2021's Picks

I don't have an extensive list for things I discovered / watched / read / listened to in 2021, but here are some standouts:

Music

Mount Shrine

Probably the most listened to in the last year, and with sadness as I believe the person behind /Mount Shrine/ (and other lovely music pseudonyms) passed away due to Covid in 2020/1. I really love their ambient releases under /Mount Shrine/, particularly Winter Restlessness and Secluded Loops. Listen to Lifeless Indoors.

Mountain Goats (Jordan lake sessions)

I'm onboard with anything The Mountain Goats release, but the Jordan Lake Sessions were a great listen. Felt like I was there (as was their intention with it, I think). Listen to heel turn 2.

Teen Daze - Interior

I'm a long-time fan of Mr. Daze. Really like the flat-neon feels of this one.

Books

A short history of nearly everything

This took me a while to get through it, but it was an amazing book to read at the end of the day before bed. I really loved perusing a few facts to fall asleep to. Also, the sections on DNA and evolution were pretty shocking and amazing to me - I had never had those concepts explained so succinctly. Frankly, for a while my head was swimming - I think I even got a little existentially overwhelmed when that much progress in science and research was able to be summarized and presented so neatly.

Kafka On the Shore

Loved this one. That's all.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Another favourite - I wrote about it in a previous post. Haven't read good sci-fi (or much sci-fi at all) lately. What a good book.

Other things

The iPad

After humming-and-hawing for 6+ months, I bought an iPad. Glad I did it. I mostly was interested in using it for digital painting (using Procreate) but it's filling in a few gaps. I'm not quite a fanboy of the apple ecosystem, but I can't deny how useful it has been for my interests:

• able to use it as a secondary monitor while traveling (great for work).
• digital painting with Procreate
• music-making apps
• video editing with luma fusion
• reading comics / art-instruction books.

All in all, despite it being a limited device in terms of power-users, it's really great for me (as a multi-hobbyist).