WARMER MIXTAPES #8 | by Rob Verrecchia [Ghost Hunter]

1. Susumu Yokota | Secret Garden
I visited Thailand recently and went to this really great complex of temple ruins called Sukhothai. I was on my own so I hired a bike a cycled around listening to The Boy And The Tree by Susumu Yokota. The eastern instruments, percussion and vocal samples providing a sound track to this impressive destination was intense! I developed a fever over the day and ended up having a little nap under the gaze of one of the biggest Buddhas in the park, subsequently having these really trippy fever dreams.

2. Liars | There's Always Room On The Broom
I wanted to go see these guys soon after I moved to Sheffield a few years back and tried to find some friends to go with me. They all wanted to listen to it first though, so I played them this track...It must have been a bit too scary because they all said no. Eventually I talked one guy into coming, pretending that I didn't have any of their stuff. The gig was incredible, it was just before Drums Not Dead came out. At a couple of points I did worry I was in some kind of freaky evil ceremony with the chants of Blood! Blood! Blood!...The band got booed a lot by the lame Sheffield crowd.

3. The Future Sound Of London | Papua New Guinea
I read once that FSOL saw electronic music as a way to show off just how much you had travelled. This song though, has got such a cheesy 90's faux-ethnic vibe to it. The vocalist sounds so western. It's like a really naïve image of Papua New Guinea...There's no way they ever went there. Still, it is totally badass.

4. John Coltrane | Peace On Earth
When John Coltrane died, he had a load of unreleased recordings. His wife, Alice Coltrane, re-imagined these tracks, putting on her own lush harp and string arrangements. She was apparently slated for this but it's one of my favourite Coltrane albums. You get this incredible sense of John communicating with his wife from beyond the grave.

5. Forest Creature | Edit 2
Forest Creature are probably my favourite Sheffield band. We swapped demo CDs a while back. They used to be really noisy but if this track is anything to go by then they've turned an awesome new corner. Its all synths and heavy bloopy analogue drums. There's not all that much exciting stuff going on in Sheffield really, considering it's the home of Warp Records but these guys are a breath of fresh air.

6. Gang Gang Dance | Egowar
I went road tripping a few years ago around Europe and pretty much all we listened to was GGD and the Cocteau Twins, apart from when we were on the Autobahn when we stuck strictly to Kraftwerk. I still kind of think GGD and Cocteau Twins sound kind of similar even though they probably don't... This track totally reminds me of that trip...The weird campsite next to an empty swimming pool; the beautiful wooden woodcutter's house's which turned out to be brothels; playing our toy keyboard late into the night...Nice.

7. Oneohtrix Point Never | Betrayed In The Octagon
It's hard to stand out if you make ambient music...But this guy sure does. One of my favourite artists at the moment. All arpeggios and warbling synths working their way around in the loveliest of melodies.

8. Munch Munch | Flashbangmicrowavestory
I'm good friends with Tom from Munch Munch and the music he makes has always inspired me a lot. This is from their original demo EP a few years ago. At the time I was just beginning to get my head round producing on my laptop and this track definitely set the bar for me. It sounds pretty rough now compared to their latest stuff but I still love it.

9. Stag Hare | Holy Quinn
This guy takes me on journeys through forests, past lakes and over mountains. From beautiful sunny mornings to dark nights round a campfire. Some of the most mystical, dreamy music I've ever heard. Someone sign this guy up! I want to get his stuff on vinyl!

10. The Beatles | Strawberry Fields Forever
Everyone knows how awesome this is...Do I really need to write anything? I'm dead into The Beatles at the moment, working my way through the anthology on DVD. I was brought up listening to them as my dad plays in a tribute band and used to go to all his gigs when I was growing up. When I was older I even played at a few of them, when his George Harrison was ill. I wore a wig and everything! I'm not sure how many people know, but the famous version of this track is actually two different takes of the song (which are at different keys and different speeds) spliced together. Lennon liked the beginning of one and the end of the other and left poor George Martin to make that work for him. George Martin was an incredible producer.

