COVERCHORD CULTURE

Leading creative personalities share their summer playlists
SUMMER TRACKS

We asked leading professionals from various fields to share a mini playlist with the theme ‘Summer’
 

There’s nothing quite like a summer anthem to lift your mood. Good summer memories are often accompanied by a song – that lazy day at the beach, dancing at the festival, around the campfire with friends, or just taking a long walk with your own thoughts. A tune can transport us back in time, to a summer’s day or night in an instant, flooding us with feeling.

We spoke to a number of creatives and asked them to share their summer soundtracks and memories. We received a broad range of genres, eras, and vibes. Everyone lives through the summer, but nobody’s summer is the same.

Take a glimpse into someone else’s summer day, soak up the atmosphere, and maybe add a track or two to your own summer playlist.

1_Summer Madness / Kool & The Gang
2_Moving In The Right Direction / Steve Parks
3_A Warm Summer Night / Chic
4_Summer Breeze / Isley Brothers
5_The Star Of A Story / Heatwave

Here’s my selection of ultimate feel-good summer tracks.

Sadar Bahar
DJ
Began djing in 1982. Raised in Chicago's early house music era, Sadar’s mother bought him his first set of Technics, hooking him onto his lifelong passion. Since then he has spent most of his time searching for records all across the globe, likening his crate-digging to “30-year disease, a sickness”, picking up everything from rare disco and boogie to house and soul.

Instagram_@sadarbahar
Facebook_sadar.bahar.5

8/20 (Sat) Rush Hour Night with Sadar Bahar, Antal at Contact
Website_https://www.contacttokyo.com

1_I Imagine / Susumu Yokota
2_The Cheek of Daniel / Neil Cowley
3._early summer rain / AOI
4_Summer of '98 / Baltra
5_Utano / Meitei

This is what I would listen to if I was to wander around on a hot summer night.

Meitei
Musical artist
Blending contemporary sound techniques with profound reverence for Japanese folklore, Meitei is a Hiroshima-based composer driven by a concept he refers to as “lost Japanese mood”.

Spotify_冥丁
Instagram_meitei.japan

1_Summer Jam ’95(cover) / U-zhaan×TAMAKI ROY×CHINZA DOPENESS
2_Ii jikan / EVISBEATS
3_Hikouki / Fishmans
4_Sol Clap / QUANTIC
5_Porcelain / Ichiko Aoba

A day in the summer
1_In the car after waking up late
2_Chilling at home after a day at the beach
3_Evening walk through a rice paddy field
4_Back to the beach, hearing the waves and a summer festival in the distance
5_Gazing out to the night-time ocean
…... if only every day could be like this

Naoki Kanazawa
Ceramicist / Store owner
Born in Amakusa Shimoshima in 1989. Began pottery in 2007. Opened Ayoo store in Amakusa in 2022.

Website_ayoo-utuwakeshiki.com
Instagram_@ayoo_pottery

1_Emp. Man’s Blues / The For Carnation
2_Radiation Ruling The Nation (Protection) / Massive Attack Vs. Mad Professor
3_Hanabi / Cuushe
4_Dare no sei demo nai/ Yuki Saito
5_Africa / TOTO

1_Summer of ’05 - jobless and aimless, driving through the suburbs
2_Summer of ’03 - getting my hair cut at a fancy hairdresser, recommended by my girlfriend
3_Summer of ’14 - feeling a little homesick on a country road
4_Summer of ’21 - my friend is feeling blue, but I keep my spirits up
5_Summer of ’07 - twenty women and men in make-up and dressed in leotards, dancing with passion

Shinichi Takahashi
Wine shop owner Purveyor of natural wine and counter-culture.

Website_humannature.jp
Instagram_@human_natureeeee

1_Un Amigo / Azymuth
2_Mountain Melody / Ernest Ranglin,Monty Alexander
3_Cus Cus / Horace Andy
4_Way Back Home / Count Ossie
5_Please Set Me At Ease / Bobby Humphrey

Tunes to listen to while sipping on a few drinks before bed on a hot summer night. Accepting the reality of another hot summer day of work ahead.

Yoshie Matsushima
Food stylist
Worked in the construction industry for many years before working at a French restaurant and eventually starting her own business, Dora The Food. Works in catering and as a recipe developer and food stylist.

Instagram_@yoshie_matsushima 

1_Hands / Four Tet
2_The Seasons Reverse / Gaster Del Sol
3_Loro / Pinback
4_TNT / Tortoise
5_Iambic / Squarepusher

Music to listen to while driving along the coast.

Takaaki Mino
Musician
Guitarist of the band, toe. Also produces recordings and mixes for Japanese and international bands.

Website_toe.st
Instagram_@takaakimino

Illustration_Tim Kojima

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