It’s been a long year.
I’m restarting a routine I’ve wanted to commit to for a while: producing song mixes that help define my life—ones I’m eager to share with others. Think of this as an audio journal you’re invited to experience with me. I’ll list the song titles and artists in each mix so you can seek them out and support these excellent musicians however you choose.
This mix opens with “Movement 2” by New World Science. I keep returning to this record; I’m eternally grateful for its smooth, jazzy grooves and playful sound design. It’s a gem to throw on when you just want to sink into a vibe. From there, we move into “Summer In The Wood,” a radiant, sun-soaked track that genuinely helped me through some recent dark stretches. I hope its warmth feels restorative for you as well.
Next, we dip into the vault for an older Miles cut: “Mr. Foster.” My favorite era of Miles’ career is his electric period in the ’70s and early ’80s. This tune is moody, shuffling forward with a slightly lopsided groove that burrows into my brain every time I hear it. Following that is a piece from the German outfit Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange. They’ve been around for a while, but I only recently discovered them through their latest album, Inspire.
We then drift into a track by the underrated legend Ronald Langestraat, whose Amsterdam-bred jazz sensibility and sequenced drum patterns carry the mix into a warmer, dreamlike space. If there’s one artist here to dive deeper into, it’s Ronald. Each return to his catalog reveals a sincerity and devotion to craft that I find deeply inspiring.
Those grooves dissolve into “Conundrums” by Black Flower, a Belgian quintet known for inventive, moody production that can keep you suspended for days. Before you float off too far, we pivot to my good friend from Montreal, aNTOJE, whose track “Null Data” injects woozy, textural production into a mix that’s largely organic up to this point.
The final stretch brings another moody jazz meditation from Alabaster DePlume. He’s released several records since the featured track here, but it remains a standout from my personal favorite album of his, Gold. I close the journey with a piano outro from avant-garde composer Nils Frahm—specifically from his Felt era, when he placed a blanket over the piano strings to avoid disturbing his neighbors while recording. The result is “Unter,” an incredibly warm and intimate piece that feels like a quiet exhale at the end of a long conversation.
Enjoy.