“Add a soundtrack to your life and perfect it,” are lyrics from the song “Luv(sic.) pt3” on artist Nujabes’ album “Modal Soul.” They also happen to be more than just words, instead acting as a guiding philosophy for LSE junior Oslo Gegg.
Listening to music is a common hobby, especially for high school students. Many have favorite songs or albums they listen to on repeat. Gegg, however, takes this hobby to the next level. On average, he listens to music for about 20 hours a week, ranging anywhere from one to five hours a day.
His dedication began at the start of 2026, when he decided he would listen to one album per day, quickly racking up hours of listening. After finishing each album, he ranks it out of ten and writes a brief explanation, posting his thoughts on his Instagram story.
What originally started out as a fun hobby, inspired by reading music reviews, has turned into something he is dedicated to doing all year.
“[I was] just wanting to listen to new music and to expand my horizons,” Gegg said. “I think that by listening to more albums, I can [find] some that I wouldn’t necessarily listen to.”
Through his newfound hobby, Gegg has discovered new genres, including jazz fusion, which has quickly become one of his favorites.
“It’s jazz but arranged using instruments borrowed from more rock style music,” Gegg said. “I didn’t listen to any prior to this and now it’s probably one of my top genres.”
As he explores new genres, artists, and sounds, Gegg makes a conscious effort to approach each album with an open mind. Rather than forming expectations beforehand, he prefers to experience the music in the moment.
“A lot of the time I go into an album knowing absolutely nothing,” Gegg said. “I think that it’s kind of nice to not have expectations sometimes, because I can get the most authentic interpretation of it.”
Although he goes in completely blind, Gegg still does take many aspects of each album into consideration when coming up with a rating, relying largely on how the album resonates with him and how he’s feeling about it.
“Normally I think about some of the individual songs on [the album], like how replayable it is,” Gegg said. “There’s some albums that are really good as [a whole] but really struggle with individual parts.”
For example, an album that disappointed Gegg was “Because the Internet” by Childish Gambino, which he felt played it too safe. To him, the project lacked the uniqueness found in the artist’s other albums, and it felt corporate.
“It doesn’t have his own unique style, compared to his other stuff,” Gegg said.
When rating each album, execution and style aren’t the only factors he considers: he is also drawn to the significance behind the music.
“I normally look for an artist I like, and the story behind the album,” Gegg said. “If it has an interesting meaning behind it, I’m more likely to go [for it].”
For Gegg, the album “Modal Soul” by Nujabes stands out as one of the most meaningful albums he has listened to so far this year. Because Nujabes is a producer, the album is a blend of instrumental tracks with more lyrical collaborations, allowing different artists to tell their own stories. One song in particular, “The Sign”, stood out to Gegg for its message.
“[It’s about] consumerism, the dangers of it to society, and how the adults now—and [those who] are going to be adults— need to take care of the world for the next generation,” Gegg said.
While listening to an album (or more) each day has become a meaningful part of Gegg’s daily routine, maintaining it can require a significant amount of dedication.
“Listening to a new album every day isn’t necessarily easy; it does take time and commitment,” Gegg said.
Despite the time-consuming nature of the hobby, Gegg encourages others to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things: whether that be exploring a new album or something entirely different.
“I think people would definitely benefit from trying to expand their musical horizons and in general—it doesn’t even have to be music necessarily—but any cultural element,” Gegg said. “If you can learn more about other things that you’re not directly involved in, it can help you understand the world and other people a lot better.”
