Last week got away from me. There was a lot of chaotic emotionally triggering things that happened. Lots of anxiety inducing moments that I had to push through, and did push through, but it took a toll on me. By the time the weekend came along though, some things were eased, some things were solved, some things felt lighter. Enjoyed going out to breakfast and to a museum with my boyfriend on Saturday. Rented and watched a movie on Friday, and yesterday, had to take my darling cat Clyde to the vet, and dealt with a lot of errands, cleaning, cooking – the “have to’s”. I did get some reading in though, and took a blissful nap. All in all, the weekend helped me a lot.

Now it’s Monday. I’ve been feeling pretty good this today. Yoga. Reading. Music. And lots of work stuff (meetings, reporting, sorting out my calendar for the week). This afternoon I have acupuncture and cupping, which is so very healing for me. I’m looking forward to it. Looking forward to creating something delicious for dinner (not sure what yet, but I have some yum-options). Working on curating a new weekly playlist, too. Later, I’m hoping to get some writing done. Trying to at least work on my novel and/or memoir for an hour a day – more, if possible.

Give Me Five – May 24, 2021

You can listen and follow along with May’s Give Me Five at Spotify and YouTube

Song 1: “Take Two” by Chong The Nomad and Hollis

Chong The Nomad and Hollis "Take Two" Give Me Five — **Chong The Nomad**

“Take Two” by Chong The Nomad and Hollis – from the single, “Take Two” (2020)

“How long till you see me tremble?
Take two can you make it memor-ble.
How high can you take me baby?
Feel me lately.
Make me lazy.”

I discovered this song, and Chong The Nomad, last week while listening to a Seattle radio podcast and their playlist of Asian and Pacific Islander music. I was immediately taken by “Take Two”, pulled my car over, searched the track on Spotify – saved it, and sent a link to the track to my younger daughter. She immediately took to the track, too.

Chong The Nomad (aka Alda Agustiano) is an electronic Soul singer-songwriter and music producer based in Seattle, Washington, described as: “A Young Multi-Instrumentalist and Producer Shaping The Future Of Dance Music.” (source: SassyBlack at TomTomMag) Aida started out scoring films, so her music has a definite cinematic lean to it, mixed and shaken up with a bedroom pop vibe. The DJ who introduced the song (on the Seattle radio podcast) mentioned that it’s a track that always makes her want to dance.

To me, it’s one of those immediate feel-good tunes. It starts playing, and I start swaying, and smiling.

“Take Two” is a collaboration with Grammy nominated vocalist/songwriter Hollis Wong-Wear, and Grammy nominated producer Rogét Chahayed. The three connected on a quick trip to LA to bring “Take Two” to life. (source: YourEDM)

To hear more of Chong The Nomad, and to help support her music, please go here.

For more about Hollis, and to help support her music, sway on over here.

Chong The Nomad and Hollis "Take Two" Give Me Five - Song 1

Song 2: “INVISIBLE” by Duran Duran

“INVISIBLE” by Duran Duran – from the single, “INVISIBLE” (2021)

“When you can’t even say my name.
Has the memory gone?
Are you feeling numb?
Go and call my name.
I can’t play this game,
so I ask again.
Will you call my name?
Has the memory gone?
Are you feeling numb?
Or have I become,
invisible?”

Duran Duran was my first band. My first fandom. My first musical crushes. My first foray into falling for music, for a band, for a fantasy of something more than my dysfunctional, abusive home life as a child, and early teen. I’ve written a lot about Duran Duran, waxed poetically about how they helped me take back my body, my sexuality – take agency of my desire. I’ve written, too, in more serious tones, how they saved my life (and I don’t mean that lightly). They will always hold a very special place in me, in my life, in my history, in my story.

It’s been awhile though since I’ve been excited about new Duran Duran music. It’s about time, I think, for me to obsess over music of theirs. Yes. Definitely.

I am obsessively loving their new single “INVISIBLE”, along with their “Black Mirror” meets “Love, Sex, and Robots” meets Philip K. Dick music video for the song.

This song feels fitting for this coming slowly out of about a year and a half of quarantine. Parts of me feel invisible. Parts of me have totally felt numb in recent months. Anxiety is lit on fire, sizzling at my temples, choking my chest, when I think about being back completely in the world. When none of us are invisible (or at least hiding) anymore. But, I long for it, too.

Thanks for this, Duran Duran. I needed it.

To hear more of Duran Duran, and to help support their music, make yourself visible over here.

Duran Duran "INVISIBLE" Give Me Five - Song 2 — Roger Taylor, John Taylor, Simon Le Bon, and Nick Rhodes

Song 3: “Warm Pants” by Dua Saleh

“Warm Pants” by Dua Saleh – from the album, Nūr (2019)

“I feel faded.
I feel so gone.
I’ve been cravin’,
some of that song.
I feel,
so gone.”

My daughter, the one I sent today’s song 1 to, introduced me to this song. She sent it to me, along with a few others I may share later this week. I dig the Trip Hop vibe that’s mixed in with the hip-hop, and ethereal/dreamlike electronica. Dua’s voice is hypnotic. So are the sounds in “Warm Pants”. I want to sink into this song. Melt into it. Float.

Dua Saleh is a Sudanese-American recording artist, songwriter, poet, and actor from Minneapolis. Dua, and their family, immigrated to the US from Sudan when they were a child. (source: Wikipedia) Dua is non-binary, and her music is all kinds of cool. I can’t wait to dig in and listen to more.

To hear more of Dua Saleh, and to help support their music, please head over here.

Song 4: “In There” by Liz Phair

“In There” by Liz Phair – from the single, “In There” (2021)

“You gotta get in there.
Like smoke under the door.
Like cold comes through the floor,
you got in there.”

I feel like every year that passes I find myself loving Liz Phair more and more. Her music fits into so many parts of my life, my past, my memories. I relate to them so much – either in memory, or now. I’m reading her book of memoir stories right now – well, I’m listening to Liz read it via audiobook. Horror Stories is what it’s called. I am loving it so much – three chapters in and I’m IN THERE.

If you want to hear more of Liz Phair, and help support her music, get in there right here.