These are the tunes that have been on high rotation inside and outside the ENCODER Sound Mastering Studio over the last few weeks. Available in playlist form at your preferred streaming service, follow the links: Spotify | Apple Music (If you really love an artist’s music, scoot over to Bandcamp to send them a few dollars, more directly)
Jyoti — The Black Mother, Ocotea (2010) — Opening track to this great album. For me it sets the tone for the record, the pace. Every tune on here is awesome.
Didion’s Bible — Seven Sisters, No Caveat (2021) — This particular track reminds me of Pixies, it has a lovely swagger to it and some melodies float through the background. Some catchy gems throughout this No Caveat EP.
Deerhoof — Red Dragon, Halfbird (2019, originally 2001) — The beginning of this tune is so delicate, it really opens up a different world in the context of the album which is on the whole fairly chaotic, forward music.
Huntsville — Add a Key of Humanity, For the Middle Class (2006) — I love this group, and this is off their first record. The unwavering drive of the snare/percussion part is pretty intense.
HAIM — Something to Tell You, Something to Tell You (2020) — Perhaps an outlier on this playlist, but this album sounds great, the song writing is fantastic. And this tune, when the first backing vocals kick in its a shivery moment.
Fauxe — Don’t They Know, ALTRUISM: THE BEGINNING (2019) — This album is pretty great for walking around town. This track is my fave out of a great bunch.
Elliot Smith — St. Ides Heaven, Elliot Smith (1995) — The organic groove of the guitar playing on this album is infectious and honest. The music is really stripped back to the bare essentials, highlighting melody and the humanness of the artist — the close-mic, naturally recorded with subtle layering of parts is super engaging.
Phil Slater — Third Bell, The Dark Pattern (2019) — This track is kind of in two halves and when that middle section hits the amazingly controlled trumpet playing, crips, warm recording, and melody/harmony really elicit that shivery musical moment.
Ceramic Dog — Lies My Body Told Me, Your Turn (2013) — Live sounding rock; intriguing, poignant, but not over-dramatic lyrics. There is a casual, fun-ness to this record that I like, but not at the expense of tight ensemble playing.
Streifenjunko — Utligning, Sval Torv (2009) — A wild trumpet and saxophone duo from Norway. Deep tonal manipulation creates very detailed, kind of ambient (but not really) music.