Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas Center team's favorite ways to stay entertained indoors! In each post we’ll share with you our picks for what to read, watch, listen to, and more.

Our Friday Favorites: Remixed series looks back at the dozens of suggestions our staff have made over the last few months, collecting them by theme and adding a couple new suggestions to help you find exactly what you most want to nerd out to!

This week’s remix highlights the musicians and bands we’ve recommended so far who have released new music since the beginning of the call to shelter-in-place. Whether originally planned to release during these months or a product of the artists’ creativity in an unexpected situation, there has been a lot of new work to explore.

Song: "Stay Where You Are" by Yuna

Mid-May, Yuna released a new song recorded at home titled "Stay Where You Are," in which she reflects on taking time for herself and what it means to be apart from her loved ones. The artist is creating a video for the project featuring clips from fans. You can see a sample of the video and submit your own contribution on her website: https://yunamusic.com/

Yuna's album Rouge was recommended by Kaitlyn Ellison, Performing Arts and Culture Manager

"Yuna's music is smooth and catchy. She released Rouge mid-2019, and it is a great afternoon listen with indie pop and R&B vibes — and her collaborators come from all over the world. A highlight for me is the song (and video) for 'Castaway.' She has also been going live with quirky short clips during shelter in place!"

Find it on: Yuna's website: "Stay Where You Are" | Rouge

Series: Sunday Brunch Sessions with My Analog Journal

DJ Zag Erlat has continued to release new videos every week over the last couple of months under the moniker My Analog Journal, not just in his Coffee Break Sessions but also in Guest Mixes featuring other DJs and a new series called Sunday Brunch Sessions, which has largely been focusing on Turkish music.

Coffee Break Sessions was recommended by Liz Nguyen, Production Technician

"Zag Erlat's Coffee Break Sessions are 30 minutes of pure vinyl grooves. The sessions have a variety of different themes ranging from Bollywood grooves to Japanese '70s funk. Great to zone out to — I always find myself bopping my head to the beats. My favorite is 'CBS: Japanese Drama Funk & OST vinyl set.'"

Find it on: SoundCloud | YouTube

Album: Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn (Self-titled)

Recommended by Stephanie Todd Wong, Director of Performing Arts and Culture

"A new Smithsonian Folkways recording with the collaborative duo that showcases the similarity of folk music through two very different cultures. It simultaneously connects me to my present work and reminds me of home, growing up in the bluegrass hills of Kentucky."

Find it on: Smithsonian Folkways Recording

Video: "Phenom" by Thao & the Get Down Stay Down

Early in the shelter-in-place order and shortly after we published Alauna's original recommendation, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down released a music video for "Phenom," their new single from 2020 release Temple. The video was shot over Zoom in a single take, and despite the complex coordination involved, took only a week to produce.

A Man Alive was recommended by Alauna Rubin, Production Manager

"I would recommend the album A Man Alive by Thao & the Get Down Stay Down — super groovy rocking indie folk. Their new album, Temple, is coming out in May and the single they just released is a great place to start."

Find it on: Spotify: A Man Alive | Temple

Album: Not Our First Goat Rodeo

We are eagerly looking forward to the upcoming album reuniting Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile for a follow-up to 2011's groundbreaking The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Not Our First Goat Rodeo is due to be released on June 19, and the group has released three songs in the last few months that you can preview on various platforms.

This collaboration was recommended by Janine Mae Arostique, Development Manager, in her Deep Dive

"This collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Tihle, and Stuart Duncan is a match made in heaven. It's neither completely classical nor bluegrass, but something we all needed."

Find it on: Not Our First Goat Rodeo

Album: Future Teenager Cage Artists by Deerhoof

Deerhoof's newest album, Future Teenage Cage Artists, is now available to listen to on various platforms. But you can also sample the album through the official lyric video for the album's eponymous first single, which was released in late March.

Future Teenage Cage Artists was recommended by Alauna Rubin, Production Manager, in his Deep Dive

"Deerhoof's new album Future Teenage Cage Artists is coming out on May 29 and I'm super excited to hear it. They've released two songs from the album as singles already and they sound wild. I'm a sucker for cool sounds, and Deerhoof has consistently released music that takes sonic risks."

Find it on: Joyful Noise Recordings

Music Videos: Dream Songs: The Essential Joe Hisaishi

In the last couple of months, composer Joe Hisaishi has released several animated music videos for pieces in his album Dream Songs, including this video for Nostalgia and another called World Dreams. This album as a whole is a great introduction to the composer as it features many of his most memorable pieces from film, but expands to other works beyond that.

Joe Hisaishi was recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Education, Outreach, and Data Coordinator

"I listen to Joe Hisaishi's music in the mornings. He's the composer for most of the music in the Studio Ghibli films and other movies. I find his style nostalgic and I particularly like the Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle soundtracks."

Find it on: Spotify | YouTube

Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and United Airlines, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsor of Education & Outreach; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

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About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.