Who else is excited to get back to Travel? Below, Kara writes about how she created her favorite travel playlist. Check out the beautiful electronic-influenced playlist below.
by KARA ford
playlist | June 26, 2021
As Covid is coming to an end. Getting back to traveling is something we are all very excited about, and with this anticipation, I felt it was the perfect time to share one of my all time favorite travel playlists with you. It’s actually from one of my most memorable experiences as a DJ - a wedding in Sayulita, Mexico!
At Honey we tend to focus on more corporate/branded events as an agency, but much of my early career was spent spinning tunes at weddings and birthday parties. Sharing these cherished moments and being a part of such profoundly memorable celebrations with my clients is a huge privilege, and the soundtracks from nights like these will stay with me forever.
This wedding in particular was a huge deal for me personally, not least because it was going to be the first time I’d ever left the country! I spent months perfecting my playlist in advance of the event. The couple had asked me to create a smooth and eclectic vibe with the music; they’d requested a ton of cool electronic songs, alt-R&B and some House. Honestly, these are some of my favorite music styles to DJ, so I felt like it made sense that they’d booked me.
I had this playlist on repeat as I was counting down the days to the wedding. I listened as I was packing, as I boarded the plane, throughout the flight and again once I had landed. I was hooked!
After I arrived, I was very lucky to have a couple of days to explore the local area, prior to the event itself. Sayulita is a gorgeous surf town, about an hour south of Puerto Vallarta. It’s so small that cars are almost seen as a nuisance to get around, and people tend to use either a golf-cart or moped if they’re not on foot. The evening before the big day, I took a walk around to get a sense of the local nightlife. Dotted around the town were the most amazing tiny bars and venues, playing incredible electronic music, with a super unique Latin edge. I was so inspired that I rushed back to my hotel, and made some last minute additions to the all important playlist.
The day of the wedding was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had to date. The clients were over the moon with the soundtrack I’d curated, and I felt like I’d accomplished something huge in being booked to DJ in a different country.
I spun my favorite tunes of the evening after the ceremony, during the evening meal. In my opinion, the dinner and cocktail portion of a wedding is one of the most important when it comes to the background music. Guests are busy and deep in conversation, but the music is still very much a part of the overall energy and tone of this part of the night. Setting the right mood is key. I like to get into a groovy, mid-tempo vibe that lifts spirits, but isn’t too distracting.
I traveled back home to Los Angeles, and returned to normal life. After months of anticipation, the day I’d spent so long preparing for had come and gone, but I kept returning to that playlist. You know how some of your fondest memories are connected to music? When a certain song plays, you can be transported back to a specific moment in time, and relive the memory so vividly. To me, this is one of the most magic qualities of music.
Whenever I hear one of the songs on this list, I am immediately reminded of my trip to Sayulita, be it my solo adventures around town, or the love in the room during the wedding itself.
The playlist features the likes of Autograf, Miguel Migs, Hayden James, Duke Dumont and Justin Martin, whose track, ‘Don’t Go’ is perhaps one of the coolest songs I’ve ever heard. (If you can’t choose which track to start with, try checking this one out first)
My favorite song on here is the opener, ‘Dream’ by Autograf. I’ve always thought this track has such an incredible feel to it, and I was so excited to incorporate it into the playlist for such a special event. As the melody kicks in, it perfectly sets the vibe for the rest of the tunes the playlist has in store.
This has become my go-to travel playlist, and I’m pumped that I get to share it with you all, here on the Sound Of Honey.
Enjoy!
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