Music inspires. It awakens the spirit and binds moments together. It soothes, excites and supports—and it’s a fundamental for many, including us at COOL HUNTING. Whether sharing our favorite songs, looking for records, testing headphones and speakers, playing instruments or reading about a favorite band, there are no limits to the pleasure of being in love with music. Inside our Musicality Gift Guide, you will find everything from record box-sets to audio recording devices, label merch, biographies, prints and more—chosen for those who play or listen to music. For more gift ideas, check out our full BUY section, which is updated regularly.
When creating the Orba, the designers at Artiphon found inspiration from video game controllers. This compact, sleek and infinitely addicting new musical instrument is a hand-held synth, looper and MIDI device. It interfaces with Garage Band, Pro Tools and more for easy music-making. Eight capacitive-sensing pads, responsive multicolor LEDs and an embedded haptic engine offer visual and vibrational feedback. Orba features sound design from DJ and engineer Richard Devine. Create a drumbeat, bass, chord and lead parts that can play from the built-in speaker, headphones or through the output into amps and speakers. Professional musicians and amateurs alike will enjoy making music as soon as they have the Orba.
American artist John O’Hara now offers custom versions of his Vinyl series through Forsyth—the gallery he founded with Maggie and Annie Genovese. O’Hara will adorn a piece with your favorite song or album name, along with the name of the artist. Select anything—be it a classic ballad or an obscure house track. Orders typically take several weeks to make and ship, but a “Rock-n-Roll Option” (for $150) ensures speedy delivery. Forsyth will reach out to field custom requests after purchase.
From CH favorite, Stockholm-based Teenage Engineering, the OB–4 Portable Speaker offers about 100 decibels of super-clear sound via two four-inch bass drivers and two neodymium tweeters with 38 watts per channel. Minimal and modern, but with a distinctly old-school boombox vibe, the speaker plays music through Bluetooth, FM radio or line input (like an iPhone or RCA jack). There’s also disk mode, for which the brand will continue to experiment with features. (Right now, it offers three settings: Ambient, Metronome and Karma.) The speaker’s powerful battery provides eight hours of sound at maximum volume or (for more subdued listening experiences) about 40 hours on just one charge. Further, the OB-4 operates on a two-hour recorded loop, allowing you to rewind albums or live radio broadcasts.
Familiar and previously unpublished images of a dynamic music scene by photographer and filmmaker Michael Grecco fill the pages of Punk, Post Punk, New Wave: Onstage, Backstage, in Your Face, 1977-1989. Whether an action shot from the stage wing or a quiet backstage portrait, the photographs provide another perspective on the bands and musicians that defined the energy, chaos, grit and creativity of punk, post-punk and new wave. From images of Siouxsie and the Banshees to The Slits, Dead Kennedys, Talking Heads and The Ramones, there are 300 photographs to flip through. Fittingly, The B-52’s frontman Fred Schneider offers a foreword.
For anyone with a burgeoning vinyl collection, it can be hard to know what the next step should be when filling in the gaps. With Vinyl Me, Please, a team of music lovers makes that decision for you—with special editions of contemporary classic’s like The Fugees’ self-titled masterpiece and Beck’s Odelay being recent examples. In addition to the record, subscribers also get one original art print, a cocktail recipe and access to member-exclusive products in their store. There are three memberships tiers here: a full annual commitment translates to $33 per month, the Three Month plan costs $36 per month, and a month-to-month membership runs for $42 per month. We recommend the Three Month service, as its a valid trial for what Vinyl Me, Please has to offer.
Made in an edition of 50, record label Ghostly’s collaborative headphones with Kawasaki, Japan-based Phonon emphasize the next-generation audio company’s dynamic, high-quality sound experience. Phonon says that the 4400 model is their most user-friendly—which is foldable and lightweight but powerful. Ghostly’s spooky branding can be found on both ears, too.
