Tiny Mix Tapes

Last updated
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes logo.png
Type of site
Music webzine
OwnerMr. P
Created byMr. P
URL tinymixtapes.com
RegistrationNo
Launched2001-04-16
Current statusOn Hiatus [1]

Tiny Mix Tapes (also TMT or tinymixtapes) is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as a podcast and its mixtape generator.

Contents

History

Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven [2] and hosted on GeoCities, the webzine moved to its current domain in 2001. Tiny Mix Tapes is a featured reviewer on Metacritic. [3]

The writing staff is composed of volunteers who often use pen names (such as "Wolfman," "Mango Starr," "Chizzly St. Claw," and "Filmore Mescalito Holmes"). Some contributors, like Rebecca Armendariz [4] and Alex Brown, [5] go by their real names. Its cofounder and editor-in-chief is Minneapolis-resident Marvin Lin [6] (who writes as "Mr. P"). The music reviews, features, news, film, comics, and the "DeLorean", "Cerberus", and "Automatic Mix Tapes" columns are edited by "Jay," "Gumshoe," "Dan Smart," Benjamin Pearson, "Keith Kawaii," "JSpicer," "Trillian," and "Pliny the Elder," respectively. [7]

They have been cited by The Guardian , among other publications. [8]

On January 6, 2020, Tiny Mix Tapes announced it was taking a "much-needed hiatus". [9]

Content

Tiny Mix Tapes offers news, music reviews, movie reviews, and columns. The "DeLorean" [10] section reviews music released before Tiny Mix Tapes began that may no longer be popular, albums that the writer believes are "classic" or influential, or older music that is significant to the writer.

Similarly, "Eureka" [11] consists of reviews highlighted by the site as particularly noteworthy or exciting.

There is also a features section devoted to interviews, articles, festival reviews, as well as a "Live Blog," in which writers review live music shows. In 2009, Tiny Mix Tapes added a "columns" section.

As of 2008, Tiny Mix Tapes started reviewing films and now has a section devoted to it. This section also includes features on filmmakers and other numerous subjects within the medium.

The Automatic Mix Tape Generator

The Automatic Mix Tape Generator, [12] [13] or AMG, was created to offer two-way communication with the website. Started in 2002, readers may submit a title or the theme for a mixtape, and a group of volunteers (called the "Mix Robots") will compile a track list. Due to the large volume of requests as well as request redundancy, not all requests are filled. The "Mix Robots" produce and submit track lists fulfilling the request as they interpret it. Mixtape track lists are then available on the website. Most of the songs on the mix tapes come from indie or underground bands/musicians. In 2008, Trillian, the AMG editor, was on Talk of the Nation talk radio program to discuss Valentine's Day mixes. [14]

Chocolate Grinder

At the beginning of 2009, Tiny Mix Tapes began a feature podcast called Chocolate Grinder. Published approximately twice a month, each installment sees a writer collecting ten brand new tracks they want to shed light on and mix it as a continuous stream or download. [15] The tracks are posted for stream or download in a single continuous file with a unique name. Currently, Chocolate Grinder remains a staple of Tiny Mix Tapes' daily media content, which includes videos, music streams, Internet premieres, interactive websites, and the like.

Benefit Compilation

In April 2009, the site began selling a benefit compilation CD/LP to benefit the victims of the War in Darfur. It featured 11 exclusive songs.

Humor and politics

On March 30, 2007, Tiny Mix Tapes announced it was hosting a festival in Minnesota. At this festival, long-since dissolved indie band Neutral Milk Hotel were billed to be "reuniting all over your Cheerios" as the headlining act. Amidst a blog flurry, [16] and articles disputing the legitimacy of the event in Billboard [17] and Prefix, [18] the festival was revealed as an early April Fool's Day joke later the same day. [19]

