Variety is the spice of life, and whether your penchant is for psych-pop, doom-drone, or aggro-noise rock, this latest Viva la Mix! roundup has got a little something for everyone. Courtesy of the master mixologists here at Flavorpill, this discerning blend of tunes is concocted from only the finest and freshest MP3s available. Click through for downloads from our last Viva Radio playlist, and be sure to check back and listen to the show itself — we update every week.
1. Circulatory System – “Overjoyed” An ensemble comprised almost entirely of former members of the Olivia Tremor Control, Circulatory System sticks pretty close to the sound championed by those former Elephant 6 darlings, focusing on strong, string-augmented melodies swathed in distorted psychedelic fuzz. [Download MP3] via Stereogum
2. Wale – “Hot Shyt” Released via his Twitter account, “Hot Shyt” is a reminder of why we cared about Wale in the first place. Trading verses with four other rappers instead of Lady Gaga seems to rejuvenate Wale, who sounds infinitely more interested (and interesting) sans big hooks, big beats, and big production. [Download MP3] via Kick In The Peanuts
3. Yo La Tengo – “Periodically Double or Triple” Everybody loves an organ, especially Yo La Tengo, who attempt to channel their inner “96 Tears” with a suitably Nuggets -influenced update on their characteristically tranquil groove. [Download MP3] via Stereogum
4. DJ Kaos – “Love The Nite Away (Tiedye Mix)” This remix of “Love The Nite Away” adds bongos, steel drums, and seagull calls to the original track, none of which are the most subtle evocations of the tropical vibe Tiedye is going for. But subtlety is not really the name of the game when it comes to Balearic disco. [Download MP3] via Pitchfork
5. Teengirl Fantasy – “Floor To Floor” Teengirl Fantasy craft rubbery electronic songs that are equally ambient and danceable, sort of like High Places sans the girlish vocals. [Download MP3] via No Pain In Pop
6. Ganglians – “Lost Words” Ganglians sound like the kind of psych-influenced band that has never had a bad trip. “Lost Words” — which opens with bird-chirps and naïve attempts at Beach Boys harmonies — is positive and ingratiating in a slightly druggy way that recalls summer afternoon BBQs with your hippie friends. [Download MP3] via MBV Music
7. Tyvek – “Building Burning (Re-Ed)” It’s not everyday that you encounter a song that could moonlight as a building alarm, let alone one as ferociously unhinged as this cut from Tyvek’s self-titled debut. [Download MP3] via Songs Save Lives
8. Black Pus – “Down Down Da Drain” The side-project of Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale, Black Pus manages to achieve similar levels of abrasiveness as his main gig, but in an entirely different manner, forgoing Lightning Bolt’s pummeling gut-punching barrage of noise-rock for a less physical yet equally distorted approach. [Download MP3] via Rose Quartz
9. Sunset Rubdown – “Idiot Heart” Like all the best work Spencer Krug has done under the Sunset Rubdown moniker, “Idiot Heart” is significantly longer than the average pop song by a good three minutes, allowing it ample time to employ the slow-buildup, big-payoff formula Krug particularly excels at. [Download MP3] via Cities Of The Plain
10. Sunn O))) – “Big Church” The heavier-than-anything doom-drone minimalists of Sunn O))) have managed to acquire a choir and orchestra for their latest outing, a pairing that results in some eerily beautiful work that might appeal to those who haven’t been sold on the Sunn O))) sound before. [Download MP3] via Cows Are Just Food
11. Dresden Dolls – “Christopher Lydon” Amanda Palmer dishes up an unlikely love ballad to public-radio host Christopher Lydon, who appears not to return the tortured chanteuse’s intellectual affections. The middle-aged media maestro makes an unusual pin-up, but then again, Palmer isn’t your average pop star. [Download MP3]