🎵 July 2025

Mid-summer.

🌹 Seven months down, five to go. 👀

San Diego, California 2025

📸 gary lundgren

LOOKING BACK, I’m unable to characterize what I feel about the passing of time. It is confounding and relentless — even as I try to make each day count. Is the sand falling faster through the hourglass? This morning, I’m realizing again that the more focussed and engaged I am, the more time seems to accelerate. That must be good living, right? So I’m choosing to feel encouraged.

The music that found me in July came in big waves. At times I’m overwhelmed at the sheer amount of songs crashing into existence. Just wrapping my head around four new weeks of LP’s, EP’s and stand alone singles made for a dizzying, happy month of listening.

Anchoring the July playlist, are four songs from HEADLIGHTS by Alex Giannascoli, which came out July 18th. For me, it already seems like a top tenner of ‘25. A fearless, prolific artist — he goes by Alex G — with already nine indie LP’s released before this major label debut. Ten albums to his name and only 32. 🤯 Watch him here, just last week, his career peaking before our eyes on Colbert.

Also on the playlist are two stirring covers — Kurt Vile’s melancholy take on Beach House’s Wildflower and MJ Lenderman covering a favorite — Jason Molina’s Just Be Simple from Magnolia Electric Co.

Rounding out July are stand out tracks from Four Tet, OK Cool, Jay Som, and Mina Tindle & Sufjan Stevens. Also, I have to mention Deux Femmes who opened for Jim Jarmusch and Jozef Van Wissem in Belgium last week. Their very first song If I Should Die is a poetic stunner — cinematic and Nico’esque in all the best ways.

I hope some of these tunes land with you, and that you continue supporting the artists you love. They need it more than ever right now. And thanks to all of you who have pre-ordered our new film Above the Trees. Your support means everything to me. ❤️

If you’d like to add myJuly playlist to your queue, find it here on Apple Music and Spotify.

Gary