WARMER MIXTAPES #7 | by Steve Kilbey of Jack Frost, Isidore and The Church

1. T.Rex | The Visit
I first heard this in 1970 when I was sixteen. I bought the T.Rex album and I entered another world. Bolan had somehow reconciled Chuck Berry and greek mythology and this song is coming from a strange place in the midst of an alien abduction - only very subtly alluded to - Bolan remembers his babe and calls out to her in almost elizabethan terms...Truly I do love you!

2. Big Star | Kangaroo

The sloppiest laziest song, half starting half stopping collapsing in on itself. A sleazy confused blurring slurring song of grasping lust. The strings and slide guitar frame it all in uncertainty. This song gave me a million ideas for new songs.

3. David Bowie | Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)

Menacing sexy futuristic alien..Cynical...Wide-eyed...Wonderful...Listen to the dripping sarcasm of the piano, the mock elegance...The sound of a world gone wrong...

4. The Beatles | Within You Without You

We were talking...Oh, like hindu philosophy...Gently...Dreamy...All sweet given to you in a song...A song!!...All those lovely unisons as the sitars and orchestras lock up...Wow!

5. The Rolling Stones | Memory Motel

A fucked up aching song sung like he meant it. Keith joins in on little bridge section his rough battered voice oddly sweet...She gotta mi-i-ind of her own...And she use it well...yeah...

6. Santana | Singing Winds, Crying Beasts

This song travels, it lopes across South American plateaus and through her jungles...The cymbals lap at the song like a sea...The little jingling sounds...The guitar distorts into the shimmering distance...

7. Donovan | Atlantis

Fragile like the sunken city herself. A narration then a full tilt rocker. The first chord sequence I ever learnt to play on a guitar.

8. Freur | Doot Doot

We used to play this over and over in a house I lived in. An impenetrable almost meaningless song...So full of meaning, though...Still love it...Still wanna listen to it to figure it out.

9. Bruce Springsteen | Backstreets

Never heard anything like this before. A howling banging full screen mini-opera with enough ambiguity to let you inhabit it. The twangy guitars, mock classical piano bits, the hoarse and emotional singing!

10. Lou Reed | Intro/Sweet Jane

Off rock'n'roll animal...The best guitar playing ever! Twin leads writhe round each other like snakes...Lou walks on...The crowd go nuts...And the band lock into one of the most famous riffs in rock...Oh, God, it makes you feel so cool!

WARMER MIXTAPES #6 | by Robin Livehed [Lajven]

1. Bob Dylan | I & I
These masterpieces makes me think of throwing my guitar and enter a temple or something, to find out how somebody can be such a great musician and composer. He has such an attitude in this song, and clarity, like he always have of what's important or not in the life. His voice makes me shiver with excitement and pride of what he is able to sing out. The title comes from the most read book in the world, under his religious period, which I think is his best period of Dylan. For me this must be one of the best songs he has ever made. Impressive straight drumbeat from Terry Williams and Mark Knopfler on leadguitars doesn't make this song much worse.

2. Bob Dylan | Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
Such a great old production, dirty electric guitar and delightful rhythm threw the whole song. I'm like laughing everytime I listening to this song...Such genius...His fascinating lyrics are as clear as a leopard-skin pill-box hat. He is Dylan, I can write a book about why I like him...

3. Keane | Lovers Are Losing
I love this trio, always haved. I love Tom Chaplin's voice, always haved. Can't reduce any of my love for Keane, this song must be on my list. I'm not that old, but I've growned up with Keane from their start and I like much of their art and their musical talent inspires me. This song is something special for me, how it's constructed and its wonderful parts. Just a damned great alternative rock song that makes me feel sympathy.

4. Morrissey | There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Good old pop songs made me write my own music. This one is a rescue in all fields. This song expose feelings and contempt of loneliness. It's a story in itself and a musical experience. I have always a good sad feeling when I listen this song. Morrissey is absolutely one of my favourite songwriters and artists.

