I made this mix for an intimate summer solstice gathering. The theme my partner in rhyme Casey (caseykarr.com) dreamed up was so brilliant I assumed it'd be my title: "The Vibe is in Shambles." But making the mix took me elsewhere. Casey is a muse I can always rely on — not just "check this track out!" but in ways that shape a mix's whole energy: She sent me Sade's tear-jerker "Pearls." Moved to the core, I asked, "isn't this too sad for the mix?" Her reply stuck: 1) let people FEEL something, and 2) the only question worth asking is "can I dance to it?" I said, "of course — but what about Pearls?" She said, "I can dance to that!" That unlocked something. I've always woven in eclectic, ambient, un-danceable tracks, but "can I dance to it?" in the broadest sense deepened the whole process. The vibe was no longer in shambles. This gathering would be mostly women and queer humans — and suddenly it was clear: Aja Monet should open and close the mix. The title revealed itself.
