What do you do with songs you adore but can’t file anywhere? That was the inspiration for Sam's 2026 birthday mix. He shares with Matt everything from TV themes that outshine their shows, soundtrack deep cuts that became life markers, long builds that earn their intensity, and genre-bending grooves that defy labels.

We start with Benjamin Clementine’s Nemesis and the power of a great intro to set tone and memory, then shift to Regina Spektor’s reminder not to confuse sugar with love. A Nike-era earworm from Crystal Fighters and Puscifer’s Grand Canyon showcase how movement and mood can make a song feel cinematic. Death Cab for Cutie’s I Will Possess Your Heart proves the four-minute intro isn’t excess—it’s obsession rendered in sound. Passion Pit reframes a Smashing Pumpkins classic into a floating, nerve-steadying cover, while Anderson .Paak’s Till It’s Over blooms from grayscale to neon like a perfect post-work reset.

Meg Washington’s How to Tame Lions hooks by tone and clever wordplay even when meaning stays elusive. Del Castillo lights up the room with blistering Spanish guitar, conjuring old west horizons without a single frame of film. Lorde’s A World Alone lands a painfully true line about growing up online. Mr. Scruff’s Get a Move On becomes the exact soundtrack to your morning routine. And Zero 7’s Likufanele closes with a hypnotic chant that turns focus into flow.

If you enjoyed the ride, share the episode with a friend, subscribe for more curated mixes, and leave a five-star review to help us climb to number one by episode 200.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/sam-sam-birthday-2026-mix/pl.u-9DX3du7dDK4b

1. Nemesis - Benjamin Clementine
2. SugarMan - Regina Spektor
3. Follow - Crystal Fighters
4. Grand Canyon - Puscifer
5. I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie
6. Tonight, Tonight - Passion Pit
7. ‘Til It’s Over - Anderson Paak
8. How To Tame Lions - Meg Washington
9. El Corrido De Don Lulai - Del Castillo
10. A World Alone - Lorde
11. Get A Move On! - Mr. Scruff
12. Likufanele - Zero 7

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