Diego Olivas
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If you can imagine, imagine what it is to be a woman. For those already identifying as one, venture onwards. Then, compound that. Imagine yourself as a trombonist. It’s that choice: to pick up one of music’s longtime bit players — and actually do something meaningful with the instrument — that informs just how interesting…
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Who knows where the time goes? Because, apparently, lately it’s me. Through some fated collusion of circumstance and consequence, both personal and external, I’ve spent most of my day tied to a phone, tied to things out of my control. With the holidays – at least in America – upon us, what precious moments I…
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Isn’t it funny the things that make us emotional? For me — I’m unafraid to share — it seems it’s experiencing “beautiful” things. It’s something I’ve pondered lately: “Why do I cry when I hear music that’s, quite simply, beautiful?” It’s something that pulled me to create my latest mix for LYL Radio. In the…
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Stand By Satie? It’s pretty hard not to, when a whole slew of musicians – in all styles and genres – have been inspired by the late, great French impressionist composer. But how does one take the next step and actually attempt to interpret the man? It’s a question, I imagine, that was cycling in…
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Here’s something that not many are afraid to admit: a lot of us hate to be lost in the wilderness. It’s its metaphysical definition that many people struggle with. Just who enjoys being an outlier in the world? Yet, there are some of us, like Kim Doo Soo who’s best work comes when remaining steadfast…
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Fall is something else, isn’t it? As beautiful as the season is – simply one look outside can affirm this – there’s always something in our communal, lived-in experience that’s tinged with a certain longing and/or nostalgia. Perhaps, it’s a certain realization that nothing is permanent and everything pertinent has an end. With this thought…
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I’ll be one of the first to admit this: intriguing album designs draw me in. Even in the age of digital artwork, nothing quite says “listen to me” than a singular, creative, point of view. I mean, what else would explain how I stumbled upon Miguel Braga’s haunting nocturnal ambient jazz album, Ritual?
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It’s such a cliche but it’s one that bears repeating: sometimes music just speaks to you. While listening to Chyi Yu’s wonderful covers album, 1987’s Stories, I discovered her interpretation of Don McLean’s little-remembered “Castles In The Air”. Myself in an autumnal-kind of mood, as Chyi sang every lyric, I listened ever closely, and piece…
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She didn’t have to do this, yet, nevertheless, she persisted. That’s the refrain bopping in my head as I go through Anna Banana’s past, looking to shed any more light behind the creation of this album: 大きな絵 (Big Picture). It’s about a hafu (and worse, a nisei), barely making any kind of ascent into stardom,…
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There’s a reason that art can transcend time, space, and vocabulary. It does so because it can speak to something innate born within us. Perhaps, it’s that ability to empathize, to experience shared emotion through song. It’s what feeds any musician to put their thoughts on instruments and express themselves to others. And, as shown…
ambient art pop art rock balearic brazilian electro-acoustic england environmental music experimental fourth world Funk fusion japan jazz minimalist mpb neo-folk neoclassical new age walearic