Category: ambient music

Sandeep Vellaram

Tourists passing through the Munnar-Neriamangalam forest stretch can now now take a tea or coffee break at a shop that has come up near the iconic Neryamangalam bridge. They can enjoy their sip with ambient music being played in the background at the shop, located near “Masalappetty” (Haat Bazaar) that sells tribal produce.

Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Raju Francis said that the tea shop is reminiscent of older times. “The Masalappetty tea shop aims to serve tea and snacks round the clock. An art centre is also being established near the tea shop,” Mr. Francis said.

“The tea shop focuses on those who are coming from the Munnar forest route. A forest Vana Sree Shop will also be opened, where all major forest produce will be made available,” said the official.

Inspired by the success of Chilla market under Marayoor forest division on Thursdays, the forest department started “Masalappetty” (Haat Bazaar) at Neriamangalam in May this year to market the produce from 28 tribal hamlets under the Munnar forest division. The Masalappetty has achieved over ₹1 lakh worth of business within a period of six months.

“All agricultural goods and vegetables can be marketed through Masalappetty market every Sunday. In addition, handicraft items of tribespeople are also available in the market. The new bazaar was set up under Ancham Mile Vana Samrakshana Samithi,” said a forest department official.

Chilla, an exclusive tribal market under Marayoor forest division, opens on Thursdays to sell the tribal goods and produce. The initiative was started in 2014.

BLASTER SILONGA, My Kosmik Island Disk

The debut album of IV of Spades lead guitarist Blaster Silonga is as homemade as it is homegrown, a product of being locked down during the Covid-19 pandemic. But, curiously, “My Kosmik Island Disk” does not feel confined or raging against involuntary confinement.Its overall ambience hints of playfulness with music that ranges from electronic to hard rock. Scratch the sonic mischief though and the lyrics stand out to possess poetic grace. In “Huwag Mabahala” comes this couplet: “Ang lahat ng bagay ay magiging alaala/at magsisilbing sandata’t mga balang pangamba.” Blaster is one cosmic son of a gun!

TIDAL, Sunday’s Best

The band Tidal plugs shoegaze-y sounds in their excursions into emo-rock territory and it often sounds good and vital. There’s a deft touch to spiraling guitars colluding with rumbling backbeat to fashion music that’s loud and exhilarating in the same eddy. It’s just that the vocalist appears to be hurling veiled threats and invectives at an anonymous ‘you’ right from opening track. For instance, his idea of goodbye is a slurred “Thanks for nothing. You can take your lies and shove (them) down your throat.” Pretty music in the service of sad unfortunate words is a fool’s errand.

ARTISTA NG REBOLUSYONG PANGKULTURA (ARPAK), Walang Panginoon Ang Lupa

This compilation breaks the activist manifesto into the rock era. No more kundiman or quiet folk music to inflame the cause of encircling the city from the countryside. There’s rap, heavy metal, electro rock, and hardcore punk in this boiling cauldron of revolutionary sentiments. For the most part, the tracks focus on the exploitation of farmers and the need to shake up the system not just with customary reforms from the top. The other systemic malaises, imperialism and bureaucratic capitalism, are in there too to make the whole affair the heaviest album you’ll hear this holiday season.

SPECIAL INTEREST, Endure

What’s of special interest in this record is its reboot of the harder, faster industrialized disco and funk that came after the initial revolt of punk way back when. It is club music in the present tense wrapped around contemporary issues of women empowerment and the end of inequality. Meaning, you can dance and rave to drugless catharsis in such epic butt shakers as “”Midnight Legend,” “My Displeasure” and “Kurdish Radio.” While not an evolution in sound, “Endure” matches an urgent agenda with urgent beats and rhythms.    

MAKAYA McCRAVEN, In These Times

Drummer Makaya McCraven has been critically hailed as one of the best arguments why jazz still matters and on his latest release, he shows how his mastery of the beat can lift up ordinary themes to extraordinary heights. On his latest album, McCraven’s drumming pushes the sweet jazz melodies on “High Fives” to jam band propulsion. In “Seventh String,” the streetbeat undercurrent energizes the slow unraveling of the main theme. The piano sonata in “The Knew Untitled” gets excited by skittery hiphop backbeat. Just like these transformative times, McCraven is helping redirect jazz to new fascinating zones.

