An effervescent, mellow and energised summer playlist for 2020

Here’s a few cool albums I have been listening to lately. They have a nice beachy vibe, which is the kind of weather we are getting in Australia and New Zealand right now. Great background music for BBQS, on the headphones while sinking a few cold ones on the beach, while reading, and some of these songs are great if you plan on staying out all night to party. With so much disturbing shit going on in the world lately, here’s some nice uplifting tunes to escape into. Like jumping into a vat full of bubbly Sprite…and vodka.

Altin Gun – Gece

Altin Gun are a Turkish experimental psychadelic rock band with a female vocalist with a soaring and passionate voice. Who knows what she’s saying, I can’t speak Turkish but I still love it, love it, love it.

Skinshape – Oracolo

Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo

Khruangbin literally means airplane in Thai, and this Texan band get their influences from the funky-ass psychadelic funk of Thailand in the 70’s, among other things. There is something warm and timeless about this album, it makes you smile and swing your hips seductively. And watching their goddess bass player Laura Lee swinging her hips on stage at live gigs is enough to make any girl bat for the other side. She is cool personified.

The Cool Out Corner (Summer Mixtape) [Mixed by Amerigo Gazaway

Fancy a totally dope mash-up of 80’s and 90’s East Coast hip hop of a certain swing and vibe. This is it, the pinnacle of tracks featuring all of the usual suspects Kool & the Gang, Prince, Public Enemy, Snoop, Tupac, etc. in one irresistible mix by mix-master Amerigo Gazaway. How the hell he is not really famous I have no idea, because he’s one talented muthafucker.

Chaos in the CBD – Green Dove

A track reminiscent of underground 90’s acid house from Kiwi brothers Ben and Louis Helliker-Hales. There’s a floaty, hypnotic and trancy vibe to it, as though the music is actually undulating waves on a beach. All of their music is like this, like 90’s rave nostalgia but layered in a new, spacey and modern way. Anyway they have exploded and got a lot of festival gigs in recent months in the US, which is very understandable.

E&D – Runaway (Ali Berger Remix)

I have no idea who E&D are but this track is so amazing. Reminds me a little of Disclosure before they went commercial and turned shit. That sort of fun, bouncy, garage vibe of a summer night out in London at Fabric.

E&D – Not Enough

Ditto for this track. That opening vocal with the echoey reverb gives this song a lot of depth. And the warm garage-y London vibe to the whole thing. I just really dig this!

Furious Frank ft. Ivy Barkakati – Ahora Sí (Frank’s Sunrise Mix)

Are you looking for a track to basically end a long late set at a rave? A magical sunrise track that will reinvigorate the crowd to shred that last bit of energy? Well this is it actually. A bit messy, a bit sleazy, but totally euphoric and the whispery Spanish vocals sound confessional, kind of like a conversation that you would have after a very long and very great party.

And here’s another version with a lot of 303 – equally good.

Another Kiwi band full of lush and floaty summery BBQ vibes.

Marquis Hawkes – Don’t U (Feat. Ursula Rucker) [HTH100]

Some more mellow sunrise vibes for after a long and great night.

Marquis Hawkes – Sunset

And for a great light show in Hala Stulecia in Wrocław have a look and listen to this set by deep house producer Cocolino

I hope you enjoy it. Here’s the complete playlist if you are interested. What do you think of my picks, any summery songs on your own playlist this year? And conversely if you are in the freezing cold right now, what are you listening to? We welcome you to visit warm and friendly Wellington.