DJ Jim Q's Playlist: Parallel
Welcome listeners, March is upon us, and I have a brand-new setlist to share. The theme this month is Parallel, chosen by our friends from the Kuala Lumpur chapter of CreativeMornings.
Parallelity is related to music in so many ways. Lyrically, parallels are often used as rhetorical devices to draw connections between different things. There is parallel movement in composition, where two sonic voices move in the same direction by the same musical interval. There is parallel signal processing, where you mix an original sound with a processed version of the same signal to make something new. And there is, of course, multi-channel audio. The simplest version of multi-channel audio is a stereo signal. A stereo signal consists of two independent audio channels, one for each speaker, designed to create a wider auditory image. By sending parallel signals containing slightly different audio content, our ears perceive sounds as being situated to one side or the other. Originally intended to replicate the physical influence that space has on sound, stereo has evolved into an expressive tool in itself and is often used creatively to manipulate the perception of space through careful panning and positioning in the mix. Stereo is the most basic form of spatial audio, but there are far more complex systems today for presenting sound within space—surround sound, binaural audio, Dolby Atmos, just to name a few. Some of these technologies are quite amazing and very effective at replicating real-world sound. But stereo is the original. Makes sense, after all, we only have two ears.
I remember the days when elaborate high-fidelity home stereo systems were the norm. These prideful treasures were the crown jewels of so many mustached dads who still liked to “rock out.” These auditory altars were so enticing, partially because they were almost always off-limits to us kids. Expensive and complicated, they were reserved for the after-work enjoyment of Boz Scaggs and Chicago records. Touching them was forbidden. Certainly, these systems were not intended for listening to the pummeling distorted power chords of earlyMetallica or the woofer-blowing 808 thumps of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Posse on Broadway.”
In the ‘80s, though, latch-key kids were accustomed to an unsupervised liminal time between the end of school and the return of the parents. This free-range time is when these perfectly tuned audio systems were vulnerable to our abuse. I remember hearing “Licensed to Ill” for the first time on a hi-fi audio system in a friend’s house. It sounded like a bomb when the bass came in; it gave me chills. I’m certain these clandestine early experiences with hi-fi stereo systems are what set me on a path of appreciation and obsession with music. I feel some remorse for the expensive speakers we may have destroyed along the way.
As I got older, ridiculous car stereo systems replaced home hi-fi systems as the pinnacle of the listening experience. At the time, I had an older friend who was an early adopter of car audio gear. He had this little Honda CRX, and it was jam-packed with speakers—in fact, probably more speaker than car. His little hatchback was capable of pumping out enough decibels to rattle your teeth. I loved riding around in that car. It made Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” sound like an aerial assault. It’s quite amazing that I have not lost my hearing.
These days, I have settled into a preference for simplicity. I appreciate good stereo recording. Outside of a ridiculously expensive high-fidelity home setup, a good set of headphones is, in my opinion, the best listening format. Just to balanced parallel signals, one for each ear.
I have observed an unfortunate trend among the listening population to surrender monophonic listening formats: Bluetooth speakers, computer speakers, and, worst of all, phones. This is certainly due to convenience—we all have phones—but so much is lost. It’s akin to reproducing a full-color image in black and white. Recently, there was a great article in The Atlantic interrogating this very topic called “Bluetooth Speakers Are Ruining Music.” In it, Michael Owen expertly examines what we have lost by settling for this inferior convenience. He points out how particularly the communal experience of listening to music has become less immersive as a result. I think he is right.
You have two ears for a reason, so next time you cue up your favorite artist, take a moment to put on your headphones. Allow yourself the privilege of drifting into the sonic space as the parallel audio signals hit your ears and position you deep within the music.
Metaphors abound in this song list of similes and stories of similarity. The theme is Parallel, and these tracks are aligned. March with me through these 30-plus songs; it’s a straight walk from Beyoncé’s “Formation” to Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line,” all the way to Celeste’s “Both Sides of the Moon.”
Thanks for listening. I hope to see you here again next month. If you enjoy these playlists, give me a shout on X, Bluesky and be sure to follow me on Spotify.