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If youâve got an old iPod, CDs, CD-Rs, or other dead-format music libraries stuffed in a closet or storage somewhere, I have to recommend doing whatever is necessary to give them a new lease on life. Seriously: Order that old Dock Connector cable, buy that used Discman, or lumber around in the attic or basement for those buried boxes. I promise itâs worth every bit of the cost and struggle.I recently took a stack of old hard drives to data recovery, hoping to restore decades of lost photos and writings, but instead spent more time combing the MP3 collection I thought Iâd lost in a 2015 crash. All the forgotten albums, remixes, bootlegs, DJ edits, and Soundcloud rips were like accessing an alternate mode of music discovery from an earlier version of myself: Oneohtrix Point Neverâs Eccojams and early Games cassettes, DJ Sprinklesâ Midtown 120 Blues, Blawanâs âWhy They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage,â Death Gripsâ Exmilitary, and innumerable reggae singles, bloghouse remixes, and techno twelves are back from the grave (and loving it!), co-existing alongside years of Bandcamp purchases.
Mar 19, 2024
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i have a huge collection of digital music still on my hard drive from when i was a heavy pirate bay user in the 2000s/2010s + copied my now lost cd collection. but my computer is too old to be compatible w my iphone so i had to switch to spotify. as soon as i can use my library again my plan is to put the money i would use for spotify in a lil jar and use that to buy cds instead. also, i used to always carry a usb stick on my keychain and whenever friends were playing cool music i would ask if i could copy it. borrow ur friends cds! buy random cds at flea markets! borrow cds from the library and copy them to your computer! tbh choosing what to listen to every time on streaming gives me brain fatigue. i remember it was very soothing to organize my collection and know that i could play it on shuffle and always find something interesting.
May 17, 2024
IÂŽve been buying used CDs and vinyl, along with a second-hand CD player, figuring out what music I truly enjoy on repeat, without it being pushed on me. I still use Spotify, but mostly outside the house or in another room. Some evenings, I disconnect completely: no phone, just a book, a movie on TV, and my CDs playing. Feels like the year 2000.
I took this picture from a local Cd store in my city.
Feb 16, 2025
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I've been rebuilding my physical music collection for a few months now. It started because one day, I wanted to listen to a Matson Jones song and found that Spotify had just removed it. These removals are already happening at record pace and will continue to happen. The only way that you can ensure that our big tech overlords won't take away access to the things you love is to physically own them.
I've been rebuilding my CD collection for a few months now. & yes, it means that I can't necessarily have what I want immediately. New releases can be expensive. Shipping is annoying. But every time I pass by a thrift store, you can bet I go in and see what CDs they have. They're usually pretty cheapâlike $1. If I go to a concert, I'll buy whatever CDs I want there.
You can also pick up a portable CD-rom, and copy those bad boys onto your computer, send them to your phone, back them up, do whatever. I got the one in the link for $30 at B&H.
3d ago
Top Recs from @ryan-schreiber
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Itâs no secret that the triangular parcel of land known as The Lot Radio is Brooklynâs best warm-weather hang and a key hub of New York dance culture. Opened in 2013 and run by Francois Vaxelaire and Pauline La Mell, the site features a DJ booth/shipping container known to host thee most legendary producers in dance music. On any given day, you can relax in the sunshine with friends and a bottle or coffee while listening to artists, critics, record shop owners, or producers mix live on airâ or, if youâre lucky, stumble onto a set from Octo Octa, Nick LeĂłn, or Honey Dijon.
Mar 19, 2024
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I adore music zines. Always loved them. I donât mean full-on glossy magazines, though I love those, too. I mean the handmade, typewritten, toner-smeared kind made out of printer paper and staples and a burning desire to participate in a tradition of creative writing, interviewing, art-making, and whatever other form of creativity one feels like stuffing into its pages. At the moment, Iâm obsessed with a few: Hallogallo, which is run out of Chicago by Kai Slater (of the bands Lifeguard and Sharp Pins) and just published its 10th issue featuring an interview with Stereolabâs Laetitia Sadier; Love Injection, a long-running club culture zine by NYCâs Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele; and Shadow Wolf, the handiwork of Holland-based electronic artist Legowelt.
Mar 19, 2024
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Itâs rare to read sharply worded, negative reviews nowadays, and I get it. Writing (and publishing) negative criticism can feel like the most thankless, isolating work in journalism. Few writers are eager to subject themselves to torrents of internet backlash or risk access to artistsâ camps, especially to further a form often said to be outmoded by the general populace. But, as many have persuasively argued, it is essentialâ and perhaps now more than ever, given its diminishing presence in media.Itâs been a relief lately to see younger voices like Constantly Hating (Substack), Antiart (Instagram), and Gabi Belle (Youtube) emerge in new outlets, offering sometimes clumsy but always entertaining takes. Nothing satisfies like a warranted pan backed by a well-argued thesis. It lends color and character to the author, raises stakes and standards for artists, and catalyzes necessary discourse. It also helps frustrated listeners feel seen (and see each other).
Mar 19, 2024