Record curation by Jonathan Rado

“Rado” to just about everyone — has grown from an improbable West Valley rock star into one of the most in-demand producers in indie rock. One half of Foxygen, whose tape saturated productions lovingly play with the tasteful palette of 1970s rock n roll, Rado’s recordings for Father John Misty, The Lemon Twigs, Whitney, and Weyes Blood all devour the canon and return something distinctly modern.

A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Rado plays the studio best of all. You can hear the 16-track in his Woodland Hills garage on Whitney’s Light Upon The Lake and the studio shimmer of Hollywood’s Electro-Vox on Houndmouth’s Golden Age and Foxygen’s Hang. But don’t mistake the analogue approach for vintage fetishism — Rado’s as likely to reference a kick drum on The Life of Pablo as he is the piano tone on a Warren Zevon deep cut.

Mentored by the late Richard Swift, Rado’s approach turns slight imperfections into an indelible sonic imprint. His tape machines and avant garde experimentation — including a reel-to-reel delay system dubbed ‘Radotronics’ in a nod to the ‘Frippertronics’ rig developed by King Crimson’s Robert Fripp — give each of his recordings an unmistakable vibe. If you hear the sound of a 24- track firing up at the beginning of a recording, a collage of discarded takes churning into motion before the song begins, you know it’s a Rado.

BOB DYLAN - Blonde On Blonde (Columbia) LP

RICHARD SWIFT - The Hex (Secretly Canadian) LP

BRIAN ENO - Another Green World (Astralwerks) LP

SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE - There’s A Riot Going On (Epic) LP

BEASTIE BOYS - Ill Communication (Capitol) LP

VELVET UNDERGROUND - White Light/White Heat (Verve Records) LP

NEW ORDER - Technique (London Records) LP

KATE BUSH - Hounds Of Love (Fish People) LP

CAN - Tago Mago (Mute) LP

WILCO - Yankee Hotel Foxtrout (Nonesuch) LP

BIG STAR - Third (Craft) LP

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER - Replica (Software) LP

BRIAN ENO AND DAVID BRYNE - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (Sire) LP

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Born To Run (Columbia) LP

SIMON & GARFUNKEL - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Columbia) LP

FLAMING LIPS - Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.) LP

JOHN CALE - Fear (Wax Cathedral) LP

BEACH BOYS - Pet Sounds (Capitol) LP