Dan Digs Top 30 Albums of 2020
Thundercat, The Vision, Nubya Garcia, Somni, Jay Electronica, Fabiano do Nascimento, Bibio, Photay, Wilma Archer, and many more all are present and correct in my 30 favorite albums from the year 2020.… Continue reading
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Dan Digs Top 100 Tracks of 2020
Cleo Sol, Gabriels, Moses Boyd, Arlo Parks, Thundercat, Photay, Jorja Smith, SAULT, plus many more all created the most magnificent sounds this year. Here are my favorite one hundred… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Salami Rose Joe Louis – “Peculiar Machine” (Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix)
Georgia Anne Muldrow brings a cosmic hip-hop and glimmering galactic funk uplift to her reimagining of the heavenly “Peculiar Machine” by Brainfeeder’s Salami Rose Joe Louis. Salami… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Annie Mac On Being Homesick for Ireland (Writing)
A recommended gem of an article. Annie Mac, one of my favorite DJs and broadcasters, recently wrote this beautifully vivid and personal piece on homesickness and her native Ireland. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Jordana – “Reason”
Love everything about “Reason” by Kansas musician Jordana, including, but not limited to, that crispy drum loop, those piano chords, that textured bass, those reversed strings in the chorus, and Jordana’s hushed, calming vocals.… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Other Music (Documentary)
A recommended gem of a documentary. Directed by Puloma Basu and Rob Hatch-Miller, Other Music is an excellent chronicle of one of NYC’s best record stores, sadly no longer with… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Hiatus Kaiyote – “Christmas Time Is Here”
All I want for Christmas is another Hiatus Kaiyote album. But I’m 1000% here for Hiatus Guaraldi. Those wondrous vocals from Nai. And those strings. Hiatus… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Harrison – “Around You” (Last Gang Records)
This new electronic jazz shuffle from Toronto’s Harrison sparkles and shines. Harrison – “Around You” “Around You” is out now on Last Gang Records. … Continue reading
Listen back to Loops + Dots Episode 25 – New Music from Jahari Masamba Unit (Madlib & Karriem Riggins), Arlo Parks, Mia Doi Todd ft Jeff Parker & Money Mark, Skinshape, Sylvan Esso & Terrace Martin, Biig Piig, Brijean
Show number 25! LOOPS + DOTS is back with another special all-music mix for episode 25! A 60-minute mixture of my favorite tracks of the week including new music… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Action Bronson’s Live From the Moon on Apple Music 1 (Radio Show)
A recommended gem of a radio show that reminds me of that time I ran a nightclub in Panama in 1983. Very strong selection here from Action Bronson on his… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Soft Glas – “Cyclones”
Equal parts emo and bedroom-produced hip-hop beats. Brooklyn-via-Cuba’s Joao Gonzalez is Soft Glas. His latest song, “Cyclones,” contains approximately 7,000 genres. Soft Glas – “Cyclones”… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Taylor McFerrin ft Marcus Gilmore – “Chance to Say My Piece”
This mellow jazz is most needed. Love those drums courtesy of Marcus Gilmore. Taylor McFerrin ft Marcus Gilmore – “Chance to Say My Piece” … Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Making a Mixtape with Richard Russell & Ibeyi (Radio Show)
A recommended gem of a radio show. XL Recording’s head honcho Richard Russell is joined by Ibeyi for the latest episode of his monthly Making A Mixtape radio show… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Bloody White – “I’m Busy”
Santa Barbara future pop in the vein of Photay. Bloody White – “I’m Busy” “I’m Busy” is out now. Get it here. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Babe Rainbow – “Zeitgeist” (Eureka Records)
Slinky indie from Toronto’s Babe Rainbow that sounds like Alexis from Hot Chip jamming with early Vampire Weekend. Babe Rainbow – “Zeitgeist” “Zeitgeist” is… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Bedroom Beats & B-Sides by Laurent Fintoni (Book)
A recommended gem of a book. Laurent Fintoni recently authored Bedroom Beats & B-Sides: an essential history of the bedroom producers who changed the instrumental hip-hop and electronic music scenes forever. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Mara TK (formerly of Electric Wire Hustle) ft Xenia Manasseh) – “Met At The River” (Extra Soul Perception Records)
