I'm beginning to think that it's inevitable that I'll end up working in a record store, if only for a little while. Matt (yes, the guy I'm seeing) expressed interest in buying some music - he makes it sound like it's a big event, some strange juncture he never expected to find himself at . "I kinda know what I want" he says vaguely, "something like acid jazz, definitely some sort of jazzy feel anyway, kinda funky, maybe a bit of house..." and so (trying to ignore my initial compulsion to tell him that acid jazz must DIE!) I start breathlessly reeling off names and albums at him "Have you heard Masters At Work? Or maybe Herbert.... Ian Pooley's new album has this great summery feel..." etc. etc.
And he pretty much dislikes everything I suggest, of course, but finally I take him to a second-hand shop and find ten separate compilations that he might like (he chooses Funky House Anthems the one I wouldn't have bought myself but cynically included because I knew he'd like the name). It's a frustrating experience if only because I have to resist the temptation to come on all holier-than-thou about it - when the shopkeeper passionately recommended artists on the Ninja Tunes label and other tedious downtempo/trip hop I had to bite my tongue - but I still find it rewarding. Sifting through all this music to find the stuff worth keeping for the benefit of others is a big motivation behind Skykicking, but when you can actually do it for someone in real life it's somehow very satisfying.
