This is a travel through time from 2016 through 2021. I had fun recording these songs and sharing them. TUNE IN!
Disclaimer: Near the end its harder to hear my voice because I foolishly moved the speaker too close to the mic. Even still. I hope you enjoy! King Nito Radio.
Honestly I’ve never had a playlist or a specific song selection that I would listen too. I’m more of a mood music kind of person and have been like that for as long as I can remember. Yet I noticed that whenever I go for a walk I mainly play music with less lyrics and more instrumentals. And fun fact! I was more of an instrumental guy before I actually listened to the lyrics of a song. When I was younger if I didn’t like the instrumental for some wild reason I automatically didn’t like the song which was a horrible trait of judgement! God knows how many songs I must’ve missed out on doing that haha. BUT since we’re wiser and grew out of that shell (turtle joke) i’m a man of both worlds now.
This brings me to growing up and creating a playlist that consists of instrumentals that I mostly have listened to either walking or reminiscing. Some are new and some are older that my lifetime. I’m hoping some people will now some of the songs and if not then I hope you can enjoy the mix of genre beats that have helped and shaped me to be a better person.
Washed Out- Feel It All Around
We’re going to start with a song that I randomly found while just searching up beats similar to Lofi Beats. “Feel It All Around”. One of the most chill relaxed songs I’ve ever been graced to hear. I don’t smoke but if I did it would probably be to this song. From the very beginning with melodic sound of the singer’s voice as well the slept on part of the song being the bass. It’s kind of the driving force of the song. The lyrics “It’s all right, in spite of all the things you did we’ll work it out.” Also to me goes with the calm theme of the song. Washed Out made such a VaporWave such like song that I listen to almost every walk. It’s a feel good song for me that kind of wakes you out of a bad mood.I tend to imagine myself at a beach at night or just a summer night whenever I listen to this song. Though any season would work with this song. I think my favorite thing about the song is how mellow the singers voice is. Almost as if his voice is the instrumental in a sense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-0TYeg9Rzc
Butterfly- Jean Christophe Le Saout
This is known as a Trip Hop type of instrumental. Trip Hop is known as a fusion between hip hop and electronica and was originated in the United Kingdom. I’ve enjoyed this song greatly because of the smooth laid back and old school boom bat similarity sound. This made me more curious about Jean Christophe as I found this song randomly and fell in love with it ever since. It reminds me of an Adult Swim bump that would play through commercials. If anyone’s watched adult swim on a Saturday night/Sunday Morning they’ll understand. It has this nice transition and 0:58 seconds that makes it feel more Lofi as well.
Eyedress- Jealous
If you have TikTok then you’ve probably heard this song as it became a viral hit this year. I am a lover of this song because of the sonic elements. The guitar that plays from start to finish reminds me of 80’s 90’s kind of alternative rock. The scratchy instrumental and Eyedresse’s voice that sounds like it’s fading away as he speaks makes it flow to me. The music video also screams retro. To some this song is a meme but to me this song is honestly as realistic as it can get with the lyrics that Eyedress is saying in it. Lyrics such as “Don’t tell me about your problems, if you’re not trying to solve them.” “Don’t ask me how my day’s been, I just wanna be alone.” As humans we’ve all been there so to hear it in this form was just “wow”. Negative/insecure thoughts + a alternative rock beat makes magic. I began to have morning runs to this song because I would always imagine a chase scene happening with this song in the background to this and it made it ten times better. I tend to imagine being at a beach
Jeff Lorber- Electric Relaxation
I remember I was on my way to Queens College and I got off the N4 to the Jamaica station and this man was trying to sell bootleg phone cases and played this in the background and I automatically fell in love with. As I listened I asked him what he was playing and he told me it was a remixed instrumental to A Tribe Called Quest’s “Electric Relaxation” which is also my favorite song from them. Such a smooth relaxing remix to an amazing song. The strings and instruments that play throughout are breathtaking. I wish I knew what they were to clarify haha but if someone does it’d be great!
