It’s the first of October but the weather is all wrong. Here in the Middle West, it’s been endless sunshine with temperatures twenty degrees above normal. Meanwhile, our government shut down last night because we’re ruled by bullies and cowards who’ve been brainwormed by the internet. Each day brings inventive forms of idiocy and degradation. Feels like something’s got to give but nothing does.

So I’m looking elsewhere for reason. Read the full post.

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Even though it’s far too warm for the first of October, the night continues to inch closer, which means it’s chromatic season.

The Chromatics have always been an unlikely proposition for me. I prefer my songs scuzzy and reverberated, whereas their music is so sleek and glossy it’s almost lacquered. It’s pop music from a neon world where Ruth Radelet’s frigid voice sings fabulous things like my leather glove grips the wheel. In 2017, they appeared on Twin Peaks before abruptly disbanding for reasons I don’t care to discover. Aside from rattling around the algorithms of streaming services, they've become a ghost—it's impossible to buy their music, and their Bandcamp and record label websites lead to 404s.

During their ten-year run, the Chromatics released only three proper albums but my library has over 250 songs. Drumless versions. Extended mixes. 8-track versions. Alternate takes for fictional movies. The same instrumentals reappear with different vocals and new titles. All these variations leave me wondering about the line between chasing perfection and forever relitigating the past. As if adjusting the variables enough times will finally yield the Platonic synthpop song. All of which makes finding their best tracks a daunting task, so I’ve made a megamix of ten favorites, including three of their covers.

If you like the Chromatics, this is the place to be tonight. And if not, even better: hopefully you’ll start.

1. Lady Night Drive (Cherry, 2012)
2. The Page (Kill for Love, 2012)
3. Stiff as a Board (Faded Now, 2020)
4. Running up that Hill (Night Drive, 2007)
5. The Sound of Silence (Closer to Grey, 2020)
6. Back from the Grave (Kill for Love, 2012)
7. Yes (Symmetry Remix) (Love Theme from Lost River, 2007)
8. Headlight’s Glare (Night Drive, 2007)
9. Disintegration (Running from the Sun, 2012)
10. Into the Black (Kill for Love, 2012)

The request lines are open.

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