Anika joins us this week before kicking off her secret US DJ tour, which starts off in Los Angeles next week. Her recently-released self-titled debut album Anika was produced by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, and was recorded live with Barrow’s band Beak>.
Anika’s no stranger to The Vinyl District; we just had our First Date with her last month. Today, she professes some of her favorite tracks when she needs…
Things to unpick the woven mess of ones brain to…
Billie Holiday – I have an entire collection that I love to play when my head is spinning. I interchange it with the Madlib High jazz record. They are great if it’s feeling a bit tangled up in there.
Shameless admission: Cat Stevens – “Sad Lisa” – one of the records that got trashed in the famous trashing episode but something that I used to love during the no sleep Cardiff years. It was the only thing that I could stop thinking to for just a second. It was pretty difficult trying to shut down in those days.
Classical: I have to admit, I quite enjoy listening to classical from time to time. I once bought this Chopin record from this old granny in Splott, where I used to live in Cardiff. Chopin always reminds me of my sister practicing at night when I was really young. It helps me unwind quite a bit.
I learnt to play the piano when I was younger and was lucky enough to learn on a Beckstein but gave up because I hated the fact that people right at the end of the street could hear me practice. I’ve always disliked letting anyone see/hear anything until it was finished, so found loud practicing hard.
I’ve thankfully got over this to some extent and sing loudly in my thin-walled flat. It’s fine because I have a very eccentric neighbour who plays dance remixes of Britney Spears and Lady Gaga on repeat. It’s my revenge…
Anika | Yang Yang
