Mixtape Exchange XIV CLOSED! XVI coming soon!!! Very soon!

[Coldplay]

Hi mixtape maker! I'll finish your review today, if not tomorrow

[Alien Radio]

VIOLET. When I got the message saying that you're my partner I could only laugh. Just a few days earlier I told you what one of my ideas for the mixtape was. Luckily, you stopped me from telling you what my second idea was, just in case that I get you. Well thank you for stopping me. :lol:

 

I'll put my comments in blue.

 

OK, I know this is a double post (sorry about that), but I think I'm ready to post my review now. I've listened to my tape a few times, and it'll probably be on again as I type this out so I can make sure to say what I want to say about the tape.

 

My partner (whoever you are) obviously put a lot of thought into this tape. My mixtape has been named "Into the Sublime Seas," and it came with 3 album covers that I could use. I liked all three, but I think the second cover in blue that looked like water was my favorite. (I'd post the pics of the album covers within the post, but I know my review will be long, and I don't want to take up even more room with the pictures.)

 

Fact is, the whole tape was made in only 3 hours, more or less. And that's a lot less than my past tapes. The reason why I had only 3 hours to make this is because the very next day after I got the message that you're my parnter, my computer broke. It finally got fixed a day before the deadline. :lol: In those 3 hours I had to discover new artists and songs which I would put in my mixtape, since you have almost the exact taste as me. Okay, let's get on the tape. It was meant to be the background of a story the listener creates/imagines in their head while listening. You can notice the motifs like water, swans, love and ageing/time reocurring throughout the tape. The quote below was also there to add to this setting. But as I said, it was to the listener. That's also why there were 3 artworks for the listener to choose from.

 

My tape also came with a note, which read as follows:

"Be not the slave of your own past.

Plunge into the sublime seas,

dive deep and swim far,

so you shall come back with self-respect,

with new power,

with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old."

 

I'm not really sure what my partner has planned with all this, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of theme with all this. Thank you, partner, for taking the extra time to do all this other stuff. I really appreciate it. :D

 

The quote I put in the readme file is one of my favourite quotes. It's by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The main reason why I decided to make that readme file was probably to make the tape a bit more mysterious. I also got the title of the tape (Into the Sublime Seas) from this quote. Into the Sublime Seas used to be the title of the album I'm working on, but I changed it so I decided to use it here. :p

 

My tape has twelve songs on it. I was disappointed about that at first (as I like a lot of songs), but then I realized that these 12 songs took up an hour's worth of time. None of the songs are under 4 minutes long, and the longest one is over 7 minutes long. For 12 songs, this is a pretty meaty tape. I like meaty tapes. :wacky:

 

I had a list of about 20 songs, which I narrowed down to those 12. :p I can send you more if you want. Actually, I made another tape for everyone which I'll upload and post later.

 

I've bored you guys enough with the other stuff. Onto the music!

 

1. The opener is a bright, fun folk record. I got reminded of multiple bands due to different aspects of the song. The frantic sounding "la la la la la" and stuff reminds me of Animal Collective. The vocals remind me of The Beatles, for some bizarre reason. The instrumental section in the latter half of the song reminds me of Passion Pit. I love the guitar and the hand-claps. This is a great opener. Thanks for starting with such a fun song. :smiley:

 

I loved this song on the very first listen, and I instantly knew that I wanted to use it as the opener. It's so cute and fun... It's a song called Bright Whites by Kishi Bashi, best known as a touring member of Regina Spektor and of Montreal.

 

2. This serves as a nice contrast to the opener, as it's got more of an ambient vibe going on. "Hello, echo, I've finally found you again." There are male vocals with vibrato. The vibrato is almost a bit much for me, but not quite. I like them more than I expected to, and the more I listen to the song, the more I like them. I love the arpeggios in the background. (It sounds like a vibraphone, which is also awesome.) The song starts to build up and adds drums, and it eventually gets to this nice climax. I'm a fan of the guitar bit that takes place in the last 30 seconds of the song. I really like this one.

 

One of the songs I discovered during those 3 hours. This is obviously called "Echo" and it's by a band called Wild Swim. I'm new to them too. :p

 

3. This song opens with guitar. I'm getting a surf rock vibe from this. I'm not a fan of the vocals; I can't really hear them above all the other things going on, and I can't understand what he's singing. I'm not the biggest fan of the music in itself, either. The guitar gets slightly annoying after a while, and the song in general doesn't really go anywhere. It's not terrible, but it could be better.

 

Haltija by Childhood. Second of the songs I discovered the day before sending the tape. It's got that cool dream pop/shoegazey/surf rock vibe which I found cool. It also fit well with the planned genre of the mixtape (a mixture of dream pop and folk rock), so I decided to use it.

4. This sounds like another folk number, and it's pretty reminiscent of stuff like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes. The soft male vocals remind me of William Fitzsimmons, but they're not as breathy. I like the vocals a lot. The inclusion of snare drum later in the song is nice, and I appreciate it. There's also an interesting addition in the instrumental break; I'm not sure what instrument it is, but it's the "wah-oo" bit that kinda sounds like a digeridoo. Whatever it is, it adds a nice texture. This song is definitely something that I could see myself listening to in the future. It fits part of my musical profile quite well. :D

 

Tidal Wave by Husky. It was on my YouTube recommendations last year and I accidentally clicked on it. I fell in love with it right away.

5. This is more of an ambient thing, and the beginning is great. It starts with violin, then adds bass and drums later. The layering within the song is really nice. The song reminds me of Noah and the Whale or something. This is particularly true with the vocals, as the singer has a certain quality to his voice that reminds me of Charlie Fink, for some reason. It seems that this song is a song of empowerment, based on the bits of lyrics I have picked up. (e.g. "You will not see me fall and see me struggle to stand.") There's a viola solo later in the song that I really like, too. Anyway, this is a great song, too.

 

Song for Zula by Phosphorescent. It's the lead single of his new album coming out this Spring. :awesome: The whole ambiance it creates is genius, but my favourite thing about this song is it's lyrics.

