Sex Magic: A Weekend Playlist for Witches

September 21, 2018

BY LISA MARIE BASILE

I bestow upon you fine friends and witches my current on-rotation playlist, full of all that weekend mood and magic.

Lisa Marie Basile is the founder of Luna Luna. She is the author of Light Magic for Dark Times (Quarto, 2018), a modern grimoire of inspired rituals and daily practices. She's also the author of a few poetry collections, including Apocryphal and Andalucia, along with the forthcoming Nympholepsy (Inside the Castle, 2018). Her work encounters the intersection of ritual and wellness, chronic illness, magic, overcoming trauma, and creativity, and she has written for The New York Times, Narratively, Grimoire Magazine, Sabat Magazine, The Establishment, Refinery 29, Bust, Hello Giggles, and more. Lisa Marie earned a Masters degree in Writing from The New School and studied literature and psychology as an undergraduate at Pace University.

Non Fiction by Christopher Iacono

June 26, 2018

"Energia," the fourth song from Battiato’s 1972 debut album Fetus begins not with music but with Italian children either learning to speak or speaking.

A Playlist for People Who Are Told They Internalize Too Much

March 28, 2018

...maybe this playlist is a small gift I can give that helps, that heals.

My Brandi Carlile Liner Notes

January 8, 2018

I think I heard her song "The Story" for the first time during a car commercial. It’s hard to actually pin it down now when I think about it. I’ve been listening to Brandi Carlile for a while now. Unlike Aimee Mann, I can’t recall when I found her music. However, like Aimee, I listen to her every day and her work has always been the kid I think about often. I had the opportunity to see her in concert once in Charleston. It was sometimes last year and I was looking forward to it very much. At the last minute, however, she cancelled the show. It was never rescheduled and I was depressed over it. Later, Brandi released a statement about it and said that she cancelled it because she was having troubles with her chronic illness, her endometriosis. I have endometriosis and cried when I read that. One of my musical idols, a woman who has accomplished so much, suffers from the same thing I do. In many ways, it made me feel closer to her.

The Death of an Artist - Kurt Cobain

November 17, 2017

In his final letter to humanity, Kurt writes at the end of the letters, “I’ll be at your altar.” If he is speaking to humanity he must be referencing the altar of religion, of fate. If he is speaking to his wife he must mean the altar on which they built their lives: the one filled with drugs, rehab, and guitars. But maybe he’s speaking to his daughter, just a two year old girl at time of her father’s suicide, and he means he will be at her crib, her bedroom altar, waiting for her like a father feels he should. Kurt was a mystery for most of the world. Though many of us would argue we knew him all along.

18 Retro Love Songs to Make You Feel Alive

November 7, 2017

This is for the people who would live and love in retro music if they could; this is for the people who are truly, madly, deeply in love with love; this is for them who pick up on the musical vibrations and can easily tap into feelings of sadness or madness, elation and exuberance, that passion and fire that lives within them all along. May these songs soothe you, energize you, relight you, make you fall in love all over again.

My Aimee Mann Liner Notes

November 1, 2017

The first time I heard the sound of Aimee Mann’s voice was on the television. It was on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode titled "Sleeper" featured Aimee as a guest musician at the famed, fictional hangout The Bronze. Buffy was famous for bringing in real, sometimes established musicians to play on the show. Aimee, however, had a speaking role too. She played the songs "This is How it Goes" and "Pavlov’s Bell" from her 2002 album Lost In Space. Her line? "Man, I hate playing vampire towns."

Overcoats’ YOUNG and Turning Inward Toward Your Stories

July 19, 2017

There is something enthralling about a song that deceives you. A first listen can prompt upbeat head-bobbing in the car or prancing around your room, but on a second or third reflection, you detect a sadness, fear, or anxiety in the lyrics that wasn’t apparent at first. This was my experience listening to YOUNG, Overcoats’ debut album.

The Ultimate List of '80s Music Rarities You Should Know

June 9, 2017

I love all music, but if I'd have to choose a favorite decade in the music scene, it would undoubtedly be the 80s—a time I wish I was transported to right now. My heart just skips a beat whenever a new wave song comes on the radio, my whole body boils with passion and energy when I hear an 80s album remixed beautifully. And so, I created a listicle—albeit abridged—of some of my beloved musical artists with lesser known songs that are nonetheless deliciously tuneful and timeless, with a bit of a background on my favorite genres—gothic rock and new wave.

