Manchester Scenewipe curate the latest edition of The Playlist, our top 5 music recommendations chosen by taste-makers in the north.

It’s the eve of the Manchester Scenewipe’s All Killer, All Dayer mini-festival, taking place Saturday 20th September, and we’ve asked the Scenewipe folk to share the music that’s getting them through the final hour. This is the third annual All Killer, All Dayer, with festivities kicking off during the day at Soup Kitchen and running into the wee hours over at Kraak.

Highlights on the All Killer, All Dayer include Pink Teens (formerly known as Temple Songs), Desmadrados Soldados de Ventura and Dave of Mutilation, who will play Pixies covers on vocoder and synths, no less. We’ll also be looking out for the wonderfully named Sex Hands; there’s a special place in our hearts for Season 1, the entirely Friends-themed album they released back in 2012. Yes, there is a track called ‘Janice’.

In the meantime, sit back and enjoy the latest playlist. Take a romantic voyage through the mid-west with Cass McCombs, plan a pit-stop with Cat Power and finish it all off with some good old-fashioned angst from Why?.

Chad Vangaalen – Flower Gardens

This track was the first thing I ever heard by Chad Vangaalen and it kicked off a long time obsession with his amazing music, animation and production. We’ve met on numerous occasions over the years and my adoration makes it massively awkward every time.

Cass McCombs – County Line

I just think this song is the most romantic, saddest, uplifting track I’ve ever heard. I love the downplayed cinematic feel; everytime I hear it I imagine looking out of the window of a big American car driving through some mid western on-it’s-knees oil town full of jilted lovers and down-and-outs. I think Cass McCombs explains the beauty in that stuff so well.

Brown Brogues – Treet U Beta

This track means a lot to me as it was the first song we made a music video for, and people were like, “that was ace!” It was filmed at the Swinley Labour Club in Wigan and resulted in Brown Brogues becoming two of my best mates/bane of my life.

Cat Power – We All Die

I only recently heard this track from my lady friend but it’s blown my mind. I love music with raw energy and emotion and I think this tune has a constant sense of frustration and buildup that never really explodes. I feel like she wants to scream but can’t get it out. It’s powerful.

Why? – The Vowels Pt.2

Lyrics are probably the element of music that I enjoy the most and for me they don’t get much better than Why?’s Yoni Wolf. Like a lot of angsty young people I was obsessed with the first Why? records. Now, as a slightly angsty and not-so-young person I still get goosebumps listening to the amazingly abstract yet cuttingly direct turns of phrase in this track. The production is absolutely mind-blowing too.