mixtape

Hey! It’s Halloween!
Well, it was Halloween. Daylight savings time, that’s my excuse.

Non-Stop Pagan Party Dance Music that I’ve been digging as of late:
The 5.6.7.8’s – Mr. Lee
Björk – Batabid
Wendy Carlos – Moonscapes: Io
Converge – Color Me Blood Red (Original master)
Islands – Vapours
Yoshimio – Chuwow
The Knife – Poetry by Night
Five Hot Bitches – Wet Mattress
The Gerogerigegege – Ensam I Natt

Download all of these treats

Also, wow, NEW BRIGHT EYES LEAK ZOMG DL DIS NOW!!!!!

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Well, here's the third entry in the Pokémon mixtape series. As you can see, the drama is building. This is probably the weakest so far of the mixtapes story-wise. In terms of music, though, it's oddly cohesive--especially the second half. Enjoy, regardless!

Edith Meowth, a slender young thing with hair tied in a bun, unlocked the door to Paul Persian’s office, leading T.P. Ekans into the red-wallpapered room.

“Mr. Ekans,” said Paul Persian, “How are you?”

“I am good, for the most part,” said T.P. Ekans, “I see you’ve still got the glow.”

Paul Persian laughed. “Yes, I suppose I do. All those years running the Acorn Factory kept me in tip-top shape.”

T.P. Ekans wished to cut the formalities. “It seems so. But, Mr. Persian, let us get to business.”

Paul Persian placed a pair of spectacles firmly on the bridge of his snout. T.P. Ekans, using his teeth, removed a stack of papers from the folder he was carrying. Paul Persian purred as he examined the statistics.

He stopped to examine a single number, red and imposing, that lay on the page before him.

“This number…is it projected or actual?” he asked.

T.P. Ekans smirked. “Oh, that’s confirmed.” Paul Persian laughed, stifling his amusement at first, before T.P. joined in, hissing and chortling. It was a cruel matter they were laughing at; indeed, it was almost like laughing with a mouth of blood.

The number of casualties, however, was impressive. While the deaths of inner-city, immigrant Raticates and Machokes were common, numbers like this had not been seen since the Saffron City Fire of 1999: over 90 Machokes and Machops had died, and 200 Raticates and their kin had perished. Near the seaboard, many Goldeens were reported dead. Mr. Mimes who had retired to the beach condos outside Pallet Town had also taken ill, with two casualties resulting. The final death count, across the Kanto region, stood at 700.

And T.P. Ekans and Paul Persian were confident that they could amass a huge sum of wealth for the victim’s families—and, in the process, gain a considerable payment for themselves also. And they knew who was at the heart of this crimewave: none other than Valton Vileplume himself.

T.P. Ekans had sketched out his rough idea of what had happened. President Valton Vileplume, fearing the failure of the Vegetation Management Plan, enlisted some sort of mercenary group to have his dirty deeds done. The water supply for the southern end of Kanto was thus poisoned. This poisoning was to be blamed on poor management skills—something Valton Vileplume had done at a press conference two days prior. This lack of management, Vileplume had argued, could be corrected if Congress adopted the Vegetation Management Plan.

As Paul Persian listened, he realized the difficulty he and his partner would encounter in combating Vileplume. He was notorious for his air-tight security policies, especially concerning his own welfare. He had even adopted a slogan when he ran for his first term—“Be safe with me”. It worked, and he was elected. This was only about a year and a half ago, but President Vileplume’s power had grown tremendously in that time—some say to over 9000 times his predecessor’s, Reginald Donphan.

“Do you think anyone elssse is keen to his trickery?” asked T.P. Ekans at the end of his speech.

“No. Just you and myself, Mr. Ekans,” said Paul Persian.

The two hissed and purred for a minute, before Edith Meowth entered, telling Paul Persian he had a phone call.

