2015 is in full swing and in keeping things fresh in the New Year; it’s time to refresh your playlist. Lucky for you, the Miami Design District’s curator of sound DJ Jared Dietch has some fresh beats to keep you cruising through the month. We sat down with the music maestro’s brain to find out what inspired him to create this month’s Spotify Playlist, which is available for your listening pleasure. You’re welcome!
What defines great music?
I should probably know the scientific answer but for me, it’s just magic and magic is inexplicable.
You say, "Music discovery in the modern age is about turning over the big rocks to find the shiny gems underneath. Here’s a few of this months gems…Music Matters.” Where do you go mining to find that shiny gem?
I start with blogs; Indie Shuffle, The Music Ninja and Gorilla vs. Bear are a few of my favorites. These are my starting places, I branch out from there and head deeper into the music maze.
This months play list is an eclectic mix. How do you decide what music works well together?
The process starts with collecting, anything I love, catches my ear or I find interesting. A one hour list might be a pared down from four hours of music. I then build each mix with a beginning (warm up), middle (peak) and an end (come down) in mind. The order is very important, as a DJ I spent years working on getting my programming perfect. An amazing song at the wrong time is an opportunity lost. I think of lifestyle programming in the same way.
When you’re not putting together the music that sets the vibe for the ever cool and ever-evoling MDD? What is currently in rotation on your office/home?
I like the apps on Spotify; Blue Note, KCRW and Hype Machine are my favorites. It’s nice to let someone else choose! I also love talk radio, when you listen to music all day it’s a nice break.
Speaking of evolving, the MDD welcomes a new store, gallery or restaurant on pretty regular basis these days? How does this influence your music selection.
The transformation is inspiring.
It’s not fair to make you choose, but top song on this month’s playlist? Okay, make it top 2?
Talk Talk by George Maple, can listen to that on repeat and Under The Pressure by The War On Drugs which I heard in a club a few weeks ago. The reaction was epic, people lost it when it came on! I’ll never forget the smell, the crowd, even the temperature of the room. It’s amazing that music can time stamp moments in our lives.
Musician/Band to keep our radar?
I love Chet Faker and Sinkane. The music feels so fresh, melodic and funky.
WMF and Ultra are heading to Miami next month. Will this influence your song selection for March’s playlist?
Absolutely, I’ve been a part of WMC for 15 years and seen Ultra grow from a rave on the beach to one of the highly anticipated music events of the year. It’s fun to try to figure out what will be big but the results usually don’t come in til the summer.
