Across the Sea 🌊
Hello and welcome to another issue of Shuffle Sundays! The first title idea for this week’s issue was “Building Bridges, Not Walls”. Even though I changed to “Across The Sea”, in reference to the first content I’m sharing today, I think the concept remains the same. In a time where a lot of people insist on having a very narrow mind, ignoring the beautifully and multicultured world around us, I wanted to bring some content that highlights the plurality with which we should all be living with. Artists that don’t restrain themselves into their origins or limitations, but choose to create a more globalized art instead. Enjoy the reading!
🎧 • soundtrack while writing this issue: Sound Ancestors, by Madlib
🇧🇷🎙🇮🇹 • Selton
{something to listen to • band}
Originally from Brazil, now based in Italy, Selton has slowly become not only one of my favorite bands but also one of the most interesting ones to follow. And a lot of that has to do with their ability to blend so many genres (and languages, since they sing in Portuguese, Italian, English, and Spanish) together and create their own style without sounding fabricated or unoriginal. Even though you could easily classify them as an indie/pop-rock act, they are so much more than that. With 4 studio albums on their baggage, and a new one coming this year, it’s truly joyful to whiteness their evolution as a band. If you’ve never heard of them, a good introduction may the song “Loreto Paradiso”, the opening track of the 2016 album by the same name. It’s an ultra-fun and short song that captures a lot of the diversity in their style. A few of my other favorite songs include “Across The Sea”, “You’re Good”, “Cemitério de Elefante”, “Sampleando Devendra”, and “De Volta Para o Futuro”. I love how you can catch a glimpse of influences in their sound, from bands like old-schoolers The Beatles and The Beach Boys to more modern acts like Vampire Weekend. And to think that my first introduction to their music was while I was photographing them live in Brazil many years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and what an amazing surprise it was!
🎬 • The Life Ahead, by Edoardo Ponti
{something to watch • movie, 134min}
2020 has many reasons to be remembered as one of the worst years for almost everybody, but it was also a year that brought us a lot of great content in the arts, including the return of Sophia Loren to the big screen (at our homes, in this case). The Life Ahead, directed by her son Edoardo Ponti, narrates the unlikely friendship between Madame Rosa (Loren) and Momo, powerfully portrayed by Ibrahima Gueye. As I watched their beautiful journey and relationship blossoming right in front of me, it was impossible not to remember 1998’s Central do Brasil (Central Station), directed by Walter Salles and considered one of the best Brazilian films in modern times. {watch the trailer on YouTube / watch the movie on Netflix}
🎙👩🏻🎤 • Billie Eilish & Rosalía - Lo Vas A Olvidar
{something to watch/listen to • music video, 3:52min}
Even though Rosalía (aka one of the most interesting artists in activity) has been collaborating with lots of big names in the past few years, including an underwhelming remix of Blinding Lights with The Weeknd, I wasn’t expecting that a duo in between herself and Billie Eilish would resonate so much with me. Different than what happened with the (already mentioned) track with The Weeknd, “Lo Vas A Olvidar” sees both singers taking turns in both English and Spanish, something that I honestly didn’t see it coming. It’s such a perfect blend of their unique styles in a way that doesn’t sound forced like it sometimes does. The track is part of the soundtrack of HBO’s smash-hit series Euphoria. {watch the music video on YouTube / listen to the song on Spotify}
🎥 ☔️ • Umbrella, by Helena Hilario & Mario Pece
{something to watch • short animated film, 7:56min}
If you’re looking for a short and sweet piece of content to watch, look no further. Produced by the studio Stratostorm, and directed by Helena Hilario and Mario Pece, Umbrella is an 8-min heartwarming short film that will make you emotional from beginning till the end — think Pixar’s UP, for example. Out of curiosity, this is the first Brazilian animated short to qualify for a chance to be nominated for the Oscars. Click here to watch it for free on YouTube, available only until today (Jan 31st). Be sure not to miss it! {via Lady Spoiler on Twitter}
📸 🩰 • Omar Z Robles
{something to inspire • photography}
Omar Z. Robles is a Puerto Rico born, NYC-based Photographer specialized in photographing dancers all over the world performing their precise movements in the most unique locations. Check his website or follow him on Instagram for a daily dose of inspiration!
💽 • Some new music released this past week
{new music releases}
Another week full of releases, I'm particularly interested in checking the new albums from Arlo Parks, Lambert, and Madlib. Also, great new tracks from The Killers, Mat Kearney, Gustavo Bertoni, Tune-Yards, FKA twigs, and many more. If you’re curious to hear some of these songs and more, make sure to follow my 2021 playlist on Spotify, updated weekly with new releases:
🗣 • On a different note:
This tweet from Josh Spector really resonated with me. My goal is that each week you’ll find at least ONE thing here that will spark your curiosity:
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