Songs, Stress, and Storytelling: How Sacha Carlson Keeps His Life His Own

Written and Interviewed by Stella Feinstein

Photography by Sophia Keefe

When Sacha Carlson isn’t traveling for work, he can be found writing songs in the living room of his childhood home on the central coast of California in San Luis Obispo. Within its four walls, he learned to play guitar, sing, and eventually write his first songs — the room has seen more of him than any person. The music created in that room helps take him places nothing else can because, between all of the places he’s traveled in his life, the places that his music has taken him are his favorite.

For Carlson, who you may know from his various performances in Julie and the Phantoms, 9-1-1 Lone Star, and American Housewife, his formative years were/have been an amalgamation of stops in cities all over North America. Forming bonds with people, cities, and songs and having to pick up those roots just as they are set down is one bittersweet aspect of the fast-paced life he has found himself a part of.

"Coming to a new place, working, forming that family you have with your coworkers and all the people that you're collaborating with and leaving makes it so memorable, such a chapter in your career," he reminisces. "You don't know when they started, and then when they end, you realize how much they meant. Have that perspective in your back pocket every day."

Storytelling is the string that follows Carlson throughout his life — from carrying out other people's words with his acting to writing his own songs; he has a loyal fanbase that seems like they care about what he has to say. To process the stressful and fast-paced nature of his life, he welds aspects of his own life into the only thing he's ever really known: fiction.

"I have a song called Mr. Go Go Go. That is kind of about a wicked man, a rambling man. Parts of myself I see in him, but also parts of him I definitely don't relate to," said Carlson. "He's this man on the road; it's a very selfish kind of shallow way of existence. So it's kind of funny because I have the very innocent kind of pure relationship with that song, which is like, I'm always busy."

Carlson has gone further than he'd ever expected he would. After just under a year living in Los Angeles, he played his first show at the famed Troubadour. Eventually, he'll worry about how to stay grounded and set goals for himself — for now, he's going to float on his high a little longer.

"We just played the Troubadour. It was like a dream come true; we ended up selling out a couple of minutes before we went on stage," he explained with an ear-to-ear smile. "It was such a blur, and I have these like mental snapshots in my head from that night that will never leave me."

No one has seen the last of Sacha Carlson. He's recording new music, fine-tuning, tweaking, ensuring everything is right, and showing the world how he's matured. He might not know exactly what's next for him, but his days are full, his heart is grateful, and his fans are ready for whatever he puts out in the world.

"Nothing time can't figure out," said Carlson. "I might not know what to do right now, but maybe tomorrow. Or maybe in 20 minutes. Or maybe in 6 months, you know? There will be an answer. It's just how you get there."

Written and Interviewed by Stella Feinstein

Photography by Sophia Keefe

Mitski's Beautifully Complex new Album

Mitski’s new album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, is hauntingly beautiful and feels simultaneously like some of her previous music while also bringing something very different creatively. The songs give a strong sense of nostalgia and remembering memories that you might otherwise want to forget. She has said that she wants to evoke America and memories of traveling to more forgotten places. The American sound is there from some country twang in The Frost to a gospel choir in Bug Like an Angel. Love is also a common thread in the album from lost love to current love to self-love, it weaves its way throughout. Finally, self-growth and reflection is a huge topic and is probably my favorite part of the album.

This album truly feels like Mitski’s most mature yet and is very nostalgic and powerful. The songs evoke simple feelings and yet make them strangely unique. In I Don’t Like My Mind she brings up eating a whole cake on a lonely Christmas something truly melancholy and deeply relatable. It evokes the idea of being in your 20s or 30s and alone on a holiday you have no one to share with. One lyric that I found myself strongly affected by was “You’re my best friend. Now I’ve no one to tell, how I lost my best friend” in The Frost. I’m sure many people have lost a best friend and felt lost after it happened especially if they have no one else to turn to. It is something so painful and difficult and Mitski flawlessly puts it to sond.

Different scenarios that bring up a uniquely American view are strewn throughout the album. In Buffalo Replaced she not only brings up actual buffalos running through the plains, she also brings up freight trains and fireflies like highway cars. The images conjure up a certain view of America, the working people and countryside and midwest truly separated from cities and the glamorous side of the country. In When Memories Snow she conjures up the idea of suburban America through shoveling the driveway and then driving to the store. It is a true America one so many live in and yet doesn’t seem to be brought up in this way very often. This view is something I truly appreciate having grown up in Pennsylvania and the Midwest, it shows a real perspective.

