by Marija Rakić Mimica (translated by Tanja Radmilo)
Today I’m going to cheat on my husband. I’m going to make love to a man that I’m not allowed to love. I’ll meet the morning after blinded by my act, which I’ll carry with me for a long time; after showering I’ll recognize his smell, that will remind me of us, I’ll carry collected guilt and bitterness as I walk down the street and, finally, I’ll bring them into my apartment with me.
— Benjamin Clementine, Delighted : from his forthcoming album And I Have Been, out 28 Oct 2022 on Preserve Artists Co.
… The consequences are yours The frequencies are yours The possibilities are yours Cause the vision is yours … We lean, We learn, We earn, We turn, We burn Then start again Cause we’re delighted …
We said it and we believe it. For us, wonder is at the root, the core of it all, the Amazine community and this whole project as much as life itself. It is an attitude that can, bit by bit, make, is making and has already made this world, this humanity a bit less indifferent, a bit more sensible, a bit sweeter in all its bitterness. It is interconnected with feelings of joy, love, curiosity, openness, as well as with values of inclusivity, empathy and respect towards all beings. It is the perspective we chose and will hopefully keep choosing with you by our side. But why wonder?
— Tamino, You Don’t Own Me : from the upcoming album Sahar
In the anticipation of the album’s release (this Friday!), we’re soaking in these haunting lyrics in haunting melodies with his always incredible voice. Enjoy the song and the video above!
Beauty has always seemed delicate to me. Just as life, it is of an elusive and melancholic nature, even more, it seems to be built on a certain kind of weakness, maybe even helplessness. For me, there is always some sadness in beauty, just as much as there is no sadness without beauty. I once shared this belief with someone and he replied that was because we found beauty so much bigger than us. I felt there was more, though.
It is a paradox, yet this play of indirect contrasts shows us how profound joy and profound sorrow coexist in the world. How separating one from the other is somehow cruel and sinful, and most of all it is blind and sturdy.
Something happens in those moments when you are with a friend or a complete stranger, driving through crowded streets or empty roads, sharing a late night drink and a few smokes, or just passing by, and one of you puts on some music to which the other one instantly replies Oh I love this song!. A connection, a subtle yet strong form of intimacy, or maybe companionship as we like to call it. Sharing good music is one of the greatest universal joys, and one of our most essential joys, too, so we’re starting here, with some of our favorite releases of 2022 (it’s a rank-free list!). This year’s been good, looking at it from this perspective.
Love our selection? Have any suggestions of your own? Let us know below and share the wonder.
This is your community, too. So, we cordially invite you to send us your submissions, in form of think pieces, social and cultural commentaries, all kinds of reviews and recommendations, portraits, prose, poetry, essays, travelogues and almost anything else. If you don’t express yourself with words, no worries, send us your collages, drawings, photos, videos …
The Amazine Community 