What do you listen to while you work?
I like to switch it up depending on what’s going on in my day. If I’m in regular work mode without any crazy deadlines, I mostly keep it in the indie rock/pop genre with a slight lean towards beachy/summer vibes. If things are getting busy and I need to crank for some tight deadlines, then I’ll put on some hardcore or metal to get me going.

How do you listen?
I use Bose desktop speakers for my home office. When I’m on the road I use Bose noise-cancelling headphones, which are great for planes, hotels, coffee shops, etc.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I use iTunes mostly.

Does music influence your work?
Music is definitely a huge influence on my life, but I’m not sure it shows in my work visually. I got an advanced copy of “Phantom Pop” from my buddy’s band Wild Party and listened to it through most of my work on “A Better World Report” for Herman Miller (below). There might be a correlation there somewhere.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I mostly get recommendations from friends, or a few blogs like Pitchfork, Gorilla vs Bear, and I Guess I’m Floating. I also like YouTube for rediscovering old favorites.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Weezer during the “Blue Album” era. Perfect blend of catchy hooks and powerful guitars.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is in the Eames Aluminum Group Lounge Chair Outdoor (white base/frame and cool white Outdoor Weave fabric) on a deck overlooking the beach. It’s all about leaving the work world behind and getting some nice relaxation time in the sun.

What is your experience with Herman Miller?
I use the Eames Aluminum Management Group chair at home and love it. It’s great for long hours working and looks amazing as well. I also have the Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair with Wood Dowel Base for our second desk. I still want the classic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman but that’ll have to wait till we actually have room in our apartment.

Brent’s Playlist:
1. Surf Wax America, Weezer
2. Night Swim, Frankie Rose
3. Suki and Me, Alex Calder
4. Killin The Vibe, Ducktails
5. À tout à l’heure, Bibio
6. Top Bunk, Gauntlet Hair
7. I’m Not Ready, Surfer Blood
8. Atiba Song, Panda Bear
9. The Town, Little Racer
10. Teeth Grinder, Mike Krol

Photos: Brent Couchman

What do you listen to while you work?
I enjoy a variety of indie rock, pop, and folk music with the livelier songs to kick off the day, and the more mellow, down-tempo tunes to help round out the session. Like the products in the shop, I enjoy an eclectic mix of songs that make the space fun and inviting.

How do you listen?
I stream music from my MacBook to a Jawbone Jambox Speaker tucked behind the counter.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
There are so many great sources, but I generally use Rdio and my personal iTunes library.

Does music influence your work?
Definitely. I am constantly looking for newness and uniqueness in both the products I source and the music I enjoy. Whether I am on a trip to Guatemala to find new products or merchandising the shop, I always have some tunes to motivate and inspire.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
My friend who writes concerts reviews for a living is always a great source for recommendations and I always ask who is playing at whatever location when I am out shopping around town. Rdio is also a great source since it allows me discover new music while keeping a consistent genre going.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
That’s a tough one. I actually listen to so many genres of music (even though I mainly play indie at the shop) that it is difficult to say. If I had to pick one example though, I would say BECK. He seems to reinvent himself with every album, and even in doing so, I can honestly say that every album is great. Like Beck, my shop is ever changing and evolving and I hope my customers can enjoy each iteration just as much as the last.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
It would have to be the Eames Molded Plastic Armchair with Wood Dowel Base, in Maple with the Aqua Sky seat. This seat is not only a comfortable spot to sit and enjoy tunes but reflects the whole feel of the shop — combining the natural with the man-made, employing an unexpected pop of color, and showcasing great function and design from every angle.

What is your experience with Herman Miller?
I have always admired Herman Miller for being a leader in innovation and design. I am so bummed that I had to relinquish my Aeron Chair when I left my old job to open my shop. As soon as I can get my home office set up, I will be investing in an Aeron for myself!

Katie’s Playlist:

1. Take a Walk, Passion Pit
2. While I’m Alive, STRFKR
3. My Coco, Stellastarr*
4. Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men
5. This Charming Man, The Smiths
6. One More Time, French Kicks
7. Do You Know Who You Are?, Golden Shoulders
8. Marsha, Scissors for Lefty
9. New Ceremony, Dry the River
10. When I Go, Slow Club
11. Wire, Alessi’s Ark
12. The Past and Pending, The Shins

Photos: Mike Gaertner

What do you listen to while you work?
For working, I typically like that type of music that you want to listen to super late at night, as the sun’s coming up. Very layered, atmospheric music, with lots of build-ups and distortions. I tend to do a lot of my work during that time as well. The night gives you a certain sense of freedom, and by the time the sun’s coming up, I’m usually wrapping up a project. It always feels like this big epic thing, and you’re a little excited and a little delirious.

How do you listen?
Almost always it’s headphones. It helps me keep focused. I try not to have them on too much when the sun’s out, though. It’s nice to hear what’s going on in the outside world.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I mostly just use Rdio and YouTube. I have XM for the car and they have a couple of great stations as well.

Does music influence your work?
The best example is probably when I got to work on a record cover (with Liz Meyer) for Nice Nice of Warp Records. We worked with the band for over a year, and they were constantly sharing tons of music/videos/art. Eventually we came up with the art for the first 7″ to be released. It’s amazing that it took so long to come up with such a simple design, but I think it fits their music really well and it’s one of my favorite pieces looking back.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I’m subscribed to Rdio, so I’ll check out new releases and friend’s recommendations. Sometimes I’ll venture onto YouTube and see where it takes me.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
It’s a really tough question because I think it changes so much. I like to try to always be evolving and adapting. Joy Division was kind of that first band I was listening to when I was really getting into design, so it’s fun to sometimes come back to that early-on mindset.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
I think an Eames Aluminum Group Lounge Chair Outdoor sounds right. It’s almost summer and we should all probably be outside right now enjoying the weather on a lawn or backyard. A breezeway works if it’s raining. I wanted this playlist to work as a slight intro to summer.

Gavin’s Playlist:
1. Eraser, No Age
2. Slush Puppy, Beaty Heart
3. Hiding, My Friend Wallis
4. (two circles), The Boredoms
5. Amplified Ease, Darkstar
6. Be Above It, Tame Impala
7. A Vibration, Nice Nice
8. Still Left With Me, Craft Spells
9. Bro’s, Panda Bear
10. Losing Feeling, No Age
11. Great Release, LCD Soundsystem

Photos: Gavin Potenza

Song: This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Talking Heads
From the Playlist of: Artist April Wagner

Song: Fly Me To the Moon, Frank Sinatra
From the Playlist of: Designer Eduardo Alessi

Song: Nancy From Now On, Father John Misty
From the Playlist of: Hum Creative

Song: Escape in the Afternoon, French Films
From the Playlist of: Evernote’s Jeff Zwerner

Song: The Wanderer, Johnny Cash
From the Playlist of: Graphic designer Christopher Dina

Song: Shuffle, Bombay Bicycle Club
From the Playlist of: Designer J. Zachary Keenan

Song: Parallel Flights, Ryan Francesconi
From the Playlist of: Sea Chant’s Andrew & Carissa Gallo

Song: Temple of Unfed Fire, Pepe Deluxe
From the Playlist of: Artist Thedor Erkamps

Song: Care of Cell 44, The Zombies
From the Playlist of: Design Colleen Hill

Song: Summer Wind, Madeleine Peyroux
From the Playlist of: Architect and designer Max Gunawan

Song: Vision One, Röyksopp
From the Playlist of: Architect Amélie-Phaine Keller

Song: What’s On Your Mind, Tony Cook feat. Dam-Funk
From the Playlist of: Illustrator Grace Danico

What do you listen to while you work?
The usual suspects on rotation are pop, electronica, hip-hop, two-step/garage, Italo disco, dub, and occasionally, classical music.

