15 Comments
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Jeremy Keim's avatar

This one hit. And that video is one of the rare times where reading the comments is the way to go. Thanks for making me tear up to three chords and a bit of the truth.

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Tyler Neill's avatar

Have bookmarked the video. Looking forward to making it a regular thing over the years. Thanks for this.

Listening to more Aphex Twin on Spotify also helped me make the connection that Lonely Island sampled Avril 14th for Iran So Far. Nice to pair some tears with some laughs.

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Brad Wozniak's avatar

I often listen to lyric-less music while working, but hadn't considered that it was because it put me in a more vulnerable state. I just assumed "tranquility". Maybe they're not so different, but maybe they are, too. I hadn't heard of Aphex Twin before this and loved listening while reading this piece. Interesting thing: I don't "care" if my friends don't want to read my NL, but then if they don't, they'd also be the ones (I dare guess) who wouldn't appreciate (or acknowledge) how music can make men vulnerable.

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Ken Weber's avatar

Really enjoyed this!

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Luke Small's avatar

Loved this one Kevin. I've just recently been getting back into electronic music and reliving my younger clubbing days through boiler room streams at work and it is such a mixed feeling of yearning to go and party without any responsibility but grateful that now I have a lot more to think about than myself

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Kevin Maguire's avatar

Isn’t it just. Still nice to pull your dancing shoes on and let rip every now and then.

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Joe Minihane's avatar

ENO got me through some pretty dark times in early fatherhood. Not just helping to get the young’un to sleep, but also helping with my own sanity. If anything, fatherhood gifted me a deep and abiding love for some truly bizarre ambient that I would never have discovered otherwise

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Ruby Fresh OWS's avatar

The best link Matt Barr has provided in 6 months.

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Matthew Barr's avatar

Best thing I've read on Substack all week ❤️

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Kevin Maguire's avatar

Thank you, Matt.

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Lyle McKeany's avatar

Sorry, Kevin, Nü Metal is the worst genre name ever. I know because that's the genre my old band, Pressure 4-5, was considered a part of. And I hated it.

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Kevin Maguire's avatar

OK, I'll accept that. But if it wasn't for the umlaut, it would be a tie

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Tristan O'Donnell's avatar

Great piece! -from a proud fellow ambient Dad

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Rohit Ajitkumar's avatar

Thank you Kevin. This made me emotional!

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Chris R's avatar

Kevin - This was a beautiful article. Thank you for this 🙏🏻 Excited to listen to and experience this song for the first time

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