I think pretty much everything I need to be said about this project was said here. So other than yet another thanks for the support from everyone, I’ll just leave you with the track listing and the tape! The download is missing the Ghost Animal track, and if you’d like to experience that, and the rest of the track on a beautifully made analog tape, we have about 14 (Edit: 12) left before they’re gone forever. Those can be ordered at www.weget.by
Also, please support all of these artists, most of them have free downloads up, and some have EP’s, LP’s and a 7” or 2 that are very worth your time.
1. Top Girls and Guerre - “Melt” 2. Teen Daze and Jaded Hipster Choir - “Low Glow” 3. Weed and Foxes In Fiction - “Teenage Dream” 4. Closed Cassette and Top Girls - “For Now” 5. Ghost Animal and Rachel Levy - “We Don’t Care” * 6. Ghost Houses - “Ritual”
Side B
7. Holy Spirits and Gem Club - “Fingertips” 8. Seeing Suge (Star Slinger, Emay, Blackbird Blackbird) - “Breaking” 9. Pepepiano and Warm Waves - “Air” 10. Gay Boiz (Kumon Plaza and Rachel Levy) - “High Level Alchemy” 11. Star Slinger and Pandit - “Self Love”
About a month ago I decided to try a little project. I contacted some of my favorite blogs and artists and asked them if they would submit a song for a mixtape. If they opted in, there were two rules:
1. It had to be their favorite song of the past few months. 2. I had to be able to make it available for download.
The response from everyone was both immediate and enthusiastic and as the submissions came in, I can honestly say even the high expectations I had were blown away. I’ve been listening to it on repeat for about a week and am still stunned by it’s quality and cohesiveness. It’s become the soundtrack to my summer.
A little aside on the artists and bloggers who contributed to this:
Each one of these people spends time and effort to make sure that everything they put out is of the highest caliber, never compromising in their goal to be the best at what they do.
For the bloggers this means they don’t just throw mp3 after mp3 at you in the hopes that one hits, but treat each post with the dignity that the artists they are representing deserve. They sacrifice their time to ensure that they bring the very best that they can find everyday, with little to no reward other than knowing they are bringing attention to artists that they love. I would recommend you check everyone of them out, as I do daily.
As for the artists, they barely rest, are constantly driven, and hustling to be the best at what they do. In my opinion, they are succeeding admirably in that goal. Please visit their website/bandcamp and take full advantage of the music they have to offer!
So there’s that.
This was so much fun, and the result is just so good. I plan to make this a seasonal event, which probably excites me even more than you, as getting my favorite bloggers to make me a mixtape that I can blast for each upcoming season is so invigorating that I don’t particularly care whether anyone else in the world downloads it or not.
I’d also like to add a very special thanks to Mack Slevin of Flashing Red Lights who created the artwork, Adam of Incubator(US) for allowing me to premiere the first song off his upcoming record, Teen Daze for allowing me to include “Driving Home From The Beach (The Feeling Of)”, and my beautiful, intelligent, ever-patient editor Lori (because in the end, all mixtapes should be made with a object of one’s desire in mind).
So please, enjoy, and spread around these tracks however you’d like. If you repost them, I’d appreciate it if you take they time to point out the blog or artist that submitted them.
I first heard this track on a mix that my friend Dave, over at Stadiums and Shrines, made called “Random Rainbow Vol. 2”. I was honored to have one of my tracks featured, considering how much amazing music I was surrounded by. This mix exposed me to Baths, Blue Hawaii, Neon Canyon, Foxes in Fiction and one of my new favourites, Houses. “Endless Spring” had me completely hooked; the production quality had the exact vibe that I’ve been trying to get with my Teen Daze stuff. A hazy, sun-drenched feel, with nothing but good vibes.
From the newly established Double Denim Records comes a brilliant split between Blackbird Blackbird and Paopao. Among the tracks on the record is Paopao’s “Liberia,” a lush gem with the voice of Hari Ashurst of Prizes gently layered on top of the pulsating, airy synths below. Pre-order the 7” from Double Denim here.
Mat Cothran is a genius. He’s a great friend, a great musician, a great label owner, and he really deserves the best.
It was difficult for me to choose a song for this mixtape, but I knew right from the start it had to be a track off the recently released Coma Cinema album, “Stoned Alone”. I’ve had this album on repeat lately, and I highly recommend everyone out there give it a chance. It leaves me deep in thought and I feel as though I can really connect with Mat through his minimalistic style, and emotional lyrics.
“Only” is one of the tracks off the album that has really stuck with me. After a long day, I always find myself coming back to this perfect track, and it seems to fit my mood perfectly every time.
Pandit gifts the world with this smooth tropical wonder. Consisting of oft incomprehensible vocals that seem to reverberate everywhere accompanied by a multitude delayed guitar samples and a drum beat that sounds slightly out of place but gives the track a driving momentum.
If you’re currently shopping for a band to soundtrack your next vision quest - let me turn you onto Indian Jewelry. My pick for this mix is “Excessive Moonlight” from their latest release entitled “Totaled”. This is the song I’d want to play on repeat if ever I found myself wandering through the Mojave at night.
