Tim Zawada
By: Dream Chimney
The following interview was conducted on January 16, 2025
Totally loving Star Creature Universal Vibrations output right now. From the windy of Chicago, Tim Zawada expertly curates this mega label and keeps knocking it out of the park with its endless stream of quality new releases. We thought it would be fun to get to know a little more about the label bossman. Here we invite Tim to take us back to his space after a night out. Tim takes us through his late night selections for the dark hours. The mood is chill, the drinks are flowing, the shoes are off. This is his playlist…
“Hi thanks for inviting - this is both an easy and hard one. Much of my music listening happens really late at night when I’m working on projects, especially contemporary, post-DJ life music. Was hard to slim it down to just ten but will kick it off with my personal Big 3...” - Tim Zawada
Ron Trent presents WARM - Melt into you feat. Azymuth

First up would be Ron Trent's 2022 album - What Do The Stars Say To You. A perfect record to transition from a club night to the rest of your life. Hits perfectly in any late-night scenario. If I had to pick one track - would be "Melt Into You" but it's really an end-to-end deep burner.
Larry Heard - Summertime Breeze

Might seem obvious but Larry Heard has never wronged a function and you know there's still many that haven't blessed their ears to the Lord Larry's vibe. Throw on Sceneries Not Songs and by the time you get to the “Summertime Breeze”…
DāM-FunK - It's Time

People that would come over to mine would be familiar with Dam-Funk, but they might not know his Garrett work. Necessary night time excursions here on the 3 Private Life projects. Would start proper with “It's Time” off Volume 1 - plus its Music From Memory which is built for these scenarios.
Brian Ellis - Flipped (2015)

Would revisit the Omega Supreme label that had an awesome run through the mid-2010s with some late night, instrumental bedroom boogie. Great albums by Brian Ellis, Sasac, Sven Atterton, Sair, and more. Pulling a Brian Ellis track here from the appropriately titled In The Dark album.
Bitchin Bajas "Quakenbrück" (Official Music Video)

Slight directional shift with the next record I’d throw on from Chicago’s Bitchin Bajas with their Bajascillators 4 track LP. Have been following this group for 10+ years now and this album is a complete modular trip front to back. I’ve probably listened to it two hundred times at least, sometimes hours in a row and it always sounds completely fresh. One time I was listening to it while driving around the Gila National Forest in New Mexico and a dog herded my car into a pack of goats to travel up the mountain. It’s a really special piece. Recommend “Quakenbrück” video for the bonus visuals.
John Carroll Kirby - Repettos for you my Lord

Sixth up would be something from John Carroll Kirby. I’m fans of both the vibey John Kirby’s out there but JCK’s Dance Ancestral seems to be my most grabbed. “Reppettos For You My Lord” is a fave here.
Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer (Live on KEXP)

Another consistent after-hours spin is Nabihah Iqbal’s Dreamer, especially the titular track. The album is a supreme balance of many styles - ambient, dreamy, bedroomy, punky, housey - calm and vibey across all. Was not aware of her before the campaign for this album launched but followed it from the singles to her live sets in Chicago. Live version from KEXP and hopefully you can catch in person for yourself sometime.
Woo - Into the Heart of Love

Something I’ve been listening to a lot lately that’s old but a new find for me is Woo, my favorite being 1990s Into The Heart Of Love. I don’t know how to describe it - a mix of acoustic and early electronica, ambient-folk maybe. The title track “Into The Heart Of Love” is a good start if on the run but “Frog’s Fandango” and “Love On Other Planets” get repeat spins here too.
Steve Hiett - Kinda Knew Anna

Steve Hiett - “Kinda Knew Anna” from the Girls In The Grass Album. Another that has been on frequent late-night rotation. Balearic Acoustic Soul - multi tracked guitars, soft drum machine and some light effect works. Ultra chill.
Mark Barrott - Essene

On another guitar type track, Mark Barrott’s “Essene” from his Sketches From An Island LP. On the right trip, you can listen to this track on repeat for 2 hours straight and you can still hear something new every play. I had listened to this probably 1000 times before I even realized it was more than guitars and bird sounds.
KRUSHLOVE - Desert Forest
Bonus is another late-night favorite from Krushlove on his 2017 track vapor beats cut “Desert Forest”. Slow burner for that first 1:22 and then let it just wash over you…
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