It can sound weird, but people in academia do have other interests beyond research. Mine? Biking and trekking, mostly. And contemporary music. And plants, of course. Take a walk through some physical and musical routes here.
Here are some…
Check these composers first; their roots are deep sunk into minimalism. Some started together (and still do work together for some projects) but their developments have taken them in various directions. All together share some aspects (strong rythms, usually not very dissonant, an eye on pop music) which could define my musical tastes.