"Work It" by Missy Elliot
Effortlessly cool. Instantly iconic ear-candy. The vocal track here is laid back and uber-confident. The bass digs, the layers are thick, and the detail is off the charts.
Your stereo is an emotion engine. This is fuel. Hand-curated audiophile song recommendations and monthly giveaways delivered straight to members' inboxes.
"Summer Madness" by Kool & The Gang
These synth hooks flood the track like some Kubrickian elevator filled with deliciously alien tones taking your mids and highs to the limit.
"Woman King" by Iron & Wine - Vinyl LP Freebie
Win a copy of Woman King by Iron & Wine on vinyl LP.
"Keith Don't Go (Live)" by Nils Lofgren
There are live recordings, and then there is "Keith Don't Go (Live)" by Nils Lofgren. It's a masterclass in acoustics. No studio trickery. Just wood, wire, and energy.
"Golden" by HUNTR/X
The pop craftsmanship here is off the charts and provides the scaffolding for an astounding vocal performance that is equal parts power and vulnerability.
"God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash
One of the last recordings by Johnny Cash. You can hear every mile of hard-living in his voice. The power is gone, but what’s left still amazes.
"American Idiot" by Green Day - Double Vinyl LP with Poster
Win a copy of American Idiot on double vinyl: an era-defining protest record that still hits like a molotov cocktail.
"Free" by VAST
“Free” feels massive from the first bars. Thick sub bass, a punchy rhythm section backing reverb-drenched vocals, and fuzzed out guitars all build to a surprising end.
The Case For (Sonically) Cosy Listening Spaces
Embrace the cozy. Embrace the lived-in. A room filled with layers, colors, and textures is often a better-sounding room.
"Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel
An astounding stereographic image that puts you right in the middle of a drum circle. This one feels like home.
Skin & Steel MXTP
Drummers bending time and space to make sound feel physical. Played loud, it’s a study in space, touch, and brute force.
"Garden Grove" by Sublime
Riding shotgun in my friend's crappy car in 1996, listening to Sublime cracked something open for me: emotionally, musically, even spatially.