2015-04-15 - Eris Drew - A Narrative Street Mix by Eris Drew
File details
| dur | MB | kbps |
|---|---|---|
| 01:02:06 |
Description
I recorded this mix as part of Fresh Meat's 10th Podcast. The host (Mazi) and I discussed the songs at length for the podcast, so I decided to upload the mix here without the conversation. The mix featured below is a further exploration of the themes in my recent article titled "Authentic Narratives" (hugoballchicago.com/authentic-narra…an-drew-larsen/). Since the most immediate vernacular style of mixing here in Chicago for me growing up was the radio "Street Mix", I did this all vinyl mix in that style, i.e., using accapellas to tell stories, incorporating effects drops (albeit from idiosyncratic sources), bringing records in and out of the mix in a non-linear fashion, using doubles and multiple remixes of the same song to create unique versions, and blurring notions of genre and time.
"How many tears until the dams of emotion break?"
I thought it would be interesting to read the lyrics/samples in the mix as a single written piece, like one would read a poem. Accordingly, I transposed the verbal elements of the mix with help from my pal Jose Luna and fellow musician who translated the accapella spoken in colloquial Spanish (hugoballchicago.com/a-narrative-str…an-drew-larsen/). The intention behind the themes I selected while recording was to explore my recent process of coming out as a trans-identifying individual---both the tensions leading up to being outed (note that I created "the Fantasy" in 2006 when I was deeply closeted), as well as the positive/negative consequences of this process, including the end of a relationship.
"I have seen you before, but you know what, you dont know me..."
I found that the act of transposition revealed subjective meanings that I did not intend when recording the mix but that resonated nonetheless. For example, as a trans female of mixed Puerto Rican background that does not speak Spanish, the words Jose revealed through his translation obviously are pretty intense if we read it through the lens of identity within a single individual, rather than read it as a simple love song directed to a separate individual. As another example, in the track "Man You Gotta Go" (big thanks to Garrett David at Gramaphone for setting this aside for me when he listened to it)I didn't hear the men saying to each other "We must leave! You said it..." until the act of transposition. Because my experiences with gender are explored in the mix, I include the perceived gender of the speaker/singer in the transposition.