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1. The Glow by Bonnie Raitt
2. Acorn Factory by The Dodos
3. single number red by musik industrial
4. Laughing With a Mouth of Blood by St. Vincent
5. Crimewave by HEALTH
6. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by Lesley Gore
7. Be Safe With Me by Cynthia Dall
8. Just You by Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch

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I posted the first mixtape in this series, The Curious Incident of Jefferson Lickitung, back in April. I've been meaning to get to the subsequent installments of this series for quite a while now. This is the second mixtape out of eight. Hopefully I'll have the rest up by the end if August, before the new posting schedule takes effect. Enjoy!

President Valton Vileplume was tending to his Troika country garden, moving a small rock from one corner of the Bayleef Berry Patch to the bottom of the garden path. It was a hot day. Thankfully, his umbrella-shaped flower kept him cool in such high-pressure weather.

Valton Vileplume scooped a handful of seeds from the paper bag that lay before him. He sowed the seeds softly into the cool dirt. If he was lucky, then by July there would be a budding Merzbow Tree, with fresh white leaves and the fine scent of intestinal bleeding attached.

Valton could not concentrate fully on his work, however. He was thinking of the Vegetation Management Plan. Jefferson Lickitung, his main ally in Congress, had supported it, at least until his death.  read more »

Here, folks, is the largest (track-wise) Squid Can mixtape yet, all to accommodate this, The Curious Incident of Jefferson Lickitung. Enjoy.

Mr. Jefferson Lickitung and his wife, Ms. Lydia Lickitung, exited the theatre with their children. Billy Lickitung spoke up.

"I didn't like that opera," he said, "I had no idea what they were saying."

"You don't have to know the language to enjoy the show," said Lydia Lickitung, although she would confess, if given the chance, her less-than-favorable attitude towards Berg.

According to the Law of the Lickitung Patriarchy, however, the entertainment to be seen by the family was to chosen according to the man's taste; and Jefferson Lickitung was one hell of a sucker for early twentieth-century atonal opera.

Jefferson Lickitung's mind was preoccupied by more troublesome thoughts as they exited the opera. The previous week he had supported big science and signed the Fruit Neogenesis Bill, enraging his opponent, Mikhail Nosepass, who felt that matters of botany should be left to God.

Sally Lickitung laughed at her brother's cowlick, prompting her mother to turn around and reprimand her. As Lydia Lickitung unrolled her tongue to straighten out her son's mussed hair, an attacker veiled in the darkness of Mother Night appeared.

"VENGEANCE DROOLS, MOTHERLICKER!!!" cried the cloaked assailant, brandishing a vintage glock and proceeding to aim it straight at Jefferson Lickitung's head.

"NO!" shrieked Jefferson Lickitung, "I'M NOT SYNTHESIZER!!!"

But it was too late. Jefferson Lickitung had been shot. A bullet-shaped hole was in his head. Oh, and a bullet, too.

The attacker scurried off, screaming, "ANTI-FEDERALISTS FOREVER!"

Lydia Lickitung rushed to her dying husband's side.

"O! Speak to me!" she said.
"Lean closer," said Jefferson Lickitung.
"Yes?" said Lydia Lickitung.
"There's a cloud on my tongue," he said.
"What?"
"Don't you know?" said Jefferson Lickitung with his dying breath, "Lickitungs void their mouth bowels when they die."

Lydia found in the mouth of her husband---sure enough--- a cloud of saliva. She wept, and felt as if there were a sun in her mouth---a sun of white hot fury; a fury stronger than Wagner's hatred of the Jews.

FIN.

Wow. That was so postmodern it even pissed me off. In all honesty, though, this is a fun mixtape. Please do enjoy it.

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1. You Don't Have to Know the Language by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
2. Act 3, Scene 2 from Wozzeck by Alban Berg
3. Taste by Animal Collective
4. Big Science by Laurie Anderson
5. Left to God by Mieka Pauley
6. Lick by Boards Of Canada
7. Vengeance Drools by Chris Clark (aka Clark)
8. I'm Not Synthesizer by Boredoms
9. Cloud on My Tongue by Tori Amos
10. Sun in My Mouth by Bjork

Tomorrow is Easter, and I figured that y'all might like some Easter-themed tunes for the day. I went on an egg hunt and managed to find a few Easter-related tracks for the eighth Squid Can mixtape, Rabbit Resurrection. Some Christian imagery rounds out the first half ("Double Crucifixion," "Lamb," "Heaven, and some classical chanting), while secular tropes carry the second half ("Rabbit Moon," "Bunny Boots," "White Chocolate Space Egg"). And what Easter mixtape would be complete without Patti Smith's classic "Easter" from her album of the same name?

