Shimmering sounds from the brilliant Inner Most label.
Hey Yaka and Simon. How are you today?
We’re feeling great, chatting with each other over the phone as we answer these questions.
What was the last song you listened to?
We were just listening to some unreleased music from secret getii, really great stuff. Also, some christmas music to start the day – we’re in a festive mood.
Where’s your favourite place to listen to music?
When walking or when exploring the internet.
What’s the best music discovery you’ve made recently?
Yaka: So many good ones! I like some of the releases from Worried Songs. The track “Twin Pines Somewhere” from Lone Mesa is a mood I return to.
Simon: I’ve been listening to a lot of feth dub volume. 1 and rediscovering my love for Lali Puna.
Is there an artist or album you listen to a lot we might not expect based on your music, label and mixes?
Inner Most keeps changing depending on what we’re feeling excited about. We used to listen to a lot of trance and that doesn’t show up too much in the label anymore. We’ve been through a post-rock era, a dungeon synth obsession – often these things emerge in cycles.
Where are you both currently based? And what’s your favourite thing about where you currently live?
Yaka is in Philadelphia and Simon in Reykjavik. We lived in the same neighborhood in Boston for many years, but have since forged some fresh paths.
Yaka: I like the sort of forgotten vibe of Philly but I’ve only been here a few months and am still figuring it out.
Simon: I really appreciate my community here, and the scale of things. Lately we’re only getting a few hours of daylight – maybe my favorite thing is actively cherishing the sun. I really used to take it for granted.
Describe your label in three words.
An open drawer
What’s your favourite thing about running Inner Most and what’s the most challenging thing?
Inner Most keeps us in touch with ourselves, each other, and the creatures around us. It’s about our friendship, making new friends, and a shared appreciation for some special sounds.
Not having a shared physical space makes it difficult to throw events and collaborate in person, but that limitation pushes us to try and nurture things in other ways.
Tell us something you’ve learnt since starting it.
We’ve learned to enjoy moving at our own pace. We worry less about perfection and embrace a shared intuition.
What were some of your biggest inspirations making Somewhere In That Water Yaka, musical or otherwise?
Mostly the track ginger snaps by opheliaxz and this particular frog/rainstorm experience I had in the amazon.
Can you tell us a little about your Theory Therapy mix? What were you feeling when you made it? Where did you record it?
We decided to make a label mix; we got to dive into our archives and pull from the great tracks people have shared with Inner Most. We worked on it collaboratively and remotely which is something we rarely get to do, so it’s extra precious! We sort of see the mix as an exploration of discrete little worlds, these tiny presences, our pocket sized myths.
Where would you recommend listening to it?
We like this one on headphones.
Theory Therapy mixes are about sharing the music that you personally find therapeutic, cathartic or restorative. What does that mean for you?
The act of sharing is exciting and cathartic. For us, listening is always a collective experience, a connection between campfires.
Is there a particular album or piece of music that you find yourself returning to for similar reasons?
Rare Wulf - Xavier Wulf. This one means a lot to us.
Tell us something exciting that's coming up in your life, music or otherwise.
We’re working on our year end snow mix! Should be coming out mid-December. We’re both excited for this colder season, crunchy snow and a crackling fire.
Tracklist:
Our.v - u went to a party but left
Inner Most - Out There
Fungal Mat - "Video Games" but you're playing harp and a bird is on lead vocal
Echinacea - "Synfuels" but you're a tiny shell washing up on shore
meadowform - perennial
lisso - nastri, ciotole e gocce
Ana Jikia - love island contestants discuss brexit but you’re extremely sensitive soul so you hear beauty in it
secret getii - evaporate reality
Yaka - Heaven x On The Bed - Do x Flagalova
Echinacea - Finding Home, Through The Storm (A Path Emerges)
Echinacea - “Release (For Ezra)” but you're riding the bus and you drop your phone
Kassandra K. Bak - “Guitar Riff” but you're the guitar and someone's trying to seduce you
Levan Shanidze - Long tail
Hellène Hector - *shhh*
Be Bennett - “Dream” but you're dreaming
Yaka - a leaf let be
Sap As Tears - Unreleased
Pharis - “Life Balm” but you're holding the one you love for the last time
meadowform - meadowfoam (bonus)
Yaka - Unreleased
secret getii - paradise
Glint - Haze
Inner Most - being of light
Yaka - Unreleased