Mixtape #15

OPM - Manila Sound Machine is the latest in the special YHO series of mixtapes, and it’s available to download for free here. This collection of thrillers from Manila captures the sound of the Philippines in the 1970s. Drawing on the archives of the Manila Sound and O.P.M. (Original Pilipino Music) it will appeal particularly to those with a fondness for, say, the Starland Vocal Band’s Afternoon Delight, the Four Seasons’ Silver Star, and so on. This is how it starts ...

Mixtape #14

Freedom Now: Sounds of Portugal is the latest in our series of mixtapes, and it can be downloaded for free here. The collection draws heavily on the folk songs or canção de intervenção that were part of the protest movement against the totalitarian regime in Portugal, and the performers were an important part of the resistance that led to The Carnation Revolution on 24 April 1974. The folk music itself featured here (from before the revolution and after) is incredibly inventive and seems to absorb all sorts of influences, such as French, Brazilian and African popular song. There's plenty of pop included in this mix, too, featuring some of the artists included in the Portuguese sequences here. Special thanks, as ever, go to Per-Christian Hille for the fantastic cover.

Mixtape #13

Lonely Clouds is a special mixtape of vintage Japanese sounds available for you to download for free here. The mix covers folk, jazz, psych pop, and whatever, but the prevailing mood is a deep blue aloneness. It’s a perfect soundtrack for desolation angels everywhere, and contains some incredibly beautiful performances. Featured among others are Meiko Kaji, Morita Doji, Haki Yamasaki, Maki Asakawa, and Kimiko Kasai. The fantastic cover art is by Per-Christian Hille. And here's a suggestion of the treats in store ...

Mixtape #12

The latest in our series of exclusive mixtapes, entitled Greek Sounds: The New Wave And Beyond, can be downloaded for free here. It takes as its starting point what in Greek music is known as new wave or ‘neo kyma’. This was a form of pop that in the mid-to-late ‘60s mixed traditional Greek folk song with other elements such as French chanson/pop. The recordings were often acoustic, stark and wonderfully romantic. From the new wave the mixtape wanders into wilder psychedelic territory and also takes in some astonishing performances of songs (tragoudia) by the great composers like Theodorakis and Hadjidakis. Several of the artists are featured in our Greek sequences. The mixtape is accompanied by Tragoudia, the latest edition of our irrgular publication Your Heart Out, which can be downloaded here. It’s subtitled Adventures in Greek Music, though things are never quite that straight forward. With thanks to Per-Christian Hille for another great piece of cover art.

Mixtape #11

Pop! A Swedish Selection is the latest in our collection of bespoke mixtapes. It can be downloaded for free here, on the one condition that you tell the world about us. Anyone familiar with the way all of this works will suspect the fondness we have for fumbling around in the dark, discovering hidden treasures more by luck than judgement. But this mixtape is a little different as we had some assistance in our Swedish explorations from the writer Andres Lokko, and he is a person who knows his pop! Andres provided a list of tracks to consider including as part of the Swedish sequences. As there’s still a lot of world left to explore, it seemed that a great way to feature a number of these songs would be to put them in a mix, together with an assortment of Swedish gems picked up along the way in our own fumblings. This fantastic Swedish selection is very much about pop! While you’re downloading, we’ll leave you with another of Andres’ recommendations – an excellent cartoon with an even more excellent soundtrack by Jojje Wadenius ...

Thanks again to Per-Christian Hille for another beautiful cover.

Mixtape #10

A special mixtape, What A Life! - The Story of the Light Blues, is available here as a celebration of Uruguayan pop sounds. The mixtape, and the free accompanying booklet (a special edition of Your Heart Out available here), tracks the progress from the early beat sounds to the development of a uniquely Uruguayan sound where new pop/rock influences were mixed with local, more traditional rhythms such as candombe. As the '70s unfurled the optimism and idealism of an era was crushed by a military coup, and rock music was outlawed. Still, new ways were found for musical expression despite the repression and censorship. And many of the results were beautifully delivered like a Forlan free kick. This mixtape and booklet is a tribute to the people who made some remarkable music. And as a bonus here is a song not featured on the mixtape but referred to in the text ...

With thanks to Per-Christian Hille for another beautiful cover.

Mixtape #9

Saffron Sounds is the second of our Sketches Of Iran mixtapes, and also follows on from the wonderful gift shared with us, Pomegranates Vol. 2 - the unofficial sequel to the Finders Keepers compilation. This short selection of Persian sounds makes available recordings of some of the tracks we've featured, such as Giti's astonishing Molana and Kourosh Yaghmaie's beautifully mournful Khar. It also features a full eight-and-a-half minutes of this beautiful song ...

Mixtape #8

We are delighted to be able to share another selection of Persian pearls. This mixtape has been put together by Martijn Busink, and it is a real treasure trove of Persian pop songs. So grab your copy of Pomegranates Vol. 2 - an unofficial sequel and tribute to the excellent and essential compilation issued by Finders Keepers.

And if you would like a taster for what's in store then enjoy this ...

Mixtape #7

Here's a special mixtape, Sketches of Iran Volume 1: Googoosh, complete with another gorgeous cover designed by PC. Rather than just collecting funky impressions, hopefully this Googoosh collection highlights the astonishing mix of influences swirling around in Persian pop. Among what I assume are traditional folk and classical elements (and certainly not just from Iran) there seem to be flamenco flourishes, latin touches, spy movie soundtrack dramatics, traces of Bacharach bossa and jazzy arrangements. My own favourite Googoosh moments are less about the dancefloor and more to do with glorious sad ballads with swooping, syrupy strings and that amazing quivery, heartbreaking voice. As ever this mix comes with a huge health warning. These are songs I have stumbled across, ones I have fallen in love with. I have no way of telling how representative they are, but I think they are amazing. There will be many who know much more about these things ...

Mixtape #6

And here is Volume 2 of The Psychedelic Soul of South Korea. This special selection of stunningly beautiful sounds from the South Korea of the late '60s and into the '70s was put together for us by PC who compiled the very popular and very wonderful Bollywood mixtape for us.

Mixtape #5

Here is a special mixtape called The Psychedelic Soul of South Korea Vol 1. It is very much a beginner's guide to some of the extraordinary music made there at the end of the 1960s and into the 1970s. That is, as in put together by a beginner. I would make no claims about knowing much about the music scene there, so this is simply a collection of the remarkable tracks that have made me fall in love with the power and beauty of pop music all over again. Volume Two will be with you soon ...

Mixtape #4

Here's a wonderful mix of Bollywood sounds put together by PC who lovingly curates the excellent Music From The Third Floor site. As the slogan says: "Bollywood beats, ballads and bombs". See you on the dancefloor ...

Mixtape #3

A lovingly put together selection of vintage Soviet sounds featuring some very special folk, jazz, beat, psych and funk flavours can be found here ... And to read a little about some of the artists featured have a look at a special edition of Your Heart Out, called From The Hip In The Cyrillic Script, which can be downloaded free here ...

Mixtape #2

A mixtape featuring the finest in soulful sounds, funky floorfillers, garage punk and beat noise from the Eastern Europe of the 1960s and into the early '70s is available here ...

Mixtape #1

A mix of east european soul, psych, funk, beat and deeply dramatic ballads available here ...