Matthewdavid and I agreed that the idea of releasing my three Carlos Niño & Friends full-lengths – Flutes, Echoes, It’s All Happening! (2016), Going Home (2017), and Bliss On Dear Oneness (2019) all originally released on LP and Digital by Leaving Records – on cassette for the first time, was a good one.

When I went to figure out where the side breaks would be in the track sequence, I realized that none of them would fit very well, due to timing and length. I have run into this issue before with cassette and vinyl sequences, as there is only so much music that can be pressed onto a side. In some cases I have had to edit or omit songs to fit a side of vinyl. They make different lengths, durations of tape, and I considered different track orders for each individual record, but somehow none of the configurations that I came up with were working for these to become cassette releases. I then conceived of a single tape (C80, 40 minutes a side) that would compile songs from these releases with a couple pieces from my previous self-released LP Aurorasmushroomtenderness (2014) and the one that came before that on (the long defunct) Porter Records Aquariusssssss (2012).

Matthewdavid and I had always thought that it would be a good idea for a couple new pieces to come out Digitally in conjunction with the tape releases. In this new concept I was able to start each side with one of the new pieces I had ready. ” The title Assortment for Susan’s is a living, Loving tribute to our Dear Friend and Collaborator Justin Hansohn and his community company Anandamide. The Anandamide headquarters in Elysian Park, California is called Susan’s, named after the dog that he shares with his partner Taylor. LOVE to Justin, Taylor, Susan, Monkey, Warren, and all of the Anandamide Family . . .