With spring just around the corner for most of us, undoubtedly, my mind turned toward emotions conjured by such in-between periods. There’s something about the transition from the cold/steely blues, beiges, and gray gradients of a winter season into the pastels of spring that can’t help but put anyone in a warmer, sunnier disposition. And like a few of you, it’s these seasonal thoughts that spur me to lean toward those songs I covet the most around this time: love ballads.
As with any LYL Radio mix I curate, I try to not to retread well-worn ground. I always try to share something different, something that might expand or challenge your taste. And this time around, I thought it was time to tap into music most would call “adult contemporary” – that supposed scourge of everyone’s liminal waiting room – and reframe its assumed softness and accessibility, finding the worth in the worthwhile. I thought: When a sentimental feeling is expressed quite thoroughly, and passionately, who’s to say all this music can’t be its own powerful thing? Put together, why can’t we open ourselves to feel the actual weight of every single fringe in a feather?
In the maelstrom of our shuffle down this mortal coil, pushing us to slide through a seemingly, never-ending, doom loop, I wanted an hour to hold back, slow down and nudge us to earnestly love, love.
In the end, I thought, who’s ever been hurt when they try a little tenderness?
“Discos De Amor”
Tracklist:
Rosana – Riscos Do Amor
Michelle Chen (陳冠蒨) – 你若是愛我請你說出口
John “Johnny Bug” Chen (小蟲) – 一往情深-
Brenda Russell – Waiting For You
Viktor Lazlo – Maxime
Nino Buonocore – Anche Questo è Amore
Priscilla Chan (陈慧娴) – Joe Le Taxi
Yoshimi Iwasaki (岩崎良美) – Blue Line
David Wu (吳大維) – 妳最好相信我
Yukio Sasaki (佐々木幸男) – 雨の Milk Tea
Beverley Craven – Joey
Annie Yi (伊能靜) – 洗衣服
Marcela Passadore – Canción en Noviembre
Martin Destrée – Orage