5 QUESTIONS FOR SABINE COLLEEN

Congrats to my friend and collaborator for releasing some new music just last month. You can enjoy "Three Words" over at Sabine's Bandcamp site. Much gratitude to them for the chance to conduct the world's shortest interview. I've been fortunate to play some lovely music with this person; looking forward to more happenings in the not-so-distant future. Seek out this soothing songsmith in the virtual realm as well as in the physical realms. In celebration of "Three Words", here are five questions... Cheers!

1. How would you describe the arch of your song in colors & shapes?

deep blue and seaweed green, 

the shape ink takes when dropped into a glass of water 

then that water gets poured into a rippling tidal inlet

2. Which songwriters would you say have most influenced your musical journey?

Buffy Sainte-Marie, Nick Drake, Linda Perhacs for oldies. 

Some contemporary songwriter I admire are Jessica Pratt, Shana Cleveland and Lael Neale.

3. For the sake of creating new genre names, what would you describe yours as?

angelic hypnofolk

4. Are there perhaps any films or filmmakers that have also influenced your style of storytelling?

The Secret of Roan Inish has been my favorite film since I was 4. 

It’s about selkies and the sea so it must have influenced this song.

5. What are words?

At best, words are crystals of fleeting and numinous energies of the heart 

held to the light in attempt to cast prisms into the fleeting and numinous energies in another.  

I am so grateful for the opportunity to interview this special person during such a special season of their life. My life has definitely been made more magical since we started a journey together almost 2 years ago, in Columbia, SC. We are now happily getting tan in Albuquerque, NM with our almost 3 month old baby wizard, Lui. 

Another fun nugget to celebrate about Kiber is that she just launched a hot new website highlighting the fashionable, creatively, and highly vibrational style-ing projects of Kiber & Kobb !!

OK. Here are my...

 5 QUESTIONS FOR KIBER SELIG (OF KIBER & KOBB)

1. What is it like to now be a parent to a new Earth being? 

It is truly THE MOST beautiful, amazing, fascinating, magical, transcendent, foreign,  familiar, funny, fun, humbling, honest, vulnerable, challenging, cute, sensational,  dramatic, hard, graceful, messy, poopy, loud and quiet experience I have ever known up  to this point in my life. I am so blessed to know this being and to have been chosen by  her to enter into this realm through me and with me. The connection with her was so  instant and real and raw and inexplainable, TWUUUUU WUVE. JUST LIKE IT WAS  WHEN I FIRST MET YOU!!  

2. Which natural elements would you say play the biggest part of your day-to-day  survival (and thrival)? 

On my day to day I would say that it would be to lay in the sun and catch a ray…or two.  Hmmm just wanted to rhyme there, if I could lay in the sun all day I would, but going on  walks and getting outside is supreme, also if I miss a day just getting outside for a  moment to breathe is awesome. Crystals and rocks are also a daily part of my  existence. Our friends recently gridded our home with beautiful and powerful crystals  and rocks to keep our energy high and clean in our home. Coconut oil is a natural  element, right? That is a big part of my daily life…herbal teas too! What about the  fact that I eat mostly plant based diet…green stuff from the earth? Water is good to  incorporate into the daily day. Does KIMCHI COUNT? I know almond croissants don't… 

3. Are there any books you'd recommend to folx considering a more "natural" path  to bringing a baby (full of their own infinite vibration potential and passions) into  this world? 

Sure. I read Ina May's Guide to Natural Childbirth, which got me on the path to wanting a homebirth with minimal interference. She is still part of the medicalized system, so I don't  agree with everything she shares HOWEVER that is the beautiful part of it all… I took a lot of what made sense to me from her writings and applied it to the type of birth I  wanted. (If we all learned to do that, take what applies to our life and leave the rest in gratitude, we could all have civil conversations with each  other and our world wouldn't be so jacked up… but back to your question!!) Another book that really solidified my birth dreams is one called Unassisted Birth by Laura Kaplan Shanley. This book really revolutionized the way birth is, simple and  spontaneous. That birth needs minimal intervention because if you let your body and your baby alone grow and do the work they were made to do, with minimal to no  medical intervention, then your experience can be much more grounding, healing, healthy and magical. That is how it was for me! Intuitive guidance through birth is the way to go! 

