12/12#
Por una vez en mucho tiempo, me torné impaciente al prospecto del año nuevo. Cuando era pequeño, me acongojaba al pensar en Nochevieja, arrepintiéndome de haber mal gastado mi recreo escolar de fin de año de nuevo, y saber que tenia que regresar a aquel lugar que detestaba. Esta sensación perduró toda mi vida; incluso en mis años de secundaria y universidad; Joder, incluso después trabajando programador por varios años, en ese entonces me aterraba Nochevieja. El año pasado estaba obsesionado con la idea de que el 2023 se volviera eterno; La última semana estirandose hasta convertirse en un bucle, repitiendose una, y otra, y otra vez… para poder disfrutar de mis vacaciones un poquito más y jamas regresar a mi empleo.
La segunda mitad de ese año se habia vuelto monótona, y no hubieron muchos momentos destacados en mi vida, ni muchos motivos por los cuales levantarse; nula motivación para hacer nada. Este año, a pesar de encontrarme transicionando de ser un ingeniero informático infeliz, a un trabajador freelance, o bien, hacia un estilo de vida de “em-pren-de-dor” (le tengo odio a las connotaciones actuales de esta palabra); donde la incertidumbre nubla mi futuro a corto plazo y evoca inseguridad y ansiedad, me encuentro desafiante e impaciente por recibir este año nuevo, a tal punto que esto me motivo a resumir los sentimientos que fueron evocados dentro de mi ser, que tuve el privilegio de recibir en este año que pasó; sensaciones, emociones, y pensamientos, en una compilación de doce canciones, de doce artistas distintos, para cada uno de los doce meses del año; doce, doce, doce, como los doce números que rodean los relojes de pared. Bueno suficientes delirios, OS presento mis 12 de 12 canciones para el 2024.
Enero - Meet the Frownies - Mr. Twin Sister#
En contraste a lo que representa la letra de esta canción; Una oda fantasiosa a la lechuga del diablo (alias, la marijuana); A un amorío que floreció en el jardín de un amigo, la razón por la cual Enero es representada por el hit contemporaneo de la banda Mr.Twin Sister, Meet The Frownies es debido a una aventurilla que tuve como escapismo de mi miseria de mi antiguo trabajo, aún si fue por un breve momento. Lan ondas del shoe gaze se escapaban de mis auriculares, en la cabina de la avioneta que me llevó rumbo Nosara, pueblo vecino de costas doradas, que se elongaban por varios kilómetros, y veian pasar a decenas de celebridades, personajes extraños (locales y extranjeros), gentrificaciones desequilibrantes y memorias surfeando, este ambiente era completamente distinto al que me encontraba hace escasos minutos en el aeropuerto Juan Santamaría (SJO).
Cómo es que una joya en una escasa docena de veranos se evaporase tan rápido; Cuando hace tan poco disfrutaba de esas playas vacias, en la epoca lluviosa, con amigos y familia? Mis recuerdos de la infancia de las dos playas de fama: Guiones y Pelada, inmediatamente manchados por el kitsch gringo: cafeterias y bungalows al son de Venice Beach, intentando emular el espiritú californiano sobre el Pura vida en Costa Rica; arrebantando las tierras de los locales a precio de liquidación (para los extranjeros), una ganga que el mismo gobierno de Costa Rica patrocinó a este puñado de nomadas digitales, otra salida blandengue que tuvo como victima la expulsión del Tico de su propio tesoro.
A pesar de esa amarga imagen, tuve la oportunidad en Nosara de re-encontrarme con mi antigua pasión: Las artes marciales. Habia un mini campamento de acondicionamiento físico y yoga cerca de Playa Guiones, donde tuve la suerte de topar con una profesora fantástica, que logro traer devuelta esos dias repletos tanto de dolor como de emoción, y deseos por vivir. Nunca fui bueno en Boxeo, Muay Thai, o Taekwondo, pero para ese Enero, Nalu Studio ofrecía clases de pugilismo. Me sentía en paz y sintonía con mi mente y espíritu; Cada jab, hook y strike expulsaba aquellas emociones que habia dejado embotelladas por años desde que ocurrió aquel accidente…
Pugilear no fue lo unico que hice durante mis tres noches en Nosara. Renté una tabla de surf y recibí clases privadas con un profesor Tico (Gracias Dios). Era obvio que los pocos ticos de la academia estaban sorprendidos por ver otro tico más en Nosara. Me mencionaron como era el primer tico en recibir clases de surf - otro guiño más a la gentrificación que ha castrado el turismo nacional - y me ofrecieron el descuento de nacionales =) Pasé mi último atardecer en Guiones aprendiendo a fallar el arte de dominar las olas, con mi longboard alquilada, mi camisa de manga larga (alquilada) y un risueño bloqueador que cubría mi rostro, cortesia de mi profesor de surf. Fue una hora fugaz, pero en ese entonces se sentía alucinante intentar conquistar el desafio de la tabla y las olas verdes, una experiencia que busco repetir muy pronto.
