December 2021 is at an end. Near dead.

Its been a year with a lot of challenges but also but also some bright spots not the least of which is the fantastic music that keeps coming out of this place. I include this year’s album Phases by St. John’s-based Jay Mach in that category: fantastic.

It’s a strong collection of electronic synth pop with a retro flair. Many of the tracks have a cool, very-chill vibe. It’s the kind of stuff that I love to listen to on repeat. It captures my imagination and feels like the soundtrack of a dreamscape. At the moment, perhaps influenced by the calendar, I’m deeply into “deadDecember”.

Mach has created videos to accompany the tracks on Phases. Most feature local images with a retro-futuristic bent… and more palm trees than you’re likely to find at this latitude. They are interesting, visual extensions of his music. Check them out.

You can stream Phases at the usual places and get it at Bandcamp.

Is there a better way to show someone you like them (and I mean like-like them) than making a mixtape?

Maybe. I don’t know. I’m old school.

But that’s what I did. I made an eclectic playlist of some of the great music being made in Newfoundland.