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juliaisabellphoto · 3 years

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My 2020 Albums of the Year

Never requested, always provided. Here are my favorites of 2020. Here’s the playlist.

The Secret Sisters, Saturn Return

As soon as I saw “Water Witch, featuring Brandi Carlile” on this tracklist I knew that the Secret Sisters would be a favorite of 2020. In February, I was staying with a friend in Nashville and she mentioned them as a local favorite, and when I stopped at Grimey’s to shop for records I came upon a signed copy of “Saturn Return.” I had never heard the Secret Sisters before, but there is nobody I trust more to recommend music than this Nashville friend of mine, so I bought it. I made no mistake here: this record blew me away. The soft, soulful, lullaby of “Healer in the Sky” pulled me through the pain of the first month of quarantine and soothed me as the world was turned upside down. In reading more on the record, this seems to have been the point: they say, “this album is a reflection of us coming to terms with how to find our power in the face of an unfair world… our hope is that women can feel less alone in their journey through the modern world.” There is something in the caramel-thick sweetness of these sisters’ voices that makes a listener feel as though they’ve been bewitched into calm. When I think of this album, I think of the cross-country drive I took at the beginning of the pandemic to make my way home and the happy moments that can be found in darkness. No album touched my heart this year in the way that “Saturn Return” did.

Taylor Swift, Folklore and Evermore

Taylor Swift… can even be said? Somehow, while we all sat on our couches in quarantine, this woman created not one but two musical masterpieces. She begins “the 1” by stating “I’m doin good, I’m on some new shit,” and that says a lot about the album as a whole. She created the 2020 we all wish we experienced: soft, sweet, and gentle. Listening to Folklore feels like visiting a cabin in the woods, with a fireplace well lit. Swift tells winding stories of love, hardship, and mystery and tenderly walks us through the forest of her imagination. This magical feeling was amplified by her release of The Long Pond Studio Sessions, a film in which Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner finally play the album together for the first time after recording it entirely remotely. The setting matches the sound: they play in an album in the middle of the woods, cozy and hidden from the snow. Evermore cuts through the delicate ice of Folklore: it is the color to Folklore’s black and white. Swift combines the soft folk sound of “willow” with some of her country and Americana roots in “no body, no crime,” drawing us in once again. She includes Bon Iver singing in his lower register in Folklore and then in his falsetto in Evermore: two sides of the same magic coin. The work in these two albums is Swift’s strongest ever, and solidifies the fact that no modern artist can really reach her.

Chris Stapleton, Starting Over

Following a three-year hiatus, all lovers of southern rock deeply needed a Chris Stapleton album. In “Starting Over,” Stapleton yet again does what he does best: combines his unique whiskey-tinged growl with the best lyricism present in country music today. This record can’t be captured in any singular fashion, neither musically nor emotionally. The title track sets a high bar for the rest of the record with a reflection on re-remembering what really matters, a message certainly relevant for this turbulent year. Stapleton’s typical outlaw-country brand is present in full with “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice,” “Arkansas,” and “Hillbilly Blood,” but other songs take him in a completely new stylistic direction. “Maggie’s Song” takes on a very classic old-time country feel, as Stapleton weaves sweet and simple stories as he processes the loss of his pup. He harnesses the energy of the Chicks as he angrily lambasts the perpetrators of the 2017 mass shooting at Route 91. The song is a Stapleton-sponsored judgment day reckoning, including the cacophonic sound of a crowd in panic and the shrieks of a gospel choir. In contrast with this energetic high, Stapleton goes deep into his blues side by finally releasing “You Should Probably Leave,” a song he has been sitting on for six years. This one feels just right to sway around the kitchen to. With each listen to “Starting Over” I find new lyrics to write down and remember, new sounds to love.

Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG

Bad Bunny. Our unproblematic reggaeton prince. In the wake of his many popular features and his collaborative album with J Balvin, Bad Bunny makes it clear that it is time for Balvin to share the throne of popular reggaeton. He features the original reggaeton king Daddy Yankee in “La Santa,” paying tribute to the very classic reggaeton style before mixing it and transcending beyond the classics in the following tracks. “Yo Perreo Sola” is the album’s standout track, accompanied by my favorite music video of 2020. The song is an ode to gender equality and the destruction of the patriarchal norms contributing to gender-based violence. “Yo Perreo Sola,” meaning “I twerk alone,” sets the overarching theme of consent present throughout the song’s lyrics. In the video, Benito’s backdrop references the Argentinian-born “Ni Una Menos” movement, a now global movement against gender-based violence. As if this wasn’t enough to make you adore him, the video further extends its activism to the LGBTQ community, with Benito appearing in full drag, in his normal attire, and at some points held in chains by women. He makes a statement about sexuality and gender expression in the video, twerking solo. The other jawdropper track on YHLQMDLG is Safaera, a perfect display of Bad Bunny’s skill in expanding the scope of reggaeton as a genre. In the same thirty seconds of the song, he subtly samples both “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley and the Wailers and Missy Elliot’s “Get Ya Freak On” - a segment I just can’t get out of my head. Bad Bunny’s prowess on this record is rounded out with the aggressive and prideful “P FKN R.” What a masterpiece.

Mac Miller, Circles

A posthumous record that never should have been posthumous. A companion-piece to Mac’s 2018 record “Swimming,” Circles takes a similar tone, one of resilience through pain. The title track serves as a somber introduction, followed by the funk energy of “Complicated” and the GO:OD AM energy of “Blue World.” The song that really got to me, and many other fans of Mac, was “Good News.” It is the pinnacle of Mac’s musical insight and talent. The melody matches the melancholy of the track, as Mac sings of his desire for time and space. The melancholy is matched in “Everybody” with the lines about death feeling particularly haunting in the wake of Miller’s accidental overdose. Somehow, Miller wrote the perfect eulogy for himself prior to his passing, one that will live in the hearts of his fans forever.

Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞

I’m not quite sure what to call this record. If I just listened to “la luna enamorada,” a cover of a classic Cuban bolero, I would call it gorgeous. If I just listened to “fue mejor” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR or “quiero sentirme bien,” I would call it sexy. If I just listened to “vaya con dios,” I would think she wrote the theme music for the next James Bond film. The bottom line of the record is Uchis’ absolute stunning use of her upper register. She hits notes that “Isolation” never would have foreshadowed, painting a dreamland for any listener. She slides back into the energy of her sophomore album in “telepatia,” but adds in moments of her new sound. She incorporates a slower reggaeton beat into no eres tu (soy yo), and dives into a heavier reggaeton sound in te pongo mal (prendelo.) My personal favorite of the record is “aqui yo mando!” with Rico Nasty: it is the perfect display of Uchis’ unique upper register combined with Rico’s trap style. Anyone passing this record up for another “Isolation” listen is missing out.

FLETCHER, The S(ex) Tapes

This record has a story like no other, coming from a woman like no other. This EP was recorded while Fletcher quarantined with her ex-girlfriend, who also happened to film all of the music videos for it. It is this messiness that makes The S(ex) Tapes absolute magic. Fletcher’s own description of the name of the release explains the situation best: “A sex tape is someone being captured in their most vulnerable, wildest, rawest form, and my ex has always captured me that way.” She captures all of the feelings of a breakup with someone you still love deeply, and the relationship relapse that comes with moving past those feelings. Fletcher’s special ability comes in representing these deeply painful experiences in an uplifting manner: this is a sexy pop EP meant to be danced to. Fletcher simultaneously validates all of the emotional tumult, but subtly nudges the listener toward blissful reckless abandon. It almost makes me wish I had a breakup to go through! The abrasive apathy of “Shh… Don’t Say It” and the flippant, angry vulnerability of “Bitter” are paired perfectly with Fletcher’s raw brand of distortion. In an interview with Nylon, Fletcher speaks to this: “Listen, I've done my fair share of just straight-up sad, crying in your bed music. I'm still going through shit, but I want to bop to it. We can still be emo and want to twerk at the same time.” Yes, Fletcher, we do.

Halsey, Manic

Prior to 2020, I wasn’t Halsey’s biggest fan. I wouldn’t have even called myself a fan. I just wasn’t that excited by her music. “I’m Not Mad” was the song that triggered a 180 for me. The heavy, dissonant kick of the drums and her raw, angry lyricism drew me in without hesitation. I suppose this was just the push I needed to fall in love with the rest of her music: the songs with similar bite, “Without Me” and “killing boys,” and the more raw side of the record in “You should be sad,” “929,” and “Graveyard.” Her vulnerability is so much of what makes this record perfect. The album fully made sense to me when I listened to her podcast feature on “Armchair Expert” with Dax Shepard. In it, she talks through the time period covered by the record and gives context to her powerful lyricism. “Manic” is a story of chasing someone she loved into drug-fueled oblivion, and then finally finding the power to leave. The album is brimming with this power, and I just can’t turn it off.

HAIM, Women In Music Pt. III

HAIM is THE soft rock band of the modern era.Women In Music Pt. III, their most mature album yet, solidified this opinion for me in a way that I didn’t expect. There is so much to be said for this record: it is innovative and skilled, with the perfect balance of softness and hardness. Though the record is one of pain and trauma, you wouldn’t know it purely from its melodies. “Don’t Wanna” is a very classic HAIM pop rock number, and “The Steps” follows suit making frustration fun to dance to. Though one may not notice at first, in this record HAIM dives deeper than ever before. “Now I’m In It” does a phenomenal job of sonically representing the feeling of being completely and utterly overwhelmed. “I Know Alone” is a beautifully intimate rainy-day account of Danielle’s struggle with depression. Then comes “3AM” - a lighthearted song about a booty call with Thundercat-type bass and an R&B vibe - just in case you didn’t already know how much range these three sisters have. Everything about this record is filled with talent.

Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher

Only Phoebe Bridgers could write a song about murdering a skinhead and fill it with nostalgia. “Garden Song,” the leading single preceding “Punisher,” foreshadowed a record that is just so very Phoebe: melancholy, vulnerable, and heart-wrenching. The eagerly awaited album certainly followed suit, with typical sad ballads “Halloween” and “Moon Song” played alongside more raucous, Better Oblivion Community Center-esque songs such as “Kyoto” and “ICU.” She goes bluegrass on “Graceland Too” with banjo, violin, and layered harmonies from boygenius collaborators Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. In “Punisher,” Bridgers shares with us the wistful catharsis that she is so very talented at creating.

Noah Cyrus, THE END OF EVERYTHING

I always underestimated Miley’s little sister, but here I am writing about her EP before I write about Miley’s in my end of the year roundup. Every piece in this record gave me chills: Cyrus’ lower register allows her to access a somber kind of ballad that I just can’t get enough of. The record starts off at a peak with the slow burn of “Ghost” and somehow manages to get even better with “I Got So High That I Saw Jesus.” This powerful song, even better in the live version where Miley joins her younger sister, builds into an almost gospel-like ode to the idea that everything will be okay. “July,” the single featuring Leon Bridges that pushed Cyrus into the national spotlight, stands as the most beautifully layered song of the EP. The soft guitar picking and choral sound complement Cyrus’ upper register. The whole record, extending through the closing title track, is a comforting, soft emotional analgesic for 2020.

The Chicks, Gaslighter

This record is gorgeous. It is painful. The feelings Natalie Maines expresses in this record are feelings I have felt far too deeply in personal relationships, and they also are feelings everyone is feeling globally in 2020. “Gaslighter” is just straight up fun, a perfect extension of the Chicks’ energy found in “Goodbye Earl” and other older revenge numbers (but with an extra poppy Jack Antonoff twist this time.) “Tights On My Boat” is bitter, funny, and shows off Maines’ upper register with stripped guitar. “Sleep at Night” musically and lyrically embodies the pain of being betrayed. “Julianna Calm Down” is a stunning ballad of female resilience. “Texas Man” perfectly captures the bubbly feeling of moving on. “For Her” and “March March” fit in with the frustrated, betrayed, power-centered theme of the record in a very different way. The Chicks’ dualistic ability to discuss her ex-husband’s cheating alongside the band’s political views is what makes the record special: not only are we watching a woman try to move on and develop her personal strength, but we are also seeing this personal strength harnessed for political impact. They simultaneously denounce the abuse of power in both politics and relationships, while reclaiming that power for themselves in standing up for what they believe in. How very Chicks of them.

Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia

Dua motherfucking Lipa. This woman would have been the official owner of 2020 had we been able to dance to this record at bars and clubs. This was proven ten times over by the success of the album’s first single, “Don’t Start Now,” a song that is absolutely the MOST fun. Or so I thought… until I heard “Physical,” “Levitating,” and “Break My Heart.” What poor timing for such a phenomenal dance record, but at least she gave the people some great material for Tik Tok dances! All COVID-dance-related concerns aside, this is a really well done sophomore album for Dua Lipa. The funk elements of the album most clearly seen in “Levitating” elevate Dua’s brand of pop to a new level. The all gas no brakes nature of this dance-pop record works wonders for her - she knows what the people want from her, and she delivers.

Megan Thee Stallion, Good News

THIS! RECORD! If WAP could be an album of the year, it would be, but it’s a standalone single and Megan Thee Stallion proceeded to release the next best thing. The explosion of Megan Thee Stallion has been a pleasure to watch in 2020, with both WAP and Savage leaving the charge. With an artist like her, it’s easy to get lost in the smash hits and ignore the prolific nature of her work. “Good News” is an immaculate rap album, brimming with sass and defiant bad bitch energy. “Shots Fired” kicks off the album with a Biggie sample and a diss to the man who shot her in the foot earlier in the year, personally my favorite track of the record. Other highlights of the record include “Don’t Stop” with a Young Thug feature, “Body” which is now a Tik Tok staple, and “What’s New.” Perhaps the most impressive work Megan does on “Good News” is “Girls in the Hood,” a rework of Eazy-E’s Boyz-N-The-Hood. She inverts the classic misogyny of the original song by emphasizing her control over men like Eazy-E in an indignant assertion of female power. This embodies Megan Thee Stallion’s essence: busting in on a male industry and making her presence known.

Rico Nasty, Nightmare Vacation

Nobody does it like Rico Nasty, and I’m convinced nobody ever will. I saw a New York Times headline titled “Can the Mainstream Catch Up to Rico Nasty?” the other day and I think the answer is a firm no. Rico is abrasive, rude, and outside the box in the absolute best way. Need an album to slap in the car when you’re feeling like a bad bitch? This. is. it. The record kicks off with “Candy,” a song with a wild beat and the iconic chorus line “Call me crazy, but you can never call me broke.” Following is a Don Toliver and Gucci Mane feature in “Don’t Like Me,” a song that truly should have hit the mainstream by now. She gets back to her signature scream-rap in “STFU” and “OHFR.” “OHFR” is the confident standout of the album, along with the reworked re-release of “Smack a Bitch,” making it clear that Rico Nasty is not a woman to be fucked with. In “Back and Forth” with Amine, Rico steps into Amine’s “Limbo” style and does it well. The record’s second single “Own It” is a more classic club banger that unfortunately didn’t get to see the dark of night in any clubs this year. Even if the mainstream never catches up to Rico Nasty, I’ll be following along with her self-labelled “sugar trap.”

Ariana Grande, Positions

I mean, duh. Ariana just doesn’t miss. She surprised everyone with this album’s release in Fall 2020, displaying the bliss of her relationship with later-confirmed fiance. She goes dirtier than usual in the sex-centered “34+35” and “nasty,” rounding the record out with the Craig David-reminiscent “positions.” Ariana allows herself to lust for someone and even love for them in these three, but defaults to her brimming self-confidence in “just like magic” and “west side.” The album is more R&B than pop at times, with the peak of this style visible in the groove of “my hair” and the Mariah Carey ballad-like nature of “pov.” Each album, Grande shifts just a little bit, keeping us attached: “Sweetener”’s cotton-candy pop, the savage pop-trap of “thank u, next,” and the R&B conclusion of the spectrum with Positions.

Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts

This year I anticipated no record more than I did “Plastic Hearts.” Its leading single, “Midnight Sky,” described by Pitchfork as a “cocaine-dusted disco track,” channels Stevie Nicks’ eighties rock-pop era in the absolute best way. Apparently this opinion was even picked up by Stevie herself, as the two collaborated on a mash-up of “Midnight Sky” and Stevie’s “Edge of Seventeen” (the excitement from which nearly led to my passing away, by the way.) Cyrus’ voice is in the perfect place on this record, with “Plastic Hearts” emphasizing her rasp and making me want to spin around a room. She dips into the pop realm in “Prisoner” with Dua Lipa, a song that Lipa clearly influences with an unforgettably sexy music video. Every song is different on this record: “Gimme What I Want” channels the grinding rock sound of Nine Inch Nails, “Bad Karma” allows Joan Jett’s punchy style to run the show, and she slips on the shoes of Billy Idol in their collaboration, Night Crawling. Somehow, Miley manages to wear the shoes well, and 80s copycat record or not, I can’t stop listening. “Never Be Me” is where she shines most deeply, baring her soul, the complicated nature of her past few years’ journey, and her knowledge of who she is and always will be for the world to hear. I’m not sure if I’m blinded to the album’s flaws by my absolute and complete love for everything about Miley’s current persona, but I am a huge fan.

Glass Animals, Dreamland

The sound of this album is such a blissful respite! Glass Animals gives us the fun and funky techno-pop that they always do, but dive into personal lyricism in a way that they never have before. Many of the songs actually have a storyline (an intentionally rare feat for Dave Bayley, first broken with the incredible “Agnes” on their last album.) This record explores trauma and pain in “Domestic Bliss” and “It’s All So Incredibly Loud,” Bayley using the soft sides of his voice to express pained desperation. The boisterous energy of the past two records is not forgotten in Dreamland’s intimacy, however: “Hot Sugar,” “Tokyo Drifting,” and “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” do the trick. “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” is the most intriguing song on the record: at first listen, I had absolutely no idea what Dave was discussing and assumed it was just his typical neuroscience-inspired ear-candy. Upon a deeper dive, the song addresses the factors that encouraged Dave’s childhood friend to bring a gun to school. He disguises a discussion of the risk factors involved in school shootings within his flowery, figurative linguistic excellence. This duality of blissful melody and solemn subject matter is the magic of Glass Animals.

Empress Of, I’m Your Empress Of

This album is an emotional electro-pop masterpiece. This record meditates on the feelings felt in the wake of a relationship’s end. She begins the album with a quote from her mother about the reality and value of struggle, then launching into a synth-filled storm of missing someone. “Love Is A Drug” is the album’s next fun dance track, addressing the addictive quality of touch after you lose someone you love and embodying the urgency of the feeling. She takes a more somber tone with the influence of Jim-E Stack in “U Give It Up,” incorporating quotes from her mother about the difficulty of womanhood and reminiscing on love lost. In “Should’ve,” the post-relationship regret is palpable in her vocal tone and production, and in “Maybe This Time” she contemplates this pain. In “Give Me Another Chance,” her emotions swing the other way, with a bouncing dance beat and pleading vocals. The album concludes with the heartfelt and pain-filled “Hold Me Like Water” and the dissonant “Awful,” leaving the listener to meditate on the mood swings of a broken relationship.