Album of the Year

YearArtistAlbumTop 5 AlbumsSource
2007 Panda Bear Person Pitch [20]
2008 Deerhunter Microcastle / Weird Era Cont. (tie) [21]
2009 Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion [22]
2010 Zs New Slaves [23]
2011 Oneohtrix Point Never Replica [24]
2012 Scott Walker Bish Bosch [25]
2013 Oneohtrix Point Never R Plus Seven [26]
2014 Dean Blunt Black Metal
  1. Grouper - Ruins
  2. GFOTY - Secret Mix
  3. Scott Walker & Sunn O))) - Soused
  4. 5. Kevin Drumm & Jason Lescalleet - The Abyss
[27]
2015 Arca Mutant [28]
2016 Babyfather BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow [29]
2017 Mount Eerie A Crow Looked at Me
  1. Yves Tumor - Experiencing the Deposit of Faith
  2. Arca - Arca
  3. Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel
  4. Klein - Tommy
[30]
2018 Sophie Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides [31]
DecadeArtistAlbumTop 5 AlbumsSource
2000s Radiohead Kid A [32]
2010s Chuck Person Chuck Person's Eccojams Vol. 1 [33]

Related Research Articles

<i>Prospect Hummer</i> 2005 EP by Animal Collective feat. Vashti Bunyan

Prospect Hummer is an EP by Animal Collective released in May 2005. It is an accompaniment to Sung Tongs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Drama</span> American DJ and record executive

Tyree Cinque Simmons, known professionally as DJ Drama, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record executive and music promoter. He initially gained recognition as the DJ for Atlanta-based rapper T.I., and continued to gain prominence hosting mixtapes for other hip hop artists. His trademark Gangsta Grillz series is present on releases of which he has compiled; it has been popularized by artists including Lil Wayne, Tyler the Creator, Snoop Dogg, Yo Gotti, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Fabolous, Jeezy, Meek Mill, and Gucci Mane, among others. Alongside record producer and fellow Philadelphia native Don Cannon, he co-founded the record label Generation Now in 2015, an imprint of Atlantic Records which has signed artists including Lil Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow.

<i>Electra 2000</i> 1993 studio album by Hum

Electra 2000 is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band Hum. Originally released in 1993 by 12 Inch Records, the first run was limited to 1,000 copies had the band's name printed in black lettering. The album also included "Monty Python Organ Grinder," an instrumental Monty Python song included as a secret track. The second release contains the same track listing as the first, but slightly different cover art, with red lettering rather than black. The album was released for a third time in 1997 by Martians Go Home and contains "Diffuse" as the final track. The song was recorded during the Electra 2000 sessions, but was initially released on the various artists compilation Feast of the Sybarites.

<i>Thank God for Mental Illness</i> 1996 studio album by The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Thank God for Mental Illness is the fifth studio album by American psychedelic rock band The Brian Jonestown Massacre. After releasing Take It from the Man! and Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request in mid-1996, both of which display influences from 1960s psychedelic music, departing from the band's earlier shoegaze sound, the band recorded Thank God for Mental Illness through "tangible custom lo-fi stereo" in their San Francisco home studio on July 11, 1996, with the budget of $17.36.

<i>Avatar</i> (Comets on Fire album) 2006 studio album by Comets on Fire

Avatar is a studio album by the indie rock band Comets on Fire. It was released in 2006 on Sub Pop.

<i>Ys</i> (Joanna Newsom album) 2006 studio album by Joanna Newsom

Ys is the second studio album by American musician Joanna Newsom. It was released by Drag City on November 14, 2006. The album was produced by Newsom and Van Dyke Parks, recorded by Steve Albini, mixed by Jim O'Rourke, with accompanying orchestral arrangements by Van Dyke Parks. It features guest vocals from Bill Callahan and Emily Newsom. The vocals and harp were recorded at The Village Recording Studio in Los Angeles in December 2005, with the orchestration being recorded between May and June 2006 at the Entourage Studios in Los Angeles.