Also, a quick update on mixtapes: I have a bunch of 'themed' mixtapes left (i.e. all based around poor puns and wordplay), but I should be posting some more creative mixtapes sometime soon.

The download will be available until the end of May. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Also, thanks to Sermons 4 Kids for the base image for the fine cover art.

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1. Double Crucifixion by Algoritm
2. Lamb by Jen Murdza
3. Heaven by Lamb
4. I. Easter Dawn - Confitemini: Alleluia, 8th Mode
5. Rabbit Moon by The Lickets
6. Bunny Boots by Made Out of Babies
7. White Chocolate Space Egg by Liz Phair
8. Easter by Patti Smith Group

Food is delicious. If is wasn’t, Antony Hegarty wouldn’t have to pretend Antony and the Johnsons is anything more than him and his chins. But food is delicious, and Antony Hegarty is big—— all things we must deal with. But we should also be thankful for food, because 1) starving people don’t have it, and 2) it’s inspired some great songs. So the next time you see that Christian Billy Mays-ish guy asking you to donate to Christians for Mealworm Free Crops United, send ‘em this—the seventh Squid Can mixtape, Foods.

It’s not particularly nutritious, even if the sweet breakfast of a “Waffle” and “Honey” may dupe you into thinking so. You won’t redeem yourself with a mid-morning snack of a “Lemon Meringue,” either, nor is the lunch of a “Hot Dog” with “Sunchips” and “Apples.” At least your dinner provides you with a good dose of dairy and grains; all thanks to some “Bread” and a glass of “Bush Cow Milk.” For dessert, pig out once more with a little bit of “Cotton Candy.”

P.S. Look at that hipster cover art. This has to stop. I feel like this place has become Missingtoof.

The download will be available until the end of April. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

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1. Waffle by Sunny Day Real Estate
2. Honey by Kay Starr
3. Lemon Meringue by Poe
4. Hotdog by Simian Mobile Disco
5. Sunchips by Lemonade
6. Apples by My Brightest Diamond
7. Bread by Native Nod
8. Bush Cow Milk by Congress-Woman Malinda Jackson Parker
9. Cotton Candy by Pram

Ireland: what harsh stereotypes we place upon its red-nosed, tartan-donning inhabitants. Then again, Irish Bostonians sure reciprocate the prejudice to practically every ethnic group ever. But I digress---today is St. Patrick's day; a day to celebrate snakes or some shit. That being said, here's the sixth Squid Can mixtape: Lucky. And, believe it or not, I did not include any Plaid on this mixtape---though there's plenty of puns to make up for said exclusion.

To start off this sampler of emerald delights (wut), there's "One Beer" by Madvillain. Becuz Irishmans cant drink just ONE BEER!! That, and everyone gets drunk on St. Patrick's Day. Stay sober, though, as you'll want to hear the soulful voice of Jamie Lidell caress your ears on "Green Light." Get it? Because green is the color of Ireland? OoOo, that pun glows with "Green Light." Because it's on fire. These puns are obviously working, and that's "Good Luck." You're also in "Good Luck" considering that the included Trophy Scars track is brand new.

But enough cutesy wordplay---the rest of the mixtape is devoted to music by, well, Irish people. First comes a cut from My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, followed by a Vaudevillian piece of electropop from Moloko (of whom one half is Irish). Following that is a completely lolzy ditty by Van Morrison, entitled "Ring Worm." This song was part of his rushed (and reluctant) contractual obligation album with Bang Records. After that: a sweet-pop instrumental from The Divine Comedy, and one last track reflecting on the true meaning of St. Patrick's Day: "Snakecharmer." That's because St. Patrick drove out all the snakes. Oops, broke the chain of songs made by actual Irish people.

