New Mix - "My Daddy Was A Polyphonic Prayer"

Hey all. Back again

Back with a new mix.

"My Daddy Was A Polyphonic Prayer"

I was asked by Radio TNP in Amsterdam for a mix. This allowed me to do something i have been wanting to do for a while.

If you will allow me, here is some background…

Pretty much since the pandemic started, i have been grouping all of my digital music into a master playlist. As you might imagine, like a lot of you, i have collected a sizable amount of stuff over the years. I wasn’t really listening to it as i would like to. I am really drawn to tracks more than albums at this point in my life. I wasnt always this way but thats how it is now. Its also allowed me to dip my toes into styles that i wasn’t really listening to when i was doing albums mostly. My taste is actually broader than i had previously known and for me, a great song is a great song.

Most of the mixes so far have been real drill downs into genre. While i will do that from time to time, i want to get into mixing really different types of music together and seeing what comes up. This has been very fun but its really pretty hard. I think after 100 mixes so far, im ready to tackle the challenge. Its a real thrill to hear 2 tracks that may seem to have very little in common, blend together to make something almost kinda new. I also think that if framed properly, a track you wouldn’t ordinarily gravitate to might be much more interesting and appealing

One of my big inspirations was this idea was because of the occasional mix series done by a man named Ben Graves for his blog “Toys & Techniques”. I collected them over the years and i have come to find that the Internet Archive has them all up for you to listen and download

Toys & Techniques Mixes

I have also been very inspired by the mixes done by Jack Rollo & Eliane Tierney on their NTS show “Time Is Away”

Time Is Away Interview Via In Sheeps Clothing

I do love the idea of the mixtape. It is a real art form and one that i think deserves more attention. Im not a DJ in any way. I make mixes. The difference is that i don’t make my decisions on the fly at all. I can take my time and collage tracks together at my own pace. That, for me changes the process in a significant way. I dont even recall how to use two turntables and i havent since my college radio days well over 30 years ago. Having time and space to consider the music i put together raises the bar for me in terms of what you can expect. Its not to diminish the DJ process at all. Its very very difficult to do well. I just see them as similar, yet different skill sets

I sometimes think about making actual tapes but the time, money and energy involved just makes it not super viable for me. I am enough of an egotist that i do really want you to hear the mixes and keep them in your collection (as you would an actual object) but downloading seems music more sensible. In the past i have said on social media that people who don’t include tracklists should be automatically sentenced to some form of community service. While i still feel that strongly, I’m not going to lie that the mystique of not knowing what you are listening to changes the listening experience for the better. That being said, if you like these mixes, dont be shy. Please ask me for the tracklist. I am more than happy to provide and it does make me feel good that you care enough to ask

So, i hope you like this mix. Im putting it up on Bandcamp so you can download it. They will be up for one week then i will be deleting them. i will also put up a streaming link too. Don’t feel in any way obliged to give me any money. I like that its possible because its helpful but its not the point. I have really shied away from making this a subscription because then i would feel obligated to make “content” to give you your moneys worth. I like to do stuff at my own pace so this is better

Soundcloud version

You wouldn’t know it from this post but i actually do hate to write, and in future, it will just be mixes without much talk

the title of this mix was from a track on this album that didn’t make the cut but is very cool nonetheless