Dear Loopers,
Happy New Year to you and yours. The first week of the year is always a tough one for me, but this one was just a leeeeettle worse. The good news is, I started meditating and stopped smoking so much! Funny how much that helps.
And then there’s music. I listened to three songs that came out this week. Each of them brought me back to a time when the world seemed a little more vibrant and a little less dismal.
They’re below. I also threw them in a Spotify playlist compiling songs that I like from this year. Give it a follow and check back frequently.
Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan — “Rumble”
The obvious “return” here is from Skrillex, who actually has put out some decent tracks in recent years. He credited BFF Four Tet for helping them not “overproduce the shit” out of the song, which definitely comes across. The bass rolls and squiggly vocal breaks are signature Skrillex, and Flowdan’s terrific, low-end voice has only gotten stronger over the years, even if he only gets to say a couple of lines. (I don’t know what Fred again.. did on it, to be honest.)
NewJeans (뉴진스) — “OMG”
When I first heard this song, I thought it was produced by Cosmo’s Midnight, an Aussie brother duo that helmed the instrumental for BTS’ “Fly to My Room.” I was wrong — it appears the credits go to Park Jin-su, who like NewJeans are relatively new in the K-pop universe. “OMG” does use the same pillowy synths found in “Fly to My Room” and other sweet tales of young love, which helps it stand out at a time when innocent joy is hard to find.
Popcaan — “We Caa Done” (featuring Drake)
You already know what it is. A Popcaan and Drake collaboration is a welcome surprise in 2023, especially since it sounds like it was recorded right before Trump was elected. A lot of people have fond memories of that summer… I do, too, brooding along to “Nikes” and drinking PBR by myself inside my hot, humid Boston apartment. “We Caa Done” has that same warm, tipsy spirit, even if Drake’s hook reminds me of the Canadian National Anthem. Maybe that’s what he wanted.
Again, here is the link for my 2023 playlist. It’s only gonna grow from here.
One more recommendation
This ambient drum n’ bass mix from Machinedrum, which will make your day way more beautiful.
Look at this
I found it in a discarded used bin at Twist and Shout in Denver. God is good.
Before I leave…
I was shuffling some playlists during a road trip across the Southwest last week and came across this track by Om Unit. It’s real dubby, the kind of mood and speed I’m feeling these days.
When it comes to dub, what other songs or artists would you recommend? Let me know in the comments or by replying to this email. If it strays from proper, old-school “dub,” that’s OK.
Until next time.
This newsletter was mostly written while listening to The Lost Theremin Album by Clara Rockmore, released in 2021 on Mississippi Records.