The download will be available until the end of April. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

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1. One Beer by MF DOOM
2. Green Light by Jamie Lidell
3. Good Luck by Trophy Scars
4. Soon by My Bloody Valentine
5. Mother by Moloko
6. Ring Worm by Van Morrison
7. Laika's Theme by The Divine Comedy
8. Snakecharmer by Kate Westfall

A week ago I was in the airport---well, I was in the airport longer than expected thanks to a three-hour delay in Philly, but I was in the airport nonetheless. Now, I've always liked airports and airplanes---the people you see, the minutia, the details that you have to seek out, the middle-aged golfers who make references to W.C. Fields on the plane. While I was in the airport, I made a playlist of air-travel themed tracks. Here is the truncated version of that playlist in mixtape form, the fifth (and aptly titled) Squid Can mixtape: Airport.

Be sure to "Travel Light" and not pack too much for the trip---then again, the sparse, stripped-down slowcore of The Places should help you with that. And while you can't fly to the moon yet, Julie London's quick-paced take on the classic should put you in the perfect mood for flying. To put you in an ever finer disposition, included is the adorably campy "Airwalker" by young twee-pop maestro Jeremy Jay. Once the plane is "Airborne," take a nap to the slick electro-jazz of Jazz Jazzist. Wake up, though, and listen to some classic collegiate indie courtesy of Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as a jazzy live take of Bjork's "Aeroplane." End your flight with two songs about crashing: Laurie Anderson's "From the Air" and Hot Water Music's "A Flight and a Crash." It's hard to deny a mixtape more amiable than Southwest's honey-roasted peanuts.

The download will be available until mid-April. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

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1. Travel Light by The Places
2. Fly Me to the Moon by Julie London
3. Airwalker by Jeremy Jay
4. Airborne by Jaga Jazzist
5. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
6. Aeroplane (Live) by Bjork
7. From the Air by Laurie Anderson
8. A Flight and a Crash by Hot Water Music

Oops. Meant to post this anti-Valentine mixtape a week ago. Here it is, sans the usual bravado. Enjoy!

The download will be available until the end of March. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

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1. Who the Fuck? by PJ Harvey
2. Love Less by New Order
3. Home Song by Converge
4. You Don't Own Me by Lesley Gore
5. Anti Love Song by Betty Davis
6. The Other Woman by Nina Simone

Black Friday begins in a few hours---or it may have started already for those shoppers with particular bravery. Now, Black Friday is the sort of "holiday" that is ripe for commentary on commercialism and so forth, but for most participants the biggest worry on the mind is whether Best Buy has Sansa Shakers on the cheap. As for myself, I think it's certainly an interesting cultural study; and, well, I don't mind the discounts either. But enough about the excess of American culture-----on with Squid Can's third mixtape,"I Got Up At 3 AM (For a $14 Waffle Iron): A Black Friday Mixtape".

Plunge into the chaos of Christmas with a simple-yet-serious rendition of "Carol of the Bells". While waiting in line, chill out to the dreamy downtempo of Flunk's "Morning Star". Relive your Final Fantasy VII button-mashing on Christmas morning with a track from the game, "Hurry," composed by Nobuo Uematsu. Once you're in the mood for running, let Kate Bush's British rasp on "Hounds of Love (Alternative)" empower that final sprint to the early bird deals. If you're shopping with a friend, let LCD Soundystem's "Us v Them" be the soundtrack to your struggle with other weary-eyed customers. And if you do somehow manage to get into a tussle, "What's Your Damage" should provide some angry relief after the fisticuffs-----at which point you'll probably want to listen to Flunk again.