5. The Strokes | On The Other Side
My favorite song of one of America's best rock bands I can tell! This is what I think is a real rock band, great live band and unique vocalist. I'm falling in love in this kind of sound and On The Other Side is so perfect in all ways. I'm in love with their concert at Hultsfred Festival '06. I love myself for loving them.

6. Animasola | Tainted
This five men alternative pop/rock band is an unpolished diamond from my home town. You can hear influences of U2 and Coldplay. I love hearing such desperation and compassion when the leadsinger Kristoffer sings like It takes so much effort to open up your heart. I love the Aminasola sound, great riffs, melodies and the lovely singing voice is so honestly in itself. Tainted speaks for the whole band I think and the delay-guitar-intro is one of my favourite rock intros.

7. John Barry | Dances With Wolves
This piece comes from my favorite film in all categories with the same title. It's brilliant and I can't find so much words that tells the message in this piece better than itself. If I concentrate myself listening to this piece, I will cry...The master John Barry is portraying love and war, sadness and hope in one unique moment.

8. Babyshambles | Albion
Peter Doherty is a fascinating musician and a poet and I like all of his music. In Albion he describes his love for his country and it's so groovy with his calm voice and the factual explanation of the easy and natural way to live. The daily round for an english musician I think.
Well, all of it makes this song wonderful and Doherty-special and my ears just loves it.

9. The Concretes | Chico
I have a special feeling for this sweet song. I like those small complaining noices, and the violin in the background of the clear orchestra that doesnt't take over. But the innocent voice of Victoria Bergsman does respond my love everytime she's open her mouth.

10. The Clash | Bankrobber
Bankrobber is a specialty from The Clash. It's so pure, and it smells reggae, which I like a lot in this song. The intrumental beat is magnificent controlled by a nice basscoil. I love the mix of the dark choral singing melody in the background and Joe Strummer's lovely way to sing. I think it's on of my favorites songs ever and the tale in this song is a nice break in routine.

WARMER MIXTAPES #5 | by Joachim Willumsen

1. Eggstone | Still All Stands Still
This song is pure joy, happiness and summer for me. In school me and my friends were the music outsiders who listened to indie music instead of the radio shit, and this song kind of helped me finding my personality.

2. Silverbullit | Joy
I love the monotone drums and bass in this song, and the organ is absolutely fantastic, I got the Silverbullit album with this song on for Christmas just after mom and dad got divorced, and I recall myself lying on my bed listening to this song and I could here mom and dad arguing about everything in the room next to mine, so I was listening to it and I was dreaming of Joy in my life.

3. The Motorhomes | Into The Night
This song influenced me in many ways, it was the bands first single. I saw them in a small venue and when they played it live I got goosebumbs all over my body, I remember it so well. I learned it on guitar and tried to sound just like the singer. This song proves that a great song could be a simple song.

4. Massive Attack | Teardrop
Well, what can I say, everytime I listen to this song it takes me to another universe, listening to it makes me feel weightless. Also here I love the monotone drums beating on like an old clock and the vocals are magnificent.

5. Oasis | Wonderwall
It feels like a cliché to mention this song here, but I don't care. I wanna claim that it is the best song of all times, I mean, it doesn't matter where you are in the world, if you put it on everyone could sing along and every guitarist in the world can play those four magical chords. Liam's voice is so edgy and cool, and the drumfills gives the song a great groove. It makes you feel like a rock'n'roll star just listening to it and it has made me the main event on many parties, haha.

6. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives | Firmanent Vacation (A Soundtrack Of Our Lives)
Sweden's finest rock band delivering a song filled with very nice psychedelic slide guitar melodies and a vocals to die for. I always listen to this song when I drive and sing along, when I check the speedometer I always drive too fast when I listen to this song, haha. It has that effect on me.

7. Midnight Choir | October 8
I don't think so many people have heard this song but I absolutely love it. It's a slow emotional song I put on when the fall starts to make everything grey and rainy outside. I remember first time I was listening to it, my friend Tom Skantze played it to me when we were on vacation in a little town called Lysekil on the westcoast of Sweden. We stayed in the apartment the whole day listening to it and it was rainy outside, the raindrops hitting the ground became a part of the song in a nice way. The vocals are amazing, the singer has a very deep and powerful voice that makes me really believe him when he sings. It also has a great guitar solo that makes it one of the best songs I know.

