Category: Mixtapes

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Collective Soul – Needs

As I shared yesterday on Facebook, this great album, Dosage, was released 22 years ago on February 9, 1999. If you only know a few songs from Collective Soul (if you know them at all), chances are those songs are all from the band’s first two albums, as those were their biggest hits: Shine, December and The World I Know. All great songs, hands down. However, this band from Georgia is much more than those 3 tracks, as they consistently released good albums all the way through 2009. The pace slowed down after that year (two albums since then) as they focused on some side projects but they will probably release another album soon as they just dropped a small EP a couple of months ago. I will always have a soft spot for Collective because they were the first band I ever saw live and it was a heck of a live show. Seriously, if have never seen them live, you should prioritize that once rock concerts are a thing again. Ed Roland is one of the best performers I have ever seen.

Anyway, I’m digressing. Dosage was a great album and even though it had a couple of big hits in Heavy and Run, and contains several little gems, the record itself is not as famous as its predecessors. One of those gems in Needs, which, in my opinion, is just as good as any of the band’s bigger hits. Ed Roland’s vocals are great as usual but each component of this song (the strings, in particular) is just stunning. Please enjoy this #musicalcrush of mine as this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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teepee – closer

Every year, tens of artists from over 15 countries from  the Central and Eastern European region travel to Hungary for the Budapest Showcase Hub, aka BUSH Festival. Usually, the bands play live shows across multiple venues and prizes are awarded to some of them. In 2020, however, for obvious reasons, the festival had to be changed at the last minute to a virtual edition through a video extravaganza series in which some light is shed about each band, including fun facts and what make them unique. The musical genres covered on this festival are broad and you are sure to find bands that will catch your attention, whatever kind of alternative music you’re into. You can watch the whole series on the festival’s Youtube channel here.

Out of the 31 artists who participated in last year’s edition of the BUSH Festival, the one that really caught my attention was teepee, a Czech dream-pop duo consisting of Miroslav Patočka and singer-electric guitarist ​Tereza Lavičková. They got two studio albums already, with the most recent one released in 2020, Where The Ocean Breaks, which includes the song being featured here today. Closer is a stunning song that blends indie folk and dream pop. Its soulful vocals elevate it to the next level. If that wasn’t enough, they made a really nice music video as well.

I probably wouldn’t have discovered this talented band if the BUSH Festival organizers hadn’t reached out to me. For that, they got my gratitude.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie
  • Pop

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Ellinor with Dylan Gorini – In Other Arms

If you have been following this little blog since August, then you might remember that I really loved Ellinor‘s debut EP, River Lee. I’m glad to report that she’s back with a new “mini” EP consisting of two tracks co-written, co-composed and co-performed with fellow French artist Dylan Gorini. The two tracks are intimate and heartwarming folk ballads, with In Other Arms being my favorite. Ellinor’s voice is so good that she could simply sing super boring scientific journal papers and the end result would still be mesmerizing.

If you like 60’s and 70’s folk music, please do check this EP out. It will be right up your alley.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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TROUBLESHOOT – Worst Bad Habit

Songs like Worst Bad Habit are not that popular nowadays, even within alternative rock circles, but they used to be very popular about 15 to 20 years ago, around the time I was a student, which is why I got a soft spot for them. I’m referring to tunes from bands like American Hi-Fi and Sugarcult. Maybe it is time these songs make a comeback.

With regards to TROUBLESHOOT, that is the stage name chosen by York-based artist Ben Jones, who dreams about becoming the “upbeat Lewis Capaldi“. Time will tell about that but as you can see in Worst Bad Habit, Ben is influenced by alt-rock and even pop-punk music, which consist mostly of guitar-driven songs and catchy riffs, with some synth melodies here and there. He’s released two EPs already as TROUBLESHOOT, with some of the tracks even getting featured on some editorial playlists from Spotify. Definitely check him out if you re or used to be a fan of early 2000s alternative rock bands.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Michael It’z – Polytechnic Confusion

Michael Caria, from Sardinia, Italy, but living in London, calls himself a designer of melancholic soundscapes. I think that’s description is spot on. His musical project is called Michael It‘z and his music, while deeply experimental, is also very pleasant to the ear. It is electronic music but in a relaxing, ambient-like way. Michael’s objective is to make the listener feel something with his music in the same way a surrealist or abstract painting can do that without knowing what the painter had in mind.

