(Jason continues to breathe air into this blog while a rather busy time for work keeps me from doing much other than eating and sleeping.)

I’ve been really delighted with Asthmatic Kitty’s Library Catalog Music series, a set of instrumental albums designed by the label “for possible use in films and television, background sounds for home or office, or personal needs, such as relaxation, stimulation, meditation, concentration, or elevation,” with specific uses such as “accompaniment to cooking, eating, sculpting, exercising, high stakes poker, soaking, panoramic landscapes, cuddling, car chases, drawing, knitting, bandaging, romance, playing chess, or planning the rest of your life, of which this is the first day” suggested. Sounds good, right?

I’ve really enjoyed The Law of Least Effort album, Music For Measurements, a set of Booker T & the MGs style funk by noted side-man Casey Foubert, of the sorely missed Crystal Skulls. The catalog also includes entries from his Skulls bandmate Yuuki Matthews, Asthmatic Kitty co-owner Lowell Brams (joined by “Minister of Aesthetics” Sufjan Stevens and members of The National), Roberto Carlos Lange (Savath & Savalas) and James McAllister (Sufjan Stevens, Ester Drang).  Future installments include an LP from Richard Swift (who I’m a pretty big fan of) under his Instruments of Science and Technology banner.

All in all, the stuff is interesting and wildly diverse.  Check out Brams’ ambient offering, and some grooving from Matthews and Law of Least Effort.

• Lowell Brams | Alpha to Theta
• Law of the Least Effort | Law 2
• Yuuki Matthews | Conquerors