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FlowState is an awesome daily newsletter that sends two hours of music that's perfect for working to. There's no algorithmic discovery, it's all human recommendations and they write a little blurb about each artist they feature. It consistently introduces me to new artists I didn't know and has helped me appreciate lots of new genres, especially in the ambient music realm. The newsletter also puts out custom mixes and private Spotify playlists for paid subscribers.
Sep 30, 2021
Related Recs
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These aren't curated playlists, they're just a collection of any new songs I discover and really like, or old songs I re-fall in love with. I then give each playlist a name that references how I feel or an event that happened that month. I was in a similar place to you a couple of years ago, but I've found doing this really helps me track my tastes and experiences every month, which I find is quite helpful in our streaming-dominated musicscape.
When I used to actually download songs, it was easy to scroll through my library and be reminded of artists I'd forgotten about or had only listened to a couple of times. I've found that with streaming its really easy to lose track of who you listen to and enjoy, so it really flattens everything and causes you to either rely on the algorithm or your go-to past artists.
As far as discovering new artists goes, there are still a few reliable sites and publications that review new albums (paste, gorilla vs. bear, pitchfork (sort of), etc.). I also like following or signing up for email newsletters (gasp!) from specific indie record labels that I enjoy. If you like several artists on the label, then chances are you'll like more, and they always notify you when something new is being released. Same goes for local venues. Check out the small stage acts coming through or various openers, even if you don't actually make it to the show. This is also a great way to get plugged into the local scene and it keeps you young, sort of.
Feb 29, 2024
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new weekly music recs—truly lots of stuff you haven’t come across before, with delightful little descriptions
Jan 25, 2024
Guys I finally figured this out after like 5 years of being an Apple Music subscriber. And the amount of times I almost switched to Spotify because "the recs are sm better" isn't even funny. I stayed true to Apple Music and finally discovered this station that actually plays you NEW music that you've never played before. It's called the Discovery Station and it's been on repeat for like a week for me and I'd say it's like 90% artists I've never heard before. When it plays artists I know, it's songs I've never heard. Crazzzy how I didn't know about this for so many years. So if you knew about this and never told me I'm kinda pissed off
Mar 12, 2025
Top Recs from @taylor-lorenz
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I feel like a lot of people got into walking early on in the pandemic but fell off. I really recommend making power walks part of your routine. They're great for meetings and calls, catch ups with friends, or they can be a social thing where you and your friends can go on walks together. They can be fast or meandering. In New York I'd go on long walks in Prospect Park and that is still my favorite place to walk, but in L.A. the Silverlake reservoir makes a great loop too. I'm trying to meet up with people for walks now instead of drinks.
Sep 30, 2021
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I have to be fair and give Casey Neistat credit for this one because he brought this pesto over to my house a few months ago and told me it would be the best pesto I've ever had. He was 10000% correct. Black Market Pesto is raw vegan pesto made with almonds rather than pine nuts. I cannot overstate how good this pesto is, I eat this stuff straight from the jar. It's made by this guy named Hunter Weiss in San Diego. For a while they were only delivering locally around the L.A. area, but I believe he's in the process of trying to organize a wider rollout according to his Twitter. For now, the pesto is sold out on their website and only comes in "drops" but you can leave your email to find out when they make more.
Sep 30, 2021
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October is my favorite month primarily because it's when all the good horror movies drop. Anyone who knows me well at all knows my deep affinity for horror. Early last year I put together this spreadsheet of recs featuring most of my favorite films. I have pretty bad and often debilitating anxiety but somehow that all melts away when I'm watching a horror movie. I watch between three to five horror movies a week. I know lots of people say they don't like horror as a genre, but I think it's all about finding the right type. Not every horror film is all blood and guts (though I do enjoy those too!).
Sep 30, 2021