Tape edition of Refract, limited to 100 copies (Red Hook Records, 2024)
I’ve been enjoying an anachronistic activity lately: Listening to music at home, I’ve been playing CDs and tapes by default.
Look, I’m not a disgruntled Gen X’er stubbornly clinging to analog formats. I was an early adopter of digital music and even worked as a playlist curator for the world’s biggest audio streaming service.
In fact, I used to think of streaming as a perfect proposition for music fans – to have access to an ever-growing catalogue in exchange for an affordable monthly fee.
Turns out I don’t believe in that equation anymore.
And I’m not alone. In fact, I’m late to the party. Younger music fans have been discovering the joys of slow listening for years.
There’s a more general ‘vibe shift’ happening, a conscious move away from big tech, social media, algorithms and AI. Call it a counter-culture if you want.
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