6. This starts with percussion, synthetic beats, and some "Ah ah ah ahhhs." I love the guitar bit. This is probably the song that sounds most like a rock song I've heard on the tape thus far. This song keeps adding different things for my ears to pick up on, and that's something I really like in music. The vocals remind me of Arcade Fire's Win Butler, particularly in the upper register. I like the "Ah ah ah ahhh" bit around the halfway mark. Towards the end, it sounds like, for lack of a better term, organized chaos. It's cool. Awesome song.

 

Another one of the songs I discovered a day before sending the tape. It's No-Room by Akron/Family. I've never heard of them before, but they seem quite good.

7. This song reminds me very much of Track 3, with the provision that the guitar is louder and the vocals are softer. Really, I can barely hear the guy singing; is it supposed to be that way, or is this a mixing issue of some sort? The guitar part in itself is nice, but it's covering everything else up, which is annoying. Like Track 3, this is a "meh" sort of song. It's not terrible, but I don't really like it that much. It doesn't really go anywhere. Sorry.

 

That's one of my favourite songs of all time. It's Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine. You might have heard a lot of fuss about them recently, because they finally released a new album this year, after a long wait of 22 years. This particular song is from their critically acclaimed 1991 album Loveless. It takes more than a few listens to like it though.

8. This is an electronic track. The sounds are nicely layered at the beginning, with some synths entering after the beats set up the tone. This song also keeps adding some new things in the background, and I enjoy picking up on all that stuff. (That's particularly true with the arpeggios.) The vocalist sounds super cute, and his vocals fit the song like a glove. The background singers are rather nice as well. "There's a ghost in the sky, and in all me fields of stars, so follow in the wind and singing all my hymns in the dark." The song has an interesting ending, as it has quite a bit of furiously bowed strings. This was a joy to listen to. Thanks. :D

 

The Beauty Surrounds by Houses. I'm quite new to them too and I quite like this one.

9. The songs start with synths and percussion, and it has a dream pop thing going on. The song has vocals that are simple, straight, and clean. I enjoy those sort of vocals, so good for you for putting this in here. The song in itself is a pretty simple one, but I don't mind that with this song at all. In fact, while it's a midtempo song, it sounds almost cheerful. I can feel myself smiling as I listen to it. This is just a nice feel-good track.

 

Wishes by Beach House. It's the most recent single from their newest album, Bloom, which was released last year. I was surprised when I realised that you haven't listened to them a lot before, having known that our taste is almost identical. I was going to use their song Myth, but ended up with using this one.

10. This starts with some electronic beats, and these go on for the entirety of the song. Then, I hear some female vocals. They're quite lovely, and they fit the vibe of the song quite well. "All you can see, all you can tell." It's a simple song, but I enjoyed listening to it. My only caveat was that it stayed in one place the whole time, and it didn't climax in any sort of profound way. I feel like this would've been better if there were some sort of sudden shift into something bigger.

 

Too Dark To Tell by Eaux. I imagined it to be like some sort of an interlude.

11. The very beginning (meaning the first 10 seconds) reminded me of Sigur Rós. Then, the song shifted into something completely different, which included some really annoying pinging noise. I almost felt like I was being misled as far as the overall tone of the song. The vocals are a bit too whiny for me, so they kinda kill the song for me. What I found more annoying was the poor balance between lead vocals (the whiny male voice) and the female backing vocalist (who honestly sounds better). I don't understand why you'd have a background singer if you're gonna just shriek and sing completely over everything. The music in itself is fine, but the vocals weren't to my liking at all. :\

 

Whaaaat, I was so thrilled about using this song here. :disappointed: It's Sleep from The Rumour Said Fire, a criminally widely unknown band, unfortunately. Kim (Wyrd) introduced me to them. :awesome: I especially love the effective instrumental soundscape they create, and the Jeff Mangumishness of the lead vocals.

12. Oh my gosh. Piano. I LOVE PIANO. :heart: I'm such a sucker for it. The piano is more or less the foundation for this song. The vocals are very interesting; they're breathy, yet they're haunting. Surprisingly, they fit nice with the song. I wasn't really expecting that. The song sounds like it's in a foreign language (something like Icelandic, but that's a shot in the dark, so I don't know). Other keyboard instruments (sounds like a vibraphone might be used again) are added later, and they compliment the piano. A little after the halfway more, there's just an explosion of sound, complete with strings. (I love this part SO much. :heart:) After this section, there's some softer noise, which builds as the song goes on, then fades away into oblivion to end it. This is probably the best closing track I've ever had. Thank you so much for this song. It's probably my favorite of the whole thing. :dazzled:

 

Haha I knew that you would love this one. Yes, it's Icelandic. I love that language, it just sounds so beautiful I guess. :mad: This song is called Svanur, which means "swan" in English. (Note that one of the covers was a swan swimming on the lake). It's by an Icelandic band called Rökkurró. They remind me of Sigur Ros a lot.

Overall, I find this to be a very solid tape. There were a few things I didn't particularly enjoy, but those that I did I enjoyed immensely. You had a great opener and an ever better closer. You obviously know what you're doing, and you have beautiful taste. You've introduced me to new things while simultaneously accomodating my tastes. I'm usually a pretty easy person to please, but I'm really happy with this tape. Thank you so much for making it for me. I can't wait to find out who you are, and I await your reveal of the artists on this tape. :hug:

 

Thanks for the kind words Violet. :nice: I was happy to be able to make you another tape, after the last one in 2011, which wasn't really good. This time my goal was to introduce you to something new, and not include songs you have already heard, like I did the last time. :p

 

 

Tracklist:

 

 

Covers:

 

 

"Gold on the Water"

"Night Sky"

"Swan Lake"

All of the artworks are my edits of Maurice Sapiro's paintings.

 

 

 

Download link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/t6wxh8

[Alien Radio]

To my partner - I'll post my review of your tape tomorrow. :)

[Cyan Kat]

I nearly added Bright Whites on my tape :awesome:

[Tnspieler1012]

 

Tracklist:

 

 

 

YUM

[Violet]

MY GOSH. FRAN. :heart: This is wonderful.

 

Right. Comments on tracks.

