The Listening Albums
Part journal, part record collection. Notes on the albums that define the listening bar movement — from rare pressings and jazz reissues to modern classics built for deep listening at home.
The Listening Shelf Albums
More Reads From Tracks & Tales-
A Tribe Called Quest — Midnight Marauders (1993)
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer revisits Midnight Marauders, A Tribe Called Quest’s effortlessly cool 1993 masterpiece — a nighttime world of groove, clarity, and movement that remains as vital today as ever.
A Tribe Called Quest — Midnight Marauders (1993)
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer revisits Midnight Marauders, A Tribe Called Quest’s effortlessly cool 1993 masterpiece — a nighttime world of groove, clarity, and movement that remains as vital today as ever.
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Dusty Springfield — You Don’t Have to Say You L...
Rafi MercerA reflective album review of Dusty Springfield’s You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, exploring its emotional clarity and why it remains powerfully present when revisited today.
Dusty Springfield — You Don’t Have to Say You L...
Rafi MercerA reflective album review of Dusty Springfield’s You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, exploring its emotional clarity and why it remains powerfully present when revisited today.
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Pat Metheny Group — Offramp (1982)
Rafi MercerA reflective album essay on Pat Metheny Group’s Offramp — exploring the creative relationships, energy, and shared imagination that make music a capsule for bigger ideas.
Pat Metheny Group — Offramp (1982)
Rafi MercerA reflective album essay on Pat Metheny Group’s Offramp — exploring the creative relationships, energy, and shared imagination that make music a capsule for bigger ideas.
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Blue Break Beats — Various Artists (Blue Note, ...
Rafi MercerA Rafi Mercer reflection on Blue Break Beats — 50 of the Best, the influential Blue Note compilation that shaped hip-hop sampling culture and taught a generation how to hear...
Blue Break Beats — Various Artists (Blue Note, ...
Rafi MercerA Rafi Mercer reflection on Blue Break Beats — 50 of the Best, the influential Blue Note compilation that shaped hip-hop sampling culture and taught a generation how to hear...
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Duke Pearson — How Insensitive (1969)
Rafi MercerA ten-track journey through Duke Pearson’s How Insensitive (1969): choir-washed standards, Brazilian grooves with Airto and Flora Purim, and quietly off-centre arrangements that turn easy listening into something deeper and...
Duke Pearson — How Insensitive (1969)
Rafi MercerA ten-track journey through Duke Pearson’s How Insensitive (1969): choir-washed standards, Brazilian grooves with Airto and Flora Purim, and quietly off-centre arrangements that turn easy listening into something deeper and...
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Uyama Hiroto — A Son of the Sun (2008)
Rafi MercerUyama Hiroto’s A Son of the Sun — a warm, jazz-infused continuation of the sound-world shaped alongside Nujabes, explored through slow-listening depth.
Uyama Hiroto — A Son of the Sun (2008)
Rafi MercerUyama Hiroto’s A Son of the Sun — a warm, jazz-infused continuation of the sound-world shaped alongside Nujabes, explored through slow-listening depth.
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Hiroshi Suzuki — Cat (1975)
Rafi MercerA deep, elegant review of Hiroshi Suzuki’s Cat — the timeless Japanese jazz album whose warmth, restraint, and atmosphere make it a favourite in listening bars around the world.
Hiroshi Suzuki — Cat (1975)
Rafi MercerA deep, elegant review of Hiroshi Suzuki’s Cat — the timeless Japanese jazz album whose warmth, restraint, and atmosphere make it a favourite in listening bars around the world.
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Massive Attack — Blue Lines (1991), a masterpiece
Rafi MercerThe Bristol landmark that shaped trip-hop, elevated atmosphere to design, and remains a masterclass in precision listening on a day built for noise.
Massive Attack — Blue Lines (1991), a masterpiece
Rafi MercerThe Bristol landmark that shaped trip-hop, elevated atmosphere to design, and remains a masterclass in precision listening on a day built for noise.
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The The — Ensoulment (2024)
Rafi MercerA reflective journey through Ensoulment — The The’s first studio album in nearly 25 years — exploring its slow-burning mood, philosophical weight, and the quiet power of Matt Johnson’s late-career...
