01. Jon Hopkins – Feel First Life
I listen to this track almost every day, mostly when I’m commuting. This piece has a sense of belonging I feel. It inspires me a lot and also keeps me grounded, helps me appreciate what I have and how amazing it is to be able to make music every day of my life.
02. Ólafur Arnalds – Brot
I like how calm this piece is. I usually listen to this style of music throughout the day. It keeps my brain calm and focused.
03. Nils Frahm – Them
This song is serene, it is evocative and really inspiring. The high notes on the violins are exquisite. I don’t think this song will ever leave my playlist.
04. Radiohead – Motion Picture Soundtrack
I’m a big fan of Radiohead’s music. Their songwriting is brilliant, the use of instruments is always unique. They’ve always pushed boundaries with their music and also that voice!!!!!
05. Hildur Guðnadóttir – Call Me Joker
Talking about wisdom in music I think this piece is an epitome of that. Such brilliance! It is hard to explain in words what this piece does to me but I think I really connect to this one. It is liberating for me.
06. Hiatus Kaiyote – Lace skull
I was introduced to their music by a friend in 2015, they are absolutely amazing. The only few times when I am not listening to sad music, I listen to this playful song.
07. Portishead – Glory Box
I love the attitude in this song, One of the coolest baselines I’ve heard in a track, the songwriting is really good and the guitar tone is also amazing. Definitely one of the many songs I listen to over-and-over again. I don’t think so I’ve ever met any person in my life who doesn’t like this song.
08. Nine Inch Nails – The Background World
Nine Inch Nails is one of my favourite bands. I really respect the vision of this band, they’ve always experimented with their sound palate. Love the use of distortion in this song. It’s dark and mean. This song blew my mind when I heard it for the first time especially the way this song ends. It is ridiculously well produced.
09. Recondite – Tie In
Recondite has always been a huge inspiration to me, there is no recondite track that I don’t like. I really respect the way he’s redefined “Minimalism”. His music is so powerful and unique. Tie In was the first Recondite track I ever heard and have never stopped listening to it.
10. Woo York – Chasing The Dream
2018 was a great year for electronic music. There were many great releases throughout the year but one album that really stood out for me was Chasing The Dream by Woo York. It is quite melodic, melancholic, dreamy, minimal and grungy.
Jay Pei – Ocean of Stars (Qilla Records)
Jay Pei returns to Qilla with his Ocean of Stars EP, which includes two cinematic melodic techno originals, a remix by label head Kohra and a very special reprise version with Poland’s talented classical violinist Karolina Beimcik. Jay Pei has been playing these tracks for a while and has already received some great responses, while his last EP on this label also went viral on various techno channels. He says “ The idea was to work on a follow-up to my earlier release on Qilla Records and to make a track in a similar soundscape but influenced by the music of the Middle East. It took a while to come up with the melody but in the end, I think I had exactly what I wanted emotionally. It’s evocative and captivating! I had no intention of making a reprise version of it but again most amazing things happen when you least expect it.” ‘Ocean of Stars’ washes over you with lush chords and epic synths, it’s dramatic and heart-swelling during the breakdown and when the groove kicks again it carries you away to the cosmos. ‘Antimatter’ is darker, with a taut bass line and plenty of edginess in the melodic techno moods that unfold. Filled with subtle details and a fantastic sense of sound design, it is more elegant work from Pei. First to remix ‘Ocean of Stars’ is label head Kohra who reimagines it as a delicate and twinkling techno roller, with broad synths and rubbery bass down low. The lead is enchanting indeed and helps make this another standout remix. Pei met brilliant vocalist and violinist Karolina at the Global Music Institute where he teaches music technology. They got together instinctively and the results on the ‘ Ocean of Stars’ (Reprise) are special indeed. It is a track filled with suspense and cinematic narrative, lush chords and heartbreaking Middle Eastern instrumentals that truly move you.
Jay Pei – Ocean of Stars (Qilla Records) Release: 9th March 2020 Cat. No: QR074
Steam/Download Link: https://smarturl.it/QR074