How do you listen?
Headphones and studio monitors.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
There are so many, and it’s impossible to list all our favorite ones. The ones that immediately come to mind are: The Life Aquatic, Diamond Atlas, Gorilla vs Bear, Earmilk, The Hype Machine, lyfstyl music blog, Marinate Media, Neon Tape Deck, Hypebeast, High Snobiety, Hearing Gold, Assembly Line Collective, and disco naïveté.

Does music influence your work?
It absolutely does! We also run a boutique record label called Nueva Forma, and Colorcubic handles all of the creative aspects of our artists’ music, from branding to album art to 3D animation/motion graphics. We also organize an annual audiovisual event called Kontrast, which combines our love of bringing communities together with good music and visuals.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Usually by random discovery during late-night YouTube/SoundCloud/music blog trolling and recommendations from friends.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Michael: Boards of Canada
Christy: Grimes

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is the Eames Chaise on a graphite satin frame in black leather. Music is therapy, and when we listen to this mix, we envision a comfortable chair to lie on. A chaise made the most sense!

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your office?
In our studio, we use Herman Miller Celle Chairs. We like that they’re 98% recyclable, highly adjustable, and nice looking. They’re great chairs, and we’ve had them for about five years now.

Colorcubic’s Playlist:
1. L.O.V.E., Onra
2. Hawaii (Niva Remix), Blackbird Blackbird
3. Turbulence (), Loveskills
4. Orbit, Teengirl Fantasy
5. What Can I Do (Com Truise Remix), Sally Shapiro
6. The Truest Faith (CFCF Remix), Korallreven
7. Bad Girls, Blood Orange
8. Nazca, NZCA/LINES
9. Dying in Africa, Nicolas Mackelberge
10. Summer Nightrunner, A Gap Between
11. Everything is Working, Games
12. My Fire Burns the Same, The Bear and The Sea

Photos: Colorcubic

What do you listen to while you work?
Recently, I have realized I work best with music that is nearly instrumental but with a slight peppering of vocals which do not take center stage.

I like that it doesn’t demand my attention, which is ideal for concentration. Also it follows the approach to my own work. Most of my work is wrapped around a subtle narrative which is sort of abstract, and I liken that to vocals which are abstract but still add to the song.

How do you listen?
I use Spotify on my iMac while I work. I have music playing from the moment I start to the moment I finish. It’s very integral to the work.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I like Pitchfork and Stereogum. There is a lot I don’t like about those sites, but they are good for finding new music. Soundcloud is really awesome, and I use Spotify all the time.

Does music influence your work?
Majorly. I couldn’t over-exaggerate this if I tried. Three or four years ago I started to dig a littler deeper into my personal work.

Music is probably the art form that moves me the most. I started keeping track of music that I deeply responded to, and I created a little playlist that I call “Soundtrack to My Work.” Then I would try to approach creating visual work that felt the same way as this music. All of my NOD project and most all of my personal work in the past three years has been made this way.

A lot of this music is vocally abstract and sort of whimsical with a twist of melancholy, and I think you can see that in the work.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I have been doing a lot of music-focused editorial illustration for the fashion company Aritzia. They have introduced me to some fantastic new music lately. I look through my favorite new bands related artists on Spotify too. I would say that if my peers on Twitter bring up a band a few times, I’ll usually go check it out.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
If my work was a song, I would want it to be this little one minute piano piece called “Row” that Jon Brion made for the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s so beautiful. I can listen to it on repeat. I think it feels exactly like the work I try to create, sad but hopeful, childlike but sophisticated.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is sitting in an Eames Lounge Chair oiled santos palisander veneer and black MCL leather. This playlist is for nighttime, hence the dark-colored chair. Preferably listened to in a warm climate, windows down, alone, leaning back, relaxed, and lost in the music.

Andy’s Playlist:
1. Row, Jon Brion
2. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto
3. Rain Smell, Baths
4. Garden 1, Teen Daze
5. Undo, The 1975
6. The Great Estates, Freelance Whales
7. Cleam, Mister Lies
8. Want U 2 Know, Different Sleep
9. Accordian, Madvillain
10. Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst, Kendrick Lamar

Photos: Andy J. Miller

What do you listen to while you work?
In the morning we usually listen to something mellow and ambient since that’s when we do a lot of our emailing. In the afternoon, we usually put on something with a little more kick, and if it’s going to be an all-nighter then 80′s music is the go to.

How do you listen?
We usually listen to music throughout the day on our Sonos and we each take turns putting on different music. If one of us really needs to focus or our cat won’t stop nagging for food, we throw on some Bose noise-cancelling headphones.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
iTunes and KEXP.

Does music influence your work?
We recently illustrated some idyllic forest scenes for a children’s hospital and we listened a lot to Beethoven’s Symphony No.6 while creating them. That music really invoked the feeling that we wanted to portray and helped us get into the right mental space while we were creating the various scenes.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
KEXP in Seattle is probably our favorite source for new music.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Ha! This is a tricky one. We honestly have no idea, but it’d be pretty sweet if it could be “Linus and Lucy” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is the Eames Molded Plywood Chair in walnut.

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your studio, home office (or anywhere else in your home)?
We have several Herman Miller pieces in both our home and office, and while they’re all fantastic, we’d say our favorite is the Eames Aluminum Management Chair. When you’re sitting all day long, it’s really important to have a chair that’s comfortable and supports your back for long hours. And it doesn’t look too shabby either.

Sarah & Ryan’s Playlist:
1. You Send Me, Sam Cooke
2. Heaven or Las Vegas, Cocteau Twins
3. Rebel Girl, Bikini Kill
4. When Doves Cry, Prince
5. Gimme Little Sign, Brenton Wood
6. When Harpo Played His Harp, Modern Lovers
7. Fire Alarm, The Fresh and Onlys
8. Hey, Pixies
9. Daylight Sky, Frankie Rose
10. Vapour Trail, Ride
11. My Prayer, Roy Orbison
12.  My Favorite Things, Tony Bennett

Photos: Lab Partners

What do you listen to while you work?
It really depends on what I’m doing. If it doesn’t require heavy thinking, I usually like to catch up on podcasts, mostly from NPR. If it is somewhat design oriented, I tend to prefer down-tempo electronica or classical music.

How do you listen?
Depends on where I’m at. If it is in the office, I usually listen with headphones either plugged into my computer or iPod. I use a Bluetooth wireless headset so I don’t worry about accidentally yanking out my earbuds when I get up or move around.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I have several Pandora stations and I’ve been meaning to check out Grooveshark.

Does music influence your work?
Not at this point in my design career, but it does help me slow down and pay attention. For songs that I’ve listened to over and over, there have been several occasions where I’ve noticed a particular sound, beat, or rhythm that I didn’t notice before and I try to carry over that awareness to my design process.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Pandora or the iOS App Shazam if I’m out in public and hear something I really like.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
I am just beginning my career in design, so I don’t have a body of work to represent. But I wouldn’t be able to narrow it down to one song or artist, it would depend on the type of space. For example, if it were personal space, like a home or private office, I’d like it to be calming, minimalistic, and relaxed, something like “In the Waiting Line” by Zero 7. If it were a public or social space, it would be something much faster and more upbeat.

The ideal place to sit and listen to this playlist is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman if you’re relaxing at home or the Aeron Chair if you’re listening at work. I’ve had an Aeron in my home office for almost a decade now. I got it because it was the perfect balance between form and function.