10 Songs You Will Love If You're a Lana Del Rey Fan (That Aren't By LDR)

June 8, 2017

Nadia Gerassimenko is the assistant editor at Luna Luna Magazine by day, a moonchild and poet by night. Nadia self-published her first poetry collection "Moonchild Dreams" (2015) and hopes to republish it traditionally. She's currently working on her second chapbook, "at the water's edge." Visit her at tepidautumn.net or tweet her at @tepidautumn.

A Mixtape for When the World Overwhelms You

March 14, 2017

When it seems that nothing's going right and the world is just too heavy just too much, this mixtape may be the answer and the gateway for your escapade. And when you feel the enchantment of the ambience and the other-worldliness, feel this world closing in and opening a portal to another dimension, feel it calling and echoing for you, to escape...even just for a little bit.

Post-Election Mixtape For Those Who Need More Time to Grieve

November 14, 2016

The pain we feel is indescribable, but at least we feel it together.

It Was Romance Releases New Song + Shot By Shot Remake of Fiona Apple's Criminal

July 27, 2016

BY LISA MARIE BASILE

If you're reading this website, there is an 99.9% chance you were obsessed with Fiona Apple's Tidal. Because you're an angsty dreamer just like me. You probably also think "This world is bullshit." If so, read on!

Lane Moore – writer, comedian, musician and all-around amazing lady – is in a pretty amazing band, It Was Romance (Lane Moore, Alejandro Triana, Angel Lozada and Jeff Connors). They're celebrating Tidal's 20th anniversary – by releasing a shot-for-shot remake of the Criminal video to their own song, Hooking Up With Girls. Yay! Watch it below.

Also, I talked to Lane and she told me all about her music and love for Fiona:

You have so much going on. Tell me a little bit about why you guys started It Was Romance.

I've been singing and writing and recording my own music since I was little. It Was Romance actually started as my solo project where I played all the instruments and sang and layered everything on my computer. It's kind of a name like "Cat Power" is. Everyone told me I should just go play shows by myself and try to do it all, but even if I was writing all these songs and could technically do it by myself, I'd always wanted to find the right musicians to play with. It took me years and years to find the people who play with me now and the second it all fell into place I was like, "YES! Good. Great. OK, let's make this record." I wrote a lot of these songs before I even knew these guys existed in the world, so to finally see everything taking off with the right people is so satisfying.

It's the 20th anniversary (I am so old) of Tidal. It was the second cassette I owned and hearing Never Is A Promise as a wayward little goth made me who I am today. How did this album impact you growing up? What about today? Why is Fiona Apple just so goddamned amazing?

Fiona Apple has always been a huge influence on me, personally and professionally. I just think she's incredible and I relate to her on so many levels. When The Pawn was actually my gateway album and then I went back to Tidal after hearing that. I listened to both nonstop for most of my childhood and teen years and still listen to them all the time. She's just such a powerful singer and songwriter. I once heard one of the Crutchfield sisters (from PS Eliot) say something on Twitter like, "If you don't think Fiona Apple is punk rock, get away from me." It's so accurate. I get very intense on stage when we play live shows and I'm sure seeing her do the same at a young age gave me the freedom to show that intensity in my music and my performances.

How do you think Criminal video stands up against all the music videos out there today?

It holds up incredibly well. You look at a lot of the way we're advertising things now and so much of it looks like '70s porn.

What are some upcoming projects for your band?

I've been writing about 2-3 songs I was happy with per week since I was a kid, so I've always written them faster than any of my band members, past or present, could learn them. I have easily over 300 right now that I'd happily record in the studio/release tomorrow if I could. I'm really excited to make the second IWR album and keep making videos and touring and opening for bigger bands. All of it. I'm ready. [Follow them on Bandcamp, Facebook & iTunes]

What's coming up for you?

So many things. Maybe sleep eventually, but I doubt it.

PS: It Was Romance is playing Aug 17 @ Cake Shop in NYC and Sept. 30 @ Pianos in NYC.

Tuesday Playlist Of Gloomy Vintage Spook Songs

November 3, 2015

Is is too depressing to even think of it being only Tuesday? Fear not, beauty. These vintage spooky, gloomy, dark Tuesday songs are here for you; bring your magic back.

