John Maus is an American musician, composer, and academic whose music feels like wandering through a city at night when everything’s quiet but heavy.
His songs sound lo-fi, synth-driven, and almost retro, like broken new-wave tapes but underneath that simplicity is a lot going on.
He’s interesting because he’s not just making “sad music”, he’s studying it. Maus has a PhD in political philosophy, and that shows in how his songs feel more like emotional states than narratives. A lot of his work captures the feeling of being surrounded by people yet completely alone, especially in urban spaces.
That’s why songs like "Pick It Up" work so well with images of:
- cars passing by
- tunnel shots
- city lights at night
- faceless people in motion
- fleeting moments
📷 Sony DSC W510 [2025]
11 months later i finally laid hands on a camera again (same exact model as the one that i lost). course i have my phone to take pictures and videos with but it doesnt really get the look and feel im trying to achieve. in those months i was reminded of the value of having an instrument of self expression, an outlet. to others it's through pen and paper and to some it's strings and keys. this is mine. nature, a city, and a small silly digicam i got sentimental with for years. i could say the pictures it produces perfectly captures how i see the world and how i feel and i couldnt find any better way to express myself other than through these pictures and videos i take with it.
here's some videos in april
#digicam
i see birds every day and have been learning their names the past few years, but my camera is a bit limiting so these are the only ones i managed to catch with my digicam and a pair of binoculars (bird-watching has crept up on me)
1. Guaiabero 012125
2. Asian Glossy Starling 051624
3. Collared Kingfisher 041324
4. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 041424
![John Maus is an American musician, composer, and academic whose music feels like wandering through a city at night when everything’s quiet but heavy.His songs sound lo-fi, synth-driven, and almost retro, like broken new-wave tapes but underneath that simplicity is a lot going on.He’s interesting because he’s not just making “sad music”, he’s studying it. Maus has a PhD in political philosophy, and that shows in how his songs feel more like emotional states than narratives. A lot of his work captures the feeling of being surrounded by people yet completely alone, especially in urban spaces.That’s why songs like "Pick It Up" work so well with images of:- cars passing by- tunnel shots- city lights at night- faceless people in motion- fleeting moments Sony DSC W510 [2025]](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6742451154193613663638_0_54f5f6f604b1081ba47ba347fffa4794.jpg?o=aHR0cHM6Ly9zY29udGVudC1pYWQzLTEuY2RuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS92L3Q1MS44Mjc4Ny0xNS82NDExNzU5MjRfMTgwNDEyNDg0NjM3NDI2MTZfNjQ4MTI2Mzk4OTgxNDUzNzU3X24uanBnP3N0cD1kc3QtanBnX2UxNV9zNjQweDY0MF90dDYmX25jX2h0PXNjb250ZW50LWlhZDMtMS5jZG5pbnN0YWdyYW0uY29tJl9uY19jYXQ9MTA0Jl9uY19vYz1RNmNaMmdFY3lxYjJqUVVhX0tZTVgydGpLa1R6RVpsNHh0ZjE1b3NMa09hejZ6Wk5xQi1ucjJnbDl4WXhiaWpjY1ZiX1BRQlJKUm1kQkVEM1MxR2p6SHBUOVlFeSZfbmNfb2hjPTVwQ0d1N2pzVFBVUTdrTnZ3SFc0STFRJl9uY19naWQ9X1RQT3pSanFJcGVGX0s5VHhTcDl2QSZlZG09QVBVODlGQUJBQUFBJmNjYj03LTUmb2g9MDBfQWY0Qm52WnVlODlFSzZ0b0RJQ2o5R1h4dTRwSGlLQ3YwTTRhWlhjem1VaEQyZyZvZT02QTBGQzJENCZfbmNfc2lkPWJjMGMyYw==&h=8903e8195ea893dd56e679d29868d8c8)
![lights in gaston park [verticals]121225](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6766455439335573503713_0_97b197bc35c8a95334eb691ca1176934.jpg?o=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&h=6c7fd5af520283f9995cf7d1ed5718d3)
