Vancouver’s Mint Records yesterday released Soon-Yin Lee and Adam Litovitz jooj two albums
Behind the release, there’s a very personal story – the love and loss between Sook and Adam.
“When we were making the song ‘Wrecking Heart’, Adam and I looked at each other, blown away by this song that was like nothing we’d ever written. It began with a supercharged sonic fragment he made that became the foundation of an unapologetic banger of a song that possessed and moved through us. We blasted it on the stereo, danced and air-guitared to it. Unconsciously, our lyrics seemed to telegraph our separation. “It sounds like a break up song,” he said, much to our disbelief at a time when we were very much together. But life challenges ended up pushing us in different directions. Though separated, we remained best friends, holding out hope that we would make our way back to each other. Adam landed a job scoring a TV series and I worked on our album, incorporating his notes. He said that he looked forward to playing cathartic meltdown live shows with me.
But that was not to be. Adam is no longer here. I believe he exists on other planes, in those who love him, and in our music, in his music, drawings, and writing. With this album, ‘jooj two’, I pick up the pieces of this Wrecking Heart, honoured to share our music.”
– Sook-Yin Lee
Adam took his own life. Sook-Yin patiently takes us through what happened and how it shaped the songs and her life. And yes, even though all this, we share smiles and laughs.
I’ve known Sook-Yin a long time… I think it shows in the discussion.
The music this week almost picked itself. In celebration of warmth on our shoulders and shots in our arms.
In normal years, we would see more smiles around us but not this year.
So please consider this April 10 Mulligan Stew your official Spring Smile.
Vancouver’s Mint Records yesterday released Soon-Yin Lee and Adam Litovitz jooj two albums
Behind the release, there’s a very personal story – the love and loss between Sook and Adam.
“When we were making the song ‘Wrecking Heart’, Adam and I looked at each other, blown away by this song that was like nothing we’d ever written. It began with a supercharged sonic fragment he made that became the foundation of an unapologetic banger of a song that possessed and moved through us. We blasted it on the stereo, danced and air-guitared to it. Unconsciously, our lyrics seemed to telegraph our separation. “It sounds like a break up song,” he said, much to our disbelief at a time when we were very much together. But life challenges ended up pushing us in different directions. Though separated, we remained best friends, holding out hope that we would make our way back to each other. Adam landed a job scoring a TV series and I worked on our album, incorporating his notes. He said that he looked forward to playing cathartic meltdown live shows with me.
But that was not to be. Adam is no longer here. I believe he exists on other planes, in those who love him, and in our music, in his music, drawings, and writing. With this album, ‘jooj two’, I pick up the pieces of this Wrecking Heart, honoured to share our music.”
– Sook-Yin Lee
Adam took his own life. Sook-Yin patiently takes us through what happened and how it shaped the songs and her life. And yes, even though all this, we share smiles and laughs.
I’ve known Sook-Yin a long time… I think it shows in the discussion.
The complete and very engaged conversation can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast EP 151