LCD Soundsystem has been a bit busy of late, what with a new album on the horizon.

The band’s Tyler Pope also has his own thing going on: a label titled Interference Pattern, whose first release was Drug Apts’ self-titled EP (produced by Death Grips). He also recently released an EP titled L.Y.G. from Tyler and MAndre, featuring Telepathe. Pope took some time out from the mania to make a playlist for us featuring some of his favorite LCD memories and tracks. Check it out below.

“Beat Connection”

This was the first song I heard from James, it was before it was released. Eric Duncan and Tom Bullock played it at a party in the back room at the bar Passerby in Manhattan. Everyone was dancing in complete darkness and this track really took the party to the next level. It was the one track of the night that stuck with me; everyone I was with was talking about it the next day.

“Freak Out/Starry Eyes”

This one became one of my favorite LCD songs after we played it at MSG with the whole choir and horn section. It was really powerful in that context, such a massive venue with so many people and such a slow churner of a groove it seemed like everyone in the band and audience was in sync.

“45:33”

For me this one is on the list because of the first fifteen or twenty minutes. It’s all great, but those two movements, ‘Shame on You’ and what became ‘Someone Great,’ are two of my favorite pieces of music by James.

“Time to Get Away”

This one was fun, and it was an interesting song to record. I remember being in the studio and James literally pointing to me and [drummer] Pat [Mahoney] when to start and stop and change etc… It was really a spontaneous arrangement that came together really fast.

“Us V Them”

This record, The London Sessions, captured us as a live band in a great time. We had been on tour for a while and were all playing together really well. I like that it’s a little loose, but it doesn’t detract from the groove of the song.

“Drunk Girls”

The London Sessions version of this is so nice because it’s super catchy, but a bit looser and more energetic sounding than the studio version. And Nancy [Whang]’s Casio is super loud in a great way!

“Yr City’s a Sucker”

There is actually an instrumental of this one that I would have included, but it’s not available on TIDAL or any streaming services. It’s such a nice ominously beautiful song, mostly because of the use of the Triadex Muse synthesizer on it. If you don’t know what that is, you should Google it.

“All My Friends”

This was a fun one to record, James was listening to some flexi 7″ tune and wanted to do something like it. It was a really beautiful kind of lo-fi, kind of minimal wave song I don’t remember the name of, but we listened to it as the initial inspiration for ‘All My Friends.’ But obviously it took several turns to become the huge-sounding anthem that it did in the end. It’s just interesting where ideas in the studio can start and then what they end up.

“Sound of Silver”

Also one that was really fun to play at Madison Square Garden with the full choir. James was playing this miked kalimba; it’s such a tiny intrument that just filled all of MSG with this amazingly beautiful sound. And the bassline is one of the funnest LCD basslines to play, and there are a lot of LCD songs with fun basslines to play.

“North American Scum (Onanistic Dub Mix)”

This is kind of a deeper track; it’s actually something that I play out when I DJ. It’s heady but keeps you engaged with Nancy screaming ‘North America!’ throughout the track.

(Photo credit: Bill Ebbesen)