BRIAN ENO, Foreverandevernomore

The ambient music originator and experimental music designer sings!  And he’s singing about climate change and the possible end of civilization. In an interview, Eno shared, “I’ve been thinking about our narrowing, precarious future, and this music grew out of those thoughts.” A lot of the songs on the album are on the downbeat side and record starter “Who Gives a Thought” just about clues you in on the rest of the artist’s current concerns with its opening lines, “Who gives a thought about the fireflies/Short lives of moving light/Perform their quiet flight/The stars of starless nights.” It’s way more moving than crying out loud in international confabs.

Check out the music on most digital platforms, especially bandcamp.

Welcome to Far Out’s weekly vinyl corner feature, where we look to bring you a tempting selection of records from some of our favourite artists, bargain vinyl deals to look out for, and unmissable limited-edition releases. This week we’re celebrating some of the best releases of 2022 to date with a diverse selection of affordable studio albums to add to your collection.

Last year, the vinyl comeback enjoyed another milestone year as record sales surpassed that of CDs for the first time in three decades. The return to plastic has steadily climbed since the invasion of streaming services in the late 2000s. While the weightless, highly accessible and practical format is great for discovering and consuming swathes of new music while you’re out and about, there’s nothing like coming home to a bit of vinyl.

My fellow collectors out there will agree if there’s an artist or album you love, there’s always a good reason to have the turntable at the ready and a 12” slot reserved on the shelf for inevitable expansion. The sound quality of vinyl brings something more hearty and vibrant with its analogue warmth and crisp definition that there really isn’t a substitute for. 

So if, like me, you have a soft spot for these groovy discs of plastic, allow me to walk you through ten hot picks for this week. We have some post-punk picks from Fontaines DC and Wet Leg, alongside some indie belters from The Smile and Belle and Sebastian. 

The following selections have been handpicked by Far Out Magazine, and as a result, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

The 10 best vinyl deals available on Amazon this week

Fontaines DC – Skinty Fia [Limited Red Edition]

Few rock bands have enjoyed the rise to such widespread acclaim in recent years as Dublin’s post-punk sensation Fontaines DC. After nearly a two-year wait, Fontaines have followed up their dark and brooding second studio album, A Hero’s Death, with the critically acclaimed Skinty Fia.

Skinty Fia is a term used colloquially in Ireland as an expletive. The title roughly translates to English as ‘the damnation of the deer’; its meaning has been diluted through generations. Part bittersweet romance, part darkly political triumph – the songs ultimately form a long-distance love letter, one that laments an increasingly privatised culture in danger of going the way of the extinct Irish giant deer. The album is home to the catchy singles’ Jackie Down the Line’ and ‘I Love You’ but holds much more to be explored thanks to the band’s versatility and Grian Chatten’s poetic lyrics. This limited edition release comes pressed on red vinyl to match the theme of the cover art. 

Available for purchase here for £21.99.

The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention

The debut album for Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s Radiohead side project, The Smile, has come as a fresh update on the classic Radiohead sound. The colourful abstract artwork was created by Thom Yorke alongside his long-time art collaborator Stanley Donwood, while the music was produced to perfection by Nigel Godrich. 

A Light For Attracting Attention was released on May 13th, receiving an 8.9/10 review from Far Out. In the review, it was described as “one of the finest albums of the year so far. The album covers a broad range of emotions and musical styles in a seemingly effortless blend of jazz, dub, classical, electro and alt-rock.” The new vinyl pressing comes with a gatefold sleeve containing two high-quality 180g LPs. 

Available for purchase here for £24.94.

Wet Leg – Wet Leg

The girls from the Isle of Wight, Wet Leg, have brought something original to the table with their brand new eponymous debut LP. “I wanted to write fun songs, I didn’t want to indulge sad feelings too much, I wanted to write stuff that’s fun to listen to and fun to play,” Rhian Teasdale said of the debut. “But then, the sad seeps through, as well. Wet Leg was originally just supposed to be funny. As a woman, there’s so much put on you, in that your only value is how pretty or cool you look. But we want to be goofy and a little bit rude. We want to write songs that people can dance to. And we want people to have a good time, even if that might not possible all of the time.”

This Domino Records release is a must for any indie/post-punk lovers out there looking for something modern and intriguing to their collection. The LP comes with a free MP3 download code and a printed inner with liner notes and lyrics. 

Available for purchase here for £22.99.

