In 2019, Assemble Papers’ has teamed up with Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher’s Milk! Records to bring a year of indie Melbourne tunes. With the weather acting strangely hot this June, it’s only fitting that they would drop the Autumn mix now. Curated by the mind behind Tiny Ruins, Hollie Fullbrook, this mix is a collection of gentle indie/folk tracks that is perfect for a quiet moment alone. For the full interview with Fullbrook, visit here https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/06/06/ears-36-autumn-mix-by-tiny-ruins/
This short but ever so sweet mix is seeping with the indie charm that AssemblePapers has aimed to capture. The opening track, “You Kill Me” by Bedouine, is fit with acoustic guitar, woodwind instruments, a sweeping strings section and an Baroque era harpsichord, all of which is layered underneath a soft, harmony driven vocal performance. It is a fitting opening track for the folk heavy mix. However, the next track, Arthur Russell’s ballad “I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face”, with its soulful vocals, gospel organ and slow jazz drum beat, introduces some pop elements. There is a trend of balancing a strange, somewhat experimental track, with a slow, soothing pop ballad. While there is a consistent tone, with eclectic instrumentation and down tempo emotions permeating through every song, this given the mix a good balance. The comprehensive set list allows for the more indie aspects to shine while being grounded in the pop elements. There are also some more electronic based tracks, such as the minimalist bass work of Solange in both “Nothing Without Intention (Interlude)” and “Beltway” as well as the digital production techniques in the reverb heavy dream pop track “You Make Me Feel” by Laura Jean. The standout number is Nina Simone’s timeless “Black Is The Colour Of My True Love’s Hair”, an emotional ballad from soulful jazz songstress. This vintage throwback is fit with vinyl crackles and dated audio quality, but slows the mix down to a fleeting moment of ambient transcendence. Ending on Adrianne Lenker’s “from”, the mix is a calming collection of though provoking and aurally innovative music.