Inverted Bliss - a mixtape

VI: an unexpected surprise

Here's a mixtape I made. It's called "Inverted Bliss" and it's a collection of elegant electronica, beautiful instrumentals and haunted songs. Ideal for solitary listening as the night falls. Download links are at the end. Don't forget to come back and comment when you've had a listen!



1. The Knife - I Just Had To Die

This song, taken from The Knife's eponymous debut album, deals with typically dark themes, and unfolds in such a way that the sadness envelops the listener by the end.

2. Robert Wyatt - At Last I Am Free

Wyatt's haunting cover of a Chic song, taken from his 1981 album "Nothing Can Stop Us".

3. Atlas Sound - Recent Bedroom

Featured on Bradford Cox's debut album as Atlas Sound, cloaked in his trademark layers of reverb and melancholy, Recent Bedroom shimmers and floats.



4. Beth Gibbons - Drake

Gibbons' piece of Nick Drake-inspired magic from her solo album.

5. Aphex Twin - Hy A Scullyas Lyf Adhagrow

Treated piano loveliness from Aphex's "Drukqs" double-CD collection.

6. Pantha du Prince - Asha

A twinkling piece of minimal techno, simultaneously microscopic and vast, by Germany's Hendrick Weber, from last year's "This Bliss".

7. Spectac - Archangular

A formidable figure on the Irish electronic scene, Spectac released his debut album "Rabbid" in 2003. It was a unique, compelling, twisting, fresh collection of complex, wildly original tunes. This track just builds and builds.

8. Scott Walker - Farmer In The City

This just comes from another place entirely. "Tilt" is a staggering work by one of the world's great musical mavericks. This, the first song, is simply astounding.

9. Mogwai - A Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters

Apart from its great title, this vibrates with intensity and emotion. The closing track on Mogwai's ferocious debut "Young Team", it's restrained, bleak and beautiful.



10. Van Dyke Parks - Van Dyke Parks

From his 1968 solo debut "Song Cycle", this is an unnerving experiment recalling the song that was allegedly sung as the Titanic sank.

11. Pivot - Fool In Rain

A great reflective electronic piece from Pivot's debut, one of the best albums released so far in 2008.

12. Nine Inch Nails - Right Where It Belongs

Sounds like a man who's been hollowed out by life, by fame, by self-doubt, the works. One of his masterpieces.

13. Radiohead - How I Made My Millions

A b-side from the "OK Computer" era. This proves conclusively that nobody else can do what Thom Yorke does. Just him singing and playing his piano, recorded on his minidisc player with his girlfriend washing dishes in the background.

14. Junior Boys - When No One Cares

A powerful Sinatra cover from Junior Boys' 2006 album "So This Is Goodbye".

15. Boards Of Canada - Sixtyniner

This opened BOC fine "Twoism" album. Indescribably sad and lovely. I see at a sort of companion piece to Autechre's "Nine" and "Bike" for some reason. Feel free to disagree!



16. Autechre - Nine

Nine is actually the seventh track on Autchre's classic album "Amber". Ghostly, magical electronica.

17. John Frusciante - 23 Go in to End

A gorgeous, brooding electronic instrumental from "Shadows Collide With People", one of the 6 albums Frusciante released in 6 months a few years ago. Vintage and deathly. What a talent.

18. Philip Glass - Prophecies

Heard during the final scene of Godfrey Reggio's seminal film Koyaanisqatsi, and taken from Glass's hypnotic score.



19. Tangerine Dream - Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares

Basically a solo piece by Edgar Froese. The second track from 1974's "Phaedra". Utterly compelling and magnificent.


Download the Inverted Bliss mixtape here (split in two, 1 hr 31 mins total):

Tracks 1-11
Tracks 12-19

You might need to download WinRAR (it's free) here.

If you like what you hear, all of the albums mentioned above are available through the major online stores.