Friday Five: January 30, 2026
- kirstimackenzie
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Side A:
Side B:
Friday Fav:
Emmie Rae playlists - We could all use a bit of anxiety management lately, and I find myself returning to Emmie Rae's playlists for that. Hate to be reductive or cringe in description, but some folks are entirely skilled at curating a vibe—in this case, downtempo, lush, and ambient. I can't entirely remember how I stumbled on Emmie Rae's playlists, but I remember finding Venus Dreaming first. It remains my most favourite and I suggest starting there.
Jan 30, 2026
Friday Five exists as a little challenge to me: five new albums, five new stories per week. They're here for you to enjoy (or not!) No summaries or in-depth criticism. But here are a few notes:
On the same note as above, I highly recommend Fredagain.. & Brian Eno's "Secret Life" as a tool to manage anxiety. There's just about nothing I can offer that would rise to the moment, but if you find yourself in need of something that sort of feels like a warm, sonic hug, this album is it. Fred's been doing exhibitions of the album where folks have a communal space to chill and manage stress. I hope it helps, even a little.
Thanks, as always, for sharing your work, or the work of others, on your timelines. It makes finding new writing and music a lot easier, and I love finding out about what you love. Even if it's not for me, there is always something to learn from it, and how lovely to know a little more about what inspires you.
Sarp Sozdinler's "The People Who Live Inside" has me thinking a lot about dying communities. About the people who stay to try to make them good, or worth living in, as much as about the people who long to leave. Laterally, it's making me think about the state of social media as dying—or ever-evolving—community spaces.
I've been rereading The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz for the first time since the tenth grade and find myself forever impressed by Mordecai Richler. My writing is as indebted to Richler's as anyone else, an influence whose work I return to over and over. I know most of my readers here are American and largely uninterested in Canadian literature, but if you ever want somewhere to start, Kravitz is considered the Canadian Catcher in the Rye. Richler was as irreverent, satirical, and brilliant as they come. He is as much of Montréal as Leonard Cohen ever was. Highly recommended.
Watching Reservation Dogs slowly, over a few months. I remember folks raving about it when it was in syndication and I wholeheartedly echo the praise. It's brilliant Indigenous storytelling, capturing the razored edge between grief and humour, trauma and joy. One of my fav shows in recent memory.
New M7 mixtape up tomorrow! Volume 26 will be an expanded edition, plenty to read. You don't want to miss it.
xo,
Kirsti