AH! Halloween Mix for You to Spin

Happy Halloween, friends. Enjoy this short, quick mix made with today/tonight in mind. Nothing too crazy, just something to get your night started or wound down.

Cheers and stay safe out there.



If the embedded player isn't appearing above, listen to the mix below.

LISTEN: Halloween 2012 Mix

DOWNLOAD: The 'III' Mixtape

Well, that didn't take long. Due way back in April of this year, our third, free, mixtape is finally available for download right now. The last two have, more or less, had themes, but III is more of a general collection of tracks that have caught my ear over the past few months. Some you may have heard a few of these songs on the site over that time, while other songs are making their debut on the site. Like the past two mixtapes, my hope is that III introduces you to a new favorite artist/band and gives these talented folks even just a little bit more exposure. Sorry it took so long! Download and enjoy. Cheers, friends.

In Case You Missed It, Spin This New Hour-Long Flying Lotus Mix

It's Monday. Oh man, it's MONDAY. Well, we can all sit here and say, "Well might as well just hang my head down at a 45 degree angle all day, because, otherwise, Monday is just going to slap me in the face." Well, sure it's Monday, but you could escape for a little while, away from the walls of your cubicle, with experimental producer and DJ Flying Lotus' latest Lovers Melt mix. It's full of old school soul and spirit, and plays out like a trip to world where pain, love, and beauty all coexist like welcomed complements of one another. And maybe, once you learn you can download it for free direct from the source, you'll forget it's still Monday.

DOWNLOAD: Flying Lotus - Lovers Melt III (via Brainfeeder)

(Alt Link)

"2 Sides of Love": A 14-Track Valentine's Day Mix for You and Yours

I mentioned it on Twitter last night, and here it is. A little mix I made for Valentine's Day to share with you all. It's got new and old stuff. 14 tracks for the 14th. Enjoy.

LISTEN: "2 Sides of Love" Valentine's Day Mixtape

Note: You must have Spotify to listen.

DOWNLOAD: The 'Happy Birthday' Mixtape, Celebrating 5 Years of Mixtape Muse

2011, surprisingly enough, marks the 5th anniversary of Mixtape Muse. For something that started as a place to post the playlists for my little 'ol college radio program, this site has grown into something I could have never imagined. To celebrate, I've created a mixtape featuring artists that have been favorites over the past five years/are friends or are simply new artists I've just recently discovered. When I began selecting tracks, I soon heard a sonic theme that sort of matched the cover art (above) -- which I, oddly enough, happened to pick out before I had even started curating the mix.

As a thank you to all you readers and supporters of Mixtape Muse, please accept this mixtape as a token of my gratitude. Download it (for free) and enjoy!

WATCH: D1n.ONLY - "Somebody Talk To 'Em"

Continuing on with my 2011 hip hop obsession -- specifically in regards to production -- I want to share with you a video for "Somebody Talk To 'Em," a track off of Orlando-based rapper D1n.ONLY's latest mixtape Coming To An Ear Near U. It's a compelling story instilled with a ton of soul -- literally, with samples of some soul/R&B. Instead of an over accentuated sense of bravado or glorifying violence, D1n.ONLY raps honestly, passionately about staying true to yourself and rising above the overarching influence of the streets. Unless I'm missing something, it really seems to be an affirmation that being cool is all about being you, not trying to run in line with what someone else thinks is cool and right.

Catch the video, hear some more tracks, and download the mixtape below.

It's Coming

Coming soon. 

Stay tuned.

Download The Weeknd's New Mixtape "Thursday"

Earlier this year, The Weeknd released a surprise hit with the House of Balloons mixtape. Not long after that, it was revealed that there were plans to release two more mixtapes before the end of the year, one titled Thursday and the other titled Echoes of Silence. With the buzz surrounding House of Balloons and The Weeknd's intentional shroud of mystery, anticipation for Thursday (and Echoes of Silence) has only grown over the past few months. In June, interest only skyrocketed after two new tracks surfaced: "The Birds (Part 1)" and "Rolling Stone" (both, we now know for sure, are off of Thursday).

