On her astonishing album Burn Your Fire For No Witness, North Carolina-based singer/songwriter Angel Olsen wrestles with living inside her own thoughts vs engaging with the world. Blending folkish strings with the moodier elements of garage rock, those songs sat as comfortably against the backdrop of a summer campfire as in a detached and solitary moment of stasis. With Olsen's first ever mix, handpicked for Dazed, those themes still remain. She's calling it "Today when I was skating in circles at the roller rink in Portland, Oregon while all the American bands played the first day at Pickathon festival" – reference to an Oregon event she played earlier this month. Opening with Matias Aguayo's jaunty "Roller Skate", Olsen drifts us through heartwarming classics from the likes of Jonathan Richman and The Roches, fading away to the Lynchian dream pop melodies of Julee Cruise and Tones on Tail's cosmic interplay on "Rain". Listen out for a stunning solo rendition from the late actress Karen Black on "Brighter", originally penned as a collaborative effort with troubadour Cass McCombs, who also makes an appearance on this list.
Tracklist:
Matias Aguayo – "Roller Skate"
The Roches – "Hammond Song"
Julee Cruise – "Floating"
Tones On Tail – "Rain"
David Bowie – "Moon Age Daydream"
Slapp Happy – "Messages"
Karen Black – "Brighter" (Cass McCombs Cover)
Tall Dwarfs – "All My Hollowness To You"
Esoteric Tapioca – "Build Up"
Sturgill Simpson – "The Promise"
Lambchop – "I'm A Stranger Here"
Jonathan Richman – "That Summer Feeling"
Cass McCombs – "Morning Star"