 

- I've heard good things of Kishi Bashi. I even think I heard one of his songs once on an NPR podcast. I'll definitely check him out; he sounds awesome. I had no idea he toured for Regina, either. That's neat. :awesome:

- That Husky song is so nice. :blush:

- I think I've heard a Phosphorescent thing on NPR, too. I plan on looking into this as well.

- I have heard a lot of fuss on My Bloody Valentine, and I don't understand it. I tried listening to them before on YouTube. It didn't do much for me then, and it doesn't now. :shrug:

- OK yeah, I'm gonna finally have to make some time for Beach House. I've heard them on mixtapes before, and I liked what I heard. For some reason, I keep putting them on the backburner. I don't know why, considering I get more Beach House recommendations from Last.fm than literally any other band/artist. It's time to delve into it.

- Actually, it's good that you put that The Rumour Said Fire track on the tape. I've been kinda curious about them (I know Marie (djibou) really loves those guys). Now I know. :nice:

- I NEED ROKKURO IN MY LIFE. :dazzled: No, seriously, I do. I agree with your sentiment of the Icelandic language. I want to learn to speak it so bad. But yes, this track...I have no words. :dazzled:

 

And to think you put this together in such a small time frame...wow. I mean, you used art and literature (I'm an Emerson fan) and so much. I won't say the first tape you made me was bad, because it wasn't. That tape changed my whole perspective on MGMT (because really, "Siberian Breaks" is an awesome song.) Having said that, if your intent with this tape was to make it better than the first one, I can confidently say that you've went beyond that. You should be very proud of this tape. Thank you so very much. :hug:

[dreamorlife]

Review

 

First thing I notice that all the song titles and artists are still there. That doesn't matter however, because I don't know a single one except for E.E. Cummings, who, if my memory is correct, should be a poet. THAT makes me curious! well done, my partner.

 

After listening to the tape and figuring out that none of the tracks was poetry, I just assume that these songs are named after poems. Cool concept, that will give me definitely even more things to discover, because I quite like poetry if I stumble upon it, but it's somehow hard to find anything good if you don't have a clue about great poets etc. :D

 

I also like the title of the tape, which is just "For You". Simple, but makes me smile. Thanks :)

 

And apologies for this review, anyone besides my partner should probably jump over this post. Why so lengthy?… :D

 

1) A gentle string introduction called "The Journey". It's nice and although it doesn't build up much suspense or tension, it gives you a warm and relaxed feeling. I think that's definitely nice when you had a bad day, choose to listen to this mixtape and it's start of that way. Let's define a new music category and call it a "gentle hug song". :D

 

2) "Diagnosis" (so medical :D ). A mixture of electronic beats and a guitar with quite some effects on it, I quite like it although I think there are too many effects on the voice here. Takes away all human elements, although I think it could have benefitted from them.

 

3) Already one of my favorites. I love this song. Contains the lyrics "his massive genitials refused to cooperate, his seduction to construction" (does such a tape need an explicit rating ? ;) , :D :D

I have no clue what it is all about (seems quite tongue-in-cheek), but it has an upbeat piano (even a clavinet at times I would guess)… so perfectly weird :D

I can however only guess as to why the title for this song is "Empty Pitchforks". Please fill me in :)

 

4) Next follows an instrumental piece. Driven mainly by an repetitive (don't mean this in a bad way, it's more hypnotic positive) electric piano, it later adds drums and some nice synths. It seems that my partner shares a love for electronic music (which is great), but for some other genres that I listen to (which is even better).

 

5) One of these folk ballads which for me carries a hint of retro (think jake Bugg), which for one song I quite enjoy. And since this only one song, it quite like it, as it adds to the diversity of the mix. Mainly just a guy and his guitar, complemented by some instruments. Sparse, but good. Altough I enjoyed the others more (which will probably change after even more listens, but I don't want to make you wait too long for my review). So consider this a good song now and a great song in a month :)

 

6) Quite an interesting mix of an aggressive, kind of 80's electronic drumbeat with heavily distorted guitars and a voice barely to be recognized. Have to think of Radiohead (it sounds nothing like them, but they have experimented with voice and effects in similar ways). The most powerful song so far, and again, quite diverse.

 

7) More an interlude than a song, lots of space and reverb and a bit of music/voices in the background. Can't really judge something like that, just a nice way to go from song to song.

 

8) Just when I thought "please now a pause from that many effects", bam! This mixtape is reading my thoughts, or just really really well planned.

Quite natural sound, a bass and drums and a male voice ("three white horses in a line?" don't know what to make of that, but he repeats it often), later a guitar make a good song. Most interesting is a kind-of-solo-interlude part, which is played on well, a mixture of a slide guitar, an ondes Martonet (radiohead fanboy :D ) and possibly singing in a way I don't know an english word for :D Also has a kind of shuffle feel to it, cool!

 

9) Ha, a song I know! Well I think I know it, but then trying to put a finger on it…, damm it. Sounds a bit like Patti Smith though or something, although that is unlikely because I have not really an idea of how Patti Smith sings and this song is a sort of ballad, electric piano (with effects ;) ) and lovely female vocals over it. Not the kind of rihanna-style-ballad you may now think of, but, for lack of a better word, the singer sounds more "mature", which makes this song (a) better and (b) more interesting. Really like that one, want to the name of the actual song (because here it is entitled "Always For The First Time" by Andre Breton, and I always thought Andre was kind of a male name :D).

 

10) Here we go with a more house orientated track, something a bit more familiar with. Nice beats, the kind of ones I love this type of music for. If I should put it down, it is probably best described somewhere between electronica, deep house with a bit of the direction Caribou for example does). Has a really simple, but really great (male) vocal line. Don't know that else to say about this song, but got into the favorites right after the first listen.

 

11) The next interlude, which I would put in the category of atmospheric. Not really a song, more a sound that helps make a nice transition from song to song. Won't write to much on them, just say that I really like your choice of interludes (and which I had found such myself when I wanted to include some on my own :D)

 

12) Second longest song with 6:25. And it contains: a trumpet solo! Didn't thing you could have so many surprises in a mixtape :)

A bit poppy, stripped down acoustic sort-of song. Again I like the change from something electronic and "produced" to something that sounds nearly like a live recording. I enjoy both, so it's nice to have both complement each other here. Funnily, after half of the time, the song fades out, then back in, then at the end back out. Sounds like either a homemade mashup (which would be quite cool) or maybe some sort of hidden track?