Freaks & Geeks- Lindsay Disturbed Theme
I hope some of you at least have watched “Freaks & Geeks” so you’ll know what i’m talking about. Yet when I listen to this song I normally end up feeling lost or i’ll really be just wandering on a walk. Maybe that’s it’s purpose due to the character Lindsay being lost in between the crowd of the geeks (boys on the right) and the freaks/Cool guys (3 boys on the left). It’s a gentle beat that goes from high to low on a slow tempo but I enjoy the sound that plays at the 9 second mark throughout the most. It adds on to the feeling lost theme of the instrumental.
Flying Lotus- Massage Situation
Now if any of you guys have watched Adult Swim on Sat/Sun you’ve definitely heard this through a commercial break. This is my one of my favorite instrumentals just because it was something I heard every week. The trippiness of this song is insane to me but that defines Flying Lotus and his beats honestly. This song just makes me thing of the 90’s and retro stuff. I always listened to this when I needed a out of this world beat to listen to or whenever my friends would smoke I’d think of this song. I would try to define the sounds with this one but I wouldn’t even know where to begin hahaha
Nujabes- Windspeaks
I’m a lover of the flute and the saxophone and this track just absolutely does magic with it. The rhythm, harmony and melody make it sound as if you’re at a festival dancing and enjoying life. It’s uplifting to the fullest and is one of my favorite beats to listen to any situation. I think the 3:40 mark is probably my favorite of the beat and the saxophone gets louder and transitions with the beat.
A$AP Rocky- LSD
The Last song I will share about this playlist would be “LSD” The slow melodic intro with the base following Rocky’s voice matching the slowness of the song. This is one of those songs I refuse to listen to a lot just so I don’t get tired of it. When the beat drops it just feels like the song gets more melodic and slower. As if you need to take in every second. I love that aspect dearly. To me this song is a night drive kind of song or in my case a night walk kind of song where there’s bright lights all over the place to get you in tune. Asap Rocky does justice with the music video which I highly recommend people watch. Definitely a trip. To Rocky, this was him experimenting with new different sounds and I would argue he did a pretty amazing job with it.
The song I chose for my record club is At Your Best (You Are Love) by Aaliyah. This song was actually covered by Aaliyah for her debut studio album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, released in May of 1994, becoming one of the album’s lead singles. It is a Neo-soul, contemporary R&B song. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of Aaliyah. I began listening to her when I was a kid and grew to appreciate her music more as I got older. She was one of my go-to artists I’d listen to on my way to school- both high school and college. Even long after her death, her music is still loved and appreciated to this day. This is one of my feel-good songs that I play when I’m painting or doing anything creative. For me, at least, it exudes calmness, which can be largely credited to Aaliyah’s vocals.
The meaning of the song is quite simple- Aaliyah is singing about her troubled romantic relationship where she’s in doubt of her partner’s commitment to their relationship. In this song, she lets them know that she feels they are at their best when they personify love itself, singing that they are a “positive motivating force within my life”, especially when they are embracing and personifying love in the purest form. One of the first things that peaks my attention when this song comes on is Aaliyah’s airy vocals; her voice is light, despite the fact that she’s talking about a troubled relationship, and her tone is smooth like velvet. The song itself begins with the hook, since throughout it, the phrase “let me know” is what is repeated. As the song progresses, this phrase is what introduces the official chorus of the song, where the title is sung. Towards the last minute & a half of the song, her vocals are layered to mimic a choir, which gives an almost ethereal feel.
Definitions:
Neo-Soul: a genre of popular music, sometimes called “progressive soul”. It describes a style of music which emerged from both soul and contemporary R&B. It can incorporate elements that range from jazz, funk, hip hop, African music, electronic music, pop and rock.
Airy: light in manner or movement, graceful or delicate, lively.
Hook: A musical idea, a short riff, passage or phrase used to make a song appealing to the listener.
Chorus: The line or lines repeated in the song, either musically or lyrically.
bare with it me, the podcast is new to me.
