If you’re like us here at Live For Live Music, your listening habits go through cycles. One week, it’s nothing but party jams. The next, a hip-hop sample leads you down a ’70s soul rabbit hole. One day, you need something to help you relax. The next, you need something to help you work through the blues.
Enter the L4LM Monthly Mix, a serial playlist curated with care by our staff, a small group of dedicated music lovers with unique and varied tastes. Each month, we bring you a new mix of tracks—from the old to the new, the beloved to the obscure, the silly to the sentimental. There’s no particular overarching rhyme or reason to the L4LM Monthly Mix. This is just the music that’s on our minds, the music we’re excited to share with you right now.
This article serves as your listening guide for the L4LM Monthly Mix—your liner notes, your peek inside our brains. Hear a song you like as you listen through? Scroll down (or “cmnd + f” search) and find out “what’s good” with the selection—why that music moved us this month. We hope we can help you discover something that moves you, too.
Dive into the July 2020 edition of the L4LM Monthly Mix below and subscribe on Spotify to make sure you don’t miss any new Monthly Mixes.
LINER NOTES
Jimkata – “Wanna Go”
What’s good: Jimkata returned from a two-and-a-half year hiatus this month and I couldn’t be happier. The three-piece released their first official single since 2016 with “Wanna Go”, which arrived with a trippy music video. I can’t wait to finally catch these guys in a live setting…whenever that may be. –Kel Kawas
The Motet – “Whacha Gonna Bring”
What’s good: The Motet’s quarantine performance of this funky call to action was one of my favorite moments at Justice Comes Alive. –Andrew O’Brien
Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes – “Last 100”
What’s good: I’ve had Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes’ recent NPR “Tiny Desk” session with John Mayer on repeat. Big fan of this project and the seamless melding of Misch’s vibe-y, downtempo electronic beats with Dayes’ progressive jazz drumming. –Sara Shah
Atmosphere – “The Best Day”
What’s good: A hard truth that’s felt like a quarantine mantra for me. “Every day can’t be the best day.” We all have those days. Let it roll off you and move on to the next one. –Andrew O’Brien
Talking Heads – “Stay up Late”
What’s good: All night long… –Mikala Lugen
Dopapod – “Mucho”
What’s good: The band just dropped a version of this track from quarantine that’s pretty incredible. Also, the lyrics “You’re alive and that’s a lucky thing” are pretty poignant right now. –Kunj Shah
Brasstracks, Lawrence – “Hold Ya”
What’s good: The Lawrence siblings’ vocals mesh perfectly with the energetic horns provided by Brasstracks in this poppy, soulful new collab. –Sara Shah
moe. – “Jazz Cigarette”
What’s good: While the release of a studio album certainly isn’t the highlight of many jam fan’s lives, this is the first studio record moe. has put out since I got on the bus back at Summer Camp 2017, so it’s cool for me nonetheless. –Michael Broerman
Kanye West – “Get Em High”
What’s good: Ye might be a Presidential Dropout, but he’s still one of the best to ever pick up a mic. –Kel Kawas
Jeremy Beck & The Heavy Duty Horns – “Take Me by the Hand”
What’s good: This eight-piece, NYC-based band just debuted a four-song EP that gives your time working from home a funky, jazzy kick with soulful horns, and mesmerizing keyboards and vocals. –Mikala Lugen
Flavia Coelho – “Temontou”
What’s good: I had a yoga session and my teacher showed me some amazing African music that really resonated with me. Most Back music I listen to is funk, hip-hop, pop, and R&B, but these songs rooted in African culture (she called it African Jazz) brought me some tranquillity and peace of mind that I usually only see being represented by music of the East. I’m excited to have a whole new world of music to discover. –Kunj Shah
Anomalie – “Odyssée”
What’s good: Anomalie absolutely blew me away with his late-night set May’s Quarantine Comes Alive. I love how he blends elements of funk, jazz, and electronic music all into one with this 2016 single. –Mikala Lugen
Cut Copy – “Cold Water (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas Remix)”
What’s good: Cut Copy is always a ton of fun to listen to and see live. After starving fans for a few years, they recently came back with a handful of singles, the latest accompanied by an uplifting, ambient, groovy revamp on this new remix. –Sara Shah
Maribou State – “Wallflower (Lane 8 Remix)”
What’s good: Working from home, I’ve been discovering more music that sets the tone of my day without any distractions. Electronic and house music have prevailed to give the best vibe to my daily playlist, but this song may actually be a little too distracting—all it wants to make me do is dance. –Mikala Lugen
Soul Food Horns, Cloudchord, Melatone – “Out Here, It’s Fine”
What’s good: VIBES. –Jimmy
Cory Wong, Jon Batiste – “Home”
What’s good: I’ve been listening to Jon Batiste and Cory Wong’s Meditations EP to fall asleep every night. The realities of life during coronavirus can feel bleak, but this music truly soothes the soul. –Andrew O’Brien
The Ghost of Paul Revere – “Love At Your Convenience”
What’s good: The first single off the Ghost of Paul Revere’s forthcoming album takes you on a sonic journey through love and loss, fueled by raw emotion, powerful lyrics, and soaring melodic harmonies. –Sara Shah
Billy Joel – “Vienna”
What’s good: I’m currently in Long Island visiting family and I had to represent with my favorite Billy Joel tune. –Kunj Shah
Booker T. & the M.G.’s – “Green Onions”
What’s good: “You bob for apples in the toilet…and you like it!” I watched The Sandlot twice in the last month. Enough said. –Kel Kawas
Gorillaz – “Re-Hash”
What’s good: Is it time for another release from the Gorillaz Song Machine yet? –Kel Kawas
Lil Wayne – “Let The Beat Build”
What’s good: Wayne in the prime of his rap career. Kanye in the prime of his production career. This song just feels like summer. –Andrew O’Brien
Dava – “ASOS”
What’s good: Dava is bursting onto the scene with her vibe-y new breakout single, “ASOS”. Bump this while you close your eyes and picture yourself cruising through L.A. in a convertible with the top down for a guaranteed mood booster. –Sara Shah
Rokia Traore – “Laidu”
What’s good: I had a yoga session and my teacher showed me some amazing African music that really resonated with me. Most Back music I listen to is funk, hip-hop, pop, and R&B, but these songs rooted in African culture (she called it African Jazz) brought me some tranquillity and peace of mind that I usually only see being represented by music of the East. I’m excited to have a whole new world of music to discover. –Kunj Shah
MS. – “Boomslang.”
