Photo: Kiki the Cat. (By Cyril Cante)
When I told my friend I was making a Hangover mix, she replied: "I didn't know you got those so often that you needed a mix for them." I don't. I really rarely get hungover. (I thought about getting into character to make this mix, but I didn't even have enough liquor in my fridge to make my mouth dry the next morning.) But it's like jogging: whenever it does happen, you gotta have a mix ready for it, or else it just doesn't feel right. Not that a hangover ever… - you get what I mean.
I forget exactly how Nathaniel came to launch the idea. But as usual, it's brilliant, and as usual I just follow and compensate by making my mix way too long. Unlike his, though, my tracklist doesn't progress towards any brightness or promise of awakening, which means that my mix is meant for those really bad, bad mornings, the ones where getting up feels like dying and you're lucky if it's not raining too heavily outside. Of if you can find a bit of leftover pasta in the fridge that you can microwave to accompany your coffee. But don't be afraid, the mix is accordingly tender and hushed. Complete with picture of cute hungover kitty.
1. Taken By Trees - Anna (ft. Panda Bear)
One of the most beautiful and melancholy post-party songs I have ever heard, "Anna" will break your heart each time Victoria Bergsman urges whoever this mysterious person is to "call it a night." But the sweetness of the arrangements and Panda Bear's soft backing vocals turn this song into a jewel of light and peace, one that will make the darkest moments seem like they were simply meant to be.
2. Girls - Curls
Pretty insignificant on the album, this song sounds delicate and atmospheric when it stands on its own. For this we can probably thank Christopher Owen's wisdom and experience.
3. Flying Lotus - Auntie's Lock (Version with Life Force Trio)
Calmer - or less jittery - than a lot of Flying Lotus's compositions, this one invokes a quiet sense of space that feels very, very, very restful.
4. Spain - It's So True
Take standard, bluesy ballads and slow them down by about 400% and yes, they're that much better. Josh Haden's velvety voice hangs emotion up in the air and lets it slowly twirl upon itself, until it is fully revealed.
5. jj - CEO Birthday
I never thought jj's cover of "Birthday Sex" would amount to anything, but the song's spare piano accompaniment and gorgeous voice, both intensely sexual and evanescent, make it, well, very pretty indeed.
6. Guido - Orchestral Lab
Dusbtep with a soul and a dazzling sense of orchestration.
7. G/L/A/S/S/C/A/N/D/Y - Rolling Down the Hills (Spring Demo)
The opening track from Italians Do It Better's "After Dark" compilation is pure, youthful happiness. It's also deeply, deeply stoned, which means it's perfect.
8. cLOUDDEAD - Velvet Ant
Now this one was a little harder for me to justify. In the end, I included this song because, in all its nonsense and disorientation, it'll probably make you feel a lot better about not being able to articulate where it was exactly that you lost your phone the night before.
9. Boards of Canada - Satellite Anthem Icarus
Seems Nathaniel and I both felt the BoC vibe would fit our hangovers. It's pretty obvious when you think about it.
10. Nick Drake - River Man
There is no better ingredient to escape the darkness of a soiled and ransacked apartment than Nick Drake's snow-pure voice and this song's gently rolling arrangements.
11. Blur - Caravan
"Sometimes everything is easy" croaks Damon Albarn, knowing full well that, most of the time, it sure as hell isn't. It's ok: like this song, in its patient march, you'll get by.
12. Rhythm & Sound - Jah Rule (ft. Paul St. Hilaire)
Get super stoned, forget life's hardships, for the Lord will take care of everything: somehow, right now, your agonized brain thinks it sounds like a pretty awesome philosophy.
13. Serge Gainsbourg - Intoxicated Man
If one man can make me feel better about my own drinking, it's Shane MacGowan. But Gainsbourg's not bad, either, and this song is swingy and humorous as well. The man knew his stuff.
14. DJ Shadow - What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)
I'm not sure you're really curious about that, right now (right now being hour #2 in the purgatory of the morning after). But hey, I'll take the slow groove and the tripped-out saxophone echoes, please.
15. Quiet Village - Pillow Talk
It's aaaaaall in the name and title.
16. Coconut Records - Mama
If I were friends with Jason Schwartzmann and he and I both got super hungover one morning (and provided I could sing, of course), this is probably what we would sing together, before walking to the grocery store and buying 12 cartons of orange juice.
17. Bill Callahan - Jim Cain
Bill Callahan's marvelously deep, full voice and his spare but twinkling arrangements are gold, at any time of day. But on some mornings, they'll truly be priceless.
18. The xx - VCR
The perfect hangover companion: someone who doesn't talk too loud, gives you some space, but shows you s/he understands. Here it is, and it's a song.
19. Animal Collective - No More Runnin'
A soft, syncopated rhythm, a crystalline piano melody, and incomparably blissful harmonies. No, you're not tripping, the sun IS shining through the clouds.
ENJOY (By which I mean: I hope your misery is alleviated just a little.)
FC
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