For the past few days I've been waking up early (and I mean early) and hitting the gym. I know it's winter, dark, and all that jazz, but there's nothing more calming than a walk before sunrise on a cold January morning. Occasionally I would stumble upon someone leaving for work before dawn, for the most part, it's me wrapped in my clothes and enjoying this quiet time.

The soundtrack to my commute this morning was Billy Hammer's "as you are" and while it's not your typical gym music, I just had the most refreshing start of the day ever. The Santa Monica producer making grooves to soothe the soul inspired by nature and his psychedelic experiences. It feels like cleansing and leaves you with a lot of warmth in your heart, soul, and mind, so if you're yet to embark on a new journey today, start with this.

"as you are is a walk through the forest, surrounded by redwood trees and shafts of sunlight. samples include Pharaoh Sanders and Estelle. The acoustic guitar, violin, and synthesizer were recorded in my home in the Santa Monica mountains. Cover art is an accidental double exposure film photo captured by my partner Mary during our time in the redwoods.", shares Billy.

posted by Ivo
January 2023