If you know me, you know I love to listen to my music on Cassette Tape. I'm a fan of the physical connection to the sound. Magnetic strips containing 4 tracks of audio are still so fascinating to me after all these years since their introduction in 1963 by Phillips in Hasselt, Belgium. The more hiss, the better. I record all my original music on Musicassette then digitize it by recording the audio into the sound card on my analog mixer. A bit tedious but extremely fun! My buddy Phil Moffa knows what I’m talking about.
For today's listen, I have some cassettes that are very near and dear to me. I travel far and wide for my music. It adds to the story when people ask me “where’d you get this?!” and I love a good story.
So for today’s 1st selection I’ll be listening to Heathered Pearls - Detroit, MI 1997 - 2001. Jakub Alexander better known as Heathered Pearls is a good friend of mine and a great producer. He gave me this tape during the Wallplay OnCanal month long pop-up shop in Manhattan that I produced alongside with my groovy friend Alex of Synesium. This an ode to Jakub's past going to raves in Detroit. Some really well orchestrated Techno released by Ghostly International. Its bright orange design is super cool. Track 4 - The Packard Plant is my favorite.
Our next pick is Musica De Película (Film Music). A compilation of film music that I got at a flea market in Mallorca, Spain for 1 euro in 2018. My frequent collaborator and one of my best friends G. Broglia brought me 1 hours drive into the countryside of the balearic island to the market on a blazing hot summer day to find some treasures. Now this is a blog post in itself but we'll get into that another day. My favorite is track 4 - (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. The baseline, the saxophone solo, the synth pads. So lush. So dirty (get it?). I love it. Solid Pop music.
And for our final selection we have brothers Steve & David Gordon - Celestial Suite. This journey through space is out of this world. The spiral incarnations artwork by Bruce Harman is beautiful. Now this cassette I scored in 2019 at The Thing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. If you've ever been to The Thing then you know that’s New Yorks hidden gem. My favorite song is track 5 - Origins / Winds of Time. This 23 minute recording has changed the way I view a production. Using 1 side of the tape to just go for it all the way til the end is what I’m all about. The edge baby, ride it. David’s synth is insane. Steve’s guitar is just as nuts. This is Ambient music at its finest. I still have yet to hear an album like this. Two brothers in synch. Timeless.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy these cassettes if you can find em. Good luck
