Episode 23 - Recently

In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, we here at the New York Neo-Futurists are paying attention to the voices of our community that are asking us to listen, and to activate our roles in refusing to tune out. This week, here’s a bit of what we’re hearing.

CW: This audio collage contains descriptions and mentions of racist police violence and white supremacy.  

Consider joining the NYNF as we donate funds to the Black Visions Collective.

Our logo was designed by Shelton Lindsay

Our sound is designed by Anthony Sertel Dean

Hit Play is produced by Anthony Sertel Dean, Julia Melfi, and Léah Miller

Take care out there.

Transcript 

Episode 23: Recently

Play 1: Recently

Anthony: Some parts of this episode may include sensitive topics. Please see our show notes for details. 

Soothing electronic instrumental music theme plays. Radio static interrupts, all sound cuts out. 

Anthony: Recently. GO! 

Sound of a protest call and response "Whose streets?" "Our streets!"

Bells and whirring crescendo into cars honking. The sound travels from the right to the left. 

Protest speech about how "the unaffected Americans are not bothered until it's on their doorstep." Group responds and claps. Screaming and applause as the speech continues. 

Percussive music joins the speech and applause. Speech continues on the left while the percussion turns into chants of "BLACK LIVES MATTER!"

Hip hop beat in a crowd chanting "Fuck Donald Trump!"

Protest noise cuts into someone breathing and swallowing on the left. 

Loud buzzing of hair clippers begins on the right. Fades in and out. 

Musical droning up and down the scale joins into the hair buzzing noise. 

The clippers are turned off. 

Simultaneous audio of Neos speaking, one on each side. One describes their days. One reads their phone notes. 

Whirring sound travels from left to right. Sound of helicopters and shuffling noises. Protest speech about fears in this time with background ambient noise. "I fear because that could've been my son's last 8 minutes and 46 seconds" with group applause and response. 

Protest speech about gratitude for protestors coming out and showing support with background whirring and breathing. "What's more sacred to every human who inhabits this planet we call Earth than the gift of breath and life?" Gratitude for God for breath and life given to us all when we were born. Group applause. 

Background noise fades into jazzy singing, sound jumps between right and left side. "Let's keep drinking" Sound of clinking and kitchen noises--peeling? "Darling did you know I love you so, but I'm hurting"

Sound of digging for ice and ice clinking into a water glass. Sound cuts out. 

Sound picks up on the left side with muffled 60s music, maybe from a car. 

Protest speech comes in over the music about the language of apartheid and Jim Crow. Music fades out into the speech and crowd responses--banging, applause, vocal agreements. "We must march but we must also educate ourselves about what we're marching for" 

Applause fades into a crowd singing Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" song on the right. Small group on the left sings "Happy Birthday to you"

Both songs fade out into someone playing something like hide and seek with a baby. "Where is it? You got it" Sound of baby coughing and babbling. 

Sound of a young kid and his dad talking about finishing up fourth grade. 

Outside percussion comes in under speaking and then takes over. 

Protest speech from a "Mother of not one, but two, Black men" comes in over the percussion. 

Crowd music comes in louder. Fades back under another protest speech about "finding creative ways to keep the pressure on throughout the course of this struggle." Music fades out. "You gotta stay together."

The same kid cuts in to say "yeah, well we're having the last day of school celebration on Zoom on Tuesday"

Back to the protest speech about staying together and engaged. 

Back to the "Whose streets?" "Our streets" audio from the beginning. 

Back to the protest speech. "I'm not saying you have to demonstrate everyday."

The jazzy singing cuts in. 

Hair buzzing on the left side. 

"I'm not saying you've gotta demonstrate every week, but I am saying you have to demonstrate. We've got to keep the pressure on."

Rumbling background noise of a car coming to a stop and parking. Seatbelt clicks and the door opens. Feet walking on gravel. Breath intake. Sound cuts out.