Brian Eno – FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE

Last month, Brian Eno, the legendary avant-garde artist, ambient pioneer and master producer, returned for his 22nd solo studio album, FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE. The remarkable ambient work marks the return of the 74-year-old’s vocals for the first time since 2005’s Another Day On Earth, as he issues a poignant warning for the future of humanity. 

In a five-star review of the album, Far Out said: “Much like a musical scientist, Eno toys with new ideas and pushes the bounds of perceived possibility. [Beyond innovation, it’s] art [that] opens the door to feeling, permitting entry to darkness or light. Despite the album’s apocalyptic conceptual orientation, the tone is predominantly one of beauty as it portrays the natural world we seem to have turned our back on.”

Available for purchase here for £29.99.

Spiritualized – Everything Was Beautiful

Back in April, Spiritualized released their ninth studio album. The eclectic and vibrant spread of music within opens up creative lead Jason Pierce’s (J. Spaceman) mind for all to see. Pierce played 16 different instruments on Everything Was Beautiful and recorded it across 11 studios and at partly home during the various lockdowns.

In a glowing 8.9/10 review, Far Out described the album: “Everything Was Beautiful is, as any Spiritualized fan would expect, yet another kaleidoscopic journey through the psyche of J. Spaceman. As usual, he holds no emotions back and takes us on a cosmic journey through melancholy, anxiety and elation as he shares the next entry in his discographic diary.”

Available for purchase here for £19.94.

Belle and Sebastian – A Bit of Previous

With seven years having passed since the last Belle and Sebastian album – excluding 2019’s soundtrack for the Simon Bird film Days Of The Bagnold Summer – it was high time Glasgow’s finest indie group returned to the studio. Released back in May this year, A Bit of Previous brings new life and maturity to Belle and Sebastian’s trademark upbeat instrumentals and Stuart Murdoch’s ever-absorbing lyrical concepts. 

The album is home to foot-tapping hits like ‘Unnecessary Drama’ and ‘Working Boy in New York City’ as well as some considered reflections on the modern world and political perversion, namely ‘If They’re Shooting At You’ and ‘Come On Home’.

Available for purchase here for £20.24.

Wunderhorse – Cub

After the dissolution of his first band Dead Pretties, London musician and actor Jacob Slater decided to begin a project of his own direction, Wunderhorse. Wunderhorse’s sound is a little lighter and more refined than Dead Pretties’s, and Slater has revealed that his style is heavily influenced by the likes of Radiohead and Neil Young. 

Slater released the fantastic ‘Teal’, his first single under the new alias, in September 2021 and followed it up with four more singles in the run-up to the full debut album, Cub, which arrived back in September. He is currently on the road supporting Fontaines DC as he continues his meteoric rise. 

Available for purchase here for £20.79.

Just Mustard – Heart Under 

Heart Under, Irish band Just Mustard’s second album, is an unmitigated beauty and easily one of the best albums of the year so far. At every turn, this remarkable record reconfigures and stretches the ideas and ambition of a rock band and turns a year of lockdown and personal struggles into a breathtaking artistic statement. 

The dark, atmospheric and industrial noise-rock sound comes as something unique, falling somewhere between Bauhaus and My Bloody Valentine. The album was released on May 27th and has been given rave reviews over the past few weeks as something truly original with a fine balance exploring a range of moods and themes over its 45 minutes.

Available for purchase here for £19.49.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down [Opaque Yellow Vinyl]

Back in June, New York-based group Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced that they would be releasing a new album in autumn. The exciting news had fans giddy as they anticipated the band’s first album in nine years. In true New York City spirit, they have named the album Cool It Down after The Velvet Underground Loaded cut of the same name. 

Cool It Down arrived at the end of September and certainly didn’t disappoint. In a 4.5/5 star review, Far Out said of the album: “Far from a dated outfit, re-emerging and trying to fit in—they seem to have flown the nest many years ago, and this huge record has been spat back from the edge of the universe, with all the highfalutin madness such an image entails. You simply can’t listen to it without being dragged towards such starry thoughts by the astronauts of bohemia.”

Available for purchase here for £22.12.

Florence + The Machine – Dance Fever [Amazon Exclusive Limited Edition]

Dance Fever was recorded predominately in London over the course of the pandemic in anticipation of the world’s reopening. It conjures up what Florence missed most in the midst of lockdown – clubs, dancing at festivals, being in the whirl of movement and togetherness – and the hope of reunions to come. 

