Ode 2 Summer Mixtape
We’re midway through May, and summer seems to just keep on ramping up. Hopefully you’ve got a good handful of easy-going, sunny tracks already to start the season, but just in case, here’s an incredibly chill summer mixtape all the way from the East Coast from one of my personal favorites, Vacationer.
In case you aren’t familiar, Vacationer’s got a sun-drenched sound, self-described as Nu-Hula by frontman Kenny Vasoli, who is heavily influenced by tropical, exotic, and Polynesian recordings. Their sound is steeped in soul-warming, glimmering retro melody and dreamy, undulating vocals. This mixtape unfolds into a seamless showcase of their niche tropical sound.
There’s everything from world-inspired beats, to chilled-out hip-hop beats, and even classic soundtrack score vignettes. Vasoli’s dusty vocals wax and wane freely, sometimes met with a chorus of birds singing or gentle wind chimes. Like a reverse trail of breadcrumbs, sections of the group’s forthcoming sophomore album Relief is dotted throughout the mixtape, offering a glimpse of what’s to come.
So kick back a bit deeper in your hammock, bring on the heat waves and tall glasses of lemonade, and softly rattle your ice cubes against the glass to the beat. There seems to be a bit of summer for everyone in this coast-trawling, low-latitude-lovin’ mix.
Relief will be out on June 24, the follow up to the highly recommended LP Gone. You can pre-order it here.
