Cultural Learnings is an archival project, newsletter, and radio show of cultural learnings to further your cultural learning.
Each newsletter starts with a “think piece,” sandwiching glimpses of the writer’s life with conversations, recommendations, and realizations.
The Cultural Learnings show has been broadcasting on Manila Community Radio since August 2020. Once described as radiating “the fond specificity of a mixtape smothered in fingerprints,” it learns about culture through music, field recordings, sound bites, interviews, and more
Each newsletter starts with a “think piece,” sandwiching glimpses of the writer’s life with conversations, recommendations, and realizations.
The Cultural Learnings show has been broadcasting on Manila Community Radio since August 2020. Once described as radiating “the fond specificity of a mixtape smothered in fingerprints,” it learns about culture through music, field recordings, sound bites, interviews, and more
#49 • 26 JUL 2023
Club Cinema
Versailles returns with Cultural Learnings after a long hiatus to explore the intersection between club music and cinema.
#48 • 6 SEPT 2022
Background Noise →
Replaying a live DJ show from Phono, Quezon City, Versailles provides commentary on her track list of musique concrète and other avant garde music.
#47 • 1 AUG 2022
TV Shows to Get to Know Me→
Inspired by an Instagram sticker trend from January 2022, Versailles presents TV soundtracks to get to know her.
#46 • 25 MAY 2022
Lullabies by Gaspar Noé→
Versailles returns to Cultural Learnings with a selection of lullabies from Gaspar Noé's films.
#45 • 9 APR 2022
“Perception is Real, The Truth is Not”: Dissecting ‘The Kingmaker’ →
A panel discussion dissecting The Kingmaker, a documentary on former Philippine First Lady, Imelda Marcos, and her controversial family, covering the semiotics and semantics of the film in the context of the 2022 presidential elections.
#44 • 20 MAR 2022
Panel Discussion: Women in Cycling →
This panel discussion spotlights women's perspectives in the culture of cycling with panellists lending their insight on the gender gap in cycling, "low-car living," media portrayal of women cyclists, and their role in advocacy.
#43 • 9 MAR 2022
Cultural Learnings w/ Pippa Brown→
In partnership with British Council Philippines, Versailles steps away from the decks to chat with Pippa Brown, producer of Selector Radio and BBC Radio 1 Introducing.
#42 • 21 FEB 2022
Morning Music →
A Monday morning special on Cultural Learnings with easy listening jams to ease into the week.
#41 • 26 JAN 2022
Rap and R’n’B from Euphoria →
Spitting bars with music from the HBO television show, Euphoria.
#38 • 31 OCT 2021
Suspense: A Cultural Learnings Halloween Special →
A special edition of Cultural Learnings featuring scores from the most suspenseful and nerve-racking moments in cinema.
#37 • 1 SEPT 2021
Cultural Learnings w/ Nyshka Chandran →
Freelance journalist Nyshka Chandran hops on for an hour of grade A jazz, hip-hop, funk, and DNB selections.
#36 • 25 AUG 2021
Listener-contributed Soundtracks →
Soundtracks and scores contributed by the listeners of Cultural Learnings.
#35 • 18 AUG 2021
Tagalog Pop w/ Alyssa →
Alyssa hops on Cultural Learnings with a homesick love letter to the Philippines featuring Tagalog pop and disco.
#34 • 4 AUG 2021
Cultural Learnings w/ Shaoxing Wine →
Shaoxing Wine makes her DJ debut on Cultural Learnings with acid techno breaks.
#33 • 28 JUL 2021
One Year of Techno →
After nearly a year since first broadcasting on radio, Versailles returns to her roots with an hour of techno, mixing in breaks and sludgy dub.
#32 • 21 JUL 2021
Cultural Learnings w/ Angelita →
Broadcasting from London, Angelita brings tears, hiccups, and trance for another guest edition of Cultural Learnings.
#31 • 7 JUL 2021
Cultural Learnings w/ Ecilo →
Dubbed by Jeff Mills as the "Indonesian techno master", Ecilo has a strong hold on the industrial and quintessentially Detroit sound.
#30 • 30 JUN 2021
Pride Month on Cultural Learnings w/ Barclay Bram →
Barclay Bram presents soul, jazz, and R’n’B for lovers – songs he thinks about when he thinks about love.
#29 • 23 JUN 2021
Pride Month on Cultural Learnings w/ Papa Jawnz →
Papa Jawnz delivers his re-imagining of a Studio 54 party – a legendary disco nightclub in New York City, known for being one of the first mainstream queer-friendly clubs in the world.
