Seasonal New Music Playlists
Flurries & Furries (Winter ‘21-22)
New music playlists come in all colors, shapes and sizes. They can remind you of a favorite road trip, a #fuckyeahfall themed party, or simply a band you were falling in love with note by note.
There was a time when sharing music amongst audiophile friends was such a regular occurrence that delighting in new tunes was my full time hobby. At this time I was finding enough new music to fill monthly playlists and going to shows twice a week.
Since concert venues have re-opened their doors my quest for live music, and attendance at shows, hasn’t rebounded to that 2014/2015 peak. But a steady stream of new tunes has begun filling my earbuds, and I’ll excitedly share my latest audio crush with anyone who will listen. Nothing really beats the endorphins of hearing that new favorite ear worm that perfectly captures your mood. Music is autobiographical, that’s why a song can transport you back to a memory or a feeling instantly – sometimes even without your permission.
In this post-lockdown world, where so-called “endings” feel like broken records and the beginnings feel stretched and hazy, I’ve found solace in grounding myself in nature’s cycles. Though many would argue that San Francisco’s seasons are simply 12 shades of autumn, the equinoxes and solstices provide us an ancient framework for built in reflection and intention setting, in manageable 3 month increments. And thus seasons have become my method of collecting music as well. Lately 90 days is just enough time to capture the peaks and valleys of my music discovery journey.
Part of me wishes I was hunting new music with the prowl of my youth such that I was creating more frequent playlists with that same vigor and intensity. But honestly, fuck intensity. Let’s all take some radical rest and appreciate the beauty that is captured in a season, that most elusive yet beautiful of time frames. Happy listening.
Music On My Mind 