 

13) Starts quite chaotic, with "random" (I know they are not) sounds and interviews (something political? a woman talks about her unemployment). Quite dissonant from a musical perspective and puzzling (after weird string noises it starts with an electronic beat), but I find it more interesting than annoying. And that has to be said:

THANK YOU for taking the risk and putting that on my mixtape. I don't know if I would have dared it because you know, you never know how people react (what is that shit? that's not even music [probably too dramatic, but you get the point]), but for me that's really interesting. Waiting for a name :)

 

14) Another of one that is a bit strange at first, with a guitar and some nice harmonies. But it grows really well on you, I find it strangely relaxing :D

I can't really make out any lyrics or even the language because there are effects on the voices.

 

15) A mid tempo song with a female vocalist, I'm again not really able to make out any lyrics. It's a nice song, would have been good in other circumstances, but considering the overall quality of this tape, it's just nice and does not really stand out.

 

16) Now onto the journey: nearly 9 minutes of "Sonnet XXV". Subdued electronic drums, synth pads and some sparse melodies make this a relaxing track, but without any dullness to it. It's a really great art to make a track of that length that is repetitive (regarding the drums), but overall really interesting and fun to listen too. Curious to find out who can make such tracks :)

 

17) Now to the "natural" side again, a male and female voice, accompanied by a guitar, something like a glockenspiel, a violin(!) and some percussion. This would probably qualify as a folk song, which makes me like it :)

 

18) Again something folky, a bit of accordion, some glockenspiel and female voice (with effects) without any real lyrics it seems, more just for the melody. It even gets a bit more energetic at the end :) It definitively sums up the mix pretty good.

 

First thing: Sorry for me overusing the word effect. I just needed to describe the music properly. Otherwise I really really enjoy this tape, it has a fantastic diversity and great changes between "natural" things and "electronic" "effect" things (again). The only downside (which is really the only thing I could ever criticize on this tape) is the overall tempo which puts an emphasis mid tempo or slow songs, whereas I do like some fast things in between. So if you are in the mood for it, maybe before going in bed or so, this is really the perfect mix. Diverse, with sometimes funny, sometimes startling things and a nice gentle ending. HUGE HUGE thanks to my partner, you did an awesome job and exceeded all expectations I might have had :)

 

Now there are two things I wish from my partner:

A track list for all the awesome people featured on this tape,

and answer to the question if these poems inspired this mixtape (or if he/she) just generally likes them. Because if any that is true, these guys will probably become my new 18 favorite poets :D

[Linus]

For mine, it sounded like a compilation of 90's songs and some more recent stuff. It was very good, and I enjoyed listening to it!

 

1. It's the instrumental version of Life in Technocolor from Viva! Love this song! :)

Life In Technicolor - Coldplay

 

2. Great song! This one's a classic!

Free Fallin' - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

 

3. Good beat and rhythm. I honestly have no idea what this song is, but its pretty good!

Fields Of Gold - Sting

 

4. OMG!! One of the BEST OneRepublic songs I've ever heard next to If I Lose Myself!!!!

Stop And Stare - One Republic

 

5. Good rhythm! Kind of sounds U2-ish.

Crystal Ball - Keane

 

6. What in the world??? Sounds like Katy Perry mixed with Cher and Heart! I don't know how that's possible, but that's what it sounds like!

Almost Unreal - Roxette

 

7. Sounds familiar. I can't tell what it is. It's got a really good guitar rhythm.

With Or Without You - U2

 

8. Interesting rhythm. Sounds like a song that someone is depressed and walking for miles in a movie.

Isobel - Dido

 

9. It sounds really familiar! I can't tell who it is!

Streets Of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

 

10. Pretty good song! I like the rhythm and the flow of the song!

Shine On - The Kooks

 

11. Oh no. Not country! I really hate country! An apology to my partner, but I really don't like country at all!!

A Different Kind Of Fine - Zac Brown Band

 

12. Pretty good and chill. I like the guitars.

Runaway Train - Soul Asylum

 

13. A repeat of a previous song.

When The Children Cry - White Lion

 

14. Pretty good. Love the 90's vibe.

I Won't Let You Go - James Morrison

 

15. Its alright. She's a pretty good singer.

No Freedom - Dido

 

16. Interesting song. When the singer sings the lyric "only", he sounds weird. But pretty good, nonetheless.

Let Her Go - Passenger

 

17. Great outro! The Escapist is a great way to end the mixtape!

The Escapist - Coldplay

 

Very solid mixtape. It sounds like a 90's compilation, with the exception of the two Coldplay songs and the OneRepublic song. It had some great rhythms, guitars and other good elements. Well done, partner!

 

Here's the link:

https://rapidshare.com/files/2971356574/YellowTeardrops13.rar

 

i took some songs that i love, some that i like and some that i just thought would fit on the tape, even though i don't really like 'em. basicly what i tried to do was to get each song to start like the last one ended :p and i'm very happy that you liked it cause tbh i thought that since it was my first tape, it would suck, but i was wrong :D :dance:

 

 

Mr. or Ms. Mixtape Maker, I'll review your/my mixtape tomorrow or Sunday

[Violet]

3) Already one of my favorites. I love this song. Contains the lyrics "his massive genitials refused to cooperate, his seduction to construction" (does such a tape need an explicit rating ? ;) , :D :D

I have no clue what it is all about (seems quite tongue-in-cheek), but it has an upbeat piano (even a clavinet at times I would guess)… so perfectly weird :D

I can however only guess as to why the title for this song is "Empty Pitchforks". Please fill me in :)

 

I know what this song is! I won't tell you, since I didn't make your tape, but I will say that it's arguably my favorite song by this particular artist. :dazzled:

[dreamorlife]

I know what this song is! I won't tell you, since I didn't make your tape, but I will say that it's arguably my favorite song by this particular artist. :dazzled:

 

Excitement building up :)

 

That was just to memorable to not notice. Looking forward to finding out what song that is to read up all the lyrics :D

[Mrk]

Still need a working link :(

[DiOli05]

Still need a working link :(

 

Waiting on it too.

