A collection of “first drafts”, new classics, and nostalgic familiarities, this mix feels perfectly timed for the quiet reset of an unsparingly brittle NYC winter. Emilio smith shares versions of songs we thought we knew—like Paper Bag and Be My Baby—stripped of their studio armor and left beautifully exposed. Their intimacy is only heightened by the hazy, glacial selections that bookend them. It’s the sonic equivalent of emerging from a grey, solitary winter trudge into a glowing room full of your closest friends. From the icy atmospheres of Paysage d'Hiver to the synth-pop sincerity of Ryan Paris, it’s a montage of “starting over” that has the power to gut you if you happen to be looking at old photos.
This jump-cut approach to curation mirrors his new fragmentary essay, A Disrespectful Analysis of New York City’s Speaker Culture. Much like the mix, the book is a non-linear dive into the chaos of modern listening—tackling everything from the social life of Bluetooth speakers to the deeper anxieties of contemporary club culture. It’s an essential read for the “short-term memory scroller” and the “critical thinker” alike.
A Disrespectful Analysis of New York City’s Speaker Culture ↗
Emilio Smith ↗