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When I finished watching Steven Universe, a kids shows on Cartoon Network, I had regained hope in meaningful media for kids. There is so much to praise about this show but in our time together, we are going to explore how Steven Universe supports emotional intelligence, mental health, and realistic approaches toward thriving relationships for kids and really viewers of all ages. Rebecca Sugar’s show is filled with elaborate musical numbers, short jingles and jams, and dramatic pop and rock songs sung by characters. The show’s musical style is very quirky and holds a theatrical flair. There are pretty ridiculous and fun songs. Like when protagonist Steven raps about his favorite ice cream, Cookie Cat. Or how about when a fish decoration announces its insecurities in “Fishing for Compliments”! However, Steven Universe is a show that appeals to kids not only through humor and charm but through addressing important emotional and relationship issues as well as resolutions.
Let’s first dive into how this cartoon addresses our vulnerabilities. Steven Universe showcases songs that give an honest take on the grittiness of life—fear, mistakes, and redemption. By season two, conflict starts to kick up many notches in Steven’s home town, Beach City. Steven is half human and also half alien. He has a human dad named Greg. But other family members are a part of an alien race called Gems who rebelled against the corruption on their home planet. Beach City deals with countless alien-related mysteries and pressure weighs down on Steven’s responsibility to save the day. Take the song “Full Disclosure,” in an episode of the same name. Steven sings about his concern over his best friend Connie’s safety in an angsty, early 2000’s alternative rock style. Since his life attracts danger, Steven believes that a solution to protecting Connie is shutting her out and not being her friend.
Steven laments,
“Everybody tells me life is precious
On the planet Earth, and that means you
And I have to protect you
What if somehow you get hurt
What do I do?
I don’t want that for you”
Steven is steeped in vulnerability in this moment. He loves Connie yet he doesn’t want to be responsible for hurting others or having them suffer his hardships. Connie’s phone calls are ignored by Steven and he decided the noble thing to do was abandon his relationship.
He continues,
“What am I going to tell you?
You’re better off not knowing the trouble I’m in,
I don’t want you to worry about what I’ve just seen,
About where I’ve just been
You don’t have to be a part of this
I don’t think I want you to be
You don’t need this
You don’t need me”
Yet a worried and infuriated Connie confronts Steven in person and expresses that she wants to be there for him. Not all of us get kidnapped by an alien race like Steven was in this case scenario. But a lot of us do have some sort of baggage or experience circumstances that are negative or scary. Connie teaches us that strong relationships endure even this. Connie never enables bad behavior in a friendship—she scolds Steven for ignoring her. However, when it comes down to uncontrollable life circumstances, Connie is willing to make a sacrifice to remain connected to Steven. This song taps into a fear we have yet the rest of the narrative teaches us that another person can make room to hold space for even the darkest aspects of another persons experience. More so, we need to make space for them to help us. Steven Universe teaches what honestly makes a relationship strong.
Steven Universe addresses the crippling feeling of being rejected by others. What’s so refreshing about this subject in Steven Universe is that it strays from the narrative mold of a happy ending or complete consolation at the end of an animation episode. It affirms that yes, people do get a “no” or fail, and not all of us get what we desire in the end, all the time. In an emotional piano ballad, Gem character Pearl describes her heartbreak about being rejected by the love of her life, Rose. Rose chose to marry and have a child with a human named Greg and this crushed Pearl. The ballad is called, “It’s Over Isn’t It,” in which Pearl reconciles with the reality that Rose is gone and more so, Rose rejected Pearl while she was still alive.
Pearl whales,
“After all those years, I never thought I’d lose.
It’s over, isn’t it? Isn’t it? Isn’t it over?
It’s over, isn’t it? Isn’t it? Isn’t it over?
You won, and she chose you, and she loved you, and she’s gone.
It’s over, isn’t it? Why can’t I move on?”