The The — Ensoulment (2024)
Rafi MercerA reflective journey through Ensoulment — The The’s first studio album in nearly 25 years — exploring its slow-burning mood, philosophical weight, and the quiet power of Matt Johnson’s late-career...
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Petit Biscuit — Presence (2017)
Rafi MercerA spacious, atmospheric electronic album blending soft synths, textured beats, and luminous melodies, Petit Biscuit’s Presence offers calm, immersive soundscapes ideal for early mornings, late nights, and focused listening.
Petit Biscuit — Presence (2017)
Rafi MercerA spacious, atmospheric electronic album blending soft synths, textured beats, and luminous melodies, Petit Biscuit’s Presence offers calm, immersive soundscapes ideal for early mornings, late nights, and focused listening.
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“Pearls” — A Quiet Weight in the Middle of Love...
Rafi MercerA brief, intimate reflection on Sade’s “Pearls,” exploring how its stripped-back production and quiet storytelling reveal the emotional weight at the heart of Love Deluxe.
“Pearls” — A Quiet Weight in the Middle of Love...
Rafi MercerA brief, intimate reflection on Sade’s “Pearls,” exploring how its stripped-back production and quiet storytelling reveal the emotional weight at the heart of Love Deluxe.
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Khruangbin — Con Todo El Mundo (2018)
Rafi MercerA warm, borderless album that glides across cultures — and shows how Khruangbin turned global listening into a quiet new mood for cities everywhere.
Khruangbin — Con Todo El Mundo (2018)
Rafi MercerA warm, borderless album that glides across cultures — and shows how Khruangbin turned global listening into a quiet new mood for cities everywhere.
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Jimmy Cliff — Wonderful World, Beautiful People...
Rafi MercerJimmy Cliff’s Wonderful World, Beautiful People — an album of hope, truth, and luminous early-reggae that feels more vital than ever.
Jimmy Cliff — Wonderful World, Beautiful People...
Rafi MercerJimmy Cliff’s Wonderful World, Beautiful People — an album of hope, truth, and luminous early-reggae that feels more vital than ever.
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Luther Johnson — They Call Me the Popcorn Man (...
Rafi MercerLuther “Georgia Boy” Johnson’s They Call Me the Popcorn Man (1975) — a soulful Chicago blues session full of groove, ease, and lived-in charm.
Luther Johnson — They Call Me the Popcorn Man (...
Rafi MercerLuther “Georgia Boy” Johnson’s They Call Me the Popcorn Man (1975) — a soulful Chicago blues session full of groove, ease, and lived-in charm.
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Serge Gainsbourg — Histoire de Melody Nelson (1...
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer reflects on Histoire de Melody Nelson, Serge Gainsbourg’s haunting 1971 masterpiece — a short, cinematic, unforgettable album that still feels ahead of its time.
Serge Gainsbourg — Histoire de Melody Nelson (1...
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer reflects on Histoire de Melody Nelson, Serge Gainsbourg’s haunting 1971 masterpiece — a short, cinematic, unforgettable album that still feels ahead of its time.
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Bonobo — Black Sands (2010)
Rafi MercerA reflective Saturday-morning listen to Bonobo’s Black Sands, told in Rafi Mercer’s slow-listening voice — an album of movement, stillness, and the quiet architecture of sound. By Rafi Mercer There’s...
Bonobo — Black Sands (2010)
Rafi MercerA reflective Saturday-morning listen to Bonobo’s Black Sands, told in Rafi Mercer’s slow-listening voice — an album of movement, stillness, and the quiet architecture of sound. By Rafi Mercer There’s...
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Amy Winehouse — Back to Black (2006)
Rafi MercerA quiet, reflective look at Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black — an album I return to for its honesty, its emotional precision, and the way her voice still teaches me...
Amy Winehouse — Back to Black (2006)
Rafi MercerA quiet, reflective look at Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black — an album I return to for its honesty, its emotional precision, and the way her voice still teaches me...
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Cymande — Cymande (1972)
Rafi MercerCymande (1972), centred on the timeless power of “The Message” — a perfect Old Music Friday tune and the heartbeat of one of funk’s most soulful, spiritual debut albums.
Cymande — Cymande (1972)
Rafi MercerCymande (1972), centred on the timeless power of “The Message” — a perfect Old Music Friday tune and the heartbeat of one of funk’s most soulful, spiritual debut albums.
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Desmond Dekker — The Israelites (1968)
Rafi MercerDesmond Dekker’s The Israelites — a deceptively simple 1968 classic whose minimal production and global impact reshaped reggae and still reveals new depth when listened to slowly.
Desmond Dekker — The Israelites (1968)
Rafi MercerDesmond Dekker’s The Israelites — a deceptively simple 1968 classic whose minimal production and global impact reshaped reggae and still reveals new depth when listened to slowly.
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Nightmares on Wax — Echo45 Sound System (2025)
Rafi MercerEcho45 Sound System — a warm, immersive Nightmares on Wax album that turns bass, memory and sound-system culture into a room you can live inside.
Nightmares on Wax — Echo45 Sound System (2025)
Rafi MercerEcho45 Sound System — a warm, immersive Nightmares on Wax album that turns bass, memory and sound-system culture into a room you can live inside.
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Various Artists — Give Peace a Dance Vol. 2: Th...
Rafi MercerA 1991 ambient milestone compiled by Mixmaster Morris — a record that reshapes space, mood and attention. Rafi Mercer on the album that still feels like a quiet awakening.
Various Artists — Give Peace a Dance Vol. 2: Th...
Rafi MercerA 1991 ambient milestone compiled by Mixmaster Morris — a record that reshapes space, mood and attention. Rafi Mercer on the album that still feels like a quiet awakening.
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Jeff Buckley — Grace (1994)
Rafi MercerJeff Buckley’s Grace (1994) remains one of the most quietly epic albums ever recorded — a cathedral of falsetto, longing, and emotional weight designed not for crowds, but for the...
Jeff Buckley — Grace (1994)
Rafi MercerJeff Buckley’s Grace (1994) remains one of the most quietly epic albums ever recorded — a cathedral of falsetto, longing, and emotional weight designed not for crowds, but for the...
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Robert Owens – Rhythms in Me (1990)
Rafi MercerA deep, Rafi Mercer listen to Robert Owens’ 1990 album Rhythms in Me — from the stunning “A.M. Blues Overture” to the slow-bloom house songs that turn this into a...
Robert Owens – Rhythms in Me (1990)
Rafi MercerA deep, Rafi Mercer listen to Robert Owens’ 1990 album Rhythms in Me — from the stunning “A.M. Blues Overture” to the slow-bloom house songs that turn this into a...
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Sam Cooke — Ain’t That Good News (1964)
Rafi MercerSam Cooke’s Ain’t That Good News — his final, radiant album — blends soul, hope, and quiet bravery at a turning point in American history.
Sam Cooke — Ain’t That Good News (1964)
Rafi MercerSam Cooke’s Ain’t That Good News — his final, radiant album — blends soul, hope, and quiet bravery at a turning point in American history.
The Geometry of Listening
The Geometry of Listening is a series of ten essays exploring that expansion — how acoustics, architecture, psychology, and culture are reshaping the act of listening itself.
This is the next chapter of the Tracks & Tales journey: from the intimacy of the record shelf to the spaces and ideas that define the future of listening.
Discover and book listening bars selected by the TRACKS & TALES Guide
More Reads From Tracks & Tales-
Black Lacquer — London / Old Bailey — Subterran...
Rafi MercerA subterranean vinyl-led bar beneath Old Bailey, Black Lacquer brings a new kind of London listening culture — intimate, crafted, and built for those who treat sound as a luxury.
Black Lacquer — London / Old Bailey — Subterran...
Rafi MercerA subterranean vinyl-led bar beneath Old Bailey, Black Lacquer brings a new kind of London listening culture — intimate, crafted, and built for those who treat sound as a luxury.
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Jan’s Place — San Luis Obispo’s Vinyl Sanctuary
Rafi MercerA quiet California sanctuary built around vinyl, intention, and beautifully tuned sound — Rafi Mercer on why Jan’s Place in San Luis Obispo feels like a small but essential reminder...
Jan’s Place — San Luis Obispo’s Vinyl Sanctuary
Rafi MercerA quiet California sanctuary built around vinyl, intention, and beautifully tuned sound — Rafi Mercer on why Jan’s Place in San Luis Obispo feels like a small but essential reminder...
