It has been one year since I started writing this blog – theMAZE. I don’t consider myself a writer or a music expert but I needed a reason to start listening to music. Subscribing to Spotify and documenting my musical journey seemed like a good starting point.

While it has been incredible to listen to so much new music, this entire experience has been a bit sobering as well. Let me explain.

In my teenage years when I discovered a new band or got a new cassette or CD my life would come to a standstill. I would listen to the same album over and over. I would memorize the words and spend hours figuring out the chords to my favourite songs. I would read album booklets back to back until I knew the names of producers and sound engineers. I especially loved reading the credits as I was always intrigued to see my heroes thank their heroes for the music.

Last week I found myself sitting in a freezing cinema hall watching Captain Marvel and I was instantaneously transported back to the exact moment in time when I first heard No Doubt’s album – Tragic Kingdom. It was autumn of 1995, I was around 12 years old and was sitting with my buddy and fellow band mate Cheeseball (his little brother was called Cheeseling). I recall Cheeseball’s exact words “Ajai, just wait and see, these guys are going to be huge.” No doubt they did go on to become huge and Don’t Speak became The Penguins’ (our band) most requested song that year.

Today music feels force-fed and over-consumed. Spotify and Apple Music algorithms constantly push hundreds of “fresh finds” at us. Countless unfamiliar artists, sounds, instruments and even languages dominate our ear buds at every free moment. In many ways it is incredible to be exposed to so much variety but the quantum has become so large that I, for one, end up skimming. I don’t really listen as much as I used to. I find myself skipping songs after 5 seconds… in some sort of mad hunt for something different.

As a result nothing sticks. I don’t remember when or how I stumbled across the awesome Come Meh Way by Sudan Archives from Jam #2. I definitely never memorised the lyrics to J. Cole’s Intro to “The Fall Off” in Jam #5 like I did 2Pac’s entire All Eyez On Me album.

Sadly, as much as I hate to admit, in many ways it feels like music has become disposable. And while it is concerning that disposable culture seems to perimiate many parts of our lives today, my biggest conern is the upstream effect this may have on artists or creativity in general.

Thankfully, for now at least the creative process lives large and this is evidenced by this sick Jam #14 featuring Leah Dou, Another Sky and I Mean US.

Enjoy.

1. Neon Me Out – Sego
2. Ordinary Pleasure – Toro y Moi
3. Money – Leikeli47
4. Miracle – Caravan Palace
5. Le cannibale – Juniore
6. About the Light – Steve Mason
7. Alligator Girl – Langhorne Slim
8. A swim in the love that you give me – Leah Dou
9. Balera De Mar – Opez
10. Let’s Go Trippin’ – Dick Dale
11. Sorry – Hala
12. Apple Tree – Another Sky
13. Seen My Aura – Helado Negro
14. EYヨ – I Mean Us
15. Take Me for a Little While – Dave Edmunds

Playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

A piercing track from L.A. indie rockers Sego, Neon Me Out sounds like a mix of a Beck and Kasabian track…. but different. I can imagine this would sound huge live in a stadium. A good way to start the morning… and this jam.

Ordinary Pleasure is the first single off of Toro y Moi’s latest album Outer Peace. I love the congos in the beginning and the playful funky rhythm throughout the song.

Who is Leikeli47? Thanks to her mask, nobody really knows. Something about mysterious rappers (Spark Master Tape from Jam #3) hooks me. The tight and clean bass line in Money is simple but complete. This isn’t just another track about dollar bills, models and bottles… Leikeli47 says it best: “Money’ isn’t about currency, it’s about the work. The phrase ‘I’m money’ or ‘I got money’ means I practice, it means I study, I’m confident, I’m that action and I’m results. Real money don’t complain, we make it happen. Hard work and sacrifice can and will eventually lead you to whatever your version of the ‘good life’ is, but you gotta be money before you can see money.”

Miracle is a sprawling hot and sweaty dance song takes me back to Air’s Moon Safari days. I love the soft bass, twangy banjo, house-like build ups and the french horns towards the end. This is the first single of Parisian big band Caravan Palace’s album due to be released later this year.

Sticking with the French theme, Juniore the sublime indie-pop quartet from France makes its second appearance on theMAZE. Le cannibale is a period track which takes me back to Francoise Hardy days. Just a nice tune to have on while you get along with your day.

Steve Mason, from The Beta Band cult fame, has hit the spot in his latest song About the Light. While the album reviews are not entirely favourable, this soulful ballad’s poetic lyrics are deep and raw – “Found a piece of bad luck lying by the side of the road. I had a chance to put it in my pocket but I’m wiser, now I’m getting old.”

Langhorne Slim’s voice is mesmerizing and sensitive at the same time. At first, Alligator Girl may sound like a simple blues number, but as the song progresses the guitar alternates between clean and overdrive producing a very unique sound scape. To add to this the backing vocals and synths also come as a surprise.

Pardon my ignorance, but Leah Dou is the first Chinese electronic musician I have ever heard and damn am I floored! I don’t even know where to start with this track – her voice is intoxicating, the music and production is highly sophisticated. The track takes twists and turns every minute and the entire composition is fiercely original.

On Bandcamp Opez describe it’s music as latin desert or funeral party music – seriously. Multi-instrumentalist Massi Amadori is the force behind Opez and his music is lush and beautifully hypnotic, but not morbid. When listening to Balera De Mar I am immediately transported to a pristine Kerala beach, not a soul in sight to the left and a surf board to my right.

Let’s Go Trippin’ is my tribute to the legendary Dick Dale who passed away last week. Fondly remembered as the “King of Surf Guitar”, his tunes really brightened my days during my summer in California circa 2003.

Sorry by Detroit based Hala is just a fun pop rock song… nothing more.

Apple Tree is my favourite song off this playlist… I have had it on repeat (unusual). Catrin Vincent’s voice is seductive and soars throughout the song. I cannot wait to hear them live.

Roberto Carlos Lange, also known as Helado Negro (literally translates to black ice-cream), has received rave reviews across the board for his latest album “This Is How You Smile” and it’s quite clear why. There are so many songs to choose from but for some reason this one sticks out. Pitchfork has a great interview with him where he breaks down every song on this album. I love the effects on the guitar and especially how they change throughout the song. But most of all, I really dig the complexity of the percussion arrangement which reminds me of Paul McCartney’s bass-line on Something, which is a song on in its own right.

The band I Mean Us from Taiwan are incredible. EYヨ is not just another dream-pop track… it builds up beautifully and if I was a music director for a film (one of my dream jobs) I would choose this song for a scene of triumph where a battle is won or a summit is reached.

Dave Edmunds’s cover of Take Me for a Little While just popped up on my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify (evidence of force-feeding haha). I love it because it sounds different enough from the original to stand alone as a superb recording.

Playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube