Category: Playlists

Great tunes to add to your own playlists

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Top 10 Tyler, the Creator Tracks

If you haven’t listened to “Call Me if You Get Lost” yet, then what are you doing? Close your computer, pop those earbuds in and give Tyler the undivided attention he deserves. When you’re done you can come back and read this blog. I promise we won’t get mad at you.

It’s been honestly so wonderful to see how much Tyler, the Creator has grown as an artist since his debut in 2007. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve been a ride-or-die fan throughout his whole career, especially that first album, but his arc as a producer, art director, rapper and all-around icon has truly done a full 180.

His discography is so rich and extensive that it makes it difficult to rank, but I’ll try my best. In honor of his newest album, here’s a look back at some of my favorite tracks from Mr. Baudelaire himself:

1. SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE – Call Me if You Get Lost
This track is by far my favorite from “Call Me if You Get Lost.” At nearly ten minutes long, it’s a relaxing, rollercoaster ride of a song. Tyler himself has expressed how much he loved creating it. From Bossa Nova-type beats to steady lyrical flows, it’s impossible to listen without feeling the heart behind it.

2. OKAGA, CA – Cherry Bomb
Another soft, romantic ballad, “OKAGA, CA” is the best kind of song to share with your lover. The lyrics alone make this is my favorite song off “Cherry Bomb,” but his use of synths and layering take it to a whole different level.

3. November – Flower Boy
I could listen to this song a million times over again, and honestly, I probably have. Tyler’s ability to communicate seemingly incommunicable feelings through music is evident in “November.” His use of poetic lyrics, snippets from conversations, and beat switches creates such an atmospheric, nostalgic song.

4. She – Goblin
Being one of the few soft songs from his first album, this one is an obvious favorite for most Tyler, the Creator fans. Frank Ocean is a constant feature in his discography, but he really stands out on this track.

5. PartyIsn’tOver/Campfire/Bimmer – Wolf
“Wolf” seemed to be a real turning point for Tyler, as his songs started to move away from the ferocity of “Goblin” and into something a bit softer. This three-part song is full of his signature dark yet almost childlike humor. “Campfire” especially is reminiscent of some sort of twisted Boyscout trip.

6. PUPPET – IGOR
“IGOR” is such an interesting album for so many reasons, but this song really struck me. The melancholy nature of it is a fantastic mixture of heartbreaking and sentimental.

7. 2SEATER – Cherry Bomb
Another gem from “Cherry Bomb,” this is one of the first Tyler, the Creator songs I ever heard (besides “Yonkers”). I was amazed by its softness and romantic nature.

8. Treehome95 – Wolf
If Erykah Badu’s feature isn’t enough to make you want to listen to “Treehome95,” I don’t know what is. That’s all.

9. I THINK – IGOR
This high-energy song is a wonderful little ode to real love and deep feeling. The lyrics “I think I’m falling in love, this time I think it’s for real” echo throughout the entire track, making it both heartwarming and energetic.

10. WILSHIRE – Call Me if You Get Lost

“WILSHIRE,” a simple track that sounds like a freestyle more than anything, is chock-full of raw emotion. Tyler narrates the story that he had been alluding to throughout the album, one of heartbreak, rejection and love. Though it lacks his signature complex production style, the depth of his lyrics is enough to make this one of the best songs from “Call Me if You Get Lost.”

Happy listening,

DJ Butter

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Playlists

A (Sorta) Underground Playlist

"Live from the Dentist Office" by Injury Reserve Album Cover

As the Assistant Underground Music Director here at WKNC, I thought it was about time to make a playlist of some of the hip-hop/rap songs I’ve been enjoying lately. I recognize the arguable popularity of a lot of the tracks I’ve chosen, but I wanted to stick to what I really listen to, so that’s what I’ve done. I’ve chosen tracks from a variety of artists over the years and I’ve limited myself to twenty songs. I definitely left off some winners but this is where I landed:

  1. “Situations” by Paris Texas
  2. “Please Forgive” by Powers Pleasant (feat. Denzel Curry)
  3. “Ghost (In the Shell)” by MAVI
  4. “New Choppa” by Playboi Carti (feat. A$AP Rocky)
  5. “Dmtri” by Action Bronson and The Alchemist
  6. “What Would Meek Do?” By Pusha T (feat. Kanye West)
  7. “Macaulay Culkin” by JPEGMAFIA
  8. “Cudi Montage” by KIDS SEE GHOSTS
  9. “Southside” by Duwap Kaine
  10. “BANKROLL” by BROCKHAMPTON (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg)
  11. “Friday” by Injury Reserve (feat. Curtis Williams)
  12. “Just How It Is” by Young Thug
  13. “TISK TISK / COOKIES” by Earl Sweatshirt
  14. “Crux” by Sporting Life (feat. MIKE & Wiki)
  15. “BLACK METAL TERRORIST | 13 M T” by Denzel Curry
  16. “Try Again” by Ovrkast.
  17. “Mittrom” by Mach-Hommy (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)
  18. “Gatorade” by Yung Lean
  19. “Sirens” by Hermit and the Recluse
  20. “THE BROWN STAINS OF DARKEESE LATIFAH PART 6-12 (REMIX)” by Tyler, The Creator (feat. ScHoolboy Q)

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify.

