Welcome to our Book Club series. Reading has always been a part of my life, for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always had a curiosity into what other people were reading, often questioning my family members about the books they had on their shelves or at the pool. Over the last few years, I’ve reconnected with that joy and it has become a constant with my friends, sharing our recent favourite reads, what we’ve taken away from them and what we are excited about exploring next. Bringing those conversations to 909, our Book Club series will delve deeper into other creative’s reading history from what they enjoyed when they were growing up, their most impactful read, quotes and more. In order to extend this community of readers, there is a bonus question for those who answer where they recommend a book(s) to next person who contributes to the club.
For this edition we’re heading between Mexico City and New York as multimedia artist Tristan Arp unravels his reading history. Over the last few years, Tristan Arp has captured the dancefloor and beyond through his craft for world-building records. Landing on labels such as Wisdom Teeth, Banoffee Pies Records, Human Pitch (which he is the co-founder of) and now Martyn’s 3024, Tristan Arp’s production playfully bring together bass music and ambient soundscapes which are rich in texture and oh so gorgeous. If you haven’t listened to the stunning debut album ‘Sculpturegardening’ I suggest you put it on whilst you read through his thoughtful book selections. Going through his selection, it’s not hard to see where some of the inspiration comes from for his music as a lot of the books find themselves within themes of nature, animals, humanity and sci-fi. His latest EP, ‘End of a Line or Part of a Circle?’ is very much that. Aside from production, Tristan Arp runs Human Pitch alongside Simisea where they’ve released records from the likes of Salamanda, Kundai, Eams, Lee Evans and more. He is also one third of Asa Tone and has contributed music to sound installations and sculptures – most notably curating a sound sculpture garden for the launch of the Wisdom Teeth label.
Your favourite childhood book?
What a wonderful reflection this is (!) because I’m just realizing how this series of books was probably in conversation with my queerness as a young boy. With titles like Frog And Toad Together and Frog and Toad All Year, the series chronicles the partnership of two anthropomorphic same-sex amphibians. I remember the books didn’t shy away from exploring difficult emotions and the illustrations had a calming-yet-moody air. While I can’t recall whether I made the connection with Frog and Toad’s same-sex relationship, I remember having profound feelings with those books. I’m grateful my mom had always took me to the public library to read the next one.
Most impactful/influential book you’ve read?
Donna Haraway’s Staying with the Trouble really cracked open new perspectives for me; mainly seeing the world from beyond a human lens. What if we were held accountable by other species? What if all species were valued equally? It’s a dense read but full of creative language (the title of my record Oddkin is owed to this book) that’s really satisfying and above all has helped me identify modes of human thinking that feel divorced from our reality as living things and make us less human.
A quote that has stuck with you?
“All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you.
––Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower
Favourite writer?
Bo-Young Kim is a Korean writer whose collection of shorts, On the Origin of Human Species and Other Stories makes her my favorite writer alive today that I’m aware of. I’m often googling to see when her next book might come out. Hypnotic, mind-expanders, these, in the speculative/sci-fi orbit. Re-reading now for more inspiration for my next record.
Favourite genre?
Speculative Fiction
A book that you recommend everyone should read in their lifetime?
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
Your favourite setting to read in?
Nothing fancy here: in bed!
Are you someone who shares books with friends? If so, which book have you shared recently?
I do! I recently shared a copy of Another Now with my friend Melati, which is one of my favorite books in recent years. It’s the first and only novel by Yanis Varoufakis, the former finance minister of Greece. Imaginative speculative fiction that draws up new, experimental social models which constitute the reality of a parallel world that took shape following a metaphysical fork in the road from our own in the year 2008.
What are you currently reading?
Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save The World by Jason Hickel. Not another Kondo method book like the title might suggest but a little dive into degrowth philosophy, which acknowledges the unsustainability and absurdity of infinite growth. Fortunately the book also demonstrates (thought not as much as I was hoping) how living things can not just thrive in a hypothetical degrowth society but work towards building one.
’End of a Line or Part of a Circle?’ by Tristan Arp will be released on the 30th June via 3024 – pre-order here.