She also includes love in so many forms throughout the album. It is often through haunting memories or wanting to hold on to something that she doesn’t have. Heaven is the first song that explicitly discusses love in the album. It discusses feeling like being in Heaven when you’re with the person you love. The song is quite sweet which shifts after this song into more bittersweet and at some points resentful. The most popular song from the album My Love Mine All Mine is a bittersweet-sounding love song, but she has expressed that instead of a song to someone else, it is for herself and the love she gives to others. It is a beautiful sentiment that despite what happens to her she keeps this love for others and herself inside and refuses to lose it. However, the implication of a love song to someone else is still there and I think it does not take away from the meaning Mitski intended. Another melancholy but reflective love song is Star. She brings up a past love and how she will always harbor feelings for them inside because they are worth holding on to. The song after is a jarring transition from this reflective song to a more resentful-sounding one. I’m Your Man discusses destroying another person who loves you and self-resentment for this action. It almost reminds me of something someone would say during a breakup about deserving to be left because of how awful a person they are. The ending is strangely beautiful changing from angry dogs chasing to a child’s laugh and playful yips. The last song is also a love song but falls more under self-love and growth.

The topic of self-reflection throughout the album is incredible and quite complex. Bug Like an Angel brings up drinking to cope and family issues. The last few stanzas discuss wrath and God something that often go together and Mitski seems to evoke towards herself. I Don’t Like My Mind, is personally my favorite song as the first few lines hit me quite hard. “I don’t like my mind, I don’t like being alone in a room. With all its opinions about the things that I’ve done. So, yeah, I blast music loud, and I work myself to the bone.” There is something about this that deeply resonates with me as I’m sure it does with many people. The reflection of knowing this and being able to put it into words and something Mitski does so flawlessly. The song right after, The Deal is also at the top of my list. It discusses walking alone late and night and the thoughts you have. She brings up wanting to give up her soul as it is weighing too hard on her at the moment. That thought of wanting to give it all up that you can only have late at night, alone in your thoughts, is deeply personal just like so many of the songs on this album. Finally the last song, I Love Me After You shows the growth and change a person can go through. It discusses being your person and continuing living after a change like a breakup. The personal autonomy and willingness to move on and love yourself no matter what are such important ideas. So many Mitski songs discuss sorrow, heartbreak, anger, fear, and resistance to change and this is a beautiful change of pace. I think this ending perfectly encapsulates Mitski’s growth and how she is no longer who she was 10 years ago as many expect. It is such a fitting end to this amazing album.

Written by Kat Reed

Photography by Jenna Hazelwood and Thea Weiner

Creative Director: Jake Pranian

Production Management: Amy Kapel

With designs by @cata_._torres and @an.thelan on Instagram

Makeup: Kindra Kirsch

Talent: @alannahciera_ @maerama @ilima.s on Instagram

The Revival of the Indie Sleaze Movement

Written by Veronica Anaya

Creative Director: Jazzi Almestica

Photography: Sylvie Goodblatt

Video Director: Jake Pranian

Talent: @skye.riv @its._cecil @whoiserixk @thereal_araara @xxiimenna @camiloj0se on Instagram

Styling: Sophia Querrazzi

Production Management: Jake Pranian

Is there currently a revival of the indie sleaze movement happening? In an era where trends have become micro-trends, there has been a revival of older fashion from all periods, but are we trying to revive a movement that occurred a little over a decade ago? The answer is that it's complicated. New York City has been seeing a revival of the indie sleaze movement through fashion, music, and the party scene, but not the actuality of what “indie sleaze” is. The “Indie Sleaze” term was also coined in 2021 on TikTok when the idea of a revival sparked, but this “revival” is a consolidated version of this era rather than what it was then.

The actual origins of the “indie sleaze” movement are not clear, as at times it can even be confused with the indie rock music scene that was occurring at the time but can be put between 2006 and 2012. This movement in fashion and music came during a time of economic downturn, and when New York City was trying to process the tragedy that occurred with 9/11, even bands at the time were responding to it, from The Strokes to Interpol with their song, NYC. It was a time when people were trying to heal and rebel against everything that was occurring above them.

I bring up many eras of fashion and music because this was an era that was so intertwined in both, and the party scene is what brought it together. Many musicians that were popular during the indie sleaze era even credit bands like The Strokes as inspiration, which is why it can get confusing. To add on, the indie sleaze movement was a mix of different eras of music and fashion from the indie rock era, twee, electro-pop, hyper-pop, hipster, Tumblr, and even pulling inspiration from the 90s grunge era. Back then, the fashion icons were Alexa Chung, Sky Ferreira, Kate Moss, and Effy from Skins, and the uniform of this time was this maximalist and chaotic approach to affordable party scene clothing, breaking away from societal norms and breaking all fashion rules without a care in the world.