 

I try to send links as soon as i get them.

[Nattatouille]

Sorry, this is much later than I intended. I got roped in to so much this week! Anyway, excuses aside, here's my review:

 

1) Starts off with this huge organ sound which makes me feel really tiny. And then there's the addition of an acoustic guitar and the occasional xylophone (?) tinging. Love the male vocals. I get the feeling that I know this, or at least I should know the artist... Is it Arcade Fire? (Because if it is, I really don't know why I keep turning my nose up at them for the sake of it)

 

2) I'm not one for songs that have vocals in another language (I know, I just can't sing along and I think that's one of my favourite parts of live music?) but I can't not like this... It's horrendously funky. Starts off with just an electric guitar and then there's the addition of these minimal drums and it just makes me want to dance. And when the keyboard joins in I can't help it. And dat brass as well. This is brilliantly catchy and I should start expanding my horizons.

 

3) Begins a little backwards I think-- starts sounding like it might be a synth track and then instead there's a piano? I really like the piano on this, I'm not too keen on the vocalist just because they are a little too soft and whispery for me. I really love when the drum, bass and violins join in on this though, that's when the track really comes to life for me personally.

 

4) Real change of pace I guess on this one-- more hip-hop, R'n'B than the others. And hey I recognise that voice-- Plan B. I've not listened to a lot of his stuff beyond his whole blues album... I probably should though because I really like this. Also I think that might be Labrinth too?

 

5) Starts off quite sedately with a guitar and a reserved drumbeat before the male vocalist comes sliding over the top. I kind of find this maybe a bit too ballady for me? It's a little too slow.

 

6) I know this! John Mayer. Love him so much. Love this track. Love. Love. Love :awesome: Also this is the second mixtape with him on, right? Coldplaying likes John Mayer. And also even better-- he's announced he's well enough to do live shows again so I'm hoping for a UK date to see him again... It's been 3 years and too long. /johnmayerspiel

 

7) And I also know this one too. Mumford & Sons- Hopeless Wanderer. Why is it everything they do sounds so anthemic? I always want to stretch out my arms and sing a long. This track is brilliant live too.

 

8) Oh I like how this sounds with the two guitars being plucked alongside the synth before one of them kicks off into more of a rhythm when the vocalist comes in. I really like his vocal tone too-- so you keep proving my irrational 'I don't get other language songs' things wrong. Which is good work. I love the chorus too, feels really wide open and expansive. I want to sway in time to it.

 

9) Starts off with a latin-esque guitar before being joined with everything I would consider latin sounding-- including a male vocal harmony. Again really catchy, quite simple but it makes me smile which is what matters I guess?

 

10) Oh this sounds perky. It's played on a ukelele isn't it at first (at least it sounds like it...)? And a shaker in the background before the drum joins in alongside the vocalist-- which sounds like an all male harmony? The chorus is a bit of a change of pace, sounds a bit romantic with a guitar and a slower pace and 'ohhhing' of the harmonies. I'm excited to find out who this is because I really love it :dazzled:

 

11) This one feels slower with a sedate drumbeat alongside an acoustic guitar and a bass-- I think my favourite part of this is the contrast between the two guitars actually. I find the shifts in tone in the vocalist a bit annoying that it sprials from a whisper to a deep warble to an almost rock-esque shout. It confuses me a bit.

 

12) I always wonder for a split second if this is going to be Temptation by Heaven 17 or The Killers because I reckon the start sounds the same... But yep, The Killers. Tranquilize is seriously underrated; I love it, admittedly has been a while since I listened to it so it's nice to be reminded there is more to The Killers than Hot Fuss and Battle Born.

 

13) Synthy drawn out intro before a bass kicks in alongside a electronic drumbeat. And then a little quirky keyboard thrown in there too-- little bit distorted. And a violin sample and guitar used sparingly. I really like this. And hey, I really love the vocals too. Oh this is wicked. Especially in the chorus which is sort of like a minimalist version before it comes back with extra electric guitar interjections. And the bit where it strips away being synthy in favour for just having drums and guitar before hitting the synths back. Ahh man, there's so much in this track to like. I've listened to it 6-7 times more than the rest of the tape and I still can't get over it.

 

14) Oh this starts a bit sudden with it's hammering of keys and drums and another instrument that I can't quite pin down. It's interesting and kind of overpowers the vocalist at first-- which I kind of like with regards to this track. I don't like the shift towards piano primary for the chorus though. Don't know why...

 

15) Quiet guitar alongside a piano intro which then has the addition of a sort of faded vocalist and quiet drumming. It's quite quiet I guess is the best way to describe it. It's peaceful and a bit charming. I do admittedly prefer when the guitars and synths join in at their little intermittent parts/more towards the end-- just because that's more to how my music taste leans.

 

16) Whoa this guy's voice is deep. Reminds me of Gabriel Bruce. It's mainly his vocals that dominate the track alongside the later addition of his more falsetto leaning compadre's that take over. There's a guitar and drum in the background but I'm mainly focussing on the vocals no matter what because they are so powerful. And I was going to say there's a trumpet, but on closer listen I think that's one of the vocalists making those sounds :lol: Really like this one again.

 

Overall I really enjoyed my tape. There are some definite stand out tracks but on the whole it's made me realise that I should start listening to more music in other languages because it doesn't matter that I can't sing along-- it's really catchy! Thanks very much for making this for me and can't wait to check out some more of the artists.

[Black Rose]

I is back from travelling, so finally downloaded my link :)

 

Will import and listen to tomorrow once I get some sleep

[Deirdre]

Yay, I got a link! Thanks again DiOli05 for your great job!

 

I've just downloaded the mixtape but I will listen to it later today (it's 1am here and I'm tired!) :dance:

And I am pleasantly surprised by the cover and the note :nice:

[Tnspieler1012]

 

First thing I notice that all the song titles and artists are still there. That doesn't matter however, because I don't know a single one except for E.E. Cummings, who, if my memory is correct, should be a poet. THAT makes me curious! well done, my partner.

