Nasty and “Back n Love” featuring Devin Malik might be my top favorites from the album although the entirety is pure gold. “Yeern 101” was the first single to drop in February after he announced the album. I’ve missed ScHoolboy Q and am happy he’s back. I’ve been a fan for years, and I remember seeing him at the Warfield in SF with my brother when I was still living in the Bay. It’s also been fun to follow his convos with fans and his personal rankings and reflections of his past projects on Twitter.

GloRilla - Yeah Glo!
“Yeah Glo!” is a hit from Memphis rapper GloRilla, and it’s exciting to see her continue to shine and get the love she deserves. I also love the Chopped & Screwed version of this song.

Cousin Stizz - Puddle Boots
Cousin Stizz is back with his first single of 2024 with the bouncy “Puddle Boots.” This one is up there with “Every Season,” another favorite anthem of his that I like to bump loudly in the car.

Little Simz - SOS
Little Simz recently released her new EP Drop 7 and “SOS” is one of my favorites from it. It’s a fun one with lots of rhythm and Brazilian funk influence that’ll prompt you to start moving.

Audrey Nuna ft. Teezo Touchdown - Starving
Audrey Nuna is a creative force. It was a pleasure to work with her on a film called Message in the Music which is one of the projects I’m most proud of in my career thus far. Audrey has been consistently pushing the envelope especially with her music videos, and I love the alternative leaning direction she’s going in with “Starving” in collaboration with Teezo Touchdown.

Yiruma - non è la fine
Yiruma (이루마) is a Korean pianist and composer whose songs explore themes of nature and emotion that are sure to evoke something within. I discovered him during the pandemic and recently revisited his catalog. “non è la fine” translates to “it’s not the end.” As the title of the track suggests, this is a bittersweet, beautiful song that makes me want to treasure every waking moment.

An ode to Xanga + connecting with people from my early Internet past: 

Example Xanga site from another user. Found on https://zine.yesterweb.org/issue-00/index.php?page=9

When I was in high school, I found expression and connection on Xanga and LiveJournal. Xanga was a social blogging platform and community where I met a lot of my pen pals who lived across various cities around the world. I met them through groups I’d join on Xanga called “blogrings.” We would send each other letters and care packages consisting of mixed cds and small trinkets. Sending and receiving these via snail mail would fill me with a sense of comfort and joy amidst the dark teen angst storm I found myself in. These were friends I had never met or grew up with but nonetheless, they were my friends from afar.

There was Joanna in the Philippines who now lives in Hong Kong. There was Liza in New Jersey. There was Elspeth who lived in the Pacific Northwest and later moved to NYC and LA. There was also Andrew who wasn’t my pen pal but lived in my neighboring city. He was also a Korean kid who listened to screamo and hardcore bands like Thursday and Every Time I Die like my brother and me.

Even as Xanga’s demise happened, my Xanga friends and I would still follow each other from MySpace to Facebook and now Instagram. Even though we don’t talk or write to each other as regularly as we used to, I still hold all of them in a special place in my heart.

I was reminded of the power of Xanga because Andrew and I recently got a chance to finally meet IRL, nearly 18 years later because it turned out we both work at the same company. Even though we had never met prior, it felt like meeting up with an old friend due to the nature of Xanga being a place where people found community through their mutual interests. In this case, it was our shared bond of being young Korean kids who found solace in a music scene where we rarely saw people who looked like us.

I have a newfound gratitude for these online communities like Xanga that I was a part of and built friendships through. I unlocked connection and community through writing, a reminder for me to keep going, keep writing, keep sharing. I hope to find a way to access my old Xanga archive and perhaps expand on this fundamental experience of my life even more later.

Were you ever on Xanga or LiveJournal? Have you been exploring or revisiting a piece of nostalgia that’s served as a reminder to keep going? 

Best wishes for the Spring,

Jane Shin

Wrapping up 2018

Happy Winter Solstice. Today marks the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. The end of 2018 is officially near.

A lot of major transitions and shifts took place for me in 2018. It’s been a painstaking yet beautiful process, but I’ve gained a wealth of emotional and spiritual growth on a level I haven’t felt before. I’m grateful for all that’s transpired this year that has led me to this point in my life.

In 2019, I look forward to finding more courage to share my voice and my story, to continue elevating and supporting artists I believe in, to continue writing and producing to my heart’s content (no pun intended), and to continue shedding old narratives to make room for new ones to honor who I am today and who I’m becoming.

In the meantime, here’s what I’m reminiscing about and celebrating in 2018.

Favorite milestones of 2018

U.S. destinations I hit outside of LA in 2018: Kauai, D.C., NYC, Philadelphia and Seattle

Destinations I hit abroad in 2018: South Korea and Japan

• Making my spirituality a bigger focus this year

  • I’ve been processing a lot, and my spirituality is one of the most important things I’ve reconnected with and regained this year. I will expand on this more in 2019.

• Launching janeshin.co, my website and blog in January

  • It took a lot of courage and hard work to finally launch my website in January. It was an emotional process revisiting my past work and past lives, but it reminded me I’ve come a long way. In case you missed it, I wrote about the process of launching my website.

