At the end of December, Marsha Vdovin, who has been working with Tape Op for 14 years, is moving on and leaving the Tape Op team. We’re sad to see her go, but we’re happy that she’s chosen to pursue her art full-time. Marsha has been really great to work with, and I always enjoyed the conversations we had about music and the...

David Byrne and Brian Eno famously collaborated on 1981’s seminal My Life in the Bush of Ghosts LP, which was recorded before Eno produced the Talking Heads' classic LP Remain In Light that came out in 1980. Listen to both records in the order they were recorded, and you can hear the progression of ideas from ...Ghosts...

I interviewed Logan Farmer for Tape Op back in issue #139 and his debut album, Still No Mother, was one of my top ten LPs for 2020. 

Logan just released a new single that is from his upcoming third LP, Nightmare World I See The Horizon, that will be released by Western Vinyl on January 16, 2026. 
https://loganfarmer.bandcamp.com/album/nightmare-world-i-see-the-horizon...

I was recently in the incredible Elliott Bay Books here in Seattle, and as always, I found myself in the music section, (after the cooking section). I love the smell of a book store, and I love the colorful quilt all of the various book spines make. It also feels great to pick something up and flip through its pages. You may...

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, pioneer in electronica, and owner of Electron Farm Records, Maurice Oliver. A master of many musical idioms, including fusion jazz, electronica, and world music, his legacy includes being a founding member...

Robert Plant has managed to not necessarily reinvent himself, but to continue to surround himself with great musicians and songs that suit his aging but unmistakable voice. His latest offering, Saving Grace, is a collection of cover songs rooted in the American folk and blues traditions, but also dips into indie rock and modern...

I recently interviewed James Krivchenia from Big Thief about his production work on the last Westerman album, An Inbuilt Fault. Look for that interview in a future issue of Tape Op. I really liked An Inbuilt Fault, and it reminded me a bit of later Talk Talk albums like Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. On his newest LP,...

Anyone who feels that contemporary pop music is formulaic, shallow, or not as good as some other era gone by, should give Rosalía’s new album, Lux, a listen. This is a very ambitious and challenging album with many moments of amazing beautiful music. It will take me quite a few listens before I think I will fully “get” this...

When I'm fixing things in my studio or cleaning house, I prefer listening to radio broadcasts instead of podcasts or auto-generated playlists. As a fan of commercial-free independent radio, I appreciate charismatic announcers who introduce me to new music and raise my awareness of local happenings. I can stream my favorite...

There’s a basic disconnect in how most people view learning the art and process of music recording and mixing. Say you get a new job, and they need you to place a widget in a bag, seal the bag, and place it in a container. On day one, someone will teach you how to do this task. There’s not a whole lot of room for variation...

We recently interviewed Stella Mozgawa in Tape Op #169, and she talked about working on new music with Courtney Barnett. Here’s the super fun and catchy track, "Stay In Your Lane", from those sessions with Stella on drums, and John Congleton producing and mixing. Mastered by Heba Kadry. Let’s hope for more music...

I first stumbled upon Juana Molina's music in 2007. Her album Un Dia was a revelation, and I am not sure I had ever heard anything like it.  Unique voice, undulating trance inducing loops, beautiful Argentinian folk tinged melodies, and a swirl of acoustic instruments and percussion married to an electronic...