Letter #135 ❤️
Love Will Save The Day
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23.04.21
Hey, hello, hi, hi...
How are you? No, I really mean it, how are you? I hope you're good, staying safe, and staying happy.
This week I've got a real treat for you. We have a very special guest; composer, producer, and sound designer, Ben Lukas Boysen. I cannot explain how excited I am for you to hear both the music he's selected, and the interview that's interspersed on the show. We talk about the music, his career, his approach to creativity and art; we cover a lot of ground, and it was an immensely enjoyable chat. I know you're going to love it too.
The music he's selected fits together seamlessly, telling a story of travel, through beautiful textures and sounds. It's a real joy to listen to. As ever with our guests, it's music I wouldn't pick, put together to tell a story I didn't know. It's great ❤️.
Ben's a test pilot for the new format for guest editors, but I think it works well, and means our guests can tell their story in a more natural, flowing way that goes beyond just writing up some notes. I hope you love it, I definitely do. I'd love to know what you think, so as ever, please give me a shout with any thoughts.
Big thank you of course to Ben for his time and energy, and to Julie at Erased Tapes for introducing us and helping us along.
There are also a ton of new people here; welcome! There's some links to how this all works below, and some links above if you'd like to sign up, see the archive, or join the wonderful and thriving Love Will Save The Day WhatsApp community.
There's also a bumper TL;DR Section, with loads of great links to stuff to listen to, read, buy, watch etc. And before I let you go, I'm on Cosmic Bob's essential London Sounds show on AAJA at 3pm tomorrow (Saturday), where I've put together a guest mix of my favourite music from London (some killer cuts and a few surprises too) - I'd love for you to tune in.
See you on the dancefloor,
Jed x
PS. If you're new then this is how it works. Here’s what you’ve missed so far. And this is me.
PPS. If you're still reading this bit here, then would you mind sending this email on to a few friends that might like it? Or tweeting or posting on on Facebook about it?
🌪 TL;DR Section 🌪
The TL;DR Section is a little different at the moment, as I've been trying to read more books, so naturally my other reading has shrunk a little.
Stuff from the show
This was the epic Sea Change sunrise DJ set I mentioned
Here's Ben's biography and discography
His score for Everything
Some added extras
Listen
Nabihah Iqbal's NTS show last week was a jazz flute special and it was SO GOOD (support NTS here)
This Essential Mix from Oneohtrix Point Never is wild from start to finish (0PN's Bandcamp here)
This Fact Live session from Ben Vince is mindblowing (buy Vince's music here)
The Vinyl Factory Live spotlight has fallen on Love Injection and the tour de force that is Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele (support Love Injection here)
This MIMS mix from Footshooter is reallllly good (buy Footshooter's work here)
Carl Craig's latest All Black Vinyl show for worldwide is a showstopper (support worldwide here)
Prequel has put together an epic mix in tribute to Moodymann for StampTheWax (support STW here)
Watch
This series on Highlife from Highlife Music Deconstructed is excellent
I'll be watching this Ryuichi Sakamoto documentary this weekend
The New Yorker has a good list of Oscar predictions (and what should win, but might not)
Dark City Beneath The Beat is a new documentary coming to Netflix that documents the Baltimore sound and club scene
Buy
Sound Arts Now sounds absolutely sensational (buy it here)
Questlove has a new book coming out and it sounds amazing (pre-order here)
Tresor has a 30th anniversary box set landing soon (pre-order here)
The post-humous Prince work continues. Welcome 2 America feels more pertinent than ever. (buy it here)
To celebrate the launch of the epic Deviation Classics box set, Benji B sat down with Judah Afriyie to chat (buy the boxset here)
Architecture III is the new incoming album from Dam-FunK - and it it's any where near as good as the previous two...
Read
The Post Human brothers walk through ten defining moments of I Love Acid (buy the comp. from bandcamp here) (I'm four years behind on this, but...)
