People make mixtapes for every occasion (granted, they’re no longer on cassettes anymore, but we’ve all gotten over the lapse in terminology by now, right?).The online evolution of the mixtape makes it even easier to source and stream new tunes, making it the optimal format for sharing new music. The best kinds of mixtapes capture a feeling or an experience, and with Fall in definite swing, we’ve noticed some more sober tone transitions outpouring from our Creators. These season-appropriate mixtapes are dreamy, slightly haunting, takes on escapism. Take a look at the compilation titles and listen below.The Dazed and the Confused (vol 1) DJ MixWhen Dazed and Confused magazine asked James Lavelle to create a mixtape, his goal was to take listeners on a “seamless, sonic adventure.” Knowing this, you can hear how travel is a consistent theme in this mixtape. It starts out slowly (but surely) with acoustic guitar and country influences, making it perfect for listening to at the crack of dawn as you embark on a road trip. About a quarter in, the mix rolls over a mountain, churning out remixes of Bruce Springsteen and DJ Hell(amongst plenty of UNKLE). Spoiler alert: we almost mistook Stevie Nicks for Björk! Listen to the full mix over at Dazed Digital.Still Thinking Part II: The OZ EditionSpeaking of getting away, this 34-track compilation almost exclusively features remixes and reworks, as it’s essentially a preview for electro-DJ Rynecologist’s Australian tour. The well-blended playlist features plenty of Boys Noize, Carte Blanche originals, older hits like Hall & Oates’ “Private Eyes,” and an awesome rework of Pogo’s “Upular,” the mash-up artist we blogged about last week. Download in full here, or listen to “down under.”Ghost Dance vol.1Fashion and music fusion label God’s Prey’s F/W 2010 collection: Psychik Cities inspired this steady, ambient-heavy mixtape featuring plenty of Gang Gang Dance, bells, chiming clocks, heavy string plucking, and psalmic chanting. Midway through, TV on the Radio’s familiar harmonized voices appear out of the haze, and a funky rock vibe emerges alongside hand drums and triangle ringing. This is the soundtrack to your foggy wake-up routine.Mansions on the Moon: “Paradise Falls” mixtapeDJs Benzi and Diplo take Mansions on the Moon’s indie electro-pop and re-package it as a hypothetical DJ set for the fantasy playland of your choice. The compilation starts off relatively calmly before the electronic beats start dropping. Benzi and Diplo then layer chiptune melodies over chanting, and introduce light dubstep tones, making this a perfect mix for chilling out or getting close with a special someone…that is, until the last track when global house sounds collide with dark, dubstep bass. Download or stream the tracks separately here.
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