Hi!! How is everyone? I’ve been so busy recently: new laptop, new jobs, and an ongoing attempt to find time for myself (results pending). But I definitely need to start writing again, so here we are.
Monday
Arca announced a new album, out Friday. And although I am, technically, press, I do not have an XL Records plug, so my excitement gets to stew for another three days like everyone else’s.
São Tomé and Príncipe had an election that broke the mould of their political system. Carlos Vila Nova first came to power in 2021 with ADI backing; a Christian, “centre-right” party (I use the term for ease, though I think the left-right spectrum is mostly redundant at this point). This year he ditched the ADI, ran as an independent, and won anyway. His line has always been that a president’s job is to be a neutral arbiter between the government, the assembly and the courts, rather than a party’s person in the big chair. Whether that holds is another question entirely, but it’s a rare thing to run on and a rarer thing to win with.
Tuesday
I went to, and helped organise, the Tempa takeover at Kindred, the best radio station (and record shop) in London. It went smoothly, at least as far as I could tell, and I got to hang out with two of my goats, Introspekt and Carré. Kindred are running a day party this Saturday outside the store in Farringdon, so if you’re free, head down!
Wednesday
Gabriel Moses shot the latest EAFC (fka FIFA) Ultimate Edition cover. I love Gabriel Moses. This is… not it. Idk. It feels like he had so much more in him, and it doesn’t even give FIFA. Happy for him, obviously. But…
A new venue, funded by the Arts Council, is opening in Tottenham, with its first event this Friday. 250 capacity, which I’m happy about, though it does read a little posh; it describes itself as a “sound-led listening space.” But you know. Don’t judge a book, etc.
Thursday
Apparently the V&A has an institutional racism problem. Unsurprising, if still disheartening. Their programming has been making real strides, but there’s always dissonance between what an institution curates for the public and how it runs behind its own doors.
In the evening I hit the opening of Ted Childish’s debut exhibition, ‘BE KIND TO HIM WORLD,’ documenting the life and times of Ned Pobaby. I liked it, and I don’t say that lightly. If you, like my (unnamed) friend, are “so curious who is this Ned and what happened to him,” head down before it closes on Thursday.
Friday
Worldpeace DMT dropped their latest project. I saw them live a few weeks (months?) ago and they were great. can’t wait to listen, which is exactly why I haven’t: I’m holding out for the right moment. I’m gassed.
In the evening, a Nike party in King’s Cross for a brand new trainer. Fun night, absolutely rammed, and the lights in the venue were nuts. I ran into bare people too, both new and old additions to my life, which was nice.
Saturday
Nell Frizzell wrote a great piece for British Vogue on the summer holidays and what they do to parents and children alike. I’ve always thought the summer holidays were too long, and I can’t imagine the toll of stacking childcare, finances and work on top of one another for six straight weeks.
One good way to spend a weekend, though, is taking your dog to Margate to see the sea for the first time like I did. She was shy for maybe ten minutes, and then she was chasing seagulls through the water and swimming back to shore like she’d been doing it her whole life. She’s still not made peace with birds being able to stay airborne for that long; fair enough when your only frame of reference is the fat London pigeons I suppose.
Sunday
A horrific attack at Berlin Pride left one person dead and sixteen injured, and handed regressive grifters (cough, Nigel Farage, cough, the AfD) fresh ammo to pretend they care about queer people while inciting hatred against Muslims and ignoring everyone actually affected. I’m just glad it wasn’t worse.
Late afternoon, I headed to the Yaku sample sale and workshop, where I made a keychain out of an old Unknown T tee and picked up plenty of tips for my new, incoming era.
Until next week,
Sik
P.S. I really like the new Charli album. The new Nia Archives, not so much. Also it’s my birthday next week (August 4th), I’m finally gonna be an adult. The world is ready for me, I hope. I fear the opposite.
love this sik!