MIX TAPE: Currently Obsessed
a collection of B-sides I'm currently digging
My (new!) 2002 VW Cabrio only plays cassette tapes and sure, I could install a Bluetooth adapter, but where’s the fun in that?
Driving around in a car that’s older than Spotify, Pandora, and even the iPod has reminded me of a time when listening to music felt like an experience instead of background noise. Music wasn’t something an algorithm served up between podcasts and playlists, you really had to go looking for it.
One of my favorite parts of buying a cassettes and CDs was opening the case and flipping through the little booklet tucked inside. I think these little books were also my gateway to zines because they were filled with lyrics and thank-yous, tiny photos of the band behind the scenes. And don’t get me started on the album art. Chef’s kiss.
Long before I had the internet, they were one of the ways I discovered new artists and quietly fell in love with albums that felt like they belonged only to me. Back in the ‘90s, my hometown had a music store whose staff rivaled the knowledge and cool factor of the cast of Empire Records. No joke, you could walk in, hum a jingle from a commercial, and they’d somehow know exactly what song you were talking about. I know this because that’s exactly how I discovered Daft Punk.
I spent hours, literal hours, in that store whenever my family was having one of those rare weekends where life felt normal and I was allowed a small taste of girlhood. It didn’t happen often. But when it did, it felt magical. I’d disappear into one of the listening booths, put on a pair of oversized headphones, and explore music without worrying whether it was on the approved list back home. For a little while, I got to decide what I liked.
Looking back, I think that’s what I miss most about the pre-algorithm times, the ability to stumble upon and discover things by accident. I miss recommendations from people instead of platforms, I miss falling in love with an album because a stranger behind the counter said, “You should hear this.” Maybe that’s why the little cassette player in my Cabrio hit me harder than I expected, it kind of reminded me that some of the best parts of growing up happened when we were left to wander, browse, and let curiosity guide us to the things that would eventually become part of us.
So, in the spirit of those listening booths and handwritten mixtapes, I put together a little playlist of things I’ve been loving lately. Consider this my modern-day mixtape. I hope you find something unexpected.
📼 Watching:
My So-Called Life
📚 Reading:
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
1984 by George Orwell
✂️ Making:
This Substack space a little more intentional
A monthly zine called dAziE, I’m ironing out the kinks now and plan to share more soon (very excited!)
☕ Drinking:
Nescafe Instant Espresso Iced Lattes with oat milk, at home on the weekends.
Caramel Iced Latte with oat milk, at work