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The Three Albums Of ‘Little Mountain Shop’ Owner Natasha Neale

Janet

by Ken Tsui | Definitive Records asks interesting Vancouverites to reach deep inside their souls to pull out the three albums that anchor their musical tastes. Today we hear from Natasha Neale, the boundlessly energetic owner of Little Mountain Shop. Located on Main Street, the space hosts emerging entrepreneurs looking to pop-up and test out their unique business ideas. You can almost always find Natasha working behind the scenes at her computer with her headphones on. What might she be listening to?

Janet Jackson | Janet | LISTEN

“I was obsessed with Michael and Janet Jackson when I was younger. My first concert was the ‘Janet’ tour. Watching a strong women like Janet Jackson perform influenced me in the early ages on girl power, independence, and owning your sexuality. Her R&B style was smooth and set the tone for my teenage years in the 90s.”

Steve Aoki | Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles | LISTEN

“Ok, I know, you’re thinking, really? Steve Aoki? But hear me out. This album is not like the sound he is today. If you asked me to listen to the EDM that’s he’s producing currently, I wouldn’t be down. But back in 2008 when he released this debut mix album, the variety of artists he worked with on it encompassed so many genres of sounds (“The mix features tracks from Justice, Peaches, Datarock, MSTRKRFT, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and others, with guest vocal appearances from Santogold, Spank Rock, Uffie, Kid Sister, Pase Rock, Amanda Blank and Mickey Avalon”). Keep in mind, I was in full party mode in ’08, so dance music was key to good times and after parties. I also had a gym membership back in those days, so this album was perfect for amping me up for the treadmill.”

“Side Note: What made me think of Steve Aoki lately was I recently watched his documentary on Netflix, ‘I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.’ It was really nostalgic seeing his career growth in this film. Even if you don’t like his music, there’s no doubt how hard this guy works and how passionate he is about his music.”

Soulection | Soulection & Chill | LISTEN

“This isn’t an album per se, but more of a playlist of tracks chosen by a collective of artists. I honestly didn’t place much importance on music in my life until I discovered Soulection Radio three years ago, and they have been my go-to music source ever since. Morning, evening, shop tunes, walking the dog, anytime is a great time to listen to what they’ve discovered. To quote their bio, ‘With music as the foundation, Soulection exists to inspire a shift in passive consumption placing value on community, discovery, transparency, DIY growth and the artistry of music.’ They play ‘future beats, eclectic soul, forgotten gems, and timeless sounds,’ and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

ALL DEFINITIVE RECORDS

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From ‘The Hip’ to Hip Hop, Mike Jacobsen Names His Three ‘Definitive Records’

We take a short trip over to Salt Spring and head immediately to Cassette Cafe and Dive Bar - a former gas station where these days locals and visitors alike fuel up on food, drinks and a stellar playlist of tunes - to hear from its owner about the albums that 'define' him...