The aesthetic of this time was a mix of different scenes from the party scene who would wear metallic bodysuits, leggings, headbands, bikini tops, and disco pants. Then there was the grunge side that would incorporate messy fashion like smudge eyes to flannels, graphic tees, fishnets, ripped jeans, and Dr. Martens. Both sides incorporated a lot of accessories, including fedoras, chunky jewelry, huge belts, fake glasses, metallic baseball caps, and furry hats. There were no boundaries as to what anyone could wear and how. Nowadays, indie-sleaze fashion is a little different. Some elements are still the same, like the grungy influences of dark clothes, Dr. Martens, and messy makeup, but some elements are new, like business attire such as suit jackets, and more influences from the Y2K aesthetic, such as the bling and low-rises and graphic baby tees. There are elements, though, that will not be coming back into this revival, such as fedoras, disco pants, or even metallic bodysuits.

This was an era when music and fashion were intertwined, especially because a big element of this era was the party scene. People wanted to let go and party like there was no more life to live. This was a time when social media had yet to exist. Yet, there was someone, a legend, who is quoted as having been “Instagram before Instagram”, Cobrasnake. Mark Hunter, the iconic flash photographer, was at every party; he was even at Taylor Swift's 2009 party. Hunter had a blog and continues to have, called “The Cobrasnake," where the morning after every party, people would run to their computers to see if they made it into any of his photos. Hunter is still active in the scene but has expanded all over the world, partaking in underground and DIY scenes in all cities. Hunter’s style of photography is not about capturing the perfect symmetrical shot but capturing the wild essence of every event. All of his photos are about movement and the little care that people have about how they look. Hunter was perfect for the indie sleaze era, and for the revival, we continue to see the impact he has imprinted on flash party photography.

I had the privilege of seeing him in action at a show I recently attended and as much as I was fangirling I stayed back and admired him from afar. Hunter observed every inch of the party, looking for signs of life, signs of fun, and high energy. Hunter has this technique of capturing photos in a flash with no warning. That is why his craft is so full of life and movement. There is no posing, no making sure you look good; it's all in the moment.

Like everything else in this scene, the music was not something that could be pinpointed; it's not a genre. It’s not party music, as most people would assume, but a collection of eclectic music that is mixed with grunge, alternative, pop, hyper-pop, and so much more. Some songs were more known than the artists, and then on the other side, some artists had a cult following, such as LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arctic Monkeys, and I can't forget Crystal Castle!

Many of these artists have resurfaced and have regained momentum through the uprising on TikTok. Many artists from this time are also gaining a new fanbase and being heard more now, like Of Montreal, MGMT, M.I.A., and others. Yet, what's new about this revival in the indie sleaze era is that there are musicians who are consolidating the sound and can be classically categorized as indie sleaze while not losing that factor of genre blending.

Some indie sleaze artists that are currently on the rise are The Dare (I recommend Sex, Girls, and Goodtime), The HELLP (I recommend meant2help and Height), Frost Children (I recommend FLATLINE and FOX BOP), and SHADESOFBLUE (I recommend IT and SO LONG).

The “indie sleaze era” that is being claimed to be reviving is not a set era that you can define but this revival is a consolidated version of what this era in the 2000s was. Like most trends and eras that come back in fashion and music, it’s never authentically a revival, but taking pieces and modernizing them to fit our generation's best. Does not mean it's bad, it's just what best connects us.

The pandemic and the loss of time in our lives are what I feel sparked this revival of this era because the big drive in this era was the feeling of wanting to let loose, break societal rules, avoid government entrapment, and forget about "what's next?" especially as many of us lost time where most of us would develop. Being in your 20s is so hard and confusing, which is not new; everyone goes through this. This is a time when everyone pressures you to know who you are, but truly, who cares? We have our whole lives left, which is why this revival in the indie sleaze era and mentality speaks to a newer generation.

Written by Veronica Anaya

Creative Director: Jazzi Almestica

Photography: Sylvie Goodblatt

Video Director: Jake Pranian

Talent: @skye.riv @its._cecil @whoiserixk @thereal_araara @xxiimenna @camiloj0se on Instagram

Styling: Sophia Querrazzi

Production Management: Jake Pranian