Too beautiful. Richie Thomas of Dif Juz and Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins met when they were signed to 4AD in the 1980s. In 2017, after not… Continue reading
“Put your hAaAaAnds together one time…” The mighty St Germain returns with a rhythmic N.O.W. remix with added jazz flourishes of horns and keys that never loses the propulsive… Continue reading
80s Brit-funk at its finest in 2021. Now all we need is a Thundercat collab. STR4TA – “Rhythm In Your Mind” “Rhythm… Continue reading
An incredibly good and grooving soulful glitch-pop song. Love the feels on “Feelz,” especially that warm sub-bass throughout. Bay Ledges – “Feelz” “Feelz”… Continue reading
German producer Rascal has some serious, serious credits to his name. Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Jay Rock, JID, Pusha T, Jorja Smith, GoldLink, IDK, Joey Bada$$, SiR, Jeezy,… Continue reading
Show number 26! LOOPS + DOTS is back with the first episode of 2021! Now extended to two hours! An 120-minute blend of my favorite tracks of the week… Continue reading
Lauren Kinsella and Chris Hyson are Snowpoet, a London-based experimental jazz duo who sound like Bjork meeting the Cinematic Orchestra meeting Portico Quartet meeting Bjork again. Snowpoet – “Roots”… Continue reading
A recommended gem of a video. When Questlove said “I make sure no day goes by where I don’t discover 100 new songs,” I felt that. … Continue reading
Ever since first hearing “Acid Test” I knew River Tiber was one to watch. Here the Toronto multi-instrumentalist returns with “Hypnotized” and a prelude of sorts, “Rainbow Road.” Complete… Continue reading
On this New Year’s Day, and indeed every New Year’s Day, I am reminded of one of my very favorite clips on YouTube which takes place on New Year’s Day. … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Soulful jazz from Tel Aviv’s KerenDun, one third of Buttering Trio. KerenDun – “Afternoon” “Afternoon” is out now via Raw Tapes Records. … Continue reading
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
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
Samba, jazz, bossa nova… it’s all here. Antonio Neves – “A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now)” … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
South London psychedelic soul. Only just been released. Already feels like a classic. Common Saints – “Idol Eyes” “Idol Eyes” is taken… Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Chilled beyond chilled Danish electronic jazz. Svaneborg Kardyb – “Haven” Listen to “Haven” on my 2020 Essentials playlist here. … Continue reading
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
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
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
JG with the UKG. Jack Garratt – “Time (Rework)” Listen to “Time (Rework)” on my 2020 Essentials playlist here. … Continue reading
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
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
