Listening Notes: Winter 2026

Some things I've been listening to while working, walking, thinking.

New discoveries

Alabaster DePlume — Come With Fierce Grace. Jazz that feels like a hug. Sprawling, earnest, occasionally overwhelming in the best way.

Adrianne Lenker — Bright Future. I came late to Big Thief, and now I'm catching up on the solo work. This one is sparse and devastating.

Old favorites on rotation

Brian Eno — Music for Airports. Always. The original ambient music still works better than most of what's come since.

Talk Talk — Spirit of Eden. One of those albums that sounds different every time. I hear new things in it depending on what I'm working through.

For focused work

I've been building playlists around texture over melody — music that creates an environment without demanding attention. Lots of lowercase ambient, field recordings, long-form drone. Helpful when I need to write without getting distracted by lyrics.