Carlos Nino is an interplanetary musical wizard. The cosmic producer’s participation as LA’s love and music activist for the past decade is in part responsible for all the mind melting bass and beats busting out of the left coast right now. Whether we’re talking dublab radio to Suite for Ma Dukes, Ammon Contact to Dwight Trible & The Life Force Trio, Carlos Nino’s encyclopedic musical lust and deft touch for the soul is enlightening. Build An Ark is his magical eight-strong LA collective and their new record (on Kindred Spirits) is of course entitled Love Part 1.

Can you recommend...
...three new bands?
Turn On The Sunlight. You haven’t heard of them yet but write the name down and look out for their music. It's like Fahey meets Eno on a rooftop garden, or an enchanted forest on the California Coast. The next is Broadcast. Not exactly a new band but contemporary,
and a real inspiration to me. Next Animal Collective. Again, they've been around
for a decade but they're new compared to the majority of bands I listen to. And, they're great!

...three old bands?
The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys had a unique perception, point of view and sound, coming up as a boy band  and ultimately transcending their personas and formulas to express something truly psychedelic and imaginative. Country Joe & The Fish are the most underrated and unsung of the famous San Francisco psychedelic bands. Their first two records, both released in 1967 are masterpieces. And, Joe is still doing it. Living the life, spreading the word, loving! The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Have you picked up that purple velvet box set that came out in 2000? It's incredible! Jimi, Mitch and Noel are to me, the greatest power trio of all time.

...a record label?
Folkways. First of all, the music. Second, the cover art and graphic design. Third, the story - check out Folkways Records: Moses Asch and His Encyclopedia of Sound out on Routledge.

...a website?
www.healthebay.org - I swim in the ocean as often as I can. It's so important that we stop killing it. Heal The Bay
makes efforts to defend, support and bring balance to the ocean. I don't want to preach here, but consider the ocean and its mystical life. Men are bringing so much murder and pollution to it. It's insane.

...a book?
73 Poems by E.E. Cummings. Released in 1963 after the great poet's death, I find this collection to be his most whimsical and illuminated. I trip out when I read, and re-read his wonderful, intertwined verses.

...something to do on a day off?
Volunteer at a community garden or sustainable organic farm. When you live in the city, this is far less common than when you're out in the country. Let's plant some trees, tear up the parking lots, let the flowers and magical herbs back in!