Todos esos momentos, junto a mis caminatas diarias en Pelada y Guiones, mis gulas en los poquitos restaurantes de nacionales, mi consciencia sumergida en la brisa de mar que chocaba en las costas de Nosara, invocan a esta banda a tocar ese canción en el teatro de mis recuerdos, como si la voz de Andrea Estella (La vocalista de la banda) me pudiera transportar a aquel horizonte sin fin, donde mis ojos captivaban un mar de personas, una multitud de olas, una carretera de arena salpicando gotas de agua cada vez que mi bicicleta alquilada y yo marchabamos por ahi…
Febrero - Give Up - Low Roar#
Febrero was a month in which I felt stressed over a lot of external factors. My mother needed to go under surgery for a malignant growth in her skin, and my return to work just a couple weeks prior was marked by a lot of team changes (Under my tenure at ActiveCampaign, I rotated teams at least five times), and I needed to juggle this delicate work life balance of mine, with my final french lessons (Oh la la). Low Roar has always found a way to soothe those feelings of despair that crept over my shoulders during these difficult times, its angelic voice emerging from Ryan Karazija’s lips made me feel at peace, if only for the three minute duration of this underrated jewel.
Ryan went on to create another three dream pop albums along with his group of musicians, before tragically passing away on Octubre 2022, from sickness. His death, along with Bowie’s passing are some of the events that have left a grueling impact in me, and millions of fans around the world, I’m sure of that…
Marzo - Tio Minuter - Parson Sound#
Water shortages in Costa Rica had already been around for most of Febrero, and would stay here until late Junio. These water shortages went on for at least three days per week, from 7am to 7pm. It’s hard to picture a world without such a basic necessity, and yet many people around the globe constantly drown in the quest to satiate their thirst. My outlook for Costa Rica looked quite bleak; Uncertainty, social disorder and a petri dish of crises droning around my head, Tio Minuter, from the now defunct Nordic psychedelic rock band, Pärson Sound, was the etiquette I thought about for this month, marking a period of constant anguish that’s well identified with the loud horns and electrical drones buzzing in the ears of the listeners of Tio Minuter.
Abril - Nevermind the Living Dead - Stuck in the Sound#
I was never a big fan of Stuck in the Sound. During Abril, I was contacted by several companies, offering me the chance to apply to a niche of full-stack developer openings. Most of the time, I was assigned some take home assignments, and I listened to Nevermind the Living Dead, the album of the French rock group Stuck in the Sound (SITS). The homologous track of the album, made me remember the times me and some childhood friends would play around the neighborhood, during the late 2000s and early 2010s. It made me wonder if those days were truly gone.. how could they be gone so quickly?
That was until late Abril, when Erick (another childhood friend) and I received the devastating news from another childhood friend, Emmanuel: His beloved grandmother (who our family was very close with) had just passed away, a couple days prior.
Erick and I were there at the funeral, not only to respect her memory, but also to uplift our friend’s spirits (At the time, Emmanuel lived in the US, while his grandma lived here in CR). Nevermind the Living Dead is a song that I can identify with this month, despite the singer’s broken English in this song, the melodies made me remember how quickly time goes by, and how important it is to cherish those around you.
Mayo - Feelings (Blind Digital Citizen Remix) - Concorde#
Mayo was my last month together with my old french class! It was also the month that culminated with my graduation from the 10th (and final) french level in the French Alliance. We threw a big party at a local celebrity’s apartment, who I had the privilege of being classmates with for three whole levels (gracias Nancy!). Mayo is also my birthday month! and since I reached the ripe age 24, I went to a local italian restaurant with my family so that I could enjoy some tasty pizza. The mood around the time was nostalgic, dense, uncertain, like those feelings evoked from the Blind Digital Citizen remix of Concorde’s track, Feelings. Also, that month I used to drive early in the mornings to my swimming classes (6 AM) and I would play this song along the way.
Junio - Spoon - Cibo Matto#
It’s funny how I mentioned Italian cuisine in the previous month, while saving the Italian sounding group name Cibo Matto for junio (and no, Cibo Matto is NOT an Italian music band). My interviews at a certain company, turned south at the very end, and I soon found myself having wasted more than 4 hours within 9 different interviews. To throw some more salt to the wound, I was rejected a promotion by my boss that same month and I caught some awful cold that ruined my immune system for the latter half of Junio; the stress of my job and me preparing everything for all these job interviews, taxed my body spectacularly. Junio had a very accelerated, frenetic mood, and Cibo Matto’s song Spoon upbeat yet hyperactive tone reflects this accurately. A month of failures that went by quickly.
Julio - Generator - Justice#
The Olympics, my favorite time of the Olympiad period (an Olympiad is a four-year period from the previous Olympics ceremony until the next). Justice was the main protagonist in Julio’s musical scene, especially considering their newly released album, HYPERDRAMA, just a couple months back. Julio’s song, Generator, was a breathe of fresh air. For me, this song is very intoxicating, rebellious, and I found it fitting when it played at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics: The crowd echoing their cheers across the stadium, as the Olympic athletes parade triumphantly around the arena, showing pride in their achievements, something from these whole setting made me wish I was there, part of the Olympian army - a vague daydream emerging from a monotone lifestyle lacking of passion and meaning…
Agosto - Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground & Nico#
The last Monday of Agosto, I had to drive myself to the SJO airport. Four years ago, I made a promise to my old friend Emilio, who was now living in Japan at the time, and I was just about to fulfill it. Monday Agosto 30th marked my first solo intercontinental trip; From Costa Rica to Japan. During these last days of the month, I binged The Velvet Underground’s first album. Peel Slowly and See… - it’s front-cover phrase always caught my attention, Warhol was a funny man indeed.
