We are ending 2023 in a tough spot. There are dark forces everywhere. It feels like this year we’ve become more comfortable than ever as a society to give into our fear of the other. Othering begets violence and more othering, and we’re seeing this play out everywhere. It’s normal to respond to all of this with a sense of nihilism about the world we live in and the powers that be. But people have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of time, and so we must fight on. I’m excited for 2024, I hope it’s better than 2023, and if it’s not … I hope we can still find some of that childlike wonder in ourselves and follow the silver rule.

Anyway, I did this post last year and people seemed to like it, so here we go again.

Music

I spent a lot of time this year getting back into making music and honing my craft. I’ve released some sketches on Nina. As a result, I’ve also been listening to a lot more music this year. Granted, most of it is old stuff and a lot of it is UK hardcore/bleep/jungle, but I have found some new stuff that I think goes dummy.

1. Jam City - LLTB (feat. Wet)

I’ve always loved Jam City and his latest record is a masterclass in pop production. This is my most listened to album this year according to Apple Music. Really good stuff.

2. Overmono - Good Lies

These guys have had a great past couple of years, I used to play Hackney Parrot regularly when I was DJ’ing a full ten years ago. Genuinely inventive.

3. Tek Lintowe - Ween Wao

Excited to see him live in NYC next week.

4. Tirzah - Promises / 2 D I C U V

Mica Levi went wild with that one beat.

5. Playboi Carti - 2024

Kanye Beat.

6. NewJeans - Super Shy

K-Pop enlisting leftfield producers and musicians is such a positive development for pop music.

7. Lily-Rose Depp - World Class Sinner / I’m a Freak

People love to hate this show, but it is way better than Euphoria and the song slaps.

8. Pangaea - Installation

Maybe 2024 is when I get back into four on the floor.

9. Charli XCX - Speed Drive

Barbie was mid, but this song is not.

10. Skrillex - Tears

I saw this on the Basement set right before the album came out. Goes hard. I like Rumble too ofc.

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Movies

I got back on Moviepass this year. I get to enjoy the magic of movies for a nominal fee of $30 a month. They were pretty dece this year.

1. May December

I left the theater, opened up Letterboxd and smashed the stars on this.

2. Killers of the Flower Moon

My only gripe was that it should’ve maybe been longer.

3. The Holdovers

I miss going to school in New England!

4. John Wick 4

The bathhouse from John Wick 1 and 3 is a great date spot. And possibly would be the best place to rent for a party in New York.

5. Bottoms

A great little movie. I laughed.

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Housekeeping

• 2023 was a tough year in many ways, but I made a lot of personal progress (I think). But I also lost a bit of that childlike wonder as I got worn down over the year, I’m looking to get some of that back in the new year. I want to get back into TM, classical piano, and reading more nonfiction.

• I’ve been working hard to get my music practice together this year after a very long hiatus. It’s been mostly demos and sketches in 2023, but I’m getting close to something good. I hope to be releasing a lot more music in a lot more places this coming year, stay tuned. I’m excited about this intersection of jungle and shoegaze zone I’ve been producing in, I think it’s got legs.

• Professionally, I left my job earlier this year. I’ve been busy working on developing an alternative to Dice, Ticketmaster, and all that jazz. It’s a compelling business, and I’m excited to share it with folks early next year. Also, I will be taking on investors, so let me know if you want to chat or have any advice. It’s my first time being a “founder”. I promise not to post cringe.

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  Donate to the ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza or Ukraine or Sudan or anywhere else. Do your research.