💛 Yellow Hearts Mix Vol. 1 - Distress 💛
Hello and Happy New Year, beautiful people 🥂
My second music project, Futopia, has been out in the world for over a month now. I’m excited to start the next one this year, but it might be a while before I have any new, original stuff to share. And I don’t want to wait that long.
So here’s a mix of other people’s work in the meantime.
Enjoy!
The track list is below, and if you’re interested in the back story, read on from there 😊
Track List:
The Wolf - Eddie Vedder (Niko Schwind ReWork)
Better Off - Daktyl - Edit
I Won’t Stay - Joplyn - Edit
Crying In The Club - Dreamer Isioma - Edit
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap (John Summit & Silver Panda Extended Remix)
Fall Into Me - NGHTMRE, SLANDER (feat. Dylan Matthew)
Coming Back - James Blake (feat. SZA) - Edit
It’s Too Late - Carole King (Jay Caruso Restyling)
Pick Your Battles - Petit Biscuit (Malaa Remix)
Crawl Outta Love - Illenium (The Glitch Mob Remix)
BURN IT DOWN - Linkin Park (Tom Swoon Remix)
leavemealone - Fred Again.., Baby Keem - Edit
Feel the Fire - pluko (MEMBA Remix)
Learned My Lesson - Revelries - Edit
Kids in Love - Kygo (feat. The Night Game) - Edit
Back Story: I've wanted to learn how to DJ for years, but I've held myself back out of laziness, doubt, shame, and other character flaws that I'm sure are entirely unique to me 😉
To bridge the gap, I decided to make a mix in Ableton (preventing an immediate need to buy new equipment). And it won't be my last.
I've decided to call the series Yellow Hearts.
In 2021, I learned that yellow was Kasey Altman's favorite color in her Medium essay Attending My Own Eulogy, and in her honor, the yellow heart became my go-to emoji.
To me, yellow hearts represent hope and positivity, the choice to work toward a better future despite past obstacles and everything in our way today. They represent compassion for oneself and others and the understanding that how we feel—good, bad, or otherwise—won't last forever, yet we can cherish every emotion while it lasts.
Yellow hearts encourage me to stay here and to stay me.
Mixes like these have captivated me since I first discovered the world of electronic music.
From the likes of Lane 8, Odesza, Kasbo, and Paraleven to one of my own best friends, Trevor (aka MCM), I've always loved to hear artists use existing songs and sounds to express a theme or an emotional state.
A few years ago, I created monthly playlists on Spotify to collect the songs in my personal rotation and those connected with the season.
These mixes will be similar in style and intention.
Going back to the pandemic days, I've been collecting thousands of songs that made me think, "That belongs in a DJ set someday," and I'm adding to the pile constantly.
Over time, I'll find ways to weave those tracks together in interesting ways to help express my current emotional state or one I'm aspiring to find and cultivate next.
Truth be told, I have not been well the past few months. The last six weeks or so have been especially tough. These tracks speak to the internal battles I've fought with myself—the blame, self-hatred, and endless anger—and offer me a way out of the endless spiral that continues to haunts me.
It helps to know that others have felt this way too.
I hope you enjoy volume one of the Yellow Hearts mix series. If not, consider sharing it with someone who might.
There are plenty more on the way, and they will only get better from here. So, if this first attempt doesn't suit your fancy, don't be a stranger! Maybe the next one will be more your speed.
Thanks for being here.
💛 I appreciate you 💛