Mixtape: Summer Jams ’13

TRACK 1 — Jonk Music’s “SONG OF THE SUMMER” 2013
Smallpools “Dreaming”
As a gal who simply loves to move, “Dreaming” is exactly what I’m looking for this summer. It’s fun, energetic, and just so darned catchy. It’s got pop dance beats that will only fail to get you on your feet if you have no soul, and a clever mix of indie rock that makes you think of something Passion Pit- or Phoenix-esque. I can’t stop bopping my head. Smallpools has got it going on with this one.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 2
Haerts “All the Days”
The second sleek offering from newcomers Haerts, “All the Days” is one for the driving playlist. Propelled by a breathless bassline and Nini Fabi’s scorching vocals, the track is a four-minute frenzy of twilight-tinted nostalgia. It builds until the midway mark, when everything halts but those ’80s synths and Fabi’s soaring vocals. Yet just when all feels a little too calm, that pummeling bass comes roaring back in, sweeping up Fabi and anything else in its path into a tumultuous frenzy of urgent, epic longing.
—Andrew Brandt

TRACK 3
Ghost Loft “So High”
Perfect for those heady summer nights, “So High” will wrap you up in a thick blanket of sound. Full of mellow, muted notes, the song combines heart-pounding lows and melodious highs in a way that creates sweet, intoxicating drama. Crooning “You make me so high / you bring me to life,” the vocals will make you want to melt into whomever you find near. The time has come for lying in the grass in the midst of a million stars, and this song will make you want to do just that.
—Rachel Schroeder

TRACK 4
Twin Peaks “Stand in the Sand”
I’ll go ahead and pass over the obvious connection between summertime and the title “Stand in the Sand” and get right to why you should be listening to this song right now. This is garage band rock at its best, with just enough pop thrown in to keep things light-hearted. Hailing from Chicago, these dudes ooze adolescent rebellion out of their pores — and about a minute into this one, I’m pretty sure you’ll want to as well.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 5
Bipolar Sunshine “Rivers”
Borrowing elements from decades old hip hop, verses which edge into rap territory, and pop-rock guitar and drum hooks, “Rivers” is a catchy hodgepodge of a track from Manchester-based Bipolar Sunshine. The word “bipolar” is all too fitting for the ups and downs of “Rivers,” illustrated perfectly by the chorus of “been low but I’ve been higher.” Despite the song’s shifting polarity, higher is the only place for the listener to go.
—Drew Curtis

TRACK 6
Little Daylight “Name in Lights”
It’s no surprise that Little Daylight’s name is inspired by a fairytale, because a fairytale is kind of what “Name in Lights” makes you feel like you’re listening to. It’s a soft ditzy number that is so catchy it’ll likely be in your head for quite a while. Another calmer one for your summer playlist, listen and enjoy as you walk through the city and begin to feel yourself melt into the pavement.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 7
Jaymes Young “Dark Star”
Here’s another song to slow your summer roll — but only in a really good, sensual, feel-it-in-your toes kind of way. With the pulsing bass and Young’s sultry voice, this is what you want next to you on those hot nights where you just can’t sleep. “I’ve looked a long time to find you / I drifted through the universe just to lay beside you / Anywhere you want me to take you, I’ll go.” Get ready to be tantalized.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 8
Alpine “Gasoline”
“There’s gasoline in your heart.” Sounds about right. It may sound contradictory, but there is a certain aloof restlessness in Alpine’s summer playlist contribution. This is the perfect synth-pop made for twenty-somethings with not a lot to do. Relaxed, fun, but a little bit daring.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 9
Coasts “Oceans”
“Oceans” is exactly the kind of song you want to narrate your summer — full of energy, sand, and falling in love by the ocean. Not to mention just enough sweet nostalgia. These guys may hail from Bristol, England but this track is so intriguing you’ll probably relate to it even if the H2O closest to you is the office water cooler.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 10
San Fermin “Sonsick”
Admittedly during the first listen, hearing the opening lyrics “I found me a hopeless case” invited Rihanna’s similar lines to mentally distract me in spite of all efforts to suppress them. When all seemed lost, the full and bright sound of “Sonsick” cut through with bravado, summoning a gorgeous interplay between full band instrumentation and harmonized vocals. San Fermin’s “Sonsick” is an ideal track for pouring a drink and applying aloe vera at the end of a long day in sunburn season.
—Drew Curtis

TRACK 11
Swimm “Feels”
Most summer evenings with friends, I really want music that can be present but also in the background — the sort of thing where someone will ask “Hey, who is this?” but it never gets in the way of conversation or dominates anyone’s attention. The rhythmic groove here locks into the background but the bouncy twang of the vocals and guitar tie it up into something interesting, leaving you all to your bottles of beer covered in cool condensation while the sun goes down.
—Chris Lay

