52 Weeks of Mixtapes
Week 5
Welcome back to 52 Weeks of Mixtapes, my second music series for The Low Major.
Every Sunday, I’ll publish a mixtape of music centered around something - a feeling, a time, a person, a place. We’re running on vibes here. Each playlist cover will be a photo or an edit that’s my own work. This shit’s organic.
Two (self-imposed) rules for this project:
Each mixtape will never be more than an hour - usually in that 45-60 minute space, long enough to run with it, but I’m not gonna brute-force any level of length. Quality over quantity, as they say.
I’m also going to try to avoid reusing artists within the same mixtape and tracks within the same month. Sometimes songs are good enough that it’d be silly to not touch on them again, so you might see some old friends.
I’ll link to the playlist, talk a little bit (like, one sentence) about each track, their ordering and why they were included, and that’ll be all. Pretty simple, and hopefully enjoyable for you.
i’m only half here right now
bar games, cheeky bets, and a mind that won’t stop wandering
1 | Silver City | Hey Champ | 4:14
The worst thing about this song is that it loves on Chicago, but I gotta give it credit for nailing that sort of Neon Indian/Chain Gang of 1974 synth-rock groove.
2 | Terminal | Marci | 3:22
Yacht rock with a modern edge, the sort of song that feels like perfect bar ambiance, with just enough reverb to push an airy quality into the music without popping it.
3 | Now I’m In It | HAIM | 3:24
There’s not much that’s more appealing than a gradual rock tune that spirals into gloriously spacious backing arrangements. Pair that with a keyboard breakdown leading into said breakdown, and I’m addicted.
4 | If You Didn’t See Me (Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor) | JR JR | 4:07
This song cascades pretty hard into chaos, but it was one of the first things I had on my list for inclusion on a playlist like this.
5 | Come On Mess Me Up | Cub Sport | 3:24
Much calmer, not unlike ‘Terminal’ with that airy sound to the backing instrumental, just with a healthy helping of falsetto to go with it.
6 | Good Mistake | Mr Little Jeans | 4:16
Back to a driving beat, like we’re rallying at a club. Somewhere under this murky rock sound is a pretty pristine
7 | Saturdays | Twin Shadow feat. HAIM | 3:25
Rally, pt. 2.
8 | Everything All At Once | Local Natives | 4:10
Criminally underrated band whose best work is honestly the remixes of their originals, but this is a standout from a few years back.
9 | Static On the Wire | Holy Ghost! | 6:26
Had Holy Ghost! essentially on repeat for the past two weeks or so, this song in particular. Somewhere between post-disco and synthpop, Roosevelt with a raw edge, this song is peak head-bobbing material.
10 | Lights Out, Words Gone | Bombay Bicycle Club | 5:01
Another all-timer in the land of low jams, spectral arrangements near their finest form.
11 | Gone | Day Wave | 3:42
What is a bar night if it doesn’t have a brief emo/punk-ish interlude? It’s almost bordering on new wave and more poppy sounds, but the underlying cuts are purely punk.
12 | Too Late | Washed Out | 4:12
I love a synth track that descends into synthetic madness. It feels a bit like the instrumental, pulsing and grating, is at war with the vocal track, and together it’s a beautiful if vicious harmony.
Enjoy the list! I’ll see y’all next week.