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  • Mitxoda Weekly #28: Beyond the Veil - Music, Memory & the Crackle of Truth

Mitxoda Weekly #28: Beyond the Veil - Music, Memory & the Crackle of Truth

From Taylor D’s emotional portals to vinyl’s soulful comeback, here’s your weekly dive into indie stories that matter.

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Mitxoda
April 04, 2025

Hello Dear Friend!

Welcome to Mitxoda Weekly #28! Glad to have you here!

What if a song wasn’t just a sound, but a doorway? This week, we cross into new dimensions, literally and figuratively.

We celebrate a stunning milestone from Subvert (I’m one of the 5,000!), revisit a soulful OTAT247 interview, and open a portal with the dazzling Taylor D, whose latest release feels like both a revelation and a return. We also dig deep, right into the grooves, exploring why vinyl still matters in a world of frictionless streaming and AI playlists.

You’ll meet artists who speak to your past, soundtracks that shape your future, and stories that remind us why we fell in love with music in the first place.

Let's spin. And as always, thanks for being part of this journey! 

Mitxoda

Au menu, this week:

Before We Start…

Artist Spotlight: Taylor D, Songs from the Other Side of the Veil

Some artists make music you hear. Others, like Taylor D, make music you travel through. From soul-stirring melodies to lyrics that echo across timelines, Taylor D is not just writing songs, she’s conjuring emotional portals.

In this week’s Artist Spotlight, I invited Taylor D to share the story behind her new single. And even more. What we got? A glimpse into a beautifully surreal, yet deeply personal inner world, where music serves as both a mirror and a map. Let’s go…

If a Song Could Summon a Parallel Taylor...

“I think I might choose something that reflects a powerful, emotionally intense track” Taylor tells me, musing about a possible sci-fi twist to her sonic universe. “Perhaps something like Can’t Say I Love You, which has a mix of raw vulnerability and depth. A song like that could serve as a powerful portal between dimensions”.

You read that right. Taylor D doesn’t just create songs, she builds dimensional doors out of chord progressions and lyrical honesty. But what version of her would step through that portal?

“She would be a more confident, fearless version of myself,” Taylor reflects. “Someone who’s already faced every challenge, fully embracing the highs and lows without holding back”.

That imagined Taylor would arrive, radiating purpose. A fusion of emotional strength and dream-realized clarity, like a version of yourself that knows the battles were all worth it.

On the Other Side of the Veil...

What happens when you walk through the portal? Taylor doesn’t hesitate: “It could be a realm of infinite creativity, where ideas, emotions, and stories are swirling around, ready to take shape.”

In this surreal musical multiverse, time bends and everything is connected. Songs float as unfinished thoughts, waiting for the right soul to bring them to life.

“Everything—past, present, and future—is connected through a network of pure inspiration,” she says.

Is it just me, or does that sound like the exact place her songs come from?

When Past Meets Future Through Music

Taylor D isn’t afraid to look both forward and back.

“I think the past version of me would feel a sense of recognition,” she explains. “Like hearing something familiar that reminds them of where they started.”

There’s something humbling and bold in the idea of creating songs that speak to your past and future selves.

“I’d hope both versions—past and future—would feel inspired by each other, as if the thread connecting them had been strengthened by the song itself”.

This might be the most Taylor D thing ever: a timeless moment in which all versions of self meet, exchange strength, and move forward. Together.

Born To Love You: The Now

Taylor’s latest release, Born To Love You, is out now and making waves across streaming platforms. And it’s exactly what you'd expect after a dive into her world: emotional, powerful, unapologetically alive.

“I wrote Born To Love You from a place of embracing the strength of love,” she shares. “It’s about surrendering to that feeling and realizing that, sometimes, love is a force that you can’t deny”.

“I wanted to create something that could make people feel empowered and alive”.

And she did. The song glows with heart, but also with a beat that feels like it's been borrowed from a dream where courage dances freely with vulnerability.

I’ll admit it, Taylor D had a tough time answering some of my interdimensional, mind-bending questions (sorry, Taylor!). But that’s only because she’s got both feet firmly planted in a more grounded reality: one shaped by real-life confidence-building, unexpected turns, and the pure joy of pop music.

