Friday Mixtape: photographer Molly Matalon's mix for wandering around New York in fall

Date
9 November 2018

When LA-based photographer Molly Matalon is commissioned to take a photograph of a band, the final images are guaranteed to catch your eye. Firstly, you’ll recognise the shots as distinctively Molly’s thanks to her particular eye for light-filled compositions. Then you’ll slowly start to decipher who the musician is, even if you’ve listened to them hundreds of times. Molly’s got a way with photographing people, you see. She picks up on personalities and extenuates them, whether it’s in the way Lana Del Ray is posed sitting on a staircase or the way Starcrawler’s Arrow de Wilde is holding a chicken, we even saw it in Molly’s ability to work with Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh.

And so this week we asked Molly to take us through some of the tracks she listens to, on set at home or wandering around. As Molly’s also about to move back to New York City this winter after a short stint earlier this year, her mix is prep for shifting from West to East coast American climes.

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Molly Matalon

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Molly Matalon

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Molly Matalon

It’s Nice That: Why have you picked these songs?

Molly Matalon: I was recently living in NYC for September and October, which I think are some of the best months here. A friend sent me that Abner Jay song and I remembered how good it is and wanted to make a mix that was in the same mood as it. It just snowballed into a fall in NYC playlist.

INT: When or where should this mixtape be listened to?

MM: If you’re walking around a city and the weather is crisp but sunny, light to heavy jacket weather.

INT: Are there certain albums you listen to during the different parts of your creative process?

MM: Low-fi hip-hop beats to study to while working at my desk, Ctrl by Sza and Edge of by True Blue while I’m shooting and Dedicated to Babies Who Came Feet First by Cold World, while I’m driving.

INT: What records did you listen to when you were a teenager?

MM: Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park, Deja Entendu by Brand New, Minor Threat’s Out Of Step and Through Being Cool by Saves The Day.

INT: If a feature film about your life was to be made, what song would be on the trailer?

MM: Everlong by Foo Fighters

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About the Author

Lucy Bourton

Lucy (she/her) is the senior editor at Insights, a research-driven department with It's Nice That. Get in contact with her for potential Insights collaborations or to discuss Insights' fortnightly column, POV. Lucy has been a part of the team at It's Nice That since 2016, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication.

lb@itsnicethat.com

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