TRACK 12
NONONO “Down Under”
Swedish trio NONONO have their fingers on the pulse of the kind of sound we’re looking for this summer. Here’s a track for when the party has ended and it’s time to slow things down a bit. Get some soul searching done and drive aimlessly into the night while reflecting on the soft refrain “We are only what we feel / yearning for something real” and the smooth electronic beats that accompany Stina Wäppling’s soothing voice.
—Rebecca Edwards

TRACK 13
Jai Paul “Zion Wolf”
Jai Paul is an elusive figure. The British producer/artist, who recently signed to XL, “supposedly” leaked his own debut album online in April. In summary, label reps made conflicting statements, Jai Paul remained tight-lipped, and no one has a clue as to what happened. Although Jai’s debut is still officially “unannounced,” the singer’s singles, both leaked and officially released, have garnered a multitude of praise. “Zion Wolf,” one of Jai’s unofficial tracks, is a gorgeous one that fuses British electro-futurism with an enticing R&B vocal. While Jai continues to do… whatever it is he is doing, one thing is for certain: we anxiously await his debut.
—Ryan Thomas

TRACK 14
ASTR “Operate”
Imagine a slasher flick that takes place at a summer camp. Now imagine the sort of ominous ending where the two characters who are in love made it through the film unscathed yet you know the bad guy will be back in further installments of the series to again sink his blade into nubile teenage flesh. The final scene is the couple in embrace with a slow fade to black. The credits roll. This song is playing.
—Chris Lay

TRACK 15
Young Summer “Fever Dream”
We often define “summer music” by the fuzzed-out sunshine jams that bring us two minutes closer to the beach. We have several of those in this collection. But “Fever Dream,” an ’80s-esque offering from Young Summer (a.k.a. Bobbie Allen), falls in line with the often overlooked and often superior songs that highlight our summer twilights. Bringing together the best bits of Beach House and Still Corners, “Fever Dream” is a sleek and seductive journey that blurs the line between dreams and reality after dusk, just as the most memorable summer nights are known to do.
—Andrew Brandt

TRACK 16
Splashh “Sun Kissed Bliss”
True, the title of this track has Summer with a capital “S” written all over it, but don’t let the sugary, pop-tastic name fool you. Splashh’s single has no shortage of prolifically hazy guitar riffs and certainly doesn’t skimp on the ’90s rock nostalgia. Inspiration for the track is rooted in Byron Bay, where Sasha Carlson, the band’s New Zealand-born guitarist and singer, spent a languid summer with Toto Vivian, the guitarist/keyboardist/backing-vocalist Aussie of the group. Together, they bathed in Vitamin D-filled sunrays while crafting feel-good tunes such as this.
—Kylie Peterson

TRACK 17
Los Porcos “Jesus Luvs U Baby”
End of a warm evening. That is the time this cheery track would best be served, when the descent of the harsh sun coincides with the rising haze of the night’s activities, blurring all and washing away the tiniest of obligations. It’s impossible to decipher the fluffy lyrics — when awake and fresh anyway. Remnants of the band WU LYF have formed Los Porcos to give us this high pitched and misguided slow dance, bringing their unique sound to night caps all summer long.
—Chris Kraemer

TRACK 18
The Preatures “Is This How You Feel?”
If the first thing you think of when you hear “Is This How You Feel?” is an ’80s pop teen flick, you’re not alone. In fact, cue up the track and this clip; the result is a damn good fit. This band of Aussies has the throwback vocals and guitar riffs to make “Is This How You Feel?” a nostalgic jam, fit for a windows-down cruise.
—Drew Curtis

TRACK 19
Childhood “Solemn Skies”
With a dreamy and atmospheric sound, this song will transport you high above the clouds to a world where the sun never sets… and you’ll never want to come down. Layered on top of a driving beat and a thick chord progression, the lush, echoing vocals cry, “Take me higher girl / oh out past the water.” The ambiguity and good vibes of the track cry for infinite playback. So sit back, click repeat, and dream of a never ending summer.
—Rachel Schroeder

TRACK 20
Postiljonen “On the Run”
How long has it been since you made a mixtape for the express purpose of getting someone to fall in love with you? As all of us mixtape-makers and High Fidelity lovers know, there are rules to making mixtapes. You come out strong but don’t peak early, for instance. Well, this song right here? This is your closer. This one seals the deal. It’s like every good first kiss should be. It’s fragile and beautiful, but steady and sure of itself.
—Chris Lay

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