Let’s say the party vibe is dying, but playing “Cotton Eye Joe” to give it a shock to the system didn’t work. The playlist is staler than ever, people are falling asleep, and the mood in the room is tanking fast. What’s a party host to do? Luckily, this means you’re ready to advance in your studies.
This technique is guaranteed to bring the vibe way down with the express purpose of giving it nowhere to go but way back up. Play the right songs, and your guests will be so bummed out that they’ll beg you to play literally anything else. And if all goes right, you’ll be dancing the rest of the night away to 90s-era girly pop bangers. Or whatever it is you’re into.
“Furr” by Blitzen Trapper
Blitzen Trapper’s 2008 track “Furr” is a good intro to killing the vibe. Putting this song on at a gathering will tank the mood about 50% right off the bat (data gathered from personal experience, unfortunately). This is a bare-bones late-2000s folk song that’s beautiful in the right environment. On its own, on a similar playlist, and of course within the context of the titular album Furr, this track is one of the better neo-folk offerings of the 2010s. In this scenario, however, “Furr” could also be substituted for something by The Decemberists, or perhaps Fleet Foxes.
“Flightless Bird, American Mouth” by Iron & Wine
There was something in the water for folk singers in 2008, apparently. Iron & Wine’s “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” is another wistfully beautiful track that will also kill a party vibe in an instant. This one will take out 65% of the mood, easily. It’ll have everyone thinking about childhood summers. Some might even shed a tear right into their red Solo cups. The artistry of “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” is in its ability to create nostalgia for something you’ve never experienced. Guaranteed to put the party on the right track to resurrection.
“I Will Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab For Cutie
This one is a bit of a wild card. Since “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” is such a classically beloved track, playing it could accidentally put the party into a state of catharsis. Instead of bumming everyone out, Death Cab for Cutie could inspire partygoers to confront vulnerable feelings with each other. You’ll end up with pockets of people discussing what happens when we die, or unpacking their high school trauma. The emotions will flow like a leaky tap. But instead of forcing the vibe to get going again, this song creates an environment perfect for purging heavy emotions with beloved friends.
“You” by Keaton Henson
So, wistful folk songs circa 2008 didn’t work, and Death Cab for Cutie turned the living room into a therapist’s office. The vibe is still in shambles, and you’re at the end of your rope. Not to worry, because we have the final, secret weapon. Keaton Henson’s “You” will tank the vibe 100%, but this is a power to be used with caution. Break this out too early, and everyone will just want to go home and lay down. No vibe resurrection, and no one will ever pass the AUX to you ever again. But at just the right moment, when all seems lost, the singularly raw experience of “You” will have party guests begging for a Charli XCX track.
Photo by Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank
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