4. Which of your favorite style icons (living or transitioned) would you love to work  with? 

You know, I have never had a style icon. I always just wore what felt right to me. What I liked verses following someone else's style. Don't get me wrong, I definitely have  enjoyed branded items and certain trending styles very much, however it was never a person that I looked up to per se. I would say currently someone who I really enjoy  keeping up with and am inspired by is Amy Yeung, owner and founder of Orenda Tribe (located here in Albuquerque, where we just moved to!! did you know we just moved here?) It seems they are fierce and passionate about their work, branding, message, mission and all  around their own aesthetic. From what I know, they do a lot of work with indigenous artists, makers,  jewelers, musicians and others to give back and help native communities in New Mexico. I  believe their work in this sector really amped up when the pandemic hit because the Dine  communities in NM were hit VERY hard with the virus and the government - SHOCKING, I know - has not been  of much help. (This is a topic I could stand to learn more about). Anywho, Amy's work and mission seems to be intentionally filled with love and light, their outfits are badass, their love for patterns and vintage fabrics are badass. Their all around style is FLY. Plus they also work heavily in vintage attire… which is what Orenda Tribe's biz started with, and  that is how I got into Amy's work because I too sell vintage and am a MASSIVE lover  of that world. 

5. If your style / fashion sense was a dessert –– what would it be? 

OOOOOH great question! My answer is not going to be necessarily what would be my favorite thing to eat, but it definitely has to be something bright and colorful.  Probably a seven layer rainbow cake. I want all the colors and patterns in my life. Could  it be polka dotted when you cut into it too? I would go with a simple buttercream icing that had a tied dye color vibe or marbled colors or another pattern altogether on  the outside. I typically love to mix random patterns together and again bright colors  are super fun. If my clothes don't have lots of color in the outfit I try to add  something of color like a coat or a hat. Mostly you will see me in a lot of bright  colored hats or tops or jackets. PATTERNS ARE MY JAM. I love tribal and animal patterns, lots of embroidery is cool. I have several of my grandma's old Mexican embroidered dresses and they are nothing but bright colored weave… some of my favorite things I own. Ohhhh also can you add edible glitter to my cake??? I LOVE sparkles too… sequins and beading are WHERE IT IS AT. Okay, so a tall as hell seven  or more layered cake with rainbow colors and polka dots embedded in the cake when you  cut into it. On the outside a buttercream with bright colored patterns, stripes, cheetah  print more polka dots WHATEVER IS CLEVER and glitter or rock candy… some jazzy funk flash sprinkled on top. Okay cool thanks for reading this. 

 5 QUESTIONS FOR NITCHY (GRAVITY CONTROLLER, TELEPATH, AND EMOTIONAL ENERGY COACH FOR INDIE POP ARTIST P!LOT aka EREL PILO)

HELLO! Because of such socially awkward times, this week's interview was facilitated through the generosity of a highly-favored feline in Erel's life. Please delve further into the world of P!LOT by enjoying this new music video (directed by Amelea Elmstreet), which was released on International Cat Day (8 / 8 / 2020). Each question was answered in a very delicate code of sorts. 

What kind of genre does P!LOT exist in and how does that resonate with your particular species? 

No offense, but human music really doesn’t do much for me. I generally excuse myself whenever my personal assistant, Erel turns some on. Her band, P!lot, is in the indie genre — her words, not mine. I recall she was listening to 60’s French Pop as she worked on her latest song. But it’s really all the same to me. The only human band I make an exception for is Cibo Matto.

If you had an hour of network tv time once a day, what would your show be called?

The Internet is where it’s at (it’s actually run by an uncle of mine), but I do love a good nature show. Mine would be called “All Around the Neighborhood” and it would feature scenic views visited by hopping birds, foraging squirrels and funny rabbits. It would also feature the soothing sounds of streams and brooks, or even water traveling through the pipes in a house.

I have another idea for a TV special. I would go undercover and do an exposé to find out where those darty red, lit up dots come from, “Lazers," I believe you call them, and whether any cat has been able to catch one. It’s one of the great mysteries in the catdom.

How many years have you known Erel Pilo and would you recommend this person for a position as a pet care activist?

