Tal Rosenberg, Reader digital content editor
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, House Arrest This is the album I’ve listened to the most in the past three months. Originally released in 2002 and reissued in 2006 by Paw Tracks, it’s not as revelatory or bracing as The Doldrums, which introduced Pink’s sound, but it might be the better album. It’s catchier, more colorful, and includes fragments of lyrical genius such as “Pop music is free / For you and me / Pop music’s your wife / Have it for life.” It also features a scolding voice mail from Pink’s father, the generational anthem “Gettin’ High in the Morning,” and “Alisa,” a fascinating goth-disco song that’s just begging to be covered. If you’ve never heard an Ariel Pink album before, you might want to start here.
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DJ Sprinkles “DJ Sprinkles” is the house-music alias of sound artist Terre Thaemlitz, the only house musician I’ve ever seen published in the Letters section of Harper’s. I caught a bit of her set at Smart Bar last month, and I’ve been way into two of her 2013 releases: Where Dancefloors Stand Still, a mix CD of old and new house, and Queerifications & Ruins, a double-disc collection of remix work.
Ross Kelly, DJ, producer, co-owner of Kokorokoko Vintage
Dollar-bin records I’m always on the hunt for music for my DJ sets. I love buying the latest 12-inch singles, but I often find the best gems by hunting through the dollar bins at record stores and taking a chance on a few interesting-looking cuts. I love getting a big stack of mystery tracks home and giving them a listen. Occasionally I find something I’ve heard on a DJ mix or at a club and didn’t know the title or artist of—always a bonus.
Novation Bass Station II Novation’s Bass Station II is an upgrade of the classic Bass Station from 1994. Lightweight and able to store patches, it’s one of the best analog mono synths in its price range. The BSII has an arpeggiator with user-programmable patterns, plus a multimode filter that allows it to mimic many classic synth sounds. It’s a great synth to take on the road.