<i>Cryptograms</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Deerhunter

Cryptograms is the second album from Atlanta, Georgia-based indie rock group Deerhunter, released through Kranky on January 29, 2007 on CD and vinyl. Following the 2005 release of its first full-length album Turn It Up Faggot, Deerhunter began recording material for its next record at Rare Book Room studio in New York. This initial recording session failed, due to the physical and mental state of lead singer Bradford Cox, as well as malfunctioning equipment in the studio. The band returned to Atlanta, only giving recording a second try after encouragement from members of the band Liars. The final version of Cryptograms was recorded in two separate day-long sessions, months apart, resulting in two musically distinct parts—the first includes more ambient music while the second contains more pop music elements. Cox sang most of the record's lyrics in a stream-of-consciousness manner; they include themes of death, companionship, and Cox's experiences with his genetic disorder Marfan syndrome. Cryptograms was generally well received by critics, and several publications placed the album on their lists of the top albums of 2007.

<i>Acid Rap</i> 2013 mixtape by Chance the Rapper

Acid Rap is the second mixtape by American rapper Chance the Rapper. It was released on April 30, 2013, as a free digital download. In July 2013, the mixtape debuted at number 63 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, due to bootleg downloads on iTunes and Amazon not affiliated with the artist. The mixtape has been certified "diamond" on mixtape site Datpiff, for garnering over 1,000,000 downloads. It was rereleased on streaming services on June 21, 2019, alongside his 2012 mixtape 10 Day. A 10th anniversary Complete Edition was later released, including the full version of "Juice", which previously wasn't available for streaming due to sampling issues.

<i>Baby</i> (The Detroit Cobras album) 2005 studio album by The Detroit Cobras

Baby is the third studio album by The Detroit Cobras. It was originally released in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records in November 2004. The following year Bloodshot Records released the album in the United States. Bloodshot's release included the Seven Easy Pieces EP in its entirety.

<i>The Disintegration Loops</i> 2002–03 box set by William Basinski

The Disintegration Loops is a series of four albums by the American avant-garde composer William Basinski, released in 2002 and 2003. The albums comprise tape loop recordings played for extended time, with noise and cracks increasing as the tape deteriorated. Basinski discovered the effect while attempting to transfer his earlier recordings to digital format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Totimoshi</span> American rock band

Totimoshi is an American rock band based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in Oakland in 1997.

<i>Life on Earth</i> (Tiny Vipers album) 2009 studio album by Tiny Vipers

Life on Earth is the second full-length album released by Tiny Vipers on Sub Pop Records on July 7, 2009. In a June 2009 track review, Pitchfork Media awarded "Dreamer" their Best New Music accolade.

Weekend is an American lo-fi or shoegaze trio from San Francisco, California. The band formed in 2009 and released two EPs, with the full-length debut album Sports coming on Slumberland Records in 2010. The album received an 8.2 rating from Pitchfork Media. It also received 4/5 stars on Tinymixtapes and was also reviewed by National Public Radio, the Portland Mercury, Boston Phoenix, NME, Drowned in Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, The Onion's AV Club, and PopMatters.

<i>The Lost Tape</i> (mixtape) 2012 mixtape by 50 Cent

The Lost Tape is a mixtape by American rapper 50 Cent. The mixtape, hosted by DJ Drama, is 50 Cent's first "Gangsta Grillz" mixtape. It was released as a free download on May 22, 2012.

<i>Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss</i> 2012 mixtape by Mykki Blanco

Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss is a mixtape by American recording artist Mykki Blanco, released on November 9, 2012.

<i>Escape from Evil</i> 2015 studio album by Lower Dens

Escape from Evil is the third studio album by Baltimore indie rock band Lower Dens. It was released in March 2015 under Domino Recording Company's Ribbon Music label. It was produced by the band's lead singer Jana Hunter and Chris Coady.

<i>Summer Songs 2</i> 2016 mixtape by Lil Yachty

Summer Songs 2 is the second commercial mixtape by American rapper Lil Yachty. It was released on July 20, 2016, exclusively on Apple Music, with other streaming services following the release. The mixtape features guest appearances from TheGoodPerry, G Herbo, JBan$2Turnt, Byou, Big Brutha Chubba, Offset, Tyler Royale, K$upreme and Cook Laflare, among others. The production from the mixtape was handled by TheGoodPerry, Wizard Beatz, D33J, Misogi, ILoveUPeter, Chris Fresh, Khalil Byous, Earl, 1Mind, Sage and Free School.

