A major thing that I love about structuring these seasons is how, on the face of it, none of these guests have anything in common. Sure, they’re largely creatives, but they all make different music, come from different cities and countries….in some ways, you couldn’t find people who’re more different. And yet, with this second half of season 10, I’m reminded of how crucial imagination is in this life. How artists have many duties, one of which is to remind us of what is possible when we think beyond what’s in front of us.

That’s in essence what today’s guest is all about, Aneesa Strings. She’s an independent artist from Oakland, California, who embodies the best parts of jazz, soul, R&B, and hip-hop. A true student of the game, she’s the natural progression of artists like J Dilla, D’Angelo, and Erykah Badu; all while crafting her own lane and doing so in immense style. Across this episode, we chat about her story, why music means so much to her, and, as Ethan Hawke says about doing great work, “it doesn’t come for free.”

The word “imagination” has been on my mind a lot lately. As creatively invigorating as New York City can be, it, like anywhere else, is susceptible to feeling stifling and drab, especially when stuck in the motions of life. It’s times like these where my mind wanders to other places and other people, like today’s guest, my dear friend Dan Black. I’m convinced that if the word “imagination” could have a picture in the dictionary that it’d be ridiculously fitting to have Dan’s photo right on there. For over two decades, he’s pushed the boundaries of indie rock (with The Servant), redefined what pop music can be (see his solo album UN), and helped younger musicians build their own worlds as a music producer (enter French music phenomenon Louane). Oh, and did I mention how on his off-time he galavants across Europe with pioneering dance group Planet Funk as one of their singers?

If reading that made you wonder, “wait, how does this guy do ALL of that?” Well, don’t worry, Dan feels the exact same way. Hence, this episode you’re about to hear, a chat that explores Dan’s illustrious past, present and future as comprehensively as humanly possible.

On January 12th, Dan will be playing his first live show in years at POPUP! in Paris. You can get your tickets here.

There’s a lot of swearing within the intro to this episode. Some might say it’s excessive, but what can I say: I fucking love this band, man. Last Train are a rock band of four friends from France who’re making some of the most exciting music I’ve heard in years. Their approach? Learn the rules of rock music and toss them out the window, while also showing flourishes of their mastery. They’re a band that’s capable of being strikingly feral and sophisticated in their form, use of time-signatures, and call and release with their instruments (see tracks like Home, The Big Picture, and Heroin as prime examples). This marks their second time gracing this podcast; the first time was a chat I had with their drummer and bass player way back in season 1 (you can hear that episode here).

This time around, I’m joined by their legendary frontman, Jean-Noël (aka future winner of the Anakin Skywalker lookalike contest). A beautiful thing about this talk is that we use 2 of their recent albums (2024’s Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and this year's release III) to explore what the band is all about. Both albums not only rock, but feel like thesis statements about Last Train and why they’re about to become your next favourite band.