On her forthcoming record, Friend, the New York City electronica legend James K kicks into a different creative gear entirely. Though the artist—real name: Jamie Krasner—has been releasing music for over a decade, her new music seems like the culmination of years of study. It’s a big-screen breakbeat pop wash ready for international rinse. It’s the kind of music that makes us curious to know what the artist’s personal Best Songs for hyper-specific situations are, so we asked her. Read the article, and listen to her new single “Doom Bikini,” below. Friend is out September 5th on AD93.
Best Song for walking around solo in Ridgewood, Queens?
“Hey Sandy” by Polaris
Theme song to one of my favorite shows as a kid. This song makes me nostalgic for my childhood (and grunge), when things were slow motion and every blink was new and magic. I try to walk every day to slow myself down, to get back to that stage, to get at the pace our brains are evolved to perceive, this is my jam.
Best Song that makes you want to make music?
“Land of My Dreams (live)” by Anna Domino
This is a cover of an Aretha Franklin song, both twist deep into my heart. I love when a cover of a song is equally as good as the original, and able to translate the idea while retaining simplicity, getting to the core of the song. The core of this song is the emotion held by the singer, and Anna Domino’s version is simple and raw in herself, just as Aretha’s was in herself. Both versions rile some urge in me to translate my emotions (into music).
Best Song that is over ten minutes long?
“G - Excessive Mix” by Sex Tags Mania (Unknown Artist)
Found this record at the old Halcyon in Dumbo around the time it was released. Beautiful techno, very lush and emotive. Myth of the artist unknown, and it appears to be a one-take jam they made, just a real moment in time with a lot of feeling intact. One of my all time favorites.
Best Song that you don't like but still gets stuck in your head?
“Heads High” by Mr. Vegas
I had this in my head when I was a kid for three years straight. It still lingers there when my brain is fried, synapses looping. There is this movie called Touching the Void about these two alpine hikers that attempt to hike a peak in the Andes which no one has ever hiked before. During their hike, one of the two falls into a crevasse and the other, attached by a rope, can’t pull him up, so he cuts the rope and leaves him for dead. The one who falls into the crevasse has broken his legs but he is still alive and is now going to die a long death of cold and starvation. He wills himself to get out of the crevasse and miraculously does. He then, in the middle of a storm, without food for days and broken legs, crawls his way down the mountain. There are very psychedelic moments where, due to the pain, cold, and lack of water and food, his mind is stuck in a loop pattern and one song is on repeat in his head like purgatory for days. “Heads High” by Mr. Vegas would be that song for me.
Best Song that reminds you of Providence?
“Track 7 (Pop)” by Gas
This song has nothing to do with Providence or the music coming out of there at the time I lived there, but I used to play this album on repeat on headphones while working in my studio, and I had multiple nice experiences with it on drugs while there as well. It definitely encapsulates a core memory for me of that time.
Best Song to listen to at sunrise after you have been out all night?
“Come Down (July Mix)” by Life Form
The first time I heard this it was played at a rave in the morning during mid summer when the sun was fully out and I was meeting my best friend for the first time. As the title states…
Best Song by a trip-hop artist not made in the 90s?
“Fish Oil” by Seth
What’s trip hop again?
Best Song to listen to while eating breakfast at a diner?
“What I Am” by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
I feel like all diners have special radio stations tuned to 90s soft rock, how do they do that? This is a song I’ve most definitely heard dipping some crust into an egg yolk at a diner somewhere in the US, thinking, “philosophy is the talk on the cereal box.”
Best Song to listen to when you feel like rocking out?
“B.O.B.” by Outkast
Giving me some hyperactive kid energy.
Best song to feel the burn?
“Triple Cherry” by Foxgluv
Birth to lyrics like, “Triple cherry very fairy goddess supreme / Jackpot tripping candy flipping / Whipping creme dream.” “Hop in scotch and zadoo zippidy / Sync synca ah syncaty / In and out of fractal flipity / Red vine twisted licorice / Mm so delicious / Girl make a wish / Transcendental bliss.’
Shout out to my friend shy for showing me this gem. I lived in SF for a couple summers a long time ago, and there was a handmade clothing sale next door to my house in the Mission, the clothes being sold were similar to the people who made this song. No, I have never been to Burning Man, and I never will, but this is absolutely the imaginary version I would like to visit in my mind.
The description on Youtube reads: “This was shot years ago by Spook and someone else who we don’t know.”
Best song to listen to when you’re on one?
“Rippin Kittin (ReMix)” by Golden Boy (Feat. Miss Kitten) and “This Is For You” by DJ Hell
If I want to pretend I can be as cool as Miss Kitten. DJ Hell and Chicks on Speed made the coolest, bitchiest song ever. Miss Kitten and DJ Hell inspired me to start DJing way back, and I’ve played these two songs out more times than I count.
Best song to listen to driving your truck deep into the forest?
“You Are Never Ready” by The Golden Palomimos
You really are (never ready), so best to drive straight in. “You must change your life.” Shouts to Hank for showing me this one, my favorite deep driving companion.
Best song to listen to when you are feeling dumb?
“Paris Hilton” by Mu
The best use of “bawk bawk bigaw” chicken squawks, bongos, police sirens, acid lines. It’s a song about Paris Hilton.
Best Song to listen to when you feel completely blissed?
“Lovelife (Suga Bullit Mix)” by Lush
Lush + G-funk synth line = bliss. This song partly inspired the vibe of “Doom Bikini.”
Best Song to listen to when you need to get lulled to sleep?
“Shing Kee” by Carl Stone
The sample, repeating, and with each repetition, little by little, more of the sample is revealed, as it becomes longer it becomes faster, until it is fully revealed, then slowed down until it dissolves. Night night.
