Tape 0303 ~ Justin

The tares, no debts, esuna - Justin has worn many names, a digital footprint misted across evening rays. Most recently releasing as Kulowo Wawega with the LP "yearn" on sair, their practice "finds grace in the daily struggles, sacrifices and surrenders of the human experience." Reflect and enlighten.

Texture Magazine · Tape 0303 ~ Justin

~ What does friendship mean to the way you make and release music?

I'm learning to share my music with friends more to get feedback...I wanna move more into the orientation of being in bands (with friends) for fun and collaborative projects.

~ Do you meditate? What do you meditate on?

Yeah. I try to meditate daily on the cross of Jesus Christ crucified, and the holy scriptures.

~ Why use a range of monikers to release music? What does it mean to have a malleable identity online?

I just end up no longer liking or relating to the name. Hm, I care less now about having an online identity. Mystery can be attractive, but it's easy to fall into a void of nothingness.

~ Are the shadows of the internet valuable, warm, cold? I'm interested in the entanglement of temporary online presence and permanent physical connections and friendships. How do you weave these together and what do they mean.

The social sphere of the internet is a strange place. I love the internet as a tool for discovery. I've definitely made a lot of friends via the internet in the past... but honestly, a lot of people I still talk to today I met somehow in the physical. I'm currently in a place where I don't really find social media productive at this point in my life as I'm growing older. I don't know if there will be much of a thread through how I go about relationships related to the internet other than maintaining the ones I already have.

~ How do you read the Blues?

I don't know a lot about the blues but I'm interested in the history of it and the sound.

~ Is permanence possible, or necessary? What does nomadism mean to you when things can appear to be so fixed.

The idea of permanence can be practical, I think. I'm currently in a place where I'd like to believe that. I don't know about nomadism, but wherever God tells me to go, I will go. The only fixed thing seems to be destiny.

~ What does it mean to yearn?

Psalm 126:5-6

esuna · you'll see (mercy) w/yma

~ How do you manage balance being proactive in a creative practice that appears to respond so heavily to the world around you - daily struggles, joys, chances and unexpected movements?

Prayer, prioritizing rest, keeping loved ones so, so close. Surrender.

~ How do race and politics intersect in your music? Are these even valid frameworks for understanding what you produce?

I think about neither. I write about being in this body and the unique experiences I've had in this skin, but it's not inherently political music. Maybe in some projects past though...

~ Have you ever been a regular member of a congregation ? If so what did that experience mean to you.

Yeah, I go to church. It can be difficult. It's impossible for anyone in Christ to be moved by the Holy Spirit 100% of the time. It's a moment to moment death and yielding.. So you get some ego sometimes. But wherever God is, that is where I wanna be, whether its my room, a church, in the field, a studio, any location can become an altar.

~ I'm interested in regularity and structure around musical, religious, spiritual, connective experiences - do you think it's possible without tenets or frameworks?

Firstly, I'm still learning this: There are things God likes and that He dislikes. Everyone worships something with varying results, and our soul (conscience) testifies to this. Jesus is the way (or framework) and everything else is everything else.

~ What are your earliest memories of devotion?

Play-fighting with toys and feeling the joy of the Father.

Henry Hues · 13 ft Justin

~ How does prayer inform your work?

Not as much as I wish it did, but I want to do more worshipful stuff.

~ I'm interested in drone and noise as tools for heightened experience. There are parts of the tape which move into really noisy territory and sometimes it can push the listener to tune in, other times to tune out. What do you make of drone as an experiential tool?

Drone or feedback is nice when it happens... for me it marks a shift, you really can either lean in or be distracted/put-off by it. Recently, I had this experience at a prayer meeting, it almost felt like I was at some audio-visual immersive experience in NYC.. They had the book of Revelation scrolling on LED screens on the left and right and on the middle screen they were playing the Jesus movie, I think from like the 70's... That was playing and this worship song was playing that I don't really remember, but yeah, during the movie after Mary anointed Jesus, and wiped His feet w/ her hair and tears, this drone/feedback started happening for like a solid about 2 minutes as I guess the person was trying to transition to another track. It was kinda transcendental.

~ Do you believe in ghosts?

The Holy Ghost!

~ What's your favourite noise?

"50 Healing Scriptures converted to White Noise For Sleep" Highly recommend.

~ What would be the soundtrack to your funeral?

If I die before Andy, then I think Andrew Aged playing guitar. Or just soaking music.

~ You have a time machine and can travel into either the past or future to experience a musical performance. Where, and when, do you go?

Honestly, the throne room or heavenly music I've heard in my dreams that I wish I could have recordings of.

~ A song that always makes you move?

Currently: Sittin' On Top of the World by Brandy feat Ma$e

~ A song that always moves you?

Currently: Jesus, We Love You the Cindy Rose Parrish Version

~ $$$ Plug Zone: Tell us about upcoming projects, news, shows, spam, advertising, useless info etc

Besties have new music out: The World Is A Miracle by Henry Hues

BANDCAMP:

Stay tuned for future releases ♡

~ Tracklist


Interview by Christian Jones


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