We Carry What We Need: Stonewashed

The Art of Aging Gracefully (While Carrying Heavy Synthesizers)

I just got back from a week-long artist residency in New York City — a blur of staircases, synthesizers, and sound checks. Between the rehearsals, the gear hauling, and the long talks about what it means to make art today, I kept a lot of notes. Somewhere along the way, those notes became something new — less about music alone, more about the creative life itself.

That’s how Stonewashed was born: a creative journal where I share stories from the road, reflections on the art-making process, and the kind of philosophical tangents that don’t quite fit inside my regular music updates.

Stonewashed is where I get to zoom out — to write about the why. About carrying what we need, learning to carry less, and staying curious even when things get heavy.

READ AND SUBSCRIBE TO STONEWASHED HERE

The debut post, “Have Gong, Will Travel,” explores what it means to grow older in your practice — to keep pushing boundaries while staying grateful (and trying not to throw your back out in the process). It’s about falling down stairs and getting back up, literally and artistically.

This first issue also includes my latest mix: ORANGE & BROWN | A Cool Autumn Breeze,
featuring beautiful sounds from C. Lavender, Golden Brown, Wednesday Knudsen, IKSRE, and more.
It’s the perfect companion for a reflective fall afternoon.

If you want the wider lens and the weirder thoughts, I'd love to see you there.

– Matthew