#28 • 16 JUN 2021
Pride Month on Cultural Learnings w/ presh →
presh takes over with songs about love, loss and coming-of-age, including unreleased tracks from her upcoming synthpop EP.
#27 • 9 JUN 2021
Pride Month on Cultural Learnings w/ coates →
coates takes over Cultural Learnings for Pride Month with her musical radio play, "JOAN HIJACKS THE STATION." Synopsis: Christmas Day, 1989. Your aunt's weird roommate has invaded the local airwaves with a very queer mixtape.
#26 • 2 JUN 2021
Queer Cinema →
An hour of soundtracks and scores from queer cinema, including Paris Is Burning, Happy Together, Call Me By Your Name, and more.
#25 • 26 MAY 2021
Golden Birthday →
Versailles celebrates her 26th birthday on May 26 in this commemorative episode of Cultural Learnings.
#24 • 19 MAY 2021
Manila South 2010 →
Indie pop, dance, and electro that's oddly specific to Manila during the early 2010s.
#23 • 12 MAY 2021
Breaking Bad OST →
Latin, reggae, and blues from one of the most watched shows in American television, Breaking Bad.
#21 • 21 APR 2021
Friends of Cultural Learnings →
A special show featuring eclectic selections made entirely by the friends of Cultural Learnings — from Bollywood, metal and R’n’B, to OPM, jazz, and glitch hop.
#20 • 14 APR 2021
Whatever Goes →
Jazz, soul, and house for slacking, idling, kicking back. ... whatever goes.
#15 • 10 MAR 2021
Music by Women →
An eclectic selection of music by women in celebration of Women’s History Month — from R’n’B and house to techno.
#14 • 3 MAR 2021
Daft Punk
Retrospective →
A retrospective on Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo before they formed Daft Punk. French touch, alt rock, techno, and more.
#13 • 24 FEB 2021
#12 • 17 FEB 2021 Quarantine OST 2020 →
Music from films watched for the first time during quarantine.
#08 • 16 DEC 2020
Boracay Sound →
Baleric beats, house and trance that defined electronic dance music in Manila during the 2000s.
#05 • 18 OCT 2020
“Meditation” Music w/ Omnei.FM →
A two-hour back-to-back with Omnei.FM, featuring our interpretation of music for meditation: Ambient soundscapes, OPM, hip-hop, film scores, and techno.
Biography →
Sai Versailles traverses the fields of art and multimedia journalism, engaging with the multitude of ways people understand culture, history, and politics.
As a multimedia journalist, her reporting investigates the sociopolitical dynamics of creativity, exploring the everyday lives of people and their communities.
As a multi-genre selector under her pseudonym Versailles, her chameleonic club sets shuffle through densely layered repetitions of a tough and swinging sound that nods to her cross-generational understanding of dance music.
Versailles is a resident of Refuge Worldwide with her show ‘Master Selector,’ and is a volunteer archivist of Manila Community Radio.
She holds an MPhil from the University of Oxford, and has participated in public discussions on culture throughout the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
Sai Versailles traverses the fields of art and multimedia journalism, engaging with the multitude of ways people understand culture, history, and politics.
As a multimedia journalist, her reporting investigates the sociopolitical dynamics of creativity, exploring the everyday lives of people and their communities.
As a multi-genre selector under her pseudonym Versailles, her chameleonic club sets shuffle through densely layered repetitions of a tough and swinging sound that nods to her cross-generational understanding of dance music.
Versailles is a resident of Refuge Worldwide with her show ‘Master Selector,’ and is a volunteer archivist of Manila Community Radio.
She holds an MPhil from the University of Oxford, and has participated in public discussions on culture throughout the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
Press
Feature
Resident Advisor, 2023.
Feature
Vogue Korea, 2023.
Feature
Vogue Philippines, 2023.
Feature
Mixmag Asia, 2023.
Podcast interview
Dead Air Podcast, 2022
Interview
Mixmag Asia, 2021.
Feature
Out Of Print, 2021.
Podcast interview
Monday Off Radio, 2020
Feature
nolisoli.ph, 2019.
Feature
Resident Advisor, 2023.
Feature
Vogue Korea, 2023.
Feature
Vogue Philippines, 2023.
Feature
Mixmag Asia, 2023.
Podcast interview
Dead Air Podcast, 2022
Interview
Mixmag Asia, 2021.
Feature
Out Of Print, 2021.
Podcast interview
Monday Off Radio, 2020
Feature
nolisoli.ph, 2019.
Vogue Philipines,