With regards to “How you put a play-list together” and “Setting the mood” this set of 15 tracks has no real agenda, no narrative and very little consideration for order and track priority. Just some good solid songs to make your day a bit better. Mark E. Smith starts lyrical proceedings with Neil Hamburger rounding things off in the only way he knows how. The image is part of Super Realism pinup artist Hajime Sorayama “Gynoid” series and his work is well worth a look. This playlist is dedicated to a 20-Something, smiley couple at D&AD New Blood who managed to steal my iPhone before my very eyes. Here’s to opportunity, creativity and better days!!! Listen Up!

Another eclectic mix of old and new with no clear direction …much like my life. Hightlights include a new tune from Battles made especially for the new Twilight film. Oh and 2 awesome covers by Love and Deep Purple. Ya gots to end with an R&B classic too. Hopefully it will all fit into a friday devoid of national pride. Listen Up!

For the past few months I have been saving the songs I really love, that maybe are not well known or over looked. It has everything in there from ground breaking new wave, an italian prog-rock horror sound track and a sprinkling of Latino jazz. Enjoy the trip.

With a weekend of wrapping up warm, wandering round German Christmas Markets, drinking Mulled Wine and dreaming of bad Knitwear us here at Sticks & Stones decided it was time to kick it up a notch and truly get in the Christmas spirit. Forgot Mariah Carey, Boy Zone and Take That! Where talking real christmas classics. With that in mind me and Ross compiled a festive compilation full to the brim of  old forgotten jiggles. It’s not all timeless classics, we also threw in some newbies for good measure. Although it was a hard decision to leave out Snoop Dogg’s ‘A Pimp’s Christmas Song‘.

You can expect 18 tracks to kick start Christmas from the likes of; Brenda Lee, The Drifters, Dean Martin, Sufjan Stevens, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, John Lennon, Wham!, Marvin Gaye and Twisted Sister!

Listen the Sticks & Stones Christmas Mixtape

It’s pretty simple, I like epic songs so I have made an epic compilation of badass songs of over 10minutes in length. Now I will be very impressed to see if anyone has 3.7 hours of free time to listen to all 18 tracks, but please have a crack at it! Or treat it like a novel and dip in and out when you please. Maybe you can contsruct some swedish flat-pack furniture or alphabetize your record collection in the process Hit it up!

As the nights draw in and the temperatures drop we all need a little pick me up to help us get through those dreary winter days.  I have compiled a playlist of songs that always make me tap my feet and that will hopefully put that summer spring back in your step/swagger. Other than that there is no theme I am afraid, this is a playlist to simply enjoy (or not) and take at face value.

Hit it up!

So as we see out summer and move into the dark and cosy nights of winter, I wanted to create a mix that soothes us into this transition. The seasons play a big part when I listen to music, I have my summer albums and my winter albums and then the inbetweeners which dont quite capture either season and can sit juxtaposed to both. This mix is pretty much that weird feeling where there magic of summer is round the corner fighting against the crisp frozen air of winter.

Listen here!

For Stix #10 I’ve put together my favourite songs that feature big voices and brass sections. It may not be your favourite style, but just occasionally, tuning into pre-80’s, is a necessity. With that in mind, it’s time for retro rehab, for everyone who likes to twist and shout to some soulful music.

Listen Up!

Subconsciously without even noticing that I’m doing it… I make lists for everything. I never seem to get anything done unless I have scrappy shreds of paper covered in tasks sitting in front of me. My desk is literally covered. Recently I’ve noticed that I’ve been doing it with mixtapes. Collecting, grouping and categorizing tracks that I either like or sit well together. Kicking off where I left on #4 this mixtape is yet an soundtrack to nothingness. An eclectic collection of shoegaze, ambient, electroic and post rock bliss from the likes of Jesu, Liars, Spiritualized, Boards of Canada, The Notwist, My Bloody Valentine, M83 and many more.

Listen Up!

My first mix on the sticks. We start with some hip hop beats and end with a heavy croon. This is a wild ride! These songs were basically my summer soundtrack and boy has it been a summer for music. I want to name the standout tracks but they are all too good. I kept it short and sweet, just 10 songs, so you could give each one all the attention it deserves. This mix includes Dirty Projectors, Micachu, Jens Lekman, Mos Def and more!

Listen to Stix #8 on Spotify