A Clondalkin (Ireland) native (I had to Google the place, I admit again 😄 ), Taylor found her true calling at 12 and has been blazing a musical trail ever since. Winner of the Irish Youth Music Awards (2021) and the President’s Gaisce Award for Music (2022), she’s a proud fangirl turned powerhouse performer. Her five-track mini-album Fan Girl is a love letter to owning your passion loudly and unapologetically.

Supporting indie radio stations across the globe, Taylor D is as multi-genre as she is multi-dimensional. And while she might describe herself as introverted, the truth is: her songs do all the bold talking for her.

We’re just lucky to be listening.

✔️ Follow Mitxoda on Bandcamp or on any another platform 
✔️ Grab my songs on Bandcamp or go old-school with a physical copy of my EP Distant and Close here - Talking ‘bout Vinyl, let’s dive in this week’s Long Read!

Long Read: Wax and Wires, Why Vinyl Still Matters in the Age of Streaming and AI

Somewhere between algorithm-curated playlists and AI-generated ambient loops, a needle drops. A faint crackle, a whisper of dust. Then warmth. Real warmth. Not just in tone, but in presence. That’s the magic of vinyl, and its resurgence today feels almost rebellious.

At a time when we’re inundated with options, where skipping tracks is second nature and the next AI-made melody is one click away, the continued rise of vinyl records seems… paradoxical. Or maybe it’s not.

The Paradox of Progress

Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have completely revolutionized the way we consume music. Everything is immediate, everywhere, all at once. From lo-fi beats at 3 a.m. to obscure Norwegian punk on a train ride, music has become an ambient, ever-present backdrop.

But in this frictionless world, something’s missing.

As stozzaudio.com1 aptly puts it, “While platforms… provide unprecedented access to millions of songs, they often lack a sense of personal ownership”. Music consumption today is often passive, ephemeral. We swipe, scroll, and move on.

Vinyl demands the opposite. It asks you to slow down. To be present. To listen. Not just hear.

Warmth in the Noise

Vinyl sounds different. Ask any audiophile and they’ll bring up the “warmth” of analog sound. That slightly fuzzy edge, the human imperfection, the depth you can feel. Digital formats compress. Vinyl breathes.

Even the imperfections, the pops, the hisses, feel like part of the story. They say, “This has been played. This has lived”.

As onthejunglefloor.com2 notes, the analog experience provides “a completely different listening experience”, something digital still can’t replicate.

Bigger Than Sound: A Visual and Ritual Experience

Pulling a record from its sleeve. Reading the liner notes. Studying the cover. Placing it on the turntable. These moments turn listening into ritual. There’s a tactile reverence that just doesn’t exist when pressing “Play”.

Album covers, full size, not thumbnails, become visual statements. Lyrics sheets and art inserts become parts of a whole. A good vinyl record sounds better and it feels richer.

Owning a record is like owning a little museum of meaning. It's your curation, your vibe. And when people see your collection? It sparks conversation. Connection.

Nostalgia… and Something More

Of course, nostalgia plays its role. For those who grew up with records, it’s a journey back to formative years, to basement jam sessions and heartbreak soundtracks. For younger generations, it’s a slice of something real in an increasingly virtual world.

Retro culture is a search for authenticity. And vinyl offers that in abundance. I remember my brother’s albums placed alphabetically on the shelves, from Springsteen to Michael Jackson. I can’t deny the good memories all this brings back!

Vinyl Is Curation. Streaming Is Suggestion.

Algorithms are powerful. They recommend new artists, they analyze your taste, they surprise you sometimes. But there’s also a numbing sameness that can creep in. A lack of friction means we don’t choose anymore. We just accept what’s next. Tell me you do not?

Vinyl is intentional. You choose what you want to listen to. You flip sides. You play the whole album. You commit. That’s something digital rarely asks of us. Maybe via some playlists.

Community Over Convenience

The vinyl boom also revived record stores. And with them, the communities that orbit around them. Think of those dusty aisles, crate-digging Sundays, impromptu music debates with strangers.

Events. Listening parties. Swap meets.

Vinyl became a subculture. A gathering place.