8. Pink Floyd | Wish You Were Here
This is an epic song. My grandfather passed away a couple of years ago and I wanted to do something on his funeral to make him proud, wherever he was, so I decided to play this song, and I have never been so nervous in my whole life, I had a sore throat so I thought it was going to sound bad but I did the best performance of my life. I'm sure he was proud of me. I saw people crying in the church when I sang afterwords I did it too. It sure is a very emotional song with only one verse and one chorus and nice guitar playing.

9. The Beatles | I Am The Walrus
This song is a very cool song with psychedelic almost weird lyrics about everything and nothing. When me and my friends went skiing in Hemsedal in Norway we brought a guitar and we were playing and singing this song on the bus over and over again so loud almost screaming until the other people on the bus told us we had to quit or they'd throw us off the bus. John Lennon's voice gives me chills down the spine and it is The Beatles best song in my opinion.

10. Bruce Springsteen | I'm On Fire
I'd like to describe this song as The Best Love Song Ever Written, I would love to have written it myself. The lyrics I can take you higher, oh I'm on fire is so beautiful. I realized I love monotone drums writing this list and the drums in this song is very good.

WARMER MIXTAPES #4 | by Bryce Afonso

1. Red House Painters | Have You Forgotten

Not long ago I made a road trip up the Pacific Coast to visit a friend of mine. I listened to this song on the way there and on the way back. The song's beauty was magnified by the sweeping views of the sun dipping into the ocean and the smell of the crisp sea air pouring through my windows. But the real reason this song is special to me is that I met a girl while I was at my friend's house that I really took a liking to. This song brings back the excitement of seeing her and the sadness of leaving.

2. My Bloody Valentine | I Only Said

This is the very first song that got me into shoegaze and, really, good music in general. I remember it came on the radio one night as I was listening to music and I was blown away. I remember specifically the horribly obscure vocals and repetitive ending and thinking I had never heard anything like it. It's important to understand that I grew up in a rather conservative household so secular music was kind of taboo. This song pretty much marks my transition between conservative and secular music and I'll never forget it.

3. Nick Drake | From The Morning

When I was about 16 or 17 I was extremely into film and I began writing a screenplay entitled Alphabet City (sadly it remains unfinished). Because of the lonely vibe this song exudes, I used it in a critical scene where the protagonist decides to start a new life somewhere else. Perhaps the best acoustic guitar song ever written.

4. John Murphy | In Paradisum

One of the few things in existence that can make me cry.

5. Starflyer 59 | West Coast Friendship

During my high school years I was dating a girl I really liked. While we had been dating for about a year, another girl (a personal friend of the family) invited me to attend some sort of high school dance with her. Because she was such a close friend of the family my parents had recommended (enforced) I go with her strictly on a platonic level. Needless to say my girlfriend at the time was not too pleased with the decision. Anyways, I listened to this song driving over to the girl's house to pick her up for the dance. The chorus sarcastically drones: These are the best days of our lives/Crazy as it seems.

6. Blur | Battery In Your Leg

Years ago I visited my aunt on her houseboat in Seattle. We spent a week moving up the coast towards Vancouver, stopping at little coves and harbors along they way. The very last day of the trip we docked in the heart of Seattle. I remember sleeping on the porch that warm summer night and listening to this track as I watched the city fall asleep. The combination of this song with the smell of the air, the light of the buildings, and the passing by of his and her silhouettes cumulated into one of the most memorable moments of my life.

7. Via Satellite | Seven Winged Lions

This is an unbelievably good song. It contains, in my opinion, the best description for how strong a relationship can be between two people. The lyrical content pertains to the book of Revelations: Seven winged lions will fall/They can't separate us. When the bells come in at the end you can't help but believe the words being sung. Simply gorgeous.

