Brooklyn, New York<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a freelance writer and researcher focusing on the intersection of technology and the music business. I have bylines in several publications including Billboard, Forbes, NPR, Music Business Worldwide and the Columbia Journalism Review, and also run my own weekly music-tech <\/span>newsletter<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>podcast<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Patreon page<\/span><\/a> under the umbrella name Water & Music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the benefits of being freelance is that I can technically work from anywhere with an Internet connection and\/or power outlet. But I recently started working regularly out of an office in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and I\u2019ve unexpectedly become much more focused and productive working with that sense of structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lots of hip-hop, jazz, neo-soul, funk, deep house, psychedelic rock, lo-fi and any combination of those styles. Some select favourites right now: Saba, Kiefer, Khruangbin, Vulfpeck, Little Simz, Toro Y Moi, UMI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of online sources, I rely a lot on Spotify playlists, Bandcamp editorial and select YouTube channels like COLORS<\/a> and Tiny Desk<\/a>. But as for discovering music that has a track record of really sticking? Word-of-mouth, from family and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Audio and video streaming, exclusively, on my phone or MacBook. I have a vinyl record player but can count the number of times I\u2019ve used it on one hand. I also used to have a prized CD Walkman, but haven\u2019t listened to a CD since the mid-to-late-2000s. If I\u2019m in a car, I\u2019ll sometimes listen to the radio, but that\u2019s the last resort after streaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everywhere! Music is like caffeine to me; it provides a magical, inexplicable shot of energy. I can literally feel something chemically transformative going on in my brain when I listen to my favourite songs; it\u2019s like endorphins, but without the physical movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I consistently listen to music while commuting and at work, wearing a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones that have gone through a bit of wear and tear at this point. I will also usually put on music while at home, streaming through one of two smart speakers I own: a Sonos Play:1 and a Google Home Mini (<\/span>thanks, Spotify<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t write music reviews, so don\u2019t have to deal with finding or listening to pre-releases too often. But the few times I have, I\u2019ve received links from Byta, SoundCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive and WeTransfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I have to download a music file to listen to it on iTunes, I probably won\u2019t \u2014,\u00a0unless it\u2019s an artist I really care about or for a story I\u2019m writing on assignment. I also use an adblocker and avoid ads whenever possible; on most music streaming services, they still are the worst user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also surprisingly difficult on a service like Spotify to figure out basic biographical information about an artist, like where they\u2019re from geographically. To get that info on mobile, you have to go to the artist\u2019s Spotify page and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, which takes a few seconds, and then click on their bio and hope that their hometown is mentioned in the copy. There\u2019s just so much friction there, especially for fans who want to get to know an artist better.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat are you listening to?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How do you discover new music?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services and why?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Where do you do most of your music listening?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How do find and listen to pre-release music?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n