Joy Oladokun

Interviews

Joy Oladokun

By Rachel Deeb, Meredith Hobbs Coons

As a child of Nigerian immigrants, a queer Black person, and a proud advocate for social change, Joy Oladokun has been combating her “constant Little Sister Syndrome” to become a musical force in her adopted home of Nashville, Tennessee. With five studio albums to her name, including 2021’s in defense of my own happiness and 2023’s Proof of Life, she has risen to acclaim by weaving together folk instrumentation and avant-garde elements. Additionally, her albums have featured many guests, including Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton, and Noah Kahan. Oladokun self-produced her latest project, 2024’s Observations From a Crowded Room, highlighting her wide range of skills. 

MGMT

Interviews

MGMT

By Geoff Stanfield, Jonah Freeman

Around the time of their 2024 album, Loss of Life, I sat down for a chat with MGMT's co-founders, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, to discuss the recording of the album, all their collaborators, synth solos, and their longtime working relationship with producer/mixer Dave Fridmann [Tape Op...

Jennifer Nulsen

Interviews

Jennifer Nulsen

By Steve Silverstein, Kevin Bourassa

As an engineer who mostly works on rock and experimental music, classical recording fascinates me. Seemingly accurate recordings of acoustic instruments feels like one of the more measurable skills in ou...

Dennis Weinreich

Interviews

Dennis Weinreich

By Roy Silverstein, Samantha Coover
I was fortunate to meet Dennis Weinreich several years ago while he was in San Diego,...
Mocky

Interviews

Mocky

By Yvonne Schmedemann, Larry Crane
I first heard about Mocky [Dominic Giancarlo Salole] when interviewing Jamie Lidell [Tape...
Marvin Etzioni

Interviews

Marvin Etzioni

By Amy Joan Harrington, Larry Crane
Possibly most recognized as the bassist for Lone Justice, the pioneering '80s country...
Ambrose Bye

Interviews

Ambrose Bye

By Gregory Daurer, Natalia Gaia
Ambrose Bye laughingly calls himself a “nepo baby with a laptop.” As the son of...
Sonny Smith in Conversation with Andrew Gerhan

Interviews

Sonny Smith in Conversation with Andrew Gerhan

By Andrew Gerhan, John Baccigaluppi and Kathryn Musilek
Sonny Smith, of Sonny & The Sunsets, has been called a "San Francisco garage rock...
Ed Kuepper and The Saints

Interviews

Ed Kuepper and The Saints

By Joe Borkowski, Larry Crane
I have a lot of favorite rock bands, but one that always puts a smile on my face was the...

MOST RECENT

Books on and Music Recording Part 2
Nov 22, 2025 BLOG

Books on and Music Recording Part 2

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...

Maurice Oliver Remembered
Nov 19, 2025 BLOG

Maurice Oliver Remembered

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: Saving Grace
Nov 18, 2025 BLOG

Robert Plant: Saving Grace

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...

Westerman: A Jackal’s Wedding
Nov 18, 2025 BLOG

Westerman: A Jackal’s Wedding

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,...

Rosalía: Lux
Nov 18, 2025 BLOG

Rosalía: Lux

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...

Gear Geeking - Issue 170
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 GEAR GEEKING

Gear Geeking - Issue 170

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...

A Great Kick Drum Sound
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 END RANT

A Great Kick Drum Sound

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...

Juana Molina: DOGA
Nov 14, 2025 BLOG

Juana Molina: DOGA

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...

Khruangbin: The Universe Smiles Upon You ii
Nov 14, 2025 BLOG

Khruangbin: The Universe Smiles Upon You ii

We interviewed Khruangbin's Mark Speer and their engineer Steve Christensen for the Tape Op Podcast, and that interview also appeared in Tape Op#162. The new release from Khruangbin is a reimagining and rerecording of their 2015 debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You ii. The versions are more intimate and...

West Virginia Snake Handler Revival: “They Shall Take Up Serpents”
Oct 28, 2025 BLOG

West Virginia Snake Handler Revival: “They Shall Take Up Serpents”

West Virginia Snake Handler Revival “They Shall Take Up Serpents” marks the arrival of a landmark record, documenting the last snake handling church in Appalachia. Featuring hillbilly rock guitars, trance-like rhythms, and howling vocals, this album was recorded 100% live and without overdubs during Sunday service by Grammy-award...

LET'S DIY

Build a tube Mic Pre

interview

Build a tube Mic Pre

Scott Hampton

WORDS OF WARNING

To build this unit requires a fair amount of experience as a DIY-er. In addition, this circuit requires voltages that can cause serious death if mishandled. The kit greatly simplifies...

How to Build a Microphone

interview

How to Build a Microphone

Joel Cameron

This microphone is largely based on a posting I found on the internet showing how to modify Realistic (Radio Shack) PZMs for better performance. I have simply finished the design so people can build a...

Build Your Own Spring Reverb

interview

Build Your Own Spring Reverb

Scott Hampton

Simplified Reverb Tank Overview

A modern reverb tank consists of drivers, transmission springs, pickups, and a shock mounting system. A signal is driven into the drivers (attached to one end of each spring,...

Telephone Microphone

interview

Telephone Microphone

Steve McAllister

Step One: Get a phone. The best ones are the old rotary types. Thrift stores have 'em, usually for $3 or less. Specifically, you want a handset that has an un-screw-able mouth-cap and ear-cap. Also,...

STAFF PICKS

Gear Geeking - Issue 170
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 GEAR GEEKING

Gear Geeking - Issue 170

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...

A Great Kick Drum Sound
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 END RANT

A Great Kick Drum Sound

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...

Jennifer Nulsen
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 INTERVIEWS

Jennifer Nulsen

As an engineer who mostly works on rock and experimental music, classical recording fascinates me. Seemingly accurate recordings of acoustic instruments feels like one of the more measurable skills in our field, with at least some safe detachment from recording trends. Jennifer Nulsen has quickly found impressive and consistent...

Marvin Etzioni
Nov 14, 2025 NO. 170 INTERVIEWS

Marvin Etzioni

Possibly most recognized as the bassist for Lone Justice, the pioneering '80s country rock band, Marvin Etzioni had actually begun as their producer before joining the group and contributing his songs and expertise. He's since gone on to produce a number of artists, including Toad the Wet Sprocket, Peter Case, and...

Gear Geeking
Sep 13, 2025 NO. 169 GEAR GEEKING

Gear Geeking

In the previous issue, I mentioned my gear rack that’s the control-room equivalent of a kitchen island. I wanted active cooling for the rack, but routing an air-conditioner duct to that location was impossible, so I opted for the simpler solution of utilizing vent panels as intakes with exhaust fans in the three upper rear...

Hazel Mills
Jun 22, 2025 NO. 167 INTERVIEWS

Hazel Mills

Hazel Mills is a British pianist, synthesist, and songwriter whose day job is touring with the likes of Goldfrapp, Kylie Minogue, Florence + the Machine, Birdy, Dave Rowntree (Blur), and Fraser T. Smith. Mills's classical virtuosity and passion for sampling, minimalism, and analog synths inform both her compositions and...

Books on and Music Recording Part 2
Nov 22, 2025 BLOG

Books on and Music Recording Part 2

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...

Maurice Oliver Remembered
Nov 19, 2025 BLOG

Maurice Oliver Remembered

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...