Summer 2020 was a weird one. If you were lucky, you came into contact with as few people as possible. When you did go out it was hotter than ever, and you knew no stranger would talk with you. Not that there were many places to go. Still, you found a way to enjoy the space you had. This playlist looks back at my favorite gooey, glittery, shimmery vibes of the summer.

A lot of the inspiration for this playlist came from this year’s releases by multi-instrumentalist home producers such as Glass Animals, George Clanton, Tame Impala, Washed Out, and Sunbeam Sound Machine. These artists were among those who adapted most easily to the new working environment, being no strangers to working in isolation. Of course, to some degree the way they’d been making music hadn’t changed, and most of the songs here are pulled from earlier works in the 2010s. Even if the technology exists now for this style of production to thrive, that doesn’t mean the feeling is new–The Jesus and Mary Chain hit this vibe in ’85 and their reverb drenched guitars are a perfect pair for Sunbeam Sound Machine’s “Worry Wart” of 2020.

It’s no surprise that many practitioners of the sound have been categorized as Bedroom Pop, since the instrumentation is often limited to things that can be recorded at home without the extra amenities afforded by a professional studio. Programmed drum samples, layers of synths and a variety of electronic effects make their way into most of these songs, all of which can potentially be created with just a laptop. Of course, Tame Impala’s home studio (for example) has a few more bells and whistles than the average singer-songwriter’s.

Consider listening to this playlist in order, as it’s front-loaded with new releases. And enjoy!