In an 8.8/10 review, Far Out said: “Dance Fever is sprinkled with magic. It’s a fairytale. A storybook. More than anything, it’s an album that feels complete. Welch leaves no stone unturned in the realm of musical yearning. She spends time delivering on the highs and the lows. Dance Fever is a record of love and patience, and it’s worth every moment it takes to listen.”

Available for purchase here for £28.71.

Yashoda is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action thriller movie. Hari-Harish wrote the script and directed the film. Samantha Ruth Prabhu is in the lead role along with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Murali Sharma, and Unni Mukundan. The movie was out on November 11, 2022. The concept, performances, storyline twists, and directing of the movie are top-notch.

Yashoda Story

Yashoda, played by Samantha Ruth Prabhu, is a woman in need of money desperately. She consents to be a surrogate for a billionaire to save the health of her sick sister. They then transfer her from the slums to Eva, a luxurious facility, where the owner, Madhu and Doctor Gowtam look after her.

However, inside the facility, unusual behavior and disappearances likely start. Yashoda begins to realize that nothing is as it seems to be. She becomes aware of unlawful surrogacy activities and embarks on a mission to punish those responsible.

Yashoda Movie Review

In Telugu cinema, the idea of surrogacy was never in combination with the sci-fi and thriller genres. Samantha Ruth Prabhu, one of the highest-paid South Indian actresses, is the film’s main star, and directors K. Hari Shankar and Hareesh Narayan rely heavily on her. The beginning of “Yashoda” is full of comic scenes that frequently look silly. The plot occasionally looks lengthy. The film also devotes a lot of time to letting the audience get to know the characters. Samantha Ruth Prabhu makes every effort to easily balance both funny and serious scenes. There are some intriguing moments, such as the death of a Hollywood celebrity and a model, but the plot is poorly connected overall. Yashoda’s second half becomes fascinating.

The mystery begins to come into focus, the cast receives more substantial roles, and the film tries to pull you back in. Samantha’s sequences are the only ones that will keep you glued to the screen since Yashoda eventually becomes too obvious. You get chills listening to Mani Sharma’s ambient music, which acts as an eerie element. In “Yashoda,” Samantha Ruth Prabhu proves once more why she is a powerful actor in addition to being a star. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar also admires Madhu in the movie and keeps improving with each new project. Moreover, the doctor, Unni Mukundan, also makes a good impression. The way the movie “Yashoda” was shot has to be the most notable aspect of it.

Final Verdict

Yashoda is a fusion of action and relationship drama. It speaks to the emotional link between a surrogate mother and the kid and sibling relationships. Yashoda has a fascinating backdrop and is a good movie to watch this weekend. The producers did everything possible to actively promote the movie, which generated a lot of hype. Additionally, it tries to present a new story while combining incredible sci-fi sequences with action. Samantha Ruth Prabhu carries all of the movie’s weight. The only reason to see Yashoda in a theatre is to see Samantha Ruth Prabhu. We give the film 3.5 stars out of 5.

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Japanese-French music artist Maïa Barouh shares a new visual for “RINGO,” an ambient cinematic track from her incredible new album “AIDA.” She has previously released a series of fantastic singles, “HAFU,” “TAIRYO,” and “Sushi,” which showcased her irresistibly-catchy sound.

Tracks like “TOKYO ONDO” and “HAFU” are fierce, bass-loaded explorations of unconventional beats and tasty Asian motifs that twist and turn, embedding more and more in the psyche on each listen. Her vocals and presentation take impulses from the eccentric Tokyo underground scene, traditional folk singing, tribal grooves, French rap, and electronic elements: a culturally blended album that fluctuates between sources and reinvention. 

Regarding the music video, she says, “The Ringo video is the first collaboration with my sister, the director Amie Barouh. She was the perfect person to film this dive into my childhood and the memories of our father. In the clip, the characters play their own role. A strange, dreamlike group of circus performers to which I belong.” 

Stream Maia Barouh’s “RINGO” on Spotify. 

Connect with Maia Barouh: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

© Provided by MUO

If you have a deadline approaching, you may find so many distractions. The good news is that specialized music apps promise to help you focus if you put on your headphones and listen.

However, if you already subscribe to a music streaming service like Apple Music, you may already have hours of focus music available. But with so much music, where do you start?

