Photography SAMANTHA CASOLARI
Words + Mix CALE PARKS

I made this mix live in one sitting last week in my home studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I knew it would be the last creative type of output I put together in my bedroom studio, where I’ve made all of my music, before my son was born and I happily convert my studio into his bedroom. Sure enough, the day after I made this, my son came into the world. I’m writing these notes in hindsight as a father for five days now…

CECIL LEUTER – “RAVING WAVES”
This seemed an appropriate opener. To take a simple piano arpeggiation and simultaneously evoke so many images, I wish I could take a time machine and watch him work in the studio.

GENESIS – “CUCKOO COCOON”
Such a vibe-y moment from Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, an all-time favorite. Phil’s playing on this album is always something I come back to for inspiration. People always ask me why I’m a drummer for bands, but make solo music with hardly any live “drums” on it. Funny that this was the album cut I chose to put on this mix.

SOFT MACHINE – “AS LONG AS HE LIES PERFECTLY STILL”
A beautiful drummer-as-singer moment from the genius that is Robert Wyatt.

MICHAEL MAYER – “BAUMHAUS”
Bells, birds and clarinets—yes please.

LEROSA – “POSTMODERN”
MIDI vibraphone done so tastefully. What a vibe!

DWIG – “TRUE STORY”
I just love his production all around. I imagine this is like a pop track to certain fans of the genre, but man, it’s so clean. I adore this one.

VOODOO CHILD – “GREAT LAKE”
Just gorgeous.

ALVA NOTO + RYUICHI SAKAMOTO – “AURORA”
This is such a special collaboration. Noto’s treatments here are surprisingly groovier than expected.

KITO JEMPERE – “KIYA KIYA (PALMS TRAX REMIX)”
I came across this when Nik from Let’s Play House posted it on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. The release is fantastic; Palms Trax kill it. The pogo’ing marimba and pad contrast halfway thru is my kind of sexy.

THE CLASH – “SEAN FLYNN”
I remember when I was jamming Combat Rock hard in high school. I’d always skip over this track when listening to the album with friends, but come back to it every time when I was by myself. A hazy tribute to the photojournalist.

BOARDS OF CANADA – “IN THE ANNEXE”
Because this track is everything.

TORNADO WALLACE – “CLOUD COUNTRY”
I love how swirling this track is. I imagine a video loop of spinning cotton candy onto a stick.

STEVE MOORE – “LWAXANA”
Steve is a friend and genius. He mixed my first single for HAKT, “N1.” I’m a fan of all his artistic monikers and will always put one of Steve’s tracks on a mix.

CIARAN BYRNE – “CURTAIN MOON”
Sprawling, grassy, and full of hope. Such a gorgeous track.

BOCHUM WELT – “8221SB”
I listened to this track on repeat for two days the first time I heard it. I love the orchestra stab and beat combo; it changes my definition of sexy.

THE DURUTTI COLUMN – “EXPERIMENT IN FILTH”
I go back and forth with my love of Durutti tracks that feature a drummer vs. machine. I enjoy the drum machine treatments on this one, then there’s the perfect Vini Reilly tone and melody. He’s my favorite Factory star by far.

MICHAEL ROTHER – “FONTANA DI LUNA”
This is my standout track on Rother’s Sterntaler. The main melody is kind of a call-and-response vibraphone/guitar thing. The first time I heard this was driving on tour on a day off in Ohio. The band I was playing for decided to take a field trip to the Cedar Point amusement park. We were blasting Michael Rother all day in the van, then this track came on just as we caught sight of the first roller coaster on the horizon. It was a great day.

TREE FROG FIELD RECORDING
Took this with my handy little Sony pocket recorder the last time I was on holiday in Barbados. I hear .5 seconds of this and I’m instantly transported to nights on that island. Pure magic.

Cale Parks’ latest EP, ‘Lagoon Fool’, is available now through HAKT Recordings. Check out some of his solo recordings and another mix below…