Twin Cities Mix 4
Hey everyone,
Welcome to the fourth edition of the Twin Cities Mix, where this week the playlist features a local mix of songs all about love. Love has always been a classic playlist theme. The expression of love through songwriting and music connects us on a human level. In one way or another, we’ve all felt the beautiful, complicated, and tender feelings of love. This playlist is a reflection of those feelings and a gentle reminder that love can appear in many different ways. Love can be found in family & friends, something that brings you joy, a cup of coffee on a sunny day, and especially within yourself.
I started off the playlist with a Midwest honorable mention, Slow Pulp, a Chicago-based indie rock group I discovered through DJing at Radio K. Combined with their dreamy pop melodies and sentimental songwriting, the group always finds ways to capture the enormous feeling of love. The track Preoccupied sounds like a daydream, depicting the trance of falling for someone through hazy vocals, psychedelic guitar riffs, and a smokey saxophone solo. Slow Pulp recently released a new song titled Idaho as a teaser for their new album ‘Moveys,’ keep an eye out for it on streaming platforms and Bandcamp.
The playlist also features songs that explore themes of extending love and acceptance to yourself. This is especially shown through the jazz-inspired track Im OK by 26 BATS!, an introspective song about remembering to provide love to oneself. In an interview with Minneapolis local news outlet City Pages, lead singer Bailey Cogan discusses how the theme of self-reflection in this song is meant to contribute to a bigger picture. Cogan says their “role in the revolution is to make songs that inspire people to keep going.” Im OK reminds us that it’s essential that we take care of ourselves in order to fight alongside and advocate for the greater community.
The song Sunny Day, by Mrs. Pinky and The Great Fox, a soulful jazz and R&B group from Minneapolis, encouraged me to notice little things that bring me joy. We cannot pour from an empty cup and must remember to treat ourselves with compassion. Something as simple as taking a walk and enjoying the sun can be the act of love and kindness you show yourself today.
I’ll leave you with a sweet thread from author & activist, Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, where she shares some highlights of her list 69 ways to love a little harder. Cargle says, “some of these pertain to romantic lovers but many can be for your neighbor, your mailman, your child, your best friend, your sibling, and/or yourself!”
As always, if you found yourself connecting to a song on the playlist, show the artist some love by streaming and sharing their work. Make sure to tag them and us @trashmagtrashmag!