The Best Music for Focus, According to Science

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For decades researchers have studied music’s effect on people while they work, study, solve puzzles, and perform tasks. Numerous studies indicate music can influence your ability to focus, but the best music for the job seems to vary. Here is a summary of some of this research.

Classical music, particularly Mozart, may temporarily boost spatial-temporal reasoning. We use this ability for other problem-solving and creative tasks. Nature published a study often cited by those who promote the “Mozart effect.”

If you need to perform repetitive tasks that still require accuracy, you may do best with the upbeat music of your choice, according to a JAMA study.

During this study, doctors performed repetitive test tasks. One group chose their own music, the second listened to researcher-selected music, and the third no music. The no-music group had the poorest performance, and the doctors who chose their own music performed the task with better speed and accuracy.

When you want to inspire creativity, a moderate-level ambient sound like you would naturally hear in a busy coffee shop may be better than silence, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. However, if you are learning and memorizing information, you may benefit more from white noise, according to a study published in Nature.

Sometimes different studies seem to conflict, as the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine describes. One theory is that music may affect people differently, and personal preference and the work involved may both play a role. Complex music can hinder performance with tasks requiring deep concentration but enhance performance with simpler tasks (per American Psychological Association).

Research also explored the effect of Binaural beats with mixed results, according to Medical News Today. Some find it beneficial, especially when wearing noise-canceling headphones.

At the same time, other studies didn’t observe a consistent response. If you are interested in seeing whether Binaural beats help you focus, Apple Music offers plenty to choose from.

These studies also affect the best music streaming services out there. In fact, Spotify surveyed what music its users prefer when working or studying. They found:

• For studying, 69% preferred ambient music
• For writing and data analysis, 43% said they preferred instrumental music
• For repetitive tasks like household chores, 64% preferred upbeat music.

Discovering Music on Apple Music

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Apple Music lets you search songs, albums, and playlists based on artists, song titles, and genres. You can even use lyrics to search for a song on Apple Music.

Since Apple Music features pre-curated playlists for studying, working, and focusing, you can experiment with different kinds of music to find the right soundtrack for your needs. If you know you want a particular genre, you can search for that too. For example, if you want to try coffee shop sounds, just search for it.

How to Create Your Work Playlist on Apple Music

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Getting started with Apple Music playlists is pretty straightforward. To start your list, visit the Playlist section and choose the option to create a new one. If you already know a few songs you would like to include, start with them. If not, search for songs or playlists that interest you.

Many songs can help boost your productivity, so try the songs that you think will help you focus. If you need help getting started, visit Apple Music’s Focus Music page. If you save any tracks you enjoy, the Apple Music algorithm will factor those tracks into your recommendations.

Choosing the Soundtrack for When You Need to Focus

When it comes to what music helps you focus and work, the research is inconclusive. Still, if you are like many people, you may find some music more helpful for certain tasks. You may find the best focus music for you is music that you find pleasant and stimulates your brain just enough without distracting you.

If you’re looking for the best gifts for music lovers then you’ve come to the right place. We’re all big music fans at Tom’s Guide, and we’re here to help you make the best audio tech buying decisions we can. So if you’re struggling with gift ideas for the music fan in your life, you’ve come to the right place. 

Music lovers are notoriously difficult to buy for. The problem is that there are many different types of music lovers — from quality-audio fans lusting over purist playback through audiophile headphones or speakers, to vinyl collectors, to listeners just looking to stream tunes from a mobile device as conveniently as possible, it can be difficult to know exactly what gift will hit the right note with individuals. 

In selecting gift ideas for our list below, we’ve scoured the market, our reviews and our own personal experiences to draw up a shortlist of the best audio products for all kinds of budgets. Quality audio doesn’t often come cheap, but we’re sure our picks below will inspire and help you make the perfect gift choices this holiday season.

Best gifts for music lovers you can buy right now

Music streaming

Apple Music subscription

Whether you’re buying for a music fan who listens at home, or someone who enjoys personal listening on-the-go via the best wireless headphones, a subscription to one of the best music streaming services is quite literally giving them the gift of music. With access to a library of literally 100 million songs at CD-quality or better for the highest quality music streams, Apple Music is the best value streaming service right now.

The Apple Music app is clean and intuitive to use via iOS mobile and macOS, and the music streaming service is being integrated into more third-party components including Sonos, Xbox (Series X, S and One), PS5, and Roku, as well as Android mobile users. The only slight downside is that hi-res output is not supported on Windows desktops.