Erel and I met about 9 years ago at the shelter in Teterboro, NJ. She had pretty good skills at manipulating her fingers to imitate prey, and that’s what broke the ice. She took me home that day. It was love at first sight.

I don’t believe pet care needs activists because we are so lovable to begin with, but yes, I would recommend her for this position.

Are you especially excited about International Cat Day since so many people have more time to spend with furry companions?

For me, every day is Cat Day, because I understand the importance our species carries in the interconnectedness of all things. However, it is a special day for humans to honor us, and it is helpful to humans that they have more time to devote to us. Many furry friends are helping their human assistants to get through this difficult time.

What are some goals you have set for yourself before the year is over?

I currently work as a gravity controller. My job entails that I check whether gravity is still working at various locations by going to the edge of a table or countertop, and pushing whatever object happens to be there, say a tissue box or a pair of sunglasses, over the edge. If the object falls to the floor, that means gravity is functioning properly and I’ve done my job. Can you imagine a world without gravity?! It would be a disaster. That’s why I’m on call 24/7. I hope to continue to excel at my job. 

Besides this, I spend most of my time meditating on the true nature of reality. This requires a lot of time. Last year, I mastered telepathy, but I mostly get to use it with other cats. It is frustrating that people have not learned this skill yet, and continue to communicate in words. I’ve learned to say my assistant’s name in English to get her attention, and then I communicate my needs to her with telepathy. She’s not great at it, but she’s learning. 

Another goal of mine is to get rid of that scratchy feeling in my right ear.

5 QUESTIONS FOR DAVID MASON (OF TEMPORARY TAPES)

This week we get some insight from the brain behind the electronic music cassette label-head, David Mason, also associate with Listening Center, Hess Is More, and some next level sort of sh_t in NYC. I’m happy that our paths crossed once upon a time or two. 

Please, seek out and support this wizard of analogmagic: temporarytapes.bandcamp.com

FOLLOW ON THE 'GRAM: @temporary_tapes

Thank you for reading and for your interest in these things! 

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What are some instruments / sounds you're experimenting with these days? 

Over quite a long period I’ve gradually built up a small modular synthesizer. For the past while I’ve been experimenting a lot with quantizers and analog shift registers. A quantizer “quantizes” incoming control voltages into tempered pitches, modes, or arpeggios and an analog shift register acts as a sort of 4-stage sample and hold that you can use to produce canon-like patterns with 4 oscillators. it offsets the notes of a sequence in time by one so it can get quite dense harmonically, and with the quantizer you don’t actually need to use a keyboard. They work pretty well together, and it’s so addictive.  I’ve also for the first time in my life acquired a guitar, which I am presently only able to use as a sound source. 

Are you composing or programming?

Probably somewhere in between - for electronic music I don’t compose in the standard sense of writing everything down, although I’d like to explore graphic scores for electronic music. It’s probably more akin to improvising. A lot of it involves patching that although it can be replicated, the sounds and final notes will never be exactly repeatable. So I tend to think - lazily -  of the audio recording as being the “score”, which comes at the end of the process.  A lot of the more conventional stuff I have made in the past  is so simple that it seems a bit odd to write it down. Many of those kinds of pieces also have a sort of ephemeral quality, as if they were never meant to be around very long, inviting themselves to be lost. Now, the patching of modules and the playing of notes on a keyboard have become the programming aspect, and when it reaches a satisfactory state of performance and sound, and is recorded, the piece is "composed". In the past, I have played the musical elements in real time, with two hands, but recently I’ve been trying to learn how to make generative pieces that start from one simple idea and evolve from there in the modular, making patches so that the composition develops over time.

What inspired the origin of Temporary Tapes? 

Temporary Tapes came about due to the fact that when I was operating Listening Center via Bandcamp and mailing out tapes and records, it felt like a record label, but just for myself. Then I had the idea of trying to include like-minded artists, with a view to highlighting projects that might be overlooked or neglected, and to try and be a bit less individualistic…it’s basically a psychological experiment. I have recurring desires to always return to the fundamentals of things to find inspiration and ways forward and the tape label has followed this tendency, notably in the design department. The initial few releases were intended to look as if they were printed in a medical office of some kind, the tapes possibly containing information that might not necessarily be music. They do of course - electronic music sounds really nice on cassette and its sponginess can round off some of the hard edges of digital recordings and also provide a more unusual experience for the listener which is not centered around convenience and “best” quality. It feels different.