Here’s to Kurt Cobain’s “Burn the Rain” being used as a sample in “Cudi Montage”,

Silya Bennai

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Playlists

A Playlist Collage Crash Course

If you grew up burning CDs for your friends you might have seen a playlist or setlist collage before, which is an artwork and a tracklist of songs that are combined to set a specific mood.

“Mix cd” by mushab00m is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

I love making playlists that capture a certain feeling or have a strong theme. A playlist collage takes that to the next level by visually showing your listener what the playlist is about. By themselves, a playlist and a collage are fun but together it makes a functional art piece.

How to Make a Playlist Collage

Step 1: The Playlist

The first step is to make a playlist, I usually make mine around 10 songs so it’s easier to handwrite all the song titles and artist names. You can make it as long as you want, especially if you will print out the tracklist elements like the example above. I like to choose songs that flow together and go with the theme of your playlist.

Step 2: Gather Materials

You can choose whether to make a paper or digital collage. I love the DIY aesthetic of a paper collage. If you go that route, you will need paper (in any color you like), pens, paint, glue and magazines or pictures you have printed out. You can also use flat objects like ribbon to add a little something extra.

Step 3: Lay it Out

After you have your playlist made and your materials ready, you can get started. Cut out the images you want to include and begin trying different layouts. I like the playlist to be the main element so I will cut out a piece of paper large enough to have all the songs. After the songs are laid out, you can add a title, pictures, and anything else your heart desires. I recommend waiting to glue everything down until you’ve played around and are happy with the composition.

Step 4: Final Touches

Once you have the collage in a place you like, begin gluing everything down. I use a mix of glue sticks and liquid white glue depending on what materials I’m using. Wait a few minutes until the glue dries. Then you can add final touches like drawings, glitter, or anything you think of.

Happy crafting

-DJ lil witch

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Playlists

It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To

Birthday Playlist

Birthdays are a weird time, because you never quite know how a person feels about their birthday. People have a love/hate relationship with them; I personally end up crying almost every year on my birthday for some trivial reason. Other people enjoy their birthday because they love planning things, or the attention from everyone or maybe they just genuinely don’t mind getting older.

A while back, I stumbled upon a TikTok in which a person showed off a playlist they had made of indie songs that mention birthdays, even if it’s only once. When brainstorming for blog ideas, I wanted to do one about my birthday since it’s this week and I kept thinking about this TikTok and the playlist.

However, I didn’t want to steal the exact idea, and that playlist is very intricately thought out. So instead, I decided to make a playlist of songs more explicitly about birthdays and parties by artists and bands I already like.

Without further ado, here is the playlist:

“Birthday” – The Beatles

“Happy Birthday 1975” – Joni Mitchell

“Happy Birthday To Me (Feb. 15)” – Bright Eyes

“Birthday Song” – The 1975

“It’s My Party” – Amy Winehouse and Quincy Jones

“Swingin Party” – The Replacements

“Every Morning” – The Cranberries

If it’s your birthday soon when you’re reading this, consider this playlist my gift to you.

Until next time,

Caitlin

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Playlists

Proto-metal Starter Kit

"Budgie" Album Cover

If you’ve kept up with my blog posts, it’s pretty obvious how obsessed with the 1970s I am — the fashion, the design trends, the hairstyles (can I get a cheer for shags anyone?), but most of all, the music.

Though hard rock was born in the ’60s, it truly reached its peak in the early ’70s. These two decades both proved how music and current events were deeply connected. Mainstream America was starting to become more and more cynical surrounding our involvement in the Vietnam War. There was a massive sense of government distrust, especially among younger people. The flower-child, happy-go-lucky, swingin’ 60s were over, and a rawer, more honest cultural movement slowly took its place. This change was very much so reflected in the music that came out of the early to mid-’70s. Rock shifted into something heavier and darker. Heavy blues were mixed with psychedelia, down-tuned guitars and leather. Hence, proto-metal was born.