The only way to gift a subscription to Apple Music is to purchase an Apple Gift Card (opens in new tab). Gift card givers can select any value from $10 up to $2,000, and cards can be personalized with your own gift message and either emailed or delivered by post. Of course, the value of the gift card can be redeemed on all Apple products from any of its stores. An Apple Music individual subscription costs $10.99 / month.

Earbuds

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Another great gift for music lovers favoring Apple’s ecosystem are the AirPods Pro 2, which are designed for iPhone owners looking for a more tailored listening experience. Launched in September at the same price as the original ($249), they can already be found discounted to $239 via some online retailers. They are the pinnacle of Apple technology and take performance to the next level.

Externally, the AirPods Pro 2 look pretty similar to the first generation but battery life has been increased to offer 6 hours on a single charge from the earbuds and a further 30 hours from the wireless charging case. Not only are the earbuds IPX4-rated, but now too is the case itself.

With features like personalized spatial audio sound to listen to some of the best Dolby Atmos sound in any pair of earbuds, and noise cancellation twice as effective as the original AirPods Pro, these are among the best we’ve yet to test, period.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

As the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are the ones to buy for the music lovers who desire the best possible noise cancelation for listening to music without interruption. These are a remarkable follow-up that delivers better sound, great call quality and unrivaled ANC. Proprietary technologies like ActiveSense and CustomTune balance sound and noise neutralization extremely well. 

Bose’s redesign also makes these buds less of an eyesore compared to the original, and only the high price and mediocre battery life count against them. CustomTune automatically calibrates ANC and the sound frequency profile to the unique properties of your ear and optimal performance that’s right for you. The MSRP may be pitched high at $299, but they can already be found discounted for less via online retailers.

Sony WF-C500

These Sony WF-C500 earbuds may not wow you with their looks, but arguably the are the best wireless earbuds under $100 (and they can regularly be found discounted for considerably less). There’s no noise canceling, but music sounds punchy with powerful lows, crisp highs, and natural-sounding mids. Should you want to tweak the sound, there’s the Equalizer feature in the Sony Headphones Connect app to manually adjust frequencies or select from nine presets that prioritize different sonic elements, depending on the music genre or content.

The WF-C500 aren’t perfect, though, with slightly impractical controls, and just 20 hours battery capacity from the charging case. However, these are trivial complaints when factoring in the level of sound Sony has managed to engineer into these tiny buds, meaning these bargain-priced earbuds really shouldn’t be overlooked.

Headphones

Sony WH-1000XM5

The goal for the majority of music fans right now is to block out the hubbub of their surroundings and luxuriate listening to their favorite music without interruptions. As one of our favorite headphones of the year, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are a great value active noise canceling headphone option. 

The latest flagship headphones improve upon the already great WH-1000XM4 with better active noise cancellation, call quality, sound, comfort and connectivity. They have useful touch controls on the earcups, and playback time runs to 30 hours with ANC on (40 with it off), which is better than most.

Quality audio fans can bask in one of the best-sounding noise-canceling headphone experiences available with LDAC support for the highest-quality Bluetooth streams from compatible playback devices. The excellent Sony Headphones Control app works with both iOS and Android devices and provides useful customization, and the whole Sony XM5 package is one of the most eco-friendly headphone designs we’ve come across. 

Apple AirPods Max

If you’re looking for one of the best gifts to give Apple iOS users, the AirPods Max noise-canceling headphones are the company’s only over-ear option. As Apple’s premium headphone design, the list price of $549 may feel a bit extravagant for a pair of headphones, but they can regularly be found discounted for considerably less. 

Apple has also loaded the AirPods Max with some rather advanced features, like Adaptive EQ and spatial audio. There’s only one level of active noise cancellation available, but it works like a charm and does a great job of blocking out ambient sounds, especially at the lower end of the frequency spectrum. They sound excellent, and the design standards and build quality are so high you can bet that any music lover receiving the AirPods Max as a gift will be very impressed indeed. 

The only downside is that they come with a smart case, which only offers basic protection. Alternative and more robust carry case options can be found in our best AirPods Max cases roundup. 

Bluetooth speakers

Anker Soundcore 3 portable speaker 

A great stocking filler, the Anker Soundcore 3 is an amazing little Bluetooth speaker. It costs just over $50 in black, and is also available in blue, red and silver colors for $56. It’s one of the standout portable speakers of the year, and made the list as one of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers around. 