<i>&&&&&</i> 2013 mixtape by Arca

&&&&& is the debut mixtape by Venezuelan electronic producer Arca. It was released on 23 July 2013 through Hippos in Tanks on SoundCloud. Even though 14 tracks are listed, the entire mixtape is in sequence as a single track. A vinyl release of the mixtape with an alternative album cover was released in January 2014 and was limited to 500 copies. On 28 July 2020, Arca announced a re-release of &&&&& through PAN, making the mixtape available on mainstream streaming platforms for the first time on 18 September 2020.

<i>Playboi Carti</i> (mixtape) 2017 mixtape by Playboi Carti

Playboi Carti is the self-titled debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released through AWGE and Interscope Records on April 14, 2017. Production was primarily handled by Pi'erre Bourne alongside several other record producers, including Harry Fraud, Hit-Boy, Jake One, and Southside. It features guest appearances from American rappers Lil Uzi Vert, ASAP Rocky, and Dutch singer Leven Kali. The physical version of the mixtape was released on October 6, 2017, and a vinyl edition was released on November 17, 2017.

<i>Flamingo Breeze</i> 2009 studio album by Matrix Metals

Flamingo Breeze is an album by American recording artist Sam Mehran, released under the alias Matrix Metals. The album was originally released in the summer of 2009 by the label Not Not Fun Records.

References

  1. Tiny Mix Tapes [@tinymixtapes] (January 6, 2020). "Thanks for reading Tiny Mix Tapes. After nearly two decades of publishing, we have decided this is the ideal time to take a much-needed hiatus. TMT has always essentially been a passion project, made possible only through your readership. Big thank you for everything. <3 https://t.co/R1U21qmQQ0" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2022-12-05 via Twitter.
  2. "Tiny Mix Tapes Homepage" . Retrieved August 6, 2018.[ dead link ]
  3. "About Metascores". metacritic.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  4. "Rebecca Armendariz | the Guardian". TheGuardian.com .
  5. "TMT Writer".
  6. "The mix has been nixed!".
  7. "Tiny Mix Tapes: About". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  8. "Riot GRRRL legend Kathleen Hanna tells Miley Cyrus she wants to collaborate". TheGuardian.com . 4 August 2014.
  9. "Tiny Mix Tapes Goes on Hiatus". Pitchfork . 6 January 2020.
  10. "Tiny Mix Tapes: Delorean Reviews". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  11. "Tiny Mix Tapes: Eureka! Reviews". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  12. "The Automatic Mix Tapes Generator". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  13. Salda, Matt (2007-05-21). "How to Make the Perfect Mix Tape". esquire.com. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  14. "A Valentine's Mix Tape from 'Talk Of The Nation'". NPR.org. NPR.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  15. "Tiny Mix Tapes: Chocolate Grinder". tinymixtapes.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  16. Vegan, Brooklyn. "Neutral Milk Hotel reuniting for Tiny Mix Tapes fest?". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  17. Cohen, Jonathan (2007-03-30). "Neutral Milk Hotel Not Reuniting For Festival". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  18. Zeiss, John (2007-03-30). "Let the musical April Fools jokes begin". prefixmag.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  19. "Tiny Mix Fest 2007 Cancelled!". tinymixtapes.com. 2007-03-30. Archived from the original on 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  20. "2007: Tiny Mix Tapes Favorite Albums of 2007". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  21. "2008: Tiny Mix Tapes Favorite Albums of 2008". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  22. "2009: Favorite 50 Albums of 2009 (10-01)". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  23. "2010: Favorite 50 Albums of 2010 (10-01)". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  24. "2011: Favorite 50 Albums of 2011". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  25. "2012: Favorite 50 Albums of 2012". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  26. "2013: Favorite 50 Albums of 2013". Tinymixtapes.
  27. "2014: Favorite 50 Music Releases of 2014". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  28. "2015: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  29. "2016: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tiny Mix Tapes. 2016-12-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  30. "2017: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  31. "2018: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  32. "Favorite 100 Albums of 2000-2009: 20-01". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  33. "2010s: Favorite 100 Music Releases of the Decade". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-04-26.