The unstoppable No Signal has launched an academy for young Black creatives
I really enjoyed Iman El Kafrawi's spotlight on Marwan Kaabour's archiving of queer Arab history for Huck (follow Kafrawi here, Takweer here, and support Huck here)
This feature on India Jordan in DJ Mag was excellent - they cover a lot of ground, and its packed with gems and thoughtfulness (buy Jordan's work here, subscribe to DJ Mag here)
Jeff Mills latest edition of The Escape Velocity is out now and it's... Well, as you'd expect
Nathan Taylor Pemberton wrote up a good feature on Nowadays and how they've adapted during the last 18 months (support Nowadays here)
WaxPoetics' Andy Thomas has written up a brilliant feature on the resurgence of bruk (support WaxPoetics here)
The wonderful Mel Harrison introduced me to Caught By The River, and I read this gem of an extract this week - Why Rebel. (subscribe here, buy the book here, buy Mel's books here)
Noel Gardner's Weird Britain is back for tQ (support tQ here)
This interview with Dawoud Bey for culturedmag is fascinating (buy his work here, support culturedmag here)
Authentically Plastic has written an incredibly thought-provoking piece (as ever) for Dweller. It's a must read
Jennifer Lucy Allan speaks to Ann Peebles and Don Bryant for tQ
This interview with Lauren Hough (ex-The Family cult member, and author of Leaving Isnt The Hardest Thing) is an eye-opener (buy the book here, support electric literature here)
There's lots to think about regarding mixtape culture and local-scene club culture from this conversation between Shawn Reynaldo and Finn (subscribe to First Floor here)
Anti-racism resources
Akala’s Native’s
Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race
Afua Hirsch’s Brit(ish)
🙋🏻♂️ Driving Change 🙋🏻♂️
Platforming; If you are black, a POC, or you're a person that has been marginalised, and you would like to guest edit an edition of Love Will Save The Day, please get in touch with me. I want to ensure that your voice is heard. Just reply to this email.
Mentoring; As a senior white man in a media agency, I hold a very privileged position. If you, or any one that you know, is interested in a career in advertising or media and needs a mentor and/or a leg-up, please contact me / get them to contact me at jed.hallam@initiative.com
📖 Old notes 📖
Notes on culture
Rebuilding culture: fixing the asymmetry of art, culture, and commerce
A response to the argument that culture is boring these days
Notes on music
Notes on mental health
📃 The tracklist 📃
Photay - Illusion Of Seclusion
Kit Sebastian Vs Halal Cool J - Kit Sebastian Vs Halal Cool J
Daniel Ogren - Hjalmarsfjorden
Sven Wunder - Toryanse
Jaga Jazzist - Swedenborgske Rom
The Heliocentrics - Winter Song
Mr. Chop - The World Is Yours
Ishmael Ensemble - Full Circle
Yin Yin - One Inch Punch
Dee Edwards - Why Can't There Be Love
Ramsey Lewis Trio - The "In" Crowd (Live at the Bohemian Cafe, LA)
Link Wray - Fire and Brimstone
Hailu Mergia - Musicawi Silt
TM Juke - Just For A Day - Sunday
Brrd - ajsfvlajhvffd
Kelpe - Shipwreck Glue
George Harrison - Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
Basil Kirchin - I Start Counting (demo)
Timber Timbre - Demon Host (KCRW session)
The Walkmen - On The Water
Muzz - Everything Like It Used To Be
Damien Jurado - Cinco de Tomorrow
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
Kevin Morby - I Have Been To The Mountain
Sufjan Stevens - Drawn To The Blood
Father John Misty - Total Entertainment Forever
Real Estate - Navigator
Fleet Foxes - Can I Believe You
Patrick Watson - Hommage
Lee Hazlewood - My Autumn's Done Come
💥 If you enjoy this letter, then please take a second to forward this email, or share this link with a recommendation on Facebook or Twitter 💥
See you on the dance floor.
Love Will Save the Day