What do you listen to while you work? Ever since my college-radio and party-throwing days, I’ve had a pretty strong taste for dance and electronic music. Techno, House, Disco, etc. are in my ears on the regular. I’m always looking for something I haven’t heard yet, so as a result, these genres are usually what are playing while I work. As much as I enjoy the details and thoughtfulness that live in quality dance music, I think most people can appreciate what a steady beat and rhythm can bring to working long days or nights.

How do you listen? At home I have a pair of super affordable Dayton Audio bookshelf speakers powered by a Pyle mini amplifier. It’s a cheap-yet-quality sounding set up which requires minimal space. Because my office is also my living room, I wanted to avoid a very “computer speaker” look. Less office, more living. At work I have a pair of Audio Technica Onto over-ear headphones. Out and about I use Etymotic Research hf2 earbuds.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? I usually bounce between a few favorite blogs—soundcloud.com, YouTube, and recently, I’ve discovered an always-good-music newsletter called Qratr. I think it’s answering a frustration I’ve been experiencing for a while now: blog fatigue. It tracks some of my favorite blogs, picks the best stuff, and sends it to me in an email every other Thursday. One blog I can also always rely on is Simply Good Music (as its name says…). Some favorite labels are Ghostly International, Rush Hour, Clone, Mahogani Music, and Delusions of Grandeur. If you’re looking to buy vinyl, Halcyon in DUMBO and Dope Jams in Clinton Hill are the place to be.

Does music influence your work? I don’t think music plays an obvious influence in my professional work. I try to approach work based on the specific needs and requirements of the client. I can definitely say that my work with Ghostly International, an indie music label out of Ann Arbor, MI, is a result of musical influence. I always knew I wanted to work for/with/around musicians. An example of work I completed with them would be their Ghostly Discovery iPhone app. I designed the website and online experience for the application.

Who influences your musical taste? As I mentioned, there are a number of blogs and sources I look to for recommendations online. I also have a great group of friends with fantastic taste and resources of their own. I enjoy spinning records at home with a good friend who always introduces me to something I haven’t heard before, and it’s always fun trying to mix back and forth with unfamiliar and often times very different genres of music. I also try to get to the occasional loft or warehouse party. Mr. Saturday Night is a solid party with good people and great tunes.

What song or artist best represents the work you create? Ha. I’m really not sure—my work is typically very utility driven. I design to help people discover and obtain information or enjoy content. I’m not sure how that type of work translates to music. I would definitely be interested in any ideas other might have on that subject!

JONATHAN’S PLAYLIST

What Do You Do?, Fudge Fingas

Let The Music Play, Virgo Four

Sir John (Mark E Remix), White Elephant

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (Stallions Remix), Round & Round

Unchain My Heart, Maria Minerva

Gliese 581g, Genius of Time

Love Papers, Toby Tobias

Marriage (Star Slinger Remix), Gold Panda

Time Spike Jamz, Lapalux

Falling (Dark Sky Remix), Ben Westbeech

Images courtesy Jonathan Rahmani