Year Nine

I've been doing Camp Mixes for a while...

Though it feels like it has become more difficult to compile a Camp Mix with each year since having an actual summer at Keller, I also feel like Camp Mix overall has only improved. It has matured. Camp Mix '13 was my favorite so far, with '12 being my favorite before that, and so there would seem to be a pattern here. However, while it may be too early to say for sure, this pattern may not actually exist. Also, if I'm going to make Camp Mix '14 using the same process I've used to make all previous iterations, it simply won't happen.

I've been worried about this for at least the past two years. A burnout. A lack of appropriate songs. A lack of motivation. Each of these are factors that have only grown more apparent in recent years. Each contribute to a desire to not want to make Camp Mix anymore. I think to myself on an almost-subconscious level, "if '13 was the best, then '14 must be better! But how do I top it?" It just doesn't seem possible.

The simple answer is this: I don't. Or at least I don't try to top it. CM13 pulled through partly because of the challenge I had set for myself: "All songs must be from newcomers except for songs that had been released in 2013. All artists get one song (with one exception, it turned out)." For CM14, I'm going to enforce a somewhat-similar challenge, but the nature and theme of this year will yield completely different results. Do not expect fresh, young and anxious tones. Do not expect loud subtlety. And please do not expect it to blow away any of your expectations!

Although, when I think about it, all this really could come around full circle and actually create a great Camp Mix. Because as long as it's wholly different from previous years and has its own personality, then I'll probably be satisfied.

I'm optimistically scared for the future. But I've done this before, and nine years' experience has taught me to use unique circumstances to produce unique mixes. And for better or worse, Camp Mix '14 will be completed.