Sunscreen, cicadas, tan lines, and watermelon slices.
Summer at a quick glance is supposed to be a wonderful time filled with laughter and fun. School is out for most and this is the time when we go home to our hometowns and spend time with our old friends and family. Some of us get jobs too and some of us keep pushing through classes.
I know the standard is for everyone to be excited about summer and be happy and enjoy it, but not everyone does. Some people hate the heat and how it makes them feel. Some people don’t get to have fun in the sun and have to focus on their professional or academic careers. Some people don’t have anyone to share their summer with and end up being alone wherever they might be.
I am personally not a big fan of summer. I find that it is way too hot and humid for my liking. Despite this, there can be some lovely temperate sunny days that I enjoy very much and yearn for in the colder months.
I use music like a soundtrack to my life and therefore, I have certain vibes I like out of different types of days. I will give a few examples and a couple playlists for I will listen to this summer, whether I find the day a pleasant 72° and sunny or a balmy and sticky 90°.
Sunny Summer
This playlist is full of more indie rock and pop style songs with low distortion, almost beachy vibes. I include a lot of high energy and relatively happy songs, both in lyrics and in musicality. Some songs contain explicit language or content, please me aware.
A good amount of the songs in this playlist are some of my current favorites. I have included “Make You Make Believe” by My Kid Brother, which has a very catchy and “dance when no one’s watching” feel to it. I also made a point to include “Hocus Pocus” by Focus. This song is a rollercoaster of different styles and is six minutes and forty-two seconds worth of whimsy. I know most of you might recognize the song from the movie “Baby Driver” but it is so much more than just the background of a high-speed car chase.
Blue Summer
For this playlist, I included some songs that still feel like summer but have more of a melancholic or angsty vibe to them. These songs tend to either have distortion and high energy, creating a bit of edge, or are slow with some reverb, creating a more sad vibe. Again, some songs contain explicit language or content, please me aware.
For sound with more angst, “Sober” by Public Theater or “Bleach” by Dexter and The Moonrocks would be good choices. They start very differently, one starting with distortion and high energy and one starting more cleanly and quieter, but ultimately they both will scratch just the right part of the brain.
For sound with more sadness or even just general lower energy, “Social Climb” by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME is a good choice. This song has some interesting instrumental and vocal combinations that just give it a unique feeling. Another good choice would be “One Last Time” by Summer Salt. I would have to say that this song makes me feel like I’m eating watermelon alone on a dock at sunset. It’s slow and chill and just makes you want to sit alone with your thoughts and sway.
Whether you’re feeling happy or sad about it being summer, just remember that there is always a song that will match your mood and maybe make you feel better.
— dj dragonfly
