Observed by My Dog While I Play Music
From albums that shaped him at 12 to records that still soundtrack his evenings, Oswaldo’s picks reflect a lifelong obsession with music and emotion.
Oswaldo (@collectingalbums) takes on the May 3 to 7 prompts as someone who’s constantly chasing the feeling music can create within him, whether that’s through a massive pop era, a nostalgic childhood memory, or a quiet evening playing records at home observed by his four-legged companion. His selections move between new dance-pop classics, Latin pop staples, Japanese music legends, and albums that became deeply tied to different moments of his life.
Across the prompts, music becomes a way for Oswaldo to talk about memory, escapism, identity, and the worlds artists build around an album. One prompt asks him to share an album he believes more people should experience, while another looks at a debut album cover that became a source of comfort during his teenage years. Another traces one of his earliest musical memories back to childhood nostalgia and the influence Mexican pop had across Latin America. Another turns to an Asian artist he deeply admires, exploring how curiosity can cause you to open up to worlds you didn’t even know you’d like to live in until you found yourself immersed in them. The final prompt focuses on an album era whose visuals, performances, and rollout completely reshaped what he expects from pop music.
Which album do you want people to try?
There's something quite interesting about what this album did even if released while the world was on hold during 2020: a revival in dance pop music. Back then, I felt like we needed a reset to appreciate newcomers and alternative artists who were doing incredible productions. No wonder cuts like “Spotlight” and “Save A Kiss” caught my attention. On this record, Jessie delivers pop elegance, hypnotic beats and a lot of pop precision moments.
I remember clearly when this album was first introduced to me by one of my fellow collector friends. In 2020, I had just started my journey of interviewing other collectors worldwide and after asking for recommendations, Miss Ware’s album came up. What initially drew me to this album was its magnetic artwork: Jessie wearing that very intense shade of red lipstick... it seemed as if she were defying our lockdown era by getting ready as if she were to go out… but instead she was simply doing it for herself. That's why I feel I was immediately attracted to this project, she wasn’t just throwing this massive record for her own sake, she was doing it for the music scene... we definitely needed that revival during that tragic year.
“What’s Your Pleasure?” is a memorable album because, soundwise, it brought something quite unique to the table at the time. We were in the middle of a pandemic and Jessie's record felt like an invitation to save us from our reality by throwing this massive party in our ears. It’s already been six years and that album remains timeless. I think there are some albums that seem to survive the test of time and become part of the Pop Bibles and this album is one of them. Just talking and thinking about it brings me so much joy!
On top of the greatness that is the standard album, Miss Ware released a deluxe version (at a time when deluxe releases in general were kind of extinct) which turned this entire era into something unforgettable for music lovers. I’d say in my case, I’m usually more interested in the deep cuts or b-sides, rather than official singles of any projects, so for me most of the highlights are in the deluxe version. Songs like “Impossible,” “Overtime,” or the sassy “Hot N Heavy" are my recommendations for someone who still hasn’t heard the album yet.
Which debut album cover stands out to you?
My answer is definitely an album that raised the entire millennial generation, “Let Go” by Avril Lavigne. Back in 2002 when it was released, the world was changing rapidly for everybody, including a dorky 12 year old boy like myself, who’s own world was also changing as I began to understand who I was.
Every time I see Avril in this cover standing in the middle of the street dressed in all black, kind of like a rebel, I feel she exudes a defiant attitude. It feels like even though she’s struggling, she’s facing life no matter how difficult and ugly things get. In the same way, it has always made me feel like I too could handle my struggles... that I could cancel all the noise.
“Let Go” became my favorite album of all time because it strongly represents the way I see the world and became my way back to a safe place whenever things get too complicated. When you're a teenager, your loved ones think they are entitled to decide how you’re going to live the rest of your life, making decisions for you in areas like your profession and love life.
In moments like that, music can become your refuge. So whenever I feel lost or desperate, simply by looking at this cover, and what it means to me, it helps me to get through the day. I’d also say that the lyrics on songs like “Anything But Ordinary” or “My World” are my lifesavers. “Let Go,” you'll always be famous.
Which song is one of your earliest memories of music?
People don't always associate me with Latin music because I’m a hardcore fan of music in other languages like English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese but I was born and raised in Venezuela, so my mother tongue is Spanish. For my generation, Latin pop was kind of a big deal, especially because the 90s were all about girl power, dance routines and catchy pop anthems.