The download will be available until the end of December. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

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1. Carol of the Bells by the Music City Choir
2. Morning Star by Flunk
3. Hurry! by Nobuo Uematsu
4. Hounds of Love (Alternative) by Kate Bush
5. Us v Them by LCD Soundystem
6. What's Your Damage by Test Icicles

Björk's birthday was today, and that effectively caps off Björk week. To celebrate, here's the grand finale to Björk week, the second Squid Can mixtape, "Ammæli" (points for you if get the Sugarcubes reference).

The elastic madness of Matmos' "Rubber Band" mix of "Where Is The Line" snaps and vibrates like ribbon from a tightly-wrapped present. LaVelle Irth's mix of "I've Seen It All" sizzles with block-party-boldness, and its relentless stream of funk makes one realize that Björk's songs have also seen it all. The "Rhythmic Phonetics" mix of "Alarm Call" not only entices the listener with its intriguing title but further bedazzles its audience with its Pattonian potpourri of sounds----an excellent birthday gift for the annoyingly avant-garde in your life. An early presentation of "5 Years," "I Dare You," comes from the Hyper bootleg. Akin to a carpenter's workshop working at full capacity, it's more of a taunt to Death than to a former lover. The portmanteau sound of "My Snare" successfully combines the organic and the artificial. "5 Years" comes from a performance in Roskilde, and it is quite simply amazing. The brass orchestra of the Volta era brings the song up to the point of perfection. The rare and Icelandic "Jolakotturinn" may seem alien to American ears, but its ominous folk is of a refreshing quality. "All Is Full Of Love," live at the Riverside Church, gleans celestial beauty from its cherub's strings, motherly vocals, and tranquil chorus. Finally, a live version of "Jòga" from the bootleg Europa is simply gorgeous. Like a melting glacier, it burns with a passionate, bittersweet warmth. A somber, thoughtful end to any birthday playlist.

The download will be available until the end of December. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename. Check out more photos like the one on the cover art.

Download the Mixtape

1. Where Is The Line (Matmos Rubber Band Remix)
2. I've Seen It All (LaVelle Irth Mix)
3. Alarm Call (Rhythmic Phonetics Mix)
4. I Dare You [5 Years; "Hyper" bootleg]
5. My Snare [Nature is Ancient]
6. 5 Years [Live at Roskilde boot)
7. Jolakkotturinn
8. All Is Full Of Love (Live at Riverside Church)
9. Jòga ["Europa" boot]

As you settle into watch the election coverage tonight, why not "get Mavericky" and listen to some new music also? To help with that task, here's the first Squid Can mixtape, "Let's Get Mavericky."

If you voted (which you should have!), celebrate being "Part of the Process" with Morcheeba's cheery trip-hop. Listen to a top song of John McCain's, "Blue Bayou" by Roy Orbison. Segue into one of Barack Obama's favorite jazzers, John Coltrane, with "I Love You." Visit the Palinian kingdom of Alaska with The Residents' "Walrus Hunt." Relive Joe Biden's early comments about Barack Obama's "storybook" campaign with a William Orbit mix of Madonna's "Bedtime Story." Lament Hillary Clinton's loss by asking for a "loan from the girl zone" with Tori Amos' "Caught a Lite Sneeze." Get ready for a new "Day One" with Polly Paulusma's soft indie rock. If you get tired of election coverage, take a nap to Sun Ra's "Spaceship Lullaby." Finally, whoever the new prez may be, celebrate their win with Sondre Lerche's short-and-sweet "Everyone's Rooting For You" (even if they're not). Enjoy the mixtape; there's more to come in the future. And, as politically geeky as it may sound---have fun watching the votes come in; this is certainly an exciting election.

The download will be available until the end of the month. If you like the songs please purchase the albums they appear on. Album titles appear in the filename.

Download the Mixtape

1. Part of the Process by Morcheeba
2. Blue Bayou by Roy Orbison
3. I Love You by John Coltrane
4. Walrus Hunt by The Residents
5. Bedtime Story (Orbital Mix) by Madonna
6. Caught a Lite Sneeze by Tori Amos
7. Day One by Polly Paulusma
8. Spaceship Lullaby by Sun Ra
9. Everyone's Rooting For You by Sondre Lerche