What happens when a kid at heart suddenly has a kid of their own? The beginning of parenthood can look messy and exhausting, but it can also look like a beautiful change. Sweet tunes and instrumentals make for a quick breather to reflect, recharge, and remember to enjoy the ride. To the first-time parents perusing Spotify for a new playlist: This one’s for you.
Fill in the sleepless gaps by listening to our newest Spire on Spotify playlist called Vol. 60: New Things. It’s also a mix you can enjoy in the background as you’re going about your day.
Alex, what is the name of your album?
New things seemed fitting for this album. The songs are not necessarily new releases; they are either new listens or old songs that have taken on new meaning for me.
How would you describe this mix?
This album is multi-layered—a mix of songs that evoke feelings of warmth, love, and a discovery of new realities. The warmth comes from the familiar songs covered by new-to-me artists. Love is an element that threads through most of these songs by way of the lyrics or the composition. This mix also draws on mixed emotions: The exhilaration and melancholy of chapters ending and the new ones that begin.
“It’s somewhere between here and now.”
– In Between, Wilderado and Ken Pomeroy
What was your inspiration behind it?
The inspiration for this playlist comes from being ushered into first-time parenthood and the interplay of newfound responsibility and being schooled at every level of daily life that it naturally brings. Many of the songs on the album are exclusively instrumental because they mirror the moments of parenthood when there are no words, only a deep fountain of emotions to carry you through.
What is your favorite song, and why?
The song “Early 90s” by Bay Ledges is a favorite, one of several instrumental songs that transport me to fond pastime (yes, I’m a 90s kid) and joy, hope, and wonder about the future with this new little addition to my family.
If your playlist was a brand, what would it be and why?
That is a hard one to answer. A possible combination of Little Golden Books, a dad hat brand, and Advil sounds right. This playlist has the flexibility to mean something different for everyone.
“Oh hark, oh hark, how the nightingale is singing.”
– Sweet Lemminy
Any specific memory that comes to mind when you listen?
VHS tapes of my own infancy reflect parallels that come to mind when I lay eyes on my newborn. I connect every smile, squeak, and peaceful sleeping moment. It’s a sweet time filled with both newness and nostalgia.
What makes your playlist unique?
This playlist memorializes the chapter before parenthood for me and ushers in the new with a warm embrace. My intention is to document feelings and moods of this season with music, so that it can be revisited later. In the same breath, this playlist is meant to be shared and enjoyed by anyone, anytime.
Thanks for that cool mix, Alex—and huge congratulations on your new addition! Stay tuned to the Spire Blog and Spotify Channel for our next agency playlist.
Alex Flores is a Senior Designer at Spire, and an Ad 2 Dallas “32 Under 32” recipient.
