WARMER MIXTAPES #1023 | by Johnny Vic [Satellites]

1. Mads Björn | New Sailor
I saw Mads at a Festival in Copenhagen and was blown away with the Intensity of his Live Performance. He was totally immersed in his Music. As was the entire small tent he was playing in. I had never heard of him before and his 30 minute Set felt like a Second. One long Breath. The whole room was transfixed. Amazing.

2. John Grant | Pale Green Ghosts
Such an Intense song and Ambitious Mix of Classical and Electronica, which totally works. Complete with Rachmaninov String Section in the middle. Very deep and personal song for John. I couldn't stop playing it after I first heard it. And then I couldn't stop hearing it in my head.

3. Ólafur Arnalds | Words Of Amber
This is just one beautiful piece of Music from the great album For Now I Am Winter. It’s an album to immerse yourself in and it stirs up Emotions inside that you didn't even know were there. Wonderful. As are his other albums.

4. Tom The Lion | Sleep
I have worked with Tom for many years. Including both Satellites records. I have watched his Music develop and I have witnessed him evolve into one of the Most Important And Relevant Artists Of Today. He will be a Superstar - mark my words. Sleep is an amazing album.

 5. Talk Talk | I Don't Believe In You
When I first heard this as a child, it blew me away with its Complexity, yet easy-to-listen-to Structure and Chord Progression. The Guitar Solo, or whatever Instrument it is, is Incredible in its Simplicity, yet Wonderfully Abstract, while still following the Melody of the Chord Progression. Colour Of Spring and its follow up Spirit Of Eden are Albums That Never Age and Pushed Boundaries That Still Inspire Today. I use both albums as references when Mixing my own records. It’s such a shame the Industry treated Talk Talk so badly. It’s our loss that they decided to quit the Music Business.

6. M83 | We Own The Sky
When M83 broke, there were a lot of bands of a similar Sound also coming through. However, they seem to be the only ones who have continued to evolve their Sound. This track is Fantastic. As is the majority of the album it is from.

7. Alcoholic Faith Mission | Into Pieces
Gustav - who plays Trombone on both Satellites records - one day in the Studio in Copenhagen quietly announced that he was in a band. He gave me the website and I thought nothing more about it, until a few days later when I checked it out. Totally Crazy and Wonderful Music. They have their own recording rules, such as only recording with whatever is in the room at a certain time. Which means they have had to create Music with some Bizarre and Wonderful Instruments. I find it Inspiring and Refreshing that a band have the Time, Energy and Inspiration to Record whatever they want, whenever they like and purely for themselves, without caring about Sales and Record Companies and it still Sounds great. Wonderful stuff.

8. Frankie Goes To Hollywood | Welcome To The Pleasuredome
A slightly Strange choice, but without this record I would not be Making Music today. This blew my mind when I was growing up. I had never heard anything like it. Rock, Disco, Electronica, Prog, Opera, Gospel... It has everything. All 13:38 of it is a Masterpiece of Production, Performance, Programming and Outrageous Audacity. What a statement to have this as an Opening Track of a Debut Album. It made me realise that you don't have to make 3:30 records for the Radio. And that the Studio is a wonderful place to be and be immersed in. The Street Cleaning Sound Effects, the Female Gospel Backing Singers, the Opera at the Start. It really has everything and I still listen to it today when I get disillusioned with the Industry and all the Ridiculously Restrictive Rules they have implemented on themselves over the years since.

9. John Lennon | Imagine
In my opinion, the Perfect Pop Song. Meaning, Emotion, Melody, Simplicity, Performance, Construction. It’s sometimes hard to appreciate this song, as it is so familiar to everybody. And it Sounds so Simple. It is Simple. But they are always the hardest songs to Write. A wonderful Legacy for John as it would appear to sum him up as a person too.

10. The National | Conversation 16
Just one of the Outstanding tracks from High Violet. A wonderfully Dark, yet Beautiful track. The Chords, the Melodies, the One-Liners. There is a Fragile Beauty that just about pokes its head above the water of Layers of Dark Guitars, Drums and Backing Vocals. Totally Gorgeous in a Non-Obvious Way. A Hypnotic and Mesmerising Wall of Sound.