the intimate gift of a playlist
WORDS AND PHOTO BY CHLOE RICKS
I have always thought of music as an incredibly intimate artform. From the way that lyrics often lend themselves to intense, personal emotion to the way fingers gently brush over the strings of a guitar, it’s apparent that music touches people both collectively and individually. As a child, my babysitter used to make CDs for me as a gift with all of my favorite songs on them, including the theme song from Dora the Explorer and various songs from Disney films. She created CDs for when I was happy, sad, and all kinds of other emotions that I was unable to express at such a young age, but could definitely feel. Music continued to be an integral part of growing up for me. I learned to play many instruments and sang in choirs. I started attending concerts with my dad, and continued to see live music with friends as I grew older. However, playlist making has really stuck with me consistently throughout the years.
it is to create a compilation of songs that I have found through my friends or to share with my friends. Other times it is to give music to a feeling—sorrow, angst, nostalgia, and many other common emotions. I’ve also created playlists centered around situations and moments of my life. For example, one of my favorite Born to Beg - The National playlists is centered around when Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd one of my best friends and I stayed up all night just talking next to Fate - Grey Reverend a bonfire in their yard. In a way, All of Me Wants All of You - Sufjan Stevens this is still a feeling that I’m trying Tangles - Lady Lamb to capture, but it is an incredibly specific feeling that is not easily depicted using just one word. No matter which of these methods I choose, they all help me begin to Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones determine what music will go into Post Break-Up Sex - The Vaccines the selection. Sweet Jane - The Velvet Underground
Chamomile
Ginseng
Add It Up - Violent Femmes Hey - Pixies
A Moon and Her Goon
My Sister’s Tiny Hands - Andrew Bird Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens
After I know what the intention of the collection is, I spend a few hours listening carefully to a lot of music. I listen for how the instruments make me feel and take note of how I react. I listen to the lyrics and try to take in what they have to offer. I’m often looking for lyrical similarities across songs, but I often find that the feeling of a playlist is most clearly determined by the instrumental aspects of songs.
Light On - Pinegrove I started using the website 8tracks when I was in middle school, but Word of Mouth - Shakey Graves eventually found my way to Spotify. Stubborn Beast - Bear’s Den Now, I often find myself creating playlists that capture emotions as well as playlists for friends filled with music I think they would For example, if a song is soft and melancholy, it would not enjoy or should hear. Music can be incredibly therapeutic, make sense to put it on a playlist with grungy garage rock and it is equally as therapeutic to take the time to truly from the 90s because they don’t necessarily evoke the listen and think about what a piece is trying to tell us. same feelings in the listener. Instruments have a unique way of communicating through timbre and dynamic When creating playlists, that is exactly what I do. I take my without saying any words at all. If those qualities aren’t time and put a lot of care into them. similar amongst songs, the flow of the playlist is disrupted, consequently disrupting the mood that it is encapsulating. First, I think of what the purpose of the playlist is. Sometimes
28 | UNTOLD
