"Unrealized" by Jeff McLaughlin in support of Bridge to Solidarity
This week, NNH is to honored to present a new ambient composition titled "Unrealized" by guitarist, composer and frequent collaborator Jeff McLaughlin.
It is a darkly meditative piece, full of aching space and slow builds... A much needed antidote to the hyper-accelerated culture that bombards us every time a screen is in sight. Fitting, as it was that same unrelenting attack on peace - of one's mind, of one's home, of one's fundamental right to simply exist - that inspired Unrealized. Quoting Jeff directly:
I’ve felt completely demoralized (as I know most have) seeing the images and videos out of Gaza the last two years. And as a parent, the horrific ones involving children have broken me many times over. Especially thinking about how all these people, particularly the young, had all of this potential to create, love, fight, cry, laugh & could have been a part of bettering our world in life through their participation in it but that was taken from them. Lives, loves,“unrealized”.
It's so important that we keep making.
It's so important that we keep making.
It's so important that we keep making.
The spiritually corrupt and morally bankrupt are all investing in the same devil. The one that whispers in our ear and tells us that making something (anything) is a futile gesture against their all powerful war machine. A naive wild flower placed into the barrel of a machine gun. That time spent away from your phone; from your anxiety; from your addiction; from whatever Hell they've placed in front of you; is somehow time wasted. That quiet time is only valuable because it can be filled with more stuff. No different then a possible real estate opportunity, or development deal.
But it's not f*****g true. I feel less alone in the world because my friend Jeff took time to make something. And because I feel less alone, I then felt inspired to take the time to share it with you. Hopefully it lands when you need it- And gives you 5 mins and 28 secs of that same kind of time. What happens after that is entirely up to you (and it matters!)
Bridge of Solidarity's efforts are focused on the most marginalized in Gaza, those most at risk of dying: people without phones, tech, internet, English skills, social media, wealthy relatives, outside support, or living relatives. Additionally, we focus on supporting Afro-Palestinian communities, LGBTQ Gazans, elders, orphans, chronically ill and disabled Gazans. We prioritize Gazans who don't have shelter, clothes, or food and who are facing imminent death.
These efforts actively combat genocide capitalism with mutual aid, and violent "survival of the fittest" ways of turning on each other with collective care.
These efforts also actively combat the ways Palestininas are turned into a spectacle by the English speaking world and West, and are forced into performing on social media in a pity economy and attention economy, always have to compete with each other.
For all newsletter subscribers please following this link to hear Jeff's original composition: Unrealized (The embedded Sound Cloud link only shows up on NNH website.)
During the Pandemic, Jeff participated in several virtual concerts, some of which I create the visuals for. You can view a companion (e)zine inspired by Mireille Harper’s “10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship” by following this link: Reframe
From each according to ability; To each according to need.
A call to action, commonly known by the initialism CTA, is a strategic marketing tool designed to spur an immediate response from an audience, guiding them toward a specific action.
NNH began with the (perhaps naive) hope that it could be of service to folks who needed it. I wasn't exactly sure who that meant- Was it the potential readership? The Mutual Aid groups that would be featured in each post? Or other creative types (equally fed up with the constant "me at the center" paradigm required by our Tech Overlords) looking for a place to get weird and do some good.
SO, if you're out there- whomever you may be- Let me know. Leave a comment. Click a link. Tell a friend. Pitch an idea. Do anything to feel less alone in the world.
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