• Embarking on my first mother-daughter trip to Japan and Korea in March and April

  • It was special because I learned more about my mom on this particular trip. It was both our first time in Tokyo, and it was my third time visiting the Motherland, Korea. My mom continues to amaze me as the strongest person I know. She’s the only person in her family to have immigrated to the U.S., so I’m always in awe of her courage and independence. I already knew she was a musichead, but it was cool to learn just how much of a musichead she was e.g. she loved falling asleep listening to music, and she’d play American pop songs for her younger sisters so they’d pick up English. I’ve been piecing together the ways in which I’ve found myself on this journey in music, and in learning more about my mom, so much makes sense. Her ears of gold and her love for music have made their way through to me.

• Turning 30 in Kauai and learning to surf for the first time in June

• I was excited to turn 30 this year and in no better, more magical place than Kauai with my best friends. I learned to surf for the first time too and hope to have another opportunity to surf again in 2019. 30 has treated me well so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the 30s have in store for me.

• Organizing the first LA Women@Spotify event for International Women's Day in March

  • I’m honored I got to make this happen during my time at Spotify by bringing together women working in the worlds of music and film. My heart was full seeing different women connect and share their experiences navigating the challenges of working in male-dominated industries. Read the recap and tune into the full recording of the panel here.

• Creating and hosting my first music showcase in LA with April + VISTA, Ivy Sole and Bathe in August

  • This was a great reminder of how much live shows are a vital form of expression for artists and another avenue to support and discover artists. It meant a lot for me to be able to create this with the help of Forecast Recordings because it sparked some great milestones–this night served as April + VISTA’s first headlining show in LA and they were subsequently broadcast on KCRW the day they left for the airport. It was also Bathe’s first LA show, but they hadn’t released any music out at that point. They released their lovely single “Sure Shot” in October and it’s received great reception. It was great to have Ivy Sole perform for new ears and especially for loyal LA fans who came out to sing back her words perfectly. Read the full recap of the showcase here.

Favorite music projects of 2018

April + VISTA - You Are Here

Tierra Whack - Whack World

Rico Nasty - Nasty

Yuno - Moodie

Mac Miller - Swimming

Key! & Kenny Beats - 777

Beach House - 7

J.I.D - DiCaprio 2

Black Panther soundtrack

21 Savage - i am > i was

A lot of great music was released this year, but I compiled the above projects as homage to the fact that I’ve listened to these EPs and albums the most consistently and repeatedly, from start to finish with no skips.

• April + VISTA - You Are Here

  • April + VISTA’s EP You Are Here has been the perfect project to carry me through the ups and downs of 2018. It’s a project that imbues growth and the importance of pausing and breathing through these transitions. I’m excited as April and Matt continue to challenge the status quo and experiment with their sound.

• Tierra Whack - Whack World

  • Tierra Whack has shaken up the music industry off the strength of this unique project alone. While I eagerly await more gems from Tierra, I’m grateful I had the chance to end my last Spotify video shoot in Philly with her and her team.

• Rico Nasty - Nasty

  • Rico Nasty is one of my favorite artists I discovered this year. She’s refreshing and her brazen raps reminds me to give no fucks about what anyone thinks about me and what I do.

• Yuno - Moodie

  • I feel carefree, present, and positive when I listen to Yuno so Moodie is a good reminder to enjoy the ride and feel my feelings. His music has always made me feel this way since I first found him on SoundCloud back in 2012. Things came full circle, and we finally got a chance to meet in-person in September when he came to play his first LA show.

• Mac Miller - Swimming

  • Mac Miller’s Swimming has had me crying too many times to count. I can admit, I never grew up listening to Mac Miller, but this album was so beautiful. Rest in Peace to a truly talented soul who seems to have touched the lives of all those who crossed paths with him.

• Key! and Kenny Beats - 777

  • 777 is a catchy, solid tape and feels like a major contributor to Kenny’s rise as one of the top producers of 2018. The two have orchestrated a project that’s perfect for any occasion, cruising or kicking back with friends.

• Beach House - 7

  • What else can I say about Beach House other than the fact that this is their seventh studio album? I’ve been listening to this legendary band since high school, and they always take me back to places and feelings I can’t describe.

• J.I.D - DiCaprio 2

  • J.I.D has easily become one of my favorite rappers this year. His bars are impeccably catchy, and after listening to DiCaprio 2 through and through, I can’t wait to catch him live.

• Black Panther: The Album

  • Black Panther: The Album elevates director Ryan Coogler’s iconic masterpiece of Black Panther that went on to become the highest grossing film of 2018. The fact that Kendrick Lamar is the co-producer already makes this a monumental compilation too.

• 21 Savage - i am > i was

  • I had to edit this post to add 21 Savage’s latest album that was released today on 12/21. I got a chance to listen in the car driving around this evening, and it’s excellent from start to finish and will be a repeat listen for sure. I can’t wait to get back in the car to bump this.

Much love and blessings as you wrap up your 2018,
Jane