In an age of digital everything, what fuels your interest in such tangible analog(ue) media?

I like digital, mp3s especially - not for their audio quality, but for the role they serve. They are sort of the cassettes of our time - a bit lo-fi, yet we can’t quite get rid of them. But I’ve always, like many people, been fascinated with analogue media - tape and film. Cassettes were a part of my early life, recording things off the radio, swapping them with friends, and I played along with records on the drums. Also growing up in Dublin in the late 70s/early 80s, all TV was produced on film, or sort of bleak video. So all that grain, alias-y memory is there and I gravitate towards it subconsciously. The thing with analogue media is that it is, as you say, tangible. It is tactile, and the interfaces of devices differ - the actions involved produce narrower outcomes. For me, the digital realm provides really good tools  but I get more inspired when working with analogue media - there are unknown chance operations, accidents.  There is so much room for intuition and for error and in the context of this data-driven world, it can feel strangely subversive, to be off the grid. It’s like an instrument in itself. 

If you had the task of naming a small town full of obsolete tools and resources  (but hidden magic), 

what would you call it?

Continuumsville!

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Check out some illustrations I made for the 2019 SC State Fair! 
BIG THANKS to Indie Grits Labs and The McKissick Museum for facilitating and curating. :::

https://folkfabulous.squarespace.com

#folkfabulous #oralhistories 

WE NOW HAVE T A P E S !!

Our entire back catalog is now available on cassette, including additional media and tangible goodies. 

Order HERE, or email here: infinitikissmy [at] gmail, 
or send some love over to the Venmo: nicholasmjenkins 

THANKS!

I am very thankful for 
LOVE, LIGHT, & LAUGHTER. 

5 QUESTIONS FOR SHANNON GARRETT (FOUNDER OF PRINTS)

visit / follow / peruse / contact : https://www.instagram.com/prints_clothing/

1. Your designs are so fresh and very fun. Who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to fashion? 

To be honest I don’t think I am inspired by a person so much as colors and patterns themselves. I love wandering the streets and people watching. I gain inspiration from thrift shops and drag shows. When I see a textile design that I vibe with and I have this sensation of wanting to be surrounded by it, consumed by it: I turn that desire into reality by making it clothing! I think I romanticize very feminine 60s and 70s fashion a lot too though, I am definitely trying to bring that back. 

2. It seems like you've found your stride in the indie fashion & clothing market. When did you realize that you wanted to start your own business?

I think [it was] when I realized that I could sew and turn my visions into reality. I taught myself to sew and while it was a bit of a frustrating process, it became rewarding quickly as I stuck with it and saw myself getting better and better. I have a background with sculpture and I think that helped me a lot to understand how to construct something just by looking at it. As I started to wear more of my own garments I would get lots of great feedback and it definitely encouraged me to start making things for other people. I do lots of markets around Melbourne now and it is so rewarding getting to present my work and chat with people about it. It is still so thrilling every time I make a sale! 

3. It seems like Melbourne has always been a mecca for modern and international arts. What's the fashion scene there like these days?

Oh, Melbourne is such a wonderful place for fashion in the fact that it absorbs inspiration from all over. Australians have a bit of a crush on American pop culture and I love the way they interpret it into their own style. Melbourne is filled with so many cultures from all over as well and the beautiful clash of it coming together is very inspiring. It is the kind of city you can be confident in whatever way you want to present yourself, and that is so encouraging to creative individuals here. Like most cities trends spread really quickly and it’s quite funny to observe- I loved watching the growth of Kim Kardashian eyebrows being worn by the masses! So to sum it up it is a very accessible place for art and fashion, and it welcomes your input! 

4. If you could time-travel to produce wardrobes for any of your favorite tv show characters from the 1980s or 90s, who would you style?

FRAN DRESCHER in the Nanny, no question. Or Kath and Kim from the early 2000’s would be a dream as well. The Australian one- I’ve heard the American re-make isn’t as good. I am thinking of being one or the other for Halloween this year (already been Fran haha). 