A Better Deal for Artists

Let’s be real. Most streaming services pay artists fractions of a cent per stream. We already discussed this in previous Weekly. It’s demoralizing. Vinyl, on the other hand, is a tangible product that fans want to buy. It gives musicians a better cut and a more sustainable way to exist in their art.

It also puts creative control back in artists’ hands, from artwork to sequencing to bonus content. Vinyl lets them tell their story on their terms.

What About AI?

And now, there’s AI. Music generated in seconds. Loops, moods, playlists… made to match your productivity level, your dinner party energy, your vibe of the day.

It’s fascinating, and in many cases, useful, let’s be honest. AI democratizes creation. It generates infinite options. It can even mimic styles with eerie precision. We also talked about that, remember the Silent Album in the UK?

But it doesn’t live. It doesn’t feel heartbreak. It doesn’t remember what your first breakup smelled like. It doesn’t bleed. (is this last one, too much? 😄 )

Vinyl reminds us of the soul behind the sound.

Of human fingerprints.

Holding On to What Matters

Maybe vinyl’s resurgence isn’t surprising at all. Maybe it’s a protest. A longing. In a world of instant everything and endless content, vinyl says: slow down. Be present. Listen with intent.

Because Music is memory, mood and magic.

And maybe, just maybe, that crackle before the chorus is the most human sound we’ve got left.

  • Do you collect vinyl?

  • Have you tried releasing your music on wax?

  • What’s your favorite cover art of all time?

👇 Hit reply or come chat with me on Facebook. I’d love to know what your shelves look like.

Until then, keep spinning.

Mitxoda 

Historical Fact: The Billion-Dollar Songstress

On April 2, 2024, Taylor Swift made history by becoming the first musician to reach billionaire status solely through revenue from her music and concert tours. Unlike previous artist-billionaires who diversified into fashion, business ventures, or endorsements, Swift’s financial milestone was achieved through the unmatched success of her songwriting, album sales, and record-breaking Eras Tour. This marked a cultural and economic turning point in the music industry, redefining what was possible for artists relying only on their art.

Here it is! A little slice of history shared just for you!

Playlist of the Week: Indie faves and support - DePitcha’s Playlist 

First Qobuz playlist proposed in Mitxoda Weekly - Another movement to follow!

Nadine's Indie Treasures: Blues that hugs the soul with Berlos Band

Berlos Band is much more than a blues band, Stephen is a true indie brother from the soul. Nadine once shared, “It took me a while to fully get into the blues, but once I did, Berlos Band was right there to guide me. Their music feels like a soulful exhale, perfect for when you're carrying heavy emotions and need something raw yet comforting”. That says it all. With songs like "Forever Heartache", "Love is Blind", and "Brother Joe", Stephen offers melodies, healing, honesty, and heart. I’ve listened to Berlos Band countless times, and each play feels like catching up with an old friend. From the bottom of my heart: thank you, Stephen, for being part of this journey.

💬 Introducing Nadine’s Indie Treasures a new chapter where Nadine de Macedo handpicks and spotlights exceptional artists. Subscribe to her Bandcamp to support her work, enjoy exclusive singles, and be part of her evolving story!

Quick Indie News

2 great souls discussing music and life together. Enjoy Ghost of Rucker interviewing Bärkər!

Blazfemur hits hard with their latest Meeting ov the Ourobouric Minds!

Nick Luddite - still in Facebook jail for no reasons, will share a brand new single, out on Friday 11th March, called Product of an Overstimulated Mind. Stay tuned the sneak preview I had was awesome!

If you'd like to introduce your latest release, just click here to submit all the details. I’d love to hear about it! 😇 Submit your track here.

Until Next Week: Spinning the wheel, together.

As we surf through timelines and tuneful portals, one truth keeps rising to the surface: real music leaves fingerprints. Whether it’s Taylor D conjuring courage in chords, or the warm crackle of a vinyl spinning under a dusty stylus, this week was all about anchoring ourselves in what truly resonates.

Thanks for being part of this journey, this weekly orbit of indie sound and story.

Until next week,
Stay weird, stay curious,

Love, Mitxoda

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