mixtape

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.

Download the Mixtape

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