Macromix 16

// songs of 2016 //

A

20. The Monkees – “Me & Magdalena”
19. The Hidden Cameras – “The Day I Left Home”
18. Big Thief – “Interstate”
17. Abra – “Vegas”
16. Pet Shop Boys – “The Pop Kids”
15. Noname feat. Raury & Cam O’bi – “Diddy Bop”
14. Tortoise feat. Georgia Hubley – “Yonder Blue”
13. Jamila Woods feat. Lornie Chia – “Lonely Lonely”
12. Field Music – “The Noisy Days Are Over”
11. David Bowie – “I Can’t Give Everything Away”

B

10. Rihanna feat. SZA – “Consideration”
9. DIIV – “Healthy Moon”
8. M83 feat. Susanne Sundfør – “For The Kids”
7. Beyoncé – “Formation”
6. Katie Dey – “Fear O The Light”
5. The Radio Dept. – “Can’t Be Guilty”
4. Pete Astor – “The Getting There”
3. King – “Native Land”
2. PJ Harvey – “River Anacostia”
1. Mitski – “Fireworks”


It runs 17% longer than last year’s sleekest ever mix, but try out Macromix 16 as a pair of 42-minute sides and it should prove a nice tape companion. Ask me for a copy (or stream it here)! The mood is overwhelmingly melancholy, of course; “Formation” sticks out exactly as much as you’d expect, though Field Music almost match it for boldness.

Starting off with a band that celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, the mix then introduces a record low number of fresh faces (only Katie Dey, Big Thief and, dare I confess it, the distinguished Pete Astor were unknown to me a year ago), which I’d love to blame on the ever-shrinking breadth of music coverage online but which is entirely the fault of my own browsing habits.

If I had to attempt defining the word “song,” “Fireworks,” the length of a thought, with lyrics that could be written out as one or two sentences, would suffice. It might be the easiest choice I’ve ever made for #1. No accident that it’s just a few seconds shy of the golden 2:42.

More words at Big Takeover.

Also terrific: “Joe’s Dream” by Bat for Lashes, “Cranes in the Sky” by Solange (I try to list it away, though I still wonder if “Rise” isn’t my favorite moment on the album), “The Darkest Part of the Night” by Teenage Fanclub, “On My Heart” by School of Seven Bells, “No Time For It” by Fantasia (the opening is a visionary pop moment, deserving of the kind of high concept video that died in the 80s), “American Boyfriend” by Kevin Abstract (I loved it for a day, then started to worry I’d been tricked by its impeccable dream pop constructions and its falsetto “boyfriend, oooh”), “Lucifer and God” by Bob Mould (performed live on the weekend after Prince died, it meant a lot), “He Didn’t Mention His Mother” by Eleanor Friedberger, “Lost Boy” by Lush (spooky when it’s drumless, and spooky again when the drums come in), “The Season / Carry Me,” if forced to choose a song by Anderson .Paak, “Ain’t It Funny” by Danny Brown, “I’m A Dirty Attic” by Cate Le Bon (her best image yet, but not before she sneaks in “I’m a body of dreams for you”), “Mölkky” by Pinkshinyultrablast, “Kanye West” by Young Thug & Wyclef Jean (the latter of whom sings my name more times than has ever been heard in a pop song, while the former, encouraged, expresses his Jefferyness), “Endless Supply” by Rogue Wave (irrelevant for almost a decade now, thus doing some of their best work), “Liquid Gate” by Cavern of Anti-Matter and a very special guest, “Ivy” by Frank Ocean, and the final single by Allo Darlin’. “Nylon Strung,” “Best Kept Secret” and “Rest In Pleasure” are among the songs that will be represented on the albums list imminently. As ever, I generally can’t tell if I like a song unless I’ve heard the album that contains it.