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  • Hawaii 2023: Kauai with the Folks

    Hawaii 2023: Kauai with the Folks

    After 3 years of the pandemic and all its border restrictions, I finally got to reunite with my parents in beautiful Hawaii. We spent a few days on Oahu and then a week on Kauai, my first time there. It also coincided with my return to Canon after shooting Sony for 5 years. All shots taken with the Canon EOS RP and 24-105 STM. So here’s me getting to know my new camera.

    The first shot with my new camera! (Waikiki Beach)
    The View from our hotel looking a Poipu Beach
    Watch out for the seal! (taking a nap)
    We went on a sunset cruise and got super lucky with a huge pod of dolphins that swam with us for 30 minutes.
    Driving up to Waimea Canyon

    Truly a beautiful place

    Hiking down into the canyon
    Surfing in Hanalei Bay

    See you in a bit on Oahu…

  • The 3-Year Roll of Film

    The 3-Year Roll of Film

    I recently had a roll of film developed that spent at least 3 years in my trusty film camera (Konica A-Com 1). Over half that time it was out of commission, and after I had it fixed, the repairman had rewound the roll, so I ended up with a bunch of double exposures. After finishing off the roll, I took it to Eastman film lab here in Taitung, and I’m quite happy with the results! Here are my top 20 shots (out of 36 total). Google Map links provided to most locations.

    Somewhere along Highway 20. I do a lot of camping up here.

    Looking north up the coast towards Dulan

    A similar view a few kilometers south, just in front of the local air base.

    Somewhere along Highway 11 on the way to Hualien

    The city of Taitung is just over that hill in the distance.

    A small, clean day at my beloved local break.

    The Jinzun harbor-view after a surf never gets old

    Looking down the Taroko Gorge from Hehuanshan. If you’re lucky and get the parking spot, this is your campsite view.

    Chenggong is certainly one of the most beautiful spots along the coast.

    The town of Taiyuan, just inland of Donghe.

    Stormy Seas

    Looks like an irrigation pond imposed on the mountains behind Douli Beach

    Hard to place but I’m guessing this was somewhere along the western slopes of Highway 20 near Maolin.

    Somewhere near Ren’ai. Can you tell why I’m always up in the mountains?

    Approaching Lishan (Pear Mountain)

    Siyuan Yakou, just down the valley from Lishan

    Sqoyaw – one of the countless picturesque aboriginal villages in Taiwan

    Looks like a super clean swell at the river. Not sure about the foreground.

    Mooooo…

    Dulan Mountain in the distance.

    Sunset over Fugang

    Thanks for looking! Up next is a film prject called SURFERS OF TAITUNG. More of my photography can be found here, film and otherwise. Take care!

  • Best Ambient Music of 2022

    Best Ambient Music of 2022

    Here are some ambient releases that caught my ear in 2022 (2020 here and 2021 here). But first, here’s a little end-of-year awards:

    • Album of the Year: Lorraine James (both of them)
    • Song of the Year: Choose To Be Gay (Femenine) by Lorraine James
    • Artist of the Year: Lorraine James, of course
    • Label of the Year: Seil Records (as usual)
    • EP of the Year: William Basinski “ . . . on reflection”

    With two excellent albums this year, the experimental and usually-dance music oriented artist from London is my ambient artist of the year. Although not fully ambient, they are close enough, and fully worth of your time and ears!

    Lorraine James | Whatever the Weather and Building Something Beautiful For Me

    Album of the year so far. I kind of had that feeling by the 3rd track (which goes a bit into jungle territory). By the end of the album (and also now at the end of the year) my hunch was correct. A remarkable piece of work.

    It’s impressive that she came out with not one but two ambient leaning albums this year. All in addition to her usual left-field club oriented singles. I really appreciate an outsiders take on the genre.


    William Basinski | “ . . . on reflection “

    I’ve heard the name plenty before but it was only until now that I had a chance to dive in and understand what makes him special. Piano-driven, melancholic but not, it allows you to get lost in whatever you’re doing – truly transportive stuff. Impressive output a age 64 nonetheless.


    Skee Mask | ISS007

    Two years since his last ambient EP and well worth the wait. Basically a mini-album clocking in at 8 tracks. Coming from a techno background, his ambient sounds unlike anyone else out there. Released on the excellent Ilian Tape.


    Sweatson Klank | Postcards

    Discovered this in the beginning of 2023 and what a find. A bit of jazz, some percussion, and a fresh sound. The custom vinyl coverart is a really cool idea. Always great to discovering an exciting artist with a healthy back catalog.


    Fogweaver | Labyrinthine

    This Coloradan artist writes ambient music inspired by fantasy novels, in particular the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin. It definitely feels like you’re reading a novel! Evocative stuff.


    Jogging House | Weight

    The bossman of Seil Records, perpetual Label of the Year. Two years ago I mentioned his music would sound great with some 808s or 909s in the background. Lo and behold you have a few 4/4 backdrops here. I love that this one was “Recorded Straight to 1/4″ tape in single takes.”


    Olli Aarni | Loput

    Starting the year our right. The laaps label from France is well worth checking out. Two twenty minute tracks of watery, textured, ethereal ambience, washing over you in soothing, repetitive waves from the Finnish artist.


    KMRU | epoch

    KMRU is always worth a listen, and this was my pick of the albums that he released this year. One great reason that Seil always tops my Label of the Year is that they offer their albums for free during the first month of release.


    Green Wall | wreath

    It’s nice to discover something from my home state of Virginia, written out in the woods nonetheless. I write the majority of my music out in nature so it’s cool to see others doing the same. The building key switch in this track below is sublime, like a big sigh of relief after a stretch of uncertainty.


    awakened souls | Night Songs


    VA | Music For Freedom – A Fundraiser for Ukraine


    Suso Saiz | Resonant Bodies


    Inquiri | Seven


    Earthensea | Ghost Poems


    Mary Lattimore | Collected Pieces


    raays | Innervzm


    Velvet Rope | Where the Floor Starts to Fade


    Hainbach | Core Memory


    Sam Prekop | Saturday Sunday


    Francis Harris | Thresholds


    halftribe | Elegant Golden


    Gylden | Island Friend


    .foundation | the azure sun suite


    Violet Light | Sonora

    Stereoscenic


    Sebastiano Carghini | As Long As I Go

    Released on Total Stasis (LA)


    David Lackner | Waiting For Sunday

    Released on Total Stasis (LA)


    Hilyard | A Wake In Shadows

    Released on Total Stasis (LA)


    Ulla Straus | foam


    Josh Richardson | Painting Music


    Tomoyoshi Date | 438Hz As It Is, As You Are


    North Americans | Lost Tracks


    SPECIMENS | Intersections


    More: https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2022/the-best-ambient-of-2022

  • A Few Days in Rome

    A Few Days in Rome

    In 2013 I met my parents in Rome for the beginning of an epic European roadtrip. Some family friends of ours from Paris described the city as a “village” and I can see what they meant – everything is fairly walkable. And everything is also fairly ancient. Around every corner you might encounter a 2,000 year old structure or a dig site. It was really impressive. The city has a fairly warm (and worn) coloration to most of the built environment, so I tried to keep that in mind while editing these photos.

    First night in Rome…what else to do but hang out with the locals outside of the Colosseum.

    Inside St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican
    The Roman Forum (ancient city center) at night.
    When in Rome…

    Outside the Colosseum…

    The ice cream is definitely one of the best parts of Italy.
    The Pantheon was probably my favorite building in the city. A stunning 2,000 year old building!
    Hugging a 2,000 year old column, which are made from Egyptian granite!
    Luring customers from the street with pasta & pizza

    City view from atop the Vatican walls.

