Jazz pianist Aaron Parks describes this DJ mix as a “ride through the ups and downs of the mind. Folks who live with bipolar disorder—as I do—experience a wide spectrum of moods, including some rather disorienting extremes.” Created for World Mental Health Day, every moment of Parks’ mix has been selected and considered with utmost care, taking both his personal experiences and those of the listener into consideration. Every sound, rise, and fall is intentional, personal, and designed to take you on a specific emotional journey. “The relationship between music and mental health is a very close one for me,” says the Seattle-born musician, whose 2024 album Little Big III marks his return to the legendary Blue Note record label. Sometimes, his mental state works to his advantage: He composes more when his mood is “up” and often edits when it’s a “little down.” “But things can get out of balance,” he continues. “When I’ve fallen into a deep depression, music itself can feel ashen and inaccessible, and creativity feels like a distant dream. When my mood is too high, I have a hard time creating anything substantive.” Parks notes that he’s learned to focus on absorbing music with “embodied awareness,” and that balancing medication, therapy, mindfulness, sleep, and diet have been of utmost importance. There’s plenty to absorb as you listen to this mix: Its intensity is intentional. “There were times where I wondered if these energetic ebbs and flows might be a bit too much,” he says. “But I found it to be resonant, not in spite of but precisely because of the acknowledgment of polarities: gain and loss, mania and depression, stop and start, confusion and clarity.” Still, while art imitates life, it also makes it a little more digestible. “I did want to make this fun to listen to, after all,” he says. “All of these songs feel good to me in one way or another, even as they sometimes peer in on the less pleasant aspects of inner experience.” As you listen, read on for insights into key tracks on Parks’ mix. S. Carey, John Raymond, “Blood Orange” “I chose to open the mix with ‘Blood Orange,’ a delicate but lush piece to set things moving. The production and harmonic world of the song give it a prevailing sense of hopefulness, but when you listen to the words, there’s also an apprehensive recognition of the often fleeting nature of bliss: What goes up must come down. I played piano and keys on this session, recorded in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in May 2021, when many of us were just beginning to venture out into the world again, and I think I can almost hear the tentative joy of reconnection in the music.” Arlo Parks, “Black Dog” “Arlo establishes a steady pulse over which she portrays the depression of a loved one with tremendous care and compassion. The comforting loop and tactile sonic details of the production work together with her lyrics to envelop you in a world that feels safe and warm, even as it offers no sure solutions.” Nate Smith, “Square Wheel” “This beat is so funky that the complexity of its meter doesn’t seem like cleverness, but instead feels perfectly suited to the song’s theme of learning to find your place in a world you’re not quite sure how to fit into. The groove—which makes the off-kilter feel like home—is just right for the message it’s delivering, which also includes an important note of caution: Be wary of basing your identity and/or sense of self-worth upon what you imagine the opinions of others to be.” Samora Pinderhughes, “Better” “This haunting tune lulls you in with its dreamlike vibe and elliptical bass and drums, while simultaneously cutting close to the bone lyrically with an unflinching glimpse into the interiors of a ruminating mind. I’m well-acquainted with these types of spiraling negative thoughts, and having them set to such a gorgeous melody somehow gives me a new way to both observe them and inquire into whether they are actually true or just a story I’m telling myself.” Tycho, “A Walk” “I put this on when I need a fortifying dose of mental sunshine. There’s something soothing about the fuzzy warmth of the synths, the sturdy thump of the drums. I have a vivid memory of getting off a long flight all bedraggled and grumpy, putting this track on while waiting for my luggage, and watching as even the drab baggage claim area was somehow transformed into a more optimistic and colorful place.” Little Big, “Ashé” “This is a song of mine from the forthcoming album with my band Little Big. This piece is a prayer, a small spell for change, and its title comes from Yoruba philosophy. My original intention was to use it for the last track of the mix as a way of resolving the story with a clear and satisfying cadence…” Georgia Anne Muldrow, “Bass Attack Bap” “But then along came this gloriously ferocious track. Because such tidy endings are usually a thing of fiction, not real life. And because sometimes you need to put a little swagger in your step as you head out the door.”