Tame Impala, The Slow Rush

This album came out so early in 2020 that it already feels like a vintage piece of music. Perhaps that was the point. Although “The Slow Rush” had a hard time living up to Kevin Parker’s last epic masterpiece “Currents,” it was the fix many fans like myself needed after five years without an LP. “Borderline,” the single that allowed anticipation of the album to build, stands out as one of the most essentially Parker tracks of the record. He introduces a little Toro y Moi style funk in “Is It True,” and highlights his voice more than usual in “Lost In Yesterday.” “Posthumous Forgiveness” builds in the wonderfully dissonant fashion that fans learned to love through “Eventually.” The bass track on “Glimmer” is so good that I never even noticed it had nearly no lyrics. This record is not groundbreaking by any standards in the way that “Currents” was, but it is intentionally jubilant and energetic in a way that still feels good. Even if he doesn’t shatter any expectations in “The Slow Rush,” Tame Impala’s tracklist still makes the perfect sunset companion.

Joji, Nectar

Joji’s “Nectar” is just that: sweet R&B nectar, from the minute the first track plays. Joji’s work here is not in the individual tracks, but in the sonic experience he creates with the album as a whole. This is not an album to pick out singles from: it is a full cinematic mood adjustment. Maybe it’s the weed I smoked when I first listened, but the record feels like a wonderful progression of gentle yet rhythmic R&B songs. The transition from the soft and contemplative “MODUS” to the more upbeat trap-infused “Tick Tock” to the full R&B ballad “Daylight” featuring Diplo raises the listener’s energy gradually to a crescendo. “Run” is a gorgeous and sad confessional of disappointment, and “Sanctuary” follows as a soft and uplifting analgesic to that pain. “Pretty Boy” and “777” mark the more upbeat section of the record, filled with Joji’s accounts of living far too fast. The tracks of this record all bleed into each other seamlessly, mixing pain and confidence in an emotional rollercoaster.

Amine, Limbo

My journey to being an Amine fan started with “Caroline,” ended with “Heebiejeebies,” and started back up again when he found depth in “ONEPOINTFIVE.” His 2020 release is exactly why I came around to his music yet again. The record is soulful and fun, with the flute and cocky lyrics in “Woodlawn” and the funky beat and Young Thug feature of “Compensating.” The two songs I absolutely can’t stop listening to however, are “Can’t Decide” and “Becky.” “Can’t Decide” highlights Amine’s singing voice and dips away from rap and trap into the more traditional R&B realm. “Becky” is an intimate account of the difficulties involved with interracial dating, both in public and in the family realm. The two sides of the album, one emphasizing rhythm and immaculate production, and the other lyricism and emotion, are found in these two songs. The punchy “Pressure In My Palms” (featuring slowthai and Vince Staples) and “Riri” round out the record’s light side. In “Limbo,” Amine finds the perfect balance.

Fleet Foxes, Shore

This album is a wave of calm. Robin Pecknold’s soothing voice is exactly what we needed more of this year. Pitchfork described his mission as “turning anxiety into euphoria,” and that is how this record feels. Each song is dynamic and filled with what makes Fleet Foxes so special. There is a choral quality to the vocals of “Shore,” as always, adding to the calm aura of the record. “A Long Way Past The Past” takes the listener on a what feels like a long walk filled with serious conversation. “Going-to-the-Sun Road,” a song that takes its name from the famous cliffside road through Glacier National Park, oozes sunshine in its Tame Impala-Bon Iver crossover sound. “Cradling Mother, Cradling Woman,” truly feels like being cradled in sound. Fleet Foxes has a knack for beginning songs by hitting the listener with a wall of sound, and that is so perfectly represented in this track. This is a seriously beautiful album.

Cam, The Otherside

Cam’s voice is irresistible. She showed her talent for sharing painful ballads in her breakthrough single “Burning House,” and in “The Otherside” she digs deeper. She writes this record in a period of change, and captures this change and dissonance in the nostalgia of “Redwood Tree.” She teamed up with Avicii for the title track before he passed away, and it shows. His signature building melodies and guitar breaks are clear, and they go perfectly with the range of Cam’s voice. She truly shows her range in this track and this record in general, from the highs in “The Otherside” and the lows of “Changes.” “Changes” is another standout of the album, co-written by Harry Styles. This record is a gorgeous account of outgrowing love and outgrowing people after the deep bliss that you felt with them in the past. “Till There’s Nothing Left” and “Classic” are the big love songs of the record, one that melts you and one that makes you want to dance in a field of flowers. The sisterly confessional “Diane” pulls Cam back to her country roots. She ends the record with what made her famous: a beautiful, sad ballad backed only by piano. Her unique vocals are on full display as the record concludes, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Omar Apollo, Apolonio

Omar Apollo had his breakthrough in this record. His work spans languages and genres in a big way in “Apolonio.” “Kamikaze” and “Staybacik” stick to his typical R&B style, better produced than it ever has been. “Dos Uno Nueve (219)” goes a completely different direction, a Mexican corrido track featuring Yellow Room Music, honoring the Latinx musical styles that he expressed admiration for. Apollo also explores his sexuality in this album, fluidly discussing his bisexuality in “Kamikaze” and “I’m Amazing” in an exploratory manner. The whole album is generally quite exploratory, a quality that makes me even more excited for the work that is to come from Apollo.

Also worth mentioning:

Diplo, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Snake Oil

Thundercat, It Is What It Is

Sylvan Esso, Free Love

Lauv, ~how i’m feeling~

Niall Horan, Heartbreak Weather

J Balvin, Colores

Kelsea Ballerini, kelsea

Dominic Fike, What Could Possibly Go Wrong

#music #2020

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juliaisabellphoto · 4 years

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My 2019 Albums of the Year

You know the drill. Here’s the new music I leaned on this year!!

Playlist Link

1. The Highwomen, The Highwomen

It’s no surprise that my top three albums this year are from women in country music. For some reason it’s clear to me that the world needed these women to step forward in a big way, and they did exactly that. The powerhouse female supergroup “The Highwomen” went above and beyond in their self-titled record. Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, and Amanda Shires gave me the soundtrack to good days and bad days, bliss and disappointment. The beauty of this album lies in its raw representation of emotion and everyday life. Listening to the piece is like watching four different diary entries intertwine: the four musicians represent their joy and their struggle as a collective experience. The paradoxical struggle of being a mother in our world is beautifully represented back-t0-back in both “Crowded Table,” an expression of the joy found in being a support system, and “My Name Can’t Be Mama,” a description of the inability to do exactly that. The overarching theme of this album is acceptance of paradox and imperfection, and it is easy to find solace in the way that these songs wrap their arms around you. From the aching melody of “My Only Child” to the lighthearted twang of “Heaven Is A Honky Tonk,” the Highwomen didn’t take a single wrong turn on this record.

Recommended drink pairing: bourbon, because it has the grit that these women do

Must watch: their cover of the chain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVLNB3d-2cA

2. Miranda Lambert, Wildcard

Miranda Lambert has always been one of the loudest female firecrackers of country music. On “Wildcard,” you’ll find the loudest of scorchers (“Locomotive”) alongside the softest of love songs (“Fire Escape,”) and you’ll find emotional release in both. After the heartbreaking toils she wrote her way through in “The Weight of These Wings,” this new record feels like a soundtrack to the light at the end of the tunnel. She gives listeners space to lightheartedly shake it all off in “It All Comes Out in the Wash,” and makes room for introspection in “Settling Down.” Her voice is smoother and more polished than it has ever been in “Bluebird,” and “Tequila Does” is the perfect anthem for a woman who has found comfort in flying solo. The album strikes me as an open confessional: Miranda lets us in. We feel her late nights, her butterflies, her heartbreak, and her white trash bliss.

Recommended drink pairing: tequila, because of course.

Must watch: Bluebird, story of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp0ZRTrmhHo&feature=emb_title

3. Maren Morris, GIRL

“GIRL” is the “you can get through it” album of the year. I leaned on it when I needed it most, crying to “The Bones” on an airport floor as I embarked on a new phase of my life. It’s clear that I am not the only one: stepping into the “GIRL headspace” (as Maren references on her instagram) feels like a universal invitation to be vulnerable in the most beautiful and bubbly of ways. She moves effortlessly between heavy tracks like “GIRL” and flirty fun in “The Feels.” GIRL makes a listener want to fall in love and walk through hell alone all at the same time. The energy in “RSVP” and “Flavor” is infectious and just downright cute. She pulls in Brothers Osborne for an assist on “All My Favorite People,” and they fit just perfectly into the lighthearted tune. On this record, she is the perfect example of the special something that only country music has: storytelling, in a way that is both lighthearted and heavy at the same time. GIRL is haunting and liberating, the perfect storybook for 2019.

Recommended drink pairing: a light beer, and make sure it’s in a solo cup!

Must watch: GIRL, story of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYkJ3VUHVu8

4. Maggie Rogers, Heard it in a Past Life

It’s likely clear by now that this year I leaned heavily on the work of female artists, and Maggie’s debut album is no exception. As someone who has followed Maggie’s work since the first release of “Alaska” in the summer of 2017, seeing her music developing up to this point has been the most beautiful artistic and personal growth that I have had the pleasure to follow. “Heard It In A Past Life” is everything that Maggie fans expected it to be and more: raw, uplifting, energetic, and introspective. She moves through her relationships (both with others and with herself) in the most graceful of ways, with solid resolve in “Overnight,” fiery emotion in “Retrograde,” the beautiful pause of “Past Life” and the stunning resolution of “Back In My Body.” Seeing her on tour made this album all the more meaningful: Maggie throws her everything into her performance, and physically experiencing the passion poured into this album is what solidifies it as one of my top of the year. Her tears throughout her acoustic version of “Alaska,” a song filled with growth, are contagious: by the end of her set I was sobbing. Maggie Rogers is the whole package: the production, the voice, the lyrical mastery, the costume design, everything. I think she and I would be very good friends if we met, and I think that might just be what’s magical about her: she and her music make everyone feel that way.

