This is an excuse to gather good music—ideally, but not at all exclusively, the kind to cruise summer nights with—whatever your vehicle, wherever the destination, real or metaphysical. Traits of an audio co-pilot can vary (relaxing, uplifting, momentous, sad, rad, etc). So roll with this oversized categorical device, and you’ll pull away with a trunkload of leads:
“Music For Freeways” sound specialist Edmund Xavier took inspiration from various California roads to create this collection of mesmerizing, minimal disco-rock instrumentals. Hard to explain, but there’s an open desert purpose to these songs and it’s quite easy to get lost in. Released on cassette through Brave Mysteries, the recordings can be digitally accessed from bandcamp.
Yes that’s a My Bloody Valentine ode, and the distorted pinks that pivotal shoegaze band stirs up aren’t a bad place to begin when approaching The Bilinda Butchers. Now add some teenage headspace, more sugar, and a convertible….
Everyone had that friend that used to burn them a mix of relevant and generally excellent songs of the moment which would eventually become your default disc for the next 6 months—always just an arm’s reach away in the console, or on the floor somewhere all scratched up but somehow still fine. Nada of the lovely blog Friends With Both Arms has 2011 covered (Gem Club, Grouper, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Gardens & Villa…to name a few).
The frontman to Knoxville slacker-wave rock outfit Coolrunnings took an unexpected turn last week by shedding the whatever vibes on a heartfelt solo offering. Nothing overtly thematic here, but lead-off “Sleeve” could sure soundtrack a lonesome scene—our longing figure down but not out, holding onto the wheel and that one climbing chorus of hope…
And as a bonus, this 2007 classic is included because it simply defines the autobahn aesthetic. Structured as if turning a 1 a.m. ignition, and sailing under the city lights, Night Drive does Italo synthpop in its smoothest and most transportive form. And it has a killer Kate Bush cover.