2025 – Parades of Illusion

This year’s music mix comes with a longer than usual gap after Substance D in 2022. There are several reasons for this with the main one being computer fatigue at the end of the year. My current job position has me very busy from August through December. Finding the time to create a mix that I’m happy with can be difficult. Adding to that is a little burnout from work and in my downtime the last thing I want to do sometimes is sit in front of the computer. By the time October rolls around I’m less than inspired to do something creative outside of work. That was true again at the end of 2024.

Early this year I had several big events before finding myself with some quiet time in March – and then the desire to create came back. This mix is the result of that and, truth be told, I had this finished by the end of April. My initial plan was to share this mid summer, but there was a technical issue I was working out regarding the way the songs played back while retaining their gapless nature. More importantly though was settling on a distribution method.

After considering some options I’ve decided that a digital download is the best way to share new music as it is how most people get their music now.

As with delivering the mixes on a USB drive, this approach has some drawbacks, mainly keeping songs in the correct order. Sorting the playlist by album in your media player usually works, but if not, you’ll need to arrange them manually. Another challenge is length—without the limits on space that CD provided, mixes can become too long. I still intend to Limit mixes to no more than 20 tracks; anything more feels exhausting.

I like the way this mix turned out starting and ending on a positive note. Some of these lyrics felt more timely when I was creating the mix earlier this year (“another billionaire blasting into space”) but I think these songs will stand the test of time.

Go to this page if for some reason the artwork isn’t showing up in your playback software, or if you want to see some other potential album artwork I had AI generate.

 

Smiles on Faces
Stick Figure
Set in Stone

This was not my original choice of song to open this mix, but I felt it was more upbeat than what I had originally intended to use. And I love a good island feel.

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King of The World
First Aid Kit
The Lion’s Roar

I like the snappy acoustic feel of this song and how it evolves by adding fiddle, some horns and then a male vocal for the final verses.

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The Place That Makes Me Happy
The Moss
We’ve Got Love

I love the visuals the lyrics of this song paints and the sentiment of dissatisfaction with life as it is, looking for more. Too fun not to sing along on the chorus.

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Wild Horses
Mondo Cozmo
It’s Principle!

Great driving beat with a hook that stays with me.

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Lost Heads
Moon Duo
Stars Are The Light

A trippy, semi-psychedelic song.

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For Soon We Will Be Airborne
Vel Indica
Turn Off Your Devices

Good advice on this song. Wonderful rhythm with the acoustic guitar and distinct percussion.

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The Smoke
The Smile
A Light for Attracting Attention

Great sinister baseline throughout this song. Thom Yorke’s vocal are distinctive as ever and I love how the horns back the whole song instead of just dropping in on the chorus.

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Maktub
Gary Clark Jr.
JPEG RAW

Driving intensity. Maktub (mak-toob), an Arabic word, loosely translates to “it is written,” but it’s more literal translation is “the ink is dry.”

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We Were We Still Are
Future Utopia
We Were We Still Are

Not sure what to say about this one except that there’s something about it that draws me to it.

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I Hate People
The Department of Darkness
Step Into Light

This song has something everyone can relate to.

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Bang Bang Bang
Marcy Playground
Lunch, Recess & Detention

Kind of a Bonnie and Clyde story here.

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Brain Damage
Joywave
Permanent Pleasure

All these global issues but still glad to be alive.

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Wish
Kosheen
Kokopelli

Great gritty guitar in the chorus. This song was originally going to open this mix of songs with its trance like opening.

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Centre
Alysha Brilla
Rooted

Lovely production on this song. Just relax and feel the groove of the percussion.

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Mr. Fisher
Marcy Playground
Lunch, Recess & Detention

Speaking of feeling the groove… Fun little story set to a reggae background. I’m a sucker for songs that evoke the beach.

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Killing Floor
Mondo Cozmo
It’s Principal!

I like how this song builds tension up then releases. Especially like the repeating hook at the end. really sticks in my head.

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Love
Facesoul
YSRA

I started this song mix with an upbeat song, but I definitely take some of the music to less optimistic places. But let us not despair as we close on this ode to the healing power of love.