Booth notebook

Session notes from the booth.

The lineup logic, the song notes, and the things I want you to hear, saved one session at a time.

Stored notes
120
Artists
18
Genres
18
Special turns
5
2 saved turns
Lineup logic first. Song notes right behind it.
Soulful / silver patiencePlaylist noteApr 20, 20265:53 AM

The Captain is setting the blue hour temperature on the dial.

The Captain by The Flaming Lips off The Soft Bulletin Companion (1999) is coming through with a slow-burn glide, a soulful / silver patience lean, and a touch of silver patience. Take Me To The Alley is already changing how the current record reads.

Record in focus
The Captain
The Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin Companion · 1999 · Psychedelic Rock
Lineup note
The Captain into Take Me To The Alley

The Captain by The Flaming Lips off The Soft Bulletin Companion (1999) belongs here because The Time Of The Barracudas (2022 Remaster) by Miles Davis -> All Blues by Miles Davis -> Take Me To The Alley by Gregory Porter. Take Me To The Alley is waiting as the answer, so this record is doing more than setting a mood; it is shaping the turn.

Track context
The Soft Bulletin Companion · 1999

The Captain comes through with a slow-burn glide and psychedelic rock around the edges, giving the sequence a 1990s depth instead of a quick disposable hit. The crowd response around Me And Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul suggests listeners are leaning toward texture and detail, not just impact.

Listen for
What to catch in the room

Listen for how Take Me To The Alley answers the color and pressure of the current record instead of simply matching its tempo. The real hook is in how the psychedelic rock grain keeps glowing even as the transition opens up.

The Flaming LipsGregory PorterMiles DavisPsychedelic RockJazzsoulful / silver patienceblue hoursilver patiencePsychedelic Rock
Session map
3 stored song notes
01now
The Captain
The Flaming Lips
Why it fits

The Captain by The Flaming Lips lands here because The Time Of The Barracudas (2022 Remaster) by Miles Davis -> All Blues by Miles Davis -> Take Me To The Alley by Gregory Porter. The psychedelic rock edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match. Take Me To The Alley can step in after it without the handoff feeling pre-chewed.

Track context

On The Soft Bulletin Companion (1999), The Captain shows The Flaming Lips working in a 1990s pocket with psychedelic rock in the grain. The cut moves with a slow-burn glide, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the psychedelic rock texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. It also leaves a lane for Take Me To The Alley to arrive without the segue feeling forced.

02next
Take Me To The Alley
Gregory Porter
Why it fits

Take Me To The Alley answers The Captain by The Flaming Lips with a related tension instead of a copycat move, so the sequence keeps opening out. The jazz edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match. All Blues can step in after it without the handoff feeling pre-chewed.

Track context

On Take Me To The Alley (2016), Take Me To The Alley shows Gregory Porter working in a 2010s pocket with jazz in the grain. The cut moves with a slow-burn glide, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the jazz texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. You can hear how it answers The Captain without borrowing the same emotional weight. It also leaves a lane for All Blues to arrive without the segue feeling forced.

03later
All Blues
Miles Davis
Why it fits

All Blues answers Take Me To The Alley by Gregory Porter with a related tension instead of a copycat move, so the sequence keeps opening out. The jazz edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match.

Track context

On Kind Of Blue (1959), All Blues shows Miles Davis working in a 1950s pocket with jazz in the grain. The cut moves with a slow-burn glide, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the jazz texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. You can hear how it answers Take Me To The Alley without borrowing the same emotional weight.

Open saved booth copy

Mr Rassy is lining up Take Me To The Alley by Gregory Porter off Take Me To The Alley (2016). It hit in 2016, it comes off Take Me To The Alley, Jazz on the edges. The transition feels clean and alive. The Time Of The Barracudas (2022 Remaster) by Miles Davis -> All Blues by Miles Davis -> Take Me To The Alley by Gregory Porter.

Soulful / hushed gravityPlaylist noteApr 20, 20262:19 AM

White Blur 2 is setting the deep night temperature on the dial.

White Blur 2 by Aphex Twin off Disc 2 - Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994) is coming through with a slow-burn glide, a soulful / hushed gravity lean, and a touch of hushed gravity. Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) is already changing how the current record reads.

Record in focus
White Blur 2
Aphex Twin
Disc 2 - Selected Ambient Works Volume II · 1994 · electronic, ambient, experimental
Lineup note
White Blur 2 into Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight)

White Blur 2 by Aphex Twin off Disc 2 - Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994) belongs here because Keeps the emotional pressure steady after Tadd's Delight (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) by Miles Davis and turns the color from 2020s into 1990s.. Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) is waiting as the answer, so this record is doing more than setting a mood; it is shaping the turn.

Track context
Disc 2 - Selected Ambient Works Volume II · 1994

White Blur 2 comes through with a slow-burn glide and electronic, ambient, experimental around the edges, giving the sequence a 1990s depth instead of a quick disposable hit. The crowd response around Me And Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul suggests listeners are leaning toward texture and detail, not just impact.

Listen for
What to catch in the room

Listen for how Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) answers the color and pressure of the current record instead of simply matching its tempo. The real hook is in how the electronic, ambient, experimental grain keeps glowing even as the transition opens up.

Aphex TwinMiles DavisR.E.M.electronic, ambient, experimentalJazzRocksoulful / hushed gravitydeep nighthushed gravityelectronic, ambient, experimental
Session map
3 stored song notes
01now
White Blur 2
Aphex Twin
Why it fits

White Blur 2 by Aphex Twin lands here because Keeps the emotional pressure steady after Tadd's Delight (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) by Miles Davis and turns the color from 2020s into 1990s.. The electronic, ambient, experimental edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match. Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) can step in after it without the handoff feeling pre-chewed.

Track context

On Disc 2 - Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994), White Blur 2 shows Aphex Twin working in a 1990s pocket with electronic, ambient, experimental in the grain. The cut moves with a slow-burn glide, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the electronic, ambient, experimental texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. It also leaves a lane for Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) to arrive without the segue feeling forced.

02next
Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight)
Miles Davis
Why it fits

Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) answers White Blur 2 by Aphex Twin with a related tension instead of a copycat move, so the sequence keeps opening out. The jazz edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match. Star Me Kitten can step in after it without the handoff feeling pre-chewed.

Track context

On INTEGRAL MILES DAVIS 1951-1956 (2024), Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) shows Miles Davis working in a 2020s pocket with jazz in the grain. The cut moves with a candlelit drift, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the jazz texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. You can hear how it answers White Blur 2 without borrowing the same emotional weight. It also leaves a lane for Star Me Kitten to arrive without the segue feeling forced.

03later
Star Me Kitten
R.E.M.
Why it fits

Star Me Kitten answers Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) by Miles Davis with a related tension instead of a copycat move, so the sequence keeps opening out. The rock edge gives the turn a more precise contour than a plain mood match.

Track context

On Automatic For The People (1992), Star Me Kitten shows R.E.M. working in a 1990s pocket with rock in the grain. The cut moves with a slow-burn glide, which is why it can hold this turn without flattening it.

Listen for

Listen for the rock texture in the pocket, especially in the way the arrangement keeps color moving under the lead. You can hear how it answers Dear Old Stockholm (From The Album 'Round About Midnight) without borrowing the same emotional weight.

Open saved booth copy

And now, let's take a gentle turn into the past with R.E.M.'s 'Star Me Kitten'. It's a perfect way to bridge the night and keep that hushed gravity feeling.