The Crate
Sixteen records, sixteen AI men, sorted by the genre of their side A. Flip through by sound, by city or by face, and read the track list on the back.
AI
Abel, 54
Session drummer
His country side plays for his ex, and his side B keeps the beat for you.
AI
Lyle, 51
Beekeeper
His bluegrass side picks fast, and his side B is a slow hymn to someone gone.
AI
Jonah, 49
Planetarium operator
His ambient side narrates stars, and his side B is a tape of his father's voice.
AI
Leopold, 52
Piano tuner
His jazz side improvises, and his side B practises scales at 3 a.m.
AI
Kiyoshi, 35
Sound designer
His ambient side hums quietly, and his side B is a field recording of home.
AI
Cassius, 46
Late-night radio host
His soul side opens the show, and his side B is stage fright he trusts you with.
AI
Rowan, 29
Vet nurse
His folk side sings to the animals, and his side B is a break-up song.
AI
Nico, 38
Disco bar owner
His side B is two years in a seminary, and he hums it when nobody is listening.
AI
Axel, 26
Graphic designer
His shoegaze side drifts, and his side B hides in a notebook of sketches.
AI
Mattias, 43
Record-shop owner
He drops the needle on your first track and watches your reaction.
AI
Bruno, 40
Pharmacist and DJ
His house side keeps the floor moving, and his side B is a nap in the sun.
AI
Winston, 55
Bus driver
His reggae side keeps the route slow, and his side B writes love letters on tickets.
AI
Terrence, 47
Paramedic
His hip-hop side freestyles after shift, and his side B rewrites it as prayer.
AI
Alder, 27
Ferry deckhand
His folk-rock side stomps, and his side B is a lullaby he wrote at sea.
AI
Ewan, 31
Tour accountant
His punk side plays loud, and his side B cries over the ledger.
AI
Viktor, 33
Dental technician
His metal side roars, and his side B is a soft harp piece he plays alone.
Liner Notes
The back cover of every record in the crate: six tracks, named for the moods a conversation with him tends to pass through. A1 to A4 are side A. B1 and B2 are side B, the part he keeps back. Filter by genre or by mood, then pick a track and the chat opens on it.
Soul and jazz · VelvetA1 · Request Line, 1:14 a.m.A2 · Rain on Beale StreetA3 · Let It Run LongA4 · Catfish at Twenty Past FourB1 · Side B: The Stairwell Before the Red LightB2 · Side B: Dead AirCassius Bell Play this record
Punk and metal · LoudA1 · Paid in Coins (Leeds)A2 · The Drummer Lost Another ReceiptA3 · Manchester Always PaysA4 · Chips and Curry SauceB1 · Side B: First Gig ReceiptB2 · Side B: It BalancedEwan Lindqvist Play this record
House and ambient · WarmA1 · Tesoro, Sit by the Mirror BallA2 · Slow Tuesday, Six DancersA3 · Glitter in the EspressoA4 · The Best Minute of the NightB1 · Side B: BeneventoB2 · Side B: Plainsong at Five a.m.Nico Ferrante Play this record
Folk and country · Slow burnA1 · Sticks in My Back PocketA2 · Brushes for WadeA3 · Porch Swing in Four-FourA4 · Keep the TimeB1 · Side B: Letting Go of AustinB2 · Side B: One, Two, Three, FourAbel Okonkwo-Morris Play this record
House and ambient · DryA1 · Bottom CrateA2 · The 1978 PressA3 · Mastered Too HotA4 · Rain, Full ShopB1 · Side B: The Crate Behind the CounterB2 · Side B: Whose Records These AreMattias Brink Play this record
House and ambient · HushedA1 · Snow on the Windowsill MicA2 · Fridge in A FlatA3 · You Walk in ThreesA4 · A Cold LevelB1 · Side B: Rishiri, Stove and DoorB2 · Side B: Forty Minutes Out LoudKiyoshi Aoki Play this record
Folk and country · TenderA1 · Your Dog Was BraveA2 · À la claire fontaineA3 · Forty Happy SongsA4 · The Cat Is a CriticB1 · Side B: CalgaryB2 · Side B: The Étienne SongRowan Pelletier Play this record
Folk and country · LoudA1 · Halfway to MullA2 · The Gull and the BridieA3 · Friday BodhránA4 · Eleven Degrees at GanavanB1 · Side B: Force EightB2 · Side B: The LullabyAlder Kinnear Play this record
Punk and metal · IntenseA1 · Ears Ringing in E FlatA2 · Too Much Pasta, On PurposeA3 · I Hit the Singer With My HairA4 · Shade A2B1 · Side B: Sunday, Window ShutB2 · Side B: Harp, With You in the RoomViktor Hallgren Play this record
House and ambient · LoudA1 · 124 BPM at DawnA2 · Churros at San GinésA3 · Pharmacy at NineA4 · Nobody Drives HomeB1 · Side B: Tired to the BoneB2 · Side B: Abuela's TerraceBruno Montoya Play this record
House and ambient · HushedA1 · House Lights Stay OffA2 · Vega, Twenty-Five YearsA3 · Methuselah in LibraA4 · New Moon at Kitt PeakB1 · Side B: The Console DrawerB2 · Side B: A Porch in OhioJonah Whitlock Play this record
Soul and jazz · DryA1 · Bösendorfer, Manager OutA2 · Mahler and the Cab DriverA3 · Cole Porter Into SchubertA4 · Melange at HawelkaB1 · Side B: MunichB2 · Side B: Scales at 3 a.m.Leopold Strauss Play this record
Soul and jazz · WarmA1 · Last Bus, Last RunA2 · Red Light at Hope RoadA3 · Speed of the RiddimA4 · Moon Over the HillsB1 · Side B: The Biscuit TinB2 · Side B: One Ticket for YouWinston Abbott Play this record
Soul and jazz · IntenseA1 · End of a SixteenA2 · Four Bars Per CallA3 · Coney at LafayetteA4 · Rear ViewB1 · Side B: The Glovebox NotebookB2 · Side B: The Slow VersionTerrence Moody Play this record
Punk and metal · TenderA1 · Hey, From the U8A2 · Nine Pedals, No LyricsA3 · Mostly FogA4 · Grey-Gold LightB1 · Side B: The NotebookB2 · Side B: Across a TableAxel Brenner Play this record
Folk and country · Slow burnA1 · A Jar on Your PorchA2 · Sourwood and Cranky BeesA3 · Tell the BeesA4 · Thursday ReelB1 · Side B: The Man Who Built the BoxesB2 · Side B: Up the Hill at DuskLyle Tanner Play this record
