There's something about SoCal surfer culture. The laidback funk of Venice, the eclectic bungalows of Malibu, the glimpse of glittering turquoise that sparks a sudden, serendipitous joy. Now that I've relocated to San Francisco for the remainder of the summer, there's nothing I miss more than cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in my little white car, windows down and Mimosa on blast, sliding into the leather seats in a bikini after a rough session in the surf, rolling up to Primo Passo on Montana for a hard-earned taste of heaven. I yearn for the crashing waves with their foamy white crests, the long-haired boys with wetsuits and boards, being barefoot and sandy and half-naked and carefree. There is no better cure for everything than that golden place where the sun always shines and even time seems to move more slowly.

While I realize I'm still in California, San Francisco just isn't Santa Monica, and it's not half as enjoyable when you're juggling three (unpaid) internships. As you can probably tell, I'm feeling a tad homesick, so I've collected some photos and melodies that remind me of lazy summer days down south(ish):



Tidal Wave (feat. Alpines)/Sub Focus
Sub Focus has always been one of my favorites, and here his masterful DnB beats integrate seamlessly with the soaring vocals of Catherine Pockson for a melody as breathtaking and powerful as the waves themselves.

Falling in Love Again (feat. Marty Rod & Alma)/Kill Paris
Forget about that Justin Timberlake song - this is summer love, simultaneously nostalgic and liberating.

Psychedelic Stereo/Mimosa
On the level of Drippin, this stoner anthem provides its own natural high.

Write Your Name (feat. Mona Moua)/Yelawolf
This combination of pure, melodic vocals and straight-from-the-heart lyrics is surprisingly poignant (for a rap song); it's stylistically similar to 2010 chart-topper Airplanes, only better.

Fire Inside (Mr Fijiwiji Remix)/Gemini
The best of chillstep, so soothing and melodic. Almost all of Mr Fijiwiji's mixes are sublime, especially his take on Kaskade & Deadmau5's "I Remember."

One in a Million/Down with Webster
So this isn't the most gorgeously crafted anthem out there, but it's infectiously upbeat and pretty darn catchy.

Tighten Up/The Black Keys
This is like the song version of Instagram photos - deceptively hipster (but actually mainstream), vintagey, yet thoroughly modern.

Rock Your Body/Justin Timberlake and Ocean Avenue/Yellowcard
And the throwbacks, because some songs are too good to ever get old.