Dusted Features Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: First Nation and Scott Solter. Tweet

Listed: First Nation + Scott Solter

First Nation

Every song on NYC trio First Nation's debut record teeters on the brink of coherence. Over the course of eleven songs, every so often a brief musical moment topples over the edge, and ends up stuck in my head for the next day. Small wonder, then, that they are handpicked favorites of the blurriest band ever to become popular: the Animal Collective. Their record is out on Paw Tracks (owned and sorta operated by AC), and the ladies of First Nation spent much of the spring on tour with 'the Jaminals.' It might be that they are truly kindred spirits, but then again, maybe they just like the 'monkey and an otter song.' I know I do! First Nation's self-titled debut album is out now on Paw Tracks.

Nina and Kate made this list. Some of the artists are shared, some are more Nina and others more Kate. If Melissa were with us she would have had more to offer, both from the group and from her, I'm sure Lil Wayne would've been on her list.

1. Warrior Queen (w/the Bug, Sunship, etc.)
One of the awesomest dancehall MCs I have ever heard.

2. A favorite song now is "Taal Se Tall Mila," Soundtrack from the Bollywood movie Taal.

3. New Gang Gang set + album that comes out in the fall-radical, but super accessible. pop, our style...

4. Animal Collective
Getting to hear them live every day for 2 weeks was a wonderful treat.

5. Kate Bush
Still, especially the Dreaming

6. Wu tang - Forever (the W).

7. Choubu Coubi! Folk and Pop Sounds from Iraq + other sublime frequencies.

8. Octis-Orthrelm-Ocrilim-Mick Barr!!!

9. J Dilla - RIP

10. Ethiopiques
Some comps appeal to me more than others, but I'm so thankful the series exists.

11. DJ Mamaman's dancehall collection

12. Milton Nascimento - Clube de Esquina
I continue to listen all the time.

13. Asha Bhosle
She is amazing, and still singing after so many years and so much work.

14. Last Smog record - A River Ain't too Much to Love
Brendan Fowler from Barr told a fan this guy is one of his biggest inspirations, which totally blew my mind. Then I came home from our tour with him and listening to it, it made perfect sense.

15. BARR
All you gotta do to get majorly motivated is listen to "All Is For Updated" on his myspace page.

16. Neil Young - Cortez the Killer
"Hate was just a legend/war was never known/people worked together/and they lifted many stones" makes me cry every time I hear it.

17. Soldiers of Fortune + Endless Boogie shows
As much as my life has strayed from rock and roll music, these dudes get me every time. There's a transcendence in the mastery and fun. It's weird.

18. Kria Brekkan/Avey Tare live at the Stone.

19. David Banner's first album screwed
"Mississippi" especially "Bush" "Cadillacs on 22s" and "Fire Fallin'", the best political rap songs I've heard in many moons. And also the ill love jam "Choose Me".

20. London grime
The new Wiley album is out.I'm excited... our favorites are always changing, but it's all mostly top-notch.

Scott Solter

Scott lives in San Francisco, and makes his living as a studio engineer. He's recorded John Vanderslice, the Mountain Goats, Court & Spark, William Lazarus, and Tarentel, among many others. In addition to engineering at Vanderslice's Tiny Telephone Studios, he runs his own recording space (formerly known as 15th street studios). His music is created mostly from processed guitars, as well as found objects and voices. His new release, One River, was recently released by Tell-All Records.

1. William Basinski - The River, The Disintegration Loops, WaterMusic...
Brilliant shortwave, instrumental, and deteriorated landscapes

2. Static
A film written by Keith Gordon & directed by Mark Romanek. Keith works on a crucifix assembly line and pinches the cool rejects.

3. Wendy Allen - SingerHas been invited into a number of records I've worked on and added that bright star off in the distance.

4. The Blue Ridge Parkway
No other drive...maybe the loneliest highway

5. Joel Peter Witkin - photographer
Beautiful and distressing work. His distortions! A genius.

6. Harold Budd/Brian Eno - The Pearl
One of the most dense and patient landscapes I've ever heard.

7. Chris Watson - Outside the Circle of Fire
Macro recordings of animal life. The sleeping cheetah should be a record all its own.

8. African Head Charge - Songs of Praise
Superlative On-U Sound record

9. Vincent Gallo's records
Easily one of my favorite recording engineers. His work is a very realized antique.

10. PIL - Poptones
Cocky and delicate. More punks should have sounded like this.

By Dusted Magazine

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