Interview With The Magical Andrea Diaz Of Superhuman Happiness

October 31, 2015

BY LISA MARIE BASILE

Lovely, talented, gorgeous Andrea Diaz, who are you?

I am a brujita living and working in Brooklyn with my two little parakeets, Sol and Luna. I'm a vocalist, songwriter, and visual artist. Dancing and reading keep me sane. I recently got a new black bicycle, which I promptly named Nightrider. For those of you who are astrologically inclined, I'm a triple Gemini--( sun, rising, and moon). So far, my life revolves around learning to accept ( or at least try to manage) all the whims, desires, and paradoxes within myself and to channel them into something worthwhile. Because of this, I took on the name DIA LUNA to help me empower myself in my creative projects.

Being around you is magical and powerful. I remember when we did a spell together on your roof. It worked. You've got such an aura. How do you approach infusing your life and music with magic?

Thank you! I could write forever about this so please forgive me if I go full Gemini now. I've been called a romantic on more than one occasion. While I'm not particularly sentimental, but I do believe that romance is a crucial part of life and music, and that it comes from being sensitive and childlike in our relationship to the world. Truly, a lot of magic comes from appreciating and engaging with the beauty in the people and things that surround you. Those are the things that end up being my inspiration and my motivation to create. The element of play is also hugely important.

Recently, I was at St. Dympha's on St. Mark's for my bandmate's birthday party on a sunny Sunday afternoon. There were two guys playing soccer on the sidewalk, kicking the ball to passerbies. Some people ignored them, but others did not. It was amazing to see an unassuming stranger do a trick and kick the ball back to them! Right away I knew what the guys were doing: they were creating a moment, they were creating community with one tiny, silly gesture. Obviously I couldn't resist and I joined them right away. By the end of the night we had a circle of more than ten people having the time of their lives just kicking a ball around! It was simple, but exhilarating. That's how it works. I feel the best when I give myself to the moment, relish whatever joy I can, and don't take myself too seriously.

Tell us about Superhuman Happiness, your band.

I became the lead vocalist for Superhuman Happiness a year and a half ago. My bandmate, Stuart Bogie likes to say it's dance music for the emotionally complicated, which I find both hilarious and accurate. We're releasing a record in September and all of the tracks are pretty intense conceptually.

There are lots of questions about our relationships to technology and our relationships to one another, all set against the backdrop of day to day life in NYC. It's called Escape Velocity, which in scientific terms, is the amount of force that it takes for an object to supercede the gravitational pull of the earth and blast off into space. There's definitely a lot of intensity and the feeling of wanting to break free--it's a very introspective record in a lot of ways. We don't let anyone get too bummed out though, because the tracks are super danceable and they got the funk!

What other projects are you working on?

I have another project called The Duchess and the Fox, with my friend, and downtown music legend, Joe McGinty. We like to call it nouveau cabaret music since it's minimal in instrumentation--just piano and voice. It's very lyrical and a lot of the songs revolve around hanging out in bars, dreaming of old flames, and walking around cities at night. We will be releasing an EP at the beginning of next year! I'm also planning on finally unveiling a solo project called DIA LUNA, an electronic pop project I've been working on under the radar. So yeah, lots of things happening in their cycles, always!

What are your inspirations?

Oh lord! So many! The paintings of Frida Kahlo have always inspired me because of their vibrancy. She crafted a whole universe and mythology in her work. The diary of Anais Nin was hugely influential for me as well. She's so breathtakingly precise in her description of the creative process, and in her portrayal of what it is like to live as an emotionally aware woman. Both her and Frida lived the magic and both were way ahead of their time. In terms of music, Nina Simone's recordings have been one of my pillars of inspiration since I first heard them in high school. There's one recording in particular that I found recently, which totally blew me away. She's performing "Sinnerman" live. At the end, all the backing instruments fall away and there's just her playing this crazy piano tag and singing, "Power, Lord! Don't you know I need you lord?" I mean, holy shit. It gives me shivers every time I hear it, because you hear the truth in it, and you can really feel on a visceral level, her desperation and her power at the same time.

Where can we catch you next?

We're also doing an East Coast tour to promote Escape Velocity, so if you're not in NYC, you might be able to catch us there! Check out the dates here. The next Superhuman Happiness show in NYC is in November.

Superhuman Happiness is playing on November 11th with Antibalas and Santigold at Brooklyn Bowl. Tickets can be purchased here. Check out more about the Duchess and the Fox here.