    Lots of opportunities for street photography in Rome. The graffiti somehow works really well with all the old stone architecture.
    And inside the Colosseum. It’s truly a magnificent structure.

    City view from the Vatican

    One of the best things about Rome is its many public squares. I love how these high school kids took over this one platform. And you gotta love that guy pointing at the camera.
    Walking along the Appian Way, dating back to 316 BC.
    Looking through the pillars at the Roman Forum at night.
    Chilling atop the Spanish Steps
    Anyone know who this is? Shot inside the Palatine Museum.
    Most of the streets in Rome are really narrow.
    My parents!

    Well that’s it for my Roman excursion. I can’t wait to get back one day and indeed I think it would be cool to live there for a year.

    All shots with Canon 6D + 24-105L, processed in Lightroom.

  • A Few Days in London

    A Few Days in London

    In early 2013 I ended an epic European road-trip in London. Its reputation as a cultural powerhouse surely preceded itself and I wasn’t let down. Although I didn’t see a lot of the big tourist attractions, I spent a few days wandering the streets and got a good sense of the city. Can’t wait to get back!

    What’s the first thing you do in London? Go to a pub and order a pint – and fish & chips, of course…

    One of the cool things about British culture – they sure do like to hit the pub and socialize on the streets after work.

    These were all taken in the SoHo neighborhood. There were a lot of interesting characters on the streets. Here are a few of them…

    Let’s take a stroll along the river at night…

    I’ve heard people say to avoid the Eye of London.

    And I totally disagree…

    While up there, you get really spectacular views of the city. I got a real sense of the scale and grandiosity of London. And we had the typical dreary, drizzling UK weather up there. Classic.

    Until the sun came out just before dipping beyond the horizon. It was majestic.

    London was my drum & bass homecoming. We went to Brixton Jamm where Q-Project was headlining the 4 year anniversary of a local crew. There were two rooms and it was everything I expected and more. As corny as it sounds, drum & bass made sense in that moment. I didn’t get any better pics than this but it was a great night.

    Time to head home.

    “Chinese medicine…they’re really onto something…” Really? “Yeah man…”

    On the Night Bus.

    This guy did some nice UKG beatboxing.

    Good morning, and good night!

    And finally, big thanks to Heidi for hosting me in London!

    Photo Notes:

    All shot with the Canon 6D + 24-105L except for the last shot on a Canon AE-1.

    I processed most of these with Cole’s Free Lightroom Presets. I’m not usually into de-saturation but in this case, I thought it made sense for London, which is typically overcast, and used the ‘Color Me Rad!’ on most images here.

  • Colorizing Black & White Film, Part 1: People

    Colorizing Black & White Film, Part 1: People

    You know those great YouTube channels that colorize really old footage from the early 1900s?

    Well, Photoshop has recently added a cool feature that can do the same thing to your photos.

    I haven’t shot much black and white film, but pulled some shots from the 4 rolls or so that I’ve shot over the years. For this first part, we’ll focus on people.

    There are some options to fine-tune the results, and a bunch of specific “looks”, but I used the auto-adjustments for the most part. Then I applied a bit of levels/contrast and maybe some sharpening.

    Here are the results!

    Let’s start this off with my favorite portrait of all time….

    And here it is in color. Yep, still my fav.


    Here are some kids in the town of Sawarna in Java, Indonesia. Home to some of my best surf trips ever.


    A few of the locals at my old home beach of Xichong in Shenzhen

    Bobby (the dog), a Secret Spot fixture, just passed away. RIP…

    Ah Kang is one of the OG local surfers at Xichong. He and his brothers & cousins were always out in the water charging when the waves got big.


    Spencer in his man cave (under construction).

    I like the way this turned out with the muted colors.


    Another one of Iz in the studio…


    Esteban on the roof in the good ole days of Shenzhen


    Heidi in London


    Graham on Power Station Beach in Lamma


    Patrick and Lydia…AI can’t always get things right. This one is definitely the most surprising result, but I like it!


    Daniel & Milla


    Well that wraps up this first in a series of colorizing black & white film shots.

    Come up next: Landscapes…

    Stay tuned & have a great day!

  • Best Vegetarian Food in Taitung

    Best Vegetarian Food in Taitung

    Greetings from Taitung! 

    It’s amazing how the smallest of towns and cities in Taiwan always have a pretty good selection of vegetarian food, isn’t it? Including right here in Taitung.

    I’ve been living & visiting since 2013, and during that time have gotten a pretty good idea of the local vegetarian food around town. These places are my go-to spots for affordable, healthy, tasty local grub. However I’m probably missing out on some hidden gems. If you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments. Otherwise, let’s dig in…

    Table of Contents 

    Best buffet

    歐拉蔬食館 • Ola

    With the sad departure of Delaisu, we need a new place to top this list, and it might as well be Ola. Not to be be confused with the brunch spot of a similar name nearby. It’s a buffet, and what you get for $200 is miles above every other buffet in the city, and probably worth more. They are open for lunch every day but Monday, and for dinner only on weekends. Save room for 3rds!

    Address: 950台東縣台東市漢中街245號 | # 089345869 | Google Maps 


    Best quick & easy meal

    溫馨小館 • Cozy House

    This place feels like a home – and it basically is. Hence the name right? The rice plates are only 100ntd and come with a variety of Chinese vegetables plus a free bowl of soup or tea. There’s also do a variety of risotto dishes that come in around 130ntd, and all the other staples such as noodles and soup noodles, etc. They are open until 8pm, the owner is super nice, and there’s always a funny looking, friendly cat lounging around who isn’t afraid to say hello.

    Address: No. 157, Guangming Road, Taitung City, 950 | # 08 932 8860 | Google Maps 


    Best noodles & wraps

    明隆春捲專賣店 • Ming Long

    One of the only places with an English sign in town. They have the best wraps in the city, hands down; made with fresh sprouts, purple rice, or cabbage (<- the most popular), for 45nt each. They also have an extensive and modestly priced menu of noodles, soup, & noodles in soup! Fairly traditional stuff including sesame noodles, wonton soup, angelica noodles, etc. Service is fast and the boss lady speaks perfect English. You can’t really go wrong here and it’s centrally located to boot.

    Address: No. 453-1號, Zhengqi Road, Taitung City, 950 | # 08 933 2520 | Google Maps

    Hot & spicy Thai noodles

    Best Taiwan-style night stall

    台東香雅鹹素雞 • Taitung Fragrant Chicken

    She has relocated! So take note if you find her missing from the old spot…

    Aside from the cool name, this place is a godsend. When you need some proper greasy fried food late at night – this is your spot. Most places like this don’t really have much in the way of vegetarian food, but this place is 100%. A variety of mock meats are on offer and it’s not all deep fried in oil – you can choose to have your food boiled as well. I only wish they had a few tables for eating on the spot. Most importantly (if they are in stock!) they make their own fried cheese sticks for 30ntd a pop. How can you go wrong with homeade cheese-on-a stick in Taiwan?

    Address: 950台東縣台東市光明路293號 • # 0937 815 087 • Google Maps


    Best “late night” food spot

    蘇天助素食麵 • Su Tian Zhu Noodles

    If you need a late night spot – this is it. Late being relative here, because Taitung tends to close down early. But this place is open until midnight (or 11pm if there are few customers). There’s only 4 things on the menu: a rice bowl, a noodle bowl, noodles in soup, and soup. All of them feature a thick, rich, salty sauce and some kind of fake meat shreds, and all of them come in at 40ntd (or 50 for a large version). For some reason I feel like I’m going back in time, living an ancient tradition, when eating at this place. The food is tasty and exactly what the doctor ordered when you need a “late night” veg snack.