DOWNLOAD: Fugazi + Wu-Tang Clan = The WUGAZI Mixtape

Plenty of artists/bands have been mashed up into one track before by plenty of DJs -- Girl Talk being the most prominent example of the past few years. And even though it seems like almost any two disparate sounds can find some way to unite harmoniously, I don't think anyone would have ever really thought that Wu-Tang Clan and Fugazi (!) would be a match made in heaven.

A few weeks back, a track entitled "Sleep Rules Everything Around Me" was released by Wugazi, featuring a mix of Wu-Tang's “C.R.E.A.M.” and Fugazi’s “I’m So Tired." I saw it popping up across the web, but was disappointed to see it was just a short 3:19 track, as opposed to a full album. Well, yesterday, Wugazi released their 13 Chambers mixtape for free download. Hear and download it below. This is something you must hear.

LISTEN: "The Birds (Part 1)" & "Rolling Stone" - Two New Songs from The Weeknd

Back in March of this year, a mysterious singer/group called The Weeknd (yes, no "e") released the buzzed-about mixtape House of Balloons. Aside from the music's obvious strength, the release gained even more attention because, well, it was shrouded in a good bit of mystery. Not much was known about the project, which only intensified the seductive, atmospheric R&B that was contained on therein. The sound was dark, euphoric, amorous, and, needless to say, slick.

CFCF Releases Another Free Mixtape

Last month, Montreal-based DJ and electronic artist CFCF (real name Michael Silver) released a free mixtape entitled Slow R&B For Zellers Canada-Wide, chock full of department store ready jams. It might sound rather silly, but once you've heard it you realize how awesome it is. Don't believe me? Download it for free right here.

Fast forward to now, and CFCF proves he's a generous, let alone talented, man by releasing another free mixtape. This time around, we get the Do U Like Night Bus? mixtape, which Silver explains is actually a nod to a type of music.

'Night bus' is a silly little term that originated on Hipinion that describes not a certain genre but a certain feeling of music... can't quite describe what it is but Eno, G-Side, David Sylvian, DJ Screw, Angelo Badalamenti, Lil B, and the Akira soundtrack, are all super night bus.

Sign me up. Download after the hop.

CFCF Offers Up Free Mixtape, Helps You Get Down

There's something kind of kitschy about the '80s, and it's not the easiest thing to pinpoint precisely why that seems to be the case. Was it the zebra stripes? The neon colors? The sappy love ballads? It was obviously a collection of many things that helped to make it one of the most fascinating and inspiring decades of all time.

If you're looking for that love ballad that's going to get her attention or set the mood, there's a good chance the song is going to come from the '80s. The music might be a tad over the top, you might find the songs to be a little ridiculous, but, when it comes down to it, that's what makes such songs so charming. Songs from the '80s just have the right ingredients: the groove, the overindulgence of synthesizers, and those ambiguously direct lyrics that seem to apply to everyone, even if they're about a blind girl who sculpts a bust of your head.

Montreal-based DJ and electronic artist CFCF (aka Michael Silver) is offering up a free download of a mixtape that essentially captures the essence of these funky, sexy, sultry, and romantic '80s songs. It's like a soundtrack for one of those love stories when everything was all Miami Vice and hair metal. And as for the title of this mixtape, I can tell you that it is sort of like walking through a department store during the '80s -- not that I know much about that seeing as I was just a tot then.

But honestly, this is so awesome, enjoyable, and well-mixed. Get it now.

DOWNLOAD: CFCF - Slow R&B For Zellers Canada-Wide Mixtape

CFCF @ MySpace
CFCF @ Paper Bag Records

Japan's DJ 2BOY Releases Debut Mixtape

Japanese DJ 2BOY recently released his first mixtape entitled Good Morning Mr. Insomnia. In all honesty, until he got in touch with me, I was unaware that DJs produced their own mixtapes nor did I have any idea as to what exactly a DJ mixtape was. I discovered that, just as rap mixtapes showcase the skills of the rapper, DJ mixtapes showcase the mixing skills of the DJ.

