A little over a year from when San Francisco dreamy pop band the Y Axes blessed our ears with their second single “How We Begin,” the band has released two remixes of this upbeat track with Studio Dad.

In reflecting on the current demonstrations for the Black Lives Matter movement and the need for systemic change in our nation, the band recognizes that there is still a lot to be learned and achieved in order to make radical changes, and that we are just beginning. Frontwoman Alexi Belchere comments that “the song itself is about feeling powerless and panicked in the face of an onslaught of atrocities, but trying to focus on what actions can be taken to enact positive change.” Aptly named, “How We Begin” takes us through a crescendo of sonic textures before culminating with the hook “What matters is how we begin.” In the Studio Dad remixes, this memorable line is echoed throughout the song in a dazzling way that leaves the listener with a sense of lasting empowerment.

The release via Text Me Records marks the beginning of a collaboration that has been a long time in the making. Text Me plans to donate all proceeds from sales in June to People’s Breakfast Oakland while the Y Axes plans to do the same for East Oakland Collective. Expect to see more from the Y Axes off this label in the coming months.

Listen to the radio and club remixes of “How We Begin” on Bandcamp.