Contemporary electronic pop art vanguard — Teen Daze; photograph courtesy of Faked Potatoes.

The energy and artifices of modern day electronic music serves as a living, breathing organic pastiche of many contributors and forebears. From the epistemology of keyboard tones, square pushing sampler consoles, their orchestrating operators and so on; today’s creative dreamers can combine any number of institutionalized conventions, former constructs, found sounds, newfound ingenuity and more into the contemporary creative work at hand. The artist dreams up new ways to communicate newly felt sensations and dreams for vast new audiences to share in them, applying their own corresponding responses/reactions to the art work that is being received through the faculties of their senses and hermeneutic methodologies. From the cognitive to the correlating trees and branches of sensory dynamics, a new work that recalls art both analogous and completely revolutionary can be witnessed in all of its vivacity as a new organic synthesis that connects all the seemingly disparate fabrics and threads of instruments and aesthetics into a media texture of radically woven textiles.

For over the course of the past 12 plus years, thus has been the creative trajectory of Teen Daze’s Jamison Isaak. The Vancouver-based artist has spanned works that have been lauded with all sorts of innovative superlatives from every corner of the blogosphere to the last bastions and vestiges of print media in praise of Isaak’s breakthroughs of ushering in new degrees and valence levels of ambient rhythmic dimensions. The latest in a catalogue of countless releases is the fresh and fantastical beauty of “New Spirits”. Drawing from the European ambient works of the 1970s to Japan’s city pop movements of the 1980s and even deeper, dustier, record bin grooves — Jamison entertains the mystery of the sensations and worlds that we cannot fully define in the structures, syntax and logic of established lexicons and polytechnical schools of associated sciences. The newest Teen Daze compositions concern themselves with the worlds that are left to the writings, paintings, discourse, et al. of vague conjecture, ethereal questions with ambiguous answers that remain open ended outside the auspices of the experiential mind’s eye [and ear] of the beholder.

Following up last August’s single “Modern Compromise”, Jamison’s latest tracks strive to capture the work of art in the modern age of mechanical expression. Bringing in field recordings of nature, understated synth sequences, illustrious key hooks and kinetic clasps of riveting rhythms; “Compromise” caters to the inner thought spaces that meditate upon the exchanges of give and take that the unconscious continuously navigates in the human cognitive sectors of processes. Everything from decision making to the degrees of discernment, Teen Daze is increasingly making music for the mind and soul — an effort to capture the places where the spiritual and the psychological intersect in ways that have rarely before been felt or heard. These singles serve as the perfect companion for reading and rereading the oeuvres of Carl Jung, James Baldwin, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and all the enlightened cultural icons that have shaped our contemporary perspectives on humanity at large, the arenas of existentialism, metaphysics and more. Join us now as Jamison Isaak shares some exclusive insights to a collection of current harbingers of inspirational interest:

The sounds, styles & sentiments of Teen Daze’s Jamison Isaak

Virtual Soul, “Luvin’ (Whole Lotta Luv)”

I was perusing the Dance 12”s section of my local record store a few months ago, on the hunt for something interesting when I found a Strictly Rhythm single from Virtual Soul. I threw it on the turntable in the shop, and was immediately floored. I was only familiar with Strictly Rhythm by the 12” labels, and because their catalog is so deep, it always felt daunting to try and find an entry point. Anyways, this one really hit me. I’ve played one of the tunes on this record in every DJ set I’ve done since I found it!

An afternoon in Valldemossa with Teen Daze.

Blackbird Spyplane

BIG shout out to Jonah and Erin who do the Blackbird Spyplane newsletter, which is consistently my favourite two emails to receive every week. I’ve never had much knowledge about the world of fashion, and I love how approachable and fun they make it feel. Also, Jonah’s love of ambient and new age music gives me those kindred-soul sort of feels. If you’re like me, and like clothes and design, but are not necessarily inside that world, OR if you just like good, funny writing, this one’s for you.

The Blue Nile

In January of 2018, I went to Japan by myself for a week or so. I don’t do a lot of solo travelling these days, but I had some pretty profound experiences listening to music on trains during that week. One record that really affected me was A Walk Across The Rooftops by The Blue Nile, and specifically the song “Easter Parade”. I’d been a Blue Nile fan for ages, but I just listened to that song over and over. I’ll never forget walking out of the Shinjuku station one night, on my way to meet some friends for drinks, listening to “Easter Parade”. Walking past crowds of people, neon lights everywhere, with the most beautiful, quiet music in my ears. One of those moments that never leaves you.

On top of that, I’m obsessed with their style. Their press photos are incredible companions to the sound and feeling of their records. They really do know how to dress for colder weather.

Style with The Blue Nile; courtesy of the band’s official Facebook.

Oh and finally, I can’t recommend this enough: There’s a relatively short documentary about one of their tours to the US, called Flags and Fences. Seeing clips of them performing live is invigorating. A truly special band.

Jamison Isaak, aka Teen Daze, at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

Yellow Magic Orchestra

A constant source of inspiration, everything about this band their extended universe is fascinating to me. Starting right at the center: their music as YMO is undeniable. There’s something for everyone in their catalog. From there, I’d recommend getting into their solo careers, which are all filled with classics in their own right. From there, I’d recommend doing deep dives into all the records the members played on, and the scene surrounding them. I spend so much time on the Yellow Magic Orchestra discogs page, going down rabbit holes, and I find myself with something new and interesting to listen to every time.

Restaurant reflections with Teen Daze; press photo courtesy of the artist.

Numero Group Compilations

My obsession with the past continues. There’s a couple compilations from Numero Group that have really been inspiring me lately: NuLeaf (a deep dive on 80s smooth jazz) and Numero 95 (which feels like its digital sequel). Both comps are so good, and like any good re-issue comp, turned me on to some incredible artists I was unfamiliar with.

Teen Daze’s “New Spirits” is available now via Cascine.

The influential, ethereal undercurrents of Teen Daze