 

After listening to the tape and figuring out that none of the tracks was poetry, I just assume that these songs are named after poems. Cool concept, that will give me definitely even more things to discover, because I quite like poetry if I stumble upon it, but it's somehow hard to find anything good if you don't have a clue about great poets etc. :D

 

So yeah, as I think you figured out, the titles are the names of particular poems that I have partnered with songs that share similar themes or feels (for me anyway). All of them should be easy to reach through google if you're at all interested. It was a fun project.

 

I also like the title of the tape, which is just "For You". Simple, but makes me smile. Thanks :)

 

tanks! :wacko:

 

1) A gentle string introduction called "The Journey". It's nice and although it doesn't build up much suspense or tension, it gives you a warm and relaxed feeling. I think that's definitely nice when you had a bad day, choose to listen to this mixtape and it's start of that way. Let's define a new music category and call it a "gentle hug song". :D

 

Haha, think of the subgenre's (triphug, post-hug, soft-hug, nu-hug)! The track is 'Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears' by 'A Winged Victory For The Sullen' (a side-project of various ambient musicians), but despite the less cheery titles, there's a lot of truth in your description. For several months last year I would play this album every night before sleeping.

 

2) "Diagnosis" (so medical :D ). A mixture of electronic beats and a guitar with quite some effects on it, I quite like it although I think there are too many effects on the voice here. Takes away all human elements, although I think it could have benefitted from them.

 

If you want the more human side of Jenn Wasner, I highly recommend Wye Oak. This is her side-project called 'Flock of Dimes' that left me drooling on a small stage in Knoxville last year.

 

3) Already one of my favorites. I love this song. Contains the lyrics "his massive genitials refused to cooperate, his seduction to construction" (does such a tape need an explicit rating ? ;) , :D :D

I have no clue what it is all about (seems quite tongue-in-cheek), but it has an upbeat piano (even a clavinet at times I would guess)… so perfectly weird :D

I can however only guess as to why the title for this song is "Empty Pitchforks". Please fill me in :)

 

As I'm sure Violet can tell you in greater detail, Owen Pallett has written some of the greatest lyrics on this planet. This is from back when he went by the name 'Final Fantasy'. Glad you love it, the title is 'This Lamb Sells Condos'.

 

4) Next follows an instrumental piece. Driven mainly by an repetitive (don't mean this in a bad way, it's more hypnotic positive) electric piano, it later adds drums and some nice synths. It seems that my partner shares a love for electronic music (which is great), but for some other genres that I listen to (which is even better).

 

I raided your last.fm beforehand, praying I wouldn't see many of the artists that I had hoped to use. The lists was long and you had many similar artists which is usually a good omen. This is a Four Tet remix of Nathan Fake.

 

 

5) One of these folk ballads which for me carries a hint of retro (think jake Bugg), which for one song I quite enjoy. And since this only one song, it quite like it, as it adds to the diversity of the mix. Mainly just a guy and his guitar, complemented by some instruments. Sparse, but good. Altough I enjoyed the others more (which will probably change after even more listens, but I don't want to make you wait too long for my review). So consider this a good song now and a great song in a month :)

 

Retro is accurate. 1967 to be exact. By my standards, the rythm started very fast, so I needed Leonard Cohen to level things out. Incidentally this track (Winter Lady) was featured prominently in the film 'The Art of Getting By'

6) Quite an interesting mix of an aggressive, kind of 80's electronic drumbeat with heavily distorted guitars and a voice barely to be recognized. Have to think of Radiohead (it sounds nothing like them, but they have experimented with voice and effects in similar ways). The most powerful song so far, and again, quite diverse.

 

Hear that Eddie!?! You're powerful!! (and a Radiohead rip-off) *nudgenudgewinkwink*

This track is called 'Kick In The Head' by Lontalius. Give him all your money.

 

7) More an interlude than a song, lots of space and reverb and a bit of music/voices in the background. Can't really judge something like that, just a nice way to go from song to song.

 

Mmmhhhmmm. Not the typical Benoit Pioulard (not his real name, but sexier) song. Most of his tracks are like Jose Gonzalez gone mental with his reverb pedals. Worth a dig.

 

8) Just when I thought "please now a pause from that many effects", bam! This mixtape is reading my thoughts, or just really really well planned. Score!

Quite natural sound, a bass and drums and a male voice ("three white horses in a line?" don't know what to make of that, but he repeats it often), later a guitar make a good song. Most interesting is a kind-of-solo-interlude part, which is played on well, a mixture of a slide guitar, an ondes Martonet (radiohead fanboy :D ) and possibly singing in a way I don't know an english word for :D Also has a kind of shuffle feel to it, cool!

 

Haha, I'm a Radiohead fanboy as well, but no Ondes, just guitar effects and a well-used tremolo arm. This song/artist has been stuck in my head more often than anything else the last 4 months. 'Three White Horses' by Andrew Bird. Check him out because I say so.

 

9) Ha, a song I know! Well I think I know it, but then trying to put a finger on it…, damm it. Sounds a bit like Patti Smith though or something, although that is unlikely because I have not really an idea of how Patti Smith sings and this song is a sort of ballad, electric piano (with effects ;) ) and lovely female vocals over it. Not the kind of rihanna-style-ballad you may now think of, but, for lack of a better word, the singer sounds more "mature", which makes this song (a) better and (b) more interesting. Really like that one, want to the name of the actual song (because here it is entitled "Always For The First Time" by Andre Breton, and I always thought Andre was kind of a male name :D).

 

Patti Smith? Very interesting. This is 'Echo's Answer' by Broadcast. Trish Keenan (the singer) died from Pneumonia 2 years ago. I chose Breton (who wrote the book on surrealism) because Trish had similarly turned 'Psychedelia' into a kind of philosophy, and I think there are more than a few similarities.

 

10) Here we go with a more house orientated track, something a bit more familiar with. Nice beats, the kind of ones I love this type of music for. If I should put it down, it is probably best described somewhere between electronica, deep house with a bit of the direction Caribou for example does). Has a really simple, but really great (male) vocal line. Don't know that else to say about this song, but got into the favorites right after the first listen.