Ray’s Playlist:
1. Viejo Abasto, G-Spliff
2. Gotta Be Love, Joey Youngman
3. Arrabal, Gotan Project
4. Dunk, Noiseshaper
5. Mi Swing Es Tropical, Quantic & Nickodemus
6. Reality Check, Stigmato Inc.
7. Get Enough, Telemark
8. Transcendence, Thievery Corporation
9. Intro, The XX
10. A Little Soul, Pete Rock
11. Yachts, A Man Called Adam

Photos and renderings: Ray Tam

What do you listen to while you work?
In the office we have a bit of a music ritual. Early mornings tend to be fairly mellow, picked by whoever comes in first. Then, at 10am we tune in via iTunes radio to the KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic radio show. That lasts until 1pm and we usually go the duration — unless the guest in the last hour is driving us crazy. At 1pm we go into a rotation and we usually get a bit loud from 1 – 3pm while we’re trying to get a bunch of shipping done before the UPS pickup.

How do you listen?
We listen through iTunes via Airplay, connected to a fairly vintage thrift store find Yamaha receiver, connected to some old, but very nice Infinity speakers. It’s a handy system because we can all connect via iTunes or Spotify, etc. When I really need to focus and get a lot done, I’ve got a pair of Aiaiai TMA-1 headphones I’ll put on to shut out distractions.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
“Favorite” might be a stretch, but we do listen to Spotify in the afternoons a fair amount.  And naturally, we keep an eye on Pitchfork and the usual locations.

Does music influence your work?
I tend to think music influences everything but it’s often in a behind-the-scenes way. More directly, I know that if we have a lot of shipping to do, some A Place to Bury Strangers might be just what we need to make it go fast.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Most of our new music is introduced via a collection of friends around the country on a small music email list. Usually once a week someone on the list sends out a new band for us to check out. It’s a mix of folk, so we end up with rap to sad-sack music and everything in between.

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your studio, home, or office?
In my house I’ve got a Nelson Platform Bench and an Aluminum Group Lounge Chair. My daughter usually capitalizes the lounger (“it spins well!”) but my longtime favorite is the bench. Simple, clean, classic. [My partner] Jedd has a few more pieces at his place, he has an Eames Lounge Chair in leather — and I’m not convinced he ever sits anywhere else. His dog, Pinto, is usually found on the Ottoman. He has an Aluminum Group Lounge Chair as well — he found both his and mine at a local vintage shop.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is on a black leather Eames Chaise. It starts off slow so you can relax a bit, and then about the time you doze off it picks up — at which point, no more sitting. That means it’s time to get up and move. 

Mark’s Playlist:
1. Life’s a Beach, Django Django
2. One More Time, Psychic Ills
3. Don’t You Forget It, Allah-Las
4. Love Vigilantes, New Order
5. Let the Day Begin, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (“The original by The Call (his dad) was great, too.”)
6. Borrowed Time, Parquet Courts
7. Build, Destroy, Rebuild, Hanni El Khatib
8. Electric, The Men
9. Anxiety’s Door, Merchandise
10. You Are the One, A Place to Bury Strangers

Mark adds:
This list represents what we’re listening to now with a few throwbacks that seem to pop up in rotation. It’ll likely be different in a few months.

Photos: Mark Hansen

What do you listen to while you work?
I usually work to music that pairs well with whatever project is at hand. Could be rock, classical, reggae, hip-hop, or anything else. I’m all over the place with my musical likes and don’t really have too many dislikes, so letting the project dictate the playlist works well for me.

How do you listen?
I’ve had a set of JBL Creature Speakers forever and they’re still getting the job done, plugged directly into my iMac.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Not really. I buy most everything from the iTunes store.

Does music influence your work?
I’m not sure I could highlight a clear-cut example, but the influence is huge. Being a designer is about finding and articulating somebody else’s voice, so picking “project-appropriate music” really helps me get in the right mindset for whatever I’m working on. It’s sort of like method acting, with music establishing a vibe that lets you further immerse yourself in the character you’re playing.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Pitchfork is my go-to for new music, music news, reviews, etc., and my friends have a big influence as well. I’ve also been known to Shazam the heck out of places when I hear something new that I think I might like.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Geez, I have absolutely no idea. I listen to a ton of Bob Marley & The Wailers, so I guess I’ll go with that. Their music represents a lot of different things to me — places I’ve been, people I’ve known, and experiences I’ve had. Structurally, the songs are often incredibly sparse and tight, yet full of life and personality, which I would say is what I strive for in my design work. Do as much as you can with as little as you can. Drawing that parallel is probably a bit over-analytical, but I’ll stick with it.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
Obviously I’m going with the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in walnut and black leather. Unique and timeless. That thing is brilliant. My uncle had one and it made an impression on me as a kid, long before I knew anything about design or Charles and Ray Eames. I remember hopping up into it and thinking “whoa, this thing is out-of-control cool.”

Jay’s Playlist:
1. San Francisco, Foxygen
2. Space Invaders, Playback
3. Time to Run, Lord Huron
4. Lost, Frank Ocean
5. Five Seconds, Twin Shadow
6. 17, Youth Lagoon
7. Everybody Knows, Vacationer
8. A Country’s King of Dreams, Caveman
9. Jamie Marie, Girls
10. Warm Heart of Africa, The Very Best

Find more from Jay on Dribbble and Twitter.

Photos: Jay Fletcher

What do you listen to while you work?
We listen to various kinds of music, from the electronic genre all the way to Japanese pop music. At times, the distant sound of construction work sounds rhythmic. Strange but true.

How do you listen?
We play music through our laptops, and sometimes from the record player. Everyone in the studio listens to the same music. We take turns playing from each other’s playlist. We seldom use earphones, as we communicate a lot while working.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
We have a few decent music shops in Singapore where we get CDs and vinyl. One of them is called “Gramophone.”

Does music influence your work?
The different music we play sets the mood and pace when we work. It’s like a theme song playing in the background for the task you are performing at that moment.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
It’s always in the air. You are [out] somewhere, you hear a nice tune and the next moment you try find out more about it.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
“Ponyo on the Cliff By the Sea.” I think the film created by Hayao Miyazaki represents the spirit of our work. The film is reflected in the theme song as well.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist: The Eames Sofa in black leather.

Studio Juju’s Playlist:
1. All I Need, Radiohead
2. Ellie My Love, Southern All Star
3. Secret Heart, Feist
4. Finch, The Observatory
5. I Love You, Yutaka Ozaki
6. Be Joy, Guitar
7. 15 Step, Radiohead
8. Drifting In and Out, Porcelain Raft
9. Lotus Flower, Radiohead
10. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto
11. Wine-Red no Kokoro, Anzen Chitai
12. くるみ (Kurumi), Mr Children

Photos: Rebecca Toh

What do you listen to while you work?
I have a pretty broad taste, but when I really need to bury myself into a project, I usually have something electronic or ambient playing. It helps keep me focused.

How do you listen?
I have the studio to myself all day, so I pretty much just blare the computer speakers.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Designers.MX, Pandora, Spotify, Daytrotter, and Audiotree are some of my favorites.

Does music influence your work?
It sure does. When designing anything tech related, I listen to a lot of Kraftwerk and Underworld. One example is the playing cards I did for Bicycle [above]. I also do a lot of illustrations based off of Morrissey lyrics. A lot of great things to work with there.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
My friends are constantly sending me songs on Spotify. Other than that, I usually find new artists on Daytrotter or Audiotree.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
I would have to say Bruce Springsteen. I have been a really big fan for some time now. I love the stories he tells with his songs and I try to do the same with my design and illustrations.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is: the Goetz Sofa in Walnut Veneer, Neon Messenger Fabric, and a Night Crush Fabric for the accent. (My favorite piece has always been the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. I shall own one someday.)