Hailing from Tokyo, 2BOY (real name Taichiro Tsuboi) sets himself apart by never adhering to one specific genre. Good Morning Mr. Insomnia sees him mixing a wide variety of styles, from classical to rap. It's a constant flow of energy and embodies the line on his MySpace "RPM never dies, BPM never stops."

LISTEN: Eddy B & Tim Gunter - "Fall From A Cloud"

MP3: Eddy B & Tim Gunter - "Fall From A Cloud"

Knowing next to nothing about rap production, I'd imagine it's probably difficult to come up with something that's of great quality. The same goes for the actual act of rapping. I feel that it's probably harder, in many respects, to make a rap song with serious substance than it is to write a rock song on guitar. You've got to arrange everything just so, making sure it all flows and clicks in just the right places. It has to be precise if it's ever going to go anywhere.

When I was introduced to this song, the first thing that struck me was the production. It's got this swirling synthesizer/keyboard that sounds like the sky, making the song both transcendent and heavy in character. My sister listens to some of the worst hip hop and I can only wish that it was this good. This is better than so much of the TOP 40 nonsense that clogs the general consciousness of a majority of Americans' minds and their poor eardrums. This song is not only good, it's memorable. Eddy B has something to say, and producer Tim Gunter provides the perfect sonic landscape over which Eddy B can deliver his message.

"Fall From A Cloud" is from Eddy B's mixtape Dear North Carolina, Welcome Back out this fall.

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/EDDYBNC
http://www.twitter.com/tlgunter

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/officialeddyboy
http://www.facebook.com/tlgunter

4.4: "Punk Rock"

I spent a few weeks writing a term paper about punk rock's relationship with politics. This show's playlist featured a chronological list of punk bands (some of which were predecessors of the punk genre).

MC5 - "Kick Out The Jams"

The Stooges - "Search And Destroy"

Death - "Politicians In My Eyes"

The Clash - "Clampdown"

Black Flag - "Rise Above"

Bad Brains - "Big Take Over"

Minutemen - "Shit From An Old Notebook"

The Ex - "Frenzy"

Refused - "New Noise"

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - "Ballad Of The Sin Eater"

Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex - "Musicawi silt"

Aired: 12/10/09

I feel like there was one more show from this semester, but I currently can't locate a playlist for it. Anyways, thanks for listening this semester. I'll be back next semester, most likely the same time and day. Stay tuned. Thanks, again.

4.3: "Overlooked and Underappreciated Bands"

Reallllly overdue for posting. My apologies. Better late than never, yeah?

Sleepercar - "Wasting My Time"

Love As Laughter - "Paul Revere"

The Gossip - "8th Wonder"

The Helio Sequence - "Hallelujah"

Beulah - "A Man Like Me"

Colour Revolt - "See It"

ARMS - "Whirring"

The Changes - "When I Wake"

The Oranges Band - "When Your Mask Is Your Revealing Feature"

Phosphorescent - "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" (Daytrotter Session - 3/7/2008)

Elevator Division - "Radio"

Codes In The Clouds - "Don't Go Awash In This Digital Landscape"

Aired: 11/12/09 (?)

Show 4.2: "The Highs and Lows of Love and Relationships"

Pretty self-explanatory. "11th Dimension," as mentioned on air, was just a random addition.