Recommended drink pairing: sparkling rose, because that’s how this album feels

Must watch: the stunning choreography of her Fallingwater music video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR1d8l92Q8Q

5. Better Oblivion Community Center, Better Oblivion Community Center

Whoever is responsible for getting Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst in a recording studio together is a next-level genius. It was probably Phoebe. The wonderfully cynical record released by this collaboration in 2019 is nothing short of perfect. Phoebe’s soft yet abrasive voice shines through in “Dylan Thomas,” pushing Conor. On the contrary, Conor’s lower, calmer register brings out Phoebe’s vulnerable side in “Sleepwalkin.’” “Didn’t Know What I Was In For” will make you cry, and “Exception to the Rule” will make you send you back to the 80s in a time machine. The synth contrasts with the sad story of the song in a way that somehow works, pulling the listener in close. “Chesapeake” will also make you cry. Anyone who knows Phoebe’s solo music and other collaborations will be unsurprised by the frequency with which this album will make you cry. Don’t be fooled into thinking that these two have no fun, though - they play punk rock versions of their songs at concerts, and by the end you forget that they’re even sad at all. And then they promptly remind you again. These two only ever wear black, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Recommended drink pairing: pinot noir, because you’re already crying anyway

Must see: Tiny Desk! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Yz-NyLV90

6. Harry Styles, Fine Line

The Rolling Stone headline describing the release show for “Fine Line” included “sex, swagger, and Stevie Nicks.” Conveniently, this is also a perfect description for the album. With every song, Harry pushes himself further toward the top of modern day rock and roll. He pulls in elements of his pop background, Simon and Garfunkel-esque hooks, Fleetwood Mac reminiscent guitar solos, and oddly enough, some Pink Floyd floatiness to create a wonderfully sexy masterpiece of an album. He pulls our heartstrings along with him through the butterflies of falling in love and the sadness of heartbreak. I can’t quite pin down the mood of this album, and that’s what I love about it - Harry puts his full range of emotions on display. Special gems are “Watermelon Sugar” and its sexual undertones, the sweetness of “Adore You,” the Lucius feature on “Treat People With Kindness,” and the instantly uplifting “Sunflower, Vol. 6.” This album was on my top albums list from the moment I turned on the first song.

Recommended drink pairing: a g&t, perfectly english and sassy

Must see: his performance of Landslide with Stevie Nicks, who describes him as the son she never had. No wonder I like him! https://twitter.com/theforum/status/1205773985805488129

7. James Blake, Assume Form

For James Blake fans, this was a new twist that kept us listening. For newcomers, this was an invitation. There is far too much to be said about “Assume Form.” James Blake’s ambient production style and haunting voice combined with some of the greatest rap artists of the past few years was unprecedented in the best way. “Mile High” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin is right up Scott’s alley and somehow right up Blake’s at the same time. This is a song perfect for pregames but also for laying in bed with a lover. Who makes songs like that?! Don’t even get me started on “Barefoot In The Park.” ROSALIA’s voice is angelic as always, and the way it intertwines with Blake’s somehow makes it even better. The idyllic world of love represented in this song is infections and will kick up old feelings without permission. The final gem I’ll discuss is “Where’s The Catch?” because the Andre 3000 feature is too top tier to ignore. Andre 3000 has a history of bringing his edge into softer songs (think “Pink Matter” by Frank Ocean) and this may be his best work yet. He fits in like a puzzle piece and escalates the intensity of the song just enough to allow Blake’s superior production value to shine through. I suggest staring at the ceiling for a while and listening to this album all the way through.

Recommended drink pairing: no drink, smoke for this one.

8. Red Hearse, Red Hearse

Ah, the beauty of any project that Jack Antonoff is involved in. This collaboration with Sam Dew and Sounwave has somewhat gone under the radar, and I couldn’t exactly tell you why. The production on this album is top tier (because of course) and the vocals are just as good. The funky combination of synthy shock value and R&B flair makes for an album that takes up just the right amount of space. “Violence” breaks into its chorus with a burst of energy that you just HAVE to blast while driving. The backbeat pulls you in and you’re hooked… and just when you get into it you’re ready for the abrasive beginning of “Red Hearse” (self-titled title track.) I’m obsessed with the bass line of this song. “You Make It Easy” and “Born To Bleed” are the softer tracks that pull the record together and tie a bow around it. Red Hearse is tender and aggressive and fun and belongs on any end of the year list.

Recommended drink pairing: this album deserves a chardonnay.

9. Ariana Grande, thank u, next

This album is a given for most 2019 music summaries. Immediately after the smash hits of “Sweetener,” Ariana gave us another album full of bangers. The energy of the album is often described as the “dark side” of the floaty “Sweetener,” and despite the album’s upbeat quality it’s clear that she was going through something when writing it. That something was Mac Miller’s death, as apparently she wrote this whole album immediately afterward. The studio was her space of healing, and in her healing she built us a pop masterpiece. “NASA” and “bloodline” are expressions of female independence that we all need. “7 rings” and “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored” extend that same independence and confidence. Her reflection on relationships throughout the album, particularly in the title track, is refreshing and mature. Ariana was crowned queen after the release of “Sweetener,” and in “thank u, next” she let us all know that she won’t be coming down anytime soon.

Recommended drink pairing: a vodka soda because sass

10. Tove Lo, Sunshine Kitty

Ariana Grande may be the pop queen of 2019, but Tove Lo gave her a run for her money. In the explosively sexual “Sunshine Kitty,” Tove Lo delivers pop gold. The main single of the album, “Glad He’s Gone,” laments the effect that a toxic relationship had on a friend and promises a bright future. The rest of the album displays the same energy: a fiercely independent, confident, bisexual woman putting it all out there. “Stay Over” and “Jacques” are perfect for getting closer and closer to someone on a dancefloor, and the whole album is an ode to female sex drive. Tove Lo’s career is what bisexual women (myself included) needed to see: a representation of the in between, of completely shameless lust for women and men at the same time. Club and bedroom ready… Tove Lo hit it out of the park with this one.

Recommended drink pairing: tequila, because sex.

11. Tyler the Creator, IGOR

Did we think it was possible to top Flowerboy? No. Did Tyler do it anyway? You bet he did. “IGOR” goes harder than it really should be allowed to. The intensity of the album is clear from the first minute of “IGOR’S THEME,” and I can’t think of an album released this year that I would rather listen to straight through. While “EARFQUAKE” was the standout hit and deserved to be, the album as a cohesive whole is an undeniably talented work of art. Tyler has evolved so deeply since GOBLIN, and the soft quality he has introduced to his music has done wonders. “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” is filled with Frank Ocean’s influence (listen to “Blonde” and you will understand) and “A BOY IS A GUN” exudes “Flowerboy” energy. As someone who was an Odd Future fan but never loved the direction Tyler took after until “Flowerboy,” “IGOR” feels like a breath of fresh air.

Recommended drink pairing: also smoke for this one

Must watch: NPR Tiny Desk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1w-hDiJ4dM

12. Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

If by the end of 2019 you haven’t heard of Lizzo, you’re living under a rock. This powerhouse of a woman has taken the world by storm and she isn’t stopping anytime soon. With her hit “Truth Hurts” she served a reality check to men everywhere, and she continued this trend throughout her album. The sexual, ass-shaking energy Lizzo exudes is the confidence boost that so many people needed this year. “Tempo” couldn’t be a more perfect party song. “Exactly How I Feel” is the perfect bad day pick-me-up. “Like A Girl” is the feminist anthem of the year. “Boys” is just plain FUN. But the more underrated songs on the record shine just as bright… “Crybaby” displays her soulful vocal range and “Jerome” slows it down to a gospel pace. This album is pure gold.

Recommended drink pairing: after she went onstage with a bedazzled fifth of patron, you know it’s tequila

Must watch: her instagram. Just all of it. Scroll through the whole thing.

13. The Japanese House, Good At Falling

Boy does this artist have me hooked. This album full of love songs and insecurity and breakup is the perfect floaty piece for driving through the sunset. “Maybe You’re The Reason” is calm, but it moves in the most fluid of ways as it pulls you in. Amber Bain’s voice is like butter on this album. “We Talk All The Time” is frank, with lines like “we don’t fuck anymore” but a sugary sweet backbeat to wrap it up nicely. “You Seemed so Happy” sounds almost acoustic, and its upbeat pace contrasts with its sad subject in a way that makes you think. The harmonies of “Follow My Girl” are to die for, and of course the album ends with long-time hit “i saw you in a dream,” but a new acoustic twist that is absolutely to die for. This project is so endlessly special to me.

Recommended drink pairing: mulled wine. I couldn’t tell you why, but it’s a feeling

14. Pony, Orville Peck

What an absolutely special project. A nod to old-time country combined with shoegaze pop, Orville Peck’s debut album is not your typical crooner’s record. The pain-filled ballad “Dead of Night” pulls you in, and the fascinating masked project Peck presents keeps you listening. Peck always wears a leather fringe mask, but he is more exposed than any artist I’ve ever listened to on this album. He explores the themes of loneliness and his life as a gay man through the lens of a lonesome cowboy traveling across the West. “Winds Change” reminds me of songs The Smiths would have released, but at the same time channels classic Johnny Cash country. Orville Peck is the new classic.

Recommended drink: whiskey soda

Must watch: the cinematography of his videos… wow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3esGD6lcMM

15. Cage the Elephant, Social Cues

This album was woefully underrated, in my opinion. Cage the Elephant has softened their sound in a way that some appreciate and others don’t, but I’m absolutely obsessed with it. “Night Running” with Beck is so moody, while “Black Madonna” gives a nod back to the style of “Cigarette Daydreams.” Matt Schultz has mastered the art of rock songs that make you cry, a fact painfully evident in “Ready To Let Go.” The frank representation of painful endings is something that has always hooked me in Cage the Elephant’s music, and “Social Cues” doesn’t disappoint in that department. There are also scorchers like “Tokyo Smoke” and “House Of Glass” to balance the album out. I’d kill to see Matt romping around the stage half-clothed performing this one.