Luke’s Playlist:
1. One Million Lovers, The Growlers
2. The Sky is Black, Window Twins
3. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Santa Esmeralda
4. Well I Wonder, The Smiths
5. Wrecking Ball, Emmylou Harris
6. Midnight Confessions, The Grass Roots
7. How Long, Ace
8. Born to Be Wild, Steppenwolf
9. In Dreams, Roy Orbison
10. The Partisan, Leonard Cohen
11. Solitary Man, Neil Diamond
12. City of Night, Bruce Springsteen

Photos: Luke Bott

Song: Dear One, Pisces
Added by: One by Four Studio

Song: Let It Flow Again, Scha Dara Paa
Added by: Designer Akira Yoshimura

Song: Tighten Up, The Black Keys
Added by: Designer Iris Brown

Song: Again and Again, The Bird and the Bee
Added by: Designer Bettina Nissen

Song: Would That Not Be Nice, Divine Fits
Added by: Designer Matthew Plumstead

Song: The Trapeze Swinger, Iron and Wine
Added by: Studio Gorm

Song: Nothing Can Come Between Us, Sade
Added by: Architect Kathy Dixon

Song: King of Anything, Sara Bareilles
Added by: Rebecca Baust of the Daily Muse

Song: Nasty Tasty, Luminescent Orchestri
Added by: Designers Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler

Song: Vous Et Moi, Django Reinhardt
Added by: Artist and designer Jason Keenan

Song: Holocene, Bon Iver
Added by: Writer Mindy Koschmann

Song: Ethnik, Plastikman
Added by: Artist April Wagner

Photo: Jason Keenan

What do you listen to while you work?
I listen to a lot of things, ranging from mixes, podcasts, and bits and bobs that I find, as well as selections from my vinyl collection. It all depends on how I’m feeling and what type of energy I need to get through my work. I’m a huge fan of soul, jazz, R&B, and funk. I’m currently on a boogie and modern funk kick, and enjoy listening to artlists like Dam-Funk, Onra, Steve Arrington, and Nite Jewel.

How do you listen?
I share a studio with Gavin Potenza, Liz Meyer, and Dan Cassaro. Usually when we’re all around, I listen to music through headphones, either on my computer or iPhone. When I’ve got the space to myself, I listen to playlists I’ve compiled on YouTube through our projection/stereo system setup. When I’m at home, I listen to records on my portable turntable in my room, or through our stereo setup in the living room.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Some of my favorite sites for music are Dublab, Music is My Sanctuary, XLR8R, Wax Poetics, and Boiler Room. I also like visiting my favorite labels — Stones Throw, PPU (People’s Potential Unlimited), Brainfeeder, and Numero Group. YouTube’s also an awesome source for weird and rare stuff. You’d be surprised how much great music I’ve found there simply by clicking on related videos. Honestly though, I think the best way to find music is digging for records. It’s one of my favorite things to do…sometimes you just have to scratch that itch.

Does music influence your work?
I am totally my music, and my work is a direct reflection of that. I tend to gravitate towards upbeat music, and my work feels that way through color and content.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I find music recommendations through artists I follow on Soundcloud, magazines like Wax Poetics, and, of course, through friends. My friends have varied music tastes, so each one offers a different perspective. One friend recently sent me a video of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers live at the 8th festival of International Jazz in Sanremo, Italy on March 23, 1963. It’s almost an hour of hard bop live! I highly recommend watching it.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
If my work was a song, it would be Stevie Wonder’s “Outside My Window” from Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. It’s cheerful, expresses a lot of joy, and is about one’s unconditional love and bond with plants. A lot of my work thematically deals with nature, the cycle of life, balance, and the complexity of human emotions.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
On a Goetz Sofa in Walnut Veneer, Hydrangea Messenger fabric, and a neon accent color. It’s big enough to listen to my playlist with friends and have a dance party, or just daydream and lounge in solitude.

Grace’s Playlist:
1. What’s On Your Mind, Tony Cook feat. Dam-Funk
2. Sexopolis, Jean-Pierre Mirouze
3. If It Ain’t One Thing, It’s Another, Richard “Dimples” Fields (1975 version)
4. Love Is Strange, Peaches & Herb
5. Still Waters, Jerry Jones
6. Talking About My Baby, John Heartsman & The Circles
7. Superwoman/Where Were You Last Winter, Yesterday’s New Quintet
8. Only My Love Is True, Foster Sylvers
9. Places and Spaces, Donald Byrd
10. By the Time I Get to Phoenix, The Escorts
11. Daahoud, Clifford Brown
12. Prince of Peace, Pharoah Sanders
13. Every Time We Say Goodbye, John Coltrane

Photos: Grace Danico

What do you listen to while you work?
I listen to a wide variety of music because as I go throughout the day I need different sorts of sounds to organize my mind around. Usually it will be more ethereal or classically inspired types of music — Doves, Andrew Bird. But if I need something energizing, I mix that in as well — Röyksopp, Delta Spirit.

How do you listen?
I usually listen on my Bose headphones because that keeps all of the outside noise from coming in to disturb my thinking. Sometimes, depending on what problem I’m solving though, I need to move around while I’m thinking. In that case I have Harman Kardon SoundSticks speakers which fill up my small San Francisco space very well. I have tendencies in my listening habits but I try not to stick to anything rigidly in any of my creative life.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
For discovering music Hype Machine is definitely my go-to site. It’s easy to find music that I like and discover new musicians. There’s also usually a plethora of free, linked music to get through there.

If I don’t want to do any active DJ-ing I will likely wind up on Pandora because it’s really good at following my instructions when I tell it about the type of songs that I do or don’t want on a station.

Does music influence your work?
Music absolutely influences my work. It’s not necessarily visible but it helps me to hold together a continuum of my thoughts as I try to digest design problems or develop ideas. If there is a design that I’m working on with a certain visual quality to it, though, I might try to match the musical style to that so that my mind can more easily get into the groove of thinking about that aesthetic and feeling. It also enables me to work better by putting a backdrop to the day so that I don’t become distracted by irrelevant problems or tasks.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I mentioned Hype Machine earlier, so that’s one major place that I find recommendations. There are lots of different venues for following rabbit trails of new tunes. Just start reading music blogs and you’ll find tons of new stuff. I also do a periodic survey of my friends to see who’s found new music that they think is particularly wonderful.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
My style and way of working varies, but whatever the project, Rufus Wainwright is always a fantastic match. His work is very grand, based in classical composition, but is modern in its execution and has a lot of variety. He shies away from getting trapped into one style of expression, allowing experiences and new knowledge to influence his pieces over time. I subscribe to the belief that a designer should not cultivate their own sense of aesthetics exclusively. Rather, they should respond to the client or design challenges at hand in a way that is tailored to that specific situation, much as a set designer creates space that responds to and enhances the interactions of characters. In this way I think that my personal methods as well as my outcome are represented well by Mr. Wainwright’s own.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman and the Mirra Chair.

I really think this pair of seats would be best, because I don’t like to stick to one thing long enough to get stuck in a groove or to know what to expect next. My playlist goes back and forth between dreamy, free-thinking music and more beat-driven, work-motivating tunes. So between these two seats, both the conceptual idea phase and the design execution phases are accommodated.

Amelie’s Playlist:
1. The Man Who Told Everything, Doves
2. Le Long De La Rivière Tendre, Sébastien Tellier
3. Caravan, Husky Rescue
4. 1969, Boards of Canada
5. Fingers, The Seatbelts
6. Mer du Japon, Air
7. You Hear Colours, Cfcf
8. Special, Mew
9. Vision One, Röyksopp
10. 14th Street, Rufus Wainwright*
11. The Old Days, Dr. Dog*

*Two artists Amélie “could listen to endlessly.”