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Shibuya HiFi — Seattle / Ballard + nocturnal an...
Rafi MercerShibuya HiFi in Seattle — a nocturnal analogue refuge where albums are played with intention and listening becomes a shared act of quiet
Shibuya HiFi — Seattle / Ballard + nocturnal an...
Rafi MercerShibuya HiFi in Seattle — a nocturnal analogue refuge where albums are played with intention and listening becomes a shared act of quiet
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Ambient Bar — Helsinki/Arabia District — quiet ...
Rafi MercerA quiet, glowing corner of Helsinki where ambient sound, Nordic design and deep listening come together — Ambient Bar is the space where the city’s calm becomes a kind of...
Ambient Bar — Helsinki/Arabia District — quiet ...
Rafi MercerA quiet, glowing corner of Helsinki where ambient sound, Nordic design and deep listening come together — Ambient Bar is the space where the city’s calm becomes a kind of...
The Daily Read
More Reads From Tracks & Tales-
If I Were to Build the Best
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer reflects on Koenigsegg’s hypercar mindset and asks what “the best” would look like in listening. The answer: nothing works without the human at the centre — presence is...
If I Were to Build the Best
Rafi MercerRafi Mercer reflects on Koenigsegg’s hypercar mindset and asks what “the best” would look like in listening. The answer: nothing works without the human at the centre — presence is...
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The City That Opens When You’re Not Looking
Rafi MercerA rainy, chaotic London night turns unexpectedly intimate — a hidden basement bar, a Ronnie Scott’s sound engineer, and the calm ritual of an old fashioned.
The City That Opens When You’re Not Looking
Rafi MercerA rainy, chaotic London night turns unexpectedly intimate — a hidden basement bar, a Ronnie Scott’s sound engineer, and the calm ritual of an old fashioned.
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A Note on Reaching Out — The Quiet Courage of A...
Rafi MercerA reflective note on the quiet bravery of reaching out for new creative chapters — and how editorial craft, community building, and digital storytelling can align toward a new direction.
A Note on Reaching Out — The Quiet Courage of A...
Rafi MercerA reflective note on the quiet bravery of reaching out for new creative chapters — and how editorial craft, community building, and digital storytelling can align toward a new direction.
Notes on Listening Culture
More Reads From Tracks & Tales-
The Gentle Collision — On Listening, Ideas, and...
Rafi MercerHow listening, thinking, and entrepreneurship intertwine — exploring the delicate way ideas begin, the courage needed to share them, and the rare luxury of true attention.
The Gentle Collision — On Listening, Ideas, and...
Rafi MercerHow listening, thinking, and entrepreneurship intertwine — exploring the delicate way ideas begin, the courage needed to share them, and the rare luxury of true attention.
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Duke Pearson — The Quiet Modernist of Blue Note
Rafi MercerDuke Pearson — the quiet modernist of Blue Note whose spacious, emotionally intelligent sound from the late 1960s feels startlingly contemporary today.
Duke Pearson — The Quiet Modernist of Blue Note
Rafi MercerDuke Pearson — the quiet modernist of Blue Note whose spacious, emotionally intelligent sound from the late 1960s feels startlingly contemporary today.
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The Rise of the Vinyl Bar — Where Records Becom...
Rafi MercerA long, immersive essay exploring the rise of vinyl bars around the world — intimate rooms where records shape the night, culture slows down, and analogue sound becomes a shared...
The Rise of the Vinyl Bar — Where Records Becom...
Rafi MercerA long, immersive essay exploring the rise of vinyl bars around the world — intimate rooms where records shape the night, culture slows down, and analogue sound becomes a shared...
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Listening Friday — The Quiet Luxury We Can All ...
Rafi MercerA long-form reflection on Listening Friday — a quiet alternative to Black Friday. An essay on the luxury of slow listening, the magic of listening bars, and why choosing one...
Listening Friday — The Quiet Luxury We Can All ...
Rafi MercerA long-form reflection on Listening Friday — a quiet alternative to Black Friday. An essay on the luxury of slow listening, the magic of listening bars, and why choosing one...