Now you might immediately jump to thinking of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple when you hear the words “early metal,” but there were tons of lesser-known groups experimenting with heavy rock around the same time. There’s a lot to sift through (and not all of it is that great), so that’s why I’ve laid out some of my favorite proto-metal tracks, both mainstream and underground:

The Obvious Picks:

1. Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin

2. Sweet Leaf – Black Sabbath

3. The Ostrich – Steppenwolf

4. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly

5. Rock Me Baby – Blue Cheer

6. Into the Void – Black Sabbath

7. Black Night – Deep Purple

8. Freelance Fiend – Leaf Hound

9. One of These Days – Ten Years After

10. Master Heartache – Sir Lord Baltimore

Lesser-Known Gems

1. Guts – Budgie

2. Lions, Christians – Bang

3. Toxic Shadows – Lucifer’s Friend

4. Magic Potion – The Open Mind

5. Chocolate Piano – Orangutan

6. Long Tall Sally – Cactus

8. Plastic Man – Bodkin

9. MOTHER GREASE THE CAT – Ancient Grease

10. Hunter’s Moon – Yesterday’s Children

Enjoy the thrash,

DJ Butter

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Playlists

Forgotten Techno Sets Of The 90s

Back in May, I discovered something wonderful. A forgotten Sony webpage dedicated to educating the Japanese public on techno. On the site, you can access DJ sets, electronic concert venues, old interviews and more.

The night I found this webpage, I spent HOURS exploring, translating and listening. The content on it is truly endless. Below, I’ve compiled an hour’s worth of my favorite tracks I discovered on this internet adventure.

  1. “Shangri-la” by Denki Groove – A (1997)
  2. “Supernature” by Cerrone – Cerrone I, II, III (1977)
  3. “Extra” by Ken Ishii – Jelly Tones (1995)
  4. “Pulstar” by Hypnosis – Hipnosis (1984)
  5. “Money” by The Flying Lizards – The Flying Lizards (1979)
  6. “Cocoa Mousse” by Ken Ishii – Jelly Tones (1995)
  7. “Push Eject” by BOOM BOOM SATELLITES – Outloud (1997)
  8. “Hope We Never Surface” by Two Lone Swordsmen – Stay Down (1998)
  9. “I m Not In Disco” by Popacid – I M Not In Love (1998)
  10. “Polynasia” by Takkyu Ishino – BERLIN TRAX (1998)
  11. “Bonny” by Popacid – Compact Disco Volume Four – Ladomat 2000 (1999)

Listen to my full Spotify playlist HERE.

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Playlists

Imitation as Art: A Covers Playlist

"MALDO: Influences" EP cover art
"MALDO: Influences" EP cover art

On June 22, 2021, the notorious indie rock band Car Seat Headrest released two EPs. These EPS are a continuation of their newest album “Making a Door Less Open.” The acronym “MALDO” marks the two EPs, the first of which are remixes from the album. The second EP “Influences” are covers of the music Car Seat Headrest was inspired by. In “Influences” they cover four tracks, David Bowie’s “Golden Years,” the Who’s “Substitute,” Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs,” and Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” I love their tributes to these classic artists that inspired their music. The cover of Kate Bush’s song surprised me; I did not know how it would compare to the ethereal original. I actually enjoyed their rendition, with 80s synth Toledo’s chill vocals fit perfectly.  

While listening I started thinking about all the covers that capture the original perfectly, the covers that end up more recognized than the originals, and the covers that take the original to new heights. When an artist records a cover there is usually a certain amount of respect and appreciation for the first band/artist. I think by adding a new spin to the track, it can elevate the initial recording. Covers are also an entry into making music for so many people. Playing covers can give folks the confidence to start their own musical journeys. 

I’ve compiled a playlist of some of my favorite covers for your listening pleasure. As a huge 80s music fan most are tracks written and recorded in the 1980s then covered recently by newer artists. You can listen on Spotify. 

Hope you all enjoy 

-DJ lil witch

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Playlists

All I Listen To Are Lady Voices

Motoko album cover

The past couple of months I have been OBSESSED with a particular genre of music that was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. I am not exactly sure what to label it as, but the best way I can describe it is entrancing feminine voices layered over intelligent dance music (IDM) tracks.

If you appreciate chill electronic music and soothing feminine voices then this post is for you. Listed below is an hour’s worth of my favorite tracks from this genre.