Photos: Amélie-Phaine Keller

What do you listen to while you work?
NPR or Joao Gilberto. Never get bored of his music no matter how much I listen to it.

How do you listen?
I stream music from my laptop to wireless speakers in my home/office.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
iTunes is my go-to source to purchase music.

Does music influence your work?
Absolutely, it can very inspiring! I stumbled upon this phenom violinist named Amadeus Leopold (formerly Hahn Binh) one day and I was so blown away by his talent. I was feeling lazy that day, but it ended up to be a productive day creatively just by listening (and watching) him play.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I love old classics like Gilberto and Ella so I tend to stick with what I have and cycle through them. Once in a while I will search for contemporary artists that I like (like Pink Martini, Diana Krall and Madeleine Peyroux) and see if they’ve come up with a new album. It’s not a person, but a place… Paris. I fell in love listening to Ella when I was studying there. (Am I sounding like a cliche?)

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Hands down Pink Martini (for their sheer eclecticism and style) and Amadeus Leopold (for making me want to take the risk and be bold in what I do).

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair in Red Aniline Stained Birch Veneer. It’s bold yet subtle, refined, and comfortable to sit in. Just the way I like my music.

Max’s Playlist:
1. Summer Wind, Madeleine Peyroux
2. A Correnteza, Lisa Ono
3. Just in Time, Nina Simone
4. Desafinado, Joao Gilberto
5. The Stars of Track and Field, Belle & Sebastian
6. Amado Mio, Pink Martini
7. Lullaby of Birdland, Sarah Vaughn
8. Falling Slowly, Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
9. Body and Soul, Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
10. Maybe You’ll Be There, Diana Krall

Photos: Max Gunawan

What do you listen to while you work?
I usually listen to a pretty eclectic range of music styles and my interests are constantly shifting. In recent years, I find myself listening to mostly electronic, ambient, experimental, world, ethnic, jazz, and classical.

How do you listen?
In my art studio, I use a vintage Technics SA-800 “old school” monster receiver driving a vintage pair of Yamaha NS-690 speakers. I love the warmth of the sound that vintage stereo equipment produces. I also play music, so my setup doubles as a recording studio.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
CKUA Radio Network, university radio station CJSW, CBC radio, Last.fm, iTunes, and the Discovr music app.

Does music influence your work?
I think it does — most likely not knowingly — but I do think it plays a role in my creative process by affecting my overall mood and energy. When I discover new talent, I’m particularly motivated and it does translate to my work indirectly.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
The radio stations I tune into definitely contribute to discovering new music. When I listen to foreign language stations, I will use Shazam to determine the artist. Additionally I use the app “Discovr Music” on my iPhone and iPad. Last.fm is also a fantastic resource for finding artists who are similar to the ones I already like.

My friends, artists, and events in my life influence my musical taste. I’m consistently on the hunt to discover new, exciting, and interesting music. I tend to gravitate towards the more obscure and “as of yet” undiscovered talent, so I’m very open to suggestions.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
My work is best defined by the “electronic” and “experimental” music genre (as a whole) rather than a single song or musician(s). With my art work, I experiment a lot with textures, shapes, colors, and especially randomness and therefore I find that my artistic process is most similar to experimental electronic music.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
A comfortable and nicely balanced space that you feel most connected to. This playlist is an aural journey, so to speak, and comfort is key. Sitting in the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Oiled Santos Palisander and Black Leather) is an exact balance between being asleep and being awake — a perfect place for music listening and to give that music you’re about to listen to — and yourself — the comfort and attention it fully deserves.

Thedor’s Playlist:
1. Khanamoot, Loscil
2. Fahrenheit (Unreleased Long Edit), Asura
3. Temple of Unfed Fire, Pepe Deluxe
4. Beacon, Liquid Stranger
5. Ciudad de Las Ideas, Vicente Amigo
6. Jobim: Chega de Saudade, Rosa Passos
7. Fear and Trembling, Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau
8. Assalam Felawan (Peace to You), Bombino
9. Colours & Patterns, Entheogenic Sound Explorers
10. Sheets, Promise and the Monster
11. Criminals, The Tallest Man on Earth
12. Mountain Wind, Mamer

Photos: Thedor Erkamps

What do you listen to while you work?
I usually listen to old favorites. A lot of Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Jose Gonzalez.

How do you listen?
If I’m at my drafting table cutting a map, I often listen to my iPod with headphones. It allows me to concentrate a bit more. If I’m writing emails or packaging orders, I listen to music on my MacBook.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I sometimes listen to LastFM.com.

Does music influence your work?
The music I listen to is often nostalgic. It reminds me of certain times in my life and I find myself reflecting on how fortunate I am. In that way, my music is often like the maps I create. They are both mementos of where we’ve been and where we’re going.  Almost like souvenirs of favorite moments and favorite places in our lives.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
My favorite musician is Ben Harper. His music and my artwork are both original creations that evolve over time and are created with hard work and dedication.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in the creamy white leather and walnut veneer. It’s modern, luxurious, and the perfect place to reflect and create.

Karen’s Playlist:
1. In the Colors, Ben Harper
2. Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys
3. I Will Wait, Mumford & Sons
4. Heartbeats, Jose Gonzalez
5. Someone Like You, Adele
6. You Are the Best Thing, Ray LaMontagne
7. What You Thought You Need, Jack Johnson
8. Home, Phillip Phillips
9. One More Night, Maroon 5
10. Where I’m Going, The Nadas

Photos: Karen O’Leary

What do you listen to while you work?
Music is like nature. Seasons come and go, then come again. And then you have the rising of the moon and the setting of the sun. You have camping. You have beach walks. You have urban commutes. For everything in life, there is music. And for everything in music, there is life.

Because of the type of work we do, the music played during a normal workday is typically more meditative and relaxed. Last week, I think we started every morning with Debussy, and ended it with The Eraser by Thom Yorke (well, not too relaxed I guess); I don’t know why or how we get into these rhythms. This has not happened this week. This week it’s been Ryan Francesconi in the morning and Leonard Cohen to close us out. Also, Nils Frahm latest free project SCREWS has been very enjoyable.

How do you listen?
Music is our first priority as we approach a work day. There’s always good music coming out of good speakers (Tivoli Speakers hooked up to AirTunes). Then, if one needs to focus in on work or something that requires audio, they are encouraged to go under with a nice set of ear-goggles.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
We almost exclusively use Rdio. If we’re not using Rdio, it’s because we’re spinning a vinyl.

Does music influence your work?
It definitely does. I remember a time where we were listening to a lot of Sigur Rós, particularly their album Hvarf — think it came out in November, because I remember we were listening to it through the cold winter. Some time later while writing the script for a video for a Vimeo promo, the track “í Gœr” was largely influential in setting the tone for the video.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Carissa: I think my dad was extremely influential. Music was such a huge part of our home growing up, listening and partaking… The only boy bands I ever listened to were more along the lines of The Band or The Traveling Wilburys. So my roots are there, in the 60s – 80s, and Andrew keeps me more up to date now.

Andrew: Since I was a kid, crying at the age of 4 because I was so moved by a James Newton Howard score, I’ve always had a rigor in finding music that complements the current chapter of life I’m in. Music inspires so much of life and life inspires so much music. They’re very connected. As far as actually finding new music, the Internet’s pretty great. But since we recently relocated to Portland, I’ve found the local record shops to be pretty helpful in broadening my soundscapes.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
If Damien Jurado and Sigur Rós (their music from the beginning up until 2007) had a child, that child would compose the music for all our films… And probably be one of our best friends.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Lounge Chair, with Walnut Veneer and Canyon Leather. Because what would you want to do in that chair but finish a workday the way that is best: with a record spinning, some wine, and a good relax.