    Address: No. 195, Baosang Road, Taitung City, 950 | # 08 932 3672 | Google Maps 


    Best post-surf spot

    翔美美食 • Xiangmei Cafe

    This place is about an hour up the coast in Chenggong, and it’s a must. It seems to be the default spot for surfers when they are finished at a certain mystical wave in the area that may or may not exist. They have rice bowls, thick noodle soups, curry set meals, incredible shaved ice, and it’s very affordable. I don’t know what I’d do without this place. Don’t pay any attention to the Google rating, maybe that’s for the meat dishes they serve.

    Address: 961台東縣成功鎮中山路55號 | # 089850135 | Google Maps 

    The best rice bowl in Taitung

    Best Pizza in town

    披薩阿伯 • Uncle Pete’s Pizza

    I first came here in 2016, and had read about the laowai who plays violin for all the customers. Sure enough, halfway through our meal (the hummus pizza was excellent), he starts making his way around with his fiddle. He played for each and every table and then…passed right by us. Haha. Pete is one of the nicest guys in town, charges big waves, and makes a solid pizza. I recommend mix and matching on a single large pie. There’s a creaky old piano and the walls are adorned with Pete’s original artwork.

    Address: 950台東縣台東市臨海路一段167號 | # 0952179165 | Google Maps

    Can’t go wrong with a bit of pineapple!

    Best fish & chips in the Universe

    台澢號 • Taitung Tea House

    Gonna cheat here because I’m not 100% vegetarian as I do eat fish on occasion when I feel my body needs it. And I have a thing for fish & chips, haha. In fact, I might go out on a limb and say this is my favorite fish & chips in the world. Although my hometown Irish pub Kelly’s pulls a mean one as well. Anyways, you have two choices here, either classic or crispy, and the fish comes straight from the ocean nearby. The cost is a very reasonable 200ntd, and you need to pay extra for dip for your chips. And they close reallly early, at 6:30pm. Dulan is also a funky little town to spend time in and I would recommend that travelers stay up here rather than in the city.

    Address: 959台東縣東河鄉146-2號 | # 0955 092 961 | Google Maps


    Best veggie burger

    初 早餐 • Early Breakfast

    I’m not sure if that’s the actual name of this place but that’s what Google says… Anyways, this is a popular breakfast / brunch spot that is always crowded during lunch time with a young crowd. They have what I might call the best veggie burger in the city. It isn’t very large and it isn’t very typical for that matter either, but it’s a Beyond Meat burger and tastes great. In typical Taiwanese fashion it comes with a fried egg on top, and a nice charcoal bun. A solid 4.5 stars! Plenty of other breakfast stuff as well, but beware that some things use pork oil, so make sure you order from the designated vegetarian menu.

    Address: 950台東縣台東市正氣路463號 | # 089330798 | Google Maps


    Best all-around spot

    得來素蔬食早午餐 • Delaisu

    Closed? They seem to have dropped off the map. Let’s see if they make a comeback…

    As the place that I frequent the most, I’ve got no problem putting this at the top of the list. You could say it’s a Taiwanese take on fast food, veggie style.  But it’s so much more than that. Not only is it cheap, but you have a very large menu with everything from Italian & udon noodles to rice curry dishes to an assortment of veggie burgers and hot dogs with fries, sandwiches, and more. It also doubles as a breakfast / brunch spot, in particular the zhua bing wraps are excellent. You can sometimes score some nice seasonal fruit from area farms to boot. The only bummer is that they close at 1:30pm and aren’t open for dinner. Say hello to the nice ladies behind the counter for me!

    Address: No. 627, Gengsheng Road, Taitung City, 950 | # 08 922 2288 | Google Maps 


    ABC Deli

    Sadly, they are closed. RIP to the nicest falafel & pita on the island. A few photos for posterity…


    Well that concludes this list!

    If you have a spot that you think deserves to be here, please leave a comments.

    Bon appétit!

  • Best Drum & Bass of 2021

    Best Drum & Bass of 2021

    Despite running a dnb label, I listened to less jungle and dnb than ever before in 2021. There’s simply too many other styles out there (ambient / R&B / house / etc) that excite me. Nonetheless, I do keep my ear to the ground whenever possible, and when something really catches my ear, it’ll end up on this page. So here are my top releases of 2021 within the wide world of jungle and DNB. As it turns out, many of them coming from outside of the scene.

    Brogan Bentley • Diapason Rex LP

    It can be hit or miss when a traditionally non-drum & bass artist jumps into the genre. In this case it’s a clear hit. The opening track ‘Ecstacy’ (below) reduces the music to its basics with a simple, amen based drum loop, and sends it to soaring heights with his vocals. An instant highlight when I first heard it. The rest of the album, filled with inventive soundscapes and melodics, make it my jungle album of the year. Released on one of my favorite labels, Leaving Records in LA, which has a wide range of creative output.

    Nia ArchivesHeadz Gone West EP

    Here’s something extremely fresh: jungle meeting traditional r&b. (Well that’s how I interpreted it at the time. Cool to see she is the new queen of jungle in 2022) You get a lot of pop-oriented vocals in dnb but not necessarily in the r&b style, so this was a breath of fresh air. Clearly a product of the extremely rich soul scene in the UK, she has remixed other r&b songs with Congo Natty in tow. Thankfully, she continues releasing more music in this style and has built up a nice little catalog. Self-released on her Bandcamp from Manchester. PS stay tuned for my r&b meets jungle mix on v-day 2022!

    FanuTruth & Lies EP

    Anything Fanu drops is a must listen. In recent years he has been making strong moves on Metalheadz, a long overdue recognition of his production talents. But his work on local Finnish label Straight Up Breakbeat is equally as impressive. His signature crunchy drums and cold, dirty basslines are present throughout. Highlight: Mental Aerobics

    TMSVJungle Selections Vol. 1 & 2

    This talented Dutch producer has been dropping his ‘Jungle’ series for a few years now, and 2021 brings two vinyl pressings of his favorites from that series. Not strictly a jungle producer, his productions stand out from the pack with their exquisite sound design and steady variations. I would have picked almost an entirely different suite of songs, but everything here is a worth a listen. Lots of ear candy and wild amen rinsing within.

    IlluviaIridescence of Clouds

    Illuvia is a master of ambient and has released more music than any other artist I can think of. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has reached the 100 album mark. Although he doesn’t release much jungle/dnb these days, it appears that he’s saved some of his best work for this album. The ambient textures dominate with ghostly filtered jungle rhythms float by like clouds for a stunning effect. Released on ASIP in LA.

    Pink Pantheresstime machine

    Along with Nia Archives, part of the new and very welcome jungle meets r&b trend coming out of the UK this year. Except this is a fully formed album, with at least half of it being jungle/drum & bass. Her high pitched voice sounds somewhat childlike but it’s pleasant to listen to. Closed out tactfully with an Adam F cover/remix. Let’s hope this trend continues. It’s a shame she deleted her Bandcamp (she’s blowing up), but you can listen on all other platforms here.

    Kid LibDAT043

    There is something about Kid Lib that sets him apart from the field. I’m not sure but I think it has something to do with his signal processing chain or outboard effects. Everything in his production sounds so clean, bringing to life and clarity all the samples and sounds of old. It’s like hearing original jungle in super HD for the first time ever. Released on Harmony’s Deep Jungle label.

