SUMMER MEGAMIX

Making "summery" playlists when most of what you listen to could be described as "summery" is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, you have loads to choose from, but perhaps too much. I found it impossible to narrow this down to a reasonable length (I aimed for 20 tracks) so here it is as a "summer megamix." A whole 2 hours and 46 minutes of groovy summery goodness, arranged in a somewhat flowing order. 

Tracks:

1. Girls - Morning Light
2. Splashh - All I Wanna Do
3. Palma Violets - Best Of Friends
4. Cults - I Can Hardly Make You Mine
5. Coves - Wake Up
6. Arctic Monkeys - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
7. DIIV - Wait
8. Yuck - Middle Sea
9. Coves - Fall Out Of Love
10. SKATERS - I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)
11. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold II
12. Drowners - Long Hair
13. Dom - Bowl Cut (ft. Madeline Follin of Cults)
14. Bully - Brainfreeze
15. Bleeding Knees Club - Teenage Girls
16. FIDLAR - No Waves
17. Wavves - Nodding Off (ft. Best Coast)
18. Yuck - Holing Out
19. Splashh - Need It
20. Twin Peaks - Stand In The Sand
21. Girls - Summertime
22. Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You
23. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
24. Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
25. JAWS - Gold
26. Slow Club - If We're Still Alive
27. FEMME - Fever Boy
28. Blood Orange - You're Not Good Enough
29. Solange - Losing You
30. Peace - Bloodshake
31. Dom - Living In America
32. Spector - Celestine
33. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
34. Cajun Dance Party - Colourful Life
35. The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen
36. Foals - My Number
37. Metronomy - The Bay
38. Best Coast - Boyfriend
39. Sky Ferreira - Everything Is Embarrassing
40. Cults - Go Outside
41. The Horrors - Still Life
42. Temples - Colours To Life
43. Best Coast - The Only Place
44. Icona Pop - I Love It (ft. Charli XCX)
45. Ultraista - Bad Insect
46. Yuck - Shook Down

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Fifteen songs to make you want to punch yourself in the face

Songs that are so good you wanna rip your hair out: a playlist
You know when a song makes you angry for no reason other than because it's so good? Those pieces of audio that compel you to slam your head into your desk. Yes, those. Here are fifteen of them.

1. Arctic Monkeys - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
2. Temples - Colours To Life
3. The Vaccines - All In White
4. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
5. Foals - Inhaler
6. Blood Orange - Bad Girls
7. Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You
8. Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
9. The Horrors - Oceans Burning
10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
11. The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen
12. DIIV - Wait
13. Palma Violets - Best Of Friends
14. The Killers - Mr Brightside
15. Spector - Upset Boulevard

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(Illustration by Thuong Le)

Really good long songs perfect for people who prefer really good short songs

Long songs aren't really my thing. With snappy short songs like Wreckin' Bar by The Vaccines and Parquet Courts' Careers In Combat taking over my playlists, why should I bother with long songs? It takes a pretty special long song to win my heart. Firstly, what do I regard as a "long song?" We'll go with over 6:30. Here are some of my favourites that I actually have the patience to listen to all the way through:

The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea
The Horrors are the band to turn to for very good long songs. In the case of Sea Within A Sea, it's the last two minutes or so that just make it. That's what you're waiting for. The whole song builds up to that do do do do DO DO DO bit. It gives you chills doesn't it? Amazing. Obviously the whole song is pretty incredible but it's all about the last bit.

The Horrors - Oceans Burning
Similarly to Sea Within A Sea, the best bit of Oceans Burning is arguably the last bit. The whole thing is this swirly, luxurious build up to that bit that makes you think "oh my god man, The Horrors are the best band ever!" You're probably lying if you say this song hasn't made you even a bit #emotional and it is just the most perfect closer to the sophisticated swoosh of Skying.

Drenge - Let's Pretend
This is probably a great long song because it doesn't actually feel like it's that long. It feels like a few songs sandwiched together, keeping you interested the whole way through. The fact that it's also very good helps too.

Muse - Citizen Erased
I completely forgot all about this one until I was sifting through iTunes looking for any tracks I'd missed. This doesn't feel like seven minutes at all, courtesy of some whirring and pretty in your face guitars and some interesting lyrics. The last three minutes or so feels like some kind of rebirth or something I dunno man how else would you describe it

Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
This track KILLS. Arguably one of Girls' best songs, the one that makes everyone feel a lil' bit sad and like they should do more with their lives than sit in the dark listening to Girls illuminated only by the glow of their laptop screen. Owens' lyrics here are so fantastic that the length of the track becomes irrelevant. It could be four hours long and still be the most amazing song.SO COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON AND DANCE WITH ME

Parquet Courts - He's Seeing Paths
Another track that doesn't feel as long as it is thanks to some cowbell and other funky sounds. The cowbell and the buzzer just makes this song.

MONEY - Goodnight London
None of Money's songs are particularly short, but Goodnight London is in fact the longest on debut The Shadow Of Heaven. Money are the best at making the most chilling, hauntingly beautiful songs and this is certainly no exception. Discussing New York and London, this track thrives on piano and eerie, amazing lyrics.

(Other honourable mentions include Spanish Sahara by Foals, Left Myself Behind by TOY and Colours Fade by Blood Red Shoes but I can't be bothered to write about any more)

Seventeen songs to make you feel like you're in an American high school movie

I don't wanna go to school I don't wanna take the call: A playlist

There are the perfect walking songs, then there are the perfect walking into school/college songs. The ones that make you feel like you're in a stereotypical American high school movie or TV show, walking in slow motion through the doors and down the corridors. I have spent many months testing songs in this situation to bring you this definitive compilation of fabulous tracks. (I haven't really)
Stick these on when you're walking around school or college for maximum movie vibes.

Tracks:

1. The Strokes - You Only Live Once
2. The Orwells - Who Needs You
3. SKATERS - Are We Just Doomed?
4. DIIV - Follow
5. Splashh - Vacation
6. Swim Deep - Francisco
7. Dom - Living In America
8. Temples - Colours To Life
9. Cults - We've Got It
10. Girls - Honey Bunny
11. Mac Demarco - Ode To Viceroy
12. Drenge - Backwaters
13. Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
14. Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You
15. Solange - Losing You
16. Foals - Inhaler
17. Parquet Courts - He's Seeing Paths

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(Image from digitaljournal.com)