Blood Harmony Vol. 52: Summer Mix
Hello Blood Harmonists,
It’s summer mix time! Let’s listen in!
If you do not have Spotify, you can listen to this mix in your preferred format here.
Babylon by Cola Boyy, Quit to Play Chess, Record Makers, 2025.
Cola Boyy, born Matthew Urango, was a musician and disability advocate from California. He died last year at the age of 34, most likely from complications from spina bifida. In an interview with TMRW he stated, “Not a lot of artists are visibly disabled. Society wants us to stay inside and to be timid and docile, and to not feel confident, or cool, or sexy. They just don’t want us to feel any of that, you know? So, in my life, that often weighed me down, but it didn’t ever stop me, I’ve always been a very outgoing person but still not the most confident, I’m still very critical of myself.”
Egg Man by the Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique, Capitol Records, 1989.
I recently watched Watchmen series on HBO. The first half of the series is mind-blowingly excellent. The second half kind of falls apart story-wise. But the musical supervision is A++ throughout1. This song is used in a super cool tracking shot of Regina King (who is just great!). I love how incredibly playful and in sync the Beasties are on this one.
Talk to You by Daughter of Swords, Alex, Psychic Hotline, 2025.
I’m just waiting for the time when I run into this artist out-and-about in Durham while humming her super catchy song.
Get Gone by BRONCHO, Natural Pleasure, BRONCHO Worldwide, 2025
I’m going to see this Oklahoma band in July! First time, should be fun.
Yali Yali by Neşe Karaböcek, Single, Kervan Plakçılık, 1977
A Turkish disco funk track that samples the overture from Jesus Christ Superstar? Yes please!
When the milk flows by Babe Rainbow, Slipper imp and shakaerator, p(doom) records, 2025. Babe Rainbow is an Australian psychedlic rock band. It is also the name on this poster that my friend Jeremy inherited from his mom and put up in his wall in college. That poster adorned many of the places I lived in in my 20s until it was eventually returned to Jeremy.2
Gunslinger by Natalie Bergman, Single, Third Man Records, 2025
Bergman, originally from outside of Chicago, is Anne Heche’s niece and a hell of a singer-songwriter. Per Third Man, “If you re-envisioned and rebuilt Motown somewhere in the California desert, it might sound something like My Home Is Not In This World” (her new album).
I Come with Mud by Men I Trust, Equus Asinus, Independent, 2025
Straight from Quebec, it’s Men I Trust! They sound like Mazzy Star meets The Cowboy Junkies and I’m here for all of that.
Inept Apollo by Nation of Language, Single, Sub Pop Records, 2025.
I’ve written about my love for this Brooklyn band before and they remain wonderful.
Nosebleeds by Doechii, Single, Top Dawg Entertainment, 2025.
What do you do when you’re one of the most talented MCs in the game and you win an Grammy for Best Rap Album? If you’re Doechii, you go into the studio a few hours later and record this ridiculously insane track.
Books
I’m currently reading Crush. It’s very fun. Here’s the summary: When a husband asks his wife to consider what might be missing from their marriage, what follows surprises them both—sex, heartbreak and heart rekindling, and a rediscovered sense of all that is possible. That log line makes it sound a little like Love & Trouble by Claire Dederer but less bleak.
I really liked this piece about the current Midwestern indie perfume boom. Is it wrong to want to try a perfume that smells like a warm light bulb?
Anne Helen Petersen keeping my hope alive:
Crafts
When I was home in Rochester recently, I found a sewing kit that belonged to my dad’s mom. Look at the graphic design on this stuff! So cool.
Cartoons
Consumer Recommendations
More letter writing = more need for paper adornment. As a result, I’ve developed a totally normal adult interest in stickers. I got a monthly subscription to STICKII Club and I just received my first batch of the vintage stickers. They are beautiful! I also picked up these sparkling baked goods stickers from JetPens3. JetPens is a dangerous place for me. I went to re-up on my favorite pens and ended up with baked goods stickers and this really cool box for my desk. Necessary? No. Wonderful? Yes.
The amazing Chelsea Devantez (who I have quite the parasocial relationship with!) recommended this nail polish/treatment in her newsletter and I was totally influenced into getting it.4 And you know what? It IS great. It’s like a cross between a nail oil and a very light polish. If you put on one coat, your nails are just a little shiny. If you put on a couple of coats, they are slightly pink and shiny. She also recommended their cuticle oil but after reading the ingredients list, I think that you could just use almond or jojoba oil and get the same results.
At some point during the pandemic I stress purchased this home mani/pedi set and I have never regretted it. I don’t use the box to rest my feet on5 but otherwise I think everything in here is aces. Fancy pink cheese grater thing for your calluses? Great! Thing that lets you use your non-dominant hand to paint your nails successfully? Great! Nail primer and top coat?6 Great! I really don’t like going to get my nails done anymore. I always found it awkward7 and now I find it awkward, expensive and I get really concerned about the salon’s ventilation systems and the nail techs’ respiratory health.8 I like having this whole kit thing because if I actually follow the steps, my nails look very nice.
Screen Stuff
I saw Friendship in a sold-out theater with a very enthusiastic crowd and it was fucking hilarious. There was an interesting/haunting message in there about social awkwardness and masculinity that I really appreciated. But mainly I just loved it because it was very strange and very funny.
Thank you Criterion Collection for making my fantasties dreams come true.
Power Broker Audiobook Update: 45 hours, 26 minutes left.9
Thank you for reading. I’m so glad you’re here!
It was done by Liza Richardson who has had a fascinating career and also did the music for Y tu mamá también! You can follow her Spotify here.
Babe Rainbow is part of a series of 12 paintings featuring fictitious female wrestlers by renowned artist Peter Blake. Commissioned by Dodo Designs, this artwork is a vibrant example of Blake's pop art style, capturing the playful and colorful essence of the wrestling theme. Peter Blake, a leading figure in the pop art movement, is best known for his iconic work on The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. His "Babe Rainbow" series continues this tradition of blending popular culture with fine art, creating pieces that are both visually striking and culturally significant.
Chelsea I love you and hope that you got an affiliate payout!
I think I found it really uncomfortable? Who can remember what happened during those years.
These are add-ons FYI.
Particularly manicures! Do we make eye contact? Do we chat? Where am I supposed to look?
Also, the last place I frequented was owned by a couple who were in the process of breaking up when I started going there. Depending on who did my nails, I’d get one half of the divorce story. It was too much drama even for me.
Shout out to my friend Colin who texted me after last week’s newsletter to demand that I take a week off to focus on finishing The Power Broker.
Thanks for the mention! Those look amazing!