Aotearoa-Nairobi soul. Love this piano-led slow groove from the Maori-Scottish musician Mara TK, formerly of Electric Wire Hustle, and Kenyan R&B singer-songwriter Xenia Manasseh. Mara TK ft Xenia… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Timmy Holiday – The Boy With the Glitch In His Head (Full Album)
Donuts from Dublin. Way into this tape from Timmy Holiday of woozy, glitched-out, off-kilter beats. Timmy Holiday – The Boy With the Glitch In His Head (Full… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: KerenDun from Buttering Trio – “Afternoon” (Raw Tapes Records)
Soulful jazz from Tel Aviv’s KerenDun, one third of Buttering Trio. KerenDun – “Afternoon” “Afternoon” is out now via Raw Tapes Records. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Dorcha – “Horses” (Box Records)
Anna Palmer, Beth Bellis, Stella Roberts, Meesha Fones, and Euan Palmer are Dorcha, a leftfield experimental pop quintet from Birmingham, UK. “Horses” is my favorite song from the band,… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: SHADEEMUS – “Clovis”
Scott Xylo, Demigosh, and Adam are the Leicester, UK trio Shadeemus. Science fiction psychedelic soul. Love that guitar in the center, the rain downpour in the background, and… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Antonio Neves – “A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now)”
Samba, jazz, bossa nova… it’s all here. Antonio Neves – “A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now)” … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Kaelin Ellis – “Bebop”
Love this entire project from Florida producer Kaelin Ellis, but if I had to pick just one donut from the box, it would be “Bebop.” On repeat. … Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Til Infinity: The Souls of Mischief Documentary (Video)
This is how we chill: watching this recommended gem of a music documentary. Filmmaker Shomari Smith interviewed the Hieroglyphics collective and hip-hop luminaries across the country about the Oakland group’s… Continue reading
Listen back to Loops + Dots Episode 24 – New Music from John Carroll Kirby, James Blake, Ivy Lab, Andrew Ashong & Kaidi Tatham, Ultraísta, Dan Kye, Diggs Duke
Show number 24! LOOPS + DOTS is back with another special all-music mix for episode 24! A 60-minute mixture of my favorite tracks of the week including new music… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Biig Piig – “Liahr” (RCA Records)
Indie d’n’b from London-via-Ireland’s Jess Smyth also known as Biig Piig. Biig Piig – “Liahr” “Liahr” is out now. Get it here and listen to… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Common Saints – “Idol Eyes”
South London psychedelic soul. Only just been released. Already feels like a classic. Common Saints – “Idol Eyes” “Idol Eyes” is taken… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Jim-E Stack ft Bon Iver – “Jeanie”
Strong A.K. Paul synth feels. Emotional. Jim-E Stack ft Bon Iver – “Jeanie” “Jeanie” is taken from Jim-E Stack‘s new… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Pyramid Project – “Mangroves” (Contours Edit)
What a groove. UK producer Contours collaborated with Nairobi, Kenya’s Pyramid Project back in 2018. The four track EP, Mangroves, is the textured, percussion-heavy result, recorded in… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Routine (Annie Truscott from Chastity Belt & Melina Duterte aka Jay Som) – “Cady Road” (Dead Oceans)
Lo-fi country music echoes meet rainy Manchester melodies. Annie Truscott, who plays bass in Chastity Belt, and Melina Duterte aka Jay Som are the LA duo Routine. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Georgie Sweet – “What I Had Done” (Futuristica Music)
Good vibes from the get-go. Backed by a buoyant hip-hop beat from producer Marc Rapson, “What I Had Done” from the UK’s Georgie Sweet is laced with a neo-soul… Continue reading
Playlist: Dan Digs Cosmic Country
Ethereal folk, emotive alt-indie, and astral Americana. Come along on a voyage of discovery into the spellbound sound of cosmic country. Dan Digs Cosmic Country… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker Talks About His Favorite Drum Breaks for Pitchfork’s Under the Influences Series (Video)
A recommended gem of a drum masterclass: Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker gives the lowdown on his favorite drum breaks from Silver Apples to Stevie to Led Zep and more. 💎… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: The Vision ft Andreya Triana & Ben Westbeech – “Missing” (Defected Records) (Official Video)
