#also feeling some arca and caroline polachek influences

[alectothinker]

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[theseventhhex]

felicita Interview

felicita

Photo by Kacha Kowalczyk

‘hej!’ is the hauntingly hyperreal first album proper by felicita, for PC Music. Arriving 5 years since felicita’s beguiling ‘(>’.’)>#’ and ‘Frenemies’ releases took us by surprise with their lacquered textures and uncannily poignant arrangements, ‘hej!’ claims their place in the same dimensions as Arca, Sophie and 0PN with a highly personalised expression of hyperreal modernity. Polish folk, trance, trap and classical chamber music are melded into the same mutant body of music with deceptively effortless appeal that’s both pop-wise and avant, charming and at times unsettling through its juxtapositions of new and old… We talk to felicita about carefree lyrics, working with Caroline Polachek and finding joy in daily life…

TSH: What sort of emotions did you feel upon applying the finishing touches to your debut album ‘hej!’?

felicita: Relief and uncertainty. I went for a walk.

TSH: Was it an intentional decision for certain reasons for you to make this body of work a slight escape route from the music that you have done before?

felicita: Yes. I wanted to build something entirely from scratch.

TSH: Tell us more about how you often find a creative spark after spending hours in the studio and often getting so exhausted…

felicita: I’m a very stubborn person. Creative sparks can fly whenever; the long hours are more about finding ways to make them work.

TSH: Also, can you give us an insight into the themes and narrative explorations of your Polish heritage on this release?

felicita: hej! is a reflection of a specific diasporic reality, passed down through Poles displaced to cities like London. Gradually a heavy nostalgic aesthetic tone develops, exaggerating and heightening into fantasy things that were once everyday life. I consider myself a magical realist in the classical sense.

TSH: What is it about carefree lyrics that you gravitate towards?

felicita: I’ve always intensely disliked Bob Dylan. Maybe the answer is in there somewhere.

TSH: In what way(s) did your childhood obsession with movement come into play with this record?

felicita: I grew up playing sports, and then dancing in clubs, but for some reason have never felt compelled to make ‘functional’ dance music. Physical movement as it exists outside of prepared choreography and repetitive patterns appeals to me the most. Any series of human or machine actions could become a new dance, or could be transcribed to form the notes to a new melody.

TSH: You had the super-gifted Caroline Polachek on board for the track ‘Marzipan’, what was it like to work with her?

felicita: Caroline is the type of person who throws themselves into everything they do with equal intensity and a burning desire to make it the best it can be. She also has a fascinating musical notation system she developed as a child which involves crunching any melody she’s learning into the scale of C, whilst internalising it in the scale it’s actually in. Written down, it looks like a strange secret code language. I think it developed from learning to play on a toy keyboard that had a simple ‘transpose key’ button.

TSH: What sort of influences and thoughts do you draw on for a track like ‘Coughing up Amber’?

felicita: Tracks like ‘Coughing up Amber’ and ‘Mosaic Genetics’ are like miniature ecosystems, in which all elements are co-dependent on their interactions than determining changes in structure. Making them can be like trying to balance a balloon on a needle. My long-term goal is to make high-functioning pop music in this way, everything absorbed into the system, lovingly designed, gracefully piping.

TSH: Did you identify ‘Mosaic Genetics’ early on as the album closer?

felicita: ‘Mosaic Genetics’ was actually the last track I added to ‘hej!’, though it was the first thing Caroline and I recorded together. I’d up until then regarded it as an interesting experiment, but not something that would ever be released (the previous album closer of hej! had been an extended, minimal piano loop).

TSH: Do you feel restricted with your music making?

felicita: I rarely feel restrictions, but I often have the opposite issue, ‘everythingitis’, where I try and do too much, fill tracks with too much detail. The more I work, the closer I get to the core of the thing I’m trying to express. So in a sense my writing process involves actively moving towards restrictions.

TSH: Are there certain cultures and traditions that you feel seep into your music?

felicita: The Beatles and Japanese Onkyo music. The taste of sherbet after church. That’s about it.

TSH: What’s made you feel most content with the development of your career to date?

felicita: Perceiving it as a miniature glowing orb in the distance, surrounded by padded walls, whilst hearing Yundi Li play Chopin’s Prelude No.4 in E-Minor.

TSH: What brings about most joy and bliss for you in your daily life?

felicita: Family, friends and entertainment.

TSH: Finally, what is the best advice you’ve been given in recent times?

felicita: ‘You are not limited to this room; there are many rooms.....’

felicita - “marzipan (feat. Caroline Polachek)”

Hej!

