A Quarantine Playlist Curated by
Claire Bowman
Hello, friends. I have been working on a playlist for the past few days to capture a mood for this moment, songs from a handful of artists I've been listening to heavily during my time alone at home.
This playlist is psychedelic, folk-y, international, soothing, and strange. Some of these songs called to me because of their titles, and I think variations of these song titles would make some kind of lovely poem:
Shiva-loka
Lonely Heart
You Are My Only Home
Your Dream
All Mirrors
Healing
Tears In The Typing Pool
This playlist was built around the folk-psych goddess of South Korea's music scene in the 1970s, Kim Jung Mi. Kim Jung Mi's soothing, moody voice soars above the psychedelic sounds of her accompaniment, and resonates with what I can only describe as empathy. There are three Kim Jung Mi tracks on this playlist, but I highly recommend checking out her full album, titled Now (1973).
I'd like to give a huge shoutout to my dear friend Taisia Kitaiskaia for recommending the cool creepy song "The Zombie" by Australian Neo-blues singer C. W. Stoneking, and for reminding me of my love for The Liminañas and Angel Olsen. If you'd like to pair some reading material with this playlist, I recommend Taisia's wise book Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Troubles. You can also preorder the second Baba book, Poetic Remedies for Troubled Times which speaks to existential issues which are now more relevant than ever. Baba Yaga provides a haunting comfort and guidance, similar to what I find in these songs.
I think these songs are have been good for me during this quarantine because they speak from experiences of loneliness, absurdity, hopefulness, & uncertainty; they ask questions like "Are we human anymore?" and provide comfort with their croonings and biddings, "Don't Worry Baby."
I hope you take a listen. You may find some familiar voices, maybe some new ones. I hope we can have a dinner party soon, and listen to them together, once we make it through to the other side where "the page turns on me and you." Consider yourself invited.