Almost, Always, All Yours Mix

I assumed it was the trucks outside that suddenly woke me, but as I listened to their grunting engines the familiar pain set in and I knew I was widely awake because I'd dreamt about him again. The nice part about having a friend on the opposite coast is that you can text them at 4am and get a response, he called back and we talked. We haven't been together in years but have been good at talking weekly for half a decade now, despite living multiple continents apart at times. But things have suddenly changed, as they are wont to do right before you are about to pack up your life in order to make things perfect again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he almost whispered "me too" I whispered back before he hung up. We texted each other the same thing right after, there were four and a half years of apologies we'd been holding back. Sometimes sorry is the only word you have left.

Every once in a while we need to indulge our should've beens that wake us up in the middle of the night and it's always best, like any event, to have a soundtrack for that. Here's my current one which probably makes little sense, or maybe it's showing all my cards because it's highly personal, but the songs are great whether you're attached to them or not.

Almost, Always, All Yours Mix // Spotify // Download

Winter, Maybe Mix

The past few years I've done anti-holiday cheer mixes for all of those christmas carol haters. I also put together mixes of indie holiday songs that are bearable. This year I'm too sick and overwhelmed with music to go through the absurd amounts of holiday songs that we'll all soon forget.

So instead, there's this: some vaguely winter themed songs. Some are happy, some are less so, and some are there because I like them. There'll be another winter mix to look forward to further down the line. It's up to you to download and enjoy.

Wooden Dinosaur - Good Winter (site)

Hey Rosetta! - Carry Me Home (site)

Among Savages - Cold Wind (site)

Little Scream - The Heron and The Fox (site)

Pascal Pinon - perney (one thing) (site)

Download ZIP // Stream on Spotify (only has 9/20 songs)

Don't Haunt Me Mix

Here's a little well known secret: I detest the costume portion of Halloween to the point where I haven't had a costume since high school. However, as long as there are Midnight Milky Ways I'm ok with the candy part. I also like pumpkins and scooping out the guts in case you were wondering. The other part I especially like are the mixes that come out of working around a spooky theme. I'm just as excited about this year's mix as the previous two.

Stream all three mixes in one playlist on spotify. Of course it's missing some of my favorite songs due to the usual spotify issues, but that's why I reuploaded the old playlists so you can download all three.

2010: Songs About Ghosts: original post // Download ZIP // Stream on Spotify

2011: Dancing in the Graveyard: original post // Downlad ZIP // stream on spotify

2012: Don't Haunt Me // Download ZIP // Stream 15 of 22 songs on Spotify

Tyler Lyle - Medusa (site)

The Maldives - Blood on the Highway (site)

The Oh Hellos ( download album at bandcamp)

Communist Daughter - Ghosts (site)

Us Baby Bear Bones - Rain (bandcamp)

Harlem - Friendly Ghost (site)

Tea Cozies - Muchos Dracula (bandcamp)

The Leftover Sun Mix

I have no idea what music I've been listening to. My turntable broke, I haven't been reading emails, I don't like biking with headphones, and when I want background noise I just let itunes shuffle without much thought or preference. Music and me kind of broke up for approximately 52 days, but I think we're getting back together soon.

Download ZIP

Balto - Smokestacks (bandcamp)
Neil Halstead - Full Moon Rising (site)
Poliça - Lay Your Cards Out (site)
Velah - Skeleton House (site)
Al James (of Dolorean) - If You've Got The Money (site)

Correction...Above is the absurdly long mix I wanted to make. I've been listening to it for a week trying to figure out what to cut so that I'd be able to upload it. I'm mostly happy with the condensed version, but I figured I'd let you see both. There's also a secret track #17 that I'm sure you'll love. Enjoy.

Breaking News: It's Hot

I scratched the post that was supposed to be here today because it's just too hot to do anything other than listen to summer mixes. Below are a few jams I always go to when it's hot and links to summer mixes of yesteryear, plus a small link round up of mixes by other bloggers. Stay hydrated, stay cool.

Dalton - Breaker I know this was on the mix I just posted, but I'm completely obsessed.
Bye Bye Blackbird - Pure Never forget 2010, the summer of chill wave.
Tony Castles - Black Girls in Dresses - Kisses - Kisses - Looking Glass - Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime

Summer 2011: Brightest Days / Sleepless Nights Mix

Original Post // Download ZIP

Summer 2010: Beach Traffic Playlist*

Original Post // Download ZIP

*I was in my 6th month of music blogging, 3rd month of doing it for real. I still didn't know how to properly post songs and only 40 people read my blog a day, it gets weird. But the music is good.





Other Summer Mixes from Friends: 


Songs For The Day - Summer Mixes (Days and Nights)
Adam is a mix making master. These aren't just songs thrown in a playlist, they are well thought out mixes that I happen to have been listening to non-stop. Get them.

The DaDaDa - Summer Mix 2012
It's perfect and delightfully different. Trends more towards the indie rock stuff.

Daily Beatz - Blogwave Summer Mixes
The first year is still my favorite from this annual blogger collaborative mixtape.
Stream the first year // post
Blogwave Summer Vol II
Blogwave Summer Vol III

Fuel/Friends - Smooth Sailing from Here
Just posted today, it's hot off the internets. Heather's mixes are always chock full of new discoveries but I especially look forward to her Summer mixes.

Sunset in the Rearview - Hot Ass Summer Day
It really and truly is meant for the extra hot days.

A Mississipster Summer Mix 2011
I really liked this one last year.

IGIF: Endless Summer Vol 1 (2010)
Forever in debt to this mix for the introduction to The Shaky Hands "Summer Life", now a summer classic for me.

The Shaky Hands - Summer Life

Let me know of any other mixes I need to check out, I know there's lots out there to be had.

Where Summer Begins Mix

A friend told me it wasn't my best mix as we sat on picnic benches, sipping beers, and catching the last glimpses of sun as it set behind the city skyline. It wasn't the first time in recent months that I'd failed to prepare the right songs, in the proper order, to suit an occasion. I used to be good at it, but I lost my mix making mojo and I'm still trying to recover it. It might not be the most 'summer' mix, but for me this is where the Summer of 2012 started, with these songs soundtracking my days and nights for the past six weeks.

Mostly though, this mix is here for the readers who have stuck around. I wouldn't be back here if it weren't for them. Especially the ones who tweeted/emailed/facebooked to ask where I went. I will forever be thanking all of you in mix tape format.

Dana Buoy – Call To Be

Dalton – Breaker

KO KO – Float

Kishi Bashi – Bright Whites

Mike Musikanto – Every Which Way

Download ZIP