Recommended drink pairing: this album tastes like jack and coke

16. Hozier, Wasteland, Baby!

Hozier does not disappoint with the follow up to his debut album (after a few years of hiatus, of course.) His voice never fails to entrance me and make me feel things I shouldn’t continue to feel. This is an album of movement and an album of growth. “No Plan” is exemplary of this theme: a representation of endings and simultaneous beginnings and the uncertainty that comes with that. “Movement” is a haunting ode to a lover that makes you feel this uncertainty deep in your bones. The upbeat energy of “Dinner & Diatribes” then comes in to rescue you from the despair of thee album: a blissful celebration of love and intensity. This album feels underwater, as the cover art cleverly portrays. Hozier’s music feels like devotion, and it’s worth having in your headphones for hours at a time.

Recommended drink pairing: red wine. DUH.

Must see: cover of the arctic monkeys in bbc radio one sessions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWq4RZnc6U

17. Clairo, Immunity

I will be completely honest here: at the beginning of 2019, I was NOT a Clairo fan. I thought her music was shallow and boring, and I felt that she had a pretty voice but no depth. Upon the release of “Immunity,” she proved me wrong. She dug deep on this one. Referencing Phoebe Bridgers and other favorites of mine as her influences, she released a record with true grit. This is the perfect record to cry to on a rainy day. This is the record for feeling things. “Alewife” will pull the tears out of your eyes, and “Bags” will have you remembering a breakup so vividly you’ll forget that it has been two years. “Softly” has swagger and is perfect for dancing around the living room in a t shirt and underwear. “Sofia” is a floaty love song that encapsulates the feeling of falling. Finally, “I Wouldn’t Ask You” seals the album with a long, emotional bridge to wipe your tears clean. Clairo impressed me with this album, but she really didn’t have to make me cry so hard.

Recommended drink pairing: red wine. I have learned that I listen to a lot of music that pairs with red wine.

18. The Lumineers, III

This album is nothing different, but when did we ask for anything different? I would never want the Lumineers to be anything else. This album is a beautiful storybook, and hearing many of the songs live for the first time was a blessing. “It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You” is the only song I have ever heard that manages to deeply describe the feeling of hatred after a toxic relationship ends that you have to work to turn into good will. The melody pulls you into the feeling, and the lyrics describe the toxic cycle of hatred that you have to escape. The lyrics “I took the poison praying you’d feel it too” do exactly what they need to do. Somehow the album gets even better from here. “Jimmy Sparks” displays Jeremiah Fraites’ stunningly soulful vocal range while telling a heart-wrenching story. If you’re surprised that this album makes me cry too, you shouldn’t be by now. This album is worth ten listens.

Recommended drink pairing: an IPA, sitting next to a fire ready to hear a story

19. King Princess, Cheap Queen

King Princess’ long awaited first full-length album, and it’s more than I ever could have expected. While I have been loving on the title track for months, the new additions in the album are something special. “Ain’t Together” is wonderfully vulnerable and shows more of the sultry elements in her voice. “Do You Wanna See Me Crying?” incorporates production channelling James Blake, with the echoes of Mikaela’s voice haunting the album. “Prophet” displays her skilled falsetto, and the bassline leaves me wondering if this is a pop album or an R&B album. The heartbreak and simultaneous lust for new love in this album is deeply attractive and surprisingly fun.

20. BROCKHAMPTON, GINGER

BROCKHAMPTON can do no wrong. I am convinced of it. While “IRIDESCENCE” functioned as a recovery album after kicking out band member Ameer Vann, GINGER” was the perfect record to send the message that BROCKHAMPTON will be going nowhere. Once again the perfect mix of hard rap swagger and emotionally available ballads, “GINGER” is some of BROCKHAMPTON’s best vocal work. “SUGAR” is absolutely beautiful, with Ryan Beatty’s appearance in the chorus making me cry (again.) “BOY BYE” and ‘ST. PERCY” are the songs you can picture Kevin and Joba bopping around the stage too, and Joba brings the heat in his verse on “IF YOU PRAY RIGHT.” “DEARLY DEPARTED” is a heartbreaking song targeted at the betrayal that the band felt when they learned of the horrible actions of Ameer Vann, and you can feel the raw anger in Dom’s verse. The last word he says rings in your ears for minutes afterward, sonically stressing the gravity of their resentment. BROCKHAMPTON’s emotional array within “GINGER” is stunning, and I will never stop listening.

Recommended drink pairing: heavily depends on the song. Could be shots of tequila, could be an entire bottle of pinot.

21. Brittany Howard, Jaime

Ugh, this woman. Howard truly never disappoints. As Alabama Shakes, as Thunderbitch, and as a self-titled project, I can’t get her bluesy southern sound out of my head. “Jaime” is innovative, with the dissonant beginning of “History Repeats,” the dramatic clashes of “He Loves Me,” and the slow roll of “Stay High.” Her soft work in “Georgia” makes you feel like you have to tip toe, and “13th Century Metal” practically demands that you stomp with its raucous spoken word. “Goat Head” is calm yet funky. I can’t get over this album no matter how hard I try, and that’s the mark of someone who will be around for a very long time.

Recommended drink pairing: bourbon

22. Charli XCX, Charli

Boy has Charli XCX evolved. This album is next level production gold. The abrasive, sexual, hard pop of Charli did not fade in this album, but it was incredibly refined. Songs like “Click” (with the best “woo-ah” from Kim Petras that you will ever hear, no doubt) and “Shake It” show Charli will never stray from her bad bitch energy. On the other hand, “Gone” with Christine and the Queens and “White Mercedes” show a softer, more indie pop side of of Charli. Her beautifully exposed album cover displays the album’s energy perfectly. She is the future of pop music, and this album solidified that in a big way.

Recommended drink pairing: tequila because you gotta DANCE

23. BJ The Chicago Kid, 1123

Sexy. That’s what this album is. From the minute “Feel The Vibe” (with Anderson Paak’s assist) starts moving, this album makes you want to kiss someone. “Champagne” is a flirtatious number, perfect for dancing with someone’s hips up against yours. In this song BJ expands past his R&B background to a synth-filled halfway pop. In “Get Away,” he gets back to those R&B roots with the help of JID and it is smooth as ever. “Worryin’ Bout Me” blends BJ’s style with the trap beats of Offset to make the perfect song to play with the car windows down. “Reach” is an emotional ballad that will help you think, whether you like it or not. Reminding me of Gary Clark Jr.’s “Things Are Changing,” BJ pulls the listener along his journey of uncertainty in this song (and in the album as a whole.)

Recommended drink pairing: a bottle of red wine, but make sure you’re splitting it with someone

24. Kim Petras, Clarity

Along with Charli XCX, Kim Petras represents the future of pure pop music. Her first full length album is filled with bangers, and all you will want to do is dance to it. “Clarity,” “Icy,” and “Got My Number” are the strongest three intro tracks to an album that I have heard in a long time, and they alone are enough to get you out on the dance floor. However, while the album exudes confident party energy, it also has a vulnerable side that Petras hasn’t displayed in the past. “Broken” and “All I Do Is Cry” open up a space for sadness within upbeat pop, a very specific and essential space. Woo ah baby!

Recommended drink pairing: it has to be a vodka soda. I hate vodka, but it’s what’s right for this song

25. Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

This album is so intensely situational. For some reason Vampire Weekend’s music does the best job of transporting me back to the first place I heard it. This album brings vivid memories of bus rides in Santiago, Chile and walking around the city. The joyful indie rock of “Father of the Bride” was surprisingly successful work considering the band’s loss of founding member Rostam’s influence. The percussion on the record is unique, and the sound is so summery. “This Life” and “How Long” feel like a walk in the sun, and the Steve Lacy features alone could act as replacement sunshine. “Sunflower” and “Flower Moon” are unbelievable tracks: the old Vampire Weekend style infused with Lacy’s R&B flair. This album is my tried and true resolution for a bad mood!

Recommended drink pairing: red wine, but not in the sad way. Probably a cab

26. The Raconteurs, Help Us Stranger

The Raconteurs are BACK after Jack White’s solo tour run and kicking up dust like they used to. This album rocks exactly how it should. With the leading singles “Sunday Driver” and “Now That You’re Gone” Jack White made it clear that he is not here to play. An NPR radio host once described this album as “big get off my lawn energy,” and I couldn’t agree more. The grump and anger of this album is what makes it fun: a rumbling “Don’t Bother Me” and a slow rolling “What’s Yours is Mine” build the foundations of this grump. As grumpy as he gets, Jack White will always be one of the most talented and innovative guitarists of this generation.

Recommended drink pairing: bourbon feels right here too

27. Steve Lacy, Apollo XXI

While Steve Lacy’s extensive musical influence is visible in the artists I have mentioned above, his most recent solo album is nothing to be underestimated. The beats… the production… the voice… Lacy has it all. “Only If” has a funky little backing track that sets a dissonant tone for the album, a tone continued in “Like Me” featuring DAISY. While “Like Me” has a somewhat tough exterior, it’s a song about the struggle of coming out as a gay man, a theme he heavily focuses on in this record. The nine minute “Like Me” is the climax of that theme. Despite such a heavy subject matter, this album GROOVES: “N Side” will move your hips back and forth for you and his falsetto in “Lay Me Down” is so drop dead gorgeous you might actually drop dead. In lust we trust…

Recommended drink pairing: classic manhattan

28. J Balvin and Bad Bunny, OASIS

Nothing is sexier than these two on the same song, so of course they had to put out an album together. These two reggaeton princes are running the world right now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Anyone who hasn’t started loving reggaeton at this point in time is just plain behind… and needs to listen to “YO LE LLEGO” to change their mind. It’s such an explosive banger of a song that I can’t imagine anyone not dancing to it, hispanohablante or not. “QUE PRETENDES” is similarly club ready, and “COMO UN BEBÉ” is a floatier, slower take on reggaeton. This album makes me miss the clubs of South America in a big way.

