Cheers, 2016! Thank you for your big skies and open doors!
I’ve prepared a taste of my past year through the music that has moved me through an adventure-filled 2016.
This is a little annual tradition that has swung me into the past four new years: making a playlist to tie up the stories of my year. 2016 has added up to a generous helping of 31 songs. (My longest end-of-the-year playlist so far!)
You can also check out the playlist here: “Open Doors // SpeakSoon’s 2016 in Music”. A list of songs/artists also at the end of this post.
This year, I’ve added a new challenge. As a final piece and creative writing exercise, I borrowed words from all the songs of my 2016 and built a poem. You’ll find lines from all the different songs strung together with a bit of play from me. Does my year sound a lot like yours?
Open Doors
In these moments, I lose focus.
I don’t remember when we decided we could fly.
Put your head on my shoulders,
If you’re lost and you’re lonely, go and figure out why.
How do we mend a million pieces
strung out across the ground?
Hear the healing in your bones,
Sit in stillness for the silence of this sound.
Cry, my friend, no more,
you’ve seen your stars aligning I’m sure.
We all fear the sound of a closing door,
only your faith will prove to bring a cure.
All these vultures that surround you,
with cowardice speak their lies out loud.
Take my hand, I’ll give you strength,
just when you think all the streets have emptied out.
La soledad viene sin patria, have you missed the lonely call?
Leave what’s heavy.
Leave what’s heavy behind,
but I keep running for a soft place to fall.
A light against a darkened sky,
your truth must outshine all the lies,
You let your feet run wild and try
to tell the world that fiction is falling from up high.
The cross we bear is all we’ve got
para você vem dançar,
It’s like a bit of light in a touch of dark,
do you dare to look your losses right in the eyes?
While you were sleeping, I thought of you.
We might make it further if we learned to stay.
We’re here, eyes open, catching and releasing
what builds up throughout the day.
Live to dance in a hurricane,
find your heart standing in the eye,
I just hope you’ll stop me
before I build a world around me.
We are waiting on their sunshine and the morning dew,
for we live where the war is raging and where we miss the moon,
We’re all lonely together, no matter what we choose to do.
We can tell each other secrets, til we remember how to love.
I was listening to the ocean. I was dancing in the rain.
Words are so easy to say, we speak as though nothing could fall,
Slow down when you can, we’re not exempt from all pain,
This story’s a long one, take a deep breath, then five more. Stand tall.
Throw your arms in the air tonight. I won’t be no runaway.
I’ll go braving everything through the shine of the sun.
Darling, don’t be afraid when it’s time to stay,
but the doors are open. Run!
Playlists from previous years:
I’ve also just realized that I never shared 2015’s playlist, now also public on Spotify: “SpeakSoon: 2015 in Music”
Here are links to posts on past year’s playlists: 2014, 2013 and 2012.
And finally, a simple rundown of my 2016’s lovely playlist:
- Run – Lost Frequencies Radio Edit // Emma Bale
- On Our Knees (Feat. R.O) // Konoba
- I’ll Move Mountains // Roo Panes
- Tomorrow’s Song // Olafur Arnalds
- Tightropes // Robyn Sherwell
- Gorgeous // X Ambassadors
- Falling Faster // Andrew Ripp
- Moments – Acoustic Live // Kidnap Kid
- Spaceship – Popvilla Sessions // Comet Blue
- You’re Mine – Radio Edit // Raving George
- Deep End // Birdy
- No Angel // Birdy
- We Can Be Heroes // Ozark Henry
- The Eye // Brandi Carlie
- I Need a Forest Fire – feat Justin Vernon // James Blake
- Friends feat Bon Iver // Francis and the Lights
- Summer’s Almost Gone // The Temper Trap
- Lost // The Temper Trap
- New Afro Spanish Generation // Buika
- Light it Up (feat Nyla & Fuse ODG) // Major Lazer
- Dark Necessities // Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Sunset Lover // Petit Biscuit
- Way Down We Go – Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC // Kaleo
- Para Voce // Gregor Salto
- Forever With You // Nathan Roberts
- Heavy // Birdtalker
- Good Together // HONNE
- Catch & Release – Deepend Mix // Matt Simons
- Show Me Love // Sam Feldt
- Runaway // AURORA
- Runaway // The National
2017, I’ll be listening for you!
DRAWING: If you’re interested in visual art, I’m teaching a drawing workshop that doesn’t require any drawing experience! It’ll be both dynamic and therapeutic as we play with charcoal and pastels. Email prismgalleryph@gmail.com to sign up! Fee is P1,800 including materials and snacks.
teaching a creative writing workshop for writers and non-writers who are feeling a little stuck. We’ll play with rhythm and repetition in your writing. Using the pattern of poetic forms like the villanelle and the pantoum as building blocks, we’ll discover new ways to keep writing fun and fresh. No writing experience necessary! Workshop fee: P850 with materials and a free regular drink of your choice at the cafe.
I started a new project this month called Stories on Squares. It’s a daily art challenge that keeps my creative gears cranking. The concept is exactly what it sounds like, every day I tell a new story on a square.
Every story is a surprise to me. The experience of letting the short short story unfold is one of the most enjoyable parts of the exercise. Some days the words need a lot of patience and I stare at a blank square for a long while. Other days, I get inspiration in traffic, waiting in line or talking to a friend, and I write down a starting thought. Other days, the stories flow easy. Some days, my friends have to remind me to write a story. (I should really set a daily alarm!)
speak soon 