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

“The cloud follows the storm and the dragon follows the cloud.”

“The cloud follows the storm and the dragon follows the cloud.” - Korean proverb

Happy February and Happy Lunar New Year! Happy Seollal (설날) which is what Koreans call Lunar New Year taking place February 10.

2024 is the Year of the Blue Dragon (청룡) called gabjinnyeon (갑진년) which I’m excited about since I was born in the year of the dragon 🐉

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Artwork by Gu + Postcard by Kang In-gu. I've been connecting with these Korean designers on Instagram, and it's been a lot of fun seeing their creative approach to Korean typeface and lettering. All images shared with permission.

Dragons are historically symbolic in Korean culture, signifying protection, strength and success. Our ancestors prayed to dragons for water and rain in abundance for their agriculture and fishing endeavors. The Korean proverb in the subject line thus reads “the cloud follows the storm and the dragon follows the cloud.”

Dragon elements and art are integrated into so many things and structures in Korea—on ceilings and rooftops for protection, royal tombs to ward off negative spirits and fires, on brushes and ink stones to cultivate success. I found a cool Tumblr that’s a guide for dragons of the world where I learned more about some of the fascinating dragons in Korean mythology. I’m channeling dragon energy as much as possible in 2024: be fearless, take action, take up space, step into my power.

January seemed to come and go, simultaneously slow and fast. I tried to savor each day, each experience, each emotion with acceptance and compassion. Here’s a round-up of January highlights and bits: 

Jane Shin January gems - my favorites in rotation: 

I selected 10 songs to highlight as part of my January music discovery and enjoyment process. They’ve been compiled into a playlist you can listen to here and read more below:

Anycia x Latto - BACK OUTSIDE
This collaboration between Atlanta’s own Anycia and Latto is an instant hit to me. I love Anycia’s laid back, raspy voice and her “huh?” ad libs are my favorite. “BACK OUTSIDE” makes for a fun one to listen to especially on a Friday to kick off the weekend.

Balming Tiger - UP!
If you aren’t familiar with 11-piece Korean band Balming Tiger, read about them in this interesting New York Times feature here. Their show at the Echoplex last year was easily one of my favorites of 2023. They’ve been growing beyond Korea as evidenced by being on the Camp Flog Gnaw line-up last year. Uplifting, chaotic, fun, mega creative energy is the best way to describe them. “UP!” is from the latest album January Never Dies, and they just released the music video for “UP!” filmed in an IKEA in Korea. 

Ben Reilly x KEY! - Clones (Flattery)
I got introduced to Ben Reilly by artist champion and music exec Kei Henderson whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years in music starting with my journey at SoundCloud. Ben is managed through her company and label, Third & Hayden. “Clones (Flattery)” is from his EP Not Your Hero 4 Hire. I love Ben’s rap style layered with the production and this song also gets me hyped since it features Atlanta rapper, KEY! who is also one of my favorites and a pioneer of the Atlanta rap scene. 

SiR - No Evil
I’m so excited for SiR’s new music this year. I got a chance to work with him recently on a video called Art of Wellness that I conceptualized and creative produced. I was first blessed to work with SiR in 2019 during the promotion of Chasing Summer which you can watch here. I love full circle moments when I get to reunite with an artist because it allows me to reflect on my own growth. SiR mentioned he wrote “No Evil” while in rehab. To witness his commitment to taking care of himself is an inspiring message to keep going and that change is possible.

Larry June x Cardo - Glasshouse Knockin’
Larry June comes swinging again with The Night Shift, a project in collaboration with Dallas-based producer Cardo. This is a perfect album to cruise to, and I especially love “Glasshouse Knockin.’” The production is impeccable, and a fan said that it sounds like Larry is speaking in cursive. I love that description.

Westside Gunn x Conway the Machine x BADBADNOTGOOD - MiNt cHoCoLaTE
Love this crossover with rappers Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine and Toronto based jazz ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD. Effortless flow across the board, and the flutes are the icing on the cake for me as a former flute player.

April + VISTA x Little Dragon - Nowhere Else to Go
“Breathe out and land on your feet, don’t worry about how…” Meditative with just the right amount of bounce and bass is how I’d describe “Nowhere Else to Go.” April + VISTA had an epic tour run with Little Dragon in the US and Europe at the end of 2023. The bands came together to also create and release Slipping into Color EP which “Nowhere Else to Go” is featured on. Read their Washington Post write-up on the tour and EP collab here.

Inner Wave x Schoolgirl Byebye - Automatic
I can’t remember when I first got put on to LA-based band Inner Wave, but I do remember how fun their Coachella 2022 set was. I got to meet the lovely band at the Amazon Music Grammys party last week, and I’m excited for what’s ahead for them this year. They put out this sweet song called “Automatic” in collaboration with Chinese indie rock band Schoolgirl Byebye from Nanjing whom they toured with throughout China last year. Send this song to your crush on Valentine’s Day.

Dress x eAeon (이이언) x Ahn Dayoung (안다영) - Crack (금)
I came across this song because I follow eAeon (이이언, pronounced “e-e-un”), producer, artist and one half of Korean indie duo Night Off–they have this song called “Friend” 친구 that I love. eAeon has also collaborated with RM of BTS and co-wrote and produced “Change pt.2”, my favorite song off of RM’s 2022 album Indigo. 금 means crack (and gold!) in Korean. This is one of the dreamiest breakup songs I’ve heard. It also fits the mood of this past rainy week. The guitar and drums intro of this song always gets me and the way the three artists complement each other has me listening to this one on repeat.

Destiny Rogers - Make Up
This song got me a bit misty eyed upon first listen, not going to even front. I love a good pop record, and Destiny is a great songwriter. “Make Up” is a catchy, bittersweet tune that captures being caught in the throes of the post-break-up back and forth. She just announced she’ll be supporting Madison Beer on some East Coast dates for her tour in May which is exciting.

What songs were in rotation for you this past month?

Finding more intentionality in goal setting through the “12 week year:”

I’ve written out goals and resolutions in past new years, but often I’d get overwhelmed, and they’d sit cold as lofty goals without much action or follow-up.

My best friend Chrystal shared with me the concept of the “12 week year” which also happens to be a book that encourages people to have more structure and focus in defining and reaching goals.

Being more intentional and focused within a container of 12 weeks helps things feel more action-oriented and possible so you’re treating roughly each quarter like a year.

Chrystal also has a beautiful newsletter if you’re interested in receiving energy reports, mystical resources around trusting your intuition and creativity and more. You can book Akashic readings with her as well that I always find so affirming, insightful and healing.

Monthly archiving process:

On my past visit to Korea in the Fall, I bought an “archive planner.” After every blank set of monthly and weekly planning pages, there is a section on archiving moments that occurred in the month based on different categories: music, people, books, food, places, films, wishes, etc. 

I often use my phone and Photos app to recall what happened within a month or length of time, but the act of writing and notating like this feels like another special way to fortify memories.

There are a few blank spaces in the “Archive of the Month” section in which I also added Learnings: What did I learn that month? What did I work through that month? 

I feel archiving monthly in this way is a fun exercise that gives room for reflection. 

How has the start of the new year been for you?

Much love and thanks for reading,
Jane Shin