This Black History Month, Atwood Magazine has invited artists to participate in a series of essays, interviews, reviews, poetry, playlists, and more features in recognition of, and out of respect for the symbolism and significance of this month.

Today, Bronx-born, LA-based genre-bender Edwin Arzu shares his poem, “Edwin’s Brain While Looking At a Sunset” as a part of Atwood Magazine’s Black History Month series. An artist at his core, Arzu has long found inspiration in existence, understanding, connection, and being. His 2016 project ‘forest.’ (released as James Scott) embodied this ethos, as have his successive singles. After rebranding and reintroducing himself as Edwin Arzu with February 2020’s smoldering R&B overhaul “Forbidden,” May’s “Euphoria” release captured everything there is to love, admire, and appreciate in Arzu’s uncompromisingly vulnerable work.

True to its name, “Euphoria” is the kind of song you want to physically swim through: An immersive experience that is as hauntingly delicate as it is enchantingly ambient. It’s a soulfully stirring blush of alt-R&B perfect for long, hot summer days and nights. A poignant, reflective pool of keys and synths lay a tender base for his intimate vocals ache, echo, and shine. Arzue sings with a cool drum kit at his side and a poignant weight in his heart. An engulfing, tastefully minimalist soundscape surrounds both his words and our ears, inviting us deeper into this new world of brooding wonder.

I like you from before
I like you for Euphoria
I like you from before
I like you for Euphoria
I like you for you
I like you for you

We keep going, pushing
Movin like we’re on a riptide
On a riptide floatin, motion
Body motion pedal shooting
Down into the ocean

Feeling weightless, moving floating
You know we ain’t going
we ain’t going

I’ve been waiting for the time
I could rip my wings off
Just to touch your flame

Poetic and touching, “Euphoria” inspires us to dwell in the present – to reel our minds back to the now when we find ourselves drifting too far into the future or past: Introspection has a new soundtrack. Arzu released his entrancing third single “Over” in September 2020, and says he has more new music coming in 2021.

“I wrote ‘Euphoria’ in a time where I noticed we don’t enjoy the moment: We think too far into the future and forget the feelings that brought the moment together. Why not enjoy the experience and see where it goes? All we have is the moment, ‘cause perfect doesn’t exist.” – Edwin Arzu

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Edwin’s Brain While Looking At a Sunset

poem by Edwin Arzu

• It’s beautiful to see how hard we fight still to this day & a moment to appreciate those before us
• A culture That helps push things forward
• A month we celebrate a Million life times
• Don’t think they’ll understand my life through my lens
• Underpaid, but still nice
• Seeing real forms of hate, but we still push forward
• A few generations is way too close
• God like skin in the sun when glow

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