29. Andrew Bird, My Finest Work Yet

Honestly I’ll leave it at this: the album title gets it right.

Honorable Mentions: I don’t love them that much less, I just got too sleepy to talk about them

Local Natives, Violet Street

The Head and the Heart, Living Mirage

Kanye West, Jesus Is King

Karen O and Danger Mouse, Lux Prima

Ra Ra Riot, Superbloom

Camila Cabello, Romance

#musicjournal #juliaisabellphoto

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juliaisabellphoto · 5 years

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July 27 & 28, 2019 - Mojave National Preserve, California

Out of nowhere last week my friend Connor proposed that we take a trip down to the Mojave Desert, particularly the National Preserve, for the coming weekend. He told me that he was worried Jesse and I would call him crazy for proposing it, and that was a fair assumption: for Connor and I coming from the bay, the trip involved over sixteen hours of driving, it was about 110 degrees under the blazing summer sun, and there truly was no good reason for this to be the weekend we went. Despite all that, my reflex response was “hell yeah, let’s go.” This may be an example of reckless stupidity, but I like to think it reflects the pure desire for adventure that my time abroad ignited in me. I was always adventurous, but now I am unafraid to be spontaneous. I couldn’t feel much luckier than I do now to have friends who indulge in this spontaneous adventuring with me.

On Friday afternoon, Connor and I met in the south bay, grabbed In N Out for lunch, and set off for our eight-hour drive to meet Jesse in the Mojave. He and I were already good friends, but there’s nothing like a long road trip to bring you closer to someone. We car-danced to our favorite music, yelled at other cars in traffic, he blasted Usher out open windows as I peed on the side of the road, ate gas station pizza and way too many airhead sour candies, listened to hilarious podcasts about porn, and talked about pretty much everything. This time made my heart happy in the best way. As we pulled into the park and ride in the middle of nowhere and picked up Jesse as he dropped his car, I knew it would be a wonderful weekend.

We drove in the dark to our first camping spot, just off of Cima Road in Mojave by Sunrise Rock. As we stepped out of the car and were going to start setting up the tent, Jesse said one thing: stop and look up. The stars were absolutely stunning in the dark desert, and we were all absolutely in awe.

The next morning, we hiked up to Teutonia Peak, which gave us a beautiful view of Cima Dome and the biggest Joshua tree forest in existence. Joshua trees are officially one of my very favorite trees now, and the terrain was so unique. Despite all of my travels, even in the desert in Chile, I have never seen anything like the Mojave. It has a special something.

We then drove around the park and saw some incredible lava tubes. We climbed inside and it gave us a beautiful oasis in which to hide from the heat, plus some pretty cool shots. It was definitely worth the treacherous drive down a very unpacked dirt road in a low-clearance Kia Soul. Not exactly the offroading experience we anticipated.

We then drove over to the Kelso Dunes, some of the most beautiful dunes I’ve ever encountered. We set up camp in an open space area across the road from the dunes trail entrance, set up our tent, and relaxed for a minute before heading over to watch sunset on the dunes.

Aside from the moment I nearly (and I mean NEARLY) stepped on a scorpion and saw it scurry away from my feet, this was the perfect spot to watch the sunset and relax. We had the most beautiful time and then fell asleep in the ridiculous heat of our tent afterward.

The next morning, we woke up early to the blazing sun, dumped some water on our heads and jumped in the car to go to our next destination, the Hole in the Wall Ring Trail. We stopped at a rest area on Route 66 that turned out to be really cool – I walked in and they were blasting Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac, so I knew nothing could go wrong.

We hiked around a mesa and saw some more unique terrain on our way – there seemed to be nothing homogeneous about any part of this park. Obsessed.

#mojave #mojavenationalpreserve #california

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juliaisabellphoto · 5 years

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July 8, 2019 - Everglades National Park, Florida

After ten or so hours of travel, I arrived in Miami Florida and met up with my family. I shot Miami only on film and am still waiting for that to be developed, but the day after we reunited we took a trip to Everglades National Park. I had no real expectations, as I didn’t plan the trip and was simply along for the ride for once, but I was blown away. The Everglades are an absolutely stunning environment, and it felt really cool to hear all of the information about the ecology of the area from Rick, our airboat tour guide. He had lived in the area his whole life and gave us a beautifully full picture of the development and current state of the park. Plus, we saw some alligators, so the day was a win!

#evergladesnationalpark #everglades #florida #alligators #juliaisabellphoto

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juliaisabellphoto · 5 years

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March, 2019 - Atacama Desert, Chile Film

I wrote about the Atacama trip I took while in Chile a while ago, but while developing the Santiago film photos I posted just before this I finally developed the film shots I took there. I adore them, and it reminds me yet again of my absolute enchantment with the desert.

#atacama #desert #chile #sanpedrodeatacama #film #juliaisabellphoto

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juliaisabellphoto · 5 years

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July 6, 2019 - My Farewell Love Letter to Santiago, Chile

It has taken me a while to put this post up on my blog. I’m not sure if this is due to my crazy busy schedule now that I am home or due to being in denial about the fact that I’m no longer abroad, but it seems to be six of one and half a dozen of the other.

The week before we started packing our bags, Lisi and I retraced our steps back to all of the spots that turned Santiago into home for us and I photographed her in them on film. I wanted to capture the tumultuous feeling of being alone in a big new place and the growth that came with finding ourselves in it. This country gave me more than I ever could have expected. Below are the pictures from the project, accompanied by the journal entry I wrote on the plane ride home.

So, the day has come. I am sitting on my flight home from Chile, using the pen of the sweet woman next to me, listening to the playlists I made at the beginning, middle, and end of this grand adventure, and reading new Rebecca Solnit words (The Faraway Nearby) to celebrate and understand this beautiful journey. I’m not quite sure how to put it into words, but I suppose I will start by describing what I’ve learned and (as usual) the song and/or Rebecca Solnit quote that solidified it for me. Here is my love letter to the me that I have become here in Chile.

A quote from “The Faraway Nearby” by Rebecca Solnit that summarizes my feelings about Chile’s impact on me is a great place to start:

“I talked about places, about the ways that we often talk about love of place, by which we mean our love for places, but seldom of how the places love us back, of what they give us. They give us continuity, something to return to, and offer a familiarity that allows some portion of our lives to remain connected and coherent... And distant places give us refuge in territories where our own histories aren't so deeply entrenched and we can imagine other stories, other selves, or just drink up quiet and respite. The bigness of the world is redemption. Despair compresses you into a small space and a depression is literally a hollow in the ground. To dig deeper into the self, to go underground, is sometimes necessary, but so is the other route of getting out of yourself, into the larger world, into the openness in which you need not clutch your story and your troubles so tightly to your chest. Being able to travel both ways matters, and sometimes the way back into the heart of the question begins by going outward and beyond. This is the expansiveness that sometimes comes literally in a landscape or that tugs you out of yourself into a story.”

I deeply feel this quote. She perfectly put into words why I not only wanted but needed to come to Chile.

Times/places this feeling was most present:

- looking out my window at the cordillera my first morning and the fresh new feeling

- laying in the sand of the Atacama with Tori, Josh, Lucas, and Eliza watching the clearest stars I had ever seen

- in the metro surrounded by strangers

- the first day I sat in Cafe Colmado and felt as though I had found home again

- walking in the rain at the end of the W trek in Torres del Paine

- staring up at Mount Aconcagua in Argentina

- watching the sunset in the Concon Dunes with Chris while “Inside Out” by Spoon played

- staring down from Huayna Picchu at Machu Piccu

- staring down into Devil’s Throat in Iguazu

- petting the labrador on the beach in Rapa Nui

- watching the solar eclipse from the Elqui Valley

What I learned here in Chile:

1. I am strong beyond measure. I have such a deep sense of self now and I am deeply proud to be who I am. I’m happy with the me that developed here. I think this may be the first time I can say that I unabashedly love myself.

2. Change and new environments are good. They are critical to growth.

3. Every moment of my past life was crucial in getting me to where I am now. This includes the things that used to make me bitter. I have no bitterness left in my body. Only love and hope for the future.

4. Not everything is easy. But everything can be overcome.

5. You will find new kinds of love in every person you meet. Every moment of this love is worth it.

6. You could die in a plane crash or fall off of a mountain at any moment. There is no productivity in regret.

Songs of Chile:

Sisters of the Moon by Fleetwood Mac: I developed a much deeper love for the sun and moon and stars and their influence on the natural order of things here in Chile. These ideas now ground me in a very special way.

Drops of Jupiter by Train: This song is an embodiment of my journey. I feel as though I am the woman being described and that the feelings expressed are now what I expect from those I love. I want to walk across the sun and surround myself with people who encourage me to do so.

No Plan by Hozier: This song makes me think of the first bus I took to Valparaiso. The idea that this semester would take whatever path it found and that I was absolutely okay with that exists in this song.

World on Fire by NOAH: This was a lesson that the songs you need to hear can come from the most unexpected people, as it was sent to me randomly by an acquaintance on instagram. A symbol of my world that is beautifully on fire, and that those that join must burn with me.

Wide Open Spaces by the Dixie Chicks: The exact sentiment of the Rebecca Solnit quote. I needed the physical movement and new hardship and distance to finalize my process of moving on beyond an old me.

Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine: Happiness hit me and it still can and still does all the time.

