jan-2026
january kicked off with a sonically rich performance from shahzad ismaily, greg saunier, and maria chaves warmed with some pre-performance pho with kayla. if youre in south philly for a show and get pho you probably know where im talking about. i hadnt been there maybe since college and it was nice to take kayla. the restaurant really hasnt changed in the past decade it was like picking up your partner and stepping through a door to a past version of yourself. the meal of course was delicious.
ive really looked up to greg as a musician for many years and have liked deerhoof quite a bit (hearing fresh born for the first time 12 years ago excited something in my brain). i interviewed him during a random stint as a “music journalist” with a friend in 2017. hes really kind and the way he performs with a mixture of bombastic chaos is something ive always been very enamored with even if it isnt something i do myself. theres something that feels essential about it.
i hadnt heard much from ismaily and chaves before but was really inspired by their creation and exploration of sounds -- the crackle and hiss of the records in this clip are especially nice.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* then the snow came. two gusts of snowy wind covered our lives and sent me into the cold to record. i found myself outside with some really sweet moments of recording sounds in the woods sharing tea with yaka.
eventually finding myself alone along a canal. utilizing my seaphone to capture the fall of snow on water and drips landing on planks of wood in the frozen air.
this exploration of sound really felt like i was on an alien planet. wiping away snow covered surfaces from the ethereal sounds underneath. 
though, this is counter to my current project which is mostly using field recordings from summer. its called sun burning and should be coming in the next few months. this project has felt like the closest thing to finding a sound im looking for. technically, ive spent a lot more time understanding mixing and learning how to bring out and cut out certain sounds in a field recording – erasing the cars, bringing out that cricket, softening the crushing waves.
i look forward to sharing it fully with you in due time :^)
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cooking this month was mostly chicken. i roasted three whole chickens this month for family and friends and really feel myself understanding how to make it good. salt, chill, dry, sear. its all getting there. paired with a nice fennel and citrus salad and its a meal that balances and meets many needs.
we also got a hot-pot (inspiration from hillary + joe from decembers post) and shared a delightful meal over the boiling broths tofu, veggies, and fish balls a-swimmin.
i cooked a big pot of mushroom risotto for dear friend alexs birthday and was warmed by the presence of many in our dining room. this was followed up days later by a massive meal of tibetan food. 
its certainly been a cold and very snowy january. but its also been highlighted by some of the warmest foods and meals shared with others. the way it should be.
i also ate a lot of oatmeal. banana, peanut butter, and a couple of chocolate chips. good slop.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* im trying to “normalize” (for myself) asking people id like to know more out to coffee. i think were better knowing each other than not knowing each other and the barrier to that seems to be clouded by social norms and practices that ive grown accustomed to. for what its worth im not trying to say anything larger about society because theres a lot of nuance there that im not trying to touch on in these entries (at least for now). im just talking about myself. wanting to know more people…more better. i got a coffee with a neighbor id never met. we talked music, local politics and the like.
if any of you reading this want to be closer. lets get coffee. keep this thing going.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* some cassettes that i had on repeat this month:
and some tracks i enjoyed this month featuring some ambient noise-scapes, jazz, and a song with album art that did make me think "huh that kinda looks like the floor of my shower" (the song is very good too).
thats january though. thanks for being there. fuck ice.
with much love, marc * 6 *