Kon and Ben and Andreya have got The Vision. “Missing” is a bonafide disco boogie. It’s all about that impromptu lights-out tambourine breakdown at 3min 5sec. … Continue reading
Recommended Gem: At Home With Brittany Howard on Apple Music 1 (Radio Show)
A recommended gem of a radio show: Brittany Howard talks with Zane Lowe about her favorite music on Apple Music 1. This was a special one. Loved hearing… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Svaneborg Kardyb – “Haven” (Blikflak Records)
Chilled beyond chilled Danish electronic jazz. Svaneborg Kardyb – “Haven” Listen to “Haven” on my 2020 Essentials playlist here. … Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Special Request (Paul Woolford) In for Benji B on BBC Radio 1 (Radio Show)
A recommended gem of a radio show: Special Request sits in for Benji B on BBC Radio 1. 4hero, Donald Byrd, SAULT, and cicadas. 💎 … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Chien Chien Lu ft Jeremy Pelt – “Invitation”
Greatly enjoying the vibraphonic jazz of Taiwan’s Chien Chien Lu‘s new album The Path. My favorite track so far is “Invitation” featuring Jeremy Pelt, closely followed by her cover… Continue reading
Recommended Gem: Carhartt W.I.P.’s Relevant Parties with Chal Ravens – Ep4: Jazzy Sport (Podcast)
A recommended gem of a podcast episode: Chal Ravens chats to Taro Kesen, co-founder of one of my favorite record labels: Jazzy Sport, for Carhartt W.I.P.’s Relevant Parties series. … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Jack Garratt – “Time (Rework)”
JG with the UKG. Jack Garratt – “Time (Rework)” Listen to “Time (Rework)” on my 2020 Essentials playlist here. … Continue reading
Recommended Gem: James Blake Presents Before – DJ Set for Boiler Room in Los Angeles (Video)
Introducing a new series on this here website called RECOMMENDED GEMS! In addition to music, I’m now going to be unearthing DJ sets, podcasts, books, TV shows, movies, and more that… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Chet Faker – “Low” (Official Video)
He’s back. Chet Faker – “Low” (Official Video) “Low” is out now. Add it to your playlists here and check out my reaction to first hearing Chet Faker… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Machinedrum ft Jesse Boykins III – “Wait 4 U” (Ninja Tune)
Crystalline drum ‘n’ bass from one of my favorite producers. Machinedrum ft Jesse Boykins III – “Wait 4 U” “Wait 4 U” is featured… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Quakers ft Sampa The Great – “Approach With Caution” (Stones Throw)
Feeling this playful piano-plonking hip-hop heat from Fuzzface (Portishead’s Geoff Barrow), Katalyst, and 7-Stu-7, otherwise known as Quakers, that features some fiery rhymery from Sampa the Great. Quakers ft Sampa The Great –… Continue reading
Listen back to Loops + Dots Episode 23 – New Music from SAULT, Fabiano do Nascimento, The Donelson Broncos, Gabriels, Soccer Mommy (Unknown Mortal Orchestra Remix), HONNE (Jordan Rakei Remix), Triathalon
Show number 23! How’s it going? Hope all is good with you. LOOPS + DOTS is back with another special all-music mix for episode 23! A 60-minute blend of… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Another Michael – “Boring For The Times” (Run For Cover Records)
Soaring optimistic indie-folk in the vein of Whitney. Michael Doherty, Alenni Davis, and Nick Sebastiano are Another Michael, a trio from Philadelphia-via-Albany, NY. Another Michael – “Boring For… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Gabriels – “Love and Hate in a Different Time”
Throwback vintage soul meets bedroom pop production from Palm Desert, California. The result sounds timeless. Gabriels – “Love and Hate in a Different Time” … Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Paul White ft Iyamah & Remi – “Smile (See The Light)”
That psychedelic textured Paul White production. Love that raw flute, that friendly bassline, those shakers, and that general sense of uplift throughout. Paul White ft Iyamah & Remi… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Dougie Stu (Brijean) – “Another One For Slug” (Ropeadope/Ghostly)
Slow and steady boom-bap grooving from Brijean’s Dougie Stu. Dougie Stu – “Another One For Slug” “Another One For Slug” is taken from Dougie… Continue reading
Diggin’ This: Simpson – “Cherry Ice Cream Sundae”
Very much feeling this stumbling beat behind the woozy funk of “Cherry Ice Cream Sundae” by Virginia’s Simpson. Simpson – “Cherry Ice Cream Sundae” … Continue reading