I found an album called Runner’s High on the top albums list of DJ Noel Brass Jr (host of Jazz Theatre on KEXP). As a runner, it immediately caught my attention and I’ve been hooked ever since.
It’s that time of year where I slowly going through the albums that KEXP’s DJs picked as their top albums from last year. I particularly like going through the jazz and country/rock lists as I tend to not listen to those shows live but, as you’ll know if you’ve ever looked at my favorite albums, I love the music.
Runner’s High is an album from the artist Pneumatic Tubes, whom I’ve never heard of. I’m guessing from the number of Spotify followers they have you haven’t heard of them either.
The music is mostly abient and meditative, not generally what I go for but it’s fitting so well into my New Year’s mood I can’t stop playing it. It’s really well done, and you owe it to yourself to check it out whether you are a runner or not.
“I go out running almost every day, my favourite runs are always when I’m on a tour and can go out and explore whichever place I’m in.” says Chandler, describing the way he keeps body and soul together under the demands of life on the road.
Chandler explains the very real runner’s high phenomenon, “It usually kicks in around 4 to 5 miles into a run and at that point it feels like whatever you’re doing is effortless, like you’ve achieved some sort of exhilarating meditative state where nothing hurts or aches, your body is moving like a machine and you almost feel like you could go on forever. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does it’s a very special feeling.”
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