[all-they-say-is-na-na-na]

All They Say Is Na Na Na’s Best of 2016 - Top 150 Singles

150 Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - "Arthropoda" 149 LUH - "I&I" 148 VIOLENCE - "Psycud" 147 Julianna Barwick - "Nebula" 146 Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - "Side to Side" 145 Ian William Craig - "Contain (Astoria Version)" 144 Róisín Murphy - "Whatever" 143 That Poppy - "Money" 142 Flume feat. Tove Lo - "Say It" 141 CC Dust - "Never Going to Die" 140 Lipgloss Twins - "Doodle" 139 The Range - "Florida" 138 Powell feat. Jonny - "Jonny" 137 Sia - "Cheap Thrills" 136 Olga Bell - "ATA" 135 Kaytranada - "Lite Spots" 134 The Body - "The Fall and the Guilt" 133 Amnesia Scanner - "AS Crust" 132 Mark Pritchard feat. Thom Yorke - "Beautiful People" 131 Sleigh Bells - "It's Just Us Now" 130 NV - "Kata" 129 Factory Floor - "Ya" 128 Emmsjé Gauti - "Strákarnir" 127 GAIKA - "Glad We Found It" 126 ANOHNI - "Crisis" 125 María Usbeck - "Moai y Yo" 124 Britney Spears feat. Tinashe - "Slumber Party" 123 Babyfather feat. Arca & Lil Yachty - "Meditation" 122 Santigold - "Banshee" 121 Tanya Tagaq - "Retribution" 120 cupcakKe - "Juicy Coochie" 119 Death Grips - "Giving Bad People Good Ideas" 118 The 1975 - "Somebody Else" 117 Beyoncé - "Hold Up" 116 Samaris - "Wanted 2 Say" 115 Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna - "This Is What You Came For" 114 Tim Hecker - "Castrati Stack" 113 Grimes - "California" 112 Skepta - "Man" 111 AlunaGeorge feat. Leikeli47 & Dreezy - "Mean What I Mean" 110 KDA feat. Tinashe - "Just Say" 109 The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk - "Starboy" 108 Primal Scream & Sky Ferreira - "Where the Light Gets In" 107 NAO - "Fool to Love" 106 felicita - "Heads Will Roll/I Will Devour You" 105 Motion Graphics - "Airdrop" 104 Lapsley feat. DJ Koze - "Operator" 103 Tove Lo - "Cool Girl" 102 clipping. - "Baby Don't Sleep" 101 Baauer feat. M.I.A. & G-Dragon - "Temple"

100 MO - "Drum" 99 Phantogram - "You Don't Get Me High Anymore" 98 Triángulo de Amor Bizarro - "Baila Sumeria" 97 D.R.A.M feat. Lil Yachty - "Broccoli" 96 Mykki Blanco feat. Jean Deaux - "Loner" 95 Austra - "Utopia" 94 Moderat - "Running" 93 Xenia Rubinos - "Mexican Chef" 92 Bon Iver - "10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄" 91 Zara Larsson - "Lush Life" 90 Chairlift - "Crying in Public" 89 Carla Dal Forno - "Fast Moving Cars" 88 Allie X - "Old Habits, Die Hard" 87 serpentwithfeet - "four ethers" 86 Kero Kero Bonito - "Break" 85 Lafawndah - "Tan" 84 Arca - "Sin Rumbo" 83 Santigold - "Chasing Shadows" 82 AlunaGeorge - "I Remember" 81 Ariana Grande - "Dangerous Woman" 80 cupcakKe - "Picking Cotton" 79 Clarence Clarity - "Vapid Feels Are Vapid" 78 Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane - "Black Beatles" 77 Hannah Diamond - "Fade Away" 76 M.I.A. - "Go Off" 75 Snakehips feat. Tinashe & Chance the Rapper - "All My Friends" 74 Tim Hecker - "Black Phase" 73 NAO - "Girlfriend" 72 Shura - "What's It Gonna Be?" 71 Porches - "Be Apart" 70 Danny L Harle feat. Caroline Polachek - "Ashes of Love" 69 Lust for Youth - "Sudden Ambitions" 68 Katie Gately - "Lift" 67 Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - "Love's Refrain" 66 Flume feat. Kai - "Never Be Like You" 65 Dua Lipa - "Hotter Than Hell" 64 Katy B feat. Chris Lorenzo - "I Wanna Be" 63 Beyoncé - "Sorry" 62 ABRA - "CRYBABY" 61 Kanye West feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Post Malone - "Fade" 60 Preoccupations - "Anxiety" 59 Junior Boys - "Big Black Coat" 58 Róisín Murphy - "Ten Miles High" 57 Kaytranada feat. Syd - "You're the One" 56 Motion Graphics - "Houzzfunction" 55 Moderat - "Reminder" 54 Tegan and Sara - "Boyfriend" 53 Charli XCX feat. Lil Yachty - "After the Afterparty" 52 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Jesus Alone" 51 Gwenno - "Fratolish Hiang Perpeshki" 50 BANKS - "Gemini Feed" 49 Chairlift - "Romeo" 48 Christine and the Queens - "Tilted" 47 Solange feat. Sampha - "Don't Touch My Hair" 46 Sleigh Bells - "I Can Only Stare" 45 Death Grips - "Eh" 44 Beyoncé - "Formation" 43 Angel Olsen - "Shut Up Kiss Me" 42 María Usbeck - "Uno De Tus Ojos" 41 Oneohtrix Point Never - "Animals" 40 James Blake feat. Bon Iver - "I Need a Forest Fire" 39 felicita - "A New Family" 38 Danny Brown - "Pneumonia" 37 Deakin - "Just Am" 36 Shura - "Touch" 35 The Avalanches - "Subways" 34 Jessy Lanza - "Oh No" 33 MO - "Final Song" 32 CHVRCHES - "Clearest Blue" 31 ANOHNI - "Drone Bomb Me" 30 The xx - "On Hold" 29 Jenny Hval - "Female Vampire" 28 Mitski - "Your Best American Girl" 27 Rihanna feat. Drake - "Work" 26 David Bowie - "I Can't Give Everything Away" 25 Bridgit Mendler feat. Kaiydo - "Atlantis" 24 Angel Olsen - "Intern" 23 FKA twigs - "Good to Love" 22 Frank Ocean - "Nikes" 21 Radiohead - "Burn the Witch" 20 Carly Rae Jepsen - "Boy Problems" 19 Blood Orange - "Augustine" 18 Amnesia Scanner - "AS Chingy" 17 Kero Kero Bonito - "Trampoline" 16 Charli XCX - "Vroom Vroom" 15 Rihanna - "Needed Me" 14 Mitski - "Happy" 13 Olga Bell - "Randomness" 12 Beyoncé - "All Night" 11 Grimes - "Kill V. Maim"

