A Collective Feeling 4: Saul Malone
Music for sitting by the pool in Palm Springs
We’re back with a megamix from the homie Saul, who sent over a playlist he made specifically for sitting poolside in Palm Springs. It’s a vibe, but it’s a considered vibe. It’s a long mix designed for hazy days where morning blends into afternoon and then into night without ever glancing at the clock. Check it out below with some words from Saul:
“You can't fight the desert. You have to ride with it.” – Louis L'Amour
Not to be one of Those Guys™️ but as someone who lives in LA, I really do love heading out to Palm Springs for a day or five. There's something hypnotic about the desert. Time doesn't stand still, but it definitely moves a little slower. It's hot as shit, but it's not oppressive. The people are interesting, kind, helpful, a little weird. Everything feels a little bit like a dream, one that's easy to get lost in. I love taking my friends out there for the first time, sitting by the pool, nothing to do but have a drink and crack a book. Maybe catch a nap in one of the few shady spots.
This playlist hopes to encapsulate one of those days with friends around the pool. It starts slow in the morning while the sun starts to climb. The afternoon approaches, the tempo increases. More people are at the pool, the energy is up. As the sun sinks behind the mountains, we slow it down a little again. Maybe it's time for dinner, maybe we're staying at the pool for a night swim. Either way, we have the right song for it.
This playlist was also a good exercise for me in picking music to relax too and maintaining a mood. I'm usually listening to something with blast beats or some terrible pop punk that no other person should listen to. It's nice to curate a vibe for other people that feels worthy of a listen.
A couple of highlights below
Parcels - “Lightenup”
This was my most played song last year according to Spotify and who am I to argue. I've put it on so many different playlists and it fits every one. Any song with a flute solo is alright by me.
Steely Dan - “Peg”
If you're outside and near any sort of body of water, I think it's almost a requirement to have one Steely Dan song on your playlist.
Larry June, The Alchemist, 2 Chainz - Life Is Beautiful
I haven't listened to an album that makes me feel like I'm experiencing what's on that album's cover like Life Is Beautiful. I've been a huge fan of the Larry June/Alchemist collaborations in the past, but this one has really grabbed me. It feels like being on vacation.
Clairo - “Bags (Recorded at Electric Lady Studios)”
This is the superior version of this song, to me.
Turnover - “Living Small”
I know Turnover can be a bit of a polarizing band with the Peripheral Vision of it all, but in my opinion their follow up Good Nature is some of their best work and this song is my personal favorite from that record. It feels like waking up with no plans on a sunny day and feeling grateful for it. As someone who is trying to practice more gratitude in their day-to-day life, this song is a good reminder of that.
Khruangbin
You'll notice that 5 of the last 7 songs on this playlist feature Khruangbin(the word for "airplane" in Thai.) That is a feature, not a bug. No other artist encapsulates being in Palm Springs more strongly to me than this band. A few of these songs are literally transportive to me and I can see the last rays of the sun disappearing behind the mountains as the temperature cools off and I smoke a cig.
Guster - “Satellite”
Gun to my head, this is probably my favorite song of all time (especially THIS version). Feels weird to put it last on the playlist, but I can't think of a better place for it as the day ends and the night begins.
Saul Malone is the writer of "working title: a newsletter about movies" and co-host of the forthcoming podcasts "Good, Actually" and "Under Further Review." He is a Diet Coke enjoyer and stoked for the return of Top Chef. You can find him on Letterboxd here.