04-29-19 | Songs for Listening | Cameron Thompkins
Cameron Thompkins, who works as a live events and digital content producer at The Greene Space at WNYC/WQXR, picked tunes at Songs for Listening for Monday, April 29. Prior to coming to The Greene Space, Cameron made sound design and composed music for commercial and editorial campaigns at the creative music agency, Finger Music and Sound Design. In addition to his work in audio, he has spent time at Lincoln Center helping produce Meet-the-Artist and Christian Marclay's The Clock. Cameron graduated from Duke with a degree in Music Composition, while in Durham he apprenticed at Duke Performances.
Here's Cameron's picks w/ his annotations:
'My Friend the Forest' by Nils Frahm
"I love the texture of Frahm's prepared piano and miking, which is so warm and human. The last 45 seconds feels like the most sweet release. It's hard to explain, for me though, the whole rest of the track seems built to accomplish this quiet getaway."
'That Other Girl' by Sevdaliza
"When I worked in commercial music, a significant part of my time was spent on (re)creating synthesized textures, which engendered a strong appreciation music of this variety. The production and mixing choices on this track are sterling. And after the madness of the middle section, the sort of found sound aesthetic at the end feels perfect".
'Smooth Operator' by Meshell Ndegeocello
"The Sadé classic! I never expected this, but then again Ndegeocello is always full of surprises."
'Mashita' by Mansur Brown
"Brown's solo (looped) guitar is all-encompassing. And knows he precisely when to lean in & when to pull back."
'One Nation Under a Groove' by Funkadelic
"I grew up on Parliament / Funkadelic, but the joy captured on this track in particular — the sheer goof & unpretentious (& crazily talented) fun — reminds me: 1) how transformative funk can be AND 2) how much the funk is missing in modern pop. Beyond that though, this groove is ironclad ... 'Here's a chance to dance our way out of our constrictions.'"
'My Friend the Forest' by Nils Frahm from ‘All Melody’
'That Other Girl' by Sevdaliza from ‘The Suspended Kid’
'Mashita' by Mansur Brown from ‘Shiroi’
'Smooth Operator' by Meshell Ndegeocello from ‘Ventriliquism’
'One Nation Under a Groove' by Funkadelic from ‘Da Funk!’
