Water Bodies ~ Gravity Pleasure 01

Poetic Prompt for Water Bodies by Lou Croff Blake, for Gravity Pleasure VA01. Artwork by Dre Roelandt, Layout by Madelyn Byrd.

I was invited to write a poem as the prompt for artists submitting to the first Various Artists release from Gravity Pleasure, a new hydrofeminist record label out of Berlin, Germany, founded by Madelyn Byrd (slowfoam) and Ashlynn White (slyn). The prompt inspired work from 21 FLINTA* artists on the compilation, which releases on 27 June 2025.

“Gravity Pleasure's inaugural release, Water Bodies, is a rippling compilation of FLINTA* artists and collaborators that invites listeners into an aqueous paraworld.

Across 21 tracks, Water Bodies spans a post-genre miasma of ethereal mermaid music, cathartic flows, and glistening sibilants ~ each one an exquisite message-in-a-bottle of deep diving emotionality. Pulling from a wide-range of musical perspectives ~ field recording, lovesick ballads, shimmering downtempo, post-party comedown, and percolating ambient ~ the compilation contains multitudes yet maintains deep sentimental coherence. Like a wave crashing in slow motion, it sonifies possible ways of being, insisting on the porous, the interdependent, and the deep and unruly. Water Bodies reminds us that home is a body made of water, to which we all belong.”

— Gravity Pleasure

All proceeds will be donated to Friends of the Earth
→ www.foei.org 𓇢𓆸 𖧧 ⚘ 𓋇 𖤣

1. noorj - y

2. kc - cold metal, heavy mind

3. tibslc - washed ashore

4. Lamina - Our fluids

5. Arendse Krabbe & Felisha Ledesma - We are all fish

6. Halo Error - Aquachile

7. Estle & Mia Moon - I'd Still Love To See You

8. YATTA - Are You Coming To

9. Lucy Duncombe & William Aikman - small-nothing-avenging-something

10. Yetsuby - We chant

11. fui - commu

12. Slowfoam & slyn - Hydrabubby

13. ophélie - Salty Skin

14. enereph - Elixir

15. Nahi Mitti & N.X.O. - matahari2tāra

16. Comechelet & ϙue - Forbidden love

17. Kissen & Swaya - Soft Skin

18. Ursula Sereghy & Dorota Barová - Underwater

19. Flora Yin Wong - Kotohiki

20. Lipsticism - where do you go (mutilate)

21. Muein - reprise