This Sunday, we welcome 79.5 to MailTape for a selection of soulful and psychedelic tracks to draw you out of bed this morning :) Based in New York City, 79.5 is headed by vocalist and pianist Kate Mattison. The group’s releases tread into spaces of jazz, disco, rock, and funk; making straightforward descriptions of the group difficult to put into words :)

79.5’s rousing selections, carefully chosen for you, are songs frozen in time: immune to the rushing world around us and taking tender root within our hearts.

79.5’s selection

Aretha Franklin - Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream

79.5: ” I mean, Aretha. What an angel. This song reminds me to never give up, and to always sing from my heart. It’s just so beautiful and classic. “

John Prine – Angel From Montgomery

79.5: ” My Sunday mornings have always been heavy on the country music, due to me being a complete radio junkie. Putting John Prine on any time is the best, but putting him on Sunday is cathartic. He was an American Treasure, RIP to a great one. “

Gloria Ann Taylor - Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing 12” Version

79.5: ” Ok, so the 12” version is where it’s at!! It’s 7:16 of pure groovy psychedelic and disco soul. A go-to dancing and cleaning the shit outta my apartment track for me! Also, as a pianist, I’m into the octave jumps that are so pertinent to this track. “

MailTape’s selection

79.5 – Predictions

Sarah: ” This track is the namesake for 79.5’s 2018 album, Predictions. As 79.5 explains, this track was cut live to tape, capturing the magic of live performance. The beginning sets us off with such a flowing soul in these chords and verses, a whole mood is created effortlessly. The spiraling flute takes the track to new heights, leaning the track into the psychedelic expressions of the 70’s. “

Lynda Dawn Mndsgn Remix – Fonk Street

Sarah: ” Obsessed with this track’s progression, it spins Lynda Dawn’s original (charming in its own right) funk-psychedelic track into something cosmic and haunting, especially once Mndsgn isolates Dawn’s celestial vocals. The bass deepens the background’s comeback and makes the return of sound even more powerful. This track’s chosen color is trippy for a reason ;)” “

79.5 Tall Black Guy Bounce Remix – Terrorize My Heart

Sarah: ” The drums in this!! 79.5 describes this track as a goodbye to an ex lover— where after leaving, all she wanted was to dance. This remix certainly feels like an homage to that state of mind, the vocals flow together like silk and the synth movement is absolutely contagious. Love the pause and attention paid to the flute accents, such a cool melding of sound. “

James & Bobby Purify – I Don’t Want to Have to Wait

Sarah: ” Recently heard this track sampled on a Kelly Finnigan release and was delighted :) There’s such robust nostalgia in songs like this; time never changes them. You remember exactly where you were when you first heard it, and for the three minutes that it plays, it’s like you never left. “

That’s all for this morning! As always, thank you so much for listening with us. So much love to 79.5 for their fantastic Sunday selections and to Jason Pridham for this episode’s psychedelic illustration :)