  1. “It’s a Fine Day” by Opus III – Mind Fruit (1992)
  2. “Breathe” by Telepopmusik – Genetic World (2001)
  3. “Edge of The Ocean” by Ivy – Long Distance (2001)
  4. “Sweet Child Of Mine” by Akasha – Cinematique (2006)
  5. “The Sea” by Morcheeba – Big Calm (1998)
  6. “That Girl” by Esthero – Breath From Another (1998)
  7. “I’m In Love With A German Film Star” by The Passions – I’m In Love With A German Film Star (2006)
  8. “Autumn Leaves – Irresistible Force mix” by Coldcut – Ninja Tune Retrospect (No.1) (2008)
  9. “Overcome” by Tricky – Maxinquaye (1995)
  10. “Day for Night” by Moloko – Do You Like My Tight Sweater (1995)
  11. “Blue Jeans” by Ladytron – Light & Magic (2002)

Click here to listen to my playlist on Spotify.

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Playlists

My Favorite Songs Under One Minute

WKNC 88.1 blog

Whether it be a reprise, interlude, or just a short track, I feel that songs under one minute are underrated. If you look at streaming numbers, they are often the least streamed part of an album. However, I adore a bite-sized track that serves its purpose.

The following are my favorite songs that clock in under (or just at) one minute long. And what better way to celebrate short songs than with a one-sentence descriptor?

“Variations On A Theme (Science Vs. Romance)” by Rilo Kiley

LENGTH: 0:36 

The eight track on “Takeoffs and Landings,” this short, sweet and enchanting instrumental track is a callback to the hit “Science Vs. Romance.” 

“(Can We Be Friends?)” by Conan Gray

LENGTH: 0:58

This dreamy and lullaby-esque track speaks on a ride-or-die friendship with an air of vulnerability and innocence.

“Smoke Signals (Reprise)” by Phoebe Bridgers

LENGTH: 0:34

The finale of Bridgers’ debut album “Stranger in the Alps,” she hums the melody of the first track, ending where she started.

“Fertilizer” by Frank Ocean

LENGTH: 0:40

Beginning with the sound of someone flipping the channels on a TV (in reference to the album title, “Channel Orange,”) the quippy lyrics make up a jingle for fertilizer, cutting off with a laugh track.

“Pet Cemetery” by Tierra Whack

LENGTH: 1:00

Whack sings about a rather sad subject (the death of a dog), contrasting it with an upbeat ambience creating a track that is bound to stay stuck in your head after listening to it even once.

“Sometimes…” by Tyler the Creator

LENGTH: 0:36

The third track on “Flower Boy,” “Survivor” contestant Shane Powers narrates this track, asking Tyler which song he wants to hear next, serving as the intro for “See You Again.”

“The Lovely Linda” by Paul McCartney

LENGTH: 0:42

Dedicated to his then-wife Linda McCartney, this is a sweet-as-honey love song that serves as the intro to his debut solo album, “McCartney.”

If you want to listen to these tracks, you can check out the playlist I made especially for you.

Until next time,

Caitlin

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Playlists

A Weird Hour in June

Cover of "E.Coli" by The Alchemist (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)

It’s been a weird month. I feel weird, my friends feel weird, and you probably feel weird, too. There must be something in the air (to take the place of COVID, I suppose). As a result, I have found myself listening to an odd combination of music to pass the time and get through the weirdness by simply adding to it.

Today, I share with you a near-hour playlist of songs I’ve been listening to this June that don’t necessarily go together. I’ve included some personal notes for each song. There’s something for everyone with this one.

1. “Cyan Hardcore” – Machine Girl
Fast and fun. Will make you think of Mario Kart.

2. “Turpentine” – Hole
She’s mad and so are you.

3. “Deeply” – bôa
Will get stuck in your head and make you think you can yodel.

4. “Runway H (2)” – Death Grips
Should be used in a movie montage scene of the cool variety.

5. “DR. BIRD’S” – Griselda
The ad-libs are excellent and overwhelmingly present.

6. “arsenic” – glaive
He’s sixteen.

7. “Orange Appled” – Cocteau Twins
IYKYK.

8. “Weird Little Birthday Girl” – Happyness
My friend put this one on a mix CD for me a while ago and I love it. Thanks again, Molly.

9. “Guess My Crush” – OTTO
If you like ARTHUR, here’s OTTO.

10. “Min Dag” – Död Mark
Yes, it’s Yung Lean.

11. “Yea Aight” – Nickelus F
Underrated.

12. “24” – IDK
“She say she not a thot, she a nympho” is the stand-out line.

13. “E. Coli” – The Alchemist (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)
Seamless and soothing.

14. “Bloodhail” – Have A Nice Life
Makes me feel like someone I’m not.

15. “Apple” – Fox Academy
This song has been in my rotation since it came out.

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify.

Here’s to weird music mixes for weird months,

Silya Bennai