Andrew + Carissa’s Playlist:
1. Come Softly (for Daniel D.), Grouper
2. Parallel Flights, Ryan Francesconi
3. Beacon Hill, Damien Jurado
4. All Waters, Perfume Genius
5. Song For Zula, Phosphorescent
6. Holiday, Jessie Baylin
7. Ivory Coast, Pure Bathing Culture
8. Spirit On The Water, Bob Dylan
9. Deep Water, Portishead
10. Story of Isaac, Leonard Cohen
11. Southern Heart, The Walkmen
12. Country Song, Jake Bugg

The Gallos welcome you to listen to their Playlist on Rdio.

Photos: Carissa Gallo

What do you listen to while you work?
We have a few different playlists, ranging from the likes of Duke Ellington and Neil Young to Bikini Kill and Vivian Girls. Different playlists are selected based on the mood of the studio and the weather outside.

How do you listen?
Drew Hamlet DJs through a sound system connected to his iMac. He’s got impeccable music taste and lets Kate listen to Beyonce on special occasions.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
We generally use Spotify, unless we’re listening to podcasts on iTunes.

Does music influence your work?
Probably not directly, but it definitely helps set the mood. We wouldn’t listen to Slayer while we’re working on branding for baby food. But I guess listening to good music is part of a healthy inspiration diet.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
We stay up to date with Pitchfork and reviews from local news outlets like The Stranger. A lot of the real gems get played on local station KEXP or suggested by friends, but just checking out what employees at local record shops suggest can be the most fruitful.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
If our work was a song it’d probably be the cover of Hot Boyz by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Even though we like to make things fun and interesting we’re also very serious about our work being good. RIP Aaliyah.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
A walnut and black Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Classic and comfortable pairs perfectly with any song on an eclectic playlist.

Hum Creative’s Playlist:
1. Choir Vandals, American Analog Set
2. Pretender, Black Marble
3. Drive On, La Sera
4. Nancy From Now On, Father John Misty
5. Believer, John Maus
6. Yékérmo Séw, Multatu Astatke
7. Longanisse, The Limiñanas
8. Suburbs, Mr Little Jeans
9. The Flower Lane, Ducktails
10. Desire Be Desire Go, Tame Impala

Photos: first and last photos, Chris & Sarah Rhoads of We Are The Rhoads.

What do you listen to while you work?
Usually I listen to music across many genres including 70′s punk, psychobilly, post punk, New Wave, ska, reggae, surf, da African blues, 60′s Italian beats, space rock, and indie. I do prefer a female vocalist.

How do you listen?
In private, generally, with computer speakers as loud as I can. If there are people around I will listen with low volume or use some headphones — the cheap kind you can buy everywhere because every 10 – 15 days I lose a pair. I have hundreds.

I define myself as an “office desk dancer.” In my years of office work, I have developed a dance technique that lets me dance while I’m seated. I move my legs super faaaaast, following the rhythm, but from the waist up I don’t move. This way no one can see anything. One day I’d like to create a tutorial on YouTube. It is pretty funny!

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Many, from blogs to streaming radio. Too many to list.

Does music influence your work?
Yes. This will sound common, but usually music creates a kind of hermetic habitat around me that isolates me from the rest of my thoughts, bad moods, fatigue, even hunger (sometimes). It helps me focus on what I am trying to design.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Usually by getting lost on the Internet.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
I am the Frank Zappa of the design.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The SAYL Chair, Fog Base with Studio White Y-Tower, and red back suspension and seat material.

Eduardo’s Playlist (Eduardo notes that his playlist is made up of songs he will never skip when they come up):
1. Last Caress, The Misfits
2. Ceremony, New Order
3. Fly Me To the Moon, Frank Sinatra
4. Needles and Pins, The Ramones
5. Vecchio Frack, Domenico Modugno
6. I Am the Resurrection, The Stone Roses
7. White Riot, The Clash
8. Andavo A Cento All’Ora, Gianni Morandi
9. Pugni Chiusi, I Ribelli
10. Riot Squad, Cock Sparrer
11. The Sign, Ace of Base

Photos: Eduardo Alessi

What do you listen to while you work?
Mostly we listen to music, but in the mornings we listen to NPR. I spend so much time in the glass shop that that is usually my main source of news for the day.

How do you listen?
A laptop hooked up to our stereo system with four Klipsch speakers and a Velodyne sub. So we can listen to CDs and the radio, or Internet radio, and music over our network or from the interweb.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I have a love/hate relationship with Pandora. We used to listen to Slacker Premium Radio but switched to Pandora because it was cheaper. But you get what you pay for. I’m so frustrated that I think we will switch back to Slacker — I mean how many times do I have to tell Pandora that we never ever want to listen to a John Mayer song again?

Does music influence your work?
Absolutely, but in an abstract way. I always listen to music when I work. It helps set the tone and pace of the day. Glassblowing is very physical; it’s a dance that needs rhythm and music helps provide that. If you look at my work I think you’ll see the flow everywhere thru it. I try to capture the lyrical qualities of glass as a molten material in the curves and line quality. A really beautiful piece should sing to your eyes. I included pics of a couple of my new favorite pieces.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
My favorite sources of new music come from my assistants Ally and Nicole. They are really on top of everything hip and new, but they also love old-school stuff that I’ve never heard before. Sometimes NPR will have great suggestions, too. I love checking out their end-of-the-year “best of” compilations. The music we play during the day definitely depends on our mood and what we are making, and sometimes on the weather outside. We’re in Michigan, so it can be sunny and 60 one minute and cloudy and snowing the next, so you’ve just got to adjust your music to match — a little of this a little of that, you know, mix it all up.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
This is so hard to decide. I feel like my work is always changing and growing in different directions, but that it has a distinct style, is technically well crafted, is beautiful, appeals to a lot of people, and ultimately is feminine in its balance of fragility and inner strength. So who is that? Madonna or Aimee Mann or Norah Jones or Amy Winehouse maybe (but without the drug problem and untimely death — she had so much more to give the world). I guess the answer is a little bit of each of these wonderful, creative, successful, and passionate women.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
In the Aeron Chair. I love the Aeron and since I hate office work it really helps to have something comfy to sit in. Sometimes when I’m sitting in it, I’ll come up with my best ideas for a sculpture and I can sketch them out in comfort. It is usually in the office, but we’ll roll it into the studio when people come to watch us glassblowing. The studio is an active workplace with hot glass, chemicals, and machinery everywhere, so I am amazed at how well the Aeron has held up. I’ve had it for probably 10 years and it still looks brand new!

Epiphany Studio’s Playlist:
1. Conspirer, Luciano
2. Naked Figures, Public Lover
3. Puerto Rican Girls, Bruno Pronsato, Thomas Melchior
4. 808 The Bassqueen, Ricardo Villalobos
5. Berg, Tolga Fidan
6. Part One, Cesare vs Disorder, Mikael Stavostrand
7. Into The Night (Nicolas Jaar Remix), Azari & III
8. Vibe Your Love, Maceo Plex
9. In The Mood, Art Department
10. Let’s Go Crazy, Prince
11. Everybody, Madonna
12. Oh Sheila, Ready For The World
13. Faith, George Michael
14. Need You Tonight, INXS
15. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, The Smiths
16. Night Moves, Bob Seger
17. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen
18. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Talking Heads

Photos: Les Ward (top), Sebastian Sullen (2nd to last), April Wagner

What do you listen to while you work?
What I listen to is all over the map, though I think it probably trends towards electronic music where the lyrics are not the primary focus. More atmospheric in the morning and more energetic in the afternoon. There is an absolutely amazing public radio station here called 89.3 The Current who will play Afrika Bambaataa, Tom Waits, and LCD Soundsystem back to back and then a fantastic local band. So I will stream them some mornings.