    Alix Perez • Atlas 1

    Alix does it again. Well he always does it. But this time impressively so on his collaboration with Monty on the highlight of his 1985 label compilation. Possible drum & bass (not jungle) song of the year for me. His Burning Babylon single is also worthy of high praise as a dirty dancefloor highlight of 2021.

    NecrotypeZellandine EP

    Am I allowed to list something from my own label here? Because I just did 🙂 Necrotype is one of the most consistent producers in the jungle scene, with a very rich history of releases and a high level of quality control. This release recalls the early days of breakbeat hardcore and trance, showcasing the sound that just preceded – and eventually became – jungle music. The title track will take you to another world; enchanting dance music to lose yourself to in the rave, released on Mettāsonic from Taiwan.

    And finally…

    Here’s a mix I made that weaves a lot of these songs together.

    I hope you enjoy it. And stay tuned for the 2022 mix!

  • Best Ambient Music of 2021

    Best Ambient Music of 2021

    Ambient Music wins the year again. After a 2020 which saw the genre unexpectedly rise to the top of my preferences, 2021 was the same story. The cool thing about ambient music is that you don’t really need to focus on it. You can let it ride in the background and go about your business, coming out all the more relaxed for it. I find that it’s great for working, cooking, computing, driving, whatever! And the deeper down the rabbit hole I go the better it gets.

    Before we begin, here’s my own personal 2021 awards 🙂

    And now for the list…


    Nala SinephroSpace 1.8

    Album of the Year. A transcendental piece of music. Not limited to the ambient genre, and doesn’t sound like your typical ambient artist. One might event classify this as jazz. It’s truly a special piece of work. And she saved the best song for last, a stunningly beautiful, grounding, celebratory 17-minute piece of music. This stuff is the reason I fell in love with ambient. The Carribean-Belgian musician has crafted a true modern classic. Released on the legendary Warp Records in London. She also released this excellent live recording as well. Finally, here’s a good article/interview with the artist on Pitchfork.


    Naliah Hunter & EndelSleeping Sea

    Need some help falling asleep? This list is finally complete with the addition of this album. I discovered it sometime in early 2022 and it hit the spot. Endel is an AI-generated ambient platform, and this is part of their collaborative series with LA label Leaving Records. This time with the incredible harpist Naliah Hunter of the same city. Typically I wouldn’t put much stock in computer generated music, but it really works, and is the album I’ve come back to the most this year. Her Bandcamp is worth exploring as well.


    Ulla Limitless Frame

    Sometimes you know something will be great from the very first note. That one chord, imbued with so much character and texture, sets the tone for a very rich, textured, and consistent album. But there’s variety too. She throws it off kilter with distorted guitars and other lush effects. The album feels “on the edge”…of something. I get the impression it was labored over carefully until it resonated just right, making for a truly transportive piece of music. It’s too bad you can’t purchase the songs individually though. Excellent followup to her excellent album last year. Released on Motion Ward in LA.


    SalamandaSphere

    There’s nothing overly tribal or percussive on this list, but that changes with this album. A lovely, hypnotic, contemplative, enchanting affair that keeps itself in the ambient territory by forgoing the use of snares…at least that’s my own way of classifying ambient music 😉 Salamanda consists of two girls from South Korea who perform live and have released no less than 3 albums and handful of great singles this year (check out their Bandcamp). Count me as their biggest champion! Released on Mėtron Records in the UK.


    Elori SaxThe Blue of Distance

    Another stunner from a relative unknown girl from NYC…via Spotify Discovery. I know that platform gets a lot of hate, but the algorithm really works. I’ve bought more music through my weekly discovery playlist than anywhere else. There are elements of jazz, classical, drone, and despite moments of tension, the album is permeated by an overwhelming sense of calm. The perfect soundtrack to my latest hot spring excursion. Released on Western Vinyl in Austin, TX.


    5 albums deep and they are all women…

    Stay tuned for the upcoming “Women of Ambient” mix!


    Brin & Josiah SteinbrickBliss Place

    A product of the incredibly strong and collaborative LA scene. I’m not usually a fan of short songs around the 2 minute mark, but everything here is so good that it’s more than worth the minimal time investment. The album gives itself a chance to breathe with the 17 minute closer ‘blissspaceofficial’, but the off-grid percussive nature of ‘lexus resist’ is hypnotizing and my personal highlight. Two more incredible artists to follow going forward! Check more of Steinbrick’s beautiful catalog on his Bandcamp.


    Ki Oni Stay Indoors And Swim

    Elastic underwater loops from LA! The perfect soundtrack to my final (2 hour!) hot spring session of the year. Under a full moon no less. There was something very aquatic about this music, and sure enough see the title. Except I was outdoors in a riverbed. There’s a cornucopia of activity under the surface of this music, and the way it’s all obscured is just perfect. Not usually a fan of long form ambient, but it’s fitting that half of the tracks go over 10 minutes. Released on Sound as Language in LA.


    halftribe Lucent Forms Travelling

    First heard the title track opening up his wonderful Deep Breakfast Mix. There is something about a slowly repeated note, with all the right warmth and texture, over and over again, that puts you in a good mental space. The sporadic harp notes really bring it home. Then the title track is one upped by the next song Nighttime Worlds. The entire album is brilliant and I’m excited to follow this artist. Released on Hidden Vibes in Ukraine.


    Hilyard Division Cycle

    I’m not usually into dark or drone ambient, but something about this one hit me really deep on first listen. There’s something vaguely mechanical underneath the surface of the raw tones and textures – and it’s completely enveloping. Like someone mentioned on the Bandcamp page: “The division between the so-called good and bad in life is often just a matter of time or perspective…” and this album reflects that duality. Released on Cryo Chamber in Oregon. All of his music is currently Name Your Price on his Bandcamp.


    Stijn Hüwels + Tomoyoshi Date
    A Distant Fire, A Distant Cloud

    I won’t go into details but this one pretty much saved my life this summer, haha. Looking and listening back on it, I can see why the circumstances delivered this one to me. If there is any music on this list that could personify the idea of healing, maybe this it it. But it also feels very much on the edge, as if entering a new world, yet extremely tranquilizing at the same time. Like passing from life into death, or maybe the other way around. Released on laaps in France.


    AshanSacred Spring

    Enchanting stuff. Early in the year I had bookmarked this with the comment “album of the year?” After finally listening again in November, I can get behind that nomination. Usually there are one or two tracks on a release that take me by hold, but in this case it really works as a full album of consistent lush ambient greatness, where it’s truly greater than the sum of its parts. Released on Inner Islands in Oakland.


    kafariBlanket of Black

    Some of the best things in life are indeed free. Not exactly ambient, but close enough. The very best of what you might classify as “coffee shop jazz” – but in the best way possible. Culled from an old piano during the pandemic, these songs really hit the spot when I first heard them, and also saved my life last summer 😉 I’m loving the hi pitched string like lead he’s using on most of the songs. Self-released on his Bandcamp from Portland, Maine.


    The Lifted Index • Sanctuary

    Another hot spring session, but this time I struck gold on the first attempt, and came out of the springs fully renewed and refreshed. There’s enough texture to keep you interested but not overwhelmingly so. Very feel-good stuff, and the standout release on Seil Records so far this year, which itself has already been very consistent. Lest you forget that all Seil releases are free in the short term!


    arushi jain • Under the Lilac Sky

    How can you deny this? Well you can’t. A beautiful Indian woman with a radical modular rack making “ambient synth ragas intended to be heard during the sunset hours”. It’s beautiful, interesting, complex, adventurous, rich, and more. She reinterprets classical Indian music through a modern electronic framework, resulting in a classic yet futuristic sound book-ended by the Song of the Year. Can’t beat that! Self-released on her Bandcamp.


