Here's my review:
1. Beirut. Nice choice, though this is a random song to choose :nice:
2. Sounds like a pretty straightforward pop song, some guy lamenting about "feeling a chill," assuring his lost love that he'll "slow it down this time." As a song, I don't like it much, but it sounds really really nice with the song before it. I can tell this is going to flow really well.
3. Acoustic guy, sounds really familiar to me. Sounds kinda like the guy from Magnetic Fields with a higher voice. The lyrics are really dry: "Darling...I'm leaving..." talking about some girl as usual. Meh. I like the sound of it. The rhythm progresses very well.
4. I know this song (AKA...What A Life by Noel Gallagher). I hate the Gallaghers. Though, I guess, Noel is better than Liam because he's just smug, not an outwardly emboldened dick. I don't think I've ever listened to it all the way through, so thanks for making me do that.
5. I really like whatever this is. It's ambient but not background music. I can't really hear what they are saying (they...there are two prominent voices in this song) so the focus is more on the music than the lyrics. Instruments are turned way up and progress like a fire sweeping through a forest: Quickly, covering a lot of ground. The atmosphere just blankets my ears. It's really cool. Very unique.
6. This is the sonic antithesis of the last track: More minimal. It reminds me of The Postal Service's Nothing Better, in that it's a soft-spoken guy is duetting with a soft-spoken girl over electronic, passive beeps and blurps. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd think this was Ben Gibbard himself. Sounds alright.
7. Blue Eyes- Destroyer. I am obsessed with Kaputt. And with The New Pornographers. You can't hide from me. Gorgeous, gorgeous song. I don't know if you're doing it on purpose, but I really like the subtle trumpet motif you have going on in this mixtape.
8. When a foreign person is chattering in a foreign language, if the tuning is right, it can add a remarkable dynamic to a song. Because the poetry doesn't exist anymore, the voice is no longer a medium for poetic ideas, it's now an instrument. This is an example of that idea. Really cool Eastern-language vocals layered over tribal rhythms and wailing guitar. Pretty neat. Not quite world music but it dances that line.
9. Whatever this is, I like it. Don't love it. But like it. I don't really have much else to say about it for some reason. I like the way the guy says "full cir-ir-ircle." Anyway.
10. This is a really cool song. The vocalist has a really weird, weak-to-strong dynamic when she sings. Her voice, weirdly enunciated, battles with the plucking mid-range guitar. Forms kind of a dynamic back-and-forth between the two sides. Very unique. I'm looking forward to learning what this is and buying everything. Or stealing it. Whatever.
11. You like female vocalists, don't you? Haha. I think this is A Fine Frenzy but I can't put my finger on the song. I like them.
12. Strong electronic synths form an ambient, but loud, atmosphere. A very textured song, reminds me of an 80's-pop take on more high-energy dance stuff. Another theme on this mixtape: Masked vocals. Mysterious. It's hypnotizing in a way. Really like it.
13. Woah, this is a surprise. Countryish harmonica folk stuff. I can dig it. I'm a sucker for this: soft acoustic plucks at a guitar and calming, raspily smooth vocals. "Take me under the floorboards..." Love the tambourine. Love this song. :heart:
14. Wailing guy over minimal percussion and club synths. I found myself dancing back-and-forth in my desk chair listening to this. I hope no-one's watching.
15. Last track: Acoustic ballad. Not really into it: A little bland. Though I do like the twangy country stuff in the background.
IMPRESSIONS:
The mixtape flows very well, and that art is nothing to scoff at. In the world of playlists and single-song downloads it's hard to do. I can tell you put a lot of thought and care into creating this. Thanks so much.
I like most of the songs on here, and they have a lot of musical muscle: Ambience, synth-heavy stuff serves it well.
Still hate Noel, though.
SCORE: 8.5/10
Thanks so much! This was a ton of fun.