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Virtual Paradise by Starjunk 95 and BELELA 
I reserve 5/5 ratings for tracks that move me in a way that so radically shifts my perspective on music and feelings that I am forever marked.  Va 5/5 has truly earned its rating (and title). A virtual sonic smorgasborg bursting with splashes of detail and delight too fast, too complex, and too numerous to catch on just one listen through. Every 4 bar phrase brings new tones, new turnarounds, new effects and yet somehow each pass through feels familiar.  No one push is so far or so fast that it feels jarring but somehow by the end of the track you're in another world (and BPM).  Pay attention to every little moment.

Double-Barrel Prayer by Diamanda Galás
Found on the 3rd album in a trilogy about the AIDS epidemic, this track is full of meaning.  Galás, trained in classical and experimental music, brings incredible attention to the tones found in her music.  Her attention to tone in her voice is evident in line ranging from heavy chants to squeals and howls.  Layered vocals and reverb add an air of dimension.  The most noteworthy element of sound in this track is the out of tune piano. Somehow perfectly out of tune.

Full track list for this week:
  • Virtual Paradise by Starjunk 95, BELELA
  • Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer
  • Double-Barrel Prayer by Diamanda Galás
  • Grenade by Bruno Mars
  • 7 Rings by Ariana Grande
  • Cold Blooded by Rick James
  • Super Freaky Girl by Nicki Minaj
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This week turned out to be a perfect mix of sonic delights, my mother's music, and a taste of what the youths are listening to.

Here are the takeaways:

Kites by Grynpyret
Truly a sound-lovers track. The master is clear, bright, and full without the wall-of-sound thickness that plagues so many modern tracks.  I'm usually one for faster and more complicated tracks, but the medium pace and balanced arrangement really allows the listener to indulge each perfectly selected tone.

Molasses by Hiatus Kaiyote
​Masterfuly, jazzy, funk.  On your next rainy day, ditch the tired lofi coffee shop ~vibes~ drivel and listen to this instead.

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"Time Traveler" by Knower
Imagine if Skrillex was into Drum 'n Bass, was given music lessons by Adam Neely, and wasn't so worried about writing accessible music and you'll get .  Check your disdain for brostep at the door, because this one is worth your time.

"When I Grow Up" by Fever Ray
For for those moments when you want to explore an acoustic space that is sparse yet rich like the high desert.  Pay close attention to the panning on the guitar as it jumps from center to left.  
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Here are the sonic standouts for this week:

Walk in the park by Session Victim
The snare really takes center stage here. The constant quarter-notes provide a drive and structure around which the other parts can remain ethereal and capricious.  The snare tone is rich and has a sense of depth without being loose or sloppy which is a hard balance to...strike. 

Tsugaru Jongara Bushi by KIKI
Described to me as Japanese banjo music. Highly worth a listen. Pay special attention when the plectrum is used rhythmically and when the notes are plucked without it.

Pony by Ginuwine
Somehow I'd gotten this far in life never having heard this track.  One listen spawned a significant set of additions to my music queue. Worth your time.
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After my delightful experience with How the West was Won, I decided to spend this week listening to the rest of the 7 Perversions on Pachelbel's Canon.  On the whole, I found it to be an admirable experiment and an interesting experience.  In all honesty, some of the perversions were a little underwhelming but I still highly recommend anyone with an appreciation for interesting, challenging music and sound in general give it a listen.

There are a couple standouts that I definitely will be coming back to (in order of appearance):
  • How the West was Won
  • Decomposition in D
  • Cannot
Full album on youtube: 7 Perversions on Pachelbel's Canon
Enjoy, you perverts.
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I started to cry, begging my father to keep looking when we got home.  The store at Disneyland did not have a video of the Main Street Electrical Parade.  I was devastated.

I had fallen in love for the very first time and the object of my affection was a bright and bubbly kaleidoscope of tones that sounded frankly, ridiculous. Listening to this music filled me with such wonder and overwhelming joy that the very idea that I might never again have this incredible aural experience was enough to send me into an earth-shattering panic.  Alas, there was no hope. He couldn't find a copy. 

Over time I moved past the pain and continued on with my life.  It wasn't until 15 years later that I remembered that long lost love and with a little research discovered its origin: an (effectively) experimental pop track from the very first release produced with Moog Synthesizers called Baroque Hoedown by Perry-Kingsley.

Although it has manifested in many different ways throughout my life, sound has enthralled me with an ardor akin to the most intense romances of my life.  It's that much more fitting that we chose Baroque Hoedown as the recessional music at our wedding.  Much like in a new romantic relationship, I am compelled to share my love as broadly as I can and, with any luck, inspire even a taste of that same passion in others.

I can't predict where my journey to share this passion will go; this blog may not even last a year. Whatever I do though, know that it's all for the love of sound.
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One of my goals for 2024 is to listen to more new music. To achieve that goal, I'll be listening to 1 track I've never heard before every day.  I'll post here weekly about it. I'm not really sure what form it will take and it might be different every week. But every Monday I'll post something here about it.  It might be as simple as a track list, but it might be more.  Enjoy.
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For the first official post of this series I'm going with 2 notables from this week's listening.

How the West was Won - Solar Woodroach
Found on an album entitled "7 Perversions on Pachelbel's Canon," this track can be described only as what it would sound like if a pretty good pops orchestra had their instruments tuned by 2nd graders.  Dissonant harmonies screech and give the impression of a haunted choir. I was able to find the creator's website (Tom Ellard) and I kinda want to have coffee with him.

The soundstage of the orchestra is surprisingly wide and has a sense of intimacy that I don't usually hear on orchestral recordings.  It does sound like a pretty small string orchestra so maybe it's a small studio recording. Or maybe they're synthesized.  At any rate, it's horrendous. I love it.

Hike - Rob Araujo
The very short release on the piano gives what is otherwise a reasonably thick tone a nice sense of clarity and stacatto-like abruptness to shorter notes. This quality provides a nice contrast to sustained notes and the other instruments.  The piano also sits considerably louder in the mix compared to the other instruments. There's really no question about what's being showcased.  Part of me wants to criticize the mix for being unbalanced but if the goal was to have the rest of the ensemble serve as support for the piano, then it does a fantastic job.

Have a recommendation for a track to listen to? For the love of sound let me know in the comments!​

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Sex is cool, but have you tried listening to stuff?

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