Back in My Body by Maggie Rogers: You can lose yourself, but sometimes you just need a certain spark to find yourself again. My spark was Chile.

I am deeply happy with these past six months. I feel that this experience helped me grow in such a necessary way. I am ready to return to normal Michigan life. I got the mental health reset and adventure break I needed, and I’m ready to return to an intense pursuit of my dreams.

I am who I am. I’m proud of that. I’ll take me as I am. They’ll take me as I am. If they don’t, I leave. I’ll never turn down an adventure like this ever again without a really good reason.

#santiago #chile #juliaisabellphoto #film

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July 1, 2019 - Eclipse Road Trip, Destination Three: Valle de Elqui, Chile

How is it possible that the next few days of the road trip were even better than the first few? This was such a special trip. We drove from Punta de Choros, windswept and with salty skin, all the way back to Valle de Elqui. The drive was stunning, with such a change of terrain as we moved from the coast into the valley.

We arrived around 5pm, and I instantly fell in love with the place. This was such a special witchy campground, and our site was right on the edge of the river that ran through the middle.

We set up and then quickly rushed back to the entrance of the campground to meet our guide for a night hike in the mountains. He drove us (in the back of his pickup truck) up one of the mountains converging in the Elqui Valley and let us out just as sunset was at its most beautiful. We then hiked up to the peak of the mountain and sat in a lovely silence there until the whole world was dark except for the stars above us. It felt just like the Atacama – you could see so many stars, with the whole Milky Way, Jupiter, Venus, and el Cruz del Sur wonderfully visible.

The next day was the big finale of the trip: eclipse day. We decided we needed to get some work done, so we found a café in town to sit at for a few hours (I just read my book, as my classes luckily were all done, but the rest of the group pulled out their laptops to grind.) This café was my soul spot. I felt a wave of happy energy hit me the minute we walked in. There were dreamcatchers and beautifully made mobile-esque things hanging everywhere, and everything was focused on the energy of the sun and moon. This was the energy I needed going into the eclipse, and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with joy at where we were in that moment.

We eventually made our way back to the campground for the thing we had been waiting for: a total solar eclipse that just happened to occur during our last week in Chile. With the rest of the people of the campground, we hiked up the side of the mountains again and found a very prickly spot right between a few cacti. We then put on our glasses and settled in to watch. I never could have even imagined what would come. I knew the solar eclipse would be spectacular, but it was beyond that.

If there’s anything Chile has given me, it’s the deepest love I have found in the sun and moon and stars. With the end of my trip being this solar eclipse, I have never felt so centered. I truly felt the reality of my existence: a tiny human sitting on the outside of a rotating celestial body as we fell in line with two others. My heart was so happy. Thank heavens for the moon.

#elquivalley #eclipse #chile #piscoelqui #eclipsetrip

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July 1, 2019 - Eclipse Road Trip, Destination Two: Punta de Choros, Chile

After days one and two in Caldera, we got in quite late to our Airbnb in Punta Choros. Apparently, Punta de Choros is a smaller town than I anticipated, and our drive through in the dark was quite confusing. We kept missing our Airbnb and driving back and forth, eventually concluding that we would never find it or that we would and then would be locked in and murdered. When we finally found it, we honestly concluded the latter: it was one tiny cabin with nothing around it for miles in the sand dunes next to the pacific. However, as soon as we met the owners and saw the beautiful inside of the cabin our fears were assuaged. The owners were incredibly sweet and we couldn’t have asked for a better contrast to the last night’s kitchen and living space. We made a new kind of pasta (cooking again! adulting! yes!) and went to sleep early in anticipation of the next day’s adventures.

In the morning we woke up early to go visit Reserva Nacional Pinguinos de Humboldt. A well-known spot for dolphins, whales, and (obviously) penguins, this reserve consists of two islands just off the coast of the Punta Choros beach. We were somewhat taking our chances going at this time of the year, as there was a chance that the weather would make the ocean rough and that all of the penguins would be tucked away and that the whales and penguins would be elsewhere. On the contrary, we got the opposite! We instantly hopped on a boat when we got to the shore, heading first to Isla Choros and afterward to Isla Damas. As we approached Isla Choros, we found a pod of dolphins! They were so beautiful and graceful, some of the biggest dolphins I have ever seen. I was ecstatic. We then slowly crawled along the shore of Isla Choros, seeing penguins pop out here and there as well as some totally rad birds and sea lions!

We then zoomed over to Isla Damas, where we were allowed to disembark and hike around the island. We were dropped and told a time to meet back up at the pier, and set off to walk to the high point of the island. The terrain was absolutely unique: a perfect white sand beach with light blue waters juxtaposed with cacti, jagged rocks, and plants I have never before seen. This was such a gift to experience. Chile has so much diversity in its terrain, and this was the cherry on top of a lovely six months of travel.

We saw foxes on the way out!

#chile #pinguinos #puntadechoros #islachoros #isladamas #reservanacionalpinguinosdehumboldt #eclipsetrip

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July 1, 2019 - Eclipse Road Trip, Destination One: Caldera, Chile

After the whirlwind of finals week and the end of our classes at the local Chilean universities, we decided to go on one last adventure to finish our time here in Chile. This one was a road trip: we rented a car in Santiago, drove up the coast of Chile on Ruta 5 to Caldera, and then made our way back down on beautiful ocean roads. The endpoint of the trip was the Valle de Elqui, where we set up camp to watch a total solar eclipse. Pretty stunning last trip.

On day one we left Santiago early and zoomed up the coast to Caldera. It was a long way, about nine hours driving, but I loved every minute of it. I couldn’t help but feel a connection to my favorite highways in California, winding along the coast with the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. It was absolutely stunning.

After our long drive, we pulled into Caldera around 6pm to settle into our Airbnb for the night. The owner was really kind, and we had a beautiful view of a bay outside our window. The Airbnb itself was a bit of a mess, with a stove that sounded like it could explode at any minute and a shower that didn’t seem to know how to get hot, but we loved it anyway. We made pasta (actual cooking on a trip! so so wonderful!) and garlic bread and went to bed with guatitas llenas.

The next morning, we woke up around 9 and hit the road again. We first explored the town of Caldera a bit, going to a local coffee shop called Cafe Musseo and an overlook where you could see the beautiful light blue of the ocean so clearly. In the coffee shop, the owner gave us advice on where we should see in the area before heading down to Punta Choros. He was incredibly nice, and even shared a brochure on the eclipse with us.

Our first stop was “Zoologico de Piedras,” a stunning collection of granite rocks on the side of Ruta 5. The pictures below are all I can really say about the place – it was such a unique terrain, and we felt like we were on the moon!

Next was a drive along the coast down to Bahia Inglesa, the main feature of Caldera. This bay is known for its electric blue color, and it certainly lived up to expectations. We walked along the beach, feeling the salty wind blow our hair around and looking for beautiful shells to bring home as souvenirs.

We kept driving along the backroads of the desert, and we were in absolute awe at the way that the desert so quickly became ocean in this part of Chile. I was pretty obsessed with it.

#chile #caldera #eclipse2019 #juliaisabellphoto #eclipsetrip

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juliaisabellphoto · 5 years

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June 10, 2019 - Rapa Nui, Day Four

On our last day, we continued the trend of waking up quite late and got our rest. We had planned to drive to Anakena, the only real sand beach on the island, to read our books and hang out, but it was pouring with rain. We weren’t sure if we should even leave at all, as we knew we would get ridiculously wet. However, after a minute we decided we had to go. We knew we’d regret it if we didn’t make it to Anakena.

We put on our rain jackets, only packed the bare minimum, and hopped on the ATV to go out in the rain. It became less torrential as we got further out toward the coast, and we loved the way that the warm winds felt as we flew back along the island. I unfortunately didn’t bring my camera this day, as I didn’t want it to be destroyed by the rain, but the iphone photos below will do.

Our first stop was Puna Pau, the quarry where the red “hats” that many of the moai had were carved.

Next was Ahu Akivi, another ceremonial platform meant to represent the young explorers sent to find Rapa Nui before it was officially colonized by the Polynesian people.

(rainy phone = photos like this)

Last was Anakena, a beautiful white sand beach and ceremonial platform where we spent some time watching the waves. It was so warm there despite the moisture in the air, and it was an absolute dream of a place.

We then took off to return home, stopping to offroad a bit and get quite muddy before dropping the ATV back at the rental place. That thing was so worth it for the 24 hours we had it.

We then called Urpi and asked if we could come buy dreamcatchers, and she instantly said yes and invited us to her home. She greeted us with the typical hug and kiss despite our muddy state, and she then told us to pick out which maracuya root we wanted to frame our dreamcatcher and the colors and stones we wanted in its interior. This was so special! She told us she would send them over to our house later in the day.

When we returned to the house, we had once (tea and bread and avocado) with Zalo, Priscilla, and Kapua. We had a few final conversations and said a smiling goodnight, dreamcatchers in hand.

The next morning, we got big hugs from both of them before we left and found a note that Kapua left with drawings for us. We were truly sad to leave, which wasn’t something we had felt on any other trip. Rapa Nui made my heart feel full, and I must come back one day.

Kapua left us a note:

#rapanui #isladepascua #easterisland #chile

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June 9, 2019 - Rapa Nui, Day Three

We once again tried and failed to get up early on our third day in Rapa Nui, so we ate bananas and nutella for breakfast and got on the road as fast as we could. We were planning on biking around the island using bikes Zalo had, but we took them on a test run to the island’s museum and back and decided that it was not going to work for long distances. The museum was awesome (I took pictures of all of the information to read later, as it closed five minutes after we arrived.) We biked back through town to drop the bikes back at the house, return for the curanto, and then rent an ATV to explore the island.

