The perfect panacea for a bad mood or stress-filled day? Music, and no one delivers a soothing antidote quite like the folks at the L.A.-based Reverberation Radio, a compilation of weekly curated mixes by a circle of industry vets. Every playlist is an instant ticket to paradise — groovy, wanderlust-laden tunes that evoke a sun-kissed surf life, featuring little-known or underground artists to amp up your insider music IQ. Even the accompanying artwork the group chooses for the mixes is spot on — just check out the evidence above and on its coolly inspirational Instagram. Here, we chat with one of the contributors, Wesley Herron, about the project.
The Reverberation Radio backstory…
Reverb began originally as a radio show in Los Angeles on KXLU. Live interviews, performances and guest appearances… quite possibly a more three dimensional and enjoyable experience for listeners than it is today. After a good run, the show was cancelled for administrative reasons and a couple of broken rules. Our family grew and we continued to share songs and media. It was a very fun time as we were spread out across the country emailing each other surf films, comedy skits, prank calls, artwork and photos. Unintentionally, we were creating the culture of what Reverb has become. At some point a couple of us had decided we should sort of create a time capsule of sorts and an easier way to share this content with other friends, which is the format you see today.
And the inspiration behind the name…
Most likely chosen for its generalness. I think it was a modest nod to the 13th Floor Elevators tune — that and Kearth was already taken.
Our musical vibe…
In the beginning, I think we leaned towards lesser known singles, things we felt were hard to find or hear at your local music shop. We were avid record collectors and I think when these reissues and compilations started pressing songs that we had found so impossible to find, we all turned to searching for different sounds. Playlist contributors really started to find their own sound and style, which has broadened this project in a very enjoyable way.
And these playlist contributors are…
Right now there are nine of us here in Los Angeles and one amigo in New York.
And how the playlists are created…
Each week features a different contributor’s mix. Personally, I start with a song, usually one that I am turned on to by a friend or recent trip. I build around that hero track by adding some old favorites and other sound bites or voice overs that I feel complement the mood. It’s the same process we did growing up recording radio snippets and stories onto cassette tapes and sharing them with friends at school. The most rewarding part is sending a finished mix back to a friend that turned you onto a particular song and letting them listen to where it took you.
Favorite playlist I’ve done on Reverberation Radio…
I like number 226 because I was able to enter some sound bites and voice overs from a trip I had taken.
The influence of L.A. on the Reverberation Radio sound…
We all grew up here in Los Angeles. I would say it has been the largest influence. We try and utilize the geography here to its fullest extent and with that comes long drives (traffic) giving plenty of time to explore music.
Music I’m loving right now…
I’ve still been on a Balearic kick. Also listening to a lot of exotica pop from Japan.
Most underrated band…
TOPS from Montreal — they’re very good live.
About my own personal record collection…
I inherited my parents record collection in junior high and have been avidly collecting ever since. There have been highs and lows as the interest in vinyl continues to grow — it makes certain things worth less and others worth a lot more. Favorites around the house have always been long players without a lot of fill, like California’s Bobby Brown Live.