The present is where Castro relishes his attention, but it’s a present layered with memory and subjectivity.
Moldy Strawberries – Caio Fernando Abreu
An existentialist dread runs throughout the narratives as they are marked by an exploration of the self, expressing the fears of a generation facing incredible challenges.
Everything is Totally Fine – Zac Smith
If there is one thing Smith’s time capsule of Americana can teach us is to listen to our dreams and nightmares and allow them to prompt new ways of living.
An album based on a novel about a 2020’s apocalypse written in the 1990’s resonated with listeners in ways that I couldn’t have imagined when I started writing the songs many years ago.
Everything Like Before – Kjell Askildsen
Askildsen’s particular gift is the subtle way he imbues these mundane moments with so much frustration and rage, which creates an atmosphere of electric disquiet.
Having combed real-life storytelling for narrative ticks, she seems to have grown out of them, seeking another, meta and autofictional register in her own writing.
You’ve Changed – Pyae Moe Thet War
In this sensitively observed collection, the freedom to define oneself is achieved not only through the rebellion against cultural constraints, but also the embrace of the provisional nature of identity.
I wanted to write about a lost Florida, my Florida, if you will.
No one can truly count on not ending up a montage of old photos, accompanied by piano music, a Hollywood voiceover, or a share button.
Randhawa has a control over language that I rarely encounter. There is a feeling of each word having been specifically selected, purposeful descriptions that alter the way we talk about the things around us.