5 playlists curated by Uprise Artists
As we transition from live to work to play without ever leaving our homes, we're increasingly looking - and listening - for moments to keep us uplifted and inspired. One of our favorite forms of inspiration is music, so we opened up our Spotify to artists Xochi Solis, Kristin Texeira, Damien Davis, Anastasia Greer, and RF Alvarez. From vintage folk and smooth synth to romantic classics, these 5 curated playlists are full of sounds to fit every mood.
1. EXPANSIONS (listen here) — Curated by Xochi Solis
"EXPANSIONS is a special Spotify mix with an emphasis on ambient instrumentals and reimagined sounds of vintage folk, jazz, electronica and soul from Las Americas. Enjoy a collection of songs that invite an expansion of your mind & body, as we commit to the intricately complex series of cultural shifts we must accomplish—for the higher good of ourselves and others.
"Whether it is creating a multilayered collage painting or a mix of music as a vinyl DJ, I am motivated as an artist to produce cultural offerings where there is room for folks to grow curious and open to new possibilities. Artists are given the divine gift of foresight. We possess the ability to materialize our dreams and our collective visions have the power to determine new ways of being. Don’t let this moment go unnoticed.
I hope this musical trip carries you to a place of strength and hope. A whole new world is waiting for us at the end of this dark tunnel, a world where all marginalized communities including Black people, Indigenous peoples, and People of Color can thrive in safe autonomy." -Xochi Solis
2. SHADES OF LOVE (listen here) — Curated by Kristin Texeira
"I usually categorize the songs of a playlist based on where or when I experienced the song first, or how the songs sound together. A playlist can take me back to a specific place or year, or can have a synesthesia effect and evoke a color that reflects my mood.
"For this playlist I chose something a little more universal: LOVE. I pulled in songs that have the word ‘love’ in the title, and then asked around to friends and family. From there I mixed colors to match, creating colors that came to mind first while the song was playing. The resulting piece is SHADES OF LOVE." -Kristin Texeira
3. La Douleur Exquise (listen here) — Curated by Damien Davis
"I often think about symmetrical relationships.
How rare they are.
How beautiful they are.
How I've never experienced one.
The pursuit of one has haunted me my whole life, and for those that know me personally, the pain of its transfigurative nature has been a familiar feeling. La Douleur Exquise (That Familiar Feeling) tells the story of one love story... or maybe all my love stories." -Damien Davis
4. Fun on the Inside (listen here) — Curated by Anastasia Greer
"I create playlists monthly, of mostly music from the 60’s and 70’s, which influence each piece and create a positive workspace. Music inspires the visual movement in each piece and often the titles of pieces such as Where Willie Nelson And I Might Hang Out, Don't Think Twice, and Baby It's You." -Anastasia Greer
5. Meditations (listen here) — Curated by RF Alvarez
"When I work I like to listen to music that feels romantic and articulate. The act of painting is meditative - transportive even - and playing music that adds to that feeling has been crucial to the development of the work I make. This playlist is one I've created over time by adding songs as I’ve discovered new composers or even cinematic soundtracks. If it's possible to be uplifted and calmed at the same time, emotionally compelled yet steadfast and present, that's the feeling I search for." -RF Alvarez