What’s good: This time in quarantine has allowed for a lot more relaxation, and this tune gently guides you into a realm of sultry vocals and syncopated drumming over a smooth guitar melody. –Mikala Lugen
Jimi Hendrix – “Power Of Soul” (Live at the Fillmore East, NY – 1/1/70)
What’s good: “With the power of soul, anything is possible.” –Michael Broerman
Simon Posford – “The New Normal”
What’s good: I had the privilege of chatting with Posford about his debut solo album, Flux & Contemplation: A Portrait of an Artist in Isolation, and how he’s spent his time in quarantine working on new music and reflecting on his life. We’re all working towards getting to a “new normal” right now. –Mikala Lugen
Iration – “Fancy”
What’s good: It’s summertime, which means I’m swaying to some new reggae music. Iration’s latest album, Coastin’, sets up your summer days and evenings with some positive, good-feelin’ music. This song is one of my favorites off the album, mixing in some elements of pop and funk. –Mikala Lugen
The 1975 – “Shiny Collarbone”
What’s good: The British indie-pop group has come out with 22 new tracks featuring added electronic and pop elements. After being a fan of theirs for eight years now, it’s been cool to see the band develop their sound throughout the years. “Shiny Collarbone” really captures the group’s emphasis on music exploration. –Mikala Lugen
Papadosio – “Versicolor”
What’s good: You know that classic Dosio sound you been looking for? Well, listen to this! –Michael Broerman
Khruangbin – “A Calf Born In Winter”
What’s good: I revisited this song recently because of my mother’s yoga teacher and it filled me with calm. –Kunj Shah
Lianne La Havas – “Green Papaya”
What’s good: Lianne La Havas’ voice is hypnotic. All the recent buzz around the U.K. singer-songwriter is well-deserved. Check out her whole new, self-titled album. –Tom Shackleford
Maceo Parker – “Other Side Of The Pillow” (Prince)
What’s good: Maceo’s new album is unbelievable. A truly badass band playing some amazing material. This tune, which he started recording with Prince back in the day but never finished, still carries the Purple One’s swagger, but with a new twist. Home run. –Andrew O’Brien
Still Woozy – “Lava”
What’s good: This song has been played almost daily throughout my working “woozy” days. –Mikala Lugen
Nell & Jim Band – “Travelin’ The Road West”
What’s good: I love me some new bluegrass tunes, especially from a musician I discovered while playing The Sims haha. –Mikala Lugen
Heartless Bastards – “New Resolution”
What’s good: The Heartless Bastards just released their first new music since 2015 with the single, “Revolution”, and they seemingly picked up right where they left off. While the lineup has undergone significant changes over the years, Erika Wennerstrom‘s songwriting remains as strong and inspirational as ever. This cut, “New Resolution”, is my favorite track off the band’s debut album, Stairs and Elevators. Listening to this song and the newest single consecutively provides an accurate representation of how the band has evolved over the years yet stayed true to their roots. –Kel Kawas
Blind Melon – “Soup”
What’s good: Even to the most casual Melonhead, such as myself, the new All I Can Say documentary tears down any pre-conceived notions of Shannon Hoon and stardom and presents him at a raw, emotional level. –Michael Broerman
Cloudchord, Supersillyus – “The Emblem”
What’s good: Get lost in Cloudchord and Supersillyus’ latest collaboration. The psychedelic hip-hop beat piques the senses with melodic world elements and ethereal vocals, taking you on a musical journey far, far away. –Mikala Lugen
Camel Butter – “Afraid Knot”
What’s good: Melt like a stick of Camel Butter into this rising Cleveland group’s debut album. –Michael Broerman
Tinariwen – “Le Chant Des Fauves”
What’s good: I had a yoga session and my teacher showed me some amazing African music that really resonated with me. Most Back music I listen to is funk, hip-hop, pop, and R&B, but these songs rooted in African culture (she called it African Jazz) brought me some tranquillity and peace of mind that I usually only see being represented by music of the East. I’m excited to have a whole new world of music to discover. –Kunj Shah
Bright Eyes – “Mariana Trench”
What’s good: Bright Eyes are back, which is convenient because I just found out who they are. –Michael Broerman
Doc Watson & David Grisman – “Summertime” (George & Ira Gershwin)
What’s good: Watching Marcus King and Billy Strings collab on “Summertime” in the style of Doc and Dawg as part of Billy’s Streaming Strings tour was a highlight of a long July in quarantine. This is the perfect song for the summer of the ‘Rona. The living is easy, but also a little sad. –Andrew O’Brien