    MLOOumuamua

    So this is a compilation of unreleased works from this duo, mostly from the 90s, and it makes me realize there is so much more digging to do within this genre. Upon discovery, I probably played this one more times back to back than any other release so far this year. Highlight for me is “Sleeper” (below) which develops from ambient into jungle over the course of 12 minutes! Released on Music from Memory in the Netherlands.


    taennya • natural serentiy

    Enchanting stuff. Early in the year I had bookmarked this with the comment I was in the local hot spring last night, searching fruitlessly for a good album. Nothing was working until I came across this. Although sounding like warmly enveloping drone ambience at first, you’ll soon realize chord progressions are at play, and beautiful ones at that; ever so subtle, delayed, and stretched. Along with the hotter than usual spring water, it took me to another world. Big ups to this young Russian artist who only has 42 Soundcloud followers at the time of writing! Released on Stereoscenic Records in Cleveland.


    Mary LattimoreCollected Pieces II

    Enchanting stuff. Early in the year I had bookmarked this with the comment After her stellar album last year, she’s back with another collection of beautiful tracks. These songs function very effectively as straightforward harp loops that warp every so slightly, washed in delay and reverb. A lot of these songs will be pressed to vinyl on her next album in January, signaling another great start to a new year of ambient music. Self-released on her Bandcamp.


    perilaHow Much Time is Between You & Me

    I wasn’t sure whether to include this one on the list but after a 2nd listen, the answer was a resounding yes. Sometimes music works like that; you need to give it another chance and let it sink in. It straddles the line between being other-wordly and enveloping at the same time. This Berlin-based Russian artist has a ton more self-released stuff on her Bandcamp so dig in.


    Sam PrekopIn Away

    He’s done it again. My favorite indie rock artist of the past is on an ambient tear. After last years’ epic Comma album, he has returned with an EP of self-released songs from recent studio sessions, that arguably push his (already impressive) modular sound envelope a bit further. Highlight for me is the techno jam ‘Triangle’. Self-released from Chicago on his Bandcamp. Be sure to also check out his beautiful, hyptonizing 25 minute Spelling piece on Australian label Longform Editions.


    The KLFCome Down Dawn

    Wow. Driving home from work one night, a song from this album came on my Spotify Discovery (which leans heavily towards ambient these days!) and I was instantly taken aback and dove into the entire album. Come to find, this is a re-issue (slightly re-worked) of a classic album from 1990. And it sounds just as fresh today as what I imagine it might have then.



    Iu Takahashi
    Late in Life

    There’s a very strong KMRU quality in this one. Soft, cloudy, major chord progressions that just float by peacefully and serenely. I’m glad I came back to this at the end of the year because it’s amazing release where I just can’t pick a favorite. Released on Regional Attraction in Portland, Oregon.



    Innesti
    In Letters

    This girl definitely deserves a mention. She released two albums this year for $1 each (and there are many more that came before that). Her style is both universal and unique – I’d describe it as ethereal and breathy, loaded with long reverb tails and space, and ghostly vocals mixed in with subtlety, ending with the stunning title track. The songs alternate between light and dark with plenty of room to breathe. Self-released on her Bandcamp. Might just go and scoop up her entire catalog 🙂 And don’t miss this eerie lead single from an album of hers last year.



    Andrea Porcu
    Music From a Sinking World

    Fans of The Caretaker apply here: soft, stretched, muted & otherworldly sounds of yesteryear. Both haunting and incredibly relaxing all at once. I might also add that his output rate is rather impressive. His label Rohs! has a lot to sift through. Self-released on his Bandcamp from Sardinia, Italy.



    City of Dawn
    Ambedo

    I was working late tonight, shuffling through Soundcloud, Spotify, and Bandcamp. And nothing was doing the trick – until I came across this. No frills string-like atmospheres that put you at ease and/or help you concentrate on whatever task you have at hand. Released on Healing Sound Propagandist in Indiana.



    Blanket Swimming & Gallery Six 

    Meet the Rising Sun with Infinite Stillness

    I was working late tonight, shuffling through Soundcloud, Spotify, and I was, somewhat frustratingly, having a hard time finding a standout ambient release for the past couple of weeks until this came along. An extremely calming, comforting sound. A lot of birds chirping in the background, occasionally some water moving around, and hey that’s not a bad thing at all. Best song: all of them. Released on Healing Sound Propogandist in Indianapolis.



    Brin, Dntel, More Eaze
      • Futureangelics

    A standout release, and not your typical ambience. Somewhat soundtrack-y (in a good way), and full of sounds and textures that will turn your ear. Released on Cached Media in Chicago. Another example of Brin’s incredibly productive year.



    Landon Caldwell
    Bicycle Day

    Two 20 minute tour de forces (pun intended) that never stop evolving and keep you hooked around every corner. “We grew up in a small town riding bikes as children, then eventually eating acid and riding bikes as teenagers. We wanted to capture the sense of wonder where we always dream to return.” Boom! Released on Mock Records in Los Angeles.



    Vivian Koch
    Beyond Contact

    Two 20 minute tour de forces (pun intended) that never stop evolving and keep you hooked around every corner. “We grew up in a small town riding bikes as children, then eventually eating acid and riding bikes as teenagers. We wanted to capture the sense of wonder where we always dream to return.” Boom! Released on Mock Records in Los Angeles.



    Yann Novak
    Lifeblood of Light and Rapture

    Slow building drone ambience with character. Requires some patience but eventually it sets in – and you settle into it. Put this on again when my apartment flooded and I was cleaning up. He had a follow up to this release with 4 remixes later in the year. Good moment to wrap up this list and hit the publish button. Released on Touched Music in the UK.



    Sebastiano Carghini
    As Long As I Go

    Discovered in late 2022, and an instant fav. This Italian artist via the Netherlands brings a lot of textures to the table, almost percussive but not quite. It’s a uniquie production style that reminds me a bit of Skee Mask. Equally as hypnotic and a clear standout. Released on Total Stasis in LA, which seems to be another label well worth following.


    Did you make it this far?

    Thanks for reading!

    ,
  • Best R&B/Soul Music of 2021

    Best R&B/Soul Music of 2021

    R&B – it’s the good stuff.

    I didn’t follow the genre as closely as I did last year, but nonetheless here are some releases which caught my ear in 2021. As usual it was strongly dominated by music coming out of the UK.

    TirzahColourgrade

    When an r&b release is being covered on Resident Advisor you know something interesting is at play. There are moment on Tirzah’s new album when you can hear her clearing her voice – her new album is raw, stripped bare, and mesmerizing in its simple, sparse grooves. Nothing else out there sounds quite like it. But the highlight is her voice, in all it’s textured richness. Possibly album of the year for me. Listen in full on her Bandcamp.

    serpentwithfeetDEACON

    AOTY? It’s not every day you see two brothers getting intimate in a music video, but hey it’s 2021 and we’re breaking barriers and all here for it. There’s a lovely, organic, minimal approach to the production underlying this album and it works wonders. The closing track ‘Fellowship’ is a highlight of the year. Be sure to also check out the Same Size Shoe video, another highlight. Listen on Bandcamp or All Platforms.

    John GlacierSHILOH

    Instant impact from South London. This is closer to rap or spoken word, but the vibe and aesthetic are close enough to r&b so here it is. The spell is cast from the very first note on the first song, and the album just flies by with short transfixing beats by Vegyn. A highly consistent piece of work from yet another great UK artist.