As we were walking back, a random woman approached us and asked if we liked to eat. We said yes, of course, and she immediately invited us to the curanto! This was even more lovely than being invited by Zalo, and it showed the pure kindness of the Rapa Nui people. This woman had no clue who we were, could clearly tell we were travelers, and yet went out of her way to invite us to their community event. My heart was full, and we told her we would drop off our bikes and return. We did just that, and Zalo gave us tupperware to put food in when we got to the curanto.

We got distracted on the way back down to the center of Hanga Roa by a litter of PUPPIES. Yeah, puppies. We got lots of puppy love and my heart was happy.

We brought it in, and as we arrived the event seemed to be dying down. We were a bit disappointed, but as we turned to leave a woman said “chicas!” to get our attention. We turned back to find her offering us meat and potatoes. She told us that if we had come earlier there would have been more food, but then proceeded to give us more than we could possibly need. We had a conversation with her and her family, and then we walked to a nearby park bench to sit and eat the food. It was incredible. Absolutely incredible. I think it was some sort of brisket as well as shredded pork and incredibly cooked sweet potatoes. Lisi and I were in heaven. The perfect lunch, as we got a taste of the local culture and their kindness.

We then rented our ATV, got on the road and headed out toward the coast. It felt good to drive one again, and it reminded me of some of my favorite times exploring Hawaii the same way. I drove, and Lisi sat behind me, taking photos and videos of the beautiful views we passed. We stopped off at the various designated stopping points, seeing moai, ceremonial platforms, and ancient villages. The grand finale of this was Rano Raraku. This spot included another volcanic crater and the quarry where moai were built.

We first hiked up to the crater, and it felt like we had stepped onto a different planet. With moai bordering the crater and a stunning red sand framing its interior, I couldn’t have pictured anywhere more eccentrically stunning.

We then walked over to the quarry. There were hundreds of moai, some finished and some half-built, embedded in the rock surface we walked along. It was incredibly interesting to see the different stages of the work of the Rapa Nui people.

(disclaimer she did not actually touch the moai she just did a really effective optical illusion.)

When we walked to the edge of the quarry, we could see their grandest final product: Ahu Tongariki. This incredible ceremonial platform overlooking cliffs and the ocean was one of the most incredible things I have ever laid eyes on (once again, I feel like every weekend I find a new ‘most incredible thing I have ever seen.’)

It started to get dark after we visited Tongariki, so we headed back home on the ATV. As we arrived, we were greeted home with laughter at our massive vehicle: “Tienes un tractor!” said Zalo, amazed to see what we rolled up on. We were then once again invited to ‘compartir,’ so we made our pasta and sat down. We were instantly made fun of for eating ‘fideo’ (plain pasta) again, and Zalo told us to go inside and get some cream to pour over the pasta to make it at least a little better. We did, and it was admittedly much better. I was so consistently amazed by his generosity. We ended up talking for about three hours, discussing our futures and their pasts, the reason he decided to host Airbnb, the history of Rapa Nui, and anything else you could possibly think of. Our conversation progressed so deeply so quickly, and I felt so comfortable and calm. When Lisi and I made ourselves chamomile tea, Zalo decided to show us the natural tea infusions he could find in his own front yard (which were admittedly better than the chamomile.) He found the leaves and handed them to us, describing each of their healing properties. He started with Hierba Luisa, which smelled like lemon and made an absolutely delicious tea with no sugar or honey added. He then showed us palto, another aromatic leaf that they use as a natural remedy. Priscilla continued to tell me that soaking the pit of an avocado in water and drinking the water is good for people who have bronchial issues (like Lisi and I, asthmatics.) It was so interesting to discuss the way they deal with everyday illnesses herbally in addition to traditional medicine.

Finally, I asked them where they got their beautiful dreamcatchers (atrapasueños, in Spanish.) I was instantly given the number of their good friend Urpi, who lived just a street away and made the dreamcatchers for them. They said to call the next day and we could buy some from her. I was ECSTATIC – such a lovely connection to buy such beautiful artwork.

We finished our tea, and slowly made our way to bed.

#rapanui #tongariki #easterisland #isladepascua #chile

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June 8, 2019 - Rapa Nui, Day Two

We meant to wake up early on our first full day in Rapa Nui, but we didn’t quite manage that. It felt absolutely lovely to sleep in for the first time in a while. We made oatmeal with peanut butter and nutella for breakfast with chamomile tea and honey, and we ate on the terrace while watching the ocean. The morning could not have been more perfect.

We then set off for our hike to the crater of the Rano Kau Volcano, the tallest volcano on the island. The hike was absolutely stunning, and we couldn’t stop turning around to look at the panoramic views of the town and coast that we climbed away from. Along the way, we befriended a man from Mexico who was also exploring the island and a stray dog who had adopted him on the hike up.

When we reached the top of the trail, dripping in sweat, we found that the hike was 100% worth it. We looked down over a huge volcanic crater filled with water and plant life, and there was a sign that told us this spot was a microclimate of all of Rapa Nui’s biodiversity. We sat and ate granola bars on the edge of the volcano, appreciating the crazy beauty that we had at our feet. You could see the whole island from where we were – every single coast.

We then walked around the crater to a place called Orongo, the ruins of a Rapa Nui ceremonial village. This village was quite literally sitting on the edge of the crater, wedged between its cliffs and the cliffs that fell into the ocean. We spent a lot of time here, reading about the people who lived here, why they did so, and what their ceremonial practices were. My most important takeaway from this was the emphasis the Rapa Nui people put on the movement of birds, and that the birds’ migratory movements determined the spiritual power of this place. We also learned about the different eras of Rapa Nui culture, and got to see some very cool petroglyphs. It felt so cool to be in a place and learn about it as we were there: we made jokes about how our study abroad program always calls us “active learners,” but that is truly what all of our adventures have been. Lisi is turning me into an anthropology buff the more time we spend together, I swear.

We then decided we did not want to hike all the way back down the volcano, so we asked a woman exploring Orongo with us if she had space in her car for us to hitch a ride back to Hanga Roa, the city center of Rapa Nui. They very sweetly said yes, and we piled into the back of their rental car. This group of women, young and old, were Chileans in the middle of a girls’ trip to Rapa Nui. They were absolutely hysterical, commenting on how attractive the park rangers were (which they were) and yelling out to young men they drove by. They asked us about where we were from, and when we said we were doing an exchange in Chile they instantly asked us if we had a Chilean “pololo” (boyfriend.) Neither Lisi nor I do, and when we said so they all erupted into exclamations of “Necesitas probar un chileno!!” (You need to try a Chilean!!) and “Que ocurre en Chile queda en Chile!” (what happens in Chile stays in Chile.) Lisi and I were dying laughing, and we were all having a wonderful time as they dropped us off at our destination, Tahai. They said goodbye with kisses and hugs, making us promise them that we would kiss a few Chileans before we flew back to the US. This made my heart so full.

After parting with the Chilean ladies, we explored Tahai, a stunning “ahu,” or ceremonial alter, with Moai overlooking the coast. Light was starting to fade as we approached golden hour and sunset, so we snapped a few pictures and then looked for a place to snack before we camped out for the sky’s show. We looked just behind Tahai closer to the city, and there was a sign next to a lawn that said “soda y empanadas de atún.” We walked up, and the area looked somewhat empty, but there was a lovely swing so we sat down and looked out at the sea. After only a minute or two, a woman came up to us and asked us if she could get us anything! We didn’t realize it, but the “restaurant” we had walked into was hers, and we sat on the lawn drinking Diet Coke as we waited for the tuna empanadas we ordered. The location couldn’t have been more perfect – sitting on a lawn looking over Tahai, with chickens flocking around us and horses tethered behind us. Not only was the atmosphere better than the fancy tourist trap next door, but the empanadas were incredible. The grilled ahi tuna inside was delicious, surrounded by cheese and the flaky empanada dough. The perfect snack for watching the beginning of the sunset! We also later realized that this was a restaurant Kapua had recommended to us but we just accidentally stumbled upon.

Once golden hour started to turn into sunset, we made our way down to the open grass area to join a number of other people watching the sun set behind the moai of Tahai. I set up my phone for a time lapse and then sat back with my camera to get some shots of the pinks and purples that we knew would come. I could not believe the sunset that came: everything was tinted pink and it felt as though the sky was dancing. I fell in love with the silhouettes of the moai, and There could not have been anything sweeter to watch. However, it got even sweeter. All of a sudden, a large pack of stray dogs descended upon the crowd and just came to cuddle. They played in front of the moai (almost knocking over my time lapse, but just barely missing it) and one in particular decided to be friends with Lisi and I. He flopped onto its back in front of us and required that we scratch his belly. Whenever we paused, he would flip and flop around until we stopped again. A very spoiled stray dog. We sat with him until the sun went down, and then we headed back to Zalo’s house to sleep.

When we arrived home, we were greeted on the front porch by Zalo, Priscilla, Kapua, Zalo’s brother, and Zalo’s mother. They instantly asked us to sit and “compartir” (share) with them, so we sat down. We were welcomed so warmly by everyone in that family. Zalo’s mother, who was clearly meant to be a teacher, instantly turned to Lisi and I and began telling her story of Rapa Nui and the way that their culture has developed. We learned so much from her in a very short conversation about the loss of Rapa Nui traditional writings and the way that the whole island has become mestizo rather than pure native. Without even asking, Priscilla handed us fajitas that she had made (delicious ones.) They invited us to the local “curanto,” (a community picnic with free food and celebration) that was being held the next day, and we rearranged our plans to attend. We all sat and talked for a few hours, and I felt so deeply complete. They not only welcomed us into their home, but into their family and their culture, and it felt as though we had people to come home to each night. We gave goodnight kisses and went up to bed to rest early before the next day of adventures.

#rapanui #tahai #easterisland #isladepascua #chile

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