This week’s playlist consists of songs that I associate with spring. This can be either because of their sound (such as the warm “New Beat” by Toro y Moi) or because of a deeper personal connection (such as “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem).
1. LCD Soundsystem: “Dance Yrself Clean”
LCD Soundsystem captured a spark of magic with this nearly 9-minute electronica infused track. This is a song that I heavily associate with graduation, as this deeply nostalgic track captures many of the feelings that I was experiencing at the time. I will never forget the first time I heard that beat drop.
2. Modest Mouse: “Ocean Breathes Salty”
Modest Mouse’s 2004 record Good News for People Who Love Bad News is in my opinion the perfect spring album. It features this bright green cover that captures the season perfectly and matches the warm sound of the record. “Ocean Breathes Salty” is certainly a highlight from the record and one of the bands defining songs.
3. Animal Collective: “Summertime Clothes”
“Summertime Clothes” works for spring for many of the same reasons that the previous track does. The album it spawns from, 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion is also decorated with a green and purple cover, and it is a record full of warm, fun pop tracks. “Summertime Clothes” is the highlight of the record, a psychedelic, Beach Boys-esque pop song with the best flow on the entire album.
4. The Avalanches: “Frontier Psychiatrist”
“Frontier Psychiatrist” is one of the most insanely produced songs of all time. The use of samples on this track, as with the rest of 2000’s Since I Left You, is sprawling and dense. This is a track that rewards repeated listens, as each time you will find a new sample or beat in this fun track.
5. BADBADNOTGOOD: “Time Moves Slow”
As with “Dance Yrself Clean”, “Time Moves Slow” is another song that I closely relate to graduation. This is a song that perfectly captures the slow moments of life, those that you will think about a decade removed from them. I found the lyric “running away is easy, it’s the leaving that’s hard” to be one that perfectly summed up how I was feeling in the moment.
6. Toro y Moi: “New Beat”
“New Beat” is possibly the perfect chillwave song, having this fun and hazy sound that is nothing but pure fun. I discovered this song at around the same time as a few of these other tracks, and that also adds to its inclusion on this list. With that being said, if you like any type of pop music, check this song out.
7. Playboi Carti: “Lean 4 Real (feat. Skepta)”
Die Lit is an album that I really got into last spring, and with the recent release of Carti’s newest album, I felt that this was an appropriate inclusion. “Lean 4 Real” has always been a highlight from this record to me, having possibly the most trippy production on the entire project and just being a total vibe.
8. Travis Scott: “Skeletons”
“Skeletons” is possibly the most well produced rap song of all time, featuring psychedelic production from Tame Impala and having one of the best progressions ever put to record. This is a short track that will for sure leave you wanting more in the best way possible.
9. Beach House: “New Year”
“New Year” is a song that feels like it breathes new life into music, much as spring is natures rebirth from winter. This gorgeous track is one of the best dream pop songs of all time, and a highlight from the Beach House discography.
10. Daft Punk: “High Life”
Discovery is one of the most fun albums of all time, and it is one that I feel is perfect for this very exciting time of year. This instrumental has some incredible sample work, and it will immediately get stuck in your head. The music here truly speaks for itself.
11. Fleet Foxes: “Fool’s Errand”
I would say that in general Fleet Foxes has an album for every season, and with that in mind I would call 2017’s Crack-Up their spring record. This is a pristinely gorgeous record, with “Fool’s Errand” being an absolute highlight from the record. Fleet Foxes have this cryptic quality to their lyrics on this song and the rest of the album, doing something much more abstract than they have ever done before. I strongly encourage everyone reading this to check out this album.

That’s it for this week’s playlist. Make sure to check in for weekly playlists and album reviews from Paladin Sound, brought to you by Nick Fairfax.