5. What's next for PRINTS?

I am really focusing on custom orders right now. I really love the experience of bringing something together with an individual. The satisfaction we both receive from it is so rewarding and it is such a unique relationship- even if that is all we spend together. I want that to become more of a norm people can incorporate into their lives. My next big thing will be SUITS. I have been dreaming about it lots and the time is on the horizon. I have recently started a job in the corporate world and it might be surprising but it has inspired me lots. I am so fortunate to have found a place that still allows me to put my spin on “office couture” and I want to run with it. I think it’s a market not yet tapped into, and I’m bringing it on! 

Greetings, mes amies. Merci por la fun, feasts, freak-outs, considerations, compassions, and curiosities throughout the 2018 journey. I hope that more good things than crappy things happened to you and yours. I also hope that 2019 is full of more good things than crappy things overall. 

I am most excited about new projects involving: 

CASSETTES
COLLABORATIONS
and CAFFEINE 

Over the holydaze, there was much movie and tv watching, so I hope that over the next few months, my brain will be inspired to work out any abstract symbolism that may have been cross-wired. Thanks again for your support and optimism. 

"Did you ever? 
Did you want to?" 

–– That Dog, 'Retreat From The Sun' (1997)

REFLEXIONS is out today! It's been a blast to work on this album with such talented people and I look frwrd to many more collaborations in the future. 

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featuring sonic magic by: 

Felicia Douglass – vocals
Loni Lewis aka DJ Lanatron – synthesizer
Khari Lucas aka Contour – ambient synth / bass guitar loops
Anjali Naik aka Diaspoura – vocals
Camille Rhoden – synthesizer
Donovan Taylor aka Don Crescendo – vocals
Mel Willis aka DJ Mummbls – drum machine

and album cover photography by Steffi Brink

Hey.

This photo was taken on the road with Grace Joyner (SXSW Tour, 2018), which was a blast. 

Dear Experimental Music Supporter / Performance Art Patron, 

THANK YOU for a great season of sharing your spaces, curious faces, engaging dialogue, and well wishes. The Fall season of the experimental music series that was Dojo Nowhere (2017) was a blast and a great learning experience as a whole. On behalf of the artists and new collaboration opportunities: thanks. 

We look forward to sharing more sound discoveries with you as community members / contributors of culture. In one form or another there will be more. Until then – be well. Thanks for sharing, caring, and listening. 

Cheers.

DOJO NOWHERE is happening. 

We're kicking off a 6 week experimental music series in Charleston, SC on August 16th through October 25th. Each of the events will feature an interview with the artists, a performance of some kind, and an interactive element in the form of a workshop or group improvisation. Genres of influence and expertise include electroacoustic music, jazz, electronica, sound collage & design, musique concrete, sound healing and music for meditation.

Not only am I excited to see and share what so many of the artists have to offer, I'm also really curious to experience the variety of sonic characteristics each of the spaces these concerts will be taking place. 

In case that information has been hard to find, those spaces are: 

Charleston City Gallery 
August 16th / 6-8p
with sound works by: Marge Marshall, Sam Sfirri, and Michael Vick (with Geoffrey Cormier)

Redux Contemporary Art Center
August 23rd / 6-8p
with sound works by: Marcus Amaker, Peter Coish, and Caroline Marcantoni

St. Julian Devine Community Center
September 13th / 7-9p
with sound works by: Ben Jacobs, Donovan Taylor, and Levin Osterpeck

September 27th / 7-9p
with sound works by: Muhiyyidin D'baha, Loni Lewis, and Leah Suarez

Redux Contemporary Art Center
October 11th / 6-8p
with sound works by: Celie Dailey, Brett Nash, and Dan Voss

October 25th / 6-8p
with sound works by: Lee Barbour, Khari Lucas, and Nic Jenkins

Each of these events will be free and open to the public, but there will be a suggested donation to help appreciate/validate/compensate/congratulate the artists involved. We THANK YOU SO MUCH in advance for your generosity! Your ears will be pleased.

If you are interested in volunteering or contributing at all to help make this a rad experience for all, email me at: 
paperjenkins at gmail dot com.