It’s been fourteen years since Rose transformed herself into the form of her son, Steven. I know, that’s kinda confusing, let me back up here. Technically, Rose didn’t die, her physical form simply changed because she decided to sacrifice her body to create a new form—her son Steven. In other words, Rose is no longer here and Pearl doesn’t have closure after losing this loved one. And isn’t that most of us? When we lose someone through rejection or they physically leave this Earth from us, we are left alone and crippled without their love. Perhaps a person never reaches complete consolation because to do so would mean to not care anymore, at all. Yet for our own wellness, we need to release our grip or attachment to a person to lesser degrees in order to create something new. In this song, Pearl confronts her experience of loss head on while simultaneously acknowledging that she needs to let go of its fierce strong hold as well. It’s not easy and there isn’t complete resolution but that’s what’s so human about it.
Don’t worry, Steven Universe isn’t a water works show although it does go there very often. The show is uplifting in its ability to set an example on how to build true confidence and strength in character. In the final episode of Season 1, Garnet fights on a space ship with Gem aliens that try kidnapping Steven and the other Gems. Garnet sings while battling one of the Gem soldiers, Jasper. Garnet’s character is voiced by Estelle and in my opinion, the most impactful songs in message and in sound are the ones sung by Estelle. They just sound so dynamic, futuristic, and just cool. This song is called “Stronger Than You”, sung by Estelle and written by show creator Rebecca Sugar. The song is playful in its boastfulness. While fighting Jasper and trying to break out of the war ship, Garnet brags about being in a positive relationship through the process of fusion.
Garnet challenges Jasper, and charges with these words:
“This is Garnet.
Back together.
And I’m never going down at the hands of the likes of you because I’m so much better.
And every part of me is saying “Go get her”.
The two of us ain’t gonna follow your rules.”
“Come at me without any of your fancy tools.
Let’s go, just me and you.
Let’s go, just one on two.
Go ahead and try and hit me if you’re able.
Can’t you see that my relationship is stable?
I can see you hate the way we intermingle.
But I think you’re just mad ’cause you’re single.
And you’re not gonna stop what we made together.
We are gonna stay like this forever.
If you break us apart, we’ll just come back newer.
And we’ll always be twice the gem that you are.
I am made
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove.”
You see, Garnet isn’t an individual but rather an expression. Okay, hold on—let me explain. Remember the relationship process called fusion in which Gems can combine with other Gems and even humans to become one expression? Garnet is a fusion between lovers Ruby and Sapphire. Garnet makes it clear many times throughout the series that she in not an individual but rather the physical manifestation of an expression—of the love shared between Ruby and Sapphire. Put simply, Garnet breaks the boundaries of what identity is. Garnet reminds us that although we may view ourselves as a permanent, static human being, we simply are not. We are our expressions which change from moment to moment at different ages and life stages, within different places and settings, and most often we are constantly reinventing ourselves creatively in different relationships which helps us grow as people.
“This is who I am.
And if you think you can stop me,
Then you need to think again.
‘Cause I am a feeling,
And I will never end,
And I won’t let you hurt my planet,
And I won’t let you hurt my friends.
Go ahead and try and hit me if you’re able.
Can’t you see that my relationship is stable?
I know you think I’m not something you’re afraid of,
‘Cause you think that you’ve seen what I’m made of.
But I am even more than the two of them.
Everything they care about is what I am.
I am their fury. I am their patience.
I am a conversation.
I am made O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of
And it’s stronger than you.
L-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of
L-o-o-o-ove.
And it’s stronger than you.”
The soldier Garnet is combatting, Jasper, is fueled by an oppressive regime that exploits Gems by banishing or exterminating Gems who don’t have a perfect physical form or who engage in fusion relationships. Garnet and the other members of the Crystal Gems are fueled by a revolutionary spirit in which they believe Gems should be able to express themselves freely and have their civil rights intact. Garnet boasts that her relationship is stable and she’s twice as strong as Jasper is because of the source of her energy which is love not destruction and hatred. Jasper may have allegiance to the oppressive dictators, called the Diamonds, yet she is hyper individualistic, violent, and prideful. The song teaches that true strength does not come from brute force and blindly following an ideology that separates rather than unites. To embrace community and love versus hyper independence and prideful isolation is where it’s at.