8. Brian Eno | Always Returning

This track makes me feel like I'm leaving someone I desperately love.

9. Shocking Pinks | This Aching Deal

Easily one of the best opening tracks of any album (It's listed as track 2 but it's really the first song). This is lo-fi shoegaze at its finest. The New Order inspired bass line hooks you in from the start.

10. Jonny Greenwood | Prospector's Arrive

This songs wonderfully dark piano and strings paint a beautiful yet deadly portrait of a bitter American frontier during the 19^th and early 20^th century. Easily part of one of the best soundtracks of all time, Prospector's Arrive is ideal reading/brooding music for the recluse in all of us.

WARMER MIXTAPES #3 | by Calle Thoor of Bolywool

1. Judy Collins | Amazing Grace
As long as I can remember, I've always had a thing for Amazing Grace. It doesn't matter if whether its performed at a funeral or if I'm just walking down the street listening to Spiritualized's version in my iPod. Judy Collins' version is probably my favourite one for a number of reasons, one being its simplicity and another its gracefulness (no pun intended).

2. Spiritualized | Electricity
The first time I heard the song was an utter mind-boggling experience. The shimmering Farfisa, the hypnotising drums, the beautiful and ingeniously simple riff. Spaceman has got it down to the t!

3. Oasis | Champagne Supernova
The Brit Pop Anthem Of All Time. Liam's flawless vocals, the absurd lyrics, Paul Weller on lead guitar, the magnificent drumming by Alan White and so on. A postcard from an era I keep close to my heart.

4. Spacemen 3 | Hey Man
I bought my copy of Sound Of Confusion in a shady record shop in Gothenburg, and I clearly remember sitting hypnotized in front of my stereo with Hey Man on repeat for the rest of the day. As some songs on this might suggest, I've got a thing for hymnals, and this is by my definition a hymnal straight out of darkest corner of Warwickshire.

5. The Appleseed Cast | Hanging Marionette
The stars are burning bright like the light that lights your eyes...Says it all, doesn't it?

6. Primal Scream | Come Together
Gospel for the 21st century from the 20th century – you've got the beat, the preacher, and the lush and sexy wails. Lovely, just lovely.

7. The Beatles | A Day In The Life
I understand why Brian Wilson felt inadequate after listening to this song. The dream sequence (as I refer to it) in which McCartney voice is soaring high in the mix and then the crescendo starts still gives me goose bumps.

8. The Cure | Pictures Of You
I can't decide if I like the single version or the album version the best. Anyhow, the production is magnificent (chorus, big snare, lots of reverberation etc) and the lyrics really appeal to me with its cathartic qualities.

9. Band Of Horses | The Funeral
Four strapping young lads with beards, tattoos and flannel shirts singing their hearts out. Ben Bridwell is a genius, and his vocal range is seriously to die for. There is such intensity and soul to this song that is hard to grasp sometimes.

10. Explosions In The Sky | Your Hand Is Mine
A beautiful guitar arpeggio says more than a thousand words. One of the best love songs ever written. Period.

WARMER MIXTAPES #2 | by Fredrick Carlsson

1. Aphex Twin | Windowlicker
This is one of those tracks I never ever tire of! Everything about it's just perfect, you know! The beat's so slick and sexy and the production makes me want to cry! Definetely one of the most perfect tracks I've ever heard. I remembered listening this one alot back in 2002-2003, and the production and feeling have influenced me majorly.

2. David Bowie | Heroes
Anybody who doesn't love this track deserves a smack in the face. I listen to it weekly, sometimes daily.

3. Nine Inch Nails | Hurt
Some people prefer the straight Johnny Cash cover of this little tune, but I think that's just bullshit. The crazy chord gives the whole song a special kind of feeling of beauty through broken ugliness. Johnny Cash totally missed that point... Anyhow, it's played an important role in my life, and it's a great track that I still listen to from time to time.

4. Plastikman | Spastik
A couple of years ago you would encounter this absolute masterpiece in every dj-set you heard! People used this track as a tool to stitch almost every set together! That's how fucking good it is! I knocked myself unconscious by accident when I heard Tiga spin this absolute colossus at some festival way back. It's definetely a track that's important to me. Snares man, snares!

