DJ Jim Q's Playlist: Abundance
The last theme of 2022 is Abundance chosen by the Santa Fe chapter. We are living in a golden age of access to music. Never before has so much recorded audio been at the fingertips of so many. As streaming services exceed 100 million song catalogues, the abundance of selections we can choose from today is astonishing. Not so long ago, recorded music was heavily curated with tastemakers and record companies playing gatekeepers. It was a tightly controlled ecosystem, with labels, radio stations, retailers and concert circuits all part of a machine designed to extract maximum financial return on artists’ work. This model excluded so many deserving artists, severely limiting the range of options. That said, the intensity of this capitalistic crucible also ensured, for the most part, that bands that could make it through the gauntlet would be truly exceptional. It’s the classic signal to noise conundrum: while we have a plethora of music to choose from, it’s increasingly difficult to find the few outstanding works buried in the abundance of mediocrity.
I think there was a time where the two eras converged and in this brackish brine existed the perfect conditions for music to really thrive. I’m sure I’m biased being a Gen Xer, but the era between the mid-80’s and mid-90’s seemed like an exceptionally potent renaissance for music. Rejecting the corporate bureaucracy of the major labels, indie record labels popped up everywhere to publish niche music. The second wave punk bands promulgated the DIY ethos, electronic dance music emerged from the night clubs, and hip-hop absolutely exploded with creativity and ingenuity. You had the tenacious drive of artists with vision pushing to leave their imprint on the world by any means necessary. That, along with the more accessible recording options and the affordability of electronic instruments, created the ideal conditions for an era of artistic excellence.
I don’t want to sound like some kind of old fashioned luddite. I relish the ability to find any music anytime and from anywhere no matter how obscure. However, this abundance of convenience has certainly diminished my tendency to parcel attention to music the way I used to when access to recorded music was a hard-earned privilege. Acquiring new music was a bit of an odyssey. After earning a little money from mowing lawns, I recall I would ride my BMX bike a few miles to the mall and buy a cassette tape from a little record store next to the JCPenny’s. I would pop it into my walkman and listen for days, maybe even weeks. I still remember listening to Eric B. and Rakim’s “Paid in Full” so many times that the tape was audibly warped. In that era you were more likely to stay with an album, you couldn’t just easily skip to the next song with one click or a casual voice command. This forced us to really let the album percolate. Also, the physicality of the medium made it all the more ceremonial and memorable. Meticulously reading the liner notes, scanning the photos and illustrations on the packaging, made the listening experience more active. It saddens me a little that kids today may not have that same visceral experience with recorded music. It’s likely I may be over romanticizing it as I am prone to do with music. I hope the resurgence of vinyl and cassette listening is a signal that the appetite for more intimate intentional listening is still there.
Songs of excess, indulgence, and wealth overflow on the Abundance Playlist. Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt chronicle the excesses of “Super Rich Kids”, while British songstress SOFY speaks volumes with “Big Talk”. We can dance to the abundant exuberance of The Blessed Madonna’s “Serotonin Moonbeams” and indulge in the gluttonous groove of George McCrae’s “You Can Have it All”. More than we need, but never enough, this playlist is overflowing with songs of plenty. I trust you will get your fill and then some.
Many thanks for listening this month. If you enjoy these playlists, I would love to hear from you. Give me a shout on Twitter and follow me on Spotify if you like. I will see you next month with a new playlist.