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.
Timed to match the length of a ketamine high, Music for Psychedelic Therapy, Jon Hopkins’ sixth studio album, was crafted to enhance and guide trips. It unfurls and floats between synths and field recordings of birds, waterfalls and other forest sounds, creating a delicate spatial soundtrack. Whether embarking on a hallucinogenic journey or in pursuit of mindful moments, this vinyl LP (which also comes with a digital download) …
Madvillainy, the latest book in the 33 1/3 series published by Bloomsbury, is a celebration of Madvillain—the legendary hip-hop duo consisting of Madlib and the late MF Doom. Written by Will Hagle, the book centers on the 2004 album Madvillainy (the duo’s only LP) and features interviews with individuals who worked on or were involved in the record—but it’s told from the perspective of three …
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their iconic 1991 album, The Low End Theory, hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest has released a limited edition boxset. The entire album, along with two bonus songs, features across eight brightly colored and boldly patterned seven-inch records. It’s all housed in a fabric-wrapped carrying case. Limited to 2000 units, it’s available for pre-order now, but will ship in …
By Vikki Tobak (who has written for Paper, Vibe, i-D and more), Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History is a photo-heavy, historically comprehensive compendium of hip-hop jewelry over 40 years. Starting in the ’80s, the book features icons like Grandmaster Flash and Run DMC, and photographs by Lisa Leone and Jamel Shabazz. There’s information on specific pieces—like Radio Raheem’s rings in Do The Right Thing (which …
Björk’s 10th studio album, Fossora, marks a thrilling departure from the dreamy fantasyland captured in her last album, Utopia. Replete with hard techno, six bass clarinets and collaborations with Serpentwithfeet, Gabber Modus Operandi and Björk’s children, Fossora (the grammatically incorrect feminization of the Latin word for “digger”) was crafted during the pandemic and celebrates family and friendship. This version of the album appears on two limited burgundy vinyl …
RUKUSfx is a motion-controlled device that provides young ones with a fun and approachable entry into music making and mixing. Moving the hand-held gadget (which also comes in custom tie-dye skins) creates sound effects that are unique to each type of movement. The 80 different effects can be combined with RUKUSfx’s 120 built-in tracks or any uploaded songs, with mixes recorded and played back right …
For decades, fans of the Grateful Dead traded bootleg tapes of the band’s performances, helping cement their legendary status while also creating an underground culture and community. This fervent culture is explored in Mark A Rodriguez’s new hardcover book, After All is Said and Done: Taping the Grateful Dead, 1965-1995, a unique look at black market fandom. Featuring Rodriguez’s cassette-collection sculptures, interviews with members of the …
Filled with songs from composer and musician Vince Guaraldi, the soundtrack for It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) is an essential for fans of jazz, Halloween and Peanuts animated specials. Featuring “The Great Pumpkin Waltz” and “Linus and Lucy,” this orange-hued and pumpkin-shaped vinyl is over-flowing with kitsch and nostalgia.
From Bowers & Wilkins, these over-ear, noise-cancelling Px7 S2 headphones utilize custom-designed 40mm drive units that are carefully angled in the ear-cups to deliver precise, sharp sound. Six microphones and a 24-bit-capable wireless platform further ensure enhanced noise-cancellation and music dynamics. Replete with memory foam ear-pads, these sleek headphones (available in black, blue or gray) elevate both comfort and high-quality sound.
Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 is the first official archival box set of the iconic NYC band. It comes in five variations, but the Super Deluxe edition (limited to 500 copies) includes the most. It features the original line-up’s first six albums, plus four LPs full of outtakes, B-sides and demos. Additionally there’s a 10-inch with the 1975 Alan Betrock demo, a 45 featuring their …
In honor of Sacred Bones Records’ 15th anniversary, the Brooklyn-based label is repressing the cult classic Mother Earth’s Plantasia by Mort Garson on limited caladium pink and green vinyl. First released in 1976, the album, suffused with Moog synthesizers, was composed specifically for plants and only available to those who purchased a plant from Mother Earth on Melrose Avenue in LA or a Simmons mattress …
Intimate storytelling merges with club bangers on Rina Sawayama’s second album, Hold The Girl. Traversing a multitude of genres—from country to disco, rock, dance and grunge—the album attests to the British Japanese artist’s ingenuity. Within, Sawayama comes to terms with her past, deftly transforming the deepest of emotions into soaring anthems. This version of the album, released by Rough Trade, is on red marbled vinyl.
