As spelled out in our current cover story, Midwestern trio Salem is a “gothy/witch-house/dream-crunk/”fucking hipster”/drag-step/worst.band.ever./genius/crack-core/amaaaazing/hiding-behind-fuzz/wigger/fake-black-metal/angelic/homo-thug/Michael Stipe-endorsed/post-juke band from no place in particular.” Basically, they’ve become one of those bands that can be whatever you want them to be; the notion of what exactly Salem is threatens to engulf what Salem’s music actually sounds like. So today, on the day the group’s debut album, King Night, is being released (buy it here), we’re happy to focus on the latter by presenting Sleep Now My One Little Eye, an exclusive mix that Salem put together for the XLR8R podcast series. Submitted with a qualifier that states “best listened to lying on da floor or bed,” the mix is another one of the band’s warped journeys through slow-motion sound and lo-fi gloom and doom. Nearly every track—including the unreleased Salem tunes which comprise more than half of the podcast—has been labeled “drag,” which we assume means that the band has followed its frequent M.O. and screwed the song into oblivion. It’s an interesting trip, and one we certainly recommend taking.

01 Unknown “MOTHER DEAR WHERE R U WHEN I NEED U”
02 Salem “Sores (Drag)”
03 Salem “Amen (Drag)”
04 Salem “Snakes (Drag)”
05 Soulja Boy & Lil B “Gucci Wings/Dat Boy Can Fly (Drag)”
06 Mott the Hoople “Sea Diver (Drag)”
07 Daniel Johnston “Some Things Last a Long Time (Drag)”
08 Salem “Baby Boy (Drag)”
09 Salem “Amen Remix (Drag)”
10 Ricki Lee Jones “We Belong Together (Drag)”
11 Salem “Superstar (Drag)”

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