My all time favorite Steven Universe song had to be saved for the end. “Here Comes a Thought” is a song I can always relate to. It deals with the issue of mental stress— addressing stuffing down a persons own guilt and shame. Connie, who is a human who learns sword fighting joins the Crystal Gems on the quest of protecting planet Earth. Connie used to be a normal girl who went to school but now she’s assumed a new responsibility which brings a lot of pressure. While walking in the hallways, a student bumps into her and her fight or flight response is activated. She shoves the boy to the ground and assumes a fighting stance. The terrified boy cowers below Connie. Connie is ashamed and overwhelmed by her mistake until she has a conversation with Garnet who is known for her calm and insightful nature.
Estelle is back, this time with a lullaby sound, caressing and soothing the listener. Garnet reminds Connie to ground herself first and foremost and that these thoughts cannot consume you:
“Take a moment to think of just
flexibility, love, and trust.
Take a moment to think of just
flexibility, love, and trust.
Here comes a thought
that might alarm you.
What someone said
and how it harmed you.
Something you did
that failed to be charming.
Things that you said are
suddenly swarming
and, oh. You’re losing sight. You’re losing touch.
All these little things seem to matter so much
that they confuse you.
That I might lose you.
Take a moment. Remind yourself to
take a moment and find yourself.”
Garnet advises Connie to slow down her racing thoughts filled with fear. She does validate the fearful thinking when singing about it’s consuming presence. These thoughts can run us off the road mentally if we take them too seriously as truth. However, Garnet empowers Connie by teaching her that she can manage her emotions.
“Take a moment to ask yourself if
this is how we fall apart.
But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not.
It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.
You’ve got nothing. Got nothing. Got nothing. Got nothing to fear.
I’m here. I’m here. I’m here.
[Both] That I might lose me.
Take a moment. Remind yourself to
take a moment and find yourself.
Take a moment and ask yourself if
this is how we fall apart.
But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not. But it’s not.
It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.
I’ve got nothing. Got nothing. Got nothing. Got nothing to fear.
I’m here. I’m here. I’m here.”
Connie practiced a fight or flight response with her own difficult emotions when she pushed others away and didn’t communicate about her guilt. In this song, Garnet seats Connie in a seated meditation and she practices deep breathing while hearing these soothing words. By practicing mindfulness a person can balance their physical body and mental state back into equilibrium rather than taking impulsive or suppressing actions. To meditate, to simply take a moment to pause and breath is enough to change how we feel. Connie took positive action after this song by apologizing to the boy she hurt and it turns out he thought her moves were pretty cool. In life, we can make pretty embarrassing mistakes, but we can survive them and there can be retribution and resolve after taking positive action. “Here Comes a Thought” is a lullaby with a moral. Teaching that a person can make amends after making a mistake. People can empathize with others, forgive themselves, and do better in the future. People are not perfect but are constantly reinventing themselves and therefore need to be flexible with themselves by grounding themselves in the declaration that things feel sucky now, but everything is going to be okay.
Love towards ourselves and others in a world ripe with conflict is a practice. And we aren’t all born with a guide book on how to navigate difficulties in relationships or difficulties with our own mental and emotional landscape. There are things I wish I knew as a kid that I now hold as strength and wisdom through trial and error— by making mistakes and then creating new choices in my life. That’s one way we all learn but another way is simply to have grounding role models in our lives. Whether that example be fulfilled by the people in our lives or through characters and performers in media—we need stories to model our lives and sculpt it in a healthy and thriving way. Because challenges do arrive on all of our journeys. And we need to learn and practice certain life skills to not get caught in the wilderness, because we all know life leads us there one way or another. Steven Universe is a road map for all of us. It’s so exciting to see work like this being put out there for future generations and for the older cartoon crowd like myself who could always use encouraging reminders on this journey.