 

The original 'It's Alright' by Peter Broderick is prettystripped down guitar track with a lot of emphasis on the vocal lines you mentioned. This is Nils Frahm's remix, which is obviously much more intense. Glad you liked it.

 

11) The next interlude, which I would put in the category of atmospheric. Not really a song, more a sound that helps make a nice transition from song to song. Won't write to much on them, just say that I really like your choice of interludes (and which I had found such myself when I wanted to include some on my own :D)

 

No need to write much where there is little to be said. This is one of my favorite ambient composers, 'Kyle Bobby Dunn'. Typically his tracks will last up to 10 minutes or longer, this is the shortest one I could find.

 

12) Second longest song with 6:25. And it contains: a trumpet solo! Didn't thing you could have so many surprises in a mixtape :)

A bit poppy, stripped down acoustic sort-of song. Again I like the change from something electronic and "produced" to something that sounds nearly like a live recording. I enjoy both, so it's nice to have both complement each other here. Funnily, after half of the time, the song fades out, then back in, then at the end back out. Sounds like either a homemade mashup (which would be quite cool) or maybe some sort of hidden track?

 

I'm not cool :sad:. This is 'Put the Book Back on the Shelf' by Belle & Sebastian (on the radioooooooo), and on the original album version the hidden track is built in.

13) Starts quite chaotic, with "random" (I know they are not) sounds and interviews (something political? a woman talks about her unemployment). Quite dissonant from a musical perspective and puzzling (after weird string noises it starts with an electronic beat), but I find it more interesting than annoying. And that has to be said:

THANK YOU for taking the risk and putting that on my mixtape. I don't know if I would have dared it because you know, you never know how people react (what is that shit? that's not even music [probably too dramatic, but you get the point]), but for me that's really interesting. Waiting for a name :)

 

Risktakers are cool! :fireman:

Welcome to the weird and wacky world of 'The Books'. Glad you weren't turned off by it.

 

14) Another of one that is a bit strange at first, with a guitar and some nice harmonies. But it grows really well on you, I find it strangely relaxing :D

I can't really make out any lyrics or even the language because there are effects on the voices.

 

A lesser known guy from New York who plays at my small University on occasion. Last time for an encore he asked 'Y'all wanna hear about a wafflehouse?' and proceeded to screw up and have to restart after about a minute in. 'Wafflehouse' - Aaron Roche.

 

15) A mid tempo song with a female vocalist, I'm again not really able to make out any lyrics. It's a nice song, would have been good in other circumstances, but considering the overall quality of this tape, it's just nice and does not really stand out.

 

The early version of 'Heirloom' by Memoryhouse. As you said, not as weird and exciting as the songs around it, though I'm extremely attached to it.

 

16) Now onto the journey: nearly 9 minutes of "Sonnet XXV". Subdued electronic drums, synth pads and some sparse melodies make this a relaxing track, but without any dullness to it. It's a really great art to make a track of that length that is repetitive (regarding the drums), but overall really interesting and fun to listen too. Curious to find out who can make such tracks :)

 

'Return Life' by Martin Eden (a side project of Eluvium). I'm thrilled you weren't bored to tears, and highly recommend checking out his album and other projects.

 

17) Now to the "natural" side again, a male and female voice, accompanied by a guitar, something like a glockenspiel, a violin(!) and some percussion. This would probably qualify as a folk song, which makes me like it :)

I have a strict rule of never featuring the same artist twice in the tape, and this is the only time I can recall breaking it. My excuse: Nothing else seemed to fit and I had a vice-like emotional attachment to both Andrew Bird tracks that wouldn't permit me to exclude either. It's a cover of the song 'Don't Be Scared' by the Handsome Family. The original version is about 10 times faster.

 

18) Again something folky, a bit of accordion, some glockenspiel and female voice (with effects) without any real lyrics it seems, more just for the melody. It even gets a bit more energetic at the end :) It definitively sums up the mix pretty good.

 

Didn't want to mention it at the time, but the tape I received featured this same track, which is pretty uncanny. 'Switzerland' by Daughter.

 

First thing: Sorry for me overusing the word effect. I just needed to describe the music properly. Otherwise I really really enjoy this tape, it has a fantastic diversity and great changes between "natural" things and "electronic" "effect" things (again). The only downside (which is really the only thing I could ever criticize on this tape) is the overall tempo which puts an emphasis mid tempo or slow songs, whereas I do like some fast things in between. So if you are in the mood for it, maybe before going in bed or so, this is really the perfect mix. Diverse, with sometimes funny, sometimes startling things and a nice gentle ending. HUGE HUGE thanks to my partner, you did an awesome job and exceeded all expectations I might have had :)

 

Thank you so much for this detailed and enthusiastic review. It truly means a lot. Many many many hugs! :hug:

Now there are two things I wish from my partner:

A track list for all the awesome people featured on this tape,

As you wish! :elf:

 

 

1. Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears by A Winged Victory For The Sullen (A Winged Victory For The Sullen)

2. Curtain by Flock of Dimes (Curtain b/w Apparition)

3. This Lamb Sells Condos by Final Fantasy (He Poos Clouds)

4. You Are Here (Four Tet Remix) by Nathan Fake (You Are Here)

5. Winter Lady – Leonard Cohen (Songs of Leonard Cohen)

6. Kick In The Head – Lontalius (The Same EP)

7. Fluoresce – Benoit Pioulard (Lasted)

8. Three White Horses – Andrew Bird (Hands Of Glory)

9. Echo’s Answer – Broadcast (The Noise Made By People)

10. And It’s Alright (Nils Frahm RMX) – Peter Broderick ( Erased Tapes Collection II)

11. Canticle of Votier’s Flats – Kyle Bobby Dunn (Bring Me The Head of Kyle Bobby Dunn)

12. Put The Book Back On The Shelf - Belle & Sebastian (Push Barman To Open Old Wounds)

13. Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again – The Books (Thought For Food)

14. Wafflehouse – Aaron Roche (!BlurMyEyes)

15. Heirloom (2010 version) – Memoryhouse (Caregiver b/w Heirloom)

16. Return Life – Martin Eden (Dedicate Function)

17. Don’t Be Scared – Andrew Bird (Weather Systems)

18. Switzerland – Daughter (His Young Heart)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mb88fp

 

 

 

and answer to the question if these poems inspired this mixtape (or if he/she) just generally likes them. Because if any that is true, these guys will probably become my new 18 favorite poets :D

The songs came first. I had everything ready ahead of time, so I had way too much time to think about my mix. I was kind of intrigued how, over time, one can extract a lot of emotion and meaning from words so seemingly basic and arbitrary as, for example, those in 'Three White Horses'. You, of course, are hearing these same songs with a clean slate and, if you choose to stick with a song on this mix, will gradually develop your own meaning. But still, I found it kind of unfortunate how often poetry lacks the viscerality of music, and how most songs have to sacrifice descriptive detail in order to keep in line with the music.