From Brainfeeder—the record label founded by Flying Lotus (aka Steven Ellison) back in 2008—these socks are covered with Thundercat’s logo, a twist on the original Thundercats version. In true Thundercat (aka Stephen Lee Bruner) style, the socks dazzle thanks to glittery lurex fabric. Available in one size and in gold or pink, they are perfect for late-night lounge room dance parties.
Handmade in Canada, these sweet “David Meowie” toys contain premium catnip and are lined for extra strength (but without harmful glues). Made from 100% cotton, sizes and colors may vary due to the toy’s handcrafted nature.
100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this shirt—released by iconic rock band Black Sabbath—benefit the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. Fans of the band will notice that the Black Lives Matter text emblazoned on the front is in the same wavy font as Black Sabbath’s Master Of Reality album cover.
With a portion of DFA’s proceeds donated to North Brooklyn support networks, this hoodie is part of Carhartt WIP’s Relevant Parties project—seeing the Michigan-based brand team up with independent record labels (including Ninja Tune, Jazzy Sport, Stones Throw and more) for limited edition products. Made for all genders, the boxy cotton/polyester hoodie is intended to have a loose fit in order to rep the iconic NYC label in comfort and style.
Róisín Murphy’s new album (her fifth solo release), Róisín Machine, comes on transparent blue vinyl in this limited edition set, which also includes a zine and signed photograph—and a T-shirt, should you opt in for that. Made with longtime collaborator DJ Parrot (aka Crooked Man, aka Richard Barratt), the album has been years in the making and explores dubbed-out disco, proto-house and various other dance sub-genres. Featuring the already-released “Incapable” and “Something More,” the album promises to be dark but danceable. Price is in Pounds.
Developed with vinyl enthusiasts, collectors and DJs, UK-based Near Mint’s vinyl cleaning solution effectively cleans records without leaving residue. The solution is a special blend for vinyl (though not suitable for acetates or shellacs)—and its success hinges on a meticulous purified chemical balance within. Price is in Pounds.
Oda was born from the desire to bring live musical performances home. Comprised of two wood-paneled speakers, a controller and a membership plan, the system relays live performances from remarkable talent—somewhat bridging the gap left by the closure of many venues. Artists perform new tracks, experiment or work with collaborators on a commission, while listeners follows along in real time. These performances (which rotate with the seasons and are mostly performed on weekends) cannot be replayed, but you can play your own tunes, courtesy of in-line or Bluetooth audio, or tune in to Oda’s 24/7 live broadcast between the scheduled sessions. Oda uses the funds raised from their membership program to pay artists fairly, and performers retain the rights to their live Oda shows—plus, they can use them as they wish.
The second LP of 2020 from enigmatic collective SAULT—believed to be Cleo Sol, Melissa Young and Dean “Inflo” Wynton Josiah—UNTITLED (Rise) exists as a perfect counterpart to UNTITLED (Black Is) with a more upbeat, exuberant sound while still exploring poignant topics including identity, race, resilience and rebellion. The rich 15-track album incorporates elements from hip-hop, R&B, disco, gospel, jazz, funk and house, sprinkled with spoken-word interludes. Available as a double-LP, the vinyl will ship on 16 November and each purchase includes unlimited, free streaming on Bandcamp. Price is in Pounds.
20 years ago, Kelis released her game-changing debut record Kaleidoscope—an album that synthesized countless genres and dismissed all rules of R&B and pop music. With cosmic sound effects and Middle Eastern influences (among others), the production was done by The Neptunes, while Kelis bounced from rich, smoky jazzy vocals on one track, to whispering on another, and wailing and screaming on the next. This limited edition orange vinyl version of Kaleidoscope features four alternative versions of “Get Along With You” and the radical “Caught Out There.”
This six-panel, embroidered “dad hat” doesn’t just shout out one of NYC’s most iconic music venues, the Bowery Ballroom, sales from it directly benefit the concert hall—which has been shuttered for months due to COVID-19. It’s composed of 100% pigment-dyed cotton twill (also available in olive green) and one size fits most.