How do you listen?
I typically use my iPad to stream music via Spotify to my stereo using an Airport Express Base Station. Having one less app open on my computer while I work is nice.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
When I actually buy music these days, which is increasingly rare, I use eMusic. They were always a great source for smaller label bands and musicians but now offer big label artist too. I almost solely use Spotify to listen to music. It has completely changed the way that I “collect” music. On occasion I’ll use Pandora because their stations are better than the Spotify Radio option.

Does music influence your work?
One of the things I love about music is how musicians continue to invent and come up with new sounds and structures. It is this spirit of invention and newness that inspires me and influences my work.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I have to admit that the main source of influence is the online music guide, Pitchfork. They have turned me onto a lot of great music.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
That is a hard question. I’d like to think that my work is well-edited and minimal, maybe like a good pop song.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The ideal place to listen to my playlist is the Aeron Chair with polished aluminum base and Black Tuxedo Pellicle fabric. Combining that chair with your work surface and my playlist will result in some inspired work. I promise!

Matthew’s Playlist:
1. Reunion, The xx
2. Headcage, Matthew Dear
3. Jupiters, Four Tet
4. Cherokee, Cat Power
5. Crawlersout, Purity Ring
6. About to Die, Dirty Projectors
7. The Hours, Beach House
8. The Maker, POLIÇA
9. Interstellar, Frankie Rose
10. Love Play, School of Seven Bells

Photos: Matthew Plumstead

Keep an eye out for more great interviews and playlists from our favorite designers, artists, and creatives all season long.

1. Flood’s New Light, Thee Oh Sees
2. Earthforms, Matthew Dear
3. Doused, Diiv
4. Today’s Supernatural, Animal Collective
5. Youth in Trouble, The Presets
6. Drifting In and Out, Porcelain Raft
7. Wishes, Beach House
8. Yet Again, Grizzly Bear
9. Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men
10. Chained, The xx
11. The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra [Op. 34 Fugue: Allegro Motto], Moonrise Kingdom Soundtrack

Photos: Herman Miller

What do you listen to while you work?
At work, I have four coworkers and we all play our music at some point of the day. (For this music selection, I tried to be more sober and include music that I think my coworkers will like.) We mostly listen pop, indie rock, and hip-hop. (This last one is my fault).

When I work on my personal projects at my studio or at the ceramic shop, I listen to a very large selection of music. I could blast salsa on my headphones one day and the next one be listening 90′s pop, I guess it depends on my mood.

How do you listen?
At my day job, I use the computer speakers just because we like sharing our music with each other. At my studio and the shop, I use some red headphones my brother gave to me on my 24th birthday. All of my working spaces are shared, but I’m sure that if I had my own I would be using very loud speakers.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
The Fader, NPR, RCRDLBL, Grooveshark, YouTube.

Does music influence your work?
Yes it does. When I was working on my totem (a stackable planter), I sculpted the model while listening to music with my headphones. At the beginning when I needed to do all the hard work — basically beating down a lot of material until I had the  overall shape — I was listening to Calle 13. While the process was going on, the music I was listening to was changing. It took me about two months and by the end, I was listening to Prince.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I find them at blogs, Twitter, and the radio. I am also constantly sharing music with my friends and my brother via Dropbox.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Shadowboxer by Fiona Apple.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair with Wood Base in Red Aniline Stained Birch Veneer Seat and Back. It’s comfortable and robust, yet beautiful. A modern classic that will always stand out.

MARTHA’S PLAYLIST:
1. Get Free, Major Lazer
2. Your Voice, Santogold
3. Milk and Honey, Prince Fatty
4. You Don’t Love Me (No No No), Dawn Penn
5. Man Down, Rihanna
6. My Boo, Inoj
7. Trick Me, Kelis
8. Frontin’, Pharrel Williams
9. Girl Like You, Snoop Dog
10. Hypnotize, Notorious B.I.G.
11. It Was a Good Day, Ice Cube

Photos: Martha Alvarez

What do you listen to while you work?
I listen a broad spectrum of music while working. I share a studio space with my partners from More & Co. and we often share the DJ-ing responsibilities. On a day when we are all working together in the studio, it’s not strange for us to go from soul to house to hip-hop to rock… then to the news and back again. When I am working alone I tend to gravitate to atmospheric sounds regardless of the genre. Right now, I have a rekindles love affair with techno — real, proper techno. I find that I can really just get lost in it.

How do you listen?
I have a dedicated laptop that holds all of my music files and also doubles as a music production system (I’m dabbling in some minimal electronic compositions). I have a speaker system connected to that. I also have turntables and a mixer set up. I’d say I listen to more vinyl than anything else. I started spinning records in 1991 and have amassed a pretty nice, diverse collection.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Online, I really like XLR8R, Ghostly Music Service, Aquarium Drunkard, White Light Mixes, Pitchfork, and Mog. I often find or preview stuff on sites like these and then download them or go buy the vinyl. My preferred way to acquire music is through record stores. I still love to go and dig.

Does music influence your work?
Absolutely. I’m honestly not sure exactly how, but I know it does. If I had to guess, I’d say it all started when I got my first Depeche Mode or New Order records. The cover art was a huge part of defining the music in my mind. Then I discover jazz and the rest is history. There are so many images I could show you as examples of how music influences my work. I could really show you pretty much my entire archive, but in an effort to save time, here are three recent examples.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Besides the websites I mentioned earlier, I have a handful of friends who, like me, are always open to something new. In fact, I have a friend visiting this week. We went digging through used record stores yesterday. He turned me onto an Ethiopian/Latin jazz record that is amazing. I found him Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports. Score.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Wow, that’s a tough question. I make a lot of different kinds of work. Sometimes it’s bright and playful and other times it’s more serious. Ultimately, I try to make intelligent work… so I’d have to go with someone who has that vibe in my mind. Maybe Damon Albarn or Badly Drawn Boy. I would love to hear how someone other than me would answer this question.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in walnut veneer with black leather. I have this exact one sitting a few feet from my turntables. After I record a mix, I sit down and listen from it. It is perfect for my mix because it’s comfortable and it’s too beautiful.

Christopher’s Playlist:

1. The Sea Horse, Yo La Tengo
2. As Quick As It Comes / Carrera, Calla
3. And Then So Clear, Brian Eno
4. A Beautiful Place in the Country, Boards of Canada
5. The Order of Things, Badly Drawn Boy
6. Bike, Autechre
7. Idiot Country, Electronic
8. Voodoo Ray, A Guy Called Gerald
9. With A Professional, Dabrye
10. The House Always Wins, The Clientele
11. Inn Keeping, The Sea And Cake
12. Green Aisles, Real Estate

Photos: Christopher David Ryan

What do you listen to while you work?
We usually have something on while we are working, mainly the radio. We tend to listen to cheerful BBC Radio 2 on sunny days and sometimes BBC Radio 4 on grey-rainy days. I really love Kirsty Young’s Desert Island Discs.

How do you listen?
We have a small radio plugged in to our prototype “Cow Speaker” (below), and we also listen through our iMacs, sometimes with earphones if there is a difference in musical taste.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I often listen to music on YouTube, but also just recently found Soundcloud, which is quite cool for discovering new talent. Also, Spotify is great.

Does music influence your work?
When I listen to music while getting ready in the morning, it really helps me prepare for the day ahead and puts me in a good mood. If it’s miserable weather outside, which is a lot in England, it especially helps. Depending on what mood I am in, I love the “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” medley by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and also “New York” by Alicia Keys.