 

Anyway, I made it a fun project to find parallels between songs on the mix and poems I enjoy. Obviously, by reading one through the lens of the other, I'm kind of violently distorting both. But all the same, it was interesting, and done without any serious anticipation that anyone would actually bother to go through the trouble to dig up and read these poems (Honestly, if someone else did that with me, I'd consider the gesture a bit narcissistic, like making a 3 hour mixtape).

 

Anyway, thanks again for thanking me so many many times, your review totally validated my OCD. Cheers! :D

[Italian Plastic]

Chris and Fran these look amazing

[Violet]

Fran's IS amazing. :dazzled: I know I keep saying it, but it's true.

[djibou]

Partner! First listen is done, I shall listen again over the weekend and I will post my mixtape soon, I promise!

 

I think I know who you are, you had me before, and if that's not you, that person would greatly appreciate the mixtape :wacky:

 

[dreamorlife]

Now I feel guilty because the music on my tape is so much more mainstream compared to what I got :(

 

But thanks again for that awesome selection of music, even when I read the names I only recognize Andrew Bird, Nils Frahm, Four Tet and Daughter...

 

Now for a weekend of discovery! :)

[Emma.gillard]

I AM SO SORRY TO MY PARTNER. My mixtape is late: could not get access at all last week but i am uploading it to mediafire as we speak. I just hope you don't hate my music taste....

[Alien Radio]

To my partner: I didn't have time to finish my review today as I wasn't at home. I'll finish it tomorrow. :) I'm sorry.

 

First thing: Sorry for me overusing the word effect. I just needed to describe the music properly. Otherwise I really really enjoy this tape, it has a fantastic diversity and great changes between "natural" things and "electronic" "effect" things (again). The only downside (which is really the only thing I could ever criticize on this tape) is the overall tempo which puts an emphasis mid tempo or slow songs, whereas I do like some fast things in between. So if you are in the mood for it, maybe before going in bed or so, this is really the perfect mix. Diverse, with sometimes funny, sometimes startling things and a nice gentle ending. HUGE HUGE thanks to my partner, you did an awesome job and exceeded all expectations I might have had :)

 

Thank you so much for this detailed and enthusiastic review. It truly means a lot. Many many many hugs! :hug:

 

As you wish! :elf:

 

 

1. Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears by A Winged Victory For The Sullen (A Winged Victory For The Sullen)

2. Curtain by Flock of Dimes (Curtain b/w Apparition)

3. This Lamb Sells Condos by Final Fantasy (He Poos Clouds)

4. You Are Here (Four Tet Remix) by Nathan Fake (You Are Here)

5. Winter Lady – Leonard Cohen (Songs of Leonard Cohen)

6. Kick In The Head – Lontalius (The Same EP)

7. Fluoresce – Benoit Pioulard (Lasted)

8. Three White Horses – Andrew Bird (Hands Of Glory)

9. Echo’s Answer – Broadcast (The Noise Made By People)

10. And It’s Alright (Nils Frahm RMX) – Peter Broderick ( Erased Tapes Collection II)

11. Canticle of Votier’s Flats – Kyle Bobby Dunn (Bring Me The Head of Kyle Bobby Dunn)

12. Put The Book Back On The Shelf - Belle & Sebastian (Push Barman To Open Old Wounds)

13. Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again – The Books (Thought For Food)

14. Wafflehouse – Aaron Roche (!BlurMyEyes)

15. Heirloom (2010 version) – Memoryhouse (Caregiver b/w Heirloom)

16. Return Life – Martin Eden (Dedicate Function)

17. Don’t Be Scared – Andrew Bird (Weather Systems)

18. Switzerland – Daughter (His Young Heart)

http://www.mediafire.com/?lvk2f4kkgk1bdg4

 

 

 

 

The songs came first. I had everything ready ahead of time, so I had way too much time to think about my mix. I was kind of intrigued how, over time, one can extract a lot of emotion and meaning from words so seemingly basic and arbitrary as, for example, those in 'Three White Horses'. You, of course, are hearing these same songs with a clean slate and, if you choose to stick with a song on this mix, will gradually develop your own meaning. But still, I found it kind of unfortunate how often poetry lacks the viscerality of music, and how most songs have to sacrifice descriptive detail in order to keep in line with the music.

 

Anyway, I made it a fun project to find parallels between songs on the mix and poems I enjoy. Obviously, by reading one through the lens of the other, I'm kind of violently distorting both. But all the same, it was interesting, and done without any serious anticipation that anyone would actually bother to go through the trouble to dig up and read these poems (Honestly, if someone else did that with me, I'd consider the gesture a bit narcissistic, like making a 3 hour mixtape).

 

Anyway, thanks again for thanking me so many many times, your review totally validated my OCD. Cheers! :D

 

Woah I love that, Chris! :surprised: Downloading it now.

 

Fran's IS amazing. :dazzled: I know I keep saying it, but it's true.

 

Haha thank you Violet :heart:

[Mrk]

What the hell is wrong with Mediafire?

[Alien Radio]

What the hell is wrong with Mediafire?

 

I had problems with it too. Try sendspace.

[DiOli05]

What the hell is wrong with Mediafire?

 

Most of the people had trouble with it, myself included. Most of the problems were because of "copyright" issues...