5. Erik Satie | Gymnopedie #3
Just listen! This is magic from before your great grandfather even had pubes! No-one can write tunes for the piano like Satie can. Gymnopedie #3 makes every other piano-based track ever made seem like fucking saloon-shanties! Back in the days when I did a lot more experimental stuff I really liked this kind of music, and a lot of old IDM are influenced by Satie. Huge!

6. Venetian Snares | Dad
I began listening to noisy stuff in my teens mainly to be rebellious, but this track totally changed everything. I learned a couple of lessons about being pretentious and grew a bit, I guess. Venetian Snares mainly makes totally insane fucking music, but this track is something beyond that! The lyrics, and harmonies and the sounds all make me wanna cry a little. It's not easy a track that's essentially ugly, gritty, twisted, spastic and fucked up into something of pure beauty.

7. Tiga & Zyntherius | Sunglasses At Night
Many years ago, when electroclash emerged and italo revived, this was one of the big hits! Definately a classic! I remember one beautiful summer in my hometown, Karlstad (Sweden); Me and a fellow musician had recorded a mix-tape with ONLY this track, constantly looping on both sides. My friend and I, plus my girlfriend at the time and her friend spent an entire night just walking around, drunk and listening to the same song over and over and over again. Magic, pure magic. I'll never forget this awesome track.

8. Jean Michel Jarre | Oxygene, Part 2
I really love that high-pitched melody! Absolutely gorgeous and the best track on the entire album. A song I can listen to over and over and over. It's like a little trumpeteer standing on top of the moon, calling out to all the intergalactic space-birds! Totally awesome.

9. Donna Summer | I Feel Love
I remember my dad used to play this track to me when I was a kid, and I've always felt that there was something very special about it. The pounding bassline, the simple and slick production and the sweeping vocals. THIS is pure techno, long before techno was even born. A very important track in my life.

10. Big Ben Tribe | Tarzan Loves The Summer Nights
A real cornerstone regarding italo-disco! The feeling's just there! This is one of those songs that should be played at eight in the morning, when the party's turned a bit more mellow. A perfect summer track. If you listen to it, you'll know the feeling i'm talking about.

WARMER MIXTAPES #1 | by Daniel Bellqvist of Eskobar

1. Amadou & Mariam | La Réalité
I just love this song for the drive and tone and feel of it and I love the production, kinda thick and pumpin' and this is a track I always play when I dj and it's always one of my favourite 3-minute-parts of the evening when this is playing... Their voices playing together both serious and playful at the same time are just perfect.

2. Rotfront | Berlin Style
Another of my absolute favourite songs to play when I dj. Love the ska feel and the swing of this song and also the mix of languages makes this song an all out rocker for me...

3. The Jeremy Spencer Band | Travellin'
This country-vibin' tune is just beautiful and it really gets to me each time I listen to it...Probably reminds me of all the time on the road with Eskobar...

4. Tori Amos | Angie (The Rolling Stones Cover)
I just think Tori has such an amazing presence when she performs and I love her phrasing if the words and her piano-playing and also her voice is fabulous...

5. The Doobie Brothers | Listen To The Music
Yet another djayin' favourite. A simple happy celebration of music but a fantastic groove... In my humble opinion...

6. Cocteau Twins | Alice
Amazing voices in this Cocteau Twins song... So much emotion... So much beauty... Magic...

7. Justyna Steczkowska | La Femme Du Roi
This is one of the most beautiful songs and voices I ever heard... Simply that...

8. The Free Design | Love You
A little gem this lullaby... Makes me happy every time... Childish and great at the same time...

9. Duke Special | I Feel For You (Prince Cover)
Love this version of the song... Mystical but still with a great drive...

10. Citizen Cope | Karma Police (Radiohead Cover)
I love good cover versions and this is one of my absolute favourites... Never really got into the Radiohead version but when I heard this version the song's greatness really clicked for me... Beautiful...