I usually avoid making mixes for autumn and winter because they’re strange seasons. It’s a comedown, one that more often than not comes with disappointment until you break out the Christmas songs. Still, my life has felt strange lately, a certain breed of anxious even if the leaves haven’t started to fall quite yet. With that in mind, here is a gift from me to you before the temperature starts tipping tomorrow. DOWNLOAD: AUTUMN APPREHENSION 1. Zoo Kid (King Krule) - “Out Getting Ribs” I’ve been addicted to this song lately, even though it technically came out a year ago. The kid is 17 but you wouldn’t know listening, capturing a certain sadness that comes with reflecting alone. He changed his name to King Krule, and now I’m waiting for him to put out his debut EP on the awesome True Panther Sounds. 2.  Billy Bragg - “A New England” That Zoo Kid track also reignited my love for Billy Bragg, and this song especially gives off the same vibe. Plus, I’m from a “new England,” so of course I love it. 3. Wiz Khalifa - “The Race” Let’s face it: that Wiz Khalifa album was kind of a turd after the hype of “Black and Yellow.” Still, the chilly synths and strings make “The Race” the only other slice of greatness on the album. 4. Aloe Blacc - “Femme Fatale” It’s 2011, and anyone trying to cover the Velvet Underground gets a big eye roll from yours truly. That said, you can’t deny a throwback soul rework of “Femme Fatale.” 5. Shuggie Otis - “Aht Uh Mi Hed” Whenever I listen to Shuggie, I’m sort of baffled that he never took off in the ’70s and only exists as a cult figure David Byrne brought back to prominence. That voice, man… 6. Walter Jones - “I’ll Keep on Loving You” Every time my love life is in shambles, I always circle back to this song. It’s a shame he hasn’t put out anything else on DFA besides this and the similarly moody dance cut “Living Without Your Love.” 7. Korallreven - “Younger Than Yesterday” Swedes have a monopoly on dream-pop, it’s insane. 8. Air France - “It Feels Good To Be Around You” See what I mean? 9. Orbital - “Belfast” One of my dirty dance geek secrets is that I’d only heard a handful of Orbital tracks until recently. After Jamie XX put this track in his recent “essential mix,” though, I’ve been hooked. Like Belfast itself, Orbital have found a thread of beauty in something ugly. 10. Arthur Russell - “Springfield (DFA Remix) I owe James Murphy for plenty of music discovery, and when he remixed Arthur Russell, it was like a whole new world opened to me. 11. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - “Bubbles” I can’t believe how many people slept on this record in the beginning of the year. Now that it’s going to get cold, I’ll certainly have a set of folk songs peppered with field recordings and subtle electronic touches in heavy rotation. 12. Youth Lagoon - “Montana” The whole Youth Lagoon album is eerily gorgeous, and obviously I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of it these days. Also, the video most definitely made me cry.

I usually avoid making mixes for autumn and winter because they’re strange seasons. It’s a comedown, one that more often than not comes with disappointment until you break out the Christmas songs. Still, my life has felt strange lately, a certain breed of anxious even if the leaves haven’t started to fall quite yet. With that in mind, here is a gift from me to you before the temperature starts tipping tomorrow.

DOWNLOAD: AUTUMN APPREHENSION

1. Zoo Kid (King Krule) - “Out Getting Ribs”

I’ve been addicted to this song lately, even though it technically came out a year ago. The kid is 17 but you wouldn’t know listening, capturing a certain sadness that comes with reflecting alone. He changed his name to King Krule, and now I’m waiting for him to put out his debut EP on the awesome True Panther Sounds.

2.  Billy Bragg - “A New England”

That Zoo Kid track also reignited my love for Billy Bragg, and this song especially gives off the same vibe. Plus, I’m from a “new England,” so of course I love it.

3. Wiz Khalifa - “The Race”

Let’s face it: that Wiz Khalifa album was kind of a turd after the hype of “Black and Yellow.” Still, the chilly synths and strings make “The Race” the only other slice of greatness on the album.

4. Aloe Blacc - “Femme Fatale”

It’s 2011, and anyone trying to cover the Velvet Underground gets a big eye roll from yours truly. That said, you can’t deny a throwback soul rework of “Femme Fatale.”

5. Shuggie Otis - “Aht Uh Mi Hed”

Whenever I listen to Shuggie, I’m sort of baffled that he never took off in the ’70s and only exists as a cult figure David Byrne brought back to prominence. That voice, man…

6. Walter Jones - “I’ll Keep on Loving You”

Every time my love life is in shambles, I always circle back to this song. It’s a shame he hasn’t put out anything else on DFA besides this and the similarly moody dance cut “Living Without Your Love.”

7. Korallreven - “Younger Than Yesterday”

Swedes have a monopoly on dream-pop, it’s insane.

8. Air France - “It Feels Good To Be Around You”

See what I mean?

9. Orbital - “Belfast”

One of my dirty dance geek secrets is that I’d only heard a handful of Orbital tracks until recently. After Jamie XX put this track in his recent “essential mix,” though, I’ve been hooked. Like Belfast itself, Orbital have found a thread of beauty in something ugly.

10. Arthur Russell - “Springfield (DFA Remix)

I owe James Murphy for plenty of music discovery, and when he remixed Arthur Russell, it was like a whole new world opened to me.

11. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - “Bubbles”

I can’t believe how many people slept on this record in the beginning of the year. Now that it’s going to get cold, I’ll certainly have a set of folk songs peppered with field recordings and subtle electronic touches in heavy rotation.

12. Youth Lagoon - “Montana”

The whole Youth Lagoon album is eerily gorgeous, and obviously I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of it these days. Also, the video most definitely made me cry.

  1. kidpretentious posted this