Even though I left on Monday, I wanted to spend my last weekend as peaceful as possible. Who knows, it could’ve been my last, had the plane taken a deadly turn, and if I was going to die that day, then I wanted to eat some pizza, hang out with some friends, return home and tune in loop the famous Velvet Underground song, Sunday Morning. It sounded so fresh, so dreamy, as if I was transported back to childhood where I would roam around a giant supermarket’s aisles, curious of the world around me, of the colourful products and aromas that governed the grocery store, or as if it transported me back to those early days in kindergarten, our lives unbothered by the rat race, and instead I found myself playing in the greeneries surrounding the playgrounds.
Setiembre - THAT’S THE SOUND - EMILIO#
Self-explanatory. I spent most of Setiembre in Japan, surrounded by its Shinto shrines, Royal castles, natural landscapes and neon bathed metropolis. I was there to fulfill a promise; To visit my friend, Emilio, and to assist one of its techno concerts. If you’d like to read more about how that went, you can check out the following article:
And obviously, I dedicated this month to his new song: THAT’S THE SOUND (Original Mix). An energetic techno piece that complemented my endless supply of adventures in the land of the rising sun. This will be the only song in the blog entry that’s without a YouTube embed, but fear not, SoundCloud hosts this techno track, and if I find a way to integrate SoundCloud as a short code in the blog, then I’ll update the blog entry so that it’s easier to listen to DJ EMILIO SoundCloud track =)
Octubre - Some Are - David Bowie#
It seems as if I was absorbed completely, into a different reality just a month prior, in which I was ecstatic and full of energy. And now, heavy rain covered the distance whenever I looked outside, the drumming of droplets muffled all joy out of my self, as I found myself trapped at my breaking point:
A daily grind that had sucked my soul away; A solitude that bathed me with each day that passed; And a country which suffocated me with stray bullets and socio-cultural desolation. My body yearned for adventure, for a way out of this place, but I found none of it, no thrill that made my heart skip, no trip to please the impatient mind that was ruminating on what to do next, as it was clear I had reached my limit at my previous job and soon after, took a leap of faith, by quitting and embracing this blog fully.
Some Are - the unreleased track of Bowie’s first Berlin Trilogy album: Low, captured these feelings, with its wolves crying from the distance, the single piano note from the ouverture dangling in preparation of the now-sober Starman whispering its lyrics. Some are bound to fail, summer winter some… are - Bowie modulated in a wave of murmurs and sighed expressions; His exhaustion paralleled mine during this time; spiritually, mentally and physically.
During those rainy days, I would mirror from under my eyelids, a pale white scenario in which my body sunk at the snow, now burgundy tainted from the open injuries across my physique, and then I’d force myself to climb the tundra in front of me, with my broken sleigh, as the wolves howled from a distance, spotting its next prey…
Noviembre - Ay no puedo - The Marias#
Suffered some form of heartbreak at any point of your life? It’s ok, so did I, and so did Maria Zardoya, the lead singer of the Puerto-Rican/American music group, The Marias. Her new album (Submarine) with her music group, steers away from the usual lovey-dovey, cinematic intensity of its predecessors without abandoning the psychedelic, latino-pop roots that characterized their early shows from the last decade.
Submarine is a blue masterpiece, dwelling on the pain of letting someone else go, something us humans must deal with during love ruptures, while battling the efforts of the subconscious mind, constantly reminding us of the What If’s from a has-been relationship shattered to pieces. Ay no puedo is a song that treats the dazzle that burns holes through the hearts of many, after a romance goes wrong. Noviembre fits this theme accurately for me at least.
Diciembre - Jak III Credits Pt.2 - Josh Mancell & Larry Hopkins#
Last but not least, Diciembre. This month, usually nostalgic for your dear author, usually glum too, was actually more upbeat than in previous years. The mood reminded me of a video game I used to play on circa 20 years ago in my PS2. Jak III was the zenith of my all-time favorite video game franchise Jak & Daxter, and it went out grandiosely after you beat the final boss (Cyber-Errol and the Dark Makers) in the Wasteland, in order to redeem the betrayed protagonist and save the world.
The first part of the credits features a triumphant orchestra, congratulating the player for beating the game and completing the last adventure in the trilogy, but it’s really the second part of the credit’s theme composed by Josh Mancell & Larry Hopkins, that seals the deal for me. It offers a stark contrast to the champion’s instrumental of the first half, by laying down a sense of certainty and excitement for what’s to come, now that the war is finally over, a glimpse to the next generation, to the future.
The crescendos, the melodies and the soothing expansion of sounds, it all sounds as if you were getting comforted by an invisible hand, telling you that no matter what’s to come, you are not alone, and everything is going to be alright..