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10 Xiu Xiu - "Falling"

"Falling" by Julee Cruise, the theme song of Twin Peaks is actually one of my favorite songs of all time. But I wouldn't feel like it's a stretch to say that Xiu Xiu's version is nearly as good. It sounds more rock-influenced, louder, but also darker and sinister (like their best songs). Personally, I love it when artists make song covers that sound so creative and unique. 

9 Danny L Harle feat. Carly Rae Jepsen - "Super Natural"

I feel like this is the song that positions PC Music properly inside the pop world. Sure, SOPHIE has had their collaborations with Madonna and Charli XCX, but in terms of accessibility, this is their poppiest song. And it's without a doubt one of their best for that same reason. Also Carly does her thing as great she always does. 

8 Danny Brown - "When It Rain"

There's just so much going on here. The production is so dense, I love the ringtone-like sounds over the heavy, glitchy footwork/ghettotech-meets-industrial instrumental, and Danny Brown's delivery here is probably one of his most aggressive performances to date. It's like Death Grips... except that this is 1000 times more punk for real. Also the video fits perfectly with the song! 

7 Ariana Grande - "Into You"

I don't think anybody expected a track like "Into You" from Ariana. I don't exactly know what makes this song so good, but the combination of her excellent vocals, the catchy hook, the (silly but) fun lyrics about love and sex and the bombastic production makes this probably one of the greatest pop songs since "Run Away With Me". 

6 Jenny Hval - "Conceptual Romance"

In a way, this is Jenny’s most “pop” track to date – unlike the songs from 'Apocalypse, girl.’ and her previous albums, this has a definite hook and a relatively normal structure. But her lyrics deal with usual themes for her, such as identity, conceptual art, sexuality, and it has a more atmospheric, darker vibe than the previous single from 'Blood Bitch'. And it's also one of her best songs to date too, so there's that. 

5 Radiohead - "Daydreaming"

“Daydreaming” is kind of the opposite to "Burn the Witch" – as an ambient-pop track and everything, but they do share some similarities, like the usage of strings and electronics, but lyrically is very interesting as well, possibly referring to Yorke’s divorce, after spending 23 years with his wife (literally “half of his life”, as its said backwards at the end of the song), giving it a very personal edge, which is one of the reasons this is now one of my favorite Radiohead songs ever.

4 Solange - "Cranes in the Sky"

“Cranes in the Sky” was written about eight years ago with soul icon Raphael Saadiq, it’s a slow, dreamy song that mentions all the ways she tried to get over her depression – by drinking, reading, having sex, dancing, none of which were successful. This song is gorgeous, probably one of my favorites of hers ever and without a doubt one of the best singles of the year. 

3 Jessy Lanza - "It Means I Love You"

I don't know exactly why, but I always found this song so fascinating. It probably isn't the track from her record that it's you in the most immediate way (that would be "VV Violence"), but the shangaan electro sample and the whole footwork-meets-Björk vibe of the track is just excellent. I'm also surprised to see how much love this song got, but it's totally deserved. 

2 David Bowie - "Lazarus"

“Lazarus” is probably the song where the references to death are the most obvious. First, its title, is a reference to the biblical figure of Lazarus, the man who died, but was brought back to life by Jesus himself, and is often a synonym of resurrection. In the video, we have him literally on his deathbed, fighting against his demons, but still creating art. But, the most important thing, the lyrics, are probably the most direct, poignant on the entirety of the record, with the soulcrashing opening lines “Look up here / I’m in heaven / I got scars that can’t be seen”, and its wonderful (but choatic) instrumental ending.

1 Rihanna - "Kiss It Better"

Her best vocal performance (the harmonies!). Her best lyrics in the topic of sex (shout-out to Natalia Kills by the way!). Probably one of her best instrumentals too. Overall, one of her best songs ever, and I feel like giving her the #1. is totally justified and deserved. This is the "Run Away With Me" of 2016, because honestly I still don't get why this wasn't a #1. smash. But anyways, talent won regardless.