03 ::. stone, soil, symbiosis w/ agraybé
hey bbi ❁ welcome to the third installment of aural pleasure <3
this installment features our dear friend, ariana gray bé (@agraybe) 💜
agraybé seeks to share what invigorates her soul and senses. her perspective draws from multiple facets as a musician, scientist, dancer, and environmentalist. born and raised in cleveland, ohio, ariana spent formative years across the great lakes rust belt before more recently calling the west coast home. her sets express equal parts mind and heart, often interweaving environmental themes with deep grooves grounded in midwest dance music.
within the LA community, ariana is a resident for Anemone, New Palm, and Made to Move. she also hosts Cloud Studies, a mix diary of moods for sky gazing, and has released recent productions, both solo and with misty theory, under Fem Synth Lab and Acid Camp.
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“this mix is the sensorial result of the following:
‘stone, soil, passion, symbiosis’
imagine what earth’s subsurface might sound like.
sink under ground with me for this mix.
engulf in soil, slithering insects, rocks and debris.
weave through tangling roots, cross through strata.
imagine now the work of humans in here.
pipes bisect an intricate network of roots.
soil replaced with concrete. ecosystems expunged.
the word, symbiosis, brings up pessimism in this context.
drilling, uprooting. depleting, consuming.
devouring more and more.
humankind (as it exists today) is earth’s parasite.
can humanity remedy it's relationship with earth before deeply disturbing everything in it’s path?”
our brainstorm involved thinking about how we could use the entirety of an ingredient from root to flower. we narrowed in on root vegetables because of their resilence and ability to survive in extreme conditions. we chose to transform beets and lotus because we admire their strength, color, and adaptablity.
the lotus flower's roots grow in muddy ponds, while its blossoms bloom above the water's surface. in referencing ari’s sentiments on the toxicity of human extraction and alteration of natural resources, the lotus, like most flora and fauna, are pure in their existence, and instead balance the systems within which they exist.
beetroot, rich in nitrates, is known to improve circulation and lower blood pressure, while also playing an interesting role in textiles. beetroot contains pigments called betalains, which can produce vibrant colors ranging from deep reds to purples. beet greens are in the amaranthaceae family, similar to swiss chard. members of this family are adaptabile to different environmental conditions, thriving between moist forests to arid deserts. they also often have mechanisms for conserving water or withstanding temperature fluctuations. the more you know!!! ;)
02 ::. globalize the intifada
hiye habibi ❁ welcome to the second installment of aural pleasure <3
the words we’re marinating on are: community, belonging, greed, resourcefulness, tragedy, love
we’re witnessing many forms of evil, and in the short term, we haven’t been able to stop them. despite suffering, palestinians experiencing genocide are still extending care to their communities. our communities deserve more love from us, and the only way to grow in numbers to oppose the ruling order is through love and alignment.
we want to develop a deeper understanding of palestine and palestinian culture and some of the ways in which we’ve been able to do this is through food and music.
we can’t talk about palestinian food without addressing the acute famine they are experiencing. starvation changes the epigenetic mechanisms of successive generations down the line. compared to those that weren’t born in an area that experienced severe famine, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 47% in those that were.1 how twisted is this? the responsiveness of the human body is beautiful but under what circumstances?
it feels like an incredible privilege to make malfouf & ka’ek and enjoy it without distraction. an unfortunate reality exists in this experience - our day-to-day comforts depend on the exploitation of the working class. if we live in relative comfort and safety (for now), does that make us, by association, a part of the cycle of oppression? if not, complicit in it? what does this mean? how much of our privilege are we willing to risk to disrupt the status quo? this awareness is important and we encourage you to marinate on this with us.
with that being said, the world feels cold, but malfouf is a hearty dish that will create some warmth in our bellies. ka’ek leaves us feeling nostalgic and held. we envision a day when palestinians under occupation can be free and relish in these feelings again. we hope you try your hand at these recipes and enjoy. there is an important message at the end of this carefully curated sonic treat. it would mean a lot to us if you listened in its entirety. <3
we want to develop an even deeper understanding of palestine and palestinian culture and some of the ways in which we’ve been able to do this is through food and music.
we can’t talk about palestinian food without addressing the acute famine they are experiencing. starvation changes the epigenetic mechanisms of successive generations down the line. compared to those that weren’t born in an area that experienced severe famine, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 47% in those that were.1 how twisted is this? the responsiveness of the human body is beautiful but under what circumstances?
it feels like an incredible privilege to make malfouf & ka’ek and enjoy it without distraction. an unfortunate reality exists in this experience - our day-to-day comforts depend on the exploitation of the working class. if we live in relative comfort and safety (for now), does that make us, by association, a part of the cycle of oppression? if not, complicit in it? what does this mean? how much of our privilege are we willing to risk to disrupt the status quo? this awareness is important and we encourage you to marinate on this with us.
with that being said, the world feels cold, but malfouf is a hearty dish that will create some warmth in our bellies. ka’ek leaves us feeling nostalgic and held. we envision a day when palestinians under occupation can be free and relish in these feelings again. we hope you try your hand at these recipes and enjoy. there is an important message at the end of this carefully curated sonic treat. it would mean a lot to us if you listened in its entirety. <3
01 ::. sensuality & synchrony
✩ hey babiiee ✩
welcome to aural pleasure <3
our plan is to start each episode with reflections on how the past few weeks have felt. prior to this episode, we’d been marinating on: transformation, sensuality, and synchrony. we created a few dishes and recorded a mix, that together, we feel captures the essence of our ruminations. read on for deeper insights xx.
how do we experience sensuality?
sensuality and pacing seem to move in tandem. in this cosmic groove of time and space, taking our time invites us to experience all sensations more passionately. it is this magic that lives between ingredients dancing together or tracks making out with each other, that brings us oral/aural pleasure.
music continues to free us from the walls of our minds, it’s our bridge between sensation and expression. freedom from perception. often a cathartic release that makes us sweat and wiggle in silly ways. we gravitate towards organic sounds, materials, and field recordings when creating a soundscape or listening to one. we’re able to more finely tune into our body’s natural rhythms when we embrace a slower pace, this enables us to cultivate more patience, moments for healing, and space to sink further into our beings. slowing down makes way for us to reshape our perspectives and process subtle changes.
rediscovering, through our senses, all that lives and breathes around us. we find that preparing a meal for ourselves to enjoy, or to share with others, is an act of love. once our minds and bodies are nourished, we feel sensuous.
we prepare earth’s offerings by applying heat and transforming once bitter ingredients into savory treats. crystalizing with sugar or brining with salt to preserve. pickling with acid to develop a uniquely sour flavor. dehydrating to absorb nutrients more easily. blanching to change textures and accentuate colors. this ritual of cooking is an expression of earth’s offerings, tools, and our intuition. we’ve been especially keen on observing ingredients transform under various elements.
everydai we are reminded of the symbiotic connection between us, the flora, fauna, and funga that surround us. this reminds us of some words from Robin Wall Kimmerer: