10 Seconds: Rachel Kitchlew
- Rachel Kitchlew
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
"Hi George! Thank you for this challenge—it’s had me dancing and sobbing lol. It's been such a nostalgic and heart-warming experience revisiting music I don’t listen to as often anymore but that has deeply shaped my life. I hope you enjoy my selections as much as I’ve loved putting them together!"
1. William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (5'50" - 6'00")
from William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (1974)
"Brilliant sounds, love the vibraphone solos, backings, and it features a Clavinet. This track transports me to sitting in the car with my dad on a rare trip into London. We went to the common, stopped off to see Grandad, and got an ice cream. I was probably about 10, listening to music and spending time together. I vividly remember listening to this song, windows down at some traffic lights, and thinking, "This is so embarrassing, but I do like this song.""
2. Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (2’46” - 2’56”)
from Beach Boys - Smiley Smile (1967)
"Ahhh, I love this quieter section. When the voices drop out and the jaw harp keeps playing, it really draws you in. Again, in the car, blaring through the windows, driving home from school, signifying summer holidays and the end of term. Both mum and I swearing and laughing our heads off all the way home. We had a *Beach Boys ‘Summer Dreams’* greatest hits CD that got a lot of use while we were on holiday in Wales."
3. Animal Collective feat Vashti Bunyan - Prospect Hummer (2’00” - 2’10”)
from Animal Collective - Prospect Hummer EP (2005)
"This has accidentally become some kind of musical homage to my family, but anyhow, this track reminds me of spending time with my brother in a remote cottage where we lived in Wales for a short time, surrounded by nature and being encouraged to be creative. Hazey and folky, I'm enchanted by the soft singing of Vashti Bunyan. My brother and I used to sing the line “Your cat’s a friendly bother,” which made us laugh, both having a cat each who would routinely fight but did love one another. Bit like another pair of siblings...
I really also love ‘I Remember Learning How to Dive’. I learnt how to dive with my partner."
4. Dorothy Ashby - Lonely Girl (1’17”- 1’27”)
from Dorothy Ashby - Afro-Harping (1968)
"I’ve definitely been one of these from time to time. Perhaps on tour, and particularly when I’d just moved to London for art college. A very comforting track for me. I love her beautiful phrasing and poetic way of playing. I’m a big Ashby fan, and I hope that’ll become apparent in my own playing one day. Very grateful to my auntie and uncle for buying me Afro-Harping, which led into Ashby appreciation."
5. Herbert Howells - Requiem Aeternam (0’21” - 0’31”)
"Oh my goodness. The harmonies are incredible. I’m a fan of choral music and have enjoyed this piece being performed live. We studied it at school and it blew my mind. It’s so, so gorgeous. I don’t know what else to say—it’s unbelievable. I could listen to it on repeat."
6. Aphex Twin - Rhubarb .3 (1’21” - 1’31”)
from Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994)
"Speaking of on repeat, a friend sent me a 12-hour Rhubarb loop. I can't write a list and not include this track as it’s a go-to for me. I’m relatively late to the Aphex Appreciation Alliance, I think, but I’ve celebrated a few from this album for sometime, as well as Windowlicker and I of course enjoy muddling through Avril 14th on my harp."
7. Alice Coltrane ft Pharoah Sanders - Journey to Satchidanada (3’16” - 3’26”)
from Alice Coltrane - Journey to Satchidanada (1971)
"Such a cosmic, transportive, swirly, hypnotic track. I enjoy seeing clips of Alice Coltrane's unusual (to me) technique. Recently, I found out she released albums of spiritual chants under the name Swamini Turiyasangitananda. What an enigma."
8. Groove Armada - If Everybody Looked the Same (1’50” - 2’00”)
from Groove Armada - Vertigo (1999)
"Individualism growing alongside influencers being influenced by the same influencers, algorithms, and companies, so everyone looks the same... You do you!! But, keep up with everything and make sure you buy this crap and you look like this."
9. Laurie Anderson - O Superman (5’35” - 5’45”)
from Laurie Anderson - Big Science (1982)
" Super fan of O Superman creator. I’ve admired Laurie Anderson since I first heard this song around 2018 when I was researching for an art project and came across an interview on her Car Horn Choir. I was deciding whether to go to study at a conservatoire or art college, and it was really inspiring to see someone who was just being creative and ignoring being categorised. She has really shaped how I think about my two ‘careers’ and general life trajectory and enjoyment."
10. Resavoir - Clouds (0’50” - 1’00”)
from Resavoir - Resavoir (2019)
" I just love how this short track progresses. For me, it’s peaceful and exciting at the same time. The rhythmic claps at the beginning and different textures build in such an interesting but dream like way."
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