About L-Train

Back in the day (about 10 years ago), while we were all napstering up a storm, I had a system for finding new music not unlike the technology we use on pandora.com, today. I'd listen to something I liked, find it on napster (and dl that isht), then type it in to amazon.com and see what CDs it wanted me to buy, then find it on napster... kind of in that cycle. My influences were mostly trance, breakbeat, IDM (I'm still trying to figure out what that means), and trip hop.

Born from that sludge, Amon Tobin's empowering beats, hewn from homemade wizardry of sound, had passed the threshold of my headphones. I listened to one track and wanted another... and another... and another. Every track was a completely unique experience and unlike anything I'd ever heard before. Musically, it made me an insta-snob. How was I ever going to enjoy music again if theres so much out there that isn't Amon Tobin?? So, I went through a phase as most kids do.  I knew the time would come when I had to branch out, lest I become that crazy girl in ward 6 that just keeps drawing doodles that are supposed to be mathematical representations of Amon Tobin songs. The quest was on for holy grails of aural fixation that give me that same strange fascination I found that day.

As a fledgling DJ, I asked one of the college radio vets at WRUV 90.1 FM Burlington (Vermont) where I should start. Labels, labels labels. Sometimes when you find something that really speaks to you, look at who discovered them.  If the artist changed labels at some point, observe both of them. If they have a niche taste in music, they're going to recruit more of the same awesomeness to their collection. Labels change and progress for better or worse through the years, but I think Tobin's label is consistent with quality originals. Branching out still, there are other labels that speak to those of us with similar niche tastes. I'm actually equal parts Ninja Tune and Mush label fans... but "Radio Mush" just didn't roll of the tongue.