06.26 MIX

A sequence for midway points, heatwaves, isolated thunderstorms, and forks in the road.

My Head Fell Off Last Night - Melanie Baker

New Muscles - mary in the junkyard

Fainting Spells - Cola

Offerings - Modern Woman

Code - Flora Hibberd

Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon) - Julia Jacklin

Field Guide For The Butterflies - Kevin Morby

Cry, Cry - Mazzy Star

Requiem for a Dying Day - Francis of Delirium

Cutting Off The Head Of A Ghost - Kelsey Lu

My monthly mixes are a loving nod to the years of crafting mix CDs for friends and crushes. Ten songs sequenced with the utmost care can say the thing you could never quite articulate with words alone.

Sequencing is generally not a consideration in today’s playlists (which are, above all else, a marketing tool). For the average listener and listening environment, sequencing isn’t relevant outside of an album context or the DJ booth.

I have always enjoyed the storytelling exercise of grouping songs together in a particular order. For these mixes, I limit my selection to music that I have on rotation between the first and last days of each month. It allows me to keep the flame lit on an enduring enthusiasm for soundtracking the present moment, while engaging with what I’ve been listening to in a deeper way.

Hey, don’t call me a Luddite! I have a blog!

— shel