Pink Playground are a duo from Texas, USA who have put together a mix that fuses genres and blends eras. Describing themselves as a “spontaneous, emotional, psychedelic, combustion and sentimental goo”, these Soundcloud amateurs are coming hot off their recent release of the Amethyst Milk Tapes.
The duo’s latest release reveals their strong dream pop vibes and the range of genres their music experiments with. Originally working with independent label Free Loving Anarchists, the band were active in the early 2010s and have experienced a recent renaissance after rereleasing their early material online. As such, the Amethyst Milk Tapes Vol 1-3 were first written and recorded in 2010 and their latest mixtape incorporates tracks originally intended for the 'Rose Tapes' series for FLA made back in 2012.
Mercury in Love is a fun, 90 minute mix that is paced to combine the rising tones and energy of multiple genres. The duo’s dream pop influences are represented, as the mix features softer and calmer indie artists like Helios Creed, Chocolate Watch Band and Ariel Pink. The lighter music from these calmer genres are repeatedly contrasted with some heavy rock sounds, such as the punk rock track ‘Telepathic Love’ by the Wipers. There are some more electronic rock tracks to tie together periods of intensity. Bands like Slowdive bring in a more relaxing and dream-like tones, slowing the pace. This acts as a rest in the broader tempo of the mix, both calming the listener down from the adrenaline fuelled rock music as well as building an anticipation for the next big track. The mix’s biggest strength is its inclusion of classics from older musical eras. Not only are they using these recognisable classics for their shock and surprise but also for the timeless intensity they bring to each individual genre. For the collection of softer, laid back tracks, the duo mix in tracks like Billy Idol’s ‘Eyes Without a Face’ or the Seeds ‘Can’t Seem to Make You Mine,’ while revving the energy up with tracks like Nirvana’s ‘Breed’. This blend of both recognisable classics and indie marvels creates a diverse sounding and effectively paced mix that seamlessly ties various genres and eras together.