Superdrag - "Baby's Waiting"
Patterson Hood - "Pollyanna"
The Kinks - "I Need You"
P.S. Eliot - "Incoherent Love Songs"
Weezer - "Across the Sea"
Beach Boys - "Surfer Girl"
The Only Children - "1969"
Brendan Benson - "Alternative To Love"
X - "Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not"
The Pretenders - "Precious"
The Replacements - "Unsatisfied"
The Cure - "Lovesong"
Julian Casablancas - "11th Dimension"

Aired: 11/5/09

Show 4.1: "My Summer"

Mixtape Muse started its fourth season on air. Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons, this was the first show of the semester and there are only a few weeks left. I'll be returning next semester to finish off the fourth season (in case any of you were worried...oh, wait...no one was)

Documenting songs/records of my summer that defined my summer.

Bruce Springsteen - "My Lucky Day"
The Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
Sunny Day Real Estate - "In Circles"
Sunny Day Real Estate - "8"
Phoenix - "Lasso"
Company of Thieves - "Oscar Wilde"
Brand New - "You Stole"
We Were Promised Jetpacks - "Quiet Little Voices"
The Thermals - "When I Died"
St. Vincent - "Save Me From What I Want"
Jason Lytle - "Brand New Sun"
Arctic Monkeys - "Dance Little Liar"

Aired: 10/29/09

Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor Releases First CANT 7-Inch

Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear's multi-instrumentalist bassist) announced a little while back that he had created a record label called Terrible Records (ah, ah...puns). Today marks the first release for the label: CANT's self-titled debut 7-inch. It features "Ghosts" as well as a previously unreleased song recorded by Arthur Russell in the late '70's, called "Come To Life." CANT is actually Taylor's creation and, so, today also marks his first solo release (double whammy).

This is actually the first in a series of 7-inches recorded at Terrible Studios, Taylor's Brooklyn-based church-studio where he produced most of Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. The series will continue to feature more songs recorded at Terrible.

The CANT 7-inch is limited to 1,000 copies, so get it while you can at select retailers or right here.

To celebrate today's release, Terrible is offering a FREE download of "Ghosts."

MP3: CANT - "Ghosts"

The song isn't a far cry from Taylor's work with Grizzly Bear -- here you can tell his influence is strong in the band. It's got that '50s-dissolving-into-'60s reverbed, psychedelic sound that's both hypnotizing and beautiful. "Ghosts" is full of thumping bass and tom drums, with waves of guitar chords and ethereal "ooo"s.

TERRIBLE RECORDS CMJ SHOWCASE FRIDAY 10/23 @ PIANOS [158 LUDLOW ST. NY]
[[CHRIS & ETHAN WILL DJ]]
3AM - UNGDOMSKULEN
2AM - SPLEEN UTD
1AM - CLASS ACTRESS
12AM - ACRYLICS
11AM - BLOOD ORANGE
10AM - LITTLE GIRLS
9PM - ARMS

The Black Hollies Release New Album Today + Free MP3

Today, marks the release of The Black Hollies' third LP entitled Softly Towards The Light. The band are a throwback to the classic psychedelic pop/garage rock of the '60s and sound like they've been around for years. You know, some bands try so hard to emulate that which has already been done and sound like they're just reheating what's already been cooked. The Black Hollies songs sound like perfectly preserved recordings from that golden era of psychedelia.

To celebrate the release of Softly Towards The Light, the band's label, Ernest Jenning Recording Co., is offering a free download of the albums lead single "Gloomy Monday Morning." The song kicks into gear with the back and forth groove of steady kick and snare hits and is pulled along by the verse's accentuated bass line as well as the playful hop of the organ. The psychedelic sound really comes through in the layered vocals and harmonies which give the song a bit of a dreamlike quality. Listen and download.

MP3: The Black Hollies - "Gloomy Monday Morning"



Softly Towards The Light Tracklisting:

1) Run With Me Run
2) Gloomy Monday Morning
3) When You're Not There
4) Everything's Fine
5) Number Ten Girl
6) Lead Me To Your Fire
7) Look What You've Done
8) Can't Stop These Tears (From Falling)
9) How Did We Get Here
10) Don't Be Afraid To Ask

Purchase the album here.

More:
The Black Hollies MySpace
Ernest Jenning Recording Co.