Ro Wyldeflower Contreras
Rocio Contreras, known as Wyldeflower on flyers and the radio and Ro to her friends, is a deeply connected Los Angeles–based multi-hyphenate creative, record collector, DJ, and radio host who lives her life as a kind of professional appreciator and vibe curator, piecing together creative endeavors and always seeking new sounds.
Charlie Dark
Born in the early 1970s in London’s salubrious East Dulwich to Ghanaian parents who sacrificed for their children, Charlie Dark’s upbringing was anything but run-of-the-mill. As a teenager, he found himself in private school, feeling like something of a misfit, an “alien,” to use his own words.
Zoë ‘Lucky Cat’ Baxter
Arriving in Zoe Baxter’s living room is like stepping back in time and entering a contradictory cultural space. Her beloved Jamo speakers stand on either side of the Technics decks, powered by an amp older than she is.
Raregems
The only thing better than one record collection? Combining two with your equally music-obsessed partner. The only downside? “The paranoia that arises when a record gets lost!”
Kornelia Binicewicz
On an island near Istanbul, reachable only by ferry, lives a very special storyteller. She is a record collector, an anthropologist, a curator. What might read like the premise for a modern fairytale is, in fact, the story of Kornelia Binicewicz—the woman behind Ladies on Records. Through this project, her DJing, and her curated compilations, Kornelia tells us about the women both at the forefront and in the shadows of the male-led music industry. This is no ordinary record collector—this is
DaM FunK
Damon “DāM-FunK” and I go way back. In 2008, captivated by the rawness of Rhythm Trax Vol. 4 (and “Burgundy City,” the single that followed) I was determined to know more about this emerging, seemingly elusive artist. The swells, the swing and the synth of his sound drew close to the touchstones of soulful dance music. Yet, Dam’s drum programming, arrangements and tempos had a musical intellect that felt distinctly unique.
Paola Puente
If Paola Puente’s records, portable turntables, vintage toys and ephemera were housed in a museum, it would be enough to make The Smithsonian envious. The fact that one individual has single-handedly amassed such a meticulously curated collection is extraordinary.
Sounds of Slience
SOUNDS OF SILENCE JAZZ KISSA OF JAPAN BY JAMES HUSSEIN CATCHPOLE Whether jazz, soul, rock, reggae or even European classical, Japan has a bar that caters to every type of music fan. To become a regular at a music bar, you are not just a customer conducting a transaction, but an integral part of […]