SXSW x 100 x 5

In just 8 days I'll be hopping onto a plane heading to Texas with the goal of encountering as many new sounds as my ears can handle at SXSW! I've heard the name of this music festival thrown around for a couple of years but it wasn't until I listened to the NPR Music coverage last March that I was sold on the experience. Apart from the updates during the week of the event, one of the most helpful tools that NPR provided listeners for discovering new artists was a playlist titled the Austin 100, where 100 of the best promotional recordings are hand-picked for the downloading pleasure of eager fans.

Technically, there is a stipulation that the ZIP file of songs can only be downloaded within a month of distribution, but things on the Internet have a tendency to linger for a while. So with some intense Googling and crafty URL text swaps I was able to find links to several Austin 100's from yesteryear. So below I've shared links to these locations and showcased some songs that stood out to me while listening to the mix.

2016 Austin 100
Song List
Download ZIP [832MB]

I'm beyond eager for the opportunity of seeing at SXSW bands that I've gotten to know over the past couple of months like Beach Slang ("Bad Art and Weirdo Ideas") and the past couple of days like Wagakki Band ("Akatsukino Ito"), but most of all I'm excited for the chance at seeing firsthand the performances of international musicians like Ninet Tayeb from Tel Aviv whose fifth album is slated to be released this year.

"Child" by Ninet Tayeb

2015 Austin 100
Song List
Download ZIP [853MB]

This is the playlist that started it all for me and made me realize that I couldn't go more than a year without attending a SXSW. I began following a lot of artists from this list, including Girlpool ("Blah Blah Blah") and Luluc ("Small Window" and "Star (Live)"), but the artist that went straight to my heart was the Canadian Alvvays with the jangle pop single from their self-titled debut.

"Archie, Marry Me" by Alvvays

2014 Austin 100
Song List
Download ZIP [839MB]

There are bands on this list that I would eventually rediscover by other means, namely Cloud Nothings ("I'm Not Part of Me") and The So So Glos ("Lost Weekend"), but the band that stood out to me at first listen was Black English (at the time going under the moniker NO) with the infectiously bombastic and dreary post-punk single from their debut NO.

"Leave the Door Wide Open" by Black English

2013 Austin 100
Song List
Download ZIP [813MB]

The cool thing about SXSW is that you just as likely to find energetic shoegazing like The Joy Formidable ("This Ladder is Ours") and smooth art rock like alt-J ("Tessellate") as you are soothing folk à la The Milk Carton Kids, courtesy their single below from The Ash and Clay.

"Snake Eyes" by The Milk Carton Kids

2012 Austin 100
Song List
Download ZIP [543MB]

Before they were at the Grammy's, they were at SXSW. That's right, the music festival is a hotbed for talent and this frequently grabs the attention of the mainstream (though it can take a couple of years to notice). From this Austin 100 playlist alone we have Of Monsters and Men ("Little Talks") who would be nominated for best album in 2016, fun. ("We Are Young") who would win two Grammy's in 2013 and Alabama Shakes who would win four Grammy's in 2016 for their sophomore release Sound & Color. The following song is taken from their first album Boys & Girls.

"I Found You" by Alabama Shakes

For the remaining years I could not find ZIP compilations of the Austin 100 and could only find manual MP3 downloads for one. In any case, the links to the song lists for these years are below.

2011 Austin 100
Song List [includes individual MP3 downloads]

2010 Austin 100
Song List [the links next to the song titles redirect to the SXSW homepage]

2009 Austin 100
Song List [link to sampler has expired]

I can't let go,
Kelvin