Purelink (Guest rec from Andrew Tasselmyer)

Aug 02, 2024

Cross-posted by Flow State

"One of the best subscriptions you can enter on Substack is Flow State; they issue daily recommendations of instrumental music to help you get in "the zone," along with mixes and occasional interviews. I've found a lot of new music there, so I was thrilled when they invited me to make my own recommendation on the page. I had to share what has been, for me, THE sound of 2024 in my headphones. I can't get enough Purelink these days. Deep, pulsing goodness that feels like a throwback to the very best elements of early 2000s dub techno, glitch, and IDM. Their latest for Peak Oil, "Signs," is on heavy rotation. These guys are deeply inspiring to me and are influencing my own work quite heavily these days. Thanks again to Flow State for the opportunity."

- Andrew Tasselmyer

Today’s Friday upbeat rec comes from Andrew Tasselmyer, a musician from Baltimore now based in Philadelphia. In his solo practice and collaborative projects with Hotel Neon, Gray Acres, and Mordançage, he uses samplers and field recordings to make atmospheric music with a sense of texture and tactility. Andrew is the author of Sound Methods, a newsletter and podcast focused on the creative processes behind his and other musicians’ work.

I'd like to recommend Purelink, a Brooklyn trio with roots in Chicago that consists of Tommy Paslaski (aka Concave Reflection), Ben Paulson (aka Kindtree), and Akeem Asani (aka Millia). They defy neat and easy labeling, but Philip Sherburne describes it best in his review of 2023's Signs as "a virtual steambath of foggy chords, chest-massaging bass, and sumptuous, ultra-vivid textures." The music is deep and absorbing. Careful listening is rewarded with seemingly endless layers of detail. The chemistry is so apparent that it's difficult to believe they've only been playing together since 2021. Fans of Jan Jelinek, Deepchord, Shuttle358, and similar strains of experimental/rhythmic ambience will find a lot to love here. Highly recommended.

Signs - Purelink (40m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal

Purelink - Purelink (30m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Have a purely great weekend.

A guest post by

Andrew Tasselmyer

I’m a musician from Baltimore, MD currently living in Philadelphia, PA. I also author Sound Methods, a publication and podcast about the creative process.