Mixtapes—aka mixed CDs, curated playlists—are a lost art. What’s lost?The dedicated time and attention that goes into planning, creating, and refining them. The consideration behind sequencing each song to elicit a very specific feeling. Every melody, lyric, and musician chosen to express deep emotions and complex thoughts. The lengths I’d go to just to find the right song. Waiting to hear it on the radio so that I can press “record” on my stereo. Carefully organizing each one to convey an intricately woven message from start to finish. A proper mixtape is a gift that says so much about the relationship between two (or more) people. It requires intention, creativity, and deep vulnerability.
It had been years since I’d taken the time to thoughtfully curate a playlist. Lately, it’s been more about choosing songs based on an overarching theme (happy, sad, relaxed, energized) as opposed to telling a story through the music. In the age of Spotify, Youtube, and Pandora (do people still use Pandora?), it’s just too easy to string together a new playlist of songs without considering the deeper meaning. The attention span required to craft a larger musical narrative has been lost to apps, AI, and other sources of instant gratification. Technology has become the robotic middle man that’s inserted into the creative process. Like in a game of telephone, the message becomes diluted.
There’s definitely a time and place for both, but gifting an intentionally curated playlist is like receiving the ultimate love letter. The curator sorts through their library of music, considers the feelings/emotions/and lines being channeled through each song. It’s not just about the lyrics—it’s also about the melodies/notes/pauses/and nuances in every single moment. Hidden codes are delivered through organized musical chaos. A title is chosen to communicate the core theme. It’s a wildly delicate process from start to finish.
Then comes the moment of truth. You’ve shared the depths of your soul in this seemingly plastic art form. Now, it’s off to the recipient for their own interpretive experience. Such a vulnerable moment.
As the recipient, you’re about to be taken on a journey. Read the title, scan the list of songs, press play, and start digesting. Listen and make meaning of every lyric/melody/note/pause/and nuance. Interpret the details with only one guide available to you—your own inner feeling. It’s really one of my favorite experiences. I can remember my first high school boyfriend gifting me the most incredible and thoughtfully assembled mixed CDs. Blues Traveler, Radiohead, 311, Cat Stevens, and so many other musicians expressing to me what he couldn’t always find the words to say.
But my love for mixtapes isn’t limited to romantic relationships. I used to love creating playlists when I taught yoga in New York. Every aspect of class was considered—pacing, movements, transitions, breath, and of course the people. The perfect song to start easing into movement, songs to support a grounding, steady flow, a playlist that considers each individual’s unique experience.
I’d ask myself—How might they feel when this song plays during pigeon pose? How might they experience the overarching through line between movement, breath, and songs? For 75 minutes, can this playlist help them access more of themselves, regulate nervous systems, quiet nagging thoughts, and/or momentarily shift them into a different reality. 80% of my playlist included songs from the previous class, 20% would be new. I learned that people like consistency with a little something different added into the mix. All things considered, I’d intentionally create a musical experience.
I could go on writing about my love for mixtapes. But instead I decided to curate a playlist that expresses the feeling of Vanilla Thought. Each musician/band/and song was deliberately chosen. Every lyric/melody/note/pause/and nuance carefully considered and arranged. Press play and listen from start to finish. Consider it a musical love letter from me to you.