My good friend Bene Young has just written his first few songs (including one called “Loose Wheel“) and released them on Soundcloud. I find it really inspiring whenever someone is doing something creative that they’re passionate about. Releasing things out into the world for the first time is always a very exciting moment, whatever arena you are in.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I often discover songs I like from movie soundtracks and sometimes adverts on TV. More often than not I discover them through friends’ recommendations, when we are at someone’s house for a party or a meal. It is always interesting to check out other people’s music and discover new artists. I don’t really look for music, though; I just let it find me.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Most of my work is created in collaboration with my partner Brendan Young. I’m sure we would have very different opinions about what song or artist would represent our work. For me, it would be something different from the norm, unpredictable with a variety of influences, experimental, and a result of a team — maybe “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. It is a unique and quirky song unlike anything else. It moves in different directions; it’s got such different parts and somehow it’s serious yet still fun.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Molded Plastic Armchair with Rocker Base, in yellow. I love the rocking movement. It reminds me of the sea, and the bright yellow makes it feel like summer.

VANESSA’S PLAYLIST:

1. Shake It Out, Florence + the Machine
2. Let There Be Love, Nat King Cole
3. Here Comes the Sun, Nina Simone
4. The Lake, Antony and the Johnsons
5. Chan Chan, Buena Vista Social Club
6. Trois Gymnopédies, Erik Satie
7. Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down, Alicia Keys
8. What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
9. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, The Smiths
10. Together in Electric Dreams, Lali Puna

Photos: Vanessa Battaglia

What do you listen to while you work? It varies day to day, depending on my mood, the weather outside, and if I’ve had my three cups of morning coffee. A nice slow start to the morning could begin with M83, while only a few hours later I’m listening to something on the opposite end of the spectrum, like Converge.

How do you listen? While at the office/studio during the day, I listen with headphones. It’s a shared space, so I can blare the music without affecting anyone else, and it really helps keep me focused. At home, freelancing at night, I have fallen in love with my Jawbone Jambox. It’s a Bluetooth wireless speaker with great sound that sits nicely on a shelf. I tend to play music at a lower volume at night so it’s perfect. I think I should be their spokesman.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? Absolutely. Rdio has changed the way I listen to music. It sounds kind of cheesy to say, but honestly, it has allowed me to take music with me everywhere I go, is great for discovering artists, and allows me to connect with other designers and what they’re listening to throughout their workday. And the interface is gorgeous. Very well thought out and designed.

Does music influence your work? Music sets the tone for each project I work on. As soon as I’m pulling a new job in, I’m finding a sound and atmosphere that fits with what I’m wanting to communicate visually. Sometimes fun, sometimes dark, sometimes I just need background music to help me zone out.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste? I find 99% of my new music recommendations on Twitter and Rdio. The majority of people I follow on both services are friends and other designers. A lot of designers tend to be music snobs and overly picky about music, so while it can be at times annoying, it makes it easy to find good new stuff that’s great to work to.

What song or artist best represents the work you create? Meatloaf. No question. Big and boisterous, while at the core, simple. And the dude likes to eat.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist: The Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair with Wood Base. That chair is gorgeous. It’s so simple and modern. I’d say that’d be a right pairing for these great tunes.

BRYAN’S PLAYLIST:

1. The Reflection of You, Bear in Heaven
2. Wild, Beach House
3. Lafaye, School of Seven Bells
4. Dreamlike, Vacationer
5. Soft, Washed Out
6. When to Let Go, Violens
7. Reaching Out, Nero
8. Bavarian #1 (Say You Will), Miike Snow
9. All of Me, Tanlines
10. I Can’t Stay, Ben Browning

Photos: Tom Barrett

What do you listen to while you work? We’re composers so we listen to our work!  When not working, our tastes are really all over the map.  Gabe likes old guy bands like Rush.  Becky likes nerd music like Arvo Pärt. A large part of our jobs often involve making music that sounds like other music, so we end up listening to a lot of things for “research.”   And by “research” we also mean watching videos like this one, which is just genius. But our days can really run the gamut from Django Reinhardt to Strauss to LMFAO to William Byrd…and beyond.

How do you listen? We use KRK V8 monitors, or Mackie powered studio monitors.  Or headphones.  Or car radios.  Or the sweet melodious screeching of our various children.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? Becky likes Pandora- there’s a handy utility called Pandora jam that allows you to stream pandora over an airport, so you can use your nice fancy speakers. Gabe likes Spotify.

Does music influence your work? Of course. But it’s also important to separate out the noise of Other People’s Music, especially when writing concert music.  Ultimately the goal is to move people to laugh or cry or feel something, anything, which is best done in one’s own voice.  Or if one’s own voice sucks, Adele’s is always fantastic.

Who/what influences your musical taste? We are influenced by a random, motley assortment of folks throughout the ages.   Stravinsky.  Elvis Costello.  Morten Lauridsen, The Police,  Astrud Gilberto.  The dudes at the hot rod store who sell Gabe his pimped out sneakers.  Gabe’s assistant Mark who is young and much hipper than we are and introduces us to new cool stuff.

Playlist

Here are literally the last 10 things we listened to:

1) Hells Bells – AC/DC (AC/DC doesn’t sell their music online!)

2) Tighten Up - The Black Keys

3) Georgia Lee – Tom Waits

4) Something That I Want, from the Tangled soundtrack.

5) Moving Targets – Van Hunt

6) Make You Feel my Love - Bob Dylan

7) Green Mile Soundtrack – Thomas Newman

8) Calgary – Bon Iver

9) Blue Bonnet Girl - sons of the pioneers, feat. roy rogers

10) Me Gustas Tu – Manu Chao

What do you listen to while you work? Depending on what I’m doing, I’ll either listen to nothing, to white noise, or to some music! When I’m writing, I find it really helpful to listen to white noise. There’s a great website called Simply Noise that plays several different “temperatures.” Otherwise, I’ll aurally stalk my friends on Spotify or play a record.

How do you listen? My white noise routine is all about focus, so those are on my eschuché headphones (a gift!). If I’m venturing outside my own brain, I’ll play on our not-particularly-audiophile-friendly speakers. I have a 25-foot 1/8-inch jack that snakes its way around the room to my laptop. Sort of unrefined.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? I love using Spotify, even though I’m a musician and should probably be boycotting it. It’s got almost everything I ever feel like hearing and it’s a great way to discover new stuff (especially if you try to avoid music blogs).

Does music influence your work? Well, it definitely influences my work in my band! Jesse (my boyfriend and bandmate) and I always play each other different songs that are capturing our attention at a given moment.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste? Mostly from friends or from Jesse. I don’t have a lot of patience for most music blogs and they don’t necessarily cater to my tastes. I feel like the accuracy with which I can find something I like is always much higher if a friend tells me about a band… OR if I’m at a show for a band I already like, a lot of times the opening bands will be of a similar ilk.

What song or artist best represents the work you create? Again, probably my own. I’m also completely brain-obsessed with David Byrne. I keep thinking I’ll get tired of his tweaky antics, but I never do!

ZINZI’S PLAYLIST

The Electrician, Princeton

Organized Scenery, Au Revoir Simone

Mikelah, Superhumanoids

Open Rhythms, Bodies of Water

For You, Bruce Springsteen (I can’t help myself!)

When I Hear Music, Debbie Deb

Bad Street, Twin Sister

Temecula Sunrise, Dirty Projectors

It Never Entered My Mind, The Embassy

Never Understand, The Jesus and Mary Chain

Baby Can’t Stop, Lindstrøm and Christabelle

Flashlights, Mystery Claws

When Am I Going To Make A Living, Sade

The Great Curve, Talking Heads
Images: Zinzi Edmundson