    VanJessHomegrown

    One of the best albums of the year. There’s also a clear contender for song of the year in Slow Down, even without the new Lucky Daye version. Sampling the same horns used by ‘Rump Shaker’ – this is one of the smoothest tracks of the year and captures everything great about the modern r&b sound. There’s great variety too with the D’angelo-like funk of ‘Surrender’ to the Dilla like bass stabs of ‘Roses’ to the 90s sound of ‘Come Over Again’ to modern trap and disco grooves a plenty. Listen on All Platforms.

    Fousheétime machine

    If her silky voice doesn’t get you, the smooth and sultry melodies backing them up will. Or the Depeche Mode cover. Or the long and meandering Steve Lacy feature. Or any of the other songs. Or the ever present lead guitar. Yep, a very solid album amongst the best of the year.

    Listen: Spotify | All Platforms

    Pink Pantheresstime machine

    Along with Nia Archives, part of the new and very welcome jungle meets r&b trend coming out of the UK this year. Except this is a fully formed album, with at least half of it being jungle/drum & bass. Her high pitched voice sounds somewhat childlike but it’s pleasant to listen to. Closed out tactfully with an Adam F cover/remix. Let’s hope this trend continues. It’s a shame she deleted her Bandcamp (she’s blowing up), but you can listen on all other platforms here.

    Tinashe333

    Tinashe does modern trap r&b as well as anyone – putting her in that same category as Jhene Aiko for me, with a voice to match. The beats are soulful and the melodies and hooks are catchy.  It’s pop music with class and depth. In another great trend in r&b music recently, several of her songs have a jungle/dnb sound, including the one below. Long Live the Queen. Listen on All Platforms.

    BatheBicoastal

    These guys might blow up one day. I like pretty much everything they’ve put out. Hailing from Brooklyn NYC, they have a strong live element to their sound, lush with guitars and plenty of reverb. I’m surprised they aren’t bigger (less than 1k subscriers on YouTube!) as they are good enough to share the spotlight with the likes of Lucky Daye, Leon Bridges, and Daniel Caesar imo. Listen on Bandcamp and be sure to dive into their website where they breakdown each song with text and photos.

    H.E.R.Back of my Mind

    What a great debut album from someone who is obviously very big these days. If you like Tinashe then you’ll probably like this. Her remake of Goapele’s ‘Closer’ is classy but the grand opening track ‘We Made It’ is the show stopper for me. The album slows down in the 2nd half and puts the focus on her voice. And she can shred a guitar with the best in country music too. Stream on all platforms.

    Lava La RueButterfly EP

    There is something in the water in London and I’m not sure what it is – but it certainly produces incredible r&b talent.  I came across this by playing Nia Archives radio on Spotify, and glad that I did. This one’s a part of the excellent Butterfly EP here on her Bandcamp. Nia also remixed this song inna jungle style with Congo Natty.

    Sinead HarnettReady is Always Too Late

    Mature r&b for mature listeners! Perfect production paired with a rich voice, accompanied by strong supporting cast, that doesn’t try to be different, and excels in the process. For slow, relaxing evenings at home on the weekend. ‘Stay’ is one of the highlights of the year. Listen on all platforms.

    Nia ArchivesHeads Gone West EP

    So this isn’t strictly R&B. But who said you can’t mix jungle and soul? Nia fuses the classic UK jungle sound with her classic UK style r&b vocals – and the results impressively more than the sum of their parts. Her EP of the same name also made my list of best jungle records of 2021. Along with 4 other great singles this year, she’s my artist of the year within both the r&b and the jungle music scenes. An impressive year!

  • Best Ambient Music of 2020

    Best Ambient Music of 2020

    After 5 years of budding interest – ambient completely took over my listening habits in 2020. Previously I had dabbled in those “6 hours of healing meditation” BS videos on YouTube. But the trick is to go straight to the artists who are making the good stuff.

    This music has been a revelation for me. It’ll completely alter your state of being if you embrace it, or just let it wash over you. Bandcamp publishes a monthly “best of” list an that’s a great place to keep tabs on the genre.

    Before we begin, here’s my own personal 2020 awards.

    And now for the list…


    Kaitlyn Aurelia SmithThe Mosaic of Transformation

    The best piece of music in all of 2020 – in all genres. And my new favorite ambient artist, or musician in general. Angelic layered vocals and stunning, imaginative production. Sounds like nothing else out there. Highly recommend her back catalog as well. She’s the artist I keep coming back to the most over these past few years since discovery in 2020.

    Released on Ghostly International in NYC


    Skee MaskISS006

    Techno lovers will be well-familiar with Bryan Mueller and his incredible work within that genre, which has occasionally strayed into ambient territory. His first fully ambient release (6 stunning tracks in all) is one of the standouts of the year While a lot of ambient has a “sameness” quality to it, the sound SCNTST has sculpted a body of work with a truly unique and otherworldly sound.

    Released on Ilian Tape in Munich


    Sam PrekopComma

    If you know The Sea & Cake band then you know Sam Prekop, their vocalist. He’s been experimenting and releasing solo ambient and modular stuff for years, and this is his magnum opus IMO. An endlessly beautiful piece of work. Allowances for the hi-hats & percussion!

    Released on Thrill Jockey in Chicago


    Juliana Barwick Healing Is A Miracle

    Heavenly vocal harmonies backed by soaring strings. Sounds like you’re in an ancient cathedral, hundreds of years in the future. Atmosphere for days, and a truly breathtaking piece of work. Need more of this! Title track is the highlight.

    Released on Ninja Tune in London


    KMRU Jar

    Signature tranquilizing drone ambience from the Nairobian master. If you absolutely need peace of mind right now, this is it. His Peel album from this year also comes highly recommended.

    Released on Seil Records in Germany


    Heathered Pearls Cast

    The Polish/Michigan/NYC artist casts a mesmerizing spell with moody loops and spoken word. Gets better with each listen. The techno background and influence is on clear display. Highlight: Life Out Of Balance ft. Shigeto

    Released on Ghostly International in NYC


    Night OceannSorcerer’s Dream

    The lack of Bandcamp support on this one is mind boggling. Perhaps that’s because the artist and label are relative newcomers – but this release is virtually flawless, integrating feel-good string driven melodies, hazy environmental recordings, and percussive elements into a perfect whole.

    Released on Expeditions Above in Tbilisi


    Ana Roxanne Because of A Flower

    Much anticipated 2nd release from the NYC artist. Germinated over a span of 5 years and informed by her intersex identity. “Suite pour l’invisible” – and all it’s soaring vocals, is a contender for ambient track of the year in my book!

    Self-released on her Bandcamp


    Mary Lattimore Silver Ladders

    Harp-driven soundscapes recorded over a span of nine days. The 3rd and final album on this list from Ghostly International, whom I think we can now crown the (ambient) label of the year in 2020. Worth it for the title track alone, and it’s rapturous crescendo.


    Robert Carlos Lange
    An Explosion Made Me Think Of You

    The artist otherwise known as Helado Negro put out two other ambient EPs this year, but it was this one-track release, made with an MPC 2000 XL, that caught my attention the most with it’s lush percussive echos and reverb; a simple yet timeless and effective piece of music.

    Self-Released on his Bandcamp


    Wata Igarashi WIP01

    The first release on the respected Japanese techno producer’s new WIP label (with 4 releases in 2020) was the one that caught my attention the most. A 15 minute meandering arpeggiated number followed by a high pitched drone pice make for a very effective one two punch.

