Today’s featured label from our holiday record shop is Brooklyn’s Mexican Summer records.  Born in 2008, the label made a name for itself by releasing limited-edition, ornately packaged vinyl pieces. Over two short years, Mexican Summer has expanded its catalog to nearly 100 releases across multiple formats while maintaining the hands-on sensibility of a boutique record label. The label showcases past and present releases by artists including Best Coast, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Washed Out, and Kurt Vile and unearthed reissue legends such as Robert Lester Folsom, Linda Perhacs, and Fraction.  The music Mexican Summer summer releases evokes the ethos of a time when the word “indie” in front of “label” actually stood for “independent” – not just in the literal sense of being unconnected to the big corporate music-pushers, but in the way that their output privileges quality and strong artistic voices over any over-riding aesthetic or style.  They do seem to dig synthesizers a lot, but who doesn’t these days?

Our pals at the label have dropped off a killer selection of their newest releases, and here are my picks of the litter:

Light Asylum – A Certain Person

Tamaryn / Ford & Lopatin – Flying Dream

Pink Playground – Dark Blooms

Nite Jewel – Natural Causes

-Prince Language