I’ve been collecting tapes a while now.

About a year ago, I set out to learn how to tape jockey. You can imagine the looks of disbelief I get when I play out, and the demands to explain myself. “Why tapes, are these new?” It is a spectacle. I’m talking about a dual deck connected to a mixer, spotting a reel, flipping sides, constantly cueing and fading. I’ll jockey in odd spots, galleries, brewpubs, block parties and rooftops, almost always in Oakland. I’m never quite sure what people are responding to — the music, the spectacle or both. Some have never seen a cassette tape, others haven’t seen one since their youth, and others are curious why I’m having such a good time.

I make no claims of music expertise or coolness. As an immigrant, my musical background was solely Tamil Ragas, Billboard Top 40 and Gospel Hymns. Moving to Canada didn’t help much either, my teenage collection was categorically bland and over-played. But a lot of that changed when torrent trackers for independent music emerged — strong communities that sprung up to trade albums, all neatly cataloged, curated and reviewed. I started to explore a wide range of music and engage with other collectors but most of all, really listen to an album … in it’s entirety.

I prefer the focus albums demand, hearing the entire story, sometimes an entire catalog. Back then, non-RIAA music drew me in with its variety and exclusivity. I immersed myself in independent culture, obscure art previously unavailable to me— the newly accessible sounds of diversity; Ethiopiques, Anatolian Rock, Pyschedelic Folk, Afrobeat, Film Music, Italian Jazz, Reggae Dub, Bollywood Funk …