You can talk to any Latin collector and they'll agree that Mexico has had a big influence on all music lovers in South America. I was only 6 years old when my passion for music started, in part thanks to the Mexican teenage pop star sensation Fey. Her incredible album “Tierna La Noche” became a massive success along with its singles. The song “Te Pertenezco” (I Belong To You), up to this day, takes you on a non-stop acid house party all over the place. Fey sings about feeling heartbroken for a guy and surrenders to his arms. She doesn't even know if this man really loves her, but deep down she also doesn't care that much either.
I’d say that maybe, just maybe, she was ahead of time writing about the struggles of teenagers in the 20th century. Most certainly an iconic song for Latin music.
Which Asian artist do you love?
It's funny to talk about my love for an asian artist because I always think I became a fan by randomly reading a lot about J-Pop, C-Pop and K-Pop. Sometime in 2011, I was reading an article about the busiest indoor arenas around the world and Japan came up quite often holding records for Japanese and Korean artists. At that time Namie Amuro and K-pop powerhouse group Girls' Generation were dominating the Asian markets with their incredible music. Since I didn't know them, I decided to watch a whole show on YouTube and my whole life as a collector changed forever.
Namie is known for her pop and R&B sounds, and is one of the most successful Japanese artists worldwide and I’ve been a massive fan since 2014 thanks to her ‘LIVE STYLE 2014' world tour. Despite not releasing music since she retired in 2018 (at the top of her game!), I find myself returning to her catalogue every now and then. She's one of those artists that one would think they’d perform on intimate venues, but actually sell out stadium tours all over Japan and Asia.
I tend to get obsessed over artists and their music right after seeing them on tour or sometimes by simply watching live performances online... So when I first read about Namie being referred to as the “Japanese Madonna,” I immediately had to see her live performances. I was completely blown away by her artistry, her dance moves, her mesmerizing stage designs and her commitment to performing on stage. To talk about Miss Namie Amuro means to acknowledge talent, artistry, next level dance routines and... of course her place in Pop Royalty. Long live the Japanese Madonna, Miss Amuro!
Which album's visual theme do you love?
Since we're getting “Confessions II,” I have to say I started expecting more from my favorite artists after experiencing in real-time the “Confessions On A Dance Floor” era by Madonna.
I remember I was 15 years old when the Queen of Pop released “Hung Up” on the radio. In 2005, regardless of popularity, most pop artists used to create a story around their projects and as a listener, you'd experience the release the way it was supposed to be. Radio was the way to go to actually listen to music for the first time. There were even scheduled times to premiere songs worldwide on the same day no matter which country you lived in. Therefore, it made you feel like everyone was listening and enjoying at the same time. You had more time to appreciate new releases and engagement felt more organic. This all changed once streaming became available and people stopped consuming radio to the same degree.
The mid 2000s were all about R&B and hip-hop. In the mainstream 70s and 80s influences had kind of disappeared… that is until Madonna made them cool again. Most artists were starting to collaborate and were doing features, but Madonna did her own thing taking the music industry to the dance floor. With “Confessions On A Dance Floor,” Madonna wanted to challenge an industry so saturated with those genres by bringing us into the nightlife and teaching us how to have fun. Through dance music, she shared her perspective on life and our purpose while loving, crying, and reflecting.
Around that time, Madonna had broken a couple ribs in a horse riding accident, which inspired her to include horses as part of the tour’s opening act. A decision that felt so iconic, but at the same time so authentically her that made me love her even more.
This album is not only full of incredible visuals and live performances, it also shows us the art of creating a cinematic pop world that seems to have flowed smoothly from an endless river of creativity.
For Oswaldo, music has never really been background noise. It’s something that helped him become the person he is today and understand that even though life is tough, there are still moments worth putting on your dancing shoes on. Whether he’s revisiting a massive pop era, discovering an artist from the other side of the world, or pulling a random CD from his collection to workout, listening to music is a never ending ritual. One that’s followed him from childhood all the way into the person he is now, and one that he seems to be determined to carry right til the very end.
That’s probably why so many of his answers revolve around immersion and companionship. It’s never about playing something in the background to avoid the silence, it’s about the reaction between what life throws at him and the music that helps him navigate it. For him, music is about feeling alive enough to keep searching for the next album, the next obsession, or the next world worth disappearing into for a little while.
A music archaeologist whose days are often spent rediscovering old favorites, chasing new obsessions, and listening to records beside his dog by the window. Guided by curiosity, nostalgia, and feeling above all else.
