Stars - ‘The North’ + Cayo Romano Cocktail
Ingredients: 1 ounce dark aged rum, 1 ounce silver rum, 1 ounce ginger liqueur (Canton), 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice, 3/4 ounce fresh orange juice, 1 dash allspice pimento dram (optional), 1 dash Angostura bitters, freshly grated nutmeg and superfine sugar to taste.
Mixing Instructions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients and give a good shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass.
Notes: Music is often attached to time. A specific day or year, a band you obsessed with in middle school, an album that got you through the first semester of college, etc. In the case of The North, the music is perfectly suited for a season. Specifically, the transition from Summer to Fall. Summer is for backyard dinners, staying out light and freedom, while Fall calls us back to productivity, contemplation and turtlenecks (the antithesis of freedom). This album seems to situate itself snugly in between the two. Fun, but chilled…indie pop, yet incredibly elegant, substantial and beautiful. The back-and-forth vocals between Campbell and Millan constantly lull you into your own head and memories. This album gets a lot right, but more than just the musicality, it is the perfect album to kick back with a nice cocktail and welcome the Fall.