I wish I could say this was my original find but it is not. My blog-bru Mark of yvynyl, was given this album from his friend, a Philly resident and journeyman bassist Dave Hartley. Nightlands is a solo project of Dave’s.
Upon the first 30 seconds of listening I thought of Kurt Vile/Panda Bear, then when the powerful self-harmonizing vocals came in CSNY came to mind. At this point the goosebumps have started covering my body. This is one of the more liberating things I’ve listened to in a long time. I am so stoked on this album. I really can’t recommend listening to this song enough. If you’re hooked I suggest even more that you listen and buy his entire album over on bandcamp, http://nightlands.bandcamp.com/. He’s asking for $5 for it but I gladly paid $10 for this amazing album. It has easily perched its self into my list of top albums of this year.
Beaches, warm weather, summer sunsets: these are all things I think of when listening to Keep Shelly in Athens. They’re an up-and-coming band from Athens, Greece, and for fans of jj, Air France, or practically any act on Sincerely Yours, this is right up your alley. Put this on your iPod and blast it full volume while driving: it’s magical.
I twist deeper into my sleeping bag, and reach to turn on my flashlight. As it sputters and shines, I catch the light and turn it to shine through some old slides I found in the attic, projecting the images onto the blanket ceiling. My eyes slowly drift shut, but I drag them back open, determined to have the picture projected above as the last thing I see. A picture of a kid on a bicycle, with a smile lighting his face.
In my dreams, I want that kid to be me.
I rest my hand against my couch cushion walls, and feel their safety pulse through my body, and fall asleep with this picture in my mind, and this song in my ears. Reviving flat lining memories by beauty alone.
This is the first track of Incubator’s upcoming record, and after hearing this, I remain convinced it will be one of my top releases of the year.
The sounds these two young guys from Richmond, VA create seriously blow my mind. A mixture of Animal Collective and Yeasayer, a little pot, a little acid. I cannot give these guys enough kudos for their efforts.
Cat Eggs is abrupt, glitchy, and honestly and “demonic” as Cecil Frena puts it. Seems a lot of bands are getting better and better with time, and GOBBLE GOBBLE is no exception. Cecil comes from a line of hardcore bands, and this track displays that and the romantic “get to know you” feel that his album Neon Graves has. This song instantly connected with me I think because the artist is accessible, and more importantly has decided to make music within community. The ultimate gift.
“Quilt” hit me faster than anything has in a long time. The song is a classic build-up and blow-up, but the rare kind that goes for it all in one fit, and somehow comes out alive. I can’t stop reliving these fives minutes, feeling a tower of fuzz hopelessly collapse. It’s a missed train flying by your fuck-it moment of acceptance, a montage of family vacations on fast forward, a sprint from the cops – high on fear and smirking adrenaline. Simply evoking, and addicting.
May Mixtape: - “So Real Gone” ”They were like the man with the dungeon stone and gloom, rising from the underground, the sordid hipsters of America, a new beat generation that I was slowly joining.”Jack Kerouac - On The Road
Every couple of weeks we pull our nets up from the internet seas, bringing in the best of the tracks that we’ve heard recently. Then we painstakingly put them together in the best mixtape order we can muster.
April Mixtape - “Under The Skin We’re Made Of Light”
April Mixtape: - “Under The Skin We’re Made Of Light” ”I was totally clueless about social interaction, and completely scared of girls. All I knew was that music was going to make girls fall in love with me.” - Rob Sheffield Every couple of weeks we pull our nets up from the internet seas, bringing in the best of the tracks that we’ve heard recently. Then we painstakingly put them together in the best mixtape order we can muster.
Nods this month to yvynyl for introducing us to hAUNTED hOUSES in his recent “Volcano” mix, and Rollo & Grady, because they also just released an excellent mix that’s very worth your time.
“When we die, we will turn into songs, and we will hear each other and remember each other.” - Rob Sheffield
Every couple of weeks we pull our nets up from the internet seas, bringing in the best of the tracks that we’ve heard recently. Then we painstakingly put them together in the best mixtape order we can muster.
Out of respect for the blogs, or labels, we link you directly to the post or page on the blog, label, or band sites that we found these tracks from, and ask that you download them yourself. All Downloads are free, though some require you to give your e-mail.
“A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do.”…
Every week, we troll the internet seas and bring in the best of the tracks that we’ve heard recently, and put them together in the best mixtape order we can muster.
Out of respect for the blogs, or labels, we link you directly to the post or page on the blog, label, or band sites that we found these tracks from, and ask that you download them yourself. All Downloads are free, though some require you to give your e-mail.
We hope you enjoy the tape, and maybe find some great new bands and blogs. Check the first monday of every month for a new Webtape.
Dead As Digital WebTape #1: “It’s A War Out There”
2 - The Morning Benders (From “Big Echo”) - Excuses (Via The Morning Benders Website) Check out the Deluxe Release of their upcoming album “Big Echo” while you’re there! Limited to 100 copies. - Email Sign-Up Required For Track Download.
