No, I have not seen Barbie or Oppenheimer yet. Surely, I will soon? (Heavy on the question mark.)
It’s been a bit of a weird month for me! When it comes to ranking the months of the year, July probably falls near the bottom of my list. Though the peak of summer for many, for me, it’s a reminder of listlessness, of unbearable heat, of languid days that bring along an anxious need to Do Something instead of taking it all in. It doesn’t help that it’s the halfway mark of the year, which comes with the pressure of needing something to show for it, or at least, show what you’re working towards.
But who wants to do that in this heat! In these slow, summer days! Contradictory in my book!
I hope to eventually write more for this silly newsletter, but my thoughts are stars I can’t fathom into constellations, etc. Maybe it’s a feat in and of itself that I’m able to keep up with this monthly at the least.
This summer, I’m thinking a lot about perspective. The world shifts under your gaze if you let it.
Music
Version Up, Odd Eye Circle
Odd Eye Circle is a sub-unit of K-pop group LOONA, and this is their first release as a unit since their debut in 2017. To start a comeback album with a track titled “Did You Wait?” that samples their previous songs before going into their new one? That’s just history.
The album has elements of hyperpop, jersey club, and alt R&B, and the entire vibe is similar to their debut but matured—growth without forgetting their roots.
“Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
My favorite thing about “Vampire” is the way it builds. It starts soft, with a lone piano accompanying Olivia’s vocals, but as we enter the chorus and second verse, guitar and synths come in. At the end of the second chorus, drums and vocalization are added before launching into the bridge and exploding into the ending.
It’s such a fun listen, and with biting lyrics, so fun to sing along to, which is just the marker of a great Olivia Rodigo song in my opinion.
“Hear Me Out” by EXO
As a whole, the latest EXO album, Exist, is a solid listen, but the song I listened to on repeat is “Hear Me Out.” It has an old school R&B sound, and it’s a bit perfect for the summer—chill and groovy, a head bop as you’re out and about (I listened to it on repeat on the train).
Plus, their vocals? Never miss.
Reads
Beach Read by Emily Henry
I re-read Beach Read this month, and having read three out of the four Emily Henry romance books out so far (I’m so sorry People We Meet on Vacation, I will pick you up again eventually), this is still my favorite. The enemies-to-lovers with a small town beach setting, the work through of grief, the self-awareness of what ‘happily ever after’ could possibly mean in a real-life context…it simply has it all.
TV & Film (& YouTube)
(I watch a lot of YouTube instead of, like, other long-form content :/)
An appropriately unhinged recap of LOST (Season 1)
I’ve never watched Lost and there is a low chance I ever will. My only exposure before this video was: 1) an episode of Ace of Cakes, where they made a cake to celebrate 100 episodes of Lost, and 2) that episode of Community where Abed finds a DVD set of Lost season one as a metaphor for the meaning of Christmas.
Despite the lack of context and prior interest, this recap from Mike’s Mic was so comprehensive and entertaining. I recommended the video to multiple friends. I started reading up on the cast and show myself, including this Vanity Fair article about the toxic culture behind the camera. I have the iconic line “Yuh talkin’ ‘bout the numbahs?” in my head on repeat.
Such an impressive undertaking to make, and extremely worth the two hour and thirty-five minute watch.
Some recs:
“Air Force One” by Odd Eye Circle
“Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
“Hear Me Out” by EXO
An appropriately unhinged recap of LOST (Season 1) from Mike’s Mic
Thank you for reading! You can read my previous post here: June Wrapped.
If you’re a Kpopper (or even if you’re not!), my friends and I are planning a cupsleeve for August. I designed the social graphics! Come through.
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