Western Europe has been hit by a fierce heat wave with temperatures hitting 40C (104F). This is the second such heatwave in Switzerland we’ve had this year, and as a country with almost zero air conditioning this is a big deal. As of writing I’m two weeks into this soupy heat and there is more to come. Rather than complain, which is my birthright as a Brit, I wish to celebrate with a playlist of 18 songs which I have been listening to whilst walking by the lake or after swimming in the lake and sitting under a tree. We are blessed to have Europe’s biggest lake on our doorstep.
With that in mind this is quite different from the previous episodes of IN9 as it features many popular indie and pop artists. I wanted to create something uplifting and light, even with the sadder songs. Most tracks are around 3-5 minutes and you can expect gems from big names like Radiohead, The Roches and Perfume Genius, to more underground acts like Excavacations, Trust Fund and Cassandra Jenkins.
This has been a joy to make, especially as I have revisited some artists I haven’t listened to in a while, including Wavves, Best Coast and The Books. One of the main inspirations for this mix was Songs of Our Lives and when Brad asks what song makes you happy. All these songs do. Many make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, or make me want to crack a beer and dance with friends and family. I mean this includes Hammond Song which digs me out of the darkest of holes.
I could have kept going with this but settled on these tracks as they seemed to work so well together. The first track you will likely recognise from Rick and Morty; and on a recent rewatch I thought, Yes! I need to include this in an indie mix and get some of my favourites from the early 2000s including the unmatched Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) and Best Coast. That music is so special to me as it was a great time in my life. There are also a couple of tracks recommended by my daughter including the awesome Suki Waterhouse’s ‘Good Looking’.
I’ll shut up and let you enjoy this trip through a pick and mix of the sweetest of songs. Let’s bring some light into this dark world for a bit.
Pick 1
I am the Antichrist to you
Kishi Bashi
151a
Joyful Noise
2012
Pick 2
Fog (Again Again Version)
Radiohead
KID A MNESIA
XL Recordings
2021
Pick 3
Vogt Dig For Kloppervok
The Books
Lost and Safe
Tomlab
2005
Pick 4
Song Song Song
Final Fantasy
He Poos Clouds
Tomlab
2006
Pick 5
Banshee Beat
Animal Collective
Feels
Fat Cat
2005
Pick 6
Helicopter
Deerhunter
Halcyon Digest
4AD
2010
Pick 7
Flickers
Son Lux
We Are Rising
Anticon
2011
Pick 8
Fool
Perfume Genius
Too Bright
Matador
2014
Pick 9
Moatsart
Excavacations
In Perris-Beauchamp
Weird Forest
2013
Pick 10
Hammond Song
The Roches
The Roches
Warner Bros
1979
Pick 11
Good Looking
Suki Waterhouse
Milk Teeth
Sub Pop
2022
Pick 12
Chinatown
Wild Nothing
Gemini
Captured Tracks
2010
Pick 13
It’s Just a Bit of Blood
Bdrmm
I Don’t Know
Rock Action
2023
Pick 14
When I’m with You
Best Coast
Crazy for You
Mexican Summer
2010
Pick 15
So Bored
Wavves
Wavvves
Fat Possum
2009
Pick 16
Dreamers
Trust Fund
Seems Unfair
Turnstile
2015
Pick 17
Dinosaur Act
Low
Things We Lost in the Fire
Kranky
2001
Pick 18
Hard Drive
Cassandra Jenkins
An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
Ba Da Bing!
2021
Inside No. 9 is an attempt to share unique narratives through the mixing of 9 songs. Every episode will showcase a new theme, opening up new tributaries of discovery. Inside No. 9 is presented by Peter Taylor, a former features writer for Foxy Digitalis from back in the late 2000s. Peter is a visual artist and musician and has been creating music as MAbH since 2008.
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