    Self-released on his Bandcamp in Tokyo


    Jogging House Be

    Warm, vaguely melancholic yet comforting analog driven compositions that would be perfectly at home with a backdrop of 808s and 909s, yet make perfect sense without. The great thing about Seil is that their releases are always free for the first month or so. Highlight: Degree of Change.

    Released on Seil Records


    Pinkcourtesyphone Leaving Everything To Be Desired

    Evoking feelings of a muted, stretched, and softened Caretaker, this project alternates between grand euphoria and darker emotions, with everything in between. First two tracks are the highlight.

    Released on Room40 in Australia


    Fogweaver Vedurnan

    Fittingly to the cover artwork, I discovered this while lying in a hot-spring on a riverbed, nestled in the foggy mountains of Taiwan. The sounds of the music and my environment simply melded into one as I soaked the evening away. Also, strong sci-fi vibes as evidenced by the cover.

    Self-released on his Bandcamp in Colorado


    raays PRELUDE audio visual mixtape

    Sitting here in May 2022 when this popped on my radar and my what a dope project. Straddling the lines between ambient, chill-out beats, and experimental, it’s one of the best pieces I’ve heard in a while. There is an incredibly trippy full length video to accompany the album, and all of the proceeds benefit AFRORACK, giving inner city Chicago youth access to modular synthesis! Be sure to check out his 2022 Innervsm album as well!

    Self-released on his Bandcamp in Los Angeles


    Josiah Steinbrick Liquid/Devotion

    Another product of the incredibly fruitful ambient/jazz community in Los Angeles. Since his album in 2021 seems to have disappeared from Bandcamp and streaming, I figured this would be a good addition to the 2020 list. It’s not fully ambient but that’s what makes it really interesting. This guy is completely in his own lane. It’s a great listen and I can’t say there’s a bad song here.

    Released on RVNG Intl. in New York


    Did you enjoy this list/music?

    Here’s a mix of my top 20 songs in 2020.

    Hope it brings you as much joy as it did for me 🙂

    Tracklisting coming soon…

    Prefer Soundcloud?

    I also recorded a version of this mix for the excellent Vykhod Sihly podcast, but forgot a song and also didn’t have any headphones/monitoring! So I recorded it again 😛

  • Best Soul / R&B Music of 2020

    Best Soul / R&B Music of 2020

    It’s interesting that r&b has become my genre of choice in 2020. I’ve always been into the 90s, but it’s only natural that I came around to the new stuff, as soul in general is the one thing that influences all my taste in music.

    My favorite way of keeping tabs on new soul is by following the genre on Bandcamp. There, you tend to get more off-the-radar projects that you otherwise might not hear. Spotify’s Discover Weekly has also been a godsend for finding new music.

    The soul tradition solidified in the 60s has carried on to the present, expressing the same spirit through a different palette of sounds. And there are a lot of great things happening in the world of soul, both sonically and conceptually.

    Without further adieu, and in no particular order except for #1…


    SAULTUntitled (Rise)

    Released April 3, 2020 on Warner

    Listening again in June 2022 – this is my r&b album of the year. It’s one of those slow burners that gets better with each listen, despite being great from the start.

    SAULT doesn’t sound like your average r&b act. They channel the entire history of soul music, and beyond, into their sound. From 70s soul to funk to African rhythms, psychedelic rock, spoken word, disco and more – it’s a very organic, impressive amalgam of sounds into a cohesive whole.

    It’s well suspected that Cleo Sol is part of the act, and indeed it sounds like her. If true that puts her on 3 of the year’s best albums. There’s also the sense that this is a band seriously in tune with one another.

    A perfectly fitting soundtrack to the year of Black Lives Matter. They also put out another album in 2020 which is free on Bandcamp, with proceeds going to charitable funds. Favorite Song: Eternal Life

    Listen: Bandcamp | Spotify 

    https://youtu.be/MjW1mJ7i8cg

    Liv.eCouldn’t Wait To Tell You

    Released July 31, 2020 on InRealLifeMusic

    Here’s an immediate standout – this album put me in a trance on first listen. The loose, hazy, heavily looped jazzy beats, not conforming to any typical r&b standard, are the perfect backdrop for her silky smooth voice. There’s a sense you’re listening to an instant classic.

    With a strong lo-fi aesthetic, the album has won praise from Erykah Badu, and was recorded over a one-month stretch at her mom’s house. Released on a small indie LA label, it’s hard to imagine this on any major label, and all the better for it’s creative freedoms.

    Contemplative, immersive, soothing, and timeless. In fact it reminded me a bit of the Caretaker’s classic “Everywhere at the End of Time”, a transfixing meditation on dementia sound-tracked by old jazz and ballroom loops.

    Check out this Bandcamp interview and get to know the new queen of soul.

    Listen: Bandcamp | Spotify


    Love MoorMotions

    Self-Released on November 20, 2020

    This album sounds like r&b royalty. Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama – Love Moor has crafted an incredibly smooth, sophisticated listen from front to back.

    If I were to put one album from this list into the “traditional neo-soul” category, this would be it. Perfectly executed, elegant r&b with no experimental surprises. The fact that she is not on a major label is surprising. The fact that she has only 1,000 fans on her Facebook page, and very little media attention, is a crime. Let’s change that…

    Specials shouts to producer, Suaze, who crafted half of the album’s 12 tracks, making for a very consistent body of work. He also produced the entirety of her very impressive 2017 album Simp Girl. 

    Favorite Song: Art, in all it’s upright bass majesty.

    Listen: Bandcamp | Spotify | All Platforms


    DemaeLife Works Out…Usually

    Released September 4, 2020 on Touching Bass (UK)

    Another solid entry from the underground UK soul community, the debut album from Demae. I’d place this one firmly in the lineage of the neo-soul icons such as Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, while also graced by Dilla’s influence and the modern LA beat scene – reminding me of The Internet and their extended family. 

    But there is also an unmistakable London grit present on this one. It’s an art project come to life – it’s innovative and there are different sounds and styles around every corner. Coming in at only 8 tracks, another one of the many shorter LPs coming out these days, a very welcome trend in my book. You won’t regret diving into this album. Highlight: Basic Love and Let Go.

    Listen: Spotify | Bandcamp | YouTube


    OjerimeB4 I Breakdown

    Self-Released March 13, 2020

    In line with my strong expectations from the UK is South London’s Ojerime and the follow up to her excellent 4U (recommended) project of 2018. Coming on the heels of a mental breakdown, this album appears to be a breakthrough for the artist.

    Ojerime grew up listening to SWV and Aaliyah, and it shows – but don’t expect a 90s throwback album (except for the intoxicating ‘Give It Up To Me’ and of course the SWV tribute). Smooth modern trap production is the backbone here, and it is well executed. There’s even an acapella and a somewhat dancehall number in ‘Whiskey Demo’.

    Pick of the album for me is the lead single Empty which has a lovely music video (below). For more on this amazing artist, dive into her recent interview with Clash, or features on Gal-Dem, RNBrit, or Vice.

    Listen: Bandcamp | All Platforms


    Cleo SolRose in the Dark

    Released March 27, 2020 on Forever Living Originals

    I fully expect half of this list to come from the UK by the end of the year, and here is our first entry so far.

    Cleo Sol is a London artist who almost didn’t release this album. It’s a very soft, organic, jazzy affair with plenty of acoustic instrumentation, and the occasional injection of funk. It references both classic soul and 90s neo-soul, but you won’t find the trap heavy drums that dominate most other releases on this list. 

    Cut of the album for me would have to be ‘Sideways’, a slow burning affair that showcases her incredible, angelic vocal chops. If you’re in the mood for a relaxing Sunday-afternoon kind of r&b album, this is for you.

