Out of Focus 😵💫
Shuffle Sundays #57 • half•alive, Marcelo Perdido, Tiê, Fog Chaser, Jordan Peele, Sean Gravem, and more.
Hey there!
📣 This dear newsletter is dangerously approaching 500 subscribers, which would be an amazing milestone! Would you help me to get there by sharing this publication with that ONE friend that is always looking for new music recommendations? It would really mean a lot. Thank you for your continuous support every week! 🙌🏼
💽 » half•alive - Give Me Your Shoulders, Pt 1
indie-pop, alternative-rock • 7 songs • 23 minutes
“I've been on my own, but trust me, I'm OK, just need some time to think / I know that you love me, but I don't think you can help me, let me walk in circles, I'll be back around” - Back Around
half•alive is an American band that could probably fit in the indie-pop or alternative-rock categories, but with each new music they put out, it feels like they become more and more genre-fluid, which is something that interests me more than anything else these days.
After teasing us with several singles, last week they dropped what seems to be the first part of their new project Give Me Your Shoulders and, spinning for only 23 minutes, it has been on repeat around here for days, each time bringing my attention to a different track. Hot Tea continues to be my favorite on the album, but I’m also loving how they go from the arena-ready Move Me, to an explosive dance-pop full of 1975-ish indie guitars on Back Around, closing the first part of this project in a way that it’s absolutely impossible not to be wanting more!
📺 » Marcelo Perdido e Tiê - MAIS
Brazilian singer-songwriter Marcelo Perdido, which whom I’ve collaborated several times in the past, is back with a new single featuring singer Tiê, with a beautiful song that got a visually exciting music video that will keep any collage fans completely hypnotized. As usual in his projects, the video was created and produced by Perdido himself, who is one of the most creative and interesting videomakers in the music industry, in my opinion.
💌 » Fog Chaser
This recommendation is a mix of music, video, meditation, and newsletter all in one. Fog Chaser is is a musician and composer based in the Pacific Northwest, who publishes one of the most unusual newsletters you’ll find out there! The premise of his free newsletter is simple: once every month, he’ll email you a moment of calm — which he calls a Meditation — which includes a short demo of an instrumental music composition, accompanied by a visual of his own that inspired the composition (a photo, 35mm or digital, or a video).
If you enjoyed the instrumental music playlist that I shared a few issues ago, you will absolutely love Fog Chaser’s music, who recently also put together his own playlist for Substack.
Watch the video on YouTube | Subscribe to the Newsletter | Listen to the Playlist
🧩 » Random Bits
🎬 • Jordan Peele’s new movie NOPE got an intriguing first trailer that got me even more excited for his new project. Another interesting trailer is Amazon’s first preview of their upcoming Lord of The Rings series, which will probably be one of those love it or hate it things;
🍿 • Thank you to everyone who downloaded my Oscars Notion Tracker after I mentioned it in last week’s issue. I’ve been getting a lot of great feedback so far! You can take a look a grab your copy here if you’re interested.
📸 • Last week I went out to photograph NYC during some snow showers, and I came back home with an exciting series of pictures purposely out of focus. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun with my camera. At some point, I’ll upload them to my website, but meanwhile, you can see it through my Instagram or Twitter;
⚡️ » Visual Inspiration
Sean Gravem is a California-based Photographer specializing in single exposure ocean photography, creating beautifully detailed images of waves and their surroundings. Check out his website or Instagram for more. Here are some favorites:
🎶 » New Music
click on the album and listen on your streaming service of choice
This week’s new albums I'm particularly interested in checking out:
Also, new singles from Tame Impala, Silk Sonic, Nothing But Thieves, Terno Rei, Duda Beat, Caroline Polacheck, and many more. If you’re curious to hear some of these songs and more, make sure to follow my 2022 playlist on Spotify, updated weekly with new releases:
Thank you Leo! So honored to be included here.