This tiny powerhouse delivers loud, well-balanced sound within an IPX7-rated design that can survive water and dust, while the robust rubberized outer case takes care of protection from everyday knocks. The speaker lasts up to a whopping 24 hours, and delivers powerful sound in any setting. It’s the perfect portable speaker for tossing into a bag on a road trip, and SharePlay allows multiple Soundcore speakers to be synced for an even bigger sound.

Sonos Roam smart speaker

As its most affordable speaker, the Sonos Roam is the perfect introduction to the company’s multiroom ecosystem. It comes in five color options and is one of the most versatile portable speakers around. It’s a connected smart speaker at home, and a powerful Bluetooth beast on the road. Battery lasts around 10 hours, and it juices up quickly via USB-C or wireless charging, its auto Trueplay feature adjusts the sound to suit your surroundings wherever you’re listening, even outdoors. 

When you return back from your latest excursion, say, the Sonos Roam should rejoin your larger Sonos system on its own. It also gives you the option to hand off your current soundtrack to the nearest Sonos speaker. Or you could stick to Roam, bringing your voice assistant and streaming services room-to-room, or as far as your Wi-Fi can reach.

Turntables and vinyl

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB record player

As one of the best affordable all-round turntables, this Audio-Technica deck packs an awful lot in. It looks similar to Technics’ iconic SL-1200 turntable with a direct-drive motor for stable playback, stroboscope and pitch control, making it a great start for any budding DJ as well as vinylistas. A Swiss Army knife of a record player, it has an integrated switchable phono stage (making it easy to slot into systems of any kind), aptX Bluetooth wireless streaming (for uber-convenience) and USB output (for making digital copies of vinyl to a computer). 

Although we’ve not reviewed this particular model on Tom’s Guide, we’ve seen it in action and love the sound it makes. It extracts plenty of detail, has an easy-going way with rhythms and puts some nice emphasis on the midrange (vocalists in particular). It’s the best turntable pick if you want a little bit of everything.

Spin-Clean Record Washer MkII

If you’re looking for a great gift for someone who loves to buy music on vinyl but hates the pops and crackles that can often be heard when it’s playing, then the Spin-Clean Record Cleaner is a great choice to clean up their LPs. This manual record cleaner will spruce up any record collection and remove extraneous sounds caused by a combination of surface noise from dirt trapped in the record’s groove and static to deliver crackle-free results.

The Spin-Clean cleans both sides of the record at the same time as you rotate records through a pair of brushes in a reservoir of distilled water (not supplied) mixed with record care solution. As even new records can suffer from unpleasant clicks and crackles as they play, you could include an LP or two to make the music fan in your life feel even more special.

Portable DAC and Headphone amps

Chord Electronics Mojo 2 headphone amp/DAC

If you’re shopping for a music lover that likes to listen on wired headphones, Chord’s Mojo 2 battery-powered headphone amp/DAC is the perfect gift. Aimed at anyone who cares about getting the best sound possible audio quality from their playback device and headphones while on the move, Chord’s Mojo 2 is even better than the original and makes the most of hi-res audio streams as well as improving the sound of compressed music streams, too.

Although we haven’t yet given the DAC a full Tom’s Guide review, we’ve spent some time with it on our travels to and from the office, and is one best iPhone audio upgrades we’ve tried. It delivers a three-dimensional soundstage and far more realism than anything we’ve heard using the same pair of headphones connected wirelessly, the Mojo 2 simply lets whatever music you’re listening to sing.  

Soundbars and subwoofers

Polk MagniFi Mini soundbar with subwoofer

There aren’t many soundbars that pack as much audio punch into a tiny package quite like the Polk MagniFi Mini does. This unassuming speaker will fit seamlessly into any setup, and delivers crisp dialogue and deep bass with the help of its included wireless subwoofer. The MagniFi Mini decodes Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks (but doesn’t support Dolby Atmos), and TV audio input ports run to HDMI, digital optical, and Ethernet, plus, with Google Cast support, the MagniFi Mini doubles as a great home music speaker.

The MagniFi Mini gets loud enough to fill most bedrooms and small apartments, and we found it reliable for getting immersed in movies and TV shows. Factor in a handy remote and an easy setup process, and you’ve got one of the best soundbars out there for folks short on space. And at $300, it won’t set you back much, either.