    Listen: Bandcamp | All Platforms


    Diana GordonWasted Youth

    Released April 3, 2020 on Warner

    How’s that for an album cover? Diana Gordon is looking hot as ever at 34 years old. I digress…

    At only 8 tracks long, it’s being touted as an EP but I’ll throw it in the LP category, as I feel 8 songs makes an full album (and often did in the 60s/70s) Initially this was just an honorable mention, but after a few more listens, I’m ready to put it in the Top 10. There’s just something so fresh about it.

    It’s a very enjoyable project with plenty of attitude that alternates between modern trap sounds and acoustic ballads. Highlight for me would be the anthemic Rollin’ & Sad Boys.

    Listen: Bandcamp | Spotify | All Platforms


    Holy HiveFloat Back To You

    Released May 29, 2020 on Big Crown Records

    If you’ve been following the retro soul movement then you know that Big Crown Records has been leading the charge. You’d also know of Durand Jones & the Indications, who this group reminded me of immediately (Aaron Frazer’s vocals, in particular). And that’s a good thing!

    Not exactly the soul of yesteryear, it’s nonetheless a very stripped down, yet full sound that takes the classic formula and melds it with perfect, catchy songwriting for 12 tracks. There’s space for each instrument to breathe. Throw in a nice falsetto and you have a modern retro classic. 

    Spearheaded by Homer Steinweiss, a soul/funk drummer with plenty of industry chops and experience, this Brooklyn trio coins their music as Folk Soul, and they knocked this debut album out of the park. 

    If you need a good introduction to this modern retro movement, this is a good place to start! But be sure to follow up with Lady Wray, Durand Jones, Leon Bridges, Bobby Oroza, etc. 

    Listen: Bandcamp | Spotify


    Victoria MonétJaguar

    Released August 7, 2020 on Tribe Records

    When the year was coming to an end and I needed an album to close out this list – this gem by Victoria Monét jumped onto my radar and was the obvious final choice.

    Known as a songwriter for Ariana Grande, the LA based artist makes a strong statement with her debut album. I remember hearing the opening single ‘Moment’ for the first time and really being taken aback.

    She waves modern production with classic r&b, funk, disco, and her sultry vocals. She also followed up the album with a Christmas version of orchestral remixes.

    On a side note she is also one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Too bad she’s taken and flaunts it all over this video below. Favorite track: Touch Me

    Listen:  Spotify| All Platforms


    Orion SunHold Space For Me

    Released March 27, 2020 on Mom & Pop

    This album made me expand this list a “Top 10” to a “Best of…” Simply too many good albums to list in 2020. 

    Channeling the lo-fi soul sound of The Internet, Orion Sun made an immediate impression on first listen. The music comes across as effortless, playful, and dialed.

    The Pitchfork Review didn’t do justice to this refreshing breath of fresh air from the Philly singer.

    Highlight: Lightning, which is embedded below…

    Listen: Bandcamp | All Platforms


    Jhene AikoChilombo

    Released March 6, 2020 on Artclub International

    I’m going with a relatively safe/popular choice for my first pick of 2020, and also the one I’ve listened to the most so far.

    I first turned into the LA native while working as resident DJ at Hard Rock in 2017, when I had to expand my r&b palette beyond the 90s. She makes very pleasant, melodic, modern trap-based r&b, and this album is no different. She recorded the project from a series of freestyle sessions on the Big Island in Hawaii. 

    As Jhene is in full on hippie-mode lately, she incorporated crystal sound bowls into the entire album, with the intention of opening and balancing your chakras… something like that, haha. I must admit, the album leaves me feeling great after every listen.

    Highlight for me would have to be the lead single, P*$$Y Fairy (OTW), which has a pretty cool video that comes straight from Aaliyah’s playbook. 

    Listen: Spotify | All Platforms


    TinasheComfort & Joy EP

    Released March 6, 2020 on Artclub International

    Let’s round out out this list with a refreshing holiday EP. After a rough year for many this was a great way to cap off the year with some warm fuzzy holiday vibes.

    She starts out with modern trap styles which bring some spice to your typical x-mas songs.

    But the real show stopper is when she slows down in the 2nd half to let her 5-star voice shine over some Christmas classics.

    Definitely will remain in my xmas playlist for years to come!

    Listen: Spotify | All Platforms


    Honorable Mentions


    Did you make it this far?

    Thanks for reading!

    Hope you found some good music. Leave a comment below and let me know what your favorite from 2020 is…
  • Best Hiking Trails in Los Angeles

    Best Hiking Trails in Los Angeles

    Looking to escape the gridlock of LA…?

    Look no further! The City of Angels may be an expansive mess of traffic, but there’s plenty of places to escape within the city limits.

    I was lucky enough to live in LA for 6 months in 2019, and used every spare moment to seek out the best trails with the best views. Every day after school (in different parts of the city), I would head to the nearest trail. I mostly used these trails for running, but they are all good for leisurely hikes as well.

    And here they are…

    Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

    Google Maps | All Trails

    Okay so this image may not look so special. I was on vacation with my folks over Christmas 2017, and we were taking the train downtown. I spotted this hill in the distance, and knew that I need to climb it one day. Lo and behold, I ended up living at the bottom of it in January 2019!

    I recommend you start at the Japanese Gardens and work your way up the meandering hillside trail. You’ll be rewarded with and possibly the best view of the entire city. It’s hard to pick just a few photos because I have so many, but here are a few of my favorites.

    You can also start at the top of the hill (opposite Norman O. Houston Park – great for basketball!) and work your way down. There is a big loop trail up there with stunning views, and the new Martin Luther King Monument as well.

    On a clear day, the views up here are really hard to beat. This is looking straight north at Wilshire & Hollywood.


    Runyon Canyon Park

    Google Maps | All Trails

    Runyon Canyon is just above Hollywood and quite popular with the local community. The trail connects all the way to the north at Mulholland Drive, and if you start at the south entrance, can take a short or long loop around the park.

    You get a very intimate view of Hollywood, and also downtown to the east and the coastline to the west. Dogs are permitted on this trail, so you’ll find plenty of those. The trail can be a bit steep at times, so wear good grippy shoes.

    Hollywood in the foreground | Downtown in the back

    View of the Hollywood Hills from Runyon Park


    Elysian Park Trail

    Google Maps | All Trails

    This place fantastic. It’s slightly off the radar as most people head to the main park on the south side of Stadium way. At 2.3 miles, this loop is perfect for a quick 30 minute hike/jog, with decent views looking towards Glassell Park to the north. The trails are nice, spacious, and flat, and there’s a grassy knoll in the middle with a sliver of a view of downtown LA. Since you’re right next to Chinatown, I’d recommend you head down to Zen Mei Bistro for the best tofu dish I’ve had in the USA. Now, onto the main/south side of Elysian Park.

    The skyline view is the most intimate you’ll get in LA. Dodger Stadium parking in case you’re wondering.

    The Frogtown Trail in Elysian Park is slightly more rugged and gives you some nice views over the 5. There are a lot of places to hang out, BBQ, and picnic on this side of the park, and plenty of facilities and restrooms. Buena Vista Hill Park, Radio Hill Gardens, and the LA State Historic Park are all worth a visit in this corner of the park as well. Elysian has a lot going for it!

    The Frogtown Trail

    Ascott Hills Park

    Google Maps | All Trails

    Ernest E. Debs Regional Park

    Google Maps | All Trails

    Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

    Google Maps | All Trails

    Firebreak Trail (Griffith Observatory)

    Google Maps | All Trails