Photo: Courtesy of Bare Fiction/ Facebook
Perhaps the most well-known Hong Kong poet, Mary Jean Chan is a London based writer and lecturer who has been named as one of the most influential BAME writers in Britain. Her poetry book,
Flèche, meaning “arrow” in French, received high praise after it was published, winning the 2019 Costa Book Award for Poetry.
The book’s name refers to an offensive technique used in fencing, Chan’s choice of sport during her young adult years. The title symbolises the difficult feelings she feels while navigating the world, describing it as “reconciling one’s need for safety alongside the desire to shed one’s protective armour in order to fully embrace the world”.
Hi folks!
Since I have now completed my two countdown radio shows for the Top 50 albums of 2020 see the big takeover “radio” button above to hear one song from each! here is my complete list of the 180 best albums, 100 best archive/retrospective/reissue releases, and 100 best stand-alone singles and EPs of this previous year my best bets on another great year for music, old and new.
And in one of the worst years of our lifetimes, here’s a small tip of my well-worn ballcap in profound gratitude to the artists below, for giving us this music to listen to while stuck at home. Perhaps half the below had already been recorded and was in process before COVID-19 shut us all down, which also curtailed many a scheduled recording session to go with all the cancelled tours.