Polytechnic Confusion was released as a single late last year with Cleopatra Records, and it is also included in Michael’s brand new album: Plastika | Music For A Film. The track is a great example of everything I mentioned above and then some. Sure, it is an unusual kind of music but there’s something about it that leaves you thirsty for more. Seriously, give it a try.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

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Low Detail – Pôrto Alegre

Just like importmedia, Low Detail is a Venezuelan lo-fi music producer who happens to be friends with fellow countryman Blure. I also discovered his music when I wrote about Blure back in September. He started releasing music since 2020 and according to his songs’ credits on Spotify, his full name is Manuel Espinel. That’s about all the personal information that you will be able to find about him online. He lets his music speak for itself.

The picture above is the cover art from Low Detail’s EP, Sunny Days, one of the many releases he made in 2020. My favorite track from it is Pôrto Alegre, a charming track whose only drawback is that it is too short. That’s not a big deal though, as the problem can be easily solved by playing this great tune on repeat. Alternatively, you could simply continue with the rest of Low Detail’s musical catalogue. Totally worth it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Chill Out

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The Jobs – The Sunrise Over The Hill

The Sunrise Over The Hill is my favourite track from The Jobs‘ new EP: Sailing Upon The Thames, which is on itself a really good album. In case you are wondering who they are, we are talking about an alternative rock band from Cleveland, Ohio that should definitely be on your radar. They started when its two primary songwriters, Trevor Meyer and Thomas Heun, who played on competing bands in high school, decided to join efforts after college. Drawing inspiration from all around the world and adding tones of punk, emo and surf rock to their alt-rock base, they deliver outstanding music with their own distinctive style.

What I love about The Sunrise Over The Hill in particular is, quite simply, its magnetic melody. However, the band added enough rhythmic changes to keep it interesting from beginning to end. The hook-ridden song got the whole package including quality lyrics. See it by yourself below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Republica – Ready To Go

While doing some research for yesterday’s post, I got reminded of this classic from the 90s. Ready To Go was an international hit in 1997 (even though it was originally released in 1996) and it is by far the most well-known song from the English band Republica. I can’t say I know much about them, but according to Wikipedia (which of course is always right), they were formed in 1994 and are still active despite releasing their only two albums before the new millennium (they’ve released some compilations afterwards). As an interesting piece of trivia, Saffron, their lead singer, was born in Nigeria.

Anyway, enjoy this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Stranger Girl – Bad Side

Stranger Girl sounds a lot like a female-fronted and improved version of The Strokes (I’m not a big fan of Julian Casablancas‘ vocals), which makes sense because that band is one of their influences. This British band has released 5 singles since 2017 but 4 of them since 2019, with Bad Side dropping late last year. A song about confronting your inner bad thoughts, highlighted by an anthemic chorus, this tune really showcases how talented Stranger Girl are.

With recurrent themes such as neuroticism and geekiness, it’s not hard to understand the origin of the band’s name. However, there is nothing strange about Stranger Girl‘s music. It is catchy, relevant and distinctive. Please do check them out.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Creature Fear – Big Summer Eyes

While they have been together as a band for at least 3 or 4 years, 2020 was the year Creature Fear, a five-piece indie rock band from Australia, started to break out in their home country. They’re about to release their debut EP this year, from which they have released three singles already. All of them are really nice but whereas the first two were more upbeat and closer to the band’s 60s rock influence; their latest single, Big Summer Eyes, is more intimate with a soft acoustic intro that showcases the gorgeous voice of lead singer Jacqui Lumsden. It is not, however, an acoustic track from start to finish. The full band joins the party soon enough.

A song about hope during the darkest times, it surely brings a ray of light to our lives during covid times. Creature Fear is just another example of the really talented artists coming out from Down Under. Check them out as I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie