This morning, we are delighted to welcome Maxine Funke to MailTape for a peaceful selection, crafted carefully to lift you on your way this Sunday.
Based in New Zealand, multi instrumentalist Maxine Funke crafts each album with meditative care. Every release in the discography lands its own distinctive emotional exploration, at once tender and consuming.
Maxine Funke’s selection
Joan Baez - A Simple Twist of Fate
Maxine Funke: ” I chose a simple twist of fate because I admire how it flows chronologically, it has more than 3 verses which always impresses me. “
Jennifer Warnes - Let the Sunshine In
Maxine Funke: ” Really like it when jennifer warnes sings:
Facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy Listening for the new told lies With supreme visions of lonely tunes
I can relate to that. always having to give up book reading time to find or do work, so my books become the dying nation of paper fantasy. Keeping an ear out for the news which is questionable. And then getting inspired to write a song, which is like a lonely tune because I am not popular in NZ. “
Robert Wyatt - Ship Building
Maxine Funke: ” ship building, just an old favourite of mine. It really transports me . I like how it’s made of pieces of conversation, so you are immediately drawn in. There’s no description of the setting but the setting is so potent in the song. I admire that. “
MailTape’s selection
Maxine Funke - Equinox
Sarah: ” Maxine Funke’s work has such a peaceful quality surrounding it, especially fitting for a song written about the restful hours of the morning. Her voice cradles the very air it traverses, balancing the rounded dissonances of her guitar’s melodies :) “
Luiza Brina Chico Bernardes - Garrafa ao Mar
Sarah: ” The sweeping synths bring a delicate, yet celestial quality to this track. With each measure, we’re lifted a little higher off the ground. Chico Bernardes and Luiza Brina’s vocals weave in and out of each others’ so gently, the most pleasant anchor for the aerial experience offered by the instrumentals. Love the departure into slightly more saturated, buffering instrumentals toward the end. “
Howie Lee - Birdy Island
Sarah: ” Such a rich composition, the namesake of Howie Lee’s 2021 album. Love the combination of Chinese traditional folk and electronic experimentation. At once organic and somehow synthetic, Howie Lee creates an entire ecosystem before our ears, with a vocal section fit for the treetops. The synths grow up and around us like tree branches, held fast by the colorful percussives lining each measure. “
Maxine Funke - Homage
Sarah: ” Couldn’t resist adding another Maxine Funke release to round out this peaceful playlist. One of my favorites off of the 2021 album, Séance. So much beauty in such simplicity. This track is described by Maxine as representing a celebration of new beginnings and a careful closing of past chapters. Such a perfect sentiment for this Sunday, as we look ahead (hopefully) at all the prospects this coming week may bring, and reflect (kindly) on what the past week brought to us. ”
That’s all for this morning! Thank you very much for listening along with us. So much love to Maxine Funke for her peaceful Sunday selections and to Meriam Kharbat for her wonderful illustration.
