Mixtape: Last 10 years me + Love
I was watching the remake of High Fidelity and had my passion for making mixtapes rekindled. I decided to make one that would work both as an introduction and a love letter. An introduction for the person I became, as well as a letter for the people I love.
I decided for two basic restrictions in my selection:
The first one is, I would only use songs from the last 10 years (that is how far back my ITunes library goes but also the time it took for becoming the present me, I guess).
The second one is, because I know people I love who are deaf to lyrics, I would take in account the musical experience as a whole — leaving behind songs that I mostly like for the lyrics (I’m looking at forever-young-you, Jens Lekman).
For the first track, some people would say it should be familiar. However, I favored something that can be read as a letter of intention: a direct, quirky, yet really cool song (the high-hat on the off-beat just confirms it). It wasn’t hard to come up with the opener:
1. Multi-Love — Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2015)
The second track, that is more difficult. It has to be up beat, and it serves to drawn people in. So it has to be surprising, and, you know, easy on the ears. The aim is to leave them waiting for what’s next. I had a couple of choices here, but I have decided for this beauty:
2. Anna — Will Butler (2015)
The third track has to easy people in. They have now bought into it, so it can go anywhere, signalizing what is about to come. For me, it would also be cool to add a spin, like, going hardcore, or really soft, to say “I know you’re sold and all, but there is still danger here.” I went for grandiose. Here is what I came up with:
3. When You’re Smiling and Astride Me — Father John Misty (2015)
The fourth track is like a homerun. Just aim for the stars, you know? I went for beautiful, and emotional richness, with one of the best choruses of this decade, in my modest opinion, together with one of its best artists. Just listen to it:
4. The Bad in Each Other — Feist (2011)
The fifth is the closer of side A, as it were. I see a theme here, in terms of arrangement and also content. So the selection so far leads me to the next track. Not to mention this artist is one of my personal favorites. A lot of her tracks could be in this list but this is the one I chose (because it speaks to the apologetic person I strive not to be):
5. I Don’t Want to Bother You — Eleanor Friedberger (2013)
The sixth track is a chance to reset. I will start slow, with a hypnotic, gentle, soothing song about the practicalities of love, I guess, and its learning curve. First time I’ve heard it I was, damn! This guy gets me. It is also a great metaphor for trust and stuff. Here it is:
6. Small Plane — Bill Callahan (2013)
The seventh track! Now, things have changed, we are in new territory after Bill. I hope there is still a sense of anything-goes now. That is why, I think it’s time to strike again, go big. Magic, even. And this is another guy that, I think, gets me:
7. The Rabbit — Mark Mulcahy (2013)
The eight can be a palate cleaner. Something to slow things down, make the listener contemplative. Maybe. This far up the list, it is always a gamble. But I went for emotional, again — I guess that is me now. This song made me cry, the first time I heard it. That is the mood — after magic, contemplation:
8. Zoo Eyes — Aldous Harding (2019)
The ninth track, I went for levity. And intent. I wanna be your girlfriend! I mean, it is no secret I am in love, and you know, in spite of me being not, like, the best person, or the most striking looking, or what you really expect, I am me (and I also come with a retro vibe!). Yeah, I am laughing. And this is from a favorite of mine:
9. I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend — Ezra Furman (2019)
Now, for the closer. Shit! This is really difficult, even though my choices are not infinite (it would be much worst if I had no restrictions; I mean: it could be from folk songs of yonder to last week´s charts). Oh, and the theme is love. Yeah, good to remember. It went off a bit, at some points… Anyway, let’s bring it all back home, baby!
10. Postdoc Blues — John k. Samson (2016)
Link for the playlist:
