“Why A Sunrise Podcast?”

Revaz: When Alex proposed doing a Sunrise podcast, I immediately agreed. That’s how a thematic compilation begins. An idea is conjured that connects songs together with a sentiment, sound, or commonality. Recently, I was traveling by bus from the city of Buenos Aires to the wine country of Mendoza. It’s a comfortable overnight ride, but you still wake up uncertain of how much rest you’ve actually received. So I awoke in a haze, put my headphones on, and watched the movement from my window. As much as I loved getting away from the city for the weekend, it was when we returned back to ciudad de la furia, in which these tracks were brought to fruition. Watching a city emerge and awake into the daylight & returning back to the hustle and bustle that was missed. Will I ever not love living in a metropolis?

Alejandro: The alarm goes off. You’re in a daze. Bathroom stop. Coffee starts. You open your eyes to a day that started before you even managed a yawn. It was July of 2009 and my flight left JFK at 6am. My cab arrived and we hopped on the BQE around 445am. Manhattan was to my left. Queens was to my right. The horizon jostled a beautiful spectrum of colors only available before the raging sun fully rises. An empty road lay ahead of me and I felt at peace. The tranquility was overwhelming and I wondered why I didn’t take advantage of this time of day more often. This podcast will hopefully inspire me – and you – to rise a little earlier. Tracklist below.

Helios – “Halving The Compass”
Casino Vs Japan – “It’s Very Sunny”
Beirut – “Venice”
Gui Boratto – “Besides”
Thievery Corporation – “Heaven’s Gonna Burn Your Eyes”
Eluvium – “Leaves Eclipse The Night”
Zuco 103 – “Mayfly”
Ulrich Schnauss – “Goodbye”

“Bam Bam” is a song flowing with a tremendous amount of soul. It makes me do my galloping each time I hear it. The song appeared as the sixth track on Sister Nancy’s “One, Two” album from 1982. If you don’t have it, I recommend you get it.

Revaz told me to settle down, so I finally mixed in some Miike Snow and Aloe Blacc. I’m obsessing over electro-dance-pop from 2008 and no one can stop me!

I had never heard of Black Van before listening to their single “Yearning” on KCRW. But once I heard this cut, I began sliding my hand through the air like if I was polishing my nails on an imaginary buffer. Black Van is comprised of Kris Menace and KoweSix (1/2 of Moonbootica), but that meant absolutely nothing to me before reading it on Waves At Night. Rock this track until you drift away into a place that feels weightless.

The sun is rising above the buildings on St. Johns Pl. The wind has stopped its howling but the murmur outside is now of clanking heels and speeding vehicles. I always expect there to be less liveliness so early, but the world out there is bustling at the crack of dawn. Why don’t I awake this early more often? Rock this track with me for the rest of the day. You won’t regret it.

A Gainsbourg Moves Beyond Her Legacy [via NYT]

New York City is a bit misty-eyed tonight because two of the city’s coolest residents decided an opportunity to live in South Africa for five months was just to good to pass up. We’re bidding them adios tonight. Flurries have been falling consistently for the last 24 hours and it doesn’t look to be letting up. I’m going to take this track, channel it through my bones and use it to keep my soul nice and warm. Let’s brindis to world travelers and global shakers!

I can’t drive without dancing. It’s probably worse than texting while driving, equivalent to applying makeup in your car and likely to disturb you if you cruise up alongside my car. I just can’t help it.

I’m headed to Marfa, TX with El Paso, TX being my final destination today. Flicks are surely to follow. In the meantime, humor me by listening to this track. Gyrate when necessary, but remember that 10 & 2 is standard for operating a vehicle.