The list of tracks has a downward slant and is smudged in a couple places. You can flip it over to see that the backside is littered with tiny scratches that light up into little rainbows under the warm sun. It’s kept safely tucked away in your drawer next to the bed, underneath a couple stacks of forgotten magazines and photographs of a summer from years past. You bring it out occasionally to just run your fingers lightly over the hand drawn doodles that make up the cover or trace along the swoops and hard lines of the title, Summer of Us Vol. 1. The Vol. 1 holds the promise that this isn’t the last one but instead one of many. This small circular disc is more than just layers of compressed plastic- its memories and emotions; it’s a story.
There are rules to be followed, a supposed art to making them. A mixtape isn’t for you; it’s a chance to connect with someone else and give them a glimpse of your feelings for them. The first track of your mix is critical. The song needs to build a forward sense of direction, but never get ahead of itself. You need select a song that will set the correct tone without exposing all of your intentions. A relaxed way to do this is by opening with a song that you both share. It creates a sense of familiarity while showing the listener “Don’t worry, I get you”.
The third track or fourth track is around where you can start your storytelling. If this is just a way to entice the alternative boy in your ENC 1101 class for a quickie in your dorm then you might want to reconsider. You want this to be the kind of story where two people pull the blanket over their heads to giggle and share butterfly kisses sprawled out on the lawn at midnight. Making a mix is hard work and slip-ups are inevitable when penciling down the track list for the first time. Reflect back on the story arc you wish to express and choose songs with care; there is no shame with erasing and adding new ones in its place. Keep in mind that repeating the same artist in one mix shows the listener that while you liked the idea of making one you didn’t really give it a lot of thought.
Somewhere around the halfway mark, you can really personalize this mixtape even more by inserting a recording of yourself. Not only will the listener get some insight into your musical tastes, but they also get to hear the thoughts and emotions in your voice during. Even years from now they will hardly be able to forget this, trust me. This mix needs to give off the sense of being hand polished. The last thing you want your mix to sound like is that you ran out of space or for it to become saturated indecisiveness because you listed the first tracks that came to mind. The closing track will be the last chance for you to make the impression that you have selected each song in order to express some kind of over arcing emotion or story. It’s the last sound the listener hears and it should be a song that gives a sense of closure but leaves your listener wanting more songs and more of you.