CORRESPONDENCE #1: Blessings 2 Go, él Records, and a shared dialogue
Welcome to the first issue of this irregularly published newsletter (or micro-fanzine?), by Stefan Zachrisson.
The name CORRESPONDENCE comes from the simple idea that the content involves a shared dialogue between me and other people, something friendly created a bit outside of dominant social media feeds.
Every issue will be free, with a similar format (text, audio, a top 10), mainly about music. Professionally I’m a librarian at a design school, living in Stockholm, Sweden – though the newsletter will be written in English.
The premiere newsletter consists of these three items:
1. Text: In this first issue I will simply link to some recent things I’ve written, as a kind of introduction.
2. Audio: BLESSINGS 2 GO, “This Stance”. New music (from another librarian!).
3. Top 10: Some of my favourite songs released during January–April 2025.
1. Text
Recent published writing: “On the Passage of a Few People Through a Rather Brief Moment in Time”, an interview for the US website Chickfactor with Mark Goodall about Bright Young Things: The Art and Philosophy of él Records, his new book about Mike Alway’s pop-art label mainly active in the mid/late 1980s, published by Ventil Verlag. I have been a reader of Gail O’Hara’s Chickfactor fanzine since well, forever so it does feel special for me to finally contribute with some writing.
And then some texts written in Swedish: “Svensk punkfilm” (translation: “Swedish punk movies”, such as Göran Hugo Olsson’s England 79) for Svensk Filmdatabas (the Swedish Film Institute’s archival website); about records by The Orielles and Marxist Love Disco Ensemble in the I Hear a New World: Ny musik för hållbar utveckling 2020–2023 book; and, finally, liner notes for the CD reissue of Stockholmssviten, Tom Wolgers’ 1987 album and collaboration with photographer Bruno Ehrs.
2. Audio
BLESSINGS 2 GO “THIS STANCE”
”BLESSINGS 2 GO is a contemplative practice steeped in bootleg culture, dhamma ambient and amino acid house. (We are free.)” Performed by a Swedish librarian residing in Connecticut, USA. Additional vocals by Nishelle Gonzalez.
Top 10
NEW SONGS JANUARY–APRIL 2025
1. These New Puritans “Bells”
2. Real Lies & Jessica Barden “Finding Money”
3. Art Longo “Sharks”
4. Destroyer “Cataract Time”
5. World of Dog “Chihuahua Sunrise”
6. Richard Dawson “More Than Real”
7. The Go! Team “Hold Yr Terror Close” (The Orielles Rework)
9. Little Simz, Obonjayar, Moonchild Sanelly “Flood”
8. Louis Philippe & The Night Mail “Pictures of Anna”
10. Civilistjävel! & Thomas Bush “XIX”
correspondence(n.)early 15c., "congruence, resemblance, harmony, agreement," from Medieval Latin correspondentia, from correspondentem (nominative correspondens), present participle of correspondere "correspond, harmonize, reciprocate," from assimilated form of com "together, with (each other)" (see com-) + respondere "to answer" (see respond). Sense of "communication by letters" is first attested 1640s; that of "the letters which pass between correspondents" is from 1771.