Devialet Dione soundbar

If you’re wanting to splash out on the ultimate soundbar for your TV viewing this holiday season, then it doesn’t get much more high-end than the Devialet Dione. Properly expensive and strikingly stylish, it’s a full-on 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos affair, designed to deliver a surround-sound experience from a single unit.

We loved the way it handled full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and gave a dynamic, expansive and nuanced listen. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the amount of bass it’s able to produce really is quite remarkable, and width and height soundstage elements are deeply effective. If you have deep pockets and are looking to gift big this holiday season, the Devialet Dione is top of the list in our best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the most elegant Dolby Atmos soundbar solution on the market right now. 

Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer

Adding a subwoofer to a home audio setup is one of the most rewarding audio upgrades we can think of, and the Sub Mini is the perfect Sonos add-on. It has a smaller design form than the Sonos Sub to complement and integrate with Sonos One speakers, and is ideally suited to Sonos Ray and Sonos Beam soundbars. It’s a great choice if you’re looking to give your holiday season viewing a boost, and is a great add-on for existing Sonos owners.

As part of Sonos’ reliably stable ecosystem, the Sonos Sun Mini is remarkably straightforward to integrate with other Sonos networked speakers, and achieves a satisfying boost to music listening with a full range of frequencies that everyone will be able appreciate. Movie fans will love the bass depth and boost it brings to TV sound, too.

Music system

Q Acoustics M20 wireless music system

The Q Acoustics M20 is a wireless music system in a pair of powered bookshelf speakers with great sound. Available in black, white, or wood wrap finishes, the M20 is essentially one powered speaker partnered with a passive speaker that can be placed either side of the TV, a desktop computer, on speaker stands, or on a table top. It supports Bluetooth with aptX HD for wireless streaming (there’s no Wi-Fi), and there’s a digital optical input and USB port for wired digital connections. It does have a pair of analog RCA inputs for adding a music streamer or CD player, too. 

We haven’t reviewed this active speaker system at Tom’s Guide, but we’ve had plenty of experience with it at home. The system has room-filling capabilities that belie the dimensions of the compact stereo speakers. You don’t get format handling for the likes of Dolby Atmos soundtracks, but you do get great stereo TV sound and music playback performance that will satisfy audio fans who want to fill the room with their favorite tunes.

Most great artists tend to be put in a box from the minute they hit the big time. No matter how much potential you might have to give at the start of your career, the commitment to the bottom line has led to countless artists putting out the same type of song over and over again. You might be scared that your original audience will leave, but if you’re willing to go outside your comfort zone, sometimes your fans will want to come along for the ride.

As much as these bands may have already been kings of their niche, they got a whole lot more interesting when they decided to toy with different styles, either stripping things back in the mix or layering different instruments that had no business being there in the first place. Even if you were to put some of their biggest songs next to each other, you would swear it was a completely different band playing every one of these songs.

It might be a little inconsistent, but it doesn’t matter if you still have your same knack for songwriting. For all of the genres that these acts have gone through, each of them have held up as fairly decent to some degree, almost like wearing these songs like musical costumes whenever they perform. You can spend years trying to refine your sound until you get in just right, but it looks like these guys were a lot more concerned with what else was out there.

At the turn of the decade, the ’90s were about to give way to a sea change in rock music. As hair metal started to go way out of style, bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam began to pioneer a different aesthetic in rock and roll, where you didn’t have to worry about being a towering rock god to become famous. So in the thick of bands with guitars making authentic music out of Seattle, one of the biggest names of the time turned out to be a guy with a piano tearing you to pieces.

Over the course of Trent Reznor’s career, Nine Inch Nails has turned into one of the most forward thinking outfits in the world of music, never being afraid to combine the artificial sounds of Pro Tools with the rock aesthetic and actually pulling it off on albums like The Downward Spiral or the Fragile. Before Seattle had even blown up, Trent was already hitting the ground running with Pretty Hate Machine, making the first waves of industrial rock on songs like Head Like a Hole.

Ever since the ’00s though, Trent has been looking to defy the traditional rock and roll hangups, from using saxophones on the most recent NIN albums to continuing his streak of ambient albums with the Ghost series, where he puts music in the public domain and lets his fans do what they want with the tracks. Along with his hand in different scores for movies, Trent seems to want to do absolutely everything he can with music from the moment he wakes up in the morning.