hello.

On the cusp of German winter #4, I finally feel like I’ve got this season figured out.

What’s taken so long? Two things.

1.) I will readily admit that I am a giant wimp in cold climates, but only if I can to cling to my theory that I am neither genetically designed nor socially inclined to survive minus-anything temperatures. My peeps are from Sub-Saharan Africa, and I was raised in a city that, in it’s coldest month, averages 12°C. In Sydney, winter is a brief inconvenience that you tolerate because it’s that, or move to Queensland. Nobody has central heating, because nobody needs it. You buy a beanie, a small heater, and you do the dinner party circuit for two months. You amuse yourself by purchasing winter boots, and Febreeze the sweat out of them 10 weeks later. I still remember one Saturday in June 2007 when – briefly living in Melbourne – I quite literally abandoned my friends mid-shopping (possibly mid-sentence?) for the comforts of home, because the temperature had dropped to 6°C. I. could. not. take. it. anymore. I hit my limit, and the underside of my doona (transl. duvet) not long after. In my defence, the cold weather actually made front page news that day!

2.) During my first Berlin winter, it didn’t snow so much. Also, I was new, fresh, wide-eyed and regularly traveling abroad as part of my former job. Looking back, I’m surprised that nobody punched me in the face when I bigged myself up for breezing through that first winter; I’d scored a business trip to a music conference in the south of France at the beginning of that February, and a 4-week holiday in Sydney a couple of weeks later, i.e. I was a smug git without a clue. The 2nd year, I stayed in town, but my inner 6.y.o was delighted and distracted by all the fluffy white snow. SO much! SO FLUFFY! The fluffy white snow soon became ice that was ugly, gritty, yellow-gray in colour and homicidal (I have the wrist x-ray to prove it), but before we knew it, Berlin was rewarded with a wonderful suprise party, called ‘Summer In April’. Huzzah! And then came the third winter. I honestly don’t like to dwell on that 2009-2010 period too much, but when I do happen to refer to it, the terms “death”, “hell”, “doom” and “breaking my brain” get used a lot. It felt like Berlin was being punished. Boooo

So now that I’ve experienced 3 different extremes of German winter (love! hate! avoid!), I feel prepared, physically and mentally for the fourth. I have a sheload of work, a wee bit of travel, and a cast iron daily routine to see me through. I am mothafuckin’ ready.

I refuse to be excited, or terrified or mentally incapacitated by German winter any longer, and subsequently that’s freed up a little bit of drawer space in my brain to start noticing something else. Namely, that I’m slowing dooooooooown. I’m not more tired than normal, or physically going about my day at a slower pace, but if there’s a seasonal equivalent to the body’s daily circadian rhythm, mine is shifting into some kind of bear-like hibernation mode. I’ve never been aware of it before, so it’s a bit weird, but seems logical; the nights are coming sooner, the mornings later, and I’ll be cruising on a lower gear until it’s all over.

I was Skyping with a friend earlier today, who mentioned that the impending frost has inspired him to unearth some of his old gloomy rock favourites, and it occurred to me that I’ve naturally been gravitating towards slower, deeper sounds as well the last few weeks. It’s more than likely something I’ve taken on through osmosis, after spending too much time in the company of the excellent Autonomic podcasts, but I thought it could be nice to gather some of these tracks to share the cockle-warming.  I hope to fashion these into a mix at some point in the next few weeks, if I don’t succumb to a deep hibernation slumber first. If I do, I hope you enjoy them as they are.

Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family – That Song

Tricky – Pumpkin

Illa Man – Doo Doo

Al Usher – Lullaby For Robert (Bogdan Irkük remix)

Riya – Seems Like

The Other People Place – You Said You Want Me

Human League – Circus of Death

Actress – Und U Boat

Late Invitation – The Late Invitation Theme

Martyn – Bridge

David Bowie/Philip Glass – Heroes (Aphex Twin remix)