Those warm, free nights: A summer soundtrack
It’s that time of year where the world seems to cry every time you hear someone say, “It’s finals! May your grades be at least passing!” But just beyond the doom and gloom of take-home essays and exams on things you swear you never learned is the sweet, sweet smell of summer. Festivals, camping trips, cross-country drives or just sitting around with friends wasting time; summer is the promise of whatever you want it to be.
For some, summer isn’t a time to relax — there ain’t no rest for the wicked after all. Internships, long shifts in unfortunate uniforms or running around getting coffee for the person at the company that could make or break your future, the summer is just as grueling as the school year, the only bright side is you don’t have to buy textbooks. It’s not a time for dream pop or underground bangers, it’s the time for nose-to-the-grind music. Workday pop playlists are abounding on Spotify. It’s the perfect genre to meld together in an upbeat tempo that will keep you awake but not distracted the whole shift through.
Maybe you’re a creative. Your summer plans involve crashing photo shoots, finding open spots on sets and using whatever time you have left to make some new music with that guy you bonded with in the comments section of some unknown music blog. An eclectic summer of music awaits in the wing. Everything from trip hop to dream pop and synth-inspired rock. Truth is, you can’t be told what music to listen to, it just somehow finds you.
For the rest of us, who will have a mix of the two, this playlist is a fun-fueled soundtrack of softness that can easily translate to any activity.
Some weekends will be spent on a road trip, visits to swimming holes out in the mountains, pub crawls or whatever shenanigans float your boat. The week will be a 9 to 5 in your chosen field or a couple of shifts to afford the gas your high school car requires. You need some upbeat indie – upbeat enough to keep you going but dreamy enough to make your summer that much more memorable.
Recommended Playlist:
“Feels So Close”
– Calvin Harris
“Shake, Shake, Shake “
– Bronze Radio Return
“No Cars Go”
– Arcade Fire
“Who Knows Who Cares“
– Local Natives
“Hoppipolla”
– Sigur Ros
“Tongue Tied”
– Grouplove
“Let’s Go”
– Matt & Kim
“It’s Nice to Be Alive”
– Ball Park Music
“How’m I Gonna Get Back Home”
– He’s My Brother She’s My Sister
“Too Young To Kill”
– Brite Futures
“Teenage Crime”
– Adrian Lux
“Trouble Hunters”
– Astronautalis
Malorie McCall is a junior majoring in philosophy. Her column, “Mal’s Mix,” ran on Fridays.