By Jen Capriola, Elaine Mei, and Abby Burrows
Cover art by Isabel Burke (@theflightlessartist)
There are so many different conditions for change: physical, temporal, emotional. How do we represent such change or begin to make sense of it all?
This collection of songs embodies the myriad of ways transition has manifested within our lives during this pandemic-uprising. In “Them Changes,” Thundercat reflects on the process of navigating transitions and coping with losses, knowing the future is uncertain. Sampling from Fiddler on the Roof, Flo Milli blends present and past in “Roaring 20s” leading us to wonder: to which 20’s, 1900’s or now, is she truly referring? Meanwhile, on “What Are We Gonna Do Now,” Indigo De Souza manifests transition through the musical structure of the piece itself.
Transitional phases operate within a liminal space: simultaneously looking back and looking forward. Looking back, how do we grapple with our demons, knowing that growth comes from a process of engaging with the traumas we’ve inherited from the past and our ancestors? Looking forward, how do we take the lessons we’ve learned from the past and utilize them to fuel our Places/Plans for the future?
Periods of transition can be the hardest yet inspire the most growth. As a sprout struggles to break through the frost and winter bitterly gives itself over to spring, transition can bring our hopes and desires into fruition.
